Today was the annual day of divine worship in Vita Capital City, a significant holiday where all forms of work and activity were supposed to be halted to give all citizens of the Vita Divine Empire a chance to prostrate themselves in the Divine Umbra Church before the Three Supreme Deities.
Out in its streets, many citizens were happily on their way dressed in the colors of Umbra. There was a lot of idle chatter about the special meals they would eat with their families once they got home to celebrate this auspicious day, as well as the various blessings and joys they had enjoyed this past year.
Families, couples and friends grouped together, no one standing out alone on this day.
Currently, it was the main boulevard of the Vita Capital City that led towards the Rank 7 Church. On this road that was wide and spacious enough for the main worshippers to come and go freely, there was a group of four youngsters who were walking down the street.
In the lead was a lovely young lady with tousled yet short silver hair that shone in the light of the sun. Her calm and mature eyes were a simmering dark orange hue while her small, yet round face was indicative of a young woman who just entered puberty as her features were beginning to refine themselves, especially given her height of 5 foot 6.
On her slender neck was a black choker that she used to try and conceal the amber colored gem on her chest, but it was an action in futility. She wore a white crop top that covered her upper chest area while leaving her stomach and midriff bare, along with an orange-colored sleeveless vest.
The vest draped over her shoulders and was open at the front, providing a striking contrast to her top. Her waist was bound by a vibrant orange cloth wrapped like a sash, which hung loosely and added an exotic element to her outfit.
She wore tailored harem pants that were semi-loose and cinched at the ankles with golden bangs, eliminating the need for shoes as it extended from the back to cover her feet and was locked by a golden ring around her middle toe.
Along with her golden bands set on her wrists as well as the striking caramel color of her skin, this lovely young lady was the epitome of a school belle for budding young men, causing their hearts to ache daily for her affection.
Walking casually behind her – and quite lazily as his arms were placed behind his head – was a young man of the same age range who was slightly shorter than her. The lad had medium-length black hair tied back into a high ponytail, with some strands falling loosely around his face.
His eyes were a striking shade of reddish-purple, giving them a distinct and intense look. The lad was dressed in a sleek, all-black outfit that exuded a sense of agility and readiness. He also had a form-fitting sleeveless top that accentuated his slim build, paired with equally tight-fitting pants.
His arms were covered with long black gloves that extended to their shoulder, while the shoulder area was bare.
He wore a black belt around his waist while his lower legs were wrapped in similar black fabric, ending in sandals that were open-toed and secured with straps. Additionally, he had a couple of silver bracelets on his wrists, adding a subtle touch to his predominantly black attire.
He was extremely handsome for a young man his age, especially with his sleek caramel skin and slightly androgynous features that could drive young girls crazy. It was clear that in a school setting, he would be the ‘perfect boy’ that every girl had a crush on.
Slightly behind them, towering over the duo with his 6 foot height, was another young man who had a serious and composed expression. He had medium-length black hair that was slightly tousled, covering his face with bangs along with deep red eyes full of cold intensity, which contrasted strikingly with his dark attire.
The young man was clad in a suit of dark armor that was primarily black, with a scale-like patterns covering the chest, upper arms and thighs, providing a sense of durability and resilience. The scales had a subtle sheen, reflecting light and passively absorbing ambient worldly energy at near noticeable rates for even commoners.
Their knees and calves were protected by segmented armor plates, along with metallic gloves and boots that generally matched the rest of the armor. The lad had pale white skin that contrasted his dark armor, and his eyes were continually roving the streets as if watching for danger.
Finally, there was an absolutely adorable young lady who had a cheerful and friendly expression surrounded by the three in a protective formation. She possessed short wavy hair that was a soft shade of white along with large bright blue eyes that added to her overall charm and conveyed a sense of warmth as well as openness.
She was dressed in an elegant, form-fitting outfit of which the top part was a high-necked, sleeveless garment in a light creamy hue, which accentuated her youthful figure. It featured a unique cutout design around the waist, revealing a darker, intricate pattern that added a touch of sophistication.
Her long skirt was also pure white and flowed gracefully down to her feet, with high slits on either side that revealed her pristine skin. She wore long matching white and gold gloves that reached up to her upper arms, adding a regal touch to her ensemble.
Her footwear consisted of delicate blue sandals that wrapped around her feet and ankles with blue straps, complementing her eyes. The young lady’s pose was demure and gentle, with her hands clasped in front of her, enhancing her friendly and kind demeanor.
The entire group caught the eye of many a passerby due to their vastly different demeanors and looks, as well as their obvious unfamiliarity with their surroundings. Not to mention that they were not reserved at all and acted how they pleased.
“Meh, this is so boring. Why do we have to come for this dumb festival or whatever?” Loki complained with his hands behind his head and his eyes roving the nearby females passing up and down the street with a predatory look.
