The strongest man on Earth.

The guild leader of the Number one guild.

Head of the Taylors.

The Merciless Blade.

He was called by many names.

He was the man that stood at the forefront of humanity, fighting the dungeon creatures constantly and ensuring the safety of countless humans.

His name was Vincent, Vincent Taylor, the strongest!

When the Great crisis happened in 2010, He was the man that stood to protect humans.

He constantly engaged in fights, cleared dungeons, and slashed off the monsters, all while recruiting reliable and strong members to stand beside him.

He took down the Red Dragon, Igneel, after fighting for five days and six nights, which got him the title of Dragon Slayer!

Moving forward, he created the guild called, "Guardians".

With the support of his wife and colleagues, he managed to overcome all the difficulties that came his way.

Taking down everyone that stood in his way, by any means that was necessary, he bought the 'Guardian' guild to the position of number one in the world.

With his excellent leadership and charism, he gathered strong people around him building a safe fortress that no one could breach!

If we start to converse about him, then the words wouldn’t suffice.

And currently, Roger was standing in front of his office.

gulp!

He gulped down his saliva as he knocked on the door twice before waiting for the replay.

Knock- Knock-

Nervousness was visible all over his face, he was feeling too anxious.

"Come in alone"

A stern voice replayed after a few seconds, the voice was coarse, giving him chills!

Roger turned back looking at Linda who was standing behind him!

"I will get going then"

Linda who noticed the anxious expression on his face cheered him up.

"You will do well young master!"

"hmm"

***

It was a normal office with only a single chair and a table, there was not even anything except some documents and a photo frame of a woman on the table.

Unlike the whole mansion, the room looked plain and bland.

Roger looked around, it was his first time coming to this office even though he had seen it countless times from outside.

There was not even any other chair in the room other than the one that a man was sitting on.

It just shows the level of arrogance of that man, it was like he was saying, No one is worthy enough to sit in front of him.

But right now, Roger didn't mind that, Not only was he a small fry compared to his father-in-law, he could even be able to compare to him in anything. So he was indeed not worthy of sitting in front of him.

Roger raised his head looking at the man who was seated on the chair with both of his hands clasped together on the table!

He was a tall and muscular man with broad shoulders, his dark orange hair which was kept slicked back ran onto his shoulders, combined with his stubbly beard and deep black eyes, he gave off the feeling that would scare away the people just seeing him.

"It's been three years"

A thunderous sound was heard.

it wasn't loud, but Roger instinctively felt fear, he felt as if his ears may fall off.

The words that Vincent Taylor spoke, it was enough to crush Roger’s spirit.

It felt as if an entire mountain fell on his shoulders.

As Vincent said, it has been three years since Roger met with him.

Was it in their marriage hall? or is it when he changed his name to Taylor?

Roger didn't even seem to remember it but guessing by his father-in-law's voice, it sure seemed like a lot of time has been passed since he had a conversation with him.

"You have been enjoying your stay in this huge mansion for almost three years now, and for you to come looking for me now? You surely didn't do something that required my help right?"

He asked in a cold voice again.

His voice was filled with a hint of mockery as if he was asking if Roger had enjoyed his wealth enough.

Despite that, his eyes contained a look of curiosity, anger, and also.... disappointment.

"Perhaps you have come to reclaim some of your honor?"

Roger clenched his fist, controlling the raging anger inside him.

Enjoying the stay in the huge mansion? Bullshit! 

He wanted to shout and say that it was nothing more than hell to his face!

And did he ask if he was here to reclaim some honor? He wanted to say that he will soon do that.

But it wasn't time for it yet.

He was not yet prepared.

"I came to request something"

For the first time since entering the room, Roger opened his mouth!

He was still afraid and fear was evident in his voice, but he didn't want to cover himself in fear anymore, he didn't want to.

"Of course, you would"

Said Vincent as he scoffed at him.

Though living in the same house for nearly three years, his son-in-law came looking for him only now, of course, his anger was justified.

"I wish to go to my hometown for some time"

Roger knew that too...It was his fault but he wasn't in the right mind then, he wasn't even in the position where he could show his face to his father-in-law.

But that wasn’t the concern now.

