《Hunters: The Prequel》


 Chapter 1 - Wielders

    "Grab that bastard!" There was commotion in the market square as a hooded figure jumped over a table filled with apples and sprinted towards the exit of the market square. The shout came from one of the guards who immediately proceeded to chase the figure. The running figure was seemed calm and composed as he continued to run towards the exit that had been blockaded and was chock-full of guards. The guard who shouted for his arrest was the captain of the royal guards. An elite wielder with mastery over the earth element and with a strength ''glow''.


    Wielders were individuals who had awakened their bloodlines and had gained a certain amount of control over an element. The captain had awakened a rank nine bloodline, a superior rank bloodline. The bloodline he awakened was that of the dark lion, a legendary creature that caused earthquakes on a whim. The glow he inherited was a strengthening glow. A glow is an ability that is obtained upon awakening one''s bloodline. For instance if a person awakened the bloodline of the fire dragon and gained mastery over the fire element, the person may obtain a pair of fiery wings which they could summon at will. These wings would be called a glow. A glow is basically an extra ability one obtains from awakening their bloodlines. The lucky ones obtain a useful glow whilst the unlucky ones do not.


    The captain had a bitter smile on his face. Someone had sneaked into the royal chambers to steal the emperor''s sword. That sword was made by a master craftsman and was extremely valuable. It was an insult to the throne and a great sign of weakness that someone was able to sneak into the palace let alone steal the sword.


    The captain was deeply frustrated. He had been pursuing the culprit for more than twenty minutes yet with no positive results. The guards had tried everything and yet the culprit was not even injured. He cursed himself silently as he dreaded the fact that he had not received a speed related glow upon his awakening. What caused him worry was the fact that the culprit had not delivered any attacks yet. All he did was dodge all the attacks thrown at him and that was done very nimbly too. It actually sounded simple but the captain knew it wasn''t. The palace guards were all wielders with great experience and yet no attack has fazed the pursued.


    The hooded figure run towards the guards at the exit. He then opened his mouth and breathed out a large ball of fire at the guards. The seven guards at the exit quickly jumped out of the way leaving the exit wide open. The captain realised this and narrowed his eyes. The thief''s element surprised him. There were very few wielders with such great control over the fire element. The captain signaled to the wielder stationed on the walls- the gunmasters- to take action. Gunmasters were wielders who had very limited close combat abilities but were able to use guns to project their abilities. Most gunmasters were ice or fire users and were very dangerous enemies to make in a long distance battle.


    The guns the gunmasters held were as long as a shotgun but had bigger barrels. The thief predicted this and immediately leaped backwards as several fist sized balls of fire landed at his previous position. "Gotcha", the captain grinned as the crook leaped towards him with his back facing the captain. The captain clenched his fingers and delivered a punch towards the hooded figure. The fist of the captain was coated with the earth elements that had assumed the shape of a large gauntlet. Without doubt this fist was meant to seriously injure the opponent. The captain already had a smirk on his face as though he could already see the end result. Unfortunately, man plans and God laughs. As though expecting the attack the hooded figure who was still midair transitioned from a leap to a backflip with the attack grazing past his back. He then used the gauntlet as a springboard and leaped towards the wall.


    "What!" The captain could not believe it. How is this possible? At such a close distance this man could escape such an attack. He turned his head to the direction of the wall to track his prey only to be amazed once again. During the jump it seemed as though the thief was not going to make it but he did. Mid-jump this hooded figure caused flames to erupt from underneath his feet to provide an added boost that aided in his escape. Upon landing he conjured to balls of flame, one in each hand with each ball of flame being four times the size of a regular ball. The gunmasters paled in fear as the balls headed towards them.


    *BOOM*


    This sound signified the destruction of a portion of the wall and the escape of the hooded figure.


    "HAHAHA. I see. So he was able to escape after all. Find out who this person is and tell him that the Emperor wishes to see him." Captain Zakai smiled bitterly upon hearing this command. He was not surprised to hear this. The emperor always appreciated talent and from what he saw the hooded man do, his skills were on par with his! "Looks like we''ll be having another freak in our ranks"


    "So what''s the plan", asked a man who looked to be in his mid-twenties. He was tall with wavy brown hair and green eyes which were crowned with thick eyebrows. He posed the question to his partner-a beautiful blonde haired woman called Alexis. Due to the black clothes they wore, they were perfectly hidden in the dark of the night. The man who posed the question was Ray. He was a wielder, and a great one at that. The woman was his partner and wife. They have been together for eight years now- as a married couple and wielders. They first met 12 years ago when they were 16 at the wielder academy. They were regular partners for 4 years until they fell for each other and have been together since. Alexis did not reply immediately. She looked down from the roof through her binoculars and counted the people keeping her husband and herself away from their target- Baron Coal. He was a fat middle-aged man with a stupid looking grin. However, one cannot judge a book by its cover- he was a scholar-an impressive one at that. In just a few years, he had transformed his barony- the Green City- from a barren land to one of the major producers of corn for the kingdom of Neces. His intelligence however, had become a cause of worry to the neighbouring kingdoms. Though all the kingdoms of the west were under the rule of the Western Empire, the empire never restricted their movements. In other words, the kingdoms can wage war against each other anyhow they liked. But any act of maliciousness against the empire led to only one outcome- total annilation. Anyway, a large bounty had been placed on Baron Coal''s head and with his intelligence, he had already anticipated such a result. He had requested for help from the king- His Royal Majesty, Seth O''Brien IV. The king was glad to help since he had no plans of losing a brilliant ally and immediately sent over some of the most elite agents from wielder association branch in Neces.


    "25 wielders", Alexis said softly but loud enough to be heard by Ray. Ray frowned at her statement and commented, "Though the Baron is a brilliant man, intelligence is still not enough to warrant this much protection from the king". "Indeed. However, according to the intel I received this afternoon, the Baron seems to be a distant cousin of the king''s most doted upon consort- Consort Maria". Ray was startled for a moment before his expression became tranquil. If the Baron is indeed related to royalty, the amount of protection he received would make much more sense. "And to your earlier question, the plan is simple. The Baron is hosting a feast to welcome Consort Maria to his city. Since the feast has already began, we just have to quietly wait for him to get drunk and hope that John''s cover isn''t blown. And I remember telling you this during breakfast this morning, so why are asking me again". Ray had an embarrassed smile on his face, "I tuned out when you were explaining the details of the mission". Alexis shook her head in a helpless manner. She knew her husband well. He was a powerful wielder with a great bloodline. However, he was not as intelligent as she was. She was the smart one- the strategist and planner for this team. She was powerful as well, but that was not her strength. Since they had some time to spare, she began thinking about him. "You''re thinking of him aren''t you", Ray asked as a smile crept upon his handsome face. Alexis nodded. She was indeed thinking about him. Her other true love, her son- Mane.


    "Young master it''s time to wake up", a black haired butler was gently stroking the back of a six year old. The boy had blonde hair with blue eyes- a weird mix that gave him a look of elegance. The child grunted in an unsatisfied tone and prepared to close his eyes. "Young master, today is your first day of school". As though fed with energy supplements the child jumped off the king sized bed and landed on his feet in an agile manner. The school the butler was referring to was the wielder academy branch in Neces. The academy was known for training some of the most elite wielders in the history of the world. The butler smiled as though he had anticipated such a response and followed the eager young boy into the bathroom to prepare his bath as the kid brushed his teeth. "Uncle Jake, how is it that the wielder academy accepted my registration without even bothering to test me", the boy asked with a look of curiosity. He had known Uncle Jake was his caretaker and rarely saw his parents. Uncle Jake shook his head wryly. How was he supposed to tell the kid that his parents were elite wielders that any kingdom- and even the empire- would be more than eager to get into their good books. "I have no idea Young Master Mane. It may be that they saw your potential and hoped to groom you into an elite wielder". The young boy frowned at Uncle Jake''s response but did not comment on it. He was pretty smart for his age. He reckoned that his uncle would not give him the answer he wanted and proceeded to get into the bath.


    "Wow. It''s huge". A blue haired boy was staring at the institution he was to spend the next ten years in. The size of the gate alone greater than any other he had seen. Uncle Jake smiled at the boy''s wonder. He appreciated moments like these. Since it was these moments that made him realise that Mane was just a six year old. Sometimes he forgot that he boy was so young. The questions Mane was fond of asking and the opinions he held were a little too mature for his age. Uncle Jake had always attributed it to his mother''s intelligence. He smiled as he grabbed a small bag from the carriage they had alighted from. "Young Master Mane, the wielder academy branch in the kingdom of Neces is one of the biggest branches on the continent. It accommodates students from all over Western and Northern Empires. It''s no surprise that it is a large institution." Mane nodded his head to signal that he understood. He looked curiously at the other students that were entering the school and followed suit. Uncle Jake gave a command to the coach who proceeded to offload the carriage. The coachman then followed the duo while holding unto a relatively large bag


    After they handed in Mane''s registration papers and presented other important doc.u.ments, they were allowed to enter the school. "Uncle Jake, those guards are wielders right?" Mane was referring to the guards that checked his papers at the gate. Uncle Jake smiled at the boy''s question and replied, "Impressive as always Young Master. They are indeed wielders." Mane nodded his head and sighed as he admired the large school.


    "Will you come and visit me Uncle Jake?" , Mane asked as he looked up to the face of the kind middle aged man who helped him unpack his things in the room he will be spending 10 years in. "Every time I get the chance Young Master". The boy smiled at Uncle Jake''s reply and watched with tears in his eyes as the man went past the well-guarded school gates and out of his sight. Mane returned to his room and sat patiently as he waited to meet his roommates.

 Chapter 2 - Wielder Academy

    Mane was currently on the second level of the school library. It had been a week since he was admitted. Classes were great and studies were fine. Since all the first years were mostly six year olds, the first three years of school was aimed at increasing their intelligence. Actual combat training and fieldwork would begin in their 4th year.


    Mane was reading a book on Basic Strategies for Beginners. However he was not alone. Two 6 year olds sat across Mane''s table. These six year olds were Mane''s roommates. They shared the same looks and were identical twins. They were talking about the hottest topic in the kingdom- the death of Baron Coal. "It''s a surprise that the Baron was killed. I mean with his intelligence and protection from the king, how could this happen", one of the six year olds stated while brushing his brown hair away from his face.


    Mane looked at the boy who asked the question- John- as one would a dim-witted person. "His intelligence is the reason why he is dead. No kingdom will allow such an intelligent man to roam freely. Intelligence is a powerful tool. It is more powerful than brute strength. An intelligent person can easily trick a powerful person to work for him. For the opposite to happen, that is what is rare. The Baron had been able to transform a barren wasteland like Green City, which by the way was called Green City due to the obvious irony- that it could not produce any crops- to an actual Green city. And he did this in just a few years. Other kingdoms will feel threatened- especially if the rumours are true. If Consort Maria was indeed his cousin- distant or not- he had ties to the king. This will heighten the level of threat he poses".


    The other boy Jake, looked just as confused as his brother upon Mane''s explanation. Looking at their brown eyes that were filled with confusion, Mane sighed helplessly and said, "Ah, forget it. But you owe me lunch today since I totally called it (The death of the Baron)". At the mention of giving away a free lunch the twins puffed their cheeks in anger and turned their eyes away from Mane. Seeing their expression, Mane laughed softly and returned to his book.


    "What an intelligent child. To analyse the reason for Baron''s death to such an extent and to have predicted it, truly a talent". The speaker was the librarian who was in charge of the second floor. Though Mane and his friends were a distance away and spoke softly, this man was still able to hear their conversation due to his special ability. He was so amazed by the little kid''s analysis and conclusion that he sent a message to a higher up informing him of the talent he had just discovered.


    Mane had no idea that he had just caught the eye of an important member of the academy''s board of directors. He was currently reading the last page of the Basic Strategies for Beginners and contemplating on the next book on his agenda- Bloodlines and their Superiority. Every normal person who could awaken their bloodline would do so at the age of eight or nine. This was why the academy trained their students in the way of combat at age nine to ensure that they can use a year to get accustomed to their bloodlines. However, not everyone could awaken their bloodline. Most of these people would then concentrate on increasing their intelligence and becoming strategists, scholars, alchemists, or artefact crafters.


    Strategists worked for the military, writing books and researching ancient scrolls that may be of importance to warfare. Scholars were affiliated to no faction. They were independent individuals who had intelligence greater than that of strategists. This was because whereas strategists focused on only warfare, scholars studied everything- from warfare to farming and business. They may not be comparable to strategists when there is war. However, as the locals always say, the strategists gain the land and the scholars grow the land.


    Of all these professions, the most prestigious would be alchemy and artefact crafting. A prestigious alchemist can cause a king to listen to his every word and make countless mercenaries fight for him. Alchemists were basically physicians- and overpowered ones at that. A great alchemist could bring a person close to the brink of death back to life in an instant. Their diagnosis were spot on, treatment techniques unique and unpredictable, and their aid invaluable. Alchemists could concoct potions and create pills that would be sought for by even emperors themselves.


    However, the difficulty of becoming an alchemist was 10 times higher than that of becoming a physician. This was why there are so many physicians but very few alchemists. A prosperous kingdom would have no more than 5 alchemists and yet a countless number of physicians. Though the three professions were prestigious, so was artefact crafting. Master crafters were as respected as alchemists. They could create blades that blademasters would literally kill for and craft guns that gunmasters would blast cities for. Compared to these professions, the wielder profession seemed normal. However, any experienced veteran would refute this na?ve thought. Though alchemists could summon armies to fight for them, and rulers to listen to them, this was not set in stone. First and foremost, the alchemist must present pills and potions of great value to the king or the army to warrant their help. A mastercraftsman would have to present precious weapons. However, for a wielder? That was pure strength and power that he or she would need no one''s help to display. The problem was that it required one to have a bloodline. One in a hundred people awaken their bloodlines. Another reason why the wielder academy is able to produce only about 25 wielders every year. Though alchemists and mastercraftsmen were rare, even they would not dare disrespect a wielder. However, if one is not able to enter the wielder academy to train in any of the above professions, then they can only settle for a mediocre job- tailoring, dressmaking, carpentry and the likes. Though one can become a master in these crafts and gain wealth and honour, they would have no power in the affairs of kingdoms and empires. One can only have a say in the affairs of a kingdom when they join the army as soldiers or become mercenaries.


    Now, back to our story. Mane looked up into the night sky as he thought of home. He wondered how Uncle Jake was doing and whether his parents had sent him a letter. He sighed and then smiled at the thought of Uncle Jake sitting on a rocking chair and drinking a glass of fruit juice while talking about life. Uncle Jake was a strange man. He was the only a.d.u.l.t Mane had never seen taking alcohol- his dad was no exception. He really missed that old man. After all, he had spent more time with the man than any of his parents. His parents were rarely around. Something that baffled him greatly. He did not know what they did for a living. However, he knew they were not mediocre individuals from the size and beauty of their houses-yes, houses. They had built homes in every kingdom and in the capital cities of every single empire. Mane knew this since Uncle Jake mentioned it once when he was about a year and a half old. Mane did not know why, but he could remember everything that happened since the time he was born. A few days after birth he could already see everything around him. It took some time to learn the languages though- 3 months. He never told anyone this- not his father, not his mother and not even Uncle Jake.


    He did not know why but he just had this feeling that he was to tell no one. He could not explain it- the feeling. It was as though part of him was cautioning the other part to remain vigilant. The dreams he had also heightened his level of caution. On the fifth working day of the week- Friday- he experiences a recurrent dream. In the dream he stands before nine mountains. Each of these mountains weirdly enough, have a huge gate before them. He had tried opening the gates- yes, every one of them. However he had failed every single time. The strangest part was, the mountains gave him a feeling of familiarity and kinship- as though they were him. And every time he had the dream he could hear voices from the mountain. In the most recent dream, he heard them calling out a name- Basileus. What led to his confusion was the fact that he was sure they were speaking to him. Mane shook his head to get rid of the distractions and concentrate on the book in his hands. Today was the fifth day of the week. This time instead of just listening, he will ask for answers.

 Chapter 3 - Who are you?

    Mane looked at the towering mountains before him and felt strangely at peace. He walked forward and sat upon a chair-shaped rock which oddly enough, was placed before the 5th mountain. He sat there for about 5 minutes listening to their whispers. He did not understand the language they spoke but he could make out some common words- Sam, hunter, gods, emperor, the eternal, asteroth and ushaki. He had no idea how he could understand those words so he reckoned that they wanted him to hear just that. Mane was a patient boy. He waited until the voices died down before he spoke. "I want to ask a question". For about 30 seconds there was no reply but Mane knew they heard and understood him so he did not speak out again. "Hehe, he wants to ask a question", spoke the voice from the 6th mountain. "Should we allow him", spoke the voice from the 9th mountain. "He should be allowed. For he is us and we are him", this time it was the voice from the 3rd mountain that spoke. Mane looked at the mountain with surprise on his face since the 1st three mountains had never spoken. "Ask", replied the 1st mountain. Mane looked at the mountains. He felt as though the 1st three mountains had higher statuses than the others- a though they were the rulers of this space. For when they spoke, the other mountains went quiet. "What are your names"? It was the 2nd mountain that spoke this time, "That is for us to know and for you to find out. We will each tell you a riddle. When you understand the riddle, you will know that mountain''s name, and you will understand that mountain, live the life of that mountain and be that mountain". Mane looked at the 1st mountain and said, "Are you really mountains". "You know the answer to that question don''t you my dear boy". Mane smiled at the answer that the 1st mountain had given him. It was an innocent childlike smile that caused the mountains to feel more affection for him. However, Mane could feel that the 2nd mountain- which spoke with no emotion laced to its words- loved him more than the rest. But to the statement that the 1st mountain made, of course Mane knew the answer to that question. He knew that the mountains were in fact cages. Until he could break those cages apart, there was no way he would be able to see the entities trapped within. "Tell me boy, what do you know about us", the 1st mountain asked. "I know that you- the 1st- like to call me boy and seem to include some playfulness in your voice. The 2nd seems to love me more than the rest. Though the 2nd speaks with no emotion and seems cold, she is softer than the rest of you. The 3rd seems to be the most intelligent, the 4th is the most reserved and speaks very little. The 5th is proud, aloof and speaks as though it is above the rest. The 6th is the most talkative and the most jovial of the bunch. The 7th has a sharp presence to it, as though it could cut anything apart. The 8th has a smell of herbs and seems to be the most serious amongst you. The 9th however, seems to be the youngest since its words are laced with immaturity". "Hahahaha, you are indeed intelligent. To think you will be able to know us so well. You indeed have the analytic ability of the 3rd", the laughing voice came from the 6th mountain. Though the mountains had no faces, Mane could feel their every emotion. The 3rd mountain seemed proud of the complement and said, "Did I not say he is as smart as I am". "Now we will give you clues concerning each of us and you will have to comprehend them to understand us", the 8th said. "Now now, we rarely get to see Mane. Why are you in such a hurry to get rid of him? Do you have any more questions my dear boy"? , asked the 6th mountain. "I do have another question. Can you speak to me without me appearing here"? "Yes you can my boy. As long as you will it, your thoughts can be heard by us. And we can speak to you. Even when you are awake", said the 1st. "Yeah, we have been waiting for you to ask this question", it was the 6th who spoke this time. "So how do I will it", asked Mane. "I think you know the answer to that question child", replied the 3rd. Mane stood up and declared, "I declare on this day, that I am you and you are me. My thoughts shall be your thoughts and my voice, your voice". The ground trembled and lightening flashed across the sky- as though acknowledging his words. Mane sat down satisfied and said, "How come you are all trapped in the mountains"? "It is due to that damned bloodline of yours. They restrain us". Mane looked a little surprised since it was the quieter 4th mountain that spoke this time. "What do you mean by they". "You will understand in due time", said the 6th. "Why did you refer to me as she? Why do you think I am female", the 2nd that had been quiet for so long finally spoke up. Mane smiled and played with his hair as he spoke, "Although your voice seems a little husky, it is fairly easy to deduce that it is not deep but pleasant to hear. Your affection for me is due to my young age and you think I am cute. I know this because whenever I smile you seem to like me more and I feel some impatience from you- as well as some frustration. The frustration is because you can see me yet not touch me and the impatience is due to the fact that you cannot wait to be free and hold me close". The mountains were quiet for some time before the 3rd spoke, "To think your deduction skills where this high. It seems you got your mother''s intelligence too". The other mountains hummed in agreement and were silent for a while until the 6th broke this delicate atmosphere, "However, he''s got his father''s good looks and innocence". The other mountains agreed with his statement. "You have met my parents"? Mane asked with uncertainty and doubt in his tone. "No my boy. Your parents have met us".


    Mane was sitting on his bed thinking of what the mountains told him. His parents had met them. He knew that no wielder had the power to invade another''s consciousness except a special family in the Northern Empire. However, that family had a flaw- they had no fighting capabilities. His parents however, were strong. Uncle Jake once told him that they could flatten any one of empires if enraged. He had thought his Uncle was exaggerating the facts. At the time he laughed since Uncle Jake was a straight forward man- not a boastful one. The words of the 1st confirmed Mane''s suspicions- his parents were not of this world. He had read in a library book that there were countless other worlds and realms but had rubbished the idea since he thought that it was ridiculous. Mane sighed in frustration when he remembered what the 1st said after he asked for clarification. "It''s not time to know yet boy". He shifted his attention to something else- the clues each of the mountains had given him were profound and intricate. After a full 3 hours of contemplation he had no results. "Thinking of the riddles boy", asked the 1st. Since the other night he could communicate with the mountains freely. "Don''t think too much about them boy. Special circ.u.mstances and situations will bring you enlightenment on what they mean". Mane nodded in understanding and decided to prepare for class.


    "Bloodlines vary in nature and attribute. Most bloodlines differ from each other. However, children from the same family tend to develop the same abilities due to this very same bloodline. The thing about bloodlines is that when they develop in a family, that family will continue to possess the abilities pertaining to that bloodline even after countless millennia. Unfortunately, the amount of abilities or the power of the abilities that a descendent of a family bloodline can inherit will depend on the density of his or her bloodline. This is the normal bloodline awakening that I''m sure you are all aware of. The uncommon bloodline awakening is the fusion of two bloodlines- the new awakening. This refers to the awakening of a bloodline that is different from the bloodline of a family. Under normal circ.u.mstances when a child is conceived, there are two bloodlines present in that child''s body. However, as the development of the fetus continues, the feebler bloodline is overpowered by the stronger one. The feebler bloodline is referred to as the recessive bloodline and the stronger one is the dominant bloodline. Though at times the child inherits the feebler bloodline, the probability of this happening is one out of 4. However if the bloodlines are of equal rank the probability of the child inheriting any one of the bloodline is one out of two. This is what makes the new awakening a rare case. In this case, the two bloodlines fuse together to co-exist and produce a more powerful bloodline. An example is the fusion of two rank 3 bloodlines. This is not a simple case of 3+3=6, but a case of a 3¡Á3=9. However, for this occur there are many underlying conditions. One of them being that the bloodlines should be of equal rank. However, the higher the rank of a bloodline the lesser the possibility of a fusion. Another condition is the condition of luck. No, you did not hear wrongly. Yes-luck. For every thousand bloodline fusions, only one can make it out alive. Hence, children who undergo the new awakening are one in a quadrillion. The most common possibilities that can occur are either death or the child being born without any bloodline ability. For bloodlines, under normal circ.u.mstances, the child is born with the bloodline but that child''s abilities awaken when he/she is eight or nine years old. This is because the body is not strong enough to withstand the backlash of the awakening before the said ages. We all know the bloodline ranks- rank 1 to rank 12. The first three ranks are referred to as the lower ranks, the next three ranks as the middle ranks, the ranks 7, 8, and 9 as the superior ranks. For instance, the Royal family of this empire possess rank 9 bloodlines. However, the last three bloodlines have been long extinct from this world. They are referred to as the legendary bloodlines. There are tales of bloodlines that are even more powerful than the legendary bloodlines- the improbable bloodlines. Some call them the immeasurable bloodlines since their power is inestimable with our current technology. The reason they are referred to as improbable is due to the belief that the bloodline itself is an impossibility".


    Mane was dosing off to the beautiful sound of his class teacher- Mr Aikens- droning on about bloodlines. He had read all that the man was talking about in the library and silently swore to himself to spend time in the library rather than to come to class. "Sir so what you are insinuating is that even a ranking orb cannot measure the power of the improbable bloodlines?" the speaker was a little boy with brown hair and big brown eyes from the royal family of the Western Empire. Mane did not know his name but he held some level of curiosity concerning the kid. "Well according to legends, they cannot. But these same legends speak of equipment capable of measuring improbable bloodlines known as ranking scales. These equipment are said to be very bulky, towering over seven feet and as heavy as a ton. Even bloodlines that provide their users with great strength like that of the Eastern Empire''s royal family cannot destroy them. Then again, improbable bloodlines may just be old wise tales that parents tell their children so that they never become arrogant of their abilities", Mr Aikens replied. "I do not believe that these tales are false Sir. The world is vast with many unknowns and many forgottens. And I also believe that you trust in these tales too", the little boy spoke with a smile on his face that looked too innocent to be considered as devious but good enough to be considered as a teasing smile. "Oh, why do you say so kid", Mr Aikens asked with a hint of surprise tinging his voice. "Though you mentioned that they are just tales, there was only confidence in your voice- as though you were certain of whatever that you were saying. If this reason is not enough, just think of it as a hunch". Mr Aikens laughed out loud when he heard the boy''s analysis as though he was pleased with what the boy said. Many of the students looked confused since they could not understand the conversation between the duo. "Such terrifying analytical power. And so young too", remarked the 6th. "Indeed, but I think our boy can do even better", the 1st commented with unwavering faith in Mane''s abilities.


    Mane was fully alert ever since the two turned the lesson into their own ''private'' chat. He was impressed at the boy''s comprehensive abilities. "I do not think that Mr Aikens is just a class teacher". "Why do you say that boy", asked the 1st. "Well his temperament is that of a superior. He was not fazed at all when a person of royalty asked him a question. And to top it all, he showed no favouritism to the boy by fawning all over him. I dare say that this man is an expert at the peak of this world. And as for that boy, he is now worthy of being my friend", the class had resumed as Mane was giving his opinions on his teacher. "Mane is indeed very similar to you, 3rd", the 2nd spoke with a chuckle. The 3rd gave a soft grunt of approval.

 Chapter 4 - Levels of Power

    Are there any questions?" Mr. Aikens had just concluded the lecture for the day- Glows and their benefits- and had proclaimed himself available to answer any question. Mr. Aikens, though not the best teacher of the academy, was certainly one of the best the academy could offer.


    Like every good teacher out there, he wanted to ensure that none of his students left his class with any doubt hidden in the depths of their minds. Mr. Aikens sighed in frustration when he recalled the difficulty of a person becoming a wielder.


    Every year group had several individuals awakening their bloodlines with the average number over the years being 100 out of the five hundred students accepted into the academy. Yet the number of wielders produced by the Neces branch was a pitiful average of twenty five.


    This was because though one out of five students could awaken their bloodlines, the difficulty of getting a technique suitable for that bloodline was based on luck. Yes, luck. If you were lucky, the academy would have one for you. If not, well¡­ In the end most of the students end up abandoning the wielder path to choose pursue other options.


    Of course he was always happy to learn that the academy had acquired a new alchemist or scholar but it was always saddening to find out that that path was only chosen due to the lack of other wielder- based alternatives. It wasn''t that he did not want the other fields to prosper, after all, though the academy had the name, ''Wielders Academy'', they had several other departments including the crafting and alchemy departments. It''s just that heart ached at the thought of several talented individuals who had to give up on the wielding due to their ''bad luck''.


    Rousing himself out of his reverie, he looked up to determine the number of confused students in his class only to shiver at the sheer number of raised arms with some standing just to make themselves more prominent. Of the entire class, only two individuals were still seated calmly with their hands on their desks or at their sides, an indication that they had understood the class.


    He smiled bitterly and wondered whether any of the students understood the lecture of the day. It was situations like these that reminded him that although the students that the academy accepted were the brightest of their generation, they were still just six year olds. It should be noted that the tests that the academy held to select their students were intensive and very selective, picking out brilliant and weeding out the rest. Of course it wasn''t so for everyone.


    Pupils from prestigious families with great bloodlines were accepted due to the greater chance of awakening their bloodlines. This was done to increase the number of wielders that the academy could produce for that year group. There were also others who were chosen based on recommendations and special scenarios.


    He was not a big fan of the last circ.u.mstance but he was an open minded man. As long as these ''special'' students showed some degree of skill he was always pleased to have them in his class. After all, there were eight classes for each year group with his class being the elite class.


    If a recommended student did not show any level of competence he was always more than happy to transfer them to another class. For instance, the student called Abelard who was of the Smith royal family. This child always came to him after class was over to consult him on issues that were a little too complex for his mates to understand.


    He was very impressed with the child and looked forward to his future prospects. It was the other kid that he had a problem with- the blond haired child with blue eyes. This boy stood out due to the color of his hair. In the Western Empire, the kingdom of Neces to be specific, the most common hair color was brown. Golden hair like the boy''s was hardly seen.


    Although he agreed that the boy struck a picturesque figure as he gazed outside the window and upon the birds that basked in the warm sunlight, it did not lessen the annoyance in his heart. Though Mr. Aikens was a wielder, one of his greatest achievements was obtaining the qualifications to be a scholar.


    He appreciated those who thirsted for knowledge and detested the individuals who did not. Mr. Aikens prided himself as a broad minded man but even he had a limit to his patience. So, for one of the very few moments of his life, Mr. Aikens decided to be petty. "The boy seated at the very back of the class? Yes, you. Tell me, what did you learn?" Unfortunately, this decision was not the right one.


    "So can you tell me about the levels of strength?" As usual Mane was ignoring his teacher as he asked the 6th a question. Of course he posed this question to the 6th for just one reason- he was the most talkative of the bunch. He was sure that this blabbermouth would answer him without waiting to think and consider whether it was the right thing to do or not. Just as he predicted, the 6th did not let him down.


    "Well, in a lower world like yours, they only know of one realm- the mortal realm. This realm is divided into nine levels. The first three are classified as the lower stages, the next three, the middle stages and the last three are the upper stages. Your world has graded these stages in alphabets. In ascending order there is the F- grade, the E- grade, the D- grade, the C- grade, the B- grade, the A- grade, the S- grade, the SS- grade and the SSS- grade. However, there are higher realms with the mortal realm being the lowest. After the mortal realm is the above- mortal realm, which is superseded by the profound realm. After the profound realm we have the earthly realm, the heavenly realm, the nobility realm and the ascended realm. As for bloodlines, the higher the rank of your bloodline, the further you can go in your cultivation path!" The 6th spoke so quickly that the others could only sigh in frustration.


    This wasn''t something Mane had to know at his level. They had all agreed that they would wait until he attained the ninth level of the mortal stage before enlightening the kid on the vastness of the universe and the littleness of his world. The 6th laughed in discomfiture at his error.


    Though uncertain, Mane was sure that the 6th was scratching his nose in embarrassment. "The nobility realm?" Mane asked with uncertainty tinging his voice. "Does one have to become a noble to attain this realm?'' Mane asked sarcastically while admiring the little birds playing on the lawn just outside his window. Mane spoke in a sarcastic manner to take the heat off the 6th and it worked like a charm.


    "Boy don''t be stupid. It''s called the nobility realm because it is only at this stage does one finally attain a title. The titles are given based on their affinity with a particular element and their characters. For instance, a very prideful fire user may be given the name the ''arrogant fire emperor'' or ''prideful fiery king''." The 1st answered in a low voice as though he was being watched. Since the 6th had sold them out there was no need hoarding any more information.


    "Who gives them their titles?" the blue eyed boy asked them curiously, fully immersed in the conversation that he had no idea what was going on outside his inner psyche.


    "That, we cannot say. It''s whole new topic and belongs to a completely different area. It''s complexity you cannot understand yet. When you reach the earth realm, we will tell you". Mane was about to pester them for more information when he felt someone poke his left side. "Hehe. Looks like you are needed outside. You may be in trouble this time little Mane."

 Chapter 5 - Darkness

    Abelard looked curiously at the yellow haired child he had been observing for the past few weeks. Under normal circ.u.mstances he couldn''t be bothered to pay attention to anyone in his class yet. After all, they were a long distance away from awakening their bloodlines to pose any physical threat. As for posing an intellectual threat, that was highly unlikely.


    He showed extra attention to this boy because he knew that just like him, he was one of the students who got in via a recommendation. Normally, this would not be enough to warrant his keen observation. It wasn''t common knowledge but he was not a person who paid much heed to issues that were not of his concern. It was what his father told him made him mindful of the boy.


    "Look at this picture carefully Abe. Burn it into your eyes and engrave it in your mind. When you get to the academy and you meet this boy, do not under any circ.u.mstances, offend him! It will be best if you could befriend him. If not, stay away from him. If you offend him, I will not be able to save you. Even your grandfather will be helpless!"


    Breaking away from his flashback, Abelard looked at the boy again. His mumbling and stuttering figure cut a sorry sight as he struggled to answer the question. Even then he still did not underestimate the blue eyed boy. His father''s voice shook when he warned him a few months back! His father was not a man who succ.u.mbed to fright. For him to show fear that meant that the boy was backed by someone so terrifying that even his grandfather''s might would be rendered useless.


    Many did not know this but as a core member of the royal family, he was privy to some confidential information. He knew that the SSS- grade was not the final grade. He was aware that it was just the last stage of the mortal realm. He wasn''t sure about the realms beyond the mortal realm but he knew his grandfather had transcended the mortal level. He began to feel sorry for Mr. Aikens.


    He had a feeling the man had dug a very deep pit for himself- one that was filled with embarrassment. He did not have to wait too long until he was proven right.


    Mane was more mature than most six year olds but he was not immune to disgrace. He stood with a red face as he watched his classmates laugh as he made a mockery of himself. It was clear to him that his teacher asked him to summarise today''s topic to embarrass him and teach him a lesson.


    For the first time ever he began to feel anger. Anger he had never felt before. It was as though it was residing in the deep recesses of his soul and had finally found a way to rear its ugly head. He kept hearing a voice, a deep thundering voice that pushed him to act.


    He was thirsty. Thirstier than than he he had ever been. And he knew it wasn''t water he wanted. He wanted something else. He wanted the soul of the man mocking him.


    "Tear him apart. Destroy him", they said.


    "He dared to shame us He dared to taunt us. Does he not know who we are?"


    "I don''t think he does"


    "Then why don''t we show him who we are, what we are!"


    The voices were growing louder. Mane did not know who they were talking to but he knew it wasn''t him.


    It felt like they were speaking to each other. As though they were seeking council from each other.


    They threatened to break free- to rid themselves of their cages if he did not act.


    "What is this dark power?" the 6st asked, his usual playful tone was nowhere to be found with fear taking its place. He was not the strongest in this place but before he was trapped in this space he was an absolute monarch, an ascended! One who brought fear to his enemies and hope to his loved ones. He may have been trapped here but he still had his strength. He just could not utilize it.


    For him to feel fear, that voice must have the power to threaten even he!


    "3rd you are the most knowledgeable. What should be done?'' the usually silent 4th asked with concern lacing his husky voice.


    "He needs a clarity spell. 8th you''re a physician. You should know one right?" the reliable 3rd answered and posed a question to the 8th.


    "First and foremost I am an alchemist, not a physician. Don''t lower my position. Secondly, I do know a spell of clarity."


    Mane felt his mind breaking apart. He was losing his sanity. The voices had grown louder and he could feel them pulling him down into the darkness. They wanted to be closer to him. They wanted to be one with him. The harder he struggled to faster they pulled him down.


    He knew that he would lose himself if he drowned in the darkness. He did not want that. He was only six. His life had barely began!


    The voices had grown louder. They were so loud that he felt his head ringing as though a hammer was banging against his temple


    They wanted freedom!


    And they were willing to do anything to get it!


    "Let us out!"


    "Let us out!!"


    "Let us out of our shells!!!"


    Mane was losing his consciousness. His eyes felt heavy and he was light-headed. The voices were now so loud that he could not hear a thing they said. He could only make out a few words.


    He began panic, he began to despair!


    That''s when he saw it. A bright light! Brighter than anything he had ever seen!


    Out of the light came a hand that reached out for him. The hand descended with a loud noise, scattering the darkness that was threatening to consume him!


    *BOOM*


    As though terrified of the light, the darkness around him receded as the hand approached him. He could hear the angry screams of the voices hidden in the darkness as he was dragged into the light.

 Chapter 6 - First signs of brilliance

    Mane shivered as he replayed the recent event in his mind. "Don''t think too much about it boy. We will talk after this. For now get back at that old man who calls himself your teacher." It was only now that Mane realised he was still standing with the entire class staring at him. He thought a long time had passed but it seemed that only a few seconds had passed.


    He was sure that Mr. Aikens had assumed that he was embarrassed and that was why he was silently standing waiting for him to compose himself. Honestly, after what he just went through he did not put this minor incident to heart. He just wanted to understand what happened.


    He apologized to Mr. Aikens as he prepared to sit down. As for the comment of the 1st, he just ignored it. After that experience, he felt that Mr. Aikens was much more pleasing to the eye. Unfortunately, the man did not look pleasing for too long.


    Mr. Aikens was terrified. For a brief moment he felt a dangerous aura lock onto him- a very dangerous aura. His blood run cold as he felt that aura revolve around the class and pick him out as its target. It was as though the gates of hell had been opened to welcome its unwilling visitor- him.


    He had many near death experiences but this experience trumped all that came before it. He never flinched from challenges. Hell most of his near death experiences were due to his own hard headedness, his stubbornness to experience a challenge!


    However, for the third time in his life he felt fear. He had no proof but he was sure that this feeling came from one of his students. Others might call him crazy if they heard his conjecture but he knew he was right. He had great instincts and he always trusted in them.


    It was due to trusting in his instincts that a man like him had survived many dangerous encounters. Fortunately, this feeling disappeared as quickly as it came. If it was not for his wet sleeves he would have believed it was his imagination.


    He grew ashamed of himself as he realised that he was afraid of a student. All his students were six year olds for crying out loud! He looked outside the door hoping to calm himself with the sight of the playful birds, forgetting that just a few minutes ago he had blamed them for distracting his pupil.


    Unfortunately, he the weather was not the same as it was a few minutes prior. He did not know when it began but it was no longer bright outside. Dark clouds acted as a veil to the sun as they covered the sky and blanketed the entire school. As for the birds from before, they were nowhere to be found!


    He heard the roaring thunder and could see the flashes of lightening that decorated the sky. To rid himself of this awkwardness, he pointed at the blond haired boy and asked, "Did you have a question for me boy?"


    Looking at the man who had called him out again, Mane felt some irritation. If it was possible, he would have smacked this man so hard that a severe amnesia would be the most favourable result. Regrettably, this man was like an itch. The harder you scratched the itchier it became.


    He felt that he had let the man of easy. "Why don''t you ask him what you asked the 3rd yesterday?" This time Mane did not ignore the 1st. He had indeed posed a question to the 3rd the day before.


    He was surprised when the 3rd responded that he had no idea. That was the first time ever that the 3rd seemed out of sorts. Upon careful consideration, he realised that it made sense that the 3rd did not know. The 3rd may be highly knowledgeable but she was not from a lower world and hence her understanding of the lower worlds was bound to be limited.


    Mane smiled at Mr. Aikens. For some reason the older man felt a chill when he looked at the boy''s smirk. Mane stood up as he asked, "Yes sir. I only have three questions. Sir, if you would not mind my asking, are there other levels above the SSS level?"


    The mountains were confused when they heard this question. They had already informed Mane of the realms above the mortal realm. That was until they heard the loud laughter of the 3rd.


    "HAHAHAHAHA. Brilliant, absolutely brilliant!" the 3rd laughed uproariously. The mountains were even more intrigued and were eager to see what Mane was up to.


    The 3rd''s laughter took Mane by surprise. He had never heard him laugh before. However, that was not what caught him off guard. That unbridled laughter was feminine. The 3rd was a woman! He always assumed the 3rd was a man and she never corrected him when he called her a ''him''.


    Mr. Aikens shook his head when he heard Mane''s question, "This¡­ I am sorry. I cannot answer that. Why don''t you ask something else?"


    Mane smiled and spoke, "I apologize sir. I was just curious. I was wondering if you could enlighten us by giving us information on the organization that is strong enough to build such an independent power. After all, the academy has many branches including the one in Neces yet it is has no affiliation with any of the empires. We all know that it takes the strong to raise the strong."


    Murmurings could be heard in the class as numerous students began to speak among themselves. Mane could hear the little brats discussing his question among themselves. Though they did not understand the last line, they understood the essence of the question. They had never thought of this before.


    Indeed, who owned the hunter organization?


    For the second time today, Mr. Aikens began to perspire at a fast rate. He wanted to look for a hole to bury himself into. He had jumped from the frying pan only to land into the fire! He now knew what it meant to cry without tears.


    There were many geniuses who had wondered about the very same thing. This little boy was not the first. But he was definitely the first to voice it out loud. Most of these geniuses were from prominent families and had been well educated since they were young. Their families had already informed them that it was a no go area. They were not like this little boy who was not of a noble family.


    "I am sorry. I cannot answer this question either. Can you ask another?" Mr. Aikens cursed his unlucky stars as he wondered whether he had done anything wrong lately. First, a terrifying killing intent appears from nowhere and locks unto him.


    Now, he cannot answer two questions, both of which he has extensive knowledge on, due to ethical reasons. He could hear the murmur of his students as they questioned the school''s decision to have an incompetent man lecture the elite class. Looking at the blonde haired kid who had furrowed his brows in dissatisfaction, he silently swore to himself to get the last on right.


    "Much obliged sir. Sir, I was reading a book in the library the previous day and came across a sentence that left me with more questions than before I had picked that book up. It mentioned an organization called the dark kingdom. I would be eternally grateful if you could clear my doubts."


    Mr. Aikens sighed in relief when he heard the question. This question was tricky but he could answer it. "Well, the dark kingdom is not really a kingdom. It is an organization. Think of the wielders academy as the light of this world and the dark kingdom as the darkness to that light. Just like the wielders academy, the dark kingdom trains individuals and shapes them into wielders with the sole purpose of destroying the world. But unlike the wielders academy, the individuals who join this organization don''t do so willingly. People with talent are abducted and brainwashed to work for the organisation and hence it falls to the wielder academy to prevent this. Most of the academy''s missions are based on thwarting the plans of the dark kingdom. However, you do not have to worry about that. Only when you get past your fourth year and into your fifth would you learn more about the dark kingdom."


    Mane smiled at Mr. Aikens and took his seat. He seemed pleased with the answer he had received. The mountains were still confused. They knew that the only thing Mane wanted the answer to was the last question. Unfortunately, they did not understand why he had to go ask two questions just before he got to that one.


    "3rd don''t leave us in suspense. Tell us what he did", the 9th asked, inpatient to know what just happened.


    "Brilliant, truly a genius. That was shrewdness at the apex. All the questions the boy asked were questions that under normal circ.u.mstances, should not be answered. However, the severity of answering each question was not the same. Take the first question for instance. There was no way that question was going to be answered. The second was the same. The ethical principles that underlay each of these questions were too strict and sever to be ignored. The third question was not the same. Of course under normal circ.u.mstances, this question would not have been answered. After all, as the man said, it was to be revealed in their fifth year. I am assuming that, you are only a core member of the academy after the fifth year, hence such sensitive information would not be given to individuals who might not make it that far. Our boy knew this, hence he asked the first two questions, each with a different purpose. He asked the first question to introduce guilt into his teacher''s heart. He was aware that the man was a scholar and as a scholar he had one weakness- his knowledge! A scholar studies in order to share his knowledge with the world. In a case were a scholar has information he is not able to give out, they will feel immense guilt whether the fault is theirs or not. The second question introduced doubt into the hearts of his classmates. As students of the elite class, the perception they have concerning their teacher is at an all-time high! They believe that their teacher should know everything! Their teacher not being able to answer the first question would be surprising but it will be brushed off. Asking another question their teacher could not answer would shake the faith they have in him. Children always show their emotions. Hence their discussions on their teacher''s capability. This would be heard by the teacher and would cloud his judgement. Like a fish out of water, he would be extremely vulnerable. Without giving him much time to compose himself, Mane asked the question he actually wanted to ask all along. Since the ethical implications were not as serious as the first two, a very eager to redeem himself Mr. Aikens bit the bait without realizing it. The added benefit of this method is freedom. After this, little Aikens would not disturb our boy anymore no matter what he does. Brilliant! Mane is truly destined to be a great strategist!"


    Though the 3rd had never spoken so much before this, the other mountains were not thinking about this. The mountains waited for Mane''s confirmation. They sighed in amazement at the 3rd terrifyingly accurate analysis and Mane''s quick-wittedness when they saw the little boy nod his head.


    "Interesting. I was wrong all along." Mr. Aikens was plagued with questions from all sides as the students became more eager to present their doubts, hoping to gain clarification.


    Though he was answering their questions, he still paid attention to the silent figure at the back. After answering the questions he realised his error.


    He had been set up! He had swallowed the bait, hook and all!


    However, he was more impressed than he was mad. He may be a wielder but he was also a scholar! As a scholar, he always appreciated a good brain. He was so deeply impressed with the boy that he was willing to apologize for the earlier incident if the boy asked him to.


    He looked at Abelard only to see his little face covered in confusion as he tried to understand the entire ordeal. "I guess he doesn''t compare to little blondie over there. What was his name again?"

 Chapter 7 - ZEUS!!!

    "I am still waiting. Did you not promise me answers?"


    Mane was lying on his bed, his gaze fixed onto the ceiling of his room. At had been five hours- five hours since his class had ended. Normally, he would have paid a visit to the library after class but he had no mood for that today. He returned to the dormitory immediately after class.


    He wasn''t alone. The soft breathing of the twins could be heard in the dark room, which had been deprived of its'' lights a short ten minutes ago.


    This room which had two bunk beds, was originally designed to accommodate four individuals. This implied that they were missing a roommate. The twins had picked the bunk bed that was at the left side of the room, extremely close to the bathroom yet far away from the window. A window that coincidentally was at the right side of the room, where Mane''s bed was.


    Mane was accustomed to luxury, but even he had to admit that the rooms the academy provided for the elite students were truly extravagant. Each room had a balcony and a bathroom. The bathrooms were fitted with both a bathtub and a stand-in shower that was bordered by glass wall.


    Mane had chosen the upper bank. Unlike the twins who wanted to be as far away from the window as possible, Mane liked to watch the moon. The glowing moon and the glistering stars that littered the sky helped in calming him down but the dark room served as a constant reminder of the events that occurred this afternoon.


    The darkness of the room that had acted as a safe haven just yester night and all the nights before, brought back memories of what had happened in the classroom.


    Those icy hands that had gripped his being and the terror that had latched onto his very soul.


    He shook every time he recalled the screams of the voices that took refuge in the darkness. As for the hand that had rescued him and the light that gave him hope, Mane understood that he had the 3rd and the 8th to thank.


    He owed them his life!


    He did not want to imagine what would have happened if they did not take action. The light was produced by the 8th. He called it a spell of clarity, a high rank alchemy technique that was difficult to master but gave bountiful results when it was.


    This spell was able to clear one''s mind and hence was a perfect tool to use when dealing with dark lifeforms. The 8th also mentioned that the spell of clarity could be used to cancel out any distractive thoughts when comprehending a technique or a skill. In the higher worlds, it was a skill in high demand. According to the 1st, even nobility and ascended realm experts would pay handsomely for an alchemist who could cast this technique.


    Under normal circ.u.mstances, Mane would have been curious regarding the depth of the 8th''s ability but not today. Today, he only wanted answers.


    As for the hand that had dragged him out, it belonged to the 3rd. The 3rd was a spiritualist! Spiritualists were able to invade the minds of others and hence they are feared across the worlds.


    Apart from the royal family of the Northern Empire, Mane did not know of any other spiritualists on Zandor. However, that family had a flaw. They had no fighting capabilities. The 3rd was different. From what the others told him, the 3rd was a battle freak! The 2nd mentioned that the third could not only invade the consciousness of others but could also control inanimate objects.


    The third was a telepath!


    Luckily, there weren''t many spiritualists since it was a very rare profession due to its stringent qualifications.


    For one to become a spiritualist they had to have a high level of intelligence. Secondly, they should have a soul based bloodline. As for becoming a spiritualist at the level of the 3rd, one had to have at the very least, a legendary bloodline. This made practicing as a spiritualist extremely difficult.


    There was a leeway though. If high ranking spiritualists could transfer their bloodlines to others, that person would inherit their abilities!


    "Why aren''t any of you answering? WHAT IS HAPPENNING TO ME?"


    Mane''s furious shout was so deafening that the space in his inner psyche shook. Even then, no one stepped forward to answer him.


    "Please, tell me what is going on?"


    Mane''s voice no longer held the power to move the space. He was pleading now. When he was in the classroom he could maintain his composure. The only reason he could do that was because he was in public. He even had the composure to trick his teacher.


    Things were different now. He was all alone. There were nine lifeforms with him- nine- but he still felt alone. He missed his parents. He missed Uncle Jake. The man always knew what to say to comfort him. He had never felt so vulnerable before. He began to cry.


    Listening to the sobs of the little boy, the nine lifeforms that stayed in this space were distraught. Though all of them were hegemons of their worlds, none knew how to comfort a kid.


    *Sigh*


    A sigh resounded. The sigh was filled with resignation.


    "Okay kid. We''ll answer your question"


    *******************


    "Did you feel that?" Alexis asked her husband. Ray nodded, a rarely seen seriousness etched on his face.


    "We have to go there now!" Ray restrained Alexis as she struggled to break free. Alexis was a very intelligent woman. No matter what happened she was always very well composed, rarely losing her cool. In the myriad worlds, Alexis was renowned not only for her beauty but for her intelligence and an deductive skills. Ray on the other hand was called the brute king. He always handled things with his fists and rarely considered the consequences of his actions. Unfortunately, when it came to their son she was anything but tactful. In times like these the Brute King was the calm one. Though this wasn''t the first time, the irony of this statement had not been lost on him.


    "We can''t. Come back to your senses Alexis! If we could feel it, so could they." Ray''s words were very effective. Alexis had regained her sanity. She knew Ray was right. If they could tell what that power was, she was positive they had felt it too.


    "We''ll go and see him, I promise you that. But not now, okay?" Alexis nodded her head at her husband''s words.


    "It''s just that we are his parents but we have barely spent any time with him. Even when he needs us we cannot help." Alexis bit her bottom lip as she struggled to restrain her tears.


    "I know. It pains me as well"


    Ray sighed in frustration as he hugged his wife. Her trembling shoulders and sniffs were a clear indication that her tear ducts had failed her. He looked up at the night sky as killing intent filled his eyes. He would make them pay for this. The ones that had separated their family. His father''s clan.


    The Greek Pantheon!


    On a major world, high above the clouds was a mountain. A mighty mountain that caused all who cast their eyes upon it to feel awe and fear. That mountain was the home of the Greek gods, Mount Olympus!


    "That power¡­ Could it be?" A man with white hair that ended just below his shoulders and an unruly beard that reached his chest stared at the clouds below with his blue eyes. Though he had an average height and an average build, there was a formless aura around him that caused one to feel fear. He stood straight like a javelin as he stared at nothing in particular, his thoughts in such a jumbled mess that he ignored the figure that stood at his side.


    The figure that stood at his side was different from him. For starters, he was at least seven feet tall and completely dwarfed the 5 feet 8 inches middle aged man he stood with. He had an impressive build, his muscles struggling to break his leather armor apart.


    Unlike the older man, this figure stopped down on a railing, his elbow was propped onto it as his hand cupped his chiseled chin. The huge sword strapped to his back only served to increase his grandeur.


    He had an indifferent expression on his face as he said, as if to no one in particular, "That power could only belong to him. Father, we must act now."


    "No, Ares we cannot. Even I cannot locate the boy. What makes you think we can do anything?"


    The tall man sneered, "Old man I know you could have located him if you wanted to. Why don''t you just admit that you cannot do it! You are weak, just like that bastard."


    "I am weak?"


    The originally docile weather took a sharp turn. Dark clouds gathered above the castle on the mountain.


    "Did you just call me weak?"


    In response to his words, the thunderous roar of the lightning elements, lit up the sky.


    *BOOM*


    *crackle*


    *BOOM*


    Two huge bolts of lightning, each as thick as an a.d.u.l.t man descended with ferocity as they aimed at the tall figure.


    Ares''s expression changed as he watched the bolts descend. He unsheathed the large sword strapped to his back as he slashed towards the sky with all the strength he could muster. A bright sword light ascended to confront the deadly attack!


    *BOOM*


    The sword light canceled out a lightning bolt and reduced the strength of the other by a small fraction.


    Unfortunately, that was all it could do!


    The remaining lightning bolt came crashing down on Ares! He bent he legs and raised his sword above his head as he held it horizontally, welcoming the attack.


    *BOOM*


    The thunderous sound of lightning crashing down on its prey resounded loudly, alerting all who lived on the mountain.


    Ares looked up at his father. His fingers clenched as he seethed silently, his rage at its boiling point.


    He knew the man looking down on him right now was not going to admit it but he regretted the decision he made seven years ago.


    But Ares was different. He did not regret a thing!


    If he could turn back time he would kill the damn kid! It seemed that he had to seriously consider the offer that THAT MAN gave him.


    The lightning clad figure looked down on the sorry figure that lay sprawled on the ground, not at all resembling the grandiose figure of a few seconds ago.


    He ignored the look of bitterness and resentment that was directed at him and declared with a loud, booming voice.


    "Remember this Ares. Don''t you dare disrespect me. FOR. I. AM. ZEUS!!!!"

 Chapter 8 - Each to their own devices

    "To our victory!!!"


    In a large hall, decorated with several articles of gold and silver were hundreds of men. The brightly lit halls made the blissful expressions on their faces visible for all to see. They all held huge cups which were filled to the brim with mead.


    Their eyes were transfixed on the figure that stood majestically on the huge podium. Drunk, yes, but still majestic. Just like the men and women that filled this hall, this huge imposing figure also held a huge cup, with the mead spilling over occasionally.


    The loud declaration came from this man. He was a large man, his imposing figure towering over most as he stood at a height of six feet and eight inches. Though he wore a loose attire, his robust image was not hidden. His arms which, were thrice the size of a regular man''s, were a sight to behold and his broad chest could not be hidden by his clothes.


    Under regular circ.u.mstances, a man of his stature would inspire admiration and awe in anyone who saw him but not today. Today he had a stupid grin on his handsome face, his brown eyes clouded and hazy due to large amounts of mead he had already consumed.


    "TO OUR VICTORY!!!" The loud response of the occupants of the hall shook the eardrums of all were within the vicinity. The clashing of wine cups was the only sound present for the longest of time.


    "FRIENDS!! Today we fought a great battle. It may not be our greatest yet but it is more than worthy to be recorded in our history books. We all fought well. We all fought arduously. And that was only possible because we watched each other''s'' backs!"


    "YEAH!!!"


    "So friends, let us drink, let us make merry! Harder than we fought!"


    "HARDER THAN WE FOUGHT!!!"


    The huge man slumped onto his chair, his red hair messy and his mead spilling onto the podium below. "Cheer up brother. You don''t look happy. Here, have some mead." The large man signaled to the servant that stood below the dais to serve the tall figure who sat beside him.


    Just like his brother, this man had an impressive height. Though he was seated, he looked to be about six feet six inches tall. However, unlike his brother, he had a lanky figure. There were no signs of any large muscles underneath his robes and he did not look like much of a fighter.


    The help stumbled onto the podium, obviously drunk, to pour out some wine into the cup of the tall man. Pushing the jug of mead aside, the lanky figure shooed the sorry excuse for a wine boy away.


    "It was your victory brother, not mine. I am only here because father asked me to keep you in check."


    "Oh come on now Loki. Don''t be a kill joy. Here, I''ll pour it out for you myself. Everyone''s watching. Do not let them down brother." The stout man snatched the wine jug from the hands of the wine boy and forcefully filled Loki''s cup.


    The big guy was right. The little commotion on the pedestal had attracted the attention of the men and women who filled the hall. There were countless of them who had already began chanting and asking that Loki drink the mead.


    "DRINK THE MEAD!"


    "DRINK THE MEAD"


    "DRINK THE MEAD"


    Loki snorted in displeasure as he was forced to drink the strong wine he very much detested. Of course it wasn''t the taste he detested. No one hated honey, fermented or not. It was the ability that mead had he hated.


    The ability to take away a person''s reasoning and thinking capabilities was what he detested. He speedily drained his cup of the mead, filling his mouth with the rich smell of old honey.


    "YAY!!!"


    Thankfully, his suffering did not last for long. The ring on his finger began to flash with a pale reddish light. In their drunken states, no one in the hall noticed the flashing ring, except the owner of course, and the stupid looking boor who sat next to him.


    Looking at the shimmering ring, Loki''s eyes narrowed, a mischievous look in his eyes as he span a dagger around the index finger of his right hand.


    "Interesting. Looks like I''ll have to take my leave early brother. Don''t make any trouble. I''ll be back soon."


    The strong looking figure waved his wand impatiently, clearly eager to get rid of the party spoiler seated at his side.


    As Loki left the hall, he failed to notice the look his brother had given him. The earlier hazy state was nowhere to be found, replaced by a look of contemplation and suspicion.


    "What is he up to this time?" Rubbing his beard with his non- drinking arm, he looked at the door that had acted as an exit for his brother. He didn''t get to think for long though. For one of the men in the hall was standing with his cup raised high, obviously to give a toast.


    "TO THOR"


    Hearing the man, the originally noisy hall became noisier. Everyone stood up, cups in hand and brains tossed aside. In a loud and united voice they shouted the name of the one who had led them to victory, the Nordic god of thunder!


    "THOR"


    "THOR"


    "THOR"


    "THOR"


    Outside the great hall, in a place far away from prying eyes and well hidden in the darkness, two men stood facing each other.


    "You took a huge risk coming here, Ares."


    The hooded figure took off his hood to reveal his handsome face to the trickster, Loki!


    Looking into the black eyes of the man that was nonchalantly playing with his hair, Loki sighed. "You took a great risk coming to Asgard. You better have a good reason for that."


    "Risk? I am the Greek god of war! If I want to stay hidden, not even Odin can find me!" Ares sneered, disdain identifiable in his words. Loki ignored the brute. He was too arrogant. If he did not need his help he would not bother even speaking to him.


    "Why are you here brute? Don''t tell me you came here to say hi?" Loki continued spinning his dagger, seemingly uninterested in this conversation.


    "I have thought things through. I accept your offer." Upon hearing the last sentence, Loki smiled brightly, like a poor man who had just discovered a bag of treasures.


    "Excellent choice. But next time, just use the ring I gave you. You can easily contact me with it instead of coming here in person."


    Ares blushed in shame, now realizing the proper use of the ring he was given. "Why are you so careful? It''s not like any one could see me, let alone catch me." Ares was said, obviously trying to change the subject.


    "Oh my dear god of war. You were seen the moment you entered Asgard."


    "WHAT!? That''s impossible. No one, not even Odin, can detect me when I conceal my aura!" Ares was obviously not going to believe that there was someone capable of discovering him.


    "Oh, Odin cannot, but someone can. The god of light and seer of all things, HEIMDALL. Arrogant god of war, tell me, how fast can you run."


    Ares immediately understood what Loki meant. The fact that he looked like a fool did not mean he was one. If it was found out that he was in cahoots with the trickster, both of them will be done for. He had to pretend that they weren''t related and make it seem like he was discovered by Loki!


    "INTRUDER! There''s an intruder!"


    Looking at the back of Ares who had shoot forward with incredible speed, Loki smirked, a playful smile filling his face.


    "Run god of war. Run."


    ******************


    Far away from Bilskirnir[1], Thor''s hall, which was currently hosting a large number of people, in the hall Himinbjorg[2], a man with golden hair was seated on a golden throne. At his left side was a horn and at his right side, a horse, dark as the night and just as mysterious. He stroked the mane of the creature that lay contently at his side and spoke.


    "It seems the trickster is once again up to mischief. Looks like we will be busy again, Gulltop[3]." Heimdall showed a bright smile, revealing his golden teeth.

 Chapter 9 - Laws of time

    "Little Mane, what you experienced was as a result of a curse." The anguished voice of the 3rd was filled with tiredness.


    "A curse? By who?" Mane''s immature voice that was filled with shock and surprise caused the 3rd to sigh in remorse.


    *Sigh*


    "Yes, little one, a curse. As for who cast it, we do not know. We''ll have to find out. Try and remember. How long did you stay in that dark space?"


    Mane tried to recall how long he spent in that space. Although it seemed as like a few seconds in the outside world, in his mind space it wasn''t. Mane was not a weak willed brat. If it was only a few seconds he would have been able to hold on.


    Hell he would have been fine even if it was just an hour. Initially he thought it was high imagination but the 2nd''s words caused him to think. He knew he was in that space for several hours. With each second, minute and hour being more difficult to endure than the former.


    "I was there for several hours. I am not sure"


    Mane sensed a change in the atmosphere. A depressive silence had dominated his inner psyche. For the mountains to be so quiet, it wasn''t because they were thinking. Mane was positive that they had some suspicions and that his words had helped them to reach a conclusion. Mane waited patiently, anticipating their next words.


    "Kid, for you it may have been several hours for you. But for us it was just a few seconds."


    Mane was startled. He had assumed that since the mountains were in his inner psyche, they would also experience the same time flow. It seems he was not as strong willed as he thought. It may indeed have been a few seconds but due to the torture he had to endure, he may have unconsciously perceived these few seconds as a few hours.


    The mountains seemed to understand what he was thinking because the 1st did not let him have this thought for long.


    "You are not wrong kid. You were indeed trapped for several hours. You were isolated in another space. A time barrier had surrounded you. Without the 3rd and the 8th, you''d be dead."


    Mane shuddered, his lips quivering in fear. No one was unafraid of death, and Mane a six year old child who had barely explored the mystery of the world, let alone the universe was no exception. He was extremely grateful to the mountains. He really did owe them a debt he would never be able to repay.


    "I am proficient with time laws, after all, I have a time based bloodline. But even I will not be able to isolate someone with a time barrier in their own mind space. Whomever, did this is more powerful than I am." The mountain at the far right spoke this time.


    Mane was surprised. He never knew that the 9th had a time based bloodline! Well, come to think of it, he didn''t know about the others either. Except the 3rd who was a spiritualist, and now the 9th, Mane did not know about the bloodlines of the others.


    "Time laws are difficult to grasp. Even with a time based bloodline, understanding time is exhaustive and requires one to have extremely high talent and compatibility with time." Ignoring Mane''s expression of surprise, the 9th continued speaking.


    "This is because time has a lot of rules. Breaking any one of them would lead to failure. In other words, when you try to use a time law, don''t break any of the time rules. If you do, the law would not work for you. In the best case scenario, it will not obey you. Worst case, you may receive a time backlash, getting stuck in a time loop."


    "Entering a person''s consciousness, now that goes against the all the time laws! This is because when you use a time law against someone, you don''t actually attack the person but the space around the person¡­"


    Mane had a blank look on his face as he listened to the 9th.


    "What a high level talent! The boy seems to have gained some insights. This is the true meaning of the phrase, ''benefitting from disaster''."


    The 1st was impressed. The boy had received only a single lecture, a brief one at that, yet he had gained some insights!


    The 9th was just as impressed as the 1st. He was a time practitioner. No one in this space understood the difficulty of cultivating time laws except him. For Mane to not have awakened a time based bloodline and yet grasp the concept of time, it was impressive. Of course he did not expect the little blonde haired boy to discover something extreme. But even the simple laws of time were anything far from simple.


    ____________


    Mane had no idea what was happening. At some point during the 9th''s speech, he felt some resonance with the 9th''s words. Outside Mane''s consciousness, there was something bizarre going on.


    In Mane''s room, time seemed to have stopped. The up and down movements of the twins'' chests had ceased, the wind seemed to have lost its force as it remained stagnant. However, the strangest thing was Mane himself. His chest heaved up and down to signify that he was breathing, a polar opposite of what was happening to the twins.


    This state did not last for long though, returning everything to its original state in just about five seconds. The twins were breathing again and the winds seemed to have regained their vigour as they lightly raised Mane''s quilt.


    ******************


    "What just happened?" Mane looked confused as he looked at the mountains.


    "What was the last thing you remember boy?" The 1st asked, answering Mane''s question with a question.


    "I remember the 9th talking about using time to attack the space around a person. Everything else is blurry" Mane spoke, still a little groggy from his experience.


    "You have a high affinity with time laws Mane. What you just experienced was alaw called ''Self- Time Acceleration''. As its name indicates this law accelerates your time flow. This makes all other things look slow or stagnant, depending on how much you can comprehend. From what I observed, you can increase your self- time by 50 times! That is at the level of an average heaven realm time practitioner!"


    The 9th''s praise made Mane feel proud of himself. He had done something that only a heaven realm practitioner could do and he hadn''t even stepped into the world of cultivation! He began to look forward to his future.


    "Don''t look so smug brat. You cannot use this technique. Your cultivation cannot support it. Only when you reach the profound realm would you be able to freely use this technique."


    The 9th was quick to squash Mane''s pride, leaving the poor boy grimacing at the harshness of his words. With his mind clear, he recalled what they had been talking about and asked for the 9th to continue with what he was saying.


    "As I was saying, entering a person''s consciousness goes against the all the time laws. When you use a time law against someone, you don''t actually attack the person but the space around the person. To enter a person''s consciousness will lead to a time backlash, sending you into the infinite time loop and trapping you for all eternity."


    Mane was terrified. Time laws had such stringent requirements and yet someone was able to ignore the laws and invade his consciousness!


    "What happened to you is a little different though. What happened to you is more difficult than just invading a person''s consciousness. The third said she felt the aura of death when she peered into the darkness. As a spiritualist, she has very astute senses. There''s no way she was wrong! Which means whoever invaded your consciousness died a long time ago!"


    "For a person to be able to breach the supreme time rule, and use the time laws of the past and the future, this person must be a supreme figure. This person should be famous in the higher worlds but, I have never heard of such a monstrous time user."


    A murderous aura filled the mind space when the 9th was done talking. This killing intent was piercing, an acc.u.mulation of years of slaughter and bloodl.u.s.t. Mane was finding it difficult to breath under this chaotic aura.


    "Calm yourself 1st! The boy is struggling to breathe."


    Only after hearing what the 2nd said did the killing intent subside. The bloodthirst came from the 1st mountain. His voice that was filled with hatred, filled the mind space. His rolling voice declared in a confident manner.


    "You may not know of such a person but I do!"


    "He is the keeper of time and bearer of the clock of eternity, CRONUS!!!"

 Chapter 10 - Cronus, the Titan God of Time

    "Legend states that no one knows when Cronus was born. He just came to be. It was said that when the clock of eternity was wound, upon the first stroke, Cronus appeared."


    "But that is not true! It''s just a pile of bullsh*t to deceive children! Just like every other life form, Cronus was born. But unlike any other life form he was a great schemer! His parents were Uranus and Gaia. His father Uranus, was the ruler of heaven and his mother Gaia, was the overlord of the earth. Cronus was the youngest of the titans, born as Uranus''s 12th child."


    Mane, just like the other mountains, listened intently to the words of the 1st. Even the 3rd who was famed to be the most knowledgeable of the nine, knew nothing about this god called Cronus. They all listened quietly, each holding their breaths like little children being told an exciting story.


    "However, although he was the youngest, he had the wildest ambitions. As a titan Cronus was powerful. His body was extremely tough and he had great strength. His power towered over his older siblings, leaving them in the dust! His father, Uranus, had even proclaimed him the next in line to the throne. But Cronus knew better. He knew his father only proclaimed him as the heir to prevent him from having any designs on the throne. His father was an immortal, just like the rest of the titans! Unless they were killed, they would live forever! Cronus had always wanted to be the ruler of the titans and for that to happen, he had to kill his father! He sought his mother''s council to find out a way to his defeat his father. And he did!"


    "Uranus was powerful, but like every creature, Cronus believed that he had a flaw. As one born of the heavens, Uranus was blessed with abundant vitality and supreme strength. A wave of his hand could lead to a change of seasons and a casual stomp could destroy the earth. But he was a cruel king who had gone so far as to imprison some of his own children. So tyrannical was his rule that even Gaia, could tolerate it no more. Gaia, believing that Cronus would be a better king, told Cronus that Uranus had never been circ.u.mcised. As long as he found a way to use Uranus''s weakness against him, he''ll be assured a smooth victory."


    "It took Cronus an entire year to understand his mother''s words. All he needed to do was search for the right moment to enact his plan. He did not have to wait for long. At the end of every year, Uranus held a ceremony to celebrate another successful year of his reign. On that day Cronus put his plan into action."


    "Cronus used his father''s ego against him. ''If you are indeed the king of the titans, then you must prove it. You must undergo a feat of strength. You have been king for so many years. Prove to us that you have not grown weak. If you fail, you will step down.'' Confident of his strength, Uranus agreed."


    "The test was simple. To prove his strength, Uranus had to be circ.u.mcised. Cronus, who had also not been circ.u.mcised, agreed to do the same. But there was a condition. Cronus stated that since he issued the challenge, he will be circ.u.mcised first. After, Uranus would follow. Thinking nothing of this, Uranus agreed."


    "As per the agreement, Cronus was circ.u.mcised first. As a powerful titan, his period of weakness ended after just three hours. Uranus, seeing that Cronus was finished, agreed to be circ.u.mcised. Cronus convinced his brother, Iapetus to use a blade made of mythril- a metal so powerful that it could even harm gods- to perform the circ.u.mcision! Just like the other titans, Iapetus was not pleased with Uranus''s rule. He immediately agreed."


    "Uranus did not sense anything wrong with the blade Iapetus held. So he allowed Iapetus to circ.u.mcise him. Unlike Cronus, Uranus experienced weakness for five days! It was pretty astonishing that he recovered so quickly from a mythril blade but he did not know that. As per the agreement he had with Cronus, Uranus gave up the throne. Thus his son Cronus, became king."


    "Cronus''s rule was short-lived. Now that he was king revealed who he really was, showing his brothers cruelty greater than that of his father, Uranus. But Cronus had forgotten something vital. He did not became a king on his own. He had help and that help could be easily taken away. Tired of their brother''s oppression, the titans, led by Hyperion and Theia, told their father the truth of his loss."


    "Uranus was furious. He confronted Cronus and demanded that he abdicated his throne. Cronus, unsurprisingly, refused. So they fought. A son against his father, a titan against a titan! Their battle shook the skies, the earth suffered under their wrath, and the seas parted, giving birth to the islands. They fought for three days! On the third day, Cronus was struck down. He was then banished to the dark realm! But¡­ he survived!"


    "What!?"


    The collective voices of the other mountains was so loud that Mane had to cover his poor ears. He could clearly sense the shock and disbelief in the voices of the mountains. Curious about their reaction, he asked, "What is the dark realm?"


    The mountains were stirred awake from their shock when they heard Mane''s voice, with the 3rd opting to answer his question. "The dark realm is the deadliest place in the entire universe! It is an independent space that cannot support life. The laws of destruction of that exist in that realm are so powerful that no one can survive in that realm. No matter who it is, gods, demons and even devils who have boundless vitality will die when they attempt to explore that realm!"


    Mane was startled when he heard the 3rd''s explanation. So there was such a dangerous place in the universe! Mane finally understood why the mountains were so surprised. If this place was as dangerous as it sounded, then how did Cronus survive it? Fortunately, his question did not remain unanswered for long. Seeing that the ruckus had died down, the 1st continued with his narration.


    "As I was saying, Cronus survived the dark realm. You see, Cronus, just like his siblings was blessed with an ability. He was blessed with a time based bloodline! Unfortunately, he focused on training his body and neglected his bloodline ability. This led to him having a vague understanding of the time laws."


    "Still, even with his negligent studies, Cronus had understood the concept of time stop! And he could maintain it for a full three minutes!"


    The mountains were shaken for the second time in a few minutes. They understood the difficulty of being a time cultivator. Time stop was an ability that only a few individuals in history had been able to comprehend! Yet someone who was not a hardworking time practitioner, had awakened this skill. And he could use it for three minutes no less. The 9th was one of the very few time practitioners who could use time stop and he could only maintain it for 30 seconds! Finding out that there was someone who did not practice just as hard as you yet was better would unnerve any cultivator.


    The 9th sighed in resignation as he asked the 1st to continue with his story.


    "Under normal circ.u.mstances, this would have meant nothing. But Cronus had fate on his side. The dark realm was actually the home of one of the weapons of antiquity! These were weapons that were born with the universe, each controlling a different law of the universe. Cronus received the acknowledgement of the clock of eternity, becoming the titan god of time!"


    "With the clock of eternity, Cronus escaped the dark realm. He returned, stronger than ever, and defeated his father. He once again became the king of the titans and took his sister Rhea as his consort."


    "I don''t understand. His was someone who ventured into the dark realm and escaped unscathed. If he was so powerful, how did he die?" Mane asked the question that was on every one''s mind at the moment. If there was ever such a figure, who would be powerful enough to kill him? If they heard this story from someone else they would have found it unbelievable but not the 1st. The nine believed him unconditionally and that was because they knew his identity.


    A soft laugh of derision came from the 1st.


    "He was killed. Killed by his very own children!!"

 Chapter 11 - Accepting Nine Masters

    A blonde haired boy was walking around the school with no particular destination in mind. Everywhere he went people stopped what they were doing to take a look at the boy. Though he was smallish, he stood out due to the color of his hair and his deep blue eyes.


    This blonde haired boy was obviously Mane. He was currently taking a stroll to clear his head. Today was a Saturday, a weekend, so he didn''t have to worry about time. He had all of it, at least for now.


    His stroll was not quiet for long. The impatient 6th could stand the silence no longer and asked him a question. "Hehe, have you thought things through kid?". Though the others were quiet, they also wanted to know what the boy''s answer was.


    After the information they had given to the young chap yester night, particularly what the 1st had revealed to the group, they concluded that Mane had to grow stronger. And he had to do so quickly.


    Mane was surprised when they told him that he could start training immediately. He was always under the impression that it was only after one''s bloodline awakened that they could begin training. Yester night however, he learned something new.


    __________________________


    "That''s not accurate little Mane." The 6th spoke, his words gaining the acknowledgement of the others. "In fact, one doesn''t need a bloodline to cultivate at all. Hehe, a bloodline gives a person an added boost. After all, when one awakens a bloodline, they will inherit the comprehension of their ancestors. They may also receive a glow. But let me ask you this young one, do you think their ancestors inherited their bloodlines?"


    The question of the 6th opened Mane''s eyes. The 6th was right. A bloodline gave one the ability to comprehend the laws of their ancestors faster. But what about their ancestors? How did they get their abilities? It was by training!


    "It is not surprising that Zandorians think that a stringent requirement for cultivating is a bloodline. But this narrow thinking is typical of many lower worlds. Take yourself as an example. You have not awakened your bloodline and have absolutely no idea what it is. However, you were able to comprehend a time law."


    Mane nodded his head at the 6th''s words. Indeed, he did not have a time based bloodline. At least he did not know if he did since he had not awakened his bloodline. Yet he had comprehended a part of the time law.


    "In fact, there are many geniuses out there who never managed to awaken their bloodlines but had great comprehension towards a particular element, world law, an instrument or a weapon. The 7th is an expert of the sword. I dare say that if he proclaims to be the second best sword user, no one would dare take the first position!"


    Listening to the passionate voice of the 6th, Mane was truly shaken. For him to have the confidence to proclaim the 7th as the number one swordsman under the heavens, he had to have a good reason. Personally, Mane waved it off as an exaggeration.


    "You don''t believe me right?" A soft chuckle came for the 6th as Mane nodded his head.


    "There is something you must understand Mane. We will never lie to you. We may keep some things from you. But when we decide to open up, it is only the truth that we will speak."


    "Upon attaining the nobility realm, everyone receives a title. It can be anything. But rarely, very rarely, does one receive a title conferring godhood. But not the 7th. He is different. He has a title that puts him above all other sword masters and grandmasters. He was proclaimed as the ''Wandering Sword God''!"


    "The 8th is the same. He, just like the 7th, never awakened his bloodline. Though many in the higher worlds know him as an alchemist grandmaster, we know him by a different name. He is the one, who with a blade in hand, slaughtered his way through a higher world to save his son! He is the ''Bloodied Blade Lord''!"


    "This is just to show you that even without a bloodline, one can still cultivate to become a supreme existence. It''s a pity that for a lower world like yours, there are no cultivation techniques that support the growth of individuals without a bloodline. Even for those with bloodlines, not all of them can get a good technique to support their growth. In the higher worlds, the probability of this happening is extremely low."


    "With your intelligence and high comprehension, it will be a pity for you to wait till you are nine to start practicing. Let us teach you little Mane. That way you will be strong enough to combat the curse mark."


    A tired Mane rubbed his temple in resignation as he digested the information he had been given. He may be brilliant but there was a limit to what he could take in per day. He was already exhausted from the day''s events. From what had happened in the classroom to his comprehension of a time law and understanding the enemy who had cursed him, he had reached his limit. He decided to sleep on it. He will think about it tomorrow.


    ___________________________


    "Hehe, you promised that you''d give us an answer today little brat."


    "I know." Mane pulled his hair in frustration, completely forgetting that he was in public. The strange looks he attracted from others who were watching him as though he was crazy, made him blush. He was tired from the incessant nagging of the 6th. He hailed a carriage and after informing the coachman of his desired destination, he got in and sat down. Now that he was in the carriage, Mane ignored his surroundings, and entered his mind space.


    "Kid, you have to make a choice now. Putting Cronus aside, you have other enemies. Unfortunately, we cannot tell you about them. All we can do is to prepare you to face them. It is for this very reason your parents placed us here. We can only offer you strength. It is your choice whether to accept it or not. But remember, your parents have their own difficulties. You have to grow strong, and quickly at that, to help shoulder some of these burdens."


    The words of the 1st caused Mane to furrow his brows in contemplation. He knew the 1st was right. He knew that his parents had some issues to deal with. He also knew that it was due to these same issues that their family had been separated. Just like every other person, he wanted his family to be reunited. He knew no one will tell him but he was sure that whatever challenges his parents were facing, they were facing because of him. It may have taken him a while but he had finally made a decision.


    "You are right.I want to grow strong. No, strike that. I have to grow strong! I want to be powerful enough to hold my fate in my hands. I want to see my family reunited and our enemies destroyed. Please teach me, masters." Mane declared in a clear and decisive voice, his face containing a resolution that a normal six year old should not have.


    Looking upon the small figure who was bowing down to acknowledge his masters, the mountains were elated. The laughter of the 1st and the 6th was joyful to the extreme.


    "Good, good, very good." As the leader of the nine, the 1st was the one who spoke, "We will teach you little Mane."


    "Rise, rise our dear disciple."

 Chapter 12 - Supreme!!!!

    "Hey geniuses, I have a question. Where are you going to train your disciple?"


    The cold and sarcastic voice of the 3rd cut short the jubilant voices of the other mountains. Mane could not see their true appearances but he was very sure that they were blushing in shame. After all, they had agreed to teach him, but they did not have any idea as to where the boy was to train.


    "Little Mane, doesn''t your school have a gym." The calm voice of the 3rd rang out once more, looking for a way to answer her own question.


    Mane thought about it for a bit. It was indeed true that the academy had a gym. This gymnasium was equipped with cultivation rooms and countless equipment that made it possible for one to cultivate and strengthen themselves. Unfortunately, since one could only awaken their bloodlines at the age of eight or nine, the gym was only made available to students who were above the third year.


    "That is not possible. Though the school has a fitness centre, I am not authorised to employ its services. It''s for only fourth year and above students". Mane shook his head as he replied.


    "However, the school does allow its students to go home on the weekends. I could just grab a few of the stiff that I need and we can leave today. We will have to return before Monday though."


    The nine seemed content with this solution. Even though they would get to train the boy for just two days a week, it was still better than starting three or four years later. It was also convenient since Mane''s home was not far from here.


    "So kid, how do you get a leave of absence?" The 1st asked, eager to begin training the young boy.


    "You have to receive one from your class teacher. Normally, on Saturdays it will be impossible to acquire one since most teachers do not stay in the school. But Mr. Aikens is different. He comes to school around ten o''clock am and leaves just around the stroke of three. It''s now two- thirty pm. If I rush, I can make it there."


    Mane parted the curtains of the carriage which had been provided to ensure privacy and spoke to the coachman who was currently steering the horses towards the direction of his dormitory. "Sir, if you don''t mind my asking, do you by any chance know where Mr. Aikens'' office is?"


    The coachman was a little startled. The boy he had picked up seems to be about only six or seven years old. Yet this little yellow haired boy had great manners. Normally, it was royalty that behaved this way due to the training they received in their early years. However, he did not link this boy to any prominent family. He had never heard of a family with yellow hair. Fortunately, the coachman was a man with good vision, able to discern the extraordinary from the ordinary. He could tell that though the boy may not be from a prominent family, he may have influential parents. He understood that there were some individuals with power that could rival several kingdoms, and maybe the empires. It may be that this child was the offspring of one such individual.


    "I do know where his office is young chap." The coachman smiled genially as he answered the young boy


    "Great. Could you be so kind to take me there?" Mane asked eagerly as he looked into the man''s eyes.


    Inwardly, the coachman was groaning. As a coachman, it was his duty to oblige by the wishes of his passengers. He had no right to say no. But the way the little kid looked at him, with those big blue eyes of his, he felt that he may end up agreeing to kill someone if the boy made such a request.


    "Of course young chap. I guarantee that we''ll be there in fifteen minutes."


    Glimpsing at the middle aged man who was spurring the horses on, Mane closed the curtains. He sat down in a comfortable position, and entered his inner psyche again.


    "Kid, we have some techniques for you to choose from. For now, you can only pick two. One, will be a meditation technique, to control your emotions and get you at peak condition for cultivation. This technique will increase the strength of your soul. You will need another, to develop your inner qi. You will select one more when you awaken your bloodline- a bloodline technique- to develop your bloodline. But that is not all. When you are thirteen, you can start training in body strengthening techniques. For body strengthening techniques, its best to start in your teenage years. Anything before that will cause a stunted physical growth."


    Listening to the voice of the 1st, Mane looked doubtful. He was wondering how he was going to receive these techniques. "So how do I get these techniques?"


    "About that¡­ it''s pretty simple actually. We have already transmitted the techniques to the 3rd. She will transmit them to you. First, you have to pick a meditation technique and then an inner qi cultivation technique. Are you ready?"


    Mane nodded his head in affirmation. A bright light was produced from the 3rd mountain. So blinding was the light that Mane had to close his eyes and instinctively shield his face. When he opened his eyes, he could see several books floating around him. Each of the books had their titles written boldly on them. Mane reached out for one of the books to read its contents. He understood the manual, but he felt it wasn''t for him. He kept browsing through the books to find that right one.


    "I think I will go with this one." Mane was an intelligent child, a fast reader with even faster comprehension. He had only used about ten minutes to browse through the books. The manual he had settled for was called, the ''Void Meditation Technique''. Practicing this technique allowed one to empty themselves of distractive thoughts, putting only what is relevant before them. Using this technique, one could practice for days without realising it. In a sense, it was very similar to the spell of clarity. Mane was not sure of the value of this technique, but he was sure it was priceless. Since, the spell of clarity was highly sought after, a similar technique would be just as important.


    In fact, Mane was half right. Indeed, this was a precious technique. However, the requirements to practice it were stringent. One had to start practicing before they were eight. This may seem like a very lax requirement, but that wasn''t the case. The complexity of the manual would leave many teenagers at a loss. How much more a six or seven year old. Mane was an exception however. Even most of the nine could not compete with him on that level.


    After Mane picked that manual, the other books disappeared. A bright light was once again released from the 3rd mountain. This time, a prepared Mane did not have to close his eyes. When the lights faded, there were a cl.u.s.ter of books hovering around him. Unlike before, he did not read their descriptions before making his decision. No, his hand reached for a manual before he could even think.


    The book he had picked was the ''Supreme Transcendental Technique''. Unlike the meditation technique that he chose, this was different. He did not have the luxury of reading through the manuals. He was drawn to the technique. It was as though he did not pick the technique. The technique had picked him.


    "This is impossible!!! This cannot be¡­no it''s impossible!!!" The voice of the usually quiet 5th rang out. Mane was startled by his hysterical shout. Was the technique so amazing that it caused the usually proud 5th to be filled with such shock?


    "Forgive the 5th. This technique belonged to his clan. Their ancestor came stumbled upon this manual during one of his travels. This technique is a bit special. One can never cultivate it unless chosen by the technique itself. 5th is a supreme genius. Even in his clan, a genius of his level, had not been seen in the past ten thousand years. However, the 5th, just like all those before him- including his ancestor- failed to receive the acknowledgement of this technique. It had been waved off as an untameable technique. He is just astonished that you were able to gain its approval. Why don''t you read the description? I am curious to know more about this book."


    Mane nodded his head in understanding. The 1st was right. The 5th was a proud and aloof figure. According to the others, he had great talent and skill. It was no surprise that he was shocked that someone had succeeded where he and his ancestors had failed.


    He turned his attention toward the book in his hands. It was a very thin book with just seven pages. Each page had a pattern of cultivation for each stage of strength. He looked at the description that had been given and was stunned. "Embark on the road of cultivating as a Supreme! For one who is picked by this manual, know this. From here on out, gods shall be your enemies. Deities would seek your downfall. Devils would seek to devour you and demos would crave your body, seeking to possess you."


    "But it matters not¡­For with the power of the Supreme, you shall slay them all!!!!"


    When Mane read the last sentence, a wild, uninhabited aura was emanated from the young boy. An aura so domineering that even the nine found their breaths stifled. It was a good thing that this happened in the boy''s mind space. If it was the outside world, this aura would have caused a huge stir. Luckily, this state did not last for long.


    Mane was awakened from his trance by several knocks on the door of the carriage, shaking him out of his mind space. He realised that the carriage had finally arrived at Mr. Aikens office. It seemed that the coachman had been knocking for quite a while. It was fortuitous that the driver only assumed that he was asleep, and did not enquire any further.


    Back in Mane''s mind space, the rampant laughter of the 5th could be heard.


    "This¡­.this is the aura of a Supreme!!!"


    He seemed to have regained his composure. The boy was a supreme! That explained a lot. This book was meant for only Supremes! It was no wonder that no one could cultivate in that technique. It was never meant for them! Now he was very eager. He was very eager to see what the future had installed for the boy.


    "Oh I pity those who stand against him. What a great foe they have made. HAHAHAHAHA!!!"

 Chapter 13 - A Powerful Uncle

    Mr. Aikens rubbed his temple in exhaustion. It wasn''t public information but he was actually the assistant headmaster of the school. Most head teachers give up their classes when they are appointed but not him. He loved to teach. He regarded it as a privilege- a privilege to impart knowledge onto a growing generation. After all, he was a scholar, and which scholar detested the art of divulging knowledge to others? However, it was exactly because of this chivalrous nature that he had to come to school on Saturdays.


    Because he was still a teacher, he was never able to fulfil his head teacher duties on time. To make up for that, he had to sacrifice a greater part of his Saturdays to get the job done. But he did not regret his decision. If he had to do it all over again, he would still make the same choices he had made back then. He got up to fetch himself a glass of water. Mr. Aikens was pouring himself a glass of water, when he heard a knock on the door.


    "It''s you?" The pleasantly surprised voice of Mr. Aikens was directed to the small figure behind the door. Mane smiled at the older man and greeted him. "Good day sir, could I trouble concerning an issue of mine?" The man looked at the little boy with doubt in his eyes. What could he possibly want?


    "Where are my manners? Please, do come in." Realizing that they were standing at the doorway, Mr. Aikens quickly corrected his error by inviting the little schemer inside his office.


    "So, what is it you want me to do for you?" The older man looked at the kid who sat across him from his desk. He was sure that whatever the boy was going to ask, was not going to be a onetime favour.


    Mane looked at the older man and put on the most cordial smile he had in his arsenal- a smile which caused the man to grimace in discomfort. "Sir, I would like to ask for a leave of absence."


    The man looked at Mane in surprise. He was very sure that the boy was going to put up an excessive request. He was especially sure when he saw the smile the boy gave before putting forward his request. The man laughed inwardly at himself, thinking that he had expected a bit too much. Regrettably, his inward grin did not last for long when he heard the boy''s next statement.


    "What? You want a leave of absence for every other weekend? A class teacher does not have that kind of authority." Mane''s class teacher slowly shook his head when he finally understood what the boy wanted. He wanted the permission to leave the school every weekend!


    Mane smiled when he heard his teacher''s rejection. He was not surprised that the older man had refused his request. After all, though a teacher could grant a student a leave of absence, it could not be done for an extended period of time. But Mane was sure that his teacher had a high position in the academy. It was not a coincidence that he had chosen to come to Mr. Aikens. It may seem as though he had no choice but that was not the case. He could have waited for classes to resume on Monday, and then see the head teacher concerning his leave of absence. He was confident that with his background, he would not be rejected. But he had come to Mr. Aikens.


    "Other teachers may not have that kind of power, but not you" Mane was still smiling warmly as he addressed his teacher.


    "Oh, what do you mean?" Mr. Aikens''s voice was filled with amus.e.m.e.nt as he leaned in to listen to what his student had to say.


    "You are not just a class teacher. That much I am sure of. I had asked all the first year teachers the same questions I asked you. Unfortunately, none of them gave me the answer I wanted. They all had no answers to my questions. I had mostly given up until I met you. You were different. Although you did not answer two of the questions, it wasn''t because you did not know the solutions to the questions. This was enough to let me know that you were different from the others. I deduced that this kind of information is only privy to high ranking members of the school. But I am sure you are not a board member. Most of the board members do not associate themselves with the school. As for the few that do, they do not do so in person. They only have a few insiders feeding them information. These insiders, are of course low ranking school personnel. After all, no high ranking member would agree to spy for the other.


    "That only leaves the headmaster and the assistant headmasters to suspicion. I have met the headmaster before. In fact, Headmaster Charles has a good relationship with my uncle. He used to come to my home often to see him. I will be able to recognise him easily. That means you are an assistant headmaster at the very least."


    Mr. Aikens sighed in admiration at the analysis of the younger boy who was seated comfortably across his desk. This boy was truly brilliant. His analysis was deep and spotless. He had absolutely no idea that the questions the kid had asked him the other day had such implications.


    "Hehe, you are pretty sharp boy." Unknowingly, Mr. Aikens had begun to speak Mane, not as a superior, but as an equal.


    "Even then, you must give me a good reason why you would like a leave of absence. Or I am afraid I cannot help you." Although he was impressed with the boy''s astute mind, it wasn''t enough to give him a leave of absence.


    Mane was still composed, even after hearing the man''s words. It was not outside his expectations that this important man had rejected him. But Mane came prepared.


    "Sir, I am aware that you cannot give me an extended leave of absence based on just my background. So I came up with a solution. One that will be of great benefit to our school." Mane was aware that a person of Mr. Aikens'' standing would definitely know about his background if he did a little investigating. Even if he could not uncover anything about his parents, a smart man like him would know that elusive characters are more dangerous than most. Hence, he mentioned it earlier to indirectly praise the man and commend him on his fairness even when armed with such information.


    "Oh. I am intrigued. Please, do carry on" Mr. Aikens was eager to know what the boy had planned. And as usual, our little main character did disappoint him.


    "Well sir, even when I was younger, I heard of a competition between the several academy branches. A competition of intelligence if you will, that was eligible for students of all ages. Regrettably, unlike the wielding competition which the school excels at, this competition is a source of disgrace for the school. But if I compete, I can change that. You are an intelligent man Mr. Aikens. I am sure you will make the right decision."


    "HAHAHAHAHA. GOOD, GOOD, GOOD", the boisterous laughter of the assistant headmaster could be heard even outside the confines of this office. The boy was right. The quiz he spoke of was the academy''s disgrace, its shame. In the past few years, unlike the wielding tournament, the Neces branch had not placed above the eleventh position. This quiz was particularly challenging. The questions tested a person''s wit and analytical skills.


    Although the competition the boy was speaking of was usually recommended for students above the third grade, the rules also stated that students above the fourth grade could not compete in the competition. This usually led to a competition between fourth grade students. However, the boy he was conversing with was smart. He did not dare say the boy would be first, but he was confident that he would at least be in the top five.


    "There''s no need for me to sign a leave of absence. Here, take my token, you can leave the school whenever you want with this. HAHAHAHA."


    "Much appreciated teacher. I am sorry, but I have to get going. There is a carriage driver waiting for me outside."


    Mr. Aikens laughed louder when he heard this sentence. The boy had planned everything so well that he was tricked again. He was so confident in himself that he already had a carriage waiting for him outside. But this did not make him mad. On the contrary, he was elated. Since this boy could so easily play his teacher, that meant the competition would be a breeze for him.


    __________________________________


    "Uncle Jake? Uncle Jake?" Mane arrived home a little past five. He had paid the carriage driver and contracted him to come pick him up on Sunday. The house was huge so it had many servants and guards. The guards had allowed him in of course. But he could not find Uncle Jake. Usually, Uncle Jake should have been out to welcome him, but this time, he did not appear.


    "Good evening, Young Master. Sir Jake left the house shortly after he dropped you off at school. He did leave this letter behind for you though. He asked that we give this to you when you return." Uncle Jake was the head butler, hence there were several other butlers that worked for his parents. The man who carried the envelope bearing the letter was Butler Fin.


    Mane thanked him and took the letter. But he was shocked when he saw the date on the envelope. It was today''s date! His uncle who had left so long ago had known he would come home today!


    "This¡­it seems your Uncle Jake isn''t your regular Joe." The 5th was right. The Uncle Jake he had regarded as a ''normal'' person was also a powerful expert! All of a sudden he felt as though he did not know the man anymore.


    Mane sighed as he closed the bedroom door behind him. He opened the envelope to check its contents only to see a black ring and a letter. Written in the letter were three words, "They already know".


    Mane groaned as he rubbed his forehead. The nine had told him before, that only powerful cultivators could peer into his mind space without his knowledge. Since Uncle Jake had been able to clearly sense the nine, that meant he was a great expert! He turned his attention to the black ring.


    "That ring is a space ring. It is not a regular one either. This one can also allow the wearer entry into the space ring. You just need to apply a bit of your blood on the ring. Even in higher realms, a ring like this is difficult to get. Your uncle is indeed extraordinary to procure such an item for you." The tired voice of the 3rd informed Mane on how to use the ring. Mane nodded at her words, and made it a point to ask Uncle Jake who he really was the next time they meet. However, he was sure that it wasn''t going to happen anytime soon.


    Mane pricked his finger with a needle, and smeared the blood on the ring. He could instantly feel a connection to the ring. It was a magical feeling. It was as though he had gained another limb. He immediately knew how to use the ring. After all, which person did not know how to use their own limbs? He entered the ring in all eagerness, anxious to know what was in it.


    There were four huge levels in the ring. One was filled with clothes, armor and several weapons, ranging from swords to halberds, and bows to staffs. From what the nine were saying, all these equipment were extremely precious, even the clothes! The second level contained a cultivation room, and a simulation chamber, where Mane could practice his skills in a virtual world. The last two levels were sealed off, inaccessible by Mane at his current level. Mane was confident that, it was only when he reached the nobility realm, would he be able to unlock those levels.


    Mane returned to the second level. He walked into the cultivation chamber and sat down cross-legged, his heart, brimming with excitement. A broad smile adorned his face as he announced to no one in particular, clearly eager to get stronger.


    "Alright then. LET''S DO THIS!!!"

 Chapter 14 - Becoming a Cultivator

    In the cultivation room on the second level, Mane sat cross-legged. His breathing was rhythmic, almost pleasant to watch. The breaths he took in were not too long, or too short. Whenever he exhaled, a tinge of red appeared on his cheeks, making him look extremely adorable. From a third person''s perspective, he was asleep. However, those with keen eyes could discern a pale white mist enshrouding the boy. This was qi! By taking in qi, one could increase their cultivation level. Unfortunately, it was very difficult to sense it, hence only by cultivating a technique suited to you would you be able to sense and attract qi.


    That was what made this cultivation room special. A cultivation room was not just a simple room designated for cultivation. It was one that was rich in qi. This increased one''s cultivation speed. But cultivation rooms were extremely difficult to make. Mane found out from the nine that usually, one had use the essence of the sun and moon to cultivate. But for a cultivation room, compromises had to be made. According to the 1st, cultivation rooms where equipped with magic cores to provide rich qi. Magic cores were ball-like objects that could be found in a magic beast when they are killed. Magic cores were usually formed by beast with an element. The higher the rank of the beast, the purer the core. However, for beasts that were still in the mortal stage of cultivation, it was extremely difficult for them to form a magic core. If they were able to do so, their strengths would become vastly superior to other magic beasts of the same stage. For instance, the cultivation room Mane was currently using was equipped with several magic cores. These magic cores were embedded into the walls of the cultivation room.


    The nine had also mentioned that the magic cores that were fitted into the room were all extremely valuable. According to them, they could last till Mane reached the nobility realm! Majority of them were orange in color, with the minority being red. For magic cores, their colors determined their purity. Coincidental or not, the colors of magic cores were based on the colors of the rainbow. The colors were as follows, in descending order of magnitude- red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. Violet cores were the lowest ranked cores, with the highest being red colored cores.


    Red colored cores were rare, since it was easier to defeat an ascended realm beast, than to kill it. For one to kill so many beasts¡­


    After about three hours, Mane woke up from his state of cultivation. He had spent all this time, clearing and fortifying his power channels, before he could attempt to break into the first level of the mortal realm. He was about eighty percent done. He reckoned that he will need about thirty minutes to complete the process and finally, enter the ranks of a cultivator. But now was not the time. It was about eight pm and he needed to go out for dinner. If not, Butler Fin, the butler in charge until Uncle Jake''s return, would come up to his room to call him. It would be difficult to explain how he disappeared from his room.


    Just when he had left the space ring, he heard a knock on his door, followed by Butler Fin''s voice. "Young Master, it''s time for dinner". Mane walked out the room with the butler in tow, and went downstairs for his meal.


    Mane finished his meal quickly and returned to his room. Though many of the servants were surprised that the usually calm and collected young master was eating so quickly, none of them questioned him. After all, they could think about it, but they did not have the authority to talk about it. Mane reentered the space ring immediately he closed his door, and continued his cultivation. After about thirty five minutes, the qi in the room began moving rapidly to the figure that sat cross-legged in the centre! This phenomenon continued for about fifteen minutes until subsiding. When the cross-legged figure had finally stopped with his greedy absorption, he opened his eyes. His big blue eyes were filled with unconcealed excitement, a broad and genuine smile adorned his handsome yet almost feminine face.


    "Congratulations kid. You have officially stepped into the world of cultivation." The 1st took the initiative to congratulate the young man, with the others quickly following suit. Their voices exposed their excitement. They were clearly happy for Mane.


    Mane nodded his head, his face still brimming with a stupid grin. He got up and walked to the end of the room, where a large shelf stood tall. On the shelf were several books. These books were not large, their spines only as wide as a finger''s breadth. These were all skill books. Mane picked from the lowest level of the shelf, and identified two techniques that did not require the mastery of an element. One was an offense based technique whilst the other was a movement technique.


    The movement technique was called ''Star Flicker''. This movement technique involved gathering your qi and releasing it in a single burst. It had three stages. The first stage increased one''s speed by three fold, the second gave a fourfold increase whereas the last stage gave an increase of five times the original speed. Unfortunately, this technique only allowed one to move in a straight line and consumed a huge amount of qi. It gave a huge boost in strength and made it seem like the user was teleporting around, hence its name.


    The offense book he picked was labeled, ''Extreme Burst''. This skill combined a sequence of attacks, each move more devastating than the last. It also had three stages. The first stage had only five attacks, the second, six attacks, and the third had seven moves. Each attack was stronger than the last. At the first stage, the strength of each move was doubled. The second stage gave one a x3 boost per move and the last stage increased the strength of each move exponentially.


    "These are fabulous techniques. They must be high rank skill books", the voice of the 1st was filled with surprise as he praised the books. Skill books had only three ranks- low, middle, and high. High rank skill books were precious but not rare. But it was surprising to find a high rank skill book that could be studied by mortality realm cultivators.


    Mane read studied both books for about an hour, before closing them and returning them to the shelf. He understood the principles behind each technique. Now all he had to do was practice it. After practicing the techniques for another hour, it dawned on him that he needed a sparring partner. He exited he cultivation room and walked into the simulation chamber.

 Chapter 15 - Simulation Chamber

    When he entered the chamber, he walked straight to a panel that was in the centre of the room. On this panel, provisions had been made for the host to input his cultivation level, the difficulty of the simulation, and the race of the opponent.


    Mane added his cultivation level to the panel. Per the instructions of the nine, he chose highest level of difficulty. Upon opening the race option, Mane saw a long list of names, many of which he did not recognise. Mane had never fought a human before. He was sure that the simulation would require him to kill his opponent. He shuddered at the thought. He was not ready for that yet, that much he knew. He was about to select the beast race, when the 1st interrupted him.


    "Choose the celestial race boy." Mane did not know what that race was but, from their name he could tell they were strong.


    "I don''t think it''s time yet. Let him start with the beast race. When he gets accustomed to the killing, he can move on to the celestial race. After all, the celestials look very identical to humans, it will be psychologically draining for the boy to kill one."


    The 1st seemed to agree with the second since he did not refute her statement. Mane proceeded to select the beast race and selected the ''begin'' option after taking a deep breath.


    The scenery changed the moment Mane selected the ''begin'' option. The former stone walls and stone floors of the chamber were nowhere to be seen. Taking its place was a lush green forest with tall trees and a bright sky. Mane did not get to admire the scenery for long. The low growl of a creature brought him back to his senses. Mane looked before him to gauge his opponent and got the fright of his life. What the little boy did not know was that the difficulty represented the number of opponents one would face. At the lowest level, one would face just one opponent. The medium level required two opponents and the highest level comprised of two opponents at your level of strength and one a grade above you in strength.


    Before Mane were three huge creatures. Each was as large as a bull with one being a bit bigger than the others. Even to an a.d.u.l.t man, these would be large creatures. How much more a six year old boy? They had pitch black fur and red eyes that showed a lack of intelligence. Their paws were adorned with claws that were at least ten centimeters in length. The three beasts surrounded the little boy as their tongues hung out their mouths, eager to feast.


    Mane stood frozen in his spot. He was scared. He had never been outside the city before. The only animals he had ever come across were all small and cuddly, hardly qualifying as beasts. But the wolves in front of him were different. They weren''t small, they were not cuddly either. They were creatures that inspired fear, one of nature''s apex predators- wolves!


    ___________________________


    Mane was back in the simulation chamber. His eyes were blank as he stared at the ceiling. He had lost, and terribly at that. When he saw the beasts, he froze. When he recalled the giant claw that smashed him into the ground, he lost his composure again. It was a simulation but the pain was real. The feeling of being killed was fresh in his mind.


    If he grew terrified at just a bunch of low grade wolves, how was he supposed to fight against his fate? How was he going to help his parents? At this rate, he was only going to drag them down. He felt that he had disappointed his parents. And his masters, they had put so much faith in him, only for him to show such a humiliating performance. His face was covered with the gloom of defeat, his fists clenched as he felt that he could not face them anymore.


    "Kid, there is no need to be disappointed. It was your first death match. You will get better. It always gets better." The 1st spoke a few consolatory words, trying to pull the boy''s spirit up.


    "Did any of you do as badly as I did? I am sure you did not have the opportunity to use a simulation chamber. I am positive that your first death matches were a hundred percent real. For you to be here, for you to be as strong as you are, means that you passed those tests. As for me, I could not even move."


    Mane mocked himself as he tugged his hair. The nine were silent. They did not know what they could say to cheer the boy up.


    "How am I supposed to grab my fate if I can''t even defend against a bunch of wolves? You told me before that I have many strong enemies. I do not know who they are but I am certain of one thing. My enemies are far more powerful than those wolves. To them, such creatures are preys, and yet I could not even defend myself when they attacked. That means those that are hunting me, would easily kill me when they find me."


    "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA." A loud laughter, which was a huge contradiction to the gloomy atmosphere rang in Mane''s mind space. The laughter of the 7th, was so piercing that Mane''s eardrums almost erupted. He looked confused. The 7th rarely spoke. According to the others, he walked the path of solitude, rarely getting attached to others. But when he chose to love, he would protect that person with all his power.


    "HAHAHA. You think you are prey? Remember this boy. There are many things we cannot tell you. Mainly because you are weak." Mane blushed when he heard the 7th say that he was weak so plainly, temporarily forgetting the shame of his defeat.


    "But you must remember, those who seek you, do so because they see you as a threat. They fear you so much that they are willing to kill you before you grow. They are not the hunters here, you are!!! Lying in wait, setting traps and building your strength¡­ That is the mark of a true hunter! YOU ARE THE TRUE HUNTER AND DON''T YOU EVER FORGET THAT!"


    The loud voice of the usually silent 7th shook Mane. How could he allow himself to be terrified? How could he allow himself to feel fear? He did not have that luxury.


    "Thank you 7th" The laughter of the 7th was the only reply Mane got but he did not mind. The fact that the 7th had spoken to him meant that he had acknowledged his talent. If a sword god had that much faith in him, how could he fail? As for the other eight, they were astonished. They knew what it meant for the 7th to speak to a junior. Though they had all agreed to teach Mane, the 7th and the 8th, had not decided to teach him any skills yet. They only agreed to do so when they acknowledge the boy. The 7th and the 8th were similar. The 7th had approved of the boy, which meant the 8th had too! They knew that once the 7th had spoken, that could only mean that he will teach the boy.


    "When you succeed, I will teach you a technique, ''the prideful sword''. Go now, and make yourself worthy." The 7th did not say ''if'', but ''when'', displaying his confidence in the boy. The others were stunned once again. The prideful sword was the 7th''s sword law, his legacy. For him to be ready to teach the boy to comprehend this law was remarkable. That meant he had accepted the boy as his legacy disciple! As for Mane, he did not know this. He stood up, patted his clothes, and selected the retry option.

 Chapter 16 - Astonishing Prowess

    Once again, Mane appeared in a familiar field of green. This time he did not look around much, just staring at his opponents. The alpha growled, clearly trying to instill fear into its prey, but it soon realised its fear skill did not work. It bent its limbs, preparing to attack.


    Mane looked at the wolf that was preparing to pounce. He gathered strength in his legs and sprinted forward with great speed, stunning the attacking alpha. Mane did this to catch the creature off guard. As a simple minded beast, the attacking wolf expected its target to evade, not attack, hence it was momentarily stunned. When Mane was within a distance of 2 metres away from the alpha, he deftly changed his direction, aiming for the wolf at his left. The wolf was dazed. It was not expecting this human to ignore its boss and attack it.


    Mane quickly reached the wolf, which had already recovered from its initial surprise. It pounced at Mane, swinging its paw at the blond haired boy. Mane bent down slightly to evade the attack that was coming his way and slid under the wolf. Once the attack missed, the momentum of the strike caused the wolf to move forward involuntarily. This prevented it from delivering a continuous attack sequence and deprived it of its ability to defend.


    Mane was expecting this result. He gathered strength in arms and struck the abdomen of the wolf with ferocity.


    *BOOM*


    The wolf yelped in pain as it flew three metres in the air and landed a few metres away from the alpha. Mane was very observant, and this always paid off. He just needed to be calm and composed to exploit this resource. He had noticed that the fur of the wolves glimmered faintly under the sun. That was qi! The wolves had coated their fur with qi to protect them. But, their bellies had far less fur than the other parts of their bodies. Because of this, the defence there was far lower. That was why he had targeted the underside of the wolf since the very beginning!


    Looking at the wolf that lay limp at its side, the alpha did not need to check whether it was alive or not. It knew it was dead! This human had killed his subordinate in a single punch. It looked at Mane in rage as it swung its paw at him. A wind blade that was half a meter in length flew towards the boy at a fast speed. To normal a.d.u.l.ts, this wind blade would be about a third of their height and hence, would not be so threatening. But Mane was a six year old boy, and had a small stature. This wind blade was as large as him and could easily cut him in half.


    Mane twisted his body to the side to avoid the wind blade and made a 360 turn to face the beast again. He had just finished his spin when his instincts screamed at him at duck. Mane immediately obliged, bending his knees and leaning forward to avoid an attack from behind. The attack he had just avoided came from the other wolf he had ignored since the beginning of the battle. The sneaky beast had swiped its paws at him from behind.


    Mane regained his footing, and sent a right hook towards the rash creature. His fist was coated in qi, and full of the power of a level 1 mortal realm cultivator.


    *BAM*


    The creature slid back for about 2 metres, creating two long lines with its paws. The creature had great battle awareness and had used its back to receive the punch, reducing the impact of the punch. It was severely wounded, but not dead. Mane was astonished, not because the creature used its back to block the punch, but because he did not expect his punch to severely injure a creature which shared the same level of cultivation with him. He was surprised at the power of the punch. He had not used any techniques, yet the power was this astonishing!


    Unfortunately, he did not have the luxury of admiring his power for long, as the alpha was currently sprinting towards his direction with great speed. It was impressive, that a beast so large, could run so fast. Mane turned away from the wounded wolf and run toward the alpha. When he was about six metres away from the alpha, he deployed his movement technique.


    "Star flicker"


    The immature voice carried a surprising amount of authority, as Mane''s speed increased by three fold. In the eyes of the alpha wolf, the little boy had appeared before it instantaneously, giving it no time to react. When Mane was practicing the star flicker technique earlier, he realised that if he reduced the effective range to within seven metres, only twenty percent of his qi was consumed. This was a huge contrast to the fifty percent qi for an effective range distance of ten metres. This left Mane with about seventy to eighty percent of his qi.


    Upon reaching the wolf, Mane immediately activated his offensive technique, triggering a ''star flicker, extreme burst'' combo.


    Extreme Burst: First Stage, first move!"


    Immediately after activating the technique Mane delivered a right hook to the alpha.


    *BAM*


    The poor creature was knocked back for about three metres, but it still had its feet firmly on the ground. It felt a little dizzy from the attack though. It had barely regained its composure when it heard the boy speak again.


    "2nd move!"


    Mane gave the wolf no time to regain its vision. Using his earlier momentum, he spun midair, and delivered a spinning heel kick to the dazed wolf.


    *BAM*


    This time, the alpha was sent flying in the air, landing on its back a few metres away. Mane continued his onslaught, kicking powerfully at the ground and leaping into the air. He looked down at the alpha whose eyes were no longer filled with rage, but fear, and gathered power into his fist as he descended with a tornado punch.


    "3rd move!"


    *BOOM*


    Mane stood straight on the corpse of the alpha, looking into its dead eyes. The man-made crater that had a radius of about three metres was testament to the power of his punch. He had used up about ninety percent of his qi! The skill, ''extreme burst'', was especially draining. It took up almost seventy percent of his qi. Even then, he wasn''t able to use the fourth and fifth strikes of the first stage. He estimated that he would need to reach the 3rd level in the mortal realm to use the fourth move, and the sixth level of the mortal stage, just to use the fifth move!


    A low whine awakened him from his thoughts. He got off the dead alpha and looked at the last wolf that remained. It was severely injured and was finding it difficult to stand. Its eyes looked at Mane in pity and fear. The one they had regarded as their prey, was not a prey at all! He was more ferocious than the alpha, which he had killed with a barrage of kicks and punches. The prey was actually the predator!


    Looking at the eyes of the wolf, Mane felt some compassion. Though the wolf was his enemy, it had no fighting power left. He had fought the death match to prove himself, but he wasn''t a cold blooded killer. There was no way he would attack a creature that had no power to resist.


    "Kid, see if you will find a magic core from the alpha. The wind blade it utilized is enough proof that it awakened a wind based bloodline. Every beast with a bloodline, has a core. Check the area around its chest, there should be a faint glow there"


    He turned away from the injured creature, and walked towards the deceased alpha. Sure enough, there was a faint glow on the chest of the alpha. Mane picked up a relatively sharp stone from the ground, and stabbed its chest. Mane was expecting some resistance, so he used a lot of strength. He was extremely surprised when the stone entered the flesh of the wolf without any trouble. After his initial surprise, Mane realised it wasn''t that odd that the stone entered so easily. Since the creature was dead, its body was no longer coated in qi. Hence, it was easier to cut it open.


    Looking at the blood on his hands, Mane felt nauseous. He immediately sprinted to a bush nearby and puked his guts out. When Mane was feeling relatively better, he returned to continue his dissection. The process took longer than usual, not just because it was his first time, but because he spent most of the time throwing up. The 6th jeered at the young boy whenever he threw up, calling him soft.


    When Mane finally pulled out the core, he noticed it was violet in color. It did not shine as brightly as the ones in his cultivation room. The 2nd mentioned that the brighter the core, the higher the level of the creature. For instance, if this creature was a level 3 mortal stage beast, the violet core would be brighter than the one he currently held. Mane had no use for the core. He had much more in his cultivation room, each with an extremely high level of purity, and of higher grades. He nonchalantly threw the core towards the injured wolf.


    The wolf looked at him in surprise, not sure what the human boy was up to. Mane realised he was wrong in his initial analysis. This wolf was not simple minded. He smiled as he gestured for it to take the core.


    "You can have it. It''s yours." The wolf cautiously tapped the core with its left paw. Realizing that the human boy was serious, it brought the core closer to its mouth, as gulped it down. After swallowing the core, the fur of the wolf grew brighter, and it stood up. It seemed to have recovered some of its strength. It limped towards Mane and bowed its head to thank the young human. It then walked away.


    Mane was astonished, but he was not the only one. The 1st exclaimed in wonder, "This¡­this does not seem to be just a simple simulation. I feel as though everything is real." Mane nodded his head, as the simulation ended, and he reappeared in the simulation chamber. The sat cross-legged to cultivate and recover his qi.


    Mane stood up from his meditation position, fully recovered, and full of energy. He walked toward the central panel, and chose to fight again to hone his skills. He felt that he could reduce the amount of qi he uses to execute his techniques.


    As the bright light faded, the little boy stood upright, staring at his next opponents- three large bulls with extremely long horns. Two of them were at the 1st level of the mortal realm, the other was at the second level.


    Mane grinned at his prey, exuding the bearing of a hunter. The nine could feel the pride that emanated from the boy, with the laughter of the 7th resounding in his mind space. "This kid is a perfect fit for the prideful sword technique. Hahaha!"


    Mane did not hear the words of the 7th. He was too focused on his targets to pay attention to what was happening in his inner psyche. The bulls seemed to feel the aura of a hunter from Mane. They trembled in fear and took a few steps backward. It was a comical sight. Three large creatures, terrified of a tiny figure that stood a few yards away. Mane''s smile widened as his voice rang out.


    "COME AT ME."

 Chapter 17 - A New Roommate

    Abelard had been researching on the blond boy for some days now. This boy, whom he recently found out was called Mane, was more impressive than he thought. It took some time, but he finally understood what the boy had done during their last class. This was the first time since Abelard was born, that he had met someone his age who could compete with him on an intellectual level. Well, calling it a competition would be a bit of an exaggeration. It was pretty clear to the Prince, that the blue eyed boy was better than him. They were not on the same level. He was far from the being the blond boy''s match. This left him depressed. He could accept it if the boy was a bit smarter than him. But, looking at how much time it took him to understand what the boy had done, he had no choice but to admit defeat. It was pretty obvious to Abelard that the handsome boy developed that strategy in class. It was in no way pre-planned. He sighed in frustration when he realised this.


    So, he spent the weekend learning more about the one he had deemed to be his rival. Regrettably, he was not able to uncover much. The ''commoner'' had kept a low profile all this while, achieving no amazing feats. His search was not fruitless though. He found out that Mane had two roommates- the gullible and cute twins that were in his class. He knew about these twins. They were the sons of the grand duke of the Northern Empire! That was a pretty ill.u.s.trious background. However, that was not enough to draw his attention. It was the fact that the three boys were missing a roommate.


    He really wanted to be close to Mane. He reckoned that being close to someone like that would challenge him intellectually. Normally, it would be extremely difficult to use his family''s influence to bump someone off the dormitory list. After all, the Wielder Academy was an independent power, insusceptible to interference by noble families. But in this scenario, there was no one to bump. It was pretty easy to get onto the list, and be registered as the fourth roommate.


    Abelard watched as the coachman and a few guards, moved his things into the room. The eyes of the twins were filled with curiosity as they asked so many questions that Abelard felt mentally exhausted. They told him that Mane had gone home for the weekend. According to the twins, he was to arrive today. Abelard sat on the lower bunk bed after he had settled in. He did not need a genius to tell him that the upper bunk bed belonged to Mane. He looked at the door in anticipation as he thought to himself, "These next few years are going to be interesting."


    __________________________________


    Mane looked at the creatures that were flying a few feet above his head. These beasts were grey in color with a patch of black on the feathers of their necks. They were as large as an average ten year old and looked like large sized crows. And they were extremely tricky. Mane wrinkled his brow at how much work these crows had given him. These birds were called black necked crows. They were known for their speed and evasiveness, as well as their high attack prowess. Fortunately, these birds had very poor defense and so that could be exploited. Unfortunately, their great speed made that weakness almost negligible, and unless the opponent was faster, it was better to flee from them.


    So far Mane had only been defending. The crows were extremely troublesome. Immediately after they attacked, they took to the skies again, making it impossible for the boy without wings, to launch the offensive.


    *caw*


    Mane immediately ducked, performing a sideways roll to his left, as one of the birds swooped down and took a swipe at him with its claws. Upon realizing that it had missed, it took to the skies again. Mane pattered the dust off his clothes, as he stared angrily at the trio that seemed to be enjoying his misery. He looked down at his feet and noticed a few small stones he had not detected initially. He felt a little ashamed that he had not seen this, as he always boasted of his great observation skills. He smirked as he finally realized what he had to do. He readjusted his posture and took the stance of one about to throw a javelin. He looked at the birds as he analysed their flying patterns. He held three stones in his hand, one for each bird. He noticed that there was a pattern to their flight. The way they flew ensured that they could see each other''s'' backs at all times. In a sense, they were literally, watching their backs. Fortunately, this method was not full proof. There was an extremely short window of time- about 2 to 3 seconds- where they lost that comradery. And that is when they had just finished with their attack.


    For this to work, Mane had wait for them to attack, and then launch his counter during that brief interval. After about five minutes, they attacked again. This time, only two of them launched the attack, leaving the sole level 2 combatant, gliding in the air.


    *caw* *caw*


    Mane rolled forward to escape the first crow, and jumped to the side to avoid the second, while at the same time regaining his footing to resume his javelin throw posture. He immediately went on the offensive, wasting no time to use his skills.


    "Star flicker, extreme burst"


    "1st move"


    "2nd move"


    "3rd move!"


    The sweet sound of the stones whizzing through the air, lost out to the sorrowful cries of the crows. Amongst the three creatures, the sole survivor was the level 2 bird, which had fallen down, along with its comrades. Unlike the dead crows, its slightly faster speed caused the stone to miss its skull and strike its b.r.e.a.s.t instead. The redness in its eyes expressed its anger at the one who shot it down. Looking at the struggling bird, Mane sighed as he prepared to cancel the simulation.


    *caw*


    Mane felt the temperature plummet all of a sudden. Without thinking he shot forward and performed a quick roll as he avoided a small but concentrated ball of fire. He had ignored the fire bloodline of the crow. At its level, it was difficult for this bird to produce more than two balls of fire before exhausting its qi. Normally, it would rather not. But right now, all it wanted was to burn this human child into cinders.


    After performing his roll, Mane dashed towards the creature as he gathered qi in his right hand. The crow was gathering more qi in its beak, ready to shoot another fireball.


    "Oh no you don''t."


    Mane delivered a downward right hook which landed on its upper beak, effectively closing it and destroying the almost ready fireball.


    *BOOM*


    The uncompleted fireball exploded in the creature''s beak, effectively killing it and blowing Mane back by a few meters.


    "Whew", Mane wiped the sweat of his brow as the simulation ended, returning him to the simulation chamber. This was by no means the toughest fight. But, it was the most taxing. He had to be constantly alert, and always defending due to the type of opponents he had faced. This was his longest battle yet, with most ending before the ten minutes mark. Mane looked at the time, it was almost three. He had to leave now, if he was to return to school before dark.


    ____________________________________


    Mane entered his room and caught sight of an unfamiliar yet familiar face. He recognised the boy as the Prince of the Western Empire, the one he had deemed worthy to be his friend. But he did not know what he was doing in his room.


    "Oh, you are finally back. Let me formally introduce myself. I am Abelard- Abelard Smith. I am the newest addition to this room. Please, do take care of me." Looking at the brown haired boy who was looking at him expectantly, Mane could only say this in reply.


    "Say what now?"

 Chapter 18 - Events Of The Past Four Years

    Five years later, on a bright Saturday morning.


    _________________________________________


    The excited chatter of several immature voices could be heard. Several carriages were roaming the Wielding Academy campus, as young six year olds excitedly rushed into their dorms to unpack their things. Most of these children seemed to know each other even before arriving at the academy. They were happily discussing what their lives would be like from now onwards.


    "I really wish that I would be placed in the same room as the Prince." A little black haired boy spoke with stars glittering in his eyes as he dreamt of sharing a room with his idol.


    "Keep on dreaming. There is no way that is going to happen. The Prince already has roommates." One of the boys he was speaking to, scoffed at his friend''s reverie. Unlike his pal, he had brown hair, with big green eyes, a weird mix. This was the Wielding Academy branch in the Neces Kingdom which was under the jurisdiction of the Western Empire. Hence, the Prince they were referring to was the Western Empire''s Prince- Abelard Smith. Over the past few years, some students stood out in the Wielders Academy, with Abelard being one of the most famous ones.


    His intelligence was rumored to be among the best, if not the best, among his peers and even some of his seniors. Most Impressive of all, was the fact that he had awakened the bloodline of the Western Empire''s Royal family- the blood wyvern! In Zandor, where legendary bloodlines had long grown extinct and improbable bloodlines were seen as myths, a rank nine bloodline such as the Prince''s, put him at the peak of this world. The rumor circulating among the upper echelons of the empire was that, the Prince had already achieved the E- grade level of strength (level 2 of the mortal realm)! The prince was just ten years old! This earned him the admiration of many. His talent was so valued that he was accepted as the disciple of the assistant headmaster, whom many did not know.


    One may assume that his talent was not great enough to be picked out by the headmaster himself. But many were aware of the legends that surrounded this headmaster. It was whispered that, the assistant headmaster who was not commonly known by the public, was just as powerful as the headmaster! The only reason he was not the headmaster was because he had refused the position when it was offered him. No one knew why he had rejected the position, but one thing was certain. The Prince had found himself a great teacher!


    "His roommates are no pushovers either. It is said that they belong to the same squad- the silver wolf squad. Many are already speculating that they will be the strongest team of the academy in the next few years. The sons of the Northern Empire''s grand duke are in this squad. They are also great figures. Just like the Prince, they awakened the bloodline of their family- the two headed hydra. They may not be as intelligent as the Prince, but they rank among the top ten of their year in theoretical studies alone. They have also been accepted as the students of the headmaster himself, an acknowledgement of their immense talent. Similar to the Prince, they have also achieved the E- grade level of strength (level 2 of the mortal realm). Characters like these are only meant to be admired from afar."


    "Wait. I don''t understand. Why did the Northern Empire''s grand duke, bring his children all the way here to study?" A little girl with extremely curly hair and almond colored hair and eyes, blinked innocently as she asked.


    "Well, the Wielder Academy branch of the Neces Kingdom is famed for its great fighting abilities. Though they do not excel in the intellectual quizzes held annually, they really hold their own in the fighter competitions, placing among the first five most of the time." The brown haired boy seemed to be an inexhaustible source of information as he answered them once again.


    "I don''t get it. I know the Prince has another roommate. And I heard that he is also part of their squad. What about him?" The black haired boy asked his friend, eager to obtain more information.


    "This¡­errhem (clearing his throat). Not much is known about the last roommate. But I doubt he''s anything outstanding since he is unknown." The brown haired boy scratched his hair in embarrassment at not knowing the answer to the question.


    "That''s pretty good. You are very knowledgeable for your age." A fifth year student who was passing by, was impressed with the young boy and praised him. The brown haired boy puffed up his chest in pride with a silly grin plastered across his face when he heard the praise of his upperclassman.


    "Unfortunately, you were wrong about something." The fifth year student smiled at the kids as she spoke.


    "Forgive me senior, but where did I go wrong." The brown haired boy asked, curiosity plastered on his adorable face, as he generously admitted his mistake.


    "Hehe. The prince is a great talent, so are the hydra twins. But what you said about their last roommate and the intellectual quiz is wrong! The Prince has an outstanding level of intelligence, but even then, he has never topped his year group. Wanna know why?" The three kids were now looking at their senior, eager to know what the older girl meant.


    "It''s because of the last squad member! Every squad is made up of four individuals, each of varying talents. A squad is usually made up of a gunmaster, a strategist, a physician, and a close combat specialist. But the Prince''s squad is different. They have two gunmasters- the hydra twins- the prince is the close combat specialist and the last roommate is a strategist. They have no physician!"


    Hearing the words of their senior, the first years were stunned. They knew how important a physician is to a team. A team without a physician was basically a lion with teeth and claws- a harmless lion. They were crucial to every team. For a team to have no physician¡­


    Looking at their startled faces, the fifth year student was extremely proud. This was the expression she was looking for. One of astonishment and surprise.


    "Initially, many teachers were against the idea. They felt the children were being rash and were prepared to split them into separate teams. But they were wrong¡­extremely wrong. They challenged a squad that was a year above them and won- effortlessly! And do you know why?"


    The three first years were completely engrossed in the story as they shook their heads subconsciously. Each of them had their own speculations. No, all of them had the same speculations- except the brown haired boy.


    "Is it because of the last squad member?" The older girl smiled in admiration at the younger boy. The boy was smart enough to put the pieces together.


    "That''s right. He asked for two days to study the other team- just two days. Two days later, he led the team to victory, and he didn''t even fight! Till date, no one has ever seen him fight! In fact, he never has to. His plans are always so brilliant that they never fail! His strength, no one knows. His bloodline is a mystery too. After all, he has never fought. But the only reason the Prince was accepted by the assistant headmaster was because he (the assistant headmaster), was rejected by the one you said is ''nothing outstanding''."


    The kids were dazed. He didn''t fight? How was that possible? There were many strategists who were also wielders. They had assumed that the mystery upperclassman was the same. But from the words of their senior who was speaking passionately with stars in her eyes- as though she was in love with the mystery clad fourth squad member- this team had always competed with a handicap. How amazing was this senior to develop such strategies? And he seemed even more amazing to reject the assistant headmaster. To think they looked down on such a figure.


    Looking at the three little heads that were bowed in shame, the older girl consoled her lowerclassmen. "There is no need to be ashamed. We all did the same some years ago. He is a very low key figure. Many speculate that he doesn''t want to fight because he wants no one to know his cultivation level. One thing is certain though, you cannot become the captain of a team with lower strength. You must be stronger than your squad members. After all, how can a lion cub, lead the pride!"


    "He led the school team to win the intellectual competition, picking up the trophy, three years in a row! Thus, he washed the shame of the academy away in three years. He''s the one dubbed as the ''Predator''. He is the captain of the Silver Wolves. Remember his name kids, memorize it, and never forget. He is the budding wolf, the acknowledged king of the fifth years, Mane!"

 Chapter 19 - A Loathsome Fellow

    "HAHAHAHAHA" In a luxurious carriage nearby, far away from prying eyes, but close enough to listen to every word that was said, a teasing laughter rang out. Inside the luxurious carriage sat five people- an older man and four ten year olds. The laughter came from the older man.


    "Mr. Aikens sir, how long do you intend to laugh?" A blond hair boy with beautiful blue eyes asked the older man with a small smile on his face. Seated next to him was the laughing elder, and a brown haired boy with brown eyes, who had a bitter smile on his cute face. The brown haired boy was none other than Abelard and the blond haired kid was Mane. They had come out of their rooms to meet Abelard''s little sister who had enrolled this year. They had barely left their room when they heard their mate speak of them in a grand manner, and with passion even they did not have.


    "I am sorry, Predator. I didn''t mean to offend you or any of the legends here! HAHAHAHA!" Abelard showed a bitter smile when he heard what his Master had called Mane. He looked at the boys who were seated opposite him. They had identical looks and were blushing furiously while trying to avoid eye contact with the older man. The twins were of course John and Jake. They were more embarrassed than pleased with the story they had heard.


    "Oh¡­The show is not over yet." Mane looked out the window as he spoke, prompting the others, including Mr. Aikens to look over.


    ________________________________


    At this moment an unpleasant voice drifted over, "What ''Predator''? Come on Aaliyah. Do you have nothing to do but entertain little kids with your exaggerated stories?" The one who spoke was a handsome boy who looked to be about eleven or twelve years old. It was quite funny to see a child calling someone else a child. However, the arrogant smile on his face made one know immediately that, he was not an average kid. He was followed by three more people who had complacent smiles on their faces. They snickered at the older girl who was singing Mane''s praises, Aaliyah.


    Looking at their arrogant faces, Aaliyah gritted her teeth as she stood before her juniors. It was obvious that she was scared that the stranger would do something to them. Although the academy frowned upon fights that were not held in the school arena, it had no rules preventing students from verbally abusing each other. After all, if one is beaten, they have the injuries to show for it. But what about verbal abuse¡­ there is never any evidence to support that.


    The people that Aaliyah was facing off with had no morals to speak of. They were all sons of influential families and had grown too arrogant over the years. They were used to getting their way and did not mind bullying their juniors to get their way.


    "What do you want Aegeus?" Aaliyah looked at Aegeus with undisguised contempt as she addressed the handsome boy. Contrary to his name that meant ''protector'', Aegeus was just a self-centered noble who was used to always having things going his way. Perhaps, the only thing that he really protected was his vanity and interests.


    Aegeus fumed when he heard the disgust in Aaliyah''s tone. "What do you mean what do I want? Fellas, which of you will be pleased to hear your fianc¨¦e speak so passionately about someone else." His entourage smirked meaningfully when they heard his words.


    Aaliyah and Aegeus were engaged- an engagement that had been set when they were still suckling at the b.r.e.a.s.ts of their mothers. Their families always had a great relationship and their parents decided to cement that relationship with a more binding contract. Aegeus did not mind the engagement at all. After all, even though Aaliyah was just ten years old, she was very beautiful. It was no secret that she was going to grow up into an extraordinarily beautiful woman. She may even grow up to be more beautiful than her charming mother.


    But Aegeus knew that Aaliyah was seriously opposed to this marriage. Who could blame her though? Aaliyah had always been a kind girl who was open to selflessly helping others. Take the current scenario as an example.The first thing Aaliyah did when these bullies showed up was to shield her juniors from them. A girl like that will never like a selfish and arrogant brat.


    "I have told you before. I will rather kill myself than marry you!" Aaliyah had a resolute expression on her face as she faced her fianc¨¦.


    Aegeus''s face grew cold when he heard Aaliyah. "You think you have a choice? My father is an Earl while yours is a Viscount. If you dare kill yourself, I would not rest until I ruin your family. Now, you don''t want that do you?" Aegeus had a sneer on his face as he spoke. Aaliyah had said she will kill herself so many times than he could count. His answer had always been the same. If she dared kill herself, he would destroy her family! Even as a ghost, there was no way she would rest knowing that she was the downfall of her family.


    "You¡­" Aaliyah''s little fist was balled in anger as her face reddened from fury. If gazes could kill, Aegeus would have been strung up and butchered like a pi?ata at least a dozen times. Aegeus smirked when he saw her furious appearance. It made him content to see a person''s face fill up with helplessness. It always satisfied his vanity and inflated his ego whenever he saw such an expression. It made him feel as though he had the person''s fate in his hands.


    "Stop bullying elder sister, you big meanie!" Aegeus''s satisfied expression vanished when he heard that. In its place was a hideous expression, one that caused those who were following him to snicker in satisfaction, knowing they were in for a good show. The one who spoke up was the little girl that was behind Aaliyah. Her little face was filled with anger as she scolded the older boy.


    Aaliyah''s face was filled with surprise as she looked at the kids behind her. All three children were looking at Aegeus with revulsion. Normally, she will be grateful, but not today. Aegeus was a shameless person. There was no way he would restrain himself just because he was a few years older.


    Aegeus looked at his lowerclassmen with a hideous smirk on his face. To think the next generation were so stupid, kind yes, but stupid. "You better watch your tone little girl. You are too young for this conversation."


    It was at this moment that a calm voice floated over, one that seemed to comfort even the most despairing of souls.


    "Now that''s not very nice, is it?"

 Chapter 20 - Prestige

    Mane and the others were disgusted by what they were witnessing in the carriage. They knew of Aegeus. Generally, a character like him whose family only owned an earldom in the kingdom of Neces, would warrant no attention from them. Abelard was a prince of an empire, one that the kingdom of Neces paid tribute to. The twins had a grand duke of an empire as a father. As for Mane, the others were not sure of his background, but they knew it completely trumped theirs. So naturally, they would have disregarded such a minor character. But this arrogant kid was different.


    On his own he was not an important character, but he had a brother that was. His brother, Frederick Fulbright, was a ninth year student and one of the top talents of the academy. His brother, just like the twins and Abelard, had reached the E- grade (second level of the mortal stage) when he was ten years old. Unlike his useless brother, who was stuck was still at the F- grade (first level of the mortal stage) even at the age of twelve. Normally, Aegeus''s strength will be considered as good. However, when your brother is a C- grade (fourth level of the mortal stage) wielder and the president of the student body, more is expected of you.


    Unfortunately, though President Frederick had a good reputation, he had a big smudge on his resume?- his spoiled little brother. President Fred loved his brother, so much that he let him get away with breaking some of the rules. Even if he did not approve of his brother''s choices, there was no way he could watch his little brother get punished. This caused Aegeus to grow very arrogant and occasionally disregard the rules, since he knew that his brother would help him out.


    Mr. Aikens shook his head in pity when he saw what was going on. As a teacher, and more importantly a headmaster, he obviously would not allow a student to act wantonly on his campus grounds. Especially when that student was a bully. But he was still sitting still for a simple reason- Mane. Since Aegeus'' appearance, Mane had grown eerily silent. A closer look at him and one would notice an almost invisible smile and an unusual glint that were not usually present. A shiver went down Mr. Aikens'' spine when he saw that smile. It was like a cat stalking an injured mouse, amused that the creature was thinking of escaping. When Mr. Aikens saw that expression, he felt only pity for Aegeus. Not anger at the boy''s act, but pity. He knew, that Mane had cast his attention to the boy. And that was not necessarily a good thing.


    Mane observed what was going on outside for some time. He knew of Aegeus. But don''t get him wrong. He did not give a damn about the boy. It was the President he was after. He was the only one Mane wanted to meet. The one Mane was interested in. His smile grew wider when he realised that the easiest way to get to the President had presented itself.


    Mr. Aikens noticed this and began to pray for the boy, "*Sigh*. This kid is screwed."


    ___________________________________


    "Now that''s not very nice, is it?"


    Aegeus looked behind him to see who was brave enough to interfere with his business. The arrogant expression on his face disappeared when he saw four ten year olds walking towards him. He might be arrogant, but he was not an idiot. He was someone who was fond of bullying those weaker than him. He never went against those that had a better background or bigger fists than his. This was why he was a little scared when he saw those walking towards him.


    Two of the boys shared the same look, each as handsome as the other. Their brown eyes were filled with scorn as they appraised what was going on. Aegeus knew right away that they were the hydra twins. As for the other brown haired kid, Aegeus knew who that was. He was a noble of the kingdom, and as such, he was familiar with the Western Empire''s Crown Prince. The last boy who walked before the others was a handsome lad with yellow blond hair and blue eyes.


    He was a student of the academy so even if he had not come across some of the famous characters, he was familiar with their descriptions. In the entire academy, there were very few people with blond hair, and fewer people with blue eyes. But when you put the two together, there was only one person who fit the bill. The one dubbed as the predator- Mane. Aegeus felt a shiver go down his spine when he saw his smile.


    Just when Aegeus thought they were coming to him, they passed by him, as though he was invisible and approached Aaliyah.


    "Excuse me, miss. Are you guys alright?" Abelard asked Aaliyah with a gentle tone. The kids behind Aaliyah looked at the boys who stood before them in curiosity, wondering who they were. After all, many people saw what was going on, but unlike the group that stood before them, they had just ignored them. Their curiosity did not last for long though. One of the onlookers identified the newcomers almost immediately and exclaimed,


    "That''s¡­that''s the Silver Wolves team!"


    Noticing that the onlookers were looking at the new arrivals with undisguised admiration, Aegeus'' face contorted in rage. How could these people ignore him just because of a bunch of ten year olds?


    Mane, even with his back turned, still noticed Aegeus'' rage. That was what he had counted on. He had heard of Aegeus'' arrogance way before today. He was positive that ignoring the young man will result in him losing his cool.


    He might be cautious of them initially, but his arrogance was not going to let something like that slide. Mane had hoped that his team ignoring him will cause the young man to snap, and do something rash


    His smile grew more radiant as he thought to himself, "This is going to be easier than I thought."

 Chapter 21 - For The Wages of Rash Decisions is...

    "You dare ignore me!" An angry bellow interrupted the kind moment Abelard was having with his lowerclassmen. Aegeus had finally given into his rage when he realised that the silver wolves thought nothing of him.


    He was a proud person. And he had been used to ignoring others and not the other way around. Because of the team''s reputation, he had been trying to garner their attention with some subtle hints, including loudly clearing his throat. After all, in his books, he was being courteous by giving them such a huge amount of face.


    Unfortunately, all his efforts yielded nothing. The group continued to ignore him, as though he and his entourage were invisible. Worst of all, the onlookers were snickering in contempt and joy, when many of them realised that he was still being ignored, despite his efforts. For Aegeus, seeing people he normally looked down on, gloating at his insufficiency was the last straw. Without thinking. He employed his best martial technique.


    When his friends saw the expression on Aegeus'' face, they instantly tried to stop their colleague. It was against the rules to attack someone so openly! Unfortunately, none of them were quick enough. They could only watch bitterly as Aegeus catapulted himself towards Mane.


    "Crippling palm!"


    A powerful attack was heading towards the captain of the Silver Wolves, full of the anger of Aegeus. The faces of the onlookers paled when they saw the power behind the technique. Though they did not think highly of Aegeus, one had to admit after seeing his palm technique that he was indeed a talent. Although his talent was nothing much compared to the top talents of the academy, he was not weak at all.


    His skills were a few notches above the average student and his techniques were top notch. It was easy to deduce from the power behind the palm that Aegeus was at the peak of the F- grade (first level of the mortal stage).


    A character like that would certainly break into the E- grade (second level of the mortal stage) in a few days. A twelve year old E- grade wielder was impressive. It may not put him at the top of the academy''s food chain, but it would at least place him among the top! Then again. They wondered if it would be enough to deal with his opponent.


    Under regular circ.u.mstances, any other person in Aegeus'' shoes would not be so stupid. After all, three of his opponents were a level above him. Their captain was also a character with an unknown cultivation level. Even so, many were sure that his strength was not low. Regardless of these factors, there were two other reasons why this was a very immature step to take.


    The first being the rules, which forbade fights on campus grounds. Sure there were some few brawls here and there each year. However, many of them were secretive and did not lead to serious injuries. Aegeus had boldly attacked in front of a large crowd. And the team he had chosen to oppose were looked upon favourably by the academy. There was no way he would go unpunished, with or without his brother''s help.


    Secondly, he had attacked royalty! The boy was so unimaginably stupid that he forgot to factor in the Crown Prince of the empire that ruled his kingdom.


    There were also a pair of twins whose power was enough to strangle his pitiful family to death. The academy would naturally not allow anyone to flaunt their status around. However, when a person leaves the academy, they are on their own. This was the very reason why Aegeus could threaten others so freely in the past.


    Mane was surprised when he felt the technique that was coming his way. It seemed he had looked down on Aegeus. Although the outcome was still going to be the same, he was impressed to know that the power behind the palm rivaled that of average early stage E- grade wielders!


    But he was even more impressed with the degree of daftness of the kid called Aegeus. He assumed that he would have to do much more to get such a treatment, but it was triggered by just ignoring the boy.


    Mane sighed as he sidestepped, easily avoiding the attack. He then grinned at Aegeus, flashing his beautifully white teeth, and gently delivered a flick to the older boy''s forehead. He used no technique, no strength¡­he used nothing. It was just a nonchalant flick to the forehead. It could even be described as a tap with the index finger.


    Aegeus was amazed when his palm was easily avoided. He had assumed that his target would be hit. After all, Mane had not made a move until Aegeus was just a few inches away.


    He grew terrified when he realised how easily his attack was avoided. What Mane did may seem easy to do, but Aegeus knew it wasn''t. Aegeus had spared with his brother several times.


    That was why his attack rivaled an early stage E- grade wielder! He was confident that even his brother did not have Mane''s reaction speed.


    His fear intensified when he saw the younger boy''s smirk. That smirk seemed innocent to anyone else who saw it but to Aegeus, it was as though the grim reaper had appeared. His anger had disappeared.


    In its place was regret, and fear. He may have a short temper and a very proud head on his shoulders, but without these emotions, he was able to think clearly.


    He finally realised that what he had heard concerning Mane was true. Looking at that smirk made him feel that he had been played! It was clear that his opponent was goading him into action. And to think that it had worked so easily!


    The flick that looked so slow and harmless to everyone sent a chill down his spine. To the onlookers, this was a playful gesture, completely harmless. But he knew it wasn''t. He could not move in the face of this ''playful gesture''.


    The attack was not fanciful and it seemed lackl.u.s.ter in comparison to his. To observers, the flick lacked substance, but as the one facing that finger, he knew otherwise. And when the finger touched his forehead, he found himself flying back, with no control over his body.


    *BOOM*

 Chapter 22 - Results Of A Simple Flick

    "AAHHH!"


    Accompanying the deafening sound of a small object ramming into a building, was the painful scream of a minor.


    Looking at the figure who was embedded in the wall of the building, with his mouth foaming, all those watching grew terrified. How was that possible?! How could a simple flick, knock someone flying for dozens of meters. It was obvious to all that Aegeus was knocked unconscious. No one could possibly endure that much pain. The fascinating thing was that the other members of the Silver Wolves had not interfered during the entire process, as though they already knew how things were going to turn out.


    Aaliyah had an incredible look on her face when she saw what happened, her small mouth slightly opened in shock. All she observed was Aegeus attacking the captain of the Silver Wolves and Aegeus being sent flying with a simple flick. Initially, she was scared when she saw Aegeus attack. Of course she was not worried about Aegeus, she did not care about the boy.


    It was Mane she was worried about. The boy had performed many incredible feats, but none of them were related to his fighting skills. Till date, no one knew his level of strength. And even now that he had attacked, he released no energy fluctuations, hence his level was still indiscernible. One thing was certain though, he was very strong!


    Recalling how worried she had been when Aegeus attacked, she smiled wryly. She had clearly been worried for the wrong person. For the first time ever in her life, Aaliyah felt pity for figure that was implanted haphazardly in the building wall, the occasional twitching of his body serving as the only indication that he was still alive.


    "HAHAHAHAHAHA!" The laughter of the 6th was so loud that Mane almost covered his ears. His face cringed at the loud laughter, causing his friends to look at him strangely, wondering what was going on. After all, they were very clear on Mane''s strength. His cringe was definitely not from exertion. Mane shook his head to indicate that he was fine and returned his attention to his nine masters.


    "I can''t believe a mere level 1 mortal realm kid attacked you. HAHAHA! I guess a few of his bones are broken by now. Serves him right. They were wrong. Ignorance isn''t bliss at all! HAHAHAHA!" Listening to the 6th who was clearly delighted at another''s misfortune, Mane smiled wryly. He had achieved a breakthrough in his cultivation this morning and was still not clear on his level of strength. The flick was intended to knock the boy a few meters back. The idea was never to maim him.


    "You¡­.How can you be so ruthless?" Aegeus'' friends had rushed to the boy and gently freed him from the confines of his temporary prison- the building walls. It did not take a physician to notice that Aegeus had at the very least fractured most of his bones. The blood that was mixed with the foam he was letting out were also an indication of internal injuries!


    "Ruthless? I just gave him a flick on his forehead after ''he had attacked me''. I did not know that he was so frail" Mane shrugged his shoulders as he smiled apologetically at the fuming trio. It was not his intention to injure the young man so. He was genuinely sorry. The only bright side of this event was that he would definitely enter the books of the Student President, Frederick Fulbright. After hurting his brother, it would be a huge surprise if he did not come looking for him.


    The trio calmed down after hearing Mane''s words. They knew that Mane had said, ''he had attacked me'' to remind them that if he was reported, it would be waved off as self- defense. It was most likely that the school would side with the talented boy, and may even punish the already injured Aegeus. They stopped a carriage and quickly boarded it with haste, intending to send Aegeus to the infirmary to be treated.


    Mane did not make any moves to stop them, and neither did his friends. Although Mane did not approve of the leaving quartet''s actions before, he admired their loyalty. They did not discard their partner when he was injured and looked genuinely worried. He had also noticed their efforts to stop their friend from making a rash decision earlier. They may have failed, but they did try. They might be sc.u.m. But they were loyal sc.u.m.


    Mane turned to Aaliyah''s group and spoke to them, "I am sorry for letting you see something like that. If there is nothing else, we will be taking our leave." As if on cue, the twins and Abelard followed Mane as they returned to the carriage.


    "Please wait!" Aaliyah''s loud voice brought the team''s departure to a stop. Mane and his friends looked at her questioningly, wanting to know why she stopped them.


    "Thank you very much" Aaliyah looked at the famous four as she sincerely expressed her thanks for their help. To them, it may have been a small issue. But to her, it wasn''t. Mane smiled at the lady and nodded his head. He then continued his walk to the carriage.


    "Hmm? That''s surprising" Mane stopped right before the carriage door and set his sights on a seven storey building that was about a kilometer away. Abelard and the twins followed his line of sight, but did not sense anything out of the ordinary. Mane shrugged his shoulders to show that it wasn''t a big deal. He smiled playfully and entered the vehicle, his friends entering after him.


    ___________________________________________


    About nine hundred meters away was a building with seven floors. The building in itself was not impressive but the people in it were. The headmaster of the Wielder Academy, Neces branch, was standing shoulder to shoulder with a beautiful woman. They had seen what had transpired between Mane and Aegeus. This beautiful woman was one of the board members of the wielder academy. She had come to see the headmaster concerning some issues and never expected to witness such a spectacular scene.


    "Oh? What an impressive kid. Such terrifying strength. Did he awaken a strength based bloodline? No, that can''t be right. Even with a strength based bloodline he should give off some qi fluctuations when activating it. But there was no energy leak. And why can''t I tell his cultivation level¡­.Interesting." There was a small smile on her lips as she observed the cute boy several yards away.


    "Thinking of taking him in as your student? If you are, I am suggesting that you give it up." The headmaster told the woman, his tone neutral.


    "Hmmm? Why is that?" The beautiful maiden asked, intrigue filling her tone. It was obvious that she wanted to know more about the boy. Luckily for her, the headmaster did not let her down.


    "Hehe. Did you hear about the student who rejected Bane a few years ago?" The headmaster answered her question with a question of his own.


    Hearing the headmaster, the woman was startled. She knew Bane. Just like her, he was a high level board member with great strength, and an even more impressive background. Some years ago, one of Bane''s informants, had informed him of a very intelligent boy.


    A boy who foretold the death of Baron Coal and easily analysed the reason for his assassination. Bane was someone who appreciated intelligence more than anything else. He believed that a child with great intelligence was more likely to awaken an impressive bloodline.


    Hearing that there was a six year old with such intelligence, Bane wanted to accept the boy as his student. Someone of his strength and background felt that it would be simple to get the kid to acknowledge him as his master. But he failed!


    The boy rejected him! Of course this information was not known to the public. Nonetheless, to high level and important individuals such as herself, this news could not be hidden from them.


    She had tried to get information on the boy but she had no success with her information gathering. She had long given up. From the words of the headmaster, the golden haired boy was the kid she had been looking for!


    "I see." The gorgeous lady gave a bitter smile when she understood what the headmaster was trying to say. She and Bane were similar. If he had been rejected, it was highly likely that she will also be refused. She looked startled as she recalled something, "If I am correct, that was the same kid that turned down Aikens right?"


    The lady sighed gently when she saw the headmaster nod his head. Initially, she was still going to give it a shot. But now¡­*Sigh*


    She returned her attention to the boy and was stunned. The kid had a playful smile on his face and seemed to be looking at her.


    "Hehe. Looks like the academy has a dangerous character. Hahahaha."

 Chapter 23 - The Fulbrights

    "He''s going to be fine. He just needs to stay here for a couple of weeks that''s all." A brown haired teenager had his back to the physician who was speaking. All his attention was given to the unconscious young lad soaking in a shallow spring. The physician did not seem to mind the teen''s attitude. He informed him to let him know if there was anything he needed and exited the room.


    Frederick was still gazing upon his little brother''s broken body. From the reports of his brother''s friends, he knew how his upbeat little brother got into his current situation. It was always an unwise decision to provoke a person stronger than you, no matter your background. One can only use their background to suppress a stronger opponent when you are confident you have adequate protection. Luckily for his brother, an injury that would normally take over a year to heal would be completely dealt with in less than a month. This was all thanks to the healing spring Aegeus was lying in.


    A healing spring was basically a large pool filled with very effective alchemical prescriptions. They are usually prescribed for individuals with severe injuries that leave them bedridden. Only spendthrifts will use a healing pool for minor injuries. That said, healing springs are not all the same. The injured individual is first examined to accurately determine the extent of the injuries. The examination can be done by an alchemist or a physician. However, only alchemists are capable of preparing the concoction used in the pools. After which the attending physician is left with handling the dispensation. The alchemist prepares the healing pool by preparing the effective healing remedy for the examined. The healing remedy is prepared in large quantities. After which the invalid is made to soak in the pool every day until the concoction is depleted fully. Alchemists are very precise, making sure to almost never prepare more than the required quantity. Hence one will never have to worry about when to stop using the pool. So even when the patient seems to have recovered, he/she must still use the healing pool, to deal with any hidden injuries.


    As mentioned earlier, only a profligate would ask for a healing pool to be made for minor reasons. After all, an alchemist''s service is very expensive to buy. Luckily, Aegeus is a noble. Although it would be difficult for his family to construct a healing pool as many times as they wanted, it would be no issue to afford the price once every few months.


    Frederick sighed and massaged his temples. How was he going to deal with this situation? He knew his brother all too well. His excessive pampering had transformed the once sweet kid to a pompous brat. It was highly likely that he was not going to take this beating lying down. Especially since his breakthrough to the E- grade, which would have likely happened in a few days, had been postponed by a month. Recalling the numerous times his father warned him concerning his treatment of his little brother, Frederick smiled wryly. He even remembered the exact words that were spoken.


    "With the way you pamper that kid, he is going to be beaten up very soon. And mark my words, it''s going to be someone even you would not be able to deal with" Recalling the man who had raised and trained him, Frederick mumbled to himself, "Well, Dad, you were right."


    Frederick imagined what his father was going to say when he gets the news.


    "He would probably snicker. Luckily I''m not going to be there to listen to him ramble on and on about how he was right. Though he would probably have to snicker in private. Mom is going to kill him if she sees him delight in Aegeus''s misfortune."


    His mom was just as upright as his father. Unfortunately, when it came to dealing with Aegeus, she was not at all heavy fisted. Worst of all, she didn''t allow his father to punish the unruly brat even when he made mistakes. It was so different from how she raised him. Frederick could not recall the number of times his mom had punished him. Not because she rarely did, but because she did punish him every so often that he stopped counting after his seventh birthday. Well, as he grew older most of the punishments ceased. Thinking about the time he asked his mom why she treated them so differently, a smile involuntarily formed on his lips.


    "How can you compare yourself with my baby?" was her answer. He remembered it clearly because it was due to his question that he had to sweep the pantry for a full week.


    "Well, Mom, your baby is in deep shit now." His lips curled downwards as he pitied his poor dad who was going to have to bear his mother''s wrath.


    Frederick''s attention was brought back into the room by the rhythmic knocks on the door.


    "Come in."


    "Why are you here Selina?"


    Even with his back to the door, he was aware of who had walked in. The one he was speaking to was a gorgeous lady with charcoal black hair and even darker eyes. She had a black robe on, one that matched the color of her hair and eyes. A little above her waistline and slightly below her bulging chest, a belt brought out all of her curves and charm. Though the belt was difficult to spot because it shared the same color as her robes.


    "Wow, you must be really worried to actually ignore me. All the years I''ve known you, never once have you passed up a chance to admire my looks."


    Selina spoke with a slight chuckle, ignoring the unconscious boy in the pool. Frederick did not pay her any heed. The soft spoken lady behind him was the Student Council Vice-President. He had known her since his very first year as a student. Apart from being enamored by her beauty, he was drawn in by her charisma and strength. She was an outstanding leader.


    Granted, she did not possess his intelligence or deep analytical skills, but the only reason she wasn''t President was because she had a lazy personality. If her mentor hadn''t forced her to be the Vice-President, she would probably never had taken up the role


    It always baffled Frederick though. The Selina he knew was very unruly. So unruly she was, that no one could control her- not even her mentor. It had always been a mystery to him- how her mentor convinced her to take up the seat of the Vice-President.


    Selina was outstanding in every way- looks, intelligence, and personality. She was the dream of many young men. Not just in the Academy, but in the entire Empire. She even had suitors from the other Empires. Though her strength always caused her suitors to blush in shame. Frederick is considered as an outstanding student by the Academy. Having a C-grade strength at the young age of 15 was remarkable even across the Empires. He already had many offers from several wielder teams, all hoping to have the genius as a teammate after his graduation. However, he dare not boast of his achievements next to a 15 year old B-grade wielder.


    "Come on. We all knew this day would come. At least he wasn''t killed. So, you know how long he''s going to be stuck in here?" Selina asked Frederick.


    The brown haired teen handed her the report of the attending physician in reply to the question. Selina flipped through the report, her previously playful smirk replaced by a pale look of astonishment.


    "Did you say a ten year old kid did this?" Frederick nodded his head in reply to Selina''s question.


    "Whatever you do Frederick. Never confront this kid." Frederick finally turned his head to face Selina, seeing a rare look of seriousness etched on her pretty face.


    "You think I''m an idiot? You think I want to meet such a death star? I have no choice but to see him. I have already sent him a letter of apology- and a duel notice."


    Listening to Frederick''s words Selina furrowed her brows in annoyance. "Idiot, don''t you get it? Even I cannot do this with my strength. Hell I''ve spared with A-grade elites and even they don''t have this much strength in their punches, not to mention a casual flick. This kid must be at the very least an S-grade master."


    Frederick was stunned by Selina''s words. A ten year old S-grade master? How is that even possible? Every S-grade master was a rare treasure. The talented ones achieved their breakthroughs in their late twenties or early thirties. To think that a ten year old could be an S-grade master wielder was insane. And this was even the base speculation.


    Selina looked at Frederick in worry. Even after hearing her announcement, apart from his initial surprise and amazement, there was no fear. No- there was fear. But this fear wasn''t from her information.


    "What? You want me to be terrified? Of course I''m terrified. But I know the kid will not kill me. However, if I go home without doing a thing, my mom will." Frederick shuddered at the thought of having to deal with his mom''s fury.


    Selina smiled amusingly at his response. Others may not believe what she had just heard but she did. For as long as she knew Frederick, he had always been terrified of his mother. Selina had seen the woman before. She was a petite yet beautiful woman with a kind smile. Before she had met his mother, she always imagined that the woman was at least a dozen feet tall with wings. After that meeting, she found herself wondering what it was the woman had done to her son to instill such fear in him. She would have waved it off as Frederick being crazy if her observational skills hadn''t informed her that Frederick''s dad was walking on eggshells as well.


    She sighed, playing with a strand of her hair as she picked up a chair and sat next to Frederick. When one makes a challenge, they wouldn''t be able to withdraw it. Only the challenged can reject the request for a duel. Since Frederick had already sent the duel notice to the kid, she could only hope the boy would have intelligence matching his strength, and reject the challenge.


    She mumbled under her breath, "I hope he rejects you. It will be a pain having to visit you at the infirmary like you''re doing your brother."

 Chapter 24 - They Search

    On an uninhabited planet a lonely figure marched on. A big black cloak covering the figure''s entire being. The land the hooded figure walked on was barren. Cracked grounds with no sign of water anywhere. The excessive heat had driven away all living creatures. Even those that could survive in dry habitats made no attempts to live here. The parched ground gained a new crack line wherever the hooded figure stepped. The aura this ''being'' exuded was calm. Steps steady and relaxed as though a desert was his playground, his back steady as a spear as he continued his solitary journey.


    *croak*croak*


    Well, this mysterious being was not totally alone. The outline of a raven could be seen flying towards the hooded figure, seemingly returning from the direction our mysterious stranger was headed to. The earlier croaks an announcement of his return.


    "Oh, Huginn, you''re back I see."


    The voice of the stranger betrayed him. A pleasant and deep voice that clearly belonged to a man. The raven crossed several miles in under a few seconds and landed upon the man''s shoulder.


    "So, what did you find, winged one? Oh? So that''s where it is. Very interesting. Looks like we''ll have to be here longer than I thought."


    The raven croaked in displeasure, clearly not pleased by the words of the man. The man chuckled slightly and sat down upon the desolate ground in a nonchalant posture as he spoke to the bird, his companion for this quest.


    "Be patient winged one. Get comfortable will you. Who knows when Muninn will be back?"


    _________________________________________________________


    A lone figure sat on his throne, his eyes melancholic, his mind wondering. His white hair swayed gently from side to side, an oddity since there was no wind.


    "What are you thinking about?"


    A beautiful woman with black wavy hair walked elegantly from the back chamber into the throne room. Her question shaking the King of the Olympian Gods out of his reverie. She walked towards the king and sat beside him, her hands finding their way to his left shoulder as she gently rubbed it.


    "I''m very confident, Hera, that you do not want to know."


    Zeus smiled bitterly as he spat out his reply. How was he supposed to inform his wife that he was thinking of a child he had with another woman. Nevertheless, she wasn''t his wife for no reason. Seeing his smile, how could she not what this womanizing brute was thinking.


    "There''s no point saying nothing. I know you''re thinking of that bastard. Ever since what happened a decade ago, you''ve always been lost in thoughts. You rarely visit the other realms to fool around anymore."


    Zeus chuckled wryly. The bastard Hera was referring to was his son, Ray. Well, he called himself Ray after he left the Pantheon, abandoning the name Zeus had given him as he cut off all relations with them.


    "You did what you had to do to protect them. Even that brat knows that. Leaving was the only option they had. He abandoned everything here to protect us. You should be proud of him."


    Anyone familiar with the Queen of the Gods of Olympus would be very surprised to hear her words. It was no secret that unlike her blinding beauty, the Goddess of Marriage had a terrible personality. A personality nurtured by the unfaithfulness of her husband. She was very prone to jealousy and had done a lot of foul things because of this jealousy. Hearing her talk about her step son so highly, without plotting to kill him was amazing.


    "I know. It''s frustrating though. I wield so much power, and yet even I am helpless before our enemies. What good is all this power if it cannot achieve something so simple?"


    The King of the Olympian Gods did not seem surprised by her words. Why would he be? He was there the day his grandson was born- so was Hera. The normally vindictive goddess fell in love with her grandson the moment the cute little boy held her finger and looked at her with his deep blue eyes. In fact on the day of his birth, Zeus had to force Hera to go with him. It was a risky proposition since she had tried to kill Ray so many times. No one would know what she''ll do to a newborn baby.


    Even Zeus was surprised to see the look of pure bliss on her face and how tenderly she smiled at her grandson. Many didn''t know this but she was the most broken of them all the day Ray and his family had to leave. She had spent the first year locked up in her chambers, refusing to see anyone. Zeus spent majority of those days trying to placate her.


    Now she was the one consoling him.


    "There''s nothing we could have done. Even your father was helpless against such foes. He had to flee when he met them." Hera walked behind her husband as she spoke, laying her hands on both his shoulders, her intention to give him a full shoulder massage laid bare.


    "Besides, I can''t wait for my baby to return. For them to fear him so much he is going to be really powerful. I trust the man he''ll grow up to be. I want to be there by his side when we trample on the bodies of our enemies. So instead of sulking all day, you should get back to training."


    Hera hammered his shoulders lightly as she finished her statement, a large smile plastered on her face as she thought about what her grandson would look like by now.


    "Hehe. You''re right. It''s a shame we didn''t get to watch him grow. In that respect I envy that stubborn fool. He can see everything when he sits on that damn throne of his."


    Zeus smiled, speaking lightly.


    "Besides, he''s not the one you should be worried about. Your daughter has been in the sacred hall for several years now. You should think of a way to draw her out."


    Hera''s tone returned to that of indifference as she spoke of his daughter, clearly not feeling the same affection for her husband''s daughter as she did her grandchild.


    Zeus''s smiled returned to a frown when he thought about the subject of the new conversational piece. The sacred hall could only be opened from within. Initially, there were caretakers assigned to it, each of them taking turns to care for the place. Unfortunately, when his daughter moved in years ago she kicked them all out, leaving her as the only person capable of freeing herself. He sighed lightly as he massaged his temples.


    "She''s the Goddess of Wisdom. When she finds what she''s looking for, she''ll come out."


    ____________________________________________________________________


    "No, it''s not here either. Where could it possibly be?"


    A woman spoke to herself as she tossed the book she was holding onto the floor in exasperation. The discarded book did not land with a thud like it was supposed to- rather it landed on another book. On the floor, several books littered the ground. Leaving no space for one to walk. Some of the books were opened with footprints all over them. The luckier once had the blessed fate of landing on the floor closed and protected.


    The formerly filled shelves of this vast hall had been almost entirely emptied. A miraculous feat in itself since this hall was so large that calling it a room felt wrong. The number of books in its archives would have taken the most dedicated of minds decades to read. Every book here was of great importance, and were normally treated like the rarest of treasures. Unfortunately the frustrated lady had no respect for any of these books. Stepping all over the books on the ground as she combed the vast hall, searching for something she had missed.


    As though recalling something, she suddenly halted her steps. Her large, gray eyes opened in realization as she exclaimed to no one in particular.


    "Of course. How could I forget? How can I shame my title so? The book on the dark realm, the one grandfather compiled, wherever did I place it? Ah yes, it''s somewhere among the main archives."


    She hurried off, once again trampling on the unfortunate books in her way.

 Chapter 25 - Flickering Burst

    "Extreme burst: first stage"


    "First move."


    "Second move"


    "Third move"


    "Fourth move"


    "Fifth move"


    In a simulation chamber, the vigorous voice of a little boy was heard as he delivered ferocious attacks to a training dummy. Each punch, each kick, was executed with explosiveness deserving of the name of the technique. Even more impressive was the dummy. The dummy looked very ordinary, the only special trait it had was its color. It was entirely black, with no other color displayed alongside it. It remained steady, regardless of the ferocity of the attacks thrown at it. The stronger attacks caused it to sway from side to side, but that was it. There were no dents on it, not even a scratch.


    The figure that was attacking the training dummy showed no surprise at its durability. He had lost count of how many times he had attacked the dummy, his aching limbs bearing witness to that. He continued with his barrage, his blonde hair fluttered as he struck the dummy again, this time opting for an uppercut executed flawlessly with his elbow.


    *BOOM*


    The seemingly indestructible dummy swayed once again, evidence of the power behind the strike. The little boy''s blue eyes sparkled with determination as though finally seeing an opportunity. Still maintaining his stance- which remained unbroken after the previous attack, as though bearing no rebound effects- he whipped his left leg towards the dummy, leaving his right leg with the task of maintaining his balance.


    "Star flicker Extreme burst combo"


    Mane mumbled quietly under his breath as his leg finally connected with the dummy''s exposed chin. In that brief moment of contact, the appearance of the leg grew blurry, leaving only a deafening sound as the evidence of its contact with the dummy.


    *BOOOOOOM*


    The sound of their contact was three times louder than any before it, deafening to the ears. Mane flipped back expertly after executing the attack, retreating from the range of the dummy.


    "Very impressive", 6th commented, clearly impressed with the result of the little boy''s kick. The black dummy was still the same as it was- well, almost the same. Its formerly forward facing head had turned a full ninety degrees to the right, Mane''s greatest achievement yet.


    "I can''t believe the breakthrough caused such a vast increase in my strength."


    Mane seemed very surprised by this feat. Before his recent breakthrough, he had never been able to cause the dummy to even sway. However, now he could actually cause it to turn its head. Granted, he had to use a move he had just developed but he was certain that he was not this powerful before. Obviously because, even without his apex technique, he could still cause the dummy to sway.


    "You truly are a genius. You were able to merge two high rank skill books. I think you should give it a name."


    Mane nodded lightly at 6th''s words. He had reached the peak of the first stage of the Extreme Burst technique about two years ago. The second stage required too much energy to execute and hence was unavailable to him. As someone who was always seeking to constantly improve himself, he decided to attempt a modification on the technique. He decided to merge the first stage of the Star Flicker technique with the first stage of the Extreme Burst technique.


    This was anything but simple since the focus of the merge was not on the whole body, but a part of it. For instance, in that last attack, he had used both techniques on just his leg. What made it even more difficult was the fact that the Star Flicker technique could only be used for movement in a straight path.


    It wouldn''t work with anything but that. That meant an enormous amount of concentration and impeccable timing.


    The success rate wasn''t perfect either. Mane spent about a year developing this technique, and another raising its success rate from 3% to 75%. This technique wasn''t without its flaws either. The most devastating of them being a severe backlash if the move wasn''t well executed: losing more than half of one''s energy reserves. There may also be a chance of a fracture if the body wasn''t able to handle the burden of the additional speed.


    Luckily for Mane he had the perfect sparring partner- the black dummy. The dummy appeared after he completed the highest level of difficulty for the Celestial section in the simulation chamber under 10 seconds. According to the illusion of Uncle Jake that appeared, it was a gift for when he achieved such a feat. Mane felt that Uncle Jake had too much confidence in him. The very fact that he said ''when'' showed just that. According to his uncle''s projection, the black dummy was an actual lifeform.


    However this ''lifeform'' was currently inaccessible to him. It needed a large amount of energy to wake up. Mane at his current level wasn''t able to provide that energy. From Uncle Jake''s projection, when he had the ability to cause the dummy to move back at least seven feet, that would signify that he was finally ready. Oh and the dummy actually had a name.


    "Cornelius. A fascinating name for a dummy I must admit. Now that I know the limit of my abilities, it''s time to learn how to regulate it. As for the name of this new technique, I already thought of one: Flickering Burst."


    "Good name." The 6th said, with the other masters murmuring in approval.


    Now that Mane had given his technique a name, he moved on to the next order of business. Mane had developed a habit over the years. Whenever he achieved a breakthrough, the first thing he did was to determine the limits of his strength. Next on the list was control. Control was essential for every wielder. Control determined how much power was behind each attack. Control determined the amount of energy that each attack possessed. Without control a wielder may very well deplete all of his/her energy in a battle and find him/herself in big trouble.


    Control also helped to limit injuries in harmless sparring sessions. A perfect example of that would be the unfortunate event that occurred during the week. If Mane had a correct grasp of his strength, he would not have caused such grave injuries to Aegeus. The flick he delivered was expected to throw him back a few feet and disorient the older boy. He didn''t even draw on his energy reserves to do that.


    Mane wondered what Aegeus''s brother would do after seeing his brother''s state. After the ''unfortunate event'', Mane left to go home since it was a Saturday. He had no idea that a duel notice had been sent to him. If he did, he would have been filled with ecstasy. Of course he was going to reject the duel. But he would finally be able to meet Frederick even if he did so.


    Mane pushed Frederick to the back of his mind. He smiled, an extremely large grin that caused the entities trapped in the mountains to shudder.


    "Let''s forget about that for now. It''s time for a hunt¡­an extreme hunt"

 Chapter 26 - Nidavellir

    *Bang*Bang*Bang*Bang*Bang*


    Sounds of hammering resounded in the warm dark cave. The only source of light was the fire blazing in the forge. The figure holding the hammer was just a bit over six feet in height, with muscles that glittered with sweat, even in this dark room. Each exposed muscle was well sculptured, evidence of the figure''s experience with forging. The blacksmith was completely focused on the weapon he was making, totally ignoring the short yet stout figure right next to him. With a height of only about four feet, the strange figure would have stood out like a sore thumb anywhere else in the Universe- not here though. Figures like these were the major residents of this planet. It was after all, a planet of dwarves. Over here, being over five feet in height made one a weirdo.


    "You need to rest, Hephaestus. It''s been over three days and three nights. Even Gods need to rest after staying at the forge for so long."


    The short man expressed his concern to the figure towering over the anvil which was giving of a bizarre reddish glow as though it was on fire.


    "I wish I could. The only way I can take a break is if I exhaust all my energy. If not, the Godking Zeus, would have my head."


    Hephaestus smiled bitterly as once again, he told the dwarf standing next to him, what he had been saying to the other dwarves all this while. It wasn''t that he was so dedicated to his work. Yes, he was one of the best blacksmiths in the Universe. And yes, he made weapons so desired by powerhouses in the Universe. But there was no way he would be willing to put his health in peril just to make an artefact.


    Hephaestus couldn''t remember the last time he had slaved over a forge for so long. Even when he crafted weapons for the gods of Olympus, Zeus included, he did with a laid back attitude. He was the god of fire! A god of the forge. Even peak level existences would have to line up and satisfy his cravings to have him forge weapons for them. This time however, there was no way he could be that lax. Zeus alone was terrifying, yet he wasn''t the only existence that would have his head if he didn''t deliver before the deadline.


    Several mythical level existences were eying his work and ready to beat the crap out of him if he failed. Even his mother, Hera, had threatened him a few dozen times in the past two years.


    "Hehe. You have a point. I was very surprised when King Odin dumped you here two years ago. And even more so when I realised the Godking Zeus was with him. And you should know, those two do not see eye to eye."


    The dwarf commented with a broad smile on his face as pulled out another piece of black metal from the forge and proceeded to hammer it on his own anvil. He did feel sorry for Hephaestus though. Although his cyclops were also dumped here with him, their tasks differed from Hephaestus''s. Being master craftsmen, just like the dwarves on this planet, the cyclops were tasked with creating supplementary weapons for the mysterious recipient of the gods favour. They were to be used alongside the main weapon- which Hephaestus was in charge of. The dwarves also had a job to complete- forging the accompanying armour to go with the weapons.


    The reason for the dwarf''s pity was due to the simple fact that Hephaestus was alone in his task. The dwarves and cyclops had enough numbers to allow them to work in shifts, but not poor Hephaestus. The god of fire and the forge always had to work for five days and five nights, with no rest and no food, only drinking water served to him by the dwarves. He would then rest for a day or two to recover his energy and get some food before resuming his work.


    Recalling the unfortunate occurrence about a year ago, the dwarf shook his head with a wry smile. Hephaestus at the time, used to rest after every two days, a very reasonable thing to do of course. It was even amazing considering that the others only worked a few hours and then switched. Well, Zeus came by personally to check the progress of the work and was furious that the Olympian god of fire was ''slacking off''.


    Failing to even listen to the god''s explanation, the Godking delivered a ferocious punch that the limping Hephaestus could in no possible way, avoid. It was a punch that left the Olympian god of the forge bedridden for a week. That memory had left a scar in the mind of Hephaestus.


    "Not to worry though. I''d be done with most of the work in a few weeks'' time. After all, I cannot complete the job without ''that'' object."


    Hephaestus spoke with some relief.


    "Indeed. I heard Thor Odinson himself was in charge of the search party. They''ve already swept through, majority of the realms, with no luck. Little surprise though, since that thing is so rare. But I wish they would not leave so much destruction in their wake"


    The dwarf mumbled under his breath, wondering why a blockhead like Thor decided to lead a search party.


    "Hehe. It will take them some time to find it. The little master will definitely be happy with their gift."


    The dwarf looked puzzled at Hephaestus''s words. Who was the little master? Was he the one they were slaving for? Although he had questions, he knew better than to ask about things that didn''t concern him. Just like all the dwarves of Nidavellir, he only focused on his work. All his conversations were issues pertaining to that. Since Hephaestus wasn''t going to mention the name of this ''young master'', he wasn''t going to pry. He would meet the young master if fate willed it. He cast his eyes onto his anvil once again and picked up the hammer that stood at a height half of his.


    "Well, I have just five work hours. Got to do my best."


    *Bang*Bang*Bang*Bang*Bang*


    The sounds of hammering resounded in the cave once more as silence made its home in Nidavellir.

 Chapter 27 - LET’S RIOT!!

    "I suppose that this time you have a plan? So then, speak to me Uncle. What is it?"


    A good looking man with dark hair and equally dark colored eyes addressed the hulking figure that stood before him. The handsome man''s six feet in height seemed small compared to the 7 feet giant that stood before him.


    "Of course. You know I don''t do anything without a plan." The hulk of a man stopped in his tracks, prompting the entourage of warriors to stop their march as well, turned around and fixed his brown eyes on his nephew. He walked towards him as he ruffled his hair, an action that would have looked cute to anyone if one were to ignore the large playful grin on his face. Oh, and the huge hands that easily held the entire head in place.


    "You mean what we have been doing thus far? How is that a plan? Also, you should stop that. I''m not a child anymore you know. It is stuff like these that cause the warriors of Valhalla to look down on me."


    The handsome man threw off his Uncle''s hand as he grunted his disapproval.


    "Hahahaha. Who dares look down on you? Come on, Forseti, you are the Nordic god of justice. Your valour in battle is extraordinary. Even if I swaddle you no one would dare laugh."


    As if in contradiction to the big man''s words, the entire camp burst out in laughter. A slight blush grew on Forseti''s fair face as he glared ferociously at his Uncle.


    Thor scratched his head in embarrassment, and as he resumed his march in large strides, tried to change the topic of discussion. Fortunately, he succeeded.


    "Hopefully it won''t be long before we find what we are looking for. As long as we stick to my plan I''m positive that it wouldn''t take us over 2 years to find it"


    The corners of Forseti''s lips twitched slightly in response to Thor''s words. Plan? How can what they have been doing so far even be considered as a plan. They were basically acting as a sweepers'' unit, blatantly destroying every and anything that they came into contact with. But what else did he expect when Thor was the one leading the expedition.


    They were currently in the Realm of the Desolates. A realm that had earned such a name because every planet in it was inhabited by unintelligent beings. Creatures of darkness roamed the lands here, destroying each other, and possessing very little intelligence. In fact in this realm, very much unlike the others, strength wasn''t the oddity- intelligence was.


    The planet they were currently on was ruled by gargoyles. Well the term ''ruled'' was not an apt description- more like the gargoyles were at the top of the food chain on this planet. Gargoyles were creatures that were rarely seen in the other realms. This was mainly because only in darkness would gargoyles be truly active. They froze into stone sculptures when the sun shone on them. They were abundant in the Realm of the Desolates however, since there was no light here.


    "I do miss your father. A great warrior, invincible he was- unlike that coward Helios who calls himself the sun god. With the god of light here, there would be no need to fight at all. We could just stroll through this land as though it were ours."


    Thor sighed in remorse when he thought about Baldur, the Nordic god of light. He wondered if he''d ever see his brother again.


    Forseti''s face fell at the mention of his father. Just like any normal son, he loved his father. And like any normal son, he didn''t like to talk about his dead father. The most beautiful of memories became the most painful after the death of a loved one.


    Thor noticed the change in Forseti''s countenance. He sighed ruefully at the sight. Forseti was the one hit the hardest by his father''s disappearance. It had been years since his ''death'', yet Forseti wasn''t over it. He did understand that everyone grieved in their own way, in their own time. He only wished for the day Forseti would truly be over Baldur''s death.


    "You know, there is still the possibility that he is alive. None of us saw him die after all. And we don''t know much about the dark realm to¡­"


    Thor spoke in an attempt to comfort his nephew, but was interrupted midway.


    "But we do know that no one has ever come out of it alive. It is a realm feared by peak level existences. Even ascended realm experts dread it. There is no way he survived that. Besides, the Allfather waited, standing at its boundaries for months, hoping for a miracle. His disappointment, we know all too well."


    Forseti''s words were cold, his expression dark, nothing like the cheerful god the warriors knew.


    "Well done Uncle. My mood is ruined."


    Thor chuckled at his nephew''s words. He knew the ''kid'' well enough to understand what he meant.


    "Well, look around. There are a lot of unfortunate beings you can vent your frustration on."


    Forseti hadn''t noticed in his absent mindedness that they had entered the lair of gargoyles- gargoyle lions to be exact.


    He ducked gracefully to avoid the paw of the unwitting lion that had pounced on him from above. He gracefully unsheathed his sword as he sliced the silly creature into two- from head to tail. Looking at the number of warriors present, Forseti licked his lips. They barely numbered past twenty. But these were not just twenty random warriors- they were twenty of the best. The gargoyles on the other hand, were numerous, their forms filling the ground and their presence in the sky noted as the sounds of their wings beating against the air conveyed their annoyance.


    This sight would have scared the average man- but not these battle freaks


    "Good. Enough for everyone." Forseti licked his lips as he admired the sight before him- around him rather.


    Thor nonchalantly cracked his knuckles. Though his weapon was nowhere to be found, he didn''t look a tad disturbed.


    "Indeed. Enough for us all. Brave warriors of Valhalla. Let''s riot!"

 Chapter 28 - A Riot Somewhere Else

    Mane ducked with hair''s breadth precision as a flame coated fist whizzed past his beautiful golden hair.


    *BOOM*


    The large rock behind Mane wasn''t so lucky though. Unlike the nimble Mane, it was a stationary target, and was blasted into pieces upon receiving the full brunt of the attack.


    Mane leaned into his opponent who was now wide open after executing his attack. He expertly executed an elbow uppercut to the unfortunate fellow.


    *Bam*


    The figure launched into the sky looked very much like a Zandorian, though if one looked closely, they would realize he was anything but. For starters, he had horns extending from both temples, each about just two inches in length. Normally, they would be covered by his hair, not today though. There was also a small orb, which shown with a white hue, placed right in the middle of his brows. That orb was enough to make out the identity of Mane''s opponent- he was a Celestial. This was a noble race respected in all the high realms. The low realms would have had such reverence for them if they knew about them. Unfortunately for this Celestial, he was having his ass handed to him at the moment.


    The poor dude was launched spectacularly into the air, almost four meters away from the ground. Unfortunately, the figure''s dismal fate had only just began, as Mane leaped into the air with him. He grabbed his ankles and swung him powerfully into the ground.


    *Boom*


    The sorry figure coughed up a copious amount of blood as he set his terrified gaze on the small figure that was descending at breathtaking speed, almost as though gravity was his ally. Normally, anyone seeing the little boy would consider him harmless. This was mainly attributed to his golden hair and blue eyes, which combined granted him curiously good looks. Not him though. There was no way the boy who just killed off his entire unit of fourteen would look cute to him. In his eyes, this boy was a beast, a wolf in sheep''s clothing- no, in a human''s clothing.


    *poof*


    He coughed up some more blood in small coughs. The arrogance of a noble race wasn''t present on this Celestial''s face- no, only fear. He watched helplessly as the small fist found its way onto the orb on his forehead. This was a move that made him understand that this wasn''t the kid''s first time killing a member of his race. You see, Celestials were special. Not only could they enhance their strength by consuming the strength of others, they were also almost impossible to kill. They had combat strength exceeding that of the regular races and were capable of regenerating any body part- even their hearts and brains- as long as the pearls in between their brows were left intact. The speed of regeneration was dependent on their levels of cultivation. This may sound simple. The pearl was right there after all.


    It''s a pity that life is never that kind. The pearls were tiny, approximately 5mm in diameter. Any bright person would know the difficulty of smashing something so small. Plus, Celestials could retract these pearls as a last resort. However, the pearls could only be retracted for a full 5 seconds, and after that, this technique remained unavailable to them until a period of twelve hours had elapsed. One could only keep their pearls fully retracted, after a breakthrough into the Heavenly Realm.


    Normally this information was not privy to just anyone. Celestials were a strong and overprotective race, only few would dare to offend them. Secondly, few were able to successfully kill one. This was because even after their heads had been ripped off, and the opponent was convinced they were dead, they were able to regenerate. So most left the scene thinking it was over, only to be pursued by the Celestial race for an attack on their own. The most common outcome was death.


    Not this time though. Mane''s fist firmly implanted itself onto the center of the Celestial''s eyebrows, his small fist a good companion for the similarly tinny pearl. The Celestial''s head was crushed, utterly destroyed. Mane grasped the pearl in his palms, clenching it within his fingers.


    *crack*


    "For such a small object it sure is difficult to destroy. Takes a lot of energy to reduce it to dust."


    Mane commented as he threw the crushed pearl nonchalantly onto the ground. He looked around him. The battlefield he had chosen was littered with corpses- fourteen in all. He had killed three swiftly-the caption included- in an ambush, before the others had time to prepare.


    Mane strolled across the battlefield, confirming the deaths of his victims as he thought to himself that the fight was easier than he had anticipated. He found two Celestials who still had their pearls intact. He mumbled silently that it was an oversight, as he proceeded to truly, end their lives.


    "You did good kid. Fourteen Celestials. All with higher cultivations. Their captain alone was three stages above you. Even for the most talented in the Universe, killing a Celestial a level lower than them is an amazing achievement. My greatest was killing one two levels higher than I was. And damn it was a bitter fight. But you, *sigh*. You''re a legend kid."


    The 6th spoke with a bit of resignation. Most of his masters knew how difficult it was to kill a Celestial. They had all done it at some point, but just like the 6th, killing fourteen who were above them in strength was impossible- well, except for a select few. Even dealing with two was a challenge. Yet this kid dealt with fourteen, the least being two stages beyond him and the greatest, being three stages better.


    "I have come a long way indeed."


    Mane thought back to the first time he had faced a Celestial. He had no prior knowledge about them, every book he had read stated their power and skills and yet there was no information about their extreme vitality. It took him hours to realize that he had to destroy the pearl. He had done everything, including decapitations, and yet the damned ''things'' still lived. He had also improved massively. From facing three with the same level of strength as him and struggling, to dealing with fourteen stronger than him.


    Mane gently massaged his wrist as he carefully and gently retrieved the two weapons encased in the gorgeous sheaths that lay on his back. One of the two, a sword, was made entirely of black metal, even its handle. It was over a meter in length and it glowed brightly under the sun, a curious contradiction of colors. The other was a knife. It was shorter, under a meter long and was golden, just like Mane''s hair.


    In Mane''s mind space the excitement of the 7th and the 8th could be felt as Mane called upon the artifacts. The Wandering Sword God and the Bloodied Blade Lord watched in eager anticipation, as Mane announced his intentions in the simulation chamber.


    "Well, it''s time to go all out. And this time, I want to face a platoon. Well, 50 Celestials should make for a nice workout before dinner. Alright then, let''s riot."

 Chapter 29 - Made for War I

    Dark hair with even darker eyes and horns protruding from his temples. A build of almost six and a half feet tall with rippling muscles exposed proudly for all to see, kind courtesy of the sleeveless tank top. The uniformed lieutenant raised his head and cast his eyes onto the hill before him, the pearl sitting majestically in between his eyebrows a giveaway of his race.


    His dark eyes looked at the figure that stood atop the hill- a young child. Per his observation, this little boy wasn''t even in his teens, yet he felt unsettled looking at him.


    "Lieutenant, he is just a child. I think our caution is overzealous." A man who was even taller than the lieutenant, by about two inches or so, addressed his superior.


    The lieutenant still had his eyes fixed on the hill, not looking at the taller yet lanky man.


    "Are you doubting my judgement?" he asked the slimmer man, no emotion present on his face.


    "We both know that I''m not. I am just curious. We are half a hundred strong, proud members of the Celestial race. By not killing the boy we have shown mercy for he stands in our path. But I feel dread from you. That, I do not understand."


    The lieutenant smiled, finally showing some emotion on his straight face.


    "Your observation is as keen as ever. You really are a Greater Celestial. Indeed I am wary. My senses keep crying out, warning me that we face a predator, not a prey. And this is a fight we cannot avoid. So my senses tell me."


    The lanky man was taken aback. His lieutenant had never been wrong at judging such situations. Just like him, his superior was a Greater Celestial. And his bloodline skill- his glow- was a very rare one. It had been dubbed ''The Sense'' by all who knew him. It had a simple yet vital function. It allowed him to judge and assess the danger levels of his enemies. This skill had saved many lives. So, if he said the little kid was a threat, then he was a threat.


    The taller subordinate had a stern look now, his easy going expression wiped away cleanly by the lieutenant''s words. Greater Celestials were different from Lesser Celestials- they were noble born. Their talents also exceeded that of the Lesser Celestials, able to devour more energy than the Lessers. Hence, he had his arrogance- but he was no fool. He knew which battles to pick, and the ones to avoid- this was one to avoid.


    Unfortunately, from his lieutenant''s words, the appearance of the danger was no coincidence- he was here for them. A sigh leaked out of his lips as he joined his leader in looking at the danger ahead.


    "Hey Kahn. If we survive this, buy me a drink would you?" The lanky man said


    "Hehe. You have my word Max." The lieutenant broke into a warm smile as he replied in the affirmative.


    ____________________________________________________________________________________


    Mane looked down calmly at the ''entourage'' that were beneath him. Like a king surveying the land, his gaze was unwavering, absolute confidence in his eyes, as though he wasn''t currently facing a group of about 50 Celestials.


    "Are you sure kid" the talkative 6th asked, his question drawing the ire of the 7th and the 8th.


    "There''s no need to be worried 6th. Mane doesn''t attempt anything he has no confidence in" the 1st interjected.


    "I want to see how far I''ve improved with the ''prideful sword''. I am also eager to try out the ''blood blade'' technique 8th taught me."


    Mane nodded as he gripped his weapons tightly.


    "Fine then. Let''s see you dance kid." The 6th relented


    Mane smiled at his words and took up a fighting stance, placing the sword before him and the blade, held behind him. He was very clearly going to strike with the blade first.


    ---------------------------___________________________________________________________________________________


    "He has taken up a stance. It looks like he''s ready. We must attack first, only then will we survive."


    The lieutenant spoke to his second-in-command, as he retrieved his own weapon, a gigantic hammer. The Second-in-command nodded as he signaled the men to get ready. He saw confusion on their faces, a right reaction for a troop that only could see a little boy up ahead.


    "Men! Do not underestimate this enemy. He may look small, but the Lieutenant''s glow has identified him as a huge threat. Disregard him, and lose your lives! Am I clear?!"


    "Sir yes Sir!!!"


    "Interesting. No arrogance on their faces, and an order not to underestimate me. I will leave them alive." Mane looked at the rapidly approaching group with newfound respect. How long had it been since he wasn''t looked down on due to his small stature. Finally, a group that took no chances. He felt appreciation for them, hence his decision to show mercy.


    Mane crouched down, and leaped down the hill with tremendous speed. When he was but a few meters from the troops he activated his technique.


    "Star flicker"


    *whoosh*


    Lieutenant Kahn only had one thing on his mind- engage the enemy personally. With himself and his Second-in-command attacking their enemy at the same time, it may give the others the chance to get some attacks in. He knew he couldn''t allow their opponent to get past him and rain havoc onto the troops- that will spell their doom.


    Well, that was the plan until the target suddenly disappeared. Lieutenant Kahn turned pale when he heard screams coming in from behind.


    Max was just as startled as Kahn. The plan to contain the enemy had gone awry. The damned bastard had found his way to the soldiers! He, just like Kahn, turned around as Kahn screamed, "ON ME!"

 Chapter 30 - Made For War II

    Mane was impressed at the reaction of the team. His speed had startled them-yes- but their recovery was brilliant. There was no sign of panic, only rage could be felt from the leaders. They obviously cared very much about the ''foot'' soldiers.


    Mane thought of this as he calmly avoided the spear aimed at him, twisting his little self and coiling around the attacker like a snake coils around its prey. He brought down his blade and separated the Lesser''s head from his body- the 7th to fall to his blade. A fine achievement considering that the battle had been going on for barely a minute.


    He leaped back expertly to avoid falling into the enemies'' enclosure as his sword glowed brilliantly.


    "Prideful sword. Dance of the half-moon"


    Mane''s silent mumble was accompanied by a beautiful half-moon formed by the swinging of his sword. A beauty his opponents did not appreciate. For even as the swing was over, the eerily dark half-moon continued on its path, destroying the bodies of a dozen more.


    After destroying their formation, Mane leaped ahead with ferocity as he switched to the blade which he held in his left arm, a clear sign that he was an expert at dual wielding.


    "Bloodied Blade. Crazed Cut of the Blade King."


    The blade coated in his enemies'' blood vibrated, as if excited at the prospect of causing more damage. Several blade shadows emerged from the original- about eight in total- flying ferociously at the unfortunate recipients of their enthusiasm.


    *puchi*


    Each golden blade shadow reaped a life, with some putting in ''more hours'' and taking down an extra man.


    Kahn and Max struggled to close down Mane. The little brat was as slippery as an eel. Whenever they got close to him, he used that strange technique of his to disappear into their ranks once more, causing mayhem. They had lost more than half their original number now, with only about fifteen remaining.


    Each blade thrust, each sword swing, signaled the descent of the grim reaper. The host of the Underworld would have been pleased- only if Mane was truly taking their lives. Every pearl was left intact, none destroyed, yet in their frenzy, the Celestials did not notice this. If they did, they may not have fought like this, just as Mane wanted, ever so desperately.


    Mane smiled as he felt danger approach from behind him. He rolled away to avoid the hammer that was thrown into his path, breaking apart the ground he formerly stood on. He had barely regained his footing when he felt danger once more. He instinctively raised his blade up, the blunt side leading the charge as he parried the attack from the lanky man.


    *tink*


    His right hand was busy as well, his sword slicing through the air in an attempt to slice his opponent in half- in a horizontal sweep.


    *BOOM*


    A deafening sound was heard. Its instigator was the shield of dirt that had blocked Mane''s attack.


    "Interesting. Well, that is why it''s advised not to judge a book by its cover." Mane said, genuinely surprised by the lanky man''s glow. No one would have pegged him as an inheritor of an earth based bloodline. If one was to look at appearances alone, the Lieutenant was more suited to wield such a bloodline.


    He blushed slightly as he realised he was doing the one thing he disliked- judging based on appearances.


    "Max. You alright there?" Kahn called out concerned, his eyes still fixed on Mane.


    "Sh*t. Hurts like hell. Even with a shield between us, I''m sore all over. Not even you can take him head on."


    Kahn''s face fell at Max''s words. His physical strength was mighty impressive even among the Celestials. He prepared himself for a bitter fight. That was when he saw the strangest thing he had seen on the battlefield. The opponent who clearly held the advantage, was sheathing his weapons.


    "I''m done here." Mane said as he turned around and began walking away, as though he hadn''t left his back wide open to his enemies.


    "What do you mean? Even if you want to leave, why would we allow you to? You''ve killed several of my men" Kahn spoke up, yet his hammer, which he had retrieved, stayed beside him with no signs of initiating an attack.


    "You fight very honorably. I have my back to you, yet you chose not to strike. Your men are the same. And who said I killed anyone? I left their life pearls intact. They''ll be fully healed in a day''s time at most."


    Mane spoke up, his bright voice a contrast to the murderous atmosphere. Kahn was startled at his words. He immediately prompted a few of his men to check the bodies.


    "All life pearls intact Lieutenant."


    The feedback he received was like music to Kahn''s ears. Due to his glow, he knew that the opponent could definitely kill them, hence he didn''t pay attention to the state of his fallen men. Now, two things were obvious. One, the boy could have killed them because he obviously knew the secret of their life pearls, yet he chose not to. And two, he had killed Celestials before.


    "Are you going to leave without a name? I''m Max, and that is Lieutenant Kahn. What''s yours?" Max asked. After finding out the men were fine, he had lost all anger for the boy. What was left was appreciation. It was appreciation for a talent who could easily best a Greater Celestial- no, make that two Greater Celestials- and a large number of Lessers on his own. He was also so young. It wasn''t a loss to trade friendship after a ''spar'' with a respected opponent.


    Mane halted his steps, a small smile on his face as he turned to face them. His hair shone brightly, complementing the golden sun in the sky. His eyes found its way to Max.


    "Mane. My name is Mane. I do hope we meet again, Greater Celestial Max."


    He resumed his walk, trekking slowly out of the battlefield. That was until a blinding light took him away from them.


    "Was that¡­"


    "A teleportation circle" Kahn interrupted Max, confirming the slim man''s doubts.


    "Our new friend seems to be of extraordinary background. I wonder what his story is." Max seemed more intrigued about the little boy than he was ten minutes ago.


    "Well, you seem awfully excited about the one who almost took your life." Kahn smiled bitterly as he addressed Max. That did not mean he didn''t understand him though. Max may look like an a.d.u.l.t, but he was only fifteen. Celestials- especially Greater Celestials- grew up so much faster than the regular races.


    For instance, Mane had assumed that Kahn was also an a.d.u.l.t. But the truth was he was just a month older than Max- also fifteen years of age! Even among the Greater Celestials, they were at the peak in terms of talent. Yet they had lost to a child a few years younger than them. He knew Max loved a good challenge, a craving that hadn''t been satisfied for some years now. Finally, they had found a rival.


    They had finally found a person just like them- an entity made for combat!

 Chapter 31 - THE SECRET ABOUT THE SIMULATION CHAMBER…AND A PRETTY AWESOME SURPRISE

    "That was a curious end to a satisfying day."


    Outside of the simulation chamber, and outside of the ring itself, Mane lay down on his bed with his limbs spread akimbo. It was surely exhausting to spend several hours training. Even as a wielder, he still needed rest.


    The simulation chamber was a very unique place. Mane found out that it wasn''t just an illusion about two years ago. His suspicion began from his very first experience. That very day, his experience with the intelligent wolf had bred all sort of questions as to how real the simulation chamber was. After several years of fighting in that chamber, he was certain that everything was real.


    It was almost as if he was teleported whenever he accessed the simulation chamber. But he was sure it wasn''t a simple teleportation trick. If it was, he would have truly died in his first death match. Teleportation wouldn''t have preserved his life on that memorable day.


    He wasn''t the only one who had these suspicions. The masters shared the same thoughts. Unfortunately, even the 3rd couldn''t see through the simulation chamber. The 3rd had remarked that Uncle Jake was a genius to be able to evade her senses. A master who could elude the 3rd was definitely unordinary.


    Mane was very curious to know how the chamber worked. But he''d have to wait for the day he meets Uncle Jake again to find out how. Though after finding out that everything he experienced was real, he had learned to show mercy whenever he could. After all, it may be a simulation to him, but it was another''s life he was ending.


    Cases like his recent run in with the 15 man Celestial team where the result was a total annihilation were rare. He didn''t give that team a chance because one of them had called him a little bastard. Another arrogantly asked where ''the orphan''s parents were?''. For a kid like Mane who had spent such little time with his parents, he was definitely not going spare those who touched his sore spot.


    Another thing he learned was caution. Apart from his initial death experience, he had never ''died'' again. After finding out it was real, there was no way he was going to risk a simulated ''death''.


    The 6th had joked once that he would be the silliest Supreme to have ever lived if he died to a simulation. Death to a woman was okay he said, but not death in a simulation.


    "Indeed. Those two were very interesting. They must be great talents even among the Greater Celestials. After all, breaking into the peak of the profound realm under the age of fifteen is an incredible achievement."


    The 3rd seemed especially talkative today, speaking more than two sentences.


    "Wait what! You''re insinuating that those ''big'' guys are just fifteen! How can you tell?"


    Mane was dumbfounded by the words of the 3rd. The Celestials he had fought against were so tall. He had assumed that they were at the very least in their mid-twenties.


    "Little one, have you forgotten who I am?"


    Mane blushed a bit at the 3rd''s words. In his surprise he had ignored the 3rd''s specialty. The 3rd was a Spiritualist, and one of the best in the Universe. Her senses were far better than the average man. She could easily tell a wielder''s level of cultivation without seeing them release any energy. She could tell a person''s age, their bloodline, and even the number of glows they possessed. It was almost as though when she looked at a person, a screen appeared listing all of their information. Well, for all Mane knew, that may very well be the case.


    The first laughed softly, amused by the interaction between the two.


    "I have a question though. When am I going to start training in the ways of a Spiritualist? Oh and psychokinesis too."


    Mane sounded excited. And why wouldn''t he be? The aforementioned abilities were extremely rare in any part of the Universe- and he had the chance to study under the very best too! Under normal circ.u.mstances, becoming a Spiritualist was incredibly difficult. However, Mane did check several of the boxes. He was extremely intelligent, had an improbable bloodline, and only lacked a soul based bloodline. However, his bloodline was very unique. This made it possible for him to study as a Spiritualist. As for psychokinesis, the requirements were less stringent.


    Even for a genius, studying to be an all-rounder was an impossibility- not Mane though. He was a Supreme! Though he had no idea what that meant- not for the lack of trying by the way- he was sure it was pretty awesome. His masters always sounded envious when they talked about it.


    Anyway, he knew his impressive learning abilities was due to being a Supreme. The most amazing part was, he hadn''t unlocked all of his abilities. Being a Supreme aside, his bloodline alone already granted him very impressive glows. It was unfortunate he hadn''t really tried any of them yet. Well, that was a thought for later.


    "Oh, patience little one. We''ll start your lessons tomorrow morning."


    The 3rd''s voice was soft and doting, just as it always was. Of course, that was only towards Mane.


    "Yessss! Finally! I''m so excited!"


    Mane''s face was beet red as he pumped his fist in excitement.


    *BOOM*


    The ceiling of his room had a huge hole in it, testament to what an uncontrolled fist from a profound level wielder could do. Mane''s face reddened again, but this time it was in embarrassment.


    "Hahaha. It''s so fun to see you act like the kid you are. You act so mature at times we forget you''re just ten years old" The 6th was ecstatic to see his little disciple so happy.


    The other masters grunted in acknowledgement. It really was refreshing to see the mature Mane act his age.


    Loud footsteps could be heard outside Mane''s door. The other residents of the house were definitely startled by the noise- scared even. The commotion outside was enough to prove that the guards and servants thought there was an assassin.


    "Looks like you''ve startled the entire house dear boy." The rare voice of the 2nd could be heard in Mane''s mind. He didn''t even have the time to enjoy listening to his greatest fan when his door was roughly opened.


    "Are you alright, Young Master Mane?" The intruder was none other than Butler Fin, the in-charge for the past few years since Uncle Jake''s absence.


    "Yes, I am. Just failed at an experiment. Can you kindly get the builders to repair the damage tomorrow? Oh and kindly prepare another room for my use in the meantime."


    "Of course, Young Master." Butler Fin acknowledged as he immediately instructed a servant to get the builders, and another to prepare a new room for the Young Master. He didn''t ask what the experiment was. The older man knew that it wasn''t in his place to do so.


    "I was just about to call you down for dinner Young Master. If you don''t mind¡­" Butler Fin gestured to the door to convey his intent.


    "Oh good. I''m starving." Mane hurriedly walked towards the door, still very embarrassed by the ''incident''. However, Butler Fin''s next words were enough to make him forget all about it.


    "Before I forget Young Master, the Old Master and Madam contacted this lowly one just recently. They want you to be informed that they would be coming home soon."

 Chapter 32 - The Dark Realm

    There were no concrete records of the dark realm. Information on the realm of mystery was scarce with no evidence of it being true. Unlike the other realms, the dark realm seldom let go of its intruders. Entities like Cronos who had escaped the realm were few and in between. In fact, it was highly likely that Cronos was actually the only survivor. For even the Allfather Odin, a being ever so thirsty for knowledge that the sacrifice of an eye was seen as trivial, had no curiosity concerning the Dark realm- just trepidation.


    So why was it called the dark realm? Why did the gods fear it so? Why did the prideful Cronos keep mute about what he experienced there, leaving only descriptions of what the realm looked like in a thin, withered book.


    It was of great fortune that the dark realm was located at the edge of the Universe, a location only available to the strong. Hence, only a few were privy to information concerning this deathtrap. Its legends, lay out of reach to all the lower realms. For even among the higher realms, only the most exceptional knew of it. But information on this realm mattered little, for no one was eager to confirm it. Well, almost no one.


    A wise man once said, "To every rule there''s an exception." And an exception there was. Though if the maker of this wise phrase was to see the foolhardy of this ''exceptional'' group, he would feel as though his words were foolish, with no wisdom to be gleaned from it.


    You see, curiosity often only had two outcomes-fortune or despair. What was the secret outcome no.3? More despair it was. The difference between the wise and the foolish was the ability to discern when to be curious; when to seek for something; when to ask; when to be silent; and when to act. Fools had no such skills of discernment. They spoke and acted on whims, and very often, paid dearly for them. But sometimes, the difference between folly and wisdom was separated by a thing barrier- luck. When one has luck on their side, every foolish act yields great results. Uncalculated risks become acts of genius. For you see, the lucky man, was always a success story. A man graced with luck, is always wise.


    "Is it really as they say? Has there never been any survivor?" The question came several miles away from the borders of the dark realm. A sound so pleasant, a voice so sweet. One that seemed to spark some life in this remote location.


    The one who posed this question was a little girl. She had gorgeous black hair, and deep black pupils that seem to suck one in if they stared into them for too long. Her dark complexion seemed to elevate her beauty by a couple of notches.


    The recipient of her curiosity was a middle aged man with whom she shared some similarities. He was just as dark, and had black pupils as well. His hair was black, with some hints of gray indicating that he wasn''t as young as he looked. He was so absolved in his thoughts, he didn''t even hear the little girl.


    "Grandfather?" the little girl pulled on the man''s shirt, finally garnering a reaction from him. The older man looked down at his granddaughter, his doting eyes fixed on her small frame that seemed to indicate that she was no older than ten. She had a pouting look, clearly displeased by the former''s previous lack of attention. The man addressed as Grandfather smiled at her displeasure. An act that lead to her throwing a kick at him, aiming at his calf. He easily sidestepped the sneak attack, his smile getting broader at the risible sight.


    "Hehe. There has been but one known survivor. And even that information is not common found. I had to sneak into a fortress on a mountain to find that out. It was a miracle in itself that I was able to escape with my life."


    "Wow. But Grandfather is so strong. Who could possibly cause you to flee?" The little girl was very doubtful of the information she had been given. And rightly so. Even in the Vast Universe, threats to Ascended Realm experts were almost non-existent.


    "Well, even your Grandfather would have no choice but to flee if he was besieged by a group of Ascended Realm freaks."


    "Oh okay. So who was the one that escaped the dark realm Grandfather?" the cute little black girl continued her questioning, her curiosity concerning her Grandfather''s near death experience extinguished.


    "They called him Cronos little one. He was the Titan God of time." The man patiently explained.


    "Was? Where is he now?" she asked once more.


    "Nobody knows sweetheart. Why so curious little doll?"


    In response to her grandfather''s questioning, the little girl looked back at the realm miles away, admiration in her eyes as she said, "it''s hard to believe it is so dangerous. Look at how beautiful it is."


    Indeed it was beautiful. It was a mystery as to why it was called the ''Dark'' realm. For the realm boundary was colorful, extremely beautiful to say the least. It seemed to encompass all the colors of the world, beautifully blended to bring awe to the eyes of anyone who beheld its glory.


    The master artist that painted this image, its creator, must have surely used a heavenly brush to unify such colors, giving them no room to protest. Unfortunately, this sight had long lost its beauty to all who knew its legend. What a learned man saw when he beheld this supposed masterpiece wasn''t reverence- it was fear. A fear so deep that the deepest oceans of all the realms paled in comparison. Ironic wasn''t it, that a place so colorful, held such dark secrets.


    "It looks pretty on the outside, but the inside, not so much. You see, the laws of destruction that exist in that realm are so powerful that no one can survive in that realm. No matter who it is, they would be obliterated by the sheer force of destruction there."


    "Ah I see! No wonder it''s said to be the most terrifying place in the Universe."


    The little girl''s exclamation was far reaching in this desolate atmosphere. She fully accepted the older man''s words. Only, his answer had also birthed more questions.


    "Then why are we here Grandfather?"


    "You see little doll, that is our realm of origin. It is risky, but even the most ferocious of beasts, don''t always gobble up their young. Let us go little doll."


    Upon finishing his statement, the circular platform that held their weight began to move, flying at a moderate pace. Their destination, the dark realm- their place of origin.


    A god of eloquence and poetry had once said, "At certain times, it is what seems to be the folly of men that yield fruits of wisdom." Was he right? Well, only time- no luck- will tell whether Bragi was actually right.

 Chapter 33 - Jumbled Emotions

    Eyes that shared its color with the deep blue sea. Eyes that caused the sky to lose it grandeur. These normally boisterous eyes did not reek of beauty today, but of melancholy and emptiness. In the carriage that was sending him back to school, Mane thought back to all he knew about his parents. He had excellent memory, and yet even he had a hard time placing them within his memories. He was sure his memories had been tampered with, as for the reason, it surely had to do with the fact that they had left him behind and didn''t want him to dwell on his memories of them so much. It may seem an overboard decision to make, but it sure did work very well.


    Though he loved his parents, if he always dwelt on his memories of them, this love was going to turn into a longing so great that his training would be impaired or greatly enhanced. The latter option seemed like an advantage, after all, he was going to get stronger faster. But taking such a path was going to make it harder for him to know himself. In the long run, that was going to become a disadvantage. For his parents, it was better he didn''t know them very well, so he wouldn''t miss them so much. Unfortunately they had a son whose memory was so excellent he actually remembered having a part of his memories sealed. Hence the purpose for doing so, was invalidated.


    Butler Fin''s announcement was a huge surprise- he was finally going to meet his parents. Since his memories of them were vague, it was almost going to be a new experience. He was supposed to be ecstatic, extremely excited. He was finally going to build memories with them. He was to feel this way when he heard the news. He had longed for that familial affection when he was younger. He had always envied families at the park in his younger days, wishing he had such a life. So why was it that now, when they were finally coming back, he felt nothing?


    Had they been away for so long that he had lost all feelings of affection for them? No, that wasn''t it. That definitely wasn''t it. He obviously felt something when he was informed they were returning- but it wasn''t joy. It was anger. Anger towards those who called themselves his parents and yet had left him all alone. At least, Uncle Jake was kind enough to leave several illusions of himself within the ring. Illusions that were unlocked every time the little blonde had a breakthrough. It served as an encouragement for him.


    His parents though, did no such thing. Well they could argue that they did not have such abilities. But they didn''t need to do it themselves. They could have asked for Uncle Jake''s help. Now Mane just couldn''t wait to meet them- and pummel their gorgeous faces into the ground.


    "Damn, kid. No need to look so glum. Everyone gets excited when they hear their parents are coming back. But you want to kick their asses! You really are unique. HAHAHAHA."


    The taunting of the 6th soured his mood and this didn''t go unrealized.


    "You should shut up 6th. One more word from you and I''ll break you in half." The threat from 2nd looked empty. After all, from a neutral''s point of view, they were all trapped. Surprisingly though, the 6th kept his silence after the warning, a silence that lasted the whole journey back.


    Mane tipped the carriage driver very generously, an act that elicited a broad smile from the older man. Mane climbed up the stairs to his dormitory in a hurry, trying to avoid the overly enthusiastic thanks of the driver.


    "Even in a sour mood your generosity doesn''t evade you." The silent 6th finally spoke up again, beginning his resurgence with a compliment. The pleased harrumph from the 2nd made it seem as though she was on the receiving end of that compliment.


    "Finally, you are back." Mane had hardly walked into the room when the giddy voice of Jake, the older twin found its way to his ears.


    "Oh? You seem excited Jake. What is it this time?" Never had Mane returned to school without receiving any ''weekend gossip'' from the twins. Today though, their excitement seemed a tad more than usual. Although Jake was the speaker, John looked just as excited as his brother. Abe unsurprisingly, wasn''t around.


    "It''s you! Everyone''s talking about you. Frederick Fulbright sent you a duel notice!" Mane had to cover his poor ears. John''s voice was so loud he was certain the soundproof door had definitely been breached. Anyone who stood outside their door would have definitely heard him.


    He turned his eyes towards the direction John was pointing at- his bed. There was something on it. Mane had never received a duel notice, but from the words of the ''loud'' twins, he was sure that the envelope atop his bed was that very thing. It looked so official it made him cringe. His name was clearly addressed on the package.


    Under the eager eyes of the twins, he tore it open. Yes, they were right. It was a duel notice. In fact, anyone familiar with them could tell from the package. It was no surprise that the whole school had found out. The delivery person must have blabbed about it.


    "So? Are you going to accept?" the eyes of John made Mane feel very uncomfortable. Jake looked the same. Goosebumps grew all over his body as he finally felt what superstars feel under the scrutiny of their aficionados.


    He stepped back unconsciously, thinking to himself that this was definitely what his enemies felt each time he looked at them.


    "No, of course I wouldn''t accept it. But I''m very eager to speak to Mr. Fulbright. There''s no way he will ignore me now."


    It was a long process to get to meet a member of the Student Council, even if it wasn''t the President one wanted to see. Mane had wanted to meet Frederick for a while now, unfortunately, an appointment was required. Well, not this time. He had the perfect pass.


    He ignored the twins who were visibly disappointed and climbed onto his bed, almost as though he was escaping.


    "I''m going to bed. I''m exhausted from the journey. Wake me up in an hour''s time."

 Chapter 34 - Spirit Scan

    "So, we finally meet, President Frederick Fulbright."


    Frederick looked at the group that stood before him. Their smiling faces did nothing to ease his discomfort. The hydra twins, Jake and John, sons of the Northern Empire''s Grand Duke; the Western Empire''s Prince, Prince Abelard; and the handsome chap with the seemingly unimpressive background, Mane. With the exception of Mane, whose background was a mystery, the other members of the Silver Wolves team had very impressive backings. Frederick may be the head of the student governing body here, but outside the school walls and in the face of any of these behemoths, he was as good as n.a.k.e.d.


    Even his sway over this team in the Academy was almost non-existent. Especially after finding out that the strength of their captain exceeded Selina''s- the strongest of the Student Council body. While this was the Student Council building, and while this was his office, he felt as though he was the visitor. The presence of Selina and the other members of the council did not bring him the confidence and advantage he thought it would. The meeting between the two had barely started, yet he knew the momentum of those before him, outweighed his.


    Mane''s strength aside, the others were no pushovers either. Frederick''s strength lay in the upper regions of the C- grade. However, he felt danger from Abelard and the hydra twins. There was no way he was going to believe in the rumors speculating their strength.


    "I guess Mane isn''t the only freak here." Of course, these words weren''t said out loud, only ringing resoundingly in his mind.


    Abelard had a wry smile on his face looking at the Student Council President''s expression. Mane had that kind of effect on people. It was unexplainable really. But the blonde haired kid had this aura of power that always left his counterparts feeling overshadowed. One that made you feel as though if he didn''t give you the permission to speak, you could not. The most frustrating part about this was, Mane seemed to have no idea that he had such a naturally overbearing aura.


    And he was right- Mane really had no idea. His aura of power was built upon the bodies of the many he had defeated. In the simulation chamber, many had been left in despair by this dark star. This fear lingered around its originator, inducing uneasiness in all who faced him. The aura of a hunter was a stifling one- one that even other predators dreaded.


    Selina was currently focused on the captain of the Silver Wolves team. He was a very handsome boy. His uncommon yellow blonde hair and pretty blue eyes were bound to cause mayhem when he fully matured in a few years'' time. She found it hard to believe that such a little boy was stronger than her, but the feeling she got from him was more than enough proof of that. She was taller than him, and as such had to look down on him. But she didn''t feel that way. All she felt was that stiffening feeling of unease when one approached a dormant beast. The fear of not knowing what will set it off- yes, that fear.


    Fortunately, that feeling didn''t last for long. It disappeared almost as quickly as it appeared, almost like an illusion.


    "It''s going to take some time for you to use this ability without setting the enemy off. Stabilizing this technique should be your focus in the next few days."


    Mane nodded subtly at the words of the 3rd. He had embarked on his journey as a Spiritualist a day ago and had finally grasped one of the techniques- spirit scan. This ability allowed you to analyse the spirit of another to grasp information about them. He was merely at the early stages of the technique, only granting him a vague idea of the person''s status. Currently, he was only able to grasp the person''s name, age, race, level and specialty. He would even be able to see the specifications of their clothes, weapons, techniques, bloodline and many others when he fully masters the technique. That was for later though. Right now he even found it difficult to analyse a person without displaying the aura of his own spirit.


    Mane''s spirit was strong and domineering, filled with the aura of a Supreme and his countless victories. He may be only ten but he had possibly killed and fought more than soldiers above the age of thirty. Hence, whenever he used Spirit Scan, the person was doused in the cold aura of his Spirit for a short while until the scan was complete. He had used it on Frederick and the pretty girl next to him- those he considered interesting. This is what he found out.


    NAME: Frederick Fulbright


    AGE: 15


    RACE: Zandorian (100%)


    LEVEL: Mortal Stage 4 (Level 24.51)


    SPECIALTY: Speed and Intelligence


    Frederick''s information was nothing extraordinary, at least compared to the girl next to him.


    NAME: Selina Morgan


    AGE: 15


    RACE: Zandorian (50%); Other (50%)


    LEVEL: Mortal Stage 5 (Level 25.99)


    SPECIALTY: Strength and Vitality.


    "It may be best if I don''t use it anymore before gaining a good hold on my Spirit aura." Mane''s words were acknowledged by his masters, very clearly their thoughts as well.


    "That aside, I''m really curious about the girl''s other race. I know you are aware of what it is 3rd. Care to share?"


    Mane''s curiosity was fully felt by the 3rd. Unfortunately, that wasn''t enough to sway her.


    "Work had to master Spirit Scan, then you''d find out."


    Mane''s chuckle in response to the 3rd''s reply was full of bitterness. The 3rd wasn''t like the 2nd, whom he could persuade with his puppy eyes. He knew the 3rd well enough to know that a no, was a no.


    Tearing his attention away from his masters, he observed Frederick again. The older boy seemed to have regained his bearings after Spirit Scan had ended. The slight blush on his face was the only evidence of his discomfort a while earlier. Mane was positive all that was left now was a bit of embarrassment. Unfortunately for him, Mane wasn''t going to let him recover fully so he could control this meeting. Still riding on his momentum, the younger boy sat down calmly, his teammates following his lead as he declared,


    "Well, what are you waiting for? We don''t have all day you know."

 Chapter 35 - I am Hidden Cloak

    "I have wanted to see you for a long time now, President Frederick. Would it be possible to speak to just yourself and the Vice-President? You see, the contents of this meeting are very sensitive. And while I have no intention to belittle or show any distrust in the Council, it would be best if very few people heard what I have to say."


    The members of the Council frowned at Mane''s words. They felt they were being looked down upon. While they did not look down on the Silver Wolves team, a rumor was still just that- a rumor. While they believed that Mane had beaten down Frederick''s brother (after all the poor boy was bedridden in the infirmary), they did not believe it was done with a simple flick. To them, even Selina would be incapable of such a feat, much less a ten year old.


    Thankfully, Frederick was unlike them- he was no idiot. He had heard the tale from the mouths of his brother''s close friends. From their expressions as they recounted the story, he knew they weren''t lying. Besides, they might be arrogant brats, but they weren''t liars. So for him, all Mane''s words did were cause a crease in his brows. What could the kid possibly want to say that was so sensitive?


    "If I may be so rude as to interject. I don''t think you realise you are in the Student Council Building. This isn''t your backyard kid."


    Before Frederick could even reply, the Head of Finance beat him to the punch- with words that caused him to turn slightly pale. He wasn''t the only one. Selina''s face lost her smile when she heard his words. Her frown deepened when she saw the huge smile on Mane''s face remained unchanged. She was experienced enough to recognise the fact that the little blondie was smiling, didn''t mean he wasn''t offended. She cast her eyes to the Head of Finance. The Financial Secretary was your typical strict executive. He was a stout follower of procedure and did not bend the rules for anyone. He was obviously offended that a boy younger than him by quite a number, was acting ''rudely''. She could only hope that Mane did not take the fool''s words to heart. But it wasn''t Mane who reacted to his words- Jake did.


    Over the years, the four boys had grown very close. Jake and John may be twins, but they felt as though Mane and Abelard were family. Quadruplets if I may be so bold as to describe their relationship. Since they were not as bright as Mane and Abe, they looked up to the two as their ''older'' brothers, with Mane the higher placed in their hearts. Any form of disrespect towards their brother was not going to go unpunished.


    "You better take back your words if you do not want to be pummeled to the ground."


    Jake''s tone was cold, very much unlike his fiery aura that gradually filled the room. Even Frederick found it difficult to breathe under the pressure. Selina was just as gob smacked. How was this the pressure of an E-grade wielder! She was a B-grade wielder, and was infinitely close to the A-grade. Yet even she found it difficult to breath under Jake''s strong aura. It wasn''t an aura of nobility (since Jake is the son of a Grand Duke). The aura of nobility wasn''t able to push her to this stage. The boy was clearly stronger than her.


    "Stop it Jake. He didn''t mean any harm."


    Mane, with a bemused expression on his face, put his hand on Jake''s shoulder in an attempt to calm him down. The silver wolf was his spirit animal. It was a creature that hunted in a pack. He may be strong but he knew he could never do it all alone. He needed a team, so he built one. The Silver Wolves team wasn''t built for a measly Academic achievement. It was built for life. It was his team, and he was the alpha!


    NAME: Jake


    AGE: 10


    RACE: Zandorian (100%)


    LEVEL: Above-Mortal Stage 2 (Level 32.45)


    SPECIALTY: Strength and Vitality


    NAME: John


    AGE: 10


    RACE: Zandorian (100%)


    LEVEL: Above-Mortal Stage 2 (Level 32.51)


    SPECIALTY: Strength and Vitality


    NAME: Abe


    AGE: 10


    RACE: Zandorian (100%)


    LEVEL: Above-Mortal Stage 3 (Level 33.45)


    SPECIALTY: Strength, Intelligence, and Vitality


    "I''m sorry for my teammate''s behavior. He can be a bit overzealous sometimes."


    Mane stood up and bowed slightly in apology, an act that seem to finally calm the nerves of the Council members, though a bit of their unease still remained.


    "No, I should be the one to apologize. My Council member''s words were a bit impolite."


    Frederick also stood and bowed in apology, finally causing the frown on Jake''s face to disappear.


    "Could you excuse us please?"


    This time Frederick''s words were obeyed by the Council members without any complaints. There were no voices of displeasure, their eagerness to leave clearly displayed. Even the Financial Secretary kept mute.


    "Before I say anything else I would like to apologize for severely injuring your brother. I really didn''t mean to."


    Mane remained standing as he apologized once more when the last person exited the room, his teammates joining him in his polite gesture. Frederick accepted his apology with much enthusiasm, seeing the genuine look of remorse on the younger boy''s face. Of course, there was no way he was going to mention that his mom was going to kill him when she found out that all it took to conclude the case was an apology. He was certain that if he told his father about the strength of the assailant, he would keep his mother in check. Besides, his little brother may very well learn his lesson from this incident. Hopefully, he would learn to be modest after this.


    "It is water under the bridge, Captain Mane."


    "Please call me Mane."


    "In that case, you can refer to me as Fred."


    "Selina"


    "Abelard"


    "John"


    "Jake"


    Everyone sat down after the brief introductions, prompting Frederick to finally speak. "So, what is it you wanted to say, Cap¡­sorry¡­Mane?"


    Mane smiled at the little blunder, doing nothing to hide his amus.e.m.e.nt.


    "Well, it concerns the Hidden Cloak."


    Frederick and Selina faces wore serious expressions when they heard the words, ''hidden cloak''. It was obvious that they knew what it was- or rather, who it was.


    "He needs your help. You see, he''s scouting for talents and he wants you to join him."


    Mane continued as though he did not see their expressions.


    "And how would you know that?" Selina asked with uncertainty.


    Mane''s smile widened at her words, his eyes shining especially brightly.


    "Because I am he. I am Hidden Cloak."

 Chapter 36 - Hidden Cloak

    The Dark Kingdom. An organisation that had terrorized Zandorians for years now. There was very little information on this organisation. This band of terrorists had plagued the Planet of Zandor for centuries. No one knew where they originated from. Information on their leader was scarce. Any information on their ranks was as rare as a dragon''s tail. It was an organisation that stalked from the shadows, striking when a weakness was realised. That was the most terrifying enemy to have, one who could see you yet was unseen.


    This dark force was in constant battle with the Wielders Association for centuries now, the reason for the conflict unclear as a fog clouding a major street (the Wielder Association was no Saint. One would be naive to believe that the conflict was for the protection of the commoners). One thing was certain though. The Dark Kingdom had a depraved habit of capturing geniuses and brainwashing them. They then incorporated them into their ranks and had them fight those they were previously sworn to protect. It was a disgusting habit had earned them the ire of all. They were a rampant group that feared no one- until three years ago.


    They say every person has a weakness, and every being- no matter how powerful- has a bane. The Dark Kingdom was the bane of the Wielders Association. An enemy hidden and concealed in darkness, one they had lost countless advantages to. The Dark Kingdom had the Wielders Association looking over their shoulders with extreme caution, not wanting to lose out any longer.


    Over the past few decades, the activities of the Dark Kingdom had reduced. However, this did not bring any relief- only more trepidation. For although their activities had reduced in number, the scale of the attacks had increased. Initially attacks were centered on weaker territories, abductions performed when security was at its minimum. Well, not anymore. Even behemoths such as the Western Empire had all fallen prey to attacks from the Dark Kingdom. This formerly containable enemy, was not so containable anymore.


    It was clear that the Dark Kingdom was growing in power. Whatever it was that caused them hesitations in their movements before, was no longer a factor. They were no longer restrained. Now, why don''t we return to our story.


    As I was saying, every person has a weakness and everything under the Sun has its restrainer. This principle is the very basis of the popular game- rock, paper, and scissors. Rock breaks scissors, scissors cuts paper, and paper wraps rock. Just like this game, the Wielders Association restrained the untamed forces of Zandor, and the Dark Kingdom acted as the restraint for the Wielders Association. For years they had no restraint, a gap in the natural order- until three years ago.


    No one knew who he was. No one knew where he came from. Like the Dark Kingdom, his very existence was a mystery. It wasn''t even known whether he was really a ''he''. The people called him, "Hidden Cloak". He made his first appearance three years ago, covered entirely from head to toe with a dark cloak that concealed all his features. Like a beacon of hope, he appeared in Zandor. He was a rogue, and people like that were usually not accepted. Nor were they appreciated. Unless your specialty was hunting down the members of the Dark Kingdom.


    The Wielders Association could finally catch a breather, all because of this mysterious character. Where they had failed, he succeeded beautifully. No matter where the members of the Dark Kingdom appeared, Hidden Cloak was there to stop them. Well, stop was an understatement of what he did. He spared no member of the Dark Kingdom. Every member that was sent out in the last few years was killed. Even when they picked multiple locations, he was there. No one knew how he did it, or why he did it, but everyone was grateful he did. It was obvious that he had a vendetta against the Dark Kingdom. But no one really cared for what it was.


    When you spend your entire life trapped in a well, you would be grateful to whoever got you out, regardless of who it was. That was how the people felt. The n.a.k.e.dness they had felt under the terror of the Dark Kingdom was fully concealed by Hidden Cloak. Now the Dark Kingdom will also know how they felt, being afraid to step out because there''s someone watching your every move.


    As for Hidden Cloak, he was like a god to them. To them, he had done what even the Wielders Association was powerless to do. He had appeared when all thought the malignant tumor in the form of the Dark Kingdom was going to be the ruin of the land someday. This bane to the Dark Kingdom was who they needed. Whilst the Wielder Association maintained and restrained the criminals of the land, the Hidden Cloak was responsible for restraining the Dark Kingdom. With the Dark Kingdom on a leash, Zandor was definitely safer now.


    It was justice, karma, life. Balance had been restored and the laws of the world re-established. For even the greatest of predators had their predators. Cobras were hunted by mongoose and sharks gunned down by orcas. The Hidden Cloak may have appeared mysteriously, but he was definitely at the top of the food chain now. And it didn''t seem like he''d be done anytime soon. Unless he could kill off the Dark Kingdom so quickly.


    The people were wrong about something though. The Hidden Cloak was not one person. In their blind worship and adoration for him they had ignored pretty telling evidence of the Hidden Cloak being a group, not an individual.


    Firstly, Hidden Cloak was able to foil the plans of the Dark Kingdom at multiple locations. Even with a cloning technique, with such long distances, one would have to be at the Nobility Realm to pull that off. Zandor was a planet of the lower realm, there was no way such an expert existed on it. Maybe in the near future, but not now.


    Also, there was no way the Hidden cloak was able to read into the plans of the Dark Kingdom and foil them all on his own. It seemed like something only a well worked organisation would be capable of.


    And right it was. Only this organisation was not a large one. And it was filled with kids.

 Chapter 37 - Helplessness

    "What?!"


    "Please don''t joke about that"


    The statements made by Frederick and Selina were different. But the shock and disbelief contained in them were well and properly conveyed. Mane did not look bothered by their disbelief, and neither did his team members. Jake had placed his attention on his nails, the bite marks on them the evidence of their suffering. John had his attention robbed by a statue at the corner of the room. As for what he saw in that figurine, no one knew. For it wasn''t anything unique. Abe, perhaps the only attentive listener on the team, had his eyes shut. One who didn''t know the Prince would have assumed he wasn''t listening. An assumption that was very wrong.


    "Well Hidden Cloak isn''t a single individual. It is an organisation. One that I founded three years ago."


    Mane ignored their surprise and continued with his explanation, gently sipping the glass of water that was before him.


    "So what you trying to tell us is that you founded Hidden Cloak when you were just 7 years old?"


    Selina''s twitching brow was a good enough conveyor of her emotions. It was common knowledge in Zandor that the path of wielders could only be embarked upon by people who had awakened their bloodlines and had acquired a suitable wielding technique. A person typically went through their awakening between the ages of nine and ten. What she drew from Mane''s words were, "Okay so I was only 7 and hadn''t awakened yet. But I didn''t need to, because I am already strong enough to bring dread to the Dark Kingdom."


    Let us ignore strength for a moment here. How did 7 year olds get so much information on the Dark Kingdom that, they always seemed to be two or three steps ahead of their opponents? It wasn''t just Selina, even Frederick had a hard time believing what he was being told. And these were people who had a fair idea of Mane''s strength. Plus, Jake had surprised them with his a few moments ago. That alone was enough to show that the strength of the other team members was greater than it was rumored to be. Supposing it was someone else, there was no way they would believe it either.


    "That is correct", Mane nonchalantly answered Selina, the glass of water still in his hands. Mane did not give the President and his Vice time to digest the information given thus far, proceeding to explain.


    "I know what you are thinking and you couldn''t be more wrong. That belief that one can only become a wielder after awakening their bloodline is but a superstition. In the myriad of realms, many legends and powerhouses are without bloodlines, yet their stories inspire the young and send chills down the spines of their enemies. One only requires a wielding technique that can support an individual without a bloodline. And their level of talent would do the rest", Mane paused at this juncture. Finally Frederick and Selina had time to digest the information they had just received. And boy did they need that break.


    Everything Mane had told them was a direct opposition to all that they believed in. It was a contradiction to what was paraded as truth on the Planet of Zandor. They wished they could argue it out, but the evidence of Mane''s words were overwhelming. What is the evidence you ask? Well it was sitting right in front of them. The four ten year olds with immeasurable strength that sat opposite them.


    Upon seeing that the two had calmed down, Mane went on with his explanations.


    "You see in Zandor, you are told that the SSS-grade is the peak. With some Zandorians striding past the SSS-grade and reaching the L-grade. This information is false. The L-grade is merely the peak of the mortal realm which has ten levels. After the mortal realm are six other realms. Jake, John, and Abe wield energy belonging to the above-mortal realm, the second of the wielding realms. I possess strength belonging to the profound realm, the third among these seven realms."


    Just when the two had calmed down sufficiently, another mind blowing piece of information was delivered to them. A spectator might argue that Mane was doing this on purpose, hoping the Student Council Heads break down.


    NAME: Mane


    AGE: 10


    RACE: Supreme


    LEVEL: Profound Stage 7 (Level 47.95)


    SPECIALTY: Strength, Intelligence, and Speed


    Selina had a bitter smile on her pretty face. Her beautiful eyes were slightly lost, as she reflected on the bombshell that had been dropped nonchalantly by the young child before her. She was regarded a prodigy. A fifteen year old who had the strength of a B-grade wielder. Yet there were children who had strength several times greater than hers. Her accomplishments paled in comparison. Her achievements were a child''s play compared to theirs. She was just at the fifth level of the mortal realm. Whereas every single member of the Silver Wolves team was at least an entire realm above her.


    Frederick wasn''t any better. He was a noble but his title held very little power. Luckily for him, he was blessed with good talent. Talent that had seen him stride into the fourth level of the mortal stage- or C-grade as he had referred to it for a greater portion of his life- before he was fifteen. This had given him confidence. The belief that his birth origins mattered not, only his life achievements. And from the looks of things, his life was going to be a pretty awesome one. That was until what he had just heard. Before, he was satisfied with his talent. But now after hearing he was merely at the beginning, he was filled with bitterness. He used to think his talent was among the top. But before these freaks, his talent was barely passable.


    Mane smiled at their bitter expressions. All the emotions he wanted to see were clearly displayed before his eyes. He had gradually told them all this, revealed such sensitive information, and dropped one bombshell after another just to invoke the feeling of helplessness. If he had given them the time to think they would have realised that they didn''t have it bad at all. After all, they belonged to Zandor, a planet that didn''t even have any known Above-Mortal Realm experts. If Mane had told them this, with only his strength being greater, it would not have worked out so well. In a way, Jake''s loss of control had been of great benefit.


    It had allowed Selina and Frederick to realise that among the six in the room, their strength was at the bottom. The pride of geniuses made accepting such a scenario difficult to swallow. It would make them eager to change that- by any means necessary. Mane had tossed in the bait and the prey had swallowed it whole- hook and line as well. It was now time to reel in the fish.


    "I didn''t say this just to discourage you. I am here to give you a choice. A chance to get out of the well you''re trapped in and explore the starry skies with us. A chance to see what lies beyond Zandor. A chance to rid yourselves of your mediocrity. So, would you join Hidden Cloak?"

 Chapter 38 - Two Recruits

    "So, do you think he''s telling the truth?" Selina asked Frederick, her slightly shaking hands betraying her true emotions, cancelling out the calm in her voice.


    "I think you already know the answer to that question." Frederick answered her whilst gulping down a glass of cold orange juice. Natural fruit juice always seemed to calm him down when he was anxious. But today it seemed as though this beverage had lost its effectiveness. His brain just kept playing the conversation they had with the Silver Wolves team over and over again, with no signs of stopping. His mind was a complete mess.


    "What do you think we should do?" Frederick asked, eager to hear Selina''s thoughts.


    "I want to join him." Hardly had Frederick posed his question, did its reply find its way to the Student Council President.


    Frederick turned to look at Selina. He had known her long enough to know what her current gaze meant. That determination on her pretty face meant she had already made her decision, one that she wasn''t going to change. Frederick sighed meekly, a somber look on his face as he recalled Mane''s last words before he left.


    "Remember though, that choosing this path would mean going against enemies far stronger than we are now. The Dark Kingdom is merely the first step, and the simplest one at that. Unfortunately, I can''t give you all day to decide. But I will give you privacy to discuss amongst yourselves. Please do call us when you reach a consensus. We will be waiting outside."


    This was the reason for Frederick''s hesitation. He was a smart boy, smarter than Selina. He wasn''t sure she had really understood Mane''s last words. Anyone else listening to Mane would assume that he was referring to the enemies they would make while exploring the realms. However, Frederick knew better. When Mane had spoken about the dangers they were going to face, there was a serious and somber look on his face. It was clear he had an idea of who these enemies were.


    But the offer was still a lucrative one nonetheless. Frederick was an intelligent child. And like every intelligent child out there, he was filled with curiosity. Being told that there were countless other worlds out there led to an itch that could only be scratched by exploring these realms. He was also unwilling to be a mere grain of sand in the grand scheme of things. Knowing that the path of wielding was far longer and broader than he thought, there was no way he would be satisfied with having such limited strength. And he was certain Selina felt the same.


    Until now she had been regarded as a genius, recognised by the powerhouses of this planet as a prodigy. She was a B-grade wielder at the top of the pecking order even amongst experienced hunters. No matter how modest she may be, she still had the pride of a virtuoso deep within her bones. Finding out she was far weaker than not one, not two, but four kids younger than her- and by a wide margin too- was difficult to swallow. The competitive spirit that had lay dormant for so long had been awakened. He was certain whatever the dangers that lay ahead were not enough to deter his friend from seeking for the peak.


    Frederick raised his head and stared at the ceiling, his eyes unfocused as he mumbled softly, "Whether or not it is the right decision can only be determined by the outcome. Besides, I hate to live with regrets and I''m confident that rejecting this offer would be the biggest regret of my life."


    Selina''s eyes sparkled at Frederick''s words, a smile had returned to her face and her hands shook with an even greater intensity. Only this time it wasn''t due to the anxiety, but excitement.


    "I''ll go call them back in." Looking at Selina''s excited figure rushing towards the door, all Frederick could think to himself was, "I hope this isn''t going to be a regrettable decision instead."


    _____________________________________________________________________________________


    "So do you think they''ll join us?" Jake asked Abe, his eyes full of curiosity and innocence that it was difficult to associate him with the out of control figure a few minutes ago.


    Looking at Jake''s eyes, Abe felt very conflicted. He then tuned his head to look at John, who had a similar look of innocence on his face. He was just as old as these two, but he never felt that way. He felt he was too mature for his age and a bit out of place sometimes. He then cast his eyes to Mane''s figure, and felt his restless emotions settle. Now that was someone very much like him. Just as mature and intelligent. At least with Mane around, he didn''t feel so lost.


    "They will", Abe''s answer to the question spoken with such confidence the twins wondered why.


    "Why?" John asked.


    "They are regarded as geniuses, and geniuses have ambitions. No prodigy doesn''t feel the drive to improve themselves, to get better than the masses. If they really are true to themselves, they would consent. Besides, Mane seems pretty sure they will."


    The twins nodded their heads in such a coordinated manner that it seemed choreographed. They turned their eyes towards their captain and close friend, Mane.


    Mane had his eyes closed as he leaned against the wall, a ball of water suspended over his open palm. The water seemed to have a mind of its own, slowly circling the space above Mane''s palm. Occasionally, Mane would flick his wrist as though tossing a ball into the air, and the ball of water would fly up and descend in response.


    "I still don''t know how you do that. Even with awakened bloodlines, that level of skill and control is simply unreal." Mane smiled at Abe''s words, his eyes still closed.


    "There are many things you still don''t know yet Abe. I will tell you everything in due time. Besides, it seems we are wanted." The water ball evaporated at an unbelievable speed with the door to the room they stood before opening when the last drop disappeared, almost as if on cue. Selina''s bright face greeted them.


    "So?" Mane still had his eyes closed, clearly in no rush to enter the room. At least, without receiving a reply.


    "We will join you." Selina''s voice was filled with eagerness as she opened the door widely to let them in.


    Mane opened his eyes and took large strides into the room, the rest of the Silver Wolves team behind him.


    "Good. Then we have much to discuss."

 Chapter 39 - His name is Mane

    "You have finally returned. How was the expedition this time?" The pleasant voice of a beautiful woman rang across the brightly lit room. She had dark long hair and black eyes with a well sculptured face. The horns present on her head did nothing to mask her beauty but rather further emphasizing it. She wore a white colored top with was neatly tucked into a thick pair of trousers that covered her legs fully. Long combat boots kept her feet hidden and gave her a soldierly vibe. Her simple attire looked expensive on her, showcasing her lovely curves.


    "Yes sister. I came across something interesting." The thick and tall frame of the speaker, coupled with the friendly smile on his face made for a comical sight. His hair and eyes matching his sister''s, Kahn walked towards her and gave her a hug.


    "You''re fifteen now and in the army. When are you going to stop wanting a cuddle? Your men may very well lose respect for you if they see you like this." Kahn''s sister had a playful smile on her face as she teased her little brother.


    "They aren''t here are they? Besides, who cares what they think? They know me well enough to know that a round of intensive pummeling awaits anyone who disrespects my family." Kahn waved his fist around as if to demonstrate what he was going to do to whomever pissed him off.


    "Enough of the foolery. Let us go to my room so we can really talk." Kahn''s sister giggled slightly as she peeled her brother off her.


    "Alright. Oh and by the way I have a question for you. Where is Father? I can''t seem to feel his presence." Kahn asked on their short walk to his sister''s room.


    "Your bloodline glow is very impressive indeed. Father is not around at the moment. He left a few days ago to see the Celestial Emperor." Kahn''s sister had a carefree expression on her face when she mentioned the Celestial Emperor.


    "The Celestial Emperor huh. I am curious though? What are you doing here? I was under the assumption that you had been assigned a new mission." They had finally reached their destination and Kahn comfortably occupied the only couch in the room.


    His sister didn''t seem to mind. She kicked off her boots and plumped herself wholly onto her large bed as she replied, "Finished with that. I returned a few days ago. I was just about done with training when you walked in."


    "You really are worthy of your name nickname Rosa. Finishing an A class mission so quickly." Kahn did not seem too surprised by Rosa''s words. It wasn''t because he had blind faith in his family. He was so confident because he knew what his sister was capable of. She was just seven years older than him, but she had the strength of a Heaven Realm expert. Even for Greater Celestials, that was a difficult achievement. Only a few of her peers could boast of such strength. Her speed of improvement and impressive combat power had earned her the title, "Meteor". It was a name given based on the speed and destruction of a meteor crashing onto a planet.


    "You''re one to talk. Even at your age, I didn''t have such strength. Peak of Profound Realm at such a young age. You''re definitely the most talented person in the Universe. I don''t care what others say about Max. There''s no way he''s ever catching up to you."


    Kahn had a wry smile on his face listening to Rosa speak. For as long as he could remember, his sister had always believed in him. Even before he had started training, she believed he would become the best. His father had told him what his sister had said when he was born, "He is definitely going to be the strongest Celestial- no, person- in the Universe!"


    Her blind faith in him was a major driving force for his improvements. He did not want to let her down. Though this time, he had come across someone far more talented.


    "If it was a few days ago, there is no way I would have disagreed with you. This time, I have to object."


    "Oh? Does this have to do with the ''interesting'' thing you came across?" Rosa was a sharp witted woman. Her brain quickly took her back to the words her brother had spoken when he walked into her in the hallway.


    "Indeed. I came across a young boy who didn''t look older than 11. His strength was already in the latter stages of the Profound Realm. One of the sensors on my team placed his strength at the seventh level of the Profound Realm."


    "That''s impossible. There is absolutely no way such a child exists! How can such a Celestial exist?" Rosa had a look of disbelief on her gorgeous face. And who could blame her. Even Kahn, a decorated genius of the Greater Celestials, was only in the mid-stages of the Above-Mortal realm when he was ten. It was difficult to believe there was someone possessing talent that far outstripped that of a Celestial race prodigy.


    "He isn''t a Celestial." Kahn immediately corrected his sister, seeming to care little for the kind of shock this new information would bring her.


    "What?! Let me get this straight. A genius of another race is here on our planet?" Rosa gently massaged her temples, rubbing her horns in the process.


    "Yes. But that isn''t the most intriguing part of the story."


    "What could possibly be more shocking?" Rosa''s eyebrows twitched as she cast her gaze to Kahn.


    "I lost to him. Not just I, but Max lost as well."


    "What?!!!" This time, Rosa''s exclamation was so loud Kahn had to cover his ears. It was a good thing the room was sound proof, or all the servants in the house would be startled by her shout. Rosa was someone who rarely lost her cool. Her reaction to the news was enough to display how unbelievable it was. Celestials had combat strength exceeding most of the races. Greater Celestials were even better. But now she was hearing her brother speak of a child who did not only have greater talent, but insane combat power.


    "Oh and it happened when we fought against him together- with the entire platoon included. His combat power was insane. Almost as if he was built for battle."


    "So how are you still here? Don''t tell me he didn''t know how to kill off members of the Celestial race." Rosa had finally calmed down. There was no way she was going to believe an inhabitant of the planet did not know how to kill those who resided in it.


    "He did. He let us go and said he wanted to be friends with us. It will sure be fun to see him again."


    Rosa calmly listened to her brother and said, "Where''d he go?"


    "Not sure. He used a teleportation circle. Whoever he is, he must have a very impressive background."


    Kahn did not think for a second that his new friend wasn''t an inhabitant of this planet. Although the Celestials were a relatively smaller race, their planet was a large one. To him, this mystery boy had teleported to a more reclusive region.


    "Indeed. Anyone who uses a teleportation circle is no commoner. Did he tell you his name?" Rosa''s shock had long since dissipated, leaving curiosity in its departure.


    "Yes, he did. His name is Mane."

 Chapter 40 - The Boy In The Painting

    In a well-lit room with ample space, a tall man stood All his focus was on the canvas mounted before him. He held a brush in his right hand and a flurry of colors adorned the thin wooden sheet on his left. The easel that held the canvas was as black as his hair and a stark contrast to this brightly lit room.


    "So this is what the kid looks like huh." Rosa commented as she looked at the figure portrayed brilliantly on the canvas, a feat made possible by the incredible artistry of her brother.


    "Yes. This is he." Kahn nodded at her words, not even bothering to turn towards her, his focus still on the painting. He applied the finishing touches with extreme deftness of the fingers. Such delicate movements was a strange sight to behold, when one recalled that its originator was a burly and rough looking soldier. In fact none of the soldiers in Kahn''s platoon were aware of his hobby. His skills with the brush was a secret only those close to him were privy to.


    "Done." Kahn gently set his tools on the bench in his workspace and stared at his creation, very much like his sister was doing. The figure on the canvas had his back to his observers. Even in a painting his hair seemed to be flowing brilliantly in the wind, a testament to the artist''s excellent skills. The color of his hair complimented the golden rays of the sun, which for this masterpiece was merely a spectator and ''co-star'', a position wasn''t a possibility in reality. He had his head turned slightly to the left, making his blue colored left eye visible.


    Although there was no one else in that painting, it was no difficulty to tell that its star was a child. Yet he did not give off such an aura. The hand of the boy in the painting was raised nonchalantly in greeting, his back upright, and his head held high. Even without seeing his face, the aura of a warrior and king could be felt on him. No, this wasn''t the aura of a king that ruled over a people. It was the aura of a Warrior King, one who hadn''t met his match and was without equal. The pressure the boy gave off was not great. However, the more one looked at the painting, the more one felt lost in wonder at what one saw. A feeling Rosa was currently experiencing.


    "Your skills have improved dramatically. You are even able to capture his very essence on canvas." Finally able to tear her eyes away from the painting, Rosa immediately praised her brother. It was a well-deserved compliment considering that only Masters of the Brush were able to accomplish such a feat.


    "Not necessarily sister. The impression and vibe this kid gives off is difficult to forget and hard to shake off. It was no problem recreating it. I just made myself sink into that feeling whilst I painted." Kahn shook off his sister''s praise and proceeded to wash his hands, with Rosa''s help of course.


    "It is still a great feat. No matter how simple you think it is, one must have your level of sensitivity to feel and retain such an experience. Then again, your most useful bloodline glow is ''The Sense''. I guess it gives you that advantage." Rosa''s words were spoken as she gently poured the bowl of water over her brother''s hands. Because they did not want to be disturbed, the job of the servants had become hers- not that she seemed to mind. She gently handed him a cloth, which he used to wipe his large hands.


    Once again, her words were right. Although Kahn made it seem like it was a simple thing, it in fact was not. It was just like having an eidetic memory, or let us even go lower, a photographic one. It will be easy for you to just see (or hear, in the case of eidetic memories) something and reproduce it entirely, as long as you had the skill. This is not so with someone who does not have such excellent memory. This was the reason why many artists are unable to draw something from memory.


    Even for Master Artists, observing the individual in person as they painted to capture their full essence wasn''t a rarity. This was a feature that Kahn''s bloodline glow, ''The Sense'', gave him. Under this glow and his excellent memory, it was extremely difficult to hide from him, even when a person is completely concealed. As long as you have met him before, and left a solid impression, he would recognize you. This was why he was not as excited to meet Mane as Max was. This was why Max could freely ask for his name without any care and Kahn couldn''t. Max did not feel what he Kahn felt when he looked at the kid. Max saw talent, Kahn saw a king.


    "Did he give you a last name? If he has access to a teleportation circle he must surely come from a good family." Rosa asked as she turned to admire her brother''s handiwork once more.


    "No. He left only his first name behind." Kahn replied as he shook his head. Kahn didn''t think it was necessary to inform Rosa that he hadn''t even asked for his name. He was certain that if Max was not there that day, he would have just let the boy go without any further questions.


    "Even so the color of his hair is uncommon. There are few high realm families with blonde hair. And fewer with such deep blue eyes." Kahn calmly stated as he placed the hand napkin down. Rosa nodded at his words. The boy had peculiar features that made him stand out. A little research would be enough to get a clue on his origins. And she knew just where to search. She was just reluctant to go there.


    "You know we have to go there right. I know you don''t want to but we don''t have a choice. Besides, there is no way that man would give me access unless you are with me." Kahn smiled wryly when he saw his sister''s exhausted expression.


    Their family was a great one. But their father''s temper was even greater. The older man had burned down the family library a few months ago in one of his fits. No part of the great room was spared, and the restricted section was no different. Till date, the library was being repaired. The books that adorned the shelves were all gone- along with the shelves.


    There were only two other places they could go to get such information- the other two great houses amongst the Greater Celestials in this city. Max belonged to one of these houses. But Kahn knew he wouldn''t be allowed in since Max was not around. He knew this for a fact, since he had left his mate saddled with all the paperwork as he rushed home. Of course, they could wait for Max. It wouldn''t be long until the taller boy returned, but none of them had that level of patience. As for the other great house? Well, it is an uncomfortable location for his sister.


    Rosa gently grabbed her horns and sighed, "Let''s get this over with then."

 Chapter 41 - Giant City

    Planet Celestial was an enormous planet with a diameter of almost 300,000 km. Its land was rich and vast, with ample resources for all. It had several deep seas and even deeper oceans. Fertile and rich seemed like understatements for this planet. Even with its vast land, it had only a single large and well known desert, and only a few forbidden zones. Contrary to the land mass of this great planet, the Celestials were a small race. The average number recorded for a race was a little over 10 billion. Yet the Celestials were barely up to 50 million.


    Because of their relatively small numbers, they occupied a small portion of Planet Celestial. However, they were strong. Their strength had made them rulers of this land and the name of their race made it obvious to all the power they held on Planet Celestial. They occupied the center (the planet is round and hence doesn''t really have a center. The center here refers to the place with the best resources) of the planet and had jurisdiction over the best natural resources, the largest ocean included in their vast array of wealth.


    The Celestials were a united race. Unlike the lowly planet of Zandor, where there were four major empires and several kingdoms under their ''servitude'', the Celestials had only one empire.


    One may attribute it to their small size, yet that wasn''t the entire reason. Planet Zandor was young. It couldn''t possibly compare to the rich history of Planet Celestial, a planet of the high realm that had bred life for billions of years. Just like Planet Celestial, the Celestials themselves were almost as old as this planet. After conquering the entire planet, centuries and millennia of in-fighting had led to the birth of the single ruling monarchy. Maybe when Zandor grew just as old, there would be only one empire as the head.


    The Celestials had many villages, towns and cities in their vast and strong empire. The Greater Celestials resided in the best of them with the Lessers settling for the rest. After all, Greater Celestials were all nobles. Even so, every city was maintained by a Greater Celestial House. As for the towns and villages, they were watched by Lessers who had been granted a title of nobility due to merits. But even among the cities, there was a clear hierarchy. There were three major cities in the territory of the Greater Celestials. The capital city, Imperium; the political city, Flagstaff City; and the military city, Giant City. Each of these cities had their roles and tried not to get in each other''s way. Though Imperium had definite sway over the other two.


    Each city had three major houses that were given the privilege of performing service to the Emperor by taking up the position of "Lord of the City". The Lord wasn''t called by his name but by the title given to him. For instance, the Lord of Flagstaff City was referred to as the ''Lord of the Staff''. This position would then be held by that House for ten years, before control was handed over to the other houses. The delegation of this authority fell into the hands of Flagstaff City, with only the Emperor himself having the power to overrule their decision. The delegation of power was completely random. One House could be chosen to rule for over thirty consecutive years and another, may finally gain power after a century.


    In Giant City, the current ''Lord of the Giants'' was the Head of the Kaiser Reich House- Max''s father. The Lord had held this position for over forty years now. The last time Kahn''s family- the Romano House- were appointed as Lords was a bit over a century ago. That was how unpredictable the position of Lord was. The other noble family that had the honor of serving as Lords and proud rivals of the Kaiser Reich House, were the Diaz House. This was where Kahn and Rosa were headed.


    "I can''t believe I have to meet that jackass again." Seated in a luxurious carriage pulled by four large horses, Rosa groaned.


    "No one is forcing this on you. You''re the one who said you couldn''t wait till Max returns. If you have a change of heart there''s always time to go back. Besides, if others hear you calling him a jackass, they wouldn''t be pleased. He is a talent among the younger generation after all." Kahn was seated opposite his sister. He had his eyes on the scenery outside, clearly admiring the view and brushing off his elder sister''s complaints.


    The Diaz family was a strong family with quite a number of descendants. Whereas both the Kaiser Reich and Romano family heads had only one and two heirs respectively, the Diaz family had five- two males and three females. For a race that had a relatively small population, that was pretty big.


    The problem Rosa had with visiting the Diaz House was simple- one of her suitors lived there. He didn''t just live there, he was third child of the Diaz family Head. Although he was born as the middle child, he was the first male. This position had provided him with power above that of his elder sisters. This suitor was also a genius. He was highly regarded among the Greater Celestials, with his strength already at the peak of the Heaven Realm three years ago. It was rumored that he had broken into the Nobility Realm a year ago. With his talent, this rumor may very well be the truth.


    "Younger generation? That old coot is almost forty. Yes he is talented, but can he not chase after women of his age?" Rosa frowned as she spoke about her suitor. Surely being at the peak of the Heaven Realm or the early stages of the Nobility Realm was an impressive achievement for even a 60 year old Greater Celestial. Not to talk of one who was barely 40 years old. However to Rosa, his strength held no value. He may be good looking but it didn''t change the fact that he was almost twenty years older. She had many suitors, all of them weaker than him. But she loved to interact with them, even if she didn''t reciprocate their feelings. This was because they were all her age mates. It was fun to hang out with them. Some women may prefer older men, but she was certain she wasn''t one of those women.


    The carriage grinded to a halt, as the coachman proceeded to announce their arrival. Kahn glanced at Rosa as he stood up to exit the carriage, "Well, whatever complaints you may have against him you have to keep them to yourself- at least for now. We have arrived at his place after all."

 Chapter 42 - First Young Master Luis

    "You are looking as graceful as ever, dear Rosa." A handsome young man gently greeted as he lightly kissed Rosa''s outstretched hand.


    The young man was not as tall as Kahn, but he wasn''t short either. He had dark curly hair, an unusual trait amongst the normally straight haired Celestials, and horns that were longer than average. His eye color was just as rare as his hair- it was marigold. His face was well sculpted and held together by his firm chin. Though, his choice to grow a beard had hidden his chin''s features. All in all, he was a handsome chap.


    "The pleasure is ours, young master Diaz. And please, do try to remember that it is rude to call an acquaintance by their first name. Lady Romano would do just fine." Rosa calmly took her hand out of the young man''s as she explained with a kind smile.


    Kahn had a wry smile on his face when he heard his sister''s words. He found nothing wrong with the first young master of the Diaz family. He actually found him a pleasant fellow. A man who showed a high level of maturity that most of Rosa''s younger suitors did not have. Kahn had spoken to the older man a few times and actually liked the intelligent man. He had fresh ideas and was genial with many people. His calm and modest bearing was the reason why he was adored by even the Lessers.


    His sister however, did not see it this way. Unlike Kahn who admired the mature and intelligent, Rosa found them extremely boring. He couldn''t even recall the numerous times his sister had fallen asleep at a musical. It was just an issue with chemistry.


    The first young master of the Diaz family smiled wryly. He didn''t know why Rosa detested him so. He had a good reputation and an even better character. If he knew what it was that caused her to disdain him so much, he would surely work on it. Unfortunately, he did not have such knowledge. And if he did, he would surely be disappointed with the reply.


    "I am saddened by your words, Lady Romano. I do wish you would see me as more than an acquaintance. It would be this humble fellow''s grace to have you as a friend." Even though he was disappointed, he still listened to her wishes like the gentleman he was.


    "Thank you for your understanding, young master Diaz." Rosa lightly smiled and naturally ignored the last bits of the older man''s words.


    "When that day does come, and I have faith that it will, hearing you call me Luis would be my honor." Luis said solemnly as he sat down once again. Raising his hand slightly to signal the servants in the hall to refill their wine glasses.


    There was no way she was ever going to be friends with the boring fellow, Rosa assured herself as she sipped her wine gently.


    "So, why are you here? I''m fairly certain it is not business related as the entire city is aware of my father''s absence. And your father''s, is also well known. My assumption is you came here for a favor. If so, what can I do for you?" Luis still had a smile on his face as he calmly analysed the reason for their visit.


    Kahn smiled in admiration at the older man''s words. Luis was a very capable man. And in light of his capabilities, his father was rarely around, leaving most of his duties to his son. But even with such power, Luis seldom made business decisions on his own. He always consulted his father and the elders before doing something big. When once asked about this very cautious habit, he stated, "My father is still the head of the house, isn''t he?" This answer that had justified his actions and showcased his high level of intelligence. He only broke this habit once, and that was due to an emergency. And of course, his decisions that day had yielded splendid results, assuring all that he was more than ready to take over from his father.


    Kahn cast his gaze to Rosa and smiled bitterly. Unfortunately, Rosa had no admiration for Luis''s expert deduction, only feeling the distance between herself and Luis increase.


    "As usual, your powers of deduction are very impressive. You are right. We came seeking your help on a personal endeavor." Kahn had his back in a perfect 90 degrees as he placed his wine glass down.


    "Oh? What is it then?" Luis gently encouraged Kahn to continue.


    "Well, you are aware that our library was destroyed some months ago. Unfortunately, it is still under construction and has not been completed yet." Kahn paused to sip some wine and Luis patiently waited for him to continue, although the younger boy knew that the older man was already aware of what he wanted from his first few sentences.


    "We would like to go through your archives. That is, if we are not asking for too much." Kahn finished his statement and looked at Luis expectantly, awaiting his reply.


    "Of course not, though I wouldn''t be the one to accompany you. I''m currently dealing with some matters you see." Luis was aware that Rosa was eager to get away from him, and he wasn''t one to impose. Of course, knowing the bitter truth and seeing it in the form of Rosa''s split second gleeful smile brought a different feeling.


    The older man swallowed his bitterness and raised his hand to beckon one of the servants, "Hector, please see to it that they have access to the library. Do not prohibit them from using the restricted section."


    "Yes, First Young Master", replied Hector, the servant who was better dressed than the rest. A clear indication that his position was above theirs and a message of how valuable Luis found his guests. Hector respectfully ushered them out of the hall, transferring the respect and admiration he had for his master, to his guests.


    "Life is indeed unfair. I have everything most dream of, yet the one thing I do crave, is out of reach." Now alone in the hall, Luis gulped down his wine as a resigned smile adorned his handsome face.

 Chapter 43 - The Thoughts of an A-grade Genius

    Luis was a genius amongst the Celestials. The Celestial race was one of the high races in the entire universe. So being acknowledged as a prodigy in such a powerful race meant one was a universe level genius. In the entire Celestial race, those acknowledged as geniuses for each generation were no more than ten. The older that generation got, the more relevant their talent. The Celestial race was a race of soldiers. Planet Celestial was under their rule but that rule was not a smooth one. Hence, the strong had more value than the weak.


    For instance, Kahn''s genius was acknowledged as the best in the entire race, alongside some others. Everyone acknowledged that his talent was higher than Luis''s. After all, comparing their respective achievements at Kahn''s current age was enough to prove that Kahn was ahead in terms of talent- and by quite a margin too. Yet Luis and the prodigies of his generation were regarded as far more important than the talents of Kahn''s generation.


    In the Celestial race, one was no longer considered as part of the younger generation after exceeding the ripe age of fifty. Those geniuses from the age of forty to forty nine were regarded as S-grade geniuses. Those who were between the ages of thirty and forty were A-grade geniuses. Those from the ages of twenty to twenty nine were B-grade; and those under the age of twenty yet older than twelve, were C-grade geniuses. These grades were given by the military, with a person granted a grade depending on his genius and age. If a talent failed to meet the required expectations, it wasn''t a demotion that awaited him/her, but a total dismissal. It was that harsh. So, if a B-grade genius did not rack up achievements befitting his talent, he wasn''t demoted to the C-grade, but cast aside as a regular Celestial.


    And the division of talents was not the same for all Celestials. Since Greater Celestials were generally more talented than the Lesser Celestials, they had very separate lists. The list for the Lessers was referred to as the Lesser list, with the list for the Greater Celestials having no such description. For instance, a Lesser with an A-grade talent would be on the Lessers A-grade list, whereas the corresponding Greater Celestial would be on the A-grade list. Such a rating was justified, since a Lesser on the Lesser A-grade list was in no way superior to the corresponding Greater Celestial in terms of battle strength, awareness, and level.


    Also, the rating was not just a means of acknowledgement, but of power. Talents were delegated some responsibility, based on their grades. Just like Kahn and Max had been assigned to head a platoon because of their talent.


    Luis was about 39 years old and was supposedly at the peak of the Heaven Realm, an impressive achievement for any A-grade. It may seem a small achievement since Rosa was also a Heaven Realm expert, but any educated Celestial knew better.


    Celestials were able to devour the strength of others to improve. Being a race that was constantly at war, this was no problem. However, once one broke into the Heaven Realm, that all changes. The constant devouring was no longer a means to increase one''s strength. It all came down to the person''s talent. Each stage in the Heaven Realm was a chasm of its own. Even for the talented Celestial race, it takes the average Celestial about ten years to break through the earlier stages. The difficulty was doubled after each stage. So even among the Celestials, the Nobility Realm was a difficult level to reach. It was a level accessible to only true geniuses.


    Now back to our story. As an A-grade genius who had several superior achievements, Luis was more than qualified to be an S-grade genius. His age was the only thing that held him back, an obstacle that would be no longer present in a month''s time. As a highly regarded member of his house, and his race, Luis did not really have anything he sought for. He had strength, power, good looks and a bright mind. Many Celestials envied this seemingly perfect being, with the men wanting to be like him and the women itching to be with him. Yet this seemingly perfect lifeform was missing one thing- love.


    As corny as it may sound, Luis was a believer of true love. He believed that there was one person out there for everyone- he believed in soulmates. He had never taken advantage of his status to bed anyone, he was a gentleman that was sincerely searching for his better half. Under the urging and persistence of his father, he had met with many women, yet was left disappointed after each meeting. His father got increasingly worried as the years flew by. Any normal Celestial would be married by the age of 30. But Luis wasn''t your regular Celestial. He was a brilliant one, and it would take more than a pretty face to impress him. Due to this, he found all the ladies vain and shallow- until he met Rosa. They were acquainted a few months ago on the birthday of the Lord of the Giants. She cared very little for him, a new experience for a celebrity like himself. And she wasn''t one to hide what she was feeling. After meeting with her a few more times, he realised he had fallen for her.


    Unfortunately, she did not share in his sentiments. She did not like him and he had no idea why. He had tried several times to find out the reason, yet even his superior intellect could not see through that. For the first time in a long while, he felt that his bright mind was not so bright after all. For to our young prodigy here, if it could not help him win over the woman he loved, then what good was it?


    Luis stared at the empty wine bottles before him. Being so engrossed in his thoughts, he had unknowingly gone through 2 huge bottles all by himself.


    "Well, at the very least, I hope they find what they came for."

 Chapter 44 - Asgardian

    "I don''t understand why you detest the fellow so. He is kind, intelligent, good looking and very talented. And by far the best suitor. The rest have no redeeming qualities in the absence of their talent for wielding."


    Kahn lightly addressed his sister as he went through a huge book with equally thick pages. Both of them sat cross legged on very comfortable and expensive looking mats. The two were seated next to each other, with a huge stack of books at their sides. They had arrived at the library about an hour and a half ago, with Hector as their guide. The library of the Diaz household was huge, even bigger than theirs (in its pre destruction state). Since they were unfamiliar with the place, there was no way they would be able to find what they were searching for even, if they were given a month.


    Luckily, Hector was rightly his master''s subordinate, showing his thoughtfulness when he saw their troubled look. Although Luis had asked Hector to serve them, it was easy to tell from the latter''s demeanor and clothing, as well as the tone that he was addressed in, that he wasn''t just a servant. It was highly likely that he was the head butler of the Diaz house. As such, it would be awkward for the Romanos, who were merely visitors, to instruct him. After all, in the Diaz family, he had a better standing.


    Fortunately, Hector took the initiative to make enquiries of them, asking for what they needed. After the describing the sort of books they wanted to see, Hector ordered the library clerks to bring every book that fell under those descriptions to the Romano siblings- including those in the restricted section.


    It had taken just twenty minutes to gather the books, a very impressive feat considering the grand scale of the Diaz library. It was also a testament to the kind of authority Hector held in the family. Kahn could have sworn that none of the clerks paused to even take a breather, each rushing to complete the task they had been assigned. It was obvious that Hector had been ''leased'' to them, so they could get the best possible service. This knowledge made Kahn hold the young master in even higher regard.


    As for the room they were seated in, it was one of the many private rooms of the library, specifically the one that belonged to Luis. Hector was currently outside, giving them privacy to search as long as they wanted without any interferences.


    "He may be fascinating to you. But to me, he''s very boring. He isn''t rash. He''s too calm and worst of all, he doesn''t get into any fights. I mean, do you recall that in the most recent gathering that was held about a few months back, he was insulted and he just let it go. He didn''t even fight to protect his honor. If someone made that mistake with me, I''d have pummeled him or her into the ground."


    Rosa''s speech was aggressive, almost as though she was currently beating the taste out of somebody''s mouth. Her words brought a wry smile to Kahn''s handsome face. The qualities that Rosa condemned, were the very ones he admired.


    A strong man wasn''t one who swung his fists at the least provocation, he was one that knew when to strike and when not to. When all you did was to fight when provoked, it becomes too easy for your enemies to deal with you. Unfortunately, Rosa did not see it that way. To her, being rash was more attractive than a high level of maturity. In a way, she was still an immature little girl. Listening to her speak this way, Kahn wondered if she was truly the older of the two.


    He was a bit baffled by her words though. When Rosa spoke of the ''incident'' a few months back, he could feel the anger in her tone. Her anger was short-lived, yet Kahn sensed it. He knew Rosa very well, too well in fact. This was why her anger surprised him. The ''incident'' had nothing to do with her. It was a conflict between two A-grade geniuses. So for her to be mad was a bit unreasonable. Only if, only if-


    "Plus, he''s too old. I don''t like old men." Unfortunately, Rosa interrupted his thoughts with her next statement.


    "Well, you can think whatever you want, but we do owe him a favor." Kahn said as he redirected his attention to the books, putting the one he was reading aside and reaching out for a new one from the large pile.


    "I know. I have eyes too you know." Rosa mumbled lightly, her eyes wondering over the pages of the thin book in her hands. She could clearly see the effort that was put into making sure their needs were met, and she was grateful for that.


    "You said he had yellow hair, right?" Rosa suddenly questioned.


    "Yes. And blue eyes." Kahn answered, glancing at the book his sister was perusing. The book had the huge words, ''THE ASGARDIANS'' on its spine and title cover. He leaned over to see what she was looking at. On the page Rosa was holding up, there was an image of a man. An image that was clearly put together by a Master Artist. The man on the page had a huge smile on his face, yet the aura that the simple picture exuded was suffocating. Beads of sweat formed on Kahn''s face as he strained to see the man''s image in its entirety. The man''s entire body was covered in black and silver armor, his hands empty of any weapon as his cape seemed to flutter silently behind him. The grandiose figure seemed perfect with his long golden hair-


    Wait a minute. Golden hair! This man had the same hair color as the little kid. This wasn''t enough to draw a solid conclusion, but it was a start. Kahn immediately tore his eyes away from the figure. He retrieved a face cloth as he wiped away his sweat amidst labored breaths. When he had calmed down, he realised that he wasn''t the only person experiencing dyspnea (difficulty breathing).


    Rosa was just as sweaty and tired as he was. Her eyes that had stayed on the book longer than his, found him and exclaimed, "Not just the hair. They share some similar features. I didn''t see the kid''s full facial profile but his chin and lips are so similar to this man''s. He must be his descendant. And we were right. His background isn''t simple."


    "How complicated is his background?" Kahn asked curiously, finally regaining his composure.


    "This man is an Asgardian. You don''t have enough authority to know about them yet. All I can tell you, is that they are in no way inferior to Celestials. In fact, I hope we never have to face them. They can only be allies, not enemies."


    Kahn was taken aback by Rosa''s words. Even though she didn''t say the Celestials were inferior, it could be inferred from her words that she dreaded these Asgardians. Celestials were a high and noble race! The Asgardians must be pretty terrifying to provoke such caution.


    "It is highly likely that the kid isn''t on Planet Celestial. Everything makes sense now. A kid like that would be known all over the planet, no matter where he lived, as long as he was a resident. Also, the Asgardians are able to freely travel between most of the realms."


    Kahn was fed with more classified information. He had an intrigued look on his face as he said, "This makes sense. Because when he left, I examined the area of teleportation. It was comprised of a strange language I could not understand."


    Rosa nodded her head at Kahn''s words and said, "Those are probably runes. They are unique to Asgardians."


    Kahn nodded his head and asked what had been on his mind all along, "Who is the man in the picture?"


    There was no way he could quickly forget that suffocating aura in such a short time. That man was in no way a minor figure.


    Rosa sighed and said, "He''s an expert at the peak of the Ascension Realm. The Asgardian God of Lightning, Thor."

 Chapter 45 - At The Bottom Of A Well, Lived A Celestial Frog

    "I still don''t understand. Although we are few in number, our battle prowess compensates for that."


    Kahn stated, still baffled by his sister''s insinuation that the Asgardians were stronger than them. He may be a humble Greater Celestial, but there was no way he was going to accept that his race was inferior to another.


    Rosa smiled bitterly at her brother''s words. She sensed the pride of a Celestial in him- pride that originated from lack of information. She turned to face him, her gaze serious as she said.


    "What I am about to say is considered classified information. This kind of information is only made privy to Celestials when they enter the Heavenly Realm. No one, I repeat no one, should be informed about this. Understood?"


    Kahn nodded, not yet understanding the gravity of the information he was about to receive.


    "You are aware that the Celestial race is a high level race. In fact, even among the high level races, we stand at the peak. If one were to name the top ten races in the entire Cosmos, our race would be among the first five. Many think that our weakness is our small population. Yet it isn''t public information that even if our population was the same as the other races, our rank would remain unchanged."


    "What?!" Kahn exclaimed loudly. "How is that possible?"


    Rosa paused to allow Kahn to compose himself. She didn''t blame him. Every Celestial was of the mindset that their weakness was their limited population. However, no Celestial in the Heavenly Realm and above would ever say such a thing. How could they? When they were well aware of the kind of strength the three races acknowledged as their superiors had.


    Seeing that Kahn had calmed down, Rosa continued.


    "The Celestial race is the fourth most powerful race in the Universe. Our strength, even with our small population is miles ahead of those below us- the fifth strongest race is no different. Our combat ability allows us to take on those a few notches stronger than us, with the most talented amongst us capable of besting wielders three levels above them."


    Kahn nodded his head at her words and urged her to continue.


    "But you see, just like we disregard those below us, those above us show us the same disregard. Although we are fourth in terms of strength, there is no first. There is no second. There is no third. Just three races at the top who are equally matched."


    Kahn had his eyes wide open in surprise. He shakily stroked his horn and asked, "So what makes them so different."


    "I''m getting to that" Rosa responded with a bit of irritation, clearly not a big fan of this topic.


    "Sorry. Do carry on." Kahn noticed her irritation and apologized promptly, knowing she was doing him a big favour by telling him all of this.


    "Well I can''t tell you about the other two. I will only talk of the Asgardians. For Celestials, we are born, we train, and we get stronger. We have a rich and long history, a history older than most. Asgardians are not the same. We have no idea how they came about. From what we know, they were one of the few races present when our ancestors explored the Universe."


    Kahn was once again startled by Rosa''s words.


    "It is almost as if they have no history. It''s almost like they were always there. Of course, that''s impossible. We just weren''t around to witness it. And when we were, they were already far ahead in terms of development. But their age is not the defining factor. After all, there are some races with longer history compared to us, and yet they fear us. As for the Asgardians, they are ruled by gods. I know what you are thinking. Yes, we have gods as well. But it isn''t quite the same. Our ''gods'' are Celestials who have become so powerful we call them so. They are different. They are gods over a particular law, with strength far exceeding even that of the Celestial Emperor."


    Kahn sighed in resignation. He couldn''t really be shocked anymore.


    "The Celestial race prides itself as a warrior race; as soldiers trained and bred for war. But the Asgardians roam the Universe and bring the war with them! If we are trained for war, then they are the war! The battle prowess of a low ranking Asgardian is about the same as an average Lesser Celestial. With their gods included, we stand no chance at all."


    "All this while I thought I was enlightened. I was merely a frog at the bottom of the well, one who can only see a small part of the sky through the well opening. You think you know how big the sky is. Then you exit the confines of your limited knowledge and realise that you knew nothing at all."


    Kahn jeered at himself. He thought he knew all about the Universe- well not all but most of the relevant things. Today he found out that his knowledge was meagre.


    Rosa lightly patted his head. She obviously understood how he felt. Kahn was even handling it better than she did. When she was fed this information, she refused to believe it was true. She trained intensively for several days and said she was going to challenge an Asgardian after her training. Fortunately, she didn''t act on her whims.


    For after her anger had dissipated and her reason finally returned, her father showed her a clip of an Asgardian troop in battle. They were less than fifty. But that didn''t stop them from destroying an entire beast horde numbering over a thousand. It wasn''t what they did that terrified her. No, it wasn''t that. Her will was firm, her mind strong. That wasn''t enough to shake her. It was how they did it that got to her. They fought like mindless animals. They showed no reaction when they lost an arm, or even a leg. As far as they could fight, they did. Anyone who witnessed such a fight scene would certainly mistake them for the beasts instead. At least she surely thought so.


    Whoever recorded that video was mighty brave. That was Rosa''s thought at the time. And it still was. From the way the video shook so unsteadily, it was obvious that the recorder was terrified. Yet that didn''t stop him/her from capturing the very events that caused them to quake with fear.


    "I think it is time for us to leave" Rosa stated, getting up to dust her dress with her hands. Kahn did the same.


    "Yes. We should thank our gracious host before we leave." Kahn said, knowing full well that Rosa was very capable of leaving speedily without thanking Luis.


    "Humph. Fine" With those words Rosa exited the room with Kahn in tow.

 Chapter 46 - Confused, Yet Very Much In Love

    "I presume you found what you were searching for?"


    Back in the grand hall of the main building of the House of Diaz, Luis sat facing the Romano twins. His eyes were glued onto them as he asked his question. Well, not them really. His eyes were locked onto only one person- Rosa.


    Kahn looked on with a wry smile as he realised that Luis wasn''t paying him any heed. He coughed lightly to grab the older man''s attention and said.


    "Yes we did. Thank you very much for your help, Young Master Luis. We greatly appreciate your generosity."


    Luis nodded in acknowledgement of Kahn''s words, still not turning his eyes away from Rosa. He was clearly expecting her to say something. Kahn lightly jabbed Rosa with his elbow, a clear signal informing her to convey her thanks. Luis did not care about him. All he cared about was whether Rosa enjoyed her stay. Kahn knew this all too well.


    "We do appreciate the help Young Master Luis. Thank you." Rosa finally spoke up after being subtly jabbed by her brother for the third time. Fortunately, her reluctance to do so was hidden by her pleasant voice.


    "It is my greatest pleasure to be of service to you." Luis smiled broadly, his demeanor as the Diaz family heir thrown out the window as his happiness was conveyed to all.


    Kahn sighed lightly at this sight. The ever calm and steady Luis was only capable of behaving this way around his sister. Kahn wished that his sister also felt the same- wait. He finally thought back to why he felt his sister''s words were strange during the library search earlier. When she spoke about the ''incident'' sometime back, he felt resentment and anger in her voice. He hadn''t been able to think clearly about it then since his thoughts were interrupted by Rosa herself. And for a while his mind had been occupied with the fresh new information he had been fed. Finally, in the comfort of this well ventilated and brilliantly lit hall, his sharp brain figured out what was so strange about Rosa''s words.


    He had sensed that her tone contained some resentment, and a bit of rage. But the reason why he felt baffled by this wasn''t because of the emotions her voice conveyed- it was who they were directed at. Kahn was a brilliant teen. And most importantly, he loved his sister. With that love came the responsibility of knowing everything about her- even the things she may not have realised about herself. He knew her well enough to notice that the negative emotions she felt were not directed towards Luis, the man she supposedly disdained. It was directed towards the ''idiot'' who started the conflict!


    It seemed she was angry because what he did to Luis. The fact that he looked down on him. Her resentment came from the simple fact that she couldn''t do anything to that person since he was stronger than her. His sister was dubbed ''The Meteor'' because of her talent and destructiveness. But just like a meteor, she was fiery and rash. For someone as straightforward as herself, not being able to do something she wanted to do was very uncomfortable.


    Rosa may not have realised what was going on in her heart, but Kahn did- his sister was in love. She may be a genius, but she had no idea of this emotion. Kahn was inexperienced as well, but he had the advantage of being the third person here. He could analyse and see what the other two could not. It was clear that her love for Luis was born during the banquet. As for what Luis had done to build up this emotion, he had no idea. Unfortunately, the incident had not only created love, but anger. She ended up deflecting and transferring this anger to Luis, thinking it was because she disdained his character. Kahn smiled in realization of this. Within this smile was mostly relief. He didn''t like any of her other suitors, and approved only of Luis. Now the big issue was to let his sister realise what she felt.


    They say ''absence makes the heart grow fonder''. Unfortunately, he wasn''t sure that this would work with his sister. As a soldier, she was used to being away from those she loved. It was like being a regular at a boarding school. The first semester would be rough, with the boarder missing his loved ones. The subsequent semesters would not be the same, with some even forgetting about their families until they had to return. Kahn was confident this approach would not work. Besides, her feelings were currently weak. Putting distance between them may nullify her feelings entirely.


    "Elder sister, didn''t you say you wanted to use the washroom? Young Master Luis, would you be so kind as to extend your generosity to us once more?"


    Many prestigious houses had several guest bathrooms. This wasn''t only to accommodate huge numbers during social events. These washrooms were mainly made available to visitors.


    Rosa was baffled by Kahn''s words. She didn''t know why her brother wanted to be alone with Luis, however, she was more than eager to leave. Her curiosity for their meeting was dampened by her eagerness to leave. She nodded her head in compliance to her brother''s words.


    "Of course", Luis replied. He beckoned one of the maidservants and handed her the task of being Rosa''s escort. Though disappointed by Rosa''s departure, he was also curious to know what was going on. Like him, Kahn was the first son of his father. Unlike him, he was the only son. But this did not change the fact that they were both heirs apparent. He reckoned that what they were going to discuss was very important. Perhaps, it might even be a collaboration between the two houses. Although he knew Kahn and Max were close, he was aware that in business, familiarity wasn''t always a surety of partnership. He was right that the conversation was meant to bring the families together. He was wrong though- it wasn''t business related. It had to do with his heart.


    "Good. Now that she''s gone, we can talk freely. What do you have to say?" Luis spoke freely, discarding all formality.


    Kahn smiled. "Do you still have any wine?" he said. "Trust me, you would be very pleased by what I have to say."

 Chapter 47 - La Familia

    On a lonely road a luxurious carriage was making its way back home. The horses were big and stout, their strong hooves producing the most pleasing of sounds as they gently hit against the road surface. The carriage driver had the reins beside him, proof that he had enough trust in his horses. And why not, for who knew them better than him. They were more than capable of finding the way back on their own. His presence was for security measures. His skills of navigation only came in handy when they faced an ambush, and required a quick getaway. But for now, his interest was on scanning their path for any inconsistences and threats.


    "So, what did you talk about?" Rosa asked Kahn. She had moved from her end of the carriage to his. Her encroachment of his personal space portrayed just how curious she was. And why wouldn''t she be? Upon returning from the washroom she found out that the atmosphere had changed. Luis had a very happy smile on his face and seemed way friendlier to Kahn than he was before. It was almost as though he had been given a huge gift (well she was the gift- not that she knew anyway). Then again, their parting words did nothing to curb her curiosity, only serving as a fan to the already blazing flames.


    "Are you sure?"


    She recalled Luis saying to Kahn after walking with them to the entrance of his home. This act was in itself suspicious. After all, that was the task of the servants, with very important guests seen out by the head butler. Only closely bonded friends would do such a thing. And to Rosa''s knowledge, they were not. It seemed Luis had been told something that had shaken his usually composed mind. So much so that he didn''t even realise he was serving as their escort.


    "Positive. But, I can''t think of anything to help you out. You''d just have to depend on your own brilliance for this."


    That was Kahn''s answer to Luis. The lack of formality in their conversation made her understand one thing: they had gotten very close after she left the hall. The reason for this was obviously the ''secret'' conversation they had in her absence. This advancement in their relationship made Rosa all the more itchy to know what was going on. And like thirsty deer, she was eager to find that stream.


    "Can''t you stop insisting on this? I told you, it shouldn''t be your concern." Kahn spoke whilst rubbing his horns, a sign of his frustration.


    He couldn''t even remember how many times he had said no. Since the beginning of this journey, he had been hounded by her to give up the information. Initially, it was alright. He just gazed outside the window as he ignored her. After seeing him ignoring her first few attempts, she left her seat and came to his. It was now impossible to ignore her. Her persistent questioning had given him a headache. This in itself was a sign of how much of a pest Rosa was being right now. The reason? Well, Greater Celestials did not fall ill. Things like headaches and even more seriously, migraines, were never their portion.


    It wasn''t the first time he had gotten a headache because of her. When you live with Rosa long enough, you get used to them. All of a sudden, he started to pity Luis. If that genius was to get together with his sister, he would also go through this. On the bright side, she wouldn''t be his problem anymore.


    *bam*


    "Ouch" Kahn yelled in pain, surprised at the source of it. Rosa had her eyes glued to him. She was obviously irritated that he wasn''t paying her any heed. Her fingers curled up again, as she readied her fist for another shoulder smack.


    "Wait, no stop. Don''t you have any patience? You''d find out eventually. It would be a huge surprise for you, really."


    *bam*


    "I hate surprises."


    Kahn''s words were clearly not to her liking. His yelp of pain was testament to that. He knew she wasn''t really upset though. Her attacks were painful, but not enough to cause any injury. It was an indication that she wasn''t wielding any energy. She wasn''t even attacking with half of her physical strength. If she was, he would be dead by now.


    Outside the carriage, the driver was startled by the slight bump. The carriage was soundproof, so he had no idea what was going on. However, he had been the carriage driver of the Romano family for several decades now. His main task was to ferry the two siblings around. The disturbance was nothing new to him.


    "Poor Master Kahn. He must be getting his ass whooped right now." He sighed gently, speaking to no one in particular. The horses neighed in response, almost as if they understood him.


    "You should keep your jeering tones to yourself" he said. "The Young Master would deal with you if he found out you were mocking him" he spoke lightly with a refreshing smile on his face.


    *neigh*


    The horse on the right grunted softly as if in mockery as it shook its tail, hitting the driver in his face. The soft laughter of the driver echoed on this quiet road as the carriage shook a few more times.


    "Patience? You are talking about patience? If I was a patient fellow, would I have gone to the Diaz''s in the first place? Wouldn''t I have waited for Max?"


    Rosa fumed as she punched her brother a few more times. Anyone who knew her was aware that she had no patience. She was called ''The Meteor''. Which meteor was known for its softness and patience?


    Kahn had his body curled up, a comical sight for one so big. Especially seeing that his assaulter was a pretty, smaller woman.


    "I''m serious Ro-Ro. I cannot say. But trust me. When you do find out, you would be very happy. If I was to tell you now, it would ruin everything."


    Kahn peeked through his fingers to see her reaction. He breathed a sigh of relief when he heard her say, "Fine then", and move back to her seat.


    He thought silently to himself, "How am I the heir apparent?"

 Chapter 48 - Kreech

    CHAPTER 48


    "What a beautiful day it is. It is a waste spending it in this classroom."


    Mane had all his attention outside, fully indulging in the beauty of nature and totally ignoring his class teacher. And right he was, for it was indeed a beautiful day. The sun was up yet its usual scorching heat was nowhere to be found. For such an imposing heavenly body, it sure was silent today. The excited chirps of little birds filled the area outside. These were sounds that wouldn''t be heard by any normal person in the classroom. Yet Mane wasn''t a normal person was he? His heightened senses made it possible for him to listen to the glorious symphony being created by the hummingbirds that were flying freely just outside the window.


    The bright blue sky called to him, asking him to come outside and take shelter under it. Oh, how he would have loved to go outside. Unfortunately, he could not.


    "It is a beautiful day indeed. Just thinking about having a picnic with the sky as our roof is getting me excited."


    John, one of the Hydra twins had his head on the table. Just like his captain, his gaze outside was full of longing. And his brother Jake was no different.


    "Well, we can''t. We have to meet the quota for class attendance or we''d be repeated." Abe softly remarked. He was the only member of the group who had his eyes on a book. Though he was engrossed in what he was reading, it wasn''t a problem for him to give a bit of his attention to his surroundings. Similar to his associates, he was also paying no heed to the brown haired middle aged man who stood before the class trying to impart knowledge.


    It wasn''t as if the teacher cared about them either. He was clearly not interested in the group of four who were seated at the very back. Why would he be? They were an outstanding group miles ahead of their colleagues- and even some of their seniors. He was aware that they were here for only one reason: making up for the class attendance quota.


    He didn''t mind their lack of attention. He was a knowledgeable teacher and knew that the information he was dishing out was of no use to them. In fact, he would have preferred it if they spent their time in the library or doing something productive. He was a good teacher. One who understood what his students needed- and his class was definitely not a necessity for the Silver Wolves team. In fact, he had given them permission to skip some of his classes so they could use the library. Unfortunately, he was just a teacher. His power wasn''t enough to grant them a free pass to escape all his classes.


    Mane turned his eyes to his class teacher. The older man had taken over their class in their second year, leaving Mr. Aikens to deal with the then first years. They had longed forgotten his name, calling him ''Elder'' because of his age and gentle temperament.


    Locking eyes with Elder across the room, Mane smiled. Just like every other kid here, he liked the older man. Elder smiled back, giving the young boy a nod of acknowledgement as he carried on with his class.


    "What are you reading there Abe?"


    John asked curiously, turning his eyes aware from the window.


    "Other Realms- Truth Or Myth."


    Abe answered without raising his head.


    "Oh. Why are you reading that? We know there are other realms. We know it is true."


    Jake asked, his eagerness for answers just as strong as his brother''s. He was right to ask this question. Every member of the team knew there were other realms. They hadn''t been to any of them- yet. They trusted their captain though. If he said there were other realms, then there were indeed other realms. Even if he said all women had male genitalia, they would believe him. That was how much trust they had in Mane. Besides, what else could explain all the strange things Mane had introduced them to? He had totally changed their views on wielding. Most importantly, he was rarely wrong.


    "We know there are other realms. But we don''t know much about them. The writer of this book''s original was regarded as a ''mad'' scholar. One who claimed to have accidentally fallen into another realm and wrote down what he had experienced. He was alive about a hundred and fifty hears ago. A pity that no one believed him. Over the years, many had analysed his work and criticized him, saying he was insane. This book may not be the original, but it offers an analysis from a very neutral point of view. The writer of this one remained as unbiased as possible. He even included information on the realm the ''mad'' scholar visited."


    Abe gave a lengthy reply, one that caused the twins to tilt their heads in an almost choreographed way. Abe had a wry smile on his face upon seeing their expressions. The twins sure were bright for their age, but their intelligence was below his. Though when it came to battle, their battle sense and awareness were far above his. It was one of the many mysteries he had been trying to solve. Mane''s answer, ''It is their ability'' was unsatisfactory.


    "I just want to know what they are like. We know there are other worlds, but we don''t know much. I''m reading about one of those worlds."


    Abe was a patient friend. Seeing their confusion he explained again, this time in simpler words.


    "Ah okay. Can we read it after you? Oh and explain what we don''t understand?" John asked, his eyes shining in excitement.


    "Of course you can." Abe answered with a bright smile. At times, he envied the innocence of the twins. He didn''t understand it though. Abe had matured faster (psychologically of course) than most because of his noble background. When you are a Prince, you are taught to be smarter than most your age. The twins were noble children like him. Granted, they weren''t heirs to a throne but they were born to an equally prestigious family. It was a mystery as to how they were still so na?ve.


    "I''m curious. What planet did the book mention?" Mane asked, his eyes half closed.


    Abe answered, "It is a world called Kreech."


    "What!"

 Chapter 49 - The 7ths World: Part I

    The voice of the 6th was filled with shock. So loud was his baritone voice that he startled Mane, causing the little boy to shake harshly in his seat. Abelard noticed Mane''s weird behavior. So did the twins.


    "What''s wrong? Have you heard of it before?"


    Mane did not give Abe a reply. His intelligent colleague realised that the captain was lost in his thoughts. He smartly kept mute as he waited for Mane to reorient himself.


    "Is it your world 6th?"


    Back in the mind space, Mane had fully manifested himself. This meant he would not be attentive to anything that happened outside his body. Normally he wouldn''t take such a risk in public. However, he had enough faith in his team members. Their strength was more than enough to deal with any threat that came their way- at least on this planet.


    "Why are you not answering?"


    Mane focused all his attention on the 6th mountain, expecting answers. Although the 6th was easy going, he never lost his cool for a baseless reason. It was obvious that the name Kreech had meaning to him.


    "Because it is not his world, but mine."


    The voice of the 7th surprised Mane. He was a bit amazed. He looked at the 6th with doubt. His gaze seemed to say, ''why were you the surprised one''.


    "Sorry 7th. I didn''t handle myself properly." The 6th sounded embarrassed by his giveaway.


    "Mmm. I doesn''t matter. I was just as surprised as you were. My gift for handling emotions better than most came in handy."


    The 7th didn''t seem too concerned that the 6th had let the cat out of the bag. Mane wasn''t surprised by the 7th''s demeanor. He was the Wandering Sword God. He had long learnt how to control his emotions. Even for those who knew him, it was a tedious task- almost impossible even- to discern his true feelings.


    "There must be a reason why the 6th was so riled up. Yes, Kreech isn''t his world. Yet I doubt that is enough to bring about such a startling reaction from him. So tell me, what is so special about this Kreech that caused an Ascension Realm Expert to lose his cool."


    Mane showcased his intelligence as he struck a blow at the heart of the matter. He was certain that this place must be very special to elicit such a reaction from the 6th.


    "You should tell him. He''ll figure it out eventually. He has a sharp mind." The 3rd spoke softly.


    "Sometimes your intelligence is such a drag. Any other kid would have left it alone, waving it off as just a lack of control on my part." The 6th grunted in resignation.


    "Well, I''m sure Abe would have reached the same conclusion had he been here" Mane smiled in response.


    His masters agreed with his words. Abe was one of the few kids who were as bright as Mane in the world, and maybe, the universe.


    "You are right. Kreech is special." The 6th sighed gently. Mane couldn''t see his expression but he was certain his master would be rubbing his temples if he could.


    "Let me tell him." The 7th interrupted the words of the 6th. He wanted to be the one to tell Mane about his home.


    "Kreech was, as I''m sure you''ve already deduced, a higher realm. It was a prosperous planet, filled with several resources, most of them untapped. Yes, there were skirmishes here and there, but it was largely peaceful. There were three major continents: the central continent; the western continent; and the eastern continent. Each continent had its own major powers. In total, there were seven of these major influences. I was born as a descendant of one of these superpowers. My parents were part of the main family, though they weren''t very high up the hierarchy. However, we were happy just the way things were. After all, although we weren''t high up in the family''s pyramid of power, we weren''t placed low either. Because of this we weren''t bullied, neither did we have any major responsibilities. Unfortunately, the peace did not last for long. The family was invaded."


    The 7th paused to take a break. He wasn''t a talker. In fact he had never spoken so much in one sitting before. It was understandable that he would want to pause for a bit. This speech may be short to some, but the 7th was definitely not part of that group. Mane understood this. He didn''t rush the 7th, only waiting patiently for his master to continue. After about fifteen seconds, he finally did.


    "On higher ranked planets children are tested for their level of talent when they are seven. The ranking scales are more than just bloodline classifiers. When I was 7 years old, like many other children, I was tested. My talent was great. It trumped many others. I was referred to as the greatest genius in a thousand years. My small family had suddenly been thrust into the center, garnering everyone''s attention. We were finally able to experience the fifth of politics first hand. It took us a while, but we finally became accustomed to it. Just when we were getting more comfortable with the change, my little brother finally had his test."


    "My parents and I prayed he would have an average talent. As selfish as that desire was, we didn''t want him to go through what I went through. Unfortunately, our prayers went unanswered. His talent was not as great as mine, but it was finitely close. And so our life was turned upside down- again. Mane, what would you say was the most logical cause of war." The 7th suddenly paused to pose a question to his young disciple midway through his story.


    Mane was not rattled by his question. He calmly replied in one word, "Resources".


    "Yes", the 7th consented. "Resources. Powerful forces engage each other when the resources aren''t enough to go around. Though the greedier ones seek more than what is necessary, they still do so for resources. What is the most important resource?"


    "It is debatable, but I believe human resource is of prime importance" Mane replied.


    The question and answer session between master and disciple continued. The master asking, the discipline answering.

 Chapter 50 - The 7th’s World: Part II

    "I agree. All resources are vital, but the most important is the human resource. Unfortunately, our competitors thought so as well." The 7th was still going on with his story.


    Mane had a frown on his face. Any person of average intelligence should be able to tell how the story will end. It was obvious that the two brothers had broken the balance of power. They may have been weak since they were kids, but the threat of their potential was enough for them to be wiped out.


    "As I said earlier, Kreech had several resources. Many predictions concluded that these resources were going to last for a very long time. The only unpredictable resource was the human resource. There was no way one could predict the kind of talents that would be born to a family. Usually, the closer a person is to the main family, the stronger their talent. For instance, the son of the Main Family''s Head would be expected to be born with far greater talent than the son of a branch family head. In my family''s case, not only did they get two new talents, they got two whose talents exceeded everyone belonging to their generation by a couple of notches."


    "As I said earlier, no one could predict such an outcome. Every generation is blessed to have a few geniuses appear. On my continent, there were three major powers. Each of these powers had kept each other in check by secretly clipping the wings of their competitors. Assassinations were a common occurrence. This kept the number of geniuses each side produced in check. It sounds crazy, but no planet is truly peaceful. Kreech had all its wars in the dark. These were no wars born of greed, selfishness and ambition. They were conceived from one very real fear- the fear of death. Each power feared that when one of them got too strong, they were going to be swallowed. They all cherished their lives too much to take any risks. It was a basic need- the need for survival."


    "My brother and I were infringing on this basic need. It would have been fine if it was just as two. But for the past few years our House had been producing geniuses. They weren''t at my level. They weren''t even at my brother''s level. Wyverns are weaker than dragons. But a nest of them, can take a dragon down. A single bee is no serious threat. But a colony of them, now that''s a different scenario. So as my House celebrated their rise, our enemies plotted our downfall. After my eighth birthday, when my brother was barely seven, we were ambushed. The two major powers- our competitors- put their differences aside as they united to rid themselves of one very real threat."


    "What they did not know however- or at least we thought they didn''t- was that although my family celebrated its rise, they prepared for their fall. They weren''t fools. They knew that a massive influx of geniuses was not something they could keep hidden. The House was a big one. The Head and Elders knew that not every member was loyal. So they had planned for such an eventuality. They had spent massive resources on a teleportation circle, a large one that could safely transfer all their geniuses to another continent. They had a contract with an ally on that continent. ''Take care of these geniuses. When they are bloom, they would rid you of your enemies as thanks''. They agreed."


    "You see, the contract stated that when we were finally strong enough, we would work for our allies unconditionally for a period of five years. It was more than enough time for them to use us to dominate their continent. By the time five years were up, they would have no threats to their rule left. As for whether we would have posed any threat to them after we were free, it wasn''t even a question. The contract was soul bound. We had to return whether we liked it or not. The only alternative would be to die. Besides, our thirst for revenge would make it impossible for us to live peacefully anywhere. So for months the prodigies of our family trained and were drilled in preparation for the attack: what to do when the alarm went off; the route to take; hidden channels; shortcuts; and finally, where the teleportation circle had been drawn."


    "Each of us knew that if there were to be an attack, our loved ones would die. We would be the only survivors, the remnants of our House. So we prayed that this worst case scenario would never occur. It did."


    Once again the 7th took a break. Mane sat with his limbs akimbo, patiently waiting upon his master. This time, unlike the first, the break lasted for just a couple of seconds. The resumption was almost immediate.


    "We were attacked. I watched from afar as those I had grown up with lost their lives. I didn''t need to And our enemies seemed to know everything we had planned. The routes to the circle had been cut off, all shortcuts were choke full of assassins and there was no channel that remained hidden. I''m sure you''ve already figured out why."


    Mane nodded. It was obvious that there were traitors even among the high level figures.


    "Our plans had one huge flaw. It relied on the loyalty of all involved in its conception. But it wasn''t so. Some of our elders had betrayed us. By a stroke of luck, some of us still managed to make it to the circle. My brother and I were part of this lucky group. Unfortunately, the circle was attacked after we had activated it. Because the coordinates were tampered with, we were teleported to random locations. Only three of us got to our allies safely. My brother was not so lucky after all."


    The 7th finally ended his story.


    "I''m sorry master." Mane was saddened by his master''s words. It was always an awful thing to experience- war. He had never been thrust into one, but he didn''t need to in order to understand its repercussions. As for problems with teleportation circles, Mane knew that ''random'' teleportation was just that- random. You could be teleported into the middle of an ocean, where only death would be your companion; you could be teleported underground and die because of the lack of oxygen; you could be teleported into the arms of a dangerous beast. His master must have been very lucky to still find himself at the right place. As for his brother, Mane was sure he died. His master would have said so otherwise.


    "Don''t be. I killed them all- personally."

 Chapter 51 - A Boring Day

    "Looks like you have to go back. Your friends are calling for you". Mane did not have time to respond when he found himself back in the classroom.


    "I can''t believe that I was expelled from my own mind space" Mane said bitterly upon realizing where he was. He turned to look at the culprit, the one responsible for his expulsion. Jake was still rocking the blonde haired boy back and forth, his innocent eyes filled with impatience.


    "You''re finally awake. I''ve been calling you for more than a five minutes." Jake pouted in annoyance.


    Mane''s brows twitched at his words. He looked at Abe who was seated with a calm expression. The other boy smiled in bitterness as if to say there was nothing he could do. Abe obviously had no idea what had happened to Mane. But he was willing to wait patiently until Mane recollected himself. Unfortunately, the twins did not have that kind of patience. Mane sighed in resignation when he saw Abe''s bitter smile.


    "What is it Jake?" Mane finally addressed the boy as he peeled his hands of his robes.


    "You were startled when you heard the name of the world Abe was talking about. Do you know of it?" John asked with eagerness, his patience just as thin as his brother''s. It wasn''t a twin thing. It was a trait of every kid. Kids were generally impatient in nature. The twins may be smart but unlike Mane and Abe who had matured (psychologically of course) due to their upbringing, the twins were still as immature as every other ten year old around.


    "Kreech. That''s the world of one of my masters" Mane spoke softly as he turned his eyes to the class podium.


    Mane''s words startled his friends greatly. Even the usually composed Abe looked surprised. Everything they had learned concerning wielding came from Mane. He had told them before that he had masters tutoring him. When Mane had given up this secret, the twins didn''t think much about it- not Abe. He finally begun to understand why his father had warned him so severely to never offend the blue eyed boy. His background was beyond the lower realms!


    In a way, Mane''s masters were also their masters. After all, everything they learned came from them. It was obvious that if his masters did not grant him the permission to pass on what he learned, there was no way Mane would have given them access to such knowledge. In a way, meeting Mane was in itself a fortuitous encounter. Whenever Abe recalled the moment he had decided to befriend Mane, he was filled joy. If he wasn''t so decisive in making the blonde haired boy his friend, even going as far as to switch rooms, he wouldn''t have the strength he now had.


    However, although Mane''s masters were in a sense their masters as well, they knew nothing about them. Mane refused to reveal any more information to them. Even under the constant hounding of the ever curious twins, Mane did not let up. Eventually, they had given up finding out anything about these ''secretive'' masters- until today. It wasn''t much, but it was still a start.


    "Finally. After almost four years, we finally learn something about these mysterious masters." Abe said as he looked into Mane''s blue eyes.


    Mane smiled bitterly at Abe''s words. It''s not that he didn''t want to tell them about the masters. However, though the masters had given him permission to pass on their wielding techniques to the trio, they did so because of Mane. They accepted three new disciples just to placate their one main disciple. To the lower realms, Abe and the twins may be talented. Unfortunately, they were only seen as average in the eyes of his masters. Only Abe had left a bit of an impression due to his intelligence. According to the masters, even royal born children from the higher realms were not as bright.


    "Granted, it isn''t anything major, but it''s still information." Abe commented once more after seeing Mane''s bitter smile.


    The twins nodded their heads enthusiastically. They would have loved to know more, but they knew that even their constant pestering would not be enough to break down their captain''s wall of resistance.


    _____________________________________________________________________________________


    "It sure is exhausting sitting in a class you don''t want to be in" Mane exclaimed as he slumped onto his bed.


    The groaning voices of his friends were enough to show their total agreement to his statement. After a long day filled with equally long lectures, they were finally back in their room. They all rushed to their mattresses, eager to rest their tired bodies. Their beds looked so beautiful at this point. They called out to them, and they answered their calls with eagerness.


    *knock* *knock* *knock*


    Hardly had any of them laid down for even twenty seconds, when the rhythmic knocking of their door interrupted their plans for an afternoon nap. Almost immediately, three pairs of eyes found their way to Abe. The young prince felt goosebumps grow on his skin when he felt their gazes on him. He could have sworn that there was killing intent mixed within those slightly menacing gazes.


    There was one simple reason why they all blamed Abe for the interruption. His sister enrolled this year. Since her enrollment, she had been a frequent visitor of theirs. It was highly likely that she was their unexpected guest.


    "You should go and open the door. It may be Eve." Mane said calmly, though this did nothing to take away Abe''s unease. He could feel that his captain was clenching his jaws slightly. It was a bit funny to see Mane get mad that his sleep had been interrupted, considering that the blue eyed boy rarely lost his cool. It was highly likely that he was going to have his ass kicked after this.


    He got off his bed, albeit in a slow manner, as though the killing intent was weighing him down. He walked to the door and opened it, in what seemed to be the longest ten seconds of his life. Upon opening the door however, his expression grew stern.


    Noticing Abe''s silence, Mane realised that it wasn''t Eve. Abe bent down to pick a letter from the ground. It had a strange sigil on it: a bird pierced by a dagger. He turned around and showed his roommates the letter. They all had serious expressions on their faces upon seeing the sigil.


    "Guys, it looks like the dark kingdom are causing problems again."

 Chapter 52 - Stop Cork

    There are many prosperous towns and cities in the Western Empire. Many that had the protection of the Empire. The kingdoms that served under the empire performed their duties well. There may be occasional fallouts here and there, but they served their people well. Though most warred against each other, under the pressure of looking at the bigger picture, those differences were put aside.


    The Western Empire was just like every other empire, and every other kingdom. Where there were thriving cities, there would be failing ones. It was but a law of life- the law of balance. One would not find the rich without locating the poor. One would not find the strong without the weak. For it is because there are poor people that one can tell who the rich are. The strong are singled out because the weak are there to make their strength stand out. Over the past few years, many of the kingdoms had signed peace treaties. Many had become allies instead of enemies. Many who swore to never rest until the other fell under the cold steel that adorned their belts had become family. Why? The dark kingdom had brought them together, that''s why. The threat of the kingdom of darkness had grown larger over the past few decades, leaving many rulers with no other choice than to band together. It was a classic case of unity against an elusive foe.


    But the wall of peace that had been built due to the looming threat of the dark side was showing cracks- large ones too. Since the Hidden Cloak had appeared, the Kingdom of Darkness had grown quiet. The deadly predator that stalked the shadows returned to its slumber, terrified of the one who lay in wait for it.


    "The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind".


    That was the predicament of the dark kingdom now. Just that this time, the mantis was very aware of the oriole behind. So now the mantis remained hidden. Zandorians were a strange bunch. They sought war even when war chose to remain hidden. The absence of the threat that kept them together rather threatened to destroy the peace that had been present for a few years now. Just when the tension had reached an all-time high, the dark kingdom struck again. And then they struck again. And again, and again, and again. The people cried out for the Hidden Cloak, but their hero wouldn''t show himself. The one hailed as their god and savior failed to come to their rescue. It was almost as though they had been abandoned.


    Many speculated that the Hidden Cloak was unhappy with them. "Our savior must know that our leaders are going after each other''s throats", they said. The Hidden Cloak wanted the kingdoms to be at peace with each other. He had fought for their peace, and yet here they were, willing to give it up due to greed. Anyway, that was only their speculation. If only they knew that they were right.


    Back in the cozy little room that provided shelter for the members of Hidden Cloak, Mane calmly burnt the letter Abe had picked up from the doorstep. He didn''t ask any questions. He didn''t ask where it came from, how it got there, or why Abe had not checked to see who had left it. It was almost as if he knew the answers to these questions. And know he did.


    "So we aren''t going to be carrying out missions anymore?" Jake asked, no longer sleepy.


    "Nope", Abe replied.


    "Why?" John enquired. "I thought we were just taking a break. But it''s been a few months and we still aren''t doing anything", Jake continued in his brother''s stead.


    "Well, we still are on a break. And it will continue for a while" Abe responded as he made his way to his bed.


    "I don''t get it. Breaks are for tired people. We aren''t tired anymore. Can''t we go back now?" John pleaded.


    "We can''t John. We have to stay out of the way for some time. Otherwise the consequences would be dire." Abe replied as he got under the covers of his bed.


    Jake looked just as confused as John. They didn''t understand. Initially they had assumed they were taking a break since they had been going on missions for so long. And frankly, they wanted that break. But even long after they felt better, they were still on the sidelines. The dark kingdom was running rampant without them to put a leash on them. The dark kingdom was basically a running tap, and they were its stopper. Without them to close the tap, water was bound to keep flowing out.


    Mane could see the confusion in their eyes. It sure was nice to have a member as psychologically mature as Abe. He didn''t need to explain to the other boy what he meant for he already understood.


    "Let me explain. We began this journey due to the threat the kingdom of darkness held. We knew they were dangerous and had to be kept at bay. And we had ample strength to do so. So we started thwarting their every move. We succeeded in keeping them cautious and weary- effectively putting a muzzle on their previously wide and very open mouth. But we neglected one thing. Know what that is?"


    The twins looked a bit confused by their captain''s question. Jake spoke with uncertainty, "Too much peace?"


    Mane smiled at his answer. "Yes. Too much peace. With a dangerous enemy kept in check, the people who were forced to band together did not see the reason to do so any longer. With their no.1 enemy gone, they began to look for new ones. So they turned to their neighbors. They began to covet the property of others once more. "


    "Ah okay. So that means that we don''t have to do anything. We''ll only come in when things get out of hand."


    The twins now had looks of understanding on their identical faces. Though John spoke up, it was easy to discern from Jake''s expression that he had reached the same understanding. Still using the tap analogy, but this time imagining that there was a bucket under the tap, they had to wait until the bucket was full before they could make a move. The bucket was the container for turmoil. They couldn''t allow it to overflow.


    "Bingo", Mane said with his arms outstretched as though he was shooting a gun. It was a gesture that caused the twins to snicker softly.


    "So what will we be doing till then?" Jake asked. This time Abe raised his head to look in Mane''s direction, clearly curious about this as well.


    "It is a surprise. We will be starting tomorrow. So you should get some rest, because when we start, you will regret not savoring your last afternoon nap."


    The twins eagerly raised their quilts as they prepared to take their nap.


    *Knock*Knock*Knock*


    Three pairs of eyes once again locked onto Abe.

 Chapter 53 - Training Part I

    *BAM*


    Bits of stone were sent flying into the air as a figure was launched onto the formerly grass-filled platform. His hair was a mess, and his eyes hazy. He had clearly not regained his composure yet. When his eyes finally stopped spinning, he looked to the cause of his misery. Golden hair and blue eyes. The instigator was his captain Mane, but he wasn''t the only victim. Across the mock battlefield were four other figures, each thrown aside haphazardly. One of them was half buried in the ground, his mouth wide open with saliva just pouring out. He was clearly unconscious. Another, who looked just like the one before was embedded in a tree that faced the east, his eyes cloudy and disoriented. One didn''t need a physician to tell him that he was out cold as well. The last male had most of his attire torn apart, his undergarments being displayed to the world. His looks were difficult to make out since he was buried into the ground face first. The only female in the team wasn''t any better. She was in a kowtowed position, with her butt hanging ungracefully in the air for all to see. She was just like the other three, knocked out cold.


    Abe looked at the mock battlefield before him. How was this even a competition? Even Selina wasn''t spared the stern rod of their captain. He could vividly recall the words of his team leader, a huge surprise since he was certain he should have been concussed by the earlier blow.


    "I believe in gender equity and equality. Some of the strongest people I know are women, and they are in the top three. So trust me, I won''t be treating you any different."


    And that he did. Abe thought back to when they had begun the training. That was just a few minutes ago. He was confident that the two new recruits would not forget this experience anytime soon. After all, he and the twins had their first three years ago, and they could still remember it.


    _____________________________________________________________________________________


    "Frederick; Selina, welcome. This is the private training center for the Silver Wolves team. How do you find it thus far?"


    Mane smiled at the duo as he spoke. There was really no need to ask that question. The awe and wonder in Selina''s eyes were a giveaway to her feelings. Frederick may be trying hard to keep his emotions in check, but was failing miserably. He may not have looked as awestruck as Selina, but the wonder in his eyes could not be hidden.


    And why wouldn''t he be. The place he was seeing was beautiful. It was almost as though the creator took a few days to sculpt this zone. The trees were tall and luscious green. They were evenly spaced and acted as the border for this region. The grass was level, almost as if it had its own caretaker. The flowers that blossomed were of a variety of colors, like a rainbow revealing itself after a mighty storm. This sight would have prompted any who had the luxury of experiencing it to exclaim in awe at the creator''s design and exquisite taste.


    It took a while for Frederick to regain his composure. However, he certainly found his bearings faster than his female counterpart.


    "How did you get access into this place? I thought it was a forbidden region. Never mind. That''s a silly question. With your strength, nowhere on Zandor is dangerous." Frederick had a bitter smile on his face when he recalled Mane''s level of strength. The kid''s strength was beyond Zandor. There was no place on this planet that could bar his progress. Even this ''place'', regarded as a danger zone for peak mortal realm experts (SSS-grade wielders) wouldn''t be a challenge.


    "It is not what you are thinking. When Mane cleared this area, he was a wielder of the mortal realm." Abelard said calmly as he reached out to close Selina''s open mouth. The pretty lady had still not recovered from the beauty of the place.


    "What!? How is that possible? Even to masters of the SSS-grade this place is mighty dangerous. How did you clear it?!" Selina exclaimed loudly, a clear indication that she was ''awake'' now. Frederick was just as surprised. Though he didn''t scream like Selina, his doubtful eyes were directed at Mane, clearly awaiting an explanation. But it wasn''t Mane who replied, John did.


    "Brother Mane is awesome! He trained here in order to breakthrough into the above-mortal realm. You see, Brother Mane needed a challenge. He accidently stumbled onto this place. At the time, it was the lair of a peak mortal realm mountain lion. His pride lived here too, all of them just as strong. But none of them could stop Brother Mane. Then Brother Mane put up a barrier here, and built a teleportation circle to hide this place away from unwanted guests!"


    Frederick turned his eyes away from John. The younger boy was gesturing as though he was present when it happened. He sure did paint quite the picture. He looked at Abe for confirmation. Over his short interaction with the team, he had come to acknowledge the intelligence of Abe and Mane. As for the twins, they were still children in his eyes. At least, mentally speaking. You can imagine his consternation when he saw Abe nod in acknowledgement.


    This forest was called the ''Gloom Forest'' by Zandorians. It was a dangerous place, steaming with strong beasts, poisonous plants and creepy crawlers. People dared not venture into it. Over the last few hundreds of years, many who had ventured into it had become part of it. The last time the four empire coalition sent representatives into this death trap was a hundred years ago. After that abysmal failure, they dared not try again. If it wasn''t for the occasional roars outside, Frederick wouldn''t have believed this was the place, even after Mane had informed them of their destination before bringing them here.


    He wasn''t that surprised with regards to the teleportation. After all, that was how they got here. The sealing barrier wasn''t that surprising either. There were many families with such inherent ability on Zandor. It was Mane''s strength that left him gob smacked. Unlike Zandorians, the beasts of the forests had been fighting all their lives. They fought to get food, to escape from predators, and to find a good home. In contrast to the wilderness, Zandorian empires seemed to be too peaceful, though it wasn''t so.


    Hence, it is no surprise that the animals of the wild are stronger than them. Their battle awareness was sharper, making it difficult for a Zandorian to handle a beast with a similar level of cultivation as themselves. Yet Mane had toppled this logic.


    "Get used to it. It happens a lot." Abe seemed to read the older boy''s thoughts. His comment was accompanied by a bitter smile on his face.


    "For me, it is good that Mane is so strong. That''s what pushes me. Anytime I want to take a break, I remember who I''m in competition with. It is the fuel for my hard work. Let it be yours."


    It was a comical sight. A shorter, younger boy advising his taller, older counterpart. But Frederick did not see it this way. He and Selina nodded their heads, with the Student Council President going on to say,


    "I will. So how does this training thing work?"

 Chapter 54 - Training Part II

    Frederick was just asking a question- an innocent question within which held no malice. But to Abe, to answer that simple question was to relieve the memories of a once forgotten nightmare. Years ago, the twins and Abe had been ''invited'' to this training ground. They had suffered under the merciless training of their captain for two years. They hadn''t been here for a year. Yet Abe still remembered the pain of the training. He shivered at the thought of having to go through it again. His brave words about catching up with Mane miles away from his mind.


    "Do we get to be the trainers this time?" John asked in an excited manner. The little kid didn''t have Abe''s perception. He was yet to realise that there was no way Mane would bring them here as the trainers. After all, they were all here to train- Mane included. The only reason the blue eyed boy usually took on the role of the trainer was because none of them posed a challenge to him- individually.


    Frederick and Selina were equally perplexed by John''s words. They looked at the twins who had their faces flushed red in excitement. However, when they looked at Abe they didn''t see any of such enthusiasm. There was only dread on the young prince''s face. His expression was enough to inform his two seniors of the brutality and intensity of the training.


    "No, you''re not in charge of the training. We are all part of this training. I will act as the trainer for this session just as I usually do." Mane snickered at the twins, as he orated smilingly. His words took away their excitement, replacing it with fear. Jake hid behind Frederick, his pale face enough to incite feelings of pity in any who saw him.


    Abe smiled wryly at their reaction. Seeing that the twins had finally caught on, he felt pity for them. It was clear from their reactions that they were still scarred by the ''training'' they had undergone.


    "I know the training is difficult. But the results are amazing. Such a profitable training regime shouldn''t be abandoned. Abe, Jake, John. Why don''t you take Fred and Selina to the changing room to prepare? And let them know what the training entails while you''re at it. I have to prepare myself as well. Give me about fifteen minutes to get ready."


    _____________________________________________________________________________________


    "So what is the training like?" Fred asked while donning a long sleeved compression shirt. Selina was on the other side of the room, separated by a simple wooden partition which acted as the wall. The layout of the room made it simple for both s.e.xes to converse even though they couldn''t see each other.


    "Yeah. I am curious as well" Selina concurred.


    "Well it is simple really. We are going to fight." Abe said while straightening his top.


    "A fight? If only it were that simple." Fred said while helping Jake put on his sneakers.


    "Because it is not. We have just one opponent- Brother Mane." This time it was Jake who answered. His face was calm, unlike the unease and fear he portrayed earlier.


    "That explains the fearful looks you had on. That doesn''t seem fair though. From my recent understanding of the wielding realms, the profound realm is above the above-mortal realm right?" Selina asked, removing the make-shift partition in the process.


    "Yes. It is indeed not fair, and very much unlike Mane. There''s more to this, isn''t there?" Fred asked while staring at Selina. She had also changed into a pair of compression top and shorts. The tight clothes perfectly highlighted her figure, displaying her pretty curves for all to admire.


    "Brother Mane isn''t that unreasonable. He is able to deplete himself of all profound and above-mortal realm energy. He limits his energy to the mortal realm. That is why he needs such a long preparation time." John answered while tying his shoe laces.


    "Oh I see. So what''s the big deal then? There are five of us and just one of him. Handling one mortal realm wielder should be a piece of cake. That is unless he leaves his cultivation at the peak of the mortal realm, which I highly doubt he would do" Selina said while brushing her long black hair.


    "It is not so simple. Since Mane was able to handle an entire pride of peak mortal realm mountain lions, it insinuates that his battle capabilities are amazingly high. If I am not wrong, he''ll likely reduce his energy to around the fourth level of the mortal realm. And the twins and Abe there would also have to reduce their energy to that of the mortal realm, right?" Fred spoke, still ogling at Selina.


    "Yes and no. Yes, Mane would reduce his energy to the mortal realm. From our past experiences, it would be very likely that his energy would remain in the mid stages of the mortal realm. But no, we wouldn''t have to reduce our energy levels."


    Abe''s words startled the newbies. If this information was true and reliable, why did the three boys look so terrified of this duel? It was obvious that Mane was the one at the disadvantage here. Or at least, that was how it looked like from where they were standing.


    "You''d think, wouldn''t you? If it were so simple, we wouldn''t be so scared now, would we?" Abe sneered at the duo. Just like the twins, he saw the perplexed looks on the faces of the new entries. He found it laughable that they thought life was that simple, for it never was.


    "Mane''s battle awareness isn''t his only strength. His understanding of wielding is insane as well. Over here on Zandor, you''ve probably been fed some hocus pocus about how a person is only able to perceive a law based on his/her bloodline."


    Selina and Fred nodded at Abelard''s words. Though it was Selina who understood what the younger boy was trying to say first.


    "You''re saying¡­" She stuttered in surprise.


    "Yes. It''s totally untrue. A truly talented person is able to perceive laws outside his or her bloodline restrictions. The bloodline is basically like an added bonus- an add-on. It isn''t a foundation. How else do you think Mane was able to challenge the ''Forest of Gloom'' single handedly? And not just survive, but thrive. The twins and I have also perceived some things outside our bloodline abilities. The moment you open your mind to the fact that wielding is limitless, you would too." Abe stated calmly.


    "I see. So what are they? And Mane''s as well?" President Frederick humbly asked, eager to know more. His focus on Selina''s pretty appearance had long been lost. Selina''s curiosity was just as rich as his.


    Abe smiled mockingly at their eager appearance, thinking to himself that ignorance was truly blissful. He knew that feeling well. It was the same way he felt the first time he came here.


    "Don''t be inpatient. You''d see when the ''spar'' begins. Trust me, curiosity would be the last thing on your minds then."

 Chapter 55 - Training Part III

    "When will he be out?" Selina asked impatiently while stretching her upper body. The sight was a seductive one. The Student Council President ogling at her with his mouth slightly opened was enough proof of that. It was almost certain that in that dirty mind of his, she was doffing her clothes. Fortunately, he was the only on that took notice of her charm. The others were too young to understand how alluring the sight was.


    "Do you think it is easy to reduce your wielding energy?" Abe sneered upon seeing Frederick''s uncouth appearance. To think that the Student Council President could be reduced to such a slobbering mess because of one girl was in his opinion, plain disgraceful. Though to be fair, Abe was a bit too young to make such a judgement. Maybe in a few years'' time, he''d realise why.


    "For instance, even though you are currently in the mortal realm, if I ask that you reduce your energy to maybe the first or second stage, would you be able to?" Abe continued, not remaining idle in the process. He was performing some shoulder stretches while waiting.


    "That is true. He must have an amazing understanding of wielding to accomplish such a feat." Selina exclaimed, ignoring Frederick''s disgraceful appearance.


    "Of course he does. Brother Mane is very strong." John said with a facial expression that seemed to scream, ''don''t you already know this''.


    "Can I ask a question?" Selina orated, staring at the young Western Empire prince.


    Abe gestured for her to go ahead. To which she gladly obliged. "Who is Mane''s master?"


    Her question snapped Frederick out of his perverted look. The older boy looked at the trio who seemed to know Mane better than anyone else.


    "I am also very curious about this. For him to know so much, and come this far, he must have a very amazing mentor. We know it isn''t anyone from the Academy. For starters, none of them are even half as strong as him. This includes the hidden figures. Also, every well informed member of the Academy''s upper echelon knows that he has rejected some of the best the Academy top brass has to offer." Frederick stated while grabbing his chin, seemingly in deep thought.


    "I am sorry that I cannot answer that. Only Mane can. When he wants to, he will tell us." Abe said with his focus elsewhere. It seemed that Frederick''s earlier display still had him disgusted with the older boy. His disgust wasn''t hidden. So Frederick noticed it. He smiled wryly whilst telling himself that the young prince would understand when he hit puberty. As for the twins, they had no idea what was going on. And it was probably better this way.


    "Us? You mean you haven''t met his master either?" Selina was quick to catch on to the discrepancy in Abe''s words. It was something that Frederick had failed to notice in the shame of his previous conduct.


    "We also haven''t met Brother Mane''s masters. But Brother Mane has promised us that he will introduce them to us when we are ready." Jake''s voice had a hint of excitement. He couldn''t wait to meet his ''masters''.


    "Masters? You mean he has more than one?" Selina rubbed her temples in exasperation over the kind of information she was receiving. The twins nodded their heads in response, confirming her words.


    "It does make sense though. A genius like that would have more than one mentor. For him for have more than one teacher and not be overwhelmed is very impressive." Frederick analysed in admiration. Though if he found out that there were nine teachers in total, he would be shocked for days.


    "He''s out. Looks like we can start now. I wonder what level of strength he''d use this time"


    ___________________________________________________________________________________


    "Are you sure about this kid?" the voice of the 6th was laced with concern. The reason? Well, that was yet to be discovered.


    "I am. I have been progressing fairly well in wielding. My understanding concerning the art is at its peak. Yet I feel that there is something missing. This feeling had only appeared once before today. When I attained the peak of the mortal realm years ago, I had this same feeling. It was this feeling that drove me to seek the limits of my strength. It was because I chose to listen that I''ve come this far. I would have broken into the above-mortal realm anyway. But my combat strength would not have taken such a drastic leap." Mane''s words were calm. Unlike the 6th, the person in question did not seem to have such concern over his own wellbeing. He calmly sat on the rock placed before his 5th master, as he addressed them in his mind space.


    "The boy is right. Remember that he is a Supreme. That call may very well be his instincts talking. Do what you must kid. Just be careful."


    The strong and commanding voice of the 1st left no room for argument. It was unknown whether the others agreed, but at least they were silent.


    "I''d be fine. I promise. Don''t worry too much okay?" Mane spoke softly, his consolatory tone directed at the 2nd and the 3rd.


    "Alright", "Be careful", said the 3rd and the 2nd respectively. In the unusually silent mind space, their voices were particularly loud.


    "I''m the one always speaking to you, yet I don''t even get half of the treatment those two get", the 6th grunted in displeasure. His words elicited a soft chuckle from Mane. The voice of the 2nd could be heard soon after threatening to deal with the 6th if he wasn''t silent.


    "Besides, they can''t be the only ones to benefit from the training. This is the only way I can improve as well." Mane said while standing up and stretching. It was an odd thing to witness in the mind space which only housed one''s consciousness, not the body. The masters did not seem to mind this strange action though.


    "I agree", the 7th said. His emotions were unreadable as usual.


    "It is just a spar. Nothing serious is going to happen to me." Mane stated.


    "Kid, when you deplete yourself of all your energy, choosing to fall even below the 1st level of the mortal realm and becoming a non-wielder, then no spar, is just a spar." The 6th stated, his voice unusually somber.


    Ah, so that was the reason for their worry. Mane had decided to fight as a non-wielder.

 Chapter 56 - Training Part IV

    "I don''t think it''s a good idea Mane." Abe looked straight at his captain as he spoke. The seriousness of his words were backed by the steely look in his brown eyes. The twins nodded their heads at his words. They were very much in agreement with Abelard. Although they believed in Mane''s strength, what the blue eyed boy had in mind was a suicide request in their eyes. Although Frederick and Selina said nothing, their lack of movements displayed their stance.


    "So none of you are going to attack?" Mane said calmly as he began walking towards his team mates.


    "I wasn''t asking. It was a command I issued" he continued, his countenance reeking with authority. His aura stunned the newcomers. They hadn''t seen Mane in his ''captain'' mode yet. It was hard to believe that a ten to eleven year old kid could command such authority when he wasn''t groomed by a royal family. Then again, this was the same kid whose aura had caused mayhem for them during their first meeting.


    Still, his aura did nothing to change the current stalemate as none of them were willing to attack Mane first.


    "I like your friends. Refusing to attack you when you are this weak is admirable" the 2nd said in a pleased voice. Although the other masters, including the 6th said nothing, Mane was sure they agreed.


    "I don''t think you understood what I meant when I said we were all here to train. Even if I have my energy drained to only the first level of the mortal realm, none of you would be a match for me. This is the only way I can also improve."


    Mane''s words were absolute, his aura climbing towards the peak. In a duel, most of the time the one who took the initiative to attack, gained the advantage. It was clear that Mane wanted to be at a complete disadvantage. Hence, his request for them to attack first. Though it was doubtful whether he would get his way or not.


    Frederick''s countenance changed upon hearing Mane''s words. Such arrogance! The kid was looking down on them! He was at the fourth level of the mortal realm. Selina was a level above him, at the fifth level. The twins and Abe were at the above-mortal realm. Although he did not know their specific levels, he was certain that this line up was adequate to take on someone who was at the peak of the mortal realm! Yet this kid claimed that even at the first level of the mortal realm, none of them were his match. He was good natured, but even he had a breaking point. Mane''s words acted as a trigger. The older boy launched himself violently towards Mane.


    "Crippling palm", he shouted in fury as he struck Mane''s chest with all his energy.


    *bang*


    His attack was dead on. Mane coughed up some blood as he was launched spectacularly into the air.


    Abe''s expression changed upon seeing this. Frederick''s move was unexpected. With none of them expecting such an outburst, they were all slow to stop him. Although he also felt that Mane''s words may have been overboard, he knew the blonde haired boy well enough to know that he never did or said anything in arrogance. His deeds were always backed by irrefutable evidence. So although he didn''t know where Mane''s confidence came from, he took his words seriously. As for the twins, they believed in Mane fully. They didn''t doubt his words at all. Still, that didn''t mean that they were going to attack him in this state. After all, being at the first level of the mortal realm and being a non-wielder were two very different things. Although they believed that Mane could cut them down even with a sliver of mortal realm energy, that trust didn''t extend to him being in a non-wielding state.


    Selina was just as surprised as the others when she saw Frederick attack. She shared in his feelings concerning Mane''s words, but she had better grasp of her emotions. Not because she wasn''t rash, but because she regarded Mane as just a child. Ironic, since she was still technically a child herself.


    "Oh no", Frederick instantly regretted his actions when his palm came into contact with Mane''s chest. He had been too rash. His attack had launched Mane into the air. He looked up and prepared to catch the younger boy where he fell. Yet what awaited him was an unbelievable sight.


    "What the¡­"


    "How is that even possible?"


    "Astounding"


    "Wow"


    Each one said something different. Well, all except Jake who had his mouth wide open in surprise. Yet there was a common theme in their words- amazement. The boy whom they were initially worried about, flipped mid-air as streams of fire exploded from underneath his feet. The blazing heat made its way towards Frederick. It seemed to contain the fury of its master.


    *Bang*


    Frederick was quick to regain his composure. He dove out of the way and cat wheeled to land on his feet. The ground where he formerly stood was not so fortunate. The unrelenting flames had taken up residence on it, the grass underneath suffering the full force of its wrath.


    "I may not be fighting as a wielder, but you must remember this. My understanding of the elements is good. And haven''t I told you never to underestimate your enemies? Let me remind you why."


    He had certainly told them that. At least, he had told Abe and the twins before to never look down on any enemy, even if that enemy was a weak looking old woman. They had obviously learned nothing. This time however, he was going to make sure that they never forget.


    "Since none of you are brave enough to take the initiative, how about I help you out?" Mane said as he increased his pace. He opened his mouth and took a deep breath, involuntarily swallowing some of his blood, as the flames were drawn into his open mouth.


    The newbies took their positions behind Abe when they saw Mane approach. Frederick to the left, and Selina to the right. This was part of the formation they had decided to use beforehand. Since the newcomers were the weakest, they were on backup duty. As for the twins, they were to act as interceptors. Abe had the duty of protecting the newbies. At least that was the plan before. Whether it would be the same throughout the match was yet to be seen.


    Abe looked at the huge ball of fire that was flying towards him with a wry smile.


    "Even at an advantage, we are still at a disadvantage."

 Chapter 57 - Training Part V

    *Bang*


    Abe skidded across the ground with his arms in a guard up position. Through the flames he could see his opponent running at him in full force. Although Mane had no energy per se, and his speed was far from anything outstanding, his manipulation of the elements compensated for this disadvantage a bit. His magnificent command of the elements was notable. Although he wasn''t able to avoid all of the attacks, he avoided at least 65% of them. That was a very high evasive rate considering that he was battling as a non-wielder. This was made possible due to Mane''s understanding of the wind element. Apart from using the wind to magnify his flames, he was also able to perform complex movements from his comprehension of the wind element. These movements required a high level of flexibility. Luckily, Mane did not only know how to bend water to his will, but he understood its composition. Hence, the flexibility of water was also a skill he had under his belt. Relying on the nimbleness of the wind element and flexibility of the water element, Mane was able to achieve this high degree of evasion.


    As for the attacks that did get through, the thin coat of earth that acted as an extra layer on his body took most of the damage. Among all the basic elements, Mane''s understanding of the earth element was probably the highest. It was not difficult to manipulate an element when one had some understanding of it. However, to compress them to small, miniscule particles, and still manage to maintain the initial level of durability was an impressive feat. It was because of this that Mane was able to survive a head on attack from a 4th level mortal realm Frederick, when he was seemingly so weak.


    A wall of water appeared between Abe and the flames. Its manipulator? John. The water half of the hydra twins had been doing this since the fight began. Thanks to his bloodline, and the glow he had received as a result of his awakening, his understanding of water was very good. This allowed him neutralise the threat Mane''s fire posed. As for Jake, his glow belonged to the fire element. In a fight against someone like Mane whose understanding of fire was a notch above his, his fire was rendered a bit useless- to them. Since Mane did not have any energy, he couldn''t really conjure the fire from nothing. The reason why he wasn''t able to conjure any of the other elements in the fight was because he had no energy. The fire he was using was the same as the one that had been manifested in the beginning. This was fire that had been conjured and sealed into his boots via runes. He only needed to activate them. After that, all he had to do was continuously manipulate the flames that already existed to wreck more havoc. As for wind, the trees provided plenty. There was no water close by- and the only source of it, John, was careful not to let it reach him; the earth element was hidden underneath the tall and plentiful grass (without any energy one needs direct contact to use the elements); so Mane couldn''t use these two. The coat of earth he had used on himself was also done before the battle, when he hadn''t deprived himself of his energy.


    Before the battle began, Mane had a simple plan. He was going to wait for his teammates to attack, and then take advantage of that. As long as the twins attacked, Mane would not only acquire water, but more fire too. As for Abe, he was a master of the earth. This allowed him to fight at close range. So when Mane asked that they should take the initiative to attack, he wasn''t doing it so he''d be at a greater disadvantage. He was doing it to gain the advantage!


    Unfortunately, things didn''t go according to his plans. They had refused to attack him. And Frederick''s attack had forced him to use his flames. Right now, his flames were only half their original size. John''s constant conjuring of the water shield had been very effective in dwindling its size. And the twin was exceptional in his control, always conjuring just enough to stop the attack. This ensured that there was no water left behind that Mane could use. Jake wasn''t using his flames. He had clearly been told not to. As for who had given such an instruction, it was obviously Abe.


    This was no doubt a strategy that he had developed immediately the fight began. The brown haired prince had noticed, unlike the others, that there were no energy fluctuations when the fire was produced earlier, meaning it couldn''t be used continuously. He had no idea how deep Mane''s understanding of the elements was, but he didn''t want to take any risks, and had commanded that Jake not use any fire. As for Selina and Frederick, they couldn''t freely control any elements yet. Such abilities were available to those at the high level of the mortal realm. Since no weapons were allowed, Jake, Selina, Frederick and Abelard acted as the close combatants. John provided support from behind. Abe had also held back from using the earth element on a large scale, only using it to conjure bats and smaller weapons to prevent Mane from gaining any access to it.


    Once the fire had dwindled again, the water shield disappeared. Unsurprisingly, the fire had lost all its earlier forward momentum. The shield had clearly accomplished its task.


    "Now!" Abe exclaimed, rushing past the flames towards his target- Mane. The other three who were on the side lines moved at the sound of his voice. Selina and Frederick on the left, and Jake on the right. The middle route was traversed by Abe.


    Mane looked at his well-organised opponents. Even he had to admit that this wasn''t going the way he had planned it. However, there was no worry on his face, only pride and glee. Pride for his team''s combat skill. As for the glee, it was because he felt constricted, helpless. How long had it been since he felt this way? How long had it been since he was at his wits end?


    The battlefield was a strange sight. A boy besieged on all sides had an excited smile on his face as he welcomed his opponents. There was no fear, only expectation.


    "This is the best type of hunt!" he exclaimed, his grin only growing wider as he continued.


    "When the predator¡­becomes prey!"

 Chapter 58 - This..Is...Wielding!

    Mane''s wide grin unsettled his colleagues. They clearly held the advantage, so why didn''t it feel that way. The chill that went down their spines was not understandable considering the current situation. After all, no matter how one looked at it, they had their enemy surrounded, cornered.


    Mane stretched his arms wide apart, his legs just as widely separated. Almost in response to his actions, the winds began to howl ferociously. Although he used the winds to increase the area of his flames, it was a difficult thing to do. If he got it wrong, the winds would disperse the flames. In other words, extinguish them. Hence, he didn''t use that method so often. Abe had realised that his control over wind was not as great as the others, so he had employed the strategy to have John slowly take care of the fire. They had ignored one thing though. Controlling the wind so accurately may be a problem, but recklessly unleashing it wasn''t so hard. And that was Mane''s goal right now.


    "Explode!" Mane screamed. A strong wind swept around the battlefield with Mane at the centre. It swept through the battlefield like a shockwave. The weakest of the group, Selina and Frederick, were knocked back, losing their balance in the process. The unfortunate duo were knocked into some trees and fell down hard.


    "Two down, three to go" Mane stated, not bothering to look at the high level members of the Student Council he had so ungracefully knocked out.


    Abe calmly stood up from his crouching position. He had lowered himself to get as close to the ground as possible, reducing his centre of gravity and conjuring some earth spikes which he held onto. Jake had been knocked away by the blast, but remained unharmed. He flipped mid-air, and conjured some flames to help him land safely. As for John, his shield wall had done the blocking for him.


    Mane calmly walked towards the trio, his huge grin now reduced to a small smile. Abe and the twins responded to their captain''s march, walking towards him as well- John at the right, Jake at the left, and Abe right in the centre. No one knew who started it, but halfway through the march, they began to sprint. And it was Mane who launched an attack first. The remaining flames had been swept away by the outburst earlier. Hence, Mane could only use the wind. As for using his physical body? Well, that was a suicidal attempt. He normally enforced his body with inner energy, so without it, his blows would not be as effective. Attacking wielders like that was a bad idea. It was highly likely that he would be the one who got hurt after throwing a fist or a kick. If only he had trained his physique as well. Unfortunately, it was a few years too early for him to have that kind of training.


    He spun 720 degrees to gather some wind, and thrust the gathered wind in the direction of his opponents. The wind blast was directed at Abe. John did not erect a water shield this time. It would be a useless endeavour. The wind would have dispersed the water easily, and continued its pursuit. As for conjuring ice, his understanding of the elements hadn''t reached such a stage. Its remnants would then be made available to their captain. Jake couldn''t use his fire either. The reason had been stated numerous times already. He was able to use it to land safely, because he was so far away from Mane. However, forcefully extinguishing the flames took more energy than conjuring them. Also, who knew if the flames would rather become fuelled by the wind and cause more damage instead. That left just one available option. Abe had to conjure an earth shield. It wasn''t a good option either. After all, unlike the other two elements, once Mane had his hands on some dirt, he could use it without worrying that it would run out. Unfortunately, that was the only thing that could truly stop Mane''s attack. It was either that, or take the attack head on. But he chose the not so secretive option number three- evade it.


    "Split" Abe instructed. The twins moved further away from the centre. Unlike Mane, the trio had their inner energy and used that to bolster their speed. Abe also shifted out of the way with incredible speed, rendering Mane''s attack completely useless. Abe didn''t have time to relish this small accomplishment, for he saw Mane''s smile. A smile that seemed to say, "Gotcha".


    *BOOM*


    The loud explosion caught the attention of all on the battlefield. Except, one of them looked pleased whereas two others had ugly expressions on their faces. As for the last person? Well, he was the object of the explosion. John lay on the ground unconscious. He had sustained some small burns, but all of them were superficial.


    "You are so focused on not using your elements, that it has become very easy to read your movements. Did you really think that my control of the wind was that shallow? Granted, it''s not as impressive as my control over the earth element. However, it is very close." Mane had a smug smile on his face as he explained. It was a smile that made Abe want to pin him to the ground and pummel him ruthlessly into it, several times over. Ignoring Abe''s expression, Mane continued with his explanation.


    "Abelard, you seem to have forgotten that I am the strategist of this team, not you. I intentionally made you believe that I did not have excellent control over the wind element. This caused you to think the fire had been dispersed and extinguished by the wind. However, I used the commotion to compress the fire into a designated zone, wrapping some air around it to keep it from burning anything."


    Mane didn''t have to finish his explanation for Abe to get what he was saying. He had basically been baiting them the whole time. It was now clear that the reason Mane was walking before wasn''t to create an explosive climax. He had done so because he was focusing all his attention on controlling the ball of fire. The skill the blue eyed boy had displayed was highly complex. He had perfectly complemented one element with another. It was only when he had adequate control over it, did he begin his sprint. He had then sent a wind based attack their way when they were at the right place, to lure one of them into the region where the flames lay hidden. The unfortunate John had stepped onto the ''mine''.


    Actually, Mane was quite lucky- no, very lucky. You see, he expected to try this routine at least a few times before it worked. He also knew that the more he did it, the more suspicious Abe would have gotten. The boy would have figured out eventually that there was a trap somewhere. Also, the tall grass made it difficult for his friends who were focused on him to notice his shenanigans. Luckily, he got it done on his first try. And it was John too. This made things much simpler.

 Chapter 59 - This...Is...Wielding! Part II

    "You will pay for this!" Jake screamed at Mane. The very fact that he didn''t address Mane as ''brother'', but used a pronoun was more than enough to convey how furious he was. His fury was well within reason, for his other half lay on the ground unconscious. They might be superficial wounds, but what did he care? He dashed towards Mane at incredible speed, closing the distance of approximately 40 metres within a couple of seconds.


    Mane''s expression changed at the sight of his colleague- rather, his enemy for today- rushing at him. Without any inner energy, there was no way he would be able to avoid this attack. It was similar to Frederick''s surprise attack at the beginning of the spar. Since he wasn''t expecting it, he couldn''t avoid it. All he could do was brace himself for the impact, by putting up his guard with his arms crossed to form an x. His arms shone dully with a brown hue, evidence of the fact that most of the earth element armour was concentrated on his arms.


    *bam*


    Mane was hit hard. His little body skidded across the duel grounds, and only came to a stop after travelling almost eight metres back. He coughed up a mouthful of blood after coming to a halt. A dizzy spell hit him, prompting him to fall to his knees in a half bow. His coughing fit didn''t end there, as he coughed a few more times, with blood thrown up each time.


    Jake regained his clarity upon seeing Mane''s state. His anger for his friend was no more, only replaced by remorse. He rushed towards his friend to make sure he was ok.


    "Wait!" Abe''s attempt to stop the young boy was ineffective. Not only was Jake ahead of him by several metres, he also acted before Abe moved.


    "Gotcha", Mane smiled when he saw Jake before him. His fist, which was brown in colour, headed towards Jake''s chest. Under normal circ.u.mstances, Jake would have been able to easily sidestep the attack. Unfortunately, in his concern for his friend, he had let his guard down, allowing the fist coated thickly in earth to land on his chest.


    *bam*


    Jake was knocked back about three metres, testament of the power behind the attack. He swallowed the blood that had congealed in his mouth, though a bit of it found its way out onto his lips.


    "Are you okay?" Abe asked in concern. Jake nodded in response to the question. The boy finally understood that Mane had lured him into a trap.


    "You spoke in that infuriating manner to get Jake to attack you. You planned to deal with him with that attack." Abe orated with absolute certainty.


    "Indeed. I just needed him to come close enough. I knew that if I could successfully rile him up, he would launch an attack. Unfortunately, I underestimated you, my friend. Your attack was so quick, that I didn''t have adequate time to prepare for it. I had barely covered my arms with earth when you struck me, causing more damage than I anticipated. But since the damage had been done, I still had to carry on with my plan. Again, the attack had left me so disoriented, that I could barely summon the earth in my attack, causing far less damage than I had hoped. An attack that was meant to knock you out, only caused some minor injuries."


    Mane''s words were laced with regret. Things did not go as smoothly as he had anticipated. That only proved that his team was indeed a good one.


    "If I am not wrong, you have exhausted the last bit of earth you had. So, what are you going to do now?" Abe questioned, curious to know what Mane''s trump card was.


    "You really are bright, Abe. Yeah, I lost control of the earth armour after Jake''s attack. The last bit of what remained, was also depleted when I struck him in my dizzy state. As for what I''m going to do now, well¡­"


    Mane smiled brightly without finishing his statement. He breathed in deeply and continued, "I will show you what true wielding is!"


    Abe was unsettled by Mane''s smile. Every time they seemed to have the advantage, it was never truly so. He could only hope that whatever Mane''s trump card was, it wouldn''t be enough.


    "Eligo igni! Egne me ut! Adiungimus ut! Ignis Draco! Basileus¡­vocat¡­te!!!"


    Mane''s voice was loud and resounding. It contained a strange charm. His tone was commanding and full of power. His melodious voice called to the flames. As for what his call meant, only he knew. Abe didn''t know what Mane''s goal was. One thing was for certain though. It wasn''t good news for them.


    "Damn. Don''t let him finish whatever he''s doing!" Abe screamed at Jake, his speech nothing like that of a refined prince of a great empire. He dashed towards Mane at full speed, intent on stopping whatever the young captain was doing. Jake''s speed was in no way inferior to his. Mane was about 45 metres away, yet in under two seconds they had already reached his position. One thing was faster than the duo though- the fire.


    The long forgotten fire that burned away docilely at the grass, suddenly seemed to have a mind of its own. Like snake, it hissed and cackled, and dashed towards Mane''s direction. It formed a wall around the blue eyed boy. The strange movement of the fire forced Abe and Jake to stop in their tracks.


    "How is that possible?" Jake asked, some blood still trickling down his lips. His question was a legitimate one, for the fire moved in a circle, completely engulfing- no, surrounding- Mane. They could barely make out their captain''s figure from the flames. From what they could make out, Mane''s barely discernible figure had an arm being waved in a series of circular movements. His motions seemed to mirror the movements of the fire. Nay, it was the fire that mirrored his movements instead, following his every command.


    "Is this also wielding?" Jake''s question was laced with doubt and uncertainty. And who could blame him? What he was seeing was unlike anything he had ever seen before. Such control, such power, and all done without an ounce of inner energy.


    "I don''t know. Whatever it is, it has to do with the strange language he spoke earlier." Abe''s answer showed just how little he truly knew about this incident. He was just as surprised as Jake. And just as ignorant.


    "Is this why he is able to fight against us even without any inner energy? What is this trickery?"

 Chapter 60 - I am Basileus

    A wall of fire. A magical sight. A miracle in itself. An unbelievable scene it was. Flames of gold slowly merged together, a distinct shape beginning to form. Abe and Jake could only watch in amazement. They couldn''t get any closer to the flames. The sheer amount of heat it gave off was beyond anything they had ever felt. Even from this distance, the fist of earth that coated Abe''s hands was melting away, like a piece of iron in a hot furnace.


    "Incredible. My flames are nowhere near as hot as this" Jake said whilst swiping off the sweat that had started to form on his forehead.


    "IGNIS DRACO!!!" Mane''s voice was heard once more, the authority in them conveyed to the flames. The shape of the fire was finally made clear.


    "Is that a¡­?" Jake had barely posed the question when Abelard replied. "It is. Only one creature of legend fits this description."


    The figure forged by the flames was fire itself. It was majestic in every way, with its wings stretched out in grandeur.


    *ROAR*


    The shockwave generated by the roar was crippling, pushing Jake and Abe back by several tens of metres.


    "On me!" Abe screamed at Jake. He placed his hands of the ground, as he used his defence technique, "Seven walled fortress!"


    Before Abe, seven walls of earth were summoned. The first wall which was directly before Abe was at least five metres in height and had a thickness of about a metre. The wall before it was higher and thicker by at least a few metres, a pattern that was dominant in the walls that followed, with the furthest and first line of defence being the greatest of them all.


