The Degree
Insurgencies

Everyone kept quiet and observed the Order taking the stage to deliver a speech. In his right hand he also held a glass of drink.

The Order is not the type of person who will be able to give false hope but he can give good words for moments like this.

“Tonight we gather together. Not as a leader and a subordinate but as a comrade who will go to war tomorrow.”

On the modern battlefield the rank is almost useless because in the end they only have to kill their enemies if they do not want to be killed.

“Some of you must have known that this might be the last peace you have. It could even be my last day to see the stars and the moon. Even I wouldn't be surprised if tomorrow was the day of my death.”

Everyone clearly knew that tomorrow was a big day that could take their lives. It is likely that those gathered now will not be able to gather again in the future.

The Order was aware of everyone's uneasiness and their fear. It was not surprising because after all this was the first war of their lives.

“The last banquet is indeed the right word for our situation. The war tomorrow will not be light considering our opponents also have Degree.”

Degree becomes a big factor that will be able to turn things around. Even if they can overcome the war for some time but the big difference between the forces of the Degree will turn things around easily.

“I don't like to lie. To be honest I'm not sure I can win against a man we don't even know his number and strength.” The order smiled bitterly and accepted the reality.

He was not afraid of death but the Order still did not want to die. There were many things that he had not accomplished and completed so that if he died later, there would be many regrets left behind.

“However, even though we will die sometime. Although we can't avoid death, I'm sure, our place of death isn't here. We'll die in a better place. At least, not in this Open World land!”

“Ya!”

Those are not words to give encouragement or anything like that. As he said at the beginning that the Order does not like to tell lies but other things with a hope.

The Order is instilling to the people that hope still exists. At least the Order aimed to make everyone make the determination to stay alive until this whole task and trial was over.

“Let's toast, to declare that we reject death in this place!” The order raised its glass high. The wine stored in it spilled a little. The Order did not delay time and drank it in one big gulp.

His actions followed all the troops who acted the same. They drink voraciously like a thirsty man who has only been through a dry desert for a long time.

The order refills his glass and smiles widely. He thrust his glass back into the air and shouted loudly.

“Let's start the madness that will last until tomorrow!”

“YA!”

Everyone laughed and made the same smile. They must be trying to disappear the anxiety that haunts them.

As people raised their glasses again into the air, a huge explosion occurred.

Not only once but heard as many as several times that came from the campsite that stores supplies.

Smoke billowed into the air. The people who had just enjoyed the party became silent and alert upon seeing that. Some wonder what happened. There were also some who considered it a surprise prepared by the Order.

But not a few people are also aware that there is an attack. Specialized groups that volunteer to keep the security safe begin to gather around them.

There are also many people who come already using complete equipment such as bulletproof vests and long barrel guns. Those people surrounded the group that was enjoying the party.

The Order looked at it strangely. From their clothes there was nothing strange but the premonition was very bad. The current situation cannot be called good.

“Ordo!” Sebastian came from behind the Order in a hurry.

The order clucked in annoyance and his face looked completely angry. He should have asked his people to keep security as tight as possible.

“What is really going on here?!” The order shouted loudly as it was about to turn towards Sebastian. But at that moment his attention was again distracted by another voice.

“Away from him, Order!” Arthur and Mona came from the other side in a hurry. “SEBASTIAN IS A TRAITOR!”

The Order could not understand it for a few seconds. He will certainly ask the truth considering Sebastian has been with him long enough.

Turning towards him, the Order discovered that Sebastian was clucking in annoyance and increasing his running speed until the Order could not take action.

But the Order had quite fast reflexes and managed to grab his hand. Sebastian was bluffing his teeth, irritated as well as enduring the pain. The physical strength of the Order was three times stronger than that of an ordinary human so its grip was capable of crushing the hands.

“This was foreseen!” Sebastian does not give up and raises another knife with his right hand. It is difficult to target the heart and therefore the choice is his stomach full of gaps.

A CRUCH!

The sound of a knife slicing through the flesh and making blood splatter echoed. Everyone was speechless by that completely unexpected sight.

The blood dripping from the Order's stomach and mouth seemed to be the only sound that sounded. The Order looked at Sebastian in disbelief. He begins to lose power and releases Sebastian's hand.

“Meng ... what?” the Order said as she looked at Sebastian with sadness and tears. “Why ... you ... betrayed?” The Order was wounded not only physically but her heart.

For him Sebastian was like a surrogate father because when he first came to this place. Sebastian was the closest person to them to lead the Order, Mein and Erina when they were so naive when they first arrived.

“Sorry. I did it for myself.” Sebastian said coldly, he held the Order's shoulder and pushed it back away.

Mona ran fast and resisted the fall of the Order. He then tried to stop the bleeding.

At that moment Arthur jumped and gave a powerful kick but Sebastian managed to hold it with both hands. Even so Sebastian seemed to suffer because Arthur's kick was not light at all.

Sebastian then takes something from the collar of his hand and magically the gun appears. Sebastian pointed it into the air and fired it twice.

“You called a friend?!” Arthur said furiously.

Sebastian just smiled coldly and gave a sharp look, “Try to think who is in charge of identifying members?”

Arthur widened his eyes and looked at the people who were already using the weaponry and complete combat equipment.

Before he could give a warning, Sebastian had already shouted out loudly.

“SHOT!”

People with weapons had already surrounded the originally partying troops and were in a vulnerable condition without any protection. They were currently already completely besieged in the form of a large rectangle.

“Stop the rebels—” Before finishing his sentence, the rebels who made the big rectangular confinement have already started shooting.

Tens, hundreds of people died in an instant and the number kept growing every second. There are a handful of people who are capable and fast acting while many are crazy from fear.

“My task is done here!” Sebastian took another thing back in his pocket.

“Arthur! His degree is a magician! That person will soon escape with his strength!” Mona gave her warning. His eyes glowed golden when he said that.

Sebastian widened his eyes in surprise but only lasted for less than a second. The situation is dangerous because Arthur is not weak.

Sebastian ejects two black balls and slams them to the ground, giving rise to a blinding white smoke. Arthur tries his best to get rid of him but it's too late because Sebastian is gone.

“Tch! I can't go after him!” Arthur is distracted by the rebels who keep shooting madly.

In the chaos he saw that there were many who tried to fight them. Even so this mess is not finished until here. At least, this may be just the beginning.

...****...

Name: Sebastian.

Age: 39 years.

Origin: Australia.

Degree: Magician.

Magicians are able to do amazing things by showing some kind of illusion to the person who witnessed it. The magician is able to hide various objects in certain places from his body as long as the weight of the object still makes sense. There will be no failures like falling or missing objects for the sake of a perfect magic show. The magician is also capable of doing great things that seem like illusions and is able to influence the mental audience to lead him in a certain direction.