“Don’t cause trouble, Loki. Esteemed Father gave us the task to oversee the ascension of the first batch of core members to the Divine Realm and we must execute it perfectly.” Rosella chided her brother with a glare after flourishing her orange sash that billowed in the wind.
However, Loki was not deterred by his elder sister’s warning. “Bleh bleh bleh, ‘Esteemed Father’ this and ‘Esteemed Father’ that. That old man is so-so, bound to be usurped by me and big bro Lucitian one day.”
“You!!” Rosella was furious, her white hair beginning to glow with an eerie green light.
However, before she could act, Loki was kicked forward like a bullet, crashing into a building nearby and collapsing it from top to bottom. Where he previously stood, an armored boot lowered itself to the ground as Kuro coldly scoffed.
“Don’t disrespect eldest sister and don’t disrespect our noble father.” Kuro stated casually, not caring about the ruckus he had caused.
BOOM!
A deep blackish-blue light erupted from the place Loki crashed into that towered into the sky. The rubble exploded and was flung haphazardly around, forcing Rosella to use her magic to resolve it with a frown.
Loki stepped out of the rubble with a furious expression as his aura continued to billow wantonly, his body covered by a sharp blue outline with hints of lightning within. He glared at Kuro and ignored everyone else as he roared angrily.
“Fuck, I have endured you for long enough you shitty overgrown lizard! Today, you will die for me!”
Without suspense, Loki charged forward like a lightning bolt, aiming to strike Kuro head-on. Meanwhile, Kuro himself only smirked slightly, his cold eyes showing derision as a pure black light manifested around him which caused all living beings spectating nearby to shudder with instinctual fear.
They had the premonition that if that black light were to touch them, they would truly be ruined beyond any rescue. The person who spawned this light, Kuro, seemed to bathe in this dangerous miasma with utter comfort and ease, smiling thinly.
“I have also long tolerated you and Lucitian. At home, you guys always team up to suppress me but you think you alone are qualified to scratch my scales? Ha!” Kuro retorted menacingly as he also charged at Loki.
The two clashed in the center and caused a tumultuous shockwave to occur on the street that caused the land to quake and the air to crackle. Many bystanders who had been curiously watching had their faces change as they rushed to hide and avoid the fallout of this battle while many law enforcement fellows charged over to separate the fight.
Meanwhile, Rosella folded her arms and watched with an unhappy expression until her vest was tugged lightly. When she turned, she saw the youngest sister Shiro, pulling at it with a worried expression on her sweet face.
“Sister Rosella, brother Loki and brother Kuro are fighting again. Should we tell papa to come and break it up?” Shiro asked in a soft voice that would make anyones turn into hearts from its adorableness.
Rosella smiled dotingly and stroked Shiro’s soft white hair gently. “Don’t worry, Shiro. Esteemed Father is more than aware of the nature of those two, so he naturally predicted this. Whatever the case, neither can kill the other, so it should be fine.”
Shiro enjoyed the headpats but still seemed worried. “Okay, I trust you sister. What about the citizens though?”
Rosella looked around and saw that the common populace were in peril, but she made no moves to help. She continued stroking Shiro’s head, but her words were cold and direct.
“The life and death of mere ants is not for me to decide. You have the abilities of Mama Hikari, so if any of them suffer from the fallout, it’s up to you whether you wish to help them.”
Shiro hesitated and shook her head in the end. She couldn’t resist her urge to help and clasped her hands together, a pure and holy white light radiating from her small body that spread out around the area, granting relief, healing and protection to all those nearby.
The saved all showed expression of awe and astonishment. Seeing the holy light coming from that sweet young miss, they couldn’t help but kneel and cry out in adulation.
“An angel! It is an Angel of the White Dragon Goddess!”
“A miracle! A Divine Miracle!”
“I knew it! Today is the day of Divine Worship, the Three Supreme Gods have sent their own among us!”
The people almost rushed over to crowd Shiro and carry her up but were deterred by the still ongoing battle. Still, their fervent glances made Shiro nervous and hesitant, hiding behind her elder sister while seeking comfort.
Meanwhile, Rosella glanced venomously at the crowd, causing them to flinch backwards in shock. How could such a pretty young lady make such an evil and terrifying expression?
Rosella snorted with disdain and looked away, focusing on the battle that was reaching a climax. However, before it could escalate further, a loud voice sounded over the area as torrents of Worldly Energy formed shackles in the area that locked down the atmosphere.
“CEASE THE DISTURBANCE!”
Immediately, a group of ten men appeared, led by an armored man in the lead who was decked from head to toe in top-notch legendary equipment. This was a Guard Captain of Vita City, a Rank 7 Divine Warrior!
His squad members – who were common guards – were all Rank 6 City Guards decked in Epic equipment from head to toe meant to subdue all perpetrators within the borders, with buffs and boosts that worked within Vita’s territory.
Standing in the sky, they were awe inspiring and resplendent, giving all the citizens a feeling of safety and security while those with ulterior motives felt fearful and suppressed given the terrifying reputation of Vita’s Guards.