    The technique that Abe utilised was gifted to him by his current opponent- Mane. The blue eyed boy had presented the technique to the Western Empire''s prince after the latter had successfully broken into the above-mortal stage. Since Mane gave him the technique, Abe was not na?ve enough to think that his captain and friend wouldn''t take it into consideration. Yes, this was his first time making use of the technique before his friends. And yes, Mane wasn''t aware that he had successfully studied the skill book to the point of utilisation. But Abe was no fool. Mane was the team''s strategist. There was no way he planned a duel without taking these factors into consideration. Unfortunately, he had no other option. This was the strongest defensive technique in his arsenal. Zandor was a low level planet after all. The skill books that were available to its residents were not very advanced considering that they were a ''low level race'', whose greatest wielders were only at the peak of the mortal realm. Well at least until this group of freaks had arrived. Not that the world knew anyway. Abe could only hope that the walls would be enough. He was leaving it entirely to fate.


    Abe looked visibly exhausted after casting the technique. Not only was this skill incredibly difficult to master, it was extremely draining as well. It was nothing strange, since it was a high rank skill book.


    "Don''t attempt to do anything. I am unable to aid you in combat. Reserve your strength. You''re our sword now. If the walls hold, I want you to attack with everything you''ve got. Inner energy or not, wielding of that level would psychologically drain him. Remember the technique Mane gave you?"


    Jake nodded at Abe''s question. His expression was resolute. His countenance told Abe all he wanted to know. His friend seemed to have mastered his technique as well.


    "Good. Use it. That is the only chance that we have." Abe stated as he stood up shakily, his eyes hazy. Jake kindly helped his friend up, as the duo watched the flames.


    "To be able to push us this far with no inner energy is very impressive. I wonder how he did it." Abe was truly curious. He was certain that Mane was utilising a different sort of energy. As for what it was, he''d have to ask the culprit when the duel ended.


    "It''s Brother Mane. He''s just too awesome" Jake wasn''t so curious though. He voiced out his usual phrase, brushing the entire ordeal off as a case of Mane''s awesomeness. After all, how many could do what the blonde haired boy had done. They hadn''t been to any other world, but they were certain that those who could achieve such a feat were few and in between.


    "Well, he is very impressive indeed." Abe admitted. The evidence to their words was the dragon forged from the flames that headed towards them.


    _____________________________________________________________________________________


    "Not bad at all. Abe was able to study it successfully. And to achieve seven walls at the first stage is very impressive."


    From within the flames, Mane''s blue eyes glowed yellow like the fire itself. The weird colour of his eyes may very well be the reason he was able to see whatever was happening outside the fiery dragon so clearly.


    "Indeed. I must say, his comprehensive abilities are top notch. If your friends are all the same, then they are better than we thought" the 6th said with a bit of surprise in his tone.


    "True. They are geniuses to be able to grasp high rank skills in such a short time. That is, if they all like Abe here have comprehended the skills" the 1st commented.


    "They have" Mane stated confidently. His words prompted the 2nd to ask, "How do you know?"


    "I just do. How can my friends be ordinary?" Mane orated with surety. He believed in his friends. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have given them the techniques. His attention returned to the battlefield, where he truly needed to be.


    "Ego Basileus. Imperium ego te. Ite, hasta dracoum!!!" Raising his arm and taking a stance as one holding a spear, Mane declared in his vigorous voice. He threw the imaginary spear forward as he spoke. The fire dragon was unleashed. It was the spear.


    *ROAR*


    The dragon of flames roared as it rushed towards Abe and Jake. It flew with incredible speed, its trajectory as straight as a well wielded spear. In less than three seconds, it was before the first wall.


    *BOOOM*

 Chapter 61 - I am Basileus Part II

    *BOOM*


    *BOOOM*


    *BOOOOM*


    The sound of the fire dragon crashing into the walls was deafening. The fire dragon spear had already destroyed four walls, but it wasn''t without cost. The flames were dimmer than before. The previously unbearable heat wave was now much more tolerable. Abe and Jake noticed the change. A change that was very much to their delight. Mane noticed it as well. After all, they were his flames. The walls had successfully taken off half of the heat the dragon carried. Though the next few walls were not as tall as their destroyed compatriots, their shorter height made them sturdier. They had lower centres of gravity, hence were more difficult to destroy. Abe knew this. And so did Mane.


    The new information had Abe reassured of his victory. He was certain that the walls would be destroyed. But their destruction would mark a successful completion of their goal- cancelling out the flames. Once the flames were dealt with, Abe was sure that Mane would be too exhausted to deploy any more lethal moves. Meaning that even if Jake utilised ''that'' technique, the results will be positive. Abe didn''t know how Mane was able to control the elements without any inner energy. But he was certain that the mental exhaustion associated with employing these bizarre skills was extreme.


    "Mane must be at his limits. You must ready yourself." About twenty metres away from the last line of defence- the very sturdy looking earth wall- Abe gently pushed Jake away as he plumped himself onto the ground. He had reckoned that twenty metres was a safe enough distance to avoid the debris form the explosion to come. He had been carried here by Jake. It had taken them less than four seconds to get so far back. Although Jake was carrying an extra person, it had barely affected the boy''s speed.


    "I know". Although Jake wasn''t as bright as Mane or Abelard, he was still an intelligent child. He didn''t need Abe to say what he already knew. For although he wasn''t as smart as the two, his battle awareness was impressive. He didn''t know this, but the masters had praised him, telling Mane that Jake and John had the next best battle sense in the team. And that they were so much better together, their unity more than enough to rival Mane. That was one of the reasons Mane was so pleased that John had been knocked out. In a way, the twins working together with Abe, Frederick and Selina had been more disadvantageous than it was advantageous. This was because there was no chemistry between them. Working with Abe reduced their battle skill, but it wasn''t by a large margin- about a 10 percent decrease at most. Unfortunately, the addition of Selina and Frederick had increased that percentage to 50 percent. If Mane had fought against just those two, and only those two, a defeat may have been the only possible outcome!


    *BOOOM*


    The sound of the sixth wall being broken through wasn''t as ear-splitting as the previous demolitions. This was an obvious sign that the flames were far weaker than they were before. Jake readied himself, planting his right leg behind him and his left leg before him. He took a drawing bow stance and closed his eyes. He took a deep breath, and then opened his eyes. His pupils flashed a pale yellow colour for a spilt second.


    "Heaven''s bow", his soft mumble produced a bright light in his left clenched fist. It was his bow wielding arm. The light spread in a half circle, producing a bow made entirely of fire. The temperature of the bow was quite high, the uncomfortable look on Abe''s face saying it all. Jake had a look of pure concentration on his face.


    "Heaven''s arrow", the bow was drawn in full stretch. Just like it, the arrow that had been conjured was also made entirely of fire. Only it was a bit different. These flames were not golden yellow, but crimson red. They gave off a higher temperature than the bow did, and by a few notches too. This technique Jake was employing was also gifted to him by Mane. It was called heaven''s armour. Do not be fooled Jake''s creation. It wasn''t a long range technique. It was a fire based technique. That much was true. But the crux of the technique was to create something that the user was comfortable with. Upon comprehending the first stage of the technique, one could create a primary weapon. A sword user would have fabricated a fire sword, an axe user an axe. Jake was a bow user. His brother John was a gun master. In fact, they both knew how to use guns and bows. But each had their specialty. Though the common knowledge in the academy was that they were both gun masters. Few were aware that Jake was better with the bow by a large margin. As for John, fewer had seen him fully utilise his true level of skill with the gun.


    Jake had summoned a bow because that was where his expertise lay. The strange colour of the arrow explained that Jake''s comprehension of the fire element was greater than most.


    "I hope this works", Abe mumbled softly. Though his confidence had been elevated after witnessing Jake''s technique, he would be a fool to believe that it was an assurance of their victory. That wouldn''t be confidence, but arrogance.


    _____________________________________________________________________________________


    "To think he can manipulate chaos to such a high degree. He is indeed a Supreme." In the mind space, the 6th commented softly.


    "He has inherited the legacy of Basileus. It is like looking upon the face of the great magician himself. If the Great Magician could see this, he would be very proud." The 1st said with a tinge of remorse.


    "Don''t look so glum. He may not be alive in the flesh, but his spirit is with us still. He lives in the boy. The boy is Basileus." The 3rd stated.


    "A bit of an understatement there, don''t you think?" the 2nd commented, not entirely agreeing with the first.


    "Oh? How so?" the 1st asked, curious to know what the 2nd was thinking.


    "Basileus is a legend. There is no doubt about that. But to inherit his legacy is incredibly difficult, especially when he isn''t around to tutor his legacy disciple. Mane is using only his diary to follow in his footsteps. Even a spiritualist like Basileus would be amazed by this feat"


    The 1st acknowledged the truth of her words, and so did the others. He sighed softly and said, "If only he was here".

 Chapter 62 - Manes Glow

    *BOOM*


    The flame dragon- or at least what was left of it- crashed into the seventh and last wall. Despite looking dispirited and far dimmer than it was before, the majesty of a dragon was exuded from its being. Although summoned from the flames, the fire dragon gave off the aura of a real dragon. The seventh wall faced the same fate as its brothers before- destruction. Yet it had served its true purpose, for the flaming dragon was almost extinguished, its light diming very quickly. As the flames slowly died out, Abe could finally make out Mane''s figure from across the field.


    The blue haired boy looked visibly exhausted, even more than he was. His face and clothes were drenched in sweat. Though it was hard to say what caused the sweat. After all, he had literally been playing with fire all along. Across the grounds Mane smiled at him. It was a smile filled with pride. Abe noticed that Mane''s pride was not for himself, but for his friends. The blue haired boy was very impressed that his friends had pushed him so far.


    He saw Mane slowly raise his right arm. The blue haired boy c.o.c.ked his arm as though he held a gun. His fingers were balled into a half fist, with only the index finger pointing towards them. Although they weren''t close, Abe could still hear Mane''s words thanks to the little bit of inner energy that remained.


    "Draco...deus¡­tormento" Mane''s words were slow. His voice like a soft whisper. Exhaustion had overcome every fibre of his being, yet he didn''t give up. He was still capable of one last stunt. One last act. He knew this. So did Abe. And so did Jake.


    Seeing him mumble some words in that strange language once more, Abe turned a bit pale. He had his doubts. After all, Mane looked so worn out that it would be a miracle if he could walk, much less use that strange skill of his. Yet his careful self didn''t allow him to relax. He turned towards Jake to instruct him, only to see that the fire half of the hydra twins had drawn his bow further, clearly intending to release the arrow that was screaming in excitement.


    "Go. Heaven''s arrow."


    *scree*


    Like a slave set free, the arrow escaped the bow at breath-taking speed. It screeched in excitement, just like a playful little boy.


    The flames that were dying out slowly seemed to come back to life. They gathered together even before Jake released his arrow. They gathered into a round ball that was about 20cm in diameter. The flames burned brightly like the sun. The moment the arrow was released, it also took off, almost as though it was annoyed by the challenge. The two rivals met at the centre of the field, their speed similar to each other''s.


    It took less than a second for the two to meet. But for the spectating opponents, it felt like centuries. Anxiety griped the hearts of all three, none of them knowing who will truly come out on top. For Mane, this was the first time he had ever felt so anxious. This was the first time he had wanted to win so badly. This was the most competitive match he had fought in a very long time.


    "We should do this more often" he thought silently to himself as the two forces clashed, temporarily blinding all on the duel grounds.


    *BOOM*


    After the blindness came the thunderous explosion. The ground trembled and swayed, bearing witness to the sheer amount of power that had been unleashed. Even for peak profound realm experts, a battle of this scale was amazing. And yet its instigators weren''t even in the profound realm (since Mane was fighting as a non-wielder).


    This was the first time Abelard and Jake had seen Mane so anxious. Their friend was always so composed, never once losing his cool. Almost all the time he seemed to have everything figured out, with nothing escaping him. Not this time. Their friend looked human now. He looked alive.


    "So, you can also feel this way. To push you to this extent, is something to be proud of" Jake thought silently, pleased that they had pushed Mane so far.


    It took Abe about five seconds to finally regain his vision. The light from the explosion had robbed him of his sense of sight and hearing. Although he could finally make out the figures of Jake and Mane, his ears were ringing so badly he was certain that there was a pixie hidden in it. A mischievous one that clanged two loud cymbals together continuously, without any regard for his wellbeing.


    The others weren''t feeling any better. Jake was in a half crouched position, shaking his head in a bid to reorient himself. Mane was worse off. Their captain was sprawled on the ground, his limbs spread apart in sheer fatigue. Abe smiled upon seeing Mane''s figure on the ground. They had finally knocked him down. He could tell that Mane was still conscious. But he wasn''t able to move a single muscle. All they had to do was get to his position and demand his forfeit. He turned to look at Jake. The young boy obviously knew this as well. He climbed to his feet with much difficulty and began a very slow march to Mane''s position. He held onto Abe, and Abe held onto him. Together, they walked across the battlefield in what was their longest trek ever.


    "To think we could be this powerless." Jake said bitterly. Abelard smiled gleefully upon hearing his words, "Yes, we are worn out. But we won. We beat Mane!" Their positions were switched. The normally excited Jake was the calm one and Abelard, who was on any day a serious boy, was the excited one. He had been chasing after Mane all this while. Although he hadn''t reached his level yet, this victory brought him much closer.


    "What is that?" Jake pointed at the formerly bright sky which was now covered with dark clouds. It wasn''t strange to see rain. However, a few minutes prior the weather looked nothing like this. And even stranger was that the dark clouds blanketed the region of the duel grounds only.


    "Draco deus tormento. It means ''dragon god''s cannon''. Do you know why it has such a name?" The formerly silent Mane had a serene smile on his face as he addressed his friends. He needed no reply from them to continue.


    "It is a technique that was created by the spiritualist, ''Basileus The Great''. He made it after observing the lightning dragon for three days and three nights. The lightning dragon was of the lightning element, yet it had the inherent ability to summon a fire ball technique. But this wasn''t just any fire ball. Upon exploding, this fire ball was able to temporarily summon rain. You see, as powerful as a dragon is, it still has limits. This technique was meant to use the lightning that was generated, without expending any inner energy. It took Basileus days to understand the essence of the technique, and years to master it. Have you ever wondered what my bloodline glow was?"


    Abe and Jake were only a few metres away from Mane, yet they felt victory slip from their fingers. What was formerly so close was now so far away. They stopped in their tracks to observe the sky. A thick bolt of lightning descended and struck Mane with incredible speed.


    *BOOM*


    NAME: Mane


    AGE: 10


    RACE: Supreme


    LEVEL: Profound Stage 8 (Level 48.15)


    SPECIALTY: Strength, Intelligence, and Speed


    BLOODLINE GLOW: Son of lightning. Description: Under the storms, I have no equal.


    Abe and Jake watched in horror and amazement as the formerly paralysed Mane stood uninjured before them. A huge smile adorned his handsome face as bolts of lightning danced carelessly around him.


    "Finally. I get to use my first glow."

 Chapter 63 - Son Of Lightning

    The bolt of lightning that struck Mane was powerful, the shockwave from its descent knocking Abelard and Jake onto the ground. They could hardly believe that the target of that lightning bolt looked so energetic and well. There were no signs of injury on Mane. The only evidence of the difficult battle were his dirty clothes and dusty face. The former exhaustion was nowhere to be seen.


    "How is that even possible?" Jake asked with disbelief as he struggled to get back onto his feet. He fell the first few times, finally managing to pick himself up on his fourth try. Scepticism filled his voice as he sought to understand what was happening before him. Lightning was a destructive element. It was one of the rarer forces of nature. As an uncontrolled beast, it gave life and took it back on its whims. Fire was birthed from this great element, and although fire in itself was destructive, it paled in comparison to its parent.


    What they had just witnessed was full of improbabilities. Let us ignore the fact that Mane had used a fire based technique to conjure a lightning storm, no matter what the origins of the technique were. The element that had been deemed uncontrollable by all, was freely summoned by him! Not only had it been called upon, they had also witnessed it being used in rarer form. It wasn''t used to destroy, but rather to give life. Now the Mane who was a sitting duck, was up and running, as energetic as a waddling penguin.


    "You promised not to use any inner energy. How is this possible without it?" Indeed, Abe had asked a good question. For how did a person with no inner energy command lightning? Putting the strange technique aside, wait¡­what was it called again? Ah, yes. The dragon god''s cannon. Putting this technique aside, how did Mane call out the lightning? For although the dragon god''s cannon had created a ''false'' storm, lightning was unpredictable. It was impossible to judge the trajectory of lightning. After all, although thunder accompanied lightning, it only sounded after lightning had struck. Abe found it difficult to believe that Mane accomplished such a feat without inner energy. His captain was an impressive wielder, but even he surely had limits, right?


    "Bloodline glows are divided into two categories: passive; and active skills."


    "You don''t have to give us a lecture on bloodline glows. We know what they are." Abe snappily stated.


    "Hehe. Well, all the bloodline glows I inherited are active skills, except one." Mane didn''t mind his friend''s interruption. He would be more surprised if his friend wasn''t annoyed by the turn of events.


    "I had mostly forgotten about them. After all, very few people have been able to force me to use them. They are also pretty dangerous. One of these glows I personally named ''Basileus''. This glow when activated, allows me to access the abilities of a spiritualist. It is a complex skill. I will tell you more about it later. Basically, I can use magic when it is activated. Of course, it has its own price."


    Jake nodded at Mane''s words. It was understandable that an ability that would allow he, Mane, to fight against wielders as a non-wielder would have an expensive condition attached to it. He was more interested in that thing called ''magic''. However, since Mane had promised to explain later, he could only wait patiently. Besides, from the way Abelard was gritting his teeth, any questions that had nothing to do with the issue at hand, would result in a knock to his head. He took a few steps away from his friend to avoid any emotional outbursts.


    "Well, the only passive glow I have is called ''Son of Lightning''. Since it is a passive skill, I can safely conclude that it is one passed down directly from my father or mother to me"


    Abelard nodded his head after finally calming down. Even for him, having victory snatched away from his eager hands when he was so close, was very hard to swallow. For someone who had set Mane as a goal, this blow came harder to him than it did anyone else. Unlike John and Jake who saw Mane as an elder brother, Abe viewed him as a rival. That made the proceedings of the past few minutes difficult to accept.


    After regaining his composure, he realised how vital Mane''s words were. Many individuals inherited more passive glows than they did the active ones. This was simply because passive glows were glows that were passed down from generation to generation. They were techniques that you expected a child to have once his father or mother had it. Most of the time, many inherited passive glows from both parents, with one or two active glows. For Mane to inherit a passive glow related to lightning, it must mean that his family was acquainted with the mysterious lightning element. Whoever Mane''s parents were, they were definitely extraordinary.


    "Normally, this technique remains dormant, for it is only useful during a storm or under a heavy downpour. The description of the technique is simple. As long as there is a storm, I can freely use lightning without any restraints. Pretty sweet right?" Mane ended his description with a broad smile on his face.


    "That''s not a technique brother Mane. It''s a cheat", Jake adamantly insisted. Abelard nodded his head as well. With such a technique, Mane would basically be without equal as long as there is a bit of rain.


    "Well now, life isn''t fair, is it?" Mane had a c.o.c.ky smile on his face as he played carelessly with a small lightning bolt. Abe had the urge to punch that smile off his face. Talk about adding insult to injury.


    "You don''t have to look so glum Abe. The technique has its drawbacks. Although it seems like conjuring a storm is an easy feat, it is anything but. The dragon god''s cannon is a supreme skill that even under the effects of the ''Basileus'' glow, I can rarely use. A skill like that leaves me without any inner energy for two days. And since I used it when I had no inner energy, the penalty is tripled. I feel that it would at most be a week before I can access my inner energy at all. The Basileus glow also makes any form of spiritualist based abilities inaccessible to me for a week."


    Abe looked visibly better upon hearing Mane''s words.


    "Wait! You''re a Spiritualist?" he asked, finally realising what he had ignored in his anger. Jake looked just as puzzled as Abe.


    "I will tell you about that later. For now, let''s finish what we started. So, who''s first."

 Chapter 64 - Moody Abe

    *crackle* *crackle*


    "Abe? Abe? Abe!" Jake roughly shook Abe to grab his attention.


    "Yeah¡­yeah. Sorry about that" Abe smiled embarrassingly when he finally came to.


    "You were reliving it, weren''t you" Jake said, the confidence in his tone showing that he didn''t require an answer. He already knew the answer. Abe nodded at his words. He looked to John and the two newbies. "Lucky bastards" he mumbled softly under his breath.


    "What was that?" John asked, puzzled by Abe''s unnatural loss of concentration.


    "Nothing. I was asking if you needed a fresh one." Abe lied without batting an eye, pointing at the block of ice John was applying to his shoulder. The fall from the explosion in the earlier duel had caused a bit of swelling. Mane had frozen some water into ice blocks and wrapped them in towels for any injuries. Luckily, there were no severe injuries.


    "No thanks. This one is fine" John replied with a kind smile. He wasn''t stupid. Although he knew that wasn''t what Abelard said, he wasn''t going to press him for the truth. He could tell that Abe was in a sore mood. It wasn''t anything new. For as long as he could remember, every duel ended this way. All of them worn out and bruised, and Abe in a bad mood.


    "What about you two?" Abe asked, this time in genuine concern for the newcomers.


    "How have you guys survived till now?" Frederick groaned softly as he complained. He held an ice pack to his forehead and pressed it upon the huge bump that wasn''t there before.


    "Yeah. This is only the first time, yet see how beat up we are" Selina complained. She had her left arm bandaged and held by a sling which went over head and around her neck.


    "He wasn''t joking when he said he wasn''t going to go easy on you because you are a girl" Frederick commented bitterly.


    "Yeah, no kidding genius. If I knew it was going to be like this, I wouldn''t have come at all. How are we to return to school in such pathetic states?" Selina mocked.


    "That is not really an issue. There is an entire section of this place dedicated to treatments. There are several healing springs for all kinds of injuries- both internal and external" Abelard replied.


    "That''s why you folks look so unperturbed. So, when can we use these springs?" Selina asked impatiently. Although Abe''s information had her looking relieved, she wanted to check it out for herself.


    "Wait. Before you answer Selina''s question, answer me this: How do you have healing springs at your disposal. Wealthy or not, getting an alchemist''s help is no easy feat. And since this place is so secluded and secretive that it must be someone you can trust. So I am assuming that this person would have to be a member of the team. Yet we have met no such person. Where is he- or she?" Frederick''s question was long, yet its logic was sound. He looked to the trio who had been recruited before him, expecting a reply.


    "Nobody knows. Well, I suppose brother Mane does. It is one of the few things he keeps from us. He will tell us when he is ready." Jake said in a very mature way.


    Frederick looked surprised. Not because of Mane''s secrecy, no. Everyone was entitled to having their own secrets. It was because of how Jake, who was normally childish and inquisitive, had let such an issue go. He was new to the team, but it didn''t take long to understand the behaviour of the twins. The questioning and hounding he had experienced over the past few days was enough to understand how annoying these cute little boys could be. How he and his brother John acted so calmly and understandingly about a ''secret'' baffled Frederick.


    "How are you two so calm about this?" he asked, seriously considering if Mane had ''bribed'' them.


    "You just have to let some things go" John said profoundly.


    "Well, that is very mature of you" His statement earned him the appreciation of Selina, until Abelard cut in.


    "Or, they stopped asking after disturbing Mane for three months and the fed-up captain had no choice but to treat them to a two weeks'' all expenses paid trip to ''Kids City''"


    John and Jake smiled embarrassingly at Abe''s words. Frederick and Selina didn''t even need to ask if it was true. The guilt on their faces said it all.


    "So he really did have to bribe you." Frederick orated bitterly. It had dawned on him that he was going to be spending quite a lot of money in the future.


    "Now back to my question" Selina clapped impatiently.


    "Mane''s checking that right now. He''d be back shortly." Abe stated, closing his eyes and leaning gently against the backrest. He was very clearly not in the mood to answer any more questions.


    "Hey, what''s up with him today? Was he always this moody?" Selina whispered.


    "I can hear you" Not as if her whisper changed anything. Since they were seated so close to each other, Abe could still hear every word.


    "Yeah. You haven''t told us what happened" John said curiously. His statement was directed to Jake, the only person in the mood to answer any questions right now.


    "It is complicated brother." Jake replied with a bitter smile.


    "Wipe that cute smile off your face, pretty boy, and tell us what happened." Selina pulled Jake''s cheeks in a playful manner, warranting a giggle from John and a blush from her victim.


    "Why don''t you tell us? We have nothing to do anyway." Frederick suggested as he reached out for another block of ice after getting as much use as he could from the old one.


    "Fine" Jake sighed as he proceeded to tell them what had happened.


    _____________________________________________________________________________________


    "That is unbelievable. So you saying that all that happened while we were unconscious?" Selina asked.


    "Yeah" Jake replied.


    "Just when you think you have finally gained a true measure of his abilities, he stuns you once again." Frederick''s words were agreed to by all- even the ''sleeping'' Abelard grunted to show his approval.


    "I don''t understand. How is he a spiritualist? And can spiritualists even do what he did? I thought they only read minds and stuff. Oh oh oh, and what is this thing called magic?" John asked a series of questions, showing his curious personality.


    Jake creased his brows. He looked to Abelard who still had his eyes closed. "It is annoying, isn''t it?" Although his eyes were closed, the prince was still well aware of what was going on around him.


    Jake smiled in embarrassment when he heard Abe''s words. Until now, he had no idea how annoying it was to ask so many questions.

 Chapter 65 - The Glow That Remained Hidden

    "Got to hand it to you kid. You actually pulled it off" Mane walked lazily towards the door before him. He pulled a bunch of keys from his pocket and inserted one of them into the keyhole. A clicking sound was heard when he twisted the key, indicating that he had pushed in the right one. He pushed the door open to reveal what lay within- the healing springs. There were at least eighteen of them. Even royalty would marvel at the lavishness of the one to whom this belonged.


    "Not necessarily. If I didn''t use my glow, I wouldn''t have succeeded." Mane replied to the 6th''s earlier comment. He bent down to assess one of the pools. The pool was as clear as the others in the room, and seemed to give off a green hue.


    "They have been restocked." Mane stated. "I wonder, when did he get this done?" It was a question to no one in particular. As for who the mystery person was, only Mane knew.


    "His talent in alchemy is very high. To think someone like this existed on such a small planet. Truly a miracle" the usually quiet 8th wasn''t stingy with his praise.


    "You miss your disciple, don''t you?" the 6th snickered.


    "He is a rare talent. He should be nurtured properly. Not on missions in dangerous areas." The 8th rebutted.


    "If only you said this to his hearing." Mane giggled. The 8th was a stern teacher. He had never praised his student when the poor lad was around. It was only after his departure did the stubborn man heap compliments on the boy.


    The 8th remained silent at Mane''s words. It wasn''t because he regretted his previous actions. He was just too lazy to argue with a child. Mane continued assessing the pools. It didn''t take him long to conclude that they had all been refilled. The pools had been made for broken bones and internal injuries. The author of these works was highly skilled, since he had been able to make pools that treated not one type of injuries, but were generalised to the physical injuries bracket. There was even one pool that could relieve one of mental exhaustion, an extremely difficult thing to do. And here on Zandor, an impossible task. At least, to the best of Mane''s extensive knowledge.


    "I should call the others" Mane headed towards the door with eagerness he didn''t possess before.


    "What is the big deal anyway? You always complained that you had no one to test your bloodline glows on. Well, you finally got that, didn''t you? I mean, you didn''t get to use all of them. But even a small step forward is still a step taken" the 6th stated.


    "I guess" Mane shrugged.


    "Besides, it was your wits that allowed you to secure victory. Using the dragon god''s cannon to generate rain was genius. The 2nd and the 3rd both admitted that it was a brilliant move." The 6th continued.


    "Really?" Mane asked in anticipation. Through his link to his masters, he could feel their emotions. He felt approval and satisfaction from the 2nd and 3rd, informing him of their thoughts. Their approval brought a broad smile to his face.


    "To wield chaos so brilliantly is impressive. Any top spiritualist would have been proud." The 3rd wasn''t stingy with her praise. Why save something that was better off spent?


    "But now I''m devoid of any inner energy for a week. And even worse, I cannot access chaos in my state. That will also last at least seven days." Mane grumbled. The drawbacks of using his glows were immense.


    "It wouldn''t always be like this. The stronger you get, the lesser the penalties. The price becomes less steep as you grow in strength, until you are required to pay a price no longer."


    The words of the 2nd were like music to Mane''s ears. "Really?" he asked in excitement.


    "Yes. You should also use your glows more often. The more you use them, the more familiar you get. That also helps to lessen its drawbacks" the 1st added.


    Mane nodded. He avoided using his glows because they were very costly ''items''. But if that was the way to train them, it was well worth a try. After all, though he didn''t really have any threats on Zandor, that didn''t mean he should be lazy. His true enemies were no weaklings.


    "Any update on that glow?" the 3rd asked in concern. As for the glow she was referring to, only Mane and the masters knew.


    "No. I still have no idea how it works. I don''t understand anything about it." The blue eyed boy sounded very frustrated. When he broke into the 8th level of the profound realm, he felt that he had awakened a glow. But unlike the others that had manifested, this one remained hidden from him. It was almost as if the feeling he had was an illusion. Yet he knew it wasn''t.


    "Glows manifest in their totality. There aren''t instances where glows are hidden from the senses." The 1st orated.


    "So if a glow is being elusive¡­" he continued.


    "Then that means it is related to stealth!" Mane finished his master''s statement.


    "Smart boy" the 1st said. It was a good thing that Mane reached that conclusion on his own. A person couldn''t figure out your glow in your stead, you had to do it yourself. They could nudge you in the right direction, but they couldn''t force the knowledge into your mind. For understanding the glow, was the first step in learning to control it. There were instances of people who had no control over their glows. These glows acted up whenever they wanted. Incidents like these were mostly because the wielder was force fed information on his/her glow.


    "Now that you mention it, my glows always awaken as they are. For instance, Son of Lightning manifested with a huge storm. And Basileus, increased my awareness to chaos, allowing me to use magic. Whatever this glow is, the possibility is that it is related to evasiveness and speed." Mane was deep in thought, so much so that he didn''t realise that he had walked past his destination.


    "Kid, you missed your stop" the 6th ''kindly'' reminded.


    "Oh right. Thanks" Mane scratched his cheeks in embarrassment as he backtracked to the changing room.

 Chapter 66 - Lavishness

    "Man, you folks do know how to enjoy life. What a luxury" Inside the treatment room, the official and unofficial members of the Silver wolves team were each soaking in separate healing springs.


    "I know right. Emperors would be spitting out their tea if they knew we were using healing pools for such minor injuries" Frederick chimed in. He had a relaxed and refreshed smile on his face as he soaked in the pool.


    Although their injuries could not really be referred to as light, no one refuted Frederick''s words. On Zandor, no one- absolutely no one- would use healing springs for this purpose. Although prestigious royal families could afford the pools with almost no difficulty, enlisting an alchemist was the main challenge. They were rare and scarce. And those who were enlisted by royal families would feel insulted if asked to build a healing spring for a few bruises and fractures. Royal families wouldn''t risk losing the service of an alchemist just because they couldn''t handle a few injuries.


    The injuries they had obtained in the duel weren''t enough to warrant the attention of an alchemist. Any physician worth his/her salt would be able to handle such ''trivial'' wounds. Hence, Frederick''s words were absolutely right.


    "I am baffled by one thing though. It is concerning you, Mane." Selina''s lovely fingers waddled through the medicine-filled pool. The bandages and sling had been tossed aside to the corner of the room, forgotten and clearly no longer needed. Selina looked at the captain soaking in the pool at the centre of the room. The others had all picked pools close to his, causing him to literally be the middle man. It wasn''t because they valued him so much. Far from that. They had questions that needed answering, and Mane had promised to do that.


    "You clearly sustained no injuries. So, why are you soaking in the pool?" Upon receiving Mane''s gaze of approval, Selina asked the question that seemed to draw only her curiosity, for the others- Frederick included- seemed unconcerned with Mane''s ''strange'' behaviour.


    "This pool is different from the rest. It is the only one in this room that is meant for mental exhaustion and psychological stress. Although, I am indeed without any wounds on the outside, I am more mentally exhausted than any one of you. After all, I had to fight against five people." Mane calmly explained as he closed his eyes to properly relax.


    Selina nodded in understanding at the young boy''s words. They were too reasonable to be disputed. Especially after she was briefed by Jake, and had found out how Mane was uninjured, when he clearly was before she and Frederick were knocked out. She looked at Frederick, who smiled in return. Clearly, that had been the smart teen''s guess.


    "How did you know?" she asked in perplexity.


    "Well, I assumed that it must be special since it is situated at the centre. Since the entrance is placed on a higher platform, it is pretty easy to see all the pools when one walks in. The springs are organised into three different circles. The inner circle, the outer circle, and the outermost circle. The pools in the outermost ring do not have the deep green colour of those in the outer ring. They are clearly not as potent. The inner ring springs are even deeper in colour. From afar, they almost look like large emeralds. The anomaly in all this is the solitary spring at the centre, which is even brighter than the ''fake emeralds''. Initially I assumed that with the light wounds we sustained, we would use the outermost ring. But we did not. Since Mane isn''t injured, I figured it would be an issue of his psychological state. I''m sure you''d have noticed it too, if you weren''t so excited to see the pools." Frederick''s lengthy explanation finally came to an end.


    Selina looked a bit embarrassed by Frederick''s words. Though it was hard to tell if the blush on her face was from her comfort, or embarrassment. She was a beautiful lady. If she were asked to return to school looking like how she did before, she''d rather not. Hence, when she saw the healing springs, she had excitedly thrown off her bandages and sling, and rushed into one. She had to move away from that one though, when the others all picked pools close to the centre. She had ignored all that Frederick''s had observed in her fervent state. As a wielder who had been on quite a number of missions- a few high profile ones too- she was a bit disappointed that she had missed all that.


    "What do you think you are doing?" Abe asked his captain, effectively changing the subject and drawing attention to himself. Mane opened his eyes with a wry smile on his face.


    "You aren''t going to allow me to rest?" Mane asked with a pitiful smile.


    "Isn''t that what the pool is for?" Abe heartlessly replied.


    "Please save those puppy eyes for later" He sure looked cute while trying to win their sympathy, but even Selina wasn''t falling for it.


    "We aren''t letting you off that easy. You promised us answers. And you shall honour your promise." Abe was adamant. The Western Empire''s prince wasn''t going to allow Mane any rest until all his questions were answered.


    Mane turned his eyes to the twins, those who always took his side even when they didn''t have to. Both Jake and John turned their faces away, choosing to ignore ''brother'' Mane.


    "Even the twins have abandoned me. And after I took you to Kids City last vacation too. I am truly heartbroken" Mane sighed in remorse. The twins had a look of shame on their faces.


    "Give the act a rest Mane, spare the twins the feeling of guilt. You are ten. Do you even know what a heartbreak is?" Selina mocked.


    Mane slightly blushed at her words. The twins though, had better expressions upon hearing them. Selina stuck out her red tongue at them, an act that caused both boys to chuckle. Even Abe had a smile on his face.


    "Why don''t you start giving us some answers? The earlier you finish with your explanation, the better." Frederick ''kindly'' suggested.


    Mane smiled in resignation. He adjusted himself a bit and said, "Alright. Where do I begin?"

 Chapter 67 - Answering A Few Questions

    "Why don''t you start by telling us how it is you are a spiritualist?" Abe asked.


    "Simple. I meet the criteria. Next question." Mane answered nonchalantly.


    "Could you be clearer with your explanations?" Abe''s brows twitched in annoyance


    "Ok. To be a spiritualist one must have a high level of intelligence and a soul based bloodline." Mane stated.


    "That is the norm" Selina interjected. "Don''t tell me that it is false?" she continued. Over the past few days, she had learned that most of what she believed in were untrue. She wouldn''t be surprised if Mane said the requirements for becoming a spiritualist were not entirely so. Maybe there was a loophole that many were unaware of.


    "Oh they are very true. In fact, the only other way to become a spiritualist is through a bloodline transference technique performed by a spiritualist. But it is a high risk technique. Even high level Spiritualists only have a 70 percent probability of getting it done right. And the results of failure aren''t worth it." Mane explained


    He didn''t have to give any explanation concerning the results of a bloodline transference failure. A failed bloodline transference, strips both the spiritualist and the intended recipient of it, of their bloodlines. A harsh punishment for trying to go against nature. From the reactions of the group, they were aware of this.


    "So how are you a spiritualist?" Abe asked. Mane''s words ill.u.s.trated one thing- he didn''t receive a bloodline transfer. And why would he? Although Abe and the others were unclear of what his bloodline actually was, it was pretty darn powerful. Any bloodline that allowed one to fight wielders without any inner energy was an amazing one. Abe and the others could not think of any reason why someone would make such a choice.


    As for Mane''s bloodline being soul based, that wasn''t even under scrutiny. Mane''s fighting abilities did not match the descriptions of a soul based bloodline.


    "However, the misconception that spiritualists could only invade the consciousness of others is false. Invading the mind of others as a Spiritualist is a unique skill. The reason for the misconception is because the only known family of spiritualists have this ability." Mane ignored Abe''s question, and went on with his explanation, as he paused to allow his words sink in.


    The royal family of the Northern Empire were a family of spiritualists- and pretty darn powerful ones at that. Their ability to invade the minds of others was not only unique, but it was so strong that they could manipulate others with weaker wills. Even those who were strong willed will pay the ultimate price if a single mistake was made when facing them. It was a fate worse than death- becoming a mindless puppet for another.


    According to the 3rd, it was possible for very advanced spiritualists like herself to do the same. However, it was done by using chaos. The Northern royal family had no such information about chaos. And Mane doubted that they had access to any spells. For them to achieve this spoke in great lengths about their talent. And their glows. Looking at the puzzled faces of his team members, Mane continued with his explanation, all in a bid to clear their confusion.


    "I haven''t met anyone from the Northern Empire''s royal family. Although Jake and John are high nobles, they aren''t royalty. So I don''t know if this information is true or not."


    "It is" Jake interjected. John nodded in approval. Both looked pretty serious. It was obvious that they had witnessed the might of their royal family first hand.


    "Alright then. Meaning what I''m about to say may very likely be the reason for their particular skillset. For them to be able to invade the consciousness of another and go the extra mile of gaining dominance over it, there can be only one explanation- glow rooting."


    Mane''s teammates calmly waited for him to continue with the explanation. Selina and Frederick were a bit relieved to see that Abe and the twins looked just as baffled as they were. At least they don''t know everything.


    "Glow rooting- the explanation is literally in the phrase. It is a situation where a particular glow reveals itself in every descendent. It has basically been rooted in the bloodline. Any person who inherits the bloodline, inherits the glow. It isn''t mere coincidence. It is performed by an ancestor. And a pretty powerful one at that. This family may be here on a lower planet like Zandor, but their origins are definitely extraordinary. And I am certain that they have no idea."


    Jake and John looked visibly stunned by the revelation. To think the royal family they served had such a history and background.


    "So what level would you say one has to be able to perform the bloodline rooting technique?" Selina asked in curiosity. The ears of the twins perked up at the question, even more eager for an answer.


    "The peak of the Ascension Realm. That ancestor must have definitely been a peak Ascender." Mane answered without any hesitation.


    The twins gulped loudly at the reply. It was a comical reaction considering that both had performed the same action, and with the same expression too. Yet no one mocked them. There was no laughter. Just shock after learning that a lowly planet like Zandor had a family with such history. They recovered pretty quickly though. Thinking that there was someone like Mane, whose origins were likely just as ill.u.s.trious- if not more so- helped with their recovery speed.


    "Now, back to spiritualists" Mane continued upon realising that all attention was on him once again. "I am a spiritualist because my bloodline is unique. It allows me to integrate the skills of a spiritualist into my arsenal of abilities." Mane smiled wryly when he felt the killing intent centred on him. Apart from the twins who were looking at him with admiration, clearly impressed that there was such a cheat-like bloodline, the gazes of the others weren''t so kind.


    Selina had a huge frown on her face as she complained that life was not fair. Of course it wasn''t. When she was born with such good looks and talent, why did she not question the fairness of life then? Frederick had a bitter smile on his face, and as for Abe¡­well the killing intent was from him. Luckily, Jake''s curiosity saved him (Mane) from the explosion of negative emotions.


    "What about the thing you called magic. What is that?"

 Chapter 68 - Chaos...And Beating About The Bush

    What is chaos? Many believe that the world was born from destruction. Why? Because with death comes life. Seems like a pretty sound explanation but it has a major flaw. How can there be destruction without life? How can an inanimate object die? How can there be destruction in the first place, if there was no life? The plants wither, and the flowers fall. Eventually everything falls into the cold embrace of death. Eventually everyone, no matter how unwilling, would have to meet death. Whether you would be happy to meet the grim reaper or not, the reaper would definitely be happy to see you. Impermanence. That is what it is. The very simple fact that everything is temporary. The simple truth that nothing lasts forever. So what does destruction do? Destruction is unto life as a catalyst is unto a biological or chemical reaction. Better still, a biochemical reaction. Catalysts play a major part in life. They have several properties, the most common and important of them being their ability to increase the rate of reactions.


    In any reaction- biological, chemical, or biochemical even- an energy of activation must be attained in order to see end products. Catalysts reduce the time it takes to reach the energy of activation. That''s how vital they are. Destruction is the same. Yes, all life will eventually come to an end. For nothing lives forever. Even the Ascended at the peak of the cosmos still face death due to old age. The only exceptions to death are the gods. But this is where destruction is so vital. What nature cannot do on its own, destruction does. And it does it for free. The arms of the grim reaper would forever remain empty of gods if destruction doesn''t lend its ''warm'' helping hand. Destruction- the action of causing so much damage to life that it no longer exists. Even scarier, the damage is irreparable. Murder is destruction. And that is how the gods fall. So how does chaos fit into all this?


    Simple really. For destruction to occur, for it to take root, chaos must be present. There are no wars without chaos. A man doesn''t kill his brother without chaos. Chaos is the predecessor of destruction- an elder brother I dare say. Where chaos thrives, destruction thrives also. You''re probably wondering, what does this have to do with the story? After all, Mane claims to use chaos. And spiritualists harness this energy as well. Looking at the chunk of information above, what does this have to do with the mystical energy that spiritualists manipulate ever so wantonly? Correction: that spiritualists ''seem'' to manipulate ever so wantonly. Let me get to that.


    First and foremost, as stated earlier, how can there be destruction without life? And how can there be destruction without chaos? It''s simple really. Life births destruction, and destruction, life. So where does chaos fit in? Chaos is the energy that makes the two thrive. The Universe has faced destruction many times, and it has birthed life in so many different ways and forms. Chaos is the name given to formless energy that swims so freely in every corner of the cosmos- some more than others. It isn''t called chaos for no reason. It is so called because just like actual chaos, it brings destruction in its wake. It is a dangerous form of energy. One that can easily take a life. One small mistake handling chaos would lead to death. This energy is untraceable by normal means. As for how it was noticed, no one knows. But after realising such an energy existed, many tried to utilise it. For they saw in it great power and the potential to rule. You would think that after finding out that waking up a dragon is a bad idea, the idiots who disturbed its slumber would pester it no more. But no. Even after finding out how destructive chaos was, even after failing several times to control it, these supposed ''geniuses'' didn''t give up. And their persistence was rewarded. A breakthrough. Individuals with soul based bloodlines could sense chaos. They couldn''t just sense it, they were connected to it. It was almost as if chaos had chosen its own warriors. But it had a huge drawback. The more one called upon the power of chaos, the faster they aged. You see, chaos wasn''t one to give anything for free. For the power it gave, the price of the user''s life force was taken. Generations of spiritualists died prematurely and miserably upon overusing chaos. But life was kind. ''She'' was tired of giving up her children to the grim reaper, to that which bothered to give nothing in return. ''She'' gave them hope- a language. No one knew where that language appeared from. Like chaos, this language had a mysterious origin. They called it ''leash'', for it trapped and captured chaos, forcing the poor ancient king to finally give from its arms for free. Although incomplete, it was sufficient since finally, chaos was controlled. Still, whenever a spiritualist overused his or her power, chaos would sneakily take that life away. A welcome change though, for a few lost lives was better than several. Hence, mother life let the actions of chaos go, making no attempts to stop it.


    As for leash, it was studied by every spiritualist in the high realms. There were few spiritualists in the lower realms. Zandor was one of the lucky planets to boast of this, for even in some high realms, spiritualists didn''t exist. But for the spiritualists in the lower realms, chaos had no place in their archives. And if it did, they wouldn''t have the power to control it. You see leash wasn''t common knowledge, but a carefully protected secret. Maybe life feared that to let this secret out was to allow chaos to find a major loophole.


    Many scholars had wasted their lives trying to find out where the leash originated from. Explorers banded together, seeking what was obscure to all. Yet they all failed. No matter where they searched, they found no traces of the leash. The quest to find the missing portions of leash had died down over the past millions of years. It was as though it appeared from thin air- a miracle to all. As for leash, it had come to be called ''magic'' by most, with few opting to call it by its true name.


    A scholar had once theorised that the shackle known as the leash, was from the dark realm. His theory was quickly discredited, for no one had ever survived the dark realm- well almost no one. What if that scholar was right? What if her words were true? Did missing segment of the leash really reside in the dark realm? And if it actually did, who would be brave enough- no, foolish rather- to find out?

 Chapter 69 - It Truly Begins Part I

    "Today my daughter is finally engaged! In honour of this grand day, I serve every patron here for free!!!"


    "YEAH!"


    "I only ask that you join me in merry making!"


    "YAY!"


    In a tavern of a large city, a middle aged man with a huge jug of ale was standing on the counter. His belly was as round as an iron pot and looked just as weighty. He had a huge smile on his face, his words sluggish and his eyes hazy. He was clearly drunk. Any sane person would have dismissed his words as that of a drunk. But the people in here were not sane now, were they? They were just as drunk, if not more. And they looked just as disoriented. Yet even those who had yet to reach their limits rejoiced at the words of the man. Why? Because he owned the tavern. If he said everything was for free, then it was.


    "Get down father, please. You may hurt yourself." A pretty young woman who looked to be in her early twenties tried to talk the drunk man out of a possible fall related injury. She gently clutched his forearm as she tried to get him down.


    "Let me help. It''s my fault he''s like this". A young man with equally good looks offered to help out the lady. After a few more words, the older man relented and was helped off the counter.


    "How can you blame yourself? He didn''t have to get this drunk. You''re marrying his daughter, not force feeding him ale." A slightly plump middle aged woman appeared from the back room with a huge barrel of ale in her hands. The younger man rushed to help her out. They offloaded the barrel right under the counter space.


    "Because of this moron we aren''t earning anything this night. Just losses sustained." The plump woman spoke once again as she held on to the unbalanced middle aged man.


    "Mother, don''t call father a moron" the pretty lady orated. Her mom shrugged at her words and ignored her.


    "If only he could be well behaved like the handsome chap you''re marrying", she added.


    The young man who was apparently engaged to the bar owner''s daughter scratched his head with a blissful smile. It was a smile that belonged to a man in love.


    "Oh by the way, there is a young man waiting for you. He mentioned that he was an old friend of yours and wanted to discuss some matters with you." The pretty lady softly nudged the young man as she spoke.


    "Oh? Did he say what his name was?" he asked curiously.


    "No, he didn''t. But I reckoned that he wasn''t lying. He was wearing a similar ring to the one you have. You know, the ring you said belonged to members of your family? I assumed he was more than a friend. I asked him to sit over there and wait for you." She pointed at one end of the bar, a place with pretty good lighting. A man sat there all alone. He had a cup of ale before him, though it remained untouched. It wasn''t that he hadn''t taken any ale, for the ale jug was half empty. The untouched ale was a refill. He hadn''t started with it yet. He raised his head at the exact moment the young man turned to look at him, almost as though he could feel his stare. The cloak that covered his face came off, revealing a masculine face and black beautiful eyes. He raised his hand in greeting, the ring on his finger sparkling softly under the light. A ring like that looked expensive and was sure to bring unwanted attention to its wearer. It took real courage to show it off so nonchalantly, dismissive of the consequences. Luckily for him, the tavern was filled with drunks, so no one even paid any attention to him.


    "That is a very handsome man. Even seated he looks very tall. If I had another daughter, I would give her hand to him in marriage." The plump lady was full of praise for her son-in-law''s ''friend''. Her words caused her daughter to blush in shame as she hurried to cover the older woman''s mouth.


    "Let me talk to him. I''d be back soon." The young man lightly kissed his bride-to-be as he left to meet with his ''friend''.


    "It has been long. What are you doing here?" the young man immediately asked upon sitting opposite to his handsome counterpart.


    "You really are full of surprises, aren''t you? To think you''re living such a life down here. What are you doing in a tavern?" The tall man gulped down some ale as he stated.


    "Gathering intel. You do know that a place with alcohol is one where secrets would be spilled." The young man nonchalantly stated.


    "And so you picked a tavern which from what I hear, is pretty famous. It''s the best in this city, isn''t it?" the black eyed man questioned. The young man nodded in response and proceeded to ask, "Why are you here? You could have easily contacted me with the ring. I told you, we can''t be seen together so frequently."


    "I needed to see you." He answered. He didn''t get the chance to explain the reason for his visit though as the younger man interjected, "Wait. Listen".


    At one of the four corners of the bar, four figures were having an important discussion. They were dressed in neat leather armour with their weapons placed on the table before them. They sat in twos- two facing two. Their discussion was in hushed tones. Even in the loud bar full of drunks they were careful enough to keep their voices down. It was surprising that they could even hear each other. Unfortunately, the only people interested in their words weren''t the drunks, and they could still hear them anyway.


    "The King of the South has resurfaced. Apparently, the eternal throne recognised his blood, confirming his identity", one of them stated.


    "What of the usurper?" another asked.


    "What do you think? He was executed of course" the first speaker stated mockingly.


    "Unsurprising result. He would have been executed anyway. No one would allow a threat to their throne remain alive. In chains or not, he''d still be a threat" another chimed in.


    "He''s lucky he was executed so cleanly. Remember what he did to the royal family when his rebellion was successful?" the first speaker added. The others nodded their heads in acknowledgement. Of course they remembered. It was a very popular matter a few years ago. Even sewer rats heard of it. After capturing the eternal throne, the Usurper boiled the members of the royal family in oil. Oil had a high boiling point. Such a death was painful and cruel. Even more devastating was that he didn''t spare the children and babes of this misery. Even new-born babes were boiled just as savagely as their parents were. For the sole survivor of that tragedy to grant him a swift death was mercy.


    "To think the true heir returned. And to be able to convince the nobles who turned their backs on him and his family to support him is amazing." One of them sighed in admiration.


    "The heir isn''t a he- it''s a she" the only one who had remained silent all this while finally spoke up.


    "Wait what. Are you sure captain?" one asked, to which the captain nodded in reply.


    "And she didn''t convince them with words. She used her fists. She destroyed all the noble houses. They were also executed. She has appointed new nobles. Apparently they are those she had been through life and death with, those who aided her in reclaiming her family''s throne." The captain continued.


    "She must have had a huge stroke of fortune to get so powerful" orated the man who sat next to the captain.


    "Or a strong teacher. Such a person is not of this world. The strength she displayed was unordinary. If she has a teacher, that person would be a monster." The captain solemnly stated.


    "Hopefully, it''s just her good fortune. I hate to think what it would mean if such a figure is hiding in the shadows." The captain continued. The others all turned silent, each of them saying a silent prayer, hoping that the captain''s assumption was false.


    "Amazing mind he has there" the tall man stated as he gulped down more ale. His ''friend'', the young man had a cup in his hand as well. The ale in the cup swirled around as he looked lost in thought.


    "Hey, you should at the very least drink your ale. They have discretion you know. They might notice that you''re listening."


    "I won''t. Alcohol clouds the judgement of even the most brilliant of minds" he replied.


    "So what is that brilliant mind concocting? Not satisfied with your disciple gaining control of the largest empire on the planet?" the tall man joked. If the four strangers were to hear them, they would be shocked out of their skins. To think that the captain''s hypothesis was right. And that the elusive figure they spoke of was right there in the bar with them!


    "I want to recruit them. I don''t care much about the others. But the captain has a sharp mind. He could be our arms and legs here when I leave." The young man stated.


    "You really are cruel. Abandoning the young girl who is already so in love with you." The tall man jeered.


    "She''d get over it" the young man nonchalantly stated. He clearly didn''t care about the girl. As for how he was able to look so in love when he wasn''t, there was only one explanation.


    "You haven''t changed at all now have you, Loki."


    "Neither have you, Ares you brute."

 Chapter 70 - It Truly Begins

    "So what did you come here for? I keep saying this and I''ll reiterate, you know that we cannot be seen together." Loki continued to swirl the liquid that turned sane men crazy in his cup. He still made no attempt to drink it.


    "You''re not even going to take a sip?" Ares asked.


    "Not a drop" Loki replied, still swirling the ale.


    "You sure are one weird Asgardian. I reckon you''re the only Asgardian who doesn''t take any alcohol. Yet you are more insane than them all. Maybe it is a good thing you have this habit. You say it makes the sane man insane, don''t you? I fear that if you ever got drunk, your insanity would be beyond us all."


    Loki smirked at Ares''s words. "Now why don''t you stop stalling for time and tell me why you are here? You have no idea how to cast the illusion leash. It''s dangerous for you to be here."


    "It isn''t called leash anymore. Apparently, it''s called magic now. Get in with the times Loki." Ares laughed boisterously.


    "I refuse to call it by a name that was given by brats who weren''t even around when it was first discovered." Loki snorted in disgust. His words would have startled anyone. The term ''leash'' had been abandoned for millions of years now. Those who changed its name were long dead. For Loki to call them brats, how long had he lived?


    "It is funny really. I always pictured the god of mischief as one with an easy going personality. Yet all your rules and habits are anything but that. Maybe behind the web of lies are honesty and truth." Ares solemnly stated.


    "Honesty? Truth? How do you know if my rules aren''t just lies to conceal what I really am? How can one discern my thoughts when they aren''t sure of what I even think?" Loki smirked as he replied.


    "Indeed. We have been working together for years now. For beings like us those years are fleeting and insignificant. Yet it is still enough to understand a few things about a man. Yet I still know nothing. I mean, see where we are? Gods sitting in a mortal tavern. And another engaged to a mortal. What kind of man does all this for a bit of intel?" Ares questioned.


    "I''m no man- I''m Asgardian." Loki''s answer was just as casual as it always was.


    "Yes. And an expert of illusions. I almost didn''t recognise you when I stepped in here. It was only from your aura could I tell that you were the one whom I sought. Why leave your aura discernible?" Ares curiously asked.


    "You really are a blockhead, aren''t you? You claim you are smart but I know kids smarter." Loki derided mercilessly. Ares showed no reaction to his derision though. He sat patiently, waiting for an answer.


    "You have grown patient over the years. Very much unlike the god I once knew. He who killed off an entire race a million years ago because a ''peasant'' mistakenly stepped on his foot." Loki said in a relaxed tone.


    "A million years can change anyone" Ares''s response was calm.


    "I need them to know where I am. If not, they would send an observer after me. After all, no one wants the god of lies to act freely." Loki finally answered. Ares nodded in understanding.


    "They are right to fear you. Your antics over the past millennia are even greater than mine. And all accomplished with tricks and strategy alone. You hardly had to act yourself." Ares chuckled when reminiscing the ''old times''.


    "That is why it is dangerous for you to be here. You think you are safe just because your aura''s concealed?" Loki mocked.


    "No, I am not. I wouldn''t be here if it wasn''t of any importance." Ares chucked down an entire mug of ale after speaking.


    "So are you finally going to tell me why you are here?" Loki asked. "I wouldn''t ask again, Olympian god of war" he continued.


    Ares smiled as he leaned closer to the god who was feared by all for his brilliance. "The boy. I finally know where he is. And it is a place where we have a bit of influence."


    "Now that is news. You did come here for a good reason after all. Such knowledge is worthy of a toast." Loki''s smile was broad. He ignored his rules as he smashed his cup against Ares'', spilling ale all over the floor and the table. Little matter though, he was too happy to care about the fact that he was the one in charge of cleaning in the bar.


    "My King, all the rebels have been dealt with." In a vast hall that was lit dimly, a few figures knelt before a throne. The throne was pitch black, yet its colour only served to promote its beauty. The dark throne wasn''t empty. Someone was seated on it. With hair as black as the throne itself and even darker eyes, the King sat absentmindedly on the throne. Her fair complexion served as the greatest source of light in the gloomy darkness of the hall. It seemed as though she hadn''t heard the words of the subordinates who knelt below her throne. Yet her subjects did nothing to shake her out of her reverie, choosing to wait patiently for her short slumber to end.


    Finally, she opened her crimson lips to speak, her voice sounding strained yet pleasant still. "I see. What about the citizens. How are my people handling the change?" Her voice was full of concern. She obviously placed a lot of importance on the present issue.


    "Elation, My King" one of them replied. His head remained bowed and his knees bent.


    "Oh? No matter what, Usurper or not, he was still king for over a decade now. Do they feel nothing for him?" The words of her subordinate drew her attention.


    "He was nothing but a false king, My King. The people feel the same." The only male figure who had remained silent all this while spoke up. Although he didn''t say much, the intelligent King knew what he meant. She had heard a lot about the False King''s reign. He was a cruel man who did whatever he wanted without showing any concern for his people. The only ones who benefitted from his rule were the nobles. Those greedy bastards had insatiable appetites and were only content once their hunger was sated. This helped him hold on to his power. Once the nobles were happy, the False King knew his throne was safe. As for the commoners, he cared little for them. Unfortunately, his lack of concern had driven them into the open and generous arms of the one true king.


    "He was a fool. No empire is ruled by the nobles. An empire belongs to the people. The nobles are just caretakers. It is no wonder that he was never acknowledged by the Eternal Throne." The only woman amongst those kneeling was blunt with her words. She showed no respect for the former monarch who had passed on, his remains serving as fertilizer for the soil underneath the castle. And why would she? As long as she was concerned, the fool was let of easy. Death was but a relief for him.


    "He is dead. Let it go. Stand, all of you, and get back to work. The rebuilding of the strongest empire has just begun." The King got up from her throne as she spoke. Her action was emulated by her followers.


    But not before they hailed loudly in unison, "Glory to the Eternal Monarch."

 Chapter 71 - The Eternal Monarch

    "They call me the Eternal Monarch now" A fair, pretty lady was seated on a completely black throne. The hall was pitch black, with no other person in sight. Any spectator would have made the logical assumption that she was speaking to herself. After all, in this dark hall, it was impossible to see that the throne she was seated so comfortably on was glowing. Added to the fact that the throne''s colour complemented that of the hall''s, such a minor detail was easy to miss.


    The lady giggled as the throne glowed. As for what was so funny, it was between her and the object that was supposed to be inanimate, yet seemed to possess is own soul. "No Reiki. Nothing really lasts forever" the lady''s chuckles ended with this statement. A sad look took its place and cast more gloom in this already gloomy room. Reiki was apparently the name of the throne she sat upon- the Eternal Throne.


    "Yes Reiki. I do miss them. They were my parents after all" the lady orated. Their conversation had reminded her of her parents'' death. Here she was, alive and well. Yet they were long gone, and they left in one of the worst possible ways too. If only she could let them know, if only she could tell them, let them see that their escape plan for her had been successful. If only she could comfort them, informing them of the Usurper''s death. It wasn''t like if there was a land for the dead, they would meet the Usurper. She was certain that they wouldn''t be in the same place. There was no way one so evil would be found resting with those who were of the light.


    The throne glowed softly once more, seemingly comforting its mistress and friend. "You are right Reiki. The best I can do is to honour their memories. I am here, they aren''t. I will make things right", her expression was resolute as she swore solemnly. However, in the next second her serious look was wiped away with another round of laughter. If any of her subordinates could see her right now, they would be gob smacked. Their King wasn''t cold or anything like that, but she had a very reserved personality. She was always serious and said very little. Yet here she was, not only engaging in a lengthy conversation but being so overcome with happiness that she was laughing. Even after she recaptured what was rightfully hers, she showed no such emotion. However, if they were to find out that it was all due to a throne, they would spit out mouthfuls of blood. And spit up some more when they thought about the fact that they may never elicit such a response from her.


    "Hahaha. Now you''re also calling me the Eternal Monarch. Hahaha. You do know it''s your fault I now have this title?" She questioned in between laughs.


    "Who asked me to sit on you? Is that really your reply? Hahaha. Thanks Reiki. I needed that" she kept laughing, only taking a brief pause to acknowledge the help of the Eternal Throne. The throne glowed softly in reply, pleased it could offer its assistance. It glowed again shortly after, the words it conveyed known to only the King, yet her reaction told how shocked she was by the new information.


    "What? You can do that?" The King shook violently on her throne. She turned to face the throne as she would have done a person and she posed her question. Her eyes were filled with expectation, and a hint of longing. The Eternal Throne glowed once more, this time the glow lasting longer than it usually did by a few seconds. It was unknown what it passed on, but it must have surely been a lengthy explanation.


    "I see" the King replied in excitement. She returned to her previous position with a broad smile on her face. "To think that you can do all that. Yes, I want to see my father''s memories." Ah, so that was it- the source of her bliss. She missed her parents dearly. Although she couldn''t speak to them again, being allowed to see them in their memories would be enough for her.


    The Eternal Throne wasn''t called eternal for no reason. It wasn''t called eternal because it could never be destroyed. Just like everything in the vast cosmos, it had a half-life and was susceptible to destruction. It was called the eternal throne because it allowed the past kings to live on in it. Memories, techniques, and emotions of kings were kept like precious rubies, and made available to the next king. The throne could let the True King, and only the True King, see and even experience the lives of those that were before him- or in this case, her.


    "So, when can we begin Reiki?" the King asked in expectation, the calm and reserved nature known to her followers thrown outside the castle windows. The throne glowed once more.


    "Now? Oh great. No no no, I don''t need any time to prepare. I have been ready for an opportunity like this for years now." At the words of the King, the throne shone brighter than it had done till now. And unlike before, the glow wasn''t black, it was white.


    The King was blinded by the bright light. It was good thing that the curtains were drawn and the windows shut, otherwise her guards would have been alarmed by the strange sight. The last thing she wanted right now was to be disturbed. After all, opportunities like these didn''t just fall from trees. From what Reiki told her, this ability was exhaustive. It could only be used once every few months. Even with her high level of patience, she was certain she wouldn''t be able to wait that long. She would go crazy.


    When her robbed vision was returned to her, she found herself still seated on the eternal throne. But they weren''t in the throne room. She wasn''t surprised. Reiki had already explained the process to her, and she trusted ''him''. The throne sat upon a field of beautiful green grass that stretched as far as the eye could see. The King looked around. She didn''t get off the throne, nor did she open her mouth to speak. She knew the consequences of such actions. For if she did any of the two, she would be cancelling out the technique.


    All of a sudden, the pretty figure shook violently on the throne. She tightened her jaws to keep from shouting and balled her fists. She tried her best to keep her emotions in check, trying not to lose control. Tears escaped her dark coloured eyes and trickled down her face as she gazed upon the lone figure that stood majestically on the field with a mighty sword in hand.


    In her head she cried out, "Dad!"

 Chapter 72 - The Prophecy Part I

    A lone man, and an empty field. He was calm, his eyes closed as he enjoyed the serenity and peace. He took a deep breath and exhaled audibly, his breath weirdly visible on this bright and sunny day. He opened his eyes, revealing beautiful pupils- pupils that were darker than the abyss itself. He was a beautiful man, and even though he held a zweihander, this beauty wasn''t hidden, only elaborated. The girl- no, woman- seated on the eternal throne gazed at the familiar figure with longing. They looked so much alike. A third person would have sworn that they were twins if not for the difference in hair colour- her black against his brown. The man was just that pretty, and the cloak that covered his physique did nothing to help his case.


    He readied himself as he took a fighting stance and held his zweihander in a sword draw position.


    "Glow- Nature''s cross" he mouthed. For an instant it almost seemed as if nothing had happened- and then it did. Two huge sword lights appeared a second later, one vertical, and the other horizontal. They intersected with each other, almost like long lost lovers itching for each other''s embrace. The sword lights hummed in unison, each singing their own tune yet being in perfect harmony. Although the caster had taken care to ensure that the skill was cast above ground to protect the life below, the blazing heat that accompanied the sword cross seared and scorched the grass below. An amazing sight it was, for the cross hanged several feet above the ground yet the pitiful grass felt the weight it carried. One could only pity the unfortunate foes who would have to carry this cross. The cross travelled at a moderate pace- not too fast to avoid yet not too slow to dillydally. However, the drawback of its pace was offset by its sheer size. Approximately fifteen metres tall (the vertical sword light) and ten metres wide (the horizontal sword light), the technique occupied a large fraction of space. And this did not include its distance away from the ground. Since this wasn''t a long range technique, it would be difficult to avoid the power it held when one was so close. It was more feasible to attempt to interrupt the caster.


    The cross travelled for a distance of about fifteen metres before finally dissipating, leaving the scorched ground as the only evidence of its brief yet dominating appearance. The ''pretty boy'' returned his large sword to its sheath with a pensive look on his face.


    "It''s still not enough. The casting time is slow. And its speed could do with a bit of tweaking. The last time granddad used this technique, he achieved a speed at least seven times greater than mine." He pondered aloud.


    "Impossible. How is that possible? Dad inherited ''Nature''s Cross''? I thought the skill died with his Granddad." Since the appearance of the unique glow, she had been shaking her head in disbelief while silently mouthing the word, ''Impossible''. She was made to believe that the vital glow known as ''Nature''s Cross'' had been lost when her great grandfather died. She was hoping that it would awaken in her when she broke into the heaven realm. Nature''s Cross was a powerful glow- one that was bound to their bloodline. Although her father hadn''t explicitly stated that he didn''t inherit the glow, it was assumed that he didn''t since no one had ever seen him use it. To think that he had hidden it all this while. Why did he keep it a secret? That was the question she wanted an answer to so badly right now. If she could ask him about it, she would. Unfortunately, she may never know. Her only hope was that this intrusion into her late father''s memories will reward her disregard towards his privacy, with some very much needed answers. The longing she had before the memories began to play was still present, yet its strength was drained hungrily by her curiosity. Right now the question that was pressing heavily upon her mind- like a malignant tumour- was, ''What other secrets did he keep?'' In second place was, ''Did mom know about this?''


    The man who previously stood loftily on the field was now in a kneeling position. He had his arms placed on the ground as he chanted, "Restituere". In response to his words, the previously charred grass was charred no more. No it wasn''t a healing spell, neither was it a life spell. The grass wasn''t regrown, but the fire that scorched it escaped from the ground and disappeared into the atmosphere. And the grass that died was returned to its previous condition, almost as if the events of before had never occurred.


    "Impossible. How?" Once again, our pretty queen- sorry, King- was flabbergasted. The language her father spoke¡­the results of his spell¡­how was that even possible?


    "Dad was a spiritualist?" She was starting to doubt if she really knew her father. All her life she assumed she did. But even from the first few minutes of perusing through his memories, she had been introduced to two well kept secrets. They harshly mocked her ''close'' relationship with her father.


    "Wait a minute", she communicated with Reiki, through her thoughts of course. "Was father the one that did that on that day?" she questioned. Reiki shone dimly in response. "He kept so much from me all this while" she thought. Reiki shone once again in consolation. "I know he did it for my sake. I only wonder why I needed to be protected and kept in the dark?" she replied.


    The event being referred to was one that happened during the Usurper''s rebellion. When she was trying to escape as per her father''s command, she had found herself between a rock and a hard place. Behind her was a squad of soldiers and before her was a cliff. She had jumped off the cliff with the intent of dying rather than being captured. Of course she didn''t know that the death penalty was being boiled alive. But she knew that death would be better than her capture. Plus her father had told her to run, and not look back. ''Do not get captured at any cost'' he said. ''If a cliff stands before you, jump. You''d be fine''. Who could have predicted that his words were right on the money? Now it made sense. As a spiritualist he must have foreseen that a cliff will be before her, and must have cast a spell on her to break her fall. It was no wonder that she survived, only falling unconscious with no serious injuries- not even a few scratches. She had always assumed fate was her ally. Maybe it was. But in that instance, her true help was her father''s undying love for her.

 Chapter 73 - The Prophecy Part II

    "I knew I''d find you here James" The King''s thoughts were interrupted by the appearance of a new figure. The newcomer was a pretty lady who looked to be in her early twenties. She had beautiful black hair and rare green eyes. She held a picnic basket in one hand and a scroll in the other.


    "Mom" the King mumbled softly. "That''s strange. Mom didn''t have green eyes." She continued.


    "Hehe. Oh you brought food. That''s great. I''m starving." James licked h.i.p.s lips as he stared hungrily at the picnic basket.


    "Yeah. I know a bloke like you wouldn''t think of bringing food. All you think about is training." The pretty lady smiled at James, her comment causing the equally pretty man to blush slightly.


    "Oh no!" she exclaimed. Her shout startled James who proceeded to ask, "What is it?"


    "I forgot to pack a mat", she stated while rubbing her forehead in frustration.


    "That isn''t an issue", he orated. "We can just sit on the grass", he continued.


    "You can. I can''t. It''s filled with insect poop." Her reply caused his eyebrows to twitch erratically. "How was that even a thing?" he wondered. "You can sit on my cloak then", he relented. "Thank you", she smiled as she lightly pressed her lips against his, much to the delight of the young man. His reaction revealed that interactions like these were rare. Luckily there was no one else here. For he knew that if there was, she wouldn''t be so bold. Unfortunately, there was someone here. Fortunately, she was hidden from their eyes. Unfortunately for the observer, they weren''t.


    The King had a disturbed look on her face. No one liked to see their parents all lovey dovey- only if their marriage was a strained one. "Can you sensor these things out?" she questioned her only companion in this zone. Reiki glowed softly, "No", much to the discontent of the King.


    James took off his cloak, revealing the strong arms that were previously hidden. Now without his cloak, he looked much more masculine. It was a weird mix- pretty face with well sculpted muscles. Yet these opposing features blended together wonderfully to produce a handsome man.


    James carefully laid the cloak on the grass. "Milady", he invited jokingly. His words elicited a giggle from the beautiful lady, who proceeded to sit on the cloak after offering her thanks.


    "Geez relax. I''m taking out the stuff already", she rolled her eyes at James who was drooling from the sumptuous smell wafting out of the basket.


    "Can''t help it Morgana. It smells way too good." James wiped away the saliva that was threatening to fall unto the unfortunate grass below. Luckily for the grass, it never did.


    "Mmmmmm¡­it''s so good" James exclaimed in awe when he finally sank his teeth into the sandwich. His eyes glittered in exaggerated glee as he m.o.a.ned in delight. Morgana blushed deeply at his antics. It was a wonder that the culprit felt no shame, rather passing that duty to his fianc¨¦e. She watched in embarrassment as the love of her life devoured an entire sandwich amidst those disgraceful sounds.


    "What''s in this?" James asked while munching on his third sandwich. It was amazing how his small mouth was able to take in so much in as little as two minutes.


    "Roast beef, grilled chicken with some chopped up tomatoes and spinach. Are you even listening to me?" she questioned, upon noticing that the bloke who asked the question was paying no heed to her words, only focusing on the task ahead- devouring his fourth sandwich.


    "Slow down. No one''s competing with you." She rubbed her forehead in exhaustion as she watched him literally swallow a sandwich whole. She wondered what he used his teeth for if he wasn''t using them to eat.


    "Oh I''m sorry. Do you want any?" James finally stopped to ask. All his question did was to draw a smack from Morgana, whose small hand caught him right on the shoulder. It wasn''t that James didn''t want to get out of the way- rather, he couldn''t. The blow was too quick. A blink. That was all it took to miss it. At such close proximity, there was no way James could get away.


    *Bam*


    James sorry figure was sent crashing into the ground about ten metres away.


    "Such terrifying power" the King thought when she saw her mother''s blow. That attack contained power at the peak of the earth realm! "How was that even possible?" she wondered. She herself was only in the mid stages of the earth realm. Yet she had complete control over the Usurper when she returned. Her power was enough to dominate and retake her empire. Although she had an army by her side, they weren''t the deciding factor- she was. And yet her mother seemed stronger than she was. Even more terrifying was her father. The man got back on his feet almost immediately without any injuries- only dirty clothes and a wry smile adorning his handsome face.


    When she had witnessed the earlier technique- Nature''s Cross- she was so shocked that her father could use it that she wasn''t able to accurately determine the power behind it. Added to the fact that she had only heard stories about the technique and hadn''t really seen or experienced it, she wasn''t able to determine the level of the caster. Now she realised what she had ignored. For her father to be unharmed after being hit by such an attack, he was clearly just as strong as or stronger than her mother.


    "I get it now. That is why father looked so dissatisfied upon seeing the strength of his Nature''s Cross. It wasn''t because of his high standards. It was due to the saddening truth that it was too weak for an attack delivered by a peak earth realm expert." The King calmly analysed.


    It wasn''t that the attack was weak. It was mighty powerful. She was sure that if that struck her, she would die without any doubt. But it had to hit for that damage to occur. Initially she had based her analysis on an opponent who was at the above-mortal realm- the realm she had always assumed her father had attained- but it wasn''t so for a foe at the earth realm. Even early earth realm experts would be able to dodge that attack without much effort. It wasn''t because her father''s comprehension was poor. He was a peak earth realm expert in his early twenties. It was obvious that the problem was the skill''s level of difficulty.


    "Well, I would get to find out when I awaken it. Is it truly the most difficult glow to master on Planet Kelan? I would know soon." She orated.

 Chapter 74 - The Prophecy Part III

    The King was very confused now, her mind in complete disarray. If her father had this much power, and her mother wasn''t any different, then how did the Usurper succeed. How did a measly thief at the lowly peak of the above-mortal realm, best a couple with power towering far above his? Her parents were at the very least, peak earth realm experts, and very possibly in the heaven realm. So how did the Usurper pull this off? As far as she knew, there was no way one could make up for such a vast difference in strength. Even the most devastating poison on the planet- the Midnight Rose- wasn''t able to perform such a miracle. The midnight rose was a poisonous plant that was capable of destroying a mortal''s ability to wield. It was that terrifying. Best case scenario, one would still have their strength and yet wouldn''t be able to improve anymore, no matter how hard they tried. Worst case scenario, total loss of strength. Although this potent poison, which was so rare that it appeared once almost every two hundred years, had no cure, it wasn''t omnipotent. It only worked on ''mortals''- on those who were below the above-mortal realm. So this mysterious flower which only grew in the deepest caves of Kelan every few hundred years, wouldn''t be enough to stop her parents. So what did?


    "Did Grandfather know you were coming?" James asked while playing with a few stray strands of his beautiful brown hair.


    "No. I slipped past him. Took the route you told me about." Morgana answered before biting delicately on the sandwich in her hand. "There''s apple juice too you know", she continued. Her words shifted James attention to the picnic basket once more, as the pretty looking foodie rummaged through it to locate two well-kept bottles of fruit juice.


    "He really doesn''t care about anything else once he has some food in his hands." Morgana mumbled with a wry smile on her well sculpted face. She turned her attention back to her own meal instead of watching James gulp down a large bottle of apple juice in just a matter of seconds.


    "Whew. That was refreshing." Having finally quenched his thirst, James breathed out loudly with a content smile on his face. "Don''t even think about it." Morgana''s words caused James to scratch his cheek in embarrassment. Although she wasn''t looking his way, his longing gaze at the basket accompanied by his sneaky left hand didn''t escape her awareness. He retracted his left hand and proceeded to lie down flat on the grass. His hands found their place behind his head, acting as his pillow. He whistled a slow and melodious tune. A pleasant sound that travelled far in this quiet atmosphere, a song that brought tears to the peeping King''s face.


    Reiki shone lightly as if to ask, "Why are you crying". She quickly wiped her tears as her lips stretched out into a mournful smile, "Father hummed that song to me every night before bed. He always said it was a song meant for a princess. Even when he was ill, he never missed what he referred to as his most solemn duty." She cleared her face of any tear stains that remained as she explained a small part of her childhood to Reiki. "I thought you could access our memories. How come you don''t know about that?" she asked.


    Reiki''s reply was simple, "I need access to them. I cannot see what you do not allow me to see. What is it you mortals call it? Ah yes. I am not a pervert." She smiled at Reiki''s reply, "Yes. You aren''t a pervert. I''ll let you in later." Reiki shone brightly at her response, showing his pleasure at her words. She smiled at his reaction. The eternal throne was older than anything in her world, with a heritage as old as the early inhabitants of planet itself, if not older. However, it was just as curious and excitable as a twelve year old child. Perhaps, in the world of sentient artefacts, the ''old'' eternal throne was nothing but a child. Well, when you had eternity as part of your name, even millions of years wouldn''t seem like much. The King paid little attention to Reiki now, opting to observe her parents instead, much to Reiki''s displeasure. And he wasn''t hiding it. Unfortunately for Reiki, the King''s decision to ignore him was final and she wasn''t going to change it. As one would treat an attention seeking child, she did the opposite of what he wanted- paying him no heed.


    "Any new vision?" Still lying on the ground and staring at the sky, James'' question once again brought surprise and doubt into the pretty eyes of the King who turned her head to her mother snappily to see her reaction. "No. You know that I can''t control when it happens or what I see. It can happen at any time. Even now." Morgana paused in between bites to respond.


    The King sighed in resignation. She had been surprised too many times in such a short time. The latest secret revealed- her mother was a seer. Seers were even rarer than spiritualists. Unlike spiritualists who were trained- as long as they met the requirements of course- seers weren''t. Seers were born with the ability to peer into secrets of the past, and the future. One could liken this ability to bloodline glows. Unfortunately it wasn''t an ability that could be controlled. If it could, they would be a terrifying threat. For the most powerful person is the one who holds the secrets of the world in his/her grasp. Normally, seers were without any combat ability. Many researchers had theorised that seers were unable to awaken their bloodlines because of the immense power that lay within them- the power to see clearly everything hidden under and above the sun. Her mother was different though. She had clearly seen her strike her father with inner energy. Now another question had joined the long list: ''How was her mother still able to wield?'' she wondered. That question would have to wait though, for something strange was happening.


    "Oh okay. I think we should leave now. What say you? Morgana¡­Morgana?" Realising that he wasn''t receiving a reply, James raised his head, only to see Morgana with a vacant look on her face. Her eyes were pure white, with no other colour present. "Wow. She was right. To think it happened just as she said." He stated as he watched her get up and walk right where the King was seated, almost as if she could see the peeping tom! The King watched in amazement as her mother stopped right before the eternal throne and said,


    "Eyes as deep as the seas and just as colourful. Seek he whose head is crowned with the brilliance of the sun. For it is he who holds the heritage of the Supremes. It is he who holds the fate of the Universe in his hands. He is your hope, as you are his. Seek him. Everything else holds little value, even the empire. He is your destiny."

 Chapter 75 - Not So Necessary Thoughts

    Almost immediately after her prophecy had ended, Morgana toppled to the ground. Luckily, James was right behind her, ready to receive the woman he loved into his strong arms. Morgana gave a weak smile of thanks, managing to raise her left arm to caress his cheeks. Even that action proved difficult as the arm fell limply almost immediately after completing its mission. It was quite clear that the ability had drained her of all her energy and strength, a feat that was only made possible when one received insights into a great destiny.


    "Shush. Don''t talk. Don''t attempt to do anything", James soothingly spoke as he held her up. He embraced her in a ''princess carry'' as he began to walk away from the field towards the North, where a huge tower had its roof kissing the glorious sky. A handsome man with a large sword strapped to his back, carried a beautiful maiden through the luscious green plains as the sun set silently behind them. Oh what a picturesque scene it was. The man kept humming the tune he was whistling earlier, his gorgeous voice causing the maiden''s eyelids to stutter as she slowly fell asleep with a warm smile on her face. All this was witnessed by the King, who sat as still as a rock on the eternal throne, terrified of what had just occurred.


    "It''s almost as if she knew I was here. Reiki, am I crazy or was she actually referring to me?" The King asked with a shaky voice. She was aware that this was a memory. So if it was, that meant everything had already happened and nothing was truly real. Yet she couldn''t help but be convinced that the prophecy from before had everything to do with her. She didn''t believe in coincidences, but she trusted fate. And her belief in faith had always led her to understand that everything happened for a reason. That everything had a purpose and nothing was accidental. If so, then¡­


    Reiki glowed softly and transmitted only three words to her, but that was enough to grant her insight into the recent happening. "She???s a seer." That was all he said. He didn''t say anything more, neither did he need to. She understood so much from those words, more than she would have from a long narrative. Seers had tremendous power: the power to peer into the past, present, and future. This allowed them to break the rules of time that were followed by all, without any repercussions. Her mother knew she was here, yet her mother also didn''t know that she was here. Simply put, the large pool of magic that normally remained dormant inside her mother had located her and peered into her future. In that instance, the consciousness of her mother that had access, and control over this power- her seer nature- had broken through the confines of time to locate the one who would appear at that location years after her death. She had ignored the laws of time and had prophesied concerning her daughter''s life without really knowing what was happening. So in that instant, her mother- or at least her mother''s sub consciousness self- knew who she was talking to, but once she woke up, that memory was erased. If this was her mother''s memory, and not her father''s, the King was certain that this stage would be a blank slot. But it was fate that led her to see her father''s memory, not her mother''s. The very fate she believed in did not let her down- it never did. This was how unpredictable the ability of a seer was. It was unknown what triggered it, but it was highly likely that when a seer met someone of great destiny, chaos would be activated instinctively to read the person''s future, so that his/her destiny would be fulfilled. It was believed that some had destinies so great, that even chaos feared for what could be- what chaos would unfold- if they weren''t fulfilled. Ironic wasn''t it- chaos feared chaos.


    "Which means, she was actually speaking to me." The King mouthed silently as the eternal throne followed behind the surreal couple, making sure to maintain the same distance from them. Reiki glowed in agreement to her words. He then lit up again, as if to say, "Think about the prophesy later. Let''s focus on the duo for now." The King nodded her head as she watched her parents- well, her father- slowly make his way back to the city with her mother in his arms.


    "That was close. Grandfather would be hopping mad if he found out that she received a prophesy after she sneaked out. Especially if he realised that I was the one that planned and structured her escape." James thought out loud upon noticing that his bride-to-be was sound asleep. Her slow rhythmic breathing indicated that she was having a good rest. So he stopped humming and began to think about the consequences of his actions. He shivered at the thought of his grandfather- the emperor- figuring out his crimes. His grandfather always had a simple punishment for him when he erred- a spar. Sounds simple right? It wasn''t. This was a spar without any restrictions. An old man with a ton of experience unifying and creating an empire, versus a young man who was yet to master Nature''s Cross, his grandfather''s favourite skill by the way. Putting aside that his grandfather had a far greater pool of inner energy than himself, he would still lose. As was proven about three years ago, after his protests that the spars were unfair and should have their rules changed, he knew he was still no match for the Cold Emperor even with his strength reduced to match his. After getting his ass kicked way more ridiculously than he did normally, even after the Cold Emperor had reduced his inner energy to two levels below his, there was no way he was going to suggest something like that. Although that was the last time he had been punished, especially since he had been fully focused on his training and didn''t get into any trouble, he still remembered it. Well, getting your ass kicked mercilessly does leave its mark. As for Morgana, he wasn''t worried about her at all. His grandfather adored his fianc¨¦e, almost as though she was his child instead. And this wasn''t because of her ability as a seer. He just loved the black haired lady. It was because of this love that he kept her confined within the castle walls. Many wanted the head of the Seer of the South. It was for her protection. James didn''t understand though. With her strength at the earth realm, there was no need to fear anyone on Kelan. However his grandfather never relented, always saying, "Our enemies are not of this world. I would inform you when you are ready." He had been told some things when he reached the earth realm, but he knew that wasn''t all of it.


    Well, anytime she made a mistake, the Cold Emperor assumed it was due to his (James'') influence. It was strange for one so stonehearted like his ''old-fashioned'' grandfather to love another so. He would receive a worse beating since Morgana was involved. His grandfather would definitely not forgive him for putting the life of the ''Southern Lily'' in danger.


    "I''d just take the hidden channel underneath the castle grounds. Hopefully he hasn''t realised she''s gone." He had hardly finished his statement when he heard the alarm bell being rung loudly, so loud it was that he could hear it although he was several kilometres away. He smiled bitterly as he resigned himself to his fate, the cruel bashing to come, "Too late". He turned away from the path he was going to take, opting for the one that led straight to the city gate instead. He smiled broadly, unlike one who was in for a world of pain as he said to no one in particular,


    "Well, I guess there''s no use picking a hidden channel. That will only expose our secret. I wonder, how badly will I lose this time?"

 Chapter 76 - Ambush

    "Who''s there? Show yourself" James abruptly halted his steps as he looked around vigilantly. His ears twitched in response to his state of alertness, ready to transmit any sounds to its master. The King looked around curiously. Although she knew her parents didn''t die here, she still felt the unease of helplessly watching your loved ones in danger. "Do not interfere. They will be fine" Reiki transmitted to her upon feeling the constant pressure on him decreasing, indicating that she was about to stand up. "Of course I know they were fine. Still can''t help it though." She stated with an annoyed expression as she gave up on the strength that was slowly building in her forearms, ready to propel her forward and off her seat.


    "You do not want to reveal yourself? Well, that''s fine. Let me help you!" James screamed as he unsheathed his zweihander. He threw the large sword high into the air as he readjusted his fianc¨¦e''s position, taking the utmost care not to awaken her even in this scenario. The large sword descended just when he had managed to free his right hand, his dominant hand. It was almost as if it had a mind of its own, for such timing was impressive. Or it was all down to its master''s talent, timing and awareness.


    "Concentric slash 720"


    James span rapidly even before he finished his statement, his body turning a full 360- twice. His large sword swept through a radius of 400 metres, rendering the formerly beautiful land barren. The vibrant and tall trees were nowhere to be found, cleanly destroyed and without any remains. From the sky above one would only a circle of destruction- one with no life- with James at the centre. Look past the circle, and the beautiful grass as well as the tall trees would find you.


    "Indeed, you are the grandson of the Cold Emperor. Such talent. You surely are worth recruiting." One of the figures who previously lay hidden spoke. His voice was deep and husky, difficult to make out. He wore all black clothes and had a mask covering his features. Only his red eyes were exposed to the world. Yet it was nowhere near enough to give away his identity. The other six who were with him were dressed just the same, though their eyes didn''t contain the blood that the speaker''s did.


    "If you want my membership, you should try showing a bit more sincerity." James answered nonchalantly. He was in no mood to take the words of assassins to heart. He was a bit baffled though. Their strength was clearly beyond Kelan. The concentric slash series was a powerful all area attack. It was powerful enough to take out anyone below the mid stages of the earth realm, unless they had a powerful defensive artefact. However, from their getup, they possessed no such artefact. That meant they were as strong as or stronger than him.


    "This is a bit worrying" He smiled slightly as he stated.


    "You say that. Yet you show us a smile. You are as crazy as your grandfather." The red eyed assassin stated as he slowly moved towards James. His entourage followed his lead. They spread out to surround James as they closed in.


    "You''ve spoken about my grandfather twice. Do you know him?" James asked curiously. He twirled his heavy sword carelessly as though it was as light as a feather.


    "You could say that we are acquainted. Our true relationship is yet to be determined. Although his comradery evades me now, it may not always be the case." The assassin''s response was vague.


    "Speak clearly." James demanded.


    "There is nothing in the cosmos that is clear at first glance. Everything is blurry, the truth hidden in the least likely of places. From opaqueness, to translucence, and then finally, transparency. One''s insight is deepened depending on these three factors. In time, your translucent mind may comprehend the words of my transparent one."


    James smiled broadly at the words of his assailant. His smile disappeared as quickly as it appeared when the black clothed jerk went on to say, "For instance, now we are here for her. You will definitely not unhand her so we''d have to kill you. It is a great disservice to you, dear child. But it is the will of the Universe." That was what the moron said as he pointed at the lithe figure sleeping soundly in James'' arms.


    "I won''t hand her over to you. I won''t let you harm her." His declaration was resolute, his grip on his sword increasing greatly in strength.


    "Harm her? No no no. We only wish to bring out her true potential. To allow her to come into herself. To save her from the trivialities of this small world and allow her to soar brilliantly in the cosmos. She must- no, she will- become the high priestess of the Dark Kingdom." The man gestured wildly with his arms, almost as though he could already see Morgana reaching the ''greater heights'' he spoke so passionately about. Though with his husky tone, it was difficult to say if the passion was genuine, or was meant as a mockery to the one who watched him.


    "Do you know the kind of people I hate the most?" James asked with a smile on his face once again. The red eyed man tilted his head curiously. James'' smile broadened, as he thrust his sword powerfully into the ground, "Those who spew bullshit with an air of philosophy, thinking it will change their words from irrelevant, to relevant. But in the end, it''s still crap."


    Two large sword shadows appeared from underground and successfully skewered two of the assassins, sending them flying high into the air and mercilessly chopping them into several pieces.


    "My oh my. So violent." The red eyed man was seemingly unconcerned with the death of his two minions. He charged in right after ending his statement with a short blade in hand.


    *kiiiiink*


    The smaller looking blade clashed furiously with the much larger zweihander. James was pushed back a few metres, right into the path of one of his assailants. He was very aware of the danger though. He twisted his body to avoid the long sword that was aimed at his neck and countered. His large sword hit its target, yet it wasn''t a clean hit. He only managed to slightly wound his opponent. He could only watch helplessly as the assassin created some distance between them. James had a good grasp of the leader''s power now. That casual strike had revealed energy belonging to the peak of the earth realm. The others were around the same level yet a bit weaker. With this level of opposition, Janes knew he couldn''t drag the fight on any longer. Fights of such high levels usually took one or two decisive blows to end a person''s life, as demonstrated by his slaughter of two of his ambushers.


    "Virtus Invehitur!" James screamed loudly. His power exploded from within. The winds howled around him as his eyes turned grey and his hair, white. He raised his hand and pointed his sword at the leader, the one who was now struggling to keep standing under the immense pressure.


    "How..could..this..be?" he stuttered fearfully, his voice not as husky as before. He watched in horror as James parted his lips and proclaimed domineeringly,


    "Death¡­to all of you."

 Chapter 77 - Before He Comes

    "Stabit" James mumbled softly as he raised his hand to shield his cheek. His sword remained in the air, as though he was still holding on to it. A small spark stopped right before his palm, unable to move any further. He turned his eyes to the direction it came from. He couldn''t see anyone, but he didn''t need his eyes to see what his other senses did. His ears picked up the slight rustling of leaves a few kilometres away. It could very well be an animal, after all there were several creatures in the forest. But no animal was capable of shooting a gun from such a distance. And he''d rather risk killing an innocent creature, than to leave his back wide open for a hidden sniper.


    "Reflexionem", he said. The small spark heeded his words. It flew at breath taking speed towards its origin.


    _____________________________________________________________________________________


    Some few kilometres away, another black clothed figure- a gun master- watched in horror as his most prized technique, ''The King''s bullet'', failed to hit its target. His face was pale, his brown eyes shaking with fear as his target turned towards his direction. He shakily picked up his gun as he prepared to flee. Unfortunately, it wasn''t to be. His very sharp eyes caught sight of the golden spark flying his way. He smiled bitterly for he knew what it was. An attack that wasn''t famed for its precision, but its destructiveness. It was a technique that exploded upon impact, making it futile to block it with a shield or a sword. Its effective range was a diameter of 20 metres. Good enough to avoid hitting allies, but fatal to an enemy. To think that one day, he would die by his own hands. There was no way he could flee. Even if he wasn''t hit directly, he would be in its range. Best case scenario, he loses as few limbs. Worst case, well, death was pretty much the end of everything, wasn''t it?


    *BAAAANNNNG*


    ____________________________________________________________________________________


    The explosion occurred some kilometres away, yet the deafening impact was felt by the red eyed man and his men. They didn''t need a physician to tell them that their colleague was dead. Anyone hit by such a technique, unless he/she was in the heavenly realm, would in no way survive. Yet this little interaction informed the red-eyed man of something vital.


    "That can''t be right. How do you still have control over your emotions? No, you aren''t really a Supreme. You are using magic to control the power of a Supreme. You''re a False Supreme. You''re just a thief using power that doesn''t belong to you. You definitely can''t keep this up much longer. And with the flashy moves you are using, you won''t be able to." The leader finally noticed a flaw, one that calmed his fleeing heart and reassured his frantic mind.


    James didn''t bother to reply. He stretched out his free hand and opened his palm. His large sword flew into his grip immediately. He clasped the hilt tightly and declared in ''lease'', "Daemonium Venator: Gladius Obumbratio."


    His sword began to hum loudly, the originally 2 metres long sword grew longer, becoming almost twice its previous length. It also grew larger, as the thin sword now looked like a large cleaver. Its blade was engulfed entirely in fire, its screams like the cry of a rising phoenix. James'' aura went through a drastic change just like his sword. He grew larger, making Morgana who was held in his left arm look more like a doll figurine than an actual human being.


    The red-eyed man was unmoved by this display of power. To him, all this was just a futile attempt to escape the inescapable. All he saw were the last embers of a beautiful flame, one that was going to be snuffed out soon- and not by his filthy hands. All he had to do was make sure it was put out before he could feel its searing heat. Luckily, he had enough numbers for that.


    "Go", he commanded, not caring much for his ''followers''. They didn''t even have the will to protest, for when he commanded them, their eyes went blank as they rushed at James without any of their previous sanity. They were very clearly being controlled.


    *Kink*


    The first man to reach James had his attempted stab easily repelled by the flaming sword. James swiped him away as one would swat an annoyingly persistent fly. The man''s figure flew out like a broken kite, and was smashed powerfully into the ground a few hundreds of metres away. Yet this act of power did nothing to deter the mindless pawns that were closing in.


    "Nature''s Cross" James chanted. His stance was inch perfect, his technique exceptional. The result? A Nature''s Cross that put his practice cross to shame. Twice as big as the one he conjured earlier, and at least three times faster, the magnificent sword lights rushed towards two of the unfortunate pawns, intent on being the platform for their crucifixion.


    *BANG*


    The cross exploded loudly, having successfully impaled two of his assailants, and leaving a large dent in the ground, proof of its power. James panted loudly, his eyes were beginning to fail him. His steps faltered as he slightly bent over, exhausted yet awake.


    "Tired already?" the red-eyed man orated, the glee in his voice unhidden. "But you still have one more minion to take on. How on earth are you going to manage, and deal with me after?" He ''kindly'' asked.


    "I don''t have to. I just need to deal with him. At least before he comes." James mumbled tiredly. He threw his sword high into the air and exclaimed, "Go, Randal!" In response to his words, the sword flew at terrifying speed unbefitting of its enormous size. It rushed towards the last assassin who held his sword before him to defend against the blow. The thick plates of earth the man summoned did nothing to deter the large sword. Randal effortlessly tore through the defence of the earth wielder and impaled him neatly on the ground.


    *Bang*


    James slumped to the ground, his face full of sweat. Even in such a condition, he held on to Morgana with delicate care. His body returned to its normal size, the torn rags that barely covered his skin serving as proof of the earlier gigantism. Randal had also returned to its normal size.


    "Oh my. The show is over already. Hehe." The repulsive laughter of the last man standing was grating to the ear. Yet James didn''t look troubled. He had a broad smile on his face as he looked at his enemy with¡­wait pity?


    "What did you mean by, ''before he comes''" the gloating man finally realised he had missed something. He didn''t receive a reply though. He didn''t need to. He felt fear. The fear one feels when they are dealing with something beyond them. A natural, instinctive fear. One that paid no heed to how much courage you had.


    "I see. You made so much noise so you could draw his attention" he orated, right before a strong hand held his neck from behind.


    "You reek of one who has bathed in the aura of the Dark Sword. I won''t kill you yet. There is much I want to know." The voice of the Cold Emperor was pleasant, his long black hair highlighting his good looks. He didn''t look like an old man. He looked young enough to pass for James'' elder brother. But to the assassin, that voice held no charm- only dread.

 Chapter 78 - Emperor City

    "Come James. Don''t tell me you''re so exhausted you cannot walk back to the city." James smiled bitterly at his guardian''s words. From his tone, he was certain that the punishment that was normally meted out when he erred wasn''t going to come. At least, it wasn''t the same punishment. The old man was dishing out a new one. And the difficulty was way higher.


    "And make sure you don''t drop Morgana." James'' eyebrows twitched at the heartless words. The difficulty had been increased still further. It was his pure will that kept him going. Now that his grandfather was here, he was barely able to walk, much less stand. And yet he was supposed to do that while carrying an extra person.


    "You heartless old man! The least you can do is to give me a hand!" he screamed at the figure floating a few metres ahead of him with the unfortunate assassin in his grasp.


    "I could" he replied. "But I won''t. Oh and if Morgana wakes up, I will punish you- personally." James swallowed his words as he thought to himself, "When I''m stronger, I will punch his annoying face into the ground."


    "I heard that brat." How he heard that, James had no idea. It was almost as if the old man was in his mind, sipping a glass of tea.


    "The next time you call me an old man, I''d beat the living daylights out of you." James shuddered at his grandfather''s words. If only he knew how the old man was able to read his thoughts¡­ He sighed exhaustedly as he hoisted the still sleeping Morgana onto his tired shoulder, careful not to wake her up. This time his care wasn''t because of his love for her, but his fear of a beating. Anyone who had experienced his grandfather''s ''loving'' punishment would be too. Unless of course that person was abnormal or had weird tendencies involving being in pain.


    "When did you arrive?" James asked laboriously as he dragged his tired feet along. The old man was being considerate at least, choosing to move at a slow pace so James could keep up. He wasn''t so heartless after all.


    "Would you look at that? You have the energy to talk. You should be grateful that I care for you. Otherwise you most definitely won''t be able to keep up." The Cold Emperor laughed.


    "Save the speech for the na?ve. You aren''t doing this for me. You''re doing this for her. It''s because you''re worried she''d wake up and see me like this." James did not fall for the old man''s tricks though. He knew his guardian well enough to know that he wasn''t that soft hearted. Sure the old man loved him, but it was the tough kind of love. The kind you knew existed, but had never truly experienced.


    "Hehe. If that were the case I would have carried Morgana myself." The Cold Emperor stated shamefully, not minding his grandson''s rebuke.


    "I''m not a child Grandfather. We both know that you were so mad at me that you decided to dish out my punishment immediately. Unfortunately I was so beat up that your ''usual'' method wasn''t feasible. In your rage you had picked out what you felt was the next best thing. You definitely regretted your decision, yet your pride left you unable to retract your words." James'' analysis was as sharp as his looks. The embarrassed smile of the Cold Emperor was enough proof that the young man was right. Unfortunately, James wasn''t able to see this rare sight- a collector''s item- since he was behind the old man.


    "If you want that beating, keep on talking." James kept silent after the old man''s threats. The only sound that was present was his laboured breathing, which drew no sympathy from the old man. James didn''t complain though. He didn''t even think of complaining. It seemed the old man''s threat was taken very seriously.


    "Open the gates. And fetch some horses for the Emperor and the young prince." After walking determinedly for almost 45 minutes, the huge and majestic city gate appeared before them. It was the capital city of the Empire that lay in the south of Kelan- the capital city of the Eternal Empire, Emperor City. Large walls that easily dwarfed any giant, and a heavy gate that was impervious to attacks by all those below the profound realm, this city was near impenetrable. It finally made sense why assassins found it so difficult to get in, and why the Emperor was so certain that Morgana would only be safe inside the city walls. The Eternal Empire was a powerful empire, yet it did have one flaw. Of all the things a resident of this empire could boast of, proximity wasn''t one of them. Cities and towns were so far apart that it was not challenge to conquer several of them before reinforcements arrived. Surprising wasn''t it? If it seemed so simple, why hadn''t anyone succeeded? Why was it the single most powerful empire in the entire planet of Kelan? Well, even if the powerful barriers and great weapons that manned the walls of every city- and even towns- were ruled out, each and every warrior who was enlisted in the army was a wielder! This alone provided every area with enough security. Only a fool would dare challenge a behemoth without being one himself/herself. Let''s say you do conquer a few towns. You would still be knee deep in trouble when reinforcements arrive. In fact, from the moment the invasion was announced, so were your funeral arrangements.


    The spectating King gasped in amazement as she witnessed soldiers on top of the city walls, using magic to undo the barrier on the gate. "The Usurper really destroyed our empire", she commented upon seeing the grand sight. There was no such barrier around Emperor City anymore. The city- no, the empire- had definitely declined in the hands of the False King. The fool had made no progress, only succeeding in causing the power of the empire to dwindle greatly. The armour the soldiers had on, their weapons, and even the cannons and ballistae that did more than just beautify the city walls, were all exceptional and in great condition.


    "Looks like I have much work to do." The King had never seen the city walls or the gate. She had never left Emperor City so she hadn''t witnessed this grandiose sight before today. Even when she escaped the city, she did so through a hidden channel shown to her by her father. She didn''t even know that there was a sealing barrier on their walls. If such a barrier and the weapons were present, it wouldn''t have been so easy to take the city. She would have lost a few good men and women at the very least. Reiki glowed in agreement.


    James was helped into the castle by a few servants, with the maidservants gently retrieving Morgana from him. As the servants were helping him to his room, their progress was halted by his grandfather. "You can''t rest yet. You are going join the interrogation."


    James smiled wryly at the old man''s words. He sure was petty. Even now, the old man wouldn''t let him be. He gently pushed the servants off him as he stumbled behind the Emperor.

 Chapter 79 - The Eternal Ascender

    In dimly lit cell, sat a middle aged man. There was nothing remarkable about him. He was one of those that would gain no attention in a crowd. However, his eyes left quite the impression. They were deep red, almost as though they were filled with blood. He was devoid of any injuries and seemed to be in very good condition. If not for the chains that bound him, there was no way one would have pegged him as the prisoner. His state was a stark contrast to the young man who sat before him. The face that was supposed to be colourful and full of life was haggard and weary. He looked as though he had been shipwrecked and stranded on an unknown island for years, awaiting his rescue. His eyelids fluttered as he struggled to keep awake. The simple task of keeping his eyes open had become a monstrously taxing endeavour. He wasn''t alone though. A man bearing many similarities to the young man sat beside him. He had his legs crossed as he carelessly chewed on a chewing stick.


    "How has the treatment been so far?" he chirped, finally taking out the chewing stick and throwing it onto the ground. He poked the drowsy boy awake while at it.


    "Okay." The bound man replied. The earlier fear from meeting the Cold Emperor had long been extinguished. He was pretty calm now.


    "I''m surprised you didn''t attempt to escape. Those chains cannot even hold down an above-mortal realm wielder. Yet here you are, so well behaved."


    The prisoner smiled at his interrogator''s words. He parted his lips and replied in that husky voice of his, "Futile attempt". The originally chatty assassin was brief with his words, but the meaning was conveyed. In such a fortified city, even a peak earth realm expert like himself would have no chance of escape. It wasn''t because of the city''s defences, or its barrier. The fortification here referred to his apprehender- the Cold Emperor. An earth realm expert like himself could easily get away if he wanted to, barrier or no barrier. Even the high walls were not really a problem. He would just blast himself out. Scaling the walls was also an option. He just required the right tools. If he also wanted to run rampant in the city, he would- as long as the Emperor was absent. Even the Emperor''s grandson was a handful, if he was in peak condition that is.


    "Smart man" the Cold Emperor praised. "Didn''t save me from the hands of an Ascension Realm expert." The man self-mocked. In that brief moment when his neck was grasped by the Ruler of the Eternal City, the old man unleashed his aura. That was the reason why he hadn''t attempted to fight back when he was grabbed, because he was certain that the aura belonged to an Ascension Realm expert.


    "All this time we had been misled. We all thought you were only at the peak of the Heavenly Realm. We felt we had even placed you highly. After all, how many people have the talent to break into the Heavenly Realm on this lowly planet? To think that we were so wrong. Such a talent you are, breaking into the Ascension Realm at the age of eighty. Such a talent!"


    The Emperor smiled at his words. Even in the entire Universe, one would be hard pressed to find an eighty year old Ascender. Even more shocking was the fact that the young looking emperor was actually so old.


    "But it had nothing to do with talent now, did it?" the prisoner smiled broadly as he continued. His words did nothing to wipe the smile of the Cold Emperor''s face. The assassin wasn''t done though, "Your grandson has access to the power of a Supreme, yet he isn''t one. And you, are an Ascender. These aren''t enough to draw any attention. After all, there are many talented families littered all over the Cosmos. There is one flaw though- the girl, Morgana. Your to-be daughter-in-law is a seer, yet she has been able to cultivate her strength to the peak of the earth realm. There are no such coincidences."


    The Cold Emperor''s smile switched to a frown, yet the captured assassin showed no signs of ending his analysis. "This is related to a Supreme. If I am not wrong, you are Eternals, beings sworn to protect the Supreme. How did we miss this? Your empire is literally named after you. You are normally weak. But, when a Supreme is born, your talents rise to unprecedented levels. You draw your power from them, once they die, you become useless runts." He continued, still not planning to end his long explanation.


    "Your grandson is different. He is able to use the power of a Supreme. He is a False Supreme, beings that are bound to Supremes. Unlike other eternals, he will die if the Supreme dies. Yet this allows him to draw upon the power of a Supreme. From what I saw, he wasn''t able to use this power for long. It isn''t because his realm is too low, but rather it is the fault of the Supreme. It just means the Supreme One is too young, young enough to pose little threat. Or he isn''t even born yet. He must be killed before he grows."


    The Emperor smiled lightly at his words, yet James shivered at the sight. Anyone with adequate knowledge of the Emperor would know what this smile meant. There was no way this assassin was going to be alive in the next five minutes.


    "He is a threat to the rise of the Dark Kingdom. A threat to the dark sword. He will die." The assassin orated."


    "Oh? And how do you plan to do that?" the Emperor asked, the smile still present.


    "You seem very knowledgeable about the Dark Kingdom. I''m sure you know that the dark sword doesn''t only grant us our strength, it connects our thoughts. From the moment I reached this conclusion, the dark sword was informed of it." The red eyed man had a sick smile on his face when he spoke. "They will find him, and kill him!" he screamed, his eyes shining with a crazed look on his face. James'' expression changed at his words. He had no idea that the dark sword had such an effect. He looked to his grandfather, hoping that the old man had a solution. He was instantly comforted by what he saw. The Cold Emperor was still calm. He clearly knew all this, so why was he so calm? The calm demeanour of the Emperor forced the laughing assassin to be silent.


    "Don''t you find it strange?" the Emperor asked. His question caused the assassin to look at him befuddled. "I knew all this yet I didn''t kill you immediately." The young looking Emperor stated, picking another chewing stick and placing it in his mouth. His words caused the expression of the assassin to change. His face quickly went pale as he screamed, "What have you done to me! Why can''t I feel a connection to the dark sword?!"


    "You fool. Did you really think I''d take no precautions against the Dark Kingdom?" the Cold Emperor asked rhetorically. "You''ve had your fun. Now it''s time to answer some of my questions, don''t you agree?"


    The Cold Emperor smiled broadly as the aura of an Ascender filled the room.

 Chapter 80 - Caught

    "Do you think he told the truth?" James asked his grandfather. The older man was washing his hands. The blood filled basin was quickly picked up and disposed by the servant who formerly stood at the side. Another handed the Emperor a white towel so he could wipe his hands of the remnants of water that remained.


    "The blood of one tainted with the aura of darkness. It smells as filthy as ever." The Emperor didn''t answer his grandson right away. He wiped his hands with rigor as though it had been stained with acid. He had a disgusted look on his face.


    "No one asked you to kill him so gruesomely, did they?" James'' eyelids twitched as he replied. His grandfather could have easily killed the assassin- sorry, the deceased assassin- yet he chose to slowly torture the man. They had spent hours in the cell. The first few minutes served as a question and answer session. The minutes and hours that followed were filled with the screams of an anguished man. His heart wrenching screams would have terrified all who heard them. Thankfully, the dungeon was deep underground, away from civilization. Added to its soundproof walls, the inhabitants of the castle had their gods to thank for not being witnesses to what transpired in that cell.


    Not James though. The young man was already exhausted before the interrogation. Added to the carnage his eyes and ears had just witnessed, he was at his breaking point. He was eager to get some rest. His guardian however, cared very little for the young man''s feelings.


    "Listen James. You may be royalty here, but before the Supreme One, you are nothing. Your strength comes from him. Your vitality, you steal from him. Your power is from him. Without him you would have no chance to become a spiritualist. Without his power, you would have died at the hands of the Dark Kingdom before I could even get there. He is your everything. He is your Monarch- as he is mine. When someone goes against your King, you make them pay for their disrespect. Remember that." The Cold Emperor had a stern look as he addressed his grandson. James cowered under his grandfather''s authority. He nodded his head vigorously.


    As for the servants who were in their midst, the Emperor didn''t seem to mind their presence. It was almost as if they weren''t there. And weirder still was, James didn''t seem to mind either. He slumped onto a chair tiredly. It was unknown what exhausted him more: the entire day''s ordeal; or the small scolding he had just been given.


    "As for what he told us, hmm, one can never truly believe what an enemy says. Yet one cannot dismiss it either. The former is an act of naivety, the latter, arrogance." The Emperor sat down comfortably after confirming that there really was no blood leftover on his hands. James nodded understandingly at his words, trying his best to stay awake. The meaning in the emperor''s words was conveyed to the young man. They were going to take the dead assassin''s words seriously. They were going to act on the new information they had been given. But they would be fools to put all their trust in the words of an enemy, captive or free. They were going to follow up on his words, but they would have their guards up against any traps. They would also have to search for other options, whilst confirming the news they had just received.


    "You can go now." The Emperor''s words were like music to James'' ears. He stood up with renewed vigour. As for how he was able to sprint out of the hall in his condition, only he knew. "Thanks old man." He happily chirped as he escaped the hall.


    "Hehe." The old man smirked at his last blood relative''s antics. "Master, do you think we should start searching for the Supreme One?" One of the three servants who had remained silent till now asked.


    The smirk on the Emperor''s face was wiped away by his words. His face was stern as he replied, "And then what?"


    The servant had no response for his master''s words. "At certain times, doing nothing is doing everything. All seek for our king, with only a handful harbouring kind intentions. Even family, isn''t truly family when some seek your downfall. Bringing him here will only help our enemies, not him." The inquisitive subordinate was silenced by the emperor''s words. He knew that his master was right. It was usually the Eternals that served as guardians until the Supreme One was mature. But there was something unique about the new Supreme. Usually, a Supreme didn''t have so many enemies. But this one had everyone coming after him. There was obviously something they feared about the young chaos wielder. Unfortunately, he didn''t know what it was. And he doubted the emperor did as well. And even if he did, he wasn''t going to tell them.


    The bottom line was, they weren''t strong enough to protect the Supreme One. Even if they were, the sheer number of enemies would overwhelm them. Eventually, this place would become his grave, and theirs. They had no choice but to do nothing, only hoping that the one who held their destiny in his hands would grow strong enough to lead them- and fast.


    "Don''t worry. Even if we aren''t there to protect him, he would be fine. If he wasn''t so dangerous, so many people wouldn''t be after him. I worry rather for his enemies. Oh what carnage would be unleashed when the master of chaos itself is fully grown." The emperor had a huge grin on his face as he spoke. It was almost as if he could see their enemies, lying beneath their feet, bloodied and bound. The others around him had similar expressions. A spectator would have mistaken them for four mad men who had successfully escaped the asylum.


    "We are Eternals. Our will is eternal. We will rise with the Supreme One. The Universe cannot bind us. For we are its binders." In this strange atmosphere filled with the crazed looks of possibly crazy men, this solemn vow was recited. The emperor looked towards where the illusionary eternal throne stood, with the actual King of Eternal Empire seated on it and said with a kind smile, "Girl, you best remember that."

 Chapter 81 - Maia meets Grandpa Winks

    "Leave" the Emperor commanded. His subordinates didn''t voice any complaints at the unexpected order, nor did they question the emperor concerning who he was referring to before. They bowed slightly and disappeared.


    "Don''t bother looking for them. They''ve already left." The Emperor turned to address the one who sat on the eternal throne, his great granddaughter. Her face was filled with shock from the Emperor''s previous words. Her shock was compounded when the figures that filled the room all disappeared without a trace.


    "They wouldn''t be worthy nobility realm experts if they couldn''t escape the senses of an earth realm genius." The Cold Emperor still had a genial smile on his face when he addressed the one he referred to as ''girl''.


    "How did you¡­?" the king questioned, still in shock over the previous events. First and foremost, when James had bolted out of the room, the eternal throne was meant to follow the young prince. After all, it was his memories they were experiencing. It wasn''t something she or even Reiki could control. In this realm, they were bound to her father. However, when the eternal throne moved to follow this law, it was forcefully halted. They had panicked initially, but were drawn to the conversation ongoing in the room. A conversation that touched heavily upon her heritage. A conversation that had replaced her panic of possibly being stranded in the memory scape with curiosity involving the one referred to as the Supreme.


    Secondly, the old man could see her. Initially when they were outside the castle, at the scene of James'' battle, the old man had looked her way and creased his brows. They were relaxed soon after, with him going on to smile in her direction. She had assumed there was something else. Her assumption was based on Reiki''s confident statement that not even an Ascender would know he was there. It turns out that Reiki was wrong. Even the eternal throne didn''t truly understand the abilities of the one who had possessed it before her. The man had realised they were there, but had ignored them. Possibly because James was still around at the time. Now that his grandson wasn''t here, he had revealed what he knew.


    The third reason for her stunned appearance was due to the ''servants''. The three ordinary looking men weren''t so ordinary. From their earlier conversation, she had found out that they were eternals like herself. This ''eternals'' thing was new to her. From how quickly they disappeared and from her ancestor''s words, they were far stronger than she thought- they were nobles! Not the regular joes that were born to a noble family, but people who had broken into the nobility realm and had titles of their own. Titles awarded by the universe itself. A stage only weaker than the ascending realm. To think that the Eternal Empire of old hid all these experts. And her father''s reaction to the three ''servants'' was enough to confirm that he was aware of this as well. As for whether her mother knew, she didn''t even need to question it.


    Another reason for her surprise was her speech. Reiki had warned her not to. It was a rule of the memory scape apparently, not his. If she spoke, the natural laws that governed the memory scape would kick the unwelcome intruder out, for viewing another''s memories was already against the natural laws. In fact, when she spoke just now, she could feel the energy gather around her and attempt to shred her apart. But, that feeling disappeared almost as immediately as it appeared. All because the old man nonchalantly waved his hand. Whatever her great grandfather was, he was definitely not your regular Ascender.


    "Relax. With me here, no one can kick you out. Not even the laws." The Cold Emperor rose from his seat and approached the eternal throne. He looked down at the young monarch who sat uncomfortably on the eternal throne. "Hehe. You really are your father''s daughter. He sat the same way when he had just inherited the throne. It would take some getting used to." The emperor lightly patted her head, causing the King to blush in embarrassment as she hadn''t been treated this way in a very long time. She finally saw where her father got his head patting habit from.


    "Reiki old friend. I can see you''re still doing well." The man addressed the eternal throne. The throne glowed very brightly, and lightly shook in the process. It was obviously very excited to speak to its former partner.


    "Of course you''re doing fine. After having to endure the hard buttocks of men for several millions of years, having a pretty lady in your arms must surely make you happy." He laughed boisterously as he orated.


    Reiki glowed brightly in protest. "I know old friend. I know you never saw it that way. But now that you have a gorgeous lady as your master, there is no way you''d like to have a male on you again." He laughed once more. This time Reiki''s glow wasn''t as bright. He seemed to agree with the emperor.


    "I know you have several questions old friend. But let me answer her''s first. Is that okay?" the Emperor asked kindly, treating the eternal throne way better than he did James. It was almost as if he saw the ancient artefact as a child. He definitely treated it that way. Upon receiving the go ahead from Reiki, he turned to face his descendant again.


    "Little one. What is your name?" he wondered, his hands still caressing her head. "Maia" she replied with her head down.


    "Maia" the older man repeated, seemingly fascinated with the name. "Your parents named you well", he continued. "Though I''m certain that it''s thanks to your mother that you have such a pretty name. Your father had no such naming sense. In his childhood he had three puppies. The little brat called them ''Puppy 1'', ''Puppy 2'', and ''Puppy 3''. Pissed the bitch that bred them to no end."


    Maia snickered at her ancestor''s words. The old man didn''t even care that he was slighting a father before his daughter. As long as he could see her face light up, it was worth it.


    "I''m sure you have many questions, several gnats that gnaw at that pretty brain of yours. I''m here to answer them all little Maia. Come Reiki, let''s go to my chambers. Oh, and you can just call me Grandpa Winks like your mom does."

 Chapter 82 - Answers Part I

    "You must be thirsting for information. And you won''t find them chasing after your father''s memories. So I''d just answer them all here, and now." Maia nodded at her predecessor''s words. She knew he was right. There was no way she''d get the answers she hoped for so quickly if she followed her father''s memories. For starters, who knows how long the memories would continue for till she got a few answers? It could be months, years, or worse, decades. According to Reiki, she would only be able to observe for a month, after which she''d have to wait till he had enough energy for her to revisit the rest. A month in the memory scape was equivalent to a day in the physical realm. She was hoping to ride her luck, and successfully gain a few answers before her time ended. Now that she had a person willing to answer all her questions, she was more than pleased. It seems her luck was better than she thought. Rather, fate was on her side once more.


    "Who are we?" Maia asked. Of all the questions she wanted to ask, that was the most pressing. She wanted to know how her mother could still wield even as a seer, and it had been answered. The prior conversation had informed her that it was due to tapping into a person''s power that her mother, and her entire family had gotten so powerful. She had many more questions to ask, including how the Usurper had taken the throne when he was nowhere near powerful enough to do so. She''d have to find a way to ask the question concerning the Usurper without letting Grandpa Winks know what was truly going on. She couldn''t possibly say, "So you see in the future your grandson will be killed cruelly by one of the nobles." She had to find out if there was something that could weaken eternals to the extent that they would lose all their strength. However, these questions would come later.


    Grandpa Winks smiled at her question. The older gentleman stroked his beard stubble as he sat down more comfortably. He was expecting this question. And he had already prepared a reply, "We are eternals. Eternals are an ancient race, one as old as time itself. We were present when the Universe was made. And we will be in millions of years to come. Only the destruction of the universe, would cause our race to die out."


    Maia was startled by the answer. How could a race exist from the beginning of the cosmos itself? She looked at her ancestor in doubt, hoping the man would be clearer with his explanation.


    "I know it sounds farfetched and downright arrogant, but it is true. That is why we are referred to as Eternals. We have been present since the beginning. And we aren''t going anywhere. I''m not going to bore you with our history. It''s quite long, and we don''t have enough time." Grandpa Winks explained with a smile. "Unfortunately, our strength isn''t as dominant as our age. Unlike many other races, our talent isn''t set in stone. We aren''t born as geniuses. We are made into geniuses depending on the situation. I''m certain you heard us talk about the Supreme One."


    Maia nodded her head in reply. Over the past few hours, she had heard that term over and over again. From the various conversations that she had spied on, this Supreme Being was the lifeblood of her race. As to why that was, she was eager to find out. "Is this Supreme Being an eternal?" she asked eagerly.


    "No, he isn''t. And that is never possible." Grandpa Winks shut the doors to her speculative mind with his reply. He went on to say, "The Supreme Being, or the one referred to by all who have any knowledge of this character, as the Supreme, isn''t really fixed to a race. Once every million years, a child is born with talent and latent power that put him/her at the top of the universal food chain. We don''t know how this happens, but every time the universe was in dire need of saving, a Supreme was born. They are seen as the universe''s own means of fighting back. The birth of a Supreme is both good and bad. For eternals, our talent depends on the Supremes. When a Supreme is born, we undergo a metamorphosis, allowing us to exceed the limits of any world we occupy. Without the Supreme, our strength lingers around the mortal stage, with the most talented of us all only reaching its peak."


    Maia was a bit startled by the information she was receiving, "How is that even possible?" All her life, under her master''s tutelage, she had been labelled a genius. Even her mysterious master was very impressed with her talent, calling her arguably the most talented person in the universe. She wasn''t a proud person, but she had lived all her life with the belief that she was a peak level talent. And that she was, but not in the way she thought. If she was to believe her great grandfather''s words, then it would imply that it wasn''t because of her own gifts that she was able to attain this height, but because of someone she hadn''t even met.


    "Don''t look so distraught. It is the harsh truth. Eternals have no true talent, apart from our abnormally long lives that is. Before the birth of the first Supreme we were nothing, just playthings and objects of pleasure for the stronger races. No one knew why were able to live so long with our meagre strength. We were hunted down, experiments performed on us in order to discover the secret of ''everlasting'' life. We grew weaker, and far fewer in numbers. I guess even those with ''eternal'' life would die with their hearts ripped out. We were at our wits'' end, with only a handful of us remaining. And that was when she appeared, the first Supreme."


    "No one really took notice of her in the beginning. But there were signs before her birth. Two decades before her birth, a seer of our race saw what was going to be- she predicted the birth of a prodigy that was meant to save the eternal race. She claimed that our strength would see a steep rise before this prodigy is born. ''A welcome from the universe to its child'', she said. Our race had no amazing fighting strength, but we were so talented in other areas. We had several seers, peak level alchemists and weapon smiths that made many races blush in shame. Perhaps, it was God''s compensation for bypassing our race when giving out the talent to wield. But even with such versatile members, none of us could possibly see why the genius would want to shelter us. That didn''t last for long though. A warrior broke into the above-mortal realm that day. There were so few of us left that it was easy to notice this. A few more broke through before the week ended. By the time the year had passed by, we were all believers- believers at the profound realm, our seer who had never cultivated included"


    Maia had her eyes open in shock. If she was considered a talent, then her ancestors were gods! To jump two major realms in just one year was an unbelievable feat. And to think that all this happened because of someone else was even more improbable.

 Chapter 83 - Answers Part II

    "Still think you''re a genius?" Grandpa Winks asked c.o.c.kily. Maia blushed in embarrassment at his words. Her pride was not so hurt after hearing what her ancestors were capable of.


    "Back to our story. During the years before the Supreme''s birth we hid and cultivated our strength. We rarely came out, making our capture difficult. To many high races, we were extinct. Though some blamed themselves for our extinction, others cared very little. For those who did care, it wasn''t an issue of kindness, but one of how to achieve eternal life without the perfect guinea pigs. Without the attention of the high races, we were able to thrive. We grew stronger and stronger. Our population increased. Many were ascenders after about fifteen years, and all the children born to the race were exceptional. Yet we didn''t get carried away. We waited patiently for the birth of the Supreme. During our years of hiding, we didn''t stay idle. We tracked down her planet of origin- the place she would be born. With the help of several seers, this was just a difficult task, not an impossible one. We lay low on that planet, protecting her family in the shadows. For a race that believed heavily in destiny, there was no way we were going to ignore the reason for our strength. The universe had deemed it fit to pick us as guardians, and we weren''t going to disobey the cosmos. It was our calling. And boy did it appear with a bang."


    "The birth of a Supreme is unordinary. The labour is three times more painful and twice as long. It isn''t a quiet affair either. Ever been to a festival?" Grandpa Winks stopped to ask. Maia nodded her head. Over the years she had been to several cities and empires on the planet. She had seen the quietest of places and the noisiest of areas. Even before the rebellion, her parents used to accompany her to a festival called the ''Festival of Lights.'' It was held in the market square of Emperor City. Even though it was long ago, she could still remember the boisterous atmosphere at each of those events. "It''s similar to that?" she asked.


    "Oh just a tad", the emperor smiled. "But not quite" he continued. "The festivals you have seen are mostly a celebration held by people. This one is a festival organised by the universe itself." He said mysteriously. Maia furrowed her brow in confusion, "What do you mean Grandpa? Can you be clearer?"


    "Of course I can little one. And I would." He orated. "The birth of a Supreme is marked by incredible events, events that serve as a welcome to the child of destiny. During the first Supreme''s birth, the world saw no darkness for one day and one night. Even stranger was that while the sun shined, the rains fell, yet there was no lightning, there was no thunder." He continued, ignoring the amazed look on Maia''s face.


    "How is that possible? Everyone knows that those are the laws of the universe. How can there be rain without lightning or thunder?" she asked, hoping that her ancestor would clear her doubts.


    "You are right. They are the laws of the universe. They cannot be overridden- by normal means. Consider yourself. The laws of the memory scape no longer hold you captive because of my trivial interference. Do you think it would be difficult for the universe itself to do the same?"


    Maia didn''t say anything in reply, only gesturing mildly for her ancestor to continue with his story. "At first we didn''t really take notice of these signs. To us, the universe was merely rejoicing because of the birth of its child. We weren''t entirely correct. The signs were so much more than that. They held the secrets of the Supremes. After millions of years of studying these oddities, we noticed something. Each strange event, was but a depiction of what the Supreme would be capable of doing when he/she matured. The sun that shone even in the night without ceasing and the relentless rain that appeared on the birth of the first Supreme was an indication of the elements she would freely manipulate upon maturity- water and light. Several more years were spent studying the phenomena that preceded each Supreme''s birth. And then we noticed something. The phenomena that were witnessed didn''t only appear on the day of their birth, but were recorded as far back as two years before."


    "Within those few years, several strange things occurred. I''m not going to bore you with the details, but each Supreme is destined to master the four basic elements and then some. The first Supreme for instance, was a master of both light and nature energy. Aside the basic elements of course. Still think you''re a genius?"


    It was almost as if Grandpa Winks was addicted to mockery. He didn''t even spare his great granddaughter his thorny tongue. Maia had a bitter smile on her face. Even getting acquainted with the basic elements was difficult. Those were able to master two elements were high grade geniuses, with individuals capable of calling upon the power of three elements seen as improbables. And here she was, learning that there were individuals born with an inherent mastery over the basic elements. This meant that they were already destined to have control over four elements, and that wasn''t even all.


    "Under the leadership of the first Supreme, we thrived. We brought peace to several realms and ended wars. And we also made a lot of enemies. Of course at that point in time we didn''t care. That was until the Supreme passed away. Eternals have a bitter fate. Without any fatal injuries, we can live forever, unlike other people- Supremes included. When the Supreme is born, we are invincible, and when they are gone, we are vulnerable. Our strengths quickly plummeted. We were hunted down, few of us finally managing to escape. We hid again, hoping for the return of the next child of destiny. It was never difficult to find out when a Supreme was about to be born. As with the first, two decades before their birth our strength would begin to return to us. And so we lived our lives this way. A life hinged upon the frame called the Supreme One, this time careful to be out of sight when the death of the Supreme One beckoned."


    "But now that the entire realm had seen what a Supreme could do, we weren''t the only ones awaiting their arrival. And yet they weren''t friends, but enemies who sought to either manipulate the Supreme for themselves, or kill them to avoid any further problems. But we always stood our ground. We never wavered. And so every Supreme lived under our protection until they were strong enough."


    Grandpa Winks finally ended his long narrative. Maia had some of her questions answered, and some compounded in complexity. If that was so, then why did her parents grow so weak? She was strong. So that meant the Supreme was still alive. So why the sudden weakness? Of course she couldn''t tell someone from the past that there was a rebellion. Her master had warned her severely that the past should not be changed, or the effects would be catastrophic. Even if she wanted to, she could not. But she was certain the answer had to do with the new Supreme.


    "I still don''t understand. What does this have to do with the new Supreme? Grandpa Winks, you said that the new Supreme was special. How so?"


    "Well every Supreme is born a girl, and matures into a woman." He replied. "Okay? What does that have to do with the new one?" Maia wondered.


    Grandpa Winks smiled and said, "Can''t you guess? The new Supreme was born a boy."

 Chapter 84 - Some Things Cannot Be Said Part I

    Maia looked at Grandpa Winks with a concerned look on her face. The man had been laughing nonstop for about thirty seconds straight. She was wondering whether the formerly intelligent man had lost his mind, and his wits.


    "What''s happening to the old man Reiki?" she whispered softly to the eternal throne. It seems she had also been affected by the old man''s crazy antics, for she chose to whisper whilst she could just communicate with the throne telepathically. Reiki glowed softly in reply, "Hush, he can hear you, you know. Whenever he gets like this that means that something good is coming our way. He''s probably about to drop a huge spoiler." Maia had barely registered Reiki''s words when the emperor and her great grandfather regained his sanity.


    "There''s nothing happening to me, little one. I''m just a bit excited, that''s all. Do forgive me." He apologised for his earlier behaviour as he went on to say, "Let me ask you something". Maia gave her ancestor the go ahead, to which he obliged willingly, "What is the difference between you and all other rulers out there?"


    Maia wasn''t sure where her predecessor was going with this, but it wasn''t a difficult question to answer. Although it sounded irrelevant to the issue at hand, she still replied, "They are all men. I''m the only ruling female monarch on Kelan." She was now curious. The answer didn''t seem germane to the topic they were discussing. She waited for her father''s grandfather to clear the fog of confusion that had comfortably taken up its position in her pretty head.


    "Hehe. Don''t look so eager", the older gentleman orated. "I''m getting there", he continued, as he poured himself a cup of water. Maia waited patiently for him to finish his ''beverage'', not like she had any other choice but.


    "Every kingdom has an heir, every monarch a successor. Tell me, if you had a brother, would you still be chosen to rule?" Grandpa Winks asked with a genial smile on his face. Maia had a bitter smile on her face. How was she to tell her ancestor that she did have a brother, but he was burned by the Usurper, just like her cousins and other external family members? Notwithstanding the unfortunate circ.u.mstances, was she to tell him that she become the Eternal Monarch by rebelling against the rebel? Though to be fair, if her brother had indeed survived, all this pressure would have fallen to him instead. She would have been free of the burden of a tedious rule if her brother had made it. It was saddening that fate deemed her a more worthy successor, not even giving her brother the chance to live.


    "He would have been made Emperor", still she had to answer the question. And that she did. She was being honest. With or without the rebellion, if her brother was alive, there was no way she would have become the ''King of the South''.


    "Yes. Although there are races that practice matriarchy, they are just a handful. They can literally be counted with our fingers. Patriarchy is the main practice of our cosmos. That means if a ruler has seven children, all girls, and the eighth kid comes along as a boy, the issue of age is disregarded and the new born prince is chosen as heir. The universe is no different."


    "With Monarchs who had only been blessed with girls, they will only choose their heir when they feel that death is close. Only when they feel the cold hands of the grim reaper gently pat them on the shoulder, do they pick an heir. Some even die without making such a choice, hoping that fortune could finally smile on them and gift them a son. In such a scenario, the eldest daughter of the queen is enthroned. If there are concubines, and I reckon there always will be, the only way they can have their child on the throne is if he is a boy, or the queen is barren."


    Maia nodded her head at Grandpa Winks'' explanation. This wasn''t any new information. Every citizen of Kelan was aware of the simple politics that surrounded a ruling monarchy. For rulers and authorities who were lucky to have more than one son, they didn''t really choose an heir. Automatically, the heir is the first born boy- whether he was born to a concubine or a queen. But once another male child was born, this position was no longer stable, especially if the new boy was born to the queen. Both princes would have to prove themselves worthy of the throne, with the common occurrence being the son of the queen coming out on top. No surprise there since it all boils down to how many nobles you can get to support your cause. And queens usually had stronger and better contacts than the concubines. But Maia still didn''t understand what that had to do with the conversation.


    "You see, all the previous Supremes were women. Unlike us mortals, the universe would always remain. It is older than everything it houses, and its concept of time is different. To us, a million years is quite the number, but to the Universe, it is but a year. Now let''s liken the universe to a king seeking an heir. Every few ''years'', he hears that his queen has conceived. He welcomes the child with expectation, thinking he finally has an heir. But when he visits the seers, they only foresee the birth of a princess, not a prince. His excitement is dampened, but not extinguished. So he celebrates the birth of his princess, promising her a sheltered and protected life. He holds celebrations, awaiting her birth. And when she is finally born, holds the grandest festival of all. For many years this has been his legacy. A line of princesses, with no prince within sight. But he is faithful and loyal to his queen. He takes in no concubine, believing that one day she would give him an heir. So everyone knows that once the first prince is born, the kingdom is his."


    "The King is the Universe; the queen, Destiny. The princesses are the Supremes; the eternals, the ones tasked with providing this sheltered life; and the seer, Fate. Do you understand what I''m saying now?" Grandpa Winks asked.


    Maia had an enlightened look on her face. She stuttered with a bit of disbelief, "Are you saying¡­" Grandpa Winks laughed boisterously, "You sure are slow to join the party." Maia blushed at his words. She was usually very sharp and critically analytical. But in the presence of her family, her sharp brain turned dull, choosing to rest from its constant state of alertness and enjoy their company. She had never met her great grandfather before this, but she still felt close to the free and gleeful older man. In his presence, she was just like she was a decade ago- a child.


    "The King promised to give his heir the world. Yet he knew that he could not pamper his heir for who knew when he would ever get another boy. Getting one was already so difficult, he would rather make sure that when he did, he would be the best of all. One that would be incomparable to anyone, even those that came after. So he waited, and his patience was rewarded. He held the grandest celebration, announcing to the world that he finally had an heir. For months he celebrated, his joy spread to all- and drawing the attention of his enemies. He cursed his folly, blaming himself for losing his wisdom in his excitement and revealing his boy to his enemies. So when the boy was finally born, he gave him up and hid him. Afraid not for himself, but for the boy. As for where the boy is hidden, nobody knows. Even seers cannot see, and diviners cannot hear, where he lays. For although his father couldn''t protect him in person, he could blind the senses of all who sought him. And that he did, from everyone, even the eternals."


    Grandpa Winks knelt before her and looked into her beautiful black eyes. He lovingly held her cheeks and said, "But one thing is for sure. The Universe has an heir. The one true king. One who will live forever. He is our destiny. And even more so yours. Go now. Your time is up. Goodbye little one."


    Almost on cue, the forces that governed the memory scape rushed at the beautiful king once Grandpa Winks was done speaking, intent on driving her out. Once she lost the protection of her predecessor, the impatient laws came running, intent on succeeding where they had once failed. The winds howled furiously as the natural laws sought to rid their realm of the unruly intruder.


    "No wait! I still have some¡­" Maia disappeared from the eternal throne before she could even get out her last statement. The furious winds drowned out her voice and ''tossed'' her out of the realm. It didn''t take a genius to figure out what she was trying to get across. Our pretty queen was obviously not done with her questions. Unfortunately, that mattered very little now, especially since she was already gone.

 Chapter 85 - Some Things Cannot be Said Part II

    Grandpa Winks still had his trademark smile on his face. He looked outside the window. From his room he could see James taking a stroll in the garden with Morgana''s beautiful hand in his. "Hehe. Tired my ass. Immediately he gets the chance to leave he goes straight to her. Should have kept him here longer." He said softly, speaking to no one in particular. "Well, at least his feelings for her are genuine." He smiled, still watching the pair of lovers with affection.


    "Old friend, what is it you want from me? Your new master is gone, so why are you still here?" The eternal throne that remained, even after its partner had disappeared, was covered with a brilliant light. One that shown so brightly that the inhabitants of the castle and all who were in the vicinity, beheld its glory.


    James looked up. His gaze was fixed firmly on the origin of the blinding light, the light that had caused some servants to start crying out that the ''god of Kelan'' had descended. Of course for James who knew that no such thing was true, he was curious. He wanted to know what was going on.


    "Pay it no heed." Morgana orated. She gently turned his head away from the light and looked into his eyes with her big beautiful eyes. "It''s from your Grandfather''s room. Whatever he''s doing, he would be fine. What could possibly harm him on this planet." She continued. Her words did soothe him. She was right. No matter how queer the situation seemed, his guardian should be more than enough to handle the situation. He would be shaming his title if he wasn''t. "Besides, I feel a familiar energy from the light. One of warmth and affection. Whatever it is, it isn''t an enemy. It is more likely a friend."


    Her subsequent words caused his heart to bubble with curiosity, "Oh? No recollection of what it is?" She smiled and shook her head. James sighed faintly, suspicion filling his tone and adding to its charm "First a strangely precise gust of air rushes through the window, and now a few moments later, this. What on Kelan is going on?"


    _____________________________________________________________________________________


    "Are you done unnerving every resident of this castle?" Grandpa Winks asked. Though his words may seem harsh, his tone and his signature smile said otherwise. "But even I must admit that it feels good to talk to you properly, old friend. What a rare moment Reiki, speaking to you face to face." He finally took his eyes off the couple that were now walking away from his direction, and fixed his eyes on the stranger that sat on his bedroom floor, the same place that the eternal throne formerly stood. If Maia was here she would be stunned, for the handsome gentleman that sat in its place was Reiki, the sentient eternal throne.


    "I don''t really like this form. However, it is good to experience change once in a while." The newcomer stretched his arms and stood up, causing Grandpa Winks to frown in annoyance. "Have some dignity, would you? You are the eternal throne. A powerful sentient artefact capable of so many humanly impossible feats. The least you can do is put on some clothes." Grandpa Winks'' eyebrows twitched as he stated snappily. He turned his eyes away from the n.a.k.e.d white haired man who stood in the middle of his room.


    "You humans sure are strange. You are born this way, yet you try your hardest to cover it up." Although the man didn''t care for his appearance, he still obliged upon seeing the uncomfortable look on the Cold Emperor''s face. "What''s the big deal anyway? You''ve seen me n.a.k.e.d hundreds of times." He asked with a look of bewilderment on his snow white face. He snapped his fingers as he spoke, his actions producing a soft light that covered his body.


    "That just means I have been uncomfortable hundreds of times." Grandpa Winks returned his gaze to his visitor who was now dressed in coveralls. "Now old friend, mind telling me why you are still here?"


    Reiki picked up an empty chair and sat down. He twisted and turned a few times, clearly not comfortable with his seating position. Grandpa Winks smiled broadly at the divine artefact''s antics. Reiki was clearly not used to having something else bear his weight when he was the one that normally bore the weight of others. Only, unlike this regular chair, not just anyone could use him.


    "Nope. The floor is still better." After trying to get comfortable for the past few seconds, Reiki abandoned the chair and sat down on the floor, a comfortable smile on his face. Grandpa Winks smiled wryly at the sight. For as long as he could remember, Reiki was always like this. Whenever he took on the form of a human, he would always sit on a chair first before commenting on how uncomfortable it was, before moving to sit on the hard floor. Actions like these served to remind the Cold Emperor that Reiki was still a child at heart.


    "You would have to leave at some point, so you better start talking Reiki. Why are you still here?" Grandpa Winks asked again for the third time. The eternal throne who was in no hurry to leave finally seemed to remember that he had to leave and return to his master before she got suspicious.


    "I want to know why you didn''t tell her the truth?" Reiki asked, curiosity filling his handsome face. Grandpa Winks looked outside the window upon hearing the question. His grandson and granddaughter-in-law were nowhere to be seen. They had surely left the castle grounds to the city that surrounded it, possibly to do some shopping.


    "It is better this way. I had no choice but to. The Universe Will was watching us." He calmly stated. "Huh. Aren''t eternals born of the Will, just like many other beings? And not only are you born of the Will, you carry its orders directly. Why would you want to hide from it?" Reiki asked.


    "Things have changed Reiki. The Universe Will is not what it was." He explained, causing the curious throne to ask, "How so?"


    Grandpa Winks'' lips curled downwards into a frown, he looked at Reiki as he orated, "It has sided with the dark sword."

 Chapter 86 - Dark Secrets

    "How is that possible" Reiki shook his head in disbelief. "How can the Universe Will pick the side of the dark one? It is the purest sentient form in the universe. That is impossible." Reiki argued.


    "Even the purest of objects can be corrupted." Grandpa Winks snorted in disdain. "Not everyone can be like you with a mental age of 12 forever." He continued. All beings were born innocent. If one had any doubt about this, they could just look into the eyes of a new born. Those pair of eyes are chock full of naivety and purity, yet in a few years that wouldn''t be the case. First came the mischievous stage, where they are a handful. Then came rebellion and adolescence. It is during these two stages that the character of the child is forged. By the time they reach a.d.u.l.thood, they would be pretty much set in their ways. The important thing is, they didn''t maintain the innocence they were born with. It would be shed off long before they even reached the adolescent stage.


    The Universe Will was no different. It wasn''t born before the cosmos came to be but after. This was the reason why some ancient races were older than the Universe Will. Once it was born, it was innocent and full of childish naivety. So it began to learn. How? By observing the beings of the Universe. Anything born of the universe after the Will had been formed was also born of the Will. Until one reached the level of an Ascender, the intangible mark of the universe would remain. This allows the Will to see all that occurs in the cosmos. And this was how it learned. This wasn''t an omnipotent ability though. When one became an Ascender, they could shrug off the imprint of the Will, and rid themselves of the peeping tom. Even the Universe Will had no means to go against a truly powerful Ascender.


    Like a curiously innocent neonate, the Will watched everything in secret, with most unaware that their actions were witnessed by what we can refer to as the keeper of the universe. No matter what was done, how it was done and where, as long as one was below the ascension realm, the Will saw it all. It learned to differentiate between good and evil, and saw all those who hid in the shadows, those who fought for the ancient artefact of doom, the Dark Sword. This was a sword that was before the Will was, and so it created a force to fight against that evil- the eternals. And then it provided a leader for this force- the Supreme. At least that was what they thought before.


    "The Supreme, the eternals, none of us were made by the Will." Grandpa Winks stated. His words surprised Reiki who asked, "So if it didn''t, who did?" Reiki was a bit baffled by what he was hearing. For an artefact so old, it was surprising that he didn''t know any of these secrets. Then again, he was always tethered to his masters and so only knew what they told him.


    "The maker of the universe of course. Unfortunately, we haven''t been able to gather much information about this elusive figure. It''s almost as if The Creator disappeared immediately after his work was done."


    "We?" Reiki asked with a raised eyebrow. "Myself and the old gang." Grandpa Winks said with a smile. "The old gang''s still active? Geez, you people truly never die." Reiki sighed in exasperation.


    Grandpa Winks laughed at his comment. "Wait, you still haven''t told me why you suspect that the Will has turned on us." Reiki finally recalled that there was something he wanted to know. He knew the Cold Emperor long enough to understand that the ancient eternal didn''t believe in speculation, only results. Although he had vehemently denied that the Will wasn''t what it was, that was the normal reaction anyone who knew the implications of what that meant would have. He wanted to know what fuelled his friend and former master''s belief.


    "The Will has one flaw." Grandpa Winks said. Reiki impatiently asked, "Which is?" Grandpa Winks sternly stated, "It is lonely."


    "How is that a flaw?" Reiki asked perplexed.


    "Think about it this way: you always have a master accompanying you most of the time. You''ve never truly been alone. You have someone to talk to, one to keep you company. The Will doesn''t." Grandpa Winks kindly explained.


    "I see. So how is this truly a flaw?" Reiki wondered. "The Dark Sword used this. The bane of light allowed itself to be spied upon by the Will, and the inquisitive Will entered the very obvious trap. The dark one befriended the lonely Will, and twisted its thinking, informing a change in its worldly outlook- well in this case, universal outlook." Grandpa Winks'' words caused a look of enlightenment to appear on the face of the na?ve eternal throne.


    "I see. So what do we do now?" Reiki asked, genuinely worried about the Supreme One. "Nothing" Grandpa Winks replied. "Wait, what do you mean when you say ''nothing''. How can we do nothing when the Will seeks the head of the true heir of the universe?"


    "The heir is well protected. He is in a realm that is hidden from the prying eyes of the Will. And the Will doesn''t dare to. The family of the Supreme One is a dangerous enemy to make out of. It can only bid its time as it creates an army with the help of the Dark Sword."


    "But why are you telling me all this? Do you not fear that I will spill the beans to your successor?" Reiki wondered out loud.


    "Nope. You cannot." Grandpa Winks smiled mischievously. "You really trust me, don''t you?" Reiki smirked in pride.


    "No I don''t. But I have told you this before. And just like I did several years into the future, I can still do now."


    Reiki was surprised by his friend''s words. "Do what exactly?" he asked.


    "Wipe you memories." The Cold Emperor smiled mysteriously. "Now" Grandpa Winks commanded. In response to his words, one of the servants from before appeared in the room. It wasn''t teleportation, no it wasn''t that. He had been there all this while, a true master of elusion. He was his master''s shadow, following him wherever and ensuring his safety. One who could evade the senses of an ancient artefact was mighty skilled indeed.


    "Wait wait wait!" Reiki frantically exclaimed as he tried to escape the memory scape. Unfortunately, it was the servant that got to him first.


    "Wipe-out" the subordinate whispered

 Chapter 87 - Order And Edict

    "Is it done?" Grandpa Winks asked his subordinate who replied in the affirmative, "It is. Everything of relevance has been sealed. He''s too strong for me to wipe them away completely."


    "Of course he is. Even if I had your set of skills, it would be impossible for me to do it as well. He isn''t an ancient divine artefact for no reason." Grandpa Winks smirked.


    "Pardon my disapproval, my lord, but I highly doubt that. Even if he''s a divine artefact, there is no way he would be able to resist you were you to possess my particular set of abilities. Ancient or not, it makes little difference." The shadow warrior denied any possibility of his master''s comment being true. It wasn''t just due to his complete confidence in his master''s abilities, but the words of one who had witnessed the true power of a peak Ascender. These were beings that left even the Universe Will in a state of caution. His master was such an existence, and even among these legends he was highly respected.


    "He isn''t a simple divine artefact. He is an origin divine artefact." Grandpa Winks'' words were like a bombshell, one that left a shadow warrior who had long learned to control his emotions with a wide open mouth. Who could blame him? Origin artefacts were called divine artefacts but they were pretty much in their own league. With unique abilities that long transcended those of even ancient divine artefacts, origin divine artefacts had a history older than even the eternals themselves. They were present before the Universe Will was born, and their origins were a mystery. It was believed that they were made even before the universe, and were the true creators of the universe, hence their name.


    "If he''s an origin artefact, then¡­" Grandpa Winks continued in his subordinate''s stead, "His abilities are sealed. We sealed them long ago. It had to be done." Grandpa Winks had a look of remorse on his face as he explained. Whatever the circ.u.mstances that led to that decision were, they were clearly painful ones. His subordinate kept mute seeing his master''s expression. His master always kept a calm and cold fa?ade before the people, and a jolly one before his family. But occasionally, his true emotions would surface: pain; anguish; and sorrow. He didn''t need to ask to know that whatever it was, the Universe Will and the Dark Sword, that which ruled over the shadows, were the perpetrators.


    "Asher" Grandpa Winks called. "Master" the shadow warrior replied. "What do you know about ''the edict''" Grandpa Winks demanded more than he asked. Asher countenance remained unchanged at the question that would offend many other eternals. Eternals were one of the most knowledgeable races in the entire universe, if not the most knowledgeable. Every citizen of the higher realms knew what ''the edict'' was. Even the citizens who knew little about wielding and had very little strength knew what ''the edict'' was.


    "''The edict'' is the force that opposes chaos. As fire is to water, so is ''the edict'' is to chaos. Unfortunately, edict isn''t as powerful as chaos, which is why ''the leash'' is so important." Asher''s reply was tactful, no grievance in his tone. Grandpa Winks nodded his head in approval at his ''minion''s'' words. He smiled mysteriously and said, "True, yet false." Asher didn''t rebut his master''s statement, choosing to remain silent and listen, like any good subordinate will.


    "Before the universe was filled with life, and before even chaos had made its malicious introduction, the origin artefacts were present. It isn''t mere speculation that the origin artefacts were the bringers of laws and power. Yet they were also the parents of destruction, which conceived and birthed chaos."


    Asher was surprised by his master''s words, but he didn''t show much of a reaction. He held his tongue, waiting for his master to continue. And that he did.


    "Origin is that- origin. It is the beginning of everything. From order to chaos. They are the evidence of the creator, for there is absolutely no way such mysterious and powerful artefacts are mere coincidences. There is no such thing in life. And order, what do you know about it?" Grandpa Winks asked.


    "Not much master" Asher admitted. "Please enlighten this ignorant one, master." He pleaded.


    "Edict isn''t equal to chaos. It is merely a byproduct of ''order''" Asher was an excellent keeper of emotions, but even he showed his surprise. He looked at his master with a look of puzzlement on his face. Even in a situation where many would show their impatience, Asher didn''t. He was curious, but his patience was stronger. And it was rewarded.


    "How can there be order without chaos. Nothing in the universe remains unchecked. When the origin divine artefact, the ''Book of Order'', brought about order, her polar opposite did not sit still. The ''Chaotic Flames'' which had the same history and was in itself, a powerful origin artefact more than capable of contending with the ''Book of Order'', lived up to its name- and brought chaos. The history is a long one. I cannot say it all. All that is important is that the ''Chaotic Flames'' won that long war. And true to his name, he singed the ''Book of Order'', yet he couldn''t destroy her. But its victory wasn''t without cost. It was weakened as well. The weakened ''Book of Order'' didn''t let up though, using a large portion of her power to create a lifeline. She gave us hope- she chose an heir. What she didn''t know was that the ''Chaotic Flames'' made the same choice as well. For although he came out on top, his injuries weren''t light. He was needed to enter a long slumber to restore his strength. Though he didn''t really choose an heir but a reagent. Know who they are?"


    Grandpa Winks stopped to ask Asher a question. One to which he replied thus, "The heir of order is the eternal throne. As for the reagent to chaos, I reckon that is the Dark Sword." Grandpa Winks nodded and said in admiration, "Your mind is still as sharp as ever Asher. That is accurate."


    "The eternal throne birthed edict to supplement the dying order, both strengthening each other. This energy called edict was tame and kind, allowing intelligent beings who were born much later to use and store it in their bodies. They call it inner energy. But Reiki has been sealed, hence chaos has grown stronger. And when the time is right, Reiki would rise to command order again."


    Grandpa Winks smiled and said, "He would do it under the lead of the true owner of the universe." "What a sight it would be!" he exclaimed.


    He looked at Asher and continued, "The two heirs fighting side by side."

 Chapter 88 - An Artefact With Free Reign Over Time

    "I know you have a question to ask. Feel free Asher. I don''t bite." Grandpa Winks joked good humouredly. Asher slightly bowed after receiving his master''s permission. He asked humbly, "The eternal throne, Reiki, he seems to have the ability to manipulate time. How is that possible?"


    His question would have surprised Maia if she were still here. Simply because the eternal throne wasn''t as simple as she thought. What she thought was a memory scape, a glimpse into the past if you will, was actually ''a step into the past'' (author''s note- loved that book by the way). Even the eternal throne had no idea he possessed this ability. To the best of his sealed knowledge, he was only accessing the memories of the masters he had before. As for why he didn''t know, it was very obviously related to his sealed memories. He must have been manipulated into believing memory peeping was his ability when he was basically a time machine.


    On initial scrutiny, his question seemed silly. Time was a difficult law to grasp, but even humans, gods and devils alike had managed to grasp its essence at some point. Questioning an origin divine artefact''s ability to manipulate time seemed to rather question the intelligence of the inquisitor. However, any person who was well informed about origin divine artefacts would find this false, and the question brilliant. Origin divine artefacts were powerful, yes, but not omnipotent. Each origin divine artefact possessed power over a major law, and just that law. The Book of Order controlled order and the Chaotic Flames was the overseer of chaos. But that was it. They had no mastery over any other laws, even the basic elements. As the heir to the law of order, the eternal throne should not be capable of controlling two laws- edict and time.


    "Under normal circ.u.mstances, no he shouldn''t have such an ability. But he does. Reiki wasn''t chosen as heir for no reason. Even without the Book of Order''s power, Reiki is mighty powerful in his own right. Back then, he was one out of four other origin artefacts that could stand toe to toe with the Book of Order and the Chaotic Flames. Reiki didn''t really inherit the power of order. The Book of Order still has its control over this elusive law intact, yet it isn''t a monopoly. What Reiki did was to study under the Book of Order for millions of years, through time stop of course, and comprehend a simpler minor law of order. One which he named ''the edict''. Reiki is still the origin artefact of time. And his mastery of the edict proves that origin artefacts may never be capable of grasping more than one origin law, but can control a minor law if they try hard enough. It was Reiki that travelled back in time to warn the Book of Order of the impending doom the Chaotic Flames will bring. It was he who told the Book of Order that she would be on the losing end. It was he who passed some of his power to the Book of Order, allowing her to halt time for an instant and severely injure the Chaotic Flames, forcing him to go into a deep slumber. It was Reiki that bought us time. It was he who was known as the Scheming Emperor, the first origin artefact to possess a title. It was Reiki whose foresight enabled us to see what was ahead, and what was to come. And it was the Scheming Emperor who decided that it would be best to seal his memories."


    Asher listened in amazement as Reiki''s achievements were listed one after the other. Who would have thought that the pivotal character in the power struggle between the Book of Order and the Chaotic Flames were none of the two, but the eternal throne. The handsome, na?ve looking man wasn''t just one of the oldest existences in the entire Universe, but he was also one of the strongest. And from the Cold Emperor''s words, his true strength wasn''t related to his ability to manipulate time or freely use edict- what many wielders called inner energy- but his impressive thinking. He was definitely not called the Scheming Emperor for no reason. To think the young dude with the innocent looking face and eyes had such a moniker. One really couldn''t judge a book by its cover. In this case, a throne by its colour. But when a person considered that the eternal throne was actually black in colour, it made sense to judge it by its colour.


    "Have our spies confirmed the assassin''s information?" Grandpa Winks suddenly asked, effectively bringing Asher''s mind back to the present. His wondering mind quickly stringed some words together as he quickly replied, "Yes master. His words are very likely to be the truth."


    Grandpa Winks wrinkled his brow in worry, "If this is true, then it isn''t to our advantage at all. What is the surety behind their words?"


    "40 percent confident master." Asher replied. "Then we have no choice but to take it seriously." Asher nodded at his master''s words with his head slightly bowed. 40 percent might seem like a really low percentile to inform a decision. It wasn''t even 50 percent. But if one only based his/her decisions on absolute situations, that person would die real soon. Even if it was a 10 percent chance, they would have to take it, especially with the kind of information that they had received.


    "Should we contact his family?" Asher asked. "No. At least it isn''t time yet." Grandpa Winks insisted. "Yes master" Asher obediently acknowledged his master''s words, as he always did.


    "I wonder if there would ever be a day that you would go against me Asher." Grandpa Winks thought out loud. "Never master" Asher frantically denied the possibility of that ever happening.


    "Relax Asher. I don''t doubt you." Grandpa Winks chuckled happily upon seeing his subordinate panic. It was a pleasant sight for the Emperor, for Asher rarely lost his cool.


    "Thank you for your trust master. We are Eternals. Our will is eternal. We will rise with the Supreme One. The Universe cannot bind us. For we are its binders." Asher solemnly swore the pledge of the eternals.


    "I think we should change our pledge." Asher''s brows twitched at his master''s words. Grandpa Winks smiled at the subtle change and said, "Back to the matter at hand. About the information we received, it must be kept confidential. No one. Absolutely no one, must know where the Book of Order rests."

 Chapter 89 - Interrupted Midnight Stroll Part I

    "I hate this feeling." Mane grumbled unhappily as he walked all alone on the deserted grounds of the Academy. He kicked away a stray pebble in frustration. On this lonely night, only the street lamps served as his escorts in his midnight stroll. What was normally a walk to clear his mind of all unnecessary thoughts was turning into a royal ''grumble'', with the unwanted intrusion of several useless opinions, each eager to kick the other out, Mane wasn''t able to achieve the desired effect.


    His late night strolls was a habit he had picked up two years ago, when he realised that there were some things that even a few hours of meditation could not fix. The cool night air that caressed his cheeks and stroked his hair was a much appreciated difference to his life of endless fighting and training. Though leaving the dormitories after the lights out bell had rung- which was at 10pm- was illegal, Mane had been breaching this rule without any adverse consequences. Mainly because they could never catch him if he wanted to evade them. If a profound realm expert was to be found out by a bunch of mortal realm wielders, he/she would be a disgrace to their strength. Even when he hadn''t broken into the profound realm, in fact, even if he was at the mortal stage, it would be a simple issue to sneak out of a poorly defended dormitory. The real challenge was escaping detection during the walk, for one never knew who one will run into. Fortunately for Mane, any time he run into a tutor, his insane speed and evasive skills, made it impossible for them to find him out. Anyone who did escape his detection and managed to get a glimpse at the rule breaker would only see a shadow quickly disappearing, and mistaken the encounter for an illusion produced due to a weary mind.


    But today, our dear protagonist was without his strength. That didn''t stop him from sneaking out though, as the blue eyed boy had calmly slipped past the guards with his two years worth of experience. The problem was ensuring that he didn''t run into any guards or teachers. It seemed like an issue that required the help of lady luck, but his years of breaking this rule had taught him that walking in the shadows made for an easier way to escape any detection. With his abilities sealed, and his connection to the edict cut off, Mane had to be on high alert and ensure that his ears, eyes, and even his nose, were working at full potential. In his powerlessness he had noticed something he didn''t realise before. His senses had heightened dramatically, even without his ability to access edict.


    Inner energy had been his bread and butter for years, so much so that he had forgotten what it felt like to be without it. Well, with his exceptional memory that was improbable. However, he had unconsciously pushed aside those memories, and now that he was without any energy, they returned eagerly. Another thing he noticed was that his physical abilities had improved dramatically. Turns out that the earth armour wasn''t the only thing protecting him in the duel. Apparently, any other person in his position, even with the armour would have been severely injured by the blows he received- at least that was what his masters said. His senses, without inner energy were of course lower, but still three times what they were before he began his wielding journey. As for his physical strength, it had increased by at least sevenfold. This wasn''t just as a result of aging, but his bloodline played a major factor in this. It seemed that his bloodline had the ability to absorb inner energy and make the laws of the edict its own. This meant that even without consciously training his physique, his bloodline would do that for him. Though the results would be lower than what one would get when training the physique consciously, it was still an ability that made the 6th click his tongue in feigned jealousy. Mane was so excited to find this out that he swore he would occasionally cut off his connection to the edict just to monitor his growth and focus more on fighting with just brute force. That thought had however disappeared as soon as his walk began.


    The thoughts he wanted to rid himself of were very much still alive, causing Mane to attribute this rare situation to the lack of inner energy. The blue haired boy missed his connection to the edict, a connection that had been forged and strengthened over the past few years. This led to his foul mood.


    "What happened to your brave words of ''wanting to experience this more regularly''?" the 6th mocked. He was clearly pleased to see Mane in such a frustrated phase. Mane didn''t have the chance to get mad at his teacher, simply because someone did that for him.


    "You better hold your tongue if you have any plans of keeping it." The 6th immediately swallowed whatever words he was yet to say, his gulp audible even to Mane who was just listening in. Mane had no idea why the 6th was so terrified of the 2nd, but he was thankful he was. He relished the 6th''s misfortune, his sour mood slowly melting away. In his loss of concentration, his senses failed to pick up the two black cloaked figures that stalked him.


    "He is weak. He cannot access any inner energy, I can feel it. We must act now." The one on the right spoke with the voice of one who remained in the shadows, one who never saw any light. His cold voice was almost akin to a whisper, making it impossible for anyone who was behind them slightly to hear him. Even upon realising that their target had been weakened, he displayed his high level of professionalism and kept his wits about him. His careful nature was the reason why he had been selected for this mission.


    "We will. He will make a turn soon. We will strike then." The voice of his counterpart was just as low and careful as his. But he spoke with a slur, almost as though he was a snake. His idea was a brilliant one. Most assassins focused on finishing off their targets as quickly as possible. His intention was to strike when Mane turns. That brief moment where the boy''s balance would be frail, they could very well finish this in one strike. The one on the right did not say anything in agreement, neither did he disprove his partner''s words. He moved back slowly and disappeared into the night, leaving only one assassin on the Academy road.

 Chapter 90 - Interrupted Midnight Stroll Part II

    "Can you sense them now?" the 6th asked in concern. Mane didn''t reply but sent his thoughts to state that he had.


    "His scent has been carefully masked, but it''s still discernible." Mane conversed solely in his thoughts. He didn''t want to be seen talking to ''himself'', especially when those stalking him were his enemies. Although he lost his concentration for a moment, allowing the assassins to come ridiculously close, once he regained it, he had noticed their presence. These assassins were very clearly professionals, not daring to underestimate him even though they didn''t feel an ounce of energy from him. Actually Mane wished they would be unprofessional so he could take advantage of them.


    Due to his heightened senses, his nose had immediately picked up two strange fragrances in the air. He assumed that was a feature of his new physique, because he was certain that assassins didn''t use perfumes. That would be very silly since it would just give them away. He knew that what he smelled was actually the body fragrance unique to each person, one that many chose to hide with perfumes. It wasn''t anything unusual in a place that was usually filled with people. There were many times Mane had come across ''sneaky'' couples in his walk, so this shouldn''t have been a cause for alarm. However, their movements were so well practiced that even their footsteps were like whispers, audible only to the keenest of ears. Their steps were too well practised to be considered normal, meaning they were high level wielders. Although they hadn''t leaked out any of their energy, their actions put them in the bracket of ''high level'' wielders. According to Zandor''s rating, they should be SSS level wielders. These were wielders at the peak of the mortal Realm. Although Mane''s level of strength wasn''t common knowledge in the Academy, it seemed like overkill to send such powerhouses after him. Of course if he could use the edict right now, or even access chaos, they would be ants in his sight. Now though, the wolf had been miniaturised into an existence smaller than the ant. But it was still a wolf.


    Mane walked calmly, not giving away the fact that he had discovered them, whilst thinking that whoever wanted him killed must surely think highly of him to send such existences after him. After all, these were existences at Zandor''s peak. Not only were they incredibly expensive to enlist, they were way too rare and would hardly work under anyone. His enemy must be very influential here on Zandor.


    His keen ears had also picked up their faint voices, informing him that they were aware that he was currently without any energy. This allowed him to understand that there was either a traitor in his extremely small circle, or that they had an energy assessment equipment. Mane was highly doubtful that there was a traitor amongst his friends. Even Selina and Frederick weren''t considered as suspects. This wasn''t because he had great trust in his friends. But he would rather believe in them than he would accuse them. Plus his brain calmly analysed and excluded this possibility. Abe definitely had the backing to pull this off, but the boy was too proud to have someone take care of things for him. He knew Abe well enough to know that the brown haired prince would rather kill him personally if he wanted Mane dead, than to send a bunch of shadows after him. The twins also had this level of capability, since they belonged to an influential and wealthy family. However, their adoration for him wasn''t feigned. Even if it was- that is a tiny possibility of course- their father was known for being an upright man. There was no way he would hand over two powerful assassins for such a ''silly'' cause. Plus both the twins and Abe were ten year olds. Their parents would never hand such power over to them. Only if they knew their kids were way stronger. Mane got distracted again thinking of what their reactions will be when they found out what kind of strength their kids had.


    "Kid?" the 6th called out. "Oh right. Two guys are after me." Mane ruled out Selina. And Frederick too. Frederick may have a good reason to come after him, vis a vis his injured brother, but he didn''t have such ''fire power''.


    This left the second option as the only viable one- an energy assessment artefact. These kind of artefacts were very rare and extremely expensive. It served to emphasize the kind of backing that these men had. In the midst of his thoughts, he kept track of his ''guests''. He noticed that one of them had disappeared, meaning they were ready to attack. In war, numbers were always an advantage. But in assassinations, this wasn''t always so. At times, having someone you were not familiar with, working with you caused your strength to plummet, and not rise. This is why training as a team was so crucial. From the way these two acted, this wasn''t their first rodeo and it definitely wasn''t their second. They seemed to have a pretty good understanding of each other.


    Meaning that the ''missing'' partner was going to implement the known rule of acting from different fronts. They were just two, but they had him surrounded. He knew they wanted him to turn before they killed him, an excellent move if he could say so himself. In that brief moment when his balance was slightly compromised, it would be perfect for any of them to attack. Plus added to the fact that when he turned he would be able to see the assassin who wasn''t hidden was brilliant. This was meant to disorient the blond haired boy, who would be expected to be surprised at the new entry and respond with the reflexive yet clich¨¦ question, "Who are you?" With his focus fully on one, the other would strike him from the back, finishing him off with only one blow. A meticulous plan. One that would waste no time and prevent a commotion so that they could escape afterwards without much trouble. They may be at the peak of the mortal realm, but this was the Wielder Academy. There were famous figures who resided here, so they had to be cautious.


    "Stop praising people who want to murder you and prepare yourself. There is no way you can escape them. The strength you have must be saved for an all out fight." Mane blushed at the first sentence of the 2nd. The redness on his cheeks disappeared with the sentences that followed. He prepared himself for the bitter fight. This was definitely not his enemies'' first rodeo, but Mane was hoping he could make it their last.

 Chapter 91 - Interrupted Midnight Stroll Part III

    As Mane approached the turn his body grew slightly taut. Good enough to prepare his muscles for the job they were about to do but small enough so his state of alertness was not conveyed to his enemies. He was anxious, but this anxiety was kept hidden. Mane had faced many opponents till now. He had defeated foes far stronger than himself. When he was at the 7th stage of the profound realm he was capable of besting Celestials at the peak of that realm. With the combat ability that Celestials possessed, this meant that Mane could go toe to toe with any early earth realm expert belonging to a regular race. He may even be able to give a mid-tier earth realmer a run for his money. Though winning may not be possible, it wouldn''t be an issue to escape. It was different now. He always had inner energy. The edict had always been within him ever since he was six. This was the second time he was fighting without it. The first time wasn''t so bad because he had a limited but strong connection to chaos. This connection had been cut off, so it was a more difficult scenario than his duel against the team. But at least he had some experience, so it wasn''t all bad. He had learned so much from his duel, and he was more than willing to apply it here.


    "I shouldn''t have left my ring." Mane thought in regret. His masters offered no words of consolation. No doubt they were as tense, if not more so, about the fight to come as Mane was. The ring Mane was referring to was the one he had received from Uncle Jake. His weapons were hidden within. He had a habit of taking it off before bed each night. He had left it behind. He wasn''t in any way worried it could be stolen. The ring was special. It could only be picked up by its wearer, and it could be summoned from any distance- as long as he had inner energy. At least he wasn''t completely unarmed.


    "Did you bring the medallion?" the 1st enquired. Mane nodded his head. The warmth on his chest calmed him down a bit. This warmth came from the red medallion that was hidden in his clothes, lying calmly on his chest. It was a gift from his runaway parents- an energy medallion. This medallion had the power to store an element for an unlimited period of time. Before Mane had rid himself of his inner energy, he had transferred a large amount of earth elements into the medallion. That was the most versatile element at his disposal, so he had gone with it. Unlike fire, which was mainly for attacking, and wind which was more suited to evasion and speed, and which was also everywhere, earth could be used to attack and defend once one had a good understanding of it. Water had this property as well, but Mane preferred to use the element he was better at. With the exception of lightning, earth was the element he understood best. Without his inner energy he couldn''t manipulate the cemented grounds he walked on, but he could use the medallion. He was very thankful for the gift his parents had given, especially now when he could use all the help he could get.


    The assassins were keen to do everything without alerting anyone- but so was Mane. It wasn''t because he didn''t want to get caught, but because the implications of that happening would be disturbing. Let''s take away the fact that he was able to hold his own against opposition of such calibre, how was he going to explain his strength. Great strength came with greater responsibilities, and Mane didn''t want any of that.


    "It''s time" the 6th whispered as they reached the turn, almost as though the stalkers would hear him if he was loud. No one made fun of him though. They were too tense to care.


    The assassin who followed the blonde haired boy came out of the shadows and into the light once the boy was about to turn. His plan was exactly as Mane had thought. He would allow the young boy to see him so that his partner can finish things off from behind. And just like he planned, the boy immediately saw him from the corner of his left eye when he was turning. The handsome blonde immediately showed his alertness, taking the standard fighting stance as he questioned, "Who are you?"


    The assassin''s brows twitched slightly at the enquiry, though his reaction was hidden by his hood. "Why do they always have to ask this question?" he wondered. They could be more creative. He relaxed a bit- an unconscious action- when he realised that the target was no different from the ones before. In that case, his end would also be no different from the ones before- death. He saw his partner. The other man rushed towards the target speedily, his attempt to conceal his steps successful but a hindrance to his speed. He estimated that his ''friend'' would need only a couple of seconds to reach his goal. "At least it''s over" he mumbled. Yet when he looked into the boy''s eyes he grew uneasy. There was no fear there. Only impatience. Soon he realised why.


    Feeling the wind pushing against his back, Mane immediately ducked and delivered a fist coated in earth to the intruder. Although the man had managed to reduce the sound of his steps, they were still slightly audible. Using the speed of a regular peak mortal realm expert, and scaling that against the effort taken to hide his tracks, Mane deduced that his opponent would need a minimum of two seconds to get to him. The calculation was based on the distance between the two. With the level of cautiousness these two men had shown, there was no way they''d be sloppy. They would use the standard procedure of ''attacking from different fronts, yet maintaining the same distance''. This meant that the distance between him and his first assailant, he who had made himself known, was the same as the one who approached from behind. Once he had asked the clich¨¦ question, no matter how professional they were, their guards would be loosened slightly, allowing Mane to accurately deduce the position of the other man and confirm his calculation. This he did by listening for the slightly relieved breath. The steps were not loud, but they were still audible. With a distance now in mind, Mane could use the sound of his steps to tell how close his opponent was. Since he was without inner energy, he couldn''t wait for them to strike first. Once they did, he wouldn''t be able to avoid it. Without the earth armour over him- a precaution to prevent any case of increasing their awareness towards him- he couldn''t afford such a risk. So waited for his ''friend'' to get close. Close enough so Mane could land a blow, yet not close enough for the enemy to strike first. It was tricky, but probable. And our blonde haired protagonist got it absolutely right.


    *BAM*


    The sneaky figure was hit squarely on his chest, causing him to fall back. In his disoriented state, he failed to see the little boy who had rushed before him.


    "Barrage: Limitless fist"


    *Bam*


    *Bam*


    *Bam*


    *Bam*


    Mane delivered four quick strikes to his opponent, each attack causing the unsuspecting man to cough up some blood. He took full advantage of his surprise attack, intent on at least crippling the poor man. The man''s partner had loosened his nerves initially, increasing his reaction time so that he couldn''t interrupt immediately. Once he finally caught on, he rushed at Mane. Mane didn''t panic when he heard his march. Upon delivering the fourth strike, he performed an overhead throw. His small figure throwing the much larger assassin was a comical sight, yet the man who approached didn''t see it that way. This feat would have been impossible, if not for his increase in physical strength.


    The assassin instinctively caught his partner, the inertia from the tossed body sending him back a few metres and halting his rally. Mane had also counted on this. Normally, if they weren''t really partners but had only teamed up for the job, he would avoid the body thrown at him and attack Mane regardless. But if they were, his instinctive action would be to grab hold of the man he had been working with for so long. It worked out very well. At least for Mane.


    When the man looked up, his target was nowhere to be seen. In that brief moment, Mane had disappeared. The assassin knew the boy hadn''t escaped, for he couldn''t hear any footsteps. He had a stern look on his face as he laid his partner down beside him. He commented bitterly, "To think one day my own ally- the shadows- would be used against me." He looked around carefully as he wondered, "Seriously, who is this kid?"

 Chapter 92 - It Reveals Itself

    "Are you okay?" the assassin who remained uninjured crouched as he checked on his friend''s status, all the while looking around vigilantly. He was concerned for his friend, but that wasn''t enough to make him lose his guard. His enemy was in the shadows now. Any wrong move and he would pay dearly.


    The fallen assassin coughed up blood in copious amounts. He wheezed as he struggled to breathe. Since he was travelling at great speed, all Mane had to do was put his hand in the way, and his momentum would do the rest. He was certain that his lung was punctured, and the possibility that his sternum was broken was very high.


    The remaining assassin frowned at the lack of reply. To think that a peak mortal realmer would face such a fate at the hands of a ten year old kid. His comrade''s injury was more severe than he thought. He could hear his laboured breaths and the hand he had placed on his chest informed him of his partner''s irregular breathing pattern. He wasn''t frowning because he cherished his partner''s life, but because his friend''s fighting ability had been compromised. There was no way he- his friend- would be able to help him out. If he had fallen after the battle was over, he would have been nonplussed. After all, although they had performed a number of missions together, the only thing that had improved was their incredible coordination. There weren''t any deep feelings between them. He was an assassin, not a nanny. There was no way he would allow himself to get attached to anyone. And he knew his killing partner was the same.


    "Here. Drink this." He reached into his robe and took a small bottle from the pouch hidden within. The contents of the mini bottle were poured into the dying man''s mouth. The injured assassin greedily gulped down the medicinal vial. A relieved breath escaping his mouth once he was done. His rapid breathing slowly returned to a normal one. Upon realising that the medicine was finished, the other assassin returned the bottle to his pouch, opting not to throw it away. Although he had no deep bonds with his comrade, he wouldn''t watch him die when he could help him. Besides, the potion he fed him would not only save his life, but allow him to fight at a fifty percent capacity for the next ten minutes. In a way, he saved his friend so he could get an extra fighting hand. No, that was actually the only reason he used such a precious resource on a dying man. Although he was still looking around vigilantly, he could feel the changes of his partner. His tense brows relaxed slightly when his partner finally stood up. But the spectator in the dark wasn''t happy with this change.


    "Who would have thought he possesses such a precious drug", in the dark Mane communicated with his masters. He had seen the entire thing. His lack of inner energy made it difficult for him to be pinpointed. Usually, once you clash head on with an enemy, you would leave traces of energy, making it difficult for you to get away. Only well trained assassins were able to rid themselves of all traces quickly enough to avoid any counterattacks or pursuits. And since Mane wasn''t a well-trained assassin- but an open and overboard hunter- he had no such skill. He had only taken advantage of the fact that he had no energy signature in the first place to avoid his enemies, and choosing not to move regularly so that they won''t sense his location. Normally even if a wielder couldn''t sense a non-wielder it didn''t matter because they posed no threat. But Mane was unordinary.


    From the little scene that had played out Mane could confirm some things. Although the vial was expensive, it wasn''t free. Don''t insult me yet. Let me explain. Initially, he had assumed that they were affiliated with an organisation or a family that wanted him dead, but the recent episode had ruled the latter out. If the medicine was given to the assassin for free, he wouldn''t have kept the bottle. For him to decide to keep the bottle meant that the bottle was so expensive he would rather just buy the drug to reduce the expense. This meant he was an assassin through and through. The despair in the eyes of the fallen assassin wasn''t faked either, showing that he had no idea that his comrade possessed such a valuable asset. In conclusion, they worked together, but were not together. It was more likely that they belonged to a loose assassination organisation and usually completed difficult missions together to ensure a higher rate of success. As for why they decided to deal with him together, it must be because they heard of him finger flicking Frederick''s brother. It was unbelievable to most, but with the thoroughness they displayed, they surely weren''t a group to ignore such information.


    "There you are" A chill went down Mane''s spine when he heard the cruel voice of his oppressor. There was no one where the assassins previously stood- and lay. His small loss in concentration had doomed him. The strong and large hand on his shoulder forcefully halted his thinking and sank his little heart into the depths of his very being. He had given away his position! His worry upon seeing the fallen assassin stand up again had caused his breathing to slightly speed up. These experienced men had immediately caught on to the small gust of air he exhaled a bit too loudly in worry and had spotted him. They must have been listening very intently to grasp such a small sound. This small detail had Mane in despair. At such a close distance there was no way Mane could do anything.


    "Focus boy. As long as you have breath, there is always hope. Can you feel it? Even those of us who have no authority over your body can, so I''m sure you can feel it too?" In his moment of despair, the calm voice of the 1st called out to him. He calmed down and closed his eyes, feeling for what the 1st spoke of. And his search wasn''t in vain.


    "You can feel it now, can''t you?" the 1st asked again. Mane could only send his thoughts in affirmation. "Good. Embrace it. Let go. And allow your instinct, your glow, to take over." Mane slowly breathed out and smiled.


    "What a calm child. I almost feel sorry for what is about to happen." The formerly injured assassin moved in front of Mane as he studied the handsome boy. The little boy who had almost taken his life had a small smile on his face. Apart from the initial panic when he was caught, there was no other emotion- no fear; the earlier despair was gone; and there was no anger. Such composure was admirable.


    "Indeed. Do it quickly." The other advised, his hand still on Mane''s shoulder, sealing the blonde haired boy''s movements. His partner nodded at his words, swiftly swinging his dagger towards the boy''s neck, intent on decapitating the boy in one fluid motion- quick and painless.


    "What the¡­" Hardly had he finished his statement when he felt a hand reach into his chest. It passed through his muscles and bones as though there were none there and latched onto his heart. He watched in horror as the supposedly decapitated head remained neatly on his target??s shoulders, and his own heart was ripped from his chest. He watched in despair as the one they had taken for a sitting duck opened his eyes and crashed his heart. Only, the bright blue eyes were visible no longer. Only a darkness that seemed to suck the soul in manifested in those previously lively eyes.


    The remaining assassin couldn''t respond in time. Everything happened in less than a second. "How could a non-wielder possess this strength and speed?" he wondered, but his wonderment didn''t last for long. The boy before him disappeared. His heart leapt in fear as he felt a small hand on his shoulder. His fear didn''t last for long however, as his head went flying off his neck. In his dying moments all he could hear was


    "Absolute Darkness: Evasive Killing."

 Chapter 93 - Waking Up

    "Arrgh," Mane groaned in pain. His entire body felt sore and he could hardly move. The small groan that escaped his mouth had drained him of all his energy, prompting him to shut his mouth as quickly as he opened it. He could feel his entire body croak as he tried to move. He failed to even lift a finger. He halted all his attempts and accepted his fate, choosing to figure out where he was instead. And he knew just who to ask.


    "Where am I?" he questioned the 6th. "Can''t you tell?" his master replied. Mane tried to feel his body again. He failed miserably once more. "You''re home kid." The 6th finally gave his answer upon seeing Mane struggle to even move his toes. Mane was startled by the answer. "How did I get home? What happened to the assassins?" he wondered.


    "Before that is even answered, do you have any idea what you did there kid?" the 1st asked. Mane responded in the negative, "No, I don''t."


    "Think carefully kid. Try to remember what happened." The 6th orated. Mane cleared his mind of all distracting thoughts as he tried to recall the event that had occurred in the Academy. He remembered that he was taking a walk when he was attacked by two assassins. He recalled that the two men had attacked at an intersection, but he came out on top, injuring one of them before going into hiding. He remembered that he had been caught by the men when he had lost his focus. And that was where his recollection ended.


    "When I asked you to keep calm and feel ''it'', do you remember what the ''it'' was?" the 1st questioned in an attempt to jog Mane''s memory. For someone like Mane with an eidetic memory, it was almost impossible for him to forget anything. It may be that he was too tired to properly recollect the entire episode''s proceedings. So Mane tried to play his memory back from that point. When the 1st had directed him, and he had let go, what happened after that? He shook his lazy mind and demanded that it provided the answers he sought. After his endless nagging- which was actually for about only 30 seconds- his laid back brain finally relented.


    "It was that glow!" Mane exclaimed. Of course his exclamation was done inwardly, since he couldn''t even part his lips in his current state. But in his excitement he had forced his weary body to jolt ever so slightly, bringing severe pain upon himself. He ignored the pain and tried to recollect what it felt like to use that ability.


    "Wait, is that what put me in this state?" he asked. His masters responded in the affirmative, causing Mane to grumble in a sarcastic tone, "Great. Another glow that has an insane penalty." His comment brought him the ire of the 6th, "Kid, do you know how rare that glow is? Ascenders would strangle you to death if they could hear you now." Mane ignored the words of his master. As the recipient of the glow, he was the one lying in bed with barely enough strength to pick up a hair strand. He couldn''t even lift a finger. Even opening his mouth was proving to be a challenge, much less using his extremities. But he wasn''t totally oblivious to the advantages of this glow. Obviously the first one was the fact that it had saved his life. Secondly, it was so powerful that it allowed him to ignore all physical attacks. Third and his personal favourite, it ignored the opponent''s physical defence. Assuming he could master this glow, he would be able to walk through a battlefield with a breakfast bowl in hand and still be unharmed. Even more awesome, he would be doing the damage instead.


    "Wipe that silly look off your face. And clean your drool. One minute you''re complaining, the next you''re already planning to decimate armies." The 6th didn''t spare his student his mockery. Mane blushed in embarrassment when he realised that he was unconsciously sharing his innermost thoughts with his masters. He quickly shut off their connection to his innermost self and pretended he didn''t show them anything.


    "You don''t know how to shut up, do you?" the 2nd angrily berated the 6th, causing the noisy master to grow silent. She was obviously displeased that Mane had cut off his connections to his personal thoughts from them. It wasn''t like Mane allowed them to see his thoughts. The young boy loved his privacy so he wouldn''t do anything like that. He only communicated with them through his thoughts but that didn''t mean they were allowed to see anything else. This moment of carelessness had allowed them to peer into his mind. Mane may not have realised so soon that he had left himself open, if not for the 6th''s huge mouth. Mane felt no pity for the 6th. In a way, the 6th was more like his friend than his teacher. Don''t get him wrong, he respected the man. But he felt like the 6th was more of a friend than he was a teacher.


    "So that glow is related to the darkness attribute? That is a rare element." Mane orated, successfully diverting attention from the 6th to himself. "Indeed. A rare attribute- and a dangerous one too." The darkness attribute was as rare as the lightning element. And it was just as powerful. Its power wasn''t as eye catching as lightning, which caused damage in large amounts and areas. The darkness attribute was more subtle and more unpredictable. The ability Mane had awakened was a perfect example of this. Unlike with the Son of Lightning, this glow wasn''t present in a huge storm or accompanied by ear splitting thunder. It was a more serene form of destruction, killing smoothly and quietly. And Mane knew that the only reason he had received such a huge backlash was because he didn''t have any inner energy in him. Glows that could be cast without a connection to the edict were rare, and the penalty for casting them outside the authority of the edict was always going to be harsher than doing so with inner energy. He would have to wait until he was fully recovered before he would be able to find out just how it worked.


    As for why it was so dangerous, it didn''t take a genius to find that out. The details were in the name. Nothing that had the word dark in it would be totally good. The darkness attribute was dangerous due to its ability to influence the mind. Mane was a boy with eidetic memory, yet even he had forgotten what had occurred. If it wasn''t for the prompting and hints given by his masters, he may have never correctly remembered the events of the day.


    "Oh by the way, how long was I out?" Mane had a bad feeling as he asked this question. The reason was simple. He could feel his connection to the edict. It was weak but present, possibly because of his bedridden state.


    "Just thirteen days." The usually quiet 7th answered nonchalantly.


    "What!"

 Chapter 94 - New Information

    "How are thirteen days insignificant?" Mane questioned in exhaustion. He was only ten. To a kid like him who had lived such a short life, thirteen days were a lot. He knew that for his masters even ten years wouldn''t be considered much, but that wasn''t the same for him.


    "Of course thirteen days are insignificant compared to how long you could have been stuck here. According to the 8th, your injuries should have left you bedridden for a month at least. You should be thankful for your amazing physique." The 6th couldn''t stand his student''s nagging, causing him to inform the young boy that he had gotten off easy.


    "I see." Mane relented. After hearing that he had just escaped from a month of bedrest, he felt that thirteen days weren''t bad at all.


    "Notice anything else kid?" the 1st enquired. His question puzzled Mane. The young boy tried to examine his body once more. This time it wasn''t as difficult as his previous few attempts. His connection with the edict grew stronger as inner energy greedily poured into his body.


    "This¡­" Mane was slightly startled by the speed at which inner energy filled his body. Initially, upon realising that his connection with the edict was restored, he had tried taking in inner energy. However, due to the state his body was in, he was unable to draw in much. What he was able to ''inhale'' was done slowly and gradually. Now that he was getting used to his state, the speed had increased yet that wasn''t the reason for his shock. When he was at his peak state, inner energy filled his body at a rate far faster than this. The reason he was in shock was because of the purity of the energy that filled his body. The inner energy was almost twice as pure as it was before he gave up his energy.


    "Finally realised huh. It seems that you are a slow thinker when you are injured. I think you should get beat up more." The 6th wasn''t kind with his words, ruthlessly berating and belittling his discipline. Mane naturally ignored his words. When you lived with the 6th long enough, you learn to tune out most of his words. It wasn''t a conscious action, but more of a subconscious reaction of the brain towards unwanted and unnecessary information.


    "You broke through. Congratulations Mane. You are officially at the peak of the profound realm." The 2nd was the first to congratulate the boy, followed by the 3rd. It was natural that they would be the first to do so. Not because the others couldn''t, but because they allowed them to. Since those two adored Mane so much, the others let them go first anytime they had good news for the boy. When it came to bad news, the 6th was the go to guy, much to his delight. The 1st was more of the advising guy. As for the others, especially the 4th and the 9th, they didn''t speak much. Only when it was their turn to tutor Mane did they open their tightly bolted lips. The 5th was the same.


    "Thank you." Mane was ecstatic. To think he would breakthrough two small stages in one month. "In the end it all worked out. Fighting two intense battles as a non-wielder, especially with that last one where your life was at stake, was crucial in your breakthrough." The 1st added.


    Initially when Mane decided to seal up his energy, his masters didn''t really approve. No matter how they looked at it then, there was no way the pros outweighed the cons. The only advantage was the increase in combat awareness, with several disadvantages like: the inability to practice during his ''energy fast''; risk of getting injured fighting against wielders; and most importantly, the lack of ability to protect his own life. All these made the only pro look insignificant. In the end, although the cons did come to pass, they did so while enforcing the pro and increasing his wielding level as well. Even in his injured state, Mane could feel that his connection to the edict, and even chaos, was stronger than ever. He was certain that he could now use spirit scan without drawing the other person''s attention to himself.


    "You should also note that due to the unique state of your physique, the 4th and the 5th have agreed to teach you the physical training arts." The 2nd calmly informed Mane.


    "Indeed. It would be a waste to ignore such a special physique until you''re fourteen." The usually silent 4th stated.


    "I thought it was a bad idea to train before my teenage years. Even with a special physique, is it really okay to do so?" It wasn''t that Mane didn''t trust his teachers, he was actually eager to begin training his body. Body wielding was an extremely difficult process, but Mane knew that to become a body wielder, one must start training before their inner energy reached the heaven realm. With how quickly his strength was growing, it was good for him to start now. He just wanted to affirm their words so that they wouldn''t be able to take it back.


    "You should be elated to study under me. Not many people get such an opportunity." The narcissistic 5th pointed out. Mane smiled wryly without bothering to reply. Although the 5th rarely spoke, whenever he did it was to boast about himself. Just like with the 6th, Mane had learned to ignore his words.


    The 5th and the 4th were body wielders. Both were Ascenders at the peak of the body wielding realm. Both had no real talent with wielding inner energy but were geniuses with the body wielding arts. They were able to crash worlds with their physical strength alone. But they were a bit different. Whereas the 4th was a body wielder whose focus was on defence, the 5th focused on attacking. With both of them teaching him, he would surely be well balanced in both aspects. The challenge was training to be an expert in both fields. Mane wasn''t sure if he could do that.


    "Don''t doubt yourself kid. You are a Supreme. As long as you try hard enough, your immense talent will handle the rest." The 1st comforted him when he realised the boy''s dilemma.


    "You still haven''t told me what a Supreme is?" Mane wondered. "It isn''t time yet." The 1st replied.


    "Speaking of time, how far have you progressed with self- time acceleration" the 9th chimed in. "I can accelerate time by 52 times." Mane replied. The 9th didn''t say anything else, but his grunt of approval was more than enough.


    "Ignore training for now and focus on recovering. There''s someone eager to see you."

 Chapter 95 - Reunited

    Mane was startled by his master''s words. He tried to open his eyes. The formerly weighty eye lids were not as heavy as before, making his task all but difficult. After a few seconds he finally succeeded in opening his beautiful blue eyes. The piercing light that fell upon his pupils prompted him to shut them again. Spending thirteen days in darkness was enough to make his eyes forget what light was. He prepared himself and opened them once more, this time slowly. As his eyes adjusted to the bright room, Mane turned his head to the side of his bed while waiting for his eyes to adjust to the lights, all the while wondering who it was that was waiting for him. When his eyes finally did adapt to its surroundings, they grew misty. This wasn''t because of pain or weariness on their part, but because of the emotions of their owner. Looking at the woman who had fallen asleep beside his bed, Mane was filled with so many complex emotions: love, joy, and some small amount of anger. Yet when he saw the tear stains on her fair face all the anger he felt for her melted away. Her blonde hair was messy and unkempt, clearly she had spent most of her time beside him. He slowly lifted up his arm, reaching for her face, his eagerness to see her eyes that shared the same colour as his overcoming the pain that wrecked his body and threatened to tear it apart. When his hand finally did reach her, he gently stroked her cheeks and softly called in a voice that was hoarse from being unused for about two weeks, "Mom."


    The sleeping beauty immediately opened her eyes when she felt the small hand on her cheek. With her high attainments in wielding, it was almost impossible that she would be found in this state. This was testament to her level of worry and extreme lack of sleep during the past few days. Her blue eyes found a similar pair of eyes staring at her. They were so similar the two, not just their eye colour but facial appearance too. It was almost like Mane was a smaller copy of her. Speaking strictly about the face of course. There was no way Mane had, and would ever possess her curvy physique. The woman respected by the myriad realms felt tears filling her eyes once more. During these past few days she had shed more tears than she had her entire lifetime- with the exception of the period when she had to give Mane up and the few years that followed after. The one known as the Absolute Queen immediately hugged her son, holding him close to her as she sobbed softly,


    "I''m here baby. Mommy''s here."


    Outside Mane''s room, and in one of the several washrooms, a handsome man stood before a mirror. His haggard eyes gave away his lack of rest and his messy brown hair acted as a confirmation to this fact. He looked at the image reflected in the mirror, his beautiful green eyes staring back at him. The droplets of water on his face did nothing to decrease his weariness. He sighed as he picked up the towel placed next to a small bowl of water. As he wiped his face he couldn''t help but think of his son who lay in bed. They had underestimated the guts of the people of this world. Although he and his wife had been off world for a long time, they still kept track of their son''s progress. They knew he was in the higher levels of the profound realm and that his combat ability wasn''t what it seemed on the surface. Their surprise at his amazing speed of growth was trumped by their pride in their son, with each of them arguing on whose talent it was the boy inherited. They had assumed that on this small world there was no threat to their boy- they were wrong. It didn''t take them long to understand why a profound realmer had grown so weak. They were his parents. His glows came from them- well most of his glows. They knew how strenuous it was to call upon these abilities, the price that one would have to pay when they used them at a lower wielding realm. Even then, they weren''t supposed to become as weak as Mane was. Which could only mean,


    "My son awakened some glows that are too powerful for him to handle. Glows that are beyond even the origin gods themselves." Anyone listening to Ray would be startled. Not only did he compare his son to the gods, he compared him to gods who were born with the universe. One would have taken his words as that of the ignorant and arrogant, yet any who knew the power of the Brute King knew that they were anything but. He, who was the illegitimate son of his father, born of a mortal woman, yet possessed talent greater than any of the god bred descendants. It was he who caused high realms to tremble when he lost his cool and brought caution to the arrogant gods. He was a powerful man, and he knew what his glows were capable of doing when he was at the lowly profound realm. Yet none of them had penalties as steep as his son''s.


    "Glows capable of severing one''s connection to the edict and to chaos itself, are no regular glows." Mane must have thought that his abilities as a spiritualist were only known to himself and his masters. He was adorably wrong. His parents knew everything about him, even possibly more than he did himself. Ray hadn''t heard of glows that had such harsh penalties. He couldn''t help but wonder what his son will grow up into with such power at his behest.


    "He truly is the child of prophecy", he smiled as he exited the washroom. When he did, he sensed his butler coming towards his direction. The older man half bowed when he reached his master, prompting his master to ask, "Do you have the information, Old Fin?" The butler nodded his head in reply, not as an act of disrespect, but because the young master''s room was very close by, and he didn''t want to cause any disturbance, especially to the one that was waiting for him to wake up. Ray understood that the information was a sensitive one.


    He began to walk to his study and motioned that his subordinate follow him as he stated in a cold tone, "To dare raise a hand against my boy¡­ It is time they met the Brute King."


    In the underworld of the 2nd heaven, the eyes of a soul reaper gleamed brightly as he picked up his scythe to sharpen the unusual blade. "The Brute King is on the move. I wonder how many souls the battle god of the 2nd heaven would bring me this time."

 Chapter 96 - Bounty

    "Speak Old Fin. I am listening." In a large and spacious room that had only a desk and two chairs as its occupants of space, two men stood. None of them bothered to sit, with one of them stroking the books that occupied the only shelf in this vast area. The other stood behind the former, his body straight as a spear and his eyes filled with doting for the man before him. Although the speaker didn''t orate his command loudly, although it was as silent as a whisper, it didn''t hide the fury within. Fin, Butler Fin, didn''t think it was unusual. On the contrary, it would be strange if his master wasn''t furious with what had happened upon his return.


    It just so happens that the night when Mane was ambushed was the night his parents had returned to Zandor. Upon their return the eager parents couldn''t wait to see their boy and had been preparing to go to the Academy when they felt his aura. It was dark and cold like the deepest regions of Iracor, a planet filled entirely with ice that so cold that even frost giants were uncomfortable staying there. Their initial plans for a carriage ride was thrown out the window as they rushed towards the Academy. It had taken them just a few seconds to get to their destination and good thing that they did so quickly. Their son was using a glow that belonged to the darkness attribute and had lost control. Maybe if he had any ounce of inner energy in him it wouldn''t have happened. But for some reason, their little boy''s connection to the edict had been sealed. It was temporary, but enough to allow the darkness attribute to take control.


    In order to prevent the rampage of a sealed peak profound realmer, they had quickly knocked him out with speed so swift that even the darkness attribute couldn''t prepare for.


    "Took you long enough." A voice called out to Ray after he knocked his son out. His wife stood beside him with a worried expression as she lovingly caressed the cheeks of her only child. He looked at Alexis and said, "I''m going to speak to them." She nodded her head in reply, not like he needed her permission anyway. She didn''t ask who them was, not because she was too worried to care, but because she knew the ones her husband was referring to.


    Ray stood before the nine mountains with his back unbent and a slight frown on his face. He looked towards the first and asked, "You felt our aura, didn''t you?" With the certainty he spoke with, the question was more of a declaration, one that didn''t need a reply.


    "Is that how to say hello to your Uncle?" the 1st replied, not bothered by the harsh tone of his nephew. His nephew hated his family more than he did anything else. Yet he also loved them more than anything else. His hatred was born from his disappointment in them, and yet from this very same hatred his love for them was also made greater.


    "What glow is that?" Ray questioned, not paying attention to the 1st''s words, only eager to receive answers. The 1st sighed at his nephew''s cold reply. It had been several years, yet the little boy he knew from before, the one who called him ''Uncle'', had grown cold towards him. He had taught him everything he knew, had treated him like his own son when his own brother didn''t dare to accept Ray as his, and he (1st) had named Ray his successor. Yet the events that occurred a decade ago had caused a strain in their relationship, destroying what was before.


    "Absolute darkness: Evasive Killing", replied the 3rd, her voice cold and unfeeling, unlike what Mane was used to hearing.


    Ray''s frown deepened when he heard her answer. "A glow with a name", he thought out loud. Glows didn''t usually come with names attached to them. Like with Mane''s Basileus glow, which wasn''t initially called Basileus. Mane had named the glow so, to honour the great magician Basileus. He hadn''t met the great magician personally, but it was his notes that guided him on his path to be a spiritualist. Although the 3rd was his actual teacher, he felt a stronger connection to the way of the great magician, prompting the 3rd to act as his advisor and guide instead of his teacher. In a sense, Basileus was his true teacher, although it was the 3rd that was actually guiding him upon his path.


    A glow like ''absolute darkness'' was exceedingly rare. Unlike glows that had been given names by families due to their constant appearance in their bloodlines, a glow that appeared with its own name was something else. It didn''t make the glow much stronger than others. For instance, Son of Lightning was just as powerful, if not more, than Evasive Killing. However, Evasive Killing signified a glow that was touched by both the edict and chaos.


    "A primordial glow" the 1st averred. Ray nodded at his uncle''s words. Those were his exact thoughts. Primordial glows were glows that were used by forces that were present even before the formation of the Universe Will. These glows were laws that were comprehended by these forces, and had mostly died out when they disappeared. They always kept their name, never choosing to be known by any other. If called by other names they would go into dormancy, never responding to the call. This was why Mane couldn''t access it before. He didn''t know its name. Until he called it by its true name, it was never going to heed his summons.


    "What can you tell me about his attackers?" Ray enquired once more.


    "Your boy realised that they were nothing but hired guns. It is likely that a bounty has been placed upon Mane''s head. As for who placed the bounty, Mane is yet to figure that out." The 6th replied this time, his voice nothing like that of the cheerful gossip he was.


    "How does Mane know this?" Ray wondered.


    "He is his mother''s child", the 2nd mocked harshly.


    Ray smiled slightly at her supposedly scalding words. He understood that the 2nd meant that Mane was as smart as his wife, Alexis. Ray didn''t feel insulted for he knew it was true. He had excellent combat ability, but to be able to neatly derive answers from such a disadvantageous fight was more of his wife''s thing. And from the look of things, Mane had picked up this talent too. He was more of a ''rampager''. The kind of guy who fought without worrying much.


    *BOOM* *crackle* *BOOM*


    Inside the mid space Ray still had that charming smile on his face, yet the thunderous clouds that had gathered and the large bolts of lightning that descended were anything but charming. The flames that melted solid ground and the magma that threatened to destroy the earth showed that the Brute King was anything but calm. Yet with all the destruction going on, the mountains remained untouched. The flames and lightning bolts evaded them as though they were plagues and the magma avoided them as though they were shielded.


    "Someone dared place a bounty on my boy."


    "Calm down Ray. Do you want to destroy your son''s mind?" the voice of the 1st pulled Ray back from the brink of insanity. This was his son''s mind space. Anything violet here could harm his kid. His face turned pale as he chanted, "Restituere", causing everything to revert to its former state. Now we know where Mane got his spiritualist abilities from.


    Ray bowed slightly to the masters, turned, and proceeded to walk away. When he was far from them, the 1st heard him say, "Thank you Uncle."


    "Hahaha. He''s also my grandson. I will watch over him no matter what." The boisterous laughter of the 1st resounded in the mind space, acting as the recessional hymn for the departing Brute King.

 Chapter 97 - The Brute Kings Rage Part I

    "Sir, it seems that a bounty has been placed on the young master by unknown individuals." Butler Fin spoke carefully, intent on staying on his master''s good side. But the tone of his voice did indicate that his care wasn''t because of fear, but concern for his ''master''. "The bounty wasn''t limited to just the Bounty Hunters organisation, but every single organisation there is. Mercenaries, assassins, as long as they can be bought with money, all of them have received this information. And all of them would be coming for the young master." Butler Fin continued. His head remained slightly bowed, his focus on the carpet he stood on. The news he had just fed his master didn''t do much in revealing who was behind the covers, but it did draw a picture on the magnitude of threats that were coming their way.


    "My son is a profound realmer at the peak of his level. Any Zandorian who comes for his head would be leaving his- or hers- behind instead." Ray stated nonchalantly. Hearing that high level mortal realm experts were coming for his son did nothing to unnerve him. Since Mane''s connection to the edict and chaos had been restored, Zandorians weren''t really a threat to him. Well, unless his son decides to do whatever it was that caused him to lose his strength in the first place that is. His concern was for the mastermind behind the attacks.


    "Indeed, most of the ''threats'' hardly amount to much, but that is in relation to the threats of this world." Butler Fin agreed with his master, yet he hadn''t given out all the information. Mane would have been surprised to hear this conversation. After Uncle Jake had left, he had assumed that the members of his household were now ''normal''. However, he adorably was wrong. Butler Fin did not only know his wielding level, but he wasn''t in any way surprised about it. This meant that it was likely that the secretive man was far stronger than what he appeared to be. And in good reason too, for how could his parents leave him in the hands of mere mortals? The butler''s words were laced with hidden meaning. His words hinted that there was something else about the ''bounty'' that they had been ignoring.


    "What do you mean by ''of this world''? Are you saying that Mane has an interplanetary bounty placed on him?" Ray finally understood that the situation was direr than he thought. An interplanetary bounty was just like its name, it extended beyond the boundaries of one world. This kind of bounty was difficult to place not only because of the money involved, but because to place such a bounty one had to have influence over a myriad of realms. This meant that the true threats were those who didn''t belong to this lowly world. For those in Zandor, they would think that the bounty was limited to their planet, after all, they had very little idea about the universe they lived in. Many even thought that they were the only life around. Interplanetary bounties weren''t omnipotent however. They didn''t involve every world, just three or more worlds. It was just that from the tone of Butler Fin, it wasn''t as simple as a few worlds.


    "How many worlds, Old Fin? How many worlds have bounties on Mane''s head?" Ray questioned. His tapped his fingers rhythmically on the only table in the room. Yet this was in no way the action of a calm man. The cracks that formed after each ''gentle'' contact displayed a fury that was hidden beneath the calm exterior. Rosewood gold, one of the strongest minerals in existence unbreakable to all below the ascension realm and even to some ascenders, was being shattered mercilessly like a piece of inferior wood. This expensive mineral was slowly breaking down, bearing the brunt of Ray''s anger. If not for its great structure and composition, it would have split into several pieces by now.


    "37 worlds sir¡­and still counting."


    *crack* *crash*


    The sound of the heavy mineral known as the rosewood gold falling onto the ground in a small heap was deafening. Luckily, the room was sound proof or else the inhabitants of the house would be alerted. Even luckier was that the ground work was done with a material of similar quality. Similar, but slightly inferior. This was evidenced by the cracks that had formed on the ground after the precious mineral had come crashing down on it.


    "Sir, I''d like to remind you that the table was a gift from the god queen Hela herself. It was her way of accepting you as her son." Butler Fin kindly informed his master and employer as the table fell apart. Ray''s eyebrows twitched in annoyance at his words. While he may not fear Hera, he didn''t want to disrespect her. If it was a gift from Zeus, he could even destroy it completely, turning it into ash. After all, even the Olympian god king wouldn''t dare to offend him.


    "Restutuere", he sighed in resignation as the previously destroyed table was restored in a matter of seconds, and standing where it previously stood.


    "I think that this is a good thing." Butler Fin gave his opinion, although it hadn''t been asked for.


    "Oh? You do know that I would like offload the anger that has built up in me. You better speak clearly before you become a mere scapegoat." Butler Fin chuckled nonchalantly at his master''s words, and proceeded to explain, "The young master is special. The more pressure he is put under, the greater his growth. With the kind of destiny that awaits him, such training is very necessary. I know Jake created a simulation for him, but that is hardly enough. Although the simulation isn''t what it is, it is still better for him to have true life threatening battles so he can grow."


    Ray was silent even after Fin was done with his explanation. "I know that as a father you are inclined to protect your son, as you should. But you have to allow him to grow. I know it is difficult, but it is necessary. Besides, I do know that the masters would be teaching him body wielding when he recovers. You know how brutal that training is. This kind of situation is perfect for him." Mane would have been gob smacked by the information Butler Fin was giving out. Even he had just found out that he was to undergo body wielding, so how did Butler Fin know?


    Ray nodded his head in resignation, "But that doesn''t mean that I cannot do anything about the miscreants that litter Zandor. Send me the coordinates for the Assassin Organisation. I would make an example of them. Oh, and the Bounty Hunter Association too. They could also do with some tutoring. No wait. Leave the Bounty Hunter Association be for now." Butler Fin smiled and replied, with his hand to his head, "It has been done." Ray''s eyes turned dull for a moment, almost as if he was seeing something no one could. When he finally came to himself a few seconds later he said, "To think they were hidden so deeply."


    "Indeed. It is impressive that an organisation from such a small world is so well advanced." Butler Fin averred. "And about Ares, do you know what my brother is up to?" Ray asked as he stretched lightly.


    "Definitely nothing good. He was last spotted on Kelan¡­with the god of mischief." Butler Fin reported with a bit of worry on his face, the kind of worry that would be displayed by any person who truly knew Loki.


    "Anything that Loki is involved in is never good. Continue to keep an eye on them for me, Old Fin." Ray commanded. "As you wish." Butler Fin replied.


    Ray nodded his head and said, "In the meantime¡­"


    *crash*


    Butler Fin smiled wryly at the broken window as a streak of light flew through the sky at breath taking speed. "I pity those assassins", he said as he exited the room.

 Chapter 98 - The Brute Kings Rage Part II

    Zandor was a tiny planet, yet it had its own shares of secrets. Even with its modest size, some areas remained unexplored and dark forces slowly spread through the land. With the Dark Kingdom drawing most of the Wielder Association''s attention, the formerly docile forces had become braver. Yet with their newfound bravery came newfound cautiousness and secrecy. Hence, though they slowly grew more influential than they previously were, they became far more secretive, making their locations and actions hard to pin down. Besides, anytime any of their actions came into light, many assumed that it was the Dark Kingdom''s doing, and they had no issues with that. Normally one would be unhappy when another gets credit for their actions, yet these organisations weren''t. When you were around before the emergence of the Dark Kingdom, when you were there during the era where the Wielders Association kept a short leash on them, you will understand why they were unwilling to stand out. At least, not until they were strong enough to stand toe to toe with strong forces like the Dark Kingdom. This didn''t mean that they were weak. It was quite the opposite. These were forces that had gone against the Wielder''s Association in the past, but lost. To be able to maintain themselves after losing a war was testament of their strength. They weren''t weak, they just learned from their mistakes. And they''d be damned if they made them again. One of these secretive forces was the Assassins Organisation.


    With a headquarters that was hidden from the eyes of even the Dark Kingdom itself, this secretive organisation performed all its actions in the shadows. It was the strangest of them all. Not because it was a loose organisation (at least that was what they claimed) for many of these secretive organisations were loose. It was much more than that. Loose organisations are organisations that do not impose any stringent requirements on their members. People were free to leave or join as many times as they wanted. The Assassins Organisation was built with such a structure, yet that''s not where its uniqueness lay. Its strangeness came from the fact that it had no branches. Unlike every organisation in the world, the Assassins Organisation had only one headquarters. In the past, long before the Dark Kingdom, it wasn''t so. But their war with the Wielders Association had taught them to limit themselves, and they did just that. Choosing one secure location that was unknown to all, with the exception of its members, this obscure organisation had operated from the dark with just this one gathering place. Every member was aware of its location, so how could it even function as a loose organisation? If the rumours were to be trusted, there was a seal on its members that prevented them from leaking out the secrets of the organisation, captive or free. And although they claimed to be a loose organisation, most members who did choose to leave were found dead no sooner than they had. Their recruitment process was impressive as well. It was impressive because no one knew how they did it. Till date, no assassin had ever been captured alive. This was thanks to the curse placed on their souls the moment they become members of the association. This seal prevented them from ever leaking out the organisations secrets, bringing death to any assassin facing a dead end before he/she could be captured. The Wielders Association had long given up on capturing these elusive shadows alive. So the location of the Assassin Headquarters had always been safe- until now.


    "Master, they failed." In a brightly lit room, a figure knelt on all fours with his face bowed into the ground as he addressed the man seated before him. The man addressed as ''master'' had his back facing his subordinate, he sat calmly with a tea cup in his hands. His elegant demeanour was reflective of one who was raised as a noble. He seemed ignorant to the words of his subordinate, yet the one who knelt behind him didn''t say anything else, maintaining his posture without any signs of getting up.


    "I know" the master finally replied. He sighed lightly as he placed his cup on the table before him. "They were first class assassins, and very strong in their own rights. Even though we didn''t necessarily have control over them, it is still a great loss for the organisation. I am now more curious about the boy. He must have the protection of a few experts to survive the attack. His background is not ordinary." The master spoke lightly, not really affected by the death of two of his members. To him, they were but a good source of income and nothing more. His concern now was the boy. The organisation didn''t care about the background of their targets, after all, even royalty had fallen to their hands. But for a boy to have this much protection, that not even royalty were subjected to, he was clearly very unordinary.


    Although many didn''t know what happened that night, he was aware from the information of his sources that the boy escaped with ''heavy'' injuries. This meant that those who were protecting him weren''t omnipotent. They couldn''t fully protect the boy and kill the assailants. As long as a stronger team took on the task, he was certain that they would succeed. So what was this growing sense of unease he felt in his chest. That sensation he had whenever his life was in danger.


    "We have stayed here too long. Our safety is no longer guaranteed. We must move." The master commanded, his eyes watching the movements on the road just outside. The lively atmosphere of the large city did nothing to calm his unease.


    "Yes master", the kneeling subordinate assented. This was why the association was never found out. They kept switching locations. Added to the fact that no one would think to look for the headquarters of one of the bloodiest associations in the bustling cities, they had always been safe. After all, when your leader was a high noble of the Northern Empire with ties in the imperial court, and several houses in various cities, there was no way you''d be suspected.


    On the compound of the same building, a few men sat staring at the people that passed by. Occasionally, upon seeing a pretty girl, they would oohh and ahhh, catcalling and embarrassing her. Their boisterous laughter livened up the place, making the already vibrant city even more vibrant. They sure were having a good time in the Northern Empire''s capital. Suddenly, one of them noticed a streak of light hurtling through the bright blue sky. On such a clear day, the golden radiance was easily noticeable to all.


    "What the hell is that?" one of the men asked uncouthly. His friends didn''t have time to reply before the golden radiance descended with terrifying speed.


    "Run!" another screamed, waking the others up from their shock as they rushed towards the main house. This building, just like every other building belonging to the nobles, was protected by a formation. But they would be fools to think it could possibly stop what was coming. And they were right.


    *BOOM*


    The bright light descended in an even flashier manner, and with a great, big, bang. Out from the flames walked a handsome man. His long brown hair was held tightly by a white band, and there was a genial smile on his face. The men who had lost their balance and had been sent flying stood up shakily. How could a person have that much power? And he could fly?


    "Who are you sir?" One of them questioned fearfully.


    The intruder smiled even brighter and lifted his left arm. Lightning crackled in the sky, with the formerly bright sky now littered with dark clouds that stretched so far that the eye couldn''t see it all. Little bolts of lightning danced around his open palms as he stated with certainty,


    "The dead need no names, only rest. And trust me when I say yours wouldn''t be in peace."

 Chapter 99 - The Brute Kings Rage Part III

    Inside the main house, the master felt his hand holding his teacup shake. They trembled as though they had been subjected to extreme cold and the nerves could hold out no longer. He felt his entire being shiver, his entire body seemingly doused in a pond of chilling cold water.


    "What is happening?" he wondered, as he observed his trembling hands up close. Hardly had he posed the question to his brain when he received the answer.


    *BOOM*


    A loud bang from outside shook the entire residence. The master rushed to the window to find out what was going on. He watched in horror as a man emerged from the ''big bang''. His horror was from his knowledge. Knowledge that the barrier around the house couldn''t even be broken through by tens of peak mortal realm experts. He had heard legends. Legends that spoke of beings with power beyond Zandor. These beings could supposedly turn the world upside down if they wanted to. He had rubbished these ''absurd'' theories at the time. His reasoning was simple. If there were such beings in this world, where were they then? There was no way they would be on a planet without any trace of activity. Unless of cause they didn''t belong to this planet. But to the Master of the Assassins Organisation, the theory of multiple worlds was even more far-fetched than the one that boasted of deities and gods. To believe in this theory was to believe the words of the ''mad scientist'' they had looked down on centuries ago. Yet what he was seeing put all his beliefs to death, strangling them of the oxygen they very much required to stay alive. The weather seemed to obey the thoughts of this man. The dark clouds that had gathered, and were still gathering, rained down lightning upon his residence. The houses that littered this vast compound were being demolished by the most destructive element known to his kind. Everywhere the lightning fell, fire followed. But his people where strong. Many of them were able to avoid the cruel fate of dying in a burning wreckage. Unfortunately, the fate that awaited their escape was even more dastardly. Anyone who tried to get close to the brown haired god was struck by lightning once they reached even ten metres of him. This was the same for all, even those who attacked the assassin''s way- striking a blow from behind. Those who had seen their compatriots die in such a way had tried to escape, yet the entire residence was surrounded by a storm. Anyone who did reach the walls and attempted an escape was met with the same fate as those who tried defying the god who judged them now- death by lightning.


    "It seems my body is more perceptive than I am" he smiled bitterly and praised his senses for warning him of the impending doom, yet doing so too late a time to change anything.


    The master took his eyes off the cruel sight. He had seen a lot of blood during his time. He had done many wrongs and knew that such a day would come. Even if it came earlier than expected he would still welcome it. Yes, it was a reluctant welcome to an uninvited occurrence. But there was nothing he could do that would change the course of events. Unless of course he accepted the offer that ''that man'' gave him. It was an offer that he thought he''d never have to take, but how wrong he was. He recalled the words that were spoken that day


    "You will face an enemy you can in no way handle. You will die. But it will be a shame for one who has such talent with the dark arts to fall. Accept my offer, and you will live."


    He had scoffed at those words, thinking that there was nothing that could possibly put him in despair. Now that he thought about it, it was almost as though the man knew he was coming. That was when it hit him: what if that man and this one were the same? He didn''t mean that they were the same people but rather, the same kind. Both of them had abilities he couldn''t comprehend. And how did he know that this was going to happen? When the man had met him, he told the master he was a god, but he rubbished the idea. Now the price of being a servant to a god seemed a small one to pay. After all, his nobility was worth nothing much when compared to the power of a god. He would follow that man who hid in the shadows. No, it should rather be the god who lurked in the shadows. He would follow him, and he would grow stronger. Strong enough to have his revenge one day, no matter how long it takes.


    "It seems he has saved my place for last" the master stated in a calm tone. Once he had come to terms with his death, it wasn''t so scary anymore. Every building on this compound was constantly bombarded by lightning, yet his remained untouched. It was obvious that ''he who called on lightning'' was coming for him. His adjudicator clearly had a vendetta against him. He immediately thought of the boy who had escaped his claws- the one called Mane.


    "It must be him" the master thought. He didn''t believe in coincidences. Holding on to such a thing was the easiest way to die, especially when one is an assassin. No sooner had his organisation failed to kill the boy when this god appeared here. "I was wrong all this time. It isn''t everyone I can touch. And now it seems more likely that the boy killed them himself." Now the most unlikely reason for the demise of the two assassins had become the most likely. It was simply because if it was this man that attacked the duo he sent, there was no way the boy would even have a scratch on him. He had made a decision. When he returns, he would kill that boy, even it cost him his life.


    "He who rules the shadows, I call to you. Hear me great Shadow King, and accept my plea to be your servant." He prayed silently with a black bead in hand, the device he was given in case he changed his mind. "Kekeke. Good choice. I await your service, my dear servant", hardly had his prayer ended when a voice that would send shivers down the spine of any who heard it, replied him.


    He crushed the bead as he had been instructed, destroying the fragile artefact in the process. As his new master had informed him before he left, there should be no trace of the artefact. The footsteps he heard outside signified the appearance of his judge.


    "My karma has arrived. At least, I would go down in dignity", he smiled gently as he stated.


    "What a beautiful residence. I almost feel sorry for laying it to waste." Ray still had a carefree smile on his face as he wreaked havoc upon the unfortunate members of the Assassins Organisation. His words were like arrows that stabbed the hearts of the assassins who heard him. To them, it was a case of adding insult to injury. Not only was this ''demon'' destroying everything they worked for, he was doing it so nonchalantly. It was almost as if they were just bugs in his way, and all he had to do was squish them. And squish he did.


    "You will never know peace. God will never forgive you." A vengeful assassin who had lost an arm spitefully cursed the one who had reduced him to this state. In his condition, he was going to die within a few minutes. With the amount of blood he was losing, there was no way he would live if treatment wasn''t provided in the next few minutes.


    "You should have chosen to be quiet." Ray orated sombrely. The happy smile on his face was wiped clean and his aura grew sterner. The lightning that surrounded his body grew brighter, with some streaks of red finding their way into the team of white and blue. The one who spoke had a ferocious look on his face, choosing to look his killer in the eyes. No one knew his situation better than he did. Each second he could feel his life force slip away. There was no way he would survive this, hence his hatred for the one who put him in this condition was at its maximum.

 Chapter 100 - The Brute Kings Rage Part IV

    "Unlike many, I believe that there is a God who rules over everything. I believe that the Maker of the Universe is still out there, and oh how I admire him. Yet you curse me by the name of him whom I look up to? Do you think I can do nothing to you? Do you think that the grating cry of death would save you from the consequences of your words?" Ray squatted beside the cursing man as he questioned him. The man being questioned looked at his adversary with mockery in his eyes and scorn widening his lips.


    "I can already see the reaper standing before me. The gleam of his eyes. The curve of his scythe. Tell me, what can you do with the soul collector here?" The dying assassin looked at the hideously cloaked figure he couldn''t see before. With his life force dwindling away, he could finally see the figure that went around the battlefield, collecting the souls of those that had passed away into his bag, as though they were precious pearls. It was finally his turn. What could his afflicter possibly do now?


    Ray nodded his head in understanding and calmly said, "There is a little secret I like to keep to myself. Well, only my wife and my uncle know about it. You are the honoured third person I''d share it to." Ray held the assassin by the neck and lifted him up as though he weighed nothing but a few grams. The dying man struggled to breathe as he was hoisted up. Though it was difficult to tell whether his challenge came from the hand clutching his neck, or the sleeve that was missing an arm.


    Ray brought the assassin close enough so he could whisper his secret into his ear. The assassin turned pale in a couple of seconds. He looked at his strangler in fear and disbelief. "How is that possible? How can someone possess¡­" he didn''t finish his statement when the searing hot flames summoned by his captor engulfed him fully. His dying screams were horrendous, sending chills down the spine of those few surviving members. One of the less courageous ones even made a mad dash towards the main house. He knew he wouldn''t be safe there, but he was desperate for some respite. For right now, even a few minutes of breathing space seemed like a dream come true.


    He run towards the house with all the energy he could master, his limp left leg making it all the more difficult for him. He smiled in relief upon seeing that he was right at the entrance, yet his smile lasted for just that moment.


    *BOOM*


    A huge bolt of lightning came crashing down, taking one more life from the world of Zandor. "The one in the main house is mine. Do you think it is a coincidence that all his guards were killed yet he remains alive, his building intact?" Ray''s cold voice intensified the despair the men felt.


    "If you ever have the chance to live a second life, remember that there are some people you cannot touch. However, with the deeds you have done in this life, I doubt that you would get such a chance." He continued, finally walking towards the main house. The few survivors who lay on the ground were glad to see their tormentor leave. They finally felt that for the first time since this man had appeared, there was hope for survival. They were wrong, for that was the last emotion they ever felt before they left the world.


    *BOOM*


    Several bolts of lightning descended simultaneously, crashing the hopes of the killers that lay in their own pool of blood. Ray stepped into the main residence with a small smile on his face. "After attacking my boy they think I''d let them live? Such foolhardy is extraordinary", he stated to no one in particular. He was a father who was never around. He could argue that he had no choice but. However, he did not. He wasn''t going to make excuses for himself. The least he could do was vent his frustration on the unfortunate group that chased after the wrong gold mine.


    Ray''s steps were calm, yet loud. The layout of these houses made it impossible for people to sneak in quietly. They were indeed worthy of their title as assassins. Of course, it was meant to work against those below the above-mortal realm. With Ray''s strength, it was too easy to move around without making a sound, but he didn''t. He wanted his prey to know that he was coming.


    It took Ray about three minutes to walk the entirety of the lower floor. With his awareness at its peak, there was no way he would be uninformed as to the layout of the building. He was just having a stroll. He wanted his prey to be jittery. He wanted him to be unnerved. The only reason he was still so carefree was because he could feel that his prey was still calm. It was a calm that wasn''t due to lack of the fear of death. The heartbeat of his opponent was too regular to attribute it to nonchalance towards death. It felt more like his opponent had a lifeline- a backup.


    "Interesting", he mumbled.


    He wasn''t as bright as his wife. In fact, he was certain that there weren''t more than five people in the entire universe who could match his wife''s superior intellect. Actually in the eyes of others, the Brute King wasn''t only tyrannical, but intelligent. Yet this intelligence remained unseen next to the woman known as the ''Absolute Queen''. In his vast experience, such serenity wasn''t born from the fear of death. Even the bravest of warriors wouldn''t be so calm under the threat of death. Only if they were Asgardians of course. Those belonging to that race were a crazy bunch. And he was certain they were the only race that were so crazy. He doubted that the universe would have the strength to hold two of such maniacal races.


    "This is just a waste of time", he mumbled, finally deciding to take the stairs.


    "You''re finally here. Did you enjoy your sightseeing?" the master of the Assassin Organisation calmly asked. He didn''t look like a man who was just about to lose everything, a detail that Ray picked up.


    "You look so calm, very much unlike a man that is about to die. What grants you such confidence?" Ray questioned, genuinely curious about the state of his oppressed.


    "Is there anything I can do? My men are dead, with those that remain nothing but leaves that have fallen off the main tree. Yet you ask why I remain unmoved. Does the absence of despair annoy you? Do you want to see me writhe in agony?" the master replied with slight fury lacing his tone.


    "No, I do not. But I know your kind well enough. Those who take the lives of many, fear death much more. But that isn''t where my true curiosity lies. Who gave you that contract? Who asked you to go after my son?" the Brute King asked.


    "He didn''t reveal himself. But I am certain he is like you" the master replied. "I see" Ray replied. He didn''t bother to question him more. Even Fin didn''t know who the contractor was. If Fin didn''t know, no one did. It was a thought that seemed arrogant and downright prideful, but anyone who was aware of Fin''s ability would know that this was confidence, not hubris.


    "I should at least know the name of my murderer" the master requested. "I like your composure. I assure you that your end would be swift." Ray responded, not in a rush to grant the request of the master.


    "My name has long been forgotten. At times, I am guilty of that myself. But those who know me do so by one name, one title. I am the Brute King, and I sentence you to death." Ray declared, the flaming sword he had just conjured successfully lopping of the head of the man who previously commanded a massive force on Zandor.


    "Oops. I am late for dinner."

 Chapter 101 - Worry Part I

    Back at the residence of the Brute King, Butler Fin was busy sweeping up the pieces of glass that used to belong to a window pane. He had already cleared the bigger glass pieces. But since he wasn''t a mortal, he could ignore the risk of getting injured by a neglected sharp object. At his level of strength it would be a joke to get hurt because of a piece of glass. Any ascender who heard this would scoff at the absurdity of such a thought. None of them would consider it ignorance, for ignorance and stupidity may go hand in hand, but they weren''t the same.


    Anyway, after taking the large glass fragments out of the way, not because of the fear of an injury as we have already established but due to the simple reason that they will get in his way, Butler Fin proceeded to fix a new window where the old one previously stood. In the few minutes it took him to complete this task, several flies had already found their way into the building. Since fixing the window took precedence to cleaning the broken glass fragments of the floor, he had proceeded with that. One might wonder why the Head Butler was doing such a mundane task on his own when he could just get some other servant to deal with this menial job. Well, there were some sensitive things in the study, hence he was the only one allowed inside. That is, if we count out Uncle Jake who had been absent for a few years now.


    "I wonder how my old friend is doing. I haven''t heard from him in so long. What is he up to?" He wondered as he finally got the last glass fragment into his dust collector. With his excellent eyesight, even the smallest of particles did not escape his meticulous cleaning. He walked out the study, making sure to lock it before disposing off the trash in the bin just outside the room. He may be the only one allowed inside, but he surely wasn''t going to be on trash duty. All the rubbish gathered in the study room were usually disposed in the bin that was just outside the room. It wasn''t that the study room didn''t have its own bin, he just never used it. Even when Ray was around and dumped some things in that bin, Fin would just transfer it to the bin outside.


    He made his way to the pantry downstairs after his task was complete. Ray was a powerful man- no, a powerful god. Yet he was just as messy as any 6 year old. "Of course with the exception of highly intelligent children like Young Master Mane." Butler Fin was quick to readjust his thinking to exclude children with Mane''s level of maturity from the list. Well, Ray was strong enough to kill everyone on this planet quite simply. In fact, any Heaven Realmer would be able to do so without much effort. And they could do so with their clothes clean. This didn''t apply to Ray. The Brute King was poor at keeping himself tidy. He was certain that even if Ray returned with clean clothes, his hands and maybe his face, would have some blood on them. He ignored the strange looks the chef gave him and carried a bowl of water upstairs. A clean towel was slung over his shoulder, obviously for Ray to use in wiping his hands after wetting them.


    Although there were several bath houses and washrooms in this gigantic house, there was none in the study room. This wasn''t a design flaw, but rather a command by Alexis. The Absolute Queen understood herself better than anyone else, and hence had made such a request. She had insisted that all their houses be designed this way to stop herself from ever spending the night there. She had a bad habit of getting so caught up in her thoughts, especially when it was ''work'' related, that she could go on for days without rest. But there was a catch. Unlike her husband, she was a clean freak. As long as she had some water to wash herself clean, there was no way Ray would ever find her in their room. So she put that rule in place. And it was because she was somewhat obsessed with cleanliness that Ray had to always ensure that he would be as fresh as possible, especially after returning from a rampage such as this one. So Butler Fin took it upon himself to provide the water and cloth he would need for just that. He had just unlocked the door when he felt Ray''s aura. The rapidly approaching aura was like a beacon in this world filled with people of such measly strength. Of course, Butler Fin wasn''t including the three impressive auras from the Academy. He was aware that those auras were only impressive because his young master had mentored them. Mane would be surprised by how much Butler Fin knew. He would be even more surprised if he knew that the things he considered as secrets weren''t really secrets. For instance, the ''secret'' training place for the Silver Wolves wasn''t really a secret place. Also, with the case of the assassins who had attacked Mane, Butler Fin had sensed it, yet he wasn''t worried. Not only had he felt that Mane''s parents, his masters, were near, he also smelt the eagerness of a hidden power in the boy. It was a power more than eager to prove itself, and the seemingly weak butler decided to put his trust in that power. It wasn''t a case of taking a risk, for Mane wasn''t truly at any risk. The blonde haired prodigy wasn''t aware, but there was a spell of absolute protection placed on him by his mother. No one below the ascension realm could possibly kill him. It would only trigger when a vital body part was attacked with the intent to kill. Of course in their anxiety, the couple feared across the myriad realms had forgotten this crucial fact. And Butler Fin didn''t remind them. They missed their son. And the butler saw nothing wrong with them rushing to his side.


    These little thoughts lasted a few seconds, yet the presence of the Brute King was now just outside the window.


    *crash*


    "You never learn, do you Fin? You should know that I would definitely use the same entrance." Butler Fin''s eyebrows twitched in annoyance at his boss'' words. ''Who else could I blame but myself?'' the man self-mocked. He had been with Ray for so long, yet he always made the mistake of fixing what the careless brat destroyed, always forgetting that what Ray had broken, he would definitely break again. He watched in annoyance as the just repaired window pane lay in the same state as its predecessor, in shambles.


    "Don''t look so glum Fin" Ray smirked. "Alright I''d fix it" Ray raised his hands in surrender upon receiving Fin''s glare. "Restituere" he chanted. The glass fragments immediately merged together to form one whole, and refitted themselves in the empty space behind Ray.


    *crash*


    The repaired window was shattered by a mere gust of wind from the mouth of the butler.


    "The broom is at the corner of the room, and so is the dustpan. There are several window replacements in the storeroom which is connected to the pantry, and so are the tools needed for the refitting." Butler Fin didn''t sound like a subordinate, more like a father speaking to his son. Even more fascinating was the fact that Ray didn''t utter a word in response to his request, silently walking out of the study to do his butler''s bidding.


    "And bring me a slice of cake when you are returning". Ray gave a thumbs up, showing that he had heard and would do what he had been requested. So for the second time today, the chef watched in amazement as the owner of the residence picked up a large glass panel and some tools, and a plate of cake too, and began to ascend the stairs. Even the attempts by the chef and other servants to help carry the objects fell on deaf ears. Their master insisted that he was alright, with the surrounding workers wondering how he could possibly carry all these things without dropping any of them. It wasn''t a matter of strength, but one of anatomy. Just like them, their employer had only two hands. They watched in amazement as he calmly carried all the items with relative ease, with one of them whispering to the chef, "Is our master a god?"


    If they knew what he had done before returning home, they would be asking if he was a devil instead. Unbeknownst to them, Ray heard all their whispers. He smiled slightly at their words, though they couldn''t see this since he had his back to them.


    "Although you have butchered the men who came after your boy, you don''t seem satisfied at all. What did you discover?" Fin asked curiously. Although Ray looked calm, Fin could still feel some fury in the man he had watched over, since he was a boy. He was certain that something had gone wrong, he wasn''t sure what it was though. So what do you do when you want to scratch an itch? Simple, you ask. And that was just what Fin was doing.

 Chapter 102 - Worry Part II

    "Yes. I felt it. That malicious aura that consumes everything it touches. The Shadow God has reached his dirty hands towards this world." Ray replied as he fixed the window upon its frame. He took even less time than Butler Fin had. He was clearly more skilled with repair works than his butler. "Ah, I see." The very same butler who sat comfortably in his (Ray''s) chair didn''t seem so surprised by the news. And Ray was just as unsurprised at his reaction, as the butler was about the news.


    "Just as I thought, you already knew. Why didn''t you tell me?" Ray didn''t take his eyes off his task. He was focused on clearing every glass piece on the ground, now that he had finished the harder task of refitting the window. He would be a fool to believe that Butler Fin didn''t know what he had just discovered today. As mentioned earlier, there was nothing that would happen on a planet that this butler was on that would escape his attention. That was why once the butler had informed him that he had no idea who placed the bounty on his son''s head, he hadn''t made any further enquiries.


    "I didn''t think it was necessary" Butler Fin replied. He hadn''t ''spied'' on Ray''s rampage so that he could have some ''privacy'', so he was unaware of what had really happened. But from Ray''s words, it was clear that the Shadow God had encroached.


    "What is he really doing here? If anyone would know the answer to that question, it would be you." Ray questioned as he cast the dustpan that was filled with glass, and the broom aside. Finally done with his task, he could now comfortably question Butler Fin.


    "I am not sure. Right now he hasn''t done anything high profile. He has hardly done anything at all. He has been here, that much is true. But so far he has been docile." Butler Fin replied


    "I think you have some idea on what is going on. Why don''t you share it with me?" Ray stated.


    Butler Fin sighed and averred, "Yes I do have my own theory. But as you know clearly, just as he cannot truly see my actions, I cannot see his. I didn''t want to worry you because it may be far-fetched."


    "Well then, spill it" Ray urged. Impatience coated his handsome face, his eyes clouded with unease. Beings that could unsettle the Brute King were few and in between. Zeus did not bring him fear, neither did Odin. Ra wasn''t an object of wary to this arrogant and fearful warrior, and many other gods didn''t cause him such worry. The Brute King only feared two kinds of people- those who could see his every move; and those who were unpredictable.


    With those that could see his every movement, he feared them because nothing remained hidden from their eyes. His strengths, weakness, and his deepest secrets were like open books to those blessed with sight beyond sight, and he dreaded them. It was fortunate that many of such beings weren''t his enemies, and those that were his adversaries were kept in check by the ones that considered him a friend. Butler Fin was one of such people, and it was because this unremarkable man kept his enemies from seeing his (Ray''s) movements that he could grow so rampant. It wasn''t a one way street though. Since Fin blocked their sight, they also blocked his. Basically, both sides were blind.


    With the second group of people- those who were unpredictable- one might wonder why Odin wasn''t included. The Nordic God King wasn''t really a leader. He may be the ruler of the 1st heaven, but most of the diplomatic decisions were made by the Goddess he had faith in. It wasn''t his wife Frigg. It was Freya. The King deemed her intelligent and wise enough to deal with ''trivial'' matters on his behalf. Before he was a king, Odin was a warrior. He is the Warrior King. His unpredictability in battle is legendary, but Ray didn''t fear him. It wasn''t because the Nordic Ascender was no enemy of his. It was because Odin had known weaknesses. The Warrior King was always thirsty for knowledge, and he would do anything to win a war. This meant that his actions could actually be predicted. You would just have to take the most unlikely of possibilities and consider them as the most likely instead. It sounded simple, but it required the brain of someone who was very intelligent and understood the moves of the Nordic God King well enough to make predictions on his next moves. Ray was a smart man, but he wasn''t wired for such a task. His intelligence could only match up to that of a grand scholar. Of course, lower worlds like Zandor weren''t considered to have grand scholars. There may be oddities here and there, like the young prince his son was close to, but they generally couldn''t compare to those of the higher realms. Although he didn''t have such thinking capacity, his wife did. So he wasn''t afraid of Odin with her by his side.


    Those he feared were those even his wife''s brain couldn''t understand. One of them was the God of Trickery, Loki. The other was the one he just had an encounter with- Seth. This was why Butler Fin could only say he had a theory concerning Seth''s motive. It was likely to be wrong. Seth was a God of Darkness and Confusion. He was as cruel as he was unpredictable. It was his cruelty that made him unpredictable, for when you thought it would be at its maximum, Seth would show mercy. And when one assumed that mercy was going to come, Seth would dish out cruelty. If Ray was being honest, he feared Seth more than he did Loki. With Loki, you know that the carnage that would follow wouldn''t be race ending. Especially because his brother Thor and his father Odin kept a close eye on the miscreant. But Seth was different. He had caused races to go extinct. And unlike Ares who could only do that to minor races, Seth had destroyed high races before. One of them was formerly in the top ten rankings. And he had done so all on his own. The God of Darkness had become untethered. His father and his brother couldn''t keep him in check. Over the years, many had slowly abstained from mentioning his true title, fearing that he would hear them, and opting to call him the ''Shadow God'' instead. Ray didn''t know whether those rumours were true, but he would rather be safe than sorry. He had too much to lose to take no precautions because he wanted to prove his bravery. He had a wife and a son, both of whom he loved so much that he wouldn''t hesitate to give his life up for them. Giving up his courage was a small price to pay. And besides, if it was indeed true that the God of Darkness has the god ability known as ''sight upon sight'', then he would fit the descriptions for both groups- those who could see his secrets; and the unpredictable bunch. This assumption was more likely since Butler Fin had indeed said he couldn''t see the Shadow God''s actions. Maybe the Dark God had a Sensor God capable of going against Fin''s power, but it was highly unlikely. Ray didn''t know if there was anyone with such power that he wouldn''t have any information on. So the likelihood of Seth having the ability himself was more likely. Since he had shown up here, there was no way Zandor will be peaceful.


    Butler Fin sighed upon seeing Ray''s worried look. He could understand the young god''s concerns. He gave him a pat on the shoulder and advised, "You better sit down for this."

 Chapter 103 - Suspicions Part I

    "What do you know truly know about Seth?" Instead of immediately saying what he wanted to say, Butler Fin asked Ray his very own question. "I know what everyone else does", Ray wrinkled his brows and replied. He wasn''t sure what Butler Fin was doing, but they had been close long enough for him to understand what Fin was implying. It was very likely the one who had watched him grow into a man knew much more than most people did. Every ascender worth his salt knew about the Dark God Seth. Call it ''Common Knowledge 101'' if you will. Everyone knew the parents of Seth- Geb and Nut. And all were aware that his brother was Osiris. Though it was this very same brother that Seth had gruesomely murdered several millions of years ago. Although he didn''t truly murder him, choosing to rather destroy his body and seal him, it was still a cruel act, one that accurately described the soul of the Dark God Seth.


    "If that is all you know, then you know nothing." Fin shook his head at Ray''s reply. He wasn''t satisfied his the Brute King''s knowledge. "Seth is the God of Darkness of the 4th heaven, yet his power is so strong that many generally consider him as the true god of the dark arts. It is believed that many dark gods obtain their power from the Dark Sword, and this belief is sound, its logic anything but misplaced. Seth is an exception though. Unlike the others, his power is darkness in its purest form. His power wasn''t given to him by the dark sword, but comprehended on his own."


    Butler Fin''s words caused Ray to look at him in astonishment. The young god didn''t bother to ask questions like, ''Are you certain'', or make statements like, ''How is that possible?'' To him, the mere thought of these things was a show of mistrust towards Fin. As he always said, if Fin didn''t know something, then no one else did. The implication of Fin''s words were severe. The darkness attribute was not an easy attribute to master. In fact, even the sheer difficulty of mastering a skill of this unique attribute was indescribable. It was as difficult as trying to master lightning without any bloodline help. For instance in Ray''s case, the Brute King had such great control over lightning because he was born with affinity towards the destructive element. This was a gift he got for being his father''s son. But darkness was different. Even though darkness and lightning were generally considered under the same umbrella in terms of power, darkness was much rarer than lightning. The negative effect that darkness had on most of those who used it led to a small number of people being able to truly master the element. Most of those who attempted to gain the approval of this eccentric element grew mad before they could even get far in their comprehension. This was one of the reasons why Ray was so worried that Mane had unlocked a darkness glow. None of Mane''s true blood relatives had such a glow, at least none of those who were alive had such a glow anymore. It was highly likely that the unpredictable element had reached out to the Supreme all on its own. The less likely option was that this glow his son had unlocked was actually from a predecessor. Ray knew that there were such being with ties to the darkness attribute from his side of the family, but he also knew that they were long dead. He hoped that the less likely option was the right one. If not, and the darkness element truly reached out to his son on its own volition, then the prophecy the gods feared- the one he and his wife adamantly rejected- may very well be true.


    Most of those who had managed to adopt darkness as their own had done so through the help of the Dark Sword. This artefact wasn''t just tied to darkness- it was darkness. If someone else was able to comprehend darkness on their own then it meant¡­


    "Yes, your thoughts are accurate. Seth is a being one can consider to be on the same level as the Dark Sword. Of course, this is a theory. We cannot really know if it is true." It was almost as though Butler Fin could read Ray''s mind, for he knew exactly what the man was thinking. Ray didn''t seem surprised by the man''s comment. It wasn''t because he believed that Butler Fin knew everything. He did, by the way, as I have said a million times already. It was because the older god knew him so well that he could tell his emotions and his thoughts from his expressions. It was an ability that even his wife envied. As she had said so manty times already, ''I should be the one to know what you''re thinking all the time and not Fin''.


    If what they were thinking was true, then just like the Dark Sword, Seth could also allow others to use the power of darkness in his name. Many gods had the ability to allow their followers use their elements in their name. But this was mostly due to the fact that most elements were docile and non-violent in nature. Elements like lightning and darkness were difficult to control, much less pass on to another. It took those at the peak to do something of that nature. Thor could do this, and so could Zeus. Although Ray could also do this, he hadn''t quite mastered it. For so long many had ignored the threat of the darkness element. Although the Dark Sword was a threat, it was a containable one. But Seth was different. The Dark Sword was an artefact so it needed a medium. Until it found a suitable host it would forever be a containable threat. Seth had no such restrictions. In a sense, he was the one true God of Darkness, the first of his kind and possibly the last. For there was no way Seth would allow another like himself share in the power of darkness. His cruelty would not allow that.


    "Seth wasn''t always like this you know", Butler Fin sighed as he reminisced. "What do you mean?" Ray wondered. He knew his mentor was old, but he didn''t think he was so old that he knew the origins of the dark god.


    "Initially Seth was a kind and gentle boy. But like every child out there, he sought for attention from his parents and all who were near. He didn''t get any. Everyone was more focused on his brother. His brother Osiris was better looking, more outspoken unlike the withdrawn Seth, and was regarded as the smarter. They weren''t wrong about Osiris'' looks and his eloquence with the written word, but they were wrong about his intelligence. They assumed him to be the smarter since he was the livelier of the two. What they didn''t know was that Seth was very similar to Mane. His intelligence and talent were outstanding."


    Ray was very surprised by Butler Fin''s words. Although he had never heard this story before, his surprise was birthed from Fin''s assumption that Seth was similar to Mane. Mane was a Supreme! His intelligence and talent were out of this world. No, that was inaccurate. They were currently in Zandor. Any child from the higher realms would have talent out of this world. The more apt description would be that Mane''s gifts were out of this universe! If Seth was so similar to him, it made so much more sense that he was able to become the god of darkness. And as usual Ray didn''t doubt his mentor. There were times he would ask, ''Are you sure?'', but it wasn''t because of distrust. It was more of a way to get himself to accept the most unbelievable of information. Although Ray was thinking, his thought process took less than two seconds. He quickly tuned his mind back into the ongoing conversation.


    "Years of neglect took its toll. Seth believed that he was the one supposed to get all the attention his brother was getting. Yet his introverted nature didn''t allow him to voice it out. I suspect that was when darkness reached out to him. It felt his despair, saw his gifts that no one else had, and sought this prized possession for itself. It wanted to control Seth. When Osiris was chosen as ruler over their race, Seth snapped. He finally allowed darkness to take hold of him, giving the obscure element what it wanted. He grew stronger and eventually killed his brother. But even darkness underestimated the ability of Seth. Instead of gaining control over him as it wished, it found itself subject to the prodigy rather, a slave to the one it wanted to enslave. And so Seth became the God of Darkness."


    Butler Fin finally ended his story. There was a relieved smile on Ray''s face. Initially he had some doubts as to why Fin was telling him all this. The older god usually kept a lot of things from him. But once the story ended, he understood.


    "Your son would be fine" Butler Fin gently orated. Ray nodded his head believingly. His mentor and teacher had told him all this so that he wouldn''t worry excessively about his son. His teacher wanted him to know that people with Mane''s level of intelligence and skill like Seth had broken free from the hold of darkness. Although it was highly likely that the unpredictable element had learned from its mistake and would be more difficult to defeat, Ray had hope. He had faith. His son was a Supreme, an entity above Seth in so many ways. If the forces of darkness thought they could corrode him, they were very wrong.

 Chapter 104 - Suspicions Part II

    "Just so you know, your earlier theory is correct. The Shadow God has indeed reached the ne plus ultra of godhood." Ray looked Butler Fin in the eye as he spoke. His countenance was stern, his words without an iota of doubt.


    "I see", Butler Fin replied. "What gave him away?" he continued. He was aware that his ''employer'' wouldn''t be so certain if he didn''t have proof. He curious about the how though. Since Seth had blocked his senses, and since he had kept out of Ray''s way, he wasn''t clear concerning what had happened to give the Shadow God away. He wanted to know how Ray had caught on to the elusive one.


    "The head of the Assassins Organisation was his giveaway." Ray answered. Fin looked at him without a word, waiting for him to continue. "There is something I never told you, mostly because I was certain that you wouldn''t approve. Apart from me, only my uncle and wife know." Ray sighed in resignation as he confessed. Butler Fin knew everything, well almost everything. But when it came to Ray, the butler mostly stayed out of his way. He didn''t like to peek into the secrets of his ''employer''. He didn''t want to know what Ray had kept from him. But if he wanted to, he will.


    Ray smiled bitterly and said, "You can look. With your ability, once you look, you will see."


    Butler Fin wrinkled his eyebrows in consternation. Ray wasn''t going to mention his secret because he wanted to guard against any peepers. Although he was shielded by Butler Fin, he still didn''t want to take any chances. It was this level of caution that brought worry to Butler Fin.


    He brought a palm to Ray''s head and closed his eyes. For about ten seconds the duo remained in this awkward position. Once the tenth second had ended Butler Fin opened his eyes. He looked at Ray with anger and confusion.


    "What have you done?" he questioned, the fury in his tone unhidden. "You want to be free of them yet you accept such a burden?" he wondered. He anger was born from his worry for Ray.


    "I had no other choice. There was no one else suited for the task" Ray helplessly shrugged.


    Butler Fin sighed tiredly upon seeing Ray''s reaction. Although he was angry, his ability to carefully think about an event remained uncompromised. He was angry, that much was true. But he also understood why Ray did what he did. If he was in the young ascender''s position, he would have done the same thing. ''He really is my student'', Butler Fin thought.


    "Who else knows about this?" Butler Fin enquired. "Just you and Alexis. Oh and my uncle obviously." Ray picked his nose nonchalantly. Butler Fin had the urge to slap his employer silly. How could one be so uncaring about the consequences of his decision? In the end, all he could do was sigh. If he was thinking about the repercussions of the choice Ray had made, then the Brute King had also considered them. Even if he hadn''t, Alexis would have done so. And if she was fine with it, who was he to complain?


    "The more important thing is that the Shadow God is recruiting." Ray switched the topic to what he felt was more important. His decision could not be reversed, it had already been made. Any of its consequences would have to be dealt with when they come. Instead of worrying about just one of the possible futures, he may very well worry right. The Dark God was reaching out to this world. In fact, he already had. But they could try to stop him before he gained total control.


    "You can just call him by his name or true title. That belief that he''d hear you when you mention his name is a superstition the jerk spread himself so that he would inspire fear." Butler Fin stated. "And it seems he''s looking out for those with impure souls." Butler Fin kindly ignored the embarrassed smile on Ray''s face and continued with his speech.


    "And even though I have met only one recruit, it seems he''s targeting those with such level of power and authority in this world." Ray interjected.


    "Indeed. This is why he is so unpredictable. I do not know whether he''s targeting those who have committed so many wrongs so as to grant them the power of darkness, or to cultivate them as one would cultivate a vineyard. He may be planning to swallow their souls to increase his strength later on. Or there may be other reasons our logical brains just cannot think of." Butler Fin sounded exasperated. It was so difficult to try and comprehend the ways of one like Seth. The cruel god was so incredibly intelligent that, when you had assumed that you had considered all possible outcomes, his decision would slap you in the face. Butler Fin couldn''t count just how many times he had been wrong about the dark god.


    "Whatever his intentions are, we do know one thing for sure", Ray added. "Zandor would be chaotic again" Butler Fin continued.


    "Well we knew this would happen one day. From the day I created a hole in its barrier it was bound to be discovered by other gods. It was never a matter of if, but when." Butler Fin said regretfully.


    "You had no choice. Without you to contain our auras, this world would have been discovered long ago. And that was when I was weak. I could have easily died at the hands of my enemies. It is because of you that I am still alive." Ray said solemnly. Any third party, with the exception of Alexis, would be very confused by the information that was being shared so casually in this room.


    There were three kinds of worlds: higher worlds; lower worlds, and; sealed worlds. Higher worlds were worlds inhabited by ''non-mortals''. The lower worlds were those inhabited by mortals. But it wasn''t as simple as that. Those regarded as mortals were those below the heaven realm. Although the above-mortal realm made it seem like one had finally transcended mortality, it wasn''t so. The above-mortal realm was so named not because one wasn''t truly a mortal anymore, but to remind the wielder that his power could only be exerted over those in the mortal realm. Hence, there were several lower worlds with energy practitioners with strengths in the earth and profound realm. So even among the lower worlds, there was a hierarchy. But every lower world had something in common- they were all subject to the rule of the higher races. The stronger the race, the greater the number of world''s they owned. That is why sealed worlds were so impressive. These were worlds that were hidden from the eyes of even the gods themselves. Once they lost their ''masks'' the greedy beings that were never sated would come rushing, striving to gain control over them. Zandor was such world. It had enjoyed ''peace'' for a while because of that. But this was about to change.


    "Besides, I think Seth would have been here anyway." Ray said. "Why do you say that?" Butler Fin enquired.


    "Because he didn''t find this world. He was summoned."

 Chapter 105 - Intruder Part I

    "You think he was summoned? Why do you say so?" Butler Fin had his eyebrows raised in surprise. For an entity like himself, there were a few things that could surprise him. It had been millions of years ago since he was last stunned. He had been amused a few times but that was it. However, this time there was nothing amusing about what he was hearing. If what the Brute King Ray saying wasn''t mere speculation, then¡­


    "There is someone in this world that dares to summon the unpredictable god of darkness." Ray spoke his thoughts out exactly, making the older god almost question whether the young battle god had stayed with him so long that he could¡­


    "Finish your sentences? Yeah I can." Ray smirked triumphantly upon having correctly guessed what his mentor was thinking. Butler Fin smiled in amus.e.m.e.nt. For a moment both of them cast aside their temporary worries as they cast their minds back to the simpler times. Those times when it was just the two of them. That was after Ray and Alexis had decided on a temporary break with each seeking to temper themselves in other worlds. Ray wouldn''t have survived most of his encounters were it not for the butler who always stood at his side. He had no idea why the older god took a liking to him, but he was glad that he did. The old man had saved his life when some of the members of Alexis'' family had deemed him unworthy to be with her. Although Alexis herself and her actual family- her father and grandfather especially- regarded him highly, it didn''t stop the others from coming after him. At that time he knew nothing of his heritage.


    His mother was a mere ''mortal''. There was no way he would have ever considered that his father was anything but. It was the old butler who had protected him from them, and declared himself Ray''s true guardian. Any attempt made against Ray was an act of war against the Old Butler Fin. Before that, Ray had no idea that the man who had basically raised him was so fierce. Apparently the old butler had some connection to his wife''s family, highlighted by the fact that when Alexis met him for the first time she was very surprised to see him.


    Initially Ray thought it was because the Old Butler looked relatively young. It was later upon encountering her family did he realise that their relationship was deeper than that. His wife''s family didn''t fear the old butler, but they respected him. And although Alexis had been reluctant to part with him, she was convinced when her grandfather declared with certainty, ''The boy''s future is bright. His talent is no less than yours. You must allow him to grow fully.'' Her father had also chipped in saying, ''He would definitely be one worthy of a duel with me. Let him be.'' His progress had proven them right, with Ray going on to win twenty nine out of the fifty five duels he had with her father. It had been over ten years since he and her father had last dueled. He wondered how the powerful battle driven god was doing. It wasn''t as if Ray''s actual father had been silent. He had protected Ray from the shadows, fearing that his true wife would find out that he had cheated again and would kill the boy.


    So he kept his distance to protect his son. Besides, his uncle was also around to watch over him, serving as his master and teaching him the art of wielding. Thinking about those times left him with mixed feelings. They were times he cherished the most. His story was encased in those times, available to only him and those who believed in him. It wasn''t that he wanted to return to those times. Alexis was far away from him then, and his son wasn''t even born. He just missed those times, but wanting to go back was a definite no. It was strange still. ''Why would he miss those trying times?'' he wondered. It didn''t make sense. It was Butler Fin who broke out of the reverie first.


    "This is not good." The butler exclaimed worriedly. "Did you feel that just now?" he continued. "Yes", Ray nodded. He definitely felt the pulse that swept past him as he indulged in his daydream.


    "Someone was probing us right now." Ray continued. "Indeed" Butler Fin averred. Ray shuddered at the thought. Someone who was able to trap two gods- one a battle god and the other an elder god- in a memory scape was no small character. No wonder he had found himself reminiscing about the old days all of a sudden. Those days were surely special. But it wasn''t fondness that he held for those memories. It was appreciation. An acknowledgement of the things he had to go through to get where he was now. It was uncommon for him to be thinking about those days, let alone start wishing he was back there. Someone had trapped him in a memory scape. It wasn''t an elaborate and flashy one, where you''d get to visit your past and watch it like a movie. This one was subtle. It crept up on them like how the light creeps up on one''s shadow. Like an assassin stalking it''s unware prey, so were they stalked. And the person was able to evade their senses! Evading his senses wasn''t anything special. Anyone with a bit of knowledge on the Brute King knew that wasn''t his strength. But to be able to bypass the ultimate security and test called Butler Fin, was more than impressive. Until just now, Ray would have called it impossible, for even other elder gods who specialized in the matters of the senses and possessed the ''sight beyond sight'' could not perform such a feat. Let us put it this way: if there was a class grading and rating for such gods, Butler Fin would be among the prodigies. Those who constantly fought for the first place. Ray''s friend and guardian was no slouch in this department. Yet someone had been able to break this seemingly unbreakable rampart.


    "Fascinating. The culprit placed the spell on you Ray. And it was done without arousing your suspicion at all. This person is remarkable." Instead of being worried, Butler Fin was examining Ray whilst praising the intruder. Ray''s eyebrows twitched at the god''s words. This was typical of Butler Fin. When something happened that he couldn''t change, instead of worrying about it, the elder god would rather marvel at his opponent''s skills. Ray breathed a sigh of relief at this reaction though. For Butler Fin to act this way meant that he had some answers.


    "So?" Ray questioned impatiently, not bothering to lay out a full statement to one of the people who knew him so well. Who knows, maybe the Butler, just like his wife Alexis, knew him way better than he knew himself.


    "It definitely wasn''t Seth. He is powerful, yes. That much is true and irrefutable. But he has no such skill. He is at the very most, almost on par with me, and that''s saying something." Ray nodded at Butler Fin''s words. Any passerby may have considered the butler''s words a case of hubris, but only those who truly knew the elder god would know that it wasn''t. As explained earlier, if the butler''s specialty was likened to a class of grade students, he would be the first. If he dared declare himself second, no one would have the bravery to claim the crown of the king. Even saying that the dark god was almost on par with him was a stretch. Although Seth could shield himself from Butler Fin''s senses, if the butler truly wanted to, he would find a way to pry anyway. It was unfortunate that the older god''s responsibilities made it impossible for him to truly use his power. Doing so would cause more harm than good.


    "Whoever did this is comparable to me at my peak. At least, that is my thought." Butler Fin calmly stated, as though his words weren''t explosive enough. Ray felt a ringing in his head. Once Butler Fin had said this, it was likely probable. To think that there was also someone like that in this world was ludicrous. Unfortunately it seemed that this absurdity was the truth.

 Chapter 106 - Intruder Part II

    "But this person is different. He isn''t rejected by the world, since he can use his powers freely. It''s seems to be the opposite." Butler Fin pondered out loud. "You mean our perp has the world''s will on his side?" Ray questioned. "He does" Butler Fin nodded in reply.


    "I ask you Ray, when you left on your rampage, did you find anything strange?" Butler Fin asked. Ray creased his brows, his brain worked double time, eager to notice something that he had missed. Looking at his ward deep in thought, Butler Fin smiled wryly. He sure wished that Ray was as quick-minded as his wife at certain times. It wasn''t that Ray was dimwitted or slow. It was far from that. But the Brute King was close to two of the brightest minds in the universe. In their presence and company, his sharp mind was nothing but a blunt dagger. One that was easily overpowered by their sharp and resilient blades.


    "Just let me see the entire process of your rampage." Butler Fin sighed in defeat after waiting for over five minutes. It wasn''t because he was impatient. It was rather a decision made based on Ray''s expression. His ward looked out of sorts after the fourth minute, clearly no closer to an answer than he was four minutes ago.


    "Okay" Ray consented. Once again, and for the second time today, Butler Fin laid his hands on Ray''s head. After about ten seconds, he opened his eyes and said softly, "I see."


    "What did you see Old Fin?" Ray pressed. He was very keen to get some answers, to understand what he had missed. He needed to know who the intruder was. He wasn''t worried about the intruder though, and he had a good reason not to be.


    "The man you burned with your unrestrained glow is the one that put the spell on you." Butler Fin declared confidently. "How is that even possible? It wasn''t a clone Old Fin. And I saw his soul. No person can escape from the refinement of my fire." Ray exclaimed in disbelief. He trusted Old Fin, he really did. But he had burned the man to a crisp. His soul wasn''t even spared the eternal agony.


    "I never said that the man survived." Butler Fin replied. "And besides, normal people may not have any solution to your glow, but elder gods do." He continued. "Are you saying that¡­?" Ray hardly began his statement when Butler Fin interjected, "I know what you are thinking. No, it wasn''t an elder god. But it was definitely an ascender."


    Ray sat on the table and stared at Butler Fin, waiting for some answers. "It seems that this person was spying on the Assassins Association. If my analysis is correct, then a spell was placed on the poor assassin years ago. It seems that the lease, ''Lucid Dreams'' was used on the assassin."


    Ray listened intently, his face and his countenance resembling that of a grade schooler. He knew what the lease, ''Lucid Dreams'' was. This spell was an uncommon one. And unlike its name, it wasn''t a spell of clarity. It was as rare as it was dangerous. The name of this technique was an irony to what it really did. Meeting a user of this ability was dangerous, and this was why. Lucid Dreams trapped the soul of the victim in a solitary dimension, leaving it to wander for all eternity- unless the caster decided to spare the victim of the agony and return him to the land of the living. This ability left the body vacant, allowing the caster to leave an imprint on it. The imprint would then act as a liaison between the castor and the trapped soul, allowing the castor to see everything the body does, and the soul to feel as though it was the one doing these acts. It was just a small part of the soul that experienced the body''s deeds, with a larger portion of it wandering around aimlessly in loneliness. There were two reasons why the imprint was left behind, and both were for the benefit of the castor.


    The first reason was that no one had the time to occupy another''s body. Unless it was absolutely necessary, many would be reluctant to do that. Occupying the body of another wasn''t as simple as it seemed. It was like a seasick person on a ship out at sea. It was that uncomfortable. Supposing you were able to successfully overcome your ''seasickness'', you would have to also act in the body as if it was yours. That plan was flawed since no one could act the same way a stranger did so easily. There was bound to be a slip up. The imprint allowed the small part of the soul connected to the body to unconsciously direct the body''s actions, so the victim wouldn''t seem strange to anyone. The second function of the imprint was to transmit information about the victim''s activities to the castor. That way you get all the information you want, without actually being the investigator.


    It sounded simple but the technique was near impossible to master. Ray had tried to study it once, but had failed. He was sure that if his wife was a spiritualist, with her high intelligence, she would succeed. This wasn''t to say that the mastery of Lucid Dreams was dependent upon intelligence. If that was the case Ray would have mastered it. After all, people with average intelligence weren''t worthy of being entrusted with the power of chaos, for how would they use it? Being a spiritualist showed that he was an intelligent man. It was only in the presence of his wife and his mentor that he become as dumb as the day was bright. Maybe it was the comfort brought by the mere thought that he didn''t have to think so hard to arrive at the answers, for they would do it even better than him, but his brain became really sluggish whenever he was around them. Ray wasn''t able to master it because it required another criteria, one that was even rarer than that of the spiritualists. But we''d get into that later.


    "I can''t believe you told him your secret." Butler Fin said wryly. Ray scratched his nose in embarrassment. He wasn''t usually so careless. But how could he have known that there would be someone who can use Lucid Dreams in a small world like this one.


    "When I taught you to never let your guard down, what did you think I meant? You don''t keep your wits about you around gods and neglect them around mortals. You handle everyone as they are- as threats."


    Ray quietly listened to his master''s scolding. He had been taught never to let his guard down, and he hardly did. The day he finally did so was the day he had leaked out very sensitive information to a stranger.


    "At least he isn''t our enemy." Ray comforted himself. "At least you aren''t beyond saving. It seems your brain has some use." Butler Fin chided. Ray didn''t bother to defend himself. He was lucky that the stranger didn''t seem to be an enemy. Why did he think this?


    Well for starters, the person was spying on the Assassins Association. No person with such strength would bother to spy on mortals if he wasn''t interested in something else. That meant that the intruder had been seeking for something else.


    "The Dark God Seth. It seems we aren''t the only ones after the Dark God. There is someone keener on getting his head than we are. And we were wrong. It seems Seth was summoned to this world years ago. He still isn''t at full strength though." Ray calmly analysed. Butler Fin smiled in appreciation, "You are worthy of your title as a spiritualist."


    As for the second reason why Ray was confident that this person wasn''t an enemy, it was even simpler than the first.


    "Anyone who can receive acknowledgement from the will you created, isn''t our enemy. It wouldn''t allow anyone with malicious intentions towards us or this world, leach of it."


    This was the second reason. This was why Ray was so certain that the stranger couldn''t be an enemy. From the moment Butler Fin had said that the person had the backing of the world''s will, Ray ruled this stranger out as an enemy. He could breathe a sigh of relief since this person knew his secret. At least for now, this ''shadow'' who remained unknown to them wasn''t a threat- he/she was more of an ally.


    Anyone who has able to listen in on their conversation would be gob smacked. It turns out that Butler Fin didn''t only open a hole in the world''s barrier, he actually restored the world''s will!

 Chapter 107 - Difference Of Opinion Part I

    "It is impressive that someone was able to spy on us." Ray smirked carelessly. Butler Fin ignored the ''boy''s'' mockery and replied, "It is remarkable. Just like a mortal was able to endure your glow." Ray shut up at the rebuttal. The glow he used on the assassin was one of his most prized possessions. It was called Brimstone. This glow allowed Ray to burn things down even to a molecular level. Even the soul wasn''t spared this agony. Being burnt by these flames ensured that one''s soul would be lost for all eternity, completely destroyed, leaving nothing for the eager arms of the grim reaper. It was certain that the grim reaper hated this technique. No one would appreciate a skill that starved them of their food.


    The reason why Butler Fin dared to mock Ray concerning this was because although Ray had used his glow, the small part of the soul which held the imprint had survived, and conveyed all that happened to the castor- everything that happened in its last moments. Lucid Dreams wasn''t an absolute technique. It had its drawbacks. If a powerful soul technique was used, the castor could also be affected via the imprint on the soul. Usually, Brimstone should have also burned away at the castor, but from the stranger''s peeping it was clear he/she was fine and well. Someone able to shrug off Brimstone would definitely not be ordinary. Even more amazing was that this person was able to counterattack, able to place a screening lease on him. And it was done outside his detection. The difficulty of such an act was incredibly high. If the spell was placed on him in a face to face interaction it wouldn''t be so strange. After all, he wasn''t so in tune with his senses like his master was. If an ascender or a god who was great with sensory-based spells placed such a spell on him, he would have no idea. It wasn''t like they could either way, since there was a shielding lease on him placed by Butler Fin. But this stranger had been able to bypass the shield entirely, and to do it through a medium was highly impressive.


    "I''m eager to trade blows with this person" Ray said excitedly. Butler Fin shook his head wryly. This was how Ray was, always eager to fight. This was the reason why Alexis'' father loved him so. The two were so similar. Both were battle freaks, and both seemed silly but were actually really smart. Both were secretive yet acted as though they had nothing to hide. Marriage and a kid had altered Ray''s behaviour, unlike Alexis'' father. The battle hungry maniac was always eager for a battle. No amount of children had tampered his enthusiasm. He was unlike Ray, who had become more careful of his actions since he didn''t want to implicate his son.


    But now that he knew that this ascender was no enemy, he was eager to duel this person. "Sometimes I wonder if you are actually ''his'' son, and if Alexis was really his daughter." Ray smiled bitterly at Butler Fin''s words. It was an expression that screamed, ''This isn''t the first time you''ve said that, and it won''t be the last''.


    "This stranger¡­did he get any information on us?" Ray asked. "Yes. But they were mostly general information. From me he got information on my godhood. My title and the sorts. Mostly useless stuff. You are no different. Well, if we take out the part where you willingly disclosed a closely guarded secret. This was information you hadn''t even given me. To think you gave it up so simply." Butler Fin nonchalantly stated.


    Ray scratched his head in embarrassment. He looked down and sighed, "It has been a long time since I failed at something. I almost forgot what it feels like".


    "Friedrich Nietzsche once said, ''The errors of great men are venerable because they are more fruitful than the truths of little men.'' And you are a god. Your failure isn''t really a failure, for ''failure is simply an opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.'' Those were the words of Ford. If Henry was still here, he''d say the same thing."


    Ray looked at Butler Fin in puzzlement. He asked his mentor, "Who are these people that you keep mentioning. Since I was little you always quote some person I have never met before or never even heard of before. Mind telling me who these people are?"


    Butler Fin smiled at the question. He looked outside the recently fixed window and stated emotionally, "They were my friends. At least most of them were. But they are all dead now. Even if they weren''t, I wouldn''t be able to see them."


    "What do you mean?" Ray wondered. "You are an elder god with amazing power and strength. Among the myriad of realms you are highly respected. There is no place in this universe that you cannot visit." He continued. He was a bit startled by his mentor''s comment. He doubted that his master wouldn''t be able to find anyone he searched for in this universe. The cosmos may be vast to many, but to elder gods like his master, it was just a large planet.


    "Well you are wrong. I cannot explore the dark realm now, can I?" Butler Fin joked. Ray chuckled lightly at the older god''s words. "That''s not fair" he defended himself. "No one can explore the dark realm" he continued.


    "Well your grandfather did return alive from it." Butler Fin reminded. Ray''s face turned dark at the mention of his grandfather. "Don''t talk about that demon" he gloomily stated. Butler Fin sighed lightly at his response. He didn''t blame his ward for his reaction. Many hated Cronos for all he had done when he was alive. And no one hated him more than his own grandson, and with good reason too.


    "Anyway, these friends of mine are in a more complicated situation" Butler Fin went back to the previous topic of conversation, quickly turning away from the subject that caused his mentee to be filled with such strong murderous intent.


    "How so?" Ray asked. "I don''t really know how to explain this. I''d tell you why later on." Ray nodded at the words of his master. The look of remorse on his master''s face was genuine. He didn''t want to continue talking about something that would bring the older god''s mood down. Besides, if his master had promised to tell him one day, he surely would do so. The only question was when, not if. And since they were likely to live for a very long time, it may very well be very far into the future. Who knows, maybe by that time Mane would be a powerful god who will bring many to their knees.


    "I wonder if my boy will awaken Brimstone" Ray wondered out loud. Butler Fin smiled at his comment. "He is far talented than you are. I''m sure even if he doesn''t awaken it, as long as he gets to see you use it a few number of times, he will comprehend it." Ray wasn''t insulted by the butler''s statement. He was proud and elated than his son was more talented than he was. It was a good thing. A son could not be less talented than his father. That was the only way their bloodline could remain strong.


    "Indeed. He is the Supreme. His talent far outstrips mine." Ray smiled as he tapped his fingers rhythmically on the expensive study table.


    "Does he know?" Ray suddenly asked. Although he wasn''t clear with his question, Old Butler Fin knew what he meant. "He knows what he is. He just doesn''t understand who he is." Butler Fin was a bit vague with his reply. "I see." Ray responded. It seemed that Butler Fin''s opaque reply was transparent to him. And that it was. His master was basically saying, ''He knows that he is a Supreme. He just doesn''t know what a Supreme is or what they do.''


    "Do you want him to know who he is?" Butler Fin questioned with a small smile on his face. He already knew the reply to his question, but it didn''t stop him from asking anyway.


    "No. Let it remain as it is. He would know when it is time." Ray said the same thing he had been saying over the years. He couldn''t remember how many times Butler Fin had asked him this question. His reply had always been the same, although his mentor didn''t agree with him.

 Chapter 108 - Difference Of Opinion Part II

    "You would have to tell him eventually. If you don''t, he definitely will find out. Many Supremes learned about their responsibilities before they were even ten. Your boy is almost eleven years old. And he is a bright kid. He would eventually find out what you are keeping from him." As usual, Butler Fin went on to tell him what he thought.


    "I know. I just want him to have a bit of freedom right now. To play with his friends, to grow stronger without truly feeling any pressure. Is that too much to ask for?" Ray sighed tiredly.


    "No, it isn''t. You want him to be a child for a little more time. You want him to actually grow, and not to be forced into his growth. But Mane was never truly a child. His level of maturity has always been very high. Even Jake said so himself. The boy already knows that there are people after him. And he knows that these people are pretty darn strong. All I''m saying is that it is better for him to learn about his destiny from you, than to have to find out the details all by himself."


    "Yeah" Ray sighed. "I know that. I just can''t face him and let him know that his burden is far heavier than he thinks." He continued.


    "I understand your difficulties Ray. Don''t worry so much. Just tell him when you see fit that he should find out." Butler Fin lightly patted Ray''s back in consolation. Then like Ray did for him previously, he quickly changed the subject. After all, no one liked to dwell on a depressing topic, even if they actually brought it on themselves.


    "You know I realise that I never asked how you awakened Brimstone. It is a glow that rivals your lightning glow. In fact, it is slightly stronger. And I know your father has no such ability. And although your uncle is Hades, his flames pale slightly in comparison to yours. That means it isn''t so likely that it belongs to your father''s family tree. The next possible option would be your mother. But she was a mortal, wasn''t she?" Butler Fin''s analysis made it sound more like he was making a statement than asking a question.


    "Yes, she was indeed a mortal. Although she died when I was very young, she had no fighting capabilities. Not any that I know of anyway." Ray shook his head and ruled out the option of the glow coming from his mother''s side. Although he was very young when she died, he was certain that there wasn''t an ounce of inner energy in her. It was difficult to awaken a glow when your parent didn''t have that glow. But it was still a possibility. However it was even more difficult to awaken a glow when your parents hadn''t awakened their bloodlines. In such a case, awakening a bloodline is extremely rare. Ray would rather believe that brimstone was from his paternal ancestry, than his mother''s.


    "Or I can let you see what my childhood with her was like. Maybe you can find out something that I missed." Ray didn''t wait for Butler Fin''s approval. He closed his eyes and leaned his head forward, waiting for the elder god to see into his past. Butler Fin didn''t say anything much. He just did as was expected. For about 15 minutes the two men remained motionless. The only sign of life was their rhythmic breathing. If this factor was taken away, one would assume they were two human sized sculptures that were made so exquisitely that they were lifelike. When they finally opened their eyes Ray was still as calm as he was before the event. But his mentor wasn''t. For the second time today, his master was astonished. But it wasn''t only astonishment the elder god was feeling.


    "Did your mother always have that mark on her arm?" he asked in excitement. Yes, he was excited.


    "Yes, she always had that mark. Calm down master. Tell me what you''ve found out." Ray curiously questioned.


    "Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth. So tell me Ray, what do you see?" Instead of replying right away, Butler Fin asked a question of his own.


    "One of your friends again?" Ray declared with certainty, not at all asking a question. "Yes" Butler Fin replied. "It is something Marcus used to say. He even wrote it in a book he published. I think it was called ''Meditations''. Now answer my question."


    Ray nodded and didn''t say anything else. He didn''t know why his master was suddenly talking about these people. He was sure that it had something to do with the screening spell earlier. If he wasn''t wrong, the spell had caused his master to relive those moments when he was with these people. So in other words, they had this stranger to thank for his master''s strange state. He was also just going to breeze past his master''s eagerness to receive his reply when the old man hadn''t even answered his question. However he knew they were getting there.


    "I can see nothing old man. Why do you think I asked you?" Ray stated with a slight chuckle.


    "Hehe. Yes, of course. That symbol is very rare. It belongs to a race I thought extinct. In fact, all the gods have assumed that they were extinct. Even your father and his father before him thought the same. To think that they were still alive. This is great. Even more so since you are from that race. Now your insane talent and Mane''s abilities make so much sense" Butler Fin stated excitedly.


    "Which race was that?" Ray was astonished by the information he was receiving. To suddenly find out that he was part of an ancient race was amazing. Of course he had some experience with that, since he had found out that he was Olympian some many years ago. So even though the information was startling, he could handle it.


    "They don''t really have a name. They never gave themselves one. We called the ''Weapon Masters''. They had the ability to use any weapon, no matter the type, to perfection. Even a feather would become dangerous in their hands, for once they viewed even a quill as a weapon, then that is what it will be."


    Ray looked at Butler Fin in amazement. "If that is so, how did my father not recognise her mark? After all, you knew who she was once you saw the mark. And if her race is so wonderful, how come she didn''t have any inner energy?"


    "Your father definitely recognised the mark. He isn''t a fool. All these years I wondered why he chose a mortal of an unknown world to bear his seed. It turns out that he knew who she was all along. That will also explain why Hera couldn''t do anything to you when you were young." Butler Fin answered the first question without any delay.


    With surprise on his face, Ray said, "So you''re saying¡­"


    "Yes. Hera was afraid of your mother. Your mother wasn''t weak like you thought." Butler Fin quickly interjected.


    "I always thought it was strange." Butler Fin suddenly added.


    "What was?" Ray enquired.


    "How I met you. I wasn''t on the same world as you, but I was drawn to you. I was led to you. It seems that your mother wanted me to watch over you. I finally understand." He continued.


    "I see" Ray nodded his head understandingly. He also thought that it was strange that once his mother died, Butler Fin appeared. Now he knew the answer wasn''t as simple as ''fate deemed it so''.


    "Now to the second question: she didn''t have any inner energy because Weapon Masters don''t use inner energy." Butler Fin smiled mysteriously, proof that he wasn''t done with his explanation.


    "Just spit it out old man" Ray impatiently urged.


    "Hehe. Weapon Masters don''t use edict as their inner energy. Well they do at the beginning of their journey. But when they are breaking into the heaven realm, the edict cancels its connection with them. And chaos takes its place." Butler Fin explained


    "That''s impossible!" Ray exclaimed. "No one is capable of keeping chaos as their inner energy!" Ray trusted his mentor, but to accept such an explanation was to accept that his teaching had been wrong all this while.


    "Smart people learn from everything and everyone. Average people from their experiences. Stupid people already have all the answers" Butler Fin said nonchalantly.


    "Who said that?" Ray''s eyebrows twitched at his master''s statement. His master was literally asking him to choose whether he was a smart man, or a fool. He would obviously not choose the latter. Even if he didn''t want to, he had no choice but to accept what he was hearing as the truth.


    "His name was Socrates." Butler Fin answered. He immediately went back to his explanation though, "This is why they were so feared in all the realms. And this is why they were wiped out. No one must find out who you and Mane are. It will only increase the number of targets you have on your backs."


    Ray nodded seriously at his master''s words. He was no fool. He knew the importance of such information. Even if he didn''t care for himself, he cared about his son''s life, and his wife''s happiness. He knew what to do.

 Chapter 109 - Weapon Masters Part I

    "Wait a minute. If that is the case, how come I don''t have such an ability?" Ray''s question poked a hole in the old butler''s explanation. If all that was said was true, how come he had no such abilities?


    "Do you remember how you mastered the sword?" Butler Fin asked.


    "Not really" Ray replied.


    "That is because you didn''t. You just picked it up and started using sword arts you had previously seen. I found it strange but assumed it was extreme luck. It makes much more sense now." Butler Fin orated.


    "Besides, you aren''t a true weapons master. If you were, your affinity wouldn''t only be with the sword." Butler Fin continued. Ray kept mute, opting to say nothing and waiting patiently for his master to continue.


    "You didn''t have a baptism by chaos. This baptism was usually done on their home world. Their sacred treasure, ''Kerith'', was an origin divine artefact capable of bestowing this blessing. Strangely enough, only Weapon Masters could undergo the baptism. Traditionally, a weapon master who has already received the baptism, who is usually the race priest, performs the ceremony. When their world was destroyed, this treasure was lost. But even before that, all who tried to receive the baptism were burned by chaos. Each of them died. This made everyone realise that the Weapon Masters were special. Their bodies were built for chaos. Many wanted to study them, but because of their strength, it was not a possibility. So they were wiped put instead. With how easily you mastered the sword, I have no doubt that your affinity is at the top even among Weapon Masters. If you had received the baptism by chaos, and unlocked your true name, you would have become a beast with such strength that even I, an Elder God, cannot fathom."


    Ray was shaken by his master''s words. But all he did was smile wryly. If his master was right, then this baptism by chaos should have happened when he was breaking through to the heaven realm. Since he had missed the opportunity, the only option was to give up inner energy and drop down by a few realms. With the number of people with poor intentions after his family, he couldn''t afford to take such a risk. Besides, from what he had heard he wouldn''t be able to even if he tried, since Kerith had been lost.


    "Mane must not break into the heavenly realm" Butler Fin warned.


    "Why not? If Kerith has been lost then there is no hope for him either." Ray argued


    "You don''t understand. If a spiritualist gets the power of a weapons master, who knows what kind of monster will be born. In the past the Weapon Masters were arrogant, and banned interracial mating. They were able to manipulate chaos as their inner energy yet they couldn''t become spiritualists. Initially I thought it was a price to pay for having such power. After all, if they could also become spiritualists, who will be able to stop them from doing anything in the universe. But I was mistaken. You are a spiritualist. And so is Mane. The secret to unlocking more power was for them to give up their silly traditions and marry outside their race." Butler Fin orated


    "I understand where you are coming from Old Fin, I really do." Ray averred. "But all this cannot happen since Kerith is lost." He continued.


    "Yes, it is lost. But those who have been baptised by its power are connected to it. They will know where it is." Butler Fin argued.


    "But all the Weapon Masters are dead. And those that remain have no idea what is going on. Were it not for you, I would be lost as well. So tell me, how are we going to find Kerith? I''m not going to deny my son power for a mere hope filled speculation." Ray was firm. There was no way he''d tell Mane to hold off getting stronger for something that was at this stage, a myth.


    Butler Fin smiled mysteriously and said, "Of course we don''t know where it is. But another does- your mother."


    "You''re saying¡­"Ray stammered in shock, not even completing his sentence.


    "Yes, she is alive. You never saw her body did you. I saw your memories. The time of her death and my arrival are inconsistent. Whatever drew me to you did so after her death, not before it." Butler Fin calmly analysed.


    Ray understood what he meant. If the connection was only made after her ''death'', then it meant that she wasn''t truly dead. After all, dead people couldn''t influence the land of the living. At least they couldn''t normally do that. And it was highly likely that his mother had sent a message to his father informing him to watch over him until she found a suitable guardian.


    "That means¡­" Ray started. "We must find her" Butler Fin continued.


    "There is so much to be done." Ray sighed. How was he going to start looking for someone who didn''t want to be found?


    "It isn''t that difficult when you think about it. If I were your mother, I would hide at the one place no one would ever think to look for me. So it''s either she''s at your home world¡­"


    "Or hers" Ray added. Butler Fin nodded with a smile.


    "But in the meantime you should check on the boy. He''s awake." Butler Fin reminded Ray of his duties as a father.


    Ray leapt up once he heard the news. He rushed to the door eagerly, only stopping to ask, "When did he wake up?"


    "Oh that happened before you went for your rampage." Butler Fin nonchalantly answered.


    "And you didn''t think to tell me then, or even when I returned." Ray asked in annoyance.


    "I forgot. What can you do about it?" Butler Fin taunted. Ray''s twitching eyelids showed just how much he wanted to pummel the old man into the ground. Alas, he wasn''t stupid enough to do that. He may be a match for the old man, but he would very likely come out inferior in a duel against him.


    He ignored the butler and left. He couldn''t attack the old man, but he could do something else.


    *Bang*


    "Be sure to fix the door, Butler Fin" Ray shouted, loud enough to be heard by every servant in the house. The door to the study room was broken into several pieces. Ray had a small smile on his face when he banged the door. He smiled in satisfaction upon seeing the bitter smile on his mentor''s face. He strolled to his son''s room in contentment.


    "What a vengeful brat" Butler Fin said as he gnashed his teeth in anger.

 Chapter 110 - Effects Of The Separation

    "So many interesting things happened while we were away. Mommy is sorry she wasn''t there for you." Alexis gently stroked Mane''s hair as she apologised for her absence in their child''s life. Although Ray wasn''t mentioned, it was implied that he was included in the apology.


    "It doesn''t matter" Mane replied with a bright smile on his face. "At least you are here now", the blonde haired boy continued. Mane leaned into his mother''s embrace as he spoke. Since his awakening, Alexis had abandoned her chair and joined him on his bed. Using his headrest as her back support, she lent her frame to her son to use instead. And Mane''s large smile showed just how pleased he was with the current situation.


    "You are very mature" Alexis stated the obvious as a bitter smile adorned her lips. She wasn''t sad because her son was now mature in his dealings. Rather, she was quite pleased with the development. Her only regret was that she wasn''t there to see it happen. She wasn''t in the process. Even more disheartening was that if she was there, if she had never left, he wouldn''t have become so mature. He wouldn''t have become used to carrying everything on his own, so much so that he had been forced to grow before his time. If only she knew that Mane had always been this way, she may not have felt so guilty. Then again, there was nothing anyone would say that would serve to comfort the sad mother. Not even Mane could take away her guilt.


    "Don''t look so sad Mum. It was for the best. Maybe if you were here, I wouldn''t be this strong." Mane consoled his mother. Although he couldn''t see her expression as he sat before her, he could tell that she wasn''t so happy with her absence. It was funny really. When they weren''t around, Mane only felt anger at their departure. He felt betrayed and couldn''t wait to see them again. He wasn''t going to give them a big hug, but a large smack. And if there was actually going to be any hugging, it will be in the form of a wrestle. But the throw he had in mind was thrown out of his mind when he saw his mother with a haggard looking face sitting besides him. And although he hadn''t asked about his father, he had been told that the man whose genes resided in his body had gone to the bathroom. Though right now Mane was actually wondering how someone could stay in the bathroom for so long. Maybe his old man had collapsed at the stench of his bowels?


    "That is indeed true. There is no way I''d have allowed you to go to that dangerous forest on your own in the name of tempering your strength." Alexis shook her head as she spoke. Indeed, if she was here, there was no way Mane would have been allowed to take the risks that he took. And probably the assassins that came after him would have died so horribly that even squashed bugs would pity them.


    "It still doesn''t excuse the fact that we weren''t there for you" Alexis stated sadly. "Where is Ray? He has been gone for quite a while." Alexis mumbled softly, but to the hearing of her listening son. She spread out her awareness so that it covered the entire house, hoping to find her husband''s whereabouts. She didn''t search for long.


    "Speak of the devil" She orated. Hardly had she spoken when the door was opened violently, so much so that Mane was startled into a small jump. And in the condition his body was in, this was a painful experience. Yet he gritted his teeth and kept the yelp of pain that threatened to come out to himself. It was bad enough that his mother was beating herself up for leaving him all alone. It wouldn''t be great if she were to beat up his father for his carelessness. Though to be honest, that thought did cross his crafty mind, but he ruled it out due to the ''kindness'' of his heart.


    "Yes. Suck up the pain. Training your body is going to be much more difficult. You could call this an initiation" the 5th stated nonchalantly. Of course, Mane ignored his words. For him, paying attention to the 5th, or even the 6th, was the fastest way to die young. Mane definitely didn''t want to hold the record of youngest person to kick the bucket because of a stress disorder.


    "I''m here. I''m here" Ray frantically exclaimed. He rushed to Mane''s bedside so hurriedly it seemed as though his ass was on fire. However before he could get to his destination, which happened to be his son, he was stopped in his tracks. A small ripple appeared where Ray had ended his march, indicative of a barrier. Ray smiled bitterly and looked at his wife with pitiful eyes. He didn''t need an expert to tell him the barrier had been erected by his wife. He put on his trademark glow-''puppy eyes''- hoping she would take down the barrier.


    Mane lightly giggled at the interaction. Alexis smiled at her husband''s antics. Her smile grew wider upon hearing her son''s childlike giggle. Since Mane was very composed usually, even in their short interaction, this moment was a collector''s item. For that reason, she deemed her husband worthy of a pardon. She cancelled out her barrier with a snap of her fingers and put all her focus back unto her child.


    "Don''t you dare jump onto the bed" she threatened when she noticed that was exactly what the ''idiot'' was about to do. At times she seriously questioned her husband''s intelligence. The usually bright man was uncharacteristically silly whenever he was with those close to him. Her husband knew her son''s state, yet in his excitement he had almost jumped the kid- literally. "Don''t do something so silly, especially since you know the state he''s in" she warned her husband.


    "Ah yes. I was too excited. Forgive me Mane." Ray scratched his cheeks in embarrassment at his wife''s chastis.e.m.e.nt. He quietly walked to his son''s bedside and asked hesitantly, "Is it ok¡­" Mane sighed at his father''s reaction. He knew what the man was talking about, and he couldn''t help but be saddened by it. His father was asking if it was okay for him to hug Mane. The man felt so guilty for his absence that he felt the need to ask for permission to receive a hug. Mane felt even worse when he noticed how much their absence had affected them. All this while he only thought about the impact it had on him. And whenever he did, he was filled with anger. He now realised just how much they had missed him as well. At least in his case he wasn''t truly alone. He had his masters, and for a time he had Uncle Jake. These figures couldn''t replace his parents, but they sure filled some part of the void they had left behind. His parents had no such company. Although one would argue that they had each other, it wasn''t truly the same. In Mane''s case, he didn''t have his parents around but he had several father and mother figures. But his parents didn''t have anything like a ''child figure'', if ever there was something like that. Even worse was that now that they were before him, he couldn''t help but remember that they had left to protect him. And that he was the reason why they had done all that they did. In a sense, this was all his fault. Mane was certain that if his mother wasn''t so anxious about him, she would have lacked the courage to hug him like she did.


    He didn''t bother to respond to his old man, choosing to act instead. He felt a bit better now. He had enough energy to reach forwards and hug the hesitant battle god. His action brought a large smile to the man''s face, as his father''s trembling frame spoke volumes of what this action meant to him.


    "Your father promises never to leave you again" Ray swore as he wept silently.

 Chapter 111 - The Deep Part I

    In a land far from the Western Empire, which neither sees light nor rain, a lone figure sat on a polished rock. His expression was haggard, reminiscent of one who had exhausted every bit of energy in every fibre of his being. If one wanted to know the true meaning of exhaustion, they could just look at his face, and peer into his eyes. His eyes were green, an even rarer colour than Mane''s sky blue pearls. They acted as the only source of light in this man forsaken place. This was ''The Deep''. One of the forbidden zones in Zandor. It was famed for its cruelty in returning all who entered as heaps of skin and bones to its outskirts. This land was a great mystery. Unlike other forbidden areas like the Forest of Gloom that provided reasons for their danger, this one did not. Anyone who dares venture into the Forest of Gloom was aware of the dangers it had. Many kingdoms, and even the Four Empire Coalition had given up on exploring that land because the beasts that resided in it were too much for them to handle. That was the danger the Forest of Gloom possessed. Several creatures who were at the peak of the mortal realm and eager for flesh. As to why they never ventured away from the forest only they would know. But it wasn''t like anyone had the courage to go in and ask them. But even dangerous places like the Forest of Gloom had its share of survivors. It was through these survivor that all had come to the knowledge of how powerful the beasts that lay ''trapped'' in the forest were. Although the occasional roars that were heard from its outskirts allowed many to make that assumption a long time ago.


    As I was saying, forbidden territories like the Forest of Gloom had known threats. In fact, some people had been able to draw a map of its outskirts. Of course this only referred to the outskirts, for no one was stupid enough to venture deep within. Even the bravest of fools were aware that the deeper one got into the forest, the graver the danger. Not only were the beasts stronger, but escape was very unlikely. But Zandorians did owe the forest a favour, for it had slowly deprived the world of the fools that wasted breathing space and valuable resources. With the exception of the first few explorers who were just plain unlucky, any other person who dared venture into the Forest of Gloom with limited strength was nothing but a bumbling buffoon.


    The Deep wasn''t like this. No one knew what occupied the land. And no one dared venture into it. Unlike the Forest of Gloom where one could ride on their luck and explore the outskirts, ''The Deep'' never left a survivor. All who dared venture into this dangerous land were bound to die. The most eerie aspect was the fact that the body of the deceased along with their belongings would be found right outside this forbidden zone exactly after 24 hours- not a minute more, not a minute less. They would be found exactly where they entered, almost as if the land saw everything that happened, in and out of it. Even more savage was the state of their bodies. No matter how many times these bodies were autopsied, no clear cause of death was found- at least from the outside. The skin was always shrunken, and the muscles atrophied. It was almost as if someone sucked the life out of the unfortunate victims. The expressions on their faces upon retrieval were always loaded with horror. It didn''t take a genius to figure out that they died horrible deaths. People feared the unknown, hence ''The Deep'' was one of the most feared forbidden areas in all of Zandor.


    Unlike the Forest of Gloom, The Deep wasn''t located on flat land, but was actually a valley. If one stood on a higher ground, they could easily identify this death trap. This valley was completely desolate, and no matter how brightly the sun shone, its luminous rays could never penetrate the darkness that coated the valley. Like a blanket, this darkness prevented any light from getting through. Even rain was no exception to this exile. Seeing a figure seated in this dark land would have terrified anyone, for how could someone survive in this place?


    This lone figure sat in a cave. As mentioned earlier, there was no light, leaving his green eyes as the only source of light. His eyes were so bright that it illuminated his entire face, letting people admire his chiselled face and his beautiful eyebrows. He sat there, silent and as still as the rock he sat on. He looked lifeless, regardless of how full of life his eyes looked.


    "To think that the Brute King is here. What an interesting planet. And the one who stood with him is spectacular. What a strong mind he possesses. If the tables were the other way round, I doubt I could match up to an invasion of the mind by such a character. He must be an Elder God. What is an elder god doing here?"


    The lone figure mumbled to himself as his feet dragged against the ground in a slow and rhythmic manner.


    "But to think that he''d just wipe out the Assassins Organisation. All the work I have been doing is wasted." The handsome gentleman smiled wryly as he scratched his head. As you must have guessed by now, this stranger is the one who had dared to scan Butler Fin and Ray. The one who had placed a spell on Ray without his knowledge and had defended against Brimstone successfully.


    "But my word is he strong. Took almost all my energy to defend against that attack. And I was lucky that he had his guard down. If not he would have noticed my spell. He wasn''t given the title of kingship for nothing." He rubbed his head tiredly as he spoke. He didn''t look haggard because of his location. To the mortals of this world this place was mighty dangerous, but to him it was a perfect hiding spot. It was away from civilisation and had no intruders. A perfect working spot in all aspects. He was exhausted from his small ''battle'' with the Brute King. Although he wasn''t specifically aimed at, he still suffered the effects of Brimstone due to his connection to the now deceased assassin. He had been caught unprepared. After all, who would have expected that the Assassins Association would be destroyed? You see, the assassin he had handpicked wasn''t just any random assassin. He had picked one that was close to the Association Head, not some common floor member. He needed information on the Head, hence he had to use someone close to him. He had picked out someone who stayed at the side of the Head, all the time. One who never once left the side of his target. He didn''t expect such a person to ever go out. And even if he did, with the assassin''s strength, very few should be able to kill him. And if he was ever killed, the backlash that he would receive would be minor, for the residents of this world were weak. In all his calculations, he had never once considered the one outcome that did occur- running into someone like the Brute King. The only flaw in his plan was that he had never considered the effect an individual who had exceeded the strength limits of this world would have. And who could actually blame him? No person in their right minds would develop an intervention, and include a being who had no place in the context or the environment. How could he anticipate the involvement of a person as powerful, if not more powerful, than him?


    "I am lucky I have the world will on my side. If not for the Will''s assistance, I would be a goner. I owe her my life. It would be funny though. To die at the hands of a god who wasn''t even trying to kill me." The stranger laughed at his cold joke. In this desolate place, his laughter was very resounding. And the cave did well to amplify his voice too.


    "He is even more dangerous than the rumours speculate" he orated. "His power is on par with the very peak of the elder gods. Impressive achievement for one who was said to have a mortal mother." He continued his solitary speech, this time with a slight smile on his face.


    "I''m going to need a few months to recover. It isn''t easy to fight off a glow like that. Even at this moment I still feel the effects of his power." He mumbled. Brimstone was a powerful glow. The flames of this glow were as vibrant and filled with as much vitality as a dying c.o.c.kroach, truly difficult to extinguish. Although he had survived the attack, its remnants still tore at his body. He may look comfortable and nonchalant now, but he was still fighting a battle in silence.


    "In my current state- no, even in my previous state- there is no way I can handle the King. Even without the assistance of the Elder God at his side I would be at a huge disadvantage." It seems that Ray had grossly overestimated the abilities of the peeper. He had based his assumptions of the peeper''s strength on the ability of this mysterious figure to defend against Brimstone and scan himself and his mentor undetected. Apparently, the figure was way weaker than that.


    "However, if I were to regain my true strength, it would be another story. Only then could I truly stand up to them." The stranger tried to stand as he spoke. He staggered and almost fell, with a bit of blood finding its way out of his body through his sealed lips. He gently wiped away the blood and smiled bitterly. ''If only I was in my true form'', he mused.

 Chapter 112 - The Deep Part II

    "I need to recover fast. Even if it is to my prior state before the attack, it will suffice. I know his secret now. Although they seem to have no enmity against me, I must still be on guard." He began to walk deeper into the cave as he spoke. But even this task proved difficult. His steps were slow, and his breathing strained. Dyspnoea wasn''t the only thing he was battling against, for maintaining his balance as he moved was another war he was embroiled in- one that he was losing horribly. After stumbling for the third time in just a matter of seconds, he finally decided to use the walls of the cave for support. Utilising this makeshift railing, he slowly made his way deeper into the cave.


    "But for now, it seems we have a common enemy. They must surely know about Seth now. Once the Brute King killed the Assassin Head, he knew this." Amidst batted breaths, the solitary figure matched on. Normally he wouldn''t be so sure that Ray would know about Seth. After all, it was hard to catch a glimpse of the dark god. Even he had spent a long time trying to find out just who was hidden in the shadows. And were it not that the dark god had revealed himself to the Assassin Association''s Head, he wouldn''t have known just how sinister the character who lay in the dark was. The only reason he was so confident that Ray knew, was because of Ray''s secret- the secret the Brute King had revealed to the dying assassin thinking that he was the only listener. When he had discovered the dark god, he knew he couldn''t handle him alone, especially in his current state (the state before Ray singed him with Brimstone). He needed allies. And although the Brute King wasn''t an ally per se, he was better than nothing. Especially when one includes the elder god who is in his company.


    "Besides, from the rumours I have heard, the Brute King isn''t merciless, neither is he a killing machine. He only goes after those who dare pit themselves against him. And since Seth is the bigger threat, I doubt he''d clash with me now. But I''m really starting to regret placing a scanner on him. What if he considers that a gunfire? Hopefully he is as insightful as people say. Either way, regaining my strength comes first."


    His speech was broken and in parts. It would surely be easier if he just decided to keep mute. But it was almost as if he was addicted to speaking. He just couldn''t shut up.


    After what felt like ages, he finally returned to the end of the cave. At this point his entire face was filled with sweat. If there was light in the cave, one would be able to see how soaked his attire was.


    "What happened to you? What has caused you such exhaustion?" a second voice was heard in the cave. The green eyed man wasn''t the only one here. There was someone here with him! He wasn''t concerned with the voice though. He moved towards a large rock and lay down on it, finally choosing to answer once he had a connected a strange looking tube to his neck.


    "None of your business." He seemed to finally gather some energy, as his formerly shaky voice was now stable. Whatever the source of strength was, it was surely connected to the tube that was attached to his neck. Although the new voice sounded concerned, its owner wasn''t. As long as one paid a little more attention, they would sense the mockery in that tone- along with a bit of resentment.


    "You can hate me all you want. I am never letting you go." With his eyes closed, the green eyed man spoke to the figure who remained hidden. Well, this new character wasn''t really hidden. It was due to the darkness of the cave that his likeness had been conserved, and unrevealed to the human eye.


    "You have given up half of your power just to bind me. Is it truly worth it, Indra?" the words of the stranger were like a bombshell. If there was any god or ascender present, they would gulp down their saliva nervously. The weak looking man was Indra! The King of the Gods and the Lord of the 4th Heaven! His power was legendary, his fame resounding. His legend preceded him always, and his strength was truly at the peak of this universe. If Ray was to find out that his potential sparring partner was Indra, he would be even more excited. Of course, the Brute King was a strange existence, for many others would fear the thought of even being in the same room as him. He really was right when he stated that in his peak he would have been able to handle the Brute King, and the elder god who stood by his side. Though it would be an issue to handle them together. But if this was Indra, then who was the figure that he was guarding? A figure who could cause the Lord of the 4th Heaven to use half his strength just to keep him at bay was no trivial one.


    "For you Shiva, I would give up all my strength, so long as I can keep you silent. I don''t know how you discovered this world, but I am very reluctant to let you go. Who knows what you would do as long as you are set free." Indra had a serious look on his face as he stated what he deemed to be the most important task of his life. The name of the one who remained in the darkness would bring fear to the ears of all who heard it. All who beheld his face, or even his frame would tremble in trepidation, for he was Shiva, Shiva The Destroyer! There were many who laid waste to worlds on a whim. Ares was one of such fellows, and so were several other ascenders who had so much arrogance built up in themselves that they made the sin of pride their constant companion. Even Ray who was a relatively humbler god, had laid waste to several organisations. The Assassins Association was a perfect example of this. Although they had definitely wronged him, it didn''t change the fact that he had killed them all. And even taking out his rampage on the Assassins Association, he had laid waste to many. He wasn''t called the Brute King for no reason. And that was exactly the point- he was only called a brute. So if one of these ascenders or gods was titled as the destroyer, you could pretty much imagine what this entity had done to deserve such a title. Even more terrifying was that this ascender was on a small world like Zandor, where there was none who could truly stop him if he were to be unleashed.


    You should focus your efforts on that bastard Seth! Why would you bother with me! I have caused no harm since I came to this world. Long before you arrived I was here, yet I did not do anything wrong. Why do you bind me now?!" Shiva angrily screamed. As ''The Destroyer'' angrily shrieked, the sound of chains clanging could be heard. It would cause any who had ears to assume that he was bound.


    "Did nothing? All who entered this valley have been sucked dry of their essence, their lives robbed away. Yet you say you have done nothing?" Indra didn''t lose his calm at Shiva''s anger. He calmly lay down on his rocky bed, the tube still connected to his neck. His response was enlightening, allowing one to understand why this valley known as ''The Deep'' was so dangerous. The Deep which was always welcoming to visitors yet reluctant to give them back was Shiva''s playground. This death trap was formed because of Shiva. The god who lay bound in this cave had created a domain in this valley using his inner energy. This energy was corroding, taking away the lives of all who drew close to it and feeding it to the domain''s owner. This method was a sinister way of increasing one''s strength. And it was a method that was frowned upon. Though to be fair, not all people could use this technique. It took one who was a master, whose understanding of the extremely rare law known known as the law of corrosion, to truly use this technique. This was a major law. In the entire cosmos, there was only one known user of corrosion. In a sense, Shiva and Seth were very similar. Both were the only known users of their laws- and they were pretty darn good at it. Corrosion was a law that housed unpredictable elements like the poison element under its belt. Users of this law were strange and unpredictable. That was why many fell victim to Shiva. No one truly understood his law. When one meets a lightning elementalist, they would be very wary of the destructive prowess that these wielders possessed. The same went for fire. With elements and laws that were relatively common, they were easier to defend against. There were records on these elements, making them relatively well studied.


    Laws could not be controlled by wielders unless they were thoroughly understood. It was at this stage that one truly became an ascender. The ascension realm was a difficult hurdle not only because of the insane amount of inner energy one was required to possess, but because a major element must be thoroughly understood and mastered to become a true ascender. So what at all happens to those who do meet the requirements for inner energy, and yet have no complete understanding of an element? Well these individuals did become ascenders, but their ascension was regarded as false. They were referred to by all as False Ascenders. They had the power, but no true way to unleash it. They were basically Nobles- nobility realm experts- with a far larger pool of inner energy. So what were the requirements to become a Noble? And what of reaching the Heaven realm?


    To begin with, the Heaven realm was the first true step towards detachment from the mundane. The heaven realm was not that difficult a hurdle. As long as one was talented enough, they would definitely breakthrough this wall. Unlike the Ascension realm, one didn''t need to fully comprehend a major element to become a heaven realmer.


    The nobility realm in contrast was much more complicated. First, one couldn''t just break through into this realm. Just like the ascension realm, this hurdle wasn''t so simple. Although one wasn''t required to understand a major element, a minor element comprehension was a prerequisite. Without the acknowledgment of a minor element, one could forget about becoming a noble.

 Chapter 113 - The Deep Part III

    "You are referring to those curiously foolish mortals who stumbled into my domain? They had it coming. I didn''t force them to come here now, did I? And what increase could they possibly provide to my strength?" Shiva''s words were blunt and harsh. He clearly cared very little for the lives of those referred to as mortals. To be fair, many ascenders disregarded the lives of those way weaker than they were. In their opinion, if you couldn''t pose any threat, you weren''t worth paying attention to.


    And in reference to his words, a domain was the true manifestation of an element. It was an area where an ascender would be able to effectively use their elements, without much disadvantage.


    "I just used them for sustenance. That was all I did. And I didn''t even actively search for them. They came after me." Shiva''s logic was sound. Indeed, he didn''t go looking for victims. All those who had died to his law came of their own volition. One could argue that it was their curiosity and their inability to let sleeping dogs lie that caused this problem.


    "Yes, their curiosity led them to you. But that doesn''t excuse your actions. You acted like the hunter you were. When a hunter sets a trap in the forest, he counts on the curiosity and hunger of the animals in order to get some game. When his trap does pay off, does he blame the poor creature? No. He praises himself for his great wits and proceeds to take his prey home. You are no different." Indra had his eyes closed as he argued with Shiva. In his opinion, since Shiva knew exactly what he was doing, his actions were inexcusable.


    "Besides, you didn''t run rampant on this world because you knew about them, didn''t you? And don''t even try to play dumb" Indra questioned his prisoner, although the certainty of his tone did convey that whether a reply was given or not, he already had an answer.


    "Hehe. Why would I play dumb? How was it? Finding out that there was an elder god and a battle god on this small world. How spectacular it was. Your reaction left me fulfilled." Indra did get his answer. Shiva didn''t see the need to act ignorant.


    "If he''s here, then she must surely be as well. I may not have a way to truly put you down for good, but she might." Indra smiled faintly as he spoke. Though the smile was hidden by the darkness, his cherry voice was conveyed to his captive.


    "What are you trying to do?" Shiva asked tentatively. From his reaction, Indra was certain that his suspicions were true. For only a few would bring such caution to ''The Destroyer''.


    "I may definitely not have a way to seal you up for good. But the Absolute Queen might. She has done it before." Indra nonchalantly spoke his thoughts, completely disregarding the feelings of the one he was plotting against. Though this couldn''t really be considered as plotting when you are telling your adversary exactly what you are going to do to him.


    "Wait. What exactly do you want from me?" Shiva shook slightly at Indra''s words.


    He did not fear Indra. Although the later had bested him and forced him into a life of captivity, he wasn''t under any danger, for a god couldn''t easily be killed. Gods and Ascenders were similar in many ways, except they had greater strength and vitality. Killing an Ascender wasn''t that difficult. They died just like everyone else. But obviously only ascenders or gods could kill ascenders. Gods were a bit different. To kill a god, one must first seal off their godhood, so they can truly be killed. Sealing off the godhood of elemental gods like fire gods and water gods wasn''t that difficult a task. Their elements were pretty common and well understood. Almost all knew what to do to seal their godhood. However, there was a reason why gods like Seth and Shiva could run wild for so long without any fear. This was because the rarity of their elements made them essentially impossible to kill. Even then, Shiva was still different. The dangerous god had not just comprehended an element, but a law. Many gods and ascenders, had mastery over at least one major element, and several minor ones. But there wasn''t really a link between their minor elements. Shiva was different. Instead of focusing on a major element, he focused on the minor elements of one law- the law of corrosion. And he had successfully done the impossible, mastering the law. This didn''t give him much of an advantage though, since his mastery over a minor law was almost equal to the mastery of a major element. However, his efforts weren''t for nothing. His mastery over his law was unexpected, meaning there wasn''t much information on his godhood. This was why he was so dangerous. He basically couldn''t be killed.


    To seal off the godhood of a god was not as complicated as it sounded. It basically meant, finding the opponent''s weakness. With a fire god, you knew that as long there was enough water to breakdown his/her domain, they would temporarily lose their god power, leaving them vulnerable to a good blow. But corrosion didn''t really have a known weakness. And although darkness seemed like it would be vulnerable to light, it wasn''t so simple. For instance, The Deep was so dark that even the rays of Zandor''s sun couldn''t penetrate it, and neither could the rain. This was because the laws of corrosion which were present denied them any power. So everything that came into contact with this domain was destroyed. It would take a truly powerful spell to break it. And this spell should be his weakness, for every law had a loophole. And although the weakness of Seth''s power was obvious, there weren''t many light users who were comparable in power to him. And those who were, didn''t really care about his antics.


    Although Shiva''s weakness wasn''t known, he was very cautious of the Absolute Queen. Queen Alexis was brilliant and calculative. Although she wasn''t a battle god like her husband, she was a goddess of wisdom, and one of the few in the entire universe. Only entities like Athena of the 2nd heaven could compare to her. And just like Athena, she was also blessed with great battle strength. It was definitely not enough to introduce her into the ranks of the battle gods, but she was pretty close.


    Shiva would be a fool to believe that his weakness would never be known. He was smart enough to avoid the truly troublesome opponents for a reason. He had no issues going against even Thor of the 1st heaven, the Prince of the Nordic Gods. For although Thor was laden with great strength, his wisdom did not match up to his legendary power. Odin on the other hand, was a different case. The King of the 1st heaven was wise and intelligent. Shiva may very well expose his weakness fighting against foes like him.


    That was why he feared the Absolute Queen. Her title ''Absolute'' came from her success rate. Her analysis never failed. Shiva would be a fool to go against someone who could succeed in locating his weakness. And history had proven that Alexis was able to do so.


    "You know what I want Shiva. Tell me how you found out about this world, and I will keep your existence to myself only." Indra seemed to have gathered enough strength. He pulled the tube off his neck and lifted his formerly weary eyelids. His green eyes were even brighter than before, illuminating the entire cave like a brightly lit emerald. He looked at the figure bound to the walls of the cave. Two huge chains were connected to the arms of Shiva. These chains were completely gold in colour, yet the darkness of the cave hid their l.u.s.tre. Even the beauty of gold was corroded by this element. It was evidence that Indra could only hold Shiva off, for The Destroyer still had his power.


    The dark eyes of Shiva were filled with resentment, and a little bit of fear. Yet Indra knew better than to assume that Shiva''s fear was towards him. The Corrupted Monarch only feared foes like the Absolute Queen.


    "To think that one day, I, Shiva The Destroyer, would be brought to such levels of desperation by a battle god." Shiva gnashed his teeth as he declared.


    "You flatter yourself Shiva. You yourself are just a battle god. Or do you think that you are any better. Were your law a more common one, I would hardly pay any attention to you. In fact, I would have been rid of you long ago" Indra''s words sounded arrogant, but his words were true. All who knew him, knew his power. He wasn''t one to be trifled with. Just like Ray, he was a battle god who could match up to an elder god. This was a mighty impressive feat. His title alone was testament to his power. He was referred to as the Lord of the 4th heaven. Although he wasn''t the true ruler of the 4th heaven, to earn such a title meant that not many were capable of standing on equal footing with him on the 4th heaven, and possibly the entire cosmos. Shiva was popular, but even he didn''t have such fame. Even in his weakened state, he could put up a fight, much less in his peak. He was absolutely right. If Shiva had a more common element at his disposal, Indra would have killed him long ago.


    Shiva gnashed his teeth angrily at Indra''s words. His pride wouldn''t allow him to accept that he was inferior to Indra, although his predicament was certainly the evidence to that. For the only way Shiva could be captured and bound like this, was if the opponent was reasonably stronger than him. Otherwise, he had no real trouble escaping.


    "Stop gnashing your teeth and tell me what I want to know. How did you get to this world? Who sent you here? And don''t try to lie. Although this world is an insignificant one, a strong barrier protects it. It is not a barrier I can break through, much less you. That means someone gave you a loophole. A gap you could use to get in. At the very least, those involved must have an elder god by their side. Only an elder god can truly outmanoeuvre an elder god."


    If stares could kill, Indra would long be dead. Shiva''s stare was full of fury and resentment. Not only had Indra threatened him, but the battle god was looking down on him. If only he could break these bastardly chains that bound him.


    "We both know you cannot break the chains that hold you. I conjured them with almost half of my power, which is not enough to kill you. But it is surely enough to keep you in place." Indra seemed to have a penchant for pissing Shiva off, for the god was well and truly ticked off.


    "Are you going to say? Or do you want the Absolute Queen to handle your investigation. She''s supposedly more stringent than I am, at least from what I''ve heard." Indra taunted mercilessly as he sat and waited for the answer which he sought.


    "When I get out- and I will-I will make your life so miserable that you will wish that you were dead." Shiva gnashed his teeth as he vowed.


    "Many have said this to me, yet few have lived till today" Indra wasn''t bothered by the threat that would make the lesser man cower fearfully. He had long since lost count of how many times he had been threatened. It had become pretty normal for him now.


    "So are you going to talk?" Indra questioned.


    "Fine. I would speak. But you must promise to let me go. I would even vacate this world." Shiva negotiated. You would think that Indra would never let go of someone who was itching to kill him. But the Lord of the 4th heaven cared little for an enemy he could best.


    "Okay. These chains would disappear once I leave the valley" He agreed without giving it much thought. Or maybe he did, but he definitely wasn''t worried. And it seemed Shiva wasn''t worried either that the battle god wouldn''t keep his word. If Indra was a dishonest god, his reputation wouldn''t be so neat.


    "Good. Then we have an agreement."

 Chapter 114 - The Black Book Part I

    "This place is nice. It reminds me of home" A dark haired man was seated in a beautiful hall, his black pupils gazing at the busy streets just outside the window. He smiled faintly as he watched some little kids playing at the side of the road. Their excited and happy expressions were refreshing to him.


    The hall he was seated in truly was beautiful. The chandelier lit up the place like it was a miniature sun. The beauty it gave off explained why the inhabitants of this house had chosen to have the lights on when the sun was still out. The chair were simple but elegant. Their dull yellow colour blended perfectly with the golden chandelier, but not enough to take away the attention the chandelier got. Maybe that was why the chandelier directed its light so cheerfully to the furniture, for who didn''t admire a selfless friend. It was pretty clear that the one who designed this place was a genius. And those who occupied it appreciated the brain that built it.


    "Indeed it does. Which is why I bought it." A blonde haired man walked into the room with a large tray in hand. There was nothing on the golden tray but meat and ale. The newcomer had ale stains all over his golden beard, proof that whatever he was bringing wasn''t his.


    "Here" he handed the tray to the handsome dark haired man, who received it with thanks. "Thank you Uncle."


    "Sure. You seem smitten by something outside. What draws your attention so, Forseti?" the blonde haired man curiously asked.


    "The streets are really lively. It reminds me of home Uncle." Forseti smiled as he replied.


    "You are homesick. It is to be expected, since it has been a long time you have been out for so long." Forseti''s uncle was understanding of his nephew''s predicament. Ever since Forseti''s father disappeared, the dark haired god went on several battles and missions. They were all done in a bid to forget about the tragedy that was his missing father. But even during those emotional times, he had never been gone for so long. It had been several months since they began their search. In effect, it had been several months since he last returned home. It was ironic that the place he didn''t want to be in at the beginning, was now the only place he''d rather be.


    "That is why it''s called home young one. If you do not miss it so, it isn''t truly your home, for one''s home is where their loved ones are." His uncle consoled him. Forseti ignored the large hand that reached for a chicken drumstick on one of the numerous plates on the golden tray. He asked surprisingly, "Don''t tell me you, the great Thunder God Thor, miss home?"


    "Of course I miss home. But unlike you, my home isn''t complete." Thor had a sad smile on his face when he talked about his home. In his own words, a home was where a person''s loved ones were. He claiming that his home was incomplete could only there were people he loved who weren''t available.


    "I''m sorry uncle. I shouldn''t have brought it up." Forseti apologised sincerely when he saw his uncle''s expression. Thor was a cheerful god. He was so cheerful that at times many forgot that he had his own wounds. Wounds that hurt greater, and that dug deeper than any other. Many didn''t know of the wounds that lay open and untreated. But Forseti wasn''t one of those people. He blamed himself for digging deeper into them whilst knowing how much his uncle had gone through. He had ignored Thor''s emotions.


    "You don''t need to blame yourself. Besides, one day they would return. And I can promise you that they would do so with a large bang." Thor laughed uproariously as he spoke. It was hard to believe that the sad man before was the one acting so joyfully. Any person of logic would have concluded that he was just masking his pain, but Forseti wasn''t just any person. He grew up in Asgard, beside his family. He knew his uncle well enough to see that his uncle was truly happy. This wasn''t a case of bipolar disorder, but his uncle truly believed in what he said. The thunder god believed that ''they'' would return. He didn''t just believe it, but he believed that they would do so in a grandiose manner. And to be honest, Forseti believed it too.


    It was strange though. When ''they'' were still around, they never actually stayed with them. ''They'' spent most of their time at their other family. Although they did come around every now and then, they didn''t live with the Asgardians. Forseti thought it was strange since Thor missed them so much when they were never truly around. Maybe it was because at the time, they weren''t in any danger. Hence, Thor knew they were safe. It was different now. His uncle couldn''t help but worry about them now that they had pretty much no way of contacting them. And to be perfectly honest, Forseti was worried as well. But their worry wasn''t due to a lack of belief that they would return unharmed. Their worry was something instinctive. It couldn''t really be controlled.


    "How certain are you that it is here?" Forseti asked. Thor waved his arms nonchalantly and replied, "There is nothing absolute in this universe. Even the things that are seemingly definite are not so. We can only continue to search based on the leads we have. The only definite thing must be our hope. We must always hope that we will find what we seek. And surely we will."


    Forseti looked at Thor with suspicion in his beautiful eyes, as if waiting for the battle god to say something else. Thor smiled wryly when he noticed this. He sighed and confessed, "It is something my father always says."


    "I knew it", Forseti nodded his head confidently. "I knew that you couldn''t possibly come up with that."


    "Hey. I could very well come up with that" Thor argued. "You could" Forseti agreed. "But you won''t" he continued. Thor didn''t argue this time. He just turned his attention to what was in his grasp.


    Thor munched on the large piece of chicken in his hands. "How much have you eaten today?" Forseti wondered, also picking a chicken thigh that was only slightly smaller than Thor''s. Although they were eating the same food, they ate differently. Thor ate without much regard for table manners. Forseti was different. He took very small bites in contrast to his uncle''s large bites, and slowly sipped his mug of ale.


    Thor chucked his ale in one straightforward gulp, "Mead is still better. And to answer your question¡­" Thor pointed at the tray that held Forseti''s food and lifted up two fingers.


    "Your appetite is still as robust as ever." Forseti bitterly stated. He knew better than to wonder how his uncle was able to eat twice of what he was having, and still leach off his meal.


    "It isn''t strange. We Asgardians have large appetites. Well, all of us- except you." Thor poured some more ale for himself as he spoke. Forseti didn''t bother to defend himself. What was there to defend against the truth? Unlike many Asgardians, Forseti''s appetite wasn''t that rich. Sure compared to other races he would be considered to have a strong appetite, but not in his home world. Even Thor was considered average in the eating department, with many Asgardians capable of eating over four times what he was having.


    Thor finished his chicken quickly. He wiped his hands with a large towel and picked up a small book from his pocket. The pocket book was entirely black in colour. There was nothing written on the cover, with the only thing present on it being a rune. This rune was the runic symbol for peace on Asgard. Forseti''s expression grew sombre at the appearance of this book.


    "How many?" he asked. He clearly knew what the book was, and his expression suggested that it was nothing good.


    "Two" Thor answered calmly. The usually cheerful battle god wasn''t as cheerful as he opened the book.


    "So that''s five men lost in half a year." Forseti stated. Since their expedition began, their small group of twenty had experienced some casualties. Asgardians were blessed with amazing vitality. Even those that weren''t ascenders had the vitality and tenaciousness that only gods had. Losing only five men in a six months long expedition may be seen as negligible for most, but to them it wasn''t. Not only had they lost five of their men, but they had lost five of their best, for those who were picked for this mission were extremely capable. It wasn''t as if they hadn''t considered such a situation. But planning for something and eventually having to meet it head on were two very different things.

 Chapter 115 - The Black Book Part II

    The black book in Thor''s hand was a record. It was used to note all those fallen in battle, so that they would be remembered, no matter how long ago it was. For Asgardians were a race that were constantly at war. It wasn''t always possible to retrieve the bodies of those who fell. The least they could do was make sure that they were properly remembered and sent off, even if their bodies weren''t retrieved.


    "I don''t understand. When did this happen?" Forseti questioned, genuinely curious about the new addition to the body count. "If I remember correctly, last night there were seventeen of us." He was truly baffled by the current situation. How could a team that had lost only three members in six months, lose two, more than half that number, in just a single night. His pleasure from admiring the playing kids had long been replaced with sadness, anger, and curiosity. For curiosity, he wanted to know what exactly happened. He was sad because he knew each and every member of the team. Asgardians were highly sociable, capable of making friends with any and every one- except Olympians. He loved each and every person he had started the journey with. And every time one of them had to leave them, he was burdened with a heavy load of pain and guilt. He always blamed himself for not being strong enough to protect them. To be fair, it was silly that he thought this way, for even Thor, one far stronger than he was, couldn''t save them. It wasn''t his fault that he always felt this way. The blame fell to his godhood. He was the god of justice. His sense of justice made sure this burden always remained, and it acted as fuel for the last emotion- anger. This anger was directed towards their killers- towards those who dared take the life of an Asgardian. And most often than not, he succeeded.


    "The two went out this morning. And haven''t returned since. And you know that none of them have ever missed breakfast." Thor spoke lightly. "At first I assumed that they were just running late. You know we Asgardians are horrible at keeping track of time" Forseti nodded at his uncle''s words. That assumption was a logical one, since Asgardians weren''t known for their timing.


    "However, a few minutes ago, I felt the magic of the black book stir. I knew then that new names had been added. It was confirmed when I opened it."


    The black book was coated with the runic magic of Freya and Odin himself. It looked unassuming, but it was anything but ordinary. If anyone else apart from Thor had attempted to open the book, it would be impossible. This book wasn''t one of a kind though. All the gods had such a book, Forseti included. But for this mission, only Thor had left his on. That''s right, this book could be turned on or off. This book had the energy signature of every single Asgardian. As long as you were born in Asgard, the book will pick up your signature as a form of recognition. Once a person joined the realm of the dead, their names would be written in it, informing the gods that they had lost one of their own. The book was connected to its owner, allowing them to sense when a new name was added. But it wasn''t so simple. If they were prompted each time a person died, they would have no rest. Although Asgardians had vitality stronger than most, those who didn''t wield did die earlier than those who did. So it would be exhausting to have to receive prompts about newly departed each day. But the book was special. The owners could mark down those they wanted information on, hence would only be prompted when these people passed away.


    That wasn''t its only function though. It also allowed long distance communication between the gods. That was how Thor and his team stayed in constant communication with Asgard although they weren''t anywhere close to it. As for its range, it didn''t really have any. They were yet to see its limit in that regard. Freya had assured them however, that it wasn''t omnipotent and had a limited range. But so far, that range seemed to be unlimited.


    "That means¡­" Forseti orated. "Whoever killed them is still around. And judging by the silence here, it occurred outside the city. We just have to locate their energy signatures. That wouldn''t be hard." Thor continued his nephew''s train of thought.


    Forseti quickly gulped the remaining ale and picked up a chicken drumstick. Thor did the same.


    "Should we bring the others?" Forseti asked. "No, they should stay. But we must set up a barrier just in case the murderer comes looking. We don''t want any more casualties."


    Forseti nodded at Thor''s reply. He was on board with the blonde god''s decision. Someone who could kill two Asgardians was definitely strong. If this person was to attack the city, the casualties would be astronomical. Just to be safe, they would have to create a barrier around the city, and a spell for the remaining Asgardians. The city''s barrier would be one for protection. But the one for the Asgardians would be a sleeping spell. They needed the other team members to be docile and unmoving until they returned. Of course, the barrier wasn''t absolute. Both spells would be linked so that if the city was breached in some way, the sleeping spell on the team would be broken as well. That way they would be able to defend themselves and the city of any powerful intruder. And even if they weren''t capable of killing them, they would be able to hold them off until the two gods returned.


    "Let''s leave"


    "Is it done?" Outside the city Thor stood with his entire body covered in a cloak. Forseti who had just joined him wasn''t any different. "Yes. It is done. What about you?" Forseti answered Thor''s question and asked one of his own.


    "Also done." Thor replied. "Activate." At Thor''s command lightning flashed across the sky on this very bright day. But as quickly as it appeared, so did it disappear. In the large city, very few witnessed this strange sight.


    "It must be nice to have lightning accompany you in everything you do. Even a simple barrier is no exception." Although the city didn''t look any different, Forseti knew that was just to the mortal eye. Any wielder above the earth realm would be able to see the faint light that covered the city. And during that short moment when lightning flashed across the sky, Forseti could make out algiz and eihwaz, the runic symbols for protection and defence. These symbols appeared with the lightning and disappeared with it.


    "Not always so Forseti. Power like that makes it difficult to conceal anything. Everyone sees what you do." Thor grumbled.


    "It isn''t as if you hide anything though." Forseti mumbled. Thor smiled embarrassingly, for his nephew''s words were spot on. He was the god of thunder. Everything about him was done openly and resoundingly. That was why he was never sent on espionage missions. Though to be fair, Asgardians rarely did any espionage. They were mostly too loud for missions like that. Odin and Heimdall may very well be the only quiet ones amongst them. Odin, Heimdall- and his brother.

 Chapter 116 - Domain Part I

    The two men walked on quietly, neither of them keen on starting a conversation. Each was lost to his own thoughts, and each wanted no interruptions. Yet even in their reverie, their bodies moved instinctively to the place that reeked of Asgardian blood and magic. The energy of their fallen comrades could be felt, and their blood cried out to them for justice. Forseti licked his lips hungrily, a detail that would have led any who had no true understanding of him to assume he was starved. But that was grossly inadequate. His meal may have been interrupted midway, but he had still taken most of it before leaving. He was Asgardian, and a god to boot. He didn''t really need food. He enjoyed it, but it wasn''t vital for his sustenance- the edict was. His expression would have led anyone who truly understood him to shiver in trepidation- regardless of their status as friend or foe. His expression was one filled with bloodl.u.s.t. He thirsted for those who dared prey on Asgardian blood. His fury was for those who had ruined his day. His wrath was coming upon those who had taken from him two friends. They were irreplaceable, just like the others. And it would always remain that way. He killing their murderers wasn''t going to bring them back, but they would surely rest better knowing that their enemies had been put to the sword. This was the only way he could atone for his sin- his inability to protect them.


    Just like Forseti, Thor was also thinking about the warriors he had just lost. Unlike many generals, his concern wasn''t with the loss of more fighting power, but the tragedy of losing a comrade. In this case, he had lost two. The men that came on this mission had been handpicked by the god of thunder himself. Upon declaring his intentions, several first class warriors had volunteered for the mission, each eager to serve. Thor was mightily touched at the time, for they weren''t doing it for his sake. They were doing it for the young master they had yet to meet, but adored all the same. This was the way the Asgardians were. Their love and pride was as high as the sky was from the earth. It was vast and great. They were willing to risk their lives for their young master, and Thor couldn''t ask for a better family. Yes, family. On Asgard, all the warriors were family. For them, as long as they had battled together, they were bound together. This made figuring out their hierarchy so difficult, for one would be hard pressed to successfully identify the gods from the warriors when the two groups laughed and made merry together like one big family. This was why they considered the young master their family, although they hadn''t met the boy. They had met his father, and fought with him. They had even challenged his father, and all who did lost miserably. They loved the man, and they were sure his son would be no different. This was especially grounded in their hearts after learning that many feared the boy. To them, the boy must be feared due to his huge potential, and they couldn''t wait to fight alongside him.


    So large was the number willing to go on this expedition that Thor had to personally pick out the stipulated number- eighteen. These men had joined him and Forseti on a quest for which they had very little information. And they had come so far. He remembered that just the night before, as they made merry and rejoiced that their quest was advancing smoothly, one of the men had declared loudly, "When we meet the young master, I would be the first to challenge him. I wonder how badly I would lose!" His words had caused laughter to resound mightily in their beautiful building. The other had also exclaimed ecstatically, "And when we are done losing, we would fight at his side and conquer the seven heavens!" Thor could recall every word that was spoken. The emotions that were conveyed in each word. Their will to die for a master they had never met. He remembered that the words of the last man had brought out loud cheers from the others, with all of them fantasizing about how awesome it would be to fight at the side of the young lord. And yet in just one night, they were gone.


    "Turgot¡­Varangot." Thor mentioned their names in sadness. "You will never be forgotten. The young master will know the names of those who died so he could grow strong." He thought in melancholy.


    His face suddenly turned stern as bloodl.u.s.t filled his eyes, fury causing his eyes to turn deep red, "As for those who are responsible, I will kill them miserably. Even if I have no knowledge of their godhood, I would capture them and torture them for all eternity." He gnashed his teeth as he swore. He seldom felt fury such as this. Yet he did today. He was normally composed when he lost a loved one, but this time it was difficult to keep his anger in check. The words from the night before were still fresh in his mind, and he was saddened and angry that their wills would never be materialised.


    His anger was conveyed to the world and it cried in pain. Thunder roared and lightning flashed across the formerly clear sky, as large dark clouds covered the entire vicinity. The world shed tears in response to the emotion of the thunder god, as the rain fell heavily and mightily. It was this rainfall that awakened Forseti from his reverie. He looked to the god who walked silently beside him. Although the rain fell heavily, Thor was unmoved. The water didn''t touch his long golden hair, nor did it strike his boot. It had nothing to do with the cloak he wore before, for the dark piece of cloth had been blown away by the furious winds. It was almost as if the world respected the being before it so much that it didn''t dare drench him in its rain. It didn''t hold such respect for the god of justice however. In that short moment when he wasn''t paying any attention to his surroundings, he was drenched by the waters. Little matter though. He coated his body with inner energy to avoid the water and dried himself up with this same energy.


    "Uncle has activated his domain so quickly. He must be angrier than I am." Forseti mumbled upon noticing that Thor''s action was completely unconscious, and was backed by his currently unstable emotions. A domain was like this. It responded to the emotions and wishes of its master. And there wasn''t any fear that the activator of the domain would leave its circle of influence. When one became competent enough with their domain, they weren''t just able to activate it pretty easily, but do it with such control and precision that their domain followed them wherever they went. In simple terms, they would always be at the centre of their domain. Their domain would act like their bodyguards, following them wherever they went. And it wasn''t always so. As long as one had great control over their domain, they could also leave the influence of their domain anytime they wanted. But Thor wasn''t doing this. He was unconsciously doing the former. So the people of this world experienced the strangest thing yet. They witnessed rain clouds moving in rhythm towards a destination, almost as if they were an army on the match, as they delivered large torrents of rain.


    Although it seemed like the two were walking slowly, in reality they were not. Every step they took covered about ten metres in a go. And they built momentum with every stride they made. Thor''s domain grew stronger, the thunderous sounds were more frequent now and the rain heavier than ever before. Forseti could have sworn that he had never seen Thor''s domain so strong. The bolts of lightning that flashed across the sky were larger than he had ever seen, even including those he had seen from Thor. And they revealed themselves at such a high frequency that it was almost as if they sky had its own flickering lamp. And every time they revealed themselves, he felt a sense of dread in his heart. His instincts kept screaming at him that he would have a very hard time defending against this display of power. Yes, defending. He wasn''t even considering attacking when faced with such wealth of strength. He knew his uncle was strong but he never truly experienced his might. Even the winds that blew past him were so strong that they stung his eyes. The gale was unlike anything he had ever experienced. What terrified him was that his uncle wasn''t truly at full strength. His uncle was unequipped! The famous hammer Mjolnir still lay dormant. And that wasn''t the only primary weapon of the Nordic thunder god. Yet even in all this, he felt no pity for the perpetrator and recipient of his uncle''s wrath. For the stronger his uncle''s anger and domain got, the stronger Forseti also got. You see, he had unleashed his domain as well. Unlike his uncle, Forseti''s domain had been unleashed since the beginning. Since the very moment he had been informed of the death of his comrades, his domain had been unleashed. Just like Thor, it had awakened on instinct. It was awakened upon hearing the angry cry of its master. But unlike Thor, his domain wasn''t as flashy. It was invisible. It was subtle and calm, barely revealing itself to the next person. It was a shy domain, but that didn''t mean it was weak. It was a domain that fed on the emotions of its master, and those around him. So the more his sense of justice was elevated, the stronger his domain got. And the more those around him, his enemies included, were pushed to the brink of any emotion- despair, anger, fear, sadness- the stronger he got as well. In a way, Forseti was almost invincible on a large battlefield, for he absorbed the emotions of all those around and made them his strength. So now that Thor was raging so loudly, Forseti''s domain was feeding ever so ravenously. He still wouldn''t be able to take his uncle on, for even his greedy domain couldn''t swallow all that power. But it was enough to take him to the peak of his strength, a state that left him drunk on his power. A welcome change it was, for no matter how much mead or ale he consumed, like all Asgardians, he remained sober.

 Chapter 117 - Domain Part II

    "So this is the place huh." The duo stopped right before a wide and expansive fog. This fog was capacious and covered a great deal of land. It robbed the vision of all who beheld it, making sure that none saw what it was hiding. Yet the eyes of the two didn''t register the problematic fog. Thor''s eyes that were now as white as lightning easily saw through the fog, and Forseti was no different. Unlike Thor, his eyes weren''t white. They were golden yellow. His pair of pupils were displaying a colour vastly different to his natural eye colour. It was a gift from his father- the eyes of light. These were eyes that saw through all illusions, much less a pesky little fog. But it was through these eyes that he realised that the fog wasn''t as simple as it looked.


    "Do you see it?" Thor asked. It was obvious that whatever deductions Forseti had made, he had arrived at the very same conclusion. "Yes", Forseti nodded his head. He knew his uncle wasn''t referring to the large mountain that was hidden by the fog. "This fog is entirely made up of inner energy. Someone with vast control over the edict resides on that mountain- or in it." Forseti lightly spoke, but he wasn''t finished. "He is calling to us."


    "Indeed" Thor affirmed. The fog wasn''t meant to only hide the mountain in the distance, but it was a spell. It was a spell of allure. It clouded the minds of all who drew close and tricked them into making their way onto the mountain. In their dazed state, there would be no way that the strongest of warriors would be able to defend against anything. The mind was vital, and that was exactly why it was targeted.


    "They couldn''t defend themselves even if they wanted to." Forseti added. He recognised this spell. It was a low level spell. Well, it was a low level spell to him. Asgardians had several runes to protect against such magic. The caster''s use of the leash must be very impressive to get around their runes.


    "Don''t think so highly of him- or her. They didn''t wear their armour." Thor snorted in disdain after discerning his nephew''s thoughts. As for how he knew, he didn''t say. It was probably because they knew each other so well that they could understand each other without sharing any words.


    "I see. But the entity in there is not weak. The amount of energy required to cast a low level spell over such a large area is immense." Forseti didn''t dismiss his uncle''s words, but he would be foolish to ignore the opponent''s strength.


    "Indeed. Even you would have difficulty maintaining such a spell. And from what I know, this fog has been here for thousands of years." Thor calmly delivered some shocking information.


    "You know of this place?" Forseti asked in amazement.


    "Yes" Thor replied. "You don''t go out often but I have been here a couple of times. This mist appeared about three thousand years ago. Only it wasn''t as large and thick. It grew stronger over the years, and more dangerous. The people of this planet call it ''Misty Island''. Because the mist is so strong that it seems as though whatever is hidden within is its own land. It has been known to spit out no survivors. I had left it unchecked, because whatever was in there didn''t actively search for prey. According to our laws, I cannot deal with anything that causes no major harm. In its defence, all who became prey, faced such a fate because of their curiosity towards the unknown. But now, it has come after one of our own. The laws matter little now. I would do what I should have done millennia ago. I will decimate this place."


    Thor gave a lengthy history lesson. But to be fair, it wasn''t so lengthy. As for Forseti who was hearing this for the first time, he finally understood why his uncle ignored this place. There were rules established among the gods and ascenders. Although the worlds were divided into lower and higher worlds, there was an invisible realm known as the heavenly realm. This wasn''t the wielding realm, but a classification given to powerful god races. These races ruled over a heavenly realm. These realms weren''t physical, but a group of higher and lower worlds under the rule of each god race. The Nordic gods were the rulers of the 1st heaven. But this world belonged to the 3rd heaven. The rule Thor referred to prevented interference from other god races in the affairs of realms that didn''t belong to them. Of course this law had its own specifications, such as a pardon to interfere when one came across blatant evil. However, Thor didn''t care about this law anymore. He was going to destroy this mountain, whether ''they'' liked it or not.


    When Thor''s explanation ended, several bolts of lightning descended. They were as thick as a fully grown man and as destructive as several explosives.


    *BOOM*


    The fog that previously covered the mountain was dispersed. The spell had been broken very easily. It was done so easily that it seemed to mock those who had died to its power.


    "The barrier wasn''t set up by one person- but a multitude of people." Thor commented casually as he strode towards the mountain that was now visible to all.


    "Why do you say so?" Forseti questioned.


    "Instinct." He got a simple reply, yet all he did was nod. His uncle''s instincts were just as powerful, if not more so, than his strength. If he said so, then it was so.


    "Let''s see this race that is so ignorant they dare lure in one of our own. I wonder, how will they fare against my lightning?"


    Under the raging storm, two figures made their way towards the large mountain that stood before them.

 Chapter 118 - A Vampire’s Nest: All Hail Lord Dracula Part I

    "They are finally here. They bit the bait" In a dark cave on the said mountain, and the target of Thor''s hammer of wrath and Forseti''s sword of justice, the calm voice of a man announced the coming of the Nordic gods.


    "I have wanted to meet them for a long time. To think that such an opportunity presented itself." Another voice communicated with the first. Due to the dark nature of the cave, the owners of the voices couldn''t be made out, even their location was a mystery. But one thing was certain. They knew whom it was they had invited. Rather, they wanted them to come. They wanted to draw the two gods here, and they had used their subordinates to do that. They showed no fear at the power that was displayed.


    "Indeed. But I must admit, even I did not expect this display of strength. He certainly is very strong. And Forseti as well, his strength isn''t to be underestimated either. I can hardly match up to the God of Justice, much less he whose lightning can fill the 7 heavens with dread."


    The voice of the first man was without fear. Although he had admitted that he couldn''t match up to even Forseti, who was weaker than Thor, he was still in no way afraid. Whether it was an act of bravery or genuine absence of fear, it was impossible to decipher. His voice was certainly too calm for one who was afraid, but it wasn''t enough to draw a substantially crucial conclusion. After all, there were many who were skilled in the art known as acting. Maybe if one could see his eyes, and hear what they had to say, one could draw closer to the truth. But even then, one wouldn''t be so sure. The only way to truly know whether he was indeed a person without fear was to wait until Thor arrived. For how many could remain truly nonchalant before the threat known as death?


    "My Lord, you belittle yourself. The Thunder God''s power is only slightly stronger than yours." Another voice that didn''t belong to the previous two, made an appearance. The owner of this voice was likely the subordinate of the one referred to as ''My Lord''. And our dear subordinate refused to believe that there was one more powerful than his master.


    "Maybe if master was in his prime, he could prove a challenge for the thunder god of the Asgardians. But even then, he would still fall short." A pleasing and enchanting voice did not accept the words of the one who spoke right before. Her beautiful voice would cause all who heard it to conclude that the bearer of such a masterpiece would be just as lovely.


    "Don''t you dare slight our master. Apologise for your disrespect Lilith." The first subordinate did not take her words lightly. The anger in his tone was genuine. It was almost as if he was the one who had been offended.


    "Hahaha. You''re just as blunt as ever Lilith. Calm down both of you. Lilith is right. Even in my prime, I would only be able to challenge the Thunder God slightly. I would surely be a match for the God of Justice, depending on how much power he can tap into at that moment. But even Forseti as he is now, would be more than a match for me in my prime." The master of the two spoke light heartedly. He didn''t take the words of Lilith to heart in the slightest. It wasn''t because he was that benevolent, but it was simply because she spoke the truth. Yes, it was said inelegantly. Even Lilith''s seductive voice didn''t hide the sting of her words. But they only stung his other subordinate, not him. For he knew all too well what the one known as Thor was capable of doing. He would be a fool to deny the strength of the lightning battle god.


    "How is that possible? In your prime, My Lord was greatly feared." The male subordinate still refused to believe in his master''s words. Although he was witnessing the might of the thunder god first hand, he had followed his master since the very beginning. He knew how strong his liege was in his hay day. How did his master fall short of the arrogant being tearing their residence apart.


    "The strength of an Asgardian is in his weapon. You should know that Vlad. Besides, he so easily broke apart our combination spell. Low class spell or not, it was a product of our combined power. Yet it was undone by one person." The master didn''t bother expounding on his point. His words should be enough to knock some sense into Vlad''s head.


    "Don''t argue with my father Vlad. You know he is right. The thunder god isn''t even wearing any armour, neither is his famed hammer in sight. Yet his presence shakes this world so. It is not loyalty to continue believing that father is stronger. It is foolishness to believe in a lie and cast aside the truth, especially when it stares you dead in the eye." The voice of the one who spoke before Vlad, who had chosen to remain silent throughout the previous exchange couldn''t stand it anymore. He called Vlad out for what he believed was pure idiocy on the part of his father''s loyal subordinate.


    "Yes Young Lord", Vlad relented when the young lord intervened. The slight shaking in his voice gave away the fact that he seemed to fear the young lord more than he did his master.


    "Never forget the power they wield. At least Lilith remembers. Don''t you, my dear succubus?" the young lord addressed Lilith in a far gentler manner than he did Vlad. He clearly appreciated her more. Whether this appreciation stemmed from her unseen appearance or from her willingness to acknowledge her position as the weaker party, one wouldn''t know until they asked him.


    "How can I forget? After all, it was them that destroyed our race. And no matter what Vlad may believe, prepared or unprepared, I doubt we would have stood any chance." The pretty voice of Lilith was laced with resentment. Even in the eerie cave, one could picture her gnashing her teeth in anger. This was why they were so certain of the strength the Asgardians held. Vlad may believe that it was because they were unprepared, but she had one word for his explanation- crap. His belief was total crap. They numbered over three times the size of the Nordic army that came after them. And the most powerful in their ranks like Thor and even Forseti, weren''t included in this line up. Yet their race, one famed for their endless ability to regenerate, had fallen before these mighty warriors. Their master and king, whom they worshipped and had absolute faith in, had fallen to the Nordic God of War, Tyr. And Tyr had only one arm!


    They could argue that their king was recuperating from an injury when they were attacked, but that wouldn''t have changed the outcome of the battle. For even if their king had proven to be more than a match for Tyr, he would have still be besieged by the Asgardians who fought by Tyr''s side. For with the exception of the king, and they who had survived, the others were killed all too easily. Their regenerative abilities couldn''t handle the rate of damage, and so most had died. Their larger numbers were rendered useless before true and absolute power. The only reason they had escaped was because their godhood had remained unsealed. They were the only ones that survived. Well, the only purebloods that survived. Their master''s power wasn''t thoroughly understood, so even the mighty Asgardians were at a loss as to how to possibly kill him. And purebloods like themselves, who had ascended inherited their master''s power. It was unheard of, but true. Their race had the ability to inherit the power of their king, as long as they ascended. This basically meant that they didn''t need to obey the laws of ascension. As long as they were talented enough to reach the ascension realm, they didn''t need to understand any law. They could just inherit their master''s. Of course they wouldn''t be as strong as their king, but they would be true ascenders. It was in essence, a shortcut to power. If they had been given enough time, all the purebloods would have eventually ascended, making them a force to be reckoned with- a race of gods.

 Chapter 119 - A Vampire’s Nest: All Hail Lord Dracula Part II

    They would even be able to challenge for the rule of a heaven. But they had been killed off before they had attained this status. They were the only gods of their race, and so they were the only ones that made it out alive. They would have argued that this is why the Asgardians sought them out, but they weren''t fools to believe that. Even if they got to the stage of becoming ascenders- all of them- they would be ignorant to challenge the rulers of the first heaven. Maybe they could challenge the 3rd heaven, but not the first or the second. It wasn''t because the rulers of the other heavens were weak, far from that. Although the heavens were named in numerical order, it wasn''t in order of strength, but of formation. What was formed first, was given the title as the 1st, and it extended all the way through to the 7th heaven. But, the older the heaven, the deeper its foundation, and the more unity you would find among its members. This wasn''t to say that the 1st and 2nd heavens were perfect. They had their own stains. But their unity was stronger than the others. For instance, the 3rd heaven still had their gods fighting for supremacy. And apparently, one of the prime candidates to rule had gone missing.


    Because of this, they were certain that the Asgardians had come for them for something else. It was only after ten years, ten years of being on the run from the 1st heaven- when they had finally escaped into the 3rd heaven- that they knew why. The idiot Vlad had killed some Asgardian scouts, believing that no one could match up to their king. It was because of his arrogance and ignorance that their race had almost gone extinct. This was why she didn''t take kindly to his earlier words. To her, all she saw was a fool who was yet to learn his lesson. She was certain that if her race wasn''t on the brink of extinction, her king would have killed Vlad long ago. He may be known as Vlad the Impaler, but were it not for their current circ.u.mstance he would have become Vlad the Impaled. The Asgardians were a united folk. If you killed one man, they would hunt you down. And for some reason, they always knew it when someone died. Although they weren''t sure how, they had a feeling it had to do with the aura they possessed. As long as one''s aura disappeared, they would assume that he/she was dead. And for some reason when the aura of the dead warriors disappeared, Asgardians were able to track down their killers. This was how they had lured the two gods out.


    "Don''t be so angry, dear Lilith. We need their help. We will have to work with them." The young lord lightly consoled the angry Lilith.


    "I am not angry with them. My quarrel is with the fool that brought this doom upon our race." Lilith explained. True, she wasn''t angry with the Asgardians. She was initially, until she found out why they did what they did. A person does not attack the race who ruled that heaven and expect no retaliation. Such an act was considered treason. And although the Asgardians were normally a reasonable bunch, no one would reason with ''the treasonous''. And from the moment they killed those scouts, they were considered as such. She had heard before, that the Nordic gods dished out punishments based on the offense. If a person killed an Asgardian, he would be killed. No one else would fall for his wrongs. But it largely depended upon the god in charge of your judgement. In their case, they got the short end of the stick- the god of war Tyr. His title was enough to tell you what exactly he did. He didn''t bother searching for the culprit, not that he could even if he wanted to. Along with the power they inherited from the king, they shared in his aura. Basically, they were all the same. To try to find the culprit was akin to looking for a needle in a 6 feet fall haystack. So Tyr did what he did best. He declared war on them. To Lilith, the fool Vlad should have presented himself to save their race. There was no way he didn''t know what had brought the Asgardians to their doorstep. But in his folly and ignorance that led him to believe they could win, he had joined the battle without saying anything. A fool''s errand, was what it was. For even if they did survive Tyr''s assault, they would eventually fall under the blade of the Asgardians that would follow in his stead. The ashamed Vlad had only confessed when they landed on this world, much to the fury of the king. He had let Vlad live, even in his anger. If only they weren''t the only ones left, the idiot would have died.


    "How long are you going to hold it against me?" Vlad asked bitterly. He really wanted to know what he could do to make things right.


    "You have learned nothing since then. You still foolishly believe the king is all powerful. If Our Lord hadn''t stopped you from killing those two Asgardians, we would surely have been buried here today." Lilith stated disdainfully. From her words, two things were made clear. The two Asgardians were alive. Two, Vlad hadn''t changed.


    "I didn''t believe that Asgardians would be here. Who would??? Vlad tried to defend himself, but Lilith was having none of it. "It doesn''t matter. Nothing would bring back our people from the grave. If you can do that, then I would forgive you." Vlad remained silent at the words of his comrade. There was no way he could do that.


    "You better pray that the information our master has is correct. That would be the only way to right your many wrongs" Vlad didn''t ask for a breakdown on his many wrongs. Others may see it as one big mistake, but Lilith definitely wasn''t one of them. To her, his first mistake was killing the scouts. The second mistake that followed was his refusal to give himself up. The sins that followed were uncountable, for every drop of blood that was spilled that day was accounted onto Vlad. It wasn''t the first time he had been told this. And it wouldn''t be the last. He could only hope that the information they had gotten was correct.


