GLITCH

Start of Sven's Journey

CRISP DESERT

(Moments after Dubes got teleported)

"Tch…to think that I got teleported away when I'm almost this close to kill that damn girl—that's some bad luck I got here."

Looking around, Dubes only see a vast area of sand. There are no signs of life that could be found. The scorching heat is unbearable to anyone who set afoot to this hellish place.

"I see, so I got teleported in Crisp Desert. What a drag."

Dubes kicked some sand to brush off his disappointment.

"Whatever, I'll get another chance to kill her."

Dubes slowly walks away with a smirk, wandering aimlessly at the hot desert.

•••

PLATINUM CITY

November 30, 2500

8:47am

News about the exploits of Rylai reaches Sven's ears. He is happy yet sad at the same time.

"You became stronger now Rylai. I won't falter though. I'll make this as my motivation."

Sven is more or less Rylai's friend. He first met her during the incident in this very city he's living in. He also had accompanied her until the predicament in Crystal City.

He's currently busy preparing necessary items and plans to embark on a journey by himself. He heard about a certain ruckus happening about in Dewlax City, a city across a body of water, and he needs to travel through two cities and a town before he could set his foot to that land.

"Rylai did say that actual combat experience is a great teacher."

While Sven monologues, he receives a call from the AGA. Puzzled, he answers the call with a voice slightly expressing annoyance. He did a façade and speaks a polite phrase in an impolite manner.

"Hello, this is Sven, how may I help you?"

"Sorry for calling you sire but Miss Ferni wants to see you. If possible, you must head to the academy right away."

Sven sighed, reluctantly agreed, and finally departed after bidding farewell to his parents. He walks towards his first destination—Yellow City.

•••

YELLOW CITY

1:00pm

At the same time, Ferni is buried under an overwhelming amount of documents piled on her desk. Ferni is one of the higher ups of an organization commonly known as AGA—an organization that sets the balance of the ever-growing superhuman society. She's moaning and groaning about why she needs to do something like managing the documents.

"Ugh, why do I need to manage the paperwork? I still need to do something more urgent than this pile of rubbish."

Just as she started to move her hand again to sign the papers, a couple of knocks is heard with a voice familiar to Ferni.

"Sven, is it? Please come in."

The door lets out a faint creak as it opens. Sven then sits on the couch found in the center of the room, and eventually speaks.

"Hello Miss Ferni. What would be your business you wanted to discuss with me?"

"Oh, yes! I almost forgot about it! Wait a bit, okay?"

Among the piled papers that she called "pile of rubbish" earlier, she gets a letter and a parcel—rectangular in form—out of those and handed it over to Sven, who's eyebrows are slightly burrowed.

"Here you go kiddo. This is a letter of recommendation I personally signed, and I need that parcel to be sent to an individual named Phoen who's currently residing there. Will you accept the quest? Of course, your efforts will be rewarded."

Sven thought for it for a bit and simply nodded.

"Good. Now, for the time being, let's do mock battle. I need to assess your abilities and point out your weak points."

Ferni stood up and went outside the room. Sven followed suit with a brightened expression. For him, having someone to spar with, not to mention the partner is a high-tier combatant no less is a great offer.

They came upon a wide indoor area. The place seems to be prepared as some sort of training ground. Ferni demanded Sven to put the usual sword he used in the stash. From the floor, pieces of equipment were popping out one after another. Sven choose a double-handed wooden sword, obviously. For Ferni, she chose a simple buckler and a wooden short sword.

"You ready kiddo? Even though we're using wooden equipment, it doesn't mean that the attacks won't hurt. If you ever put a brake on your attacks--"

In a split second, Ferni vanished from the spot she stood earlier. Surprised, Sven widened his eyes and felt bloodlust behind him. With that, he immediately rolls away from his spot. Ferni did appear behind and blasts the ground, creating a crater with just a swing of a wooden weapon.

"—that would be a fatal flaw in terms of decision-making. Now, come!"

Sven nodded and charges straight at Ferni. If seen by an untrained eye, a person couldn't see either Ferni's movements or Sven's. However, it is an obvious result that Sven found himself lying on the ground after ten minutes of confrontation against the more-experienced Ferni. Sven sighs and keeps lying on the floor with a feeling of satisfaction. But to Ferni, this is still not enough.

"Stand up, Sven. This isn't your bedroom."

A kick from Ferni hits Sven's left side and was thrown about. Sven spewed blood in the process, and it was pretty obvious that a couple of his ribs were broken. He could barely stand, and used the wooden sword to act as a support. As he staggers, Ferni continues her attack and goes for the neck. Even with such shabby equipment, the force she used this time is no joke, and the only option Sven could ever do is to parry it or he'll surely meet the Creator.

"In the end, you will never be able to protect any of your friends or your family."

Sven twitched after hearing that low-volume yet mocking statement.

A load thud made by a clash of blunt nonmetallic materials reverberated in the air.

"Now that's what I want."

It was that moment Ferni recalled what Rylai told her before.

"Sven wields the [Rogue Knight] Mantle. Since he's been labeled as a knight he could only go full force if emergency rises and needs to defend the people around him. However that Rogue word attached with it makes his case a different story. Theoretically, if he deems that he himself is in a grave situation, he will have his strength doubled. It is a Mantle that makes him strong if he's in grave peril and stronger if he also intends to protect anyone in that exact moment."

Sven was able to parry Ferni's ferocious attack. On top of that, he only used one of his arms to fend off the attack, and Ferni loses her balance—with her dominant hand thrown about. Sven goes for his counterattack but then Ferni immediately blocks it with her buckler. He did it in a crazy way that even Ferni barely managed to see that movement. Sven did his best to hold on, however—

"Guh…"

Sven felt the throbbing pain of his broken ribs and finally made him passed out. Ferni calls out for a medical team to tend his injuries. She looks at Sven as he made his exit and chuckled.

"It seems like he certainly has grown. To destroy with something even if it's made out of wood—now that's brute strength."

She said it while looking at the buckler that literally got blown into smithereens after receiving Sven's counter earlier.