Wrath of Titan

"Not bad," Eros said contentedly, throwing the bone on the floor. "Why did you even join a dark guild? With cooking skills like yours, you could open your own restaurant and work in peace, doing what you love."

"My mother told me the same thing," Roni—the name of the man—said sadly. "But no matter how hard I tried to find a place for myself, I was turned away everywhere. They either said there were no openings or that my skills weren't good enough."

"I may not be the best taster, but I can tell your cooking is excellent," Eros replied. "It shows your flame control is top-notch. The meat was perfectly cooked on all sides, and the fact that it didn't burn at all confirms your precision."

"Really?" Roni asked, tears welling in his eyes.

"Of course," Eros answered confidently. "Here's the deal: I'll finish my business here, and when I create my own guild, I'll invite you as the cook. What do you say?"

"B-but…" Roni stammered uncertainly. "I can't leave the guild. The master would never allow it," he added sadly. "There are only two ways to leave: either die by his hands or defeat him. Both are impossible because he's an A-rank mage."

"I was planning to beat that creature like a dog anyway, so it's fine," Eros said, his gaze hardening. "Alright, I've talked enough. Time to finish what I started."

Seeing the confidence in the boy's eyes, Roni made a decision. For the first time in years, someone had praised his cooking, and it warmed his heart. Memories of his family came flooding back—their smiles when they tasted his first dish, his mother's encouragement to be a good man, so she could be proud of him even from the other world. Looking at the boy's retreating figure, Roni felt disgusted with himself. Even a child had the courage to stand up to Karl, yet he, a grown man nearing his twenties, was paralyzed by fear.

"No! This won't do!" Roni gritted his teeth, rising to his feet. Clenching his fists, he ran after Eros. "I'm not a weakling! If I die today, I'll die with honor, so my loved ones can be proud that, at least at the end, I didn't run away!"

***

"Apparently, not everyone in this guild is a monster," Eros thought, his gaze turning icy. "But I don't have time to talk to the rest. If they get in my way, I'll kill them."

As he ran through another intersection, a massive door, three meters high and two meters wide, appeared before him. Without hesitation, he pointed his finger at it and unleashed an attack. This time, he concentrated five percent of his magic power.

The bullet hit the door, obliterating it completely. The noisy hall fell silent, and shocked gazes turned to where the door had once stood.

A boy with scarlet hair, dressed in a white T-shirt and shorts he'd found in one of the rooms, slowly walked in. "Oooh, what a warm welcome. I'm flattered," Eros said, scratching his cheek in mock embarrassment.

"W-what was that?" one of the stunned magicians exclaimed.

"Not bad, kid," Karl said, laughing loudly. "You've just awakened your magic, and you're already doing things like this. You have great potential." His expression then turned cold. "But I can't let a potential enemy live." A gray magic circle appeared in front of him.

Eros felt a pull but didn't resist. Instead, he grinned and pointed his finger at Karl.

"And what are you trying to do?" Karl asked, frowning. But the next moment, he abruptly stepped aside. The chair he'd been sitting on was reduced to splinters, only the legs remaining. Years of life-and-death battles had honed Karl's danger instincts, and this was no exception. When he saw the small magic circle, cold sweat ran down his back.

"Little bastard!" Karl screamed in rage. "Your death won't be peaceful!"

"Defeat me first, then make threats," Eros taunted, shooting another bullet at Karl. The guild master dodged and threw a dagger at him. Eros easily avoided it but quickly jumped aside as the dagger flew back to Karl.

When Eros turned again, Karl was already a meter away, his fist raised. "Fast!" Eros thought as the blow sent him flying to the side.

"Don't underestimate your opponent," Karl sneered. "Do you think I earned an A-rank for nothing? Ranks aren't just about strength but also the ability to use it effectively." He tossed the dagger into the air, catching it expertly, his smirk growing.

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YES! THIS IS OUR MASTER!"

"SHOW HIM WHO'S THE STRONGEST!"