    "How long till they locate us?" the young master posed the question to his father.


    "Not how long Alucard. They are already here." He answered.


    As if on cue, the mountain had its top blown off. It was a wondrous sight. For the large mountain now looked like an open volcano. All this was made possible by the huge bolts of lightning that descended prior to the ''renovation''. As for the blown off top, it was completely eradicated. Nothing remained of it. What was thought to be a cave was in reality the depths of the mountain itself! It was unknown how they did it, but the mountain was a hollow one, and their residence was deep within the grounds of this hollow ''pyramid''.


    *BOOM*


    Two imposing figures landed within their place of residence. With the top blown off, the entrance was easy, although it was important to note that even heaven realmers wouldn''t be able to stick such a landing without a few minor injuries.


    With the introduction of light, the features of the four hidden figures were made clear. All of them had deep black hair, and though it may sound impossible, two of them had a deeper shade of black than the other two. The only woman among them was very curvy, with a drool inducing appearance that would shake the soul of every man. She had a gorgeous face that would cause many belonging to her gender to feel aggrieved by the bias of the creator. The men were equally stunning, but two of them were much more attractive than the other one. These two looked very much alike, only differing in their body size, with one slightly bulkier than the other. The bulkier one was Alucard. Vlad was the one who paled before the others when it came to looks, not that he was by any means ordinary in appearance. Perhaps, anywhere else he would be highly sought after by women. But before the others, he was only average. As for the skinnier one, he was their master. He had a small smile on his face as he watched Thor approach.


    "Are you the ones we seek?" Although Thor seemed to be asking, his overbearing nature made it obvious that he was certain that they were the ones he was after. Even if he remained still without making any movements, the thunderous clouds in the sky and the bolts of lightning that descended regularly at breath taking speed surely informed the group before him that the thunder god was in no mood to chat. Lilith struggled to stand under the pressure. The beads of sweat that graced her beautiful brows were a testament of her determination not to give in. Vlad was just as determined. It seemed that his ignorance and his strength were equal. Yet even under the immense pressure, Alucard and his father still had carefree smiles on their faces.


    "You can still smile in this situation? Admirable" Even Forseti had to admit that he was impressed with what he was seeing. The determination of Lilith and Vlad was praiseworthy, and the calm nature of the other two was inspiring.


    "Pleased to make your acquaintance" their master spoke. "I think we got off on the wrong foot", he continued elegantly. He stood under the pressure, and then he bowed slightly as he said,


    ??I am Dracula."

 Chapter 120 - Brave And Interesting Part I

    "Oh?" Forseti was surprised by the composure of their ''prey''. "You are too calm for someone in trouble. What is it that gives you such confidence?"


    Lord Dracula smiled. It was a smile that took a bit of effort due to the weight of the pressure that threatened to push him down. Instead of answering, he looked right at the man clad in lightning. No, this description was anything but apt. It wasn''t a man clad in lightning, but a god commanding one of the most destructive elements of the universe.


    "Your eyes-"Thor scrutinized the beings before him. He was angry. That was without question. But his anger hadn''t robbed him of his reasoning. The eyes of those who stood before him were very familiar.


    "Are you those that Tyr mentioned? A race of blood. What did he call you again?" Thor was still mad. But he reckoned that he could take a few seconds listening to them before he pummelled them into the ground. One might call his lack of guard against them arrogance. They would be wrong. From the very first moment he had landed in this place, he had sensed the state of those who lived in this mountain. They weren''t his match. But that didn''t mean they weren''t interesting. He sensed that the two men who seemed to be the heads of this group were closely linked, and they were also weak. But their weak state wasn''t quite the same as the other two. For he felt that the other two were brimming with power, and their current strength, although was miles beneath his and Forseti''s, was their true strength. This wasn''t so for the other two. They felt weak. It was as though they had received severe injuries that caused them to lose most of their power. But even then, they were still able to bewitch strong Asgardians. That in itself was quite the feat. And although Thor looked unconcerned, he was baffled by their eye colour. Red like the blood sea and just as beautiful were their eyes. He reckoned that the deeper their eye colour, the greater their bloodline and strength. This assumption was only made from noticing that the hair colour of the two similarly looking men was also deeper than the other two who knelt before him. Their features reminded him of a race Tyr had told him about.


    "We are vampires." It wasn''t one of the smiling young men who replied, rather it was the seductive woman who did. Every word she spoke was uttered with difficulty, yet it didn''t stop her in any way. Blood seeped out of her mouth and unto her pretty lips from the sheer difficulty of raising her voice under the thunder god''s pressure. Thor admired her resilience, and so did Forseti. Yet it didn''t lessen their intent to kill the four. It only sent their time of death further back than it would have been.


    "So you are the race that attacked and killed our people. You are the ones Tyr told me to be on the lookout for. He said a few of you escaped. To think that you would once again do that which caused the death of your race-"Thor narrowed his eyes as he spoke. "But for you to have the gall to smile, makes me wonder what it is that brings you confidence that you would leave here alive." As Thor finished his words, the sky got darker. And although it seemed impossible, the lightning bolts descended at an even greater frequency, and with great power too. If the previous bolts that had revealed themselves were as thick as a person, then the new ones were as large as two. And their power wasn''t just a simple 1+1=2. For when the former blots struck the ground, the cracks that were two feet deep. But these new flashes of light made trenches for themselves. The few that descended threatened to change the landscape of the area as they each left ditches that were at least 3 feet in diameter and 7 feet deep. In the midst of the new chaotic bolts, one as large as four a.d.u.l.t men put together descended. It had already picked out its target, and it wasn''t changing its mind. Staying on course, it descended right before Thor. But before it hit the ground, the God of Thunder reached out and caught it. Such reaction speed was amazing. For lightning was light. To catch something that moved at the speed of light was unprecedented to most. Even more fascinating was that he only made a move when the bolt had almost hit the ground before him. But even after showing such might, the vampires were unmoved. Even under the pressure that had increased by at least three times more than it was, other than the fact that all of them were forced to kneel, they didn''t show much of a reaction. It was almost as if they expected Thor to have such strength. All except Vlad of course. He finally realised why Lilith called him a fool for thinking that their Lord, Dracula, was a match for the Asgardian god.


    ''He is even stronger than I thought. This is a good thing. Only with such power, can he truly help us.'' Dracula wasn''t bothered that he had been forced unto his knees. Quite the contrary. He was more elated by the fact that the thunder god''s strength had exceeded his calculations. That was a very good thing from his perspective.


    ''Good, very good. He is worthy of his fame'' Alucard''s thinking was the same as his master''s. The handsome lad of the blood race was just as excited that Thor''s strength was beyond their estimation. Lilith was no different. She also shared in their emotions. It wasn''t that they adored the Asgardians. After all, who would possibly love those who took their home from them? However, for the plans they had put in place, a truly strong person was required. And it looked as if Thor was that person. As for Vlad, the one known as The Impaler could only feel a buzzing in his head as he witnessed the true might of the thunder god. Was this the person he had hoped his master could contend with? In comparison, the might Tyr had shown was nothing much. Yet even under such power, their master had fallen. Lilith was right. Even at Lord Dracula''s peak, their master would only be a pit stop for the thunder god. To think that he had killed some Asgardians with the belief that they were enough to pose a threat to the rulers of the 1st heaven was truly as Lilith described it- arrogance born from blind loyalty and ignorance. What was even more frightening was that none of them were sure this was the peak of the thunder god''s power. In fact, all four of them were certain that the one feared in the myriad of realms, the one who had won every battle he had ever led, was still not at full strength. It was staggering that his momentum was this heavy even when he wasn''t truly complete.


    When the lightning faded, an object could be seen. It was a hammer. It was anything but impressive. With its short handle and unassuming appearance, many would decline to look at it twice. Of course, this was if no one had seen it appear in a large lightning bolt. Yet the four vampires had their eyes glued to the weapon. It had appeared in a beam of light. So when it came to making an entrance, it sure did score a ten out of ten. But that wasn''t why they had their eyes glued to it so. For people who were supposedly about to die they sure were chill.


    "Mjolnir." Dracula stammered. He had heard of this legendary weapon. Who hadn''t? A weapon that was bound to Thor and had followed him into every important battle. Legends say that Thor and the weapon were more like brothers, and not master and servant. It was a mystical hammer, forged on Nidavellier itself. It was unlike a lot of things, for few things in the universe could compare to its power. Even more famous among its stories was the superstition that it could be summoned by Thor from Asgard anywhere he was. Many rubbished this information, calling it far-fetched. But for these vampires who had witnessed the weapon entering the skies of this world from the great beyond, the rumours were not rumours, but truth. For if Thor carried the weapon with him into this world, its entrance wouldn''t have been from the outside. This meant-


    "To summon something from the 1st heaven to the 3rd. How much speed must it possibly possess to get here so quickly?" Vlad muttered disbelievingly. That was the only explanation. A summoning from Asgard, where the weapon was kept. The kind of speed this weapon must possess to head its master''s summons so quickly was incredible. Even more incredible was the one who wielded it. Asgardian god tier weapons were known to acknowledge only those who were superior to them. This meant that Thor would have to not only be stronger than Mjolnir, but faster. So if the weapon alone was this fast, then how much speed would its master possess?


    Thor pointed the short handled hammer in his hands at the vampires. The lightning that clouded his eyes made him look awe-inspiring. "So, what is your trump card" he asked curiously. His tone was clear. It said, ''If it isn''t anything good, you will surely die today.''


    "Yes. I am also curious about this trump card of yours" Forseti chimed in. Till now, until the very moment he spoke, they had all forgotten he was there. But Forseti wasn''t offended. He knew better than to expect people to take any notice of him when his uncle sprang into action. He was more eager to see what these people had built their confidence on, than he was about their feelings regarding his strength. For him, knowing that he himself wasn''t weak was enough. It mattered little what others construed.

 Chapter 121 - Brave And Interesting Part II

    Dracula spoke in a hoarse voice, "If His Excellency would dispel his pressure, please allow me to show His Excellency something."


    Vlad gritted his teeth painfully as he listened to the person he worshipped lowering himself to beseech another. It didn''t matter that it was an Asgardian. All that was important was that his master had lowered himself in such a manner towards another.


    ''This is my fault'', he thought silently. If he hadn''t made the wrong decision several millennia ago, his master would not have to endure such shame. He didn''t dare look to his side. For right beside him was Lilith, and her angry gaze was fixed onto him. She clearly thought the same. And she was right. Their master was only doing this to ensure the survival of their race, a necessity since he had foolishly served them up to the gods years ago.


    "You still dare to make requests of me" Thor''s baritone voice thundered as loudly as the clashing clouds themselves. The huge gale that swept through the ''battlefield'' pushed the vampires back by several metres. Even then, they didn''t scream or panic. Their countenance truly was admirable.


    "Calm down Uncle. There is little they can do against us. Let us hear what they have to say." The raging storm that engulfed the entire area, the storm that was so vast the n.a.k.e.d eye couldn''t capture it all, finally ceased. The sky turned clear once more, leaving the darkness that had appeared so suddenly a few minutes ago in the memories all who did see it. All this was made possible because of the hand that was on Thor''s shoulder. The hand belonged to Forseti. As angry as the god of justice was, he was still a god of justice. His godhood made it impossible for him to ignore the pleas of those looking to defend themselves. A rejection of their plight would be going against his divinity itself, and in the grand scheme of things, eventually cause a crack in his godhood. This crack would spread slowly over time, until finally his godhood is completely destroyed. That was what it meant to be a god. Thor knew this. And it was because he had such knowledge that he decided to stand down.


    "Thank you, Lord Forseti, he who is renowned as the true god of justice." Dracula politely extended his thanks to the god who stood beside Thor. When they had captured the Asgardians that strode into their domain, they had questioned them. They wanted to know what it was they sought, and whom they came with. At the time, they had assumed they had been tracked all the way here. They were wrong. After finding out that the answer to the first question had very little, in fact nothing to do with them, they could finally rest easy. The second question provided a surprising answer. Two gods were leading an expedition. That was a very rare occurrence. Even when their race was exterminated, only Tyr led the charge. That only meant that they considered their mission as very important. It was because of this that they had decided to meet the two gods and inform them of what they knew in return for their pardon. They didn''t want to remain in hiding anymore. They wanted the kill order placed on their heads to be taken away. Fortunately, Asgardians were a reasonable bunch, hence the kill order wasn''t publicised to the entire universe. Only Asgardians knew of it. That was the reason they remained alive, for if the entire universe had hunted them down, even if only the 1st heaven had come for them, they wouldn''t have lived this long.


    But this plan was a risky one. Although they knew that the information they had was very valuable, they couldn''t guarantee that they wouldn''t be killed before they had a chance to lay down this bargaining chip. They went along with the plan anyway. It wasn''t because they were desperate to have their freedom, but because they found out from those they held captive that Forseti was one of the two gods. They didn''t know much about Thor outside the sagas that were sang of his extraordinary power and strength. But they did know about Forseti. The god of justice was known to have a flawless divinity. Flawless divinities were rare, even among the powerful gods. When a person became a god, he/she wasn''t outside the control of their attribute. Rather it was the opposite. Although they could freely command their laws, they also obeyed laws in return. But this wasn''t the same for all. It only went for gods who commanded the moral laws. Like in the case of Forseti, who is the god of justice. He isn''t the only god of justice, but he was definitely one of the most powerful in that faction. That is because of his godhood. Unlike many who ascended with already cracked divinities, Forseti''s was flawless. Meaning that while other gods of justice could at times disobey the law of providing justice and equal measure to all, Forseti would never do that. And this was why his power was among the greatest in the ranks of the gods who governed over the moral laws. This rule didn''t apply to Thor. He didn''t govern such a law. His authority was over lightning. Luckily for the vampires, the rumours were true. Forseti was indeed a true god of justice. Their gamble had paid off.


    Dracula and his people remained kneeling, even though the pressure that formerly weighed them down like huge trucks upon their slender backs was now gone.


    "You may rise. Show us what you will in your defence. Your revelation would seal your fate. And I will be the judge of said fate." Forseti solemnly declared. As he did, the four vampires felt a strange connection to the god of justice. They could see a long red string that bound each and every one of them to the said god. This string was as slender as it was beautiful. Yet it wasn''t its beauty that called to them. They could feel that their lives were connected to the strings. And although the strings looked so weak, it was not so. They all felt that even if they combined their strength- and even if they considered the peak states of Dracula and Alucard- they wouldn''t be able to dent the strings.


    "The cords of justice that belong to the strings of fate." Dracula mumbled silently under his breath. He knew of this power. He had heard of it before. It was one of the most powerful tools in the arsenal of the god of justice. It was a glow that belonged to Forseti, and as far as anyone knew, no other god- including those who governed the moral laws- had such an ability. It was an ability that placed him above most of the other gods, and above all the gods of justice. It was a glow that awakened with a name- Cord of Justice: String of Fate. This power allowed Forseti to declare a person guilty or innocent. It was great if you were found innocent. But be found guilty and¡­


    Even the usually calm Dracula could felt a chill go down his spine as he thought about the results of such an end. And as his already pale face grew paler, so did those of his people.


    "So you can also feel fear. It is impressive that you know of my nephew''s technique". Although Dracula had whispered his words, everyone here was an ascender. Hearing his statement was of no difficulty. All it did was inform the two Asgardian gods that the people before them had done their homework well. And even Thor was surprised to see that the group of four who showed no fear towards his earlier display did so now. He didn''t blame them. Anyone who knew of Forseti''s ability would be fearful too. And even though he couldn''t see the famous cord of justice, nor had he ever seen it before, he had witnessed the end of all who were found guilty.


    "When did you place it on us?" Alucard asked with his formerly calm voice shaky and nerved.


    "The moment my uncle summoned Mjolnir" Forseti smiled lightly as he replied. An ability like the ''Cord of Justice: String of Fate was a cheat. And every cheat-like ability like this one, had stringent requirements for its use. First of all, the person who was going to have the spell placed on him/her shouldn''t detect this spell when it is being cast. Once they did, the spell would be broken. Normally it was difficult to fulfil the first requirement. After all, many gods would sense it if a spell was being placed on them. However, the normally stringent requirement had become easy to fulfil with a show boater like Thor here. His flashy moves had distracted them so well that Forseti had successfully placed it on not just one of them, but all four. The second requirement wasn''t really a requirement. Unless of course you consider this instruction so: Judge fairly, so you would be judged fairly as well.


    "Now you can go ahead and defend yourselves." Forseti ignored the ugly looks that were being shot at him and commanded.

 Chapter 122 - One Of The 7 Grand Mysteries Part I

    Dracula sighed in resignation upon realising the situation they were in. "Why would you-" Vlad had barely started his statement when Alucard motioned for The Impaler to be silent. "Our lives are in their hands already, with or without the strings of fate binding us." Alucard''s tone was cold, his voice stern. Vlad remained silent as the words of his young master found their way into his hard head, and etched themselves unto his brain. He may not like their current circ.u.mstance, but it didn''t change much. The only difference in their current state was that this time it was Forseti that held the ''hammer'', not Thor.


    "Let them go, Lilith" Dracula waved his hand as he commanded the seductive vampire next to him. Forseti wrinkled his brows in thought, and his uncle was no different. They clearly had the group of blood suckers in their grasp, so their words made no sense. Of course, they only made no sense when in reference to the two gods. For there was no way that statement was directed at them. Those who thrived in the darkness were clearly talking about something else.


    "Yes, my liege." Lilith didn''t beat about the bush. She immediately acknowledged the words of her master and began to chant in a strange tongue. Forseti didn''t have any reaction to her chanting. He could feel no ill intent from the pretty thing that casted her magic in a tongue seemingly more archaic than ''the lease'' itself. If they had any strong misgivings towards him, he would have felt it. Not because his senses were that astute, but his glow gave him such an ability. As long as their fate was tied to his, he would be able to sense all their emotions. From joy, all the way to l.u.s.t. He didn''t think much of it, but Thor did.


    "How is possible?" Thor mumbled in disbelief. His surprise was displayed for all to see, for his bulging eyes and open mouth were surely a sight to behold. To baffle the great Thor was an honour only a few could boast of. It wasn''t just a collector''s item, but a collection of the highest level.


    "What is it uncle?" Forseti asked curiously. There were a few things that could startle a god like Thor so, and Forseti was itching to know what one of these things was. Even in this situation, the god of justice still didn''t move a muscle to stop them.


    Thor didn''t reply his nephew- not openly at least. It didn''t take a genius to realise that he had communicated with Forseti via their thoughts, for the younger god''s reaction was no different from his uncle''s, if not more exaggerated.


    "Impossible" Forseti mumbled, yet the appearance of the two Asgardians they had deemed dead in the next few seconds subverted what he considered as impossible. What Thor had told Forseti was simple, "The black book called to me. Turgot and Varangot are still alive."


    This was the reason for their twisted expressions. The black book wasn''t omnipotent, but it seldom lied. When it included the names of the two fallen, the gods hadn''t doubted its words in the least. But now this very same book had erased the names it had given, considering its previous action a mistake and its text null. For the two gods who had never-in the countless years they had lived- experienced such an error, it was hard to accept. It wasn''t that the black book had erred, but the people before them clearly had a way of deceiving this book. It was a fascinating piece of information.


    Alucard, the prince who rarely smiled, had a pleased look on his face witnessing the reactions of the two gods before him. They had no idea how the Asgardians recorded their death, but they didn''t need to know it to go around it. Every race that ruled over a heaven realm, had their own way of discovering the dead. These ways were closely guarded secrets, unknown to any outsider. So it wasn''t a surprise for these races to be alerted when one of them was lost. In fact, every powerful race, regardless of whether they ruled the heavens or not, had a way of being informed when one of their own dies. Even their race was no different.


    It was due to such knowledge, and the boredom of spending three millennia under a mountain, that encouraged the group to develop a technique that bypassed this norm. It had only been perfected a few centuries ago. And they were certain that no one would ever be able to achieve what they had. For many had tried, long before they did. Some had wasted centuries, others millennia, and some millions of years. And they had all failed. They had only succeeded because they were special. They had a different way of accessing chaos, and that was the only way they had seen success. Even then, with their superior intellect it took them so long to get it right. Who would have known that they would have the chance to test it on some of the most powerful beings in the universe so soon?


    "How do you know how to nullify our senses?" Thor questioned sternly. He needed to know if those before him had in any way learned about the black book. They knew that the spell placed upon this mountain took away the clarity of most. It wouldn''t be surprising if the vampires had asked about their secrets from the helpless duo that now lay unconscious at their feet. As for where they appeared from, Thor would leave that question for later.


    "Appease your anger, Thunder God. We didn''t ask any more than we should. We only sought to know whom it was they served, and what it was they sought. No other requests were made." Lilith was the one to reply this time, her melodious voice like the sweet notes of the flute, refreshing and breath taking.


    Thor nodded at their words. To be honest, he wasn''t really concerned about the black book. It was a secret known to only the gods. Asgardians only knew that they had a way of recording their death; as for the how, they were in the dark. The main reason he had asked the question was to find out just how much they knew. It was a way of telling the four before him that he would likely spare them for keeping their fighting arms to themselves when they came across the two unconscious Asgardians. Initially, when he had stormed the mountain with Forseti, he had no intentions of letting them live, hence he didn''t bother to ask any questions. It was different now. He was basically saying, "I will let you off today." And they understood his words.


    "Thank you, Thunder God." The now upright Dracula lightly bowed in thanks, and his entourage followed suit. They thanked in all earnestness, for they could feel that Forseti had deemed them innocent. The god of justice had severed his string of fate, choosing not to take their lives.


    "How do you possess such an ability? And what language was that?" Forseti asked.


    "We spent all our time seeking to cloud the senses of the gods. After all, we had to have something to do in our boredom. I can''t say anymore. I''m sorry, Just One." Dracula lightly answered.


    "No worries. We all have our secrets." After finding out that the Asgardians were safe, Forseti had become much more reasonable. Although to be fair, he was plenty reasonable already, that is, if we are to ignore the glow he used on them.


    "Thank you for your understanding, Just One" This time, it was Alucard who thanked the god on his father''s behalf.


    "But this isn''t what you wanted to tell us. Speak, we will listen." Thor calmly stated as he sat upon an uneven rock that lay behind him, all the while tossing Mjolnir up and down nonchalantly. Forseti sat as well. They were aware that the people before them had lured them out. After all, why go through the trouble of inviting forces that would decimate your hiding place if you didn''t have something worthwhile to say.


    "Indeed. It concerns what you seek" Dracula spoke calmly, his feet still firmly on the ground with no intention of giving them some rest. His people were the same


    "You should sit. That is the least we can offer you after destroying your home." Forseti gestured to the numerous rocks and boulders all around, fragments of the mountain they had pulverised and evidence that there was a rooftop initially.

 Chapter 123 - One Of The 7 Grand Mysteries Part II

    Dracula nodded at his words. He wasn''t bothered that they showed no reaction to his words stating that he had some information on what they were hunting for. He was certain that by now they would have met many claiming to possess valuable information; many who were wrong.


    He picked a relatively comfortable rock, and sat. Lilith and Vlad picked rocks that were placed around his, irrespective of how uneven or uncomfortable they were. They were clearly displaying their allegiance to their king, showing that they would follow him no matter what. As for Alucard, he didn''t follow in their steps. The blood prince walked over to a comfortable looking rock and lifted it over his shoulders like it was a piece of dry wood, light and easy to carry. He carried it effortlessly to his father and placed it at his right side. He sat calmly after his job was done. His attitude brought a huge smile to Thor''s face.


    "Interesting", the thunder god remarked. "Indeed it is", Forseti assented. That small display had revealed something to them. Alucard didn''t use any inner energy when lifting the boulder, only his brute strength. Although they weren''t clear on the prince''s inner energy level, they could conclude that he was also a body wielder. It was a difficult path to take for someone born into royalty. Whether or not his kingdom was still as ill.u.s.trious as it was mattered little. It was the resolve to pursue the harder path that impressed them.


    "If only they hadn''t killed our men, they would have become worthy allies." Thor lamented. He was referring to the situation that led to Tyr''s assault on the vampires. His words were unhidden, so the vampires heard it all. Vlad smiled bitterly when he felt Lilith''s killing intent centred on him.


    "Speak now; what is this new information you want to feed us with?" Forseti ignored the outburst of killing intent from the pretty vampire girl. It wasn''t directed at him, but at her colleague. It was clear that it had something to do with his uncle''s earlier statement. But it mattered little to him what their internal strives were. As long as it didn''t concern him and his race of battle thirsty Asgardians, he was fine. As for Turgot and Varangot, they were left to lie in their filth. Although Forseti was itching to beat them up for causing so much worry to the gods, that would have to wait until they heard what the strange race before them had to say. If their information was worth nothing much, the two unfortunate warriors would undergo the harshest training of their lives once they were back in Asgard. But if it was of great value, then-


    "They will still undergo the harshest training of their lives." Forseti thought cruelly. He turned to look at his uncle who had an equally crazed look on his face. He smiled brightly seeing the expression on the older god''s face. If he wasn''t wrong, Thor was probably thinking the same thing. Poor Turgot¡­poor Varangot. They weren''t just going to receive harsh training, but they were going to get it from two different gods. One of whom was known for his brutal regimes once a mug of mead was put in his hand.


    "I have to make sure that Uncle always has mead then." Forseti thought heartlessly. His train of thought was not fitting for the one known as the god of justice. Yet when one factored the fact that Asgardians loved tough love, it made some sense. His train of thought was broken by the Vampire Lord, Lord Dracula. Seeing that they didn''t have the attention of both gods, the Vampire Lord cleared his throat loudly to get their attention. He didn''t know what they were thinking, but the evil smirks on the duos faces would inform anyone that it was nothing good. Luckily these evil grins were aimed at the two unconscious Asgardians, so Dracula had no reservations in waking them up from their reverie. He could only say a word of prayer for the poor warriors who lay drooling at his feet.


    "Ah yes, sorry about that. Do say what you must." Forseti quickly apologised for his misdemeanour. His apology was not meant for only himself, but for his uncle as well. Upon receiving the go ahead, Dracula began his speech.


    "When we found out that you sought no just one, but two of the grand mysteries of the universe, we were not just bewildered- we were awed. It takes a great man to find the answers to one mystery; a lord to solve two; a prince to solve three; a king to solve four; an emperor to solve five; a god to solve six-"


    "And a fool to solve them all" Forseti interjected. Dracula nodded at the words of the god of justice. He wasn''t at all surprised that the god of justice knew this. He would be more surprised if he didn''t. The long line he quoted was known to most of the high tier ascenders. There were seven grand mysteries in this universe, each one was just as mystifying as the other. There was none greater, and none lesser. And many sought to understand the truths of these mysteries. Yet there was a mystery behind these mysteries. A suspicion- no, a truth- behind these truths. It was said that he who would grasp the essence of the riddles that weigh down heavily on the universe, would hold the fate of the universe in his/her hands. That was when a famous scholar coined the statement Dracula had just spat out. The last phrase- and a fool to solve them all- meant that only a fool would want such power in their hands. For the burden of holding the life of all in one''s hands was heavy. So heavy was this burden that even the Supremes, who were said to be the true heirs to the universe for their respective eras, rejected such a fate.


    "You pursue the truth behind two of the 7: where the chaotic flames rest, and; the unbreakable mineral known as devilstone." Dracula calmly laid out what he knew. It wasn''t anything impressive. Since he had stated that he had interrogated the two unconscious Asgardians concerning their goal, it came as no surprise that he knew this. He was right. The two gods had assembled an entire team to seek out these two mysteries. Of the seven mysteries, these were the two they sought. They needed to know the location of the long lost ''Chaotic Flames'', and the place to mine devilstone. Initially, not much was known about the later. No one even knew the name of the material that was said to be the hardest mineral in existence. It had remained this way since the inception of the cosmos, until a million years ago. The story dictates that an exploring scholar had accidentally come across an ore that was denser than anything he had ever seen. It was a fist sized ore with several strange markings on its surface, markings that seemed to extend into its interior structure as well. The intrigued scholar had tried to pick it up, but failed miserably. After several attempts, he resented, choosing not to study the mineral anymore, but to gift it. Since he couldn''t get it for himself, he would present it to the strongest beings of the universe. So, on the birthday of one of the origin gods, the brilliant scholar presented the location of the mineral to the god. He boasted that not even he could understand the composition of this mineral. He asked that this origin god, whose wisdom was beyond most, seek the mineral and decode what his brain couldn''t. The curious god consented, and taking with him his best warriors, ventured outward, seeking the mineral."


    "Using the map accurately drawn by the scholar, they had no problems locating the mineral. Yet even the gods, couldn''t lift this mineral from its sheath- the ground that held it- using just their brute strength. Finally, the wise god was able to pry the material out of the ground. But what they discovered was not the fist-sized ore the scholar described. The small size was just the shape of the mineral above ground. The actual mineral was at least six feet long. As for how the wise god was able to pry it out of the ground, this remains unknown, yet he did what the scholar failed to do. The impressed scholar volunteered his services, promising to help the wise god understand this metal and use it for the good of the 7 heavens. It is said that the appearance of the mineral sparked universe wide omens. Every world had its light robbed for three days. It was through this that all people realised that the ore was special. It was one of the seven mysteries. And so it earned the name ''devilstone'', for only the devil seeks out darkness in the light. The legends say a war was waged upon the wise god''s kingdom because of this mineral."


    "For although no one was able to break it apart and use it, its potential was realised. For a material of such density could not only hold the power of the edict, but chaos as well. Eventually, the metal was divided amongst the 7 heavens. It is believed that the weapons of the origin gods are made of devilstone. But due to its unique nature, all they could do was infuse it with other minerals. Yet it still made these weapons near unbreakable. As for whether the myths are true, I reckon that you will know of it better than I do. My knowledge is shallow as the waters of a young spring, for I am young and rash. But you, great thunder god, have been alive since the universe came into being. So I ask King of all that flashes and roars, are my words true? Do the myths deceive? Or do they hold the absolute truth?"


    Dracula looked eagerly at Thor. He was a being thirsty for knowledge. He wanted to know if the myths were true. And if they weren''t, what was the truth behind the mystery of the devilstone?

 Chapter 124 - Ananse, The Wise Spider God Part I

    Thor smiled genially at the eager Dracula. Even the blood prince who was usually nonchalant and cared little for anything couldn''t hide the curious look on his pale face. The allure of truly understanding one of the seven great mysteries was enticing even for this prince.


    "It is. You can carry on" Thor didn''t elaborate much. He only did what they wanted. He confirmed that their information was indeed true. In fact, he was a bit surprised by how much they knew. Many high gods and ascenders knew about the object known as ''devilstone''. Many knew that it was indeed the toughest and most impressive mineral in the universe. Many also deduced that the weapons of the most powerful of gods contained a bit of this precious mineral. Yet almost all of them didn''t truly understand its origins. It was just as Dracula stated. This mineral was found by a scholar. The scholar had presented it to a god king, and a war was waged because of the limited quantity that was retrieved. However, that wasn''t all. Although Dracula knew the story; although the prince of the night was aware of the devilstone''s true history, he didn''t know the specifics. He didn''t know what Thor and Forseti- yes, Forseti- knew. Just like Thor, Forseti had lived a very long time. He may call Thor ''uncle'', but that didn''t mean he was young. The gods of Thor''s generation did consider him a young god, but this god of justice had been around since the universe began! He also knew the story. And just like Thor, he knew much more than Dracula and his measly crew did.


    For starters, the secretive scholar wasn''t a normal scholar. This scholar was a god! And this wasn''t just any god. This scholar was a sensor god. Just like many other sensor god''s, this god wasn''t focused on battle prowess, but on discovering the unknown and fully understanding the secrets of the universe. He had one name; one title; this god was Ananse!


    Ananse was, and still is to this day, the spider god of the 5th heaven. But she wasn''t just any spider god. She was a spider god famed for her incredible wisdom. She was so wise that the wise god she presented devilstone to was eager for this god''s aid in understanding the structure of the great mineral. Such was her intellect that the 5th heaven couldn''t contain her. Ananse was unsatisfied with all the knowledge the 5th heaven had to offer. She called the knowledge too vast for many a ''small pond'', and was eager to swim in the ''open sea''. To Ananse, exploring only one of the heaven realms was a waste of her skills, so she explored them all. Over the past millions of years, and even before time itself when the universe was merely in its infancy, the spider god who was famed for her wisdom was a known roamer. The Spider God of Wisdom roamed all the heavens, even before their territories had been marked out and discovered all there was to discover. In fact, it was believed that Ananse will be the only one to truly solve all the great mysteries, that is, if she hadn''t solved them all already. The spider god who offered her allegiance to no one, and made friends on the basis of their wisdom and character, not their race, was seen by most as the most intelligent in the entire universe. Thor still remembered her to this date. Although it was billions of years ago when he last saw this elusive figure, he could still remember her words when Ananse was asked about what she thought of the seven great mysteries.


    "They are great because we make them out to be. We overemphasize the importance of these so called mysteries. They are merely riddles at the peak of their tree. And solving them all would be unwise." It was then that Thor believed that she truly was the wisest of the lot, even wiser than his father, Odin. For it was Ananse who said, "It takes a great man to find the answers to one mystery; a lord to solve two; a prince to solve three; a king to solve four; an emperor to solve five; a god to solve six, and; a fool to solve them all" This statement that he considered as trivial was still remembered after all these years. Even those who hadn''t been born a hundred million years later, knew of this quote. What they didn''t know was who had quoted it. The quote was impressive indeed. But it was the question and answer session that followed after that truly struck the thunder god with awe.


    "So which one are you: a god or; an emperor." Thor had asked Ananse then. The thunder god felt he had thought highly of the spider god by expecting that she would be one of the two. Little did he know then, that he had underestimated the god of wisdom known as Ananse.


    "Me dea, me y? kwasia." Ananse''s reply was in her native tongue. It was a language called ''Twi''. Thor didn''t understand what it meant at the time. And when he asked Ananse to enlighten him, the spider god only smiled and said, "I have travelled the worlds, learning their customs and beliefs. Travel to my world, for you will find answers there. Consider it an assignment from me."


    It had taken Thor a hundred years to finally find the time to visit Ananse''s home world. It was there he learned what the statement the wise god made a hundred years prior meant. It was translated, "As for me, I am but a fool." That was when Thor knew. The god of wisdom had solved all the mysteries. And from her demeanour, it wasn''t as glorious as the rumours made such an achievement seem. It was highly likely that the answers to the seven riddles were anything but pleasant. It had taken Thor a hundred years to understand this, but his father knew from the very first moment what Ananse meant. Discovering the devilstone was the last of the seven mysteries that remained unanswered to Ananse. And after Ananse had found that out, she had disappeared for good. It had been several millions of years- likely billions even- but no one had caught a glimpse of the spider god. Even the Allfather was at a loss as to where Ananse could be. After Ananse had helped to create an archive on the composition of the devilstone, she had disappeared. Yet that wasn''t her greatest contribution.


    As you may have guessed rightly by now, it was Odin that had the privilege of being gifted the devilstone. And it was Asgard that had faced the besiegement of thousands of races. The wise godking had the honour of being chosen as one of Ananse''s few friends. It was because of this friendship that the valuable devilstone had been presented to Odin. Yet even with the devilstone in hand, no one knew how to use it. Odin, with all his knowledge was at a loss as to how to melt this metal. This rendered the great mineral as nothing but a beautiful ornament. One that only mystified wherever it was placed in, but had no real use. Freya, Frigg, all these wise goddesses failed to understand this mineral. It was Ananse who did. Yet as mentioned earlier, that wasn''t her greatest achievement in Asgard. The spider god of wisdom didn''t only breakdown the composition of the devilstone, she disclosed how successfully use this metal in a forge.


    Ananse stated that she came across a wondrous flame in all her travels. She called the flame the grandest thing she had ever seen. And that it was. This flame was not golden yellow like the others, but an emerald green. Ananse took out a black ball from her dimensional pouch, a spacial object used by her people to store other objects. Unlike those of the other realms, the gods of the 5th heaven preferred this pouch to dimensional rings. As for why they preferred it, the others weren''t sure. Thor was certain it was a simply a difference of culture and taste.


    Anyway, this black ball held the flame that Ananse spoke of. The flame was as small as a child''s fist, yet it burned bright and true. The green flame was beautiful, and it was docile. It was because of this docile nature that Ananse had been able to acquire it and keep it in a storage pouch. But that wasn''t enough to rule out the mystery that surrounded it. For no fire could be kept in a dimensional pouch. Like everything in the universe, fire also had a half-life. There was no oxygen in a dimensional pouch. Only a few special ones could house this precious component of air. Mane''s ring was one of the few in the universe that had such a feature. But Ananse''s pouch had no such ability. This meant that the small flame had been burning all this time with no help! It was fascinating. Their fascination was compounded when Ananse announced that the fire had been taken from the Chaotic Flames itself. But this explanation made much more sense.


    Although they had failed to pry the location of the Chaotic Flames from the mouth of Ananse, the spider god had gifted the flame to them. She believed that the flames forged from the purest entity of chaos would do the trick. And she was right. The chaotic flames did indeed melt the devilstone. It was hard to believe that such docile and calm flames could be so deadly. But it was true. The formerly docile fire turned into a raging beast once edict was poured into it. It was a reaction that was fitting for one who considered the edict as its enemy. But even the chaotic flames did not take down devilstone so simply. Maybe the true Chaotic Flame would have no such problem- not so its derivative. For it took several hundreds of years for the devilstone to be melted into its liquid state. It was then added in small amounts to the weapons of the gods. Even Mjolnir had this precious mineral as part of its creation story. Unfortunately, they didn''t get to keep it all. Most of the melted devilstone was lost in the war. But the chaotic fire was different. That treasure had been kept safe. It was now known to most as the ''Eternal Flame of Asgard''. Even the Asgardians themselves, with the exception of the gods, had no idea the true origin of the fire.

 Chapter 125 - Ananse, The Wise Spider God Part II

    But now Thor and Forseti were eagerly searching for the source of the eternal flame- the Chaotic Flames. They wanted to know where the origin artefact of chaos slept. Unlike the gods, the one they wanted to gift the devilstone artefact to was young, and he wouldn''t be able to wait patiently for a hundred years. The young lord needed the weapon now. The only way to do that was to throw devilstone into the chaotic flames. Unfortunately, they had found neither the stone nor the flames. And Thor was hoping that the seemingly knowledgeable Dracula would have truly valuable information. As for the specifics of the story, he didn''t think it was necessary to disclose them. And he also didn''t bother to tell Dracula that Ananse was a she- not a he.


    Dracula realised that there was more to the story than he knew, but he didn''t choose to question the thunder god or his nephew. He coughed lightly and resumed his story.


    "The scholar who found the devilstone kept wondering the realms. Over his many travels, he came across more devilstone. He wasn''t strong enough to take it for himself, nor did he want to. He wasn''t interested in the mineral, only in knowledge. But his lack of interest in the mineral he had studied several years back and understood didn''t cause him to grow pompous. For he knew that even if he didn''t want it, there were many who did. He mapped out the coordinates of all the locations that held this precious mineral, and preserved this knowledge so that those who did need it, would get it. And that is what I wish to share with you today. The knowledge of the devilstone. I know where you would find some."


    Thor stood up from the rock on which he sat. His figure flashed and in the very next second he was right in front of Dracula. He didn''t give the one who ruled the night enough time to register what had just happened. He grabbed his collar and hoisted him up. His countenance was stern and his expression rigid. The aura around him was cold and unfeeling. So frigid was his bearing that the two minions of the Vampire Lord who wanted to rush to their master''s aid couldn''t even move. They could only grit their teeth in anger as they helplessly watched Thor take their honoured master captive. As for Alucard, he didn''t seem to share in their anxiety. The blood prince looked carefree and unbothered. He acted as though it was a stranger who was being held, and not his father. Definitely, no one watching this would assume that the two were related in any way. The small smirk on Alucard''s face showed that he didn''t mind what was happening. He was rather eager to see how it will all unfold.


    "Are you certain that the information is true?" Thor asked. His smiling expression just a few minutes prior was no longer present. He didn''t even care that he had inadvertently kicked the unconscious Asgardians aside in his brief march to Dracula. Forseti didn''t stop the thunder god. He wanted to know, just like his uncle, whether the vampire lord''s words were true. What the vampire was implying was very valuable. But just as it was valuable, it was also unbelievable. The unbelief came from the simple fact that the two gods had been alive so long, and yet knew nothing about where to find devilstone. And this wasn''t for the luck of trying. After the long war for the devilstone, the gods and warriors of Asgard had roamed the realms seeking to find this mineral. They weren''t alone in their search. All other high races with sufficient strength and the belief that they had the power to keep whatever they found, were involved in this search. The results of the universe wide search was the same for all- nothing. No one found any trace of devilstone. Even the world in which it was previously found was scoured, with some careless gods choosing to raze it to nothing but dust. All this was done in the hope of acquiring devilstone, yet their efforts proved futile. The devilstone remained hidden, keeping true to its title as one of the seven great mysteries of the cosmos, and mocked those who searched in vain with its continued silence.


    Even Thor, when he had begun his search, had asked that he be given three years. If he failed to find anything worthwhile after three years, the search will be called off. But now here they were, before a race that was on its last legs, being told that although the vampires were not as old, neither did they have as rich a history as the others, they had the knowledge that all had failed to grasp. Initially, Thor had assumed that the information concerned the Chaotic Flames. That was why he patiently listened. Unlike devilstone, the search for the Chaotic Flames wasn''t as thorough, neither was it was expansive. After all, it was only the gods of Asgard who knew the origins of the eternal flame. It would be more believable to receive information on the origin artefact, than to believe that someone knew where to find devilstone. And from Dracula''s words, he didn''t just know where to find a piece of this precious mineral, he knew where to find pieces of it.


    Dracula didn''t mind Thor''s reaction, neither did he mind the massive hands that had latched themselves securely to his shirt collar. Just like Alucard, he only smiled and nodded his head. His expression was calm, very much unlike one deeply soaked in the killing intent of the thunder god. It was marvellous that he even found the strength to nod. But from his lack of words, it was clear that was all the overwhelming pressure that had been dropped on him will allow.


    "Good. Where is your proof?" Thor dropped the vampire lord back onto his seat. The killing intent that weighed heavily upon the vampires disappeared as suddenly as it appeared. Accompanying its departure were the dark clouds that had gathered in the few seconds that it had appeared. And Mjolnir who lay on the ground headfirst, ceased its excited tremble at the prospect of spilling vampire blood.


    Dracula reached into his cloak and took out a scroll. The scroll was made out of goatskin. Its dark leather glittered brightly under the now revealed sunlight. Thor''s expression changed upon seeing the scroll- and so did Forseti. The god of justice stood up with a start. He quickly joined Thor to examine the scroll. Yet even in their amazement, neither opened it to check its contents.


    "Who gave this to you?" Thor asked. His voice trembled lightly. Yet it wasn''t in excitement, but joy. It was almost as if he knew the answer to his question. He only asked to be certain.


    "He said he was an old friend of yours. He left this here and asked that we give it to you in exchange for a favour. He told us the story of the devilstone. Told us what to say. And when we expressed our reluctance to meet the gods of Asgard because we are wanted by them, he said that wouldn''t be a problem, for you will seek us out. He said you would pass by here, and that you would lay our home to waste. We didn''t want to believe him, but it turns out he was right. As he was about everything else. He wouldn''t leave his name behind. Only saying that we should give you the scroll, along with everything else I have said, and you would know who he is. Rest assured, we didn''t open the scroll. We couldn''t even if we wanted to. It is sealed, and we cannot open it with our current abilities. But I reckon that isn''t the same for you." Dracula answered.


    Thor laughed loudly at the vampire''s words. His laughter was as boisterous and loud as it was genuine. He had a happy smile on his face as he exclaimed, "Old friend, even after all these years, you still watch over us. Hahaha. Thank you old friend!"


    Forseti smiled happily as well. He looked at Thor, then Mjolnir. He smiled and said to the sentient hammer, "She lives Mjolnir. Your designer lives!"

 Chapter 126 - The Spider Gods Goal Part I

    It had been several years since any of the god''s heard anything about the spider god. Even the Allfather, Odin, had failed in this regard. The attempts of the one who saw all to find out the whereabouts of the spider god were unfruitful. Even after they had visited the 5th heaven, they didn''t find any information about the god of wisdom. Ananse seemed to have disappeared into thin air. But now they had found something that belonged the spider god. Even more ridiculous was that they weren''t the ones who found her- or rather a trace of her- she found them. The fact that she left something here for them was incredible. It showed her incredible foresight and ability. She was truly a sensor god, and her ''sight beyond sight'' must have advanced to an unknown realm to let her guess so accurately what was going to happen in the future. She wasn''t a seer, neither was she a diviner. The only explanation to her amazing foresight will be her sensor ability.


    "This means-"Forseti looked at Thor as he spoke. The battle god nodded and completed his nephew''s statement, "She was watching us all along." It was amazing. All this while they had been searching for someone who was watching them from a distance, and they had no clue. But they were thankful that Ananse was looking out for them. They weren''t sure why, but the spider god certainly had her reasons. And they were glad that whatever her reasons were, it had led her to them.


    Thor sent his inner energy into the seal. It disappeared once his energy came into contact with it. He opened up the scroll and examined it. The scroll itself was a map, a map that certainly led to what they sought. Along with the map was another smaller scroll. This scroll had been hidden by the larger map, so it was only upon opening it that one would find it. The second scroll was a letter. Forseti joined Thor in examining the map. Initially his brows furrowed in confusion. But after seeing the letter, he seemed to have been enlightened.


    Thor was the same. He breathed a sigh of relief upon reading the letter. "That was why nobody has been able to find it. To think that the devilstone is so complex." Even after Asgard had examined this stone for years with the help of the spider god, it seemed that they hadn''t truly understood the stone. The letter Ananse had written them was more enlightening than the books in their archives.


    Dracula didn''t know what was written in the scroll. He wasn''t lying when he said he hadn''t opened it. He was curious as to what the scroll contained. But his curiosity didn''t get the better of him in the time he had been tasked to hold on to it. From Forseti''s exclamation that the stranger who had left the parcel with him was involved in Mjolnir''s creation, Dracula discerned some very important things. For starters, this elusive figure was as old, if not older than the gods who stood before him. Secondly, from the reaction of the two gods, this person was very important. Their happiness upon realising that the strange being who had come to this mountain years ago was alive, was in no way faked. This also meant that Asgardians were on friendly terms with this figure. This was good news for him. This meant that the seemingly unremarkable being who had come looking for them knew a lot about the Asgardians. This also meant that the words this being had left behind were trustworthy and true. The possibility of their request being granted was very high now. It was this news that caused him to grow truly curious about the figure they had met. This person was cloaked from top to bottom. The person was masked and the cloak was so large that they couldn''t tell if it was a man or a woman. It was because of the husky voice the stranger spoke with that Dracula had assumed it was a man. But any strong wielder, especially those in tune with their senses could mask their real voice. From Forseti''s exclamation, this person was a woman. It made Dracula all the more curious to see what she had left behind. But he wasn''t going to ask the two gods. Right now he wanted something more than anything else in the entire universe. She had told them that it could be done. They only had to deliver her message and then they could make their request to the gods. Although Dracula seemed confident that the information he had was valuable, he wasn''t very certain. His confidence came from the fact that she had easily warded off their protective spells and made her way into the mountain like it was her backyard. Added to the fact that when all four attacked they were quickly dealt with. She only spoke a single sentence and they all came tumbling down like a stack of potatoes. That was why he had bet everything on her words. And so far things were going well.


    "Did you see what this person looked like?" Thor asked after carefully reading the letter and examining the scroll.


    "Unfortunately, I did not. She had a strange mask on. It was red with a strange symbol on it." Dracula shook his head and replied in the negative. None of them got to see the appearance of this mysterious entity. Even though she had stayed with them a while, they still didn''t get the chance to see what she looked like.


    "This symbol you are referring to, did it look like this?" Forseti drew an image of a strange character in the air. Although he didn''t inherit his father''s divinity, he still was his father''s son. It was simple for him to use the light element to make a few ill.u.s.trations.


    "Yes. That was the symbol." Alucard took it upon himself to answer their question. His response caused the two gods to nod their heads silently. Now they were more than certain that it was indeed Ananse.


    The map wasn''t complex, but it was still confusing. All the areas marked on the map had been visited by the Asgardians and several other races in the past, yet none of them had found any devilstone. This was the origin of their initial confusion. It was the letter that cleared their foggy minds and shone a bright light in that previously dim area. From what Ananse had left, she stated that devilstone wasn''t like other minerals and metals. It wasn''t already made, waiting to be unearthed and used by another. The mysterious mineral was special. And as such it had its own creation process. The areas that had been marked were areas that one could grow devilstone. Yes, grow it. Devilstone was derived from a special rock known as ''amber rock''. It was a rare rock found in special places. Although this rock was uncommon, it wasn''t impossible to acquire. This rock was in a world that was coincidentally found in the 3rd heaven, which was where the two gods and their team currently found themselves. It made the matter more convenient for them. Though it wasn''t really a matter of convenience. You see, although the spider god was willing to help them, she wasn''t going to do it for free. She required that they solve some questions on their own. So if they never came to this world, they would have never found such a precious clue. Ananse was true to her divinity. She was true to her title as the god of wisdom and craftiness. Her friends had to be worthy of her help, and Thor and Forseti had proven that they were.


    From her note, it was explained that to get the amber rock to grow into devilstone, they required two things. The blood of an origin god was the first of these two things. This part wasn''t hard. Both Thor and Forseti were origin gods. They would give as much of their blood as needed to get the stone. The second requirement was also pretty simple. They needed the core of a dark creature. Luckily for Thor and Forseti, they had killed several of such creatures on their way to this world. This was proof that Ananse didn''t give her help for free. If they hadn''t followed some clues that led them to those dark creatures, they would have lacked one of the key ingredients to make devilstone. And they would have wasted time going back to get it. It was Forseti who had insisted on keeping the cores of these dark creatures. Although he didn''t need it, he collected them for the warriors who followed the duo and for those who needed it back home. Wisdom is proven right by its results. In this case, Forseti''s actions were acts of wisdom.

 Chapter 127 - The Spider Gods Goal Part II

    But even after gathering all these, one couldn''t just dump them on the amber rock and expect to get devilstone. There was a process behind it. It was a mystery as to how Ananse had found all these things out. She really was the smartest person in the entire universe. Anyway, she had stated that they first needed to grind the core into dust, and then pour it into the amber rock. To do this, they had to create seven shallow fissures on the surface of the amber rock, and slowly introduce the powdered core into it. It was an act of great patience. The next step was simpler. They just had to pour a litre of the blood of an origin god upon the rock. It must be poured in such a way that the entire rock will be covered with the blood. During these processes, the amber rock must lay where it is. It mustn''t be unearthed. If it was pried from the ground, one wouldn''t get the devilstone- only a blood covered rock. This was because amber rocks were special. They grew on special lines called ''earth lines??. These lines were invisible to the n.a.k.e.d eye, and even to the eyes of the gods. Sensor gods like Ananse were no exception. So how did Ananse figure this out? According to what she had written, she had studied that these imaginary lines were areas were the edict and chaos were interwoven. The two opposing forces lived in harmony on these ''earth lines''. And their presence was essential in the formation of devilstone. After going through this process, one would only have to wait patiently for the amber rock to absorb all the blood and emerge as devilstone.


    As for the location of the Chaotic Flames, she had given no answers. But she did assure them in her letter that they should follow the clues they had and make it far enough to receive her aid. Apparently, she had already left a clue for them on the planet were the Chaotic Flames slumbers. Although they didn''t have the location of the Chaotic Flames, the two gods were in a jovial mood. Not only had they found the devilstone, Ananse had also promised that she was going to help them. The large grins on their faces made them look like two mad men- mad gods rather. But Dracula and his gang weren''t appalled by what they were witnessing. In fact, their smiles were even larger than the gods''. As long as the two gods were this happy, then their request would surely be granted.


    "My friend stated here that I should do everything in my power to aid you. So I declare from this day forth that you are free. No longer will you be chased down by the members of my race. Any who dares ignore my words will face the wrath and punishment of the thunder god." Thor solemnly swore. Thunder roared and lightning flashed at the pledge of their king. Dracula, Alucard, Vlad, and Lilith were elated at his words. But Thor wasn''t done.


    "What is your request? Feel free to speak, for as of today, you are friends of Asgard." Thor stretched out his hand towards Dracula. Forseti still had a huge grin on his face as he witnessed what for the vampires was a historic moment. Dracula was stunned by the sudden display of friendship. He didn''t expect receive such a response for just delivering a message. The others were just as surprised as he was. Even the usually taciturn Alucard had an expression of disbelief on his face. Never in their wildest of dreams did they think they would get such a response. Although bewildered, the Vampire Lord extended his arm as well, grasping the strong arm of the thunder god.


    Thor felt he had to explain some things to the Vampire Lord. Still holding on to Dracula''s forearm, he explained, "My friend stated in the letter that you and your team are talents to be nurtured. She stated that you are as wise as you are talented in wielding. As long you are allowed to grow, you will be worthy allies. As for your injuries Dracula, we will deal with that once we get to Asgard."


    Dracula asked surprised, "Asgard? We are going to Asgard with you?" He was right to be baffled. His entire team was. If the one inviting them was anyone but the straight forward Thor, they would have found a way to escape. They would have thought such an invitation a trap. But coming from Thor, it likely wasn''t. Going against his nature would put a dent in his divinity.


    "Yes. She asked that we take you to Asgard with us. Don''t worry. Nothing will happen to you during your stay. She asked us to train you in her stead." Forseti said with a smile. Ananse had indeed asked that the vampires be taken under the wings of the rulers of the 1st heaven until she next returns. In her letter, she had stated that they had great potential to become a powerful race, and that the Asgardians should nurture them, rather than hunt them. This was why Thor had easily forgiven their crimes. Their pardon wasn''t because of the information they had given. That information, though precious, was worth only one request. But now it was different. Taking them away to Asgard will mean that not only will they get to see Ananse again, they would also gain trusted allies. They had unconditional faith in Ananse. If she said they were worthy of nurturing, then they were. Her words were weightier than gold; her wisdom more valuable than diamonds and rubies.


    Dracula was stunned by the revelation. To think that the stranger they had met would be so valuable to the Asgardians. A few words from her had Thor making promises and decisions he usually wouldn''t be making on his own. Diplomatic decisions like these were taken by the goddesses Frigg and Freya. For Thor to hold no place for their wisdom just because of a letter from a non-Asgardian was unbelievable. And from the way the god of thunder was acting, he didn''t need the Allfather''s approval either. In fact, it seemed as though the Allfather would have made the same decisions were he here himself.


    "This¡­ We are grateful for your care Thunder God." Dracula lightly bowed as he expressed his thanks. He was genuinely thankful for the protection of Asgard. With the protection of those who previously viewed them as nothing but objects of their wrath and anger, they would be able to grow comfortably. And with Thor''s promise, his injuries will also be treated. Alucard and the others replicated the master''s action. They did so in all eagerness. And they were very grateful to the one who made this possible. The one who had directed them and had helped them so. When they were strong enough, they would do their best to repay this favour.


    "There is no need to be so formal. We are a straightforward people. Anyone placed highly by my friend is a friend of mine. You can just call me Thor." Thor stated happily.


    "And you can just refer to me as Forseti." Forseti added. Dracula smiled at their words. He didn''t reject their friendship. He was actually more than willing to take it.


    "Now to your request. What is it that you seek?" Although Thor had an idea of what they were going to ask of him, he wasn''t one to jump into conclusions. If he was, he would be owing a lot to so many people. Especially his son-in-law.


    "We were told that as long as you allowed it, we would be able to retrieve those we lost. This is our request. Please return our people to us."

 Chapter 128 - Hela, The Goddess Of Death Part I

    Looking at the bent figure of the Vampire Lord, Thor had a serene expression on his face. The initial excitement from gaining the help of Ananse was gone. All that remained in its place was a calm that was as silent as it was tranquil. Just like he thought, they truly requested for the return of their people. He expected this request the moment he read Ananse''s letter in its entirety. The spider god had stated in her letter that the gods of Asgard should do anything in their power to grant the request of the vampires. This was part of her buyout clause. Only by fulfilling all her requests would she continue to help them. And all her requests were centred on the vampires. Thor had begun to speculate about the difficulty of their request when he saw that Ananse had stated that they should do ''everything in their power''. This didn''t only mean that the wise god was aware of the desire of the group that stood before him, she also knew it was no trivial task. That was why she had implored that they help them no matter the cost. But it wasn''t for nothing. Her help was one thing, but she also stated that they would get something else for helping the vampires.


    "Did my friend tell you anything else?" Thor kept referring to Ananse as ''his friend''. He wasn''t willing to reveal her real name. Even revealing her gender was a slip-up on their part. Since Ananse had met and spoken to the vampires with a concealed identity, it was obvious that she didn''t want them to know who she was. From their words, she had stayed with them for some time, yet they never once learned anything about her identity. They didn''t even know her s.e.x until today. And Thor wasn''t going to show her disrespect by disdaining her wishes.


    "She did." Alucard stated. "She said we will have to pledge ourselves to you in return. But that is a small price to pay." Alucard spoke in a carefree manner, almost as if pledging oneself to another was but a trivial ordeal. But when one truly considered the state of affairs here, it really wasn''t a big deal to give one''s freedom for the resurrection of their race.


    "I see" Thor nodded. "But I don''t think she was clear." He continued. Dracula and the others were surprised by his subsequent words.


    "What do you mean?" Dracula answered. Since Thor had asked that he be treated as an equal, Dracula had dispensed the previous formalities he had taken initially when addressing the origin battle god.


    "Your allegiance wouldn''t be to us Asgardians. It will be to another." Thor slowly explained.


    "What-" Lilith had barely began her statement when Dracula raised his hand before her, signalling that she should be silent. He knew what she wanted to say. Alucard did as well. Even Vlad knew the question that weighed on the mind of the seductive vampire. But they had chosen to remain silent because they believed that Thor would explain his words more clearly. Lilith kept her mouth shut after seeing her master''s signal. She remained silent, just like the others, and waited for the thunder god to continue with his speech. They did get their answer, but it was Forseti who went on to elaborate the words of his uncle.


    "In her letter, our friend asked us to do all sort of things for you. From her words, she seemed to know about your request, didn''t she?"


    Vlad nodded his head and answered, "She did, Lord Forseti." Although Thor had asked that they dispense all formalities when they addressed the two gods, Vlad wasn''t going to do that. Vampires were a race built on hierarchy. They had stringent rules on treatments offered to purebloods and to the ''unclean''. Although Vlad was a pureblood, Dracula was his Lord. And Alucard was his young lord. As such, he always referred to the two with respect. Lilith had a different and more nonchalant way of addressing her masters, but she also respected them. Her mode of communication with her master was due to the fact that she was ranked higher than Vlad, and was even older than Alucard. Hence, she could address them in a slightly different way. A more casual and unrestrained relationship was shared between them. But Vlad didn''t have this sought of privilege, nor did he crave for it. He was satisfied and more than happy to idolize his master and his young master. And this was why he couldn''t refer to Thor or Forseti in an informal manner. To him, it was only his masters who were qualified to speak to the gods on equal footing. This wasn''t because he blindly believed that they were as strong as the two Asgardian gods. The previous showing had taught him that it was foolish to believe that was the truth. It was because the thunder god himself had given the permission to address him and the god of justice by name that Vlad regarded the gods and his masters as equals. But since he wasn''t equal to his masters, referring to either of the two gods without a title- what he deemed was disrespect to the gods and his masters- was unacceptable. But since he wanted to respect the wishes of the thunder god, he didn''t refer to Forseti by his title, but called him ''Lord'' as well, effectively placing the god of justice on the same pedestal as his masters.


    "It is because she did that she understood the difficulty of such a task. Her friendship is valued highly by my race, it truly is. But even then we would be hard pressed to give you what you want. This is because this doesn''t rest on our shoulders only, but on the shoulders of someone else. Someone whose power is just as terrifying as my uncle''s, and commands respect from all sides."


    Dracula wrinkled his brow in worry. He knew their request was a difficult one. In fact, before meeting ''her'', he had no such desire. To him, his people were dead and gone. It was ''she'' who had assured them that resurrecting the dead was a possible feat- it was difficult, but probable. But she had also mentioned that although it wasn''t impossible, the sheer difficulty of the task would make it impossible for the request to be given without giving anything in return. But even then, it seemed that he had underestimated the true difficulty of the task. Even more surprising was that they didn''t actually need the help of Thor himself. From Forseti''s words, the thunder god could only petition the help of their mysterious helper and nothing more. This was why he was worried. This person may be unwilling to help them after all.


    "The dead of the first heaven are her domain. She must give her consent before any soul can be taken away from her realm." Thor stated. "But your request may very well be granted if you promise to pledge yourselves to someone." Forseti quickly added.


    Thor was referring to Hela, the daughter of Loki- his brother. In other words, his niece. She was the goddess of death. And although she was born after him, she was highly talented, and was just as powerful as he was. Not only was she an extremely thorny individual to deal with due to her outstanding power, she also had an army of undead on her side. Her army was no trifling force. They were one to be reckoned with. In fact, even the Allfather took her army seriously. Luckily for Asgard, she was also Asgardian and never sought war, only peace. Unlike her brothers, she preferred a quiet and solitary life. But this didn''t mean that one could just tell her what to do. Hela was always ready to help Asgard. She would do anything for them. In fact, it was because she granted some of the power of her divinity to Tyr that the god of war had been able to so easily take care of the vampire race, killing those who were deemed unkillable. But that was where her loyalty lay. She was more than ready to give herself up for Asgard, but to make any sacrifice for an outsider was outside the question.


    Dracula''s worried expression was eased by Forseti''s words. He asked immediately, "To whom must we pledge ourselves?"


    "You will know in due time. Right now you aren''t qualified to know his name- or what he will become." Thor waved his hand lightly as he spoke.


    His words sounded insulting. After all, he was speaking to four ascenders. Yet the ascenders in question didn''t mind his tone. Their anxiety concerning whether or not their request would be answered overwhelmed any pride they had. Even Vlad, who normally wouldn''t let such words against his masters'' slide was silent. Among the four, it was probably the Impaler who felt the most pressure. In all his years he had been wracked with guilt concerning the wiping out of his race. He blamed the Asgardians for a while, then his anger towards them gradually changed to anger towards himself. After being rebuked by Lilith, for who knows how many times in the past millennia, he had unconsciously began to blame himself and not them. Among all who stood here, the weight of his race''s extinction weighed most heavily on him. Now there was a chance to bring them back. His pride was great, but his need for redemption- his search for atonement- was even greater.

 Chapter 129 - Hela, The Goddess Of Death Part II

    "Remember this though, if you promise to pledge yourself to the young master, Hela will help you." Forseti assured them when he noticed their anxious looks. You would know how important this was to them once you observed Alucard. Even the carefree blood prince had the same look of anxiety on his face. It showed just how much this meant to them.


    The eyes of the four lit up at the same time. If previously they looked like men forced to wander a desert for many days without any water, they now looked like they had come across an oasis and were eager for a drink of the lifesaving resource.


    "We pledge our loyalty to the one who remains hidden" Dracula promised, his voice filled with the unwavering spirit of one determined to do all it takes to succeed.


    "We pledge our loyalty to the one who remains hidden" After Dracula''s promise came Alucard''s. His voice was filled with the same amount of determination his father''s.


    "We pledge our loyalty to the one who remains hidden"


    "We pledge our loyalty to the one who remains hidden"


    Lilith and Vlad pledged themselves following Alucard''s promise to give up his freedom. Lilith went first, then Vlad followed. The pledges were offered in order of rank.


    "We pledge our loyalty to the one who remains hidden" Dracula pledged once again after the others were done. If he was pledging for himself initially, this time he was pledging on behalf of his people. He was essentially promising that once they were resurrected, their lives belonged the one to whom they had been promised.


    Thor nodded satisfactorily after they had ended their pledges. Their pledge was addressed to the ''one who remains hidden'' because they had no idea who they were promising their services to. In the 1st heaven, this was an extremely rare pledge. This was because no one will give their lives into the hands of someone they hadn''t met. Only the truly desperate were willing to take this kind of oath. And there was no way they could go back on their word. This was because they needed the help of the gods of Asgard. And before their request would be granted, they would have to sign a soul contract so that both sides would keep their end of the agreement.


    Hela was powerful, but she had one weakness. This was a weakness known only to a few high gods of Asgard, and the spider god Ananse. Although many thought Hela was heartless and immovable, she wasn''t really one devoid of love. It was because of love that she was loyal to Asgard. And it was because of love that she couldn''t betray her brothers. This was why she was the most miserable of all the gods, for the two groups were on opposing sides. Love was her weakness, which was why Ananse had stated in his letter that the vampires swear an oath that they would serve the ''young master''. Her reasoning was simple. Although the young master hadn''t met Hela, she had met him. And she loved the boy. Hela had watched the boy grow from afar, and she still did. She adored her nephew, and it was because of the unconditional love she had for the boy that Ananse had made such a proposal. This was because the ''young master'' was going to need all the help he could get. The addition of an army born from a race who were almost unkillable will be a great addition- a great boon if you must- to his strength. This would make it almost impossible for Hela to reject their request. She wasn''t going to do it for them. After all, she didn''t know them. And if she did remember them, it surely wasn''t anything good. They had killed Asgardians after all. She would rather kill them than help them. But in this case, the favour wasn''t for them. It was for her young master.


    "Then consider your request granted. Come, you must follow us for a few years until we finish up with our search. Then we''d help you with your injuries. And after everything is dealt with, we''d see Hela." Thor explained as he picked up Mjolnir. "Sorry for calling you here for no reason partner. You should take your leave now." Once he finished his words he tossed Mjolnir into the sky and out of the planet. As for where the hammer was going, it was definitely Asgard.


    "It is no problem at all. My injury has stayed with me for several years now. A few more will make no difference. And we would wait even longer if that was all it took to get our people back." Dracula lightly stated. He wasn''t merely speaking. He was sincere with his speech. A few more years was nothing to ascenders like himself. They could easily handle an exploration if the end result was the resurgence of their almost extinct race.


    "Great. Let us leave then." Thor smiled at the response of Dracula and bent to pick up his unconscious warriors. He picked up the huge men like they were pieces of paper and hoisted them unto his shoulders. He walked away after doing this, with Forseti walking right beside him. The god of justice didn''t even offer to carry one of the men. He knew that to Thor, they weighed nothing. As such, his help wasn''t really needed.


    "Alright" Dracula followed behind the two gods, his people following his lead. Alucard didn''t immediately follow them though. He stretched out his hand towards the corner of the destroyed mountain. A blood coloured stone flew towards his outstretched arm at amazing speed. After catching this object, he finally walked off. As he did, he couldn''t help but wonder, "Who is this person we have sworn ourselves to? Forseti called him their young master. As far as I know, the Asgardians have no such character. The one truly qualified to be called their young master is Thor, but it is obvious that this has nothing to do with him. It is already a headache to deal with Hela. Now we have a master we don''t know."


    He rubbed his head exhaustedly as he followed his people, all the while wondering who it was they were supposed to protect. As if hearing his thoughts, Dracula asked the same question,


    "Who is it that we are sworn to? We do deserve to know this much, don''t we?"


    Forseti glanced at Thor, seeking his opinion. The older god nodded his head in approval, allowing the god of justice to reply thus, "His name is Mane. He is the son of the Brute King, an ascender on par with Thor."


    Dracula was surprised to hear this. They had been hidden for so long that they didn''t know much about the current universe. His surprise wasn''t because there was someone strong enough to rival an Asgardian Origin Battle God. He was astonished because such an identity didn''t give their new master enough qualifications to have the Asgardians cherish him so. However, his doubts were quickly cleared by Thor''s words


    "He is my grandson. And the great grandson of Odin himself."


    If Mane knew that his family was doing so much for him without his knowledge, he would be touched. And he would surely be happy to know that there was an army being built up for him. An army of bloodsuckers.

 Chapter 130 - Training Part I

    "Ha ha ha"


    Mane panted laboriously as he struggled to catch his breath. His small frame was coated heavily with sweat, with his clothes sticking adamantly to his fair skin. Before him was a dummy that was dented in many areas. Along with the dents were small traces of dried up blood. He was currently training. It had been a month since he recovered. That would make it a month since he began his training- body wielding training. His ragged breaths showed how intense his training was. And his tired eyes spoke volumes of the stress it took on his body. Yet when one looked into those tired eyes there was no look of concession, only the burning will to train harder.


    "It is not enough." He muttered. Due to his ragged breathing his sentence was produced in fragments, and it wasn''t as fluid as it normally would be.


    "Again." From his mind space the booming voice of the 5th filled his head. He could feel his ears ringing, almost as if the sound originated from outside, and not from within. He shook off the dizzy spell he was going through and rushed towards the dummy. Unlike the dummy in his ring, this one wasn''t so special. Apart from its hard exterior, there was nothing truly special about it. It was a dummy that was used to train wielders in the mortal realm. A gift from his father for training in body wielding.


    *Bang* *Bang* *Bang*


    Mane constantly unleashed a barrage of kicks and punches at the dummy. His movements weren''t perfect, but they were no joke. There were very little openings in his defence to capitalize on whenever he delivered an attack, and every attack was timed to perfection. Although he looked tired, his resolve wasn''t lost. On the contrary, it was strengthened further.


    "That''s enough. Take a break. You have thirty seconds" At the command of the 5th, Mane ceased his actions. He sat down slowly in a meditative state and began to perform some basic breathing exercises. Inside his mind space the 5th hummed in acknowledgement. The boy had improved drastically since he first began his training. His improvement was inhumane. Just four weeks ago, whenever he was given a break he would slump to the ground in utter tiredness, and would require about five minutes to be anywhere near fit again. But as he progressed, he grew more composed and his breaks were shortened. As such his improvement was exponential. The boy who was calmly practicing breathing exercises was so different from the little blondie who was desperately out of breath just a month ago.


    "So?" the 1st asked. He wasn''t clear with his question. But he didn''t need to be.


    "Astronomical" the 4th answered. "Indeed. His improvement is beyond legendary. I haven''t seen anyone grow so quickly in the body wielding art. If he continues like this he would be able to rival peak mortal realm experts with his body strength alone in just a few more weeks. And if he starts to incorporate outer energy into his attacks, his mortal realm physique will be capable of going against above-mortal realm experts with little to no problem." The 5th wasn''t stingy with his praise. But his generosity was only because Mane wasn''t there to hear it. Just like he could hide his innermost thoughts from his masters, they could also hide their conversations from him.


    "It has to do with his special physique. His rate of recovery is amazing." The 2nd added.


    "Yes, it is. I remember how battered up he was the first few times. Yet he always returned full of energy the very next day." The 3rd remarked. Initially when Mane began his training, he was bruised and injured all over. His parents were so terrified after seeing him in that state that they had rushed into his mind scape to give the masters a piece of their minds. And the masters didn''t defend themselves. In fact, the 1st, 3rd, and 2nd agreed with his parents that he should end his training. They believed it was too brutal for one so young. However the 5th refused to back down, stating that he would only stop if the boy asked him to. He had seen the eyes of the boy while he trained. Those weren''t the eyes of someone who wanted to quit. They were the eyes of a hungry man. They were the eyes of one who yearned for more strength. The blue eyes of the boy were as vast as the sea itself, and the eagerness to grow more powerful even more expansive. The usually quiet 4th actually agreed with the 5th. He also believed that the training should only end if Mane deemed them unworthy to teach him.


    They were right. He improved at a staggering rate over the past few weeks. And his parents were silenced not only by this progress, but by the fact that without any drugs Mane woke up every morning refreshed and well. It was only then that his parents remembered that he was not just a boy, he was the son of gods. Gods who had a rich and vast heritage behind them. They finally understood what happens when the Olympian and Nordic godblood were mixed together: a freak was produced. So to show that they supported their little boy, they actually got him several training dummies of different kinds. And even Ray had become his sparring partner for his training.


    "Time''s up kid. Give me twenty laps. Full speed sprinting only" Mane was training in the bas.e.m.e.nt of his house. It was a training room that was 100 by 100 metres. Twenty laps was equivalent to about 8000 metres, which was 8 kilometres. He didn''t say anything, only giving a grunt of approval and rising from his meditative state. In his short break he had stabilised his breathing pattern, and no longer looked so tired. Once he was up, he dashed at full speed towards the area marked as his starting point and continued to run at the same speed.


    Half-way through Mane''s run, the door to the training room was opened. A brown haired man walked in dressed in his training apparel. He didn''t interrupt the sprinting boy, choosing to wait patiently on the side lines for his sprint to end.


    Mane''s speed was amazing. In about one minute he had already completed twelve laps. And although his breathing was ragged, his speed had not decreased in any way. If anything, he was slowly increasing in speed. The brown haired man who watched him smiled in satisfaction. Ray could see the determination behind his son''s movements. The power contained in each stride was impressive for someone who had just began his journey in body wielding. In fact, Ray was certain that if any body wielding veteran were to observe Mane right now, none of them would conclude that he began his journey just a month ago. In about 40 more seconds, Mane was done with his laps.


    "Take a break. The usual." Mane nodded at the words of the 5th and once again sat down in a meditative state. He acted as though he hadn''t seen his father who stood on the side lines watching him. Ray didn''t seem to mind the cold treatment. Rather he approved of it. Mane''s breathing was ragged and he was showing signs of exhaustion. Speaking in such a state would be a big mistake considering that his rhythm was already interrupted. Right now, what he needed was to recover as quickly as possible so that he would be ready for the next stage of his training.


    "Time''s up." The cold voice of the 5th forced Mane to end his meditation and rise. Just like before, his breathing had been normalised during his short break and his energy, although not completely restored, wasn''t empty either. "Ready yourself." the 4th demanded.


    "I''m ready." Upon making this announcement, Mane lightly spread his legs apart and bent his knees. He stretched his arms before him and breathed in deeply.


    "Hah!" He screamed. His voice was pleasant and cute, just like his small frame, yet the reaction from this small shout was not as charming. The space around him grew chaotic as the winds began to stir. His golden hair flowed around chaotically and was blown upwards, going against gravity itself. The atmosphere around Mane changed completely. His blue eyes were even bluer, and the ground he stood on cracked apart like it was feeble glass. After about ten seconds Mane stood upright again. The raging atmosphere that filled the bas.e.m.e.nt was gone, leaving behind a serenity that deceived all that what happened before was merely an illusion. Ray narrowed his eyes at his son''s change.

 Chapter 131 - Training Part II

    "He is actually able to use outer energy." He mumbled silently. Ray was stunned by what he was seeing. Typically, body wielders trained for a relatively long time before being able to manipulate edict. The fastest he had heard someone gained access to outer energy was after three months of training. Mane had been training for only 1! And although he could only maintain this state for ten seconds, and couldn''t necessarily use it in combat, it was only a matter of time before that weakness was overcome.


    As for why he couldn''t use it in combat, it was simply because no one will wait for him to prepare himself so comfortably before attacking. Since Mane was now learning the ropes, he wasn''t used to entering this state on a whim. He would grow more talented in it in the weeks to come. That much Ray was certain of.


    "Good. Again." The 4th didn''t say much. But his commands were conveyed, and his praise was flattering. Mane nodded, and continued to deepen his connection to outer energy.


    "Hah!" he exclaimed once more. And once again, the atmosphere around him changed as the edict in the surroundings were stirred. This was the difference between body wielders and energy wielders. Whereas energy wielders connected to the edict in such a way that the energy was stored in their bodies, body wielders didn''t have such a connection. What body wielders did was to use the surrounding energy of edict in combat, instead of storing that energy in their bodies. They trained hard to strengthen themselves so that this will be possible. This was because unlike inner energy, outer energy wasn''t so docile. Inner energy wielders siphoned edict from the atmosphere and accepted docile inner energy. But outer energy was a bit different. Although edict was said to be docile in nature, and not at all turbulent like chaos, it wasn''t exactly so. It was calm in comparison to chaos, but it wasn''t just a p.u.s.s.y cat. If chaos was a wild lion, the edict was a wild cat. The wild lion could be tamed, but it took amazing skill to do so. That was why spiritualists were so impressive. And although the wild cat was also difficult to tame, the level of difficulty was in no way comparable to that of taming the wild lion. If taming chaos had a difficulty of ten, edict was at a mere 4. Hence, as long as one used the right method, they would be able to successfully tame this energy and store it in themselves.


    But when one refused to tame this energy and use it directly, that was referred to as body wielding. In this case, the edict was accepted in its raw form- challenging and slightly destructive. If one''s body wasn''t strong enough to withstand its embrace, they would be torn apart. This was why body wielders trained their bodies so harshly. The stronger their bodies were, the more outer energy they would be able to use. And under the constant baptism of this untamed energy, their bodies will constantly grow stronger. So much so that even without any energy, they would be able to cause a lot of damage. Mane is a perfect example of that. The training dummy he was using was meant for mortal realm experts. To leave dents on it was equivalent to the strength of a high level mortal realm expert with strength in the eighth level of the mortal realm. Yet Mane, under his consistent and ruthless training, was able to perform such a feat in just a month.


    "That''s enough." After Mane''s tenth outburst, the sweet voice of the 4th allowed him to take a break. Mane silently walked towards the dummy and then began to meditate right in front of it. After about thirty seconds, the voice of the 4th announced that his break was over.


    "You know what to do." The 4th stated. "I do" Mane replied. And without wasting any more time, he readied himself before the dummy, and prepared himself for another outburst.


    "Hah" Along with his voice, came a surge of energy. But this time instead of trying to maintain his state, he struck at the dummy with full power.


    *bang*


    The unfortunate dummy was knocked back about ten metres. The dummy had been blown of its stand cleanly. If one looked at it, they would see a huge dent on its chest. The dent was large and so deep that it almost seemed to create a hole in the dummy.


    "That''s enough. Your power is good. After you learn to better use outer energy we will work on your control. Rest" The 5th said.


    Mane nodded his head in affirmation. His breathing was uneven, with sweat flowing profusely down his face. That one punch had greatly exhausted him. Maintaining the state was much simpler than using it. Using outer energy required that it be directed at an opponent. For Mane who had only built a connection to this energy a few days ago, this was a strenuous feat. As for his control, he had none. An experienced body wielder wouldn''t knock the dummy cleanly off its stand. They would use just enough force to create a hole in its chest, but leave it standing as it was. He was yet to get to that level. For now, he needed rest. So when he heard the voice of the 5th saying he should rest, he didn''t resist. Even if he wanted to continue, his shaking legs and aching arms will surely disagree. He entered a meditative state immediately. He had only 30 seconds to rest. He had to use his time frugally.


    "Time''s up." Mane reluctantly left his meditative state although he was still exhausted. He was aware that it was in such a state that he would see the greatest progress. "It''s time dad." Mane beckoned his father as he run towards the older man. Ray grinned when he saw Mane''s figure rushing towards him. He had been sparring with his son for a week now. It was their constant battle that was slowly shaping Mane into a capable body wielder. Ray always reduced his strength to the peak of the mortal realm before the spar. This was to make it ''fair''.


    Ray easily sidestepped the kick that was meant for him and delivered a punch towards the mid-section of his assailant. Mane was calm even as the punch approached him. There was no way he would be able to avoid it since he was mid-air. His father was much taller than him, so anytime he attacked the older man, he had to jump. This made his attacks very predictable. One would call this unfair, but the little boy didn''t complain. There weren''t many his age who were capable of going against him. He had always been fighting against enemies much bigger than him, and he always came out on top. Maybe now that he was body wielding, he could get a sparring partner his age, but he didn''t have any at the moment. So for now, his father will do.


    When the punch was almost upon him, he grabbed the wrist of his father and used the older man like a swing. He held the arm of his father and used it as a fulcrum. He then delivered a flying kick by borrowing his old man''s arm.


    *Bang*


    "Nice" Ray praised as he wiped the footprint off his face. Due to the nature of the attack, there wasn''t much power in Mane''s strike. But it was enough to put some distance between them.

 Chapter 132 - Progress Part I

    After delivering the kick, Mane flipped mid-air and landed stably. He kept his body crouched and poised for an attack. But unlike before, he didn''t make the first move. He patiently watched his father like an eagle stalking its prey. But this time, it wasn''t going to play out as it always did. For his father was no prey; dude was a hunter.


    *Boom*


    The ground beneath Ray exploded as the full power of a mortal realm expert burst out from within him. Just like the outburst of outer energy that body wielders were so adept at, the outburst of inner energy was also explosive. However, unlike outer energy, inner energy manifested in a strange glow that covered the body. As could be seen on Ray currently, the green glow that covered his entire frame was born from inner energy. Outer energy made no such manifestations. It was rare to see this glow on Zandorians however. In Zandor, the residents of this tiny planet did not truly know how to properly use inner energy. What Ray had done was a basic form of inner energy use. But the people of Zandor weren''t accustomed to this. The use of inner energy to manipulate the elements was a very high level of control with regards to using inner energy. It was amazing that Zandorians didn''t know the basics of inner energy manipulation, but could attain such high levels of elemental control. This was truly attributed to their bloodlines. And it was evidence that Zandor had a history that was much deeper than what it appeared to be. For if bloodlines with inherent control over the elements were passed down on an unknown planet, it signified that this planet was more mysterious than it appeared.


    Ray''s speed was exceptional, it took him less to no time to get to Mane. But even under this exceptional speed, Mane didn''t panic. He poised himself like an animal, choosing to be on all fours. His eyes glowed beautifully like turquoise and read his opponent''s movements with serenity. His aura was grandiose, almost like he was a king surveying his land- nay, an alpha watching his pup. But his father''s aura was no weaker than his. The Brute King was a conqueror of many worlds, and a survivor of a million battles. The smell of blood on him was dense, his aura stifling to the average man- and the average god. Even with his strength reduced to the mortal realm, his bearing was that of a peak level ascender. And his son''s aura had no effect on him. He had sparred with Mane a few times already. The first time he had experienced the boy''s aura he was startled. Such an aura was born from not only winning a hundred different battles, but staining your hands with the blood of several. It was disheartening that his ten year old boy had such an aura already. But it also spoke of his son''s strength and progress. So totally ignoring the beast-like aura Mane was giving off, Ray calmly delivered his punch.


    *Bang*


    The ground where Mane previously stood was cracked apart like an eggshell. The cause of this destruction was the big fist that struck it right now. As for he who previously stood in that position, he had calmly leapt out of the way. Right before Ray attack had hit Mane, the little boy had jumped to the side- whilst still on all fours. His leap was similar to that of a wolf avoiding a fatal blow- quick and efficient. Yet Ray didn''t plan to let him off so easy. After he missed his first attack, he span to the left, where his son had leapt to, and dashed towards the boy who was still mid-air. Ray''s reaction was fast, but Mane was no slouch himself. He didn''t allow his father to strike first. Even though he was mid-air, he wasn''t helpless. He tucked himself in, and pushed out with his legs as though the air was the sea and he was a fish. His strange action pushed him towards the wall of the training room. It was almost as if there was an invisible springboard in the air, and Mane had used that to get away. But that wasn''t his true intention. Once he was close to the wall, he performed a backflip so he would land on it with his legs, and not strike it headfirst. It was fascinating how one could so easily change his direction mid-air, and perform such complex actions without the ability to fly. Ray was very impressed with what he was seeing. Yet his pleasure at seeing his son''s strange actions didn''t stop his march one bit. It took a bit longer to get to his son''s location, since the little boy had opened up the distance between them, but he got there anyway. Once he did, he delivered an unimpressive fist towards the boy.


    *Bang*


    Ray missed his target, striking the wall instead. The new dent on the previously even wall surface was testament of the power that was hidden in that ordinary looking fist. As for Mane, he cleverly allowed himself to fall slightly as the punch came in and narrowly avoided it. Once he had landed on the wall, his father was almost upon him. He didn''t do anything too impressive, choosing to let gravity do its job and fall off a bit. There was a small smile on his face as he pushed with his legs and delivered a solid punch to the belly of the man who was his father.


    *Bang*


    Mane''s fist struck his father firmly on his midsection. Both figures flew forward for about ten metres, with Mane''s fist sticking to his father''s belly like a cat with a piece of fish in its mouth. Once they had reached the ten meter mark, Mane exerted more force into his fist and unleashed his full strength.


    "Hah!" he exclaimed, sending his father crashing onto the ground, his strength beyond the level of the mortal realm. Mane had successfully unleashed outer energy onto his father. Although the older man had assumed that Mane couldn''t apply the skill in combat, the younger boy had proven him wrong. It wasn''t that Ray''s previous logic wasn''t sound. He was right in every way to believe that someone who had just began to learn how to access outer energy wouldn''t be able to use it in a fight. And he was right. In a true battle, Mane wouldn''t be able to use outer energy in a fight. It took too long for him to get into the state, and it was difficult for him to unleash an attack with it. As witnessed earlier, he got exhausted after utilizing outer energy for just one simple punch. But Mane had an eidetic memory. He could remember everything that happened, when it happened. The more he experienced something, the better he got at it. This was so for everyone. But it was doubly so for Mane. And he had displayed why his memory was so useful. Although he still couldn''t use outer energy in a true fight, the time he needed to slip into the state had decreased by two seconds. It may sound insignificant, but it had helped him tremendously. In that brief moment where he had latched onto the wall, he had begun his preparations for entering into the state. And even after he delivered the punch, he still wasn''t there yet. It was only after they had traversed that short distance did he feel outer energy beckon, and he was happy to seek its aid. But the effects of the attack on him was obvious. His breathing was shallow and ragged. He was dead tired. The training from before was exhaustive enough, but now he had gone past his limits once more, and his body was groaning, pleading its master for a much needed moment of rest. But Mane couldn''t rest just yet. Although the energy that surrounded his father''s body was enough to block a mortal realm attack, it couldn''t fend off an above-mortal realm level attack. And that was the force behind Mane''s fist. Mane wasn''t relieved at all. He needed to see with his own eyes that his attack had been successful. But the dust that filled the room from the ground where his father had fallen made it difficult to see the results of his fist. And the silence that filled the room was unsettling. The longer his father stayed down, the more anxious he got. He had sparred with his father several times, and not even once had he emerged the winner. For someone with a winning streak like himself it was totally unacceptable, even if that person was his father. Although he didn''t know how powerful his father was, he knew from his masters that his father was at the peak of the ascension realm. He knew that even among the gods, his father was no figure to be trifled with. But that didn''t stop him from wanting to win. It only made the zeal to beat the Brute King even stronger. But the zealous boy was slowly losing his footing. His eyelids were gradually closing and a dizziness spell was creeping in. But before he even had the time to worry about that, he felt movement from his back.


    "Not again" he mumbled. His body was too tired to heed his commands. All he could do was smile wryly as he received a knife chop to the neck. As he lost his consciousness, all he could think of was, "How did he do it this time?"

 Chapter 133 - Progress Part II

    "So Dad, how did you do it? I was certain that I struck you." It had been over an hour since Mane lost consciousness. He woke up about ten minutes after he passed out and immediately began to meditate. After swallowing some recovery pills, he had meditated for over 40 minutes. His meditation had only just ended, and he finally felt full of energy and vigor. Although he was a bit exhausted, this was mainly psychological, and a little bit of sleep will be enough to deal with that. Of course he was ignoring the slight aching from his body. After a month of tedious training, he had become accustomed to this feeling. Once he was sufficiently fit, he immediately asked what he had been curious about before he even lost his consciousness.


    "Lease. Make that two leases." Ray answered with a smile. "What spells are those?" Mane asked curiously. He really wanted to know what he did wrong. Every time he dueled his father, they would have this conversation. It pulled them closer together, and it broadened Mane''s knowledge of battle skills. Although Mane had an outrageous battle capability, it did him a lot of good to battle against an actual god. Even with his strength reduced, Ray was still a god, and Mane appreciated their spars.


    "The first lease is called ''transformatio''. It allows one to take the form of another object or person. The second one is ''reformandam''. It allows you to make another copy of yourself." Ray answered.


    "I see. You made a clone of yourself?" Mane inquired. "You really are sharp. I did." Ray praised his son for his sharp wit. "And you used transformatio to keep yourself hidden. But what did you transform into. And when did you create that clone?" Mane asked.


    Ray smiled and replied, "When you kicked me the first time. During your mid-air flip, I stealthily created the clone. And then I transformed into that." Ray pointed at his footwear. Mane finally understood what had happened. He had been too careless in the fight just now. During their bout, he noticed a shoe discarded at the corner of the room, and had ignored it. At the time, he didn''t have any spare concentration to waste on what he considered an insignificant member of the training room. That was his mistake. With his exceptional memory, he should have been able to tell that there was no such footwear when he first entered the room. And during his training, there was nothing like that. He should have noticed that there was something wrong with the shoe. To be fair, Mane was being too hard on himself. The pace of the battle was such that taking his eye of it for just a second would have spelled his immediate defeat. So there was no way he could afford to think about something else.


    Secondly, transformatio and reformandam were high level leases that were difficult to master. Ray himself had only mastered them after reaching the peak of the heavenly realm. And these were leases he had been studying since he was a profound realmer! That was how hard it was to grasp these two techniques. Unlike leases like restituere, which required a lot of energy- chaos- to use, but weren''t difficult to understand, the other two techniques were much more complex. In fact, there were some high level spiritualists who hadn''t grasped these techniques yet. So even among spiritualists, masters of this technique were rare.


    "Don''t be too hard on yourself. You have gotten much better. And my skills are being displayed to you slowly. Soon, when I am depleted of all my tricks, I would be hard pressed to get a win over you." Ray consoled. He wasn''t trying to be nice. He meant every word he said. Unlike Mane, who didn''t have any clue as to what his battle skills were like, Ray knew a lot about his son''s techniques. So it wasn''t really fair that Mane had to duel the man without knowing what his father''s skills were. But even after being told that he- Ray- was aware of all his techniques, Mane insisted that it mattered little. According to our blonde haired protagonist, there were definitely going to be times when he faced people who knew much more about him than he did them. So fighting against his father was the best possible training he could get.


    "It doesn''t matter. I''m ready. We should start the second phase." Mane nodded at his father''s words. But he didn''t dwell much on it, neither did he his loss. He was eager to continue with his training.


    "No, not quite yet. Let us get something to eat first. I could go without food for ages. But you are still in your growth phase. You need all the nutrition you can get. And you will get them all. Or else your mother will kill me." Ray shuddered at the last part of his sentence. Any god would feel it was comedic that the Brute King was so afraid of his wife. He wasn''t. But when he recalled the scolding and black eye he got a few weeks ago from forgetting to bring Mane up for his lunch, the shuddering was involuntary. At that time, Mane was studying the body wielding art form of the 4th. It was called the ''beast form''. It involved getting accustomed to an animal that called to you and following the movements of that creature to enhance your unpredictability. That was what Mane had employed in his fight against his father. Mane had begun training in the wolf form, an animal that had always appealed to him since he was little. It was the only creature that had been able to kill him in the simulation chamber, and it had left a big impression. In their eagerness to try out this new form, the duo had stayed in the bas.e.m.e.nt till late in the afternoon. As they had lost track of time, they had no idea that they were hours past their lunchtime. It was Alexis who came to call them out after realizing that the two were nowhere to be found. Although she didn''t seem mad, later that night when the two were alone in their room he was scolded. It turned out that she was only keeping her cool because Mane was there. In her eyes, he wasn''t to blame. In fact, Ray was certain that even if he was tied up by Mane before her eyes, and the boy refused to eat, she would still blame him. To her, her boy could do no wrong. She didn''t care about whether Ray ate or not. He was a god, he didn''t really need to eat. But Mane was different. Nutrition was vital for him at this stage, especially since he was a body wielder now. But there was no way he was going to tell Mane that he wanted them to go and eat because he had been beaten up the last time.


    "Oh right. Now that you mention it, I am starving." Mane exclaimed upon realizing that he truly was hungry. Body wielding required an enormous amount of food. Since he had begun his training, his food consumption had increased by about twice the previous amount. He quickly stood up and hurried towards the door.

 Chapter 134 - True Duel: Manes Real Strength Part I

    "Good, you''re finally out. I almost came in there to call you." Just when the father and son duo had exited the training room, and closed the door, they heard the voice of the only woman with authority to command them in this house. Ray shuddered when he heard her words. They were so lucky that they had left just now. Just a couple of seconds more and they would have been in trouble. Well, it was more accurate to say that he would have been in trouble. There was no way she would even scold Mane, not to talk of bruising her son. He was a different case altogether. Alexis had no qualms breaking his jaw. And she definitely didn''t mind bruising his pretty face. Even worse was that he couldn''t use his god power to heal since if he restored his appearance without her permission she would be even more infuriated.


    "We lost track of time. I asked Dad to teach me something extra." Mane intelligently replied. He was an intelligent boy with excellent observation skills. How could he not see that his father was worried? Besides, he knew that his mother would do anything to make him happy. She was more than willing to do anything that was best for him, and she wouldn''t allow anyone to stand in her way, even if that person was her very own husband.


    "No matter. Wash up over there and join me at the table." Alexis sighed as she instructed. The training room wasn''t the only room in the bas.e.m.e.nt. There was also a resting area and several other rooms that remained unused. The resting area just outside the training room had been reinstated, with a long dinner table and some chairs added so that Mane and his father could dine here after their training. At the corner of the room were two bowls of clean water and two towels. The father and son duo rushed towards the wash basins to clean their hands and face. They quickly joined Alexis at the table once they were done.


    Mane took his seat in between his father and mother, with his father to his right, and his mother to his left. He cast his attention to the table before him. On this long table were several meat dishes, more than enough to serve a group of seven famished men. The smell of the dishes called to him, and his stomach rumbled loudly in response. He blushed slightly, yet that didn''t stop his hands from reaching towards his meal. He picked up his fork and reached for his first target, a chicken drumstick, and placed it on his plate. The drumstick was as large as his head, and just as heavy. Yet unlike his bony head, it seemed to be boneless. He inhaled loudly and said, "It smells great. Thank you for the dish Mom."


    Alexis smiled brightly when she heard his words. She nodded and replied, "You''re welcome." Since Mane had started his training, she had been the one in charge of his feeding. Not only did she make sure that his meals were provided and served on time, she took the time to prepare the meals herself. Although the chef was uncomfortable having his mistress perform his duties, he relented after she strongly insisted that it was a mother''s responsibility to cook for her son. According to Alexis, when she wasn''t here before, the chef was allowed to cook the meals. But now that she had returned, there was no need for him to bother himself with Mane''s dishes. She would be the one to take care of that. Initially the chef had resisted her strongly, only relenting when she compromised, saying that she would prepare her boy''s lunch only. Ray was powerless to stop her in this regard. He understood that it was her way of making up for being absent for so long. And he wasn''t going to stand in the way of her trying to make herself feel better.


    So every afternoon, Mane would taste her cooking. And every time he did, he wouldn''t fail to compliment her. Now he trusted her cooking so much that even before he would take a bite, he will praise her, for he believed that the food will surely be good. And every time he did so, no matter how succinct he was with his praise, a smile would find its way to Alexis'' face.


    "It does smell good indeed." Ray joined in as he leaned over to kiss his wife lightly on her cheek. Mane pretended not to see the interaction. After all, he was seated in their midst. There was no way they could be romantic without his knowledge, at least not in his presence. He just ignored them. Like many children his age he was uncomfortable watching his parents all lovey-dovey.


    "Can I say the grace today?" Mane asked. Although he had already filled his very large plate with several food dishes, he didn''t neglect what his family did before every meal. He was even willing to do it today.


    "Sure. Take a swing at it kiddo." Ray ruffled his son''s hair as he happily assented. It was strange really. For a family of gods, they believed in a God. Ray strongly believed that the universe was made and managed by a Supreme Deity. But this deity never left a name behind. His evidence was simple. How did the universe come to be? Who created origin divine artefacts? How did the races that were born before the Universe Will come to be? Ray didn''t believe in coincidences. And he didn''t believe that they all just ''appeared''. He believed that there was a Creator, and that this Creator was watching over them right now. And coincidentally enough, his son also shared this belief. Mane also believed that someone had to be responsible for everything. And he wanted to meet this Creator. Mane wanted to find out from this Creator why his life was so much different from others. Why did the Creator laden his frail shoulders with the burdens of the universe? Not that he was complaining. As for Alexis, she didn''t believe in such things- at least she didn''t initially. But after spending so many years with Ray, she had unconsciously come to believe that he was right. And she was even more willing to believe that there was a Creator of the Universe when she realised that Mane thought the same as well.


    "Dear Creator, we thank you for what you have given. Sanctify what we take today. Amen."


    "Amen"


    "Amen???


    Once the grace was given, Mane dived into his meal. I didn''t take long for the boy to wolf down half of his food. And his father wasn''t any slower. The only elegant one among them was Alexis. She smiled wryly as she saw her husband and her son eat hurriedly, almost as though they had been threatened to finish within a time frame or face punishment. She didn''t complain. She knew that they weren''t usually like this. The only reason why they were so eager to finish with their meal was so that they could continue with their training. Since they weren''t average or normal in any way, their stomachs could handle the load in the limited amount of time they had. Besides, after eating they would have to wait for a while, just so that the food will settle down, before they could continue. She frowned upon noticing that Mane hadn''t touched any of the plates that housed the vegetables. It was only in times like these that she remembered that he truly was a child. And just like any other child, Mane hated vegetables. He had to be forced into eating them. This was proven by the sour face he made, and the pitiful eyes he sent her way when she transferred a plate of vegetables onto his meal. She hastily avoided his eyes and said, "You must eat right Mane. You cannot have a balanced meal without any vegetables."


    He grumbled in reply, but ate them all the same, albeit finishing them up much slower than he did the other dishes. It was always like this. Each time they had a meal, the blond haired boy had to be coerced into eating his vegetables. Luckily, it wasn''t that difficult to convince the boy. Once you put them on his plate, he would eat it. After all, although he didn''t like it, he was smart enough to know that it was good for him. That didn''t stop him from trying to get away at times. That was why she always inspected his food.

 Chapter 135 - True Duel: Manes Real Strength Part II

    Once they were done with their meal (and by they, I mean Ray and Mane, since Alexis wasn''t done) they spoke heartily about several issues. Some of them were of consequence, and others were just for laughs. After relaxing for about forty-five minutes, Mane and Ray returned to the training room.


    The second phase of the training wasn''t just for body wielding. It was shorter than the first phase, and it was preceded by a spar. After the spar, Mane will them meditate on the gains of the day. After all, sparring against a god was very beneficial. Although he never won, his insights were tremendous. Mane wasn''t certain because he had been fighting against someone way above his league, but he suspected that his combat strength had exceeded what it was before he got injured.


    Mane stood five metres away from his father. The older man had a broad smile on his face as he watched his son take several deep breaths after another. "I guess I have to ready myself too." He smiled as his aura exploded. His mortal realm aura climbed up continuously, like the surging hot magma of an erupting volcano. The strength that remained hidden revealed itself, feeling no need to hide. Like a slumbering dragon that had awakened from its millennium long slumber, itching for a battle, Ray''s countenance was completely different from before. If before he gave off the vibe of a man anyone could approach and speak to, his current aura was that of a king. He was a noble man, an emperor who looked down on many. His mere presence would cause many to bow. Men would be envious and women be enamoured by his mere presence. His aura was that earth shaking. And Mane felt this change. He smiled at his father. How many times had he challenged his father? Each time the older man had fought him in such a state. And it was because of this aura that Mane suspected that he had grown much stronger. This was because of something the 1st had said to him.


    "Your father is strong, and very talented. To give you a clear indication of your father''s strength, I am going to scale it against a race you are familiar with. Let''s use the Celestials. Your father is very similar to you. He can battle Celestials who are above him in strength. He may not be able to do what you do and defeat so many stronger than him in a group brawl, but he can definitely do something much similar. For instance, your father can easily go against ten to fifteen Celestials who are two levels above him. Though I doubt that currently many are above your father''s power level."


    These were the words of the 1st. And Mane trusted in these words. There was no reason for the 1st to lie to him. Even so, with his father''s amazing prowess, he was taking him (Mane) seriously. "I guess I can''t fall behind either", Mane mumbled, as his aura began to rocket. An advantage of sparring with a god was learning how to control your power even better. If Mane was a grade B student in control initially, he was a grade A+ student now. Meaning that he didn''t need to exert much effort like before to deplete himself of inner energy, or to fill himself with it. And so his aura climbed up, just like his father''s. And it was so strong that it rivalled the god known as the Brute King.


    Although neither of them had made their move, the winds stirred around them. Mane was surrounded by a deep blue aura which crashed head on against his father''s red one. Their auras were so strong that the walls around them began to crack, and the floors beneath them fell apart like crackers. Yet neither of them were worried. They were both spiritualists. Restoring a broken down room wouldn''t be difficult for either of them. So for about ten seconds, they watched each other silently, with only the smiles adorning their lips showing that they were both preparing silently, real life entities thirsty for a battle. And in their preparation, they happily scanned each other.


    "Spirit Scan"


    "Spirit Scan"


    Both of them mumbled silently at the same time. And their statuses were displayed before each other.


    NAME: Mane


    AGE: 11


    HEALTH POINTS: 4000/4000


    RACE: Supreme


    BLOODLINE: Mixed (Olympian, Norse GodKing, ???)


    BLOODLINE RANK: Improbable


    LEVEL: Earth Stage 1 (Level 51.25)


    POWER LEVEL: 470,250


    WIELDER TYPE: Multi Wielder (Body Wielder; Energy Wielder; Spiritualist)


    SPECIALTY: Strength; Intelligence; Speed


    GLOWS: Takeover; Aftershock; Endless Wave; Basileus; Son of Lightning; Absolute Darkness; *Brimstone


    BREATH: Self-time Acceleration; True Flames


    NAME: Ray


    AGE: Immortal


    HEALTH POINTS: Immeasurable (must have godhead sealed)


    RACE: Mixed (Olympian; ???)


    BLOODLINE: Olympian; ??? (not awakened)


    BLOODLINE RANK: Improbable


    LEVEL: Sealed (Currently Earth Stage 3 (Level 53.00))


    POWER LEVEL: Sealed (currently at 469,250)


    WIELDER TYPE: Multi Wielder (Pseudo Body Wielder; Energy Wielder; Spiritualist)


    SPECIALTY: Strength; Intelligence; Vitality


    GLOWS: Diamond Body; Endless Wave; Son of Lightning; Brimstone: Others remain sealed


    BREATH: Blessing of the Fire God; Brute King''s Rage; Extreme Fire Manipulation


    Mane had improved a lot over this past month. His abilities as a spiritualist had been further enhanced. Unlike other wielders, spiritualists were ranked according to the number of practical leases they could unleash. So, although spiritualists also cultivated inner energy, they only did so to strengthen their bodies so that they could withstand the backlash of each lease. It was either you took this route, or you took the harder path of strengthening your mind to the level that you require no inner energy to strengthen yourself in order to manipulate chaos. The higher the rank of the lease, the more severe the backlash. So this was why although spiritualists used leash to go against their enemies, they were still required to wield the edict. It may be possible for a spiritualist who was in the mortal realm to cast a high level lease able to deal with heaven realmers. But that person''s body may very well be totally destroyed as a result, and their lives lost; only if the person had a high understanding of the lease and had exceptional control that allowed them to reduce the power output of the lease to match theirs (as Mane had done when he sparred against his team members several weeks ago). Spiritualists were graded thusly: trainee spiritualist; beginner spiritualist; low- level spiritualist; mid- level spiritualist; high level spiritualist; spirit king/queen; spirit emperor/empress. Technically, Mane could be classified as a middle class spiritualist. This was because he could cast mid- level leases. This was mostly thanks to the fact that his body was able to withstand the backlash of using such leases. And since he had grown stronger, his sprit scan had grown more expansive as well. In fact, he could now use spirit scan on weapons as well as armor and see their stats!


    Mane squinted after reading his father''s information. The information was basically the same from their last sparring session. But the battle god had increased his power level by two. This was a very flattering result for Mane. It meant that his father was indirectly saying that he wouldn''t be a match for the blond haired boy if he used the same power level. There was one difference though. His father had unsealed one of his glows- Brimstone. This was a glow that Mane had just awakened as well. He didn''t have time to talk to his father about it though. He was planning to do so after today''s session ended. But it seemed he may very well get to see the glow in action, to truly understand it. For although he did understand how it was used, he had no proficiency in it. Maybe experiencing it in combat was the best way to learn.


    As for Ray, he had a bitter smile on his face as he assessed Mane''s stats. He had unleashed his aura to the peak of the initial stages of the earth realm because he could feel that level of power from Mane right before the spar. Although he didn''t scan him at the time, he was certain that his vast experience and instincts wouldn''t let him down. And he was right. His son had indeed broken into the earth realm. And he had also awakened the glow, Brimstone. He had suspected this since last night. This was because of the huge disturbance last night. Last night, a vast amount of energy had rushed into his home. The energy was vast, especially for an earth realmer. Even for peak earth realmers breaking into the heaven realm, such energy was of an insane amount. And in the energy he could sense the fire elements. He knew then that Mane was breaking through. But he had assumed that he had failed since the energy suddenly disappeared. But it seemed that he was wrong. His son had indeed broken through, and from the look of excitement on the boy''s face, he couldn''t wait to test his new strength.


    Mane smiled at his father and began casting a few leases.


    "Celeritas"


    "Viribus"


    "Vitae"


    "Arma impia"

 Chapter 136 - True Duel: Manes Real Strength Part III

    What Mane cast were a few low level leases and one mid-level lease he created- yes, created. He cast a speed lease, a strength lease, and a vitality lease. These leases were basic, and every spiritualist knew them. The last one was a lease he created after his month of training. It was tailor made to conform to the beast form he used when he was body wielding, and it was pretty powerful. It wasn''t strange for spiritualists to come up with leases on their own. Nevertheless, what Mane did was still impressive. Especially since he had done this as an eleven year old. But he had the Basileus glow to thank for that. It was by utilizing this glow that he could comprehend the mysteries of lease. But he didn''t utilise it in his earlier leases. He wouldn''t be a spiritualist if he couldn''t cast such simple leases without his glow.


    There were two kinds of spiritualists: the main attack type spiritualists, and; the support type spiritualists. Mane and his father were the same kind of people. Both weren''t attack type spiritualists. They used their abilities mainly as a support to their wielding skills. They weren''t like the third who was an attack type spiritualist. So unlike the 3rd who fought entirely as a spiritualist, and whose leases and power were beyond their imagination, the father and son pair were good, but couldn''t necessarily fight as spiritualists. Although Mane had been able to do it in his spar against his team members, that was under the influence of his glow. But one of these days, Mane would have to learn to fight as an attack type spiritualist. But that wasn''t today.


    Both combatants still stood facing each other; none ready to make the first move. It wasn''t that they were unwilling to meet each other head on. Rather, it looked like they were waiting for something. Once the blue and red aura had reached the roof of the room and caused their first respective cracks, both males took off.


    *Boom* *Boom*


    The sheer power of their movement caused the already broken marbles beneath their feet to turn to dust. The wind screamed in excitement as father and son clashed in the centre of the room.


    *Boom*


    The first attack from both males were nothing extraordinary in terms of appearance. They didn''t look fancy in any way, yet the shockwaves their confrontation brought forth were breath taking. Ray lightly squinted his eyes upon noticing that both of them seemed to be evenly matched. Their speeds were very similar as well. He had seen his son''s power level upon scanning him. It was surprising that Mane''s power level was above his, but that wasn''t what baffled him. A power level that was above 460,000 belonged to high level earth realm wielders. Even with his abilities sealed to the 3rd level of the earth realm, his fighting power was equal to that of a high level earth realmer. That meant that he could easily hold his own against an 8th level earth realmer. Yet Mane, who was a 1st level earth realmer had a similar power level. What was even more fascinating was that his son???s power level wasn''t this high initially. It seemed that the countless spars were truly worthwhile. His son was the kind of monster that improved massively once he was pressured. And his improvement was even more amazing when he was subjected to high pressure fights. And maybe it also had to do with the mysterious manual his son was using as his Wielding Energy Foundation Art. One of these days, he would have to ask the masters what it was. That was the only explanation for his staggering progress. Ray''s thoughts were forcibly halted when a small fist approached his face once again.


    *Bam*


    Ray was forced to defend against the fist coated in blue aura. As a result he was forced back several steps. His back actually hit the wall before his body came to a halt. He stabilised his body and prepared to charge. But his assailant was in no mood to wait for him.


    *Boom*


    Ray rolled out of the way as Mane crushed into the wall, fist first. That section of the wall broke apart as easily as a knife cutting through cake. But the damage wasn''t extended beyond that. A pale blue barrier covered the entire wall and supported it. So, although it had a section broken off, the hall was still fine. However, through the broken part of the wall, Mane could see the happenings in the adjacent room. It just so happened that the part of the wall he had broken down was where the door was fixed. That meant the next room was


    "The dining room" he mumbled. The room in which he had just taken his lunch. He could see his mother smiling at him. But she wasn''t the one who caught his attention. Seated around his mother were six figures. They were the members of the Silver Wolves team- both the official and unofficial members. And one extra boy. Mane''s eyebrows twitched when he saw the boy. The boy was handsome, no doubt about that. But that wasn''t what caused Mane such a headache. That boy was Abelard, Frederick''s brother. He was the boy Mane had wounded some months ago.


    "Not again", Mane thought. This ''kid?? had been disturbing him since he got better a month ago. Mane already felt exhausted thinking that he would have to deal with this kid when he got out.


    *Bam*


    In his distracted state, Mane had left himself wide open. And his father wasn''t going to wait for him to sort himself out. He had delivered a mighty fist open realising that Mane''s charge had ended, and sent his son hurtling across the room and into the wall.


    Mane used the momentum of the attack to readjust his position mid-air. Before he landed on the wall he performed a low chant, "Digitos lentiescit". It was a mid-level lease that allowed a spiritualist to stick to most surfaces, vertical or horizontal. He performed a flip and landed on the wall without any injuries- feet first. His father''s blow hadn''t caused any problems either. This was thanks to the beast armour lease he used earlier. He looked up after he was settled. And he did so just in time to see his father rushing at him once more. Mane only smiled looking at his charging father. He bent down and poised himself as a wolf ready to pounce would, and leapt towards the Brute King. His actions brought a smile to Ray''s face. He rushed towards Mane as he cast a lease of his own


    "Reformandam"


    Two figures came out of Ray''s body once his lease was over. Like shadows formed on a sunny day, they stuck closely to Ray and performed the same actions he performed. All three rushed towards the smiling Mane. Mane wasn''t perturbed with the addition of two more opponents. It wouldn''t be a real challenge without any pressure. Besides, from the moment his father had told him about the cloning lease, he was already prepared to meet it in a battle. It would be folly to have knowledge of something, yet show no application to grace this knowledge. Like a hunting wolf, he pounced towards the trio of Rays, leaving a cracked wall in his charge. Mane rushed on all fours like a beast, his actions not at all similar to that of a human. When Mane was about three metres away from the Rays, he disappeared. Almost immediately he appeared beside the Ray on the left and delivered a fierce kick.


    *Boom*

 Chapter 137 - True Duel: Manes Real Strength Part IV

    His attack sent that Ray flying across the room into what seemed to be the final destination for all who got struck in this duel- the wall.


    "Star Flicker", Ray mumbled quietly


    Even though Mane hadn''t mentioned the name of the technique he used, Ray still figured it out. He was aware that Mane had been able to master the second stage of this high level skill book. Besides, he had seen his son''s power level. The speed he had just displayed didn''t belong to someone of his power level. It was far greater. Although his son had cast a speed lease, it had only made him slightly faster than before. It wasn''t enough to grant him such a massive boost. By his observation, it was about four times the speed of a regular high level earth realmer. This could only mean that Mane had successfully grasped the second level of Star Flicker, a skill that was extremely difficult to comprehend. This was a display of Mane''s great talent and perceptiveness. Right when he was in the middle of his thoughts, he felt a sharp wind behind him. He smiled faintly. Although he was thinking about other things during a fight, that didn''t mean that he had lost his concentration. Dividing the mind was a skill that many wielders possessed. And he wasn''t any different. If he was to be counted as different, it will be because his division of mind wasn''t into two like any regular wielder, but three.


    "Diamond body"


    Instead of dodging the attack, or blocking it, Ray delivered a spinning heel kick towards his incoming attacker. He had employed the use of one of his glows- Diamond Body. This glow was related to the body wielding arts, and made him something like a pseudo body wielder. It hardened his body with outer energy and made it difficult for any opponent to land a good punch- or in this case, kick. And he used this technique for a very good reason.


    *Boom*


    Mane''s leg smashed against Ray''s. Their auras exploded, bringing more chaos to the marbles and walls of the room. Both of them were finally knocked back after being locked together for two seconds. Ray had used Diamond Body because he was aware that the attack coming his way was no regular attack. It was an attack that amplified the strength of the user


    "Extreme Burst"


    This combination skill was extremely deadly, and Ray didn''t want to get caught up in it. He had broken the skill off before Mane could use any more to cause any damage. Against skills like Extreme Burst, the best method was to interrupt it. That was exactly what Ray had done. And from what he could see, it was indeed the right choice.


    Mane wiped the small trace of blood on his lips and calmed down the surging energy threatening to run rampant in his body. This was the price for having your skill forcefully halted. His momentum weakened a bit, allowing Ray''s aura to climb higher and more domineeringly. Yet Mane wasn''t worried about this. If this was enough to unnerve him he wouldn''t be worthy of being a wielder. He calmly slapped towards the figure that had attacked him from behind. This was one of the Rays, the one he had knocked into the wall initially. This Ray wasn''t looking as majestic as it did before. The clothes he wore were tattered and there was a visible wound on his abdomen, the area Mane had kicked a few seconds prior. Although Ray hadn''t said much about the cloning lease, Mane was able to make a few deductions from the little he had. First and foremost, although the clones increased the numerical advantage, they weren''t as strong as the original. Mane had realised this after his father had knocked him down in their earlier bout. This was because his father had chosen to knock him out, and not just punch him or deliver an attack. Mane had been duelling his father for weeks now. And he knew that his father would never go easy on him. So he was knocked out because his father didn''t want to give this secret away- the clone wasn''t as strong as him. Let me explain further.


    You see, although they had been sparring for only a month, Mane was aware of how much power his father''s attacks held. Since the man never held back, each strike was a full powered one. Although Mane had improved, he was able to determine the power of his father''s punches with their first few exchanges each time. This meant that it was his father''s clone that had knocked him out. And since the sly man didn''t wat his son to figure out that the clones didn''t have as much strength as he did, he only knocked him out ''generously''. But that action had only served to fuel Mane''s doubts.


    Secondly, there was a giant hole opened up by the transformation lease. He became all the more certain that his hypothesis was true when his father talked about the transformation lease. He had asked the 3rd about this lease as they shared their lunch, and she informed him that the load it took to handle this lease was immense. Only heaven realm experts could handle the weight of this lease. The only way one would be able to perform this lease with a mortal level strength will be if they use it on a non-living thing. That was what confirmed Mane''s hypothesis. His father had stated that he transformed into a shoe. But with the strength of only a mortal realm expert, it was impossible to change the matter of a living being. That meant it was the clone- which was technically not a living thing- that had undergone the transformation. This confirmed his doubts. And that was why he wasn''t worried when two more Rays appeared.


    *Bam*


    The incoming Ray was knocked back about five metres when he came into contact with Mane''s palm. Mane looked at the clone and cast a spirit scan. He didn''t have the chance to use it before, but he could do so now.


    NAME: Ray Duplicate


    AGE: Temporary Creation. Will disappear upon exhausting its life


    HEALTH POINTS: 1600/2600


    DESCRIPTION: A clone made by the Brute King Ray. It possesses 50 percent of the original''s power level. Unable to use glows. Cannot use breaths.


    "So you noticed?" Ray smiled. His attempts to mislead his son were easily thwarted by the boy''s superior intellect. Added to the fact that Mane had a high understanding of spirit scan, it was easy to find out what he wanted to hide. He was sure that Mane had grasped the essence of the technique during his earlier explanation.


    "I did" Mane replied. He ignored the clone that was returning to his father''s side and continued, "However, I wasn''t sure, so I asked the 3rd about your technique. She told me a lot about it. It was enough to let me realise that it wasn''t as capable as you are. Plus its aura outburst is clearly weaker than yours by a few levels."


    Ray nodded lightly. He didn''t seem very worried that Mane had grasped the essence to his technique. In fact, he was pleased that his son had. It was only by understanding the technique that he will be able to master it in the future. And that future wasn''t far away. He pushed his thoughts aside and paid more attention to the boy who stood before him. Mane''s aura wasn''t as chaotic as it was before. He had calmed his surging energy, and his aura was as magnificent as it was when the duel first began. He crouched into his beast form. Ray watched his son calmly and prepared himself for an attack. Both father and son exclaimed simultaneously, each dashing forward with their own attacks


    "Flickering burst!"


    "Splintering fist!"

 Chapter 138 - True Duel: Manes Real Strength Part V

    Ray''s technique, Splintering Fist, was a high grade technique just like Mane''s Extreme Burst. But there was no way this technique would be able to match up to Mane''s combination technique, Flickering Burst. That wasn''t to say that Ray didn''t have any combination techniques of his own. He did. He just wasn''t using them. At least not yet. Besides, for his punch to be effective, it had to hit Mane first. But it didn''t.


    *Boom*


    Ray''s fist struck empty air, the force from his attack travelling all the way to the end of the room, and effectively causing more destruction to the already destroyed wall. It seemed stupid. Why didn''t they just reinforce the wall with better materials so that their bouts wouldn''t cause so much destruction? Well, the bas.e.m.e.nt wasn''t initially made as a training room. It just had one of its rooms converted into one because of Mane''s training. They needed an area where they could train unhindered, and not expose their abilities to any of the workers of their home. And it wasn''t like they hadn''t considered reinforcing the room. They had. But the materials needed for a project like building a training room that could support Mane''s training all the way to the nobility realm and beyond, were scarce and could hardly be found on Zandor. That didn''t mean that they weren''t searching. They were. But it was going to take some time before the materials were procured. Until then, they could only use spells to mend the broken walls. As for the barrier that surrounded the room, it was Alexis'' doing. One will wonder why she didn''t make the barrier an internal one, and not an external covering that encompassed the room like a thick winter coat. Alexis had chosen to use such a method because of a simple reason. She wanted to see the duel. Since she wasn''t allowed inside the training room, at least not currently anyway, she made the barrier outside the room so that when her loved ones destroy the walls- which they always did- she would be able to watch the bout without much issue. Ray knew this, and so did Mane. That was why they had never complained.


    Mane appeared right next to the injured Ray clone, and ruthlessly struck it with a left uppercut.


    *Boom*


    The poor clone was launched into the air and travelled all the way until it was smashed headfirst into the ceiling. It then burst into flames and disappeared.


    "One down" Mane mumbled, as his figure disappeared from his current location and reappeared ten metres to the side.


    *Boom*


    His decision to leave was a smart one, since the other Ray clone descended upon that location with a ferocious punch that left an imprint on the marbled ground. The clone was surely not as strong as Ray himself, but that didn''t mean that Mane should underestimate him. And although his beastly armour lease ensured that regular attacks wouldn''t leave a scratch on him, it wouldn''t be the same if he was struck on the head. The technique he had used on the dead clone was the Flickering Burst technique. This was the technique he had created after successfully merging the Extreme Burst and Star Flicker skills. He had gone through a roller coaster of names, but he finally settled on this one. To him, this name best suited and explained the technique. His initial shout of the technique was a ruse, one that was meant to force his father into thinking that he was going for a head-on strike. It was a fake, and it had worked like a charm. Ray had assumed that it was going to be a momentum surge. A clash that determined who was the stronger of the two. But Mane was no idiot. Although the clones weren''t as powerful as the original, they were still threats. They were threats that meant he was outnumbered three to one. And he needed to reduce their numbers. Luckily for him, he had noticed something vital. The clones weren''t all the same. They didn''t necessarily possess the same stats. Although the spirit scan placed their power levels on a similar scale, it wasn''t extensive. Spirit scan was a technique that was strengthened depending on the power of the user''s spirit. But even powerful spirits needed an equally powerful body to function effectively. Mane''s spirit was powerful, but his body wasn''t in the same league of strength as his spirit. Currently Mane''s powerful spirit was being hindered by his relatively weaker body. Until his body was strong enough, his spirit will be restrained. And it was because of this that his spirit scan wasn''t able to give him all the information he wanted. The information he got was good, but it wasn''t enough. Hence, Mane had to figure out some things on his own.


    "When did you notice?" Ray- the original Ray- asked with a bitter smile on his face. He had felt his clone disappear. In fact he had turned around just in time to witness it disappear. He was impressed with Mane. Impressed with what his son had found out. He just wanted to know when he did.


    "Just now. I wasn''t sure before. But I thought it was strange that its health points were so few. Especially when it is meant to possess half your power level. This suspicion was further heightened when it attacked me. It was definitely weaker than you. But it wasn''t at the fifty percent mark. I realised that it had 75 percent of your attack power. That was when I realised that the clones could be linked to each other, and share their stats." Mane slowly explained.


    This was what Mane realised after exchanging a few blows with the clone he had just killed. Although it shared the same stats as the other clone, his spirit felt uneasy. It was as if there was something that Mane had to know, but was currently too weak to see. But Mane trusted his instincts. He knew such a feeling wouldn''t just appear. He had fought hundreds of battles, and his superior instincts had been born from these battles. There was no way it would be wrong. So he had put his faith in it, just as he had a hundred times. And as usual, his instincts were right. There was something missing. That something was that the two clones were linked. It wasn''t strange that they were. After all, they were also linked to the original. What was strange was that the bond they shared was stronger than what they shared with the original. So Mane had theorised that the clones weren''t all the same. Although they both had the same stats on the surface, their skills may be much deeper than what it seemed to be. Building on the fact that the deceased clone was twenty five percent more powerful than it was supposed to be, Mane wondered if it was twenty five percent weaker defensively. And his hypothesis was further strengthened by the fact that his initial kick to the clone had wiped away half of its life. And since his combination skill was stronger, and added to the fact that he smashed the poor clone into the ceiling headfirst, it was no surprise that the reminder of its life was completely wiped off.


    But his theory was after all just a theory. He still wasn''t certain of it. At least not until now. He realised that although the other clone that just attacked him struck the ground, its power couldn''t destroy it completely. Half of Ray''s power should be able to achieve that, but it didn''t. This meant that it was weaker offensively. That may very well mean that it had an increase in defensive stats. But he still wasn''t sure until Ray had questioned him. A regular opponent wouldn''t ask this question. After all, it was never good to help your opponent gather information about yourself. But Ray wasn''t your regular opponent. Although they were fighting so ferociously, it was still a training session. Mane was expected to learn as he fought, and Ray was more than ready to help with that.


    "That is impressive. My clones aren''t like the normal ones. It is good you noticed that." Ray complimented his son with a bright smile. Mane was pleased with the praise. And a bit impressed. When he spoke to the 3rd earlier, she had informed him that it was more than possible for Ray to create more than three clones. It was actually possible to create up to ten clones with the Brute King''s strength currently at the earth realm. But with every extra clone, their fighting power will decrease. For instance, if Ray had made four clones instead of two, they would all have 25 percent of his power. The formula was basically, the power level of the original, divided by the number of clones created. But she also informed him that people with a high understanding of the Reformandam lease were able to bypass this restriction. And Mane was certain that since his father used this skill so much, his understanding of the technique wouldn''t be mediocre in any way. And from what Mane had noticed, it wasn''t. This meant that his father restricted his clone creation to two for another reason. And Mane was sure it was because of the rare skill his father had that allowed him to decrease the defensive attributes of a clone and stack it to their offensive attribute, and vice versa. There was no way such a skill would be easy. The toll it would take on the brain had to be astronomical. This meant that his father''s limit for this technique was currently two.

 Chapter 139 - True Duel: Manes Real Strength Part VI

    "That''s enough of the chitchat. Let''s get back to business." Ray stated as he pounced on his son. His clone was no different. It was only lagging behind due to its slower speed. It didn''t take even a second for Ray to get to Mane.


    "Splintering Fist", Ray''s voice echoed loudly.


    "Extreme Burst", Mane screamed in retaliation.


    Mane''s plan was simple. Neutralize his father''s attack and use a second punch to knock him away. Since Extreme Burst was a stacked move, his second attack will definitely be stronger than the first, by at least two times. This, in his view, should be enough to knock his father back. By the time that had been accomplished, the clone will have reached his position. Then he''d just ride on his momentum and deliver the rest of the moves in the Extreme Burst arsenal. Delivering the full dose should be enough to deal with the clone- or so he thought. The first part of his plan worked like a charm. His first fist did neutralize his father''s attack. Splintering Fist was strong. If Mane had to compare it to Extreme Burst, he''d definitely place it higher. The force of its attack was comparable to the fifth strike of Extreme Burst. Considering that Mane could currently deliver just six moves out of the maximum seven in the Extreme Burst manual, Splintering Fist was definitely dangerous to meet head on. But Mane was faster than his father, and his reaction speed was better too. So whenever he faced Splintering Fist, he didn''t truly meet it head on. For instance, in the current exchange, his punch was aimed at his father''s wrist. And that was how he was able to successfully stop the move. The next step was to knock Ray back, and prepare to bash the head of the incoming clone in. That one didn''t go as planned.


    *Bam*


    Mane hurriedly crossed his arms in a guarded posture to block the heavy fist of the clone that was supposed to be a few meters away. "How did it get here so quickly?" Mane wondered. His thoughts were forcefully halted when the original Ray also sent a punch his way.


    "Splintering Fist"


    *Bang*


    Mane was sent flying into the wall. His face was full of disbelief. "What just happened?" he mumbled. His life had reduced substantially. This was the power of the Splintering Fist, and the reason he didn''t want to face it directly. This was power comparable to a 5th attack of the Extreme Burst. "I definitely have to learn that skill too." Mane thought as he slowly peeled himself off the wall. Although his armor had absorbed a large chunk of the attack, he wasn''t spared either. After the limit of his armor was reached, the point that was struck was destroyed and the fist had caught him right in his midsection. He was lucky it wasn''t a full powered strike- thanks to his armor- but he was injured nonetheless. Luckily for him, his father didn''t pursue him to finish the job, only standing there nonchalantly as he waited for his son to sort himself out.


    NAME: Mane


    AGE: 11


    HEALTH POINTS: 3200/4000


    RACE: Supreme


    BLOODLINE: Mixed (Olympian, Norse GodKing, ???)


    BLOODLINE RANK: Improbable


    LEVEL: Earth Stage 1 (Level 51.25)


    POWER LEVEL: 470,250


    WIELDER TYPE: Multi Wielder (Body Wielder; Energy Wielder; Spiritualist)


    SPECIALTY: Strength; Intelligence; Speed


    GLOWS: Takeover; Aftershock; Endless Wave; Basileus; Son of Lightning; Absolute Darkness; *Brimstone


    BREATH: Self-time Acceleration; True Flames


    Mane''s health had reduced by 800 points! That was a staggering figure considering that he didn''t even absorb the full impact of the attack by himself. If he were to be hit with such a strike directly¡­


    "There is no way I''d survive." Mane knew this. And although his father had great control, and would definitely ensure that he didn''t die, such a situation will mean that he had lost. Their duels ended when one of them had their life knocked down to a tenth of its original. Since Ray couldn''t really be killed, the condition for him to lose was that Mane brutally injures him. Mane hadn''t been able to do that quite yet. But the punch he just received allowed him to see hope. Because if the Splintering Fist was this strong, then he just had to make sure that his own Extreme Burst was fully executed on the original Ray. Although Extreme Burst wasn''t as strong as Splintering Fist, its fifth strike was just as powerful, and the sixth strike was even more so. The problem was getting to deliver this strike without the interference of the clone.


    "But how did it get so fast? And it seems to have gotten stronger." Mane wondered. He used spirit scan on the clone to see if there were any changes he had missed.


    NAME: Ray Duplicate


    AGE: Temporary Creation. Will disappear upon exhausting its life


    HEALTH POINTS: 2000/2600


    DESCRIPTION: A clone made by the Brute King Ray. It possesses 50 percent of the original''s power level. Cannot use breaths.


    "So that''s why" Mane suddenly realised. The information he got wasn''t much different from what was there before. But there was a line missing. Initially, under the description it was included that the clone couldn''t use glows. But now this line had disappeared. If Mane wasn''t wrong, the reason the clone''s attack had grown more powerful was because of the glow called Diamond Body. It was a powerful body hardening skill that belonged in the category of body wielding. His father was pretty lucky to unlock such a glow. According to the 5th, many body wielders strived their entire lives to reach that realm but failed. And here was someone who wasn''t even an original body wielder, yet had unlocked this skill so easily. As for the clone''s increase in speed, he didn''t know what had led to that. After all, speed wasn''t part of his father''s specialty. And he didn''t have any glows related exclusively to that either. His breaths didn''t include any speed skills too. So for the first time in a while, Mane was confused.


    But he knew one thing for sure: he had to quickly take care of the troublesome clone. And before that, he''d have to repair his armor.


    "Restituere" He placed his palm on the broken part of his armor and spoke the lease that was literally just a cheat all spiritualists had. The space in his armor gradually filled up. But he wasn''t satisfied with it.


    "Augendae armis" He cast an enhancement lease on his armor, strengthening his protection by twenty five percent. It was only then that he was somewhat satisfied.


    He then activated two glows- Takeover and Absolute Darkness. Now he was ready.

 Chapter 140 - True Duel: Manes Real Strength Part VII

    After Mane entered the ranks of earth realmers, he had gotten much stronger. Added to his body wielding training, his body was now capable of handling more than it could before. Now he could handle most of his glows, without much consequence. Of course, it wasn''t simply because of his energy and body wielding. He had been using his glows a lot during this period as well. With his father and mother to guide him, he had grown more accustomed to their use. Having the people from whom you inherited most of your glows from was a great boon. Unfortunately, this didn''t include the glow known as Absolute Darkness. This glow wasn''t known to either of his parents. So he had to work on that on his own. And he was now more or less able to use it without losing himself. It took a lot of practice to get to this point however. But the practicality of the move made all the efforts put into it worth it.


    Although he had grown much stronger, our blonde haired protagonist was still unable to use more than two glows simultaneously without getting injured. But it was a considerable improvement from being able to use only one at a time and still sustain injuries. He had been working on combination glows for the past week, and had realised that absolute darkness was a great compliment to one of his glows- Takeover


    Takeover was one of the glows that Mane didn''t like to use due to its overwhelming power. Well it wasn''t like he didn''t like to use it. Rather he didn''t find anyone to use it on. It was so overwhelming that Mane felt that employing the services of this glow was an overkill. But if it came to sparring against an immortal like his father, this glow was perfect. So he had been training it secretly. Now he felt he was ready to use it.


    "Interesting" Ray rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Takeover wasn''t a glow he had. But he was familiar with it. His wife possessed this glow, and so did many of her direct bloodline. It was a glow passed down by one of the most powerful battle gods in history. And Ray had faced it many times. Although he knew his son possessed this skill, the blonde haired boy had never used it before today. And although Mane wasn''t vocal about the techniques he was going to use, as someone who had faced Takeover so many times in his life, he was familiar with the changes this power brought. Mane''s yellow hair and blue eyes that had turned crimson red were telltale signs that he had activated that glow. Besides, his blue aura that had turned deep black was the most prominent sign that Mane was using the takeover glow.


    "Let''s see how much of an increase it gives now." Ray knew the power this glow gave. And the external changes that it brought were usually a giveaway to the kind of power that Takeover gave. You see, the more external changes one experienced, the stronger their Takeover will be. Mane''s changes were with just in his eyes and hair. As for the aura change, it was a fundamental difference that all Takeover users experienced, so Ray didn''t include that. Mane''s change was vastly different from his mother''s. Alexis'' change was more striking than this. And her father''s was even more spectacular than hers. Judging by Mane''s relatively paler transformation, his son didn''t experience much of a power boost from the skill. But Ray still had to be safe, so he performed a spirit scan anyway.


    "Spirit Scan"


    NAME: Mane


    AGE: 11


    HEALTH POINTS: 3200/4000


    RACE: Supreme


    BLOODLINE: Mixed (Olympian, Norse GodKing, ???)


    BLOODLINE RANK: Improbable


    LEVEL: Earth Stage 1 (Level 51.25)


    POWER LEVEL: 490,250


    WIELDER TYPE: Multi Wielder (Body Wielder; Energy Wielder; Spiritualist)


    SPECIALTY: Strength; Intelligence; Speed


    GLOWS: Takeover; Aftershock; Endless Wave; Basileus; Son of Lightning; Absolute Darkness; Brimstone


    BREATH: Self-time Acceleration; True Flames


    "Just as I suspected" Ray mumbled. "It is just a 20,000 increase." He continued. Anyone hearing his words will feel the urge to bash his face in. How can 20,000 be referred to as just? But Ray was actually relieved. He had seen Takeover grant some users up to three times their actual power! So for him, Mane''s increase was only slight. Though after the initial relief had washed over him, worry took its place. Mane was Alexis'' son. And his blood was potent. How could his Takeover power-up be so small? It was basically at the level of low level warriors in Alexis'' clan. It didn''t make any sense.


    Outside the training room, Alexis'' watched with furrowed brows as Mane underwent his transformation. She ignored the chattering kids who were awed by what they were seeing and watched Mane intensely. She wasn''t a spiritualist. But she was well aware of the changes Takeover brought. After all, it was a skill her son inherited from her. But the danger she was feeling from Mane was far higher than what his transformation signified. With such a small change to his features, Mane shouldn''t have had that much of power boost. But she could feel that Mane''s transformation was more than what meets the eye.


    "Ray will lose. Fascinating." She thought to herself as she predicted the winner for today''s duel.


    "Here I come!" Mane screamed as he lunged himself towards the two Rays. Since his father had given him the time to sort himself out, the least he could do was acknowledge the kindness and inform them of his impending assault. He dashed towards the duo, aiming for the original Ray. The clone wasn''t going to let Mane have his way. It exploded with speed beyond its natural prowess and performed a hammer fist, intent on smashing Mane into the ground.


    *Boom*


    The attack was powerful, but it didn''t get to its intended target.


    "Absolute Darkness: Elusive Killing" Mane easily phased through the attack, and the impressive strike only ended up destroying the floor. All along Mane''s target wasn''t the original Ray- it was the clone! He had realised that the clones had an instinctive nature to protect the original. As long as he tried to attack his father, the clone will defend the Brute King. But if he tried to attack the clone directly, he would fail. Especially with its unexplained surge in speed, there was no way Mane would be able to catch up to it. So he did the simplest thing. And it worked.


    *Swish*


    Mane''s extended his fingers in the shape of a blade and easily lobbed the head of the clone off its body. He made it look so simple, like he was just taking a walk through the park. Once he was done with the clone, he immediately hopped away, and narrowly escaped Ray''s counter.


    *Bang*


    Ray''s strike missed his intended target. But he was satisfied with what he had seen so far. Although Mane had never used Absolute Killing before today, his one attack had given Ray some vital information.


    "You cannot use it continuously?" Ray asked.


    Mane nodded. Indeed, it was as the Brute King had pointed out. He couldn''t continuously use that glow. In all his practice, whenever he had attempted to do so, he would lose control. This was the only way he could benefit from it and still be in the driver''s seat. But it had done enough for now.


    He dashed towards his father, his now scarlet hair and crimson eyes blazing like fire as the black aura reached for the sky. His speed had increased by a large margin. It was nothing like before. Even when he had activated Takeover initially, his speed didn''t increase so much. Such was the increase that Ray was taken unaware.


    "How is this possible?" He wondered in disbelief as Mane''s fist struck his abdomen. Even with Diamond Body activated, he still felt pain. This could only mean that Mane was using Extreme Burst. But his son''s assault was only just beginning.


    "Second strike"


    "Third strike"


    "Fourth strike"


    "Fifth strike"


    "Sixth strike"


    *Bam*

 Chapter 141 - True Duel: Manes Real Strength Part VIII

    The last two strikes were a spinning heel kick which was quickly followed by an uppercut. And once Mane was done he quickly flipped backwards. It was almost as if he was trying to avoid something.


    *Boom*


    A ball of fire landed on Mane''s previous location, and quickly turned the marble floor to powder. Mane had assumed that as long as he landed the full Extreme Burst combo, he will win the fight. But after launching Ray into the air, he felt threatened, and so immediately drew back. His decision was the right one. Mane was certain that his father was using more than one glow. This was because although Diamond Body was a very defensive glow, it wasn''t capable of fully protecting Ray from the sixth attack of extreme burst. This meant his father had been able to activate a glow while he was landing his attacks on the Brute King. It was pretty impressive, considering that the battle god wasn''t prepared for the speed that Mane had displayed. Still, he had been able to prepare adequate defences to hold off his son, and perform an attack of his own.


    Ray flipped mid-air and landed calmly. Once he landed, his entire frame was engulfed in flames. And then he began to activate his glows, one after the other.


    "Diamond body: Stack Effect." Popping sounds were heard as his body grew sturdier, and far stronger than it was before.


    "Endless Wave" This was a skill similar to Takeover. Just like his wife, his own family line had their own way of boosting their abilities. And just like his wife, Endless Wave granted him a massive increase in strength, elevating his abilities to three times what they were.


    "Brimstone" The fire that engulfed him grew stronger as he activated one of his most used abilities. The yellow flames grew hotter, and slowly transformed into red flames as the glow was activated.


    "Smart boy" Ray praised. "You used the darkness element to hide the true power of Takeover." Ray was certain now. He was doubtful at first. Initially he wondered if it was because Mane had inherited both Takeover and Endless Wave that he wasn''t able to truly access the power of the former. This made him worried that Mane''s Endless Wave would also be weak. But he was wrong. The boy had used the darkness attribute to mask the power that Takeover gave. Darkness was a sneaky element. Ray didn''t think that his son''s comprehension of the element had improved to such a degree. And even more fascinating was that the skill to mask his abilities wasn''t displayed in the spirit scan. Logically, it should be in the breath section. Breaths were essentially abilities that had been comprehended by a person and weren''t at all inherited like glows. So once a person gained comprehension of an elemental ability or part of a law, it became a breath. These breaths could then be passed down to the younger generation as glows. Since Mane had grown in his comprehension of the darkness element, it should have appeared in his breath information when Ray used the spirit scan on him. Yet it had eluded him.


    "Indeed. I used a breath." Mane averred.


    "Truly worthy of being the darkness element. It can even fool my spirit scan." Ray smiled and said. He then grew serious as he commanded, "Augendae: Spirit Scan." Once he had enhanced spirit scan, he was finally able to see Mane''s attributes in its entirety. Mane didn''t remain idle either. Since he couldn''t use many glows at the same time like his father, he had to see the changes his father''s power up had brought him.


    NAME: Mane


    AGE: 11


    HEALTH POINTS: 3200/4000


    RACE: Supreme


    BLOODLINE: Mixed (Olympian, Norse GodKing, ???)


    BLOODLINE RANK: Improbable


    LEVEL: Earth Stage 1 (Level 51.25)


    POWER LEVEL: 1,410,750


    WIELDER TYPE: Multi Wielder (Body Wielder; Energy Wielder; Spiritualist)


    SPECIALTY: Strength; Intelligence; Speed


    GLOWS: Takeover (active); Aftershock; Endless Wave (no mastery); Basileus; Son of Lightning; Absolute Darkness- Evasive Killing (on cooldown); *Brimstone


    BREATH: Self-time Acceleration; True Flames: *The Dark Times (active)


    NAME: Ray


    AGE: Immortal


    HEALTH POINTS: Immeasurable (must have godspark sealed)


    RACE: Mixed (Olympian; ???)


    BLOODLINE: Olympian; ??? (not awakened)


    BLOODLINE RANK: Improbable


    LEVEL: Sealed (Currently Earth Stage 3 (Level 53.00)


    POWER LEVEL: Sealed (currently at 1,407,750)


    WIELDER TYPE: Multi Wielder (Pseudo Body Wielder; Energy Wielder; Spiritualist)


    SPECIALTY: Strength; Intelligence; Vitality


    GLOWS: Diamond Body (active); Endless Wave (active); Son of Lightning; Brimstone (active): Others remain sealed


    BREATH: Blessing of the Fire God (active); Brute King''s Rage; Extreme Fire Manipulation (active)


    "As I thought. What a sneaky boy." Ray smiled wryly when his suspicions were confirmed. He was even more impressed that Mane was able to hide the true power that Takeover granted him. A breath that allowed its user to hide things from others was highly useful. If it was used properly, a battle could be ended in a single strong attack, since the opposition will never see it coming. And that was what Mane had planned to do. Unfortunately, he had failed. But Ray was certain that if it was any other person, they would have been caught in his son''s trap. Even some gods may fall victim to the sly Supreme.


    "This makes things more difficult." Mane rubbed his forehead in frustration after seeing his father''s stats. Since he inherited Endless Wave, he knew of its effect. It would have been great if he was able to use both Endless Wave and Takeover at the same time, but he wasn''t. If he was, his strength would increase by nine-fold! Although he couldn''t accomplish it now, he was certain that somewhere in the future he would be able to use these two glows at the same time, and bring about something that had never been seen before. Even if he was the son of two gods, it was abnormal for him to inherit such powerful glows from both. Usually, any other person would inherit just one of the two. But he wasn''t just any other person. He was the Supreme! He still wasn''t sure what it meant, but he knew that it was because of this unique bloodline, which was capable of assimilating everything, that he inherited both.


    Anyway, since he knew what Endless Wave was, he was very keen on dealing with his father before he was forced to activate this special power. But since he had failed, and his father had activated it in the end, things were much more difficult. Although it was easier to use breaths in comparison to glows- since they were born from one''s own understanding and weren''t gifts passed from an ancestor- they also drained much of one''s inner energy. So if Mane was going to keep fighting, he had to give it his all, and end it quickly. After all, his father had already activated all his glows. And even though he wasn''t certain, it was likely that the Brute King was also using his breaths. He was lucky that the breath called the Brute King''s rage was similar to Son of Lightning. Unless under special conditions, it wouldn''t activate. And he was sure it wouldn''t be used since the word rage was included in its name. For his father to use such an ability, he would have to go into a frenzy. But there was no way the man would get mad at him.


    Mane called upon his breath, True Flames, and activated one more glow to supplement Takeover.


    "Brimstone. Let''s see who uses it better Dad" Mane laughed, his fighting intent transmitted to his father. Ray laughed as well. He knew what Mane meant. Mane was saying he wasn''t going to resort to any tricks. He was challenging the god in a fight of brute force and innate skill. Ray watched as blue flames engulfed his boy. He was excited. Although Mane had also unlocked brimstone, the boy had comprehended a fire law known as True Flames. Mind you, the law wasn''t complete, and True Flames was just a section of the true law, but it had enhanced the power of Mane''s flames all the same. The original yellow flames had changed to blue, just like Mane''s eyes. And although Ray himself had irregular flames- flames that shared the same crimson color that blood did- he knew that Mane''s flames were stronger than his. Of course, this was because his true power was sealed. But it mattered little now. He was excited. Excited to see if he could still come out on top against a worthy foe. And that was what his son was. So they stood facing each other, only ten meters separating the two combatants.


    Red hair, red eyes, and blue flames VS Brown hair, flaming yellow eyes, and crimson fire.


    All was still, and then-


    It began

 Chapter 142 - End Of The Duel Part I

    "Hei!"


    "Hah!"


    Ray and Mane clashed mid-air, right in the centre of the room. Blue and red flames spread all around the room and burnt everything they came into contact with. The marbled floor melted at speed visible to the n.a.k.e.d eye due to the sheer intensity of the flames. The already haphazard room was thrown into more disarray by the power that was being concentrated in the small room. A battle of this scale was definitely too much for the room to take. The melting ceiling was testament to this fact. Although the flames didn''t get to every corner of the room, that didn''t stop them from spreading their fiery influence anyway.


    Mane and Ray traded blows mid-air. Punch for punch; kick for kick. In a split second they had traded almost three dozen blows between them. Even as the laws of gravity pulled them down, their battle raged on, all the more intense than before. Once they landed onto solid ground once more, they both jumped backwards to gather some momentum, and drove at each other once more. The sound of fist clashing against another fist; leg against leg; head against head, was resounding. The brutal battle between father and son continued. Any who witnessed such a sight would definitely not believe that the two were related, and much less believe that they were father and son.


    "Amazing" Outside the room, and protected by Alexis'' barrier, the twins watched slack-jawed as they witnessed this impressive sight. The union of red and blue flames was beautiful to those who weren''t caught up in it. Yet even they could feel the heat that was being transmitted. For even the barrier couldn''t hide that fact.


    Jake was awed by what he was seeing. "My flames are nowhere near this level" he admitted. He was at the above-level realm, so it made sense that his flames wouldn''t be as powerful. But he had to admit that was he was seeing was beyond him. They had been coming to Mane''s house every weekend. And every time they did come, their horizons were broadened. And whenever they thought that they had probably seen it all, they would be proven wrong the following week. And once again they were marvelling at what was before them.


    "There is no way my water elemental arts can stop this level of fire" John stated.


    "You guys are being too hard on yourself. Mane is much stronger than we are. We would be capable of this when we also reach his level" Abelard wasn''t shaken by what he saw. In his opinion, Mane was only this powerful because of his wielding level. As long as they got to his level, they would also be capable of doing this much.


    "He has grown much stronger. And didn''t he say that fire wasn''t his strongest point?" Frederick pointed out. Indeed. Mane had stated emphatically on many occasions that he was more comfortable manipulating the ground he stood on, than he did with fire. Yet the display of fire power was overwhelming. It was clear that Mane had grown much stronger at control of the fire element in just a short month.


    "He looks so much better with red hair than he does with blue. And when did he grow so muscular?" Selina was a bit surprised by Mane''s change. Mane was a handsome child. There was no doubt about that. But his good looks were all attributed to his face. His body was that of a child, with no visible muscles. However, in just a month, Mane had grown much taller than he was. His initial four feet eight inches frame had grown by five more inches in just a month. Mane was now five feet two inches in height. An impressive height boost for one so young. He looked much more masculine now. Even to the point where Selina was a little attracted to him. She shook her head frantically whilst reminding herself that Mane was still a child.


    Alexis was amused by Selina''s actions. The others couldn''t see it, but she could. It was as loud as the blast of a trumpet and as clear as the noonday sky. As intriguing as it was, she wasn''t going to get mixed up in her son''s romantic life. Besides, the girl didn''t really have feelings for her boy. She was only temporarily smitten with his changes. Those kind of feelings settled down quickly. Plus, she was also astonished by what she was seeing.


    Her son was definitely stronger than she thought. She didn''t have a skill like spirit scan, so she wasn''t sure of the specifics. But she was certain that Mane''s fire was a bit too strong for his current level of strength. How did she reach this conclusion when she was nowhere near being involved in the tussle? It was simple really. She drew this conclusion from the simple fact that Mane was able to face her husband head on, and not lose out. In fact, it actually looked like Mane''s flames were hotter than Ray''s! It was fascinating really. Ray had a natural affinity for lightning due to his father. But the Brute King disliked his father when he was young. Once he found out who his father was, the Brute King rejected everything that he felt was given to him by his father. That included the powerful lightning glow that had been passed down to him. And so he trained, and trained until he was conversant with a power that he produced himself. He created his breath by studying the fire element and thriving in it. His fire was so strong that he was able to contend against Hades himself- and win! Yet Mane was capable of releasing such intense flames. Flames that overshadowed Ray''s power.


    This was why she knew that Abelard''s words were mere fantasy, without a single ounce of truth. Even if Jake was at the peak of the earth realm, there was no way he would be capable of dealing such damage unless he worked on his understanding of fire as well. But she did understand Abe a bit. There was no way Mane would allow his friends to grow inferior to him. He would definitely share his insights with them. This gave them some hope that they would be able to fight those beyond their level as they grew stronger. But she wasn''t going to be the one to dampen their spirits by telling them that there was no way their power will be as strong as Mane''s. Not only were Mane''s flames strong, they were increased by threefold due to Takeover. So they were much stronger than usual. They would have to figure that out for themselves. As for how long that will be, it wasn''t that far away. They had improved massively themselves. She looked at the only silent one in the group. The boy''s eyes followed Mane''s figure intently, almost as if he wanted to carve the image of her son into his memory. She remembered that his name was Aegeus. And he had been disturbing her son for a while now. She smiled wryly when she thought about Mane''s ugly expression upon seeing the boy here. She knew her son was going to have a throbbing headache after the duel.


    "How on Zandor does he train? He is much stronger than he was a week ago. Did he have another breakthrough?" Abe wondered. That will surely be the only logical explanation for the level of strength they were witnessing. Either that or-


    "He never was at his full strength. Even more terrifying will be that he still isn???t at full strength." Abelard was absorbed in his thoughts when Alexis'' melodious voice shook his wondering mind back into the realm of reality.


    "Look closely. The match is about to end."


    Inside the training room that was no longer worthy to be classified as a room, the two figures were still locked in a stalemate. But this didn''t last long. Mane''s aura gradually grew stronger, and slowly overwhelmed Ray''s. The crazed look on his face was unsettling, yet the one he faced paid no such attention to it, for he also had a similar look of insanity etched across his face. Looking at the two right now, they definitely were father and son. Mane finally broke past Ray''s defence and delivered a blow that was as heavy as a mountain to Ray''s jaw


    *crack*


    The sound of bones being crushed was loud and clear. Yet Ray wasn''t the only one injured. Even as Mane crushed his jaw, the Brute King paid no attention to his injury. Rather, he left himself open so he could deliver a strike as well. He sent a heavy fist unto Mane''s midsection, fracturing a few ribs.


    *crack*


    Both father and son leapt away from each other after their bone crushing collision. Mane wheezed painfully, yet his smile was still as twisted as it was before. And Ray looked unharmed, although his jaw was clearly in the wrong position. Both of them bent forwards slightly, and rushed at the other. They gathered all the energy they could master as they jumped at each other like crazed beasts who had been starved for several days.


    "Brimstone!"


    "Brimstone!"


    *Bang*


    The smaller fist collided with the bigger one. And at long last, the blue flames wiped off the red flames. Fire burnt fire. It was a remarkable sight. Mane''s blow knocked his father out of position, sending the arm of the Brute King backwards and leaving him wide open. Mane wasn''t going to let such an opportunity slide.


    "Brimstone: Penetrating fist!"

 Chapter 143 - End Of The Duel Part II

    *Poof*


    Mane''s small arm lodged itself deeply into Ray''s chest, and even found its way out, with his hand sticking out of the Brute King''s body from the back. There was no blood, since Mane''s arm was occupying the space from which it would flow. Plus his arm was still on fire, so it was almost as if he was cauterizing the wound. But some blood did make its way out through the mouth of the battle god.


    "How long has it been since I felt so refreshed? How long has it been since I last bled so? What a thrilling battle! You have fulfilled the conditions to win the duel. I concede." Ray laughed loudly like a madman. And he was anything but sane right now, with him laughing so heartily whilst an arm was lodged deeply inside his chest. He was immortal. Although his godspark was sealed, his vitality as a god wasn''t. This meant that he was still technically immortal. So the only way for Mane to win any of their duels was to inflict a wound that would otherwise be threatening were another the recipient of the attack. And Mane had fulfilled these conditions today. The blonde haired boy had won.


    Mane pulled his arm out of his father''s chest with a dazed look. This was the result of using Takeover. The rampage and carnage that followed after was immense. And it took some time for Mane to get himself back to the present. In a sense, he was fighting in a semi-conscious state. His eyes returned to their sky blue colour and his hair followed suit. He slumped to the ground in exhaustion. At least he almost did. A large hand held him up and prevented him from falling. Ray smiled as he lifted up the dead tired Mane and gave him a piggyback ride. Mane was still awake. He hadn''t lost consciousness. But he was too tired to do anything else. Now that Mane''s arm was no longer preventing blood from rushing out of Ray''s wound, it finally flowed out like a fountain. Yet this turbulent flow ceased after ten seconds, with the wound sealing up very quickly. In less than five seconds, Ray looked as good as new, with the only evidence of the wound being the dried up blood that was left on his chest.


    "I need a bath. We both do" Ray commented as he looked down at his chest. With how filthy both of them looked, Alexis wasn''t going to pay them any attention.


    "Yeah." Mane agreed with his father. Even he wouldn''t be spared a cold war against his mom if he didn''t get cleaned up.


    "My first win huh" Mane mumbled.


    "Yes. And from the way you are improving, there will be many more to come. Restituere." Ray walked forward slowly. He didn''t forget to return the room to its prior state. The melted marbles and run down walls were quickly restored to tiptop condition, making the intense battle feel like a dream. They walked towards the reconstructed door and stepped out of the training room.


    "You have gotten stronger Mane." The first to greet Mane was John. The water half of the hydra twins had his face flushed in excitement as he approached his captain.


    "Yeah. It''s been only a week. Your progress is staggering." Abe who was right behind him was quick to point out Mane''s rocketing progress. There was no jealousy in his tone, only admiration. It was strange, considering that the prince thought of Mane as a rival. It was almost as if he had been expecting such a change. Either that or he himself had gotten much stronger than he was initially.


    "Did you break into the earth realm?" Frederick asked. This was the question on everyone''s mind. They wanted to- no, they needed to- know how far Mane had gone.


    Mane was too tired to speak, so he raised his thumb up in response.


    "Stop crowding him and allow him to take a bath. You can ask all the questions you want when he is done" Alexis'' voice came from behind them as she ushered the father and son duo to the bathroom at the end of the hall.


    Mane sat comfortably in the bathtub as he recalled the duel from earlier. It was a hard fought victory, but his gains were more impressive than just the win. Although he had won, he only edged his way to the top due to the smouldering intensity of his fire. An intensity that seemed to leave the Brute King at a loss. His use of Brimstone was nowhere as skilled as his father''s. He had only won because his father was keener on showing him how Brimstone could be used, than he was at winning the duel. He had followed Mane''s movements and only performed a move after he had seen Mane execute it, just to show the young boy the proper techniques. And Mane appreciated the help, for his gains were mighty impressive.


    As he relaxed in the bath with his broken bones healing under the effects of medicinal pills and his own regenerative abilities, he slowly sank into a meditative state. It wasn''t a conscious decision to meditate. His body had slipped into this state on its own, giving the owner of the body no time to argue as Mane slowly digested the gains of today.


    "Incredible. Absolutely incredible." Now that Mane was unconscious, the 6th couldn''t keep his voice to himself any longer. He marvelled at what he had just seen. And what he was seeing now was even more impressive.


    "It is indeed. He had faced off against a god- a powerful god at that- and won." The 2nd chimed in. They were all experts in their own rights. And they had all fought gods before. And yes, Ray was fighting in a state where his true power was sealed. But that didn''t take away the fact that he was a god! The experience of a million fights was engraved into his bones, and nothing could take that away. No sealing could go that deep, and even if his memories were erased, his muscle memory would still remain. Not only had Mane performed brilliantly, he had won. And now the blonde haired boy was doing something even more extraordinary.


    "In all my life, I was able to slip into such a meditative state only seven times. Mane is eleven years old, yet he has already done this three times. The more hurt he gets, the more he learns. It seems that the battles he has been having till now never truly tested his limits. He always held back in one way or another. But he doesn''t anymore, yet he struggles so much to win. That''s why he has grown so speedily." The 1st added.

 Chapter 144 - Reason For Manes Growth Part I

    "Yeah. Our boy is growing. And he is growing fast." The 4th sighed. Although he rarely spoke to Mane, that didn''t mean he didn''t like the boy. On the contrary, he rather adored the blonde haired boy who was always itching for a challenge.


    "He is truly talented. I reckon that in less than half a year his body wielding abilities will be on par with his energy wielding." The 5th was full of confidence concerning his prediction. It was confidence that the others didn''t share.


    "How is that possible? Don''t just make stuff up." Even the 2nd, who was Mane''s most diehard fan found it hard to believe what she was hearing.


    "It is true. If you don''t believe me, you can ask 4th." The 5th wasn''t in the mood to argue. He quickly referred the 2nd to the more trustworthy 4th. Since he loved to boast of his strength, it was no easy feat to get the others to believe what he said. But the 4th was different. He was quiet and seldom spoke, yet whenever he did his words were laden with the truth and the truth only.


    "It is as 5th has said. But even that is just an estimate. It may take longer than that. Or he might even get there faster. It all depends on the kind of stimulus he gets." This was the most the 4th had said in years. The silent ascender usually spoke in single word phrases and rarely sent out a lengthy sentence. But his words were staggering. They were so impressive that all the masters remained silent. Well, excluding the 5th who was too proud to tell them ''I told you so'', and the 4th who had chosen to remain quiet because he didn''t see the need to say anymore, the others were stunned.


    "It took him almost 5 years to get to this level in the energy wielding arts. Yet you''re saying that he can catch up in six months?" the normally composed 8th said. He wasn''t really asking a question. His surprise had led to his statement, and his composure had been stripped off mercilessly.


    Mane was almost eleven years old, and his wielding journey had only began five years ago in a solitary cultivation chamber where a complete novice had joined the ranks of those who could hold their destiny in their own hands. His growth was remarkable, and highly impressive even to the masters who before then, thought that they had seen everything the universe had to offer. Yet Mane''s outrageous growth was nothing compared to his body wielding talent. The boy had transformed from a complete noob in body wielding to one who could go head to head with peak mortal realm experts in just a month! They had been numbed by his feats since they had seen the boy perform several miracles over and over again. Yet the words of the 4th and the droning of the 5th had reminded them that Mane''s growth was anything but normal. Now that they thought about it, the predictions of the 5th made a lot of sense. This was because, even when Mane was learning to energy wield, he didn''t grow so rapidly within a single month.


    "But even with such staggering progress, it still seems inaccurate to say that he would be as powerful a body wielder as he is an energy wielder in nothing but a few months. There must be more to it." The 9th questioned. He was right. Even when one considered his rapid speed of progress in body wielding, it still wasn''t enough to boldly proclaim that he would be much stronger within a few months. After all, the higher one ascended the ranks of strength, the harder it was to continue climbing at their usual speed.


    "He is Asgardian. Don''t forget that." The 3rd intelligently replied. Her answer was enlightening to the others, reminding them of what they had thrown aside in their amazement. It was embarrassing that they had forgotten Mane''s roots. Mane came from two powerful bloodlines, and his bloodline was formed from the coalition of the two. It may be that his improbable bloodline was a mix of the two powerful bloodlines, and that was why destiny picked him out as the Supreme. For people who fought to control their own destiny, destiny sure did like to play the cruelest of jokes on wielders. The two families were powerful, but different. Ray came from a family that possessed a powerful bloodline which also boosted the soul. It was because of this special soul based bloodline that his family was filled with a wealth of spiritualists. And it was because of this bloodline that Mane had so simply stepped upon the enviable path of spiritualists.


    The other side of the family was different. His mother Alexis, came from a proud warrior race that were strong in energy wielding as well. But their energy wielding paled greatly in comparison to their body wielding. Asgardians were able to train their bodies to the extent that most of them were just like the 4th and the 5th. They were purely body wielders. It was the gods who were skilled in the energy wielding arts. Yet even they were no slouches in the realm of body wielding. Only a few gods didn''t enter the gates of physical training. So on Asgard, it was rarer to see someone who practiced energy wielding solely, than it was to see a pure body wielder. Their bloodlines weren''t soul based like Ray''s, but it didn''t lose at all to it. Not only did their bloodlines provide excellent regenerative abilities, but they also rapidly improved a person''s connection to outer energy. In other words, they were born body wielders. This was why Mane could start practicing before his time. Initially his masters had taken into consideration that he may not possess all the major attributes of both bloodlines. This assumption was further enforced when the blue eyed boy was found to have a strong spirit and soul, meaning he was talented enough to walk on the path of spiritualists. Yet they had been proven wrong after Mane''s body had revealed that it was not at all inferior to his soul, or his spirit. And his regenerative abilities made it possible for him to train every single day, as long as he was willing, without any risk of injury. And Mane was always willing. Even the injuries that seemed like they would require a week of rest on average had all been wiped clean following a goodnight''s rest. Even among Asgardians, such regeneration speed was enviable. It wasn''t like there weren''t any with that level of talent. Rather, there were several who possessed far superior regeneration among the Asgardians. In fact, Mane would look very average in their midst. But regeneration was a growth type ability. It didn''t just improve with constant practice just like other skills, it did with age. So even if Mane didn''t train his regeneration, it was bound to grow much stronger as he himself grew. But even before Mane had done a week of practice, his regeneration was comparable to a 15 year old Asgardian! That was five more years longer than he had lived! And every year caused a massive increase! And now that Mane had been constantly chasing his limits, his regeneration had grown even stronger, and was now comparable to a 15 year old kid who was halfway through the 16 year mark. It was amazing progress. It was for this reason that Alexis and Ray had been stunned at his rate of improvement, for it was unprecedented.


    "Besides, Mane has reached his first growth spurt." The 1st was kind to add. "You mean-"the 2nd was dumbfounded, so much so that she didn''t even finish her statement.


    "Yes. You can call it coincidence; you can call it fate; you can refer to it as anything you want. But it has indeed began. Mane is experiencing his first Olympian surge." The 1st stated. The others finally understood what was going on. It was no wonder that the 1st wasn''t quick to rebut the words of the 5th. It was no surprise that he didn''t rebuke the 4th for his confident assumption. The kid was experiencing his first Olympian surge! And he didn''t even know it. None of them were going to tell him though. They would only inform him after the surge had ended. If he was informed now, he may become very conscious of the special state, and wouldn''t be capable of bringing out his best. Even among Olympians, this was the practice. The surger would only be told about his/her special state once it was over. This way their training could go on unhindered.


    The Olympian surge was a special state that all Olympians go through when they are young. It was a period where their talents will receive a massive boost, allowing them to do in months, what they would only have been capable of doing in years. It was a once/twice in a lifetime experience for an Olympian, where their entire being would undergo a baptism of a torrential rain of talent. This boost didn''t only apply to their spirit and souls, but their bodies as well. It wasn''t understood why Olympians who weren''t body wielders, also received such a benefit. But it was welcomed anyway.


    This was why Ray, who had no experience with body wielding was described as a pseudo body wielder. It was also during his Olympian Surge that the Brute King had unlocked once of his greatest defenses ever- Diamond Body. The talent of an Olympian was centered on the number of times they could experience the surge. Although it was usually described as a once in a lifetime happening, there were occasions were this truth was broken and beaten down mercilessly. Truly talented Olympian heroes had experienced the surge more than once. With some of them going on to experience it three times, or in the case of the Brute King, four times!

 Chapter 145 - Reason For Manes Growth Part II

    Till date, Ray held the record for the highest total number of surges. It was the reason for his absurd strength when he was still so young. For even in the realm of the mortals, the Brute King would be considered as young. But the common theme behind this sudden surge was age. No one had experienced their first surge at the age of eleven. Even Mane wasn''t truly eleven years old- at least not yet anyway. So the masters hadn''t even considered this option. It was the keen and watchful eyes of one who had been a victim of the surge, and had passed down this strength to his descendants that correctly identified the oddity. And 1st was certain that Ray knew this too. That will explain the Brute King''s eagerness to show Mane the proper use of his techniques. The absentee father was hoping that his son will pick up much of what he had to offer before the surge ended. Since Mane had experienced the surge for about a month and a half now, it wasn''t going to end anytime soon. Typical surges ended after about 8 months. Unless you were a freak like the Brute King, whose surges normally lasted for around a year, it should be over by then. So it was highly likely that Mane would grow explosively during this period.


    "But still-"the 2nd argued, but not before the 1st cut her off. "It''s not like it will only affect his physical strength right?" the voice of the 1st sounded like one who was smirking pride fully. He knew the basis for the 2nd''s argument. They weren''t Olympians, but they understood how the surge worked. This process improved all aspects of the wielder, and not just one. It was because of the surge that Mane had broken into the earth realm so quickly, which meant that it wasn''t just targeting part of his abilities, but all of them. So if that was the case, wouldn''t that mean that his energy wielding and spiritualist abilities would grow just as potent as his body wielding skills? After all, Mane wasn''t just training his physical attributes. His energy level was rising steeply as well. Unless his energy wielding remained stagnant- which was obviously improbable- how could his physique catch up?


    "3rd is better at explanations than I am. Plus I don''t really understand this mutation topic. Would you please enlighten us?" the 1st was more than happy to pass the baton over to the intelligent 3rd. It seemed that the 3rd knew more than what the others did. Luckily, she was also willing to share her knowledge.


    "Sure I can" she agreed magnanimously. "Mane''s Asgardian bloodline and Olympian bloodline fused, forming a whole new power that we are currently trying to understand. And it is because of this that his surge is so strong. It cannot logically be referred to as an Olympian surge, since it is a bit more special than that. You see, his bloodlines seemed to have fused so well together that the product of their sacrifice is more resplendent than any of them will ever be. Since Asgardians are very talented in body wielding, Mane has this talent as well. But he is also talented in the energy wielding domain and spiritualists skills as well due to his Olympian bloodline. However, the training of the latter two has left his skills as a body wielder in the mud, with it only daring to raise its head a few weeks ago-"the 3rd was rudely interrupted by the impatient voice of the 2nd.


    "Come on 3rd, stop lecturing and go straight to the point. You know I hate it when you do this. We all hate it" the 2nd grumbled like a spoilt child. The 3rd chuckled wryly at her words. Only the 1st and the 2nd would dare to be so liberal with their words around her. Although more often than not, it was the 2nd who was casual around her. The 1st was more reserved and was only jolly around his grandson. The others didn''t have this sort of skill. It wasn''t due to fear, but the respect they had for the big three- the 1st, the 2nd, and herself. So even if they dislike her long narrative, they wouldn''t say anything about it due to this respect. But the 2nd had no reservations speaking out. And she seldom kept her mouth shut.


    "My bad" the 3rd chuckled. "Well, what I am trying to say is that Mane''s bloodline seems to be a new type of bloodline. It can reason, and it has sentience. It isn''t really appropriate to refer to his bloodline as an ''it'' anymore. For all sentient beings are unique. His bloodline is pursuing balance right now. That means that most of the positives the surge brings have been largely focused on raising Mane''s body wielding, which is why he has improved so massively in such a short time. As long as the surge continues, it will only get stronger and stronger until it reaches its peak, which may very well be about three months from now. And when it slowly declines and normalizes, finally ending its lengthy spell, Mane would have caught up in the area he was deficit- body wielding." The 3rd drove straight into the heart of the matter, and her words were not only enlightening, but frightening as well. It was good that Mane''s bloodline was getting him stronger, but they were all unsettled.


    "If this bloodline is slowly growing sentient, isn''t that dangerous? After all, we have no idea what it will become?" the 2nd asked fearfully. She seldom felt fear in her entire life, and when she finally did embrace this emotion after so long, it wasn''t for herself, but for her little disciple. Her fears were conveyed to all, the atmosphere growing somber. Everyone feared the unknown. The greatest unknown now was this strange bloodline that had given a lot of advantages, and hadn''t asked for anything in return.


    None of the masters knew what such a bloodline turning sentient- something that had never happened before- will lead to. The theory of sentient bloodlines that was developed by Basileus and had been rubbished by all, was proving to be the end result of Mane''s bloodline evolution. And the thought was terrifying. Mane''s destiny pointed to the Supreme as the destroyer of the gods and the universe. They grew all the more unsettled when they remembered that the darkness attribute had reached out to Mane. Did it truly reach its icy hands to the boy on its own accord-?


    Or was it summoned?

 Chapter 146 - Elemental Harmony Part I

    "He mustn''t be told about this." The 1st warned. Although he sounded like he was warning everyone, the masters knew he was only speaking to one person: the blabbermouth of the group and the one closest to a friend among them to Mane- 6th.


    "What are all of you staring at me for? I''m not gonna say anything." The 6th scowled. It was a bit strange that he commented that he was subject to their accusing gazes, when they were all trapped in mountains, with no way to see each other''s expression.


    "You better hope that''s true." The 2nd ''kindly'' reminded. Back in his mountain the dark figure of the 6th trembled imperceptibly. He didn''t want to have to find out what the consequences of offending the 2nd were. He was certain they were anything but good. And was pretty satisfied being on her good side.


    "The boy''s burden gets heavier and heavier by the day. And even when we say nothing, he still feels it." The 1st was right, and his voice was filled with sorrow. He sighed when he considered the burden the small shoulders of his student was carrying. This burden was heavier and probably bigger than anyone else''s since the inception of the universe. And it was laid upon a small boy of eleven years.


    "This boy amazes me every time" 9th sighed. "Oh, what is it this time?" 6th questioned. "Why don''t you take a look at it yourself" 9th suggested.


    Back in the bathroom, Mane was still seated in the bathtub, except there was something different. Blue flames had engulfed his entire being, from the crown of his head to the sole of his feet. Yet the strangest thing was the flames didn''t seem to affect the water. For the bathtub was still filled with water, and the temperature of the room hadn''t gone up at all. It was almost as if the flames were just an illusion, a clever trick to deceive the eyes.


    "This is elemental harmony!" 6th exclaimed. He was shocked at what he was witnessing. Elemental harmony was a realm of high understanding. It was a stage where a person''s insight into two or more elements was so profound that he/she was able to do the unthinkable. Just like Mane was doing now. It was extremely difficult to master and depended upon plain dumb luck. It wasn''t something that a person could actively learn.


    Mane''s state of elemental harmony was a rarity. And he was able to do this with four elements. Fire; water; air; and earth. The flames were in water and yet they weren''t extinguished, neither was the water showing any signs of evaporating. The bathtub which was made from earth was fine and remained compact, conceding no cracks and wasn''t burnt in any way. The flames were present yet the atmospheric temperature was still normal, meaning that the heat of the fire wasn''t transferred into the air around them. Every element was in its own space. It was a miraculous feat, one that rarely occurred.


    "As far as I know, no Supreme has ever achieved this level of elemental harmony. But his seems a bit different." 1st analysed.


    "It is" 9th confirmed. "This isn''t true elemental harmony. It is a false elemental harmony." 9th continued.


    "Oh? What do you see 9th?" 2nd asked.


    "Mane has had a breakthrough in his time law." 9th answered. "You feel it too, don''t you 3rd" 9th asked.


    "I do." 3rd answered succinctly. She was a spiritualist, and a powerful one at that. Although she had been sealed in Mane''s mind scape, she was still able to sense that Mane''s state was different from the more obscure elemental harmony.


    "Time law wielders refer to this state as self-time control." 9th explained. The others didn''t need to hear more to understand the entire situation now. They weren''t time law wielders, but they knew about the time laws. Self-time control was an upgraded version of self-time acceleration- a law that Mane had unwittingly comprehended about 5 years ago. It was a skill that allowed Mane to see an impressive boost in speed. The reason Mane had such impressive speed was because of this skill. Over the years Mane had been able to incorporate this skill into his arsenal of abilities, so as to do away with the limitations that came with it. When he relied purely on the skill, he was able to slow time tremendously for a few seconds- at least that''s what it looked like on the outside. But what he was truly doing was increasing his own time. This allows him to be a lot faster than his opponents, and makes it look like he was just exceedingly quick. But this skill was physically draining. All time users were also body wielders. They weren''t as adept at body wielding like pure body wielders because they only trained their bodies to accommodate the strain time law puts on their bodies. Just a month ago, Mane had no knowledge of body wielding. And even now that he did, he was only at the peak of the mortal realm. Even before beginning his body wielding journey, Mane was able to utilise the skill known as self-time acceleration. The downside was that once he displayed the skill, he would grow so weak that he wouldn''t be able to do anything else. His body couldn''t handle deploying it safely two times in a row. So it was a skill that he would only resort to at the last moment. Five years ago, when he had first comprehended the skill, 9th informed him that he would be able to use if safely when he reached the profound realm. What the proud master had failed to tell him was that he would be able to do that only once every day. It was so much more complicated to master. Time law users didn''t master many skills, but they were very deadly. Their arsenal was limited, but the power of the skills that filled them was limitless.


    When Mane realised that self-time acceleration was so difficult to employ, he didn''t give up. Rather, he was challenged to make the skill useful no matter what. After years of studying and experimenting, he was able to integrate the skill into his overall speed, giving himself impressive bursts of speed at regular intervals. It was a tiring thing to do, but it was much more manageable than purely using the skill. Whereas self-time acceleration increased the time flow of the caster, self-time control was a bit more complicated than that. It wasn''t just a case of increasing the user''s time flow now, but decreasing it as well. But why would decreasing time flow of the castor be of any benefit?


    For instance, if a person had been injured severely, speeding up their time would only send them to their deaths faster. But if one slowed down the time around them, their injury will in theory, cease to have an effect on the body, and they would be able to survive longer. Unlike self-time acceleration, self-time control gave the user total control of their time flow. So the caster could slow down injuries, increase rates of metabolism to produce more energy, and do so much more. It basically gave one total control of the body''s processes. It was an impressive skill. And that was what Mane was using to achieve elemental harmony. It was a false state, and he had only just touched on it, but with practice he would definitely grow more adept at it. But that wouldn''t happen in just a few months. Even mastering self-time control was going to take years, not to talk of the false elemental harmony that was the product of this skill. It was because Mane had just comprehended self-time control that the scene in the bathroom was happening. Once this state wore off, and he returned to himself, he would find it very difficult to truly use self-time control. But at least, he had unlocked a new breath.

 Chapter 147 - Elemental Mastery Part II

    Mane opened his eyes after five minutes. As the marvelous state he had gouged himself in wore off, his false state of elemental harmony was broken. The water he sat in was quickly evaporated, and the temperature of the room increased sharply. A few cracks appeared on the bathtub, as it creaked and threatened to fall apart. Luckily, Mane shook himself out of his dazed state quite quickly, and the flames that were close to causing havoc, died out.


    "What was that?" he wondered. That miraculous state was addictive, and he craved for it once more. But even though he didn''t know what had happened, he knew that it wasn''t a common occurrence, and it would be difficult to experience something like that again.


    "I know you know what that was. Will you tell me?" Mane asked his masters. He didn''t pick out anyone in particular, choosing to throw the question to the crowd.


    "Just do a spirit scan kid" 6th said in disdain. He couldn''t believe a spiritualist was asking them such a question. Mane blushed at the 6th''s reply, though the redness on his checks disappeared as quickly as they had made their presence known. If he could, he would pummel his 6th master into the ground. And when he was done, he would sit on him with a satisfactory smirk. Alas, that wasn''t possible, for even if he was strong enough to do such a thing, he wouldn''t have a way to get to the one hidden in the 6th mountain. At least, he didn''t have a way just yet. So far all he knew was that the key to breaking their seals was to understand the riddles they gave him. But Mane''s instincts screamed at him constantly, begging him to abstain from making known what his exceptional brain had deduced over the years. He was certain that answering those riddles wouldn''t give him the results he sought. So he chose to remain silent.


    "Spirit Scan"


    NAME: Mane


    AGE: 11


    HEALTH POINTS: 4000/4000


    RACE: Supreme


    BLOODLINE: Mixed (Olympian, Norse GodKing, ???)


    BLOODLINE RANK: Improbable


    LEVEL: Earth Stage 1 (Level 51.25)


    POWER LEVEL: 470,250


    WIELDER TYPE: Multi Wielder (Body Wielder; Energy Wielder; Spiritualist)


    SPECIALTY: Strength; Intelligence; Speed


    GLOWS: Takeover; Aftershock; Endless Wave; Basileus; Son of Lightning; Absolute Darkness; *Brimstone


    BREATH: Self-time Acceleration; True Flames; The Dark Times; *Self-time Control


    After resting for a while, Mane''s health was fully recovered. His regeneration ability was indeed impressive. Even more impressive was that this ability did not manifest as a skill. If it did one day, his healing speed would be monstrous. But Mane wasn''t interested in his vitality. He was drawn in by the new breath. He focused on it and said,


    "Spirit Scan: Category- Breath; Expound Self-time Control"


    Once his words ended a more comprehensive explanation of his new skill was presented before his eyes.


    BREATH: *Self-time Control- An ability envied by the gods. The bread and butter of time gods and ascenders. Allows one to control their bodily functions and activities to the microscopic level. User is able to tap into a false elemental harmony at the peak of this state. Difficult to master. User is only at the initial stage.


    Caution: User best refrain from suing this skill until he attains the peak of the heavenly realm or higher (Body wielding must also reach this level).


    Mane was astounded by what he saw. This skill was like a cheat. It basically allowed him to halt his injuries and keep fighting on. But it seemed that for now he couldn''t use it in its entirety. And he didn''t truly understand it in its fullness. He would have to thoroughly study this skill, for it was highly useful. Luckily for him, he also had a time expert on his side. He was certain that 9th was conversant with this skill. After all, the description stated that it was the bread and butter of time ascenders. And 9th was one, and a pretty awesome one at that. Mane knew that even without asking him formerly, his master would spare nothing to teach him. What drew his attention from the little he had been told was the phrase; false elemental harmony at the peak of this state.


    "What is false elemental harmony?" he wondered. This time, his masters did answer, for there was a limit to a spirit scan.


    "It is a unique state. It is usually attributed to luck, but it is craved for by all elemental wielders. It is basically the ability to use two or more elements in perfect harmony. Fire doesn''t scorch the earth; water doesn''t extinguish flames; air doesn''t take out a flicker of fire. It is a strange state, one that isn''t thoroughly understood. And even stranger than the skill itself, is the ability to master it. But from what I know, every Supreme did unlock this skill. Yet none of them were able to achieve this state with more than two elements- the first Supreme was no exception, neither was the one before you. In fact, in all of history, only one person has been able to use three elements masterfully in this state. And it is because of her that we realised that it could be done with more than two elements." 6th''s explanation was as thorough as it was lengthy. But for the first time in a long while, Mane didn''t mind his blabbering. And why would he? He was being given very valuable information. He would be a fool to shut his master up.


    "How many elements did I access in mine?" Mane asked. He couldn''t tell what has happening in that ethereal state. But he was positive that his masters who see everything that goes on around him witnessed this state.


    "Four- air, fire, earth, water" 6th answered. Mane was startled by the revelation. He was expecting to be told he was no different from his predecessors. After all, from what he had gathered form 6th''s explanation, the one who did go beyond two elements wasn''t a Supreme. Supremes had a wide arsenal of abilities, and with destiny on their side they were always able to access this sought after state. But their luck ended there. Till date they had all been recorded as masters of elemental harmony, but they were limited to only two elements. He was wrong in thinking he wasn''t any different. Although he asked his question concerning the number of elements, what he really wanted to know was the elements he had attained the state in. To think he had even broken the record was surprising.


    "Don''t get too happy just yet. It is just a false state. You haven''t yet reached the real elemental harmony. Besides, you are only capable of tapping into this power when you use self-time control. It seems that you were able to control even your elemental affinity in your dazed state, hence the reason you poked your head into elemental harmony. So you must first master self-time control, before you can use this false state. And that is going to take a few years at least. And when you finally break open the door you only just unlocked, you will need to do much more to comprehend the true state. We won''t be much help however, because none of us achieved true elemental harmony." 6th explained


    "True elemental harmony? That means that some of you did unlock the false state?" Mane noticed that there was a hole in the 6th''s words, not like the blabbermouth was hiding it anyway.


    "Not some- just two of us. 6th and 9th are the only ones with experience." 2nd answered. Now Mane was truly surprised. To think that 6th was part of the only two amongst his masters with the talent and luck to unlock such a skill. It wasn''t a surprise that 9th had this skill. After all, from the description of self-time control, as long as one reached its peak, they would be capable of accessing the false elemental harmony. It was the 6th who surprised him. It seems his masters weren''t joking when they told him that 6th''s talent was among the top in the universe. Even in their group he was no pushover. It''s just that his master didn''t have the demeanor of an elder when he spoke to Mane, so the little boy had unconsciously been taking him for granted. At least, now he knew who to consult when he mastered self-time control. As for true elemental harmony, he would worry about how to achieve it when he crossed the bridge that was its false state.


    "I should get out. I have been here for quite a while." Mane mumbled, and his masters agreed. There was no water in the tub, so there was no need for him to be sitting around aimlessly. Since he was already dry after using his flames, he proceeded to wear his clothes and left the bathroom.

 Chapter 148 - Accepting A Disciple Part I

    Mane left the bathroom with a refreshed look on his face. A bath was always a relaxing way to cool off. He wasn''t just exhausted physically, but mentally as well. The bath he had taken relieved him of his psychological exhaustion. It worked almost as well as a healing spring. The relaxed smile on his face didn''t last long. Once he re-entered dining room a bitter smile took its place. He looked at Frederick as if waiting for explanation.


    "What are you looking at me for?" the older boy questioned. "You know as much as I do that I cannot stop him from going anywhere." Fred shrugged nonchalantly. Mane wanted to peel the skin off the Student Council''s President''s face. There was no way the guards of his home would have allowed Aegeus in if his brother didn''t vouch for the boy. That was always how Aegeus got inside. Yet Frederick was feigning ignorance and pleading his innocence, as though the situation was out if his control. He cursed his shamelessness and wondered how he should deal with the situation at hand.


    Alexis had a playful smirk on her face, relishing her son''s situation. The reason for Mane''s discomfort was simple. Since about three weeks ago, Aegeus had been a regular visitor of Mane''s home. The first time the boy came it was to apologize for his behavior, something that Mane never expected. After all, although they had encountered each other just once, the older boy didn''t leave a good impression on Mane. He was overbearing and rude. He was rash and arrogant, and Mane had kicked the living daylights out of him because of that. Well, that was partly the reason Mane left him bedridden. So when the boy had appeared with Frederick, Mane was genuinely curious, wondering what the boy''s mission was. He considered many things, yet Aegeus had thrown Mane off when he apologized for his behavior.


    Since Aegeus came with Frederick, Mane considered that he had been forced to come and apologize. He was wrong. The apology was genuine, with no malice involved. And Mane could even see a bit of longing and adoration in the boy''s eyes. The problem came after Mane graciously accepted Aegeus'' apology. The younger brother of Frederick was elated upon seeing that his apology had been accepted. Once he confirmed that there was no bad blood left between them, he began to pester Mane. The boy asked to join Mane''s team. He wanted to grow as strong as Mane. The admiration in his eyes when he looked at the blonde haired boy was the same look diehard fans of popular stars gave them as they pursued them for their autographs.


    Over the past few weeks Aegeus had learned to control himself, but the look of adoration in his eyes never disappeared. On the contrary, they grew stronger as Aegeus watched Mane train week after week. Mane tried to avoid the boy. He even asked the guards not to let him through whenever he visited. But that didn''t stop Aegeus. Upon realizing that he was being rejected, he came up with a solution. And it didn''t take him long too. He tagged along with the Silver Wolves team whenever they visited. The guards couldn''t do anything to him since the team was allowed inside. And the crafty Frederick always vouched for his brother anytime they came, saying that Mane had personally asked for Aegeus. The Student Council President was happy that his brother was focusing his energy elsewhere.


    After all, normally Aegeus would be running around the academy with his band of hooligans, chasing after trouble. It always kept his hands full- cleaning up his brother''s messes. Now Aegeus had a new goal. The strength Mane had displayed then had awed him, and his awe grew greater whenever he watched the blue eyed genius train. Although Ray was also strong, Aegeus completely ignored him. In his eyes, Ray was old, and it was normal for the father of a strong boy to be strong as well. He was fascinated with Mane because the younger boy was a student just like him. And his decision to join this group had only been cemented when he realised that everyone in the Silver Wolves team was stronger than his brother. He knew Selina was strong, so it didn''t come as a surprise. But the others amazed him with their strength, especially since they were younger than he was. Aegeus was a proud boy, and he had done a lot of stupid things in his short spell at the academy, but he wasn''t truly an idiot. Once he put a lock on his prideful heart, his brain worked wonderfully well. He noticed that the reason for the strength of the Silver Wolves lay with their leader- Mane. He finally understood why there were so many stories about Abe and the twins, and none about Mane, yet the other three were always following Mane around. It took a stronger person to tame the strong, and that was exactly what Mane had done.


    Aegeus was no masochist, but the blow he received from Mane had woken him up. He suddenly realised that he had been a fool all along. His prideful heart was still there, but he now had the brain to tame it. He realised that relying on his brother''s prestige and power to bully those weaker than him was no great feat. Using his own power to make others submit was the true test- one that he wanted to pass. Besides, maybe if he was strong enough, she would pay more attention to him.


    Aegeus was just like any other boy his age- he liked good things. He had a girl that he liked. She was beautiful and intelligent. And she was a great match for him. After all, if you looked past his arrogant demeanor, Aegeus was quite the looker. Yet she disdained him. Although they were betrothed, she made it clear each time that she did not want to be with him. Aegeus was too proud to acknowledge his feelings for her. To him, she should be happy that they were bound to one another, after all, his family was more prestigious than hers. He liked her, he really did. However his training never endued him with information on how to wow the opposite s.e.x. So what he regarded as the way to go about expressing his feelings was wrong.


    Over the years, the only thing he had been able to accomplish from pestering Aaliyah was her ire and disdain. He wished to change that, only he didn''t know how. So when he saw how she talked about Mane so highly, he got jealous, and his jealousy led to the injuries he received. Injuries that left him bedridden for a whole month. It was during this period, when he first regained consciousness that he realised he needed power. His brother had always told him that his approach in dealing with Aaliyah was wrong. According to Frederick, if Aegeus liked her, he should prove it by being there for her and protecting her. To show tyranny towards the one he loved was foolish. Aegeus had rubbished Frederick''s theory. After all, he knew his brother liked Selina, yet the girl didn''t return his feelings. How could one who couldn''t get a girl for himself give any correct advice in that field? But it turns out that his brother was right. The reason his brother''s method wasn''t working for him was because he was weaker than Selina. And after Aegeus began to think about it he realised that Frederick may be right. He could remember how Aaliyah looked when she spoke about Mane. The admiration was there for all to see, so was the faint blush that covered her cheeks. She wasn''t even close to the blonde haired prodigy, yet she had a very favorable impression of him because of his exploits. And this impression was further strengthened by the fact that Mane didn''t go around abusing his strength. The respect Mane commanded was through his own efforts, not his family''s. It was then that Aegeus had decided that he would grow strong. He would grow strong enough to be a true reflection of his name. He would become a protector, and show Aaliyah that he was worthy of her.


    There was a problem though. Aegeus knew his limitations. He didn''t have the greatest of talents, and he wasn''t the brightest. It would be difficult for him to even be as strong as his brother when he reached Frederick''s age, not to talk of surpassing his brother. But there was someone who gave him hope. Someone who had him believing that even with his meagre talents he could still become strong. The one who had bested him so easily and was too strong for his age. This person was standing before him now. He knew what he had to do. He had to get Mane to acknowledge him. The blue eyed boy must accept him and teach him the way to go. And although he had been rejected many times, he would never stop. He will persist until he got his way. That was just the kind of person he was. If there was something he could do very well, it was to wait patiently for what he wanted. He would be consistent with his visits, and wear Mane down. Even if the blonde hair boy wasn''t willing to accept him, he may relent eventually just to get some breathing space.

 Chapter 149 - Accepting A Disciple Part II

    Mane''s eyebrows twitched in annoyance at what had become a norm since he was confined to his home. After his application for a two months leave had been accepted by the academy, Mane assumed that he wouldn''t have any trouble for a while. His peaceful training days were no longer peaceful when Aegeus showed up. Mane had to admit that he was impressed by the boy''s tenacity. Although Aegeus was only older than him by a year, the boy was very strong willed. His actions had Mane questioning if he would do the same thing were he in the boy''s shoes. He was certain that he would have given up long ago after being rejected. But Aegeus kept coming back. Even when Mane had instructed the guards to rough him up a bit the net time he showed himself here, Aegeus did not relent. Mane thought the threat of a beating will have the younger brother of Frederick running away with his tail tucked between his legs, especially considering the trauma from Mane''s assault sometime back. He still showed up with a bruised face, eager to achieve his goal. Although Mane admired his persistence, he still didn''t think Aegeus was a good fit for his team. To be honest, Mane was done accepting members from Zandor. The quota he had prepared for this minor world had been filled already. He wouldn''t accept another. So there was no way he would consider including Aegeus. It made him feel bad. There was someone here ready to better himself, yet Mane wasn''t in the right place to accept another.


    After all, all that he gave his members came from his masters. And it was his masters that gave him the Zandorian quota. In their words, there were any worlds out there with greater talents that Mane could recruit. It would be a waste to use their teachings on those of average talent. And this was the opinion of all the masters- except 3rd. 3rd was the only one who believed that the talents of Zandorians was greater than what it appeared to be. Although she was trapped inside him, her spirit was still as strong as ever. According to 3rd, there was a dormant power that was present in every Zandorian body, and with the right conditions, this power could be awakened. But the others argued that they didn''t have any such means, and they didn''t even know what could trigger this power. It would be na?ve to accept members based on hidden talent, for everyone had potential, but only a few were able to truly live up to expectations.


    Though Mane normally sided with 3rd, this time he had to take the side of his other masters. They were right. They didn''t know what requirements had to be met before this dormant power could be awakened. It wouldn''t be wise to fill their ranks with Zandorians just because of this. After all, even the 3rd, a powerful spiritualist couldn''t tell the conditions for awakening. So although Mane admired Aegeus'' determination to get what he wanted, the older boy wasn''t going to succeed.


    "Why don''t you accept him as a disciple?" Alexis smirked playfully. Mane was startled by her words.


    Indeed, why didn''t he just accept Aegeus as his disciple? His mother knew about his masters. And she surely knew that each member of his team must first be given the nod by these proud masters of his before he could invite them to join his team. They had been softhearted by allowing him to include his roommates and two more Zandorians. If they had their way, only one person from this tiny planet will have the privilege of joining their student. After all, getting to conquer the world under the banner of the Supreme was a great privilege. That was how they saw it. To Mane, it was just pride. But he didn''t complain since he had his way anyway.


    But if he accepted Aegeus as his disciple it would be different. He could teach the boy what he knew, without including him in his team. But that would mean he couldn''t divulge the skills of his masters and their wielding techniques to Aegeus. He would just have to ask his parents to teach Aegeus. His father couldn''t accept a disciple because it was too dangerous. He had so many enemies that even his own family wasn''t safe, how much more a disciple. His mother''s criteria for accepting a disciple lay in their intelligence, not their strength. And so far the only person she had shown any interest in was Abe. Even Frederick wasn''t good enough for her. But if Mane accepted Aegeus as his disciple, they would have no choice but to teach him what they know. Now he only wondered why he never thought of this before. It was a loophole that he should be able to exploit.


    Aegeus eyes twinkled as brightly as the stars in the sky. He felt that the position of a disciple was lower than what he wanted. But his indignation didn''t last for long. When he thought about the fact that he would still get his way, his misgivings were replaced quickly with joy. Anyway, Mane was stronger than him, so it was no shame being his disciple. Besides, he would get more guidance because of this title. He looked to Mane eagerly, waiting for him to speak. Although it was Mane''s first time receiving a disciple, he knew what to do. After all, he had accepted nine masters, and he remembered how that had gone.


    "Are you okay with this? Are you truly willing to study at my feet?" he questioned genuinely. It was no easy task, accepting that someone who was younger than you was also stronger than you. And it took a lot of humility to acknowledge such a person as your teacher. Although Aegeus had become more reserved, Mane knew that his pride was still intact. He didn''t know if Aegeus would accept this.


    "I am. As long as I can learn and grow stronger, I am willing to do anything." Aegeus nodded vigorously to show that he didn''t mind at all. He just wanted to grow stronger. As long as the means weren''t dishonest, he would welcome them at any time.


    "Great" Mane exclaimed. He had to admit that he was a bit excited. This was his first disciple, and he was looking forward to it. He ignored the grumbling 6th and shut off his communication with his masters. He was too lazy to listen to their blabbering.


    "Wait. Where is dad?" Mane finally realised that there was someone missing. His father wasn''t one to take a long bath, so he should have been out by now.


    "Oh Butler Fin came for him. There is someone here to see him." Alexis replied. "I see" Mane nodded. He wondered who it was. His father didn''t have any friends on this planet, so receiving a visitor was rare. Mane was curious.


    "Who could it be?" he wondered.

 Chapter 150 - Indra Visits Part I

    "To think that even you were involved" Ray looked at the green eyed man before him. His smile was mesmerizing, as was his voice. Yet this wasn''t enough to capture all the attention in this room. For the one who sat opposite him was just as good looking and charismatic as the Brute King. He had an air of invincibility and nobility about him. And it would be impossible for anyone who met him to ignore him. His skin was clear and healthy, and his eyes radiated wisdom. Next to Ray was Butler Fin. He stood beside his ward as straight as a rod, unmoving.


    "It is an honor to make your acquaintance Brute King Ray. And it is even more flattering to meet an elder god." The stranger smiled genially as he greeted his hosts.


    "I would like to apologize for our earlier encounter. I am not one for making excuses, but even you can understand my caution since the Dark God is involved. I had been tracking him for some time, so when I lost the tool I was using for that purpose, I thought he was the one." The stranger apologized.


    "No harm done. It led you to us, and delivered us an ally. Trust me when I say it was for the best" Ray waved nonchalantly. He didn''t care at all about the incident that was being mentioned. And he was sincere when he said that it didn''t matter. No harm had been done, and it had led a powerful ally right to their doorstep. They couldn''t be more thrilled. After all, the Dark God was no common foe. Countless realms had fallen to his sickle, if they wanted to protect Zandor, they would need all the help they could get.


    "But I must say I was astonished to see you here. You have been out of action for a long time. Who knew that you were laying low on a sealed world, Indra." Butler Fin added. The one who sat before them was Indra, a prime candidate for the seat of the Lord of the 3rd heaven. He had been missing for a while, with many drawing the conclusion that he wasn''t interested in the throne and hence had run away. As for death, no one had considered that. It would take an awfully powerful being to kill Indra. They would be surprised to hear that he was on a sealed world.


    "The Dark God is a huge threat. He has been left alone for too long. I couldn''t continue to ignore him. I decided to hunt him down." Indra stated.


    Ray nodded at his words. He didn''t know Indra personally, but if the rumors of his character were to be believed, then they were spot on. It was rumored that Indra was a just god who hated everything unclean. He was a vagabond who roamed the worlds and cleansed the universe of any and everything that was thought to be a threat. It was only a matter of time before he set his sights towards the Shadow God.


    "I admire your spirit, I really do. But don''t you think you are biting off more than you can chew?" But this time, Ray believed that he had bitten off more than he could chew. The Dark God Seth wasn''t your average ascender. He was a god with a unique godhood. There was little information on his godhead, which made him almost undefeatable. Unless his weakness could be found, it was suicide to try to hunt him down. Indra may be a match for him in power, but he still wouldn''t be able to handle the shadow god. But the shadow god may be able to kill Indra instead. So no matter how one looked at it, Indra was disadvantaged in his search for Dark God Seth. Still, Ray admired the battle god who left his home after a dangerous figure for no personal gain.


    "Indeed. You are strong. But defeating the Dark One is no walk in the park. And defeating him makes no difference if he cannot be killed. Do you have any information on his godhead?" Butler Fin questioned, doubt filling his words. He was an Elder Sensor God of the highest order, and even he still didn''t fully understand Seth''s godhead. He was doubtful that Indra had any valuable information. If he did, it would be great for them. If he didn''t, then he was more foolish than he was brave. Unlike Ray, Butler Fin did not admire people based on their decisions, but the power to make their decisions the right one. Rushing headfirst into a fight without adequate information and power was not courage. To a god like Fin who had lived through the most trying times in the universe, such a decision was more foolish than it was courageous. And Indra didn''t look like a fool. It was impressive that Indra even knew where the Dark God was. After all, it was only after Seth stepped foot on this world that Butler Fin had sensed him. So for Indra to find out where he was, and even begin investigating the Dark One was good enough. This was why Butler Fin was doubtful that he was working alone.


    "You are absolutely right. I did come to this planet to hunt Seth down." Indra assented. "I can show you what I know, so that you will believe me when I say I didn''t come here chasing after dreams and fairytales. I have some understanding of what I am doing." Indra continued. He knew that the others were doubtful of him. After all, hunting Seth took more than skill. It took wit and knowledge in addition to overwhelming strength to give one a chance to put the Dark One down completely, once and for all. Unless he shared what he knew, there was no way he would give the battle god and the elder god a reason to put their faith in him. Without his knowledge, he would just be a fool to them.


    Upon receiving the go ahead from Butler Fin, Indra proceeded to share what he knew with the others. He established a mental connection with the other two with their permission, and gave up the information he had. A mental connection wasn''t easy to establish. Unless the other person involved allowed you to invade their mind, it was almost impossible to get in. The only other way to do so was if you were far stronger than the other person, or took them off guard. So Indra needed their permission to share his thoughts with them. Once he had their consent, he opened up his mind to them, choosing to share only the relevant information. All other things were kept to himself, including his knowledge of Shiva. After all, he had promised the defeated god that he wouldn''t give him up. And he was bound by his godhead to keep his promise, even if he didn''t want to.


    "This is good stuff" Ray commented after about ten seconds of leafing through the information he had received. He had an intoxicated look on his face, like a man drunk on wine. Butler Fin smiled apologetically at Indra for his employer''s behavior. Indra indicated that he didn''t mind at all, and waved Ray''s strange behavior off. Actually he was quite happy with Ray''s weird action. It made him feel more comfortable, and allowed to Indra to see that Ray wasn''t as dense as he appeared to be. In a bid to make the newcomer more comfortable, he decided to make a fool of himself. And it seemed to work just fine. Although Butler Fin saw through Ray''s intentions, he still had to apologize for the god''s behavior.


    "Where did you get this information from?" After a scanning the new information for a while, Butler fin was eager to know its source. He looked a bit surprised by the information. And there were very few things that could stun him.


    Ray had also wiped the goofy look off his face. The knowledge that they had just received was staggering to say the least. If it was indeed true, then they would have a good chance at stopping Seth.


    "I don''t know who she was. I couldn''t peer through her disguise. But she fed me with everything I know. And she was the one that sent me here." Indra shook his head to say that he did not know, a reply that surprised Ray. Although Butler Fin didn''t look surprised, he was also baffled by the discovery. After all, Indra was a battle god with amazing power. Countless realms sang his praises and lauded his ability. There were several worlds rife with songs from bards who sang of Indra''s excellence. Poets scribbled away to create more words for this legend since almost every phrase that symbolized good had been used for him already. Yet such a god failed to see through the disguise of another. All what he knew was the gender of this mysterious person who had given him the information. Unless the person was a powerful Sensor God, it would be impossible to cloud Indra''s senses. And Butler Fin knew of no recently promoted Sensor God who had his level of power. This could only mean that this Sensor God was an old one- an Elder or Origin god. Either way, this god''s intentions were unknown, and that could be dangerous.

 Chapter 151 - Indra Visits Part II

    Ray and Fin could guess what had happened next. Indra had left his home once more on a quest to see if the information was right. It could have been a trap, or it could have been just wrong information. But the Battle God Indra had still gone after it. He wanted to know if the information was right. When he arrived at the said location, his senses picked up nothing. After all, Zandor had been sealed off from the rest of the universe. Anyone who arrived at the world''s coordinates would see nothing. But for some reason Indra was able to discern what many hadn''t. If Ray and Butler Fin had to venture a guess, they would say it had something to do with the mysterious Sensor God. This god had somehow given Indra the ability to see what many wouldn''t. Especially since this god''s interference may actually be the explanation as to why Indra could call on the world will of Zandor for help.


    If Ray and Butler Fin were right, then Indra located Zandor through the mysterious god''s help, and confirmed that the information he had been given was correct. This had caused Indra to believe that this god had given him the right information. Which could also mean that the information he had been provided concerning how to seal Seth''s godhead was likely accurate. He might as well depend on that since he had no idea how to deal with Seth.


    "You aren''t a Sensor God, and neither are you a Spiritual God. Which means you aren''t able to cast leases that cloud one''s senses and invade the mind. An artefact perhaps?" When Indra arrived here, Butler Fin scanned the god thoroughly. He found out to his amazement that Indra wasn''t talented in the sensory art. ''So how was he able to cast Lucid Dreams'', Butler Fin wondered at the time? And how was he able to invade the mind of a powerful Sensor God like himself. It seemed the answer was clear now. Indra had help. It was likely to be an artefact that he had been gifted by the mysterious god.


    "Yes" Indra didn''t see the need to hide this. Any good Sensor God will be able to tell that he didn''t have talent with such power. His fighting style was more direct and very offensive. In this sense he was very similar to Ray. The father of Mane was also untalented in the sensory arts due to his fighting style. His mindset was not conditioned to use such means to battle. Just like Indra he preferred to strike at his enemies directly.


    Butler Fin didn''t press Indra for the name of the artefact that allowed him to use sensory leases. It was rude to ask a god to give up information on their tools. "If this information is indeed true, we can actually seal Seth''s godhead. This would give us a good chance at killing the fiend." Ray stated. His words earned him nods from the two gods. If the information was right, then they would kill Seth once and for all.


    "How much faith do you have in this information?" Ray wondered.


    "I''m pretty confident. After all, she hasn''t been wrong so far." Indra replied. He was right to be confident in the information he had received. When he ventured to this world, he thought he had been tricked until he followed her instructions and found the hidden Zandor. It was her information that led him to Shiva- although he couldn''t disclose this. And everything he had done so far was done under her prior guidance. He had seen success after success. The only thing he didn''t account for was the presence of three other gods- Ray, Alexis and Butler Fin. But he knew that it wasn''t because she didn''t know about them, rather she didn''t feel the need to tell him. After all, she told him that he would have help when he arrived. And she was right about that too. It was due to this that he was more trusting of the elusive figure now. What he didn''t know was her intentions. He could only hope that they were good.


    "Alright then. Sealing the Dark God''s godhead. Now that will be mighty fun." Ray smiled broadly as if he could already see the decapitated body of Seth before him.


    Godheads were the foundation of every god???s divinity. It was the ground on which they built their power, and the source of their immortality. Once this power is sealed, a god can be killed. Sealing this power meant taking it away from the equation, so that it doesn''t feed the god with limitless vitality. This was the only way to kill a god. Otherwise you''d just be fighting a battle you cannot win.


    "This world is more interesting than I thought." A hooded figure sat lazily on a long chair as he indulged in the fruits that had been placed before him. He sat in a well-lit hall yet the brightness of the room did nothing to reveal his obscure figure. Although the hood did not cover his face fully, his appearance was blurry and hidden. His figure was that of a specter of the night, and even the bright light did nothing to cast any light on his cloaked self. There was light, yet his figure was darkened. He was like darkness itself, for it followed him everywhere.


    "Master, it is as you had expected. The one known as Indra has met with the Brute King Ray." A figure interrupted the hidden figure''s snack time with this piece of information. This figure had his head bowed slightly, making it difficult to see his face.


    "Ah, I see. That''s not unexpected. He needs allies if he wants to take me down." The one eating the fruits did not care about the information he had been given. He actually expected it, so it didn''t come as a surprise that Indra had done what he did. He continued to eat his fruits without paying his subordinate any of his precious attention.


    "You have come a long way. The power of darkness suits you." The master spoke after relishing an apple.


    "It is all due to the grace of the Dark One. If not for your grace in taking me in, I would be dead by now, not to talk of growing stronger." The servant bowed deeper as he expressed his gratitude to his master.


    Seth didn''t seem to care about the praise. To him accepting someone of talent was just a way to accomplish his goals and satisfy his ambitions. It had nothing to do with generosity. That wasn''t a trait he would associate with himself- generosity.


    "You may leave" Seth waved his shadowy hand to dismiss his subordinate, who raised his head and proceeded to leave his master to his own devices. With his head raised his features could be made out. He was a handsome middle aged man with a serious look on his face. This man was familiar. He was the former head of the now destroyed Assassins Association!

 Chapter 152 - A Strange Meeting Part I

    "Who is dad with?" Mane asked his mother. His dad didn''t have any friends on Zandor. If his father had any friends, they would all be outside this world. This could only mean that the visitor was from another world. So Mane was truly curious about who it was that would come here to see his dad. Not only was this person allowed inside, his father also met with him personally. There was no way this person would be average.


    "Why don''t you ask him yourself?" Alexis smiled faintly and replied. After Mane had exited the bath, they had left the bas.e.m.e.nt and were currently in the hall. The seats Mane and his friends chose weren''t facing the door. So Mane and his friends had their back to the doorway. They didn''t see Ray approach until Alexis spoke.


    They turned to look at the Brute King, but he wasn''t alone. Butler Fin was with Ray, but his presence was no surprise. The man was his father''s shadow, following the Brute King wherever he went. Mane had long suspected that Butler Fin wasn''t ordinary. He had no way to prove it, but it didn''t tone down his suspicions in the slightest. Whenever Mane performed a scan on the butler, he never received any noteworthy information. The results were always the same- Butler Fin was a normal human with no energy. Mane didn''t believe this in the slightest. Even the regular citizens of Zandor had that strange energy in them. It was an energy that the masters could sense, but didn''t know what it was. It was the same energy that lay dormant in Aegeus and every member of the Silver Wolves team. The difference between Zandorian wielders and regular people was that this mystical force was stronger in wielders than it was in non-wielders. Mane reckoned that every Zandorian was capable of becoming a wielder with the right wielding manual! It was a terrifying deduction, but Mane was inclined to believe it was true. This made Zandor all the more mysterious. Was this planet truly a lowly planet like he had been told? It sure didn''t seem like it. After all, although he hadn''t been to any higher world, he knew that not everyone was capable of becoming a wielder. For most planets higher up the hierarchy, even having 80 percent of its people as potential wielders was impressive, much less the entire populace. This was what made Butler Fin stand out. Mane didn''t think the man was a Zandorian. If he was, then it was only logical that he also possessed the mystical energy that all Zandorians possessed. For although Mane couldn''t say he had met every single Zandorian, all the ones he had come across possessed this energy. It didn''t discriminate between the poor and the rich; the young and the old; male and female. It was found in all of them. So if Butler Fin wasn''t Zandorian, who was he? And Mane would be a fool to believe that an average man was capable of travelling planets. Plus the look his father always gave Butler Fin wasn''t that of a superior addressing a subordinate. It was entirely different. There was always respect in his father''s eyes whenever he was addressing the butler. Even when he made demands of the man, his father seemed uncomfortable and apologetic. Mane was sure that Ray hadn''t noticed his own unconscious actions. There was no way Butler Fin was normal, especially if he was meant to take the place of Uncle Jake. But enough about the butler. Mane could worry about this strange being another time. It was the man who stood next to the other two that drew his attention.


    It wasn''t just Mane who was puzzled by this man''s appearance, his friends were as well. As regular visitors of Mane''s home for the past few weeks, they had toured the entire house. Their fascination with the gigantic mansion had long ended, and they knew everyone here, down to the least of the workers. Yet they had never seen this man. If they weren''t wrong, then this was the visitor Alexis was referring to. The man had a strange appearance. He looked like something out of a book. He had long wavy black hair, and piercing green eyes. His eyes seemed to stare into the soul of all who gazed upon them. His emerald eyes were unique, as were his facial features. He was a handsome man, and his presence lit up the room. Selina lightly blushed and turned her head away from the source of her hyperpnoea. ''What is wrong with me today? First Mane, now this stranger too.'' She wondered. She was a treasured pearl sought by many. She had seen all kinds of boys- and men. Never had she been smitten by their appearances. Yet in just a day, she had been attracted to two different people- a boy, and a man. She lightly slapped her cheeks to shake herself out of these strange emotions.


    Frederick witnessed the entire ordeal. But instead of being worried that the girl he liked was attracted to another, he was relieved. Of course the smart boy saw the way Selina was looking at Mane once the young boy finished his training. Even he had to admit that Mane at that moment was especially attractive. His clothes were in tatters at the time, hence his upper body was laid bare. The previously unimpressive physique was filling up nicely, with muscles taking the place of fat. Added to the sweat that highlighted these bulges and caused his toned abs to glisten like jasper, Mane was especially attractive. Frederick was worried that Selina, whom he had never seen look at any man twice, was finally seeing the beauty of a man in another person who wasn''t him. Mane was tough competition. The only thing Frederick could lord over the young boy was his height. But even that would be no advantage in a few years. So Frederick was desperately hoping it was a one-time experience for Selina. Now that she was stunned by the presence of this stranger, he was relieved. Unlike Mane, this man was old. He was possibly Ray''s age, or even older. Although he looked young, Frederick wasn''t going to judge based on that. After all, Mane''s parents looked like they were in their early twenties, but he knew that they were far older than that. It would make sense for Ray''s friend to share in their age bracket. Selina being attracted to such a man meant that she hadn''t fallen for Mane. It was just a brief period of attraction that had faded. And he knew that she would get over this stranger''s looks in no time.


    "I have to remind Mane to wear stronger clothes the next time he spars with his father. We can''t have him appearing bare chested every time." Frederick thought silently to himself. He made a mental note to himself not to forget this, for it was of great importance to him. After all, he wouldn''t want Selina to be drawn to Mane week after week, until she finally fell for the blue eyed pretty boy.


    Abelard looked at the stranger with caution. Although he had no idea who this man was, Abelard had a sensitive spirit. He could tell that this man was different. This man felt dangerous. Abelard didn''t doubt that even Mane, who was the strongest of the group, would be pummeled to the ground as easily as a man killing an ant, if this stranger wanted to do so. Of course, he wasn''t taking Mane''s parents into account. There was no way any one would be able to touch Mane with the two around. Still, Abe''s senses were screaming at him to be careful of the man.


    Jake wasn''t bothered by the new presence. He looked at the man with curiosity, wondering who he was. He knew Mane''s father was strong. And although he didn''t know much about Mane''s genial mother, he knew she was strong as well. The man beside Ray seemed to be just as strong as the two. Jake''s curiosity lay in the man''s origins. He didn''t believe that someone like this was Zandorian.


    John didn''t care about the new addition either. He was busy stuffing his mouth with the pie before him. Although he turned to take a quick glance at the man, he lost his interest in him quickly. He was more fascinated by his snack, than he was about a person he had never met. Besides, he better eat as much as he could whilst the others were still distracted.


    "Who are you?" Mane asked the stranger who stood next to his father. It wasn''t the man''s appearance that impressed Mane. Although he was startled by the man''s eye color due to its rarity, he didn''t focus on that. What drew his attention was the aura that this man was giving off. Mane didn''t bother to use spirit scan, because he could feel the same aura of invincibility he always felt on his parents, present on this man. Spirit scan wouldn''t be able to give him any valuable information on this man. It was the same with his parents. Till now, Mane had no idea about his mother''s abilities. Not even in the slightest. As for his father, he had only been able to glimpse at his power due to the restriction Ray always placed on himself before their duels. Even then, he couldn''t see a lot of things. This newcomer was no different. The man''s aura was overbearing, and Mane could smell blood on him. This man had killed many people. Mane wasn''t one to judge. He himself had killed his fair share of people and some. But from this man''s aura alone, Mane knew that he was at least a match for his father.

 Chapter 154 - He Wants Your Head Part I

    "I do not know you, Sir Indra. I have no information to even understand who you are. I doubt that we have any mutual friends." Mane''s words were laced with doubt. He had only met Indra today. He didn''t know who this god was, or what he stood for. He didn''t even know whether he was truly a god, or only an ascender. He just assumed Indra was a god because of the fact that his aura was similar to his father''s. Gods and Ascenders weren''t the same. Gods were ascenders, but ascenders weren''t gods. Godhood was the peak of ascension. It was a realm within the ascension realm that separated the truly talented from the moderately talented ones. It wasn''t an easy level to get to. It didn''t only require the highest degree of talent, but it was highly dependent on if fate was on your side. And from what Mane knew, godhood wasn''t the limit. Within the realm of godhood there were levels- a hierarchy. But that was out of his reach currently.


    "Don''t be too hasty to say we do not know each other. We never met personally. But we are truly acquainted." Indra smiled mysteriously as he denied Mane''s words. Mane was totally confused now. He had impeccable memory. There was no way he would forget a person he had an interaction with, much less someone with an overwhelming aura like Indra''s. Yet the expert before him was insinuating that they had met before. Although from his words he was proclaiming that it was an indirect interaction, Mane still found it hard to believe. After all, Indra wasn''t Zandorian. He wasn''t from Zandor. Mane didn''t know how long he had been on this planet, but it was hard to believe that a god had interacted with him and he couldn''t remember it.


    "Pardon my asking but, what do you mean? I am confused" Mane conveyed his confusion to the source of his muddled thoughts. Indra smiled and replied, "I have been observing you for some years now. I have to say, when she told me that there was a Supreme on this small world, I didn''t quite believe her. But after observing you for some time, I was convinced."


    Indra''s words descended like a bombshell, causing Mane''s mind to go blank and sending his thoughts into total disarray. ''He knows!'' Mane screamed to himself. He didn''t know who he was. His understanding of the Supreme''s tasks was just as shallow as any Zandorian mortal. But he trusted his masters. They told him to protect his identity. No one was to know who he was. If they did, it would spell danger for not just himself, but for everyone he loved: his mother, father, and his friends; none of them would be safe once his identity was disclosed to the world. So even though Mane didn''t know what exactly it was that made him special, he heeded their words. Of course it would be great if they actually told him who he was and what his purpose was. It was the only way he would understand why some gods wanted him dead. But since they hadn''t explained anything to him, there was nothing he could do. After all, it wasn''t like he could go to the Wielder Academy and read about it. They didn''t have such information in their shallow archives. But right now what his masters warned him of had come to pass. Someone knew who he was. And from his words, he had known for a long time. Not only did he know, someone else was aware of this sensitive information. And it was this person who had informed Indra. Who knows if the informant had told others? Even Indra who stood before him wasn''t to be trusted. Mane didn''t know whether his father''s new friend was trustworthy. After all, from his father''s words, they had only just met. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click <a href="/book/hunters-the-prequel_14462548105430305/he-wants-your-head-part-i_50951493200694586">/book/hunters-the-prequel_14462548105430305/he-wants-your-head-part-i_50951493200694586</a> for visiting.


    ''Calm down¡­Calm down Mane¡­It isn''t all bad¡­Right¡­It isn''t all bad'' Mane took deep breaths to calm himself as he critically analysed the situation. Now that he was level headed, his brilliant brain took the reins and churned at high speed, seeking to deliver some good news. In less than five seconds, Mane had the answers he wanted.


    ''He knew, yet he didn''t come after me, only choosing to watch from afar. Which means he had no ill intent. It is almost as if he wanted to validate the information. From what my masters have told me, those who want me dead would do anything to see to it that their goal is achieved. If he was one of those people, he would have killed me based on his suspicion. He wouldn''t want to take any risks, and would finish me off right away. For it would be better to be wrong and kill an innocent person, than to be right and let the threat go scot free. Since he didn''t approach me before today, it means that he was never going to. After all, at the time, my parents weren''t around, and I was in school. It would be easy for an Ascender to appear before me without drawing any attention. And it would have been the prudent thing to do. But it looks like he didn''t know who my parents are. The informant didn''t present him such information, meaning that his duty was only to observe''


    Mane went through a lot of information at terrific speed. His brain analysed everything he knew, and broke down the results to truly understand the situation. He was wrong about one thing though. Even if Indra wanted to kill him, it wouldn''t have been easy. His parents weren''t around, and the mysterious Uncle Jake had left, but he wasn''t alone. Butler Fin was present. The low-key god protected the young boy from the shadows, and if Indra were to attempt to make a move, it may have been his last.


    Indra watched silently as Mane carefully considered his options. There was a smile of acknowledgement on his face as he watched the formerly anxious boy gather himself and slip into his thoughts. Mane was right about one thing: Indra''s task was only to observe the boy. When he was directed to this world, the one who had given him all the help he had received so far asked for a favour. From what Indra was told, he wasn''t getting the information for free. Indra hunted down rebels and rogue gods not for the reason that had been publicized in the seven realms- he did it for something else. Indra was kind and just. Yet there were several other gods like himself in the universe. However, he was unique because he travelled the realms seeking to protect the people and destroy universe level threats. He did this because of his godhead. His godhead was special. It was built on the heads of all his enemies- all who were a danger to this universe. The more rogue and evil gods he killed, the stronger his godhead got. So his quest for Seth wasn''t because of justice per se, it was also to strengthen himself. It was a secret that belonged to his godhood- the secret of his godhead. And it was shared with no one. But for some reason, the stranger who had sent him here knew this. What no one knew, she did. And Indra couldn''t silence her, for it would cause a crack in his godhead. In time this crack would grow and his strength would be reduced- permanently. Even if he didn''t have such a restriction, it would go against his nature to silence an innocent person. Besides, Indra got the feeling that he wouldn''t be able to best the mystery goddess in a fight. So he accepted the offer she put before him. He could still remember her words, in her clear and melodious voice,


    "This is where you would find the Dark God. The world he has descended upon is a sealed one. You must follow my instructions to the letter if you are to locate it."


    "How can I trust you?" Indra had asked at the time. Her answer was splendid. "You can''t. You must trust in yourself. Go now, and take this with you. It has the information you need- and a lot more that you will require." That was when she handed him an artefact. It was an artefact that allowed him to communicate with Zandor''s world will, and tap into her ability to apply leases that dull the senses and trick the soul- skill he had no talent with. But Indra knew that nothing was free in this world.


    "What do you want in return?" he wondered. "I want you observe someone for me. He is an important piece to the universe. Right now, he is nothing but a chess piece on another''s chessboard. Soon, he would hold the fate of all in his hands." Indra was shocked when he heard her. He was a god, so he knew the prophecies that concerned his rank of warriors. There was one particular one that caused fear and panic; a prophecy that appeared a decade ago, and cast the seven realms into a period of fear and trepidation. It had been only a decade since then, and gods had a long and tenacious life span. Ten years weren''t much to them. So he still remembered the prophecy. It was the prophecy that spoke of the Supreme. A Supreme that was brought into the world to enact judgement on the gods- even the gods of judgement would not be spared his iron scepter. The Supreme was the ultimate of his species. The prophecy called him the Ultimate Supreme, and true ruler of the universe. The blood of his predecessors filled the pools of the gods. He was going to avenge them. Like verdigris was to copper, so was he the bane of their rule.

 Chapter 155 - He Wants Your Head Part II

    Many sought to destroy him. It had only been ten years, so the search was still as intense as it was when it first began. Yet no one really had any liable information on the Supreme. Not this goddess. She knew who the Supreme was, and she didn''t seem to care about his death. From his interaction with her, she would rather that the boy was kept alive. That was why she had sought him out. She wanted the help of a god who felt the same- a god who didn''t want the boy dead. She had told him, "Keep him safe- no matter the cost. His destiny is greater than what you think."


    So Indra had come to this world. He had found everything as she said it. Nothing was out of place. Her foresight was incredible, for all what she had told him was true. He did what she asked, he observed the boy from the shadows. And with every year that passed, Indra''s fondness for the boy grew. It wasn''t his amazing progress that stunned the god. Mane was a Supreme. Anything less than what he had accomplished so far would be a disappointment. Although he had surpassed his predecessors when they were his age, he was hailed as the greatest of their species. He was meant to be stronger and laden with greater talent. And with his great talent, came great responsibility, for the voices of his predecessors called for their release. They called for his mighty hand to deal a deafening blow to their enemies. He had to be strong. His rate of progress was what Indra had expected. So he wasn''t stunned by that. What amazed him was the boy''s mind. The boy was brilliant, so much so that Indra wondered many times who his parents were- one of the few things the god didn''t know. He had only seen Mane''s parents on the night of his attempted assassination. He was ready to help when the boy exploded with power that he didn''t know how to control at the time. And although he realised that Mane''s parents were impressive, he didn''t know who they were. After all, he was a vagabond. He knew the names of many, but not the faces to go with them. Of course in their haste, the boy''s parents hadn''t noticed him lurking about. And he used that to slip away. However, fate brought them back together. Fate had deemed him worthy of seeing the boy. Who knew that the person he spied on was Mane''s father? Indra''s recollection ended when Mane finally asked.


    "How many people?" Indra knew what Mane meant. "Three", he answered. Only three people knew who Mane was outside his family and his masters.


    "Friend or foe?" Mane pursued. He knew that the number Indra had given was inclusive. So apart from Indra, there were two others who knew his identity.


    "Both" Indra replied. Without giving Mane the chance to ask any follow up question, he explained, "She who gave me the information is a friend. She sent me to protect you. Based on how she operates, she hasn''t told anyone else, nor does she plan to. So you can rest easy."


    Mane nodded at his words. It seemed that Indra and his mystery informant weren''t seeking his end. It was the foe that worried him. "What about the other one- the one who isn''t a friend?" Mane asked


    "He wouldn''t tell anyone either. He wants to deal with you himself." Indra answered. His answer didn''t ease Mane''s worry. The fact that this person was still roaming around safe and sound could only mean he was a god. Mane didn''t truly understand the realm of godhood. But from his masters'' words, it wasn''t easy to kill a god. Defeating a god was once thing; killing them was another. The vitality of gods was as vast as the sand on the seashores and as brilliant as the stars in the sky. Since Indra had let this person go, it meant that this person was a god.


    "I know you are worried. But there isn''t a reason to. He cannot attack you personally. All he can do is send his minions after you." Indra assured Mane.


    "They may be minions to you. But they are definitely more than I can handle right now." Mane''s eyebrows twitched incessantly at his words. He called them minions, but Mane was certain that these so called minions were more than a match for him. After all, a god''s subordinates wouldn''t be average themselves. They would be vastly stronger than himself. Mane was certain that these ''minions'' were Heaven Realmers and Nobles. He was even certain that there were Ascenders amongst them. How was he supposed to handle such a group?


    "Don''t look so glum. He doesn''t know your true strength. Use that to your advantage. Besides, he doesn''t want the others to know about you, and he wouldn''t want to alert them. At best he''d send only a few low class servants under his command." Indra waved nonchalantly as he stated. He didn''t seem to care that Mane was staring down the barrel of a gun. Actually, it wasn''t that he didn''t care. After watching Mane for so long, he had come to believe that the boy would be capable of overcoming any challenge as long as he tried hard enough. He trusted that Mane would be safe. Besides, he was there to take care of the ones that would be stronger than the boy. He wasn''t going to tell Mane though.


    "These low class warriors¡­what is their strength?" Mane asked


    "Late Earth realm to Heaven realm." Indra answered


    Mane sighed and rubbed his head tiredly. It seemed that his days of peace were over. He had to get stronger, and quickly. In his current state, there was no way he would be able to handle heaven realm experts. Even using takeover wouldn''t bridge the huge gap between the two realms. And there was no way he would be able to escape from them either. But there was one more thing he wanted to know.


    "Who is this god that wants my head?"


    "He is pretty popular in all the realms. Though his reputation is for the wrong reasons. His name is Shiva- Shiva The Destroyer." Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click <a href="/book/hunters-the-prequel_14462548105430305/he-wants-your-head-part-ii_50975191488061054">/book/hunters-the-prequel_14462548105430305/he-wants-your-head-part-ii_50975191488061054</a> for visiting.

 Chapter 156 - The Person Behind The Bounty Part I

    "Shiva The Destroyer? Well, doesn''t he sound swell." Indra ignored Mane''s mockery and went on to explain. "It is a moniker he earned after destroying many worlds. He cares about nothing and doesn''t work with logic. He is a dangerous entity. The current you is nothing but an ant before him. You will do well to remember to stay away from him."


    Mane furrowed his brows in worry. It wasn''t pleasant news that he was being targeted by a god, and a rogue god at that. There was no way he would want to cross paths with this mad entity. Someone who took pleasure in destroying planets wasn''t an enemy to make when you were only an earth realmer.


    "But why does he want to kill me?" Mane wondered. If this god cared about nothing, then it should be safe to say that he wasn''t supposed to care about his status as a Supreme. So why was he being targeted?


    "He needs your blood to strengthen himself." Indra answered. His answer only served to bring more clouds of confusion into Mane''s already foggy brain.


    "What do you mean? How does my blood have any strengthening effect?" he asked


    "Well, it is believed that Shiva strengthens himself by causing destruction to the realms. He uses the energy created from the devastated worlds to improve his strength. It isn''t only limited to worlds though. The main reason he started targeting worlds was because it is difficult to kill a god. Shiva''s power allows him to absorb the strength of those he kills. Since he cannot kill gods so easily, it doesn''t matter if he is able to defeat them. After all, they must die before he can attain their strength. Besides, if he keeps going after gods, the gods themselves would not sit still, they would come after him."


    Mane silently listened to Indra. He understood the god''s words. It seemed that this god called Shiva was able to absorb the inner energy of others once he successfully killed them. Ideally, he should be going after gods. But circ.u.mstances made it impossible for him to do so. Not only were gods extremely difficult to kill, the society of gods wouldn''t allow one to go about hunting them. They would band together to deal with the rogue god that dared prey on them. This made hunting gods impossible. Gods like Indra who went after other gods were rare. This wasn''t only because it required that one be massively talented, one also had to have a strong backing to act without considering the consequences. But even those with the strongest of backgrounds couldn''t go about killing gods on a whim. In Indra''s case, the god was left alone to his devices because he was necessary. Indra didn''t just target any god, he always went after the dangerous gods; gods whose presence was a threat to mortals and gods alike. He was like a vacuum cleaner. Once the universe got too dirty, he was the one that was meant to clean it up. So his actions were always overlooked. But once he killed a god who had performed no evil, he wouldn''t be allowed to go free.


    "So he went after the weaker ones- mortals. He raided worlds, killed the people, and absorbed their strength. But he is a clever god. Every world has the god they worship. Some worship several gods, others serve only one god. Shiva was careful to avoid the worlds that serve multiple gods. He only targeted worlds that had pledged their allegiance to a single god. Once he destroys that world, it wouldn''t matter much. After all, gods have several worlds that bow to them, losing one or two isn''t really a problem. As long as Shiva compensated them for their meagre loses, they ignored his actions. And to avoid their ire, he didn''t target just one god." Indra''s words were cold, and they sent a shiver down Mane''s spine.


    Although Mane felt that this god wasn''t a bad one, even he could clearly sense the indifference in Indra''s tone as he spoke about the destruction of the worlds. It was clear that even the relatively good gods like Indra didn''t care much for the life of mortals. The gods truly regarded the lives of those weaker than them as dirt. Mane knew he was one of these mortals. His parents were gods, but he wasn''t one yet. Well, maybe he was a god. But he wasn''t a fully grown one- he was a godling. Unless he grew into his true potential to attain the godhood that his superior genes warranted, he too was regarded as a mortal. To the gods, anyone below the ascension realm- even Nobles- were all mortals. Any person who could be killed as easily as men killed bugs was regarded as a mortal before the gods. Even worlds that worshipped these gods were seen as no different from the rest. Mane was certain that the worship of mortals was of benefit to these gods, but he didn''t know how exactly they benefitted from the worship of others. But one thing was certain: To the gods, destroying planets filled with mortals filled them with no emotion. And that thought terrified Mane. His parents were gods. Mane couldn''t help but wonder if his parents were the same.


    "You clearly don''t care about the fate of mortals. And you seem to dislike this god. Which means you would probably kill him once you got your hands on him. It doesn''t make sense. Since you do not care about our lives, why do you detest this god?" Mane enquired. He could tell from Indra''s tone that he didn''t care about the lives of mortals. Yet he could also sense the disdain in the god''s voice when he spoke about Shiva''s actions. There was no way this disdain was towards the mortal man- it was meant for Shiva. That was the one thing Mane didn''t understand so far.


    "He destroyed a world that belongs to me. I was meant to be their protector, but I failed them. I want to kill Shiva for that, but I cannot. His life is not meant to end by my hands. His time hasn''t come yet." Mane was surprised by Indra''s words. He could sense a little remorse in Indra''s voice. Finally, the god was showing some emotion. The surprise on Mane''s face wasn''t hidden, so Indra easily saw through it. He knew why the boy was feeling this way, so the normally taciturn god felt that he had to clear the unjust assumption that Mane had drawn about him.


    "It isn''t that I do not care about the lives of mortals. No one has the right to take the life of another, no matter how trivial it may seem. Gods do not interfere in the matters of other gods. If a god has his world destroyed, he/she is the one responsible for their fates. It is that god who must decide if he would pursue the murderer, or let the culprit be. I cannot help those whose gods have turned their backs on them."


    Mane was enlightened. So that was why the gods seemed so nonchalant. Even these seemingly all powerful beings had restrictions on their authority. It seemed that the godly society was more complex than he thought. But now Mane couldn''t help but wonder if his father had his own world. Did his old man have people serving him somewhere? And what about his mother? Was she also the celebrated patroness of a planet out there?


    "Besides, you aren''t much different." Indra suddenly added. "What are you saying?" His words startled Mane. Was this god comparing him to the indifferent gods? How were they even the same kind of people?


    "You are telling me that you haven''t killed before? I have watched you for years now. I have seen you don the cloak and fight the forces of darkness that seek to consume this world. That is fine. Yet in your callousness, you allow them to grow. For although they aren''t a threat to you, they are a threat to the planet. You believe that this evil must exist to keep the various nations on a leash. You prevent them from warring against their neighbors by allowing this evil to roam the lands. Because of your decision, many have died, yet you have remained deaf to their pleas. These people see you as a god, yet you watched unperturbed as they are slaughtered, all for the greater good. I don''t disapprove of your actions. In fact, I quite agree with you. You are no different from us gods. We would do the same in your shoes. You are a godling, immature but still a child god. Although you haven''t grown into yourself, your mind churns like it is supposed to. You have the mind of a god." Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click <a href="/book/hunters-the-prequel_14462548105430305/the-person-behind-the-bounty-part-i_50998432378179173">/book/hunters-the-prequel_14462548105430305/the-person-behind-the-bounty-part-i_50998432378179173</a> for visiting.

 Chapter 161 - Meeting Ananse Part II

    The condition was just a single one, yet it was difficult for many to have such intelligence. Only with such high intelligence would one be capable of becoming a scholar. This was because the wielding manual for scholars was highly complex and difficult to perceive. Even more exasperating was that the manuals were very arrogant, and wouldn''t open up to anyone whom they perceived as unworthy. These unworthy people were usually those with intelligence below the benchmark. And their path was a bit different.


    Energy wielders and body wielders had one goal- to become strong in the body. They just used different means to achieve their goal. Spiritualists also sought to become strong. But this strength was aimed at the mind. Spiritualist sought to strengthen their minds so they could do so much more. Scholars sought to train their senses. It sounded lame, but it wasn''t. With heightened senses, scholars were able to avoid dangerous places; they were able to react to attacks due to their beyond extraordinary reflexes and senses; they could shroud the senses of others; they were so fast that they could escape from most, and; they were able to locate and pinpoint the weaknesses of others! The last skill was envied by even spiritualists. Scholars mostly went on to become explorers, seeking the truth behind the universe. With their senses guiding them, they were able to follow the tinniest of leads to the most groundbreaking of discoveries. And when they entered the ranks of the gods, they were no longer referred to as scholars- they were called Sensors! But mortals called them Sensor Gods.


    Mane had learnt all this from the 6th. Mane was interested in this path, and according to his masters, Mane''s senses were extraordinary. If he stepped upon the path of scholars, he would definitely do well. His masters weren''t even worried that the boy would be biting off more than he could chew by pursuing so many different paths. In their minds, Mane was a Supreme. He should be able to do that much. Unfortunately, although each of the nine had their own unique traits, none of them were scholars. So Mane could only put thoughts of becoming a scholar aside.


    But from this woman, Mane could feel a different kind of energy. It was a path that was different from the ones his masters walked. His masters were either Spiritualists, Energy Wielders- both Law Kings and Elementalists- or Body Wielders. She didn''t belong to any of these paths. Mane was certain she was a scholar! He didn''t know if she was a dual or triple wielder- or even a quad wielder. But he was definitely certain that she was a scholar.


    "You are a Sensor God, aren''t you?" Mane asked.


    "As expected of one I have my eyes on. Indeed, I am a Sensor God. I am the Sensor God of Wisdom. I hail from the 5th Heaven yet every inch of the Universe has been graced with my presence. I have explored the farthest of lands and the deepest of oceans. I have measured skies with the breath of my palm and with my feet I have traversed the most dangerous of lands. I am known to few, but I know many."


    Indra was just as startled by the grand introduction as Mane was. Until today he had never known who his informant was. All he knew was that she was incredibly powerful. He doubted that even he would be a match for her. But even then, he didn''t know who she was. He knew she was a Sensor. After all, she was able to cloud his senses whenever they spoke, and till date he had never seen her face. She was highly skilled too, for Indra noticed Mane''s reaction when he saw the goddess. The little boy blushed. When Indra looked at her, all he could see was a dark mist that robbed him of his far sight. Yet Mane''s reaction meant that he could see the goddess. The boy could see what he could not. That meant she had dulled his (Indra''s) senses, and heightened Mane''s. At least now he knew her name. He was a great figure in the 3rd Heaven, so he knew who Ananse was. Just like she said, many didn''t know her, but she knew many. She was known to peak level gods as the most fearful Sensor in existence. Many feared her knowledge, and until today, Indra was one who thought her stories were exaggerated. But after all her predictions had come to pass, and knowing that it was indeed Ananse who stood next to him, Indra realized that the stories had underestimated her capabilities.


    "I haven''t left Zandor before, so I don''t really know much about you." Mane shook his head innocently. "But I would ask my father about you when I return. I am sure he''d know. Even if he doesn''t, my mom is very smart. She would definitely know."


    "Indeed. The Absolute Queen knows who I am. She is one with intelligence that rivals even mine. But her attachments to the mundane weigh her down" Ananse''s words caused Mane to smile bitterly. How could he not know that the ''mundane attachments'' the goddess was referring to was him.


    "But they cannot know. No one must know about our little meeting. Your parents are no exception." Ananse insisted. Mane didn''t ask her why. She must have her reasons. If she wanted to say them out loud, she would. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click <a href="/book/hunters-the-prequel_14462548105430305/meeting-ananse-part-ii_51113751696438665">/book/hunters-the-prequel_14462548105430305/meeting-ananse-part-ii_51113751696438665</a> for visiting.


    "I came here to give you this" Ananse opened her palm to reveal a bright red orb. Mane didn''t know where this orb had appeared from, for it wasn''t in her palm before. Mane was confident of this because it was the same hand he shook a while ago- her right hand. The orb floated off her hand and presented itself before Mane. It waited silently, defying gravity as it waited for Mane to take it.


    "What is it?" Mane may be attracted to Ananse, but he was no idiot. They had just met. He wasn''t going to take something he didn''t know about.


    "There is no need to be frightened. If I wanted to kill you, I would. Even Indra wouldn''t be able to save himself from me, much less you. And he wouldn''t be able to stop me either." Ananse stated calmly. She didn''t care about Indra''s thoughts concerning the matter. Indra didn''t show much of a response. His twitching eyebrows suggested that he was slightly ticked off. After all, who would like being looked down on. But his guts told him she was right. So he didn''t refute.


    Even with her assurance, Mane still didn''t grab the orb. It was calling to him, but he remained steadfast. He needed an answer first. Ananse sighed upon seeing the still hesitant Mane. "*Sigh* It is a wielding manual for scholars. It is the manual I use. I have included notes from my own experiences as well. Take it. It would serve you well."

 Chapter 162 - True Eyes Part I

    "Why are you giving this to me?" Mane was excited to hear her words. He became a wielder because he needed the strength to protect his family. But like every other being blessed with intelligence that was above average, Mane sought to study everything the world had to offer. From the very first day he had learned about scholars, Mane had set it as his goal to become one. Yet he didn''t have the material to embark upon this unique path. Now he did.


    "Don''t worry. I am not going to ask you to take me as your master. You can consider it a gift- a first meeting gift." Ananse''s pleasant voice assured Mane that she didn''t want anything from him. She knew what the boy was weary of. He was smart- people didn''t give anything for free. He needed reassurance that she wouldn''t ask anything of him after giving him the manual.


    "Besides, if I hadn''t given it to you, you would have still gotten your hands on something similar." Ananse continued. Her words stunned Mane. Where on Zandor was he going to get something so valuable?


    "What do you mean?" he questioned the goddess that stood before him, still ignoring the hovering ball of light that contained the very thing he had sought for so long.


    "You never informed your parents of your wish to become a scholar, did you?" Ananse smiled slightly. Mane wasn''t surprised that she knew his ambitions. From the very moment she informed him that the ball of light was a scholar wielding manual, he knew that she was aware of his dream. He didn''t know how she knew though. After all, the only people who knew about this were his masters, and even his parents were left in the dark. Mane wondered if it was because of her power as a Sensor that she was able to see through so many of his secrets. He wondered if she knew about his masters. After all, she seemed to know everything.


    "You mean my parents would have gotten me a manual?" Mane enquired. Yet he already knew the answer to his question. The path of scholars was rare. Even his parents would have difficulty procuring a manual of such rarity for him. And knowing them, they would want the best for their son. Mane didn''t want to put them in that position- a position where they would go to the extreme just to get what he wanted. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click <a href="/book/hunters-the-prequel_14462548105430305/true-eyes-part-i_51137991149675097">/book/hunters-the-prequel_14462548105430305/true-eyes-part-i_51137991149675097</a> for visiting.


    "Indeed. Your father is a spiritualist and an energy wielder. Have you never wondered if your mother was a dual wielder as well?" Ananse smiled mysteriously as she questioned. Her words startled Mane. He realised what she was implying. "Are you saying-?"


    "Yes. You guessed right. Your mother is a scholar." Ananse interjected, confirming Mane''s thoughts. Mane was stunned by the revelation. To think his mother had the skills of a group even rarer than spiritualists. He shook his head wryly realizing that he had been thinking a bit too much when he decided to keep his ambitions of wanting to be a scholar to himself. If he had just told them, his mother would have provided him with her manual. And she would also be present to give him tips whenever he experienced any difficulties. Mane was confused about something though. His masters could see that his senses were better than the average man. In fact, they had lamented that Mane didn''t have the means to become a scholar, and they believed he would do really well if he was to embark on that path as well. His mother was a brilliant woman. Surely her observation skills were far greater than his masters''.


    Although she had been back for just a month, it was enough to learn a lot about someone. Especially since she had witnessed every single duel with his father. There was no way she didn''t realize that he had good reflexes and pristine senses. And now he knew that she was even a scholar, meaning her senses were far above any other person in his life (he had no idea about Butler Fin''s abilities). Surely she must have seen his talent for the scholar path. So why didn''t she bring it up? Why didn''t she opt to teach him? It was one thing he couldn''t understand. He wished he could ask her about it, but Ananse had asked him to keep their meeting a secret. There was no way he could ask about his mother about sensory wielding of scholars without revealing how he found out she was a scholar. ''It''s a pity that my spirit scan cannot see through her'' Mane thought ruefully.


    "Still, I would like to thank you for your gift" Mane conveyed his thanks. He cast aside the doubts he had and reached for the incandescent orb. Once he held on to the orb, his mind went blank. Lots of information flooded in and threatened to submerge his brain and overwhelm it. Yet even under such circ.u.mstances, Mane didn''t panic. He tried his best to receive everything that was coming in. As he did, he couldn''t help but wonder, ''Is it supposed to hurt this much?'' He tried to get the resisting orb to capitulate.


    "Why didn''t you stop him" Indra asked Ananse. He looked at the boy who stood before him. Mane''s expression was twisted in pain, yet the boy didn''t even let out a groan. While he admired Mane''s tenacity, he questioned Ananse''s motives.


    "I want to see how much his brain can handle at this stage" Ananse replied.


    "What you are doing is dangerous. What if something happens to him?" Indra asked worryingly.


    "He''d be fine. He''s a Supreme. His destiny isn''t to fall here. Besides, I need to confirm something." Ananse didn''t seem worried at all. It was almost as if she didn''t care about Mane''s fate.


    What Mane didn''t know was that the information in the orb could be received in bits. The orb wasn''t entirely formless like Mane thought. It was an actual orb that stored information. But who could blame Mane for not knowing about this. When his masters introduced him to wielding, they presented several wielding manuals before him. In the end, Mane chose a manual that was destined to be his foundation- a manual for Supremes. When he did pick that manual, it rushed into his body and transmitted information directly to his brain. Mane had assumed that all manuals were like that- he was wrong.


    The manual that Supremes used was different from the average wielding books. Even high grade wielding manuals weren''t capable of lodging themselves directly into one''s brain. The manual for the Supremes was able to do this since there was never an instance of multiple Supremes being born in the same era. So it was made to be used by just one person at a time. This wasn''t so for other manuals. In the case of Academies and rich families, manuals weren''t kept by just one person, they were used by a populace. The paucity of manuals made it impossible for all to have one to themselves. So it was either you borrowed the manual to read and return it after, or used a storage orb to store the information in the manual.


    The storage orb was what Ananse had given Mane. As long as one sent their minds into the orb, they would be able to leaf through it like it was a book. They would then read what they wanted, and get out. They would keep doing this until they had successfully learnt all that they wanted to know. Then they could delete the information and store something else of value.


    Unfortunately, Mane didn''t know this. So he took the option that many were eager to avoid. It was an option that was ill advised, and no one in their right senses would ever choose it. He allowed the orb to enter his mind, instead of leafing through it with his. This was a very dangerous thing to do. Storage orbs were capable of containing massive amounts of information. In fact, they were able to hold all the information that a manual contained. And manuals weren''t small books. It was due to the fact that manuals were antediluvian, that storage orbs were made. No one wanted their manuals destroyed so orbs were used to keep that information.


    So to allow such massive information to take root in your brain all at once was akin to suicide. The only people who used this method were scholars. Due to the wealth of intelligence that scholars possessed, they were able to handle the pressure from storage orbs. Ananse hadn''t said anything to Mane when he allowed the orb the permission to enter his mind. She was certain that although he wasn''t a scholar yet, he should have the capacity to accommodate the storage orb. Besides, it would be better for him to have all the information stored safely in his head, than for him to keep it with him. After all, she didn''t want even his masters to know that the orb came from her.

 Chapter 163 - True Eyes Part II

    Mane would have been surprised to find out that she even knew about his masters. Although Mane had promised that he wouldn''t inform anyone about their meeting, his masters weren''t dumb. The storage orb would be kept in Mane''s mind scape- a realm they had established themselves in. Although most of the masters didn''t know about her, one of them did. He would be able to smell her aura from the orb. Although she could dull the senses of most, this master was in a mind scape. It was a domain outside her control and only under the authority of the owner- Mane. She couldn''t wipe her aura from the orb either, for doing so will tamper with it. So the only option was to let Mane absorb all the knowledge here. That way, he wouldn''t have to take the orb with him. After a minute, the struggling boy finally calmed down. The pain that held him prisoner was gone, and all the information had been transferred. He opened his eyes after a while.


    "I was right" Ananse stared into the dazed eyes of the boy. He looked disoriented, yet there was a small smile on his face. But it still seemed as though he was digesting the information he had obtained.


    "Impossible" Indra had a look of disbelief on his face as he gazed into Mane''s eyes. He finally understood what Ananse meant when she said she wanted to confirm something. He finally understood why she wasn''t worried. And he also realised that the reason Mane was able to see Ananse, but he couldn''t, wasn''t because she had clouded his senses. Ananse still had her disguise on. The only reason that the boy was able to see past her so easily was because of his eyes.


    Mane''s eyes were different from usual. The formerly white sclera was deep blue, like turquoise shells. His iris was red as crimson and his pupil was golden yellow; its color rivalling that of the sun itself.


    "True Eyes" Ananse mumbled silently. Mane''s eyes were legendary. It wasn''t passed down through one''s bloodline, neither was it attained through training. It was inherent- something that you were born with. Ananse had long suspected that the Supreme had eyes like these. She was one who had solved the 7 mysteries that mocked the world. She had learnt a lot from them. From these mysteries she found out a startling secret. This secret wasn''t part of the mysteries, yet it was only by understanding the 7 mysteries that one would be able to unravel that secret. It concerned the sixth Supreme. After touring the universe and discovering all there was to discover, Ananse realised something horrifying. The last Supreme, he who came before Mane- the 6th Supreme- lied to the entire universe. He kept a secret to himself, a secret that could shake the world. Yet she understood why he kept that secret. Every era produced a Supreme, and every Supreme produced was stronger than their predecessor. But there was something that most of the Supremes didn''t know, with the exception of just two. One of the two was the 6th Supreme. He realised that Supremes were stronger than their predecessors not only because the burden of each successor was greater, but because their bodies needed to be stronger. Why? So that they could inherit the power of their forerunners!


    Supremes were capable of inheriting the power of those before them! It was an earth shattering secret that could spell doom for any Supreme if it was discovered. Apart from the 6th and the other Supreme- whom even Ananse didn''t know about- the others had no idea. The 6th Supreme was a scholar. He was the strangest of the Supremes. During his time, he actively avoided his role in cleaning up the sc.u.m of the universe. His era was the most tumultuous one, yet many gods liked him because of this. He was an eccentric character, but then again, which scholar wasn''t?


    It was in his numerous travels and countless researches that he had uncovered this secret. And once he did, he spent his meagre lifespan raiding the graves of his ancestors. He transferred their bodies to different locations which were tightly guarded. But he also noticed that the longer a Supreme stayed alive, the lesser power their bodies contained. The Supreme that lived longest, had the smallest amount of energy preserved in his remains. Because of this revelation, he even arranged for his own death, so that his power wouldn''t be lost. He did this all for the one who was meant to come after him. The abnormal 6th Supreme killed himself, effectively abandoning his duties so that his power would be preserved in its entirety for his successor.


    Ananse didn''t know where the 6th''s confidence in the 7th Supreme came from. After all, the prophecy of the 7th Supreme''s birth was revealed long after the death of the 6th Supreme. Ananse really wanted to know why the 6th Supreme had abandoned the world, causing it fall into chaos, just because of the 7th Supreme. What did the 6th Supreme find out concerning the 7th that had forced him to give up his life?


    It was only a few years ago that Ananse had stumbled upon some information left behind by the 6th. There wasn''t much written in the texts she found, but one thing did catch her attention- The True Eyes. It was an ability that had been possessed by only three people in all of history. And one of these people was the 1st Supreme. The other was the one known as the Sensor King, a sensor god who was still alive. The last person was Cronos. The 1st Supreme was the weakest of her people, yet she had done the most for the universe. During a time where order was lost and chaos ran rampant, it was the 1st Supreme who brought peace to the cosmos. She was powerful, but her power wasn''t enough to accomplish such a feat. She was able to do so because of her True Eyes. Some called them the Eyes of Extermination. But that was inaccurate. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click <a href="/book/hunters-the-prequel_14462548105430305/true-eyes-part-ii_51159306267050918">/book/hunters-the-prequel_14462548105430305/true-eyes-part-ii_51159306267050918</a> for visiting.


    The text she discovered revealed that the 6th Supreme had been working on a way to transfer the eyes of the 1st, to the 7th. She knew he had succeeded because if he hadn''t, he wouldn''t have taken his life. But the best way to discover the truth was to see it for herself. So when she came here, she still had her disguise on. She had clouded the vision of Indra and Mane, yet the weaker godling could still see through her. She was 80% percent certain then that Mane had these eyes. But they seemed to be in deep slumber. After all, they weren''t really his. So she had to wake them up, just to be sure. The best way to do that would be to shake the slumbering prince from its slumber through force. She put an attacking lease in the orb. It was meant to attack Mane''s mind. She was certain that the sleeping True Eyes wouldn''t allow Mane to come to harm. And she was right.


    "Why are you looking at me like that? Is there something on my face?" Mane wondered seeing the silly look plastered on Indra''s handsome face.

 Chapter 164 - History Lesson Part I

    There was no mirror in this strange space; everything was white and bright, with no other color sharing in their radiance. Mane didn''t have anything he could use to check his reflection. There was no way he''d be able to see what they saw. Besides, the changes in his eyes had disappeared; they were back to normal now.


    "Have you ever heard the myth of the True Eyes?" Ananse asked. After Mane''s eyes returned to their normal color, Indra was finally able to pull himself out of his dazed state. He stood on the side and allowed Ananse to have her chat with Mane.


    "No, I haven''t. Do you care to enlighten me" Mane politely requested. "Since I asked you about it, I would naturally be willing to tell you about it." Ananse nodded. She waved her hand, a movement that led to the appearance of three spotlessly white chairs in the already plain space. It was an action that had Mane thinking that this dimension created by Indra only had white stuff. And although he was surprised at Ananse''s ability to manipulate this dimension, he didn''t make any enquiries. Right now, he was more interested in the thing Ananse referred to as True Eyes. The fact that Ananse saw it fit to summon a few chairs, meant that the story was likely going to be a long one. After they were all seated- a task that took next to no time- Ananse parted her luscious lips and started her story.


    "The universe we live in is as fascinating as it is broad. And just like every other object of intrigue, it has several mysteries that envelope it. From the seven great mysteries of the cosmos, to the fable of the lost gods, the universe has much to offer the curious mind. It only requires that we be brave enough to pursue its wonder. One of these wonders is the True Eyes. I do not mean to look down on all the other things that boggle the mind; it is not my intention to vilify them, but the True Eyes hold more weight to the universe than most. During the primitive times, long before the reign of the gods and the division of the universe into the 7 heavens, the origin divine artefacts watched over this land. This was before the Great War of Order and Chaos; it was long before order abnegated its seat and went into a deep slumber."


    Mane listened silently to Ananse''s words, though he was aware of most of what she was saying. He learned about the Great War of Chaos and Order from his masters. Apparently, this war had shaped the budding universe and paved the way for the gods to rule. He didn''t necessarily need to be informed about it again, but he knew it was only her introduction. She was just building up to the main topic, so all he could do was wait silently for her to get there. And looking at Indra''s serene expression, Mane knew that the god was no different from him. It came as no surprise. After all, Indra was a god. It was highly unlikely that he wouldn''t know about the events that led to the beginning of the era. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click <a href="/book/hunters-the-prequel_14462548105430305/history-lesson-part-i_51189979581313592">/book/hunters-the-prequel_14462548105430305/history-lesson-part-i_51189979581313592</a> for visiting.


    "Just like all other creatures that have sentience, origin divine artefacts had a leader- a king." Ananse paused to allow her words to sink in. Her decision was the right one, for Indra had his brows raised in surprise, and Mane was looking at her doubtfully. He had been told the story of the times before the God Era- the Primitive Era. What he knew was that the Chaotic Flames and the Book of Order had been after each other''s throats since their creation. It was after their hatred for each other had grown so large that the two origin divine artefacts waged their war. But it was his first time hearing about a king.


    "It is unbelievable, isn''t it?" Ananse smiled. Mane nodded his head in response, yet Indra did no such thing. "I have known you for a while now. I know that you know what most people don''t. So far, you have never been wrong. I believe your words." He insisted.


    Ananse didn''t show any change in expression at his words. But to be fair, it wasn''t like Indra would be able to see it if she did show a reaction. Only Mane could see Ananse right now. It was almost as if Indra''s opinions mattered little to her. But that wasn''t the reason why she didn''t show any reaction to his words. She expected that he would believe her. After all, she had fed him with a lot of information in the past years, and she had never been wrong. No matter how ridiculous her information seemed, she was seldom wrong. It would be more surprising if Indra didn''t believe her words.


    "Well, although it sounds strange, these sentient artefacts had a king. Just like all other sentient artefacts, he was known by his function, he didn''t truly have a name. He was called the All- Seeing Eyes. And as you may have guessed, he was an artefact that could see through everything. But this is where things get strange. Although he was referred to as the All- Seeing Eyes, he wasn''t just a pair of eyes floating around. He was the only origin divine artefact to possess a human body from his creation. That was the only form he knew. The only difference between the All- Seeing Eyes, who was mostly referred to as the Origin King, and humans was the fact that he possessed two pairs of eyes- not one. There was an extra pair of eyes located on his forehead"


    Indra was stunned by the revelation. Mane didn''t know much about origin divine artefacts but Indra wasn''t as ignorant. He was a god, and had come across a few origin divine artefacts several millions of years ago. All these artefacts could take on the human form, but that wasn''t their inherent nature. The Eternal Throne was a prime example. This artefact was inherently a chair. And it was more comfortable being a chair, than it was taking on the form of a human. That was how all origin divine artefacts were. For him to be told that there was an artefact that was made in the shape of a human being, he was right to be startled.


    Looking at Indra''s exaggerated expression, and leaning over to ''kindly'' close the mouth of the disoriented god, Mane asked, "Is it that shocking for an origin divine artefact to possess the form of a human. I heard that they can do that anyway."


    "It is different. They can take on the human form, but they aren''t comfortable in that state. They would rather prefer to be in their natural states. Besides, the human form takes quite the toll on them if they use it for too long. So they mostly revert to their true nature and rarely transform into humans. For an origin divine artefact to be made in the form of a human is shocking. It proves that the minority faction of the gods is right" Indra stepped up to explain the reason for his surprise, trying to hide his embarrassment from having a child help him to close his mouth.


    "Minority faction of the Gods?" Mane looked at Indra perplexedly. "Yes, the minority faction. Gods aren''t as united as you think. Even under the same heaven, gods are divided. The god society is very complex. There is a small group of the god society that believe that there is an absolute ruler of the universe. They believe that this ruler made the origin divine artefacts and created the Universe Will. The Ruler then created the gods and then disappeared. I am one of these people. And I''m sure you''ve guessed that your father is one as well" Ananse explained.


    Mane nodded at her words. Once she mentioned the beliefs of this small group of gods, Mane guessed that his father was one of such gods. After all, the faith of the Brute King was no secret.


    "Until now I believed that you people were crazy. After all, if there was an absolute ruler, why would he leave? But if your words are true, which I''m inclined to believe they are, then I have judged too quickly." Indra admitted. He was part of the gods that had rubbished this idea of the absolute ruler. To him, those who believed in such a tale were just gods who had nothing to live for. He didn''t know that his secret informant was one of them. If he had known, he may have had a different impression of them, but it still wouldn''t have swayed his beliefs.


    It was different now. If Ananse''s words were true, then it was almost certain that there was an absolute ruler out there. After all, even if he went by the theory that origin divine artefacts were tools that came to be all on their own, it was hard to accept that one who was like a human, also came to be all on its own.

 Chapter 165 - History Lesson Part II

    It wasn''t the same as being a god. Every god clan had its own stories about its origins and their vast history. And in all of their tales, almost none of them started out as humans. Even the primordial gods had different shapes and structures. It was only after several millions of years that gods had evolved to possess human bodies. It was impossible for them to accept that something that had happened to them after millions of years, had just appeared out of thin air in the form of an origin divine artefact. Indra was certain that if the other gods were to hear about this, most would lean towards the theory of the Absolute Ruler, rather than believe that this artefact occurred naturally. Their pride wouldn''t allow it.


    "I think you should continue your story." Mane reminded. Ananse didn''t refute his statement, only nodding her head and doing as she was told. "As I mentioned earlier, this king was human- in a sense. But his powers were incomprehensible. When I mentioned that he was called the All-Seeing Eyes, I mean that he was the All-Seeing Eyes." Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click <a href="/book/hunters-the-prequel_14462548105430305/history-lesson-part-ii_51209355806171092">/book/hunters-the-prequel_14462548105430305/history-lesson-part-ii_51209355806171092</a> for visiting.


    "What do you mean?" Indra inquired. He was truly curious about this new character that he had just learned about.


    "I mean he could see through everything- and every time" Ananse replied.


    "Are you saying-"Mane stuttered?


    "Yes. He could see through time itself" Ananse''s words caused Indra to inhale deeply. Mane also had a look of disbelief on his face. ''How was that even possible'' he thought silently to himself. He had been studying time laws under the tutelage of the 9th. He had made progress in his pursuit of this powerful law, but he hadn''t gotten that far ahead. His accomplishments could only be described at great for his age. Beyond that, he was less than average in the society of Time Wielders. Yet here he was, trapped in a dimensional space with two gods; one of who was telling him that what he was struggling hard to comprehend, someone was born with the ability to see through.


    He finally understood how Abe and the others felt when they compared their talents to his. Mane knew what it meant to see through time itself. Scholars studied a small portion of the time law, which was why they were able to anticipate the movements of their opponents. But that was it. Time laws were so complex that if a scholar was bent on studying them, that would mean that they would have to give up their statuses as scholars and concentrate wholly on time laws. It was a law that even Mane, the glorified Supreme with impeccable talent- had no excessive ambitions in mastering. For Mane, it would be fine as long as he is able to go far enough to receive a great boost to his fighting abilities. But if what Ananse said was true, then such a being would have been very powerful. So how come they had never heard of him? Mane was one thing, but Indra was another. It would be logical if Mane didn''t know about this king. After all, he was raised on a small world. Although he knew much about the universe, what he knew came from his masters that remained trapped in his mind space. But Indra was a true god. Yet even he didn''t know about this king.


    "The King could see through time. His mastery over the time laws allowed him to easily manipulate the law that had confounded even the brightest of minds for millions of years now. With his mastery over this law, he could see so far into the future that none could threaten his rule. Normally, even if Time Masters could see into the future, they wouldn''t be able to change it. Changing the events that must occur is going against the universe itself. One who dares to alter the nature of the universe would be destroyed by the universe itself; the Universe Will is no exception. But this rule can be broken. As long as one is also a Space Master, they can alter the events of the universe without suffering the wrath of the universe. Alas, becoming both a Space Master and a Time Master is a herculean task. However, in addition to his unusual appearance as a human, the King was created with mastery over space as well." Ananse continued.


    Mane sighed after hearing her words. Till date, the only Time Master he had been told about was a god called Cronos. But according to the 1st, Cronos had been dealt with long ago. Mane was certain that even the mighty Cronos was no match for this King. After all, if Cronos could see so far into the future and manipulate the events that were to come without any repercussions, he wouldn''t have been killed. Mane was certain that Cronos had seen his end, yet even he didn''t attempt to change it. It was quite clear that he wasn''t a Space Master as well. Mane envied this artefact that had mastered two powerful laws without trying. ''I truly understand you now Abe. At least you don''t have to envy an object'' Mane thought bitterly.


    Time laws and space laws were both supreme laws. But time slightly edged it over space. However, when one successfully mastered the two, they would become a Space-Time Master, and wouldn''t answer to anyone- that included the universe itself. It was already strange that this origin divine artefact was human in appearance. Now it had another talking point- its comprehension of two laws. After all, no origin divine artefact was capable of comprehending two laws, much less be born with two.


    "Actually, space and time are one and the same" Ananse stated. Although Mane had his doubts about her words, he didn''t voice them out. How could they be the same? Indra made the same decision Mane had. He kept mute and waited for Ananse to continue.


    "Space-time was initially regarded as one law. It was a law wielded by the Origin King. As you know, origin divine artefacts have only one law or element at their disposal. Even the king couldn''t breach this law."


    If Ananse were to find out that the Eternal Throne breached this rule long ago, it would shock her to her very core.


    "It was the Origin King who decided to split the law into two. He did this before he died." Ananse explained.


    "He died? Aren''t origin divine artefacts able to live forever? How could it die? In an era ruled by the origin divine artefacts, who could possibly destroy their king?" Mane questioned. Although Indra didn''t say anything, he too was curious about this.


    "Every dynasty, no matter how ill.u.s.trious, eventually comes to an end. The Origin King''s rule was no different. I wouldn''t tell you the details of his fall; it isn''t necessary to our conversation" Mane didn''t question Ananse''s decision. He respected her wishes, and although his curiosity sought to disregard this respect, Mane reigned it in quite well.


    Ananse tucked her hair behind her ears, a sight visible only to Mane as she continued, "Anyway, the Origin King split his power into two different components- space and time. His power came from his eyes; a pair controlled space and the other, time. With both pairs, the space-time law was complete. But he separated them for he foresaw the arrival of a great calamity. And this calamity was brought by one who held the power of space and time. So he vowed to never choose a successor."

 Chapter 166 - The Two Successors Part I

    "He did choose successors in the end, but they weren''t origin divine artefacts. It was this decision- the decision not to choose a successor from his own people- that led to the Great War of Order and Chaos" Ananse finished.


    Mane could pretty much guess what happened next. The Origin King was powerful. His power over the space-time law made him invincible, allowing no one to question his wisdom and authority. Because of the King''s great power, his subjects were obedient during his reign. There was peace. So even polar opposites like the Book of Order and the Flames of Chaos were kept silent due to the King''s presence.


    Once this deterring factor was gone these natural enemies went after each other''s throats. Although they were generals under the reign of the King, they only got along because of the Origin King. Since origin divine artefacts can live forever, they never considered inheriting the throne. After all, the Origin King was expected to live forever. Besides, it would be even more improbable to destroy something that had control over time. But once the Origin King died, they fought against each other.


    Both were interested in the throne, and both had different ideas on how a King should rule. The Book of Order believed that it was necessary to introduce a system into the universe- a set of laws- that would inhibit the actions of all who sought to bring about ruin. She believed that it was only by doing this that there would be true peace. The Chaotic Flames thought otherwise. He believed that the beings of the universe should be allowed to control their own fate; only then, in his view, would they truly grow. One believed in restriction of talents; the other prioritized freedom and growth. The Book of Order believed in ruling with an iron scepter, but the Chaotic Flames protested. He believed that the Origin King was wrong to rule over the universe in the first place. He proposed that origin divine artefacts act as guardians instead, overseeing the lives of the beings of the universe from the shadows and protecting them from threats that were beyond them. They couldn''t see eye to eye, so they fought instead.


    Each of them had their own factions: there were those who approved of the Book of Order''s way, those who weren''t ready to give up their power over the universe; and there were those who sided with the Chaotic Flames, believing that his path was the right one. Of course, there were neutrals as well, those that didn''t think it was necessary to fight among themselves for something as ''trivial'' as control over the universe. It was a war that led to the destruction of many origin divine artefacts. It was a war that left origin divine artefacts crippled, and at the mercy of the god races who were growing stronger each day.


    It was a war that deprived the universe of many laws that are now obscure and near unattainable. After all, origin divine artefacts were meant to be embodiments of the laws they represented. This was the reason they couldn''t really comprehend any other law apart from what they were ''born'' with. It was possible to pass on their laws to one another, but they would have to give up their power before they can inherit something else. So if the Origin King was to pass on his power, his inheritor would have had to give up their ability first. Reiki is the only one to break this rule thus far. But this only applied to origin divine artefacts. Other races were not bound by this rule.


    The Great War paved the way for the gods to rule. The gods were strong at the time. But they were small in number. They needed time to grow. This was what the Book of Order feared: that the gods would grow strong enough to trample over them without the Origin King there to shield them. The Chaotic Flames did not share in her worry. He wanted to see the gods grow. He believed that it was possible to live side by side with the gods. Contrary to his title, he wanted unity. Unfortunately for them, they both lost. They injured themselves too deeply. And till date, they were still asleep, recovering from their grievous wounds.


    "But what they didn''t know was that the Origin King did choose a successor. In fact, he choose two." Ananse''s words were pretty much what Mane was expecting, so he didn''t have much of a reaction. He was only surprised by the fact that there wasn''t just one successor. Indra expected this as well. The reason was simple. If the Origin King had died along with his power, there will be no time wielders in the universe. Space wielders would also be extinct. The fact that wielders who commanded these two laws were thriving in the universe was enough evidence that the Origin King picked out his successors.


    "But this is what is truly fascinating: The King didn''t pick an artefact- he picked humans" Ananse''s words finally elicited reactions from the two listeners. They were stunned silly. How was that possible? An origin divine artefact could share its power with another by choosing a master, but it couldn''t pass on its power to any other race. Even more shocking was that the King had chosen a human. In an era where even the gods were restricted, humans surely didn''t have any great standing. All other races: elves, dwarves, gnomes, dragons, and many others, had greater strength than humans.


    But shortly after, Mane understood the reason why the King made this decision. Humans were inherently weaker from birth, but their potential was incredible. Over time, humans would grow to surpass those who lorded their strength over them. This was why most races didn''t allow humans to grow. Unlike other races who were born with the ability to summon storms or rain down fire, humans had the potential to comprehend anything they were drawn to. If they envied the gelid nature of the Frost Giants, they could study it and become ice wielders. If they envied the fire breath of the dragons, they could study it, and become fire masters. They had endless potential. Most gods were so talented because they were Human Gods. Humans were made after the image of these gods, and had inherited their potential for comprehending almost every law. But they didn''t share the one weakness that their ancestors had- the inability to propagate.


    Mane was a Human Godling. His parents were Human Gods. Hence, they were very talented. He doubted that a Dragon God would be able to study other elements of wielding than the one it was born with. The same went for Nature Elves and Earth Dwarves. What Mane didn''t understand was how it was possible for the King to pass on his power to humans.


    "The King picked two humans, and gifted them his power. To one he gave the ability to see the workings of time and understand the ways of the future. To the other he gave the power to see through dimensions and manipulate space. Usually, this should be impossible. But the Origin King was different. His power was in his eyes. He simply transplanted his eyes to the two humans, each getting a pair. Yet he didn''t tell them the secret of these eyes. They didn''t even know who he was. The King feared that once his successors realized that it was possible to rule over time and space by attaining both eyes, they would kill each other over this power."


    "His transfer of power was so secretive that those involved didn''t even know that the power didn''t originally belong to them. Because of this, they didn''t know that if one of them were to get both eyes, they would have the power of the Origin King. Besides, the eyes of the King were special. Only people with a particular kind of physique could inherit this power. Other beings would be blown into bits by the sheer influx of power that would flood their soul. These successors were the First Supreme, and the one who later came to be known as the Eternal Slayer- the human who hunted down eternals. "


    "Eternals? Who are they?" Mane asked. His question didn''t come as a surprise to Ananse. Mane didn''t have much of an idea about who he really was. Since his parents didn''t want him to know just yet, they would try as much as possible to stop themselves from giving away any clues to his identity. The race of Eternals were tightly bound to the Supreme. Each generation of Supreme was tied to these immortal freaks. If they told him about Eternals, Mane would be able to figure a few things out. The worst outcome was that he may try to look for them. But that was their problem. Ananse had no qualms telling Mane about Eternals. In fact, if the boy wished it, she would even tell him what a Supreme really was. Unfortunately, in Mane''s head he didn''t think that she would answer him if he asked about his purpose. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click <a href="/book/hunters-the-prequel_14462548105430305/the-two-successors-part-i_51236575966715890">/book/hunters-the-prequel_14462548105430305/the-two-successors-part-i_51236575966715890</a> for visiting.

 Chapter 167 - The Two Successors Part II

    "Eternals are a race of immortals. Unlike other races, they are born with an insane amount of vitality, making it possible for them to live forever, even without any power to rely on." Indra answered. Although he thought it strange that the Supreme didn''t know about Eternals, he didn''t mind answering the question. Besides, with how knowledgeable Mane was about other matters, the only reason he wouldn''t know about Eternals was if someone was preventing him from gaining access to that information. But Indra didn''t believe in hiding the truth from Mane. And he reckoned that Ananse didn''t mind his words either. If she did, with her powers as a scholar, she would have taken his words out of his mind before he could even speak.


    "Indra is right. Eternals are such a race. Normally they are weak. But when a Supreme appears, they grow very strong." Ananse added. Mane was fascinated by what he was hearing. Wielders had a longer than average lifespan because of their dependence on the edict. The average lifespan of a normal Zandorian is 150 years. Wielders were able to live for several millennia as long as they were devoid of any injuries. A mortal realmer has an average lifespan of 200 years; an above-mortal realmer, 300 years; a profound realmer, 400 years; an earth realmer, 500 years. It was basically an extra 100 years of vitality for every major realm before the heaven realm. The last three realms were a bit unique. A breakthrough into the heaven realm provides a wielder with a 1000 years of life. And every stage of this realm provides an additional 100 years. So a First Stage Heaven Realmer would have a 1000 years to live, but a Second Stage Heaven Realmer would be able to live for 1100 years with no trouble. The nobility realm was almost the same. However, instead of a 100 year increase, their vitality was boosted by a 1000 years per each stage. The ascension realm also followed this principle. Contrary to what many people believed, the ascension realm did not provide immortality. The only way to be an immortal was to become a god, gaining the approval and sustenance of a law. Spiritualists enjoyed long lives as well, although no one knew why chaos would be so understanding.


    "What are you saying? Are you saying that Eternals are the subjects of the Supremes?" Mane wondered. "That is exactly what I am saying." Ananse''s melodious voice confirmed Mane''s words.


    Mane rubbed his forehead with tiredness in his eyes. He didn''t really understand his role in all this. Initially, he thought that the Supreme was a person destined to go against the gods. But as he met some of these gods who were supposed to be his enemies, he found out that they weren''t all bad. His parents for starters were gods. He didn''t know about all his masters, but he was certain that the 1st was a god. Now the two before him who were feeding him with information were also gods. Granted, he had found out that there were gods after him, but the fact that the gods were divided made him question what his true role in this vast cosmos was. It was like he had been dumped in the gelid waters of a lake influenced by the winter.


    "Can you tell me who I am?" Mane asked with pleading eyes. He wanted to know. No, he needed to know. Why his masters and parents thought that it was wise to hide his destiny from him was unknown to him. But he was certain of this- knowledge is power. The more he knew, the greater the power at his behest.


    "I was waiting for you to ask" Ananse smiled, relief on her face. As she stated earlier, she wasn''t going to tell Mane anything he didn''t need to know. But he needed to know who he was. However, that wasn''t her decision to make- it was his. Unless he opened his mouth to ask of her what he sought, she couldn''t tell him. After all, how would she know that was what he wanted if he didn''t say anything?


    "But it would have to wait until after my story." She continued. Mane nodded in understanding. He reckoned that the story had a lot to do with him. It would explain Indra''s shock a few minutes prior.


    "As I said earlier, the two heirs were the First Supreme and the Eternal Slayer. They were rivals, each seeking the downfall of the other. The First Supreme was eager to bring an end to the Chaotic Era. But the Eternal Slayer thrived in such an era. He didn''t want anything ruining his plans. It was normal that they wouldn''t see eye to eye."


    Mane knew the history, but not the characters. The Chaotic Era was the period after the Great War of Order and Chaos. When the gods finally saw an opening to break free of the restraints put on them by the origin divine artefacts, they started a war. This war was later recorded in the annals of universal history as part of the Great War, but it led to the Chaotic Era. After the origin divine artefacts were vanquished and ''enslaved'', the gods had to deal with the turmoil caused by the war. The realms were in chaos because of the lack of leadership, and there was no peace. The universe was then split into heavens. God clans were assigned to heavens to rule and maintain order. Although this sounded simple, it took a long time to achieve. After all, there were several races, and most of them weren''t willing to submit to the new order.


    "What they didn''t know was that their rivalry had been set in stone even before they were born. Two heirs of the Origin King, each without the knowledge of how they acquired their powers, were at each other''s throats for as long as they lived. The eyes the First Supreme possessed later came to be known as the True Eyes. They were called so because they could see through anything and everything. For some reason, the time eyes of the Origin King underwent a mutation after being transferred to the First Supreme. It wasn''t due to luck, but her bloodline. The eyes were capable of growing and assimilating the power of their user. The First Supreme could not only see through the workings of time, but she was also able to see through all illusions and disguises. Of course, her control over time wasn''t as exaggerated as that of the Origin King, but it was powerful all the same. This power allowed her to see a lot of things, even her death. A vision that gave her the room to even make preparations for her passing"


    "The eyes of the Eternal Slayer were called Eyes of Extermination. Although his eyes weren''t mutated like the First Supreme''s, they weren''t to be underestimated. They had the ability to kill anyone he wished to kill. His mastery over space allowed him to travel between planets like he was strolling through them. And as his mastery grew, he was able to separate body parts without much effort. For instance, he could warp your head off your neck if he wished. In that respect, the power of the Eternal Slayer was almost as strong as the space power of the Origin King. It was almost as if he was more talented than the First Supreme. But that wasn''t the true reason"


    Mane gulped at the revelation. That kind of power seemed to undermine the power of the First Supreme. After all, from Ananse''s words, the Eternal Slayer could kill her by looking at her. It was a fearsome power to possess.


    "But there were restrictions to such a power. For starters it takes time to warp space. Plus if the opponent is sufficiently fast, it would be difficult to lock on to his/her movements and deal with them." Ananse announced.


    Mane breathed a sigh of relief hearing the goddess'' words. "But the Eternal Slayer was no slouch himself. He was pretty fast. And even with the drawbacks of his power, he was still a dangerous figure." Ananse explained.


    "You said the Supreme and the Slayer were enemies, didn''t you? So in the end, who came out on top?" Mane was knowledgeable about a lot of things, but the information on the Supremes wasn''t one of them. It was part of his parents'' and masters'' idea to keep the topic of Supremes as far away from him as possible. So he didn''t know much about his ancestors.


    "The First Supreme killed the Eternal Slayer in the end. But she was gravely injured herself. She also died shortly after due to the injuries she sustained in their final battle." Ananse stated nonchalantly.


    "So why are you telling me all this? What does this all have to do with me?" Mane had an inkling of what this was all about, but he didn''t want to rush into any conclusions.


    "Simple. You have inherited the power of the First Supreme." Ananse pointed at his eyes and continued, "Unfortunately, your power hasn''t manifested itself fully. But I am sure it will in time."


    Mane was calm even after the revelation, mostly because he expected that to be the case. He had theorized that the shock Indra had on his face had something to do with him. And Ananse''s story about the eyes of the Origin God gave him a tip as to what that was. It was either he had the Eyes of Extermination, or the True Eyes. Between the two, he was leaning towards the latter. The reason was simple really. He had been capable of comprehending a portion of the time law when he had barely started his wielding journey.


    And although he wasn''t progressing as quickly in his time law, he wasn''t slow either.

 Chapter 168 - Understanding One Of The Seven Great Mysteries Part I

    And listening to Ananse right now, Mane knew it was because his True Eyes hadn''t truly awakened. When they did, he would become a genius time wielder.


    "I''m going to assume that you are telling me this so that I can prepare myself, aren''t you?" Mane squinted his eyes and questioned the goddess before him.


    Ananse only smiled in response. "Prepare you for what?" Indra asked as he flicked his hair.


    "You only mentioned the first users of this powerful eye bloodline, but you didn''t speak of the next few who wielded this power. So I am certain of a few things. The eyes do not truly belong to those who inherit it. And two, all those who got their hands on them are dead."


    Ananse smiled faintly upon hearing his words, a smile that only Mane could see. Indra didn''t have such a privilege. She didn''t deny or confirm Mane''s words, so he continued with his assumption.


    "I thought it was strange that the Origin King transferred his power to two people, yet one experienced a mutation, whilst the other did not. I finally figured it out a few seconds ago. The Origin King may not be dead." Mane laid down his hypothesis.


    Indra squinted as he heard Mane''s words. He quickly pressed down the feeling of shame that a kid was able to think so deeply and said, "He is right. You kept saying the Origin King is dead, yet you never did mention when and how he died. So, how did he die?"


    "You are sharp. I don''t know whether the King is alive or not. That is a question too difficult to answer, even for me." Ananse shook her head slightly as she finally spoke up.


    "If it were to be anyone else, I would have believed them" Mane didn''t think she was telling the truth. "Oh? So you are saying I''m lying to you?" Ananse asked with a genial smile on her face. Unfortunately, Indra couldn''t see this smile so he assumed that she was offended.


    "Come on kid, apologize to her" he kindly prompted Mane, feeling that Mane may have offended her with his blunt words.


    Mane only smiled in response and said, "Let me finish what I am saying, then you would understand. Besides, she is smiling. She isn''t offended by my words." His words put Indra at ease, casting his unnecessary worries aside.


    "You mentioned that True Eyes underwent a mutation when they were transplanted into the First Supreme. The Eyes of Destruction had no such fate. Initially I found that strange. They were from the same source, so how did one mutate, whilst the other didn''t. That was when I realised something. In your narration you mentioned that the Eternal Slayer was almost as talented as the First Supreme, and had reached close to the mastery of the Origin King''s mastery of space. Then you said that there were restrictions to his power. Anyone else would conclude that the restrictions were present because of the absence of the True Eyes. After all, any other person would conclude that the only way to bring out the best in the power of space was to reunite it with the power of time."


    "This assumption is wrong. Firstly, you didn''t mention the restrictions to the True Eyes, only mentioning that it had mutated and hence, had developed novel techniques unknown to even the Origin King. This could only mean that there weren''t any restrictions to the time power of the True Eyes! The only restriction to its power was the talent of the Supreme herself! Secondly, the Supreme sustained grave injuries after dealing with the Eternal Slayer, injuries that eventually took her life. These two points provided me with some information. The first being the Supreme bloodline. It is logical to believe that the restrictions of the Origin King''s power were broken by the Supreme bloodline. But this thinking is flawed! If it were only a restriction, the Eternal Slayer would surely have found a way to break it. This could only mean one thing: the eyes were still linked to their original owner. With the Origin King still alive and well, any other person would find it difficult to gain the allegiance of his eyes. After all, which loyal servant would give up on its master whilst their master was still alive and well?"


    Mane took a deep breath, his aura increasing in intensity as he spoke. It was a change that brought a subtle smile to Ananse''s face as she thought silently to herself, "He is already embarking upon the path of a scholar". This was the path of scholars. As one discovered mysteries and loopholes of the world, their power would also grow. Mind you, it wasn''t the prerequisite to breakthrough. But when one understood some of the mysteries and histories of the world, that scholar would grow stronger. That was why Ananse spent her entire life seeking to understand the 7 Great Mysteries of the World. And Mane was unknowingly walking into the knowledge of one of them: the 2nd Great Mystery- the Truth about the Origin King. It was a mystery that wasn''t even known as a mystery. Apart from the mystery of devilstone, a mineral which sparked a war between the several god races, most of the other mysteries weren''t public knowledge. The 2nd Great Mystery was one of these obscure mysteries.


    Indra looked calm on the surface, but that was only because he was confused. He couldn''t hear a word of what Mane was saying. He could only smile bitterly, for he knew that only one person had the power to cloud his senses in his own dimension. If she didn''t want him to listen in on their conversation, then she surely had her reasons.


    "The First Supreme possessed a powerful bloodline- the Supreme bloodline- so the connection between the True Eyes and the Origin King was forcefully broken. I reckon that not even the Origin King anticipated that the child who was compatible with his time eyes was the first of her kind- a Supreme. I assume that normally, he would have definitely seen it with his power over time. But in his fear of what he deemed as the greatest catastrophe of the universe, he didn''t see something so obvious. Because his connection to the True Eyes was cut off, the First Supreme didn''t face many restrictions in using his power. Even at that point it was already wrong to call it his power because he didn''t have access to his eyes anymore. It was her power now. As for the mutation, it didn''t occur because of the fact that the restriction had been removed. There was another reason to that, and I''d get to that real soon"


    "Now to my next point- the Eternal Slayer''s talent. You said that it was almost as if he was more talented than the First Supreme, but that wasn''t the case. In those days, the First Supreme''s talent was at the pinnacle. Over the past millions of years, the bar for categorizing talents has been raised. But during those days her talent was the pinnacle of talents. So there was no possible way that the Eternal Slayer was on par with her. Which could only mean one thing- it wasn''t his talent. I asked myself, why was the Eternal Slayer against the Supreme? After all, there was no way that would do him any good. I reached only one answer. Maybe it''s because I don''t know the entire history, but that was the only answer I could reach. The Eternal Slayer wasn''t truly the Eternal Slayer. It was the Origin King!"


    If Indra could hear Mane''s words right now, he would be gob smacked. How did Mane reach such a conclusion anyway? The answer could be gleaned from the memory ball that Ananse gave him. She stated that not only did it include her training manual, but her experiences as well. She was someone who had succeeded in understanding all the 7 mysteries of the world. So her experiences were extremely valuable. Although she didn''t include the solutions to the 7 mysteries in it, her story about the Origin King had caused Mane''s mind to glean some fragments of the 2nd mystery from her experiences.


    After all, it took her millions of years to understand them all. Mane was only 11. There was no way he would be able to answer even one of them all on his own. Besides, she didn''t have any help. But in Mane''s case, not only had she filled him in on the true history of the universe, a section of history that was unclear to even a battle god like Indra, she had done so meticulously and patiently.

 Chapter 169 - Understanding One Of The Seven Great Mysteries Part II

    There was another reason behind Mane''s understanding, which was his very own experience when he was just 6 years old. It was the first time that Mane had been sucked into a whirlpool of bloodl.u.s.t. When he was just 6, he had unleashed his aura on his class teacher at the time, Mr. Aikens. He had lost himself in the darkness of rage, and was only pulled out through the combined efforts of the 3rd and the 8th. It was at that time that he learned of the god known as Cronos. This god had control over the laws of time. This was a god who was bound to laws of time. His connection with this law was so great that the clock of eternity, a divine artefact, bound to him on its own. Although it wasn''t an origin divine artefact, the clock of eternity was a powerful tool. For it to choose a master meant that it had to submit to that master. And Cronos was the only one in history, to have made such a mark. His masters informed him that his plight was because of this god who was supposedly dead, a status that couldn''t be attributed to him after the incident a few years back.


    "Cronos also had True Eyes, didn''t he?" Mane asked. Ananse didn''t speak, but she nodded her head with a smile. That was enough for Mane.


    Mane was reminded of this god. Cronos had excellent mastery over the laws of time. Even the 9th, a powerful and renowned time wielder, stated that he was far inferior to him. This could only mean one thing: Cronos had the True Eyes. That was the only explanation to his extreme power over the laws of time. The 9th had informed Mane that there were several restrictions in using the laws of time. These restrictions had to be supplanted by training in body wielding. But Cronos wasn''t a body wielder. He was a pseudo body wielder at best. This would mean that he wasn''t bound by these restrictions. The clock of eternity was a powerful tool, but it was only a divine artefact.


    It couldn''t break the restrictions set by the Origin King who was an origin divine artefact. That was all Cronos. Initially Mane had assumed, just like his masters, that Cronos was lucky in escaping the Dark Realm by finding the clock of eternity. However, after listening to Ananse, Mane was confident that Cronos had awakened the True Eyes after being forced into the Dark Realm. Now that Ananse had confirmed it, Mane was all the more certain of his hypothesis concerning the Origin King.


    "The mutation of the True Eyes was within the expectation of the Origin God. What he didn''t expect was that the person he had picked had a bloodline that could rival his, severing his connection with the True Eyes domineeringly. If I am not wrong, and I highly doubt that I am, the Origin King didn''t give away his power because he was selfless. He did so to get stronger."


    Mane thought it was strange that the Origin King glanced into the far future and saw an enemy so terrifying that even he was reminded of the emotion known as fear, yet had given away his power instead. Wouldn''t it be better to grow stronger and prepare the universe so that he could face the incoming threat? Why would he separate the law of space-time, and thereby weaken the two now independent laws. It took him a while, but he figured it out.


    "He gave away his power so that it would grow. He knew that as an origin divine artefact he couldn''t get any stronger, but there was a race that could. Humans and gods were capable of growing strong enough to weather the storm that was to come. But he was selfish. I understood his character as you were speaking. During his time, he kept a tight leash on the other races, the gods and dragons included. So why didn''t he choose the Book of Order, the artefact that believed in his methods, as his successor."


    "After all, she was his general, and it was only logical. He didn''t choose an heir because he didn''t want to. He wasn''t going to die, so why would he choose an heir? This is why I am certain he didn''t die. Instead, what he did was pass on his power to the human race, the least threatening of the races to him, so that his power will grow in their hands. He didn''t pass it to the dragons, or the gods, because he was afraid that he wouldn''t be able to control them. But the humans were weak then. It didn''t matter that they had great potential. They were still weak. But their potential would make it possible for his power to grow explosively."


    This was why the Origin King had given up his eyes. He was no selfless being. His idea was simple. With his superior soul power, he would be able to slowly wipe away the souls of his inheritors and takeover their bodies. Then he would grow stronger and stronger. When his power reaches its pinnacle in them, he would then take back his eyes, effectively growing much stronger. But he didn''t account for one thing.


    "The First Supreme was human alright. But her bloodline and soul power weren''t weak. Instead of wiping away her consciousness, the Origin King had his connection to his power severed. Instead of gaining more power, he lost half of it. And even more painful was that the First Supreme was able to cause a mutation in his power, whereas the Eternal Slayer had failed in doing so. The Origin King knew that it would take a long while for a mutation to occur, but it occurred so simply with the First Supreme."


    "He had no choice but to go after her. He needed his power back. I''m not certain of this, but I can only assume that just like the Chaotic Flames and the Book of Order, the Origin King descended into a deep slumber after giving away his power. After all, not only did he injure himself by forcefully tearing off his eyes, he also needed to prepare to take over two bodies. So all he could do was to use the body that he already possessed to get his eyes back. It was a herculean task, and he failed. But it wasn''t a big deal that he failed. He could just transfer his powers to another person. The problem was the True Eyes. With his connection to time severed, he couldn''t dictate the next owner of these eyes, so finding the heir of the First Supreme would be a difficult task. My master knew Cronos. And their bond transcended that of the flesh- it was a bond of blood. Yet even he didn''t know that Cronos possessed True Eyes. I doubt that the Origin King did either."


    "The Origin King cannot be dead. He is alive and well!"


    Mane finally ended his long narrative, his towering aura also grew more stable. When it did, Mane realized that he had broken through to the 2nd stage of the scholar wielding manual. He was stunned. The path of scholars had seven steps, each step steeper than the last.


    It was similar to the path of spiritualists: Trainee Scholar; Beginner Scholar; Low- Level Scholar; Mid- Level Scholar; High Level Scholar; Scholar King/Queen; Scholar Emperor/Empress.


    Mane had skipped the Trainee Scholar stage and barged into the Beginner Scholar level! All because he answered a few questions.

 Chapter 170 - The Abandoner Part I

    "This¡­?" Mane stuttered in disbelief. How was it possible for him to breakthrough so easily? He just said a few things and his strength had already grown by such a large amount.


    "Surprised?" Ananse smirked playfully. Mane was stunned for a while looking at her grin. She was very charming indeed. He shook his head and asked, "How did I breakthrough so quickly? Even for me this is too fast".


    Indra looked at the two- goddess and godling suspiciously. Before, their figures were blurry and their voices unheard. But he could see them just fine now, and he could hear their voices clearly enough. He could feel that Mane had changed, but he couldn''t pinpoint the reason for the change. It wasn''t surprising that he couldn''t. Scholars were able to cloud the senses of most, so even when they broke through it was still impossible to read through their energy signature.


    "That is the path of scholars. Scholars and spiritualists are very similar, but different. Whereas spiritualists depend upon chaos, scholars depend on the edict. But otherwise, they are very similar to each other. Spiritualists with the greatest of talents are able to use telekinesis, whereas the most talented of scholars are also telepaths. Scholars are the brains of every team. Not only are they great strategists, they are also exceptionally rich in all kinds of knowledge. Spiritualists are also intelligent. But their intelligence mainly bears fruit during battles. They are able to understand an opponent''s movements and are battle freaks. But that''s pretty much it. Although they are more powerful than scholars in battle, scholars are no weaklings themselves. Just like spiritualists, scholars are dangerous in battle. We may not be able to read minds and do spirit scans, but our eyes have the ability to see a person''s weakness once we become high level scholars. And when we become Scholar Emperors or Empresses, we can see through every disguise in the world." Ananse explained slowly


    Her explanation enlightened Mane. He finally understood why his masters were adamant that he becomes a scholar. With an ability to look through every disguise and all weaknesses, even gods would be terrified to face him. Mane had learnt a lot from his father in the last month, so he knew that the only way to kill a god was to seal their godhead. When one becomes a god, they develop two attributes: a godhead, which contains their vitality and grants them immortality; and godspark, which contains all their power.


    When a godspark is sealed, the god loses access to his or her immense power, but would still have their measureless level of vitality if their godhead is intact. That was what Ray did whenever he spared with his son. He sealed his godspark, effectively cutting him off from his immense power but kept his godhead unsealed. There was only one way to truly kill a god- they must have their godhead destroyed, or sealed. Normally it was difficult to see through a god''s weakness. Unlike the godspark, which was part of the god and couldn''t be removed no matter what, the godhead didn''t have a fixed position. Many gods didn''t keep their godheads on them, choosing to lock them away securely so that they wouldn''t be found out.


    In a sense, the godhead was the true core of a god. This is because, even if the god is destroyed- along with their godspark- they would be reborn as long as their godhead remains intact. It would take a few years for them to regain their full strength, but to beings who had lived for millions of years, it was but a small price to pay. After all, that was far better than true death. They were beings that had lived for so long that they didn''t regard the lives of others as highly as their own. And because they killed mortals so simply, they were more afraid of death than mortals. When you live for a very long time, and you don''t have to fear dying of old age, you learn to cherish your life more than the mortals who know that they have a fixed number of years to live.


    "Because we are able to heighten our senses, we are able to see, feel, hear, smell, and taste better than others. Our proprioceptive and vestibular senses are highly heightened as well. When we become High Level Scholars, our eyes undergo a metamorphosis of a sort. We are able to see past the skin and observe organs and bones, muscles and nerves. When we become Scholar Kings/Queens we can see even to a microscopic level and hear sounds from thousands of kilometers away. Our improved olfaction makes it possible to locate the slightest of smells, making it almost impossible to poison us. Our skin become so sensitive that we can feel any change in temperature within our vicinity. Basically, our sensory organs are not normal any longer." Ananse flicked a rogue strand of her hair backwards as she explained.


    "However, things change when we become Scholar Emperors/Empresses. At that stage, our senses aren''t limited to only elements, but energy as well."


    Mane was so startled that he interrupted her. He looked at her wide-eyed and exclaimed, "You mean-"


    Ananse returned the favor and shut him up with her words this time. "Yes", she interrupted. "We can see a person''s connection to the edict- and even chaos."


    Mane was still reeling in shock from what he was hearing. No wonder scholars were so scarce. There was no way gods would allow people capable of seeing the energies of the cosmos to thrive. What he didn''t really understand, was how that helped a scholar locate the godhead of a god. So he asked the one who would know why.


    "But how does seeing edict and chaos help to locate the godhead?" he wondered. Luckily for him, Ananse was willing to answer.


    "Simple. The godhead is connected to a god. No matter where it is hidden, there would be a faint connection between the god and his godhead. And gods depend on edict. So if one can see edict, then¡­" She stopped halfway, once she was certain that she had gotten her point across. Her audience was a godling who was able to discover one of the seven great mysteries with a few hints, and a battle god who lived long enough to know the danger that scholars posed.


    "They would be able to find the location of the godhead." Mane continued. Indra was silent throughout the entire conversation. He was a god himself, so he knew how dangerous it was to face an Ascended Scholar (Scholar Emperor/Empress), or even worse, a Sensor God. Sensor Gods were scholars who had successfully become gods. Some confused them with Spiritual Gods- gods who had attained their godhood by pursuing the spiritualist path wholly.


    "That means I have to keep my identity as a scholar secret" Mane mumbled. "Smart boy" Ananse praised him. Indra just looked at him with a smile. He finally understood why Shiva was so terrified of the Absolute Queen. It was possible that Shiva knew that the Absolute Queen was a scholar. However, because of her background, and the fact that she usually refrained from involving herself with the gods, even if he spread this knowledge, nothing would happen to her. The gods couldn''t possibly come after an Asgardian Sensor God. Plus, not only had she attained godhood as a scholar, she was also at the peak of body wielding. Making her an enemy was an unwise decision.


    "You are a strange one. You don''t even care that I am a scholar, do you?" Mane looked at Indra strangely upon seeing that the battle god didn''t care about the kind of threat Mane would pose to him when he was fully grown.


    "What does it matter? You are treading on so many paths that it would be difficult for you to become a god in them all. Your parents are prefect examples of this. Your mother is a Sensor God. However, because she also wants to become a Battle God she has neglected her strength as a Sensor for quite a while. So she is a bit rusty. Your father is a Battle God, and he is a spiritualist as well. However, unlike your mother he is always fighting somewhere, so he cannot take the time to focus on becoming a Spiritual God." Indra nonchalantly explained. It was difficult to tread multiple paths. And although Mane was the Supreme, it would be impossible for him to gain true mastery in all fields.


    "That isn''t necessarily true" Ananse rebutted Indra''s claim. "Oh? How so?" Indra asked, not understanding what Ananse was referring to. He wouldn''t daringly claim that he knew all that the universe had to offer. Even exploring scholars wouldn''t be filled with hubris so. But he wasn''t a kid either. However, Ananse was rarely wrong, so he was curious.


    "Some have mastered multiple paths. The Heavenly Emperor of the 7th Heaven is a Spiritual God and a Sensor as well. He has been missing for a while now, but he isn''t dead in any way. There was even one who was able to become a god in three different fields." Ananse declared


    "That''s impossible" Indra argued adamantly! "That isn''t possible" he exclaimed once more, shocked by the revelation!


    "It is. The fact that you haven''t seen it before doesn''t mean it isn''t true." Ananse waved her hand nonchalantly as she spoke.


    Indra took a few deep breaths to calm himself down. He knew that Ananse was right. The fact that he didn''t know, didn''t mean it wasn''t true. He quickly calmed himself down and asked, hoping that he would receive an answer, "Who was this person?"


    "The Sixth Supreme"

 Chapter 171 - The Abandoner Part II

    "The Abandoner?" Indra asked doubtfully. It was hard to believe that the Supreme who had suddenly disappeared and had been given the tag, ''The Abandoner'', was a master in three different fields.


    "Call him whatever you will. He had his reasons for leaving." Ananse waved her hands nonchalantly. The Sixth Supreme was the most infamous of his race. He had abandoned his destiny and disappeared completely off the radar. No one knew where he went, or what he was doing. Because of his disappearance, the entire universe had descended into a period of turmoil. The gods of many heavens had gone against their rulers, seeking to establish themselves instead, due to the simple reason that the one who was meant keep them in check had abandoned the universe. Till date, there were still scars that remained from that tumultuous era. The 3rd, 4th, and 5th heavens were still in shambles, and all of these heavenly realms had no true rulers. That was why the battle to find the rulers of these realms was still ongoing. As a matter of fact, Indra was among the candidates shortlisted to succeed as ruler over the 3rd heaven.


    "Why was the 6th Supreme called The Abandoner?" Mane asked. He didn''t know much about his predecessors, so he wanted to learn as much as he could. He could tell from the moniker the Sixth Supreme had been given that he disappeared at some point when the universe needed him the most. But Ananse seemed to know much more than what everyone else did. He wanted to hear the truth from her.


    "You are a scholar now. It wouldn''t do you good to have all your questions answered for you." Ananse gave a smart reply.


    "You mean that the reason I was able to breakthrough earlier was because I answered a question?" Mane asked. Till now, he still wasn''t clear as to the reason he had grown so much as a scholar, when he had done basically nothing.


    "A scholar doesn''t improve simply by practicing. You practice your skills as a scholar to hone them. You have improved senses, so you must train so that you are able to use your skills to the best of your abilities. But if it comes to improving in levels and ranks, the only way to do so is by answering questions and mysteries that plague your mind." Ananse dutifully explained


    "So you are saying that it was because I answered the earlier question that I broke through so quickly?" Mane nodded in understanding.


    "Indeed. Otherwise you would have been stuck at the lowest level for a relatively long time." Ananse replied.


    "But doesn''t that mean that it is pretty simple to become a scholar? After all, all I have to do is to answer the questions that come my way correctly, and I would keep on improving in strength." Mane was a bit confused. If it was that simple, wouldn''t it be a bit too easy to become a scholar? Plus, scholars had impressive skill and could even threaten gods when they are fully grown. For such an impressive path, shouldn''t the process be much harder?


    "If it were that simple, wouldn''t you find scholars everywhere" Ananse smirked disdainfully? Mane blushed in embarrassment as he rubbed his nose.


    "It doesn''t just mean that you can answer any mediocre questions and get a breakthrough. You have to solve mysteries that boggle the minds of most. Even then, you would only progress a bit. For instance, if you solve a first grade mystery, the current you would breakthrough to the mid-stage of the beginner scholar level."


    Ananse''s explanation enlightened Mane, allowing him to finally understand why it was so difficult to become a scholar. Taking away the fact that the gods would kill any good scholar they found, it wasn''t easy to embark on this path. After all, the gods would not just go around killing any and everyone who called themselves a scholar. Only if they had the potential to become a Scholar Emperor/Empress, would they pay any attention to you.


    "But if that is the case, then how did I go straight from a scholar wannabe to a Beginner Scholar, without even stepping on the Trainee Scholar level? Are you saying that what I understood earlier was more than a simple mystery?" Mane wondered.


    Logically, he should have gone from a nobody to a Trainee Scholar. Then he would strive for the peak of that level, before attempting to become a Beginner Scholar. But just by discovering a small loophole in a ''history lesson'' he had skipped past the first stage and barged into the next stage.


    "That is because you didn''t answer a simple question. Can you think of anything that is of greater relevance than a first grade mystery?" Ananse smiled as she enquired.


    Mane thought for a bit, and finally realized what it was. "It was one of the seven great mysteries, wasn''t it" he gasped as it finally dawned on him that he had unwittingly provided the answers to one of the seven great mysteries.


    Ananse didn''t reply, but the smile she had on her face said it all. As for Indra, he finally understood why he couldn''t hear a thing they were saying earlier. Turns out that the boy had comprehended one of the seven great mysteries of the universe. He felt that it was a shame that he couldn''t hear what it was. But his gains weren''t all bad. He had been given a history lesson he had never heard of before, and at least he knew what this mystery was about; it was related to the Origin King.


    As for how scholars grew, he already knew that. Every god knew that much at least. This was why there were academies that allowed students to embark upon the scholar path, yet the gods turned a blind eye to them. After all, to the gods it didn''t matter how many wanted to be scholars. Eventually many of them would realize the sheer difficulty of the path and would give up. They would be regretful that they had picked a path that led to a dead end when there were other options available. Plus in the last millions of years, there had only been one person who successfully became a Scholar Empress. And even this wasn''t publicly known. Indra had only found out because Ananse had allowed him to. The Absolute Queen was the only one thus far.


    "I don''t think it is necessary for Mane to hide his identity as a scholar. No one would pay that much attention to him unless he can become a Scholar King." Unlike Ananse, Indra didn''t believe that Mane should hide his identity. In his books, the only way the gods would pay attention to him was if he proved that he could become a threat.


    "You have forgotten that there are already a few gods staring at him from the shadows. He cannot afford to take such a risk. Once they realize that he is embarking upon this path, they would see him as a threat." Ananse explained


    Of course Indra hadn''t forgotten about Shiva and Seth. But Seth wasn''t actively concentrating on Mane because he only regarded the boy as a talented nobody. Shiva was the only one truly watching the boy. But as long as Mane was given the right artefact, he would be able to hide from the unwanted spies Shiva would send his way. As long as Mane trained on another world, he would be none the wiser. After all, the reason Ananse was here was to recommend an Academy outside of Zandor to Mane. They had gotten off track a bit, but that was still the main issue. However, before he could argue with Ananse, she sent him a telepathic message.


    The message said, "Don''t forget the prophecy. Once the boy reveals that he is a scholar, they would believe that the prophecy is a hundred percent true"


    These words were enough to shut Indra up.

 Chapter 172 - The God Academies Part I

    Mane looked at Indra with a hint of suspicion in his clear blue eyes. Just a while ago, Indra was arguing that Mane didn''t need to hide his identity as a scholar. This was the first time Mane had witnessed the god going against Ananse''s wishes. Although they had only just met, Mane believed that Indra admired Ananse. So for him to go against her will meant that he was utterly sure of what he was saying.


    However, after Ananse had refuted his claims that Mane wasn''t really in any danger from the gods, he didn''t argue back. Logically, that would be the next course of argument for anyone who wanted to get their message across. But Mane felt that there was something wrong. His reasoning was simple. When Ananse had denied Indra''s confident claims that Mane wasn''t in any real danger, Indra''s expression had remained the same. However, just a few moments after that, Indra seemed to have suddenly received enlightenment. And he didn''t bother to say anything more.


    "That was telepathy, wasn''t it" Mane asked as he suddenly realized why Indra was silent?


    "You truly are worthy to pursue the path of scholars. Your brain runs at a very impressive pace." Ananse didn''t deny his claim, rather confirming the blonde haired boy''s thoughts.


    "It is nothing" Mane scratched his head with a silly smile on his face. Normally, when someone praised his intellect he would think nothing of it. But it was different when the one lauding his achievements was a Sensor God- a being at the peak of scholars. It was the same as a physicist getting to meet Sir Albert Einstein. And not only did they get to meet their legend, but their legend actually praised their intellect. They would be ecstatic.


    Suddenly Mane''s expression changed as he asked, "What technique have you given me"? He realized to his utmost disbelief that once he understood the reason behind Indra''s silence, his strength as a scholar had increased slightly. It was a minuscule increase, one that no one would pay attention to. However, Mane was a scholar now, and every minute increment would be felt by the boy. His senses were incredibly heightened.


    "You can slowly digest all the information you took into your brain when you return. For now, there is something else that I want to speak to you about." Ananse didn''t bother to provide Mane with an answer. All the answers he needed concerning the scholar manual he was studying had already been imprinted into his brain. He just hadn''t taken the time to sort them out. Once he was out of Indra''s alternate world, he would be able to find the information he sought.


    However, Mane was bound to be disappointed with the answers he was going to get. Ananse knew what the boy wanted from her. He wanted to ask whether he would keep growing by just answering questions and seeing things that others did not. After all, he guessed that she used telepathy, and that alone had given him a small increase in strength. The minuscule addition to his power would merely amount to less than a hundredth of his scholar abilities, but it was an increase none the less. Currently, the blonde haired boy may be thinking that he would be able to grow quickly with a manual such as this one.


    He wasn''t wrong. He would be able to grow quickly. After all, it was a manual that she used, and had improved over the course of her life. It was bound to be an impressive manual. But this speed was in relation to the speed of studying the path of scholars. Otherwise, any other person would categorize the speed of growth as slow. After all, if it were that easy, there would be many scholars running around the universe. This was why she knew that Mane was bound to face disappointment once he realized the truth. The manual he was studying was the ''Seeker Manual''. It was a peak grade scholar technique that wouldn''t lose to any other wielding manuals. It had one distinct factor. Just like all other scholar manuals, the more you understood of the world, the greater the strength you would gain. But the Seeker Manual took this principle to the extreme. Unlike other manuals, this peak manual didn''t just transform mysteries solved into strength, but it also transformed concessions into strength. The best explanation for this would be what had just happened. Mane had realized that it was likely that Ananse had communicated with Indra via telepathy- a skill possessed by the most talented of scholars. And so his strength had grown.


    However, unlike what Mane thought, he wasn''t accurate in his deduction. Not the part about the telepathy. He was spot on about that. He wasn''t right in believing that the small increment had come from realizing the means of communication that the two gods used. The reason his strength had increased ever so slightly was because Ananse had confessed that it was indeed true. Had she lied that that wasn''t the case, Mane wouldn''t have gotten that extra bit of energy. So it wasn''t just a matter of getting some simple questions right, but having the other person admit that you were indeed right.


    It was a bizarre technique, especially since other scholar manuals didn''t work this way. For most manuals, you only experienced an increase in strength upon correctly finding out the truth to some strange happenings around. The more complex the mystery, the more energy you gain. However, high class manuals gave more energy than lower class ones. Even if two scholars solved a similar mystery in the same way, the one using a high class manual would receive more energy than the one using the lower class manual. It was the same with all other wielding manuals.


    Mane turned a tad more serious when he realized that they were finally getting to the problem of the day. He was thankful that the two gods- Ananse especially- had given him so much information; information that not even his maters had disclosed to him, not that they knew. And although he still wasn''t sure what it was that a Supreme did, he did have a fair idea to what he was meant to do. It was better than having no idea. But from Ananse''s words, he knew that she was finally willing to let him know why she had sought him out. He was finally going to find out what it was that the goddess wanted from him.


    "Do you know anything about God Academies" Ananse asked, although she already knew the answer to her question.


    "God Academies? No, I haven''t the slightest idea." Mane shook his head to imply that he had no idea about these so called God Academies. But from the name, he could infer one or two things.


    "Well they are learning institutions, much like the one you currently attend. However, they aren''t as feckless as the Wielder Academy you attend" Ananse stated nonchalantly.


    Mane smiled bitterly when he heard her words. How was it his fault that the Wielder Academy was so weak? After all, Zandor was, and still is, a small planet with very limited resources. Although for some strange reason there was an abundance of edict and chaos in Zandor, it didn''t change the fact that the wielding manuals of this tiny planet were all low grade and amounted to nothing much. To a goddess like Ananse, Zandor is incredibly weak, more so its academies. But to the inhabitants of Zandor who didn''t know much about the vastness of the universe, the Wielding Academy was a prestigious place.


    "God Academies are educational institutes that house several talents from across the universe. They are called God Academies because they are the greatest learning institutions that our universe has to offer. They have the best resources in the cosmos, and are the best places for young talents to hone their skills. They produce several ascenders, and are the starting points for many gods. Till date, most of these academies house some of the children of the gods."

 Chapter 173 - The God Academies Part II

    Mane listened intently as Ananse lectured him on God Academies, all the while wondering why his parents, and even his masters had never told him any of this before.


    "But God Academies aren''t just institutions" Ananse smiled mysteriously as she took a sip of the beverage that was on the table before them. Mane ignored the table. It was likely a product of Indra''s imagination, and would disappear once Ananse didn''t need it. He also ignored the fact that Ananse was drinking when they really didn''t feel any hunger in this strange space. Besides, she was a god. She didn''t need to eat. So if she wanted to fake taking a drink, then that was her own issue.


    "To remain as neutral as possible, God Academies aren''t located on any major or minor worlds. They are their own worlds."


    Mane''s expression was a sight to behold. His eyes were wide open and his mouth was no different- you could fight an egg in it. "They are that large?" he stuttered


    "Not really. The academies are worlds, that much is true. But they are way smaller than true worlds. Even Zandor is far larger than any of these worlds." Ananse clarified.


    "True worlds?" Mane picked out the part of the explanation that stood out, and was eager to know more.


    "Yes, true worlds. These worlds are those that have always been around, and weren''t created by creator gods. False worlds on the other hand are not as large as true worlds, mainly because they were made by creator gods." Ananse explained


    False worlds were worlds that were made by gods who specialized in creation. They weren''t large because it was impossible for most creator gods to sustain a large world. They were small, about the size of a kingdom.


    "Oh, I see" Mane''s eyes lit up upon finally understanding the difference between the two types of worlds. He was fascinated by the prospect of creating a world though. And he seemed to understand a bit about Indra''s power now. The green-eyed god was capable of creating a separate space, one detached from the universe. Although Indra wasn''t a God of Creation, he seemed to have ties to one. This made it possible for him to achieve such a feat. Mane couldn''t help but wonder if his parents had any such skills. If they did, that would be very cool. And even better, he may be able to inherit that skill


    "So you''re telling me all this because you want me to enroll into one of these academies" Mane pondered?


    Ananse didn''t give a straight answer. Rather she proceeded to speak about Mane''s parents. "Your parents, just like you, were students of the Wielders Academy in their youth. Your father moved to this planet after his mother died, and your mother moved here under the constant badgering of your grandfather."


    This was the first time Mane was hearing such a story. He knew that his parents met in the academy in their youthful days, but he wasn''t sure why they did. His father wasn''t Zandorian. He wasn''t even born here. His mother was the same. He had no idea why they came to Zandor, and he didn''t bother to ask why. It was his first time hearing that his mother was brought to this planet forcefully. Her father, Mane''s grandfather, was the culprit behind her move to this small planet. Mane couldn''t help but wonder who his grandfather was. After all, he was a being capable of transferring his mother to another planet just because he wanted to.


    "Your father moved here because his guardian decided it would be best for him to receive the heritage of a powerful god that was hidden in the premises of the Wielders Academy. Your grandfather urged your mother here for the same purpose. That was how they met. They eventually accomplished their goals, receiving the blessing of the deceased god after searching the school premises discretely for several years. Once they did, they felt that there was nothing more to glean from the lean camel that was the Wielders Association."


    Mane listened intently to the story. It was fascinating to hear about his parents'' past. Even better was that he wasn''t hearing it from them. Mane didn''t question his parents on the issue of their backstory simply because he didn''t want to hear it from them. He remembered the first time he made the mistake of asking them to fill him in on their story. What started as a history lesson, quickly turned into a love story that made him cringe. He vowed on that day to never make such a mistake again. But what surprised him was the fact that his father had a guardian. His father never mentioned that to him. Mane couldn''t help but wonder who this person was.


    "My father''s guardian, who was he" Mane interjected, interrupting Ananse''s story? "You mean, ''who is he''" Ananse smirked playfully in reply?


    Mane watched her with a stunned expression on his face. "Don''t ask me anymore. I''m not the best person to reveal that to you." Ananse stopped him from asking anymore questions. Mane respected her decision, so he didn''t follow up with another question. But he couldn''t help but wonder who his father''s guardian was. Was it Uncle Jake? Or was there someone else?


    Ananse payed no heed to what was going through Mane''s head. She decided to continue with her story. "What do you think they did once they felt that they couldn''t possibly get anything more from the Wielders Academy" she questioned?


    "They attended a Gods Academy" Mane answered with certainty. There was no way that wouldn''t be the answer.


    "Yes. They attended one of the top God Academies at the time. And they excelled. They are actually regarded as legends in that place." Ananse announced, and Mane looked at her strangely.


    "What''s wrong" she asked, baffled by Mane''s expression?


    "Well, nothing really. I''m just not buying that" Mane stated.


    "You don''t believe in God Academies? You don''t think your parents are products of such institutions?" She pondered aloud


    "Oh no I get all that, and I believe you" Mane clarified.


    "So what is the issue" Ananse pressed?


    "Well I can believe it if you say my mother is a legend. But if you include my father, then I''m highly doubtful that is true" Mane stated with an innocent expression.


    Indra laughed boisterously at his reply. Ananse smiled wryly after hearing the reasoning of the boy. Mane hadn''t been with his parents long. But his father was too silly a man to be recognized as a legend anywhere. He was still struggling to process the fact that his father was worshipped somewhere in the universe. Add that to him being a legend, and Mane was just not sipping from that tall glass of water.


    "Believe it or not kid, your father is highly respected in several parts of the universe. His tales are legendary." Indra said after he finally got himself to stop laughing. Mane was living with Ray, so he got to see the side of the Brute King that many did not have the privilege to witness. It wasn''t strange that Mane found it hard to believe that the silly father he was living with was a respected somebody in the universe.


    "Indra is right. Your father is highly respected in the myriad of realms." Ananse affirmed. "Now let''s talk about how these academies accept students. Due to the fact that they are their own worlds, they are pretty match detached from most of the universe. But they have liaisons in several major worlds. These worlds hold tests and entrance examinations for those younger than nineteen years of age. Once you pass these tests, you gain admission into the academy. They have teleportation portals to send their new students to the academy. But that is the regular way to get into the academy"


    Although Ananse made it sound simple, Mane was certain that these so called ''tests'' were nothing short of difficult. After all, there was no way entering a prestigious academy would be easy. But he didn''t say anything, choosing to listen patiently for her to mention the other method.


    "The second way to get into the academy is relatively simple. You only need a letter of recommendation from a god, and you would gain admission."

 Chapter 174 - Token Of Authority Part I

    A letter of recommendation?" Mane repeated Ananse''s words. "Yes. As long as you send a letter of recommendation signed by a god to one of their admission branches in the major worlds, you would gain admission." Ananse reiterated.


    Although it sounded simple, Mane knew it wouldn''t be so easy. Well, submitting the letter was definitely easy, but he doubted that would be enough to be admitted to a God Academy. Mane could already picture several individuals trying to sneak into these prestigious academies with forged letters of recommendation.


    As if she could see the doubt in Mane''s eyes, Ananse decided to elaborate, "They are called letters of recommendation, but they aren''t mere letters. Granted, the letter would indeed be written and sent to the academy, but that isn''t enough. The letters aren''t written by some nobody. They are written by the god or goddess themselves."


    Mane finally nodded in understanding. It made more sense now. If the letter was written by a god, they would imprint their aura into the letter. The overbearing and indomitable power of a god would flow out of the letter once it was opened, allowing the one who opened it to know that the letter was genuine.


    "The god would also have to produce a token of authority, proving the letter was written by them and is intended for the one presenting it." Ananse continued, intent on helping Mane understand that this method wasn''t as leaky as it appeared to be.


    "I see. But what is a token of authority?" Mane asked. He brushed aside a strand of his hair, while reminding himself that he needed a haircut later. Although he wasn''t here physically, his appearance was the same as it was in the real world. Due to his intense training he hadn''t tended to his hair for more than a month now. Now his looks were truly reflective of his name. His hair was unkempt and wild, like the mane of a lion.


    "A token of authority is a seal that belongs to a god. As I mentioned earlier, it is only by getting a letter of recommendation from a god that one could avoid the entrance exams held by the God Academies. This means that having the backing of an Ascender isn''t enough to skip the exams. But there are some Ascenders who are as powerful as gods. These ascenders would be capable of infusing a letter with power that match that of a god. Unfortunately, the rules of the God Academies still stand. Meaning, no matter how powerful an Ascender is, they cannot recommend a student to a God Academy unless they become gods. And the Ascenders have no choice but to obey this rule. Which is why most ascenders attach themselves to a god. And for the more powerful ones who are comparable to gods, they are able to easily get a god to write them a letter of recommendation"


    Mane understood a few things from Ananse''s explanation. One, the God Academies were so powerful that even powerful ascenders had to abide by their arrangements. One should know that once a person reached a certain realm, they wouldn''t take no for an answer whenever they required anything. But God Academies didn''t care about how these ascenders felt, paying no heed to their standing and only acknowledging gods.


    Two, God Academies were affiliated to the god societies. Although Ananse mentioned that these academies were built on worlds that they created themselves, it was still clear that they were run by the gods themselves. The reason was simple. One could only create a world if one was a God of Creation. No ascender had the power to create a world. And those that did, didn''t have the energy to support a fully functioning world. But God Academies didn''t have this problem. This could only mean that each God Academy was built and supported by a God of Creation. Also, they only accepted letters of recommendations from gods. This sounded like a trade: you scratch my back, I scratch yours. Mane thought that it made sense for them to accept recommendations from gods, who in turn would support the vitality of their worlds.


    "And that is why the token of authority is vital. To understand how the token of authority works, you must first understand what it means to be a Noble." Ananse crossed her beautiful legs and took a sip from her beverage. "I think it''s best for you to speak about this Indra" she suggested.


    Indra nodded lightly and began to explain, "The Nobility Realm is so called because it is at this stage that a wielder gains his title. Once a wielder breaks through into the nobility realm, the universe acknowledges their presence and bestows upon them a name. This is overseen by the Universe Will itself. But the Universe Will cannot control the kind of title the wielder gets. It is nothing but a steward meting out the wants and desires of the universe after all. However, the Nobility Realm is more important than what many believe. It isn''t simply an increase in strength, but a decision of the path the wielder would take. The Nobility realm determines whether one would eventually ascend as an Ascender, or a God"


    "What!" Mane exclaimed in disbelief, almost falling off his chair. All this while he had regarded the Nobility Realm as the stage right before the Ascension Realm. To think that it had such a vital role to play in the kind of being one would ascend to be.


    "Indeed" Indra nodded his head, completely unfazed by Mane''s reaction. It was normal for someone to behave this way after learning the truth about the Nobility Realm. Once Mane had calmed down, Indra continued with his explanation.


    "When one breaks into the Nobility Realm, the Universe Will would announce to the gods and ascenders alike that a new being has been promoted in strength. Unless one possesses a shielding artefact to protect them from the gossipy lips of the Universe Will, their promotion in ranks would be announced to the entire realm. But that isn''t all. It is after one breaks through to the Nobility Realm that one can forge their Token of Authority" Indra paused a bit. He yawned in a lazy manner and placed his legs on the table. He looked so carefree that it was hard to believe that he was a battle god.


    Mane listened with rapt attention. He was finally going to find out what the token of authority was, and why it was important for the ascension into godhood.


    "The Token of Authority is an acc.u.mulation of the elements and laws that a wielder has understood and comprehended throughout their lifetime. It contains glows that have been mastered and can be used effortlessly, as well as breaths that have been thoroughly understood. The Noble spends his/her time trying to complete the token before they can ascend. The size of the token differs from person to person. For a talented individual like you, your token would be three or four times larger than that of a regular genius" Indra stated nonchalantly


    Mane swallowed audibly, his gulp loud enough to fill this small space. And who could blame him. So far his wielding journey had been pretty laid back. It was true that he fought hard and practiced harder than most of his peers, but he found it relatively easy to learn new things. And it was always a simple matter for him to improve on his wielding level. But he had just found out that he would finally meet the true hurdle when he crossed over to the Nobility Realm. Indra said his token would be three to four times bigger than that of a regular genius. Not bigger than normal, but bigger than a genius''. He could only brave himself for the hard work that was to come.

 Chapter 175 - Token Of Authority Part II

    "If a person''s comprehensions do not match the speed of their promotion, and they end up ascending before filling the Token of Authority, they ascend as Ascenders. If they fill the Token of Authority before their ascension, they ascend as gods. As for False Ascenders, they are those that barely filled a third of their token before ascending. And unlike True Ascenders who can keep on filling their Tokens to attempt entering the realm of godhood, False Ascenders have no such privilege. Once they ascend in their false states, their progress is barred."


    Mane couldn''t help but wonder why someone would choose to ascend as a False Ascender. But everyone had their reasons. He wasn''t one to judge, especially since he wasn''t even at that stage yet. Maybe when he was also ready to ascend, he would find out.


    "When one becomes a god, the power of their token is transformed into a godspark. So their tokens become nothing but empty shells of their previous power. However, they still contain a sliver of the god''s power. And through this power, the god can manifest themselves for a short period of time. That is why gods are able to part with their tokens and include them in the letters of recommendations. Once the token is triggered, the god would appear- in an illusionary state of course- and confirm that the one holding on to the letter was indeed picked by them. But Ascenders don''t have a godspark, hence they still use their tokens. It would be impossible for them to part with their tokens. After all, it is a part of them."


    With Indra''s explanation, Mane finally understood why the token of authority was so important. Unlike the society of gods that didn''t need the Token of Authority anymore, Ascenders still required the token to harness their power. In fact, their tokens were bound to them, their very souls connected to the Tokens of Authority. Hence, it would be impossible for them to retrieve the tokens from within themselves. Even if they wanted to part with the tokens, it would be impossible because the tokens couldn''t be retrieved, whether they willed it or not. It wasn''t something that could be changed just because they wanted to. They wouldn''t be able to part with their tokens unless they could shed their shells and become fully fledged gods.


    "Pardon my asking, but are you also a product of a God Academy?" Mane asked Indra. Indra was now considered his father''s friend. If Ray was a product of a God Academy, wouldn''t that mean that Indra was an alumnus of a God Academy as well? After all, they looked to be of the same age.


    "No, I''m not" Indra shook his head with a smile as he responded in the negative. Seeing the look of surprise on Mane''s face he explained thusly, "Although I look this young I''m actually older than your father by several millions of years. I am considered as a member of the younger generation in the god society, but that doesn''t mean that I am young. In human terms, I am old enough to be an ancestor."


    "I am confused. If you are part of the younger generation, then what generation does my father belong to?" Mane wondered. Indra claimed that he was older than his father by at least a million years. If he was considered young, then how did they regard his parents?


    "Your father and your mother are all like I am; members of the younger generation" Indra replied


    Mane''s lips twitched in annoyance upon hearing his answer. How a million year old monster could be lumped together with gods who weren''t that old was beyond his reasoning. Mane didn''t know how old his parents were. But if Indra was older than them by millions of years, then that meant that they weren''t that old. Mane didn''t think they were older than a millennium. Since Indra seemed to know their age, Mane could just ask the battle god. But he felt that it would be wrong to do so.


    ''Whatever¡­I''d have to ask them when I leave this place. I wonder if they would tell me.'' Mane thought to himself. He would ask his father when he was free of this strange space. As for his mother, he would be a fool to ask her for her age. Although she was his mother, she was still a woman. And no woman, goddess or mortal, was a fan of revealing her true age.


    "So you see why the tokens are so important?" Ananse spoke up once Indra and Mane were done with the conversation.


    Mane nodded in reply and asked the question that had been on his mind since the issue of the God Academies came up, "I know you have an academy in mind for me". "So, which academy do you have in mind" Mane asked?


    So far Ananse had proven herself to be worthy of her title. Not only was she knowledgeable in many areas, she was calculative and had great understanding to match her large library of wisdom. Since she had brought up the topic of God Academies, it meant that she already had an academy in mind. In fact, Mane actually had a guess as to the kind of academy she would want him to attend. There were three choices here.


    One of the choices was the academy that his parents attended. After all, it would make sense for him to go to the academy that shaped his parents into what they were right now.


    The other option was to attend the academy that Ananse was affiliated to. Mane didn''t know how old Ananse was, but he could guess from Indra''s demeanor change after he heard her mention her name that she was a goddess who commanded a lot of respect. It was highly likely that she was far older than Indra. From her explanation he realised that the god society was affiliated to the God Academies. It may have even been their idea that institutions such as these be established. So it was highly likely that Ananse had her own affiliations. Plus, since she was older than Indra, a god who was already around and mature before the system of God Academies gained true repute among the gods, it was impossible to conclude that she was an alumna of a God Academy.


    The third option was to try a whole new academy. This option was the most unlikely of the three. After all, it wouldn''t be a good idea to send Mane to an unknown location.


    "Yes, I already have an academy in mind. I want you to attend the King''s Crown Academy." Ananse announced. Indra looked surprised by her response. "Are you certain", the battle god asked the goddess of wisdom and trickery. "I am", came her reply. Mane realised that the atmosphere was a little strange. He couldn''t help but wonder which option Ananse had picked.


    "What academy is that" he enquired?


    "It''s the academy Indra is affiliated to" Ananse answered his question, caring very little how Mane would deal with the option he hadn''t considered.


    "Why?" he asked. Indra claimed that he was part of the younger generation of gods. As a god belonging to the younger generation being affiliated to a God Academy was an impressive feat. But it also told of the strength of this academy. If this academy was one with a long history and vast resources, they wouldn''t ask a young god to be their face. This could only mean that the academy was quite young- at least in god years.


    "The King''s Crown Academy is a young academy; that much is undisputable. But it isn''t without potential. Their teachers are the cream of the crop, and their methods are unbiased. Unlike the relics in the older God Academies, they aren''t bound by customs and unnecessary beliefs, hence it is the best place to train someone who hopes to be molded into an unfettered powerhouse. Plus in such an institution, the eyes of the gods will not be centered on you." Ananse explained. Her reasoning was sound, and Mane agreed with her. From her words, if he attended any of the older God Academies he was bound to have a difficult time.


    "And there is one other reason why you should attend King''s Crown" Ananse continued


    "Which is?" Mane asked after she kept mute for almost a minute.


    Ananse smiled broadly and replied in her sweet and mesmerizing voice, "Simple- your parents are affiliated to this Academy too".

 Chapter 176 - Kings Crown Academy Part I

    "My parents have their own affiliations?" Mane sounded surprised. Since his parents were relatively younger gods who had been birthed by a God Academy, Mane didn''t think that they would be tied to any academy. But he was wrong.


    "You underestimate the potential the bodies of your parents hold. They are young gods, but that doesn''t mean they are weak." Ananse explained with a small smile on her face. Ray and Alexis were enigmas even in the god society. Gods like them who grew strong so quickly were rare. Of course when one considered their origins their growth would be understandable, but even then their rate of growth was unprecedented. It had taken the young couple a mere hundred years to grow to their current level, putting them among the top ranks of the god society.


    "Your parents are young- very young. But they are at the peak of power even in the god society. A few years back they were approached and invited to King''s Crown Academy. They accepted the invitation. So they are the same as me- backers of King''s Crown." Indra was quick to add.


    "Did they attend King''s Crown?" Mane questioned the god and goddess duo before him. They both shook their heads in denial. So Ray and Alexis didn''t attend King''s Crown. "So why did they accept King''s Crown Academy''s invitation" Mane wondered? If they were so talented, why then weren''t they called in by the academy they attended?


    "The answer to your question lies in the silly traditions that the older God Academies hold as dearly as they do their lives. Your parents were products of one of the most, if not the most, prestigious God Academies in the entire universe- God King Academy." Ananse announced


    "What a domineering name" Mane exclaimed!


    "Indeed. But they have the capital to own such a name. And they are strong enough to shake the foundations of the universe if they so choose to." Indra casually stated. Although he didn''t seem particularly concerned about this God Academy, Mane wasn''t the same. For a god to describe an institution as one capable of destroying the current order of the vast cosmos, that was testament to the strength they held. Mane couldn''t help but wonder what kind of academy that was.


    "These old academies have a stringent rule when it comes to accepting Stakes" Ananse continued.


    "Stakes?" Mane sounded intrigued


    "Yes, Stakes. That is what God Academies call those that are invited to back the school from the shadows." Indra answered


    "Oh I see. Please continue" Mane politely stated


    Ananse nodded and said, "For the older God Academies, you cannot become a Stake unless you are an Elder God or an Origin God. If you aren''t an Origin God, then you can only become a Stake if you fulfil the following conditions: One, you must live for over a hundred million years; and two, you must have achievements that allow you to be on equal footing with an Elder God."


    Mane looked a little confused. He didn''t know who an Origin God was, neither did he have any knowledge on Elder Gods. Ananse saw his puzzled expression and smiled bitterly. Mane was probably the most ill-informed Supreme that had ever lived. Even the First Supreme had the Eternals around her, beings who were gifted with several seers, to show her the path she was to take. But Mane didn''t even know the classifications of gods, not to talk of his destiny. Ananse berated Ray and Alexis silently in her mind, wondering what they were waiting for before they told Mane what he was. At least teach him a little history and give him a bit of information about gods. After all, not telling the boy about gods wouldn''t change his destiny. It would only shorten his odds of success in the end.


    "Gods have classifications. The classifications are in two forms. The kind of power the god possesses and its use, and the age and origins of the god. In terms of age, gods can be classified into Origin, Elder, or New Age Gods. Origin Gods are gods that have been around since the age of the Origin King. They are so called because no one knows their true age. Elder Gods are gods that may not have lived as long as Origin Gods but are definitely not young. They have lived for over two hundred million years. However, over the years people have grown to refer to some of the oldest Elder Gods as Origin Gods because most have forgotten their origins. New Age Gods are the last of the bunch. They are the younger generation of the god society. These are gods who have lived for less than two hundred million years. Indra is a New Age God. And so are your parents."


    "The next classification has to do with the specialty of the god. We have Battle Gods, Sensor Gods, and Spiritual Gods. Battle Gods are gods that specialize in the art of battle. They either possess raw power and overwhelming battle awareness, or they control elements that largely overwhelm most. They are energy and body wielders. Sensor Gods are gods that have achieved godhood by following the path of scholars. And Spiritual Gods are gods that have achieved godhood by following the path of spirits."


    Mane knew a bit about the powers that gods possess. But he wasn''t clear on the hierarchy- age wise. Ananse''s explanation had removed the wool from his eyes. He also realized that the goddess wasn''t an average god. She had already stated that she was a Stake for an old Academy, which meant that she was either an Origin God, or an Elder God. Mane was tempted to believe that she was an Origin God based on the sheer immensity of knowledge that she carried. But he wasn''t sure. After all, she stated that some Elder Gods were so old that many mistook them for Origin Gods. So he couldn''t conclusively say what she was. But he did know now that she had greater influence than he initially thought.


    "Your parents are regarded as legends in God King Academy. They love them down there, especially since the school''s prestige had begun to wane over the years prior to your parents rise. But your parents reminded the entire cosmos that God King Academy is still a mighty academy. They wanted to call your parents to join the Stakes of God King Academy, but the old bones of the academy vehemently refused, stating that no one must receive special attention. Because of their so called traditions they have lost two promising gods of the young generation." Ananse finished her long narration.


    ''It has been so long since I spoke at such length'' Ananse sighed silently upon realizing that she had been speaking a lot in this small meeting.


    "I see" Mane rubbed his fair chin in contemplation. "King''s Crown Academy sounds like the best place for me" Mane finally said after a long pause.


    Ananse smiled at his answer, and Indra was pleased that Mane thought so as well.


    "But I would not attend King''s Crown" Mane announced. His words startled not just Indra, but Ananse as well. This was the first time she hadn''t been able to accurately predict the thoughts of another.


    "You say it is good for you. So why do you reject King''s Crown?" Ananse overcame her surprise pretty quickly. She was intrigued, and eager to know what the boy was thinking. As a Sensor God, there was little that could escape her perception. For Mane to successfully escape her sphere of prediction, that could only mean that his talent as a scholar was equal to hers.


    "Because it is good for me" Mane answered simply. His answer brought a smirk onto Indra''s face, and caused Ananse''s lips to curve up. His answer was simple, but it was enough for them. Mane didn''t want a comfortable environment. He had been pretty comfortable his entire life. Although his parents had left him, and he was largely alone, he didn''t really experience any hardsh.i.p.s. He had enough money and allowance to feed a kingdom, and mentors to help him out. Apart from the assassination attempt on his life a month ago, he hadn''t really been in any real danger. Even his battles in the simulation chamber weren''t enough to push him to his limits. He didn''t want to go to another place with a comfortable environment. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click <a href="#%!d(string=14462548105430305)/king''s-crown-academy-part-i_%!d(string=51514986735921761)">#%!d(string=14462548105430305)/king''s-crown-academy-part-i_%!d(string=51514986735921761)</a> for visiting.

 Chapter 177 - Kings Crown Academy Part II

    "So you want to go to God King Academy. Interesting decision." Ananse said with a smirk


    "I do. I can''t have Sir Indra protecting me all the time" Mane gave his reason. Indra smiled bitterly after hearing Mane''s words. Although he hadn''t stated explicitly that he was protecting Mane from the shadows, Mane was able to figure that out from the little he had been told. First off, Indra knew much about Mane, even more than his parents did. He even knew about the secretive last member of the Silver Wolves. That was information that was kept from the members of the Silver Wolves themselves. Yet Indra knew. This could only mean that the Battle God had been watching keenly- maybe a little too keenly. Mane shivered as he wondered if Indra peeps on him whenever he takes a bath.


    "I see. So that''s the basis for your decision" Indra rubbed his chin as he spoke. It was weird that Mane was eager to escape the protection of a god. He would have smacked Mane upside down on the head if he knew that the boy was excited to get away from him because he was scared that the Battle God was a peeper.


    "Besides, if I go to God King''s, I can study as a scholar" Mane stated with a complacent smirk. Ananse smiled at the smug boy, and Indra shook his head with a wry smile. Mane''s words were a bit a strange. Although Ananse was against Mane showing up at a God''s Academy as a scholar-in-training, it would be simpler for Mane if he decides to attend King''s Crown. It was a younger academy with lesser restrictions. Studying at such an academy would reduce his chances of being discovered as the Supreme rather than studying at a prestigious academy like God King. But Mane said the opposite.


    "Well, it is still dangerous to reveal that you are a scholar. Even if the chances are lowered in God King, I still do not recommend that you major in the path of scholars when you get there." The stranger thing was that Ananse seemed to agree with Mane that he would be safer revealing his secret in God King than he would in King''s Crown. And Indra didn''t seem to mind their logic.


    Actually, it was indeed safer for Mane to attend God King as a scholar than it was for him to attend King''s Crown. The explanation was simple. God King is an older academy, with stringent rules, whereas King''s Crown was a young and budding academy with great potential. With that impressive potential was the more lax treatment and subpar dedication to the ancient traditions that old academies like God King cherished so much. Indra didn''t know of Ananse''s identity even though she was his informant for so long. So there was no way that Ananse knew about King''s Crown Academy from him. Yet she knew that Indra was a Stake in this academy, and she even knew about the identity of his parents as Stakes as well. She was even well informed about their teaching methods, to the extent that she was able to freely mention that they didn''t adhere strictly to the old ways of the other God Academies.


    It wasn''t just mere speculation. Ananse was a scholar, and though Mane had just stepped into the path of scholars, he did know one thing for sure. Scholars do not just make assumptions, they find out the truth. Earlier, Mane had presented his assumptions to Ananse for validation. He did so because she was a scholar like himself, and only she could give him the answers he sought. But when Ananse was speaking about King''s Crown, she did so with certainty and confidence, almost like she was a Stake for the new academy. But she wasn''t. And since she had only been feeding Indra information till now and hadn''t really asked him for anything else, there was no way she learnt about the academy from Indra.


    She also wasn''t ready for Mane''s parents to know about her, meaning that they weren''t her informants either. This could only mean that she got the information from someone in the academy. She had planted a spy. It wasn''t strange. Since King''s Crown was new and all, there was bound to be a leak or two in its foundations. It wasn''t as firm as the old academies that spent millions of years to rid themselves of thorns and briers. It was growing fast, so the Origin and Elder Gods would definitely keep an eye on it to limit their progress. And since Ananse had a spy there, who was to say that other gods didn''t have spies there. It would be dangerous for Mane to study as a scholar in such an institution, where all his actions could be reported to the gods.


    Also, Indra didn''t seem surprised that Ananse knew all this, confirming that the god was aware of the numerous leaks in the academy''s plumbing. Plus he didn''t know which academy Ananse was affiliated to. Mane noticed this when Ananse was advising him on the academy to attend. Although Indra was surprised and pleased that King''s Crown was the recommended school, he looked a bit disappointed. Although he had no proof, Mane was certain that this disappointment was because Indra was a bit expectant to know Ananse''s affiliation. After all, he was a god that had lived for quite a long time. Controlling his emotions should be pretty simple. However, Mane noticed that ever since Ananse introduced herself, Indra looked a bit more withdrawn and respectful. This reinforced Mane''s thoughts concerning Ananse''s identity. She must be a really badass goddess for Indra to act that way. She was definitely a legend in the god society. This was why Indra was eager to know more about her, and why he had failed to hide that little bit of disappointment when Ananse failed to reveal her affiliations.


    "I doubt that would help me anyway" Mane shrugged nonchalantly as he rebutted Ananse''s claims. The goddess didn''t take any offense at his impolite gesture, although Indra frowned slightly at the boy''s actions. But he didn''t say anything. It wasn''t in his place to.


    "I understand" Ananse nodded and said. Mane was right. His battle awareness was amazing, and his glows were exceptional. Revealing his talent as a tri-wielder was perhaps more dangerous than studying as a scholar. Although many wouldn''t link him to the Supreme just because of his superior abilities, several gods would try to recruit him in order to gain a competent subordinate. At that point, even revealing that he was admitted through a recommendation (which under normal circ.u.mstances shows that one was already in the service of a god) wouldn''t dampen their enthusiasm. If Mane rejects those gods, they may come after him and he would be seen as a threat since he wouldn''t be a resource they can rely on. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click <a href="#%!d(string=14462548105430305)/king''s-crown-academy-part-ii_%!d(string=51538146541761517)">#%!d(string=14462548105430305)/king''s-crown-academy-part-ii_%!d(string=51538146541761517)</a> for visiting.


    "I may not go to King''s Crown, but my friends can" Mane smiled as he stated. Ananse only nodded her head at his words. She didn''t need a briefing on his friends when she already knew about them from Indra. Apart from the alchemist spy in the Dark Kingdom and the one who had the potential to be a scholar, Abe, she didn''t think much about the others. But she had something that may be of help to them.


    "When you return, digest the information you accepted earlier. Digest it thoroughly, for it may be of help to your friends'' awakening. Oh and convince your mother to accept Abelard as her disciple. He would flourish under her wings." Ananse commanded


    All Mane did was to nod absentmindedly. He finally had a lead. Finally, he had some information on how to help his friends achieve their second awakening. It was in his head, he only needed to study it thoroughly upon his return to the real world.


    Ananse ignored the dazed Mane, turned to Indra and telepathically relayed a command that startled him, "Protect the Brute King".

 Chapter 178 - He Isnt The Only One Part I

    The strange extra dimensional space was filled with only two people now. Mane''s figure was nowhere to be found. In the end the boy was so excited with everything he earned that he had left without finding out what a Supreme was. Ananse''s blurred figure and Indra''s aloof form were all that occupied the place. They stood side by side as they gazed at nothing in particular.


    "Why do I have to protect the Brute King" after nearly ten minutes, Indra lost his patience? He broke the silence, choosing to ask Ananse the question that had been bothering him. Mane had been cast out of Indra''s realm less than twenty minutes ago. Ananse had finished her business with him. She left the writing of his recommendation letter to his parents. Although they weren''t Stakes for the God King Academy, they were still alumni of the prestigious academy. Their recommendations would be accepted. She also had Indra write a joint recommendation letter for Frederick and Selina to attend King''s Crown Academy. She had passed the letter to Mane right before he left. It was stored in his mind space and would be retrievable once he exited. As for how he would let his parents know about his newfound knowledge concerning the God Academies, Ananse didn''t care. As long as he didn''t reveal their meeting, she cared very little for what his explanation would be. He wouldn''t be worthy of being a scholar if he couldn''t figure out how to deal with something so simple.


    Ananse''s blurred figure made it impossible for Indra to truly see her expression, so he couldn''t tell what she was thinking. All he could do was look at her intently, waiting for her to give him the answer that he sought.


    "The war with the Dark God has already began. The Eastern Empire is already his." Ananse sidestepped the question like it was a landmine, choosing to provide information on something else instead.


    "How is that possible" Indra questioned in disbelief? He had been monitoring the movements of the Dark God since he arrived on this planet, and he hadn''t noticed anything like that. Although mortals couldn''t hope to stand against a god, there would still be signs of a war of Seth decided to take over an empire.


    "He accomplished this a few weeks ago. I don''t know how he did it so silently. Maybe if I was there in person I would be able to help out more. The bottom line is that Seth has somehow managed to take absolute control of the Eastern Empire. He would target the other empires next. My guess is that he would try to tame another empire before starting an all-out war." Ananse grimly stated.


    To gods, mortals were like chess pieces, placed in this position today, and tossed aside for their own benefits tomorrow. It didn''t matter if you were a king, a queen, a bishop, or a knight. To a god, you were all pawns regardless of the strength you possessed or your birth. Since Seth was trying to conquer the planet without destroying the inhabitants- a rare act in the god society by the way- he wouldn''t be directly involved in the fight. The only logical thing to do was to conquer another empire and then start a war.


    "But this is Seth we are talking about. You can never know what that one is truly thinking" Ananse''s melodious voice had a hint of fatigue in it. The actions of the Dark God were hard to predict even for someone like her.


    "One thing is for certain though: whatever method he used to control the Eastern Empire isn''t an easy thing to replicate. That is why I am certain that he can at most do it one more time." Ananse finally delivered some bright information.


    "You can leave the Northern Empire aside. To control that imperial family is dangerous. They may have fallen, but their ancestors'' blood runs through their veins. Trying to mind control them, even for a god, is impossible. The backlash would rather drive Seth senile" Ananse explained.


    "I think you look down on the Dark God" Indra was puzzled by her words. As part of their deal, he was meant to observe the Northern Empire''s imperial family. So he had been doing that as well, but he hadn''t seen anything special about them. Their abilities were rare, but he didn''t see the big fuss about that. If the Dark God had found a way to mind control others without being an extremely powerful Spiritual God, how could a motley crew of pseudo spiritualists be able to stop him.


    "Don''t look down on that family. Their ancestors were Spiritual Gods. In their prime, Ascenders could only hope to be accepted as servants in their clan. Not that the current descendants know about this." Ananse easily dismissed Indra''s scorn of the Northern Empire''s imperial family. Anyone who didn''t know the true history of Zandor was free to think she was overestimating its people, but she knew that she wasn''t. And to her, that was good enough.


    "You sound like you know much about this planet. Why is this place so important anyway?" Indra was very curious about this. The Dark Sword had several avatars in many planets, but in none of them had it planned such a grand move. And in none of them, had the Dark Sword sought the help of one of its allies- the Dark God. It was clear that the Dark Sword was interested in this planet. And although the Dark God was its ally, just like the other gods that had aligned with the interests of the Dark Sword, it had no control over him. So for the Dark God to be here meant that he was truly interested in this planet as well. And just like Ananse, he was an ancient god that had lived for a very long time. They certainly knew something about this world that many others didn''t know. Like, why was it covered by a barrier? And why was its World Will injured and weak? There were a lot of things that just didn''t seem to fit.


    "It is important, that''s all you have to know. What you want to know would put you in more danger than you would be able to handle." Ananse sounded sad and exhausted. And Indra was a taken aback by her words. He was a powerful Battle God. There was little in this universe that could threaten him, with the exception of powerful Origin Artefacts and Origin Battle Gods. He was a bit skeptical about her words. But his skepticism lasted only a few seconds when he remembered who she was and the legends that surrounded this seemingly insignificant goddess.


    "Oh, and before I forget, you are also responsible for Mane''s friends" Ananse gave him another task without caring about his thoughts on the matter. Indra''s lips twitched in annoyance at her words. He wasn''t a babysitter. Why would he have to be responsible for a whole group of kids when he was having a hard time just dealing with the movements of the Dark God Seth?


    "Don''t make that face" Ananse comforted in her lovely voice. "Did you really think that the friends of the Supreme would be ordinary? Remember, destiny has a way of pulling great people towards each other. Either they are drawn to one another as friends, or they are tied by bonds of hatred." Ananse piously announced.


    "His friends are special" Indra asked? He had assessed Mane''s friends, and they seemed to have pretty average talent. It was special in Zandor, but that was where their genius ended. There was no way they would be able to accompany Mane on his journey like the boy wanted- or so he thought. He had assumed that Mane was very childish- which was no surprise because he was a child- for thinking that they could travel the universe with him. But Ananse seemed to disagree with his thoughts.


    "They are. The legacy of the Twin Gods that has been hidden in the Neces Wielding Academy is meant for the twin boys that accompany Mane. Abelard has very high talent for scholar wielding. And if he focuses on that alone, he would surpass Mane in the scholar path. Frederick and Selina are close to their second awakening and would become major talents soon. I reckon it would happen for both of them in the next few weeks." Ananse explained calmly.


    If Mane was still here, he would be ecstatic with what he was hearing. His friends weren''t average at all. And although Indra wasn''t Mane, his surprise couldn''t be hidden. He knew of the legacy hidden in the Wielding Academy. Ray and Alexis had inherited a small portion of that legacy and had grown tremendously in a few years. If the twins were destined for this legacy, then their achievements were bound to be nothing short of impressive.


    If Frederick and Selina were able to awaken their dormant energy, then they would become like Mane''s alchemist friend, possessing talent that rivalled that of the scions of major god clans, and even Celestials. Abelard''s news in retrospect, wasn''t all that shocking, considering that Ananse had already mentioned it earlier.


    ''The only one I can''t see through is that boy Aegeus. His sealed energy is several times stronger than the others. Yet I see no way for him to awaken it. If only he could, he would be of great help to the Supreme'' Ananse thought silently to herself. That was the one thing she was keeping from Indra. Since Indra found it impossible to spy on Mane when he was at home, he didn''t know that Mane had accepted Aegeus as a disciple, but he did know that the little boy trekked from his home to Mane''s every week. That alone was enough to notice the boy. He had passed on the information of the boy to Ananse, who was surprised to see a huge influx of sealed energy greater than anything she had ever witnessed, in the boy. But she didn''t tell Indra. It wasn''t something he could help with after all. Even she was clueless, and very few things in the universe could render her abilities useless.