'If I want to survive in the middle of the Taylors, I need to pique his Interest'

There was a saying that a man with too much money finds life boring. (Author: Though I feel that every day even without having money...cough!)

For Vincent who was the strongest on the planet, there were really not many things that interested him.

So, if Roger just managed to make him a bit interested in him, fuck even though he knew that Vincent would probably think of him as entertainment, for now, even that would be good.

"What? stop blabbering and tell me what you really want?"

Vincent couldn't probably believe that his son-in-law, who was literally inside locked in his own room for almost three years now, wanted to return to his hometown. 

He just thought that he wanted some money to play around with and was beating around the bush not knowing how to ask him.

"That is really all I want"

Roger couldn't possibly say that he wanted to train secretly for about three to six months until he feel safe himself so that he could survive in the midst of the ' Monsters of Taylors".

"Why?"

The reaction he got was scary.

The look on the face of Vincent Taylor was distorted. He looked very scary at the movement.

Roger instinctively took a step back and dug his fingernails into the skin.

"Why would you say that?"

Vincent made Roger change his name because he didn't want his loving daughter to go to some no-name named family, and since Roger was an Orphan, it wasn’t hard for him to erase the evidence of him ever being a poor man.

Vincent was oddly sensitive when it came to his bloodline, among his four female children, three of them had married a man who had to inherit the name of Taylor, not because he wanted to but was forced to, and another one was yet to come to the age of marriage.

That’s just how scary he was when it came to the matter relating to his family.

Roger was feeling like his whole world was spinning, it was even harder to breathe properly.

'So, this is the strongest man on Earth.'

The pressure he gave off was no joke. Even though he was just sitting on the chair, his intent alone was enough to make Roger pass out.

Roger wanted to say that it was all joke and just run away from there. But he knew that he couldn't back away now!

"B... B....b.....because I want to Live"

Roger shouted desperately as the pressure on him disappeared like a lie and the room got silent for a moment.

"Is someone trying to kill you?"

Vincent asked, this time his voice was calm, it was a wonder how he manage to change his moods that easily.

"I feel like I would suffocate to death if I stay here"

Vincent glared at him as he heard that.

There was no way that Vincent didn't know what Roger has been going through in the last three years, he had eyes and ears everywhere in the mansion, he knew how Roger was Humiliated, how he was beaten to half death, and despite knowing everything he chose to be silent.

"I know I am just an Ant and an ant no matter what can't escape the Human's finger"

That’s the reason why Roger endured everything till now because he knew that nothing is going to change even if tried to get away.

Even when knowing all that he relied on the only one who ever saw him as a Human, his Wife, he held onto her as his last hope.

That was the true self of the man who was ignored, beaten, and trampled, Roger Taylor. 

It was the sincerity of the man who was tired of enduring all the things.

"There is a saying that people do not change easily, If you are born to an ant then so be it"

There was no expression on his face as Vincent said that, it wasn't anger nor was it the disappointment that he felt at first, his words just lacked any emotion!

'This is a test!', That's when roger knew, the person in front of him was testing him.

"If I was born to be an Ant then I must change that!"

He said resolutely.

"What can a trash like you do?"

Calling him trash directly... was too much! but Roger wasn't offended, because he knew that it was also a test for him.

"Nothing as of now...."

He said, " But soon…I am going to become a Human"

"And while I am in it., I will become the strongest one at that"

He said looking straight at Vincent, with a strong resolve gleaming in his eyes.

“hehe…”

Vincent was thrilled, a smile appeared on his face, not a pleasant one but the one that scoffed at him.

The words of Roger meant that he challenged the very existence of Vincent Taylor, the strongest man on Earth himself!

"hehehehe... You will become the strongest? that, must not be some empty words, right?"

His smile gave Roger chills!

"Ok then, I will grant your request, Six Months, I will make sure no one in the house of Taylor will disturb you, but if you aren't in my chamber the day after the six months...."

"I am going to come for you myself"

Roger felt a chill all around his body as he heard that, but he managed to strengthen his legs as he bowed to him.

Now that he had achieved what he came here for, he didn’t want to stay in that room even for a second.

Without saying anything, Roger left the room!

Coming out of the room, Roger sighed… “How scary…!”

---***---