The title of "The Returner Bird" was given to the gigantic flying feathered monster Nomadian encountered during his first visit to the Desertian region. 

The bird was almost as large as the Motherlode with a wing span twice as large. Being a large bird, it naturally had a protective layer of feathers around it. 

Nomadian believed its time travel powers came from those feathers. 

"Here it comes… okay, Silvie, you still there?"

"Yes, Boss?!"

"On the count of three, I want you to increase your vehicle's speed to the max. I'm talking pedal to the metal."

"O–okay." 

"Alright. Ready? One, two, three!"

In an instant, Silvie was boosted further than the other Wastelanders. But unlike them, the bird only followed her. 

"You were the one who smashed her eggs, right?"

"Ye–s. Was that bad?"

"No, not at all. It's just that the Returner Bird doesn't give up on its prey until it's been killed. The same goes for you."

"Then how did you survive, Boss?"

"Me? I gave it a blow so hard it couldn't even be cured by traveling back through time."

"...really?"

"Hah. Of course not. As powerful as I am, I can't affect time or space. All I did was keep the bird close to me at all times, and moved in a circle."

"And every time it would get damaged and go back to its place a few seconds ago, it would be right beside me, ready for another beating."

"So that's what I want you to do today, Silvie. I'll need you to drive around in a circular formation. Leave the killing to me."

"A–alright, Boss."

The time for battle was nearing. Silvie and the Returner Bird were now fully visible. The huge bipedal winged lifeform covered the sky with its magnificent wings. 

"I'm here, Boss!"

"Alright, now do what I told you. Remember, circular formation."

"Right, right…"

Instead of heading towards Nomadian, Silvie drove around in a circle. The bird, eager to hunt down its prey, kept on following her, all the while oblivious to what was happening.

"Perfect, Silvie! Leave this to me."

Gathering all his strength into his legs, Nomadian made a big leap toward the bird. And… landed on it! He landed exactly on its feathery back. 

"I'm on it now, Silvie! Continue the circle!"

"Yes, yes, Boss! Please hurry up!

"Don't worry, this won't take long."

Nomadian stared at the sea of bluish feathers in front of him. Each of these feathers powered the bird's time-returning ability. 

"Now what would happen, I wonder, if we pluck these off?!" 

Nomadian had entered a state of frenzy. Gathering mana into his fingers, he began to pluck out the bird's feathers. 

It wasn't long before the bird noticed this. It turned away its attention from Silvie and focused on the pest on its back. 

"Hah! All these feathers! Look at this!" Nomadian shouted in glee as he continued pulling off the bird's feathers. 

"Bakwaa!"

"Feathers, feathers! I should use this to upgrade the Motherlode. Imagine a Motherlode that could travel back in time."

"Boss… you're getting too excited." Silvie was listening to Nomadian go on and on. 

"Oh, right. My bad. Don't worry. I'll get this over with. Have the Wastelanders head below the bird and gather the feathers that fall."

"Yes, Boss!"

It wasn't long before the few amounts of feathers left on the bird were no longer enough to support its gigantic body. 

Slowly, the bird began to lose its aerodynamic capabilities. 

"We're going down! Everybody brace yourselves!"

And on that day, a large hole was created in the sand. The bird was in the middle, having died from the fall. 

"Boss? You alright?"

"I'm good. Did everybody gather a good amount of feathers?"

"Yes, Boss. Our bags are practically bursting with them.

"Great! Should we head back to the Motherlode? Our job here is done already."

"Ah, but Boss, about her…" Silvie pointed to Sayuri, who had watched the whole scene with a shocked expression on her face. 

"We patched her up with some basic tools, but she needs medical attention. Should we bring her back to the Motherlode?"

"No need for that. Someone grab me a feather!"

"You don't mean…"

"Of course I do. We have a lot of it. What's one less feather?"

Meanwhile, Nomadian headed towards Sayuri. 

"Hi there. You good?"

"I've been better. I saw the fights, by the way. You're really strong. I wasn't even able to fight a general, but you held twelve like it was nothing."

"That's just me. Anyway, what's your name?"

"Sayuri Kinako." 

"Ah, you're an S rank? Then I'd say you handled the generals pretty well."