"DIE, YOU PIECE OF TRASH! DO YOU THINK THAT JUST BECAUSE YOU'VE DISCOVERED MAGICAL POWER YOU'RE INVINCIBLE? THERE'S A WHOLE GUILD OF MAGES HERE!"

"My jaw..." Eros touched it, feeling a sharp pain and slight dizziness. "He hit me pretty hard."

"Get up, I'm not done with you yet," a voice said nearby. Turning abruptly, the titan saw Karl's grinning face, followed by another punch that sent him flying back ten meters. "Worthless thing!"

Eros slowly stood, spitting out a mouthful of blood. "Bastard! He definitely broke a couple of my bones!" Feeling a dull, itchy pain, he began channeling magical power through his body to numb the pain and speed up his recovery.

"You realize I'm just toying with you, right?" Karl's bored voice carried over. He sat at one of the tables, casually sipping from a beer bottle. "Give up, kid. You can't beat me."

"Go to hell!"

"I'll go there someday, but you'll die now." Karl smirked, taking another sip. "Here's the deal. I like you, so I don't mind letting you join my guild..."

"Master! Why would we need this weakling in the guild?"

"Kill him!"

"SHUT UP!" the guild master roared. "Since when do you decide what I do? Huh?"

"Sorry!" The guild members who had shouted fell to their knees, cowering in fear. Karl chuckled and took another swig. "So, kid? I'll let you join my guild, but if you refuse, you die." A nasty grin spread across his face. "Oh, and for attacking me, you'll have to kneel and kiss my boots before I'll accept you."

The guild burst into laughter, but the children watching from the shadows were horrified. Among them were Lily and Rick—the girl who had introduced Eros to magic and the only young magician among them.

Rick was consumed with self-loathing and disgust. He had always been too afraid to challenge Karl, yet this boy, younger by at least two years, stood tall and unflinching in the face of the A-rank mage.

He felt a hand grip his own. Looking up, he saw Lily's tear-streaked face. She shook her head firmly and squeezed his hand.

"Don't even think about it," she whispered, her voice heavy with sorrow.

"But..."

"Rick," her sharp tone made him shudder. "If it were just the two of us, I wouldn't say anything. But behind us are those we swore to protect. If we act rashly, who will be left to care for them?"

"You're right..."

"Go to hell!" Eros declared, standing straight and resolute. "I'd rather die than join your guild."

"Well, suit yourself. I'm not forcing anyone," Karl shrugged. A moment later, Eros sharply dodged a table knife flying past his head. Startled, he noticed objects floating in the air—forks, spoons, knives, chairs, and more.

"Another one of my skills. I call it Point of Attraction," Karl said with a smirk. "Let me ask again: will you join my guild, or..."

Before he could finish, Eros fired at him, forcing Karl to sidestep quickly.

"Do I need to repeat myself?"

"If that's your answer, THEN DIE!" Karl bellowed as the floating objects surged toward Eros.

Eros dodged the first few but soon realized it was futile. Jumping to the side, he escaped the circle of flying objects and dashed toward Karl.

Hmm... He's gotten faster, Karl thought, intrigued as the boy charged at him.

If I can't escape this spell, I'll just have to take down the caster, Eros thought, firing another shot at Karl.

Karl didn't attempt to counter the attack. His survival instincts, honed through countless battles, screamed at him not to deflect the spell but to dodge instead.

"Smart choice!" Karl said mockingly. "But even smart decisions have exceptions." He hurled his beer bottle at Eros. "When facing a stronger mage, the best option is to escape the spell's range."

Eros swatted the bottle aside, ducking under Karl's kick and sidestepping his dagger.

"I'm the exception," Karl sneered, landing a punch that sent Eros crashing into a table.

"Damn it!" Eros muttered as he struggled to his feet, only to be buried under a mountain of floating debris that Karl had directed at him. The pile of objects stacked high, almost reaching the ceiling.

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