After their illusionary barrier had faded away, the guys prepared to make a charge towards the checkpoint to Saint Empire.

With a glance, they could tell that the Giant's Prairies are already emptied of soldiers. A testament of how effective they had lured the troops away with their decoys, and even now those soldiers would be busy chasing after air.

The guys summoned the now-stronger land wyrm as their ride home, but before they thought they could leave a shadow suddenly appeared beside Kairos. A shimmering blade slashed downwards but as if he already knew it is coming, Kairos had already removed himself with speed so fast he only appears as flicker. And he reappeared nearby, unharmed.

There is nothing that could escape his notice within his soul perception range, and though the attack came exceedingly fast like a shadow, Kairos was well able to react to it. Using the Lightning Flicker Body technique, he could reach triple S speed for a short burst.

Kairos looked at where he stood just moments ago, to identify who attacked. However, strangely it wasn't just the surprised assaulter who stood there. Another person has somehow appeared and intercepted the blade that was aimed at Kairos.

Of all people, it was the Guardian of the Realm who parried the sword, for he had wanted to save Kairos' life. Though, in the end, it was proven unnecessary.

"Syriong!" The attacker hissed. Now that they have the time to observe him, they see that the person is dressed like a shadow, wearing black from head to toe with only his eyes visible. But no matter how much he covers himself it could not hide the fact that he is a double S ranker.

"Not only did you slay the princess, you now side with the fugitives?" The shadow continued, and while he is talking, he secretly signalled with his fingers behind his back. Almost immediately four others who dressed similarly in black appeared, surrounding Syriong.

"Syriong slain the princess?" The whole of Kairos' cast asked this question in their minds at the same time. Though it was Syriong's purple crystal sword that did her in, it was Vouno who had delivered the final blow and in front of an entire platoon of witnesses no less.

Syriong, however, was not as surprised, for he had already heard this accusation the second time. He guessed that he had been betrayed by the imperial troops but proving his honour isn't his priority.

In fact, he lacked interest in how the others looked at him. For Syriong, to reach a higher cultivation, everyone and everything can be his tools. Even his position as the Guardian of the Realm. Every soldier assigned to him ended up as toys for him to break when he gets bored with them. Even when he was guarding Jones' prison cell by the Emperor's order, he did not care for those that accompanied him.

But regardless his character, Syriong's strength could not be denied. They needed him, and he knew it. Therefore, even the royal guard captain, the leader of the Imperial troops, could only close an eye towards him.

It didn't matter to him that anyone accuses him because once he breaks past the peak of triple S rank, he would be able to enter the immortal realms. At that time, even the emperor has to call him uncle if he wished for it.

Though right now, Emperor Axaius is still stronger than him, it is merely a matter of time that he surpasses him. Syriong had always prided himself on being much younger than his sovereign, and their age difference is a testament to his superior talent. In that case, why should he fear anyone?

If these men do not learn their place and back off, he is most willing to teach them a lesson.

And just as he was thinking this, the men in black surrounded him.

Syriong spoke indignantly, unafraid of the five double S rankers that surround him, "I don't care who you are, but they are my prey. Only I can kill them."

"Give yourself up guardian. We are the Phantom, and you have no way to escape" the man who seemed to be the leader of this group said.

"The Phantoms? That troublesome group is here?" Syriong thought with a tinge of being annoyed.

The Guardian had heard of this organisation before. With absolute loyalty to the emperor, this group called the Phantom have a little over 500 in their ranks. Though individually, they are weaker than him, they never act alone. Syriong is convinced that these five would only be the herald to many more.

The Phantoms execute every type of missions, from captures to assassinations, and they boast to be the group with the strongest firepower in the whole of Silent Lambs Empire. Syriong knows that they are more than capable of tiring him out, then taking him down, while apprehending the fugitives.

But if he back off now, he would lose the chance to redeem himself. He had already lost twice to this bunch of low ranking children, though he convinced himself it was because of the unusual ability of the one who could steal his techniques that caused this.

If he doesn't prove himself superior, he is afraid that the defeats suffered would turn into an irrational obsession, and he would be stalled forever in his cultivation. Now that he is wary of that thieving ability, he is filled with the confidence to win.

"Get. Out. Of. My. Way!" Syriong roared, and without hesitation, he attacked by flinging his arm in the direction of those around him. It was an unusual action that was akin to a slash though nothing is held in his hand. But as his reach came near one of the Phantom, a purple crystal sword appeared instantly and cut viciously across.

The double S ranker did not expect the guardian to react this way, and so swiftly, but years of experience gave him the speed to immediately respond. He activated a protective artefact and leapt back towards safety, while his companions took out their weapons and rushed towards him.

But hands made of earth raised from the soil and grabbed the ankles of all 5 of them. The one that leapt backwards did not manage to retreat, and Syriong sliced him in half along with his shield.

The purple crystal sword that the Guardian held, followed through without slowing down. He aimed at the second Phantom and let go of his weapon. The sword hurled towards his victim, and like what happened to the princess, the crystal shattered within his body and killed him. In a single breath, the Guardian slew two SS rankers. Yet it was not the end of his attack.

Without pause, Syriong summoned and threw three more crystal swords, killing the 3rd, 4th and last Phantom in a blink of an eye, before anyone could escape.

His overwhelming speed, the undetectable earth hands and his powerful single strike kills destroyed all the Phantoms before they could do anything. For those that fought at the top, the difference between winning and losing, life and death, is often decided in an instant.

Then Syriong turns towards Kairos' group with a broad smile on his face.

With how quickly he dispatched them, he gave no chance for the boys to run away.