"Not as good as you."

"Of course. No one's as good as me. Anyway, I think you'll need this."

Nomadian took the feather a nearby Wastelander gave to him and presented it to Sayuri.

"This feather…"

"It'll take you to your position a few hours ago. I have a feeling that you were taken away from something important."

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it. I've gotta go now. The boys need me."

***

"Good luck trying. I've got my Mother on my side."

"Pff…"

Wang Jin made a look of confusion. Kruos' red hot face had suddenly lost its angry aura. 

"Pfhah, I can't, I really can't, HAHAHA!"

"What, you really thought she was here? Your long-dead mother, here? I was right to think you were still emotionally devastated by her passing."

Wang Jin finally realized. "You, that was fake?" 

"It all was! Everything! Do you know how hard I tried to keep myself from bursting with laughter? I almost forced myself to act angry."

Wang Jin couldn't help but admit that he had been played. It turned out that he was much more traumatized by what happened.

His mind went back to that time. 

A bruised, bloodied woman carried her crying child across a sea of flames. 

Behind, a whole platoon's worth of robed individuals followed her. 

And her final farewell just as she was stabbed by…

"My brother?"

"That's right. It wasn't me, nor the elders who killed her. It was your very own brother!" 

"You didn't want to believe it, did you? Your brother, who despite being thousands of years ahead of you in power was with you the whole time, killed your mother?"

"The story never fails to make me laugh, Wang."

"Perhaps, he did kill her. But that doesn't change what I'm about to do to you next, Kruo– no, Kurosaki Jin." Wang Jin replied coldly. 

"I don't care if it was my brother who did it or the elders. You'll all be six feet under by the time I'm done with you all."

"Do you even hear yourself, Wang? Or is it my ears that need fixing? You're planning on annihilating the Jin clan?" Kruos scoffed. 

"Reviving your mother seems even more likely."

"Right now, it might seem impossible." Wang Jin continued, "But one day, you'll all meet the same fate. Death by my hand. And I'll start… with you."

"I've had enough of your delusions. Today, it will be you who will be put to death. Ready yourself, Wang. I'll give you time to regret those words you said."

***

It was over for them. John's earlier display of skill was a sight to see, sure, but it could never hope to penetrate the defenses of a demon who had experienced the most dangerous of attacks. 

If Varnier were to compare John's combo of moves earlier to the weakest of S ranks' attacks, it would still be much like comparing a car to a mountain.

If John Ailey were to ascend to B rank, he would most likely be able to inflict a lethal injury. 

Alas, that time was quite a ways away, even for someone as all-knowing as John. 

The moment John's stamina began to fade, Varnier took the opportunity to unleash punishment. 

A well-placed kick to the lower part of John's stomach had almost rendered him unconscious. 

It took all he had just to resist even a single blow from Varnier. 

It wasn't hard to imagine what a few more would do.

"I have to say, I am disappointed, human. Looks like all those flashy moves were all for nothing."

"This isn't the end, demon…" 

Varnier's hulking figure stood over John, his foot propped right on top of the human's back. 

"Ah, but it is. As much as I want to bring you under my leash, I cannot allow someone of such potential to thrive. This is your end."

"And as for this sword…" Varnier took the worn-out Dainsleif in John's hands. "It is of no use to me now. The blade is close to breaking."

Saying this, Varnier threw the sword into a pile of rubble. 

"Now then. Goodbye." Stretching out his hands, Varnier revealed a pair of sharp claws with the sharpness of Dainsleif's blade. 

Raising his hand, Varnier brought down his arm. 

"A fourth run it is…"

*krung!*

"...how many more will come? You, humans, pile up like a bunch of rats."

John slowly opened his eyes. The pain that he had expected to feel was nowhere. 

Instead, the figure of a familiar person was in front of him. The current wielder of Dainsleif had arrived. 

"Good thing I'm not late. Backup's coming soon, John. You can rest now."

"Hehe…" John murmured, "I knew there was something weird about you."

"I'm just a box of surprises, I guess."

"Now then…" Dignitas turned to Varnier. He had a new, revitalized aura about him. "Shall we dance, demon?"