    "When you are done settling down the others, train Aegeus" Ananse commanded Indra like he was her lackey. And before he could say anything she added, "Don''t ask". Indra frowned hearing her words. For someone making a lot of requests of him, she sure was secretive. But he knew better than to question the goddess who was behind the Great Divide in the 5th Heaven.


    ''Although I can''t see through him, I have a hunch that he wouldn''t be average. I hope that my hunch is right.'' Ananse thought to herself. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click <a href="#%!d(string=14462548105430305)/he-isn''t-the-only-one-part-i_%!d(string=51559636695827022)">#%!d(string=14462548105430305)/he-isn''t-the-only-one-part-i_%!d(string=51559636695827022)</a> for visiting.


    "I really didn''t want him to go to God King" Ananse mumbled silently, but it was loud enough for Indra to hear. Indra understood her concerns, but he didn''t think it was that bad, and so he asked her, "Why do you push so strongly against his decision"?

 Chapter 179 - He Isnt The Only One Part II

    "Mane isn''t the only prodigy going to God King this year" Ananse revealed


    "Isn''t that good for him. Having competition would accelerate his growth" Indra was baffled by her words. It was true that God King was bound to be filled with prodigies. But the Supreme was no slouch himself. His growth was already exaggerated as it is. Having geniuses walking with him every step of the way was bound to bring him more benefits than demerits. It was true that God King wasn''t as prestigious as it was in ancient times, but the success they had in raising the Brute King and the Absolute Queen put them on the radar once again. Although Indra didn''t know what kind of geniuses they had attracted, he was absolutely certain that they were the cream of the crop.


    "It isn''t the same. It is true that the days when geniuses from all over the universe flocked over to God King and acted servile because of their reputation is gone, but the prodigies they have had over the past few years are anything but average." Ananse sighed


    "It still isn''t enough to cause you any worry" Indra interjected


    "You do not understand. A while back, Loki accepted a disciple." Ananse revealed. "Wait what" Indra exclaimed! Loki was a famous trickster, much like Ananse. But unlike the goddess, his wisdom and craftiness were used for the benefit of no one but himself. Loki was a loner, so why would someone like him accept a disciple.


    "Yes, he accepted his first ever disciple. I wish it were not true, but it is. But that isn''t enough to unnerve me." Ananse furrowed her brow in contemplation, though Indra wouldn''t be able to see that with his senses dulled. Loki accepting a disciple was surprising, but it wasn''t enough to draw her attention. There was something else that made her more cautious of the Asgardian God now.


    "The one he accepted into his tutelage, the one he has built rapport with, is an Eternal" Ananse dropped a bombshell on the unsuspecting Indra. Indra furrowed his brows in worry, sweat filling his forehead as he heard the news. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click <a href="#%!d(string=14462548105430305)/he-isn''t-the-only-one-part-ii_%!d(string=51586499837219786)">#%!d(string=14462548105430305)/he-isn''t-the-only-one-part-ii_%!d(string=51586499837219786)</a> for visiting.


    "Is he trying to mimic the actions of the Eternal Slayer?" Indra wondered


    "No, I highly doubt that is his goal. Mimesis isn''t his goal" Ananse shook her head in denial of Indra''s assumption. Indra was referring to the happenings during the reign of the First Supreme. When the Eternal Slayer first appeared, he didn''t do so as a mass murderer, but as a friend of the Eternals. He grew close to them, befriended them, and learnt all they knew, before he betrayed them. Even when he began his hunt, they didn''t think he was the culprit. When they did find out, he had already caused a lot of damage.


    Eternals had hidden themselves since the death of the 6th Supreme. The undying race were master hiders, and if they wanted to stay hidden, there was no one in the universe who would be able to find them. In those days which were now long gone, the Eternal Slayer had grown close to an Eternal. Their bond was so strong that this Eternal introduced and invited the Slayer to their hideout. Indra thought that Loki''s goal was the same. Grow close to an Eternal so that he/she trusts you. Then, coerce them into revealing the hideout of the Eternals.


    "His disciple doesn''t even know who she is" Ananse gave the reason for her denial of Indra''s claims. If the girl was clueless regarding her origins, how would she know where to find them?


    "Of course I could be wrong, but the chances of that happening is only 7%" Ananse declared. She continued, "Besides, he has asked his student to go to God King as well"


    "Your Majesty, you cannot just vacate the throne and leave! It doesn''t work that way!" In a vast throne room, the voices of many were addressing the beautiful figure on the black throne. Although the complaints were many, they had a single theme: Don''t go.


    The beautiful figure on the throne raised her hand to silence their complaints. "I am not abdicating the throne. I am only leaving on a short journey. I would be back in five years." She declared in her charming voice.


    "It is the same My Liege. You are our Empress. You cannot just leave whenever you want. From the moment you accepted- no, from the moment the Eternal Throne accepted you- your life wasn''t yours alone!" her subordinate passionately declared. His runts led to murmurs of acknowledgement among the small number of people gathered in the room.


    "Silence. I am not asking for your opinion. I am merely stating a fact" she declared in an imposing voice. The beautiful lady who was about to speak sighed in resignation and swallowed her words. She knew her mistress well. Once the Eternal Monarch made a decision, she wasn''t going to change it. All they could do was to hope that she would return safely, wherever it was she was going.


    Unfortunately, the middle aged man who was with her didn''t know his Empress that well. He raised his voice once again, "Even so-"


    "You are very brave, aren''t you Lord Claus" she asked, a frigid aura engulfing the room? Lord Claus swallowed audibly upon feeling the temperature of the room plummet sharply. He closed his mouth and bowed in submission. His capitulation caused the four others who were behind him to bow their heads in fear as well.


    "I must do this for the honour of my family. You do not want me to be the one who brings shame unto my great nation, do you?" the Eternal Monarch questioned softly.


    The expression on Lord Claus'' face softened as he conceded, "No I do not My Liege. I only wish that we could share your burden" Lord Claus was a very loyal Lord. He had been alive since the reign of her parents. And when the False King took the throne, this lord had suffered because he refused to bow to him. The Monarch admired him greatly, which was why she felt the need to appease him.


    "Unfortunately I cannot. I have realised a few things, and it is because of that I must go on this journey. I hope you forgive me" she would love to let her subordinates know her purpose. But she could not. Her master had warned her to let no one know of it. And she was even more determined to go after the things she had seen when she looked through her father''s memory for the third time, which was only a few days ago. The answers she sought couldn''t be found here. Her Great Grandfather informed her when she visited her father''s memory for the first time that the 7th Supreme was special because he was male. But she had been told by her master that the 6th Supreme was also a man. This meant there was something they were keeping from her.


    "I understand My Liege" Lord Claus bowed. "In my absence, you will be in charge of the empire Lord Claus. Under no circ.u.mstance should the people know about my absence." She warned


    "Absolutely Your Majesty. I will keep the empire in good shape until your return. If any of the other lords ask, I will inform them that you are undergoing a closed door training" he declared solemnly. Although it was uncultured for leaders to go into secretive training, it was an acceptable excuse. The only issue would be to hide her disappearance as long as they could so that when it was discovered she wasn''t around, they could say that she had only just began her training.


    "Don''t look so glum. I would come by from time to time to assure the people that their monarch still lives" The Empress stated with a small smile gracing her supple lips. Her words were supposedly for the people, but they were directed at the pretty lady below her throne that was biting her lip with reddened eyes.


    "I would be back before you know it"

 Chapter 180 - The Others Part I

    "I said you''re going. And that''s final!" A large middle age man screamed at the well-built young man who stood before him. The young man was a spitting image of the older gentleman, only the middle aged man was taller by a few more inches. They both looked like giants, yet the young man somehow looked smaller. They were both dressed the same way. Both men wore tank tops and army pants with their feet enclosed in combat boots, with their ripped bodies displayed for all to see. Well, only one to see- the only woman in this huge hall. She looked upon the scene with a wry smile. She shook her head in a helpless manner when the young man pleaded with his gaze for help, indicating that there was little she could do.


    "We are a military race Father. Why do I have to go to school?" he argued. Before he could open his mouth to make any more protests the man he referred to as his father delivered a smack onto his head.


    "Ouch! What did you do that for?" he questioned with a helpless expression. "It is an order from the Emperor. Kahn, you are going to God King Academy, whether you agree or not." His father replied angrily.


    Kahn''s expression changed at the mention of the Emperor. The Celestial Emperor was the most respected personality on Planet Celestial. Members of the Celestial race and foreigners alike held the elusive emperor in high regard. Although the Celestial race was a military focused race, the emperor was responsible for keeping the peace on this large planet. And the people respected him for that. Every alien race that had attempted to invade Planet Celestial had been destroyed under the leadership of the Celestial Emperor. And if the order came from him, then Kahn would have no way of evading his duty.


    "Hah. Don''t look so glum" Kahn''s father softened his tone upon realizing that Kahn had gone silent. He understood his son''s pleas. Celestials were talented. They could handle individuals with larger access to inner energy due to their great battle prowess. They were born with very strong bodies, and hence were all body wielders. In fact, they didn''t have to train in any way to improve their physiques, so they didn''t. Rather, they focused on energy wielding so that they would grow even stronger. But they weren''t so talented when it came to rising in wielding ranks. They depended largely on their inherent ability to devour the energy of those they massacred to increase their inner energy. And the best way to do this is through war.


    A major reason why Celestials, Greater and Lesser Celestials alike, were always itching to be on the battlefield was to improve in strength. In the Celestial race, the greater your appetite for devouring, the more talented you were.


    "It isn''t just you. Max is going as well" Kahn''s father clapped his son''s shoulder to encourage the disheartened boy. Kahn''s eyes lit up upon hearing that his best friend was coming with him. He wouldn''t be alone after all. "How many of us are going" Kahn questioned?


    "6" came his father''s curt reply. "And we are all going to God King''s" Kahn wondered? His father shook his head to deny his son''s claims, "No, you aren''t. You and Max are going to God King. The other four have different destinations. Two of them would go to Emperor Academy, and the other two would go to King''s Crown Academy, that new place." His father briefed him.


    Kahn was puzzled. He could understand the Emperor''s decision to send some of them to Emperor Academy. Emperor Academy was an academy with history and prestige similar to God King. It was famous for churning out historical figures as well as mighty ascenders and gods. But King''s Crown was a new academy. And it was under a lot of criticism for its practices and traditions. Kahn knew that the Emperor was up to something by sending them off to God Academies since that had never happened before. They would possibly be the first batch of Celestials to report to God Academies. He was very curious as to what the Emperor''s motives were.


    "So when am I leaving" Kahn questioned? Although he was curious about the Celestial Emperor''s motives, he didn''t need a scholar to tell him that information like that was highly classified. At least now he knew why his father spent so long at the capital.


    "In a few months. It should give you some time to consolidate your power and stabilize your rank. It isn''t advisable to raise your power so quickly after all" Kahn''s father advised. In the past month and a half, Kahn had grown tremendously. It was a level of growth that had never been seen in the Celestial race. And the strangest part was that he wasn''t alone. Max was equal with Kahn in terms of improvement, going toe to toe with his best friend in every department. His entire squad had also become more dedicated and were growing quickly. Yet when they were asked the reason for their new steely resolve, they gave no answers. Even the Celestial Emperor failed to pry anything out of their mouths after sending his right hand man, the Palace Secretary, to ask some questions. Legally, Celestials were not obliged to open up on happenings on the battlefield. So no one could hold the squad to their lack of cooperation, not even the Emperor. And from what Kahn was told, it pissed him off to no end. Kahn was certain that this new arrangement was a way for the Emperor to vent some of his frustrations. It was a petty move if that was true.


    "You haven''t told me what it is that changed. You have grown from a profound wielder to an earth realmer in only a few months. You are now at the 4th rank of the earth realm. That is too fast even for Celestials. Something is bothering you. Are you never going to say?" Kahn''s father prodded. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click <a href="#%!d(string=14462548105430305)/the-others-part-i_%!d(string=51609364615723217)">#%!d(string=14462548105430305)/the-others-part-i_%!d(string=51609364615723217)</a> for visiting.


    Kahn smiled wryly at his father''s question. How was he supposed to inform his dad that he and Max, and their entire squad, had their asses handed out to them by a young boy of unknown origin. Sure he suspected that the boy was Asgardian given his looks and strange abilities, but that was only a possibility. Plus his dad was very loyal to the Celestial Emperor. If he informed him about the strange invader, the Emperor would surely find out. And Kahn didn''t want that. Whenever he wanted to tell his father what happened that day, his glow, Sixth Sense, would send warning bells to him. The Emperor had zero tolerance towards aliens. If he found out that there was someone farming Celestials who wasn''t an inhabitant of this world, he would chase after them and kill them. Not personally, but it would be pretty much the same. And if his glow thought that it was such a bad idea, then it was.


    "Stop hounding him dad. Since he is going away in two months he needs to spend his time making me happy until that time comes." Luckily for Kahn, he didn''t have to deal with the awkward situation on his own. His sister, Rosa, pulled him away from his father as she retreated towards her room.


    "Stop pulling your brother around all day and get me a son-in-law" Kahn''s father protested! It was like he had forgotten about the question he just asked Kahn.


    The exiting Rosa halted her tracks and turned towards her father with a maniac look on her face. "Do you want to live, Old Man" she threatened as Kahn held her from behind to stop her march towards their father?


    "No no no. I was just wondering if there was anyone you liked, that''s all" Kahn''s father hurriedly raised his hands in surrender with a wry smile on his face when he saw her reaction. "I am just worried. Even Luis has halted his pursuits" He laid down his concerns.


    Rosa didn''t look happy when the name Luis was mentioned. "Don''t talk about that asshole" she screamed! "Come Kahn" she ordered as she left the room. Kahn had a small smile on his face as he left the room, but not before he gave his father a thumbs up for his comment. His actions brought a mischievous grin onto the face of the older Celestial, who looked like a child that had just tricked an a.d.u.l.t to hand over some sweets.

 Chapter 181 - The Others Part II

    Kahn had spoken to Luis a few weeks ago on the topic of Rosa''s feelings. After Kahn had spoken to Luis, the talented Celestial happily left the capital on a mission that was supposed to keep him away for at least two years. Kahn had opened up to his father on the conclusion of their discussion. The older Celestial was ecstatic that his daughter was finally feeling something for a member of the opposite s.e.x. And he was over the moon when he was informed by Kahn that this person was Luis, a genius acknowledged by all; someone who was a talented member of the Celestial race''s younger generation. Kahn then informed his father of his plan to get Rosa to realise her feelings, and the older Celestial was more than happy to oblige. Kahn had never seen his father so giddy before. Unlike before, Luis wasn''t sending Rosa any letters to inform her of his wellbeing. The two were responsible for constantly bringing Luis up once in a while in Rosa''s presence, whilst the talented Celestial was away. His father would constantly bring Luis up, mentioning how dangerous his mission was, and Kahn would act like the ''good'' guy, stopping his father from saying any more. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click <a href="#%!d(string=14462548105430305)/the-others-part-ii_%!d(string=51630457736973489)">#%!d(string=14462548105430305)/the-others-part-ii_%!d(string=51630457736973489)</a> for visiting.


    "Hehe. I hope the little boy''s plan works. For now it looks pretty good. At least she is clearly worried about him, and furious that he isn''t staying in touch. Oh, please let it work out. I need that fiery daughter of mine to find a husband!" Once Kahn and Rosa had left the hall, their father began to speak his concerns out loud. He shivered when he remembered how brash his daughter was, and couldn''t wait for her to be another person''s problem.


    "This is where we part ways, God of War. Remember what it is you must do." Two men stood side by side in space. They weren''t on any planet. They weren''t anywhere in particular. There was no world anywhere close to them. There was only darkness; stretching out as far as the eye could see. Yet these two men had no problem surviving in unsavory conditions of space. They floated calmly in the same spot as they shared their thoughts with one another.


    "Of course I will remember, Loki. I cannot forget even if I wanted to. What we are about to do will shape the history of the universe in the years to come. Our names would go down in history as names of honor when we pull this off." For the first time in a long while, the God of War was genuinely excited. His breathing was rapid and his eyes were bright and joyful. He looked like a man high on the opium poppy.


    "You truly are one who craves for war and violence. At the prospect of either you lose your composure" Loki stated with a small smile. He had rarely seen his partner so effusive. But who could blame the God of War. What he loved more than anything, the reason for his existence and the title he was crowned with, was finally going to happen. The god couldn''t be more excited. "Don''t mess anything up Ares. One small mistake and the only place your name would be written is a tombstone." Loki warned


    "Don''t worry so much Loki. If there is anything I am good at, it''s waging war" Ares brushed off Loki''s warning with a maniacal look on his face.


    "Indeed. There are few better in that regard" Loki nodded in affirmation. It was true that Ares was a warmonger. Before the peaceful era, Ares hardly lost any of his battles. In fact, it was thanks to this war seeking warrior that Olympus had secured so much land - so many worlds - in the 2nd Heaven. However, since the signing of the peace treaty between the heavens, the chaos and violence that Ares loved so much had been few and in between. It was almost impossible for him to find any worthy opponents, so he vented his frustrations on the worlds that worshipped him. Which was why many worlds in the current era, didn''t worship Ares. All those that did were embroiled in chaos and war.


    "But this enemy isn''t to be underestimated. He is a King after all." Loki still felt the need to send a strict warning to Ares. They couldn''t afford to make any mistakes. All entities referred to as Kings among gods were no easy targets. Even alone, kings were dangerous targets; especially their target, a god who was revered in the myriad realms. He was an even more difficult target because he wasn''t alone.


    "Yeah. He isn''t a weakling" Ares acknowledged as he curbed his excitement. "You don''t have to worry much. I would follow your instructions to the letter. That is the only way we can succeed." Ares reassured his partner.


    Loki nodded after receiving Ares'' reassurance. Ares might look like a handsome man with no intelligence, but he was far from that. He was arrogant and dismissive, but once he was interested in something he would explode with brilliance that dwarfed several stars. In the chaotic era, Ares had led many armies, but he couldn''t be everywhere. Even with avatars, he couldn''t place himself on every battlefield. But that didn''t hinder his progress in any way. All that had done was to reveal to the world that he was as brilliant a tactician, as he was a warrior.


    "Still not going to tell me where you are going" Ares prodded? Since the duo had decided to part ways to commence with their plan, Ares had tried to get Loki to give up his destination several times, and had failed several times. The trickster wasn''t ready to reveal that information to Ares yet, but the God of War hadn''t given up. He tried one more time. He had nothing to lose after all, he just wanted to sate his curiosity.


    "No" came Loki''s blunt reply. Ares smiled at the god. He didn''t take any offense at his tone. If it was a few years ago, he would have been offended, but now that he was so close to achieving his goal, he cared little for how Loki spoke to him.


    "Fine then. I''m off" Ares bid his goodbye as he sped off into the distance. In a few seconds, he was nowhere to be seen.


    "His speed never ceases to amaze me" Loki sighed in admiration as he too sped away, albeit at a slower pace. Ares was a god who focused on battling, so he was bound to be faster that Loki, whose skillset was somewhere else. As Loki kept moving forward, his destination become ever clearer. The place he wasn''t interested in sharing with Ares finally came into full view after three days of constant flying. Right before he entered the airspace of this planet he took a short break. He paused as he looked at the figure that stood before him. It was a man dressed in a full body armor, even his head was completely covered. He was a planetary guard, and he was responsible for intercepting all new entries into the planet.


    "State your name, and your business stranger" the guard ordered. In front of this guard, Loki didn''t show any anger at the treatment he was receiving. He had done this over a million times, and was used to it already.


    "Loki, Prince of Asgard" he revealed, as he let the guard scan him to confirm his aura. The planetary guards were stationed all across the airspace. And they were directly under the jurisdiction of the Allfather. Even his brother Thor had no control over them. It would be difficult for one to get past them without any inside help.


    "You can go" the guard instructed once the scanner he held confirmed that Loki''s aura was a match. The Prince of Asgard nodded his head as he flew into the planet that was his destination- Asgard.

 Chapter 182 - Captain Zakai Part I

    "Fall back now" a tall man adorned with tight leather armor commanded as he gritted his teeth in frustration! He looked at his assailants in anger. Several of his men had been cut down by the three people in black who stood nonchalantly in their place. Out of the twelve men he came with, only three of them remained; however, they were riddled with injuries.


    "What should we do captain" one of his men asked? The man asking the question had his brows furrowed in pain as he held his left arm. There were three large holes, each with a diameter of two centimeters, on his arm. The skin around the holes were charred. Even though he was addressing his captain his eyes were glued to the source of his injury - the black gun that was in the possession of one of their attackers.


    "We must find a way to tell the King what is happening" the captain gritted his teeth in dismay. Even though he was saying this, there was no escape route. His trained eyes kept scanning their location to see if there was any way out, yet the earth dome that their enemies had erected sealed them from the rest of the world. He didn''t know much about their abilities because he couldn''t see through their strength. Even peak wielders of Zandor wouldn''t be able to manipulate the earth so easily like their enemies. And he was an earth wielder at the peak of the mortal realm, so he should know. It was even scarier when he remembered that it took only one person to do this.


    Captain Zakai was out of sorts. He had no ideas, his brain was a blank. Initially the mission the emperor had given him seemed to be pretty easy. "There is something off with the Eastern Empire. We have lost all our contacts there. Find out what is happening and report to me immediately"


    Those were his Emperor''s words, and personally Zakai thought it was a bit too much to send the captain of the Royal Guards after something so trivial. Or so he thought at the time. But it turned out that he was the ignorant one. The Emperor had sent Zakai because he couldn''t afford to make any mistakes. The vision of the Emperor was amazing for him to be able to foresee the difficulties that lay in the mission.


    Unfortunately, even Captain Zakai, a man at the peak of the mortal realm and at the forefront of power in Zandor was no much for these three men. He wasn''t even able to put up a fight. The opponents were clearly toiling with them. Their simple espionage mission had turned into a suicide mission, with most of his men dead. But even with the odds stacked against him, all the captain could think about was the fate of his Emperor; the Emperor who was going to face an army of powerful villains.


    "Play time is over champs. Just kill them already. We need to tell Master that the Western Empire already suspects something." One of the men in black announced. He had long wavy hair and the sharp chin reflective of most Eastern Empire men. He seemed to be the leader of the group, and his aura was more suffocating than the other two. Of the three men, he was the only one who hadn''t made any attempts to take their lives. That''s right, only two men did the killing. The earth wielder who erected the dome that was impervious to their attacks, and the gun master who had easily breached their defenses.


    "Okay. I guess all good things have to come to an end" the gun master announced. Unlike his words, there was no positive emotion in his voice, only the sickening smile that adorned his lips greeted his prey. The earth wielder was more subtle, only nodding his head in response. Although they were having a good time playing around with their opponents, they knew what was at stake. If the Western Empire had noticed something was wrong, then the two empires that were in no way inferior to the former would notice too. They had to report to their king. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click <a href="#%!d(string=14462548105430305)/captain-zakai-part-i_%!d(string=51653727081256823)">#%!d(string=14462548105430305)/captain-zakai-part-i_%!d(string=51653727081256823)</a> for visiting.


    Captain Zakai gritted his teeth as he summoned the earth elements. In his moment of peril he could feel a connection to the earth elements like never before. They felt closer than before. They felt like family. He could hear their whispers, and they showed him the way. A presage of a brighter path.


    "Oh? Hold on. He''s having a breakthrough." The leader of the small crew raised his hand and signaled to the others to halt their movements. He wasn''t worried in the slightest. He was strong enough to deal with a newly promoted above-mortal realm wielder. And his men were more than capable of dealing with three newly promoted wielders each. He decided to wait for the man''s breakthrough to end, before they continue.


    "He broke through without a good manual. Such talent" the earth wielder sighed. How difficult was it to breakthrough to the above-mortal realm with a manual that ended at the peak mortal realm? The answer was ''impossible''. It was like trying to sketch a portrait in a cup of water. Whatever you do would be undone. Yet there was someone here defying all expectations and logic. The earth elements had reached out to this man and provided him strength on their own.


    "I think he has a special physique. We should capture him and bring him in to Master." The leader commanded. The earth wielder nodded in response. The gun master looked annoyed that he would lose his murder target, but he eventually nodded as well.


    "Look. He''s done now. Deal with the others and seize him." The leader waved his hand as he gave his command. The two black clad men obliged. The crazed gun master lifted his gun and aimed at the solider he had already injured. Previously he only shot holes into his arm, but now the chest was the target. The locked-on soldier paled at the sight of the gun pointed at him. He had exhausted his energy. He had nothing left in him. There was no way he could dive out of the way. He smiled bitterly at his end.


    Gun masters usually hid in the shadows and attacked from afar because they were disadvantaged against close combat wielders. And yet he, a close combat wielder, was going to fall to a gun master who didn''t even bother to build some distance between them. When he recalled how his colleagues who got close had been clobbered to death with the gun like they were pests, he knew that he was no match for the gun master even at close range.


    ''At least I didn''t have any wife or kids. And my parents died long ago. No one would mourn for me'' he thought as he faced his impending doom. He smiled knowing that he wouldn''t hurt anyone by losing his life. In that regard, many of his fallen comrades were less fortunate. The gun master smiled when he saw the look of despair on the soldier''s face. He loved that look. That look of pain and frustration. That''s what made this job so fulfilling. He filled the gun with fire as he released a large ball of flames towards his prey.


    *Bang*


    The soldier closed his eyes, expecting to die, yet the pain he awaited never came. All he saw was a wall of earth shielding him. It wasn''t just him. His comrade who was about to be clobbered by an earth hammer was also by his side. He looked to the one who saved his life.


    "Captain" he exclaimed!


    Captain Zakai smiled and said, "I couldn''t save the others. But I wouldn''t let another person die before my eyes."


    "He is trickier than I expected" the leader of the three men furrowed his brows in contemplation. Before his earth wielding subordinate could smash his hammer down he was sent flying by the fully armored Captain Zakai. Not only was the captain able to foil one attack, he dealt with the other one as well, erecting an earth wall - proof that he was now an above-mortal realm wielder.


    "Ouch" the earth wielder who was smashed into the dome stretched as he got up from the ground. The blow was heavier than he had anticipated. And for an earth wielder, the captain was very fast. "That blow was heavier than I expected" the stretching earth wielder informed his leader.


    "How would you rate his power now" the leader questioned? "I would compare his blow to a peak 2nd stage above-mortal realmer" the earth wielder answered. The gun master furrowed his brows at the reply that was given. Unlike him, his earth wielding compatriot took his missions seriously. They were both 4th stage above-mortal realmers with great experience. Their leader was two levels above them. Although someone with the fighting strength of a 2nd stage above-mortal realmer would be generally unstoppable on Zandor, they didn''t register Captain Zakai at all. He was still easily disposable with their level of strength. The only reason they were a bit fascinated with Captain Zakai was that he had only broken through to the 1st stage of the above-mortal realm, yet he possessed such battle strength.


    "Now I''m all the more eager to bring him to Master alive" the leader stated as he licked his lips. They had captured several talents for their Master over the past few months, yet he wasn''t satisfied. Like the gulosity displayed by a greedy monarch, their leader was eager to bring a new ''toy'' to their Master.


    "Bring him to me. Maim him, but do not kill him" he commanded with excitement tainting his husky voice. The two men nodded at his words. The gun master readied his gun as he leaped further back to create some more space between himself and his opponent. Initially he wasn''t worried that they would get close, even if they did they wouldn''t be able to scratch his clothes. He was a gun master, and like every gun master he had amazing agility. But the speed Captain Zakai displayed earlier forced him to build a modic.u.m of respect and regard for the man. And the weight of the earlier blow would be enough to injure him. After all, although he was about three levels above the Captain, a gun master like him had weaker than average defence and would be easily injured if one could land a good hit.


    The earth wielder didn''t have the same problems. He focused on an element that elevated his defenses and increased his offense. Against a fellow earth realmer who was weaker in level and had less inner energy, he had nothing to fear; besides, he was envious of the armor that encapsulated the entire being of his target. It was obvious that the earth armor his opponent had summoned was the glow he had just awakened. A glow that impressive was proof that Captain Zakai had greater affinity with the earth elements than he did. He was eager to strike Zakai down to prove his superiority. And since he was given the go ahead to maim the guy, he didn''t have to limit himself. He dashed towards his target as he gathered the earth elements around his fist. The earth coated fist landed thunderously on Captain Zakai''s midsection.


    *Bam*

 Chapter 183 - Captain Zakai Part II

    Captain Zakai crossed his arms to receive the incoming blow. He was forced back about seven meters from the powerful fist, and his arms were numb. After his breakthrough, he was able to perceive things at a much clearer level. He realized that his opponents had far more inner energy than he did, and they were stronger than him by quite a distance. If he was facing only one of the two, he would have a chance. But it was almost impossible for him to handle both opponents at the same time. Besides, their leader was giving off a much stronger aura. Captain Zakai knew now more than ever, that he and his men were in big trouble.


    "This armor is pretty sturdy" the mumbled to himself. Although his opponent was stronger than him, the blow didn''t even dent the earth armor that he wore. The only problem was that it took a large amount of inner energy to block that attack. It was an impressive ability. As long as he had sufficient inner energy, the armor would remain as sturdy as a rock. He would be able to use this ability for a very long time. Assuming that he is able to escape of course.


    "Let''s see how long you last" the earth realmer spat out as he chased after Zakai. He was more annoyed seeing that the armor remained undamaged. It looked to be an ability that would be useful for a very long time. But such an ability would require copious amounts of inner energy; a treasure trove of inner energy that his target didn''t possess.


    *Bang*


    Captain Zakai ducked out of the way as a small ball of fire whizzed past him and slammed into the dome. Although he was facing the earth realmer, he hadn''t forgotten about the gun master stalking him. The dome prevented him and his men from escaping, but it also provided no hiding spots for the gun master. So it was relatively easy to keep tabs on his position; and he was able to avoid the blast of fire that was meant for him. Although the ball of fire was small, Captain Zakai could feel its heat even when it was some distance away. ''Concentrated blast'' was the name given to this technique. It was an advanced version of the regular ''blast''. Huge amounts of fire elements were compressed into a small ball and fired at an opponent; unlike the regular blast that used a far smaller amount of fire. To block an attack like that, Captain Zakai would use up all his inner energy. Even then he wasn''t sure that he would be able to deal with the attack completely.


    Gun masters, whether they were the rarer ice users or the common fire users, had devastating attacks. And the price for that was a weaker defense. Which was why although Captain Zakai was facing an earth wielder, he was still focused on the gun master. One concentrated blast and poof - he''d be a goner.


    From the corner of his eye he could see the area that had been struck by the gun master. The dome was still intact, yet there was a small crack spanning only a few centimeters on the earth barrier. His eyes lit up at the possibility of an escape. He still had the ''thing'' ''that boy'' had gifted him. If he was able to create a small hole - small enough to leak out their aura - they would be able to use ''that thing'' to save themselves.


    *Bam*


    "Pay attention you fool" the earth wielder''s punch landed squarely on Zakai''s shoulder, and the captain was sent flying back into the wall. Coincidentally, he landed exactly where the crack was.


    "Mmph" Captain Zakai groaned in pain and held his shoulder. His lapse in concentration had cost him. Because of his lack of focus he hadn''t strengthened his armor with inner energy, so the attack had dislocated his shoulder and the armor was fractured in that very same region. He fought through the pain and used his inner energy to repair the armor.


    ''I have only one shot'' he thought to himself as he took out a needle from him clothes. It was almost as long as a dagger, and it was as shiny as the midday sun. His opponents immediately saw the strange weapon.


    "This is getting interesting" said the leader who was now seated. He was completely unconcerned with the introduction of the new weapon. And the others were no different.


    *Bang*


    Captain Zakai ducked to avoid the blast from the gun master; a decision that proved unwise as the shock wave hit him hard. Yet he stood his ground, not budging in the slightest. The earth wielder descended upon the injured man with ferocity, intent on breaking his opponent into several pieces.


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    This time the captain dived out of the way, avoiding the fatal blow. Once he had escaped the strong attack, he threw the needle with ferocity, injecting almost half of his inner energy into the strange weapon.


    The earth wielder''s countenance changed from angry to terrified when he felt the aura exuded by the strange needle, and his leader was no exception. The aura the needle was giving off was very strong. It totally eclipsed his power. It wasn''t giving off such a vibe earlier. Before, it was like a sleeping cat. Now it was similar to a raging tiger.


    The earth wielder ducked out of the way hurriedly, and the needle missed him narrowly. The gun master was furious at the recent events. He raised his gun towards one of the soldiers with a sadistic look.


    "Let''s see what you would do now" he licked his lips in anger and fired his gun. Captain Zakai rushed towards the soldier who was too beaten up to even move out of the way. And he got there just in time; in time to intercept the blast.


    *Bang*


    "Captain" both of his soldiers exclaimed with their eyes reddened at the sight of their helpless captain sent flying across the field. The gun master smiled in satisfaction. A blow like that wouldn''t kill the man because of his armor, but he would be severely injured. Yet when he looked at the man, he didn''t feel at peace. The captain had a smile on his face. It wasn''t one of a man who was facing death, or the smile of one who had saved the life of another. It was the grin of a soldier who had accompanied his mission.


    He looked to the side of the dome that was struck by the needle. What was formerly a cracked barrier, was now fully penetrated, and a fist sized hole was the new attraction. The needle was nowhere in sight. The earth wielder and leader also saw the hole.


    "I guess you are calling for help, that''s why you look so happy. But this is the Eastern Empire. Help wouldn''t arrive for days. By that time you would be in our custody, and your men would be dead." The leader nonchalantly explained.


    Yet Captain Zakai didn''t lose his smile. In fact, his lips widened even further.


    "If¡­it¡­was¡­any¡­other¡­person¡­I¡­would¡­agree¡­but¡­they¡­aren''t¡­any¡­other¡­person" he coughed as he stated. The three men had a bad feeling about this. But before any of them could speak they felt a suffocating aura wash over them. It was as domineering as it was massive. The gun master and earth wielder both coughed out enormous amounts of blood as they felt their inner organs being crushed. Their leader wasn''t in a better state. He was sweating heavily as blood seeped out of his mouth and nose.


    "What¡­the hell¡­is this" he wondered. Yet the pressure was so massive that his thoughts couldn''t be spoken out loud.


    *BOOM*


    The dome broke apart, yet none of the debris fell on any of the men who had been hidden by the barrier for so long. A figure stood alone amidst the chaos. His brown hair floated majestically in the wind and his handsome face was distorted by anger and rage. He was small, not older than 11, yet the enormous aura was from him. As the leader was wondering how it was that such a small boy had such a great bearing, Captain Zakai smiled as he introduced the newcomer.


    "Let...me introduce¡­you to the¡­Prince¡­of the¡­Western¡­Empire - Abelard¡­Smith"

 Chapter 184 - Abelard Smith Part I

    Abelard looked at the sorry figures of his father''s men - well, his men. They all had varying degrees of injuries. One of them had three large holes in his arm and was bleeding profusely. If not for his strong vitality acquired from years of serving the empire as a soldier, he would be dead. It didn''t take a genius to locate the source of his injuries. Abelard looked at the man holding tightly onto the gun even under the insane pressure.


    "I''d get to you in a minute" Abelard remarked coldly as he increased the pressure on the gun master, forcing the killer onto his belly.


    The second soldier was bruised all over. His suit was tattered and the color of the skin was telling. There were purple patches everywhere, and his mid-section was reddened in some areas. These were injuries sustained from powerful blows. The blows weren''t penetrative and sharp enough to break the skin, but they were strong enough to cause internal injuries. Abelard smiled at the man who knelt with an earth gauntlet on his arm.


    "You did this" Abelard questioned? The earth wielder gritted his teeth in pain as he focused on withstanding the pressure; all the while he wondered, ''How is their prince this powerful''?


    Abelard temporarily ignored the earth wielder and analysed the fallen bodies of Captain Zakai''s men. They all had similar injuries. They either showed signs of internal bleeding or bleed to death through man-made holes on their torsos.


    "You are at the 6th stage of the above-mortal realm. That is very rare for a Zandorian" Abe commented. His fury wasn''t quelled, only brewing. When he finally explodes, it would be intense and destructive. Right now he was trying to understand how the few Zandorians in front of him were able to breakthrough into a realm that should have been obscure to them.


    Abelard ignored the enemy with the greatest strength amongst the three, and focused on Captain Zakai. The older man was wheezing. He was struggling to breath and he had a large bruise right under his right chest. His left shoulder was dislocated as well. But that wasn''t the most surprising discovery Abelard made. ''He broke through'' Abe was amazed? Captain Zakai - like most Zandorians - had no idea about the higher realms of strength. He didn''t have a manual that allowed him to explore the levels above the mortal realm, yet here he was, a 1st level above-mortal realmer.


    Abelard fed his men a few vitality and healing pills. He ignored the strange looks they gave him and focused on helping them ingest the pills. It came as no surprise that they were watching him like he was a stranger. These men were part of the royal guard led by Captain Zakai. They were all high level wielders and had been present since his birth. Because they were an elite force, they were rarely deployed. They had watched Abe grow from a toddler to a kid about to enter his teens. Yet they had no idea that their lovable prince was so powerful. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click <a href="#%!d(string=14462548105430305)/abelard-smith-part-i_%!d(string=51700787021141495)">#%!d(string=14462548105430305)/abelard-smith-part-i_%!d(string=51700787021141495)</a> for visiting.


    Captain Zakai was the last man to receive the pills. It wasn''t because his injuries weren''t grave, but Abe knew the man long enough to know that he wouldn''t accept any help unless his men were saved first. Abe observed silently in worry. It was only when their pulses had stabilized and their breathing had normalized that Abe sighed in relief. He had already lost several members of the royal guard; their blood the stench that filled this place. He didn''t want to lose any more of his family.


    Once their conditions were stabilized Abe was reminded of the cause of their injuries. His fury ballooned as his aura filled the now revealed desolate forest; his anger reached its peak.


    "Who amongst you is your leader" he tried to remain as calm as possible as he questioned? Although one of the men was superior in strength, Abe still asked the vital question because that wasn''t enough to draw a conclusion. Leaders of a squad had to be strong, but they didn''t need to be the strongest in the team. Strength was a pre-requisite because a leader must be capable of protecting himself/herself on the battlefield so as to save himself/herself from becoming a burden to the team. After all, what would they do if the leader is taken out before things could even get serious? Usually a leader was the most rational of the group; the one capable of making important decision and taking action when action was required.


    The three men smiled in disdain at Abe''s words. With his small stature and lovable looks he wasn''t as domineering as the boy thought. Although his aura was restrictive, they didn''t think he knew enough about life to be questioning them. ''Has he even killed before''? Each of them had the same thought in their minds as they mocked the Prince with their smiles. Their smiles of disdain grew wider when they felt the pressure on their bodies being retracted. ''He truly is a greenhorn'' the gun master thought to himself. He looked at his comrades and saw similar expressions on their faces. He didn''t need to be told that they were thinking the same thing. They looked at each other and prepared to escape.


    *BOOM*


    A huge arm made of earth elements descended thunderously on the gun master. The fist of the arm was so huge that it made the grown man look like child. "I am already furious. Do not press your luck. The next one to go will experience death in a very painful way" Abe warned in an emotionless voice. The other two felt their blood grow cold at the nonchalance of his words. They looked at the boy they had mistaken for a fool. He was calm and composed; almost as if he hadn''t just killed someone. He didn''t look ruffled or discomforted in any way. He had the gaze of a person who had killed countless people. It wasn''t a look a child should possess.


    "What if he was our leader" the leader of the team questioned as he grinded his teeth together so loudly that all could hear. "If he was, I would have killed you instead" Abe waved his arm unconcernedly. The earth wielder felt a bit of fear from the interaction. He understood what Abe meant. And he was sure his leader did too. The young boy had figured out who the leader was, and had no need for all of them. He only asked the question to find out if they would tell the truth when questioned.


    Abe knew who the leader was from the moment he observed the bodies. All the bodies of those he previously referred to as ''uncles'' displayed only two kinds of injuries- internal injuries and blast wounds. Only two of the men had been doing the killing. The other had abstained from the massacre. It wasn''t because he was kind. In fact it was heartless that two above-mortal realmers faced a bunch of mortal realmers. Not only did they kill them off, the occasional twitching of the already dead bodies was proof that their deaths weren''t quick and painless. But Abe knew that the one with the higher energy was the leader because his aura was calm and steady. Apart from the fact that the bodies made it obvious that only two people did the job, the auras of the gun master and the earth wielder were in turmoil even before Abe unleashed his aura on them. For his aura to be so calm would mean he hadn''t engaged in any battles.


    "What do you want" the leader silently acquiesced? He knew now that Abe didn''t relieve them of his aura because he was na?ve, but because he was confident that they wouldn''t be able to escape even without the pressure. And as he had displayed earlier, it wouldn''t be hard for him to kill them. The issue would be how they would die. To be honest, the leader knew that they were going to die after seeing Abe heartlessly take out one of his men. He was only willing to listen to Abe because the boy''s eyes told him all he needed to know: ''You would die slowly and painfully if you disobey''. It was the edict of a superior; the aura of nobility.

 Chapter 185 - Abelard Smith Part II

    "How did you breakthrough" Abe asked? His intention was to ask Captain Zakai the very same question, but the older gentleman had passed out after receiving the vitality pill. Abe would have to ask him later. Besides, Captain Zakai''s aura was unstable. It fluctuated between the peak of the mortal realm and the 1st stage of the above-mortal realm, signifying that his breakthrough was recent. But the men in front of him were in the mid stages of the above-mortal realm. They would be better sources of information.


    "We received Master''s power. And our strength increased dramatically as a result" the earth wielder submissively stated. He was terrified of his master. But his master wasn''t here now, and they were definitely going to die. It would be better to die quickly, than to face the full wrath of a ruthless prince.


    "When did you receive your Master''s blessing" Abe continued with his questioning? What the two men were describing was termed as a ''blessing''. It was the ability of higher entities and stronger wielders to pass some of their power to lower lifeforms or weaker wielders. It came at a great cost. Firstly, those who were ''blessed'' would be inherently weaker than others of the same level.


    Secondly, their lifespans would be cut down to half of what it was supposed to be. And finally their Masters could easily dispose of them using the power they transferred to them. It wasn''t advantageous at all. Only people who were desperate, and leaders who were eager to see results and so didn''t mind using their subordinates like disposable trash cans, that took this route.


    "Blessing", the leader looked at Abe in confusion, not completely understanding what the young Prince was referring to. "You don''t even know what it was yet you accepted it" Abe scoffed in disdain. To think that they didn''t even know something so rudimentary, yet they had no qualms accepting such power.


    "Did you think that you could receive such power without paying any price at all" Abe mocked? To people like these who were not only foolish, but bullies as well, Abe didn''t see the need to mince his words.


    "You fools accepted such power without figuring out the consequences first. You are basically living half-lives. And anyone with the same level of strength will have no problems dealing with you" Abe nonchalantly stated. His words sent chills down their spines. Because there was almost no Zandorian who had surpassed the mortal stage, they weren''t able to truly test their battle prowess against ''normal'' wielders on their level. When they were battling Captain Zakai after his breakthrough they assumed that he was very talented to face two of them who were at the 4th stage of the above-mortal realm. They weren''t wrong, but their conjecture was inaccurate. Captain Zakai hadn''t stabilized his power at the 1st stage of the above-mortal realm yet, so his battle prowess couldn''t be accurately analysed. But to get a good grasp of his abilities, one would have to first understand where these men stood against wielders who grew without a ''blessing''. The 4th level above-mortal realm earth wielder was comparable to a 2nd level above-mortal realmer in terms of pure fighting ability. The leader who was at the 6th stage, was only comparable to someone who was at the peak of the 3rd stage of the above-mortal realm. That was why they were so easily overwhelmed by Abelard''s aura. Abelard wasn''t a realm above them, yet they couldn''t withstand his power because he had risen in ranks purely based on his own talent and hard work, and not due to a power infusion from a stronger wielder.


    NAME: Abe


    AGE: 11


    HEALTH POINTS: 2800/2800


    BLOODLINE: Blood Wyvern


    BLOODLINE RANK: Rank 9 (locked)


    RACE: Zandorian (100%)


    LEVEL: Above-Mortal Stage 6 (Level 33.45)


    POWER LEVEL: 160,000


    WIELDER TYPE: Dual Wielder (Energy Wielder; Scholar)


    SPECIALTY: Strength, Intelligence, and Vitality


    GLOWS: Earth''s Darling Boy; Incomplete (Locked) Transformation [Wyvern]


    BREATHS: Hubris Fist


    Abelard had also grown during this period. Not only had he gained three ranks in the past month, he had also recently become a scholar. His teacher was none other than Mane''s mother. Just a few days ago, right after Indra had left Alexis offered to teach Abelard. Abelard immediately jumped at the opportunity to grow stronger. He was introduced to a new path and found out that he had quite the talent for that path. Besides, there was an added benefit. The technique Alexis had passed on to him was also a high level scholar manual, and this manual was able to affect a person''s inherent talent for wielding inner energy as well. Since abiding by the rules of this new manual, Abelard soon realised that his inner energy was growing faster than ever. It was so overwhelming that he had to consciously slow it down. He never thought such a time would come. A time when he had to limit his own growth to save himself from ruining his foundation. Now his progress was almost as speedy as Mane''s! He was thankful for the new manual he was studying.


    What Abelard didn''t know was that even Alexis was baffled by his talent transformation. She had been using that manual for as long as she could remember, yet it had no such effects. However Abelard was able to force a mutation in this manual, and had benefitted greatly from it. For now she didn''t know the reason for the sudden mutation, but she was certain that it had something to do with Abe''s bloodline. But she couldn''t experiment with Abe. He was her disciple and her son''s friend. The only way to clarify what the main issue was, was to allow other members of the Western Empire''s royal family to use the manual as well and observe their progress. Alas, she couldn''t do that just yet. After all, not everyone had the intelligence to follow the path of scholars.


    "Last question: who is your master" Abelard asked. For someone to easily grant the power of an above-mortal realmer to mortals so easily could only mean he was very strong. Abelard wasn''t experienced enough to clarify the strength of this person, but he knew one thing for sure: this person was way stronger than him! It was likely that the mysterious master was stronger than Abe. After meeting Mane''s parents, Abe had come to realize that there were several hidden forces on Zandor. Maybe the mystery backer was as strong as Ray and Alexis.


    Unfortunately, this question was proving to be the most difficult to draw out an answer from the two men. Both men remained silent at the boy''s enquiry, none willing to answer. The earth wielder had an ugly look on his face. He wanted to talk, he really did, but he was unable to speak a word. The gaze his leader gave him terrified him more than Abe.


    "Oh? It seems that I''m not trying hard enough" Abe remarked. Once he was done speaking four earth spikes rose from the ground at great speed. They were so quick that the target of those spikes wasn''t able to respond until after he was already run through.


    "MMM" the muffled scream of the leader sent chills down the earth wielder''s spine! His powerful leader had been impaled onto the ground, a spike nailing each limb firmly to the floor. What was even more miserable was that the spikes weren''t stagnant. Abe raised his hand towards the leader and kept rotating his wrist. At his movements the spikes slowly rotated, drawing more stifled screams from the victim. There was a fist sized stone in the leader''s mouth. That was what prevented him from screaming. Abe wanted answers, but he wasn''t foolish enough to think himself omnipotent. If their master was so powerful, then he had to be cautious, which was why he had already repaired the earth barrier he had destroyed earlier.


    "Long and painful death it is" Abe remarked coldly as the cries of the earth wielder joined that of the leader''s in what was going to be their last and most torturous day on Zandor. The soldiers watched on in dismay as the kindhearted prince they knew, unleashed his villainous side.

 Chapter 186 - Abelard Fights Part I

    "What an annoying bunch" Abelard remarked coldly as he gazed upon the mutilated bodies of the men who had tortured his father''s soldiers. Their bodies were damaged and broken beyond repair, making them unrecognizable to anyone who knew them before. They had fearful expressions on their faces; it served as proof that their deaths were not quick and painless.


    Abelard tore his gaze away from the ''dirty'' corpses. Even he was reluctant to appreciate the work of his hands. He faced his father''s men with a wry smile on his face. The two soldiers who had watched him grow in the palace all these years had cautious looks on their faces. The slight trembling of their bodies when they were subjected to his gaze didn''t go unnoticed. Maybe if it was a few days before he wouldn''t have realized it, but as a scholar such a detail didn''t escape his enhanced perception.


    Abelard didn''t know what to say to them. He had quickly become a stranger to his own people. And these were people he had a great relationship with. He couldn''t blame them. The kind and loving prince they knew was nowhere. Instead in his place was a merciless reaper who had tortured their enemies for twenty good minutes. Surely they felt avenged when the screams of the men reached their ears initially. They were certain that their deceased comrades would finally be able to rest in peace. However after the screams exceeded the 5th minute they felt more dread than they did satisfaction. And before they knew it, they felt pity for the men who had heartlessly butchered their entire squad. What terrified them more was what Abe had said midway:


    "If not because of the very limited time we have, I wouldn''t let you die this quickly"


    They shuddered upon seeing the side of the lovable prince they had never seen before. Abe wasn''t going to tell them that ''he was still the same person they knew''. That would be a lie. He definitely wasn''t the Abe they knew, and he would never be the Abe they wanted. From the time he chose to be a wielder his destiny was set aside from theirs. He had done worse things to captured Dark Kingdom prisoners, and he was certain that he would do worse in the future to come. Besides a war was coming. He couldn''t hide his power forever. He might as well let them peak into the den of the dragon, and slowly invite them into its lair, than surprise them by pushing them fully into the dragon''s gaping mouth.


    "You have really grown. When your father told me I didn''t believe him at first" Captain Zakai sighed. He had awakened midway through Abe''s torture. He didn''t see the entire thing, but he saw enough.


    "Then how come you asked for my help" Abe asked curiously? He knew the captain well, even better than he did his own father. The captain wasn''t one to do anything he didn''t have absolute certainty in. The fact that he called for Abe showed that he believed that the young prince was strong enough to shoulder the storm.


    "I met your friend Mane" Captain Zakai answered with a bitter chuckle. His answer was enough for Abe. As long as Captain Zakai has experienced a bit of Mane''s power, it would be enough to change the older man''s understanding of power.


    Captain Zakai smiled bitterly when he recalled how he had met the boy called Mane. It all happened two years ago. He was in charge of tracking down a fire wielder who had stolen the emperor''s sword. This was a very valuable weapon crafted by the best blacksmiths Zandor had to offer. The sword was stolen five years ago, and Captain Zakai had failed in apprehending the culprit the first time. After some years he finally had a lead and pursued it. In the end, he found the culprit. By the order of the Emperor he went after the culprit. His orders was to recruit the talented fire wielder into the ranks of the Royal Guards ¨C a task he had failed the first time; he wasn''t eager to fail again. However when he did, the thief wasn''t alone. Apart from the fact that the thief was actually a young boy, there was something else that grabbed his attention. There was a blond-haired boy right beside him. Although Zakai had broken in with over twenty soldiers, none of them was fazed.


    This intrigued Captain Zakai who at the time, felt that the blond boy looked familiar; however, at the time he had a hard time placing the boy in his memories. When he asked them to give up willingly, the two boys smiled. The blond boy nonchalantly raised his hand; it was an act of power that Captain Zakai would never forget. All the soldiers he came with lost their consciousness under the boy''s wave, and Captain Zakai himself almost passed. In the end, it was his sheer will and determination that saw him through.


    The blond boy seemed impressed by this act, and had said something about the earth elements favoring him, yet in his semi-drowsy state he didn''t catch his words accurately. After a few minutes the captain regained his bearings, only to see that the two boys hadn''t escaped. They sat side by side and talked about something in hushed tones. It was after the captain cleared his throat to garner their attention that they returned their attention to the older man. And it was at that moment that Captain Zakai recalled how it was he knew the boy. He was the prince''s mysterious friend! A boy that the emperor had warned him never to offend because his parents could easily flatten the empire. Initially he thought the emperor was being too careful; however, upon witnessing the power of the child himself, even h had to admit that those who could birth such a monster had to be monsters themselves. But he couldn''t leave empty handed. He needed the emperor''s sword. The boy admired his courage and said the sword was lost. However, he offered to replace the emperor''s sword.


    Captain Zakai caught the sword that was thrown his way, and was marveled by the power it concealed. He was no weapon smith, but even he knew that this sword was far more valuable than the emperor''s. He delivered his thanks and informed them that he had a message from the emperor for the thief.


    "The Emperor invites you to join the Royal Guards" Although Zakai felt that it was useless to ask someone acquainted to such a perversely powerful figure to join the Royal Guards, he couldn''t ignore the orders of his monarch. So although he didn''t expect a positive answer, he asked all the same. The reply was pretty much expected.


    "Joining the Royal Guards is good ¨C generally. However, my friend''s growth would be stunted, and his talent unexplored if he does join you. The answer is no. But I would give you something else in return. Our help is yours if you ever need it"


    A long and slender needle was tossed to him. He accepted the object and carefully hid it in his clothes as he received instructions on how to use it. And that was how their meeting ended. After reporting his findings to the emperor he wasn''t punished; rather, he was commended. Not only had he retrieved a priceless weapon, he had also gained valuable information and received the promise of an expert. After the event, Abelard was summoned by the emperor and questioned. To their surprise the young prince had become a wielder without experiencing his bloodline awakening. Not only was Abe a wielder, he was very strong too.


    Initially Abelard had informed them that he was strong now. He was strong enough to head an entire army he said. But the two of them didn''t believe him. Now they had no choice but to believe the words of the young boy. His strength was enough evidence. And even if it wasn''t, his friend''s strength was proof that Abelard would grow to be just as powerful - If not more so ¨C eventually.


    "You should go" Abelard commanded. He could feel three strong auras approaching their location, and he didn''t want the remnants of the Royal Guards to be caught within the conflict. Their presence would be a distraction to him. He would be unable to fight to the best of his abilities if there were people who needed his protection. He made an opening in the earth dome so that they could leave.


    The captain seemed to realize that something was amiss. However, before he could utter a word Abelard reiterated, "Go now. Mane is in the city - The Flowers Inn. If you want to help me you should leave and fetch him now."

 Chapter 187 - Abelard Fights Part II

    "It''s here" three men stopped right before a giant structure. The structure that bared their way was a large earth dome.


    "Are you certain" one of the men asked? He had a mole at the corner of his mouth and he spoke with a slur. He stood in the middle, and posed the question to the man on his right.


    The man on the right nodded. He had a huge nose that occupied most of the space on his face. He pointed confidently at the earth dome to show that it was the target of their search.


    "He can''t be wrong. The devices master gave us are always accurate. This is where their auras disappeared." The words came from the last member of the trio; and the only lady in the group. She wasn''t spectacularly beautiful, but she was still very pretty. She was confident that the device that their master had given them couldn''t be wrong.


    Abelard was right about those who received the ''blessing''. Their masters were able to control their lives. Their masters also had the ability to tell whether they were alive or not. Simply put, once they die, their masters would be aware. Abelard knew this, yet his resolve to torture those men remained. He could have transported them to a secure location so that he would deal with them safely; however, he did not. Because of his decision to disregard safety and dish out punishment anyway, once the men died their master felt their passing. Wielders were dispatched to the location of where their auras disappeared in the hopes that the culprit would be apprehended.


    "What a fool. Building a barrier can fool anyone but Master" The pretty lady held nothing but disdain for the person she regarded as retarded. "Indeed. Nothing can hide from Master''s eyes" the man with the huge nose assented. He too believed that the culprit was a fool to think that he could hide from their master with nothing but a simple earth barrier. He pulled out a strange looking device and watched it intensely. The device resembled a very large compass and its pointer was directed at the earth dome. It beeped incessantly, proof that they were indeed at the right destination. After watching it for a while, the huge nose man commented


    "The culprit is still indeed. What an idiot. He should have left the moment he finished the job." He spat on the ground as he marveled at the stupidity of the one they were after.


    "Don''t underestimate this person. There shouldn''t be anyone on Zandor with the power to kill above-mortal realmers. But the evidence speaks for itself. We cannot take the opponent lightly." The man with the mole on his face advised. Unlike the other two, he didn''t believe that the opponent was stupid. He wasn''t chosen as the leader of this group for nothing. For a person to remain after killing their men could only mean two things: either this person was confident in his ability to deal with anything that came his/her way; or this person was indeed a fool.


    He rubbed his chin in contemplation. He doubted that it was the former; meaning the latter was more likely. He may be at the 1st stage of the Profound Realm but he wasn''t going to take such an opponent lightly. After all, three above-mortal realmers, one of whom was at the 6th stage were killed. The opponent couldn''t be taken lightly. However, before he could even come up with a strategy the woman leapt towards the earth dome. She was tired of waiting. Surprisingly she was stronger than the leader. The aura of a 2nd stage Profound Realmer oozed from every fiber of her being. The huge-nosed man smiled at the sight. He too followed her. His aura was just as strong as the leader''s. He was also a 1st stage Profound Realmer.


    "Those fools" the leader barked angrily and followed suit! He had no choice but to go along with their plan; which wasn''t really a plan. It was more of a ''let''s destroy everything we see'' battle strategy. This was the problem he had with his team. His master had put him in charge because of his superior intellect. However his strength was only average, and there was even someone with higher inner energy. Even the huge-nosed man ¨C although he possessed the same amount of inner energy ¨C was stronger than him. Because of this, they rarely listened to him. But even he was surprised by what he saw when he entered the dome through the makeshift entrance the woman had made.


    "You are brasher than I thought" Abe looked the pretty woman in the eye as his hand remained lodged in her chest. She choked on her blood, and her eyes were filled with regret. If only she had been more careful, she wouldn''t have fallen into such a trap. As for the huge-nosed man, he had set of an earth mine and had been blown to one side of the dome. After he steadied himself, he finally realized that the pretty lady he always admired was on her last breath.


    Abelard removed his arm from the woman''s chest, and watched her breath her last. It was pitiful. A false 2nd stage Profound Realmer had fallen due to her carelessness. She had no one but herself to blame. There was a metallic glove on Abe''s hand. It was because of this glove that he was able to penetrate the lady''s defenses even though he was an earth realmer.


    "It truly is a marvelous artefact" Abe gently caressed the blood-soaked glove Alexis had gifted him. But he didn''t get to admire it for long. A voice filled with rage and malice shook his ears and brought his attention back to the present.


    "AHHH" the huge-nosed man screamed in anger! He disappeared from his location and arrived before Abe in a thrice.


    *Bang*


    Luckily for Abe, he reacted pretty well and blocked the attack. "A wind wielder" Abe observed. The speed of the man was exaggerated for a false Profound Realmer. His speed was reflective of a wind elementalist. But although he was quick, his attacks weren''t strong enough to break Abe''s defenses. Maybe it would be a different story if the attack actually landed on him. However, there was no time to think about the unknowns and the maybes. Abe quickly dived out of the way as a figure landed on the ground he formerly stood upon.


    *Boom*


    Abe squinted his eyes to catch a clear glimpse of the attacker. He noticed that the one who attacked him had his hand covered in flames. "A fire wielder" Abe mumbled. "Well that complicates things a bit" he analysed. If the wind wielder was good enough, he would be a good partner for the fire wielder. As long as they worked together, Abe would have a really hard time dealing with both of them.


    "You idiot. Don''t go running off on your own. A wind elementalist is naturally disadvantaged against an earth wielder. I know you are angry, but get it together! I also want revenge. But that can only happen when we work together!" the leader barked at the huge-nosed man who was ready to go on a rampage. His words were effective, for the huge-nosed man didn''t make any subsequent moves.


    "Alright then. Two against one huh." Abe smirked as he looked at the two men regrouping. They were false Profound Realmers, which meant they were comparable to at least 8th stage above-mortal realmers. They may have more inner energy, but Abe was itching to have a go. He took off his cloak. It was going to restrict his movements. After doffing the cloak he gently caressed the black glove; his eyes were still on his opponents. He knew better than to take his eyes off them.


    "Activate" he gently commanded, and something bizarre happened. The glove extended, growing exponentially and covering his entire body. It wasn''t a simple glove. It was an armor. His transformation didn''t go unnoticed by his opponents. The leader squinted his eyes as he watched Abe''s transformation. Abe looked like a black knight, with the only his head exposed. A ridiculously large hammer with an abnormally long handle appeared in his hand. The Western Empire''s Prince smiled broadly at his opponents. Although they were supposed to be stronger, Abe didn''t feel any pressure from them. He had finally found someone ¨C nay, people ¨C to test his new artefact against. He could feel his aura ballooning to its peak, and when it did it exploded magnificently.


    He smiled and said, "This is going to be fun".

 Chapter 188 - Abelard Fights Part III

    NAME: Abe


    AGE: 11


    HEALTH POINTS: 2800/2800


    BLOODLINE: Blood Wyvern


    BLOODLINE RANK: Rank 9 (locked)


    RACE: Zandorian (100%)


    LEVEL: Above-Mortal Stage 6 (Level 33.45)


    POWER LEVEL: 160,000


    WIELDER TYPE: Dual Wielder (Energy Wielder; Scholar)


    SPECIALTY: Strength, Intelligence, and Vitality


    GLOWS: Earth''s Darling Boy; Incomplete (Locked) Transformation [Wyvern]


    BREATHS: Hubris Fist


    "Let''s put the hammer aside for now" Abe mumbled as the huge hammer disappeared, much to the relief of his opponents. What they didn''t realize was that Abe didn''t know how to use the hammer. He was fascinated with the weapon, nut he could barely use the thing. He had begun training in hammer arts, but his training was only a few days long and he had barely mastered the basics. It would be better for him to use his fists for now.


    Abe smiled at his opponents and disappeared. Before they knew what was happening he appeared right in front of the wind elementalist and delivered a powerful blow meant for the man''s middle section. However, the huge-nosed man was still a wind elementalist. Although he was taken by surprise due to Abelard''s burst of speed, he reacted very well. He tilted his body slightly to avoid the blow and sent out a punch of his own. Unfortunately his punch didn''t achieve its intended purpose. Abelard caught the man''s fist and yanked his arm away, creating a huge hole in the huge-nose man''s defence.


    The Western Empire''s Prince knew that the wind elementalist was fast, hence he wasn''t expecting his first attempt to hit its target. But now that he had created an opening, he was more than happy to take it. However, before he the punch he was preparing could reach its intended target, he withdrew.


    He could feel the temperature around him rise dramatically. Abelard was a scholar now, so his senses were a bit different from what they were before. If it was a few days ago, he wouldn''t have noticed the change in atmospheric temperature until it was too late. He wasn''t the same person he was then. Now he could deduce that the fire wielder had recovered from the initial surprise and was heading his way. Since the two opponents were already close initially, the fire wielder wouldn''t have to do much to get to Abe.


    Still holding the arm of the huge-nosed man, Abelard withdrew his fist and swung the wind elementalist towards the fire wielder. If he couldn''t be the one to deliver the blow, then he would have someone do it for him. Unfortunately, things didn''t go the way the young prince intended. The approaching fire wielder anticipated Abe''s maliciousness and quickly caught the wind wielder. But the man didn''t stop his charge. Rather he did something which took Abelard by surprise. Instead of simply catching the wind elementalist, he returned the favour. By borrowing the momentum of the flying wind user, the fire wielder span and tossed the huge-nosed man back to where he came from. The spin and the throw halted his movements and sent him back a bit, but Abe didn''t have the time to worry about the static fire wielder. The wind elementalist he was hoping to rid himself of by borrowing the hand of the man''s own comrade was now flying his way with a furious smile gracing his face. With that kind of speed, Abe knew that it wouldn''t be advisable to take the blow head on Abe quickly dived out of the way to avoid the man who quickly flew past. From the corner of his eye, Abe saw the man flip gracefully and land steadily on the ground after his dive had failed.


    "You shouldn''t lose your focus boy" the fire wielder ''kindly reminded as he sent a powerful blow towards Abe''s head. His fist was engulfed in flames and the attack didn''t look feeble at all. Since Abe was shorter, the overhead punch was very awkward. But it still hit its target; though it wasn''t how the fire wielder intended it.


    *Bam*


    Abelard didn''t move his entire body. He only moved his head out of the way, hence the fist still struck him. However it wasn''t his head that was struck, but his shoulder. Although his shoulder had been struck, he still had a smile on his face. The smile sent chills down the fire wielder''s spine. Once he saw the smile he realized something. Abelard had never taken his attention off the fire wielder. He was very much interested in the man''s moves. The man was clearly the brains of the two man team. Well, it was initially a two men one woman team, but that was in the past. Abe needed to take him out before anything else. So he pretended to be more concerned with the wind elementalist and appeared to have left himself open, hoping that the fire elementalist would bite the bait. And he did. Now the man was nothing but a juicy little fish waited to be reeled in, roasted, and consumed. This plan was only possible because of the armor he wore. The combat armor allowed him to be careless and make some decisions that he would normally never make. After all, there was no way he would be willing to have a flaming fist touch any part of his body if not for the armor.


    "Sh*t" the huge-nosed man vulgarity wasn''t hidden when he saw Abe still standing after receiving what should have been a heavy blow. He didn''t know how, but he reckoned that it mostly had to do with the strange armor that the boy was wearing. Abelard had his back to him, so the man couldn''t see the young boy''s expression. But he could see his partner''s face. The look on his comrade''s face was anything but reassuring. He needed to get there quickly. He tried to sprint towards their position but he was stuck.


    "Huh" he looked down at his feet only to realize that they completely covered in earth. It would take him long to break the shackles ¨C only a few seconds at most. But that was all the time Abe needed.


    Abe gratefully delivered an uppercut to the jaw of the fire wielder. His fist was coated in earth, and he happily returned the favor.


    *Boom*


    The fire wielder was launched into the air by the powerful blow. He couldn''t feel his jaw, but he was sure that what was meant to be a single bone wasn''t anymore. His jaw was broken. And the break wasn''t a simple one. However, before he could analyse the current situation, he saw a huge shadow approaching at breathtaking speed.


    *Boom*


    "Whew. That was easy." Abelard ''wiped the sweat'' off his brow as he commented. He had a large hammer in his hand, and a mutilated body ling at his feet. "This sure is convenient" he continued as he admired the ability of the hammer to disappear and appear upon command. It made it much easier to deal a lot of damage without doing all the work. He silently commanded the hammer to disappear, and quickly turned around to face the wind wielder who was finally free.


    The man looked furious. Abelard was free now. There was only an opponent left. He could finally let lose. The wind elementalist punched out once he was close enough. Abelard didn''t want to be done in, so he punched out too. This was why Abelard was eager to get rid of the fire wielder. The man was intelligent. He wasn''t a fool like this wind wielder. ''Why was this man a fool'' one may wonder? Well anyone with a little bit of knowledge on wielding know you don''t compete with earth elementalists in strength. Maybe a fire wielder can, but definitely not a wind elementalist. Even stupider was that he punched out from quite some distance away. His intention was to drive a ferocious wind attack Abe''s way. In his anger he had forgotten the basics of wielding, so Abelard volunteered to teach him.


    Since the fool wanted to trade punches with their elements alone, Abelard obliged.


    *Bang*


    The earth fist and the air fist collided spectacularly, and produced a thunderous applause. They were locked in a stalemate for a short while, but in the end, the earth fist prevailed. It crashed the air fist and happily struck the huge-nosed man, creating a crunching noise that was like music to Abe''s ears. The attack incapacitated the wind wielder, who knew once the fist struck that he had at least broken several of his rib bones and his sternum.


    He was confident in his punch because Abe''s aura was only at the 6th stage of the above-mortal realm. He was a Profound Realmer. Dealing with an above-mortal stage realmer was supposed to be a piece of cake. Even though Abelard had successfully killed off two of his partners, he didn''t believe it was purely due to skill. He just assumed that Abelard was lucky. Unfortunately, to assume wrongly always had a grave consequence, and he was paying the price for his actions. However, he didn''t get to regret his actions for long.


    The attack had pushed him back all the way to the end of the earth dome. He struggled to stand back up even as Abe''s footsteps drew ever closer. As he felt death beckon, his heart was gripped with fear. If only the team had listened to their captain, they wouldn''t be in this predicament. Now he was the only one alive, and even he would die soon. How he wished that someone would appear and save him. How he hoped for a savior to appear. Alas, it wasn''t meant to be. When the footsteps stopped, he knew that his slayer was here.


    "How are you so strong" he wanted ¨C no, he needed ¨C to know? How was it that an above-mortal realmer could be this devastating?


    "You are about to die; what good would the answer do you?" Abelard replied.


    "I suppose you are right. Alright then; be done with it" the huge-nosed man closed his eyes as he waited for his death. His formerly erratic heart was strangely at peace once he accepted his end. ''In the end I never told her how I felt. I lacked courage. At least I would see her again ¨C on the other side." As his life was about to be snuffed out, all he could think about was the pretty lady who had lost her life right before his very eyes; his only comfort being that he would get to see her again now that he too was joining her.


    Abelard gazed calmly upon the man who wept silently. He felt sorry for him, but to have mercy on the enemy was not a mistake he was going to make.


    "Hubris fist"

 Chapter 189 - Abelard Fights Part IV

    Abelard frowned as he gazed at nothing in particular. Something had drawn his attention. He could feel two robust auras heading his way. "Great. It''s like an elimination match." He grumbled as he summoned the armor he had just put away. He was cloaked in the black combat suit in next to no time. The auras were approaching quickly. Clearly the newcomers had set out immediately one of their men died. In this case it was the woman who kicked the bucket first. However there were only two people coming. Abelard assumed that this was the last batch. After all, they couldn''t keep sending people to their deaths.


    "Let''s get this over with before Mane gets here" Abelard stretched in the combat suit as he prepared for battle. The incoming auras were stronger than the auras of those he had just killed. He didn''t need his impressive brain to tell him that those coming were definitely stronger. He wouldn''t be able to deal with them simply. It was going to be a tough match. At least now that he had fought with the combat suit he had a gauge of how much he could do.


    "I have a few minutes before they get here. It should be enough to install a few mines" Abe cautiously roamed the battlefield and expertly installed some earth mines. Earth mines were artefacts that were formed by using the earth elements. It was something Abe had been working on for some time now. He got the idea after their last training match with Mane. Mane expertly installed fireballs in the earth and got lucky when one of the twins stepped into it. Abe developed the idea then.


    What if he could compress earth fragments into a unit? What if this unit was highly unstable and needed only a minimal amount of pressure to set off? It was a daunting task, but it was plausible. It only needed excellent control of earth. Abelard wasn''t at Mane''s level, mainly because he lacked the vast reserves of edict Mane had access to; however, he was able to pull it off after a few trials. God knows how many times he hurt himself experimenting with the idea.


    He choose a few areas to place the earth mines. Now that he was a scholar, he would be able to avoid most of the mines ¨C most; not all. It was enough though. With his good memory as long as he was cautious enough, he would be fine. Once he was done, he retreated to the centre of the room to wait for his opponents. He choose the centre because he didn''t know where they would breach the earth dome from. The previous party was careless, but since Abe had taken care of two separate groups, he doubted that the incoming group would possess the same weakness. Unlike before, Abe summoned his hammer, and he was going to use it. Now that he knew that it could be recalled and summoned at will, even mid-battle, he had no qualms using it. He may only know the basics, but with enough trickery he should be fine.


    "You said Abe asked you to get me" Mane asked incredulously? For as long as he knew Abe, the prince had only once asked for a favor. ''If anything ever happens to me, promise me that you would protect my sister''. That was the only favor Abe had asked for in all the years Mane knew him.


    Captain Zakai nodded his head. Once he arrived at the inn, he easily spotted Mane and his friends who were having a meal. Luckily for him, Mane recognized the older man and invited him over before the man could even approach them. Once he got there, he told Mane that Abe was in trouble, but the blond-haired boy didn''t seem to be in a hurry to help. He was keener on finishing his meal than rushing to the prince''s aid.


    Captain Zakai didn''t understand the dynamics of their relationship. The reason for his confusion was simple. The twins who were next to Mane looked unconcerned as well. They drooled as they stuffed the good looking pastries into their mouths. Selina and Frederick weren''t here. They had something else to take care of.


    "I don''t think you understand the gravity of the situation" Captain Zakai attempted to persuade the young boys. One of the two surviving soldiers was losing his patience. Although his prince wasn''t the innocent young boy they thought he was, he was still their prince. They didn''t want anything to happen to him. He didn''t know why the prince had asked for this boy, but he surely had his reasons. Maybe the boy knew someone powerful enough to deal with the threats they were currently facing. Besides, they were in enemy territory! How could they be so calm when they weren''t at home?


    "Listen here kid. We don''t have time. The prince asked for your help. As a citizen of the Western Empire it is your duty to serve your prince. Stop dillydallying and do the right thing!" the angry warrior spat out before Captain Zakai could even stop him. The older man''s face turned pale when he remembered who it was that sat before them.


    "Oh? First and foremost, the twins are the sons of a high noble of the Northern Empire. They aren''t your citizens. Secondly, I live in the Western Empire, but I do not owe it anything. If I decided to leave your empire, your emperor himself would try to persuade me to stay" Abe nonchalantly stated as he stuffed his mouth with more treats. He told Indra that he was going to learn how to control the god in him, but it was easier said than done. The arrogance of his bloodline reared its head after sensing the condensation in the soldier''s tone.


    "Listen here boy. Do you need me to discipline you in your parents'' stead? How dare you insult the Emperor!" Once again Captain Zakai failed to stop the overzealous young soldier who couldn''t stand having his emperor defamed. He was a member of the Royal Guard! It was a position of power and respect all across the empire. He was used to getting his way, so he was angry when a little boy disrespected his Emperor.


    "You will discipline me in my parents'' stead? You ¨C a mere mortal?" Mane coldly asked as his intimidating presence spread speedily throughout the eatery. Because Mane didn''t want any disturbance he had booked the entire floor of the establishment. So the only people here were the twins, himself, and Captain Zakai''s entourage. The pride of his bloodline wasn''t going to stand by as a ''mere mortal'' insulted him. Even Mane didn''t realize that he was slowly changing.


    The soldier felt his knees give way as he fell to the floor. Captain Zakai as well as the other soldier was spared Mane''s anger because of his relation to Abe. If not he would be groveling on the floor as well.


    "Wait! Please he are sorry! Abe treats him like family! Could you spare him for his sake?" Captain Zakai frantically screamed.


    "Why didn''t you say so" Mane tilted his head as he asked as though puzzled by the current situation. The suffocating aura disappeared quickly, and the soldier was able to breathe again. When he looked at Mane, the earlier arrogance was gone. All that was left in its place was fear. He couldn''t help but think to himself that the boy was a monster. He now understood why Abe asked for him, and why he didn''t care about the emperor''s opinion.


    "Actually I know more than you do" Mane finally spoke after stuffing the third cupcake into his mouth. "For Abe to ask for help means that the war has already started, just like we thought it would. But he is my friend. He is mighty strong. No one can handle Abe when he gets serious. He is a Silver Wolf after all!" Mane stated with pride. He smiled at the twins who were looking at him worriedly. They could feel that he had changed, and their looks of worry reminded Mane that he had to keep himself in check. His smile was to reassure them that he was fine.


    "I''m sorry about my behavior earlier. I always lose my cool when someone insults my parents" Captain Zakai and the soldier were surprised to hear Mane apologize. The soldier himself was about to apologize. After all, he had offended a powerhouse. But Mane''s apology left him relieved and flattered.


    "It''s fine. I was in the wrong." He laughed nervously as he accepted the boy''s apology.


    Mane nodded with a smile and said, "Join us. We''d finish quicker if you eat with us. And the earlier we finish, the earlier we leave to get Abe."


    "You are finally here. I thought you would never come" Abe smiled at the two men who were picking themselves up from the ground. It was unfortunate for them that they stepped into a mine immediately they entered the dome. However, apart from the earlier shock they were mostly unharmed. Abe didn''t rush to attack because he realized that they were vastly stronger than the previous group. He needed to be very cautious. He pushed down his anxiety and readied himself.


    "Glow: Earth''s Darling Boy"

 Chapter 190 - Abelard Fights Part V

    "Strange fellow" one of the new entries commented as he dusted himself. The other who was just getting up agreed with his partner''s assessment, "Yes". They could feel the energy of the young boy. It was only at the 6th level of the above-mortal realm; yet he had dealt with profound realmers and even killed them. Although they were mostly unharmed by the earth mines, they felt the power of the sneaky little trap. If they were a bit slower to protect themselves or even a few levels weaker, they would have been done in. "Don''t underestimate him" one of the men warned. The other only nodded his head in response. There was no way he would underestimate someone who was so tricky.


    There was no visible change around Abe after he activated his glow, but that was only on the outside. He could feel his connection to the earth elements grow stronger than it was before. They felt like family. It was almost as if he could pull them close and hug them. That was how great the connection was. Even more spectacular was that his scholar abilities heightened this sensation ever so slightly. Although Abe felt his connection to the earth grow stronger, he could also feel the edict leaving his body quite clearly.


    "I have to do this quickly. I wouldn''t be able to hold on for long.'' Abe calmly analysed as the huge hammer in his hand disappeared. Once it did the young prince sprang into action.


    He appeared in front of one of the men who was just as stunned as his partner to see the strange weapon disappear. Once he was in front on the man, Abe executed a beautiful spinning heel kick. But the man was quick to react. He caught Abe''s foot, and span him towards his partner, intending to end things quickly. Abe flew in a ragged manner towards the other man who was waiting with his arms wide open; but it wasn''t to give the young boy a hug. However, right before Abelard landed in front of the man, he was given the shock of his life.


    The huge hammer that had disappeared reappeared in the hands of the young boy and came rushing towards his midsection. He hurriedly blocked the unexpected attack.


    *Bang*


    The man cut a sorry figure as he was flung a few meters away. However, he still managed to remain standing. He could feel the tingle in his arms. Although none of his arms were broken, the strike stung badly. His arms were sore, and he could feel them slowly swelling up. He hurriedly directed inner energy towards his arms to stabilize his condition. Unfortunately for him, Abelard wasn''t going to wait for him. The young prince noticed his opening, and he wasn''t going to let that opportunity slide. He could already feel the other man rushing to his partner''s aid. He needed to act fast. After all, he was slower than both of them.


    Abe had intentionally revealed the hammer the first time. It was to let the men register its presence. Then when they had seen it, and remembered it clearly (mostly because of its unusual size) he recalled the hammer. He bet on the fact that they wouldn''t expect him to be able to freely call and recall it, and his bet was spot on. He was hoping to catch them by surprise and deal a good blow in. The first attack was merely a faint. Most people who fought with partners for a long time tended to rely on them, and sometimes over rely on them. Abe was bunking on this. But that would only work if the two men had been working together for a long time. Luckily for Abe, they had. So once his attack failed, his opponent would be more than eager to pass on the task to the other. Abe couldn''t believe his luck when he was thrown towards the other man. For many people they would be disoriented by such a move. But Abe was a scholar now. Even when he was tossed like a ragdoll he still got his bearings right. He only had to time everything right.


    "Hubris Fist" Abe screamed as his fist struck his opponent squarely on the jaw.


    *Crunch*


    The sound of the jaw bone breaking was like music to his ears. The hammer had disappeared once more when the opponent was expecting the huge weapon to descend on him. Because he was prepared to protect a greater area, Abe''s punch rattled him. Abe didn''t let his opening slide. He quickly sent in two more punches to the man''s midsection, and a final punch to his temple. He was eager to continue, but his time was up.


    *Boom*


    The figure of the other man came crushing down furiously. Abe had already skipped to the side, so he avoided what would otherwise been a sure death sentence.


    "He is abnormally strong" the unharmed man analysed. He guessed from the earth mines that Abe was an earth wielder, because the explosion wasn''t fire based. Earth shrapnel were the means of attack. But even for earth wielders the boy was abnormally strong. What he didn''t know was that Abe''s strength came from his glow ''Earth''s Darling Son''. People with the earth elemental ability were usually stronger than usual. So with Abe''s heightened connection to the earth, he grew even stronger. Abe had spectacular conjuring abilities, but they wouldn''t be so helpful against opponents who were able to easily shrug off his earth mines. And even with a full on assault all he had done was to break the jaw bone of one of his opponents. Sure it was always uncomfortable to have such a bone broken, but it wouldn''t hinder his fighting ability much. But before he could consider any more options, man with the broken jaw appeared right in front of him. He looked furious, an understandable emotion for someone who had just been on the wrong end of the assault. He struck Abe quickly before he could even react.


    *Bam*


    *Bam*


    *Bam*


    Abe received three quick punches to his belly. It was only when he was sent flying back that he was able to understand what just happened. Even with his abilities as a scholar he was unable to sense the approach of the opponent. It wasn''t because the man was able to cloak Abe''s senses. It was because he so much faster than Abe''s scholar abilities could record.


    "He is a wind wielder" Abe realized. That was the only explanation for the insane speed. The boy fell to the ground with a thud. Although his abdomen was struck, the pain run through his entire body. He could feel blood filling his mouth, and he did nothing to hold it down. The furious man was comforted by the sight of Abe coughing up blood. If he could smile, he would have.


    "I can''t win with conventional methods" Abe realized. He had been too confident in the armor. Till now he couldn''t even sense the level of his opponents! They were vastly stronger than he was. If he wanted to win, he had to use his brain. His eyes lit up after a split second. Although he was quickly losing inner energy, he would be able to pull it off. He ignored his aching body and began to spin. He slowly gathered momentum until he was nothing but a blur.


    "What is he doing now" the unharmed man voiced out? He wasn''t so concerned. To him Abe was just displaying some last ditch efforts at survival. It was impressive that one so young could become so strong. But the boy would fall here.


    "Oh so this is his plan. But how would he see?" the man smirked when he saw what was happening. The entire dome was filled with dust, making it hard for any of them to see. Since the dome was a barrier, it fixed itself whenever it was dented. Although the fixing took time, it would still happen. This meant that the opening they had used was long sealed up. If Abe wanted to escape they would hear it. So although they couldn''t see, they had their ears. Unfortunately Abe''s ears were far better; his opponents just didn''t know it.

 Chapter 191 - Abelard Fights Part VI

    Dust covered the previously clear battlefield. Nothing was as obvious as it was before. The two profound wielders couldn''t see each other; they could only feel their presence by listening to the rhythm of their breathing. They closed their eyes for the previously vital organ was a mere burden under the current circ.u.mstances. With their eyes closed and their senses heightened to the utmost, they slowly parted ways, each one choosing a different path with impressive coordination. This was amazing to witness because although they both had their eyes closed, they understood what needed to be done. They had clearly been partners for much longer.


    Abe sat with his eyes closed as he slowly gathered inner energy. His glow had been deactivated, and he was using this time to recover some of his strength. He was injured. And his injury had reduced his battle ability to about 75%.


    "They have separated" Abe analysed as he sat within the dusty dome. The best way to clear the dust would be to break open a hole in the dome. The wind from the outside would clear the dust pretty quickly. However Abe highly doubted that. Not only was he injured, he was also weaker than them by quite the margin. Also, they didn''t know if Abe had any way to call for reinforcements. The barrier was capable of preventing a person''s aura from leaking out. If it remained sealed, there would be no way for Abe to call for help. But Abe wasn''t worried. Since Captain Zakai had already seen the place, he would be able to lead Mane here. All Abe had to o was to hold on for as long as he could before Mane got here.


    "This should be enough" Abe thought silently as he slowly stood up. Although his ribs still hurt, he was able to move. He could feel one of the enemy wielders approaching his position. Abe silently and calmly walked away from the approaching wielder. Although it was a dangerous move, he was able to do it. Not only were his senses heightened, he was also able to slightly cloak some of his movements. With the dust as his cloak, and the dome as his shield, Abe slowly made his own maze. He slowly deposited the few earth mines he had left at random positions; however, he kept one to himself. He needed to throw them off his movements. He walked in an unpredictable manner, and kept leading the two men to each other. After what seemed like the third time they had run into each other, the two wielders were fed up.


    "Destroy the dome. We cannot wait any longer" one of them instructed. The other nodded his head in agreement. Waiting any longer would be foolish on their part. After all not only were they wasting valuable time, they were being played like little children. It was obvious to them at this point that Abe had a way of sensing their movements, whereas they had no way of perceiving his. The dust also should no sign of settling. One of the men, who was a fire wielder, had tried conjuring some flames to rid themselves of the dusty atmosphere but it did nothing. This could only mean that the dust wasn''t natural. It must have been conjured by the boy, and it was still possibly connected to his inner energy.


    They were right about the dust being unnatural. And they were also correct about it being connected to Abe''s energy. Abe was only able to perform this trick by using his glow: Earth''s Darling Boy. He wouldn''t have been able to do so otherwise. This dust ability was an evasive one. It was meant to be used as a means of escape. Unfortunately for Abe, there was nowhere to escape to.


    The fire wielder conjured a huge ball of flames in his palm. He flung the fire powerfully in a random direction. Once he had done this, he immediately conjured several more flames and threw in different directions. The sound of the dome breaking in different areas was heard by all three of them. Two of them were happy to receive the loud banging, but the last person wasn''t so thrilled.


    Abe was worried from the moment his worst fears were realized. Once he felt the temperature rise, he knew that his enemies had lost their patience. And to be honest, he had lost his patience as well. He assumed that he would only have to stall for a little while. But it had been over twenty minutes and Mane still wasn''t here yet. He couldn''t help but worry about Captain Zakai and the remnants of the Royal Guard. He was worried that they were intercepted and captured; or even worse, killed.


    "I have to know. But to do that, I need to get out of here first." Abe resolved to fight with all he had. Till now he had just been trying to survive. Now he was trying to live.


    "There he is" once the dust cleared, the two wielders quickly identified their target. The young boy was lying on the ground. His brows scrunched up in pain and his eyes closed. His forehead was filled with sweat, and he was clearly in a lot of suffering.


    "I see your punches weren''t light at all" the fire wielder mocked when he saw the state of the boy. The injured wind wielder remained expressionless. Of course his punches weren''t light. He was angry at the boy for his assault, and had struck with all his strength when he finally retaliated. They slowly let down their guard when they witnessed his sorry state. Seeing his like this they couldn''t help but think that it was all just a fluke. Maybe the boy didn''t have any exceptional method of evading their earlier search. Maybe he was just lucky. And his being unconscious on the ground would explain why they couldn''t sense any movements from him.


    The wind user stopped the fire user when the man attempted to walk to Abe. He pointed at Abe, and then to himself. ''He is mine'' was what he meant to say. But with his lower jaw broken, he couldn''t speak the words. Fortunately for him, his friend understood him. The fire wielder stepped back and watched his friend approach the boy. However, when the wind wielder was an arm''s length away from Abe, the fire wielder suddenly had a bad premonition.


    "Wait" he screamed in an attempt to stop his partner! Unfortunately it was too late. The struggling boy grasped the feet of the wind wielder at amazing speed. Since he wasn''t expecting the attack, he was caught unawares once again.


    Abe smiled at the man and said, "I''m also very vengeful". He rolled away quickly and created an earth shield for cover.


    *Boom*


    "AHHHH" the man screamed in pain! His screaming quickly turned into muted when the pain from his jaw reminded him that it was broken. When Abe had grabbed his leg, the young boy used the opportunity to stab an earth mine into the wind user''s leg. It was his last earth mine, and his survival hinged greatly on it. Immediately the mine went off Abe rushed forward with his earth shield, protecting himself from the debris as he rushed to get to the fallen wielder before his partner did. And he accomplished his mission. Once he spotted the wind wielder, he wasted no time summoning his hammer. He fought through the pain that threatened to tear him apart and unleashed is frustrations upon the fallen wind elementalist. The hammer descended quickly on the man whose eyes were now filled with fear.


    *Bam*


    Once the hammer descended on its target and ended his life, Abe quickly moved away.

 Chapter 192 - Awakening 202

    Abe gasped for breath loudly. He was exhausted. The sneak attack had stolen much of his inner energy and aggravated his wounds. But even under such conditions he didn''t dare blink his eyes. There was one more enemy left ¨C a dreaded fire wielder. The man looked at Abe with a chilling stare as he held onto the corpse of his friend. By now Abe was very aware that the two were more than just work partners. They shared a bond that the previous group did not.


    "This cannot be good for me" the young Prince lamented when the fire wielder''s gaze looked onto his. There was fury in those eyes. Unhidden, unbridled fury that threatened to consume him. "What else did he expect? It''s not like I could wait calmly for them to kill me." Abe murmured with tired eyes.


    "Rest well, old friend. I''m bringing the culprit to you. You would be able to consume his soul when he arrives in the realm of the dead." The fire wielder grimly announced. His words sent chills down Abe''s spine. The grieving wielder summoned flames as he held on to his friend''s lifeless body. The flames consumed the carcass and turned them to ash. The grieving man watched in silence as the ashes of his friend flew out of the broken out of the broken dome. Since Abe''s inner energy was deficient, he didn''t have the power to feed the broken barrier; hence the blast ''wounds'' were still present.


    If Abe was fit he would have been happy to attack the grieving man; but the circ.u.mstances were far from ideal for him. Not only was he injured, he could also feel the presence of the edict forsaking him. He didn''t have much inner energy left. And he had no tricks to rely on. The little energy it took to summon the hammer that belonged to his combat set didn''t seem so little anymore.


    The fire wielder faced Abe once again when the last of his friend''s ashes departed the dome. His remorse was no more. In its place was a steely look. Once Abe looked into his eyes he knew what the man wanted: he wanted him dead. And he wasn''t going to make it swift.


    Abe summoned a pair of earth gauntlets as he watched the fire wielder summon his flames. The man''s balled up fists were engulfed in flames, and the flames seemed hotter than they were initially. Fire wielders were emotional beings, much like ice wielders. The angrier a fire wielder got, the more powerful his/her flames were. The calmer an ice wielder got, the more power he/she was able to draw from the ice elements.


    *Boom*


    The two wielders moved at the same time, each one striking the other. Abe''s fist struck the fire wielder''s in unyielding determination. His earth gauntlets sought to gain the advantage over the fiery fists that opposed them. Unfortunately Abe was out of luck. Not only was he weaker than his opponent, he was also riddled with injuries and had almost no inner energy left. His earth gauntlets broke apart, and he was struck mercilessly by the furious fire wielder.


    *Boom*


    The blow was strong. It was so powerful that Abe was sent flying, and his momentum was only halted by the dome. He coughed out copious amounts of blood once he struck the wall. He had broken several more bones, for the combat armor was just a mere decoration now that it wasn''t receiving any inner energy. But it did help him still. The flames of his opponent would have consumed him if not for the extra covering he had on. Abe''s vision was hazy. He could hardly see a thing. The dizziness that consumed him didn''t allow him to make out the form of the quickly approaching fire wielder


    *Bam*


    Abe coughed out more blood as the ruthless elementalist struck him again. Now that he was at the edge of the dome, there was nowhere else to fly to. He was literally stuck to the wall as he was battered mercilessly by the grieving man


    *Bam*


    *Bam*


    *Bam*


    Abe had lost count of how many times he had been hit. He couldn''t feel the pain anymore. He slowly slipped out of consciousness. "I guess this is it for me" he thought. He didn''t have any healing pills with him. The few he had he had given away. If he had them, he wouldn''t be so miserable. Yet he didn''t regret his decision.


    "Is this the land of the dead? It''s weirder than I thought" Abe commented as he gazed upon the white space he found himself in. He assumed that he was dead. That was the fire wielder''s goal after all. However before he could make any more conjectures, a voice interrupted his thoughts.


    "For someone of my lineage you have very little confidence."


    Abe looked around wearily. "Who''s there" Abe questioned. His eyes moved around quickly, trying to discern the origin of the voice. However, he found nothing. Even his abilities as a scholar failed him.


    ''Wait'' Abe suddenly realized that he could still feel the power of the edict in here. ''How could the land of the dead have such power'' he wondered. ''Unless-''


    "You have finally realized haven''t you" the voice suddenly opined? "You mean to say that I''m not dead" Abe asked? From his perspective, his very recent memories were related to an angry fire wielder pounding away on his small frame. How could he still be alive after that?


    "Did Mane save me" Abe wondered? Maybe his friend had arrived in the nick of time to save his life. That was the only logical explanation.


    "I don''t know who this Mane is, but you are the descendent of the blood wyvern. It is shameful of you to depend on anyone" the voice butted in.


    "Brave words for one who doesn''t dare show himself" Abe mocked. He didn''t like the fact that he was hoping Mane was going to save him when he was trapped. But he was weaker than the blond-haired boy. To him it was instinctive to think of his captain when he was faced with enemies who were far stronger than he was.


    "Alright then. I would grant you his one request" the voice accepted the dare. Before Abe could say anything else he saw a huge figure descending from the sky. The winds stirred in this elementless space as the flying figure landed right in front of Abe. The young Prince stared, slack jawed by the amazing sight. Before him was a creature similar to the dragons of old. It was large and majestic, and its blue eyes radiated courage and honour. It had two hind limbs, and its forelimbs were joined to its wings. That was the only difference between this creature and a dragon. Unlike dragons, this creature didn''t have forelimbs. Its wings were its forelimbs.


    Abe stepped back cautiously. He couldn''t even fend off a fire wielder at the profound level. There was no way he would be able to deal with this creature. The power he felt from it was unlike anything he had ever felt before. It was suffocating and profound. It was certainly far stronger than any other being he had encountered. It was likely that it was as strong as his master ¨C or maybe even stronger.


    "You can''t recognize my form can you" the majestic creature asked. Abe shook his head in reply. "Dragon" he ventured a guess?


    "I am related to those pesky lizards. But we are different. I am a wyvern" the creature haughtily replied. Abe didn''t feel any respect from the wyvern when it spoke of the dragons. There wasn''t any malice in its words towards the dragons, but it clearly didn''t care much about their opinions.


    Abe stood there shocked upon hearing the creature''s identity. It was a wyvern. His family had the blood of wyverns running through their veins. They called themselves the descendants of the Blood Wyvern yet none of them knew what this creature looked like. Abe always assumed that it was a powerful creature, but he didn''t think it would look like this. Although it said it wasn''t a dragon, Abe guessed that they must be related in some way. After all, they looked too similar to be unrelated.


    "I have analysed your abilities. You have the power of transformation. A rare skill for one of mixed blood. Yet you have no idea how to use it. It isn''t surprising however, since you clearly don''t know what a wyvern looks like" the wyvern mocked.


    Abe blushed in embarrassment when he heard the unveiled criticism. It was true that he had no idea how to unleash the power of his third glow.


    "You are too weak right now. At most you can perform a half-transformation. But that should be enough to get you out of your current predicament." The wyvern continued.


    "Wait. Are you saying I''m still dying at the hands of that fire wielder?" Abe asked. He was under the impression that he had escaped. It seemed he was wrong.


    "I have no idea what is happening in your world. I heard your call for help. Your bloodline is quite strong. It reached me from a planet I cannot even discern. You are here in spirit only. It''s called Spiritual Transportation. Your spirit is too weak currently. You have only a few more minutes left before you are returned to your home world."


    Abe smiled wryly upon hearing the wyvern''s words. His salvation was only short-lived after all.


    "Don''t look so downtrodden. I didn''t call you all the way here only to give you such news. I have a legacy for you." The wyvern comforted.


    Abe was relieved upon hearing his ancestor''s words. "Here. Accept it. Accept your awakening."


    The wyvern stated as a ball of blood exited its body and flew towards Abe. Abe didn''t dodge. He felt a connection with the blood ball. He knew instinctively that it was good for him.


    Once the blood engulfed his figure Abe began to fade away. His eyes were closed as he accepted the molding of the wyvern''s blood. He had no idea that he was leaving this strange realm.


    As it watched Abe fade away, the wyvern spoke sadly, "You are the last of his descendants. The last living Blood Wyvern. Rise up to be the King you are".


    All the blood wyverns were dead. It was amazing that there were remnants of the powerful bloodline left. That was the power of wyvern royalty. As long as Abe is able to grow, he would be one of the most powerful beings in existence.


    "Spread carnage and wreak havoc King of Wyverns. Run wild."

 Chapter 193 - Awakening 202 Part II

    *Bam*


    *Bam*


    *Bam*


    *Bam*


    *Bam*


    *Bam*


    The furious fire wielder kept pounding away on the charred flesh of the fallen prince. Abe''s body had stopped showing any signs of life, yet the angry fire wielder wasn''t done venting his frustrations. The armor that once shielded the prized body of the Western Empire''s Prince had long withdrawn and returned to its dormant form as a harmless bracelet. Since Abe wasn''t feeding it any inner energy, their bargain was ended. Due to its surrender, Abe''s body was no longer protected from the fiery flames that had long threatened to consume him. His body was burnt beyond recognition and any who knew the young boy ¨C his father included ¨C would be hard pressed to identify him.


    "Hah-hah-hah-hah" the enemy wielder panted as he finally ceased his maniacal abuse of a corpse. He took one last look at the boy who had taken the life of his friend and set the boy''s corpse on fire. As he watched the boy''s body burn, he underwent an introspection. ''Was he satisfied with his revenge?'' ''Would his friend be thrilled that the little brat who took him down had been sent to him?'' He didn''t know. What he did know was that he had done the right thing. It wasn''t pretty, but he had accomplished Master''s mission and avenged his friend. He took one last look at the boy and turned to leave.


    The fire wielder wasn''t in the right state of mind. If he was, he would have realized that it was taking too long for Abe''s body to be reduced to ashes. It only took him a few minutes to turn his old friend''s intact body to ashes. Yet this little boy who was even weaker than his friend was still intact.


    "Can we please move faster" Captain Zakai pleaded with an exasperated expression. The reinforcement he was told to bring seemed totally unconcerned about the wellbeing of their Prince. The other two members of the Royal Guard shared the same looks of worry. However after Mane''s dominant display in the inn earlier, they were fearful to make any requests.


    "We are just a minute away from the venue, aren''t we" Mane enquired as he lazily picked his teeth. He flung the toothpick he was using once the little piece of meat that had tortured him for a while now as finally dislodged from its position. In their worry none of the members of the Royal Guard noticed that the little pick was burnt into a crisp before it could even land on the ground. The strangest thing was there were no flames accompanying the bizarre heat change.


    "Yes" Captain Zakai was surprised that the boy knew the place they were going to all along. If he did, why was he taking them along? They were only slowing him down.


    "You people have no faith in your Prince, but I do. Abe is the most strong-willed person I have ever met. However his formerly immovable will has been diluted by my presence. The more I show up to rescue him from situations like a princess, the more he would depend on me" Mane confessed his reasons for showing no eagerness to help his friend. Over the past few years that they hunted members of the Dar Kingdom, Mane had been the one getting the group out of tight situations. This had gone on for so long that even Abe, the most dependent person in the group if Mane was excluded, had slowly grown to depend on the boy. Mane knew that it was dangerous to leave Abe to fend for himself. But he was convinced that his friend would be fine. This was because of his own trust in his friends, and the words Sir Indra had spoken to him before he left ¨C words his mother seemed to agree with.


    "No friend of a Supreme is average. If you keep treating your friend''s like feeble eggs, who would be their downfall." So Mane was doing the hardest thing he had ever done. Leave his friend''s in danger when he knew perfectly well that he could be their salvation.


    "Besides, I have bet on Abe. I have bet that he wouldn''t let me down. My power is at stake here." Mane smiled mysteriously as he proclaimed. Those around him, the twins included, didn''t understand what he meant. But they didn''t need to. They were going to find out what Mane meant soon.


    *Boom*


    They all reacted to the loud noise. The thunderous sound was hard to miss, especially when it was right in front of them. There was a red pillar of light that had pierced the sky and split the clouds apart, seeking no permission to do so. Even though they weren''t so close to the pillar of light, they could feel the heat it brought.


    "And I was right. I wonder how much I gain" Abe smiled gleefully. The others still didn''t understand what was going on. "Enough delaying" Mane stated. "Jake, John; each of you should grab one of them and move towards the pillar. We don''t want to miss a good show" Mane commanded as he held on to Captain Zakai before the older man could even say a word. The twins heeded his commands quickly, each of the small boys moving to grab the hand of a Royal Guard.


    "Forgive our impudence" Mane apologized to the Captain, who finally understood what was going on and was only too eager to get to his Prince. The older man nodded to show he had no complaints. Immediately he did, Mane and the twins took off at impressive speed.


    "What the-" the fire wielder rubbed his eyes to ensure that he wasn''t hallucinating. The boy who was supposed to be dead was standing firm. Although he was still on fire, the fire didn''t seem to be hurting him. The fire wielder watched as the flames slowly died out, revealing the slender form of the boy who was ''dead'' only a few minutes ago. The boy had no clothes on. It was clear they had been burnt off cleanly by the fire; proof to the fire wielder that it wasn''t a hallucination. The boy had truly been on fire.


    "I should thank you" Abe coldly remarked as he assessed his body. His earlier injuries had all disappeared. His broken ribs were strong and compact, and his formerly burnt skin was as white as snow. Apart from the fact that he was n.a.k.e.d, he was pretty much okay. He balled his fists and relished the feeling of the edict making its home in his body once more. Although it had betrayed him before, Abe was more than happy to take it back. The combat bracelet was still intact. The flames hadn''t caused any damage to it, causing Abe to marvel at the material that was used to create it. He had no clothes on, so he summoned the armor. It was strange feeling it directly on his skin, but it was better than being an exhibitionist.


    "Now I repay the favor" Abe remarked as he disappeared from the fire wielder''s view. The man''s eyes went wide as he witnessed the impressive burst of speed. He quickly turned around, correctly anticipating where the attack was going to come from.


    *Boom*


    Unlike their earlier clash, things weren''t quite the same. The tables had turned. The fire wielder was sent flying backwards. He experienced what Abe had experienced as he crushed painfully into the dome. Although Abe was bursting with energy, he didn''t bother to fix the dome. The fire wielder coughed up some blood as his face went pale.


    "I can''t sense his power" he realized! He was even more terrified when he saw Abe''s outstretched arm. It was still in the same position. The boy hadn''t withdrawn his arm yet. That''s right. Abe had only sent a slap the man''s way, yet he couldn''t do anything about it.


    "You played around with me earlier. Now I am going to do the same." Abe coldly remarked as the aura of a profound wielder scattered all across the battlefield.

 Chapter 194 - Mane And Abelard Part I

    *Bam*


    *Bam*


    *Bam*


    *Bam*


    *Bam*


    The sounds that resounded were akin to the constant beating of a drum. However it wasn''t a drum that was being beaten, but a man. The fire wielder coughed up blood as he was sent flying into the dome for the nth time. As for how many times he had been smacked against the earth structure, he didn''t know. But he was certain that he had hit every single area of the dome. He had several broken ribs, and his body was harboring several internal injuries. Although he was severely injured, his vision hadn''t failed him yet. He watched as the culprit for his misery walked leisurely towards him. His thigh bones had been broken in the recent barrage. He landed on his legs from an impressive height and unfortunately didn''t have any inner energy to cushion his landing. He could only kneel in pain as Abe approached him.


    "I should have killed you earlier" the fallen fire wielder remarked when Abe finally appeared before him. "You should have" Abe assented, not bothering to argue with the man. He clutched his enemy''s neck as though he was holding a chicken to be slaughtered and commanded, "Flames of Hubris".


    "Ahhh" the shrill screams of the fire wielder were chilling. He cried in agony as he was engulfed by a stream of blood-red flames. Never in his wildest dreams did he consider that he would die engulfed in flames.


    The fire wielder was reduced to ash in a few seconds. It didn''t even take half a minute to incinerate him fully. "When did you get here" Abe questioned once he was done with the execution?


    "A while ago. You didn''t need to deal with him so" came the answer. "I do not need you to teach me how to carry out my revenge" Abe refuted.


    "I know" spoke the figure who finally revealed himself. He had long golden hair and deep blue eyes. The overcoat he wore wasn''t enough to hide his slender yet muscular frame. At his left and right side were the twins, each on one side. Behind the trio were the remnants of the Royal Guard.


    "So are you done" Mane expressionlessly asked? He wasn''t pleased with what he saw. He assumed that Abe had suffered at the hands of his opponents. That must be why his second awakening was triggered. But that was no excuse to play around with an opponent one could dispatch with ease. Even if Abelard was not the one who started it, he had to be better than his opponents. And although Mane could understand his friend''s dissatisfaction with him for deliberately arriving late, he still didn''t approve of his behavior.


    It wasn''t like he didn''t help Abelard in any way. If he hadn''t left that ''thing'' in Abelard, there was no way Abe would have been able to trigger a bloodline union with his ancestor and consequently undergo a reawakening. That was how the wyvern Abe had met was aware of the interference of another. It could sense that something had connected it to Abelard, and it had the aura of another. Of course Abelard didn''t know this, but his friend should know better than anyone that Mane wasn''t the type of person to abandon his friends. If Mane hadn''t planted that ''thing'' in Abelard there was no way he would have allowed his friend to be in danger. He had placed his faith in that device and in his friend. Unfortunately Abelard didn''t know about that, and Mane wasn''t going to tell him.


    "What if I say I am not" Abe pushed. "Guys-" Jake tried to calm things down. He didn''t know why Mane had delayed so much before coming out to help Abe. And to be honest, Jake didn''t agree with his captain''s methods. He wasn''t sure of it, but he could sense that John wasn''t on board either. But they couldn''t fight among themselves in enemy territory. If anything, they had to leave first.


    "Good. Then you can use your newly acquired abilities in the right manner" Mane calmly responded. Abelard was about to ask what he meant by that when he felt the approach of several powerful auras. All of the incoming individuals were at the profound realm, and a few gave out auras that were too powerful for Abe to correctly discern with his scholar senses. His abilities as a scholar allowed him to accurately tell the power level of an opponent.


    Usually any wielder would be able to sense the power of those close to them in terms of power, but they wouldn''t be able to accurately pinpoint that person''s exact power level. But scholars were able to do that. Yet Abe wasn''t able to tell the power levels of seven of those people. He was wrong to think that the men he had just killed were the last wave. They were in enemy territory. Unless they left the area, they would keep having to face stronger enemies. It was clear from the vast number of enemies approaching that the one they called Master had long since lost his patience. He finally understood why Mane was angry. He had chosen to fool around instead of quickly finishing the job so they could escape. After all, they weren''t omnipotent beings. But Abelard was still furious with Mane. He wouldn''t tell the blond boy that he was right.


    "Jake, John; protect Captain Zakai and his men" Mane commanded. The twins nodded and quickly retreated behind Mane and Abelard with Captain Zakai and his men in tow.


    "Jake, destroy the dome ¨C what is left of it anyway" Mane gave more orders. Jake nodded in reply and unleashed several pillars of fire that completely destroyed the partially broken down barrier. Since it wasn''t being fed any more inner energy, it wasn''t difficult to destroy it.


    "John, create a water wall around your group" Mane added. John didn''t argue. Whoever their enemies were, Mane wouldn''t have asked them to sit back if they could be taken lightly. Since their captain had asked that they protect the Royal Guard, that meant Mane didn''t have the confidence to safely fight and protect them at the same time. Once John created the water wall, Mane chanted a few words and a transparent barrier covered the water wall, making both the wall and those inside invisible.


    "Yo Bigshot" Mane called out to Abelard. The new term had Abe cringing in annoyance, but he didn''t want to make Mane happy by openly displaying his dissatisfaction.


    "What" Abe snapped back?


    "Now that you are at the 6th Stage of the Profound Realm you should make yourself useful. Use your dual wielding abilities right" Mane remarked.


    NAME: Abe


    AGE: 11


    HEALTH POINTS: 3800/3800


    BLOODLINE: *True Blood Wyvern


    BLOODLINE RANK: Rank 15 (partially unlocked)


    RACE: *Zandorian Remnant (100%)


    LEVEL: Profound Stage 6 (Level 46.45)


    POWER LEVEL: 260,000


    WIELDER TYPE: Dual Wielder (Energy Wielder; Scholar)


    SPECIALTY: Strength, Intelligence, and Vitality


    GLOWS: Earth''s Darling Boy; *Incomplete Transformation [Wyvern]


    BREATHS: *True Hubris


    "And while we are at it, how about I show you what it really means to truly deal with one''s enemies?" Mane ''kindly'' offered. He scanned Abe the moment he came in, but the young prince didn''t feel it. After all, Mane was a higher-leveled scholar than he was.


    Mane didn''t wait for Abe to reply. He summoned his sword and his blade, each in one hand. He wasn''t planning to waste any time.


    "Let''s get to it"

 Chapter 195 - Mane And Abelard Part II

    Mane dashed towards the direction he could feel the incoming auras from. Abelard was annoyed with his friend, but he wasn''t far behind either. Both of them left blurs as their small figures rushed towards the new threat.


    "Isn''t it an overkill to send so many of us after an unknown enemy" a black haired man asked whilst running through the huge forest. Behind him were 25 profound wielders with the least of them in the late stages of the profound realm. He himself was an earth wielder at the peak of the early stages ¨C he was a 3rd stage earth realmer. However, he wasn''t the only earth realmer here. There were to others who were earth wielders as well. And one of these wielders was at the peak of the earth realm!


    "It is because the enemy is unknown that so many of us have been sent. We have already lost five profound wielders. This time Master wants complete success, which is why we are here" A brown haired man who had his hair held by a green bandana was the one who replied. He was the peak wielder in this huge group. He was at the 9th stage of the earth realm and had no equals among his peers.


    "They are coming" the last earth wielder informed. He was also at the 3rd stage of the earth realm. He had a glow that allowed him to sense the auras of those around him. When he used this glow in addition to the sensing device their master had provided them, he was able to notice a lot of things many didn''t. In a way, he was a pseudo scholar.


    "How many" the strongest in the group enquired?


    "Two" the pseudo scholar replied.


    "Just two" the black haired earth wielder asked, surprised that the task was going to be simpler than he thought.


    "Don''t lose your guard just because there are only two combatants" the leader reminded. "They are marching towards us which means they could feel our aura. This is proof that they aren''t weak" he continued.


    His words knocked some sense into the black haired man''s head. He was rudely awakened from his ignorance. If he couldn''t tell that the enemies were on their way, yet they were capable of sensing them from so far away, it meant they were stronger than him. It was either that or their enemies had a device like theirs which allowed their opponents to sense their approach.


    "Prepare yourselves. The enemy approaches!" the leader screamed in warning when he received his colleague''s signal that the auras of their enemies were almost upon them. The leader unshackled his sword and raised it up high for all to see. In response to his actions, several sounds of weapons leaving their scabbards followed immediately after. The black haired wielder unsheathed two unusual daggers, and quickly disappeared into the forest. He was a wind wielder and a master assassin. His expertise wasn''t in a battlefield. He would be a better asset in the blind spots of their enemies. The pseudo scholar untied the huge rod on his back. The unusual weapon had no scabbard, so it was only tied crudely to the man. But that did nothing to hide the imposing manner that it gave off.


    The leader of the group had his eyes staring ahead of him in great concentration. He didn''t know if their enemies were going to ambush them, or face them head on. Although the pseudo scholar had assured him that the enemies were unhidden, he was still cautious. One would never know if the enemy had something that could trick the senses of another.


    "There they are" he heard his colleague say. True to the pseudo scholar''s words, two small forms were running towards them without a hint of fear. They didn''t even flinch at the sight of the many people that had come for them. And why would they?


    Mane had spent months hunting down Celestials, a race famed for their battle prowess. He didn''t back down then when he was faced with their elite, no matter how vast their numbers were. So why would he be terrified now. Abe wasn''t one to fear his enemies. He was a cautious fellow, not a fearful one. Besides, he was more than eager to test the limits of his newfound power. His awakening had pushed him directly past the initial stages of the profound realm into the peak of the middle stage. He was now a peak 6th stage profound realmer. He was more eager to test his strength, than he was dreadful of his enemies.


    Mane calmly run forwards. "Three earth wielders: one is at the peak of the earth realm; the other two are at the 3rd stage. Of the two at the initial stage, one is hidden; the other isn''t." Mane calmly analysed. His words were loud enough for Abe. The assassin thought he was well hidden. He had no idea that his every movement was recorded by Mane''s keen senses.


    "Leave the earth realmers alone. We save them for last" Mane ordered. Abelard nodded in reply. He didn''t like what Mane did previously, but he agreed with the boy''s suggestion. It was exactly what he was thinking. Although their opponents were vastly superior in terms of levels, they weren''t so strong. Since they had received their power by accepting a blessing, they were weaker than their peers. They may feel themselves strong, but they weren''t. They had no way of knowing how strong they were since their only comparisons were also other people who had been ''blessed''. It was up to Mane and Abelard to teach them that.


    "Let''s be quick. I promised Mom that we would be back before tomorrow" Mane informed Abelard. And then he disappeared. Abelard nodded, and disappeared as well.


    Mane reappeared in the midst of the twenty five profound wielders. None of them caught his movements. Even Abe was too fast for them to notice. Once the two boys found themselves in the midst of the weaker profound wielders, they run rampant.


    Mane waved his sword around, and swung his blade at random. Every swipe brought a head down, and he wasn''t even using any techniques. Abe wasn''t slow either. He was using them to practice his hammer techniques. The large hammer descended every few seconds and took a life with it.

 Chapter 196 - Mane And Abelard Part III

    In less than a minute, the 25 profound wielders were reduced to less than ten men, and Mane and Abelard didn''t even look exhausted. They breezed their way through the battlefield as though it was an amus.e.m.e.nt park and felt no pity for their enemies. But Mane had his brows furrowed. After he killed another wielder, he flung his sword towards an approaching profound wielder and ended the man''s life. However once he flung his sword, he ducked to avoid the sneaky blow that was heading his way. He leapt backwards and sent his elbow crashing into the midsection of the shadowy figure that thought it could reap some benefits from the chaotic battlefield. He then held the arm of the assassin and pried the strange looking dagger out of his hand. He expressionlessly stabbed the dagger into the man''s shoulder and then held him by the neck.


    "You should wait your turn" he stated coldly and threw the assassin deeper into the forest. The unfortunate man struck several trees before coming to a stop. Although he was still conscious, he was injured and had lost much of his battle capacity.


    "He failed" the leader of the team remarked as he witnessed the entire ordeal. He very much dreaded the strength of their enemies. Initially he assumed that with their large force they would be able to take of the two kids. They were wrong. Not only had the two boys almost wiped out their entire team, they didn''t look drained in any way. The leader was using the crowd of profound wielders as cannon fodders. They were expected to tire their enemies out, so the earth wielders could easily deal with them. It was selfish, but they didn''t care. The leader of the team assessed his own strength. It wouldn''t be difficult to replicate the same thing. After all, he was at the peak of the earth realm. Even his colleagues who were only in the initial stages of the earth realm would be able to take care of so many profound wielders on their own. So he wasn''t fazed by the one sided slaughter. However he hoped that the assassin of the team would be able to take one of them out before the slaughter ended. That way it would be easier to handle the one who remained.


    The team''s assassin wasn''t an amateur. Even the leader would have to be cautious when battling him. He was great at bidding his time and choosing the right time to attack. Even the leader would have a headache facing him. Yet he had been dealt with so easily. The assassin had already left the team before their enemies arrived. However, that didn''t instill the element of surprise they thought it would. It seemed that the enemy wasn''t fooled by the assassin''s absence. It came as no shock however, since they were able to sense their auras from afar and approach the team and intercept them midway.


    "It seems the profound wielders are nothing but Death Warriors" Mane calmly analysed as he lobbed off the head of another profound wielder. Due to his and Abe''s wanton slaughter of the group, there were only about seven profound wielders left. Yet even seeing their comrades chopped down ruthlessly right before their eyes, the remaining wielders had no fear in their eyes. Their expressions were cold and unfeeling; nothing like what a person facing a life or death situation should have. So he drew the only logical conclusion he could reach. They were Death Warriors.


    Death Warriors, Suicide Warriors, Sacrificial Fighters, etc. There were many names for them. But they all meant one thing ¨C someone whose life is worth nothing to their master. Death Warriors were warriors raised up and groomed all for the purpose of giving their lives for the ''greater good''. They were meant to slow people down, and weaken stronger foes so that others can garner all the praise that came with conquering their enemies. That was what these profound wielders were doing. They didn''t fear death. They didn''t care about their lives at all. All they wanted to do was to inflict some sort of damage before dying so that Mane and Abe would be weakened sufficiently for the earth wielders who remained to take care of them. And from the nonchalant reaction of the earth wielders, Mane knew his conjecture was plausible. Unfortunately for these Death Warriors, they weren''t doing any harm. All they were doing was wasting Mane and Abe''s time.


    Mane looked at Abe. The young prince was unleashing his fury on the unfortunate Death Warriors, and from the scowl on his face, he had probably realised that the profound wielders were being used as cannon fodder. Mane ducked as Abe hammer came flying towards him, and crushed the Death Warrior who was closing in on Mane. Mane''s face was expressionless. It wasn''t that he hadn''t sensed the incoming Death Warrior. Rather he didn''t care enough about that weakling to pay any attention to him. He would have killed him anyway. But on a brighter note, that was the last profound wielder remaining. This meant that they were done with the weak crew.


    Abe smirked at Mane as if to say ''You owe me one.'' Although Abe knew his help was not needed, he just wanted to annoy his friend. However his smile didn''t last for long. In his distracted state he didn''t sense the approach of the earth wielder who used the rod. He tried ducking to avoid the blow but that was only a short term solution. The earth wielder skillfully manipulated the misfiring weapon and swung it powerfully towards the crouched Abe.


    "Bloodied Blade: Crazed Cut of the Blade King."


    A golden blade light struck the assaulting earth wielder, who quickly chose to protect himself than to continue with his assault. The man was pushed back several metres due to the attack and finally steadied himself next to his leader.


    "So?" his leader questioned


    "He is strong ¨C very strong" he replied; his arms still stinging from the power of the blade light. He watched Mane walk steadily to the location of his sword and pick it up. The young boy cleaned the weapon with the clothes of a fallen Death Warrior and summoned a sheath. The sword was returned to the sheath and strapped onto his back. He summoned another scabbard, into which he returned his blade. It was also strapped to his back. Although the earth wielder didn''t know how Mane had summoned the scabbards, he had seen many strange things in the past few months. In comparison, this was nothing much.


    "I''ll handle the peak earth realmer. You should deal with the other one" the earth wielder heard the blond haired boy say to the brown haired one. Although he was a bit relieved that he wasn''t targeted by the boy who had just terrified him with only a blade light, he was annoyed that he was being referred to as the ''other one''. It seemed the blond boy didn''t regard him as a threat to him.


    "And the assassin" Abe asked? Although he was ashamed that he had allowed an enemy to get close to him even though he was a scholar, he got over it quickly.


    "We need him to answer some questions" Mane answered. That was the only reason he left the assassin alive. But to be safe, he had injured him severely to prevent him from being a factor in the upcoming fight.


    "We should get a move on if we want to avoid Mom''s nagging" Mane reminded with a smile as he walked towards his opponent. The battle had helped blow off some steam. Abe smiled too. He wasn''t so concerned about Mane''s earlier conduct now. Especially after his captain had avoided taunting him over his loss of concentration.


    "Yeah" he replied and dashed towards the 3rd stage earth wielder.

 Chapter 197 - Possession Part I

    Mane calmly walked towards the peak 9th stage earth wielder. He didn''t look tense at all. It wasn''t because he had the ability to easily take on peak earth wielders, but because the man he was facing didn''t have the battle prowess of a true peak stage earth wielder. He didn''t even need to use spirit scan on the man. He could easily tell from the fluctuations of energy the man was giving that although he had a large pool of inner energy, his true battle prowess was merely at the peak of the 6th stage of the earth realm. If he was a Celestial, Mane wouldn''t be confident in taking him on. But he was a merely a Zandorian who had gotten his hands on power he didn''t understand. As Mane drew closer to his opponent, he Abe''s figure brushed past him in a blur and descended mightily upon the 3rd stage earth wielder. Just when the leader (the 9th stage earth wielder) was about to intercept Abe''s charge, Mane arrived before him and sent a punch his way.


    *Bam*


    *Bam*


    Mane''s punch was blocked without much sophistication, and Abe''s attack did nothing to faze his opponent either. Abe had recalled the large hammer. Since he was facing a pretty decent opponent, it wouldn''t be wise to display his lack of mastery of the hammer. He would rather fight unarmed. Besides, he was eager to try his newly unlocked glow.


    Mane wasn''t concerned that his punch was easily intercepted. He avoided the sword that was stabbing his way by shifting his body weight to the right, and countered with a spinning roundhouse kick in fluid motion.


    *Boom*


    Mane''s kick was reinforced by the earth elements, so it was as heavy as a bell. Although the leader had raised his sword to block the attack just in time, he was pushed back by the sheer force that accompanied the kick. Mane rushed to the man, aided by the speed of the wind elements, and quickly delivered a smooth roundhouse kick to his temple.


    *Boom*


    In his disoriented state the kick struck its target and sent him flying backwards like a broken puppet. However, he was a veteran after all. Although he was unfamiliar in the use of the strength he had suddenly gained overnight, his instincts as a soldier were still present. He managed to keep his footing, and furiously backpedaled to create some space between himself and Mane. After retreating sizable distance, he dashed towards the incoming Mane with his sword in hand.


    Mane conjured an earth shield to deflect the incoming sword, leaving his opponent wide open. He then summoned some fire which coated his wrist like a glove, and struck the unfortunate man.


    *Bam*


    The punch struck the leader directly on his chest. This time he didn''t maintain his balance. He allowed the momentum of the punch to send him backwards and rolled on the ground to extinguish the flames. He then flipped back up when the flames died out.


    "How can you use so many elements with such proficiency" he asked, terrified at what he had just witnessed. Mane didn''t see the need to answer him. This was the disadvantage of a blessing. Although blessings allowed one access to a large amount of inner energy, one wouldn''t be of any true threat unless they could really use the energy. This man was a good example. Mane could feel the fluctuations of the earth elements around the man. He should be an earth elementalist. Yet his understanding of the element paled greatly in comparison to the large pool of inner energy he had access to. It was the same as having an amazing sports car, but not the ability to drive it. Unless you finally learned how to correctly drive the car, it would be wasted on you. So in this man''s case, his speed of conjuring the earth elements couldn''t even be compared to an initial stage earth wielder. And in a fight against someone like Mane, conjuring speed was always a factor. So he wasn''t even getting the chance to use the earth. If he had attained his wielding level through his own hard work and comprehensions, he would have been more than capable of using the earth like it was his third arm.


    "You are right. I am wasting too many elements on you. Fire should be more than enough to deal with you" Mane was ruthless with his words. And the leader was rightly angered by what he heard. He run towards Mane at full speed and activated his most treasured technique.


    "Sword Arts: Penetrating Hilt"


    Penetrating Hilt was a technique their Master had passed on to him. Although he hadn''t studied it for long, he was able to use it quite well. This technique made even the bluntest of sticks as sharp as a sword. When used with a sword, it was capable of splitting the air itself. That was his greatest talent ¨C his ability to easily comprehend sword arts.


    *Clang*


    The leader watched wide-eyed as he precious skill was blocked by a swing of Mane''s sword. Mane was initially planning to meet the strike with a punch. But his instincts warned him otherwise. As a scholar, Mane had sharper instincts now. He couldn''t ignore them when they said the sword was dangerous. So Mane unsheathed his sword and blocked the attack with a skill he learnt from his masters. He then countered with another skill.


    "Prideful sword: Guard of the half-moon"


    "Prideful sword: Dance of the half-moon"


    *Clang*


    Mane was a bit surprised to see his technique blocked by his opponent. The man seemed to have great affinity with the sword. Even so, Mane continued with his assault. However, he wasn''t only attacking. The opponent was so good that he also countered with his own moves every now and then.


    *Clang*


    *Clang*


    *Clang*


    *Clang*


    *Clang*


    Mane was forced back after several blows, and so was his opponent. He realized he had underestimated the man. Although his opponent''s power wasn''t truly his own, his comprehension of the sword was. Mane couldn''t help but wonder what the man could become if he rose up with his own strength. Or if he was given a few more years to stabilize his power and grow.


    "Unfortunately there isn''t any hope for a person who is blessed" Mane sadly thought. This man was clearly talented. But his Master didn''t care about that. Whoever his Master was, that person was more eager to get a lot of wielders under his/her control than he/she was in gaining true talents. Besides, even if he wasn''t blessed, there was no way Mane would allow him to survive since they were enemies.


    "Prideful Sword: Wrath of the Half-Moon" Mane muttered silently as he activated a technique that was the strongest sword skill he had in his arsenal. The winds stirred around him, and the ground below him cracked apart at the momentum that was being gathered. The leader furrowed his brows at the unusual scene. But he wasn''t fl.u.s.tered. He too activated his own killer technique and created his own natural phenomenon. The power behind his skill didn''t lose out to Mane''s in any way.


    "Sword Arts: Forceful Sword"


    The two rushed towards each other. In less than a second, they were almost upon each other. At the last moment Mane activated another technique


    "Star Flicker"


    The leader''s expression changed when he lost Mane''s figure.


    *puchi*


    "How" he muttered in pain? Mane pulled out the sword lodged in the man''s chest and sheathed it without bothering to wipe off the blood. Their techniques had similar strengths. In order to ensure he would come out as the victor, he resorted to using Star Flicker. The boost in speed had taken his opponent by surprise, and the close tie had ended pretty simply.


    Mane walked away from the fallen man towards Abe. He had barely taken half a dozen steps when he felt the aura that was slowly fading behind him, soar once again. He turned quickly, only to see the man who should have been dead, stand up once again. The hole in his chest was sealed up and his eyes were blank.


    "Possession" Mane uttered when he witnessed the strange phenomenon. He was furious. Possession was a dangerous skill. This man''s Master had used this skill as a failsafe in case they failed their mission. It allowed a person to fight when they were killed, whether they approved of it or not. The price was their soul. Instead of their souls being collected by the grim reaper, they would be truly destroyed.


    "Celeritas"


    "Viribus"


    "Vitae"


    "Arma impia"


    "Augendae armis"


    He casted a speed lease, a strength lease, and a vitality lease. The fourth lease he used was the one he had made himself. It covered him with an armour tailor made to accommodate his beast fighting form. The last one strengthened his armor.


    "Brimstone" Mane activated the dangerous glow he inherited from his reckless father. His entire body was engulfed in blue flames that burnt the ground he stood on. He was angry. Angry that someone''s master could be so heartless. Angry that he was killing people who were only pawns on the chessboard of another. Angry that his only solution was to destroy all that stood in his way. Angry that the planet he grew up on was now embroiled in a war outsiders had begun. He was angry. He was mad. And he let it all out.


    *Boom*


    His fire exploded like several detonated TNTs. He crouched into his wolf beast form and took a long hard look at possibly the most gifted sword master he had ever faced. It was disheartening to think that this man would never be reborn, for once Possession was activated his only destination was true death. After recollecting his thoughts, he sped towards the possessed man.

 Chapter 198 - Possession Part II

    "True Hubris" Abe finally activated his only breath. His opponent was tricky. Although Abe was stronger, the man he was facing had good reflexes. Abe wasn''t sure how, but the man seemed to be capable of predicting his moves. Although Abe had landed a few good blows and avoided most of his opponent''s attacks, he was getting frustrated. He reckoned that Mane was done by now. If his captain wasn''t done yet, Abe was confident the blond boy would finish soon. He didn''t want to be outdone.


    Once he activated his breath his eyes became brighter. They were filled with pride and the dignity of a ruler. Other than that, there was no observable change. Many people wouldn''t even have noticed the change in Abe''s eyes. But the man Abe was facing wasn''t an ''average'' person. He was able to discern what many wouldn''t.


    Abe disappeared from the man''s view, reappearing right behind him. The man''s expression changed when Abelard disappeared. His glow quickly informed him that the enemy was behind him. But by the time it did, it was too late.


    *Boom*


    The pseudo-scholar was sent flying from the brutality of the attack. Although his glow was still functional, Abe''s current speed had far outstripped his. He wasn''t able to accurately foresee and avoid the attack. As he was sent flying through the air, he thought to himself that he needed to stay back and avoid a direct confrontation. It was going to be difficult to do since he was a rod user and was skilled in close combat. However, if he was able to open a sufficiently huge gap he could use ''that'' ability he had just comprehended. He wasn''t sure it would be enough to deal with the boy who had caused him so much grief. But it wasn''t meant to kill or incapacitate Abelard. It was just supposed to buy him enough time so that he could escape from the kid.


    Once he landed on the ground he flipped himself back up and jumped out of the way. And just in time too because Abe landed where he previously stood with his huge hammer. The hammer came crushing down with ferocity, crushing the ground into dust and creating spider web-like cracks on what remained.


    *Boom*


    Once the pseudo-scholar was sure he was a little safe, he activated the technique that was meant to save his life.


    "Rod Arts: Flying Rod"


    He hoisted the rod like it was a spear and flung it towards Abe with all his strength. He injected more than half of his remaining inner energy into the rod before he threw it. If this was his last resort, then he would try his best to pull it off.


    Abe watched the rod fly towards him. It flew with ferocity, and an insane amount of inner energy. It was more inner energy than he could currently master. This realization allowed Abe to understand that this move was the man''s last resort. If he was able to deal with it, he would be able to finish off the pest who had cost him so much time. His breath was still active. After his second awakening he had been able to fully comprehend ''Hubris''. The breath which initially started out as a fist technique was now a full energy technique. Not only did it boost his speed and strength, it also heightened his senses and strengthened his connection to the edict. But more importantly, it allowed him to use fire masterfully.


    Since he had just awakened to the element of fire, his use of it couldn''t be compared to the earth element. However Abe felt a strange connection to the fire element. It was different from his connection to the earth. He felt closer to fire. But he hadn''t used it for long so he wasn''t as proficient. Hubris created a bridge between him and fire. It allowed him to use it better. As he watched the rod fly towards him, getting bigger and bigger as it flew and making it impossible for him to escape the attack without direct confrontation, Abe closed his eyes to feel the connection he had just built with fire. It was still there. It was weak, but it was there. He held on to that connection, and used Hubris to make it stronger. Then he tugged on that energy. Once he confirmed the connection, he opened his eyes.


    "Seven-walled fortress"


    Abelard activated the technique Mane had given him to deal with the incoming rod. After his breakthrough into the profound realm, his inner energy pool had gotten bigger. He was now able to use this technique without expending much of his energy. Of course he could use all his inner energy to reinforce the walls but he didn''t think it was necessary. The walls weren''t the final solution. They were just the prelude.


    *Boom*


    *Boom*


    *Boom*


    *Boom*


    *Boom*


    *Boom*


    *Boom*


    The rod went through all seven walls. But it wasn''t without cost. It had slowed down significantly. It would be too easy for Abe to dodge it now. Although it was still large and covered a wide area, it was so slow that even a seven year old could skid across the field without getting hit. That was exactly what Abelard was aiming for. He was planning to turn his opponent''s attack against him.


    "Hubris fist!"


    Abelard screamed and struck the end of the rod with reckless abandon. His fist was coated in flames. They burned hot and bright. The flames quickly engulfed the rod as it was flung back to its owner. The rod which was completely engulfed in flames was sent back with the same ferocity it arrived with.


    "This-" the pseudo-scholar had a bitter smile on his face as he watched the rod return to him. He expected Abelard to be sent back by the attack. At the very least the attack was meant to buy his some precious time. The momentum of the attack should have carried Abelard away from the battlefield. He didn''t expect it to come back to him in less than ten seconds. That''s right. Although it took so many words to explain, the entire ordeal had only lasted for a few seconds.


    "Talk about getting screwed over" he vulgarly swore as the rod he had used for most of his a.d.u.l.t life landed on him and took his life.


    *Boom*


    "I guess that''s that" Abe stated when he felt his opponent''s aura disappear. And it was just in time too because he felt an explosion of aura from Mane''s end of the battlefield.


    "Something''s wrong" Abelard stated when he realized that Mane''s aura was filled with fury. Mane wasn''t one to lose his temper so easily. He needed to go there and check it out.


    *Boom*


    Abelard turned in shock at the unexpected change. The huge rod had reduced to its standard size, and the man who was supposed to be dead was holding it in his hand. The huge groove that was formed from the rod''s ruthless descent was the evidence that the pseudo-scholar had indeed been buried there a few seconds ago.


    "What is going on" Abelard wondered as he prepared to fight again. The man was different from earlier. His eyes were glazed over like an opium addict and he walked sluggishly. Yet even his slow movements seemed well coordinated. The aura the man gave off was vastly superior to the earlier one. His scholar senses kept warning him to be careful. Abe quickly summoned his combat armor out and dashed towards the possessed man.

 Chapter 199 - Mane And Abelard: When The Prideful Join Hands Part I

    *BOOM*


    The loud sound came from Mane''s end of the battlefield. The possessed sword master was lying in a ditch. He had several burns on his body, yet they healed at incredible speed. The man slowly stood up as Mane witnessed for the nth time the wounds that he had made heal up. The fist sized hole Mane had just struck into the man''s chest quickly sealed up, and the possessed man dashed towards Mane once again. The young boy dodged the clumsy attack and retaliated with his own.


    *Bam* *crunch*


    The now sluggish leader was sent flying back as Mane''s fist connected with his jaw. There was a crunching sound as his jaw was blown cleanly off his head. Mane watched him fly away silently. His fury was unending.


    "To kill one who is possessed you need to destroy his/her connection to his/her master. Unless you do that he will keep coming at you" the 6th reminded Man of what was to be done. It was Mane''s masters who informed him that the sword wielder''s strange transformation was as a result of ''possession''. It took them only a few seconds to explain what it was. And that led to the birth of Mane''s fury.


    "He knows" the 2nd observed. "He wants something else" she continued.


    "You want a way to undo it, don''t you?" the 3rd asked. But she already knew the answer to her question.


    Mane nodded his head in reply as he blocked a kick from the possessed man and sent him flying backwards with another slap. Although the man was still fighting, he fought like an animal. All the skills he possessed when he was alive weren''t being used. It was an effect of possession. Although the person who died would be able to fight again, their moves would be unrefined and crude. It was easy to handle them for a while, but no one had an endless amount of inner energy. Once one''s connection to the edict was broken, they would be at the mercy of the possessed. That was why this technique was so dangerous ¨C and why it was so rare.


    "Few people have access to this technique. Only an extremely powerful god would have this sort of means." The 1st analysed. Possession was a powerful but dangerous technique. Few people had attempted to study it, and even fewer had survived its effects. It was a technique belonging to the darkness attribute. It didn''t have a manual per se. So if one wanted to study it they would have to do so by analysing the works of others who had tried in the past. And because it didn''t have a skill book it was dangerous to learn. The ones unfortunate enough to study it and survive either had their souls destroyed or lost their minds. The 1st knew of only a few gods who had managed to study this skill successfully. To be accurate, he knew of only two gods. One of them wouldn''t bother to use this skill on ''mortals''. Also she didn''t have a cruel heart. The other¡­


    "You cannot undo the skill" the 1st informed Mane upon reaching the only logical conclusion available.


    "Why not" Mane finally spoke out?


    "Because the one who did this has power far beyond the current you" the 1st bitterly stated. If he was right then that monster had found his way to Zandor somehow. Even he in his prime couldn''t state with confidence that he would be able to defeat that monster, much less a young Supreme like Mane.


    "I do not fear the Dark God" Mane announced. His words took his masters by surprise. "How do you know that title" the 1st asked worriedly?


    "You don''t always have to keep things away from me. If you wouldn''t tell me I would find out on my own." Mane stated. Since his meeting with Ananse he realized a few things. Indra and Ananse both knew about the Dark Kingdom. From their words the Dark Kingdom was well known among gods and ascenders. Yet Mane didn''t know about the true power of this organization. He had been hunting them for years, but he had no idea that he was only cutting of the tail of a lizard; he wasn''t doing any true damage. If Indra and Ananse knew this, then it was only logical that his masters who were gods and ascenders should be aware of it too. Yet they didn''t say anything to him. They allowed him to live in ignorance and he didn''t like that. He could tolerate them not telling him about what a Supreme was because his parents had asked that they shouldn''t, but he didn''t understand why information common to strong wielders was hidden from him.


    "How much do you know" the 3rd sighed? She was always against the idea of keeping things away from the boy. But she and the 6th were the only ones of that opinion. The others were against the idea and felt that some burdens were too heavy for the boy. They regarded him a child. But the 3rd knew better. Mane might be a child but his brain wasn''t so immature. It was better to let him know about some things so that he can prepare for them.


    "The Dark Kingdom; The Dark God Seth; The Origin King" Mane gave his answer as he swatted the possessed wielder away from him like a man ridding himself of an annoying fly.


    "I see" 3rd replied. "We talk when you are done. But 1st is right. You cannot undo possession. You can only end the man''s misery" she added.


    Mane gritted his teeth in anger. This was his planet! It was his home! He had killed many. Several scores of people had fallen to his power. But he had never been tasked with destroying the soul of another. Although that person was his enemy, he was still Zandorian! How could they expect it to be easy?


    "I know it wouldn''t be easy. And although I don''t know what you''re feeling right now, I think it would be best to end this quickly. We can research Possession after this is over" the 3rd comforted. Her words did help. Mane was still angry, but he realized that there was nothing else he could do. There was only one option in front of him now: kill the man and end his pain.


    "When I meet the Dark God, I will end him painfully" Mane swore as his aura exploded once more. He got down on all fours and rushed to his opponent. He opened up his senses, fully exploiting his abilities as a beginner scholar.


    *Bam*


    *Bam*


    *Bam*


    *Bam*


    *Bam*


    Mane attacked in quick succession, and each blow took some flesh off. "Found it" he mumbled as he felt a strange object stuck in the head of the sword master. He deftly avoided the man''s kick and struck his head.


    "Absolute Darkness: Evasive Killing" Mane activated his glow. His hand passed through the ''dead'' wielder''s head like it was virtual and held on to the strange artefact that sustained the possession. Once he grabbed onto it he squeezed tightly and destroyed it.


    "Brimstone" Mane activated another glow and burnt the body.


    "Something''s wrong" Mane observed as the ashes of the man he had just incinerated flew towards Abe''s end of the battlefield.


    "When a possessed is killed their abilities are passed on to all other possessed that remain. Which means-"


    "Abe is fighting a possessed right now" Mane finished the 3rd''s statement as he dashed towards Abe''s direction. Unlike Mane Abe didn''t have anyone to explain these things to him. Besides, the man he had just killed was a peak earth realm expert. If that power was passed on to another¡­


    "I wouldn''t just be a case of 9th stage earth wielder + 3rd stage earth wielder" the 3rd informed Mane. "What will be born will only be a step shy of the heaven realm" she continued.


    Mane unsheathed his weapons as he increased his speed. From the distance he could see Abelard. As the ashes of the dead possessed were inhaled by the living one, he quickly activated his speed technique


    "Star Flicker"


    It was a good thing that his leases were still active. Otherwise even with star flicker he wouldn''t have been able to get to Abe on time.


    "We need to work together" Mane announced once he and Abe were at what he perceive to be a safe distance. Due to the turbulent nature of the power that the possessed was now unleashing they could only watch helplessly as it assimilated its new power.


    Abe nodded in reply. He was no fool. He could sense that what was being born was more than he could handle.


    "What is that thing" Abe asked. Mane seemed aware of what was happening. Mane furrowed his brows as the fluctuations the possessed was releasing gradually calmed down.


    "A dark technique: Possession. It forces one''s soul to fight on even after death. The soul is destroyed when the technique is broken"


    Abelard''s expression grew hardened hearing the explanation. He balled his fists so tightly that his nails dug into his skin. He finally understood why Mane was so mad. Since Mane was here I could only mean he had dealt with one. He had ''killed'' that thing several times yet it wouldn''t die.


    "You have a way to deal with it" Abe asked?


    "Yes" Mane replied.


    "Good. When I find the imbecile who did this I would tear him to shreds" Abelard announced.


    "I am of the same opinion. But that imbecile is a god. We need to grow vastly stronger" Mane coolly stated.


    "Then grow we shall."

 Chapter 200 - Mane And Abelard: When The Prideful Join Hands Part II

    "We shall" Mane nodded in agreement. "But for now we should focus on the task at hand" Mane continued. "So how do we defeat it" Abelard wondered. He had tried all he could yet the possessed never truly died.


    "There is a device implanted in them that keeps the power of Possession active. We need to destroy it. I would keep it occupied as you try to locate it." Mane instructed. Initially he didn''t need any help finding the device and destroying it even while fighting against the possessed and making conversation with his masters. It was different now. Whatever was going to be born from the combination of two possessed was going to be difficult for him to handle alone. Mane wasn''t confident in destroying it by himself. But it would be impossible for Abelard to handle it himself. So that was the only option. He would have to keep it company while Abelard used his scholar abilities to locate the device.


    "Alright" Abelard nodded and sat down straight away. He didn''t worry about his safety. His actions brought a smile to Mane''s face. It was nice to see someone entrust their life to you. As for finding the device, Mane wasn''t so worried. Ananse wasn''t wrong when she said that Abe was more talented in the path of scholars. Just like Mane he was a beginner scholar. After he had comprehended Alexis'' manual, a mutation had occurred. Because of this he skipped the trainee scholar stage like Mane and went straight into the beginner stage. But he was a small stage behind Mane. Mane had just recently advanced to the peak of the early beginner scholar stage. Abelard was in the early beginner scholar stage as well, but he was only at the initial stage.


    "Whatever is going to be born from that thing is going to be very strong. The stronger the possessed, the more difficult it is to locate the device. You would have to hold it off for quite some time" the 2nd informed Mane. Mane nodded his head. He was thankful for the information.


    "If only you were a Mid-Level Scholar" 3rd sighed and left her sentence hanging. She didn''t have to finish it for Mane to understand the message. A Mid-Level Scholar was equivalent to an earth realmer. If he had such power he wouldn''t need to try so hard to find the device''s location. He would have been able to sense it immediately he sought for it. But it wasn''t the same when his scholar level was lower than the opponent''s wielding ability. Unfortunately he couldn''t use his Spiritualist abilities for this. Spiritualists didn''t have such abilities. If they did he could have just asked 3rd to find out for him.


    "Prepare yourself. The transformation is almost over" 1st advised. Mane accepted the advice with thanks. Since he needed to keep the possessed away from Abelard, he would have to be the one to strike first. His leases were still active so he didn''t need to change anything there. But there was something else he needed if he was going to keep Abelard safe. He didn''t want to take any chances.


    "Takeover" Mane activated the glow he was proficient with. He had two glows that could vastly boost his strength, but he wasn''t as impressive in using Endless Wave as he was Takeover. Once he activated the glow he inherited from his mother, his hair turned crimson red and his eyes took on the same color. A black aura surrounded him and a domineering presence engulfed the battlefield. But Mane wasn''t done.


    "Brimstone" He also activated his father''s glow. Mane couldn''t use Takeover and True Flames at the same time. They would quickly drain him of his inner energy. Besides, although his body wielding had progressed significantly, it was still too early to use two extremely powerful breaths at once. He could use Absolute Darkness with Takeover, but that was only because the darkness element preferred to stay in the shadows. Although it also required a large amount of energy it could be used in the background to reduce its consumption. Unfortunately True Flames wasn''t the same. But it was okay. Brimstone was a powerful technique. It would do for now.


    "The protective bubble will disappear in five seconds" 3rd anxiously reminded. "Okay. Thank you" Mane said his thanks and prepared himself.


    "Now!" 1st shouted.


    *Boom*


    The ground below Mane''s feet shattered as he propelled himself forward like an arrow leaving the string. The aura bubble that had been protecting the possessed from outside influence disappeared right before Mane got to the region it affected. Blade in one hand; sword in another; Mane furiously struck the figure that had just been revealed after the bubble dissipated.


    "Prideful Sword: Dance of the Half-Moon"


    "Bloodied Blade: Crazed Cut of the Blade King"


    *Wack*


    The newly ''born'' possessed was sent flying backwards by the unexpected attack. It traveled for several feet before it struck the ground thunderously.


    *Boom*


    "What a crude welcome" the possessed spoke out, much to Mane''s surprise. On its belly were two deep cuts, no doubt caused by Mane''s ruthless assault.


    "Don''t be so surprised. Since it can speak, that must mean that it is only a step away from the Heaven Realm. You must be very cautious" 6th kindly explained.


    "I see" Mane nodded after hearing his master''s words. Although possessed generally had no consciousness, that was only for those below the heaven realm. Those who had a foot in the heaven realm and above, you more like reborn beings. They had no recollection of their lives before they died, but they were capable of thought, and had feelings. Unfortunately most of those feelings were negative emotions. They craved for blood and death, and were more than eager to taste the blood of others. The only other feeling they had in addition to this was the obsessive need to please their master.


    "It is strong" Mane stated seeing the two long gushes on its abdomen heal at visible speed. His power was increased threefold and his strength was staggering and overwhelming for any earth realmer. However the attack that was capable of killing any 9th stage earth realm expert only caused wounds on its body. And since it could heal unconditionally, those wounds meant nothing.


    "But the healing process is slower" Mane noticed.


    "That is because it has its own consciousness. Since it can think for itself, it has to regulate its own healing. However, after some time ¨C maybe in a few hours ¨C that would no longer be a factor" 3rd informed Mane.


    Her words were enlightening. This made things a bit simpler for Mane and Abelard. Since it was now figuring how its body processes worked, they had a better chance at killing it before it fully discovered all its abilities.


    "I will kill you" the possessed hissed in pain and dashed towards Mane. Unlike the previous possessed, its movements weren''t sluggish. It looked coordinated and well oriented.


    *Bang*


    Mane crisscrossed his weapons to block the blow. The attack sent him back a few metres. Once he was stable again he jumped backwards to avoid the angry possessed, narrowly avoiding a powerful jab from the strange creature.


    "Prideful Sword: Dance of the Half-Moon" Mane replied in kind, creating another wound on its body. He then flung his sword into the air so he could free one of his hands.


    "Extreme Burst"


    "First Strike"


    "Second strike"


    "Third strike"


    "Fourth strike"


    "Fifth strike"


    "Sixth strike"


    *Bam*


    Mane executed his preferred fist technique masterfully before his sword landed right back into his open palm. Immediately it did, he finished off with his sword and blade techniques.


    "Prideful Sword: Dance of the Half-Moon"


    "Bloodied Blade: Crazed Cut of the Blade King"


    *Bang*


    For the second time in just a minute, the possessed was sent flying backwards. This time however, its torso and its lower body flew to different areas. For the first time since its inception, the possessed experienced death. The fire from Brimstone burned the separated halves of the possessed mercilessly, causing the smell of barbecued meat to fill the air, and prompting Mane to ask his masters a question that caused their brows to twitch.


    "Are possessed edible?"

 Chapter 201 - Mane And Abelard: When The Prideful Join Hands Part III

    "Hot hot hot" the possessed screamed out when its torso was reconnected to its lower half. It rolled around on the ground, trying its hardest to put out the fire. Although it couldn''t be killed by normal means, it still felt pain. After a few seconds of rolling around, the fire went out. But it wasn''t because of its efforts. The fire went out because Mane had broken his connection to it. Since the creepy thing couldn''t die, keeping his flames going would only be a waste of his inner energy. Of course the possessed that had the mind of a little boy didn''t think so. As far as it was concerned, the fire went out because of its efforts.


    It got up quickly and scanned the battlefield. Once it found what it was looking for, its eyes twinkled like a little boy who had been given some sweets and a silly smile plastered his face. He rushed to the part of the battlefield that had what he was looking for.


    "A rod?" Mane was curious to see what it was looking for, so he didn''t stand in its way. Besides, he was only buying time for Abelard, so it was all good in his books. However he was surprised when the possessed picked up a dirty rod from the ground and proceeded to wipe off the dust with its hand.


    Mane found it odd that the possessed was so happy to hold onto the rod. He did notice that one of the earth wielders was a rod user, but possessed didn''t have any memories of their past lives. It was odd that this one wanted to fight with a rod.


    "What is happening" he asked his masters?


    "I do not know. But be on your guard. It may be a mutated possessed. It isn''t rare considering that it was born from the combination of two possessed" 6th was the one to reply.


    "Okay" Mane acknowledged. He sent his guard up. He wanted to be ready for anything.


    "Now I kill" the possessed had a disgusting smile on its face. It looked at Mane with bloodl.u.s.t. It may be mentally young, but it didn''t forget the one who had caused it so much pain when it had only been in the world a few minutes. It span the rod skillfully and dashed towards Mane.


    *Bam*


    Mane was struck backwards due to the sheer power of the strike. The rod was a powerful weapon. Mane''s weapons were high grade artefacts, yet the rod didn''t seem to lose out to the swords. Mane found that odd. When the earth wielder who initially used that weapon had tried to attack him before, Mane easily deflected the attack and sent him flying backwards. At the time, Mane didn''t have his sword in his hand. However that made little difference as he still blocked the attack with his arm and countered without much difficulty. Yet Mane could feel that it would be impossible to do that now. The rod had somehow gotten stronger. It sounded impossible but everything up until now wasn''t logical. The stinging pain he felt from blocking that attack was the confirmation of his assumptions. It would be best for him to avoid the rod if he could instead of meeting it head on.


    *Boom*


    Mane skillfully sidestepped to avoid the plunging possessed. The rod that was meant to flatten him struck the ground with the full power of a being that was half a step into the Heaven Realm. Several spider-web like cracks were formed on the ground and Mane was thankful he didn''t choose to block that.


    *Whoosh*


    The rod hit the air above Mane as he ducked to avoid the follow up of the Possessed''s attack.


    "He is skillful with it" Mane remarked as he struggled to cope with the quick strikes of the Possessed.


    "You can get that sometimes with Mutated Possessed" 6th instructed. "Sometimes the mutations lead to the mastery of an element. At times it boosts the physical prowess of the Possessed. At times the mutations cause unexplainable occurrences like the birth of a Telekinetic Possessed" 3rd continued.


    Mane was surprised at the new information. He finally understood how complex these beings were and that it wouldn''t be so easy to find a solution to the skill. He once again avoided anther attack and tried to open the gap between them.


    "Kill" the Possessed got excited seeing that its attacks were forcing Mane back. It quickly gave chase, not ready to give up its commanding position.


    *Boom*


    Mane avoided the attack again, but this time he wasn''t so lucky.


    *Bam*


    The fist of the Possessed embedded itself into his midsection and sent him flying backwards.


    "It''s getting smarter" Mane remarked as he wiped off the little blood on his lips. The unexpected attack had drawn out a bit of his blood. The reason he said the Possessed had gotten smarter was because of its recent attack. It did attack with the rod, but that was just a ruse. The real attack was the fist it had been sneakily preparing, and Mane fell for it.


    The Possessed pulled out the rod that was embedded in the ground. Without wasting any more time, it dashed towards Mane.


    *Bang*


    *Bang*


    *Bang*


    *Bang*


    *Bang*


    The two traded blows for a while. Mane couldn''t avoid the attacks any longer. Doing so will provide an opening for the sneaky beast to get a few hits in. But he was slowly being pushed backwards. First of all, he was weaker than his opponent. Although Takeover had bridged the gap between them, the Possessed was still a bit stronger than Mane. Secondly, since Mane wasn''t trying to kill the creature, he wasn''t going all out. His inner energy pool wasn''t as large as the Possessed''s, so he couldn''t use all his power without knowing where its core was. Thirdly, although the Possessed felt pain, it wasn''t afraid of his flames any longer. Although Mane was fully engulfed in fire, after the Possessed realized that its attacks were effective, it didn''t care about the flames. It attacked recklessly, its insanity overshadowing its pain.


    "That''s enough" Mane mumbled as his aura exploded. The strange situation knocked the overeager Possessed backwards. Mane''s hair and eyes became even redder. The dark aura that coated his flames grew even darker and the flames became just as dark.


    "This has gone on long enough" Mane seethed.


    "Star Flicker" Mane quickly arrived before the surprised Possessed and furiously struck it several times with his sword and blade.


    *Bang*


    *Bang*


    *Bang*


    *Bang*


    *Bang*


    The Possessed held its rod vertically, dealing with most of the attacks. But it still got cut a few times.


    "Prideful Sword: Dance of the Half-Moon"


    "Bloodied Blade: Crazed Cut of the Blade King"


    *Clink*


    The expression of the Possessed changed when the rod it regarded as its companion was struck out of its hand and away from it. It looked into Mane''s crazed eyes, and for the first time since its birth, felt fear.


    "4 Way Cut: Perfect Square"


    A square shaped light was released by Mane''s principal weapons. They passed through the body of the Possessed without any resistance, and cut through it cleanly. Its limbs were severed from his trunk, and its head was lobbed off.


    *Bam*


    Mane kicked the head far away, and stumped on the torso that remained.


    *Boom*


    "Brimstone"


    He allowed the flames that covered his body to unleash their fury on the Possessed. Although it couldn''t die it still felt pain. Its torso writhed under the powerful flames of the Supreme in agony.


    "Did you find it" Mane screamed!


    "I did" came the reply. Mane didn''t do all this just because he was angry. Before the Possessed was born, he cloaked Abe with an invisibility barrier. He reckoned that although they wouldn''t be fighting where his friend was, it was still better to make it so Abelard couldn''t be seen. That was why the Possessed had been fully focused on Mane. If it noticed Abelard, it may have attempted to kill him first.


    When he was battling the Possessed he felt his barrier stir. Someone was trying to break it. So he focused a little bit of his attention on the barrier. It was then he noticed that the one trying to undo the barrier was his friend. But his loss of concentration came at a cost. The Possessed was finally able to land a good hit. But Mane didn''t care about that. Since Abe was up, he needed to set the stage for his friend. So he decimated the Possessed before he undid his barrier.


    How Mane wished he was a telepath now. If he had such ability, he could have asked his friend for what he found without having to break the Possessed into so many pieces. But it was all good. He kicked the trunk of the creature towards its head. The flames were extinguished before the trunk arrived at its destination.


    "So where is it?" Mane wondered. "Lower jaw. Directly beneath the ear" Abe replied. He didn''t comment on Mane''s strange appearance. After all he had seen his friend in this form before; during Mane''s duel with his father.


    "Okay. You know where it is, so you will have to kill it. I will be your aid" Mane offered. Since he wasn''t sure were exactly the core was, their victory rested entirely on Abe.


    "Alright that works" Abe nodded. "You sure didn''t go easy on it" Abelard remarked upon witnessing the limbs of the Possessed flying towards its body. Mane could have chosen to hold on to its torso so that Abelard will get the head and break the core. But he didn''t do that. Although he accused Abelard of not finishing his fights cleanly, Mane was the same. But his reasons were different. He wanted to observe it just a little longer. He hoped to gain some insights into how Possessed functioned by this.


    "I will kill you" the Possessed screamed once it was fully healed! But deep within its eyes there was a bit of fear when it looked at Mane. It didn''t even register the one standing next to him; a decision it was bound to regret.


    "You really are heartless" Abe noted that although the Possessed was screaming death threats, it wasn''t taking the initiative. Mane had definitely traumatized it.


    Mane scratched his head in embarrassment. Abelard shook his head and continued,


    "Let''s get to it then"

 Chapter 202 - Mane And Abelard: When The Prideful Join Hands Part IV

    *Boom*


    *Boom*


    *Boom*


    *Boom*


    *Boom*


    The helpless Possessed landed with a thud after the merciless assault from the two young wielders. Mane was still on fire, and Abelard''s entire body was covered with his combat armor. Two large earth gauntlets were on Abe''s hands. One didn''t need to be hit by that to know that it would be a painful experience.


    "It is strong" Abe remarked. "It is" Mane assented. Abelard had been trying to break through the Possessed jaw to reach the device, but its bones were unusually hard in that particular area.


    "It isn''t easy to destroy the core of a Possessed. The areas that house the core are usually so well protected that it takes something special to break through them" 6th chimed in. Unfortunately Mane was the only one who could hear him. 6th was right. Mane was able to easily destroy the leader''s core because of Absolute Darkness. That skill ignored all physical defenses. The leader might as well been n.a.k.e.d. But it was different with Abelard. Although Abelard had told Mane where the core was located, it was just a general description. If Mane attempted to get the core and failed, it would be moved from its location to another part of the body. That''s right. The cores weren''t stationary objects. They changed locations when compromised; almost as if they had minds of their own. They didn''t need the Possessed to do that for them. Once the core felt threatened, it would change its location and become even more difficult to find. So Mane couldn''t take that risk.


    "Do you have a stronger skill?" Mane asked as the two boys watched the Possessed shakily get out of the ditch that had been created after the last attack.


    "I do: a glow" Abe replied succinctly. Mane had his brows raised in surprise. Although he asked the question, he didn''t expect too much. Abelard hadn''t created any unusual phenomenon when he broke through, so Mane was certain that he hadn''t awakened any new glows. But his friend actually had something that could work. He wondered if he had missed anything.


    "Spirit Scan"


    NAME: Abe


    AGE: 11


    HEALTH POINTS: 3800/3800


    BLOODLINE: *True Blood Wyvern


    BLOODLINE RANK: Rank 15 (partially unlocked)


    RACE: *Zandorian Remnant (100%)


    LEVEL: Profound Stage 6 (Level 46.45)


    POWER LEVEL: 260,000


    WIELDER TYPE: Dual Wielder (Energy Wielder; Scholar)


    SPECIALTY: Strength, Intelligence, and Vitality


    GLOWS: Earth''s Darling Boy; *Incomplete Transformation [Wyvern]


    BREATHS: *True Hubris


    "So that''s what I missed" Mane noticed that he didn''t truly pay attention to the glow column. There was obviously a change. The number of glows were the same, but the descriptions were different. The formerly locked glow was now unlocked: Incomplete Transformation [Wyvern]. It was still incomplete, but Mane reckoned that it was just a question of when it will be complete, not whether it will ever be complete.


    "Augendae: Spirit Scan ¨C Incomplete Transformation [Wyvern]"


    GLOW: Incomplete Transformation [Wyvern]: A partial transformation into the mythical wyvern. Allows the user to be filled with the power of nobility and flames. The claws and wings of the dragon''s cousin are at the user''s disposal. Be careful however, for if your inner energy runs out, your blood will fill that void.


    "What a powerful skill. But it isn''t without cost" Mane frowned after he read the description that appeared before his eyes. Mane had a plethora of powerful glows. And all of them came at great cost. Abe''s glow was no different. If he had no inner energy available he could still use the glow, but his life force was the price for such a decision. And even if Abelard had inner energy, Mane suspected that the skill would still be a great burden on his young body. Otherwise Abelard would have used it already.


    "It is a powerful glow indeed. Congratulations Abelard" Mane praised his friend all the same. His masters had told him before that the drawbacks of a glow gradually disappear as one grows and develops along with it. In the future this glow would be a powerful tool in Abelard''s arsenal. He could truly be referred to now as a Blood Wyvern''s descendant.


    "How did you know?" Abelard asked surprised. "It is a Spiritualist skill" Mane answered. "I can see a few things" Mane continued.


    "Okay" Abelard nodded. He knew Mane was a Spiritualist. Everyone in the team did. And they knew that the abilities of a spiritualist were not as narrow as they initially assumed they were. He was a bit surprised though that Mane was able to see through his abilities and he didn''t feel a thing. Since he was a scholar he should be able to tell when someone is prying on him. But he would ask his friend more about that after the fight is over.


    "Transform. How much time do you need?" Mane asked. "A few seconds I suppose" Abelard answered. "Good. Then I can go all out" Mane smirked as he dashed towards the Possessed, flames trailing behind him and creating cracks on the ground.


    "I have to ask him to help me understand fire better when we get back" Abelard smiled bitterly seeing how truly powerful Mane''s flames were. He helped Mane understand earth better. It was time for the blond boy to return the favor.


    *Boom*


    Mane''s explosive figure rushed right into the path of the Possessed and delivered a vicious kick to its midsection. However the strange creature was prepared for his arrival and used its retrieved rod to block the attack. It was pushed back a few feet though; but it was better than being hit directly. Once it stabilized itself it dashed forwards for a counter. It swung its rod angrily.


    *Boom*


    Mane was pushed back by the strength of the powerful swing. The hands that held his weapons were splintered from the strength of the attack.


    "Star Flicker"


    "Prideful Sword: Dance of the Half-Moon"


    "Bloodied Blade: Crazed Cut of the Blade King"


    *Boom*


    Mane quickly returned the favor with his favorite moves, but the Possessed was once again prepared for that unusual burst in speed Mane occasionally displayed. It was slowly understanding his moves and was able to prepare for them. It brought its rod before its body just in time to avoid the devastating blow.


    *Boom*


    The two charged at each other and found themselves locked in a stalemate. As they looked at each other''s face, the Possessed saw Mane''s lips slowly curve into a smile and had a bad feeling.


    "Switch!" that was what it heard before Mane suddenly disappeared from its sight. In his place, and approaching his domineering pride was a strange creature. It resembled the human it was fighting with a few minutes ago, but this human seemed to have undergone a transformation. There was a long horn in the middle of the human''s forehead, and his eyes were now a golden yellow color. He wasn''t wearing the armor he wore before. In its place were red scales that covered his entire body. Claws replaced his nails, and there were two huge wings that were strangely connected to his arms. The wings were long and slender; they had dark red blades lining their edges. The Possessed didn''t know what was going on, but it had an inherent fear of the human now.


    Abe balled his fingers into a fist and struck the Possessed with all the power he could master. Flames covered his fists and latched onto the Possessed that had already been tormented enough by Mane''s flames.


    *Boom*


    The Possessed felt the power behind the strike. It quickly put its rod in the way and avoided the fatal attack. But it was still knocked back several feet by the attack. Unfortunately there was no respite for it. Mane was behind the Possessed. He had anticipated this and was waiting for it. With its back facing the young Supreme it didn''t notice anything until it was too late. When it felt the approach of more fire it knew it had made a mistake for forgetting about the other threat on the battlefield. It was still midair, so it couldn''t do anything to avoid Mane''s assault.


    "Flickering Burst" Mane was more than happy to employ the use of his most dangerous unarmed technique. This was the technique he developed from combining Star Flicker and Extreme Burst. He had danced around some names and finally settled on this one. It was difficult to use it in battle. But when someone was sent to you in such a helpless manner, what else could you ask for.


    *Boom*


    The Possessed was knocked back towards Abelard. The power of Flickering burst had destroyed most of the bones in its body and turned them to dust. Although it could heal, Flickering Burst was an attack that left remnants of inner energy in the victim''s body. So right now Mane''s inner energy was interfering with its healing. As it struggled to heal the damages, it tried to bring up its rod to try an attack so that it wouldn''t be on the receiving end.


    "How?" it growled angrily upon realizing that its rod wasn''t in its hand anymore. The weapon was missing. As it flew through the air it did the only thing it could: turning its head around to locate the weapon. It found the rod, but it wasn''t pleased with what it saw. The rod was in Mane''s hand, and the stubborn fellow was chasing after the Possessed. Mane was determined to leave no paths of escape.


    "True Hubris" Abe muttered and sent his bladed wing straight through the Possessed''s jaw. His powerful wings did cut into the jaw, but it wasn''t enough. Even with the momentum of the Possessed, he wasn''t able to breakthrough its bone. However before the Possessed could smile in relief, Mane struck it powerfully from behind with its own rod.


    *Boom*


    The heartless boy struck its head. The extra addition of force pushed the Possessed''s jaw and forced Abe''s wings through the bone and into the core.


    *Crack*


    "Go to bed now" Mane muttered when he heard the crushing sound. He looked to Abelard who gave him a thumbs up. The eyes of the Possessed were vacant like before, but this time it didn''t make any movements. It was truly dead now. As if on cue, both young wielders allowed their flames to consume the Possessed and incinerated the creature that was born from the death of two Zandorians.


    Once everything was over, Mane walked over to the place they had left the assassin. His injuries were grave and rendered him immobile. And even more fortuitous for the duo, the assassin had lost consciousness. Mane picked him up and the two boys walked towards the dome.


    "If anyone can give us some answers-" Mane started


    "Then it has to be him" Abelard finished.


    "After this I''m going to take a long nap" Mane yawned in exhaustion. The battle against the Possessed was a tiring one.


    Abelard laughed and said, "Only a nap? I''m hibernating."

 Chapter 203 - Master Part I

    Deep within the Eastern Empire in a small kingdom whose name was unknown to most, a small group of soldiers were investigating what looked like a natural disaster. The place they currently found themselves in used to be the biggest forest in the kingdom. However everything changed a few hours ago. A few hours ago loud bangs and strange sounds were heard coming from within the forest. Strange lights that towered into the sky were also spotted during that time. The people were scared and rightly so. For who didn''t fear the unknown. Many speculated that nature was furious with the kingdom and wished that it be wiped out, but the upper management knew better. The king and the nobles weren''t as gullible as their people. The recent happenings in the Eastern Kingdom suggested that the world was going to be tossed into chaos soon. Although they wanted no part in the war that had already arrived, they had no choice. The Master had taken over the entire empire and he didn''t take kindly to people who rejected his orders. The Master regarded all of them as pawns. They were nothing but expendables.


    "Is it really true?" one of the soldiers asked his counterpart. He had a look of dread on his face and his slightly shaking hands indicated that he was anything but calm at this point.


    "I don''t know. But it wouldn''t be strange if it was" his counterpart replied. Unlike his compatriot he was calm and composed. He was a man who had been enlisted in the army over a decade ago. He had seen many things, so unlike his comrade who was only recently recruited, he had greater control over his emotions.


    "It is hard to believe that someone has this kind of power in this world" the young soldier fearfully stated. He was in the mid stages of the mortal realm. When he became a 5th stage mortal realmer he was hailed as a prodigy because he was only in his twenties. Granted his talent couldn''t compare to the true geniuses who attended the Wielder Academy, but he was considered amazing in this small kingdom. Yet what he was looking at ¨C the level of destruction that was staring him in his slightly immature face ¨C was greater than anything he had ever seen. He had the privilege of witnessing two peak stage mortal realmers battle it out when he was in his teens. Yet even they ¨C who were the strongest warriors he had seen in his life ¨C didn''t possess the power to cause destruction on such a scale.


    The formerly life-filled forest was now desolate. Tree stumps were everywhere and the grass that previously beautified this place was nowhere to be found. An entire forest destroyed. There was still smoke rising out of some areas and several ditches that weren''t here a few hours ago now marked the checkpoints of this place. It couldn''t be called a forest anymore for the only trees and creatures that remained unaffected by whatever happened here were those in the outer periphery. However once one crossed the outer boundary, this lifeless ground was what awaited them.


    "Maybe a few months ago it would have been hard to believe" the older soldier replied. Since the Master had revealed himself as the Head of the Eastern Empire, the people he picked out were being transformed. The older soldier himself had seen people he fought with suddenly gain power that wasn''t theirs. He didn''t know where that power came from, but he was sure the Master had something to do with it ¨C no, he had everything to do with it.


    "The strangest thing is that there are others with the power to fight against those the Master has chosen" the older soldier sighed. There was a storm brewing. The Master was clearly preparing them for war and their opponents were no weaklings themselves.


    "Do you think we will also become this powerful when it is our turn?" the young soldier sounded slightly excited. He was still fearful, but he couldn''t help but wonder if he could also become this powerful after receiving the Master''s power.


    "I wouldn''t be so excited if I were you. Such good things are seldom without a price" the older man sighed. The younger soldier''s words made him realize that it would soon be his turn to receive the power of the Master. Just like the young man he was part of the next batch. He really didn''t want this power. Whenever he thought about it chills will travel down his spine. But he couldn''t resist the orders of the Master. He had his family to take care of. Saying no to the Master wouldn''t just be sealing his death sentence, it would be sealing his family''s fate as well.


    "I think you are being paranoid" the young soldier brushed away the experience of the veteran. To him the older man was just thinking too much.


    "I hope I am" the older man commented.


    "Crows. Loads of them" the younger soldier pointed at the large number of crows that were eagerly flying to the other end of the forest.


    "Follow them" the older soldier ordered and took the lead. He followed after the murder of crows with as much speed that he could master.


    "Why?" the younger soldier easily kept up with his pace. He wanted to know what was going on. His inexperience reared its head as he struggled to understand why the older gentleman looked so solemn after seeing the crows.


    "Crows are lovers of battlefields. They eat any and everything. Dead bodies are no exception. If they are here it means-"


    "There was a battled here" the younger man continued. He sounded surprised. He didn''t know this.


    It didn''t take them long to find out where the murder of crows were.


    "This-" the young soldier had barely started his sentence when his face grew extremely pale and his stomach gave out.


    "Argh" he crawled to a nearby ditch and threw up everything he had for breakfast. The older man wrinkled his forehead in dismay. He had been to the battlefield several times so this wasn''t new to him. There were several decapitated heads and smashed corpses all around them.


    "Do you recognize their armor?" the older soldier asked the younger one when the young man was done showing his disgust for the battlefield.


    "No" the young man replied with his face still pale because of what he was seeing. He may have just joined the army, but he hadn''t been to an actual battlefield before. However he was a quick learner so he gathered himself quickly and observed the armor of the fallen men.


    "The Knights of the Eastern Sun!" it didn''t take him long to find the answer to the question. And his exclamation was the evidence of his surprise. The Knights of the Eastern Sun were the exclusive warriors of the Eastern Empire''s Royal family. They served only the royal family and no one else. Yet here they were, beaten down and killed like dogs.


    "But what were they doing here?" the young soldier asked. His question was logical for their kingdom was a small and insignificant one. There was no reason for the Knights of the Eastern Sun to be here.


    "I don''t know. But I reckon that they were part of the reason for the forest''s drastic renovation" the older man replied. Maybe they came chasing after some people and got done in in the end. This wasn''t good news for the kingdom. The elites of the Eastern Empire were found dead on their turf. They could only report their findings and hope the royal family which was now under the control of the Master would spare them.


    "But an even better question is this: Why are there no enemy traces?" the older soldier brought up a question of his own. The young soldier had his eyes opened wide in surprise. He quickly scanned the battlefield and saw what his partner had already seen.


    "How is that possible?" the elites of the Eastern Empire had been wiped out and there was no sign of the enemy. This meant that they had been completely overwhelmed!


    "We must leave now" the young soldier shook at the thought of the enemies still being around. They needed to leave this place.


    "Wait. What is that?" the older soldier pointed at the rod that stood strangely erect at the corner of the battlefield. He looked at his partner. The young man shook his head fearfully to indicate that he wasn''t going to cross the battlefield. The older man sighed in resignation and went alone.


    "It''s glowing!" he screamed from across the battlefield when he finally reached the rod. The young man fought his anxiety and fear and crossed as well. He wanted to see if it was truly glowing.


    "It is" he said in awe as he admired the weapon. "You want it?" the older soldier asked with a smile seeing the look of worship on the young man''s face.


    "Really? I can have it?" the young solider asked, barely holding himself back from grabbing the weapon. "Yep. Whatever we find on the battlefield is ours to keep. That''s the only advantage of being an investigative soldier" the older man smiled and said the words the young man was itching to hear. The young soldier immediately grabbed the rod. However when he held it his eyes lost their l.u.s.ter and his face took on a blank expression.


    "What''s wrong" the older soldier finally noticed the strange situation and reached out to shake the young man out of his stupor. He thought the boy was fascinated by the weapon and had lost his bearings. Unfortunately that was the last thing he did in this life.


    *Boom*


    The rod came crushing down with ferocity. It cruelly broke the man''s skull and spilled his brains all over the floor.


    "Weak" the young man''s voice was oddly hoarse. It wasn''t the same voice he spoke with a few seconds ago.


    "Must get to Master" the young man held the corpse of the dead soldier. Something strange happened when he did. The deceased soldier was sucked into his body and was immediately absorbed.


    "Will kill red hair and brown hair next meeting" by now it was clear that the young man wasn''t the same soldier that he was a few seconds ago. His speech was broken and incoherent, and his voice was husky like a parched man looking for a few sips of water. He wasn''t the young soldier, but the possessed Mane and Abe thought they had killed! It wasn''t dead. It thought Mane was a red haired boy because it fought him when he was in his Takeover state. It held on tightly to the rod and slowly walked off the battlefield, its figure obscured by the crows who were happily feasting on this desolate ground.

 Chapter 204 - Master Part II

    "They never returned?" a man dressed in luxurious clothes had his hand under his chin in contemplation.


    "No my liege. We sent some men to their last known location but we didn''t find anything." A man wearing military apparel decorated with medals was kneeling before the throne as he addressed the king.


    "That isn''t enough to seek an audience with me" the king furrowed his brows and stated plainly. He had known this soldier for a long time. In fact he had known him all his life. The man kneeling before him was the captain of the Kingdom''s Royal Guards and he was very loyal. He would never come to see him for something so trivial.


    "We didn''t find their bodies; however, we did find something else" once he was done speaking he unfurled the cloth he was holding to reveal a piece of armor in it. The armor had a crest and some strange markings on it. He ordered one of the guards to send it closer to the king.


    "This is the crest of the Knights of the Eastern Sun!" the king exclaimed when he had a good look at the crest. His facial expression was unsightly. Now he knew why the Captain wanted to see him. A member of the Knights of the Eastern Sun was found dead in their borders. They had nothing to do with it but the Master wouldn''t care about their involvement. They were in trouble all the same.


    "That isn''t the bad news My King" the kneeling captain said.


    "It''s not?" the King grew scared upon hearing that the death of a member of a group they couldn''t afford to offend was not the bad news. If there was something worse how will his kingdom be able to come out of this unscathed?


    "We didn''t find the corpse of just one knight. We found scores of them. At least twenty of them died within our borders." The captain delivered more bad news.


    "What?!" the king screamed in an unsightly manner. However right now he didn''t care about what he looked like. He began to sweat profusely. There was no way his little kingdom will be able to handle the weight of this magnitude.


    "What can we do? Do you have any ideas?" he frantically enquired of the captain. This man was not only the captain of the guards but his closest advisor. He always came up with the best solutions and he was seldom wrong about this plans. The king looked at him and saw that he was calm. He slowly calmed down. If the captain was so calm about this, then it meant he had a solution already.


    "I do" the captain nodded and replied.


    "Great. What is it?" the king asked in expectation.


    "Your death" the captain coldly answered. Before the king could register what was happening, a sword was lodged deeply in his chest. Someone had stabbed him from behind. With all the strength he could muster he turned his head to see who had delivered the blow that was bound to rob him of his life.


    "Why?" he gasped as he struggled to breath.


    "We need to give Master an explanation. We have no other choice" the captain sighed as he replied. He was loyal to the kingdom, not the king. The only way they could save the kingdom was by giving Master a suitable explanation. And by how Master worked, the only explanation they could give was one written in blood.


    The king fell off his throne and onto the ground. The sword that killed him was still embedded in the throne and his blood had stained the seat meant for royalty. As he fell onto the ground he couldn''t push down the sadness welling up within him. Why did it have to be him? Anyone else could have killed him so why did it have to be him? Why did it have to be his own son?


    "You know you didn''t have to do it yourself" the captain sighed as he observed the young boy who had just betrayed his own father.


    "What good would that do: passing the sentence yet showing cowardice by fearing to carry it out yourself" the young prince grabbed his dark hair in dismay as tears fell down his face. This was the hardest thing he had ever done in his life. And he didn''t think that there would be another like it.


    "The others?" the boy asked as he wiped his tears.


    "It is done" the captain sighed when he saw the boy''s eyes redden once again. "We did as you asked. They didn''t feel any pain" the captain continued. It wasn''t only the king who had faced death. The members of the royal family all faced the same end. But the prince had asked that his siblings and the empress be killed with poisons. He didn''t want them to go through the pain of a violent death. As for his father he had to do it himself.


    "You are the only one left" the captain sadly spoke with his eyes still on the young boy. The prince was very talented in both wielding and the affairs of the kingdom. He was only fifteen, but he was at the 6th stage of the mortal realm. He had developed many ideas for the development of the kingdom that will see the kingdom blossom into a major force of the Eastern Empire in several decades. And it was he who decided that the death of the royal family was the only way to appease the bloodthirsty Master.


    "You don''t have to die. You could escape and return later" the captain tried to persuade the prince when he saw the boy pull out the sword he used to murder his father and place it on his own neck. The guards in the throne room looked down onto the ground in pain. What happened today was no doubt the most painful experience for them. But what was going to happen trumped the other painful events.


    The prince was very talented. They had no doubt that the kingdom would experience unprecedented growth in his hands. Alas it wasn''t meant to be.


    "I cannot live with myself knowing what has happened; what my own hands have done" the young prince''s hands shook as he spoke. It wasn''t from fear that his body was robbed of its calm ¨C the prince wasn''t afraid of his impending execution. He shook from the sorrow he was experiencing; from that nerve racking pain he had never felt before.


    "My only regret is that I wouldn''t be able to kill those responsible with my own hands" the prince gritted his teeth in hatred. Even after all this he didn''t blame the Master. The Master was the ruler of the Eastern Empire. Why would he blame his leader? His hatred was directed towards the people who had killed the knights in his kingdom. He was a brilliant boy so he was able to discern that the killers were outsiders. After all, who would dare antagonize the Master in his own kingdom but his enemies?


    "Promise me that you will do right by the people in our absence" the young crown prince smiled mournfully as he made his last request.


    "I will My Prince" the captain knelt down in obeisance. All the guards knelt down as well. All with their heads bowed. They didn''t want to see what was going to happen.


    "Then I can leave with a clear conscience" the prince said and prepared to take his life.


    The captain lifted his head after a few seconds in confusion. He didn''t hear the sound of a sword claiming the life of another. He didn''t hear the sound of a lifeless body hitting the ground. A look of surprise filled his face when he saw what was going on. There was a robed man standing right beside the prince. He gave off an aura of unfathomability. He seemed infallible; and he was akin to a god. He held the prince''s sword, preventing the weapon from claiming the teen''s life.


    "You have great foresight. You are highly intelligent. I cannot let one with such qualities die. I need someone like you at my side." The intruder''s voice was charismatic and had a strange charm that befuddled the senses.


    "What is your name boy" the intruder asked.


    "Lemuel ¨C Lemuel Brown" the prince replied absentmindedly.


    "Lemuel I can help you get your revenge. I can help you decimate those who forced your family to their deaths" the intruder stated


    Lemuel''s eyes reddened as he stared at his father''s corpse. The scene where he plunged his sword into his father''s heart flashed past his brown eyes. Very soon fury replaced his anger.


    "How? How can you promise such a thing? Do you know the Master?" Lemuel couldn''t help but ask.


    "Silly boy" the cloaked figure laughed and revealed his face. It was the face of a middle-aged man who had experienced the vicissitudes of life. It was the face of the man who was once the Head of the Assassins Association! The kneeling captain had his eyes wide open in surprise. He knew that face! It was the face he didn''t want to see at this moment.


    He gently caressed the head of the boy like a loving father and said


    "Because I am the one you call Master. But you can call me Teacher"

 Chapter 205 - Truths Part I

    "So are you going to start or what" Mane was alone in his room. He had returned from his ''field trip'' a few hours ago. He sat atop his bed in a meditative state and faced his masters in his mindscape. He wanted an explanation and he thought it would be better for him to be there in person to hear them out.


    "Please don''t tell me it was for my own good" Mane sat atop the rock placed right before the 5th mountain and said.


    "We weren''t going to" 1st replied. "We did it to protect ourselves, not you" 1st continued.


    "What do you mean?" Mane questioned with his expression displaying his confusion.


    "You know what we mean kid. You figured it out long ago didn''t you?" 6th sighed


    Mane''s expression was different from the indifferent one he had on when he first entered the mindscape. His face was twisted in worry and a bit of fear. Yes he knew what his masters were talking about. But he didn''t want to talk about it. He didn''t want what he feared to happen.


    "You don''t have to do anything if you aren''t ready Mane. We aren''t ready either. We cannot leave you in this state. We must watch our disciple grow with our own eyes" the usually silent 9th said


    "Really?" Mane asked expectantly


    "Yes. You are too young to be on your own" 1st laughed heartily.


    "Thank you" Mane was happy. He finally understood why his masters kept some things from him. They kept some things away from him so that Mane would feel that he needed them. In their books that was the only way Mane would keep them around. Years ago when they revealed themselves to Mane, the young boy was told a few riddles that were the keys to unlocking his masters'' chains. Understanding those riddles was the only way to free his masters from his mindscape and return them to their bodies and their worlds.


    At first Mane didn''t know that releasing the seal would mean they would leave him. He only assumed that releasing their seals would force them outside his body and give them a physical presence. However as he progressed and grew as a wielder he came to understand a few things. The little he understood led him to this fact: it was impossible for them to be freed in his realm. They would be free when he answers the riddles. That much was true. But it wasn''t exactly like how Mane had imagined it. His masters would be free but their spirits would be returned to their true bodies since it was only their spirits that were trapped in his body. Zandor is a sealed planet. Even if his masters want to return to Mane and guide him, they wouldn''t be able to. They didn''t know the true coordinates for Zandor. And even if the coordinates were given to them they wouldn''t be able to break through the seal that kept Zandor hidden unless they had the help of a powerful Sensor God and a Spiritual God. There were too few Sensors and Spiritual Gods. And it would be difficult to get either of them to help, and even more difficult to get the two kinds of gods to work together for their sakes. Mane understood this. And so did his masters. Which is why from the moment Mane understood the riddles, which was a year ago, he hadn''t said anything. And that was why his masters kept some things hidden from him with the promise of telling him at a later date so that he would feel that he needed them and wouldn''t break their seals.


    "It''s your turn now" 3rd suddenly spoke.


    "Me? What would you question me about?" Mane feigned ignorance and turned his head away. Of course he knew what they were talking about. There was no way he would be able to hide his abilities as a scholar from his masters. Even before the issue with the Possessed that forced him to reveal his abilities as a scholar, he had revealed the secret long ago. His parents knew and Mane didn''t think his masters wouldn''t be able to feel his change. They lived in him for crying out loud! But he promised Ananse not to tell anyone about their meeting. And he was hoping to keep that promise. It wasn''t that he trusted Ananse more than he did his family and his masters. He wasn''t an idiot. However he knew that he would need the Sensor Goddess'' help in the future. He couldn''t hope to receive her help if he broke the one rule she gave him. Since she was a goddess of wisdom, she was definitely testing him. If Mane failed the test he could say goodbye to her friendship and help in the future.


    He had evaded the question when his parents asked and offered to show them his technique instead. Mane couldn''t open his mouth and tell them who Ananse was, so he was hoping his technique would do the talking instead. And he was right. His mother understood right away and led his father away to speak with the battle god; no doubt to tell him who the culprit behind Mane''s sudden pursuit of the scholar path was.


    Now his masters also wanted to know. They were curious about how the young boy had suddenly stepped on the path of scholars but kept quiet about it. And Mane was thankful for their silence. But the blond boy had dug his own grave by asking his masters for the ''truth''. Now he was the one in the hot seat.


    "Don''t evade the question kid" unfortunately his masters weren''t going to let this slide. 6th was quick to stop Mane from leaving. The boy finally regretted sharing his rights over the control of his mindscape with his masters when he realized that he couldn''t leave the mindscape.


    "I really can''t say" Mane said in frustration. He really wanted to tell his masters but he couldn''t.


    "No need to disturb the boy" 1st came to Mane''s rescue. "I already know who it is" he continued.


    "Huh?" Mane was surprised by the sudden revelation. "How would you know?" Mane wondered. 3rd was the smartest of them all, yet she didn''t know. So how did 1st know? Mane was right that 3rd was the smartest. But he had forgotten that 1st was the most experienced of them all. He had lived the longest and knew about things that most of the others didn''t know.


    "This person was able to give you the technique without any of us noticing and then asked that you tell no one. When you spoke to your mother earlier and revealed the nature of the technique I knew right away who it was." 1st sighed.


    "How is she?" 1st asked


    "She is fine" Mane replied. Now he was sure that 1st knew Ananse. The god''s voice was filled with melancholy when he asked about her wellbeing. It seemed that he was on good terms with the Goddess of Wisdom.


    "You want to know how I know her, don''t you?" 1st spoke out.


    "I do" Mane nodded. He was a curious boy. Of course he wanted to know.


    "I''d tell you later. For now you should go to your father. They may have finished their interrogations by now. I''m sure you are more curious about who this so called Master is." 1st suggested.


    "Plus it will give me some time to tell the others about her" 1st gave his reason and Mane finally relented.


    "I wonder who this Master is" Mane wondered as he exited his room. They brought the assassin back with them and left him in the ''loving'' care of his father. Indra was also here. Maybe they had succeeded in getting the stubborn assassin to open his mouth.

 Chapter 206 - Truths Part II

    "You sure are stubborn" Ray calmly cleaned his bloody hands as he addressed the man hanging in the cell by a couple of chains. This man was the assassin Mane and Abelard had captured. He was hanging in a makeshift jail cell in the bas.e.m.e.nt. His face was so bloody that he could hardly be recognised. His entire body was in a similar state with a huge hole on the right side of his chest stealing the limelight.


    "But even the densest of metals can be melted with the right technique and a powerful flame" the only other person in the room with the exception of Ray and the assassin stated coldly. He had his arms folded as he leaned on the wall and observed the entire interrogation process. His green eyes gleamed brightly as if he wanted to see through the assassin.


    "You have to do more. You are a powerful spiritualist. Surely there must be a way to get the information without having to work this hard" Indra said. Ray wasn''t a Spiritual God, but he was a Spiritual Emperor. If he wanted to pry the information out of the assassin''s mouth he would be able to.


    "I would rather not use such a method" Ray shook his head. It wasn''t that he didn''t have any other methods. Rather he didn''t want to use the methods at his disposal.


    "Would you be harmed?" Indra wondered. He didn''t know much about spiritualists but from the little he knew, the techniques that could invade the minds of others didn''t pose much of a threat to the spiritualist. The danger associated with most of those techniques was that they could backfire if they were used on someone with a powerful spirit. But this assassin was a measly earth realmer. Indra couldn''t see any possible way Ray would suffer from a backlash.


    "It wouldn''t harm me. But I would rather not cause another to lose his mind" Ray sighed. He really didn''t want to depend on ''that'' skill. Normally he wouldn''t be this reluctant. But when he thought about the fact that this assassin was Zandorian most of his courage will disappear. It wasn''t because he had a soft spot for Zandorians. It was because he felt pity for them. He didn''t need a genius to tell him that whoever this Master person was, he/she was related to the Dark God Seth. Zandorians were just pawns in the Dark One''s game.


    "Your son mentioned that they fought Possesseds. You heard what he said. If we don''t find out who the Master is, how will Mane even know where to start? We must leave this person to him and his team so that we can focus on the Dark God." Indra tried to convince Ray that invading the assassin''s consciousness was the right thing to do.


    "I know that you are right" Ray sighed sadly. Indra was correct. Mane said he wanted to find a way to break the Possession skill without having to kill the person. His son couldn''t just start his investigations. He needed a thread to follow. He needed to know where it all began ¨C and with whom it began with. The where was the Eastern Empire. But it was a big place. They needed to narrow down the location. So they needed the ''whom''. This ''whom'' was the Master.


    "I''m sorry" Ray apologized to the assassin who already knew that there was something wrong. Although he wasn''t being spoken to directly, his fuzzy consciousness understood that it had to do with his fate. One of his captors wanted the other to use a particular method to glean the information out of his mind. But for some strange reason the other one was unwilling to resort to such means ¨C whatever they were. The assassin smirked disdainfully. To him the brown haired man was a hypocrite. After doing all this to him and bringing him so much pain, he was trying to act all nice and was even apologizing.


    "No matter" the assassin thought. It was clearly a plan to trick him into revealing the status of the Master by letting him believe that they were regretful of their actions and wished to make amends. The assassin didn''t even consider that they could invade his consciousness and take what they wanted. To him that wasn''t possible unless they were part of the Northern Empire''s royal family. But the assassin had seen the members of that royal family. None of these men were amongst them. Besides, he was brought into the Western Empire so that wasn''t possible.


    "Don''t resist. That''s the only way you can come out of this alive" Ray warned. However the assassin didn''t pay him any mind. Why should he listen to the words of his torturer?


    "Augendae: Invadendi" Ray augmented his lease. He didn''t know if any restrictions had been placed on the assassin''s soul so he had to be careful. The assassin shook violently once the lease was casted. He shook like one being viciously strangled. This continued for about half a minute before he finally ceased trembling. However his body still twitched from time to time.


    "So?" Indra didn''t even care about the assassin. He wasn''t a resident of Zandor neither was he a philanthropist who had to worry about this person who had tried to kill children. He wanted something else.


    "I know who the Master is" Ray had a surprised expression on his face after going through the assassin''s memories. The assassin had met the Master only once ¨C when he was receiving his blessing.


    "In fact we both know who this person is" Ray smiled bitterly and said.


    "Oh? Who?" Indra''s curiosity was peaked.


    "Remember the Assassins Association''s Head?" Ray asked.


    "Yeah" Indra nodded. Of course he remembered the man. He had used one of the man''s men to spy on him for a very long time so he remembered.


    "Are you saying-" Indra realized what Ray was trying to say.


    "Yeah I am" Ray rubbed his temples in exhaustion. He still couldn''t believe it. Someone he could have easily killed a few months ago was now an underling of the Dark God. He assumed that the man had accepted to be the Dark God''s minion, but he didn''t think the Dark God would regard him so highly that he would centre his plan for world domination on his shoulders.


    "If he''s the one giving the blessings then it means he isn''t a normal servant" Indra rubbed his chin and said.


    "Yeah" Ray assented. An average servant wouldn''t be capable of sharing his master''s power with others. Unless the servant was a high leveled one, it would be impossible.


    "Brimstone" Ray quickly disposed of the assassin. The man had lost his mind now. Apart from his occasional mumbles and twitching, he could do nothing else. All Ray could do was put him out of his misery. He couldn''t use normal flames because it would take a bit of time to completely burn the body. That would be painful. So he used brimstone. It burned the man to crisp before his feeble consciousness could register what was happening.


    "You know, I am curious about something" Indra suddenly said.


    "What?" Ray wondered.


    "You are a lightening elementalist. I am also one so I can feel their presence around you. Yet you hardly use it. Why?" Indra was truly curious about this. He was a powerful lightening elementalist himself so he could feel that the lightening energy coursing through Ray''s veins weren''t weak. They rivaled his! Yet the Brute King rarely resorted to using lightening. Apart from his carnage in the Northern Empire where he destroyed the Assassins Association''s Headquarters, Indra hadn''t seen the man use lightening again.


    "That? I''m not sure. I guess I hadn''t used it for so long that I forgot it was there" Ray said innocently.


    Indra almost threw up in anger upon hearing his explanation. Lightening was one of the most destructive elements in the universe. Many would be elated if they could command it, yet this god could but didn''t. And even scarier was that he seemingly had little training in using it yet from his display in the Northern Empire a few months back he was highly talented in it. If he trained it properly he would be unstoppable!


    "I guess I would have to focus more on it though" Ray mumbled. He didn''t like to use lightening when he was younger because he didn''t like his father then. But he had grown so used to fire that he didn''t really depend on lightening. He only used it a few months ago so that people would rule out the murder of the Assassins Association as a natural disaster.


    But he couldn''t ignore it any longer. Not for himself but for Mane. His son was unconsciously taking his father''s route. Mane rarely used lightening. In fact his son''s understanding of the element was limited to his passive glow ''Son of Lightening''. That had to change.


    He needed to understand lightening better so he could help his son in his training. He didn''t want the boy to go looking for Indra.


    "He''s here" Ray stated and looked at the door. Indra nodded in reply. He could also feel the presence of the young life approaching the door. Ray thought about the identity of the Master and smiled bitterly


    "I guess he would have to clean his father''s mess"

 Chapter 207 - Awareness Part I

    "You really destroyed the Assassins Association?" Mane asked with his eyebrows raised in surprise. He turned to Indra for confirmation but all the god did was to shrug his shoulders. Mane returned his gaze to his father. The battle god was scratching his head in embarrassment. He was a protective father. He had to admit that he had gone overboard. Maybe it was because he hadn''t been in his son''s life all this while; or because he was pissed that his son almost died; or it was both, but it didn''t change the fact that he had killed off an entire organization. But the Brute King was a battle god stained with the blood of several thousands and millions. Included in this number were gods and goddesses and Ray didn''t regret a thing. Although he felt that he went overboard by exterminating mortals, if he was given a second chance he would make the same decision.


    "Well that saves me the trouble" when Ray was thinking that his son will disdain him for his actions, Mane said words he wasn''t expecting to hear.


    "Wait what?" Indra asked, thinking that he didn''t correctly hear what Mane said.


    "Why are you acting surprised? They tried to kill me. There is no way I was going to let that slide. In fact I have been secretly searching for them these past few weeks. Unfortunately I didn''t get any credible information. I thought they were good at hiding. Who knew you had already taken care of it for me"


    Mane shrugged nonchalantly as he went on to say, "Though it would have been better if I was the one to take of them".


    "Hahaha. You really are my son!" Ray laughed boisterously and trapped Mane in a huge bear hug. Indra shook his head wryly at the father-son interaction. They were a bit too similar ¨C Mane and Ray. The difference between the father and son was that the son had inherited the rational brain of his mother and so could make more informed decisions. Other than that, they were both ruthless to their enemies and pampering of their families.


    "At least you left the leader for me" Mane forced himself out of his father''s embrace and stated.


    "Don''t underestimate him" Indra warned.


    "I''m not" Mane shook his head to indicate that he was going to take this man seriously. He had already been informed by his father that this person who was now referred to as Master by the people of the Eastern Empire was working under the orders of the Dark God Seth. He also knew that the Master wasn''t a simple underling of the Dark God ¨C he was a high level servant of the God of Darkness. Such a position was envied by all servants and came with great power and responsibility.


    "We want you to handle him whilst we focus our attention on the greater threat" Indra informed Mane of the decision he and Ray had taken just moments ago. They hadn''t told Alexis about it but they knew she wouldn''t have a problem with it. She wouldn''t be comfortable having Mane thrust in a battle of this magnitude, but she also knew that there was no way her son would be able to avoid the war that was coming.


    "Where is your friend?" Indra asked. The young prince had disappeared the moment they handed over the assassin. It wasn''t just him. The twins had also left the premises in a rush.


    "The twins are off to the Northern Empire. Abelard is going to see his father." Mane informed the two gods.


    "I see. But isn''t it dangerous for the twins to travel alone" Ray wondered. He didn''t ask Mane what his team was up to because he already knew. Abelard was going to see his father to inform him about the happenings of the Eastern Empire. Abelard''s father was the Emperor. As long as Abelard let him know that the war had already began, his father was going to take things seriously. It was a good thing that Abelard''s power was known to his father. That would make it very easy to convince the Emperor. It would take some time to assemble all the nobles and convince them to provide resources, including the most important resource of all ¨C the human resource. But that would be made simpler if they were made to understand that their power was at stake if the Eastern Empire took over. And with the recordings Captain Zakai had, it wouldn''t be very difficult to sway them. Plus Selena and Frederick had been sent back to their families to fan the flames and spread the word that the war had already began. The unrest would also help unnerve the nobles and quicken their assertion.


    The twins weren''t part of the Northern Empire''s royal family but they belonged to an influential family. Their father was the Grand Marshall of the Northern Empire and was largely in charge of the Empire''s military power. Unfortunately their father didn''t know about their true power so it would take some time to convince him that the threat was real. But Mane anticipated this so he sent someone with them. Someone to protect them and to provide that deterrent force. Someone who could easily put the Northern Empire''s nobles and powers in their place with unsurpassable and unquestionable power and strength.


    "They aren''t alone. Mom went with them" Mane smirked as he stated. He sent the Absolute Queen with the two boys. With her there, Mane didn''t have to worry about any assassination attempts on the twins on their journey.


    "I was wondering why I couldn''t sense her presence" Ray mumbled.


    "Good. So we need only a few weeks to declare war" Indra nodded his head in praise.


    "Not true" Mane shook his head with a frown.


    "Why not" Ray wondered.


    "The affairs of mortals are different from those of gods. It would take some time to get all the nobles to sign over their command of their forces. Then the empires would have to agree to set their differences aside and work together ¨C all of them: Western, Northern, and Southern Empires. They would have to agree to form an alliance and combat the evil that is threatening to take over their world. They will argue and try to glean benefits from one another while conserving as much power as they can so that they will be able to stand firm and even deal with the others after the threat has been dealt with" Mane slowly explained the way the mortal world worked.


    "Do they think that the Dark God is some minor threat? They would be lucky if a fifth of the population remains after the war!" Indra exclaimed.


    "It''s not that they think the Dark God is a minor threat. It''s simply because all of this would be unbelievable to them" Mane elaborated.


    "Mane is right. The mortals have no knowledge of us. And we''ve been trying as much as possible to prevent them from finding out about us" Ray rubbed his temples. He understand exactly what Mane was talking about.


    A few years ago he was asked to repay a favor he owed ¨C he was asked to kill a baron called Coal. Ray obliged. It was a simple task for him. But because he had to keep the power of a god under wraps, he completed the mission with a team: He, Alexis, and a friend. They didn''t use their true power. They acted like mortals, and completed the mission with the power of mortals. However, there was one person who knew that they weren''t as simple as they seemed. Even though Ray only had an avatar on Zandor at the time, the Western Emperor could sense his vast power.


    "Mortals always complicate things. Gods wouldn''t think so much before taking action" Indra grumbled.


    "That''s because its action against mortals. We don''t regard the lives of mortals highly so we can throw them under the bus as long as it doesn''t affect us" Ray rubbished Indra''s words. Gods were even worse. Because they lived almost eternal lives, they were more terrified of death than mortals and were willing to trade anything to get something that would benefit them.


    "Dad has a point" Mane agreed with his father as he recalled the conversation he had with Indra concerning Shura. The God of Destruction could destroy worlds as long as he compensated the gods those worlds were pledged to with something of importance.


    Indra was silenced by their words. He didn''t want to agree with them, but he knew they were right. Gods were only proactive when it had to do with mortals. But when it came to their own lives and interests, they weren''t so eager to jump on board. The Dark Kingdom was a classic example. All the gods knew it was a dangerous organization. However because this group hadn''t infringed on their interests, they couldn''t be bothered to do anything about it.


    "But we can speed up the process" Mane suddenly stated.


    "How?" Indra was intrigued. If they could speed up the process, then they could be better prepared for what was coming.


    "You have spent most of your years on Zandor making sure that the people didn''t know about the existence of Gods" Mane started.


    "So we have to let them see that Gods exist" Ray continued. He was also of the same mindset. They had to put on displays of power. People had to know that they existed. First would come fear, then insecurity, doubt and finally unity against the unknown.


    "It wouldn''t be so hard. Zandorians are a superstitious people. They already think Hidden Cloak is a god. And they are keen to blame gods for unexplained circ.u.mstances. But they''ve never had the actual figures show themselves. So that''s what we must do. Sir Indra, you must go to the Southern Empire. Mom is already at the Northern Empire. Dad will stay here." Mane ordered the battle gods like they were his subordinates.


    "It was Mom''s idea" Mane added to convince Indra to follow the plan. The battle god''s eyes brightened when he heard that the plan was made by the Absolute Queen herself. It was a plan she had come up with before she left.


    "Alright. I''m off then" Indra quickly left once his role was given. There was no time to waste.


    Mane smiled at his father once Indra was gone and asked, "What''s your size father. We need a cloak for you"

 Chapter 208 - Awareness Part II

    "When I grow up I want to be a powerful wielder! I will attend the Wielders Academy and become an S-Grade Wielder so I can protect Mom!" a little boy jumped up and down excitedly as he announced his grand ambitions. He had beautiful black eyes and gorgeous black hair. He looked to be only a few months away from his 6th birthday.


    "And me too brother! And me! Protect me too!" a little girl who looked similar to the young boy shouted in protest. She puffed her cheeks in annoyance at being ignored.


    "How many times have I told you that girls are strong enough to fend for themselves? You should also hope to become a strong wielder so you can protect your brother" a beautiful woman in red rebuked the little girl for her words. Just like the two children she also had long black hair and eyes as dark as the night sky.


    "I will protect sister!" the little boy ignored his mother and proclaimed with determination that his ambitions didn''t lie with only protecting his mother, but his sister as well.


    *Smack*


    "Oww" the little boy covered his head as he looked pleadingly at his mother.


    "Don''t ignore me next time" his mother berated. She sighed when she saw his teary eyes and rubbed his head lovingly. It was a good thing that the Wielders Academy had decided to give out scholarsh.i.p.s. This initiative had begun only a year ago but was receiving many positive reviews. Previously it was impossible for her small family to have such grand and lofty goals. They only belonged to a small village on the outskirts of the Western Empire. But now her children could also dream of becoming wielders. As long as they passed the entrance examinations, they could enter the academy as probationers. And if they were able to awaken in their fourth year they would become true members of the academy. Her son looked silly, but he was an intelligent boy. He had already began studying for the entrance exam which was only 8 months away. She did help him every now and then, but he mostly did everything by himself. His sister was a year and a half younger than her brother, but she also shared in his intelligence. They took after their father.


    "If only he didn''t join the army" she sighed as she thought. Her husband had died about five years ago. She was pregnant with her girl at the time. He died rescuing some kids from the Dark Kingdom.


    "What a lovely family you have here" suddenly a grating voice interrupted her thoughts. She turned sharply, alarmed that someone could get into her compound without her realization. The man who spoke wore a black robe and had deep red eyes. His eyes were cold and heartless. The murderous aura he was trying so hard to hide leaked out every now and then. He had the blood of many on his hands.


    "Unfortunately we have to break you up. Your children have great aptitude. It would be wasted on such a small Empire" the red-eyed man coldly stated. Once his little statement was made, several more figures appeared on the compound. They all had red eyes, but their eyes weren''t as crimson as the man who spoke.


    "Mom who are they" the little girl hid behind her mother. She didn''t like the cold feeling she got from the intruders. They weren''t warm and radiant like the villagers. Their aura was cold and unfeeling; almost like they were corpses walking.


    The little boy stood in front of his mother with a tree branch that had been shaped into a sword. Although he was scared he didn''t step back.


    "Go inside Sweetie. And take your sister with you" the woman lovingly caressed her son''s head and instructed.


    "I don''t want to go. I must protect Mom" the little boy didn''t agree with his mother. There were several bad men standing on his compound. How could he leave his mother to fend for herself?


    "Admirable" although the leader of the group was praising the boy, his voice didn''t sound complimentary at all.


    "Listen to me and go now! Now! Protect your sister for me" the woman put his sister''s hand in his and pushed her son towards the door. The little boy gritted his teeth and fought the anxiety in his stomach. He clenched his sister''s hand and run towards the door. The leader didn''t like the young boy''s actions. He nodded his head slightly and one of his men dashed towards the boy.


    *Boom*


    The little boy didn''t see what happened clearly. All he saw was that the man who was about to grab him had suddenly disappeared. That man was now embedded in the wall with a huge hole in his chest. Using the opportunity presented him, he dashed into the house and closed the door.


    "What do we do brother?" the little girl held her brother''s shirt tightly and began to sob.


    "Don''t cry. It''s okay. Mom isn''t weak. Did you see what happened to the man who tried to catch us?" the little boy was able to think a bit more clearly once he was safely inside the house. There were only two groups outside. His mother and the intruders. So the only person who would have any cause to protect them was their mother.


    "That was Mom? She is so strong! But why didn''t she tell us?" the little girl temporarily forgot about the imminent threat and started asking questions.


    "Because it always reminds her of Dad" the little boy smiled sadly and stated. He was very young when his father died so he didn''t remember anything about the man. If not for the fact that his father''s picture was hung in their living room he doubted that he would even remember what the man looked like.


    "We have to find Mom''s weapon" the boy was intelligent indeed. He quickly realized what needed to be done.


    "What about the room Mom never allows us to enter?" the little girl thought out loud.


    "You''re brilliant Mai!" the little boy exclaimed and kissed his sister on her cheek. The little girl giggled at the interaction.


    "Let''s go" the boy ordered and run towards the room at the end of the hall.


    "No one from the Dark Kingdom is going to lay a hand on my children" the woman stated coldly as the aura of a peak mortal realm expert exploded from her tiny body. Her husband had been killed by the Dark Kingdom. She had given up on revenge because she reckoned that her children needed their mother alive. Plus she would be putting her children in trouble by pursuing her own desires. But now they were here at her doorstep. And even worse they wanted to take her children away from her! She would rather die than let that happen.


    "Your resistance would change nothing" the leader coldly stated as the aura of a 1st stage above-mortal realm expert was revealed by his skinny frame. His men also unleashed their aura. The weakest of them had the aura of a 7th stage mortal realmer and the strongest had the aura of a peak stage mortal realmer.


    The woman gritted her teeth in frustration as she felt the power of her opponents. There was no way she would be enough. But she had to try. She couldn''t let them get to her kids. So she struck first.


    *Boom*


    The body of a 7th stage mortal realmer was sent flying as the woman''s fist connected with his midsection. The others rushed towards the culprit to deal with her.


    *Bam*


    *Bam*


    *Bam*


    *Bam*


    *Bam*


    In just a minute several blows had been exchanged. The lady had a few bruises on her exposed skin and blood leaking out of her mouth. Yet her expression was resolute. Although she was injured she had taken half a dozen men down with her; and that list included a peak mortal realmer.


    "Mom!" suddenly an innocent voice stole the attention of all those battling. They turned to see a little head peeking through a small opening in the doorway.


    "Catch" the boy had a pretty impressive throw because he threw the axe accurately. And his strength was pretty good too, for the axe didn''t look light. It was almost as tall as the boy himself. It was also a good thing that his mother was much closer to the door than anyone else. It wasn''t luck. It was strategic. Since they wanted her kids she had to stand in their way. The little boy immediately closed the door once his job was done.


    "Thank you Jugo" the lady smiled and caught the axe. Her countenance underwent a huge change once the axe was in her hands. All of a sudden the daggers her opponents held didn''t look as menacing as they were before. She seemed like a huge mountain with unlimited potential.


    Just when she was about to run rampant, the men before her began to squeal in pain and caught fire.


    "Ahhhhh!" all of the men were on fire and their leader was no exception. Within a few seconds the only one left in the courtyard was the woman. She looked on dumbfounded, confused and trying to understand what had just happened. She raised her head and saw something that shook her to her core.


    In the sky stood a person in a black cloak. This person''s entire visage was hidden by the huge cloak he/she wore. It was difficult for her to even tell whether it was a man or a woman. This person stood in the air briefly before flying away at amazing speed.


    "Whoa" Jugo looked on in awe. His sister was no exception. She was just as impressed as the rest of her family. The lady was so distracted by what was happening that she didn''t even scold her children for coming out of the house without her permission.


    "Who is that?" little Mai asked with a hint of adoration in her tone. Her mother put away her axe and spoke the only name that fit her benefactor''s description


    "That is Hidden Cloak"

 Chapter 209 - A Brewing Storm Part I

    Mane looked at his father with a bemused expression and watched as the older man carefully folded the large cloak and placed it on the chair.


    "So how was it?" Mane asked with a smile. He asked his father to take on the role of the beloved hero of the Western Empire and bane to the Dark Kingdom ¨C Hidden Cloak.


    The Dark God Seth was working alongside the Dark Sword. Since Seth had already revealed that he had warriors who had escaped the confines of this world''s strength system, the Dark Kingdom wouldn''t hide their power any longer. And since the Eastern Empire was yet to declare a full blown war, it was possible that they didn''t have enough personnel. They would need an awful lot of soldiers to start a war with the three other empires. That''s where the Dark Kingdom comes in. The Dark Kingdom was specialized in kidnapping and brainwashing young talents into the Dark Sword''s puppet. Alexis and Mane had anticipated that the attacks led by the Dark kingdom would rise exponentially in the next few months. So they needed to be ready for them.


    Mane was powerful but his power was limited. He didn''t have his father''s ability to ignore the laws of the world and fly; he didn''t have his father''s extreme speed; and he wasn''t a Spiritual Emperor like his father. So he decided to do what he thought was best. He asked his father to be Hidden Cloak. Each of the members of the Silver Wolves, with the exception of Selina and Fred who had only joined recently, had taken the mantle of Hidden Cloak at one point in their lives. But none of them were powerful enough to handle and entire empire on their own. Usually they would be stationed at vantage points ¨C checkpoints in the empire ¨C for convenience. But they were all busy now. It was best to have only one person do the job.


    "You were right" Ray sighed as he plopped down on the sofa. "They are going after the unnamed villages" Ray picked an apple from the tray and bit a huge chunk off it.


    "They wouldn''t want to alert the empire so it is only logical that they pick the unknown areas" Mane nodded his head. It wasn''t strange that the Dark Kingdom was going after villages. They were usually so daring that they infiltrated the cities and took people out without getting apprehended. But they couldn''t do that now. They wanted to quickly get new talent without being seen. It would take the empire some time to realize what was happening at the edges of its borders ¨C which was where most of these villages were situated. By the time the Empire was aware of this, they would have long completed their mission.


    "They are clearly in a rush" Ray spoke with certainty. He picked another apple and began to munch on it.


    "Yeah" Mane only replied with one word. His father was right. So many attacks were orchestrated in just a day. And all the targets belonged to villages at the border of the Western Empire. The Dark Kingdom wanted things to be done quickly and efficiently. They couldn''t leave any margin for error. Unfortunately for them, the Absolute Queen had been prepared for this and put countermeasures in place before she left¨C her son, Mane. Although he was just one person, he was only following her orders. Besides, he was an intelligent boy himself. If something wasn''t quite right he would be able to read the situation and make the right call.


    "What about the barrier?" Mane enquired. His father couldn''t fly all over the place each day just to stop the Dark Kingdom. The main idea behind his heroics today was to allow the people to witness the flying hero who was protecting their empire. The people needed to idolize Hidden Cloak even more than they did before. They had to think him invincible and infallible. His father would only play this role for a few more days. But it wasn''t the permanent solution. The Dark Kingdom would keep on coming until they had what they wanted. So they came up with a better solution.


    "It''s already done" Ray answered before throwing a small apple into his mouth. The idea was to have Ray erect a barrier that would cover the entire Western Empire. The barrier would protect the people in it, but it wouldn''t allow anyone to leave the empire either. Ray could open up the barrier whenever he wanted, but only he knew the areas one could leave and enter through. It wouldn''t be long before the citizens realized that they couldn''t leave the empire. By then complaints would be made and the news would reach the Emperor. Fortunately Abelard was aware of the plan and had already informed his father. The Emperor would then inform the people that it was their ''god'' Hidden Cloak who had done this. And it was meant to protect them from the war to come. But that wouldn''t happen today or tomorrow. It would take some time for the scouts to realize that they couldn''t leave the empire. By the time they do, the nobles would have relinquished their command over their armies.


    "The Northern Empire would also be safe. But I don''t know about the Southern Empire" Alexis was a scholar and had the power to cloud the minds of many on a large scale. She wasn''t a spiritualist, but she was well versed in rune arts. So she had the ability to create a barrier. Coupled with her abilities as a Scholar Empress, she could create a barrier that would cloud the senses of all who weren''t invited into the Empire. They wouldn''t even know what was going on.


    Unfortunately, the couple couldn''t be in two places at the same time. They wouldn''t be able to stop the Dark Kingdom''s atrocious actions in the Southern Empire. Indra was there, but his mission was slightly different. His mission was to coerce the nobles and the royal family there into preparing for war. He was also tasked with protecting the people, but he wouldn''t focus on protecting them individually. His focus would be protecting the Empire as a whole.


    "Abe sent a message this morning" Mane changed the subject quickly. He had chosen to largely ignore the Southern Empire and focus on the Western and Northern Empires because of his own selfishness. He lived in the Western Empire ¨C the Kingdom of Neces to be exact. Abelard was part of the Western Empire''s royal family and Selina and Frederick had ties here. The twins belonged to the Northern Empire. But he didn''t really know anyone in the Southern Empire so he had chosen to concentrate his forces in the other empires. It was true that he had sent them a god, but he did that for his own selfish interests. He sent the god to push them into submission, not to provide them with security.


    "Any progress?" Ray asked with interest. He could smell the stench of Mane''s guilt and wasn''t willing to dwell on the topic any longer.


    "Yes. More than 15% of the nobles have agreed to fund the war. Of these almost all of them are willing to push their men into battle" Mane replied


    "That''s faster than we thought" Ray was surprised that things were proceeding so smoothly.


    "Abe threatened them" Mane stated with a smile. Abe didn''t want to waste any time so he resorted to using his power to force the nobles into submission. It was only a matter of time before all of them relinquished their control over their forces.


    "That could be dangerous" Ray furrowed his brows. He knew how dangerous it was to force someone to do something he/she didn''t want to do. This method could backfire. Some of the nobles could betray them.


    "Yes" Mane agreed. "But right now we don''t have much of a choice" Mane sighed

 Chapter 210 - A Brewing Storm Part II

    "You assembled us here just for a baseless rumor?" In a large and gorgeous hall, ten people were seated in a circle. All the chairs were equal with the exception of one. This chair was taller than the others by a few feet and was the seat of the Northern Empire''s Emperor. The one who spoke was a middle aged man with black hair and a neatly trimmed beard. He sat right next to the Emperor ¨C he was seated left of the Emperor.


    "Do you think the Dark Kingdom''s recent attacks have been for naught?" another middle aged man answered the question with a question. He was a handsome man with a noble air. He resembled the twins Jake and John. This was their father and Grand Marshall of the Northern Empire ¨C Sir Blunt. Few people in the empire knew his first name and those who did didn''t dare to speak it out loud. But it wasn''t out of fear, but respect. Although he was only a Grand Marshall, his words carried weight and his power was renowned. It was because of this middle aged man that the Eastern Empire had never been successful in their attempts to assimilate part of the Northern Empire.


    "The Dark Kingdom have been running rampant for years. Even before you and I were born they were known throughout the world. How can you equate their hostility to war" the middle aged man who was seated on the left side of the Emperor spoke again. He was also a prominent figure in the Northern Empire. He was Duke Essandor. Just like Sir Blunt people never referred to him by his first name. However he didn''t command the respect Sir Blunt did. Duke Essandor was a mighty man. He had attained a high level in wielding and possessed great intelligence. However he was a greedy man. He never lacked anything, yet he still wanted everything. There was no business he didn''t thirst for, and no beautiful woman he didn''t l.u.s.t for. Whenever he wanted something he didn''t care about the opinion of others. He went ahead and did whatever he pleased anyway. Because of his vast influence the royal family could only restrain him slightly, but they couldn''t stop him.


    Duke Essandor didn''t like Sir Blunt. Sir Blunt wasn''t a noble like he was ¨C he was only a soldier. Yet the man commanded power and respect accorded to the nobles. What enraged Duke Essandor most was that Sir Blunt always tried to restrain him at every turn. Even more infuriating the Grand Marshall had a set of twins who were geniuses. None of Duke Essandor''s thirty seven children possessed the kind of talent those two little boys did.


    "I''m only reporting to the Emperor what I know" Sir Blunt didn''t bother to argue with the Duke. The man hated him and would do anything to bring him down. The other nobles who were part of the meeting silently watched the two men. Most of them were allies of Duke Essandor. As nobles they were unified when dealing with people they considered ''not one of them''. The Emperor who had been watching silently as the two argued finally spoke


    "How do you know this?"


    "My sons informed me My Lord" Sir Blunt answered honestly.


    His answer caused a few snickers among the nobles seated here. Duke Essandor laughed uproariously as he mocked, "You want us to take the words of 11 years olds seriously? Hahaha! You must have hurt your head in battle! Hahaha! Next you are going to ask us to allow them to sit on the throne!"


    His words caused the nobles who were initially holding their laughter to finally give up. The sound of mockery caused Sir Blunt to furrow his brows in anger. He grit his teeth in annoyance, wishing he could strangle the nobles and rid the empire of these pests who knew nothing but to steal from the people.


    "The Duke''s words are cutting but they are reasonable. I presume that you didn''t just listen to the words of your children. You must have confirmed their words through your many means" the Emperor asked. Although he didn''t say anything, he was displeased by Sir Blunt''s answer. If it wasn''t because of the respect he had for the man, he would have ended the meeting and punished him.


    "You mortals are disappointing" a melodious voice suddenly rang out. The stunned nobles turned to the source of the voice, only to see a beautiful woman leaning against the wall with two young boys standing beside her. The woman had long blonde hair and beautiful eyes. This woman was Alexis, Mane''s mother and the goddess known as the Absolute Queen.


    "Jake, John, what are you doing here?" Sir Blunt was startled when he realized that the two young boys standing next to Alexis were his sons. He recognized Alexis as the expert his sons had come with. Her power was unfathomably deep and he couldn''t see through her. It was because of her that he had the confidence to call for this meeting.


    "Auntie brought us" Jake innocently replied.


    "We have been here since you started" John added.


    "What a beautiful woman" Duke Essandor''s eyes lit up at the sight of Alexis. He was a greedy man who went after anything pretty and valuable. He hadn''t seen a woman like Alexis before. Someone who exuded such grace with nothing but her poise. He didn''t know who she was, but he had already resolved to have her as his concubine.


    "Badging into the palace uninvited is a crime punishable by death!" Duke Essandor screamed. However before he could continue he felt a suffocating aura pushing him down onto the ground. The aura was so strong that he struggled to breath. He raised his head with difficulty and met the cold gaze of the woman he was l.u.s.ting after just moments ago. It was under the force of her momentous aura that he recalled what her first words were,


    "You mortals are disappointing"


    "Mortals" Duke Essandor mumbled with great difficulty. With his l.u.s.t dissipated he could now think clearly. This woman called them mortals! There was no way she was ordinary.


    "Please have mercy Madam Alexis" Sir Blunt bowed slightly. He didn''t like the Duke, but they couldn''t lose him. His intelligence was a great resource for the war to come.


    "Don''t think I don''t know what is going on in your filthy mind. Next time you have such thoughts I would erase your memory from the minds of all who know you" Alexis coldly stated and restrained her aura. She was loving and caring when she was with her family. But she wasn''t called the Absolute Queen for nothing. She wouldn''t have a mere mortal realm wielder insult her with his greedy eyes.


    "You are the Emperor?" Alexis asked as she turned to the man who was quickly getting off his seat.


    "I am Madam. I am sorry for the conduct of the duke" the Emperor apologized. If what John said was true, then this woman had been here since the beginning yet none of them knew. Not only had she evaded the guards, she had done so whilst carrying two kids with her! What the Emperor didn''t know was that if Jake and John wanted to sneak into the palace, they wouldn''t need Alexis'' help.


    "Forgive my boldness but I have never seen or heard of Madam in the Empire" The Emperor was a man who knew how to adjust to circ.u.mstances. Although Duke Essandor had been subjected to the aura of Alexis, the others had remained untouched. They didn''t need someone else to tell them that the woman before them was an expert. If she could so easily control her aura and unleash it on whom she chose, that meant she was vastly powerful; more than what any of them could handle.


    "I am not a citizen of your empire. I do not belong to Zandor" Alexis dropped a bombshell on the nobles gathered here.


    "Do not belong?" the wide eyed Emperor stammered in disbelief.


    "You didn''t think Zandor was the only planet in the vast cosmos did you?" Alexis watched as Duke Essandor struggled to return to his seat. She had decided to let the people of Zandor know. It was high time they knew about the world outside their world. That was the only way they would grow strong and have the power to go against the Dark One.

 Chapter 211 - A Brewing Storm Part III

    "It is as you expected Master. They have split their forces to deal with us" in a cold and dark room, an armored figured knelt on one knee as he informed the only other person in the room. The recipient of the information wore a black cloak that blended nicely with the room, but his face was exposed for all to see. It was the former head of the Assassins Association!


    He had a light smile on his face when he heard his subordinate''s words. He didn''t seem concerned in the least by the information he was being given.


    "They want to have the other empires under their control so that they can trap us in a pincer attack." With the Western, Northern and Southern Empires being prepped to face them, they were basically surrounded on all sides. Anyone else would be worried if their enemies had them surrounded and trapped. But he didn''t have such worry. It was true that they were surrounded, but they weren''t trapped. It was the opposite. It was their enemies who had unwittingly trapped themselves.


    "It will take some time for them to get everything in order Master. Should we use this time to attack?" the kneeling subordinate asked. Although Zandor was peaceful on the surface, the empires had a long history of bloodshed and hatred that couldn''t be easily overlooked. It will be difficult for those proud empires to put aside their differences and work together; even under the leadership of gods. It will likely take months for the alliance to be established, and a few more for them to band their forces together. That was more than enough time for them to attack and be rid of some threats.


    "Who said we haven''t already began?" the Master smiled mysteriously. His startled subordinate unconsciously lifted his head and looked at his Master. The confident look on his Master''s face was infectious.


    "They think that we don''t have enough men to launch a full scale war. So we''ll show them that we have more than enough to tear this world apart and build it anew" the Master lazily lounged on his chair and announced as though he wasn''t saying anything of importance.


    The eyes of the subordinate was filled with fervor. This was the Master! He was the one who had unified the nobles of the Eastern Empire in only a month and changed the fortunes of the entire Eastern Empire for the better. He was the genius who had blessed them with power that was beyond the limits of this world and pushed forward with unwavering determination. He had absolute faith in the Master.


    "The Western Empire poses the greatest level of threat amongst the three. So it must be avoided for now. Concentrate about a fifth of our forces on the borders of the Southern Empire. Don''t invade recklessly. Focus on harassing their forces at the borders. Don''t fully engage" the Master commanded.


    "Yes Master" although he wasn''t sure what his Master was up to, he had absolute faith in the intelligence of his lord. He didn''t question the Master''s decision. He excused himself and left the throne room.


    Once his subordinate was gone, the Master stood up from the throne and approached the inner chambers. He walked to a large cloth hanging on the wall and pulled it down to reveal a mirror. The mirror didn''t look extraordinary. It wasn''t adorned with jewels or decorated with expensive and rare gems. Yet it gave off a feeling of grandeur. Although it looked ordinary, it wasn''t in any way.


    The Master knelt before the mirror and said, "Master, it is me. Everything is going according to plan". If the soldiers of the Eastern Empire could see their master calling another his master they would have been shocked.


    The formerly dull mirror lit up to reveal a handsome man. The man in the mirror yawned lazily, "That''s good to hear. Is the Dark Kingdom playing their role properly?"


    "They are Master. It is impressive that they are willing to lose so many of their men" the former head of the Assassins Association ''praised''.


    The Eastern Empire wasn''t short on men. They had more than enough to spare. Although they weren''t exactly much more than their opponents, their individual strengths made up for their lack of numbers. The least of their wielders were all high level mortal realmers. They had several above-mortal realmers and had no shortage of profound realmers. Although they didn''t have a vast number of earth wielders, they had enough. They even had a few heaven realmers. Their lack of numbers wasn''t disadvantageous in any way! So although the three empires outnumbered them four to one, their overwhelming power made the numbers ordinary.


    "Of course. Remember Dominic, the Dark Sword has so many pawns that wasting a few isn''t detrimental to it" the handsome man in the mirror was the Dark God Seth. The Master of the Eastern Empire and former head of the Assassins Association was called Dominic. Seth''s intelligent mind was known and lauded amongst the gods. In his brilliance he had anticipated that when they were discovered, his enemies would choose to immediately bring the other empires together to stand against his forces. In doing so, they would have to separate. But Seth wasn''t daunted by that. He had already hatched a plan that would be better executed if the empires came together. However for this plan to have a higher possibility of succeeding, he needed to redirect the attention of his enemies and deceive them that he wasn''t ready for war.


    So he asked the Dark Sword for help. The Dark Sword had been on this planet far longer than he had. It had resources and information that Seth needed. The most vital resource at the Dark Sword''s disposal was the human resource. It had a large number of wielders under its command. Centuries and millennia worth of poaching talents had left the Dark Sword with a large number of wielders. And like the current wielders of the Eastern Empire, several of these wielders had already broken through the strength barrier of this world. Yet the Dark Sword never revealed these talents. It had its reasons, but it didn''t let wielders above the mortal realm into the world ¨C until now.


    To redirect the focus of the gods who wanted to take Seth down, the Dark Sword offered to dispatch several of its subordinates to the empires. They would plunder talents and kill off families. They would plant the idea that the Dark Kingdom was ''recruiting'' into the minds of the gods. They will let the gods believe that the war was quite a distance away from them because the Eastern Empire didn''t have enough men. But that was false. The Dark Sword''s subordinates were not aware that they were just being used as a distraction. They weren''t included in the bigger picture. The only ones who knew the truth were the Dark Sword, Seth, and Dominic ¨C which showed just how much Seth valued the former head of the Assassins Association.


    "Barriers have been erected in the Western and Northern Empires" Dominic stated.


    "Mmm" Seth furrowed his brows in contemplation.


    "What''s wrong master" although Dominic had his eyes glued to the ground, he could tell from his master''s silence that something wasn''t quite right. According to their plans, having a barrier erected wasn''t an expectation, but it wasn''t detrimental to their plans at all. The barriers would help them more than they would their enemies! Yet his master didn''t seem to like the fact that barriers had been erected.


    "The Absolute Queen isn''t a fool. Things cannot possibly be going so smoothly. Be very careful. Watch every step you take" Seth cautioned his servant before disappearing from the mirror.


    Not sensing his master''s presence any longer, Dominic stood up and covered the mirror. He had been serving the Dark One for only a few weeks, yet the god had impressed him time and time again with his extraordinary intelligence. He didn''t understand why his master held fear for the Goddess called Alexis. To him his master should fear Indra and Ray instead. But since his master asked him to be careful, he would obey. He wrapped his cloak around him, covering every part of himself including his head and proceeded to walk out of the inner room, into the throne room, and finally outside the throne room. He beckoned the guards at the door to come closer. They gave off auras belonging to earth realmers.


    "Master, what is you instruction" the two guards bowed subserviently and enquired.


    "Tell the General to gather the troops. It''s time for war"

 Chapter 212 - A Brewing Storm Part IV

    "Do you trust her?" Duke Essandor asked Sir Blunt. The two most influential men ¨C aside the Emperor ¨C in the Northern Empire stood on the highly fortified walls of the Kingdom of Aira. This was the kingdom closest to the borders of the Northern Empire. If one wanted to invade the Northern Empire, aside from the minor towns and villages, this was the kingdom to come to. This kingdom was one of the most targeted places for conquest for any invading force. Because of this, it was one of the most well defended parts of the Northern Empire. Energy ballistae and large automated bows littered the top of the walls. The gate was made of heavy bronze and the walls were very high. As if that was not enough, the Absolute Queen had fortified the gates and walls with her power, making them more difficult to penetrate.


    The two men ¨C Sir Blunt and Duke Essandor ¨C had been tasked by the Goddess Alexis to protect the Kingdom of Aira. They had been given this task simply because they were the mightiest wielders the Northern Empire had ever produced. The other nobles were too weak to offer any real combat contributions. They had only arrived here yesterday, and had been received warmly by its king. Although the king hardly believed their words, their ranks were far above his and he had no way of defying the Emperor. All the king could do was allow these two powerful men to have their way ¨C at least until the predicted time of invasion had passed.


    "What? You don''t like her because she had you licking the floor?" Sir Blunt mocked mercilessly. They may be on the same side, but his dislike for the Duke hadn''t waned in the slightest.


    "Just answer the question!" Duke Essandor gritted his teeth in annoyance as he turned red from anger. He was trying hard to forget what had happened two days ago, yet Sir Blunt had been doing his utmost best to remind him of the embarrassment he had been subjected to when Goddess Alexis had revealed herself to the Northern Empire''s hierarchy.


    "I don''t" Sir Blunt shook his head and finally replied. He didn''t trust Alexis. He had only just met her. To say he trusted someone he had just met was immature.


    "Then why do you obey her orders so readily?" Duke Essandor followed up with another question. The things they had been told two days ago were too difficult to swallow. First, they were told that there were many planets in the vast cosmos and they were one of the weakest ones. Then they were informed that some ''evil overlord'' wanted the planet to kneel in obeisance before him. It all sounded like some fantastically written fairy tale for children ten and under.


    "Because nothing else can explain the nonsense that is going on" Sir Blunt sighed as he took out his pipe and began smoking. It was true that he didn''t really believe Alexis at first. But having his children easily punch holes through his very expensive mansion walls and easily control two of the major elements had shocked him to his very core. He almost lost his consciousness when John added that the prince of the Western Empire was stronger than them; and that their captain, whom he had seen only once, was vastly more powerful than all the team members combined. It became easier to accept when he learned that the boy was Alexis'' son, and that his father was also a ''god''. Plus all his scouts and spies in the Eastern Empire had suddenly disappeared. They were likely dead. It was suspicious that all his men in the Eastern Empire had suddenly disappeared. So when Alexis claimed that something was wrong there, he took her word for it.


    "You do have a point. My spies suddenly disappeared. And those I sent to find out what was going on didn''t come back either." Duke Essandor had experienced the same thing Sir Blunt had. Every major noble had spies in every empire. Yet all the nobles had lost their spies posted in the Eastern Empire overnight. Duke Essandor didn''t want to accept Alexis'' words because he was trying his hardest to deny the truth. But the little show of power from two days ago and the little clues he had discovered himself told his logical self that it was very possible that Zandor had become a playground for some very powerful gods.


    "But if what she says is right, and if she is able to redirect their army here, how would we be able to take care of them?" Duke Essandor was worried. Zandor had always believed that wielders could be classified from the F level to the SSS level. Yet that level of classification had been rubbished by Alexis. There were actually 7 true levels of power: the mortal realm; the above-mortal realm; the profound realm; the earth realm; the heaven realm; the nobility realm; and the ascension realm. Zandorians were mostly at the mortal realm and their so called peak, was merely the 9th stage of the mortal realm. But Alexis told them that the enemy had several 9th level mortal wielders, above-level wielders, profound level wielders, and even some earth level wielders. Alexis even believed that they may have a few heaven realmers. So how were they ¨C two mortal realmers ¨C going to stop such a barbaric force?


    "I''m not sure. She said that we only need to buy some time" Sir Blunt shook his head and sighed. Alexis had asked them to only stall for time. They were not supposed to actively engage with the enemy.


    "If she is so powerful then why doesn''t she take care of them herself?" Sir Blunt wondered.


    "She cannot" Duke Essandor defended the Absolute Queen. Seeing that Sir Blunt was confused, the Duke went on to explain, "It seems these so-called gods cannot interfere in the affairs of mortals directly. I could tell from the way she spoke, and from what she told us. She sounded troubled that all she could do was stay in the background and provide a bit of trickery. And this Dark God she spoke of, why didn''t he just kill us off? With their power that would be easy. Yet he chose to find pawns for his game. Just as we are her pawns" Duke Essandor had never imagined that one day he, who usually used people in his schemes, was going to be used in the schemes of another.


    Duke Essandor reminded Sir Blunt of his extraordinary intelligence. The Duke could discover all this from his excellent observation skills and his bright mind.


    "I don''t want to make this a habit, but you have a really sharp mind" Sir Blunt praised. He didn''t like the Duke. But even he had to admit that the man was brilliant. The strategies the man had come up with to buy them the much sought after time were ingenious; and although Sir Blunt hated to admit it, there was no way he would have come up with them on his own.


    "There they are" Duke Essandor suddenly tensed up when he saw the large army approaching from several kilometers away. Due to the height of the walls, he could make them out. Even from this distance he could feel the powerful aura of his opponents. Their aura weighed on him heavily, causing him to sweat profusely. He quickly dug out a ring from his pocket and placed it on his finger. Once he did, he could feel that heavy burden being lifted off his shoulders.


    "What a magical artefact" he praised. Sir Blunt did the same and instantly felt the pressure of the mighty army disappear.


    "Indeed" Sir Blunt wondered how Alexis could easily give so many of these rings away. What he didn''t know was that these so called precious artefacts were nothing in the eyes of the Absolute Queen.


    "Soldiers!" Sir Blunt bellowed, his inner energy sending his voice to every corner of the Kingdom.


    "Sir!!!" came the organized reply. "Put on your rings and prepare for battle!" Sir Blunt screamed.


    "Aye Sir!!!" the soldiers scrambled to their positions whilst putting on the rings they had been given. Those who were on the walls quickly made out the huge army from afar and gulped down their saliva nervously.


    "Don''t fear! We are men of the Northern Empire! And we are mighty strong! Think of what would happen to our people if we let those vermin in! ****, pillaging, murder! We cannot afford to fall!!!" Sir Blunt bellowed seeing the look of fear occupying the faces of his men. His words were very effective. Thinking of the repercussions of war, the warriors lost their fear. All that remained was a resolute will to protect their families. They might fall today, but they cannot let their enemies in.


    "Not bad" Duke Essandor mumbled when he felt the boost in morale. He couldn''t have given a better speech. They didn''t tell the men that they were only meant to buy time because that would only be detrimental to their mental state. Duke Essandor suddenly realised why Alexis had put them together. It wasn''t simply because of their wielding levels, but because they complemented each other very well. He had never seen it because they were always at each other''s throats, but they worked well together.


    "How did she know this?" Duke Essandor wondered. He shook his head to rid himself of all distracting thoughts and focused on the battle at hand.


    *********************


    Deep within the capital of the Northern Empire, within the mansion of the Grand Marshall, Alexis sat in the hall all alone. The twins weren''t with her, and neither were the servants. But unlike the servants who were within the premises, the twins weren''t in the mansion. In fact, they weren''t in the empire at all.


    Suddenly she lifted her head and looked to the south, to where the Kingdom of Aira was. "They have arrived" she breathed a sigh of relief upon realizing her prediction was true. Her barrier was meant to cloud the minds of all invaders and direct them towards Aira. But it would be useless if the invaders didn''t invade in the first place. She quickly grew tense when she recalled the next phase of the plan. It wasn''t because she had grown to love the Northerners. It certainly wasn''t the case. It was because of the person the plan hinged upon. The very same person the Dark God had overlooked.


    "Everything depends on you now my son. Stay safe, Mane."

 Chapter 213 - War: Alexis Plans Part I

    A Few Days Before The War Began


    Alexis and her son were holed up in Mane''s room. Mane and Abelard had just returned from the Eastern Empire and had informed Alexis of everything that had happened.


    "A Possessed?" Alexis rubbed her temples in worry.


    "Yes. And it was only in its infantile stage. Luckily we killed it before it could grow" Mane had no idea that the creature he thought he had killed was alive and well. But he was bound to find out sooner than later.


    "We have to prepare for war" Alexis informed her son


    "War? Isn''t it a bit too soon to make such assumptions" Mane was doubtful that the war would be upon them so quickly.


    "They wouldn''t want to waste any more time" Alexis shook her head to indicate that the battle was much closer than Mane thought.


    "How can you be so confident that their next step would be to initiate an attack? After all, we just discovered that they are developing their soldiers, so they have lost their element of surprise. Attacking now wouldn''t do them any good. It would be better for them to wait it out until everyone thinks they are safe ¨C until the empires conclude that it was nothing but a hoax ¨C so that they can deal with us relatively easily. It is only by doing that, that their element of surprise would be returned to them" Mane reasoned.


    "That is what a many would do" Alexis agreed. But before Mane could ask anything else she continued, "But I am not one of those people".


    Mane looked at his mother, perplexed and wondering what exactly it was she wanted to tell him. Alexis didn''t test his patience. Seeing the look of confusion on his face she explained what she was thinking to her son.


    "They are going to make us believe that they do not have the resources to wage a war yet. And their display of power when you were in the Eastern Empire had its benefits. Although they sought to kill you to hide their intentions, you still escaped. Yet they didn''t send anyone after you. Didn''t you find that odd?" Alexis questioned her son, keen on allowing the boy figure this out on his own.


    "They needed me to escape" Mane finally realized. "But why?" he wondered. Alexis smiled in response and said, "Because you are an earth wielder".


    Mane was enlightened. Although Alexis didn''t explicitly tell him the reason, she had given him enough clues to figure it out. "If someone could kill several profound wielders and a few earth wielders, that means they are powerful enough to influence the forces of Zandor!" Mane exclaimed.


    "Exactly" Alexis nodded her head. As far as the Eastern Empire was concerned, if someone was capable of denting their forces, that person wasn''t an ordinary Zandorian. Zandorians didn''t have any knowledge of the universe. Their power levels were trash, and they hadn''t been able to break past the strength barrier of the world. The Master of the Eastern Empire was the first person to promote several wielders to higher levels on such a large scale. Excluding the Dark Kingdom, he was the only one to have several wielders beyond the mortal level at his command. Bu none of the two ¨C whether it was the Dark Sword or the Master ¨C had to worry about betrayals. Their methods made it such that none of their men would ever betray them even if they wanted to. Which meant that if there was someone else ¨C or another force ¨C that could oppose the Eastern Empire, he/she would be an influential person. This person or this force would be capable of convincing the several empires that there was a war coming ¨C a war none of them could avoid. If they were able to deal with the force the Eastern Empire had sent after them, then they were powerful enough to use an iron fist to force the other empires to take them seriously. And there was only one group of people ¨C or rather gods- who could do this. The Dark God knew that if there were any other people who had broken past the wielding barrier, they would belong to the faction of the gods who wanted him dead.


    "They used us to get their way. In the end, the results would have been the same" Mane swiped the sweat off his forehead when he realized that he had been played. If not for his mother, he would have acted out his part brilliantly for the sake of the Dark God.


    "What a cunning fellow" Mane praised. But what Mane didn''t know was that although the Dark God was the true mastermind behind everything, it was the Master who had decided to use Mane''s hand for his benefit.


    "There are several spies in Neces right now. They are waiting to see if we will disperse to the other empires" Alexis informed Mane.


    "The Dark God wouldn''t be so stupid right?" Mane questioned. It was stupid to ask people to spy on a Scholar Empress. They would be easily found out even if they weren''t in close proximity.


    "He isn''t. But his pawns are" Alexis smirked. She didn''t know who this so-called Master was, but he was a fool. He had stationed spies at the entrance to the Kingdom of Neces to see if they would leave the kingdom, and go elsewhere. Dominic had underestimated her power. He treated her like an ordinary wielder with vast power, and not as a scholar. If he knew her strengths, he wouldn''t have sent spies after her.


    "The others are in" Alexis smiled. She could feel the presence of Mane''s teammates since she had marked them. No matter where they were in the world, she would be able to find them. They had just entered the residence and were speeding towards Mane''s room.


    Mane quickly opened the door and ushered them in. Abelard, the twins ¨C Jake and John ¨C Frederick, and Selina. All of them were here. They greeted Alexis and gathered around Mane''s bed.


    "I will escort the twins to the Northern Empire. It shouldn''t take long since I am with them. Fred and Selina will return to their families. You two need to spread the rumor that war is coming, and push your families to take action."


    "Yes Auntie Alexis"


    "Yes Ma''am"


    With the exception of Frederick who called Alexis Ma''am, the others were comfortable addressing her the way she had asked to be addressed. Alexis smile wryly and looked at Frederick. The boy scratched his head in embarrassment before correcting himself and calling her Aunt.


    "Abelard, your mission is the same as theirs. Get the nobles in order. Use your power to make them submit" Alexis continued dishing out orders.


    "Yes Master" Abelard acknowledged the words of his teacher without any complaints. He didn''t know if they had the time to be coaxing the nobles. If his teacher deemed that using force was the better option ¨C even at the risk of betrayal ¨C he would obey.


    "What about me Mom" Mane wondered. The others had been given similar roles, but he had no need to convince anyone"


    "Be on the lookout. If there are any disturbances within the empire, then my guess is most likely correct" Alexis advised.


    "And if it is?" Mane questioned.


    "Then I need you to go on a little field trip ¨C all of you"


    ***************************


    "In the end you were right Mom" Mane thought. "I''m finally here. It was more difficult than I thought" Mane was hidden within the trees, camouflaged perfectly with the leaves. It was a lease he had studied and recently mastered: Una C.u.m Natura. It was a lease that allowed him to blend with anything that wasn''t manmade.


    Not long after his mother left the Dark Kingdom caused several disturbances. He followed his mother''s orders and asked his father to erect a barrier. Alexis said that as long as there were disturbances, it was highly likely that her guess was true. And since the Dark God and the Dark Sword were companions, it wasn''t strange that they would help each other. Plus they regarded everyone as pawns so losing a few of their men wouldn''t hurt them in any way.


    Mane smiled bitterly when he remembered what his mom said when he asked her why she didn''t tell Ray or Indra: "Ray is a blabbermouth and rarely listens to anything involving strategy. I''d only be wasting my breath. And we don''t know enough about Indra to trust him yet. We need his help, and he needs ours. It''s as simple as that"


    "There''s no one here. I guess it time to summon the rest." Mane mumbled and undid the lease. He fell from the trees and went a bit deeper into the forest. Once he had chosen his spot he mumbled, "This is good enough" and retrieved a piece of paper from his coat.


    The paper had no significant features except for a mysterious looking drawing on it. It was something Alexis had given him.


    "You cannot infiltrate with such large numbers. You would be spotted. So Mane would do it. He would summon the rest when he gets there." That''s right. Their goal was to infiltrate the core of the Eastern Empire when their army set off. Although their entire army wasn''t deployed, those that remained would have an unconscious feeling of relief and would be reckless with their scouting. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click <a href="#''-plans-part-i_52575743816825787">#''-plans-part-i_52575743816825787</a> for visiting.


    "Activate rune" Mane sent his inner energy into the paper, causing it to light up dully. With a poof, five figures appeared before him. All of them were well dressed and equipped with their weapons.


    "That was quick" Abelard smiled.


    "Hehe" Mane smirked. "Let''s get to it then"

 Chapter 214 - War: Alexis Plans Part II

    Within the palace of the former emperor of the Eastern Empire, which is now the palace of the Master, there were several warriors on guard. Although more than half of the empire''s warriors had been deployed ¨C some to the Southern Empire and others to the Northern Empire ¨C there were still quite a number of warriors left in the empire to defend against any attacks.


    "Your mother was right Mane. Even with so many of their warriors deployed, they still have a large number of warriors on stand-by" Jake was surprised by the sheer number of warriors they had avoided just by trying to enter the palace.


    "This is a small number" Mane sighed when he recalled that there were several warriors loitering around the capital. And that was only the capital. The other cities also had several wielders in reserve. It was only by coming here that Mane realized that although the Eastern Empire didn''t have as many men as the three empires combined, the ratio of their number of wielders to the three empire alliance''s wielders wasn''t 1:3 like he thought. It was only 1:2. Which meant they had far more men than the each of the empires.


    "Move" Mane instructed when he saw an opening.


    ***********************************


    "I can''t believe we are only on door duty. We should be out there fighting with the others"


    "I know. If only some above-mortal realmers had been tasked with our duty instead"


    The throne room was guarded by two profound level wielders. The two guards weren''t happy about their current circ.u.mstance. They were profound wielders, and felt that they should be on the battlefield to show their worth. In their books, Zandor didn''t have any wielders above the mortal realm, so two above-mortal level wielders should have been enough to protect whatever was in the throne room.


    "I heard it''s because of what happened to the squad that was deployed to that kingdom just before the western border" one of the guards whispered to his comrade.


    "I am not really clear on that" the other guard shook his head and indicated that he didn''t know much about what his friend was talking about.


    "Apparently over twenty wielders were killed in one of our kingdoms. The least of them were profound wielders. And there were three earth realmers leading the group!" the guard who was well-informed spilled out the knowledge he had only acquired a few days ago.


    "How is that possible? Is there a traitor?" the other guard asked.


    "Don''t be silly. It''s impossible for anyone to betray the Master" the guard with the information scoffed at the notion of a traitor appearing in their ranks. The Master''s methods were known to all. And the soul oaths they made before receiving his power made it impossible for any of them to betray him.


    "Yeah, you''re right" the other guard shivered in fear when he recalled how the last traitor died. He was a warrior and wasn''t afraid of dying in battle. But he didn''t want to die a meaningless and painful death like that guy. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click <a href="#''-plans-part-ii_52597733495722380">#''-plans-part-ii_52597733495722380</a> for visiting.


    "But how do you know all this" he wondered. They had similar power levels, and their ranks were equal but he didn''t know any of what his friend was telling him. He had only heard rumors but rubbished them as untruths. Plus the rumors were vague and the knowledge they spread varied. Some said heaven realmers were killed. Others said a strange creature had appeared and killed ten wielders. And listening to his friend right now, he realized that the truth wasn''t even among the rumors.


    "You know that my brother is a member of the Knights of the Eastern Sun" the guard with the information replied.


    "Oh yeah. How could I forget?" the other guard hit his head and wondered how he could ignore such common knowledge.


    "But that isn''t the strangest part of the story" the guard continued.


    "It''s not?" the other guard was curious. How could profound and earth wielders being killed in their empire not be the strangest part of the story?


    "No, it''s not. The weirdest part of all this is that the men who died were all Knights of the Eastern Sun!"


    "What!" The Knights of the Eastern Sun were the strongest force the Eastern Empire had under their banner. They had more talent and greater battle strength than the regular wielders. These two guards were profound wielders, but they weren''t members of the prestigious group. Their talents weren''t sufficient to grant them knighthood.


    "Shh. Keep your voice down" the guard quickly sealed his friend''s mouth with his hands.


    "Sorry. I was just startled" the other guard quickly apologized, his voice coming out in a whisper.


    "So now you know why we were left to guard the throne room" the first guard let go of his colleague after confirming that his friend had his bearings back.


    "Yeah" the second guard nodded. "But if they could deal with earth wielders, how could we hope to stand against them?" he continued.


    "I don''t know. We can only hope that they don''t come here" the first guard sighed. There was no way they would be a match for people able to decimate an entire squad of Knights of the Eastern Sun.


    "Besides, weren''t we complaining about having no fighting to do?" the first guard cracked his knuckles.


    "I wouldn''t be a fight. It would be a slaughter" the second guard didn''t agree with him though. He had no doubt that if those people who murdered earth wielders were to come here, and somehow get into the palace, they would be killed very easily. He didn''t want to die a meaningless death. Alas, that was what awaited him.


    "Well our shift is almost over. Only ten more minutes to go. Let''s get some chicken wings when we done here. What do you say?" the first guard suggested. "Why aren''t you saying anything" he turned to his friend wondering why he hadn''t received a reply for his suggestion yet. Unfortunately his friend was on the floor; his head separated cleanly from the rest of his body.


    "Wha-" before he could call for help or draw his sword a hand covered his mouth and his vision went blank.


    "That was easier than I thought" Mane mumbled as he dragged the bodies to the dark corner of the hallway and set them on fire.


    "You make killing profound wielders look so easy" Frederick smiled wryly. He was a mortal wielder. Even above-mortal wielders were out of his reach, yet Mane had easily dealt with two profound wielders. He wasn''t supposed to be here. Neither he nor Selina were strong enough to be on a mission like this one. Yet even after Alexis suggested that they stay behind, Mane didn''t approve. He said there was something in the throne room that would benefit them both. And they needed to be there for it to work. Alexis seemed to know what that thing was, so she hadn''t gone against Mane''s decision. Frederick didn''t know what it was they were here for, but he knew that it was related to the ''blessing'' of the Master.


    "You have gotten way stronger" Selina commented. She too was amazed by what she had witnessed. Till now they hadn''t experienced the power of any profound or above-mortal wielders because Mane had dealt with them so swiftly.


    "But why are you burning the bodies?" Selina wondered. There were several ways to make a body disappear without creating smoke. She wanted to know why Mane didn''t just manipulate the ground they stood on and hide the bodies in the floor.


    Seeing what she was thinking Mane whispered, "I can''t. These floors are enchanted so I cannot move them. Any earth wielder would be handicapped here. Unless they conjure the earth from scratch, but that takes a lot of inner energy".


    "Plus the smell of the smoke would led Abe to us" Mane continued with a smile.


    "How?" Frederick wondered. Unless the prince was a dog, it would be impossible to track them through smell.


    "I''ll explain later" Mane promised. He didn''t have the time to tell them about scholars. That would have to wait. Their team had separated into two. Abelard, Jake and John formed one group; Mane, Selina and Frederick formed the other. Mane''s goal was the throne room. Abelard had a different mission so he took a slight detour. But they would meet in the throne room at the end. So Mane had to direct Abelard to the place by producing smoke. Although it may alert the guards, it was a risk Mane had to take. After all it was his fault for not using a special perfume for each of them so that Abe would be able to find them. Next time they would do that.


    "We have only ten minutes" Mane recalled the conversation between the two deceased guards. They had only ten minutes before new guards would arrive, only to realize that their colleagues weren''t there and something was wrong. They needed to finish quickly and be done before the time limit.


    "Now let''s see about the blessing" he mumbled as he pushed open the doors slightly and sneaked in, with the other two close behind him.

 Chapter 215 - Trust The Plan Part I

    "There are 17 wielders here" Mane mumbled as he tried as much as he could to blend with the dark corners of the room.


    "How do you know that?" Selina wondered. She could only see 3 people patrolling the area.


    "I can feel them" Mane answered. "I''d explain everything later" Mane quickly added before she could ask any more questions. He started wishing he had the twins rather. At least the twins knew not to ask so many questions during missions. They knew how to be quiet when they needed to. But Abe needed backup with his mission so even if he wanted the twins he wouldn''t have had them.


    Frederick nudged Selina with his elbow and shook his head. He had never done anything of this nature before. He had never been on ''missions'' before. But he at least had the common knowledge that he had to be quiet when there were enemies patrolling the area.


    "Stay here" Mane ordered. He couldn''t use Una C.u.m Natura. It was a technique that was ineffective with manmade objects so he couldn''t use it within these walls. But he had other means.


    "Digitos lentiescit" he used the lease that allowed him to stick to the surfaces of walls and quickly disappeared.


    Mane was gone for about ten minutes. "This isn''t the real throne room" he whispered once he was back. He had his hands on their mouths to prevent them from doing so much as squeaking and giving their position away.


    "You startled me" Selina put her hand on her ample chest and whispered. Her ample bosom heaved up and down as she tried to calm down. Mane still had his hand on Frederick''s mouth. But it wasn''t because he wanted to keep him quiet. That effect had already been achieved. It was because he was going to do something to him that would make the older boy scream.


    *Smack*


    "Mmm" Frederick groaned in pain and held his head. "Stop ogling her and listen to me" Mane whispered and rolled his eyes. Frederick was more concerned with Selina''s chest movements rather than he was in listening to what Mane had to say.


    "This throne room isn''t really the throne room. The throne room is just ahead. This room is the only route to the throne room" Mane told the others what he found out.


    "What a sneaky man" Mane thought. If someone tried to infiltrate the throne room they would be in for a big surprise. Unless they were scholars like Mane and able to tell that there were several other wielders in hiding, and that the three who were patrolling the room were just distractions, they would be in big trouble.


    "It was a good thing we were extra careful" Normally throne rooms were only used by the ruling monarchy. So usually as long as the emperor or king wasn''t around, once one infiltrates a throne room there would be no security inside. If one went by that logic and carelessly let their guard down after entering the room they would be in big trouble. They were behind enemy lines and surrounded on all sides ¨C literally. It would be bad to be found out so deep in enemy territory.


    "With the way the others who are hidden are stationed, we wouldn''t be able to get in without drawing their attention." Mane furrowed his brows in contemplation.


    "Let me do it then" Selina offered.


    "Are you insane?" Frederick quickly objected.


    "What do you have in mind?" Mane asked. Selina drew close to Mane and whispered her idea in his ear.


    "That''s new" Mane''s eyes lit up after listening to her explanation. Her idea wasn''t bad; it could actually work.


    "What is?" Frederick asked. He didn''t hear Selina because she had only told Mane. Selina drew close to him and informed him of her plan.


    "Are you even listening?" Selina withdrew from Frederick''s ear and asked.


    "To what?" Frederick wondered. However, immediately he spoke he knew he had been silly. A hand quickly covered his mouth and Selina smacked his head.


    "Mmm" he groaned in pain once again. "You thinking properly now?" Selina asked with a raised eyebrow. Frederick nodded vehemently with a fake teary expression which Selina and Mane easily saw through. Selina ignored him and drew closer to the teen to narrate her plan.


    "It''s risky" Fred said after listening to her plan in detail. "But it''s our best shot" Selina argued. "Unfortunately it is" Frederick acknowledged. If it wasn''t because they were here with Mane, the young boy would have been able to sneak in all on his own. But it was impossible for him to sneak in with them by his side.


    "But once we draw them out then what? You cannot be thinking of engaging them" Frederick advised Mane.


    "That was exactly what I was thinking." Mane ignored Frederick''s advice. The older boy calmly regarded Mane, waiting for an explanation. In a hushed tone Mane explained, "They have a way of recognizing the death of any of their men".


    When Mane and Abe fought against the Knights of the Eastern Sun, they killed almost all of them. They only captured one knight whom they ''escorted'' to the Western Empire. After his father interrogated the man, they learnt a few things; one of these things was how they were able to tell if they had lost a wielder. According to his father, god clans had their own methods of knowing when their people are killed. Powerful races and strong ascenders also had their own methods. But it was unknown how the Eastern Empire attained this ability. Sure the Dark God was their backer, but even he couldn''t develop such a method on his own. And the Dark Sword wouldn''t be able to help him there. The Dark Sword identified its men by marking their souls. It was an artefact so it didn''t need any method. So how did the Eastern Empire do it?


    The answer was simple ¨C they were lucky. By some fortunate coincidence they had stumbled upon a device which could record the auras of several hundreds of thousands of people. It was accidentally created by one of their research divisions when they were trying to come up with a tracker. So in order to stay under the radar in their mission, Abe was tasked with locating this device and destroying it. The prince would have to kill those in charge of the machine and the machine itself so that Mane could kill freely without raising the alarm.


    "So we cannot take them out one by one, otherwise they would be informed by those in charge" Mane explained the situation to them. It wasn''t wise to be conversing so freely in the enemy camp but they had nowhere else to be. Besides, Mane had created a small barrier around them to cloak their voices and presence. He didn''t tell the other two this though.


    "I see. But we have already killed so many people on our way here" Frederick stated. Mane had taken out at least 15 wielders to create markers for Abe to be able to track them. So didn''t that mean that they were already found out?


    Mane smiled brightly and said with confidence, "That isn''t a problem. They are already occupied".

 Chapter 216 - Trust The Plan Part II

    "You are strong"


    Deep within the palace two men were fighting ¨C well a man and a boy. The boy had brown hair and a handsome face. This boy was Abelard. The man he was fighting against was the guardian of the device that recorded the auras of the Eastern Empire''s wielders. The device was easy to spot. It was a large box-like object which could light up. It worked like a television set. Yet right now it had a huge hole in it, rendering it completely useless. The culprit was Abe.


    The one who dished out the compliment was Abe''s opponent. He had long black hair and black eyes and was very dashing. He was a charming middle aged man. However he wasn''t at his best right now. There were bloodstains on his lips and his clothes, and it weren''t his enemy''s blood ¨C it was his.


    He acknowledged Abe''s power. The young boy''s power didn''t match his looks. Not only did he fail to feel the boy sneaking up on him, he had also failed to protect the device. Although the research division would be able to make another one, the materials required for an artefact as complex as this were all rare and highly difficult to find. This one alone had swallowed up almost all their funds ¨C even the reserves were almost emptied out! So unless they could gain control over the Northern Empire, they wouldn''t be able to procure the raw materials for another.


    "Why don''t you pledge your allegiance to Master? He appreciates talents like you" the middle aged man coaxed Abe.


    "Hahaha" Abe laughed at the offer. "Don''t be silly. Do you think I don''t know what you are really thinking?" Abe smirked as he mocked the older wielder. The man''s expression became ugly at the young boy''s words. "He doesn''t think like a child" he thought silently to himself. The Master wasn''t going to forgive him for failing so spectacularly. The only way he would be able to absolve himself and his family of any blame was if he was dead. That way, the only logical conclusion would be that the enemy was too strong for him to handle. But if the Master returned to see him alive, he would kill him himself for failing at the task he was given. And his death wouldn''t be swift and clean. The middle aged man still remembered how those who failed the Master died ¨C painfully. Every single one of them died with their eyes open, full of terror and fear. He didn''t want to die that way so he tried to find a way out


    "Talents! Master loves talented people" he remembered that there was something his master loved more than anything else ¨C the allegiance of a talented wielder. The boy he was up against was strong. He was a true talent. If he could present him to the Master as a new recruit, the Master would pardon his failure. The Master may even accept Abe as his disciple like he did the little prince of that backwater kingdom. But the boy was smart. He could see right through him.


    "In that case we have nothing more to discuss" the man angrily snorted and charged at Abe. Abe looked on attentively. Unlike his hearty exterior he was weary of his opponent. The man he was up against wasn''t weak. Abelard was at the 6th stage of the profound realm, but this man was two levels above him ¨C at the 8th stage. They had been at for quite a while. Abe was only able to injure him because of his surprise attack. Using his ability as a scholar he snuck into the room unnoticed, effectively evading all the sensors. Although the man was the only one here, the room was heavily fortified with all kinds of counter infiltration devices. The security was so insane Abelard started wondering what the throne room would be like. Unfortunately Abe was wrong. The throne room didn''t have this level of security.


    What confused Abe was that there was only one person in the room. If they really wanted to protect the place, why would they assign it to only one person? "It''s a trap" Abe quickly concluded. Maybe the only one inside was a distraction. Maybe whilst one was occupied with this wielder, reinforcements would have been alerted to the presence of an enemy and would have put the palace on lockdown. So to be safe he positioned the twins outside. He left them at vantage points ¨C each of them at a different location a short distance from the room. Abelard''s theory was simple: there must be someone or some people monitoring the room. As for how, he didn''t know. So once they realize that someone had gotten in, they would move out to alert the others. The twins must kill anyone who tries to raise the alarm, and must track down where that person came from. If there was truly another place monitoring this one, it would be close by. The twins were to find the hidden room and destroy those within to truly cancel out the threat.


    *Boom*


    Abe was sent skidding back by the power of the man''s strike. This man was unlike the others. The others were weaker than their peers of the same level because of the blessing, but this man didn''t seem to have that weakness. Although Abelard could feel that he too had lost half of his life force, he couldn''t feel the weakness that was supposed to be part of it. Because of that he was having a hard time defending against the man''s attacks. He crossed his arms to defend against the incoming kick.


    *Boom*


    Abelard was sent flying and struck the wall from the sheer force behind the wielder''s kick.


    *cough*


    The young prince wiped the blood off his lips and quickly rolled to the side to avoid the next blow.


    *Boom*


    "What are these walls made of?" Abe wondered as he tried to get away from his assailant. Their auras should have been enough to bring down the walls yet they were fine. And though his opponent had struck the wall numerous times there wasn''t even a single dent to show for it. Instead the man always hurt himself whenever he came into contact with the walls. So Abelard always timed his evasions to perfection to cause as much pain to the man as possible. There was another strange thing about the walls ¨C they were impervious to his summons. He was an earth elementalist. But even he couldn''t manipulate the walls and that left him slightly handicapped. But it was fine. His opponent was also an earth elementalist. The power of the man''s punches were too strong for any other element. And Abe ruled out the option of him being able to manipulate more than one element because not everyone was like Mane. So the man was handicapped too.


    "Dammit" the man screamed as he held his swollen hand. In his fury he had ignored the toughness of the walls and carelessly struck it. He tried to use his inner energy to reduce the swelling and pain. But Abelard wasn''t going to let this chance slide. That was how they had been fighting all this while. The man would go on a rampage until he struck the walls and hurt himself, and then Abe would take over.


    As a scholar, Abe would always stop just a few inches away from the wall even if he missed his target. So he always welcomed this kind of opportunity. He delivered a ferocious punch aimed at his enemy''s midsection.


    *Bam*


    "Ahh" the man grimaced in pain as he held his swollen hand. In his attempt to block Abe''s punch he had been struck on the very same hand he injured ¨C and it wasn''t a coincidence.


    "Being a scholar is awesome" Abe thought excitedly as he replayed the recent attack in his head. He aimed for the man''s ribs, but when his opponent tried to block with his forearm Abe slightly twisted his arm and went for the hand instead. The young prince rushed in once more for another bite.


    "Hubris" he whispered, activating his breath and channeling all his strength into his left hand.


    *Boom*


    The man''s eyes opened wide at the severity of the attack. It was unlike anything he had faced so far. It felt like he was hit in the abdomen by a heavy truck. Although he blocked the attack, his arms were completely numb and he could feel that he had broken his left arm. Even worse his abdomen received a small portion of the attack and he could still feel the pain. Luckily he didn''t receive any internal injuries.


    "Now!" Abe screamed at the man. "That''s weird" the man thought and turned his head. It was then he realized that he was flying towards the door! Abe wasn''t talking to him ¨C he was speaking to someone just outside the door! There was more than one infiltrator!


    Jake and John quickly dashed into the room. Their target was the helpless man flying in their direction. They arrived only a while ago, but they didn''t rush in carelessly. They waited for the right moment to attack. Unlike Frederick and Selina who didn''t come with them to the Eastern Empire the first time, they were aware of the strange abilities Abelard and Mane possessed. They knew what scholars were. They assumed that Abe could sense their arrival, and they assumed right. Abe did sense their arrival, and he waited until the right moment to call out to them.


    The two boys, one a fire elementalist and the other a water wielder, summoned their elements and headed straight for their prey. Jake''s hand was consumed in fire, and John wielded a water spear. They couldn''t use their weapons because the guns would make too much noise.


    "Hah!" John exclaimed and threw the spear towards the ''flying'' man. "Impossible" the man thought when he saw John''s feat. He could feel the auras of the newcomers. Although he was sent flying, he was confident that he would be able to fend them off once they got close to him. After all, they were only at the 7th stage of the above-mortal realm! That''s right. If not for Abe''s strange and miraculous 2nd awakening he would be behind the twins! Their promotion speed was insane given that Abe was able to grow so quickly because the scholar manual had caused a mutation. The man exclaimed because it was almost impossible for a person''s control of their element to be so precise. He was an earth elementalist but he knew how difficult it was to shape and throw water. Yet he had seen a young boy do it right before his eyes.


    "There goes my plan to escape" he sighed and watched helplessly as the water spear slammed into him.


    *puchi*


    The spear went through him without any resistance. Without his ability to manipulate the earth he couldn''t summon a wall so his defenses were like butter to John. The water dissipated right before it got to Abe and drenched him, causing the prince to look helplessly at John.


    "Sorry!" John laughed and darted to the side to avoid his brother. Jake propelled himself forward and increased his speed dramatically. His burst in speed took the already injured wielder by surprise.


    "So crafty" was his last thought as Jake''s fire fist crashed into his skull and burnt his brain to a crisp.


    "You guys took your time" Abe panted and leaned against the wall. He was short of inner energy and needed to replenish it.


    "So?" he asked as he sat cross legged. "You were right. There is another room about ten yards away from this one that monitors this place. They are very cautious. We dealt with them though" Jake answered. In the end Abe''s assumption was right. Fortunately the Master never foresaw that someone would see through his scheme and had placed only above-mortal wielders in the other room.


    "I need about five minutes. Now that they have no way to know we are here, I can take some time to regain some of my energy. Then we''d go after Mane" Abe stated.


    "You might want to do that after you see this. We found it in the other room" Jake said and fished out something from his clothes. It was a small talisman that glowed red.


    "Can you guess what it is?" John asked. Abe examined it for a while. When he turned it over he saw something that made his eyes snap open in surprise.


    "This!"

 Chapter 217 - Trust The Plan Part III

    "So can I go ahead with my plan then" Back in the false throne room Selina was itching to get her plan underway.


    "You need my help to sneak out again" Mane nodded. There was no way she would be able to evade the 3 openly patrolling guards without Mane. Selina was too inexperienced for such a sneaky endeavor.


    "No I don''t" Selina shook her head and argued. "I saw plenty the first time" she continued and quickly exited Mane''s barrier (which neither she nor Frederick knew about) and disappeared around the corner.


    "What is she-" Mane was furious about her lack of tact and was about to go after her when a hand stopped him.


    "What are you doing" Mane asked. The owner of the hand was Frederick. Everyone on the team knew that Frederick was attracted to Selina. He should even be more eager to stop her but he was preventing Mane from doing so now.


    "She may be inexperienced but she isn''t a fool. Do you know Selina''s greatest ability?" Frederick asked. Mane was a bit puzzled. He had scanned both of them so he knew that they had awakened a glow each. Both of them weren''t experienced enough to develop their own breaths yet. And the one who had didn''t have any idea about it. Selina didn''t have any stealth abilities. Her glow was perfect for frontal assault and massive destruction but that was it.


    "You are a spiritualist aren''t you? What did you see when you scanned Selina? What was in her specialty column?" Frederick asked. By now all the members of the Silver Wolves knew about Mane''s spiritualist abilities. So Frederick wasn''t a stranger to the spirit scan.


    NAME: Selina Morgan


    AGE: 15


    HEALTH POINTS: 800


    RACE: Zandorian (50%); Other (50%)


    BLOODLINE: Heavenly Pistol Shrimp (Incomplete)


    BLOODLINE RANK: Rank 9


    LEVEL: Mortal Stage 8 (Level 28.79)


    POWER LEVEL: 90,750


    WIELDER TYPE: Energy Wielder


    SPECIALTY: Strength, Vitality, and *Intelligence.


    GLOWS: Fiery Punch


    BREATH: None


    "Strength and vitality. But recently intelligence has been added" a baffled Mane replied. "Does Selina strike you as a very intelligent individual?" Frederick smiled bitterly and asked. Mane finally understood what Frederick was saying. Selina wasn''t the brightest in the team. Even the twins who could be pests at times were sharper than her. Mane wondered why intelligence was listed as her strength when she acted like a child more than any of them. The twins didn''t have intelligence listed as a strength but she did. It was very weird. But as he watched Selina mimic his movements and get around the guards and finally reach the door, he was enlightened.


    "She is a fast learner" Mane understood why Fredrick stopped him. Her ability was uncanny. She had only witnessed Mane sneaking around for a few minutes yet she was able to emulate his movements perfectly. Even the guards who were hidden didn''t find a trace of her. As Mane monitored their auras he realized they were still calm. They weren''t pretending not to see her. If they were, there would be a small fluctuation in their auras, but neither of them had found her out! It was amazing!


    "She''s out" Mane commented. "That was amazing" he praised. She had even opened the door the exact way he had when they first came in. The amount of strength he used to ensure that no noise was made and the way he opened it to the smallest possible margin to avoid detection was perfectly emulated.


    "She would be happy to hear you praise her" Frederick smiled. It was true. Selina regarded Mane highly. It was simply because he was their captain and his strength was no joke. For someone powerful to regard her highly was bound to light up her face.


    "So in the end the problem would have been you" Mane teased. If Selina had no problem sneaking around, then it wouldn''t be an issue for her to get into the real throne room. Frederick on the other hand didn''t have the ability to perfectly emulate whatever he saw.


    "Hahaha. That is true" Fredrick agreed without a second thought. He was an intelligent and sharp individual, but he didn''t have Selina''s sort of learning ability. His intelligence was centered on his excellent observation skills and reasoning ability. He didn''t take it to heart that he wasn''t very useful in these kind of scenarios.


    "But you have your own skills" Mane suddenly stated. He wasn''t asking Frederick a question. He was stating facts.


    "Hahaha. If you say so" Frederick just took it as Mane trying to make him feel better about his usefulness in this situation.


    "Haven''t you thought it odd that I brought you along with me?" Mane asked. His question startled Frederick. Indeed he thought it was odd that they had been included in the mission. Alexis didn''t want Selina nor himself taking on such a risky mission when their power wasn''t even in the top ranks of Zandorian wielders. Yet Mane insisted that he needed their help. But Fredrick didn''t know what he could possibly help with.


    "I don''t think you even noticed it yourself but you have a very special talent" they had about three minutes until Selina''s plan would begin. So Mane figured he should get it out. He didn''t want to tell Frederick about it because he thought the older boy would have figured it out by now, but he obviously hadn''t. Frederick may be talented but after meeting the Silver Wolves he started to look down on himself. He undermined his own abilities because of the gap between them and because of that he hadn''t realized that he had a very special ability.


    "Hah" Mane sighed. "Spirit Scan: Reflection" Mane chanted. He had progressed far in his casting abilities and he was now able to allow another person to see their own statistics. "See for yourself" Mane told Frederick who didn''t seem surprised to see the strange screen in front of him. He knew about this too.


    NAME: Frederick Fulbright


    AGE: 15


    HEALTH POINTS: 750


    RACE: Zandorian (100%)


    BLOODLINE: Gale Emperor (Incomplete)


    BLOODLINE RANK: Rank 9


    LEVEL: Mortal Stage 8 (Level 28.29)


    POWER LEVEL: 80,750


    WIELDER TYPE: Energy Wielder


    SPECIALTY: Speed and Intelligence


    GLOWS: Gale Kick


    BREATH: Master Artificer


    "I have a breath?" Frederick asked, amazed by what he was seeing. "Yep" Mane nodded. It was something Mane had realized some time back, but he hadn''t put much emphasis on it until a recent conversation with his disciple ¨C Aegeus.


    *****************************


    "Brother is great with artefacts. But he never realized it. He is good with identifying the talents of others but he disregards his" Aegeus told Mane


    "Yeah. I''ve noticed he is really good with all kinds of artefacts" Mane assented. With the exception of using weapons which required mastery, every other miscellaneous device was like child''s play to Frederick. He was capable of understanding the intricacies of devices without a manual; he could take devices apart and put them back together; he was also capable of creating a device with less complex materials as long as he understood its operation and makeup.


    "That''s my brother''s strength master. I don''t know how that can help you but it would be great if you could find a way for him to apply his skills"


    "I will do my best" Mane nodded and accepted Aegeus'' request. "But what are you doing here? Today is your day off. I thought you were going to see Aaliyah" Mane wondered. His disciple had been training diligently all for that girl''s sake. He mentioned that he wanted to go and see her today so he was given the day off.


    "I did. She sacked me" Aegeus said with a wry smile. Mane laughed and put his arm around the boy''s shoulder. Since the inception of his body wielding training Mane had grown taller than most of his peers. Aegeus was now shorter than him so together one would have thought that Mane was the older of the two. Aegeus had become well-behaved. If it was two months ago, he wouldn''t have left even when begged to. But now he did so obediently. He was starting to respect the wishes of those he loved.


    "Cheer up. How about I take you around the city today? Afterwards I''d get you a weapon. How does that sound?" Mane said in a bid to cheer Aegeus up. Luckily it worked.


    "Really?" Aegeus asked with sparkling eyes. "Yep" Mane nodded with a smile. "I have the perfect weapon for you. You wanted a rod, didn''t you?"


    *****************************************


    It had been a week since that conversation with Aegeus and Mane had tested Frederick in every possible way. He had presented the boy with every random and broken down device he could find and Frederick had fixed them all. Even with his intelligence Frederick still didn''t realize he was being tested.


    "So that''s why you gave me all those dysfunctional tools?" Frederick suddenly realized. He wasn''t a master at using weapons, but he was able to create anything as long as he understood its makeup and engineering. Since last week Mane had been giving him strange materials and making weird requests.


    "Could you make a sword out of this?"


    "Could you make a tracker from this?"


    "What about fixing this combat armor for me?"


    Frederick didn''t even realize his gift until now.


    "Yep. According to my mother you are at the level of a master artificer" Mane confirmed. "And not according to the standards of Zandor" Mane added to wash away any misunderstandings. There was one thing he didn''t tell Frederick though. His masters told him that artificers were more precious than a craftsman or blacksmith. An artificer was an advanced form of the two. For instance, the god currently working on Mane''s weapons ¨C Hephaestus ¨C was an artificer; a god artificer ¨C not a simple artefact craftsman. Master artificers were right under God Artificers. And since god artificers were so rare, master artificers were more sought after.


    "There is a secret about this world. I don''t know what it is, but I bet that''s why Seth wants it" 1st told Mane some time ago. Mane felt he was right. Zandor was strange. People could undergo second awakenings like Abe and unlock another element without comprehending them. Someone like Selina could easily replay another''s movements without much difficulty. The twins had battle awareness and abilities that rivalled Mane''s; not to talk of their excellent understanding of each other which couldn''t be attributed to the superstition that twins could read each other''s minds. And there was hidden member of the Silver Wolves whose understanding of alchemy left even his masters in awe.


    "I brought you here to deal with the artefact that controls the power of ''blessings''." Mane revealed and Frederick nodded. "So why did you bring Selina?" he wondered. Mane didn''t know about Selina''s gift so why did he bring her along?


    "Well you are a pervert so I knew that bringing her will destroy all the arguments you would have made about coming with us" Mane answered. Frederick''s brows twitched at the answer but there wasn''t anything he could do. If only he was stronger than Mane he would have punched the boy in his face.


    "Time''s up. There she goes" Mane pointed at the door which was roughly opened to reveal Selina. She was restrained by two wielders of the profound realm.


    "Let''s hope this works" Frederick mumbled. Mane smiled and said


    "Trust the plan Fred"

 Chapter 218 - Trust The Plan Part IV

    "Let me go" Selina pretended to struggle with the men who were holding her captive.


    "Stay quiet pretty bird" one of the men smiled lewdly as he licked his lips. The other was quiet but his eyes radiated excitement whenever he roamed them over Selina''s beautiful body.


    "What is this?" one of the guards inside the false throne room enquired. But even he was distracted by Selina.


    "We found her trying to sneak inside just when we were coming over for our shift" one of the men holding Selina replied. The reporting guard didn''t speak with much respect. And why would he, when he was much stronger than the one asking the question.


    "What about the other two?" one of the guards in the false throne room asked.


    "They weren''t there. I''m sure they had just left when we arrived. You know how arrogant those two are" the other guard holding Selina replied. He didn''t have a good impression of the two profound wielders whom Mane had killed. Because one of them had a brother who was a knight, they were very arrogant and paid little attention to the others. They often left before their shift was over. But they made sure they always left just a few minutes before the end of their shift to avoid the ire of the Master. Unfortunately their arrogance had led the others to believe that they had left before they could arrive and take over. They had no idea that they were actually dead.


    "We were lucky" Frederick whispered to Mane. Mane nodded. They were indeed lucky. That was the only loophole in the plan. Selina had to wait for the replacements to come so that they would be the ones to find her and bring her in. But there was the question of what happened to those who were guarding the place before. Since she was only in the mortal realm there was no way they would believe that she was the one to have killed them. So they really got lucky there.


    "True. If it wasn''t because of his brother we would have reported him to the Master long ago" one of the three guards in charge of the false throne room assented to the words of his comrade. Even if they reported the duo, they wouldn''t be safe. If the Master was to punish the two arrogant idiots, their backing in the Knights of the Eastern Sun would make their lives very difficult.


    "But we did get something good from it. We get to enjoy such a price" the profound wielder tossed Selina to the ground and laughed loudly.


    "Hahaha. That''s true. We were so bored just standing here having nothing to do. Now we have something to do" another wielder laughed loudly as he appreciated Selina''s curves.


    The honeypot ¨C that was the trap. It was a simple method that had been used since man started walking the earth and roaming the universe but it was still effective. Men are moved by three things: money, power and beautiful women. As long as any one of these things was involved, a man would be willing to do almost anything. So Selina offered herself as bait.


    "What are you planning to do?" Selina asked, ''terrified'' as she tried to put as much distance as she could between herself and the men.


    "What do you think?" one of the guards scoffed. Another laughed and said, "We''re planning to do you!" Another quickly rushed to the door and blocked any route of escape. Looking at Selina''s terrified expression they got even more excited. The strict training the Master put them through had left them full of hormones with nothing to vent them on. They wanted to fight and wage war; and eat the fruits that followed after a conquest ¨C forcefully take the property and women of others. Although they didn''t get to fight, there was someone here that they could vent their frustrations on. And she was exceedingly pretty too.


    Frederick tried his hardest to hold himself back. He grit his teeth and balled his fists as he watched the drama unfold. Their crude words and disgusting attitude disturbed him greatly. "Relax. I won''t let them touch her" Mane held his shoulder to prevent him from doing anything stupid and assured his friend that Selina was safe. "We only need the others to come out" Mane continued and Frederick nodded. Mane could already feel the unstable auras that were hidden. The instability of their auras could only be attributed to the pretty flower they wanted to tarnish.


    The only reason they allowed Selina to do this was so that the other wielders would reveal themselves. Mane was confident in his ability to kill them all. But the problem was speed. It was important that he killed all of them before any of them had the chance to escape or even sound the alarm. He didn''t know enough about them to assume that they wouldn''t have a way to call for backup. And he didn''t know if Abe had already finished his mission or not. So he couldn''t take any chances. Their plan was already full of loopholes. So the ones they actually had control of, they wanted to do right.


    "What about you guys?" one of the wielders asked as he approached Selina. He was already unfastening his belt. The place was silent for a while before a few figures revealed themselves. Their breathing was hurried and their eyes were reddened with l.u.s.t. Their gazes brought chills to Selina''s body and she couldn''t help but be truly afraid. They looked at her like she was some kind of meal.


    "I guess that''s a yes" the wielder who asked the question laughed loudly seeing that even the ones who were supposed to be hidden couldn''t take it anymore. He smiled broadly, exposing his white teeth and pulled down his pants.


    "Aren''t you going to act now? They have already appeared!" an agitated Frederick bellowed. In his anxiousness he screamed without realizing it. Luckily for him, Mane''s barrier was still in place. "Mane?" he turned to his side only to realize that his captain wasn''t there any longer.


    "Ahhh!" one of the wielders screamed in pain. It was the one who had pulled down his pants and was approaching Selina. His hands were no longer attached to his body. Before he could make any more noise his jaw and tongue were sent flying. Finally his limbs were severed to prevent any possibility of escape.


    "Sound the-" one of the others tried to get to the alarm to signal that there was an intruder but his head came flying before he could finish. Unknowingly he had helped Mane out. Mane''s eyes followed the finger of the headless corpse and finally saw what their alarm looked like. It was a small glass cup on a cupboard. It was inconspicuous and there was no way Mane would have guessed that was their alarm. So now he knew what to do.


    "Ahhh"


    "NO!"


    "Get Him!"


    All sorts of commands and pleas were made. Some begged for mercy whereas the braver ones tried to stop the assailant. They all had one ending ¨C death. Mane kept an eye on the door and the glass cup. Anyone who got too close to either of them was robbed of their life. Before a minute had ended Mane had killed everyone in the room ¨C with the exception of the one who had tried to **** Selina first.


    "He''s yours Frederick. Do with him what you will" Mane ''magnanimously'' offered the man''s life to Frederick. There was a reason why he chose Frederick. The boy obviously had strong feelings for Selina; he wasn''t only attracted to her pretty face and curvaceous figure. Also Selina wasn''t ready to kill yet. Mane observed the two on their way here.


    Although both looked pale the first time they saw Mane kill someone, Frederick adjusted pretty quickly. Selina tried to act as though she wasn''t affected anymore but Mane saw right through her. She wasn''t ready to kill. Even if Mane allowed her to, she wouldn''t be able to kill these men who wanted to take advantage of her. The fact that she was throwing up in the corner served to affirm his theory.


    Frederick looked at the perverted man lying helplessly at his feet. Just a few seconds ago he was trying to ruin another person''s life. But now he was lying on the ground limbless, crying in pain with no dignity left. The tears and snot on his face didn''t garner any sympathy ¨C at least not from Frederick. He couldn''t speak because his lower jaw and tongue were no more. Coincidentally, they were lying a few feet to his left. But he whimpered constantly, almost as if he was begging for mercy.


    "Captain''s actions are inimitable. I can''t believe he dealt with you people so easily" Frederick sighed. "If I leave you like this you would die from excessive blood loss" Frederick stated and walked away from the man who was whimpering on the ground. The man looked relieved when Frederick walked away.


    ''Idiot'' he thought. ''I may have my limbs severed but I won''t die as long as I take Master''s pill. I will be a cripple but at least I would be alive. I would find a way to describe you fools to the Master so he rewards me, and then I''d get to live a wealthy life whilst you try to escape from the Master''s strong grip. You''re only a mortal realmer so you''d go first.''


    When Mane had cut off his jaw he forced the wielder to unintentionally swallow the pill the Master had given him. It was a reward he gained for some meritorious service he rendered a while back. It was already working and halting his bleeding. However before he could gloat some more he saw Frederick returning.


    "What?" Frederick asked in mock perplexity. "You didn''t think I''d let you go did you?" He asked mockingly. He waved his right hand to let the man see what he was holding. It was the broken jaw. The removed tongue was resting on the jaw. The man''s eyes went wide seeing this, wondering why Frederick was showing it to him.


    "I just thought to myself that I am going to do this, then I''d like to do it right" once he finished his statement Frederick dropped the jaw onto the man''s head and pierced through it with a discarded sword, effectively killing the man.


    "Good. I almost thought you didn''t have the willpower to go through with it" Mane smiled and said. "Hahaha. He wanted to touch Selina so there was no way I was going to let him be" Frederick was pale from his first murder but he still tried to laugh it off. "What is that?" he tried to change the subject quickly and pointed at the glass cup Mane was observing.


    "It''s an alarm" Mane replied. "That? How?" Frederick didn''t see anything special about the glass.


    "I didn''t notice it at first but now when I concentrate my senses I can feel a small trace of energy in it. As long as it breaks, the energy would disperse and others would know something is wrong" Mane explained.


    "Remarkable" Frederick praised. Mane threw the glass to him and said "Keep it. I''d need you to look into it later". The older boy nodded and placed the glass carefully into his pocket. Then he quickly went to Selina to help her process the mass killing that had just occurred.


    Mane turned to the large door that led to the throne room. He had already entered it the first time to see what was behind the doors and found it completely devoid of life. That was the true throne room.


    "We can finally get some answers" he balled his fists.

 Chapter 219 - A Past No One Wants To Remember: Part I

    "Are you sure Abe? Is it the same symbol as that time?" Jake asked Abe with furrowed brows. They hadn''t left the monitoring room yet. The wielder they killed had been burnt by Jake so there was nothing of him left.


    "It is" Abe replied with a solemn expression. I would never forget that symbol. I would recognize it anywhere" his face was filled with dread as he recalled the terrible experience a few years back. It was back when Mane had just embarked on the path of wielding and was only at the 3rd stage of the mortal realm. At the time their captain didn''t have the battle ability he had now. Mane was young and largely inexperienced and was only able to deal with wielders at the 5th stage of the mortal realm. It was extraordinary that he was that strong, but compared to his current ability to deal with wielders several levels above his realm, this was shabby. And it was that very incident that had pitted Mane against the Dark Kingdom.


    "You never told him right?" John asked.


    "No I did not" Abe shook his head. "But even if I didn''t I assume someone else did" Abe continued.


    "You mean¡­" John stammered.


    "Yes. I''m sure his masters told him" Abe sighed


    "But he never spoke about it. If he knew why didn''t he say anything?" Jake wondered.


    "Because he was ashamed. I would have been too if I was the one who almost hurt my friends" Abe sighed. "If he didn''t remember do you think he would have gone against the Dark Kingdom with such fervor?" the young prince continued.


    It was even because of that incident that Mane had recklessly charged into the Gloom Forest in pursuit of a breakthrough into the above-mortal realm. Even though he reached the peak of the mortal realm, the guilty Mane wanted to make sure he had absolute power to cleanse the world of the Dark Kingdom. Fortunately after his breakthrough he had become more stable and had taken a more rational approach. Abe guessed it had something to do with Mane''s masters ¨C the legends they had never met.


    At his words the twins remained silent. They didn''t have anything else to say. They were a little terrified.


    "There''s no need to look so down. It only happened because of the situation we were in. And he ultimately fell into that state because he wanted to save our lives. So unless we fall into a desperate situation again, I don''t think it would ever happen" Abe tried to say some words that would calm the twins down. Although he didn''t reveal it, even he was a bit afraid. He didn''t want to have such fear but anyone who saw what happened those few years back would hold the same feeling of terror for the entity that caused it.


    "But what if something like that happens again? What if we fall into a situation where there is no way out?" John''s speech was incoherent but his worry was conveyed. It had taken them a few months to put that incident behind them and they had largely forgotten about it ¨C until now. But the medallion had brought back those memories they would rather forget.


    Abe''s face was resolute. He balled his fists and said, "That''s why we should never fall behind. That''s why we have to strive to get stronger. We can''t let him go through such chaos again. If he does and he hurts us, he wouldn''t be himself".


    "We mustn''t become his burdens. We must become strong enough to be his wings" Abe stated with conviction. His words were sufficient and the emotion behind them was transferred to the twins. The fear on their faces was slowly replaced by determination and a will to stride forward. They knew Abe was right. The reason they never blamed Mane was because they knew it as their fault; they knew that if they weren''t as weak as they were Mane wouldn''t have fallen into desperation at the thought of losing them. After they reached the above-mortal realm they grew more relaxed thinking that they didn''t have any threats on Zandor. Although they knew their destiny was to travel beyond the stars, they assumed they had plenty of time to do it. However, the recent happenings had changed their mindsets. They had progressed so speedily because they now possessed the conviction to stride ahead and forge a path of absolute dominance. The difference between Mane and them was that Mane always worked hard. Although he was talented, he knew that there were enemies searching for him so he never rested. Now they were the same. Now all of them didn''t rest.


    "Good" Abe smiled upon seeing that they weren''t afraid any longer. He looked down at the medallion and turned it over to observe the symbol once more. Once he did, his smile was replaced by a frown.


    "What could this mean?" he wondered. "Why has it appeared here and why now?" "Is there a connection?" Several thoughts run through his mind as he considered his options.


    "That must never happen again" he begged silently and recalled the day that caused him so much fear that for months he couldn''t sleep; the day he hoped would never come again; the day ''he'' appeared.


    ****************************


    4 years ago on the outskirts of Neces


    "Are you sure it''s okay?" a smaller looking John asked as he looked around carefully.


    "Yeah it is. Look, there''s no one here" Jake pulled his brother''s hand and led him deeper into the deserted village.


    ''"It''s really true!" Jake exclaimed. "There''s no one here" he continued in a more reserved tone. This village was on the outskirts of the Neces Kingdom and within the territory of the Western Empire. It was a deserted village.


    "According to the legends, over a hundred years ago the Dark Kingdom waged war on the world. They brought pain and misery wherever they went and destroyed a lot of lives. But they lost the war here. It is said that the four emperors of the empires at the time, put aside their distaste and dislike for one another and battled the forces of evil here, forcing the Dark Kingdom to retreat into the shadows. To commemorate their victory, the Western Emperor decreed that the village was to remain unoccupied forever. It became a symbol of their triumph over the dark ones" the much younger Jake spoke with an expression of idolization. His childish voice was filled with admiration for the past heroes.


    "I heard that the Dark Kingdom takes away all the kids who sneak in here" John pulled his twin brother''s shirt fearfully.


    "They just say that so that no one would try to sneak in here" Jake argued. Unlike his brother, he didn''t seem too concerned with the other stories he had heard about this place. To him, all those other stories were superstitions meant to scare people away from the village and preserve its sanctity. The twins were from the Northern Empire. They hadn''t heard about the village until they arrived in the Western Empire; and the much more curious Jake wanted to see the place immediately. Although John also wanted to see the place, the scary stories he heard about it dampened his curiosity greatly.


    "What''s that?" John asked. "Stop trying to scare me John" Jake snorted. "I''m serious Jake. Listen" John shushed his brother. "Footsteps!" Jake exclaimed quietly. The two boys tried to hide when the newcomer called out to them.


    "I knew you idiots would be here. I told you it wasn''t safe" Abe revealed himself and scolded the twins.


    "Whew. You startled us" Jake exhaled in relief. "You thought it was the Dark Kingdom, didn''t you?" John probed. "Of course not" Jake argued, but his blushing face sold him out to his twin brother who knew him more than anyone else in the world.


    "We must leave now!" Abe commanded and held their hands. He didn''t tell the twins because they belonged to different factions but the stories about this place weren''t necessarily false. Over the past few years the empire had gotten weaker and the Dark Kingdom had grown more rampant. This village was one of the places they usually targeted. After all, it was easy to take away children who had foolishly left the safer cities and escaped to this desolate village.


    "You are not going anywhere" a cold voice rang out. Several cloaked figures appeared around the boys. They had been encircled.


    Abe gritted his teeth, his face pale and his eyes hazy. He knew who these men were. The twins looked just as terrified as Abe. It was their first time seeing them but the large blood colored sword drawn on the back of their cloaks was proof of their identity.


    "The Dark Kingdom"

 Chapter 220 - A Past No One Wants To Remember: Part II

    "What do you people think you are doing?" Abe acted bravely and asked. "This is the territory of the Western Empire! You aren''t welcome here" the young prince tried to talk him and his friends out of their predicament.


    "Oh? So where are we welcome?" one of the black cloaked men asked. Unlike the others there was no sword symbol on his cloak. Instead there was a red colored scar in the shape of a sword that run across his face and over his left eye. It signified that he had the greatest authority amongst the Dark Kingdom wielders here. It was proof that he was at the peak of the mortal realm.


    "That¡­that¡­that" Abe stammered as he struggled to come up with a reply to the intelligent question that caught him off guard.


    "It doesn''t matter whose territory this is, Young Prince. What matters is who is here now" the leader coldly snorted.


    Abe looked startled that the man knew who he was. He was initially planning to use his status to weasel them out of this situation. However, the man knew who he was and didn''t seem to care. And why would the leader care? Although the world didn''t know about the true workings of the Dark Kingdom, he did. He was at the peak of the mortal realm yet he was still in the ''lower'' rank of the hierarchy. The only ones behind him in the ranking were those who hadn''t broken into the high stage of the mortal realm. All those below the 7th stage of the mortal realm ¨C both those in the low and middle stages ¨C formed the ''lowest'' cast of the Dark Kingdom. Those at the high level of the mortal realm ¨C from the 7th to the 9th stage ¨C were part of the ''lower'' cast. It was only after one broke into the above-mortal realm that they would become part of the ''low'' rank in the Dark Kingdom. As for the divisions of ranks higher up the hierarchy, the leader didn''t even know. He had to break into the above-mortal realm first before he could find out.


    ''We are so powerful yet we hide in the shadows as though we are afraid of them'' the leader thought silently. How many times had he gone on missions and met pompous nobles who threatened him with the names of their empires? He had lost count. He didn''t understand why the Dark Kingdom had so much power ¨C enough power to crush the world and build it anew ¨C yet didn''t take any action. It was almost as if their elders were afraid of something. It was almost as if they were terrified of someone.


    ''I don''t know what secret this place holds, but it must definitely be extraordinary'' the leader was convinced that the only reason the Dark Sword hadn''t started a war was because it was cautious of something ¨C or someone. And maybe one day he would find out what it was.


    "Your father loves you dearly" the leader smirked coldly. "And you boys too. Both the prince here and your friends have very loving parents" he continued and waved his hand to one of his subordinates. The subordinate in question nodded his head and disappeared into the village. He returned with eight men. Three of these men were from the Dark Kingdom for they wore the same robes and carried the same symbol the others carried. The remaining five men weren''t. They were beaten black and blue and were unrecognizable.


    "I believe you know these men" the leader smirked and asked. As he watched the faces of the young boys twist in fury, and their earlier fear dissipate, he was greatly satisfied. Since the boys were from very good homes, they always had guards watching over them. Even when they run away from class and sneaked into this village, their guards didn''t stop them. After all, they were tasked with protecting them from the background; disciplining them wasn''t their job ¨C it was the job of their parents. They were all at the peak of the middle stages of the mortal realm ¨C peak 6th stage mortal realmers ¨C yet they had been captured relatively easily. By now they must have regretted not preventing the boys from running over to this place. Normally their power was more than enough to deal with any threat that came their way, but this time they had been largely outnumbered and outclassed.


    "You wish you could kill me, don''t you?" the leader gazed at the boys coldly and asked. They said nothing, but their gazes displayed that they didn''t fear him any longer. Their gazes answered his question: Yes, they would have killed him if they could.


    "For your rude and disobedient gazes, I would have to punish you" the leader stated and gestured to his subordinates holding the guards hostage. Abe had a bad feeling about that hand movement. And that feeling was proven right.


    *puchi*


    Five heads came tumbling down. One of them rolled all the way to Abe''s feet. He looked down in horror to see the face of one of the Royal Guards. This man had watched Abe since he was little. He had even taught Abe a movement technique when he was five and joked that since Abe couldn''t wield any energy now, he could use it to dance. He promised to teach it to Abe properly when he grew older. But now he was dead.


    "I will kill you!" Abe roared furiously and dashed towards the leader.


    *bam*


    The Western Prince was easily swatted to the side. The leader didn''t show any mercy. His slap didn''t kill Abe, but the power of a peak mortal realmer was strong. At least he had broken a few of Abe''s bones. Jake and John were just as furious as Abe. Three of those guards were their father''s men, and they loved them as well. They also rushed towards the leader carelessly, undaunted by the fact that Abe had failed.


    *bam*


    *bam*


    The twins faced the same fate as Abe ¨C each of them was sent flying in different directions. "How are they able to wield at such a young age?" the leader was startled by the energy he felt from the boys. All three were in the first stage of the mortal realm! He may have considered that they were older than they looked if he didn''t know their actual backgrounds. They were only 6! So how did they possess inner energy?


    "I will kill you!" a battered Abe picked himself up from the ground. Even though he had several broken bones, he still dashed towards the leader. He wanted to rip his head off for killing people that he loved. He didn''t even realize that was the first time he had seen someone die. And neither did the twins. They both stood up and joined Abe in his charge. None of the other wielders from the Dark Kingdom interfered. Without receiving any orders from their leader they couldn''t act on their own. Besides, their leader didn''t need any help.


    *whack*


    *bam*


    *bam*


    *whack*


    *bam*


    *whack*


    *whack*


    *bam*


    No matter how many times they were sent flying, they kept coming. Admittedly after finding out that they were able to use inner energy at such a young age, the leader had restrained the power of his slaps. The children were much more valuable than he thought.


    ''The Elders would be pleased and would help me break into the above-mortal realm'', he thought excitedly as he sent Jake tumbling onto the ground with another slap.


    "Round them up. We are returning right now" he ordered. But before his men could obey his order they heard an immature voice scream


    "What did you do?!"


    The leader turned to the source of the voice and saw a young boy with yellow hair and blue eyes glaring angrily at him. The boy''s gaze sent chills down his spine but he quickly calmed down and mocked himself for being scared by a little boy. However, he soon noticed an anomaly and exclaimed in shock


    "3rd stage of the mortal realm!" That''s right. The little boy who looked no older than the Western Prince and the sons of the Northern Empire''s Grand Marshall was giving off an aura only belonging to those at the peak of the initial stages of the mortal realm. This little boy was Mane.


    "The gods must be smiling on me today! Hahaha! Another talent! Wonderful. Bring him to me" he ordered.


    "I''m not going anywhere" Mane replied. The leader was startled by his voice and it wasn''t because Mane refused to come along. It was because it wasn''t immature and childish like it was initially. It was a baritone voice full of authority. Before he could understand the situation, the Dark Kingdom wielder who had gone to apprehend Mane was sent flying by an outburst of powerful aura. The wielder wasn''t simply sent flying; his boy was sliced into countless chunks midair, killing him.


    "What is happening?" the leader wondered fearfully. The little boy was still giving off the aura of a 3rd stage mortal realmer, but the power he radiated was insane. The winds stirred and the earth rumbled at the sheer power of the boy. His formerly yellow hair had become silver white and his eyes looked like melted bronze. His hair swayed to and fro and cracking sounds rang out from his body. But amongst all these changes none stood out like the symbol on his forehead. It was a lightning brand which was as blue as the vast ocean.


    "Let it be undone, what has already been done" the same baritone voice resounded in the leader''s mind. Even though he didn''t see Mane''s lips moving, he heard his voice. He watched in horror as his men screamed in agony and rapidly reduced in age. That''s right ¨C they reduced in age. They all became babies and then disappeared as if they were never there in the first place!


    "What power is this?" the leader screamed in fear and tried to escape. It was said that the Dark Kingdom had no fear, but this time the leader was terrified. He didn''t fear death, but he was mindful of how he would die. Dying this way ¨C not knowing how you even died ¨C was terrifying to him. But before he could travel far he felt a strong suction force.


    "NO!" he screamed as he was pulled towards the one he wanted to escape from. He was so terrified that he didn''t even draw his sword. He watched hopelessly as he flew towards Mane''s outstretched arm and opened palm. He didn''t know how, but the boy was levitating over the ground. He struggled to breathe as Mane squeezed on his neck.


    "You won''t die from this. It would be too kind" Mane ''spoke''. Again, the leader didn''t see his lips move but he heard the voice in his head.


    "P.l.e.a.s.e" he pleaded. He wasn''t asking to be spared. He was begging to be killed swiftly. But Mane wasn''t having any of that.


    "Fall" he ordered. The clouds darkened and the sun was slowly pushed out of the sky, giving its stage to the rumbling thunder and flashing lightning.


    *Boom*


    *Boom*


    *Boom*


    *Boom*


    *Boom*


    Several bolts of lightning descended upon the deserted village. Most of the lightning fell on the leader who was still within Mane''s grip. He screamed in agony as he was basically fried alive. Finally his cries ended yet the lightning still fell.


    "Come!" Abe commanded and held the hands of the twins. Although he was severely injured, he still tried to pull them out of this place. Several bolts of lightning descended close to them but they were lucky every time.


    "Mane!" Jake tried to reach out to their friend, to the cause of the storm. However when he turned to face them, they were terrified. His gaze was cold and unfeeling. He wasn''t the Mane they knew. He looked at them like they were ants waiting to be trampled upon. They were like mere insects to him. He quickly disappeared from their scope of vision and reappeared right in front of them. Before they could say anything he tossed the charred body of the leader onto the ground and reached out for Abe and John. He grabbed their necks and hoisted them into the air.


    "Mane!!! What are you doing?! They are your friends!" Although Jake was afraid of Mane, he was more afraid of what would happen to his brother and Abe. Because of the drowning sound of thunder he had to scream out. Mane''s expression grew twisted. He looked like he was struggling. Abe felt the grip on his neck loosen.


    "It''s working!" he exclaimed


    "This isn''t you! Wake up Captain!" Jake continued when he heard Abe. The lightning slowly faded away and the thunder ceased. The sky regained its tranquility and the winds ceased their howling. The sun happily took its place once again and finally, Mane fell to the ground with Abe and John.


    "He has fainted" Abe cautiously checked Mane''s breathing.


    "What was that?" John asked, terrified at what he had just experienced.


    "I don''t know. It was almost like it was someone else" Jake huddled with his brother and responded in a shaky voice.


    *************************


    "It must never happen again" Abe''s recollection ended.

 Chapter 221 - Searching The Place: Part I

    "There''s no one there" Mane did a brief scan of the true throne room and affirmed that it was empty. Still, he was cautious. He slowly opened the door, leaving a gap big enough to fit a small a.d.u.l.t. He quickly went through it and scanned the place again just to be safe.


    "You can come in" Mane looked a little more relaxed after scanning the place one more time. Selina and Frederick followed him through the gap in the door, not specifically in that order. Frederick got through pretty easily. Selina found it a bit difficult though. She was a teenager alright, but she was also a girl. Girls grew up much faster than boys. So although she was about 16 years old, she as very curvy. With all her ''assets'', it was a bit challenging for her to get through. And Frederick wasn''t helping either. He was staring at the scene with relish.


    *smack*


    "Stop being an idiot and help her" Mane rebuked Frederick and opened the door a bit a wider so that Selina could get through. The longer Mane interacted with Frederick, the more respect he lost for this Student Council President.


    "Thanks" she quickly extended her thanks for his help and turned to Frederick.


    *smack*


    "Ouch" Frederick rubbed his sore forehead. She hit the same spot Mane hit only a few seconds ago. "Be quiet. We don''t know if there is anyone here" Selina shushed him and walked past with a happy expression. Mane had already checked and confirmed that the place was empty. However, Frederick didn''t dare refute her words. It wasn''t because he was afraid of her, but because he knew she wasn''t alright. She had never been bothered by his longing gazes. She was bothered when she was ''glanced'' by others, but she had never been bothered by him. She always ignored his stares. But this time she had hit him for it. Frederick knew her well. He knew she wasn''t fine.


    "Is she okay?" Mane also realized that something was wrong. The two boys were walking behind Selina. He didn''t know Selina as well as Frederick did but he was concerned. After all, she had just witnessed her first true mass murder. Plus Mane wasn''t kind about it. He didn''t kill them as cleanly as he had been doing before. This time limbs were severed and guts were spilled out. She saw things she had never seen.


    "She''s a bit shaken up but she''d be fine" Frederick replied. Selina wasn''t a weak damsel. She was very strong, even stronger than him. And she learned very quickly, far faster than him. She was stronger than Mane was giving her credit for. And Frederick knew this because he knew her well. She was mentally strong, but many didn''t know it.


    "Besides you made things easier by killing everyone we met en route" Frederick continued. Mane''s eyelids twitched at Frederick''s words. He was able to tell that the older teen was mocking him.


    "If you smack me again I won''t fix stuff for you again" Frederick quickly spoke up before Mane could hit him. Mane looked frustrated. "You''re good" he said bitterly. If Frederick hadn''t said anything Mane would have hit him. Mane reckoned Frederick wasn''t fine either. He had killed his first human after all. But he could care less about him now that the boy had taken away Mane''s smacking privileges.


    "Let''s split up and search the place" Mane ordered and parted from Frederick. Frederick nodded and run to Selina. He was going to search the place with her. Mane moved to the left, and Frederick and Selina went towards the right. Since Mane was able to scan areas, Frederick thought it would be best if he searched the other end with Selina.


    "There''s a door here" Frederick shouted after about ten minutes of searching the place.


    "Where?" Mane whispered once he was close enough. "Sorry" Frederick apologized in a much lower tone than before. He realized his error after he shouted the first time. Although Mane had scanned the place and confirmed that there weren''t any enemies here, he had been too careless. If there was a hidden door, then it probably led to a room. And maybe there were people in that room. So carelessly exclaiming wasn''t the right decision.


    "It''s alright. There''s nobody there" Mane shook his head. He had just scanned the space behind the door and found out that there was no one there. Plus, he was being overly cautious by whispering. After all, if this room was unguarded it was even more unlikely for the hidden room to be guarded. After all, the Master didn''t seem like one to share his secrets with his subordinates.


    *creak*


    Mane opened the door slowly and realized that it was indeed as small as his scan suggested. There were very few things in the room. Apart from a large, covered-up mirror and a small shelf filled with strange looking devices, there was nothing else here.


    "He is very cautious indeed" Mane fisted the air in frustration. A small boom accompanied his actions.


    "Who''s being loud now" Selina didn''t miss the chance to chide him. Mane blushed slightly at her words but quickly hid his embarrassment.


    "There''s basically nothing here" Frederick shared Mane''s frustrations. The fate of the Northern Empire was in their hands. If they couldn''t find the device that allowed people to receive blessings then their mission was basically a waste of time. They would have been better off being on the frontlines, fighting against the enemies.


    "The enemy would never leave you without a way out. There is always something. The true question is: Can you see what it is?" Mane suddenly recalled his mother''s words. He also remembered asking his mother whether she was worried he would fail to which she replied, "No. You have a lot of weapons at your disposal"


    "The true question is if we can see what it is. And mother said I have several weapons at my disposal" he mumbled in realization. "Masters" he called out to his teachers with his thoughts. They had been silent all this while so that he wouldn''t lose his focus.


    "There is something I''m missing here" Mane sent his thoughts to them. "Please, is there anything out of the ordinary in this room?" Mane asked his teachers.


    "You finally couldn''t bear it huh?" 6th was pleased Mane had asked for their help. They were so bored just watching what was happening without being involved in anything.


    "Stop teasing" 2nd quickly supported Mane and shut 6th up. "The artefact that supports blessings doesn''t need to be pulled out for each blessing. Otherwise everyone would know that the power they have isn''t really from this Master. And it would weaken his prestige. Those kind of artefacts are connected to their masters via a link, and works like a godhead." 1st said what he knew about the blessing artefact.


    "So you mean it doesn''t have to be anywhere near him?" Mane furrowed his brows in thought.


    "Not necessarily. It is unlikely that he''d leave something that vital out in the open because it is not something you can carry around." 1st continued.


    "So you mean it''s a large device?" Mane suddenly realized what 1st was trying to say. "So it isn''t like he wouldn''t want to carry it on him. Rather he cannot carry it on him" Mane was enlightened


    "Exactly. After all, the safest place it would be is beside him" 1st confirmed Mane''s thoughts


    "That means it must be hidden here" Mane was calmer after speaking to his masters. It was ignorance on his part to come looking for a device he had no real knowledge of. He should have asked his mother about the size of the artefact before coming so he could identify it. He had foolishly thought that since Frederick was with him, he could just ignore all those little details.


    "This is why you aren''t good for espionage work" 6th teased. Mane couldn''t argue with him because he was embarrassed.


    "You know what to do" 1st said and went silent. Mane nodded and left the mindscape.


    "What are you doing?" Frederick asked in puzzlement because Mane started knocking on the walls. "Isn''t it strange that the entire palace is made up of that strange material that makes earth wielding so difficult, yet the walls here are normal?" Mane posed a question to them instead.


    "Wait a minute! You''re trying to find out if there''s something hidden" Selina quickly realized what was going on. She immediately went to the other side of the room and began knocking on the walls. Frederick caught on just as quickly and joined in. They wanted to find out if any of the walls were hollow.


    "Here. This side of the wall is hollow" Mane quickly found the strange part of the wall. He placed his hand on it and earth wielded it out of the way.


    "Bingo" Mane smiled when he saw the large device hidden behind it. It flashed occasionally with a blue light and was almost eight feet tall. Mane was confident that was the device because the first thing he asked after seeing it was if that was it. 1st was the only one who had seen it before so he was the right person to ask. "It is" was 1st''s answer.


    "Do you think you can tweak it Fred?" Mane asked after Frederick had analysed the device for a while. Luckily, Frederick''s answer was extremely positive.


    "Piece of cake"

 Chapter 222 - Searching The Place: Part II

    "How much time do you need?" Mane asked Frederick.


    "Not long. Just a couple of minutes" Frederick replied as he gave it his all and concentrated on the task at hand.


    "Don''t disturb me" sensing that there were more questions on the way, Frederick lifted up his left hand and stopped Mane from asking anymore questions. The captain of the Silver Wolves shut his mouth and didn''t ask anymore. He didn''t know the difficulty associated with dismantling a Tool of Blessing, but from the sweat that had formed on Frederick''s forehead and the pure look of concentration in his eyes, Mane could tell it wasn''t an easy job. Although Frederick acknowledged that it would be simple to deactivate, the older boy did so because he had 100% confidence in being able to do so. But that was under the condition that he wasn''t disturbed.


    "What about ''the'' thing?" Selina moved closer to Mane and whispered into his ear. Due to the fact that Mane was a body wielder now, he had grown quite a bit. The 5 feet 8 inches tall Selina wasn''t towering over him like before. She only bent slightly to get into his ear.


    "It''s with Abe" Mane moved away slightly. It was uncomfortable having a pretty girl in such close proximity. Before, because of Frederick''s presence it wasn''t awkward at all, but now that the older boy was lost in the world of artefact deactivation, the two were basically on their own. Since Mane was growing so explosively, his hormone production had also increased and he was unfamiliar with the strange attraction he felt to the opposite s.e.x. But he calmed himself down pretty quickly and returned to his cold demeanor.


    "Our boy is growing" 6th teased upon noticing Mane''s predicament. The cold exterior Mane had built up crumbled in the wake of his teasing and he blushed slightly.


    "Are you okay?" Selina asked in worry. She still didn''t notice anything wrong. Mane sighed in relief seeing how ignorant she was.


    "If you open your mouth again I will come in there and bash you up" 2nd threatened the gloating 6th. The laughter of 6th ceased after her threat, proving that it was very effective. Mane smirked seeing how quiet 6th was, "For a legendary ascender, you are very cowardly". The young Supreme wouldn''t give up the chance to mock his master.


    "Hahaha" the laughter of the 1st resounded in the mindscape. Before long the others were laughing as well ¨C with the exception of 4th, 8th and 7th. Mane wondered if they even had personalities.


    "We do" answered 4th. Mane scratched his head in embarrassment upon realizing he had forgotten to block his thoughts from reaching them.


    "Mane?" Selina called out. "Oh yeah I am fine. Sorry about that. I just tuned out a bit" Mane quickly replied.


    "Will they be here in time?" Selina asked. Mane said ''that'' thing was with Abe. But Frederick stated that he needed only a few minutes to deactivate the Tool of Blessings. If Abe wasn''t here by the time the deactivation was over, it would be a massive waste of time. And the possibility of defeat to the enemy grew greater with every second wasted.


    "Don''t worry" Mane smiled, his eyes glistening like the noonday sky. "They are already here" he continued. He could already feel Abe''s aura. They had closed the door to the hidden room so Mane walked over and opened the door. Once the door was opened Selina could finally see the three boys who were sneaking into the True Throne Room.


    "Psst. Over here" she called them over. In reality she didn''t really need to. Mane opened the door so that Selina would see that they were here. He wasn''t worried that Abe would waste some time looking for them. Abe had mastered a technique that allowed him to mark a fellow scholar and identify them as long as they were within a 100 meter radius. It was a technique unique to his scholar manual. The manual Mane was studying had a similar technique, but it worked a bit differently and required that one must be in the mid scholar level before one could use it. So as long as Abe was close by, he would be able to sense Mane very easily and Mane would also be able to sense him. It was a technique that bound them to each other in a sense.


    "How many people did you kill back there?" Abe wondered. "The smell of blood in the previous room was very strong" the young prince continued, not realizing that Selina''s facial expression was growing paler by the minute. Luckily Mane noticed and signaled to Abe to shut up.


    "I''m done" Mane breathed a sigh of relief when Frederick spoke. The older teen chose the right time to speak up because his words successfully distracted Selina. She immediately walked over to him and helped him stand. Frederick was soaked in sweat, his eyes were hazy and his breath was heavy. If it wasn''t for Selina holding him up, it was likely that he would have fainted. However even in this state, he was holding on to a glass tube which held a green colored liquid.


    "Piece of cake huh" Mane teased the older boy. Frederick was so exhausted that he couldn''t even argue. He only smiled wryly in response.


    "What a talent!" 1st exclaimed.


    "Is it that difficult to deactivate a Tool of Blessing?" Mane wondered. He didn''t think it was anything extraordinary, but from 1st''s tone, the feat was highly remarkable and worthy of praise.


    "Indeed, the friends of a Supreme would never be ordinary" 3rd sighed and the others agreed. They all thought that Mane was being rash by choosing so many average teammates, but they had been proven wrong over and over again. First was Abe who had undergone a 2nd awakening and had talent surpassing Mane''s when it came to being a scholar. The next were the twins who had suddenly began to show extraordinary growth potential. Selina was basically a copywriter and as long as she was trained properly, would be able to pick up many techniques and skills. And Frederick was a Master Artificer. The secretive member of the Silver Wolves was the only one they approved of, yet the others were showing that they had massive potential as well.


    "It''s good you trusted your instincts and didn''t listen to us" 2nd praised Mane for sticking to his choices. Even when they went against him and didn''t see any major growth potential in his friends, the young Supreme didn''t waver. One could attribute the joining of the twins and Abe to luck since they were his roommates, but not the membership of Selina and Frederick. The latter two had been scouted by Mane.


    "It has never let me down" Mane smiled in pride. The urge to pick out his teammates was born from a part of him so deep that even he wasn''t sure where it came from. But it didn''t matter to him. All he knew was that he could trust it.


    "Now back to the topic" Mane brought the conversation back to its origin. "The Tool of Blessing; is it really so amazing?"


    "It is. Not only is it extremely rare, it has also been banned in the myriad of realms. The only exception is for direct servants of a god. But Seth obviously doesn''t care about the ban. And I don''t even know where he got this one from, but it looks really well made. It wouldn''t be easy for a Master Artificer to work his/her way around it." 1st calmly explained


    The other masters weren''t familiar with the Tool of Blessing so they also listened attentively. Mane also made sure to give his attention to the 1st. He didn''t want to miss a single detail.


    "And that is why it is so difficult to manipulate. Normally blacksmiths, craftsmen and artificers study artefacts by experimenting with them. They create swords by making several failures and finally perfect their techniques after hundreds of trials. They learn by experience. Yet the Tool of Blessing is so rare and valuable that no one would have the luxury of experimenting with one. So it is very difficult for a person to understand it without any prior guidance, let alone deactivate it" 1st explained.


    Mane had a clear understanding of the situation now. It was no wonder 1st was so impressed after Frederick deactivated the Tool of Blessing. There was one thing 1st didn''t tell Mane though. If Frederick had this kind of skill, then it wouldn''t be a problem for him to become a God level Artificer in the future! All Frederick needed to do was to generate more inner energy. As long as he grew in energy wielding, becoming a God level Artificer was all but assured!


    "To be fair, I didn''t think your plan would work ¨C neither did your mother. Which is why she suggested that Frederick and Selina be left behind" 1st confessed that he wasn''t so enthused when he heard Mane''s plan. But he reckoned that once Mane and his friends arrived at their destination, they would realize how difficult it was to deactivate the Tool of Blessing and would destroy it. After all, even if Frederick was a Master Artificer, he had never seen or handled the Tool of Blessing before, so it was highly likely that he would fail. But he had proven 1st wrong, and 1st was happy he had.


    "Now to the next phase of the plan" Mane redirected his attention towards his friends and stated. "Is it safe?" he asked Abe. "Yes" Abe replied and reached out to take something from Jake. It was identical to the glass tube Jake was holding, but the liquid in it was blue.


    "Are you sure you are okay?" Mane asked Frederick, concerned about the older teen''s state.


    "Its fine" Frederick replied. He had regained some of his strength. "Putting the Aura Recognition Tube in it is easier than removing it" he continued. That was Mane''s plan. It was impossible to carry the Tool of Blessing away because it was tied to the Master''s aura. Mane wouldn''t be able to insert it into his storage ring if the Master''s aura wasn''t wiped out. The green glass tube was the Master''s Aura Recognition Tube and the blue one was Mane''s.


    "Take this" Mane passed a pill over to Frederick.


    "What is this?" The older boy held the pill between his fingers and tossed it into his mouth before Mane could even answer, displaying his trust in the younger boy. Mane smiled at his action and replied, "Rejuvenation pill". Frederick nodded and prepared to insert the Aura Recognition Tube into the Tool of Blessing. He could already feel his energy returning to him.


    "We will have to move quickly once Frederick inserts the tube. As long as his connection to the tool is cut off, he would know that something is wrong" Mane reminded the others to prepare themselves. Frederick had deactivated the tool without alarming the Master, and it was amazing he could even do that. But it was different now. Once the Master''s connection to the tool was destroyed, he would be able to tell. So they had to move quickly immediately after.


    "3¡­2¡­1¡­now!" Mane barked. Frederick quickly inserted Mane''s Aura Recognition Tube into the Tool of Blessing once Mane''s countdown ended.


    Immediately Mane felt a connection to the tool. He quickly pulled it into his storage ring and held Frederick and Selina''s hands. He cloaked them in his aura to protect them from the wind pressure and dashed out. Abe and the twins followed closely.


    "Now let''s see what advantage you would have" Mane smirked as he escaped with his friends.

 Chapter 223 - It Is Done: Part I

    "They are a vast army indeed" Duke Essandor''s expression was stern as he took in the huge army facing the Kingdom of Aira''s walls. The Kingdom of Aira was the Northern Empire''s first line of defense. It would be best if they didn''t lose it.


    "Yes" Grand Marshall Blunt replied solemnly. When the Eastern Empire''s army was several kilometers away, the two saw that it was a large army. But even when they drew closer, there didn''t seem to be an end to their numbers. The Northern Empire soldiers who stood on the walls with the Duke and Grand Marshall gulped as they watched the army slowly grind to a halt. They were scared, but they were more terrified of what would happen if they lost. That fear overrode the fear they had of the army before them.


    "Halt!" a wielder in front of the Eastern Empire''s army commanded, and the entire army stopped their march with great discipline. There were three men leading the charge. All of them sat on large war horses with red manes. These horses were called Red Maned Horses and were the fastest creatures amongst creatures on the same level. So basically, a 3rd stage earth realm red maned horse was faster than any other creature in the 3rd stage of the earth realm. They were difficult to breed and very expensive. The three men slowly rode forward, leaving the army behind them. Two of them rode behind the one in the middle. The helmets on their heads covered their faces and made it difficult to tell their identities. Once they were close to the gates of the Kingdom of Aira, the one in the middle lifted his hand. The two at his side stopped their horses from going any farther and watched as their leader''s red maned horse moved a few feet ahead of them and stopped as well.


    "Is that the esteemed Grand Marshall Blunt I see? So you worked out your problems with the Duke. That is great!" the leader''s voice boomed, forcing most of the wielders on the kingdom''s walls to hastily cover their ears. A few who were too slow to react stumbled as they struggled to stand firm. The more determined ones stood their ground, but their ears bled at the powerful voice of the leader.


    "That voice-" Sir Blunt had heard that voice before. He knew that voice. Duke Essandor was also surprised by the voice. He should know this person. However, he couldn''t find the origin of the voice anywhere in his memories.


    "Do you not recognize your own friend?" the leader spoke once again and lifted his helmet off his head to reveal his face. He had beautiful brown hair with wisps of grey in between. His eyes shared his hair''s color ¨C brown. He was a handsome middle aged man with a genial smile on his face.


    "General Thoth!" Sir Blunt exclaimed in disbelief. "How is that possible?!" Duke Essandor was just as surprised as Grand Marshall Blunt. When they accepted that there was a war coming, both men had prepared to face their old rivals. They thought about every single person who would come and lead the charge: General Oswald, Major Glen, and Captain Zack. All these men were dangerous characters and Eastern Empire legends that were major headaches for the Northern Empire. Sir Blunt personally had a longstanding rivalry with General Oswald; and Duke Essandor had gone against Major Glen several times. They knew these two men well enough. They didn''t know a lot about Captain Zack but they had faced him a few times to be able to predict what kind of strategy he preferred. All their arrangements were made based on the behaviors of these three leaders. Yet the person leading the charge was the one they never expected to see.


    "I thought you were dead!" Sir Blunt was emotional. His shaky voice conveyed just how shocking it was to see this man.


    "No you definitely died!" Duke Essandor screamed in grief. "I watched you die in my arms. I mourned you for years!" he screamed mournfully. Anyone watching could tell that he shared a rich history with the man.


    The wielders on the walls began murmuring amongst themselves.


    "Is that really General Thoth?"


    "The only general our empire has ever had?"


    "But I thought he died"


    "Yes. I heard that he died in battle after a few nobles defected and caught him by surprise. He was returning from defending the empire when they attacked. They ambushed him with thousands of wielders"


    "Indeed. According to the legends he killed several hundreds of wielders on his own before he escaped. But he escaped with grievous injuries so he died shortly after he returned to the capital"


    "How is that possible? How can one man deal with thousands of wielders?!"


    "It was said that he had broken through the limits of this world, and that was why he was so powerful. Initially I didn''t believe it, but now all of us know that the SSS class isn''t the final class. Apparently, it is only the peak of a stage called the mortal realm and there are several realms after that"


    The soldiers continued to whisper amongst themselves. By now it was common knowledge that the mortal realm wasn''t the only level of strength. Although many didn''t want to believe it, the army facing them was proof of this. Although the rings Alexis provided protected them from the crushing aura of their enemies, they could still feel the power and presence behind their enemies'' unrestrained aura. It was only the three leaders whose power they couldn''t gauge.


    "The Duke looks like he would lose his mind" some of the wielders noticed the strange state of the Duke.


    "It''s no surprise. The General died more than three years ago. But before his death he was the Duke''s cousin"


    "You dare impersonate my cousin! I will kill you!" Duke Essandor was furious now. There was no way he''d believe that the man in front of him was his cousin ¨C the man he regarded a brother. Over the past few years, he had hunted down the nobles who had caused Thoth''s death and killed them all. Even then, the flames of vengeance still remained, only suppressed. But now they erupted strongly. His aura was pushed to the peak and he started showing signs of a breakthrough. As long as he was given the right above-mortal realm manual, he would be able to breakthrough. But now, he was truly the strongest person in the mortal realm.


    Sir Blunt also had an ugly expression on his face. General Thoth wasn''t related to him by blood like with Duke Essandor, but he was his friend. He was one of the few people who never looked down on him even though he was a commoner before he became a Grand Marshall. And it was because of the General that although Duke Essandor disliked him, he never truly made any life threatening moves on him. It was out of respect for his cousin. Even when he died, Duke Essandor still honored his memory by staying his hand and never trying to destroy Sir Blunt. He only abused the man verbally even when Sir Blunt kept interfering with his businesses.


    "I know it is hard to believe but I am alive and well" General Thoth smiled and glanced at Duke Essandor with a loving expression. He sighed when he looked at Sir Blunt and said, "I have wronged you both. I couldn''t come back because the empire was rotten from the inside. I didn''t want to lay a hand on my own people so I left. But a few months ago, the Master found me. He gave me a new purpose!" the more the general spoke, the more twisted his expression grew ¨C from a loving gaze to the look of a fanatic.


    "And for that purpose the North has to fall. Move aside my friends. I don''t want to hurt you" General Thoth''s expression grew cold when he finished his statement. His gaze sent chills down the spine of all the wielders who dared look into his eyes.


    "Archers!" Sir Blunt shouted


    "HERE SIR"


    "Ready Yourselves!" he commanded and several wielders strung their bows and took aim.


    "Gunners!" Duke Essandor screamed out


    "HERE SIR!"


    "Ready Yourselves!" he commanded.


    "Are you still going to try to persuade them sir?" the man on the left side of General Thoth took off his helmet and enquired. He had black hair and black eyes with a large scar underneath his left eye. The rider on the right of the general also took off his helmet and placed it underneath his arm. He waited for the General''s answer. These men were two of the Eastern Empire''s Sacred Three. The man with the scar was Captain Zack and the one on the right was Major Glen. These two major Eastern characters were playing second fiddle to General Thoth.


    "No. They have given their answer" the general''s expression was cold. He knew that the only reason Sir Blunt and Duke Essandor hadn''t given the order to fire yet was because of him, He slowly turned his horse around and marched towards the Eastern army. Captain Zack and Major Glen followed him. General Thoth took one last glance at Sir Blunt and Duke Essandor and gritted his teeth. He steeled his resolve and ordered


    "Leave no survivors"


    "YES SIR!"

 Chapter 224 - It Is Done: Part II

    "Aim!"


    "Loose!"


    Hundreds of arrows augmented with inner energy descended upon the Eastern Army. Since the walls of the Kingdom of Aira were very high, gravity gave extra force to the descending arrows.


    "Shields!" Captain Zack commanded. Although most of the wielders of the army were at the very least, above-mortal realmers, even they would be injured if they were struck by the descending arrows. After all, because they had attained their power from the Tool of Blessings, their battle prowess was lower than average. And although the arrows wouldn''t do much damage to mid-level above-mortal realmers, high level above-mortal realmers and profound realmers, it would be a shame to lose even a tiny fraction of their men to an army of mortal realmers.


    The shields were also cloaked with the inner energy of the wielders. Since they were stronger, the inner energy coat around their shields looked denser than the ones on the arrows. Hence, the first barrage of arrows was dealt with pretty easily.


    "Why aren''t they using their cannons?" Captain Zack wondered out loud. He was currently surrounded by several profound wielders and earth wielders. With him were Major Glen and General Thoth. The general''s face was expressionless. He wasn''t paying any attention to the ongoing war. He was the strongest here, and his wisdom in battle exceeded Major Glen''s and Captain Zack''s. Yet he didn''t show any interest in the battle. His mind was far away from this place.


    "I don''t know. Do you think that maybe they have another trump card?" Seeing that the General was silent and distracted, Major Glen decided to respond. It was obvious that the General was unhappy about the fact that he would have to run over the corpses of his friends.


    "But it matters little. Before absolute power, all schemes are meaningless" Regardless of whatever schemes they were hatching, Captain Zack wasn''t concerned. The Eastern Empire was too strong to be handled by only one empire. They were so confident in their victory that they didn''t even come with any siege weapons. They didn''t came with cannons or catapults. They only came with their personal weapons yet they were brimming with confidence. In his eyes, the Northern Empire was already done for. What they were doing was akin to the last ditch efforts of a man condemned to death.


    "Aim!"


    "Loose!"


    Several regular blasts and concentrated blasts came crushing down on the Eastern Army once the arrow barrage ended.


    "Shields!" Major Glen ordered timely before the blasts descended upon the army. The blasts were more deadly and took out a small portion of the Eastern Army. Even then, those who were taken out were only injured, they weren''t dead.


    "Push forward!" Major Glen commanded, and the army marched forward slowly with their shields still lifted for protection. Although they were slow, they were getting closer and closer to the Kingdom''s gate. As they marched forward, they kept fending off repeated arrow and gun assaults from the Northern Army.


    "Hold!"


    Grand Marshall Blunt finally ordered and allowed the archers and gunners a brief respite. His expression was cold, very much unlike the genial expression he usually had on. He didn''t order for a halt because he wanted his men to rest. This was war; there was no time for rest and the men knew that. He ordered for a halt because of something else entirely.


    *Boom*


    *Boom*


    *Boom*


    *Boom*


    *Boom*


    Several small explosions occurred when the Eastern Army was a few yards away from the walls. Immediately those explosions went off, the Grand Marshall ordered for the shooting to continue. The Eastern Army was thrown into disarray by the sudden turn of events and some of them lost their cool. The explosions were from mines that had been installed a few yards away from the kingdom''s walls. They didn''t cover the whole area around the kingdom, but they covered an adequate space. The blasts and the arrows found targets easily since the Eastern Army had lost their organization. Although it was only for a few minutes, many wielders fell victim to the mines and the arrows.


    "Mines" Captain Zack coldly announced to the Major. Because of their newfound strength, they didn''t display the level of caution they usually had. They had grown slightly complacent and hadn''t considered some of the most obvious scenarios. Now they had lost some of their men. He didn''t really care about the lives of his men, but he was annoyed that they had lost more than they were prepared to.


    "Do not lose yourselves! Losing courage is equivalent to betraying the trust of the Master!" Major Glen''s voice spread through the army like a mighty ocean wave. The chaos was calmed immediately. Their Emperor''s title was like a sacred treasure that could not be defiled. All the soldiers feared and respected the Master. They didn''t want to shame his name. They quickly regained their cool and resumed their march. Although there were occasional explosions, the army didn''t flinch. Even when the explosions happened right before their noses, they remained steadfast and immovable, slowly marching forward.


    "It seems they regard this Master fellow very highly" Duke Essandor spoke after a long while. "I see that you have regained your bearings" Sir Blunt commented. The Duke had been silent ever since General Thoth retreated to his army. Only his reddened eyes and fiery aura showed that he was anything but calm.


    "Do you think it is him?" Duke Essandor asked.


    "I don''t know. But it''s not like we have the luxury of worrying about that now" Sir Blunt replied. Although he said this, both of them knew the answer in their hearts. It was highly likely that was indeed their old friend. After all, what would the East gain by sending an imposter to play the role of the Old General? Even if they wanted them to surrender, they knew that was impossible. Both the Duke and Sir Blunt were faithful to the North and wouldn''t give it up just because of their friend; and the East had wielders far stronger than the North too. It didn''t make any sense for them to lie. But neither of them was willing to accept the truth.


    "How long do you think the barrier would hold?" Duke Essandor pushed the issue of the General to the back of his mind and worried about the present.


    "Ten minutes at most. That''s what she said" Sir Blunt replied.


    "It''s not enough" Duke Essandor sighed. Ten minutes might seem like a lot, but in a battle of this caliber. It was minuscule.


    "Yeah. But she said it will be" Sir Blunt shared the Duke''s concern, but he decided to trust in the plans of Alexis.


    "I only wish she told us her plan in detail" Sir Blunt shook his head and continued


    "She couldn''t. There are spies amongst the nobles" Unlike the politically na?ve Sir Blunt, Duke Essandor was more than aware of the reason why Alexis'' instructions were always in bits and pieces: she didn''t trust them fully. After all, it was impossible to think that there were no traitors amongst the nobles.


    "He''s moving" Duke Essandor gestured to the formerly quiet General who was now moving towards the gate with the Captain and Major.


    "Stand back!" the Major ordered, and the army retreated orderly for a few meters. "We need to hit the same area" Captain Zack struck the barrier lightly and stated. Since Alexis wasn''t a spiritualist, her barrier wasn''t as steady. It was made from runes and wouldn''t last as long. It had already been worn down its natural enemy ¨C time ¨C and was weaker now that several wielders had assaulted it.


    "I''ll go first" Captain Zack shouted, took several steps back, and dashed towards the gate. The aura of a peak earth realmer exploded from his weak looking body as he struck the gate with all his might.


    *Boom*


    The walls shook slightly at the power of his fist. Although they weren''t damaged in any way because of the barrier, the soldiers felt their resolve weaken slightly when the walls shook. The Duke and Sir Blunt had serious expressions on their faces when they understood the power behind that simple looking fist.


    *Boom*


    Major Glen unleashed a kick on the same area immediately Captain Zack retreated. His aura was on par with the Captain''s and he too was a peak earth realmer.


    Finally, General Thoth moved. He didn''t run up to the gate like the others; he only took a step. Yet with that one step, he arrived in front of the gate. He struck the gate with a mighty palm. Although he looked nonchalant and unconcerned, his palm was coated in thick inner energy and was a full powered attack. The aura of an early stage heaven realmer exploded from his body.


    *Boooooom*


    The noise was much louder than what the other two of the Sacred Three produced; and the walls shook for much longer. Cracks appeared on the walls as the barrier grew dim and shattered. The Duke''s face grew pale and Sir Blunt was stunned. Only a few minutes had passed. It hadn''t even been up to 7 minutes since the Eastern Army started assaulting the gate, yet the barrier was broken down by the combined efforts of three people. No, it is more like one person did more damage than the two put together.


    However, before the Eastern Army could celebrate, something strange happened. Their mighty aura reduced drastically and all of them grew pale.


    "The Blessing?!" Captain Zack exclaimed in shock as his aura weakened considerably and fell to the peak of the mortal realm. He wasn''t the only one. Every Eastern wielder felt their strength return to what it was before they received the blessing. They even grew weaker, because they were unused to tame power of the mortal realm.


    The Duke and Sir Blunt noticed this change.


    "So that was her plan!" the Duke exclaimed. His eyes contained excitement, excitement that hadn''t been felt for a long time. He finally realized why Alexis asked them to wait for her signal before using the cannons.


    "HAHAHA! This was her signal!" the boisterous laughter of the Grand Marshall was like a huge slap to the Eastern Army. He smiled cruelly and ordered


    "Ready the cannons!"

 Chapter 225 - It Is Done: Part III

    Deep within the capital of the Northern Empire, at the mansion of the Grand Marshall, a beautiful figure was seated on the bed of one of the upper floor rooms. The skylight allowed the rays of the sun to fall gloriously upon the marbled floor and it served as the source of light in this secluded room, highlighting the beautiful figure of the woman who sat on the bed. She sat cross legged with her eyes closed. Her breathing was rhythmic and calm, and with the rising of her chest the small objects in the room rose as well. Suddenly her eyes snapped open and her lips curled into a smirk. She smiled c.o.c.kily and looked at the door. Yet her gaze wasn''t on the door, it went beyond it. She seemed to gaze into space and see what no one else could see.


    "I didn''t think that he would send a heaven realmer on such a small mission" she spoke to herself. The fate of an entire empire was seen as a small mission in her eyes. But it wasn''t because she was contemptuous of the mortals, rather she felt Seth was going overboard by sending a heaven realmer to lead an assault on mortal realmers. This woman was Alexis.


    Just moments ago she felt her barrier shatter before it was supposed to. Her barrier wasn''t strong. Barriers made by runes were stronger when they covered a small area. So if she made a barrier around this room, it would be so strong that even gods would have a hard time breaking into it. However, the barrier she made covered an entire kingdom and its strength was spread in several areas. So it wasn''t as thick as it would have been. The barrier was thin and weak and because she made it hastily, it didn''t have the strength to hold back the attack of a heaven realmer. And that was the one thing she didn''t anticipate.


    "At least the barrier I made around the capital isn''t focused on strength" Alexis commented. Unlike the barrier around the Kingdom of Aira, the one she had erected around the capital was an illusion barrier and was done properly. Although it covered a wide area, because she had the time and resources to do it properly, it was effective against anyone below the level of an ascender. So she wasn''t worried about anyone infiltrating the capital. They would be lucky if they didn''t die from starvation after wondering around the borders of the capital for ages.


    "I am still far from Forseti''s level" she thought about her cousin and friend who was an expert of rune knowledge. Forseti was one of the Asgardians who had superior knowledge in runes. Alexis knew a lot about runes but she wasn''t an expert at combining them so they produce the best effects. Maybe two rune combinations she would be able to manage. But three or four runes combinations were far beyond her. But for Forseti, that would be simple. If he was the one who made the barrier, even a few minutes would have been enough to erect a barrier that would keep all who weren''t ascenders out.


    "But it doesn''t matter. It is done" Alexis maintained the smile on her face and was still looking into space like she was speaking to someone in particular. When the barrier was broken, even before she had the time to worry she felt the strong auras at the border of the Kingdom of Aira plummet to the mortal realm. Even the heaven realmer was no exception. And that was why she was smiling. That was the reason why she had such a c.o.c.ky look on her face. She knew that her son had succeeded. Now all that was left for Mane and his friends would be to escape successfully. Although escaping would be more difficult than infiltrating, Alexis tried her best not to worry too much. After all, worrying would do her no good. She would only fall into a pit of depression. All she could do was look on the bright side of things. Now she couldn''t help but wonder whether Mane had destroyed the Tool of Blessing or if his crazy plan to have Frederick tweak it worked out.


    "It is almost impossible for anyone other than a God Artificer to successfully dismantle it without destroying it or alerting the owner" she didn''t have a lot of faith in Frederick. It was true that the boy was uncharacteristically talented with artefacts, but she felt that handling a Tool of Blessing was out of his league. However her son didn''t share her concerns; and that was mostly because he didn''t know enough about the Tool of Blessing.


    "Maybe his ignorance paid off" if Mane didn''t know enough about it, then Frederick also wouldn''t know a lot about it. So maybe in his ignorance, he had successfully taken control of the device for Mane.


    "What are you going to do now Dark One? It pains me that I''m not there to see you go crazy. And it hurts even more that I cannot lord it over you"


    *******************************************


    Within a dark cave, in an unknown territory on the planet of Zandor, the piercing scream of a man was heard


    "AHHHHHH! Who dares! Who dares to antagonize me!" the cave shook from the fury of the hidden figure and several fist sized stones fell from its walls.


    "Please calm yourself My Lord" the melodious voice of a woman sounded from within the cave. It was impossible to tell whether she was a beauty or not because the place was so dark, but if one was to judge by the voice, even if she wasn''t a beauty, her elegance could be felt from the tone of her voice alone.


    "How can I be calm?! Tell me Lina, how many Tools of Blessings are in the universe currently?" the raging man asked


    "Less than ten, My Lord" although his voice was rude, Lina answered elegantly and without any fear.


    "But My Lord is the Dark God. Although you have lost a tool, you have gained something more valuable" she continued. The angry man was none other than the Dark God Seth whom Alexis and Ray were searching for.


    "Speak. I''m listening" Seth gradually calmed down and asked.


    "None of the Gods made a move so we know none of them did this. But this person may be affiliated with them. Some weeks ago someone infiltrated the East and killed three good chess pieces, including a peak earth realmer." Lina started before Seth cut in.


    "I''m aware of the happenings in the East, Lina. Get to the point. You''re saying it is the same person aren''t you?" Seth snapped.


    "I''m My Lord. My Lord, the evidence isn''t enough to prove it but I feel that is highly likely." Lina didn''t mind his temper. She knew that her master wasn''t in a good mood. No one would be after losing an instrument that was as valuable as the Tool of Blessings. Because of that his usually sharp mind was slightly dull. But that was why she was here. She was his voice of reason whenever rage threatened to take over.


    "So you''re saying that we could get the Tool back if we track him down?" Seth understood what she was saying. The tool wasn''t destroyed; rather, his connection to it was severed, so it was likely in the person''s possession. Maybe this person was even a God Artificer. Not only would he get the tool back, he would also see who this genius was. And his favorite hobby was snatching geniuses from the arms of another.


    "I am My Lord"


    "Alright." Seth''s voice sounded optimistic after Lina''s cajoling.


    "Now contact that idiot for me. He dares lose the Tool of Blessing" his voice quickly grew colder when he talked about Dominic. There was no way he would pardon him for losing such a vital instrument.

 Chapter 226 - The Man Called Dominic: Part I

    *Bam*


    Mane''s fist went right through the wielder who had tried to get in his way, killing the poor man immediately. After they stole the Tool of Blessings, they were quickly tracked down by the wielders in the palace who seemed to have been informed that something precious had been stolen. However without the Tool of Blessing, the Eastern Empire''s wielders had their strength returned to the mortal realm. So they weren''t a threat. Yet Mane''s facial expression suggested that he was anxious.


    *Bam*


    Frederick easily sidestepped the ambush of a 4th stage mortal realmer and sent the man flying with a kick. The snap that was heard after that heavy blow suggested that the kick had snapped the man''s neck and killed him. But Frederick didn''t have the time to feel repulsed by another kill. He had already done this at least 7 times since they exited the throne room.


    "We need to move faster!" Mane informed his friends while trying his hardest to maintain a much slower pace so that they weren''t left behind.


    "He''s coming, isn''t he?" Abe took longer strides to get close to Mane and asked his captain. He slapped a wielder who tried to get in his way and reduced the formerly healthy man to a mess of flesh and bones.


    "No doubt" Mane answered solemnly. The only way the Eastern wielders could have mobilized so quickly and accurately predicted that the intruders were in the true throne room, was if they had been informed. The device they used to identify intruders had been destroyed by Abe and the twins, so it should have been difficult to get their location right. Yet although they had been severely weakened, they had rushed to the throne room to stop the Silver Wolves. This could only mean that the Master was still around, and he had ordered for the intruders to be caught after sensing that his connection to the Tool of Blessings had been severed.


    "But it seems he''s occupied. So we have to get out while he still is" Mane fastened his hood on his head and readjusted his cloth mask. Every member of the Silver Wolves was wearing a cloak that covered their entire visage and a black cloth mask to hide their faces. They didn''t don these on when they were getting into the palace because wearing black in the middle of the day and trying to blend into a well-lit palace was stupid. But now that they were escaping, they didn''t want to leave their faces behind. After all, they couldn''t kill everyone who saw them.


    "True. He would have been here in person otherwise" Abe agreed with Mane. The current Eastern wielders were empty husks without the Tool of Blessings providing them with strength. They were all mortal realmers, with only a few at the high stage of the mortal realm (7th to 9th stage). So currently even Frederick and Selina were dealing with them effortlessly. But the Master was different. It wasn''t possible that the Master would be connected to the Tool of Blessings. After all, it was his strength the Eastern wielders were leeching off.


    The Tool of Blessing was banned because it was based on the relationship between gods and their servants. The relationship between a god and his/her servant was much more special than many thought. It wasn''t a simple relationship between master and subordinate; it was a relationship between a powerful being who could command and wield power beyond comprehension, and a person whose power was tied to this supreme being. Servants were connected to their gods via a soul link. It is a bond established when the servant agrees to put his/her life in the hands of a god in return for power. So the servant shares the power of the god, but the god has the luxury of killing the servant whenever he wants by activating the soul link. And if the god dies ¨C which is almost impossible ¨C the servant dies. But even though there was such a huge disadvantage by being the servant of a god (having your life in the hands of another), the advantages were immense.


    As already stated, servants get a power upgrade by inheriting a portion of their god''s strength. And the higher the servant is ranked, the more power is available to him/her. There are three servant ranks: lower ranked servant, middle ranked servant, and higher ranked servants. Lower ranked servants inherit about 10% of their god''s strength. So they were mostly in the early or middle stages of the profound realm. Middle ranked servants inherited up to 20% of their god''s strength and were usually in the peak of the earth realm or the heaven realm. But higher ranked servants were unique. The strength they inherited from their god wasn''t a simple percentage. What they had was a percentage cap. So they could inherit at least 25% of their god''s strength, and at most 50%! That was immense considering that 50% of a god''s strength would push someone into the nobility realm! The only requirement was the talent of the servant. If the higher ranked servant was highly talented, then they could inherit about 40% of their master''s power. A less talented one would inherit about only 30%. So even among higher ranked servants, there was a hierarchy. But it was almost impossible to find a servant who was capable of handling 50% of their god''s power and not die, because the talent required to meet the cap limit was equivalent of the talent of a Supreme.


    The second reason many wanted to be servants to the gods was because of the most sought after item in the entire universe ¨C immortality. Gods are immortal beings who don''t die unless their godheads are discovered and destroyed. So as long as a god was careful enough, they could live forever. Servants could be killed because they didn''t have godheads, but it was difficult to kill them. Because their strengths were linked to their master''s, they inherited the immortality that came with godhood. So theoretically, they could live forever if they avoided conflict. But servants were usually in the centre of conflicts between gods so that immortality was only a theory. Nevertheless because they were still linked to their god''s godhead, they couldn''t be killed easily. Lower ranked servants had two lives. Even if they were killed once, they would be reborn alongside their master. Only by killing them again would they truly die. Middle ranked servants had three lives and higher ranked servants had at least 5 lives! The most powerful higher ranked servants could have up to 9 lives! Tools of Blessings didn''t grant the recipients immortality, but they allowed them to gain strength from their master.


    Millions of years ago, when the realms were divided and ruled by chaos, a talented artificer''s family was murdered by a god. He was furious when he found out and vowed to get his revenge. He wasn''t strong enough to go against the gods for he was only a peak Nobility Realm wielder. So he broke into the False Ascension Realm and began researching on a way to share his strength with others like gods did with their servants. He knew that to get his revenge he would have to find a way to share his strength and go beyond the 50% cap that higher level servants were privy to. After decades and centuries of research, he succeeded. He created a device that was able to link his strength to others. It was a device that could lend a person up to 90% of their master''s strength as long as they were very talented. But it had a drawback. Anyone who used this device suffered a painful fate of having their vitality halved. They would basically lead half-lives. Apart from this crushing drawback, their strength would be below the normal levels and they wouldn''t be on par with people on their wielding level. Realizing these drawbacks, the artificer searched for people with vendetta against the gods and recruited them. For centuries he recruited, and then when they were ready, they struck. They slaughtered the arms and legs of the gods ¨C their servants ¨C since they couldn''t truly kill the gods. Eventually, the god society came to a consensus and rid the universe of this group they saw as a pest.


    This artificer was called Dawn; and the group''s name was the Revenant. Many had forgotten about them and why would they remember them; for they had been wiped out long ago. However, the device Dawn created ¨C the Tool of Blessing ¨C was ceased by the gods and hidden. Dawn had made only ten of these devices and no matter how hard the gods tried to understand them, they always failed. After taking apart a few and failing miserably, they didn''t attempt to study them again but banned them throughout all the realms to prevent the appearance of another Revenant.


