False Hero

Actually, there were some of the Miles troops that were missing for a while. Apparently, he has been searching for them, for a while now but there was no fruit to his search.

They disappeared in thin air and even their family didn't want to talk about what happened to them.

But finally, he found the first clue towards finding those troops. This guy told us about a place that can help us find those troops. 

According to his words, 

"Helm bought various types of ominous things from them and took it to a particular place." 

The place he mentioned was an underground basement below one of the shop stalls near the city. Well, he did also say that there are various other ways to access that place, like a sewer system. But apparently, that underground area under the stall will be the fastest route there.

As we were walking out of the building, Miles said, "We will take the sewer since going through the shop stall will only get us unnecessary attention."

"That's right. I will go there, Grey you stay here and wait for me."

"No, I am coming with you."

"But I can't fight and defend you at the same time." 

Hearing what he said, I couldn't help but sigh as I said, "Don't worry about and besides you need my power to get there faster."

"What power?"

"Ah, that's a secret."

"Then don't mention it, and you are not coming -----"

As Miles was going to say something, we heard a voice from behind saying, "Do you mind us joining both of you?"

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In the underground tunnel, the darkness made it hard to see for the people who were walking through the dark tunnel. 

From the ceiling of the tunnel, the water dropped bit by bit and it was the only sound that was heard across the tunnel. 

Being fed up with the darkness, Miles opened his mouth saying "Can someone perform a fireball spell or something, it is very hard to see where we are stepping on to."

Renold paused his walk as he said, "We all come from the Hoffmann family, the family is known for ice affinity. Due to that, none of us can perform fire magic."

Due to him pausing suddenly, Ranulf crashed into him due to not being able to see further, "Idiot!! don't stop so suddenly. But you are right, none of us has fire affinity."

Raising his left hand, Grey gathered the mana around him as he condensed a fireball, "I can perform fire magic."

Miles, Ranulf, and Ronald, all three of the Hoffmann paused in shock. "You can perform fire magic?!"

"Yes."

"That's cool, not going to lie."

Ronald looked towards Ranulf as he asked, "By the way brother, why were you shocked upon learning Grey can perform, fire magic? he is your son."

"Don't ask me that, he has been away from me for nearly six-year I still don't know what else my son can do. But I am sure he is pretty overpowered like my wife."

"I can agree to that, but he isn't as powerful as my son, Miles. I mean no offense but my son is strongest."

Ranulf looked at Grey as he said, "Grey, fight with Miles right now, we will settle it now. Let's see who is stronger."

Ronald said the same to miles, "Miles, don't lose, I believe in you."

"I am not fighting anyone, we came here for a mission, Don't forget it."

"Ah, yes."

"Right!"

Grey was leading the rest of those three since he has the fireball in his hand and also he is the only one that was able to see the faint mana.

Walking towards the faint aura of mana, Grey led all three of them through the various maze-like tunnel before finally reaching the place.

Upon reaching the place, Grey stopped as he said, "This is the place.".

There was a small door in front of them, it wasn't hidden or anything. It was just there in front of them.

But the maze-like tunnels made it hard to discover this door.

Grey stepped forward towards the door, grabbing the handle he opened the door.

Upon entering the door, Grey entered without being on guard since there was no one inside. He had already sensed that there was no one inside, except for some exception.

"Be on your guard." Said, Ronald.

But Grey still proceeded to enter inside saying that, "There is no one inside."

Ranulf followed Grey as he said, "He has the power to see all kinds of energy, so just trust him."

Upon taking a step, everyone's nose was hit with a deep stench. Grey's face cringed upon being in contact with a shitty stench.

Covering his nose, Miles spoke "corpse?"

To his answer, Ronald replied with a nod.

Grey opened his mouth as he stepped forward, "I only sense one life force here, that too a faint one. Follow me."

Walking through the black room they were met a narrow aisle. Walking through the aisle they saw various prisoner's rooms.

Grey stopped near the first prison cell, it was pitch dark but there was a heavy stench that was coming from inside the room.

The prison was locked, so Ranulf punch the locked door to break it open. One punch was enough to open the door.

With a loud sound of Clang!

The door opened and with that, Grey and everyone else stepped into the cell. 

Grey extended his palm as he created a fireball in his hand, illuminating the room. As the room got illuminated, A gruesome sight was in front of them, it was obvious that it was the source of all the stench that was oozing out of it.

"What is this-----"

Even though Miles knew the reality of the situation but upon coming face with it, it was still hard for him to see his troop in this condition. 

"How did it? who---"

Only broken words came out of his mouth as he tried to speak. He stepped back away from the corpse of his troop. 

The man was hung on the table as both of his hands and legs were tied down to the table. His wrist was cut in half the other half was still attached to his body, the wrist was barely dangling with the body.

Every part of his body was tortured, even all of his nails were missing, including one eyeball. 

Upon taking along on the corpse Grey was easily able to connect the dots, Grey spoke "Whoever did this surely enjoyed himself to the fullest,"

"What---- what do you mean?"

"Isn't it obvious, this man died in the hands of a monster, a monster that loved torturing people." 

"But why----who..."

Ronald was enraged but he kept his calm to the best of his ability since he can't be the one that can lose his shit.

Grey stepped outside of the prison cell, walking past Ronalf and Ranulf, the cold look in Grey's eyes gave a chill down both of their spines. 

Grey looked walked past all of the cells as he saw rotting bodies one after another, some were skinned alive while others were burned alive. The person who tortured people here also made a ventilation system just to burn people alive.

There was a woman whose breast was cut off from his chest. It wasn't a decaying body, Grey looked at her and made a conclusion that the body must be just some hours old. Her face frozen in terror, she died from the pain. 

"Whoever did this surely doesn't have a usual sexual preference like woman, he just enjoys torturing people. I think I know who it is, but I can't jump on conclusions," 

Ranulf, Ronald caught up with Grey, as they walked behind him. 

Ranulf opened his mouth asking " Grey, aren't you disgusted by looking at the dead bodies? A usual fourteen-year-old wouldn't even get closer to these bodies, any normal human would feel disgusted by looking at this sight." 

"I am disgusted, but not in the way that you would think."

This time Ronald was the one that opened his mouth as he asked, "It's fine, you don't need to act tough. You are just a kid, it's fine."

Grey smiled to himself as he said "I have seen a fair share of dead bodies, so it doesn't really matter to me, but yeah, a part of me doesn't want to see one."

Ronald paused, as a thought went through his mind 'Even an adult like me can't stay unhinged when I see a sight like this, but this kid, he was not even fazed when he saw this bodies as if he was used to it, what this kid had to go through?'

Grey walked for a second before stopping near the cell, he spoke loudly, "Miles there is someone alive here"

{Author: I am really sorry that I uploaded it late today, I actually had some college work. But thanks for waiting, if you reading this!!}