The flood was fierce, its raging waters as swift as a galloping herd, sweeping up countless fragments of ruined buildings.
Isley struggled, but seven years of nearly unceasing pursuit had already left him utterly exhausted.
Icy currents surged in from all directions, yet they inexplicably calmed his heart.
He began recalling the past.
Over a century ago.
Back then, the Organization still created male warriors, and he had been among the earliest No. 1s.
With his superb Swordsmanship, he had overwhelmed Riccardo, then No. 2, and Dauf, then No. 3.
Riccardo had always provoked him back then, but after being defeated by his overwhelming strength, he instead became one of his most loyal generals.
Unfortunately, he had died seven years ago in the Battle of Pieta.
He wondered how Riccardo was doing in the Underworld. He hoped they would meet again.
Later, he encountered Riful, the first female warrior created by the Organization.
At that time, he realized that the Organization had decided to abandon male warriors like them.
It was because they had discovered that men were more likely than women to awaken. They were harder to control and more dangerous.
This left him deeply dissatisfied. After awakening, he directly betrayed the Organization, occupied the Northern Lands, and became the first so-called Abyss in history.
In his eyes, it was the Organization that had betrayed him first!
Seven years ago.
A female awakened being named Priscilla had stirred up trouble throughout the Northern Lands.
He first sent Riccardo to fight her, but he had misjudged Fistina's strength.
Riccardo was defeated, and afterward, he personally went to fight Fistina.
He had intended to subdue her, only for Priscilla to instantly destroy half his body.
That was when he knew he could not defeat her.
But in order to make use