    Mane didn''t know what rank the Master was, but it was likely he was in the middle rank because the most talented of the Eastern Wielders were only in the early stage of heaven realm. So it was likely that the Master was at the peak of the early heaven realm, or in the mid-stages. Either way, they wouldn''t be able to handle him when he comes so they have to get away before that.


    "The teleportation circle is in the forest right outside the palace" Mane thought to himself when they finally got out of the palace. He was a little relieved as they drew closer and closer to the teleportation circle.


    "What an interesting and sophisticated writing" a cold voice sent a chill down Mane''s spine. He and his friends slowly approached the circle and saw a cloaked man walking around it as he admired the runes he didn''t understand. This was the teleportation circle Mane had utilized to bring his friends here after he infiltrated the capital. But now the barrier supposed to keep it hidden had been broken, and the person they didn''t want to meet was here waiting for them. But he wasn''t alone.


    "Didn''t we kill that thing?!" Abe exclaimed when he saw the grotesque creature standing right beside the master. This creature held a rod over its shoulder and watched Mane and his group with a bloodthirsty look. The aura of a heaven realmer was fully unveiled from its deformed frame. This was the Possessed Mane and Abe fought some time back! The two boys were shocked that it was still alive.


    "Ahh. So you are the ones who hurt him so" the master sighed. But the Silver Wolves didn''t feel any sympathy from that sigh. It was as cold as the Master. The Master took his eyes off the teleportation circle and turned to face the group.


    "Forgive my terrible manners. I don''t think we have been properly introduced. My name is Dominic. But I think you know me by an alias ¨C Master.

 Chapter 227 - The Man Called Dominic: Part II

    "I don''t want to stand in your way because that is a very rude thing to do" Dominic strolled around the teleportation circle, seemingly infatuated with it. He spoke calmly and nobly, and he had a certain flair about him.


    "But you see, you have something that doesn''t belong to you; something that is mine; and I want it back" Dominic broke his stride and faced the Silver Wolves once again. The smile on his face would have been kind if they didn''t know who he was and what he was capable of.


    "We both know it cannot be given to you" Mane shook his head with a wry smile. The Silver Wolves had come all the way here for the Tool of Blessings. If they handed it over, the mission would be a waste. Plus, Mane was never going to admit that such a powerful tool was in his possession.


    "Why not? I can feel that you have no fear of the motley crew ''protecting'' the palace, but you certainly cannot be so confident that you can get away from me?" Dominic used air quotes when he spoke of the wielders protecting the palace, because to him mortal wielders were just pawns. He smiled thinking that the group before him were thinking too highly of themselves.


    "I cannot return it to you because it is destroyed" Mane lied expertly. His faces was covered, but his bright blue eyes were exposed to his enemy and they were unwavering. He spoke without missing a beat. Abe and the twins didn''t show any reaction at all. Frederick was too focused on how they would escape and wasn''t paying attention to Mane''s conversation with the Master. As for Selina, she was trembling from the ominous aura coming from the Possessed who stood behind Dominic. It was also great that their faces were covered, making it more difficult for the Master to see through their lies.


    "Don''t lie to me" Dominic''s smile turned cold when he heard Mane''s voice. His master contacted him and commanded that he retrieve the artefact if he valued his life. Dominic wasn''t fearful of death ¨C mainly because he knew that the Dark God wouldn''t kill him. At least the Dark God wouldn''t kill him yet since there was still so much he needed Dominic for. But his master didn''t need to kill him to make his life miserable. The Dark One had a high level servant with him called Lina. Lina was an expert at torturing people in both body and mind. Anyone and anything that fell into her bloody hands was destined to go through suffering unimaginably torturous. If he retrieved the artefact, he would be punished, but the punishment wouldn''t be heavy. But if he didn''t, he would be passed on to Lina. He shivered in fear when he considered that dreaded option.


    ''No, I cannot fall into her merciless hands. Besides, I still have to avenge my death'' Dominic didn''t want that option; and he had a blood vendetta with that god who put him in this situation.


    "Why would I lie to you?" Mane shrugged and replied. "That''s good. Don''t admit that it''s with you" 6th reminded Mane from the mindscape. All the masters were nervous at the situation at hand. 3rd had already read the Master''s information and informed Mane that he was at the 3rd stage of the Heaven Realm! It was infinitely better than having to fight a mid-stage heaven realmer, but it wasn''t exactly great either. Mane could handle 1st stage heaven realmers at best. However, if it was a talented 1st stage heaven realmer capable of battling beyond ranks like Mane, the twins and Abe, Mane would lose miserably. Although Dominic wasn''t that kind of talented individual from the information 3rd acquired, he was still in the 3rd stage of the Heaven Realm. The current Mane would have no chance at defeating him. And if one added the Possessed who stood obediently at the side, then the escape mission was impossible.


    "Do you want to die? Where is the Tool of Blessing?" Dominic gritted his teeth in fury as his aura brought unprecedented pressure to the Silver Wolves. The Selina and Frederick fell to their knees from the powerful aura. They were only in the mortal realm and had the least resistance to Dominic''s aura. Jake and John gritted their teeth as they struggled to maintain their footing. They brought out their auras to the maximum to withstand the powerful aura. Mane and Abe were better off. Abe was as stiff as a statue and Mane was unmoved by Dominic''s display. He had faced his father''s aura several times before. Why would he fall to the aura of a heaven realmer when he was capable of holding his own against a battle god? As for Abe, he was channeling all his inner energy into his senses. He was using his abilities as a scholar to identify the core of the Possessed. So he wasn''t paying any attention to Dominic. If he was, he would have been hit the hardest because his senses would have captured the aura fully and it would have been twice as bad for him (Mane didn''t have this problem because his father had desensitized him to powerful auras).


    "Think about it carefully Sir Dominic. Who would have the power to manipulate an object of that quality" Mane easily shook off Dominic''s aura and asked the man an intelligent question. Even Dominic was beginning to panic. However, he quickly regained his calm when he remembered his master''s words.


    "I want the one who was able to disable the artefact. Such a talent must remain unharmed. Retrieve the device, but don''t him/her."


    His master''s words suggested that he was confident the tool was fine and that there was a high level artificer responsible. Initially they thought it was just one person, but when Dominic saw the group running out, his initial plan to knock out the target was thrown out the window. He didn''t want to bring garbage to his master. He had to isolate the master artificer and then deal with the others whilst retrieving the tool.


    "You are right. It is very unlikely that Zandor has such a talented artificer" Dominic started. "But my master believes there is one amongst you, so there must be one amongst you" he continued. Frederick''s lips were parched. He shuddered at the prospect of being found out.


    "So I''d just capture you all, and then find who out who this person is. I''d kill the rest of you when I''m done" Dominic smiled cruelly as he informed the Silver Wolves of his plan.


    "In that case we would have to fight" Mane exuded confidence as he summoned his blades. Dominic''s eyes twinkled when he saw this, and he assumed that Mane would have the artefact. Storage spaces were very rare after all. Not only would he regain the artefact, he would also get a storage space. Things couldn''t be better.


    "Please let me kill them Master" the formerly docile Possessed knelt before Dominic and requested when he felt Mane''s aura. He didn''t recognize Mane at first; but he did now. Mane could cover up his face all he wants, but the Possessed would never forget that aura.


    "If you about to die, I would not help you" Dominic stated coldly. This Possessed was a marvel. Even Seth was impressed with it. Not only was it mutated, it learnt very quickly. It had stabilized its aura in just week, and was firmly in the 1st stage of the Heaven Realm now. Not only had it grown more mature and battle hardened, it had also began to show signs of a breakthrough! Dominic wasn''t so fond of it now. His future was set in stone with his abilities at the 3rd stage of the heaven realm. Unless he was promoted to the rank of a high level servant, he would remain at this stage for the rest of his life. But this ''experiment'' of the Dark God could grow. It wouldn''t be long before even he was suppressed. Now he wasn''t so fond of it. Although it called him master, it only did so because the Dark One had put it under his command. Once it also broke into the 3rd stage of the heaven realm, it would have a higher status than him! And it wouldn''t need to respect him any longer.


    "I won''t need your help Master" the Possessed coldly stated. Mane was surprised by its level of maturity. How long had it been? Maybe a week, but it could now speak fluently.


    "This is going to be troublesome" 6th remarked and Mane agreed.


    "Then deal with it" Dominic waved nonchalantly and stepped back to watch the show. Deep down he was hoping that these people would give him a surprise and kill the Possessed completely. But he knew that was highly unlikely. He didn''t know how they killed it the first time, but he attributed it to luck. After all, the cores of Possesseds were difficult to find and they changed constantly. So even if they attacked the same spot that caused its downfall the first time, that wouldn''t work.


    "I have grown stronger" the Possessed took long and confident strides towards the team as it spoke. Its voice didn''t contain the fury that it did the first time they clashed, and it was eerily calm.


    "I have grown smarter too" it disappeared from its spot and appeared above Abe with its rod swinging ferociously towards the young prince. It still remembered this person. It couldn''t see his face but his aura had been engraved in its memory. It remembered how this person had found its core and destroyed it. It didn''t know how, but it didn''t want to give Abe time to do it again so it struck first. However, someone got it the way.


    *Boom*


    The Possessed withdrew its attack and quickly went into the defensive to block the huge ball of flames that came flying towards it. It struck the ball with its rod and onto a large tree.


    It turned to look at the one who attacked it. The attacker was naturally Jake. It felt that the boy was much weaker than it, but his flames were no joke. Although the flames wouldn''t break his defense, they would spread over his body and it would be a hassle to put them out. However before he did anymore thinking, he felt movement from behind and turned swiftly to deflect the water spear that was intended to strike him. Unknowingly, the Silver Wolves had separated and surrounded him. Selina and Frederick quickly carried Abe from his position and took him outside the encirclement. They stayed with him. They were no use in a battle of this caliber.


    "We must get stronger" Frederick gritted his teeth. He had never felt so useless in his life.


    "Way stronger" Selina shared his sentiment.


    "Hehe" the Possessed smiled eerily and licked its lips. Although the water spear wouldn''t have been able to penetrate its skin, it wasn''t going to allow such a weak boy to strike him. It then turned to look at each of its opponents: Jake, John, and Mane. It finally fixed its eyes on Mane and dashed towards him. It struck out with its rod with all its might


    *Boom*


    "How" it wondered wide-eyed at what it had just witnessed. It looked past the swords that had stopped its rod and stared at Mane. Without any fanciful movements of techniques, Mane had blocked its attack without moving a single inch. Even when they fought before, he wasn''t this strong.


    "I have also grown stronger" Mane smiled and said. But it couldn''t see his smile. He then struck out with his leg and kicked it away.


    *Bam*


    "My outer energy manipulation is nowhere near my use of the inner Edict, but it has grown nonetheless" Mane muttered. He had also grown stronger over this period. He hadn''t ceased training with his father even for a single day, and his persistence bore fruits ¨C ripe, juicy fruits.


    "You are the best to test it on" Mane stated as the energy of a 1st stage earth realmer was released fully from his smaller frame. Yet within this torrent of energy, explosions of the Edict could be heard.


    "What is that?" Dominic wondered as he witnessed the strange explosions. He had no idea what that was.


    "You are growing fast" 1st sighed in Mane''s mind. The small energy explosions were from outer energy. The much more chaotic element of the Edict could now be used by Mane. That''s right. Mane had broken into the above-mortal realm as a body wielder!

 Chapter 228 - The Man Called Dominic: Part III

    A Week Ago, Western Empire''s Kingdom of Neces


    Within the bas.e.m.e.nt of the household of a god couple, two people were dueling.


    "Again" Ray shouted as he knocked Mane back for the nth time today. Mane quickly got up and dashed towards Ray. Countless small explosions followed every step he took and the air around him seemed to vibrate and hum in pleasure. Mane''s movement followed a zigzag pattern, and finally he launched an uppercut when he was a few feet away.


    *Bam*


    Ray easily deflected the attack and proceeded to send a kick towards Mane''s shoulder.


    *whoosh*


    Mane twisted his body midair to avoid the kick and grabbed onto his father''s leg after it got past him. He applied his weight onto his father''s leg and caused Ray to falter a bit. Once Mane landed stably on his feet, he swung his father upwards, towards the ceiling


    *Boom*


    Ray crushed back first into the barrier clad ceiling. He was dizzy for a while due to the sudden impact. He tried to clear his head as he felt himself falling back onto the ground. But he knew that there was no way Mane would let such an opportunity slip so he pushed a small amount of inner energy towards his head to clear the dizziness. But he wasn''t quick enough.


    "Extreme Burst!"


    "Sh*t" Ray wasn''t one to swear but this time he just couldn''t help it. Once he heard his son''s eager voice, he knew it was too late. He shrouded himself with the inner energy he could muster and prepared for impact. Due to his dizziness spell, he couldn''t tell where the attack was going to come from so he didn''t centralize his energy; therefore, his energy cloak was a bit weak.


    "1st strike"


    "2nd strike"


    "3rd"


    "4th"


    "5th"


    "6th"


    *Bam*


    Mane''s attacks sent his father flying towards the ceiling again. The young boy landed on the ground and quickly leapt towards his falling father to continue the string of attacks. Unfortunately for Mane, his father wasn''t a god of battle for nothing. Although Ray was still a bit dizzy, the fogginess had cleared up a bit. He curled his body into a ball and somersaulted in Mane''s direction. When he was about to crash into Mane, the young boy heard his father mumble a lease.


    "Gravitatis Adduci"


    *Boom*


    Mane grunted in pain as the expected outcome of his attack was not achieved. Instead of smashing his father into the roof again, he was rather sent tumbling down with his curled up father on him. It looked like a heavy ball was pushing him down. Mane smartly got out of the way by pushing off his curled up father and finally getting away from him. He flipped backwards a few times to stabilize himself. His father fell onto the floor like a comet and crashed into the barrier over the ground.


    *BOOOM*


    His crash was similar to a rocket exploding. Mane didn''t understand how it was possible for his father to be so heavy. However after giving it some thought, he knew it had to do with the lease his father mumbled.


    His father jumped up and dusted his clothes in less than a second.


    "What was that?" Mane asked, curious to know what exactly that lease was.


    "Gravitatis Adduci" Ray answered as he stretched. "It allows one to increase the gravitational pull on an object exponentially, based on the amount of chaos one can muster" Ray continued.


    "And you used it on yourself instead" Mane was enlightened. "How many times?" Mane wondered, wishing to know how much increase his father could manage"


    "I can do a lot. But I just increased it by an exponent of 4" Ray replied.


    "Wow" Mane was amazed. He now understood that the main purpose behind his father''s energy cloak was not for weathering the flurry of attacks that were coming his way, but to prepare for that lease. His father was a pseudo body wielder, but like any other pseudo body wielder, his father didn''t have great control over outer energy. His body was strong, but to increase the gravitational pull on his body by 4, if he didn''t protect himself with any inner energy, he would be injured.


    "Let''s stop for now" Ray quickly spoke when he saw that Mane was ready to jump at him again. He was a god, but even he couldn''t keep up with Mane''s energy. His son didn''t seem capable of exhaustion.


    "Okay" Mane relaxed his stance and fetched himself a glass of water. He got a glass for his father while he was at it.


    "Thanks" Ray received the glass from Mane and took a small sip before putting it down. He was a god so he didn''t really thirst for water. He did drink it, but he didn''t really need it.


    "Unlike me, you are quite talented in your outer energy control." Ray stated.


    "You don''t lack talent. You understand a bit of body wielding even though you''ve never practiced it before. You''re just lazy" Mane plainly stated.


    Ray''s mouth twitched at the honesty of his son''s words. He couldn''t even argue because he knew his son was right.


    "My father once told me to try to blend body wielding and energy wielding together" Ray became a tad more serious and said.


    "What do you mean? I should learn to switch between the two during battle?" Mane asked, confusion on his face. Body wielders weren''t energy wielders and energy wielders weren''t body wielders. Sure there were pseudo energy wielders and pseudo body wielders amongst body and energy wielders respectively, but that was due to bloodline. Everyone eventually chose a path and stuck to it. Usually talented energy wielders were either scholars or spiritualists too, but body wielders rarely paid any attention to other arts so combinations were rare. However, they were so powerful that it mattered little.


    "That''s not what I mean. He advised me to learn to use both simultaneously" Ray said something Mane had never considered.


    "I have never heard that before" Mane was a bit surprised. For starters, Ray never spoke of his father and Mane had never met his grandfather before; or anyone else from his family for that matter. However, it had never occurred to him to try to combine the two.


    "Actually, it was my sister''s field of study. She believed that it was possible and performed a number of experiments to prove it. My father saw these experiments and believed that she was right" Ray continued.


    "You see, my father''s father was a great energy and body wielder; and his entire generation was the same" Ray stunned Mane with the sudden revelation.


    "Unlike your mother''s family which has focused on body wielding their entire ancestry, we weren''t like that. It was after my grandfather was killed that practicing both fizzled out."


    "You never told me this 1st" Mane quickly sought to confirm the information from 1st. He understood the riddles long ago, so he knew that 1st was related to him. Unfortunately, he still had to call him 1st for fear of him disappearing.


    "Because it is a harsh path. I wanted you to master body wielding a bit more. At least to get to the same level as your energy wielding before you attempted anything of the sought" 1st explained. This time he wasn''t trying to hide anything from Mane. He was only waiting for the young Supreme to grow a bit more before upping his training.


    "Oh okay" Mane happily accepted his explanation and returned his focus to his father. "But how would one go about it?" Mane asked his father.


    "Well, my sister explained it this way: outer energy and inner energy are from the same source. They are both forces of the Edict. The difference between the two is that one is much more turbulent than the other. Outer energy is a bit similar to Chaos but it is much milder. Nevertheless, just like Chaos, it is too strong to store in our feeble bodies. So body wielders train their entire lives to be able to store it in their bodies for brief periods in order to unleash devastating attacks"


    "He has a solid foundation. It''s a pity he didn''t body wield" 5th sighed from within Mane''s mindscape. The young boy agreed with his master. His father had great theoretical knowledge on body wielding; however, he had never put his heart into practicing what he knew.


    "The stronger a body wielder gets, the more outer energy he/she is able to utilize; and, he/she can store the energy in their bodies for longer periods. Then, when body wielders break into the Nobility Realm, they are strong enough to keep outer energy in their bodies indefinitely"


    Mane nodded as he listened to his father. He knew all these, he was just surprised his father knew so much as well.


    "But this is where it gets interesting" Ray took another sip of water and smiled at the eager Mane. He knew that Mane was very eager to hear the results of his sister''s experiment. After what felt like ages to Mane, his father continued his narration.


    "My sister believed that if outer energy and inner energy were from the same source, then they could be fused together. And her experiments proved it was feasible. Added to the fact that our ancestors achieved it before ¨C although our bloodline density is weaker than theirs ¨C there was no doubt it could be done"


    "Well there goes the theory that outer energy is a different form of energy and isn''t part of Edict" 2nd mumbled in Mane''s mindscape. In some major worlds out there, it was believed that outer energy was another energy distinct from Chaos or Edict. Some believed that it was energy between the two. 2nd''s world was of that belief. Unfortunately, that wasn''t true. Outer energy was part of Edict. It had never been an independent energy.


    "So if you knew all this, why didn''t you do it?" Mane wondered. If it was so great, why didn''t Ray try it?


    "Because at the time, I hated my father with every fiber of my being and didn''t want to receive anything from him ¨C even if it was just some good natured advice"


    Mane shut up when he heard his father''s reasoning. He didn''t know why there was so much bad blood between his grandfather and his father, but it seemed that had ended. His father didn''t hate his grandfather anymore, but they weren''t exactly on great terms either.


    "So that should be your focus for now. Don''t bother worrying about how much outer energy you can use. Focus on blending your current outer energy with a little inner energy for the next few months. It would be hard, but I believe in you. If you cannot do it, no one else can"


    Mane had a new goal. If he could blend the two, he would be mighty powerful.


    "And then would I be able to spar with Mom?" Mane asked expectantly. Ray smiled bitterly seeing his son''s expectant expression. After learning that Alexis was a body wielder, Mane was always eager to spar with her but had always been rejected. Mane didn''t know this, but Alexis found it hard to stop herself when she got into a battle. She was staying away from Mane for a good reason.


    "Not now kiddo. Become a god, then your mom will spar with you" Ray tousled Mane''s hair and rejected his plea. Mane looked disappointed, but he had no idea it was for his own good.


    ******************************


    Presently, Eastern Empire''s Imperial Palace


    "I haven''t reached there quite yet. But I have a 2% success rate" Mane thought silently. His training in blending outer and inner energy was only a week long. But he had managed to get some results. Albeit a 2% success rate, the achievement was impressive since it had only been a week. He stabbed his sword towards the Possessed, who hurriedly put up his rod in defense, and sent it flying.


    "I''d have to ride my luck I guess"

 Chapter 229 - The Man Called Dominic: Part IV

    A 2% success rate of combining inner and outer energy. It was small, but it was better than nothing. This was the reason why Mane was so much stronger what the Possessed expected. Immediately the fight started, Mane tried to mix the two energies together. After he entered the above-mortal realm in body wielding, his control shot through the roof. Now it was just a matter of training harder and increasing his body''s tolerance for outer energy. Mane was very lucky. He succeeded in combining the two energies only after his first try. For something with a 2% success rate, this was extremely lucky. But he couldn''t sustain this state for long. He could only use it for 5 minutes at most.


    Mane dashed towards the retreating Possessed and swiped powerfully with his sword. The Possessed had calmed down greatly. It calmly deflected the sword with the rod.


    *Clink*


    The force of Mane''s strike forced it backwards by a few feet. But this time the Possessed was prepared to retreat. Upon moving back, it flipped and jumped to the right to avoid Mane''s subsequent blade attack.


    *chi*


    The blade light traveled quite far and cut through a large tree like a pair of scissors cutting through a sheet of paper. The tree fell with a mighty thud, causing Dominic to turn and look at it.


    "Interesting" with his face covered up it was difficult to tell what he was thinking, but his exposed eyes displayed his surprise. "Only at the 1st stage of the earth realm yet he has such terrifying battle power. I wonder which old coot this is" Dominic thought to himself.


    He assumed that Mane and his friends were very old characters who chanced upon the secret of wielding ages ago and practiced to this level. He believed his assumption was right because all members of the Silver Wolves were shorter than average. But Dominic didn''t think this was because they were teenagers, but rather assumed they were old freaks who had gradually grown shorter as they grew older. He assumed wrongly, but he couldn''t really be blamed since no Zandorian in their right minds would assume Mane and the others (with the exception of Selina and Frederick) were kids. Also the fact that there was a Master Artificer amongst them made him feel his assumption was correct. This was because to become a Master Artificer required a ton of experience ¨C experience that children didn''t usually have.


    Mane observed the retreating Possessed and activated some of his strongest techniques after it moved several meters away


    "Prideful Sword: Dance of the Half-Moon"


    "Bloodied Blade: Crazed Cut of the Blade King"


    The Possessed also sent forth one of its strongest moves


    "Rod Arts: Flying Rod"


    It threw the rod towards Mane after it announced the name of its technique and Mane watched dumfounded as the rod grew larger and larger.


    "It can already use techniques? You must kill it here and now. It cannot be allowed to grow any further" 1st told Mane. If Abe saw what was going on, he would have been very surprised. After all, the technique the Possessed used was the same one he faced before his opponent became a Possessed.


    Sword lights and blade lights clashed with the huge rod and produced a deafening sound.


    *Boom*


    Seeing that the rod was still right on course, Mane used another technique. "4 Way Cut: Perfect Square"


    The rod was large, so this technique was just right.


    *Boom*


    The rod had four more cracks on it from the attack. Although it had slowed down considerably and had several large cracks on it, it was still moving towards him. Mane put away his weapons and donned a pair of black gloves. Recently he had reached a bottleneck in his sword and blade arts. Most of the strong attacks required much more inner energy than he could currently muster, so he couldn''t use them. His fists were better for such a fight than his swords. After all, no matter how many times he could slice this particular opponent apart, it would still stand up. The heavy rod brought a huge gust of wind along with it and blew Mane''s cloak back, revealing his hair. His hair and eyes turned crimson and a black aura engulfed his entire being. He had activated Takeover. He would have loved to use Absolute Darkness because with it he could just walk through the attack without any trouble; but, Abe and the others (Selina and Frederick) were behind him. He had to protect them.


    "Celeritas"


    "Viribus"


    "Vitae"


    "Brimstone"


    Mane casted a speed lease, a strength lease, and a vitality lease. Finally, he also activated Brimstone.


    "It has gotten smarter" 3rd remarked and Mane agreed. It used such a careless technique and deprived itself of its weapon because it was confident that Mane would have to meet it head-on to protect his friends.


    "But not smart enough" Mane smirked. Throwing away its weapon and using such a technique would be costly even for a Possessed. And Mane planned to take advantage of it ¨C with the help of the twins.


    *Boom*


    A deafening sound was heard from across the battlefield and a smirk graced Mane''s lips. He knew what that was.


    "Huu (Who)?" the Possessed angrily grit its teeth as it looked around vigilantly for the one who attacked it. There was a small burn on the side of its face and its jaw was broken. This was why it couldn''t speak properly. It couldn''t see anyone and didn''t know where the attack came from. But before it could even heal completely it was struck again. The first time he was struck by a fire arrow. This time it was a water arrow. The attacks were only a second apart.


    *BAM*


    The water arrow hit the same spot as the fire arrow and caused the healing jaw to break once again. The strange thing was that the Possessed saw the arrow coming at the last minute; it couldn''t tell where it came from. It scanned its surroundings and realised that the twins weren''t there any longer. "It can''t be" it thought. "Those two are weak". It had easily dealt with their attacks before this. So how did their power suddenly become much greater?


    "Those two are archers? They are good. And when did they disappear. Even I didn''t see when they left" Dominic was impressed. But he was more impressed by Mane. He witnessed the process whereby Mane just kept activating techniques.


    "How can someone possess so much power" Dominic watched gob smacked as Mane activated technique after technique. Greed surfaced in his eyes as he witnessed this. "If I could capture him and interrogate him, he would pass them all to me" he didn''t believe that Mane was using glows. He was in the Heaven Realm and had only 3 glows. How could an earth realmer have more? He assumed that Mane had several techniques that allowed him to boost his strength and planned to get them for himself. Unfortunately, he was wrong again.


    Although this was a long narrative, it took only a couple of seconds and the rod hadn''t struck Mane yet. Mane snickered as the Possessed was bruised and distracted by the twins and activated Star Flicker. He dashed towards the rod and bellowed.


    "Splintering Fist!" Mane had finally grasped the concept of his father''s technique. He wasn''t at his father''s level yet, but it was enough.


    *Booom*


    Mane''s fist met the rod in a comical fashion, for the young boy looked so tiny in the presence of the much larger rod. But his size mattered little because the imposing rod was sent flying back to its master.


    The Possessed watched wide-eyed as the rod flew back to it at a much greater pace. Not only was the returning rod faster, it was also engulfed in flames. The Possessed felt it had experienced something like this before, but it couldn''t remember when. And how would it? After all, it died to this very same attack when it was still a man.


    It decided to duck out of the way but was stopped by two arrows ¨C a fire and water arrow. They struck both of its knees and exploded upon impact, tearing a large portion of its flesh and almost breaking its legs into two.


    "Ahh" It groaned in pain. Although it had great regeneration abilities, the rod would definitely get here before it was healed. It wouldn''t die, but the pain would linger within its body and mind for a long time. It grit its teeth and prepared for impact.


    *BOOM*


    The rod crashed into it and sent it flying for several meters. The rod crashed into several trees with the Possessed at its end, before it finally came to a stop.


    "Strong" Dominic praised; but he wasn''t concerned. The Possessed was immortal as long as its core wasn''t destroyed.


    After almost half a minute, the voice of the Possessed could be heard again. "Return" the huge rod returned to its normal size and was grasped by the furious Possessed. Its eerie eyes looked more terrifying than before and it gnashed its teeth loudly. It was mostly healed except for its abdomen which was still flattened. Gradually the abdomen filled up and regained its former size.


    "Why does it look so furious?" a voice asked Mane. "Hehe. It wanted revenge yet we beat it up so badly. Of course it is mad" Mane replied.


    "Looks like I missed something impressive" the voice sounded again.


    "It''s not like it is over Abe. It would be much harder now. Did you find it?" that voice belonged to Abe. The young prince was done with his investigation.


    "Yep" Abe replied. "And I marked it so I can monitor it. Even if it moves we would still find it" he continued.


    "I had no idea you could do that" Mane was surprised.


    "Master taught me after we returned the first time" Alexis taught Abe this method when she heard about their tryst with a Possessed. Hearing that Mane was the main fighting force, she taught Abe the skill. It was a skill that allowed Abe to mark the core and monitor it. It was a difficult skill to grasp yet Abe had done so after only a few weeks.


    "You have to teach me later" Mane requested. He could ask his mom, but he had no idea when she would return to Neces.


    "Sure" Abe shrugged


    "Let''s go" Mane said and dashed towards the Possessed. He still had 3 minutes left before the energy merging ended. Abe nodded and did same. The true fight was just beginning, and with talented archers hidden in the shadows assisting them, Abe and Mane were more assured.

 Chapter 230 - The Man Called Dominic: Part V

    *Boom*


    *Boom*


    *Boom*


    Continuous booms resounded as the Possessed was forced back repeatedly. Its rod had long been knocked out of its grasp, and it (the rod) lay forsaken at a deserted corner of the battlefield. True to his word, Dominic ¨C the Master ¨C didn''t interfere with their battle. He sat wordlessly and watched everything with a cold gaze. As he watched, he analysed everything he saw.


    "Two shooters, and two close combat wielders. The one on fire seems to be the leader, and his energy is the most robust of them all. The other one who joined late on is in the late stages of the profound realm. And his battle suit looks good. One more gift I would happily accept. But I am baffled about that one factor: if he was this strong, why didn''t he jump in earlier on?" Dominic tried to understand the reason behind Abe''s decision to wait behind initially. Selina and Frederick''s energy signatures were in the mortal realm so Dominic didn''t worry about them.


    "Regardless of what the reason was, if they cannot kill it, they would run out of energy. But it doesn''t matter. Whether the Possessed kills them or I do, the result of today''s encounter would be death for them all. After I capture and interrogate them of course" Dominic revealed a cruel smile under his hood and turned his attention to the bout once again. He could feel Mane''s energy waning, which was strange because it had only been 4 minutes since the battle started.


    "Are his techniques that draining?" Dominic wondered. He didn''t know that it was because Mane''s energy merge was close to its limit. A loud boom shook him out of wonderland.


    "True Hubris" Abe growled and struck the temple of the Possessed. He was covered from top to bottom in his black battle suit, but refrained from using the axe. He wasn''t skilled enough to use it in a battle of this scale. The Possessed grew madder as the battle progressed. It could heal its injuries but the pain always remained. Gradually, its movements grew more animalistic and its attacks became more careless. It started to trade blow for blow and even disregarded bone breaking injuries. The Possessed ignored the pain radiating from its temple to the rest of its body and struck Abe''s abdomen.


    *Bam*


    Abe grunted and struck its jaw with an uppercut in return. His fist was covered in earth and his anger was transferred through the blow to the Possessed.


    *Bam*


    Without waiting for it to respond, he struck it again and crossed his arms to block its kick.


    *Bam*


    Abe was pushed back by the sheer power of the kick. His arms trembled in pain. "If it wasn''t for the earth elements strengthening my body, that kick could have snapped my arms in half" Abe calmed his rioting energy and thought fearfully. He finally understood the power of a Heaven Realmer. Just a casual kick without any techniques could have easily injured him without the help of his body armor and the earth elements.


    The Possessed tried to get to Abe but was stopped by a punch to its shoulder.


    *Bam*


    It flew back in pain. Its arm hang limply on the side, showing that it had dislocated its shoulder. Before it could push its arm back in and heal, a fire arrow struck that very same shoulder and blew his arm off. A water arrow quickly followed and struck the empty hole where its arm was initially. The water arrow flew through the hole and lodged deeply in the Possessed, before exploding within its body.


    "Arrgh!" it screamed in pain. By now it didn''t know whom it hated more: the sneaky little archers or the two close combat wielders. Before it could choose the most spiteful of the four, Mane came flying in with a hefty blow. It shifted its head to avoid the punch and threw out its remaining arm in a furious counter. However, its punch didn''t meet the intended target. It heard an explosion and became disoriented, halting its movements temporarily.


    "Now!" Mane screamed. What he did was to use outer energy to disorient the Possessed. Although his attack missed, his outer energy chose to explode at the right time. The exploding outer energy hit the Possessed right on its ear. Although he couldn''t use a lot of outer energy, and it wasn''t dense due to his low body wielding stage (above-mortal realm), it was more unstable than inner energy. It wasn''t strong enough to injure the Possessed, but it stunned it magnificently. As for his command, it was meant for Abe.


    Abe activated his glow ¨C Incomplete Transformation [Wyvern]. His body quickly embraced the wyvern form and his transformation was complete in no time. Unlike his first transformation, this one was quick. He flapped his blade-like wings and dashed towards the Possessed. In this form, he was able to use and manipulate fire to some extent. He had been waiting for this moment.


    "True Hubris!" he activated his only breath and opened up his fist. His extended fingers were reinforced with magnificent wyvern claws that tore through the air with a sharp whistle. Abe willed for flames to cloak his claws and the fire elements heeded his call.


    The dizzy Possessed was suddenly overcome with a cold feeling. It felt like it had been damped in a sea of frost and left there overnight. Even without seeing what was going on, it knew it was in trouble. It instinctively brought up its arms to its chest to protect itself. But that was just the instinct of a creature which used to be a man. It hadn''t fully settled into its abilities as a Possessed and was still growing. It didn''t know that it wasn''t the chest Abe was aiming for. Abe was aiming for the area housing its core ¨C its abdomen. If the Possessed had more time to fully fit into its new body it would have been able to freely manipulate the positon of its core, and its instinct ¨C even in this situation where it couldn''t see a thing ¨C would have been to shield its abdomen or move the core. However, it wasn''t able to do that yet, so its core was moving solely on instinct.


    *Puchi*


    Abe clawed his way through the Possessed''s abdomen. He could see the core because he had marked it. The fire that covered his hand burnt away at the flesh of the Possessed and prevented it from healing. He sliced the core with his claws and cut it into two.


    *Bam*


    Abe was kicked back by the Possessed. It looked frightened and held its abdomen with a painful look on its face. The regenerating left arm (that was blown off by the twins) stopped all activity. It had grown to a third of its usual length but it grew no more. The Possessed tried to fall back after feeling that its energy was fading.


    "You cannot let it go!" 1st hastily reminded Mane. "Your friend didn''t crush its core, hence it will live. The core is more difficult to heal because it houses its regenerative abilities. But as long as it feeds on someone, it will heal" 1st quickly explained.


    "Feeds?" Mane asked, startled by the new information. This information meant that the Possessed had killed several people to regain its abilities when they thought they killed it the first time. Mane seethed in rage at the thought. "Yes" 1st replied and urged him to close the Possessed down


    "Do it now"


    "Star Flicker" Mane activated his high class technique and appeared in front of the Possessed almost immediately. The Possessed was initially moving towards Selina and Fred. Mane didn''t need to think much to realize that it wanted to feed on his friends. However, the Possessed seemed to anticipate this and quickly span around. It began to move in circles.


    "No!" Mane screamed. The Possessed had already studied the advantages and disadvantages of Star Flicker in this short exchange! It was remarkable. It used this knowledge to avoid Mane and had closed the distance of several hundreds of meters within a few seconds. As it was in the Heaven Realm, it was naturally faster than Mane. Mane had been able to bridge the speed gap between them by his use of leases and Star Flicker. But this time, he had failed.


    Abe looked at the direction of the Possessed''s charge and realized what was going on. His face grew pale in fear as he witnessed the Possessed get within a few meters of Selina and Fred. He and Mane had made sure, throughout the entire battle, to keep the Possessed away from Selina and Frederick. But a moment of carelessness had revealed a gap. The Possessed''s kick caused him a lot of pain and broke a few bones. There was no way he''d be able to catch up!


    Fred quickly pushed Selina out of the way before the Possessed could reach the duo, shoving her to safety and leaving himself in harm''s way. Frederick smiled bitterly when he saw the look of disbelief and fear on Selina''s face. His smile grew resplendent when he realized her fear wasn''t for herself, but for him.


    Looking beyond the Possessed, Frederick could see Mane and Abe closing it down with hopelessness etched on their faces. They looked at him in grief, their faces apologetic. Frederick knew they wouldn''t get here in time. But before Frederick could bring himself to say some pretty final words, two arrows struck the Possessed on its bleeding abdomen. The two archers everyone seemed to have disregarded came to the rescue.


    *Boom*


    *Boom*


    As was the process throughout the entire battle, the fire arrow arrived first and exploded upon impact. The Possessed screamed in agony as its already severe wound became even worse. Since it couldn''t regenerate, the gaping wound on its abdomen was like a large bullseye for the twins. The water arrow arrived next. However, this time it didn''t explode into little drops of water. The water froze ¨C it froze the Possessed''s entire abdomen! The Possessed groaned in discomfort and slowed down, giving Mane and Abe the chance to catch up.


    The young Supreme quickly rushed to its front, to shield Frederick and Selina, and unleashed his anger onto the Possessed.


    "Extreme Burst!"


    "1st move"


    "2nd"


    "3rd"


    "4th"


    "5th"


    "6th"


    *Bam*


    Mane struck every part of its body, with the exception of its frozen abdomen. He left it out for something special. The rage in his eyes hadn''t subsided; rather, it had grown stronger.


    "Flickering Burst" he forced the words through his gritted teeth and sent a blindingly fast kick towards the Possessed. It was the attack he created by combining Star Flicker and Extreme Burst. This time, its abdomen was his target.


    *Boom*


    The ice broke apart, and so did the Possessed. It was directly broken into two! Its eyes looked lifeless and its mouth was opened wide; yet no words were said.


    "Where?" Mane asked as he watched the Possessed''s body ¨C well, the two halves of its body ¨C fly freely in the air.


    "Trunk" Abe knew what Mane was asking. Mane wanted to know where the core was. Mane nodded and jumped after the upper half of the Possessed''s body. He kicked it towards Abe and screamed, "Get it right this time!"


    Abe nodded in response. He knew that he messed up the first time. It wasn''t like he knew that the core had to be destroyed completely, but it didn''t change the fact that he didn''t finish the job. In a sense, it was Mane''s fault for not telling him. But Mane himself didn''t know until just now.


    "True Hubris" still in his wyvern transformation state, Abe located the core and penetrated the Possessed with his sharp claws. He held the core, which was now in its chest, between two of his claws. It was a half core now since Abe had sliced a part off. He clamped down hard, and destroyed it. Then he set it on fire.


    *Crunch*


    The Possessed was engulfed in Abe''s flames in no time. Dominic watched on, surprised by what he had witnessed, but not bothered in the least.


    "Everyone in this team is exceptional, huh" he praised silently. He was surprised by Abe''s transformation ¨C surprised and envious. Surprised because he had never seen anything like it; and envious because he could tell it was a glow. He was also amazed that Abe could use two elements ¨C fire and earth ¨C but he noticed that Abe could only use his fire in his transformed state. Mane didn''t use any other element except fire, so Dominic didn''t know that Mane was the actual all-rounder.


    But even Abe''s abilities didn''t impress him like the twins''. Ice elementalists were not just rare, they were extinct. So seeing one here and experiencing his abilities was amazing.


    "A pity he''d have to die" Dominic sighed pretentiously. There was no pity in his voice. But Dominic didn''t know that there were others who were also surprised by John.


    "To think that he could call upon the ice elements" 3rd sighed in Mane''s mindscape. "Even I didn''t know he had such abilities" Mane stated. Mane had mastered the four basic elements, and was striving to understand lightning. But there was a point in his life, when he tried to understand how to ice wield, but failed spectacularly. So he knew how difficult it was to conjure ice.


    "Ice wielding is on the same level as lightning wielding. Both elements aren''t easily learned. They are birthed by bloodlines" 1st explained and Mane nodded. This was what 1st told him when he couldn''t ice wield. But it seemed that John had it encoded in his bloodline.


    "I don''t think even he knew" 6th said. "It may have been because of his spiraling emotions" 6th continued. Maybe he was right. Maybe John had been so terrified of the prospect of losing his friends that he had temporarily called upon the ice elements, and they listened. But that would have to wait. It would only become a topic for discussion if they were able to leave this place. Mane''s powerful aura receded as he reached the limit for his energy merge. He had long cancelled Takeover, but his leases were still active. He was exhausted, but he knew the battle wasn''t over.


    "Amazing. Even I cannot kill that thing, yet you people succeeded" the glee in Dominic''s voice was unhidden. And Mane and co realized that the man dubbed Master didn''t like the Possessed. Why did he create it then, they wondered?


    "I guess it''s my turn now"

 Chapter 231 - The Man Called Dominic: Part VI

    Dominic stood up sluggishly and stretched lazily. He acted like a man without a care in the world. Yet his aura was repressive. The power of a 3rd stage Heaven Realmer filled the hearts of Abe and Mane with dread. That was the peak of the early Heaven Realm! It was no joke. Unlike the realms before, each rank of the Heaven Realm was hugely significant. A genius who capable of battling a peak stage Earth Realmer whilst possessing the power of a middle or late stage Earth Realmer, wouldn''t be capable of fighting against a peak stage Heaven Realmer with his/her strength only in the middle or late stages of the Heaven Realm. The difference was that huge. Each stage of the Heaven Realm was akin to crossing over from the profound realm to the Earth Realm! It was no easy feat. The amount of energy that had to be gathered and the person''s understanding of wielding were crucial factors to breaking through the ranks of the Heaven Realm. Unlike the Possessed which had only touched on the 1st stage of the Heaven Realm and had only recently consolidated its power, Dominic was a servant of the Dark God; and his strength was genuinely in the 3rd stage of the Heaven Realm.


    Mane had great battle prowess. He was able to deal with peak stage Earth Realmers with his inner energy only being at the 1st stage of the Earth Realm. However, his identity as a Spiritualist and his use of leases to boost his fighting abilities largely contributed to his success. Not only did he have the advantage of being a mid-level Spiritualist, he also had high grade techniques he had been training in since he was 6. So he was strong. But taking on a genuine Heaven Realmer was a challenge. Every Heaven Realmer was a talent capable of surpassing a few ranks in battle ¨C usually 1 or 2 ¨C during their younger days. And so they weren''t easy to deal with.


    For instance, the Possessed was a tough enemy. The first time Mane had fought it was almost 2 weeks ago. At the time, if not for its ability to heal continuously and without failure, it would have died at his hands. It was weak because its energy hadn''t truly crossed the barrier of the Earth Realm into the Heaven Realm. Its inner energy was unstable. However, when they fought today, it had become so much stronger. This was because it had truly stepped into the Heaven Realm; and even with only two weeks of consolidating its energy, Mane struggled against it. If he wasn''t lucky enough to get the energy merge right; and if he didn''t have the twins and Abe assisting him, they would have failed. Mane was doubtful he could have held the Possessed back for even two minutes if his energy merge didn''t work. Even if he used Takeover, he would have still failed.


    But now here they were, facing off against a stronger Heaven Realmer. Not a 2nd stage Heaven Realmer, but a 3rd stage! How were they going to survive?


    "You know, things aren''t as bad as you think" 6th suddenly spoke. Just like the rest of the masters, he saw Mane''s predicament.


    "How so?" Mane wondered. He was facing a 3rd stage Heaven Realmer. How could things possibly be any worse?


    "Although he is a genuine 3rd stage Heaven Realmer, he has no true experience. He inherited his strength through sheer dumb luck and is only a pawn for the Dark God. I doubt he has truly fought with anyone since he got his power upgrade. He wouldn''t be as strong as any regular 3rd stage Heaven Realmer" 6th explained in a bid to calm Mane down.


    "But he''s still stronger than a peak 2nd stage" 6th quickly added just when Mane felt his tense nerves relax. Mane really wanted to rush into the mindscape and slap his master. He knew it was wrong to think so, but he really wanted to do it. Why would you say that if it didn''t mean anything?


    "So he''s a weaker 3rd stage. That is great!" Mane''s lips twitched as he spoke sarcastically.


    "You know it wouldn''t hurt you to keep quiet" 2nd suddenly chimed in. "Hehe" 6th laughed sheepishly and remained mute.


    "Thank you 6th" Mane sighed. He knew his master was just trying to help. He was anxious, but his anxiety didn''t hold a candle to what his masters were currently feeling. It was true that he was the one in trouble, but his masters were gods and ascenders with great power. Yet with all this power, they couldn''t help him. It was like having all the wealth in the world, yet having no way to save your son who was dying of a strange illness. They felt helpless and useless.


    "What are you waiting for?" Dominic mocked the Silver Wolves. Mane''s conversation with his masters was only a few seconds long. So Mane was confused.


    "Just give up already so that your deaths would be swift and painless" Dominic continued and cleared Mane''s confusion. The fool wanted them to give themselves up without a fight! Why on Zandor would they do that?


    Mane tried merging inner and outer energy again. He tried several times, and failed several times.


    "I guess my luck has run out" Without wasting much time, Mane dashed towards Dominic. He got to the man in only a few seconds and activated Takeover. His leases were still active and chaos heeded his call. Mane knew that to win this, he couldn''t waste any more time.


    "Splintering Fist!" Against an opponent like Dominic who was vastly superior in strength and had a larger pool of inner energy, Mane wouldn''t dream of using Extreme Burst. There was no way the first few moves would be effective against Dominic whose protective inner energy cloak was so dense that it looked like an overall for his clothes. Instead, Mane opted for the more explosive Splintering Fist. He didn''t use any element either. No element would be able to penetrate an energy coat that thick. So he opted for brute strength.


    *Boom*


    "You''re slow" Dominic nonchalantly remarked and Mane''s face grew pale. Dominic had slightly turned his head to avoid the blow, but that shouldn''t have been enough to shoulder Splintering Fist''s turbulent energy. The grass behind Dominic had been destroyed and a tree right behind him had a huge hole in its trunk. There was clearly nothing wrong with the technique, so how was he so fine.


    "His energy cloak wasn''t even dented! How dense must it be to weather a powerful attack like Splintering Fist and remain unmoved?!" Mane wondered. He was slowly overcome with dread. Although Dominic didn''t have a great understanding of any element due to his sudden strength boost, his inner energy was too thick to be penetrated. Not only that, he was also extremely fast as well. Mane didn''t see how his fist was evaded. He was certain that it was only a few inches away from Dominic when the man''s head shifted strangely and evaded the attack. He understood what Dominic meant from his taunt: If this is all you can do, you will undoubtedly die today. Dominic extended a palm to Mane''s abdomen. The palm strike was so quick that Mane couldn''t react to it.


    *Bam*


    Mane was knocked back by several meters until his path was stopped by a tree. He crushed into it and coughed a mouthful of blood. Even with his energy coat, he could feel that the simple palm strike had broken several of his bones and cracked many ribs. But even under such conditions, his vision was still clear. He saw Dominic disappear and reappear right in front of him. The man threw out another palm. But this time, his path was hindered.


    *Tap*


    *Tap*


    Dominic casually swept aside the elemental arrows that were meant to hit his hand. Although he did it so easily, he was massively impressed by the accuracy and speed of those arrows.


    "Not only did they see through my speed, but they were able to deduce when to shoot so that the attack will be just right" None of the arrows exploded this time and Dominic knew why. "They do not want to hurt their friend" Dominic''s hand was too close to Mane''s chest. The explosion wouldn''t have harmed him in any way, but it would have hurt Mane.


    "But because of their efforts I know where they are" Dominic opened his other hand to reveal several pebbles.


    *Whish*


    *Whish*


    *Whish*


    *Whish*


    *Whish*


    Several pebbles cut through the air. Mane''s facial expression changed when he saw the pebbles and became ugly when they were thrown at seemingly random locations. He realized from the moment Dominic opened his palm that the man had planned for this all along. If not, why would he have been hiding pebbles in his hand? He must have picked them up when he was sitting on the ground before. They whistled through the air like bullets and found their targets. Even though Mane couldn''t see the twins, he knew they were injured. That was because his senses were fully opened and he heard the sound of objects sinking into flesh. In this extreme situation, he had broken through as a scholar once more! Forcing himself to hear what couldn''t be heard in this time of crisis had inadvertently given him a breakthrough.


    "Not like it could help me though" Mane thought scornfully and mocked himself.


    Abe took some time to respond to the sudden events, mainly because he was stunned that Mane was so easily done in. However he had only reached Dominic when the older man sent him flying with a back hand slap.


    *Bam*


    Mane watched red-eyed as Abe was also embedded in a tree.


    "Relax. I only broke a few of his bones, just like you. Your other friends are also alive ¨C hopefully. I still need information so I''m not going to kill you people so soon" Dominic mocked Mane. He flicked his fingers a few times towards Abe and the young prince screamed in agony.


    "Argh!"


    There were four new holes in Abe''s body and these holes were occupied by spikes. His combat armor couldn''t save him this time and his wyvern scales were of no help either. The spikes weren''t made of earth or any other element, but pure inner energy. That was the difference between Heaven Realmers and those below them. With their abundant inner energy and superior control, they could afford to be generous with their use of inner energy against weaker opponents.


    "Basileus" Mane activated his chaotic glow through his gritted teeth. He knew the spell he had to use.


    "Ignis Draco" Fire elements danced around Mane and heeded his call. Chaos heard the cry of the Supreme and was oddly complaint. It fueled energy into the flames and made them far stronger than they were.


    Dominic jumped back in caution as he felt the intensity of the flames. He watched in awe as a pillar of fire ascended into the clouds and took away the glory of the sun.


    "What is this strange technique? And what was that language he spoke?" Dominic''s lack of knowledge on Spiritualists showed just how little the Dark God thought of him. Feeling the strong power of the flames, Dominic was overcome with greed. He wanted to procure a skill like that for himself. Too bad for him though. He didn''t meet the qualifications. But he didn''t know it.


    Dominic watched slack jawed as a magnificent fire dragon was produced right before his eyes. The dragon was so lifelike that its growl felt threatening. It roared in fury and crashed into Dominic ¨C or at least it tried to. Dominic evaded the flames urgently. He didn''t seem as breezy as he was before. But he quickly realized that something was wrong. He got away too easily. That meant ¨C


    "I wasn''t the target!" he watched as the fire dragon rushed into the woods and mowed down everything in its path


    *ROAR*


    It gave a loud roar and merged into something. It was a bow! A bow made entirely of fire!


    "I thought I got him" Dominic mumbled in surprise after seeing the identity of the one holding the bow. It was Jake. His face was covered in fury and tears. Several meters behind him was John.


    "Oh I see. The other one took the hit for him" Dominic nodded his head in understanding. Yes, Dominic was right. Jake had been saved by John''s shove. But he had been hit instead. It took Jake some time to carry his brother to a safe distance so that he could use the most destructive technique in his arsenal ¨C Heaven''s Armor.


    Flames formed a powerful bow and a crimson arrow was nocked securely. Yet before he could fire, Mane felt his energy and sent the fire dragon his way. The dragon couldn''t merge with his arrow because it was birthed from chaos, the most destructive force there was. So it cloaked itself around Jake''s arrow with incredible accuracy. Jake didn''t marvel at Mane''s incredible control. He released the arrow with a furious heart.


    Dominic decided to dodge even before Jake released his arrow. There was no way he was taking that monstrosity head on. Even his defense wouldn''t be able to handle it. However, before he could move, a fireball smashed into his head and rendered him dizzy. Although it didn''t penetrate his energy cloak or even dent it, the impact disoriented Dominic. The fireball came from his blind spot. It was Abe''s fireball! Even when he was nailed to a tree, Abe did not give up.


    "Go!" Jake screamed angrily and released the arrow.


    *scree*


    "Sh*t" Dominic swore as he felt the heat assault his senses. It was too late to get out of the way!

 Chapter 232 - The Man Called Dominic: Part VII

    "That must be one incredible fight" Frederick sighed as he listened to the sounds of the battle with amazement. After the scare with the Possessed, he had retreated farther back with Selina. Although there was the risk of running into some wielders from the palace because of their separation from the rest of the Silver Wolves, it was better than being caught in a large scale battle. They were surrounded by trees and pretty far away from the area of the battle so they couldn''t see a thing. But the huge booms informed them that the battle was very intense.


    "Yeah" Selina agreed. Her eyes were a bit hazy and she stuck closely to Frederick. She was carried by Frederick when they retreated. Frederick''s shove was meant to save her life, but she accidentally struck her hip on a pointed stone and had been rendered temporarily immobile. So Frederick carried her off the battlefield. She was still on his back and was a little distracted. She wasn''t really thinking about the battle. Her thoughts swirled about in her head, but at the center of them all was the boy who was carrying her.


    "Are you okay? You''ve barely said ten words in the past 5 minutes" Frederick noticed that Selina was oddly quiet. That was very strange since Selina was talkative by nature. He ignored the soft sensation on his back and the supple feeling transferred to his hands that held her by her thighs and tried to find out what was wrong.


    "Why did you do that?" after a long pause, Selina finally spoke. She asked the question that had been lingering in her mind for quite some time now.


    "That''s it?" Frederick sounded relived by the question. He thought it was something he couldn''t help with. Luckily for him, this was a question he could answer.


    "That''s easy. I didn''t want anything to happen to you" Frederick answered sincerely. That was the true answer to the question. Selina was his friend and he wouldn''t want her to come to harm. Besides, he liked her.


    Selina watched the back of Frederick''s head with a complicated expression. She knew he liked her, but she didn''t think his feelings for her were so deep. They were deep to the point of sacrificing himself for her! She started to re-evaluate how she felt about him. Maybe she should go out with him. Maybe she should give him a shot.


    "Fred I-"


    "You don''t have to say anything" Frederick stopped her before she could finish. He couldn''t see her expression but he could feel her emotions. He knew just what she was thinking ¨C and why she was thinking it.


    "You don''t have to agree to go out with me just because I saved your life. That isn''t a good enough reason to go out with someone. You must like the person first. I don''t think you''re there just yet. So why don''t you take it easy. We will have several opportunities to sort out our emotions when we get out of here"


    Frederick didn''t want an answer from Selina just because he saved her life. He wanted her approval because she shared his feelings too, and nothing else. Today had been a rough day for both of them, but it was much worse for Selina. Not only had she seen gruesome deaths for the first time today, she had also been a witness to a near death experience of one of her closest friends. Even more unacceptable for her was that this friend had pushed her out of harm''s way and left himself open to death. For an independent woman like Selina, this was too much to handle. Her emotions were a mess, and Frederick wasn''t going to take advantage of that.


    "Thank you" Selina whispered in Frederick''s ear.


    "You''re welcome. Who would believe me if I say you showed a gentle side today!" Frederick smirked. "If you tell anyone I would break every bone in your body" His folly was rewarded by a hard pat on his shoulder. Frederick groaned, but there was a pleased smile on his face. That was the Selina he knew. Before he could continue teasing her, he saw a pillar of fire ascend into the sky. The heat from the pillar was enormous, and even Frederick and Selina who were already so far away, could feel it. They watched as the pillar transformed into a gigantic fire dragon and swooped down, destroying everything in its path.


    "That''s Mane''s ability!" Selina exclaimed.


    "Yes. They must have run into trouble" Frederick was worried. Mane didn''t use that glow because its drawbacks were enormous. For him to resort to it meant that they were in a lot of trouble.


    "We have to go back" Frederick announced, and Selina agreed. They left because they didn''t want to get in their way, but if the opponent was so dreadful that Mane had to use Basileus, they had to go back. They weren''t returning because they could help, but because they were worried. Selina was immobile now so he couldn''t leave her behind and allow her to be captured by the palace guards. He had to go with her.


    So with Selina on his back, Frederick marched towards the location of the gigantic dragon.


    ***********************


    The majestic arrow took the shape of a fire phoenix as it crashed into Dominic. The fire dragon that coated the arrow before marched forward with the phoenix in a grand dance. The two mythical creatures pounced onto Dominic in a majestic swoop and brought destruction with them.


    *ROAR*


    *SCREE*


    *BOOOOM*


    A loud explosion shook the little forest and changed its topography forever. A huge pit and several burnt down trees greeted the sight of all who were there.


    Mane looked at the giant pit with cold eyes. The attack was powerful, but it wasn''t enough to fell Dominic. Although the fire still burned and the smoke hadn''t cleared, Mane knew it wasn''t enough. He could still feel Dominic''s aura. So he chanted another lease. Something to would help him tremendously and give them hope.


    "Draco...deus¡­tormento" The dying flames came alive, revitalized by Mane''s chant. They gathered and formed a large fire ball. This fire ball was a compression of the energy of the fire dragon. It was small, but dangerous. After the fire was retrieved, Dominic''s figure could be seen. The cloak he wore had been burnt off and he had no hair. But from the non-existent eyebrows, it was clear he wasn''t always bald. His hair had been burnt off. He had several burn marks on his body and one of his arms was missing. The stump was covered by inner energy to prevent blood loss and the formerly thick barrier was as thin as a feather now. His gaze was full of fury and a little fear.


    "If I hadn''t given up my arm, I would have died!" he thought to himself fearfully. If he had been only a few seconds late to react, he wouldn''t have survived that fire. The energy of the fire was different from inner energy. He knew that the moment the two energies clashed and the fire ruthlessly trampled on his inner energy. Whatever energy that was, Dominic knew it was too chaotic to be controlled by a person. So how did they do it?


    "There''s more?" he looked at the floating fireball which gave him a feeling of unease and started sweating. He thought the attack was a last ditch effort, but he was wrong. He couldn''t and shouldn''t be hit by that or he''d be done.


    Looking at the still forming fireball, Dominic made a decision. He created an inner energy spear and flung it at the fireball with his remaining arm. His goal was simple: disrupt the fireball before it could fully form so that Mane would have to send it far away to avoid the resulting explosion. He wasn''t thinking straight. If he was, he would attacked the wielder, and not the fire.


    *Boom*


    The spear crushed into the fireball and achieved its purpose. The gradually forming fireball started showing signs of instability and threatened to explode. Dominic wiped the seat from his forehead in relief. He had done it! Yet when he looked into Mane''s cold blue eyes, he felt like he had been dumped into an ice-cold ocean. He realized at that moment that he had made a mistake. ''He wanted me to do it, but why?''


    He watched as Mane flung the fireball into the sky. A loud boom followed shortly after the fireball disappeared into the clouds, and dark clouds began to converge. Lightning bolts carelessly danced in the sky with thunder as its music, and two huge ones ¨C almost as large as a mighty liger ¨C fell onto Mane.


    *Boom*


    Dominic watched slack jawed as Mane pulled himself out of the tree he had been stuck in for minutes now. His clothes were tattered and his face was revealed to Dominic. But it wasn''t the childish face that stunned the Master. It wasn''t the beautiful blond hair or the gorgeous blue eyes that caught his attention. It was the lightning that danced around the boy and the healthy skin that showed no signs of the prior internal injuries that stunned Dominic.


    "I''m the Son of Lightning. Under the storms, I have no equal" Mane coldly remarked. He remembered what 1st told him when he was instructing him on how to use his power. That was after Mane had started to understand lightning a few weeks ago. But for something that was his bloodline element, he struggled mightily to grasp it.


    "Your father rejected this power for so long that when it was passed on to you, his rejection stayed in it. Your bloodline remembers the rejection, and so isn''t open to you. You must embrace it. That is the only way it would trust you again"


    "I finally understand what you meant master" inside the mindscape Mane sat before the 1st mountain and said calmly. There was no emotion in his voice, only calm. This kind of calm was terrifying.


    "Go. Save your friends" 1st voice boomed in the mindscape. It was majestic and commanding. It was the tone of an ancestor, to his descendent. Mane nodded and disappeared from the mindscape.


    "Brother, can you feel it. The power of two lightning bloodlines fused together. Power that transcends even yours. You would be happy" 1st was melancholic as he witnessed Mane truly awaken the lightning element. His brother would be able to feel it.


    Mane looked at the fearful Dominic expressionlessly. This man had hurt his friends and almost killed them. He was going to make him pay. He had finally accepted lightning at this moment. The element which was his by birth right, yet repressed by the hatred of his father, was finally free. Although he used the ''Dragon God''s Cannon'' lease to assist him, he had still awakened it himself. The lease wasn''t to help Mane gather lightning, but to activate the ''Son of Lightning'' glow. It was a glow that made Mane invincible under the storms by taking away his opponent''s power and transferring it to him. But it only worked when the opponent was already greatly weakened. And he had done just that. So right now, Mane had no fear.


    "How can you use such an element? Aren''t you a fire wielder?!" Dominic asked, terrified by what he was seeing. He didn''t have his prior arrogance or disregard; only fear.


    "Open your mouth Abe" Mane suddenly spoke. His voice was like thunder, mighty and strong. Abe obliged and opened his mouth. The energy spikes that held him disappeared after Dominic was bashed by the fire arrow. The loss of control freed Abe from the tree. Right now he was lying on the ground, losing a lot of blood. A lightning bolt shot into his mouth. It carried something. It was a pill! And it was one Abe recognized ¨C a healing pill. Another bolt arrived to deliver another pill ¨C a vitality pill. Abe felt his wounds close up and his strength return to him as the pills dissolved in his mouth. He gradually regained the feeling of his limbs and opened his hand. A few more tiny bolts of lightning tickled his palm and disappeared. Abe clenched the pills in his hand and stood up. He didn''t need Mane to talk to understand that the pills were for Jake and John. Mane had this place covered, so Abe went to get the twins.


    Mane watched Abe leave. When his friend disappeared into the woods, he returned his attention to Dominic.


    "You cannot kill me. I''d just come back" Dominic had regained his calm after his initial panic. He was a middle-level servant of Seth, the Dark God, and had multiple lives. Even if he died today, he would be reborn beside his master.


    "I know. But Seth wouldn''t let you go scot free after failing him twice" Mane nodded and nonchalantly responded.


    "No you can''t kill me. You just can''t!" Dominic rambled in fear when he heard Mane''s words. He would be passed on to Lina for a ''session''. He didn''t want that! He didn''t want to fall prey to that woman!


    Mane stamped powerfully on the ground and dashed towards Dominic.


    *Boom*


    That part of the ground split into several cracks as if smashed by a heavy boulder. Mane arrived before Dominic in no time and grabbed onto his neck. In his hysteria, Dominic didn''t even notice that Mane was holding on to his neck. He kept rambling on about someone called Lina and didn''t even struggle. But Mane didn''t care.


    "When you return, I''d come for you, and kill you again and again until you are no more" after saying what he wanted to, he summoned lightning in bulk and activated the glow he had just awakened. It was a glow that showed up the moment he used Son of Lightning, and Mane already knew how it worked.


    "Gather and descend ¨C Gungnir"


    A large lightning spear descended with a bang and landed on the two males.


    *BOOOOM*

 Chapter 233 - The Man Called Dominic: Part VIII

    Right Before Mane Summoned Gungnir


    A few minutes before Mane summoned Gungnir, he felt his energy breakthrough into the 2nd stage of the Earth Realm. And with the breakthrough, came a pleasant surprise. It was a glow, an ability he had never heard of before or seen; yet he felt it was familiar. Mane had glows that were passed on directly to him from his father or mother, and others that came from ancestors who had long perished. Endless Wave and Brimstone for instance, were from his father. His mother offered him Takeover. Glows like Basileus and Absolute Darkness were linked to wielders long gone. But Gungnir felt different. It felt like the spirit of a weapon, incomplete yet extremely powerful all the same. What was stranger was that even with the massive power it had, Mane could already freely use it, like he had been using it his entire life.


    NAME: Mane


    AGE: 11


    HEALTH POINTS: 4100/4100


    RACE: Supreme


    BLOODLINE: Mixed (Olympian, Norse GodKing, ???)


    BLOODLINE RANK: Improbable


    LEVEL: Earth Stage 2 (Level 52.00)


    POWER LEVEL: Normal: 490,990; Under Effects of Son of Lightning: 1,995,990


    WIELDER TYPE: Multi Wielder (Body Wielder; Energy Wielder; Spiritualist)


    SPECIALTY: Strength; Intelligence; Speed


    GLOWS: Takeover; Aftershock; Endless Wave; Basileus; Son of Lightning; Absolute Darkness; Brimstone; *Gungnir (the spear that never misses)


    BREATH: Self-time Acceleration; True Flames; The Dark Times


    Gungnir ¨C the spear that never misses. That was the description the spirit scan gave, and Mane had absolute confidence that it wasn''t false. So he locked onto Dominic, the man whom he held by the neck, and activated Gungnir with lightning as its skin.


    He looked into Dominic''s eyes and said, "My uncle told me about a man. This man was called Master by his subordinates, but he had a true name. He was a man called Dominic. He was a noble of the Northern Empire who attained everything on his own. He was born a peasant, but carved his own path to nobility. By the time he celebrated his 11th birthday, he knew how to read and write and solve complex mathematical questions. By the age of 16, he had studied all the books on finance in the Empire and at the age of 27, he created his own algorithm for financial management. He was a genius by all standards and measure. He created his own company when he was 30 and by the time he was 35, it had become the most sort after financial institution in the Empire."


    "But his true breakthrough came after the Emperor sought his help regarding a delicate issue. The finances of the Empire had taken a sharp dive downwards, but the records didn''t identify any anomaly. Sir Dominic took up the task of finding out the root cause of the issue and provided an answer in less than 24 hours. A problem that boggled the sharpest minds of the Empire had been taken care off in less than a day! The Emperor realized then, that no one else was fit to handle the Empire''s finances and so handed the position of the Finance Minister to Sir Dominic. Sir Dominic was finally a noble. However, unsatisfied with the power he had, Sir Dominic began a new project ¨C The Assassins Association. It was an association that brought fear to the hearts of many for they seldom failed. But Sir Dominic wasn''t the founder of this organization, he was the successor. After finding out that his heritage was more complex that he originally believed, Sir Dominic took up the position of Head of the Assassins Association. For it belonged to his family!"


    Mane learnt all this from Butler Fin. After nagging the man for days, the old butler had no choice but to appease Mane''s curiosity and tell him about the man his father wanted him to kill.


    "He controlled it from the shadows for years, until he offended someone he shouldn''t have offended; and the once feared organization was destroyed. But Sir Dominic didn''t die. No, he accepted the offer of the Dark God and became his servant, devoting himself to the work and vision of the Dark One"


    "You called yourself Dominic Strong after you were appointed a noble, but that was never your true name. In fact, after you discovered your parentage, you found out that Dominic was actually your family name! Your family was a powerful one in the past but had fallen years ago. After all, only nobles have a family name. Your true name is in fact Prudence Dominic, descendent of the greatest hero to have ever lived on Zandor, Pious Dominic!"


    Midway through the story, Mane realized that Dominic had stopped his mumbling and was quiet. The man looked at Mane in doubt as Mane spoke of his life. He didn''t know why Mane knew all this. No one knew so much about his life. But when Mane reached the part about his ancestry, his doubt turned to surprise and disbelief. That part about his life was known to no one but himself!


    "How did you know?" Dominic asked as he struggled to breathe. He didn''t fight back at all. As a matter of fact, he didn''t want to fight.


    "I told you already, my uncle told me" Mane was speaking the truth. All this was told to him by Butler Fin. From Dominic''s reaction, it was likely the truth. Mane himself was amazed at how precise the information was. His narration seemed long, but it was only a little under a minute. Raising his head to look at the gathering lightning elements, Mane smiled and announced in a thunderous voice that stretched far and wide.


    "Sir Prudence Dominic, former noble of the North and Present Master of the East, I, Hidden Cloak, sentence you to death." Mane''s voice shook the Eastern Empire. Several wielders and citizens watched fearfully from their homes as lightning danced across the dark sky. The sun had long abandoned the East and the clouds housed darkness alone.


    "Gather and descend ¨C Gungnir"


    A lightning spear finally took form and descended on the duo. Everyone in the capital who had eyes saw the lightning spear. They all heard the mighty voice. And that was what Mane wanted. He wanted people to know that the Master was dead. That way even when he was reborn, he wouldn''t be able to return. After all, no one believed in resurrection, especially when they witnessed his death themselves.


    *BOOOM*


    The lightning spear descended and shook the earth. Dominic couldn''t even scream before he was vaporized into nothingness. Mane bathed in the lightning spear like a god. Lightning didn''t hurt him, and the power of Gungnir was in effect. Since Dominic was marked, even if the spear hit Mane, only Dominic would be hurt. Of course his own lightning wouldn''t hurt him, but the effect would have been the same even if someone else was hit by the attacks and wasn''t marked.


    "Let''s leave" Mane ordered and proceeded to walk towards the place where the teleportation circle was drawn.


    "Do you think they would believe that he is gone?" Abe asked as they walked to the circle. The entire terrain had been transformed by the destructive fight and the forest was now a barren valley. But relying on their scholar abilities, Mane and Abe could easily tell were the circle was.


    "I don''t know" Mane shook his head.


    "It would depend on time" John chimed in. He was tired and bruised, but alive. Mane smiled sincerely, happy to see his friend back on his feet ¨C literally.


    "Yes it will. If he returns quickly before anything else, he could rubbish the claims of his death." Mane replied. After all, although they had witnessed the majesty of his power, they didn''t personally see Dominic die. As long as a few faithful soldiers and higher ups rubbished the news of Dominic''s death and graded the lightning spear as an unfortunate ''natural disaster'', the turmoil from his announcement would die. But everything depended upon how quickly Dominic would return.


    "But something tells me he wouldn''t return so soon" Abe shook his head with a smile, and Mane nodded. It was true. The fearful expression Dominic had on his face wasn''t faked. He was truly afraid. It seemed that being reborn next to the Dark One wasn''t as pleasant as one would think. And it most probably had to do with the ''Lina'' he kept mumbling about.


    "Frederick doesn''t know where we are. The land has changed too much" Jake suddenly said.


    "True" Mane agreed. His eyes turned white as lightning danced along his body. He lifted his hands towards the sky and the clouds became dark once again. The sun which had only just resurfaced grumpily retreated once again and a huge bolt of lightning descended onto the ground, just a few feet away from Mane and the group. But it didn''t disappear. It remained like a steady pillar under the dumbfounded gazes of Abe and the twins. Mane smiled and said,


    "This should lead them here"

 Chapter 234 - Let The Universe Itself Bear Witness: Part I

    Zandor was hidden from the prying eyes of the gods and goddesses, and even the Universe Will was unable to mark its location. But there were other worlds like Zandor; worlds that remained hidden from the powerful wielders of the universe. These worlds were Hidden Worlds. One of such worlds was at the edge of the Universe Boundary, eerily close to the most dangerous place in the universe ¨C The Dark Realm.


    Unlike Zandor, this world was uninhabited by humans. Grotesque figures and beasts roamed the surface of the small planet and hunted each other. They couldn''t speak clearly, only roaring at each other. Their intelligence was low but they possessed great power.


    *Rip*


    A giant wolf-like creature with a single horn on its head, jumped onto another that looked like a bull and ripped it apart in only a few seconds. The unique feature of these two beasts was that their skin shone like black diamonds and were just as hard. But even the diamond-like skin of the bull couldn''t save it from the wolf. The hungry horned wolf looked around with weary eyes and dragged the bull into the bushes, eager to get to its hideout and consume its meal.


    *Bang*


    The horned wolf was struck by a powerful blow and was sent flying. The object that struck it was a sword. It was a black sword, and even the gloom of the night couldn''t mask the darkness of its blade. The horned wolf turned its body expertly and landed on its feet. It looked at the sword that had struck it. The weapon was embedded in the ground. It wasn''t even able to leave a dent on its hard skin. It looked at the dead bull that was only a few feet away from it. It had lost its grip on its prize due to the sneak attack, yet the owner of the weapon was yet to show him/herself.


    *Growl*


    The horned wolf growled angrily at the unexpected interference. It had escaped from the pack to get a midnight snack and was hoping to return before the alpha discovered its absence. The interference of the hidden attacker sought to put a dent in its plans.


    *Tap*


    *Tap*


    *Tap*


    It wasn''t long after the interception that footsteps were heard. The footsteps were strong and rhythmic, and an indicator that the intruder was only one person. The angry wolf looked into the darkness, its red eyes glowing slightly as it sought to find the source of its irritation. But it didn''t wait for long. Out of the darkness came a man. He was handsome and tall, yet he was learn and didn''t possess an enviable physique.


    The horned wolf looked visibly confused at the intruder. It had never seen a creature like that before. This creature walked on two limbs and had the other limbs placed in its pocket. To the horned wolf that was a silly decision. How could it run fast without using the other two limbs, and how did it hunt? Needless to say, this ''creature'' the horned wolf was seeing for the first time looked human. On this small planet inhabited by strange creatures, it was impossible to see a human; yet, there was one here.


    The man walked to the sword on the ground and pulled it out of the soil.


    "Such powerful skin" the man spoke. "My sword couldn''t even breach it" he continued. The horned wolf was startled by his speech. ''What was this creature saying'' it wondered. But now that it had gotten a closer look at the man, the horned wolf began to salivate. Although it had never seen a human before, his skin looked soft ¨C far softer than that of the bull it had planned to feast on. It was happy to see the man. To the wolf, he would definitely taste better. It dashed towards the man, saliva dripping from its mouth and falling onto the ground. It got to the man in no time and swiped powerfully with its claws.


    *Whoosh*


    The stranger dodged the attack relatively easily and swung his sword with all his power. A dark red aura coated the sword as it struck the wolf. The aura of a Nobility Realmer was revealed the moment he attacked, and the sword which wasn''t able to penetrate the skin of the horned wolf before, was able to do so this time.


    *Chop*


    A gigantic wolf head fell onto the ground with a thud.


    "I need a shower" the man who found himself on the planet of beasts remarked and wiped the dark red blood from his face. He sheathed his sword and wrapped the head of the wolf in a cloth and slung it over his shoulder.


    "It''s a regular beast ¨C this horned wolf ¨C yet it has the power of an Earth Realmer" he sighed. The horned wolf he just killed was one of the lower ranked monsters on this planet. Among the wolf species, it wasn''t worth a mention; yet, this animal that was pretty low on the food chain of this planet would have been a monster on any lower world, and a worthy trophy in a higher world.


    The man walked for about 15 minutes. Although he looked unconcerned, he was highly alert and expertly avoided all the dangerous areas. He stuck to weird paths and soon found himself before a cliff. Then, he jumped.


    "I''m back Master" the man remarked after he landed in the cave right beneath the cliff.


    "Did you get it?" inside the cave, a dignified voice greeted the man. It was strange that there was a person on this beast planet; but it was even stranger that there was another person with him. The one called Master sat nonchalantly on the ground. His long black hair fell onto his knees and he was very handsome.


    "Yes Master" the man nodded and dumped the cloth that held the head of the horned wolf on the ground. He then unfolded the cloth to reveal the head.


    "Great. I can finish the potion now" The master nodded his head and tapped the head of the wolf. Immediately, the wolf''s head shrunk into the size of a small ball. The master took the ball and tossed it into a small pot brewing in the corner. A sizzling sound was heard as the ball sank into the strange concoction in the pot. The man who hunted the wolf was silent the entire time, not wanting to distract his master.


    "It is done Asher. Give me the bottle" the master finally spoke after five minutes and extinguished the flame under the pot.


    Asher, the wolf hunter, walked deeper into the cave and returned with the ''bottle''. It was a large gallon and calling it a bottle seemed inaccurate.


    The master took the ''bottle'' and poured the red solution he had just brewed into it.


    "This-" the master suddenly looked surprised and excited at the same time.


    "What is it Master" Asher asked?


    "Hahaha" the master broke into unrestrained laughter. His boisterous voice was magnificent and resounding.


    "To think that he has grown this strong! He really leaves this old man speechless!" the master''s lips quivered with glee. He was elated. It was strange that the young looking man called himself an old man, but there was no one here willing to ask him why. Asher stood by his side silently. His master was dubbed the Cold Emperor. That''s right! This young looking man was one of the strongest Eternals in the universe and the grandfather of Maia, the current master of the Eternal Throne! Although he had been hidden from the universe for the past decades, he was still remembered. Yet Asher was confident that not many people had seen him show this much emotion. Even he had followed the Cold Emperor most of his life, yet he could confidently say that his master hadn''t been this happy more than 10 times in his life.


    "Asher! It''s the Supreme! This boy always amazes! I can feel it ¨C lightning so pure that it puts that arrogant bastard Zeus''s to shame! Hahaha" the Cold Emperor kept giggling like a madman.


    "That Lightning Idiot must be very excited! Hahaha" if anyone heard the Cold Emperor call Zeus an idiot, they would be scared for him. But the Cold Emperor didn''t fear Zeus. He was an Eternal Ascender. His power was on par with the strongest beings in the universe and he feared no one.


    "Hahaha! Odin, your great grandson is growing stronger. I will wait for the day he ascends his throne. Then we''d wage war on the realms together!"

 Chapter 235 - Let The Universe Itself Bear Witness: Part II

    About at the same time Mane used Gungnir, countless changes were happening in various parts of the universe. But Zandor itself wasn''t an exception.


    "This is¡­" Butler Fin dropped the glass he was holding in amazement when he felt the changes in the planet''s energy. He could feel it ¨C energy so pure and true. It was primal energy belonging to one of the origin elements.


    "He finally undid his father''s curse" Butler Fin smiled and sat down. The glass of wine that was falling initially had magically appeared in his hands once again. He took a sip of the wine and relished the changes that were happening in the universe ¨C changes brought by the one who was set to inherit it when he grew into his power.


    Right about then, someone barged into the room. The intruder was a green eyed man with brown hair. This man was handsome and had a bright personality ¨C usually. But right now he didn''t look as bubbly as he usually did.


    "Ray, why do you always cause trouble wherever you go? You have broken the door" the newcomer was Mane''s father, Ray. Normally his green eyes were hidden and displayed as brown due to the contact lenses he wore, but this time he was so anxious that he had forgotten to put on his lenses.


    "It''s my house. It can break whatever I want" Ray waved Butler Fin''s complaints aside and quickly rushed to the seat next to his guardian. His speed made it look like teleportation. He disappeared from one end of the room and reappeared in the seat next to the butler.


    "You should have at the very least, wiped the shaving cream off your face" Butler Fin shook his head and sighed. There was a bitter smile on his face as he watched Ray with a chin full of shaving cream. What made his appearance worse was that some parts of his face had been shaved so the shaving cream occupied only a half of his face.


    "I''m a god now. Why can''t I just wave my hand and magically get rid of all my hair" Ray grumbled and picked up a cleaning cloth. He cleaned his face quickly and asked, "Is it okay now?"


    Butler Fin''s lips twitched as he struggled to hold his laughter in. Now that the shaving cream was off, Ray''s face could be clearly seen. The sideburns on one side of his face had been cleanly shaved but the other side wasn''t done. His chin was partially shaved and his moustache was uneven. Finally, he couldn''t hold it in and began to laugh.


    "You look like a kitten that just lost half its whiskers" the Sensor God laughed heartily. Ray was infected by his laughter and joined in. The duo fooled around for a few more minutes, until Ray finally got to the reason he came.


    "Did you feel that?" Ray asked. He stared at his guardian directly in his eyes.


    "I thought you had even forgotten your purpose for coming" Butler Fin smiled and said.


    "How could I forget? It involves my son. So, did you feel it?" Ray asked again.


    "I did" Butler Fin replied in the affirmative.


    "That''s great! I thought I had done enough harm to strip him of that power for all eternity" Ray sighed in relief and relaxed in the chair he sat in. He slumped into it lazily and almost purred.


    "You are connected to him by blood. The feeling should even be stronger than mine. So why would you rush all the way here to confirm it?" Butler Fin asked. If there were any changes to Mane''s abilities, those connected to his blood should have felt it. Ray didn''t need to come to him for something so trivial.


    "I just needed to be sure" Ray whispered. His voice was so low that if Butler Fin wasn''t a Sensor God, he wouldn''t have heard it.


    "It was never your fault to begin with" Butler Fin sighed and comforted Ray. He understood Ray''s anxiety. Ray hated his father when he was younger. His hatred was so strong that he ignored the prompting of his bloodline and chased after different laws. Even when lightning lowered its head to serve him, Ray abandoned it and pursued a law born of lightning itself ¨C fire. As the parent element, and to that extent an element of origin, that was a huge insult. It was like rejecting the offer of a CEO, only to accept the same offer from the CEO''s assistant. Because of his rejection, an inhibition was placed on his bloodline ¨C a curse. Although he was from a lightning bloodline, the inhibition made it difficult for anyone born to him to receive the approval of the element he disgraced easily. They had to prove themselves first.


    Although Ray advised Mane to pursue the law of lightning, even he was unsure of whether his son would gain its approval or not. After all, it was a very proud element; and its pride was besmirched when Ray abandoned it. As Ray watched Mane struggle to grasp the elemental law of lightning, he grew worried. His son was very talented, so he should naturally have no issues connecting with the element of his bloodline; and it should be even easier, since Alexis also possessed a powerful lightning bloodline herself. But Mane was struggling to grasp the law, and Ray felt it was his fault. If Mane, the most talented of his generation couldn''t grasp the law, lightning may very well be lost from their bloodline eventually. Yet the energy fluctuations from the East swept away his worries. That energy he felt was so pure and so rich. It was even purer than his father''s lightning! He could feel it in his bloodline, the excitement of an elemental awakening!


    "It was his mother''s blood that helped him" Butler Fin said, seeing that Ray was silent.


    "How so?" Ray asked


    "Although you rejected your bloodline, she didn''t reject hers. And that power was also passed on to Mane"


    "So you''re saying that if not for the fact that he has Alexis'' bloodline, he would have never been able to break the curse" Ray asked seriously.


    Butler Fin nodded solemnly and said, "That''s exactly right. If it were to be anyone else, someone who didn''t have Alexis'' blood as well, he/she wouldn''t have been able to reconnect with lightning".


    "I didn''t think it was that bad" Ray sighed bitterly.


    "Of course you didn''t. At that time you did everything without thinking and never considered the consequences of your actions. It made you a brilliant fighter, but the downside was that you burnt many bridges, some of which were extremely strong and proud. Those days I used to wonder how you were a Spiritualist. In my books, you were too stupid and silly to be worthy of your intelligence" Butler Fin roughly chided.


    "You didn''t mince your words at all" Ray smiled wryly.


    "Of course not. You didn''t understand your actions then; and when you finally did, it was too late. Thankfully, Alexis was willing to marry an idiot like you or else your father''s power would have been lost forever. You may not like him, but his power has to be present in this universe for peace to reign" Butler Fin took another sip of his wine and said.


    "Yeah. I was a big idiot back then" Ray agreed. Showing disdain for an element was basically saying that neither you nor your bloodline needed it. That would bring about a curse on your bloodline, prohibiting all who are born to you from gaining the acknowledgement of that element. But that was only feasible with extremely powerful and pure elements ¨C elements like lightning. Ray was the only one amongst his father''s children to possess the lightning bloodline. The others had a myriad of gifts very different from their father''s. That was why his father valued him so. To his father, if anything ever happened to him, Ray would be the one to lead his clan. But Ray refused, and striped himself of lightning. It was a brash decision, but he took it anyway. He never regretted it until he had a son. As he held his son in his arms, he understood that his son may never be able to inherit the grand power of lightning and was dismayed. He had made the decision to abandon lightning, but his son wasn''t even going to get the chance to make his own decision. His father had made his decision for him. Thankfully Alexis'' bloodline was strong as well, giving Mane as good a chance as any he could get, to awaken lightning.


    "He must have felt it" Ray said


    "Of course he did. That power started with him. Mane''s may be stronger, but he would still feel it" Butler Fin sighed and downed the rest of the wine in a large gulp. Just like Ray, Butler Fin was referring to one person. He was the Olympian God King ¨C Zeus.


    "Oh it seems Alexis is calling. I better go answer it. Thanks Mentor" the unassuming bracelet on Ray''s hand lit up. He got up and rushed out of the room. It took him less than a second to do so.


    "Hah" Butler Fin sighed once Ray was gone. His breezy look was replaced with a serious one.


    "He was in trouble, and that was why he awakened it. What could have happened for him to be triggered so" he agreed not to spy on Mane so he didn''t? But he felt the power of a spear that didn''t belong to this world. It was a weapon that was used by one of the strongest Elder Gods in existence ¨C a god who fought in the war against the Origin Artefacts. Although it was only the spirit of the weapon, he was confident that it belonged to ''him''


    "That was definitely Gungnir ¨C Odin''s spear"

 Chapter 236 - Let The Universe Bear Witness: Part III

    In the multitude of worlds that littered the universe, one could also find ''Dead Worlds''. These worlds were exactly as their name suggested ¨C dead. They were uninhabited worlds with such cruel living conditions that not even the scrappiest of creatures could thrive. But they weren''t always that way.


    Dead Worlds were worlds that served the stage for battles amongst the gods. These were worlds that were once thriving and brimming with life, but had been destroyed after constantly hosting the wars of powerful gods and Origin Artefacts. These were worlds that failed to survive during the Chaotic Era. One of these worlds was Alr. Alr was more desolate than any other world in the universe. There wasn''t a patch of grass or a well of water in the entire planet. It was the true definition of the word barren.


    But at this moment, there was someone on this barren land. The mysterious figure wore a cloak so large that it dragged on the floor as he walked. Just like there was no water, there was no wind on Alr. Its elemental energy had long been destroyed by the war. Only destructive elements like fire were present. But even with the absence of wind, the strange man''s cloak fluttered grandly. He held a wooden staff which didn''t look spectacular in any way and slowly walked forward. The unornamented staff produced cracks whenever it hit the ground, evidence that it wasn''t a simple tool and was likely more impressive than it looked.


    The man suddenly stopped his march. He had been walking without pause for close to an hour, so his abrupt stop was strange. After all, there was nothing in sight for several hundreds of miles so it was indeed suspicious.


    *croak* *croak*


    Two ravens descended from the sky at breathtaking speed. Their speed of descent caused explosions in the atmosphere of Alr, and their strong wings produced their own wind in this planet that lacked wind. The two ravens descended on the man''s shoulders, each occupying a shoulder. One of the ravens croaked loudly.


    "Yes Muninn. It is here." A raspy voice was produced when the man opened his mouth to speak. He sounded like one who hadn''t spoken in days, and it wasn''t strange. After all, he was the only one here. Yet even his raspy and strained voice had within it, grace that couldn''t be hidden. He gave off the aura of a king, one who was above multitudes of people. The raven that croaked before, croaked even louder after hearing the man''s reply. The man, who clearly understood what it was implying, was quick to provide an answer to its ''enquiry''


    "Yes, you don''t have to search anymore"


    The raven that had been silent till now finally chimed in with a few croaks of its own.


    "I know Huginn. It has been a rough couple of months" the man sighed. He had been searching for something for months now, and he had finally found it. For days his ravens would leave him, and return only after a week to let him know if they had discovered anything. They found this spot today and called out to him. So he came. They had been disappointed a few times. Whenever they thought they had finally found the right spot, it would turn out to be nothing but a congregation of distorted energies; and that wasn''t what they were looking for. But this time, the man could feel it. This was the place. This kind of energy wasn''t distorted or impure. It was as bright as a morning star and just as majestic.


    *Croak*


    "Hehe. Alright then, I wouldn''t waste any more time" the man laughed and lifted his staff.


    The unassuming wooden staff was quickly surrounded by a golden energy. It was so bright that like the sun, one couldn''t look at it directly. It caught fire and was quickly striped of its lackl.u.s.ter appearance. When the flames finally died down, the true appearance of the staff was revealed. First of all, it wasn''t really a staff. The wooden staff was actually a spear. It had a golden appearance and produced a powerful glow. The man readjusted his stance and flung the spear powerfully. The flung spear was covered in flames. Then something strange happened. The empty space in front of the man shattered like fragile glass when it met the spear. It wasn''t an empty space, but a well-made barrier!


    *croak*


    Muninn croaked in dissatisfaction as the man recalled the spear. "What else could I do, winged one? It would take a while to decipher the lease that was used. So I opted for brute force" the man tried to placate the raven which was annoyed by his violent approach.


    The grandiose spear returned to the man''s hand and transformed into its uninteresting wooden appearance. The man looked at his handiwork. The space before him was ''fractured''. There was a large crack a few hundred meters away from him and a faint blue light kept leaking out of the crack.


    "That is definitely it" the man said with certainty as he bathed in the blue light that was seeping out of the strange space. The pure energy he felt initially was magnified several times over, and was far more pronounced than it was initially. So he knew immediately that he was indeed right. The pure energy source he was looking for was hidden here.


    "This energy!" the man suddenly exclaimed when he was very close to the crack. The wooden staff, which was the golden spear in disguise, lit up with a faint golden glow. The man looked at the staff and smiled


    "Go, he needs you"


    The golden light on the staff increased in intensity and ascended into the atmosphere; and out of Alr. The huge golden pillar was magnificent and grand. It was so pure that it lit up the dull sky of Alr. It was a pity that there was no one else here to see this gorgeous sigh; and those who were, didn''t look so impressed by the golden pillar. Huginn croaked, annoyed at the display. Muninn just ignored it and looked into the crack to see what was beyond it. The golden pillar stood still in the sky for a couple of minutes, before it finally retreated into the staff.


    "When his soul weapon is complete, he would no longer need us" the man said to the staff. His words were met with the excited croaks of his ravens.


    "He has awakened" the man under the hood raised his head and said. He always kept his head bowed, but now that his head was raised, the glow of his eye couldn''t be hidden. Only one eye glowed under the dark hood. It glowed golden, just like the spear. The man lifted his head and looked into the sky. He stared at it wordlessly for half a minute, almost like he was seeing something beyond this realm. Finally, he withdrew his oppressing gaze and looked at the crack once again.


    "Now that he has awakened things would be much more interesting. Let the universe itself bear witness. Let''s go" the man ordered and proceeded to walk into the crack.


    *croak* *croak*


    His ravens croaked in reply and flew in after him.

 Chapter 237 - Harbinger Of Chaos: Part I

    At the time Mane was fighting for his life, others were working hard for his benefit.


    *Clank*


    *Clank*


    *Clank*


    *Clank*


    In a brightly lit hall, the sound of metal striking metal was especially resounding. The vastness of the hall made it easy to locate the one responsible for these sounds. It was a man. This man only wore a pair of trunks, leaving his upper body exposed. Sweat glistened on his body and highlighted his impressive physique. Each muscle, each cell, every ounce of power in his body was transferred onto the hammer he held. Each swing of his hammer produced the thunderous sounds that filled the hall. The sparks that were generated from the use of his elemental fire in the tempering process were immediately absorbed by his body and reused shortly after.


    "When do you think he''d be done?" But he wasn''t the only one in this grand hall. There were several other figures with him. Many of these figures were shorter than the average man, but they filled their clothes and their ripped figures would cause no one to doubt that they had a lot of power hidden in their shorter frames. These people were dwarves.


    "Maybe a week, maybe two" one of the dwarves replied.


    "Or maybe it could be more than a year" another dwarf softly said. His words were quiet, his voice tired and grumpy, but it was enough to overwhelm the thoughts of all the other dwarves in the hall. The dwarves looked at this dwarf who was even shorter than them with respect. It was clear from their expressions that he was highly looked upon by his people. And why wouldn''t he when he was their leader.


    "Or he could finish just now. Such is the crafting of a soul weapon. You can never tell when you will be done" the much shorter dwarf added. The other dwarves nodded in agreement. Some began to murmur amongst themselves. It was true that crafting a soul weapon was tricky, and the crafter would never be able to tell when they would be done. It was all up to fate.


    Suddenly, the tall man who was working the anvil increased the tempo of his swings. If before he was hammering consistently every two seconds, this time his hammer descended even more powerfully on the deformed metal every half a second.


    "This is it. All of you be quiet" the authoritative dwarf ordered, and the others listened. It wasn''t like they needed him to say anything. As Master Blacksmiths themselves, they knew better than to break the concentration of a fellow crafter when he reached the climax of his crafting process.


    The persistent hammering continued for several minutes, and only stopped after half an hour.


    The hammering man at the center of the hall spoke some words to the metal he was hammering and something strange occurred. A large bolt of lightning erupted from the metal. Within this lightning were streaks of gold and red ¨C elemental fire. The escaping bolt promptly returned to the metal after the man had spoken a few more words.


    *Boom*


    The deafening sound would have destroyed the ear of any mortal, but the dwarves stood there silently. They didn''t look to be in discomfort and weren''t bothered at all ¨C and neither was the figure closest to the metal. All of them looked intently at the bright light surrounding the metal and waited for it to subside. Finally, the light disappeared to reveal the object on the anvil. It was a double axe head ¨C Labrys, the Olympians called it. It was as large as any of the dwarves in this hall, and even bigger than the dwarf who asked the others to be silent. A weapon of that size would cause one to wonder, "Who would be able to carry that thing?" And this was only the axe head! The haft wasn''t included. One could only wonder how long and strong the handle would have to be and what kind of strength would be required to wield it.


    "Is it done?" the shortest dwarf rushed to the tall figure responsible for crafting the axe head just in time to help the man. The tired man was on the verge of falling when the dwarf came to his side. As he leaned on his companion, the man took large breaths to calm his rioting energy and said, "Yes. All we need is his blood"


    The man had a happy expression on his face when he spoke of his completion, and all the dwarves swarmed him to offer their congratulations.


    "Congratulations Sir Hephaestus"


    There was no jealousy in their gazes, neither was there a hint of greed. Dwarves were devoid of such negative emotions. They either loved you, or they didn''t. They didn''t thirst for the glory of others.


    "Well done. I thought it would have taken longer" the shortest dwarf also offered his congratulations. But unlike the others he didn''t add an honorific to Hephaestus'' name. He was the only one here on equal footing with the God of Fire and the Forge. Not only were they equal, they had worked together for many months as they strived to perfect the Young Master''s weapon.


    "Normally, I would have. But it gave me strength." Hephaestus laughed and said. He then looked to the far end of the hall. At a hidden corner, was a large flame. It was still and calm, unlike all other fire in the world. And unlike all other fire in the world, it was also sentient. It didn''t light up the room and rather chose to stay hidden. This was the Chaotic Flame!


    "It is indeed the progenitor of all flames. Thank you" Hephaestus bowed slightly to the fire. His actions were emulated by the proud dwarves, who bowed even lower. The Chaotic Flame seemed to have read their intentions. It flickered slightly, and then returned to normal.


    "I thought it would take them decades to find the Chaotic Flame, but it took them only a year. And they did so whilst locating several chunks of devilstone, allowing us to include the legendary mineral in the Young Master''s armor as well." The shortest dwarf sighed as he spoke.


    "Yes. Call them in. All we need now is a suitable handle for the weapon ¨C and the Young Master''s blood" Hephaestus ordered. The dwarves nodded and quickly went to open the doors. Outside the hall were six figures. Five of them were men. There was only one woman. Four of the men had dark hair, the other was blonde. As for the lady, she also had dark hair. They were all extremely good looking, but two of the men, who actually looked like brothers, outclassed them all in terms of looks. As for the blonde man, he was bigger than all of them and had an anxious look on his face like a man outside the labor room, waiting for the midwife to rush out to deliver the good news.


    Seeing the door open, he rushed towards the dwarf and asked, "Is it done?"


    "Almost Master Thor" the dwarf smiled seeing the anxious expression on his face. Oh how rare it was to see the mighty Thor looking so vulnerable! He was going to relish every second of it.


    "Brat, why are you smiling?" knowing that everything was alright, Thor lost his anxiety. Although the dwarf said the work was almost finished, his smile must have meant that what was left was simple and uncomplicated. So Thor relaxed, and his countenance returned to normal. As friends of Asgard, the Dwarves of Nidavellir had always been on good terms with him. So he was used to joking around with them. He had even gone on several expeditions to other worlds with them. He liked their straightforward personalities and felt that with them he didn''t have to worry about any schemes. And they adored him for the very same reason. The ''simple minded Thor'' was much beloved by the dwarves of Nidavellir, even more so than his father Odin.


    After joking around with Thor and Forseti for a while, the happy dwarf heard the booming voice of his leader, "Didn''t I give you a task". The dwarf smiled embarrassingly as his leader glowered at him. He had totally forgotten that he was supposed to call them in for the last part of the ''ceremony''.


    "So what else do I need to do?" Thor asked as he admired the axe head on the anvil. Once in a while, it flickered with lightning and caused Thor to grin foolishly like a mad man. The axe reminded him of his own ''Chief Soul Weapon''. The strongest weapon of Asgard that was made with refined devilstone and bathed in the purest lightning storms for centuries. It was his hammer. The great weapon ''Mjolnir''!


    "We need his blood and a strand of his hair. So you would have to go for those." Hephaestus slapped away Thor''s hand which was itching to touch the axe and informed him of the materials they needed.


    "That''s easy. I don''t need to go anywhere. I have them right here." Thor replied and pulled out a blood bag and a golden hair strand like it was an everyday occurrence. The bag was filled with a lot of blood. Hephaestus estimated that it would be a liter at the very least. The faces of Dracula and the other vampires twitched at the image of the God Thor, pulling out such objects. Why did the God of Lightning have these things on him? Unfortunately they couldn''t ask him. But even if they couldn''t, someone else could.


    "Why do you have those on you Uncle?" Forseti rubbed his temples and asked. Why would a normal person be keeping the blood of another? And what was worse was that the blood belonged to a young boy! When did he take this much blood from the child?


    "I discretely withdrew this from him when he was a month old. Even Alexis had no idea that I had done so. Impressive right?" Thor smirked happily and responded. He seemed elated that he was able to take ''these items'' without alerting Alexis.


    "It didn''t occur to you that he was only a baby, and that it was dangerous to take his blood?" Hephaestus wanted to slap the smirk off Thor''s face. Oh only if he was stronger, then he wouldn''t have had to hold himself back. Even the simple minded dwarves looked at Thor like he was an idiot. Only the shortest dwarf, their leader, looked at Thor with a bitter gaze.


    "What? I knew that we would need these someday for his soul weapon, and I was right. Don''t look at me like that. Asgardians are strong from birth. Something so trivial wouldn''t dent his health in the least" Thor finally noticed something was wrong and pieced things together. He hurriedly defended himself, much to the amus.e.m.e.nt of Dracula and the other vampires who had never seen him this fl.u.s.tered. Of course, they hid that amus.e.m.e.nt because they didn''t have the intention of being pummeled into the ground.

 Chapter 238 - Harbinger Of Chaos: Part II

    "Seeing that Alexis let you go without a scratch, it must mean that you taking this much blood indeed had no effect on him" Hephaestus sighed helplessly and snatched the blood from Thor''s hands. If their Young Master had been hurt, Thor wouldn''t be alive and kicking right now. It would have been a miracle if he wasn''t buried in the pits of Cocytus.


    "Of course he was unharmed! He is Asgardian! In fact, he giggled happily the entire time" Thor harrumphed. The more he spoke, the less Hephaestus felt he had to hold himself back. Luckily, his reasoning reminded him that he was weaker than the Thunder God by a large margin, and he held himself back.


    "We would use some of the blood for this Chief Soul Weapon. With the amount here, we would be able to brand his armor and other soul weapons as well" Although he wasn''t happy that Thor stole the blood from a one month old, it was there to be used. Plus, it was more than enough for all of the weapons that had been made.


    "Speaking of which, where are the other weapons?" Thor asked.


    "Being tempered on Nidavellir" the leader dwarf answered.


    "If only we had a lot more of his hair for the other weapons as well" a dwarf mumbled.


    "Don''t worry about that" Thor bellowed. "I have all the hair that was cut off when he had his first hair cut" he continued and pulled out a large bag full of golden yellow hair. It was amazing how he refused to see the twitching faces of everyone here, and went on to present a handful of the hair to the dumbfounded Hephaestus.


    "Let''s just get this done with" Hephaestus sighed and took a strand of the golden yellow hair. He dipped it in the blood while mumbling some words. The hair lit up and swallowed a substantial amount of the blood in the bag. Seeing this, Thor worriedly asked, "Would it really be enough. One weapon alone took so much blood".


    The leader dwarf waved his hand to dismiss Thor''s worries and said, "It is more than enough. The others would require only a drop of blood".


    "Whew. That''s good to know" Thor responded and returned his attention to Hephaestus.


    "I need your help Havard!" Hephaestus screamed as he placed the blood soaked hair on the axe. He held it like how one would hold a nail about to be hammered, with the tip of the hair on the axe. Sweat fell profusely from his face as if he was in battle, and his arms shook heavily like he was trying to support a large amount of weight.


    Havard, the leader of the dwarves, rushed to Hephaestus'' side with incredible speed. A large hammer magically appeared in his hands. It had a handle that was twice his height and a head that was almost his size. It looked unbelievably heavy, but he brandished it like it was just an abnormally large spoon ¨C with dexterity and amazing deftness.


    *Bang*


    *Bang*


    *Bang*


    *Bang*


    The two ¨C one god, one dwarf ¨C hammered the blood soaked hair on the axe powerfully. They worked with amazing skill, and their teamwork was impeccable. The hair was being hit at all times. Immediately Hephaestus removed his hammer, Havard''s would come crushing down on the hair. Little by little, the hair was hammered in under the efforts of Hephaestus and Havard. As they hammered away, Hephaestus continued with his strange chants. And Havard emulated him. Before long, all the dwarves were speaking in the strange tongue, and a blue light was being gathered from their bodies and deposited into the hair strand.


    "Amazing" Lilith gasped at the magical scene. It was so beautiful.


    "It is indeed" Thor nodded and smiled. But he wasn''t comfortable for long. Before he could say anything else, his name was mentioned.


    "Thor! Gather the elements! When I give the signal, let them descend upon the axe!" Havard screamed.


    Thor nodded his head in acknowledgement. Although Havard didn''t see it, he knew the Asgardian heard him. Sure enough, several dark clouds formed in this hall, right above the heads of everyone else. As Thor''s eyes lit up with lightning, so did the clouds.


    *Brack*


    Lightning elements quickly assembled within the dark clouds, awaiting the command of the one who summoned them.


    "Now!" Havard screamed and lifted his hammer high into the air. Hephaestus did the same. Several large bolts of lightning ¨C each bigger than a red maned horse ¨C descended onto the hammers


    *Ka-boom*


    "Hah!"


    "Grah!"


    The two men shouted and dropped their hammers simultaneously.


    *BOOM*


    The two hammers crushed onto the hair strand with incredible precision. Lightning was transferred from their hammers into the axe head and the dark clouds dissipated.


    "Oh Great Flames of Chaos. He who stood with the Origin King as general over the masses. One who is noble and before all else, kind. Please bestow onto us your flames that this axe, forged from devilstone, with the blood and sweat of myself and a hundred dwarves, and branded with the blood and power of the Supreme, would finally be complete!"


    It was strange to see a god asking an Origin artefact for its blessings, but Hephaestus did it anyway. The sleeping Chaotic Flame at the corner of the hall blazed powerfully when Hephaestus mentioned the Supreme. It rose grandly and burned brightly, overshadowing Thor''s lightning feat effortlessly. A small ball of fire detached from it and approached the axe head. It melted into the hair strand and disappeared.


    Immediately, Hephaestus and Havard got to work. Under the chanting of all the dwarves who supported them from the side, the two hammered on for a few more minutes. Their sweat fell onto the ground like heavy raindrops, but their smiles blossomed as they got closer and closer to completing their task. Finally, under their immense efforts, the weapon was completed. The usually indefatigable duo were exhausted, but they kept their footing.


    "You are now born! Birthed from the baptism of the chaotic fire of the Chaotic Flame and the tempering of Thor''s lightning, you have been made anew. Harbinger of Chaos is your name! Connect with your master, and grant him a pleasant awakening!" Hephaestus loudly chanted.


    "Resonance!!!"


    His chants elicited a response from the axe head that slept soundly all this while. It lit up with a white glow so blinding that any mortal would have had to close his/her eyes; but none of those here were mortals. They watched intently, not planning on missing even a single detail. Suddenly, a golden pillar of light descended onto the axe. Hephaestus and Havard looked stunned. It was obvious that this wasn''t their doing. Hephaestus panicked, thinking that something was wrong. As he rushed to intercept the golden light, Havard held him back.


    "A gift from the Allfather. That''s Gungnir''s light." The golden light descended into the axe and disappeared. Finally, the axe head was calm.


    "Why did Father send Gungnir''s spirit to Mane?" Thor was surprised by what he saw. Unlike Havard, he knew exactly what that light was. It wasn''t a simple ''gift''. It wasn''t Gungnir''s light, but Gungnir''s spirit itself! Granted, it would return to the Allfather just as quickly as it left, but it was still Gungnir''s spirit.


    Forseti looked at Thor with a puzzled expression was well; but his expression eased when he remembered something. He drew close to the Thunder God and mumbled in his ears, "Even Grandfather cannot distort the barrier of Zandor from so far away. He must have used the axe head to bestow Mane with a skill"


    "That makes sense" Thor nodded. "So is it done?" Thor asked Hephaestus.


    "I don''t know. We need a handle as well. And maybe more blood. Maybe that is what will awaken it" Hephaestus seemed uncertain. As a maker of several godly weapons, it was strange that even he couldn''t tell whether the Harbinger of Chaos was truly awake.


    "I have a branch from the World Tree. It was a gift from Grandfather; a gift wasted on me" Forseti chimed in a produced a deep black rod from his bag. What was strange was that the ''rod'' was glowing with a black light that seemed to excite the Chaotic Flame. Forseti saw this, and so did the others. Without asking for their opinion, he bowed slightly to the Chaotic Flames and tossed the ''rod'' to it.


    *Crackle*


    The Flames of Chaos spat excitedly as they consumed the branch of the World Tree. It suddenly looked much brighter.


    "This" Hephaestus scratched his head helplessly. He didn''t know how to say that Forseti shouldn''t have done that. The Chaotic Flame had been a big help, so it was hard to condemn Forseti for his actions. But the question now was, what were they going to use for the haft since the branch had been given out?


    "Don''t worry. My uncle has a few scales from the World Serpent. I''m sure that would be even better" The eyes of Hephaestus and all the dwarves lit up when they heard Forseti''s words. Their hungry looks scared even Thor, who quickly produced a few blue scales from his bag. There were about seven scales, and each one was as big as Thor''s fist.


    As Hephaestus and the others appraised the scales, the vampires noticed something extraordinary.


    "What is that?" Vlad wondered as the previously silent axe head lit up again. But this time, it wasn''t a white light that surrounded it, but countless streaks of blue lightning. Several runes appeared on the axe head as lightning leaked out of it.


    *crackle*


    "Such pure energy" Alucard marveled. As beings that feasted on the energy of others, vampires were much more sensitive to the pureness of the energy leaking out of the axe than the others. But no sooner had they realized the strange scene than the others also caught on.


    "It is even purer than my lightning" Thor mumbled in amazement as the lightning leaking out of the axe head grew stronger.


    "It is awake! It is awake!" Hephaestus grabbed Havard happily and screamed. The short dwarf laughed foolishly and played along. Under the gazes of the excited dwarves and Hephaestus, a pillar of lightning was produced from the axe head and drowned it completely in a ''pseudo'' lightning storm. The lightning bolts broke out of the hall and ascended into the sky in search of their owner. A golden thread of light traveled with them as they exited the planet.


    "It''s gone to find Mane" Thor smiled. Although the axe head was still here, its energy had left to find its master, and when it did Mane would truly awaken. This was what truly helped Mane. This was what granted him the ability to use lightning. It was his weapon. He just didn''t know it yet.


    "In the end it awakened" Havard laughed. "I thought we were going to need more blood" a dwarf joined in. "Yeah. What would you have done if we indeed asked for more blood" another dwarf teased Thor.


    "Oh I have a lot more here. You should have seen his face at the time. It was like he was taunting me to take as much as I could! Hahaha." Thor laughed and produced three more large blood bags. They were even bigger than the one he gave them. Seeing this, all of them felt like puking blood. What a shameless grandparent; taking so much blood from the boy when he was only one month old, without feeling an ounce of guilt or remorse!


    Thor''s laughter continued under the looks of scorn from all those here

 Chapter 239 - Systema

    Back on Zandor, the war was still ongoing. With the greatest advantage the East had ¨C their superior wielders ¨C now gone after the Tool Of Blessings was stolen, things didn''t seem as bleak as before. Although the entire planet was facing a crisis, people were calmer now. Possibly the calmest group of people were living in the Western Empire. Within the Kingdom of Neces, a family of gods lived. Presently, this family was divided ¨C literally. Alexis was at the North, taking charge of the things there, leaving Ray and Mane behind. Currently at Mane''s home, his friends were speaking to his father.


    "So you''re saying that you want to get stronger?" Ray rubbed his chin and looked at the children sitting before him. There were four boys and one girl.


    "Yes Uncle Ray. We realized how lacking we were when we got to the East" Frederick said and grabbed the hand of Selina who was sitting right next to him. The two teenagers shared a two person couch and acted a little more intimately than they did before. Seeing this, Ray smiled suggestively at Frederick, causing the young boy to cough awkwardly. Selina blushed slightly at Ray''s tactless reaction.


    "By ''we'' you mean yourself and Selina?" Ray decided that he would tease the two later and asked.


    "Yeah. Although it was only a week ago, when I remember how helpless I was, I feel like trash" Frederick sighed. "I don''t want to ever feel that way again" he continued


    "Yeah. I want to be able to help and not just be a damsel. I am not a dead weight" Selina added.


    "I see" Ray sighed. He had heard about the events of that day from the children. He was a little scared as he listened to their narration and got to understand just how dangerous the mission was. He expected that the Master would be strong, but the plan didn''t include a direct confrontation. Although he asked Mane to kill the man when he met him, he wasn''t expecting his son to do so now. After all, dealing with a Heaven Realmer with just earth realm level strength was no joke. Luckily, they generally came out unscathed.


    Due to the grand scale of the battle, the runic circle of teleportation had been tampered with. The children didn''t realize that there was a rune missing and proceeded to use it. That was very dangerous. They could have been teleported anywhere; however, once again their incredible luck saved them. Although they weren''t teleported to Neces, they found themselves outside the borders of the East and close to the South. They had traveled by foot and had only arrived yesterday.


    As soon as they found themselves on familiar soil, their tensed bodies embraced the calm of the West. And once they were home, they began to identify their shortcomings.


    "But Mane told me you''re a Master Artificer. Wouldn''t you want to concentrate on improving your skill? That would also be a great help to the team" Ray suggested to Frederick. Although Mane wasn''t here, the first person he spoke to when he came was his father. He had briefed Ray on the details of their mission, so Ray knew that Frederick was an artificer, and a highly talented one at that.


    "That wouldn''t be necessary. My ability to understand artefacts grows with inner energy. So currently, it''s my lack of inner energy that halts my progress" Frederick replied whilst ignoring the strange looks he and Selina were receiving from the others.


    "That''s new. I have never heard of that before. What about you Mentor, ever heard of something like that before?" Ray turned to the side and asked. His actions stunned Mane''s friends who were wondering who Ray was talking to when someone replied thusly,


    "It is strange, but not impossible. When someone is chosen by a law, they don''t have to work hard to understand that law. Take the Law of Water for instance. As long as one is chosen by this elemental law, they wouldn''t need to work hard at comprehending it. As long as they increase their inner energy, the law would grow with them. It seems Master Frederick has been chosen by the Law of Creation, allowing him to do as he pleases with artefacts as long as he wills it. So as long as he grows stronger, the ability would grow on its own."


    The person who answered Ray was Butler Fin.


    "It''s basically a free ticket to godhood" Ray smiled. He knew this already, he just wanted the kids to know. He would have loved to tell them, but things unrelated to battle were difficult for him to explain to others. He might have ended up confusing them.


    "When did he get here?" Jake whispered to John. Even Abe who was sitting next to them didn''t hear what Jake said, but Butler Fin heard him.


    "To answer your question, Master Jake; I was here since the beginning. You just didn''t perceive me" Butler Fin smiled. What a joke! He was a Sensor God and could cloud the senses of even Elder Gods, much less a group of children.


    "When Mane said you weren''t ordinary, I thought he was just being oversensitive" Abe raised his brow in amazement.


    "Of course my mentor isn''t ordinary. He is one of the most powerful gods in the entire universe" Ray smiled proudly and boasted. The children looked at Butler Fin in amazement. They knew Mane''s father was very powerful, but for him to proclaim another as one of the most powerful gods in the universe must mean that this person was likely stronger than him; and more importantly, was a god!


    "Young Master Mane has always been a sharp child" Butler Fin smiled bitterly as he recalled the time Mane had come to find him before the mission. The young boy was so sure he wasn''t a normal man that he had pestered him until Butler Fin gave up. That was the first time he had seen Mane act so forcefully. But when he confessed, all Mane did was to excitedly ask what his father was like as a child.


    "He still acts like a child now, so I was just wondering how he acted when he was really a child" That was Mane''s answer when Butler Fin asked why he wanted to know.


    "But being oversensitive isn''t bad. It is actually the true path of a scholar. You''d best remember that, Master Abe" Butler Fin told Abe


    Abe shook off the strange feeling of being called ''master'' by a god, and looked at Butler Fin in puzzlement. What did he mean by that advice?


    "You better listen Abe. My mentor is a Sensor God and is superior to your master" Ray saw his expression and informed the young prince. Abe''s gaze towards Butler Fin changed after he heard Ray''s words. Alexis was a Scholar Empress, but Butler Fin was a Sensor God! He wasn''t just a bit more powerful than Alexis, he was a lot more powerful!


    Butler Fin smiled bitterly when he saw Abe''s gaze. He knew what that meant. "It looks like my carefree days are over" he thought with a wry smile. For Ray to tell the boy this, meant that he wanted Butler Fin to help the boy out with his training until Alexis returned.


    "As for Frederick, Mane asked me to write a letter of recommendation for you and Selina to attend a God Academy. But their recruitment isn''t for the next ten months. So I can do something else for you" Ray plucked a gr.a.p.e and tossed it into his mouth.


    "Do you think you can open a portal to Systema for them?" Ray turned to Butler Fin and asked.


    "I can, but do you think it''s a good idea?" Butler Fin furrowed his brows in worry when he heard Ray''s words. "Mane would grill you alive if his friends get hurt"


    "I already told him about it. He asked me to leave it to them. He said it was their decision to make" Ray expressionlessly stated.


    "What is Systema?" Jake asked the question running through everyone else''s mind.


    Ray looked at Butler Fin and nodded his head. The Elder God sighed and began to explain, "Systema is a unique world. Once a person arrives in Systema, he or she would be tested by the World''s Will to determine if he/she are worthy of its strength. The test usually lasts for a few months. The longest I have heard of is 3 months. But after completing the test, the tested become massively stronger and receives a gift, which is the true reason for the name of the world ¨C a system. No one knows how it works, but Systema''s World Will equips the person with an interface that helps the person to grow, and by killing monsters and other races, the person can continue growing explosively until the peak of the Nobility Realm"


    "That''s amazing!" John exclaimed.


    "But there is nothing free in this universe" Frederick furrowed his brows and said.


    "Rightly said, Master Frederick. Indeed, there is nothing free in the universe. Initially, several gods coveted Systema for this impressive ability. Everyone was eager to train an army in this world and they fought over it. In a bid to defend itself, Systema waged war against the gods who sought it for their own greed ¨C and won"


    "What?!" Selina exclaimed. All this while they were under the impression that gods were extremely powerful and without equal; yet a group of gods had fallen to one planet?


    "It''s nothing strange. Systema was a higher world that had an unusually powerful World Will. With the aid of their World Will, they were able to drive the gods off, but at no small expense. Systema''s World Will entered a deep sleep and their strength fell as a result. Before long, they fought against each other for the few resources left and now, it is a world plagued by war and strive. Although its World Will is awake now, it has grown eccentric and distrustful, and doesn''t pass on its power as easily as it did in the past. Over the past few millions of years, only a hundred people have successfully come out of Systema alive. Out of that number, only 25 acquired the power of systems. Master John, do you still think ''it is amazing''?"


    The atmosphere turned somber. Such odds were not in their favor.


    "They would still go" Ray smiled and said. Frederick nodded his head in agreement. He turned to Selina to try and convince her to say but changed his mind when he saw the resolute expression on her face. He knew her long enough to know that when she made such a face, it meant that nothing would sway her decision.


    "We will all go" Jake stated.


    "No you wouldn''t. Indra already told me what has to be done for you and your brother. There is an inheritance for you here on Zandor, right in the Wielder Academy. It is in a passage guarded by the Academy, but with your strengths sneaking in should be easy. You would go there to train. Trust me, it is your destiny to inherit ''their'' power"


    Jake and John were stunned at the sudden revelation.


    "As for Abe, I''m sure you already know what to do" Ray smiled. Abe nodded and said, "I would stay here and learn from Sir Fin". He was a scholar. Going to Systema wouldn''t be of any benefit to him, especially when there was a Sensor God he could learn from here. The young prince stood up and bowed slightly to the Elder God, "Please direct me in my master''s steed, Sir Fin"


    "I don''t really have a choice" Butler Fin said bitterly.


    "So that means we would be the only ones to go to Systema?" Frederick asked.


    "Not quite" Ray smiled mysteriously.


    "What do you mean Sir?" Frederick wondered. Was Mane coming with them?


    "Mane would sleep for a long time. His sleep may even last for months." As if he could read Frederick''s mind, Ray dashed his hopes of having Mane accompany them. If Mane went with them, he would protect them the entire time. That wouldn''t be good for them.


    "So who else is coming with us?" Frederick asked. Selina was just as curious.


    "Well, it''s someone you know, and he was more than eager to go when Mane told him about it. Oh wait, here he comes" The door unlocked on cue. Ray smiled at the person who had come in. And the others were stunned when they saw him.


    "I''m going with you. And don''t even think of forcing me to stay. My master has given me his permission and Dad is okay with it" the newcomer quickly said to the stunned Frederick.


    "Wait, Aegeus?"

 Chapter 240 - A Long Sleep

    "Have they left?" Ray stood before Mane''s bed and gazed upon the serene figure that lay on it. That figure was the owner of the room, Mane. His expression as he slept was peaceful. The anxiety that had built up during his battle with the Master seemed to have taken its toll ¨C or had it?


    "They have" Butler Fin closed the door to Mane''s room and walked to Ray''s side. He also turned to look at the sleeping Mane.


    "I see. Tell me, what did you tell Mane? For him to have suggested Systema to Aegeus, you must have said something" Ray suddenly asked.


    "You mean about Aegeus? All I did was tell him that I can sense an enormous amount of power hidden in that little boy''s body" Butler Fin smiled and said.


    "Oh? It''s that impressive?" Ray furrowed his brows in doubt.


    "It is. I advised Mane to find a way to awaken the boy for the second time, but that would be too difficult" Butler Fin sighed when he spoke of a Second Awakening. It was rare than Mane had two friends who had experienced a Second Awakening because even in the entire universe, it was an improbability. But the young Supreme wasn''t satisfied with having only two of his friends awaken a second time. He wanted more.


    "And his talent with outer energy is outstanding" Butler Fin added. It was true. Mane noticed that Aegeus didn''t have any talent with inner energy, so he let him switch to outer energy, just to test the waters for a while; and the results were astonishing. Aegeus was so talented with outer energy, that it took him less time, compared to Mane, to reach the peak of the mortal realm in body wielding! And his progress could not be explained. It was similar to how Frederick''s comprehension of the Law of Creation, which allowed him to create and dismantle any artefact, couldn''t be explained.


    "There is something strange about those brothers. One of these days I have to see their parents and understand what is hidden in their bloodline" Butler Fin thought to himself.


    "So that''s why Mane wants him to go to Systema?" Ray finally understood his son''s actions. As long as Aegeus passed the test, he would naturally undergo a Second Awakening, or at the very least, he would be given a clue as to how to achieve a Second Awakening.


    "It''s not just for him. The others would benefit as well. For some strange reason, every person on Zandor has some hidden energy signature in them. Some are just more intense than others, like that boy Aegeus. His energy signature is about ten times more than average. I''m guessing that as long as the conditions are right, they can all experience a Second Awakening" Butler Fin dragged a chair to Mane''s bedside and sat closer to the boy.


    "You are right. The concept of a Second Awakening was just that ¨C a concept. But here on Zandor, it is actually a possibility. What secrets does this tiny planet hold?" Ray rubbed his chin in thought as he mumbled. He joined his mentor and sat right beside his son. Second Awakenings were just theories, without any substantial evidence. It was a theory developed by the 6th Supreme, the one known as the Abandoner; but after several millions of years, no one had ever seen it happen or experienced it. So most had forgotten about it, or had rubbished it. For some, it was the one thing the brilliant 6th Supreme got wrong. For others who believed in the perfect intelligence of the 6th Supreme, there was no way it was false. It just hadn''t happened yet.


    The theory of Second Awakenings stated that, for some individuals with very powerful bloodlines, it was impossible for their bloodlines to awaken all at once or fully due to the strain it would place on their bodies. So, a part of the bloodline would awaken first, and the other part would follow after some conditions have been met. But the problem was, the conditions that had to be met were never specified by the 6th Supreme, so people disregarded this theory.


    "Do you think he knew?" Ray suddenly asked


    "The 6th Supreme?" Butler Fin said.


    "Yes. You knew him after all" Ray stated and turned to face his mentor


    "I did, but we weren''t close. However, he didn''t strike me as one who would develop half-baked ideas. He always had a reason for his actions, and more often than not, he was proven right. So I think he did. It''s just that he may have realized that the conditions for powerful bloodlines to experience a Second Awakening, and thus awaken fully, differed from person to person"


    "You may be right. Although he is called the Abandoner, he was indeed one of the greatest scholars our universe has ever seen" Ray placed his legs on Mane''s bed and said


    "But it is strange to think that even Mane went through a Second Awakening. I thought he experienced a full awakening the first time" Ray sighed.


    "He did. Although his lightning was largely dormant, it was still there. But its purity shows that he did experience a Second Awakening. There''s only one thing that could cause this" Butler Fin stated


    "A Chief Soul Weapon" Ray confidently stated.


    "Indeed. That''s the only thing that could have pushed his lightning to such high purity levels. It must be what awakened Alexis'' part of the bloodline and forced a merge between your lightning and hers in Mane''s body" Butler Fin analysed


    "I didn''t think they would succeed so quickly" Ray smiled. He knew of the efforts both his family and Alexis'' family were putting in to get Mane a Chief Soul Weapon before he turned 15. But the materials that were needed for the weapon were so rare that Ray doubted that they would succeed even if they were given a million years. Who would have thought that they had succeeded, and even built it so quickly?


    "Me neither. Even I was surprised by their efficiency. But now, Mane would possibly be out for a long time" Butler Fin mumbled and gazed at the sleeping boy.


    "Yes. He may sleep for months, or maybe years. Hopefully, he''d wake up in time for the God Academy admissions." Ray stretched and said


    "You aren''t hoping he''d wake up earlier so that he would spearhead the war? You are a god. Unless it''s a personal vendetta, you aren''t allowed to use your abilities against mortals" Butler Fin furrowed his brows and reminded Ray.


    "I know. I''m not a fool. But if worse comes to worst, I''d just move their families (Abe and the others) from this planet until we can reclaim it. In retrospect, the God Academies are much more important" Ray stated expressionlessly. If any Zandorian had been here, their blood would have ran cold. Ray didn''t express any emotion as he talked about the fate of the entire planet. For him, only the God Academy admissions were important.


    "You have a point" But Butler Fin didn''t care about that. He agreed with Ray.


    "I wonder how strong he''d be when he wakes up" Ray smiled as a stream of lightning covered Mane''s body. It disappeared after lingering for only a few seconds. The bed was clearly made up of some very resilient materials, for it remained undamaged by the lightning. It had been like this since last night. Every few minutes, lightning would envelop Mane''s body and then disappear after a few seconds. The lightning tempered his body and increased his strength ¨C both his body wielding and energy wielding abilities. Unfortunately, his spiritualist and scholar abilities couldn''t be trained this way, and would have to wait until he awakened.


    "Tempering lightning and an Olympian Surge all at once. If he isn''t at least a high level Heaven Realmer when he awakens, in both body and energy wielding, then I would be surprised" Ray laughed.


    "Indeed. Although I do wonder about the kind of test he''s experiencing in the dreamscape."

 Chapter 241 - Dreamscape: Part I

    "Where am I?" Mane walked around with a confused expression on his face. He found himself surrounded by nothing but nothingness. There was nothing around him, only a bright white light. It was identical to the strange space Indra had called him into when he had met Ananse; but it wasn''t the same place. For instance; the space Indra had called Mane into wasn''t as crippling as this one. Indra''s space made it seem like there were clouds everywhere, and that even the ground was made of clouds. The entire space was fluffy and soft like a cloud. One could run around all they wanted, but they wouldn''t get anywhere. This strange space he currently found himself in was similar in the respect that it didn''t seem to record any distances. Just like Indra''s space, Mane had wondered this strange space for a while now, without any tangible results. But that was where the similarities ended ¨C just that one thing. Everything else was different.


    For starters, Indra''s space was white, not bright. The entire space Indra commanded was surrounded by clouds and was white. As for this strange space Mane found himself stuck in, it was not white but bright. It was like Mane was trapped in a star, for the entire space sparkled and crackled with blinding light that took Mane a good half an hour to get accustomed to! Also, it wasn''t soft like Indra''s space. Mane felt like he was walking on solid earth as he traversed the strange space in the hopes of finding a way to get out. So far, he didn''t have a single good idea.


    Another major difference between this space and Indra''s summoning space was that Mane was n.a.k.e.d! The fact that he was n.a.k.e.d led him to believe that no one had summoned him here. After all, what kind of perverted god will be interested in seeing an 11 year old''s n.a.k.e.dness. At least, none of the gods he was close to had that kind of fetish.


    Mane couldn''t feel any other presence either. Unlike his meeting with Ananse and Indra, where there was a precursor to the meeting in the strange space, he appeared here without any warning. With Indra, the moment he touched the man, he felt a beckon. He accepted the god''s call and found himself in the god''s summoning space. And when he appeared there, he could feel a pair of eyes watching. They were hidden, but they watched. But this place was different. Even with his identity as a scholar, Mane couldn''t feel any prying eyes. He was totally alone in this place ¨C or so he thought.


    "Master? Anyone?" After walking around aimlessly for another hour, Mane tried to find some connection to the outside world. Unlike with Ananse and Indra where he could still feel his body and his connection to his masters, but couldn''t contact them, this time the connection was nonexistent. It was almost like it had been severed.


    "All I did was to take a nap" Mane sighed bitterly and sat down.


    "Wait! A nap! Dad was saying some strange things when I said I was tired and sleepy" Mane''s brain finally caught on to something.


    "Good luck. Don''t get fl.u.s.tered" That was exactly what Ray said when Mane told him he was tired and was going to take a nap. Mane thought it was a strange dad joke (to be fair all dad jokes are strange), but now that he was stuck here, he felt that Ray knew exactly what was going on. He focused his mind and tried to fish out any other strange things his father might have said at the time.


    "Sweet dreams. Remember, it is real, but it is also unreal" Mane remembered another strange sentence from his father. And he got a major clue from it.


    "I need a guide" Mane announced. His words finally got a response. Mane didn''t know how it was possible, but a light brighter than the one in this space, shone right before him. It was so bright that the light Mane had gotten to in this strange space seemed to grow dim. The young boy had no other option but to close his eyes. After the brighter light subsided, he uncovered eyes and stared in surprise at the strange creature before him. A miniature being was floating right in front of Mane. It looked like a downscaled version of a human being, but even a newborn baby was five times its size. It had large shimmering wings that glowed softly. It was beautiful, and Mane felt his agitated spirit calm down when he looked at it.


    "You are a fairy, aren''t you?" Mane stared at the strange creature before his eyes and asked. He made the guess based on a few pictures he had seen in some books about fairies.


    "You are well informed. I am indeed a fairy, a fairy of the Dreamscape" the cute creature flew slowly around Mane''s head and said. Mane could feel its voice ringing in his head. It didn''t feel like it was speaking. It felt more like it was transferring its thoughts directly into his brain.


    "Telepathy?" Since the creature wasn''t using its mouth, Mane opened his mind and asked. He wasn''t a telepath, but he knew that as long as one opened his/her mind and allowed it to be read by a telepath, they would be able to communicate.


    "Yes. When I was told that a newbie was visiting the Dreamscape, I was very reluctant to be its chaperone. But now that I''ve met you, I feel that I was mistaken to judge you without knowing you. For that, I apologize"


    The fairy stopped orbiting Mane''s head and bowed slightly before him. Although Mane was impressed by its noble and dignified personality, his attention was drawn to something else.


    "Don''t worry about that. I would have been uneasy to handle newbie too. But you have mentioned the word ''Dreamscape'' twice already. Is that what this place is?" Mane stood up and asked. He disregarded his n.a.k.e.dness and looked straight at the fairy.


    "Yes. This place is the Dreamscape" the ethereal voice of the fairy sounded in Mane''s mind once again. It was an ambiguous tone, and made it impossible for Mane to correctly discern the s.e.x of the fairy. Of course, he didn''t leave this thought lying around in his mind so that the fairy would see. He quickly sealed it out of the communication. Years of hiding his thoughts from his masters had finally bore fruit.


    "If you say you are my chaperone, then that means you are here to make my journey way simpler? If so, I have a question to ask: what is the Dreamscape?" Mane walked forward and asked the fairy which followed him.


    "The dreamscape is a different dimension where the laws aren''t quite the same as the laws in the True Universe. It is akin to a virtual space, but cannot be fully controlled by the one who is visiting it. The Dreamscape is usually a testing ground for gods and born gods. I can feel your energy, Mane, son of Ray, the Brute King. You are a godling and are eligible to take a test in the Dreamscape. "


    "So any god can be tested here?" Mane asked


    "No" the fairy transmitted. "This dimension was discovered by the Allfather Odin. He has made it possible for those who share his bloodline to access this dimension and grow stronger" the fairy answered


    "Odin? Who is Odin?" Mane tilted his head cutely and wondered.


    "Considering that you possess his bloodline, this is a strange question to ask. If you do not have the answer to this question, then I can safely presume that it is because the Allfather doesn''t want you to know yet. In that case, I cannot answer your question"


    Mane smiled wryly when he heard the fairy''s response. He thought he would finally be able to glean some information on his ancestry from the fairy, but the sharp little creature caught on and denied him any access to the information. Mane blamed himself. He wasn''t careful enough. If he had been slyer and craftier, and weaved his sentences sensibly, he wouldn''t have been so easily found out.


    "I thought you were my chaperone?" Mane tried to get the fairy to talk


    "I am, but the Allfather is my employer" the fairy smartly shut down any follow-up questions and tricks Mane had yet to use.


    "Can you at least give me some information on the outside world?" Mane pleaded.


    "I can" Luckily for our young Supreme, the fairy was willing to do this. Once it answered in the affirmative, Mane could hear the voices of his father and Butler Fin. They seemed to be talking about his friends and himself. Mane could feel his body, but he still couldn''t wake up.


    "It seems I have to pass whatever test awaits me before I can wake up" Mane realized.


    "That is exactly right" the fairy chimed in.


    Mane kept silent and listened to this father and Butler Fin talk about several matters, and he learnt a lot from them.


    "So they decided to go to Systema? I hope they succeed and return in one piece" Mane silently prayed. He also learnt from their conversation that Aegeus wasn''t average at all. He knew that his disciple wasn''t average because his 1st said the boy had a large reservoir of ''hidden'' energy. Plus Aegeus''s understanding of outer energy was unique. However, Mane reckoned that he hadn''t thought as highly of his student as he could have when he heard Butler Fin praise the boy.


    "They are all striving to grow stronger. The least I can do as their captain is to grow stronger too. How does the test work?" Mane strengthened his resolve and asked his chaperone.


    "I thought you would never ask. I would explain right away"

 Chapter 242 - Dreamscape: Part II

    "Before I explain how the test works to you, I would like to tell you more about the Dreamscape. Would you like to learn more about the Dreamscape?"


    The lovely voice of the fairy which was serving as Mane''s chaperone, rang in his mind once again.


    "I would be grateful if you do" Mane transmitted his thoughts to the fairy. He didn''t know much about the Dreamscape, so any valuable information was welcome.


    "Very well. The Dreamscape, as I mentioned earlier, is of a different dimension and overlaps with the Ture Universe. Discovered by the Allfather Odin, and modified for the purpose of improving the strengths of Asgardians through tests, the Dreamscape is a world separated from reality. In other words, you can spend eternity here, but the True Universe would be unchanged"


    "Wait a minute" Mane interrupted. "Are you saying that time doesn''t flow in this world?"


    "True. Time doesn''t flow in the Dreamscape. And it isn''t a world, but a virtual universe" The fairy explained


    "If that is true, then how was it possible for me to listen in on their conversation?" Mane forwarded his doubts to the fairy. It didn''t have any reason to lie to him, but Mane couldn''t accept its words so easily. He had just listened to his father and Butler Fin talking amongst themselves. If time didn''t flow in the Dreamscape, how was it possible for that to happen? And even more importantly, why did his father estimate that the test would take some months to complete. The fairy seemed to understand Mane''s misgivings, so it answered thusly,


    "While it is true that time doesn''t flow in the Dreamscape, and that reality remains the same, the Dreamscape is still a universe that can be slightly controlled by the one facing the test. You wanted to know if you were still connected to the outside world, and your wishes were conveyed to the Dreamscape. Although you fell asleep hours ago, you only entered the Dreamscape about two hours prior to our meeting. The conversation your father and his friend were having occurred an hour before you entered the Dreamscape. What happened was, the conversation your family was having was recorded before you arrived, and played for you when you willed it. The sensation of sinking into your body once again, wasn''t truly you returning to the True Universe, but the Dreamscape transmitting the final moments before you entered the Dreamscape. The requests you made were very common. Every visitor of the Dreamscape has made the same requests. The Dreamscape prepares these things so that they can be used when these ''common'' requests are made. That is why this world is real, yet unreal"


    Mane rubbed his head tiredly as he listened to the fairy explain how the Dreamscape worked. His father was indeed right: It was real, yet unreal.


    "So it basically deceived me?" Mane sighed


    "No. You deceived yourself" the fairy transmitted emotionlessly, causing Mane''s eyebrows to twitch in annoyance. It was true that while the Dreamscape was the culprit for transmitting ''unreal'' scenes to him, he was the one who requested that it should. So, although he didn''t like the words the fairy used, they were accurate.


    "What about what my Father said. If there is no concept of time in the Dreamscape, why did he say that it may last a few months" Mane asked the other question that brought doubt to the pondering mind of any genius.


    "Because it takes time to absorb what you have gained fully. After passing the test, the rewards cannot magically integrate into the body. It takes time for the body to fully accept the changes that are happening to it. So based on how large the rewards are, a person may take longer to reawaken. Once a person passes the test, they would be kicked out of the Dreamscape. In other words, when one is absorbing their rewards, they would be in the True Universe ¨C and they would be truly asleep this time." The fairy explained patiently.


    "I see" Mane nodded.


    "Can I proceed with the information about the tests?"


    "You may" Mane assented.


    "Very well. The test a person faces in the Dreamscape is the manifestation of their will and desires, and their own talent. For instance, if you desire to become a heaven realmer yet only possess talent that would lead you to the peak of the earth realm, the test you would face in the Dreamscape would be focused on helping you break that talent suppression. And naturally, the difficulty would be so much higher"


    Mane listened silently as the fairy explained the way the Dreamscape worked. He wasn''t n.a.k.e.d anymore. After getting a bit familiar with the Dreamscape, he understood a bit how it worked. Just like Ray said, it was both real and unreal, and could be controlled to some extent. The part that could be controlled involved himself, so something simple like clothing himself didn''t pose much difficulty. But he couldn''t summon just any clothes either. Mane tried summoning some armor first, but that didn''t work. He couldn''t summon any of his swords either. It was clear that the things that gave him such superiority in the real world, had some sort of restriction in the Dreamscape. Mane could only summon simple clothes: a white t-shirt, a black pair of trousers, and a long winter coat. Although they provided no additional strength, Mane quite liked how he looked.


    "The difficulty of the tests range from Very Low to Very High. Between these two extremes are, in ascending order, Low, Below Average, Average, Above Average, and High. The tests are given based on talent and desire. So using the earlier example, if a person with an earth grade talent (talent that allows a person to reach the peak of the earth realm at most) takes the test, the recommended level would be Average. But this person is allowed to pick a difficulty one level below, or one level above his/her recommended level. So for someone with earth grade talent, although the recommended level would be Average, he/she could choose to take the test at the Below Average level, or at the Above Average level."


    "So that is why you stated that it isn''t only based on talent, but desire and will" Mane roughly understood what his chaperone was saying. While it was true that the tests were prepared based on a person''s talents and gifts, that wasn''t enough. If someone wished to break out of the cage that held them, and destroy the chains that kept them stranded on the ground, they would have to go beyond their innate talents. That was why the Dreamscape allowed a person to pick a level above their talent. It gave people the chance to break out of their innate limitations.


    In the same way, it also respected the wishes of those who didn''t want to take the tests. Mane was forcefully brought here. His intention was to just take a nap and then wake up full of energy to continue his training. However, he found himself here, with no way to get out. Choosing a level lower than the recommended level would mean that one could easily pass the test. Since it was a level lower, the rewards would be nothing grand and it wouldn''t take long to reawaken in the True Universe. It was a way to avoid the long sleep that came with digesting the rewards of successfully passing the test, and effectively reject the test. But Mane wasn''t going to do that. He needed to get stronger.


    The battle against Dominic forced Mane to accept that he wasn''t even capable of fully protecting himself on Zandor. Although he won in the end, Mane knew it was because of a series of lucky coincidences that he escaped unscathed. Unfortunately, he still didn''t know how he awakened the dormant lightning in his bloodline. Mane felt that it was similar to a Second Awakening. But he didn''t know how that was possible since Second Awakenings, logically speaking, only functioned when one''s bloodline wasn''t fully awakened during the First Awakening. Mane knew that his bloodline was fully awakened, so he was confused. He would have to ask his parents when he got out of this place.


    "Yes. When you are ready to take the test, you must inform me" the fairy flew over Mane''s head and seated itself on his shoulder.


    "What else is there to do? I am ready" Mane shrugged.


    "Very well" the fairy stated, and a bright screen appeared before Mane. There was a recommended difficulty on that screen, and nothing else.


    "How is that possible?" the fairy sounded shocked. Mane finally made out its gender from its shocked voice. It was female.


    "What isn''t possible?" Mane wondered and looked at the screen. He realized why the fairy was shocked. On the screen there was indeed only one thing ¨C the recommended difficulty of the test. Mane didn''t look at it closely before, but now that he did, he realized that what was there wasn''t part of the difficulty options the fairy had given him.


    "Legendary" was the recommended option. Below Legendary was the option that was one level lower ¨C Mythical ¨C and the option that was a level higher ¨C Chaos. Below Legendary was Mythical, meaning that Very High was nowhere near the peak of the difficulty.


    "What is that?" Mane asked. The fairy that was sitting on his shoulder responded in a shocked voice, "I don''t know. I have to ask Management". It disappeared shortly after.


    "Legendary huh? I wonder what Chaos would be like" Mane smirked dangerously.

 Chapter 243 - Dreamscape: Part III

    "All of you, be quiet!" the murmuring of several fairies stopped at the commanding words of the fairy who was seated higher than all of them. The meeting room was as bright as the place Mane was stuck in, but it was filled with fairies. All the fairies floated above ground and faced twelves ''thrones''. The thrones were suspended in the air and were occupied by twelve different fairies. Eleven of these thrones were at the same level, with one of the elevated higher than the rest. The fairy that occupied the highest throne was the one who commanded that the others be quiet.


    In the dimension called the Dreamscape, this fairy had the highest authority. His authority has granted by the King of the Asgardians, the Allfather Odin. Not only was he the fairy with the most authority in this realm, but he was also the oldest fairy of this realm. He was one of the 12 fairies that had been appointed by Odin himself and had a personal relationship with the powerful Allfather. He was the Dreamscape''s Fairy King ¨C King Haaland.


    The Fairy King gazed upon the fairy that was kneeling before him ¨C midair ¨C and asked, "You said that three other levels appeared when it was time for him to pick the test difficulty?"


    The kneeling fairy was the one who was with Mane only a few minutes prior. Just like she said, she had come to speak to the ''Management'' about the strange development concerning Mane''s test.


    "Yes, Fairy King Haaland. The recommended level displayed was ''Legendary''. Below it was ''Mythical'' and above it was ''Chaos''. I came here immediately to report this, just in case there was a mistake" Unlike the way she spoke to Mane, her tone as she addressed the Fairy King was full of respect and admiration.


    After all, although Mane was related to the Allfather, his particular relationship with the God King was unclear. Added to the fact that Mane didn''t even know his heritage, she reckoned that maybe he wasn''t closely tied to the Asgardian King. And even if he was, she wouldn''t feel as awed as she did now, standing before the Fairy King. To her who had never seen Odin and had only heard of him, the Fairy King of her race was a legend. She had nothing but respect for him. Her speech was slower than usual, evidence that she was picking out her words carefully before she let them out.


    "Well done. You did the right thing by coming straight to us" The Fairy King nodded his head in approval as he listened to the words of Mane''s chaperone.


    "It is what any of us would have done, Fairy King Haaland" Mane''s fairy beamed in happiness and said.


    "My King, is it her mistake?" one of the several fairies that crowded the room asked. Mane''s chaperone remained kneeling as she listened to them argue about the information she had brought. All the fairies here were higher leveled than she was. They were all part of the second highest echelon in the Dreamscape. The only ones who had more power than them were the eleven elders and the Fairy King. So, though she felt insulted that they doubted her information, she wasn''t in the position to oppose them.


    "How about you allow them access to your client''s information?" Fairy King Haaland ignored the fairy who asked whether Mane''s fairy provided the wrong information, and asked that she display the information she had attained from Mane. The ignored fairy didn''t feel any grievance at being ignored by the King. Normally, he wasn''t qualified to meet the King, but the special circ.u.mstances allowed the fairies that handled the management of the Dreamscape to meet with the King and the Eleven Elders. All what he could think about was how he was going to boast to his friends when he got back, and tell them how the Fairy King had elegantly ignored him. Such was his fanaticism with the Fairy King. Unfortunately, most of the fairies were like this.


    "As you wish Fairy King Haaland" Mane''s chaperone pushed down the giddy feeling was she experiencing and displayed the panel that had showed up when Mane was asked to choose his difficulty. On the panel were the following words.


    Name: Mane


    Age: 11


    Test Difficulty: Mythical


    Legendary (Recommended)


    Chaos


    "Are there any more doubts about the authenticity of the information?" The Fairy King glanced at the panel for only a short period and asked. Just like the King, the 11 elders only took a cursory glance at the panel before they turned their attention elsewhere. The excited chaperone didn''t miss this.


    ''They know!'' she exclaimed in her mind. Their lack of surprise; the cold eyes that showed very little emotion at the unusual information; and the fact that they didn''t take the claims that the information was fake seriously all pointed to one simple conclusion ¨C they knew already. She would have been flattered if they did that because they trusted her, but she knew that was improbable. Not only was she a lower ranked fairy in charge of guiding the tested, she had also never met the Management until today. It was likely that they knew who this boy was.


    ''Who is he?'' she couldn''t help but think about the blue-eyed boy. Now that she thought about it, he was only 11 years old. That was one of the youngest ages to be recorded in the Dreamscape. Not only was he young, he had the aura of an earth realmer. He was very outstanding by the standards of the True Universe.


    "If no one has any more objections to the information, the 1st elder would explain the circ.u.mstances to you all" Fairy King Haaland announced and left the task to the elder seated directly below him. His words meant that all the attention he was receiving fell on the 1st elder instead.


    "As you wish My King" the 1st elder extended his willingness to follow the King''s command.


    "What I''m about to say mustn''t leave this room" the 1st elder commanded. The fairies held their breath in eagerness, knowing that they were going to learn of some important secrets today.


    "Pardon my rudeness, 1st elder, but does she need to be here?" the fairy who asked about the authenticity of Mane''s fairy''s information interrupted once again. He pointed to Mane''s fairy and questioned her right to listen in on what would definitely be vital information. Other fairies voiced their discontent. They also didn''t think she should be here.


    Mane''s chaperone felt aggrieved as she listened to their complaints. The fairies were a race known for their strict hierarchy. She was a fairy in charge of chaperoning the tested ¨C a low level fairy ¨C but those here were all high level fairies. Although they were numerous, they were barely five percent of the total fairy population in the Dreamscape. They were the elite. It was no wonder that they didn''t want her to be here. As she prepared to leave, the Fairy King raised his bowed head and announced,


    "She stays"


    The room grew quiet at his words as all the protesting fairies were silenced. The King had spoken. They didn''t dare to disobey.


    The 1st elder nodded and continued, "The known levels of difficulty in our realm are seven: Very Low, Low, Below Average, Average, Above Average, High, and Very High. But Very High isn''t the peak level difficulty. There are four other levels above Very High: Mythical, Legendary, Chaos and Origin"


    "There is another level above Chaos?" the fairies who thought that Chaos was actually the highest level were stunned to discover that it wasn''t. Didn''t that mean that there was a monster somewhere in the universe with talent greater than the kid that had arrived?


    "There is" the 1st elder nodded without expressing any emotion. He waited for the fairies to grow calm and he continued, "As you all know, the difficulty of the test determines the kind of world that a person would be sent to, and the kind of power they would start with. From Very Low to Average, the testing grounds are all lower worlds. From Above Average to Very High, the testing grounds are higher worlds"


    His subsequent words didn''t elicit any extraordinary response from the fairies. All the fairies knew this. Even Mane''s chaperone who was at the lowest level of the hierarchy knew this.


    "But it is a bit different when it gets to the levels above the Very High difficulty. The world one is sent to is completely random, and he/she may have to occupy a different body. Of course this also means that the gains from passing the test are also extraordinary" 1st elder revealed

 Chapter 244 - Dreamscape: Part IV

    "Excuse me, 1st elder. What do you mean when you say that the tested may occupy another body? Aren''t we in charge of everything that has to do with the tests?" one of the many fairies asked the question that was on the minds of all the others.


    "It is exactly as I said. Although we control the tests, that is only true for the first seven difficulty levels, and that is why we usually do not bother to inform you about the other four" the 1st elder was particularly patient and didn''t mind the constant interruptions. Rather, he revealed why the other four levels were hidden from the fairies.


    "For the first seven difficulty levels, we can choose the setting and starting point, as well as the tested''s goal in order to pass the test. But for the other seven, the Dreamscape takes total control of their test administration process."


    "If that is the case, should we really have a lower ranked fairy handling the affairs of such a character?" one of the fairies asked. The Dreamscape was a virtual universe, but it also possessed its own will. The fairies knew this because although they were invited here by Odin, the Allfather only did so after approval from the Dreamscape''s Will. The Will maintained the Dreamscape and was basically their superior. So in other words, the Dreamscape''s Will was their boss.


    Mane''s fairy''s heart grew cold at the mention of the topic she very much wanted to avoid. As the 1st elder revealed more and more about the secret of the difficulty levels, she feared that her position would be lost. After all, for a race that took ranks very seriously, there was no way they were going to allow a lower ranked fairy to handle a talent of Mane''s caliber. They needed a better fairy for that, and the reason was simple.


    "I am of the opinion that his chaperone should be changed. We need to show our utmost sincerity to the boy" one of the elders was quick to suggest a replacement for Mane''s fairy. This was the reason why they needed a better fairy. Although the Dreamscape was a separate dimension, the fairies who dwelt here had the ability to travel between universes. They wouldn''t give up the chance to go under the wing of a person with Mane''s level of talent.


    Actually, there was something the elders had hidden from them. A person''s talent wasn''t fixed when they were young. Rather, a person''s talent was set in stone after they passed their teenage years. The fairies had always attended to tested who were young a.d.u.l.ts, and usually between the ages of 21 and 35. They had never handled such a young talent like Mane, so they didn''t know that it was possible for Mane''s talent to reach the highest level ¨C Origin ¨C by the time he was twenty. The only person in the universe who was destined to have such a bright future was the Supreme. Although the possibility was low, the elders believed that the boy was possibly the 7th Supreme. And even if he wasn''t, he was still a talent they could befriend. After all, the Allfather''s fate wasn''t kind. It was believed that he would fall in the final war. The fairies were looking for someone else to depend on if the Allfather indeed fell on the day of Ragnarok.


    "I also believe that a new chaperone must be chosen. Perhaps, someone from the higher rank, or even an elder" one of the elders chimed in. Before long, several elders, with the exception of the 1st and 5th elder had agreed to replace Mane''s chaperone. However, the Fairy King was silent. He hadn''t given his opinion yet. As for Mane''s fairy, she despaired as her ticket to increasing her rank in the shortest possible time, Mane, was slowly pulled from her grasp.


    "Enough" the haughty voice of the Fairy King silenced the murmurs of the fairies. "You have no right to make his decision for him. Am I wrong, Mane, Son of Ray?"


    At the words of the Fairy King, the fairies looked down at where their King stared. There was a small ripple in that space, and the figure that had been hidden until now, revealed himself.


    "How did you get here?" one of the elders asked in shock.


    Mane smirked and tied his long blond hair behind him. "I followed her of course" he replied and pointed at his fairy.


    "Impossible. Even if you have immeasurable potential, you are only at the earth realm. It isn''t possible for you to follow her speed" Another elder was quick to refuse Mane''s explanation. Several fairies acknowledged his words. It was true that while the fairy was lower ranked, her speed couldn''t be matched by Mane.


    "I put a mark on her the first time we met. You see, we scholars have several means" Mane smiled and replied. He kept his gaze fixed on the Fairy King and two of the elders ¨C the 1st and the 5th elders. They were the only ones who noticed that Mane was here. Mane assumed that they were the best of the fairies gathered here.


    "Be quiet" the 1st elder finally spoke. Although he didn''t have the prestige of the Fairy King, the fairies were silenced all the same.


    "So, what do you say, Mane, Son of the Brute King?" the Fairy King asked once again.


    "I don''t need a new chaperone. I quite like this one. She''s cute. Plus, I can''t stand the superior attitude you fairies have deeply engraved in your bones. My pride as a godling wouldn''t allow it" Mane coldly remarked. His words caused many of the fairies to seethe with rage, but one of them shared a very different emotion.


    ''He chose me!'' Mane''s fairy screamed elatedly in her mind. She totally ignored the annoyed looks of her superiors.


    "Come to think of it, I still don''t know your name" Mane smacked his lips in mock disbelief and said.


    "It''s Hildegarde, Sir" Mane''s fairy spoke very politely, much to his discomfort.


    "Just call me Mane. Let''s go. I want to take my test" Mane ignored the angry fairies. He patted his shoulder to indicate to his chaperone to sit there, and walked out. His fairy looked to the Fairy King and was about to ask if it was okay when he read her mind and nodded his head, "Go. He chose you". At his words, she happily flew out and landed on Mane''s shoulder.


    "This is unacceptable. Such disrespect to the Fairy King must not be tolerated!" one of the fairies screamed once Mane disappeared. If it wasn''t because of the restriction that bound them, it would have attacked Mane when he was still here.


    "Shut up if you value your life" a cold voice resounded. The blabbering fairy looked to the originator of the voice. It was the 6th elder.


    "Right now, he is being personally attended to by the Dreamscape''s Will. We aren''t on his level. We who serve the Dreamscape couldn''t possibly hope to go against him. Basically, he is above us in terms of hierarchy." The 4th elder chimed in. The noisy fairies were silenced by his words. They respected hierarchy, and finally understood why their elders had remained calm after the insolence the boy had shown. But the words the Fairy King spoke shortly after the 4th elder had spoken, caused their blood to run cold.


    "Also, you would do well to remember that he isn''t just related to the Allfather. He is of direct descent: Grandson to the Thunder God Thor, and Great Grandson to the Allfather Odin. His father, Ray, is the son of The Olympian King, Zeus, and is rumored to be capable of matching the Thunder God in one on one combat. Tell me, which of you is willing to trade your lives for your petty pride?"

 Chapter 245 - Before There Was Order: Part I

    "Agh" Mane groaned as he held his head. The splitting headache forced him to fall back onto the bed he so desperately wanted to rise up from. He tried to open his eyes to better understand his situation, but even that felt like a herculean task. Panting heavily from his repeated tries to get off the bed, Mane finally decided to wait for a while until he recovered his fleeting strength. After feeling his strength return to his body, Mane tried to lift himself up again. This time, he succeeded. Instinctively grabbing hold of the bed''s railings, Mane gradually opened his eyes.


    After his eyes had accustomed themselves to the light, Mane took a good look around. The first thing to register itself was the bed. It was a simple one person bed, and looked too small for even a housecat to fit in with him. Next to the bed was a strange looking table with what Mane assumed as a teapot, placed right on top of it. Light invaded the room from the small window close to the table. The window was situated close to the ceiling, and next to the window was a small shelf that held what looked very much like a lamp. The room smelt strange, but it wasn''t a particularly bad smell. Rather, it was a smell Mane could recognize.


    "Herbs" Mane mumbled in a husky voice even he didn''t recognize as his own. The baritone voice that came out of his parted lips surprised him for a while, but his attention was swiftly robbed away by the source of the smell. The smell was coming from the teapot. Mane tried standing. He steadied himself with the bed''s railing and held onto it for some time for balance. When he finally felt that it was okay to move, he took a small step forward.


    "Mmm" Mane squeaked as he took the second step. Although he took only two steps, sweat fell from his face profusely as he struggled with a task he never considered difficult ¨C walking.


    "Who knew that it was so difficult" Mane mumbled as he reached the table and held on to it. He released one of his arms ¨C an anchor that kept him from falling by holding on to the table ¨C and slowly raised the teapot''s lid. The speed at which he lifted the lid wasn''t because of his cautiousness, but because what should have been a light cover, felt like a heavy boulder. Mane didn''t know if it was because of his terrible condition that the lid felt so heavy, or if the lid was just naturally heavy. The former seemed like the more likely option, since it didn''t make sense for anyone to make a teapot out of a heavy metal.


    "With my strength, I should have no problem lifting heavy metal gates, not to mention a teapot" Mane smiled. However, when he tried to circulate his inner energy to alleviate some of his pain, his smile disappeared.


    "How come I can''t use any inner energy" Mane was stunned at the unwelcome development?


    "It is part of the test" a foreign voice interrupted, and caused Mane to stumble and almost fall. Luckily, the one who spoke was ready for this and didn''t allow him to fall. Mane floated slowly to the bed, and was gently placed on it. The newcomer made herself available once she had successfully placed Mane on the bed. It was a creature that was similar to a human, but was several times smaller. It had large beautiful wings and flapped them gently to stay above ground.


    "Do you remember me?" the creature asked


    "Yeah," Mane nodded his head and continued, "You''re that fairy ¨C Hildegarde."


    "Great" the fairy excitedly flew onto his chest so he didn''t have to keep lifting his head to see her. "Do you remember how you got here," she continued with her enquiry?


    "There was a panel. A test. I was asked if I was ready and I said yes. That''s all I can remember" Mane tried to recall the events before his sudden unconsciousness, but that was all he could come up with.


    "To be honest, that''s all that happened. After you selected ''Yes'', we were sent to the world where your test would take place. Usually, you should have been able to see the destination and the way to pass the test before you got here, but because you are a special case, that didn''t happen. The testing ground was completely random, and from the little the Fairy King told me, I know that you can look up those details once you will it. It''s kind of like how Spiritualists use Spirit Scan. But this time, you only have to wish that you can see your ''Status'' and it would appear. You must keep in mind however, that what would appear may not be accurate. For instance, your age may be the age chosen for the test, and not your true age"


    The fairy informed Mane. When Mane tried to do what she said, she quickly stopped him and said, "Don''t try it now. Your mind is currently a mess, which is why you are experiencing a migraine. Wait for a while. When the pain subsides, then you can try it out." Mane nodded and didn''t refute her words. Mainly because it made sense.


    "For now, just concentrate on getting some sleep" Hildegarde kindly advised and Mane didn''t reject her. He closed his eyes and before long, fell into a deep sleep.


    Mane woke up at night. He could tell it was night time simply because the window that was the gateway for the light of the noonday sun, was still opened but no light came through it. The object that looked like a lamp was indeed a lamp. It brightened up the room and produced some much needed warmth.


    "How long was I asleep?" Mane raised his head and trunk, and dragged himself towards the headboard. He no longer found it difficult to move his body, and the headache was mostly gone. He leaned on the headboard and found his chaperone looking at the contents of the teapot.


    "5 hours" Hildegarde answered, but her attention was still on the contents of the pot.


    "What are you doing?" Mane asked. Although it was obvious that she was looking at the contents of the pot, Mane wanted to know why she was so focused on it. While it was true that he also wanted to know of its contents, it was mainly to see if it contained medicine or not. Mane just wanted to confirm if it was the source of the medicinal smell in the room. But Hildegarde studied the contents like there was something else in it. So naturally, Mane wanted to know what it was.


    "Analysing the herbs in the pot" Hildegarde replied


    "Why?" Mane wondered


    "I thought maybe that would tell us where we are" Hildegarde stated and Mane understood immediately what she meant. She attempted to find out where they were since the only person who could do that was asleep. But now that Mane was awake, there was no need for that. His headache had subsided and he could find out where they were.


    "I''m awake now, so why the continued interest? What did you find?" Mane was curious as to what she had found that had kept her so invested in the teapot. Since he was up, she should have ignored the pot since he could have simply checked his ''Status''; but she was still checking the contents of the pot.


    "Nothing" Hildegarde turned to face Mane. Her furrowed brows made her look especially cute.


    "What do you mean by that?"


    "I have been to several test areas in the Dreamscape, and I have seen a lot of things. Even with the worlds I have never been to, I would be able identify them if I had a few clues. After all, every fairy studies the worlds and test areas of the Dreamscape; and we are only allowed to become lower ranked fairies when we graduate from our academy. Yet I cannot recognize any of the items in the pot. They have high medicinal qualities, but I have no idea what they are"


    Mane finally understood what she meant by nothing. It seemed that her lack of knowledge concerning the herbs had disturbed her. And from her words, it was obvious that wherever they were, it wasn''t part of the worlds she knew of. It was likely that it was a whole new place. Mane didn''t find that strange. His circ.u.mstances were out of the books, so it made sense that his test would also be unique.


    "Are you feeling better?" Hildegarde asked as she flew away from the teapot and onto Mane''s shoulder.


    "Yeah. I should be able to see my ''Status'' now" Mane nodded and willed for his ''Status'' to appear. He had a lot of experience using Spirit Scan, so it wasn''t difficult.


    Name: Mane


    Age: 15


    Physical Attributes ¨C Strength: 1.5


    Agility: 1.9


    Stamina: 1.2


    Test Difficulty: Chaos


    Testing Ground: Chaotic Era


    Goal: End Goal ¨C Become Chaos


    Daily Quest ¨C Each day a quest would be given that gradually leads to the end goal. Each daily quest must be accomplished for rewards and to draw closer to completing the test. The completion rate is shown below


    Daily Quest: Find out about this world and understand your situation.


    Difficulty ¨C Very Easy


    Completion Rate: 0.00


    Mane smiled bitterly after looking at his physical attributes and the vague explanation of the goal. "I know as little as I did before I read this," he laughed.

 Chapter 246 - Before There Was Order: Part II

    "Wait," Hildegarde silenced Mane. "Someone''s coming," the fairy whispered into his ear.


    "The person who owns the place?" Mane asked, the volume of his voice reduced to match hers.


    "Yes." Hildegarde assented. "He came a couple of times when you were asleep"


    "Are we related in any way?" Mane quickly enquired. His ''Status'' showed that he was 15, not 11. It was either he was still in his own body, but in a more matured phase, or he was in another''s body.


    "I don''t think so," Hildegarde shook her head. "You''re still using your body. Your growth was only accelerated"


    "That''s good to know" Mane sighed in relief.


    "Why do you ask?" Hildegarde c.o.c.ked her head to the side in curiosity. Unfortunately, Mane didn''t see this adorable action because she was seated on his shoulder. And since he didn''t have any of his skills and was basically a normal person, he couldn''t sense it either.


    "The daily quest," Mane stated. "It would be much simpler to solve if we aren''t related," Mane explained.


    "What do you plan to do," Hildegarde questioned?


    "What else can I do," Mane shrugged. "I can only play the amnesia card here. Don''t you read story books?"


    "Shh. He''s at the door" Hildegarde informed Mane. Before Mane could ask where she planned to hide, the door was opened. Mane panicked briefly, his discomfort evident on his face. If this person saw his fairy, there was no way he would have a suitable reply for why he had something like that with him. He gazed at the man who owned the room in worry.


    His caretaker, and the one who had nursed him back to health, was a tall man. His muscular frame was barely contained in the baggy clothes he wore, for even they threatened to fall apart under his ripped physique. He had curly black hair and dark eyes. His hair was plentiful, and it was a style Mane had never seen before. It looked like he was trying to make a ball with his hair. The strange thing was, it suited the man just fine. In fact, Mane thought that he would look really bad without it. Apart from his strangely shaped hair, Mane took notice of his skin color. The man was dark, just like Ananse; but the ebony color of his skin granted him a sought of elegance that even his plain and simple clothes couldn''t hide. He had a few wrinkles on his face, and the few strands of grey in his well-trimmed beard served to prove that although he was in great shape, he wasn''t as young as one would think when one first laid eyes upon him. He had a kind smile that reminded Mane of the missing Uncle Jake. He was a handsome man.


    "You''re up" the man exclaimed when he saw that Mane was seated on the bed. His gaze was full of concern, and his smile was genuine. His bass voice carried authority, and although Mane had lost his inner energy and the rights to be a scholar, he could feel that this man was unordinary. He must be someone of authority.


    "How are you feeling," The man pulled over a chair Mane hadn''t seen earlier, for it was hidden by the foot of his bed, and sat at his bedside. His words caused Mane to smile in relief. His reaction showed that he couldn''t see Hildegarde.


    "No one can see me apart from you. Your test may be different, but the rules for fairies still remain" Hildegarde, who was still sitting on his shoulder informed Mane and assured him that his worries were unfounded.


    "I am feeling much better. Thank you for your help" Mane quickly said when he noticed the strange gaze he was receiving from the man. After all, he was staring blankly into space instead of answering the question. The man would have thought that there was something wrong.


    "It''s no problem. I cannot ignore someone in need. Although I did find it strange to find someone in the Enchanted Forest" the man rubbed his chin and sighed in relief once he heard Mane''s answer. However, his words interested Mane.


    "The Enchanted Forest?" Mane repeated the words that drew his curiosity and looked to the man for an answer.


    "Yes. It''s a dangerous place for one so young to be stranded in. Do you not remember what happened?" the handsome gentleman enquired.


    "I am sorry. I do not remember anything" Mane shook his head and adopted a look of pain as one who was trying to recall something would have.


    "There''s no need to apologize, and you should take it easy. You are still recovering. Your headache would be aggravated if you try to think so hard. After all, not many can survive a Banshee''s scream" the man kindly advised when he saw Mane''s effort to recall some of his memories. Yet, all his words did was to earn more of Mane''s curiosity.


    "A Banshee?" Mane wondered


    "Yeah. It''s a magical creature that specializes in mental attacks. You were lucky to have only collapsed. I heard its scream and rushed towards that location, only to find you unconscious. It seems that it has robbed you of your memories; but that is way better than death. So, do you not remember anything about yourself?" the man offloaded quite a bit of information in very little time. From the corner of his eye, Mane could see the completion rate on the ''Status'' menu increase by 0.02. It seemed that as long as Mane went down this path, and collected as much information as possible, he may be able to complete the daily quest. But to ask so many questions would earn his savior''s suspicion. He had to do it gradually.


    "I can''t remember anything. I am so sorry" Mane acted as though he was genuinely trying to recall his ''lost'' memories, and put on a face of frustration.


    "That''s terrible acting. Even the densest of people would realize there''s something wrong" the invisible Hildegarde mumbled from over his shoulder.


    "I''ve already said that there''s no need to apologize. It isn''t your fault that your memories are a mess" the man kindly tousled Mane''s hair.


    "I stand corrected. He is denser that the universe''s densest man" Hildegarde grumbled. Mane naturally ignored her. He swallowed the guilt he was feeling for deceiving such a kind man and thought about what he had gained so far. Although he couldn''t feel any of his inner energy, and although he didn''t feel the kind hands of Edict reaching for him, Mane knew that this world wasn''t common. The man said that the Banshee was a magical creature, and he didn''t speak of it like it was some big secret. So that must mean that there were several magical creatures roaming the land.


    Secondly, the man run towards the danger, and not away from it. He was either the biggest idiot in the world, or he was extremely confident in his strength, so much so that he didn''t fear the Banshee. From the fact that he had rescued Mane and didn''t seem to be nursing any injuries, it was safe to assume that he had dealt with the Banshee pretty easily.


    "Do you at least remember your name? I''m Dan" the man extended his huge hands for a handshake.


    Mane wondered if he should offer his real name, and finally settled on doing so. After all, the Dreamscape was a different dimension. No one knew him here, and it wasn''t likely that he would run into anyone from this dimension after completing his test. Besides, he had told too many lies. He might as well say something that was indeed true.


    "You don''t need to try so hard to recall it if you do not remember" Dan looked at Mane worriedly, assuming that the boy''s look of contemplation on whether or not he should give his real name, was an effort at remembering what his name was.


    Mane played along and grabbed Dan''s open hand. "Mane. I think my name is Mane"


    "Nice to meet you Mane" Dan shook Mane''s hand gently, an action that may have been directed by his fear of aggravating Mane''s injuries.


    Mane smiled as he shook his hand. It was now that Mane realized that although Dan''s hands were big, Mane''s weren''t small either. Granted they weren''t as large as Dan''s, but they were certainly larger than the average 15 year old from his world. At the very least, Frederick wasn''t as large as this. It was likely that the people of this world were larger than average, and it wasn''t Dan who was abnormally large.


    "Status" Mane chanted in his mind. As he shook Dan''s hand, he was overcome by a strange idea. He used ''Status'' on Dan. If it was indeed like Spirit Scan, as Hildegarde had said, then he should be able to see Dan''s stats.


    Name: Dan


    Age: 47


    Physical Attributes ¨C Strength: 15.7


    Agility: 13.8


    Stamina: 18.2


    Path: Mystic User


    "Nice to meet you too" Mane squeezed out of his mouth as he thought to himself,


    "What a beast!"

 Chapter 247 - Before There Was Chaos: Part III

    "Well then, let me leave you to get some more rest. We''d talk more tomorrow morning" Dan released Mane''s hand and stood up. However, as he was reaching for the door, Mane stopped him and asked for a favor.


    "Hold on Sir Dan. If it isn''t too much to ask, can I get a couple of books to occupy my time?" Mane pleaded.


    Seeing that Dan was looking at him strangely, he quickly delivered an explanation for his actions. "I think that reading about world history and other things about magical beasts may help me remember something"


    "I see. Alright, I''d get you some books. No one is reading them anyway and they have longed for the touch of one seeking for wisdom. However, don''t do too much. When you get exhausted, promise me that you''d let go of the books and go to bed. It''s already nighttime." Dan promised to do as Mane said, but he didn''t do so without leaving several warnings and reminders for the young Supreme.


    "I will. Thank you Sir Dan" Mane expressed his thanks to the man.


    "No need to call me ''Sir''. It''s too formal, and I am not one for formalities. You can call me Dan" Dan smiled as he opened the door.


    "Alright then Dan" Mane obliged.


    "Hahaha. Good. I''d be back with the books soon" Dan said and exited the room.


    "Hoping that you can learn more about this world from the books?" No sooner had he left when Hildegarde asked.


    "Yes. If I wait till tomorrow, the quest would have ended, and I would have failed. After all, the fact that I slept the entire day has nothing to do with the quest progression. Injury or no injury, I do not think that the Chaos difficulty would make things easy" Mane waited for a few more seconds before he answered Hildegarde. Dan might not be able to see her or hear her, but that didn''t refer to Mane. If Dan heard him talking to someone, the older man might just label him as insane.


    "That is true. I have never been a chaperone to someone who was left injured right at the start, but I''m guessing that''s all part of the difficulty level" Hildegarde was quick to acknowledge Mane''s thinking and didn''t hide it.


    "Besides, the books might have more information on the ''Mystic Arts'' tag I saw on Dan" Mane rubbed his chin and said. It was only after doing so that he realized that it wasn''t smooth like it was supposed to be. There was hair underneath his chin!


    "Wait. Did I grow a beard?" Mane asked in shock. And almost lost his grip on the bed. Luckily for him, Hildegarde had good reflexes and used her abilities to keep him stable.


    "You only just realized?" Hildegarde scoffed. "Tomorrow morning you should see if you can get yourself a mirror or whatever its equivalent is in this world, and have a good look for yourself." She continued and returned to his shoulder.


    "What color is it" Mane sighed and asked? "Blond of course, but with a bit of brown in it" Hildegarde answered.


    "Brown huh. Dad would like it" Mane smiled as he thought of his father''s reaction had he been here. Ray always complained that Mane looked more like his mother than himself. So he would have been happy to see a streak of brown in Mane''s beard. After all, that was his hair color.


    "Stop fantasizing about someone who isn''t here and open your status window. There''s something fun on there for you" Hildegarde mercilessly dismissed his thoughts of his family and pressed him to open his ''Status''. Currently, the ''Status'' window was minimized, as that was the best option. After all, Mane couldn''t have it on full display and interfering with his vision. The minimized window only showed the completion rate. It allowed Mane to tell whether or not he was making progress whenever he was completing a task. This was very helpful, since it allowed Mane to disregard anything that was of no relevance. Thankfully, ''Status'' didn''t dwell on his energy, or else he wouldn''t be able to use it, much less maintain it. Otherwise, he would have had to close it entirely.


    "Alright," Mane helplessly answered although she had interrupted his thoughts. He started to miss the brief period in the meeting room of all the fairies, where she called him Sir. If he had known this was how casual she was going to be, he would have messed with her a bit more before asking her to drop the pleasantries.


    "What are you thinking about that is causing you to smile like a thief?" Hildegarde raised her brow in suspicion.


    "Nothing. Now let''s check my ''Status''. Hehe" Mane quickly changed the topic.


    Name: Mane


    Age: 15


    Current Setting: Injured


    Physical Attributes ¨C *Strength: 2.5


    *Agility: 2.9


    *Stamina: 2.2


    Test Difficulty: Chaos


    Testing Ground: Chaotic Era


    Goal: End Goal ¨C Become Chaos


    Daily Quest: Find out about this world and understand your situation.


    Difficulty ¨C Very Easy


    Hidden Quest: The meaning is in its title. These quests aren''t given to the tested, but are hidden from his/her eyes. Completing these quests do not raise the completion rate of the test, but they provide a suitable reward.


    *Hidden Quest: Use ''Status'' to check the attributes of another ¨C Reward: Increase all stats by one point [Completed]


    Completion Rate: 0.03


    "That''s interesting," Mane rubbed his hair filled chin and said.


    "You are so annoying. Every other participant is usually excited to see the completion of a hidden quest." Hildegarde pouted and grumbled.


    "Well, it certainly was a surprise. It''s just that I don''t feel anything" Mane acknowledged that he was stunned to see the new information; however, he didn''t really feel any significant changes. This caused him to wonder if points for attributes weren''t so significant. Maybe Dan''s double figure physical attributes weren''t as impressive as he thought.


    "Of course you don''t feel anything" Hildegarde interrupted his thoughts. "You see the part that is labeled ''Current Setting''?" she asked.


    "I do," Mane nodded.


    "That means that your attributes are just numbers right now. Unless you fully recover, you wouldn''t really feel any change. Right now, your actual physical attributes are about 20% of what they are supposed to be" Hildegarde explained.


    "I see. That makes a lot of sense now" Mane smiled.


    "Of course it does. Let me tell you this: only high leveled Hidden Quests give as much as 1 point increase in physical attributes. The highest leveled ones give as much as a 2 points increase!" Hildegarde revealed.


    "Then I didn''t get much" Mane shrugged, feeling that it was good that he didn''t get too excited by the 1 point increase in all stats.


    "Humph. What do you know?" Hildegarde folded her arms in disdain. "Its 2 points for only one attribute. It isn''t allocated to all attributes, and it is usually random. It is clear that you got something really good here" she snorted.


    "I see. Hildegarde, you are surprisingly well informed. Who would have known?" Mane smirked playfully


    "Huh. Are you looking down on me" Hildegarde pointed in Mane''s face and asked.


    "Of course not. It''s nothing of the sort. I just thought that low ranked fairies wouldn''t know this" Mane shook his head and said. He based his information off of what he heard in the fairies meeting room.


    "I''m low ranked so what? Let me tell you this: I have chaperoned many tested and have the highest scores amongst my peers" she boasted


    "Oh, that''s mighty impressive," Mane feigned pride in her accomplishment. "It''s no wonder you know so much about the point distribution system"


    "Of course," Hildegarde smirked.


    "Then Dan must be really strong," Mane said.


    "Yes"


    "And all the worlds use the point system right?"


    "They do-" Hildegarde quickly covered her mouth. She turned towards Mane to see him smirking at her.


    "You deceived me!" she huffed.


    "Nope. You deceived yourself" Mane happily threw her words back to her. "You!" Hildegarde couldn''t do anything but point at her deceiver in anger.


    "Relax. I only did it to see if it was a hidden quest; and apparently it was" Mane wiped the smile off his face and pointed at the ''Status'' window that only he and Hildegarde could see. Another Hidden Quest had appeared and it read


    *Hidden Quest: Trick a fairy into revealing secretive information ¨C Reward: 1.5 points added to Stamina [Completed]


    Because of this quest''s reward, Mane''s stamina was now his highest physical attribute.


    Physical Attributes ¨C Strength: 2.5


    Agility: 2.9


    Stamina: 3.7


    "Don''t you know that they would deduct points from me? My hard earned points" Hildegarde sadly tucked her head between her arms.


    "No they won''t," Mane confidently stated. "You didn''t read it fully. It says at the end that if the information is given willingly, the fairy would lose 500 work points, and the quest wouldn''t be considered as completed. It is only completed if it is done through trickery" Mane assured her.


    "Really?" Hildegarde seemed to have regained her energy. She checked Mane''s ''Status'' again and saw what Mane as talking about, but it wasn''t enough for her. She closed her eyes as though she was reviewing something. Mane didn''t interrupt. He assumed that it was a way for fairies to see their gathered points. These were points that they earned for completing their chaperone duties. It was the secure way for them to rank up.


    "They are all here!" Hildegarde exclaimed in joy after opening her eyes.


    "See? I told you" Mane smiled.


    "Keep quiet. Dan is almost here" Hildegarde turned away from him and flew towards the table. Mane smiled wryly seeing that she was ignoring him, but he didn''t call her back. Dan was returning with the books. It was finally time to learn more about this testing ground.

 Chapter 248 - Before There Was Order: Part IV

    "This world is definitely underdeveloped" Mane sighed as he looked over the information he had been given. Dan arrived at his room only minutes ago to complete the final transfer. Yes, you heard right ¨C final transfer. Mane assumed that the books were well compiled sources of information, but he was wrong. Sure they were called books just like in other worlds, but these so called books were just large sheets of paper bundled together and held by a very long string! The sheets weren''t light and crispy like what Mane was used to, rather they were hard and heavy and it was difficult to carry more than a few dozen at once. Dan delivered seven different bundles of these ''books''. He had taken almost ten trips to bring them all here. The state of these ''books'', brought a few things to Mane''s attention.


    Firstly, the papers were rough and coarse because they weren''t delicately processed. It wasn''t because Dan was poor or something. After all, his gaze when he brought the books over was that of pride. It didn''t take much to see that getting one''s hands on a piece of paper in this world was difficult. For Dan to be able to get his hands on such a great number of papers was very impressive.


    The other thing Mane had taken note of was that the information on the paper was handwritten. Although the handwriting was delicate, and the penmanship was exquisite, Mane knew a handwritten text when he saw one. And all books ¨C all seven bundles of them ¨C were handwritten. It seemed that to get information in this age was harder than normal.


    The third thing Mane noticed was the fact that the handwriting belonged to one person. That''s right, only one person filled all the sheets of papers. In other words, all seven bundles of papers ¨C sorry, books ¨C were written by the same person. This further enforced Mane''s belief that it was very difficult to get information in this world.


    Mane also took notice of the language. Mane didn''t recognize the language of this world although he had studied several languages to prepare for his travels across the universe. Yet, he could understand Dan''s words, and the text on the paper, though foreign in language, didn''t escape his comprehension. According to Hildegarde, it seemed that automatic language perception was given to Mane for this test. This was because Chaos was only the second highest level of difficulty. According to Hildegarde''s conjecture, ''Origin'', which was the highest difficulty that one could ever record, may not have such a bonus.


    "And it seems that I was pretty lucky to come across Dan in my unconscious state" Mane sighed to himself. That was also a very lucky encounter. In a world that had such scarce information, Mane was lucky that the one who came across his unconscious frame in the Enchanted Forest was one of the few men who had information on this world. Mane truly understood how strange it was for him to ask Dan for ''some books'' to read. Even if he had lost his memory, he shouldn''t have forgotten how scarce information was in this world. Luckily for him, Dan had books, and wasn''t afraid to share.


    "The fact that they use such a primitive method to store information could mean only one thing" Hildegarde had returned to her rightful spot on Mane''s shoulder. She pondered the options they had and what their current situation meant. But she wasn''t the only one who had considered their situation. Although Mane had lost his rights to be a scholar after entering this testing ground, he still had a high intelligence quotient, and he wasn''t afraid to but his brain to work ¨C injured or not.


    "It is a world plagued by war and chaos" Mane stated.


    "Indeed. That was exactly what I was thinking" Hildegarde nodded. There were many worlds in Mane''s universe that were still experiencing turbulent times, but they still had books and other sources of information. Yet this world stored information in the most primitive way, and it was a luxury to have an archive of information. This meant that the chaos and war the drowned this world in blood, and made it impossible for one to think about storing information when they could only think about saving their lives. This also meant that the world was severely divided, and there weren''t really any powerful forces keeping things in check.


    For instance, in the world of Zandor, there were four powerful empires that kept things in order: The Northern Empire, which boasted of the best generals; the Eastern Empire, which was famed for their brutal methods against their enemies; the Western Empire, which had the most nobles and the best military education in the world, and served as the centre for the Wielding Academy; and the secretive Southern Empire, which had the least number of wielders compared to the other three, but was very strong nonetheless.


    These empires kept the world in check, and recorded all the information about the world of Zandor. This made it possible for the latter generation, those who had only just been born and those before them, to know about the history of their world. Granted, they didn''t have everything recorded, and there was a knowledge gap that hadn''t been filled in those war ridden years that broke families apart and dyed the earth with blood; but they still recorded much information, and many benefited from their efforts ¨C Mane included.


    For this world to not even have books, showed that there was a lot of turmoil. Mane finally understood why the testing ground was referred to as the Chaotic Era. This planet didn''t have what every relatively stable planet had ¨C a name.


    "From what is written here, this world doesn''t truly have any history. You can say that we are in the initial stages of this world''s history" Mane was reading through the first ''book''. Hildegarde sat on his shoulder and saw everything he did.


    "Indeed. The world is barely a hundred years old. It truly is the Chaotic Era" Hildegarde mumbled.


    "It is," Mane nodded. "I can now understand a bit of what the Origin difficulty would be like" Mane rubbed his beard and said.


    "What do you mean," Hildegarde wondered?


    "Well, although this world is young ¨C so young that I doubt that it has a Will ¨C it is still doable," Mane crossed his legs as he explained.


    "So you are saying that the ''Origin'' difficulty is much similar to this," Hildegarde was very sharp. Although Mane didn''t really say anything related to it, she could tell what he meant.


    "Bingo," Mane pointed to the wall and feigned pulling a trigger. "Think about it. Although I am on the Chaos difficulty, I was lucky enough to get picked up by a strong passerby, who just happened to have some text about this budding world written down on what is a scarce resource here ¨C paper. I''m guessing that the ''Origin'' difficulty would have a world similar to this as its testing ground, but without the element of luck" Mane explained his theory.


    "I see," Hildegarde picked up Mane''s habit of rubbing his chin and nodded. Since ''Mythical'', ''Legend'', ''Chaos'', and ''Origin'' weren''t commonly known difficulty levels, her understanding of them was almost as vague as Mane''s; however, she felt that Mane''s words seemed more likely to be true.


    "So the biggest difference between the two, is luck," Mane stated. "And that would explain the end goal ¨C Become Chaos. In a world that has no order, it seems that I must be the one to bring about order" Mane yawned and said.


    "Oh? How is becoming Chaos related to order?" Hildegarde questioned Mane.


    "What comes before order" Mane smiled and said?


    "Chaos. Oh I see" Hildegarde finally understood what Mane was saying. She finally got what he was trying to convey.


    Mane smiled at her and said, "I must become someone that would bring the natives of this world together. This book here says that there are several mercenaries and bandits roaming the world. There is disorder everywhere and chaos is the daily bread of the common people who have no power to defend themselves. ****, pillage, murder, conquest ¨C these things have ravaged the world and set it aflame. The seven deadly sins thrive in this environment, and everyone tries their hardest to fend for themselves. Only a few like Dan see the bigger picture and try to bring up a force, but they struggle immensely to grow"


    Hildegarde only listened; she didn''t interrupt. When Mane first laid eyes on Dan, he said that he was a man with authority. Maybe Mane was right. Maybe the reason Dan recorded the history of the world was because he dreamed of liberating it from the countless wars and strive, and finally conceiving a generation that didn''t know war; yet, were informed of their background. From the minimized ''Status'' window she could see the completion rate shooting up. This was the first time she was part of a test that had a vague goal, and needed the tested to figure out what he had to do for himself. But that was why it was the ''Chaos'' difficulty. So seeing the completion rate going up because Mane had realized what he was meant to do was a first for her. The blinking ''Status'' window also suggested that Mane might have completed some quest. She would have to prompt him when he came back to himself so that they could see what it was.


    "In this world where humans have ignored the threat of Magical Beasts and are focused on destroying each other, with each man selfishly looking for a way to carve out his own territory, it is necessary that they have one goal. They must have an enemy so great that they would put aside their differences and band as one, seeking to take back their planet. The dispersed chaos must be gathered by one person; it must be centralized so that the entire world would see what it has to do. If the Magical Beasts, who are simple minded and more divided than the humans cannot do that, then I will. I would be that person. I must become chaos itself and wage war on this planet. I must be the force that drives them to stick to each other."


    Mane laughed softly as he truly grasped what he was supposed to do. He had much to read, but he knew the general outline of his task now. It was unfortunate that he had to become the villain so that his divided world would finally be united as one, but he could only answer the call of the Dreamscape and do this so that he would finish his quest. That was the only way to return home.


    "I would ask Dan to teach me the fighting arts of this world when I am healed. I''m sure he would oblige" Mane mumbled.


    "This test isn''t going to be easy at all" Hildegarde sighed and slumped unto Mane''s shoulder.


    "No it isn''t; but it has to be this way. For before there was order, there was chaos"

 Chapter 249 - The Chaotic Era

    Mane was given seven books by Dan. Although the author was unknown, Mane thought that it was likely that this person was a friend of Dan''s. A friend, or a subordinate.


    The books gave very detailed explanations of the current testing ground. Although this world didn''t have a name, all other information that pertained to its current affairs and the affairs of the few years before this one were mentioned in the book.


    This unknown world didn''t have any grand territories. There weren''t any magnificent kingdoms or empires, neither were there any associations of power that kept things in check. But there were common professions ¨C jobs that people of this world have grown accustomed to in order to survive. However, before the professions could be properly introduced, it was necessary to understand more about the ones who shared the planet with the humans ¨C the Magical Beasts.


    Magical Beasts were creatures that were far stronger than normal creatures of the world. Not only were they several times more powerful than the average creature, they also possessed some level of intellect that allowed them to survive in this brutal world. Although it wasn''t the same for each creature, most of the Magical Beasts possessed intelligence similar to a 5 year old. Of course there were some Magical Beasts that were more intelligent and made it so that this general statement was inaccurate, and there were some like the Banshee, which were so silly and unintelligent that even a baby was smarter. Of course for Magical Beasts, intelligence wasn''t equivalent to strength. There were Magical Beasts that were highly intelligent, but of no threat at all. Such beasts usually chose to hide to avoid predators. There were also Magical Beasts that had very low intelligence, but were very powerful. Such beasts relied on their primitive instincts to hunt and kill.


    Magical Beasts were classified into five: low class; middle class; high class; mythic class; and legendary class. Low Class Magical Beasts had tough skin and powerful physical attributes, but that was all they could boast of. Middle Class Magical Beast were also very powerful physically, but they were about two times stronger than the average Low Class Magical Beast. Now after the middle class, the other classes were truly different. Starting from the high class, Magical Beasts developed particular attributes that made them difficult to contend with. Every High Class Magical Beast a special ability. For instance, the Banshee that Dan had taken care of in the Enchanted Forest was a High Class Magical Beast. Because it was a High Class Magical Beast, it had the ability to affect a person''s mind with its scream. Not only could its shrill screams incapacitate a person, they could also kill any weaker opponent instantly by causing the brain to rupture! However, not all High Class Magical Beasts had tough bodies. A Magical Beast like the Banshee was extremely weak in close combat, due to its normal physique. So in some cases, as long as one was well prepared, taking care of a physically weak High Class Magical Beast like the Banshee wasn''t difficult. In fact, for a hunter well prepared to face a Banshee, meeting a High Class Magical Beast that also had powerful physical attributes, or even a Middle Class Magical beast, was a far worse outcome.


    Mythic Class Magical Beasts were also extremely powerful. Just like High Class Magical Beasts, Mythic Class Magical Beasts also had special abilities. But unlike High Class Magical Beasts, this special ability wasn''t limited to one. An example of such a beast was the Banshee Queen. Mane read about them in one of the books Dan had delivered to him. That book was focused on explaining the different kinds of Magical Beasts that one should be weary of. It had several magical beasts described in it, and there were even pictures to go with it. Anyway, in this particular book, the Banshee Queen was described. Banshees were extremely dangerous because they never moved alone. They moved together. The fact that one could handle one banshee on his/her own, didn''t mean that he/she could recklessly hunt for one. It was a dangerous move that would never pay off. And the main reason for that was the existence of the Banshee Queen. This Mythic Class Magical Beast was stronger than the normal banshees. Not only did it have a far more potent scream, it also had physical attributes that could rival that of a Middle Class Magical Beast. For the banshee species that had bodies so weak that even Low Class Magical Beasts were physically stronger, the physical attributes of the queen was very impressive. But that wasn''t what made her stand out. The other skill that the Banshee Queen possessed was the ''Strengthening'' skill. This skill seemed useless on the surface, and it was indeed useless if the Queen was all by her lonesome. But things were different when she was surrounded by several banshees. The ''Strengthening'' skill could increase the power of the normal banshees, making them tougher and stronger than they were; and essentially more difficult to deal with. So normally, very strong people who hunted the banshees, came up with intelligent ways to draw out the queen so she could be killed first.


    Then there was the last class ¨C the Legendary Class. There was a massive gulf between Legendary Class Magical Beasts and Mythic Class Magical Beasts. Once again, let us use the Banshee Queen as an example. Although the Banshee Queen possessed two skills, ''Scream'' and ''Strengthening'', they weren''t used without cost. Because her scream was stronger than the average banshee, it had a cooldown period. The stronger her scream, the longer the cooldown period. As for the ''Strengthening'' skill, it couldn''t be used more than once a day. And whenever it was used, the Banshee Queen would become weaker, and her physical attributes that rivaled Middle Class Magical Beasts would drop to the level of the Low Class Magical Beasts. All Mythic Class Creatures basically followed this rule. Although they were powerful, their power didn''t come without any cost. This was were Legendary Class Magical Beasts distinguished themselves.


    Unlike the Mythic Class, the Legendary Class possessed more than two skills. Usually, a Legendary Class possessed at least five skills, and one ultimate skill! All the skills ¨C with the exception of the ultimate skill ¨C didn''t require any cooldown! It was a massive cheat that only the Legendary Class possessed.


    However, Legendary Class Beasts were very rare. At least from what Mane had read, in the entire history of this world ¨C although it was short ¨C there had only been a single sighting of a Legendary Class Magical Beast. That beast was a Winged Serpent. Although the inhabitants of this world eventually managed to kill it, they paid a hefty price. The information on the Legendary Class was based on this one creature, so it wasn''t to be relied upon. After all, it was likely that the serpent was weaker or stronger than the normal Legendary Class. In other words, the information wasn''t enough to accurately judge the strength of a Legendary Class. It was better to reserve judgement on how strong they were until there were a multitude of Legendary Class Magical Beasts to study. Of course, the entire world would prefer that the information on them was scarce, rather than see a large army of Legendary Class Magical Beasts appear.


    Although Magical Beasts were powerful, humans were still able to thrive. In fact, humans had done so well in this world that they even ignored the Magical Beasts, and fought against each other. It could be understood if humans were able to go against Low Class Magical Beasts, or even the Middle Classes. After all, although they were strong, as long as several strong humans worked together with a couple of sharp tools, they could kill them. However, what about the High Classes and the Mythic Classes? How had humans been able to not only fend them off, but trap several of them in what came to be known as Enchanted Forests? The answer was simple, and it was something Mane had seen when he read Dan''s ''Status'' window ¨C the Mystic Path.


    The Mystic Path was developed by a group of desperate humans who believed that it was possible that, just like Magical Beasts, humans had a potential towards strange abilities that were hidden within them. These mad men, who found nothing wrong in experimenting on young children, theorized that it was possible to break the cage that sealed the potential of human beings, and developed a drug after countless errors that had a 10 % chance of doing just that. They called this drug ''Savior'', since it was meant to save the human race from the threat of extinction by Magical Beasts. Although Savior didn''t awaken the hidden potential in everyone, it still worked on some people. These people became known as ''Mystic Path Warriors'', and fought to protect humanity from Magical Beasts.


    They possessed several strange abilities. Some were able to fly and shoot fire. Others could navigate the underground like dwarves and easily escape from any threat. They were a powerful force that kept humanity together. However, during the subjugation of the Winged Serpent, several Mystic Path Warriors lost their lives, and the few that survived acquired injuries that left them incapable of fighting anymore. The human race separated after the Mystic Path Warriors fell. Several savages arose from within the human race. They attacked the men who developed ''Savior'' in hopes of getting the recipe for themselves. Unfortunately, they ended up killing the creators of the drug without achieving their goals, losing ''Savior'' in the process. They did get a different recipe, a failed version of ''Savior'' that had a higher rate of success, but pulled out relatively weaker abilities. This drug developed warriors that were called ''New Types''.


    After the human race became divided, people went their own ways. Some became Adventurers, seeking to live life in the thrill of hunting Magical Beasts. Others became Bandits and grew accustomed to taking what wasn''t theirs. Pillaging and **** became their daily bread. Some still became assassins, and some lived simple lives as merchants or common people. In this world where there wasn''t any powerful force to keep the people in check, humans were highly divided. There were only villages, towns and cities; but no kingdoms or empires. Unlike the better protected cities, the towns and villages were subject to the raiding of Bandits, and were very vulnerable. Mane was currently in a village.


    However, although the number of Mystic Path Warriors had grown thin, there were still some left in the world. Dan was such a person. Mane couldn''t help but wonder if he was actually part of the generation that went against the serpent. If he was, it would explain how the man was able to easily rescue him from a banshee. And if the books were to be believed, he was currently injured.


    "If this is his injured state, then how strong was he in his prime," Mane wondered? He felt that Dan gave off an air of authority. Did it have to do with his past? Or was it his present?

 Chapter 250 - Training In Another Universe: Part I

    Within a small courtyard, there was a straw dummy. There was nothing particularly fancy about the dummy. It was crudely made and was nailed to the ground by a large iron rod. This dummy was positioned at one of the four corners of the courtyard. Usually this dummy was all alone, but not today. Today, there was someone standing right in front of the dummy. This person was a tall teenager with curiously good looks. The teenage boy was focused on striking the dummy in front of him. His brilliant golden hair swayed with every strike, and his steely blue eyes were filled with determination. His young face looked a tad bit more mature because of his beard. Every now and then, he''d stop to wipe off the sweat that got into his eyes. Then, he would continue. This boy was obviously Mane.


    *Bang*


    *Bang*


    The loud sounds of the dummy being struck filled the courtyard for a good dozen minutes. Other than the few times Mane stopped to clean his sweat, he never gave himself any rest at all. When Mane finally decided to take a breather, a small winged figure that wasn''t with him initially, flew onto his shoulder.


    "I''m sweaty," Mane tried to advise the fairy sitting on his shoulder to get a new spot because he was filthy.


    "I don''t care," Hildegarde plainly stated and proceeded to lay down comfortably on Mane''s shoulder. She was tiny, so it wasn''t cramped for her at all.


    "This is so uncomfortable. Your shoulder is no longer a pleasant resting place" Hildegarde was full of complaints as she tossed and turned upon Mane''s shoulder, seeking for a comfortable position.


    "What did you expect? I''m growing after all" Mane smiled bitterly at her complaints and defended himself. It had been a month since he came into this world. Within that brief period, he had grown stronger, and his body was showing signs of this growth. When he first arrived in this world, his body was similar to one that had never seen any hard work before. Since Mane became a body wielder, such a weak body was not a great thing for him. After all, even his 11 year old body in the real universe was ripped. Unfortunately, although he had been given his actual face and looks for the test, the body he was given was devoid of any training or strength. So Mane decided to train. Luckily for him, although the Edict and its rival, Chaos, had no influence here, there was someone more than willing to teach Mane what they referred to as ''Body Strengthening'' in this world. This teacher was naturally Dan.


    Body Strengthening was similar to Body Wielding in Mane''s universe. It was just that instead of training one''s body for the sole purpose of making it adapt to the vibrant outer energy, Body Strengthening focused on training the body without outer energy. So obviously, it wasn''t as powerful as being a Body Wielder, but it was good enough to survive in this world. With Body Wielding, although one trains the body, the focus is on increasing one''s affinity and control for outer energy. Body Strengthening had no such focus. With Body Strengthening, one trains the body constantly, pushing past his/her limits so that he/she can draw out the potential of his/her body. That was what Mane was doing right now.


    "Heads up," Hildegarde whispered. "Dan''s back," she finished. Although Dan wouldn''t be able to hear her, she had developed the habit of whispering in his presence so that she wouldn''t distract Mane when Dan was around. Mane was happy about it of course. He was thankful for her consideration.


    Dan showed up in less than a minute, with a large bull on his shoulder. "Are you done with the morning''s drill," Dan approached Mane with a smile and asked. He casually dumped the bull onto the ground and sat next to Mane.


    "Yeah," Mane nodded. He and Dan had grown close over the past month, and Mane no longer felt awkward around the older man. The fact that he reminded him of Uncle Jake also helped, making it easier for Mane to open up to Dan. Of course he didn''t tell him any of his secrets, or his background, but he was open to him about everything else; especially his training. Dan smiled at Mane and proceeded to interrogate him


    "100 Handstand pushups?"


    "Done"


    "200 Jump squats?"


    "Done"


    "1 hour of Wire Skipping?"


    "Done"


    "Jogging?"


    "Done"


    "10 minutes of Dummy Strikes?"


    "Done"


    Dan nodded his head after Mane''s final reply. He didn''t doubt Mane''s answers. He learnt much about Mane during this one month period, and one thing he realized was that the boy was always eager for more when it came to training. Although he had assigned repetitions to each of the exercises, he knew that Mane always did more. So the question wasn''t whether or not he had done the drill, but how many times he had done it.


    "How many times did you perform them," Dan asked


    "Four times," Mane replied


    "That''s unbelievable," Dan sighed. "To do four sets in just an hour and 30 minutes is amazing," Dan patted Mane''s shoulder and praised the teenager. He had never met one as dedicated as Mane when it came to training. The young boy trained and trained and trained, and cared little for anything else. He wasn''t interested in meeting the other members of the village, neither was he concerned about his looks. It wasn''t like that was a problem since he was very good looking, although Dan did think that he could do with a trim for his beard. Of course what Dan didn''t know was that Mane wasn''t a member of this world, and was going to leave eventually. To Mane, it wasn''t necessary to grow attached to a world he would eventually abandon.


    "The way you train is exceptional. You train like a madman" Dan laughed and said. Handstand push-ups were upside down push-ups and were challenging. Not only did one have to be strong, one also needed to have good balance to keep from constantly falling.


    The dummy that Mane trained with was covered in straw, but that was only on the outside. It was entirely made of crude iron on the inside. The straw only served as its ''skin''. If Mane had his original level of skill, destroying iron would have been easy, but with his puny power now, it was very difficult to even dent it. All he got for his hard work were calloused knuckles that hurt every time he trained, and bleeding fists. Although to be fair, training with the dummy allowed him to hone his fighting skills. Now his punches and kicks were faster, and his tolerance to pain had improved by a great deal.


    As for Wire Skipping, it was similar to jumping ropes in Mane''s world, but it was more dangerous. Instead of using a rope and jumping over it, the object that replaced the rope was a wire string that was capable of easily splitting a rock into two. A moment of carelessness and one could very well lose their legs. Although Dan was against using the wire rope, Mane constantly sneaked into his room for it whenever he wasn''t around. In the end, Dan couldn''t do anything but have Mane promise that he would always be careful. Even Hildegarde didn''t understand Mane''s obsession with the dangerous tool. When she asked him, he answered thusly


    "Don''t you know that Protagonists have fate swirling around them? There is no way anything would happen to me."


    After his reply, Hildegarde didn''t bother asking him about it anymore for fear of losing control of herself and punching him in the face, which would disqualify her from being his chaperone. So when Dan said Mane trained like a madman, she butted in. It was a pity that the only person who could hear her was Mane.


    "I agree," Hildegarde''s unhelpful contribution caused Mane to smile wryly, something he found himself doing constantly these days.


    Mane shrugged and opened his ''Status'' window.


    Name: Mane


    Age: 15


    Current Setting: Healthy


    Physical Attributes ¨C Strength: 3.2


    Agility: 3.2


    Stamina: 3.9


    Test Difficulty: Chaos


    Testing Ground: Chaotic Era


    Goal: End Goal ¨C Become Chaos


    Completion Rate: 4.12


    Mane had grown greatly over the past month. This month of training allowed him to appreciate the absurdity of Dan''s stats more. It took him a whole month of gruesome training and occasional spars with Dan to move his stats by just over about 1.2 overall. And that was only possible because of the reward he had gotten for finding out what the end goal ''Become Chaos'' was.


    As expected, it was a hidden quest, and solving it granted him a 0.5x multiplier whenever he trained. As for the daily quests he solved every day, the rewards were minuscule and the best he got so far was 1.5x healing rate for all injuries. However, according to Dan, the current Mane was strong enough to handle an average Low Class Magical Beast.


    "Is that a Rage Bull," Mane carefully examined the dead bull on the ground and wondered? The village they lived in wasn''t very far from an Enchanted Forest. The village was far enough from the forest so that they weren''t threatened by the Magical Beasts, but close enough so that any adventurer could travel there in about 30 minutes. It was the very same Enchanted Forest where Dan found Mane.


    By now, Mane had studied the books he had received from Dan over and over again. He was knowledgeable in the information about Magical Beasts. The Rage Bull was a Middle Class Magical Beast that commanded herd of Low Class Magical Beasts called Dark Bulls. Dark Bulls were strong and fast, and had devilishly powerful horns that could split iron into two. They were called Dark Bulls because of the black color of their skin.


    Rage Bulls usually commanded a herd of 10 Dark Bulls. Just like Dark Bulls, they were also strong and fast, and were black in color. But they were two times stronger than the regular Dark Bull. Their horns were also more powerful, and they turned a bit red whenever they got mad, losing their reasoning and making it even more difficult to fight them. They were definitely stronger than most Middle Class Magical Beasts and weren''t to be trifled with.


    "Good eye. You are really making use of the books I gave you" Dan smiled and praised Mane.


    Mane sighed in admiration after hearing Dan confirm his suspicions. Rage Bulls were delicacies, and were highly nutritional, making them the right choice of meat for anyone undergoing strenuous training. It was clear that Dan got the bull for Mane. Although it was true that they were great sources of nutrients, Rage Bulls were usually ignored because of their herd. Even if one was capable of handling a High Class Magical Beast, he/she wouldn''t want to be surrounded by Dark Bulls. Yet Dan had killed a Rage Bull, and even retrieved its carcass.


    "What did you do to its herd," Mane lightly kicked the dead bull and asked?


    "Gave them to the Village Head. We mustn''t keep everything to ourselves" Dan laughed as he replied.


    "You are a good man," Mane praised.


    "I am," Dan nodded his head with no indication of denying the compliment.


    He laughed when he saw Mane''s brows twitch in annoyance.

 Chapter 251 - Training In Another Universe: Part II

    "Since you are so great, why don''t we have a spar" Mane wanted to spar with Dan? Over the past few weeks, they had sparred a few times. Every time they fought, it was with a handicap. Dan only fought with one arm. He always fought with only his left arm, and never used his right arm or his legs. Mane who knew that Dan was right-handed, was very much aware of the fact that Dan had never fought seriously. It served to reinforce his belief that Dan was a First Generation Mystic Path Warrior who survived the battle against the Winged Serpent. His reasoning was simple.


    Although Mane wasn''t able to use any inner energy, the more he trained, the more his soul got used to this body. Hildegarde informed him that his injuries didn''t seem like ones caused by a banshee, and Mane assented. After learning about banshees, Mane knew that their attacks targeted the brain. Once their target became disoriented or had his/her brain ruptured, they would kill them instantly and feed on them. Yet all Mane received from the encounter was a weary, heavy body, and a headache.


    Hildegarde stated that his body pains and headache could be because of his soul being thrust into a body that wasn''t truly his own. Usually, the tested were given prototypes of their actual bodies, so they didn''t have this kind of problem. Maybe a slight dizziness spell, but that was all. Mane was different. Not only was he the youngest visitor of the Dreamscape, he also had to use a prototype of his aged body. His soul took some time to get used to the new body.


    As he got used to his new body, his battle senses returned to him. He was slowly able to install the instincts he honed in his original body, into this prototype. Dan thought Mane was a genius because of how quickly he was picking up battle skills. But Mane knew that it was just his soul integrating into this body. Unfortunately, the integration process was slow. This was mainly because Mane rarely got the chance to fight ''living'' opponents. The few times he sparred with Dan, his integration speed shot up. Dan went from merely dodging Mane''s attacks, to having to have one arm free to be able to neutralize the young boy''s attacks after only 2 sparring sessions. This was because Mane''s attacks had grown more refined and had a hint of his ferocity from his actual body''s battle skills. If Mane could face more living opponents, like Magical Beasts, he would finish his integration in no time.


    "It has been long since we last sparred," Dan rubbed his chin thoughtfully. He was a powerful warrior, so he noticed that Mane''s progress shot up whenever they fought. It was just that he was someone who easily lost himself whenever he fought and was afraid of hurting Mane. That was why he was never too keen on fighting the boy. But he obliged every now and then.


    "It has," Mane nodded.


    "Alright then. Show me what you got" Dan smiled and held the dead Rage Bull by its limbs. He tossed it to the corner of the courtyard, and it landed right beside the training dummy. He walked to the centre of the courtyard and began to prepare. His preparation involved only one thing. He took a short rope from his pocket. The rope had a noose at the end of it. He fastened the noose to his right arm and used his left arm to secure the rope on his belt. This way, he wouldn''t be able to use his right arm. Of course, it would be easy for someone with his strength to break through a rope, but that was only if he really wanted to. The rope only served as a reminder that he wasn''t allowed to use his right arm. It had done its job quite well in the previous sparring sessions.


    "Stop smiling like a psycho," Hildegarde grumbled seeing Mane''s excited smile. However, she understood the reason for his excitement. Mane''s soul had not completed its integration into his body. If the level of integration was to be recorded, it would be about 21%; and this was even fast because if not for the few times Mane had sparred with Dan, it would have been at around 7%. Normally, the integration process should speed up when one immerses him/herself in something that was meaningful to them. Unfortunately for Mane, he had spent most of his life fighting and hunting. If his soul was to integrate fully without any fighting experiences, it would take over a year. She flew off his shoulder and landed on the roof of their home. It was a position that allowed her to see everything.


    "Here I come" Mane laughed and sprinted towards Dan. His charge was strong and stable. Looking at the approaching Mane, Dan failed to see any openings. Even if he was using both arms, it would have been difficult to break such a stable charge. Mane quickly arrived in front of Dan. His first attack was a simple jab to the temple. Dan stepped back slightly to avoid the attack. However, no sooner had he done that when he realized that he made a mistake. The whistling wind at his side was the signal that something fast and strong was approaching. It was Mane''s leg. The jab was only a bait. Mane''s goal was never his head. The sneaky boy wanted to sweep him off his feet!


    *Bang*


    Dan was shaken by the kick. His balance was disturbed, but he was still standing. However, the older man knew that this was just the beginning, and he was right. Before he could even stabilize himself, he saw a sweeping leg kick coming his way. The owner of the leg had an expressionless face. Mane''s leg whipped Dan''s standing leg with power and precision.


    *Bang*


    Dan finally lost his footing and came crushing down. Strangely enough, there was a slight smile on his face. There wasn''t any sign of panic, and that raised alarm bells in Mane''s head. Initially, he was planning to go for a strong uppercut to Dan''s chest as the older man was falling, allowing gravity to do most of the work; but Dan''s smile caused him to change his mind. He retreated speedily, away from the falling Dan.


    The falling Dan twisted his body strangely and landed with his left hand. Then he span on the spot three times, generating a strong wind that cut through the spot Mane was standing previously.


    *Whish*


    "Good awareness; excellent instincts," Dan praised as Mane wiped the sweat off his brow. The shallow mark on the ground he was standing on previously was the power of Dan''s strange attack.


    "How is that possible?" Mane was stunned. He hadn''t seen Dan execute something like this before. It wasn''t something that could be done normally. Dan had used an element! He used the wind to launch an attack!


    "Tornado Kick," Dan smiled. He assumed that Mane was stunned because of the nature of the attack since it was uncommon. He was right. Mane was stunned. But it wasn''t because he had never seen this before. He had seen such attacks, and even used much stronger ones back on Zandor. But he never thought he would see it here. He never thought he would get to see it in a world that knew nothing about how to manipulate the elements; a world that didn''t have Edict.


    Hildegarde was just as stunned as Mane was. She couldn''t believe what she was seeing. However, Dan who didn''t know why Mane was stunned continued to explain what was going on.


    "How many spins did you see," Dan asked?


    "Three," Mane replied.


    "I span seven times," Dan smiled. "You just didn''t catch them," Dan said to the stunned Mane. "Tornado Kick focuses on the quick movements of the body to generate wind pressure. The small wind generated is then directed towards the target and the pressure that accompanies it does the damage"


    "I see," Mane finally understood. "So it wasn''t a direct use of the wind element," Hildegarde also understood what happened. Dan wasn''t a wind elementalist. He just used extreme speed to compress wind into one spot and then release it. That was the reason for the wind blade.


    "It''s impressive that you were able to avoid it," Dan praised Mane.


    "That''s because you warned me," Mane shook his head and refused to accept the praise. Dan''s smile was a warning. In an actual fight, only opponents who didn''t know how to keep their composure would smile and expose themselves. Dan was clearly not lacking in composure. He only did it to alert Mane.


    "But it was you who saw what the smile meant," Dan smiled and said.


    "What would you have done if I didn''t get out of the way," Mane wondered.


    "Nothing. I didn''t even consider that because I knew you would get out of the way. The previous spars are enough to glean that much from you" Dan laughed.


    "That''s true" Mane laughed as well.


    "Well then, let''s continue," Dan smiled and loosened the rope that was keeping his right arm in check.


    "Oh? Have I finally reached such a stage?" Mane smirked.


    "You have. In fact, if you are able to make me use my legs, I would start hunting with you starting from tomorrow" Dan promised.


    "Really," Mane''s eyes gleamed dangerously as he asked for a confirmation? Hildegarde who was watching gulped her saliva as she felt Mane''s integration rise another level.


    "Really. But no Magical Beasts. We would just start with the regular animals" Dan answered. Although he judged that Mane was strong enough to face Low Class Magical Beasts, he didn''t want to thrust him into a fight against a Magical Beast right away. He didn''t know how well Mane would do in a real life battle; and he didn''t know how Mane would handle seeing blood for the ''first time''.


    If Mane knew what Dan was thinking, he would smile bitterly. For someone like him who killed his first Battle Beast when he was 6, Dan''s worries were unfounded. However, even if Mane knew what his new guardian was thinking, he wouldn''t object to his decision. To do so would be to tell Dan about his background, and Mane wasn''t going to do that.


    "Now come, we don''t have all day you know," Dan beckoned Mane and adjusted himself. Mane laughed happily and shouted


    "Here I come!"


    *Boom*

 Chapter 252 - Training In Another Universe: Part III

    Mane dashed towards Dan with his arms tucked in. The veins on his arms throbbed as Mane prepared his muscles for a devastating attack. His legs moved speedily, and he covered a lot of ground quickly. Dan watched Mane''s approach with an approving smile. But within that smile, was a tinge of seriousness. Although he looked laid back, Mane didn''t leave any openings to be exploited. Finally, Mane reached Dan. He took a deep breath and prepared to unleash a strong punch.


    *Whoo*


    Dan jumped backwards in retreat as Mane exhaled. But the punch he was expecting never came. Mane who looked like he was about to put all his energy into his fists, kept them tucked in, and dashed to Dan''s side.


    "I see," Dan mumbled to himself when he finally understood what was going on. Mane had a good head for battles. Dan wondered if the boy had received some sought of training before he lost his memory, since there was no other explanation for his strange and eccentric moves. If he hadn''t, then he was truly a genius. Of course Mane had been training since he was 6, but Dan didn''t know that; and Mane wasn''t going to tell him.


    Mane delivered a left hook straight at Dan''s ribcage once his target was within reach.


    *Bam*


    Dan skidded across the courtyard grounds and stopped after travelling an entire meter. He had a dumbfounded look on his face as he looked at Mane. Although at the last minute he had blocked Mane''s strike with his right forearm, he could feel a little pain.


    "I thought speed was his strong suit," Dan thought as he tried to create a bit more distance between himself and Mane. Most of the time, Mane never got the chance to get a punch in. Dan usually dodged or redirected the attacks with his palm, so he never faced them head on; and Mane''s sweeping kick wasn''t enough to judge his strength either. After all, the kick was meant to knock one off balance, it didn''t focus on force, but on the proper technique.


    However, blocking Mane''s punch just now was different. Although Dan wasn''t hurt, he couldn''t overlook the fact that Mane was stronger than he thought.


    "If it''s at this level, he wouldn''t have a problem defending himself from a Middle Class Magical Beast," Dan thought to himself as he warded off another of Mane''s attacks. This time he was careful to slap Mane''s wrist and redirect the force behind the boy''s punches, rather than meet them head on.


    Dan was sure that Mane would have no problem defending himself from the assault of a Middle Class Magical Beast, as long as the beast wasn''t strength oriented like the Rage Bull. However, defending himself against them was different from being able to go on the offensive. Mane might be able to fight off a Middle Class Magical Beast and escape, but he wasn''t capable of posing a threat to them just yet. That would require a lot more training.


    *Bang*


    Dan was shaken from his thoughts by a left hook to his shoulder. "I can''t afford to think about anything else," he mumbled bitterly and finally pushed his entire concentration onto the fight.


    Left Hooks


    Right Hooks


    Left Jabs


    Right Jabs


    Uppercuts


    Hook Kicks


    Heel Kicks


    Crescent Kicks


    Calf Kicks


    Spinning Heel Kicks


    Dan endured the barrage of attacks that came his way and found it hard to mount a counter. His forehead was filled with sweat as he endured the storm of punches and kicks Mane unleashed. They were performed exquisitely, and timed perfectly. They weren''t too fancy, neither were they inappropriate; but they did the job just fine. The endless barrage of attacks allowed Dan to understand just how high Mane''s stamina stats were. Although he didn''t have the ability to see another''s status like Mane, he could tell from the flurry of attacks that Mane''s stamina might very well be his strongest physical attribute.


    As he struggled to hold Mane off, he looked into his eyes. Those sea-blue eyes were serene, they didn''t show any sign of anxiousness or impatience at the sight of countless attacks being fended off. Even though every move was strong and filled with power, his breathing was calm and quiet, it wasn''t in any way rugged. His golden hair swayed with every action he took. Its dazzling color seemed to hold the rays of the sun and redirect them at Dan.


    "This cannot go on," Dan sighed and finally conceded. He accepted Mane''s superiority in this duel, and used his legs.


    *Bam*


    Mane smiled faintly seeing the object that stood in his way. His attempt at another sweeping kick was blocked by a large pillar. This stable pillar was so strong that Mane who attempted to swat it down, could fell his bones creak in opposition. This pillar was Dan''s leg.


    "You used it," Mane smirked.


    "Indeed," Dan laughed. "Now I won''t hold back," the large Mystic Path Warrior grinned and held his hands together. A ferocious hammer blow came striking down, with Mane''s leg as its target. The blow was strong, and Mane could feel the wind biting at his leg. Although hammer blows were slower than the regular punch, Dan''s agility stats made the blow look as swift as a fleeting shadow, and his high strength stats were enough for Mane to remember not to take it head on.


    *Boom*


    "He''s definitely a beast," Hildegarde mumbled from the rooftop as she gazed at the small hole that Dan''s attack had created. Although she sounded concerned about Mane, her swinging feet showed that she was anything but anxious.


    Mane nodded in response to Hildegarde''s words. Looking at the fist sized hole that wasn''t there before, he marveled at the fact that such power was attained by an individual who had no elemental affinity, and in a planet without Edict or Chaos.


    "Don''t lose your focus" Dan disappeared from his position and reappeared right in front of Mane. Mane could hardly see him approach, and when he noticed Dan, the man was already close to him. A gigantic fist came smashing down. Its goal was Mane''s shoulder. When it looked like Mane wouldn''t be able to avoid it, and Dan would have to stop himself, Mane strangely turned to the side and avoided the blow. The surprised Dan lost his focus for a second, and Mane didn''t lose that opening. The young boy delivered a perfectly poised left hook to Dan''s temple.


    *Bang*


    Dan''s head was forcefully turned to the side, and a bit of saliva was expelled unconsciously, yet he didn''t take a single step away from his position. Like a mountain that could weather any storm or hail, he remained as he was. Mane quickly followed up with an uppercut, as he sought to regain dominance over this bout, and forced Dan to admire the beautiful blue skies.


    *Bang*


    But once again, like a mighty tree, Dan remained where he was. He wasn''t moved by the powerful blow, neither did he suffer any injuries. It seemed that when he said he was going all out, he wasn''t joking. Mane ignored the surprise he felt, and delivered a spinning heel kick to Dan.


    *Bang*


    Instead of Dan, the one who flew back was Mane. He flipped midair and landed elegantly onto the wall of the courtyard. He frowned as he looked at the bruise on his heel. At the last minute, just before his foot was about to connect with Dan''s head, the older man tilted his head back slightly. However, instead of dodging the attack completely, the crazy man put strength into his neck muscles and faced it head on ¨C literally. Mane''s bruise was from the head-butt. Normally that decision wasn''t the right one, but Dan''s insane physical attributes made everything seem like the right decision.


    "Excellent" Dan laughed and stroked his beard. He tied his hair with a ribbon and dashed towards Mane. He had a crazy smile on his face as he approached the wall with amazing speed. His fingers curled into claws, and sought out the handsome boy who sought refuge on the walls.


    *Voosh*


    The air split apart as Dan''s claw attack missed Mane. Mane jumped over the wall, and landed behind Dan, and then quickly somersaulted forward. A large fist descended upon the ground where Mane stood only a second ago, indicating that his decision to flee was the right one.


    *Boom*


    Mane didn''t turn to look at the new hole in the courtyard. He rushed towards the center of the compound. But no sooner had he escaped Dan, did he feel the harsh wind growling at his back, burning his clothes and scratching his skin. He quickly ducked on instinct. Five fingers that had been curled into claws swiped past him in rage.


    *Whoosh*


    Sharp wind whistled right above his head, and past him. Mane maintained his ducking position and applied strength to his legs. He leaped backwards, headfirst, and rammed ferociously into Dan''s abdomen.


    *Bam*


    Dan only moved slightly, but was largely unperturbed. However, Mane expected this, and the young teenager wrapped his arms around the surprised Dan and power-bombed him into the ground.


    *Boom*


    Mane lifted Dan off the ground, and smashed him into the ground again.


    *Boom*


    Like a heavy hammer striking a tiled floor, the ground broke apart, and several cracks spread across the floor. Mane lifted Dan one last time. Spinning around to gain some momentum, he launched the sorry figure of his guardian into the wall.


    *Boom*


    Dan crashed into the wall in a thunderous noise. The power behind the throw wasn''t insignificant, and although Dan was already up and smiling, Hildegarde didn''t doubt that that throw would have been bone breaking for the lesser man. From what she saw, if they possessed the same physical stats, Mane would have dominated Dan effortlessly. Feeling the joy of Mane''s battle eager soul, she concluded that his integration was somewhere along 30% now! It was amazing! A few minutes of sparring produced a 9% increase in soul-body integration! It was a grand harvest. What scared Hildegarde was that at 30%, Mane''s battle awareness could match Dan''s, and even exceed it! She couldn''t help but wonder what would happen when he attains 100% integration.


    "Hahaha. Genius!" Dan laughed uproariously as he dusted the dirt off his clothes. There were several cracks on the part of the wall he crushed into, and the clothes that weren''t even scratched by the Rage Bull, were torn in several areas.


    "Shall we continue," feeling the galloping increase in his integration level, Mane was very eager to continue with their duel. However, Dan shook his head and his words brought Mane endless disappointment, "We cannot. It''s unfortunate, but we have to put out spar on hold. The noise has attracted some of the villagers over."


    Dan gestured to the wooden door once he was done speaking. A few seconds later, Mane heard several hurried footsteps behind the door. It seemed that their spar had alerted their neighbors, who came rushing to see if nothing was wrong.


    "Even if you wouldn''t go out, you''d eventually meet them," Dan smirked when he noticed Mane''s awkwardness.


    "Come, let''s meet the villagers," Dan gave him a pat on the back and walked towards the door. Mane smiled wryly, but he followed the older man. Hildegarde flew off the roof and onto his shoulder. She laughed at his ''out of sorts'' expression and said, "You couldn''t run away in the end, pretty boy."

 Chapter 253 - Meeting The Villagers

    "Dan! Is everything okay?!" A raspy voice sounded from behind the door. The voice which reeked of old age was full of concern, and Mane could tell that whoever it was thought highly of Dan.


    "I''m fine, Old Fan," Dan opened the wooden door to reveal three figures. Two of the visitors were young, and the last person was an old man. All of them were fair skinned, and standing next to Dan was like looking at night and day standing side by side. The old man held a wooden stick on which he entrusted to bear his weight. His back was hunched, and his head was full of gray hair. His wrinkled face looked kind, and his smile gave one a feeling of comfort. Mane''s first thought seeing the man was, "He looks so kind."


    The younger ones behind him shared a bit of resemblance with the old man. They were a young handsome boy, and a beautiful and na?ve looking girl. The boy wasn''t as tall as Mane, but he wasn''t far off. He had a staunch look, and radiated an air of seriousness and calm that wouldn''t be broken even in the direst of situations. His forehead was wrinkled in concern as he looked at Dan. The girl was different from the boy. Unlike the boy who looked like he knew a bit about life, the girl looked innocent and gentle. She was so frail looking that Mane didn''t doubt that a strong wind would be able to easily knock her over. However, just as the boy was handsome, she was very beautiful. He pretty face and big green eyes could generate the feelings of pity in any man, and make them want to protect her. Her beautiful curly hair cascaded down her shoulders and onto her back like a hazy waterfall, and its black color complemented Dan''s skin color gorgeously. Seeing that Mane was gazing at her, she smiled curiously and wondered who he was. However, she displayed her excellent manners by keeping to herself and waiting for the elder to finish speaking.


    "We heard a loud noise so we were worried," the one referred to as Old Fan by Dan struck the ground delicately with his wooden staff and voiced. The worry in his voice was still there, but it had reduced by a large margin.


    "Oh that was nothing," Dan laughed and said. "My nephew and I got carried away in our spar and caused a little damage to our property," Dan smiled embarrassingly and replied. Mane''s expression was the same even when Dan called him his ''nephew''. Although Mane had never ventured outside the house, it was a given that he would go outside eventually. After all, the only reason he had never gone hunting was because Dan forbid him from doing so. Eventually, if he was to go hunting, he would have to meet the people of the village. So the two came up with a reliable story for his background. After all, Dan couldn''t go around telling people that he picked up Mane in an Enchanted Forest. In this world where Magical Beasts existed, anyone would be skeptical of a strange boy who was found in an Enchanted Forest. Although Magical Beasts who could assume the human form were rare, some Mythical Class Magical Beasts possessed this ability. Stating Mane''s true origins would only breed suspicion, and put him in danger whenever Dan wasn''t around.


    "Oh, I didn''t know that you had a nephew," Old Fan opened his eyes wide and exclaimed in shock. The young boy and the girl behind him also had surprised expressions as they evaluated Mane with their vision. Seeing Mane staring right back at her, and nodding in her direction, the young girl blushed a little and hid behind the boy.


    "So na?ve and innocent," Hildegarde smiled and flew off Mane''s shoulder. She flew around the young girl and examined her closely, like a kid who had just discovered a new toy.


    "Yeah. He was staying with his parents. However, a plague robbed them off their lives and he came to find me. He was a bit injured from his travels, so he has been resting all this while. He only recovered a few days ago" Dan lied effortlessly without batting an eye. When he carried Mane back, although it was daytime, his movement speed made it impossible to see who was slung over his shoulder. After all, at the time he was rushing towards his house to save Mane''s life. Thankfully, the fact that no one saw Mane turned out to be a blessing.


    This was the story the two had come up with: Mane was Dan''s nephew who lived in a village pretty far from here. Before his parents fell ill and died, they informed Mane that he had a strong Uncle in another village, and pushed him to look for his Uncle if they weren''t able to make it. In this land where medicines were rare, and herbs weren''t always effective, it wasn''t aberrant for plagues and unknown diseases to reap a person''s life. So the story was believable.


    Hildegarde who was watching him spin his tall tale, smirked and said to the hearing of the only person who could see her, "And you felt bad for lying to him. Seeing how he does this so well, he seems like a seasoned liar. Who knows how many things he has said to you that aren''t true?"


    Mane didn''t bother about her words. After all, Dan was lying for his sake. Besides, just like he was keeping secrets, Dan was also entitled to keep his own secrets. Mane had no right to judge the older man for that.


    "That''s so sad," the girl who was hiding behind the tall youth peeked at Mane and mumbled with a sad expression on her face. She blushed when she realized that everyone was now paying attention to her, and hid behind the boy once again.


    "Forgive my granddaughter. She is very shy. But accept our condolences. Believe me when I say we are sorry for your loss. Those two also lost their parents in a plague, so they can relate to your pain," Old Fan smiled kindly and nudged the handsome boy with his cane.


    "Thank you" Mane curtly replied.


    The serious looking boy nodded his head at Mane and said, "My name is Lam, and this is Lily. Although we don''t look alike, we are twins." His voice, unlike his staunch look, was gentle and kind like his grandfather''s. He smiled wryly when he saw Mane''s strange gaze.


    "It''s one of the reasons I don''t speak a lot," he said, understanding that Mane was gazing at him strangely because of how feminine his voice sounded.


    Mane shrugged and replied politely, "I am Mane. I don''t care about your voice. And as for you not looking like your sister, I think you look like each other more than you think. Besides, I don''t look like my Uncle either." His words brightened up Lam''s face, and the slightly shorter boy looked at Mane favorably.


    "It''s true. You are fair, and Sir Dan is dark" Lam smiled and pointed out the difference in color between the two.


    "Why don''t you come inside Old Fan? Let the youngsters talk amongst themselves. Besides, I just procured some new wine and need someone experienced enough to help me appraise it" Dan smiled as he opened the door widely to allow Old Fan to come in. He pushed Mane out even before Old Fan could reply. It was clear that even if Mane protested, he wasn''t going to budge.


    "That''s a wonderful idea," Old Fan nodded with a generous smile and proceeded to walk into the compound. As he walked by Mane, he stopped and asked, "Have you ever gone into the village?"


    "No Elder Fan" Mane shook his head.


    "Why don''t you give him a tour then, Lam. Lily, go with your brother" Old Fan ordered and walked past the door.


    "Yes Grandpa," the twins assented as the door closed behind Old Fan.


    "You have a strange hair color" Lam pointed at Mane''s hair and remarked immediately. Mane smiled at the question. Although Lily was silent, she was constantly gazing at his hair. Mane could tell that his hair color was strange from the way she stared at it. Because she was innocent and didn''t hide her feelings, unlike Lam who didn''t look too much at Mane''s hair, she had been staring the entire time. Even when she was hidden behind her brother, she kept stealing peaks at Mane''s hair. So Mane knew that his hair must be strange.


    "I got it from my mother. Apparently, her father and grandfather have the same hair color. It''s a pity I have never met them" Mane smiled and replied.


    "I see," Lam nodded his head and continued walking.


    "Do you want to touch it," Mane stroked his hair and asked Lily?


    "M-Me," the beautiful young girl stammered.


    "Yes. There''s no one behind you is there?" Mane laughed and said. Staying with Dan had forced him to pick up some of the man''s habits. Laughing and teasing another person he didn''t know was something he would have never done before.


    "Can I really," Lily asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity?


    "Yeah. And you don''t have to be so formal with me. I am only 15" Mane smiled and extended his neck out to Lily. He lowered his head to her level so that she could touch his hair. Although Mane was tall, Lily wasn''t short either. She was shorter than her brother, but she wasn''t far behind.


    "It feels so soft," Lily exclaimed as she grabbed a handful of Mane''s hair. She reluctantly let go after sniffing it a few times.


    "Are you a dog," Mane teased when he realized her actions.


    "Y-You are just like Sir Dan," Lily grumbled and moved away from Mane. Mane smiled wryly at the comment, but he didn''t refute it. He was indeed acting like his guardian. Lam laughed happily seeing his sister interact with Mane. Although she looked na?ve, Lily had a gift for growing close to people with kind souls. If she was acting so jovially with Mane, then it meant that he was a good person.


    "Oi, look who it is. It''s the sissy; and he seems to have a new friend." An unpleasant voice dented the delicate atmosphere that had been building. Mane looked ahead and saw four boys walking towards them. One of the boys walked before the others, and looked like their leader. He had an obnoxious look on his face as he approached them. Although they were quite some distance away, Mane could see his eyes clearly. His eyes which were glued to Lily were filled with unhidden l.u.s.t. Lily shivered at his gaze and unconsciously hid behind the closest person to her ¨C Mane.


    "Hah. Why does trouble follow me everywhere," Mane thought to himself? However, the smile on his face showed anything but unhappiness at the current situation.


    Seeing Mane''s smile, Hildegarde who had long returned to her position on Mane''s shoulder looked at the approaching entourage with pity.


    "They just had to come when Mane was already unsatisfied with his battle against Dan," she thought to herself. But seeing how the leading boy was looking at the na?ve Lily with unbridled l.u.s.t and the intent to possess her, Hildegarde''s eyes lost their pity and became cold.


    "If they annoy you in any way, you should break their legs," she whispered in Mane''s ear. Although Mane couldn''t respond, he smirked and thought,


    "Only their legs?"

 Chapter 254 - Beating The Villagers

    "Who is that twerp," Mane ignored the approaching group and turned to question Lam who stood on his left? Lam and Lily stopped walking, so Mane stopped as well.


    "The Village Head''s son," Lam took some time to answer, likely startled by the fact that Mane called the son of the Village Head a twerp. Unlike his earlier smiling demeanor, Lam was back to his strict expression. His eyes as he looked at the approaching group were cold and expressionless. Like millennium old ice tempered by the waters of Cocytus, Lam''s gaze sought to freeze the incoming group over.


    "He doesn''t seem to like you much," Mane smiled, noticing Lam''s change. It seemed that Lam was the kind of person who was generous and outspoken to those he liked, and repulsive and cold to those he disliked.


    "The feeling is mutual," Lam answered calmly. Beneath that layer of calm was a bubbling lake of anger. But Lam''s feminine voice didn''t convey the emotions he felt to Mane. However, Mane could tell he was furious.


    "It isn''t simply at the level of disliking him. You seem to hate him" Mane pointed out what he observed. As the group was still a little distance away from them, Mane thought he could ask some important questions concerning those who were approaching him with smug expressions on their faces.


    However, Lam didn''t answer Mane''s question. He remained silent, choosing to watch the group approach. Mane didn''t push him for an explanation. If he wasn''t going to say anything, Mane would respect that. Fortunately, the hiding Lily wasn''t willing to keep mute.


    "It''s because of me," Lily whispered from behind Mane.


    "Lily," Lam harshly mentioned her name! His intention was to stop her from saying anything more. However, Lily who had displayed weakness in the short time Mane had gotten to know her, was unyielding this time.


    "Before our parents died, my father was the Village Head. It was a position he naturally obtained as his birthright since he was my grandfather''s only son" Lily quickly spoke.


    "Oh, you mean Elder Fan," Mane asked? He didn''t dare call their grandfather Old Fan like Dan. After all, although Dan looked middle aged, he was actually quite old. It was appropriate for him to call Old Fan so, but not Mane.


    "Yes. After they died, Grandfather was supposed to reclaim his position as the Village Head until Elder Brother Lam was of age. After all, one can only become the Head of the Village after they undergo the A.d.u.l.thood Rites which happens when one is 18. But since Elder Brother Lam was only 14 at the time, he wasn''t ready" Lily explained.


    Mane learned a few things from this story. One, Lam was the older of the two twins. Secondly, there was something called A.d.u.l.thood Rites which every a.d.u.l.t had to go through. He didn''t know if it was the same for every part of this world. But at least for this village, it was the norm.


    "But Grandfather refused to accept the position. Rather, he chose someone else to fill the role until Elder Brother Lam was ready to lead the village."


    Mane smiled whilst pointing at the group that was now much closer to him and said, "Let me guess. His father was the lucky candidate"


    "Yes. But since we are twins, his father figured that if he could marry me, their family would have as much right to the position of Village Head as ours." Lily explained through her gritted teeth.


    "I see. And then he started harassing you. Since you are beautiful, he knew he wouldn''t lose anything by acquiring you. But you kept on rejecting his advances, so that emotion has ballooned into something unpleasant and is now an obsession" Mane continued.


    Lily nodded her head with a slight blush on her face. The blush appeared when Mane called her beautiful. She looked at Mane with a bit of praise since he was able to easily understand the situation with the information he had been given.


    "Why are you telling me all this," Mane asked curiously?


    "I can feel that you are a good person," Lily stated shyly as she bowed her head.


    "Good? If only she knew how many Celestials and Battle Beasts had lost their lives for the sake of your training, she wouldn''t be saying such things" Hildegarde scoffed in disdain.


    Mane''s brows twitched in annoyance, but he couldn''t pick her up and throw her off his shoulder. He ignored her and turned to face Lam.


    "If it''s so simple, why didn''t you want to say anything," Mane smiled at Lam and asked? Lam still kept his silence. However, he wasn''t the only one here.


    "Elder Brother didn''t want to involve you. Everyone who has gotten in their way has been hurt one way or another. The few Elders who opposed the Village Head mysteriously sustained severe injuries, and some of them even died. As for our friends, they were harassed by Tito and his group until they distanced themselves from us" Lily explained, her face sullen.


    "You can leave if you want to," Lam finally spoke. He made his offer with a nonchalant expression, but Mane could tell that his breathing was a little hurried. It seemed that his tough words were just a front.


    "I see," Mane smiled and walked ahead. Seeing that Mane was walking away, Lam looked a little disappointed. ''It''s all for the best. Since Lily likes him, he must be a good person. We can''t put a good person in trouble just because of our own selfishness'' he thought bitterly to himself. Lily''s vision blurred as tears formed in her eyes.


    "Huh. Why are you still standing there?" Mane turned to face the stagnant brother and sister duo with a look of irritation on his face.


    "What," Lam was so surprised that his hardened face crumbled?


    "If we stand here waiting for them, it would take too long. I need to bash their heads in to vent some of my frustrations from this morning''s spar" Mane mumbled as he massaged his left fist. Although he was able to fend off Dan during their duel, the feeling of not being able to properly beat him up was uncomfortable, and Mane needed a suitable place to vent his frustrations. Hearing Lily''s story, he was filled with negative emotions towards the group approaching him. Since a punching bag had presented itself before him, Mane didn''t see the reason to decline the offer to use it.


    "You''re really like Sir Dan," Lam smiled and followed Mane. Lily quickly wiped off the tears that threatened to fall from her eyes and chased after them.


    "I thought you stopped walking because you were afraid. It''s good to see that you still have some courage" the obnoxious looking boy was the first to open his mouth when the two groups were finally face to face.


    "And who are you brat," the boy Lily referred to as Tito pointed at Mane and said? He looked irritated seeing that Lily was hiding behind Mane''s back. Although he called Mane a brat, Mane was actually taller than him. He was about the same height as Lam, only more muscular than the feminine boy.


    "Ignore him," Lam tried to pull Mane and avoid the group. But he realized that he couldn''t even force Mane to budge a single step. The smiling boy was like a heavy rock. No matter what happened, he would not be moved.


    "My name is Mane," Mane smiled and introduced himself.


    "Oi, the sissy doesn''t have any strength," the boy laughed rambunctiously after seeing Lam''s failed attempt to drag Mane away. His entourage laughed with him, causing Lam to blush slightly. But Lam was a little stunned by Mane''s strength. When Dan said that the two of them were having a spar, Lam thought it was only an excuse, and that Dan didn''t want to reveal what had really happened. After all, although the villagers weren''t aware of Dan''s true strength, the Old Fan knew of just how strong Dan was. That was because, every time Dan hunted Magical Beasts, he always sneaked several of them into their house and gifted them to Old Fan. Actually, the Village Head Dan told Mane he had gifted the Dark Bulls to, was Old Fan. Mane''s new guardian still unconsciously referred to Old Fan as the Village Head because he had been in this village since Old Fan was the leader. If Dan was telling the truth, then his nephew must be a monster like he was!


    "First and foremost, the one you call a sissy is stronger than you," Mane gently lifted up his finger and said. The laughter ceased, and Lam looked at Mane in gratitude. He thought that Mane was trying to make him feel better. What he didn''t know was that Mane wasn''t lying. Although the boy in front of him looked muscular and strong, he was actually weak. Well, he was okay, but Lam was stronger. Lam''s strength and agility stats surpassed the boy''s by 0.3 and 0.4 points respectively, but his stamina was poor. However, it seemed that it wasn''t the boy who was weak, but Lam who was strong. The three other boys behind the obnoxious boy were weaker than the Village Head''s son, proving that he wasn''t really weak. But Lam still surpassed them all. Lam''s physical stats were as follows:


    Name: Lam


    Age: 16


    Physical Attributes ¨C Strength: 1.5


    Agility: 1.7


    Stamina: 0.6


    It was clear that Lam didn''t know how to fight, and his stats were inherent. After all, if he did know how to fight, his stamina wouldn''t be so poor because of constant training. He was what one would refer to as a genius. On the other hand, the current Village Head''s son had a high stamina of 1.5, higher than all his other stats, proving that he trained regularly.


    "What did you say brat," Tito angrily cracked his knuckles after hearing Mane''s words? His eyes shifted from Lily to Mane, and they were now filled with ill intent. A few villagers heard the commotion and came to see what was happening. Some quickly returned to their rooms when they saw the son of the Village Head. Others peeped through their windows to see the entire show. Mane could hear the whispers.


    "He''s at it again"


    "Another handsome boy is about to get his face destroyed"


    "He is growing increasingly rampant."


    "Shh. He would hear you"


    Mane naturally ignored the murmurs around him, and even ignored the boy threatening him and continued with his speech.


    "Secondly, you do not ask another for their name before mentioning yours"


    "This brat," one of the boys was tired of listening to Mane and attempted to punch Mane in the face. Lily quickly shut her eyes, but Lam watched on. He felt that Mane was very strong and didn''t even need his help. Plus, Mane was firmly holding onto both his wrists with only one hand, so Lam could do nothing but watch the powerful fist approach its target.


    "A pity," one of the onlookers sighed and tried to turn away. However, the scene he expected to see didn''t happen. The man watched wide-eyed as Mane easily caught the fist that was coming towards him and continued talking like it was nothing.


    "Thirdly, no one who makes me their enemy, laughs at the end ¨C and they don''t laugh at the beginning either," Mane smiled and increased the strength of his grip.


    *Crack*


    "AHHH," A voice filled with agony filled the village grounds as the boy who attempted to punch Mane cried in agony. The tears in his eyes told the story of his pain and misery. Mane smiled at the boy and tossed him towards the side like a trash can.


    "My hand¡­my hand," the boy writhed in agony as he rolled on the ground. The surrounding spectators looked at Mane with fear in their eyes, clearly stunned by the unexpected development.


    "Would you let go of me for a second there, dear Lily" Mane turned and smiled at Lily who was strongly holding on to his shirt. In her dazed state, she unconsciously let go of Mane''s clothes. Mane then let go of Lam''s wrists and charged into the group of three that were watching him with a stupefied expression.


    "Watch Lam: This is how you take care of pests," Mane smilingly declared as he dashed towards the group of four, who had now been reduced to three.


    *Bam*


    *Crunch*


    *Swish*


    *Boom*


    *Bang*


    "AHH!"


    "Please no more!"


    "Wait we are sorry!"


    "My father would hear of this!"


    "Please have mercy"


    Along with the sounds of breaking bones and aching muscles, the cries of the victims filled the surrounding spectators with a sense of disbelief. The woeful cries of teenage boys served as the music for this space for some time, filling all who heard it with a sense of dread. The ones who were usually doing the bullying, were being one-sidedly dominated with little effort. And all this was done by one man.


    Lily looked at the fighting Mane with a slight blush on her face. She pulled her brother''s clothes to get his attention and said, "Elder Brother, doesn''t Mane look really cool right now."


    Lam shook his head wryly at her words, and was a little scared that his docile sister liked what she was seeing.


    "Listen Lily, although they are annoying, what Mane is doing isn''t the right thing to do," he decided to let his sister know that violence wasn''t the way out.


    "Mhm," Lily nodded absentmindedly, her eyes still glued to Mane''s elusive figure as he thrashed the annoying bunch that had made her life so miserable for so long. It was obvious that she didn''t hear anything Lam said.


    Lam smiled bitterly seeing that she wasn''t paying him any heed, and thought to himself, "Surely he inherited his Uncle''s monstrous abilities."

 Chapter 255 - Exploring The Village

    "This place is huge," Mane marveled at the simple yet gorgeous structures that filled the village! Since he had never left Dan''s place, he didn''t know much about the village. But this little sightseeing session with the twins allowed him to see a lot of things. Although the houses in the village were simple, they were exquisitely made. The streets were narrow, but were beautifully decorated with gorgeous flowers that brightened up the place. The villagers sure took their time to make this place elegant.


    "What," Mane turned to face Lam who was looking at him with a strange expression?


    "Why are you acting as though nothing happened," Lam asked? He was staring at Mane like the boy was a rare specimen. His expression as he questioned Mane was reminiscent of a man who had just seen something unbelievable, but didn''t have the time to appreciate it. He wondered how Mane was able to continue sightseeing with such a natural expression after he almost beat the life out of the Village Head''s son.


    "Wait. Did something happen?" Mane was wide-eyed as he asked Lam. His expression truly made it seem like he didn''t know what Lam was talking about, and would have convinced anyone that he was suffering from short-term memory loss.


    "Hehe," Hildegarde snickered from atop Mane''s shoulders. "Don''t tease him. He already looks like he would explode into several tiny fragments" Hildegarde grinned.


    She was right. Lam''s twitching eyebrows and reddening ears were a sign that he was reaching his limits. It wasn''t that he was mad. Rather, he was so frustrated that he didn''t know what to do.


    "Hehe," Lily laughed softly from beside her brother. After they left the defeated boys behind, Lam pulled Lily to his side, his eyes filled with caution. It was almost as if he was scared that Mane''s violence would rub off Lily if she stood too close to him.


    "Elder Brother is referring to what you did to the boys back there," Lily decided to speak up. Her pleasant voice was shy sounding like it was before. It seemed that seeing Mane beat up the boys who had been terrorizing her didn''t scare her; instead, she grew a bit bolder in front of him.


    "Which boys," Mane continued to feign ignorance as he placed his finger on his lips and replied? He looked like a man deeply in thought, seemingly trying to recall an event that happened several decades ago.


    "Hehe. You''re funny Mane" Lily giggled softly and said. Her lovely demeanor caused a few young men who were in the vicinity to blush faintly. Some of them who couldn''t stand her charm tried to look away, but failed. Some also looked like they would have liked to approach her, but they held themselves back. There was no doubt that they knew who she was. And it was also highly likely that they knew about the Village Head''s son''s obsession with her, since they held themselves back and didn''t approach Lily.


    Feeling the countless gazes on her, Lily tried to find comfort by hiding behind her reliable brother. But the back which usually felt so comforting, felt smaller this time. She couldn''t help but compare the slender frame of her brother to Mane''s robust figure.


    "Mane''s back is a little bigger," she mumbled unconsciously. Lam''s ears twitched, for he heard her softly spoken words. And Mane turned his head to the side like he didn''t hear anything. Lily''s head was bowed down, so she didn''t see their reactions. If she did, she would have known that she sold herself out, and her embarrassment would have been endless.


    "What a na?ve young girl. And you, instead of focusing on the issue at hand, you are seducing young girls" Hildegarde condemned Mane.


    Mane tilted his head with a puzzled expression. If he could speak, he would have asked, "Seduce? When did I seduce anyone?"


    Hildegarde sighed as she looked at his confused expression. This expression was actually genuine, meaning that he really had no clue what she was talking about. It was now that Hildegarde remembered that although Mane was in the body of a 15 year old, he still had the mind of an 11 year old. True, Mane thought Lily was beautiful, but it was said in the context of someone admiring something beautiful. He didn''t mean it in a romantic way.


    "You really are just a kid," Hildegarde mumbled and flew next to Lily. She landed on Lily''s head and made herself comfortable. Mane could only sigh internally at her actions. Lily didn''t feel anything strange, and still had her head bowed.


    "Don''t turn your head away Mane. I''m talking about you beating up Tito and his friends" Lam moved closer to Mane and whispered in his ear.


    "Oh that," Mane finally admitted that he knew what was going on.


    "What''s wrong with putting a few mongrels in their place," Mane asked with an innocent expression?


    Lam''s lips twitched at his words and facial expression. If Lam didn''t personally witness him dealing with four boys of the same age group as them like it was nothing, he would have believed that Mane was a na?ve young boy like his sister.


    Looking at Mane who just called Tito and his friends dogs, Lam kindly advised, "I know they were in the wrong. But beating them up is not the solution. It only makes things worse since they would keep coming after you."


    Lam explained the reason for his worry. Mane smiled at his words and said, "Who knew that behind that stern expression was a big softie." It was clear that Lam was only worried about Mane, and not himself.


    "What are you saying," Lam refuted with slightly reddened ears.


    "Elder Brother is really a softie. He just pretends to be tough" Unfortunately, the sly Lily dealt a knockout blow with her words.


    "Lily," Lam turned and exclaimed! However, what greeted him was Lily''s happy giggle. Her laughter which sounded like jingle bells forced the few passing villagers to stop their trek and turn to her. The younger ones ¨C especially the men ¨C looked at her with dazed expressions, whilst the older ones looked upon her with love and affection. But within those gazes, one could find a hint of pity directed at Lily.


    "There''s no need to hide who you are," Mane smiled and tried to dig Lam out of the embarrassing pit he initially dug for him.


    "I''m not hiding my nature," Lam argued red-faced!


    "I''m not talking about your kind heart. I''m referring to your ruthless spirit" Mane''s expression switched from a smile to an expressionless look.


    "What are you talking about? Elder Brother is not ruthless!" Lily huffed at Mane as she refuted Mane''s observation of her brother.


    "Oh? Are you not?" Mane ignored Lily and asked Lam.


    "Elder Brother," Lily looked at her brother in doubt since he was still silent.


    "As I said earlier, you don''t merely dislike Tito ¨C you hate him. The coldness that filled your body when you saw them wasn''t due to fear, but anger and hatred. When I was thrashing them up like the trash they are, you felt no pity for them. Actually, you were a little joyful to see them meet such a malevolent star like myself."


    "Which means: all this while you have restrained yourself around them. This could only mean that you realized that you were weaker and could do nothing to them" Mane slowly stated.


    "Isn''t that right," Mane stopped walking and asked Lam?


    "Elder Brother," Lily looked at her brother in worry. Lam was biting his lips so hard that they were bleeding. He clenched his fists as his body shook slightly and finally spoke,


    "They hurt my friends, and caused Lily so much pain for the past two years. They were unbridled in their actions and brought a dark cloud over this formerly vibrant village. Yet, as the future Village Head, not only did I lack the power to protect the village, I also couldn''t protect the person who is dearest to me"


    Saying the last words, he grasped Lily''s hands so tight that they became red.


    "Elder Brother," Lily returned his grasp as if to reassure him. It wasn''t like she didn''t notice her brother''s gloominess, but she danced around the topic since she knew how helpless he felt.


    "Hey! Stop holding her hand so tight. Don''t you know that you would hurt her?" Hildegarde shouted as she flew in front of Lam to rebuke him. Luckily they weren''t able to see or hear her, or else she would have ruined the delicate atmosphere.


    Mane naturally ignored the fairy who failed to read the mood and said, "I see. It must certainly feel bad to watch a loved one harassed constantly without being able to do nothing."


    "But we can easily change that. You only need to grow stronger" Mane smiled and said.


    "What do you mean," Lam lifted his head to face Mane and stared into his blue eyes? Gazing at the eyes that shared the same color as the deep ocean and radiated calm and fearlessness, Lam grew calm. His agitation was washed away quickly as he realized that Mane had a solution.


    "Simple: you just need to be trained," Mane stated and continued walking.


    "If it were that simple I would have done it already. But no one wants to train me. And Sir Dan said his training would be too brutal for me to handle" Lam stated bitterly.


    Mane''s eyebrows twitched in annoyance when he heard what Lam said. He knew Dan well enough to know the man was lying.


    "That big softie said his training would be too merciless? What utter nonsense!" It wasn''t only Mane who was unconvinced by Dan''s announcement. Hildegarde shared his belief. After all, the same Dan was reluctant to force Mane into truly brutal situations. How could a big softie like him claim that his training was brutal?


    "Then I would train you. I wasn''t kidding when I said you are stronger than that pest. But your stamina is poor. We''d work on that, and then I would teach you a few moves to defend yourself" Mane stated coolly.


    "Plus that Tito boy wouldn''t be able to get out of bed for a long time, so there should be more than enough time to train you," Mane thought to himself, but didn''t say it out loud.


    "Thank you Mane," Lily excitedly said and run to grab Mane''s hand in thanks. Lam smiled happily and expressed his thanks as well, as he pulled Lily away from Mane.


    "Sure, it''s no big deal. Now let''s finish the tour. You did promise to show me the marketplace" Mane smiled at Lily and said.


    "Yes," Lily energetically exclaimed! She was so happy that she didn''t notice the gazes of those around them.


    So, led by the happy girl, the trio walked towards the marketplace.

 Chapter 256 - Furious Village Head

    Within the residence which was at the centre of the village, the residence assigned to the Village Head, two people were having a conversation.


    "How is he," a middle aged man with a few strands of gray in his hair, asked the only other person sharing the room with him?


    "He is fine ¨C generally. Right now he is asleep, but he is definitely in pain" The person who replied the middle aged man was an old man with a hump. The old man was clad in several strange chains and amulets, and even his ankles weren''t spared from the binding of these ornaments. His eyes were completely white, and his hair was fully gray. There was a huge ring hanging on his nose, and his lower lip had been pierced with a small rod. In simple terms, he was a queer looking old man.


    The middle aged man looked perturbed by the reply the old man gave him. Unlike the old man who embodied the word ''eccentric'', the middle aged man was quite the looker. He was clearly in his middle ages, as evidenced by the few wrinkles on his forehead, but he was handsome and could very well steal the heart of any young maiden. He was tall, almost as tall as Dan, and his fair skin was slightly tan, proof that he was someone used to the harsh life under the sun. He was well-built, and his clothes screamed under the pressure of his bulging muscles. This man was the head of the village ¨C Village Head Samoa.


    "How long would he have to suffer like this, Chief Doctor Kaka? When do you think he would be healed?" the Village Head gripped the arms of the chair in front of him strongly. The sturdy furniture creaked under the pressure wrought on it by the heavily calloused hands of Village Head Samoa. This alone was enough to show that Village Head Samoa was a very strong man.


    "Very long," Chief Doctor Kaka vaguely replied, not at all scared by Village Head Samoa''s display. He walked to a tattered bag that had been discarded at the corner of the room and began to pack his things.


    "What do you want, Chief Doctor Kaka," finally, Village Head Samoa sighed helplessly and asked? He knew the Chief Doctor well, so his intention was never to scare him. Although the Chief Doctor didn''t possess the strength to go against Village Head Samoa, he was the most influential and skilled doctor in the village. In fact, his skill with herbs vastly outstripped the skills of all the other doctors in this village. Frankly speaking, Village Head Samoa was an experienced man who had travelled many parts of the world before finally choosing to settle in this village. He had been to several towns, and even the biggest of cities, and he could testify that Chief Doctor Kaka''s skills placed him at the forefront of doctors even in the big towns. The man was skilled enough to be a qualified and respected doctor in a city, so the village was nothing to him. Although he often wondered why such a skilled doctor remained in this small village, he never questioned the man''s intentions. Mostly because he wasn''t qualified enough to do so. And when he finally became the Village Head, he found out that he still wasn''t qualified to know anything about the doctor. In Kaka''s eyes, Samoa was just a temporary replacement, and his high position would soon be taken from him and given to the one who earned it by virtue of birth. So whenever the two interacted with each other, and Samoa needed help, he would have to offer something to the doctor in return. Because of the doctor''s excellent skills, his requests were non-negotiable.


    This position allowed him to act impudently with anyone, as no one could do anything to him. Well they could, but only a fool would destroy the village''s best doctor, because of the small offense of disrespect. And Village Head Samoa wasn''t a fool.


    "I need the blood of a Red-Faced Mosquito," Kaka was still packing his things. He didn''t even pause when he was making the request. It was almost as if he would leave without getting the answer he wanted.


    "I have just given you the heart of a Jungle Cat. Isn''t it a bit unfair to ask for something as rare as that as well?" Village Head Samoa''s lips twitched when he heard the request of Chief Doctor Kaka. The Red-Faced Mosquito was an extremely rare Magical Beast. Unlike most mosquitoes that relished the blood of others, the Red-Faced Mosquito didn''t drink blood. It was an insect that feasted on honey and wine. It was swift and dangerous, for it had an extremely deadly bite that could kill even the strongest of men in seconds. This Magical Beast was tiny, but because of its rarity, speed, and deadly venom, it was ranked as a High Class Magical Beast. Not only was it difficult to find, it was even more difficult to capture. Yet that was what Chief Doctor Kaka was asking for.


    "The Jungle Cat''s heart was for an assessment. It was never agreed upon that it would also be the payment for revealing the results of the assessment, was it? It is unreasonable for you to expect extra service from me without paying me"


    Towards the shameless words of Chief Doctor Kaka, Village Head Samoa was momentarily speechless. How could someone be so shameless so as to brand him/herself as the one being cheated, when that person was clearly doing the cheating? Even more unreasonable was that the Jungle Cat was a rare Middle Class Magical Beast, and was extremely difficult to kill. Yet that price wasn''t good enough for Kaka.


    He sighed and said, "I would get it for you in less than a month"


    "Good," Chief Doctor Kaka nodded his head and stopped packing his things. He walked to the only table in the room and picked up the jug that was on it. He took a brief sniff to ascertain its contents and began to down the liquid inside.


    Village Head Samoa wanted to strangle the man, but held the impulse in. The jug was filled with the carefully treated honey of a century old Platinum Bee ¨C a High Class Magical Beast. It was a treasure that he had saved for a long time, and whenever he took it out, he only took a sip and placed it back in its hiding spot. Even then, his heart ached from wasting the precious mead. Yet this man had nonchalantly started drinking it like it was his own. There was no way someone with Kaka''s skills and experience didn''t know what that was.


    "Good wine. Is there more?" Kaka questioned after downing the contents of the jug. Village Head Samoa took deep breaths to calm himself. He felt that if he paid the Chief Doctor any mind, he would kill the man right here and now. Even as he was trying to calm himself, he heard Kaka ask once again if there was more and almost lost his mind.


    "Just tell me what you found out," Village Head Samoa finally snapped. His tolerance was unexpectedly high to resist the urge to strangle the man after repeated provocations.


    "Geez. You don''t have to become so emotional just because of this." Chief Doctor Kaka complained like he was the victim, and sat down comfortably on Village Head Samoa''s chair, leaving the Village Head standing. Naturally, Village Head Samoa ignored him.


    "Your son has several fractured ribs, and all his limbs are fractured. His forearms, arms, shoulders, thighs, legs, h.i.p.s; all of those bones are fractured. So it should take him at least a year, to be fully recovered if he has my help." Chief Doctor Kaka nonchalantly stated.


    *Boom*


    The wall had a hole in it, and the fist that caused the damage was still embedded in it. Village Head Samoa''s breathing was rough. His eyes were red with rage, and his countenance was grim. His fury was exuded from every fiber of his being, so much so that even the birds that were perched on the roof of his home, flew away in fright when they felt his anger. However, the one who gave him the bad news wasn''t perturbed. He even had the guts to comment,


    "This person was truly skilled," while shaking the jug to see if he missed a drop of the delicious wine he just enjoyed.


    "B*st*rd," the angry Samoa jumped in front of Kaka and lifted him by the neck. In his fury, he did something he had never done before, and if he was sane would never do. That was how much he loved his son.


    "Since I got to enjoy Platinum Honey Wine at your house, I would forgive your blunder. But you best place me down quickly, for your own good" Although he was being held by the neck and was being strangled, Kaka spoke normally like nothing had happened. Village Head Samoa, quickly regained his composure from Kaka''s words and hurriedly let go of the man. Chills went down his spine when he remembered that this man''s skill with poisons was a notch above his already magnificent medical skill.


    "I''m sorry for my lack of tact," Village Head Samoa quickly apologized. Chief Doctor Kaka waved him off and replied saying it was fine. Then he went back to topic.


    "The person was skilled. That is the truth. Although young Tito has several fractured bones, none of them experienced a break. In other words, his bones were not completely broken. And miraculously, all the fractures are simple fractures. Otherwise even with my help, it would have taken at least three years for a full recovery."


    "Are you saying the perpetrator was a ''New Type''," Village Head Samoa felt a chill down his spine hearing Chief Doctor Kaka''s words. He asked what he thought was the most logical question.


    "Who knows," Kaka nonchalantly replied? "But what is important is to enlist my help. That would cost you ten Jungle Cat hearts, and 5 Rage Bulls."


    "Okay. But you have to start the treatment immediately," Village Head Samoa quickly agreed since it had to do with his only son.


    "Fine," Chief Doctor Kaka mumbled and walked into Tito''s room with his medicine bag, leaving the Village Head all on his own.


    "To do this to my son," Samoa uttered through gritted teeth. His rage fully exploded now that Kaka wasn''t here. The grinding of his teeth was loud, like a saw mill grinding bones to dust. His tightly balled fists shook at his sides, and his eyes were filled with cold anger.


    "Whether you are a ''New Type'' or not," Village Head Samoa squeezed through his gritted teeth,


    "I WILL KILL YOU!"

 Chapter 257 - Lams Analysis

    "Today was great. I never knew this place was so big" Back at Dan''s residence, Mane appreciated the efforts of the twins who freely showed him around the village by conveying his thanks. His bright expression and sparkling eyes revealed that he wasn''t just being polite. He truly enjoyed himself today. Although getting to blow off some steam, by butchering Tito and his friends was part of the reason he felt so at ease, sightseeing with the twins was fun in so many ways. The village was small yet beautiful, and the marketplace was filled with strange things he had never seen or heard of before.


    "Yeah. The village looks small when you only stay at one place. However, once you begin to explore, you realize that it is much bigger than you could ever imagine" Lam smiled at Mane and stated.


    "I learnt that today," Mane nodded his head in agreement. "Are you sure that you do not want to come inside," Mane asked the twins once again?


    "No, we must return to our home," Lam quickly refused when he saw that Lily was eager to accept the invitation. It was almost as if he was terrified of letting his sister get closer to Mane.


    "Besides, we must report what happened to our Grandfather," Lam gave a valid excuse while he was at it.


    "Tell him what," Mane c.o.c.ked his head to the side with an innocent expression on his face? "It was an uneventful day, so I am wondering what there is to report," the young Supreme continued as he tied his loose hair into a ponytail.


    "You are really incorrigible," Lam sighed after listening to Mane''s words. He didn''t sense dishonesty from Mane''s words. However, Mane had been denying the incident the entire time, so even though he had only spent a few hours with Mane, Lam was used to his behavior by now.


    "How can you call beating up Tito ''uneventful''," Lily giggled by the side. Although she had listened to Mane ignore the gravity of his actions over and over again, she still found it fun to watch.


    "Oh that," Mane snapped his fingers like he had suddenly been enlightened. On top of his shoulder sat Hildegarde. She sighed as she tried to connect the Mane from one month ago to the current Mane. Although she had only met the Mane from one month ago when he was introduced as her chaperone, at the time he gave the impression of one who was calm and composed, kind and mature, proud and slightly aloof, and gentle with a slight hint of ruthlessness hidden within. He never came off as a highly sociable person. Even when she shared in his memories when he was being transferred to this world, she saw that his interactions with his friends wasn''t anything like this.


    He was doting of the Hydra twins, gentle with his disciple Aegeus, a bit competitive with Abelard, and a bit restrained with Frederick and Selina (probably due to their age and the fact that he hadn''t known them long enough). But he was never this jovial with them. He had only just met Lam and Lily, yet he laughed with them jovially, and teased them like he had known them for ages. This was strange since he wasn''t so free with Selina and Frederick, whom he knew way longer than Lam and Lily.


    "It must be the influence of that bad egg called Dan," Hildegarde grumbled to herself. That was the only explanation to Mane''s drastic change. He had stayed alone with Dan for too long. The man''s outgoing personality had deeply infected Mane, who only had Dan for company for the past month. Hildegarde paid little attention to the conversation between Mane and the twins, as she figured out a way to get Mane back to who he was. She couldn''t have the one marked by fate becoming a party person and losing his sharp edge.


    Lam couldn''t help but snicker at Mane''s expression. Now that one of the burdens upon his shoulders had been temporarily lifted off (the issue about him gaining strength), he was more at ease. He was now able to laugh at the things he would never had laughed at before.


    "Yes that," Lam smiled at Mane and said. "We need to inform Grandfather so that he can defend you if there is any trouble from the Village Head''s side," Lam''s expression became a bit more serious when he spoke of the Village Head. There was a little bit of nervousness in his tone.


    "He''s a ''New Type'', isn''t he," Mane smiled when he noticed Lam''s anxiousness.


    "As I thought. You knew" Lam nodded at Mane''s question and sighed.


    "Not really. It was just a guess." Mane smiled as he replied. Lily quietly stood at the side. She didn''t interrupt, for she didn''t really have anything to say. She felt that the topic was getting a bit more serious, and she didn''t want to involve herself in any strenuous explanations; especially when her brother could do it better than her.


    "What kind of New Type is he," Mane wondered? Since he had thoroughly offended the Village Head by beating up his son, he needed to gather information so that he could deal with whatever would come his way. Plus, he needed to find a way to procure some swords. Although there was no Edict or Chaos, his understanding of sword and blade arts remained. And Mane was confident that if he had a sword or two, he would be able to seriously deal with even someone as strong as Dan (at his base level of course. Mane still didn''t know what special ability Dan possessed)!


    "Well, nobody really knows, mainly because no one has actually seen him fight. He is like Sir Dan in terms of secrecy. Although Sir Dan is physically strong, he certainly has a special ability since he doesn''t use any weapons and still manages to kill High Class Magical Beasts with relative ease. Just like Sir Dan is a New Type with unknown abilities, Village Head Samoa is also a New Type with unknown abilities"


    Mane learnt the name of the Village Head from the conversation. He also realized that Lam didn''t know that Dan wasn''t a New Type, but a Mystic Path Warrior. This wasn''t any surprise since only a fool would disclose such information. It made him wonder if the Village Head was also secretive because he was also hiding a big secret like Sir Dan. Although Mane didn''t know what this secret was, it was highly unlikely that Village Head Samoa was a Mystic Path Warrior too. After all, meeting one Mystic Path Warrior in this small village was a miracle in itself, but meeting two was improbable.


    "But it is believed that his special ability is strength-based. The remains of every Magical Beast he brings back suggests that brute force was the reason for their deaths. Plus, he uses a heavy hammer as his primary weapon. He always has a few throwing daggers on him as well, but as none of the Magical Beasts he has killed have any knife markings, it is unknown whether or not he truly knows how to use the daggers" Lam didn''t have much information, but the little he managed to figure out, he analysed to the fullest.


    "That''s some nice analysis you''ve done there," Mane complimented the older of the twins. Lam scratched his cheek embarrassingly and said, "Since I didn''t have any power to protect myself, I spent most of my time learning about Village Head Samoa and Tito"


    "Hopefully, I would become stronger from your training," the twin stated. He quickly added. "I may not be a New Type like yourself, but I hope I can at least be strong enough to defend my family"


    "New Type," Mane mumbled internally but he didn''t correct Lam. If Lam thought so, then that would be best. It would also be great if Village Head Samoa reached the same conclusion. Besides, it would serve to explain his strength since his abilities would only grow stronger from here.


    "He has mistaken your identity. But I''m sure you don''t mind" Hildegarde stated as she flew on top of Mane''s head. Mane nodded internally, whilst thinking that Hildegarde didn''t know how to obediently stay a one place. She kept moving around and if Mane were to follow her with his eyes, he would have been hit by a heavy dizzy spell.


    "You are a New Type right," Lam asked curiously when he saw Mane''s dubious expression? Lily also stared at him with her big, green, innocent eyes.


    "Mhm," Mane nodded his head and solidified the lie as truth.


    "I figured out that much. The way you weaved your way through them as you tore down their defenses was truly grand. You are an Agility Type, aren''t you? Your agility vastly outstrips your other qualities." Lam questioned Mane as he dug deeper into the lie.


    "He''s good," Hildegarde sounded a bit surprised. She lifted herself off Mane''s head and flew to Lam. She scrutinized him seriously, as if she wanted to find something she had missed the first time.


    "Nope. He''s still the same" she remarked, and Mane almost rolled his eyes. "Although he''s wrong about the source of your abilities, he is spot on with the Agility thing," Hildegarde returned to Mane''s side and stated. Mane could only agree with her in his mind. It was true that his agility was now furthest ahead amongst his three physical attributes. Also, his completion rate had increased. This was because of a skill he unlocked after broke the hand of the first boy. It came as a shock to Mane to discover that he could unlock skills for some of his actions, and that was also one of the reasons he was so lighthearted even after he had beaten the boys half to death.


    His status looked like this now:


    Name: Mane


    Age: 15


    Current Setting: Healthy


    Physical Attributes ¨C Strength: 3.2


    *Agility: 4.7


    Stamina: 3.9


    Test Difficulty: Chaos


    Testing Ground: Chaotic Era


    Goal: End Goal ¨C Become Chaos


    Completion Rate: 5.03


    Skills: Speedy Chaos [Active skill] ¨C You have caused chaos after only one month of entering the testing grounds. You run towards chaos, and it runs towards you. Run Wild Supreme. Be Chaos! {Permanent increase in Agility stats by 1.5. Additional 10% increase in speed when activated}.

 Chapter 258 - Lams Secret

    Hildegarde snickered happily as she recalled the look on Mane''s face when he first saw the skill. It wasn''t happiness he experienced first ¨C it was helplessness.


    "How can the Dreamscape''s Will come up with such a cheesy name for its skill," was what Mane thought when he saw the skill''s name? It wasn''t just the name that was cheesy, even the description was weird. It made Mane wonder what kind of being the Dreamscape''s Will was. It certainly wasn''t normal if that was how it named its skills.


    Although Mane couldn''t say what he thought out loud since he was being escorted by the twins at the time, Hildegarde could tell what he was thinking by the displeasure on his face. It made her happy when she saw him react so negatively to the skill''s name. It wasn''t only because she also thought that the Dreamscape''s Will had a weird naming sense; rather, it was because Mane''s reaction was normal.


    "In all the tests I''ve been to, since there was usually Edict or Chaos, they didn''t awaken skills. They awakened glows. But all the glows had weird names as well" Hildegarde happily explained at the time. It was fun to see Mane, who was usually always in control, lose his cool over the name of a skill.


    Sensing her joy, Mane grumbled and said quietly under his breath, even with the twins in tow, "The Dreamscape''s Will and the Fairies must surely be drunkards." When the twins asked whether he said anything, he happily lied that he did not. Seeing Hildegarde''s pretty face twist in displeasure at his comments made his decision to risk coming off as a crazy person worth it. Although the Dreamscape was overseen by its Will, it was the fairies that carried out its commands. So Mane was right to say that the fairies who had no issue implementing silly skill names were strange as well.


    But back to the current issue: Mane was impressed by Lam''s analysis and made it known. After asking them to come in once more, only to be rejected by Lam, Mane bid the stubborn twins goodbye and entered the house. The door creaked when Mane opened it, and as he gazed past the relatively open compound, he saw his guardian.


    "Oh, you''re here," Mane was surprised to see Dan sitting outside the house. The older man was seated on the floor, and was using the door to the house as a backrest. He had a lazy expression on his face and was chewing on a stick.


    "Of course I''m here. It''s my house you know. Where else did you expect me to be?" Dan grinned and answered in the upbeat tone Mane had grown accustomed to.


    "I thought you would be out by now. You''re usually never around." Mane walked up to Dan and sat right next to him. He stretched his hand to the older man, and Dan smilingly reached into his b.r.e.a.s.t pocket and took out a slender stick. The stick was similar to the one Dan was chewing on. It was as long as a finger, but very slender. It gave off a weird smell, and looked strangely appealing. From the practiced actions of the two, one could easily tell that this wasn''t the first time Mane had asked for the stick.


    "I decided not to go out today," Dan stated and passed the stick to Mane.


    "I see," Mane nodded and placed the stick right underneath his nose. He sniffed it gently, and a pleasant feeling washed over his body. He gently placed the stick in his mouth, and started chewing on it like Dan.


    "So now you are also an addict," Hildegarde teased as she lay supine on Mane''s head. Mane''s lips twitched at her words, but there was no way he could reply her. Their relationship was slowly becoming one-sided. Since Mane couldn''t speak to Hildegarde whenever he was around others, she could say anything she wanted and beam in satisfaction as Mane could do nothing to defend himself.


    She was right though. The stick Mane was chewing onto was called the ''Lover''s Whisper''. It was mined from the trunk of a millennium old Hyperion. It was great for clearing the head, and easing a person''s fatigue. It prevented cases of acc.u.mulated fatigue, and was very rare. It lightened a person''s burdens, and was a generally useful. However, it had some side effects and some negative aspects. The negative aspect of Lover''s Whisper was its smell and taste. Anyone taking it for the first time would be repulsed by how it smelled, and its metallic taste would be unpleasant at the start. However, once a person pushed through these negative attributes, they would gradually grow to enjoy it.


    It was similar to alcohol in this sense. It was just a much more expensive and rare drug. Also, it was powerful against weak minds. Lover''s Whisper had a slight hallucinatory effect. It was called slight because it paled in comparison to the strong hallucinations some Magical Beasts were capable of, but its hallucinations were powerful enough to delude anyone with a weak will. Because of that, children weren''t allowed to take it.


    Dan fed Lover''s Whisper to Mane a day after he could finally get out of bed, when his injuries were fully healed. He did it to see if the hallucinations it drew would be related to Mane''s ''forgotten past''. Mane didn''t like the taste, and he didn''t care for the smell either, but he couldn''t refute Dan''s suggestion since that would seem suspicious. It was either take the drug, or tell him the truth. Obviously, Mane took the drug. It was clear that Dan didn''t learn anything new about Mane, since Mane''s mind was strong and he didn''t fall prey to the hallucinations. In Mane''s eyes, those hallucinations were only good enough to deceive 4 year old children. After all, he was even able to see through the cloak of Ananse, the Wise Spider Goddess. Granted, it was because of the power of his True Eyes, but it should be noted that they were still sealed at the time.


    Just when Mane thought the nightmare was finally over, Dan showed up the next day with another stalk of Lover''s Whisper, saying that it may work this time. Mane had read about the substance in one of the books Dan had given him, so he knew about its rarity. It was so rare that most people used the same stalk over and over again. Although that reduced its efficacy, to them it was better than nothing. But Dan offered him a new stalk. Mane tried to reason with Dan, and pointed out its rarity. He had no plans to put that disgusting substance in his mouth again, and didn''t even know why people liked it. However, for some strange reason, Dan had an abundance of this rare merchandise and told Mane so.


    Mane didn''t ask him anything about it though. It seemed that is was related to Dan''s past, since he always had a look of longing on his face whenever he used it. It wasn''t in his place to pry into Dan''s past. So Mane kept taking it and taking it, until it reached a point where he was eager to take it. And when Dan stopped offering it to him, Mane was the one who began asking for it. In other words, Hildegarde was right. Mane was now an addict and an avid lover of the substance known as Lover''s Whisper.


    "So, you beat up Tito and his gang," Dan smiled and said?


    "Yeah," Mane simply replied.


    "Well done. They''ve been terrorizing that little girl for a long time now" Dan sighed and stated.


    Mane didn''t ask why Dan didn''t help them. Although he looked like a rough man, Mane knew he was actually really kind. After all, if he wasn''t kind, he wouldn''t have rescued Mane ¨C a stranger he didn''t know at all ¨C and saved his life. Mane was curious about something else.


    "Why did you refuse to teach him how to defend himself? He has talent. Even I can see that. Surely a veteran like you wouldn''t miss it"


    That was what Mane really wanted to know. Dan was a kind man. Even if he didn''t want to help Lam and Lily directly, he could have done so indirectly by teaching the boy how to fight. So why didn''t he? Mane could tell that there was a secret about Lam. He just didn''t know what it was.


    "Hah," Dan sighed tiredly. "Tomorrow, come with me to see Old Fan. It would be better for you to hear it from him" Dan stated and got up. He brushed his trousers with his hands and walked towards the door.


    "Okay," Mane nodded. "But where are you going? Didn''t you say you are staying indoors today?" Mane raised his eyebrows in doubt.


    "I did," Dan pointed at himself with an innocent expression? His action almost caused Mane to fall face first onto the ground.


    "You really have become like him," Hildegarde mercilessly added as she compared Dan''s current actions to Mane''s interaction with the twins. Mane ignored her and spoke to Dan, "Yes you!"


    "Is that so?"


    "Yes. You literally just said so"


    "Okay then. I guess I lied"


    Mane fell onto the floor at his reply as Dan left with a look of innocence still plastered onto his face.


    "Now you know how the twins felt," Hildegarde flew around Mane and scoffed.

 Chapter 259 - Manes Worry

    "Yep," Mane could finally reply to Hildegarde''s comments now that there was no one around.


    "Wait a minute," Mane suddenly exclaimed and startled Hildegarde, who almost fell off his shoulder due to his sudden action.


    "What," Hildegarde sounded irritated? She flew above Mane with a look of annoyance on her face, obviously from the fact that Mane had robbed her of her favorite ''couch''.


    "He said we''d go hunting tomorrow. I was just thinking that it would be a shame to miss a hunt because of that meeting" Mane looked apologetic seeing Hildegarde''s dissatisfied expression. It wasn''t his intention to shrug her off his shoulder.


    "I doubt that would factor into this," Hildegarde stated while waving her tiny hands. She slowly flew onto Mane''s shoulder and settled herself on it once more.


    "You normally wouldn''t worry about something like that. So why are you concerned this time?" Hildegarde wondered. Mane had waited long to be allowed to go out and fight against something other than Dan. Waiting another day wouldn''t change much. It was strange that Mane was worried about something that he would normally consider trivial.


    "That''s because it''s appeared on my status," Mane sighed and said. He then displayed his status for Hildegarde to see what he meant.


    Name: Mane


    Age: 15


    Current Setting: Healthy


    Physical Attributes ¨C Strength: 3.2


    *Agility: 4.7


    Stamina: 3.9


    Test Difficulty: Chaos


    Testing Ground: Chaotic Era


    Daily Quest: Complete Dan''s morning training [Completed]


    *Tomorrow''s Daily Quest: Go hunting with Dan


    Goal: End Goal ¨C Become Chaos


    Completion Rate: 5.02


    Skills: Speedy Chaos [Active skill] ¨C You have caused chaos after only one month of entering the testing grounds. You run towards chaos, and it runs towards you. Run Wild Supreme. Be Chaos! {Permanent increase in Agility stats by 1.5. Additional 10% increase in speed when activated}.


    "It appeared as a daily quest," Hildegarde sounded surprised as she appraised the information that was displayed on Mane''s status. And she was right to be. Since Mane started his very predictable lifestyle of training every morning, and reading the texts Dan had presented him every evening, the daily quests had become predictable as well. Now, Mane''s daily quest was always [Complete Dan''s Morning Training]. And it had remained that way till now. Mane always completed his daily quests, and after two weeks of constantly going beyond the completion requirements, he unlocked a feature ¨C a gift ¨C for his hard work. The reward was a simple yet efficient gift: the ability to see the Daily Quest for the next day. It was simple yet tremendous. This was because the ability to see what one must achieve beforehand was always precious. It allowed one to plan for any inconsistencies and surprises, and also informed one of any new changes to an otherwise predictable affair.


    So basically, whenever Mane received his Daily Quests, the Daily Quest for the next day would also appear. But it only did late in the day. It appeared before nighttime, but not early morning or early afternoon. It usually appeared in the late afternoons. Since Mane had spent most of his time today with the twins, it was no surprise that the Daily Quest for tomorrow had appeared. But the morning training was not what had appeared. It was his scheduled hunting with Dan that had. Normally, this wouldn''t have been worrying. After all, since this was the first time Mane was going hunting, it was no surprise that it had been recorded as a Daily Quest. However, his chaperone had explained how Daily Quests worked to him a long time ago. And by that description, that meant that the quest was probably harder than it looked.


    "Daily Quests are more like schedules. They actually follow the needs of the tested. For instance, if you had an unstable life, with different things happening to you each day, your Daily Quests would be just as spontaneous and unpredictable. But since you follow a routine lifestyle, your Daily Quests have grown to follow that pattern as well. In the case of someone who lives methodically, when the Daily Quest changes, it is not a simple thing. For a person with an unplanned way of living, daily changes in the Daily Quest are expected and do not pose a greater level of difficulty. But for someone who usually follows the same pattern like yourself, when the quest changes, it means it is more difficult to achieve completion. This is because, for people with a routine way of living, when there is a change, the system analyses which one is more relevant, more difficult, and could give a better reward, and settles on that one"


    This was the explanation Hildegarde gave him the first time Mane experienced a change in his Daily Quests. That change, was to duel Dan. And indeed, it was vastly harder to accomplish than the usual quest of [Completing Dan''s Morning Training]. It wasn''t just because of Dan''s strength. The Quest Completion didn''t require him to win. It only required that Mane duel the older man. After all, the Quest read, [Duel Dan]. That was all. Yet Mane could remember how difficult it was to get the older man to spar with him. It wasn''t easy to accomplish, and Mane had almost failed the quest. Completing the quest increased his completion rate and gave him better rewards than the usual Daily Quest, which proved that Hildegarde was right when she said relevance, difficulty and rewards were the three aspects the system considered before deciding on a Daily Quest. So now that the hunt Dan had promised him appeared as tomorrow''s Daily Quest, Mane was very worried. This was because, if it wasn''t the harder of the two, it wouldn''t have been picked.


    "I get why you are worried now," Hildegarde sighed as she took her eyes off Mane''s Status screen. It was true that Daily Quests were important, but it was okay to fail a few. After all, the Will of the Dreamscape didn''t expect that the tested would be able to complete each quest. There was a penalty of course, but not completing a Daily Quest wasn''t equivalent to failing the entire mission itself. So it was tolerable. But Mane was a perfectionist. He didn''t want to fail even a single one. Although Hildegarde did inform him that there was a hidden reward for anyone who was able to reach the ''End Goal'' without failing a single Daily Quest, that wasn''t the reason for Mane''s obsession with his perfect streak. He didn''t care about the penalties, and he didn''t care about the rewards that came with achieving such a feat. What he cared about was the fact that it was a challenge. To Mane, each Daily Quest was a daily challenge. And for someone who chased after perfection, failing a challenge once wasn''t part of the agenda. It wasn''t tolerable.


    "Yeah." Mane succinctly said and stood up. He dusted his clothes and headed inside.


    "So what now," Hildegarde, who was still seated on Mane''s shoulder asked as he entered the house.


    "I continue with my experiment until Dan returns," Mane stated resolutely and walked towards his room. Since there was nothing he could do by worrying, he could only prepare himself for tomorrow ¨C both mentally and physically. But that would have to wait. Normally, he did a few experiments in the afternoons. But he spent most of his time with the twins, so the day was almost over. Since there wasn''t much time left, Mane thought he would use the little time he had left to focus on his experiment.


    "You still haven''t given up huh," Hildegarde stated helplessly. "I told you that if it was possible, it would have appeared as a Daily Quest," she continued.


    "And I also told you that it could be a Hidden Quest," Mane argued.


    "You''re really stubborn," Hildegarde grumbled.


    "I agree," Mane smiled and said. His words almost caused Hildegarde to fall off his shoulder. Mane ignored the fairy on his shoulder and entered his room. The small room he had moved into a month ago hadn''t changed much. The major difference was that there was a large stone tablet at the corner, and a small knife was next to it. There was nothing on the tablet; it was completely blank. The knife was crudely made, and wasn''t eye-catching in any way. Mane didn''t pay particular attention to the tablet. It was there to record any progress he would make. So far, he hadn''t discovered anything noteworthy. But he hoped that would change soon.


    Mane placed a cloth on the floor, and sat cross-legged on it.


    "Hildegarde," he softly mumbled.


    "Fine; I''d keep watch" she replied, albeit unwillingly. She flew off his shoulder and onto the table. Mane nodded in thanks and closed his eyes. This was what he had been doing for the past month. Although he didn''t feel the presence of Edict or Chaos, Mane didn''t give up on discovering them. It may be that he would have to complete his mission before they would appear, but he still searched. Every afternoon he would meditate, calming his mind and searching for the presence of the Edict ¨C that which birthed Wielders and Scholars ¨C and Chaos ¨C its bane and the reason for the existence of Spiritualists. So far, he hadn''t sensed anything. But he didn''t give up.


    If one was to look at this logically, if Hildegarde, who was stronger than him and a fairy ¨C one of the creatures very sensitive to Edict ¨C couldn''t discover its presence on this planet, it was silly for Mane to attempt it. But that was exactly the reason why Mane kept on trying. There was something he hadn''t told Hildegarde. And if she thought about it hard enough, she would also notice this discrepancy. There was no Edict, but she was able to fly. The fact that she could not be seen or heard could be attributed to the interference of the Dreamscape because they were passive skills. But flying was active. Even if this was an illusionary universe, fairies were very real, and her flying was no illusion. How could she fly, if she wasn''t connected to Edict? After all, the wings of fairies were made from energy. The question was:


    Was she somehow able to use Edict that was outside this planet; or had she connected to the hidden Edict on this planet?

 Chapter 260 - Failed Again

    Mane sat cross-legged for about an hour. Before long, the light poring outside the window ceased its action, and the room grew dim. Mane was so lost in his meditation, he didn''t notice that the sun had gone down. Luckily for him, there was someone here who wasn''t meditating.


    "I need to light the lamp huh," Hildegarde sighed as she flew towards the lamp next to the window. She ignored the lighter that was on the table, and approached the lamp. She blew at the lamp softly, and it lit up brightly, as though fireflies were dancing in it. This strange way of lighting the lamp wasn''t seen by anyone. If anyone had seen this, they would have been gob smacked. It was a different case if Hildegarde performed a fire breath. But she only blew at the lamp, and it lit up. It was remarkable, but there was no one present to see it. No wait a minute. There was one person around to see it.


    "No matter how many times I see you do that, I cannot comprehend how it happens," Mane shook his head with a look of amazement plastered on his face. He couldn''t remember how many times he had watched Hildegarde do this, but each time he saw it, it amazed him. And this was coming from someone who was a wielder. Mane had never seen anyone do something like this. And he couldn''t see himself being capable of something like this.


    "You''re done I see," Hildegarde flew next to Mane and said. Mane was no longer cross-legged. He wasn''t even seated. He was half-lying on the ground with the cloth below him. He had a lazy look plastered across his face and slightly adjusted his posture so that Hildegarde could borrow his shoulder.


    "Yeah. I opened my eyes in time to see you perform your ''magic trick''," Mane nodded his head and said.


    "I''ve told you several times that every fairy can do this much," Hildegarde didn''t take his compliment to heart. It wasn''t something to be pleased about. After all, every fairy was capable of this ''trick''.


    "And don''t call it a magic trick. It''s Elemental Conversion" Hildegarde said in an attempt to correct Mane, but without much conviction.


    "Looks like a phony magic trick to me," Mane said. His words and expression showed why Hildegarde''s attempt to correct him was lacking in faith. After all, when you''ve had the same conversion so many times already, you know the end results of each statement.


    "I''m still not going to teach you. I couldn''t even if I wanted to. Its race specific, much like glows are bloodline specific" Hildegarde ignored the sulking Mane and said. The reason why Mane called Hildegarde''s technique a magic trick was simple ¨C jealousy. That''s right. Mane was jealous of Hildegarde. After all, he had never seen an ability like Elemental Conversion before, and he was eager to study it. But Hildegarde shot down the efforts of the enthusiastic Supreme by telling him that it wasn''t a skill that could be shared with other races. She was forbidden from doing so. Besides, some skills were race-specific, and worked similar to glows. Since Mane wasn''t a fairy, and lacked their genetic makeup, even if he did study the skill, and grasped its intricacies, he wouldn''t be able to use it.


    "But even glows can be studied and comprehended," Mane argued.


    "Yes. But race-bound skills are different. Every race has a different genetic makeup. And it is because of our inherent differences, our bodies handle Edict differently. For instance; the Olympians, who are your father''s clan, have bodies that make them highly compatible with the feebler form of Edict ¨C inner energy. And their bodies are compatible with Chaos as well, making them perfect dual wielders by virtue of birth. As for your mother''s clan, the clan headed by the Allfather filled with Asgardians, they are born with strong bodies which can withstand the harsher half of Edict ¨C outer energy. They are also born with aptitude for rune magic. This is where they are also different. No one else can use rune magic except for them. So you can say that rune magic is race-specific to the Asgardians. Although most of their gods are born with intelligence so high that they can become scholars, they have no spiritualist since their bloodline isn''t soul-based. Well, except for ''that'' god of course"


    Hildegarde explained as she tried to convince Mane that race-specific skills couldn''t be studied like glows. She used his bloodline affiliations to prove her point.


    "Which god are you referring to," Mane''s attention had been taken away from Elemental Conversion, and was now on something else? His mind quickly tracked back to Hildegarde''s statement that there was an Asgardian who was able to become a Spiritualist regardless of his/her bloodline restriction. Mane couldn''t help but wonder who this person was.


    "You know I cannot tell you that," Hildegarde ignored his pleading expression and replied. She wasn''t about to dance to his tune just because he looked pitiful.


    "You wouldn''t teach me Elemental Conversion, and now you wouldn''t tell me about my own clan," Mane pouted. Although his expression was cute, Hildegarde wasn''t swayed.


    "Elemental Conversion belongs to my race. I have no obligation to teach you. Even if I did, you wouldn''t be able to learn it, and I would lose my position as your chaperone; notwithstanding the punishment that would be awaiting me for my silly decision."


    "Secondly, why should I tell you about your own clan? If you do not know about your own clan, that''s on you."


    Mane smiled bitterly and said, "Hard to argue with that logic."


    He didn''t bother Hildegarde anymore, mainly because of the fact that she could not only lose her position if she alluded to his request, but she would also be punished. He was obsessed with studying Elemental Conversion because he was sure that understanding the concept would allow him to achieve Elemental Harmony (a state he accidentally entered after the duel with his father). It wasn''t because he thought that he would be able to study a skill that was specific to a race. He wasn''t that dense to understand that he wouldn''t be able to use it even if he comprehended it. He was mainly seeking for this skill so he could understand the principle behind it. That would help him achieve Elemental Harmony, or so he thought. But it wasn''t a pressing issue. After all, he was on a planet that had no Edict or Chaos. Even if he acquired the skill and understood it, he would have no way to confirm if his theory was correct or not.


    "So you failed again huh," Hildegarde changed the topic seeing that Mane wasn''t willing to dwell on it anymore. She only hoped that he would stop at his attempts to coerce her into teaching him Elemental Conversion.


    "Yeah. You don''t sound surprised" Mane smiled and said.


    "Why would I be," Hildegarde was plain with her words? "You have failed several times already. Under the same conditions, with no difference, how would you succeed?" She stated.


    "That''s true," Mane nodded his head. "But I can''t help feeling that my hunch is right," he continued.


    "You mean your hunch that Edict exists and Chaos lurks in this planet," Hildegarde said? It was because of this hunch that Mane continued his ''meaningless'' pursuit.


    "Yes. I feel that some conditions haven''t been met, and that I''m missing something," Mane stroked his hairy chin and said.


    "In other words, if you can find out what is missing, you would be able to wield energy once more," Hildegarde questioned.


    "Yes," Mane nodded vehemently, feeling that his reasoning was sound.


    "I see," Hildegarde sighed and replied. "Can I ask you a question," she turned to Mane and asked. It was a strange scenario because her position as she sat on his shoulder only made her face his chin.


    "Sure. What do you want to know?" Mane wondered.


    Hildegarde ignored the stray beard hairs that kept hitting her in the face and said, "Why do you believe so strongly that your assumption is correct? After all, you have no proof. And you aren''t someone that works without any evidence or logical reasoning."


    Mane smiled at Hildegarde. His bearing was filled with confidence, and his words were said with no doubt whatsoever.


    "Because of you"

 Chapter 261 - New Theory: Part I

    "Because of me," Hildegarde pointed her finger in her face and repeated Mane''s words? She didn''t understand what Mane was getting at.


    Mane sighed when he noticed her clueless expression. He decided that it was time he told her why he was so insistent that Edict was available on this planet.


    "Have you never wondered why you could fly," Mane started? "Have you ever considered why you are able to hide yourself from the perception of others even without doing anything," he continued.


    "You could say that the concealment is natural because of the Dreamscape''s system. But what kind of system doesn''t have a power unit" Mane started his monologue. Hildegarde was stunned into silence by his words.


    That''s right. Why had she never thought of how all these were possible? If it was another testing ground, it would be only natural that flying and concealment would be available to her. After all, all the other worlds have Edict. And most of them had Chaos too. But this planet was different. This was a testing ground without any Chaos. This was a world without any Edict. So how was she able to fly? Why did she still have her power? How could she perform Elemental Conversion? And how did she conceal herself?


    "Before we came here, when we were still stuck in that strange realm that belongs to you fairies, I could still access Edict. Chaos was at my beck and call. I even put a tracker on you with my abilities as a scholar. Tracking requires Edict. Meaning that the Dreamscape uses the same energy system the True Universe uses. But it isn''t so here. There is no Edict. Chaos sleeps and my abilities are sealed. But is it really so? If you still possess your abilities, doesn''t that mean that there is something missing? There must be something I''m not seeing. There must be something I''m lacking. No, it should rather be that there is something I have gained that has made me insensitive to the energy that has been with me since I was 6"


    "What are you saying Mane? Are you saying that Edict and Chaos are present, but hidden?" Hildegarde interrupted.


    "No," Mane shook his head. "That was my first conjecture. And I didn''t fail to tell you about it"


    Hildegarde nodded her little head. It was true that Mane''s first thought was that there was energy on this planet. Mane initially thought that Edict and Chaos existed, but were hidden. So it was unlikely that was what he was thinking.


    "So what exactly do you think is happening here," Hildegarde furrowed her brows and asked?


    "What I''m saying is this: There is Edict and Chaos. That much is true. This planet is filled with them. And it isn''t hidden either. That is why you are able to still function as normally as you have all this while" Mane stated with confidence.


    "So if this world is filled with Edict and Chaos, then why can''t you access it," Hildegarde asked the crucial question? If things were as Mane was saying, then why wasn''t he able to use Edict? Why couldn''t he regain his approval from Chaos? And why wasn''t anyone from this world capable of displaying any wielding abilities?


    "Simple. Because this world has placed a restriction on me. In fact, it has placed a restriction on the entire population" Mane announced with a slight smile gracing his lips.


    "I still don''t understand," Hildegarde frankly told Mane that she was at a loss. "This world has an incomplete World Will, so how can a restriction be placed on them," she wondered?


    "Have you ever wondered why I was given a different body from my real one," Mane didn''t answer Hildegarde''s question? Rather, he posed a question of his own.


    "I told you already. It is standard procedure," Hildegarde frowned and replied.


    "You did tell me. You said that the bodies we use in the test are similar to our real bodies, and that the faster we get accustomed to the body, the better our soul-body integration." Mane smiled.


    "Exactly," Hildegarde nodded.


    "But you also stated that cases like mine where the tested is given a body that is older or younger than his/her actual body is rare," Mane continued.


    "I did," Hildegarde confessed. She did tell him that.


    "But the thing is, you have never been the chaperone for any of these people. You have only heard about it. So, who did you hear about it from?" Mane smiled and asked.


    "Of course I heard it from¡­" Hildegarde started, but her words trailed off at the end. She had a blank look on her face, and then her eyes finally lit up as she seemed to realize something.


    "It was just gossip, wasn''t it? None of those you heard it from witnessed it themselves. My guess is, that only happens when a person unlocks the final few levels of difficulty. And since the final few levels of difficulty are classified information, there is no way your leaders would allow information like that to be spread so recklessly" Mane proposed his hypothesis.


    "I see," Hildegarde nodded excitedly like she had been fed an energy drink and her energy levels were off the charts. The rigorous shaking of her head almost caused her to fall off Mane''s shoulder.


    "You''re saying that something like this is only possible after one unlocks the higher levels, and that the higher ups intentionally allowed this information to spread. But why would they do that?" Hildegarde wondered


    "Well, you are correct, but not entirely correct. It is true that your higher ups allowed this information to spread. As for the reason, I would get to it in a bit. But it isn''t entirely true that forcing the tested to use older or younger bodies is the norm after the Very High level. My guess is, only Chaos and Origin have this strange rule imposed on them" Mane said


    "Why do you think so," Hildegarde was curious? She was the chaperone, but Mane seemed to know much more about the Dreamscape than she did. She would have been embarrassed if it was any other tested. But the person she was facing was no ordinary person. This person was the Supreme! The one destined to hold the entire fate of the universe in his hands. He may be young now, but that was his destiny. It wasn''t a shame to be bested by him.


    "Because of their expressions when they were discussing whether or not you were good enough to be my chaperone. Most of them concealed it well, but I could still see it. No, rather, I could smell it. The disgusting aroma of greed was around them. They each thought that as long as they were my chaperone, they could reveal this secret to me in a subtle way. After all, using an older or younger body would make soul-body integration far more difficult than it is supposed to be. So letting me know that this was only a special case would allow me to have a good impression of them. It wouldn''t be breaking the rules since knowing this wouldn''t do anything for me. So it would be a perfect way for getting into the good books of a prodigy"


    "I get it know. So they allowed us to gossip about this so that they would be able to get into the good books of whoever would be able to unlock the higher stages" Hildegarde sighed as she realized that the higher ups were much more disgusting than she thought.


    "No," Mane denied. "Although they are greedy, that wasn''t the main reason for their action. For their plot to be effective, the tested must be with a lower level fairy first, so that they would get the false information, and then be replaced later by a higher level fairy so that the tested would be more grateful to hear the truth. When they wanted to replace you, I''m sure they would have convinced me that they would provide me with someone who would be more than willing to share more information. A person who has a bad record for disclosing sensitive information, so that they would replace this person midway. But it seemed that the Fairy King and a few of the Elders weren''t fans of this plan. So you, a fairy known for her stellar scores was sent instead"


    Mane''s words made Hildegarde smile in relief. It was good to know that her race wasn''t as corrupt as she thought. At least there were a few good ones.


    "The main idea was to hide the truth about Edict and Chaos. If I had my original body cloned for the test, I would have been able to sense Edict since I have been doused in it from my childhood"


    "You are still a child," Hildegarde interrupted. Mane ignored her and continued, "They gave me a body similar to mine, but of the same constitution as those of this world. A defective body that couldn''t sense Chaos. A body that had no connection to Edict"


    "If I am not wrong, there is a way to break this defectiveness" Mane said with a smile.


    "Oh? How?" Hildegarde asked, her eyes wide open with curiosity.


    "Savior"


    That was Mane''s guess. Although those who took Savior only had a ten percent chance of awakening an ability, Mane knew it was the key. There was such a low percentage of success because Savior caused a Bloodline Awakening. So if a person didn''t have a bloodline, they would awaken no ability. The abilities that it awakened were likely to be glows. But Mane reckoned that whether a person awakened an ability after consuming Savior or not, they would have the qualifications to become wielders. Unfortunately, this world didn''t have any wielding manuals so even when someone took Savior, they wouldn''t know what the strange energy they felt around them was. And they wouldn''t be able to use it.


    "So if you knew, why did you keep on meditating," Hildegarde asked?


    "I only just figured it out," Mane confessed.


    "I see. What are you going to do now? The books Dan gave you indicated that Savior was no longer available."


    "I don''t know," Mane confessed that he was out of sorts. "But if I have any chance at acquiring it, Dan is the key"

 Chapter 262 - New Theory: Part II

    "So how are you going to go about that," Hildegarde questioned? Mane couldn''t just walk up to Dan and say, "Yo Dan, I know that you are a Mystic Path Warrior. I just want to know if you have any more of that secret potion called Savior. It would be even better if I could get the recipe."


    It would have been awesome if Mane could do that. Mainly because Hildegarde would have loved to see Dan''s expression after hearing Mane tell him he knew his secret. But something like that was a mere fantasy. There was no way Mane was going to do that.


    "I don''t know yet, but I would think of something," Mane replied. He sighed helplessly. This was the first time in a long while that he hadn''t a clue what to do. And that seemed to be how things were going to be in this trial. The Chaos level didn''t focus on one''s fighting prowess. It did assess it. But it seemed to place more emphasis on how a person reasoned, rather than how a person fought. If it was purely based on fighting prowess, there wouldn''t be so many mysteries surrounding the test.


    "Well, you better think of something fast," Hildegarde advised. Mane just nodded his head. He knew that she was right. The earlier he thought of a plan to achieve his goals, the earlier he could set out to achieve them. He wasn''t necessarily on a time limited quest, but Mane didn''t plan on staying in this virtual universe for long. Plus, there was a supposedly strong Village Head eager to have his head.


    "Besides, there are more pressing issues," Mane stated solemnly.


    "What do you mean," Hildegarde asked suspiciously?


    "Someone is directing killing intent towards the house," Mane informed Hildegarde.


    "How is that possible? I don''t sense anything!" Hildegarde exclaimed.


    She found it hard to believe that Mane sensed something she did not. If he still had access to his numerous abilities, she wouldn''t be so doubtful. However, the current Mane wasn''t the Mane who was a Tetra Wielder. He wasn''t even a wielder in this current build. On this planet, he needed her help to even tell when Dan was approaching his room. That was the reason he always asked her to be on the lookout. She was his replacement for his sensing abilities. So why would she have no doubt when he suddenly declared that there was someone approaching the house with killing intent. It wasn''t even his room, but the house. When did he become skilled enough to sense the presence of another who wasn''t even within the vicinity?


    "You looked through my memories right? Then you know that I have been fighting beasts and Celestials for a large portion of my life, don''t you?" Mane asked Hildegarde


    "How did you know that I have seen your memories," Hildegarde had an aghast expression on her face. Mane wasn''t supposed to know that! So why did he?


    "You think you fairies would have been able to break into my mind without my permission? It is one thing to forcibly move my consciousness without my approval. It is another to try to invade my mind and read my memories. There is no way you would have been able to read them had I not allowed you to." Mane stated nonchalantly like it wasn''t a big deal. And indeed to him it wasn''t. He didn''t take it seriously at all.


    "Besides, if you were trying to hide it, you shouldn''t have spoken about my origin. You could weasel your way out of knowing that I''m Asgardian because of the Allfather, but that isn''t enough. How would you be able to explain how you knew that my mother was Asgardian, and my father was Olympian when I didn''t tell you? Honestly, you are so bad at keeping secrets." Mane sighed pretentiously.


    "I''m sorry," Hildegarde blushed and apologized. She had been feeling guilty for her actions. Although she wasn''t the one who pried Mane''s mind open, she was the one who got to see his memories. She felt guilty about it, but she always did a good job of hiding that guilt whenever it surfaced so that Mane wouldn''t become suspicious. But it turned out that he knew all along. Even worse was he was the one who allowed his mind to be read. She couldn''t help but feel apologetic.


    "I said it is fine. If I thought it was a big deal, I wouldn''t have allowed you to see anything anyway," Mane waved his hand to show that he really wasn''t bothered. Of course, he didn''t tell Hildegarde that he showed her only what he wanted her to see.


    Information on his masters and Ananse was skillfully hidden, and some false memories were crafted in their place to offer a sense of continuity so there would be no suspicions. After all, it was certainly a higher level fairy that tried to pry his mind open so it could be read. It was likely this fairy that passed his memories to Hildegarde. Mane didn''t want to reveal any of his secrets to them. Even the storage ring on his finger was deleted from the memories he handed them. Instead of using it to transverse the realms and train, he fabricated some nonsense about realm travelling for them. Maybe the Elders and the Fairy King wouldn''t be fooled, but surely the others wouldn''t be able to see through his intricate web of lies.


    "As I was saying, I have hunted beasts and Celestials most of my life. Battle Beasts are strong, and their battle intent is extraordinary. But there are some that unleash terrible killing intent when they grow mad. It took me years to accustom myself to their killing intent so I could move freely even when doused heavily by it."


    "Celestials aren''t animals, but they are a race made for war. Their killing intent is heavy and weighs down mightily on the hearts of any who encounters them. Even I had a hard time getting used to it. And I only started hunting them down after hunting Battle Beasts for years. So logically, the killing intent of powerful Battle Beasts should have prepared me for that of the Celestials, but it did not. However, once I got used to it, I was able to easily identify killing intent directed at me from several metres away. And that is without any of my abilities activated. With my abilities, that estimation grows by at least a hundredfold"


    Mane spoke in a drab and uninteresting manner, but Hildegarde was intrigued anyway. She gulped saliva loudly when Mane spoke about hunting Celestials. Although she did see it in his memories, it was still amazing to hear it from the person himself. Celestials were a race known to Hildegarde. Although she had barely ventured outside of the Dreamscape, she knew of this famous race. They were a race built for war. Yet Mane hunted members of this race like they were sheep! It was like they were nothing to him.


    But thinking about it, Hildegarde felt that it was only natural. After all, Mane descended from an Asgardian mother, and an Olympian father. His bloodline was much purer than a Celestial''s, and he was also the Supreme. If the Celestials were built for battle, Asgardians were the ones who made those battles, and Olympians were gods too noble to fight any battles, yet won all the same. So Mane who was born of the two races was a being that was made of war! Celestials were indeed only worthy to be tools for sharpening his axe.


    "I can''t sense Dan whenever he is coming because he has no ill intent towards me. But this person who is coming is different. I can feel a dense killing intent directed here. Since Dan isn''t here, I''d say that this person came for me. But it seems that the killing intent is hidden ¨C at least this person is trying to hide it. He/she is just not good at it" Mane smiled dangerously once he was done with his explanation.


    "Do you think it''s the Village Head," Hildegarde wondered?


    "Village Head Samoa," Mane smirked? "Of course it''s related to him," Mane snickered. "But he isn''t a fool. He would never come here in person" Mane stated.


    "Huh? Why?" Hildegarde questioned.


    "Because he isn''t a fool. Lam said that all the members of the village are supposed to present a quota of what they hunt to the chief. Yet Dan who cares little about the current Village Head, has never presented anything to him. Yet Dan lives freely in this village and is unbothered. Why is that?"


    "Because of Elder Fan," Hildegarde wondered if it had to do with the fact that Dan knew the old Village Head.


    "No, that isn''t enough. The new Village Head holds little respect for Elder Fan, and that is why he never stopped his son from harassing Lily and Lam" Mane shook his head and rejected Hildegarde''s proposition. That reason wasn''t enough. It didn''t hold water.


    "It''s because of fear. Village Head Samoa is afraid of Dan. I''m sure he has been monitoring Dan''s movements, and knows that Dan is never around in the afternoon and only returns late at night. So although it is better to send an assassin in the dead of the night, he chose to send this person at this time ¨C when the night is still so young.


    "You think he sent an assassin after you? Why?" Hildegarde lowered her voice naturally when she heard that there was an assassin approaching.


    "This is a small village. So it is likely that they have no need for assassins. But Lam said that all the Elders who opposed Samoa died. That means he converted one of his stealthier men into an assassin. Or maybe he made a lot of them. Who know? But it''s certain that they aren''t very good at their job. After all, an assassin who tries hard to hide his/her killing intent and fails anyway is not qualified to be called an assassin. They can only be called henchmen" Mane''s tone was filled with mockery.


    "The person is almost here," Mane whispered to Hildegarde and put a finger to his lips, indicating that she should be quiet. It wasn''t as if anyone would be able to hear her. However, without his sensing abilities, Mane could only judge the general trajectory of the killing intent. So he couldn''t afford to be distracted.


    He picked himself up silently and placed some clothes under the sheets. Then, he blew out the lamp and lay under the bed.


    He smiled faintly, excitement filling his bones as the feeling of danger washed over him once more after so long.


    "At long last, I feel alive"

 Chapter 263 - Assassins: One Down

    Although his words were whispered, Hildegarde heard him. She really wanted to beat him up. How could someone who had an assassin coming his way be so unconcerned? She could feel the excitement seeping out of his bones, and the joy that radiated from his entire being.


    She couldn''t help but think to herself, "is he secretly a psycho?"


    Before long, Hildegarde could feel the approach of another presence. No wait. Two more presences! It wasn''t just one assassin, but two! She quickly informed Mane of her findings.


    "There are two people coming. One of them is on the roof. The other is going to use the door!" Mane nodded his head quietly as he hid under the bed. He began to draw a simulation of what was likely going to happen in his head. This room had only two openings ¨C the door and the window. The one on the roof was going to break in through the window. His entrance would ensure that only one of the openings would be available if Mane wanted to escape. But that escape would be impossible since there was another assassin right outside the door. It was the classic scenario of covering every exit. It was clear that whoever sent them, wanted absolute assurance that the job would be done. To make sure there weren''t any mistakes, Village Head Samoa sent two assassins. And since his son was beaten black and blue, with no ability to resist, it was likely that Samoa thought Mane was a New Type. The man would have been able to guess a portion of his strength from any eyewitnesses and plan accordingly. It seemed that Village Head Samoa was very confident in the two he had sent. But if they entered together, that would mean that both of them weren''t confident in attaining victory on their own. This would mean that Mane''s strength was either similar to, or slightly greater than theirs. But if only one of them entered,


    "It would mean that they still fear nothing even after hearing accounts of the fight, and are confident that one of them would be able to take me down. Meaning that the only reason they came together would be because they aren''t confident of dealing with my speed and want to prevent any chance of an escape." Mane''s brain moved quickly to analyse the two possible scenarios, and he felt that it was likely that each of them was stronger than he was. Maybe, only his agility was on top. But for him to be completely sure about that, he had to see their status.


    About five minutes passed by, yet the two assassins showed no signs of breaking in. It was almost as if they were waiting for something. An eerie silence filled the room, acting as a prelude for the danger that was to come ¨C no, that had arrived. As the seconds trickled by, Mane''s excitement was slowly dampened, and he was hit by a great feeling of unease. He began to wonder if the change in his Daily Quest had to do with the events that were occurring now. Did the system foresee the arrival of assassins in his home? Was he in such grave danger that he could be greatly injured, leaving him incapable of going on the hunt? If that was the case, then this wasn''t just about getting out of this alive. It was more about dealing with those who had come for his life without losing too much himself.


    "I cannot afford to end up on the bed once again," Mane thought to himself resolutely and prepared his mind for what was to come. Constantly waiting for one''s enemies to make the first move was mentally draining, so Mane was trying as much as possible to maintain his focus. He couldn''t afford a slipup.


    "Someone else is coming," Hildegarde suddenly interrupted Mane''s thought process. "This person''s aura is strongest amongst the 3," she exclaimed!


    Her words caused Mane to furrow his brows as he reached a tangible conclusion on their level of strength. Whoever these men were, none of them was stronger than Mane. Using two assassins, with one covering each exit was a wise choice. Using three reeked of fear and high level of cautiousness. These men were at most on par with Mane. That was the conclusion Mane had reached. For Village Head Samoa to be so cautious even after hearing the events of the battle could only mean he wasn''t confident that one or two of them would finish the job. It was likely that he expected the 2 who were outside Mane''s door and on the roof, to sacrifice their lives for the cause. Maybe they were only meant to leave Mane so weak that when he tried to exit the house, the one who was hidden outside the actual house would deal the finishing blow.


    After all, assassins were feared not because of their strength. They were feared because they stood in the shadows whilst the victims stayed in the light. They could see their targets, but their targets seldom knew what was happening before they were taken by surprise and killed. But when one was prepared for an assassin, it was a different case. Although the assassins Village Head Samoa sent weren''t very good ¨C on account of how hard they found it to hide their killing intent ¨C they still stood in the dark. It was possible that these men were more suited towards open combat than assassination. And the fact that they weren''t going to attack at once meant that Village Head Samoa wasn''t worried about how quickly they would get things done, but only that they would get things done. That would explain why their strongest ally was the last man behind the main door.


    His muscles that had been relaxed tensed up instinctively all of a sudden. Although he hadn''t achieved a 100% soul-body integration, after hitting 30% some of his instinctive reactions were returning to him. The reaction of his body meant one of them had made a move. Mane closed his eyes with a serene expression on his face as his breathing gradually reduced. In less than ten seconds, Hildegarde who was right beside him was discovered to find out that she couldn''t hear his breathing. It was almost as if he wasn''t there! His breath was nonexistent! Seeing his closed eyes, she knew that she couldn''t disturb him. She pushed down the anxiety she was feeling and stopped herself from telling him that the one on the roof was making his move. She could tell from Mane''s reaction that the boy could already feel it, and didn''t need her help from now onwards. Everything depended on him.


    Mane grasped the small dagger in his hand and was on high alert. The dagger was the small blunt knife that was beside the stone tablet in his room. He had picked it up when he was preparing to hide. The knife he had never paid attention to was his only means of defense now. His own breathing was like a whisper now, and even he couldn''t hear it. He could hear everything that was happening outside his room. And that was why he was able to discern the change when it happened. The small wind that forcefully pried his window open and the lithe figure that found its way into his room through it didn''t escape Mane''s senses. His eyes were closed, but his ears weren''t.


    "Assassin has a small build. Protrusions on the c.h.e.s.t and the curve of the b.u.t.t.o.c.k.s indicate that the assassin is most likely female. She shows great agility and flexibility, and is most likely an Agility Type"


    Mane''s brain provided him with the information of the first assassin. The knowledge he had gained served to explain why she was positioned on the roof. With such graceful and light movements, she wouldn''t have any trouble breaking into the room. Mane didn''t realize that the situation was strange. With his abilities as a scholar blocked, how was he able to discern so much without using his eyes?


    The nimble assassin quickly dashed to the bed once she landed on the floor of the room. Her movements were practiced, and her steps were so light that the old floor of Mane''s room didn''t even creak. It took her no time to get to his bed.


    *Fwoosh*


    A long sword penetrated the bed in no time. The weapon was sharp and well made. It was nothing like the blunt dagger Mane was wielding. Mane''s clothes that were under the sheet served their purpose. The misled assassin wasn''t a wielder. She wasn''t able to see in the dark. She couldn''t tell that the figure on the bed was strange since the room had been stripped off its light, and so she attacked without a clear understanding of what was on the bed. But once the sword penetrated the bed, she knew she had been deceived. She was a killer. The number of people that had fallen to her sword were numerous, and even some haunted her at night. So she knew how it felt whenever her sword took a life. The way the sword penetrated the bed was too simple. It was definitely not a human body!


    She pulled out her sword and tried to back away from the bed, but it was too late. Someone had been waiting for this opportunity. There was someone under the bed who had waited long enough and was tired of being on the back foot. A blunt dagger found its way into her leg with powerful strength. She could feel the dagger grating her skin. It was blunt, but the power of the one who held it made it so that its blunt nature was ignored. Her Achilles tendon was swiftly severed, and she lost her footing. As she dropped to the ground, her sword fell from her grasp. But it didn''t fall to the ground. A hand reached out from underneath the bed and caught the sword!


    Mane, who had swiftly rolled out from underneath the bed and caught the sword, jumped up and descended upon the assassin domineeringly. His eyes were still closed, but he knew what he wanted. His body knew what he sought and his arms searched for it instinctively. The poor assassin who was off balance could only watch helplessly as the sword approached her neck and decapitated her in one swift motion, showing the level of mastery of the one who held it.


    *Swish*


    A headless body fell to the ground. The cloth that was covering the face of the assassin also fell off to reveal a beautiful woman who looked to be in her thirties. Her eyes were filled with disbelief and unwillingness. Her slightly parted red hot lips revealed her long tongue. Her life had ended in this small room, and her tongue would form no more words.


    Mane waved the sword around with practiced movements. Hildegarde could only watch in disbelief as he handled the weapon as though it was part of his body. Mane wiped the blood off the sword using his forearm and picked up its sheath from the dead woman. He strapped the sheath to his back, a sense of familiarity filling his bones as he sheathed the weapon and picked up the assassin''s head by the hair.


    "Now let''s see who you are," Mane mumbled as he opened his eyes. They glowed blue, bringing a bit of light to this dark room. Although the assassin was dead, he would still be able to see her status. That would give him an idea of the strength of the other two.


    What Mane didn''t realize was that the small knife that had been discarded onto the floor was glowing slightly as well. As it drowned in the blood of the dead assassin, the small dagger radiated a red hue. It was not easily noticeable, but it was there. It was clear that this was no ordinary dagger.

 Chapter 264 - Assassins: One More To Go

    Mane didn''t see the dagger, so he didn''t pay it any heed. He concentrated all his efforts on the head he was holding.


    "Status," he softly mumbled and proceeded to look at the physical attributes of the deceased lady.


    Name: Unknown


    Age: 33


    Physical Attributes ¨C Strength: 2.7


    Agility: 3.8


    Stamina: 3.2


    Path: Agility Oriented New Type


    "Just as I thought," Mane glossed through her information quickly. He opened the window large enough so that Hildegarde could also see what was on it. Mane''s guess about her agility being her strongest attribute was spot on. However, her strength was several times lower than her stamina or agility. It seemed that she only focused on training what she was good at. That was the right call. Unfortunately for her, she met someone whose agility was higher than hers by an entire value of 1.0. That was why she wasn''t able to react to Mane''s attack.


    It hadn''t even been half a minute since the assassin intruded. It had taken less than 15 seconds from her action of stabbing the bed to her execution. If Mane rushed outside now like an idiot, he would fall right into the trap the assassins had laid for him. Fortunately for him, he wasn''t an idiot. He was going to use the roof.


    Employing his high agility, Mane slipped out of the window like a fish in water, and landed on the roof without making a single sound. Hildegarde flew behind him silently, all the while thinking that Mane''s movements were more like an assassin''s than the deceased woman''s was.


    Mane lay prone of the roof, blending with the darkness as he crawled towards the door of the house. Since the other assassin was outside the door to his room, Mane was planning to use the roof to go outside the house, then enter the house and deal with the unsuspecting assassin who was waiting inside. As for his decision to crawl on the roof whilst lying prone, it was done to make sure that the last assassin whom Hildegarde said was stronger than the rest wouldn''t see him. Since that person was actually outside the house, and Mane didn''t know exactly where he was hiding, he may be able to see Mane ¨C even in the darkness ¨C if Mane showed any signs of carelessness. Usually, Mane wouldn''t be so bothered to act this cautiously, but he was trying to get things done as simply as possible and without receiving any injury. He needed to make sure that this situation wouldn''t impact his hunt tomorrow.


    Mane quickly crawled to the end of the roof. His actions were practiced and it took him less than 10 seconds to achieve; a testament of his high agility. Once he reached the edge of the roof that was right on top of the door to the house, he skipped down.


    Like a leaf falling onto the ground, his actions didn''t create any noise. There was no sound of feet hitting the ground, and those that lay in wait had no idea what was going on.


    "Hildegarde," Mane suddenly whispered.


    "What is it," she replied, adopting the same pitch?


    "Can you accurately tell me his position," Mane asked with a soft voice? His voice was so soft that Hildegarde herself had to strain her ears to hear what Mane was saying. So it was obvious that the ones who thought they were hidden in the shadows wouldn''t be able to hear him.


    "He''s at the left side of the door. About two steps to the left" Hildegarde answered. Mane nodded his head and pushed the door open. The door was left slightly ajar, no doubt the work of the assassin who had come in. This person may have thought closing the door would alert whoever was inside and hence it was only narrowed to the smallest of angles. From afar it looked closed, but once one came closer, they would realize that it was actually open.


    Mane''s push was gentle. Like a small whisper in a violent storm, it didn''t lead to any alertness in the ranks of his enemies. Sticking to the wall like a gecko, Mane slowly approached his room. The closer he got to his room, the shallower his breathing got. It didn''t take long for him to return to his prior state ¨C the state he had naturally entered when the female assassin sneaked into his room. He quickly spotted the assassin behind his door. It was a man. The man was in a combat ready stance and was ready to act at a moment''s notice. Mane could tell by his hunched posture and stance that the man belonged to his gender. Although the man was clothed, Mane could still tell he had a good physique. The man had broad shoulders and a large c.h.e.s.t. His c.h.e.s.t was parted, evidence that he trained his strength constantly. Although Mane couldn''t accurately tell how good his lower body strength was, due to the slightly baggy trousers, the fact that the man had maintained his stance for more than a minute without wavering showed that his legs weren''t weak either. A sword was strapped to his back, just like the female assassin. But Mane noticed immediately that the man wasn''t a sword user.


    "The female was a sword user. Although she only performed one move before I killed her, it was done efficiently and with absolute confidence. Plus, the marks on her palms showed that she was a user of the sword. This man on the other hand is different. His posture is not the right one to adopt if he is planning to strike with a sword. The fact that his hand isn''t on his sword to prepare for any eventualities isn''t because he has absolute confidence in his partner. It is because he has subconsciously forgotten about the sword. This man has never assassinated anyone in his life"


    Mane quickly analysed based on what he saw. An assassin must always be ready. The man''s sword should have been in his hand by now so that once the door was opened, he would be able to strike without fail. Yet, the weapon was still sheathed. Mane didn''t know what his main weapon was, but it wasn''t a sword.


    His battle ready stance was also a giveaway. Assassins adopted different postures for the kind of action they wanted to perform. For an assassin, speed was of the essence. One must be able to kill quickly. But this man''s posture indicated that he was ready for a drawn out battle.


    "So they sent their most practiced assassin first. The others are warriors. That means I just killed the only assassin Village Head Samoa had available. That sure makes me happy"


    Mane smiled and analysed his opponent once again. This time, he didn''t use his eyes, but the eyes of the system.


    "Status"


    Name: Unknown


    Age: 35


    Physical Attributes ¨C Strength: 3.9


    Agility: 2.8


    Stamina: 3.3


    Path: Power Oriented New Type


    This man''s stamina and agility were below Mane''s, but he was stronger but 0.7 points. Although it looked small, it wasn''t simple. But Mane was unmoved. He wasn''t going to fight a long drawn out battle. He was going to show what a true assassin was.


    Mane reached into his pocket and retrieved the stalk of Lover''s Whisper he was chewing on in the afternoon.


    The words of one of his masters, 9th, the time wielder rang in his head.


    "When you want to kill someone, you must use every tool at your disposal. And if there are no tools, make them"


    9th was cold and aloof. But he was an assassin. His mastery of time allowed him to reap lives as though it was a game to him. And he had passed on his art to Mane. Mane seldom resorted to assassination, but at the initial stages of hunting Celestials, that was his only option. That was why Mane was so good at it.


    "This pains me deeply, but I have no choice," He sighed internally as his heart ached at the thought of what he was about to do. He straightened to stalk of Lover''s Whisper and pressed upon it until it became as thin as a needle and just as sharp. He placed it in his mouth and blew at the assassin with all his strength. His target ¨C the man''s knee. He immediately dashed out of his hiding place when he was done and approached his target.


    *Swish*


    "Agh," the silent grunt of the man was particularly loud in this empty building. He instinctively clutched his knee because of the pain. When he heard the sound of footsteps rapidly approaching, he tried to stand up quickly and reorient himself but it was too late.


    "Quick Draw"


    *Swoosh*


    That was the last thing he heard before he felt his vision fade. His head fell off his body, and his body soon toppled after it. Even until the last moment, he didn''t get the chance to see his attacker''s face.


    Mane didn''t sheath the sword this time. The technique he used was something 7th and 8th worked on. They weren''t assassins, so they didn''t have any techniques that focused on quick kills. So they made one for Mane. Such was their expertise in their field. The result of their experiments was the skill called Quick Draw.


    It was a skill that placed emphasis on quickly pulling the sword out of its sheath in one swift motion and taking the head of the opponent with it. It sounded simple, but it wasn''t. It required precision and high level of concentration to pull off. Plus the sheath had to be in the non-sword drawing arm, and remain unstrapped to the user''s body. So Mane had pulled the sheath off himself before he used the technique. Without his inner energy it was much weaker. But in this energy poor environment, it was good enough.


    "Now the last person," Mane grinned and dashed outside. This time he didn''t bother to conceal his footsteps.


    "What are you doing," Hildegarde asked; the shock on her face clear and obvious? However, when she saw the smile on Mane''s face, she instantly understood. He had dealt with the ones inside with assassination techniques. Although he was a genius in assassination, it wasn''t his main method of fighting. He was a combat wielder. And his heart ached for a true battle!

 Chapter 265 - Assassin: The Last Assassin Part I

    "It''s too quiet," a man who was hidden amongst the shrubbery just a few metres away from Dan''s home observed. He was covered entirely in black, and there was a mask concealing his facial features and revealing only his eyes. His eyes were sharp and oppressive, and his body reeked of death. There was a large sword strapped to his back, and a small dagger sheathed at his waist. He was watching the door a few metres away with utmost concentration. This man was the last member of the assassin trio sent to deal with Mane. Just as Hildegarde assumed, he was the strongest of the three and the one leading this mission. And it wasn''t just a slight difference in strength. The two assassins that were inside had their fortes. The female assassin was agility oriented whilst the male assassin was strength oriented. This was because of their specialties as New Types. But their leader was different. He was also a New Type, but he was a much rarer kind. He was a Stamina Oriented New Type.


    Unlike Mystic Path Warriors who awakened special abilities that had to do with the elements and some other oddities, New Types weren''t so impressive with special abilities. Their special abilities were just augmentations of their physical attributes. Strength Type New Types were the most common New Types around. Agility Types were rarer, and Stamina Types were even more difficult to find. Unlike Strength and Agility Types, Stamina Types had more advantages. Although it seemed that they didn''t have any true advantages, one couldn''t be more wrong. Because of their higher than usual stamina, they were able to train far longer than Strength or Agility Types. As long as one was hardworking as a Stamina Type, one would eventually surpass both Strength Types and Agility Types in strength and agility respectively.


    Every New Type was different. Just because two New Types were Agility Types didn''t mean they had the same speed. How much one could glean from the New Type potion depended on talent, luck and hard work. So if two Agility Types attained the same speed after taking in the New Type Potion, the one with better luck and greater work ethic would become better eventually. As for talent, it depended on how much one was able to gain after taking the potion, and how much they could improve.


    If someone took the potion and gained 50% increase in speed, making them an Agility Type, that would mean that person was moderately talented. Anything less than that would be talent of the low grade. Anything above 60% was high grade talent and when one surpassed the 80% mark he/she would be regarded as a genius.


    In this small village, although there were hidden dragons like Dan and a strong figure like Village Head Samoa, having one''s augmented attribute within 40% to 50% meant that one was a genius. The female assassin Mane killed experienced only a 20% increase after she became a New Type. The male assassin was even worse, experiencing an 18% increase after becoming a New Type. Because of their low grade talent, years of training had only allowed them to attain what a mediocre or averagely talented New Type would have attained right after becoming a New Type. But the leader was different. Not only was he a rare Stamina Type, he had average talent, attaining a 45% increase the right after he became a New Type. In this village that was very impressive. But the person himself wasn''t impressed with that.


    As someone who was within Village Head Samoa''s inner circle, he had traveled to towns and even a few cities with the Village Head and realized his talent was insufficient. So he worked extremely hard and grew vastly stronger. In this village, with the exception of Village Head Samoa and Dan, there were few who could much up to his skill. So why was someone so important sent to kill a boy? The answer was simple: as an insurance.


    Village Head Samoa wasn''t na?ve enough to believe that one of his minions would be able to handle Dan were he to return unexpectedly. So that wasn''t why the last assassin was positioned here. This man was here to kill the other assassins should they get the job done! The other two didn''t even know that was why their leader was here. It was a cruel decision, but one that had to be made. The reason for that was simple: Village Head Samoa was very much afraid of Dan. It wasn''t simply at the level of being cautious, but it was full blown fear. And the reason for his fear was simple. The man had seen Dan angry before, and could still remember the results of that man who was usually smiling''s fury. Since that day he had been terrified of Dan. And although it was long ago, Village Head Samoa didn''t dare let go of his fear. This was because although he had grown stronger over the years, he still wasn''t capable enough to do half of what Dan had done that day. So even if Dan didn''t grow any stronger, or even if Dan had grown weaker instead, Village Head Samoa knew he was still far away from being his match. So when he sent the assassins, he gave the leader this order,


    "Kill them after everything is over and leave their bodies in the house with the boy''s. Let him believe that the boy took them down but lost his life as well."


    Village Head Samoa would rather lose two good pawns than earn the ire of Dan and face his subsequent fury. After all, there was no way he would survive if Dan came after him. The Village Head didn''t even doubt that his men would kill Mane. To him, no matter how talented Mane was, he was still a young boy with very little experience. Even if he was stronger than the assassins, he wouldn''t be able to defend against an attack from the dark. Unfortunately, he was wrong. Mane hadn''t only defended against the assassins, but he had killed them effortlessly as well.


    "There is something wrong," the man noticed after seeing that his subordinates were taking a bit too long to come out.


    "Could it be that the boy took them down," the man wondered? However, no sooner had the thought come to mind when he shook it off.


    "There is no way. Maybe Dan was in the house all along," the man shuddered at the terrifying thought.


    He didn''t know why his master feared Dan so much, but he wasn''t foolish enough to disregard someone his master feared. This was someone who so terrified his master that his master was willing to kill off his men to conceal any traces!


    Suddenly, he heard rapid footsteps approaching the gate. His men wouldn''t make so much noise, so he knew it wasn''t them. He quickly grew tense at the thought of Dan exiting the house, yet he didn''t run away. If it was indeed Dan, running away would be the wrong choice since he would be quickly found out and killed. Even worse would be the implications of his death. As someone loyal to his master, his face was known by many. Once Dan sees his face, he would go after his master too and kill the Village Head. So he chose to hide instead, hoping that Dan wouldn''t see him.


    *Bam*


    The door was kicked open domineeringly, but the figure the assassin was expecting to see didn''t appear. Instead of a tall dark skinned man with a domineering glare, it was a handsome teenager with long blonde hair and a pleasant grin on his face who appeared. The boy looked straight at the shrubbery. His piercing blue eyes stared straight at the man''s position, and the man grew tense subconsciously. He felt that he was standing n.a.k.e.d before the boy, and that all his secrets were exposed before him. It felt like he was the prey, not the predator, and the boy was checking if he was good enough.


    "How could I be afraid of a boy," the man gritted his teeth angrily as he thought? "He hasn''t seen me yet. I should wait for him to turn his back to me so that I can strike."


    Although Mane was looking towards his direction, the man was comforted by the tall grass that hid his frame. He didn''t see how it was possible for Mane to see him. But he was wrong. Mane knew he was there. And that was because of his secret weapon: a fairy who could sense others presence and could fly ¨C a fairy called Hildegarde.


    "I know you are there. Come out" Mane was still holding on to his new sword. Yet even after several seconds had passed, the assassin still didn''t come out. Mane smirked seeing this. He sheathed his sword and walked back into the house.


    "What is he up to," the hiding assassin wondered as he tried to move deeper into the shrubbery? It had barely been a few seconds when he saw Mane return, but the boy was holding something.


    "Is that¡­" the man watched wide-eyed as he identified the objects Mane was holding. They were two heads, and he recognized them. They belonged to his men ¨C well his man and woman. The heads were flung precisely towards him and landed right at his feet. He shuddered in rage at the lack of disrespect. And now he was certain that the boy wasn''t bluffing. He did know he was here. He stood up and approached Mane.


    "You should have just hidden inside," he stated through his gritted teeth. "Now you will have to die" he wasn''t doubtful that he would win. Although Mane had bested the other two, he was more than capable of handling them both with relative ease. But his threat didn''t scare Mane.


    Mane smiled broadly and unsheathed his sword. He was holding another sword in his hand. He picked it up when he went back inside.


    "You should be honored," Mane announced. "You are the first person to experience my dual wielding here," he grinned as he expertly twirled the swords in his hands. He stamped the ground and dashed towards his opponent, his grin still plastered on his face.


    "As for who his going to die, it''s obviously you!"

 Chapter 266 - Assassin: The Last Assassin Part II

    "Status"


    Name: Unknown


    Age: 44


    Physical Attributes ¨C Strength: 4.3


    Agility: 3.9


    Stamina: 4.9


    Superior Attribute ¨C Endurance: 4.99


    Path: Endurance Oriented New Type


    "Interesting" Mane smiled as he run towards the last assassin left. He found the man''s status interesting not because he was stronger or faster than the other two. He found the man''s status interesting because of the bit about a Superior Attribute. He knew little about New Types. Although the books Dan gave him spoke of them, it mainly had to do with general information. But nothing about Superior Attributes had been stated. Unlike Mystic Path Warriors, New Types didn''t awaken any strange abilities that let them fly or summon fire. What New Types experienced was an increase in their physical attributes. They usually had one of their physical attributes augmented, with the talent to improve upon that attribute if they were to train. There were recorded cases of some more talented individuals being dual attributed, but there was nothing on Superior Attributes. If Mane had to venture a guess, it was this: they didn''t know.


    Unlike Mane who was able to see their Status and judge their attributes numerically, the inhabitants of this world had no such ability. It seemed that this man had awakened the superior attribute known as Endurance when he became a New Type. Endurance is a person''s ability to exert him or herself and remain active for a relatively long period of time. It is also a person''s ability to resist and recover from trauma, injury and fatigue. Although Stamina and Endurance were basically synonyms, Mane noticed that there was a slight difference in this context.


    Stamina was placed under physical attributes, but endurance wasn''t. Endurance was regarded as a Superior Attribute. Why was that? Mane reckoned it had to do with the fact that Endurance was also a mental effort. Stamina was also regarded as a mental effort, but it seemed that ''Status'' defined the two differently. From the way the Status separated the two as different variables, it meant that it was possible for someone to have high stamina, but average endurance. This meant it was possible for someone to have the ability to do something for a prolonged period of time (stamina) but not have the mental strength to tackle his or her limits (endurance). Personally, Mane thought they meant the same thing. The system was just being kind by making it a special attribute, but Mane didn''t care. All he knew was that there was a fine opponent for him to battle.


    Name: Mane


    Age: 15


    Current Setting: Healthy


    Physical Attributes ¨C Strength: 3.2


    Agility: 4.7


    Stamina: 3.9


    Test Difficulty: Chaos


    Testing Ground: Chaotic Era


    Daily Quest: Complete Dan''s morning training [Completed]


    *Tomorrow''s Daily Quest: Go hunting with Dan


    Goal: End Goal ¨C Become Chaos


    Completion Rate: 5.02


    Skills: Speedy Chaos [Active skill] ¨C You have caused chaos after only one month of entering the testing grounds. You run towards chaos, and it runs towards you. Run Wild Supreme. Be Chaos! {Permanent increase in Agility stats by 1.5. Additional 10% increase in speed when activated}.


    Comparing his stats to the man''s, Mane only surpassed him in terms of agility, but he wasn''t really worried. One of his swords clashed with the man''s broadsword with a furious bellow.


    *Clank*


    Mane''s wrist felt a jolt, and the pain that was transmitted from his wrist to his forearm served to remind him that the 1.0 difference in strength was a massive gulf. But Mane was still smiling. He wasn''t a fool. He saw the man''s stats so he knew there was a massive strength factor. He only dared receive the man''s heavy sword with one blade because he wanted to know if the difference in strength could destroy him. After all, the man''s blow was filled with anger, meaning he didn''t hold anything back. That was the best chance to see if Mane could accept his some of his blows without blowing his wrist out. And he had his answer. Although there was a lot of pain, his joints were fine.


    "Trash who bluffs. You do not know how to use two swords yet you bring about your end!" the man bellowed and put more power into his arm. Since Mane blocked his attack with only one blade, the man assumed that it was because Mane could use only one subconsciously. To him, Mane was only an inexperienced brat who got lucky and didn''t know the immensity of the heavens ad the earth.


    *Bang*


    Mane was flung back by the man''s strength. But his stance was stable. Although he had been knocked almost five metres back, he didn''t lose his balance and his smile didn''t fade. This didn''t go unnoticed by the man, and it caused the man to furrow his brow. For Mane to still be stable after he flung him back, meant he had excellent upper body strength, and a very stable base. It seemed the kid wasn''t all talk. He dashed towards Mane, intent on remaining on the front foot. What he didn''t know was that Mane wanted him to be on the front foot. Mane''s analysis of his stats allowed him to tell that the man wasn''t necessarily a huge threat to him. So Mane was looking for something else now.


    *Clank*


    Mane stopped the man''s attack with one blade again, but this time he didn''t face the full brunt of the attack. He deflected the large sword of his opponent skillfully and twisted his body strangely. Then he countered with his other sword.


    *Clank*


    The man hurriedly lifted his large sword to block Mane''s strike and rapidly retreated. His countless years of fighting allowed him to keep his composure, but his surprise at Mane''s skillful execution of his attack was expressed in the gaze he looked towards the boy with now. There was still anger in his eyes, but the disdain that shared in it was now absent.


    Mane took the opportunity to go on the front foot. He quickly slashed at the man, three times in quick succession. One from his left blade, and two from the right.


    *Clank*


    *Clank*


    *Clank*


    Due to Mane''s superior agility, the man could only defend the three strikes and do nothing else. The large blade he wielded allowed him to cover a large area of his body and defend without moving much. So he only had to adjust the blade slightly to each of the attacks in order to ward them off. It showed his experience and proficiency with the weapon. This allowed Mane to see that unlike the male assassin he killed, this man''s actual weapon was the heavy sword. So that meant he wasn''t here to assassinate Mane. Because no assassin would use a weapon that was uncommon and could be easily found out. An assassin''s weapon focused on speed and deftness, not brute strength. This was why the male assassin, although he was a Strength Type, was using a light sword.


    Mane span rapidly and dashed forwards. He put his momentum into his blades and slashed towards his opponent.


    *CLANK*


    This time, Mane was able to push him back almost a dozen meters. The man wrinkled his brow from the powerful blow and made a few observations.


    "The first few strikes contained equal level of strength, meaning that he really is a dual sword wielder. And he has great talent with that. Plus the little spin he did to gather strength also proves that he knows what he is doing and isn''t a greenhorn. He has killed before. And not just once"


    As the battle progressed, the man''s anger cooled down and his reasoning returned to him. Although he was big and strong, he was also smart. He quickly realized that they were mistaken by thinking that Mane was an amateur. If he knew that Mane had killed far more people than he ever would even if he killed for the rest of his life, he would have been gob smacked.


    "The boy is just as abnormal as the one he is living with. How high is his talent that he has such high agility at such a young age? Is it 60%, 65%, or 70 %" The man thought to himself as he blocked another of Mane''s blows.


    "I can''t even find the room to attack," although Mane was the one doing the assaulting, the man couldn''t predict his blows. Usually, he should have gotten a hang of his opponent''s movements by now, but he still couldn''t figure out Mane''s attack pattern. It was almost as if the boy had a richer battle experience than he did!


    "But that''s impossible. He''s only 15. He must be extremely talented. Yes, that must be it" The man comforted himself as he weathered a storm of Mane''s blows.


    "His swords are light, and aren''t made with as much quality as mine. If he continues with this reckless assault, they would break. I just need to hold on for a bit"


    If the man had noticed this, then so had Mane.


    "Your weapons won''t last," Hildegarde exclaimed when her sharp eyes spotted a small chip that was gradually widening in one of Mane''s swords! But when she looked at Mane, she saw a cunning smile etched on his lips. She knew right away that that was exactly what he wanted. Why he wanted that, she didn''t know. But it was part of his plans. She was comforted when she saw that the other sword was undamaged.


    *Clank*


    *Clank*


    *Clank*


    *Clank*


    *Clank*


    *Clank*


    Mane continued with the relentless assault, and the small chip his left blade was now as wide as a finger. It was so wide that even the man could see it and was reassured.


    "But why isn''t he stopping? I''m a Stamina Type, so I can handle this for long. Besides, I''m only defending so I am not expending much energy. But he has been attacking all this while. Unless he is a Dual Agility and Stamina Type, there is no way he would last. But that isn''t possible. Stamina Types like me are too rare, much less a Dual Type. So what is he thinking?"


    If it was before the fight started, the man would have thought that Mane was just a young inexperienced fool. But the fight was teaching him that his initial assumption was wrong. He couldn''t get it out of his mind that Mane was planning something. He just couldn''t figure out what that was.


    *Clank*


    *Crack*


    Finally, the sword in Mane''s left hand broke into two.


    "Here''s my chance," the man exclaimed internally! He took a large step forward and swung his sword with half of his power. He withdrew some of his power so that he could defend if he needed to.


    *Whoosh*


    Mane deftly avoided the attack he saw coming and stepped into an area within the man''s reach. Mane threw the undamaged sword in his right hand into the air and grasped the broken sword with both hands. He was only a step away from the man, but close enough for his opponent to see the mockery on his face. The man tried to pull his weapon back when he saw that something was wrong. But alas, his agility was lower than Mane''s and his weapon was a heavy sword. He could only watch in horror as Mane stabbed him in the midsection with the broken blade.


    But that wasn''t all. The boy reached out and caught the broken piece of the sword which had yet to fall and stabbed it into the man''s neck, ignoring the fact that it was cutting into his palm as well.


    The man could only make gurgling sounds as his mouth rapidly ballooned with blood. As he stepped back, he felt his vision failing and fell onto the ground. The heavy sword he had never let go off in any battle, slipped from his hands, just like his life was.


    Through his blurry vision, he could see the hazy silhouette that stood over what would soon be his lifeless corpse. It was now that he realized that the boy was playing with him all along.


    "I know what you want to ask. Why didn''t I kill you sooner?" Mane''s expression was solemn. The smile on his face was no longer there. He reached towards the man''s cloth mask and pulled it off, finally seeing the face that was hidden underneath. He tied the cloth mask around his injured hand to stop the bleeding.


    "It''s because I acknowledged you," Mane gave a genuine smile and said.


    He wasn''t really explaining for the sake of the man. He was doing so for Hildegarde''s sake. This world was young, so even if there were any sword techniques available, they would be in the much bigger cities, not this small village. Yet this man had learnt to use the sword in this environment, and had passable talent with it. Mane felt admiration for him. But since he was his enemy, he had to die. The only thing Mane could do for him was to make him leave the world with dignity. The dignity of injuring his opponent. Unfortunately for the man, Mane didn''t want to receive an injury that would leave him sidelined for tomorrow''s hunt. So Mane did something else. He used the same part of his sword to launch a series of powerful attacks so that it would break, and planned to deal the finishing blow with the broken piece. That way, he would be hurt in the process of killing him. It was a move that bordered on pity, but that was all Mane could do.


    "You''re crazy," Hildegarde mumbled upon understanding what Mane did. But Mane only shrugged.


    "I see," the man thought to himself as he finally closed his eyes whilst praying that his master wouldn''t underestimate the boy. If his master did that, he would surely die!

 Chapter 267 - Over

    Over


    "That was awesome," Hildegarde exclaimed with a red face! Now that everything was over, she could appreciate the skill and talent required to best the three assailants.


    "You think," Mane replied with a questioning look? "I was a bit disappointed to be honest," Mane remarked casually as he bent down to appraise the heavy sword on the ground.


    "Why? You got what you wanted, didn''t you?" Hildegarde didn''t understand why Mane said he was unimpressed. He said he wanted to fight, and he got that. So why was he unsatisfied.


    "This man outclassed me in every attribute except agility. But I was still able to control the tempo of the battle pretty easily. Why was that?" Mane appreciated the blade of the heavy weapon as he spoke.


    "Because you are a good thinker," Hildegarde guessed.


    "True. I have a good brain" Mane boasted. "But it didn''t factor into this situation in any way whatsoever," Mane released an unsatisfied sigh.


    "I was able to control things so simply because this man was rough. He had great strength, but no techniques to utilise it. He had excellent stamina, and impressive endurance, yet couldn''t put them to use. All this is because he had no proper techniques. His moves were self-taught. He was basically a diamond in the rough ¨C unrefined and unable to showcase his beauty"


    "So that''s why you say you are unsatisfied," Hildegarde stated.


    "Yes. Even worse was that my Soul-Body Integration didn''t move by much. It only increased by two points. Only two points!" Mane had a pained expression as he lamented about the fact that the gains were few.


    Hildegarde''s eyebrows twitched in annoyance. The respect she was feeling for Mane from his prior comments flew out the window. To think that was his main concern. She knew now that he didn''t really care about the unrefined techniques. He was annoyed and dissatisfied because he was unable to experience a surge in his Soul-Body Integration.


    "But your completion rate went up right," Hildegarde quickly changed the subject. She felt that if she had to listen to Mane complain about his Soul-Body Integration not improving by much, she would lose her cool and hit him.


    "Yeah. But what does that matter"


    "Aren''t you the one who said you wanted to finish the mission quickly and return home? How would that happen if you don''t increase your completion rate" Hildegarde scoffed.


    "Besides, it seems that you gained a reward," she continued.


    "Yeah. It isn''t much, but I''d take it. Status"


    Name: Mane


    Age: 15


    Current Setting: Healthy


    Physical Attributes ¨C *Strength: 3.3


    *Agility: 4.8


    *Stamina: 4.0


    Test Difficulty: Chaos


    Testing Ground: Chaotic Era


    Daily Quest: Complete Dan''s morning training [Completed]


    Tomorrow''s Daily Quest: Go hunting with Dan


    Hidden Quest 1: Village Head Samoa rages at the thought of his son on bedrest. His anger burns brightest against the one responsible, and he seeks revenge. He has sent two assassins after you. Defeat them with minimal injury. [Completed] ¨C Reward: You now have the ability to appraise weapons.


    Hidden Quest 2: Village Head Samoa is deeply fearful of Sir Dan. To leave no loose ends, the Village Head has sent one of his most trusted warriors to stand watch over the house. The goal is to kill the two assassins after they complete their mission so your murder cannot be traced to him. You should:


    1. Kill this warrior [Completed] ¨C Reward: 2 additional points to any attribute of your choosing


    2. Sustain no major injury [Completed] ¨C Reward: 2 additional points to any attribute of your choosing


    3. Sustain no injury at all [Not Completed: Tested decided to be the ''bigger'' person and ignore the free points] ¨C Reward: 3 additional points to any attribute of your choosing


    Total points gained: 4 stats points [unassigned]. You can only assign the points to one attribute.


    Goal: End Goal ¨C Become Chaos


    Completion Rate: 5.67


    Soul-Body Integration: 33%


    Skills: Speedy Chaos [Active skill] ¨C You have caused chaos after only one month of entering the testing grounds. You run towards chaos, and it runs towards you. Run Wild Supreme. Be Chaos! {Permanent increase in Agility stats by 1.5. Additional 10% increase in speed when activated}.


    "That''s a lot. I thought you said it wasn''t much" Hildegarde exclaimed seeing the generous rewards.


    "Say Hildegarde. When we return to the Fairy World, can you introduce me to the one in charge of the system? I would like to say hi" Mane asked with a smile, yet all Hildegarde could feel was a chill running down her spine.


    "If you only want to say hi, why are you gripping your sword so tight? And what''s with that murderous aura" That was what Hildegarde wanted to ask him, but she didn''t.


    "It''s one thing to lose 3 stat points, but to mock me on top of that¡­" Mane said through gritted teeth and Hildegarde could only pray for the fairy who thought it would be a good idea to mock the young Supreme for his actions. Since Mane cut himself with the last move, he didn''t complete the last part of the hidden quest. In a sense, it was a huge loss since he could have won without the injury. But the fact that the system was rubbing it in was pissing him off.


    "So where would you assign the stat points to," Hildegarde asked in an attempt to take Mane''s mind off the mockery displayed blatantly on his status?


    "Well, I think maybe I should increase my agility. But I also feel that my stamina could do with a boost. After all, if this person was more skilled and the battle had dragged on, I would have been on the losing end"


    Hildegarde''s attempt was successful, since Mane turned his attention on what to do with the stat points.


    "But I also feel that my strength is lagging behind the others. I do not want to become weak in one attribute. And since I cannot distribute the points equally, it has become all the more difficult to make a decision."


    Mane rubbed his chin whilst thinking that the situation was very tricky. "Well, let''s leave that be for now. I want to test out the function of the first reward" Mane stated.


    The first hidden quest''s reward was the ability to appraise weapons. Which meant he could now check the status of weapons. Mane looked at the broken sword that had been discarded on the ground and chanted,


    "Status"


    Item: Light Sword


    Durability: 0/30 ¨C Broken


    Strength Requirement: 0.9


    Can be repaired


    He then turned to the sword that was undamaged and assessed it as well.


