Death… And Me

"Errr..." Rean couldn't help but look at Roan and talk through their Soul Connection. 'This guy is quite big and looks like a war tank. If it was any of the others, I could take on a few of them simultaneously. But this guy...' Rean could tell that this guy alone could definitely fight many cultivators in this dream city at once and still trash them. It had nothing to do with cultivation. He was just that strong! 'Oh, right! He just told us that we need to last a minute. If that's the case, then it is easy.'

Roan agreed with Rean's assessment. 'You're correct. He's on another level. However, I don't want to watch you running away from him. Let me give it a shot instead.' Roan didn't seem unhappy at all as he stepped forward.

"Oh, so you're actually going to take on the challenge?" the captain asked.

Roan nodded in response. "I sure am."

The captain didn't care which one it was. It could even be both as far as he was concerned. "Good! By the way, my name is Rivaldo, the captain of the city guards."

Roan was direct. "So, where will we fight?" 

However, as soon as Roan finished his question, Rivaldo's axe came crashing down at him.

*Bang!*

A huge hole opened in the ground, but Roan reacted fast enough to jump back and not be hit. Rivaldo then smiled at him. "When the City Guards need to fight, there's no such thing as a place for fighting. We need to use whatever environment we're thrown into. In any case, the fact you dodged my attack proves that you at least aren't useless. Now then, can you truly last one minute?"

Rivaldo immediately burst forward, moving his axe faster than most of his subordinates could move swords. Roan had to admit the guy was extremely fast for his body's build. However, it was Roan we're talking about here. 

Rivaldo's axe went for Roan's head, aiming to take it in one strike. He never said that he wouldn't try to kill Roan in that test, after all. Roan then performed an evasive action, turning his body to avoid the axe and counterattack. However, just as the axe was about to hit Roan's head, Rivaldo's muscles bulged as it changed direction. That attack on Roan's head was just a feint! Rivaldo's real aim was Roan's body. It was possible for someone as strong as Rivaldo to cut any part of Roan in two, including his torso.

Surprisingly though, the axe wasn't the only thing that changed direction at the last moment. Roan's body also contorted in a ridiculous way as he propelled himself slightly into the air. As soon as he jumped, he brought his legs close to his body, making the axe miss him by a few millimeters!

As strong as Rivaldo might be, that last moment change in his axe direction used up most of his momentum. He couldn't recall his axe back anymore before performing the full swing. 

Roan then rotated his body and used the chance to perform a kick on Rivaldo's head...or so he intended to. However, he could tell that Rivaldo wasn't that easy to be hit. Just as his leg was about to hit Rivaldo's head, his other leg kicked the axe passing under him and used that force to jump back.

That was the right decision. That's because when Roan kicked the axe under his body, there was no one holding it. Rivaldo had completely given up on his axe when he noticed he couldn't bring it back in time and aimed to capture Roan with his enormous hands. Unfortunately for him, Roan escaped his range.

*Clang! Clang! Clang! Bam!*

Rivaldo's axe bounced on the ground a few times before hitting a wall on the side. 

The city guards watching the scene had their mouths agape. It was really hard to see someone last this long against Captain Rivaldo. At the very least, no one had ever done so since Rivaldo took up the role of captain.

However, Rivaldo couldn't care less about it. "You...what's your name?"

Roan looked a Rivaldo in response before replying, "Roan."

"Roan, huh?" The minute Rivaldo mentioned wasn't over yet, but Rivaldo didn't pursue Roan anymore. "Forget about the battle. Let me ask you. You had something planned just now, right?"

Roan was surprised to hear that question. With that, he replied, "Impressive, so you noticed." Soon after, Roan threw a dagger he had acquired in a smithy on the ground. "However, don't misunderstand it. I didn't use the dagger because I was not in the perfect position to throw it with the necessary strength. Besides, you're dressed in full armor, so I would need to aim for your eyes. There was a good chance I would have missed, and if that happened, I would have been caught. With your body's strength alone, I'm certain you would be able to break all my bones by simply squeezing me. Even if I had hit the target, you're a seasoned warrior. I'm sure you would have turned your head, using the helmet itself to stop the advancement of the dagger. You would lose the vision in one of your eyes, but you would still most likely catch me. In the end, it would still be my loss."

Rivaldo looked at Roan with light in his eyes before he burst out into laughter. "Hahaha! Good! Good! Indeed, the moment I saw your hand reaching into a blind position, I knew something was coming. Yes, I was ready to react to whatever you threw at me. However, what superb fighting awareness. You also noticed that you couldn't win in this exchange, so you gave up on the plan and even used my axe as a way to get away from me. That only makes me wonder...if we continued to fight, who would win in the end?"

Rivaldo then walked to the side and grabbed his axe back. "Forget about the one-minute shit. With your strength, I have no reason to deny your entrance to the city guards. Just as your brother said, you will be mainly responsible for the actions of the other outsiders. I'll give you one squad to help with the patrolling. Do whatever you see fit as long as you don't bother the city's people or destroy it."

Rean and Roan were more than satisfied with that.

Rivaldo was just about to leave when he remembered something, "Oh, right!" He then took his helmet off and pulled out a collar from his neck. After that, he threw the collar at Roan. "Take this. For some reason, I feel like you need it." 

It was an Existence Pearl! This time, neither Rean nor Roan wanted to give it back.

"Come inside and change into the City Guards' attire. I want you to start your work straight away," Rivaldo told them.

The twins looked at each other and nodded before they followed the other guards inside. Around an hour later, they exited the City Guards' headquarters, followed by twenty more guards. 

Rean smiled at the guards before telling them, "Alright, everyone. I know you have let the outsiders fight each other as long as they didn't destroy or hurt anyone. However, that puts a lot of shame on me as an outsider as well. With that being said, if we see any of them fighting, we will immediately act and stop the fight by any means. Understood?"

"Yes, leaders!"