    "Status"


    Item: Light Sword


    Durability: 21/30 ¨C In good shape


    Strength Requirement: 0.9


    Visit a blacksmith to return durability to 30


    Finally, Mane assessed the heavy sword


    Item: Heavy Sword


    Durability: 27/30 ¨C In good shape


    Strength Requirement: 3.3


    Visit a blacksmith to return durability to 30


    "Mmm" Mane nodded thoughtfully as he read through the information. He tried lifting the heavy sword and succeeded. But he could barely gather any strength to swing it. It seemed that all his strength was required just to lift it.


    "I barely meet the strength requirement huh," he noted and said, "I guess we now know where to assign those free stat points"


    "Status. Assign stat points to Physical Attribute ¨CStrength"


    Name: Mane


    Age: 15


    Current Setting: Healthy


    Physical Attributes ¨C *Strength: 3.8


    *Agility: 4.8


    *Stamina: 4.0


    Test Difficulty: Chaos


    Testing Ground: Chaotic Era


    Daily Quest: Complete Dan''s morning training [Completed]


    Tomorrow''s Daily Quest: Go hunting with Dan


    Hidden Quest 1: Village Head Samoa rages at the thought of his son on bedrest. His anger burns brightest against the one responsible, and he seeks revenge. He has sent two assassins after you. Defeat them with minimal injury. [Completed] ¨C Reward: You now have the ability to appraise weapons.


    Hidden Quest 2: Village Head Samoa is deeply fearful of Sir Dan. To leave no loose ends, the Village Head has sent one of his most trusted warriors to stand watch over the house. The goal is to kill the two assassins after they complete their mission so your murder cannot be traced to him. You should:


    1. Kill this warrior [Completed] ¨C Reward: 2 additional points to any attribute of your choosing


    2. Sustain no major injury [Completed] ¨C Reward: 2 additional points to any attribute of your choosing


    3. Sustain no injury at all [Not Completed: Tested decided to be the ''bigger'' person and ignore the free points] ¨C Reward: 3 additional points to any attribute of your choosing


    Total points gained: 4 stats points [assigned to strength].


    Goal: End Goal ¨C Become Chaos


    Completion Rate: 5.67


    Skills: Speedy Chaos [Active skill] ¨C You have caused chaos after only one month of entering the testing grounds. You run towards chaos, and it runs towards you. Run Wild Supreme. Be Chaos! {Permanent increase in Agility stats by 1.5. Additional 10% increase in speed when activated}.


    Mane nodded his head and lifted the heavy sword again. This time he was able to do it fairly easily. Although he still felt his shoulders sink due to its weight, it was far easier to swing this time. Mane unstrapped its sheath from the deceased warrior and sheathed the heavy blade. He then sheathed the undamaged light sword and went back inside. He quickly walked into his room and placed the weapons under his bed. Then he rushed out to gather the two parts of the broken sword. As he did, he looked at the dead warrior one last time and sighed.


    "To think that you were sent here to kill your own men" Mane lamented. After seeing what this man''s task was from the Hidden Quest, Mane felt that the Village Head was very heartless. Although it was his fear that was driving him, to send a warrior to kill his own men was tragic. Mane sent the broken sword into his room and returned to clean up the place. But this time, he run into someone ¨C or rather, people. Well, it was more like these people run into him.


    "Why did they appear at this time," Mane sighed when he heard the rapidly approaching footsteps? From the direction they were coming from, he knew whom those footsteps belonged to.

 Chapter 268 - Mane and Lily

    "Mane! Are you okay? We heard some noise outside so we came out to check"


    "Oh great" Mane smiled wryly when he saw the figures of Lam and Lily approaching him. Lam was in his sleeping clothes and Lily was wearing a flimsy see-through nightgown.


    "And I thought I could do things quietly" Mane mumbled as he lamented his bad luck. He hid the rag he was planning to use to clean up the blood and faced the twins. But his actions didn''t change anything. There was a dead body right behind him, and anyone with eyes could see it.


    "Is that," Lam was the first of the two to notice that something was wrong? As expected of the smart boy, he immediately realized that Mane was trying to hide something from them.


    "As I thought. Nothing gets past you huh." Mane laughed dryly and took a step to the left. The assassin he was trying hard to hide from the twins'' view was displayed before them.


    "Elder Brother, is that an¡­" Lily started, but trailed off.


    "Yes. That''s an assassin." Lam confirmed her thoughts and walked towards the man who had lost his life here today. It seemed that he wanted to see if he could recognize the deceased assassin.


    "Are you okay Mane? You are bleeding!"


    Lily on the other hand, forgot all about the assassin once her emerald eyes caught hold of Mane''s bandaged hand. The constant moving around had increased the blood flow into his hands, and the cloth he was using as a substitute for a bandage was now soaked with blood. Lily must have been paying attention to him to see what Lam didn''t. She rushed to Mane''s side and caught hold of his arm even before she could finish her statement.


    "It''s fine. It''s just a cut. It will heal in a few days." Mane tried to reassure her that everything was okay. He even tried to pull out his hand from her grasp, but she was holding on to him surprisingly tightly. This was the first time she had acted forcefully with him. Mane didn''t dare use too much strength to free himself because he didn''t want to hurt her. But he was inwardly surprised.


    "So the pure maiden falls for the big bad wolf," Hildegarde sighed from atop her favorite position ¨C Mane''s shoulder.


    "What," Mane subconsciously mumbled? He didn''t quite hear her words. He realized he had been careless by speaking out in the presence of others, but when he looked at the twins, he noticed they were each occupied and didn''t hear his words. Lily was busy unwrapping the cloth that was now sticky with blood from his hand, and Lam was critically analysing the deceased assassin. It also helped that his mumble was as silent as a whisper so the twins didn''t hear it.


    "Nothing. Just treat her right" Hildegarde didn''t repeat herself. Rather, she made a statement that left Mane even more confused. If the twins weren''t here, he would have asked her what she meant. Unfortunately, that question would have to wait.


    "His parents and guardians only taught him how to fight. They didn''t teach him a thing about the opposite s.e.x" Hildegarde lamented when she saw Mane''s clueless expression. The boy was vastly superior to several of his peers in terms of intelligence. He was miles above the younger generation when it came to wielding and his battle strength could leave the older generation of gods blushing with shame. Yet his emotional quotient was as minuscule as an ant''s. From Lily''s actions, it could be seen that the young girl was interested in Mane. How did Hildegarde know this? It was easy really. Lily was frail and usually listened to her older brother most of the time. But now, this frail lady was blatantly ignoring the dead body right in front of her, and only paying attention to Mane''s hand. And the injury was just a small cut.


    "Ouch" Mane wrinkled his brows in pain when the cloth was fully removed. The partially dried up blood had stuck the cloth to his healing skin. In the process of peeling it off, the scab that was covering the wound came off. It brought him some slight discomfort. It seemed that this body had a great constitution, for the wound was healing at a very fast pace.


    "Sorry. Are you okay?" Lily quickly apologized with teary eyes. She looked as though she was the one that got hurt. She subconsciously drew close to Mane and started blowing on his hand.


    "Oh no I''m fine" Mane hurriedly said when he noticed her teary eyes. Her warm breath on his skin caused a small itch, and produced a strange feeling in his c.h.e.s.t. He suddenly realised that she smelt good. She smelt like lilies in the summer. Warm and sweet ¨C the very embodiment of her name. Her skin felt cold, but it wasn''t the uncomfortable kind. It brought him a sense of peace and tranquility.


    "We have some bandages and some medicine for wounds in our house. Please Mane, let me treat your wounds" Saying this, Lily drew in so close that there was no space between them. Ignoring the blood on his clothes, her body was pressed against Mane''s in a very intimate position. From the side, it looked like they were hugging. Normally, that wouldn''t be a problem. But this time was a bit different.


    As mentioned before, the twins were in their sleeping clothes. And Lily''s sleeping cloth was a see-through nightgown that was a few inches above her knee. Her deep cleavage was exposed and if Mane was to look a little lower, that enticing view would be within his eyesight.


    Mane blushed subconsciously. Looking into her pure and innocent eyes, he suddenly felt lost. He tried to shake off the strange electrifying feeling that was slowly engulfing him but to no avail.


    "What is happening to me," Mane wondered helplessly? He could feel a part of his body that had been asleep all these years slowly react.


    "Hehe. At least it seems he''s also attracted to her" The only person who could see what was going on was the mischievous fairy sitting on his shoulder. She could tell that both Mane and Lily were greenhorns in the matters of love. Although Lily was undoubtedly gorgeous, she had spent most of her time fending off the advances of Tito, and had slowly withdrawn herself from others. Adding to the fact that she had an overprotective brother, even she didn''t realize that she was slowly but surely, falling for Mane.


    Mane wasn''t any better. As someone who grew up under the care of guardians with his parents absent for most of his life, he knew little about the opposite s.e.x. The fact that he was just 11 also played a part in their decision to not inform him about the teachings of the opposite s.e.x. He was able to appreciate beauty, but his immature body had no idea about love. But now that he was in a teenage body, things were a bit different. This body was in a phase were it would react to provocations from the opposite s.e.x. And Lily was a very beautiful girl in every way. Her flimsy nightgown showcased how developed her body truly was. She had a very pretty face and beautiful emerald eyes that threatened to suck the soul of even the most heartless man. Her delicate curves were exposed to his ocean blue eyes. She had perfectly perky b.r.e.a.s.ts, a slim waist, glamorously wide h.i.p.s and protruding ample b.u.t.t.o.c.k.s. Not only was she outwardly beautiful, but she was even prettier on the inside. She was kind and caring, and had a resolute spirit that remained undaunted even from the constant harassment of Tito and his friends. She was truly perfect in every way.


    Mane was no slouch either. Because of the prior fight, he was soaked in sweat. His shirt clung to his skin and outlined his perfect physique. His arm muscles were exquisitely carved and were a perfect mix and strength and speed ¨C big enough to carry the heaviest of weights, but still possessing some delicateness that allowed him to explode forth with great agility. His c.h.e.s.t was broad and parted, and his abs were outlined by the sweat-soaked shirt. His leg muscles were well developed as well, and his tall physique made him appealing to many women. His blue eyes were bright and sharp, and his golden hair was unusual and precious. He was a good match for Lily. But to Hildegarde, Lily was a cut above Mane due to her kind and gentle nature.


    It was for this reason that Hildegarde referred to Mane as a bad wolf. Unlike Lily who had never harmed even a rabbit before, Mane had killed more than his fair share. So to Hildegarde it was like a perfect angel falling for the perfect devil.


    "Should I tell him," Hildegarde thought? "Nah. I''d let him figure it out for himself" She laughed mischievously.


    "I have to clean up the place though," Mane tried to argue. He tore his eyes away from hers in an attempt to regain his cool.


    "We can do that later," Lily softly turned his head back to her and said. She truly looked like a doting wife.


    "I finally figured it out" Lam suddenly exclaimed! As he was fully focused on the corpse, he didn''t notice the interaction between Mane and Lily. His shout startled the two, and Lily who finally realized she was a bit too close to Mane jumped back like a startled rabbit. She bent her head in an attempt to hide her face that had been reddened with shyness.


    "Cough. Ehem. What did you figure out?" Mane coughed as he tried to gloss over the event. But his expression was unnatural, and Lam who finally looked at the two of them, could see that something was off.


    "Why is your face so red? And you too Mane?" Lam wondered. Like a scared ostrich, Lily''s head was buried deeper into her c.h.e.s.t as she tried to avoid the embarrassment, and Mane was fl.u.s.tered.


    "Are you going to say or not?" Mane quickly uttered, eager to get Lam''s attention away from them.


    "Alright, I''d talk" Lam raised his arms up in mock surrender. Although he watched the two with a dubious expression, he went on to share what he found out.


    "I knew he looked familiar, but I just couldn''t place him. This man is one of the most fearsome warriors under Village Head Samoa''s command. No one knows his name. We only call him Wild Boar because of his strength." Lam revealed.


    "He''s extremely powerful and has few equals in this village, much less superiors ¨C excluding Sir Dan of course. I didn''t think you were strong enough to deal with him" Lam expressed his admiration for Mane.


    "Wait, are you bleeding," Lam asked in shock? It was now that he noticed that Mane''s hand was bleeding. Lily quickly lifted her head and exclaimed in a small voice before rushing to Mane again. Since the cloth was off, there was nothing to stop the blood and it was now flowing freely.


    "Let''s go to our place. I can dress your cut there" She said again. But this time, she didn''t wait for Mane''s response. She started dragging him to her house. Mane looked on with a moved expression. He could see the blood on her dress. No doubt the result of her checking out his wound, yet she ignored the stains and still tried to help him.


    "She''s really kind," he thought to himself as he allowed her to drag him towards their place amidst the protests of Lam who was complaining that they were too close to each other. But Lily who was usually very obedient ignored him and stuck close to Mane the entire journey.

 Chapter 269 - Old Fans Thinking

    "How are you so good at this," Mane had a positively stunned expression as he watched Lily expertly clean his wounds with a bottle of alcohol. The alcohol was actually a bottle of alcohol rich wine that Old Fan had at home.


    "This isn''t the first time I''ve had to dress up someone''s wounds," Lily blushed slightly as she stated. She had a kind smile on her face as she obediently attended to Mane.


    "I can''t believe she used it,"" Old Fan had tears in his eyes are he watched the bottle of wine that was right next to Lily. The formerly full bottle was now almost empty. Lily had almost emptied the bottle of its entire contents when she was disinfecting Mane''s wounds. She poured the wine on Mane''s hand without holding back, much to the pain of Old Fan.


    "I was saving that bottle for a special occasion," Old Fan sniffed sadly.


    There was one mystery surrounding Old Fan: how did the old man befriend Dan who was so estranged from the rest of the village? The simple answer was: through their mutual love of alcohol. The two men loved good wine and excellent mead. They sampled alcohol from all across the world ¨C literally. The major reason behind most of Dan''s travels to the bigger cities and towns was wine. And he bonded with Old Fan on that. As someone who never got drunk no matter how much wine he drunk, he was pleasantly surprised when he met an old man who could compete with him in drinking. The ecstatic Dan became acquainted with Old Fan right away, and they spent most of their time researching new wines and even creating some on their own. The main reason Dan always brought Magical Beasts that he hunted to Old Fan wasn''t because he wanted the old man to have an endless supply of meat. It was because Old Fan was highly skilled in brewing his own wine and was experimenting brewing wine with Magical Beasts'' blood. So far, the results had been mediocre, but they had made some pretty good achievements too. And one of those masterpieces was the wine Lily was recklessly using on Mane''s cut. It was a scene that brought tears to Old Fan''s eyes. But there was nothing he could do.


    Lily was his ''baby''. He could only watch from across the room as Lily used up the wine he had been saving for years now. This was wine that was so good that the old man was reluctant to drink it, so he always made excuses to extend its shelf life. First he said he would take it when the twins celebrated their tenth birthday. But when that day came, he extended it to their 15th birthday. When that day also came, he finally said he would take it in joy when either one of the twins got married. However, the twins knew that he would once again postpone the date for uncorking the wine when that time did eventually come. But now he had to watch as the wine he saved was wasted on a mere cut. A simple cut!


    "She didn''t even listen to me when I told her it was too important to waste on a mere cut," Old Fan lamented to the only person next to him; the only person he could complain to.


    "I know. Normally she is so obedient but the look she gave Grandfather when you said Mane''s injury was a mere cut sent chills down my spine"


    Lam recounted the moment when Lily was searching for some alcohol to use and didn''t find any. She had almost given up when she suddenly recalled that her Grandfather kept a stash of wine in their home. When she asked the old man for it, he tried to argue that she didn''t need to go that far since Mane only suffered from a small cut. The cut was a bit deep. That much was true. But it wasn''t anything that wouldn''t heal in a few weeks.


    Lily argued that the blade of the assassin could have been poisoned, and it was necessary to disinfect the wound just in case. To Old Fan, that argument was nonsense. If the blade was indeed poisoned, disinfecting the wound would be of no use. After all, the poison would have long entered the bloodstream before any disinfection could take place since Mane had already been cut. So it was more prudent to have him down a couple of antidotes after analysing the poison on the blade. But there was no poison, so it was meaningless to do anything of the sort.


    However, when Old Fan tried to get his point across, Lily ignored him and said the wound would have to be disinfected anyway. She pried the hiding place of the wine from Old Fan''s mouth and took it out. Old Fan pleaded with her to use as little as possible, yet she ignored him again. The look she gave him when he tried to take back the wine was scary. The old man could have sworn that there was killing intent within those eyes when he tried to grab the bottle from her hands.


    "So I wasn''t the only one who felt that eh! You felt it too, didn''t you Lam?" Old Fan grabbed a hold of Lam''s collar as he rumbled. The dignified air that he always carried around him was nowhere to be found. It was a good thing that he was all the way across the room, and Mane whose mind was occupied by Lily wasn''t paying any attention to him. Otherwise, it would have been difficult to say if Mane would ever call him Elder Fan again.


    "I did Grandfather. So you don''t have to keep on strangling me. We have a guest here. Behave yourself" Lam smiled bitterly as he tried to pry his Grandfather''s hands off his neck.


    "But she looks really happy. Even though she''s covered in bloodstains, she looks so happy" Lam smiled pleasantly as he watched his sister interact with Mane with a genuinely happy smile on her face. It had been a while since he saw her this happy with someone other than her family members.


    "Indeed" Old Fan watched the two youngsters with a smile.


    "She never expressed this kind of joy even when we were surrounded by friends" Lam sighed when he recalled how his sister had changed when their parents died. Although she still smiled, it was more practiced than it was genuine. Even in the times she was surrounded by friends, she didn''t have this kind of radiant smile on her face.


    "Maybe it''s because she finally has a friend after so long" Lam smiled.


    "Is that what you think," Old Fan smiled mysteriously?


    "What else could it be Grandfather," Lam wondered?


    "All this while she has been burdened. Tito has made her life hell for the past few years, and she has felt responsible for the treatment her family gets because she refuses to marry him. And worst of all, there was nothing she could do. But Mane came along. Not only did he effortlessly beat up Tito and his gang, he made sure that they would lie in bed for a few years at least."


    "Wait what," Lam was startled? This was the first he was hearing of Tito and his friends'' conditions.


    "You heard me. They wouldn''t be able to cause you any trouble for some time." Old Fan waved his hand nonchalantly. It seemed he didn''t think it was a big deal that Mane had bedridden some of the brightest youngsters of the village.


    "No wonder Village Head Samoa sent Wild Boar after him," Lam suddenly understood why Village Head Samoa had become impatient enough to send Wild Boar, one of his right hand men, after Mane.


    "But he didn''t stop at Tito and his friends. He has also bested Wild Boar who was known for his ferociousness with a heavy sword whilst only sustaining a cut on the hand. A cut that looks like it was inflicted by holding on to a blade" Old Fan accurately saw through the reason for Mane''s injury.


    "Grandfather, are you saying that Mane could have won without any injury at all," Lam was flabbergasted? He knew Mane was talented, but he didn''t think the boy who had agreed to teach him was this talented.


    "Yes. I may be old now, but don''t forget my identity. Although I do not fight now, my eyes are good enough to understand things when they see them" Old Fan stated.


    Lam nodded in response. Although his grandfather didn''t look it, he was a New Type, and one of the strongest warriors in the village a few decades ago. After all, one cannot became a Village Head because of wisdom alone. They required strength too. Even Lam''s father was a strong New Type. It was a pity he died, because it was said that his talent was even greater than his father''s.


    "Now Lily is relieved. She is happy that he is able to defend himself against even the strongest of warriors, and hence has no need to fear Village Head Samoa. So the burden of dragging Mane into this family''s mess has been relieved" Old Fan finished.


    "Yeah," was all Lam could say.


    "It''s good she has somebody now. She looks like an obedient housewife," Old Fan smiled kindly as he watched Lily dutifully stitch up Mane''s wound.


    "Wait what. Are you saying Lily likes Mane? That can''t be possible! They only just met!" Lam sounded agitated. And why wouldn''t he be. Lily was his treasured sister. No matter how well he thought of Mane, it didn''t factor into a relationship with his sister.


    "Relax. Nothing has happened between them yet. But I can tell that that boy Mane also has a good impression of your sister. It seems that they are both green in the matters of love so have no idea what is going on" Old Fan laughed boisterously. He didn''t react like the way Lam did. He watched the two youngsters interacting with each other across the room with a pleasant smile on his face.


    "But how can that be," said the still agitated Lam?!


    "Calm down otherwise someone would think you are attracted to your own sister," Old Fan held Lam by the shoulder and sat the boy down forcefully. His words caused Lam to calm down.


    "Although that boy is dangerous, he is a good lad. Or would you rather have Lily fall into the arms of Tito?" Old Fan questioned.


    Lam was silent at his Grandfather''s rebuke. It was true that Mane was a decent lad. Although they had only met today, a lot had happened between that short period of time that brought them closer.


    "Why do you say he''s dangerous Grandfather," Lam asked?


    "Don''t you find it odd? He just killed someone, but he''s perfectly calm about it. You told me he was cleaning up the place when you arrived. That sort of calm is not born from staying indoors. He has killed before. And not once. Lily has been infected by his calm, which is why she hasn''t realized what has truly happened yet."


    "If you are saying he''s dangerous, then why are you happy that Lily is falling for him," Lam lost his cool once again when he heard Old Fan''s statement. Now that he thought about it, Mane was too composed for someone who had just killed another. Lam was able to calmly analyse the body because he had done it a dozen times. After all, his friends and extended family were slowly killed off by Village Head Samoa so he was used to death. But his overprotectiveness for Lily ensured that he never exposed her to such sights. So although Lily knew what was going on, she had never seen a bloodied corpse firsthand like she did today.


    "Because the world we live in is dangerous. This village is relatively peaceful because we are close to an Enchanted Forest, so bandits avoid this area. But in other parts of the world ****, pillaging, and murder are common. For someone who came from the outside, it is normal that he has killed several people before. Most likely bandits and robbers. So it is no surprise that he is so calm."


    "However, even in such an environment he is still kind and knows how to differentiate good from evil. He is truly like his Uncle" Old Fan sighed when he recalled how dangerous his travels were in the old days.


    "I suppose you are right," Lam sighed as well. His Grandfather was right, just as he always was.


    "Besides, if they do get together, it would only benefit you," Old Fan added.

 Chapter 270 - Angry Dan

    "How so, Grandfather," Lam asked?


    "You want to become a Village Head, don''t you? Although the position is yours by birthright, you aren''t a New Type, and are weak. There would most likely be opposition to your ascension to the seat of Village Head. And this would most likely be led by the current Village Head ¨C Samoa"


    "But with someone as strong as Mane on your side, that wouldn''t matter. Dan cannot interfere in the affairs of the village due to a promise he made to an old friend many years ago. Or else he would have killed Samoa a long time ago"


    Lam gulped when his Grandfather mentioned killing Village Head Samoa like it was nothing. But since it was Dan he was talking about, Lam knew it was true. That usually smiling man was vastly stronger than anyone in the village and could kill anyone he wished to kill.


    "But Mane isn''t bound by any such restrictions and is very young. He may become just as powerful as Dan given a few years" Old Fan was confident that Mane had the capability to even surpass Dan, but he kept that to himself. Although he knew Dan''s greatest secret, he also knew that the man had lost most of his power. And although Dan was still powerful now, Mane who supposedly shared his bloodline, could surpass him. Old Fan couldn''t help but wonder how powerful Mane would have become if Savior hadn''t been lost.


    "If he''s on your side, Samoa wouldn''t do anything stupid. Granted that he''s still alive by close of night of course" Old Fan smiled mysteriously.


    "What do you mean Grandfather," Lam asked?


    "You are very slow today," Old Fan ridiculed his grandson. Lam could only smile in embarrassment. He was usually fast and accurate in his analysis; but whenever he was next to his Grandfather, his brain would become slow and lethargic. It was because he was still subconsciously dependent on the old man.


    "Samoa sent an assassin after his nephew. How do you think Dan would react when he finds out?" Old Fan said with a helpless smile.


    "But I thought you said he made a promise to someone that he wouldn''t interfere with the affairs of this village," Lam asked, genuinely surprised at what his Grandfather said. After all, Old Fan had just told Lam that Dan promised never to interfere with the affairs of the village and that was why even though he disliked the attitude of Village Head Samoa, Dan didn''t do anything about it. But now Old Fan was saying something contrary to his own words.


    "Dan did make that promise. There is no denying that. It is something that every Elder of this village and Samoa know. Which is why they''ve been dismissive of him in their dealings. They dare act so pompously exactly because of that promise Dan made decades ago" Old Fan sighed as he seemed to recollect the events that led to that promise. Although he was old, his memory was still good. He could remember everything perfectly. And the events that led to that promise still haunted him even to this day.


    Lam noticed his Grandfather''s reminiscent look, but didn''t say anything. It did serve to increase his curiosity though. What exactly was it that led to Dan''s current shackles? And who was so impressive as to get Dan to make a promise, and keep it after all these years.


    "But that promise made had its conditions. Although Dan wasn''t to interfere in the business of the village, the village wasn''t to interfere in his business either." Old Fan sought to clarify the situation.


    Lam nodded with an understanding sigh after hearing his Grandfather''s clarification. Although it sounded like the village elders and leaders had also been shackled by the promise, it wasn''t so. It was rather a way to protect the village. Basically, as long as they stayed out of Dan''s way, he wouldn''t be able to do anything to them. It was a shame that they wouldn''t be able to demand a hunting quota from him, but it wasn''t like they would have gotten it even if they made any demands. The most likely result would have been their deaths. So in a sense, the deal was beneficial to them in so many ways. It prevented Dan from doing anything to them without a valid reason. And since Dan was alone in this village and had no next of kin, they didn''t have to worry about offending or hurting any of his relatives. But they had done just that tonight.


    "If Mane had died, Village Head Samoa would have just denied that he had anything to do with it. Without any evidence, Sir Dan would be bound by his promise and be incapable of seeking his revenge" Lam analysed.


    "It seems your brain has returned to its peak state. Good to see it back in business." Old Fan teased Lam.


    Lam could only smile wryly in response. It wasn''t difficult to guess this much. It seemed that Village Head Samoa was so confident in his victory that he didn''t even consider what would happen should he fail. Unfortunately for him, he had failed and the face of his most trusted warrior was exposed to Dan. That was all the evidence Dan needed. Samoa had gone after his ''nephew''. This was at the stage of interfering in Dan''s life since his family had been attacked. The man was within every right to act now.


    "Which means that even if Dan were to kill him and his entire family now¡­" Old Fan started.


    "He would be within good reason and wouldn''t have broken the promise he made in any way" Lam finished.


    "I wonder what will happen when he returns," Lam sighed. But there was a bit of expectation in his tone. It seemed his hatred for Village Head Samoa and his family run deep.


    "How about I ask him myself," Old Fan smiled and stood up? He held onto his walking stick for balance and slowly walked towards the backdoor. Because of his discrete actions, Mane and Lily who were still engaged with each other didn''t notice his departure. Added to the fact that the room was spacious and the grandfather-grandson duo were all the way across the room, even the usually alert Mane and the doted upon granddaughter ¨C Lily ¨C didn''t see him leave.


    "You mean¡­" Lam had a stunned expression on his face as he watched his grandfather leave. Suddenly he felt a chill down his spine. It was almost as if he had been doused in a bucket of icy cold water and was left to freeze to death. It was like there were several ants gnawing on his flesh. It was a feeling he had never experienced before. It was the touch of death.


    "It seems you have been around too many dead bodies. You can now feel killing intent which isn''t even directed at you. Though to be fair, the killing intent is very thick so it is no surprise that you can feel it."


    As Old Fan stepped out of the door, he stopped to say this. His words enlightened Lam. The killing intent was from Sir Dan! This feeling that left him helpless and scared was Sir Dan''s wrathful anger bubbling over. And it wasn''t even directed at him!


    "Hold yourself back Dan. You are scaring the boy." Old Fan said as he closed the door behind him. Before the door closed fully, Lam could hear Sir Dan''s voice, although he couldn''t see his figure.


    "I''m sorry kiddo. I lost myself there for a bit."


    Lam could only look lifelessly at the closed backdoor as he relieved the very recent experience all the while saying to himself,


    "So that is Sir Dan''s anger. If he goes against Village Head Samoa, there is no way that man would survive!"


    "You should have been more prudent. You have scared the boy" Old Fan reprimanded Dan once he closed the door. In the vast space of the backyard, Dan''s figure still couldn''t be seen.


    "I''m sorry. I was truly furious" Dan''s voice sounded in the compound, yet his figure was nowhere to be seen.


    "But you still decided to come here to check on the boy. How did you know he was here?" Old Fan wondered. After all, it would have been logical for Dan to go after Village Head Samoa in the hope that Mane hadn''t rushed there. But the man came here.


    "Mane is a very logical boy. He wouldn''t rush into the enemy''s camp. This place was my first guess. If he was injured, this would be the place he would come to" Dan''s argument was sound and reasonable.


    "I see," Old Fan nodded and struck his cane on the ground.


    "But it seems he was barely hurt. To think he took care of three assassins without any major injuries." Dan said something which startled Old Fan to the extent that he almost lost his footing.


    "Three," the old man exclaimed! He was under the impression that Wild Boar was the only assassin sent after Mane. Yet there were actually three of them. How badly did Village Head Samoa want the boy dead?!


    "Yes. It makes sense when you think about it. If he wanted to make sure there were no mistakes, he would send an insurance. In this case he seemed to have sent two insurances." Dan''s words were cold. They sounded expressionless, but Old Fan knew he was genuinely angry. It was only when Dan was furious that he would cast aside his jovial personality for his ice-cold one.


    "So what are you going to do," Old Fan looked into the sky and asked? He had a slight frown on his face when he posed the question.


    There was silence for a while, then Dan''s figure suddenly appeared right before Old Fan. It was almost as if he teleported there. But Old Fan wasn''t startled. It looked like he was used to this.


    "I wanted to kill him ¨C I still do," Dan uttered with a cold gaze.


    "But you wouldn''t," Old Fan knew Dan long enough to piece together what the man would do from his words.


    "No, I wouldn''t. Mane would want to take care of it himself. That''s the kind of lad he is" Dan sighed helplessly. Although he had known Mane for only a month, he deeply understood the boy. Mane was independent in most of his actions, and he wouldn''t be best pleased if Dan took away his right to decide what he should do.


    "You have a good nephew," Old Fan smiled and hit his cane on the ground.


    "I do," Dan confessed.


    "So what are you going to do now," Old Fan was smart enough to understand that although Dan wasn''t going to kill Village Head Samoa, he wasn''t going to leave things lying down either.


    Dan''s figure disappeared once the question was asked, but his voice found its way right into Old Fan''s ear like he was still there.


    "Return their garbage to them."

 Chapter 271 - The Glorious Era: Part I

    "It''s been an hour. Why haven''t they returned?" Within the house at the centre of the village, an important personage was currently panicking. Village Head Samoa pranced about his hall, his movements similar to a person who was on fire. He seemed very uncomfortable, and he didn''t feel safe in this place he called home.


    "Master, could they have encountered Sir Dan?"


    Village Head Samoa wasn''t the only one in this room. There were three other figures with him as well. These three people ¨C who were Village Head Samoa''s personal guards and referred to as the Hands of Samoa ¨C were all dressed in leather armor. Since this village was small and unimpressive, it was very difficult to procure a set of armor, even common leather ones. But the armor the men in this room were wearing weren''t made from common leather. These kind of leather armors were knit with the skins of very tough Magical Beasts. It took very skilled tailors and craftsmen to put together such masterpieces, and this village had none of those. So it was safe to infer that Village Head Samoa had procured it elsewhere, and had no doubt spent a hefty amount to acquire them. The guards were all men and had massive builds. They were almost as tall as Dan and just as thick! Each of them had a different weapon strapped to his waist.


    The one who asked the question was the guard on the right. He had a jarring scar on the left side of his face that gave him a menacing look. Although one could infer from his tone that he was worried, there was no sign of fear or anxiety on his face. He was one of the four Hands of Samoa. In fact, he was the head of the Four Hands of Samoa, and he had a serious personality. He seldom cracked any jokes and few things could rattle him and rob him of his calm. His name was Scarred Boar.


    "I hope not. That wouldn''t bode well for us at all"


    The one who replied wasn''t Village Head Samoa. The reply came from another one of the Hands of Samoa. Unlike Scarred Boar, this man was good looking. He had refined facial features and beautiful black locks that cascaded down his shoulders onto his back. He had a feminine smile on his face. Unlike Scarred Boar who had a serious demeanor, this man came off as more playful and lively. But if one was fooled by his playful demeanor and made the mistake of making light of him, one would pay the price. He was the most unstable of the Four Hands. His temper was like that of a baby''s. At one point he would be laughing and smiling. But something simple could turn on his fury switch and bring forth carnage. And his name was enough to prove how dangerous he was. He was the Smiling Boar of the Four Hands, and the only one who had another nickname ¨C the Beautiful Fiend. The most notable phrase amongst the circle of Elders was ''When you see the smile fall off the face of the Beautiful Fiend, you better run''. And that phrase couldn''t be more accurate.


    "Master, I''m a bit confused. You even dispatched Wild Boar and yet you are still unsettled. Is Sir Dan truly terrifying?"


    The person who asked the question on the minds of every one of the Four Hands of Samoa was the last Hand. This man looked visibly older than the first two. There were a few strands of grey in his hair and he had a soft look. He looked like a harmless aging man who could do no wrong. But he was actually really terrifying. This seemingly unimpressive man was called the Hidden Boar because his true strength was a mystery.


    Amongst the Four Hands of Samoa, the weakest was the one who was sent after Mane ¨C Wild Boar. It was because he was the weakest that he was sent for this mission. Village Head Samoa was ready to lose him. This was because the other three were vastly superior to Wild Boar.


    Wild Boar was strong, but when one looked at the strength of the other three, he fell short. The Head of the Four Hands, Scarred Boar wasn''t the strongest although he was the head. He was a Strength Oriented New Type and was stronger than Wild Boar by a large margin. But he was weaker than Hidden Boar.


    Smiling Boar was stronger than Wild Boar, but he was weaker than Scarred Boar and Hidden Boar. However, the other two didn''t dare look down on him. If Hidden Boar had never been forced to show his true strength, then Smiling Boar was the same. Smiling Boar had an eccentric personality, and his strength changed based on his mood. In his usual state, which was his lazy laid-back personality, he was only stronger than Wild Boar. That was his weakest state. When he got slightly more serious, he was strong enough to threaten Scarred Boar and force the Head of the Four Hands to use all of his strength. And when he was pushed into a state of fury, even Scarred Boar was no match for him! In that state, he was so powerful that only Hidden Boar could stop his rampage, and even that came at a cost. The last time he had gone berserk, although Hidden Boar was able to stop him, Smiling Boar had broken his hand before Hidden Boar achieved his purpose. It could be argued that the only reason Smiling Boar injured Hidden Boar was because the oldest member of the Four Hands wasn''t fighting to kill, but to restrain. But it was still enough to show that Smiling Boar was very dangerous.


    As for Hidden Boar, he had hardly shown his true strength in any of his battles. He was a powerful warrior who didn''t originate from this village. In fact, he was a guard in one of the bigger towns before he was recruited by Village Head Samoa. He had never been put in a position where he had to risk everything to fight for his life. That was exactly how strong he was. But although he was powerful, he was horrible leader. Unlike the levelheaded Scarred Boar, Hidden Boar was not very wise even though he was old. He seldom gave any good advice, and spent most of his time sleeping with the excuse that he was an ''old man'' and needed to rest regularly.


    Compared to the three of them, Wild Boar was very weak, but he had the greatest reputation. This was because he was sent on the most missions. Since the others were vastly stronger than he was, they were hardly mobilized for any missions. The usual missions were trivial in their eyes and were mostly taken on by Wild Boar. This had led the villagers to misunderstand and assume that he was the right hand man of the Village Head, when actually, he was only popular because he was weak. To highlight how weak Wild Boar was, one would have to understand this: Wild Boar wasn''t capable of lasting ten seconds against the lazy personality of Smiling Boar ¨C which was Smiling Boar''s weakest state! The others usually protected the Village Head from the Shadows, so they didn''t even care about popularity.


    "If you had seen what I saw several years ago, you wouldn''t have said that" Village Head Samoa tried his best to regain his composure and slowly spoke. In front of his men, he could only lose his cool for so long. He didn''t want to weaken his image in their eyes.


    "Several years ago, I had the chance to witness the strength of Sir Dan personally," Village Head Samoa slowly recalled. Unlike his men, when he mentioned the name ''Sir Dan'', it was done with respect.


    "It was the most dangerous situation our village has ever been in. Have you ever wondered why our village is right next to an Enchanted Forest, yet it is never overrun by an Overflow?" Village Head Samoa questioned.


    "I haven''t even thought about that," Smiling Boar laughed loudly with an embarrassed smile on his face.


    "I just thought we were incredibly lucky," Hidden Boar''s statement showed that his level of intelligence was only at the level of Smiling Boar''s.


    "Indeed I have always found that strange. Master, are you saying that it has something to do with Sir Dan?" Scarred Boar was indeed the smartest of the three. He immediately understood what Village Head Samoa was getting at.


    An Overflow was a situation whereby a village, town or a city was attacked by a huge number of Magical Beasts. It was called an Overflow because it was caused by a case of overpopulation. Enchanted Forests were dominated by Magical Beasts. Occasionally, there were situations were the population of Magical Beasts grew so large that they ventured out of the Enchanted Forests and into the outside world. In situations where a large number of Magical Beasts left an Enchanted Forest and attacked a human settlement together, it was called an Overflow. Usually, the bigger an Enchanted Forest, the lesser the instances of an Overflow. But when large Enchanted Forests gave birth to an Overflow, it was always several times worse than those from small forests.


    This village was small, and it was right next to a very large Enchanted Forest. It was because it was close to a large Enchanted Forest that it was avoided by raiders and bandits. Usually, small Enchanted Forests birth an Overflow every 5-10 years and large Enchanted Forests birthed Overflows every 15-20 years. The rate of Overflows could be reduced by hunting Magical Beasts on a regular basis to keep their population down. In large cities and towns that were built next to large Enchanted Forests, this was done very well. So they hardly experienced Overflows. But this place was different. Logically, this village should have been wiped off the face of the planet a long time ago. But it was still standing strong.


    "Yes. It is indeed related to Sir Dan. About 20 years ago, during arguably the most prosperous era of this village, we received the worst news we could ever receive. Some of our hunters had gone into the Enchanted Forest and discovered signs of an Overflow. I was amongst those hunters. We predicted that the village had at most two weeks before the Overflow, and suggested that we evacuate."


    "The Village Head at the time was Old Fan. He was younger then, and in his strength had only started to decline. Yet he was still one of the strongest people in the village. He had his own trove of warriors. The villagers called them the ''Tiger Squad''."


    "That''s pretty arrogant," Smiling Boar scoffed. Hidden Boar also had a disdaining smile on his face. As people who came from big towns and had travelled to the cities, they knew just how powerful those who were referred to as Tigers and Lions were. Even they didn''t give themselves such titles and only called themselves Boars. Yet a few villagers dared called themselves that.


    "If it were to be other people, or another era, I would have agreed. But these men were worthy of their titles. Remember what I said earlier: This was the village''s most prosperous era"


    Village Head Samoa''s words caused the expressions of Smiling Boar and Hidden Boar to transform from disdain to amazement.


    "Hidden Boar," Village Head Samoa called out.


    "Yes Master"


    "You are someone who was given the title of a Wild Cat in the city. You know how powerful Tiger warriors are," Village Head Samoa said.


    "I do," Hidden Boar replied. That was his true background, and everyone here knew it. But Village Head Samoa was even stronger than him. Village Head Samoa was a warrior who was given the title of Tiger in a city!


    "Old Fan was a warrior that could best 3 warriors of the Tiger level by himself. And he was surrounded by 15 Tiger warriors!"


    Smiling Boar gulped loudly, and Hidden Boar had a rare look of solemnness on his face. Only Scarred Boar was still composed. Village Head Samoa''s words were unbelievable. He was basically saying that this village had the strength of a small sized city in its prime!


    "So what happened to all those Tiger Warriors," Scarred Boar asked. The others were interested in this as well. They wanted to know what was going on.


    "They all died! Every single one of them!"

 Chapter 272 - The Glorious Era: Part II

    20 Years Ago


    "Samoa, did you see those prints," within the Enchanted Forest, a handsome young man was hiding within some bushes with his friend. He looked anxious and weary, just like anyone who entered the Enchanted Forest and saw what they had. The man''s name was Joe.


    "I did Joe. A creature of such power is terrifying." Right beside the handsome young man was another good looking youngster. This young man looked very similar to Village Head Samoa, only several years younger. This was because this was indeed Village Head Samoa. At least, this was him when he was younger and still inexperienced.


    "We must get back to the village and let them know what we have found out. The number of creatures has grown by large amount. And added to that terrifying creature¡­" Joe wiped the sweat off his forehead and spoke anxiously.


    An Overflow. That was the greatest fear of all who lived close to an Enchanted Forest. So to prevent this fear from becoming a reality, the population of Magical Beasts was kept within a certain range to ensure that there ever won''t be an Overflow. The village was next to a large Enchanted Forest. Although it had several great fighters, even if they could handle an Overflow from this large Enchanted Forest, they would lose a lot. Recovery would be difficult, and if any bandit groups learnt that the village was weakened and defenseless, they would strike. So to prevent an Overflow the village, constantly hunted Magical Beasts in the Enchanted Forest. Even the few that unwittingly ventured out of the Enchanted Forest were dealt with. So they should have been far from an Overflow.


    Samoa and his friend Joe were part of the Enchanted Forest Scouting Party of the village. Their job was to go to the Enchanted Forest every week and record the number of Magical Beasts in it. Members of the Scouting Party were good trackers and had excellent knowledge on almost every type of Magical Beast. They could estimate the number of Magical Beasts by checking prints, analysing breeding patterns, observing nests, and noting if they were any changes wrought by climate changes on Magical Beasts. They were strong enough to escape most Magical Beasts and were constantly guarded by a skilled fighter of the village. Yet what they had seen today had stunned them greatly. It was only last week that they had come here, and the Magical Beasts population was still within the estimated range. But the number of Magical Beasts had grown by threefold in just one week. And after analysing the patterns, they realised that this was just the beginning! It was going to get much worse in the next week. There was going to be an Overflow!


    "You are right. We don''t have enough strength to change anything. We can only report the situation to the Village Head and the Elders and hope that they come up with a solution." The young Samoa quickly agreed with his friend and silently moved backwards. Although he wasn''t sweating as visibly as his friend, his shaking arms and legs along with his shivering lips in this dry weather was evidence that he had also seen something that terrified him to his core.


    "We should take off our outer clothing. They reek of blood." Although Samoa was scared, his reasoning wasn''t shaken.


    "You are right," Joe shook when he heard Samoa''s words. He quickly tried to pry his outer garments off himself.


    "Take your time. We don''t want to make any noise. Our escape brought us into the deepest region of the Enchanted Forest. We don''t want to encounter any dangerous creatures here." Samoa held down Joe''s hand and reminded his anxious friend.


    "Yes," was all Joe managed to squeeze out of his mouth. He slowly took off his top which was stained with blood. The young Samoa did the same and then picked up Joe''s cloth. He untied a small bag from his waist and put the clothes in them. Then he sprinkled some strange juice from a gourd on his waist onto the bag and gently placed it in the bushes. Then he nodded at Joe and both men retreated from the bushes.


    In their retreat, they made sure to hide their tracks and they never left the path of the trees and grass. They always remained hidden. Their eyes were vigilant and their ears were alert to any strange sounds. They traveled for several hours before they finally reached the outer region of the Enchanted Forest.


    "At least we are back," Joe let out a visible sigh of relief once he confirmed that they were back in the outer regions.


    "Don''t lose your guard yet. We haven''t left the forest so we still aren''t safe." Samoa advised. But even he had loosened his tight muscles subconsciously. Even though they were still in the Enchanted Forest, the outer regions were so much safer than the inner regions. With their strength, they could navigate the outer sections pretty well and get back to safety.


    This large Enchanted Forest was divided into two sections. The outer section and the inner section. The inner section was not as populated as the outer section, but it was far more dangerous. The outer section was filled with several Magical Beasts, and the most powerful beast around was in the High Class. But even then, there were only a few High Class Magical Beasts around. The inner section was different. The inner section was filled with High Class Magical Beasts and Several Mythical Class Magical Beasts. They weren''t as many as the Magical Beasts in outer section, but the ones with the lowest strength were the High Class Magical Beasts. So the inner section was forbidden to venture for weaker fighters.


    On this planet, there were five ranks of fighters. In order of ascent: Soldiers; Animal Hunters; Thrashers; Predators; and Nightmares. Soldiers were the normal humans. They were humans that hadn''t consumed the New Type potion or the now unavailable Savior. Because they had no way to unlock their potential without these potions, their strength was limited, and they were only able to go against other normal humans and normal beasts of this world. Soldiers were very common, and they occupied a large chunk of a human settlement''s fighting force. They were usually referred to as ''Normies'' by the New Types.


    Animal Hunters was the weakest class of enhanced humans. They were people who had taken the New Type potion, but didn''t have enough talent to gain greater strength. They were a capable fighting force since they could handle Low Class Magical Beasts with very little problem. However, they were looked down on by the stronger New Types since they were relatively weak to be called enhanced humans.


    Thrashers was the rank that divided the elites from the trash. Anyone below the rank of a Thrasher was not held in high esteem by the fighting community. Thrashers were strong enough to handle any Low Class Magical Beast. They also had the strength to go against any Middle Class Magical Beast, and some Top Level Thrashers could even hold their own against High Class Magical Beasts. But it wasn''t every High Class Magical Beast they could handle. High Class Magical Beasts close to the Mythic Rank in power were too much to handle for just one Top Level Thrasher. But a team of Top Level Thrashers could handle a very powerful High Class Magical Beast. That was how large the gulf between Thrashers and Animal Hunters was. Animal Hunters could only handle Low Class Magical Beasts, whereas Thrashers could handle the Middle and average High Classes with relative comfort.


    Predators were the second highest combat force of this world. They were rare and highly sought after even in the cities. Predators could handle any High Class Magical Beast, and were strong enough to go against the power of Mythic Class Magical Beasts. Two Predators with good teamwork could kill a very strong Mythic Class without sustaining severe injuries. They were a very powerful force to reckon with.


    As for Nightmares, they were far stronger than Predators. Predators were strong, but a Predator could be taken down by a well-coordinated team of at least 7 Top Level Thrashers. But the same couldn''t be said about Nightmares. Nightmares were so powerful that they could easily dispatch off a Mythic Class, and even the most powerful Mythic Classes weren''t their match! One could recruit 20 Thrashers and send them off to kill a Nightmare, and fail miserably! The best outcome would be that one of the Thrashers escapes the fury of the Nightmare! That was how strong they were. Fortunately, most Nightmares were Mystic Path Warriors. And since that battle against the Legendary Winged Serpent, there weren''t any more Mystic Path Warriors. And those that remained were in a weakened state.


    Each rank above Soldiers had its own title. Animal Hunters usually had the title of Cat or Dog as part of their names. Thrashers were usually referred to as Boars or Bulls. The strongest of Thrashers were called ''Wild Cats'' due to how close they were to becoming Predators. Predators usually possessed the names of the strongest hunters in the world: Lions; Tigers; Leopards; Cobras; Mambas; Eagles; Mongooses. There were several titles for them, but Predators were so few that these titles were impressive when anyone had them.


    Samoa and Joe were Thrashers so they could only handle the outer section. The inner section was a no-go for them. In fact, the entire scouting party was full of Thrashers, so venturing into the inner region was never part of their agenda. After all, High and Mythic Class Magical Beasts didn''t have good fertility rates. So the danger of Overflows didn''t come from them, but from the Low and Middle Class Magical Beasts. However, today they had noticed a few abnormalities and had run into a very powerful High Class Magical Beast that forced them into the inner region. The team of 5 had been reduced to two ¨C Samoa and Joe.


    "We should be able to find an exit in about 20 minutes if we follow this trail," Samoa whispered once he recognized the all too familiar path before him. He could feel the heavy burden on his shoulders fall off. They were closer to the exit now. That was until he heard that noise.


    *Hiss*


    "This-," Samoa stuttered fearfully when he saw the creature ahead. It was a large snake covered entirely with black scales. Its green eyes starred in their direction with cold apathy. It was 30 metres long, and two metres wide. Its forked tongue slithered out of its monstrously large mouth as though it was mocking them. That was the creature that had taken away the lives of their colleagues. That was the creature they were escaping from. Joe shook fearfully as he looked at the snake''s green eyes and stuttered its name,


    "The Giant Black Mamba! It followed us here!"

 Chapter 273 - Tigers: Part I

    "More like it waited for us here."


    "It wasn''t distracted by the Giant Rat King''s urine," Joe started to back off when the snake stared at him. He was afraid. Yes, he was afraid. And who wouldn''t be when faced with a beast of renown like the Giant Black Mamba.


    The Giant Black Mamba was a Magical Beast belonging to the family of snakes ¨C a group of powerful Magical Beasts that were serpents. The Giant Black Mamba was a high Class Magical Beast with amazing physical abilities. It wasn''t like average High Class Magical Beasts like the Banshee that could be thwarted with careful planning. It was so strong that it was capable of going against Mythic Class Magical Beasts, and there were even instances of it killing of some weaker Mythic Class Magical Beasts. With such prowess, some people rated it as a Mythic Class Magical Beast. The only reason why this rating wasn''t accepted by Adventurers worldwide was because for a Magical Beast to be regarded as a Mythic Class, it had to possess more than one special ability.


    Sure the Giant Black Mamba was powerful, but had only one special ability. It was this special ability that made it stand out. The name of this special ability was ''Accelerate''. It sounded simple, but it was perfect for a beast like the Giant Black Mamba. Accelerate allowed it to move that large body of it so quickly that far smaller opponents found it hard to keep up. With its impressive ability it could kill off larger opponents and keep up with naturally fast Magical Beasts like the Magical Beasts of the cat family that were famed for their agility and reflexes. It was this ability that made it stand out among the High Class Magical Beasts and even contend with weak Mythic Class Magical Beasts. It was true that it could only kill off a few weaker Mythic Class Beasts which didn''t possess tough bodies but rather specialized in speed. But it was impressive nonetheless.


    The Giant Black Mamba was a lazy creature by nature. It seldom went out of its way to hunt and mostly spent its time sleeping in shady settlements. It cared very little for what went on around it and barely left its nest. It usually built its nest close to a habitat of Giant Rats, a species of Middle Class Magical Beasts that it loved to feast on. Its favorite was the Giant Rat King.


    Joe and Samoa, along with the now deceased members of their team, had chanced upon the corpse of a Giant Rat King some months back and had looted its habitat. All the Giant Rats were gone, so they were able to loot without much complication. As members of a Scouting Party, they were aware of how important a Giant Rat King''s urine was. It could mask a person''s natural odor and make it difficult for anyone tracking that person to find them. It also worked perfectly against Magical Beasts.


    They kept the urine in a gourd, and carried it with them at all times, praying that they would never have to run into a scenario where they would have no choice but to use it to get away from a strong Magical Beast. Alas, that day had come, and it wasn''t like anything they had in mind. The threat was far greater than they imagined and came in the form of the Giant Black Mamba. This creature that rarely went out of its way to hunt was out of its habitat, and it smelled the urine of the Giant Rat King.


    You see, the Giant Rat King''s urine could work against all Magical Beasts, but it wasn''t so effective against its greatest predator ¨C the Giant Black Mamba. The Giant Black Mamba was lazy, but it was an intelligent Beast. It learned the traits of Giant Rats, and could discern what other Magical Beasts couldn''t. The gourd the urine was kept in masked the smell of the Giant Rat King''s urine. But today it had been cracked when the team came across a Banshee. Usually, the Giant Black Mamba wouldn''t move out of its habitat to hunt down a Giant Rat. But recently, the Scouting Party had uncovered a huge number of dead Giant Rats. Something was killing them off, and it wasn''t because of food. If their killer was hungry, it wouldn''t have left their corpses behind. So the Giant Black Mamba had to move out of its nest for its food. And they were the unlucky ones.


    They had been chased into the inner region, where one of their party members lost his life to a Desolate Monkey ¨C a powerful Mythic Class Magical Beast with a myriad of abilities. It was a huge beast with the build of a monkey and a snake as its tail. The most disheartening thing about his death was the way he died. He died because two Desolate Monkeys were having a brawl. It just so happened that a tree that had been uprooted due to their battle was flung at their friend, and none of them saw it coming. He died instantly.


    The other two were killed by the Giant Black Mamba once they had reached the deeper part of the inner region. Both of them sacrificed their lives to draw the attention of the Giant Black Mamba, just to allow Samoa and Joe who were the youngest to escape. The duo then poured the Rat King''s urine on their filthy shirts and tossed it aside to mislead the Giant Black Mamba. But it still found them!


    *Hiss*


    Samoa and Joe subconsciously took a step back when the Giant Black Mamba hissed at them. Fear crept up their spines as they started to shiver, even in this humid weather. Slowly, the Giant Black Mamba slithered towards them. They wanted to run, but the strength they had spent years to grow abandoned them. They were Thrashers, the Samoa Bull and Boar Joe, yet none of that strength could be manifested. The presence of the Giant Black Mamba drove away their fighting spirit. The scenes of their colleagues failing to even dent its tough scales revisited their minds as their eyes filled up with despair.


    "We must at least warn the elders about what we found"


    Samoa finally found the strength to open his mouth. His words were spoken in between labored breaths, as though he was fighting for air under water. Although they had been cornered by the Giant Black Mamba, one of them had to escape to let the Elders know what they found out. One of them had to make it out and warn the Elders that an Overflow was on the way. One of them had to survive. If they didn''t complete this task, then their friends would have died for nothing.


    "It should be you," the shivering Joe mustered a desperate smile as he stuttered out his words. His words stunned Samoa who was just about to suggest Joe escaped.


    "You are younger than me, and more talented. You have the potential to become a strong Predator, and join the Tigers of the Village. It should be you" Joe calmed himself slightly as he spoke. Although he still shook from the fear of his impending doom, now that he had come to terms with it, he sounded calmer than before.


    His reasoning was logical. Samoa was a talented member of the village''s younger generation. Although both of them were Thrashers, Samoa was stronger than him, and had greater talent. Sure they were of a similar age, but Joe, who was the son of an Elder, had consumed a New Type potion three years before Samoa, who was of common birth, had finally attained the privilege to take one. And even with such an impressive head start, Samoa had overtaken him! This was the evidence of his talent.


    "You truly are kind Joe," Samoa whispered as he gazed at his friend.


    His friend was a kind man. According to village protocol, Joe, who was the son of an Elder, had to be prioritized if there was ever any danger. But Joe didn''t think that way. He logically analysed their abilities and decided that Samoa had to leave. But he was in the wrong. If Samoa were to escape, and Joe died in the forest, Samoa would be penalized. Samoa was cherished by the Village Head because of his talent. But even the Village Head wouldn''t be able to save him from any assassination attempts.


    "But you know Joe, it doesn''t seem that bad to die with you," Samoa smiled and stood his ground. He wasn''t intending to flee. And Joe noticed this.


    "What are you doing," he screamed?! "Get out of here now," came the voice of his agitated friend.


    "I wouldn''t be able to outrun a Giant Black Mamba. Besides, it wouldn''t allow me to escape" Samoa bitterly stated as he gazed at the Giant Mamba that was slowly closing in. For a creature that had exceptional speed, it was taking its time to arrive. Why was that?


    "It is playing with its food," Samoa knew exactly what it was doing.


    To the Giant Black Mamba, there was no way they would be able to escape. It only wanted them to squirm in pain before it killed them. Now that both men weren''t shivering in fear, the snake looked bored. It rushed at them with its exceptional speed. Samoa''s idea to shove his friend out of the way met its first obstacle as the speed of the Giant Black Mamba was far greater than what it had shown at the beginning ¨C when it chased his entire team into the inner section.


    "It had been toying with us all along," Samoa realized and desperately closed his eyes.


    *Boom*


    *Hisssss*


    Samoa opened his eyes in surprise when he heard the giant snake hiss in pain. What greeted him as the green eyes of the Giant Black Mamba. It was so big that Samoa could only gaze into one at a time. But he noticed that there was panic in those eyes. The lazy and annoyed look it had in its eyes earlier was gone. All that was left was fear. It started to squirm, but something seemed to be holding it from the back. Something that brought it fear. The Giant Black Mamba was suddenly hoisted into the air, and slammed onto the ground.


    *Boom*


    "Hey. You alright kids?"

 Chapter 274 - Tigers: Part II

    Samoa wished he could see who the surprise intruder was, but the large snake in front of him restricted his view.


    "Stop yapping and let''s get this over with," another voice added. This voice was different from the owner of the voice who had prevented the Giant Black Mamba from turning Samoa and Joe into snake chow. Samoa turned to the direction of the voice and noticed a robust middle aged man standing upright on a tiny tree branch. The branch was so tiny that Samoa believed that even a gust of wind should have been enough to bring it down. Was the branch stronger than it looked? Or was the person using it as a stand an impressive specimen of a New Type?


    Samoa recognized the tree. As a Scouter he knew much about the Enchanted Forest so he knew what that tree was. It was one of the most common kinds of trees one could find in the outer region and wasn''t spectacular in any way. It was weak, and all it was good for was to serve as kindling for fire. That could only mean that it was the one who stood atop this branch that was impressive. Samoa could recognize the newcomer. And so did Joe.


    "Is that Frowning Tiger," Joe had a pleasantly surprised expression on his face when he saw the man on top of the tree? His voice was filled with excitement and relief.


    "We are saved, Joe exclaimed, hope filling his voice. He shook, but it wasn''t in fear. It was in excitement and hope for life. He was happy.


    "No wonder that tree branch isn''t snapping," Samoa was just as excited as Joe was. He also felt relief wash over him as he admired the figure atop the tree. Frowning Tiger. It was a name that was admired by everyone in the village. And it belonged to one of the 15 Tigers that served directly under the Village Head. He wasn''t like the other Tigers. He didn''t have extraordinary strength that could shake the earth or lift the mountains. His speed didn''t turn the heads of all who tried to keep up or send clothes flying when he run. His stamina wasn''t his special point. But he was still a Tiger of the Village ¨C and one qualified enough to serve under the Village Head. Why was that?


    It was because of his excellent control. When Frowning Tiger took the New Type potion for the first time, many thought he was so untalented that there was no change. But that wasn''t it. He didn''t receive any strength or agility or stamina enhancement. What he received was bigger than that. He evolved. He became a Control Type. Although they didn''t have Mane''s ability to see the statuses of others, after seeing Frowning Tiger''s exceptional control that was beyond reason, even they were convinced that he was different. That was why they called him a Control Type. It was true that he was a Control Type. It was an evolution that combined strength with agility to allow one to gain precision in every activity one attempted. It was an exceptional ability. And it was the ability that pushed Frowning Tiger to become what he was today.


    "Protect the kids! I''d take care of this beast!" The voice of the one holding on to the Giant Black Mamba reached the ears of all who were here. The Giant Black Mamba was still alive. The fear in its eyes had subsided by a bit and there was a bit of trickery in those eyes when Frowning Tiger was told not to engage but protect the kids. It seemed that the snake thought it had a chance.


    "Understood," Frowning Tiger didn''t dispute the words of his hidden colleague. He answered simply and his figure flashed as he disappeared from atop the tree. Before Samoa or Joe could see and understand what was happening, the reliable figure of Frowning Tiger was in front of them. He faced them directly and said,


    "Any injuries?"


    Although he still had a frown on his face ¨C perfectly embodying his name ¨C his voice was laced with concern. Samoa looked into the eyes of the man he regarded his idol and struggled to find the right words.


    "We are fine Sir. Thank you for saving us" Joe composed himself quickly and responded. He finally showed that he was the son of an Elder. Although he still looked visibly excited, he was better composed than the speechless Samoa.


    Frowning Tiger shook his head and replied simply, "I didn''t save you. Rash Tiger did." His words caused the excitement that was fading from Joe''s eyes to return sharply. Samoa looked even more lost than Joe. He couldn''t believe what he was hearing. It was unbelievable that Frowning Tiger was here. This was a man Samoa had admired since the day he became a New Type. This was the man he aspired to be. But now there was another. Another Tiger with an ill.u.s.trious reputation and great strength. His reputation exceeded even Frowning Tiger''s, and his strength was nothing to scoff at. Although this man wasn''t above Frowning Tiger on Samoa''s ''Star''s list'', he was right below him.


    All of a sudden, the snake that had been lying down obediently sprung back to life. It slipped out of Rash Tiger''s grasp with great agility and made a dash to the left. Anyone with some knowledge of the creature would recognize the ability it was using to escape ¨C Accelerate. Left with no choice, the beast tried to run away and spared no effort doing so. The space to its left was an unguarded area, and it was confident it could escape. It was a smart beast alright. It wasn''t stupid enough to wait for its death. And it wasn''t silly enough to think it could take on a Predator level powerhouse ¨C and a Tiger at that. There was no way it could handle two Tigers, especially when Tigers were called so because of their ruthless aggression in fights.


    But before it could get anywhere, a figure flashed before it and smacked it back to Rash Tiger.


    "When did he move," Joe asked Samoa? Both youngsters were stunned by the incredible speed that Frowning Tiger displayed. They now understood why he was one of the strongest men under the Village Head.


    *Bang*


    The large snake was struck cleanly, and although the attack came from a barehanded opponent, there was a slight depression on the Giant Snake Mamba''s head! The seemingly weak attack was that powerful!


    "Be more careful," Frowning Tiger advised Rash Tiger.


    "Hahaha. Sorry! I forgot myself there for a minute!" the boisterous laughter of the Rash Tiger filled the place. But anyone close to him would have been terrified by this laughter. It wasn''t his usual warm hearted laugh. It sounded that way, but it wasn''t. It was the kind of laughter he made before he dismantled an opponent in complete fury.


    "What happened to the rest," Frowning Tiger asked as he suddenly appeared before the two youngsters, taking them by surprise and scaring them to bits.


    "Dead Sir," Joe sadly replied. Samoa also hung his head in pain.


    "I see," Frowning Tiger calmly said, but the fury in his voice was clear.


    "How did you know we were here Sir," Joe asked.


    "Your father asked Rash Tiger to come for you when he noticed that it was getting late. He had a hunch that something was wrong. And he was right"


    This was the most Frowning Tiger had spoken since his arrival. Although the Tigers were under the direct command of the Village Head, they had familial ties to the Elders. Rash Tiger was the cousin of Joe''s father, and Joe''s uncle. But since Joe rarely got the chance to meet the man, he was unfamiliar with him.


    "Then why did you come Sir," Joe asked? If Rash Tiger was here because of his father''s request, then why was Frowning Tiger here. Frowning Tiger was an orphan who grew under the tutelage of the Village Head himself. He didn''t have any ties to the other Elders and it made no sense for him to be here.


    "The Village Head informed me of a talented young man. He said there was a young talent he wanted to protect at all costs and that this young man reminded him of me. I wanted to see the boy for myself to confirm if it was indeed true. Are you that talent? What was the name again? Samoa?"


    Frowning Tiger''s words filled Samoa''s forlorn spirit with limitless energy. He temporarily forgot about the death of his comrades as he processed the words of his mentor.


    "He knows my name," was all Samoa could think of! Joe looked at him in admiration. Although Rash Tiger was here for Joe, it was only because of a personal request. But Samoa was different. A Tiger had travelled into the Enchanted Forest just to check him out.


    "I¡­am¡­Sir" Samoa stuttered. Frowning Tiger looked him up and down and said, "Good," and turned his head to watch the fight. Although it was only one word, Samoa was ecstatic. It took him some time to get his mind back on track. And just in time too. Because he was able to see something amazing.


    Rash Tiger evaded a desperate lunge from the Giant Mamba. Unlike Frowning Tiger''s robust but streamlined physique, Rash Tiger was literally a walking mass of muscles. His large frame was surprisingly agile, and the large snake''s lunge was evaded without much difficulty. Due to its poor choice of attack, Rash Tiger found himself under the belly of the snake. Rash Tiger straightened his fingers into the form of a blade and gathered his strength. He had a cold smile on his face as he landed a powerful uppercut on its belly. As it was still midair, the Giant Black Mamba couldn''t avoid the strike.


    *Boom*


    The large snake was sent flying several feet into the air, and its scales that Samoa and Joe regarded impenetrable had been broken through. Several scales fell off its belly and dark red blood flowed freely from its new wound.


    *Hiss*


    Once it landed on the ground, it hissed pitifully in pain. But Rash Tiger wasn''t done. The large club on his back remained unused. And it didn''t seem like he was planning to use it anytime soon. His fingers were stained with the mamba''s blood, but he didn''t even give it a second glance. He jumped into the air and somersaulted. Because of his large build, his somersault looked clumsy, but it was actually well done.


    "Hooh!"


    The large man exclaimed as he descended from the sky and landed a powerful blow onto the injured upturned belly of the Giant Black Mamba.


    *Hiss*


    Its scream was even louder than before. Samoa watched in awe as its eyes filled up with fear once again.


    "So this is the strength of a Predator. This is the power of a Tiger"


    *Boom*


    *Boom*


    *Boom*


    *Boom*


    *Boom*


    *Boom*


    Samoa and Joe watched wide-eyed as the creature that had toyed with them was mercilessly slammed onto the ground over and over again. This creature that easily wiped out half of the Scouting Party was like a helpless little bird in front of Rash Tiger. Several trees had been destroyed by Rash Tiger''s merciless tramping of the Giant Black Mamba. Its helpless cries filled the forest for about half a minute, before Rash Tiger finally ended its misery.


    Rash Tiger span the snake around and slammed it onto one of the many broken trees. The move looked rough and unplanned, yet the injured belly of the snake was pierced through accurately by the tree stump. Usually, a flimsy tree wouldn''t have been able to pierce its hardened scales. But it had already been breached by Rash Tiger''s earlier strike and had lost its armor. Since its armor had been breached, its delicate innards were destroyed by the tree stamp.


    Looking at the giant snake that was hoisted on the tree stamp, Rash Tiger nodded in satisfaction. The occasional twitching of the snake didn''t draw any pity from him. He turned to look at the dumbfounded Samoa and Joe and said with a broad grin,


    "Now that''s a trophy."

 Chapter 275 - Vengeance

    Samoa and Joe were marveled by the sight that was before them. Several broken down trees; large craters that were created by the large head of the Giant Black Mamba from Rash Tiger''s constant smashing; and the most magnificent sight of them all ¨C the body of a Giant Black Mamba hoisted on a half broken tree. They saw for themselves what a Predator level powerhouse was capable of doing. The creature that was proclaimed to be one of the strongest under the Mythic Class level and was even capable of going against some weaker Mythic Class Magical Beasts was helpless before a Predator level powerhouse. The entire fight had been one-way. Rash Tiger pummeled the snake to the ground, and all it could do was try to survive just a bit longer. Before a powerhouse like Rash Tiger, the snake had nowhere to go. And even its earlier attempt to escape was foiled by Frowning Tiger. The man who wasn''t famed for his speed, showed exceptional speed to catch up to the Giant Black Mamba even when it was using its special ability ¨C Accelerate. It had been a brief fight. Well, not for the mamba that was fighting for its life. But to the spectating remnants of the Scouting Party, the fight had been short. It had taken Rash Tiger less than two minutes to deal with the Giant Black Mamba. And this was only because he was clearly not serious about the fight. Samoa couldn''t help but wonder what that would be like. How fearsome would a Tiger be if he/she cast off that lax attitude and got serious? Samoa could feel a chill go down his spine just from imagining it.


    "You took your time," Frowning Tiger spoke to the approaching Rash Tiger.


    "I didn''t think there was a need to hurry," Rash Tiger had a broad smile on his face as he nonchalantly answered. His blatant disregard for the creature that was capable of bringing fear to many was apparent, but neither Samoa nor Joe thought him to be arrogant. If anything, he was humble. To be able to best a Giant Black Mamba with nothing but his fists was impressive even amongst Predator level powerhouses. After all, some Predators weren''t that much stronger than Thrashers. Such Predators would have had a hard time handling the huge snake. But it was obvious that neither Frowning Tiger nor Rash Tiger fell under that category.


    "Why didn''t you kill it," Frowning Tiger suddenly asked? He gazed at the occasionally twitching figure of the snake mounted on the tree with cold eyes. His question caused Samoa and Joe who thought everything was over to examine the snake again. Of course this examination was done from afar. It may be stuck on the tree, but it was still the creature that killed off half of the Scouting Party. The trauma from that incident remained. And they weren''t going to forget about it anytime soon.


    "How is it still alive," Joe voiced out his frustrations? The snake had been beaten up badly. The tree stamp that kept it hoisted in the air was causing no small amount of pain. The presence of gravity ensured that the tree stamp slowly but surely continued to pierce into the snake. With every passing second, it found its way deeper and deeper into the snake. Any other creature would have died from the severity of injuries it had sustained. Yet it still lived.


    "The Giant Black Mamba has an impressive life force. It isn''t going to die immediately." Frowning Tiger stated.


    To be fair, Samoa and Joe knew about the amazing life force of the Giant Black Mamba. As members of the Scouting Party, they knew a lot about Magical Beasts. But none of them had ever witnessed the impressive tenacity of the Giant Black Mamba firsthand. After all, with their strength if they ever came across a Giant Black Mamba, they were sure to die.


    "You said it wouldn''t die immediately. Does that mean it would die slowly, sir" Samoa asked. It seemed he had finally found his voice after being tongue-tied for the entirety of the fight.


    "Smart boy," Rash Tiger praised.


    Seeing the questioning look on the duo''s faces, Frowning Tiger could tell what they were thinking. Why didn''t Rash Tiger kill the creature immediately instead of dragging things out? Did he by any chance run out of strength? But that wasn''t possible. The man''s breath was very stable and he clearly didn''t take the fight seriously. So what was it? What did the Predator level powerhouse hope to achieve by dragging things out?


    "He heard you when you said the other members were dead," Frowning Tiger explained.


    His words enlightened Samoa and Joe and made them look at Rash Tiger with admiration. There was also gratitude in their eyes. The admiration was because under the circ.u.mstances (fighting the Giant Black Mamba), Rash Tiger was still listening to their conversation. They knew he didn''t take the fight seriously. But to think he was so unconcerned about the fight that he was actually listening in on their conversation was surreal. This served to heighten their admiration of him. The gratitude was because he got angry for the sake of their friends. He didn''t know the members of their scouting party, but that didn''t stop him from growing angry at the creature that caused the death of half of the members.


    And it wasn''t just Rash Tiger who got angry. Frowning Tiger''s expression had grown colder when he heard that the other members were dead as well. It was a sign he was mad as well. He only held himself back because he knew that Rash Tiger was more than capable of taking care of things.


    "Thank you sir," both Samoa and Joe said in unison. They bowed their heads slightly to express their thanks to Rash Tiger. Not only for saving their lives, but for taking revenge on their behalf. Their friends would be able to rest easy in the afterlife knowing that the damned beast that had caused them despair in their final moments was suffering in pain and wouldn''t last much longer.


    "Don''t call me sir. I''m not a stickler for the rules like Frowning Tiger. You can just call me Rash Tiger" Rash Tiger laughed embarrassingly and said.


    Samoa couldn''t help but think that he was truly as the rumors said. According to the rules of the village, one was to refer to another of higher standing with respect. Sir and Madam were the terms that displayed this respect, and so were accepted. But Rash Tiger was popular for being rash and uncouth. He cared very little for rules and did as he wanted. But he never did anything that went against the interests of the village so he was allowed to do whatever he wanted. He didn''t abide by the rules, so it was no surprise that he was uncomfortable with the term ''sir''.


    "Yes Rash Tiger sir," both Samoa and Joe responded, and a wry smile graced Rash Tiger''s lips. They were calling him Rash Tiger alright, but they were still calling him sir. Frowning Tiger had a small smile on his lips as he watched this. It was strange to see him smile. Luckily, that smile didn''t last for long. It disappeared almost as suddenly as it appeared.


    "Hold on," Rash Tiger suddenly said. "Which of you is Joe," he wondered?


    "I am, Rash Tiger sir," Joe quickly responded.


    "So you are my nephew. I haven''t seen you in decades! The last time I saw you, you were still a baby who didn''t know anything other than to soil yourself!" Rash Tiger laughed exuberantly and patted Joe''s shoulder. Joe grimaced in pain when Rash Tiger''s powerful hand clapped his shoulder, but he didn''t complain. He was too happy to do so.


    "Do you want to break his shoulder," Frowning Tiger asked as he walked towards the hoisted snake?


    "Hahaha. How can my nephew be this weak?! Are you hurt?" Rash Tiger laughed.


    "No Rash Tiger sir," Joe speedily replied. There was no way he was going to admit that he was.


    "You can just call me Uncle," Rash Tiger clapped Joe''s back a few more times and said.


    "Yes Uncle," Joe all too happily agreed.


    Frowning Tiger sighed at their interaction. "Samoa," he called as he kept walking to the snake.


    "Yes Sir," Samoa replied.


    "Follow me," Frowning Tiger demanded.


    "Yes Sir," Samoa was more than happy to oblige.


    The two left Joe and Samoa behind to chat and walked to the snake. Once they were before the gigantic creature, Samoa looked into its eyes again. There was no excitement, joy, craftiness or fear. Its eyes were empty and devoid of any emotion. There was nothing. It looked like it had accepted its fate.


    "Pick those twigs for me," Frowning Tiger ordered.


    "Yes Sir," Samoa turned to look at the several tree branches that had been severed by Rash Tiger''s violent pummeling. He quickly gathered them up and brought them to Frowning Tiger.


    "Do you know how to make a bonfire," Frowning Tiger asked?


    "Yes Sir," Samoa replied.


    He instantly understood what Frowning Tiger was planning to do. He couldn''t help but shiver slightly as he looked at the cold expression Frowning Tiger had in his eyes. It seemed that the man was more ruthless that Rash Tiger. He hadn''t forgotten, and he hadn''t forgiven either. He was going to make the snake pay for killing members of his village. The duo didn''t take long to surround the tree stamp with the twigs. At a particular point in time, the snake realised what was happening and started to squirm. But its pleading hisses didn''t move Samoa or Frowning Tiger. The duo went about their task whilst ignoring the snake.


    "Step back," Frowning Tiger advised Samoa after the last twig was put in its place. He held two twigs in his hands. Samoa did as he was told without question. He watched wide-eyed as Frowning Tiger rubbed the twigs in his hands together with blistering speed. Samoa couldn''t even see the twigs. All he saw were hazy images of Frowning Tiger''s hands.


    *Spark*


    When the twigs finally caught fire, Frowning Tiger tossed them onto the tree, and it began to burn. Frowning Tiger, Rash Tiger, Samoa, and Joe all watched as the snake hissed in pain from being roasted alive. The flames covered the pitiful creature mercilessly and burnt away its scales. It was being burnt alive. For minutes they watched, none of them feeling any remorse or pity. They just watched it burn alive.

 Chapter 276 - Report: Part I

    "We need to get back," Frowning Tiger said after a while.


    The Giant Black Mamba had been burned to a crisp. Normally the body of a Magical Beast with great armor-like skin, or in this case scales, like the Giant Black Mamba would have been treated like a treasure. It could have been used to create many tools and weapons. And its offal could have been sold to the nearby towns for an expensive sum. But such a treasure had been burnt alive, simply because it incurred the wrath of a few Tigers.


    "Yeah," Rash Tiger, the only one of similar status who could speak freely with Frowning Tiger agreed with his words. His arms were wrapped around Joe''s shoulder and there was a jovial look about him.


    "Come Joe. You need to tell the Elders what you found out." Rash Tiger stated and took the lead.


    "Yes Uncle," Joe responded from underneath his uncle''s arm. Since Rash Tiger was so big, Joe looked like a helpless animal caught underneath his arm. Anyone looking at them would have thought that Rash Tiger was trying to strangle Joe. And they would have thought Joe insane because he had a happy smile on his face as he was being ''strangled''.


    "We should leave as well," A few seconds after Rash Tiger and Joe left, Frowning Tiger made a move as well. He spoke to the only other person here ¨C Samoa.


    "Yes Sir," Samoa nodded his head. He cast the tree stamp one last glance. He engraved the image of the Giant Mamba''s burnt corpse into his mind and followed Frowning Tiger.


    Frowning Tiger took a subtle glance at Samoa. Samoa looked lost. Unlike Joe who left with a gladdened expression, Samoa didn''t look pleased. It seemed that today had been a bad day for him. Although in the end everything worked out well and he didn''t die to the Giant Black Mamba, it didn''t change the fact that his other colleagues did. It would probably take a while before he got over it.


    Frowning Tiger had heard a lot about this boy from the Village Head. This boy was talented, but he wasn''t at the level that would draw the attention of the Village Head. After all, the Village Head''s son, Frowning Tiger''s disciple, was more talented than Samoa. So why was the Village Head so impressed with the boy? Because of his intelligence.


    It was true that the son of the Village Head, Arthur, was the most talented young man of the village. To be fair, Samoa was only second to that boy. But Samoa had something Arthur didn''t have. Arthur wasn''t as bright as Samoa. Because he was the son of the Village Head and was so talented that the village couldn''t afford to lose him, he grew up sheltered. For fear of losing him before he bloomed, Arthur was trapped in the village like a piece of jewelry. He knew nothing of the world and was very na?ve. He was different from Samoa who was an orphan. Because Samoa had no parents to rely on, he had to fend for himself. He knew how harsh the world was, and he knew what to do to survive in it. He was young, but rich in wisdom. This was why the Village Head cherished him so.


    The two men walked in silence, each lost in his own thoughts. They soon saw the village ahead of them. A few feet ahead of them were Rash Tiger and Joe who possessed a vastly different atmosphere from Frowning Tiger and Samoa. The two were conversing loudly and shared an occasional laugh as they walked.


    "We are here already," Rash Tiger grumbled when the entrance of the village appeared before the team of four.


    "Yeah," Joe too had a regretful expression on his face when as they approached the village''s entrance. This was the first time he felt that the village was way too close to the Enchanted Forest. It seemed that he really enjoyed spending time with Rash Tiger.


    "Yo Samoa boy," Rash Tiger suddenly turned back and called out to Samoa. The way he addressed Samoa was so familiar that Samoa, who was used to strictly following the rules of hierarchy, was very uncomfortable.


    "Yes Rash Tiger Sir," although he was uncomfortable, Samoa didn''t show any disrespect. Unlike the free spirited Rash Tiger, Samoa didn''t dare call Rash Tiger by his name alone. He respected Rash Tiger''s prior request by mentioning his name, but he still called him sir.


    "He is just like Frowning Tiger. Such a stickler for the rules," Rash Tiger suddenly bent down and whispered into Joe''s ears. Joe subconsciously let out a laugh, but he stifled it soon after. He looked at Frowning Tiger and noticed that his expression was still the same. It was only then that he dared breathe a sigh of relief.


    Although Rash Tiger whispered his opinion, the four of them were pretty close together. It wasn''t difficult for any of them to hear what he said. They didn''t even have to strain their ears. So it was obvious that Samoa and Frowning Tiger heard what Rash Tiger said. Joe was having a good time with Rash Tiger. But he could only let loose because Rash Tiger had officially acknowledged him as his nephew. Frowning Tiger was known for his staunch personality and strict adherence to the rules. Joe was a bit scared that he would be offended by his laughter. And he didn''t want to offend Frowning Tiger.


    Of course the person himself didn''t care that much about Rash Tiger''s comments, and he wasn''t offended by Joe''s laughter either. If he was, he wouldn''t be worthy of his title. Besides, he didn''t think that Rash Tiger said anything wrong. It was true that Samoa was similar to him. He just met the boy, but the boy reminded him of himself.


    "I was wondering if it would be a problem for you to report to the Elders alone," Rash Tiger didn''t care about what was going through everyone''s minds. Or maybe he didn''t think that his words had any kind of effect. He just went straight to the heart of things.


    "I want to take this boy with me and relax for a bit," Rash Tiger ruffled Joe''s hair with warm eyes and said. He had taken a liking to this nephew of his in this short time. Since he was always busy and didn''t know when he would be available, he wanted to spend the free time he had with this nephew he had snubbed since the boy''s birth. As for Joe, his eyes lit up like a lantern. He was eager to follow Rash Tiger around.


    "That is no problem, Rash Tiger Sir. You can count on me" Samoa had no issue with the request. After all, it was pretty easy to accomplish.


    "Are you sure there would be no problem," Frowning Tiger asked?


    "Actually Sir, Samoa is the one who usually gives the report. Because he sees things better and from all angles, he is the one who understands what we find best. So reporting is usually left to him" Joe quickly chimed in.


    "I see. It''s alright then" Frowning Tiger nodded and proceeded to walk into the village. Samoa followed him closely, but not before he waved goodbye to Joe. He knew how much his friend idolized his absentee uncle and was happy for the boy.


    The duo walked in silence until they reached the centre of the village. They stopped before the grandest house in the village ¨C the home of the Village Head. It was a place that wasn''t accessible to just anyone.


    "Let''s go"


    But of course, Frowning Tiger wasn''t just anyone. And Samoa was able to freely enter the Village Head''s house because it was this man that had taken him in. This was also his home.


    "They are already waiting for us" Frowning Tiger stated as he pushed the doors to the house open and walked into the hall. Seated in the hall were thirteen people. Six people sat on the left, six sat on the right. These seats were occupied by the 12 Elders of the village. The middle seat was the largest seat in the hall. It looked more comfortable than the rest, and was occupied by the most important person in the village. The one who sat in it was not only the most important person in the village, but the strongest warrior the village had to offer ¨C Village Head Fan.


    "You''re finally here," a younger version of Old Fan spoke. It wasn''t accurate to call him Old Fan since he was a handsome middle aged man, not a hunched back elderly man. Old Fan had a broad smile on his face when he saw Samoa who was standing right behind Frowning Tiger.


    "We are, Village Head Fan," in front of Village Head Fan, Frowning Tiger didn''t dare show any disrespect. He bowed his head slightly and responded. Samoa didn''t need to bow his head before Village Head Fan due to their relationship, but whenever they were in official settings like they were in now, he did bow his head.


    "Where is Joe," an Elder who bore a striking resemblance to Joe asked? This elder was Joe''s father. He had an anxious look when he saw only the two come in.


    "He''s with Rash Tiger," Frowning Tiger answered, and the anxiety on the Elder''s face lessened by a lot.


    "What about the others," another Elder enquired? His question caused Samoa''s expression to turn ugly, and everyone easily inferred what that meant.


    "They are dead, Elder" Samoa withstood the pain that threatened to rip his heart apart and replied.


    "It seems that something extraordinary has occurred," Village Head Fan furrowed his brows and said.


    "Tell us. What did you find? And the others, how did they die?" another Elder asked.


    "Yes, Elder," Samoa replied respectfully.


    "An Overflow, Elder. There is going to be an Overflow"

 Chapter 277 - Report: Part II

    "That''s impossible," one of the Elders stood up and exclaimed. His face was full of fear, implying that it wasn''t that he didn''t find the information credible, but he didn''t want it to be.


    Several elders echoed his sentiment. Sweat formed on their foreheads as they tried to deny Samoa''s words. They didn''t want to believe it was true. They would rather Samoa say it was just a joke than to accept this as the truth. They would be so relieved if he was just joking around that they wouldn''t even punish him. But they weren''t going to get what they wanted. Samoa''s face was full of pain. His eyes were filled with unwillingness, and just like the elders he wished the information was false. He would accept any punishment for it to be. But it wasn''t. He had seen the evidence for himself. Three of his comrades had died because of this evidence, so there was no way his hopes would be met.


    The murmuring and rejection from the elders continued for a while. Samoa had his head down and didn''t say anything else. He had the lowest status here, so he didn''t really have any authority to speak without being asked to. Frowning Tiger had a deeper frown than usual as his sharp brain tried to come up with a countermeasure. He didn''t know whether Samoa was right or not. For him to be able to tell how accurate Samoa''s deduction was, he had to hear what happened in the Enchanted Forest. But he still had to think of ways to counteract the incoming threat just in case.


    Village Head Fan had a serious look on his face. He rubbed his chin and closed his eyes. It was the sign that he was in deep thought. After a while, he opened his eyes and lifted his hands, signaling that the noise should stop. And it died down immediately, showing how much power he had over the elders.


    Village Head Fan raised his head. His expression solemn, he looked into Samoa''s eyes as though trying to find any fault in it. Finally he sighed and asked,


    "Are you certain?"


    Samoa gave a wry smile and nodded, "I am, Village Head." In front of the elders he didn''t address Village Head Fan by his name. So he just addressed his guardian by his title.


    "We can''t just take his word for it, Village Head. He is just one person. We must send in more people and find out if his findings are correct."


    One of the agitated elders proposed. Several others agreed with. They shared in this plan because they still had a tiny bit of hope that the information was false.


    "Have we not taking only his word for it all this time? When had we ever sent another?" Village Head Fan''s tone was cold and left no room for argument.


    But the truth of words alone was enough to silence the crowd of scared elders. It was indeed true. Every time the Scouting Party returned, their report was accepted without any argument. And the one who delivered this report was always Samoa. The reason why they never doubted their words was simple. The Enchanted Forest Scouting Party was the best in the village. It was because they were the best that they scouted the Enchanted Forest, and not just any regular forest around. That kind of work was left for the other Scouting Parties. The skill of the Enchanted Forest Scouting Party was so good that they were miles ahead of the others. And that was all due to Samoa. His reasoning and judgement, coupled with his uncanny ability to observe every tiny detail, especially the one that average people missed, earned him the trust of the elders. In their fear they doubted his judgement, but the Village Head was right. When had they never listened to him?


    "Tell me why you reached this conclusion Samoa," Village Head Fan waved his hand and ordered.


    "Yes, Village Head Sir," Samoa quickly replied. He cleared his throat and started,


    "A week ago, after our mission we found no anomalies. In fact, we handed in our report, and it was full of good news. The Magical Beast population was below average, meaning that we had no need to worry for a long time."


    Samoa''s words caused several elders to nod in response. It was true what he said. That was why today''s report had been so far outside their expectations.


    "But it was different today. Not only did the numbers suddenly increase, they increased by 300%! We knew that if this could happen in a weak, then next week would present numbers that signify an increase of at least 900%!"


    Samoa''s words caused the elders to feel a chill down their spine. 900%! That was 9 times the current Magical Beast population. The Enchanted Forest was large enough. If it were to be an increase of 100%, or even 200%, that would be a difficult task. But they would be able to handle it. 300% was beyond their limit, much less 900%


    "We decided to return immediately and let the Elders know of our findings. That was when we run into it ¨C The Giant Black Mamba. If our great elders would kindly recall our report months ago, when we stated that we came across a nest of dead Giant Rats, you would be able to tell where the mamba factors in."


    The elders nodded, signifying that they hadn''t forgotten. After all, the Giant Rat King''s urine had been presented to the village, and was distributed to several Scouting Parties to make their jobs easier. It was an incredible find, and the Enchanted Forest Scouting Party had been rewarded massively for it.


    "We were so happy with our gains that we didn''t stop to think about what was happening," Samoa had a bitter smile on his face as he spoke.


    As he and Frowning Tiger walked back to the village, he started to categorically analyse every strange thing that had happened in the past half year. He refused to believe that the threat of an Overflow, which could usually be spotted at least a month back so preparations could be made, had appeared from nowhere. There must have been something he had missed. That''s when he realised his error. It started from 2 months ago, and as the top analyst of the team he should have seen it. If he had, his friends wouldn''t have died.


    "What do you mean," one of the Elder''s noticed that Samoa was trying to say that the signs of an Overflow were from two months ago? And that the first sign was the dead Giant Rats. The Village Head noticed it too. But what they didn''t get was how the two were connected.


    "Think about it, Village Head Sir, and kind Elders: which kind of creatures could lay waste to a nest of Giant Rats for sport, and not bother to take any trophies? Which Magical Beasts could disregard the favorite snacks of Giant Snake Mambas, and go on a killing spree, giving the member of the Giant Black Mamba race no face, and scorning its revenge?" Samoa asked.


    "A Mythic Level Magical Beast. And one that could easily crush Giant Black Mambas" Frowning Tiger was the one to answer. Village Head Fan furrowed his brows, seemingly reaching the same conclusion. As for the elders, Joe''s father seemed much brighter than his son. He looked enlightened even before Frowning Tiger gave the answer. The other elders quickly caught on.


    "Right. Giant Black Mambas are arrogant. They are lazy, but they aren''t pushovers. They even go against weaker Mythic Class Magical Beasts when their pride is threatened. But they are no match against true Mythic Class Magical Beasts. So the only creature that can disregard it so is a Mythic Class Magical Beast."


    "I finally figured it out after Joe and I were attacked by the Giant Black Mamba. It had been toiling with our team all along. None of us expected this. Why was that?"


    "Stop with the questions boy and get to the heart of the matter," an impatient elder chided.


    "My apologies," Samoa immediately apologized.


    "Because Giant Black Mambas don''t play with their prey. They are predators that go in straight for the kill and waste no time with their prey. They are too lazy for that"


    Samoa was surprised by Frowning Tiger''s rich knowledge. This was something only seasoned scouts knew. The behavioral patterns of the rare Giant Black Mamba wasn''t easy to figure out. Yet Frowning Tiger knew about it.


    "Sir Frowning Tiger is right. It isn''t within the behavior of the Giant Black Mambas to play with their food. So why did it toy with my team so? The answer is simple really."


    "It was venting"


    "Venting," Village Head Fan asked? His expression though, was that of someone who already knew what was happening. It was more like he only asked so that Samoa would elaborate on the issue for the benefit of some of the Elders who had no idea about Magical Beast behavior.


    "Yes, Village Head Sir. When we were chased by the Giant Black Mamba, a situation that should never have occurred in the first place since it was much faster than us and only happened because it was venting, we were forced to enter the inner region"


    When Samoa stated that they were forced to enter the inner region, the atmosphere of the meeting room grew somber. Everyone here knew what kind of monsters lay beyond the outer region. The beasts that ruled the inner region were powerful Mythic Class Magical Beasts. High Class Magical Beasts could be found in troves, and the High Class Magical Beasts that populated the inner region were the cream of the crop.


    The Giant Black Mamba was good enough to live in the inner region, but because of its like for Giant Rat meat, it remained in the outer region. Luckily for most scouts, it rarely left its habitat and so as long as one avoided its home, one would be safe.


    "It was there Joe and I lost our other comrades. They gave their lives so that we could escape"


    Samoa sighed in pain. It wasn''t easy to forget the sacrifices of his friends.


    "They died for a just cause. They would be remembered by everyone in the village. We would make sure of that" One of the Elders swore solemnly.


    The others, the Village Head included, murmured their approval of what their colleague said, their voices filled with sincerity. Samoa knew from their expressions that they weren''t just making things up. They truly meant every word they said. Truly, being in the village was a good thing. If it were the city, these words would have been nothing but a political gimmick, and even if their words were translated into action, there would be no sentiment. But in the village where everyone knew each other, it was hard to forget those who had been lost.


    "The Ceremonial Fire would burn for them always," Village Head Fan nodded his head and vowed.


    "Thank you Village Head Sir," Samoa uttered with gratitude as he struggled to hold back his tears.

 Chapter 278 - Report: Part III

    The village held a village meeting every week. These meetings were basically get-togethers, and the villagers spent time dancing and laughing with each other regardless of their status. Elders weren''t elders at that time, and the Village Head was also an average Joe during these meetings. If a Tiger was present at the meeting, he/she also would shed off that title for the night.


    The Ceremonial Fire was a bonfire that was lit to remember the sacrifices of the ancestors of the village. It served as a reminder to each generation that the village was standing because of the passionate sacrifices of those who came before. As the fire burned, an attendant constantly added kindling to keep it going. The tinder added represented the names of villagers who had lost their lives. Since each person died once, the fire burned for them once, and never again. But the Village Head was promising Samoa that the fire would burn for his friends forever. It was a great promise weightier than gold.


    "Have you calmed your emotions," Village Head Fan kindly gave Samoa a few valuable seconds to calm himself. The Elders weren''t in a rush either. They looked upon the boy struggling to hold his emotions in kindly. It wasn''t easy to lose a loved one, and they understood that very well.


    "I''m okay Village Head Sir," Samoa was able to swallow the pain after a while. Then he proceeded with his report.


    "It was in the inner regions that we realized that the population of the High Class Magical Beasts had increased by 200% and Mythic Class Magical Beasts population had increased by 150%."


    "How could that be," one of the Elders stood up in shock.


    They all felt a chill run down their spine. Unlike Middle and Low Class Magical Beasts, High and Mythic Class Magical Beasts didn''t have a high fertility rate. Because of that, their territories were large. So even a 50% increase in their population would mean that their territories wouldn''t be large enough for them. They wouldn''t be satisfied with that. And they could spill out of the inner regions and into the outer regions. Their invasion of the outer regions would cause a butterfly effect. Middle and Low Class Magical Beasts, as well as the weaker High Class Magical Beasts that occupied the outer regions would escape the Enchanted Forest because of the new threat. And where will they escape to?


    The Village!


    And what would the strong High and Mythic Classes do? They would also leave in pursuit of the Middle and Low Classes. In other words, it was going to be one of the worst kinds of Overflows. It was going to be an Overflow led by Mythic Class Magical Beasts!


    "Yes Elder. That was exactly how Joe and I felt when we discovered this. As I walked back with Sir Frowning Tiger, I connected the dead Giant Rats to the inner region''s population boon. Some Mythic Classes have already invaded the outer region. It was likely because of their invasion that the population of Middle and Low Class Magical Beasts has increased so drastically."


    Magical Beasts had a strange tendency to procreate when they felt their lives were threatened. Whenever they felt their lives were being threatened, they would procreate and then flee. That was why the main job of the powerful Adventurers of the village was to eliminate the strong and troublesome Magical Beasts of the outer region. But this time the threat came from the inner region. It was a region no one visited, so they had no idea that the Mythic and High Class Magical Beasts had outgrown their estimated number. It was a situation they hadn''t prepared for.


    "Mythic and High Class Magical Beasts have low fertility rates. It is impossible for them to suddenly reproduce many offsprings suddenly. There has to be an external factor"


    Samoa''s words generated nods of approval from all present. His words couldn''t be truer.


    "But then I remembered. Joe and I observed a set of large and unusual footprints when we were in the inner region. From the prints alone we could tell that the creature that made them was powerful and overbearing. The cold feeling of death washed over us by observing those prints alone."


    "Back then I didn''t think much of it. I only thought it was a very powerful Mythic Class Magical Beast. But I was wrong."


    "Are you saying it is a Legendary Class Magical Beast," an Elder asked. The older man''s lips shook as he made the suggestion. The Elders were scared, and why wouldn''t they be. They were old men, so they were alive during the descent of the Winged Serpent. It was a period of tyranny and fear for any human, and they still remembered it. Why would they not be scared at the prospect of the terrible past repeating itself?


    "That''s highly unlikely," Samoa shook his head. "If it were a Legendary Class Magical Beast, the Magical Beasts would be far more united and wouldn''t cross over regions. I think it''s a Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast. Only they can augment their race''s procreation abilities, but not have enough strength to keep them united"


    A Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast was a Magical Beast formerly of the Mythic Class that had suddenly gained the new ability of increasing the procreation rate of Magical Beasts in a particular area. There had already been instances of them appearing in Enchanted Forests around the large cities and towns. And in every instance in which they appeared, there was mass destruction. In short, the village wasn''t in the greatest of positions now.


    "Did you see any more evidence of this Pseudo Legendary Magical Beast," one of the Elders slowly asked. His eyes were filled with fear and his question was born from this fear.


    "Just the prints Elder," Samoa admitted. That was all he had to back his claims. Although it seemed logical that the only way to prove the strange happenings ongoing in the Enchanted Forest was to make the soundest assumption ¨C which was that a Pseudo Legendary Magical Beast was behind it ¨C the only evidence Samoa had to back his claims was his theory and the footprints.


    "So you may be wrong," the same Elder pushed those words out of his shaking lips. Although it sounded like he was accusing Samoa, his tone was filled with hope and expectation, rather than blame.


    "Yes Elder, but the chance of that happening is low," Samoa stated.


    It was true that the only thing he could associate to the supposed Pseudo Legendary Magical Beast was its overbearing footprints. But all other information led to the fact that a powerful creature had caused the Mythic and High Class Magical Beasts to experience a surge in fertility rate. Samoa also wished his information was false, but he didn''t think it was. The more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed to be true.


    "But there is still a chance," the elder exclaimed agitatedly. "We should send other teams to verify the information. We can''t rely on the boy''s words alone. A situation of this magnitude requires more evidence!"


    Samoa bowed his head in silence as he listened to several of the Elders voice their opinions on the matter. Only one or two, which included Joe''s father, believed that Samoa''s theory was sound enough and that it was vital to start defense preparations. The others believed that they had to send in other teams to verify the information. Samoa didn''t feel hurt at all by the lack of trust. This was because he knew that it was fear that was pushing their minds to the brink. It was their fear of a powerful beast encroaching upon a village they loved that made them eager to see his theory proven wrong. They were scared, and Samoa didn''t see why they shouldn''t be.


    "If I may interject, Village Head Fan," Frowning Tiger suddenly spoke. Unlike Samoa, he had the authority to address the Village Head by his name.


    "You may," Village Head Fan nodded his head at Frowning Tiger and gave him the permission to speak.


    "Thank you, Village Head. The Enchanted Forest Scouting Party is made up of 5 individuals. All these individuals are Thrashers, with one of them being a top level Thrasher almost at the level of a Wild Cat."


    Although the Scouting Party was entirely composed of Thrashers, they weren''t of the same level. Joe was the weakest in the team, and he was followed closely by Samoa. It wasn''t any surprise since they were the youngest in the team. They were only Beginner Level Thrashers, and hadn''t really adapted to their new strength yet. When they do adapt, they would have the same strength as two of their deceased comrades and become Mid-Level Thrashers. The last level was the Top Thrasher level (every power ranking, not just the Thrashers, was divided into beginner, mid, and top levels). It was a level reached by only one person in their team. This person had been placed in the team to protect the Scouting Team, rather than contribute to their work since he was an average scouter. His name was Lax and he was almost at the level of a Wild Cat. But this person had also died.


    "We have no Scouting Party with this kind of firepower. Yet most of them died, and were it not for myself and Rash Tiger''s timely arrival, the last two survivors would have died as well."


    Frowning Tiger''s cold words tugged at the heartstrings of the elders. Although this village was ruled by the higher hierarchy, it was still a village, and the people were much closer to each other than in the cities. Apart from the Tigers who were so busy that they rarely showed their faces, even to the elders, everyone knew each other. So they knew those who died. And it hurt. But they could be comforted by the fact that Samoa and Joe had survived.


    They understood that Frowning Tiger''s words were meant to remind them of how dire the situation was. It was so bad that even Thrashers, including a Top Level Thrasher, weren''t enough to stabilize the threat. It took two Tigers to get them out alive. To send other teams would be heartless, especially since it was their fear that was driving them to make such a decision.


    "Sending any other Scouting Parties would be nothing but declaring their death sentences ¨C an act of cruelty because the top brass was afraid." Frowning Tiger''s words were laced with venom.


    The only team capable of exploring the inner region was a team of Tigers. But the Tigers weren''t scouts. These kind of missions were covert, and only a few of them were good at silent operations. If they had to take on such a mission, they had to go with a scout who would lead the way. Normally, that wouldn''t be a bad idea. After all, Tigers hunted the dangerous High Class Magical Beasts in the inner regions occasionally ¨C about once every few months ¨C to maintain their population. But the situation was different now. Since the Mythic and High Class Magical Beasts had grown in population, there may have been territory shifts. So the inner regions wouldn''t be what they used to be. It would be dangerous to dispatch their most capable group of warriors ahead of an Overflow. If they lost even one of their Tigers, defending the Overflow would become three times harder.


    Samoa stood behind him with an expression of awe etched on his face. This was indeed a Tiger. Frowning Tiger got his point across, without caring much about the emotions and pride of the elders. He laid the facts down as they were. The elders were refusing to accept the news because they were afraid.


    "It is true that an Overflow triggered by a Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast is terrifying. I am scared too. But being scared wouldn''t change anything. It would only leave us defenseless"


    Like a bully who was overcome by kindness after taking candy from the small, scrawny kid, and came back to break off a piece of chocolate for him, Frowning Tiger added words that served to encourage the elders and at the same time let them know that they weren''t alone in their fear. Even he, a Tiger, was afraid as well. And although it didn''t show on his face, that was the truth. But unlike them, instead of succ.u.mbing to his fear, he was trying to draw strength from it.


    "Frowning Tiger is correct. If we cower now, then we have already failed to defend the village. We must translate this fear into strength. For courage isn''t the absence of fear, but the ability to overcome it." Village Head Fan smiled slightly as he spoke.


    Unlike the Elders, he wasn''t displaying any signs of fear. This was likely due to his past. Unlike the elders who weren''t used to battle, Village Head Fan was the strongest Tiger in the village! His past exploits were still sang by the youth of today, and his prowess was legend itself. He was the son of the former village head, but he used his own power to prove that only he was worthy of the position. So he was used to situations that were dangerous and life-threatening. And since he was still alive, one could infer that he had triumphed over all of those situations.


    "I think Samoa had proven that his intellect is comparable to the Elders," Village Head Fan stated. Some of the Elders blushed in shame since they felt that the young boy was even better composed than they were.


    "I dare not receive such praise, Village Head Fan. I had a long time to process this information, but the Elders have just received it. I did much worse than them when I learned the truth for the first time." Samoa understood that Village Head Fan was pushing him to flatter the Elders, so Samoa obliged. It wasn''t like he didn''t believe in what he was saying. It was true that the Elders were shaken, but he and Joe didn''t do any better when they first saw those prints. Samoa was able to maintain his calm because he had thought matters through during his walk back to the village, but the Elders didn''t have that luxury. It was Village Head Fan and Frowning Tiger who were very impressive since they were able to receive the information with calm hearts.


    "You are a good lad," an Elder complimented with a sigh.


    "Indeed. I now understand why Head Fan is always speaking so highly of you," another chimed in.


    Village Head Fan had a small smile on his face as he gazed at Samoa. Although the circ.u.mstances were unfavorable, he could still smile.


    "I believe that none of the Elders would object to me asking him for his suggestion on what we should do," Village Head Fan asked. The Elders nodded their heads. None of them objected to his words, so Village Head Fan went on to ask,


    "What do you think we should do?"


    Suddenly being asked to advise the village on which direction to go left Samoa speechless for a split second. But he collected himself pretty quickly. He already knew what the village had to do. He had been thinking of a way to convince Village Head Fan when the meeting was over, but didn''t expect that he would get the chance to do so during.


    "Then Village Head Fan, Elders, Sir Frowning Tiger, please forgive me for being so bold to suggest this," Samoa was eloquent, and he showed this in his speech. Finally, he said what he needed to.


    "The village needs to evacuate."

 Chapter 279 - Destroyed

    "An evacuation? Isn''t that a bit of a stretch?"


    An Elder asked.


    "I don''t think so Elder. We are up against an Overflow that is dangerous enough to destroy a major city. I think this is the most viable option"


    But Samoa disagreed. He didn''t think his suggestion was over the top. This was a threat the village wasn''t equipped to face. It was true that they possessed several Predators, and that 15 of these Predators were fearsome Tigers directly under the command of the Village Head; but it wasn''t enough.


    If one was to count every single Predator at the village''s disposal, there would be 24. 15 of them were Tigers, and fell directly under the jurisdiction of the Village Head. The other 9 were under the jurisdiction of the Elders. But they weren''t Tigers. The 9 under the Elders were Cheetahs, Snakes and Mongooses. It was only by becoming a Tiger that one would fall under the command of the Village Head. Cheetahs, Snakes and Mongooses weren''t as fearsome as Tigers, but they were a powerful force to reckon with. Having a large number of Predators was a characteristic of a large and prosperous city. But this small village was blessed with such a force. It was a force that was good enough to take down smaller cities and contend with the larger cities. Normally, a force like this would be capable of withstanding anything, but the Overflow that threatened them wasn''t part of what their force could handle.


    For the large cities, handling an Overflow of this magnitude would be difficult. So usually cities that were affiliated with each other banded together to overcome such dangerous Overflows. After all, a Pseudo Legendary Magical Beast wasn''t a threat to scoff at and ignore. However, this village was isolated and didn''t have any allies. The Predators weren''t omnipresent. They could be everywhere at once. Even if they were able to keep the Mythic Class Magical Beasts at bay, the High, Middle, and Low Classes would still be a threat for the rest of the village''s fighting force. Not to mention the Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast that would be leading the charge. In a situation like this, where there were no allies to turn to and one''s strength was insufficient, running away which in this case was an evacuation, was the only way.


    "Samoa is right. The only logical decision we can take right now is to evacuate" Village Head Fan agreed with Samoa.


    The Elders had nothing else to say. It seemed evacuating was the only way. They had somber looks on their faces. They loved their village and they had lived here for so long. They didn''t want to leave, but it seemed that they had no choice. After all, what made the village what it was, was the people who populated it. If these people died, there would be no village to love even if the structures still stood. On the other hand, if they evacuated they would preserve the lives of the villagers and could start all over. With the kind of force they possessed, this wasn''t difficult.


    "But the question is where can we go to," Village Head Fan suddenly stated.


    "What do you mean Head Fan," one of the Elders asked. He had just come to terms with the fact that they would have to leave the village. But Village Head Fan''s words hinted at something else.


    "Frowning Tiger," Village Head Fan didn''t answer the Elder''s question. Rather, he tossed the question over to Frowning Tiger who had been quiet for some time now. Everyone turned their attention to Frowning Tiger. Samoa who was standing behind the Tiger watched him with eyes filled with curiosity. It seemed that something stood in the way of their evacuation.


    "Very well, Village Head Fan," Frowning Tiger bowed slightly.


    "A few days ago a few Tigers were dispatched by Village Head Fan to Iris City," Frowning Tiger started his briefing. Iris City was the city closest to the Village. Although it was described as the city closest to the village, since the village was quite close to an Enchanted Forest and pretty isolated from civilization, Iris City was actually quite far from the village. Even Tigers took three full days to travel to Iris City at full speed with minimum breaks. That was how far the place was. But it was the closest city to the village so that was where they traded. It was easy to be attacked by bandits on the way so it was advisable to go with a strong force.


    "Village Head Fan was feeling unsettled and felt that it was because something big was happening in Iris City. We left on his orders to investigate."


    The Elders looked surprised by the information. From their expressions Samoa could tell that Village Head Fan didn''t tell anyone about dispatching some of the Tigers. But on second thought, he didn''t need to. These were Tigers under his command. He could send them to their deaths and he still wouldn''t have to give account to anyone.


    Village Head Fan had a strange ability. It couldn''t really be called an ability. It was more like a sixth sense. He always grew uneasy whenever something strange was happening. His intuition hadn''t failed him yet. So hearing that his intuition was pointing at Iris City, instead of the Enchanted Forest where a threat was looming, meant that Iris City was probably in a worse position than the village. The Elders couldn''t help but wonder what had happened to Iris City that was worse than a Pseudo Legendary Magical Beast mediated Overflow?


    "Village Head Fan''s intuition was right again. I wish it wasn''t, but it was. When we got to the city, it had been completely destroyed. There was no human life spared in Iris City"


    Frowning Tiger''s words terrified the Elders, and Samoa who was behind him was just as scared. How was that possible? He finally understood why Village Head Samoa said what he said. If the village was to evacuate, they would only be able to take enough to last them at most two weeks. Their best bet would be to make it to Iris City before their food and water run out. They weren''t as fast as the Tigers, and they weren''t small in number either, so they wouldn''t be able to do what the Tigers did and get there in just 3 days. But maybe 2 weeks was a feasible estimate for such a large scale evacuation. They would be able to set camp at the city whilst planning their next move. It was only by getting to Iris City that they would be safe. The number of villagers wasn''t large, but it wasn''t going to be easy to find a new place to live.


    So once they got to Iris City, they would have to send several scouts to check the lands around to find a suitable settlement. Preferably somewhere close to Iris City so they could build whist still getting supplies from the city. At least that was how Samoa had thought it out. But reality was cruel. The only place they could evacuate to was destroyed. Without supplies from Iris City it would be reckless and stupid to leave the village. It would be the same as going to one''s death. Not to mention that it was possible that they could also share Iris City''s fate and fall to whatever was strong enough to massacre a city.


    "Iris City was a strong city. It had a force of 27 Predators, of which 12 were Tigers," Frowning Tiger continued. His words highlighted just how abnormal this village was. A large city like Iris City had 27 Predators of which 12 were Tigers. Yet this small village was comparable to it, possessing 24 Predators, of which 15 were Tigers.


    "A force strong enough to handle 27 Predators isn''t one we can handle. We are caught between a rock and a hard place. We have no option but to brave the Overflow" Village Head Fan gave his verdict.


    A threat they didn''t know anything about and couldn''t prepare for. And a threat they knew about and could try their best to prepare for. It was no brainer which was the better choice. Village Head Fan had made a decision, and no one had any objections to it. They would stay.


    And they would fight!

 Chapter 280 - Preparations

    Back in the meeting room, the Elders and Village Head Fan were still having a meeting. Samoa was nowhere to be found. This meeting wasn''t one that he could partake in. Frowning Tiger had left to call the other Predators. Since it was decided that the village wouldn''t be evacuating and that they would stay and fight as one, the Village Head and the Elders had to plan their defense.


    "The village has 24 Predators, 75 Thrashers, 295 Animal Hunters, and 400 Soldiers. We have to know how many are available."


    Village Head Fan furrowed his brows and said. On the table before him was a board. There were several pieces on the board. Some of these pieces were white, others were green, some were red and the last color present was blue. The green pieces littered the board, and were the most of all the pieces. The white pieces came next when it came to number. The blue pieces were about quarter of the number of white pieces and the red pieces were the fewest, with only 24 present on the board.


    The pieces represented the fighting power of the village against the threat of the Magical Beasts. The green pieces represented the Soldiers. They were the most of the fighting force. The white pieces represented the Animal Hunters and the blue pieces represented the Thrashers. The fewest pieces, the red ones, represented the number of Predators. The board was custom made, and its surface was etched with a map of the village and its surroundings. It even included the Enchanted Forest. It was something that was purchased from the recently destroyed Iris City.


    "We the Elders have 7 of the 9 Predators under our command available for dispatch," an Elder lifted his head and took his eyes off the board as he spoke.


    "I see. Out of the 15 Tigers under my command, 11 are available. The others were sent to Redgrave." Village Head Fan sighed as he said. If his intuition had pushed him towards the direction of the Enchanted Forest, instead of Iris City, he wouldn''t have sent so many Tigers out. He had recalled most of them when he started feeling uneasy, but he had also sent some of them off to check the situation of the next closest city ¨C Redgrave City. This city was very far from the village, and it would take the dispatched Tigers ¨C 5 in total ¨C about 2 weeks to complete the journey. Based on the information Samoa had given them, the Overflow was likely to happen in a week. So there was no way the Tigers would make it in time.


    "Do you think we could get them to rush back if we send a Cheetah after them," one of the Elders asked. Since a war was coming, every good fighter was a supreme resource. If it was possible to send someone after them, he thought they should.


    Cheetahs were Predators given the title of the speedy cat because of their insane speed. They weren''t ferocious like Tigers or domineering like Lions, but when one wanted a Predator who could complete a mission on a tight time limit, Cheetahs were the best bet.


    "We can''t. Even if the Cheetah could catch up to them, they don''t possess the same speed. So it wouldn''t make that much of a difference. And we can''t send out any additional force. We need everyone to be here. That means those who are here must remain and fortify the village."


    It was another elder who answered the question. This elder easily saw the difficulty of task, and was against it. Tigers were under the jurisdiction of the Village Head, but the other Predators fell under the command of the Elders. Out of the 9 Predators under the command of the Elders, 3 were Cheetahs. In a battle like this, where they would likely face off against an opponent vastly superior in numbers to them, having speedsters who could handle several zones at once was a great advantage. On the other hand, sending them off on a mission that wasn''t likely to produce any prominent results, was a waste.


    "Elder Light is right," Village Head Fan obviously agreed with Elder Light.


    It was a waste to send off a Cheetah on some hopeful mission. It was better to gather what they had and make the best out of what was available. Village Head Fan didn''t ask about the two Predators under the command of the Elders who were unaccounted for. He gave them an explanation regarding his numbers, but they didn''t do same. However, it was his decision to tell them. It wasn''t obligatory for him to do so, and neither was it mandatory for them to tell him how they handled those under their command. It was his decision to say, so he didn''t expect the elders to reciprocate his actions.


    "Right now we must focus on distributing our forces in strategic positions so that we can defend against the Overflow. Some areas of the village would have to be abandoned and evacuated because we don''t have enough manpower to protect every part of the village." Village Head Fan spoke calmly as he distributed the pieces on the board. Because not all the Predators were around, Village Head Fan took out some of the red pieces from the board. Some parts of the village didn''t receive any of the pieces, and Village Head Fan circled those areas as those places that would be evacuated.


    The places that were to be evacuated were those that lay at the periphery of the village. It was best to reduce the area to defend as much as possible so that their forces would be able to fight as one. That way they could keep their forces together and defend against any unforeseen circ.u.mstances.


    "Those who live at the village''s border would be evacuated. The evacuation would focus on pushing people towards the centre of the village, and would occur for everyone living outside this circle."


    Village Head Fan drew a circle on the map, cutting out the houses that weren''t so central from those that were closer to the centre of the village.


    "Head Fan, why don''t we attack instead of sitting and waiting like sitting ducks," Elder Light suddenly questioned.


    "After all, attacking is the best form of defending," Elder Light continued.


    Some elders discussed his idea in low voices. The ones who thought the idea was a good one did so because they felt it would be safer that way. If they were the ones to attack, the villagers could safely remain in their homes, and they may not even need to tell them of the impending crisis. It seemed like a plausible plan.


    "I don''t think that''s possible, Elder Light"


    But it wasn''t all of them who agreed with him. There were about 4 elders who felt the idea was a bad one. The elder who was the first to echo his sentiment was Joe''s father ¨C Bright.


    "Why so, Elder Bright," Elder Light furrowed his brows and asked. Although Elder Bright was younger than Elder Light, he was very intelligent. In fact, he was the youngest elder of the village, but he still had the respect of all the elders because he was very wise. He was living proof that one didn''t have to be the oldest to be the wisest. And just like fools grow old too, the wise aren''t always old.


    "Because we don''t know what we would be walking into. The Enchanted Forest is the domain of the Magical Beasts. It is their home. We wouldn''t be able to navigate through it as expertly as the Enchanted Forest Scouting Party. For this idea to be feasible, we need several scouts at the level of the Enchanted Forest Scouting Party to lead the way. But that isn''t possible. The other scouts do not have enough skill to navigate the Enchanted Forest, and most of the members of the Enchanted Forest Scouting Party are dead. We would to walking into the enemy''s territory with no feasible plan. It would be the same as going to war with a blindfold on."


    Elder Bright shook his head with a wry smile on his face as he explained the reason for his objection. The 3 elders who were of the same mind as Elder Bright nodded their heads in support. He stated their thoughts perfectly. Raiding the Enchanted Forest would never work. There was a reason why the cities and towns never raided Enchanted Forests whenever they received reports of an Overflow. It was too risky.


    In a situation where one only had a rough estimate of what to expect, it was unwise to launch an attack at the enemy. It was basically going to war unprepared. That was why it was always best to prepare a good defense rather than to go off attacking.


    "It is true that attacking is the best form of defending. But Elder Bright is also right in saying that it would be best to keep our forces within the village and fortify our home instead of raiding the forest unprepared." Village Head Fan stated.


    He took a long pause after his words. All the elders were focused on him. They were waiting for him to make a decision.


    "Alright. We would go with the same plan. We would evacuate the areas that have to be evacuated and move everyone to the centre of the village."


    "Yes, Village Head"


    Although some of the elders weren''t happy about Village Head Fan''s decision, they accepted it. They didn''t want to put their home and their families at risk. That much was understandable. But it was also true that if they raided the Enchanted Forest and failed, they would be left without any forces to defend their home whatsoever. They would basically be sitting ducks. And a Pseudo Legendary Magical Beast had been born. It would take several Predators to deal with such a beast, so fighting against it in its home was unwise.


    "We are going to defend seven zones," Village Head Fan indicated the seven zones outside the circle.


    "Each zone would have 2 Predators taking charge. That would leave us with four Predators unrestricted to any of the seven zones. These four Predators would consist of the 3 Cheetahs and 1 Mongoose. Their job would be to move between zones and provide support where necessary. They are also to rescue any villagers who violate the evacuation protocol and move outside the demarcation line"


    The elders nodded at his words. Although they were going to issue an order for an evacuation, there were surely going to be some people who would sneak outside the demarcation line for no good reason. If that happened to be during the time when the beasts attacked, the Predators would save them.


    "Each zone would have 10 Thrashers who would be under the command of the Predators. The 5 Thrashers remaining would fall under the jurisdiction of the 4 Predators that are in charge of support. Each zone would also have 42 Animal Hunters and 57 Soldiers. 1 Animal Hunter and 1 Soldier would remain. They are to join the first zone."


    Village Head Fan quickly distributed the forces across the zones.


    "I myself would lead the first zone," Village Head Fan announced.


    "Head Fan! That is too risky!"


    "Elder Light is right, Head Fan! You are our leader. You cannot put yourself at risk! Please reconsider."


    Several elders immediately argued. They wanted him to change his mind.


    "It''s exactly because I''m the leader of this village that I cannot cower in times like these. I am the Village Head. But I''m also the strongest warrior we have. It would be a waste to hide in fear"


    Village Head Fan waved his hands and shut down their arguments with his words. He was the strongest in the village! That was all. He couldn''t cower. It was in times like these that he had to shine brighter than anything and anyone else in the village.


    "They are here," Village Head Fan suddenly said and looked at the door. The door opened on cue, and Frowning Tiger entered with several men in tow. Rash Tiger had a disgruntled look on his face as he followed closely behind Frowning Tiger.


    "Every Predator of the village is here, Village Head Fan" Frowning Tiger bowed and said.


    "The Predators have seen the Village Head and the Elders," the Predators bowed and spoke in one voice. Village Head Fan nodded his head and said,


    "Good. Then let us begin"

 Chapter 281 - Arthur

    The house of the Village Head was located at the centre of the village. It was a beautiful house with a large compound filled with ornamental plants. And it was also the only house in the village with two floors ¨C the ground floor, and the first floor.


    The first floor had a huge balcony. If one stood atop the balcony, one would be able to survey the entire village without much issue. This was the reason why the only house with two floors in the village was given to the village head. It was made that way so that the leader of the village could easily observe everything happening in the village. This way if they were to be attacked, the Village Head would be able to see where the attack was coming from, from atop the first floor balcony. The other houses were one-floored, and expanding beyond that was an offense to the village''s security.


    Right now, there were two figures on the balcony. These two people sat on the ledge as they swung their feet. The cool breeze made this place an ideal setting for a discussion. One of the figures was Samoa. He had a small smile on his face as he tried his best to put the deaths of his friends behind him and focus on the task at hand. He knew that he needed his full focus to handle the Overflow. The second figure was new. This person had short black wavy hair and green eyes. He had a well sculpted face and a chiseled chin. He was shirtless, exposing his well-built upper body. On his right c.h.e.s.t was a tattoo of a lion, and his right arm was inked with a picture of a snake. This man was the son of Village Head Fan and the most talented youngster of the village. Arthur was his name.


    "So they are all gone. It is still hard to believe. I mean, I spoke to them this morning. Lax even promised to buy me a drink when he returned."


    Arthur sighed sadly and took a gulp of the large mug he was holding. The mug was filled the best of his father''s mead collection. He wouldn''t have been this daring normally, since taking his father''s mead was equivalent to slapping the older man. And his father would not spare him for that. But he didn''t care. Three of his friends were dead and he needed a way to process that. Even his father couldn''t fault him for that.


    "Yeah. I don''t want to believe it either. But I saw it happen with my own eyes so their deaths are etched into my brain."


    Samoa had a sad smile on his face, his eyes slightly unfocused. He could still see the images of his friends'' deaths whenever he closed his eyes. It was going to haunt him for a while. But he was trying his best to get over it. At least he wanted to be able to focus on something else before the big battle. Once that was over, he could wallow in fear and guilt all he wanted.


    "If only I was there. If I was with you, nothing would have happened to you."


    Arthur balled his fists in sorrow as tears slid down his face. Samoa sighed when he saw his friend''s emotions burst out. He grew up with Arthur, so he understood him better than anyone. Even Arthur''s own father, Village Head Fan, didn''t know Arthur as well as Samoa did. Arthur was extremely kind. He loved his friends and would do anything for them. Samoa could still remember the events of his 16th birthday. At the time what he really wanted was to taste mead for the first time. Samoa had tried wine and beer, but was curious to know what mead tasted like. After all, something made of honey had to be better, he thought at the time. Samoa''s plan was to try to procure some the next time he visited Iris City on a mission. But he wasn''t a Tiger, so getting a mission to Iris City wasn''t going to be easy. And since he was a scout, his missions seldom sent him to the city.


    At the time he had only been to Iris City once. But Arthur had another plan in mind. The son of the Village Head stole mead from his father''s collection and presented it to Samoa on his birthday. All because Samoa wanted to have a taste of this rare brew that only Village Head Fan possessed. Arthur had been beaten black and blue by his father when Village Head Fan found out a bottle in his collection was missing. Arthur was a horrible liar, so Village Head Fan could easily tell the boy was lying when he said he took the mead for himself. But Arthur refused to give up Samoa''s name. He told Samoa it was his decision to steal the mead and no one else''s, and warned his friend not to mention his involvement if he valued their friendship. Samoa could still remember the bright smile Arthur had on his swollen face after the event. The boy was happy as long as his friends were safe.


    "Don''t blame yourself. I was there and I could do nothing. Although you are a Predator now, you are young and just broke through. It wouldn''t be easy to take on a Giant Black Mamba."


    Samoa took a large gulp of his own mead. He wiped off the mead stains on his lips with his sleeve. Arthur was the youngest Predator in the village''s history. It was a record he would likely hold forever. But he had only broken through the Thrasher rank into the Predator rank a few weeks ago, so his power wasn''t stabilized yet, and he wasn''t strong enough to kill a beast like the Giant Black Mamba. In fact, his breakthrough was so recent that only Village Head Fan, Samoa, and his master, Frowning Tiger, knew.


    "It wouldn''t have been easy. But it would have made it possible for us to escape."


    Arthur shook his head and countered. Samoa only sighed in response. Just like him, Arthur was very intelligent. The reason Arthur was friends with the members of the Enchanted Forest''s Scouting Party was simply because he was interested in Magical Beasts. His father didn''t allow him to leave the village, so Arthur explored the world by reading. Books were rare in this world, so it cost Village Head Fan a fortune to procure them. But it was better than keeping his son cooped up with nothing to do. If that was to happen, Arthur would most likely sneak out of the village.


    But even books were not enough to satiate Arthur''s thirst. Luckily for him, the members of the Enchanted Forest Scouting Party taught him everything they knew. They taught him the behavioral patterns of several Magical Beasts, including rare ones like the Giant Black Mamba, and they even taught him how to scout. It was a pity that Arthur never had the chance to put his skills to the test since he wasn''t allowed to hunt. Especially since his was rich in knowledge.


    And it was because Arthur was knowledgeable on Magical Beasts that he knew that although he didn''t have the strength to kill a Giant Black Mamba, he had the power to restrain its movements. He wouldn''t be able to kill it, but it wouldn''t be able to kill him either. They would have restrained each other''s movements, and the others would have been able to escape.


    "I have stayed put because Father said I wasn''t ready yet. Because of his evaluation, I have been patient. I never went against his wishes, and only trained within the village''s walls, but no more."


    Samoa had a bad feeling as he listened to Arthur''s words.


    "What do you mean," Samoa asked?


    "I wouldn''t make the same mistake twice. I wouldn''t be sitting like a little boy as you guys go out and fight a war. I am a Lion Cub now. I may not be strong enough to challenge a Tiger, a Cheetah, a Snake, a Mongoose or a Lion."


    "But I''m still a Lion Cub. Sooner or later I would grow into myself and become a Lion. And for that to happen I have to stay true to myself. I wouldn''t be able to grow any stronger if I hide behind others. It would be a psychological burden I would never be able to rid myself of."


    "You know your father wouldn''t allow you to fight. Even if you go against him, he would knock you out easily and lock you in"


    Samoa sighed. He understood his friend''s feelings. But it wasn''t going to be easy to convince Village Head Fan to allow him to fight. After all, the man was a father, and he wouldn''t be comfortable thrusting his son into a large scale war for his first real life battle experience. Besides, this wasn''t the first time Arthur had expressed his will to fight. It had happened several times, and he had been shot down each time. There was even a time when Village Head Fan knocked the boy out and tossed him into a fortified room underneath the house when the boy threatened to sneak out and join his friends ¨C the members of the Enchanted Forest Scouting Party.


    "I know. That is why I need your help. I am not going to tell him. I need your help to sneak out during the chaos"


    Arthur smiled and said.


    "I see," Samoa smirked. "We finally get to see Durandal in action."

 Chapter 282 - Devouring Might

    "Don''t call me that. It''s embarrassing." Arthur said with a wry smile on his face. He looked out of sorts, and his expression caused Samoa to burst into laughter even in the current situation.


    "But you have to admit that it sounds pretty domineering. Besides, who asked you to be so charming," Samoa laughed heartily as he teased his friend. Arthur blushed when he heard Samoa''s comments. Durandal was the name he was given when he became a Thrasher. Usually Thrashers were given the title of Boar or Bull depending on their personality, but Arthur was given a different name. It wasn''t because of his talent that he was given a different name. Rather, it was because of the family he belonged to.


    Arthur''s family was special. Village Head Fan was a genius, and even though he had passed his peak and was plateauing, he was still strong enough to handle multiple Tigers. That in itself was impressive. But Samoa heard that Village Head Fan''s father was also very talented. It was said that the man could handle multiple Mythic Class Magical Beasts when he was alive. It was Village Head Fan''s father, Arthur''s deceased Grandfather, who almost single-handedly built the village. There were still a few old people from the Founder''s generation who lived. And they made sure the village remembered how powerful the Founder was. So what was it that made them so special? How did a single family keep churning out geniuses every generation? The knowledgeable villagers called it, Devouring Might.


    Arthur''s family had a strange ability. It was an ability Samoa had been curious of since the first day he witnessed Arthur become a Thrasher. They had the ability to consume more than 1 New Type Potion! It was amazing really. The New Type potion wasn''t something that could be taken continuously. Taking it the first time caused excruciating pain that could kill the lesser man or woman. The greater the pain, the better the rewards. But taking it a second time didn''t bring any discomfort whatsoever. It didn''t even cause an itch. And that was because it was ineffective when taken a second time. So typically, a person only had one chance to become a New Type and that was it. If you didn''t turn into an enhanced human after taking the New Type potion for the first time, then you wouldn''t become a New Type if you took it a second time. And because of how expensive New Type potions were, no faction would waste it on someone who had failed to awaken the first time.


    According to the legends of the village, Village Head Fan''s father was a Mystic Path Warrior, and even amongst the Mystic Path Warriors he was a powerful warrior. He was so strong that he barely had any equals amongst other Mystic Path Warriors. At least according to the legends. Unfortunately, this powerful warrior lost his life when the Mystic Path Warriors fought against the Legendary Class Magical Beast ¨C the Winged Serpent. But his son who lived held up his mantle.


    Old Fan didn''t awaken the first time he took the New Type Potion. But he took it again in an act of carelessness and despair, only to experience the pain again. And this time, he awakened. His awakening pushed him directly into the ranks of Thrashers, and in less than 10 years, he was a powerful Lion ¨Cthe peak of all Predators who were stronger than even Tigers! And in a few more years, he became even stronger and took up the title that was his birthright ¨C Caliburn. Village Head Fan began studying his bloodline and discovered that his father hadn''t awakened on the first try either. Both men had failed to awaken the first time they took their respective potions ¨C Saviour and the New Type potion. And both men only succeeded on their second attempt. Not only were their origins the same, even their talents were. Apparently Village Head Fan''s father was the son of a powerful family in a city far away. Arthur told him this on a fateful day when the young man was drunk.


    Village Head Fan was called Caliburn. Titles weren''t just randomly chosen. Oracles, people who had developed the gift of foresight in the ancient times, and products of Saviour, gave a person their title. They could see the path one would take and give them their title based on what was seen. It was the title he had been given when he became a Thrasher, and that was the title the village''s oracle had foreseen. Samoa didn''t know how many times Arthur took the New Type Potion, but he knew that Arthur failed the second time too. However, his talent even exceeded his father, which meant that it was highly likely that the more they took the New Type Potion before awakening, the greater the talent they would possess. Arthur was given the title ''Durandal'', because that was what the village oracle foresaw.


    Once again, it wasn''t a regular title but a strange one, and just like Village Head Fan''s, no one in the village knew what that meant either. But it sounded domineering so people loved it. Added to the fact that Arthur was popular with the ladies, this name was circulated pretty quickly. However, even though Arthur had such a title, he hadn''t grown strong enough to wear it with pride. He was still called a Lion Cub because he hadn''t grown into himself yet. He would have to become a Lion first, and then break his shackles, growing even stronger and eventually becoming Durandal.


    "All this time you have only trained with Sir Frowning Tiger. You have never fought a real life battle before. All you''ve been exposed to have been simulations. Are you sure you can handle this?" Samoa suddenly asked.


    "I don''t know. But there''s only one way to find out, isn''t there?" Arthur shook his head and said. Since he was always trained within the village, he had never killed before. Samoa''s worry was well placed, and even Arthur wasn''t sure whether he would be able to handle the pressure of a battle, and the sick feeling one developed in their stomach when one killed for the first time.


    "We could try to engage in a few battles before the real thing," Samoa suggested.


    "What do you mean," Arthur asked, his eyes sparkling in curiosity. One could easily tell that he was intrigued.


    "Well your father has people guarding the perimeter of the Enchanted Forest so it would be too much of a chore to go there. Even sneaking past the guards around the village''s borders wouldn''t be easy since none of us are Snakes, and hence are poor at concealment."


    Arthur rubbed his nose embarrassingly when Samoa stated that neither of them was good at hiding. As a Lion Cub, he was strong alright. But he was an explosive type. Lions had the power of Tigers and the dexterity of Panthers. But they weren''t sly like Foxes or sneaky Predators like Snakes. When it came to concealment, Lions and Tigers were the worst to turn to.


    Samoa wasn''t any better. As a bull, he was used to fighting in the open and overwhelming his enemies with his strength and intelligence. Maybe he would become a Fox or Snake when he broke into the Predator rank, but as a Thrasher he wasn''t good at concealment.


    "But we should succeed if we get someone to create a distraction for us" Samoa stated.


    "You mean¡­" Arthur instantly knew who they would have to turn to. The only person whose actions wouldn''t lead to serious repercussions, and the son of Elder Bright ¨C Joe.


    "Yeah. If we have Joe do something careless, which is his trademark move, we should be able to sneak out through the path that opens up. And since he''s Elder Bright''s son and the troublemaker of the village, no one would be suspicious in any way. Added to the fact that Sir Frowning Tiger and the other Predators would be preparing to reinforce the village''s defense, they wouldn''t be paying any attention to us. But we must go before the defense preparations start. Otherwise security would be too tight to evade, even with Joe''s help."


    Samoa quickly laid down his plan, and with every word he spoke, the twinkle in Arthur''s eyes grew brighter. Joe''s reputation as the problem child of the village was finally going to work in their favor. And the Elders and Predators focusing on making plans for the village''s defenses was also an advantage. Added to the fact that the one who normally kept an eye on Arthur, Village Head Fan, was heading these preparations meant this was a once in a lifetime opportunity.


    But as Samoa said, this would only last for a short while. Once defense planning was over and the preparations started, they would have no way to leave the village. So if they were going to do this, it had to be done now.


    "That means we must go now," Arthur nodded his head.


    "Yes. Since Sir Rash Tiger has also been summoned, that means he isn''t with Joe any longer. We should find him" Samoa said and jumped off the balcony. Arthur smirked and jumped off as well. Both men landed with a thud, and no injuries. The only difference between them was how they landed. Whereas Samoa landed with roll to prevent any injuries, Arthur landed on both feet pretty easily. That alone was enough to draw a clear line between their abilities.


    "Let''s go before your father realizes that we''re missing," Samoa stated and walked out of the gate.


    Arthur nodded and followed after him. He picked up a shirt from the drying line and put it on. Then he also walked out of the gate.

 Chapter 283 - They Are Here

    It had been some days since Samoa brought his dark report to the top brass of the village. In a span of 5 days, the village was enveloped in chaos and fear since the villagers found out about the Overflow that was coming. The first barrier to the evacuation was met when several of the villagers started riots and refused to comply with the evacuation protocol. People refused to believe that the top brass was so blind that it couldn''t see signs of an Overflow until now. And those who believed them thought they were pretty incompetent not to see it coming. They demanded that those in charge ¨C those who were responsible for noticing signs of an Overflow ¨C be punished and presented to the public. However, when they found out that those they wanted to see punished actually suffered more than they ever could ¨C that they died ¨C the riots calmed down.


    Finding out that 3 of the Enchanted Forest Scouting Party, which was the best the village had to offer, died to get the information back to the leaders struck a chord in the heart of the villagers. These were men they knew. People who were hailed as the best scouts in the village, and they died just so the leaders would receive the information and prepare for the Overflow. Their sacrifice touched the heart of the villagers, and cleared out their anxious and fearful thoughts. How could they ruin the sacrifices of their fellow villagers by causing trouble instead of just following the instructions of the leaders? The knockout blow was finding out that Village Head Fan was leading the defensive unit on his own. Their chief was going to take such a risk and put his life on the line for them, and they were here looking for ways to blame him?


    Their fear changed to shame, and most felt excitement. Village Head Fan was a legend. Everyone knew who he was, and all of the villagers had heard stories about his powerful might in those days when he was younger. But the younger generation had yet to see him in action. They were excited that they were finally going to see the legendary Caliburn in action. As for the older generation, they felt the difficulty of the situation. This was because they had seen how powerful Village Head Fan was in his prime. The man wasn''t supposed to engage in any more battles. At his age, fighting would serve to overdraft his life force and so will decrease his lifespan. And that was mainly why Village Head Fan didn''t really fight anymore. If the threat was so grave that Village Head Fan had to be on the frontlines, then what exactly was coming their way? What sort of terrifying existence was leading the Overflow?


    Of course the older generation didn''t tell the younger ones about their fear. They allowed them to be excited about the prospect of seeing their Village Head in action. They couldn''t allow the young ones to be wrapped in a state of depression when their energy was required to keep morale up. And just like the older generation kept their fears from the younger ones, the leaders and fighters didn''t tell the people about the true details of the Overflow. They didn''t tell them about the increase in Mythical Class Magical Beasts population, and they definitely didn''t say anything about the Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast that was coming their way. They did so for the same reason the older generation didn''t say anything to the younger generation: they couldn''t have people wallowing in fear and depression. They needed spirits to be up so that the fighters wouldn''t be overwhelmed.


    Because the village was preparing its defense, even Tigers could be seen interacting with average people as they moved luggage and people to the area within the Central Demarcation Line. If these fighters were surrounded by depressed and weary villagers, their psychological health would dive down. They would begin to feel that they couldn''t win and wouldn''t be able to weather the storm that was coming. They would fall even before the attack started. And no one wanted that. So what the elders did was to release the information about the deceased members of the Enchanted Forest Scouting Party to appeal to the emotions of the villagers, and then they sucker punched them by telling them that Village Head Fan was going to head the defense himself. It was a brilliant move that saw many people asking the fighters what Village Head Fan was like, and if he was truly as strong as the legends dictated, instead of actually worrying about the imminent threat of an Overflow. Their questions also refreshed the minds of the fighters, who smiled and laughed with the villagers as they shared stories about the legendary warrior given the name Caliburn. So instead of a gloomy atmosphere, the village was enveloped in hope and joy as the people and fighters worked around the clock to prepare for the incoming invasion. As for the riots which dominated on the first day when the new of the Overflow was released, they had long ceased.


    "So everything is complete," Village Head Fan furrowed his brows and asked?


    He was in his home and was surrounded by elders. There were a few Predators as well. Frowning Tiger, the ever present Tiger was here, and so was the greatest Cheetah of the village ¨C Blistering Cheetah. Although his name was whacky, he had a great personality and his strength was the real deal.


    "Yes Head Fan. Everything is finished. There''s nothing left to do."


    Elder Light nodded his head and said. Just like Village Head Fan, every person in the room was on their feet. The map board Village Head Fan used to explain the evacuation process was on a table, and that was what they were all looking at.


    "You should all get some rest and prepare yourselves," Village Head Fan looked towards the group of Predators standing within the hall and said.


    They bowed slightly and proceeded to leave the room.


    "Frowning Tiger and Blistering Cheetah. You two should stay." Village Head Fan ordered, and the two men nodded their heads and complied.


    "Elders, you must remain within the area of the Central Demarcation Line. You should focus on keeping everyone there with you. Keep the peace, and make sure their spirits aren''t dampened." Village Head Fan told the Elders. The leaders of the village nodded their heads in response and left quickly to see their families. It was in times like these when one was close to losing everything, that one realized how much one cherished one''s family.


    Once everyone had left, and the door was closed firmly behind them, Village Head Fan sighed exhaustedly and sat down.


    "How is the boy," he asked vaguely?


    "Young Arthur is fine, Head Fan. He struggled at first after experiencing his first kill. But he''s pretty calm now."


    It was Blistering Cheetah who replied. The words he spoke revealed that Village Head Fan knew that Arthur was sneaking off to experience real life battles against beasts, but didn''t stop him anyway.


    "I see. Has he familiarized himself with the movement of beasts?" Village Head Fan asked again.


    "He has. He did that pretty quickly. It''s almost as if he has been fighting against them all his life." Blistering Tiger was full of praise for Arthur. He was the Predator Village Head Fan went to for help when he realized his son had run away from the village. Because of the Overflow, every Predator available had been given over to the Village Head to command. Since he was the one with real life battle experiences, and the elders were pretty much useless in battles, it was the best option to leave them in his command for this Magical Beast invasion.


    When Arthur escaped with Samoa, Village Head Fan had an inkling about what they were going to do. He was scared that they would get careless and attempt the Enchanted Forest. But when he sat down to think about it, he realized that wasn''t the case. Although Arthur was usually indoors, he was intelligent. It was out of his character to go into an Enchanted Forest when there was a storm brewing. Plus Samoa was with him. There was no way he would allow Arthur to do something so careless. Since Blistering Cheetah was the fastest in the village, Village Head Fan asked him to visit the forests around the village and see if he could track them down. There were three forests that housed Non-Magical Beasts. Samoa and Arthur had only just left at the time and with Blistering Cheetah''s speed, he should have been able to reach them before they got to any one of the forests. His orders were to bring them back immediately.


    But Frowning Tiger argued that it was the wrong decision.


    "You have sheltered him his entire life. How can he grow to become Durandal if you''re holding him back? If your father did the same, would you become what you are now? We are going to war, and we have no idea what is going to happen. What if you and I don''t make it? Who would take care of the kid then? He needs to learn. He has done enough sitting around. It''s time for him to jump around."


    An agitated Frowning Tiger convinced Village Head Fan that Arthur needed to grow. So he changed Blistering Cheetah''s orders: "When you find them, protect them from the shadows."


    It was such a simple decision, that even Village Head Fan wondered why he had never done that in the first place. Well, maybe it was because the Tigers were too busy to be babysitting a boy. Even Frowning Tiger, the boy''s master, only had one hour to spare whenever he was in the village. It was within this hour that he mentored Arthur. Then he saddled the boy with assignments and left for his duties. But now that they were all here, and although they were busy with evacuations, one or two Predators could be spared for this.


    "I really hoped that he wouldn''t have to experience this," Village Head Fan sighed as he rubbed his temples. Just like any good father, he didn''t want his son to be pushed into a life of war and strife.


    "With all due respect, Head Fan, there is something I''d like to say," Blistering Cheetah stated. Unlike Frowning Tiger who was close to Village Head Fan and could say whatever he wanted when the elders weren''t around, Blistering Cheetah was still a bit tense around the Village Head. And that showed in his speech and mannerisms.


    "Go ahead," Village Head Fan waved his hand and said.


    "Yes, Head Fan. I feel that you are underestimating the boy" Blistering Cheetah started.


    "What do you mean," Village Head Fan furrowed his brows and asked?


    "I have only followed him for two days now. But I''m certain that he''s a Predator."


    Village Head Fan and Frowning Tiger had no reaction to Blistering Tiger''s words, confirming the latter''s suspicions that they already knew. He didn''t know why they didn''t tell the elders. Initially he thought maybe they didn''t want Arthur to have to go on missions and be put in danger. But on second thought, he realized that it didn''t matter if the elders knew or they didn''t. They boy wouldn''t go on any missions anyway. And if they wanted to keep it secret, Village Head Fan wouldn''t have sent him. So that could only mean the boy broke through only recently.


    "He''s strong, intelligent and firm. And to be honest, Head Fan, whenever I hear his title I feel a sense of majesty even greater than yours from him. So although I have no evidence to back it up, I know that Durandal is meant to be stronger than Caliburn."


    Blistering Cheetah''s words elicited a slight reaction from Frowning Tiger and Village Head Fan, mainly because of his final sentence. Although no one knew what Caliburn or Durandal was, when the oracle proclaimed their titles, there was a sense of majesty that followed. Predators had a keener sense than most, and everyone could feel that Durandal was meant to be greater than Caliburn.


    "I guess you''re¡­"


    *Clang*


    *Clang*


    *Clang*


    *Clang*


    Village Head Fan''s words were cut short by the loud ringing of some bells. The expressions of the three men changed at once. Village Head Fan looked outside the window with a somber expression and said,


    "They are here"

 Chapter 284 - The Three Swords

    Rushing to the top floor of his building, Village Head Fan was able to see what was happening. The shaking ground was all the proof he needed that there was a Magical Beast Horde Coming this way, but higher grounds served to show him what was coming first. Right behind him were Frowning Tiger and Blistering Cheetah.


    Looking at the vast number of Middle and Low Class Magical Beasts that were approaching the village, Village Head Fan furrowed his brows in worry. But he didn''t dillydally in this kind of situation. He knew that time was of the essence, and every second wasted was equivalent to giving up the life of a villager.


    "Blistering Cheetah," he called.


    "I am here to obey, Head Fan," Blistering Cheetah answered quickly, refusing to take his eyes off the large entourage of beasts rushing out of the Enchanted Forest towards their village. There was no fear on his face, but he was anxious.


    "Gather the Predators under your command. There are some villagers outside the Central Demarcation Line. Your first mission is to bring them to safety."


    Village Head Fan ordered decisively. From his balcony, Village Head Fan could see several villagers rushing towards the Central Demarcation Line. But they were only normal villagers and had no way to outrun the Magical Beasts who were miles beyond them in terms of physical attributes. They needed to be led and guided into the Central Demarcation Line.


    "Yes, Village Head Fan," Blistering Cheetah seemed relieved by his orders. He instantly disappeared from the balcony and reappeared downstairs. It seemed that he was worried that Village Head Fan would ignore those outside the Central Demarcation Line and focus on disposing off the Magical Beasts as his first priority.


    "No matter how many times I see it, the movement speed of Cheetahs always has me sighing in praise," Frowning Tiger admired the speed at which Blistering Cheetah descended the balcony. The man was so fast that it looked like he teleported. And Frowning Tiger''s admiration for the Cheetah grew when he disappeared again. His eyes could barely keep up with Blistering Cheetah''s figure as the man raced down the streets of the village.


    "It is fascinating indeed," Village Head Fan nodded his head in agreement. However, unlike Frowning Tiger, he could clearly see how fast Blistering Cheetah was traveling, and which direction he was taking.


    "Frowning Tiger," Village Head Fan called out.


    "Yes, Head Fan," came the immediate response.


    "Gather the fighters of the first zone. We must meet the incoming Magical Beast Horde." Village Head Fan ordered.


    "As you wish, Head Fan," Frowning Tiger responded quickly and jumped off the balcony. He moved quickly towards the gathering area for the fighters. Although his speed wasn''t as outrageous as Blistering Cheetah''s, it was nothing to scoff at. He clearly understood the gravity of the situation and was willing to spare none of his energy to get to the men. As one of the Tigers closest to Village Head Fan, he was appointed to be part of the first zone of defense. Frowning Tiger, Rash Tiger and Village Head Fan were the Predators for that zone. Since the first zone was at the forefront of the other zones and meant to be the first zone to intercept the enemy, they had three Predators ¨C the Village Head included ¨C instead of two.


    "I should get ready as well," Village Head Fan watched Frowning Tiger''s figure disappear round the corner and said to himself. He quickly walked into his room and closed the door. Casting his eyes to the far corner of the room, Village Head Fan let out a sigh filled with mixed emotions.


    "Who knew that I would one day have to rely on you again," he smirked bitterly and reached out for the wall at that corner. This section of the wall was made of wood, seemingly meant to hide something. Village Head Fan lightly tapped the wooden partition, and it gave off a dull sound upon being struck. There was space behind that wall!


    The middle aged man held the wooden partition and pushed with a small portion of his vast reserve of strength.


    *Broom*


    The large wooden partition was pushed to the side under the brute strength of Village Head Fan to reveal a small storage area. The storage area was so small that it could only house a few weapons at most, and it did. There were three swords hanging on the wall right behind the partition.


    One of these swords was a large sword. It was fiery red in appearance and gave off an intimidating aura. Its aura was so suppressive that even Village Head Fan felt his breathing grow heavy under its nonexistent gaze.


    "The Demon Sword Durandal: that which bestowed its name to my son. The demon sword that reaps countless of lives. Its gaze is as oppressive as always. And it rejects me once again." Village Head Fan had a bitter expression on his face as he struggled to keep his eyes on the sword.


    These swords were the secret of his family. These were the swords they were named after. Although Village Head Fan always pretended not to know anything about the titles he and his son received, he did. His father told him long before he died what these titles were. His father had stolen these priced swords from his family when he escaped their house in the city and brought them here with him. Unfortunately for his father, the man wasn''t able to carry along the sword he was named after. If he had that blade, he wouldn''t have died in the battle against the Winged Serpent.


    Village Head Fan cast his gaze to the sword that stood gallantly in the middle. Although the current situation meant that he didn''t have time to waste, he couldn''t help but be drawn in by the blade in the middle. Unlike Durandal, the sword in the middle was completely blue, but possessed a white hilt. It gave off a holy aura, and seemed so sacred that one was even afraid of touching it, for the fear that one would stain its beautiful purity. It didn''t tear into Village Head Fan with its gaze, but it repelled him calmly when he subconsciously reached out to touch it. It repulsive force woke Village Head Fan up, and the middle aged man''s lips curled into a wry smile as he said,


    "The Holy Sword Excalibur. The sword that smites all that is impure. So alluring is your presence that even I cannot resist you. Yet you reject me. I wonder if there would ever be one worthy enough to lift you off your pedestal."


    The most sacred sword of their House, and the reason why his father had to escape all the way to this place to evade the detection of his family ¨C Excalibur, the Holy Sword. It was a sword that had never been wielded in the history of their family, and his father told him that the one who would be chosen by Excalibur in the future, would be the one, true ruler of their House. It was so powerful that it could draw the jealousy of even the most selfless individuals, yet it repelled all it deemed unworthy as well. It was a blade that contradicted itself. And till now, Village Head Fan didn''t understand how his father was able to escape with it when he left his House.


    In fact, he couldn''t understand how his father escaped with three swords which didn''t select him. Whenever he asked the now deceased man, he always avoided the question, the same way he avoided answering Village Head Fan whenever he asked why the man abandoned his family in the first place and stole weapons he couldn''t even use. It was clear that these weapons were important to the family. They weren''t all the swords his House possessed, but they were important nonetheless. And even the most important of them all, Excalibur was stolen. It was bound to affect the strength of the family. But his father never gave an answer, and he even refused to tell Village Head Fan of his origins. Even after all these years, after countless decades of searching, Village Head Fan wasn''t any closer to understanding his origins. He had yet to find a House that fit the bill of his father''s old family.


    The last sword was green in color. It was beautiful and majestic. It gave off a pure and sacred aura, but not quite as intense as Excalibur''s. However, underneath that purity was a hint of ferociousness that threatened to suck the souls of all who were unworthy of it. It was the blade that Village Head Fan was named after. The only blade that accepted his touch and his c.a.r.e.s.s. As Village Head Fan held the sword in his hand, he pulled it off the wall. He instantly felt a strong power overwhelm his senses. He could hear countless ringing bells, and several swords crying out around the world. Even Durandal and Excalibur that rejected him hummed in excitement as the sword was pulled off its leash.


    "My companion and friend. Shall we war together old friend?" Village Head Fan gently c.a.r.e.s.sed the blade and smiled. Even in this situation, holding the blade that had accompanied him through every dangerous situation in his life brought him a sense of ease and comfort. He felt like he could do anything once he held this sword.


    Taking up a scabbard that had been discarded to the side, Village Head Fan sheathed the strange blade, and the humming of Durandal and Excalibur ceased. It was the only weapon that could resonate with all others in the world, and the only weapon that could allow those chosen by it to handle the weapons that had rejected them. Of course, that came at a price ¨C the lifespan of the user. But the great strength it provided made it seem worth it. Why did it have this power? It was simple really. Because of what it was.


    "The Sword of Selection; that which shines so brightly that even the sun has to hide in shame; the blade called Caliburn. It seems I have to borrow your strength today." Village Head Fan smiled and reached for Durandal. That was the only way he could use Durandal. Once one was chosen by Caliburn, they could forcefully use Durandal at the cost of their life. In fact, they could forcefully use every weapon apart from Excalibur which stood above Caliburn. Unfortunately, there were no other choice blades here to prove that theory. But for the first time in his life, Village Head Fan wasn''t taking Durandal to use for himself. He was taking it for someone else.


    He sealed the small storage room, leaving Excalibur to sulk in the darkness, and quickly walked out of his room. He had already wasted much time taking out the swords. He walked straight towards Arthur''s room and barged in without knocking.


    "Are they here," Arthur asked calmly as he looked at the man who had broken down his door? He didn''t seem particularly concerned that his father had destroyed his door.


    "Yes," Village Head Fan nodded.


    "Here," Village Head Fan said and tossed Durandal to Arthur.


    The moment Arthur caught hold of the sword he felt a sense of peace he had never felt before. He felt as though he was holding on to something that had always been a part of him, but had been missing until now. It felt like he was a large puzzle, and that the sword was a puzzle piece that completed him. He felt refreshed.


    "What is this," he asked whilst basking in the wonderful feeling? The sword he held gave him a sense of invincibility. It almost pulled him into the depth of drunken euphoria. He watched his father with a dazed expression and asked for the identity of the sword.


    "The Demon Sword ¨C Durandal" Village Head Fan answered.


    "Demon Sword? Wait a minute. Did you say Durandal?!" Arthur stood up and exclaimed in shock. He was so startled that he was forcefully pulled from his dazed spell. This was a sword named after him. No wait. Looking at his father''s expression, it was probably the other way round. He felt that there as something his father wasn''t telling him.


    "Yes. Don''t ask a lot of questions. There isn''t time for that" Village Head Fan shook his head and said.


    "Samoa is in the first zone ¨C and so are you" the man said and proceeded to walk out of the room.


    "Wait. You are allowing me to go with you?" Arthur asked, stunned that what he always wanted had been given so easily.


    "Why? Would you rather wait for Samoa and then sneak out?" Village Head Fan smirked playfully.


    Arthur laughed embarrassingly. It was at this point he realized that his father knew about his plans all along.


    "Samoa wouldn''t be able to come. Frowning Tiger is watching him personally. So you better come with me. Wear your armor and meet me downstairs."


    "I am not comfortable with armor. I''ve spent my whole life training without it. It would only impair my movements. I can only fight b.a.r.e c.h.e.s.ted"


    "Fine. Then let''s go. Let''s go kill some beasts."

 Chapter 285 - War

    "Village Head Fan is late," outside the Central Demarcation Line, Frowning Tiger looked towards the approaching beast horde with a grave expression. Next to him was Rash Tiger, whose jovial smile was nowhere to be found. Just like Frowning Tiger, Rash Tiger had a scowl on his face as he watched the stampede of Middle and Lower Magical Class Beasts draw closer and closer as each second whittled by.


    "He is. But he surely must have a good reason" Rash Tiger stated, his eyes glued on the beast horde. He didn''t even want to turn his eyes away for a second.


    "Were all the traps put in place," Frowning Tiger asked? This time his statement wasn''t meant for Rash Tiger. It was meant for the handsome young man who stood behind him.


    "Everything was done as requested, Sir Frowning Tiger," Samoa answered, with an anxious look on his face.


    Frowning Tiger nodded at Samoa''s response. This was a threat outside their current capabilities. So it was necessary to include some craft and guile in their plans. Samoa and Joe were scouts belonging to the most prestigious scouting party in the village. They had extensive knowledge on Magical Beasts and knew just what would be good enough to cause them some damage and whittle away their numbers.


    Middle and Low Class Magical Beasts weren''t the ones they should be focusing on. It was the horde of Mythic and High Class Magical Beasts that they had to worry about. They had to preserve their strength as much as possible, so that they would be able to deal with the greater threat more effectively when it appeared.


    Suddenly, the air next to Frowning Tiger rippled, and a figure appeared right next to Frowning Tiger. The intruder startled Samoa ¨C who only saw the space surrounding his idol warp, and a strange man appear ¨C greatly. But Frowning Tiger didn''t seem bothered by the newcomer. He didn''t make any attempts to defend against any sneak attacks or ambushes. Rash Tiger who stood next to him also continued to gaze ahead, staring unblinkingly at the Beast Horde like it had taken something valuable from him. He also ignored the person who had suddenly appeared next to them.


    "The villagers in harm''s way have been returned to the safety zone," Blistering Cheetah, the fastest Predator in the village, was the one who so suddenly appeared before the Tigers and Samoa. Since Village Head Samoa wasn''t here, Frowning Tiger was in command. Although he was not the most powerful Predator or Tiger for that matter in the village, he was the one Village Head Fan trusted the most. Since Village Head Fan wasn''t here, Blistering Cheetah reported to him. Besides, the first zone was leading the defense, so technically, their Tigers had the highest command here.


    "What about the other Zones. Are they prepared?" Frowning Tiger turned to Blistering Cheetah and asked.


    "They are. Everyone is accounted for. All 2 Predators, 10 Thrashers, 42 Animal Hunters and 57 Soldiers for each zone are accounted for"


    Blistering Cheetah stared straight into Frowning Tiger''s cold eyes and replied. Apart from the fact that the First Zone had 43 Animal Hunters and 58 Soldiers, their numbers were pretty much the same as the other zones.


    "What about your unit? Did you run into any trouble?" Frowning Tiger asked.


    Blistering Cheetah wasn''t the only Predator of his unit. His unit wasn''t bound to any zone, and was meant to provide support for any zone that needed it. Apart from Blistering Cheetah, there were 3 other Predators ¨C 2 more Cheetahs, and 1 Mongoose. However, Blistering Cheetah was the one in charge of the unit. There were 5 Thrashers assigned to his unit as well, but they didn''t have any Animal Hunters or Soldiers in their unit. Since it was meant to be an elite unit that focused on speed and support, anyone below the Thrasher level was well, trash. Even the Thrashers that were assigned to Blistering Cheetah''s Support Unit were famed for their speed amongst those of the Thrasher level. Adding Animal Hunters and Soldiers to the unit would impair their mobility and destroy the one purpose for which they were created. For such an elite force, Frowning Tiger didn''t want any injuries at such an early stage.


    "Minor issues. But they were taken care of easily" Blistering Cheetah understood Frowning Tiger''s worry, so he set his heart at ease by letting him know that there were no major issues.


    Blistering Cheetah''s unit did come across some Magical Beasts as they rescued the distraught civilians who had moved outside the Demarcation Line. But those beasts were weaker Low and Middle Class Magical Beasts famed for their speed, which had run away from the main group. Unfortunately for them, they came across fighters who specialized in speed and were easily dealt with.


    "That would be all, Blistering Cheetah," Frowning Tiger dismissed his colleague. Blistering Cheetah nodded his head and before Samoa could fully process what was happening, the man disappeared just as suddenly as he appeared.


    "So that was Blistering Cheetah!"


    Samoa exclaimed within the depths of his mind. Since Frowning Tiger hadn''t bothered to lower his voice when he addressed Blistering Cheetah, Samoa heard him clearly when he called out the man''s name. This was someone famed for his insane speed, and Samoa had finally seen for himself today that his reputation was well deserved.


    "Let''s return," Frowning Tiger stated. Without waiting for Rash Tiger''s response, he began to walk away. Rash Tiger looked at the incoming horde one last time. He tore his eyes away from the threat and followed Frowning Tiger. Samoa quickly walked behind them, all the while looking around anxiously.


    The three men had left the First Zone of Defense to see the situation better. Now that they had seen what they wanted to see, there was no reason to remain here. They were walking back to their men. Samoa was confused. He didn''t know why he was asked to follow Frowning Tiger. He had to sneak into Village Head Fan''s house and leave with Arthur. But Frowning Tiger was keeping a close watch on him. It made it impossible for him to get out of the Tiger''s sight.


    "Does he know? But how?" Samoa thought to himself. He raised his head and saw the fighters belonging to the First Zone standing orderly with no fear. Every man and woman wore strong leather armors crafted from beast hides and possessed an air of ferocity about them. As they gazed at Rash Tiger and Frowning Tiger who were returning, their vision was full of respect and admiration. As for Samoa who was behind them, they looked at him with envy. Being chosen to accompany Tigers was a sign that they appreciated his talent. So naturally, they all knew that Samoa was someone the Tigers saw as having the potential to become a Predator. That alone was enough to draw their envy.


    "Don''t worry so much," Rash Tiger gave Samoa a pat on his back upon seeing the look of anxiety on the younger man''s face. He assumed that Samoa was anxious about the battle.


    "Village Head Fan would bring Arthur himself," Frowning Tiger suddenly stated. He flashed Samoa a rare smile and then turned his head.


    "So he knew," Samoa sighed. He finally understood why it became so easy to sneak out after their first attempt. It turned out that Village Head Fan had been watching over them secretly.


    "So what now," Rash Tiger wondered as the trio stood before the well-structured miniature army. Samoa didn''t dare join them upfront. He ignored the looks of admiration and envy the other Thrashers sent his way, and walked to the Thrashers who stood behind Frowning Tiger and Rash Tiger to take his position.


    "We wait," Frowning Tiger said, and closed his eyes. Rash Tiger didn''t say anything more. Frowning Tiger was a Control Type. But he couldn''t just control his body''s reactions and power, he could also sense things from afar. He knew that Frowning Tiger was giving his all to listen to the stomps of the approaching beasts. His friend was searching for signs of disturbed movements to determine if the traps had gone off.


    Finally, after two minutes, Frowning Tiger opened his eyes.


    "They were more effective than I thought," the normally stoic and expressionless man had a slight smile on his face. It seemed the traps worked better than he expected.


    "Over half of their forces have been wiped out. The others are in complete disarray. They have lost their prior unity and would be easier to deal with now"


    He smiled as he informed Rash Tiger.


    "Good," Rash Tiger laughed heartily. He then turned to address the crowd of fighters behind him, and did what Frowning Tiger wasn''t good at.


    "Men and women who have toiled for this village all your lives. The beasts that threaten the sanctity of our home are in chaos from our traps. They are ripe for the picking. Tell me, is this the time to cower?!"


    "No Rash Tiger Sir!"


    "Would we wait here like sitting ducks?!"


    "No Rash Tiger Sir!"


    "Would we back down and abandon all we love and hold dear?!"


    "No Rash Tiger Sir!"


    "What should we do?!"


    "We should fight!"


    "What would we do?!"


    "We would fight!"


    "Then what are we waiting for? Let''s fight!!!"

 Chapter 286 - Intelligent Samoa

    *Boom*


    A Middle Class Magical Beast was sent flying into a mob of Low Class Magical Beasts by a ferocious punch. There was a huge dent on its head, and it bled profusely from its mouth. Its eyes were blank, and it breathed no more. Frowning Tiger, the one who dished the attack wasn''t even paying attention to the crowd of monsters trying to swarm him. He casually evaded the swipe of another Middle Class Magical Beast and slapped the creature silly. The slap catapulted the beast into three Low Class Magical Beasts, injuring one of them and killing the other two. As for the Middle Class Magical Beast that received the full brunt of the attack, its head was severely twisted to one side. It was dead.


    "He''s doing well on his own," Frowning Tiger thought as he watched Samoa slice the head off a Low Class Magical Beast without any difficulty. Frowning Tiger wasn''t focused on the battle because he was paying so much attention to Samoa. Since the creatures in the first wave weren''t a threat to him, he didn''t even need to give them 10% of his attention to deal with their attacks. So he could keep watch over Samoa whilst dealing with the threats that would otherwise be troublesome to the rest of the squad.


    Frowning Tiger lifted his hand and grabbed onto the tail of a Middle Class Magical Beast that tried to jump over him and get to the rest of the team. It was clearly smarter than its counterparts, and it realized that it couldn''t deal with Frowning Tiger. Seeing that Frowning Tiger was paying attention to someone else, it tried to get past him and create havoc amongst the ranks of the fighters. Unfortunately for the poor creature, Frowning Tiger was a Control Type. He didn''t need to look at something to know what was going on. Frowning Tiger ignored the whelps of the creature, and smashed it into the ground.


    *Boom*


    The creature, along with about 7 more who were in the way, were smashed together. The foul smell generated from their paste-like corpses didn''t move Frowning Tiger in the slightest. After all, he was a killer. He had been exposed to far worse odors than this. Besides, as more beasts were killed, the battlefield was going to become a foul smelling damp.


    "Three Middle Class Magical Beasts? How would he deal with them?" Frowning Tiger noticed that Samoa was surrounded by three Middle Class Magical Beasts. Samoa was a Thrasher, so he was strong enough to handle every Middle Class Magical Beast, and average High Class Magical Beasts. High Class Magical Beasts like the Giant Black Mamba were outside his capabilities.


    Although Samoa could handle Middle Class Magical Beasts, being surrounded by 3 of them was no picnic. Top Level Thrashers could handle up to 6 Middle Class Magical Beasts at once, or 2 average High Class Magical Beasts. Samoa was nowhere near the Top Class of his level, but Frowning Tiger was eager to see if he could deal with these 3 Middle Class Magical Beasts. The reason he was evaluating Samoa was simple. He wasn''t just looking out for the boy (protecting him), he wanted to see if the boy possessed enough qualifications to live up to his potential ¨C the potential to become a Predator. If he did, Frowning Tiger would be more than happy to accept him as his second student.


    Samoa stared unblinkingly at the creatures that had blocked every path of retreat. Three Middle Class Magical Beasts stood in his way. He recognized these beasts. And because he knew what kind of beasts they were, he knew what strong points they possessed.


    The first beast was the Steel Bodied Mantis. It was a creature that was 2 metres in height. It looked like a giant praying mantis, and it was just as grotesque. It was a creature that had an extremely tough exoskeleton, just like most of its insect companions. Its defense was near impenetrable, which was why it was called the Steel Bodied Mantis.


    The second beast was relatively unknown, compared to the Steel Bodied Mantis. But Samoa''s job as a scout meant that he had to learn about this beast as well ¨C the Poisonous Earthworm. This creature wasn''t as large as the Steel Bodied Mantis. It had a length of about 2 metres, and a width of 15 centimeters. It was shaped like a snake, and was just as agile. It was a creature that was quick and nimble, and its extremely potent poison made it a difficult beast to face. In group battles like this one, creatures like the Poisonous Earthworm were the greatest threats. Their ability to hide within the masses and strike from the shadows made them more fearful than powerful creatures like the Steel Bodied Mantis. To be honest, Samoa didn''t know why the creature had shown itself. Maybe it was confident that it didn''t need to hide to kill Samoa.


    The last creature was a Red-nosed Dog. This Middle Class Magical Beast had great stamina, and could fight for several hours nonstop, without showing any signs of exhaustion. It had steel like teeth and powerful jaws that allowed it to take down its prey in a matter of seconds. Its claws were like sharpened blades and could break apart rocks like they were measly sheets of paper. It didn''t have the greatest defense, but its insane attacking prowess made up for this shortcoming.


    "The earthworm must be killed first," Samoa quickly analysed. As the creature with an advantage in this kind of chaotic battlefield, the earthworm was a headache. If it wasn''t taken care of initially, he would keep thinking about it and wouldn''t be able to fully focus on the other two beasts. In a sense, even without doing anything, the beast would be able to restrain his movements. He needed to kill it first so that he could deal with the other two with a clear mind. After making up his mind, Samoa acted immediately. But he didn''t rush towards the earthworm. He didn''t the exact opposite of what he was thinking: gripping his sword strongly, he dashed towards the Steel Bodied Mantis.


    Seeing the approaching Samoa, the Steel Bodied Mantis had a look of excitement in its eyes. It lifted one of its legs and stamped it heavily towards Samoa.


    The leg of the Steel Bodied Mantis crushed into the ground and sent a fistful of dust into the air. Samoa had rolled to the side at the last moment to avoid the attack. The Steel Bodied Mantis had an extremely tough exoskeleton, and its legs were as sharp as blades. Samoa didn''t have the confidence to be able to take the attack head on. Maybe if it was a one on one, he would have blocked the attack. After all, he was strong enough to overwhelm the beast. But in a situation where it wasn''t his only enemy, blocking the attack would mean he would leave himself open to ambushes from the other two beasts. The Red-nosed Dog for instance, would not let such an opening pass. His neck wasn''t covered by the leather armor, so one bite from the creature and he''d be gone.


    Jumping back onto his feet, Samoa quickly brandished his sword to his left without any hesitation.


    *Bang*


    Followed by a whelp of pain, the Red-nosed Dog which was trying to take advantage of the situation was sent flying towards Rash Tiger. It had a large cut on its side, and it was bleeding profusely. Seeing the creature flying towards him, Rash Tiger who had just crushed the head of a Middle Class Magical Beast, smiled coldly. He reached out for the dog which was looking at him fearfully and simply twisted its neck even before it could fall back onto the ground.


    What happened was no accident. Samoa knew exactly what he was doing when he struck the dog. Because he was a Thrasher, he was on the frontlines. The only people ahead of him were Frowning Tiger, and Rash Tiger. However, Rash Tiger was closer to him. Samoa''s initial plan was to deal with the earthworm. But no sooner had he made that decision, did the earthworm disappear from his sight. He finally understood why the creature appeared in the first place ¨C to make him uneasy. Since it had achieved its goal, it went into hiding. Since it could burrow into the ground, in a field full of stampeding beasts, it would still be able to move around fine. So Samoa had to pick another target ¨C the Red-nosed Dog.


    This was a creature with a powerful jaw, and steel claws. But since it was defensively weak, there was no way it would accept a one-on-one battle. So Samoa went for the Steel Bodied Mantis to bait the dog into attacking him. Then he struck it and sent it flying towards Rash Tiger''s territory. After all, although it was defensively weak, it was still a Middle Class Magical Beast. Samoa didn''t think it would be killed in that one hit. And he was right. Although it was injured, it was still alive. Well, not anymore.


    Samoa stamped the ground powerfully and made a beeline towards the Steel Bodied Mantis. With each step he took, he made sure to stamp the ground powerfully. Once he was close to the Steel Bodied Mantis, he swung his sword powerfully towards its c.h.e.s.t. The Steel Bodied Mantis was no fool. It knew when to attack, and when to defend. Crossing two of its limbs before its c.h.e.s.t, it blocked the fatal blow, but was sent tumbling back a few metres due to the power behind the swing.


    Samoa rushed towards the mantis once again. And once again, each step was heavy, creating dents in the ground. Frowning Tiger who was still paying attention to Samoa''s fight furrowed his brows when he saw what Samoa was doing. It didn''t make any sense for him to stomp so hard. That was actually impairing his movements. But soon, the perplexed look on Frowning Tiger''s face was replaced by a small smile of appreciation. He finally seemed to understand what Samoa was doing.


    "I see now. Brilliant." Unfortunately, Samoa couldn''t hear what his mentor said about him, or he would have gone senile with joy.


    Samoa ducked to avoid the blade-like limb of the Steel Bodied Mantis. He quickly guarded with his sword to block another attack from the creature. As a beast with multiple limbs ¨C six of them in fact ¨C the Steel Bodied Mantis could dish out multiple attacks and take opponents who weren''t used to facing insect type Magical Beasts by surprise. Unfortunately for the beast, Samoa knew a lot about it and had fought against several Steel Bodied Mantises before. So he even knew their weakness.


    *Clank*


    Samoa deflected the attack and slid underneath the mantis. But he didn''t attack its belly. Unlike most creatures, the Steel Bodied Mantis''s belly exoskeleton was tougher than those of the rest of its body. Samoa had another purpose. Once he was under its belly, he regained his footing, and took a few steps forward. This time, he didn''t stomp his feet. Then he quickly dived forward as though avoiding a plague and leaped behind the large mantis.


    *Boom*


    *Spit*


    A creature appeared from underneath the ground, only a few inches away from Samoa''s initial position and immediately spat a mouthful of purple colored fluid. The fluid landed on the Steel Bodied Mantis''s belly and melted its exoskeleton.


    *Rargh*


    The Steel Bodied Mantis screamed in pain and rage and tumbled backwards. The creature responsible for its pain was the Poisonous Earthworm. It appeared confused by the sudden turn of events. The angry mantis took several steps back and looked at the culprit. Its eyes flashed with rage at the creature that was normally its prey.


    Although they were both Middle Class Magical Beasts, the mantis was stronger, and was the natural bane of the earthworm. Although the Poisonous Earthworm had a strong venom, its venom couldn''t compare to that of venomous High Class Magical Beasts. So it could wound the mantis, but the wound was never going to be fatal. So it wasn''t a match for the mantis. However, creatures that were usually enemies banded together when it meant going against humans. So instead of fighting against each other, they fought together. But now the little critter dared to attack it, the Steel Bodied Mantis was wild with rage. It descended upon the earthworm and tore and swallowed it whole before the creature could fully comprehend what was happening.


    The rage in the eyes of the mantis subsided slightly after consuming the earthworm. It turned to deal with the sneaky human, only to realise that Samoa wasn''t behind it anymore.


    "Underneath, you ugly mug," Samoa laughed and stabbed his sword into the belly of the beast. It was unknown when he got back there, but he was there now. Once he stabbed the creature, he ignored its painful roar and sliced across its belly all the way to its c.h.e.s.t. It was only then that its struggling ceased.

 Chapter 287 - Wit

    "Poisonous Earthworms are dangerous adversaries. They burrow into the ground and only reveal themselves when they ascertain their prey''s position. But they are only dangerous when you don''t know that they are coming. Since he knew that it was around, he could prepare for it. Sure it takes quite an amount of skill to concentrate on other beasts and remain alert for the earthworm''s sneak attack at the same time, but a genius with high intellect can pull it off. As a scout with immense knowledge, he knew that Poisonous Earthworms are blind, and use the vibrations to sense their prey."


    "So he used that to his advantage. He kept stomping to deceive the creature that he was a Magical Beast. After all, a human''s footsteps are light compared to that of a Magical Beast''s, which are heavy. By using light steps when he was underneath the mantis, he made the earthworm believe that he had revealed himself. So it surfaced and struck. But he was already gone, and it was the mantis that was sprayed with the corrosive venom. Unfortunately for it, the Steel Bodied Mantis has a strong exoskeleton. The corrosive poison only scrapped a part of the exoskeleton off. Although it was in pain, it wasn''t gravely injured. So it killed the earthworm in rage. And Samoa took advantage of its now exposed belly to kill it. The Red-nosed Dog also fell to his schemes and was killed by Rash Tiger. Basically, the boy used his intelligence and extensive knowledge to win the fight. He barely had to kill them on his own."


    Frowning Tiger had to give it to Samoa. He admired the way the boy ¨C no, the young man ¨C used everything and everyone to get what he wanted. He wanted to kill the dog, but he realised that he didn''t have the ability to kill it in a single blow. Although it wasn''t really his match, he didn''t want to waste energy and resources on it. After all, it wasn''t the only beast he had to face. Even if he survived after dealing with the three beasts, there were several other beasts that filled the battlefield, waiting to kill him. In war, it was vital to preserve one''s strength. So he used Rash Tiger to kill the Red-nosed Dog.


    By applying his knowledge on how Poisonous Earthworms hunt, he was able to borrow the strength of its natural predator that it had teamed up with ¨C the Steel Bodied Mantis ¨C to kill it. Then taking advantage of the ''hole'' that the Poisonous Earthworm had opened up on the Steel Bodied Mantis, Samoa was able to easily split it into two. The Steel Bodied Mantis was a powerful Middle Class Magical Beast. It had average attacking prowess, but its defense was so solid that many would rather not face off against it. However, it had one weakness ¨C its joints, or rather its appendages.


    Its joints were weaker than the rest of its body. So if one wanted to kill it, one had to slowly slice off all its limbs by taking advantage of the weaker joints and leave it defenseless. Then, one could bash its defenseless head open after multiple tries. But in a large battle like this, this method was time consuming and ineffective. Luckily, it was silly enough to team up with its natural enemy, the only Middle Class Magical Beast with a powerful poison that also possessed corrosive qualities. Although the Steel Bodied Mantis could resist the poison because it had evolved after hunting the Poisonous Earthworm for so long, its exoskeleton could still be breached.


    "In the end, he didn''t have to resort to his own strength. He used his brain. That''s something Arthur lacks."


    Frowning Tiger thought as he sidestepped the attack of a Giant Mole and punched the creature''s head. The poor mole was sent tumbling into several other beasts, its head caved in and its brain destroyed. Frowning Tiger loved his student. Arthur was studious and talented, the pride of every teacher. But his lack of exposure to the world due to his father''s fear of losing him, made him lose out to Samoa in terms of wisdom and craftiness. Arthur was intelligent, but he wasn''t wise. If he was in Samoa''s shoes, he would have been able to clear the beasts, even if his strength was the same as Samoa''s. But he wouldn''t have done so as easily as Samoa made it seem. Samoa''s experience and wisdom made him a good talent.


    "I have decided. If we both survive this, I would take him as my disciple."


    Frowning Tiger needed someone to tutor on matters other than intelligence. Governance and war strategies were also his fort. Arthur was too na?ve for such topics. Someone like him wouldn''t be able to handle the pressure of politics. Since he didn''t know what kind of characters would be chosen as elders when Arthur was ready to be the Village Head, he had always been worried. What if selfish and greedy people appear and control the na?ve boy? He had finally found a solution ¨C a failsafe in case something like that did happen. Samoa was a close friend of Arthur, and would be more than happy to watch out for his friend. Frowning Tiger was going to help the boy raise his strength and teach him about governance at the same time.


    Suddenly, three large Magical Beasts rose from the ground and surrounded Frowning Tiger. There were three large holes beneath them. They clearly burrowed their way into the battlefield.


    "Large Ironclad Earthworms" Frowning Tiger recognized these creatures. In several parts of the battlefield, these holes appeared and these giant earthworms made their presence known. Their appearance was completely random, with no particular pattern or rhythm.


    Large Ironclad Earthworms were a variant of Poisonous Earthworms. But unlike their defensively weak counterparts, Large Ironclad Earthworms possessed armor-like scales that covered their entire bodies, with the exception of their heads. They had a hole-like mouth filled with several large and sharp teeth, and possessed a strong suction power that could pull objects several meters away into their mouth. Fortunately, they weren''t poisonous creatures like the Poisonous Earthworms. If they were, they would be enough to threaten even Mythic Class Magical Beasts.


    "This isn''t good," Frowning Tiger had an ashen expression when he saw several other holes open up. They were larger and more numerous than the ones before. More Large Ironclad Earthworms appeared, and the battlefield become chaotic.


    "Thrashers, on me. Animal Hunters and Fighters, retreat and provide support from afar," Although he couldn''t give a rousing speech like Rash Tiger, as one who was a master of war and tactics, Frowning Tiger gave the right command. They were a bit lucky that many of the holes were opened up close to the frontlines, so it was easier for the Animal Hunters and Soldiers to retreat. They were useless against High Class Magical Beasts, and could only provide support in terms of arrows from behind.


    "Samoa!" Frowning Tiger unconsciously let out a scream when he saw Samoa trying to evade the attacks of 4 Large Ironclad Earthworms. Frowning Tiger assessed Samoa''s capabilities and knew it was almost impossible for the boy to handle a Large Ironclad Earthworm on his own, much less evade the pursuit of four. These were beasts that were only slightly weaker than the Giant Black Mamba! Rash Tiger who was closer to Samoa had also noticed the boy''s predicament. But he was surrounded by at least 8 earthworms and knew there was no way he would be able to get there in time.


    Frowning Tiger angrily slapped away a Large Ironclad Earthworm that overestimated itself and tried to devour him whole. In his haste, he didn''t even aim to kill. But his blow still dented the armor on the beast''s side, leaving it spamming on the ground. He sidestepped another earthworm and grabbed onto its rear end. Then he span it round and flung it towards Samoa.


    An earthworm which was trying to devour Samoa was hit on the head by one of its own (the one that Frowning Tiger threw) and was sent flying. Due to Frowning Tiger''s great strength, its head was split open by the powerful scales of its counterpart when it crashed into it. And the earthworm that crashed into it didn''t get off lightly either. Its armor was broken in several places and it was bleeding from several parts of its body.


    Samoa tried to evade an earthworm, but was unlucky. The giant creature jumped over him and landed before him. Then it struck him with its powerful body and sent him tumbling towards another earthworm. Frowning Tiger and Rash Tiger could only look on helplessly as the earthworm opened its huge mouth and prepared to swallow Samoa whole.


    Samoa had a face full of despair. He didn''t want to die. No one did! He had so much he wanted to accomplish. How could he be satisfied dying to this disgusting creature? But what could he do. His blade had fallen onto the ground when the beast struck him, and he was unarmed. Plus he was midair and had no way to defend himself.


    "I''m not willing!"


    He screamed internally.


    *Booom*


    Along with the deafening sound of something getting struck, the scream of the earthworm filled Samoa''s ear.


    Samoa landed onto the body of the earthworm that wanted to swallow him whole. He stood up quickly and jumped off. The beast was not breathing anymore and there was a red sword impaled into its side. Its armor that it was proud off had been easily pierced through, and it wasn''t alive anymore.

 Chapter 288 - This...Is...Durandal!

    Frowning Tiger bashed in the head of another Large Ironclad Earthworm. He breathed a huge sigh of relief when he saw that Samoa was safe. And when he saw the blade that did the saving, he was doubly relieved. That weapon belonged to Village Head Fan. Since the sword was here, that meant that the Village Head was here as well.


    "Wait a minute," Frowning Tiger suddenly realized something. He delivered an uppercut to an overzealous Large Ironclad Earthworm that was trying to consume a Thrasher who was right next to him.


    "That blade overdrafts his life force. Why would he use it when he could have just used the other one?" Frowning Tiger ignored the look of thanks the Thrasher he saved gave him and thought. Although he didn''t know the origins of the red sword, he recognized it as the blade Village Head Fan always relied upon when he was stuck in an extremely unpleasant situation. And because he was familiar with the sword, he knew how much it drained Village Head Fan. It put such a toll on the older man that he usually didn''t use it unless he had to. If Village Head Fan was going to use the sword, wouldn''t he rather use it when the Pseudo Legendary Magical Beast got here? Surely that was the best time to rely on it. Using it now would mean over drafting his life force and having no energy to deal with their greatest threat ¨C which had yet to show itself.


    "There is no way he would be that careless," Frowning Tiger quickly concluded. He evaded the leap of a Middle Class Magical Beast and pounded the poor creature into the ground, ending its life. Village Head Fan could have used his other sword, the one that didn''t cause him any harm, to deal with the earthworm. So why use the red sword? That meant¡­


    "He wasn''t the one who saved Samoa," Frowning Tiger concluded. Although he was surrounded by enemies, none of them posed any threat to him. He could think as freely as he would have if he was sitting in the comfort of his home. So he was able to use his brain to its full capacity. Of course he did this whilst tossing an earthworm into the air, and blasting it into several pieces with a kick when it descended.


    The Large Ironclad Earthworm writhed on the ground continuously. It wasn''t alive. These were post mortem spasms. The sword that was stuck in its body was a heavy sword. It was large and crimson in color. Although Samoa wasn''t the target of its wrath, he could feel goosebumps on his skin when he looked at the sword. The sword gave off a sense of majesty that made him, a human, want to bow in veneration and praise. He shook his head to rid himself of these strange emotions. Then he turned to look at the one who saved him.


    His savior was a young man, and he didn''t seem any older than Samoa. He was b.a.r.e c.h.e.s.ted, exposing his broad and well sculpted c.h.e.s.t to the eyes of all who saw him. There was a tattoo of a roaring lion on his right c.h.e.s.t, and a picture of a snake had been engraved into his right arm. His green eyes pierced into Samoa''s and his wavy hair floated freely in the wind.


    "Arthur," Samoa asked, stunned by the appearance of his friend? His friend looked so serious that if Samoa didn''t know him well, he would have doubted that the boy before him was the same one he grew up with.


    "Are you okay, Samoa," Arthur asked kindly and stretched out his hand to his friend. He ignored the earthworms that were crawling his way with amazing agility and focused on his friend''s health.


    "I am okay. You arrived just in time. If I were to be a maiden, I would have fallen for you." Samoa laughed heartily. Although they were still surrounded on all sides, he felt strangely at peace. Arthur was like a dependable boulder, a fortified rock that would never fall no matter the circ.u.mstances. And as Samoa stood with him, he could feel a strange power welling up within him.


    "Hehe. You still have the time to joke around," Arthur smirked and playfully punched Samoa on his shoulder.


    Samoa grimaced slightly when the ''light'' fist connected with his shoulder. The fall led to a small bruise on his shoulder. It wasn''t enough to hamper his combat strength. But it still hurt.


    "Are you really okay," Arthur noticed the small change in his friend''s facial features and concluded that he wasn''t totally fine.


    "A small bruise," Samoa waved his injured arm to try and figure out if his range of motion was affected.


    "Here. Apply this. I''d guard you." Arthur reached into his trouser pockets and produced a small vial. There was a strange ointment in the vial.


    "Healing balm!" Samoa recognized what was in the vial. It was a precious drug that could be used to treat surface wounds. Upon applying it, one would receive instant relief from whatever wound that was causing them pain.


    "I won''t stand on ceremony then," Samoa nodded and took the vial. He ignored the approaching creatures and focused on applying the medicine. That was how much he trusted Arthur. If Arthur was confident he could take care of the battlefield, then Samoa was confident that his friend would do just that.


    "Where do you think you are going," Arthur voiced out when he saw a strange cat like creature trying to get to Samoa. It was a Middle Class Magical Beast.


    "Scram," Arthur bellowed powerfully, and the creature was blown away. In fact, it wasn''t only that creature that was blown away. Every Magical Beast within a ten meter radius of Arthur was blown away, irrespective of their size. Even the three Large Ironclad Earthworms that were approaching weren''t spared. The battlefield paused momentarily as everyone stopped to look at the figure who commanded such power.


    Everyone was stunned by what they saw. Using a bellow to push enemies away was something only Village Head Fan could do. Although Arthur''s shout had a smaller region of influence, it was still shocking to see him do what his father was famed for ¨C literally blowing his enemies away. It was so impressive that even Frowning Tiger who knew that Arthur was a Predator was surprised. So one could imagine what everyone else felt when they realised that not only was Arthur a Predator, he had inherited some of his father''s skill.


    "Come," Arthur commanded, and Durandal which was still perched atop the dead Large Ironclad Earthworm shook slightly. Under the astonished gaze of all, it flew towards Arthur, piercing through every creature that was in its way before placing itself perfectly within his palm.


    "This¡­" Frowning Tiger watched the sword fly into Arthur''s hand with a stunned expression. If he was surprised by Arthur''s bellow, then he was amazed by the flying sword feat. In all the years he had seen Village Head Fan use it, the man had never done anything remotely similar to what Arthur had done. And most importantly, it didn''t seem to drain Arthur''s life force. Arthur looked too relaxed as he held the sword. This was a far cry from how Village Head Fan looked whenever he used Durandal. Popping veins and reddened eyes were the features that showed themselves whenever Village Head Fan used Durandal. But Arthur seemed to be spared from that.


    "There''s something he''s hiding," Frowning Tiger realized. If the sword was dangerous for everyone, Village Head Fan wouldn''t have given it to Arthur. But the very fact that he did meant that he was confident that his son would be fine. This could only mean that Village Head Fan was keeping some things away from them.


    "Well that doesn''t matter now," Frowning Tiger thought to himself. He didn''t dwell on it. If Head Fan didn''t want to tell him, then so be it. It wasn''t obligatory for the man to tell him his secrets.


    "Die!"


    Along with his shout, Arthur''s figure flashed several times as he took out several beasts. Low Class, Middle Class, and even the High Class Large Ironclad Earthworms were killed swiftly. Within seconds, the area around Arthur and Samoa was filled with the corpses of dead beasts. Looking at the gallant figure of Arthur standing in front of Samoa like a formidable fortress that no one could pass, Frowning Tiger subconsciously let out a smile.


    "He has grown," he admitted.


    When the boy held that sword, he wasn''t a newly promoted Predator. He wasn''t a young Lion, for he was no lion cub. He was a fully grown Lion, with strength exceeding a Tiger''s. He was worthy of his domineering title. Frowning Tiger could see this. The Thrashers, and all other fighters could see this. The Magical Beasts that were stepping back fearfully due to the overwhelming pressure Arthur was radiating could feel this. And Rash Tiger who was an expert when it came to boosting morale could see this, and he wasn''t going to waste this opportunity.


    "Do you see this?! The son of Village Head Fan holds the mantle of his father!" Rash Tiger smashed an escaping creature to bits and screamed at the top of his voice. His words reached every corner of the battlefield, and even those within the Central Demarcation Line could hear it.


    "Gaze upon his magnificent figure and bask in his glory. Can you feel his strength coursing through your veins?!" He screamed enthusiastically.


    "We can!!!"


    Came the similarly enthusiastic voices of the excited warriors.


    "He is surprisingly smart in times like these," Frowning Tiger smirked seeing that Rash Tiger was using this opportunity to boost the morale of their troops.


    "This is our future chief. The one who would lead us in the future! But he is here to lead us now!"


    As the beasts were falling back in fear, the warriors slowly regrouped, standing closer to each other and falling behind Frowning Tiger, Rash Tiger, and Arthur. Rash Tiger pointed at the shirtless figure of Arthur who looked even more imposing without any armor on and continued his heartfelt speech.


    "This is the one who disdains these beasts, so much so that he doesn''t even see the need to wear any armor!"


    All of a sudden, Arthur''s defenseless figure grew even grander in the sight of everyone.


    "THIS¡­IS¡­DURANDAL!!!!!"


    "YEAHHHH!!!"

 Chapter 289 - We Fight

    Surrounded by the energetic voices of his father''s men, Arthur finally took a step forward. The aura of dominance that was radiated from his body increased with that one step. The creatures that had arrived at the village so eagerly only a few moments before, now looked on fearfully. Arthur took a simple step. He just put one foot in front of the other, yet to them it was like a hill had suddenly grown into a mountain, and the pressure they felt was insane. Like trained soldiers with impeccable coordination, every single beast took a step backwards. It didn''t matter if it was a Middle or Low Class Magical Beast. Every single one of them took a step back. Even the Large Ironclad Earthworms, the first group of High Class Magical Beasts to arrive, couldn''t help but tremble at the aura of the one who stood before them. They also slid back.


    The fighters watched what was happening with excitement. This was the aura of a ruler! This was the power of one destined to be a leader. With a single step all the beasts took a step back. Their blood boiled and their bodies screamed in ecstasy. Never had they been this pumped for a fight. No. Some of the older ones had experienced this before. It was the same with the one who led their village. It was the same with the boy''s father. Whenever he stood before them, this was how they felt. As they gazed upon Arthur''s figure, several of those belonging to the older generation could see his father''s shadow hovering over him. Village Head Fan wasn''t here, but his son was. And the effect of having this young man here was almost identical to having Village Head Fan here, if not better.


    From a remote corner of the battlefield, Village Head Fan watched the towering figure of his son with tears in his eyes. He had never felt prouder. He arrived with Arthur, but he chose to remain hidden. It wasn''t a decision made for no good reason. Rather, when his son picked up Durandal, he could feel the two resonate, and a sense of majesty that was even greater than his radiated from the boy he had locked up in the village all these years. Feeling the power that palpated so loudly and rang so resoundingly in his ears, Village Head Fan knew at that moment that his son was complete. The warrior Durandal was wielding the sword Durandal, and they accepted each other.


    Village Head Fan didn''t quite understand it, but he felt that the reason why Arthur became so overpowered after receiving Durandal was because of him. He couldn''t explain it. It was a gut feeling rather than anything else.


    What Village Head Fan didn''t know was that he was right. It was indeed because of him that Arthur had grown so powerful upon receiving Durandal. Durandal wasn''t called a demon sword because it was used to slay demons. Every sword could slay demons. You just have to slice their heads off. It was given its name because it drained whomever it killed. When Durandal kills someone, the sword grows stronger. It was this kind of insane growth that led to its moniker. The stronger the prey, the more powerful Durandal becomes. And when it finally gained a master, all this power is transferred to him/her.


    Village Head Fan had only resorted to using Durandal whenever he came across situations that were beyond his control. So though he had only resorted to using it a few times, each time he used the blade, the enemies that fell to it were all excellent nutrition for Durandal. Village Head Fan shouldn''t have been able to use Durandal, but because of Caliburn, this restriction was lifted. Unfortunately, because he wasn''t its true partner, the sword drained his life force whenever he used it, treating him like a snack to satisfy itself. Usually, the new owner of Durandal would have to do what every other owner did: become a Predator and kill strong preys to gradually strengthen Durandal. The power was constantly passed to the owner, so by the time it was ready to receive a new partner, it would have been drained. Although it would be stronger than it was before, it wouldn''t be as much as it was now.


    But since Village Head Fan wasn''t its owner, everything was acc.u.mulated, and his own power was included. So when he gave the sword to Arthur, this power that had been gathered all these years was slowly passed to the boy. Since Arthur was its partner, Durandal was gentle with the power it was handing over, and didn''t give everything at once. If it did that, Arthur wouldn''t be able to handle the sudden increase and would break down. So it slowly transferred the power to him. All the power it had gathered in the hands of his father, plus a small portion the majestic power of Caliburn it siphoned from Village Head Fan made it a powerful weapon. Even now, Arthur''s aura was slowly increasing. And he would only get stronger.


    Destiny is a funny thing. All his life Village Head Fan tried to keep his son away from the battlefield. All his life he kept the boy cooped up, preferring to leave him in the dark about the affairs of the village and the trials that were definitely going to come. Yet today he had let the boy go. He had returned Durandal to its owner. His son now stood here, on what was possibly the biggest stage either of them had ever been on, full of power and pride.


    "Go ahead. I would lie in the shadows and wait for that Pseudo Legendary Magical Beast."


    Village Head Fan whispered to himself. He judged that Arthur was currently strong enough to deal with even the Mythic Class Magical Beasts, so although he was a bit worried, he still made this decision. Plus Arthur denied his plan when he said he wanted go out into the battlefield and draw out the Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast. Usually, Village Head Fan would just beat him into submission (unconsciousness) and do things his way. But the current situation made that unfavorable. Besides, Arthur''s current strength made it impossible for Village Head Fan to beat him as easily as he did before. They were still arguing about who would go when Arthur saw that Samoa was in danger and rushed in to help. Village Head Fan almost went after him, but his last shred of reasoning informed him that as the Head of the Village, he had to be more prudent. So automatically, he was the one to stay behind. He was still a tad worried, but seeing Arthur''s performance comforted him. His boy was strong; very strong.


    "Now we just have to wait until it appears" Village Head Fan thought silently and hid himself once more.


    "His aura is growing. Is he somehow getting stronger as he fights?" Frowning Tiger said, stunned by what he was seeing. His apprentice''s aura kept growing, and it didn''t show any signs of stopping.


    "It seems so. Right now, he''s stronger than both you and me. I doubt any of the Tigers can compare to him now. Maybe only his father is his match"


    Rash Tiger had a broad smile on his face as he spoke. Having a powerhouse capable of changing the tides of battle appear in moments like these was always welcome.


    "You are right. He isn''t a Lion Cub anymore" Frowning Tiger assented.


    "Yeah. He''s a full grown Lion now" Rash Tiger laughed. Although Arthur''s sudden strength gain was abnormal, it didn''t change the fact that he was a powerful Lion now. Frowning Tiger couldn''t help but wonder if he could refer to the boy as his apprentice anymore.


    "Not a Lion," Frowning Tiger suddenly smiled.


    "Oh? Then what?" Rash Tiger asked, perplexed.


    "He is what you just referred to him as"


    "He is Durandal" Frowning Tiger smirked. He knew just how embarrassed his student was by that name. So it was a bit funny that that was what everyone was shouting out now.


    "That he is" Rash Tiger laughed boisterously. "Oh look. Samoa is okay now" Rash Tiger suddenly stated and pointed at the figure sitting behind Arthur. It was because of this man that Arthur didn''t dare to engage the enemy forces.


    Samoa slowly stood up and patted Arthur on the shoulder to show that he was fine. The Healing Balm was as effective as the rumors said it was. His bruise didn''t hurt any longer and the purple patch was slowly disappearing. He covered his shoulder and fastened his armor. And then he said only one thing to his battle thirsty friend.


    "Go"


    Like an arrow released from a bowstring, Arthur dashed forward with speed that even exceeded Blistering Cheetah''s. Before the Magical Beasts could understand what was happening, Arthur was already in their midst.


    *Whish*


    With a single swing of his sword, several heads came off. It didn''t matter if they were Low, Middle, or High Class Magical Beasts. That single swipe had taken the lives of countless beasts of very differing strengths. Arthur''s power didn''t discriminate. It took the life of any and all it deemed as enemies.


    Durandal was swung again, and several bodies were cut into two. Some were decapitated, others were sliced apart like bread slices. A few more were cut into several chunks. With just two moves, Arthur struck fear into the hearts of the Magical Beasts. And it all happened in less than a second. In fact, only Frowning Tiger and Rash Tiger could make out the number of sword swings. And even they had a hard time keeping up with Arthur.


    There was silence for a while. And then there was chaos. The Magical Beasts scattered in several directions. Panic could be seen in the eyes of those who possessed eyes, and fear was the new currency. This demon who appeared caused them the same dread they felt whenever they faced a peak Mythic Class Magical Beast. They could feel that this wasn''t something they could contend with.


    Seeing the escaping beasts, Frowning Tiger and Rash Tiger had glints in their eyes. They dashed towards the High Class Magical Beasts who were too panicked to defend themselves and started a slaughter. Soon, every fighter was involved. In their fear, the Magical Beasts were much easier to kill than usual. Added to the charisma that Arthur possessed and his power that had pumped the fighters full of adrenaline, the Magical Beasts were killed swiftly. Soon, there was nothing in sight.


    "Durandal!"


    "Durandal!"


    "Durandal!"


    "Durandal!"


    "Durandal!"


    "Durandal!"


    "Durandal!"


    It was unknown who started it. But before long, this title rang across the battlefield. The first zone had killed the first wave of beasts, and the other zones didn''t have to even get involved in the main battle. Sure there were bound to be beasts that strayed and took other paths. After all that was what the other zones were built for. But the main group had been handled. And this was all because of the man who stood at the forefront.


    "ROAR"


    Suddenly, a loud roar resounded. The roar was majestic and powerful. It was so mighty that the cheers stopped instinctively. Fear spread into the hearts of all who heard it, and their elation was quickly wiped away.


    "That''s it" Frowning Tiger whispered. That roar terrified even him, a Tiger. This was beyond the capabilities of a Mythic Class Magical Beast. This was¡­


    "The Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast. It is coming." Rash Tiger said. He put his hand to his c.h.e.s.t and felt his beating heart. It was running much faster than it usually would. His rapidly galloping heart was felt through his fingers. It was a feeling he hadn''t experienced since he became a Tiger. And he knew that only one being could induce such an emotion.


    *Clink*


    Suddenly, the sound of a bell reached the ears of everyone. This sound dispelled the fear that was brought by the Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast. Like water in a patched land, this sound refreshed the souls of all who heard it and made them whole again. Their immobile bodies found strength, and their faces which were flushed with fear regained their former color. They looked to the source of their strength and saw him.


    Durandal was his title. He stood far ahead of the rest. Around him were several corpses of a myriad of beasts, and the sword he held glowed red. The ringing sound came from his sword. It was the result of knocking it lightly on the ground. Yet that simple action was why they could still stand. That simple clank was why they could and would fight.


    Arthur didn''t say anything. He wasn''t eloquent like Rash Tiger or Samoa. After all, his master was Frowning Tiger. And the man wasn''t exactly known for his impressive war speeches. But Arthur didn''t need to say anything. He struck his sword against the ground again and again. The countless clanking sounds resonated with his people. And soon, everyone was striking his/her weapon against the ground. Together, their auras melded, and they became one. Together they felt the weight of their task, but they were undaunted. No one knew when, but soon the other zones had reunited with the first zone, and everyone stood behind Arthur. It was as if they knew that there would be no other place to protect from that moment on, other than this place.


    Finally, the ground started shaking again. This was the sign that the second horde was coming. The stronger the shaking got, the louder the weapons were clanked.


    Soon they could make out the mighty figures of High and Mythic Class Beasts approaching. Arthur gazed at them, his eyes unmoved by their mighty figures. He simply raised his sword. The red Durandal was particularly blinding under the sunlight, and everyone could make it out. The clanking ceased, and they all raised their weapons in solidarity. Slowly, Arthur''s lips parted, and he said the simplest words that had ever been said by a leader on a battlefield. But the response was unlike any other.


    "We fight"


    "OHHHH!!!!!!"

 Chapter 290 - Reaper

    Even after unleashing the strange energy, Arthur was still full of strength. The well of power in his body increased in capacity and grew a bit bigger, meaning that it could take a lot more and do a lot more. Under the stunned expressions of all the fighters who had never seen something like that before, Arthur continued his rampage.


    It had only been a few seconds, yet several Magical Beasts, four Mythic Classes included had fallen. The Predators and Thrashers felt their blood boil as they dashed into the crowd of beasts.


    Frowning Tiger deftly evaded the claw of a Mythic Class Magical Beast thrusted viciously with his sword. The beast was fast, but it lost a limb whilst trying to evade the blow meant for its head. However, as if that meant nothing, it pounced on Frowning Tiger and opened its mouth wide. Like a cannon, it blasted a blue energy ball from its mouth towards Frowning Tiger. But Frowning Tiger was prepared. He twisted his body strangely and employed a strange set of footwork. His figure disappeared, and he reappeared right behind the creature. He swung his sword, intent of decapitating the beast.


    Suddenly, his movements slowed down, and the beast quickly jumped away. But Frowning Tiger was unfazed.


    "Energy blast. Cool time: 3 minutes. Gravity Manipulation. Cool time: 5 minutes. Simultaneously using these abilities leads to a 15 seconds period of weakness. You are out of tricks."


    The Magical Beast was unsettled by Frowning Tiger''s calm demeanor. It didn''t understand what he was saying, but as a Mythic Class, it possessed a high level of intelligence. So it knew that something was wrong. It tried to escape, but Frowning Tiger was having none of that. The Tiger fished out a dagger from his clothes and flung it at the fleeing beast. Its speed was slower and it was currently weaker, so the dagger lodged itself into its head with little issue.


    "There are only about 15 Mythic Classes left, yet it still hasn''t shown itself"


    After killing the Mythic Class Magical Beast, Frowning Tiger did a quick headcount. Arthur alone had taken down four Mythic Class Magical Beasts in a flash. Frowning Tiger had killed two. Rash Tiger had killed one and was currently embroiled with another. However, the beast he was facing had been heavily injured by Rash Tiger''s brute power and would die soon. Every Predator had killed at least one Mythic Class and several High Classes, and two Tigers, other than Frowning Tiger and Rash Tiger had killed five collectively. It wasn''t a surprise seeing that they were the strongest Tigers in the village and ranked above both Rash Tiger and Frowning Tiger.


    There weren''t minor human loses either. Out of the 19 Predators, two had died under the besiegement of a company of Mythic Class Magical Beasts, and three were injured. The injured Predators were carried out of the battlefield by a Snake under the protection of a Tiger. This meant that there were only 12 Predators currently engaged with the beasts. The Thrashers weren''t spared from the damage either. As beings weaker than Predators, they could handle a High Class Magical Beast. But the flurry of High Classes that roamed the battlefield meant that they had to work as a unit. However, even when working together, several of them were still injured and out of the 74 (Samoa was not included), 20 had died. The injured ones slowly made their way to the back of the fighters underneath the cover of arrows Samoa and his men provided. Although the arrows didn''t have enough power to pierce the hides of the Magical Beasts, they did their job; which was to be nuisances.


    However, the damage report could have been much lengthier if it wasn''t for Arthur. The power the boy wielded was equal to his father''s, if not greater. And he seemed to get stronger with every swing. But the real factor here was the morale boost he provided for the troops. Village Head Fan was strong. It had been long since anyone saw him in action, but it was an undisputed fact that he was the strongest the village had to offer. If he was the one leading the line, he would probably garner the same reaction Arthur did. Probably.


    But the men would still get tired. The stamina of a man could never compare to the stamina of a Magical Beast. Even Middle Class Magical Beasts had greater stamina than Thrashers who weren''t Stamina Types. So the men would still get tired.


    Yet under Arthur''s lead they fought like men on drugs; without exhaustion, and with very little to be afraid of. It was an adrenal rush that was created by seeing the son of the village''s strongest, prove his worth. Seeing someone they had never seen battle before fighting with the same power his father held, if not greater power even, lifted their spirits. And knowing that Village Head Fan had yet to show himself gave them hope.


    No one even dared to think that Village Head Fan wasn''t coming. They knew that wasn''t possible. He was powerful, and no beast on the battlefield had the capacity to tie him down. Plus everyone knew just how much he doted on Arthur. There was no way he would abandon his son. This meant that the strongest warrior they had had yet to show himself. Knowing that one had an additional card to play ¨C a trump card at that ¨C was always great for morale and a confidence booster.


    *Boom*


    Frowning Tiger swiveled to the direction of the loud blast. Although the battlefield was noisy, that blast was particularly loud. Everyone heard it. What he saw would be etched into his brain for as long as he lived.


    A large shadow shaped like a cat made an entrance. It was rare beast known as a Shadow Leopard. The Shadow Leopard was a Mythic Class Magical Beast with spectacular strength. It was at the peak of power among Mythic Classes, and didn''t really have any equals. They were as rare as they were mighty, and no one, even Tigers, would want to face them on the battlefield.


    The large Shadow Leopard surveyed the battlefield with an arrogant gaze. The battlefield was chaotic, yet it sauntered through the mob of beasts like it was in its playground. Its dark fur stood out, and its blue eyes were full of disdain for the beasts that fell under the sword of men. Wherever it went, the beasts instinctively made way for it. It didn''t matter if they were High or Mythic Classes. All of them gave way. That was how mighty this creature was.


    *Roar*


    It gave a mighty roar full of prestige, and every beast engaged in battle, irrespective of their positions ¨C be it under a disadvantage or in total control ¨C backed off. Quickly, they all retreated behind the Shadow Leopard.


    "Absolute Majesty" Frowning Tiger frowned when he saw this. The Shadow Leopard was blessed with two abilities. But they were both crazy strong.


    The first ability was what it had just employed ¨C Absolute Majesty. The Shadow Leopard was a beast blessed by nature itself. It had a grandeur that other Mythic Classes didn''t have, and it was born as a weaker Mythic Class Magical Beast. This meant that even Shadow Leopard Cubs were qualified Mythic Classes!


    Absolute Majesty was a rare skill that any beast would and did envy. It allowed Shadow Leopards to command other beasts of different species! This was a cheat-like ability, and although it had a long cooldown duration, it didn''t change the fact that it was a great ability. Because of this ability, some called the Shadow Leopard the Magical Beast that was meant to rule. In fact, many argued that if the Legendary Winged Serpent had been a Legendary Shadow Leopard instead, then humankind would have been killed off.


    The Shadow Leopard stared at Arthur with its blue eyes. Those beautiful eyes carried a sense of dread. It could feel Arthur''s aura, and knew that this human was the largest threat to it. Even after weighing its chances of winning, it wasn''t confident. But it felt that if it could consume the strong human, it would grow vastly stronger. So it did something exceedingly cruel.


    *Rip*


    The figure of the Shadow Leopard disappeared, and under the astonished gazes of the fighters, it began to slaughter the Magical Beasts.


    "What is it doing," Rash Tiger asked, stunned like everyone else.


    "Not good!" Samoa suddenly exclaimed.


    "What is it," Frowning Tiger shouted. His voice traveled across the battlefield and dug deeply into Samoa''s ears.


    "It must be stopped! It''s trying to grow stronger by assimilating the abilities of the other beasts!" At Samoa''s words, everyone felt their blood run cold. In only a few seconds, 3 Mythic Class Magical Beasts had been killed. The skill Absolute Majesty was still in effect, and made them defenseless. So they were easily torn apart by the Shadow Leopard, as their bodies turned into black smoke that was inhaled by the cruel beast.


    The Shadow Leopard was so rare that many didn''t know about its second skill. Even Frowning Tiger didn''t. But Samoa did. Its first ability was spectacular already, but its second ability was even more heaven defying.


    Assimilate


    That was its second ability. The Shadow Leopard could assimilate the remains of any creature it killed into itself, increasing its strength. That was why it could grow to be so powerful. As long as it killed any beast, their power would become its. This made it difficult to discern the abilities of a Shadow Leopard. The one ability each of them possessed was their speed. They were so fast that even Cheetah''s had a hard time keeping up with them! Apart from that, every other ability was gained from whatever beasts they killed.


    Blistering Cheetah dashed forward. Behind him, the other members of his team rushed towards the leopard. They were the fastest, so they wanted to intercept the beast and hold it off long enough for the others to join. Arthur didn''t stay idle either. He propelled himself forward as well. However, he was far away from the main group because he had detached himself from them during the fight. In his frenzied slaughter, he had slowly distanced himself from them, and now the closest to the leopard were Blistering Cheetah and his team.

 Chapter 291 - Shadow Leopard

    Even after unleashing the strange energy, Arthur was still full of strength. The well of power in his body increased in capacity and grew a bit bigger, meaning that it could take a lot more and do a lot more. Under the stunned expressions of all the fighters who had never seen something like that before, Arthur continued his rampage.


    It had only been a few seconds, yet several Magical Beasts, four Mythic Classes included had fallen. The Predators and Thrashers felt their blood boil as they dashed into the crowd of beasts.


    Frowning Tiger deftly evaded the claw of a Mythic Class Magical Beast thrusted viciously with his sword. The beast was fast, but it lost a limb whilst trying to evade the blow meant for its head. However, as if that meant nothing, it pounced on Frowning Tiger and opened its mouth wide. Like a cannon, it blasted a blue energy ball from its mouth towards Frowning Tiger. But Frowning Tiger was prepared. He twisted his body strangely and employed a strange set of footwork. His figure disappeared, and he reappeared right behind the creature. He swung his sword, intent of decapitating the beast.


    Suddenly, his movements slowed down, and the beast quickly jumped away. But Frowning Tiger was unfazed.


    "Energy blast. Cool time: 3 minutes. Gravity Manipulation. Cool time: 5 minutes. Simultaneously using these abilities leads to a 15 seconds period of weakness. You are out of tricks."


    The Magical Beast was unsettled by Frowning Tiger''s calm demeanor. It didn''t understand what he was saying, but as a Mythic Class, it possessed a high level of intelligence. So it knew that something was wrong. It tried to escape, but Frowning Tiger was having none of that. The Tiger fished out a dagger from his clothes and flung it at the fleeing beast. Its speed was slower and it was currently weaker, so the dagger lodged itself into its head with little issue.


    "There are only about 15 Mythic Classes left, yet it still hasn''t shown itself"


    After killing the Mythic Class Magical Beast, Frowning Tiger did a quick headcount. Arthur alone had taken down four Mythic Class Magical Beasts in a flash. Frowning Tiger had killed two. Rash Tiger had killed one and was currently embroiled with another. However, the beast he was facing had been heavily injured by Rash Tiger''s brute power and would die soon. Every Predator had killed at least one Mythic Class and several High Classes, and two Tigers, other than Frowning Tiger and Rash Tiger had killed five collectively. It wasn''t a surprise seeing that they were the strongest Tigers in the village and ranked above both Rash Tiger and Frowning Tiger.


    There weren''t minor human loses either. Out of the 19 Predators, two had died under the besiegement of a company of Mythic Class Magical Beasts, and three were injured. The injured Predators were carried out of the battlefield by a Snake under the protection of a Tiger. This meant that there were only 12 Predators currently engaged with the beasts. The Thrashers weren''t spared from the damage either. As beings weaker than Predators, they could handle a High Class Magical Beast. But the flurry of High Classes that roamed the battlefield meant that they had to work as a unit. However, even when working together, several of them were still injured and out of the 74 (Samoa was not included), 20 had died. The injured ones slowly made their way to the back of the fighters underneath the cover of arrows Samoa and his men provided. Although the arrows didn''t have enough power to pierce the hides of the Magical Beasts, they did their job; which was to be nuisances.


    However, the damage report could have been much lengthier if it wasn''t for Arthur. The power the boy wielded was equal to his father''s, if not greater. And he seemed to get stronger with every swing. But the real factor here was the morale boost he provided for the troops. Village Head Fan was strong. It had been long since anyone saw him in action, but it was an undisputed fact that he was the strongest the village had to offer. If he was the one leading the line, he would probably garner the same reaction Arthur did. Probably.


    But the men would still get tired. The stamina of a man could never compare to the stamina of a Magical Beast. Even Middle Class Magical Beasts had greater stamina than Thrashers who weren''t Stamina Types. So the men would still get tired.


    Yet under Arthur''s lead they fought like men on drugs; without exhaustion, and with very little to be afraid of. It was an adrenal rush that was created by seeing the son of the village''s strongest, prove his worth. Seeing someone they had never seen battle before fighting with the same power his father held, if not greater power even, lifted their spirits. And knowing that Village Head Fan had yet to show himself gave them hope.


    No one even dared to think that Village Head Fan wasn''t coming. They knew that wasn''t possible. He was powerful, and no beast on the battlefield had the capacity to tie him down. Plus everyone knew just how much he doted on Arthur. There was no way he would abandon his son. This meant that the strongest warrior they had had yet to show himself. Knowing that one had an additional card to play ¨C a trump card at that ¨C was always great for morale and a confidence booster.


    *Boom*


    Frowning Tiger swiveled to the direction of the loud blast. Although the battlefield was noisy, that blast was particularly loud. Everyone heard it. What he saw would be etched into his brain for as long as he lived.


    A large shadow shaped like a cat made an entrance. It was rare beast known as a Shadow Leopard. The Shadow Leopard was a Mythic Class Magical Beast with spectacular strength. It was at the peak of power among Mythic Classes, and didn''t really have any equals. They were as rare as they were mighty, and no one, even Tigers, would want to face them on the battlefield.


    The large Shadow Leopard surveyed the battlefield with an arrogant gaze. The battlefield was chaotic, yet it sauntered through the mob of beasts like it was in its playground. Its dark fur stood out, and its blue eyes were full of disdain for the beasts that fell under the sword of men. Wherever it went, the beasts instinctively made way for it. It didn''t matter if they were High or Mythic Classes. All of them gave way. That was how mighty this creature was.


    *Roar*


    It gave a mighty roar full of prestige, and every beast engaged in battle, irrespective of their positions ¨C be it under a disadvantage or in total control ¨C backed off. Quickly, they all retreated behind the Shadow Leopard.


    "Absolute Majesty" Frowning Tiger frowned when he saw this. The Shadow Leopard was blessed with two abilities. But they were both crazy strong.


    The first ability was what it had just employed ¨C Absolute Majesty. The Shadow Leopard was a beast blessed by nature itself. It had a grandeur that other Mythic Classes didn''t have, and it was born as a weaker Mythic Class Magical Beast. This meant that even Shadow Leopard Cubs were qualified Mythic Classes!


    Absolute Majesty was a rare skill that any beast would and did envy. It allowed Shadow Leopards to command other beasts of different species! This was a cheat-like ability, and although it had a long cooldown duration, it didn''t change the fact that it was a great ability. Because of this ability, some called the Shadow Leopard the Magical Beast that was meant to rule. In fact, many argued that if the Legendary Winged Serpent had been a Legendary Shadow Leopard instead, then humankind would have been killed off.


    The Shadow Leopard stared at Arthur with its blue eyes. Those beautiful eyes carried a sense of dread. It could feel Arthur''s aura, and knew that this human was the largest threat to it. Even after weighing its chances of winning, it wasn''t confident. But it felt that if it could consume the strong human, it would grow vastly stronger. So it did something exceedingly cruel.


    *Rip*


    The figure of the Shadow Leopard disappeared, and under the astonished gazes of the fighters, it began to slaughter the Magical Beasts.


    "What is it doing," Rash Tiger asked, stunned like everyone else.


    "Not good!" Samoa suddenly exclaimed.


    "What is it," Frowning Tiger shouted. His voice traveled across the battlefield and dug deeply into Samoa''s ears.


    "It must be stopped! It''s trying to grow stronger by assimilating the abilities of the other beasts!" At Samoa''s words, everyone felt their blood run cold. In only a few seconds, 3 Mythic Class Magical Beasts had been killed. The skill Absolute Majesty was still in effect, and made them defenseless. So they were easily torn apart by the Shadow Leopard, as their bodies turned into black smoke that was inhaled by the cruel beast.


    The Shadow Leopard was so rare that many didn''t know about its second skill. Even Frowning Tiger didn''t. But Samoa did. Its first ability was spectacular already, but its second ability was even more heaven defying.


    Assimilate


    That was its second ability. The Shadow Leopard could assimilate the remains of any creature it killed into itself, increasing its strength. That was why it could grow to be so powerful. As long as it killed any beast, their power would become its. This made it difficult to discern the abilities of a Shadow Leopard. The one ability each of them possessed was their speed. They were so fast that even Cheetah''s had a hard time keeping up with them! Apart from that, every other ability was gained from whatever beasts they killed.


    Blistering Cheetah dashed forward. Behind him, the other members of his team rushed towards the leopard. They were the fastest, so they wanted to intercept the beast and hold it off long enough for the others to join. Arthur didn''t stay idle either. He propelled himself forward as well. However, he was far away from the main group because he had detached himself from them during the fight. In his frenzied slaughter, he had slowly distanced himself from them, and now the closest to the leopard were Blistering Cheetah and his team.

 Chapter 292 - Injury

    Blistering Cheetah was the first to get there. He avoided the assault of two Mythic Classes and lashed at the Shadow Leopard with a powerful kick. He knew he wasn''t strong enough to deal with the creature alone. So all he wanted to do was to hold it off until support arrived.


    *Whoosh*


    The Shadow Leopard danced midair and avoided Blistering Cheetah''s kick. Although the speed of that kick was inhumane, the Shadow Leopard had very little problem evading it. It dived beyond Blistering Cheetah and pulled the head off another Mythic Class. The creature turned to dust immediately and was inhaled into the belly of the Shadow Leopard.


    Blistering Cheetah''s eyes flashed with a cruel light, and the Predator turned and slashed at the Shadow Leopard with deadly precision. This time, the beast didn''t dare to be careless. It jumped away from Blistering Cheetah with some weariness, abandoning the other Mythic Class it was going for.


    Suddenly, an intense feeling of danger assaulted Blistering Cheetah''s senses. Even without turning back, he dashed to the left to evade the powerful swipe of a large paw.


    *Rip*


    Blistering Cheetah pushed down the blood that threatened to force itself out of his mouth and swallowed it down. The burning feeling from his back caused him a great deal of pain, but he knew that he couldn''t afford to be careless now. The creature that attacked him was another Mythic Class Beast. The creature stared at him with menacing eyes. Its eyes were no longer hazy, a sign that the effects of the skill Absolute Majesty of the Shadow Leopard, had finally worn off. It was furious that the Shadow Leopard tried to consume them through that method, but its instincts warned it that pursuing the matter would only lead to death. So it transferred its fury onto the human in front of it.


    It jumped at Blistering Cheetah and hacked powerfully with its sharpened claws.


    *Whoosh*


    Blistering Cheetah deftly avoided the attack by ducking, and then he pierced towards the belly of the Mythic Class Magical Beast with a face full of fury.


    *Poof*


    His blade found its target and ruthlessly tore into the body of the beast which howled in pain. It slapped its powerful paws towards Blistering Cheetah''s face with a hint of savage viciousness in its eyes. Blistering Cheetah didn''t hesitate to abandon his blade and jump back. But immediately he jumped back, effectively avoiding the blow, he dashed forward again and rammed into the Mythic Class Magical Beast. It howled in even greater agony as the sword that was struck in its belly was lodged deeper into its body. But its screams were quickly cut off when its head was sent flying through the air.


    "We must fall back until the others get here," stated the Mongoose who had decapitated the Mythic Class. The other Cheetahs were fending off multiple attacks from Mythic and High Classes. Because they had rushed here, they were a fair bit ahead of the main group. The closest person to them was Arthur. But the beasts were attacking relentlessly. They weren''t going to last long.


    Blistering Cheetah bit his tongue to cancel the dizzy spell that threatened to pull him into the sweet embrace of unconsciousness. He couldn''t afford to be careless. He quickly gave the order for them to retreat.


    "Fall back," he informed his teammates, and they disappeared from their positions and appeared next to him.


    "You should stay in the centre," the Mongoose advised. He looked at Blistering Cheetah''s wound with a worried expression. The other Cheetah''s were just as worried. On Blistering Cheetah''s back was a long gush. The leather armor that was made from the hide of a Mythic Class, had been destroyed, and was drenched in blood. It was a sizable wound. And it needed to be treated fast.


    Blistering Cheetah gritted his teeth as he watched his compatriots defend against the attacks of the Magical Beasts. Cheetahs and Mongooses weren''t best at defending. They fought by relying on their explosive speed and agility to deal with their enemies, so staying at one place was always a disadvantage for them. But because of him that was exactly what they were doing. In only a few seconds, the sword of one of the Cheetahs was knocked away, and his head was taken off cleanly by the opportunistic Shadow Leopard. The sly beast had been lying in wait, just waiting for an opportunity to strike.


    It wasn''t going to give up the chance to feed on a Cheetah and improve on its speed. So when that Cheetah was trying his hardest to hold on against two Mythic Classes, the vicious beast took his head off. Blistering Cheetah watched in agony as one of his good friends turned into smoke and was inhaled into the mouth of the Shadow Leopard. Its eyes flashed in ecstasy, seemingly reveling in its newfound strength, or in this case, speed. Then it gazed at Blistering Cheetah with greed through the gap that had opened up in their defense from the death of their teammate. It could tell that Blistering Cheetah was the fastest, and that it would grow a lot faster if it could consume him.


    Blistering Cheetah could only weep silently seeing the death of his friend. He was in so much physical pain that he couldn''t even scream. But the psychological pain from seeing his friend die before his very eyes threatened to break him apart. He stared at the Shadow Leopard with a pair of angry eyes, as the flames of vengeance burned strongly within his c.h.e.s.t.


    Strangely, the Shadow Leopard flashed him a look filled with regret and disappeared from its position. With a flash it reappeared behind the other Mythic Classes, staying away from the battlefield.


    "We can''t hold on much longer," stated the Mongoose as he and the other Cheetah readjusted their positions to cover the hole that had been created in their defense when their comrade died. He deflected the blow of a Mythic Class Magical Beast strenuously as he struggled to keep his footing.


    "You don''t need to."


    Suddenly, the Mythic Class Beast that was assaulting him was split right through the middle and cleaved into two symmetrical parts.


    A red light flashed as the other beasts that were assaulting their small group were sent flying, some weaker ones ¨C mostly the High Classes ¨C died, whereas the stronger beasts only suffered some injuries. The Mongoose sighed in relief when he saw Arthur appear before them. But quickly that relief was replaced by grief.


    "Take Sir Blistering Cheetah out of here," Arthur ordered. The Mongoose looked at the Shadow Leopard with undisguised fury, but he ultimately sighed and nodded his head. He knew just what to prioritize. Besides, he wasn''t a match for the sly beast. He and the other Cheetah carried Blistering Cheetah away from the battlefield under the protection of Arthur.


    "Why did it retreat?" Arthur wondered aloud as he stared unblinkingly at the distant Shadow Leopard. It had the opportunity to take out the injured Blistering Cheetah before he arrived. So why didn''t it take that chance. Arthur didn''t believe that it was because of him. It could have easily finished off Blistering Cheetah before he got there. So he wasn''t a factor here. So why didn''t it do so?


    "My best bet would be that the active period for the skill is over," Frowning Tiger landed right beside Arthur and said.


    "What do you mean Teacher," Arthur asked. Since Arthur''s appearance, the beasts were only staring at the humans wearily, not daring to launch an attack.


    "Hold on," Frowning Tiger stated and then shouted out to Samoa.


    "Samoa. How do the Shadow Leopard''s skills work?!"


    "Absolute Majesty can last for as long as 30 seconds depending on the innate talent of the Shadow Leopard. This one seems to last for about 25 seconds, meaning it''s very talented. The cooldown period is pretty long though ¨C usually 10 minutes."


    "Assimilate is also very powerful. But just like Absolute Majesty, it is an active skill. When activated, it would last for 30 seconds. Within that period, it can consume at most 30 High Class Beasts, or 5 Mythic Class Beasts at once. But it cannot go beyond that. Predators are equal to Mythic Class Beasts, so it''s the same for them. It has a longer cooldown. Assimilate has a cooldown period of 30 minutes"


    Samoa displayed his extensive knowledge on Magical Beasts once again, informing everyone on the battlefield about the abilities of the Shadow Leopard. The eyes of the Shadow Leopard flashed strangely as it gazed at the distant figure of Samoa with a bit of dread. It seemed to understand what had just transpired.


    "So it cannot use those skills anymore for some time," Rash Tiger unstrapped his large axe from his back as he looked at the Shadow Leopard with wrathful eyes. He too, just like everyone else, had seen how it took out one of their own. And his rage wasn''t less than anyone else''s.


    "You aren''t its match," Frowning Tiger shook his head and stopped Rash Tiger from doing anything ''rash''. They couldn''t afford to lose any more people before the Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast showed itself.


    "So we should just watch that bastard run rampant?" Rash Tiger gritted his teeth in frustration.


    "No. Arthur can handle the beast. It seems wary of him. As for you, you can vent your frustrations on the other Mythic Classes. Make them pay for killing our friend." Frowning Tiger''s eyes gleamed dangerously as he swung the sword in his hand. He unsheathed another sword and swung that a few times too.


    "Let''s go." Arthur spoke with cold eyes and rammed into a High Class Magical Beast. The beast burst like a water balloon pierced by an arrow when Arthur smashed into it, and its blood drowned all on the battlefield. Rash Tiger licked the blood off his face with a sickening expression of glee and rage and exclaimed,


    "Kill!"

 Chapter 293 - Domineering Tiger and Beastly Tiger

    *Boom*


    *Clank*


    *Bang*


    Several stomping and clanking sounds filled the battlefield. Since there were only experts and powerful Magical Beasts left fighting, even a second was enough to determine the outcome of a fight. Almost all the High Class Magical Beasts had been slain, and of the Predators, only Arthur, Frowning Tiger, Rash Tiger, Domineering Tiger and Beast Tiger were left standing. The rest were either injured and had retreated, or dead with the ability to raise a weapon no more.


    The dual wielding swordsman, Frowning Tiger, crossed his swords before him to block the strike of a large Mythic Class Magical Beast.


    *Boom*


    The powerful blow sent him skidding across the battlefield, and he only came to a stop after travelling for over 50 meters. Once he could control himself again, he jumped out of the way like he was avoiding a plague.


    *Boom*


    A powerful paw descended on the ground where Frowning Tiger stood previously, and its force literally split the ground into two.


    Looking at the large crack on the ground, Frowning Tiger was hit with a sense of unease. There were still 5 Mythic Classes left with the exception of the Shadow Leopard. But all of them were powerful in their own right. They were the cream of the crop, and even without the presence of the Shadow Leopard, they were very difficult to deal with.


    "We need to work together," Frowning Tiger suggested something that made two handsome middle aged men frown.


    "We are Tigers. We don''t work together." One of the men stated arrogantly. He avoided the blow of one of the Mythic Classes and struck it with the large hammer he was wielding.


    *Boom*


    The beast was struck by the powerful blow and was knocked several feet into the air. But it twisted its body midair and landed on the ground without any sign of an injury. Rather, the fury in its eyes when it looked at the arrogant middle aged man showed that it was only irritated by his attack.


    "Beastly Tiger is right. You may be the commander here, but your fist has to be bigger than ours to tell us what to do"


    The speaker was the other man who was unimpressed by Frowning Tiger''s suggestion. He was the strongest Tiger in the village, and the one whose pride was large enough to accommodate an entire city were it a dwelling. This man was one of the few people who could defy the orders of Frowning Tiger and get away with it.


    "Domineering Tiger, Beastly Tiger; I know Tigers don''t usually fight together. But under these circ.u.mstances, if we don''t fight as a unit to complement each other, we would fall." Frowning Tiger didn''t show any major reaction to their arrogant remarks. He dashed out of the way to avoid the onslaught of another Mythic Class and put his point across.


    It was true that Tigers didn''t fight together. Frowning Tiger and Rash Tiger banding together for each mission was an anomaly. But even then, they seldom fought as one. It was either one or the other engaged in a battle, not both. So Beastly Tiger''s words were right in a sense. But that was then, and this was now. If they went by such silly principles, they would fall. And if they fell, the village would fall with them. They couldn''t afford to let their pride get in the way of their duties.


    "No circ.u.mstance should change our convictions and cause you to put aside your pride, Frowning Tiger. We would fight as we are." Domineering Tiger was adamant about tradition. He wasn''t going to break his convictions because of the challenge they faced.


    Frowning Tiger sighed in regret. Domineering Tiger was proud, but that wasn''t why he was so bent on fighting on his own. When the man had been declared a Tiger by the oracle, he was unconvinced and couldn''t believe that he didn''t have the destiny of a Lion. Even when the oracle told him that he was destined to be the King of Tigers, the strongest Tiger within the village, he replied thusly:


    "And what good would that do? I may become the King of Tigers, but I would still be weaker than a sickly Lion. They may call me king, but I''d be nothing more than a servant to a Lion"


    His obsession with strength saw him pursue the most dangerous of tasks, seeking to improve under the most strenuous of conditions. To Domineering Tiger, the more dangerous the task, the more pressure he would face and the higher his chances of breaking into the realm of Lions. His pursuit of power wasn''t understood by anyone else but Beastly Tiger.


    If Domineering Tiger was the strongest Tiger in the village, then Beastly Tiger was the second best the village had to offer. He was tenacious and powerful. And his vitality was overwhelming, even rivalling that of tenacious Mythic Classes like the Red Roach Empress. He was someone who loved to battle and believed that as long as he got stronger, he would be able to challenge any creature in the world to a battle. So just like Domineering Tiger, he was obsessed with growing stronger. But his obsession wasn''t as strong as Domineering Tiger''s.


    "This isn''t the time to stick to convictions! We must fight together!" Unlike the calmer Frowning Tiger, the relatively simpler Rash Tiger was enraged by their words. As the 3rd strongest Tiger in the village, he had always been at loggerheads with these two who only pursued strength. To him they were greedy and selfish and only did things for their own interest. He didn''t understand how people who were supposed to protect, we only focused on their own strength, so much so that they were willing to overlook the obvious threat and stick to their ''silly'' beliefs, instead of doing the prudent thing which was to work together.


    "Then you and Frowning Tiger should fight together. You bastards have been partners for as long as I can remember anyway!" Beastly Tiger smashed a High Class Magical Beast to a pulp with his gigantic hammer and spat with disgust.


    Although he and Domineering Tiger were also mission partners, they disdained Rash Tiger and Frowning Tiger who always worked together to accomplish their tasks. As the four strongest Tigers in the village, they weren''t required to team up like the other Predators for missions unless the Village Head told them to. So although Domineering Tiger and Beastly Tiger were partners on paper, they seldom went on missions together. To them, Rash Tiger and Frowning Tiger who were always going on missions together, even though they were the 3rd and 4th strongest respectively, were a disgrace.


    "You!"


    "Rash Tiger that''s enough. If they don''t want to fight as one, they we can only continue to play our parts"


    Unlike Rash Tiger, Frowning Tiger was very calm. Their words weren''t enough to rile him.


    "You truly are a Control Type. You know when to submit" Beastly Tiger blocked the swipe of a Mythic Class Magical Beast and rammed into it with amazing force. The beast was flung backwards by the power of his body ram, but was otherwise unharmed.


    "That''s enough!"


    Suddenly, a thunderous voice reached the ears of the arguing Tigers, and they couldn''t help but flinch. A red shockwave hit the battlefield, and many creatures were sent flying back to reveal the figure within their midst. Arthur stood proudly, his large red sword shining brightly. The Shadow Leopard stood in front of him wearily. It had a few wounds on its back, and its earlier grandeur had been largely destroyed. Arthur wasn''t unscathed either. His back and c.h.e.s.t were littered with scratch marks, and his trousers were torn in some areas. The speed of the Shadow Leopard after consuming the Cheetah had improved largely. Now it was enough to threaten Arthur. It was scary to think what would have happened if it had consumed Blistering Cheetah as well.


    "You shall not disrespect my master!" Along with his comment, the air around Arthur began to spark and sizzle. Under the astonished gaze of everyone, a red aura covered his entire frame, and the boundless fury that was contained within it was transmitted to all.


    *Growl*


    The Shadow Leopard snarled and quickly jumped back. It was only after escaping past the 100 meter mark that it was comforted. That light was scary. It didn''t want to come into contact with it.


    "Did you hear me," Arthur''s low growl infiltrated their protected ears. His voice wasn''t loud like it was when he had blasted creatures away with a shout, but every High Class was blasted into several chunks, and the Mythic Classes stopped their onslaught and sought to escape. It was only after they rejoined the Shadow Leopard that they regained their calm. The Tigers also heard his voice. It wasn''t a plea. It was no request. It was an order!


    "We did," Domineering Tiger uttered with difficulty. Even under the endless barrage of Magical Beasts he didn''t feel this kind of pressure. Yet this young man was radiating an aura so powerful that his knees almost buckled. It was an aura he had only felt once in his life. It was similar to Village Head Fan''s, and that was why he had submitted to Village Head Fan''s control in the first place.


    Beastly Tiger gritted his teeth to withstand the power that was pushing him down. He had a look of defiance on his face. But hearing Domineering Tiger''s words, he bit his lips and nodded his head.


    "That''s enough Arthur," Frowning Tiger sighed, and immediately the mountainous pressure disappeared.


    "Yes Teacher."


    Listening to Arthur''s submissive tone, Domineering Tiger sighed in appreciation and said, "You have a good student." Unlike Beastly Tiger, he didn''t seem offended by Arthur''s show of power. He was rather envious that Frowning Tiger had picked a good student; something he had deemed a waste of time in his quest for power.

 Chapter 294 - A Roaring Entrance - Literally

    "Of course. When it comes to foresight and intelligence, none of you can compare to Frowning Tiger," Rash Tiger smiled triumphantly and gloated. His expression was akin to one who was directly praised for doing some incredible deed, and Beastly Tiger who saw this was annoyed.


    "Why are you boasting like that praise was directed towards you? Is he your student? Are you the one who trained him?"


    Beastly Tiger growled in his menacing voice.


    "No," Rash Tiger shook his head in reply. "But I wonder who it was that said that me and Frowning Tiger do everything together," Rash Tiger smacked his lips and remarked shamelessly. Beastly Tiger almost spat a mouthful of blood in anger. He didn''t think that Rash Tiger would return his words to him and use it as a means to defend his behavior.


    Unlike Beastly Tiger, Domineering Tiger smiled slightly as he listened to the two bicker with each other. This had always been how things were whenever the four got together. Rash Tiger and Frowning Tiger were inseparable; the best of friends. And although Domineering Tiger and Beastly Tiger would never admit it, they were closer to each other than anyone else in the village, or the world for that matter. In other words, they were best friends.


    Their group dynamic was similar to that of Rash Tiger and Frowning Tiger''s. The team of Frowning Tiger and Rash Tiger was a simple one. Frowning Tiger was the intelligent, thoughtful one, and Rash Tiger was the strong, impatient one. Plus, Frowning Tiger was used to handling political affairs, and only then would he show that he possessed some eloquence. Rash Tiger felt politics was too complicated, but was very smart when it came to other affairs. For instance, when it came to manipulating the emotions of others to boost morale or force a surrender, Rash Tiger was the right man for the job. The two had very different strengths, and so made a great team.


    Domineering Tiger and Beastly Tiger were similar in that regard. Domineering Tiger was the intelligent, brooding one, and he didn''t lose out to Frowning Tiger when it came to wit. The major reason why Frowning Tiger handled most of the politics of the Tigers was because Domineering Tiger couldn''t be bothered to do so. However, whenever he was forced to, he displayed knowledge and maturity that didn''t lose out to Frowning Tiger''s. Added to the fact that Frowning Tiger was the personal confidant of Village Head Fan, many pushed Domineering Tiger to the back of the picture whenever it came to issues having to do with governance. But the Predators and Village Head Fan knew what he was capable of.


    Beastly Tiger was similar to Rash Tiger more than anything else. He was just as rash and just as impatient as his Tiger counterpart. He didn''t like to think too much about issues, and usually left complicated things to Domineering Tiger to solve. Do not judge him for his temper tantrums now, for he was usually mild mannered and lovable. He was a person that was usually the life of any party. And he never took traditions seriously. Sound familiar? That was because it was. This was the exact character of Rash Tiger. However, the two groups never got along. Whenever they met, Rash Tiger and Beastly Tiger would bicker continuously like little children, without a shred of dignity.


    In fact, no one without knowledge of who they were, would know they were Tigers if they were to meet them arguing. And most often than not, these arguments exploded into brawls and wrestling contests that left the two men dirty and filthy all over. As for Frowning Tiger and Domineering Tiger, the two could do nothing but watch on with a wry smile. They did occasionally get into arguments due to their very differing opinions on what matters most in life ¨C strength or the human heart. But it was always handled tastefully. As for who believed that strength was more important, and who believed that the human heart took precedence over strength, one could easily guess based on what had been said so far.


    "He is awfully clever in times like these, isn''t he?" Domineering Tiger drew closer to Frowning Tiger and stated. He was referring to Rash Tiger''s clever use of Beastly Tiger''s earlier words against him.


    "Surprisingly. That has always been the basis for their brawls, hasn''t it?" Frowning Tiger smiled wryly and replied. Rash Tiger was ''street'' smart. Because of that, when it came to a war of words, Beastly Tiger always fell short. This was the basis behind their brawls. Since Beastly Tiger couldn''t win when it came to words, he preferred to use his fists. But he wasn''t that much stronger than Rash Tiger, so victory was never assured.


    "What is the tally again," Domineering Tiger scratched his chin and smirked. Since the two Tigers had fought many times, there were bound to be losses and victories.


    "75 to 72 in Beastly Tiger''s favor," Frowning Tiger replied. That was how close the two were in terms of power. Beastly Tiger may be ranked higher than Rash Tiger, but even he, the one famed as a beast, couldn''t handle Rash Tiger in his animalistic nature with certainty.


    "How can you all be so relaxed," Arthur mumbled bitterly as he watched these men who had been his role models growing up, reminisce about the old times whilst they were on the battlefield. At least they were better than the duo who were growling at each other and ready to pounce on each other, almost as if they had forgotten that the job hadn''t been done yet.


    "You''re here, are you not?" Domineering Tiger said words that stunned Frowning Tiger. Arthur didn''t think too much of it, but the effect these words had on Frowning Tiger was immense, and that was because of who had spouted these words.


    "Domineering¡­" Frowning Tiger wanted to say something, but then he only sighed. For Domineering Tiger to say something like this was equivalent to a Magical Beast letting a prey go after hunting it for several years without rest.


    Domineering Tiger''s words were an acknowledgement of Arthur''s strength, and at the same time they were a means of concession. He was basically saying that he wasn''t strong enough to affect the battlefield by himself, and that Arthur was the one who truly held power here. Although he didn''t say that he would fight together with Frowning Tiger and Rash Tiger, the fact that he had drawn closer to his compatriot and said those words, meant that he was going to do so. As far as one knew and understood Domineering Tiger''s character, they would understand what he was implying.


    "Domineering, you can''t be serious," Beastly Tiger also understood what Domineering Tiger was implying, and he found it hard to believe.


    "Beastly, as people who pursue strength before everything else, we should be capable of recognizing higher powers when we come into contact with them and acknowledging that we are weaker. Wasn''t that the reason we followed Village Head Fan?"


    Domineering Tiger waved his hand and said. He wasn''t abandoning his beliefs. He was enforcing them. If he was a pursuer of strength, then he had to know when to accept that another''s fist was bigger. Someone like him would only listen to another who was stronger. Domineering Tiger sought to remind Beastly Tiger that he shouldn''t forget that they followed Village Head Fan exactly because he was stronger than them.


    "You are right. The fact that he is a v.i.r.g.i.n boy doesn''t mean we shouldn''t show him the respect his strength warrants." Beastly Tiger nodded his head with an innocent look on his face. He didn''t forget to slap Arthur''s face whilst he was at it.


    Arthur''s lips twitched when he heard the ''v.i.r.g.i.n boy'' comments. But he didn''t have any other reaction. He understood that the main reason Beastly Tiger found it so hard to accept his leadership was because he was so young. The fact that Arthur had such strength at a young age was a bitter feeling in the mouth of this Tiger who made chasing after strength his major agenda for as long as he could remember. It wasn''t easy to swallow one''s pride and listen to a boy you had seen grow up, just because he was now stronger than you. And Arthur understood this. But because of Beastly Tiger''s ''v.i.r.g.i.n'' comment, Arthur''s initial plan to tell them that he was only did strong because of the sword, was tossed outside the window. He was understanding, but that didn''t mean that he didn''t have a hint of pettiness in him.


    Rash Tiger also had a look of surprise on his face, but it was quickly replaced by respect and admiration.


    "You truly are worthy of being the King of Tigers. Only a King knows when to make concessions for the sake of his people." Rash Tiger''s insightful words made all the Tigers look at him with stunned expressions. They couldn''t believe that something so insightful came from the mouth of someone brash like Rash Tiger.


    "What? I can be smart too." Rash Tiger harrumphed, and the others snickered. Suddenly their expressions changed as a loud roar shook the entire village, and every man and woman who occupied it.


    *ROAR*


    It was a powerful roar, stronger than the Shadow Leopard''s, and filled with a sense of majesty and superiority it just couldn''t match up to. It was the roar of the beast that threatened the strongest forces of the village.


    "The Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast. It is here." Arthur remarked solemnly. Under the cautious gazes of the remaining Tigers, the fearful gazes of the surviving Mythic Classes, and the envious gaze of the Shadow Leopard, a towering figure revealed itself.

 Chapter 295 - His Origins

    The mighty figure that induced dread in them all was a cat-like creature. It was the largest creature that had shown itself yet, towering over 30 feet with jet black fur ¨C or rather it was fair to call its fur scales. For its ''fur'' wasn''t fur anymore. They had mutated into large black scales that covered its entire body. Three large claws extended from each of its huge paws, and its large mouth served as the host to several large and powerful teeth. Although it was so massive, its movement was fluid and wasn''t c.u.mbersome. Sure the earth shook because of its massive weight, but the actual creature wasn''t slow and sluggish like one would expect from such a behemoth. Its confident stride, added to its wicked ''grin'', struck fear into the hearts of the humans left alive to witness its entry.


    "So this is a Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast," Samoa gritted his teeth as sweat run down his back and face profusely. His body shook involuntarily. Although he wasn''t close to the beast, and wasn''t even the one in its line of sight, he could feel the power contained in its stare. The lazy look in its eyes as it regarded all creatures as nothing but nuisances didn''t escape Samoa''s observation that remained largely unperturbed by its entrance. Samoa couldn''t help but tremble as the creature got ever nearer.


    "Such power," the young man exclaimed as he lifted his arms to his face. His arms were shaking like they had been tasked with carrying several thousands of kilograms worth of weight. He couldn''t even hold his blade properly, and it constantly slipped out his hand onto the floor. And every time he tried to pick it up, the task was more difficult than the last.


    He wasn''t the only one facing this predicament. At least he was still able to think and reason after gazing upon the powerful figure of the Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast. The others didn''t have this kind of luck. Many of the men behind him screamed in fear upon seeing the beast and feeling the dreadful strength it contained in its powerful muscles. Some directly abandoned their ranks and tried to flee. Others fell onto their knees helplessly, already throwing in the towel. The few who were able to stand, the few who remained strong despite their shaking frames gritted their teeth and bit their tongues to stop from joining their counterparts. Sweat poured down their bodies like an endless rain as they struggled to keep their footing.


    An unlucky few directly lost their minds and started speaking gibberish. And the luckiest of the bunch collapsed after seeing the beast, not able to withstand the mental strain. Samoa wanted to scream at his men to calm down, but even he was having such a hard time controlling his body and begging it not to fall that he didn''t have time for anything else. He couldn''t even turn his head to thoroughly understand just how bad the situation was. Only the shouting and sounds of falling bodies gave him a clue as to what was going on.


    "Will we be able to survive this," the injured Blistering Cheetah tried to prop himself up and mumbled. Unfortunately he failed to lift himself up, and could only turn his head in the direction of the creature as he lay upon the hand woven straw mat. The size of the beast made it possible for Blistering Cheetah to make it out even when surrounded by a large number of men. Although he wasn''t affected as strongly as the Thrashers, Animal Hunters and Soldiers, he was still affected nonetheless. But for him, it was largely because of his injury that he was able to feel the dread of the large creature''s powerful strength.


    "Maybe," the Mongoose who had braved dangers to carry Blistering Cheetah wasn''t very optimistic. But even he had a shred of hope that they may be able to survive their current predicament.


    "This presence is unlike any other that we''ve faced. It''s so intimidating that even I am shaking. I admire the warriors who do not possess our strength yet stand up to its challenging might."


    The other Cheetah who survived had a bleak expression as he spoke. His body shook slightly each time he looked at the creature. And he wasn''t hiding the fact that he was afraid. All his life he was indignant. Why did the oracle declare him a Cheetah? Why didn''t he possess the fate of a Tiger? He was fast, but that was never the reason behind the titles. So why wasn''t he worthy enough to possess the highest honor that was accorded the strongest of warriors beneath the realm of Lions? His pride didn''t allow him to accept his destiny, so he sought out the oracle and demanded that she told him why he wasn''t worthy to be a Tiger.


    After all, before his title was revealed he was one of those handpicked by the top brass as possessing the greatest talent. They were certain that he could become a Tiger if his full potential was realised. Yet here he was, being told to the disappointment of all who placed so much hope on him that his fate was that of a Cheetah, not a Tiger. After hounding the oracle, she relented and told him why he wasn''t fit to be a Tiger.


    "There is no doubt that your talent is immense. Even Domineering Tiger may not be comparable to you when it comes to talent. But the two of you are very different."


    "Domineering Tiger was also unsatisfied with his title. But unlike you who keeps on complaining and crying like a child, he fights against his fate. He is a true Tiger. He is courageous as he is strong, and isn''t afraid to take risks that many wouldn''t. It isn''t only talent that is important to become a Tiger. One must possess an indomitable will that cannot be broken. Even when one faces the greatest crisis of one''s life, one must remain unmoved. One must still have the strength to go against one''s fate. No matter how much one''s body shakes in fear and rejects the harsh reality of one''s path, one must beat him/herself into submission and go against that fate"


    "You do not have such tenacity"


    He went mad when he heard her comments and swore at her several times. He was furious that she called him a coward. Although she didn''t say the words, that was what she implied. She was basically telling him that he wasn''t brave enough to go against his fate, and that when the time came for his courage to be put to the test, he would fail.


    But now that he was faced with such a scenario, he found out to his dismay that the oracle was right. Maybe the reason he lost his head after her explanation was because he knew within the depths of his heart that she was right. As he gazed upon the figures of Frowning Tiger, Rash Tiger, Domineering Tiger and Beastly Tiger, he was hit with the feeling of realization. Although their faces were filled with dread, and sweat formed on their foreheads, their eyes were filled with the strength of their convictions. Their determined gazes as they turned to face him briefly reflected no fear. This was true bravery. It was never the absence of fear that made one brave, but the ability to overcome that fear. He was certain that they were also afraid. Who wouldn''t be? But unlike him, they had overcome their fear and were willing to fight to the death. There was no such emotion within him. He wanted nothing more than to run away and never come back. But in the end, he just gritted his teeth and stood up.


    "We must help them," he spoke to the Mongoose who was with him.


    "Are you sure," Blistering Cheetah could tell that his friend was afraid. He knew the man better than the man knew himself, so he saw long ago all that his friend had been trying to suppress all these years. He knew that the man was a coward deep down. Unlike Blistering Cheetah and many other Cheetahs who pursued speed because they believed that if someone couldn''t see your attack coming, it wouldn''t matter how strong you are, his friend pursued speed because he wanted the strength to escape from any situation he couldn''t truly overcome. That was why he wanted to make sure his friend was aware of what he was getting himself into.


    "I''m," the cowardly Cheetah managed to squeeze out through his shaking lips.


    "Then let''s go," the Mongoose nodded his head and dashed towards the battlefield. The Cheetah took a deep breath, before trying to run forward. But he was stopped by the outstretched arm of Blistering Cheetah.


    "What are you doing?" he asked angrily. It was a difficult decision he had made. He didn''t need anyone doubting him and making it harder.


    "I want you to remember this: you have forgotten who you are. Before you became a Cheetah you were a dominant warrior. Many even teased that your title was going to be Dominating Tiger. That was how overwhelming you were when you fought. But you have been hiding within your shell, constantly complaining that you were given the wrong title instead of seeking to prove the oracle wrong. You were someone meant to stand on the same stage as Domineering Tiger, but you have only been hiding within his shadow. When you truly regain your sense of self and cast away the bindings of fear that have held you back, your true power would show. The first step is acceptance, which you have already achieved. Now is the time for repentance."


    The Cheetah closed his eyes as he listened to Blistering Cheetah''s words. Then he nodded his head and left, chasing after the Mongoose.


    Watching the departing figure of his friend, Blistering Cheetah gritted his teeth. Feeling the powerlessness of his injured body, he could only squeeze out words of encouragement to those who wouldn''t back down faced with absolute strength. It was at this time he remembered the words of the oracle and the advice she had given concerning his friend.


    "Go. Wandering Cheetah. The oracle lied to you because if you were told the truth it would never come to pass. You were never meant to be a Cheetah. Neither were you meant to be a Tiger. What you were meant to be was a being above even lions. A Titleless. Become the man you were meant to be. Become the raging inferno that sweeps through all obstacles and rediscover yourself. Take back what is yours and reclaim your name. Best of luck¡­"


    "Dan"

 Chapter 296 - Battling The Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast

    "Now do you have any qualms about us teaming up," Rash Tiger turned to Beastly Tiger and said. The man tried to smile, but all that could be seen was an ugly grin etched across his face. It was clear that the pressure that the Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast was radiating affected him greatly. Although he wasn''t shaking in fear, his cells screamed in frustration as they were subjected to power they had never felt before.


    "Wanna fight," Beastly Tiger was drenched in sweat from the aura that was locked onto him. The scariest thing was that he wasn''t the one the beast was paying attention to. But just standing before the dastardly creature was stressful. It was no walk in the park to keep his cool whilst looking at its magnificent frame.


    "I don''t think this is the time for petty squabbles," Domineering Tiger had a look of pure concentration on his face as he tried to push down the feeling of unease that had never been a part of his life into the deepest part of his soul. He knew that he couldn''t afford to be disheartened here. If he was, then he would have already lost the fight. And he didn''t feel like losing again today.


    "It is strong," Frowning Tiger was the weakest amongst the four. Although it wasn''t by much, he was still the weakest in the group, and that was why he could clearly feel the dread that this creature brought.


    "All cat-like beasts are usually stronger than their counterparts. Samoa told me this." Arthur stood before the group. His words weren''t as leisurely as they were before. They were slightly strenuous, and even he could feel the pressure of the being in front of him. Durandal kept ringing in his head, attempting to keep him awake and prime for battle. Yet even its ceaseless ringing didn''t stop his nervous muscles from tightening and his formerly battle hungry blood from cooling down.


    Frowning Tiger nodded at his words. It was true. Cats were usually the strongest of the Magical Beasts. As long as they were on the same level, cats were always bound to be stronger than their counterparts. The Shadow Leopard was a perfect example of this. Only Magical Beasts like the Mythic Golden Eagle, and the Mythic Diamond Peregrine Falcon could match up to the Shadow Leopard. But these beasts were solitary beasts and seldom worried about territories. So in other words, the cats were the true overlords on the same level. The worst case scenario for them was for the Pseudo Legendary Class to either be a powerful bird, or cat. Unfortunately, this worst case scenario had come to pass.


    "But it wasn''t like we didn''t see it coming," Frowning Tiger thought to himself. When Samoa brought back his findings, he mentioned that they came across the print of the Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast. In order not to overwhelm the elders who were showing signs of breaking, he didn''t share his suspicions there, but waited until later to inform Village Head Fan about his findings. Samoa believed that the prints belonged to a cat. As a scout if he couldn''t identify something so basic then there would be no reason to belong to the best scouting party in the village. So Frowning Tiger had mentally prepared himself for the test. But when the moment came, he realized that no amount of preparation could truly make him ready for what was in front of him. The massive pressure the beast gave off was overwhelming. And Frowning Tiger knew that under this kind of pressure, none of them would be able to bring their all. Maybe 70 or 75% at most, but nothing more. Of course the stronger one was, the greater amount of fighting ability they would be able to draw out.


    "Should we make the first move, or¡­" Frowning Tiger thought to himself.


    *Boom*


    "Never mind," he smiled seeing the explosive figure of Arthur darting towards the Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast. He willed his unwilling muscles to listen to him and went after his student. Domineering Tiger wasn''t slow to react either. He exploded with speed uncharacteristic of a Tiger and rushed right after his future chief. The figures of Beastly Tiger and Rash Tiger weren''t far behind. They moved at almost the same time.


    Seeing the approaching figures, the Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast gave a loud roar, and the Mythic Classes that were planning to intercept the enemies shivered and cowered in fear. Even the Shadow Leopard, the beast that was hailed to have been born to rule was no exception. Its powerful bloodline made it especially s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e, and it could feel the dreadful power of the beast that had pushed them to leave their comfortable homes to face the humans. It also stepped back quietly, the arrogance that was in its eyes displaced by the unease it was experiencing. The large beast gazed at the incoming Tigers with a look of scorn and snorted in disp.l.e.a.s.u.r.e. Its green eyes swept past the 5 men, and lingered on Arthur''s figure just a bit longer. But that was it. To this beast, Arthur didn''t seem special to it. It took a single step forward, and dashed forward to meet them.


    *Boom*


    Arthur hurriedly jumped several meters to the side to avoid the powerful paw that descended upon his location.


    "Fast," the young man gasped upon witnessing the amazing speed of the Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast. Although the earth shook with every step it took, its movements wasn''t lethargic and slow like its frame would have suggested. For instance, just now it only took simple step forward, yet it had appeared above Arthur. And its paw was sent downwards in astonishing speed. It seemed even faster than the far smaller Shadow Leopard! Luckily for Arthur, once the beast disappeared he felt a strong sense of unease and his body moved on its own to avoid the otherwise fatal blow. And this wasn''t because Arthur was a battle-hardened man. After all, he hadn''t been in any major fights, and had hardly experienced any life or death situations. The reason he was saved was because of Durandal. It was Durandal that was uneasy, and it was Durandal that pushed him to dive out of harm''s way.


    The Pseudo Legendary Class had a look of surprise in its eyes when Arthur evaded its blow. It planned to take him out first because it recognized that he was the strongest the humans had to offer. That was its way of showing him the meagre respect he deserved. But surprisingly the boy had escaped his death. Its eyes gleamed in excitement, like it had found a new toy to play with, and it disappeared from its position and reappeared before Arthur.


    Again, Arthur was able to evade its paw by the skin of his teeth. The huge hole in the ground served as the reminder that Arthur would definitely die if he was hit.


    "It''s toying with him," Frowning Tiger observed upon seeing the beast pursue Arthur all over the battlefield. With every failed attack, a new hole large enough to accommodate a small spring was born. Domineering Tiger also frowned upon seeing this. The fact that the deadly beast had retracted its claws and was only stomping was enough to convince him that the beast was toying with Arthur. Besides, the speed it was displaying was beyond any of them. Even Arthur, who was far faster, was having a hard time avoiding its blows. And the scariest thing was that it didn''t seem to be using its full speed!


    *Boom*


    Once again Arthur avoided another fatal blow. But no sooner had he dived out of the way, did another large paw come crushing towards him. Arthur hastily held the heavy Durandal before him and attempted to block the blow.


    *Bang*


    With a loud bang, the one hailed as Durandal was sent flying back several yards. Upon landing on the ground ¨C feet first luckily ¨C Arthur spat a mouthful of blood. This was the first time he had been injured since he started fighting!


    "Arthur!" Frowning Tiger screamed in fear and carelessly rushed towards the beast.


    "I''m okay," Arthur quickly stated, trying to stop his master from doing something stupid. Frowning Tiger wasn''t the beast''s opponent. Taking it on directly was suicide. Luckily for Arthur, Domineering Tiger held Frowning Tiger back and stopped the man from making a grave mistake.


    "So strong!"


    *Boom*


    Arthur felt the dam that was holding his power break free, and the unrestrained might of Durandal filled his entire being. Every part of his body hurt from the baptism of power, but he was too furious to worry about that. Filled with unprecedented power, Arthur decided to repay the favor.


    *Boom*


    The beast was wide-eyed as Arthur suddenly disappeared from his position. It had no problem following his movements until now, so it was naturally startled by the insane burst of speed that wasn''t present before.


    "Over here," Arthur reappeared behind the large beast and said. Feeling the huge aura behind it, it tried to escape, but Arthur wouldn''t have said anything if he wasn''t confident he could deal some damage. Besides, he had already began to make his move even before he spoke. He span powerfully and hacked at the paw that slammed into him earlier, seeking some sweet revenge.


    *Bang*


    *Roar*


    Along with a roar filled with pain, the large paw was hacked by Durandal, and the sword sliced off one of its toes cleanly!

 Chapter 297 - The Battle Continues - A Lifesaving Entrance

    The large cat kicked back viciously with its wounded paw. The former laziness in its eyes was wiped away by the piercing pain it felt. Since it transcended its form and became a Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast, this was the first time it had been injured. And it lost an entire toe too.


    The speed of the kick was unlike any of its attacks so far, consolidating Domineering Tiger''s claims that the beast was toying with Arthur. Now that it was angry, it struck with full force, at full speed.


    Arthur didn''t waver seeing the large paw hurtling towards him like a lock-on torpedo. If it was before, he wouldn''t have dared take this strike, even if he had an extra life. But his fury had granted him unprecedented power, and he wasn''t going to put it to waste. Readjusting his stance from attack to defense, he used the large sword as a shield and placed it before himself.


    *Boom*


    A deafening sound was produced when the beast''s paw struck Durandal. It was a metallic sound, nothing like flesh hitting metal, but more like metal hitting metal. Arthur was pushed back several yards, but he still maintained his footing. He pushed down the blood that threatened to force itself out of his throat and into his mouth, and dashed right down the centre in the direction of the beast. He wasn''t going to be passive anymore. He needed to create and opening for his father. He hadn''t forgotten that the man was lying in wait, just seeking for an opportunity. And Arthur knew that every injury he sustained would unsettle his father, and may lead to the man abandoning his mission and coming to his rescue. He didn''t want to mess this up.


    *ROAR*


    The large cat roared in fury when it saw that the ant that had bitten it was still coming. Its eyes gleamed with a vicious light, and it brought out the claws that it had retracted earlier, and jumped high into the air. Like a tossed coin it somersaulted midair several times, defying gravity and once again proving that its massive size didn''t hinder it in the slightest. Then it descended towards Arthur and struck mightily, the impact shaking the battlefield like a cannonball smashing into a building.


    *Boom*


    Arthur back flipped several times to avoid the vicious assault of the beast. Upon landing he ignored the large amount of dust invading his eyes and nose and rushed towards the place the beast had fallen. There was a large hole several metres deep and several metres wide where the beast had met the ground, and its large claws had dug deeply through the surface of the earth and into the soil below. Its beautiful black fur was covered in dust, but its majestic aura was only growing. Seeing the approaching Arthur, its eyes flashed with a strange light, and it swiped powerfully towards the boy.


    This time Arthur didn''t block the attack with Durandal. The beast was in the perfect position to be exploited. For the second time since the fight started, Arthur could see an opening. And this time it wasn''t a toe that he would cleave off, he was aiming for its throat.


    *Whoosh*


    Arthur twisted his body athletically and evaded the powerful and sharp claws of the Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast. He curled himself into a ball and propelled his elusive figure onto its forelimb after dodging the swipe. He stamped powerfully and pushed himself towards its head.


    *Roar*


    The cat roared in pain from the power of Arthur''s stomp. There were only a few parts of its body that weren''t covered with the jet black scales. Its joints were scales free to allow optimum movement and range of motion, and because it was a cat and highly flexible, its neck was also scales free. The area Arthur had stamped on was its wrist, and the pain that travelled to its bones almost drove it mad.


    In less than 2 seconds, Arthur found himself close to the head of the beast. It opened its wide mouth, exposing its powerful teeth and tried to swallow Arthur who looked nothing more than a little stone on a large mountain, in one huge gulp.


    "Definitely don''t want to get caught in that," Domineering Tiger smiled bitterly and said. Their purpose was to provide Arthur with some backup. But the battle was so fast paced that for the first time in his life, and he reckoned that it was the same with Frowning Tiger and the others, he was reduced to a mere spectator.


    "No one would," Rash Tiger gripped his axe tightly and replied. Although he tried to sound breezy, his constant grinding of his teeth was enough to send the message across that he was anxious.


    Frowning Tiger watched nervously as Arthur displayed wonderful flexibility and inhumane agility to get out of the way and avoid the monstrous mouth that sought to end his life. He watched his student slide across the beast''s neck to get to the scale less area and stab Durandal powerfully into its neck,


    *Roar*


    The large cat roared in pain and started to jump around, shaking its head and neck, trying its best to swing the pest that was hanging on its neck off. Arthur held on to Durandal for his dear life. He tried his best to maintain his grip as the beast jumped up and down and tried to shake him off. When its efforts dulled slightly, Arthur didn''t miss it. He pushed deeper with his sword; an action that elicited another painful roar from the Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast. Suddenly it stopped struggling, and it dove towards the ground.


    "Crap"


    Arthur had never been one to swear, but upon seeing what the beast was up to, he couldn''t help himself. He tried to pull out Durandal, but the sword was lodged in so deeply that he couldn''t pull it out. Added to the fact that the cat had tightened its neck muscles, he was finding it impossible to pull out the mighty blade. Left with no other choice, Arthur abandoned Durandal and hastily jumped off the Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast.


    *Bang*


    The large cat rolled on the ground and stood up. Arthur got away just in the nick of time to not only avoid getting rolled into a meat patty, but evade the large beast rolling his way. Unfortunately, Durandal was stuck in the beast''s neck, and it would be difficult to get it out. The beast retracted the claws on one of its limb, and tried to paw the sword out of its neck. However, its paw was so large and Durandal so small in comparison to its size, that it couldn''t even touch the sword. After trying for a few more seconds, it gave up. Then it returned its gaze to Arthur, its eyes brimming with hostility. The hatred of losing its toe hadn''t been accounted for, when Arthur added a pierced neck to the list of grievances. Although it was so large that the stab did nothing but cause it some pain and discomfort, it was still mad that the person it had regarded as an ant, and even gone as far as playing with him, had injured it twice.


    Its anger skyrocketed seeing the boy largely unarmed, and its figure flashed as it appeared in front of Arthur even before he could react. A large paw came crushing down with blistering speed, and Arthur could only watch it descend with a bitter gaze.


    Without Durandal his strength was even lower than Domineering Tiger''s. Since the blade had been feeding him with strength all this while, he had grown stronger than Frowning Tiger and Rash Tiger. Even Beastly Tiger wouldn''t be his match even if Arthur didn''t have Durandal. But he was still slightly weaker than Domineering Tiger. Given few more hours, he was certain that he would be stronger, but now that the large claws of the Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast was descending upon him, he realized that he may never get that chance. His speed had reduced drastically now that Durandal wasn''t within his hands, and even though he tried to get out of the way, he was still within the range of effect of the large cat''s paw.


    "Arthur!" Along with Frowning Tiger''s desperate cry, Arthur''s figure was covered by the paw of the large beast.


    *Boom*


    The beast struck the ground with its powerful paw, and the ground broke apart from the sheer power of its swing. Yet its eyes weren''t filled with glee. It looked confused as it lifted its paw and didn''t find the mashed up figure of Arthur underneath. In a comical act, it dug the ground to see if it had been a little too harsh and buried Arthur underneath the soil. Yet it didn''t find the human there. It looked to the side and waited for the dust to settle, only to realize that the human was safe and sound. But he wasn''t alone. The pesky human was standing with another. But it hadn''t seen this human when the battle began. It had seen the other four who stood back and watched because they couldn''t provide any help, but it hadn''t seen this person.


    "Wandering Cheetah?"


    Just like the Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast, the four Tigers who were too late to do anything were stunned by the new addition. Next to Arthur was the figure who arrived just in the nick of time to pull Arthur out of danger. The newcomer was a Predator. He was handsome and well-built, and his dark skin was peculiar in this place where only light skinned people could be found; but that was about the best one could say of him. He was a Cheetah, but he wasn''t the fastest, so no one really paid any attention to him. Added to the fact that he was a genius who never lived up to his potential, many held nothing but disdain for him. But Domineering Tier knew this man. For this man had once been hailed as one who would be greater than him.


    "That coward?"


    Beastly Tiger didn''t have a good impression of Wandering Cheetah, and he didn''t do anything to hide it. His voice was loud, so everyone heard it. The Mongoose who had only just arrived, and Wandering Cheetah who was standing next to Arthur heard it as well. Yet whilst the Mongoose was displeased by what he was hearing, Wandering Cheetah didn''t show any particular reaction to Beastly Tiger''s comment. This wasn''t the first time he had been verbally abused by the uncouth Tiger. And it certainly wasn''t going to be the last.


    "Are you okay, Sir Arthur," Wandering Cheetah asked.

 Chapter 298 - The Fastest Man

    "Thank you Sir. You saved my life." Arthur quickly expressed his thanks to Wandering Cheetah for his help. Although he had never really seen Wandering Cheetah or interacted with him before, he had heard the famous story of the genius who fell.


    "It''s nothing," Wandering Cheetah replied with a wry smile on his handsome face. Although Arthur tried to hide it, Wandering Cheetah still saw the strange gaze the boy directed at him before he quickly regained his composure. After being stared at in the particular way for so many years, he was used to it. It was a look of curiosity, pity and a bit of disappointment. Curiosity concerning the one who was called a genius years ago and whether he truly was what they said he was. Pity upon realizing that he had truly not lived up to expectations, and disappointment because a talent had missed the chance to shine.


    Now he could even tell when someone looked at him with that gaze. No matter where it came from, he could feel it on him, like an ant wandering on your skin. You may not be able to tell where exactly it was, but you would be able to feel it crawling all over your body.


    "Sorry," Arthur apologized with a guilt-ridden expression upon seeing that he had been found out. Although he didn''t mean to do so, he had heard Domineering Tiger''s words and knew who the man who saved him was. Beastly Tiger''s comments about the man being a coward also influenced his gaze towards him, and instead of gratitude being the first thing that he experienced, it was pity and disappointment. He thought he had recovered pretty quickly, but the Predator still noticed his strange gaze, and Arthur was feeling bad for it.


    "It''s nothing. I''m already used to it by now," Wandering Cheetah smiled bitterly and replied. He didn''t take offense to Arthur''s gaze. If he was to get mad because of something so trivial, and from one so much younger than himself, he wouldn''t be worthy of being a Predator. Besides, Arthur didn''t look at him with disdain, which was so much better than the treatment he received from his peers. After all, now Arthur was a Predator himself, and a person with a unique title. So his lack of scorn towards Wandering Cheetah was enough for the older gentleman to have a good first impression of him.


    "That''s even worse," Arthur grumbled silently when he heard the dark skinned man''s words. Hearing that the man was used to such comments from others concerning him caused him to feel bad for the man. He couldn''t imagine living a life like that; a life where everyone looked at you with eyes full of pity and scorn and talked about you behind your back. A life where none of your peers really respected you, except your friends.


    Although Arthur''s voice was soft, he was next to a Predator, so Wandering Cheetah still heard his words. But the older man chose not to comment. His smiling face became stern in the next second, as he felt a mountainous aura bearing down on him and the boy.


    "It''s coming," pushing his mind to its most alert state, he calmed his mind and prepared his creaking muscles. If he was alone he would be confident of evading any of its attacks, but with Arthur it was a lot harder. Plus the aura of the beast was so strong that it limited his capabilities to only a fraction of what he was usually able to do. Even scarier was that he recognized that the beast''s aura wasn''t directed at him, but at Arthur!


    "If it puts its attention on me, I''m afraid that I wouldn''t even be able to show 30% of my abilities!"


    Wandering Cheetah wiped off his sweat with his palm as he thought to himself that the beast was truly remarkable. Because of its pressuring aura, he could only display 80% of his speed and agility. Yet it wasn''t even focused on him. Wandering Cheetah felt nothing but admiration for Arthur, the one who was bearing the full brunt of its aura. Looking at Arthur''s indifferent face, Wandering Cheetah was even more impressed.


    "I can barely withstand it without Durandal"


    Unbeknownst to Wandering Cheetah, Arthur wasn''t having an easy time. Without his powerful sword and partner, he was incomplete. In his incomplete state, he could barely stand up to the powerful aura that the Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast was releasing. His face looked indifferent because the aura was so powerful that he couldn''t even move his facial muscles. He wasn''t indifferent. He was stiff!


    "Got to go," Wandering Cheetah stated and clutched onto Arthur belt. Since Arthur wasn''t wearing a shirt, that was the only piece of fabric he could safely grab onto. Especially since Arthur''s trousers were full of tears and were ripped in several areas. Seeing the large beast descending on them with a mighty paw, Wandering Cheetah didn''t waste any time and moved out of the way. The goal was to get to the Domineering Tiger and co. who may be able to help.


    Under the astonished gaze of the Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast, Wandering Cheetah exploded with amazing speed and evaded its blow. And he did that whilst carrying another person!


    "How is that possible?"


    It wasn''t just the beast that was stunned. Domineering Tiger, Beastly Tiger, Rash Tiger, Frowning Tiger, and even the Mongoose who had known Wandering Cheetah for a long time, were surprised by what they saw. All what they saw was a blur, and the two men who were besieged by the powerful beast disappeared, only to reappear next to them.


    "This¡­" Arthur was stunned to see himself next to his master. When the large paw was descending, he only felt his vision blur for a moment, and then he was here. Even with Durandal, his speed wasn''t as outrageous as what Wandering Cheetah had just displayed.


    Looking at Wandering Cheetah who was sweating profusely, Arthur was full of gratitude and admiration. This man who was regarded by his peers as a waste of talent, was clearly much faster than Blistering Cheetah, the fastest Cheetah in the village! And he had proven this with this one feat.


    "How can you, this waste, be this fast?" Beastly Tiger pointed at Wandering Cheetah and said. His insulting words caused the others to frown, and even Domineering Tiger was no different. But he didn''t say anything to stop his friend. He also wanted to know how it was that Wandering Cheetah could display such amazing speed.


    "The aura of that beast is strong. And even I am able to display only 50% of my abilities when it locks onto me. That means under the same conditions Wandering Cheetah would only be able to display about 30-40% of his speed. But since it wasn''t concentrating on Wandering Cheetah directly, the restriction on his abilities shouldn''t have been that high. It may have been possible to use about 70% of his speed ¨C gave or take. But even with a fraction of his abilities sealed, he is able to draw such strength from himself and explode with such speed. And to do so whilst carrying another person is mighty impressive"


    Domineering Tiger was mostly spot on concerning his analysis. Frowning Tiger also reached a similar conclusion. Both of them realized that Wandering Cheetah was never slower than Blistering Cheetah. Although the man was sweating, neither of them thought that had anything to do with him hitting his limit. Rather, they both concluded that it was likely because he was having a hard time standing up to the beast''s aura. After all, he was known as the most cowardly Predator in the village. It was a wonder that that wasn''t his title.


    "How are you so weak now? I know you are much faster than this." Wandering Cheetah didn''t bother to reply to Beastly Tiger. And his decision made the Tiger so mad that his face got all red.


    "You!"


    Just when Beastly Tiger was about to lose it, Domineering Tiger gave him a look and shook his head. The man was more worried about the Pseudo Legendary Magical Beast that seemed to be watching them like it was watching an interesting movie. A movie that was centered on the human who was even faster than it. It comfortably nested on the ground and yawned lazily, clearly not worried about the new addition. A sight that was worrying in so many ways.


    "Without my sword I''m just one half of a very impressive weapon," Arthur shook his head with a bitter smile and said.


    "I reckon only you can use that blade," Wandering Cheetah looked at the large beast, and was quick to spot the red glow on its neck.


    "Yes," Arthur didn''t hide this.


    "What about your father? Where is the Village Head?" Wandering Cheetah enquired.


    "Father chose to wait for an opening to take the beast by surprise." Arthur stated his father''s reason for remaining hidden. He quickly explained things to the Predators here, and everyone understood immediately what had to be done.


    "Then we need to create that opening," Domineering Tiger stated. The others nodded their heads in compliance. That was the only thing they could do.


    "Frowning. You are a better strategist. Tell us what we must do." Domineering Tiger didn''t dwell on the fact that they had to fight together, something that wasn''t really his style and he was uncomfortable with. Beastly Tiger opened his mouth to say something, but seemingly knowing what he was about to say, Domineering Tiger gave him a warning look, and the man sighed in resignation.


    "Okay. This is what we are going to do" Frowning Tiger didn''t reject Domineering Tiger''s offer. The man preferred to work alone and knew very little about working with others or delegating tasks. Asking him to do something like that was undoubtedly a bad move. Frowning Tiger quickly distributed everyone''s duty, with the exception of Wandering Cheetah and Arthur.


    "What about us," Wandering Cheetah wondered.


    "Focus on getting Arthur to his sword. Only he can pull that thing out. But only do so when Village Head Fan is out."


    The two were confused. Why did they have to wait for Village Head Fan to show himself first? But after Frowning Tiger said a few more words, they understood. They stood back and watched the others dash toward the beast.


    The Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast lifted itself up with an expression that seemed to say, "You''re finally ready," when it saw the four Tigers and the Mongoose approaching. It was a bit surprised that the one who hurt it and the fast man weren''t included, but it didn''t dwell on that thought for long. It gave a loud roar of excitement, and rushed towards the men.


    *Boom*

 Chapter 299 - Creating An Opening; Beheading The Beast!

    Frowning Tiger crossed his swords to serve as a guard, as the gigantic paw of the excited Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast descended upon him. He didn''t have the speed of a Cheetah to evade the blow, and he didn''t have the flexibility of a Mongoose to narrowly avoid it either. He couldn''t conceal himself like a Snake so that the damned beast wouldn''t be able to find him. He was a Tiger. He wasn''t the strongest of the bunch, but his control was so great that he always knew just how much he needed to attack, and defend.


    *Bang*


    The power behind the beasts paw wasn''t trivial, and Frowning Tiger could finally experience for himself what Arthur had endured for several minutes before he lost Durandal. He was sent flying several metres back, but his exceptional control of his body allowed him to stabilize himself midair, and land on his feet, potentially avoiding a nasty fall.


    *Cough*


    Although he blocked the attack, it wasn''t without cost. The blood that forced its way out of his mouth and painted his lips red showed that he had been shaken internally. He calmed his rioting blood and gazed at the giant paw that struck him with a small smile.


    *Roar*


    A loud, mournful roar shook the ears of the Tigers, as the Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast gazed at Frowning Tiger with undisguised rage. Wiping the blood from his lips, Frowning Tiger returned the gaze of the beast, and didn''t forget to give it a large grin whilst at it. Seemingly enraged by his actions, the large cat dashed towards him, like one with a personal vendetta to settle.


    Rash Tiger narrowed his eyes in surprise seeing the cause of the beast''s rage. The toe that Arthur had cut off was the reason for its fury. Although the stamp had ceased bleeding long ago ¨C testament of the vitality and healing power of a Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast ¨C it was still a weakness. And it was one that a Control Type like Frowning Tiger would never miss.


    It happened when the beast struck Frowning Tiger. At the moment of impact, Frowning Tiger released one of his sword arms, giving him the space to get in an attack on his own before being flung away. And he did so expertly, slicing off the fresh weak skin that had formed over the wound and had yet to be reinforced. As a result, the wound was reopened, and the beast didn''t like that.


    "He truly is a Control Type," the Mongoose sighed in admiration upon seeing what happened.


    If it were to be anyone else on the receiving end of the Pseudo Legendary Magical Beast''s attack, they would have had no other option than to use their all to block the attack. But as a Control Type, Frowning Tiger was able to tell just how much he would need ¨C energy wise and defense wise ¨C to block the attack. Since the beast was vastly stronger than him, he wouldn''t be able to block the attack completely. The goal would be to prevent any crippling injuries that would leave him unable to fight and contribute to the battle. So when the beast struck him, he was able to tell just when to switch to offense, and when its momentum waned, he struck.


    "Brilliant," Domineering Tiger murmured, as he avoided the violent dash of the beast, and unstrapped a giant javelin from the back of his coat. The weapon was heavy, and weighed several dozens of kilograms at the very least. As a spear user, he was also proficient with throwing javelins. His accuracy was unequaled, but he rarely resorted to using this weapon because he preferred to face his opponents head on. And even though his target was a moving one, it wasn''t going to affect him in the slightest. Moving or stationary, as long as he held his javelin, he was certain he wasn''t going to miss. He never had, and he wouldn''t start now.


    He jumped back swiftly to avoid the rampaging beast, and locking onto his target ¨C the wound that Frowning Tiger had just opened ¨C he flung his javelin with ferocity. The large beast was focused on getting to Frowning Tiger. The large mocking grin on the man''s face annoyed it so greatly that it didn''t see the huge javelin flying towards its wound. Even the warnings that its astute instincts screamed at it were overshadowed by the blinding rage it felt towards Frowning Tiger. How dare a weak human look down on it! It was going to make the man pay. Even Arthur didn''t annoy it so. Unfortunately, its act of ignoring the sirens from its instincts caused it more pain.


    *puichi*


    A powerful beast; a powerful roar. The beast that had never fallen, even when faced with Arthur''s domineering strikes, toppled to the ground roaring in pain. The javelin didn''t simply pierce its wound, the heavy weapon was flung with so much power that it went straight through the wound, and disappeared into its flesh.


    "That''s it!"


    Rash Tiger screamed excitedly. That was what they were looking for. That was the opening they wanted. The pain stricken beast was at its most vulnerable yet. Every warrior could see that. Those watching from the back, with Samoa as their leader could see it. The Tigers and Predators who were indisposed could see it. The Predators on the battlefield could also see it. It was so clear that this was the moment that they had been waiting for. This was the moment that they needed. And it was the moment Village Head Fan had also been waiting for. How could he not see it? Luckily he did.


    *Vroom*


    Like a speeding vehicle, the towering aura of an angry beast ascended into the sky when the beast fell. Impatience; rage; dissatisfaction. These were the emotions expressed in that aura. From the east this aura revealed itself, and quickly, it dashed towards the battlefield.


    "He''s here," Arthur was excited. He knew who that aura belonged to. The Tigers were no different. Even Domineering Tiger and Frowning Tiger were ecstatic. That aura belonged to their leader; their chief; and their king. He had been suppressed all this while, watching as they put their lives on the line for the sake of the village, whereas he could do nothing. He had to watch as his son fought on the edge. Watching silently as each time his boy exchanged a blow with the beast, he had to pray that he would come out unscathed. The ferocity of the battle made it so that even that prayer was downgraded to asking for minor injuries. But now he was unleashed. Now he could allow his festering fury to explode.


    *Roar*


    The roaring beast didn''t see the silver light that reached into the sky, neither did it feel that towering aura that made its presence known. The Mythic Beasts behind it gave subdued roars, but none were powerful enough to rouse the Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast from its painful reverie. Even the usually domineering Shadow Leopard silently retreated, trying not to get caught up in the storm that was coming. No, the storm that was here.


    "Foolish Beast!"


    "Don''t you dare!" Village Head Fan screamed in fury. His dark hair had turned silvery white, and his entire body glowed with the same color. The blade in his hand shook mightily, as its humming intensified. The small blade was suddenly engulfed by a silvery white color that was so large that it seemed capable of slicing off the large head of the beast. He span rapidly as he approached the large head of the beast and sliced at it with all his might.


    Seeing Village Head Fan''s actions, Frowning Tiger and the others watched with bated breaths. When the man and sword were a few metres away from their target, Frowning Tiger screamed,


    "Now!"


    On cue, Beastly Tiger flung his heavy hammer towards the neck of the beast. Wandering Cheetah and Arthur who had been on the sidelines all this while, sprang into action as well. Holding Arthur by the waist, Wandering Cheetah disappeared from his position and reappeared at the blindside of the Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast. And it was at this blindside, that Arthur''s mighty blade stood, embedded in the neck of the beast, waiting for its master and partner to retrieve it.


    "Go!"


    Performing an inhumanely fast spin, Wandering Cheetah flung Arthur accurately towards his sword and partner.


    "Hah!"


    Arthur exclaimed as he grabbed onto the Beastly Tiger''s large hammer. Borrowing the momentum of the grand weapon, he flew towards Durandal in style. It was at that moment that Village Head Fan''s sword connected with the neck of the beast.


    *Boom*


    Like an anvil used to temper steel, the neck of the beast withstood the blow of Caliburn. The sword shaped aura of the blade had managed to breach its skin, but it didn''t go any further. However, Village Head Fan wouldn''t be deterred. Giving another mighty shout, he pushed all his power into the sword he was holding.


    Arthur finally reached the position of Durandal. When he was about to crash into his blade, he grabbed the hammer properly, and span around with it in his hand. Using Durandal as a nail, and the hammer as a, well, a hammer, he struck the beast.


    *Roar*


    The Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast shook in pain as Durandal was pushed into its neck out of its body. The gravity of the blow shook its head and pushed its neck into the path of Caliburn, which dug in even deeper.


    "Good job!"


    Village Head Fan exclaimed when he saw Durandal exit the neck of the beast from the other side. The blade that was flying away from him, twisted midair, and changed trajectory. Then it flew towards him.


    "Well done Arthur!"


    There was only one person with the ability to manipulate Durandal so, and that was its partner and his son ¨C Arthur.


    "Just kill it!"


    Arthur screamed from the side. Village Head Fan nodded his head and grabbed onto the blade that had been by his side whenever things went sideways. Holding onto the familiar blade and feeling it suck his life force, he smirked and said,


    "Seems fitting that you would be by my side in such a scenario"


    And giving a mighty shout, he struck with Durandal also, and the large head of the Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast came off!

 Chapter 300 - False Victory And A Gruesome Death

    *Bang*


    The large head of the beast fell down with a thud. There was silence for a while as everyone spectating, from Samoa and the fighters on the sidelines to the Predators on the battlefield, all took a while to understand what had just happened. They were quiet for several seconds, their brains processing what had just occurred, and then they exploded into cheers.


    "YEAH!!!"


    The thunderous shouts of the people shook the ground. Men who had never been touchy jumped up in joy and hugged each other. Soldiers who boasted of never shedding tears couldn''t stop the waterfall that fell down their eyes. Ecstasy filled the hearts of all who were on the battlefield. Spectators and warriors alike were all happy with the results. And soon the names of the warriors who took down the beast were screamed out by the spectating fighters.


    "Durandal!"


    "Durandal!"


    "Durandal!"


    "Head Fan!"


    "Head Fan!"


    "Head Fan!"


    "Domineering Tiger!"


    "Domineering Tiger!"


    "Domineering Tiger!"


    "Frowning Tiger!"


    "Frowning Tiger!"


    "Frowning Tiger!"


    "Rash Tiger!"


    "Rash Tiger!"


    "Rash Tiger!"


    "Beastly Tiger!"


    "Beastly Tiger!"


    "Beastly Tiger!"


    "Wandering Cheetah!"


    "Wandering Cheetah!"


    "Wandering Cheetah!"


    "Unbound Mongoose!"


    "Unbound Mongoose!"


    "Unbound Mongoose!"


    The names of the 8 warriors that took the centre stage resounded in every part of the village. It didn''t matter if it was those in the Central Demarcation Line who had no fighting capabilities, or those on the battlefield itself. Everyone heard the mighty shouts of the warriors. Arthur''s title, Durandal, was proclaimed the loudest. After all, everyone had seen how he fought since the very beginning, even before the Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast appeared. And many of them were in awe of their future chief.


    Village Head Fan still had numerous fans. Although they didn''t understand his action of not coming out until the last moment, his domineering entrance was engraved in the minds of all. Added to the fact that he was the one to behead the beast, and that it happened right after he made an appearance, the image of invincibility that he had built all these years was further solidified. Many didn''t even bother to call him by his title ¨C Caliburn. For the longest of times that had been his name. But ever since his retirement from active duty, everyone called him Village Head Fan. And that was the name they unintentionally proclaimed in their joyful mood.


    The names of Domineering Tiger and Frowning Tiger weren''t shouted out with quite the same level of exuberance as the first two. But they weren''t quiet nonetheless. Rash Tiger and Beastly Tiger also had their convoy of fans, and they didn''t let the two Tigers down, making everyone in the village know that the two men were more than spectators in this fight. They were also frontrunners.


    The names that were sure to surprise everyone in the Central Demarcation Line, who could hear the loud shouts of the people yet couldn''t see what was happening, were the names of the Predators that weren''t extraordinary amongst their peers. And to be honest, they usually weren''t. But this time they had shown their worth. Unbound Mongoose was known for his dexterity and ability to evade every attack by a hair''s breath. It didn''t matter how fast his opponents were. As long as it came to reaction time and speed of evasiveness, Unbound Mongoose was undoubtedly at the top of the food chain. Even Blistering Cheetah, who was faster than him by quite a distance, couldn''t land a blow on Unbound Mongoose in his best of days. And the Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast had learned this the hard way.


    Although it was a large beast, Unbound Mongoose always found a way to evade its paws by the narrowest of margins. Even when it tried to surprise him and had brought out its claws at the last minute in one of its attacks, it still failed to land a blow. The Predator still evaded the surprise attack, and that too by a narrow margin.


    The Mongoose''s effort was integral to their game plan, as he mostly drew the attention of the beast so that the others could attack. Before Frowning Tiger''s sneaky attack aimed at the beast''s injured toe stamp, it was the Mongoose that had been drawing the beast''s attention. To be fair, Unbound Mongoose''s performance wasn''t anything unexpected. Anyone who knew just how he fought would know that this was just normal. After all, why else would he be called a Mongoose if he didn''t fight that way? That was Mongooses were so rare. Their fighting method was too dangerous for anyone to attempt to develop.


    The one who surprised everyone was Wandering Cheetah. The Cheetah that was known as average amongst Cheetah''s, had finally proven today why he was someone who was hailed as having the greatest talent in the past. His blurry figure as he evaded the beast''s attacks whilst carrying Arthur was etched into the eyeballs of all who saw it. They couldn''t believe that the unassuming ''failure'' was actually much faster than Blistering Cheetah at his peak!


    The man had opened their eyes today and revealed that he was never a failure. Even though he didn''t become the Tiger people thought he would have become, he didn''t become an average Cheetah either. His speed that seemed to warp space itself was beyond anything they had ever seen. And all of a sudden there were many people who admired him. Amongst these were members of the older generation who had disdained him before. But after seeing his amazing speed that got Arthur close to the beast, and his accurate throw, there was no way those former feelings would hold water. The only question on everyone''s mind was, if he could do this, why did he never reveal his talent?


    Listening to the people chanting their names, the 8 men who had been on the brink of death throughout the entire battle, fell to their knees. Even Village Head Fan who had only just arrived, fell to his knees as well. Durandal flew from the man''s grasp and into the arms of its partner once the beast was dead, but it had taken so much from Village Head Fan''s vitality to perform the finishing blow. Since Village Head Fan wasn''t Arthur, the weapon didn''t restrain its power, and allowed Village Head Fan to tap into its full strength. And it did that whilst bolstering its power with the older man''s life force.


    "Are you okay Father?"


    Hugging Durandal into his bosom like precious child, the breathless Arthur enquired. His father''s pale complexion was enough reason for the boy to worry.


    "I''m fine. I just need a bit of rest" Village Head Fan waved his hand and said. It had been long since he last used Durandal so he had forgotten this feeling of weakness the weapon left him in whenever he drew upon its strength. Added to the fact that it had taken far more than it usually did, he was definitely not in good shape. But the battle was over, and as long as he got a bit of rest, he would be okay.


    "We finally did it," Frowning Tiger had a rare smile of relief on his face as he spoke. The others nodded their heads in approval and slumped onto the ground to rest. The other Mythic Classes escaped into the Enchanted Forest as soon as the Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast fell. So there was nothing left for them to do.


    "Something isn''t right" Back on the sidelines, Samoa couldn''t shake off this strange sense of unease that assaulted his senses. Something didn''t feel right. They had killed the beast that threatened the sanctity of the village and its people. He should be happy. But he wasn''t. There was this discomforting feeling that was pushing onto his soul. He couldn''t help but think that something was wrong.


    "Wait. I finally know what that beast is!"


    Samoa suddenly exclaimed, drawing the attention of all on the battlefield. Most of them looked at him in bewilderment. The damned beast was already dead, what else was important? Maybe the boy wanted the beast''s species so that when the story was passed on to their kids, they would know just what animal put them in such grave danger. But they were wrong. It was something that was scarier than anything else.


    "It''s a Resurrection Cat! It''s a Resurrection Cat! Get out of there now!" In his anxiety, the usual politeness that coated his voice whenever he spoke to a superior was no longer there. But his words caused the expression of all who knew what that creature was to change.


    The Resurrection Cat was a weak High Class Magical Beast that had a rare ability. It had weak attack power, a feeble defense, and the only thing that it got working for it was its impressive speed. If it wasn''t for the fact that it had an ability, it wouldn''t even be recognized as a Middle Class Magical Beast. For it had the physique of a Low Class at best. But its special ability was so impressive that it was ranked as a High Class. What was this special ability?


    Extra Life


    Yes, Extra Life. It was exactly that. The beast had an extra life. Even if it was burnt into ashes, it would rise again in tip top condition. It was a once in a lifetime use ability, but it was still an enviable one. After all, who wouldn''t want to have an extra life in hand? But the beast was so weak that it was inconceivable for it to become a Mythic Class, much less a Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast. Especially when the one before them had so much power. But no sooner had this thought crossed their minds, did Domineering Tiger and the others felt a chill down their spine.


    "Watch out!" Wandering Cheetah exclaimed as a giant paw came crushing down on Unbound Mongoose. But the brilliant Predator was able to roll to the side at the last minute and avoid the deadly blow. The others didn''t have such luck. None of them were fast enough. And their unpreparedness left them wide open. Fortunately, Wandering Cheetah was around.


    *Bang*


    *Bang*


    *Bang*


    *Bang*


    *Bang*


    Five loud bangs, and five new pits revealed themselves.


    "How?" Beastly Tiger exclaimed in shock seeing that he was fine.


    "Wandering," Domineering Tiger stated with a complicated expression. Just when the paw was about to crush him, a blur carried him out of range and out of reach. It was the same for the others. The only person left was Arthur.


    *Roar*


    The beast roared in rage seeing that they had all escaped, and cast its sight towards the young Arthur. Then it struck its paw at him with all its might. Arthur was going to block. Even with Durandal, this attack was sure to wound him. But he had no choice. It was either this or die. And he wasn''t going to choose the die option. But no sooner had he lifted his sword than a blurry figure appeared before him.


    "Wandering?"


    Arthur exclaimed, finally understanding that he had underestimated the speed of the Cheetah. Wandering Cheetah tried to carry Arthur out, but he failed. The boy was unusually heavy, unlike he was before he was holding his weapon. He couldn''t carry him!


    "In that case," wandering Cheetah gritted his teeth and made a decision he never thought he would make.


    "I would kick you away!" And he channeled all his energy into his leg and kicked Arthur out of the way. His decision saved the boy''s life, but condemned his own.


    *Boom*


    The beast trampled on Wandering Cheetah mercilessly, then it picked up his broken figure by his clothes. Under the dismayed gazes of all, it tossed him into its mouth and swallowed loudly.


    "NOOOOOO!!!!"

 Chapter 301 - Unusually Calm Blistering Cheetah

    "I will kill you, Foolish Beast!" Unbound Mongoose screamed in rage.


    "Calm down," Domineering Tiger who was closest to him wasn''t going to let the man make a stupid decision. He restrained Unbound Mongoose and prevented him for rushing to his death.


    "Let me go! I''d kill that damned beast! I said let me go!" Unbound Mongoose struggled with all he was worth, trying to squirm out of Domineering Tiger''s strong hold as he screamed with all his might.


    "I cannot allow you to kill yourself. You aren''t a match for it," Domineering Tiger resisted Unbound Mongoose''s struggles and still held onto the man. However, his words seemed to have calmed the raging Predator down, and his struggling ceased.


    Looking at the heartbroken figure of Unbound Mongoose, the others were saddened. Arthur watched in sadness as the stoic figure of Unbound Mongoose was reduced to a mess of snot and tears. The scene of a Predator bawling his eyes out was rare enough, but the fact that the one he was mourning had only been killed because of him broke Arthur''s heart.


    "This is because of me," he mumbled silently. Village Head Fan sighed quietly, having no words of encouragement to offer to his son. After all, it was true that the man sacrificed himself for Arthur. And in the situation where the Cheetah''s friend was mourning right beside them, any words of encouragement to Arthur would seem ins.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e. Frowning Tiger was also silent. The man who saved all their lives by getting them out of harm''s way was dead. With the kind of speed that Wandering Cheetah displayed, there was no way that the Resurrection Cat should have been able to kill him. After all, he was so much faster than the beast. But the man had fallen. And he had only fallen because he chose another''s life over his own.


    "If only I was stronger," Arthur mumbled, his eyes reddened by the latest death in their ranks. None of them truly knew or understood Wandering Cheetah. Only Unbound Mongoose who had been his friend for so long understood the man. The others knew nothing about him.


    Domineering and Beastly Tiger regarded him a coward, and Frowning Tiger and Rash Tiger considered the man as one who had never lived up to expectations. Village Head Fan had nothing but pity for the fallen genius, and Arthur had only heard rumors about the Cheetah, never really interacting with him until today. But in this short time he had fought together with the man, he had been saved twice by the very man they called a failure. And now he was gone. He didn''t die by his hands, but the fact that Wandering Cheetah died saving him made Arthur feel like he might have very well been the killer.


    "It doesn''t matter," Unbound Mongoose looked at the towering figure of the Resurrection Cat with hatred. He couldn''t feel the pressure of a Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast radiating from the creature anymore. It wasn''t because it had grown weaker. Whenever a Resurrection Cat was killed, its attributes would increase by 15% so it certainly wasn''t weaker. Rather, the problem lay with Unbound Mongoose. The hatred he felt canceled out all other emotions, and even fear was no exception.


    "Do you think he saved you because you''re the son of the Village Head?" Unbound Mongoose turned to look at Arthur and said. Feeling Domineering Tiger''s hold on him weaken, the man broke away and walked to Arthur.


    Arthur''s expression was enough for the others to see that Unbound Mongoose''s words were right on the money. Indeed, Arthur was feeling extremely guilty because he felt that the only reason he had been saved was because he was the next chief of the village. To him, if that wasn''t the case, there would have been no way that Wandering Cheetah would die for him.


    "Is Domineering Tiger Village Head Fan''s son?" Unbound Mongoose stood right in front of Arthur and looked him straight in the eye as he questioned. His question stunned the young boy for a while.


    "Well is he?" Unbound Mongoose asked again.


    "No, he isn''t," Arthur found his voice and answered.


    "Beastly Tiger. Is he your brother?"


    "No, he isn''t."


    "What about Frowning Tiger. Is your master your father''s son too?"


    "Master isn''t."


    "Rash Tiger?"


    "He isn''t"


    Unbound Mongoose mentioned the names of all who had been rescued by Wandering Cheetah before he died.


    "So what makes you think your rescue was any different?" Unbound Mongoose finally asked. Arthur was tongue-tied. Listening to Unbound Mongoose''s simple words had left him with no answer to his question. Wandering Cheetah had saved everyone. The only person who didn''t need his help was his friend. The others, including Domineering Tiger and Beastly Tiger who called him a coward and with whom Wandering Cheetah didn''t have a harmonious relationship with had all been saved. What was it that made Arthur''s rescue any different?


    "He saved all of you because he reckoned that there would be no chance of defeating the beast if any of us was dead" Unbound Cheetah turned to face the others and said. His grief filled face forced an ashamed Beastly Tiger to turn his head away. How could he face Unbound Mongoose now that the man''s friend whom he called a coward had saved his life?


    Unbound Mongoose was filled with pain at the thought of his friend''s death. Everyone saw Wandering Cheetah as a coward. But was his friend really a coward? Unbound Mongoose knew the answer even better than Blistering Cheetah. It had to do with a sequence of unfortunate events right before Wandering Cheetah was declared a Cheetah by the Oracle.


    Blistering Cheetah didn''t know this because he wasn''t a part of the mission then. But when they were just Thrashers, and were close to breaking into the Predator level, they were given a mission to investigate some strange occurrences in a forest next to the village. The young Wandering Cheetah was chockfull of confidence. He was a young prospect and one cherished by the village, so naturally he was very arrogant. And he wasn''t lacking in admirers. One of these admirers was a Thrasher. She was also vastly talented, only second to Wandering Cheetah and Domineering Tiger among the younger generation. And Wandering Cheetah was in love with her.


    During the mission they were lax since the forest they were sent to investigate was a normal one and since it didn''t have any Magical Beasts, they didn''t take the mission seriously at all. It became a picnic for Wandering Cheetah and his girlfriend, leaving Unbound Mongoose as an unwanted third wheel. Leaving the two lovebirds behind ¨C on the outskirts of the forest ¨C Unbound Mongoose ventured into the forest to investigate the strange happenings and finish the mission. The other two reckoned that since the forest wasn''t enchanted, it was okay to leave Unbound Mongoose as the sole investigator and enjoy themselves. Unbound Mongoose came back empty handed. He hadn''t discovered anything worthwhile. But when he reached the outskirts of the forest he came across several corpses. Corpses that reeked of magic. And amongst the many bodies, he discovered several Middle Classes and a few high classes ¨C not enough to threaten a Predator, but more than enough to deal with two Thrashers at the peak of their level.


    He found Wandering Cheetah amidst the corpses, holding on to the one he loved. She had no breath in her, her body riddled with several injuries that even a Predator wouldn''t be able to recover from. Seeing the heartbroken figure of his friend sitting on the ground with lifeless eyes, Unbound Mongoose did the only thing he could. He pulled his friend away and they returned to the village, carrying her corpse with them.


    It turned out that Village Head Fan had a feeling the mission wasn''t going to be easy, and that was why he sent three Top level Thrashers. He had asked them to exercise caution, but they disregarded his words, and they paid the price. When they returned, the elders asked them a simple question.


    "Why didn''t you run?"


    It turned out that the girl had suggested they escape, but Wandering Cheetah, inflated with pride and confidence, rejected her idea. In the end, she died saving his life. They had lost a genius because Wandering Cheetah was too arrogant to escape. The only positive was that Wandering Cheetah broke through amidst the chaos and became a Predator, which was how he killed the Magical Beasts. So they couldn''t fault him. Especially since he was grieving harder than anyone else.


    Unfortunately their words, "Why didn''t you run," was deeply imprinted into Wandering Cheetah''s mind. And the genius touted as having the potential to become a Tiger, unconsciously changed his path. He started to pursue speed instead of power because he said to himself that as long as he had the pace to escape from any creature, he could rescue those he loved. He believed that even Tigers had enemies they couldn''t overcome, but Cheetah''s could always escape. Unbound Mongoose didn''t stop his friend from pursuing this path, because the last words the girl he loved left him were,


    "Live. Don''t die"


    Unfortunately the event traumatized Wandering Cheetah, and every time he faced a foe, he became afraid, making him incapable of displaying his true speed. And soon everyone believed that he was slower than Blistering Cheetah. That he was nothing more than an average Cheetah. Even Unbound Mongoose didn''t know that Wandering Cheetah was that fast until the recent events, hence his surprise at the revelation. Many called him a coward, and before long that description had stuck.


    "He was never a coward," Unbound Mongoose turned to Beastly Tiger and said. The Tiger lowered his head even further. But Unbound Mongoose couldn''t be bothered about him. He turned to face the Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast. The angry cat was unusually patient, as if it had nothing to fear now, and had waited for them to sort out their emotions.


    "We need to kill that thing," Unbound Mongoose gritted his teeth and said. He unsheathed his twin daggers and gripped them so hard that his hands turned pale.


    "We will," Arthur declared and hoisted Durandal onto his shoulder. Feeling the familiar strength of the magical sword coursing through his veins, he charged at the beast with a mighty roar.


    *****************************************


    "What happened? Why did Unbound scream like that?" Back on the sidelines, Blistering Cheetah anxiously asked Samoa. Samoa gritted his teeth in frustration. He didn''t know if telling Blistering Cheetah that his friend was dead was a good idea, given his condition. He was no healer, but he knew that it wasn''t wise. He tried ignoring the Predator, and tried to get away.


    "Tell me!"


    But Blistering Cheetah was having none of that. It was unknown where he got the strength from, but Blistering Cheetah was holding onto Samoa''s arm so strongly that Samoa could hear his bones squeaking.


    "He saved the others. Got them all out of harm''s way" Samoa started.


    "But," Blistering Cheetah demanded.


    "But he died in the process. I''m sorry" Samoa turned his head away. There was nothing else he could say to comfort Blistering Cheetah.


    Who would have thought that Blistering Cheetah would rather regain his calm upon hearing the news?


    "I see," he said, and then he lost consciousness.

 Chapter 302 - More Death

    "Is he okay?" Samoa asked worriedly. The healer taking care of Blistering Cheetah checked his pulse and breathing and then nodded his head to indicate that everything was fine.


    "He is fine. He only fainted due to exhaustion." The healer''s words relieved Samoa somewhat, but also left him very confused. Why did Blistering Cheetah look so relieved when he was told of Wandering Cheetah''s death? Was there some sort of misunderstanding between the two? But that didn''t seem feasible, given that Blistering Cheetah obviously cared about his friend.


    "I''m so confused right now," Samoa sighed and then returned his gaze to the battlefield where his friend and several Predators were fighting a desperate battle.


    ****************************


    *Swish*


    Domineering Tiger moved slightly to the side to avoid the claws of the Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast. He lightly span his body and then pierced towards the beast''s paw with his spear.


    *Bang*


    The spear hit its target, but there was no damage whatsoever. The Resurrection Cat gazed at Domineering Tiger with what seemed to be a disdainful smirk. Seeing its expression, Domineering Tiger didn''t lose his cool. Although he was agitated, he didn''t let that affect his decision making. He jumped back and retreated several metres. The beast didn''t have any more time to pay attention to him either, as Arthur and Village Head Fan besieged it from both sides.


    Arthur''s aura was just as powerful as before. But unlike before, there was a hint of forceful ruthlessness entwined in his aura. The bright red light of Durandal looked more sinister than majestic, and its power was nothing to scoff at. Village Head Fan was covered in a silvery white aura, and Caliburn burned with a bright light. As Durandal sang in delight, Caliburn hummed in harmony with the demon sword. Father and son, one of the left, the other approaching from the right, approached the Resurrection Cat with sinister intentions. When they were close enough to the beast, they swung their blades in unison, in perfect synchronicity with each other, and two large sword lights ¨C one red and the other silver ¨C flew towards the Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast speedily.


    "Reaper"


    "Caliburn''s light"


    After unleashing their respective attacks, the auras of father and son grew dimmer, and their faces became paler.


    Feeling the power of the two sword lights, the Resurrection Cat''s disdainful grin was replaced with a serious look. Its powerful aura grew rapidly, and it hardened its scales and employed one of its three abilities ¨C Unbreakable.


    *Boom*


    The sword lights landed on its body with a bang, but the countenances of both Arthur and Village Head Fan were still grim. The attacks hit the beast alright, but they did little to no damage to the beast. Even with its scales, it should have sustained some injuries. After all, both men had poured more than half of their strength into the blow and were almost drained of power, but the beast was unfazed.


    Arthur and Village Head Fan retreated rapidly to avoid any counterattacks from the beast. They had poured so much into their blows that they were temporarily weakened and wouldn''t be able to defend from even the beast''s regular attacks. So they quickly retreated behind Beastly Tiger and Rash Tiger.


    *Roar*


    The Resurrection Cat saw that there was an opportunity to deal with the two most troublesome opponents and wasn''t willing to let such an opportunity slide. Covering several yards in a single breath, it rushed as the father-son duo, its killing intent so stifling that the lesser man would have crumbled helplessly before it.


    But none of the men here were lesser men. They were all strong Tigers ¨C and one Mongoose; Predators who had been through several life and death situations and had grown used to the overpowering aura of the beast. Added to the fact that they were fueled by the death of Wandering Cheetah, they weren''t fazed by the approaching beast.


    And the one who was most affected by Wandering Cheetah''s death; the one who received the most strength from seeing his closest friend for decades die in the hands of the Resurrection Cat, was the first to step in its way.


    "Where do you think you are going," Unbound Mongoose exclaimed as his figure flashed right in front of the Resurrection Cat''s. But as quickly as he appeared, he jumped to the side and avoided the beast. The Resurrection Cat''s eyes were filled with confusion. Why did the pesky human appear before it, and then run away to the side. But quickly it was startled as it felt its feet leave the ground. It toppled towards the ground in shook, not understanding how it lost its balance.


    *Boom*


    "Now," Unbound Mongoose screamed, as he tugged upon the invisible cord that was the cause for the beast''s fall.


    The person holding on to the other part of the cord, who stood on the other side was Frowning Tiger. He nodded his head when he heard Unbound Mongoose''s shout and abandoned the cord, quickly rushing towards the beast. Domineering Tiger joined him in his charge.


    This cord was Unbound Mongoose''s greatest weapon, and it was made by one of the best craftsmen in the world. It was extremely sharp, and could easily slice rocks into several pieces. Although the Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast was running at full speed, the cord wasn''t able to do anything but to trip it. This showed how powerful the beast''s defenses were. But Unbound Mongoose was undeterred. He wasn''t expecting the cord to do much damage. He was surprised that it didn''t do anything to the beast. After all, although he was expecting that it wouldn''t be badly hurt, he hoped to cause it some discomfort. But its defense was greater than Unbound Mongoose thought.


    Clutching the cord and putting it away, Unbound Mongoose switched back to his trusty daggers. Since the cord couldn''t do anything to the beast, it was useless to keep using it for anything but surprise attacks.


    Domineering Tiger and Frowning Tiger were upon the beast in a thrice. For a team of Predators who had never worked together before, the 7 men were in great synchronicity. With a face full of vicious intent, Frowning Tiger leaped towards the beast and pierced towards its neck with a powerful thrust.


    *Bang*


    *Roar*


    The Resurrection Cat roared in rage as the sword struck it. And then it tried to get up and deal with Frowning Tiger, but Domineering Tiger wasn''t going to allow that to happen. Jumping into the air, the powerful Tiger span a couple of times and descended upon the Resurrection Cat with his mighty spear. Although the weapon couldn''t be compared to magical blades like Caliburn or Durandal, it was a weapon masterfully sculpted by the best of craftsmen. It was the best of what money could afford, and it was time to test its true worth.


    *Roar*


    "Switch!"


    Once again the Resurrection Cat gave a loud roar of disapproval. But this time there was a bit of pain in its voice. Without waiting for the beast to stand up, Domineering Tiger and Frowning Tiger quickly retreated, darting behind Rash Tiger and Beastly Tiger but standing in front of Arthur and Village Head Fan. They quickly replaced Rash Tiger and Beastly Tiger and served as the protectors for Village Head Fan and Arthur, whilst Rash Tiger and Beastly Tiger took their place and served as the vanguards.


    "It has gotten tougher," Domineering Tiger remarked as he stood beside Frowning Tiger. Looking at his strong spear which was slightly blunted at the tip, he felt his heart ache. Not only was the spear very expensive, it had accompanied him since he became a Predator and had been with him through the most dangerous of situations. But now it had lost a bit of its l.u.s.ter.


    "Yeah," Frowning Tiger agreed as he also glanced over the dented edge of his sword. Although this blade didn''t hold much sentimental value to him, it was still a brilliant sword. Yet it had been blunted in one attack.


    Looking at the area his sword struck, one couldn''t see a scar, or even a scratch. It was remarkable really, that the full powered blow of a Tiger wasn''t enough to breach the defenses of the Resurrection Cat. Domineering Tiger didn''t fare much better than his colleague. Although his blow was more powerful, there was only a small scratch. But from the roar of the beast, one could tell that it was still hurt by the blow. And that was strange.


    "It seems to have a low threshold for pain," Frowning Tiger stated as he gazed at the small scratch the beast had received from Domineering Tiger. A parting gift it was.


    "Yes. It screamed so loudly I thought I had done some actual damage" Domineering Tiger nodded his head with a bitter smile. His pride had been trampled upon several times in the past hour. He didn''t know what else could be worse.


    "I don''t know how that would help us though," Frowning Tiger mumbled as he tried to think of a way to use that to their advantage. Domineering Tiger shook his head with a wry smile. He couldn''t think of anything. So he sent his attention back to the battlefield, waiting for the moment when they would have to switch.


    The large paw of the Resurrection Cat missed Unbound Mongoose for the nth time today. The slippery Predator struck the beast''s leg in quick succession.


    *Clink* *Clink*


    "Damn it," Unbound Mongoose swore as he evaded yet another deadly blow by the skin of his teeth. Even with his daggers he couldn''t penetrate the beast''s hide, or rather scales.


    Taking advantage of the beast''s infatuation with Unbound Mongoose, Rash Tiger snuck behind it, axe in hand and struck its hind limb with sheer power and ferocity.


    "Hoh!"


    *Bang*


    The beast''s limb bent in response to the powerful blow, but once again, its scales remained un-breached. It struck out with its hind limb instinctively, and Rash Tiger quickly put up his axe in defense.


    *Bang*


    "Ah!"


    Rash Tiger''s muffled cry was quickly silenced by the blood that filled his mouth. He was sent flying several meters back, and several of his ribs were broken. Suddenly, the beast abandoned Unbound Mongoose and reached for Rash Tiger. Its eyes flashed with a cruel light as it swiped towards Rash Tiger with its powerful claws.


    "Oh no!" Beastly Tiger exclaimed upon realizing what the beast was up to, and he tried to catch up to it. But he was slower than the beast. The fastest person here was Unbound Mongoose, but even he couldn''t match up to the beast''s speed. The only reason Unbound Mongoose was able to deal with its attacks so effortlessly was because he had superior reaction time.


    Frowning Tiger''s expression changed when he saw the beast''s actions. And even Domineering Tiger had an alarmed look on his face. But both were too far back to provide any support. They could only watch as the beast''s claws reached Rash Tiger and took his head off cleanly.


    Before his friend lost his head, he turned to Frowning Tiger and mouthed the words, "I''m sorry." Even in death all he thought about was the fact that losing one man was going to make the fight so much harder. And that was what broke Frowning Tiger''s heart.


    "Damned Beast!!!!!"

 Chapter 303 - The Ancients Part I

    Without regard for his safety, Frowning Tiger dashed forward with full speed. His target? The beast that killed his friend.


    "Wait!" Domineering Tiger tried to dissuade his colleague from making a foolish decision. But Frowning Tiger ignored him and continued his charge.


    "Damn it!" Domineering Tiger swore, his composure tossed outside the window. He hesitated for a bit, before finally running after Frowning Tiger.


    Behind the two Tigers who were leaving were Arthur and his father. Both had their eyes closed as they concentrated on regaining their strength. They calmed their breathing and tried to calm their rioting blood. Village Head Fan opened his eyes first. He had been using Caliburn way longer than Arthur had been using Durandal. Naturally he was able to deal with its rampaging energy faster. He opened his eyes just in time to see Rash Tiger''s death, and he felt his heart constrict in pain witnessing one of his trusted warriors, falling to the beast. He could understand Frowning Tiger''s frustrations, but he didn''t move. He was much older and more m.a.t.u.r.e than Frowning Tiger. Plus he had witnessed plenty of people he loved die before his very eyes. His past wife was no exception. So he was better off than Frowning Tiger in terms of handling his pain. He would have liked to chase after his son''s teacher and stop him from sending himself to his death, but he couldn''t leave. Arthur hadn''t opened his eyes yet and was still susceptible to the beast''s surprise attacks. He sighed as he relented and stood next to his son. He had to protect his son.


    Why did they attack in groups? Why didn''t they fight together? The answer was simple ¨C Endurance.


    Their opponent wasn''t just any normal beast. They were facing a Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast. It had far more stamina than any of them. Their bodies wouldn''t be able to last if they fought together and disregarded this massive factor. If they were confident in breaching its defenses, they would have had no qualms about fighting together. But they weren''t. And in fact since the beast''s resurrection, none of them had been able to destroy its scales. So they used the more risky broken up group attack technique. But because of that, Rash Tiger had been killed.


    "Ahhhh!!!"


    A hysterical cry was produced from Frowning Tiger''s throat. The man who had never lost his composure before was like a hungry beast that had lost its sense of reasoning. He got to the Resurrection Cat quickly, and lifted his swords to strike it.


    *Bang*


    *Bang*


    Like a stone thrown at a wall, Frowning Tiger''s strikes did nothing to faze the beast. It watched him coldly, allowing him to vent his frustrations. It seemed to mock him, seemingly unperturbed by his constant attacks. To him he was nothing more than an ant; an ant it could step on anytime.


    Finally, the beast got tired of Frowning Tiger''s maddened strikes and sent him flying with a paw attack.


    *Bang*


    Domineering Tiger arrived only in time to catch Frowning Tiger''s battered body.


    "Cough Cough," Frowning Tiger coughed out copious amount of blood. His c.h.e.s.t was caved in, and several ribs were broken. From his labored breaths and the fact that he was wheezing, one didn''t need a healer to tell him/her that the Tiger had at least punctured a lung. Frowning Tiger could feel blood pouring into his lungs. The thing that had sustained him for years was now trying to drown him. Since blood was heavier than water, it was even harder to breath.


    "Don''t say anything," Domineering Tiger noticed that Frowning Tiger had something to say, but the man wasn''t in the right condition to be doing anything other than trying to breath. Domineering Tiger''s expression was grave as he observed Frowning Tiger''s injuries.


    "How is he?" Unbound Mongoose appeared by their side and asked. Beastly Tiger also appeared beside them. His eyes were red, and his face full of sorrow. Rash Tiger had died. Although they always fought, that was the dynamic of their relationship. They were still friends. Take out Domineering Tiger, and the person Beastly Tiger was closest to was Rash Tiger. But his friend was dead. And before he could even process that, Frowning Tiger had gone and gotten himself gravely injured. And it didn''t look like he would make it. The arrogant cat looked at the three men with disdainful eyes, not bothering to come after them.


    "Not good," Domineering Tiger shook his head. The attack had barely any power in it and shouldn''t have been enough to cause such grave injuries. But in his rage, Frowning Tiger''s reasoning was gone, so he didn''t defend against the attack at all. Instead of blocking with his swords when the paw descended, he tried to smack it away. And obviously against an opponent that was so much stronger than you, it was nothing but a very bad idea.


    "Master!"


    It was unknown when Arthur opened his eyes. And even how he arrived here without anyone''s notice was extraordinary. But his pitiful expression and his tearful eyes were so far away from the imposing impression he had given to everyone when he first made his entrance on the battlefield.


    Frowning Tiger wanted to say something. But all that came out was some more blood. He could do nothing but smile wryly and raise his hand to cup his student''s cheek. Then he shook his head as if discouraging Arthur from something he wanted to do.


    "I won''t be careless. I promise. I promise I won''t be careless"


    Although none of them seemed to understand what Frowning Tiger meant, Arthur did. His master was afraid that Arthur would make the same mistake and so was urging him to be thoughtful, and not to be brash and careless.


    "Where is Rash Tiger," Arthur realised that his master''s friend wasn''t here, and thoughtlessly asked whilst cleaning his tears.


    Domineering Tiger shook his head in reply to the boy''s question, and the others tried to avoid his line of sight. Village Head Fan sighed sadly when his son turned to him for an answer, and also shook his head.


    "He''s dead. Your master went crazy when he saw that and went after the Resurrection Cat." Unbound Mongoose finally decided to answer.


    "I see," Arthur smiled sadly as more tears fell from his eyes. It finally made sense as to why his master had gotten hurt so badly.


    **********************************


    "Even he has fallen," Samoa gritted his teeth as tears threatened to fall from his eyes. They said one should never meet their heroes, for more often than not one would be disappointed with what one found. But that wasn''t the case with Frowning Tiger. The man was everything Samoa imagined he would be: suave, calm, powerful yet not boastful. He was a good man. Although he hadn''t spent long with him, he admired the man. But it seemed he would die today. He saw the beast kill Joe''s uncle ¨C Rash Tiger. Since Joe was a member of an elder''s family, he was forced to stay within the Central Demarcation line for his safety. Although the boy protested, he was forced to obey and leave the frontlines. If he was here, he would have undoubtedly be broken by what just happened. Samoa saw how the beast swatted Frowning Tiger away like the Tiger was some sort of fly. He knew for a fact that receiving such a blow head on was never good. Even if Frowning Tiger was alive, he didn''t have long.


    "Can he be saved?" he turned to the healer who stood next to him and asked.


    "He would be dead before he is brought here. In his condition, moving him would kill him." The healer sighed when he saw Samoa''s pleading expression. Oh how many times had he been given that look? People asking for help knowing full well that there was nothing that could be done. It was a look of hope intermingled with dread and desperation.


    "How would they even survive," Samoa mumbled hopelessly. Two Tigers had been killed in quick succession, and so easily too. How would the others fare any better?


    "For he remains. He is never gone." Suddenly, Blistering Cheetah who was on the ground mumbled these words.


    "What did he say," Samoa wondered. The healer checked Blistering Cheetah''s pulse and vitals and responded, "I don''t know. Probably some unconscious banter."


    Samoa nodded his head, not giving the issue any more thought.

 Chapter 304 - The Ancients Part II

    They were right in a sense. Blistering Cheetah was indeed unaware of what he said. But his words came from a memory. A memory he was currently reliving.


    "What do you know about Savior?" the Oracle, a dark skinned pretty middle aged woman asked a young Blistering Cheetah.


    "It was made by some Scientists after they experimented with the blood of several Magical Beasts," said the young Blistering Cheetah.


    "That is not true," the Oracle shook her head after listening to his words. The young Blistering Cheetah was confused. Then what was the truth. Luckily for him, the Oracle gave an answer even before he could ask.


    "They didn''t experiment on Magical Beasts. They experimented on people"


    "What!" Blistering Cheetah didn''t see that coming. If they did, why was it revealed that they experimented on Magical Beasts?


    "During that time, humans were weak. We didn''t have the strength to go against Magical Beasts, let alone capture some. It''s laughable that we believed such a lie all these years."


    Blistering Cheetah blushed listening to her words. After all, he also believed that that was indeed the case.


    "Humans survived the threat of Magical Beasts because of a race of humans called the Ancients" the Oracle didn''t care about his reaction. She was eager to continue her story.


    "The Ancients?" Blistering Cheetah marveled at the race he was only hearing about for the first time.


    "Yes, the Ancients. They were a peculiar race. They were born with special abilities. Some of these abilities were hidden in some. For others, these abilities were present from birth. The Ancients were strong. They used their power to help mankind fight against the Magical Beasts. But the human heart is complex and conniving. People were jealous of the power of Ancients, and some despicable ones abducted some of the newborns of the Ancients and experimented with them"


    Blistering Cheetah felt his blood run cold at the words of the Oracle. It was amazing enough that there was a race that didn''t need any potion to become strong, but it was her words about experimenting on newborns that terrified him.


    "How could they do something like that?" he asked.


    "It wasn''t strange. They had no power to go against the a.d.u.l.ts, so the babies were their best bet." The Oracle waved her hand nonchalantly. She didn''t seem particularly bothered by it.


    "That was how Savior was developed. It was made using the blood of Ancients. They were babies, but they were still Ancients. So their blood worked just fine. But few could withstand the power of their bloodline. A diluted version was made, which was the New Type Potion. But later on it was discovered that the New Type Potion could also be made using some herbs, so their blood was no longer necessary. However this information came long after the Ancients discovered the schemes of the humans and killed off those who orc.h.e.s.trated the entire event. They have been missing since"


    The Oracle laid b.a.r.e the secrets of the world. And Blistering Cheetah was stunned for a while. It turned out that everything was a lie. It wasn''t greedy people who killed the scientists. The scientists were the despicable ones. And Magical Beasts had nothing to do with either potion. Everything was a lie.


    "Where are the Ancients now?" he asked


    "They went into hiding," the Oracle answered.


    "So how do you know this?"


    The story was fascinating and all, but it wasn''t that easy to believe all this.


    "Because I am an Ancient," the Oracle had a large smile plastered on her face as she revealed the truth. Blistering Cheetah was stunned once again, even longer than he was before.


    "All Oracles are Ancients. How else do you think we have our power? The power of foresight isn''t something that can be gained from a potion."


    The Oracle lightly rapped on Blistering Cheetah''s head to regain his attention.


    "All of us Ancients have one defining factor. We have darker skin and amazing talent. There are people in this world that have darker skin too, so it isn''t easy to find an Ancient, but that is the best way to look for us."


    "Why are you telling me all this?" Blistering Cheetah took several deep breaths and asked. Why did she choose to tell him? Was she not afraid that he would tell another?


    "If you tell anyone else, would they believe you?" The Oracle had a playful smile on her face as she questioned.


    "I guess not," Blistering Cheetah smiled bitterly seeing that his thoughts had been seen through. The Oracle was right. There was no way anyone would accept his words as truth.


    "As for why, it is because the greatest Ancient to have ever been born is your friend," the Oracle stated.


    "My friend? But I don''t have any friend who¡­" Blistering Cheetah suddenly stopped talking.


    "You realise it now right?" the Oracle smirked playfully


    "Dan," Blistering Cheetah mumbled. He was the only dark skinned person he knew. Plus his talent was amazing.


    "Yes. His talent is suppressed because that idiot gave him a New Type Potion. It''s like trying to strengthen an original product with a fake."


    The Oracle spat out hatefully. Blistering Cheetah smiled wryly. He knew who this ''idiot'' was. Village Head Fan had presented a New Type Potion to Dan because he was very talented. But now that the Oracle mentioned it, Dan''s rate of improvement did reduce drastically after taking the potion. But since he was still so talented, many didn''t think much about it. It seemed that the clueless Village Head had done something silly. And that was why the Oracle called him an idiot.


    "Why didn''t you just tell him?" Blistering Cheetah was confused. She could have just told Village Head Fan so that he wouldn''t make the mistake of unknowingly suppressing Dan''s talent. She definitely had no qualms about revealing this secret. After all, she was telling it to him right now.


    "It''s complicated," she sighed. It was the first time Blistering Cheetah saw a complex look on her face. But it was quickly wiped away. He was curious as to what the complication she referred to was, but if she wanted to tell him, she would have done so instead of blaming things on a ''complication''.


    "As for telling you, it''s because I have to go away. I don''t know if I''d ever make it back alive, so I had to entrust this to someone so that when Dan is ready, he would be told."


    "Where are you going," Blistering Cheetah wondered. What could be so bad that even an Oracle wasn''t assured of keeping her life?


    "I cannot say," she shook her head, which wasn''t a huge surprise to Blistering Cheetah. To be honest, he wasn''t expecting an answer. She had only told him what she wanted him to know, she wasn''t going to feed him anything more than that.


    "I''m confused though. Why didn''t you just tell Dan about who he is, instead of feeding him that nonsense about him not being good enough to be a Tiger?"


    The Oracle had proclaimed Dan a Cheetah. Wandering Cheetah was the title she gave him. But listening to her words, Blistering Cheetah knew that what she told him was nothing but a lie. How could the most talented Ancient ever to be born be a ''measly'' Cheetah? Sure Cheetahs were awesome. But even with his talent suppressed, he should be a Tiger at least.


    "Because if I told him, what must happen for his talent to be awakened wouldn''t happen," the Oracle sighed and shook her head.


    "But I would tell you this. A time would come when the Cat would swallow the sun and all would seem bleak. You would be indisposed, incapable of lifting even your head, and darkness would be all you will have as your company. It would be then that he would rise. It would spit out the sun from its belly and the sun would rise into the nonday sky. No matter what happens; no matter how bleak things may seem, you should always remember this: For he remains. He is never gone"


    Back on the battlefield, the Resurrection Cat that was watching the Tigers grieve suddenly stood up. It had a look of discomfort on its face as it roared in pain.


    *Roar*


    "What is it up to," Village Head Fan said vigilantly, and the others also stood up, ready to fight for their lives. But the beast kept roaring in discomfort. It kept m.o.a.ning in pain. Suddenly, it made several belching noises, and vomited something out of its body.


    Its stomach juices melted the floor as soon as they came into contact with it, but there was something in the saliva.


    "Is that a rock," a bewildered Unbound Mongoose wondered.


    "No. Look, its moving"


    "That''s a man!"


    Arthur exclaimed. They were all startled. How could someone survive in that thing''s stomach? The strange man was unrecognizable for he was covered in the green acid from the Cat''s stomach. But slowly his clothes were melted off, leaving only his n.a.k.e.d body.


    "Dark skinned," Domineering Tiger suddenly stated. And the others were all startled. It was true that the man was dark skinned. They could all see that. But the issue was, they knew only one dark skinned man. And it just so happened that that man had been swallowed by the beast!


    "But Wandering Cheetah was gravely injured before. Even if that was him, he wouldn''t be fine!" Beastly Tiger made a sound argument, but when the man spoke, they didn''t doubt who that was anymore. When he turned and they saw his face, they didn''t need any convincing.


    "Unbound?" Dan smiled as he turned to face his friend. "Do you happen to have any spare clothes?"

 Chapter 305 - Powerful Dan

    "How could it be him?!" Samoa exclaimed seeing the figure that crawled out of the mouth of the beast.


    "How can a mere cat swallow the sun?" Suddenly, someone said this confusing sentence, and Samoa naturally turned to see who it was.


    "Sir Blistering Cheetah?"


    Correct, the man who was meant to be asleep was awake. There was a huge smile on his lips as he watched the n.a.k.e.d figure of his friend standing tall on the battlefield.


    "For he remains. He is never gone"


    ************************************


    "How is that possible?" Beastly Tiger asked, stunned with what he was witnessing. A man who was supposed to be dead had come back from the grave!


    Everyone, from Unbound Mongoose to Frowning Tiger whose breath was getting shallower and shallower by the second, was stunned with what they were witnessing. Not only had they seen the beast trample on their friend, they also witnessed it consuming him. But he was standing right in front of them, the injuries he had sustained before he was swallowed nonexistent, and his mere presence an insult to the reputation of the Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast.


    "Clothes Unbound. Do you happen to have any clothes?" Wandering Cheetah asked again.


    "No," Unbound Mongoose mumbled in a daze. Everyone was so surprised that they didn''t see the Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast backing away in fear.


    "How''s his condition," Wandering Cheetah looked at Frowning Tiger''s struggling expression and asked. No matter who looked at the Tiger right now, they would be able to see that he didn''t look good.


    "Not good," Domineering Tiger seemed to have recovered from the shock of seeing his former rival come back to life and responded.


    "Pardon me," Wandering Cheetah stated, and he suddenly appeared beside Frowning Tiger.


    "This," even Village Head Fan had a stunned expression seeing that he was no longer close to Frowning Tiger. There was only one person close to the Tiger now ¨C Wandering Cheetah. The others, including Arthur, had all been moved out of the way. They hadn''t been sent far. They were still close to Frowning Tiger. But there was only one person right next to the Tiger now.


    "Has he gotten stronger somehow," Arthur stuttered, momentarily forgetting that his mentor was currently dying.


    Before, Wandering Cheetah had to sacrifice himself because he couldn''t carry the Durandal wielding Arthur out of the way. So the man had chosen to use all his strength to smack Arthur out of the way to save the young man. But just now Arthur only experienced a blurry vision, and then he wasn''t kneeling down by his master and holding his mentor''s hand anymore. Linking that to the fact that Wandering Cheetah was the only person kneeling next to his mentor right now, it wasn''t difficult to understand what had happened.


    "And faster," Village Head Fan furrowed his brows and added. In less than a second, Wandering Cheetah had carried each person away. Although they were only moved by a few meters, it had still been achieved in less than a second. In fact, the Cheetah was so fast that none of them noticed anything. They only experienced some blurriness, and all of a sudden they were on their feet, watching Frowning Tiger from a short distance away. And the amazing thing was, they were all squatting before!


    "This level of control is beyond even Frowning Tiger''s."


    Village Head Fan wasn''t the only person who realised the difficulty of what Wandering Cheetah had done. Domineering Tiger noticed it as well. To be able to manipulate one''s body expertly was under the realm of a Control Type. But manipulating others just as brilliantly was beyond even Frowning Tiger''s level of skill. It was literally unheard of!


    Hearing his father and Domineering Tiger''s words, Arthur''s gaze towards Wandering Cheetah was now full of expectation. Maybe there was nothing any of them could do to save his mentor. But Wandering Cheetah had proven that he was stronger and better than before. He was now full of a mysterious aura, and even his n.a.k.e.d figure seemed to radiate great grandiosity. So much so that they had even forgotten that he was currently n.a.k.e.d. Maybe Wandering Cheetah would be able to help his master. No, that wasn''t quite accurate. Rather, only Wandering Cheetah could help his master.


    Wandering Cheetah gazed upon Frowning Tiger''s broken figure with a complex expression. Frowning Tiger stared right back, his expression bitter and astringent. He knew his condition better than anyone else. There was no way he was going to make it out alive.


    "How did you become like this," Wandering Cheetah sighed. Of all the people here, Frowning Tiger was the last person he would have expected to see in this condition. It wasn''t because he was stronger than the men here. To be honest, his strength was on the lower side compared to the others. Rather, it was because the man was brilliant and cautious that he stood a better chance of surviving compared to the others. His injuries looked like they were sustained from a severe case of carelessness, which was something Wandering Cheetah couldn''t associate with him.


    "Rash Tiger died," Unbound Mongoose came to stand next to his closest friend and spoke a simple sentence and Wandering Cheetah understood immediately.


    "I see. I was wondering why he wasn''t here. I hoped the worst hadn''t happened. It''s unfortunate. Had I returned sooner this wouldn''t have happened."


    Wandering Cheetah sighed mournfully. Rash Tiger was liked by many, and although Wandering Cheetah wasn''t close to the man, he didn''t have a bad impression of the always jovial Tiger. Plus it made sense that Frowning Tiger had lost control after witnessing the death of his best friend. He would have lost it too if he saw someone he loved die in front of him. And he had experienced the pain of losing someone dear before. He could relate to Frowning Tiger''s pain.


    "This should be enough," Wandering Cheetah put his hand on Frowning Tiger''s c.h.e.s.t for a while and then took his hand off. However, in the short moment that his hand was in contact with Frowning Tiger''s body, the latter regained his complexion, and his breathing stabilized.


    "This¡­"


    All of them were surprised. They didn''t have hope that Wandering Cheetah would be able to do anything ¨C with the exception of Arthur of course. But the man simply put his hand on Frowning Tiger''s c.h.e.s.t and his condition stabilized? That was amazing!


    "This¡­" Frowning Tiger stuttered. He couldn''t believe it.


    "You shouldn''t speak. You are still in bad shape." Wandering Cheetah stopped Frowning Tiger from getting up. His words made sense, since Frowning Tiger could still feel the pain from his injuries. But he was a Control Type, so he understood his body best. He was out of the most dangerous situation. Now all he needed was to nurse his injuries.


    "Master!" Arthur screamed and run to the side of his mentor.


    "How?" Village Head Fan asked, startled by what he was seeing. This was beyond anything that he had witnessed. How did Wandering Cheetah do it?


    "Three broken ribs, and a punctured left lung. A dented sternum and a cracked manubrium. I simply controlled his body and removing the rib in his lungs, then sealed the wound on his lungs with his own blood, and closed the holes in the injured arteries and veins. So he isn''t in any danger now. But he still needs treatment."


    Although Wandering Cheetah made it sound easy, they knew that none of what he mentioned was easy. In all honesty, they didn''t even know some of the things he mentioned, but they understood that what he did wasn''t healing. It was controlling a person''s body to look like healing. It was a level of control that was beyond this world.


    "Does falling into the stomach of a Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast give you superpowers?" Beastly Tiger moved closer to Domineering Tiger and whispered. His friend''s ears twitched and a wry smile found its way onto his face. But he knew that Beastly Tiger wasn''t kidding. If he didn''t give him an answer, the man would go diving into the belly of the beast to find out ¨C literally.


    "Not that I know of," Domineering Tiger replied whilst thinking that Beastly Tiger could be a right royal idiot sometimes. Forget the foolishness of the question. Which of the people here weren''t technically super powered. They were stronger than the average man by a mile, yet Beastly Tiger now considered himself average because Wandering Cheetah was displaying skills that were beyond their comprehension. But to be fair, Beastly Tiger''s question was justified, since they really looked mediocre next to Wandering Cheetah.


    The reason why Domineering Tiger questioned his friend''s intellect was because of their current location. They were surrounded by powerful men, and nothing could be said under wraps in their presence. Although his question was meant for Domineering Tiger''s ears only, everyone else heard it. And Wandering Cheetah''s twitching ears meant he heard it as well.


    Now that Frowning Tiger was stable, Wandering Cheetah returned his gaze to the beast that had backed all the way to the edge of the village.


    "Where do you think you are going?" Wandering Cheetah asked. His question prompted the others to turn their attention to the beast that had caused them so much trouble.


    The Resurrection Cat stopped moving completely under Wandering Cheetah''s scrutiny. It shivered in fright, and produced a subdued roar.


    "It''s afraid?" Unbound Mongoose stated, the surprise in his voice unhidden. This was the beast that had run rampant, and even killed one of their friends. Yet it was now showing signs of weakness. Before the much smaller Wandering Cheetah, it looked like a housecat before its owner, but without the characteristic nonchalance; completely subdued and humbled.


    The others suddenly remembered what Wandering Cheetah said before he treated Frowning Tiger


    "Had I been here, this wouldn''t have happened."


    Before they didn''t take note of his words, but now that they did it sounded pompous and arrogant. After all, the beast was very terrifying. So how was one man going to change everything? They hadn''t even seen its full abilities yet. It had only displayed two. But seeing the expression on the beast''s face, they realised that Wandering Cheetah wasn''t boasting. He was fully capable of instilling fear into the heart of the Resurrection Cat! This wasn''t at the level of simply causing it to become cautious and wary. This was fear; true, pure fear!


    "How can I let you go?" Wandering Cheetah shook his head after hearing the roar of the beast.


    "He can understand it?" Domineering Tiger mumbled in shock. What couldn''t this man do? Could he fly now? Could he overturn the heavens? Or could he descend into the depths of the earth? Right now nothing would come as a shock to them.


    "At first I wanted to let you go. I would have stripped you of your strength and then set you free. After all, I was able to awaken because of you."


    The others didn''t even react to Wandering Cheetah''s words. They had become numb to anything else he said or did.


    "But you killed Rash Tiger. You must die!"


    Suddenly, a huge coercive force filled the battlefield. It didn''t matter if it was those on the sidelines, or those right next to Wandering Cheetah on the battlefield. All of them felt their knees buckle under the powerful aura of the lone standing n.a.k.e.d man.


    "What is this power?" Samoa stuttered as he struggled to lift his head. He started to fear that there was another even more fearful beast on its way. There was no one around him who fared any better. Yet under this massive presence, Blistering Cheetah could still muster a smile. It looked cramped, forced even, but it was still a smile.


    "Don''t worry. This power belongs to him. The Strongest One. The one you called Wandering Cheetah. This power belongs to Dan"


    *Bang*


    The Resurrection Cat was blasted into several large chunks; pieces of it falling from the sky and onto the ground. And with its death, the huge aura that pressed everyone to the ground was lifted, and the smiling Wandering Cheetah returned to himself.


    "He killed it?"


    "Just like that?"


    Arthur and the others had a hard time believing that the beast that had been so much of a threat to them had been killed so easily. It couldn''t even put up a fight. There were no cheers. There was no applause, for the way the beast died was too unbelievable for anyone to understand. Yet the one who killed it turned around like nothing happened and said to his nonplussed colleagues.


    "Man I need some clothes."

 Chapter 306 - A Peek Behind The Curtain

    "Looks like my worries were unfounded"


    Quite a distance away from the battlefield, and beyond the reach of any of the men or women, two cloaked figures stood watching the entire proceedings. One of them was slightly hunched, indicating some signs of old age. It was this figure that spoke, and the feminine tone was enough to show that it was a woman.


    "How could you not believe in your own prophecy?" The other figure next to the woman mocked. Unlike the woman, he wasn''t hunched over, and his baritone voice was filled with youth. There was a large sword poking out of his cloak, and his thick long hair could be seen even under the cover of the cloak.


    "You can''t blame a mother for being worried about her son," the hunched old lady replied. Her voice had a bit of joy in it. And why wouldn''t she be happy.


    "I still feel like there was a better way to reverse the damage that the New Type Potion did to his body without forcing him into the belly of the beast- literally."


    The young man didn''t understand the woman''s intentions. She was clearly happy that her son was safe. That much could be inferred by listening to the joy in her voice. So why did she allow something so dangerous to happen? It was true that her son had regained his power- power that had been lost after he consumed the New Type Potion; but this plan was a dangerous one. Any small mistake and he wouldn''t have been able to make it out alive.


    First off, the plan was based on a vision the old woman had received decades ago. Like every other vision, it was unclear, and it really couldn''t be called a vision since what came to her were words, and not an image. The words she received were so:


    A time would come when the Cat would swallow the sun and all would seem bleak. Those around him would be indisposed, without as much power to even lift their heads, and darkness would be all they would have as their company. It would be then that he would rise. The Cat would spit out the sun from its belly and the sun would rise into the nonday sky.


    The words were vague, much like every other so called vision. And it was difficult to understand exactly what it meant. But she researched and researched, never giving up and years after her vision, she received another vision. This time there was an image.


    She saw her son shrouded in fire. But the fire was dark and gloomy, as dim as the night itself. It was hard to make it out as fire, and it would have been impossible to do so if not for the flickering of the light and the fact that it danced around him. She saw darkness consume her son''s figure, and felt her heart clench in pain. But the vision wasn''t over. All of a sudden, the darkness that swallowed her son was consumed, and the dark fire turned into bright, crimson flames; flames that stole the majesty of the sun''s flames. Shrouded in the bright fire, her son stretched out his hand and dispelled the darkness with little effort. A comforting end to the vision.


    The only problem was that the vision still wasn''t clear. She was able to make the connection between the words she received and the images she saw. But she still wasn''t clear on what it meant. So she left the village, seeking for the meaning behind the words. And after several years she understood a bit of what had to be done. And she spent all these years setting out to make her vision, a reality.


    "It is true that this was a plan with a lot of risks," the old lady agreed. If Dan had been killed by the beast''s smack, even if he swallowed by the beast, he would have been dead. And the dead do not come back to life.


    Secondly, if the beast had decided to chew onto its food before it swallowed, Dan would have died. And these were just the most obvious problems. There were too many unknowns; too many risks. Yet she had still gone on with her plan.


    "But I wouldn''t do any of this if I didn''t have any confidence," the old lady remarked.


    "I thought you said you didn''t trust the prophecy completely." The young man assumed that it was because of the prophecy that the older woman was so confident. But that was confusing for him, since she had clearly stated that she wasn''t completely trusting of the prophecy.


    "Oh I trust the prophecy, but only when my visions have nothing to do with my son," she stated calmly, her words almost causing the young man to lose his footing.


    "Did you think I would leave my son''s life to chance?" she shook her head, a hint of sarcasm thinly coating her voice.


    "What do you mean?" the young man wondered.


    "Have you forgotten that Oracles are also blessed with the power of sorcery?" she asked, and the young man finally seemed to be enlightened.


    "I understand now. Those weren''t lucky coincidences. The fact that he didn''t die from the beasts paw, or the fact that he wasn''t chewed on before he was swallowed. Plus the fact that for some strange reason he needed to be swallowed by the Resurrection Cat before he could awaken. None of these things were coincidental. You made sure of that."


    "I did. I was uneasy with the prophecy. I have had prophecies about myself revealed to me. Some good, and some bad. Yet none of them made me feel as uneasy as his did. I felt as though if I didn''t orc.h.e.s.trate everything myself, none of these things would happen."


    "That was why you planned the Overflow," the young man nodded understandingly.


    His words would have shocked anyone who heard it. Samoa was right. The Overflow was so strange and unexpected that it almost seemed like someone behind the scenes was the cause of it. But it was unbelievable to think that there was someone with so much power that even Magical Beasts were easily used as pawns, so he didn''t want to dwell on the thought. But it was indeed true. The Overflow had been planned by this old lady, all for one purpose.


    "I don''t understand one thing though. Why did you have me promote the Resurrection Cat to the level of a Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast?"


    The young man decided to ask the question that had always been on his mind. It was another question that would have unsettled the nerves of every villager out there. Samoa and many others who knew about the Resurrection Cat found it hard to believe that such a weak creature could be grow so much. How did this weak beast suddenly become a Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast? Now the answer was clear. It was the work of Ancients.


    Ancients had powerful blood. It was this blood that was capable of granting strength to the weak humans, and the same blood that was so powerful that the average man would die upon receiving a pure dose. Also, the stronger the talent of the Ancient, the harder it was to find someone who was capable of consuming his/her blood and not losing his/her life. Unfortunately, what many didn''t know was that Magical Beasts could also grow vastly stronger by consuming the blood of Ancients, and that was how the weak Resurrection Cat had been turned into a Tiger killing Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast.


    "Two reasons. The first is relatively simple. The Resurrection Cat has lousy talent, but is resilient. Which means it wouldn''t die after receiving your blood and would definitely grow stronger. But it had such poor talent that there was no way it would break into the Legendary Class Magical Beast realm."


    The old lady gave the first reason for her decision in picking out the Resurrection Cat as their target. The young man nodded in understanding. He was a very talented Ancient, so his blood could turn even a Middle Class Magical Beast into a Legendary Class Magical Beast. There was no way the village would have been able to stand up to a Legendary Class Magical Beast. Dan would have been killed easily before anything could happen.


    "What is the second reason?" the young man enquired. The old woman said there were too reasons. Now that she had mentioned one of them, it was left with another.


    "Because the Resurrection Cat is special," the old lady remarked vaguely.


    "How so?" the young man asked.


    "Because of its ability ¨C Extra Life. That ability isn''t as simple as it seems. It is because of the name humans gave the ability, which is why many don''t know that it isn''t so simple."


    "Extra Life, or Resurrection as old Ancients call it, gives the beast a boost in all its abilities. It is usually by 25% at the very least, depending on the talent of the Resurrection Cat. But during the first 20 minutes of its resurrection, anything - weapon or tool ¨C that is consumed isn''t destroyed in its stomach. Rather it is refined to the best state."


    "This¡­" the young Ancient was stunned. Clearly he didn''t know about this.


    "The younger generation of Ancients don''t know this. But we the older ones do. In the past, before humans betrayed us, prompting us to go into hiding, we used Resurrection Cats to refine our weapons. And that is why they are almost extinct"


    The old woman just kept dropping secrets, and the young man was having a hard time keeping up.


    "The thing is, humans would get killed if they were consumed during that period. Since they aren''t as resilient, and are regarded as prey by the beast, they wouldn''t be able to survive. But Ancients aren''t prey. We are the true Predators. Our bloodline is so strong that the body of the beast is fooled into believing that a precious object has been tossed into its stomach. So instead of digesting us, it would refine us. Ancients used this method to force awakenings in poorly talented Ancients in the past. They would usually toss the child in there, and then wait for about half a dozen minutes before slicing the Resurrection Cat open and retrieving the child."


    "Since Dan''s talent is clearly above anything we have ever seen, the beast would regard him a holy elixir and wouldn''t dare to digest him for fear of exploding. So it would rather choose to refine him slowly. Unfortunately for it, what was refined was the diluted mess called the New Type Potion that had integrated into Dan''s bloodline, leaving only his pure power available. And even more unfortunate was that my son is so talented that the beast couldn''t refine his blood, so its body instinctively rejected him and it spat him out"


    The old lady kept spitting out truth bombs, and the young man was endlessly amazed by what he was hearing. He knew he was talented, but it seemed that Dan was way more talented than he was. So much so that the beast didn''t even attempt to refine his blood. And it had been strengthened by his blood earlier. This meant that Dan''s bloodline was far more powerful than his!


    "And that was why you picked the Resurrection Cat," the young man sighed. He finally understood what he had been doing all these years, and he had nothing but admiration for the old woman who had planned it all.


    "But how did you stop it from chewing him up?" That was the last thing that wasn''t clear. And he wanted to find out.


    "I blessed the cat with the ability to smell bloodlines. I integrated the blessing into your blood so it could recognize that Dan was similar to you. It recognized that Dan''s bloodline was special and could be refined, and so it swallowed instead of chewing and putting it all to waste"


    The young man nodded, and then he gazed upon the figures of Village Head Fan and his son, Arthur. It wasn''t the people in particular who intrigued him. It was their swords. Their humming, though weak, caused his soul to tremble. It was almost as if they had the power to destroy him.


    "That''s insane. Humans cannot go against the power of the Ancients, much less have what it takes to kill us." He thought to himself. He thought to ask the old woman about it, but he shook his head. He''d ask her later. Right now they had to get away from here before Dan sensed that something was wrong. After his awakening, he was much stronger than them. And the young man remained disillusioned for he knew that although he made the Resurrection Cat what it was, he wouldn''t be able to kill it simply by smacking wind towards it and blowing it to bits.


    As the old lady conversed with the young man, she gazed at the battlefield again. She reached into her cloak to reveal a strangely shaped cane with the carving of a Lionhead as its crown. Looking at the n.a.k.e.d figure of her son one last time, she backed away and walked in the opposite direction. Her green eyes sparkled beneath the cloak, so much so that that was the only thing that could be seen. Gradually, she disappeared into the Enchanted Forest. And the young man followed suit.


    ***********************************************


    "Are you okay Dan? You seem distracted." Unbound Mongoose tapped the n.a.k.e.d shoulder of his friend who had been staring into the Enchanted Forest all this while.


    "Yeah, yeah I''m okay," Dan snapped out of it and replied. "It''s just that for a second I thought I saw someone I knew. But I guess I was just imagining it."


    "I see. Well you should definitely get some clothes first before imagining anything else. All the women are staring at you with hungry eyes. It''s kind of scary really." Unbound Mongoose smiled bitterly and said. He could feel several gazes filled with killing intent centre on him when he recommended that his friend got some clothes and was a bit terrified. Looking at the several women who were staring at Dan''s n.a.k.e.d body with predator-like l.u.s.t, the Predator himself was scared. He hurriedly dragged his friend towards the deeper sections of the village.

 Chapter 307 - Conclusion Part I

    "There are signs of internal injury for sure. But those ones aren''t the issue here. It''s the injury to your spine that is the problem"


    Back in the village, Blistering Cheetah was getting a thorough review of his injury. Looking into the eyes of the healer, Blistering Cheetah calmly asked,


    "So?"


    The healer sighed and said, "It would be a miracle if you are able to walk again."


    Blistering Cheetah didn''t look so torn by the news. He seemed to have expected this already. He couldn''t feel his legs when he was made to lie on the straw mat, but he hoped that it was only temporary. Apparently it was not.


    "How is he?" A dark skinned man suddenly appeared in the room. His abrupt appearance stunned the healer so much so that she dropped the medicine tray she was holding on to.


    "Please knock next time," she furrowed her brows and chided the one who came in. She quickly bent down to retrieve her instruments. It was only upon lifting her head and seeing who it was that she lost her composure.


    "Sir Dan?!" she exclaimed, clearly surprised by the intruder''s status. She could display her nonchalant attitude to anyone but three people ¨C Village Head Fan, Arthur, and Dan. The first one, Village Head Fan, was the most important man in the village and no one would dare disrespect him. The second person, Arthur, was the son of the Village Head and the future chief of the village. Not only was he young and handsome, he had proven that he was strong enough to carry the mantle of his father. For he alone had slain several Mythic Classes, all on his own and with little difficulty.


    The last person was probably the most unexpected name to be added to the list. Formerly an unimpressive Predator and a man who was hailed as a failure, Dan was now the most feared person in the village. Everyone on the battlefield saw him kill the Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast with a slap. It wasn''t even a contact slap. The man literally slapped the air in front of him, but that was enough to destroy the seemingly impenetrable armor of the Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast. This was a man who crawled from the belly of the beast. This was a man whose speed was proven to be beyond Blistering Cheetah''s, even before his supposed death, and he was officially the strongest person in the village. And from what was witnessed by hundreds of people, he was probably without an equal in the world! No one would dare to disrespect such a man.


    "I''m sorry Sir Dan. I had no idea it was you. If I had I wouldn''t have¡­" the healer tried to explain as she sweated profusely. After seeing Dan''s strength, people were more terrified of him than they were in awe of him. Everyone feared that they would be killed with a slap if they got on his bad side. And no one had forgotten the powerful aura that forced everyone, even Village Head Fan, onto their knees. And the healer knew the ferocity of that aura clearly, given that she was also on the battlefield at the time.


    "There''s no need to be afraid. I''m not going to hurt you" Dan tried to reassure the young lady, but his words only made her more terrified. He smiled wryly seeing her reaction. Everyone seemed to look at him like he was some sort of monster now. He had saved their lives, but they were more terrified of him now than they were of the Resurrection Cat. And some idiotic theory was going around that he was the reincarnation of a Legendary Class Magical Beast that had been born in the stomach of the Resurrection Cat. People were even afraid to call him by his title now. No one dared call him Wandering Cheetah. They all called him Sir Dan now.


    "Can I take a look at him?" Dan asked


    "Of course Sir Dan," the young healer eagerly responded and got out of the way, revealing Blistering Cheetah''s pale complexion to Dan. The healer was a bit excited. And her excitement seemed to overshadow her fear of Dan. She had seen Dan touch Frowning Tiger when he was gravely injured and on the brink of death, and the man came back to life! She was eager to see if the miracle could repeat itself.


    "I see you''re still alive," Blistering Cheetah joked despite his pale countenance. His tone relieved the anxious Dan, who was afraid that his friend would also see him differently. Unbound Mongoose treated him the same, and now it seemed that Blistering Cheetah wasn''t going to detach himself from his lifelong friend either.


    "Not for lack of trying," Dan smiled and sat next to his friend. He put his hand on Blistering Cheetah''s c.h.e.s.t, and in the next second sighed a mighty breath of relief.


    "It isn''t as bad as I thought," Dan commented.


    "So you can fix it," Blistering Cheetah asked with sparkling eyes. Although he seemed indifferent, how could a Predator like him be content with being confined to a chair? He wanted to walk, and fight again.


    "Yeah. It''s not that difficult." Dan nodded with certainty. His friend''s spine was broken in some places and needed to be put back in place. Some nerve cells were also displaced and would have to be rearranged. Due to his extreme level of control now, that wouldn''t be difficult. As for those that were frayed, there was little he could do. Dan lifted Blistering Cheetah and turned him onto his belly with relative ease to the amazement of the healer. Then he put his hand on Blistering Cheetah''s back and a few cracking sounds rang in the room for a short while.


    "Done," Dan remarked after only a few seconds. Then he flipped his friend back onto his back.


    "Try moving your feet," Dan suggested. Blistering Cheetah nodded his head and gave the task his utmost concentration. Who would have thought a day would come that would see him so focused on just trying to move his feet. He who was known as the fastest Cheetah in the village. Certainly not him.


    In just a few seconds, Blistering Cheetah''s forehead was filled with sweat as he struggled to move his feet.


    "I did it!" he exclaimed joyfully upon lifting his left foot slightly from the bed. The healer was awed by what she was seeing. Certainly Blistering Cheetah would be unable to move like he used to for a pretty long time. But with the right treatment, he would be sure to recover his skills.


    "You should rest now," Dan smiled happily seeing his friend''s joyful expression and tried to leave.


    "No wait," Blistering Cheetah suddenly grabbed his friend''s wrist and said. Dan could have easily broken away, but there was no need to.


    "I need to tell you something," Blistering Cheetah stated and then looked at the healer who was rooted to her spot in amazement.


    "Can you¡­" he pointed to the door and said.


    "Oh right! Sorry. Please call me if you need anything." The healer bowed hurriedly and left the room.


    Dan looked at Blistering Cheetah with a questionable gaze, "What is this about?"


    Blistering Cheetah looked like he was conflicted, but he finally sighed and said, "You should be sitting for this."


    "Is it true what they are saying?"


    Back in the residence of the Village Head, the leaders of the village were having a meeting. All the Elders were here, and so was Village Head Fan. The only people here who weren''t leaders were Arthur and Samoa. Samoa was here on the request of the injured Frowning Tiger. Although the man was a Tiger, he was usually present for these types of meetings as the right hand man of the chief. But since he was injured, he sent Samoa in his place, stating that starting today the boy was his assistant. As for Arthur, the strength he showed added to his identity as the future chief of this village was enough to be given a seat at the table. He had never been offered one because his father didn''t let him, but now he didn''t need his father''s permission. Although he was injured and had his entire midsection wrapped up, he insisted to be part of the meeting.


    "Did he really kill the beast with a slap?"


    "And from several yards out?"


    Several elders looked worried by what they were hearing. They were happy to be alive, but they didn''t like the details of the battle.


    "Yes, he did. I was there. He''s the hero of the village. If not for him, we wouldn''t have made it out alive." Arthur stated.


    The elders had ugly looks on their faces hearing his words. On another day, and if it was another person they would have asked that he be quiet due to his age. But Arthur was no ordinary person. His background and strength were so impressive that none of them was willing to offend him.


    Samoa sighed seeing the ugly expressions on their faces. Unlike the na?ve Arthur he understood that the elders were not happy that someone with so much power had appeared in the village. To them it was like having a giant beast breathing down their necks. This was a beast that could easily tear a Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast to shreds. None of them had treated him kindly earlier, and were afraid that it would be held against them.


    "We need to keep him under our control"


    "Yes. We can''t have him acting out on his own."


    "Exactly. We must make sure that he''s restrained and isn''t given that much freedom."


    In just a few breaths, several suggestions had been made. They all had one theme: Dan must be kept for the village''s sake as a weapon.


    "And which of you is going to do that?" Village Head Fan finally spoke up. His words silenced the elders.


    "We have lost many of our men. Several Predators died, and we are left with only a few Tigers. Domineering Tiger and Beastly Tiger are the only Tigers who escaped unscathed in battle today. All others are either dead or indisposed. Some have left the village. The only Predators we have left are Unbound Mongoose and Blistering Cheetah, who may be permanently injured by the looks of things. Tell me, against someone who can deal with the Resurrection Cat, which of these men stand a chance"


    The room was so silent that a pin drop would have had the same effect as a large crash. The elders had solemn expressions. They had no solution on how to contain Dan. Village Head Fan didn''t say this, but he suspected that Dan was so much more powerful than what he had displayed. So powerful that even Legendary Class Magical Beasts wouldn''t stand a chance. That was what his intuition told him, and what he inferred from what he saw on the battlefield. But he chose to keep this information to himself.


    "I recommend that we keep him in the village at all times by conferring upon him the title of ''Village Guardian''. That way we can have him obey our orders and prevent him from doing anything rash."


    Elder Bright suddenly stated. His words caused the eyes of the elders to light up.


    "That''s a brilliant idea."


    "Well done Elder Bright"


    "With this he would have no choice but to do our bidding"


    Several of the elders applauded his idea, and the countenance of Arthur turned cold. He couldn''t believe that the elders were thinking of dealing with their own villager, a man who had just saved their lives. He finally understood why his father never wanted him here. For although he had been here only a few minutes, he wanted nothing more than to beat the elders into submission.


    "And why would he accept? What could you possibly do to him if he doesn''t?" Arthur sneered. It wasn''t something he would normally do ¨C being rude to his elders ¨C but the elders had it coming. The elders had ugly expressions after hearing Arthur''s tone. They felt he was being disrespectful, but they couldn''t say anything.


    "Arthur, we cannot let Sir Dan be. Especially with the power he has" But someone else spoke for them, much to their delight. They looked favorably upon the person speaking, who was probably the last person they would have expected to stand for them and oppose Arthur.


    "What are you doing Samoa?" Arthur asked, the surprise in his tone unhidden.


    "I''m sorry Arthur. But it is unsettling for someone with that much power to be left unchecked. It is dangerous to do so." Samoa stated whilst avoiding his friend''s eyes. He could feel that he had hurt Arthur with his words. His friend was probably feeling betrayed now.


    "How about we tell him about this Village Guardian thing and see what he says," Village Head Fan announced under the dismayed expression of his son. The man could do nothing but sigh sadly. It was true that Dan saved their lives, but he was a chief so he couldn''t act on his will alone. He could only hope that Dan wouldn''t make things difficult for them.


    "Reconvene in an hour. Dismissed"

 Chapter 308 - Conclusion Part II

    "Samoa," Village Head Fan called out to the departing Samoa and said, "You should stay."


    "Why did you agree to their suggestion Father? Sir Dan saved our lives! We have no right to demand anything more of him!"


    Once the elders were gone, Arthur unleashed his frustrations on his father. In his anger he banged on the table, which happened to be the only table in the room, and unsurprisingly the poor table was destroyed.


    "Calm down. You just broke the only table made of Acacia wood in the entire village." Village Head Fan''s heart ached at the sight of the expensive wooden masterpiece crumbling into bits. It was something he paid a great price for ¨C or at least that was the lie he fed everyone he knew.


    "Please. Isn''t that the furniture you extorted from the Black Wolf Gang when they tried to raid the village?" Arthur smirked disdainfully and said.


    Others didn''t know where this piece of furniture came from, but he sure did. So he had no reservations about destroying it.


    "I''m starting to regret drinking around you," Village Head Fan sighed and said.


    Although he seldom got drunk, there were times when he was lucky enough to hit the jackpot and come across some strong wine. In one of those instances he had gotten drunk and had spilled several secrets to his son. One of these secrets involved the origin of the Acacia table, which turned out to be a ''gift'' from the head of the Black Wolf Gang several years ago.


    The unfortunate gang had taken the village to be one for the taking and had ended up meeting Village Head Fan who was returning from one of the cities on the way. Naturally after hearing of their plans they were beaten to a pulp but spared on the condition that they would let others know of the fearsome might of the village. After all, to their knowledge, only one of the men from the village, whom they had run into coincidentally, was enough to deal with them all. Not knowing that they had just dealt with the head of the village and the strongest warrior at the time, they happily agreed. But Village Head Fan still took something from them as well. The unfortunate robbers had just procured an Acacia table and didn''t have the time to enjoy the rare masterpiece when Village Head Fan extorted it from them. The older man called it justice, for they had experienced what they had done to countless people. But Arthur knew that his father didn''t care about justice. The man just wanted a nice piece of furniture but was unwilling to fork out the money required to buy it.


    "All I can do now is get a drink and forget about this incident," Village Head Fan sighed and tried to leave.


    "Do you think that would work?" Arthur smiled scornfully and blocked his father''s way. How could he not see that his father was trying to avoid answering his question? It was a trick the old man had been using since Arthur was a little boy. And whenever he was caught, the old man would just pummel his son into an unconscious state and leave anyway. Unfortunately Arthur''s newfound strength made that an impossible option. Village Head Fan looked into the determined eyes of his son that were telling him that until he got an answer, he wasn''t going to leave. Finally, he sighed and returned to his seat.


    "So, why did you indulge them?" Arthur looked into his father''s eyes and demanded.


    "Because they need something to cling onto," Village Head Fan sighed and said.


    "What do you mean?" a confused Arthur asked.


    "Do you know what the relationship between the elders and Dan has been like all these years?" Village Head Fan asked. Naturally, the na?ve and relatively uniformed Arthur shook his head in reply. How would he know when he had never been involved in the affairs of the village until today?


    "Samoa?" Village Head Fan turned to Samoa and asked.


    "Strained," the young Samoa replied, avoiding his friend''s eyes.


    "Exactly. Strained. They have treated him like crap these past decades. They''ve sent him on missions unbefitting of a Predator and have treated him like some sort of servant" Village Head Fan stated as he reclined in his chair.


    "Why? He''s a Cheetah. His reputation is beyond many others. Why would they treat him like that? Also as a Predator, if they treated him poorly he could have just threatened to leave the village" Arthur wondered. The villagers normally got along well, so he had no idea that a Predator was being mistreated in the shadows. Also every Predator was an asset to any power. So mistreating one was very unfavorable. Arthur wondered why Wandering Cheetah had endured all these years.


    "Because of something that happened years ago. Before he was swallowed by the Resurrection Cat, he revealed some unreal speed. And that was even when his abilities had been suppressed. I wondered then why he hadn''t revealed his true strength and had accepted the scorn of the entire village. But it was because of that incident. It was that incident that that made him so submissive to the abuse of the elders. It was that incident that caused him to lie low"


    "Several years ago, a team of three Thrashers were sent out on a mission. These Thrashers were Unbound Mongoose, Wandering Cheetah, and a young woman. The young woman, who also happened to be the daughter of one of the elders, was Dan''s love interest. But they got careless on the mission and she lost her life. Later Dan confessed that it was his fault that she lost her life. She sacrificed her life for his. The elders were unhappy with him, hence the abuse. And I''m certain that he felt that he was to blame and took on their frustrations as a punishment he thought he deserved. He probably didn''t reveal his true strength and hid his speed because he knew that he would be given more responsibility and wouldn''t have to take their abuse anymore. Maybe he still feels guilty, but he may have kept his strength hidden so that he wouldn''t be spared their wrath"


    Village Head Fan sighed when he was done speaking.


    "And that is why the elders are so confident that he would accept the Village Guardian position. They know that as long as he is still ridden with guilt, they would still have their way with him. But because they are terrified of his strength they don''t dare make unnecessary demands, hence their fear and hesitation"


    Samoa analysed.


    "Yeah," Village Head Fan nodded his head.


    "You should thank Samoa," Village Head Fan suddenly told the still stunned Arthur.


    "Thank him? What for? For betraying me?" Arthur recovered himself and burst out again. He couldn''t understand why Samoa didn''t stand up for him and instead took the side of the elders. He was supposed to be his friend!


    "For preserving your status," Village Head Fan disregarded his son''s outburst and stated calmly. His words stunned Arthur for a while, and the young man turned to his friend for an explanation. Samoa only turned away. But Village Head Fan chose to answer the question.


    "You cannot antagonize the elders and expect support when you become the chief. Believe it or not, you would need elders to help you handle the affairs of the village, especially when you have no idea how governance works. These elders may not be around when you lead, but they would train those who would take over and their impression of you would be passed on to these people. Why else do you think Samoa is here?"


    "I reckon Frowning Tiger was worried about this, wasn''t he? That was why he sent you?" Village Head Fan turned to Samoa and stated.


    "Yes Village Head Fan," Samoa replied humbly. It was true that was the only reason Frowning Tiger asked him to come. The man didn''t care about the meeting enough to send an assistant just because he was injured. The only reason he was worried was because of Arthur. He couldn''t leave Arthur to the wily elders and rest easy. So he sent the intelligent Samoa in his stead.


    "I''m sorry Samoa" Arthur bowed his head in shame and apologized.


    "It''s no problem. I would have been mad too if I thought you had betrayed me," Samoa comforted.


    "Well there you go. Now we just have to wait for the elders to return and see what Dan thinks about their idea."

 Chapter 309 - Conclusion Final Part

    The village was usually a great place to live. Each person treated their neighbor like family, and just like family most were very close to each other. That was why no one would ever want to be an outcast in the village. Everyone, and by that I mean everyone, would disregard an outcast. The thing about being surrounded by people who were as close as family members was, once you offended one of them, you offended them all.


    "This is his house?" Arthur asked, very surprised to see the structure before him. In reality, the house he was looking at wasn''t bad at all. It even had a compound and was relatively large. It was a good place for any villager to live in ¨C if they were common members of the village. But for a Predator, this wasn''t good enough.


    First and foremost, the house was in a secluded part of the village, and almost bordered on its outskirts. Arthur had seen his master''s place before. In fact, he had gone to his master''s place several times to train. Plus whenever his master was away on missions, he was the one who tended to his master''s property and gardens. Frowning Tiger wasn''t the most powerful Tiger in the village, but his residence sure looked like it. It was a large house but not a story building because that was against the rules of the village. It had two huge gardens ¨C an ornamental plants garden and a rock garden. It was well furnished and looked very neat and tidy. Plus it was located very close to the centre of the village. The only people who had better houses than the Tiger were the elders and Village Head Fan.


    Secondly, the house they were standing in front of had several cracks in its walls. And the walls themselves looked very old and capable of falling apart any second now. It was very old in appearance, and definitely not befitting of a Predator.


    Samoa furrowed his brows when he saw the state of Dan''s house. Village Head Fan said the elders didn''t like him, but from the looks of Dan''s residence dislike was an understatement of the emotion they felt for him. For them to place him in a dump like this showed how much they scorned him. Seeing the state of the house and its walls, Samoa started to feel that the elders were asking for much by even trying to keep him within their control when they had clearly been very unkind to Dan over the years. And the fact that Dan wasn''t even perturbed living here showed how much guilt he must have been feeling at the time.


    "It is certainly not befitting of a man we want as our Guardian," Village Head Fan furrowed his brows and turned to face one of the elders with a cold look. Over the years he had let their treatment of Dan slide because the man was a Cheetah and wasn''t under his command. But even he didn''t know that this was Dan''s place of residence. Even when the man was a Thrasher, he was living in far better conditions.


    "We shall make sure that the place is cleaned and renovated," Elder Light, the elder subjected to the sharp gaze of Village Head Fan calmly stated. He didn''t seem too perturbed by the cold look he received from Head Fan.


    "A renovation? No, it isn''t good enough" Village Head Fan shook his head and stated blandly. His words caused Elder Light to finally look annoyed as the old man asked,


    "Then what would you recommend, Head Fan?"


    Village Head Fan ignored the sarcasm in Elder Light''s tone and replied, "A new residence."


    "You want to give him a new residence?" Elder Light gritted his teeth as rage filled his eyes.


    His reaction surprised Samoa who thought that even if he didn''t like Dan, there was no need for him to express such a high degree of hate for the man. That was unless¡­


    "He was the elder whose daughter died to save Sir Dan''s life," Samoa thought. And judging by the silence of the other elders and their sympathetic looks, Samoa knew that there was a large chance that his thoughts were spot on.


    "Yes," Village Head Fan acted as if he couldn''t see the rage that filled Elder Light''s eyes. His response was just as casual as it could possibly be.


    "After what he did?!" Elder Light screamed in rage.


    "What did he do?" Village Head Fan turned calmly to face the elder he had known for years and asked.


    "He¡­he¡­he¡­" Elder Light started, but that was all he could muster. No other words came out.


    "That''s right. He did nothing. I don''t know what it feels like to lose one''s child. But I reckon it wouldn''t be a great experience."


    Village Head Fan''s words all but confirmed Samoa''s thoughts, and Arthur finally understood why Elder Light hated Dan so from his father''s words.


    "But I remember how torn I was when I lost my wife. I looked for any means to draw my mind away from her death. I took on the most daunting of tasks, and killed as many Magical Beasts as I could find, almost as if they were responsible for her death."


    Arthur had a sad look on his face as he listened to his father recall the pain of losing his mother. Arthur was only 7 at the time, but he still remembered how broken his father became when his mother died. It wasn''t a memory he wanted to relive.


    "I was so afraid of losing someone else close to me that I kept Arthur confined within the walls of this village. He was kept like a bird in a cage, not given any opportunities to extend his wings and soar."


    "I thought I was keeping him safe, but all I was doing was making myself feel better. You hate Dan and blame him for the death of your daughter. But was he the one who killed her? Or were the true culprits the Magical Beasts to whom both of them fell victim to"


    Village Head Fan walked to Elder Light and put his hand on the man''s shoulder. The elder was shaking as he balled his fists. A few decades worth of emotional baggage was on his shoulders. But this wasn''t baggage he should be keeping.


    "I imprisoned my son in a bid to make myself feel better. You did the same. You imprisoned someone who would have become your son if your daughter hadn''t died to make yourself feel better. You treated him poorly and vented on him to rid yourself of the pain you were feeling"


    If Elder Light''s daughter was alive, she would have most likely married Dan because the two were already engaged. In fact, Elder Light had a good relationship with Dan before the incident. The two were very close, and anyone who saw them together would have thought that they were indeed father and son. But after her death, that love he had for Dan had turned into hate. That was how thin the lines between love and hate were ¨C wafer thin.


    "She died for him, Light. She died for him. And I know that if you were in her place, you would have done the same thing" Village Head Fan looked into Elder Light''s grief stricken eyes and said. Elder Light returned Head Fan''s gaze, his sorrowful eyes agreeing with his friend''s words. Although he didn''t want to admit it, he did consider Dan his son before the incident. And if it had been him with Dan when the beasts attacked, and not his daughter, he would have made the same decision.


    Finally he sighed and nodded his head.


    Village Head Fan nodded his head with a smile and patted his friend''s back. Then he took the lead and walked into Dan''s residence. The gate had long been torn off, so there was no need to knock.


    "I was wondering when you would come in," at the far end of the compound stood a handsome dark skinned man. Wearing only a small shorts and nothing else, he stood gallantly, like a fortress that had never fallen under its enemy''s siege. Dan''s gaze flitted past the people who had just arrived, his gaze lingering on Elder Light''s figure longest as a complicated expression flashed past his eyes.


    "On behalf of everyone in the village whose life you saved, I would like to officially offer my thanks as the Village Head."


    Village Head Fan bowed slightly as he spoke. Arthur who was right next to him bowed as well, and went even further down than his father. For not only had Dan saved his life, he had rescued his master''s from the hands of the underworld too. Samoa bowed as well, and the reluctant elders also bowed. But when Elder Light tried to bow, he found that he was unable to. He commanded his body to bow, yet as though restrained by a strange force, his body refused to listen to him.


    Stunned, he lifted his head, the only part of his body that listened to him and looked at Dan.


    "I don''t deserve your bow Sir" Dan shook his head with a bitter smile. Looking at Dan''s expression, Elder Light felt a jolt in his heart. Although Dan was older now, he could still see the image of young man he loved when he looked at the clearly older Dan. He couldn''t help but ask himself whether he really hated the man like he said he did, or he was just running away.


    "I will protect the village from any threats that would be beyond you" Dan stated calmly.


    "How did you know?" Arthur blurted out. The others were just as surprised as the young man was. They had only discussed their decision amongst themselves, so how did Dan know? Unless there was someone amongst them who had already informed him.


    "I see you got my message," Village Head Fan stated, and settled the hearts of the elders who thought that one of their own had sold them out. Village Head Fan was no fool. He wanted Dan to be aware of everything so that they didn''t get on his bad side.


    "I did. But I won''t be your lackey." Dan added.


    His words caused the faces of several of the elders to turn unsightly. They knew exactly what Dan was saying. He was essentially telling them that he would only protect their village, but wouldn''t go on any of their errands or missions. Basically, he was telling them that no one could control him in this village.


    "And only the renovations would do. I don''t need a new residence. I quite like this place you know." Dan stated, and the elders were stunned once more. If Village Head Fan was the one who told Dan about the plan of making him the Village Guardian, then no one told him this. They had literally just discussed the issue outside. So there was no way anyone would have been able to tip Dan off beforehand.


    "You were quite loud," Dan pointed to the area outside his house and explained.


    "Even if you don''t want to move, you owe the village too much to blatantly say that you wouldn''t contribute anything," Elder Bright stated. How could he and the elders be happy hearing that a powerful weapon wasn''t going to be under their control?


    "Stand down Bright," Village Head Fan ordered.


    "Village Head Fan mustn''t stand up for this person who doesn''t know how to return the graces offered him in the past," Elder Bright insulted.


    "Did you not hear me," Village Head Fan stated as his voice turned chilly. "Or have you forgotten who I am?"


    Looking into Village Head Fan''s eyes, Elder Bright felt a chill go down his spine. Years of speaking to Village Head Fan in a setting of equals had caused him to grow forgetful. But seeing the cold eyes that stared into his soul and held his breathing captive, Elder Bright was reminded of whom it was he was speaking to.


    Caliburn. A powerful man who had led the village for years and had proven today that he wasn''t any weaker than he was in his prime. This was a man who could easily squish him to death, and no one would say a word. He dared not antagonize this man.


    "I haven''t forgotten what the village has done for me. But you also shouldn''t forget what I have done for the village. Even my contributions from before are more than enough to repay the good graces of the village. I owe you lot nothing. There is only one person amongst you who is qualified to ask anything of me" Dan stated with a smile. But none of the elders felt any warmth from his jovial expression. It was a chill that met their greed and froze it to stone.


    "And it isn''t you," Dan turned to gaze at Elder Bright, and the man started trembling all over. He had never been on a battlefield before, but he knew what that gaze meant.


    "I have tolerated you for years," Dan''s gaze said. "One more word and I would kill you!"


    Looking at him for a few more seconds, Dan withdrew his gaze and said, "On behalf of Rash Tiger you would live to see another day."


    Dan wasn''t in a good mood. Blistering Cheetah had just told him some things that he was still struggling to process, and yet there were clowns who took themselves too highly disturbing his peace of mind. In his volatile mood, he was capable of killing any of them for any slight offense. They were lucky that he still retained a shred of his reasoning or he would have vented his frustrations on them.


    "He seems upset," Samoa and Village Head Fan picked up on that. They could see that there was something that was troubling Dan, and that staying any longer would be detrimental.


    "Well, we wouldn''t waste any more of your time then," Village Head Fan nodded and proceeded to leave.


    "I would be leaving the village on a trip. Don''t know when I would return. Thought I should let you know." Dan suddenly stated before they left. Village Head Fan was smart. He knew instantly that Dan wasn''t talking to him. So he held Arthur by the arm and left without a word. When the elders saw his actions, they immediately realised what was going on and left speedily as well. As for Samoa, he left even right after Village Head Fan.


    There was only one man who remained from the large entourage that had arrived here. Elder Light looked at Dan with a complicated gaze and said,


    "Come back"


    Dan smiled brightly after hearing the man''s words. He burst into laughter as tears streamed down his face and replied.


    "Yes Sir."

 Chapter 310 - Hear And Shudder

    In the Present


    Village Head Samoa was narrating the incidents of the past to the three Thrashers under his command. Of course he didn''t know anything about Dan''s secret or the Ancients, but he told them what he knew of the battle all those years ago and what had happened.


    "So we would have been nothing impressive in those days," Scarred Boar sighed after Village Head Samoa was done with his narration. Hearing that the village had over twenty Predators, of which 15 were Tigers was truly eye opening. In times were there were as many as 75 Thrashers, they who were also Thrashers wouldn''t have been anything much in such a line up.


    "It''s unbelievable really. If it came from anyone else, I wouldn''t have believed it." Hidden Boar shook his head with a bitter smile. He was a proud warrior, and hadn''t seen the village as something worthy of his services. After all, he only chose to become part of the village because of Village Head Samoa. So learning the history of the village and finding out that the village that was now scanty with powerhouses didn''t have that problem before was hard to accept. Even more over the top was that they were able to compete with a Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast. True they weren''t the ones that killed it in the end, but they were able to kill it once. If it wasn''t for the fact that Resurrection Cats could resurrect once when killed, they wouldn''t have needed Dan''s help.


    "So the village lost most of its powerhouses in the battle huh?" Smiling Boar still had a smile on his face. But unlike before, his smile seemed forced and unnatural. Just like the other two, he was rocked by what he had just been told.


    "What about the Tigers who survived the war? And those who weren''t in the village when the horde arrived?" Hidden Boar was naturally curious about those who survived. After all, even an injured Tiger was powerful enough to deal with a prime Thrasher. But the fact that they were able to pull their weight in the village meant that these powerhouses weren''t around.


    "That is one mystery I have never been able to solve," Village Head Samoa shook his head and replied. Till date, he didn''t know what happened to the Tigers who survived, and those who weren''t in the village never appeared again.


    "But I do know this. Beastly Tiger and Domineering Tiger joined Sir Dan on a quest that led them outside the village. I don''t know what happened in that quest, but only Sir Dan returned." Village Head Samoa furrowed his brows and said.


    Although he didn''t say it out loud, he implied that the two Tigers were dead, and that news shocked them. With the protection of a powerful figure like Dan, the two still died. Didn''t that mean that there were more dangerous figures in the world? Figures capable of handling Tigers and those beyond Tigers like Dan?


    "I still find it a bit hard to believe: that someone killed a Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast with almost no effort at all," Hidden Boar sighed and said.


    "Almost no effort? He didn''t use any effort at all! It was a slap. A simple slap from several yards away but it was enough to kill the beast!"


    Village Head Samoa shivered slightly when he recalled the majestic aura that pressed them all to the ground, and the mighty slap that traveled across space to utterly destroy a Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast! He didn''t want to be on the receiving end of that attack.


    "I''m with Hidden on this one," Smiling Boar shook his head and said. "I don''t believe that someone can so casually kill a Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast. Master, maybe Dan found a way to hypnotize you all into believing that was what happened?" he continued.


    Although Scarred Boar didn''t comment, his expression showed that he was in agreement with the other two. He also found it hard to believe that someone could be so powerful. And if this being was indeed so powerful, why did two Tigers under his care die?


    "I don''t care whether or not you believe me. But what I say is the truth. As long as Sir Dan still has half of his strength from his peak left, he can easily squash us to death!" Village Head Samoa thundered, disregarding his image.


    "It''s good you know your place," an uninvited voice suddenly proclaimed. The three Thrashers who were known as the Hands of Samoa quickly surrounded Village Head Samoa and drew their weapons. They stared vigilantly into the darkness that seemed to hide the intruder and conceal the person''s figure from their eyes.


    "Who dares intrude?! This is the house of Village Head Samoa!" Scarred Boar exclaimed as he held on to his spear.


    "Samoa''s house?" Suddenly someone appeared in front of them. It was a dark skinned man with curiously good looks and an excellent stature. He held a bag in his hand and his face was filled with scorn.


    The Thrashers stepped back instinctively. They didn''t see how he appeared at all! And even scarier was that they couldn''t gauge the intruder''s strength!


    "When did this become your house Samoa?" The dark skinned man scoffed and asked


    "Sir Dan," Samoa mentioned the name of the intruder with shaky lips. His words stunned the Hands of Samoa as they took a look at the intruder again. Indeed, there was only one dark skinned person in the village. And this person was the one their master feared the most. However, they never thought they would get to meet him this night!


    "You are nothing but a glorified caretaker. If it wasn''t for your friendship with Arthur all those years ago and in memory of Sir Bright, I would have killed you long ago," Dan stated unkindly.


    "How dare you?!" Scarred Boar exclaimed, pointing his spear at Dan. Although he couldn''t see through his opponent''s strength, that didn''t mean he was afraid of him. He didn''t believe that Dan was as strong as Village Head Samoa described him, but he knew that the man was a Predator once so he couldn''t underestimate him. He planned to take the initiative so that he could seize the advantage.


    "No don''t!" Village Head Samoa exclaimed when he realised what Scarred Boar was planning to do. Even when Dan was only a Cheetah his speed was so remarkable that in a suppressed state, the Resurrection Cat couldn''t keep up with him. Even if the rumors were true and he had grown weak, how would a mere Boar be able to land a blow on him? But alas, Village Head Samoa''s words were a second too late. The resolute Scarred Boar had already began his charge, and no one could stop him. The other two, Hidden Boar and Smiling Boar looked at each other and followed after their leader. Like a furious whirlwind, the three Thrashers descended upon Dan with vicious grins etched across their faces.


    "It''s over," Village Head Samoa shivered unconsciously. He knew better than his men how foolish their cause was. As for the price they would pay, he could only pray that it didn''t include their lives.


    Gazing at the approaching trio, Dan was unmoved. He disregarded them and looked at Village Head Samoa as he uttered a simple command, "Kneel."


    *Boom*


    The three men suddenly lost control of their bodies and toppled to the ground. Their prideful knees kissed the ground underneath them for the first time in their lives as a powerful aura forced their heads to bow in submission as well.


    "How?" Hidden Boar muttered in disbelief as he tried to force his body up but to no avail. He struggled endlessly, finally succeeding in raising his head only to be greeted by the coldest pair of pupils he had ever seen in his life. Within that majestic gaze he felt like an ant, capable of manning no resistance and at the complete mercy of his oppressor.


    "My friend used a spear once. You tarnish the great names that have wielded this weapon in the last few decades."


    Dan disregarded the pleading gaze of Village Head Samoa and spoke calmly to Scarred Boar.


    "I would have killed you lot. But that would leave no decent opponents for Mane to play with. After all Wild Boar was the weakest of you lot, and Mane was able to kill him without any problem. If I kill you, there would be no one decent enough to face him"


    Wild Boar was dead! Their worst fears had been realized. But the scariest part was, it wasn''t the person they feared would intervene that killed the Thrasher, but the young 15 year old boy they had disregarded. They finally understood that it wasn''t that Dan was around when Wild Boar came, but that the boy they had written off was strong enough to disregard the Thrasher''s strength! And it was this same boy that had killed him! So not only was the boy alive, but their comrade was dead and their plot exposed!


    Dan didn''t care about their emotions. He told them this for them to understand that even without his protection, Mane would do just fine. Secondly, he wanted them to know that the genius they tried to kill knew about them, and was coming for them. Gazing at the figures kneeling before him, he uttered the word


    "Break"


    "Arghh!"


    Like squealing pigs, all three Thrashers screamed in pain as they experienced torture like never before. Village Head Samoa watched with fear for several seconds as his men squirmed on the floor like worms in the heat of the sun, knowing that he could do nothing to save them.


    "Mane would come for you lot. Hear and shudder" Dan announced and snapped his fingers. With that snap the pain they were feeling disappeared, and they were finally whole again.


    "I should leave you with a gift," Dan tossed the bag that held the heads of the assassins onto the floor nonchalantly and extended his hand towards the spear. The weapon flew out of Scarred Boar''s hand and nestled into Dan''s palm.


    "This is how to use a spear," Dan scoffed and pierced towards the ceiling. The casual act didn''t produce a casual effect, for the whole house felt the power of that seemingly insignificant swing and trembled.


    *Boom*


    The roof of the house that had remained standing for years now was no more, and so was the floor that was above the one they were currently on (the ground floor was the place where they all were). Disregarding the m.o.a.ning figures on the floor, Dan gazed at Village Head Samoa one last time and disappeared as the building that had been standing for decades now, came crushing down; his departure giving Village Head Samoa the chance to escape from the falling wreckage. He deftly dragged his men onto his shoulders and made for the exit.


    As Village Head Samoa dashed out of the house with his men, all he could think of was the power that he had just experienced.


    "Who said he''s injured?! How can an injured person be this powerful?! How?!" He gritted his teeth as he swore to skin the damned elder who told him that Dan was injured. How was this the strength of a weakened warrior? This was someone who had literally blasted his house apart by just swinging a random spear at the roof! This was similar to the level of power that he had seen Dan display against the Resurrection Cat all those years ago.


    However, Village Head Samoa wasn''t thinking straight. It was true that Dan had destroyed his house with a swing of a spear. And it was true that the spear wasn''t even flung at the roof or anything but simply waved like a wand towards the roof and that was enough to destroy it. But this was not as impressive as the Resurrection Cat feat. The Resurrection Cat had armor-like scales that couldn''t be destroyed even by the full powered strike of a Tiger, as demonstrated by Domineering Tiger''s inability to breach its defenses even though he was a fully-fledged spear master. The roof feat wasn''t that impressive compared to the killing the Resurrection Cat with a slap because although no Tiger had the strength to casually destroy the Village Head''s building like Dan did ¨C and with almost no effort too ¨C it could be done. But it was likely that the fact that Dan had only waved the spear towards the roof and the whole house came toppling after that scared him.


    Dashing outside he realized that the warriors of the village were rushing here speedily. After all, the house of the Village Head had just collapsed. How could they sit still? Yet even when they arrived next to him and questioned the events that led to the collapse of his building he couldn''t find the courage to give them the answer. The seasoned warriors who knew and recognized the identities of the heavily injured men on Village Head Samoa''s shoulders felt their hearts tremble in fear as they wondered who it was that had the power to deal with the hidden but dangerous Hands of Samoa. But seeing their leader''s desperate face, none of them could find the courage to question him on the events that happened just now. All they could do was signal to the others asking questions to keep mute and save the questions for later when their leader was more stable. As for Village Head Samoa, he felt no sense of security. Even though all the warriors of the village had gathered by his side, he still didn''t feel safe in any way. He dumped the bodies of Scarred Boar, Hidden Boar and Smiling Boar onto the ground with lifeless eyes. For he knew that although he had survived, it was only because Dan saw him as a tool to sharpen an axe. And this axe was the boy called Mane. Someone who was apparently talented enough to best all three assassins, including a strong Thrasher. As he was surrounded by the vigilant warriors of the village all he could hear were Dan''s words before he left.


    "Mane would come for you lot. Hear and shudder"


    And shudder he did.

 Chapter 311 - Hear And Shudder Part II

    "What was that?" Mane''s muscles tightened in cautiousness when he felt the house tremble. But before he could rise to investigate and understand what exactly was going on, a supple figure fell within his arms.


    "Sorry!" Lily quickly apologized as she tried to push herself away from Mane''s strong arms. "It was because of the earthquake! I¡­I¡­I lost my balance and fell. Sorry!" Her face was dyed red as she fumbled for words whilst trying to explain how she lost her balance. Because they were seated on the same chair and very close to each other, it was understandable how she ended up in his arms. After all, unlike Mane who had immediately held himself steady when he felt the earth beneath his feet tremble, Lily had no such ability. As an average person, she didn''t have the control and precision required to keep her body unmoved even under a vigorous shaking like this one.


    "It''s no problem," Mane quickly waved his arms and reassured her that everything was okay. Her words made sense and to be honest, that wasn''t his main concern right now.


    "But that was no earthquake," Mane furrowed his brows and said.


    "Huh? It wasn''t?" Lily wondered as she tried to pull her mind away from this very distracting thought: Mane''s embrace makes me feel so safe. Thankfully for her, her mind obliged and she was back to herself in no time.


    "No it wasn''t. It felt more like a heavy object falling to the ground than the earth itself shaking," Mane shook his head and explained.


    As he was speaking Lam run into the room and asked, "Did you feel that?"


    "I did," Mane replied and continued, "I''m going to check it out right now. Want to come?"


    "Yeah," Lam responded and Mane quickly walked towards the exit with Lam in tow.


    "I want to come too," Lily requested.


    Lam was about to reject her when Mane gave him a look that said ''she is safer with us than in the house alone'', and the older brother consented.


    "You can come," Lam nodded his head and Mane looked at Lily with a smile and nodded his head also. Lily happily run towards the duo and they all walked out of the house to see what exactly was going on. And once they were outside the house, they could see the source of the commotion. The largest building in the village was falling apart. But when they got outside they realised that someone had beat them to it.


    "He doesn''t know how to do anything covertly now, does he?" an old man hunched over a cane who had his back to them seemingly said to himself.


    "Grandfather?" Lam remarked in surprise seeing the aged figure already outside the house. From what he could remember, his grandfather was in the backyard with him before the entire house started to shake. He, Lam, had run into the room to alert Mane and Lily whilst his grandfather remained in the backyard admiring the night sky, seemingly unperturbed by what was going on. But the man had even gotten here before any of them, and without any of them seeing anything either!


    "This old man is not simple," Mane narrowed his eyes seeing Old Fan already here. The old man had gotten here without alerting any of them which was a grand achievement. There were only two ways to get here from the backyard. One was through the house, a route that they would ¨C or rather should ¨C have seen him take. The other was by the roof, which they should have also discerned because the house was old and rickety and any slight noise made on the roof would have been heard by those inside. Yet the old man was here, like a shadow in the night: indiscernible and definitely untraceable. It didn''t matter which of the options the old man took, for either of them was impressive. Mane decided that he would thoroughly scrutinize Old Fan once the commotion was over. There was no way this old man was as ordinary as he portrayed himself to be.


    "Who are you referring to Grandfather?" The only person who wasn''t distracted by her grandfather''s presence here and went on to as a follow-up question concerning the old man''s statement was his granddaughter. Lily inferred from her grandfather''s statement that the older gentleman knew what exactly was causing all the commotion ¨C or rather, who.


    "Well someone just attacked and destroyed the residence of the Village Head. Who do you think it is?" Old Fan turned to face the three youngsters with a bitter smile on his face and asked.


    "Sir Dan!" Lily and Lam exclaimed at the same time. Lam made this inference based on the killing intent he felt just a few minutes ago. The unmatched power that was contained in that grand aura was something that he would never forget. Added to the fact that Sir Dan was definitely not going to be happy about the attempt on Mane''s life, it made sense that he would storm Village Head Samoa''s place and exact revenge. As for Lily, the only reason she had guessed it was Sir Dan was because there were numerous times her grandfather had told her and her brother that Sir Dan was without an equal in this village. And that even when he, Old Fan, was in his prime he wasn''t a match for the secretive dark skinned man. As individuals who knew the legend of their grandfather, they understood just what his confession of Dan''s strength meant.


    As for Mane, he didn''t look so comfortable. He looked like he had been forced to eat an entire bowl of a meal he detested, so much so that he was ready to throw up. And Old Fan saw this.


    "Hehe. Don''t worry kid" Old Fan laughed and said. He hit his cane against the ground gently and continued, "He promised to leave them to you. He knew you wouldn''t be comfortable with him dealing with your problems for you so he only left them a small lesson"


    "I see," Mane blushed slightly from being seen through. But he also sighed secretly at how well Dan understood him, and there was someone else here who seemed to agree.


    "For someone who has only been with you for a month, he sure understands you as well as those you''ve known for years," Hildegarde stated, sitting on Mane''s shoulders and swinging her legs happily.


    Dan was indeed comparable to Mane''s family and friends when it came to understanding the boy. And that was because of something Mane had realised long ago.


    "It''s because we are so similar to each other," Mane thought to himself. Since he couldn''t speak to Hildegarde with the others here as well, he could only say this to himself. He took a long look at the collapsing building and then resolved himself to leave. After bidding goodnight to the reluctant Lily and the rest of her family, he returned to his residence to prepare for the next day. He hadn''t forgotten that there was a hunt waiting for him ¨C and a secret as well.

 Chapter 312 - The Hunt

    *Crack*


    "And that''s the last one," Mane stated nonchalantly as he tossed the large beast he was holding onto the ground. The large corpse joined a plethora of corpses similar to it in physique with the ground littered with them. The beast was reddish black in color with the physique of a bull. But it had far longer and stronger horns. This beast wasn''t a Magical Beast but had a physique comparable to a Low Class Magical Beast, only slightly weaker.


    "This can''t be what you had in mind. They are so much weaker than I thought" Mane looked dissatisfied as he grumbled.


    "Easy steps kid," Dan''s figure flashed as he disappeared from his former position and reappeared right next to Mane. He ruffled Mane''s golden hair with a small grin on his face as Mane tried to get the man off him. Mane was tall, but Dan had the physique of a hulk. So Mane still looked like a kid before the giant man. After several dozens of seconds Mane was able to pull himself free.


    "I don''t get why I still have to hunt these beasts. They are so much weaker than I am and pose very little threat to me." Mane complained. He had been eager to hunt today. Although Dan told him that he wouldn''t be allowed to hunt any Magical Beasts, he had hoped that the regular beasts would at least be a little challenging. He had even run into a herd of wildebeests after a while hoping that having several of them rush at him would make for a daunting challenge. He was wrong.


    "You just killed off at least 50 semi Low Class Wildebeests and yet you remain unmoved. That''s a pretty good achievement for your first hunt" Dan didn''t care about Mane''s complaints. He already told him that he wasn''t going to allow him hunt Magical Beasts, so he didn''t know why Mane was expecting something more.


    "I thought after dealing with the assassins I would have proven myself fit enough to handle Magical Beasts," Mane mumbled softly, but loud enough so that Dan heard what he said. Again, Dan was unmoved. He was really impressed with how easily Mane dispatched the normal beasts. It was done with very little effort or strength for that matter. Even when the boy carelessly jumped into a herd of Long Horned Wildebeests which were semi Low Class Magical Beasts before he could be stopped, he had been able to easily kill them off. In fact, he killed the first of the wildebeests with nothing but a small pebble. Mane literally flung a pebble at the beast and it penetrated its skull and sunk into its head, effectively ending its life. It got to a point in the fight where the wildebeests were just trying to get away from him, but Mane wasn''t going to let that happen. Although a few had escaped, Mane got the lot.


    So Dan was able to infer from this that Mane was strong enough to go against high level Thrashers. In fact, apart from Village Head Samoa who was a Predator, Mane could handle anyone else from the village; and that included the so-called Hands of Samoa. And this fact worried Dan a little bit. It was clear from Mane''s movements that the boy wasn''t innocent. He had clearly killed many before. And the fact that he remained unmoved by the murders he was responsible for last night was evidence that he had in fact taken a life before, and not just one. But that wasn''t what worried Dan. With the kind of enemies Dan had, the stronger and tougher Mane was, both mentally and physically, the better the boy would fare if he was ever to come across them. After all with his level of talent, he was bound to meet ''them'' sooner than later. What worried Dan was the rustiness in Mane''s movements. As a veteran of a thousand and one battles, Dan could recognized that Mane was not moving as fluidly as he could. Not because the boy wasn''t good enough, but because the boy simply couldn''t.


    "Is it because of his lost memories? Did his battle strength nose-dive because of that?" Dan wondered. For he could see that Mane was sharper than he currently let off. And this meant that the boy may have been living very dangerously before he was rescued by Dan. And the fact that someone with such skill was made to lose his memory shook Dan a bit as the man wondered if ''they'' had already noticed Mane''s gift and were already after him. After all, apart from them he couldn''t imagine that there was anyone else capable of erasing another''s memories and hampering one''s talent.


    If Mane knew that his innocent ''lie'' had caused a huge misunderstanding in Dan''s head he would smack his head in regret. The tale he had made to avoid any suspicions had become a classic case of shooting himself in the foot.


    "We should get going. You have literally killed everything there is to kill." Dan smiled bitterly as he walked away, not bothering to pick up any of the game Mane had hunted down. Mane nodded his head in response and went after Dan. He too didn''t bother to take some of the beasts home to cook.


    "But it is a massive waste to leave them here," Mane commented.


    "Agreed," Dan assented. "When we get back to the village, I''m going to let Old Fan know of this. I''m sure he''d send some men to inform the Samoa so they can come and pick them up." Dan continued. Mane had killed a lot ¨C like a lot. There was more than enough meat in this forest to last the entire village for at least half a year if they were well preserved.


    "You really did a number on them," Dan shook his head with a bitter smile as they passed through the forest, looking for an exit route.


    "I got a bit carried away," Mane blushed and said. Hildegarde who was seated on his shoulder snorted and said, "Carried away? Most of them don''t even have complete bodies!"


    And she was right. As they walked through the forest they came across several dead animals, and most of them were incomplete. Some were missing their torsos, others were missing their legs, and for some it was their heads that were detached from their bodies. And this was the work of the blushing teen who was still not satisfied with today''s work.


    "Are you still going to teach Lam?" Dan suddenly asked, and Mane''s embarrassment disappeared. His mind was thrown back to the meeting he had with Old Fan this morning, right before he left with Dan for the hunt.


    "Dan tells me you want to teach Lam to defend himself?" Old Fan asked Mane with a strange expression. The older gentleman had reclined in his seat and looked very comfortable. Mane who was seated across him didn''t feel the same. He wasn''t that familiar with Old Fan so it was a bit uncomfortable being left alone with the man. Dan was outside, insisting that there was no need for him to hear a story he had already heard before. So Mane was left alone with Old Fan.


    "Yes Elder Fan. He has enough talent to grow vastly stronger. I think it''s a shame that his talent remains untapped and his abilities hidden." Mane replied in a very diplomatic manner.


    "You sound like a politician," Old Fan smiled and stated, and Mane smiled wryly. As part of the training he was given by Uncle Jake was courtesy for boys and diplomatic speaking. One could argue that that wasn''t a study topic for a child who was barely 5 at the time, but Mane''s psychological age was beyond his peers and so he successfully picked them up. Plus it wasn''t anything strange, since noble children received the same kind of training at that age. Mane emptied his mind of every thought about Uncle Jake whom he hadn''t seen in a while, and although he missed the man, that wasn''t the issue at hand here.


    "If you want to teach Lam, there is something you must know," Old Fan stopped joking and went straight down to business. Mane''s countenance grew sterner as well, as he realized that he was going to be told some s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e stuff.


    "As you have already seen, Lam is a gifted child. Even without any training, his body is stronger than most and he is very talented."


    Mane nodded his head, agreeing with Old Fan''s words. That much would be visible to any discernable eye. Lam was indeed an unrefined gem.


    "So it must seem strange to you that he was never trained. But it is for a good reason. Lily and Lam''s parents didn''t die because of a plague." Old Fan stated, and Mane felt an explosion go off in his head. The first thing he had learned about the twins was the manner of their parents'' death. Yet here he was, learning that it wasn''t true at all!


    "Even if their mother was vulnerable to diseases, that wouldn''t spell the same for their father, Arthur." Old Fan remarked, and explained to Mane about the levels of power and elaborated the strength of Arthur in an attempt to help Mane understand how silly it was to believe that a plague could deal with a powerful Predator with an uncommon title. He explained to Mane that his family was special, and that they had the ability to devour New Type Potions endlessly and how much they could devour was equivalent to how talented they were. Of course Dan was included in the conversation, as the things talked about were mostly what happened decades ago during the Overflow.


    Mane''s mind was shaken by the information he was given. Not only did he learn that Arthur''s father was strong, he had just found out how strong Dan was. The man was far more powerful than Mane thought! And now Mane knew that there was no way Dan''s injury was caused by a fight against a Legendary Class Magical Beast like he suspected earlier. There were far more powerful enemies who could injure even Dan! This world was clearly more dangerous than he thought.


    "This world isn''t simple at all," Hildegarde who was engrossed in the story stated, and Mane nodded his head in agreement. He had already readjusted his evaluation of this world. Yet the knowledge that there were stronger beings out there didn''t discourage him. He was excited!


    "Arthur was killed by a mysterious organization. Apparently his talent terrified them, and he was killed. Yet Lam has taken the New Type Potion more times than his father. He just didn''t know that he had taken them."


    "How many times, Elder Fan," Mane asked.


    "Six," Elder Fan sighed.


    "That''s incredible," Mane was amazed. It clearly meant that Lam was far more talented than his father. And it explained why Old Fan was reluctant to let Lam reveal his staggering talent.


    "So Elder Fan is afraid they would find Lam and kill him when he awakens," Mane cropped his chin and said.


    "Yes. It''s my greatest nightmare."


    "What about Lily, Elder Fan? She has never taken a New Type Potion, has she?"


    "No," Old Fan shook his head.


    "I reckon she''s just as talented as her brother," Hildegarde whispered, and Mane agreed. Twins were more connected than people thought they were. They may be fraternal twins, but Mane was sure that Lily would be just as talented as her brother, if not more so.


    "So do you still want to teach him knowing it would endanger his life?" Old Fan asked with a bitter smile.


    "Yes, Elder Fan," Mane replied without a second thought, stunning Old Fan.


    "You are powerful, Elder Fan, but have you thought of what would happen to Lam when you''re gone?" Mane asked, leaving the old man silent.


    "At least with strength he would be able to control his fate."


    Mane''s words shook Old Fan to the core.


    "Plus I would clash with them sooner or later," The confidence behind Mane''s words got to Old Fan, and he couldn''t help but ask, "Why are you so sure?"


    "Because I''m also a genius"


    ******************************


    "Of course I''m going to teach Lam," Mane smile and answered Dan.


    "You would be putting him in danger you know," Dan tried to persuade Mane to change his mind.


    "He is already in danger," Mane announced and walked ahead of his guardian.


    "What do you mean?" Dan asked nonplussed.


    "They killed his father, yet didn''t kill him or his sister. Why?" Mane narrowed his eyes and asked.


    "I don''t know," Dan replied.


    "Me neither," Mane confessed. "But I''m sure they are keeping tabs on him. And if they are keeping tabs on him, then they have noticed me. And if they have noticed me there is only one ending" Mane smiled strangely and said.


    "What?" Dan couldn''t resist asking. Mane was emitting a kind of charm that caught even him off guard ¨C a deadly charm.


    "The fate of all others who have crossed me," Mane smiled cynically.


    "DEATH!"

 Chapter 313 - Once Again...Edict

    Feeling the killing intent radiating out of Mane, Dan was slightly taken aback. As someone who had killed his fair share of people and had sent off many into the underworld prem.a.t.u.r.ely, he was very s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e to killing intent. The density of blood that whirled around Mane''s figure as he spoke of killing people was almost as much as, if not more than his! He felt like he could hear the voices of those who had fallen victim to Mane''s sword screaming for justice, and the strength of their voices shook his soul. So much so that he was sure that each of these victims were strong enough to hold their own in this world. He couldn''t help but wonder what exactly Mane''s life was before he met him.


    "Wait," Dan felt a strange energy that shook him out of his thoughts. They had just found the exit of the forest and were about leaving, but he could feel a few strange presences outside the forest. They were lying in wait.


    "Someone''s waiting for us," Dan stated plainly. He didn''t seem particularly concerned about whatever was waiting for them.


    "He''s right. I can feel the presence of about 6 creatures. They are Magical Beasts. They bear the image of those Banshee things that you read about." Hildegarde flew higher into the sky and surveyed the land from above. She promptly returned with news of what she had found, confirming that Dan was right.


    "They are Magical Beasts," Dan stated but Mane wasn''t new to this information. Hildegarde had just told him this after all. There was something else he wanted to know.


    "Aren''t they supposed to be in the Enchanted Forest?" Enchanted Forests were given that name because they were littered with Magical Beasts. A wild forest like the one they had just hunted in didn''t have any of such creatures. At most one may be able to find pseudo Magical Beasts like the Long Horned Wildebeests, but not an actual Magical Beast.


    "Well we caused a ruckus here, so it is no surprise that we have drawn the attention of a few Magical Beasts. You remember that every Magical Beast of the High Class has its own territory right?" Dan replied, and Mane nodded understandingly. Turns out that this was all his fault.


    Normally Magical Beasts claimed their territories on Enchanted Forest Land but there were exceptions. Magical Beasts like the Banshee that were great at manipulating the minds of others claimed lands in other forests. They used the normal beasts as cannon fodder whenever they run into a brick wall to get away since these beasts were far easier to break down mentally and control than Magical Beasts. Since Mane had killed more than 70% of their ''livestock'', they were obviously not going to sit idle. They would come to investigate. It just so happened that they were bound to meet each other outside the confines of the forest. Which honestly sounded like a stupid idea since Banshees weren''t physically capable of much and would be better fighting covertly under the cover of trees than out in the open.


    "Let me take care of this quickly," Dan stated and tried lifting his hand but someone stopped him.


    "What are you doing?" Dan looked at his hand that was being held in Mane''s palm. Although the boy''s grip was strong, Dan could have gotten out easily if he wanted. But he didn''t want to hurt Mane so he didn''t.


    "Please allow me to do this," Mane besieged his guardian.


    "I told you that I wasn''t going to allow you to go after Magical Beasts ¨C and you agreed." Dan reminded Mane of their bargain.


    "I did. But I didn''t come for them. They came for me." Mane argued, and Dan could already feel a headache coming. When it came to a war with words, he wasn''t the one to go to.


    "Please let me do this. If you think I''m in trouble you can just appear and save me anyways," Mane tried to convince Dan. After seeing the tallest building in the village collapse last night under this man''s forceful hand, Mane was certain that nothing could happen to him as long as he was under Dan''s protection.


    "Fine," Dan struggled internally for a while, but finally gave in. Once he did, an excited grin etched itself onto Mane''s face as he said to the hearing of Hildegarde who remained hidden and Dan who was still a bit worried,


    "It''s time to repay the favor I guess."


    Hildegarde instantly understood that Mane was referring to the fact that a Banshee had attacked him right when he crossed over into this world and that he finally had the chance to get back at them. But Dan wasn''t sure what Mane meant. Although he could sense that there were Magical Beasts waiting outside, he wasn''t a scout and didn''t know the territories of the Magical Beasts, so he was unsure of which race of Magical Beasts had claimed this as its territory. But once they exited the forest and he saw the beasts that stood in his way, he understood Mane''s statement. Although he was baffled and confused as to how Mane knew that the place belonged to the Banshees, this was neither the time nor place to ask. Besides, he assumed that Mane had found this out (the territory of Banshees) in the books he had given the boy.


    6 Banshees stood in the way, one of them biggest and largest than the rest. They were all High Class Magical Beasts, and the one with the largest frame was the strongest of them all and radiated the powerful aura of a peak High Class Magical Beast. Upon seeing Mane and Dan exit the forest, it screamed in rage.


    *Scree*


    A powerful shockwave swept towards the two men. Dan was unmoved at all. He actually looked a bit bored. But his eyes roamed over Mane''s body as he prepared to jump into action and save his ward if need be. But upon seeing Mane'' figure, he was stunned.


    Dan had a great memory, and that was why there was no way he was going to forget how he met Mane. He met Mane in an Enchanted Forest, passed out and under the mercy of a Banshee. This meant that Mane should have been vulnerable to the scream of the large Banshee male. After all, the one that Mane fell prey to had a much weaker aura than those before them. But Mane was unmoved. There was a slight smile on his face even, as if mocking the attempts of the Banshee male to incapacitate him. Mental strength was different from physical strength. It wasn''t easy to improve on one''s physical abilities, but growing mentally was much harder than growing physically. There was no way Mane had grown strong enough to withstand a Banshee''s scream in just a month. Which meant¡­


    "It wasn''t the Banshee that hurt him. So what was it?" Dan wondered. But he wasn''t bound to receive an answer, especially in here.


    The Banshees looked visibly confused seeing that both men were unaffected by their leader''s screams. They looked at each other, and together with their leader they screamed again.


    *SCREE*


    This time the shockwave was stronger, and the attack on the mind several times more potent. Yet the intended targets looked unimpressed. Dan was still bored, and Mane still had that mocking smile on his face.


    "Is that all?" Mane looked visibly disappointed and the Banshees finally looked panicked, much to Dan''s amus.e.m.e.nt. Banshees were physically weaker than other high classes. Their trump card was their powerful screeches that could disturb the souls of even some High Classes. But as long as that was ineffective, they were basically lambs to the slaughter.


    As Mane was about to make a move, he saw the largest male Banshee turn back and scream.


    "It seems to be calling something," Hildegarde stated, and Dan repeated the same thing right after. Luckily, they quickly got a confirmation to their suspicions when a large beast which was about 8 feet in height and 10 feet in length made an appearance. The dog shaped beast had green fur, which Mane thought was a weird fashion choice, and two tails. Once the beast made its appearance, the Banshees looked much more composed. They looked at Mane and Dan threateningly and seemed to be begging them to come and fight with their gaze.


    "It would be rude of us not to oblige," Mane laughed and dashed forward.


    "Wait! That''s a Two-Tailed Gunner Dog!" Dan exclaimed, but Mane didn''t bother to stop. Of course he knew what that beast was.


    The book Dan gave him was very detailed, and a fairly common beast like the Two-Tailed Gunner Dog was obviously included in the Magical Beasts section. This beast was a High Class Magical Beast with powerful physical abilities. Even amongst the High Classes it stood at the forefront, and was a powerful force to reckon with. It was fast, extremely strong with powerful jaws and had great stamina. But its signature move was what people called the Gunner Blast. This beast had the strange ability of shooting out red energy balls from its mouth. These energy balls were unusually powerful and could break through the defense of even a peak High Class Magical Beast and a few weaker Mythic Classes. However, they weren''t so bright; and since the Two-Tailed Gunner Dog was so stupid, it wasn''t a surprise that it was being controlled by the Banshees.


    *Roar*


    *Bang*


    Mane was back to his feet in not time. He didn''t unsheathe the sword strapped to his back or look like he even planned to. His figure flashed and he reappeared next to the Two-Tailed Gunner Dog and struck it cleanly on the head.


    *Bang*


    *Whelp*


    Along with a loud bang and a whelp of pain, the massive dog was sent flying back a few metres.


    "Fast and strong," Dan nodded as he acknowledged Mane''s prowess.


    "But that is hardly enough," Dan added. Sure enough, the dog was up in no time. It gazed at Mane with a bit of hesitation and wariness. It wasn''t smart, but it knew whom to pick a fight with. But soon a loud scream forced its way into its ears and its hesitation was washed away. All that was left was rage and malice, and that was directed at Mane.


    *Roar*


    Along with a mighty roar, it opened its large mouth and several specks of light gathered right in front of it.


    "What are you doing? You shouldn''t let it complete the fire ball!" Dan screamed from the sidelines, but Mane was currently distracted.


    "Do you feel that, Hildegarde?" Mane mumbled to the hearing of the fairy right next to him. Hildegarde nodded her head and replied, "Yes. It feels like¡­"


    "Edict"

 Chapter 314 - The Darkness That Called After So Long - True Eyes Revealing Itself

    For the past month Mane had been meditating every afternoon, trying to sense the power of Edict which he had been so familiar with ever since he started wielding. And for an entire month, he had failed. At first he thought that was because this planet was devoid of the unique energy, but then his thoughts changed as he started to look at things from a different perspective: What if there was Edict on this planet but he just couldn''t feel it?


    As he started thinking along these lines, he felt that it was increasingly possible that this was the truth. Finally he came to the conclusion that it really wasn''t that this planet was lacking in Edict, but the bodies of the inhabitants of this planet that was the actual problem. These bodies were almost like defective products compared to Mane''s actual body in the real universe, and Mane reckoned that the reason he couldn''t feel edict was because he was in one of these bodies. Just a day before he had been wondering how he would be able to break the defective nature of this body and access Edict, but today a solution had presented itself.


    "Although this body can''t tell, my soul knows Edict. I don''t need to feel it to know." Mane mumbled slowly. As the fireball formed before the Two-Tailed Gunner Dog, Mane''s soul screamed in joy. Although Mane couldn''t feel its presence, his soul knew Edict by its smell, and he was positive that the energy he had grown accustomed to manipulating ever so precisely over his short life was what was being used right before his eyes.


    "As for me I can feel it," Hildegarde stated proudly. Although the Edict of this planet wasn''t as abundant as it was on Zandor, there was still Edict on the planet. And Hildegarde who hadn''t lost her connection to the primordial energy could make it out with much ease. Her boastful words had Mane''s eyebrows twitching in annoyance.


    "Stop mumbling to yourself and get out of the way!" Dan screamed from afar. From the little he had seen of Mane so far, he would be stupid to think that the boy was frozen in fear by the strange nature of the attack. Mane had clearly shown that he had a lot of experience in fighting and killing. Of course he didn''t bother to explain this to the gloating Banshees who thought that Mane was scared by the power of the Two-Tailed Gunner Dog. Even if he did, they wouldn''t understand. But Dan was a bit frustrated seeing that his words had no effect on Mane. The boy was still standing in his place.


    "What is he doing?" Dan wondered as he prepared to move into action should Mane be in any danger.


    Indeed, what was Mane doing? Mane was actually trying to actively sense the energy of the fire ball. He was trying to create a link to Edict by focusing on the hovering fire ball.


    "I still can''t sense it," Mane grumbled frustratingly. Why couldn''t he sense what was right in front of him. Why couldn''t he feel the mass of Edict that was figuratively a gift from the heavens? Was this body so defective that even when Edict had been gathered into a ball and was presented right in front of him he still wasn''t able to feel it? Or was he missing something?


    "Mane!" Hildegarde''s warning shout shook Mane out of his thoughts and back onto the task at hand. It was upon regaining his concentration that he realised that the beast had already launched the attack at him, and the fireball was flying towards him swiftly.


    "Fast," Mane remarked as sent strength into his legs and prepared to move out of the way. Although the speed of the fireball was impressive, Mane was relatively far back and could easily get away without any harm. Once Mane actually made the attempt to move, he realised that he couldn''t.


    Seeing Mane regain his focus and prepare to get out of the way, Dan stopped worrying and grew relaxed. But he soon realised that something was wrong. Mane''s body which was poised to dodge was stuck. The boy wasn''t moving!


    "What is happening?" Mane thought in shock as he tried to will his reluctant body to move. Yet the results were the same. This body which had accepted him for the past few weeks was refusing to listen to his commands. As he felt the fireball get increasingly closer, he wondered what exactly it was that was making a simple set of movements so difficult. Was it a quest? No. The mini status icon was not blinking to indicate the addition of a new quest and he had completed today''s daily quest already. So what was it?


    Soon he could hear the desperate scream of Dan and Hildegarde''s muffled cry as the fireball finally reached him. As the fire engulfed him what crossed his mind wasn''t that he had failed the test, but the annoyance he felt from the gloating faces of the Banshees.


    "If this doesn''t kill me I would pummel them into the ground," Mane thought. But the pain he was waiting for didn''t come. The feeling of having one''s flesh roasted like a twig in a bonfire didn''t reach him. He didn''t feel warm. He actually felt the opposite. For a piercing cold filled his entire being and he felt his vision descend into darkness.


    "This¡­" Mane exclaimed in shock.


    He knew this feeling. It had been about five years, but he remembered this feeling all too well. This piercing cold and consuming darkness had appeared only once in his life, but he still remembered it. This was the darkness that had threatened to consume him when he was 6 and he had to be rescued by his masters ¨C 3rd and 8th. The all too surreal feeling of having one''s mind descend into chaotic sentiments assaulted him once again. But this time Mane didn''t fall easily. This time he didn''t despair. This time he wasn''t taken over and he didn''t need his masters'' help.


    A lot had changed since then. He was no longer the weak 6 year old who knew nothing about wielding. He was different now. He was a fully-fledged wielder of inner and outer energy. But that wasn''t enough to spare him of the power of the darkness. What truly made the difference was his identity as a Scholar and a Spiritualist. Because of these new identities, he could actually feel his body in the darkness. And as he stood within the darkness, he opened his eyes. His piercing blue eyes were not what greeted the darkness when he opened them; neither were they blank with despair.


    His eyes were different. The formerly white sclera was deep blue, like turquoise shells. His iris was red as crimson and his pupil was golden yellow; its color rivalling that of the sun itself. These were the eyes that gave the First Supreme her power and talent, and the eyes that Ananse recognized as the True Eyes!


    *Bang*


    Once Mane''s eyes were opened the space around him shattered, and the rolling darkness retreated like a tide. As though confronted by an oppressively powerful enemy, the blanket of darkness that tried to consume Mane hurriedly retreated, and a powerful voice exclaimed with a hint of pride


    "You are truly my descendent"


    Mane peered through the darkness, and made out the figure of a man seated on a throne. The man''s features were vague and impossible to make out but his presence was majestic, rivalling that of the gods he had met so far and even exceeding them. Mane tried to make out his features, yet even with the True Eyes that could see through Ananse''s disguise, Mane still couldn''t see past the man''s masking.


    "Interesting," the majestic being seated upon the throne remarked and suddenly the retreating darkness seemed to come alive. As though receiving newfound strength and becoming infused with boundless courage, the darkness confronted what it feared and had retreated from before.


    "You want to Edict? I would give it to you." Mane heard the majestic voice of the man seated upon the throne one last time before he was engulfed in a tsunami of darkness.


    "What was that?" Mane mumbled as he opened his eyes. He wasn''t surrounded by darkness and the frightening aura that threatened to engulf him was no more. He was back on the battlefield, engulfed in flames yet fine nonetheless. His True Eyes that had manifested itself in the soul realm had revealed itself in the current world, and he could see things differently from before.


    "Edict," Mane mumbled. As he wondered how to get them within himself, the specks of lights took the initiative and suddenly flew towards him.


    "This¡­" Mane mumbled in shock as Edict filled his body and nourished his soul. Like a thirst deprived beast, Mane''s soul welcomed the intrusion of Edict and his body bathed in the glow of inner and outer energy. Mane recalled the words of the noble man within his soul space as this body, which was unaccustomed to Edict, greedily devoured it.


    "You want to Edict? I would give it to you."


    Those were the strange man''s words. And although Mane''s True Eyes had awakened momentarily, he knew it didn''t have the power to devour. So this was clearly a gift from the mysterious entity in his soul space; an entity Mane suspected was the one his master, 1st, told him about all those years ago.


    Although this entity had given him the ability to draw Edict from this world, he didn''t feel warmed by the gesture at all. That cold feeling he got from the noble figure on the throne wasn''t an illusion. Someone so cold couldn''t possibly do something like that out of the goodness of his heart. Especially after learning about him from 1st and understanding just what sort of person he was when he was alive. Mane still remembered his title and the name that held it as clearly as the events of yesterday. As the fire that engulfed him was withdrawn into his body under the gob smacked expressions of both Hildegarde and Dan, the name of the Selfish Titan who was his ancestor rang in his head.


    "The bearer of the Clock of Eternity and the Selfish Titan King ¨C Cronos!"

 Chapter 315 - Seeing The World through True Eyes

    "To think I would meet him in this place," Mane thought bitterly as the last pangs of fire were absorbed into his body. He gazed around him and was amazed by what he saw. With his True Eyes still opened, he saw things very differently from what normally met the eye. He could see everything on a deeper level. He looked at Dan and was surprised by what he saw. He saw through his guardian''s clothes, past the toned abs and masterfully sculpted physique, and into his internal system. He saw 14 stars in Dan''s body; some of which were lit up, and some of which were dim. Mane noticed that although the stars weren''t the same size, they each had their uniqueness.


    "There are two kinds: The red stars and the white stars; although it seems that the red stars are more robust and stronger than the white stars. There are seven of each type, but with varying sizes. Dan has only lighted the white stars; the red ones, not so much. Each lit star contains some sort of energy. Of the seven white stars, six have been lit up, but the sixth one seems to have a problem."


    Mane scrutinized the new information his eyes were feeding him speedily. The white stars were connected to each other, and the red stars were also connected to each other. But the two types weren''t connected at all. The energy Mane perceived from the white stars, the energy that was stored in them, was Edict. Mane reckoned that the red stars were the storage units for Chaos. And that information was a bit confusing because from what he knew, Chaos was so potent that it couldn''t be handled by the human body. Even he, a godling, wasn''t able to store Chaos in his body. He had to, just like anyone else baptized by this very picky energy, communicate with Chaos through Lease. And that was what made him a Spiritualist. So if his conjecture was right, then it meant that Dan had the ability to store Chaos within his body!


    That was a startling discovery. Unless there was another primordial energy source that Mane didn''t know of, this meant that he had to change his viewpoint on things and approach everything from a different perspective.


    As for the sixth and second smallest white star, Mane realised that there was a problem with it. As mentioned earlier, the white stars were connected, and the red stars were also connected, but the two types didn''t share any relationship with one another. The largest white star contained the most energy, but the Edict that it stored wasn''t as pure as that of the second largest white star. And it wasn''t an anomaly, for the smaller white stars seemed to store purer Edict than their larger counterparts. In Dan''s body, 6 of the white stars were lit, but the seventh and smallest star remained dim. However, the strange thing was that after the fourth white star, Mane could notice a tiny little anomaly. Even with the power of True Eyes, Mane had to squint to notice this anomaly. The issue started with the connection to the 5th white star. The string that connected the 4th white star to the 5th white star was slightly strained. The tear was so slight that it was almost impossible to see. But when it came to the 6th white star, Mane could see clear as day what the issue was.


    "Unlike with the string connecting the 4th white star to the 5th, the string connecting the 5th white star to the 6th is completely torn"


    That was the problem. Although the 6th star was fully lit, it had no connection to the 5th star since its string was torn.


    "It seems unnatural" Mane thought as he analysed what he was seeing.


    This was the first time he was seeing the internal energy system of another person, but he reckoned that the string connecting the stars weren''t supposed to tear.


    "If only I could see his organs and vessels," Mane thought. If he could see Dan''s internal organs and blood vessels, he would be able to see if there was a connection between the internal energy system and the internal organs of the human body.


    "Wait what?" Mane was stunned when his vision became blurry. When his eyes regained focus Dan''s internal energy system map wasn''t what he saw. This time he could actually see Dan''s organs and blood vessels. He could even make out the nerve cells when he squinted his eyes.


    "It would take some time to get used to them," Mane said to himself and tried willing his True Eyes to disappear as he closed his eyes. Upon opening his eyes he was relieved to find out that everything looked normal again. Dan looked like Dan, not a star map and Hildegarde who was flying above him descended and landed gracefully onto his shoulder.


    "How did you do that?" Hildegarde wondered. It looked like the time Mane had spent studying Dan''s internal energy system had been pretty long, but it was actually less than a second! And the only reason for this was the True Eyes. True Eyes were eyes that could manipulate time, and since they made an appearance, time had been slowed down for Mane to carefully analyse what he saw. Mane didn''t will it to, but it was a subconscious thought, and one to which it obliged.


    "I''d tell you later," Mane assured her as he shook off the headache that assaulted him once he stopped using his True Eyes.


    "It is tiring," Mane understood that the reason he was experiencing the headache was because he had activated the True Eyes. Maybe when he got used to it, it wouldn''t be this difficult to use.


    "How did he do that?" Dan wondered, as he finally regained his calm and closed his opened mouth. However, he would have to wait for answers. Maybe he would get them when they leave this place. Right now, there was still some business to attend to.


    "Thank you," Mane turned to face the Two-Tailed Gunner Dog and stated. If it wasn''t for this dog, he wouldn''t have experienced all that he had gone through right now. Not only had his True Eyes awakened, he could feel the presence of Edict again. And for that he was very grateful.


    "You can go," Mane smiled at the dog that was backing away and said. His blue eyes shone faintly and produced a golden light, and the clouded eyes of the Two-Tailed Gunner Dog regained their clarity as the control that the banshees had over it was destroyed. Then it quickly sped off into the distance, not planning on staying here for even another second.


    *Scree*


    The banshee leader screamed at the retreating beast in fear, but it didn''t return. It wasn''t even fazed in the slightest. In only a few breaths, it had run away with such speed that its figure was indiscernible from where they were standing.


    Seeing that their helper was gone, the banshees tried to get away.


    "No you don''t," Mane smiled coldly as his figure disappeared.


    "Fast. Very Fast." Dan observed. Mane''s speed was several times greater than before, much to Dan''s amazement. The teen quickly caught up with one of the banshees and slapped it nonchalantly, as though he was dealing with a fly.


    *Boom*


    The seemingly insignificant slap had very significant consequences. The escaping banshee was shattered into a mess of blood and bones, and was very unrecognizable as a corpse. Mane didn''t even bother to stop and admire his work. He pounced on the others, and in only a few breaths he had dealt with all of them except one ¨C the leader.


    The formerly c.o.c.ky leader was now shaking in fear. It didn''t even attempt to flee anymore, sending pleading gazes at Mane and making subdued roars.


    "I promised myself when I saw your c.o.c.ky grin that I would definitely kill you if I survived," Mane shook his head and ignored its pleading. Then he started a slow march towards the last survivor of the banshee squad.


    The banshee roared in rage seeing Mane wasn''t going to let it go and mustered its courage to attack first.


    "Smart," Mane praised as he sidestepped and avoided the punch of the banshee. Its movements were awkward and sluggish, proving that it really wasn''t used to close combat; and Mane easily avoided the blow.


    "But useless," Mane murmured and stamped down hard on the feet of the banshee.


    *Crack*


    *Roar*


    The banshee roared in pain as Mane''s stomp shattered its tarsals and metatarsals (bones of the foot). It swung its arms wildly at Mane in an attempt to get away. Mane slapped both of its arms with blinding speed and piled on its misery when both arms snapped from the power of the slaps as well.


    *Roar*


    The banshee could only watch helplessly as Mane slapped towards its head. Mane''s left leg which had delivered the stamp was still on the banshee''s feet to keep it in place. The slap reached the banshee in a fraction of a second, and its head was forcefully torn off.


    Mane then turned to Dan and said, pleased with his harvest:


    "Now that was a hunt."

 Chapter 316 - Headache

    "What happened back there? How were you able to connect to Edict?" Hildegarde who was seated atop Mane''s shoulder asked the young man who was gazing at his reflection in a bowl of water.


    After Mane killed the banshees, he and Dan returned to the village. Of course Dan questioned him about the bizarre sight that was Mane being burnt alive but not burning at all. Mane responded that he didn''t have a clue about what happened. He told Dan that just when he had made up his mind to escape the fireball, he had a strange feeling in his heart that there was no need to. He explained that he felt that the fire was beneficial for him, and not detrimental. But he didn''t know why he had that feeling or how he was able to withstand the flames and had even grown stronger instead. And to this Dan joked that Mane may be the son of a Phoenix and could be strengthened with flames, and that if he had known this when he met Mane he would have just set him on fire to treat his wounds instead. When they got to the village Dan went to see Old Fan to tell him about the ''abundant'' meat available, and Mane went back home.


    Mane could only fake a laugh when he heard Dan''s joke since he was feeling guilty for lying to the man once again. Obviously the thing about feeling that the fire was good for him was a lie. Even before the fire reached him he could feel its scorching heat and understood just how foolish it would be to accept its baptism. The only reason he had received that attack was because he was rooted to the spot; most likely a trick employed by his ancestor ¨C the Selfish Titan King of Old and the Keeper of the Clock of Eternity, Cronos. But he couldn''t tell Dan this so he just cooked up a lie.


    As for how the fire was inhaled into his body, it was because of the ''gift'' Cronos gave him. A gift that was so precious that Mane was skeptical about what the Selfish Titan really wanted. After all it wasn''t a meagre gift. Cronos gave Mane the ability to devour Edict! What an ability! It was something so amazing that Mane was right to be skeptical about the Selfish Titan''s ambitions.


    "You''re not going to tell me?" Hildegarde asked again seeing that Mane was silent.


    "Sorry. I wasn''t paying attention." Her words brought Mane back to land and he quickly apologized.


    "Of course I am going to tell you," Mane stated. Who else could he confide in in this place? After all, in the Dreamworld Universe he was all alone. His masters weren''t with him and his friends were off somewhere in Systema. Hildegarde was the only person he was close to.


    "I met my ancestor. Well you can call him my Great Grandfather." Mane stated.


    "Who?" Hildegarde wondered. Although Mane was the descendant of the Allfather, she didn''t really know who his parents were or how far away his bloodline was from the God King of Asgard.


    "Cronos" Mane murmured.


    "What!" Hildegarde''s loud exclamation shook Mane''s eardrums as the young man felt a dizzy spell hit him.


    "Others may not be able to see or hear you but I can," Mane reminded as he tried to shake off the dizzy spell.


    "Sorry," Hildegarde apologized sincerely. In her shock she had ignored that she was sitting on Mane''s shoulder and had unintentionally screamed into his ear, much to the young teen''s pain and disp.l.e.a.s.u.r.e.


    "I was just surprised," she confessed.


    "You and me both," Mane smiled bitterly and said. He could understand Hildegarde''s astonishment because even he who was aware that Cronos had a certain hold over him from 5 years ago, was stunned to see the Selfish Titan in his soul realm.


    "What did he want?" Hildegarde felt a bit of fear from hearing the name of the Selfish Titan.


    Although she was a fairy who rarely had the chance to tour the True Universe, she still knew the legend of the Selfish Titan. This was a god who escaped the Dark Realm and was the only one known to have accomplished this feat till date. He was a powerful wielder with immense power and free reign over time. This was someone belonging to the Allfather''s generation of gods, titans and giants. And when it came to raw power, he easily exceeded the Nordic God King and had no problem besting the Battle God in battle. And it was because of his numerous identities and his seniority that Hildegarde didn''t even question how he had appeared in the Dreamworld Universe. She was curious as to how he did it, but that wasn''t the issue here.


    As famous as the Keeper of the Clock of Eternity was for his strength, his greed and selfishness were even more resounding qualities. He was a selfish god who hadn''t hesitated to consume his own children to stabilize his rule. He killed his father and oppressed his wife. He wasn''t one known for doing anything for nothing in return and Hildegarde was terrified of what his appearance meant.


    "I don''t know. He didn''t say," Mane narrowed his eyes and said. As much as he tried to glean the truth from his brief interaction with Cronos, but he still couldn''t figure out what the Selfish Titan wanted ¨C and why he was still in his soul realm for that matter.


    "All he said was that since I wanted Edict so badly he would give it to me. And when I returned to myself I was able to devour the power of Edict around me" Mane explained.


    "This is a major headache," Hildegarde comically rubbed her temples and said. Mane only nodded his head in reply. It really was unsettling to find out that Cronos was still there. After 5 years he had assumed ¨C or rather prayed that the Selfish Titan ¨C had left his soul realm. Unfortunately, it was not to be.


    "Tell me about devour," Hildegarde stated in an attempt to steer away from the depressing reality. Since they couldn''t figure out what Cronos wanted, or how to deal with him, they could only focus on what was in the now. Since Mane had been given a new ability, he may as well use it.


    "Why tell you, when I can show you? Take a look," Mane smiled and expanded his Status window."


    Name: Mane


    Age: 15


    Current Setting: Healthy


    Physical Attributes ¨C *Strength: 5.8


    *Agility: 6.8


    *Stamina: 6.0


    Test Difficulty: Chaos


    Testing Ground: Chaotic Era


    Tomorrow''s Daily Quest: [Not Applicable]


    Goal: End Goal ¨C Become Chaos


    Completion Rate: 5.67


    Skills: Speedy Chaos [Active skill] ¨C You have caused chaos after only one month of entering the testing grounds. You run towards chaos, and it runs towards you. Run Wild Supreme. Be Chaos! {Permanent increase in Agility stats by 1.5. Additional 10% increase in speed when activated}.


    *Devour: You have been blessed by the powerful Selfish Titan with the ability Devour. You can now devour Edict unscrupulously from the living and the dead; from elements and from nature.


    Soul-Body Integration: 40%


    "This¡­" Hildegarde stuttered as she read the new addition in Mane''s skill panel. She was so stunned that she didn''t even realise that Mane''s stats had increased by 2.0 for each physical attribute or notice that the young Supreme''s Soul-Body Integration had improved massively.


    "Amazing right?" Mane had to admit that the skill was impressive.


    "Yeah it is. It is similar to the ability of Celestial''s to devour the Edict of beings they kill. But this one seems like an upgrade" Hildegarde observed.


    "You are right," Mane noted.


    Celestials had the ability to devour Edict from beings they killed, and that was why they were constantly at war. But even their skill came with limitations. They couldn''t use that method to improve their abilities past the Heaven Realm, and they couldn''t just take Edict without killing a living creature. That meant that they could only devour from dead bodies. But per the description provided on Mane''s status, Mane could take from both the living and the dead. And this meant that he didn''t need to kill someone to take their Edict. Assumingly this would leave the person as a wielding cripple so Mane didn''t know how to try it out. He really wanted to try it, but there was no one to test this on.


    However, there was something he could do in the meantime.


    "From Elements and Nature" Mane muttered, and looked down at the bowl of water in front of him. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. And then he reopened them.


    *Bang*


    Mane felt a jolt through his system as the power of True Eyes was unleashed. The wind that was blowing passed him ceased and Hildegarde became as stiff as a statue as time slowed down to a screeching halt. Mane''s beautiful blue eyes were gone and taking their place were a pair of equally exotic beauties that stole the light of the world. The formerly white sclera was deep blue, like turquoise shells. His iris was red as crimson and his pupil was golden yellow; its color rivalling that of the sun itself.


    Mane gazed at the bowl of water with his True Eyes, and the formerly clear mirror-like element was presented in a different form to the young Supreme. Instead of water, Mane saw only the bowl. Within the bowl were tiny fragments of blue shimmering lights that swirled around endlessly.


    "It''s a lot fewer than what was in the fireball," Man observed. The blue fragments were Edict. To be precise, they were water elements of Edict.


    "Is it because of the difference in origin?" Mane thought. The fireball was the product of a Magical Beast. It was purer in form and structure. But the water Mane fetched was something obtained from a well, and wasn''t anything special.


    "I have to start searching for Elemental Magical Beasts," Mane concluded. Using his True Eyes as a guide, he absorbed the water elements into his body and felt himself improve slightly. Then he closed his eyes and willed the True Eyes to disappear. Immediately it did, a heavy headache assaulted his senses and rendered him a bit dazed.


    "Are you okay?" Hildegarde asked, her words forcing Mane to try and focus as he replied in the affirmative.


    "Yes. Just a bit dazed that''s all." Mane didn''t tell Hildegarde about True Eyes because it wasn''t a secret that he was ready to share yet. This was something that not even his masters knew about. He wasn''t going to tell Hildegarde.


    "I need to take a bath," Mane stated and downed the contents of the bowl. Then he walked towards the bathhouse, leaving Hildegarde alone in his room.


    "What isn''t he telling me?" the fairy narrowed her eyes as she watched him leave, feeling that there was something he was hiding. But once his figure disappeared round the corner, she decided to let it go and landed gracefully on his bed.

 Chapter 317 - Manes Internal Star Map

    "Now I can scrutinize myself freely" Mane remarked as he stood within the walls of the relatively large bathroom. There was a bucket of water right next to him, and a large rectangular crystal called a Reflection Crystal bound to the wall that served a similar function to a mirror. Although the image that appeared in the crystal wasn''t as clear as a mirror image, it was pretty good and would serve the purpose for which Mane wanted it to.


    Since Mane couldn''t share the secret of the True Eyes with Hildegarde, he couldn''t use it liberally around her. Sure it was true that whenever he called upon the ancient eyes that belonged to the Origin King of Old time ceased to exist, but it was very draining to depend on the eyes in that manner. But Mane didn''t need long to analyse what he wanted to analyse. He just needed to be alone.


    Mane took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He tried willing the True Eyes to appear, but without the Time Stop factor, yet it did not. After trying a few times and failing a few times, Mane understood that if he wanted to be able to use True Eyes without Time Stop, he would need to constantly train every day to get used to the pair of magical eyes. After failing at the nth attempt, Mane gave up for the day, and tried willing the True Eyes to come out. But just as he called for its presence, a blinding headache assaulted his senses and he almost fell to the ground. Luckily he was able to grab onto the bucket that held his bath water right before he could completely fall, and he was only reduced to a bow.


    "It seems I cannot call on it indiscriminately," Mane knew that there would definitely be a cooldown. Just like every ability he had gained over the years, he knew that as he used it more over the years, the cooldown period of the skill would shorten.


    "I guess it would have to wait," Mane stated and pulled himself up using the bucket as a hold. As he took his bath, he felt increasingly refreshed, and even without the True Eyes he could tell that there were fragments of Edict in the water. Without True Eyes he couldn''t see the fragments, and that meant he shouldn''t be able to direct the fragments into his body. But Mane was not resigned. He knew that couldn''t be the only way he could devour Edict. Cronos definitely wouldn''t have given him this ability if its requirements were so high.


    "That''s it!" Mane suddenly exclaimed and slapped the wall of the bathhouse.


    *Boom*


    "I should probably tone down my excitement," Mane smiled bitterly seeing the palm imprint on the wall. Along with the baptism of Edict, his abilities were starting to recover. His excited slap looked unimpressive and unthreatening in appearance, but it was strong enough to kill a man. In his joy he had forgotten this.


    "I''m also a Scholar," Mane almost slapped himself for forgetting this important fact. Since he had spent over a month without Edict, he had grown used to surviving without the primordial energy. That meant his abilities as an Outer and Inner Energy Wielder, as well as his abilities as a Scholar were unavailable to him. But now things were different. Now that his body had once again received the baptism of Edict, he would be able to ¨C theoretically ¨C use his Scholar abilities.


    Mane closed his eyes and opened his mind. He took shallow and quiet breaths, and increased his concentration to the maximum. A month of un-use had left him a rusty Scholar, so it took a lot to tap into his skills again. After a few seconds, he was able to feel his senses heightening. His sense of smell grew so sharp that he could make out the stench of the sewer connected to his bathroom. He could feel things around him clearly, and even the wind felt stronger than before.


    "Huuuu" Mane breathed out deeply and further heightened his senses, and that which he sought for was found.


    "There you are," Mane leaked out a small smile when he felt the presence of Edict in the water and in the air around him. He sat on the bath stool and swallowed the water and wind elements greedily.


    ***********************


    "It''s unbelievable," Old Fan sighed as he listened to Dan recount the events of today''s hunt.


    "I was there. But even I found it pretty unbelievable," Dan had a wry smile on his face. He and Old Fan were seated shoulder to shoulder, a huge jug of mead between them and a large cup place before each of the men.


    "Can you do that?" Old Fan narrowed his eyes and asked.


    "Ignore fire and absorb it?" Dan asked as he took a large gulp from his mug. "No. That strange force that empowers me allows me to shield myself with it, so the fire wouldn''t touch me in the first place. But I cannot use my flesh to directly intercept such an attack" Dan explained.


    "Do you think he also draws on the power of that strange force you speak of?" Old Fan took a sip from his mug an asked. As the mead traveled down his throat a look of intoxication appeared on his face and he exclaimed in a voice full of emotion.


    "Good mead"


    "As long as you are the one who doesn''t have to provide it, every mead is good" Dan taunted mercilessly. Old Fan''s brows twitched at the truth of his friend''s words, but that was all.


    "But back to what you were saying, I don''t know. However, I reckon that it should be that same energy that gave him such power. After all, I don''t truly understand that force to be able to postulate its limits" Dan explained


    Old Fan nodded his head in response. Over the years, he and Dan grew closer to each other. And along with the closeness they shared, the walls that held their secrets were gradually broken down. Dan learnt about the secret of Old Fan and his family, and the mystery of the swords that gave even him a sense of danger; and Dan told Old Fan about his ancestry and the power that he drew upon.


    Dan didn''t know how he was able to perform the feats that he was capable of, but he knew that it stemmed from the power of a strange energy. Whenever he dug deep within himself, this energy nourished his bones and muscles, and allowed him to perform great feats. Old Fan learnt how Dan was able to do what he did. And the elder understood how Dan was able to kill a Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast with just a slap. It was because Dan had unleashed that strange force towards the unwitting beast and killed it. Dan explained that at the time he thought of slicing the Resurrection Cat with a thousand blades, and that was exactly what had happened. The strange force Dan could call upon was unleashed from his body and transformed into several formless and invisible blades that shredded the beast into nothingness.


    Unfortunately, Old Fan seemed to have no luck with this strange force. Over the years Dan had unleashed a gentler portion of the force and surrounded Old Fan with it several times in the hope that the man would be able to sense and use this power, but to no avail. They both concluded that this force couldn''t be used by just anyone. But now Mane seemed to be able to use this power.


    "I see," Old Fan nodded and gulped down a large mug of mead. He would be lying if he said he wasn''t envious. He had been trying to gain this ability for years without succeeding, yet Mane had seemingly chanced upon it even without trying.


    "Is it a bloodline relation?" Old Fan wondered as he took another large gulp of mead.


    "No," Dan shook his head. "Mane and I aren''t related by blood," Dan added, and began to explain just how he had run into Mane.


    ****************************


    "Huuuu," Mane breathed out deeply and stood up. He balled his fists as he felt power coursing through his veins and every sinew of his body. Usually when one meditated, they would draw in Edict and refine it before keeping it within their bodies. But because of the Devour skill Cronos had given him, he was able to skip the refinement process. The fragments of Edict that he ''swallowed'' were not refined outside his body, but inside. So he could take in Edict indiscriminately without worrying about it being impure. His body did that without his prompting now. This meant that his harvest in just a few hours of meditation was equivalent to several days'' worth of meditation now!


    "I should be able to use it now," Mane murmured as he felt inner energy rolling within his blood vessels and bone marrow, and outer energy nestling within his muscles and enforcing his bones. He closed his eyes and called upon the power of True Eyes, and this time it did not fail him. His blue eyes were no more once his eyes were opened, and the beautiful True Eyes took their place. Time screeched to a halt once the True Eyes appeared, displaying its loyalty to the one that ruled over it. Mane looked into the Reflection Crystal and his figure appeared before his eyes. Only that this time, it was his internal energy map that was displayed.


    "It is similar to Dan''s, but I have no red stars," Mane narrowed his eyes when he saw what was displayed in the mirror. Unlike Dan who had 14 stars ¨C 7 white and 7 red ¨C Mane had only 9; and they were all white stars. And of the nine stars, only 4 were filled. However the 4th star wasn''t completely full, but half empty.


    "But mine aren''t colorless," Mane noted as he scrutinized his star map. Dan white stars were filled with Edict alright, but the Edict in his stars were colorless like water. If not because of the clarity that True Eyes provided, Mane would have even thought them empty. But Mane''s were different. Unlike Dan''s, Mane''s were silvery white. It looked far purer and more refined compared to Dan''s. And Mane felt that the color white incorporated everything.


    "Fire," Mane willed, and the silvery white Edict that filled his star map became crimson red as a small fire ball appeared on his palm.


    "Just as I thought. White is a color obtained by mixing all the colors into one. Silvery White must mean that I am capable of using most, if not all, of the elements" Mane murmured and dispersed the flames.


    Once the flames disappeared, the Edict contained within his star map returned to its silvery white color. For the next few seconds Mane experimented with his star map. He noticed that he had absorbed Wind, Water, Fire and Earth elements. That was because those were the elements he had been in contact with so far. As for lightning and darkness, he didn''t have them. He could try for darkness at night, but he wasn''t sure about how he would get lightning without rain.


    "I guess that would have to wait," Mane muttered and dispersed the power of True Eyes. Immediately time returned to normalcy and the headache that came with using the ability assaulted Mane once again.


    Gritting his teeth Mane endured the pain and proceeded to do what he told Hildegarde he was coming to do ¨C take a bath.

 Chapter 318 - The Grand Tourney

    "That was refreshing," Mane sighed pleasantly once he was out of the bath house.


    -"Mane?" A voice filled with surprise exclaimed as Mane walked towards his room.


    "Lily?" Mane was just as surprised to see Lily as Lily was surprised to see him. But they were surprised for different reasons.


    Mane was surprised to see Lily because this was his home. Since he arrived in this world several weeks ago, he had never had any guests, and Dan never had any guests either. So it was surprising to see someone here waiting for him.


    But Lily was surprised for another reason. The bath house wasn''t Mane''s private bath. It was shared by both Mane and Dan. After all, since Dan lived alone there was no need for him to have a house with multiple baths. The issue was the location of this bath house. The bath house was outside the main house and Mane had to pass right in front of the main house, through the compound before he could get to his room. And since Lily was waiting outside his room, he had to pass right by her to get back into his room. The issue was how Mane was dressed.


    Due to the fact that he went to take his bath, Mane was very scantily dressed. He did go to the bath house fully clothed, but he didn''t return that way. Back in the real universe, Mane had his own bathroom. His bathroom was right within his room, and he never needed to get out to take a bath. And since he was very young, he was used to leaving the bathroom with only his towel wrapped around his waist, and a smaller towel wrapped around his head to dry his hair if he did clean his hair that day. And he was ''dressed'' the same way now. Only he was taller and more masculine than he was in the real universe. And he wasn''t fully dry.


    "What are you doing here?" Mane asked seeing that Lily was silent. He didn''t realize that he was the reason for the young girl''s lost expression and blushing face.


    "Lily?" Mane tapped her covered shoulder to call her back into the real world.


    "Ah yes!" Lily jumped up slightly with an embarrassed expression.


    "I was asking what you were doing here," Mane reminded her.


    "Oh yes. Well Sir Dan came over and said you fought against your first Magical Beast today. I came to see how you were." Lily announced the reason for her visit as she scrutinized Mane''s exposed upper body with the eye of a doctor examining her patient. Once she announced the reason for her visit she forgot about her initial embarrassment and started to check Mane''s body for injuries.


    "Oh I''m fine. It wasn''t a threatening situation." Mane reassured Lily seeing her worried expression. Her concern made him feel warm. She was truly a kind person.


    "That''s good to know," Lily smiled in relief hearing Mane''s reply. But she still checked Mane''s body for injuries before letting him go.


    "I''m also here by the way," a person whom Mane had ignored suddenly stated.


    "Oh Lam! What are you doing here?" Mane turned to the corner and saw the figure of Lily''s twin brother leaning against the wall. The young teen had a wry smile on his face from being ignored by his friend and his sister.


    "I came for the same reason Lily did," Lam stated. Mane smiled apologetically upon seeing Lam''s expression and hearing his words. He was so deeply in thought about Edict that he didn''t even sense the presence of others near his room. As a scholar he should be ashamed of this. He couldn''t help but wonder what would have happened to him if it wasn''t the twins that had come for him, but assassins instead. With how lax he had been, he would have surely been taken by surprise and would have been injured badly, if not maimed or killed.


    "Have any plans today?" Mane asked. Dan was an early hunter, so he and Mane had gone out really early to hunt. Since they had left so early, and returned quickly, it was still morning. The day had barely began for some people, so Mane was wondering if Lam and Lily had any plans. He was planning to relax today. After all he had gained a lot, and he was eager for a break.


    "Nothing really," Lam shrugged and said. "Weren''t you planning on going to the village square?" Lily suddenly asked her brother.


    "Oh yes!" Lam nodded his head quickly and replied.


    "Why were you going to the village square? What''s happening there?" Mane asked curiously. When he first met Lam and Lily, they showed him around the village. The village square was right next to the village centre. It was filled with blacksmiths and traders who dealt in Magical Beast remains and weapons obtained from larger cities. There were also people who sold information and could get you information on whatever you were curious about for the right price.


    "It''s said that Asher City is hosting the final phase of its grand tournament in 2 weeks'' time. I wanted to find out who was competing." Lam responded with an excited gleam in his eyes. His expression stunned Mane a bit. The boy was used to seeing the gentle Lam, so seeing Lam looking so excited because of a competition was a bit surprising. Then again, this wasn''t the strangest thing that happened to him today.


    "Is Asher City a great place?" Mane asked with a puzzled expression.


    "Yes! It is a First Class City with 20 Predators and several Thrashers. It can definitely hold its own against even Mythic Class led Overflows." Lam stated excitedly and Mane had a bitter expression on his face.


    Since the day he had learned of the history of the village from the donkey''s own mouth (Old Fan), he understood just how powerful the village was a few decades ago. But now this village that used to boast of over 20 Predators, which included 15 Tigers, was reduced to nothing. Well, with Dan protecting the village it didn''t matter if 50 Predators attacked them, they would still be fine. But it was still a shame that their glorious era had come to an end.


    Now only Village Head Samoa was a Predator, the rest were mob characters. Even the Hands of Samoa who were the best in the village beside the hidden dragons like Old Fan and Dan, and Village Head Samoa, were nothing but peak level Thrashers. It was a pity indeed.


    "In those days we wouldn''t have been so excited about the competitions they hold, but times have changed," Lam''s expression was clouded a bit when he spoke this sentence. He also knew about the golden generation, and was saddened by its end. Especially when he was reminded that his father who was now dead was part of this bright generation. But there was nothing he could do to change the past. All one could do was focus on the future. A future which was full of possibilities.


    "So, what is this competition like?" Mane asked as he sought to get Lam''s mind away from the painful past which none of them had been alive to see. Luckily, Lam didn''t dwell on the issue and answered his question.


    "Well, it''s a competition that is held annually. And it goes on for months. Asher City serves as the host, and several other First Class Cities join in on the fun. There are about 8 First Class Cities involved, with Asher City serving as the host. Each City presents 4 teams, with each team led by a Predator and three other team members who are usually peak level Thrashers. The teams are mixed up and randomly placed into 8 groups: Group A to Group H; with four teams being in each group."


    "The groups are pitted against each other in each group, and with each win comes the gaining of points. The first two months are filled with these group matches, and after the two months are over, the top two teams from each group are chosen to enter what is referred to as a knock-out phase. This time, once you lose, you are out. The knock-out phase lasts about two months as well, until finally only two teams are left. These two teams would battle in the final to crown the victor."


    "Sounds exciting," Mane''s eyes gleamed at the prospect of fighting several strong opponents on a grand stage. His battle l.u.s.t grew exponentially, and a cruel light flashed in his eyes as he thought about fighting against powerful opponents, people who would actually bring him some improvement.


    "Unfortunately outsiders cannot take part in the competition," Lam shook his head when he saw Mane''s flashing eyes. He knew just what Mane was thinking, so he thought it wise to let his friend know that what he wanted was never going to happen.


    "Oh I got that from your explanation," Mane said. "So which stage have they gotten to now?" Mane asked.


    "Oh they''re in the knock-out phases right now. They are actually left with only 4 teams." Lam answered.


    "Okay let me get dressed, then we can go together," Mane said and dashed into his room to change. He had been wearing only his towel all this while. Lily was just looking at the two boys as they spoke about sports. She had no idea why they were so eager to see people beating up each other, but she didn''t care. All she knew was that they were at least going to spend some time together, and that left her pleased.

 Chapter 319 - Ivor The Tattler

    "So, now that we are here, whom do we get the information we seek from," Mane looked around and admired the bustling scenery. People moved speedily and efficiently, as traders tried to get passersby interested in their wares. Blacksmiths hammered already crafted masterpieces on their strong anvils in an effort to maintain their great conditioning and pull weapon lovers nearer. Several Magical Beast carcasses were displayed on large tables, with many curious children surrounding them and asking questions. After all, Magical Beasts weren''t easy to kill so it was no wonder that the young children were fascinated by their gigantic and strong bodies.


    "Ivor the Tattler," Lam pointed towards one of the more isolated shops and said in reply to Mane''s question.


    "Seems awfully quiet," Mane remarked as he, Lam, and Lily walked towards the shop Lam had pointed out.


    Mane looked towards the area that Lam was pointing at. Unlike the bustling excitement around the centre of the square, the area Lam was leading Mane to was quieter and more serene. And this wasn''t a good sign for any trader. After all, every trader''s dream was for his/her shop to be surrounded by eager customers curious about his/her wares with the intent to buy.


    "That''s because he is an information broker," Lam explained.


    "Oh I see," Mane nodded his head in understanding. In a village like this where those who were curious about the outside world like Lam were few and far between, information brokers weren''t highly sought after. So it actually made sense that this shop was devoid of anyone else but the trader.


    "Hello?"


    Once they reached the entrance of the shop, Lam walked ahead of the group and rang a small bell situated at the entrance. The bell hung on a rope and was closer to the ground than it was to the floor.


    Mane looked doubtfully at Lam, waiting for an explanation as to why the bell was hung so low.


    "Well most of those curious about the outside world are children," Lam explained with a slightly reddened face. He was a bit embarrassed that he patronized a shop frequented by children when he was very well meant to be the next head of the village.


    His words were enough for Mane to understand the strange architecture of the shop. Since children were smaller than a.d.u.l.ts, the bell was hung low so that they would be able to reach it without much difficulty. It was attention to the needs of one''s customer population, and Mane was impressed with Ivor the Tattler for identifying his target audience.


    "Who is it?" A grumpy voice responded to the bell after a few seconds, and a large potbellied man with a wily expression appeared before the group. Mane''s first impression of the man was this: He is clearly someone who has swindled more than his fair share of people. For although he tried to act displeased by the disturbance, the light in his eyes flashed greedily when he saw Mane. He clearly was familiar with Lily and Lam, and saw Mane as a potential purse to be exploited. Mane noticed his excitement, even though the man hid it quickly, and was certain that this man was very canny.


    "Hello Ivor," Lam greeted the man cheerfully, despite his disgruntled demeanor.


    "Oh it''s you Young Lam. My, you have grown into a more charming young man since the last time I saw you," Ivor smiled and walked towards Lam. Due to the excess amount of fat on his face, his smile caused his eyes to disappear as they were covered by a thick layer of skin. He gave the young teen a friendly pat on the back and spoke with a voice that was filled with sincerity.


    "How can that be when you saw him just yesterday? You are still as flattering and scheming as ever Ivor." Lily giggled softly when she heard Ivor''s praise. Mane was a bit surprised seeing her act this way. Although he hadn''t known Lily for long, she didn''t act freely around anyone but her family. This was the first Mane had seen of her showing such friendliness to someone outside her family. Which meant she had known Ivor for quite some time and was close to him.


    "Ah, the brilliant and beautiful Lily. The flower that is as joyful as it is mesmerizing. How lovely it is to see you again." Ivor the Tattler didn''t answer Lily''s question. Instead he started to heap praises upon Lily and praise her beauty. This guy went on for about five minutes, explaining why Lily was the most beautiful woman in the world. Lam had to stop him from continuing.


    "Instead of answering my question you try to flatter me too and think you would get away? Not a chance!" Although Lily said this, her reddened ears and slightly bashful expression meant that Ivor''s flattering had worked fine.


    Ivor was a bit surprised by Lily''s reaction. He had known the twins since they were 8, when they were still na?ve brats. And he had never been able to get this kind of reaction from Lily. Looking at the handsome golden haired boy standing at her side, Ivor''s eyes flashed in understanding as he finally understood that his words weren''t the difference here, but the new member.


    "Interesting. Our young princess likes someone." Ivor thought silently to himself as his eyes flashed even brighter.


    "Of course I know that my words would have no effect on our princess. After all, a person is rarely daunted by the known truth. It is the unknown that shakes our souls to their very core." Ivor smirked and said.


    "Who is your friend? I haven''t seen him before." Ivor pointed to Mane whom he had been ignoring all this while and asked.


    "Oh sorry!" Lam quickly apologized for his lack of tact and pulled Mane into the shop and closer to Ivor. Now that Mane was standing in front of Ivor, he realised that the man was bigger than he thought. He was half a head taller than Mane, and was twice his size!


    "I am Mane. It''s good to meet you Sir Ivor. I finally understand why you carry the moniker of the Tattler." Mane put on his friendly face and extended his hand for a handshake.


    "Hahaha! You are interesting kid. No need to call me by honorifics. Ivor will do just fine!" Ivor laughed boisterously and took Mane''s hand. But once he took Mane''s hand his expression shifted and his eyes bulged in surprise. But he wasn''t the only startled one. Mane looked like a clown with his widely opened mouth and comically bulging eyes. He looked nothing like the elegant Supreme of the True Universe; rather, he looked like a man who had just come across a very shocking piece of information.


    Since Mane had his back to the twins, they weren''t able to see his expression, and neither were they able to see the expression of Ivor who was facing Mane. If they had, they would have realised that something was wrong.


    "Who are you?"


    "Who are you?"


    Mane and Ivor asked at the same time.


    "Oh Mane is Sir Dan''s nephew," Lily who couldn''t see the faces of the two men thought Ivor was just asking of Mane''s background and replied. Due to Ivor''s largely outspoken nature, his voice overshadowed Mane''s so it sounded like he was the only one who asked the question.


    "Oh I see," Ivor nodded his head in understanding as he let go of Mane''s hand. "You truly are unordinary," Ivor laughed as he let go of Mane''s hand.


    "You just met him yet you have already started flattering him," Lily scolded from behind, thinking that Ivor was just up to one of his trick again. She had no idea that this time his statement was genuine.


    "Neither are you," Mane replied with a smile once his hand left Ivor''s. However, Hildegarde who was seated on his shoulder felt a chill go down her spine when she heard Mane''s words. The danger within Mane''s words were indiscernible to the twins, but she could feel Mane''s body contort and his muscles grow taut momentarily before everything returned to normal. This only happened when Mane was going into battle against Dan, yet by just holding this man''s hand Mane''s body instinctively grew alert. The discovery was startling. She took another look at the bulging belly of Ivor the Tattler and wondered who this unassuming man really was.


    "You don''t need to follow him Mane," Lily pulled Mane away from Ivor and remarked, thinking that Mane was only being polite. Mane smiled and said nothing, allowing her to pull him away.


    "I''m guessing you have come because of the Grand Tourney?" Ivor smirked and asked Lam.


    "Yeah," Lam didn''t bother denying. He had been coming here to watch the Tourney since it began, so there was no need to pretend he was here for some other reason.


    "Then come in," Ivor ushered the group into his shop, taking the lead and walking beyond the curtain that separated the outer chambers from the inner chambers. Lam nodded and followed him, with Mane and Lily in tow.

 Chapter 320 - Mysterious Ivor

    "It''s much bigger than it looks outside" That was Mane''s first thought when he got past the curtain. The room behind the curtain was at least two times bigger than the reception area outside. And that was a bit strange considering that the shop looked smaller from the outside.


    "This place reeks of Space Laws," Hildegarde who was seated on Mane''s shoulder stated. She sniffled cutely as if she could actually smell the laws of space.


    Mane could only nod his head in response to her words. Since there were others here, he couldn''t respond to her statement. Besides, there was very little he could say in response to her words. He was a Time Law practitioner, but was unfamiliar with Space Laws, despite the fact that his ring had the ability to teleport him to other realms. But that was the closest he could say he was to the Space Laws. So although he could feel a strange force flooding the area, he wasn''t able to feel the Space Laws like Hildegarde could since he was unfamiliar with them.


    Hildegarde on the other hand was a fairy of the Dreamworld Universe. Although she wasn''t a frequent visitor of the True Universe, she shuttled between the realms of the Dreamworld with testeds to help them complete their quests. And it was also because of Space Laws that she could be present in a world, yet no one other than the tested would be able to perceive her. Although it was an ability bestowed by the Dreamworld Universe''s system, Hildegarde herself was a fairy, and fairies were talented leaners. As someone who had spent several years being teleported between realms, she had developed the ability to use some Space Laws herself. And as a result of her talent, she had gone pretty far in studying Space Laws. As such, she was able to tell that this place had been touched by a similar power once she stepped into the place.


    "And by the looks of it, he has comprehended it quite deeply. His Space Laws must be at the advanced level at least to manipulate space on such a grand scale." Hildegarde was quick to add.


    Her words were like a reminder to Mane that he shouldn''t let his guard down. Space Laws weren''t stronger than Time Laws, but Mane had barely breached the surface of Time Laws, and even now he couldn''t easily use Self-Time Acceleration. However, from Hildegarde''s words, Ivor was someone who had reached the advanced stages of the Space Law, which was strange considering that the people of this village knew next to nothing about Edict, let alone start comprehending laws. Even Dan who was chock-full of Edict had no idea how it worked, and what it was. In fact the man had clearly comprehended the Law of Wind but had no idea that he had. He was unlike Ivor here who was a guru in Space Law. Which could only mean that¡­


    "He isn''t from this village," Mane quickly realised. It wasn''t strange, given that Ivor was an information broker, and definitely had to move around to get the information he wanted to peddle. But from the fact that the twins were so close to him, Mane thought that he was a fellow villager. However, he obviously wasn''t. Mane was curious about the man''s origin, yet cautious of him at the same time. After all, this was a mysterious Space User who didn''t belong to the village and was clearly very powerful.


    Mane could tell how powerful he was from the brief handshake they shared. His senses that had been stretched out to the maximum picked out powerful strums of Edict from the soul of the big man when they shook hands. The man''s Edict was so powerful that Mane could feel his soul tremble when the man held his hand, and if it wasn''t for the fact that he couldn''t easily use True Eyes due to the huge toll it took on him, he would have activated it. But Mane was certain of one thing:


    This man was stronger than Dan! And by a sizable margin!


    "How long have you known the twins?" Mane asked as Ivor led them to a large table in the middle of the room. The large man smiled briefly and spoke with pride,


    "I have known the little prince and princess since they were children"


    "Why do you keep calling us that?" Lam smiled bitterly and complained. But Lily didn''t particularly mind the title. She actually looked pleased to be called by that title.


    "Because that is what you are. Your souls are so noble that only those titles are fitting for you." Ivor lifted his hands and waved them around with a passionate expression. Seeing him like this, Lam could only smile bitterly at the man whilst Lily''s eyebrows twitched discretely.


    "What a people pleaser!" Hildegarde snorted in disp.l.e.a.s.u.r.e hearing the man''s praises, but it didn''t seem like she thought ill of the man.


    "Then you have known them a very long time," Mane smiled and said.


    "I have," Ivor the Tattler assented.


    "So what were they like as kids," Mane asked, curious to know more about his new friends.


    "Well, they were a mischievo¡­mmph" Ivor had only began to speak when Lily stuffed a giant orange into his mouth, with a slightly annoyed expression.


    "Didn''t you come for something else?" She turned to face her twin brother and asked with a smile.


    "Ah yes we did," Lam stuttered as sweat poured down his face. Although his sister was smiling, he didn''t feel any warmth from her smile. For the first time in his life he felt that his shy and adorable sister who always hid behind him was gone. In her place was a hungry wolf who was ready to tear him down if he didn''t say the right words.


    Mane looked puzzled by the strange chain of events. He only wanted to know what they were like as children. Wasn''t that reaction a bit too exaggerated for such information? How was he supposed to know that it was wrong to ask about a girl''s mischievous years if she was interested in him?


    "Silly me. That information is worth several gold coins and isn''t that easy to procure," Ivor who was quick to recover himself announced. Upon saying his piece, he turned to Lily and gave her a cheeky wink.


    Mane almost rolled his eyes when he heard the man''s words. He was truly an information peddler. Even this was something he wanted to use to cheat some coins out of him.


    "Never mind then," Mane waved his hand and put the matter to a close whilst thinking that he would ask the twins when they left. Unfortunately for him, there was no way he was going to get an answer.


    "Can we see the information on the remaining competitors of the Grand Tourney?" Lam asked impatiently once he confirmed that Mane wasn''t going to ask any more questions.


    Ivor smiled at the boy''s words and extended his fat palm with a large grin on his face. "3 coppers," he said jovially. "It''s meant to be four but because of our dear relationship I am only taking 3," he quickly added with a saddened expression. Unfortunately, he picked the wrong opponents today.


    "You say we are close yet only deduct a single copper coin?" Lam sighed in disappointment with a face that was filled with pain. His expression greatly surprised Mane.


    "Indeed. We thought we were so close that we were like family, but apparently that was only our wishful thinking," Lily said with tears in her eyes, stunning Mane who was seated next to them.


    "Fine. 2 copper coins, but not a copper less," Ivor gritted his teeth and conceded.


    "Deal!" Lam smirked playfully and fetched out two copper coins from his pocket. He handed them over to Ivor quickly before the man could say anything more. Lily also had a broad smile on her face, and the tears that threatened to spill over were no longer there. She didn''t look forlorn in any way.


    "Who knew that the young twins had such black hearts underneath their na?ve exteriors?" Hildegarde exclaimed from Mane''s above shoulder, and the young Supreme was inclined to agree.


    "I must never mess with these two," he vowed to himself.


    "Here''s the information you seek. But I''d tell you this beforehand, this year''s competition is much better than it was in the past. You are in for a treat." Ivor had a mysterious smile on his face as he handed over a small stone to Lam and tossed the coins into a pouch around his waist. Mane had almost missed it because his (Ivor''s) belly fat covered the little thing.


    Lam showed the stone to Mane and said, "This is a Record Stone. It is used to keep images of events for later viewing. It is very costly."


    Mane looked at him as if to say, "If it is so costly, how come it is only 2 coppers?" Lam seeing his friend''s expression hurriedly explained that he would hand it back to Ivor once he was done viewing it. Then he displayed its contents for all to see.

 Chapter 321 - Let The Tournament Begin!

    "Call me when you are done," Ivor informed the group of teens and went into yet another backroom, leaving Mane asking himself how big this place truly was.


    The information in the Record Stone had images of the fights from the previous round ¨C the Quarter Finals. And they were currently about to watch the first fight.


    "Blue Team versus Orange Team," Lam was very excited to see the first match. He rubbed his hands in anticipation, looking like a puppy eager for some treats.


    "How do you know the names of the teams?" Mane asked the strangely acting Lam. He had learnt from Lam, even before they got here that the tournament started with 32 teams. And it was strange to him that Lam had been able to easily identify the teams facing off even after 24 had been knocked out. Did that mean that his friend had studied the names of all the teams? He was much more involved in this than Mane thought.


    "Well, I found out about all the teams before the tournament started: their strengths, capabilities as a unit, and their individual abilities. The Blue and Orange Teams were seeded teams from last year, having reached the Semi- Finals of the completion then. So they were favorites to get past the qualifying round. However, I didn''t expect them to meet at only the Quarter Finals!" Lam explained with a lot of eagerness.


    Mane nodded understandingly after hearing Lam''s explanation. Although he boycotted all the fight related activities in the Wielders Academy, he was aware of how these tournaments worked. There were always teams that were given slots without having to qualify from amazing performances put up in the previous tournament. These teams were Seeded Teams. Apparently this world did the same.


    "So I''m guessing that you know of all the teams that made it to the Quarter Finals?" Since Lam followed this sport so intently, he must have surely watched the Round of 16 stage which featured the 16 teams to have qualified from the group stages. So Mane was confident that he knew about the teams that made it through to the Quarter Finals. And he wanted to know more about these teams, so who better to ask than Lam?


    "Well, I do. Apart from the 4 Seeded Teams that made it through, four other teams qualified," Lam paused the video feed begrudgingly, something Mane found amusing and began to explain what he knew.


    "The four Seeded Teams were given colors of the rainbow. There is the Blue Team from Asher City, the Orange Team, the Indigo Team, and the Green Team. They are the favorites to win the tournament. But apart from them, there are teams that are also given Rainbow colors due to their performance in the group stages. Once they qualified for the knockout phase they were given the remaining colors of the Rainbow. These teams are the Red Team, the Yellow Team, and the Violet Team. But since there were no more colors to give, the last team was given the title Black Team. However, they are by no means the weakest. They are actually the only other team apart from the Blue Team representing Asher City. The others have been knocked out. In the previous phase of the knockout round ¨C the Round of 16 ¨C they knocked out their opponents without using all their team members!"


    "Oh? That''s impressive," Mane acknowledged that it wasn''t an easy feat to fight a handicapped match and win.


    "It''s not just impressive, it''s amazing. They fought a handicapped match and won overwhelmingly. Although the other Teams also won brilliantly, their wins failed to match up to the Black Team''s. Currently, they are most fancied to win the tournament" Lam stated with sparkling eyes.


    "I bet they are," Mane smiled seeing Lam''s enthusiastic reaction to this sport. He turned to face Lily who was seated next to them with a bored expression and just in time too to see the younger twin adorably roll her eyes discretely at her brother. Mane smirked at her when he saw this, and she blushed slightly from having her secret eye roll seen.


    "Now no more questions. Let''s watch the first match." Lam warned Mane who raised his hands in surrender and resumed the video.


    "Ladies and Gentlemen, we have reached the Quarter Final Stage of the Grand Tourney! Allow me to welcome you all as the City Lord of Asher City!"


    The announcement was followed by the raucous cheering of the large crowd.


    Displayed in the video was a handsome middle aged man who was dressed charmingly. His good looks were further accentuated by the brilliantly colored robes he wore, and a charismatic smile was etched across his lips. His long hair was combed neatly and tied into a ponytail, yet the normally sheepish style looked grand on him.


    To his right was a beautiful woman who carried an air of haughtiness around her. She wore a stunning attire stitched expertly and meticulously, and her beauty was further heightened by the beautiful ornaments of gold she wore around her neck and on her ears. Her hand was lovingly held in the hand of the middle aged man, showing that they were a couple.


    Finally, on the other side of the handsome man was another lady. This lady was as charming as she was beautiful. She looked like a younger version of the older woman, only two times prettier. She wore expensive looking necklaces and a ruby hairpin that held her l.u.s.trous red locks in place. She had a look of nonchalance on her face, and a hint of concern. She was the daughter of the handsome man.


    There were 7 warriors around the family of three: three handsome men and four beautiful women. The men stood directly behind the City Lord, their expressions stoic and their auras heroic. The women were no less impressive. The large blades on their backs didn''t diminish their looks in any way, rather raising their appeal. They stood behind the wife and daughter of the City Lord, two for each.


    "They aren''t weak," Mane murmured. Although it was only a video, now that he had access to Edict and could access his abilities as a Scholar, he could sense the large amount of power hidden within the muscles of the guards. They were so strong that he didn''t know if he could take them on. But the one who gave him a feeling of helplessness was the City Lord. The man tried to hide his strength, but Mane could still make out the powerful presence hidden within those gorgeous clothes. There was power so strong that Mane was certain that this man was stronger than a Predator. But he was still below Dan. For although he felt strong, Dan still felt two or three times stronger at least! But still the City Lord was no slouch. Dan was an anomaly, so it was unfair really to compare the City Lord to him. He was so strong that Mane was certain that he would have no chance to deal with him!


    "Ladies and Gentlemen; esteemed citizens of Asher City and visitors from beyond our walls; allow me to welcome you once again. We started this year''s Grand Tourney with 32 talented teams. Each team was one blessed by the heavens and filled with individuals who could shake the very foundations of any city on their own. So much so that we all thought it would be impossible to get to this stage ¨C a stage where only a few remain ¨C yet we have!"


    The man was charismatic, his speech and mannerisms drawing the attention of the crowd and pulling them into a sense of endless wonder. Mane was unmoved by the speech. How many times did he have to listen to such boring, practiced speeches from leaders when he was on Zandor? As for Lily, she couldn''t care less about what was going on in the video. She got up from her seat and started looking at the things in Ivor''s shop. Hildegarde wasn''t even a bit impressed either. She was a member of the fairy race, and didn''t care about these kind of sports where fighting was all they did. She took off from Mane''s shoulder and started to explore the place. But Lam''s slightly dazed eyes and excited expression showed that the boy didn''t have Mane''s level of exposure. He was already drawn in by the beautiful speech of the City Lord.


    "Eight Teams remain, and I am proud to announce that two of these teams are from our very own Asher City!"


    "YAY!" The crowd burst into joyous shouting hearing their City Lord''s words. Although they already knew this, it was still exciting to hear it from the mouth of the most important person in the city.


    "Let''s all prepare ourselves for some amazing fights today. Mind you, do not take your eyes of the matches, or even recline in your seats a little bit. For that may cause you to miss some mind blowing action!"


    At the City Lord''s words some people literally sat on the edges of their seat, unwilling to miss a single thing. Seeing the reaction of the crowd, the handsome City Lord nodded with a look of approval and clapped his hand elegantly as he announced with pride:


    "Let the Tournament Begin!"


    "OHHHHHH!"

 Chapter 322 - Let The Tournament Begin! Part II

    Once the City Lord''s speech was over, he sat down with his family amidst the rapturous applause of the audience in the stadium. Once he was seated the Record Stone shifted to a cubicle within the stadium which sat two people ¨C a man and a woman.


    "Who are those?" Mane nudged Lam''s shoulder and asked.


    "Commentators," came the brief yet accurate reply of Lam. The boy''s vision was fully focused on the images displayed by the Record Stone, so much so that he didn''t even turn to look at Mane when he was giving the reply.


    "He looks like an obsessed, addicted man. Right now he probably regards your constant questioning and overall presence a nuisance." Hildegarde stated from above Mane''s shoulder.


    Mane nodded in response to her words. If it wasn''t because of the presence of Lily he would have spoken to Hildegarde because he was certain that even if he did, Lam wouldn''t hear him. He turned his attention back to the Record Stone to listen to the words of the Commentators.


    "Well you heard our City Lord. The time for talking is over! It''s time for some¡­"


    "GRAND TOURNEY ACTION," the large crowd finished the sentence. It seemed that they were used to doing this.


    "That''s right folks. It''s time for some Grand Tourney Action. The first match as you already know is between Asher City''s Blue Team and the Orange Team. Both teams got to the semi-final stage of the competition last year, but fell short of claiming the actual price. This year they have come out much stronger than before. The Blue Team racked up 2 wins and a single draw in the group stages, not falling to a single opponent yet, unlike their tally of two wins and one loss from last year, signaling an improvement in their skills. Its captain, the Predator given the moniker Blue King from last year has barely been pushed to the limits, and he is clearly hungry for a greater challenge!"


    "YEAH!"


    "The Orange Team is no push over either. Just like the Blue Team they have a group match record of 2 wins, one loss, only falling to the mighty power of Asher City''s very own Black Team; which is better than their tally of 1 win and two draws from last year. Their captain, the Predator known as Vital Orange has also been barely involved in the matches. Although he has shown his hand in every match yet, he hasn''t broken a sweat to deal with the opponents that came their way!"


    "YEAH"


    Mane noticed that unlike the City Lord, the commentators spoke into a strange looking stone. "It seems that the stone amplifies the sound of their voice," Mane observed. He told himself to ask Lam what the stone was after the fights were over.


    "What a treat we have today Peter!"


    "Indeed, Maggie. Today we get to see the teams that clashed in last year''s semi-finals battle it out for a spot in this year''s semi-finals!"


    "OHHH!"


    "So who do you think would come out on top Maggie?"


    "Well, the Orange Team has been dominant in all their matches so far, but so have the Blue Team. Both teams made excellent impressions in their group stage matches, and dispatched the teams they met in the round of sixteen with relative ease. But the level teams at this stage are on is completely different from the level of those they met in the group stages."


    The Commentator named Maggie didn''t waste any time at all to display her impressive understanding of the teams as she stated that they were on quite equal footing.


    "But there is a slight difference between the two teams. The Orange Team was in the same group as the Black Team, a team that has proven to be the most powerful adversary for the others so far. And during the match between the Black Team and the Orange Team, the Orange Team pushed the Black Team so far that the Captain of the Black Team, Black Saga, almost got involved. In the end, even Black Saga admitted that his team won by a fluke, and that if not for the fact that they were lucky, he ¨C Black Saga ¨C would have had to get involved. This shows that the Orange Team is no easy opponent."


    "On the contrary, the Blue Team had a relatively easy group, yet they failed to win all their matches. Looking at the stats one might be deluded into thinking that since the Blue Team didn''t lose any matches, they have a slight edge over the Orange Team; but they couldn''t be more wrong. Yes the Orange Team didn''t top their group because the Black Team had a perfect group match record. And yes the Blue Team did top their group with 7.5 points (each win constitutes 3 points and a draw is 1.5). But the Blue Team faced relatively easier opponents and didn''t have anomalies like the Black Team in their group, yet they failed to gain a perfect qualification by beating all the teams. So although they topped their group, it would be safe to say that they did it pretty comfortably."


    "Besides, the team that they drew against which happened to place second and qualify for the Round of 16, was eliminated by the Orange Team with very little difficulty. So unless the Blue Team has some tricks up their sleeves they haven''t shown us yet, I think the Orange Team has a slight advantage over them and could come out on top in this contest."


    Maggie''s analysis was lengthy, but she displayed the skills of a commentator and spit out the sentences with such speed that if one wasn''t quick enough, they would hear nothing. However, her last statement was said relatively slowly, and the entire stadium which was largely dominated by Asher City citizens heard it ¨C and started booing.


    "Hahaha. Maggie, it seems that you have already made some enemies by making your stance clear," Peter laughed heartily when he heard the boos of the crowd. Since the Blue Team belonged to Asher City, it was no surprise that the citizens were unhappy to hear that Maggie had picked them out as the underdogs in this fight. Maggie smirked and shrugged her shoulders concomitantly with Peter''s laughter, as the two commentators finally got to business.


    "Enough of the analysis. It''s time for some¡­"


    "GRAND TOURNEY ACTION!"


    "Indeed it is. Let''s welcome our referee for today. She is a former Grand Tourney Champion and a Predator with an uncommon title ¨C Steel Fist!" Peter announced boisterously. At his words a figure appeared from one end of the stadium. This figure flashed and disappeared before the vision of all who were there and suddenly appeared in the middle of the stadium. The crowd was forced into a stunned silence at the sheer display of speed. Then they exploded into a torrent of applause, catcalls and cheers.


    The Record Stone zoomed into the face of the newcomer, revealing a pretty middle aged woman dressed modestly with her entire figure covered in leather armor. She had no weapon on her, but was wearing a pair of black leather gloves that extended all the way to her elbow. She nodded at the City Lord, who smirked and returned her greeting, and then lifted her hands to stop the cheering. Once her hand was lifted, the crowd grew silent. Her charisma and charm were certainly not below that of the City Lord.


    "Now let''s invite the teams over. Making an entrance from the east wing¡­the team led by Vital Orange¡­the Orange Team!"


    "BOOO!"


    A team dressed entirely in orange military wear walked out from the east wing of the stadium surrounded by the unpleasant booing of the Asher City citizens. However they were unfazed by the detest the people of this city had for them. Slowly their blurry figures became more distinct as they walked gradually to the centre of the stadium.


    There were four people within this team. The one leading them was a tall man with a dignified appearance. He was middle aged and had a few grey hairs sticking out of his temple. His large build was further emphasized by the huge axe strapped to his back. Behind him were his teammates. The first was a bald man with an unassuming face. He wasn''t good looking enough to draw the attention of the masses, but he certainly wasn''t bad looking either. He looked like any average person of the streets, and no one would have paid him much attention if he wasn''t standing within the stadium today as a competitor. He was covered with an orange robe which made it impossible to see what weapon he wielded, and had a small smile on his face.


    Next to the bald man was a woman. She was beautiful, with her long hair tied into a bun to prevent it from being a nuisance. She sashayed elegantly towards the centre of the field, as though she wasn''t here to fight but to dance. She gait drew the attention of many of the men in the crowd with most of them catcalling and looking at her with unbridled l.u.s.t. Feeling the l.u.s.tful gazes on her, she didn''t cower but further accentuated her curves by swaying her h.i.p.s more. A small smile of provocation graced her lips as she sauntered to the centre, and many men had to hold themselves back from running onto the field and jumping on her.


    "S.l.u.t," Hildegarde commented from atop Mane''s shoulder, and the young Supreme smiled wryly. He could tell that although this woman was smiling and acting promiscuously, her eyes were a bit cold and didn''t match up to the fa?ade she was putting up. Which meant that she was only using her charm to confuse her opponents. She wasn''t truly like that.


    The last person was the most inconspicuous of all. This person was covered from head to toe with a large orange cloak, and even his face couldn''t be seen. The figure beneath the cloak was slightly hunched, and his steps shaky. He was short, very short, and looked like a harmless individual. But Mane knew that someone who could get this far in a competition would never be weak.


    "Now that the Orange Team has taken their place on the field, let''s welcome the team that is led by the Blue King. Coming from the west wing is the pride of our city, and the powerful group called the Blue Team!"


    Amidst the thunderous applause of the crowd, very much unlike the response to the Orange Team, four men clad in sky blue slowly made their way onto the pitch. Unlike the members of the Orange Team, every member of the Blue Team was a looker. They were all middle aged, but they were very good looking. The faces of many ladies in the crowd turned crimson as they gazed at the members of the Blue Team with eyes clouded with worship and adoration. Of these gazes, most of them were centered on the man leading the Blue Team ¨C the Blue King. Clad in blue leather armor and wielding a sword that was almost his height in length, the Blue King had an imposing presence about him. Every step he took filled the crowd with awe, and his gaze shook their spirits. Slowly, they made their way to the centre of the stadium. There, the Orange Team and Steel Fist stood silently, waiting for them. Once they arrived, Steel Fist lifted her hand, and once again the crowd went quiet.


    "You know the rules," she stepped in between the two teams and said. Both captains nodded their heads in assent.


    "Good. Then let''s have a clean match. Each team is to present their fighters for the first round. Once the round ends the winner can chose to continue or be replaced by a teammate. There would be five rounds. First team to procure three wins would progress to the next stage. No killing. And when an opponent surrenders you must let them go. No eye gauging or groin stomping. Am I clear?"


    Again, the two captains responded in the affirmative.


    "Then let''s begin!"


    "OHHHHHH"

 Chapter 323 - The First Match

    "The Steel Fist herself has given us the go ahead folks! The first match would begin shortly!" Peter spoke enthusiastically into the amplification stone.


    "Indeed. All that remains are the representatives for each team''s first match," Maggie added.


    "Who do you think would start for the two teams?" Peter asked.


    "Well the first match is of great importance because it carries a lot of weight. Winning the first match takes a great load off the shoulders of the winning team and pressures the losing team. It also fills the winners with morale and confidence to go all the way. Rarely do we see a team win the first match and then go on to lose the game. So it would be important for both teams to bring strong contenders to the table. Ideally the captains who are the strongest should be the ones to go forward" Maggie quickly replied.


    "But the captains wouldn''t go forward that easily. Not only must they sit back to analyse their opponents, the risk of losing is enough for both of them to stay back until the very end"


    Mane nodded his head in approval to Maggie''s words. She was right. If two captains fought, there was bound to be a winner, and a loser. Winning would mean a great boost in morale for your team and destroying the confidence of your opponents. But losing would mean that it would be your team that would experience a loss of confidence which would more often than not lead to losing the entire game in the end. So unless it was absolutely necessary, the captains wouldn''t come out.


    "But I''m guessing that Orange Monk would come out for the Orange Team. As for the Blue Team, they would likely send their number two warrior, Blue Mantis."


    No sooner had Maggie''s prediction ended when the two teams finished their deliberations and presented their representatives. The captains of the teams handed a writing slate each to the referee, Steel Fist. These writing slates contained the names of the members of each team in the order that they would take the stage.


    Steel Fist looked over the writing slates for a brief moment, and then she raised the slates and displayed them to the crowd. The Record Stone zoomed into the slates to get a closer look at the names written there. Soon the names appeared on a large Reflection Crystal suspended high up above the stadium so that everyone could see.


    "It''s just like you said Maggie. The first match is between Orange Monk of the Orange Team, and Blue Mantis of the Blue Team!" Peter announced loudly, and the people in the crowd who didn''t know how to read finally understood what was displayed.


    "OHHHHH," they cheered with the exuberance of men with nothing to die for.


    "Take your positions. The rest of the members should stand back." Steel Fist still stood at the center of the stadium. Her words drew out the first two combatants, as the other members of their teams drew back to the east and west wings of the stadium.


    "Are you ready?" Steel Fist turned to the handsome Blue Mantis and asked.


    "Ready," Blue Mantis nodded his head with a serious expression on his face and unsheathed a pair of red daggers from his waist. The small smile that he had on his face only moments before was no longer there. He knew how important it was that he won this match. Seeing the daggers Mane knew instantly what kind of fighter Blue Mantis was. The man was likely an Agility New Type and focused on quick and efficient ways to dispatch an enemy.


    "BLUE MANTIS!"


    "BLUE MANTIS!"


    "BLUE MANTIS!"


    "BLUE MANTIS!"


    Hearing the voice of Blue Mantis and seeing him draw his weapon, the crowd went wild with cheers. This was a man representing a team from their city! They were keen on cheering him on to victory. Of course there were also the voices of women who had little to no interest in the match shouting the name of Blue Mantis, with most of them begging for his attention. But Blue Mantis ignored them all. He wasn''t one to bask in the glow of a screaming audience before a match was fought. He didn''t feed on the energy of the crowd like some people did. To him that was a dangerous well, one that he didn''t want to fall into. A warrior who was encouraged and egged on by the screaming voices of his fans would be equally discouraged and broken by the booing of rival fans. So he had trained himself to be unmoved by any distractions, and was fully focused on the match. It was an attribute that had Mane nodding in approval. Although Mane was very young, he had been on the battlefield for as long as he could remember. Though he had never been exposed to fighting tournaments like this, he hoped that when he did, he would have the calm of Blue Mantis.


    "Unfortunately for him, his opponent is the same," Mane looked at Orange Monk who was smiling without a care in the world and murmured. The man didn''t care about the cheers his opponent got, and his smile was still on his face. It wasn''t because he wasn''t taking the match seriously, but because his mood was completely unaffected by whatever was happening in front of him. So whether he was thrust into a battlefield, or sinking deep within a pool of gold coins, he would be the same.


    "Are you ready?" Steel Fist turned to Orange Monk and enquired.


    "I am," Orange Monk stated succinctly, with his hands still behind his back. He didn''t make any attempt to reach for his weapon.


    Looking at Orange Monk''s nonchalant attitude, a frown found its way to Blue Mantis''s face. He felt his opponent wasn''t taking him seriously by not unsheathing his weapons.


    "Doesn''t matter if he underestimates me. It''s even better if he does." Blue Mantis thought silently to himself, and his face regained its former calm.


    "BOO!"


    "Hey pull out your weapon?"


    "Where is your sword?"


    "Did you leave it in the changing room?"


    "Did you know you would lose anyway and that was why you didn''t bother to even bring your weapon?"


    "Do you fear Blue Mantis?"


    "Coward!"


    "Take out your sword!"


    Several voices of disapproval came from the crowd. They were clearly displeased by Orange Monk''s actions. They had seen him use a sword before, so they didn''t know why he was acting this way now. They tried mocking him to put him off, but Orange Monk''s smile still remained. The man wasn''t moved in the slightest.


    "What do you think Orange Monk is doing Maggie," Peter asked the question the entire crowd was itching to find the answer to. But this time they were bound for disappointment, for Maggie wasn''t in the know.


    "I have no idea Pete," Maggie shook her head with a confused expression. Orange Monk was a Strength New Type. Facing an Agility New Type like Blue Mantis wasn''t very advantageous to him. In cases like this, it was best to take out your weapon so that you could prepare for the opponent''s attack. But Orange Monk wasn''t doing this very logical thing. Rather the man was keeping his sword to himself, an action that would cost him a second or two and could be vital in a match like this.


    Steel Fist lifted her hand, and the crowd became mute. Then she started her countdown.


    "3"


    "I would rush at him immediately the countdown ends," Blue Mantis quickly decided his course of action as Steel Fist was counting down the clock.


    "2"


    "The goal is to pierce his arms before he can draw his sword."


    "1"


    "Then he would have no choice but to surrender"


    "Fight!"


    Immediately Steel Fist announced the start of the match, Blue Mantis dashed forward at a remarkable speed, intent on getting to Orange Monk before the man could even react.


    But Orange Monk wasn''t one to be so easily done in. He did something completely different from what Blue Mantis thought he would do. Blue Mantis had assumed his charge would force Orange Monk to go on the defensive, but Orange Monk did the exact opposite.


    *Boom*


    Orange Monk stamped his foot on the ground as he too dashed towards Blue Mantis, stunning the Agility New Type. In no time the two were only a few feet away from each other, and in less than a second too. As Orange Monk''s robes fluttered in the wind, Blue Mantis was able see what was beneath the robes, and once he did his face turned pale.


    "Elbow and knee spikes!"


    That''s right. The reason Orange Monk wore a robe and walked ever so slowly when the teams were being introduced was because of what he was hiding under his robes. These were weapons best used for surprise attacks and assassinations and would serve very little purpose in a tournament such as this one. But that was only if the opponent knew what was coming. And Blue Mantis as well as the rest of the Blue Team obviously didn''t know this. What was worse was the accuracy of Orange Monk''s timing. It was so dead on that Blue Mantis''s speed and momentum made it impossible for him to get out of the way!


    Seeing the panic in Blue Mantis''s eyes, Orange Monk''s smile grew a tad bit wider. He wasn''t smart enough to come up with a plan like this. But he didn''t need to be. His Captain was there for such a purpose.


    "We have some time to prepare a few surprises. We don''t want to give away our hidden cards so easily. So unless we are forced to, we would stick to the basics."


    "Monk, did you get the spikes?"


    "I did."


    "Good. Use them tomorrow"


    And so he had. The spikes were specially crafted by a top blacksmith after the group stages had ended. They had been made during the break they had been given and were the non-lethal type. They weren''t as sharp or as long as regular spikes. But they were good enough to injure a person well enough to force a referee to call off the match.


    Soon Orange Monk crushed into Blue Mantis, and the spikes went through the armor and into the man''s c.h.e.s.t. Then Orange Monk quickly pulled out the spikes and punched Blue Mantis with all of his strength, on the same spot!


    *Bang*


    Steel Fist immediately appeared beside Blue Mantis once he was blown away. She checked his breathing and his injuries and breathed a small sigh of relief. Then she stood up and announced,


    "Orange Monk wins! The First Round goes to the Orange Team!"

 Chapter 324 - All Is Fair In Love And War

    The previously noisy stadium was silenced by Steel Fist''s proclamation. One could hear a pin drop in the quiet atmosphere. The silence lasted about ten seconds, and then there was an explosion of denial and complaints from the crowd.


    "That''s cheating!"


    "How is that fair?!"


    "That should not be allowed!"


    "That''s cowardice!"


    "Let them fight again!"


    "You call yourself a man?!"


    Amidst the loud boos from the crowd was the common complaint that the match was won unfairly. Several healers run onto the pitch with a wooden board and came to check on Blue Mantis. Upon confirming that he was not in any grave danger they transferred him onto the stretcher and carried him off the field amidst the complaints of the several thousands of people here.


    "Silence! Orange Monk didn''t break any of the rules hence his victory is true. My verdict stands." Steel Fist was completely unmoved by the na?ve cries of the audience. As someone who had fought several battles and was on the eve of her prime, she knew that war was never meant to be fair. As long as one took the opponent down, nothing was considered wrong.


    That was why although assassins were disdained by all, they were still in high demand. Besides, Orange Monk hadn''t broken any of the rules. It was the inability of the Blue Team to prepare for sneak attacks like this that had cost them. If Blue Mantis hadn''t been so confident in himself and had just stopped to think about why Orange Monk who was a Strength Type didn''t unsheathe his weapon ¨C a very strange act indeed ¨C he wouldn''t have been so easily done in.


    "Well none of us saw that coming Maggie, especially Blue Mantis of the Blue Team" Peter stated with a bitter voice.


    "Indeed Peter. But Steel Fist is right. Orange Monk didn''t break any of the rules so his victory stands. It was genius of the Orange Team to employ such a strategy." Maggie quickly added.


    "That can''t possibly be fair!" Lam complained, very unsatisfied about how the match had ended. He couldn''t believe that Steel Fist had allowed the match to end this way. He was with the crowd on this. There was no way that what Orange Monk did was considered fair.


    "And why isn''t it?" a calm voice spoke from beside Lam. Lam turned and looked at the speaker in the eye.


    "Can you possibly say that was a fair way to win the match?" Lam asked, a bit riled up.


    "I can," Mane stated plainly, and Lam was stunned by his friend''s quick admission.


    "Your stance shows your naivety. When you think that everyone would use the right means to get what they want, you wouldn''t last a second in war." Mane stated coldly. He said he would teach Lam how to fight, and he hadn''t forgotten his promise. But Lam needed to change his mindset if he wanted to survive in this world. If not, he would have strength, but would still be taken advantage off, or worse killed by one far weaker than him by falling to tricks and schemes.


    "But this is a tournament. Such a method is against the rules of fair play!" Lam insisted that what Mane was referring to was completely different from what had just happened. To Lam that was war, but this was just a tournament.


    "And what was wrong with what he did? Did he break any of the rules?" Mane asked, his face completely expressionless. It was good that Lam was a nice person. His kindness was one of his best qualities. But he had to develop some discernment to go with the kindness. Otherwise he would help the wrong people and promote the false.


    "He¡­he¡­he," Lam tried to find what was wrong with Orange Monk''s actions, but nothing in the rules served to rebuke the way Orange Monk had won the fight!


    "Exactly. The Blue Team members thought exactly like you did, and that was why Blue Mantis fell so easily to someone who should have had a bit of difficulty overcoming him. This is war. You can decorate it however you want; you can find rules to make it more civil; but it would still be what it is ¨C it would still be war. As long as one has a good brain, one could find one''s way around any rules and regulations and bend it to one''s favor. That is brilliance. That is strategy. Assassins hide in the dark and seek ''unfair'' ways to put an end to a threat. People say they disdain such a practice, yet assassins are filthy rich. If they disdain such practices, why are assassins still getting contracts? Why do they acquire so much wealth?"


    Although Mane didn''t know much about this world, assassins were despised everywhere. It didn''t matter where, no one liked assassins. Yet they always seemed to be in demand. As for Lam, he couldn''t find any words to argue against Mane''s chiding. All he could do was listen to his friend''s monologue silently. As he did, he felt that he had overlooked some things, things that he probably shouldn''t be overlooking.


    "That is because no one really cares how things are achieved in war. Despicable or not, as long as results are gleaned from the method, everything goes in war. Know this and receive clarity of judgement. Refuse this and prepare your own grave"


    When Mane was done with his monologue, he turned his attention back to the Record Stone to see what else was going to happen. He could only hope that Lam learned from what he was seeing. He knew that it wasn''t going to be easy for his friend to suddenly tweak his values, but it was a start.


    "He has really lived a sheltered life huh," Hildegarde stated from atop Mane''s shoulder. She also didn''t see anything wrong with how Orange Monk won the fight. She actually thought it was pretty smart. But she also knew that if it were to be herself or Mane, they wouldn''t have fallen into such an obvious trap so easily.


    She thought the trap obvious because it was strange that Orange Monk didn''t bother to do anything to prepare against someone who was faster than him. And to be honest, she felt that Blue Mantis was an idiot for diving straight in when he didn''t really understand his opponent. It was like ignoring the basics of war. Before you make a move, you must first understand your opponent.


    Mane nodded in response to Hildegarde''s words. Seeing that Lam was in deep thought, Mane decided to pay more attention to the events on the Record Stone.


    "Do you want to rest, or would you continue?" Steel Fist turned to ask Orange Monk.


    "Yes," Orange Monk replied with a smile. Steel Fist nodded her head and called for the Blue Team to send in their next representative.


    "Well unsurprisingly, Orange Monk is going to continue," Peter commented.


    "This isn''t good for the Blue Team at all. Not only did they lose their first match, they couldn''t even shave off a small portion of Orange Monk''s stamina. It would be very difficult for them to go through now." Maggie analysed.


    This time the crowd didn''t boo her because they felt she was right. Blue Mantis was the second strongest in the Blue Team, second to only the captain. But Orange Monk had a similar status in the Orange Team. He was also one of the strongest in that team. Based on the facts and details from their previous matches, the only people who could take out a fully rested Orange Monk were Blue King and Blue Mantis. But Blue Mantis had lost miserably, and Blue King wasn''t going to be on until the 3rd Round. So there was no way the next Blue Team member would be able to deal with Orange Monk.


    Soon, the next Blue Team member walked to the centre of the stadium. He was a handsome man, just like Blue Mantis. But he was slightly taller than Blue Mantis and had a stocky build.


    "The next representative for the Blue Team, the powerful Strength Type Thrasher, Musclehead, is here!" Peter shouted loudly. The crowd quickly erupted into cheers as they tried to encourage Musclehead. Although they knew that Musclehead was weaker than Orange Monk, they were hoping for a miracle.


    "Ready?" Steel Fist asked Musclehead once he arrived at the centre. The large man nodded his head in reply and swung the short hammer in his hand.


    "Ready?" Steel Fist asked Orange Monk who finally unsheathed his sword. Orange Monk nodded his head with a smile.


    "The 2nd Round contest is between Orange Monk and Musclehead. 3, 2, 1, Fight!"


    *Boom*


    Both men run towards the other with impressive speed. Like lock-on torpedoes they rushed straight at each other and clashed in no time.


    *Bang*


    The loud sound of metal hitting metal shook the stadium, as both men were forced back a few steps.


    "Orange Monk unsurprisingly has the upper hand in the first clash," Peter commented as the fight progressed.


    Orange Monk was knocked back about 5 steps from the clash, but Musclehead was sent a bit further back, only stopping after he had covered a distance of about 8 steps. It wasn''t surprising since they were both Strength Types and Musclehead was the weaker one.


    Orange Monk immediately pounced on Musclehead once he stabilized himself. Although he was stronger, he used a sword and encouraging a prolonged battle with a hammer user wasn''t a good idea since the blade of his sword may not be able to withstand the constant bashing of the hammer.


    He was quickly upon Musclehead who had only just been able to stabilize himself. Orange Monk launched himself into the air and swung his sword towards Musclehead''s shoulder. But Musclehead had quick reactions. His years of fighting had granted him great instinctive reactions, and they came to play at this moment. He twisted his arms and brought the hammer up just in time. But instead of trying to block the attack, he struck the blade, deflecting it out of its path and leaving Orange Monk wide open.


    *Bang*


    Orange Monk was a bit thrown off by Musclehead''s strange decision, but he recovered himself quickly. And he did so just in time to see the large hammer crushing towards him. Since he was currently unbalanced this was a genius move by Musclehead, and Orange Monk admitted that. However, if this was enough to take him down, then he wouldn''t be who he was. Twisting his body strangely, he avoided the large hammer by the skin of his teeth.


    *Boom*


    As the hammer landed on the ground, the crowd could feel the power behind it. They secretly shed a bit of sweat for Orange Monk who had escaped from such an attack. Seeing that Orange Monk had gotten away, Musclehead was unfazed. He immediately withdrew his hammer and dashed into Orange Monk with a shoulder tackle. Only instead of using his shoulder, his elbow was leading the charge.


    *Bang*


    Orange Monk wasn''t able to get away this time and was sent flying back by the attack. He did a few backflips and finally stabilized himself after traveling several metres back.


    "YAY!!!"


    The crowd roared in joy seeing that Musclehead had landed in a blow. And from Orange Monk''s uncomfortable expression, added to the little bit of blood that was oozing out of his mouth, that elbow strike had possibly fractured his sternum.


    "What a pulsating match Maggie!" Peter exclaimed from within the Commentator''s booth.


    "Indeed Peter. Musclehead seems to have gained the upper hand with his incredible battle hardened reactions. But how long would that last?"


    Orange Monk barely had any time to take a breather when Musclehead descended upon him once again. Seeing the large hammer crushing down on him, he jumped to the side and rolled away.


    *Boom*


    Once again the ground of the stadium welcomed a new hole, as the Musclehead displayed his incredible strength. Orange Monk jumped up immediately after his roll. Although he was injured, that didn''t show in his movements. He turned to the side to see Musclehead jump into the air. The large man came crushing down with his hammer, and Orange Monk could actually feel the stinging wind brushing past his face. But he kept his eyes glued to the hammer, and when everyone felt that Musclehead was going to hit him, he moved slightly to the side and narrowly avoided the blow.


    *Boom*


    The area the two men stood in was covered in dust, as people struggled to see what was going on.


    "Can you see what''s happening Maggie?" Peter wondered.


    "We are sitting on the same chair Peter. If you cannot see it, then I definitely cannot," Maggie laughed.


    Soon the dust cleared, and the crowd finally saw what had happened. But they were disappointed by the results. Musclehead was hunched over, his hammer smashed into the ground and his hands still on the handle. But Orange Monk wasn''t under the hammer. He, in a fighting stance, stood beside Musclehead with his sword pointed at Musclehead''s neck. It was clear to everyone who had won the round, and Steel Fist''s announcement made it official.


    "Orange Monk wins! The 2nd Round goes to the Orange Team!"

 Chapter 325 - He Wants To Let Lose

    "That was amazing!" As the entire stadium reeled in the shock of having another of the Blue Team members lose a round, Peter the Commentator exclaimed in praise.


    "Indeed Peter. Such pulsating action, and a very close match too," Maggie was just as excited as Peter was. Although the Blue Team, a representative of Asher City had lost, the match was an exciting one. It was a close fought match which had every member of the audience on the edge of their seat, with no one confident about who was going to come out on top. Yes, Orange Monk was better based on the numbers, but this was a match in which Musclehead had shown just how strong he was. Although Musclehead lost in the end, he proved that he was strong enough to not be overlooked by any enemy.


    "I lost," Musclehead scratched his cheek embarrassingly and extended his hand to Orange Monk for a handshake. "But I had fun," he added.


    "Me too," Orange Monk smirked and took Musclehead''s hand. Even he had to admit that Musclehead was strong. The man was strong enough to be a threat even to himself, which meant that he could have likely taken on anyone from the Orange Team but the Captain and be a huge nuisance.


    "Such a heartwarming display of true sportsmanship," Peter remarked with a pleased tone.


    "Yes. He may have lost, but Musclehead sure showed his true power to everyone here today." Maggie added.


    *CL.A.P*


    *CL.A.P*


    *CL.A.P*


    The crowd gave Musclehead a resounding round of applause as he walked back to the Blue Team waiting area. Be it his strength or his goodhearted nature even after losing, Musclehead had left his mark here today. He had shown that he wasn''t one to be written off, and everyone acknowledged that.


    "I''m sorry Captain," Musclehead looked guiltily at the handsome man standing before him and apologized sincerely.


    Blue King smiled and patted Musclehead''s shoulder, "Why do you apologize when all you did was make us proud." Then he walked off to the centre of the ring.


    *********************


    "That was a close match," Lam said with a bit of admiration.


    "It was, but only because it is a tournament that prohibits killing," Mane stated.


    "What do you mean?" Lam asked curiously. He didn''t understand how that made any difference.


    "As they fought, Orange Monk had a chance to go for Musclehead''s head, but he didn''t. Rather he chose to strike Musclehead''s shoulder. His decision allowed Musclehead to deflect the attack and instead go on the offensive. If he had chosen to go for Musclehead''s neck, Musclehead would have had no choice but to try to block the attack, and that would have put him on the back foot. That would have been game over"


    There was something Mane didn''t add. He noticed that Orange Monk''s strikes were filled with hesitation, almost as if he was afraid that he would kill the man. It seemed that Orange Monk had held back. If this was a Death Match¡­


    ''Musclehead wouldn''t have lasted that long''


    That was what Mane''s intuition told him.


    "How do you know all this?" Lam sighed in admiration for Mane''s sharp eyes.


    "Because I''ve fought most of my life. When you start fighting too, you would get to see things from another perspective after a while."


    Lam was confused by Mane''s words. Dan said that Mane was with his parents in a peaceful village until recently. So how was it that Mane had been fighting his whole life? It just didn''t add up. But Lam knew better than to pry. He would save that question for after they had known each other for a year at least.


    Seeing the approaching Blue King, Steel Fist turned to Orange Monk and asked, "Would you continue or would you give way for your teammate?"


    Orange Monk smiled as he gently c.a.r.e.s.sed his c.h.e.s.t. ''That sure was a heavy blow'' he thought silently to himself as the pain from Musclehead''s strong elbow resurfaced. He shook off the pain and nodded his head, indicating that he would continue.


    "Would you look at that Maggie? Orange Monk still insists on continuing. What tenacious will he has!"


    "I wouldn''t call it tenacious Peter"


    "Why so Maggie?"


    "Because it is clear that the Orange Team''s Captain, Vital Orange, is unhappy with his decision" At Maggie''s words the crowd finally noticed that something was off. On the wing that was the waiting area for the Orange Team, Vital Orange was gesturing to Orange Monk to return, but Orange Monk just ignored his captain and stood there. After trying to get him to come a few more times and failing, Vital Orange angrily stamped his foot into the ground, not displaying his usual calm. Finally, Orange Monk turned to face his captain and smiled broadly. Vital Orange sighed and gave up. All he could do was nod his head at the man.


    "Why don''t you force him to return Captain?" the beautiful woman in the Orange Team asked.


    "Because he begged me not to," Vital Orange smiled bitterly. Although Orange Monk was smiling, Vital Orange was able to tell what his friend truly wanted. They had grown up together, but Orange Monk was less talented than Vital Orange, which was why although Vital Orange was a Predator, Orange Monk was only a peak Thrasher. And because of this he had remained within Vital Orange''s shadow for a long time. It seemed that the fight against Musclehead had rekindled his friend''s fighting spirit.


    "But there is no way he would be Blue King''s match!" the pretty lady exclaimed.


    "Indeed. But he wants to prove that he can still do something." Vital Orange smiled. "Besides, he can let lose without any issues against a Predator."


    "I don''t think we have ever seen Vital Orange that mad before, have we? Why do you think Vital Orange was so furious Maggie?"


    "Well I think it would have to do with injury risks"


    "Injury?"


    "Yes, injury. There is no way Orange Monk can defeat Blue King. So pitting himself against the Blue Team Captain who must be fairly frustrated by now isn''t a good idea. If he is gravely injured in this match, even the allotted two weeks rest period wouldn''t be enough for a full recovery, and that would put them at a disadvantage"


    "Yes, that makes sense"


    At this point everyone seemed to have accepted that the Orange Team were qualifying and had made their peace with it.


    Finally, the Blue Team Captain reached the centre of the field. Once he did, the entire field grew silent. The mumbling and grumbling ceased, and all that was left was a peaceful calm ¨C the calm before the approaching storm.


    "The 3rd Round is between Orange Monk of the Orange Team, and Blue King, the captain of the Blue Team. Are you ready?" Steel Fist didn''t have to silence the crowd by herself this time since Blue King''s presence had done that already.


    "Ready," Blue King nodded with a stoic expression; his handsome face not carrying the discomfort of one about to engage in battle.


    "Are you ready?" Steel Fist turned to Orange Monk and asked.


    "Ready," Orange Monk stated in a very excited tone. This was the first time since he appeared on the field that his emotions had gotten the better of him.


    "3"


    "2"


    "1"


    Once she reached the number 1, Steel Fist did something she had never done before this match. Once she reached the number one she dashed back with blistering speed so as to not get in anyone''s way. As she speed backwards her powerful voice reverberated throughout the entire stadium.


    "FIGHT!"

 Chapter 326 - Soul-Bound

    *Boom*


    Orange Monk sprang into action right after the match commenced. He didn''t look anything like a man injured, and his simple smile had long been wiped away. In its place was a large grin filled with bloodl.u.s.t and an intent to battle. His eyes were hazy like those of one intoxicated with wine and his movements unpredictable. Like a ferocious whirlwind, he arrived before the Blue King with speed that far surpassed the speed he displayed when he fought against Musclehead and thrust powerfully with his sword.


    Unlike Orange Monk, Blue King''s large sword was still in its place. Like a baby nestling in its mother''s bosom, the large sword was cradled in the equally large sheath that held it on Blue King''s back. He didn''t pull out the blade or explode with power like Orange Monk, but his eyes were filled with a bit of surprise witnessing the ferociousness behind Orange Monk''s strike.


    ''He held back''


    Blue King noticed this immediately. Just like Mane had said, Orange Monk indeed held back against Musclehead. But not even Mane could have foreseen that the man actually was much stronger than what he displayed. However, although Blue King was surprised by Orange Monk''s true abilities, it wasn''t outside his scope of management. Taking a small step to the right, he evaded the path of Orange Monk''s sword and bent slightly. He quickly gathered strength into his arms and delivered a quick jab towards Orange Monk''s midsection that was now wide open after his missed attack.


    *Kang*


    Unlike the sound of flesh hitting flesh, it was the sound of metal hitting metal that caught the ear of everyone in the stadium. Orange Monk who had been struck was sent flying several feet away. The Thrasher curled himself into a ball and performed many air flips before landing gracefully with his sword at his side. His eyes were still hazy, and his expression that of a beast in heat. Panting heavily he charged at Blue King once again.


    "How did he do that Maggie? I was positive that he had been hit!" Peter the Commentator exclaimed and said what everyone was thinking about.


    "Well he wasn''t. Right when Blue King''s fist was about to land on his already injured c.h.e.s.t, Orange Monk retracted his sword and used it to deflect the attack. So he didn''t even receive any damage. That was a brilliant move by the Orange Team''s powerful warrior."


    Her words enlightened many in the audience, as most struggled to compare the current Orange Monk with the one who had just had a close match with Musclehead. And in doing so they realised one thing:


    The serious Orange Monk was a huge threat!


    For some reason the man didn''t go all out against Musclehead, but he was forced to do so against one much stronger than him, and was certainly leaving an impression. They found themselves wondering why he wasn''t this ferocious when he fought Musclehead. However, there were some more experienced fighters like the City Lord who was seated above everyone else, who understood why Orange Monk didn''t do it. Orange Monk''s expression showed that he wasn''t in full control of himself. It was almost as if he had let his instincts take over and withdrawn his actual soul within himself.


    It forced these warriors to think of a legend they knew, but had never confirmed. Orange Monk''s behavior was very similar to that legend.


    ''Is it really ''that''?'' Asher City Lord thought silently to himself as he stroked his cheek in contemplation.


    "What is happening to Orange Monk?" the beautiful Orange Team member was a bit startled by Orange Monk''s state as of now. And she turned to her all-knowing captain for answers.


    "Soul-bound," Vital Orange answered simply.


    "Soul-bound?" the seductive woman tilted her head cutely as she mentioned the term that was knew to her.


    "Yes, Soul-bound," Vital Orange sighed and began to explain.


    "It is said in the legends that if one could understood the soul, they would be able to rule over themselves. These very legends theorized that no matter how powerful we get, our souls are inherently shackled and hence we cannot display the full abilities of our levels. In effect, we only get to reveal about 70- 80% of the power available to us. Some geniuses are able to unleash 85% but we never reveal our true potential. It is believed that the last 10% is miles beyond the prior 90%, and only by unlocking this percentage would we truly be powerful. These legends state that the epitome of martial arts is to have full control of body and soul, and to rule over oneself. But everyone who has tried to understand the soul has failed, with most losing their minds. There were no exceptions. Whether it was a Soldier or a Predator with an uncommon title, each person who took this path and failed lost his/her mind. So gradually people rubbished this and said it wasn''t true. That this was the clever scheme of some maniac to have his enemies kill themselves by trying to do what is impossible."


    The seductive lady shuddered in fear hearing that people lost their minds pursuing this path. And hearing that even Predators with uncommon titles had failed and lost their minds as well terrified her.


    "So you are saying that¡­"


    "Yes. Orange Monk is someone who managed to achieve this state. He is the only Soul-bound warrior in the world right now." Vital Orange sighed slowly. Orange Monk tried breaking into the Predator level several times but failed. And this affected him greatly, so much so that he began to seek other alternatives. He searched for means that would allow him to confront a strong Predator without having the physical abilities of one. And he had succeeded. But the price¡­


    ''Is it really worth it? To fall unconscious and face excruciating pain for weeks?''


    That was the price of using Soul-bound. It gave one great power by unlocking their chains and allowing one to go beyond one''s limit. But the price was equally steep. Because the soul was the essence of any man or woman, binding it forcefully was dangerous. One could still easily lose one''s mind, and one''s lifespan would steadily reduce as their health reclined due to the power that was not meant to be used. Plus the body wouldn''t be able to handle power that was beyond its limits, and would eventually breakdown. That was the price of depending on one''s soul, and the reason why Orange Monk didn''t resort to such an option easily.


    ''That looks dangerous. And that woman called Maggie. She must be a skilled warrior to have seen that quick block. Who is unordinary in Asher City?''


    Mane also realised that Orange Monk''s condition was unusual. He could even feel a faint aura of death surrounding Orange Monk as the man fought. This was what his senses as a Scholar told him. This meant that the Record Stone recorded more than images. It could actually record the aura and presence of another, making it a very resourceful tool. He was also impressed by Maggie''s analysis. It seemed that Peter always turned to her for explanations because she was very experienced. He couldn''t help but wonder how strong she was.


    "That skill is dangerous. He could die." Hildegarde was more astute than Mane, and was able to see the danger behind the skill as well. She was also perplexed as to how such a skill found its way onto a world that had no understanding of Edict.


    *Bang*


    ''This is getting tedious,'' Blue King thought to himself as he deflected another one of Orange Monk''s punches. As the match wore on, he found less and less openings to profit from. And now there were none. He also noticed Orange Monk''s condition, and made the right decision.


    ''This must end quickly,'' he decided as he unsheathed his large blade whilst constantly avoiding Orange Monk''s attacks that had gotten faster and more fluid.


    *Bang*


    Once the sword was unsheathed, it struck the ground powerfully, announcing its presence.


    "Good sword!" Mane exclaimed as his eyes burned with greed, scaring Lam who was right beside him.


    The energy that Blue King was releasing changed drastically once he got hold of his blade. If before he was a docile Tiger, right now he was an angry Lion. His energy spiked as his strength increased several fold by holding the weapon he was familiar with. He wasn''t a Fist Master. He was a Sword User! And by wielding his sword everyone could feel that.


    *Boom*


    Blue King dashed forward with amazing speed that seemed to ignore the weight of the large sword in his hand. His charge was like that of a war chariot, unbroken and unbound. In a flash he was in front of Orange Monk, and with even faster speed his sword was viciously thrust out.


    *Boom*


    Orange Monk''s sword struck the ground powerfully, as Blue King retreated with a slightly dumbfounded expression. It was now that he realised that if he treated Orange Monk like a Thrasher, he would die!


    "Blue King is injured!" Peter shouted in a voice filled with surprise.


    The formerly cheering crowd were silenced by the announcement as no one expected this. And indeed, the Blue King was injured. His left hand lay by his side limply as blood flowed freely from his shoulder.


    Orange Monk''s body crouched into an unusual stance. His robe was in tatters, and his skin was exposed to all. His skin was cracked all over, like a parched land without a drop of water, and blood slowly dripped down the cracks. His appearance shook the hearts of all watching, and they were scared for his health. However the man in question, Orange Monk was unbothered. Enduring the pain he licked his lips, his eyes still clouded with bloodl.u.s.t, and charged at Blue King once again. But this time things were different.


    "It''s over," Vital Orange sighed upon seeing Blue King''s serene expression. He knew it quite well. The Blue King was a man who had difficulty expressing his emotions. So whenever he was angry, it didn''t show. But his aura always took a drastic change whenever he was mad. A change that Vital Orange and every other powerful warrior could feel.


    Orange Monk''s figure flashed as he appeared in front of Blue King who looked distracted. Taking a low stance, Orange Monk swung his sword with power that split the air itself. The sword traveled a long way, and right when it was about to strike Blue King neck, the dormant Tiger Cub moved.


    Power. Precision. Accuracy.


    All three were present as Blue King narrowly avoided the blow and delivered one of his own.


    "That''s enough!" Steel Fist exclaimed as she appeared mysteriously between the two men. She gently struck Blue King away with her palm.


    *Bang*


    The gentle palm sent Blue King flying back a few meters until the warrior used his sword to stop himself. Although Steel Fist struck him, the power behind the palm was so well controlled that he didn''t receive any injuries!


    "Healers!" Steel Fist shouted, and the healers run onto the field with a wooden board. Orange Monk lay on the ground, his expression back to normal. Gazing at the sword wound on his c.h.e.s.t, he smiled wryly and said,


    "In the end I still lost."


    As the healers carried him off the field, the voice of Blue King reached his eyes.


    "You were a menace until the very end"


    Orange Monk smiled and lost his consciousness, as Steel Fist announced that Blue King won, much to the p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e of the crowd

 Chapter 327 - Scheming Ivor

    "Amazing Maggie. What a battle!"


    "Indeed Peter. It was amazing to the very end. Orange Monk fought valiantly, and it is a pity that we probably wouldn''t see him again in the Grand Tourney"


    Mane nodded at the words of the commentator. Orange Monk looked fine now, but his injuries were grave. Mane could tell from the wound depth that Blue King had shown mercy in the end and hadn''t fully pierced the c.h.e.s.t of Orange Monk with his blade. It was more like only the tip went in. Plus because of Steel Fist''s intervention, Orange Monk''s wound wasn''t deep. However, the man lost a lot of blood from the wound. Plus the injuries he incurred using that strange technique were probably going to be more problematic to deal with. And that wasn''t even the end. Mane didn''t ignore the limp arm which was probably due to a shoulder injury. In other words, Orange Monk was going to be out for a long time.


    "I wonder if the Orange Team would be able to get someone to replace him" Peter''s voice had a trace of concern and pity in it. Right now even if the Orange Team progressed, which looked very likely, they may be handicapped throughout the rest of the Grand Tourney.


    "Team Members can be replaced?" Mane was surprised to hear Peter''s words.


    "Well, technically they can. But it is almost impossible to find a replacement at the level of the warriors that take part in this competition. First and foremost, the replacement must be at the same level as or stronger than the one being replaced. Secondly, the replacement must be younger than the replaced by at least 7 years. Last but not least, the replacement must not be from any of the competing cities" Unsurprisingly Lam, the encyclopedia for all things Grand Tourney, knew the rules for changing a teammate.


    "So basically it is impossible for any team to make a change," Mane furrowed his brows after hearing Lam''s words and said.


    "Yes," Lam replied.


    Both of them were smart, and understood that although the Grand Tourney technically allowed one to swap a teammate, realistically speaking it was almost impossible to do so. Each rule was like a powerful barrier that prevented any team from actually being able to recruit new members. Let''s analyse them shall we?


    The first rule stated that the replacement must be of the same level as or stronger than the replaced. It did seem like the most logical rule, but was it really? Thrashers weren''t rare in First Class Cities; and every city that was participating in the Grand Tourney was a First Class City. Lam said earlier on that each team usually comprised of a Predator as the captain, and three Thrashers. But these Thrashers weren''t ordinary Thrashers. These were Thrashers at the peak of their level and half a step into the realm of Predators. Although Peak Level Thrashers weren''t as rare as Predators, each one of them was a precious resource ¨C a resource capable of becoming more important by breaking into the realm of Predators. And with such importance, came massive responsibilities. There were 8 cities involved, and each of these cities presented 4 teams. That meant each city had to provide 12 Peak Level Thrashers and 4 Predators, which was about 18-20% of any First Class City''s forces. This wasn''t an easy figure even for First Class Cities who had to watch out for Overflows and hostile cities as well as large bandit forces. So it was difficult to cough up replacements when an already steep price had been paid.


    If the first rule was an elastic band that could be easily shredded with the right amount of force, the second rule was like a powerful vice around one''s neck that couldn''t be easily shaken off. The replacement must be younger than the replaced by at least 7 years. Amongst the members of the Orange and Blue Teams, not a single one was within their 20s. Even the seductive lady from the Orange Team, according to Lam, was in her early forties. She had just kept herself so well that her body aged far slower than it was supposed to. But if one observed her closely, they would be able to see a few lines on her face. This was because it wasn''t easy to find a young Thrasher or Predator. An age gap of 7 years wasn''t large enough to split generations, but it was enough to determine one''s level of strength. Finding someone much younger than Orange Monk with just the same level of power would be very difficult.


    The second rule was a powerful vice, but it could be unlocked with the right keys. However, the last rule was like a devastating quick acting toxin with no cure. The replacement mustn''t be from any of the competing cities. Where else would one have the power and authority to know all about their citizens if not in one''s city? The last rule made it difficult to recruit anyone worthwhile to one''s side. After all, how would one be able to find a good replacement from any other place apart from one''s city? And to make matters worse, you couldn''t even recruit others from the other cities. The 8 First Class Cities came up with this competition as a way to strengthen their ties and improve their relations. After all, not everyone was an ally. They had friendly ties with each other, but weren''t on such great terms with other First Class Cities so they wouldn''t be able to do any recruitments from there. The lower class cities were no help either. This was because First Class Cities hoarded all the good things and ''stole'' away talents from the lower class cities. So it was almost impossible to find someone who was within the specifications of the rules ¨C a genius for that matter¨C from another city.


    "It seems that even if they qualify they would be in trouble," Mane stated, and Lam nodded in agreement.


    "Look, Vital Orange is going up next. The last match is about to begin."


    Neither Lam nor Mane questioned why Vital Orange was going to fight when he wasn''t the next contestant. That was because his reason was clear to all. Orange Monk was injured, and the next person on the list should have been the seductive lady. But she was weaker than Orange Monk, and although Orange Monk had injured Blue King, he was an anomaly. Orange Monk had the power to go against an established High Level Predator like Blue King because Soul-bound made him invincible below the Middle Predator level. The seductive lady didn''t have such skills. Sending her next would mean they may very well lose another team member. So Vital Orange did the prudent thing and passed her turn. And although it meant that the scores were now 2-2, a tie, Vital Orange was well rested and unharmed. Moreover, he was also a High Level Predator and was already slightly stronger than Blue King. Now that Blue King was injured, it would be very difficult for him to come out on top in this match.


    "Who do you think would win this Maggie?"


    "Well, if both competitors were at their peak, I''d argue that it would be difficult to see a winner here. But only one of them is ¨C Vital Orange. So it is more likely that he would win"


    "That is very likely indeed. So would Vital Orange kick out the Blue Team, or would the Blue King show his majestic dominance, defy the odds, and take his place in the Semi-finals? Well, we would find out shortly."


    His presence around the young prince and princess may be dangerous¡­or it could be a blessing.


    He referred to Lam and Lily as prince and princess, the same titles he called them with to which they assumed he was flattering them. But it seemed that he wasn''t. Finally, he asked for guidance from the one he was writing the letter for. He then sealed the letter, and tapped the table he wrote on. Space Laws began to revolve around his finger as an area of the table disappeared, and a black hole took its place. Yet that wasn''t the most shocking event. A beautiful hand appeared from within the hole with outstretched fingers, and Ivor placed the letter into the hand. Once the letter was delivered, the hand disappeared into the black hole, and the hole sealed up.


    "I hope she gives me an answer soon. Thankfully the matches would keep them occupied for a while. That may be more than enough time for me to receive a reply."


    Ivor smiled and reclined into his chair.

 Chapter 328 - Appearance Of A Tiger

    Ivor waited patiently for about ten minutes, all the while reclined in his seat with a broad smile on his face. However, once the ten minutes were up, he left the comfort of his large chair and approached the big table. Like he did before, he opened up a portal on the table by condensing Space Laws on his finger. With his finger as the pen and the table as the slate, he gradually created a pitch black portal. Immediately the portal was opened, a hand emerged from within with a letter in its grasp. Ivor retrieved the letter, and once he did the hand disappeared into the portal. The large man pinched his index and middle fingers together, and the portal was closed.


    "As I suspected. Given the gravity of the situation there was no way she wouldn''t have given me a reply." Ivor shook his head with a smile and proceeded to open up the letter and read its contents. However, as he read the contents of the letter, his smile slowly receded, and a thoughtful expression appeared on his face.


    "Interesting approach," Ivor furrowed his brows and commented. He folded the paper into a ball and tossed it into a small fireplace some few meters away from him. The fire cackled and hissed as the ball of paper quickly turned to ash and was no more.


    "But it certainly would allow us to keep an eye on the boy and know what he truly is like," Ivor started to approach the rope that led outside this room and into the area he left Mane, Lam and Lily in. It was fascinating how the thin rope was able to support his weight at all.


    "If he''s a threat, we would kill him," the large man stated as killing intent billowed around him and filled the small space. His large frame looked demonic and menacing under the efflux of power that shook the space around him.


    "Then again he may become an ally," Ivor''s aura switched to a jovial one as the killing intent around him disappeared and he started to climb up the rope.


    *******************


    "Are you ready," Steel Fist asked the two captains who were undeniably the climax of the show.


    "Ready," Both men responded in synchronicity. Blue King still held unto his large sword. He swung it around a few times, and the air around him was cleanly split into several layers.


    Vital Orange retrieved his large axe from his back and lightly span it. The large weapon looked like a stick in his hands and as he deftly manipulated it within his palms, the wind it carried pushed back Blue King''s clothes.


    "This is the 4th and final round. The winner of this round goes through." Steel Fist reminded the two captains.


    "We are finally at the climax of the event Maggie," Peter exclaimed excitedly; his energy shared by the expectant crowd.


    "Yes we are. This is a battle that one wouldn''t want to miss." Maggie stated. Unlike Peter her voice wasn''t filled with much enthusiasm. The Record Stone switched to the events happening at the centre of the stadium as Steel Fist began the countdown.


    "3"


    "2"


    "1"


    "Fight!"


    *Boom*


    Both men rushed towards the other immediately the countdown was over. Once the permission to engage was given, they engaged. Like a mighty storm Blue King span rapidly as he approached Vital Orange. The wind gathered by his charge was biting, and his sword commanded power that left many in shock.


    "Blue King is using his signature move right off the bat. The power of the Blue Whirlwind is as impressive as ever!"


    Vital Orange on the other hand didn''t seem very impressive. He was unmoved by the powerful spinning charge of his opponent. He rushed head on into the ''whirlwind'' and suddenly moved to the side. His decision was a timely one as the large sword of the Blue King appeared right where he was and split the space apart.


    "There" Vital Orange smirked and struck the large sword with great strength.


    *Bang*


    Blue King was struck and sent skidding backwards. The dust storm that he had created using his momentum was dispelled once he was flung away, and the hand he held the large sword with was twisted at an odd angle.


    "Vital Orange breaks Blue Whirlwind with relative ease, injuring the Blue King in the process!" Peter exclaimed in shock. The crowd were stunned by what they were seeing. They expected that Vital Orange would be able to break the skill eventually, but they didn''t think it would be done so simply and efficiently!


    "That was close," Vital Orange secretly wiped the nervous sweat off his forehead. Although it looked like he had easily broken the skill, it wasn''t so. The skill Blue King demonstrated was one that he could do because of his identity as a Dual Ability New Type. Blue King was a Strength and Agility New Type. Because of this he had very acute control of his body. This allowed him to perform ''Blue Whirlwind'', a skill that was essentially performed by spinning at high speed.


    But the skill had a fatal flaw. Although it was powerful, it wasn''t as effective using it in one-on-one battles as it was in using it in group fights. But that wasn''t even the fatal flaw. The major flaw of the skill was its trajectory. As long as one paid attention to the skill and went towards it, not away from it, they would be able to break it. That was why Vital Orange didn''t try to escape, but run headfirst into the storm. One just had to time the sword swings right and strike the heavy blade in the same trajectory when given the chance, to throw Blue King off.


    No one had been able to deal with the skill just yet, but Vital Orange studied the recordings of Blue King''s matches where he had to rely on this skill and realised that it would be better to run towards the storm than away from it. He reckoned that if he struck the blade towards the same direction with power he would be able to deal with the move, and luckily he was right. But it wasn''t easy to execute. Blue King was faster than him, so he had to prepare himself and calculate his strike based on instinct and proper timing. And that wasn''t easy. What he didn''t account for was the fact that Blue King would injure his wrist in the process.


    "Are you okay to continue," Steel Fist''s figure flashed and appeared before Blue King. The Captain of the Blue Team was stunned that his skill had been broken, but he recovered quickly and nodded to indicate that he could continue. He switched his blade to the other hand and dashed towards Vital Orange. Steel Fist sighed and disappeared.


    Seeing the approaching Blue King, Vital Orange jumped high into the air and crushed towards Blue King with ferocity. His huge axe was held above his head, and the veins on his arms wriggled underneath his skin like little dragons as power was put into the axe. With a mighty roar he swung his axe towards the Blue King.


    Blue King could feel the wind scratching his neck even before the axe was anywhere close to him. If he had two functional sword arms he would have attempted to block the strike. But without his other arm, doing so would be suicidal. He quickly jumped to the side and rolled away to avoid the fatal strike.


    *Boom*


    The axe cleaved the ground into two as a huge crater was formed on the floor of the stadium.


    "Such power," Peter gulped when he saw the destructive scene. It seemed that even among Predators, Vital Orange had unusual strength!


    Blue King furrowed his brows when he saw the state of the floor where he previously stood. The stadium wasn''t ordinary. It was made to withstand fights like these, and rarely faced such destruction. Vital Orange had proven with this strike that even if Blue King was uninjured, receiving the blow head on wouldn''t have just been a bad decision, it would have been a fatally disastrous one. In a sense, his injury had saved him from being ''one-shotted'' by Vital Orange.


    "Interesting," Steel Fist was intrigued by what she saw. She realised that Vital Orange was just as strong as she was! Although this was only possible because she had gone past her peak and was facing a decline in strength, it was still impressive. This meant that Blue King stood no chance. But she couldn''t end a match if the person was conscious and refused to admit defeat. She could only sigh and let them continue.


    "Here I come!" Vital Orange exclaimed and dashed towards Blue King. He lifted his mighty axe and brought it down with so much power that Blue King could feel the ground beneath him tremble. After seeing Vital Orange''s strength, there was no way Blue King was going to take any attack head on. He moved a bit to the side and narrowly avoided the attack. Yet the wind behind the attack alone bruised his cheek. But he remained focused.


    "Chance!" Blue King exclaimed in his head and thrust out his sword in a horizontal stab with the intent to pierce Vital Orange cleanly. Since he was weaker and injured, if he fought without the intent to kill he would undoubtedly lose. So he could only aim for severely injuring his opponent.


    *Bang*


    "How is that possible?" Blue King''s eyes opened in disbelief at what he was seeing. What he was expecting to happen didn''t happen. Instead, something alarming occurred. And the crowd were just as amazed as he was.


    "Vital Orange has received Blue King''s attack with his body!" Peter exclaimed.


    On the field Vital Orange had his axe on Blue King''s neck, a bit of blood dripping onto the blade as it dug a little deeper into the Blue Team Captain''s skin. Blue King''s sword was stuck under the armpit of Vital Orange, and it looked like he had received the full powered blow of a Predator with no issue.


    "He didn''t receive it with his body," Maggie corrected Peter.


    "Oh? So what happened Maggie?"


    "That was the combination of accurate foresight and perfect timing. Right when Blue King''s strike was about to land, Vital Orange swiveled out of harm''s way and trapped Blue King''s sword under his armpit. It was a moment of brilliance that cannot be easily replicated. And it can only be done by one group of people"


    "Which group Maggie?"


    "Tigers!"

 Chapter 329 - Appearance Of A Tiger Part II

    The crowd felt like a bomb had gone off in their heads. Who were Tigers? They were Predators at the very top of the food chain. Due to the disappearance of Nightmares from the world for so many years everyone regarded Tigers as the peak that could only be admired from afar. Every Tiger of every city was well respected and received great treatment. They were like kings that could get anything they wanted as long as they whistled or clapped for it. These powerful beings rarely made public appearances, but one had revealed himself today.


    "How is that possible?" Peter was very surprised. In fact, the word was like an understatement this time around. How could Vital Orange be a Tiger?


    "I know it is hard to believe, but that is the truth. Those kind of movements; the confidence to attempt something like that and achieve it with absolute certainty. That is the mark of a Tiger. Vital Orange is no longer a Tiger Cub. He''s a fully grown Tiger now." Maggie stated plainly.


    The crowd''s disbelief was normal and expected. That was because they had seen Vital Orange fight in last year''s Grand Tourney, where he and his team were knocked out after being heavily defeated by the team that ended up becoming Champions ¨C the Indigo Team. He wasn''t a Tiger then, but a Tiger Cub. But now Maggie was saying he was a Tiger.


    "Now things are starting to make sense. That was why Black Saga said that his team won only because they were lucky. He knew!" Peter stated, suddenly realizing that the biggest evidence was there all along. His words opened the eyes of the crowd, who finally made sense of what happened during the group stage match between the Blue Team and the Black Team.


    During that match, The Black Team won the first match, but lost the second. And by the 5th Round, both teams were tied at 2-2, and many thought that they would see the captains of both teams fight the ultimate battle. However they were disappointed by the outcome, as Vital Orange immediately threw in the towel and handed the Black Team the win. When asked about the match in an interview that followed days after, Black Saga stated that their team was lucky, and that if both captains had fought, they may have sustained grave injuries and limited their progress in the knockout phase. Many assumed that he was being humble and didn''t want to dismiss the Orange Team. Why did they make such an assumption?


    Black Saga was a Predator from Asher City, as such the citizens knew who he was. He wasn''t any ordinary Predator; he was a powerful Tiger with a resounding reputation. As such the citizens were excited when they learnt that he would be leading a team in the Grand Tourney. To them, it was the right response from Asher City which had lost its crown to the reigning Champions, the Indigo Team. So when such a man stated that a Tiger Cub like Vital Orange had the capability to injure him, it was seen as humility, and it made the people love him even more. But now they realized that they were wrong. Black Saga wasn''t being humble, he was being downright sincere! Vital Orange truly had the strength to go against a powerhouse like Black Saga!


    "No wonder he gave up then. He didn''t want to reveal his real strength!" Peter exclaimed. Until now Vital Orange had dispatched the other Predators with relative ease, and without revealing his power as a Tiger. But he couldn''t do the same against Blue King. Although Blue King was injured, he was still a dangerous entity. And whilst it was true that Blue King was a Tiger Cub, he had proven that he was just below a Tiger in terms of battle strength, and this forced Vital Orange to reveal a small portion of his power. He hoped that no one would be able to see through it, but he was wrong. Even if Maggie didn''t point it out, other teams would have watched the recording of his fight and realised that he was a Tiger.


    "In the end I couldn''t hide anymore. You truly are a monster." Vital Orange sighed bitterly as he held the huge axe to Blue King''s neck. The axe had cut into Blue King''s neck slightly, and a bit of blood dripped onto the blade. Vital Orange was impressed by Blue King''s ability and talent. The man was younger than him, and would undoubtedly become a Tiger in the next few years. Added to the fact that he was a Strength and Agility Dual New Type, he was bound to be stronger than Vital Orange when he finally became a Tiger. His fighting skills were apparent in this match, as he had forced Vital Orange to reveal a card he wanted to keep hidden until he and his teammates were pushed to a wall.


    "I''m the monster? Funny that you should call me that." Blue King had a serene expression on his face. He seemed to have come to terms with his loss, and Vital Orange admired how cool he was about it.


    "When did you break through?" Blue King asked, totally disregarding his shallowly injured neck and the blood Vital Orange''s huge axe had drawn from it. It was a strange sight really. The man with an axe to his neck was asking questions whilst his blood dripped slowly onto the very axe that caused his wound.


    "Right after last year''s loss. I guess I have to give credit to the Indigo Team for pushing me to my limits." Vital Orange replied with a resentful gaze. But he quickly recovered his calm and asked Blue King,


    "Do you concede?"


    "Yes, I concede," Blue King responded calmly. Vital Orange nodded at his words and took the axe away from Blue King''s neck.


    "Sorry about the cut ¨C and the injured hand," Vital Orange scratched his cheek and apologized sincerely. When he broke Blue King''s skill he had unconsciously used a bit more strength and had ended up injuring the Predator. And for that he was sorry.


    "Not a problem. I have been eliminated, so there would be enough time to heal. At least now I know why your strike was strong enough to break my wrist." Blue King was calm about the injury and accepted Vital Orange''s apologies without any resentment. This was a fight, and injuries were unavoidable. Vital Orange didn''t even need to apologize, yet he did, and Blue King appreciated him for that. Besides, he had been wondering how Vital Orange was able to break his wrist when his skill was broken. After all, from what he knew their strengths were almost the same. But he had his answer now and he was okay with it.


    "Want me to call the healers?" It was unknown when she arrived, but Steel Fist was already next to the two men. She looked at Blue King''s injury with concern and questioned whether he needed any medical attention.


    "No need. I would go to them." Blue King stated and began walking towards the Healers-Reserved Area of the stadium.


    "Suit yourself," Steel Fist shrugged as she watched Blue King walk away.


    "I think you should announce the results now," Vital Orange smiled and returned his axe to its usual position at his back. He didn''t even clean the blood that stained its sharp edge.


    Steel Fist nodded and lifted her hand. Immediately, everyone''s attention was drawn to her.


    "The winner of the 4th Round is Vital Orange from the Orange Team. This sends the score to 3-2 in the Orange Team''s favor. The Orange Team wins! They have qualified for the next stage of the competition!"

 Chapter 330 - How About You Follow Me To Asher City?

    "That was unbelievable," Lam sighed with a euphoric expression as he put aside the Record Stone.


    "It was," Mane sounded far more composed. The contents of the Record Stone didn''t move him like they did Lam.


    "I guess it was passable," Hildegarde commented from atop Mane''s shoulder. Her expression showed that she wasn''t being proud by making such a comment, but really felt that way.


    "This was much more exciting than the matches of the Round of 16 Stage. This time things were much more competitive." Lam stated with a slightly refreshed expression. Mane didn''t doubt his words at all, since it was made clear to him that Lam had been following the competition all this while.


    The duo had just finished watching all the matches of the Quarter Final Stage. In the end, in addition to the Orange Team, the Red Team, Indigo Team (the reigning Champions), and the Black Team were the teams that made it through to the Semi Final Stage. These four teams were the cream of the crop, and every member was exceptional. Even though Orange Team had a Tiger, they were still at a massive disadvantage. Indigo Team and Black Team had Tigers as well. Red Team didn''t have a Tiger, but they had a Cheetah. An actual Cheetah, not a Cheetah Cub, and although Cheetah''s weren''t as strong as Tigers, their speed and reactions made them powerful foes that one wouldn''t like to meet in a battle. So all the teams wanted to steer clear of them. No one wanted to be pitted against a team with a Cheetah. Especially the Orange Team, which had lost one of its members. That was why Orange Team were at a disadvantage. Not only had they lost a valuable member, Orange Monk was actually the second strongest in their group. It was going to be very difficult to find a replacement for him.


    "Do you think I would be able to reach that level if I train?" Lam asked with a forlorn expression. He stretched his hands to the ceiling as though trying to grasp something ¨C power maybe.


    Mane smiled slightly seeing his friend''s expression. Behind the forlorn look, Mane saw Lam''s eyes shining with an aggressive gaze. It was a gaze Mane was familiar with because he had seen it several times ¨C in the mirror. Eyes that yearned for power to protect and control your own destiny. Eyes that yearned for arms that could pull the world off its orbit and carry its weight on its shoulders. Eyes that gleamed brightly in the darkness with hands that could slap aside any unwanted issues that would fly your way. These were his eyes. And now they appeared in Lam''s.


    "No," Mane replied and Lam''s expression became downcast. Lily who had only just returned from viewing everything in the Outer Room arrived just in time to hear Lam''s question and Mane''s reply. She looked at Mane with an angry expression, and asked with her eyes why he said that to her brother.


    ''Why did you have to hurt him that way?'' her eyes asked.


    Mane didn''t choose to reply, he only smiled and continued, "But if I teach you, not only would you become strong enough to hold your destiny in your own hands, you would be strong enough to hold their destinies within your palm as well!"


    Mane''s words shook Lam, as the young teen shivered slightly in ecstasy. He looked into his friend''s eyes and saw unbridled confidence and charm. Mane''s words were as mighty as they were arrogant, but when Lam looked into Mane''s eyes he felt that his friend was being humble, a feeling that stunned him. All his life he trusted his instincts, and now these instincts were telling him that Mane was his only path. And it was a path that would lead to greatness.


    As for Lily, the eyes she looked at Mane with turned soft again when she heard Mane''s words. She was initially annoyed because she felt Mane was belittling her brother, but hearing his words that implied that her brother was talented enough to exceed the talented fighters of the Grand Tourney, she was happy. As for whether it was true or not, she didn''t really care. She was only happy that Mane thought so highly of her brother.


    "Such arrogance!" Suddenly a voice spoke from within the room. Lily and Lam were startled, but they quickly calmed down when they saw who the speaker was.


    "Ivor! Why did you sneak up on us? You scared me!" Lily patted her raised c.h.e.s.t and said. Her face was a little pale from the earlier fright, and her expression was that of annoyance.


    "He didn''t sneak up on us. He has been here for quite some time. He even watched the last match with us, didn''t you, Ivor?" Mane smiled slightly as he spoke. Since he met Ivor, he had been feeling uneasy. It wasn''t because he felt the man was a bad person, but because Ivor was someone many times stronger than he was. If he had to place Ivor''s strength, he didn''t think he would be able to. But he felt that even if Ivor was in the True Universe, he would only be below a Noble (Nobility Realm Wielder) in power! Having someone like that in the same room as you was bound to bring up some discomfort. Although he had met powerful gods like Indra, he was under the protection of his parents and the mysterious Butler Fin, so he never truly felt the pressure. But out here, all alone in this mysterious world, he felt truly threatened by Ivor the Tattler. And because of that, he kept his senses at their maximum, allowing him to sense the big man when he arrived.


    He turned his head to gaze at the large man who gave him that feeling of unease and picked up the Record Stone which was on the table. Then he tossed it to Ivor.


    Ivor was a bit surprised when he heard Mane''s words. His hand instinctively reached out and caught the Record Stone, but his surprise didn''t fade. Although he didn''t consciously hide his presence when he returned, because he had just recently used the Space Laws, there were remnants of the powerful Law of Space on him. And that made it difficult for people to sense his presence. In fact, he had been sitting next to Lam when the last match was playing, and had only gotten up when the match was over. He thought none of them realised it, but Mane did.


    "I did," Ivor answered Mane''s question with a smile. And then he added, "You do have the capital to be arrogant." If Mane could sense him even after he stunk of the Law of Space, then the boy truly wasn''t all talk.


    "And how were my words arrogant?" Mane smiled and asked.


    "I can tell that you are a talented young man. At your age, you are already a Peak Level Thrasher, and that is incredible. You truly are worthy of being Dan''s nephew"


    Hearing his words, Lam and Lily were stunned. They knew that Mane was strong. After all, he was someone who spared with Dan. Although Dan never truly fought with his true strength, Mane was still able to go toe to toe with Dan and that was impressive. They knew this because their Grandfather told them. So they knew Mane was strong. Added to the fact that Mane was able to fend off the assassins Village Head Samoa sent, of which Wild Boar, a Thrasher was included, they understood that Mane was a Thrasher. But they didn''t think he was a Peak Level Thrasher! Peak Level Thrashers and Established Thrashers were very different. An Entry Level Thrasher was not a match for an Established Thrasher. And a High Level Thrasher could easily handle two Established Thrashers. But a Peak Level Thrasher was able to deal with 4 High Level Thrashers effortlessly! That was how large the gulf was between them was!


    If this came from any other person, they wouldn''t have believed it. But this was something that Ivor admitted. And they knew who Ivor was. Although the man was an information peddler, the twins weren''t fools. They were intelligent kids, and although they were na?ve, they never disputed facts when they were placed right in front of them. Information peddlers traveled from city to city, town to town, and village to village, seeking for worthwhile information. And they mostly did so with guards. This was because they had to protect themselves against the constant threat of bandits and thieves. But Ivor never traveled with anyone. He always traveled alone, yet never experienced any robberies. They weren''t fools to think that he was just lucky. Ivor only stayed in the village a couple of days before leaving. It was like that each time. For him to never meet bandits when he traveled so much, he would have to amass the luck of everyone in the world. Plus their grandfather had confirmed once after meeting Ivor that the man was far from simple. They remembered that the first time Old Fan met Ivor he gave them some advice, and they still remembered their grandfather''s advice.


    "Be careful. If Sir Dan is a monster that every veteran has seen explode, that Ivor man is a dragon who is yet to go off."


    "But even if you are talented, there is a huge gulf between Thrashers and Predators. Predators are the peak of power in our world today. So it is arrogance to say that you can become strong enough to control their fates. But when you confidently say that you can make someone powerful enough to control the destinies of such powerful men and women, that is greater than arrogance itself."


    Ivor shook his head and spoke his thoughts.


    "Indeed, Predators are strong," Mane admitted. "But they aren''t at the peak of this world. I found Nightmares with unbridled power like you and Dan only by roaming this small village. Who is to say what I would find when I explore the world?" Mane added with a smile, and an explosion went off in the twins'' heads. Since Ivor had exposed Mane''s strength, he didn''t bother to hide Ivor''s.


    Nightmares!


    These were warriors so powerful that they regarded everyone weaker than them an ant. This was a term that had long since been removed from this world because it was believed that they had all gone extinct. They suspected that Dan was a Nightmare, since his power was beyond their grandfather''s; and their grandfather was a Predator with an uncommon title! But they had no idea that Ivor was just as powerful as Dan and was also a Nightmare. They had been fooling around with a Nightmare all this time, yet they didn''t know it! If they found out that Mane considered Ivor to be even stronger than Dan, they may have lost their minds.


    "Interesting," Ivor smiled.


    "I have a proposal for you then," Ivor told Mane.


    "What is it?" Mane asked. What could one as strong as Ivor want from him?


    "I have known the Prince and Princess since they were kids. If you want to teach Lam you must prove yourself worthy"


    Lam and Lily felt warm hearing Ivor''s words. They were unsettled hearing that he was a Nightmare, but listening to him still call them by their childhood pet names, they felt that nothing had changed.


    "I already have approval from Elder Fan. Why do I need yours?" Mane smiled.


    "Because mine tests your pride," Ivor smirked confidently, and powerful presence leaked out of his body and fell onto Mane''s. His aura was powerful, and even a Predator would have fallen to his/her knees. Yet his expectations crumbled, as Mane stood standing still, a smile still etched across his face.


    "Indeed," Mane''s smile widened. What a joke! His masters were gods and ascenders, and he had grown used to their auras. His parents were gods, and Uncle Jake and Butler Fin were also gods! And he himself was a godling! How could he fall to Ivor''s meagre pressure?


    "So what is the test?" Mane smiled, as a powerful aura was exuded from every pore of his being and pushed Ivor''s aura back into the man''s body.


    Ivor''s expression changed when he felt the crushing aura of the young boy before him. Mane was shorter than him, but under the overwhelming pressure of the teen''s aura, Mane''s figure resembled a giant who wielded a large axe, and he was a bit overwhelmed. But he recovered himself quickly, much to Mane''s approval and said what he wanted to say.


    "How about you follow me to Asher City?"


    "What?" Mane was stunned at the request. And so were the twins. What did that have to do with the test?


    "Come with me to Asher City," Ivor reiterated.


    "Why?" Mane asked.


    "To join the Orange Team as a Replacement."

 Chapter 331 - True Art Of Restoration

    "So you agreed?"


    "I did"


    Back at Dan''s home, Mane was engaged in conversation with Dan. It was pretty late, and the sun had just gone down. Mane had trained all day since Dan wasn''t around. He was waiting for him so he could tell him what had happened today, and he was finally able to once Dan arrived a few minutes ago. The highlight of the conversation was his decision. For he had agreed to Ivor''s proposal.


    "Do you think it''s a good idea?" Dan asked worriedly.


    "No," Mane replied honestly. "I do not trust the guy," Mane added with a hint of wariness. Of course there was no way he thought going with Ivor was a good idea since he didn''t know anything about the man and had only just met him. Added to the fact that Ivor was stronger than him and could easily deal with him, Mane was very wary of him.


    "So why do you want to go?" Dan asked curiously. He didn''t understand what Mane was saying. The boy claimed that he didn''t trust Ivor, and he knew that this was a bad idea, yet he was still set on his decision. His understanding of Mane made him believe that there was no way Mane would do something dangerous without a good reason. And he was curious as to what the reason was now.


    "Because I need to grow," Mane stated.


    "I need to see the larger cities and meet strong people." He hadn''t forgotten his mission in this world. His main mission was to introduce chaos into the world, and he couldn''t do that in the comfort of a small village. If it was only about growing stronger, he would have considered staying here to do so. After all, now that he was reconnected to Edict and had received the ultimate cheat skill, Devour, from Cronos, he didn''t need to really worry about his growth. But even without the opportunity Ivor was giving him, he would have left. For he was never someone who was comfortable with a comfortable life. He was someone who sought out challenges and was eager to face the trials of the world.


    "You have met me," Dan countered. It was a simple statement, but it was enough to rebuff Mane''s reason for leaving. His intent was obvious.


    ''I am a Nightmare level powerhouse. Which person would you meet that is stronger than me?''


    That was what he was implying. If Mane was looking for strong opponents, then what was he? He was right to argue that Mane wouldn''t find one as strong as him in Asher City. After all he had seen the Grand Tourney before. And he was unimpressed with the strength of the competitors. Even their Champions were ants before him, so if Mane''s reasoning for leaving was to find stronger opponents, it would be invalid.


    "You were the strongest person ¨C until now," Mane stated. Dan looked at him with a raised eyebrow. What was the boy trying to say? Was he saying there was someone stronger?


    "Who did you meet that is stronger than me?" Dan asked curiously. In this village he doubted that there was such a person, but he was curious to know the person''s name.


    "Ivor," Mane replied simply.


    "Him? He''s strong. There''s no doubt about that. I''m sure he''s at my level. But unless we battle it out, how would you know who is stronger?" Dan argued logically. But the person he was speaking possessed powers that defied logic. Mane''s senses as a Scholar told him that Ivor was almost two times stronger than Dan. And he didn''t even need to use True Eyes to see this. Added to the fact that Hildegarde evaluated Ivor as someone well versed in the Law of Space, Mane was certain he was stronger. After all, Dan who had comprehended the Law of Wind didn''t even know that he had. And if he didn''t know what he had, how would he improve on it?


    "I can''t tell you how I know this, so please don''t ask me questions about it." Mane sighed.


    "That energy you are able to draw your power from, it''s called Edict" Mane started, and then he explained to Dan what Edict was, its component parts ¨C inner and outer energy ¨C and how to cultivate it.


    "This¡­" Dan was stunned as he listened to Mane speak about the energy he had been trying so hard to understand all these years and yet had failed miserably.


    "I don''t know how you were able to get to the level you have reached without a Wielding Manual, but you are at what we refer to as the Heaven Realm. Around the 4th or 5th stage of the Heaven Realm. I''m not quite sure yet, a bit more research and I would be certain of it. As for Ivor, he''s likely at the peak of the Heaven Realm"


    Mane knew this from combining what he had seen with his True Eyes, and comparing it with his own strength. After seeing the Grand Tourney matches, Mane was able to organize the power ranking of this world into the power ranking of the True Universe. The True Universe had 7 Grand Levels of Power:


    Mortal Realm


    Above Mortal Realm


    Profound Realm


    Earth Realm


    Heaven Realm


    Ascension


    Each of these Grand Realms was further divided into 9 levels, and the gulf between each sub-level grew larger as one grew stronger. In contrast, this world had only 5 known realms of power


    Soldiers


    Animal Hunters


    Thrashers


    Predators


    Nightmares


    After seeing the fighters of the Grand Tourney, Mane was able to conclude that Soldiers were within the Mortal Realm. But they were only in the lower and middle ranks (Mortal Realm Stage 1 to Stage 6). Animal Hunters were stronger than Soldiers, but they were still in the Mortal Realm. The difference between the two was that Animal Hunters were high level Mortal Realmers (Mortal Realm Stage 7 to Stage 9).


    Thrashers were Above-Mortal Realmers, and Peak Level Thrashers were at the peak of the Above-Mortal Realm. Predators were only comparable to Profound Realmers. And the so-called Tigers were merely at the peak of the Profound Realm. Predators with Uncommon titles were often more powerful that Tigers, but they were only comparable to Half-Step Earth Realmers. But this was where things got weird. It would have been logical for Nightmares to be Earth Realmers from the information Mane had gathered. However when he compared Dan''s feat of destroying Village Head Samoa''s home, and the knowledge of the battle against the Pseudo-Legendary Class Magical Beast, he realised that Nightmares weren''t Earth Realmers. Nightmares were Heaven Realmers! It was a bizarre transition that left Mane confused as to whether there was another level that people didn''t know about, or there was just no Earth Realm in this world. Strangely, Mane was inclined to believe the latter. And this was because of how unbelievably difficult it was to cross the threshold of Predator, into the Nightmare Level; so much so that people had branded it as a level impossible to attain. Maybe it was so difficult a level to breach because the level that was supposed to be after the Thrasher Level was nonexistent. Mane was certain that it was because there was no Wielding Manual for them to refer to, and that was why their wielding system was so bizarre.


    "What is a Wielding Manual?" there was so much Dan wanted to ask, but he respected Mane''s wishes and didn''t ask anything related to Mane''s origin. However, he was curious about the manual Mane spoke of.


    "That I can show to you," Mane smiled. Since he rediscovered his connection to Edict, he was recovering his strength at a rapid pace. Currently he was at the peak of the Above-Mortal Realm, but his impressive fighting prowess made it possible for him to face a Predator. However, he still wasn''t strong enough to face a Tiger. This was because his Soul-Integration Rate wasn''t high enough. If it was the True Universe, he would have been able to sweep Profound Realmers at the peak with no problem. Anyway, because of his recovery, he was able to do a few things that he could do before, and access some parts of his memory he couldn''t access before ¨C like the Manual Section.


    Mane pointed at Dan''s forehead, and a small light shot from his finger into Dan''s head at blistering speed. The light was so fast that Dan wasn''t able to react in time and get away. However, once the light sunk into his skull and he analysed it contents, his face was filled with awe.


    "I see. This is amazing!" Dan exclaimed in praise.


    "Yeah," Mane nodded. He could understand a bit of what Dan was feeling, for he too felt the same way when he chose his first manual. Mane had given Dan one of the High Class Manuals he had, and he chose it for a simple reason.


    True Art Of Restoration


    That was the name of the manual. It was a High Class Manual that was capable of repairing injuries and restoring one to their top form. Mane was certain that it would help Dan recover. Right now Dan was not at full capacity, but if he was able to recover his strength, Mane wouldn''t put him below Ivor in terms of power!


    "Let me come with you," Dan suggested. Although he was eager to start trying out what he had received, his zeal to protect Mane was stronger than his wants.


    "No. You need to stay here and recover," Mane shook his head. Although Dan was curious about how Mane knew about his injury, he was too worried to care.


    "So you want to go with a stranger stronger than me to a city you''ve never been to alone?" Dan asked worriedly.


    But Mane only smiled and said, "Who said anything about going alone?"

 Chapter 332 - Setting Off

    As the sun slowly rose to take its position of dominance in the sky, creatures and people slowly awakened from their slumber. Although the darkness of night hadn''t fully faded, a new day had already began. Few people were awake at this time, but the creatures of the forests were already up and about. Amongst the few humans that had awakened, there were 6 of them standing on the outskirts of the village. Three of these humans were teenagers ¨C two boys and a girl.


    The boys were charming, blessed with features that would turn the heads of any who saw them. Both of the boys were tall, but one was taller than the other. The shorter one had beautiful curly black hair and a well sculpted face. His eyes were gentle yet filled with strength, and his build was relatively good. The taller one was also a beautiful boy. His long blonde hair fell to his shoulders and his well-trimmed beard made him look a tad bit more m.a.t.u.r.e. Although the sky was still a bit dark since the sun wasn''t fully up, one could see the beautiful sky if he/she looked into the boy''s eyes. They were blue and beautiful like turquoise shells.


    As for the girl, she was no slouch either. Even amongst these good looking boys, she still stood out. Like a beautiful flower that still caught the eye of the masses even if it stood amongst several other ornamental plants, her beauty was unhidden. Her long black hair fell down her back onto the curve of her b.u.t.t.o.c.k.s, and her beautiful green eyes were filled with so much innocence and youth that even the cruelest of men would find it hard to hurt her. Her long slender neck looked like it could be broken with a simple touch, and her simple clothes did nothing to hide her wonderful curves. She truly was a spectacular beauty.


    Next to these charming fellows were three older men. One of these men was tall with a well-built figure. Even in the cold weather, he only wore a tank top which exposed his powerful arms that were filled with great strength. He had gorgeous black hair which complemented his dark complexion wonderfully. He was a handsome middle aged man with an aura that filled many with calm.


    The other two weren''t as eye-catching, for one was an old man hunched over on a wooden stick and the other a large potbellied man with a sly look on his face.


    "Please take care of my grandchildren, Ivor" the old man bowed slightly to the large potbellied man and requested.


    "Even if you didn''t ask, Sir Fan, I would do my best to protect them," Ivor, who was even taller than Dan replied solemnly. His usually playful expression was not there. He looked like a valiant warrior on a mission to protect his young lords.


    "I would protect Mane as well, Sir Dan," Ivor smiled slightly and turned to face Dan. Dan didn''t seem moved by his words. He moved closer to Ivor and grabbed him in a hug.


    "Mane says you''re stronger than me, so I dare not allow you to call me Sir," he whispered into the ear of the large man. Ivor''s eyes widened in surprise at Dan''s words. He wondered how Mane could come to such a conclusion after only meeting him once. Then he thought about their brief handshake and remembered Mane''s reaction that was very much like his own.


    ''Was that how he knew? And how could he tell?'' Ivor wondered.


    "But if anything happens to him, we would find out if he''s right or wrong," Dan finished his statement and then let go of Ivor. There was a slight smile on Dan''s face, as he left Ivor''s embrace. To the others it looked like he had a good relationship with Ivor, but Mane wasn''t fooled. His s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e ears picked up their one-sided conversation, and a small smile of appreciation graced his lips. It was nice to see someone you loved showing concern for you.


    "We must be off then," Ivor announced. For the past five minutes Dan had been speaking to Mane, and the twins were receiving their grandfather''s concern as well. At his words, the two older men handed over large bags filled with supplies to each of their wards and stepped back.


    "Let me grab that for you Lily," Mane reached out for Lily''s bag and said. Her reddened hands and sunken arms suggested that the bag was a bit too heavy for her to carry. Old Fan smiled embarrassingly seeing this. He was so out of it today that he had given his weak granddaughter a huge bag to carry.


    "Thank you Mane," Lily smiled shyly as Mane picked the bag from her hands. Lam didn''t try to take the bag because it was indeed very heavy. One was his limit. Plus he knew that Mane was strong enough to disregard the weight of the bags. Ivor frowned when he saw the interaction between Mane and Lily, but that smile disappeared quickly, and no one saw it. At least that was what he thought. But Dan''s sharp eyes caught his little change in mood and wrinkled. He balled his fists as worry flashed across his face. But then he remembered Mane''s words about the difference in strength between the two, and held back.


    ''I would use the manual to focus on recovering my power first,'' he thought to himself. Mane told him that if he was able to recover his ability he needn''t fear Ivor. So recovering was what he was going to do.


    "I presume that you don''t plan to have us walk all the way now," Mane smiled slightly as he slung both his bag and Lily''s over his shoulder. His nonchalant expression and his unhindered breathing showed that he truly wasn''t affected by the weight of the bags. He knew they didn''t have that much time to get to Asher City before the next game, so he knew that there was no way they would walk.


    "Of course not. How could I let my Prince and Princess walk?" Ivor smacked his head comically like he had forgotten something important and clapped his hands.


    *neigh*


    His action was met by the neighs of a few creatures, as four beautiful horses galloped into view. In next to no time, the horses had arrived right beside them.


    "Are those¡­" Lam looked stunned when he saw the profile of the horses. They were large and beautiful, with luscious red manes that cascaded down their beautiful shoulders like veils.


    "Red Maned Horses," Mane finished Lam''s statement. Although he was surprised to see the horses, his surprise was for a different reason. He hadn''t seen anything about Red Maned Horses in the slates Dan gave him. If he had, he wouldn''t have been this shocked. As to why he was stunned, it was because these Red Maned Horses were the same as the ones on Zandor!


    "They are beautiful," Lily remarked with slightly dazed eyes. She approached the horses eagerly. When she was finally close enough to one, she reached out to the beast.


    "Wait!" Ivor and Mane tried to stop her. Red Maned Horses were considered docile when compared to other Magical Beasts, but they didn''t take kindly to strangers. However, right when both men were about to race to Lily''s aid, they witnessed something surprising.


    The Red Maned Horse didn''t trample on Lily. It did the opposite. It nestled its head in her arms as she stroked its long mane. The other horses approached her as well, as they all sought after her affection.


    "That''s unbelievable," Hildegarde remarked seeing what the others saw. Lam didn''t know what was so remarkable about what Lily was doing, so he didn''t look impressed. But the others were very impressed.


    "Which of you can ride?" Ivor asked.


    "I cannot"


    "I cannot"


    "I can"


    The twins turned to look at Mane with some surprise. He was the only one who said he could ride, and they were surprised that he could.


    Mane walked to one of the horses. Seeing him approaching it stepped back slightly. If Lily was like a warm breeze that filled it with joy, Mane was a billowing storm that threatened to crush it.


    "Come here," Mane ordered seeing the retreating horse, and it halted its steps, and slowly walked to Mane.


    "You''re like a villain," Hildegarde laughed gracefully, and Mane could only smile bitterly.


    "I''m not going to hurt you," Mane assured the beast and picked a sugar cube from his bag pack. The beast''s wariness reduced drastically as Mane feed it the sugar, and then it rubbed against him lovingly.


    "Well done," Ivor remarked sincerely seeing how easily Mane won the beast over.


    "Does she have a name?" Mane asked as he fed the beast more sugar cubes.


    "No she doesn''t," Ivor replied, once again impressed that Mane could even tell the gender of the horse.


    "Roxanne," Mane stated. "Your name is Roxanne," Mane reiterated as he rubbed Roxanne''s mane smilingly. Roxanne neighed in p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e as she nestled close to Mane. Mane smiled and jumped onto Roxanne. He glided in the air and landed gently on the horse.


    "Would you ride with me, Lily?" Mane reached out to Lily and asked. Ivor frowned and tried to speak up, but Lily had already grabbed Mane''s hand. She blushed slightly as Mane pulled her up and placed her behind him and onto the horse.


    "Then you would ride with me, Lam" Ivor offered. Lam nodded his head and got on. The horses were big enough to accommodate both Ivor''s large frame and his slender build.


    "We''re off," Ivor nodded his head at the older men and urged his horse forward. Mane nodded at Dan and followed the large man.


    Dan and Old Fan watched their figures disappear into the horizon, before Dan turned and bid the old elder his goodbyes. Then he dashed into the village, eager to regain his former power.


    "What would they do with the boy?" A figure flashed next to Old Fan, and an old man appeared next to him. The old man was clad in several strange chains and amulets, and even his ankles weren''t spared from the binding of these ornaments. His eyes were completely white, and his hair was fully gray. There was a huge ring hanging on his nose, and his lower lip had been pierced with a small rod.


    "I don''t know Kaka," Old Fan sighed. That''s right. This queer looking old man was Chief Doctor Kaka! He was the man who cared for Village Head Samoa''s son when Mane injured the boy!


    "If he''s harmed even a little bit, Dan wouldn''t forgive you," Chief Doctor Kaka reminded


    "I know," Old Fan sighed. "I only hope it doesn''t come to that. I wouldn''t want to go to war with an old friend"


    Old Fan had a complicated expression on his face, but soon it was wiped away and replaced with a determined look.


    "But I would do anything to protect my family. Even if it means destroying his!"


    "And Samoa? Is he still within your control?" Old Fan turned to Chief Doctor Kaka and asked. His words would have shocked anyone close by. Alas, there was none.


    "Of course. He has been within my control for the past decade at least. Why would that change now?" Chief Doctor Kaka replied nonchalantly.


    "Good. We still need him."

 Chapter 333 - Who Are They?

    The sound of hooves hitting the ground was particularly welcome in this barren land as four large horses traveled the distance. Of the four horses, only 2 were carrying people, with the remaining two having no such task. Each of the horses carrying people carried two. Two men of contrasting builds and looks occupied one horse, and a young man and woman occupied the other.


    "This is amazing," Lily whispered to herself as she held on to Mane''s clothes. Due to the impressive speed of the Red Maned Horse, she had to clutch on to Mane''s attire to prevent herself from falling off. Bu it wasn''t like she was complaining. Apart from the fact that riding the horse was much more fun than she could have ever anticipated, she was riding with someone she had a good impression of, so it was a win-win situation for her.


    "It really is," Mane replied, stunning Lily who didn''t think that he would be able to hear her. The speed the horse was traveling at was so great that all Lily could hear was the wind brushing past her. She couldn''t even hear herself properly, yet Mane had heard her silent whisper, which should have been impossible under the current circ.u.mstances. Even more fascinating was the fact that she had been able to hear Mane''s reply. And from his tone she could tell that he wasn''t screaming. So how was he able to hear her and get his voice across without shouting? This baffled her greatly.


    "How can you hear me?" Lily asked softly. Again the sound of her voice was drowned by the howling wind, yet Mane responded.


    "It''s a skill I learnt," Mane replied with a small smile on his lips. How was he supposed to explain to Lily that it was his abilities as a Scholar that made it possible for him to hear her even under these circ.u.mstances? Plus it was complicated to explain that he sent his voice directly to her by relying on the very same Scholar skills. So he just decided to tell her that it was a skill he learnt. And to be fair, this wasn''t a liar. But it sure was a vague explanation.


    "Can you teach me?" Lily asked with twinkling eyes. Since she sat behind Mane, he wasn''t able to see her expression, but he was still stunned by her request.


    "Okay," Mane replied with a smile. It wasn''t a bad idea to guide her on the Path of Scholars. But when he thought about how easily she had approached the Red Maned Horses and gained their affection, he felt that it was a shame. Lily reminded him of a special group of people his mother referred to as people beloved by nature. According to his mother, such people were so innocent and kind that nature itself adored them. And because of this, even Chaos was more docile around them. Mane felt that Lily may be one of these people, but without Chaos in this world to be certain of it, he could only speculate and never truly reach a conclusion.


    "Really?" Lily asked, excitement filling her lovely voice. In her excitement she wrapped her arms around Mane''s waist and brought herself closer to him. Her supple body came into contact with his, and Mane could feel her delicate mounds pressing against his back. She brought her face so close to his that Mane could feel her breath against his ear, and the ticklish feeling ruffled him a bit.


    "Yeah," Mane blushed slightly as he replied. He didn''t understand why he felt this way just because she came closer to him. He was confused because he had even carried Selina before, and felt nothing. So he didn''t understand why he got so unsettled anytime Lily drew close to him.


    "Hehe. This is fun to see." One person was delighted with what she was seeing, and that person was the fairy Hildegarde. She flew above Mane''s horse and followed the entourage. Seeing Mane''s out of sorts'' expression and his blushing face filled her with glee. And she was especially refreshed seeing the all-knowing Mane fl.u.s.tered and unsure of what to do. His slightly dazed eyes and confused expression was a pleasant sight for her. And she was enjoying every bit of it.


    "Thank you Mane!" Lily trembled in excitement when she heard Mane confirm that he wasn''t kidding. She didn''t like to fight, but she was interested in the strange skill Mane was using. And her reason was simple. The skill sounded fun. She didn''t have any large ambitions for it. If other Scholars knew why she was interested in becoming a Scholar, they would have coughed up blood.


    As the duo rode on, they talked about all sorts of things. Most of the things they talked about revolved around the twins and their childhood, and Ivor. Mane rarely provided a good answer to any question Lily asked him, and he gradually began to sense her frustration and disappointment with his replies, and that shook his heart. He didn''t want her to think that he wasn''t willing to tell her, but he didn''t want to lie to her either.


    "Lily," Mane called out.


    "Yes?" Lily replied, her voice downcast and her expression crestfallen.


    "I will answer all your questions one day. I can''t tell you yet for there are some things even I am not sure of, but I would tell you one day. Some of the answers are difficult to believe, much less understand. It isn''t that I doubt you. Just give me some time" Mane promised solemnly. He didn''t know why he was so uncomfortable knowing that she was saddened by his replies. After all, he had done that to Dan so many times, and though he felt a bit of guilt each time, he never felt this uncomfortable. But with Lily, he was willing to give her a promise. A promise that he would have to fulfill eventually ¨C when he knew her better and could fully trust her.


    "Okay!" Lily''s voice was livelier. Hearing Mane''s words, she was filled with warmth, and she hugged him tighter to show him that he wasn''t under any pressure to do anything he didn''t want to do.


    "The great Mane is compromising," Hildegarde smiled broadly and said to herself as she watched the two go on and on about irrelevant things and laugh about silly matters. Seeing that Mane was willing to tell Lily about himself one day, she was a bit delighted. It was nice that he was falling for the girl. But her smile disappeared quickly when she thought about how difficult it would be for Mane to accomplish his mission, or even leave this world if he ever did what he was supposed to do.


    ''If he really does fall for her, and realizes that what he feels is love, will he be able to do what he must do?'' She wondered worryingly. She hoped that day wouldn''t come quickly. For she didn''t want to see it.


    "How is he doing that?" Ivor wondered as he rode next to the two teenagers engaged in conversation. He couldn''t hear what Lily was saying, neither could he hear Mane''s words. And under the current conditions, it shouldn''t be possible for them to be talking to each other. If they wanted to, they would have to scream at the top of their voices. But they weren''t. They were only whispering to each other, but they seemed to hear themselves fine. Ivor knew that Lily was a very ordinary girl. Aside from her blinding beauty and unusual origins, she was very much an ordinary girl. So whatever was going on, was likely due to Mane''s abilities.


    When he recalled Dan telling him that Mane said Ivor was stronger, and the boy''s expression when he held his hands, he was able to connect the two events to each other. He was able to tell Mane was unordinary because his soul shook when he shook the boy''s hands. He felt like a sheep that had met a wolf. And that was why he knew that Mane was dangerous and had grown so cautious of the boy. But if Mane was able to tell someone''s strength from just touching him, then him being able to engage in conversation under these conditions wasn''t as impressive.


    "Is he really an Ancient? But Ancients aren''t light-skinned. Then again, to every rule there is an exception" Ivor wondered.


    Shockingly, this man knew about Ancients. And it was actually because of his knowledge of Ancients that he had grown wary of Mane. Especially when his soul felt an instinctive fear towards the boy. Although Old Fan had assured him that Mane wasn''t related to Dan by blood like he was told, he couldn''t shake off the feeling that Mane was probably more dangerous than Dan. The boy seemed to have an endless list of abilities, and the fact that he was drawing closer to Lily unsettled Ivor. The man couldn''t help but wonder if Mane was a card the Ancients had sent to get close to Lily. He looked at the two as they snuggled close to each other and a frown automatically found its way to his face. He didn''t like what he was seeing, but there was nothing he could do ¨C for now.


    "I don''t like that they are getting so close to each other. At least we brought the other horses with us. I''d teach the twins how to ride whenever we have breaks." Ivor whispered silently to himself. And then he looked away from Mane and Lily. He felt that if he kept on watching them his impulsiveness as a guardian may take over and he may end up doing something that he''d rather not.


    What Ivor didn''t realize was that when he turned away, a small smile appeared on Mane''s face. Not only was Mane talking to Lily, he had his senses stretched out to listen to anything else around him. And he picked up Ivor''s soft whisper. This gave him an idea about a few things. He couldn''t help but wonder,


    "He doesn''t want me to get closer to Lily. It seems he is more than just an Information Peddler. He seems to be their Guardian. Who is this man exactly? And more importantly, who are the twins?"

 Chapter 334 - Setting Up Camp

    "We should stop here!" Ivor screamed at the top of his voice when he realised that the sun was going down. His concerned gaze was focused on Mane, but Mane knew that the concern in it wasn''t meant for him. Ivor''s concern was directed at the sleeping Lily clinging to Mane''s back. It was actually because she had fallen asleep that Ivor suggested that they take a break. There was a slight smile of satisfaction on her face and a bit of saliva had found its way out of her mouth and onto Mane''s shoulder.


    Mane nodded his head at the man'' suggestion, and slowly grinded to a halt. He tilted his head slowly to make sure he didn''t wake Lily up, for her head lay peacefully on his shoulder. Then he carefully wiped the drool off her lips. He didn''t want her to be embarrassed if she woke up in the process of transferring her off the horse.


    "Steady Roxanne," Mane patted the tired Red Maned Horse. He infused Edict into his palms and guided his inner energy into the horse. Roxanne grunted with p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e as her fatigue was quickly wiped away. Her eyes glistened in excitement and she almost neighed in joy. If it wasn''t because Mane had asked her to tone down her excitement, she would have caused a ruckus and woken Lily up.


    "Good girl," Mane smiled seeing Roxanne being so obedient. This was a trick he learnt in Zandor. It was Butler Fin who taught him how to ride a Red Maned Horse, and when the man was teaching him, he told Mane about the Edict trick. Red Maned Horses had a special physiology, and this special physiology allowed them to accept another''s inner energy without any real problems. Usually, only a Scholar would be able to share inner energy with another person because they would be able to sense the intricacies and differences in physique and apportion the energy accordingly. But that wasn''t an easy process and took a lot of concentration to achieve. So although Mane was a Scholar, it would be very difficult for a Low Level Scholar like him to do so. Luckily, Red Maned Horses didn''t require such delicacy. Their bodies could handle another''s inner energy and convert it into energy for them. So that was what Mane did. However, this world''s inhabitants didn''t seem to know much about Edict, so he doubted that the horses had ever received the blessing of Edict from another.


    Mane handed Roxanne a sugar cube which she gobbled greedily, under the envious gazes of the other Red Maned Horses, and then he gently got down the horse after placing Lily in a suitable position so that she wouldn''t fall off without his support. Once he landed on the ground, he gently picked her up and then sighed a breath of relief seeing that she was still asleep.


    "Such excellent footwork." Ivor was secretly observing Mane, so he saw how Mane got off Roxanne. It looked simple, but the way Mane got off wasn''t as simple as it looked. It was almost like Mane glided onto the ground. And when he landed, he didn''t make a sound. It was akin to a hair strand falling onto the ground ¨C silent and unnoticeable. However he didn''t appreciate Mane''s landing for long. When Ivor saw him carrying Lily in his arms as she slept peacefully, a frown automatically found its way onto his face.


    He wanted to offer to carry her, but seeing how tightly she held onto Mane''s shirt, he gave up. Besides, he wasn''t sure that Mane would hand her over. After all, her brother Lam was here and he was silent. He, Ivor, had no right to Lily. Looking at Lam who was rubbing his eyes groggily, Ivor smiled faintly. He then proceeded to take out some tents from the bags and set them up.


    "Do you need any help?" Lam approached Mane and asked. He felt gratitude for Mane who was taking so much care to make sure his sister slept peacefully, and wanted to be of assistance. He didn''t think Mane would be able to set up tents when his hands were full.


    "Don''t worry. You should do yours first. Then you can come and help me." Mane replied with a smile. He understood that Lam was willing to help him set up Lily''s tent so that he could ''offload'' Lily and then set up his. But there really wasn''t any need. Lily wasn''t heavy, and with Mane''s strength, he didn''t even feel anything. Besides, he could still set up his tent without Lam''s help. He refrained from saying so since Lam would have assumed that Mane was only saying that to get him to leave. So he would show him instead.


    "Okay. I would be quick." Lam nodded and quickly left to set up his tent. He had never done it before, but he was a smart boy. He observed Ivor and followed whatever the man was doing. Soon, he had set up his tent, and so had Ivor. Just when both were ready to assist Mane, they stopped dead in their tracks.


    "That''s amazing," Lam commented genuinely, and Ivor nodded in agreement. Next to Mane a fully set up tent stood, and Mane was in the process of setting up the other. Holding Lily close with one arm, he only used his other arm to set up his tent. Like a kite in the wind, he moved gracefully as he worked. His movements were delicate and light, and didn''t disturb the sleeping beauty in his arms at all. Soon, he was done setting up his tent as well.


    "Are you not worried that he would grow wary of you once he sees your abilities?" Hildegarde flew next to Mane and asked worriedly. Mane was acting as if he was the only one here, and that contradicted his guarded nature.


    "I am," Mane admitted. "But I don''t want to disturb her," he smiled slightly as he held Lily closer and whispered to Hildegarde''s hearing. He was getting a hang of his abilities, so now he was able to send his voice to Hildegarde only, and the others wouldn''t have a clue. He only had to make sure they didn''t see his lips move, or else they would be suspicious.


    "Hehe," Hildegarde laughed pleasantly upon hearing Mane''s reply.


    "He moves like a Control Type," Ivor thought silently to himself. He didn''t think Mane was a Control New Type because he didn''t think that Mane obtained his abilities from a New Type Potion. If he did, then his abilities would be purely physical. Yet the energy that threatened his very existence when he held Mane''s hand that day was not something that one could get from taking a New Type Potion. So he was left wondering what exactly Mane''s specialties and abilities were.


    "He doesn''t need our help. We should take out the sleeping bags." Ivor instructed Lam and proceeded to search through his bag pack for his sleeping bag. Lam nodded and did the same.


    Soon, all three were done with what they were doing. The three sat around a small bonfire as they ate their supper.


    "She would be hungry when she wakes up," Mane stated as he tore into the flesh of a Magical Beast''s carcass that had been roasted.


    "Yeah. We should wrap up some of the food and leave it in her tent just in case she wakes up in the middle of the night and needs some food." Ivor suggested as he munched on his meal. His hands held onto a large roasted leg of a Magical Beast and his mouth was soiled with oil. His eyes traveled to the tent placed strategically in the middle of the other three as he spoke. Next to the tent in the middle were the four Red Maned Horses munching on some grass.


    "I''d do that," Lam offered. Lily was his sister so he was the only one qualified to enter her sleeping quarters at this time. He carefully packaged the food prepared for his sister and sent it to her tent.


    "You saw the clip of the various fights," Ivor suddenly spoke to Mane once Lam was gone. "What did you think of the other teams? And how do you think the Orange Team would fare against them?"


    "The Orange Team is definitely strong. They showed that in the last round. But the others aren''t weak either. Each Captain is on about the same level as Vital Orange, and their teammates aren''t weak Thrashers either. But Orange Team is at a disadvantage because they are the only team to have lost one of their members in the last round. And one of their strongest assets at that." Mane answered simply as he ate.


    "With you as part of the team, what do you think their chances would be?" Ivor asked.


    "I don''t know. But it should be better than having Orange Monk in the team." Mane replied. Ivor nodded his head at the boy''s remark.


    He would have rubbished it as arrogance before, but seeing Mane''s exceptional control and strange movements, he was inclined to believe that Mane was indeed stronger than Orange Monk. He naturally assumed that Mane wasn''t taking Orange Monk in the Soul-Bound state into account since that move was very costly. But he was wrong. Mane wasn''t saying he was stronger than Orange Monk''s base level, but that he was stronger than Orange Monk even with Soul-Bound taken into consideration! But Mane didn''t explain this. There was no need to. No matter how strong he was, he was no threat to Ivor.


    "You should get some rest," Ivor advised as he left to go into his tent. Soon Lam returned, and he and Mane chatted for a while before both of them left for their respective tents after extinguishing the bonfire.


    Mane sat within his tent in a meditative position. His breathing was slow and regular, expression serene. As he meditated, he selfishly drew Edict within the air into his body. He confirmed yester night that Darkness elements did indeed exist at night, although they weren''t much. But it was still better than nothing. So he was greedily absorbing them into his body.


    Earth


    Wind


    Darkness


    "Interesting"

 Chapter 335 - Strength Restored To The Profound Realm; Rage Of A Death God

    Mane got out of his room when he sensed the appearance of several life auras. There were people approaching their camp, and it didn''t look like they came with good intentions.


    "You felt that?" Mane run into Ivor when he came out of his tent. The older gentleman had a frown on his face as he looked in the direction that auras were coming from. Now that Mane was outside his tent he could hear the distinctly faint sound of several hooves striking the hard floor.


    "Yeah," Mane replied. He wasn''t surprised that Ivor was here. Since the man was a Heaven Realmer, it wasn''t surprising that he was able to make out the auras of people who were not trying to hide their presence in any way. Mane would have been more surprised if Ivor didn''t show up. Soon the noise got louder, and Lam also exited his tent.


    "Who do you think they are?" Mane asked as he and Ivor walked a few metres away from the tents and stood in wait for what was coming. Lam walked beside Ivor.


    "The only people that would dare come out this openly at night are¡­" Ivor started


    "Bandits."


    Neither Mane nor Ivor was afraid at all. It was confidence that stemmed from absolute belief in their strength. As for Lam, he wasn''t worried. Bandits were usually just Animal Hunters or Fighters. The larger bandit groups had a few Thrashers within their ranks but rarely did a Bandit group recruit a Predator. Since Mane was a Peak Level Thrasher, nothing from the camp of bandits would be enough to threaten him. Besides, if a Predator did show up, Ivor was here to protect them. Lam didn''t know how strong Ivor was, but he reckoned that he was strong enough to dispatch a Predator. After all, he didn''t deny it when Mane called him a Nightmare.


    "This would be your first time meeting people outside the village," Hildegarde remarked as she sat atop Mane''s shoulder.


    "Yes. Unfortunately it wouldn''t be a very pleasant interaction." Mane replied by turning his head away from Lam and Ivor so they didn''t see his lips move.


    The three males stood there in silence as they waited for the bandits to show up. Although it was dark, the stars in the sky illuminated the surroundings well enough to make out the image of their tents within this desolate land. So they didn''t deceive themselves by thinking that the Bandits wouldn''t see them. And they were right. Soon the approaching Bandits were close enough for them to make out their forms.


    They were relatively large men with bulging muscles and covered in red paint. They rode war horses of varying speciation, no doubt spoils they had plundered from others over the years. Many of them were shirtless and covered in scars, proof of the constant battles they had been through, and they carried a body odor that suggested that bathing wasn''t really a priority for them. The fragrance of wine drifted off their bodies, and with Mane''s distinct sense of smell he could make out a fishy smell wafting from their bodies, but he didn''t know what that was.


    "Oh what do we have here?!" Once they were close to Mane and the others, they stopped their charge.


    "A fat pig and two pretty boys?!" The one who rode the largest warhorse had a large smile on his face when he saw the large build of Ivor, and the delicate features of Mane and Lam. Although Mane was robust and strong, his pretty face made him seem like someone who had never been through any fights, so they automatically added him to the list of pretty boys.


    "HAHAHA!" the entourage of beastly looking men burst into laughter when they heard the words of the man who led them; the man who seemed to be their leader.


    "Three Thrashers. The others are only mob characters." Mane thought silently to himself as the bandits laughed amongst themselves. Among the large group before him, there were three thrashers. The rest were Animal Hunters and Fighters so Mane didn''t even regard them as threats. And to be honest, he didn''t even regard the Thrashers as threats. The three Thrashers were the ones at the forefront of the group. Two Entry Level Thrashers and an Established Thrasher. The Established Thrasher was the one leading the group, and the other two seemed to be his deputies, for they flanked his left and right side.


    "Red Heaven Bandits," Ivor had a small smile on his face when he mentioned the name of the bandit group. It seemed that he didn''t care about their insulting description of him.


    "Oh, you have heard of us," The leader smiled broadly when he heard Ivor mention the name of his bandit group. He looked very pleased that Ivor knew who they were.


    "If you know of us then you know that we don''t show any mercy to those who don''t meet our demands?" the leader smiled cruelly and said.


    "Yes. You are famous for capturing men who crossed you and selling them as slaves in the Black Market. You are all rapists, and you have never let a single woman you have come across go without each and every one of you forcefully having your way with her. And if the woman does survive, you sell her to the Black Market as a slave as well."


    As Ivor spoke of the despicable matters this group had indulged in over the years, his smile never left his face. But it wasn''t the same for the two teens who stood next to him. Lam''s eyes blazed with anger when he heard the despicable things that these bandits did. The group before him was made up of at least 30 men. Yet each of them would take turns forcing themselves on a woman, and when that woman survived the ordeal, they would still sell her as a slave! They were basically animals. Mane looked confused at first, but soon his expression became cloudy when Hildegarde explained to him what ''****'' was.


    "Good good good! You are very well informed! Hahaha!" The leader laughed boisterously when Ivor was done speaking. Instead of him to be ashamed at the kind of reputation they had built over the years, he was actually pleased with what he was hearing.


    "What a savage man!" Hildegarde spat out seeing the man''s gleeful expression. "Indeed," Mane agreed. He wasn''t a righteous individual having killed several people and beasts within his short life, but even he was enraged hearing what these people had done over the years.


    "Make sure they taste despair when you kill them!" Hildegarde stated hatefully. As a female fairy, she was absolutely enraged to come across a group of rapists with no morals at all.


    "Despair? Sure" Although Mane answered simply, Hildegarde knew that he was enraged as well. She flew off his shoulder and flew right next to him.


    "Seeing that you are so well informed, we won''t make things hard for you. You are as round as a ball, which means that you must have a lot of money and food. Hand those over, along with the two pretty boys next to you and we''d let you go"


    The leader smiled cruelly and ordered. Ivor smiled faintly, right when he was about to reply, the leader continued with another demand.


    "And bring out your women. Since you know so much, you must have hidden your women so that we wouldn''t take them. You better bring them out if you want to live!"


    Once he was done speaking, all the bandits took out their weapons. And there were a variety of them: clubs, axes, hammers, spears, and machetes. They all had menacing looks on their faces, the bandits, as they sought to pressure Ivor with their momentum and have him meet their demands. They were basically offering Ivor one thing: Listen to us, and only you would survive.


    Ivor was bemused. He, a Nightmare, was being threatened by a bunch of ants. Usually he quickly took care of pests like these immediately they crossed him, but he delayed deliberately so that he would expose Lam to the cruelty of the outside world. That was why he spoke of the bandits'' history and their reputation. It was all for Lam''s benefit. He wanted Lam to know just what kind of dastardly men roamed the world. And seeing Lam''s angry expression, it seemed that he had accomplished his mission.


    Right when Ivor was about to take action, a beautiful voice traveled from the one of the tents and into their ears.


    "What''s going on?" Like a beautifully strummed melody, the voice captivated the hearts of all who heard it. The beautiful figure of Lily appeared from within her tent. She rubbed her eyes groggily as she wondered what was going on.


    "What a beautiful woman!" the leader licked his lips as l.u.s.t clouded his eyes. The eyes of all the bandits were filled with l.u.s.t as well, and several of them were already l.i.c.k.i.n.g their lips.


    "Hahaha! What a good day for us! We just finished enjoying some ''treats'', and now an even more delicious snack shows itself! Bring me that woman! We would enjoy her this night! Hahaha!" The leader laughed perversely.


    By now Lily was aware of her surroundings. Feeling the several l.u.s.tful gazes on her she instinctively shivered in fright and clutched her arms fearfully.


    "Yes Leader!" the deputies screamed in excitement and urged their horses forward, eager to claim the beautiful flower a few metres away. But they had hardly moved when they stopped their charge.


    *Shink*


    Along with the sound of a sword leaving its scabbard, the heads of the two deputies fell onto the ground. Even in death their eyes were still clouded with l.u.s.t with their tongues outside their mouths.


    "This¡­"the leader mumbled fearfully when he saw the heads of his two deputies fall onto the ground. He looked to the source of his fear, and saw a handsome figure with a sword in hand. With hair that shone brightly like the sun and eyes that resembled the blue sky itself, the handsome boy he previously disregarded looked like a death god to him.


    "What did you say?" Mane asked simply, yet the bandits shook at the tone of his voice, and they experienced fear they had never felt before. Since the time Mane restored his connection to Edict, his strength had been recovering at a rapid rate. He was only a peak Above-Mortal Realmer yesterday. But today he was a Profound Realmer! And now that he was surrounded by darkness, his aura was further strengthened.


    "He called his sword here?" Ivor was dumbfounded by what he saw. Unlike the others who didn''t understand what was going on, he saw exactly what happened. Mane stretched out his hand, and the sword that was strapped to his bag pack flew into the boy''s grasp! He had never seen that before, and was fascinated by it! But even that paled in comparison to how easily Mane dispatched the Thrashers.


    Since they were trying to get into the camp, they had to pass by Ivor, Lam and Mane first. Before Ivor could even make a move, Mane''s figure flashed and he appeared next to the two Thrashers. His speed was so insane that they didn''t even see him arrive, and they definitely didn''t even see him swing his sword. They lost their lives so simply, and they didn''t even have time to react to the sudden threat.


    "This ability? It''s like that of Weapon Masters! But he is an Asgardian, so how is that possible?" Hildegarde was stunned when she saw Mane summon his sword. Even the gods could only call the weapons they were bound to. But Mane had summoned a sword he had only acquired a few nights ago when he slayed the assassins. And even more fascinating was that the sword was completely submissive and increased Mane''s abilities by two-fold! This was an ability possessed by only Weapon Masters, a race she knew had been wiped out due to the greed of the gods. So how was Mane able to do something only the fabled Weapon Masters could?


    "Please wait!" the leader tried to bargain upon seeing Mane''s strength. The boy was clearly a Predator! There was no way he could face a Predator.


    "Red Heaven Bandits? Do you know how vast the heavens are, or the kind of power that they hold? Yet you dare call yourselves by that name!" Mane chided as he took slow steps towards the shaking bandits.


    "Your arrogance is forgivable," Mane remarked, and the Bandit Leader breathed a small sigh of relief.


    "Thank y¡­" he started, but he never finished his sentence. Why? Because Mane was standing next to him. No one saw him move except Ivor. And before they knew it, the head of the Bandit Leader was in Mane''s hands as his empty neck bled profusely. The barbaric man fell of his horse with a thud.


    "But I cannot forgive you for insulting her! You dare have such evil intentions toward my friend! For that, you will all die!" Mane''s eyes shone in the darkness as he made this declaration. The bandits screamed in fear as they tried to get away. They were only Fighters and Animal Hunters. There was no way they could stand up to someone who had dealt with their leaders so simply.


    But Mane wasn''t willing to let them go. And the sneaky Ivor commanded the space elements to trap them here. So no matter how far they rode, they couldn''t get away from the camp.


    "Please!"


    "Argh"


    "Monster!"


    Several pleading voices were heard as Mane cut down the bandits.


    "Ironic. The monsters call another a monster," Hildegarde scoffed when she heard them call Mane a monster. How could such beasts call another by a title that only they deserved?


    In less than two minutes, Mane had dealt with all the bandits. As he stood within the sea of blood that he created with his own hands, illuminated by the moon and the stars in the sky, with his hair flowing freely in the wind and his sword coated in blood, Ivor watched him in silence.


    "He isn''t a Thrasher. That boy is a Predator!" he realised. Next to Ivor, Lam stood there with a pale face as his stomach made gurgling noises. He quickly bent over and threw up. Lily who stood furthest away from the battlefield was no different. Seeing this, Ivor didn''t console them. Still gazing at the moonlit figure of Mane, he spoke with a solemn expression,


    "You should get used to this. This is what the real world is like"


    Then he dragged the twins towards his tent, leaving only one figure standing. Within the darkness of the night, this lonely figure stood silently. His hair gently swayed in the wind as his clothes fluttered gently. Like a Death God surrounded by a sea of blood he gazed into the distance, a hint of melancholy exuded from his figure.


    "Sigh. I lost my temper."

 Chapter 336 - A Death God’s Introspection

    "Are you okay?" Back within Mane''s tent Hildegarde flew around Mane whilst asking worriedly. Mane was seated on the floor in a cross-legged position. His expression was forlorn, and he looked like a man burdened with the many affairs of the world.


    "Do you think she will treat me the same way?" Mane didn''t answer Hildegarde''s question but asked one of his own. There was a complicated expression on the face of the Young Supreme as he asked this question. His eyes were filled with loneliness and didn''t contain their usual brilliance.


    "Sigh" Hildegarde sighed when she saw his expression. Mane had spent his life fighting. He battled pretty much everything, and she had seen this when she was given the privilege to rummage through his memories during their transfer to this world. She had seen the boy fight against all sort of men and creatures. Battle Beasts, Magical Beasts, Powerful Wielders, and even Celestials had fallen to his sword. Not one of them survived whenever Mane decided that they would die. There were no exceptions.


    Every battle he fought was remarkable, and although the stakes weren''t high, he took them all seriously. And in all his battles he had never shown any weakness. He was never repulsed by the fact that he had just ended a life, neither was he tormented by the aftermaths of his actions. To him everything was for the purpose of training. And because of that he did everything with a completely pure heart. Gradually his heart had grown cold to killing, and he didn''t regard the lives of others highly. This had made him arrogant and filled with a killing heart. As long as he continued down this path, he may lose himself and become someone whose sole purpose was to kill. A heartless murderer who had no regard for the safety of others as long as it had nothing to do with him. Hildegarde didn''t really worry about this because most gods were this heartless and uncaring, but she still felt slightly uncomfortable after seeing Mane''s past. And although she knew it wasn''t her responsibility to guide him down the right path, she hoped that he wouldn''t become the monster he was trying to become.


    And that was why she was so elated when she noticed that Mane was falling for Lily. Lily''s pure and graceful demeanor that remained untainted by the filth of the world was highly attractive to someone like Mane who was covered with the blood of countless innocents. And for some reason unbeknown to her, Lily was attracted to Mane. She knew Mane was good looking and charming, but Mane wasn''t a kind person, so she wondered why Lily was attracted to him in the first place. But she hoped that the two would get together. For she felt that it was only Lily who could lead Mane onto the path of salvation. If not, the boy would undoubtedly become a Death God capable of causing the gods to shake in fear!


    One may wonder who these innocents were. Well, the innocents were the unfortunate beasts and other races that had fallen to Mane''s sword all in the name of training. And although Mane couldn''t really be blamed because he assumed that his training in the ring was a simulation, that was only a half-truth. With Mane''s intelligence, he surely realised that things weren''t as they seemed. In fact Mane realised that the ring was teleporting him to other realms, instead of trapping him in simulations. Although he wasn''t sure how it saved him from his first ''death'', he suspected that the realms he visited weren''t mere illusions. Yet he still killed and slaughtered many because he wanted to grow stronger. Whether it was because he wanted to be strong enough to control his own fate, or for whatever reason, it was still true that he killed several who hadn''t harmed him for the purpose of growing stronger. So over the years he had gradually become one covered with the blood of many innocent souls, and this was especially scary since he was only 11 or 12 at most!


    Looking at Mane''s saddened expression, Hildegarde landed gracefully on his shoulder. She didn''t want to keep looking at his sorrowful expression.


    "I don''t know if she would see you differently," Hildegarde finally replied and a bitter smile etched itself across Mane''s lips.


    He had never felt bad after killing anyone, and he had become numb to the loss of life, but it was different with Lily. When the assassins attacked him that night, Lily didn''t see him personally kill them, and she was worried about his injuries so she may have accepted what happened as self-defense. That was what Mane thought. But things were different this time. Not only had the bandits begged for their lives, they actually tried to escape, yet he killed them all. And Lily had been there to witness everything. With his superior senses he picked up the scene of her puking her guts out and the fear that filled her face when she gazed at him. The tenderness in her eyes weren''t there when she gazed at him, there was only fear. And Mane could feel some repulsion from her.


    "I lost it because of what they said," Mane laid down onto the floor and gazed at the roof of the tent as he spoke.


    "I know," Hildegarde landed on his c.h.e.s.t and lay down comfortably on it as well. The two, fairy and man, just lay there silently as they gazed at nothing in particular.


    "I definitely can''t go about killing everyone I see," Mane muttered after a few minutes of silence, and Hildegarde''s eyes widened in surprise. She hoped that Lily would change Mane, but this came far too quickly. Yet a smile quickly found its way to her lips as she said,


    "That is a welcome change"


    Mane smiled slightly at her words. There was still some bitterness hidden within that smile, but at least he knew what he could do.


    "Yeah. I can''t keep doing this or I would lose my friend forever"


    Listening to Mane''s words, a small smile graced Hildegarde''s lips. Even at this point, Mane didn''t know that what he was feeling for Lily wasn''t the kind of love between friends. After all, if she was only a friend, why was he not concerned about Lam as well since he was also Mane''s friend? After all, the boy had also been badly frightened by the ''blood fest'' Mane championed. Yet Mane''s thoughts didn''t even give a small section to Lam. His attention was wholly on Lily.


    "But that wouldn''t really help either," Hildegarde suddenly stated.


    "Why not?" Mane asked, slightly puzzled. Hildegarde was clearly happy about his decision to avoid slaughtering others indiscriminately. So what did she mean by her words?


    "There are some that you would have to kill," Hildegarde explained. Seeing Mane''s expression that encouraged her to continue, she nodded and added, "Like those bandits. They would have caused so much more pain if they were left alone. So it is better for the innocent people who travel through these lands that they are gone. There would definitely be those that must go."


    Hildegarde sighed slightly. Mane was a smart kid, and he would have realised this if his heart wasn''t in so much turmoil that it impeded the processing ability of his brain. So she had to explain this to him.


    "So what do you suggest?" Mane wondered.


    "You need to become more discerning. And that is much more difficult than choosing to never kill or just kill."


    Mane nodded a Hildegarde''s words. It was indeed going to be more difficult to identify who was worthy of a second chance, and who had to be killed for the betterment of the rest of the world.


    "I think that would allow you to accomplish your mission. After all, Chaos is very picky" Hildegarde stated, and Mane was enlightened. All this while he had assumed that he had to bring this world into ruin if he wanted to complete his mission and leave. But listening to Hildegarde opened his eyes to the truth.


    Chaos was a very picky energy. It only chose a select few and gave them the right to wield its power. These people were Spiritualists. If he was meant to introduce Chaos, then he could act like Chaos itself and choose who would be thrown into the Chaotic Storm he was bound to command. Mane''s eyes sparkled as he came to this conclusion, and he involuntarily entered into a trance.


    "This is enlightenment!"


    Hildegarde exclaimed in shock. She quickly covered her mouth to keep from screaming since she didn''t want to disturb Mane. Feeling the Edict within the atmosphere rushing towards Mane, she was filled with a sense of wonderment as she stated,


    "All my life I have never experienced enlightenment. Yet a few nonsensical words from me and he''s already experiencing one? Truly a talent worthy of envying"


    ***********************


    Within Ivor''s tent, three figures were seated with varying expressions. The pale faces of the twins were filled with fear and trepidation, but Ivor''s was calm without a hint of emotion.


    "He killed all of them. Even though they begged for mercy he still killed them" The figure of Lily was huddled into a ball. She kept mumbling this over and over again, and Ivor had lost count of how many times he had heard her say this.


    Lam was silent, but the turbulence within his eyes couldn''t be hidden from the experienced Ivor.


    "This is the chance I have been waiting for. If I could get them to stay away from that boy through this incident, it would be worth it," Ivor thought silently to himself.


    "So now you understand how the world works? It was true that those people were despicable, but there was no need to kill them, especially when they were begging for their lives. It''s a pity your friend turned out to be someone like this. But people who murder indiscriminately are common in this world." Ivor sighed pretentiously. His expression was truly convincing, and his words seemed to have done some damage since Lily''s clear eyes misted. Looking at the weeping beauty before him, Ivor''s heart was filled with remorse, yet he did this for her sake. That boy was too dangerous, and he didn''t feel at ease with him so close to the twins.


    "You''re wrong." Ivor turned his head in surprise to look at the one speaking.


    "Pardon?" he asked.


    "I said you''re wrong. Mane isn''t a person who murders indiscriminately." Lam''s face was pale, but his expression was resolute. Hearing his words, Lily looked at her brother in hope. Her eyes seemed to beg him to give her a reason. And he did.


    "The people who murder indiscriminately are people like the bandits. Before Lily came out you said it yourself. They force themselves on women and kill everyone who opposes them. And worst of all, after they are done having their fill of carnal p.l.e.a.s.u.r.es, they sell survivors as slaves and destroy the lives of many. Even I was filled with anger when I heard their deeds. But I didn''t have the strength to carry out the justice that should have been served." As Lam spoke his expression slowly became more resolute, and his eyes regained their fervor.


    Ivor cursed silently. He didn''t imagine that the words he had spoken concerning the dark history of the bandits would come back to bite him.


    "The anger I felt when they tried to lay their hands on my sister was greater than any I have ever felt in my life, yet I had no strength to save her. But Mane did. His expression when he heard them insult Lily was similar to my own, and I knew then that he truly loves us. Mane is the strong one for having swung his sword against such sc.u.m. They deserved what they got, and I would never blame Mane for saving my life, and protecting my sister!"


    Lam''s pale face regained its color once he was done speaking. He looked at his sister with a smile. She was no longer weeping, and there was a look of realization on her face. Her eyes glittered as she hurriedly wiped away her tears. Then she stood up and tried to rush out of the tent.


    "We shouldn''t disturb him now," Lam hurriedly stopped her.


    "Why? I need to tell him that I''m sorry!" Lily bit her lips as her eyes misted over. When she recalled how she had gazed at Mane earlier she was filled with pain. She looked at him like some monster. And although he had his back to her, she could fell his countenance turn lonely at her change. She knew she had hurt him.


    "He may be asleep," Lam stated his reason. "You can talk to him tomorrow. It wouldn''t be too late then." Lam persuaded, and Lily nodded her head reluctantly.


    "I''d walk you to your tent," Lam offered and exited the tent after bidding Ivor a goodnight.


    "Well that didn''t go as planned," Ivor smiled bitterly as he slumped onto the floor. However he didn''t realise that he wasn''t alone. A small flying figure darted out of his place after hearing his words and entered Mane''s tent!

 Chapter 337 - The Flying Dagger

    Back within the village, Dan was seated in a meditative position as streams of Edict invisible to the n.a.k.e.d eye continuously rushed into his body. He sat in that position for several hours, and soon popping sounds rang from within his body and filled the house. The sounds were akin to loud explosions that could shake a roof off a house, but because Dan was the only one here there was no one to witness this moment. When the popping sounds stopped Dan opened his eyes and exhaled. His eyes shone brightly within the darkness, and the power contained in them was obvious.


    "I''ve gotten stronger," Dan mumbled as he clenched his fists. When Mane gave him the Wielding Manual, he said that Dan was the only person qualified to use it. When he asked why, Mane informed him that it was a manual with high requirements, and one of those requirements was for one to reach the Above-Mortal Realm without any wielding manual. This was next to impossible to achieve. For even Mane had to use a manual to get to where he was. In fact when Mane first read through the manual he knew it was impossible for anyone to be able to use it. And his masters agreed. 6th was the one who passed this manual to him, and even he said that no one in his world had been able to use it. Apparently there were some geniuses who studied other manuals and used the knowledge they gained from those manuals to grow to the peak of the Mortal Realm without relying on a specific manual per se. But even they couldn''t break through to the Above-Mortal Realm after trying everything. Eventually, some Scholars and Spiritualists came together and studied the manual. And in doing so, they were able to create a new Wielding Manual similar to it, but slightly weaker. However this new version didn''t have such stringent requirements.


    Why were even geniuses willing to do so much just to be able to use this manual? Because of what it could do. Regeneration. Of course there were manuals that also provided users with regenerative abilities, and some were even able to mend broken bones and stitch destroyed ligaments and tendons back together and make them even stronger than they were. But this manual was different. And the difference was in its name.


    True Art of Restoration!


    It wasn''t just restoration, but true restoration! This meant that injuries to the soul could be mended as well! And that was why geniuses scrambled for this technique. After all, who wouldn''t want to have a manual that is capable of mending injuries of the soul? The soul was so important that without it the physical body was but a shell, incapable of anything human or beastly. It was complex and difficult to understand, and it was even more difficult to heal when one sustained injuries to the soul. That was why the True Art of Restoration was so important. Even Mane was moved to study this manual and discard the manual for Supremes. It was only after 1st assured him that although the Supreme Manual couldn''t heal souls, it had strong protective mechanisms that protected the soul from harm, that Mane took his eyes off the True Art of Restoration.


    But this world had people who had broken past the Above-Mortal Realm without any manuals. Unfortunately, most of them did so by following the path of Outer Energy. This was unfortunate because True Art of Restoration was an Inner Energy Wielding Manual. So far Mane had met only two people with vast reserves of inner energy: Dan and Ivor. Mane didn''t know Ivor well, nor did he trust him. But he had faith in Dan. And that was why he passed the Wielding Manual to Dan.


    Dan''s injuries were of the soul, and that was why his strength kept decreasing even though he wasn''t physically injured. His soul injuries were so grave that they affected his Internal Star Map, and had slowly caused defects in his blood vessels. So Mane gave him the True Art of Restoration, hoping that the injuries he sustained on his soul would be healed. Luckily, the manual was every bit as good as it was described, and Dan could already feel his gradually declining strength begin to rise again.


    "It''s only been a day since I started following the instructions on the manual, yet my strength has increased several folds! What a magical script"


    Dan marveled at the awesomeness of the True Art of Restoration and wondered if everyone else would experience such a surge in strength if they used it. What Dan didn''t know was that he was an anomaly. In just a span of several hours, he had been able to acc.u.mulate what others would need a month to gather! True Art of Restoration was restoring his injury as well as nourishing his body, hence he was recovering at an extremely fast pace. Given another week or two of diligent meditation, he would be able to recover his former power, and maybe even go beyond it.


    "Who would have thought that just sitting and doing nothing could increase one''s strength?" Dan thought with a wry smile on his face.


    This world was focused on training the body to grow stronger. After Mane had explained some matters to him last night, he understood a few things. Edict was a source of energy that had two branches: Inner and Outer Energy. Inner Energy was calmer and more delicate and could be easily stored in the body. Outer Energy wasn''t easy to handle and it was difficult to keep it stored in the body, but it wasn''t impossible. The pre-requisite was to gain excellent control of Outer Energy so that it wouldn''t run riot when stored in the body. And once that level of control was achieved, the Body Wielder could have been said to have reached the Above-Mortal Realm. From what Mane told him, many of the warriors were Body Wielders. But he, Dan, was an Energy and Body Dual Wielder. However, his Body Wielding was only at the peak of the Profound Realm, which was a far cry from his abilities as an Energy Wielder. As an Energy Wielder he was at the 5th Stage of the Heaven Realm until recently. For he had just broken into the 6th Stage of the Heaven Realm.


    "I still have much to do," Unclenching his fists, Dan closed his eyes and entered into a state of meditation once again. Although he had grown stronger, he wasn''t infatuated with the strength he had just received. There were two reasons for that.


    The first was the fact that he wanted to get even stronger. Mane said Ivor was at the peak of the Heaven Realm, so he was three stages behind Ivor in terms of power. If he wanted to have the power to protect Mane from Ivor, he needed to grow stronger. And that was his motivation right now. He wanted Mane to be able to come to him for shelter when things go south, and although he knew that with Mane''s personality it was highly unlikely for him to come running for help, he wanted to have the power to protect him even without Mane''s permission to do so.


    The second reason he didn''t grow infatuated with the growth of his power was because he felt dissatisfied. As the years wore on after his soul injury, he grew weaker. Although he couldn''t tell which part of his body was injured, for he had seen many specialists in the first class cities but received no diagnosis of an illness or injury, he could feel his strength slowly seeping away as the years went by. He knew that if that had continued, a time would have come when he would have lost all his strength. But things were different now. He could feel his strength recovering, and the discomfort he didn''t quite understand which turned out to be a Soul Injury was healing at a rapid pace. So it was true that he was getting stronger, but when he recalled how much power he wielded in his prime, he wasn''t satisfied with just this much. He didn''t look like it, but he was a proud man. And there was no way he would be satisfied with just this.


    "I wonder how he''s doing," Dan whispered to himself with his eyes closed and sank into meditation. Moonlight shone through his window and fell onto his robust frame. His darkened skin complimented the silver light of the moon so well that one would assume they were wed. As Dan meditated, he was unaware of the strange happenings in Mane''s room.


    A few rooms away there was something strange happening. A red light flickered occasionally through the gaps of the door to one of the rooms. This room was Mane''s room. The red light came from underneath Mane''s bed, and even shone brighter than the noonday sun when it appeared. And if anyone was here, they would be blinded by the red light. As for those who would have been able to handle such brightness, they would have no doubt been eager to see what was under the bed. And if they did look, they would see the source of the red light.


    The source of the red light was a rusty old dagger. It didn''t look impressive in any way, but the red light it produced was full of power and the majesty of a high grade weapon. Suddenly it stopped producing the red light, and everything grew calm once again. However, nothing is ever as it seems. For although it was no longer producing any light, it now hovered over the ground. It was only by a few centimeters, but it was definitely off the ground. It shook a few times, as if someone was beckoning it to draw near, and then it fell back to the ground. It seemed that whatever triggered it had disappeared. So what did trigger it?


    Mane!

 Chapter 338 - Benefits Of Enlightenment

    It was sometime at dawn when Ivor woke the twins up.


    "Get up. We need to get moving again." The large man poked his head into Lam''s tent and said. He didn''t do the same to Lily because she was a lady and he didn''t want to dent her modesty by barging into her tent. So it was Lam who was given the task of waking her up.


    "Got it," Lam answered when he found out they had to leave. He didn''t sound like someone who had just woken up because he wasn''t asleep. He grew up in a village, and sleeping till the sun was up was never a habit of villagers. He had already prepared himself and was just left with packing up his tent.


    "Lily, it''s time to leave," Lam called out to his sister once he was close enough to her tent. He knew she was awake because they received the same training. If he was awake, then she was also awake.


    "I''d be right out," Lily responded after a short while. She exited her tent quickly, already dressed and ready to go.


    "Let me get Mane," Lam stated and was moving towards Mane''s tent when Lily held his arm and stopped him.


    "What?" Lam asked with a strange expression on his face. It would be inappropriate to send a woman to the room of a man at this time. So he was a bit confused that his sister had stopped him.


    "Let''s go together," Lily suggested, and her brother''s gaze towards her grew more peculiar.


    "I''m not going to enter. I''d just wait outside for you," Lily waved her hands frantically seeing her brother''s expression as she struggled to explain her intent.


    "I just want to see him and apologize to him," she finally stated with a crestfallen expression. How hard it was for her to fall asleep after the events of last night. In fact, she hadn''t fallen asleep the entire night after that. She kept tossing and turning in her sleeping bag because of the guilt she felt towards Mane. She wanted nothing more than to let him know that she was sorry and would never look at him with such eyes again.


    "I understand Lily. But we need to move quickly. So why don''t you prepare the Red Maned Horses for the day ahead whilst I get Mane? That would allow me to apologize on our behalf so that when you see him things would be less awkward." Lam suggested as he stopped close to the Red Maned Horses. He also felt guilty for how he reacted yesterday, and knew that their actions hurt their friend. But since he didn''t know what Mane would be like when he saw them, Lam wanted to be the one to break the ice so that when Lily did speak to Mane, things would be far less awkward.


    "Okay," Lily agreed reluctantly and walked to the Red Maned Horses. Lam sighed seeing her face which was full of guilt and pain.


    *Neigh*


    One of the Red Maned Horses lightly nudged the absentminded Lily as it neighed softly. It was almost as if it could feel her sorrow. It lightly rubbed its nose against her to express its concern, and comfort her. Lily smiled slightly feeling the care of the Red Maned Horse.


    "Thank you Roxanne," she spoke sincerely, and rubbed the Red Maned Horse lovingly. It was indeed Roxanne, the Red Maned Horse that Mane had grown fond of, that was trying to console Lily. The other Red Maned Horses surrounded her swiftly and began to rub their heads against her shoulders and back. She giggled softly, momentarily forgetting about her problems and proceeded to give them some food. She didn''t forget to give each of them a cube of sugar as well, but she gave Roxanne two instead of just one cube. And that caused the other horses to grunt in protest as they nudged her. She giggled merrily and handed each of them their second sugar cube as well before they were finally content. She stood next to Roxanne all this while, lightly stroking her mane as the Red Maned Horses munched on their breakfast of ''Shepard''s Grass'', a magical grass variation that was abundant in their village. This grass was highly abundant in energy and was suitable for serving as the meal of herbivory Magical Beasts like the Red Maned Horse that required a lot of energy.


    "It is still amazing to see," Ivor appeared silently beside Lam and remarked as he watched Lily interacting with the Red Maned Horses. He found it fascinating that she was able to build such rapport with them, to the extent that they even comforted her when she was down. If it was Lam who had gone over, they would have ignored him and silently eaten their meal. And that in itself was a great accomplishment because they were usually violent towards those they weren''t close to. This meant that Lam was exceptional for being able to approach them and not get hurt by them after knowing the horses for only a day. Yet Lily was far more exceptional, having earned their goodwill the first time she met them.


    "It is," Lam didn''t think the horses fawning over Lily was a marvelous thing when it happened before their journey, but he understood later how much these horses detested strangers. Even when he was riding on one with Ivor, he could feel the resistance of the horse towards him. If it wasn''t for Ivor''s presence, Lam would have been thrown off by the horse long ago. Luckily for him, he observed Mane and emulated his friend''s tricks to try and win the horses over, and had succeeded somewhat, since they didn''t resist him anymore.


    "You should go and call Mane," Ivor patted Lam''s back and walked back into his tent. Unlike the twins who couldn''t sleep and had packed up during the night, he still had several items to pack.


    Lam nodded and proceeded to walk to Mane''s tent.


    "Hello?" Lam called from outside the tent, but he didn''t receive a reply. The lack of a reply had him sweating in nervousness even though the weather was very cool since it was still dark. He was aware that Mane was an early riser like him and his sister because Mane usually trained early in the morning, and had even hunted with Dan at dawn. So he thought that he wasn''t receiving a reply because Mane was upset with him.


    "Hello? Mane?" Lam gently lifted the flap of the tent and called again. Once again he didn''t receive a reply. Calming down his rapidly galloping heart, he s.u.c.k.e.d in a large breath of air and gathered his courage. Then he entered the tent.


    "Excuse my intrusion," he softly and politely announced as he entered the tent. He was able to spot Mane''s figure immediately. His friend was sitting cross-legged in the center of the tent with his eyes closed. His breathing was slow and steady and every breath exhaled contained power that shook Lam to his very core. Seeing Mane''s meditative pose, Lam sighed a huge breath of relief.


    "Thank God," he smiled. He thought that Mane was intentionally ignoring him. But seeing Mane was actually meditating, he understood that his friend didn''t reply because he didn''t hear him. Suddenly the space around Mane cracked as Mane''s golden hair was pushed upwards. Mane''s clothes fluttered noisily as a powerful aura filled the tent. Lam swore that he could see sparks around Mane''s figure throughout the strange phenomenon.


    But soon Mane''s hair fell back onto his shoulders and the violent energy that seeped out his body was restrained as everything became calm again. However, that calm didn''t last long. In less than ten seconds, the same thing happened again. Lam watched Mane for a couple of minutes and noticed that the strange phenomenon happened every ten seconds and lasted only 2 seconds. Just as he was marveling at the wonderful scene, Mane''s closed eyes snapped open.


    *Boom*


    Lam felt as though an explosion had gone off in his head when Mane''s eyes opened. Within those blue eyes Lam couldn''t see a reflection of himself. All he saw was majesty and power that belonged to his friend and his friend alone. The spirit of dominance rested within those eyes, yet there was some gentleness contained within those blue pearls ¨C subtle, yes ¨C but it was there.


    Mane was slightly muddled when he opened his eyes. He could feel the changes that had occurred to his body. It was something that he had never imagined was possible.


    "Inner and Outer Energy have merged?!"


    Mane was extremely surprised by what he saw. Although Inner and Outer Energy were both components of Edict, they were different. Inner Energy was a docile, domesticated wolf, whereas Outer Energy was a powerful, arrogant and violent wolf king. And because of their difference in attributes, they never merged. Yet Mane could feel that his Inner Energy was merged with his Outer Energy right now! And both were in the Profound Realm!


    "That isn''t necessarily accurate. They are one now. So it is accurate to say that my Edict is now in the 3rd Stage of the Profound Realm."


    Mane smiled slightly as he felt the changes that had happened to him. He didn''t know what happened, but he had grown stronger. He had skipped the 2nd Stage of the Profound Realm and directly leapfrogged into the 3rd stage. And that was remarkable even for him.


    "That was Enlightenment. It happens when one understands the intricacies of wielding, and it is highly beneficial. Only one in several hundred trillion people get to experience it." Hildegarde whom Mane had forgotten about landed on his shoulder and began to explain.


    "Mmm" Mane nodded his head after listening to her explanation.


    "Eh Mane?" Lam called. It was only then that Mane realised that Lam was standing in front of him.


    "He has been waiting for quite a while," Hildegarde informed Mane. "There''s no need to worry. I happened to peep on them as they conversed yester night. They are sorry for how they regarded you, and would have come to apologize that very same evening if not for the fact that they were reluctant to wake you up"


    Lily explained when she saw the complicated expression on Mane''s face. Her explanation helped a lot, since a small smile found its way onto Mane''s face when he heard her words.


    "I''m sorry Mane. You helped us, yet we treated you like you were the villain. Lily wanted to come and see you yesterday, but I stopped her. Please don''t hold it against her" Bowing his head in shame, Lam stuttered an apology. His expression was filled with remorse, especially because he knew that his sister saw Mane as more than a friend. He didn''t want her to be sidelined by Mane because he knew it would break her heart. So he immediately told Mane that she was more eager to see him than he, Lam, was.


    "Its fine Lam," Mane smiled gently and stood up. "But you have to help me pack as a punishment," Mane added, and Lam''s expression grew bright. This was Mane''s intention. If he had just said that it was fine, Lam would have still felt uneasy. But by adding a ''punishment'', Lam''s guilt was wiped away. Soon the boys were packing stuff as they spoke, and their laughter rang outside the tent.


    An absentminded Lily didn''t even hear their laughter. Her tent had long since been packed up by Ivor, and he stood next to his Red Maned Horse. Suddenly she felt the cold wind brush against her shoulders and shivered distinctly. She was only wearing a shoulder strap blouse, so she felt the cold clearly.


    "Here. This should keep you warm." A pair of strong arms wrapped a thick fur coat around Lily. She shivered slightly when she heard the voice, for she knew whom it belonged to.


    She turned abruptly and saw the face of the boy she hurt only a few hours ago.


    "I¡­" she tried to form some words, but her tongue failed her miserably. She had practiced what she would say the entire night, yet when she saw his face and looked into his clear blue eyes, she couldn''t remember any of what she had prepared.


    "I know," Mane smiled and wrapped her in a hug. As her supple figure was embraced into his arms, she trembled slightly and began to sob softly as she mumbled "I''m sorry" over and over again. It took several minutes for her to calm down, with Ivor frowning deeply at the side.

 Chapter 339 - Comparable To Basileus

    There were a few hours until sunrise, and many were asleep at this time. The birds that usually sang in their melodious tunes slumbered, and the kings of beasts rested. Humans were no different, as they slept to regain their strength during the night. Yet it wasn''t the same for all of them. Just as there were some animals that hunted at night, some humans also progressed and worked at night. In this case, there were humans who chose to use this time to travel.


    The wilderness was vast and filled with all sort of creatures. There were those creatures powerful enough to remain under the open sky because they didn''t fear any ambushes from other beasts. Their power gave them the confidence to remain in the open yet feel no threat. There were also creatures that were sly and cunning. They weren''t the strongest creatures in the wilderness, but their cunning and intelligence allowed them to survive in the cruel world.


    A large snake hid between the grasses, its green skin blending wonderfully with the green grass. It was a creature that excelled in the dark. Hidden by the darkness and the grass, there was no way anyone would spot it. Its steely green eyes were fixed on a large beast that slept soundly in the distance. The beast it stalked was a large and powerful beast. This beast was, unlike the snake, a creature that excelled in the light. Its power had caused it to grow conceited. It had such confidence in its large paws, powerful claws, and strong jaw that held several massive and sharp teeth that it didn''t even bother to find shelter in the dark. It slept soundly within the open wilderness, as though the world belonged to it and there was nothing that could bring it any danger.


    *Hiss*


    The snake hissed silently as it watched the sleeping figure with disdain in its eyes. Slowly it circled round the large lion-like beast, a task that took it a few minutes because it didn''t want to cause any disturbance, until it was finally at the back of the lion. The snake wasn''t as strong as the lion in a direct confrontation, and it was aware of this. But it was large, and its mouth had a pair of poisonous fangs that would surely cause the lion pain should it be bitten. It moved towards the lion slowly, inching closer and closer to the beast as every minute went by. It was extremely careful, and didn''t let the disdain it felt for the careless creature reflect in its eyes. Its eyes were fully focused on the large predator, and its movements were full of caution. For it knew that it wasn''t easy to turn a predator into prey. But since that was what it was trying to do, it had to be careful enough so that it would avoid a fatal direct confrontation that could see it become the prey instead.


    *Hiss*


    The snake''s tongue slithered out of its mouth once it got close to the lion. A look of excitement flashed past those cold pupils as it slowly drew its head back and prepared to strike. In what seemed like forever, the snake continuously drew its head back as it arched its back with its eyes still focused on the ultimate predator of the wilderness. Finally, it struck.


    *whip*


    Like a whip that split space into two, the snake launched itself towards the lion in spectacular fashion. Its mouth was wide open, exposing its powerful teeth with its poisonous fangs gleaming even in the dark. Its launch was filled with power and agility. And it seemed that it had accomplished its mission when it was only a few centimeters away from biting onto the back of the lion.


    Suddenly the sleeping lion''s eyes snapped open, and in a series of extremely bizarre movements, it twisted its body and moved away, narrowly avoiding the bite of the snake. The snake looked so confused when its sneak attack failed. Snakes were generally more agile than lions. Generally, they weren''t faster in a foot race, but when it came to a race of reactions and agility, they far outclassed the large cats. From that distance, with only a few centimeters between them, there was no way the lion should have been able to avoid the blow; yet it had. And the snake couldn''t wrap its head around it.


    The lion roared powerfully, and eyed the snake with a crafty expression on its face. A domineering aura oozed out of its body and descended onto the astonished snake. Feeling the oppressiveness of the lion''s aura, the snake knew that its worst fears had come to pass. It wanted to avoid a direct confrontation, yet that was what it got. When the lion woke up, the snake abandoned any thoughts of killing it and concentrated all its efforts on fleeing. It panicked greatly as it tried to slither away from the lion and build up some distance between them. It felt that as long as it was able to create a gap, it would be able to get away due to the rich vegetation here. But when it tried to move it realised to its dismay that it wasn''t able to.


    *Roar*


    The lion roared loudly with scorn, its eyes flashing with a hint of wiliness. It watched the snake playfully like it was watching a clown. It slowly walked towards the snake, its strides filled with the majesty and pride of a top predator.


    5 meters


    4 meters


    3 meters


    2 meters


    1 meter


    The snake panicked when it saw the lion right in front of it. It was a relatively large snake as it was over twenty feet long and 2 feet wide. But before the lion which was at least 7 feet in height and 10 feet long, it looked like a little pet. Once the lion got close enough, the eyes of the snake were filled with despair. It didn''t notice it before since it was still dark. Although it had night vision, it didn''t notice the difference between this lion and other lions. The lion was as dark as the night itself, and the only reason the snake was able to make out its form earlier was because it was sleeping on the grass. But now it was close enough it could see what it had missed. This lion wasn''t a normal lion. It was a beast of legends that was so strong that even Predators would run away in fear at the sight of it. It was¡­


    The weakest Nether Lions were rare Mythic Class Magical Beasts. They were very powerful and had a strong bloodline. And although they were still Mythic Classes, they were stronger than even Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beasts. But they were lazy by nature, and rarely provoked other creatures unless they were hunting for food. Because of this, they were never the cause of any Overflow. However, they were largely found in Enchanted Forests, and not in the relatively barren wilderness. The snake was an ordinary beast which couldn''t even be classified as a Low Class Magical Beast. If it knew that the creature it was going up against was a Nether Lion, it wouldn''t have been so stupid as to go ahead with its plans. Alas, it found out too late.


    The lion slowly walked past the snake. When it reached the tail of the snake, it stopped. Its long spiky tail c.a.r.e.s.sed the snake slowly like the beast that tried to sneak attack it was an old friend. As the tail of the lion gently stroked the spine of the snake, it shivered in fear. Suddenly the spiky tail descended on the snake with venomous power and broke the usually agile creature in half.


    *Boom*


    The flesh and blood of the snake rained down from the sky as the Nether Lion roared lazily and resumed its slumber.


    "You sure are lazy," a voice was suddenly heard. The lion opened one of its eyes sleepily, and looked at the figure that appeared. But once it saw the person, its eyes snapped open as it roared in excitement. Right in front of the Nether Lion were two people. These people were covered fully in black cloaks that made it difficult for one to see them properly in the dark. Yet the Nether Lion''s impressive night vision allowed it to easily make out their figures. And it seemed to recognize them. It run towards the figure on the left. This person was hunched over and holding a strangely shaped cane. The crown of the cane was shaped into a Lionhead. It looked strong and sturdy and seemed to be made of precious and rare materials.


    "I''m happy to see you too," the old woman laughed brightly as the lion run round her in circles. Her laughter was slightly husky, as if she hadn''t spoken in decades, but her voice was comforting. The Nether Lion lightly rubbed its big head against her covered frame when it heard her words. It was hard to believe that a Nether Lion, a beast renowned for its arrogant and uncaring nature would be this smitten with a human. Yet the evidence of the truth was right there.


    "I have a job for you," the old lady spoke tenderly, as though she was speaking to her own child. The Nether Lion perked its ears when it heard the old woman, seemingly understanding what she was saying.


    "My son recently acquired a precious jewel: a young man with unusual origins and limitless potential. He''s in danger. Or rather, he''d be in danger soon. I need you to find him and protect him. Don''t hesitate to show your true form if that''s'' what it takes to save his life"


    The old woman commanded and the lion nodded its large head indicating that it understood.


    "It''s marvelous; the intelligence of a Heavenly Nether Beast," the man next to her spoke for the first time. His voice was filled with traces of envy when he looked at the Nether Lion.


    That was the true identity of the beast. It wasn''t a Mythic Class Nether Lion, but a Beyond Legendary Class Heavenly Nether Beast! The term Beyond Legendary was not known to the humans of this world, but it was familiar to Ancients and other Primordials. It was a creature that was so powerful that even Nightmares would usually choose to avoid it. They would not fight the beast unless they had no other choice but to.


    Hearing the words of the man, the Heavenly Nether Beast growled at him. Long horns extended from its head and huge wings appeared on its back. Its aura grew so strong that it was suffocating. But all the man did was snicker at the beast. Although his breathing grew labored, it was clear that he wasn''t threatened by it. Or rather, he knew that it wouldn''t hurt him because of the presence of the old woman.


    "Ignore him," the old woman gently comforted the Heavenly Nether Beast and rubbed its mane. Then she reached into her cloak and retrieved a strand of hair. Even the darkness of the night couldn''t obscure the brilliant golden color of the thick hair strand. The Heavenly Nether Lion looked at the hair strand in surprise, as though impressed by it. It took in the scent of the hair greedily when it felt the powerful bloodline the hair contained and then swallowed it whole.


    "Go," the old woman ordered, and it roared loudly and flew into the sky. Its figure disappeared in no time.


    "You are set on protecting the boy huh," the man commented once the Heavenly Nether Beast disappeared.


    "I am. He''s an important asset. One that would possibly allow us to curb the threat of Elementals and Barbarians once and for all. Since the disappearance of the greatest Ancient Spiritualist, Komfo Anokye, we have been bullied by the two races. That boy gives us the chance to fight back."


    Once she was done with her statement she walked away.


    "Do you really think that boy can be compared to the Great Basileus? That''s a high evaluation," the man laughed and followed her.

 Chapter 340 - The History Of The 6th Supreme

    Although the sun hadn''t fully risen, a new day had already began. As others prepared themselves for the events of the day, some were already on the move. Every village, town or city was separated by a huge stretch of land, and this land formed part of the vast wilderness. Currently there were people traversing the vast and dangerous wilderness as they sought to get to Asher City.


    Four horses traveled at a speed so fast that the n.a.k.e.d eye would only see blurry images of them. Two of these horses only carried luggage, with each of the two carrying two large bags. The other two horses carried people. There were four people in total ¨C three males and a female ¨C and each horse carried two of them. These people were Ivor, Lam, Mane and Lily. Ivor and Lam shared one horse. The large stature of Red Maned Horses made it so that even Ivor''s large build was easily accommodated and Lam didn''t feel uncomfortable. Mane and Lily shared the other Red Maned Horse. But unlike yesterday, their positions on the horse differed.


    Yesterday Lily rode behind Mane. She held onto him throughout the entire journey and it stayed that way until they stopped to set up camp. Today Lily sat before Mane. It was the same for Lam as well. He also wasn''t seated behind Ivor today, but rather was seated in front of the big man. This was because both Mane and Ivor were teaching the twins how to ride. They spent the initial portion of the journey today helping the twins to control the movements and speed of the Red Maned Horse, and only stopped with their teachings because they were out of time. However, they didn''t return to their prior positions and just let things remain as they were and continued their journey.


    As Mane rode the Red Maned Horse, he spoke to Hildegarde about the strange changes he had experienced during the brief period of Enlightenment. Because he was now able to transmit his voice directly to someone without letting another hear what he was saying, it was very easy for him and Hildegarde to hold a conversation even though the Red Maned Horse was moving so speedily. Besides, Lily was already asleep. Although it seemed like she was lazy for falling asleep right at the beginning of the journey, Mane knew that it was because she was tired. Apparently she hadn''t slept the entire night because she felt guilty for what she did. So once the horse riding lessons were over, she fell asleep.


    "It''s amazing. I never thought I would personally meet someone who has been able to combine both elements of Edict and use it as a whole." Hildegarde sighed in amazement as she spoke. Because Lily sat in front of Mane today, she was able to retain her place on Mane''s shoulder. Once Mane told her about his inner and outer energy merging together, she was full of admiration and praise for his good luck.


    "Yes. I never even thought about it, let alone consider the possibility of merging the two." Mane nodded his head slightly as he spoke. He had never thought about combining the two energies because even his masters didn''t have such abilities. Yet his Enlightenment had bestowed upon him such a gift, and he was pleased with the results he had reaped.


    "Have there been any who have done something like this," Mane lightly shifted the sleeping Lily into a more comfortable position as she nestled within his arms with a contented expression on her face and asked Hildegarde. He wasn''t narcissistic enough to think that he was the first to ever do this. There must have surely been people who attempted to merge inner and outer energy. And he believed that there must have been some geniuses who succeeded in their pursuit.


    "There have been others like you," Hildegarde confirmed Mane''s suspicions. She brushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear and continued, "All of them were geniuses, and there was one who can technically be referred to as your senior."


    "Oh? Who?" Mane was curious to know who this ''senior'' of his was.


    "The Abandoner," Hildegarde replied.


    "The 6th Supreme?" Mane was stunned when he heard her answer. The only person known as The Abandoner was the 6th Supreme. He was so called because he disappeared from the universe all of a sudden, and his disappearance promoted the rampant actions of the gods who no longer had to fear being persecuted for their actions.


    The 6th Supreme was a genius. He was a Scholar with high attainments in Energy and Body Wielding as well. He was a powerful God, and the gods and goddesses feared him for they knew that they couldn''t stand up to his power. Of all the stories Mane had heard about the Supremes, none of them were as exaggerated as the stories of the 6th Supreme.


    The origins of the 6th Supreme were unknown, and many assumed that he was an orphan with tremendous talent; a man touched by the power of fate itself. For which Supreme wasn''t fated to be powerful and mighty? It was almost like he appeared out of thin air. Seers didn''t foresee his coming, and even Eternals didn''t feel his birth. It was only after he appeared and revealed himself to the world as a powerful Scholar, Energy and Body Triple Wielder, that the Eternals grew powerful. But before that, no one knew anything about him. It was said that the 6th Supreme was a refined gentleman who hated resorting to violence. And because of his calm and withdrawn personality, some gods who took him for a pushover, decided to go against the rules he had set. After all, although Supremes were powerful, they weren''t invincible. Generally Supremes created alliances with powerful god clans and races to maintain order in the world.


    The 1st Supreme exploited Eternals to the maximum and they were a large part of her army. Till date there were some that referred to her as the Commander of Eternals. After the 1st Supreme, the other Supremes all had the aid of the Eternals, but because the population of Eternals had gradually declined over the years, by the time it got to the era of the 4th Supreme, it wasn''t enough to have only the Eternals as a fighting force. So the 4th Supreme created an alliance with the Olympians. According to the legends, the 4th Supreme''s heritage came from the Mount of Olympus and that was why she sought the Gods of Olympus as allies. In exchange for their help in maintaining order, she expanded their territory and handed over important resources belonging to worlds that had rebelled.


    The 5th Supreme allied herself with the Egyptian Gods because she carried their blood and heritage. And it was through their help that she maintained order through the universe. Although the Eternals were still the main support of the Supremes, their population had dwindled over the several years that they had been hunted. Also the numerous wars they had fought under the command of the Supremes had caused their numbers to decline rapidly. So it became an expected, a norm, for Supremes to seek alliances. Yet this couldn''t be said for the 6th Supreme.


    He was someone who suddenly appeared without any prior notice. The Seers didn''t see any visions about him until he made his appearance. It was only after his appearance that the Seers confirmed his identity as the 6th Supreme. Because of this, he had no attachments to any god clans, and so many took him for granted. Added to the fact that he was exceptionally kind and docile, the gods assumed that it was because he was weak and afraid of them. Even after Seers had announced that he was the one meant to rule the universe, no one took them seriously. After all, how was one who didn''t have any allies supposed to rule the universe?


    So some gods and goddesses went against him anyway. They sought out the encampment of the surviving Eternals and launched a full scale attack, intent on using this opportunity where the Supreme was weak, to kill off the Eternals. Eternals didn''t show themselves unless a Supreme appeared. Once a Supreme was born their abilities gradually returned and they became powerful again. But this time, because of the sudden appearance of the 6th Supreme, it left them defenseless and open to attacks. For they had been revealed, yet their strengths hadn''t recovered. So this was the best time to kill them off.


    But they failed. The 6th Supreme wasn''t a pushover. He was a vastly intelligent man with great strength. He pursued the foolish gods and killed them off before they could even lay a hand on the Eternals! His power shook the gods and goddesses who lived. And their fear for Scholars grew, for the 6th Supreme had developed a technique for Scholars that allowed them to sever a god''s connection to his godhead! The godhead contained the immortality of a god, and even if a god was killed, as long as the godhead remained, they would recover. But the 6th Supreme overturned the common knowledge of immortality. It was he who gave Scholars the power to see the connection to godheads, and it was he who gave them the power to sever it. Not only was he a powerful Scholar, his attainments in Energy and Body Wielding were just as amazing as his abilities as a Scholar! He had been able to merge inner and outer energy, and his power was atrociously high! He was also the possessor of the True Eyes! The man they thought was weak, was actually very strong.


    The gods and goddesses who sought to go against him all perished. And none of them was able to even touch the hem of his garments. He was so insanely powerful that the gods created an organisation and became united, fearing that he would kill them all off. They finally believed that he was truly the one destined to be the Ruler of the Universe.


    But things are not always what they seem to be. The powerful Supreme disappeared, and his disappearance caused chaos. The united gods separated. Without a common threat they went back to fighting themselves for territory and resources. The people of this universe who had been given so much hope that the tyranny of the gods would end under the rule of the 6th Supreme, were shattered by his disappearance. They felt hatred for the man who had let them down, and gave him a new name. He went from being referred to as the Destined Supreme Ruler, to being called the Abandoner.


    Mane looked ahead calmly as he recalled the history and story of the 6th Supreme. Although the man disappeared, Mane couldn''t help but feel that someone who was kind enough to fight the gods for his people wouldn''t abandon them for no reason. He felt that there were some things that were hidden; things that couldn''t be explained. And Mane was eager to find them out. He clenched his fists and felt the power of Edict flowing through his veins. He admired the 6th Supreme, for the man had the power to do anything he wanted. He was a one man army. And that was the path Mane pursued, albeit with some changes.


    "I wouldn''t become the only one man army. My friends would be armies of their own as well. And we would hunt down everyone who deserves to be hunted. Gods like Shiva would face their doom. The arrogance of the gods would be no more. Well, apart from that of my family''s."

 Chapter 341 - Arriving At Asher City

    The four traveled for about four days before they finally saw the outline of Asher City. They started each day at dawn, and stopped to rest when the sun was going down. This schedule was only possible because they were riding Red Maned Horses. If they were using other means of transport, they wouldn''t have made it here so quickly by following such a schedule. After all, they didn''t have much time to get to Asher City before the next contest. They had about a week to get there. With regular mounts, it would have taken 3 weeks to get to Asher City if they took only 3 hours of rest each day. But with Red Maned Horses they were able to do it in only 4 days and get ample rest too.


    "It is large," Lam had an expression of awe as he gazed upon the magnificent walls that blocked the houses of the city from his vision. Although they were still some distance away, he could see the tall and strong walls of Asher City.


    Over the course of four days, the twins had shown their terrifying comprehensive abilities by picking up riding skills. Lam wasn''t seated with Ivor anymore. He was riding one of the Red Maned Horses.


    "Look. There are several warriors manning the walls. It would be difficult for anyone to breach it." Lily pointed at the fortified walls of the city and exclaimed. She was seated on her own Red Maned Horse as well. She had even learned how to ride faster than Lam. It wasn''t because Lam was not as intelligent as she was. In all honesty. Lam picked up riding faster than she did. However, the Red Maned Horses were drawn to Lily, so whilst Lam had to get them to trust him enough to allow him to ride, Lily had no such issue. When she picked her Red Maned Horse, the beast was more than delighted to be chosen and didn''t give her any issues.


    Just like she said, there were several warriors standing atop the walls of the City. They were placed strategically and made it hard for anyone who wanted to sneak into the city to successfully do so.


    "Every First Class City is like this," Ivor smiled slightly seeing the expressions of awe on the faces of the twins. Since the twins grew up in a village and never had the permission to adventure outside and see what the world outside the village walls were like, they were easily awed by the majestic sight before them.


    There were some people traveling next to them. These people weren''t with them. They just happened to bump into them when they got out of the wilderness. After all, they weren''t the only ones traveling to Asher City. They were currently surrounded by merchants and traders from several parts of the world. When these people heard Lam and Lily''s exclamations they turned to them with scorn on their faces. They knew that such people wouldn''t be anything much from the fact that they hadn''t even seen a First Class City before. Yet when they saw the twins, they were stunned.


    Lily was a beautiful girl, and her joyful smile mixed with her innocent expression and na?ve green eyes were intoxicating. Many of them found themselves staring before they tore their gazes away from her face. Yet that didn''t help them much, for once they turned away, they ended up looking at Lam. His beautiful black hair and gorgeous face stunned them as well. He was a delicate looking teenager with the disposition of a king. And they were drawn in by his countenance. Yes, he looked excited and free, but it still didn''t hide the majesty of his noble aura. They struggled to tear their eyes away from him, and when they did they were caught staring at the figure who rode between the twins.


    He was a young man with long golden hair and shaven beard. As if his hair color wasn''t enough to make him stand out, his looks were dashing and his blue eyes were full of charm. Yet when he turned to face them they felt like they had been doused into a bucket of freezing water. Although he was smiling, his gaze was cold and held very little emotion. His eyes seemed to look beyond them as though they were insignificant beings, unworthy of his attention, and they felt that way as well. His gaze terrified them, and his indomitable aura shook them out of their senses as they quickly turned their eyes away from him. They looked at the last person belonging to Mane''s entourage.


    In contrast to the other three, he wasn''t that good looking, but he certainly stood out. The last member of that entourage was large man with an aura that seemed to draw people close to him. But they felt that he was anything but ordinary. For although he had a jovial smile on his face, there was an air of invincibility around him that was masked by his friendly demeanor. However, it took only the truly discernable to notice this.


    "Mane! Isn''t it beautiful?!" Lily turned to Mane with sparkling eyes and asked. Unlike the twins, he didn''t seem very impressed with what he was seeing. And why would he be. Mane grew up in Zandor, and the city he grew up in was more developed than Asher City. Although Asher City had far stronger warriors and inhabitants, their walls were still not as tall as those that the kingdoms and empires on Zandor built up. So he wasn''t that impressed.


    "It''s good," Mane smiled and nodded. Seeing Lily''s enthusiastic expression, he wasn''t willing to dampen her excitement by showing her an apathetic reaction. Although he wasn''t impressed, he still smiled like he was. However, Ivor could see from Mane''s eyes that he wasn''t swayed by what he was seeing.


    "He has definitely seen something better," Ivor concluded, and was surer that Mane was sent by the Ancients now. If Mane knew that his reaction to Asher City had caused Ivor to become even wearier of him, he would have smiled wryly.


    Soon the four had reached the gates of the city. There was a long line of people waiting to get in, and the guards at the gate were in charge of making sure people paid the toll to do so.


    "This would take forever," Lam sighed when he saw the queue before them. There were several people ahead of them, and it didn''t seem like they would be able to get in soon.


    "Ignore them. Follow me." Ivor was unfazed by the people before them. He nonchalantly rode his Red Maned Horse past several people. Mane smiled seeing this. He knew that Ivor had an unordinary identity, and it seemed that this identity was useful to get them past the city gates without any trouble. He patted Roxanne on the head and had her follow Ivor. The twins quickly followed as well.


    "Hey!"


    "Get in line!"


    "You think you can do what you want just because you are handsome and pretty folks?"


    Many people were annoyed by their actions, and they made their dissatisfactions clear. Lam and Lily blushed in shame since they knew that what they were doing was wrong. They hesitated slightly as to whether they should go ahead.


    "Just ignore them," Mane smiled seeing their expressions and told them. Because of Abelard, Mane was used to crossing queues and never having to wait for anything. So he was unfazed by the words of the crowd. Ivor didn''t care either. This wasn''t his first time doing this. It certainly wasn''t his second and it wouldn''t be his last either.


    "Let them be. The guards would let them have it."


    Seeing that Mane and the others still went ahead and weren''t trying to move back, the crowd stopped wasting their time. They were eager to see how the guards would deal with the situation. After all, several people had tried stuff like this, and the luckiest ones were beaten to within an inch of their lives.


    "Please join the queue or suffer the consequences," one of the warriors at the gate stated coldly when Ivor and the others approached him.


    "Animal Hunters," Mane was impressed that they had people with this kind of strength only collecting fees at the gate.


    "Oh? I wonder what the consequences for stopping me from entering would be," Ivor smiled faintly as he looked at the guard without any changes to his expression. Since he was seated on a horse and the guard was on the ground, he was literally looking down on him.


    "This is Asher City. You cannot act presumptuously here." The other guard stepped forward with his hand on the hilt of his sword. His message was clear: join the queue or die! Lam and Lily looked unsettled and anxious. They had never experienced this before. Mane and Ivor were still calm. Ivor actually looked at them like they were clowns.


    The people around had gloating expressions on their faces seeing this. Suddenly, one of them exclaimed loudly,


    "Are those Red Maned Horses?!"


    His voice was particularly loud, and everyone heard him. Hearing his words, everyone finally paid attention to the horses Mane and co were riding on. They didn''t notice them before, but once they observed the horse and saw their red manes they were convinced that they were really Red Maned Horses.


    "How may I address you Sir," the guard''s cold expression was no more. He had also just noticed the horses were unordinary and realised that the people before him couldn''t be ordinary folks. Since Ivor was the oldest and riding in front of them, he naturally deduced that Ivor was the leader of this small group.


    "Ivor the Tattler," Ivor responded with a smile, and the guards felt their backs grow cold. They grew pale, like they had heard the name of a great demon. They stutteringly apologized for getting in Ivor''s way and let them go through the gates. The twins were stunned by the guards'' change, but Mane was alarmed by it.


    The fear that the guards had on their faces wasn''t feigned, and it wasn''t the kind of expression one would have towards an entity of great power. It meant that Ivor''s influence in Asher City was greater and more sinister than he thought, and Mane grew more cautious.


    "Who exactly is this man?"

 Chapter 342 - Interrupted Sightseeing

    As they rode through the bustling city, Lily and Lam stared wide-eyed at everything they saw. Everything was a hundred times bigger than it was in the village they grew up in. There were several market places, each of which were several times larger than the single market place their village possessed. And the people here were very elegantly dressed.


    "This place is gorgeous!" Lam was in deep awe of everything he saw, and Ivor smiled at his na?ve expression. Seeing Lam looking left and right with an insatiable expression on his face, Ivor smiled broadly as if the city was his.


    "It is several times larger than the village!" Lily was just as smitten as her brother, if not more so by what she was also seeing. Her eyes sparkled delightfully as she watched the sights around her. Everything appealed to her. The precious stones, the jewels, the beautiful clothes, and the grand buildings. Most buildings were two stories tall, and there were some that had three and four floors. This was fascinating to Lily because her village only had one building with multiple floors ¨C the Village Head''s building ¨C and it had just two floors. Although the reason behind the village''s decision to avoid building high rise structures was sound (to enable the Village Head accurately see everything happening during an invasion), it didn''t change the fact that they didn''t really have any high rise buildings. And seeing so many tall buildings had Lily gasping in praise.


    "How do they identify invaders then?" Lam wondered out loud. Seeing the tall buildings he was curious about how the city was able to identify threats from afar.


    "What?" Mane asked. He had no idea what Lam was thinking. Hildegarde who was seated on his shoulder was yawning widely. It was very cute, but no one could see it.


    "The buildings. They are all tall. So how do they identify intruders?" Lam elaborated, and Mane finally understood.


    "Have you forgotten already how tall their walls are? Even if they built ten story apartments all over the place, the walls would be too high for them to see anything past them." Mane laughed softly and teased Lam. His friend was so fascinated by what he was seeing that he had already forgotten about the really high walls around the city.


    Lam blushed slightly and laughed embarrassingly after hearing Mane''s words.


    "Well, the warriors on the walls serve as scouts as well. But they can only see invasions pretty close to the city. It doesn''t give the city enough time to prepare to receive enemy forces." Ivor who had been silent all this while stepped in to explain.


    "So how do they identify invasions earlier?" Lily had long been distracted by their conversation and was listening all along. She ignored the sights around her and asked Ivor a question. In fact, if she didn''t ask, Lam would have asked this question.


    "There is a watch tower at the centre of the city, close to the City Lord''s Mansion. It is the tallest building here and almost two times taller than the City Walls!"


    Hearing Ivor''s answer, the twins were stunned. They had seen how tall the City Walls were, and didn''t even dare to imagine that there would be taller structures in this city or anywhere else in the world. Yet Ivor was telling them that there wasn''t just a taller structure, but there was a structure that was two times taller than the City Walls! This was indescribable to them.


    Mane smiled as he watched the people of the city going about their business. He felt an upliftment in his spirit seeing a bustling city one more. As someone who grew up in a city, this was a very welcome sight. As for the tower Ivor was talking about, it didn''t surprise Mane in the slightest. This was because it was normal for cities to have Watch Towers. The only surprise was the fact that he hadn''t seen this structure when they were approaching the city.


    "Can we see the tower?" Lily asked Ivor with hopeful eyes. She looked like a little girl eager to do some sightseeing.


    "Of course Princess! We still have a few days until the Semi Finals and we aren''t in a rush to see the members of the Orange Team either. So we can do some sightseeing." Ivor laughed happily and agreed almost immediately. Although Mane would have to go through some procedures to become a part of the Orange Team formally, it wasn''t going to take up much time. Lily laughed amusedly, and Lam had a cheerful smile on his face hearing that there was no need to rush and they could spend some time seeing this Watch Tower.


    They rode their mounts towards the Watch Tower, under the direction of Ivor. As they moved around, Mane noticed something.


    "What is your status here, Ivor? We have barely seen anyone else riding a horse here. And the guards we have come across immediately turn away when they see you."


    One, average people weren''t allowed to ride horses in the city. Two, Ivor was more feared than he was respected. And three, the guards at the city gates were new and didn''t know who Ivor was but everyone else seemed to know this.


    Initially, when Ivor recommended that Mane join the Orange Team, Mane assumed that he was affiliated to the City that the Orange Team represented. But he realised he was wrong. What if Ivor was a wandering Expert who had connections in most parts of the world? Since Ivor was an Information Peddler, this wasn''t strange.


    Lam and Lily were enlightened by Mane''s words, and they realised that Mane was right. There really wasn''t anyone riding horses around. They had only seen one or two chariots with strange emblems on them, but that was all. No one else was brazenly exploring the city with horses like they were. They looked at Ivor with sparkling eyes, and were highly impatient to hear his answer.


    "I am just an Information Peddler! Hahaha!" Ivor laughed heartily and replied.


    "Just an Information Peddler my foot. Which Information Peddler has such a high understanding of the Laws of Space?"


    Hildegarde who was seated on Mane''s shoulder scoffed and said with a lot of scorn in her voice. Unfortunately, Mane was the only one who could hear her. She didn''t believe Ivor in the slightest, and neither did the twins or Mane. In fact, Lily pouted when she heard Ivor''s answer. She thought she was finally going to learn something about Ivor, but the man was like a deep well. No matter how much they threw inside, the water didn''t rise up.


    Soon they reached the Watch Tower. It was the tallest building the twins had ever seen. Even Mane was fascinated with what he saw.


    "This is amazing!" Lam immediately sang songs of praise when he saw the magnificent structure that was the Watch Tower. Lily was so stunned by what she was seeing that she had her mouth wide open. When she came to, she saw Mane smiling playfully at her and she blushed in shame and quickly shut her mouth.


    The building was slender, yet well made so that it didn''t collapse. Mane could tell that the stones used in its construction were high quality and capable of withstanding even the blow of a Peak Thrasher! That was an outstanding level of defense, and Mane was impressed by it. Zandor didn''t have such a high structure. And that was why Mane hadn''t seen it before. The tower was built so high that it stretched into the clouds and beyond it. Because it was concealed by the clouds, it would be difficult for people outside the city to see this well-hidden tower. There was a defense perimeter around the tower, and several guards manned this defense perimeter to prevent anyone from getting close. Several people passed by the Watch Tower, but no one dared get close to it.


    "They are all Thrashers. They really take this place seriously." Mane was quick to identify the wielding level of the guards. There were ten guards protecting the tower, and all of them were Above-Mortal Realm Body Wielders, or Thrashers as the people of this world called it. Even a First Class City would have only about 70 to 80 Thrashers on average. The City Gate was protected by Two Thrashers, but this tower was protected by ten Thrashers! It went to show how important this tower was to Asher City.


    Right when the group was about to leave, a luxurious carriage stopped right in front of them, and a Thrasher fully decked in armor jogged to them and said to Lily, "Miss, Our Young Lord would like to have dinner with you."

 Chapter 343 - Pest Control: Part I

    "Oh? Someone is interested in your girlfriend." Hildegarde who was seated on Mane''s shoulder was quick to tease Mane upon hearing the words of the fully armored Thrasher. Although Mane didn''t know much about the opposite s.e.x and love, he knew what a girlfriend was. After all, Frederick had been constantly saying he wanted Selina to be his girlfriend. And Mane''s father, Ray, always boasted about how he had won his mother, Alexis''s heart and made her his girlfriend when they were only teens.


    Mane turned his attention to the carriage that the Thrasher was responsible for guarding. It was a luxuriously decorated carriage. It was a large white carriage with gold ingots adorning the door. The horses that pulled the carriage were large and strong. They were called Gold Hoofed Horses due to the yellow color of their hooves. They were expensive and difficult to come by. But they weren''t as rare or as strong as Red Maned Horses. So if Red Maned Horses and Gold Hoofed Horses were up for sale, the Red Maned Horse would undoubtedly be sold for a much higher fee.??


    Mane then ignored the carriage and its horses and looked at the young man seated within the carriage. Although the window only allowed Mane to see this person''s face and shoulders, Mane could tell that his attire was very expensive. Just the collar of the shirt the man wore was made of golden silk, an extremely expensive material Mane had read about. One could only imagine what his actual attire was made up of. The man''s hair was cut to a shoulder length, and its dark color blended well with the golden silk collar. He had sharp eyes and dashing looks, and had an air of nobility around him.


    Mane compared the air of nobility the man exuded to the nobles he was acquainted with back on Zandor. This man''s noble aura was particularly strong, yet it paled in comparison to someone like Abelard. This meant that although he may hold an important position in Asher City, he wasn''t truly at the top of the food chain. What annoyed Mane about the man was the air of arrogance that he exuded. Mane could sense that this man was merely an Animal Hunter. Yet he didn''t even look their way. If they were on Zandor, someone like this would have been slapped into his rightful place by Mane. The thing was, he was too weak. A slap from Mane who was now a Predator (Profound Realmer) would be more than enough to deal with him. But his impulse to pulverize the man was quickly extinguished when he remembered that he promised to avoid killing anyone for no reason. He sighed in annoyance. He had strength, but he couldn''t do anything.


    Lam was also busy checking out the so called Young Lord, as well as his carriage and horses. Although Lam had never left the village before, he was very well informed about the things of the world, so he recognized everything with just a glance. He could also feel the man''s arrogance, and was displeased by it.


    Unlike Mane and Lam who were observing him, this Young Lord didn''t pay any attention to them. His sharp eyes were focused on Lily, and when she turned to look at him, he gave her a small smile that was filled with the charm and authority of a noble. Unfortunately, his charm was directed at the wrong person. Lily grew up with Lam, and Lam was very good looking. This man was dashing, but even with his expensive apparel he still paled in comparison to Lam when it came to looks. And since she liked someone like Mane who didn''t lose out to Lam in the slightest, her sights were unconsciously set very high.


    "I am sorry. I do not eat with strangers." Lily shook her head and declined the offer with a polite smile. Her rejection caused the expression of the Thrasher to turn a little weird. And the Young Lord in the carriage lost his smile once he heard her words. The Thrasher turned back to look at his Young Lord, seemingly asking for further instructions. The eyes of the Young Lord flashed coldly, and he nodded his head at his personal Thrasher.


    "Miss, please don''t make things difficult for me. Please indulge Our Young Lord just this time. It is only a dinner, nothing else." The armored Thrasher looked at Lily pleadingly as he implored her to reconsider her offer.


    "Interesting," Mane smiled and told Hildegarde. He could tell from the expression of the Young Lord that this man wasn''t going to just let things lie.


    "Indeed. It seems this man is so protected that he doesn''t even know anything about life. If he did, he would recognize the horses and understand that you people aren''t simple. Secondly, he wouldn''t be dumb to understand that no one who is allowed to ride in the city would be of an average background"


    Hildegarde shook her head with a wry smile. This so called Young Master wasn''t as intelligent as he looked. He had ignored all these facts and only focused on Lily''s beauty. Both she and Mane were able to tell from the awkward expression of the Thrasher when he heard Lily''s rejection that the guard was obviously wary of them. Unlike his master, the guard wasn''t an idiot. He could tell that people who could ride around in the city and not be stopped must have had an impressive background, and didn''t wish to offend them. This could be easily inferred by listening to his words and tone. The man was literally begging Lily because he knew that he wouldn''t be able to offend them, but he couldn''t offend his master either by disobeying him. That was why he asked Lily not to make things difficult for him, instead of saying she shouldn''t make things difficult for herself.


    The Young Lord looked visibly irritated now. Hearing his guard''s words, his eyes flashed with impatience. Mane could easily tell that that wasn''t what he wanted his guard to do. Rather he wanted the Thrasher to just grab Lily and bring her away.


    "It seems that the rules of this world have made the rich and wealthy feel like they can do anything," Mane sighed silently. However, he didn''t lower his tone, so he was easily heard on this quiet street. This world was different from Zandor. Plundering, ****, violence, and fear. These were the elements of this world. Because of this, people who lived in comfort like this Young Lord here thought they could do anything or procure whatever they wanted as long as they had power ¨C and that included women. If they saw a woman they liked, they didn''t think they needed her consent. Mane didn''t think that this was only related to the men. He felt that there were rich women out there who had so much power that they could take any man they wanted without caring much for what the man wanted.


    Hearing Mane''s words, the eyes of the Young Lord grew chilling, and he finally cast his gaze towards Mane. His hatred for Mane grew when he saw the boy. Mane was good looking in every way, and the aura of calm he exuded wasn''t practiced, but something that came naturally to him due to his confidence in his strength. And this annoyed the Young Lord.


    "Kill him," he ordered his Thrasher with the nonchalance of one who had everything within the palm of his hands. The Thrasher gritted his teeth as several complex emotions flashed past his eyes. He could tell the entourage before him wasn''t simple. And he knew that if anything was to happen to them and his master was asked to give account, he would be the one sacrificed. But if he didn''t follow his master''s orders, he would be in serious trouble once they got back. He was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Ivor watched everything with a smile on his face. He didn''t feel the need to intervene ¨C not yet at least.


    "I do not understand your predicament," Mane shook his head seeing the struggling expression of the Thrasher.


    "You are a Thrasher. That idiot is only an Animal Hunter. Yet you are willing to listen to his orders. Where I come from strength is highly respected. The weak do not give orders to the strong." Mane stated calmly.


    The Thrasher was stunned by Mane''s words. How did this boy know he was a Thrasher? Did he see him fighting someone and perceive his strength? But that didn''t make sense. Because if that was how he knew, how did he see through the strength of his Young Lord who had never even been to war before?


    "You should follow me," Mane smiled and said something that stunned everyone. The Thrasher was stunned, and so was his Young Lord. Lam and Lily were just as confused, and the silent Ivor was so surprised that he unconsciously furrowed his brows.


    He had allowed things to drag on because he was hoping to see Mane step up and just slaughter the men. He wanted to use such an opportunity to drive a wedge between Mane and the twins. The Red Heaven Bandits were sc.u.m who deserved to die, but this Young Lord hadn''t done anything yet, nor did they know anything about his reputation. So he hoped that Mane killing someone ''innocent'' would do the job. But Mane''s approach was totally different. The boy didn''t try to kill the Thrasher. He was trying to rope him to his side.


    "I won''t treat you unjustly. You just need to protect my friends." Mane smiled and offered. His words touched the hearts of the twins. Mane was going to fight with the Orange Team, which meant that he wouldn''t always be around to protect the twins. And although Ivor was around, Mane didn''t think he would spend his entire time following them. So he thought of getting them a guard. One they could bring back to the village as their own when everything was sorted out.


    "How dare you!" The Young Lord was enraged that there was someone so bold. This boy was actually trying to recruit his guard right before his very eyes.


    "Men! Deal with him." He angrily ordered the other guards surrounding his carriage. There were three other guards apart from the Thrasher. But they were all Animal Hunters. They unsheathed their blades and dashed towards Mane. Their aura was filled with bloodl.u.s.t, and in no time they had reached Mane''s position.

 Chapter 344 - Pest Control: Part II

    There were very few people using this route, and those that were tried their hardest to get as far away from the events that were happening as possible because they didn''t want to get caught up in anything. There were a few houses around, and some people peeking through the windows of these homes to see what was going on. Mane could hear the murmurings of these people. Although they weren''t close, he could still hear what they were saying since he was a Scholar. And from their murmurings he picked up a lot of useful information.


    "Young Master Twain is at it again"??


    "Just because his father is a Predator he thinks he can do whatever he wants?"


    "What do you mean by saying he thinks he can do whatever he wants? He can actually do whatever he wants. When has Young Master Twain ever wanted something that he hasn''t been able to get it? After all, the Predator Houses are all very influential and few people can afford to offend them."


    "These people might be in trouble"


    "I don''t think so. Didn''t you see their mounts? I grew up raising mounts and selling them with my father. So I can recognize those horses. Those are Red Maned Horses. They are even more expensive than Gold Hoofed Horses. Young Master Twain is blind to not see that."


    "That is true. Plus these people are also allowed to ride in the city. No ordinary person would have such a privilege."


    The one the Thrasher referred to as Young Lord was actually called Twain. He belonged to a prestigious family in Asher City. It seemed that Predators in Asher City weren''t as tightly regulated by the City Lord as how Old Fan had kept all his Predators in check during the village''s golden age. They were treated like nobles, and had their own ''Houses''. They had quite the influence in this part of the world, but just as Mane thought, they weren''t at the top of the food chain. This was because the strength each House possessed revolved around the power of the Predator who was their head. So once that Predator dies, that House would lose everything: their standing, their power, and their prestige.


    Mane found it strange that a Predator had such a useless son. Mane could feel the instability of Twain''s aura. It was highly unstable, suggesting that Twain didn''t have a good foundation, and it was highly likely that it was by taking the New Type Potion and other important drugs that he was able to become an Animal Hunter. Otherwise he would be completely useless. But Mane could feel that Twain''s actual combat ability was below Animal Hunters. He could probably only deal with Fighters based on how unstable his Outer Energy was, but any more than that and he wouldn''t be able to handle it.


    "Let''s see how you deal with this now," Ivor thought to himself when he saw how things were going.


    "Don''t infuriate me," Mane coldly stated, and a majestic aura pressed down on the three Animal Thrasher who didn''t know their places. They fell to their knees immediately as sweat poured down their foreheads and onto the ground. Their faces were pale from fear, for they recognized the aura that was pushing down on them.


    Predator''s Might!


    They knew this was the aura of a Predator, and couldn''t help but curse their luck and their Young Lord for putting them in such a position. The Gold Hoofed Horses kept neighing and fidgeting in discomfort until Mane restricted his pressure to just the Animal Hunters and the Young Lord.


    "And you ¨C shut up!" Mane commanded coldly, and the face of the Young Lord that had already turned pale in fright was filled with even more fear. He found out to his dismay that he couldn''t speak, and he was terrified.


    "You are getting more skillful as a Scholar," Hildegarde praised Mane upon witnessing the effect of his words. When he told the Young Lord to shut up, Mane had infused a skill of Scholars called ''Words of Power'' into his voice. Right now he could only issue simple commands, and they worked against people who were far weaker than him ¨C people like the Young Lord in front of him. However, Mane would keep training so that he can master the skills at his disposal. The skills of Scholars and Spiritualists were like glows. The more one used them, the more proficient one got with them. The only way to grow stronger as a Scholar or a Spiritualist was to continuously use the skills of each path so that one would grow very proficient in them. It was the level of proficiency that a Scholar or Spiritualist displayed with their skills that determined what grade of power they were at.


    "That boy is strong!"


    "Do you think he''s a Predator?"


    "Of course not. How could a Predator be so young?"


    "But a Thrasher doesn''t have the ability to force Animal Hunters to kneel with just a command. Even Peak Thrashers who are so close to the Predator level have no such ability"


    "So you''re saying it is very likely that this boy is a Predator?"


    "It is very likely."


    "It seems Young Master Twain has kicked a steel plate today"


    "I guess it was about time. He has been rampant for too long. Our Asher City has several outstanding geniuses who are his age and belong to powerful families as well, yet they aren''t as arrogant as he is."


    Once again, Mane could hear the murmurings from the spectators who watched from their homes. He didn''t really want to hear them, but because he had extended his senses for training purposes and didn''t retract them, he could hear everything. This art was a basic Scholar skill called Scouting. It allowed Mane to perceive anything within a 100 meter radius. It was one of the three Scholar Skills he had learned to so far. The others were Lock-on and Words of Power. Words of Power has already been explained. Lock-on was the skill Mane used to send his voice to someone without others hearing what he was saying. That wasn''t its only use. But right now, that was all Mane could do. Mane pushed the thoughts about his skills aside and brought his wandering mind back to earth.


    "What do you say?" Mane turned to the struggling Thrasher and asked, totally ignoring the others around him.


    The Thrasher was baffled by what he was seeing. One second his Young Lord''s Animal Hunters were rushing at the young boy who was speaking to him. And in the next, they were all kneeling on the floor from his words alone. He also felt the aura of dominance that the boy exuded, and was aware of the boy''s power.


    This young man was a Predator!


    He couldn''t remember Asher City having such a young Predator, which most likely meant that they weren''t from the city. But to be allowed to ride horses in a city they didn''t come from showed that they weren''t of ordinary status. This was because Predators were only given special treatments in their own city or in cities that wanted to recruit them.


    "I am sorry. I cannot abandon my Young Lord." Although the Thrasher was swayed to accept the offer, in the end he sighed and rejected Mane. He didn''t like the Young Lord, but he owed Twain''s father his life, for the man had saved him once, and serving his son was the only way he could repay him.


    "You are indebted to his family," Mane saw the complex expression on the face of the Thrasher and concluded that the man was likely repaying a favor.


    "I am. My life was saved by his father when I was younger." The Thrasher nodded his head and confessed.


    "I see," Mane rubbed his bearded chin with a small smile. "This makes things easier then," Mane smiled and said. The Thrasher was confused by Mane''s words. What did he mean by saying it made things easier? Ivor and the twins were also confused since they didn''t know what Mane was thinking.


    "I just have to kill your Young Lord, and there would be no reason to reject me anymore," Mane stated plainly with a smile and slowly rode towards the carriage. However, the Thrasher felt a chill go down his spine when he heard Mane''s words. Coupled with the nonchalance with which Mane spoke about ending a life, the Thrasher was painfully aware that Mane could easily do what he said.


    Lily grew pale, and so did Lam. However, Ivor only furrowed his brows. He realised that things weren''t as they seemed. As for Young Lord Twain, he grew panicked and started to seat profusely. He tried to say something, but that strange energy was still wrapped around his jaw, and he couldn''t say a word. All he could do was look at the Thrasher pleadingly. He understood that he had offended someone he wasn''t supposed to offend. And all that was on his mind was how to escape the giant hole he had personally carved out for himself.


    The Thrasher saw Twain''s pleading look, and he sighed. He hurriedly stood before Mane and bowed.


    "Why are you in my way?" Mane asked


    "Please spare his life. I beg you."


    "Then trade his life for yours. Follow me, and I''d spare his life," Mane responded with a crafty smile.


    The Thrasher was dumbfounded for a while. He didn''t expect Mane to agree so easily. However when he lifted his head and saw the sly smile on Mane''s face, he smiled bitterly knowing that he had fallen for Mane''s schemes. He realised that Mane was as intelligent as he was strong.


    "Then my life is yours," the Thrasher humbly stated.


    "You can leave," Mane waved his hand at Twain and said. Twain looked at the Thrasher gratefully, and the force that kept his jaw shut disappeared, allowing him to speak. He quickly left with his guards as if his pants were on fire.


    "Such a villain," Hildegarde giggled. Even she wasn''t sure of what Mane was plotting until now. But once she heard his words, she understood. Since the Thrasher claimed that Twain''s father saved his life, Mane hatched a devious plan to nullify that debt. He threatened Twain so that the Thrasher would have to plead for his life, and then Mane would spare his life. By doing this, the Thrasher would have paid back the favor he owed Twain''s father by saving Twain''s life and wouldn''t have any other reason to stay. But to make sure that he would definitely follow him, Mane forced him to swap his life with Twain''s. So not only would he have saved Twain''s life, he would have to enter into servitude under Mane as well and this meant that he was doing more than what was required. In other words, he had repaid his favor, and done more. So now, it was Twain''s family that owed the Thrasher.


    "Smart lad," Ivor sighed to himself. He didn''t feel good about Mane because the boy''s origins were a mystery, but even he had to admit that Mane handled the case flawlessly and much like he, Ivor, would have if he didn''t want to spill any blood.


    Lam and Lily were smart as well. Their faces recovered their ruddy expressions when they understood that Mane wasn''t planning on doing anything and only wanted to get the Thrasher on his side. And to be honest, they admired the way he went about it.


    "How may I address my new master?" the man asked politely once Twain and his guards were out of sight.


    "I''m Mane. This is Lily and that''s Lam. This man here is our leader Ivor. What is your name?" Mane smiled at the Thrasher. Since he was on their side now he had to know his name.


    "I am Tucker, Master Mane."


    "Well it is nice to meet you Tucker. And you can just call me Mane. I''m your employer, not your master."

 Chapter 345 - Meeting Vital Orange

    Now that the tour had been ruined for them, the entourage comprising of Ivor, Mane, Lam, Lily, and Tucker their new addition, made its way straight to the residence of the Orange Team. As they rode towards their destination, Tucker got acquainted with the group. He was stunned to learn of Ivor''s identity, and it was strange for Mane and the twins to see his face turn pale when he heard the name Ivor the Tattler. The weirdest thing was he actually begged for Ivor''s forgiveness for his earlier impudence, and the fear in his eyes could easily be seen by a person an entire mile away. So it was right to assume that the twins and Mane saw this ¨C and they did. This made Mane even more wary of Ivor.


    "I wonder what kind of things he has done for so many people to be so fearful of him"??


    That was what Hildegarde said when she saw the fear in Tucker''s eyes. And Mane wondered the same as well. It was clear that Ivor wasn''t respected but feared. He wasn''t seen as a benevolent god, but as a demon king more fearful than Magical Beasts of great power. Mane had to ride between Lam and Lily so that the poor man wouldn''t have to shake in fear throughout the entire journey. Soon they got to a large manor.


    "This is the place," Ivor stopped his Red Maned Horse from moving any further and pointed at the large manor that could be seen even from several yards away.


    "It''s huge," Mane admitted that the size of that building was impressive, especially given that the Orange Team had only 4 members. It seemed too extravagant for a team of only 4 people.


    "It seems the powerful people in this world sure know how to enjoy life," Hildegarde whispered into Mane''s ear as she swung her legs merrily.


    "How can only four people live here?" Lily was stunned as she gazed upon the manor that looked like it could comfortably house at least 20 people.


    "Or is it meant for all the teams to share?" Lam wondered. He was finding it hard to understand why such a huge place was used by only 4 people. It seemed like a huge waste.


    "Actually this isn''t strange," Tucker spoke up. He had been become familiar with Mane and the twins as they rode and wasn''t as nervous as he was initially. He sat behind Mane on Roxanne since there was no other Red Maned Horse available.


    "All the other teams have manors as large as this one. And the Black Team has the largest mansion since it is Asher City''s team. Theirs is almost two times bigger than this one." Tucker continued.


    His words stunned Mane and the twins. It was already wasteful to have four people staying in the mansion in front of them. But now Tucker was telling them that the Black Team had one that was about two times the size of this one? It seemed that Predators and strong warriors were treated quite well in Asher City.


    "Truly wasteful spending," Lam shook his head and said.


    "Not really," Ivor commented, his trademark smile on his face.


    "What do you mean Ivor?" Lily wondered. Just like her brother she thought this was wasteful spending. And Mane agreed. But on second thought Mane realised he had no right to say anything since he was not the right person to complain. His parents had several mansions on Zandor. One could find a mansion belonging to his parents by visiting any kingdom in the Western Empire. And each of these houses was bigger than the one in front of him. The house he grew up in alone, was three times larger than this place. And he grew up there alone. His parents only returned recently and even that made them only 3 people living in that gigantic mansion. Of course Mane didn''t take the servants into account. Although to be fair he had to include Butler Fin since the man was part of his family. But even with Butler Fin included, they were only 4 living in that giant house.


    "Although the Orange Team has only four members, that is excluding their very own healing team and the servants that cater for their every needs. They are also allowed to bring their spouses and family if they want to, so it isn''t really a waste." Ivor explained patiently.


    His words enlightened the twins and they finally understood why the homes of the competitors were so large.


    "Let''s go. We aren''t achieving anything by just standing around." Ivor remarked and nudged his Red Maned Horse forward. Mane nodded his head and commanded Roxanne to follow Ivor. The twins were right behind the two since the road wasn''t large enough for all four horses to ride side by side. Soon they reached the gate of the large residence. However, they were stopped by the two guards who manned the gate.


    "Halt! This is the temporary residence of the Orange Team. Only visitors invited by the Orange Team members are allowed entry. Please turn back!"


    "An Animal Hunter. The other one is also an Animal Hunter." Mane easily identified the strengths of the guards. They were obviously not meant to protect the Orange Team members since they were too weak to do so. It seemed that their job was only to open and close the gate of the manor.


    "Let Vital Orange know that Ivor is here to see him. He would want to meet me." Ivor rode up to the guards and said.


    "Please hold on," one of the guards said and turned to enter the manor. But he was stopped by his counterpart. The other guard was looking at Ivor like he had seen a ghost. The expression Mane and the twins had seen on the guards who recognised Ivor appeared on his face. His expression was fearful, and beads of sweat which weren''t there before trickled down his forehead.


    "Why?"


    "That''s Ivor the Tattler."


    "Wait! Are you sure?"


    "Yes I am sure. I didn''t recognize him before, but I do now. I have seen a portrait of him before. Besides, no one dares to use that name anywhere. Even those who were called Ivor have changed their names"


    Although the guards were whispering amongst themselves, Mane could hear every word they were saying, and he could also clearly see how the other guard''s expression had changed when he was told that the Ivor in front of him was Ivor the Tattler. It was also fear.


    "What did he do to get so many people to become so fearful of him?" Hildegarde stated, and Mane nodded his head subtly. Those were his thoughts exactly.


    "I didn''t recognize that it was Sir Ivor. Please forgive my impudence and come in." the guard who was initially going to make enquiries apologized with a pale expression as the other guard opened the gates widely for Ivor and his entourage to go in.


    "You were only doing your jobs," Ivor waved his hands and said. Then he proceeded to ride past the guards and through the gates. Mane and the twins followed after him.


    "Are you going to ask Tucker about Ivor?" Hildegarde whispered into Mane''s ear as they rode into the compound. She knew that Mane didn''t just recruit Tucker as a guard for the twins.


    "Yes," Mane nodded his head and replied Hildegarde. Mane assumed that a local would be able to tell him about Asher City, and know where to gather information about Ivor. However, seeing Tucker''s reaction when he was introduced to Ivor led Mane to understand that Tucker didn''t need to make any enquiries about Ivor. The man clearly knew why Ivor had such a fearful reputation, and Mane was surely going to ask about that once they were alone.


    "It seems that the guards are more afraid of Ivor than they are of the Orange Team," Mane said to Hildegarde.


    "Indeed. They opened the gates without so much as asking for permission. It makes me more curious about the man." Hildegarde stated, and Mane nodded in agreement. They left their horses in the mansion''s stable and walked into the house under the guard''s lead. Soon they were within the living room and were asked to sit. The guard then rushed to get Vital Orange.


    "Sir Ivor, to what do I owe the p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e of your visit" soon the man Mane had seen in the images of the Record Stone appeared. He wasn''t wearing his signature uniform, and was covered in loose clothes but they couldn''t hide his impressive physique. He spoke to Ivor with a lot of caution, as if he was afraid of offending Ivor with his tone.


    "There''s no need to be so formal," Ivor sat down comfortably with his limbs spread akimbo like the house was his, yet Vital Orange didn''t seem offended by his actions.


    "I''m here today to present to you a gift," Ivor went straight to the point. "Well, it isn''t really a gift since your City Lord already paid me handsomely to do this," Ivor laughed and confessed.


    "What is it, Sir Ivor?" Vital Orange asked politely even though he had been told formality was not needed.


    "I brought you a replacement for Orange Monk," Ivor announced and Vital Orange''s eyes shone with an excited gleam. He naturally turned to look at Tucker. The man was the oldest after Ivor, and he had the aura of a Thrasher.


    "It isn''t him, but him," Ivor laughed and pointed at Mane. Before Vital Orange could say anything Ivor continued, "This is Mane. He came from a village to this place under my recommendation. He is a Predator!"

 Chapter 346 - A Fifteen Year Old Predator

    Vital Orange had a surprised expression on his face when he head Ivor''s words. He looked at Mane and tried to see through him. The young man was bright and handsome. His dashing good looks could make many men feel inferior, and the aura he exuded was so full of confidence that many would feel slighted when seated within his presence. His beautiful golden hair and deep blue eyes seemed to contain the mysteries of the world, and his build was good. Yet Vital Orange couldn''t find anything extraordinary about the boy''s strength. Although he had a good build, there were many who weren''t even at the level of Fighters yet had good builds. So that wasn''t enough. As for the confidence and mysteriousness Mane exuded, Vital Orange didn''t think much of it since he had met people who belonged to powerful families but had no strength themselves who possessed such auras. So it also wasn''t enough to come to a conclusion that Mane was a powerful warrior.


    "Hehe. Sir Ivor must surely be joking." Vital Orange chuckled slightly. He thought Ivor was only cracking a joke to lighten the mood. He cast his attention to Tucker again. This man was a Thrasher and wasn''t that old. He looked younger than Orange Monk, and was surely the one sent as Orange Monk''s replacement. Vital Orange could feel that Tucker''s strength was almost on par with Orange Monk''s base power; and paired with the strong armor Tucker had on, Vital Orange was certain that Tucker possessed power that couldn''t be scoffed at. So he thought his guess was spot on.??


    "Stop looking at Tucker. He is someone Mane picked up on the way to serve him. Besides, Tucker is part of Asher City. So there is no way he has the qualifications to participate in the competition." Ivor laughed and stated seeing that Vital Orange was still checking Tucker out and didn''t believe his words.


    "That is indeed true Sir Vital Orange. I served the house of the Predator, Sir Oswald, before Master Mane recruited me to serve him." Tucker spoke courteously.


    "But how is that possible?!" Vital Orange exclaimed, stunned at Ivor''s words.


    He looked at the bitter smile on Tucker''s face and inferred that neither Ivor nor Tucker was telling lies. He looked at Mane again. The boy looked no older than 18, and if Ivor had told Vital Orange that Mane was a Thrasher, he would have been able to believe it. It would have been difficult to accept, but it wouldn''t have been such a big deal since he had met geniuses who had attained the Thrasher level when they were in their twenties. But Mane didn''t look older than 18, and even if he looked younger than his actual age, it was still difficult to accept that this young man seated before him was a Predator.


    "What''s going on Captain?" a beautiful figure clad scantily in a crop top and very short trunks that exposed her t.h.i.g.hs made her entrance. Her entire body was filled with sweat, and she held a large cloth and cleaned herself with it. She looked like someone who had been training until just a few minutes ago.


    Mane gave this person a cursory glance and retracted his gaze. "She is a High Level Thrasher," Mane easily identified her strength by just looking at her. Since she had just finished her training, her power was uncontrolled so it was easy to identify. And this wasn''t limited to Scholars alone. Any person with strength would be able to tell.


    No sooner had she entered the hall when another man came in as well. This man had a small stature and didn''t possess the large build that Vital Orange boasted of. Mane had seen him before. He and the woman were the two members of the Orange Team who didn''t fight that day during their competitive bout against the Blue Team. And although he was completely covered with a cloak that day, Mane could still tell it was him due to the similarities in their body stature. Mane was surprised to see him. The man had curiously good looks, and his black eyes were beautiful. He was a beautiful man, and if it wasn''t for the small patch of beard that he had grown under his chin, and Mane''s ability that enabled him discern that this man possessed the aura of a male, Mane would have assumed that he was a woman. But it wasn''t his pretty face nor his lanky build that stunned Mane. And it wasn''t because Mane could smell a thick stench of blood from the man and could tell that this man took the path of assassins either. Mane was surprised to see the man because of his strength. When Mane saw him through the Record Stone, he hadn''t been able to accurately place his strength. This was because the man didn''t fight at all, and that made it difficult to discern his abilities. If Mane had been at the stadium in person and met the man, he would have been able to tell his power level even if he didn''t fight because Mane was a Scholar. But he could only do so much through images. However, even then Mane had assumed that he was a Thrasher since Orange Monk was touted to be the second strongest in the team. But upon seeing this man he realised that the public had been misled. Even without Orange Monk, the Orange Team had a very good chance to win the Grand Tourney. And why was that?


    Because that man was a Predator as well!


    Mane could feel the breath of a Predator oozing out of the body of the man. Although the man did his best to control his strength, making it difficult for others to tell, the Scout ability allowed Mane to see what others couldn''t. And he knew for sure that the man who had just come in was a Predator.


    "Orange Ivy. Black Hand. Allow me to introduce you to Sir Ivor. Sir Ivor has brought us a replacement for Orange Monk." Vital Orange quickly got the other two up to speed. Orange Ivy was the woman, and Black Hand was the man.


    Mane was able to see the looks of astonishment that both Orange Ivy and Black Hand had on their faces when they heard the name ''Sir Ivor''. Orange Ivy panicked and quickly reached out to greet Ivor, and Black Hand had the same reaction. It seemed that whoever it was, Thrasher or Predator, everyone was afraid of Ivor.


    "Is it this gentleman here?" Orange Ivy wondered as she stared at Tucker. However, Black Hand only furrowed his brows in confusion.


    "It can''t be," Black Hand shook his head before Ivor or Vital Orange could say anything.


    "Why not?" Orange Ivy asked as she raised one of her lovely brows.


    "That''s because I''ve seen this man before. If I am not mistaken, he should be a resident of Asher City." Black Hand replied and turned to speak to Tucker.


    "You are Sir Oswald''s man, aren''t you?" Black Hand enquired.


    "I was until a few minutes ago. Now I serve Sir Mane." Tucker replied with a small smile on his face.


    "Black Hand is correct. He isn''t the replacement." Vital Orange stated. "He is," he continued as he pointed to Mane.


    "That''s impossible. He doesn''t look older than 18. How can he be a Thrasher?" Orange Ivy shook her head and argued. Black Hand didn''t say anything, but he didn''t look convinced either.


    "He isn''t a Thrasher," Vital Orange smiled bitterly, for he was still finding it hard to believe Ivor''s words.


    "Oh? He is an Animal Hunter? Well, that isn''t too unbelievable. He is still a genius to have the strength of an Animal Hunter before the age of 18. But he cannot participate if he only has such strength." Orange Ivy shook her head with a smile. She clearly misinterpreted her captain''s words.


    "No, that isn''t what I meant to say. What I meant to say was, he isn''t a Thrasher but a Predator!" Vital Orange exclaimed. If it wasn''t because Sir Ivor was the one who said this, he wouldn''t have believed that the young man seated between the other two youthful individuals, was a Predator. Even now he didn''t fully believe it.


    "That is impossible!"


    "Don''t joke around Captain!"


    Both Black Hand and Orange Ivy didn''t believe their Captain''s words. They thought he was only kidding. "There is no way this world has an 18 year old Predator!" Orange Ivy added.


    "Hehe. Look at them arguing amongst themselves like idiots." One person took delight in their plight though ¨C the fairy Hildegarde. She swung her lovely feet with a huge smile on her face as she watched the Orange Team members struggle to accept the truth that had been handed them. Mane could only smile bitterly at her antics. To Hildegarde, this was like watching a show.


    However, Mane understood why Hildegarde found this funny. In this world, Mane was a 15 year old Profound Realmer. That was nothing impressive in his universe. And this was because there were several geniuses with such strength in the True Universe. Mane remembered the two Celestials he acquainted himself with back in the True Universe ¨C Max and Kahn. They were only about 15 yet were at the peak of the Profound Realm. Maybe they had even broken through to the Earth Realm. With their degree of talent, this wouldn''t be a surprise. Even within Mane''s circles, Abelard who was only 11 was a Profound Realmer, and Mane had been an 11 year old Earth Realmer until recently.


    "They doubt you. I think you need to prove to them that they shouldn''t." Ivor smiled and whispered to Mane seeing that the Orange Team was still arguing amongst themselves.


    "Okay," Mane replied and picked up a small toothpick that had been left on the table. He didn''t even unleash his aura. He just flung the small toothpick nonchalantly at the wall.


    *Boom*


    The loud sound caught everyone''s attention, and they all turned to the side of the wall where Mane had thrown the toothpick. The weak little stick was embedded deeply into the wall, and a few cracks had formed on that part of the wall.


    Vital Orange, Orange Ivy, and Black Hand were stunned by what they saw. Orange Ivy knew she didn''t have such abilities so they realised that Mane was truly a Predator from this display.


    "An 18 year old Predator! Unbelievable!" Orange Ivy exclaimed.


    "Genius," Black Hand whispered underneath his breath.


    "Mane isn''t 18. He is 15." Lam who had been quiet all this while couldn''t help but confess Mane''s age, and the hall grew quiet for a short while until several voices exclaimed in shock,


    "WHAT?!"

 Chapter 347 - Fighting Vital Orange

    "I hope you understand why we are doing this." Vital Orange stood quite a distance away from Mane and softly spoke to him. The two were standing on a field within the mansion used for training.


    Vital Orange was topless, wearing only his shorts and his combat boots. His ripped physique was exposed to everyone, and anyone who saw him in this state could already feel the power contained within those muscles. In contrast to Vital Orange''s battle hardened physique, Mane looked like a noble going out for a stroll. He wore loose clothes and had a small smile on his face even though he was about to battle. He was barefoot but wasn''t truly exposed. His arms, legs and feet were completely wrapped up in black bandages, and two swords were strapped to his back ¨C one heavy sword and one light sword ¨C making it difficult for one to analyse what exactly his fighting style was.??


    "I do. You said you wanted to understand my level of strength." Mane nodded his head and replied. He didn''t look too concerned by the fact that he had to fight someone. He was very calm, and wasn''t bothered in the slightest.


    Hildegarde was seated on Mane''s shoulder as usual. She, just like Mane, had a relaxed look on her face. She didn''t try to fly off or anything. This was simply because she felt that Vital Orange wasn''t Mane''s match. And this was due to the changes Mane had gone through when he achieved Enlightenment. Mane''s period of Enlightenment caused his inner and outer energy to merge into one and break into the 3rd Stage of the Profound Realm. This pushed his true fighting ability into the early stages of the Earth Realm! So even though Mane was a 3rd Stage Profound Realmer, he had the strength to battle against the average 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, or 5th Stage Earth Realmer. Although he couldn''t battle anyone beyond the 5th Stage of the Earth Realm, this state was only temporary. When Mane was on Zandor, his fighting ability was an entire realm above his energy level. So this boost in battle prowess that the merging of outer and inner energy had given him was nothing amazing to Mane. To him, it was just like regaining his former fighting ability. But it was only temporary. Once Mane''s Soul-Body Integration reached 90% or above, he would regain his actual fighting ability, and then not only would he be able to able to fight those a realm above him, he may very well be able to fight those two realms above him!


    There were a few more people standing with Mane on the training field, but these people stood on the sidelines. These people were Lam, Lily, Ivor, Tucker, Orange Ivy and Black Hand. Lily and Lam were slightly worried as they gaze unblinkingly at Mane''s silhouette whereas Tucker was actually excited to see how strong his new employer was. As for Ivor, it was hard to tell what he was thinking since he had his signature smile on his face. Orange Ivy and Black Hand weren''t eager to watch the match though. To them, Vital Orange was going to win easily. Although it was impressive that the kid was a Predator at the young age of 15, Vital Orange was a Tiger, and his strength exceeded that of ordinary Predators by a large margin.


    "The kid isn''t taking this seriously," Orange Ivy wrinkled her lovely brows and stated. Black Hand was right next to her, and he was the one she was speaking to. Both of them looked at Mane''s laid back expression and disapproved of his attitude going into the practice match. It might only be a practice match, but their Captain was clearly taking this seriously. The only thing missing from Vital Orange''s preparation was his huge axe which was discarded elegantly onto the ground right next to him. But Mane didn''t look like he had any intention of taking this fight seriously.


    "He may be a genius, but he''s too arrogant," Black Hand shook his head with a dissatisfied look on his face.


    "Is that what you think?" Ivor suddenly appeared between the two Orange Team members and asked. His sudden appearance startled the two; and it was especially so for Black Hand. Black Hand was an assassin, yet even he didn''t sense Ivor when he approached. If it wasn''t for the fact that Ivor said a few words, he wouldn''t have realised that the big man was no longer at his initial position!


    "He could kill us easily," Black Hand realised the fearsomeness of the one known as Ivor the Tattler. He finally understood why this man was so feared in all the land. For even he, a Predator, felt helpless before Ivor''s might.


    "Watch. You would understand in a bit why he looks so relaxed." Ivor smiled and said.


    "When was the last time you checked your status?" Hildegarde asked Mane. "It''s been a while actually," Mane smiled wryly and replied. He had been so focused on Edict and True Eyes that he forgot he had this ability as well. He wondered if he had missed any Daily Quests since he hadn''t checked them in a while.


    "Status"


    Name: Mane


    Age: 15


    Current Setting: Healthy


    *Energy Level: Profound Realm Stage 3


    Test Difficulty: Chaos


    Testing Ground: Chaotic Era


    Daily Quest: Go to Asher City [Completed]


    Tomorrow''s Daily Quest: [Not Applicable]


    Goal: End Goal ¨C Become Chaos


    Completion Rate: 7.25


    Skills: Speedy Chaos [Active skill] ¨C You have caused chaos after only one month of entering the testing grounds. You run towards chaos, and it runs towards you. Run Wild Supreme. Be Chaos! {Permanent increase in Agility stats by 1.5. Additional 10% increase in speed when activated}.


    *Devour: You have been blessed by the powerful Selfish Titan King with the ability Devour. You can now devour Edict unscrupulously from the living and the dead; from elements and from nature.


    Soul-Body Integration: 57%


    "There are some changes," Mane remarked seeing his new Status window. The physical attributes weren''t there any longer. It was only his Energy Level that had been mentioned, and it was the replacement for his physical attributes. Mane could understand this. Since his Inner and Outer Energy had been merged, there was no need to classify his physical attributes as an entirely different subject. And that was why it was his Energy Level that was displayed instead. He also noticed that his Soul-Body Integration had increased by a whole lot. It went from 40% to 57%! This was no doubt a benefit of Enlightenment.


    "You may have to re-evaluate your combat prowess," Hildegarde smirked and remarked. Mane nodded with a bitter smile on his face. He assumed that his strength allowed him to take on Early and Middle Stage Earth Realmer up to the 5th Stage, but he may be wrong. Since his Soul-Body Integration had increased, it was highly likely that he was stronger than what he had initially assumed. Maybe now he could very well take on 6th Stage Earth Realmers as well! But it would be difficult to test that out since no warrior on this planet had reached the Earth Realm. People like Ivor and Dan had skipped right over that great chasm and jumped directly into the Heaven Realm. But Mane could never be sure since he hadn''t met a lot of people yet. There were likely people who had reached the Earth Realm; he just hadn''t met them yet.


    "Are you okay?" Vital Orange asked seeing that Mane was nodding his head and opening his mouth. His words woke Mane up and he blushed slightly. He had forgotten where he was and ended up making a fool of himself.


    "Pardon my lack of decorum," Mane apologized. Then he looked at Vital Orange and mumbled, "Status"


    Age: 49


    Physical Attributes ¨C Strength: 7.9


    Agility: 6.5


    Stamina: 7.1


    Path: Strength New Type


    Mane was disappointed with what he saw. Vital Orange was strong, but he was too slow. Even before Mane''s breakthrough into the Profound Realm, his speed was greater than Vital Orange''s. And Mane didn''t doubt that he was stronger as well. To him, this fight had very little meaning.


    "If you are ready, then prepare yourself," Vital Orange kindly reminded Mane. He still couldn''t sense Mane''s aura and was giving Mane the chance to condition himself before the fight.


    "I''m already ready" Mane smiled. His words caused Vital Orange to frown as he felt that Mane wasn''t taking him seriously.


    "In that case I won''t be polite," Vital Orange nodded his head and rushed towards Mane.


    "Fast."


    The twins, Tucker, and Orange Ivy couldn''t see his movements. To them it was like tracking a fly''s movements. One second it was there, and by the next it had disappeared. However, Black Hand was able to track Vital Orange''s movements. As an assassin, speed was his strongest factor, so Vital Orange wasn''t that fast to him. As for Ivor, it went without saying that he was so strong that Vital Orange looked sluggish to him.


    "He is full of openings," Mane smiled and moved slightly to the side to avoid Vital Orange''s blow. Then he struck the wide open Vital Orange three times in quick succession. He only used his palm, and struck only his shoulders.


    *Bang*


    *Bang*


    *Bang*


    Vital Orange''s figure rolled on the ground a few times. He looked pathetic, his formerly majestic aura doused in defeat. He was completely covered in dust, and his eyes were filled with shock and shame.


    "How is that possible?!" Orange Ivy exclaimed, unable to believe what she had just witnessed. How did her captain lose, and so miserably at that?


    "This kid¡­" Black Hand was stunned, unable to believe what had happened.


    Ivor smiled and patted the two on their shoulders. "You see, it wasn''t that he wasn''t taking the fight seriously, but your captain didn''t have the qualifications to make him take the fight seriously. To Mane this wasn''t a fight"


    "It was a thrashing"

 Chapter 348 - Why Dont You Attack Together?

    Tucker was amazed by what he just saw. He knew that his new employer was a genius given that he was able to become a Predator at such a young age, but he didn''t expect him to be so tyrannical. One had to remember that Tucker used to serve the House of Sir Oswald who was a Predator, so Tucker understood the gap between a Predator and Tigers who stood at the peak of Predators (since Lions had long disappeared from this world). He knew that his former master wasn''t a match for Vital Orange a year ago when Vital Orange was still a Predator at the level of a Tiger Cub. Now that Vital Orange was a fully grown Tiger, Tucker knew that his master wouldn''t be a match at all. Yet Mane had made short work of such a powerful figure. He was tongue-tied!


    Lam''s eyes shone brightly. And if one were to look into his eyes they would see a myriad of emotions swirling within them. He didn''t have great understanding of the strengths of Predators because he wasn''t a strong warrior yet. But he had seen Vital Orange''s fight against Blue King and was awed by the strength of the two. Yet Mane had easily dealt with this man who had fought and injured a Predator. He couldn''t help but remember what Mane told him two days ago when only he and his friend were left seated next to the bonfire.??


    "When we get to Asher City we would ask to access their Enchanted Forest."


    "What for?"


    "To find a suitable beast for you. I have a few special abilities that would allow me to impart the strength of a powerful beast to you. After that, all that would be left is to teach you how to wield that power and fight best with it. And how to nurture that power so you can keep getting stronger. You are intelligent, so it wouldn''t be difficult for you to comprehend. All I need is for you to keep this to yourself. You cannot tell Ivor about it."


    "Can I tell my Grandfather?"


    "Of course. He is your family. Besides, I would do the same thing for Lily so there is no way Elder Fan wouldn''t notice. Ivor would notice as well, but please keep me out of your explanations."


    "Okay. But can I ask you a question Mane?"


    "Sure. We are friends."


    "Good. Who are you really?"


    "I could ask you the same thing. But to answer your question, where I come from is too far from this place. Over there, people like me are called wielders. And after your power infusion, you would become a wielder too."


    Seeing Mane''s strength, and recalling their conversation, Lam was filled with a great sense of expectation and excitement. He couldn''t wait to possess power like this.


    Lily was also surprised by what she saw, but unlike Lam who understood a bit about the strength of a Tiger, she knew nothing. So she didn''t understand how ridiculous Mane''s actions were. However, she wasn''t daft. She was also very intelligent and understood from everyone''s reaction that Mane had done something quite extraordinary.


    The eyes of Orange Ivy and Black Hand were filled with loss. Their powerful captain had been defeated by a 15 year old kid? And not only had he been defeated, he was defeated easily! They all thought that Mane was being too arrogant by not taking the fight seriously, but they were wrong. It was just like Ivor said. Mane didn''t take the fight seriously because Vital Orange wasn''t strong enough to push Mane to his limits. Mane didn''t think it necessary to be in peak condition because his opponent was too weak to force him into such a condition!


    "Is this what one calls the helplessness of the common people?" Black Hand thought bitterly. He was a Predator, and the few who knew of his real strength respected him and referred to him as a genius. For it wasn''t easy for one to become a Predator. Apart from talent, luck and a huge amount of good fortune was required to break into the level of Predators. He didn''t have the greatest of talents, but he was lucky and very fortunate. Fate smiled down on him, and he had been able to become a Predator when many others more talented than him were stuck at the peak of the Thrasher Level. Whenever he had been called to action, those who witnessed his strength would sigh and say that he left them helpless like they were common people. He had heard that phrase so many times, but never in his wildest dreams did he think that this phrase would one day resonate so deeply with him.


    He looked at Mane with a slightly lost expression. The young man didn''t look impressed by what he did at all. His face still had that small smile, but Black Hand could tell from Mane''s cold eyes that he wasn''t concerned by what happened in any way. The boy''s vision was beyond them. It looked like he was looking at them, but Black Hand didn''t feel the piercing gaze of a warrior tearing him apart. He couldn''t feel anything at all. He understood that Mane wasn''t watching him. He was focused on¡­


    Ivor!


    Looking at Ivor who also had his trademark smile on his face, Black Hand was able to understand something.


    "They aren''t friends"


    That was what Black Hand saw when he looked at the two men who were looking at each other. They weren''t enemies either. But Black Hand could tell that they were closer to being enemies than they were to being friends. And he could sense that the reason for their volatile relationship was the pair of siblings who stood right next to Ivor.


    From the brief introductions they shared, Black Hand knew that the two were twins. And although they weren''t identical twins, they shared some features. They were both very good looking. Black Hand had been to many cities and towns. He had seen all sorts of people and met several pretty boys and beautiful women. But even he had to admit that this pair of siblings stood at the top when it came to looks. The boy was handsome with a pair of bright and intelligent eyes, and the girl was so beautiful that everything around her seemed to be an illusion. Her eyes were brighter than her brother''s, and although there was a hint of naivety in them, the innocence of her green eyes seemed to blend perfectly with nature. She carried a different sort of charm from her brother. Her brother gave off the feeling of one who could absorb anything like a sponge. He was someone who could easily adapt to circ.u.mstances and use his intelligence to make up for his shortcomings. She was different. She possessed a different sort of intelligence ¨C the innovative kind that sort to make the things around her adapt to her instead of her adapting to them. But that wasn''t the most fascinating thing about them.


    There was this air of majesty that they gave off that was far superior to what he felt from even the City Lords of First Class Cities! That shook him to his very core! Yet this aura was subtle, and only those with really keen perception would be able to sense it. And this was the major difference between them and Mane ¨C apart from their strengths of course. Just like the twins, Black Hand had to admit that Mane was also very good looking. The boy was good looking enough to be placed on the same pedestal as the twins, yet that wasn''t enough to draw the attention of anyone. Strength was more important than looks, and in this world a good looking person without strength was bound to be the plaything of the rich and powerful. But Mane didn''t seem to have this problem. However, Mane was very different from the twins. Unlike the twins who had a subtle aura of nobility, which suggested that their origins were unusual, Mane''s aura was unhidden. The aura of the twins was subtle because even they didn''t understand their origins. But Mane''s aura was full of pride and power, a clear sign that he knew who he was, and was proud of it!


    "Cough. Cough." Vital Orange picked himself up from the ground and coughed pitifully. It was only then that Orange Ivy and Black Hand returned their attention to their leader.


    "Captain!" Orange Ivy and Black Hand rushed to Vital Orange and tried to help him up.


    "I''m fine," Vital Orange rejected their help and stood up on his own. He stretched a few times and said, "Thank you."


    "I didn''t do anything," Mane shook his head with a smile.


    "Are you a Control Type?" Vital Orange asked.


    "No," Mane smiled.


    "Then how did you avoid my vitals?" Vital Orange asked, but all he received was a helpless shrug from Mane.


    "So how was it?" Mane asked.


    "You are much stronger than me," Vital Orange admitted.


    "But you still don''t know how strong I am. Wasn''t that the reason for the test?" Mane smiled and shook his head.


    "What are you saying?" Vital Orange knew that Mane must have something to add, and that was why he was saying all this.


    "Why don''t you all come ¨C the entire Orange Team? Why don''t you attack together?"

 Chapter 349 - Facing The Orange Team

    "What did you say?" Vital Orange asked with a stunned expression. Orange Ivy and Black Hand had equally surprised expressions on their faces. Beating Vital Orange easily didn''t mean that it would be easy to take all of them on at once. They weren''t just three individuals. They were a team. There was no team that didn''t know how to fight together.


    "Can I join them?" Tucker asked with an excited expression. Seeing how easily Mane dealt with Vital Orange, Tucker''s blood boiled with expectation.??


    "No," Mane shook his head and dampened Tucker''s enthusiasm.


    "Why?" Tucker wondered. Since Mane could easily deal with Vital Orange, he didn''t see why adding one more to a group of three would make any difference. After all, Mane was ready to take on Vital Orange, Orange Ivy, and Black Hand.


    "Because every team has co-ordination and a degree understanding of their members. The three of them would be far more difficult to beat than the four of you. If you join them in fighting against me, you would make them weaker, not stronger. Basically, your addition would be inimical to the Orange Team, not a boost." Mane shook his head and explained to Tucker why he fighting together with the members of the Orange Team was not going to make them stronger but weaker.


    "So you do know this. Yet you still want to do this?" Vital Orange was surprised to hear Mane'' words, and so were Orange Ivy and Black Hand. They thought Mane didn''t really understand what he was doing when he asked to fight against all of them at once, but after hearing his words they understood that Mane did understand what he was getting himself into. Since they were a team they were much more difficult to face as a group than they were individually.


    "You want to know how strong I am. And I want to know how strong the team I am joining is." Mane smiled and gave his answer.


    "Besides," Mane pointed at Black Hand and continued, "I am keen to experience the strength of a Predator level Assassin for myself."


    Mane''s words stunned Vital Orange, Orange Ivy, and Black Hand. Black Hand was a Predator, and both Orange Ivy and Vital Orange were obviously aware of this. After all, he was their teammate. What they didn''t expect was that Mane knew about this as well.


    "How did you know?" Black Hand smiled bitterly and asked.


    "I could feel the strength of a Predator from you the first time I met you. But you do not have the physique of a Tiger Cub, so you cannot be one. Your physique is more suited to a Cheetah, a Mongoose or a Snake. So which one are you?"


    "A Snake," Black Hand confessed with a wry smile on his face. "Who would have thought that in addition to your monstrous strength, you intelligence isn''t average either," Black Hand laughed bitterly. Orange Ivy and Vital Orange nodded their heads in agreement. Mane''s strength was impressive enough, but his intelligence was nothing to scoff at either.


    "So, are there any restrictions ¨C or can we use our weapons?" Black Hand asked with a smile.


    "No weapons, obviously," Orange Ivy stated. She didn''t understand why Black Hand would even ask this. What if one of them got hurt before the competition. How would they win then?


    "I''m afraid our new friend doesn''t agree," Black Hand laughed and said. Orange Ivy turned to Mane with a questioning look on her face.


    Mane scratched his head and smiled wryly. But he admired Black Hand for seeing through his thoughts and understanding just what he was thinking.


    "Black Hand is an assassin. His weapons are the source of his strength. Vital Orange is a Tiger, and without his claws and teeth, he''s basically 65% weaker. As for you, you cannot really be classified as a Bull or a Boar because your fighting style seems different. I''m assuming that the whip attached to your hip isn''t just for show. Which means you are more likely to be a rare type of Thrasher. A Fox maybe?" Mane looked at the charming Orange Ivy and asked.


    He noticed it the first time he laid eyes on her through the Record Stone. Although she moved around seductively and was very flirtatious, her eyes remained untainted, which meant that what she was doing was only for the sake of her fighting style. And it was a fighting style that was very uncommon nowadays ¨C the style of the Fox. Boars and Bulls weren''t the only kind of Thrashers in the world. They were just the commonest kind. There were other styles that others took, and such people were more difficult to fight against.


    For instance, Orange Monk''s style wasn''t the style of a Bull or a Boar. Orange Monk fought differently. Mane had seen records of that style before. It was called the style of the Piranha. Such people were agile, strong and very flexible. And when they lost their minds they were crazy difficult to deal with. Although Mane couldn''t be a 100% sure that Orange Monk was a Piranha, there was a 50% chance that Mane was right. Foxes were also rare. They were charming, intelligent, and fought by distracting their opponents with tricks and their looks to get their way. Piranhas became Tiger Cubs when they broke through into the Predator realm and walked the path of Tigers. Foxes were the opposite. They walked the path of Snakes after breaking into the Predator realm.


    "I actually am a Fox. You really are impressive for your age." Orange Ivy admitted that she was a Fox, and blinked her pretty eyes curiously as she looked Mane up and down like he was a rare specimen.


    "You''re Master and Disciple?" Mane pointed at Black Hand and Orange Ivy and asked.


    "Yes."


    Both of them replied with helpless sighs. Mane was able to infer this from the fact that Foxes trained to become Snakes. Since Orange Ivy was a Fox, it would be a waste for her to have a Snake at her side and not learn from him. Mane just guessed it, and he was right.


    "Do you need me to give you some time to set up traps and stuff?" Mane asked.


    "Yes. 30 minutes should be enough." Black Hand nodded his head and replied.


    "Okay," Mane smiled and proceeded to walk away. If they were going to set traps, he being here would ruin it for them. After all, if he saw where the traps were set up, he could easily avoid them.


    "Wait. I need to ask you something." Vital Orange who had been silent all this while stopped Mane from leaving.


    "What is it?" Mane asked with a curious expression on his face. This time he couldn''t guess what Vital Orange wanted.


    "Would you use your weapons?" Vital Orange asked. Just like Mane said, a warrior''s weapon was a big part of their strength. Without it, a warrior wouldn''t be able to bring out even 50% of his/her strength. This question was basically meant to find out if Mane was going to be fighting at full capacity or not.


    "No. But don''t underestimate my fists." Mane smiled and left. The twins quickly run after him, and Tucker followed them as well. Ivor watched the Orange Team members for a while, smiled like he knew what they were up to, and left through another exit.


    "That boy¡­there''s something about him" Orange Ivy said once Mane and the others were long gone.


    "Yes. I get this feeling that I am n.a.k.e.d when I am standing in front of him." Vital Orange furrowed his brows and said.


    "He could identify my strength without engaging me in a real fight. He''s really something else." Black Hand sighed.


    "I''m going for the weapons. Ivy, set the traps." Black Hand instructed and retreated into the mansion to get his hidden weapons. Since Orange Ivy was his student, he was aware of the kind of weapons she preferred and would get hers to. All she had to do was to set the traps.


    "Okay," Orange Ivy nodded and got to work.


    They were done with their preparations in 30 minutes, just like they said. Mane and the others were very punctual. They arrived on time, and not a minute later.


    "Shall we start?" Mane asked with a smile once he returned. The field was empty, and the only member of the Orange Team on it was Vital Orange.


    "Wait a minute Master Mane. The others aren''t here yet." Tucker said.


    "They are assassins. They are better fighting from the shadows." Lam spoke up, and Vital Orange looked at him with a hint of appreciation. Although Lam didn''t have Mane''s strength, his intelligence was at the very top. It may be just a practice match, but it had to be taken seriously. And since Snakes and Foxes fought with tricks and concealment techniques, it would be detrimental to them if they showed themselves at the start.


    "We can start," Vital Orange stated. Immediately he did, his docile aura underwent a huge change. He hoisted his huge axe into the air as his muscles exploded with the power of a Predator. The aura of a hungry battle maniac was unleashed from his large frame, and his eyes were fixed upon Mane like a Predator surveying his prey. His countenance with his weapon was a far cry from his bearing without his axe. Mane could feel his skin growing cold at the man''s transformation, and a small smile graced his lips.


    "This kid," Hildegarde was watching the battle from the top. This time she could tell that things weren''t going to be so easy, so she had vacated Mane''s shoulder. She could also tell that Mane was excited from the huge grin on his face and the battle intent that he was expressing.


    "It''s been a long time since I used any of my techniques," Mane mumbled to himself in a voice only he could hear. He missed his skills ¨C Splintering Fist which he learned from his father, Extreme Burst, Star Flicker, and the combination of Extreme Burst and Star Flicker to produce Flickering Burst. He couldn''t use them before due to the absence of Edict. But now there was no such restriction. He wouldn''t be able to use his glows though, for he hadn''t forgotten that there was a snake watching his every move; a snake called Ivor he didn''t trust. He had to save his true trump cards for any surprises from Ivor.


    He pushed his worries to the back of his mind and focused on the task ahead. His aura skyrocketed as his intent for battle filled the hearts of everyone here; from Vital Orange who had to bear the full brunt of Mane''s overbearing aura to Lam, Lily, Tucker and Ivor who were only spectators. Mane licked his lips as a bloodthirsty gleam flashed past his eyes. He quickly pushed down his thirst for murder by reminding himself that he couldn''t hurt his own teammates. Giving himself one final reminder to stay in control of himself, he turned his attention to Vital Orange.


    The large man was taken aback by Mane''s murderous aura.


    "He has killed before! And more than once!" Vital Orange realised. But he didn''t dwell on such thoughts. He dashed at Mane, axe in hand and aura at its peak. The ground beneath him exploded into many tiny fragments because it couldn''t handle the sudden outburst of power. Seeing the approaching Tiger, Mane grinned viciously and pushed his feet against the ground as he rushed towards the incoming Vital Orange. Unlike with Vital Orange, the ground beneath Mane''s feet remained intact as the young man rushed headfirst into the storm that was coming. Yet his aura was like a billowing wave. It pushed and pushed and swallowed Vital Orange''s aura as the two met mid charge, each unwilling to give the other any advantage.


    "ROAR!" Vital Orange gave a thunderous roar as his huge axe descended upon Mane. The wind howled in protest as the large weapon swept past and the ground had already began to shake in anticipation of the collision that was to come.

 Chapter 350 - Facing The Orange Team: Part II

    Mane''s eyes gleamed brightly seeing the huge axe that chopped towards his shoulder. He didn''t step back, neither did he give way. He curled his fingers into fists as he gathered power in them. They shook in ecstasy as Edict filled every single vessel of his hands and gathered at the call of the Supreme. His muscles bulged from the huge influx of power, and they prepared to cause a mighty explosion. Like a charging bull Mane sent his fist flying toward the huge axe. The air was ripped apart as Mane''s fist swept by, and Edict announced its mighty presence with a shout.


    "Splintering Fist!"? ?


    *BOOM*


    Fist and axe came together, and the shocking effect of their meeting was felt by all. The figures of Mane and Vital Orange were shrouded in a huge cloud of dust. A result of their thunderous collision. Soon, a figure was pushed out of the dust cloud, and everyone was stunned to see the identity of this figure.


    "Impossible," Tucker mumbled with eyes widened into slits. Seeing the figure of Vital Orange flying through the air from that collision with Mane was hard to accept. Vital Orange with his axe in hand was much stronger than he was without his weapon. His aura was about 3 times stronger than it was when he fought Mane empty handed the first time. Yet even with such a huge change in his aura, he was the one pushed back when he clashed against the empty handed Mane. When Tucker saw how the ground beneath Vital Orange''s feet had been unable to withstand his aura and had broken apart, and compared it to the very intact ground Mane stood on before he made his charge, he thought that Vital Orange was much stronger. Yet the man who was pushed out wasn''t his new employer, but Vital Orange.


    "Do you think that is strange?" Ivor smiled and asked Tucker. It was easy to spot the look of astonishment on Tucker''s face because he wasn''t hiding it.


    "Well, there is nothing strange about it. Which is more dangerous: A furious cat, or a docile lion?" Ivor smiled and asked. Without waiting for an answer, he continued to speak, "It may have looked like Vital Orange''s aura was stronger, but even before they clashed Mane''s aura swallowed Vital Orange''s like it was nothing but food. Mane can still control his strength to keep it from going out of control because he still feels that Vital Orange isn''t enough of a threat. If he does unleash his full aura, this field may very well be destroyed, and he may lose control and wouldn''t be able to stop when he has to."


    Tucker was enlightened by Ivor''s explanation, but he also felt helpless at the same time. How could one grow so powerful that he/she could even hold back against a Tiger? The person he had chosen to follow really was a freak.


    Vital Orange was finally able to stop his body from its forceful retreat by smashing his huge axe into the ground. The shiny weapon was largely unfazed by the strong fist that struck it, but Vital Orange could feel his arms shaking from the impact still. Yet his gaze was unwavering. He looked unblinkingly at the dust cloud. Things had begun to settle, and the dust was slowly dissipating. He prepared his muscles for another charge. Once the dust was gone and the figure within it was revealed, he would mount a deadly attack that would give him the upper hand. His brain moved quickly. Years of battle had sharpened it to a level that left it far ahead of his axe in terms of durability and efficiency.


    "Ten seconds," Vital Orange mumbled. In that amount of time the dust would be gone. But if he chose to strike at that time, he would fail. He had to strike right before it dissipated so that Mane would have no chance. His brain told him this, and so his body prepared to act on its orders.


    9


    8


    7


    6


    5


    5


    4


    3


    Now!


    Vital Orange sprang into action once he got to the number three. With speed that left the wind itself in awe, he left a series of deep footprints in the ground as he made his charge towards the dust cloud that had cleared up greatly. Like a majestic creature of myths, he descended upon Mane''s location with fury befitting of his identity as a Tiger.


    "Good," Ivor praised Vital Orange''s assertiveness. Hesitation in battle would lead to failure and death. One must make swift decisions and follow through with the single mindedness of a toddler.


    "Unfortunately he isn''t there anymore," Ivor shook his head and bit onto a large breadstick in his hands.


    *Boom*


    Vital Orange''s axe crashed into the ground with as much strength as the giant of a man could muster. The ground split into several pieces, and debris was sent flying everywhere. Ivor stood before the twins to protect them. His mere presence was enough. Every chunk of earth that came flying this way was disintegrated even before it could come into contact with him. Even dust was reduced to nothingness before the power of this man. Yet this strange sight was unnoticed by the twins or Tucker because they were fully engrossed in the fight. Even when he was covered entirely in dust ¨C literally from head to toe ¨C Tucker still watched the battle with undivided attention. He was fortunate that Ivor stood by him, for the mysterious Information Peddler waved his hand at a large slate that was sent flying towards the unsuspecting Tucker and the slate disappeared. Even then, Tucker still didn''t see anything but the fight before him.


    "Sh*t" Vital Orange cursed when he struck nothing but air and earth. But he didn''t have any time to relax, or even think about the situation at hand when he felt a constricting aura from his side. His battle instincts revealed their use as he pushed his axe to the side as if on reflex to block the violent strike that was coming his way.


    *Boom*


    Like a discarded coin Vital Orange was smashed several meters away. His arms sunk under the power of the punch that took him off guard and the shorts he wore split at the ends. His axe cried in pity from the powerful blow that threatened to figure out the limits of its durability, and his aura shook from the presence of the boy who was watching him like an eagle stalking a snake.


    Oh how long it had been since he last felt this way. He was a Predator, a Tiger with strength beyond many others, yet here he was, stalked by another; watched with eyes that reflected very little emotion and regarded as prey instead of Predator.


    "He did that on purpose," Vital Orange knew that if this were to be a real battle, he would have already lost. Mane had shown during their first confrontation that he was very good at controlling his aura. Vital Orange only felt the suffocating aura when their fists clashed as it invaded his body and tried to shake his resolve. Even with his years of battle experience, he had almost fallen prey to the violent and powerful aura. This aura had swallowed his whole and threatened to crack his will even before he was truly beaten. But it was only until fist and axe clashed that Vital Orange felt the oppressive nature of Mane''s aura, so he knew that Mane had perfect control over his aura. Even if it wasn''t perfect yet, it was really good. Yet right before Mane had struck him, he unleashed his aura so that Vital Orange could block the attack. There was only one reason for this: Mane didn''t want to hurt him grievously. And Vital Orange got the message.


    Mane''s figure flickered, and he appeared right in front of Vital Orange before he could even blink his steady eyes. Mane struck out his palm with a calm expression on his face. Yet the power of the strike wasn''t any bit inferior to his fists. Vital Orange could feel the stinging wind on his face even before the attack had landed. He hastily swept his axe towards Mane in an attempt to deflect the dangerous strike.


    *Bang*


    Vital Orange successfully deflected the palm strike, yet that was only beginning of the storm. And the storm controller was eager to unleash the fury of the 7 Heavens. Vital Orange didn''t want to be on the defensive. He could tell that Mane was stronger, and if he allowed the young man to seize control of the battle, he would undoubtedly lose. So he whipped his huge axe towards the blonde haired battle maniac. Mane didn''t look the least bit concerned that his attack had been blocked. He span on the spot he stood on, and moved gracefully like a leaf in the wind. The powerful axe that split the winds and could halt the breath of many others was evaded by Mane by a hair''s breadth. Without pausing Mane kept spinning, and struck out another palm at the now wide open Vital Orange.

 Chapter 351 - Facing The Orange Team: Part III

    Seeing the approaching palm, Vital Orange grew much focused. He ignored the sweat threatening to enter his eyes and tilted his head to avoid the palm. He could feel the power of the palm even when it had bypassed him. The sheer force behind the attack had crashed into the ground behind him and flattened the earth there by a few inches. Mane smiled in appreciation seeing his palm strike avoided. He stopped his forceful strike and slapped downwards. Although Vital Orange had avoided the blow, he was only able to move his head out of the way and his body was still very much in range. So Mane slapped towards the exposed shoulder of Vital Orange.


    Vital Orange smiled bitterly seeing Mane''s move. There was no way he would be able to avoid this blow. But he didn''t need to. Mane halted his attack voluntarily and struck his palms towards his back whilst kicking Vital Orange in the stomach and turning to confront the sneak attack.??


    *Bang*


    Vital Orange was flung several meters away, but the blow wasn''t filled with power and he remained fit and prime for battle. Mane held the dagger that was aimed at his shoulder in his hands. His lips were stretched into a smile filled with appreciation. The blade was coated with poison. Although the poison wasn''t deadly, it could temporarily paralyze an opponent. It was perfect for friendly duels like this one. Once a person was cut and the poison entered their bloodstream, they could only wait for the state of paralyses to take effect. Fortunately, Mane was uncut and hence safe. The dagger was thrown with a lot of force, the kind of force beyond the abilities of a Thrasher. This was the work of Black Hand


    "There!" Mane smiled and dashed towards the place the blade came from. The nature of the field was detrimental to assassins since there was very little space to hide. Ideally, Black Hand would have quickly changed his position after his sneak attack failed, but the lack of hiding places meant that he had to be successful or he would be found out.


    Mane quickly reached the spot and saw the outline of a figure crouched into the ground. Without wasting any time, he struck his palm towards the figure.


    *Boom*


    "A dummy? Interesting" Mane smiled. The figure he saw was nothing but a dummy. Black Hand had already retreated.


    *poof*


    "If he caught my blade he must have cut himself. It was coated in paralyzing poison. Added to the Sense Disorienting Gas, he must be incapable of telling right from left right now. Use everything you''ve got and dal with him. Now!" Mane could hear Black Hand''s voice. It was only a few meters away. Holding his breath, Mane dropped to his knees, and the figure of Mane on his knees could be seen by those outside the range of the smoke bomb.


    Vital Orange quickly wore the smoke mask he had been given. It was a crudely made cloth that covered the mouth and nose. It didn''t block the smoke completely, but it did the job and blocked over 70% of it. And that was enough since Mane had fallen. Or so they thought.


    Vital Orange summoned every bit of strength in his body and screamed in rage. The power of his roar shook the ears of those who were watching, and even they marveled at the strong aura that swirled around the angry Tiger. Once his aura of power had taken form, Vital Orange rushed into the smoke and smashed down with his axe. The furious power of a Tiger was fully unleashed as his axe howled in excitement of the victory that was to come. The large man''s power was ferocious, and it wasn''t easy to handle. His aura took form, creating a large tiger and cloaking him within it. Yet no one could see this. At least, no ordinary person could see this. Luckily, there were a few unordinary folks around. Mane was one of them. He could sense the change in Vital Orange''s aura even without seeing him. It was the benefit of being a Scholar. Ivor could also feel it.


    "That''s why they call them Tigers," Ivor smirked and mumbled. Sadly, those around him ¨C Lam, Lily, and Tucker ¨C didn''t understand what he meant for they couldn''t feel anything. They could tell that Vital Orange''s aura had gotten far more ferocious, but they couldn''t see past that.


    "If he''s able to control the power of a Tiger fully, he would grow much stronger," Ivor smiled and said to himself. The names that Oracles gave to fighters weren''t baseless. The fighting style one grew accustomed to, was the seed that would grow into one''s aura. Cheetahs were called Cheetahs because their auras were shaped into the aura of a Cheetah once they reached the peak of their power. The same went for Snakes, Mongooses, Tigers, and the rarer fighters like Lions, Falcons and Eagles. The only predators who didn''t have their auras shaped like that of an animal were Predators with uncommon titles. Such people had their own paths and even Oracles could not see the shape of their auras distinctly.


    The last special person on the field was Hildegarde. She had a serious expression on her face as she watched the battle unfold. She wasn''t really worried about Black Hand and Orange Ivy. They used hidden weapons and were masters of poison and concealment, especially Black Hand who was a Snake. But because it was just a friendly spar, they couldn''t use their deadly poisons and traps and had to resort to using mildly paralyzing agents. Even with these agents, only poison gases contained in smoke bombs would be effective since Mane''s body was near impenetrable. When Mane broke into the Earth Realm, he learned how to cloak his body with Inner Energy to protect his body from attacks. Although the Earth Realm Cloak was like a baby''s shield when compared to the Heaven Realm Cloak, it was pretty effective in fending off attacks from weaker opponents. But Mane hadn''t recovered his powers fully, and couldn''t use an inner energy cloak. He was still only at the 3rd Stage of the Profound Realm, and it was going to take some time for him to break into the Earth Realm once again. This was going to be especially difficult since this world seemed to have a restriction on the Earth Realm and made it almost impossible to enter the realm of Earth Wielders.


    So one may wonder how Mane was able to grab the blade Black Hand threw at him without injuring himself. After all, that was a blade thrown with the full force of a Predator who was in the higher stages of the Profound Realm. Mane couldn''t accurately tell Black Hand''s power level without True Eyes, and even the Status function would only provide physical attributes of targets and not their wielding level. But Mane reckoned from past experiences that Black Hand was around the 7th or 8th level of the Profound Realm. Yet Mane had been able to stop his dagger without cutting himself.


    While it was true that Mane''s battle prowess was beyond his Edict level, his skin was not impervious to blades and weapons. And without the inner energy cloaking ability at his disposal, it was only logical that he would have been cut by Black Hand''s blade and the paralyzing poison would have entered his bloodstream. Yet it didn''t. This was benefit of Enlightenment. Mane''s Enlightenment merged his inner and outer energy together, and made him much stronger. Although inner energy was stored inside the body, outer energy focused on protecting the body from the outside. When the two merged, Mane had gotten stronger. So now whenever he moved Edict through his body, his skin, bones and muscles all got several times stronger! So right now the only way to breach his defense was by having someone vastly stronger than him like Dan or Ivor do so. Or one could also attack so swiftly that Mane wouldn''t have the time to mobilize the Edict in his body to defend himself. But that itself was a tall task.


    "Although he''s only at the 9th Stage of the Profound Realm, his battle prowess is similar to someone at the 3rd Stage of the Earth Realm. And that was just when he was using the axe. But now it''s different. With that ferocious Tiger aura covering him, I feel that even 4th Stage Earth Realmers would be helpless against him. The people of this world are really not simple. Truly a world worthy of being the testing ground for a tested hoping to succeed at the Chaos difficulty level"


    "However, it is unfortunate that your opponent is Mane. He who has walked countless battlefields and left many orphaned, widowed, and childless. You face one who is regarded as a Death God by many. And even if he''s controlling himself, he still is a dangerous weapon. For even a dull blade can cut if used with enough force."


    *Bang*

 Chapter 352 - Facing The Orange Team: Part IV

    "How is this possible?" Vital Orange asked, a stunned expression on his face. His axe was caught! Mane was still kneeling, the smile on his face gone as he struggled to remain focused, and his fingers firmly gripping the large weapon. Mane didn''t speak, but when Vital Orange looked into those blue eyes, all he could see was¡­


    The d.e.s.i.r.e to possess what belonged to him (Vital Orange)!??


    "Give it here!"


    Mane slapped Vital Orange''s arms with his free arm. The power contained in that slap was beyond anything Mane had gathered so far. And that was because the Sense Disorienting Gas was taking effect. Although Mane tried to seal off his senses, he wasn''t familiar with such an action and had still inhaled a bit of the gas. Luckily, he didn''t take too much, only a very small fraction and hence the disorienting feeling he was experiencing wasn''t going to last for long. It would possibly last for a few seconds and that was it. But it did force him to raise the cap he had put on his strength, and the explosion of power that appeared as a result of that was beyond what Vital Orange could handle.


    *Bang*


    Vital Orange felt like his hand had been smacked by a large rock, and the pain forced him to loosen his grip on his axe. Mane didn''t waste any more time. He summoned his strength and gave a mighty tug, and Vital Orange''s axe was pried from his ironclad grasp. Axe in hand, Mane span and delivered a powerful kick to Vital Orange''s temple. The power of the kick was not to be taken lightly, for the wind it gathered was so strong that the Sense Disorienting Gas was forcefully dispelled! The stunned Tiger had still not recovered from the loss of his axe and was struck cleanly. He was knocked out cold before he could gather himself.


    *Bang*


    The figure of the unconscious Vital Orange fell onto the ground with a mighty thud. Yet Mane was unsatisfied. He sprang into action once more. This time his target was Black Hand. He located Black Hand by focusing on his voice from earlier, and this time he found the real Black Hand.


    Black Hand held two daggers in his hands. He thrust them masterfully at Mane, yet Mane easily blocked the strikes by holding the huge axe in front of him.


    Daggers were never meant to face axes in direct confrontations, especially an axe as large as Vital Orange''s. Mane''s strength was insane. He mustered the power of Edict in his right arm, and held the huge axe with only that arm. He brought it crashing down with power that was beyond Vital Orange''s. Feeling the sweeping wind that threatened to flatten him, Black Hand''s expression grew grave. He pushed his concentration to its peak, and watched as the huge axe menacingly moved to claim his head. He lightly swiveled and managed to get his body out of the way, yet the wind that the axe brought forth knocked him back a few feet.


    "Why doesn''t he use both arms? He would definitely be faster and stronger by doing so?" Lily asked her brother, but her eyes were still glued to the figures of Mane and Black Hand as they darted past several points of the field.


    "Because if he does that he wouldn''t be able to pull out, and would likely hurt Black Hand," Lam wasn''t a fighter, but his eyes and brain didn''t fail him. If Mane was to use two arms, he would be several times faster and many times stronger, and that much was certain. If he had done that initially, there was no way Black Hand would have been able to avoid the blow. Yet Mane didn''t. This was because although he would have been stronger and faster by doing so, he wouldn''t have been able to pull back the attack if Black Hand couldn''t evade it and would have easily split the Predator in half. But fighting with one arm didn''t mean that Mane was slacking. The young boy had handicapped himself, but he was fighting with his utmost even with the handicap.


    Mane wasn''t bothered by his failed attempt. Without wasting any time, he sprang into action once more. He had the advantage, and the momentum he gathered was like a fuel pump that filled him with energy and drained the vitality of his foe. Mane swept the axe towards Black Hand once again; his billowing aura like a suffocating presence that sought to drown Black Hand. Once again, Black Hand was able to narrowly avoid the attack. But this time, when he retreated, he gathered power into his arms and flung both daggers at Mane. Although his arms looked frail, they were in no way so. They were like coiled vipers. Slim and flexible yet filled with so much power that one would be a fool to underestimate them. Piercing sounds filled the field as the daggers glided through the air and seemed to tear even space apart. Mane didn''t panic at Black Hand''s unexpected action of giving up his weapons. He twisted himself strangely and narrowly avoided the deadly daggers. Then he stamped his foot onto the ground and exploded with speed that would leave Cheetahs blushing in shame.


    "Star Flicker!"


    Activating the High Grade Technique turned Mane into a stream of light difficult to follow with the n.a.k.e.d eye. In the blink of an eye, Mane was right in front of the dazzled Black Hand who had just retrieved a transparent string from a sheath in his clothes. Mane lifted the heavy axe and brought it crashing towards Black Hand with such ferocity that the ground Black Hand stood on was already cracking from the pressure. Black Hand held the ends of the thin string with both hands and extended it in an attempt to block the axe.


    *Bang*


    "How is that even possible?" Tucker asked, stunned by what he was seeing. Black Hand had used the tiny string in his hands to block the might of Vital Orange''s mighty axe! Although the ground he stood on was reduced into just tiny fragments of earth, he had withstood blow.


    "That is a metallic string. It is flexible and strong. And it is made by master blacksmiths using the strongest of metals yet their great skill keeps its flexibility intact. It is no surprise that is can do that. But he made a grave mistake." Ivor answered with an enthused expression. He was enjoying the fight. It was much more interesting than he thought it would be.


    "What mistake Ivor?" Lam asked


    "He should have never attempted to block the blow in any way. If the opponent was only slightly stronger or two times stronger than him, that decision would be the right one. But Mane''s body strength is several times higher than Black Hand''s. Making that decision leaves him on the passive end of a thrashing" Ivor replied.


    "So what does that mean?" Lily wondered


    "It means that Mane has everything within his control now. He has won." Lam replied this time.


    Mane was surprised by the strength of the metallic string. His sharp eyes could see that the seemingly weak string had created a chip on Vital Orange''s axe. Mane put more power into the arm holding the axe and pushed down on the string. His action forced the struggling Black Hand onto his knees. Black Hand knew he made a mistake when Mane increased his power. He thought he could block the attack and push Mane off, but he had grossly underestimated the strength of Mane''s arm. He smiled bitterly for he realised that his chances of winning now were next to 0. Suddenly, Mane let go of the axe, a move that stunned Black Hand. Then before Black Hand could recover, Mane slapped towards Black Hand''s mid-section.


    *Bang*


    Although Mane held back, Black Hand felt like he had been struck with the power of a hundred bulls. He was flung several meters away, and his broken figure fell haphazardly onto the ground.


    "Last one," Mane was slightly out of breath. Even for him, doing this wasn''t easy. His sharp eyes scanned the area, looking for any possible hiding spots. Then he remembered something he had read before.


    "Snakes can dig holes and hide underground. And so can Foxes" That was how Black Hand had been able to get away. He was underground the entire time! He had only revealed himself because his underground hiding spot was invaded by the smoke from the smoke bomb.


    "Which means Orange Ivy is underground as well." Knowing this, Mane grew a bit more relaxed. He slowly walked across the field, his sharp senses seeking for any anomalies.


    "What is he doing?" Lily asked.


    "Looking for Orange Ivy," Lam answered. He read a lot and he also knew about the nature of Snakes and Foxes, so he could tell what Mane was doing. He was very impressed by what he had witnessed so far, and he was more eager for strength after seeing Mane bulldoze his way through the Orange Team.


    Soon Mane''s eyes lit up, and he suddenly stood still. He filled his leg with Edict and struck it onto the ground softly. Yet nothing happened. He didn''t give up. He moved a few meters away and repeated the it. He did this a few times until an anomaly was noticed. Small cracks appeared this time, and Mane quickly spread out his senses and smiled.


    "Found you." He opened up his fists and reached into the ground. His fingers were like dragon claws, and they effortlessly tore through the weak soil and pulled out a figure. Although this person was covered in dust, her beautiful curves still couldn''t be hidden. Looking into her charming eyes, Mane smiled and said, "Do you concede?"


    "Against a freak like you we stood no chance. I concede."

 Chapter 353 - A Favor

    "You people look lovely. Hahaha!" Ivor laughed boisterously upon seeing the messy appearances of Vital Orange and Black Hand. Vital Orange was holding an icepack to his head and his lips were slightly swollen. Black Hand was less miserable since he was only using ice on his belly, but he looked depressed. Orange Ivy had immediately left to shower once the duel was over. She wasn''t seated in the hall with the rest of the Orange Team.


    Unlike Ivor who did nothing to hide his amus.e.m.e.nt at the miserable appearance of the team, Tucker had excused himself tactfully when Vital Orange and Black Hand regained consciousness. As a Thrasher he knew better than to offend a Predator, especially when a Tiger''s honour was also involved. He was currently outside making conversation with the guards. As for the twins, they weren''t dumb either. Since they came with Ivor, the older man was responsible for them. Ivor asked Orange Ivy if they could be given rooms, and the Thrasher who was in no position to reject a request from Ivor the Tattler immediately agreed. What a joke! How could she reject a request from a man so powerful that even the City Lord would have to be humble before him? Besides, she could tell that Ivor was especially concerned about the twins. This was a chance for her to get into his good books, and have the powerful mystery man owe their team a favour. Once the twins were given their rooms, they left to save Vital Orange and Black Hand the embarrassment of having their sorry figures seen by teenagers. The only people in the hall now were Mane, Ivor, Black Hand and Vital Orange.??


    "Since you are done here, you should go and register Mane. I have some other things to take care of so I wouldn''t be able to escort you." Ivor said and immediately stood up. Seeing Ivor climbing up the stairs, Mane, Vital Orange and Black Hand had no doubt that he was going to bid the twins goodbye before leaving.


    "I think you''ve seen what I am capable of now," Mane smiled and started the conversation once Ivor''s figure disappeared. Vital Orange and Black Hand blushed slightly upon hearing his words. Although Mane was also a Predator, he was very young. While it was true that in this world strength was what mattered, it was still strange to be speaking to a teenager like an equal. And that was made worse by the fact that this teenager was not their equal, but stronger than them.


    "You truly are strong," Vital Orange sighed and admitted. At first when Mane easily took him out in their one-on-one duel Vital Orange was indignant on the inside. Although he admitted that he lost, he felt that it may have been because he underestimated Mane that he lost. But his thoughts changed once the two fought again. Even without a weapon, Mane proved that he was powerful enough to rival the entire Orange Team! That was spectacular, and Vital Orange was positive that no one would believe what had happened even if they were told. For even for the members of the Orange Team, they were still finding it hard to believe that they had lost so convincingly.


    "Indeed. For someone who chose to fight against us without any weapons, you not only held your own but dealt with us all." Black Hand smiled bitterly and said. His expression was that of a man who had just lost his beloved pet.


    "That is not entirely true," Mane shook his head and said.


    "What do you mean by that? While we may not be enthused by the fact that we lost to one so young, we know what happened. We saw and experienced it ourselves. There is no need to make us feel better." Vital Orange stated, thinking that Mane was trying to be modest.


    "I can''t believe they think you are a humble guy," Hildegarde chuckled from her position on Mane''s shoulder. Her words had Mane smiling bitterly.


    "Do I strike you us a humble person?" Mane asked as he ignored Hildegarde snickering that ''she told him so''.


    "Well, no but¡­" Black Hand replied but was cut short by Mane. Although it was rude, Mane knew what he was going to say and felt that if he allowed Black Hand to speak, the man and Vital Orange would be more convinced that Mane was only trying to console them.


    "Snakes excel in using poisons and hidden weapons. Yet you only used non-lethal gases and poisons. You also stuck to using only your dagger and moved to your Metallic String when you lost them. I could smell the presence of several other concealed weapons in your coat before the battle. Yet when the battle began, these weapons were nowhere next to you, meaning that you took them off. One could infer from this that they are deadly and aren''t suitable for use in a friendly spar"


    Black Hand looked blankly at Mane when he heard Mane''s words. It was true that he took off many of his weapons before the battle began, but he didn''t think that Mane was able to see through that as well.


    "Plus I did use a weapon. I ''borrowed'' Vital Orange''s axe when I fought you. So in a sense, I didn''t fight barehanded." Mane smiled bitterly when he recalled how awkward he was with the axe. Although he felt a sense of refreshment and power from holding the weapon, his lack of knowledge on axes had left him incapable of using the weapon properly. It left him feeling uncomfortable. Not because he was a perfectionist. It was something else. It was a feeling he got when he held the axe. It was unlike anything he had experienced before. Even when he first picked up the sword to study it, he never experienced that. When he held the axe he felt a sense of comradery, like he was meant to use axes. And a strange power welled up within him upon holding the weapon, but he couldn''t bring out this power because he knew nothing about axes, so all he could do was use his brute strength to get the best out of the weapon.


    Vital Orange''s brows twitched slightly when he heard Mane refer to forcefully taking his weapon from him as ''borrowing'' it. If that''s how one borrowed objects, then the word had truly lost its meaning.


    "Thanks. I feel much better now." Black Hand smiled slightly when Mane was done speaking. He could feel Mane''s sincerity, and could tell that the boy wasn''t trying to comfort him at all. He was genuinely saying what he felt. Mane was basically saying if Black Hand had all his tools, it would have been a much harder fight. But Black Hand knew that although the fight would have been harder, there was no way he would have won. If he used all his weapons and traps as well as his lethal poisons, then Mane wouldn''t have any reason to hold back and would have used his full strength. Plus Black Hand and Vital Orange knew from the sharpness of Mane''s aura that he was skilled with the sword. So throw in that factor too and the probability of victory for the Orange Team would be less than 10%.


    Vital Orange gazed at Mane with hopeful eyes. Since Mane had said so much to make Black Hand feel better, then he surely had to have some good words for him as well.


    "What?" Mane asked as he feigned puzzlement upon seeing Vital Orange''s hopeful eyes. "I beat you fair and square you know," Mane smirked and Vital Orange almost coughed up blood. The kid was right when he said he wasn''t humble!


    "But I did fight you very seriously. At the end of our fight, I had resorted to using over 60% of my strength." Mane looked at Vital Orange and spoke seriously. Vital Orange smiled bitterly upon hearing Mane''s words. How was that meant to comfort him? Mane''s words sounded pompous and arrogant, but Hildegarde knew they weren''t. Since her power level was higher than Mane''s, she could sense just how much power he had at his disposal. Although she was restricted from using her strength, her senses were still accurate. She could actually tell that Mane was being modest.


    "If he knew that you only actually used 50% of your power I''m sure that he would faint from embarrassment," Hildegarde giggled. Mane smiled and turned his head away from the eyes of Black Hand and Vital Orange. Using Lock-On he said to Hildegarde, "It''s a good thing that no one other than you can hear me then."


    "I know you think I''m bragging. But if you ever see me fight at full capacity one day, you would know that my words are true." Mane said with a small smile.


    "Oh I believe you," Vital Orange said. "Your aura is concealed, but when we fought I could feel the sharpness of your aura. When sword users have such sharp auras, it usually means they are straightforward and unboastful. It''s just I was hoping that I got you to use more than that." Vital Orange admitted with a bitter smile.


    The trio continued their conversation and grew more familiar with each other. It had been quite some time since they started talking, and Ivor had already left the premises. It was then that Mane made a request to Vital Orange.


    "I want to learn how to fight with an axe."


    "Why? I haven''t seen you use the sword but my intuition tells me that you are brilliant with it. Why not stick to it?" Vital Orange was confused, and so was Black Hand. Although Mane was a genius, it was never wise to learn too much. That would only make you a jack of all trades yet master of none. It was better to study one thing and master it so that one could become the best at that one thing.


    "I grew intrigued by the weapon as I held it in my hands. Plus I believe that it would further my attainments in the path of the sword." Mane gave an excuse for his decision to learn how to use an axe. But this reason was sound, and Vital Orange and Black Hand bought it.


    After all, it was true that many masters branched into other paths whenever they reached a bottleneck with the weapons they favored; not because they had given up but because they sought to gain inspiration from another field. So Mane''s words made sense. Black Hand didn''t ask Mane whether he wanted to learn the art of concealed weapons or poisoning because it wasn''t the path for Mane. Mane''s straightforward nature made him very unsuited to being an assassin. If he studied the ways of concealment and poisoning, his sword arts would become tainted because sword users were meant to be as sharp and unconcealed as their blades.


    "Okay. I would be happy to guide you then." Vital Orange was enthused by the opportunity to aid a talented young man. He didn''t dare accept Mane as a student because Mane was stronger. But he could guide Mane in understanding axe techniques.


    "We should go and register you now," Vital Orange suggested, and Black Hand nodded his head in agreement.


    "Can I be registered tomorrow?" Mane asked.


    "Why? Do you not want to join our team?" Vital Orange sounded a bit anxious. After seeing Mane''s strength he was certain that the Grand Tourney trophy would be theirs as long as Mane was on their side. On the other hand, were he to join any other team, the Orange Team would undoubtedly lose.


    "I do. I like your personalities. But I want to take care of something first." Mane shook his head and explained. His words had Vital Orange sighing in relief.


    "In fact, I need your help," Mane stated.


    "Oh? What can we do for you?" Vital Orange asked curiously.


    "I was told that I can gain access to Asher City''s Enchanted Forest if I had you as my backers. I want to train there for a bit. Can you help me out?" Mane requested. He learnt this from Tucker.


    "Oh that? It''s easy." Vital Orange answered enthusiastically. He thought Mane was going to make some unreasonable request. Luckily, it was something that they could easily handle.


    "Do you want to go now?" Vital Orange asked.


    "I do," Mane nodded his head.


    "Then let''s get going. We would take you there personally. They would allow you to enter if they see you with us. Let me just put the ice away and change" Vital Orange stated and got up. Black Hand also got up.


    "Can I bring the twins?" Mane asked.


    "Okay," Vital Orange replied, but he was slightly baffled. The twins didn''t seem like fighters. What could Mane want with them? But that wasn''t his concern. They looked like they were close, so Vital Orange was sure everything was going to be fine. Besides, with Mane''s strength even Mythic Classes would be the ones in trouble if they provoked him.

 Chapter 354 - The Laws Of Life And Death

    Mane stood right before the door to Lam''s room and knocked softly. Soon he heard movements from inside the room and it didn''t take long for the door to be opened.


    "Oh Mane. It''s you." Lam smiled once he saw who was at the door and ushered Mane in. Mane smiled and obliged. He knew why Lam didn''t ask for who it was before he opened the door, and why his friend didn''t just ask him to come in. That was because he felt another presence in the room. This other presence was Lam''s sister, Lily.??


    "Hey Lily," Mane greeted the younger twin and sat on the only chair available in the room.


    "Hi," Lily smiled gleefully and looked at Mane with sparkling eyes. In her eyes were hints of appreciation and praise, no doubt as a result of the fight she had just witnessed.


    "It''s good both of you are here. Saves me the trouble of speaking to you individually." Mane was quick to get to the point. They didn''t have much time to prepare and he didn''t want to let Vital Orange and Black Hand wait for them for too long. They were older than him and were his seniors, so it would be rude to keep them waiting.


    "Why? What''s wrong?" Lam realised that Mane wasn''t here for chats and giggles and asked. Lily also grew a tad more serious when she noticed that Mane was here to discuss something important.


    "Remember what I told you at the fireplace the other time?" Mane turned to Lam and asked. Lam looked surprised for a while, but he quickly nodded his head.


    "What did you discuss?" Lily asked curiously. She didn''t know what the two boys were talking about.


    "About a day ago, Mane told me that he had a special ability that made it possible to transfer power to another person. He decided that once we got to Asher City he would help me get stronger through this method. And then he would teach me how to use my new power." Lam was the one to answer. He had a complicated look on his face as he spoke.


    "What? You can do something like that?" Lily asked with a stunned expression. And who could blame her? What Mane was saying was far beyond anything the twins had ever heard of before. It didn''t seem possible, and it had never been recorded before.


    "It has something to do with where I come from. I can''t say anything more than that." Mane quickly waved his arms and said to stop Lily from asking any intrusive questions.


    "Why are you looking at me like that?" Mane asked curiously seeing the complicated look on Lam''s face.


    "If it would affect you in any way¡­" Lam started. Mane smiled when he heard his friend''s words. He thought Lam was thinking about a serious issue. He didn''t realise that his friend was only concerned for his wellbeing. He knew that Lam was eager to get stronger, but he didn''t think that his friend was willing to give up such an opportunity if it was going to be detrimental to Mane''s strength or health.


    "I know what you are worried about, but that won''t happen. In fact, I''m planning to infuse strength into both you and Lily." Mane interrupted with a smile.


    "What? I''m also included?" Lily asked with a stunned expression. Unlike her brother, there was no pressure on her to be strong. It wasn''t because she was a girl. After all, the Predator with an uncommon title, Steel Fist, who officiated the previous round of the Grand Tourney was a woman. Lily felt no pressure to get stronger because of her nature. She hated conflicts and was kind to a fault. She didn''t see herself fighting anyone, so she didn''t see why she needed strength.


    "I know what you are thinking," Mane lifted his hand to stop Lily from saying what she was about to say. This was because he could already guess what she wanted to say. She was more likely to say that she didn''t want to get any power because she didn''t plan to use it.


    "I know you don''t like violence, but you need to have the power to protect yourself. You cannot always be the damsel we have to protect. Remember the Red Heaven Bandits?" Mane asked.


    Lily and Lam nodded their heads with somber expressions on their faces. Of course they remembered those bandits. That was the first time either of them had seen so much chaos or experienced the cruelty of a battlefield.


    "There are people like that all over the world; people who have strength and use it for the wrong purpose. Take the Young Lord Tucker was serving before as another example. If I and Ivor were absent, what do you think would have happened?" Mane tried to convince Lily of the benefits of having her own power to rely on.


    Lily quickly grew pale when she recalled the arrogant look on the face of Young Master Twain when he gestured for her to be brought away forcefully.


    "Elder Fan wouldn''t be around forever, and you need power to protect yourself. Plus with power, you can also help others who don''t have the power to help themselves." Mane argued. It seemed that his final few words were effective, for Lily balled her fists with a resolute expression on her face. Then she slowly nodded her head.


    "Good. Oh and the tricks you wanted me to teach you can only be learned when you gain the strange energy I would impart into you later on." Mane added.


    Lily looked confused for a moment, but her eyes grew bright when she recalled that Mane had promised to guide her down the path of Scholars. She nodded her head eagerly as Lam looked at the two of them with confusion in his eyes since he had no idea what they were talking about.


    "So when do we start?" Lam asked.


    "Soon. I need to extract the energy first." Mane explained.


    "How?" Lily asked as she tilted her head slightly.


    "From Magical Beasts. We need to go to Asher City''s Enchanted Forest. So get ready to leave in the next few minutes"


    ****************************************


    It had been only a few seconds since Mane left Lam''s room. Lily had rushed to her room which was only next door to change. Since it was late afternoon, it was a bit cold. She had to grab something more appropriate to withstand the cold weather outside. Lam was also getting ready.


    Mane was leaning against a wall a few rooms away from Lam''s room. Since his senses were sharper, he didn''t choose to wait outside Lam''s door because Lily''s room was right next to Lam''s. Proper manners and courtesy dictated that he wasn''t to peek on a lady changing her clothes. Although he wouldn''t see anything, his heightened sense of hearing would pick up the sound of her changing and that was rude. So he chose to stand at a distance where he wouldn''t hear a thing once he retracted his senses.


    "I can''t believe that your Enlightenment also increased your understanding of Devour," Hildegarde was on her usual spot ¨C Mane''s shoulder. She sighed and spoke with a bit of envy.


    "Indeed. During that brief Enlightenment, I finally understood how to use Devour better. Now I know how to extract energy from living and dead creatures. Though due to the limitations of my strength, I can only extract Edict from the dead now." Mane nodded his head and spoke to Hildegarde using Lock-On. Although he was the only one in the hallway, he had to be cautious when talking of such a perverse skill. Although his Enlightenment had lasted several hours, Mane called it brief because according to historical texts, there were people who had spent several years in Enlightenment. There was actually a record of someone spending twenty years in the glow of Enlightenment. This person was an ordinary farmer with no power. Yet after his Enlightenment had ended, he was a peak Nobility Realmer! Mane didn''t know if the texts were true or not, but if they were, then this person really hit the jackpot.


    The benefits of Mane''s Enlightenment weren''t limited to only the merging of his inner and outer energy. The other thing he gained from it was his understanding of Devour. Devour was a skill handed to him by Cronos, the Selfish Titan King. And although Mane had been using it to wield and recover his abilities, he didn''t understand much of it, especially the part about being able to use Devour to take Edict from both the living and the dead. Did the living die when Edict was forcefully extracted? Did they lose their strength entirely or was it only going to be a period of temporary weakness for them? The part about the dead was equally confusing. Did Mane have to kill the people himself to be able to extract Edict? There were a lot of questions that Mane didn''t know the answer to. He wanted to experiment when he had the chance, and he probably should have when he met sc_u_m like the Red Heaven Bandits because they were the perfect guinea pigs for so many unknowns. Yet in his muddled state he had forgotten to do so. Luckily for him, his Enlightenment provided answers.


    Yes, Mane had to kill personally before being able to extract Edict. This was because Devour was a skill born from the Laws of Life and Death. Mane''s Enlightenment had given him some insights into both laws and he understood that they were connected. Mane couldn''t take from something that had already died. Since he was the bearer of the Law of Life and Death, he had to govern it. If he was to take from the dead, he had to be the one to pass the death sentence.


    As for the living, Mane couldn''t extract Edict from them just yet. His understanding of the Laws of Life and Death during his Enlightenment made him aware of the fact that if he was to take from the living, he may accidentally extract their souls as well and they would die. This was because he wasn''t yet at a level where he could have perfect control over his power. Since Mane had promised not to kill indiscriminately, he had to avoid extracting from the living for now. Mane reckoned that he may be able to extract from the living without hurting them once he was past the Earth Realm. Since he was once an Earth Realmer, he knew that that level of power wouldn''t be enough. But he didn''t know if the Heaven Realm would be the wielding level he would have to attain before being able to extract Edict from the living.


    "I can''t believe that you now understand the Laws of Life and Death," Hildegarde grumbled. Both Laws were heavenly laws that would give anyone immense power. Understanding one was an impossible task, yet Mane understood both.


    "My understanding is only at the rudimentary level. I need to master them before I can actually use them freely." Mane explained.


    "Doesn''t matter. Even the rudimentary level is enough for you to do so much with Devour." Hildegarde argued.


    "Well that''s true," Mane admitted. "Plus it also tells us more than that," he added.


    "What?" Hildegarde asked curiously.


    "It means that our information on Cronos isn''t entirely accurate," Mane furrowed his brows and said.


    "What do you mean?" Hildegarde still didn''t get it.


    "If he could so effortlessly grant me power that was born from the combination of the Laws of Life and Death, that means he isn''t purely a god of time." Mane frowned and explained.


    "That''s true. And that would explain why he still has influence over you even though it was said that he died long ago!" Hildegarde exclaimed in understanding.


    Mane nodded. His 9th master was a time wielder, and he had said once that for Cronos to be able to influence Mane even though he was dead meant that his understanding of time laws was far beyond anything the universe had ever seen. It was literally unreal. But what if Cronos wasn''t relying on Time Laws. What if he wasn''t truly dead? What if the Laws of Life and Death had been comprehended by the Selfish Titan King?


    "Guess I''d have to think about that later," Mane shook his head.


    "Yeah. Your friends are out. It''s time to leave."


    *****************************


    The soul was a mysterious thing, and only a few people understood even a fraction of its power. And the space in which a soul resided in the body was even more difficult to discern. Deep within Mane''s body, there was a vast space. This space was huge, and was like a universe itself. There was no light, only darkness. It was gloomy, and every other law was absent. It looked empty, yet it wasn''t completely empty. For there was a lone throne in this dark space. Upon the throne sat a grandiose figure. Even with all his features obscured, the majesty of this figure could be felt. This figure remained as it was, unmoving and unfeeling, like one with no breath of life. Suddenly, the space shook as this figure chuckled in amus_e_m_e_nt.


    "Interesting. He is once again taking a path similar to my own. Would he succeed this time? I wonder. Hahaha!"

 Chapter 355 - There Is Nothing Cute About An Enchanted Forest

    Once Lam and Lily were ready, they joined Mane, Vital Orange and Black Hand in journeying to Asher City''s Enchanted Forest. They informed Tucker that they were going out and would be back soon, and left the Thrasher at the mansion. Soon they reached the periphery of the Enchanted Forest. The perimeter of the Enchanted Forest was littered with guards evenly spaced to limit entry into the Enchanted Forest. Once they were close enough, Vital Orange and Black Hand walked ahead of the group and shared some words with the guards. The wary guards let down their guards once they learnt of the identity of the group. They nodded their heads at Vital Orange and Black Hand, before opening a path to the Enchanted Forest so that Mane and the twins would be able to go in.


    "Since you don''t need our protection we won''t be going in with you," Vital Orange walked back to the group and said. He had a small smile on his face as he spoke. Mane had already proven that he was more than enough to protect the twins, so they didn''t need to go in with him to protect him. Besides, they could tell that Mane wasn''t keen on going in with them.


    "Thank you for all your help," Mane was grateful for the efforts of Vital Orange and Black Hand in helping him gain access to the Enchanted Forest. Predators weren''t that free, and for Black Hand and Vital Orange to leave everything just to escort them wasn''t a favor Mane would take lightly. Although Mane was also a Predator now, that didn''t mean that Black Hand or Vital Orange was obliged to help him. Also, it would have been difficult for Mane to sneak into the place since his abilities as a Spiritualist were blocked without the presence of Chaos. Add the twins to it, and it was impossible for even Mane to do so. And this was because Mane could feel that there were a few Thrashers guarding the place, and there was even a Predator hidden nearby!


    "It''s no problem at all," Vital Orange replied with a small laugh whilst Black Hand just stood silently next to him.


    "We were able to get you about 2 hours'' worth of time. I hope that is good enough?" Vital Orange asked.


    "It is more than enough. Thank you again." Mane nodded his head and replied.


    "Then we''d leave you to your task. We still have some things to take care of so we won''t be here when you come out." Vital Orange gave Mane a shoulder pat and stated.


    "Alright. Thanks again." Mane wasn''t expecting Vital Orange and Black Hand to wait for two hours whilst he and the twins went training, so he wasn''t surprised by their words. After all, it wasn''t like they had nothing to do.


    Mane and the twins waited for Vital Orange and Black Hand to leave as a sign of respect and then walked towards the Enchanted Forest. The guards Vital Orange and Black Hand had spoken to had curious expressions on their faces as Mane and the twins approached them. Mane had three swords on him. Two light swords were strapped vertically along his back, and a heavy sword was strapped horizontally across his belt on his waist. But the twins didn''t carry any weapons with them. The guards were curious about the three who had Vital Orange, a Tiger, come and make a request for them. As for Black Hand, few people knew that he was actually a Predator and the guards weren''t part of that exclusive group.


    "Thank you for allowing us to use your Enchanted Forest," Mane expressed his thanks to the guards for their help. Although they had only been given permission to use the place because of Vital Orange and Black Hand making the request for them, Mane knew that it was prudent to offer his thanks.


    "It''s no problem at all. Remember, you only have two hours. You should return before time is up. Be careful when you go inside. I would recommend that you stick to the Outer region and avoid the Inner Regions." The guards nodded their heads and advised Mane and the twins. The Inner Regions were filled with High and Mythic Class Magical Beasts, so they thought it prudent to offer the young trio some advice. Although Mane looked well-armed, the two guards couldn''t feel any power from him and thought it best to offer Mane and the twins some advice. After all, with how young they looked, it would be a miracle if they were even Animal Hunters. If it wasn''t because of the fact that Mane and the twins had arrived with Vital Orange and Black Hand, they would have been ignored.


    "Thank you very much. We will heed your words." Mane nodded his head and proceeded to enter with the twins.


    "It''s funny that such weaklings are advising you," Hildegarde snickered from atop Mane''s shoulder. Mane could only smile bitterly at her words. Then he ignored her and started observing the twins. Both Lam and Lily were slightly anxious, which was to be expected since this was their first time entering an Enchanted Forest. But underneath their anxiety and fear were hints of expectation and excitement. Lam especially was very excited. After all, this was something he had wanted for a very long time.


    "We''d go straight to the Inner Region," Mane announced. Lam and Lily nodded their heads; their palms a bit sweaty. Mane didn''t try to comfort them. After all, what could he possibly say to them? It was their first time and there was nothing he was going to say that would make them feel any better. He could engage them in lively conversation to take their minds away from it, but that wouldn''t help. He needed them to understand how dangerous the Enchanted Forest was. So he wasn''t willing to make the atmosphere lighter and cheerier.


    Soon they came across their first Magical Beast. It was a Low Class Magical Beast called Furry Rabbit. It was a cute creature, and Lily''s eyes sparkled once she saw it. She subconsciously tried to approach the beast, but Mane stopped her. Although she gave off an aura that was calming and soothing, it wasn''t safe for Lily to approach the little creature. Unlike Red Maned Horses which could be tamed, many Magical Beasts like the Furry Rabbit were naturally violent.


    "Don''t think it is harmless because it''s cute. Everything in an Enchanted Forest can kill you." Mane advised as he bent down to pick up a stone. Lam nodded his head, agreeing with his friend. He had read much about Magical Beasts and knew about this harmless looking creature. Although it looked cute and innocent, it was actually very sly. It used its looks to get closer to humans and then once they let their guards down it would strike. It had powerful hind limbs that could smash the head of a human into paste with a stomp and it wasn''t shy of using them. The furry rabbit looked at the group of three curiously, yet they didn''t get closer to it. Its eyes shined ominously as it opened its mouth to reveal its sharp teeth and then it leaped towards the three. Mane simply flung the pebble he was holding at it.


    *Poof*


    The airborne creature plummeted to the ground with a small hole in its head. It didn''t even have the chance to scream before it was killed.


    "To Magical Beasts, humans are nothing but food. If you don''t hunt them, they would hunt you." Mane stated and walked past the carcass of the Furry Rabbit. He didn''t even spare its corpse another glance.


    "Are you okay?" Mane asked seeing the pale faces of the twins.


    "Yeah. We''d be okay." Lam replied and lightly tapped his sister''s shoulder.


    "Let''s go on then."

 Chapter 356 - Devouring A High Class Magical Beast

    The three kept moving resolutely towards the inner region. Mane had his aura of power unleashed, and its unrestrained power kept Magical Beasts away from the group of three. The ferocity and killing intent that were contained within his aura were fully exposed to the surroundings, and even the dumbest of creatures would feel fear when they feel the power of Mane''s aura.


    "Having a strong aura sure is convenient," Hildegarde smirked. She was sitting at her usual spot. And she was actually more comfortable now since one of Mane''s swords was serving as a backrest for her.


    "Indeed. Actually, I would have preferred for us to have to deal with the beasts ourselves. Unfortunately there isn''t time for that." Mane was walking slightly behind the twins, so he was able to speak with Hildegarde without any problem. Although he sent his voice directly into her ear, it wouldn''t have been so easy to talk to the fairy if he was walking shoulder to shoulder with the twins since they would see his mouth move. Plus this way, he could split his attention so that he would be able to make out any dangerous beasts that would ignore his aura. Luckily, there were no such beasts so far.


    "You wanted them to experience what it is like to be in an Enchanted Forest for real, huh?" Hildegarde swung her legs and smiled. She understood Mane well enough to know why he said that. Mane would have preferred it if they had a lot of time on their hands. That way, they would have to face every beast that came their way without caring about a time limit. He wanted the twins to witness his fighting style and grow a bit numb to the hunting of Magical Beasts. He had witnessed their frightening talent and comprehensive abilities when they were being taught how to ride Red Maned Horses, and Mane didn''t doubt that they would be able to pick out a few things from his fighting style. But it was certainly going to be Lam paying more attention and picking up more than Lily. This wasn''t because Lily wasn''t as smart as her brother. Mane thought so because Lam was genuinely interested in growing stronger and would be willing to overlook the blood and gore to do so. Lily on the other hand, wasn''t so keen to grow stronger and had been coerced into coming only after Mane guilt-ed her into doing so.


    "Hmm. I can feel powerful auras nearby." Mane''s eyebrows shot up suddenly. His relaxed demeanor took a drastic turn, and his aura grew more focused. If he was here alone he wouldn''t have been so cautious, but with the twins to protect, he couldn''t be slack in any way. After all, all it took to claim a life was one good hit. If he lost concentration and they were ambushed by a strong and quick beast, the twins may be hurt or killed before even he would have the time to react. By then, even if he was able to kill the Magical Beast, the lives of his friends would have been forfeit and nothing would change.


    "That means were are getting closer to the inner region," Hildegarde could also feel the powerful auras ahead, and he came to the only logical conclusion. Mane nodded when he heard her. That was the same thought he had.


    "It seems that this place is much smaller than the village''s Enchanted Forest," Mane furrowed his brows and said. It had taken them less than 30 minutes to get to the inner region. That meant that this place was much smaller than the village''s Enchanted Forest. Although Mane had never entered the village''s Enchanted Forest before, Dan told him once that the place was so large that it would take someone with his strength 3 whole days to navigate the place! One had to remember that Dan was a Heaven Realmer with amazing strength. So three days to navigate a forest was insane.


    "It seems so," Hildegarde nodded in agreement and continued, "Yet this place is referred to as a High Level Enchanted Forest. And some of the auras coming from the Inner Region belong to the so-called Mythic Class Magical Beasts. I can sense about ten of such beasts. The rest are High Class Magical Beasts and Middle Class Magical Beasts." Hildegarde explained in detail.


    "I see. Thanks for the heads up." Mane replied. Mane''s Scouting Ability allowed him to sense pretty much everything within a 100 meter radius, but beyond that there was little he could do. Thankfully, he had a fairy with him. Although Hildegarde was a Low Ranked Fairy, she was strong. She was so strong that she could sense Ivor''s strength and the law he specialized in even though she wasn''t a Scholar. That was only possible if one was several times stronger than the other person. Mane reckoned that Hildegarde might be a Noble! Nobles were Nobility Realmers who had truly stepped into the realm of power across the universe. Mane had never met one before, and although his parents and Butler Fin were gods, Mane had never met any powerhouse in the Nobility Realm.


    "Based on what Dan told me, the village''s Enchanted Forest has several Mythic Classes, and the High Classes that dare roam the inner region or even live there are those strong enough to rival Mythic Classes. There is no way Middle Classes would survive out there. Plus from what Elder Fan told me, even a Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast has appeared before. That means the village''s Enchanted Forest is far larger and far more dangerous than this place."


    Mane furrowed his brows as he spoke. According to Hildegarde there were only 10 Mythic Classes here, yet the village had to endure an Overflow that involved several Mythic Classes and a Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast. In fact, from what Mane understood based on the story Old Fan had told him, they only survived because of Dan''s breakthrough in strength. And even though they had thinned out the Magical Beast population when they defended the Overflow, Dan still told Mane that the number of Mythic Classes had grown. Although the number couldn''t be compared to before the Overflow, it was still a lot. Mane remembered that Dan had once told him that the village''s Enchanted Forest was at least three times stronger and larger than the biggest Enchanted Forest he had come across during his travels. Mane assumed it was an exaggeration, but after today, he didn''t think so. After all, this place even had Middle Classes roaming the inner region, and now that Mane was much closer to it, he could sense some of these Middle Classes.


    "The village in its prime had the strength to withstand any Overflow with very few casualties even without my help," Dan had said once, but Mane had little knowledge of the world to understand just how impressive that statement was. But now Mane could tell he was right.


    "One always gets challenges that fall in line with one''s level of strength," Mane thought silently. Because the village was strong, it faced an Overflow that had never been experienced before. Because of this, Mane couldn''t any surer of the above phrase.


    "We are in the Inner Region now," Hildegarde mumbled, and Mane nodded his head. They were only at the borders before, but now they had truly entered the inner region.


    "I wouldn''t have the strength to pay attention to you anymore," Mane smiled and informed Hildegarde. The cute fairy nodded her head in understanding. Although Mythic Classes didn''t pose a threat to Mane, it was different with the twins around. After all, defending was much more difficult than attacking. Besides, Mane would have to do things orderly so that Lam and Lily would be able to pick up his techniques.


    "We are in the Inner Region now. I have retracted my aura, which means Magical Beasts would come for us. So stay alert." Mane informed the twins, and they immediately grew tense.


    "Lam, how do you think this place compares to the village''s Enchanted Forest," Mane asked as he unsheathed one of the light swords from his back. His question came as a surprise to Lam who didn''t expect Mane to ask him something like that.


    "Well, I have never been to ours, but I know that it''s several times bigger. At least I know that it could take a full day to get to the inner region. And the inner region is supposedly much more difficult to traverse, with poisonous swamps and powerful beasts lurking around. Apparently traversing the inner region alone could take up to a week." Lam held his chin and replied.


    Mane nodded at his words. Not everyone was Dan. So it made sense that others who had to be cautious when passing through the inner region of the village''s Enchanted Forest took so much time to travel the entire distance.


    "What about you Lily? Did Elder Fan tell you anything about the village''s Enchanted Forest?" Mane enquired.


    "Pretty much the same thing. We live in the same house remember." Lily replied with a smile, and Mane involuntarily smiled seeing her looking better than she did before.


    "I am perplexed about one thing though," Mane rubbed his beard and said.


    "What is it?" Lily asked. Lam had an equally curious look on his face.


    "Hold on a minute," Mane said and swiveled. He slashed across the space in front of him, and a thin sword light was produced from his sword.


    *Puchi*


    Along with something being torn to shreds, a large body fell onto the ground. Once it fell, its corpse was split into two equal parts.


    "Is that a Camo-Lizard?" Lam asked with a dull complexion. He was taking this much better than he did Mane''s first kill. Lily was also a bit pale, but she didn''t look disgusted. Maybe it was because of the grotesque look the dead beast possessed which was why she was relatively calm. After all, compared to the cute Furry Rabbit, the Camo-Lizard was very ugly.


    "You really know your stuff," Mane admitted with a sigh. He didn''t recognize the beast until Lam had identified it. The Camo-Lizard was a High Class Magical Beast which had the ability to, as its name suggested, blend into the surroundings. It''s most impressive move was becoming transparent. This move was very impressive since this made it almost impossible to perceive its presence even if it was right next to you. Only people with good eyesight and excellent senses like Predators could easily deal with this Magical Beast. The Camo-Lizard was two meters long and 3 meters wide and looked like a ferocious crocodile with its spiky and hard exterior, powerful claws and sharp teeth. Its skin was difficult to breach, and it was even harder to kill.


    "So that''s why you took out your sword," Lily realised.


    "But that doesn''t make any sense. You have the strength to be able to deal with it with just your fists." Lam stated with a contemplative look on his face. He had seen Mane''s strength back at the mansion ¨C at least part of it ¨C and he was certain that Mane could easily take on the Camo-Lizard because every Predator could easily handle this beast.


    "That is unless you need the corpse for something," Lily deduced.


    "Does this have anything to do with the ability of yours that allows you to transfer power to others?" Lam asked.


    "They are really intelligent, these twins," Hildegarde sighed in appreciation. The twins came to the right conclusion without Mane''s help at all, once again demonstrating their terrifying intelligence.


    Mane could have blown it apart with his fist, but that would have been too messy, and that wasn''t what he was aiming for. He needed the corpse of the beast to use the Devour skill.


    "Yes," Mane admitted. "High Class Magical Beasts barely make the cut. I need to use them to help you familiarize yourself with the energy I possess. Then we would find two Mythic Classes. One for each of you." Mane continued.


    The twins nodded their heads, but they had a question


    However, they knew Mane had some secrets, and were aware that this wasn''t the right place to ask questions so they were saving their questions for later.


    "Devour," Mane mumbled in his head as he placed his hands on the corpse of the Camo-Lizard. Since the body was separated into two perfect halves, Mane easily pushed them back together. Soon the dissipating Edict within the body of the Camo-Lizard and the Edict deep within its core was extracted into Mane''s hands. The twins watched wide-eyed as Mane''s hand began to glow. Mane''s hand glowed with a green light and he knew right away that the Camo-Lizard was a Wind Attributed Magical Beast. Mane could feel the density of the energy he held and he could sense that Lily''s body welcomed the Wind Elements whilst Lam''s body opposed it.


    "Lily," Mane called out.


    "Yeah," Lily responded and snapped out of her stunned state.


    "Don''t reject me," Mane ordered and placed his glowing hand on Lily''s head.


    "I''d never reject you," Lily softly mumbled, but Mane heard her words. His heart skipped a beat and he almost faltered.


    "Seeing you lose composure is always a pleasant sight to behold," Hildegarde jumped at the chance to tease Mane again. She was slightly disappointed when she saw that he was still calm, but when she saw his reddening ears, her smile returned to her face.


    Lily blushed slightly upon realizing that her whisper had been heard. She chided herself for forgetting that Mane was even able to hear her on a horse when they were surrounded by the rushing wind. However, she didn''t have much time to think of anything else before feeling a soothing power filling her entire being and flooding her with strength.

 Chapter 357 - Baptism Of Inner Energy

    Mane''s eyes were closed as he dedicated a whole half of his attention to the changes occurring within Lily''s body. The other half was focused on observing the surroundings to prepare against any sneaky creatures. Lam was a smart young man, and he had drawn close to Mane to make his friend''s task of protecting him much easier. Mane had his aura fully unleashed as he helped Lily. And that seemed to be deterrent enough. Besides, Hildegarde was here to prompt him if he lost his concentration on the environment and there was a Magical Beast approaching. The little fairy flew around the group in circles as she looked around vigilantly. It was a strange decision to make, since she could feel the energies of the creatures in the inner region from Mane''s shoulder and there was no reason for her to have gotten up in the first place. Of course her explanation,


    "I want to give the two of you some space," was neatly ignored by Mane who had long since pushed her to the back of his mind from the moment he used the Devour skill.


    Mane guided Edict through Lily''s body, a feat he was able to accomplish because he had studied the Star Maps of the twins rigorously over the four days they travelled together through his True Eyes. His amazing eidetic memory allowed him to accurate remember every vessel and body part connected to their Star Maps, but doing so wasn''t easy. If this was before his Enlightenment, Mane wouldn''t have dared to try since he could have easily hurt the twins. But his control of Edict had grown tremendously after his Enlightenment and his understanding of the Law of Life improved his perception about the human body.


    "Can you feel it?" Mane asked after he had successfully guided Edict through Lily''s body for the first time. He slowly began the second cycle, helping her gain a bit of familiarity with this strange energy. He had his eyes closed so he could accurately picture the location of the stars in her body.


    "I can," Lily responded as she reveled in the strength the strange new energy gave her. She said she wasn''t interested in getting stronger, but now that she was gradually being filled with power, she started feeling that maybe being strong wasn''t a bad thing.


    "Try to take control of it and guide it along the pathways I''m using," Mane nodded his head, his eyes still closed as he instructed Lily on what to do.


    "Okay," Lily responded and tried to grab hold of the energy within her body.


    When Mane observed the Star Maps of the twins, he noticed that they were just as empty as their Grandfather''s. Or at least he thought they were just as empty as Elder Fan''s, but he was not entirely right. Mane realised that the twins had stars in their star maps. Both of them had 8 stars each, but they were clouded! Whoever did the masking was much stronger than Ivor or Dan. Maybe it was a Noble. Why was Mane certain of this? Because even his True Eyes couldn''t see past the technique! Someone had hidden the stars of the twins and clouded them with a technique that made it difficult for them to be able to store Edict. It did this by ''deceiving Edict'' into thinking that there were no means to store it so that the Primordial Energy Source would dissipate. It was an illusion Type technique, and Mane was stunned to realise that there were people on this planet capable of such feats. And maybe that was why Lam had been fed New Type Potions unknowingly and yet had not an iota of Outer Energy modifying his body.


    True Eyes weren''t omnipotent. They were powerful, but there were restrictions. Mane understood these restrictions during his Enlightenment. Nobles and Ascenders were of a much higher league compared to other wielders, and even True Eyes wouldn''t be able to see through their techniques. Mane was deluded into thinking True Eyes could see all because he was able to see through Ananse''s disguise when his True Eyes had awakened before her in the True Universe. But upon his Enlightenment he understood that he saw past Ananse because she used a flimsy disguise technique before him, not because True Eyes were that powerful. It was likely that because she was suspicious and wanted to know if Mane had inherited the True Eyes, she had resorted to using such a poor disguise.


    Luckily Mane''s Enlightenment introduced him to the Laws of Life and Death, and he was able to sense the aura of life from the Star Maps of the twins. It was because of the faint life auras that Mane had been able to go past the illusion and locate their stars. As for the life auras, they came from the stars themselves! This led Mane to a whole new understanding about the stars within their bodies, and he understood that they living beings on their own like he was. Using True Eyes and the Law of Life, he placed markers on the stars and spent the rest of the trip constantly reviewing their stars and understanding them. Unfortunately, he wasn''t strong enough to remove the technique, and that was why he had to guide the twins into baptizing their stars with Edict. Mane theorized that if their stars were baptized with Edict, the technique would lose its purpose and disappear. But they had to do it on their own. He could only guide them.


    "That''s it!" Mane exclaimed involuntarily when Lily finally wrestled control of the Edict in her body. She had done this on her third try! It was amazing how quickly she picked up. She followed Mane''s lead and guided Edict through her Star Map. When Edict finally passed through the 8th star and came out, Mane pulled it out of her body. The kind of energy she would store first was meant to belong to a Mythic Class. That way she could start directly from the Profound Realm. The same could be said for Lam. Mane wanted them to start at his level, so that they could grow together. He was tired of always being in front, and felt that the twins'' talent and comprehension didn''t pale in comparison to his own! This was more of his own selfishness than his need to help them. He wanted them to put pressure on him so that he could grow faster.


    "How do you feel?" Mane asked once the entire ordeal was over. Now Lily could be said to be a wielder since her stars had been baptized by Edict. She was a 1st Stage Mortal Realmer now!


    "I feel great. And so much lighter than before," Lily responded with a bit of excitement. Mane wasn''t surprised. Lily was Wind Attributed. It was rare for people to have attributes, but so far all those Mane was acquainted with had attributes. And though Lily was only in the Mortal Realm and wouldn''t be able to use the wind elements, her physical attributes would be skewed towards speed more than strength. As he saw her eyes gleaming in excitement, Mane recalled his own experience of becoming an official wielder in the past. All he had to do was baptize his stars, but it wasn''t as tedious. After all, his weren''t cloaked. But at the time he didn''t have True Eyes to understand that he was baptizing the stars in his Star Map, and thought cycling a string of Edict through his body by following the instructions on the Supreme Manual was all it took to become a 1st Stage Mortal Realmer.


    "Maybe that is why it took me so long to break into the Above-Mortal Realm," Mane smiled bitterly when he recalled how long it took for him to break into the Above-Mortal Realm. Comparatively, he didn''t spend as long in the Above-Mortal Realm before breaking into the Profound Realm and into the Earth Realm.


    "Let''s do yours too and then go find some Mythic Class Magical Beasts," Mane nodded at Lam and said.


    "Yeah!" Lam exclaimed excitedly as his eyes shined brightly like a pair of night lamps. He had been trying hard to control himself since the time Lily said she felt lighter. Although this wasn''t the real thing, it was good enough to show that Mane''s ability was real! And Lam couldn''t wait to get started.


    "Let''s move on then," Mane nodded his head and retracted his aura so that he could get more prey. In just fifteen minutes, they had been attacked by no less than 10 Magical Beasts! Unfortunately, none of them were High Level Magical Beasts. Just when Lam was getting impatient, a High Class Magical Beast appeared. It was swiftly dealt with, and Lam went through his baptism successfully as well. Unlike his sister, Lam was Fire Attributed. It seemed that twins really had a connection, because their attributes paired wonderfully with each other.


    "Mane, I can sense two Mythic Classes close by. Do you want to make a beeline for them?" Hildegarde asked.


    "Yeah. We don''t have that much time." Mane responded and moved towards the direction Hildegarde had pointed out.

 Chapter 358 - Riling Up The Apex Monkeys

    As Mane and the twins walked deeper into the Inner Region, Mane was finally able to sense two formidable auras ahead. The fact that he could sense them meant that they were within a 100 meter radius. The auras were closer to each other than he expected. It was more like the two Mythic Classes lived here together. Initially Mane thought they were close to each other. So he would quickly deal with one and then go handle the other one in its hideout. But he was wrong. The auras were similar, and from how close they were to each other it was more probable that they were mates.


    "The Magical Beasts you said were close by, are they mates?" Mane asked Hildegarde.


    "What? Mates? Why would you say that?" Hildegarde had a perplexed look on her face as she spoke.


    "Well, their auras are very similar to each other. The only difference is that one is full of masculine energy and the other''s aura is feminine." From Hildegarde''s words and her tone Mane was able to tell that she was genuinely surprised with the discovery.


    "I see. I can only sense their presence. I cannot sense the intricacies of their auras to be able to tell which is male and which is female." Hildegarde explained.


    "I thought that they were in a standoff and would fight soon so¡­" she continued and trailed off.


    "So that I can just hide and let them wear themselves out before quickly finishing them off and reaping the rewards," Mane smiled and guessed. Hildegarde nodded her head upon hearing Mane''s words. That was exactly what she was thinking. Although a Mythic Class wouldn''t be enough to hurt Mane, with the twins by his side it was going to be difficult to go all out. Take a wrong step, and the twins could die. So Hildegarde suggested what she thought was the most feasible thing.


    "But you said they are mates?" Hildegarde asked.


    "Yes. Their auras bear some resemblance to each other. And their auras are very serene. Clearly they enjoy each other''s company." Mane explained. Speaking to Hildegarde about this allowed him to understand just how amazing Scholars were. Hildegarde could only sense the strength of the creatures around her and get a vague feel of their aura. Mane however, could do much more. Although he couldn''t sense the strength and aura of every creature since Scout had a limit of a 100 meters, Scout was so detailed that he was able to identify similar species and even differentiate the genders. As long as he got stronger as a Scholar, Scout''s circle of influence would increase, and things would be much better for him.


    "I see. I finally understand why people envy yet fear Scholars so much," Hildegarde sighed and said. She hadn''t really experienced the abilities of a Scholar before meeting Mane since Scholars were so rare. Plus, she would hardly be given the rights to such a Tested since she was a Low Ranked Fairy. So she didn''t really understand how their skills worked. However, from what she had seen so far, be it Scout which made it difficult for anyone within a 100 meter radius to hide from Mane; Lock-On, which was letting Mane talk to her in the presence of the twins without their knowledge; or even Words of Power which had so much potential to be a deadly ?sset, Scholars were an impressive bunch.


    "Mm. If I could tap into my Spiritualist skills I could have just hidden the twins with a lease and then gone off to deal with those two Mythic Classes." Mane chuckled bitterly.


    "I don''t know what you''re so concerned about. You can easily ambush the two beasts, and kill one in the process. That way you would be able to deal with the other one pretty easily." Hildegarde shrugged and stated nonchalantly. If Mane was right and the two beasts were mates, it would be 5 times harder to face both of them at once than it would be to face them individually. The reason was simple. Since they were mates, they surely fought together and had great coordination and understanding with each other. That would make them several times stronger fighting as a unit than fighting as individuals.


    "You say that like it is easy," Mane mumbled. Although he could handle a Mythic Class, it wasn''t that easy to ambush one. Their acute senses and instincts made it difficult for one to get the better of them in an ambush.


    "It is easy. If you use your full strength instead of trying to show them your techniques, it would be easy. At least dual wield if you wouldn''t do anything else." Hildegarde snapped back.


    Mane was silenced by her words. She was right in saying that as long as he went all out he would be able to finish things quickly. But he wanted the twins to see his techniques in action. It was better for them to see him using them in battle than for him to just pass it on to them in a safe environment. The former would help them to be able to easily integrate his techniques and make them their own faster, whilst the latter wasn''t as effective a method as the former.


    "I know you want to help them, but what happens if they get hurt because you refused to do everything in your power?" Hildegarde argued as she tried to unsettle Mane and get him to give it everything he had.


    Mane turned to look at the twins who were walking with him. Both of them had small smiles on their faces as they reveled in the euphoria of becoming wielders. Lam''s eyes were especially bright, and his gaze was filled with determination. Lily wasn''t as hungry for power, but her smiling face caused Mane''s heart to clench. What would he do if he couldn''t see the twins smiling again? Especially if they got hurt or worse, died, because of him? He certainly wouldn''t be able to forgive himself.


    "You''re right," Mane nodded his head and unsheathed his second light sword. He twirled both weapons in his hand with the movements and grace of a sword master as he recalled the teachings he had soaked up from his masters, the 7th and the 8th. The 7th was an expert of the sword whilst 8th was a master of blades.


    Mane took a few deep breaths and conditioned himself. In less than a minute, his aura had spiked. His cold eyes were filled with the dominance of a king, and his power could be felt within his surroundings. The twins were taken aback by Mane''s change. One minute he was docile and calm, yet in the next he was sharp and wild like an unsheathed blade. They could feel the power of Mane''s aura. It felt as though they were several small swords the size of needles pricking their skins. Both of them involuntarily took a few steps back. Every creature within a 100 meter radius could feel the power of Mane''s aura. The dominance of his aura was akin to that of a king who had no equal. It was an aura of dominance and challenge. It dominated every creature nearby, and they fled for their lives. They could feel a big battle coming and didn''t want to be caught up in it. As for the challenge, it was issued to the absolute rulers of this region. Every Mythic Class Magical Beast was proud, and each of them had their own territory. Mane releasing his aura in such an unbridled way was nothing but a challenge.


    "What are you doing? How would you be able to ambush them if you let your aura go wild like that? Do you want them to know you are here?" Hildegarde was flustered. What Mane was doing wasn''t what she had suggested.


    "Yes. I want them to know I am here. I would not fight a beast in its habitat. That''s the basics of war. It is better to draw them out." Mane replied calmly.


    "What about the twins?" Hildegarde asked.


    "Nothing would happen to them. I would make sure of that. After all, I am going all out. Although these swords aren''t quite up to standard, so they may possibly break after I unleash the Prideful Sword and Bloodied Blades techniques."


    Less than 70 meters away from Mane''s position was the dwelling place of a pair of Mythic Class Magical Beasts. These Magical Beasts were of the same species and people knew them as Apex Monkeys. They were large, towering over several other beasts with a height of nearly 4 meters. However, among Mythic Classes, this was nothing impressive. But Apex Monkeys weren''t weak. They were powerful, agile with limitless stamina, had intelligence that seemed almost human and were highly ferocious. Amongst Mythic Classes, they were at the very top. Their skills, Speed Boost and Diamond Body, weren''t as domineering as other skills but were very practical. They were capable of smashing apart any obstacle, and even Tigers formed part of this troupe. These beasts were usually lazy and didn''t care to move a muscle, yet they had a side to them that many didn''t know off. They were thirsty for challenges!


    Unlike many Magical Beasts that hunted humans for food, Apex Monkeys just loved the thrill of a good fight. As long as they saw the chance for a good battle, they would take it even at the risk of their lives. And that was what was happening right now.


    *Roar*


    They felt a surge of excitement and weren''t able to contain their voices any longer. With powerful roars they dashed towards the location of the aura that forcefully shook them out of their sleep, intent on getting a good battle. After all, that was what they lived for. That was how they grew stronger and it was their only path to evolution. But if they failed, at least they would be comforted knowing that they


    Died trying!

 Chapter 359 - Brimstone

    *Roar*


    "They are here," Hildegarde mumbled upon hearing the loud roar. The faces of the twins turned pale upon hearing the roar and feeling the power contained within it. Now that they were wielders they could feel just how vast the gap between them and the Mythic Class Magical Beasts were.


    "This presence is much stronger than Vital Orange''s," Lam gritted his teeth and spoke amidst labored breaths. The power that was contained in that one roar was a few times stronger than Vital Orange''s aura. It was so strong that even they could feel it. Mane''s countenance remained unmoved even after hearing the powerful roars of the Apex Monkeys. Although he did look a bit uncomfortable seeing Lily and Lam''s pale expressions. He struck his sword against the ground softly, and the auras of the Apex Monkeys were extinguished like weak flames.


    "Step back a bit," Mane informed the twins. With his aura expanded no weak creature dared to get any close to them. And he would keep an eye out so that if anything entered the 100 meter radius he would deal with it quickly before it could hurt the twins. He wasn''t worried that another Mythic Class would interfere. Mythic Classes weren''t close to each other, so even if a Mythic Class wanted to join in on the fun, it would take some time for it to get here. The fastest would require about ten to twenty minutes, and their gigantic bodies would make it very unlikely for them to make such good time. Mane was confident that everything would be done within that time frame.


    "Watch the twins and the surroundings Hildegarde. Alert me if anything dares get too close. Don''t worry about whether or not I would be distracted. Just do so." Mane ordered his fairy and took a small step forward. Hildegarde wanted to say something but changed her mind when she saw that Mane had already walked forward. She knew this was his way of asking her to just listen to him and not say anything else. So she just nodded her head and flew to the twins.


    Mane stood silently with his eyes closed. Suddenly, his eyes snapped open and he struck out with his sword as he performed a defensive technique his 7th master taught him.


    "Prideful Sword: Guard of the Half-Moon"


    What was the difference between the 7th and the 8th really? Unlike the 8th who had no defensive techniques at all and only focused on offense, 7th who was the master of the Prideful Sword, balanced out his attacks and defenses. But because of this 7th''s strongest attack wasn''t nearly as powerful as 8th''s most powerful move. This was because unlike 7th, 8th was unrestrained in his attacks and his spirit was infused into every strike.


    Soon the reason for Mane''s use of the technique made its appearance, and the twins recognized it immediately.


    "Apex Monkey!" Both Lam and Lily exclaimed. They recognized the beast famed for its strength and seemingly limitless stamina. And they grew worried for a minute.


    "Mane! Apex Monkeys are battle thirsty beasts. They grow stronger as the fight progresses and have powerful instincts. People say that they move like they have studied fighting techniques themselves. Be careful!" Lily screamed out what she knew about Apex Monkeys. For once she was grateful that Lam always liked to talk about Magical Beasts. It was because of Lam that she knew this.


    "Got it," Mane replied expressionlessly before a huge fist came his way.


    *Boom*


    A large fist almost as wide as Mane''s sword crashed into the light sword and caused it to creak uncomfortably under the pressure of the punch. However, the one holding the sword didn''t panic. If he thought that one sword wouldn''t be enough to block the blow from the Apex Monkey, he would have used the other one to guard as well. He borrowed the power of the fist and flew towards another direction as he prepared his own attack.


    "Prideful Sword: Dance of the Half-Moon."


    *Bang*


    Mane glided through the air gracefully like a bu??erfly and struck out with his sword at seemingly nothing. A thin sword light flew from his blade and into a large shrubbery, and a loud noise was heard. Another Apex Monkey jumped out of the shrubbery, its eyes filled with confusion as if wondering how it was found out. It was just as large as the other Apex Monkey. The only difference was that it had brighter fur and livelier eyes. It looked alright, yet there was a large wound on its left hand; a wound caused by Mane''s attack. A nonchalant strike from Mane''s sword was enough to split a High class Magical Beast into two. Yet a technique powered cut could only do so much to the Apex Monkey. This was enough to display just how powerful their bodies were! The wound soiled the ground with blood, yet the Apex Monkey ignored the bleeding and jumped to the side of its partner.


    Seeing the bleeding hand, the other Apex Monkey''s eyes flashed with rage as gave a loud roar and dashed at Mane.


    Its already spiking aura grew even stronger as its rage superseded its battle ?ust. It opened up its fist and formed a claw with its fingers. Then it came crashing down on Mane. The other Apex Monkey didn''t dally either. It burst out with speed not in any way inferior to its partner and arrived next to Mane in a second. It clenched its huge fingers into fists and brought them down viciously.


    Mane could feel the power of both attacks. The claw was like a vice that aimed to clutch his neck and crash it, and the fist was heavier than a boulder and had the capability of turning him into mush. Both attacks had terror, viciousness, speed, and seemed to cover every route of escape. He finally understood why people said Apex Monkeys had their own fighting style. They moved like martial artists and not animals, and their techniques seemed to have no flaws.


    "They get stronger as a battle wears on?" Mane smiled and activated his techniques, "Prideful Sword: Dance of the Moon Butterfly."


    Mane twisted his body strangely and avoided both attacks. Just like the technique suggested, he glided upon the ground like a bu??erfly in the wind and evaded the blows that seemed to leave no escape routes. This was also a technique passed to him by his 7th Master. It was a battle movement technique and was much handier than Star Flicker. However its flaw was the fact that it had to be used in conjunction with a sword. So Mane didn''t usually resort to it.


    *Bang*


    Both strike missed and landed on the ground. Because of the huge sizes of the Apex Monkeys, two small ditches were formed from their strikes. Their eyes glowed with bloodlust upon seeing how easily Mane evaded their attacks and they dashed at him again.


    "Star Flicker"


    Mane activated his favorite technique and appeared right in front of the charging Apex Monkeys who were stunned to see him gather speed and appear in front of them instantaneously. Mane took advantage of their ??pse in concentration and struck out at both of them. With two swords in hand, he filled both weapons with Edict and activated two techniques.


    "Prideful Sword: Dance of the Half-Moon"


    "Bloodied Blade: Crazed Cut of the Blade King"


    *Bang*


    *Bang*


    Both Apex Monkeys recovered quickly and crossed their arms in front of them like synchronized choreographers. Mane''s swords struck both of them and sent their huge frames tumbling backwards and crashing into several trees. Without wasting any more time Mane continued his charge and sent his sword sweeping towards one of the Apex Monkeys as he activated two powerful moves in quick succession.


    "Prideful Sword: Dance of the Half-Moon"


    "Prideful Sword: Wrath of the Half-Moon"


    His swords hummed and creaked as they struggled to maintain their durability under the pressure of the two techniques. Powerful streams of Edict exited Mane''s body and filled the swords as two very thin sword lights were produced and struck the Apex Monkey.


    *Poof*


    *Puchi*


    Mane displayed his terrifying accuracy as the both sword lights struck the same area. The first sword light cut into the Apex Monkey and gravely injured it, yet it wasn''t dead. But the second sword light completely went through and split the beast in half via the same path the first sword light took.


    *Roar*


    As one Apex Monkey fell, the other was consumed by rage. It beat its ?h?st and roared in fury as its energy spiked, exploded and went beyond what it was before. It jumped at Mane and reached him before he could react as it pounded down furiously with an angry glare.


    *Bang*


    *crack*


    Along with the sound of something breaking, one of Mane''s swords was destroyed whilst the other was struck out of his hand. The eyes of the Apex Monkey flashed with fury as it held both arms above its head and struck downwards with an overhead strike.


    "Mane!" Lily screamed in worry and tried to get to her friend. Lam was also worried, but he kept his sanity and held his sister back.


    "Let''s trust him!" he screamed as Lily struggled to escape his grasp. However, her struggles ceased when the dust settled and she saw what was happening. She was so stunned that she couldn''t speak, and neither could Lam.


    Mane was fine, but his figure was engulfed entirely in flames. The ground around him was now a huge ditch due to the power of the Apex Monkey, but Mane himself was fine. The most fascinating thing was the flames didn''t seem to be hurting him even one bit. His aura was stronger than it was before, and the majesty of a ruler was exuded from his being. He looked like a flaming mountain, untouchable and immovable.


    "You broke my sword," Mane stated blandly as he looked up at the stunned Apex Monkey that didn''t seem to realise that its arms were on fire. He stretched out his hand, and the sword that had escaped his grasp flew back into his arms. Then he calmly unsheathed his heavy sword. Without waiting for the Apex Monkey to recover he struck out quickly. His swords were swift, and each of them was engulfed in flames as Mane struck out.


    "4 Way Cut: Perfect Square"


    Four flaming sword lights formed a square and struck the Apex Monkey strongly. It was knocked backwards by the power of the attacks and several more trees were snapped in half when its strong body crashed into them, yet Mane wasn''t done.


    "Star Flicker"


    Mane appeared before the beast before it could recover and struck out again.


    "Bloodied Blade: Crazed Cut of the Blade King"


    *Puchi*


    With a small thud, the last Apex Monkey fell.


    "Amazing!" Lily squealed in excitement and Lam nodded his head. It was indeed amazing. He looked towards the figure still clad entirely in flames with eyes filled with adoration.


    "He truly is strong," Lam mumbled.

 Chapter 360 - Rusty The Tiger King

    "Oh the two hours are almost up," Back at the entrance to the Enchanted Forest, the two guards were seated on the ground with their swords on their shoulders. The sun had gone down and darkness had crept upon the land. Night lamps were hung around the perimeter of the Enchanted Forest, providing light so the guards could see, and making it so that anyone who wanted to sneak in due to the darkness would meet with failure.


    "Indeed. I reckon that they''ve got only about 15 minutes left" the other guard stretched his arms and yawned tiredly. He looked exhausted, and so did his colleague.


    "Do you think they would come out before time is up?" one of the guards wondered.


    "I don''t know. People rarely do."


    "Our shift is almost over. If they do not come out before we leave the next group might give them trouble."


    "That would only be so if the next group doesn''t know their backing. Those youngsters are here at the request of the Orange Team. As long as the Orange Team is competing in the Grand Tourney, their status is comparable to the esteemed Predators of our city. So everyone would have to show them some respect."


    "True. Plus it was Vital Orange who personally brought them here. I heard he is a Tiger now. He revealed the power of one during the last round of the competition when he fought the Blue King."


    "Yeah, I am aware of what happened during the Quarter Finals of the Grand Tourney. After all, the fact that the Blue Team was knocked out once again was the hottest gossip in the city. As the team that knocked them out, information on the Orange Team was shared and spread around like crazy."


    "I wonder who those youngsters are though."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Vital Orange and that other Orange Team member, Black Hand, brought them here personally. And the way Vital Orange spoke to them was unusual as well."


    "What do you mean it was unusual?"


    "I mean he was a bit too polite for a Predator. He spoke like he treated them as equals. He was very nice."


    "Oh that. I don''t think there is anything wrong with that."


    "You don''t? You know Predators don''t usually bother about those weaker than them right? Plus that man is a Tiger"


    "I know that. I just think that Vital Orange is a polite person. Or maybe he wasn''t treating them as equals but wary of the power behind those youngsters"


    "So you''re saying you agree with me that those youngsters aren''t ordinary."


    "Of course I agree with you. Who are we kidding? Which ordinary person would have a Predator escort them all the way here to seek permission for them to use the Enchanted Forest when they could have just sent a messenger?"


    "I know right"


    The two guards spoke about random trivialities to while away time. But they got so engrossed in their conversation that they failed to see that a new group of people were approaching. And when they did, this group was already right in front of them.


    "Is that¡­" the first guard stared wide-eyed at the carriage that was parked right in front of them. Or rather, he was staring at the insignia on the carriage.


    "The City Lord''s carriage!" the second guard exclaimed as he scrambled to his feet. The other guard hastily stood up as well.


    The carriage was a beautiful one, fully plated in gold and pulled by four strong Rage Bulls. On both sides of the carriage were insignia of the City Lord''s House ¨C pictures of a Nether Lion! These pictures were made with black diamonds and were gorgeous, yet they conveyed the aggressiveness and prestige of the City Lord. The driver of the carriage was a middle aged man who had a refined air about him. Yet within this air of refinement was a hint of savagery and viciousness that made the blood of the guards run cold from just being looked at. When they saw those black eyes all they felt was fear and dread. They tried to turn their heads away, but they couldn''t! Their own bodies had acceded to the will of the man before them.


    "Don''t scare them so much Rusty," A gentle voice came from within the carriage. Within that voice were several elements of grace, beauty and strength.


    "As the Young Lady commands," the driver replied with respect and took his eyes off the guards. Suddenly they could feel strength filling their bodies as they regained control of themselves. Sweat poured down their faces as they struggled to breathe. They looked at each other and could tell what the other was thinking by just the expression on their faces alone.


    Rusty the Tiger King!


    This man was a legend in Asher City. This was a man who was responsible for protecting the City Lord of Asher City. Rusty the Tiger King was exactly as his title stated. He was a Tiger King! He had power several times stronger than a Tiger because he was a Tiger King. This man was capable of handling four to five Tigers alone and come out unscathed! It was said that his gaze alone could demoralize a troop of warriors and his aura was enough to crush the will of another. The guards like many others thought that this was an exaggeration. After all, how could a person''s gaze break the will of another? Yet they had experienced it for themselves today! And now they knew that it was no exaggeration. There were many legends about him. But none was as blinding and famous as the Legend of the Ten Suns.


    It was said that when the City Lord was in his twenties and was not yet worthy of the title ''Lord of Asher City'', he had been curious about the world. And in a bid to sate his curiosity, he was given permission by his father, the then City Lord of Asher City to travel the world and see its intricacies. His father did this in the hope that his na?ve son would learn from what he saw and become one worthy of Asher City. But he didn''t leave his son without any protection. He sent the ultimate shield to protect his son ¨C Rusty the Tiger King. It was said that they came across a notorious group of bandits called the Ten Suns. At the time, they ruled the wilderness and anyone who came across them could only bow to them for they had 5 Predators, of which 2 were Tigers. Not wanting to cause any unnecessary trouble, the young City Lord gave them all he had. But they grew greedy. The young City Lord was a handsome man, and they started to ?ust after the wealth they would gain if they sold him for his looks. They wanted to sell him to the Black Market as a slave and make a large profit. But they thought too highly of themselves. When they tried to touch the young City Lord, Rusty was infuriated. And the Ten Suns were destroyed ¨C completely.


    The door to the carriage opened, and the guards hurriedly bowed down. They heard Rusty call the person in the carriage Young Lady. Added to the insignia on the carriage, they knew that this person was none other than the daughter of the City Lord ¨C Lady Mira!


    Soon a graceful lady walked out of the carriage. She was dressed in leather armor and had a long bow strapped to her back. She had an intricately woven quiver slung across her shoulder and it was filled with the best arrows that money could buy. Her long hair was tied into a ponytail and her beautiful ear lobes were devoid of any ear rings. She had no ornaments on, but her beauty was even more pronounced without them. Next to Mira was another woman. This woman was also beautiful, so beautiful that no one would have guessed that she was in her middle ages. Her apparel was very similar to Mira''s. The difference was that she had a large sword strapped to her back instead of a bow. Her expression was sterner than Mira''s, and her aura was that of a Predator! She was one of the guards ?ssigned to the Young Lady of Asher City.


    "The Frontier Guards of the Enchanted Forest greet the Young Lady," both guards extended their greetings solemnly.


    "Father, how long are you going to sit in the carriage?" Mira turned and looked into the carriage as she spoke.


    "Sorry Mira. I can''t find my shoes because it is dark. I think they rolled under one of the seats.


    "I told you not to take them off," Mira sighed


    "Ah! Found it! I''d be right out." Soon the City Lord was out as well, dressed similarly to his daughter. He also wore leather armor for maximum mobility and had a slender yet exquisite sword which had a beautifully crafted sheath as its coat strapped to his waist.


    "City Lord!" the two guards hurriedly exclaimed. "We pay our respects to the Lord of Asher City!"


    "At ease. I am only here to hunt with my daughter. There is no need to be so stiff." The City Lord didn''t possess the grandiose aura Mane had seen him exude through the Record Stone. He looked like a happy and cheery man with no worries in life. Yet anyone would know better than to underestimate the Lord of Asher City.


    "Thank you for your pardon, Lord of Asher City!" the two guards expressed their thanks and stood up. Yet they kept their heads bowed as a sign of respect.


    "Rusty, wait for us here now would you." The City Lord ordered and started to walk towards the Enchanted Forest with his daughter and her guard.


    "I have to protect My Lord," Rusty argued.


    "I am strong enough to protect myself. And Mira has Blake here to protect her." The City Lord stated.


    "But," Rusty started but was cut off.


    "My decision is made," the City Lord stated firmly.


    "As you wish, My Lord" Rusty nodded his head and remained seated in the driver''s seat of the carriage.

 Chapter 361 - Gift

    The City Lord who was almost at the entrance to the Enchanted Forest suddenly stopped moving. Then he turned and said to the Enchanted Forest guards, "Hmm. I am curious about something though."


    "We will answer anything the City Lord requires of us as long as we are able to!"


    "Those youngsters you were talking about; did Vital Orange truly bring them here? Vital Orange and Black Hand?"


    "Yes, City Lord," the guards were stunned by the question. They wondered why their City Lord would suddenly be interested in this, but they didn''t dare ask. Theirs wasn''t to ask questions of their ruler; theirs was only to obey.


    "Interesting," the City Lord smiled. Mira''s brows were furrowed. Although the general public didn''t know about Black Hand, how could the Lord of Asher City not know that there was a Snake in his city? In fact, her father was more wary of Black Hand than he was of Vital Orange. After all, Vital Orange was a Tiger, and her father was stronger. Plus her father had numerous strong warriors at his side. Yet a Snake was different. This was someone who specialized in concealment, ?ssassination and poisons. He may not be a great ?sset in the Grand Tourney, but he was a dangerous weapon anywhere else.


    Why was her father wary of him? Well, the Orange Team came from the First Class City called Citadel. The Citadel was a powerful city and they had numerous experts. But they never took the Grand Tourney seriously. They usually sent their weakest warriors to enroll in the tournament when many cities sent their strongest. Yet they had never finished beneath the Top 4 before! They had even won the Grand Tourney once. What was frightening about this city was that no outsider had ever entered it before. No one from the other cities knew what that place was like or what their true strength was. But one thing was certain: They were several times stronger than any other First Class City. As for why they accepted to be part of the Grand Tourney, her father had a guess.


    "I think they are tired of waiting. They want to ?ssimilate all the other cities. What better way to understand ones opponents than to visit their cities and fight the strongest they have to offer"


    That was what her father had told her, and she believed that he was right. And he was proven to be right when they approached him during the last Grand Tourney and offered him amnesty if he handed Asher City over willingly. Her father''s response?


    "You can rot in hell!"


    He was infuriated with the offer. They might be weaker, but they weren''t ones to be bullied. And what really angered her father was that they wanted Mira to be the concubine of their Young Lord as proof of her father''s loyalty. The doting father couldn''t bear to listen to them any longer and had sent them off. Now they sent a Snake level ?ssassin disguised as a Thrasher to participate in the Grand Tourney. Her father had every right to be cautious.


    "What did they look like?" the City Lord asked.


    "Reporting to the City Lord, there were three youngsters in total: two young men and one lady. All of them have exceptional looks, but one of them has very peculiar hair. This person has yellow hair, and it would be easy to spot him. Does the City Lord want us to detain them when they get out of the Forest?" the guards asked cautiously.


    "No need. They are already here." The City Lord smiled and turned to look ahead. Mira frowned and cast her sights ahead as well. Her guard stood at her side, as stoic as ever. Yet her hand never left the hilt of the weapon strapped to her back. As for Rusty, he was still seated. Yet his aura was growing ever stronger. Their reaction seemed over the top. And the guards couldn''t understand why the atmosphere had changed so much just because of the appearance three young people.


    Soon, Mane and the twins walked out of the Enchanted Forest. The City Lord, Mira and Blake watched the three as they approached. Mira had to admit that the guards were right when they said that all three were right at the top in terms of looks. The young woman with the big green eyes possessed an ethereal sort of beauty that made one feel inferior just by being next to her. The other boy who shared similar looks to the girl seemed a bit effeminate, yet the aura of dominance and nobility he exuded was no joke. He was also very good looking. Compared to the first two, the last person was even more eye catching. It wasn''t his beautiful yellow locks or ocean blue eyes that caught her attention, but the fact that his clothes were in tatters and his body reeked of blood. And from the blood she could smell power. Whatever it was this boy had killed, it was very strong!


    Their looks aside, Mira was stunned by their auras. Two of them were Predators! And they looked so young. The only person who wasn''t giving out any energy was the yellow haired boy. But she got chills from just staring into his cold eyes. And Blake who stood next to her had unsheathed her weapon fully as she transitioned into a fighting stance. Rusty had unknowingly appeared next to the City Lord, and his threatening aura was crashing. The two guards were struggling to breath from the pressure. They looked wide-eyed at the three youngsters who were facing the full brunt of Rusty''s aura yet remained unmoved and realised that their strengths weren''t simple.


    "So you are the City Lord? I was impressed by your demeanor when I saw images of you during your speech at the Quarter Final Stage." Mane stopped right before the City Lord and said.


    "I am very charming indeed," the City Lord laughed and said.


    "I like him," Hildegarde said. Mane smiled bitterly and said to the City Lord, "Yes you are."


    "Can I know why you are blocking our way? We would like to leave and I need a bath." Mane smiled and said.


    "I wanted to see who you were," the City Lord smiled and said.


    "And?" Mane asked


    "Now that I have I want to invite you to my home," the City Lord offered, and Mira was stunned. What was her father thinking, and why was he inviting people ?ssociated with The Citadel to his home?


    "That is gracious of you indeed, but as you can see I am not well groomed to meet you now. And my friends are tired as well. Please allow us to honor the invitation at a later time." Mane gave a gentleman''s bow and stepped around the City Lord. Lily and Lam followed him without questioning his decision. It was easy to see who the leader was amongst them.


    "How dare y¨C " Blake was furious. How could outsiders be so disrespectful? She bent slightly and prepared to strike, yet a hand held her hand.


    "Sir Rusty?" she looked at the one who stopped her with a stunned expression. Rusty only shook his head and didn''t say anything.


    "Thank you for allowing us to use your Enchanted Forest. It was of great help to us," Mane suddenly turned and said.


    "No problem. It is there to be used after all."


    "As thanks, I left something in there for you. You should get some people to get their corpses. They are highly beneficial."


    "Which part?" the City Lord asked


    "The Inner Region," Mane replied as he walked away.


    "Interesting lad," the City Lord smiled when Mane and the twins had already left.


    "How were they interesting? They were completely disrespectful. You should learn how to get angry father. And they only let their guard speak to you" Mira huffed once Mane and the twins were gone. Blake nodded her head to show that she agreed with her Young Lady.


    "Guard? You think he is a guard?" the City Lord smiled and asked his daughter.


    "Well, yeah. He was the only one who had clearly been in a fight whilst the other two looked like they were on a picnic." Mira replied.


    "Didn''t you notice that they followed his every word? When he stopped, they stopped. When he said to leave, they left without a word. I don''t know why he was the only one fighting, but he is no guard. The aura of nobility he exudes is stronger than that of the other two. None of them are normal." The City Lord explained.


    "He is no guard. He is my equal. So why does he have to be polite?" the City Lord said with a smile, and Mira and Blake were stunned. As for Rusty, he still looked expressionless.


    "The other two are Predators, yet their auras are unstable meaning that they had just broken through. And they didn''t look like they had fought at all. But that boy has a stable aura even though he had clearly been through a battle. He is clearly stronger than them." The City Lord calmly stated, and the two guards were stunned.


    Those three were Predators! All of them! And from the City Lord''s words, the one with the yellow hair was more dangerous than the other two.


    "Did you notice it, Rusty?" the City Lord suddenly asked.


    "Yes. That boy, even I felt fear when I tried to probe him. And when he looked into my eyes I could feel him warning me. If any of us had tried to move against them, we would have died." Rusty expressionlessly stated.


    His words stunned everyone but the City Lord. Mira, Blake and the two guards were filled with a bit of fear and dread. Blake finally understood why Rusty stopped her from acting just now. Someone that could make Rusty so cautious could easily dispose of her!


    "Are you still going hunting?" Rusty asked.


    "Of course. I need to see if I can find the gift he left behind for me." The City Lord laughed and went into the Enchanted Forest. Mira quickly followed him with Blake by her side.


    "Oh and don''t let anyone into the Enchanted Forest for the next few days. I don''t want anyone else stealing my gift."

 Chapter 362 - Talented Twins

    Soon Mane, Lily and Lam were back at the Orange Team''s residence. The guards at the entrance recognized them and opened the doors immediately they saw the trio. Even if they didn''t want to, the powerful auras that Lam and Lily were exuding made the guards very unwilling to confront them. For although they couldn''t tell how strong the twins were, they knew that their power exceeded theirs!


    They got home to meet the place empty. From what they gathered from the guards, Vital Orange and Black Hand had left to attend to some business. As for what exactly this business was, Vital Orange and Black Hand weren''t inclined to tell the guards anything and Mane didn''t have the rights to ask what it was even if they did. In fact, the only reason why they had said anything to the guards was so that Mane would be aware that they weren''t around when they came. As for Orange Ivy, she was also not around. Apparently, she had left to visit the injured Orange Monk. Although it was strange that Orange Monk was receiving treatment elsewhere and not in the mansion ¨C which had healers residing in it by the way ¨C he didn''t see anything wrong with that. It may be that the healers in the mansion couldn''t compare to the ones handling Orange Monk''s condition now. After all, not all healers had the same level of skill. Ivor was also not back yet, and it was unknown when he would return since none of them were aware of what he was doing or what his real agenda was. As for Tucker, he had apparently left to get a few of his things from his home.


    Mane felt that it was fortunate that no one was around. This was because of the twins'' breakthrough. Their sudden burst of power from having the Edict of the Apex Monkeys fused with their energies was difficult to hide. Apex Monkeys were elementless Magical Beasts which made it easier for Lily and Lam to accept their energy. Plus the bodies of the people of this world were special.


    Just like Dan, Lily and Lam didn''t need a manual in order to keep getting stronger, and this was why Mane was able to successfully impart them with inner energy without much trouble. He did present them with Wielder Manuals before infusing the energy of the Apex Monkeys into them. But that was only to speed up their growth. He gave them the same manual he gave to Jake and John, the twins he was close to back in the True Universe ¨C the Twin Dragon Manual. It was a High Class Manual and required the users to be twins. It had many advantages, including helping to grow a person''s understanding of their element. But that also meant that Lily and Lam had to spend a lot of time refining their inner energy from its colorless form to their respective elements. But that wasn''t going to happen in two or three days. It could take up to a month of constant training and meditation for this process to be completed.


    But for now, there was something that had to be done. And that was helping the twins stabilize their auras. Right now both Lily and Lam were like lanterns placed within a darkened sky. Everyone would be expected to see them. That was the case with their auras. So once they were inside the mansion, Mane helped both of them settle down into their new power and restrain their auras. It took them quite a while, about 30 minutes for each of them, and an hour in total before both were able to restrain their auras. Honestly, Mane was expecting it to have been longer. But it seemed that he had underestimated the terrifying comprehension of the twins. When both had settled down, Mane left and went to his room.


    "Are you okay?" Hildegarde asked Mane once they were back in his room. This was because Mane had been quiet for a very long time, lost in his thoughts.


    "I''m fine. I''m just wondering if there is any merit to me joining the Orange Team." Mane replied. Hildegarde was a bit surprised by his response. Mane had already made the decision to join the Orange Team even before meeting them. So why was he doubting his decision now? Nothing had changed since then. If there was something new that could shake his resolve, it was¡­


    "You''re not thinking of letting the twins compete are you?" Hildegarde asked. That was the only new thing that had happened in the last 5 days. This was the only factor that hadn''t remained the same as it was since the journey began: the twins were now wielders.


    "Not the twins ¨C just Lam," Mane shook his head to clarify his stance. Lily had made her stance on violence clear. Until she was forced to, she wasn''t going to lift her hand and strike another. Why would she be interested in a competition where people just fought each other for sport? But Mane didn''t think Lam wouldn''t be interested. After all, not only was Lam a staunch follower of the Grand Tourney, he was also someone who craved strength. And now, he had strength. All that was left was experience and a bit of sharpening to understand just how best to use that strength.


    "You''re planning to let him use this chance to gain some experience?" Hildegarde asked, but she already knew the answer. Since the twins had never killed before, even sending them off against Magical Beasts would be risky. Mane was planning to help both of them with their training by engaging them in duels against him. But if Lam could compete in the Grand Tourney, it would be even better. Mane was thinking that it would be better to send Lam as a representative and member of the Orange Team than it would be to have him (Mane) on the team. That was because Mane didn''t think any of the teams would pose a challenge to him, and he desperately craved a challenge. Of course Ivor wasn''t a challenge. Ivor was a dangerous weapon that could easily lob Mane''s head off his shoulders. Challenging Ivor wasn''t seeking a challenge but seeking disaster.


    "Yeah. I would train both he and Lily. That wouldn''t change. But I feel that if he gets the chance to compete in the Grand Tourney he would benefit a lot. This would be especially so since the remaining groups aren''t weak" Mane explained, and Hildegarde nodded her head in understanding.


    After experiencing the talent of the twins and seeing their high level of comprehension, Mane had grown very expectant. He was expectant of what they would become, and the day they would be able to push him to his limits. But Mane wasn''t slacking, so it wouldn''t be easy for them to catch up. So he wanted to push them as much as possible. Unfortunately, Lily didn''t like violence and Mane wouldn''t force her into anything so she wouldn''t join the Orange Team, but Mane was optimistic that Lam would jump at the opportunity to.


    "Well they are both 1st Stage Profound Realmers now so only Predators would be a threat to them," Hildegarde stated. After Mane had infused the energies of the Apex Monkeys into the twins, they had broken into the Profound Realm as Energy Wielders. Added to the fact that both of them had elements, they were surely stronger than the average Profound Realmer. But neither of them understood their elements well enough to use them in battle, and they couldn''t even expose their elements on a large stage like the Grand Tourney. After all, most people of this world were Body Wielders, and if the twins displayed their elements, they would draw unwanted attention.


    "Indeed. None of the Predators in the Grand Tourney are weak. Most of them are in the late stages of the Profound Realm, and Lam fighting against such opponents would be challenging. But he would also grow a lot. Besides, the Predators would be handled by Vital Orange. Lam would have to face Thrashers first. And his main mission would only be to wear down the Predators so that Vital Orange would be able to deal with them easily." Mane analysed.


    "When will you tell him about your plans?" Hildegarde questioned.


    "When he''s done ?ssessing the changes to his body," Mane replied and lied down on his bed. He left the twins alone so that they could familiarize themselves with the new energy they had in their bodies. Although their auras had been stabilized, the truth that they had suddenly gained a massive amount of power remained the same. And they had to familiarize themselves with this power. If they weren''t able to, they wouldn''t be able to use their inner energy in a fight. Or it would take a lot of their concentration to bring out their inner energy.


    Mane stayed in his room for a long time. He left to check if the other members of the Orange Team had returned but none of them was back yet. When he was returning to his room, the door to Lam''s room opened and the young man came out.


    "Oh Mane. I was just about to find something to eat." Lam smiled brightly when he saw his friend. The excitement from having attained the strength he wanted all these years had still not faded.


    "Not to worry. I have informed the kitchen staff to prepare something for us. They would come and get us when the food is ready. It shouldn''t take too long." Mane informed Lam.


    "That''s good then," Lam replied. He was intending to get his sister and then come for Mane so that they would go to the kitchen together. But hearing that the food wasn''t ready yet, he knew that there was no reason to downstairs any longer.


    "How do you feel?" Mane asked.


    "I feel great! It is almost surreal" Lam sighed as he gripped his fists. Mane could understand his friend''s emotions. This was what Lam had wanted for the longest time. As someone destined to lead his village one day, he was constantly troubled by his lack of power. It was even worse for him because his father and grandfather were legends, and as their descendent he had a lot to live up to. In contrast, Lily who wasn''t the older twin wasn''t burdened by power that much. She had her own challenges, including Village Head''s Samoa''s pestering son, but getting strong wasn''t her main focus. It was a good thing Lily wasn''t the first twin since Mane didn''t know what she would have done if she was meant to lead the village. After all, she hated violence and was too na?ve to be thrust into the merciless world of politics.


    "Can you mobilize you inner energy now?" Mane asked. He wasn''t expecting much, and was surprised when he received a positive reply from Lam.


    "Yeah. Although I can''t do it fluidly, I can do it to some extent." Lam replied.


    "Show me then. Gather energy into a fist and strike me," Mane was curious. He wanted to see how far Lam had gone.


    "Okay," Lam didn''t try to dissuade Mane. He knew that his friend was stronger than him. And with the speed Mane displayed when he fought the Apex Monkeys, he should be able to easily block his fist.


    Lam positioned himself properly and picked a fighting stance, much to Mane''s appreciating gaze. Then he balled his fists and gathered energy into them. In no time, Mane could feel a dense amount of Edict filling Lam''s fists and was surprised.


    "He truly is very talented. And have you noticed that the stance is similar to your own?" Hildegarde praised and observed. Mane nodded at her words. The way Lam stood was very similar to Mane in his hand-to-hand combat stance. He had displayed this only once, and that was when he fought against the Orange Team, yet Lam had picked it up.


    It took Lam about three seconds to finish gathering his inner energy, and then he struck out his fist at Mane. The power of the Lam''s fist wasn''t to be scoffed at. It held power that was beyond his energy level, and Mane''s hair was whipped back violently by the wind that Lam''s fist generated at it streaked through the air.


    "This is comparable to a 4th Stage Profound Realmer!" Hildegarde exclaimed with a stunned expression. Her voice was drowned by the violent roaring of Lam''s aura of power as Mane smiled in delight. When the fist was nearly upon him, Mane reached out and gently grasped Lam''s hand, forcefully dissipating the power that threatened to break down the wall that was right next to them.


    *Bang*


    "You truly are talented!" Mane praised genuinely as his eyes shined like a pair of bright orbs. Seeing his expression all Hildegarde felt was a chill going down her spine. She knew what that look meant. Mane was excited!


    Mane truly was excited. When he embarked upon the oath of wielding, he had the ability to face wielders about 5 levels beyond his own energy level. This had increased as he grew stronger and more accustomed to battles. Lam had started from 3 levels above his actual energy level and Mane was confident that Lily whose talent didn''t lose out to Lam''s would have similar battle prowess. And this was without resorting to their elements. Maybe if Lam used his fire element he would be able to deal damage comparable to a 5th Stage Profound Realmer! Mane couldn''t wait for them to catch up!


    "I am nothing compared to you yet," Lam humbly admitted, but Mane felt that he was being too humble. This level of talent was in the top 0.00001% in the True Universe. Unfortunately he couldn''t tell Lam that.


    "Lam, there''s something I want to suggest to you," Mane suddenly said.


    "What is it?" Lam asked curiously seeing the excited expression on Mane''s face.


    "Do you want to join the Orange Team instead of me?"

 Chapter 363 - Masked Friends

    "Ladies and Gentlemen! Welcome! To the Semi-Finals of the¡­!"


    "GRAND TOURNEY!"


    "That''s right folks! Welcome to the Semi-Final Stage of the Grand Tourney. We are your commentators and hosts. I am Peter, and I''m here with the sensational¡­"


    "Maggie"


    "Today we get to witness the four best teams so far duke it out in an exciting sequence of matches! I''m certain that everyone knows the four remaining teams, but it doesn''t hurt to remind ourselves of the names of the four teams that have made it into the Semi-Finals and are here today!"


    "Without wasting much time, I shall get straight to introducing the first team. They are one of the favorites to win this tournament and are led by the powerful Cheetah, Red Prince; the first team to be introduced is the Red Team!"


    Along with the spirited voice of Peter the commentator, a team of four clad entirely in red uniforms made their way onto the field. They had varying body statures, but they their auras were united and strong. The one leading the team was a lean man with a pair of light swords strapped to his back. He was a handsome middle aged man with a calm smile on his face. This man was the leader of the Red Team and the Cheetah, Red Prince. Standing behind him was a beautiful woman with cold eyes. Her graceful figure was clad entirely in red leather armor and a short bow was strapped to her side. Her slender quiver held no more than 15 arrows, but each was made with the finest materials. To either of her sides were two men who had very similar physiques. Unlike the slender man who led them, these two were bulky and although they were clad entirely in red leather armor, their well-built frames couldn''t be hidden from the eyes of the audience. They had muscular arms and thick black hair, and they even walked in the same manner. They were brothers, but they were so in sync with each other that many would have mistaken them as twins. As they made their way towards the centre of the stadium, the crowd cheered in support.


    "Next is the team that took out one of the favorites to win the tournament at the expense of one of their own. Led by the powerful Tiger, Vital Orange, let''s welcome the Orange Team!"


    Amidst the irritated boos of the audience, the members of the Orange Team slowly walked into the stadium. However, soon the booing stopped as everyone watched the Orange Team with stunned eyes. Leading the team was the ever powerful captain of the Orange Team, Vital Orange. Accompanying him was someone they recognized from the previous matches yet had never been seen fighting, Black Hand. That small stature entirely covered in an orange cloak was difficult to forget. But those were the only familiar faces. It wasn''t surprising that Orange Monk didn''t come with them because his injuries weren''t light and he was expected to miss what was left of the tournament. But Orange Ivy who had stolen the hearts of many of the men wasn''t with them either. Instead, there were two new additions to the team. And both of these new additions were unknown.


    Walking behind Vital Orange were two masked men covered from their necks to their shins in orange cloaks. The two walked in line with Black Hand, and from their strides one could tell that they weren''t old. They walked with their ?h?sts out; their cloaks fluttering elegantly in the wind. Although they both wore masks, one could easily differentiate between the two. One of them was wearing a white mask, whereas the other wore a black face mask. The one wearing the white mask was tall and had a slenderer build with his dark hair tied neatly into a small bun on the top of his head. Poking out of his cloak was a long sword held within an elegantly woven sheath and strapped to his waist. His countenance was that of one walking amongst a garden of flowers, and his aura was ethereal and surreal. Those who looked at him felt a sense of nobility that birthed feelings of inferiority in the depths of their hearts. His beautiful eyes were mesmerizing, and even those who were far away found themselves lost when they looked into those gentle and charming eyes. In contrast to the white masked man, the black masked man had cold eyes.


    Although they were like turquoise shells, those cold eyes had very little warmth, and anyone who looked into them could feel nothing but the grim reality of death hovering over their heads. His long blond hair was left to carelessly wander in the wind, and there was a large sword slung over his shoulder and onto the orange cloak. His steps were taken confidently, and his majestic aura threatened to overshadow Vital Orange''s strong presence. There was a hint of bloodlust that was exuded with every step he took. Unlike the white masked man, anyone who looked at him knew that he was no illusion, but a sharp sword that could easily reap a life!


    "Maggie, what do you think about the changes that the Orange Team has made. Were you surprised when you found out?" Peter the commentator asked. From his words the crowd could make out that he already knew about the changes. And it wasn''t surprising, since as the commentator he would have been told about any changes once they occurred so that he could prepare for it. It was the same with his partner, Maggie.


    "Well, yes and no. I wasn''t surprised with the first change. We all knew that Orange Monk wouldn''t be available due to the severity of his injuries. And we thought it was going to be difficult to replace him. But in the end they did. From what we gather, the White Mask ¨C as we will refer to him since he asked for his identity to remain secret ¨C is Orange Monk''s replacement. As for whether he would be able to fill the large shoes Orange Monk left behind, we will have to wait and see. Luckily we wouldn''t wait too long since he would have to show his worth today."


    "It was the second change which surprised me. Orange Ivy is a strong Thrasher, and has a good reputation and record in the Grand Tourney. Yet she has been replaced, and by an unknown no less. Since the Orange Team members are no fools, we must ?ssume that she was replaced because they found someone better. As for whether that is the truth, we hope to find out today, Peter."


    "Indeed. Do you think the two are related, Maggie?"


    "Well, Peter, I don''t know if they are related by blood, but they certainly know each other. The fact that both of them do not want to reveal their identities and are wearing masks may be proof of their relationship. It may be that in the quest to find a replacement for Orange Monk, the Orange Team came across both men, and decided to recruit both of them."


    "That is highly plausible Maggie. And from what I heard, Orange Ivy gave up her spot willingly. It makes me all the more eager to witness those two in action!" Peter exclaimed excitedly. His words stunned the audience. For someone to give away their spot willingly meant that they were inferior to the person they handed their spot over to!


    "It seems we are drawing a lot of attention. How are you faring?" The man in the black mask was undoubtedly Mane, and Lam was the man in the white mask.


    "I''m a little nervous," Lam admitted. "But I''m also very excited," Lam continued. Mane smiled behind the mask. Lam''s excitement far overshadowed his anxiety, and his calm exterior was a far cry from his shaking-with-excitement interior!


    "I''m bored," Hildegarde, the invisible fairy yawned from atop Mane''s shoulder.


    "Bear with me for a bit. I''d take you sightseeing when this is over," Since there was a mask over his face, Mane could easily speak to Hildegarde without worrying about people seeing his lips moving.


    "No takebacks!" Hildegarde excitedly exclaimed when she heard Mane''s words. She couldn''t move too far away from Mane due to a restriction, but she wanted to see the city. However, Mane had been busy these past few days and never had the time to take her out. So she was happy to hear his words.


    "I promise," Mane gave his word and then turned to ?ssess the Red Team. They had unknowingly arrived next to the team they may compete with depending on the draw.


    "Vital Orange. It is nice to meet you again." The Red Team''s Captain, Red Prince turned and nodded at Vital Orange as a sign of respect. Vital Orange quickly extended his greetings as well, as his team members took their positions at the center.


    "The next team is from our very own Asher City and are led by our very own legend, Black Saga! With indomitable force they have swept through all who have barred their paths and are here today, holding the mantle of hope for our city. Let''s invite the Black Team to join us!"


    The audience erupted into loud applause and amidst the raucous cheering of the home support, a team of four men clad entirely in black made their way onto the field. Leading them was a man even taller than Vital Orange. This man was almost 2 and a half meters in height, and his arms were as thick as a tree trunk. A large rod was strapped diagonally to his back, and his threatening aura was intoxicating. He had a gentle smile on his face though, and he waved his hand happily at the crowd; an action which elicited even more cheers. Behind him were three tall men. Each one of them was as large as Vital Orange, and their black leather suits were sleeveless. They had different weapons. One used an axe, the other a hammer, and the last person a spear. Just like their leader, they smiled merrily and waved at the cheering crowd. Soon, they had reached the center of the field, joining the Red and Orange Teams who were already there. The three captains exchanged greetings before returning to their places.


    "Last but certainly not least, is the team that is currently holding the Grand Tourney title. They won last year, slashing through each team with unbelievable accuracy. Their undaunted spirits and great beauty has made them the envy of every woman and man here. This is the team led by the Celestial Fairy. Let''s welcome our reigning champions, The Indigo Team!"


    The eyes of many men lit up as the last team made its way onto the field. The last team was comprised entirely of women, and came from the First Class City ''A Woman''s Paradise'', which was run by women. They were all beautiful, and age hadn''t left a mark on their faces. Their graceful forms moved through the wind like bu??erflies, as they made their way to the center. Their leader was arguably the best of them all. Not in terms of looks, but rather in terms of aura and disposition. She had her held head high and the aura of a noble could be felt from her. Strapped to her sides were a pair of twin swords, and each of them was at least two to three times heavier than a regular sword! The three women who stood behind her were all sword users, and the sharpness of their auras was proof that they weren''t mediocre sword users! Under the mesmerized gazes of men and women alike, they slowly made their way to the center.


    The leader of the Indigo Team, Celestial Fairy, only lightly nodded her head at the other captains when she arrived. It looked arrogant, yet Mane didn''t see any arrogance in her actions. It was all very natural, and she was genuinely respectful of the other teams. The captains didn''t seem to mind either. They all returned her nod, as if used to her manner of greeting.


    "Now that all the teams are here, we shall start the draw!"

 Chapter 364 - Secrets

    "We shall invite the City Lord to help us with the draw." Peter announced and the audience looked onto the field to see the City Lord walking onto the pitch. It was because the City Lord was involved in the draw that he didn''t give his usual big speech before the teams were invited onto the field.


    "That''s odd."


    "Yeah"


    "The City Lord has never been involved in the draw before"


    "Do you think something weird is going on?"


    "Not really"


    "I think you guys are reading too much into this"


    "He is the City Lord. If he decides to be the one heading the draw, that''s his decision"


    "Yeah. That just means that this year''s Grand Tourney is more special than the past years"


    Mane''s sharp ears picked up the words of the people closest to him in the stadium, and he understood that the City Lord had never been involved in the draw. From the people''s murmurings, it was strange that the City Lord had chosen to be involved, but they didn''t read much into it. He was their City Lord, and he could do whatever he wanted. But Mane wasn''t as na?ve as the spectators, and neither were the other teams.


    The leader of the Indigo Team, the Celestial Fairy, creased her brows slightly when she heard Peter''s announcement. Although her reaction was slight, so far what Mane had gathered from her countenance could be explained in just a word: calm. For someone like her, creasing her brows was enough for Mane to understand that she was taken aback by the announcement.


    The Red Team''s captain, Red Prince, was more open with his reaction. He mumbled the words ''oh really now'' when the announcement was made, and raised one of his eyebrows above the other in an exaggerated manner.


    The Black Team''s captain, Black Saga was probably the only one who didn''t have any reaction to the news. He was as calm as ever, like a rock battered by a stiff breeze; unmoving and unruffled.


    "It seems that he was already aware," Mane thought silently to himself seeing Black Saga''s calm reaction. There was no way he was going to believe that Black Saga was someone who didn''t express his emotions. The man was a rod user, and his aura was as stiff as his weapon. But from the man''s smile Mane could tell that he was a kind gentleman, and that he wasn''t one to hide his emotions. So it was highly likely that he knew that the City Lord was going to be involved in the draw.


    "Don''t you think Vital Orange is acting very strangely?" Hildegarde who was seated on Mane''s shoulder looked at Vital Orange with eyes full of scrutiny and said.


    "Yes. He is acting very strangely. He keeps looking at Black Hand. However, Black Hand is acting very calmly. I can''t pick up anything strange from him." Mane''s eyes narrowed into slits as he stared at alternatively between Vital Orange and Black Hand. Vital Orange looked uncomfortable, as if he was sitting upon a bed of nails. The large man kept looking at Black Hand, yet the Snake ?ssassin didn''t bother to respond to Vital Orange''s stares. Black Hand kept gazing at the City Lord who was entering with a calm gaze, just like everyone else. Vital Orange however, couldn''t bring himself to look at the City Lord.


    "Do you think it has to do with that night?" Hildegarde asked. Her question had Mane furrowing his brows in contemplation. He started to think carefully about what happened a few nights ago, and he realised that Hildegarde might be on to something.


    About two days ago, Mane was out training at midnight when he felt the presence of Vital Orange appear next to the gate. Mane was curious, and so he followed Vital Orange''s presence and found the big man dressed entirely in black, sneaking out of the house. But he wasn''t alone. Next to him was someone who looked very much like Black Hand. Although this person''s face was covered entirely, Mane could tell from his build that it was Black Hand. The man was an ?ssassin, so Mane wasn''t surprised that he had been able to hide his aura. And it was because of that that Mane didn''t sense him initially. However, Vital Orange didn''t have such skill. Mane watched as the two men left sneakily, and easily got past the guards to God knows where. However, before the break of day, they were back.


    Mane didn''t really worry too much about what he saw. Everyone had their secrets. He had his secrets, and so did Dan. It wasn''t strange that others also had things they weren''t willing to share with others. But after listening to Hildegarde''s words, he reckoned that there was some connection between the City Lord, Vital Orange and Black Hand. And from Vital Orange''s reaction, it wasn''t a good one.


    "The City Lord is accompanied by his beautiful daughter, and our future City Mistress, Mira!" Peter exclaimed in excitement seeing the lithe figure accompanying the City Lord. The crowd cheered loudly as several men shamelessly kept shouting at Mira to marry them. Next to Mira was someone that Mane recognised, the bodyguard who had almost attacked him in a moment of hotheadedness, Blake. However, Rusty, the person Mane felt threatened by, was not here. Mane had found out a lot about the man in the past few days and understood that the man was always with the City Lord. Even when he wasn''t standing right next to the City Lord, he was always close by. But this time the man wasn''t here. And Mane felt that his absence was more than just a coincidence. The last person with them was a young woman who followed after the trio with a small hand woven basket in her hands.


    "Hello Captains," the City Lord greeted the four leaders once he arrived at the center. The captains respectfully returned his greeting, and even Celestial Fairy opened her mouth to speak for the first time.


    "We meet again," the City Lord turned to Mane and Lam and said. His words stunned the captains, including Vital Orange who had no idea that the three had met before. Black Hand showed a reaction for the first time too. Even he was surprised.


    "We do," Mane responded through the mask, and Lam greeted the City Lord as well. Their young and exuberant voices stunned the members of the other teams who had been ?ssuming all this while that the masked men weren''t so young. But Mane and Lam had fairly immature voices, and the rest didn''t know what to think anymore.


    "When do you plan to honor your promise? Or you have forgotten that you promised me a dinner." The City Lord smiled and said. His words had the members of the four teams who had just recovered their calm to lose their calm again.


    "Soon, City Lord. I give you my word that we would be there once the competition ends. How did you like our gift?" Mane bowed slightly to show respect and asked. The others were surprised. These two men obviously were acquainted with the City Lord, and they had even given him a gift! Even Celestial Fairy was looking at Mane and Lam with a lot more interest now. There was no way she thought these masked men were ordinary anymore.


    "I did. It helped a lot with my injuries." The City Lord laughed and turned to look at Vital Orange and Black Hand when he spoke of his injuries. Vital Orange grew slightly pale, but Black Hand was very calm. The ?ssassin was even smiling at the City Lord.


    "I am glad that the City Lord benefitted from my gift. Although it saddens me that you had been hurt. For the last time we met, you were as fit as a fiddle." Mane smoothly stated.


    "Yes. Life is fickle. One moment you are full of health and in the next, things aren''t as good as they were." the City Lord sighed in mock pity and stated. Mane could see from the man''s eyes that the City Lord was distrusting of him, which was likely due to the fact that he was on the Orange Team.


    "City Lord, it''s me. I want you to know that whatever is going on has nothing to do with me and my friends. We are only here to fight with the Orange Team in the Grand Tourney. We have no close ties to them. In fact, I''m very interested in them. And I feel that I could get the information I seek from you. How about we talk properly when I come to your home?" Mane quickly sent his voice directly into the City Lord''s ears with Lock-On. The City Lord was stunned by the sudden intrusion, but the man quickly recovered himself and nodded at Mane.


    "Please do not look at me with such eyes, Miss Mira," Mane turned to Mira and pleaded wryly. He could feel Mira''s murderous aura centering on the Orange Team ¨C and on him especially ¨C ever since she came. Mane was very certain that Vital Orange and Black Hand had done something that was likely related to the City Lord''s injuries.


    Mira coldly regarded Mane and then turned her head. Blake who was right next to her was just as cold, if not colder. Mane smiled wryly seeing their expressions, but no one could see this through the mask. As for Lam, he was confused. He could feel the animosity of Mira and Blake, but didn''t understand what was going on. Mane decided that he would brief him once they were alone.


    "It seems that the City Lord is sharing some words with the contestants. No doubt wishing them luck for the fight ahead." Their interaction didn''t go unnoticed since it was done in front of a fully packed stadium. However Peter, just like every other person here thought nothing of the interaction.


    The City Lord nodded at Peter to indicate that he was ready, and then Peter took over.


    "In the basket are four pebbles, each of a different color. We have the red pebble, the orange pebble, the black pebble and the indigo pebble. Each pebble represents a team. The colors of the pebbles correspond to the teams they represent. Each captain should please step forward and pick a pebble when the name of their team is called"


    The City Lord took the basket from the young woman who bowed and stood to the side. Then he held it before the captains as each of them came forward to pick a pebble.


    "Up first is the Indigo Team whose members are the reigning champions." As was the norm, the first pick went to the champions, and then the rest occurred in alphabetical order.


    Celestial Fairy walked up to the basket and picked up a pebble. She held it firmly in her hand so that no one would see.


    "Next, is the Black Team."


    "Next up is the Orange Team"


    Vital Orange nervously walked up to the smiling City Lord and picked a pebble. The City Lord didn''t show any reaction, still smiling happily.


    "Last but not least, the Red Team"


    Red Prince picked up the last pebble when it was his turn.


    "Now would the captains please show their pebbles to the audience?" Peter requested, and the captains held up their hands and displayed their pebbles.


    "Well, there you have it folks! The Red Team squares off against the Black Team! And the Indigo Team faces the team they knocked out at this stage of the competition last year, the Orange Team!"

 Chapter 365 - Hidden Undercurrents

    "The first match is between the Black Team and the Red Team! What do you think of the draw Maggie?"


    "Well, I think we have a very interesting day ahead of us and I can''t wait for it to begin. Although the Black Team are one of the strong favorites to win the Grand Tourney, so are the Red Team. In fact, none of the teams who have made it this far aren''t strong favorites. Personally, I felt that whichever team that had to face the Red Team was the unfortunate one Peter."


    "How come Maggie? Each Team has a Predator at the peak of their level, so why would they fear the Red Team?"


    "It isn''t that they fear the Red Team per se, but I didn''t think anyone would be happy with having to face the Red Team. And that is because of the fact that they have a Cheetah on their team. However, that changed when I saw the teams coming out of their dressing rooms. I feel that every team is very dangerous, and no one would be eager to pick one team over another based on the simple fact that they are all very even opponents."


    "I agree with you on that Maggie. None of the teams that have reached this stage are easy pickings. That said, who do you tip as the most difficult team to get past? I know you have one in mind"


    "Well, I think that the Indigo Team are facing a tough test with this new face Orange Team. This is because of the new additions to the team. We have never seen these two people fight before, and we have no idea what their strengths and weaknesses are. The Indigo Team have the tough task of figuring these out if they have to deal with their opponents sufficiently today. But that would have to wait Peter."


    "That''s right Maggie. That would have to wait because first up are the Black Team and the Orange Team!"


    "The first team to take the field is led by the fastest man here who is their captain, the Red Team!"


    The crowd clapped as the Red Team made its way back onto the field. As they moved to the center of the field, Peter presented their information to the audience. Although he didn''t really need to since most of the people here had been present throughout the entire competition and had seen the Red Team''s match record for themselves.


    "The Red Team had a record of 2 wins and one draw in the group stages, showing how impressive they are. They are a resilient team that focuses on draining the stamina and focus of their opponents with their witty attacks and superior reflexes. This team is not an easy one to face."


    "That is true Peter. When they were placed in the same group as the reigning champions, many didn''t think they would be able to come out of the group stages with an unbeaten record. However, they defied all odds and did, dragging the reigning champions to a draw when the two sides met."


    "Did you watch their group stage matches?" Back in the Orange Team''s tunnel that led to the field, Mane asked Lam as he watched the Red Team members matching onto the field. Although he asked the question, he already knew the answer.


    "Not all of them. But I watched the one where they had to face the Indigo Team." Lam stated, and his answer surprised Mane. Mane looked at him strangely.


    "Not all the group stage matches are easy to get. So usually Ivor picks out the ones that he thinks are between the top teams and brings them back" Lam explained, and Mane promptly remembered that Lam had said before that he couldn''t watch all the group stage matches.


    "So, what did you think of that particular match: the Red Team vs the Indigo Team?" Mane asked


    "I think they were both holding back," Lam stated honestly.


    "Oh? Why do you say so?" Mane asked, genuinely curious. Over the past few days he had spent sparring with Lam and Lily, he discovered that the twins were monstrous talents. He knew that their comprehension of things was beyond the norm, but he discovered how far beyond the norm it was when he was training them. In just a few days, both of them had grown tremendously, and Mane was astounded by their progress. They were as quick as him, a Supreme, when it came to their growth. And they reminded him of a certain duo: Jake and John.


    Jake and John were also twins, and two of Mane''s closest, if not his closest, friends. Both were usually na?ve and didn''t know much about the complexities of politics, but things changed when it came to fighting. From the very beginning, right when Mane had helped them become wielders, both displayed combat awareness unbefitting of 6 year olds. Their comprehension of battle skills, sharp reflexes and their ability to quickly adapt to unfavorable situations were beyond that of Abe and even Mane!


    In that respect, even his masters admitted that if the twins caught up to Mane in terms of their wielding level, they would be a massive headache even for Mane in battle. Lily and Lam were a bit inferior to Jake and John when it came to their battle abilities. Maybe it was because they had started so late, or maybe they just were. But they weren''t as na?ve as Jake and John. Lily and Lam didn''t like politics or the scheming nature of men, but they were bright enough to be able to spot them and not fall for them, unlike Jake and John who needed Abe to save them from the scheming minds of predators. And that was why Mane was curious to know why Lam thought that both teams didn''t give it their best when they met in the group stages.


    "I wasn''t able to tell initially because I didn''t understand the strengths of Thrashers and Predators well, but now that I am stronger, I am able to understand some things I overlooked." Lam took a deep breath and started.


    "Now that I think about it, they fought like they were only feeling each other out. And then both captains decided to forfeit without trading more than three blows. And their team members were just as laid back as they were when they fought. It was almost as if both teams had agreed beforehand that they weren''t going to give it their all."


    "I see. Don''t you find that odd? Even if it was to prevent injuries, don''t you have to fight first before you understand that your opponent is difficult to deal with and propose a truce?" Mane tried rubbing his chin before realizing that his entire face was covered with a mask.


    "I didn''t at the time. But I do now. They fought like they knew each other really well, and had already made a decision before the game. And it was definitely not because they had seen the other fight during the last Grand Tourney. After all, a lot can change within even a year. The Blue Team for instance, were semi-finalists last time but can only watch the semi-finals from the stands this year." Lam stated, and Mane nodded his head to show that he agreed with his friend. Things didn''t make sense.


    "Then the only logical conclusion is that¡­" Lam started.


    "They are allies" and Mane finished. Lam nodded his head to indicate that that was exactly what he was thinking.


    "Look at the two of you pinging off each other," Hildegarde chuckled smugly from atop Mane''s shoulder. Mane chuckled and replied via Lock-On, "It is easy to speak to an intelligent person."


    "It is unfortunate that they didn''t get to meet at this stage," Lam sighed and Mane understood why. Both were thinking the same thing. The two were in the same group, which meant that they weren''t fated to meet until the Semi-Finals. And even then, only if they were lucky would they pick each other in the Semi-Finals draw.


    "Do you think that things were rigged, and they were intentionally given the same group?" Lam asked, and Mane who was thinking the exact same thing nodded his head. He didn''t believe in coincidences, and it seemed that his friend was the same.


    "I think they hoped that both of them would get into the finals and have a shot at taking the trophy. Since they are allies, it doesn''t matter who takes the trophy, only that it was won by their alliance." Mane replied.


    "And I think the City Lord may have rigged the draw," Mane added.


    "Why do you say that?" Lam asked.


    "He is never the one in charge of the draw, yet for some reason he chose to do it?" Mane started. Initially, he thought that the City Lord was here for Vital Orange and Black Hand, but after listening to Lam''s words, he realised how foolish his thoughts were. If Vital Orange and Black Hand had indeed attacked the City Lord, then it was silly of him to come out and show them that he was fine. And from the impression the City Lord gave Mane, that didn''t seem like something he would do. The man was a deep schemer, down to his very bones, and this just didn''t feel right. After listening to Lam''s analyses, Mane realised that the City Lord may not have come for the Orange Team at all, but for the Red and Indigo Teams.


    "It seems that there are a lot of shady things happening in the dark," Lam tousled his own hair and sighed. Although Mane couldn''t see his face, Mane could tell that Lam was unhappy that they were now involved in such troublesome matters.


    "Yeah," Mane sighed as well.


    "Stop pretending. I can tell that you are eager for chaos to ensue," Hildegarde scoffed when she heard Mane''s sigh, and the young Supreme coughed softly to hide his embarrassment of being found out by the little fairy.


    "It seems that the first match is about to begin," Mane pointed at the center of the field where two people from the opposing teams ¨C both of whom were men ¨C were ready to fight. It seemed that during Mane and Lam''s conversation, the Black Team had also been introduced, and both captains had presented their slates filled with their fighters in the order that they would take the stage.


    Mane spotted a familiar figure ¨C Steel Fist. It seemed that she was in charge of the Semi-Finals as well.


    "Let''s observe them then," Mane smiled and said, as he turned his attention to the events of the field.

 Chapter 366 - A World Full Of Surprises

    "The first match is between Black Ink of the Black Team and Red Marshall of the Red Team! Both teams are starting out strong!"


    "Indeed Peter. Black Ink is said to be the strongest after Black Saga. Black Saga said so himself that Black Ink is a force to be reckoned with when he gets serious. And to be fair, no one really showed their true strength in the group stages. We have seen glimpses of what he is capable of in the Round-of-16 Stage and Quarter Final Stage. But he gave up every time he had to face a Predator. No doubt an instruction from his captain, Black Saga. That way they''ve been able to remain fit, and none of their members have ever been gravely injured. Scrapes and scratches at best. Normally, you would pick Black Ink as the winner no matter who he faced, but his opponent is different this time."


    "Red Marshall is like Black Ink in the Red Team. She is just as respected, and is a powerful warrior. Red Prince has already picked her out to be his successor in the long term. In other words, when Red Marshall becomes a Predator, Red Prince would quit the Red Team so that she would take over. That alone shows you how highly her captain thinks of her. She is strong, and just like Black Ink she has never been forced into a dead end. This is bound to be an interesting match Peter"


    "Indeed Maggie. So, who do you think would come out on top this time Maggie."


    "Honestly, as a citizen of Asher City, I want to see Black Ink win and the Black Team come out as the winners. But their opponents are so strong that I don''t know what would happen."


    "It is true Maggie. This is bound to be very interesting."


    Steel Fist''s vision alternated between Black Ink and Red Marshall, as an intrigued expression was born on her face. She smiled and mumbled, "Interesting," before she decided to get on with things.


    "Are you ready?" she asked the contestants who were facing each other with steely looks on their faces. Red Marshall''s beautiful face was cold, and her eyes were fully focused on her opponent. Every little detail was absorbed into her brain and with her eyes as a window, she scanned every part of Black Ink. Her aura was serene, with hints of savagery hidden immaculately within.


    Black Ink was equally focused on the task at hand. His bright eyes glowed in excitement as his hand stroked his long spear. The aura of a powerful warrior was radiated from every fiber of his muscles, and his veins rippled underneath his tough skin.


    "Ready," Black Ink responded and whipped his spear out. His aura skyrocketed, and his power shook the space around him. His veins wriggled like tiny dragons and his blood boiled like a sea of magma in anticipation of the fight to come.


    "Ready," Red Marshall stated as her aura responded to her opponent''s. Its serene nature was very quickly overtaken by the savagery that had remained hidden until now. Like a provoked bear, or a poked hornet''s nest, it exploded into a full blown murderous aura. Her eyes glowed with calm that was unbefitting of her aura as she held onto her short bow. She pulled out three arrows from her quiver of 15 ¨C leaving her with only 12 ¨C and strung them onto her bow, ready to draw and strike.


    "The first match of the Semi-Finals Stage is between the Black Team and the Red Team. It is between Black Ink of the Black Team and Red Marshall of the Red Team. Both contestants are ready."


    "Let the battle¡­"


    "Begin!"


    *Whoosh*


    Both fighters sprang into action at once. Black Ink jumped at Red Marshall with a face full of madness. His eyes were clouded in savagery as he pulled his spear back and pierced towards Red Marshall. The wind itself was split apart and dust was pierced through as the spear head made its way towards Red Marshall.


    "Oh? One with the Spear?" Mane exclaimed with a stunned expression from the Orange Team''s viewing area. The aura that Black Ink was exuding was one of dominance and power. The man''s aura of power was the same as his spear''s aura of power, and that could only mean one thing ¨C he was one with his spear.


    "What is that?" Lam asked Mane. He had no idea what Mane was talking about.


    "There are stages to mastering a weapon. The first stage is apprenticeship. A person is basically a slave to their weapon at this stage. Basically, you are now getting used to your weapon''s weight and understanding how to use it efficiently. It is the first stage to studying a weapon."


    "The second stage is intimacy. It is when you have finally understood the weapon and grown used to it. You come to love your weapon and treat it as part of you."


    "The third stage is what you''re seeing now ¨C one with the weapon. The weapon becomes like an extension of yourself. It is like a part of your soul and you''re basically bound to it." Mane explained.


    "I never thought that in a world like this where there are no techniques, someone would reach such a realm," Hildegarde sighed as she spoke. Mane felt the same way, and that was why he was so surprised.


    "To think that someone would have reached such a realm," Mane smiled from underneath his mask. Lam did not fully understand how extraordinary this was, and could only stand next to Mane and watch the match.


    Black Ink''s aura was like a furnace, and it burned at Red Marshall''s aura, intending to swallow it whole. Her aura dissipated like a husk and Black Ink''s spear penetrated her body easily.


    "Black Ink''s spear has gone clean through Red Marshall''s body!"


    "That''s not true," Maggie shook her head and argued.


    "But his opponent is no slouch either," Mane smiled as Red Marshall''s figure disappeared.


    "That was an after image," Maggie stated. "The first person to move wasn''t Black Ink, but Red Marshall!"


    Suddenly a powerful aura erupted from one end of the field as three powerful arrows whizzed through the air and pierced towards Black Ink. The three arrows were shot strategically, blocking all escape routes and leaving no opening for Black Ink to get away. The arrows kicked up clouds of dust as they traveled the distance, and their power carried the aura of savageness that belonged to Red Marshall. She stood at the end of the field where the arrows had been shot from, her steely eyes gazing emotionlessly at Black Ink as her arrows finally reached their target.


    Black Ink span his spear around like it was a rod as the winds gathered around him, and then he swept his spear towards the arrows like a sweeper.


    *Bang*


    *Bang*


    Black Ink''s reflexes were far superior to his actual movement speed, and he displayed just how outrageous they were by blocking all three arrows. Yet the power of the arrows sent him skidding across the field, as he struggled to keep his balance.


    He looked to the end of the field where Red Marshall stood previously, yet she wasn''t there anymore. In just a split second, she had moved!


    *Whoosh*


    Black Ink felt the wind behind him growing stronger, and knew instinctively that the person he was looking for was right behind him. Like a ghost in the attic, a powerful arrow appeared behind Black Ink and sought to bore a hole through the Black Team member. Black Ink borrowed the momentum of the three arrows that had sent him flying into this ambush and twisted his body strangely. He didn''t need to gather and power in his spear because of the momentum of his retreat. He quickly sliced at the arrow, striking it accurately on the base of the arrowhead.


    *Bang*


    "Smart man. But the attacks are getting stronger. I wonder what you''re going to do." Mane mumbled.


    "Black Ink survives another ambush from Red Marshall. This woman is truly terrifying at her full strength!" Peter wiped his sweat-filled forehead with a cleaning cloth and exclaimed. The entire stadium was quiet, as the crowd struggled to come to terms with what they were seeing. Black Ink was being pushed around!


    *Clank*


    A powerful force traveled through his spear wielding arm and almost broke it into several fragments. Sweat streamed down his face he struggled to hold on, but ultimately he was sent flying into the air as he coughed out a mouthful of blood. His eyes gradually regained their calm, and the madness in them from before slowly dissipated.


    Red Marshall didn''t miss this moment of weakness. She quickly strung her last three arrows and gathered all her power into her bow. With a mighty shout she unleashed the last of her arrows.


    "The Tri-Factor," Red Prince smiled as he watched the match. His face was confident, as if he already knew how this would end. The brothers behind him were just as confident in Red Marshall as their captain, and they didn''t doubt the results of this clash.


    "That''s'' the Tri-Factor. It is Red Marshall''s finishing move; one that she developed last year. Not even the commentators know this one. It is over now." Red Prince smiled.


    The Black Team members watched on with dull expressions on their faces. Black Saga smiled seeing how things were going. As he watched the three arrows flying towards Black Ink, he smirked and said, "If you think he is only this strong then you are a fool."


    Black Saga shook his head and continued, "Black Ink isn''t at his strongest when he is in his madness mode, but when he comes out of it. It lasts only 2 minutes, but the Clarity Mode is beyond what anyone can overcome!"


    *Boom*


    "This is¡­"


    "How is this possible?!" Peter exclaimed in shock.


    "He isn''t even injured!" Maggie was stunned as well.


    Black Ink whom everyone had counted out was standing on his feet. His eyes were clear and innocent, like that of a newborn baby, yet they were filled with power and strength. In his right hand he held his trusty spear, and in his left hand he held¡­


    "The three arrows Red Marshall shot out! Black Ink caught the seemingly unstoppable arrows" Peter exclaimed in shock.


    Everyone else was stunned. Not only was Black Ink fine, he had caught those powerful arrows b?r?handed!


    "That man¡­ Is that¡­" Mane narrowed his eyes.


    "Returning to Origin," Hildegarde stated with a stunned expression on her face. ''How can one person have so many secrets?'' she wondered. First was One With The Spear, and now Returning To Origin.


    Mane''s eyes glowed with excitement as he said, "This man is a true genius"

 Chapter 367 - Invitation

    Red Marshall had a stunned expression on her face as she watched Black Ink''s left hand. She knew better than anyone how powerful those arrows she shot were. Due to the limitations of this competition, she had to be more cautious than most. As an archer, her great speed, animal-like reflexes and intuition were all she could rely on. The field wasn''t exactly suitable for archers since there were no places to hide or mount a sneak attack. Also the fact that one had to face their opponent before the match began meant that she had to constantly be on the move by using her superior speed. But even then, that would b?r?ly do anything to help her. Moving around so quickly made it difficult to fire powerful arrows quite freely. But she was an anomaly.


    She had been raised battling beasts of all sizes and strengths, and her master had mostly thrown her into situations where she had to face Magical Beasts with speed equal to or superior to her own! Over her the years, her body had grown so strong and efficient that she could fire powerful arrows from any position. Whether she was upside down or falling over a cliff, she was able to fire her arrows with 98% accuracy and with 70% of her full power. But she was unsatisfied with this result. Although the average archer would be absolutely enthused with such statistics, she was no average archer, and sought to get better. So she trained and trained and developed a technique of her own. It was called the 15 Arrow Deathshot. This skill had been developed after years of research, and allowed her to fire 15 arrows with deadly precision and power. The scariest part about the skill was that with every arrow fired, the momentum gathered in the next would be stronger and would give rise to a more powerful arrow. This was after she understood that different postures allowed her to access more power than she was capable of. In other words, the second arrow was more powerful than the first arrow, and the third arrow was more powerful than the second arrow. It was continuous until the 15th arrow. That was currently her limit. But even then, the 15th arrow already contained about 200% of her maximum power! That was an insane statistic. But who would have thought that it wouldn''t be enough to deal with Black Ink?


    Black Ink who was silently standing in the center of the field suddenly sprang into life. Like a man parched by the desert sun suddenly finding an oasis, he moved with speed greater than what he had displayed so far. His movement was refined and composed, and his clear eyes filled Red Marshall with a sense of unease. She could tell that he was different from before. Before he was like a hungry beast who had just discovered food and was impatient to feast. But now he was a man who had been through the vicissitudes of life and had several scars to show for it. Right now Black Ink''s aura was so calm that it was dangerous. Red Marshall deftly unstrung her bow. Her fingers produced several after images as she quickly unstrung her bow and returned the string to her pocket. She twirled the bow in her hands and it straightened into a rod.


    "That is incredible," Mane marveled at the brilliance of the person who made the bow.


    "It is. The Red Team comes from the First Class City, Blacksmith City. Over there are several world class craftsmen and women with the ability to make novel and intelligent items like the bow Red Marshall is using" Vital Orange who had been absent all this while appeared next to Mane and Lam and explained.


    "It is said that Red Marshall''s bow was made using the finest of minerals, and was refined with the most delicate of techniques to make it as flexible as it is strong," Black Hand was also here. As he spoke, Mane and Lam''s eyes glowed as they wished for powerful weapons of their own.


    "This world is more mysterious than we thought," Hildegarde stated from atop Mane''s shoulder, and Mane nodded in reply. Indeed, this world was a fascinating one. There were Soul-Bound warriors, Returning to Origin warriors, and blacksmiths capable of fashioning intelligent middle class weapons. Now Mane was very interested in visiting Blacksmith City.


    "Are you interested in going there?" Vital Orange asked with light glowing in his eyes. Mane furrowed his brows upon noticing this. He suddenly realised that Vital Orange didn''t tell him this for nothing.


    "I am," Mane admitted.


    "We can help you meet the best blacksmiths there. Our city has a good relationship with their city." Vital Orange smiled and said.


    "So, that''s what they wanted," Hildegarde smacked her lips and said. Mane smiled as well since he knew what was going on. Vital Orange may have been interested in getting Mane and the twins to move to The Citadel, and maybe he was intending to invite them after the competition was over. But he had suddenly become more urgent. Which meant that something must have caused him to grow panicked.


    "It must be the conversation you had with the City Lord. It seems they really are on opposing sides." Hildegarde analysed, and Mane agreed with her. That was the only thing that had happened recently, and the only thing that could make Vital Orange and Black Hand seek to invite them so soon.


    "That must be why they weren''t here initially. They must have been sending out information about us." Mane told Hildegarde his thoughts and his blood run cold. To be honest, he was very uncomfortable with the current situation. Although he had a good impression of the Orange Team, that wasn''t enough to move to their camp. And he didn''t want to be involved in their fight with the City Lord. But it seemed that his fate had already become entwined with this conflict from the moment he agreed to Ivor''s request and set out to join the Orange Team.


    "I see. Thank you then." Mane nodded and said to Vital Orange, who had a huge smile on his face after hearing Mane''s words.


    "No problem."


    "What a mess," Mane sighed silently to himself as he started to think of a way out of this mess.


    *Boom*


    Red Marshall darted out of the way to avoid the spear of Black Ink. Her movements were elegant, and none of her energy was wasted. Her cold eyes ?ssessed the enemy before her as she span and swung her rod towards Black Ink''s temple.


    *Bang*


    Black Ink was just as efficient as Red Marshall. He leaned back slightly and thrust his spear towards the base of the rod, and deflected the attack masterfully. Then he twisted his body and thrust his spear forward, not at all affected by the beauty of the woman who was in front of him.


    *Whoosh*


    Judging that she couldn''t take the attack head on, Red Marshall smartly avoided the attack. Like a string full of elasticity and tension, she kept twisting her body into several strange angles to avoid Black Ink''s attacks. Yet the man''s spear was like a snake as it tried to coil around her and followed her every movement.


    Suddenly, Black Ink flung his spear at Red Marshall. It was done with no warning whatsoever, and Red Marshall never saw it coming. And because they were engaged in close combat, it seemed to be the most unlikely thing Black Ink could have done. Yet he was still able to do so even in such circumstances.


    Red Marshall''s face grew a bit panicked, as she pulled a bit of distance between herself and Black Ink. She had very little time to avoid the attack, and all she could do was try to save herself from getting any vital organs injured. Yet at the last moment, her face grew resolute, as she charged into the incoming attack.


    "Is she crazy?" Lam wondered.


    "No. That is the only way she can win" Mane responded. Lam was still a bit inexperienced in battle to comprehend what he was seeing, so Mane explained it to him.


    "Since Black Ink has lost his weapon, he would be vulnerable after this strike. If she could get a good attack in, she may come out as the winner."


    "May?" Lam asked.


    "Well, nothing is set in stone." Mane shrugged and replied.


    *Puchi*


    The spear easily tore through Red Marshall''s leather armor, boring a hole through her abdomen. The powerful spear held power so great that it kept on soaring through the air even after piercing through Red Marshall. Red Marshall didn''t even produce a squeak. Her eyes were cold, and although her arms trembled slightly from the pain, her charge didn''t falter in the least. Like a ferocious beast that had been left with no choice, she gathered power in her rod and struck the stunned Black Ink squarely on his temple.


    *Bang*


    Black Ink''s figure flew through the air and landed on the ground a few meters away. Red Marshall ignored the pain in her abdomen and rushed towards his fallen figure. Her eyes were filled with determination as she approached him, and her speed ¨C although reduced because of her injury ¨C was still impressive. However, a figure appeared next to Black Ink before she could get there. This person was Steel Fist.


    She lifted her hand to indicate to Red Marshall that there was no need to continue. Black Ink had been knocked unconscious. The healing team quickly made their way to the fallen Thrasher to ?ssess his injuries. In his state, he was likely severely concussed. Another healing team made its way towards Red Marshall


    "Black Ink is unconscious and is unable to continue. Red Marshall wins!"

 Chapter 368 - A Reason To Kill

    Red Marshall fell to the ground right after Steel Fist''s announcement. She clutched her bleeding abdomen with a pale complexion and coughed violently. Luckily, the healing team had already arrived next to her. They quickly performed some first aid treatment and crudely bandaged her wound to slow down the bleeding. Then they placed her on a stretcher and quickly moved her away. Black Ink was also moved from the field in haste, and it was likely that both fighters were going to spend the night, and maybe several other nights, in the hospital.


    "I''m sorry captain," Red Marshall had a disappointed expression on her face as she spoke. Red Prince and the two brothers in the Red team arrived next to her once Steel Fist announced the results of the match. It was forbidden for anyone to interfere with the matches or even come onto the field until everything was over, so Red Prince could only watch as his prot¨¦g¨¦ got hurt.


    "What are you apologizing for? You won, didn''t you?" Red Prince shook his head and said. He wouldn''t have blamed her even if she lost because their opponents weren''t slim pickings. But he didn''t say that because there was no need to. Since Red Marshall won, there was no need to talk about what could have happened instead of what had happened.


    "I got myself hurt badly and wouldn''t be able to do more for the team right now," Red Marshall coughed and said. Even in her condition, all she thought about was the fact that the Red Team wouldn''t get the one man advantage they were supposed to have from having won the first match.


    "You literally sacrificed yourself for the team," one of the brothers pointed at the blood soaked bandage and said. His brother nodded his head to show that he was thinking the same.


    "You have done everything you could have done. Leave the rest to us." Red Prince smiled and said. Then he patted Red Marshall on her head and watched as she was carried out of the stadium.


    Elsewhere, Black Saga watched on as Black Ink was carried out of the stadium. Next to him were the two other members of the Black Team. None of them was smiling anymore. Their gazes were cold and unflinching, and their auras of power were nothing to scoff at.


    "When I meet them, I would crash them," the Black Team member who wielded the axe gritted his teeth and said to the other member who used the hammer. Both were given names because of their proficiency with their weapons. The axe user was called Black Axe, and the hammer user was called Black Hammer.


    "That goes without saying," Black Hammer balled his fists tightly and watched as Black Ink was carried out of the stadium unconscious. After speaking to the healers, they understood that Black Ink''s injury wasn''t light. The warrior would need the blood of a Mythic Class Magical Beast and some precious herbs to be able to recover from the damage to his head. Although Asher City was going to provide these things, it didn''t change the fact that their friend was hurt. And although Red Marshall was also injured, they didn''t care about her. All they understood was that their friend had been hurt. And since the one who caused his pain was indisposed, they were going to transfer their anger elsewhere.


    "But I fear more for Red Prince than the others," Black Axe suddenly said.


    "Why?" Black Hammer wondered.


    "Have you seen Captain''s expression?" Black Axe gestured and said. Black Axe turned to look at his captain, and felt his blood run cold when he felt the hostility within his captain''s aura. Black Saga was usually an easygoing person and it was difficult to anger him. But whenever he raged, he left nothing of his opponents. And that bloodthirsty death god that they had come to fear more than respect had been awakened once more. Black Axe and Black Hammer were angry, however faced with the wrath of their captain they could only shiver in fear.


    "I fear that this would only end in blood," Black Axe stated with a chilly expression on his face. Although killing wasn''t allowed in the Grand Tourney, there had been occasional deaths here and there. The price for killing an opponent was disqualification. But Black Axe and Black Hammer could feel that their captain didn''t care about being disqualified. Their captain was angry, and he would not consider the consequences of his actions until his anger was fully sated.


    "The first match has ended in grave injuries for both teams Maggie."


    "Yes it has Peter. And it seems that Black Ink got the short end of the stick. Head injuries aren''t easy to treat after all."


    The stadium was overcome with a cloud of unease as the people watched both warriors being carried out of the stadium. They were more concerned about Black Ink than Red Marshall. This wasn''t merely because they were Asher City citizens, but because Black Ink had been injured on the head. The man was currently unconscious and no one knew when he would awaken.


    "We can only pray for his safety right now Maggie. And hope that Red Marshall would also recover soon."


    "We wish both warriors a speedy and efficient recovery"


    "Although we are still saddened by the most recent development, the competition must go on. That means we must move on to the next match. And according to what we have on the slates here¡­"


    "The second match is between Black Saga and Red Prince?!" Peter exclaimed in shock.


    "Are you reading that right Peter?" Maggie was equally stunned. Normally the captains were poised to face each other in the third round, after they had both sent out their first and second fighters. Yet both captains had put their names second on the list. That was completely unusual.


    "I am not reading it wrong Maggie. It is exactly as I said. Both captains are next on the list." Peter wiped the sweat of his brows as he spoke.


    The audience was sent into a frenzy, as they tried to understand what was going on. Why had both captains made the same decision? And what were both of them thinking by doing this?


    Both Black Ink and Red Prince didn''t care about the state of the audience or the commentators. Both men didn''t say a word to their team members. Slowly, they walked towards the centre of the stadium. Yet their steady steps didn''t hide their billowing auras and hidden rage. With every step they took, their auras of power grew even stronger. The audience could feel it. Their team members could feel it. The Indigo Team could feel it, and the Orange Team could feel it. Both men were just as furious and just as powerful as each other. Their auras clashed as they faced each other; their eyes cold and unfeeling. Deep within their gazes toward each other was resentment and the will to swallow the other whole.


    "They intend to start at their peak," Celestial Fairy had a serious expression on her face as she felt the aura of both men. Both men were strong. In fact, Red Prince who was a Cheetah had an aura of power that could rival a Tiger''s, and he wasn''t losing out to Black Saga''s aura in any way. She felt threatened by their auras, and she could tell that both men had enough resentment towards the other to attempt to kill the other. It was understandable. After all, they were captains and had just watched their people being carried off the field in severely injured states. Maybe she would have also been in the same state if it happened to her girls.


    "Why are they starting so strongly? Isn''t it better to slowly gather momentum as the battle wears on?" Lam asked Mane. He also could feel the power of both captains, and he felt that although they were both angry ¨C and understandably so ¨C there was no need for them to rush things.


    "That is not true. The matches have been progressing that way because no one wanted to hurt their opponent badly. So every person starts at their base power level, so that they could feel out their opponent and determine if they are stronger or weaker. If they are stronger, they can exercise caution so that they don''t hurt anybody. If they are weaker, they can go all out"


    "But in this case, both men are handling things like they would on a real battlefield. Remember this Lam: on an actual battlefield one must never start at their base power level. It is ignorant and foolish to do so. One must always be at their peak, so that one isn''t killed by a weakling because of one''s foolishness"


    Mane explained to Lam, and his friend nodded his head in understanding. He felt that Mane was right. And he felt scared seeing that Black Saga and Red Prince were out for the other''s blood.


    "Are you afraid?" Mane noticed Lam''s fear and asked. His voice was as soft as a whisper, as it had to be since Vital Orange and Black Hand were around.


    "Yes," Lam admitted. He felt that there was no need to hide anything from Mane.


    "You should try to understand it from their point of view. Both men had their team members whom they love rushed to the hospital. And both of them have no idea how they are faring now. They are right to be furious. If someone hurt you or Lily, I would undoubtedly kill them!" Mane announced without any hesitation. Although Mane spoke about killing another person, Lam felt nothing but warmth. He could feel Mane''s sincerity when he said that he would do it for their sakes. And he appreciated that.


    "Just watch," Mane patted Lam''s shoulder and said.


    "Please, don''t fight to kill," Steel Fist sighed and begged both men. Red Prince and Black Saga didn''t give a reply. They just kept looking at each other.


    "Are you ready?" Steel Fist gritted her teeth and asked. She didn''t feel right officiating a match that was likely to end in death, but she had no choice but to. All she could do was hover next to both of them and try to step in when someone was about to die.


    "Ready"


    "Ready"


    Black Saga pulled his rod from his back, and his already domineering aura grew even more domineering. He was like a Tiger that had been given wings and could now fly, and his bloodthirsty gaze was set on Red Prince''s heart.


    "The Second Match is between Red Prince of the Red Team and Black Saga of the Black Team."


    "Fight!"

 Chapter 369 - Black Saga Vs Red Prince

    Like fireworks lighting up a dark moonless night, the auras of the two men exploded into torrents of vast energy. With fury that eclipsed the wrath of a vengeful husband after having discovered the affairs of an infidel wife, Red Prince and Black Saga clashed head on.


    *Boom*


    Black Saga''s rod was like a dragon sweeping through the heavens with so much power that even the clouds gave way. Dust gathered and swirled around the weapon due to the powerful wind the simple swing had swept up. His eyes were cold and unfeeling, and his aura was as turbulent as the waves of the sea during a mighty storm. His clothes fluttered violently due to the power of the strike, and everyone could feel the emotions contained within this one strike.


    Rage


    Hate


    Helplessness


    His strike was cold and merciless, and was aimed directly at Red Prince''s ?h?st.


    Red Prince calmly regarded the attack headed towards him. His twin swords swept through the air like a pair of dragon claws. They tore space itself apart and sliced the invisible air particles into even smaller pieces. His aura was just as mighty as his opponents, and he had no intention of backing down. He was angry, and sought to vent his frustrations on the man before him. But he was no fool. He was a Cheetah, and a direct confrontation with a Tiger with vast experience like Black Saga was idiotic to say the least. So that was never his intention. His swords sliced towards the base of the large rod and swept them to the side, successfully deflecting the attack.


    *Bang*


    Rod and swords clashed, and the force of their clash stung the eyes of the onlookers.


    "Such a powerful clash!" Peter exclaimed in amazement.


    "It would be impossible for the field to remain as it is after this is over," Maggie smiled bitterly and commented. Indeed, the field was already showing signs of destruction. The path where Black Saga''s rod had been deflected to had a long crack in it. The crack was several meters long, about a meter wide and a few meters deep. That was enough to show that the power of that simple swing was enough to break a well-fortified wall into two!


    Black Saga was unnerved by the failure of his strike to hit his opponent. Red Prince was a Cheetah who had battled numerous Tigers. Last year he was only eliminated because his teammates were weaker than the other teams due to their younger ages compared to the others. Red Prince had won his fight last year, but he was too exhausted to go on and his teammates let him down. This time, his teammates had improved drastically, and he himself had grown stronger. And though he was furious, he knew whom he was up against. So Black Saga didn''t expect anything less.


    Black Saga span gracefully and resumed his attack. His rod blazed through the air like a fire bolt as he struck from below. It was an upward swing and Red Prince''s groin was the target.


    Red Prince coolly turned to the side to avoid the blow. With his superior reflexes and greater velocity, evading this wasn''t difficult. The issue was the effects of the attack. Every one of Black Saga''s strikes was very different from what he had displayed in the group stages and in the other Knockout Stages thus far. This time every attack carried weight that disturbed the air around Red Prince and broke the ground apart even without touching it. The ground was already splitting into two from Black Saga''s upward swing, and Red Prince had to jump back to avoid falling into a ditch.


    Black Saga''s mouth curled into a cruel smirk as he hoisted his rod like a spear. He gathered power into his arms and gripped the weapon he had grown accustomed to over the years obsessively like an insecure partner. His veins wriggled underneath his skin and his skin turned red. He grunted slightly and hurled the large rod towards the still airborne Red Prince.


    "So that''s what he was after," Mane praised Black Saga upon seeing the man''s decisiveness and battle intelligence. However, Mane thought that Black Saga thought too little of his opponent to give his weapon away so easily.


    Red Prince frowned slightly seeing the powerful rod flying his way. Black Saga was a giant of a man, and his weapon was almost two times longer than Red Prince''s height. It was a thick rod and was heavier than two grown men put together. There was no way Red Prince would be stupid enough to attempt to receive that with his body or even try to block it. Black Saga''s attack was unexpected, but Red Prince was no pushover. He twisted his body and narrowly avoided the rod. Like a fish in water he displayed the unreal sharpness and flexibility of a Cheetah by evading the seemingly inescapable strike.


    *Vraaak*


    The rod swept past him, kicking up dust and unloading the powerful wind it carried which could not be evaded onto Red Prince. The Cheetah struggled to keep his eyes open under the strong wind that pushed his eyelids downwards, and his eyes stung and reddened from the unruly dust that disregarded his status and pricked him in the eyes anyway. Yet in all of this he kept his eyes on the figure of Black Saga, and rightly so.


    The large rod streaked through the air like a bullet, and lodged itself into the barricade that separated the audience from the field.


    *Bang*


    The barricade was made of strong bricks and minerals, yet that didn''t save it from the might of the powerful weapon. Almost half of the rod was lodged into the barricade, and the people closest to it gulped down saliva nervously upon feeling the tenacious spirit of the rod. They felt chilly all over, knowing that were it not for the barricade, that rod would have easily ended their lives if it got to them.


    Black Saga stomped down powerfully and rushed towards Red Prince. His eyes were calm, as if he hadn''t just lost his weapon. He curled his fingers into fists and clenched them tightly as he sent a powerful jab towards Red Prince''s ?h?st.


    Red Prince felt more secure when his legs touched the ground. He wasn''t an Eagle or a Falcon, and would never be able to move as fluidly in the air as he would on land. He was able to see the large fist of Black Saga approaching since he had his eyes on the big man this whole time. That fist was like a large metallic boulder. It was full of the force of a Tiger, and although it wasn''t as domineering as Black Saga''s rod, its strength was nothing to scoff at. He could already feel his hairs standing as the strong fist of the powerful Tiger approached him. His feet skipped upon the floor of the field like a seasoned dancer as he displayed footwork that would make even Mongooses jealous, and then he evaded the blow of Black Saga by a hair''s breadth.


    *Bang*


    A column of air was shot from Black Saga''s fist and created a small hole in the barricade. Red Prince didn''t care about that though, he swiveled and deftly swirled his swords within his fair palm as he chopped towards Black Saga. Like a man harvesting some grain his movements were precise and accurate and there was no waste involved. Black Saga narrowed his eyes into slits seeing the swords chopping towards him. Each sword was attacking from a different angle, and each had its intended target. One of the swords was aimed at his neck, whilst the other was piercing towards his abdomen.


    Black Saga curled himself up into a ball. Like a tortoise threatened by a powerful predator he withdrew into himself and evaded the sword meant for his neck. Yet the one aimed at his abdomen couldn''t be escaped. But he was never planning to. His arm guards were made of flexible metal, and it was a strong defensive piece of equipment. Black Saga knew that this was the time to test how strong it was. His arms guarded his lower torso and served as protective dragon armor as Red Prince''s sword struck his arms.


    *Bang*


    Like a floating balloon which had suddenly been punctured, Black Saga was pushed back several meters, but his feet remained on the ground. Like a pair of dragon talons his legs dug up soil as they moved across the field until his retreat was halted. The arm guards on his arms had been broken into two, and his arms were bleeding. Yet he had a pleasantly surprised expression on his face whilst Red Prince''s expression was unsightly. Red Prince had struck with almost all his power ¨C if not all of it ¨C yet the results had left him very dissatisfied. Although Black Saga was bleeding, the cuts were shallow and would only cause him some pain and discomfort. And for a warrior at Black Saga''s level, this could be easily ignored.


    "That would have cut straight through his arms if not for the arm guards," Lam observed and said. His eyes shone brightly as he looked at the broken arm guards with an eager expression. Mane who was standing next to him was no different. Although the arm guards were broken, the fact that they could block such a powerful strike was very impressive, and Mane would love to have something like that.


    "If this was the True Universe, I wouldn''t have glanced twice at something of such quality," Mane smiled bitterly beneath his mask and said to Hildegarde. He missed his ring ¨C a gift Uncle Jake had left him with. Apart from its ability to send him to other planets, it had a storage space filled with top tier weapons and armor. If he could access his ring, he wouldn''t have to worry about getting a good weapon.


    "Although the arm guards are impressive here, they wouldn''t amount to much in the True Universe," Hildegarde agreed.


    Vital Orange didn''t look so good upon seeing Mane and Lam''s reaction to the arm guards, but he regained his cool quickly. As for Black Hand, he only lightly furrowed his brow. He had no other reaction to what he was seeing.

 Chapter 370 - Results

    "What a pulsating match this is! One can''t even afford to blink or else one would miss something amazing!" Peter screamed in excitement. His eyes were glowing in excitement and his breathing was a bit hurried.


    "Black Saga has been on the offensive so far, but it is Red Prince who has drawn first blood!" Peter commented excitedly. The fight had been progressing too quickly for anyone to talk about it. Whenever he opened his mouth to say something, it would have already happened, and something else would be happening. So he hadn''t been able to say anything until just now.


    "Now both men are just stalking each other. What do you think of the match so far Maggie?"


    "It is a difficult match. Black Saga is stronger but Red Prince is more agile. That makes landing a hit on the Cheetah extremely difficult. However, one can''t help but think that all Black Saga needs is one good hit, and things would become very favorable for him. Though that would be very difficult now that his weapon has been lost. With Red Prince''s agility, it would be difficult for Black Saga to avoid his blows. If before both had an equal chance of winning, now the balance has tilted significantly in Red Prince''s favor." Maggie analysed. Her words were ignored by the cheering audience, who had too much faith in Black Saga''s strength to listen to her. After all, they had just witnessed the man taking swords to his arms and only suffering a few scratches.


    Maggie smiled bitterly hearing the loud cheers of the crowd. They were like frogs at the bottom of a well. They had such little understanding of armor and weapons that they ?ssumed that every weapon was the same, and that every piece of armor was similar. How could they understand that the only reason Black Saga was still in one piece was because of the arm guards? However, since the arm guards had been destroyed, they thought that Black Saga was so tough that even a strike that could destroy armor only gave him a few shallow wounds. It wasn''t that Black Saga would lose. Even she felt that although Black Saga''s chances of winning had been lowered because he had lost his weapon, he was going to win. However, she was a bit incensed with the reaction of the crowd ¨C and Peter.


    Why was she annoyed? She was angry because none of them realised what was truly going on. Humans liked to think of themselves as a civilized species which didn''t promote war or violence. But the truth was that deep down, many liked and supported such violence. It was because of this that Underground Fights to the death and slavery businesses were still booming. If there was no one to purchase such services, why would those offering these services be so successful?


    The Grand Tourney was a tournament that didn''t promote bloodshed. As for its true purpose, people like Peter had no idea. But Maggie knew the real reason for the competition. And from how this tournament was turning out, it was likely going to be the prelude to the last few Grand Tourneys to come. Yet the crowd was already infected with bloodlust, and from their excited expressions, they wanted to see more blood. That was what scared her. And the fact that they didn''t notice this annoyed her greatly.


    "This is the beginning of the end. The City Lord was right." Maggie sighed and thought silently to herself.


    "That woman ¨C Maggie," Lam suddenly stated.


    "What about her?" Mane asked.


    "She is very astute," Lam judged.


    "She is," Mane nodded his head. "And she is very strong too," Mane continued.


    "How strong is she?" Lam whispered. He knew that Mane was able to judge the strength of others once he met them.


    "Stronger than Black Saga," Mane answered simply, yet Lam was shaken by his words. He was watching Black Saga right now, and the man''s strength was nothing short of impressive. This man was stronger than Vital Orange, and if he faced any Tiger, Lam was sure that he would make short work of them. It was unfortunate that his opponent was a Cheetah who could dart around the field like a bird and avoid every blow aimed at him. If not for Red Prince''s superior agility, Lam had no doubt that he would have been dealt with by now. But now Mane was saying that a simple commentator was stronger? It was unbelievable!


    "There is something fishy about this tournament. We''d talk more when we get back." Mane used Lock-On to communicate with Lam. Lam was momentarily surprised, but he nodded his head in response. Even he had sensed that things weren''t as simple as they seemed. His only surprise was that Mane had sensed it too, meaning that it wasn''t just him overthinking things.


    Back on the field, Black Hand and Red Prince kept staring at each other. Both regarded the other extremely highly and didn''t dare underestimate their foe. All of a sudden, their auras soared as if in practiced synchronicity, and they charged at each other.


    "And off they go again folks!" Peter screamed in excitement.


    Black Hand struck first. Without his rod he would be foolish to wait for Red Prince to lead the charge. His large fist was like an iron boulder. It descended upon the slim Predator with power that shook the very foundations of the stadium itself. But Red Prince was no weakling. With a sword in each hand, he did what he hadn''t dared to do since the start of the match ¨C take an attack from Black Saga head on.


    *Boom*


    A deafening sound akin to the vigorous beating of a large drum was heard as Black Saga''s mighty fist descended on Red Prince''s swords. Red Prince retreated rapidly due to the power of the blow; his arms still shaking from the strong impact. He realised that he had underestimated the raw power of the large Tiger. Black Saga didn''t let go of the chance to be on the offensive. Like a charging bull with relentless energy, he struck at Red Prince again. This time, Red Prince didn''t accept the attack head on. He twirled his blades and swiveled like a ballerina.


    *Bang*


    Red Prince expertly deflected the fist with his swords and pierced towards Black Saga. Both were too close for Black Saga to avoid the sword, and his expression grew pale.


    *Chu*


    "Black Saga has been stabbed!" Peter exclaimed in disbelief.


    "No he hasn''t Peter," Maggie had more astute senses, and saw what Peter and many others didn''t see. The sword didn''t stab Black Saga!


    "Gotcha!" Black Saga smiled and held on to Red Prince''s arms. Cracking sounds were heard as Black Saga increased the power of his grip and crushed the wrist bones of his opponent.


    "Argh" Red Prince grunted in pain. His eyes were filled with disbelief when he saw were his swords were. He couldn''t believe that he had missed. The swords didn''t pierce through Black Saga, they were caught underneath his armpit. It was such a na?ve and clich¨¦ move, yet Red Prince had fallen so easily for it!


    Black Saga ignored the look of pain on Red Prince''s face and drew his head back. He took a deep breath and gathered strength into his neck muscles. Then he delivered a devastating head-butt to the Captain of the Red Team.


    *Bang*


    *Crunch*


    The sound of bones being crushed could be clearly heard as Black Saga''s large head sunk into Red Prince''s sternum. Red Prince coughed out a mouthful of blood as his ?h?st bones were crushed, and a few of his ribs were broken. Yet Black Saga wasn''t satisfied. He drew his head back once again, and prepared another strike.


    "That''s enough"


    The large body of Black Saga was sent flying from the punch of Steel Fist. She had an ugly expression on her face and quickly went to check on Red Prince.


    "The 2nd match is over. Black Saga wins." She announced, much to cheers and excitement of the crowd. The healing team quickly came forward and checked on Red Prince. It was only after they ?ssured Steel Fist that Red Prince would be fine that she breathed a sigh of relief. The last members of the Red Team followed their captain with worried expressions.


    "We forfeit," they announced and quickly escorted their captain out of the stadium. They didn''t concede due to fear, but concern for their captain.


    "The Red Team concedes. The Black Team wins" Steel Fist announced unenthusiastically. But the crowd didn''t care. They cheered loudly and chanted the name of the man who brought them victory with ecstatic expressions. Black Saga went to retrieve his rod. He pulled the large weapon out of the barricade with little effort as the barricade ?r??n?d in discomfort. The other two members of the Black Team joined him at the center of the stadium, drowning in the chants of the crowd.

 Chapter 371 - Its Our Turn

    "That''s smart," Lam admitted as he looked at the valiant figure of Black Saga parading around the stadium.


    "But the secret is out now. He can''t fool anyone with that again. A steep price to pay for victory in a mere tournament." Mane stated as he stood right next to Lam. Both young men were wielders, and had better vision than most. In fact, anyone with good vision would be able to see what they were both seeing.


    During the scuffle with Red Prince, Black Saga''s leather armor had been ripped apart at the sides, exposing his abs and part of his ?h?st to the crowd, and everyone was able to see how he had tricked Red Prince. Red Prince was a Cheetah and at such a close distance it was almost impossible for Black Saga to avoid the Cheetah''s sword attacks. The most logical thing that Black Saga could have done was to limit the severity of the injury by shifting his ?h?st and abdomen away from the blades, although even that wasn''t a guaranteed way to ensure survival. He had done that, yet the man had been able to pull it off. And how did he do that? It was because of his unique body physique.


    Black Saga was very muscular, and he was a giant of a man, but his torso region was a bit leaner than usual. His waist and sides were very lean, and were the direct opposite of his broad shoulders. In fact, looking at his shoulders, no one would have thought that he had such lean sides. Yet he did. However, the man kept this secret by filling up his leather armor with foam. It didn''t hamper his movements, and made it seem like his body proportions were just as they looked like from the outside. So when Red Prince stabbed Black Saga, the swords pierced through the foam and missed his torso completely. That was how the man had been able to trap the blades in his armpits.


    "This makes your hypothesis all the more likely," Hildegarde licked her lips and said.


    "That the tournament is more than it appears on the surface?" Mane asked.


    "Yes," Hildegarde yawned and said.


    "Well, the commentator called Maggie is a Lion ¨C a Predator that has been missing for the past few decades. Steel Fist has the aura of an Eagle ¨C also a rare Predator. And there seems to be some bad blood between the teams that transcends a simple competition." Mane stated with narrowed eyes.


    His words would have sent an explosion through the stadium if people heard him. Steel Fist wasn''t a Predator with an uncommon title, but an Eagle. Eagles were a Predators just as powerful as Lions! And they were just as rare. Yet not only was an Eagle here, but Maggie was a Lion herself. Well, a Lioness rather. Mane discovered this when he met them for the first time. The teams had to see the commentators and give them a little information about themselves before the games began, and Mane was astounded when he met Maggie.


    The woman''s aura of power was that of a Lioness! It stunned Mane who never expected to see a Lioness here. And when he had been able to digest this new information, he met Steel Fist too. Imagine his surprise meeting not only a Lioness, but an Eagle too. He was able to determine their auras so cleanly because he was a Scholar. The Scout ability was indeed very handy. Even Hildegarde wasn''t able to tell accurately what their auras of power were. And Hildegarde was at least a Noble! All she could tell from their auras was that they were stronger than all of the Teams here.


    "I wonder how many people he has tricked with this," Mane smiled and said. However, it was impossible to see this smile due to the black mask stuck on his face.


    "I was thinking about the very same thing. How many times has he survived the clutches of death because no one knew about his unique body structure?" Lam ?ssented.


    "Well now everyone knows," Mane smiled and said. Lam nodded his head in reply to his friend''s words whilst thinking that this competition was indeed more than ordinary. For someone to reveal a life-saving secret just to win, must mean that there is more to this tournament than they initially thought.


    "Are you ready boys?" Vital Orange appeared behind them and patted their shoulders strongly. A dull sound resounded, like it was metal hitting metal, and not flesh hitting flesh.


    "We are," both Mane and Lam said at the same time.


    "Good. Because it''s our turn." Vital Orange smirked and stated. Black Hand who was next to him nodded his head and picked up his cloak. Mane could feel the presence of several dangerous weapons hidden within that cloak.


    "I wouldn''t want to be the one having to face a Hidden Weapons Specialist like Black Hand," Mane thought silently to himself. Snakes were a group of people he absolutely didn''t want coming after him.


    "Well folks, we have one more Semi-Finals to watch. There are two teams left, and one of these teams would go on to meet the Black Team in the Finals of the¡­"


    "GRAND TOURNEY!"


    "That''s right. These two teams are the Orange Team, led by their Captain Vital Orange and the Indigo Team, led by their Captain Celestial Fairy. Call it fate but both teams met at this very stage of the competition during the last Grand Tourney, and the Orange Team were forced out of the competition by a dominant Indigo Team who went on to claim the trophy. Would the past be repeated, or would the champions be knocked out? What''s your take on this Maggie? Who are you placing your money on?"


    "No one Peter."


    "Come on Maggie. Are you saying that you have no idea who would come out on top?"


    "I am. Whereas you sound like you have already picked a side?"


    "Well, the odds are largely against the Orange Team. They are facing the champions after all. And not only that, we have credible information suggesting that there may be more than one Predator in the Indigo Team!"


    Peter''s words stunned the audience yet some of them were ecstatic, with their faces reddening in excitement. These people were undoubtedly those who had placed their bets on the Indigo Team.


    "Just like you Peter, I also know this."


    "So why are you still unsure Maggie? Is it because of the new additions?"


    "It is. We have no clue who those people are, and they refused to give any information about themselves apart from verifying their place of origin."


    "I admit that the unknown is more often than not a viable wildcard, but I don''t think that would be the case today. Those two give off the air of youth, so they mustn''t be that old. At most they would be thirty. Thirty year old Predators are rare, much less two of them appearing at the same time."


    Many people in the crowd nodded in agreement. They too believed that it was very unlikely for the Orange Team to come out as the winners.


    "I don''t know what to tell you Peter. Just call it intuition." Maggie shrugged and said. Peter was a bit stunned when he heard her say that her indecision was due to her intuition. He didn''t know Maggie''s true identity, but he knew that she was unordinary. And so far, none of her predictions based on intuition had been wrong. He couldn''t help but think that this match was going to be more interesting than he thought. However, he pushed that to the side and went back to doing his job.


    "The Captains have handed their match slates to our referee, Steel Fist, and the first match would be beginning shortly."


    Steel Fist showed the slate to the crowd, and the Record Stone picked it up and projected the names on it for all to see. Peter announced the first names on each slate for those who couldn''t read.


    "The first match is between Black Hand and Swift Indigo!"


    Black Hand walked towards the centre of the stadium calmly. He didn''t look nerved at all. Swift Indigo was a graceful middle aged woman who had lost none of her looks to the cruel hands of time. Her beauty was almost surreal, and she possessed an aura that calmed even the most chaotic of minds. Slowly, both of them walked to the centre of the stage.


    "The Indigo Team is really leaving nothing to chance! They have sent out one of their bests! And from the information that we have, Swift Indigo is the new Predator on the block!"


    "Are you ready?" Steel Fist asked both warriors once they reached the centre of the field. At her words, the aura of Swift Indigo was fully unleashed, and the power of a Predator dominantly claimed the field. Her elegant gown fluttered in the wind as she unsheathed her sword, and her powerful presence was intimidating to most men.


    "Ready," she replied as she adjusted herself to her peak.


    Unlike Swift Indigo, Black Hand''s presence was like a small leaf that could easily be blown over by a stiff breeze. Suddenly, his calm demeanor shattered, and a powerful aura just as dominating as Swift Indigo''s exploded with Black Hand as the center. His aura of power fought hers for control over the field, as the crowd looked on in amazement.


    "Ready," he nodded as he fixed his eyes on his surprised opponent.


    "I don''t believe it! Black Hand is also a Predator!" Peter exclaimed with a stunned expression. They knew about Swift Indigo because they had investigated the team of the champions thoroughly for the Black Team''s sake. In regards to investigations, they had been very slack with the other teams. And so they had no idea about Black Hand''s true power.


    Maggie however, didn''t look surprised. She looked at Black Hand calmly as a hint of killing intent flashed across her eyes.


    "So it was him," she thought calmly to herself.


    "This is the first match between the champions, the Indigo Team and the challengers, the Orange Team," Steel Fist''s eyes flashed with rage when Black Hand exposed his strength, but she remained composed and carried on.


    "This match is the first round, and it is between Swift Indigo of the Indigo Team and Black Hand of the Orange Team."


    "Let the match begin!"

 Chapter 372 - A Wasted Treasure

    *Whoosh*


    Swift Indigo wasted no time. Once she heard the words indicating the start of the match, she sprang right into action. Her slim sword was as elegant as its owner, and the slightly blue color of its blade gave it a sort of surreal effect as it wove through the air like a needle. Its owner and the weaver, Swift Indigo, was like a skilled seamstress, as her sword gently pushed towards Black Hand.


    Black Hand had a look of pure concentration on his face. His eyes were fully focused on the frame of Swift Indigo and her sword. The slender blade of her sword didn''t cause him to feel any comfort in any way. The blade was of a narrower width, but it didn''t destroy its imposing manner in any way. As the weapon approached him, he felt a chill fill his entire being. It wasn''t from fear, but the blade itself!


    Suddenly, two daggers appeared in Black Hand''s hands. Each hand held a dagger. The hilts of the daggers were exquisitely engraved with the image of a beautiful rose, and the blades of both weapons were pitch black. The weapons looked like they had stolen the color of the night for themselves, and they filled all who saw them with a sense of dread that couldn''t be explained.


    "Beautiful daggers," Mane expressed his admiration for the maker of the daggers when Black Hand revealed them to the world. Even he felt a sense of dread from those blades.


    "That sword isn''t bad either," Lam added. Mane nodded his head at his friend''s words. Both pairs of weapons were exquisite, leaving those who saw them with the d?s?r? to grab them for themselves.


    "Those daggers are called Blood Rose Daggers. They are made from a thirty year old poisonous plant called the Blood Rose and the strongest steel there is, making them the one of the most poisonous weapons on the planet," Vital Orange was standing right next to them, and heard their short conversation. He didn''t hesitate to give out the origins of the daggers that Black Hand was using. As for the sword, he didn''t know how it was made, but could tell that they were on the same level as the Blood Rose Daggers.


    "Interesting," Mane furrowed his brows and said.


    "Compared to those daggers, I''m more interested in that sword," Mane spoke to Hildegarde via Lock-On. The cute fairy wasn''t at her usual spot on Manes shoulder, but was sprawled lazily on Mane''s head instead.


    "I can see why. They were clearly made with something that was born out of ice elements," Hildegarde nodded her head and said. The sword in Swift Indigo''s hands may be on the same level as the Blood Rose Daggers, but Mane felt that it could have been so much more. The components of the blade of the sword were made of ice elements. Mane could tell because he could feel the chill from the weapon, and he knew straight away that it was made using special materials.


    "If Frederick had forged the weapon instead of whomever actually did, it wouldn''t have such a low grade," Mane shook his head and said. He couldn''t help but feel that it was a real pity. It seemed that whoever made the sword wasn''t as skilled as the one who made the Blood Rose Daggers, or the other weapons Mane had seen the Black and Red Team members use. He could feel that the ice elements in the weapon were pure, and if Frederick had been the one to forge the sword instead, the boy who could easily dismantle a divine artifact like the Tool of Blessings wouldn''t have had any problem turning this mid-grade weapon into a high level artifact.


    "But in this world this standard seems to be high," Hildegarde stretched lazily and said. Mane agreed with her. Even he was desperate to get weapons comparable to these mid-grade weapons. That was because the low grade weapons he had couldn''t quite handle the power of Edict. That was something that only mid-grade and high-grade weapons could do. Mane decided to worry about the issue of a weapon later. He turned his attention to the match.


    With speed not at all inferior to Swift Indigo''s, Black Hand''s daggers clashed with Swift Indigo''s sword.


    *Clang*


    The collision wasn''t as thunderous, neither did it produce as mighty an effect as the collisions between Red Prince and Black Saga, but it was powerful all the same. Black Hand''s arms became blurry, leaving several after images as he struck at Swift Indigo repeatedly. Swift Indigo wasn''t one to be underestimated either. Her sword play was exquisite and untraceable, and one couldn''t even predict what the weapon was aimed at. It was such fine swordsmanship that someone like Mane who had several sword techniques to draw from was left sighing in amazement.


    *Clang*


    *Clang*


    *Clang*


    The two clashed several times, with none of them gaining any advantages over the other. The crowd watched with bated breaths, and each person had their mouths open as they admired the amazing display before them. The fight wasn''t as domineering as Red Prince and Black Saga''s match, but it wasn''t inferior in any way. If Red Prince and Black Saga fought like two angry brutes with excellent power, Black Hand and Swift Indigo fought like seasoned dancers at a ball. Their movements were so well refined and exquisite that Red Prince would have blushed in shame seeing their fighting method.


    "This is amazing!" Peter exclaimed with a look of pure fanaticism on his face. His breathing was hurried, like someone deeply enthralled in a series of vigorous cardiovascular exercises. His eyes were firmly glued to the two who were fighting in the center of the field. One man and one woman had the eyes of everyone around drawn on them.


    "This is such a tough match! It is almost impossible to say who will come out on top!" Peter exclaimed.


    "Not necessarily," Maggie shook her head and interjected.


    "How so Maggie?" Peter asked seriously because he knew that Maggie''s insights and analysis were usually spot on.


    "Watch," Maggie didn''t say anything. She suggested that everyone watched what was going on seriously without losing focus. She didn''t want to ruin the contest by giving them a winner.


    *Boom*


    Black Hand kicked Swift Indigo away with strong force. The beautiful figure of Swift Indigo was launched into the air, but she glided gracefully as though the air was just as solid as the ground and landed stably.


    "Black Hand has been cut! He has been cut! And we all know what happens when Swift Indigo stabs someone" Peter''s sharp eyes picked up a new development. Black Hand''s arm had a shallow cut on it. Under normal circumstances, this wouldn''t have been anything fatal, but Swift Indigo''s weapon was famous in this tournament. The weapon had the ability to slow down anyone it cut no matter how shallow the cut was. It could be as shallow as a needle prick and one would still have their speed reduced drastically. It could even paralyze an opponent if the cut was deep.


    "I guess it''s over for Black Hand now. There is no way that he would be able to keep up with Swift Indigo now!" Peter commented, and many agreed. Yet a few didn''t think the same. There were some seasoned warriors around with decent vision, and they could tell that it was the other way round.


    "Not quite," Maggie echoed the thoughts of these seasoned fighters when she said this.


    "Black Hand was only cut because of what he was doing," Maggie said, and pointed at Swift Indigo.


    "Look at her leg," Maggie continued.


    Her words made everyone turn their attention to Swift Indigo''s leg, and they saw a large gush on her left calf. The strangest part was that the wound wasn''t bleeding. Rather, a purplish color had developed around the wound and the wound itself was getting darker and darker by the second.


    "Swift Indigo''s weapon isn''t the only special weapon here. Just like her weapon is able to affect the agility of anyone whose skin is broken by its blade, Black Hand''s weapon seems to have the ability to slow down an opponent as well. And he was able to cut far deeper into her leg than she cut into his arm. So we can ?ssume that she is facing a greater crisis than he is" Maggie theorized.


    The crowd finally understood why Swift Indigo hadn''t charged in after she had struck Black Hand. It turned out that she was in a much worse position than Black Hand.


    Black Hand still had a serious look on his face. If this was a real life and death competition, his opponent would have been killed within the first minute. But he couldn''t use any of his weapons because of their deadly poisonous abilities. Even the Blood Rose Daggers were highly toxic. He had to coat them in some special herbs to reduce their toxicity for the tournament. His eyes were locked on Swift Indigo''s figure like a predator watching its prey. He stood silently for several minutes, and when everyone was growing impatient, he pounced.


    "It''s over," Mane sighed, and Lam nodded his head. They understood why Black Hand decided to wait. Although Swift Indigo was poisoned, the poison didn''t take effect straight away. And she was fighting to push the toxins out of her body. Seasoned outer energy warriors had such fine control of their muscles that they could do this. It wasn''t the right move in a match like this. But since both of them had been struck by their respective weapons, they were both in uncomfortable situations. So she took the risk of self-detoxification. But she made an error in judgement. She had ignored the fact that unlike her, Black Hand didn''t need to go through any detoxification. The ice elements would eventually leave his system without him doing anything. Whereas she had to fight to get her body back. So whilst she was trying to do this, Black Hand was watching intently for any minute changes. He intended to strike when she was at the most crucial moment of her detoxification. And the moment was now!


    "We concede" a silky smooth voice made its way into the ears of everyone here. It was soft, yet everyone heard it. And Black Hand immediately stopped his movements. His daggers were pointed at the neck of Swift Indigo, and her eyes were filled with disappointment.


    Steel Fist nodded her head at the one who spoke up. She had to listen to this person because apart from the current on-field warriors, she was one of the two whose words held some degree of authority. The speaker was the captain of the Indigo Team ¨C Celestial Fairy. Since she was the captain of her team, her surrender meant the surrender of Swift Indigo.


    "The first match has ended. Black Hand from the Black Team wins!"

 Chapter 373 - Never Underestimate Anyone

    "That match was more of a psychological battle than it was physical," Lam stated as he watched Black Hand walking towards the team. The Snake of the Orange Team had a calm expression on his face as the crowd cheered in appreciation of a great match. Although the end to the match wasn''t as satisfactory as they would have wanted, everything before that moment was exceptionally beautiful, and they would be lying if they said they weren''t entertained by the two warriors.


    "It was," Mane agreed with his friend. The entire match looked close, but it was actually more of a psychological battle between Swift Indigo and Black Hand than it was a battle of skill. Both kept their eyes on each other, looking for a small ??pse in concentration or an opening that could be exploited. Ultimately, it was Black Hand who came out on top.


    "But I wonder why he didn''t use his full power," Lam suddenly stated, and Vital Orange who was standing next to them was stunned. He tried to hide it, but he wasn''t so good at hiding his expressions. Unlike Black Hand who was a master of his emotions, Vital Orange''s emotions could easily be seen on his face.


    "It seems that your friend is learning faster than you thought he would," Hildegarde narrowed her eyes as she stared at Lam with a scrutinizing gaze. She looked at him like a scientist looking at a rare specimen ¨C with eyes eager to dissect the specimen and find out what was so special about it.


    Mane was also surprised that Lam could sense that Black Hand wasn''t at full power. Lam had only recently gained strength, and being able to judge the strength of an opponent without the abilities of a Spiritualist or a Scholar boiled down to experience. Yet Lam had been able to tell that Black Hand wasn''t at full power. So it was no surprise that Mane was taken aback by his friend''s judgement.


    "Who knows?" Mane shrugged nonchalantly as he responded to Lam''s earlier question. He could see Vital Orange''s expression becoming uglier by the second, and didn''t want to dwell on the topic.


    "His weapon interests me more than his strength," Mane smiled and said through his face mask. Lam nodded his head as well. His eyes were glued to the two daggers in Black Hand''s hands. Feeling their gazes on the daggers, the Snake looked at the two teens and smiled at them. Then he returned the Blood Rose Daggers to his coat.


    "Are you okay?" Vital Orange asked once Black Hand arrived at the Orange Team waiting area. He was genuinely concerned about his teammate.


    "I am fine. Just a bit numb. But that would fade soon." Unlike Vital Orange, Black Hand was very calm and expressed no discomfort. He waved his arms in the air a few times to show that he could still use them.


    "That''s fine," Vital Orange nodded his head in relief. None of the Orange Team members ¨C Mane, Lam, nor Vital Orange ¨C were worried about the next match. The Semi-Finals allowed warriors to have five minutes to prepare for the next match. It was enough time for Black Hand to recover his full mobility.


    "The next match should be slightly easier," Vital Orange said, and Lam nodded his head. Black Hand nodded as well. Swift Indigo was the only other Predator in the Indigo Team apart from their Captain, Celestial Fairy. That meant that the next person was a Thrasher. That was bound to be a relatively easier match since a Thrasher, no matter how talented he/she was, was no match for a Predator ¨C even an injured one. The fact that Orange Monk was special and had still failed to largely hinder Blue King in their match was proof of this.


    "I wouldn''t be so sure," Mane smiled and interjected. Of course they couldn''t see his smile because his face was covered up, but they could hear him quite well. All of them, including Lam, turned to the young Supreme for answers.


    "What do you mean? Are you saying that there is another Predator?" Vital Orange said, voicing the concerns of the group.


    "That is exactly what I am saying. Don''t underestimate her." Mane nodded and said. His words weren''t to be ignored since he was the same person who had seen through Black Hand''s strength back at their mansion on their first meeting.


    Vital Orange''s face looked sterner upon hearing Mane''s words, and Black Hand''s eyes narrowed into slits as he turned to watch the middle aged woman walking to the centre of the field. That was going to be his next opponent, and she was the one Mane said he should not underestimate.


    "How strong?" Black Hand only said these two words. That was the most concerning thing for him right now. In the past, having a Predator in a team was enough to win a person the Grand Tourney. Then gradually the standards of the previously disregarded competition were raised and every group was led by a Predator. Before long, Tigers joined the fray, and now the standards had gone even higher. Take the match between Black Ink and Red Marshall as an example. Although the two were still only Thrashers, they were just a step away from the Predator realm! Although Orange Monk, Black Ink and Red Marshall were all Peak Stage Thrashers, they were far stronger than the average Peak Stage Thrasher and only needed a little inspiration to break into the Predator Realm. That was how high the bar had been raised. And now the bar had been raised even further.


    The Indigo Team had at least two Predators. At first they thought there were only two, but Mane''s words enlightened them to the truth. It was possible that there was another Predator in that team! Actually, the Orange Team were the least worthy to protest this, since their entire squad was made up of Predators. And Mane and Vital Orange were at the Tiger level at the very least.


    "She is a little bit stronger than Swift Indigo. At least that''s what I can tell from her energy signature. Her true combat prowess should be greater than that. But if you take her seriously, you wouldn''t have a problem." Mane''s eyes flashed with a crafty light as he explained his findings. He was eager to see the full extent of Black Hand''s skillset. The man had never gone all out. Even when they fought in that mock battle back at the mansion he wasn''t entirely serious and didn''t use everything at his disposal. But Mane could tell that this contest meant a lot to the Orange Team. So if the man was pushed, Mane might just get to see the full extent of his abilities. And was Mane eager to see the Snake''s limits? Yes, he very much was.


    Lam''s eyes shined brightly as well. Just like Mane, he was more interested in Black Hand than he was in Vital Orange. Black Hand was like a tightly closed book. Although they laughed and dined with him, the man had never revealed anything personal about himself, unlike Vital Orange who didn''t know how to keep his mouth shut. The more Black Hand kept to himself, the more Lam grew curious about the man. People were like this. They grew interested in something when it was difficult to see through that thing. That was why humans were so eager to hear the secrets of others.


    "Thank you for telling me this," Black Hand nodded his head and expressed his thanks.


    "No need to thank me Black Hand. We are in the same team. It is what I should do." Mane replied.


    "You''re becoming slicker and slicker with your words as the days wear on. I like it." Hildegarde said.


    "I have always been slick with my words," Mane rebutted with a confident smirk on his face.


    "Sure you have," Hildegarde mocked and then ignored Mane.


    "I''m off," Black Hand stood up and said. Steel Fist was asking for the Black Team fighter up next to come over, meaning that the time for resting was over.


    "Your hand?" Vital Orange asked.


    "The numbness wore off a minute ago," Black Hand replied and went to take his place. As the two fighters approached, the crowd erupted into a frenzy. Of course, many people were under the impression that this would be an easy match for Black Hand because he was a Predator and his opponent was expected to be a Thrasher.


    "The second match is between Indigo Shadow of the Indigo Team and Black Hand of the Orange Team." Steel Fist declared once the combatants had taken their places.


    "Are you ready?" Steel Fist asked the two combatants. The woman standing opposite Black Hand was just as lovely as Swift Shadow. Her looks were top notch and so was her aura. But her aura was more like the first part of her title ¨C a shadow. Although she was standing right before him, she gave off the feeling of not being there at all. If she was in a crowd and one was to blink, one would possibly lose sight of her. Her longsword was even thinner than Swift Shadow''s. It was a rapier that was just like Black Hand''s Blood Rose Daggers ¨C pitch black. Her aura was serene, and even though she was about to fight not a hint of turbulence could be felt from it.


    "Ready," she spoke calmly as she unsheathed her blade. Her voice was like a whisper, and Steel Fist almost didn''t catch it.


    "Ready," Black Hand retrieved his trusty daggers and said. His aura boiled and billowed, and then suddenly disappeared.


    "Then let the fight begin!"

 Chapter 374 - Another Predator

    "The second match has started folks. Although it doesn''t look like it will present the same amount of fiery action we saw in the first match" As usual, Peter was around to present his thoughts on each match to the audience.


    "The two are just looking at each other right now, no doubt checking out their opponent," Peter continued as he crowd grew impatient.


    "I think that Black Hand is being a little too cautious here. He is a Predator facing off against a Thrasher, yet remains in his starting position, with no intention to make the first move." Peter stated.


    "Or maybe he is trying to show respect to his opponent by giving up the rights to strike first. What do you think Maggie?"


    "I think that Black Hand is a smart man and wouldn''t do anything that would be detrimental to him," Maggie answered simply, but her words caused many to watch the two combatants with different expressions. For Maggie to say this surely meant that there was something else going on. However, they didn''t need to wait for long, for both fighters sprang to life at the same time.


    *Bang*


    Their auras which had been sleeping quietly exploded powerfully, and their feet left the ground at the same time. Their auras weren''t the same, but they shared a similar quality. Both their auras were powerful, but gave off the feeling of shadows than bright lights. If Black Saga''s aura was like a billowing storm, Red prince''s like a swift and powerful wind and Vital Orange''s like a raging tempest, Black Hand''s and Indigo Shadow''s were like deep and boundless darkness. Their auras were just as cold as each other''s, and the darkness in each just as profound.


    "He was waiting for her, and his decision proved to be the right one," Maggie stated simply. Peter was a bit confused, and many others in the audience were just as baffled. But the seasoned warriors within the audience saw what she meant. It seemed that Black Hand was skeptical about Indigo Shadow''s true strength, and kept watching her, waiting for her to give off a little bit of her energy. And once she did, he also struck.


    "But why did he wait for her? Wouldn''t it have been better than for him to strike first?" Peter asked the question that many were left wondering.


    "That would have been the wrong choice," Maggie stated candidly. "Tell me, why would someone hide their true strength? It wouldn''t be to their disadvantage to do so. The aim is to catch the opponent off guard and deal with them swiftly. But what happens when someone is already suspicious of you? Would they still attack carelessly? The answer is no. But the ball would still very much be in your court. Still, when someone is suspicious of your strength, the best thing for them to do is to strike at full power and aim to kill. But that is for the battlefield. The reason why Black Hand didn''t strike first was because this tournament prohibits killing. If he was wrong about her true power and struck at full force, taking her off guard, she will undoubtedly die. So he couldn''t do that."


    Maggie''s explanation enlightened the lot, and many were awed by her deep insight into these kind of situations. Of course, there were several who were already suspicious of her background and believed that there was no way she was a simple commentator, but it wasn''t in their place to dwell on it.


    "He didn''t trust you fully. Wise choice." Hildegarde said as she watched the match.


    "Indeed. To trust someone you''ve just met because he was right before is a stupid decision." Mane agreed. He would have been weirded out if Black Hand chose to believe him just because he was able to see through the Snake''s strength back at the mansion.


    "But this should prove to be an interesting match. Two Snakes feasting off each other. I wonder who would come out on top." Mane smiled and said. Then he turned to look at Lam who was watching the match intently. His friend''s eyes darted across the pitch as he tried his best to follow the movements of the two Snakes. It wasn''t an easy feat, since both combatants were fast with their blows and were equal in strength. Mane couldn''t help the small smile that formed in his face when he saw Lam''s focused expression. It was nice to see his friend so keen on learning.


    "How did they know?" a refined middle aged woman stood next to Celestial Fairy with a bit of confusion on her face.


    "I don''t know. No one should have known that she was a Predator. As for how Black Hand was able to find out, I would like to believe that it was due to his extremely cautious nature. But something tells me that there is something more to this. Something that neither of us can seem to grasp" Celestial Fairy furrowed her brows and said. Just like her team member, she was puzzled by the fact that Black Hand could see through their friend''s strength.


    "Do you think The Citadel helped them?" the other Indigo Team member asked. Her question caused a small frown to appear on Celestial Fairy''s face.


    "I don''t know. They shouldn''t do so since that would be a breach of trust. And our alliance depends heavily on trust. Plus they don''t value this competition highly, and that''s why they never send their best. They only joined for investigative purposes." Celestial Fairy replied. The last member of the Indigo Team nodded her head in understanding.


    "But those men from The Citadel are arrogant and care very little for the wellbeing of others. It wouldn''t be a surprise to me if they were indeed the ones who sold us out." She added.


    "You should be careful. If they know about her, then they may also know about you." Celestial Fairy advised and returned to her seat. Then she closed her eyes and completely ignored what was happening on the field. It was almost as if the results of the match meant very little to her.


    *Boom*


    Black Hand and Indigo Shadow clashed right at the centre of the field. Their clash brought about a torrent of energy that kicked up a dust storm. Their auras were about the same in terms of strength, and neither dominated the other.

 Chapter 375 - A Dragons Descendant

    Black Hand''s daggers ¨C the Blood Rose Daggers ¨C generated small sparks when they clashed with the Indigo Shadow''s slender rapier. A rapier was a weapon that was effective when used as a piercer, and it was generally not as strong as other blades in the cutting aspects since it didn''t really have sharp edges. But the Blood Rose Daggers which were quite extraordinary weapons in this world couldn''t leave a mark on the rapier! It was definitely a weapon on the same scale as the Blood Rose Daggers!


    Black Hand''s arms moved around like several little snakes. Their trajectories were difficult to pick, and each stab of a dagger was like a poisonous bite that could paralyze an opponent ¨C literally. His gloomy aura was deeply entrenched in his daggers and with every strike the darkness of his aura seeped just a little bit into the surrounding audience who felt nothing but despair upon feeling it.


    Indigo Shadow was just like her name suggested. Like a traceless and hard to follow shadow, her movements were just as unpredictable as Black Hand''s. Her use of the rapier was nothing short of exquisite. And her speed using one weapon matched that of Black Hand''s who was using two! She blocked every strike, and dished out strikes of her own. Each block, each counter, each stab was accurate. And her precise movements saw her aim towards the same part of Black Hand''s ?h?st several times in a row. In less than a minute, the two had exchanged several dazzling strikes, blinding the eyes of the astounded audience. Their movements were so surreal that some had to blink their eyes repeatedly just to convince themselves that they were not dreaming, and were very much in the world of the living. That was just how fast paced the match was. The two combatants moved like the flashes of lightning. One moment they were here, and in the next they were there, still baring their fangs at each other.


    *Bang*


    With a loud bang, Black Hand was kicked in the abdomen by Indigo Shadow, and was sent hurtling backwards. Even then, he still had his eyes on his opponent. And that allowed him to keep track of Indigo Shadow''s seemingly untraceable movements. In a flash she was right in front of him, not wanting to waste the opportunity she had created for herself. Like a true Snake, she was unwilling to let go of the opportunity she had created. Her rapier shone brightly like the poisonous fangs of a King Cobra, and she pierced towards Black Hand with speed not at all inferior to a Cheetah! In fact, this was the fastest she had been since the match began!


    Black Hand didn''t panic seeing the drastic increase in her speed. Although he was slightly off balance he was a Snake and his flexibility, just like all other top notch Snakes, was off the chart. He twisted his body strangely with speed not at all inferior to the sudden explosion of speed that Indigo Shadow had displayed herself, and evaded the powerful jab aimed at his ?h?st. Evading the strike was not enough for him, for he countered. Even in such a strangely tight spot, he was not to be underestimated. His Blood Rose Daggers cut through the air like the claws of a Five Tailed Golden Dragon as he returned the favour of his misery to the one who had granted it with ferocity not at all inferior to her own.


    Just like Black Hand, Indigo Shadow remained calm even when placed in such a precarious situation. She wasn''t surprised that Black Hand had been able to get away, or that just like herself he was holding back tremendously. She was prepared for everything he could throw at her, and this was no exception either. She was also a Snake, and by calculating her moves based on what she knew she would do if she was fighting herself, she was able to largely predict most of Black Hand''s moves. And she was certain that he was doing the same thing to deal with her. She deftly handled her rapier and struck downwards to deflect the incoming daggers. Her eyes shined brightly as the power of a Snake burst out in its full entirety from her exquisite frame.


    If her prior aura was full of the gloom of darkness and revealed the elusiveness of a shadow, then this time she was like a dark storm that had been fully unleashed. If her aura was largely calm before, then this time it was like a tornado of power that swept through all of the stadium. Her thin rapier suddenly looked large to everyone watching. In their eyes the slender weapon was no more. In its place was a large fang that looked like the most powerful weapon of a Black Mamba!


    *Bang*


    With power comparable to several detonating explosives, the rapier and Blood Rose Daggers clashed, and both combatants were sent flying backwards. Neither got the better of the other in this clash, and their eyes were still as cold and unfeeling as before. Yet within those large pearls were hints of excitement that weren''t there before. And with that little injection of excitement, came more power.


    Black Hand was the first to regain his footing. He span elegantly on the spot and headed for his opponent once again. In a split second he was already in front of Indigo Shadow, and ready to strike again. Wielding his trusty daggers, his arms streaked through the air as his powerful aura exploded all around the stadium. It wasn''t in the least bit inferior to Indigo Shadow''s earlier burst. His eyes flickered as his power was recklessly hammered into the Blood Rose Daggers. The daggers shone with an incredible light, a stark contrast to their pitch black exterior and moved towards Indigo Shadow''s jugular!


    Indigo Shadow''s eyes narrowed slightly upon feeling the oppressive nature of the daggers. Yet her excitement didn''t fade. Her aura was particularly resplendent, like a large blob of darkness under the bright noonday sky. Her rapier twirled around her fingers like a shiny little blade of grass and fended off the Blood Rose Daggers for the nth time today.


    *Bang*


    She span and delivered a strike of her own. Her counter was as venomous as her title, and the power gathered in that hastily delivered strike was in no way inferior to the power that Black Hand had just displayed. But Black Hand was prepared. He was a Snake, and also predicted her attacks by putting himself in her shoes.


    *Bang*


    The two stayed within each other''s reach. And they came for each other again. Black Hand''s hands gripped the Blood Rose Daggers tightly, and he struck again. The poisonous weapons were handled elegantly by the male Snake, yet Indigo Shadow proved that she was a step ahead of him. The daggers streaked past her neck, the cold chill of their blades reminding her of the repercussions of getting stung by those blades. But she didn''t let that distract her from the task at hand. She still had one task, and her opponent hadn''t changed. In fact, he was right in front of her, his slender frame left defenseless by his missed attack. Like a python coiling around its prey she leaped into the air and wound her legs around Black Hand''s neck. Then she span exquisitely and using her legs, threw him off the ground. To finish, she pierced her slender rapier towards his airborne frame.


    *whoosh*


    Was this really a ''friendly'' fight? Those watching all wondered about this. Yet those engrossed in their battle didn''t realise just how dangerous each of their strikes were. They failed to see just how easy it was for any of them to take the other''s life with the kind of blows they were trading. That was how easy it was to die in this fight. One well timed blow was all it took to end everything ¨C forever.


    Black Hand struggled, and succeeded in escaping the deadly strike. Twisting his body and turning midair, he managed to avoid the blow that would have definitely ended his life. Borrowing the force of gravity that was pulling his body back to the ground, he somersaulted neatly and pierced his daggers towards Indigo Shadow. Indigo Shadow''s eyes flashed with a sinister light, and her slender legs were called into action once again. Her rapier had already been pushed forward, so it was too late to recall the trusty sergeant to its general''s aid. Instead it was the pair of lieutenants who had performed extraordinary service before, that were called to their general''s defense. Her left leg whipped the air violently and struck Black Hand cleanly on the ?h?st.


    *Boom*


    Her feet sank into his ?h?st, and the devious male Snake''s mouth was forced open as he spat a mouthful of blood. His broken figure flew through the air, and crushed onto the ground.


    "It''s over," Celestial Fairy secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and couldn''t help the small smile that crept widened her lips. Yet when she looked at Vital Orange, she noticed that the man who kept his emotions on the surface was extraordinarily calm, and her heart grew cold. She felt that there was something wrong ¨C and then she remembered.


    "Don''t!" she screamed in warning, yet Indigo Shadow was already upon Black Hand, and her rapier was aimed for his throat. Suddenly, Black Hand''s eyes flashed and turned completely dark, and the world grew silent ¨C before it roared to life again.


    *ROAR*


    *Boom*

 Chapter 376 - Surviving A Dragons Assault

    "Where am I?" a woman who looked like she was in her early thirties opened her eyes with a hazy look in them. Within those beautiful black orbs was confusion concerning her current state. She lay upon a comfortable bed, with there was a table full of snacks right next to her. Her eyes traveled across the room, taking in every detail around her. The room she was resting in wasn''t large, but it wasn''t small either. Its white walls were complemented neatly by the emerald colored ceiling. The room was relatively empty, with the exception of her bed, a few chairs, and the bedside table. She tried sitting up, but fell back down immediately upon her first attempt. Her entire body felt sore, and the terrible pain forced a few pitiful groans out her throat.


    "Argh," she tried sitting up again, and succeeded this time. The pain hadn''t grown milder, but that mattered little to her. She failed the first time because she wasn''t expecting the pain, but this time she was. And she prepared herself to power through it. She was used to being independent, and had been through worse situations.


    Her lovely eyes trailed down her body, looking for what exactly was wrong. With her strength, she shouldn''t be finding it so difficult to sit up, yet that small step drained her of much of her energy. So she was curious to find the source of her pain, and she found it quickly. Her midsection ¨C abdomen to be perfectly accurate ¨C was wrapped entirely in thick red bandages. No wait, the bandages weren''t red, but were stained with blood! Her hands traveled to her abdomen, and she ??r?ssed the bandaged area delicately. She grimaced in pain from her own ??r?ss, and took her hand off her belly. Slowly she lay back down onto the bed, wondering what exactly had happened. However, she hardly had a minute to think when the door to her room was opened delicately, and a woman whose looks rivaled hers entered.


    "Shadow! You''re up!" the beautiful woman exclaimed in surprise seeing her friend''s eyes glued on her figure. She rushed to the woman called Shadow and gently hugged her.


    "Argh," Shadow couldn''t help but groan in pain from the gentle hug. She smiled bitterly knowing that this was unlike her usual strong headed personality.


    "I''m sorry! I was too excited." The woman hurriedly apologized. "How are you feeling?" she asked as she grabbed one of the chairs and pulled it next to Shadow''s bed. Then she sat down next to Shadow.


    "My entire body feels sore Swift. What happened?" Shadow rubbed her aching head with a confused expression on her face and asked. Since she couldn''t remember what happened, she might as well ask her friend. She could use her help after all.


    "You don''t remember?" Swift asked with a slightly uncomfortable expression. She fidgeted within her seat, and Shadow didn''t miss this.


    "You''re already in your forties. What are you shy about? Tell me what happened." Shadow frowned and said. Indeed, Swift wasn''t as young as she looked. She looked like someone in her mid-twenties, but she was actually in her forties. And she wasn''t the only one. Shadow looked just as young, but she was actually a few years older than Swift!


    "It''s not that I don''t want to tell you," Swift shook her head with a bitter smile. "But¡­" her words were cut off by the sound of the door being opened.


    "I told her not to," a woman with an otherworldly countenance entered the room, followed by another beautiful woman. The door was closed gently behind them, and they both picked up some chairs and brought them next to Shadow''s bed.


    Shadow waited for them to sit down, and then asked the question she wanted to ask, "Why Captain?" It was a simple but candid statement, and it contained what she wanted to know.


    "Because this isn''t something you should hear from Swift," the other beautiful woman said, and Shadow turned to look at her.


    "Then are you going to be the one to tell me about what happened, Queen?" Shadow asked.


    "No," Queen shook her head with a tranquil expression. "But Captain will," she added before Shadow could say anything else. Shadow nodded her head and turned to look at her captain.


    "Those bandages need to be changed," her Captain wasn''t in a rush, and she pointed at Shadow''s bandages with a concerned expression on her face. The white color of the bandages had been drowned out by the red color of her blood. It was now filthy, and it wasn''t safe to have Shadow keep that on for fear of infections.


    "Tell me what I want to know, and then I would change it," Shadow kept her eyes fixed on her Captain and said.


    "Shadow! Show Captain some respect" Queen berated with a displeased expression. Shadow only turned to look at her briefly with her expression as serene as ever. Then she returned her gaze to her Captain.


    "It''s okay. You should know better than anyone that when Shadow makes up her mind, nothing would force her to change it. Which is a strange attitude for a Snake to have by the way." Their Captain shook her head with a tranquil expression on her face.


    "Besides, our banter is making Swift uncomfortable," The Captain of the team turned to look at the uncomfortable Swift and said. "How are you Swift? Any residual effects of the poison left?" the Captain enquired.


    "It only gave a paralyzing effect, Captain Celestial. There was no other negative effect." Swift replied a bit nervously.


    The Captain nodded her head and then said, "It''s been years yet you still refer to me by ''Captain Celestial''. I have told you to either call me Celestial or Captain ¨C not both. I know that you are the youngest, but that doesn''t mean that you should act so reserved around us." Celestial stated.


    "Yes Captain Celestial," Swift shifted nervously and said. Celestial shook her head with a frustrated expression on her face and turned to face the now impatient Shadow.


    "So, what happened?" Shadow asked impatiently.


    "Well, do you remember that you were in a fight against Black Hand?" Celestial asked. The team of four here were the members of the Indigo Team ¨C Celestial Fairy, Indigo Queen, Indigo Shadow, and Swift Indigo.


    Indigo Shadow furrowed her brows as she tried to recollect her memory based on the clues she had been given. She found the fragments soon enough, and her eyes regained some semblance of clarity when she put the pieces together.


    "I do now," she replied with her hand on her head.


    "Can you tell us the last thing you remember?" Celestial Fairy asked, and Indigo Shadow tried thinking about the last part of the fragments she had put together before nodding her head and saying,


    "I remember that the match was quite close. And I remember that I managed to get the upper hand at some stage. And then I tried finishing the match off. But that is where everything goes blank."


    "Good. Then you are right on track." Celestial Fairy nodded her head and said.


    "So are you going to tell me how I went from that to looking like this?"


    "Yes. For starter''s we lost the match." Celestial Fairy stated, and Indigo Shadow nodded her head nonchalantly. Her expression was very serene, and so were the expressions of the others. It was almost like they didn''t care too much about the outcome of the match anyway.


    "Secondly, do you remember the story of the Black Dragon Of The East?" Celestial Fairy asked.


    "Of course. Everyone in our world knows that story." Indigo Shadow replied almost immediately. Which Predator didn''t know the story of the Black Dragon Of The East? And she was no exception.


    "What does a made up story have to do with this?" Indigo Shadow asked with a slightly irritated expression. In her eyes, all what Celestial Fairy was doing was to distract her with things that had nothing to do with what she really wanted to know.


    Celestial Fairy didn''t care about Indigo Shadow''s indignant expression. She went on to say what she wanted to say.


    "There was a Mystic Path User whose power was legendary. Like other Mystic Path Users, his abilities were several notches above that of us New Types, and even among his Mystic Path peers, only a handful could match up to him. But he had an advantage over the few who were comparable to him in strength, and that advantage was his youthfulness. He was very young, the youngest genius our world has ever known. And there was no doubt that by the time he peaked, he would be the strongest warrior in the world, for he was already a Nightmare at the age of 35. It was an amazing feat, but there was no time for him to revel in his genius. He had b?r?ly been crowned a Nightmare when the Winged Serpent appeared. The Winged Serpent was strong. It was so strong that the Nightmares who went against it perished. The Mystic Path Warriors had no choice, but to band together and face this fearsome beast. Yet only a few of them survived, and this young genius was one of them. But just like the others, he was riddled with injuries, and it was said that his strength declined. He left to fight the Winged Serpent as the Black Warrior. And returned as the Black Dragon Of The East. But he was never heard of again."


    "I know the story Celestial. What does that have to do with my condition?" Indigo Shadow narrowed her eyes and asked, not bothering to hide her dissatisfaction.


    "There was a rumor that the descendants of the Black Dragon Of The East were alive. And that they were in league with The Citadel. But we had found no evidence to support this claim, so we rubbished them as just rumors ¨C until now."


    "Are you saying¡­"


    "Yes. That''s exactly what I am saying. I am saying that you are lucky to be alive after facing a Dragon''s Descendant!"

 Chapter 377 - Inaccurately Precise Information

    There was a mansion located in the first class city known as Asher City. This mansion housed one of the elite teams of the Grand Tourney. Not only had this team passed several stages of the competition, they had been able to knock out the previous champions of the competition; thereby ensuring that there would be new champions crowned by the end of this year''s Grand Tourney. And the most fascinating thing about all this was that they had knocked out the champions only today! They did so in the Semi-Finals of the Grand Tourney, making them the new finalists who would go head to head with the last team remaining ¨C the Black Team ¨C in a month from now. It was bound to be an exciting affair, and everyone was anticipating an exciting game! How grand it would be. Asher City''s very own Black Team led by Black Saga versus The Citadel''s Orange Team led by Vital Orange.


    Contrary to the excitement of the ordinary people, the unordinary folks in the city were currently very unsettled. Be it the City Lord, the Indigo Team, or other powers who were keeping an eye on the tournament, they were all unsettled. And that was because of the final act of the grand play. The power that an unknown ?ssassin had displayed shocked these great men and women to their very core. And this unease didn''t end with the foreign powers, for the Orange Team itself was in a state of anxiety. The proof of this was their manor. The place that should have been filled with excitement and jubilation was as gloomy as the darkness of the night. There was no warmth or joy, but caution and a bit of fear. Within one of the rooms of this luxurious mansion, there was a young boy chatting with his fairy. Their topic was none other than the last scene of the Semi-Finals of the Grand Tourney. The very scene that had scared many into hiding.


    "That power¡­did you feel it too?" For once, Hildegarde was seated somewhere other than Mane''s shoulder. She was seated at the foot of Mane''s bed.


    "I did," Mane nodded his head with certainty. If Hildegarde could feel it, then he who was only about 70 meters away could also feel it. He was seated cross-legged on the floor of his room. The manor was a luxurious one, so naturally the floor of each room was covered in very expensive carpets; carpets that Mane didn''t doubt were made from the hides of Magical Beasts. This was because he could actually feel the residual aura of Magical Beasts from the carpets. The one in his room for instance, was made with the hide of a Low Class Magical Beast! That was an extravagance indeed, considering how important the remains of Magical Beasts were.


    "Was there anything about Dragons on the slates that Dan gave you?" Hildegarde asked. As for why she asked this question, Mane was very aware of the reason.


    "Actually there was," Mane replied with a nod.


    "So, what did it say?" Hildegarde asked. She had seen part of the text on the slates Dan had given Mane, but she didn''t see everything. The part about the Dragon was one of the things that she didn''t see.


    "It was something about a legend involving a man who came to be known as the Dragon Of The East," Mane didn''t see the need to hide this from Hildegarde, so he told her all about the Dragon Of The East. He told her about what he was before, how he got his title, and the mystery surrounding his disappearance.


    "Initially, I thought that it was nothing but a myth. In fact, the one who wrote the legend down also added that it was just a myth, so I didn''t take it too seriously." Mane confessed.


    "Until today," Hildegarde said, and Mane nodded in agreement, "Until today."


    "Nightmares: a level of power long forgotten because of the rarity of people with this level of power. But that was what the Black Dragon was. And like other Mystic Path Users at the Nightmare level, he had his own title: the Black Warrior. Because Mystic Path Users were fundamentally different from New Types, they didn''t earn titles based on ordinary animal forms because their power was beyond that. They could summon flames and ice and could manipulate the elements based on their affinities. And the Black Warrior was no different. Legend says that he had the ability to manipulate darkness, and his power was called the Darkness Set. The Darkness Set was a set of armor that Black Warrior could summon to protect himself. It was so strong that it could not be breached. Along with the armor was a dark sword that was even more powerful than the armor. Legend says that there was nothing it couldn''t pierce."


    "When they fought the Winged Serpent, many of the Mystic Path Users died, leaving only a few survivors behind. The Black Warrior came out of the battle as the Black Dragon Of The East. And that was because of an ability he unlocked when he faced the Winged Serpent ¨C Hellfire. Legend says that Hellfire was a black flame that could burn through anything, even actual fire. But he disappeared after he returned from the battle. No one knows if it is because he was severely injured or he had other reasons, but he never appeared again. Initially I thought that Dan was a remnant of that group. But it seems that he was born after that turbulent period. And it was likely that the information I gained from his Status Window about him being a Mystic Path User was false, since he didn''t really know anything about the Mystic Path."


    "How is that possible? The Status Window is never wrong!" Hildegarde argued. The Status Window couldn''t be false. It was something built with absolute certainty.


    "That''s what you think. But have you ever wondered why the Legendary, Mythic, Chaos and Origin levels are not part of the released list of levels amongst the fairy population?" Mane asked, and Hildegarde grew silent. However, her eyes were still filled with unwillingness.


    "I used to think that it was because it was above your ''paygrade''. But what if it was rather that these levels were beyond your control? What if the Fairy King wasn''t certain on how to control these testing grounds, and whether everything could be controlled?" Mane asked. Without waiting for Hildegarde to speak, he continued,


    "Think about it. You said that you fairies are educated on how to handle Tested, and how to provide help depending on the level of difficulty. Yet you were never educated on the obscure levels like Chaos. Why is that?"


    "Because that information is classified," Hildegarde argued.


    "True, but why is it classified?" Mane asked, but Hildegarde had no answer. "It''s okay. I wasn''t waiting for a reply from you." Mane shook his head and said. And then added what he wanted to say, "What if it was classified because of a lack of confidence in the information given."


    "Every level, apart from the obscure levels, has been explored thoroughly. Several people have passed each level under the obscure levels, but only a few have been through the obscure levels, and as such, there is very little information on them. That means that their information on this world is likely outdated, or inaccurate. It may be precise, but lacking in accuracy." Mane concluded.


    His thinking was actually simple. He felt that this world was so unexplored that the information that the fairies had was definitely based on what fairy guides companion to the few Testeds who had unlocked the Chaos difficulty had given them. But this information, because it was from only a few sources, was bound to have flaws. For instance, maybe those who came before Mane didn''t know that Dan wasn''t a Mystic Path User, and ?ssumed that he was. And this information had been passed onto the top brass by the accompanying fairies. Since all the reports were the same, the information was precise, but because it wasn''t true, the information was inaccurate. So they were all inaccurately precise.


    "Anyway, that wasn''t what we were talking about," Mane knew that he had dropped a lot on Hildegarde, and he felt a bit sorry for that. But he needed her to be on his side ¨C unconditionally. And to do that, he would need to slowly let her lose faith in her higher ups. The less she thought of them, the easier it would be for her to let them go.


    "That Black Hand guy, the aura he released at the end," Mane furrowed his brows and said, recalling the powerful aura that took shape before his very eyes ¨C the aura shaped like a Dragon!


    "His power increased significantly from that power up, and he was able to easily dispatch a Predator. I don''t know what relation he has with the Black Dragon Of The East, but he certainly isn''t ordinary. We have to find out more about him."


    "But how? There is no way they would tell us anything." Hildegarde shook her head and said. She was right. The Orange Team weren''t inclined to satisfy Mane''s curiosity. However, Mane wasn''t even thinking about asking them. He smiled brightly and said,


    "I didn''t say that we should ask them. It seems the visit to the City Lord would have to come earlier than planned"

 Chapter 378 - City Lords Mansion

    At the center of Asher City was a magnificent mansion. With walls as white as snow and made with exceptionally bright crystals, the mansion was the very epitome of luxury. But its beauty wasn''t vain, for the walls were made with White Stones, a material so dense and strong that even steel would find it hard-pressed to leave a dent on this solid stone. However, it was extremely difficult to process, so it wasn''t easy for a person to use such rare and precious materials to build an entire home. Yet this building was made entirely of White Stones, making it much more valuable than the most expensive weapons known to this world. As if having such strong materials as building materials wasn''t enough, there were guards placed strategically on the walls and around the house. Each of them had imposing auras, and the bloodlust in their eyes wasn''t faked at all. They were clearly veterans of war; people who had experienced the harshness of being on the frontlines and had returned not only as survivors, but as heroes.


    This fortress of a mansion was the home of the City Lord, and that was why it was so heavily protected. The seemingly over the top investments in fortifying this one building made sense since this was the home of the most important person in the city.


    "This is indeed worthy of being the home of the City Lord," a man wearing a white mask sighed from atop a magnificent looking horse. The horse had a red mane and powerful leg muscles that allowed it to travel at speeds that would leave many other creatures in its dust.


    "Yes. I would expect nothing less from the leader of this great city." A man in a black mask very identical to the white mask said. He was also seated on a horse; a horse that shared a lot of resemblance to the one the white masked man was riding.


    "This place is several times bigger than the Orange Team''s mansion," a third person spoke up. This person was the last of the entourage, which was made up of three people in total. The voice was melodious and feminine, unlike the first two which had the deep notes belonging to the male gender. However, just like the other two, she was also wearing a mask which concealed her facial features. Her mask was not white or black, but green, a color that complemented her beautiful green eyes perfectly. She also rode on a Red Maned Horse.


    "Those people¡­"


    "Are they the White Mask and the Black Mask?"


    "I think that they are. Who else would dare put on such masks in Asher City when their team is up against our Black Team next?"


    "What are they doing in front of the City Lord''s mansion?"


    "I don''t know. Maybe they are just on tour?"


    "I doubt that. They have been focusing on the mansion for some time now. But that''s not the most interesting thing."


    "What is the most interesting thing?"


    "Who is that with them? She wasn''t part of the competition."


    "That''s true. From the build, it looks like that''s a woman. I wonder where she came from."


    "Well if you are brave enough go and ask them."


    "Not a chance in hell. They are our enemies now that they are facing the Black Team next. There is no way I would get close to our enemies."


    "You are speaking as though you can get close to them just because you want to."


    The men and woman in the mask were Mane, Lam, and Lily. Just like Mane said to Hildegarde, he was here to see the City Lord. He wanted to know more about the Black Dragon Of The East ¨C and The Citadel.


    "We are really attracting attention," Lily who was wearing the blue mask said bitterly.


    "Yes. That''s because we are now considered competitors in the Grand Tourney. Naturally the people of this city would treat us like we are some special existences. We are now celebrities I guess." Mane was wearing the same mask he wore when he was presented to the people of Asher City just a day ago ¨C the black mask.


    "But we had no choice than to come here with this getup," Lam, the man in the white mask ¨C the very same one he had worn yesterday ¨C said. Mane and Lily nodded at his words. It was true that they had no other option than to put these masks on to appear here. Although it was true that if they hadn''t worn the masks, no one would have known who they were and they wouldn''t have attracted so much attention, that was a disadvantage for what they had left the mansion to do. They needed to be known to accomplish their mission.


    "If we appear before the City Lord''s mansion as unknown people, we will be turned away. After all, one must imagine that there are many stray men and women trying to see the City Lord every day. If we come with the status of commoners, we would also be shooed away. And we cannot make a ruckus in some else''s city." Mane said.


    "Why are you explaining this to the twins? Don''t they already know this?" Hildegarde asked rhetorically. Naturally, Mane did what he did best. He ignored her.


    "You can ignore me all you want. It wouldn''t change the fact that you just wasted your saliva explaining to the twins something that they already know." Hildegarde continued with her jabbering, and Mane wished that he could pull her off his shoulder and hold his hand over her mouth to keep her quiet.


    Slowly, the trio rode their Red Maned Horses over to the gate of the large mansion. There were four gate guards. Three of them were Animal Hunters, and one was a Thrasher. A pretty impressive line-up admittedly. But when one considered that they were the guards of the City Lord, their strengths didn''t seem all that impressive.


    "Halt! This is the mansion of the City Lord of Asher City. Please state your names and purpose." Once they got close enough, the Thrasher stopped them. He had an uncomfortable expression on his face as he addressed them. That was because he also recognised the masks that Mane and Lam wore. And that was why he didn''t sack them right away but asked for them to reveal their identities and purpose.


    "Unfortunately we cannot reveal our names or our purpose" Mane shook his head and said. His words caused the faces of the guards to turn ugly, but they endured the anger that was building up in them and only watched the trio coldly. Their auras turned a bit oppressive, a natural reaction to what they felt was disrespect to their City Lord.


    "Easy Roxanne," Mane calmed down Roxanne who was getting fidgety from the auras of the guards. Lam and Lily also stroked their horses and tried to calm them down.


    "There is no need to feel offended. You just need to tell the City Lord that those he invited some days ago have come to honour his invitation early." Mane understood why the guards were displeased, but their request was something he couldn''t accede to. He could neither give the guards their names, nor state their purpose. For both subjects were too s?ns?t?v? to discuss in public. He hoped that they would take his words seriously though.


    "Please wait a minute," luckily for Mane, the Thrasher''s facial expression changed into a more somber one when he heard Mane''s last few statements. He whispered something into the ears of one of the guards, and the man run into the mansion with haste. It seems that the Thrasher was staying behind for security reasons. It was a known fact that the teams remaining ¨C both the Black and Orange Teams ¨C didn''t have people below the Thrasher level. Although Mane and Lam hadn''t fought before, that level was expected of them. So he was staying behind to stop them if they tried anything funny. Unfortunately, even if they did, he wouldn''t be able to stop them at all.


    "You are really worried about this situation Sutton," a beautiful woman stood behind a man who was seated on a stool, and slowly massaged his neck and shoulders. The man ?r??n?d in p???sur? and relief, yet his eyebrows were still furrowed in worry.


    "I am. Anything related to the Black Dragon Of The East isn''t good news for us." The man called Sutton closed his eyes and said. The woman behind him nodded her head understandingly. They remained in that position, talking about several trivialities to get their minds off the topic none of them was comfortable discussing. However, their cute little chat didn''t last for long. A burly guard announced his intrusion and came in to report something to the City Lord.


    "The Black Mask and White Mask from the Orange Team are here. They said they have an invitation from you."


    "Oh? They came earlier than planned. Let them in. Show them to the Guest Reception Hall" The City Lord was actually called Sutton, and his wife was the one giving him the neck and shoulder massage. Her name was Anna.


    "Who did?" Anna asked curiously.


    "The boys I told you about. The ones that joined the Orange Team." Sutton replied. Although Mane and Lam wore a mask that day at the stadium, the City Lord was able to recognize them instantly. And so did Mira. It was mainly because Sutton and his daughter knew that Mane and Lam were affiliated to the Orange Team that they were able to easily match their builds and voices to the same teens they met outside the Enchanted Forest that day. Naturally, Anna as his wife, knew everything about these people. And that was because her husband didn''t keep anything hidden from them.


    "Is it safe? People who are able to deal with Apex Monkeys and are on the side of our enemies should not be so easily trusted." Anna stated with cold eyes. Her logic was sound, and her husband would have agreed with her if not for the message he received from Mane that day.


    "I doubt they belong to The Citadel yet. They aren''t from the place, otherwise they wouldn''t be able to compete. And one of them informed me that they were just allies for the Grand Tourney. In fact, he wanted to know more about them. The fact that he didn''t ask them, but came to us instead shows that he isn''t planning to ''ply his trade with them''" the City Lord reasoned.


    "I understand. But you should be careful. As long as they sleep in the same house as our enemies, they are potential enemies." His wife advised intelligently.


    "I would listen to you Anna. You should come with me. You are a brilliant woman. With you there I would be more at ease." City Lord Sutton suggested. Many people didn''t know this because it wasn''t common knowledge, but most of his decisions were made based on his wife''s intelligent advises. She was a brilliant analyst and observer, and the fact that people didn''t know this made them underestimate her; something that they always ended up regretting.


    "Okay. Honestly, I would also be much more relieved if I was there by your side. Besides, it would give me a chance to see these wonder kids you spoke so highly of." Anna agreed.


    "Great. Let''s go then. Our guests are waiting"

 Chapter 379 - Lord Sutton And Madam Anna

    Mane, Lam and Lily were led into the mansion of the City Lord. They bypassed several rooms, and each hall they were led through was its own. None of the halls were of the same design, or even had similar decorations. Each hall was masterfully designed into masterpieces and each carving and decoration was unique with no other replica. Mane and the twins couldn''t help but marvel at how novel and beautiful each hall was. Mane was the most affected of them all. That was because he thought that he had seen all there was to see since his parents were extremely wealthy themselves. But he had been humbled by the several different artful pieces placed nonchalantly in each hall. He didn''t know what most of the carvings were made of, but with his senses he could tell that they were dense and precious materials.


    They followed behind the leading guard quietly, not speaking a word ¨C only observing and admiring the mansion which was several times more glorious on the inside than it was on the outside. Soon the trio were led to a large hall which was grander and prettier than all the others they had passed through so far. The furniture were beautiful, and were made of several precious ores and the hides of Middle Class Magical Beasts!


    The guard asked Mane and the twins to take their seats before leaving to call a servant who asked them if they were comfortable or wanted anything. They all politely refused. Mane couldn''t help but applaud the brilliance of the servant. This person wanted the three to take off their masks for security reasons, so she thought of a smart scheme to make that happen. If Mane, Lam or Lily had agreed, they would have had to take off the masks to take whatever was brought ¨C even if it was water. As long as one of them said ''yes'', that would be it. The others could easily be traced through contact tracing. Unfortunately for her, Lily, Lam and Mane weren''t easy pickings. They might be young, but they were no fools. There was no way they would fall for such a rudimentary scheme.


    Normally a servant wouldn''t be so bold as to be shrewd around guests. But this was the mansion of the City Lord. Everyone here was a talent worthy of being nurtured. Their intelligence and skill was off the chart. For instance, the ''servant'' that had asked them if they were comfortable was a Thrasher! This woman didn''t look older than 35, yet she had such strength. Anywhere else in the city she would be treated with respect. But she could only be a mere servant in the City Lord''s mansion. Although Mane suspected that she wasn''t just an ordinary servant.


    The servant bowed politely and sought permission to take her leave. Mane and the twins were more than happy to let her go. Once the servant left, Mane used Lock-On to convey some information to the twins.


    "There are three people watching us. Can you feel their presence? You can talk. Your voices would only be heard by me." Mane ?ssured the twins that Lock-On was a two way communication skill and set their mind at ease.


    "I could feel the presence of only one of them," Lam confessed.


    "Me too," Lily was the same.


    "It''s already amazing that you could sense the presence of one of them. All three are extremely skilled at concealing themselves, and are likely ?ssassins. I''m sure that they are here to make sure we aren''t a threat. If we give them a reason to suspect that we are threats when the City Lord arrives, they wouldn''t hesitate to kill us!"


    Mane wasn''t surprised that there were people keeping an eye on him. On Zandor, he had the privilege of meeting Abe''s father on a few occasions. On those occasions when he visited the palace, he could always feel the eyes of a few concealed guards tailing him. It was a precaution that every ruler took. They had people who were outside their direct control and had the free will to make split second decisions as long as they thought those decisions were best for the monarchy.


    "Where are the others? I can only sense the one hidden in the wall to my right." Lam said.


    "There is one to my left. He is hidden behind that ornamental partition." Lily replied, giving away the position of the person she could sense.


    "The last person is on the ceiling. Or rather I hope that he is the last person since anyone who can evade my senses would be beyond our current level." Mane gave away the position of the last person he could sense. He was impressed that the twins had managed to sniff out two of them though. He suddenly felt that he could push Lily''s Scholar training a bit forward. He was waiting for her to grow a bit more accustomed to inner energy before inaugurating her into the Path of Scholars. However, it seemed that she had the talent to skip a few grades.


    The three kept speaking through Lock-On. That was until Mane felt a new presence approaching. In fact, Lam and Lily felt it as well. After all, the person coming was weaker than them, so they could easily sense this person. They ruled out the City Lord since he wasn''t that weak. This person didn''t even have the ability to conceal her aura. The day Mane met the man, he could sense the aura of a Peak Level Predator from him. Although he suspected it anyway from the Record Stone Images, he realised that the City Lord was even stronger than Rusty when they met! As for this person coming, Mane could feel her aura most clearly ¨C clearest than Lam and Lily. It was someone they had met on the day they met the City Lord.


    "It seems that the servant ratted us out to her Mistress," Mane smiled bitterly and told the twins. The two nodded their heads in understanding. Mane and Lam had presented their suspicions to Lily once they returned from the Grand Tourney, and Mane didn''t hide his suspicions of the Orange Team''s ?ssault on the City Lord''s mansion from them either. So they knew everything that he did. It seemed that Mane''s hunch was right. The servant was really not a simple one. After all, which servant could easily seek audience with her Mistress?


    "Hello Miss Mira," Mane and the twins stood up and bowed slightly to the person who had arrived. The twins were trained in proper etiquette by the grandfather, and Mane had learned from Uncle Jake how to treat others respectfully. So even though their faces were covered, the respect in their voices wasn''t.


    Standing at the entrance to the hall was a beautiful young woman with lovely features. Her long hair cascaded down her shoulders and unto her back. Her neck was adorned with an expensive diamond necklace, and her ears were decorated with the same mineral. Her delicate curves were soul stirring, and anyone who saw her would find it difficult to harm even a strand of the hair on her head. She was a beautiful woman, and very few could match her beauty. However, right now neither Mane nor the twins could admire her beautiful visage. For her face was red and her formerly delicate eyes were filled with anger.


    "What are you doing here?" Mira asked coldly. Her gaze was filled with the wrath of one who had almost lost something dear to her. She didn''t even bother to exchange pleasantries and didn''t bother to hide her billowing hostility.


    "We are here to see the City Lord, Miss Mira," Mane smiled bitterly underneath the mask, and so did Lam and Lily. Since Mane had told them about his suspicions, they weren''t left in the dark concerning Mira''s cold behavior towards them. They knew that if they were in her shoes, they would have likely considered themselves enemies as well. Maybe they wouldn''t have been so civil either, for they may have done something far worse like to attack on the spot or aim to kill. Thy admired her for her self-control.


    "My father would not meet the likes of you," Mira stated coldly. Since the trio had been invited inside, it was obvious that her father had agreed to meet with them. But she didn''t want him to. She didn''t want her father talking to people who were ¨C in her books ¨C responsible for his injuries only a few days ago.


    Mane didn''t reply, and that was because he didn''t need to. He could already feel the presence of two individuals headed this way. One of the auras undoubtedly belonged to the City Lord. The other, he wasn''t familiar with. All he could deduce from it was that it belonged to a woman.


    "I know you are angry Mira, and that you don''t want to see them. To be honest, so am I. But I wish to hear them out. After all, if not for the blood of the Apex Monkeys, I would have lost my life that day." The voice of the City Lord traveled to the ears of Mane, Lam, Lily and Mira who were in a faceoff. The handsome Lord of Asher City finally made his appearance. At his side was a woman who Mane recognized from the images he had seen that day in Ivor''s Shop ¨C the images from the Record Stone. She was the wife of the City Lord.


    "We greet the Lord and Madam of Asher City," Mane and the twins bowed a little more deeply than they did when they greeted Mira, and conveyed their greetings in synchronized unity. The gaze of Mira softened a little seeing how much respect they were giving to her father.


    "Let''s hear them out Mira," the beautiful woman stated with a smile.


    "But Mom, what they did was unforgivable!" Mira argued in a very childlike tone. Mane, Lily and Lam looked at her strangely. How was this the same person who had been so fierce with them earlier? Feeling their gazes on her, Mira blushed slightly.


    "We don''t know that for sure yet," the City Lord stated and moved to stand right in front of Mane and the twins.


    "We haven''t been properly introduced yet," Mane stated and took off his mask. The twins did the same. The eyes of the City Lord''s wife lit up at this small gesture, and her smile grew a tad wider.


    "I am Mane."


    "Lam"


    "Lily"


    "We are pleased to make your acquaintance, City Lord."


    "You have finally told me your names," the City Lord smiled and said. He was a bit surprised that they hadn''t given him their titles but their actual names, and that improved his impression of them. How was he supposed to know that neither Mane nor Lam nor Lily had any titles? Lam and Lily had no strength until recently, so they didn''t have titles. And Mane was someone who had only joined this world a few months ago, so he also didn''t have a title. But the revelation of their names had more of an impact than they anticipated. After all, to reveal their names instead of their titles was basically them saying that they were willing to put their trust in the City Lord and his family. Even Mira''s discontented look eased greatly when they did this. The City Lord turned to his wife who nodded her head. Then he smiled and said,


    "Since you have revealed your names, it is only fair that I reveal mine. I am Sutton, the Lord of this great city. This is my wife, Anna. You already know our daughter, Mira. Now let''s sit and get our differences sorted out."

 Chapter 380 - Asher Citys Backing

    Mane, Lam and Lily sat silently and listened to City Lord Sutton speak of the Legend of the Black Dragon Of The East. Although they knew the legend, they didn''t interrupt. Rather they chose to listen silently. They knew that City Lord Sutton needed to use the story of the Black Dragon''s legend to build up to what they really wanted to know. Soon, what they were waiting for came up, and their ears perked up just a bit more ¨C an instinctive reaction ¨C when they realised that the information they were waiting for was coming up.


    "Many believed that the Black Dragon roamed the world in his last days, and that he died somewhere unknown ¨C a place where nobody knew his name or who he was. But the history archives of the most well-grounded First Class Cities say otherwise."


    City Lord Sutton paused here to take a sip of some wine. Mane and the twins couldn''t help but smile bitterly. Intentionally or unintentionally, City Lord Sutton had chosen the worst time to take this sip of wine. He had chosen to do so just when it was getting to the part that was of interest to them. Luckily for them, City Lord Sutton didn''t indulge in the wine for too long. Sensing the impatient looks he was getting, the older man smiled and got back on track.


    "This man really knows how to drive people by the nose," Hildegarde commented from the side, and Mane was very much inclined to agree. This man really knew how to use the emotions of others to control them.


    "As I was saying, the archives that deep grounded First Class Cities have are different from what the majority of the world knows. It is said that he was so gravely injured that his strength took a severe nosedive. Our archives say otherwise. It says in our archives that he was indeed injured by the Winged Serpent, just like many of the Mystic Path Warriors. But unlike them, he attained a huge breakthrough in strength. And that was the reason he was able to kill the Winged Serpent in the first place. It is also said that the Black Dragon Of The East didn''t spend his time only roaming the world."


    "First and foremost, he roamed the world chasing rumors of a miracle plant that could heal him of his injuries. And from what our records suggest, he did find this cure. So in the end, he didn''t even explore the world for long. He did that only for a short time. And after his injuries healed, his strength skyrocketed, making him several times stronger than he was in the past. In a bid to find one who could push him to the limits of his power, he toured the world again. But he grew bored quickly. Every creature he came across was weaker than him by a huge margin, and there was no warrior of his caliber in sight. Those who were once his peers were either too injured to fight anymore, or had declined with age. Remember, he was very young when he faced the Winged Serpent; so he didn''t have to worry about a decline in strength. Added to the fact that his strength was nothing like it was before ¨C but several times greater ¨C he couldn''t find anyone who could challenge him. He grew desperate; powerless; forlorn."


    "Did you by any chance take this test as the Black Dragon Of The East some years ago?" Hildegarde looked at Mane doubtfully and said. Mane didn''t say anything. He couldn''t, even if he wanted to. But he understood why Hildegarde made such a silly comment. This person was a bit like Mane. He was someone seeking a worthy rival; a person they could call a foe. Yet he was left disappointed after having searched the world. Mane couldn''t help but feel a sense of comradery with the Black Dragon Of The East. But he also felt that the Black Dragon Of The East was several times more pitiful. Mane felt lonely because none of his age mates or people of his generation could rival him. But there were several other strong characters who could keep him company. But this Black Dragon Of The East had no one. He was the strongest person in the world, and there was none who could rival him.


    "This feeling of being the most overpowered person in the world would have pleased the average man ¨C but not the Black Dragon. He grew mad with rage and the fear of being alone in death. And caused havoc in many cities. Several landscapes were shaped by his power, and the walking disaster known as the Black Dragon Of The East became a bedtime nightmare story parents used to coerce their kids into doing what was right."


    Mane felt his blood run cold at City Lord Sutton''s words. And the twins were just as horrified by what they were hearing. This was someone whose power could determine the landscape of the world! How much power would one have to have to be capable of destroying the world itself! Their eyes were opened, and they suspected that there was a realm above even the Nightmare Realm!


    "If the records of talks of are true, then this person was definitely at least a Noble," Hildegarde''s expression was stern as she spoke. When one reached a level where their actions could make or unmake a planet, one would be known as a Noble. It was a level of power that only lost out to the realm known as the Ascension Realm. Basically, only an Ascender or a God could stop a Noble!


    "They may sound exaggerated ¨C the records ¨C but I believe them," City Lord Sutton wasn''t afraid to express his opinions, caring little for what Mane, Lam and Lily would think of him for believing such a bizarre story.


    "Why?" Lily couldn''t help but ask.


    "Intuition," City Lord Sutton smiled and said, and Mane could feel that the man was being honest.


    "I''m starting to really like this man," Hildegarde said.


    "Back to the story," City Lord Sutton said and took another sip of his wine. Next to him, Madam Anna and Mira took sips out of their cups as well. But unlike City Lord Sutton, they only drank tea. Mane wasn''t interested in anything else other than the fruits. And since those were done, he wasn''t paying any attention to the snacks or drinks on the table. Lam was too engrossed in the story and Lily wasn''t a big eater. She only took a cupcake before feeling that she had hit her limits.


    "The rampage of the Black Dragon lasted a couple of years, and then it suddenly ceased. It was almost as if he had disappeared. However, he wasn''t truly gone. He returned a year later, moody but not deranged. No one knew why his attitude and ?ust for blood had suddenly changed, but he didn''t bother with that anymore. People were still terrified of him though, fearing that he would go back to his deranged state once again. But their worries were just that ¨C worries. They never materialized. Instead, it was said that the Black Dragon concentrated his efforts elsewhere. Do you know what it is he did?"


    City Lord Sutton paused his monologue and asked. Of course Mane and the twins had no idea what happened. If they knew, they wouldn''t have come to City Lord Sutton for information.


    "Stop playing with their emotions. If you aren''t going to say it, then I will." Madam Anna chided lovingly from the side, and City Lord Sutton smiled bitterly and resumed his story.


    "He created a city," he finally revealed. And Mane and the twins were stunned. That was surely one way to get your mind off your depressing thoughts. However, quickly their eyes grew wider as they linked a few of the missing pieces of the grand puzzle they had been trying to solve all this time.


    "Is that city¡­" Lily started.


    "The Citadel?" Lam finished. Although Mane didn''t say anything, his expression showed that he was thinking the exact same thing.


    "Good guess," City Lord Sutton smiled and said. "Unfortunately, that is something my ancestors never managed to figure out," he continued.


    "But we are of the belief that The Citadel is this city," Madam Anna interjected, and City Lord Sutton nodded his head.


    "Their City Lord''s family is referred to as the Family of Dragons. Although one can''t read too much into that title, Black Hand''s demonstration today has made us think a lot into it. That man may be from the Family of Dragons. As for why he was allowed to participate in the Grand Tourney, I''m sure you are aware." Madam Anna stated, and the three youngsters opposite her nodded their heads.


    "He came for you," Lam spoke with a sigh. "It seems that they are really wary of you if they were willing to take such a risk for your head," Mane added. For The Citadel to risk revealing such an important secret showed just how much they were fearful of City Lord Sutton.


    "It isn''t my husband they fear," Madam Anna shook her head with a small smile on her face. Mane and the twins were a bit surprised by the information. If they didn''t fear City Lord Sutton, then whom did they fear. Who was it that could cause such a powerful city to have such great unease? It must surely have to do with City Lord Sutton''s backing. But who could be the backing of a First Class City''s Lord? Was it¡­? Mane and the twins reached a decision at the same time, and their eyes were firmly glued on Madam Anna''s enchanting figure.


    "It isn''t me," Madam Anna shook her head and said. "This person''s identity is so unique that we cannot give it out. I am sorry." Madam Anna apologized.


    "It''s unfortunate. I really wanted to know who this person was," Mane smiled wryly and said. Lily nodded her head and added, "If it isn''t you or your family, then this person must be really amazing."


    "He is," City Lord Sutton replied. At least his words told them this person''s gender, but that was all.


    "I wish we knew his name at least," Lam smiled bitterly and said.


    "That''s easy"


    A voice that didn''t belong to any of those here was heard. Mane and the twins knew that voice. And when they turned to look at the person, they were stunned. Standing at the entrance to the hall was a tall man with a rounded figure. He had a genial smile on his face, and his expression was that of a harmless middle aged man. But Mane knew better than to think that he was. This person was¡­


    "Ivor?!"

 Chapter 381 - 100,000 Gold Coins

    City Lord Sutton and Madam Anna had stunned expressions on their faces upon hearing the exclamations of the three teenagers. This was the first time they had ever revealed such an expression since the informal meeting between the two groups began. Mane, Lam and Lily were too surprised by the person who had just come in that they failed to take note of the expressions of City Lord Sutton and Madam Anna. Mira dutifully stood aside when Ivor came in. Although she was surprised that Mane and the twins knew this man, she was more terrified of him than she was surprised by the revelation. If it wasn''t because they had no choice than to ally themselves with Ivor, she would have wished that her parents didn''t contact this dangerous man. His legends were extraordinary, but his callous heart which was hidden by the genial smile on his face was just as scary as his legends.


    "You know Sir Ivor?" Madam Anna asked with a bit of reservation. She didn''t look as comfortable as she did when the meeting began ¨C and neither did her husband. Both heard the way Mane and the twins addressed Ivor. They didn''t add any honorifics to his name, meaning that their relationship was an informal one. That meant that Mane, Lam and Lily shared a closer relationship to Ivor than they did. And that made them very wary. However, thinking about it, they realised that it made sense for Mane and the twins to know Ivor. Based on the talents of the three, there was no way they were ordinary. So it made sense that they were tied to someone as extraordinary as Ivor the Tattler.


    Fortunately or unfortunately, they had no idea that it was only Lam and Lily who were close to Ivor. Mane didn''t refer to him with an honorific because Ivor asked him not to. Other than that, it was more likely that Asher City''s relationship with Ivor was better than Mane''s relationship with him. Mane shared a rocky relationship with the man at best, and both were extremely wary of each other. Ivor had spent his time with them trying to undermine Mane to the twins, and Mane who was distrusting of him had kept secrets from the big man as well.


    "Of course they know me. Who do you think brought them here?" Ivor answered the question in their steed. His words stunned City Lord Sutton, Madam Anna and Mira. Of all the possibilities they had considered, Ivor being the one to bring them to Asher City wasn''t one of them. Even worse, two of these talents had joined their enemies. Was that also Ivor''s doing, or did he allow them to make that choice themselves? City Lord Sutton really wanted to ask those questions and clear whatever doubts he had, but his wife gave him a sharp stare that said, ''Don''t ask," and City Lord Sutton sighed submissively and said nothing in the end. His wife was right. They couldn''t ask any questions because they didn''t have the right to. Ivor''s power and eccentric personality made him a ticking time bomb; one that they couldn''t communicate freely with. But they had no other choice than to keep this time bomb on their side. If they wanted to survive, they had to please this time bomb so that he wouldn''t abandon them.


    "You''ve grown," Ivor looked at the twins with a stunned expression on his face. Once he got closer to them, he could feel the vibrant energy that filled their bodies. Their power couldn''t be compared to his at all, but it was enough to place them at the peak of Asher City. He had left them as weaklings, and it had only been a few days since he last saw them. But in just those few days, they had grown so much stronger. He could feel the purity of their auras, and could tell that whatever method they used didn''t harm their foundations. His eyes glowed with a bit of greed, but he quickly suppressed it. What kind of method was this? A method that could allow a weak person to gain so much power in such a short time was something that even his ''Leader'' would want. Unfortunately, even his Leader wouldn''t dare to touch the Prince and Princess, so there was no way they would get such a method.


    "How?" Ivor asked. City Lord Sutton, Madam Anna, and Mira didn''t know what Ivor was asking the twins for. But those in question knew exactly what Ivor wanted to know. Mane grew a bit tensed. Although he had faith that the twins wouldn''t betray him, he couldn''t help but wonder if they would. Would they remember what he told them? Would they honour their words? Or would they disregard the words of their mouths?


    "We were lucky I guess," Lam shrugged and said. His words calmed Mane down by a lot. Hildegarde laughed seeing his silly expression and said, "You should have seen how you looked. You looked like a man suffering from constipation! Hahaha!"


    Naturally, Mane was too relieved to pay any attention to the fairy who had become addicted to teasing him every chance she got.


    "I see," Ivor furrowed his brows and said. He turned to look at Lily. But the Princess he knew just shrugged helplessly and echoed the word of her brother with a look that said, ''hasn''t he already told you?" Ivor didn''t think they would tell him anyway, but he was still a bit disappointed. However, he was no idiot. He could feel Mane''s anxiety when he asked the twins about how they had grown so much stronger in such a short time. Mane had given himself away with his reaction. If he was still wearing his mask, Ivor wouldn''t have noticed. Alas, he wasn''t, and Ivor took note of that brief moment of stiffness Mane displayed in his expression. And from that he understood something. He understood that whatever means by which the twins had grown so powerful in such a short time, Mane was the answer to the riddle. Thinking about it, he felt that it made sense. The boy was so young yet so powerful. There was no way he wouldn''t have any secrets. Besides, with how powerful and deep-rooted the Ancients were, it wouldn''t surprise Ivor if they had such a method; a method for drastically increasing one''s strength without any cost to the person.


    "It seems that getting the secret from him should be my priority now. At least, before it''s decided whether he should be killed or not. I''m sure Leader would agree with this course of action" Ivor thought to himself.


    "If you were their ally, why did you want Mane to join the Orange Team?" Lily asked the question that the forgotten City Lord Sutton and Madam Anna would have liked to ask themselves. Their eyes lit up hearing Lily''s words, and they understood that it was indeed Ivor who gave the Orange Team such great gifts.


    "Well, the Head of The Citadel paid me handsomely to find a replacement for Orange Monk. So I did." Ivor shrugged nonchalantly and said. City Lord Sutton smiled bitterly hearing his reply, as it seemed very much like Ivor to do something like that. Madam Anna frowned in displeasure, but she quickly wiped that away before anyone noticed.


    "What I didn''t expect was that Lam joined in as well. You can imagine how surprised I was when I saw you walking onto the field yesterday." Ivor smiled and said.


    "This man is someone who does everything for a profit. He helped his enemies because they paid him well? I wouldn''t have believed it, but I can feel he isn''t lying. In fact, there isn''t a need for him to." Hildegarde commented from atop Mane''s shoulder. Her words were vivid reflection of what Mane was thinking.


    "That begs the question, what did City Lord Sutton offer such a greedy man that The Citadel wasn''t able to give?" Hildegarde asked, and Mane narrowed his eyes in contemplation. Indeed, what did City Lord Sutton offer such a man for him to be on his side? It was what he was most curious about.


    "Well, it was a last minute decision," Lam scratched his cheek in embarrassment and said. He could feel that something wasn''t right between Mane and Ivor, so he refrained from saying that it was Mane''s suggestion. Mane didn''t give anything away this time, but he was grateful to Lam for his wisdom. He could tell that his friend was trying to protect him.


    "Those Orange Team goons dare have you on their team without telling me? See how I would deal with them!" Ivor gritted his teeth and said. His reaction was very strong for such a trivial matter, and everyone here was taken aback by it.


    "I think you are overreacting Ivor," Lily lightly pinched Ivor''s arm and said.


    "No I am not overreacting. I got paid a 100,000 gold coins for Mane''s participation as a Predator. And Lam is also a Predator, yet they got to use him for free? That''s another 100,000 gold coins. And it has been given away for free!" Ivor exclaimed miserably, and everyone here could feel their eyebrows twitching in annoyance. So that''s what he was worried about? The money?


    As for Mane, he was extremely vexed. Why?


    "I can''t believe he made so much money off you," Hildegarde almost choked when she heard how much Ivor earned from selling out Mane.


    "I didn''t even earn a single coin from that money!" Mane screamed internally as he felt out his empty pockets

 Chapter 382 - Awake; Contacting The Dragon Lord

    The Grand Tourney was an important event in Asher City, and every citizen of this great city loved the tournament that featured several other First Class Cities. As such, the Grand Tourney was held with much adulation and praise, and the money that went into organizing the tournament was no small sum. Every First Class City that participated in the Grand Tourney was a sponsor of the tournament. Only the city that housed the most recent winners were spared the heartache of dipping into their coveted pockets and contributing to this great tournament. Amongst the many expenses that the money gathered from the first class cities were used to cover was housing accommodations for the participating teams. Each city was given a mansion, and the teams they sponsored had to share this mansion. Only the teams that reached the Semi-Finals of the Grand Tourney were given their own mansions.


    These mansions were lavish and beautiful, and were ?ssigned based on the discretion of the Asher City Lord. So obviously, the best went to Asher City''s team. However, the other mansions weren''t bad either. They were all gorgeous, extremely spacious, and the dream homes of many of the citizens in the city. One of these houses was the large mansion that housed the members of the Orange Team. As a team that had beaten and kicked out the current champions by forcing the Captain of the Indigo Team to surrender without fighting personally, they had drawn the attention of many. However, the last scene that led to Celestial Fairy''s surrender had more eyes glancing towards the mansion of the Orange Team than its members appreciated. But there was nothing they could do. They could only allow the spies sent by the other cities to keep gleaning for information. They wouldn''t want to cause any more problems by meeting them with violence.


    "Is he okay?" Vital Orange asked a middle aged healer who had just stepped out of a room. This healer smiled slightly when she heard his question and replied, "He is fine. He is awake now and is able to make small movements."


    "That''s great," a feminine voice that didn''t belong to Vital Orange squealed in delight. An elated Orange Ivy stood next to Vital Orange with a happy smile upon hearing the words of the healer. Vital Orange also breathed a sigh of relief. He wiped the sweat that had been forming over his brows and felt a bit more relaxed.


    "It''s good he''s fine. It is very good that he is fine." Vital Orange said with the voice of one eased from carrying a great burden.


    "I want to see Master. Can we see him?" Orange Ivy asked pleadingly. The middle aged healer couldn''t help but shake her head wryly. Although Orange Ivy was in her middle ages, much like herself, that was just her chronological age. Psychologically speaking, Orange Ivy was still very much like a woman in her twenties ¨C age wise. Added to the fact that she was very beautiful and had never given time the opportunity to leave any marks on her face, it was very easy to forget her real age.


    "You can see him. But I suggest that you don''t encourage him to make any movements. That kick to his abdomen cost him a few good ribs. He would have to refrain from any major movements until he''s fully healed." The healer didn''t see anything wrong in acceding to Orange Ivy''s request. She only asked that her patient was treated like a patient, and not a Predator. They were not to encourage any sudden movements from Black Hand.


    "Thank you," Vital Orange was the first to express his gratitude to the healer. This healer was no ordinary one. She was one of the best in Asher City, and maybe in the world. Even The Citadel didn''t have more than 10 people with her level of skill. They were grateful for her help. If not for her, Black Hand wouldn''t have made so much progress in his health in just a day.


    "Thank you very much. It''s because of you that Master has woken up so soon!" Orange Ivy added and expressed her gratitude as well. She had been awed by the skills of this woman in just a day.


    "It''s no problem. It is the duty of a healer to save lives and extend them." The healer smiled kindly and said. "If you''d excuse me, I will be taking my leave now. I will return tomorrow morning to check up on him. In the meantime, make sure he takes the herbs I recommended for him." The healer added.


    "By all means. Thank you once again." Vital Orange stated one more and then tried to walk the healer out. However, she refused, saying that she already knows how to walk out of a house and didn''t need any help for that. Instead she asked that they refocused their efforts on helping Black Hand in every way that they could. Vital Orange and Orange Ivy still watched her leave the room though. They only entered Black Hand''s room after her figure disappeared from their sights.


    "How are you feeling Master?" was the first thing Black Hand heard when the door was opened. Orange Ivy rushed to his side with a very concerned expression and asked him how he was. Vital Orange was right behind her. But seeing that Orange Ivy had started a conversation with her Master, he chose not to say anything.


    "I have been better," Black Hand smiled wryly and admitted. He lay upon a neatly organized bed with a lot of room for an additional person. His face was slightly pale, and they was a large bandage around his entire torso. The bandage was made with hardened plaster that kept Black Hand from turning freely.


    "But at least you''re still alive after tapping into that power," Vital Orange who had planned not to say anything couldn''t help himself. He had interrupted the Master-Student conversation even before the two could share two sentences each.


    "Well I guess that''s something to be thankful for," Black Hand nodded his head and said. He grimaced slightly from this tiny action.


    "Don''t be moving so much. Those are the healer''s orders and you must listen to them Master." Orange Ivy chided with concern, and Black Hand sighed in surrender.


    "How many people are watching us now?" Black Hand asked. Although he had just woken up, he knew that after his display, there was no way the other force would be watching with their hands behind their backs.


    "Many," Vital Orange replied simply.


    "I see," Black Hand said expressionlessly.


    "Why did you do it Master? I don''t think that the Dragon Lord will like this." Orange Ivy shook her head with a look of fear in her eyes. The Dragon Lord was the title of the Lord of The Citadel. The man was as powerful as he was stern, and she feared him more than she respected him.


    "Why would he have a problem with my actions?" Black Hand stated with a frown. "After all, it was his idea," he added. Vital Orange didn''t have any extreme reaction to Black Hand''s words, but Orange Ivy was stunned silly. It was clear that Vital Orange knew about this also. She was the only one left out. It wasn''t surprising. The Dragon Lord wasn''t inclined to let a Thrasher know of his plans, even if that Thrasher was the student of a member of the Family of Dragons.


    "So that''s why you did it!" Orange Ivy exclaimed in understanding. Now that what she was most worried about wasn''t a problem anymore, she was much more relieved.


    "Mane and the twins?" Black Hand asked. The only thing that worried him were those three. Those three were people that they wanted to recruit, and the fact that they were keeping secrets from them wasn''t going to make that job any easier.


    "They left to see Sutton. They didn''t even bother to hide where they were going." Vital Orange smiled bitterly and said. Next to him Orange Ivy had a displeased look on her face at the mention of those three.


    "They are our partners yet instead of sticking with us, they choose to go to the City Lord when they need something?" she huffed angrily.


    "And why wouldn''t they?" Black Hand asked. "Would you have given them the answers they wanted?" he added, and Orange Ivy kept her mouth shut.


    "They don''t owe us anything, and neither do we. If I were to be in their position, I would have made the same choice." Black Hand admitted.


    "So what do we do? We can''t allow Sutton to take such good talents from right underneath our noses." Vital Orange stated the most important thing. He was seen as the leader of the Orange Team on the outside, and he was actually the Orange Team''s leader. That much was true. But when it came to affairs concerning the fate of The Citadel, Black Hand who outranked him naturally took charge. That was one of the many reasons why he had been so anxious when Black Hand was unconscious, and why they had rushed to get the top healer of Asher City to come and see him.


    "The fact that they didn''t sneak away means that they haven''t made any major decisions yet. And that means we still have a shot." Black Hand stated. From Orange Ivy''s words he was able to come to a few conclusions. And he understood that they still had a good shot at recruiting those talented youngsters.


    "So how do we make that happen,'' Vital Orange asked.


    "We bait them with benefits," came the response.


    "But we have nothing valuable on us," Orange Ivy argued with a confused expression on her face.


    "We aren''t the ones going to supply the items. We need help." Black Hand said.


    "Are you saying¡­?" Vital Orange narrowed his eyes.


    "That''s exactly what I am saying.. We need to contact the Dragon Lord."

 Chapter 383 - Mazes And Secrets

    Every house had secrets. And the mansions each team resided were no different. It was up to the one staying there to discover these secrets. More often than not, such huge mansions had their own secret bunkers or escape rooms. Some had tunnels that stretched further than the eye could see. Others were built over water sources, and had exits that led to creeks. The Orange Team''s mansion was no different. Their secret was a simple one, and it would bring envy to any person. It was a very useful secret, especially for those who operated in the shadows like them.


    Their secret was a secret bunker which was connected to an underground exit. It had been discovered the moment they moved into this place. Black Hand did a sweep of the building to root out any hidden appliances or traps that may have been set up. They were competing in the Grand Tourney, but they hadn''t forgotten that they were in enemy territory. Just like they had their own hidden agendas, their enemies may have had their own. However, Black Hand didn''t discover anything out of the ordinary when he searched the place for the first time, and that made him very doubtful. For it was odd. They had gone as far as to ask City Lord Sutton to give up his daughter. The man loved his child like she was his only treasure, and they had stepped on a huge landmine by insisting that his child be given over to the Young Master as a concubine. Black Hand didn''t think that City Lord Sutton had forgiven them for one moment. So he did another sweep of the mansion. This time, his sweep was more thorough, and yielded results. However, they weren''t the results he thought he would find. The results of his sweep was the secret bunker. And when he investigated the bunker, he discovered the secret exit. It really was an impossible feat to hide anything from a Snake. Black Hand didn''t hesitate to share his discovery with the team. When they discovered the secret bunker, it had many cobwebs and was extremely dusty. There was nothing in it, and it seemed that it hadn''t been used for a long time. So after doing another sweep of the house ¨C the final one ¨C and Black Hand was confident that there was nothing hidden in the mansion, they started using the bunker as their own.


    Black Hand couldn''t move, so it was Orange Ivy and Vital Orange who made their way towards the secret bunker. They took many turns, and followed a path marked out specially by Black Hand using traces only they could identify. Soon they found themselves in front of a sturdy looking wall. They stopped right in front of the wall, and scrutinised it closely. They took quite some time to find what they were looking for. If Black Hand had come with them, he would have found it in a heartbeat.


    "Found it," Orange Ivy announced, and reached out to push in a particular brick that looked just a tad darker than the rest. Although Black Hand wasn''t here with them, Orange Ivy was a Fox, and his student. Although she wasn''t as fast as her Master, she could still find the ''key'' if she had enough time. That was the reason why she came with Vital Orange. If Vital Orange had come on his own, he would have lost his way. He wouldn''t have been able to successfully follow the markings that Black Hand had left behind without getting lost several times. It was because Orange Ivy was leading the way that they found the wall on their first attempt.


    An entire section of the wall creaked and caved in when the slightly darker brick was pushed. That section of the wall slowly moved backwards, and slid to the side to reveal a long staircase that led deeper into the foundations of the mansion. Vital Orange held out the lamp he had prepared and handed it over to Orange Ivy. The Fox lighted the lamp and then proceeded to go down the cascading steps.


    They descended the stairs for a while. It was about five minutes later that they reached the end of the staircase. They hadn''t yet reached their destination. The stairs only led to another riddle, for there were three paths that the lamp shone brightly upon. And only one of these paths led to the place they sought.


    "Whenever I come here I marvel at the brilliance of this mansion''s architect," Orange Ivy sighed and followed the path that went straight down the middle.


    "You admire the architect, but I think that person was crazy," Vital Orange frowned and said as they reached yet another crossroad. Orange Ivy didn''t even pause to think about the path to take. She immediately picked the path on the left, and Vital Orange followed her without any questions.


    "Why would someone without any loose screws in their head, make something like this," Vital Orange continued. Only Snakes and Foxes would think this place was cool. And maybe Mongooses. But no other warrior would come here and marvel at the architecture. This place was a maze, and it was easy to get lost here for days, even weeks. Vital Orange had no idea how Black Hand had been able to navigate this entire place in just a week.


    "Not loose screws, but a genius," Orange Ivy stated with shinning eyes. Vital Orange just shook his head and didn''t say anything anymore. It was useless to argue with someone like Orange Ivy ¨C a Fox. He had been through this a million times with Black Hand, and never had he been able to successfully convince the Snake that this wasn''t the work of a genius, but an insecure madman.


    The two walked in silence from then on. One of them was admiring the endless maze, whereas the other was focused on keeping up with the Fox and not losing sight of her. Soon they reached the end of the maze, and a large door was the only thing in their way. The door was made entirely of stone ¨C good quality stones that were difficult to destroy. Even Vital Orange couldn''t break it apart with the power of a Tiger!


    "You''re up Captain," Orange Ivy stepped to the side and made way for the only man who could push open this door.


    "Sure," Vital Orange nodded his head and walked up to the large door. He placed his hands on it and took a deep breath. He mustered all the power he could summon, and his aura was fully unleashed. The stiffening power of a Tiger had Orange Ivy shaking slightly from being in such close proximity to the source of the aura. She subconsciously took a few steps back.


    "Roar!" Vital Orange roared loudly as his rioting aura collated, gathering in his arms. With the full force of a Tiger, he pushed the door open. The large door was slowly pushed aside, and what was behind it was revealed. Orange Ivy extinguished the light from the lamp and basked in the glow of the sun. She breathed in deeply as she took in the beautiful scenery around her. There were large trees all around her, and beautiful green grass. Birds flew past them as they chirped happily, singing a song which the humans knew nothing about.


    "This is still tiring," Vital Orange muttered as he wiped the sweat from his brow. This wasn''t the first time he had done this. But no matter how much stronger he got, this never got easier.


    "This place is still as beautiful as ever," Orange Ivy remarked, and Vital Orange nodded his head. "I still can''t believe that a madman was able to dig an entire passage to a forest outside Asher City. What a maniac." Vital Orange sighed and said.


    "Not a maniac Captain, but a dedicated and deeply inspiring artist!" Orange Ivy argued.


    "Let''s just do what we came to do," Vital Orange shook his head and said. Orange Ivy nodded her head and placed her hands on her ears to cover them. Vital Orange suddenly drew a deep breath and let out a loud whistle that shook the entire forest. His long whistle lasted a full five seconds, and it was only after it was over that Orange Ivy took her hands off her ears.


    Ten seconds later, a happy chirp greeted the duo, and a beautiful red bird arrived in front of them with speed so great that none of them would have been able to react if it was an attack. The bird flew around them happily, before it settled on Vital Orange''s arm. Vital Orange playfully flicked the beak of the bird a few times, much to its amusement; Orange Ivy stroked its feathers gently, an action that had it chirping in comfort.


    "I want you to do something for me Turbo," Vital Orange said to the small bird, and it curiously ???ked its head to the side as if to say, "What is it?"


    "I need you to deliver this to the Dragon Lord," Vital Orange instructed and then attached a small piece of paper to the leg of the bird. If Mane had witnessed this, he would have been stunned. Who said there was no paper in this world?


    "Go now," Vital Orange instructed, and the bird darted into the sky like a streak of light. Soon, it had disappeared.


    "Let''s go," Vital Orange ordered, and Orange Ivy nodded her head and left with her captain.

 Chapter 384 - The Frail Old Man

    Dark clouds had gathered, and with their appearance the rain that followed was no surprise. The dark clouds hugged the sky greedily, pushing the sun out of its dominant position and taking control of what was not originally theirs. They drummed mightily, these dark clouds, their thunderous roars giving birth to several streaks of lightning that flashed across the now carpeted sky. The winds ragged and howled, and the rain fell heavily. It fell with such recklessness that one would have thought that it sought to wrought vengeance on the earth below for being so far away from the sky were it usually slept peacefully.


    Those who were walking the earth down below scampered to safety, for no one was foolish enough to go against the wrath of nature. The sky roared thunderously, and lightning flashed towards the earth, coming dangerously close to a few people who ran even more frantically upon escaping this near death encounter. Some of them tripped over themselves, whereas others slipped due to the greasy nature of the wet ground. Yet none of them complained. Rather they hastened their steps, trying to get to the closest shelter they could find. Unfortunately, they were no close to a city, and there was no town or village in sight. However, they were persistent in their search for shelter. They didn''t need a house. Right now, a cave or even a large boulder they could take shelter under was very much welcome.


    "What was that?" one of the women in the group asked and stopped running. Her eyes were glued to the sky which held nothing but the anger of the clouds and the rage of the winds.


    "What?" another person stopped and asked as he struggled to keep his eyes opened under the constant torrents of wind that stung his poor eyes.


    "Something just flashed past in the sky," the woman had a confused expression on her face as she spoke. She could have sworn that she saw a small red light flash right above her head. However, there was nothing in sight.


    "Stop dawdling and hurry up. There is a cave in sight!" one of the people from the advancing group realised that two of their members were missing and screamed at the lagging members.


    "Coming!" the man screamed and pulled the hand of the woman. "It must have been the lightning," he added and dragged her towards the advancing group before she could say anything else. The woman struggled to keep her eyes open whilst wondering about what she had seen. She was a Thrasher, so she didn''t doubt her vision. She was certain that what she saw wasn''t lightning. After all, how could lightning be red?


    *Chirp*


    Although the weather was hell for everyone who moved and breathed, there was a tiny little creature that didn''t seem to mind it. In fact, it seemed to enjoy it. A small red light streaked past the sky with speed that was comparable to the several flashing bolts of lightning. The red light was a tiny bird with colorful red feathers. It chirped excitedly as it skipped past a few bolts of lightning that came its way like it was avoiding a turtle''s charge. Such was its speed that even lightning was embarrassed. Like a naughty little toddler it avoided several bolts of lightning whilst basking in the rain. It kept moving through the dark clouds as if to mock them and to ask for a greater challenge. And they obliged. Like an angry lion further incensed by the taunting of a galloping deer, the dark clouds roared in rage, and the product of their fury were larger bolts. These bolts were thicker than a person''s arm. Not only were these bolts larger and contained more sting, they were faster than the ones before.


    *Chirp?*


    *Boom*


    *Chirp!*


    A large bolt of lightning struck the struggling bird, and it chirped ¨C in rage. Yes, rage. It didn''t protest painfully, but angrily. Once the light had faded, the figure of the bird was revealed. Its red feathers were still as majestic as before, and it didn''t look the slightest bit fazed by the onslaught. Its blue eyes were now red, and it screeched powerfully before releasing a bright red light from its body. Its target was the largest dark cloud in the region. Its eyes were firmly glued to that cloud, as though there was something there.


    *Crack Crack*


    Several red bolts of lightning were unleashed by the bird as the sky lit up in a cacophony of colors. Red and blue danced together as the providers of the lights went head to head.


    *Roar*


    A large serpent revealed itself from one of the clouds. It was a huge snake that was dozens of meters long. Its blue scales shimmered brightly as several lightning bolts adhered to them like glue. Its blue eyes stared at the small bird with anger, and the small horn on its head was pointed at the bird. In contrast to the large snake, the small bird which was only as big as a fist would have been easily overlooked if not for the bright red lightning bolts that gathered around it. It didn''t look terrified after seeing the huge snake that it had drawn out. Rather, it was very excited, and it didn''t hide its excitement. It screeched in delight, daring the snake to give it its best shot.


    The huge snake roared angrily as the power of an apex powerhouse burst out of its body. Several lightning bolts were birthed from the clouds around them and were collected into its horn. A large bolt of lightning converged around its horn, and it fired the powerful attack towards the small bird!


    *Scree*


    The red bird screeched in delight and faced the attack head on, much to the confusion of the snake. ''How could the little bird be so stupid as to think it could fight nature?'' it must have thought. However, soon fear filled its eyes as it watched the small bird open its tiny mouth and greedily suck in the powerful lightning. The small bird burped in satisfaction and then turned to the snake. It chirped disdainfully and almost looked like it had on a mocking smirk. It screeched powerfully and dashed towards the panicking snake who couldn''t even see the creature because of its outstanding speed.


    *Crack*


    The eyes of the snake lost its color as the world returned to its prior calm. The raging winds ceased, and the dark clouds quickly faded. The storm wasn''t one of nature, but something that was born from the snake! The little bird chirped one more as it stared at the falling body of the snake. There was a small but extremely deep hole on the large head of the snake, and this hole extended all the way through its enormously long body and out of its tail! This was the handiwork of the red bird, evidence of what its delicate looking beak could do if given the chance. The red bird flashed and arrived next to the snake, and opened its small beak to take a deep breath. Amazingly, the large snake was slowly su?k?d into that small mouth!


    "I told you I saw something!" down below, the advancing group weren''t advancing anymore. Each of them had fear in their eyes as they watched the small bird swallowing the large snake. They didn''t see it before, but when the snake had left the comfort of the dark clouds, they had all seen it. After all, it was hard to miss something that large. And since the red bird remained still, they had noticed it as well. Yet the outcome they expected wasn''t what they got. The seemingly delicate bird had easily dispatched the huge snake! Now that the storm was over, they could clearly make out the bright red bird without the wind rushing into their eyes. And all they felt was fear.


    "Run!" it was unknown who made the suggestion, but from everyone''s reaction, it could be seen that they were all thinking the same thing. They all dashed towards the distance, not caring about the direction they were taking. Some moved to the left, others to the right; some moved forwards, and some moved backwards. The goal was obvious: get away from this place before it''s too late!


    "Out of my way old man!" a frantic survivor screamed and pushed a frail looking old man onto the ground as he made his escape. No one noticed this, and even if they did they were too scared for their lives to come and offer their help. Soon the entire area was deserted, and only the old man was left. The red bird had finished its meal by now, and when it cast its slightly hazy gaze to the man, it chirped in confusion.


    The old man had his head hung to the ground. But when he felt the gaze of the bird on him, he raised his head full of gray hair and stared back. He had an attractive face, and unlike what his head full of gray hair suggested, he didn''t look that old. He looked like a middle aged scholar with those beautiful brown eyes and wrinkle-free face. Seeing the bird, he smiled.


    *Chirp!*


    The eyes of the bird were filled with fear as it released a chirp full of terror and began to shiver. This bird that had just killed a Lightning Snake was afraid of the old man!


    "There''s no need to panic. I won''t do anything to you. I may have grudges with the Dragon Lord, but I wouldn''t harm an endangered creature like yourself." The man smiled and picked a more comfortable position on the ground. His words didn''t seem to bring any ?ssurance to the bird, which kept hovering midair with fearful eyes.


    "You can go," the man said, and as if it had been granted amnesty, the small red bird flashed and flew away with its superior speed.


    The man smiled and looked at the direction in which the bird had fled.. He parted his lips and released a small chuckle, "Who would have thought I would get to see a Red Lightning Phoenix in such a remote place."

 Chapter 385 - Komfo Anokye - The Man With Many Names

    The Lightning Phoenix kept charging forward, its figure nothing but a blur. Its hasty advance was partly fueled by the fact that it had been delayed by the Lightning Snake. It had wasted some time killing off the beast and consuming its corpse. The other half of the reason was that it had just come face to face with the most frightening existence that a Sacred Bird could have come across. It had come face to face with the one known as The Beast Slayer; The Devil Maker; Destroyer Of Kings; The Ghostly Paragon; and most famous of all; Basileus!


    That man was known for his driving d?s?r? to possess the corpses and blood of precious beasts. He had killed many, and several members of its race had fallen victim to him. The Lightning Phoenix was not foolish enough to believe the claims of The Beast Slayer that it was spared because it was a precious beast. Which of the beasts that had been killed by the Devil Maker had been average? Which of the beasts that had fallen prey to the Ghostly Paragon hadn''t been sacred? Even its very own race had been driven to the point of near extinction by the mad actions of Destroyer Of Kings. It was one of the few remaining, and the fear that had been engraved in its bloodline over the years of abuse its race had faced in the hands of the Beast Slayer was not fading anytime soon.


    The terror from meeting Basileus fueled its drive and strengthened its resolve to get to The Citadel as quickly as possible. When it recalled the smile of Basileus, it shivered all over again, relieving the fear that it wasn''t used to experiencing. It was a Lightning Phoenix; a rare beast with strength exceeding the Nightmare Realm and extending into the Phenom Realm ¨C a realm that was at the near peak of this world. Yet it could do nothing but escape before the might of the being that even the Dragon Lord would certainly avoid. The only reason the Dragon Lord had been able to live so long; the only reason the one who ruled The Citadel still had life in him; the reason The Citadel still stood strong was because its leader didn''t dare leave the fortified walls of The Citadel! If he did, The Destroyer Of Kings would definitely find him! The Lightning Phoenix screeched loudly and sped away, headed for the city hidden in the valleys and shrouded by the great invisible barrier ¨C The Citadel.


    Down below, Basileus watched the Lightning Phoenix escape with a small smile on his face. "It''s all because of that dastardly oath that that weak city remains standing," he smiled bitterly and said.


    Years ago, long before even the Lightning Phoenix was born and during the years of its predecessors, the three major races of this world ¨C the Ancients, the Barbarians and the Elementals ¨C had struck a deal with each other. They decided that they would refrain from harming the world of humans. They wouldn''t touch the humans who had been born long after the three races had already been established, and due to the fact that the humans were efficient procreators, very much unlike the three Great Races, they were willing to remain hidden and cede the world to this race that posed no threat to them. That was until the appearance of the Black Dragon Of The East.


    Humans were weak, and even after stealing the blood of Ancients ¨C an action that left the other two races mocking the Ancients until they found out that it had been the plan of the Ancients all along ¨C they didn''t have the potential to grow much stronger. The Predator level was like a cap, and it kept them within the lower rungs of society. Of course the na?ve humans thought that the world was theirs. Their narrow understanding of the history of this great planet had convinced them into believing that they were the first intelligent lifeform, when in fact they were several thousands of years late. And up until the rise of the Black Dragon, the Three Great Races had focused on their battles against each other. They completely abandoned the weak Human Race, and focused on themselves. However, they had to change their minds when the Black Dragon rose from the lower reaches of society, and reached into the stars that had always been beyond his race. True to his name he rose past the clouds and stole the light, leaving nothing but darkness in his wake.


    The Three Great Races couldn''t ignore the humans anymore, but their oath to never directly interfere with human life fought against them. So they were tied by the promise they themselves had made. That was until the scheming Ancients discovered a way out of their predicament. The oath stated that they couldn''t interfere directly, but they never said anything about indirect interferences. They never agreed to never scheme or turn humans against humans. So that is what they did. At the time, the Great Basileus was still with his people. He hadn''t turned into the famous vagabond he was now. Using tricks and schemes, he was able to place a curse on the Black Dragon, pushing him into a depth of madness that saw the powerful legend become a nightmare in the eyes of his people. Basileus hoped that the humans would come together and deal with the Black Dragon, effectively ending this threat. But he failed.


    There was none worthy; there was none capable of taming the Black Dragon, let alone killing him. Rather, the fearsome beast grew stronger and stronger, and by a miraculous stroke of fortune, the curse was broken and he regained his senses. But he had become so powerful that even the Three Great Races had to be cautious in acting against him. Unfortunately for the Ancients the Black Dragon had come to know who had caused his miserable plight, and the Elementals ¨C sworn enemies of the Ancients ¨C sold them out, revealing that there was an oath that would save the Black Dragon even if he was to go against the Ancients. And so he did. For an entire year he went against the powerful Ancients, getting stronger each time. Soon, he was only weaker than the most powerful warriors of the Three Great Races ¨C a feat that was remarkable for a member of a race initially dismissed for its lack of talent.


    Unfortunately for the Black Dragon, all good things come to an end. Basileus found a way to retaliate without breaking the oath once again ¨C beasts. As long as he had other races do the attacking for him, he would be fine. So he started hunting down Sacred Beasts, the only ones with power comparable to the Black Dragon. And he slayed a mighty amount of them, earning a new title to his already vast accolade of terror ¨C Beast Slayer. With his skills he didn''t need the beast alive. As long as he had their corpse and their blood he could give them life again after killing them. False life yes, but enough for what he wanted to do.


    Basileus sent the Sacred Beasts he had spent years hunting after the Black Dragon, but the man escaped. And he established a city; a city that was protected by a barrier built on the Oath of the Three Great Races. It was a barrier not even Basileus could breach. And his beasts couldn''t do the job either. As for who had built the barrier, Basileus had no clue. What he knew was that this person was very likely to be at his level. However, neither of the other two races had any such characters. There was someone behind the scenes who kept him on his toes, and made it difficult for Basileus to act inside The Citadel.


    Now, he didn''t know whether or not the Black Dragon was still alive. If he, Basileus was alive, then it was highly likely that that talented man was also alive. And maybe his strength was closer to Basileus''s now with the kind of talent that he had. As for him exceeding Basileus, it was highly improbable. With the disgrace he had faced all those years ago, the first person he would seek to kill if he was that strong was Basileus himself. The fact that he remained hidden meant that he was still weaker than the combined might of Basileus''s Sacred Beasts. And just like him, Basileus hadn''t forgotten the grudge of that year. Even as he searched for the relic for which he had abandoned his entire race, he was still eager to get the head of the Black Dragon''s prime descendent ¨C the one known as the Dragon King.


    "Well," Basileus stood up and brushed the dirt off his trousers. "It was because of the Black Dragon that the Great Races started scrambling to recruit talent," Basileus continued speaking to himself. As an Ancient who had made history himself, and who had several historical texts written about him, he knew more than most. The Ancients, Elementals and Barbarians had been dismissive of humans until the Black Dragon was born. Everything changed after that. The Ancients had gifted the humans a weaker version of the now missing Mystic Path Potion ¨C the New Type Potion. The Elementals struck deals with humans to protect their cities. And the Barbarians procreated with them to create stronger humans. This was all because of the fact that they saw potential in humans. This potential had been displayed by the Black Dragon, and it was for that reason that they tried to get the humans in their ranks.


    But the Black Dragon was no fool. He understood that humans would be foolish to allow themselves to be drawn away by the sweet gifts they were receiving from the Three Great Races. So he ¨C through his descendants ¨C set on a course to have every human under one banner. And that was what they were doing now. The Black Dragon didn''t want humans to be a weak race ruled by the Great Races in the shadows. He wanted humans to become the Fourth Great Race. It was such a pity that humans didn''t see this since they had no knowledge of the Three Great Races, and his quest was proving to be a difficult one.


    "Komfo Anokye. Did you wait long?" the melodious voice of a woman was quite clear in this deserted land. A woman clad in a large cloak approached the solitary man who was thinking about matters of the past and asked. Her face was a thing of beauty, and her looks were out of this world. She looked like a painted masterpiece, something so unreal that even the Creator would marvel at his work. Slowly, she walked to the side of Basileus.


    "Ah. How pleasing it is to hear one use my name. Of course, only you would be able to mention my name so freely now, Kiera." Komfo Anokye laughed heartily and gave the woman a friendly hug. He had many titles, and Basileus was the most famous of them all. Yet his name always had been and always will be Komfo Anokye.


    "That is certain. We have known each other way before you became the most feared man amongst the Three Great Races. After all, you are my brother" Keira returned his hug with a smile on her face and said.


    "Of course my reputation only works against these so-called Three Great Races. That white haired fool didn''t think about offending me at all when he made his move on you." Komfo Anokye said with slight bitterness in his tone.


    "But I did get something good out of it," Keira laughed and said.


    "Indeed. A son so stubborn that he refused to accept his heritage," Komfo Anokye laughed as he ?ssented to his sister''s claims.


    "He should be a man by now," Keira''s tone reduced by a notch as she sighed and said. The figure of a brown haired, green eyed boy appeared in her mind. Her brain tried its best to morph that figure into that of an ?du?t male, but it couldn''t work with what it hadn''t seen.


    "He is," Komfo Anokye smiled and said. "In fact, he has a son now," he continued. "Really?" Keira''s eyes lit up as she asked.


    "Yes. He is here on this planet right now," Komfo Anokye stated.


    "What?!" Keira exclaimed. "Why didn''t you tell me?!" she screamed as she rushed to Komfo Anokye ¨C the fearsome Ghostly Paragon ¨C and held his arms so tight that the powerful Paragon grimaced in pain.


    "Because I knew that if I did, you would abandon our mission. All of us are doing our best to restore our home world to what it was before. And to do that we must find our Sacred Treasure. We must find Kerith." Komfo Anokye calmly explained to the frantic Keira. That was their true mission, their goal, and they shouldn''t abandon it for any reason. The others were doing their best. They couldn''t slack on their end either.


    "I understand. I''m sorry. I lost control." Keira apologized with a crestfallen expression.


    "You are my sister. You don''t need to apologize." Komfo Anokye sighed and wrapped her in a comforting hug. "I don''t know what it''s like to have to give up on your only son. But I can imagine it must be devastating to have family close by and not be able to do anything about it. However, I ?ssure you that I have friends keeping an eye on him. He even inherited our family''s glow" Komfo Anokye smiled and said.


    "Really?" Keira lifted her head from his embrace, her expression akin to that of a schoolgirl eager to receive an excellent grade.


    "Really. He did what his father could not. He awakened Basileus!" Komfo Anokye smirked in pride, as if it was his own achievement. He may have been given the title, but it was a skill that existed way before he did. It was a power that belonged to their family and gave him the right to abuse Chaos in any manner he saw fit. Keira''s son hadn''t inherited this power. It had skipped right past him. No surprise there, since Komfo Anokye himself was the only one to have inherited it in their entire family. It was the reason why he was called Basileus, having being the only person in his family to inherit the powerful glow. Keira didn''t get it either. But Keira''s son had redeemed himself. He had produced an heir who carried the sacred skill of Kerith itself. He had produced a true son of the House Basileus.


    "Come, let us go. We mustn''t dawdle. We must find Kerith. And then we would rally to your grandson''s side and introduce him to the family he never knew he had."


    "Yes!"

 Chapter 386 - Narration

    "Welcome Ladies And Gentlemen! Welcome to the¡­"


    "GRAND TOURNEY!"


    "That''s right folks. After waiting for an entire month to get some more action, we are finally here. This here isn''t just any stage of the competition, but the Finals of the¡­"


    "GRAND TOURNEY!"


    "Yes! Feel the excitement folks. Can you feel it?!"


    "WE CAN!"


    "Can you touch it?!"


    "WE CAN!"


    "Then let''s give a warm round of applause to our City Lord ¨C the one and only ruler of Asher City and one of the main organizers of the Grand Tourney ¨C as he reminds us of what has happened so far!"


    *Clap Clap Clap*


    And so along with the warm applause of the audience, the record stone rose high into the air to capture the image of the City Lord as he stood up to address the people. Today was a special occasion, and he was dressed for it. Adorned in golden yellow silk clothes and a gorgeous white coverall, the City Lord struck a dashing figure. His charisma was like a torch and his presence like an ever burning flame. The people had their eyes glued to the figure of their leader, and these very same eyes were clouded in crazed looks of adoration as they gazed upon the man who was their spiritual banner and their strongest advocate.


    Next to the City Lord were individuals who couldn''t be ignored even if one wanted to. Even the blinding presence of the City Lord wasn''t enough to conceal the presence of the two women who stood by his side ¨C one to the left and the other to the right. Many of the audience''s gazes flittered between the two women, and respect and worship not at all inferior to what the City Lord received was directed towards them. And who could blame them?


    To the City Lord''s right stood the woman who was the spiritual banner for the city''s spiritual banner ¨C Madam Anna. She was wearing a light emerald colored gown that was adorned with a few precious jewels. Her earrings and her necklace were ceremonial, yet even their rusty looks did nothing to hinder her beautiful visage. Not only was this woman beautiful, but she was resourceful, brilliant and kind. In fact, the older citizens of Asher City remembered what she was like as a girl before she became a woman and married the City Lord. In those days, she was called the most intelligent person in Asher City. Not woman, not girl, but the most intelligent person. She was above both the old of her time, and her peers, and her otherworldly wits were what had drawn the City Lord to her like a moth to a flame. So for the older citizens, they didn''t fear if anything was to happen to the City Lord. Although they prayed each day that nothing like death wouldn''t take away their ruler from them, they knew that if anything did happen to their City Lord, Madam Anna had more than enough ability to take control and keep the city firm and strong.


    As for the woman who was standing to the left of the City Lord, she was very similar to the woman who stood on the right of the most powerful man in Asher City. And everyone knew who she was. She was the one to inherit the title of City Lord when she was old enough. She was their future leader, and she was very talented. At the young age of 18 she was already a Thrasher, breaking the record her father set during his younger days as the youngest Thrasher ever in Asher City. In fact, no other heir of the First Class Cities had her level of talent! She inherited her mother''s looks and intelligence, and had taken the talents of both her parents. Unlike her mother, she wore a white gown that had no other additions to it ¨C no jewelry and certainly no other colors stitched into it. Her earrings were white pearls, and so was her necklace. She was fully adorned in white from head to toe, and she looked like an angel who had fallen onto the earth by accident. Many people couldn''t help but stare at her blankly. It wasn''t out of ?ust, but awe and wonderment.


    "Ladies and Gentlemen, once again I am given the privilege to address you, the great citizens of Asher City!"


    "Our City is where it is because of our values and our beliefs, and the tenacity of the people to make sure that these values and beliefs are upheld in every way, shape and form. And that is why we are where we are. Yesterday I was your City Lord, but today I am nothing but a spectator just as eager as you to see how the Grand Tourney ¨C this great competition ¨C ends. So please, allow me to abandon my title as City Lord just for this moment, and take on the mantle of a narrator for the benefit of those who missed some parts of the most exciting Grand Tourney yet"


    "Once again, we have another Grand Tourney Finals before us. We have seen the Group Stages, have witnessed upsets in the tournament, and have seen the rise of some new heroes. Every Team that participated was good, but only the great went through to the Round-Of-16 Stage."


    "It was at this stage that we saw the best of the best go head to head. We saw these great teams dwindle down to reveal the cream of the crop ¨C 8 glorious teams that went on to the Quarter Final Stage. And there every team give it their best, but there could be only four. It was here that several powerful teams fell, and most notable of them was the Blue Team, a team that had been tipped to reach the Finals this year. Alas, it wasn''t to be, but it was not due to unfair refereeing or luck. For those who made it through were the true kings and queens of the tournament ¨C the Black Team led by Black Saga; The Red Team led by Red Prince; the Orange Team led by Vital Orange; and the Indigo Team led by Celestial Fairy"


    "We all know how talented each team is. In fact, each of them could have completely swept away every other challenger in the past few Grand Tourneys!"


    Many people in the audience nodded their heads, in complete agreement with their leader. His words were absolutely true, and they who had seen several Grand Tourneys could vouch that they were. In fact, there were several previous champions who weren''t as strong as even the Blue Team. And the Blue Team hadn''t been able to get into the Semi-Finals this year!


    "This shows just how high the standards are now! Yet even with four strong teams capable of sweeping any past tournament aside, the rules of the tournament dictated that there could be only one victor, and the teams set out to prove that each of them was worthy enough to take the crown. The Black Team wanted to take back the title for the city that they call their own; this very city ¨C Asher City!"


    "The Red Team was eager to win a trophy they had never won before. The Orange Team wanted to reclaim their lost glory, having come from a city that produced one of the first ever winners of this great tournament. And the Indigo Team wasn''t ready to hang up its boots just yet. They were just as determined to keep their crown as every other team was to take it. So they fought. Red against Black; and Orange against Indigo. And two powerful teams had to give way."


    "The Red Team surrendered after their captain lost. And make no mistake, this wasn''t due to cowardice. Having gone into that match 1:0 up and with the Black Saga only equaling the score, they had as much of a chance as the Black Team to fight for a spot in the Finals. But they chose to withdraw due to their concern for their captain."


    "The Indigo Team fought against the team they deprived the chance of earning a spot in the Finals of the previous Grand Tourney, and it was no doubt that this was the most eventful match. This match saw the appearance of three new Predators! And each fight was elegant and exquisite, separated only by fine margins. However, Black Hand of the Orange Team came out as the ultimate winner."


    "He singlehandedly handed the Finals spot to the Orange Team after dispatching two Predators of the Indigo Team. And his dominating power in the latter stages of the final match with Indigo Shadow was enough for Celestial Fairy. The lovely maiden who had stolen the hearts of many when she made her debut Grand Tourney appearance several years ago, was too concerned about her teammate to worry about getting into the Finals. So she too, surrendered, and the champions were kicked out!"


    "Now only two teams remain.. They are the final contenders for the title, and today one of them would be crowned Champions. Would it be our very own Black Team? Or would the Orange Team break the hearts of Asher City citizens and overcome yet another team from Asher City to make it two wins over Asher City in the same tournament? We will find out today!"

 Chapter 387 - Unexpected Development

    "Now let''s invite the two teams on to the field," Peter took over once the City Lord''s narration was over. Seated next to him was the more reliable and astute Maggie.


    "Before the teams make their entrance, it is prudent to let the people know the team news," Maggie stopped Peter from calling out the teams and said.


    "Ah yes," Peter smacked his head lightly. "I almost forgot about this," he confessed, not at all offended that he had been corrected before so many witnesses.


    "Both teams are missing a man. Black Ink is still out. The good news is that he is recovering rapidly, and there would be no underlying issues after his recovery. The unfortunate news is that he is unavailable for this clash."


    "However, the Orange Team have their own injury problems. Black Hand, the powerful Predator who revealed such fearsome might at the end of the Semi-Finals clash between himself and Indigo Shadow is also injured. From the information we have, he is also doing well just like Black Ink. But he wasn''t cleared early enough to compete in the finals. Which means both teams would be missing an important component of their team. Who do you think has been hit more by these injury issues ¨C the Black Team or the Orange Team?" Peter enquired of his more knowledgeable commenting partner.


    "That is easy. The Orange Team got the shorter end of the stick. Black Ink is a strong warrior, but in the end he is only a Thrasher. No matter how talented he is, he still wouldn''t be a match for a Predator. Black Hand on the other hand is a Predator and has proven he is much stronger than the average Predator by dispatching two Predators from the Indigo Team. So obviously, the Orange Team are going to miss Black Hand more than the Black Team would miss Black Ink. In fact, I may be so bold as to suggest that the Black Team may be happier that Black Hand is injured. But the Orange Team wouldn''t care that much about an injured Black Ink. Unlike Black Hand, Black Ink doesn''t have the ability to sway the Finals." Maggie ended her thoughts, paying little attention to the scowling home support.


    "I hate to admit it, but you are right Maggie. Although citizens of Asher City aren''t happy to hear this, I doubt that none of them didn''t shout in joy and jubilate internally when they heard that Black Hand was unavailable." Peter admitted.


    His words had many in the audience blushing furiously, proving that his words had hit the nail right on the head. Of course they were elated to know that someone as powerful as Black Hand wasn''t going to be participating. In fact, they were more than happy to trade Black Ink''s absence with Black Hand''s absence. They trusted the captain of the Black Team ¨C Black Saga ¨C but there was no way they believed that he would be able to deal with the powerful Black Hand and the strong Vital Orange all by himself.


    "They are here though," Peter remarked, stunning the audience. "Both Black Hand and Black Ink are here with their teams. They wouldn''t compete, but they would be allowed to be in their team''s waiting area and cheer for them." Peter added.


    "Now let''s invite the teams onto the field."


    "Up first is the team that holds the hopes of every citizen of Asher City. It is the team that has swept aside every obstacle in its path and has made its way to the Finals of the Grand Tourney for the first time since its participation. Let''s welcome the Black Team!"


    At Peter''s words, a team of four men made its way onto the field. In the lead was the gigantic man called Black Saga. Strapped to his back was his powerful rod. Behind him were three men. Each of them was large and strong, but walking with Black Saga made them look like they were of regular build. One of the men wielded an axe; the other, a hammer. Both were dressed like their captain, fully clothed in black colored apparel. The last man was the odd one amongst them. He wasn''t carrying any weapon, neither was he dressed appropriately for battle. He wore a simple shirt with large baggy trousers and had his head wrapped in a thin coat of white bandages.


    "There he is folks ¨C Black Ink is here with the Black Team!" Peter announced, and the crowd erupted into cheers. Many stood up to applaud his return and smiled gleefully seeing that one of their own was fine. Comparing his current state to his state when he was carried out of the stadium in tatters, many were overwhelmed with delight and feelings of relief. Although Peter had ?ssured them that their man was fine, seeing him with their own eyes and confirming that he was okay was much better. As for the bandage around his head, they dismissed it. It was likely a cautionary procedure since he wasn''t fully fit yet. It was very likely not there to offer any protection because bandages didn''t do that, but as a marker for anyone so that they didn''t touch or hit his head.


    "BLACK INK"


    "BLACK INK"


    "BLACK INK"


    "BLACK INK"


    "BLACK INK"


    "BLACK INK"


    "BLACK INK"


    "Are they chanting my name?" Black Ink asked in surprise. "Who else is called Black Ink here?" Black Saga laughed boisterously and said. "But I lost," Black Ink had a puzzled expression on his face as he listened to the people chanting his name.


    "They don''t care about that, and neither do we. They are just glad to see that you are alive and well. Treasure this moment." Black Saga gently patted Black Ink''s back and said. Last time it was his name they were screaming. But this time it was Black Ink''s, and he wasn''t at all offended that the spotlight was on someone else.


    The chants continued for quite a while, and it was only after Black Saga lifted his hand that it stopped, allowing Peter to do his job.


    "Whew. I thought that would never end." Peter laughed and said. "The next team is the team that kicked out two favorites to reach the Finals. Not only did this team steamroll through the group stages and elimination rounds, they dispatched the Blue Team and the kicked out the reigning Champions ¨C the Indigo Team ¨C ensuring that we would have new Champions by the end of today. Accompanied by Black Hand, let''s give it up for the Orange Team."


    The crowd clapped sincerely as the Orange Team made its way onto the field. In the lead was the captain of the Orange Team, the Tiger known famously as Vital Orange. Behind him were four men ¨C Lam, Mane and Black Hand. Mane and Lam were dressed in the uniform of the Orange Team, the only difference being that both of them had masks on their faces. Just like in the Semi-Finals, Mane had on a black mask and Lam a white one. But something was different about them ¨C their weapons.


    Strapped to Lam''s waist was a sword sheathed within an elegant coat of leather. The sword head was adorned with lovely jewels, and an insignia of a dragon was engraved into the sheath. Mane had two large swords strapped to his back. Unlike Lam''s elegant sheath, the sheaths that held Mane''s weapons were pitch black. Rather it was the sword hilts that had an engraving on them ¨C the dragon insignia. These weapons were gifts both teenagers had received from The Citadel. Black Hand wasn''t dressed to fight. He wore a simple bu??oned down shirt and a pair of tight trousers. He walked next to the team without any visible scars and a dull expression. Soon, they reached the centre of the field where the Black Team was waiting.


    Both captains nodded at each other, for none thought highly of the other. After all, The Citadel and Asher City were enemies. Nodding as a form of greeting was the greatest respect they were going to get from each other.


    "Good morning teams. You have already been informed of the rules so I''d get straight to it. May each captain present their team slates." Once again, Steel Fist was the reliable referee for the day. At her words, Vital Orange and Black Saga nodded their heads and presented their slates to her. Unlike with the other stages, the Finals required that the team slates be filled before entry onto the field. So there was no need to give the teams time to fill them with names. Steel Fist looked over the slates, visible surprise on her face. She turned to look at Black Saga strangely and then displayed the names on the slates to the crowd. The Record Stone picked up the names and displayed them for all to see.


    "This¡­" Even Mane was stunned by the team slate of the Black Team.


    "Black Saga"


    "Black Hammer"


    "Black Axe"


    "White Mask"


    "Black Mask"


    "Vital Orange"


    "What a surprise folks.. Black Saga has stunned everyone here with his team order. Black Saga is fighting first!"

 Chapter 388 - Another Predator?

    "Why is he doing this?" Hildegarde asked as she sat upon Mane''s shoulders. Her gaze was fixed onto the figure wearing a white mask standing opposite the giant known as Black Saga.


    "I don''t know. It doesn''t make any sense." Mane responded through the mask. Just like Hildegarde, his eyes were glued onto the white masked figure standing in the center of the field.


    "Do you think the City Lord asked him to do this?" Hildegarde asked, turning her attention to the man seated on the second highest platform in the entire stadium. That platform was second only to the commentator''s booth.


    "Once again, I have no idea," Mane shook his head and said. "It doesn''t make any sense to antagonize either Lam or me, so I don''t know why he would give such an order. But that man is crafty and I cannot confidently think for him. So I really don''t know whether he gave the order or it was Black Saga''s own decision." Mane replied through Lock-On.


    He was really worried about how things had turned out. Although Lam had improved a lot in the past month, Mane didn''t want to see his friend facing off against Black Saga. It wasn''t that he thought Lam was weaker, but because Lam''s combat experience was nowhere near to that of Black Saga''s and that was a disadvantage. But even Mane couldn''t see what had happened coming. He, just like Vital Orange and every other person in the stadium, didn''t think that Black Saga would put his name up top as the first combatant. They ?ssumed that his name would come second or last, but definitely not first. And seeing the gleeful smile on his face, Mane was even more incensed.


    "Don''t worry. Your brother would be okay. The Grand Tourney doesn''t encourage murder" There were several people attending the Finals of the Grand Tourney today. And amongst the large number of spectators, were two who were closely related to the Orange Team. Both were women, and both were beautiful. But the cloaks they wore hid their looks from prying eyes and kept them relatively inconspicuous. These two women were Orange Ivy, who was a member of the Orange Team until she willingly gave up her position to Mane, and Lily, who was Lam''s twin sister and Mane''s friend.


    Orange Ivy could sense Lily''s unease and was quick to offer some comforting words.


    "But that doesn''t mean that it doesn''t happen," Lily was quick to state the reason for her worry, and Orange Ivy was helpless. That was because Lily was right. Although the competition forbade murder, it did happen occasionally. In such cases, the team responsible for the murder was disqualified, but to those who had lost a friend and to those who had lost their family, what good was that?


    "We both watched that man''s previous match against Red Prince. Every other combatant tried as much as they could to keep from killing their opponent, but he didn''t have any such reservations. He actually tried to kill Red Prince, and if it wasn''t for the intervention of Steel Fist, Red Prince would have died."


    Lily explained what exactly it was that left her unsettled by the current circumstances. She could still remember how dangerous the match between Red Prince and Black Saga was, and how both men were seeking to end the other''s life. And now her brother was pitted against one of the characters from that bloody match. There was no way she would be okay with that.


    "That was different. Those two had a grudge to settle. That was why they fought so bitterly with their lives on the line. That wouldn''t happen to your brother." Orange Ivy comforted.


    "Is that so?" Lily asked with a bit of sarcasm in her tone. "You''re telling me that the Orange Team doesn''t have any grievances with the Black Team? Can you confidently look at me and say that both teams don''t have some hatred towards each other?" Lily turned to Orange Ivy and said. Her tone and words took Orange Ivy off guard since Lily had never been this stern with her, or in fact any other person before. She couldn''t find the right words, for Lily was right. Red Prince and Black Saga had fought so violently because of their teammates. But what about the grudge between the Orange Team and the Black Team?


    "So don''t just speak because you feel you have to," Lily stated and turned away. She was usually calm and kind, and was rarely ever stern with anyone. But her brother was in a bit of trouble and she couldn''t care less about anything else ¨C especially about how to treat those who had put him in this mess in the first place.


    "I''m sorry," Orange Ivy apologized with a sigh.


    "My brother would be fine. He isn''t weak. But if anything happens to him, I will not forgive you. I don''t know about Mane. But I definitely wouldn''t forgive any of you! The Orange Team or the Black Team!" Lily stated resolutely, and Orange Ivy could feel beads of sweat appear on her back. Who knew that this seemingly weak lady could be so strong-willed and unforgiving when it came to her family?


    "The first match is between Black Saga, the Captain of the Black Team and White Mask of the Orange Team. Both combatants are already in position. Are you ready?" Steel Fist asked. Her countenance was grim, just like it was during the match between Red Prince and Black Saga. She could feel the tension, and although she was just as angry as Black Saga, if not more so, she was ready to step in and stop him if he went too far.


    "Ready," Black Saga smirked brightly and pulled out his huge rod. With a huge bang the mighty weapon struck the floor of the stadium and created a pocket for itself within the ground. His furious aura was exposed once more, and many in the audience held their breaths in anticipation.


    "Will he be okay?" Hildegarde asked Mane.


    "I don''t know. But he should. He isn''t weak. What he lacks is real combat experience. Besides, if he listens to me he wouldn''t be in such a huge disadvantage." Mane responded.


    "What did you tell him? I wasn''t paying attention then." Hildegarde smiled embarrassingly and said.


    "I said that Black Saga would be out to hurt him. So he should start at full power." Mane replied. That was the advice he gave his friend, and Vital Orange echoed the same advice when he spoke to Lam right after Mane had spoken to his friend. If Lam started at his base level, he would be in big trouble because there was no way Black Saga was starting at his.


    "Ready," Lam nodded his head and unsheathed his weapon. The gorgeous white sword reflected the beauty of the sun once it was exposed to the world. And the one who wielded it shared in its spotlight. For when he declared his readiness, his docile aura took a sharp turn, and the angry fiery power of a 6th Stage Profound Realmer exploded from his slender looking frame!


    His power roared angrily, feeling the restraints that had been placed on it removed, and Lam made his presence known to everyone. He had broken into the 6th Stage of the Profound Realm from the 4th Stage in just a month! The remnants of the Spirit Enhancing Fruit surely helped with that, but it was because of his dedication that he was able to draw out the full effects of the fruit. Lily had also trained hard during this period, and she had also broken into the 6th Stage of the Profound Realm. In fact, she broke through earlier than Lam. Of all of them, the fastest was Mane. He was now at the peak of the Profound Realm! The fact that he had already crossed this threshold before in the True Universe was the main reason why his advancement was so swift, but the Spirit Enhancing Fruit had definitely helped matters. And now none of them were any weaker than the top experts of Asher City!


    "I don''t believe it!" Peter exclaimed in shock; an emotion shared by most of the audience and even Maggie who didn''t see this coming.


    "White Mask is a Predator!" Peter was stunned. And so was Maggie. The members of the audience were stunned as well. How was this possible? The Orange Team had more than two Predators? They thought that Black Hand being unable to compete was a good thing since they didn''t think there were any other Predators apart from Vital Orange left, but they were wrong! White Mask wasn''t a Thrasher. He was a Predator! And from his aura, he wasn''t any weaker than Black Saga. Where did the Orange Team get such a replacement from?!


    "So he was a Predator too?" Celestial Fairy had her brows furrowed as she gazed at Lam''s gallant figure. Just like Orange Ivy and Lily, she was also fully covered from head to toe to avoid any unwanted attention. However, she wasn''t the only member of her team here. The others, including the recently recovered Indigo Shadow, were here as well. "Where did they find this person?" Indigo Queen wondered, expressing the thoughts of the others.


    "Now it makes me curious about the abilities of the one the people call Black Mask," Indigo Shadow stated, and the others including Celestial Fairy nodded their heads.


    "Could they be a team full of Predators? Well that isn''t strange since our team is no different, but The Citadel has never cared to create a Predator only team. So what changed?" Celestial Fairy thought to herself. When she recalled that Orange Ivy had given up her place to Black Mask, she felt that it was all the more likely that her current train of thought was moving in the right direction.


    "Who are they?" she narrowed her beautiful eyes and stared at Black Mask. Suddenly, Black Mask turned and looked in her direction. She could make out those ocean blue eyes despite the massive distance between them, and she quickly withdrew her gaze.


    "What is it?" Hildegarde asked.


    "Nothing. I felt someone staring." Mane replied and took his eyes away from the Indigo Team.


    Black Saga''s expression wasn''t as confident as it was before. His countenance had grown sterner, and that smile that was on his face was no more. He could feel Lam''s aura, and the threat it posed was much greater than Red Prince''s! He knew that he couldn''t joke anymore. Secretly, he felt lucky. It seemed that White Mask wasn''t a Snake, for if he was he would have kept his aura hidden and ambushed Black Saga right when the match started. Snakes didn''t need to make any preparations before getting into full gear; unlike other Predators. And that was why they were so dangerous. So Black Saga was secretly relieved that Lam wasn''t a Snake. But of course he didn''t let this show on his face.


    Steel Fist was stunned for quite a while, before recovering her senses. It was only after the first drops of rain touched her head that she was awakened from her stunned state. As the thunderous roars of the dark clouds reached the ears of all in Asher City and lightning flashed, the drops of rain fell onto the field with great power, as if serving as a sign for the collision that was to come. Steel Fist took a deep breath, knowing that the task at hand wasn''t going to be easy, and then she made the announcement that the entire stadium was waiting for.


    "Then let the fight begin!"

 Chapter 389 - Healing Enhanced Potion

    *Boom*


    The first person who moved was Black Saga. Once Steel Fist''s seal of approval had been stamped, he leaped straight into action. He charged straight towards Lam with his large rod in hand. Like a man emboldened by the power of his god, he lashed out at Lam. Spinning his rod with incredible speed, so much so that the audience couldn''t even see the weapon clearly and could only see blurry images of the mighty weapon, he struck the rod towards his opponent. In all of this Lam was still, not yet making a move.


    "What is he doing?" Vital Orange furrowed his brows in worry. He didn''t understand why Lam allowed Black Saga to get so close. To him, Lam had made two grave mistakes. One, he allowed his opponent to strike first, losing the momentum right at the start of the match. Two, he hadn''t made any attempt to rectify the first mistake, and chose to stay still, almost as if he was terrified by Black Saga.


    "He is waiting to counter," Mane smiled and said. Lam didn''t have much fighting experience, so making the first move could be costly. If he made the first move and he was the slightest bit sloppy, Black Saga would be able to make out his lack of experience, and that would embolden the large Tiger to be more ?ssertive and reckless with his attacks. So what Lam chose to do was to allow his opponent to make the first move. That way he would be able to counter and wouldn''t give his inexperience away. Of course it was much easier said than done. The reason why many strived to make the first move was because of how difficult it was to take control of a match when a person loses that vital first move. But that didn''t apply to Lam. For Lam, Mane thought this was the wisest option.


    "I know what you want to say. But that doesn''t apply to Lam. Just watch" Mane smiled and said. Hildegarde who was seated on his shoulder nodded her head as if to say that she agreed with Mane. Of course Vital Orange couldn''t see it.


    A smile made its way to Black Saga''s face seeing that Lam was still standing still. With a furious bellow he swung his rod powerfully towards Lam''s head. He was going straight for the kill with the first move! But his smile didn''t last long. It was when Black Saga had finally struck so close to Lam that he moved. He sorted out his feet quickly, pulling his right leg behind him and pushing his left leg slightly ahead. He bent slightly and shifted his trunk forwards, making it fall in line with his left leg. His arms were held behind him and his sword hummed slightly in anticipation of what was to come.


    "Prideful Sword: Guard of the Half-Moon" Lam mumbled under his breath and swung his sword. A total mismatch it was. A slender sword against a large rod. Yet the result of the clash was very different from what the audience thought that they would see.


    *Bang*


    Black Saga''s eyes widened in shock. His hands that held his rod shook slightly from the strong force that pushed it back. When had his strength ever been challenged so? He roared furiously and fixed his eyes onto the white masked man wielding a sword beneath him. It was that slender blade that had stopped his charge, and his pride refused to accept that. He pushed down strongly, trying to sink Lam further into the ground. Yet all he heard was a soft whisper, and he was flung away. He couldn''t make out the words, but the feeling of being thrown away was surreal to the large man.


    "Prideful Sword: Counter of the Half-Moon" That was what Lam had uttered. Those soft words that Black Saga couldn''t make out formed the name of the technique Lam was using. It was a technique that Mane wasn''t fond of using, but Lam loved to call upon. It was one of the techniques of the Prideful Sword, and one of the three skills of the Prideful Sword that Lam had picked up in the past one month of training with Mane. Dance of the Half-Moon, Guard of the Half-Moon, and Counter of the Half-Moon were the three skills he had picked up so far. And although his level of mastery with the former two weren''t nearly as good as half of Mane''s mastery level, his advancement in Counter of the Half-Moon was beyond that of Mane''s. And the reason behind that was simple.


    Although Mane knew how to execute Counter of the Half-Moon, or Half-Moon Counter as he preferred to call it, he rarely ever used it. His proficiency with the skill was at the b?r? minimum, and he had no plans to change that. That was because of the kind of skill it was. It was a skill that borrowed the force of the opponent to summon a counterattack. For instance; with Black Saga''s attack Lam had protected himself with Guard of the Half-Moon and then countered with Half-Moon Counter. What he did was to borrow the momentum that Black Saga had picked up and unleash it when he was ready. In effect, Black Saga had faced his own strength, and that was why he was sent flying back so comically. And it was because of this that Mane didn''t like this skill. He hated having to be on the receiving end, and giving up the initiative to his opponent. For Mane, he would rather prefer to be the one dishing the damage than receiving it.


    *Bang*


    "Black Saga is shaken! Who would have thought that we would see something like this folks?!" Peter exclaimed in shock, expressing just what the crowd was feeling. None of them thought they would see the day that Black Saga would lose out in terms of pure strength!


    "White Mask is so confident that he is waiting for Black Saga to regain his senses!" Peter continued, but Maggie narrowed her eyes. She didn''t think that was the reason why Lam didn''t go on the offensive. No one would be stupid enough to give an opponent the chance to reset.


    "You''re strong," Black Saga confessed once he was finally up. The section of the barricade that he had struck just now had a giant sized dent in it. He picked up his rod and stared at Lam with a steely gaze. As the rain drenched him in its embrace, his excitement from before was completely washed away. He slowly walked towards Lam and asked a question.


    "But why did you not follow up with an attack. In such a state I was vulnerable, and if you had struck you would have won."


    "I don''t want to win that way," Lam shook his head and said. Mane smiled hearing his response. "That was an intelligent response," Hildegarde grinned and said. Both of them knew that there was no way that Lam was this kind towards someone who obviously wanted to kill him. But the others didn''t know that, and many gained newfound admiration for this gentleman in the white mask.


    "I see," Black Saga nodded his head, buying Lam''s excuse. "But you would regret that," he added before morphing into full sprint. But this time Lam didn''t wait for him. He charged ahead as well. And he did so with a skill that Mane was very proficient with.


    "Star Flicker" Lam''s figure disappeared, and he reappeared right in front of the charging Black Saga, stunning the large man who had only just lifted his rod. Lam couldn''t use Dance of the Moon Butterfly yet. The skill was so difficult to master that all his attempts had ended in failure. But he was able to understand a bit of Star Flicker, and had entered the first proficiency level of this technique. Unfortunately for Black Saga, he was going to be the first apart from Mane to experience this technique.


    "Dance of the Half-Moon" Lam said to himself and swung his blade towards Black Saga''s shoulder. Although Black Saga was aiming to kill, Lam had no such intentions. He hadn''t killed before, and he wasn''t going to start here.


    Black Saga''s reactions were impressive. He hastily shifted his rod to his side, and just in time as well. For the sword had already reached its target.


    *Bang*


    Black Saga was flung back for the second time already. But this time he didn''t travel as far. Since this time Lam struck him with his actual power, it didn''t compare to the might of Half-Moon''s Counter. But he still managed to do some damage.


    Black Saga gritted his teeth and endured the pain. Although he had managed to block the attack, the sword still sunk a couple of inches into his arm before his rod was able to get there.


    "If he had aimed for my ?h?st, I would have been done for!" Black Saga felt his body temperature dive down. And it wasn''t because of the rain and the cold that it brought, but from the realization that his opponent was much better than he was.


    "Black Saga is out of his game today. White Mask is clearly the stronger warrior!" Peter exclaimed. "Wait a minute folks. Black Saga seems to be taking some medication. Is it to stop the bleeding?"


    "Not necessarily," Maggie answered.. "That''s a Healing Enhanced Potion."

 Chapter 390 - Cheating

    "Is that allowed?" Peter asked doubtfully, echoing the concerns of the Black Team faithfuls within the stadium, which was basically almost everyone here. The rules of the Grand Tourney prevented any combatant from taking substances that would serve the purpose of boosting their strengths. It was unacceptable to do so.


    "Technically it is not," Maggie shook her head and replied. "But,'' she added before Peter could say anything more. "That is for other Enhancement Potions. If it were any other Enhancement Potion, it would have been against the rules to take it pre or mid-match. But the Healing Enhanced Potion is a half and half potion. It partly heals, and partly enhances one''s strength. It isn''t as strong as a regular healing potion so it wouldn''t really stop the bleeding. At most it would slow it down, but its added effect of boosting a person''s strength by 20% makes it far more beneficial than a Healing Potion. Although its 20% enhancement in strength isn''t comparable to the 30% average that normal Enhancement Potions give, in a competition like this that bans Enhancement Potions, it is a sneaky way of bypassing the rules" Maggie explained, and the audience who had no idea that there was such a large loophole in the Grand Tourney Rulebook were taken aback.


    There must have surely been several teams who knew this, but no team had done it anyway.. Why was that? Was it that the Healing Enhanced Potion was very rare?


    "I''m sure that if the Black Team could think about this, then the other teams would have surely thought of this as well. So why didn''t any of them use this method?" Peter asked the question that gnawed at the minds of many of those in the crowd. Of course these curious people were ordinary people, and weren''t warriors. The true warriors had ugly expressions on their faces feeling Black Saga''s rising aura. They were from Asher City, but Black Saga''s decision disappointed them greatly. And the reason for that was simple.


    "It isn''t a matter of rarity, but integrity. Very few dignified warriors would resort to using such a method to win." Maggie was ruthless with her evaluation. She didn''t spare any effort to salvage Black Saga''s dignity. Although she disliked ¨C no, hated ¨C The Citadel for sending ?ssassins after their City Lord, she was also a warrior.


    As a warrior she believed that one had to do anything to win on the battlefield. And she didn''t see anything wrong with Black Saga''s decision ¨C if his life or his master''s life was on the line. But the Grand Tourney was different. It wasn''t meant to be the stage to settle one''s grudges. She didn''t even consider that Black Saga was doing this to bring victory to his team so that Asher City would win the Grand Tourney. This was because she knew him well enough to know that such a thought was far from him. For him, only his anger and rage had to be sated. He didn''t care how things went, as long as he had his way. Which was why he was aiming to kill from the start.


    Many blushed in shame. They knew that Black Saga was being unfair. He was using an underhanded method to get what he wanted, and they felt ashamed to be supporting him. Of course, there were some of the opinion that Black Saga''s passion to win the Grand Tourney for the sake of their city was what was driving him. These people didn''t blame him, but rather cheered him on.


    "Were you the one who gave him the permission to do this?" Madam Anna asked her husband in a soft voice that only he could hear. Even Mira was left in the dark concerning this conversation.


    "I gave him no such orders," City Lord Sutton had an ugly look on his face seeing Black Saga''s change. People didn''t know who the man in the mask was. But he did. This was someone Ivor cherished, and from their relationship the mysterious man wouldn''t hesitate to fell Asher City if anything happened to the boy.


    "I must stop this right now," City Lord Sutton stated, and Madam Anna nodded her head. Although this was very much not against the rules, Asher City wouldn''t be able to handle the repercussions of Ivor''s wrath. Even if Ivor chose to do nothing, The Citadel would swallow them whole as soon as they lost Ivor''s protection.


    "Sit down. You aren''t going anywhere." A powerful voice reverberated within the City Lord''s booth, and the rising City Lord was forced into his seat by a power so oppressive that he couldn''t even resist it. His expression grew stern and his breathing labored, as he struggled to lift his head just to catch a glimpse at the man he knew was responsible for this.


    Ivor!


    Standing behind the City Lord and his family was the large man. The guards meant to protect them were on the ground, all of them unconscious. And honestly, City Lord Sutton was relieved that they were still breathing. That meant that Ivor wasn''t completely furious yet. For if he was, none of his men or women, or even himself and his family would still be breathing by now.


    "Watch. If anything happens to the Prince, I don''t know what I would do." Ivor stated with an expressionless face. His words had City Lord Sutton and Madam Anna shedding nervous sweat. Mira was terrified as well. Ivor called Lam Prince. All three knew that Ivor wasn''t ordinary, and for him to call Lam Prince meant that Lam''s status was above his. And if this ferocious man was a servant of another, then who was the handsome youth Black Saga dared to lay his hands on?


    Ivor wasn''t pretending to be happy at all. He wasn''t smiling like usual because this time he was truly incensed. And he wasn''t trying to hide that. City Lord Sutton thought that he wasn''t truly furious yet, but he was wrong. Ivor chose to contain his fury because he could feel a fury several times powerful ¨C just as powerful as his ¨C billowing from within the Orange Team''s waiting area. There was someone else within this stadium whose rage was comparable to his own. And Ivor felt that he wouldn''t even have to make a move in the worst case scenario. But there was something else he would do.


    "To think that there is such a loophole within the rules," Hildegarde furrowed her brows and said. And then she felt the anger of the one whom she was bound to. And her countenance turned grave. She couldn''t stop from shivering. She was a Noble, but even she felt the threat of death creeping up her skin and ??r?ssing her with that gentle yet deadly touch. The grim reaper was right next to her. He was seething, and his aura was just like that night when he massacred an entire bandit group for Lily''s sake. She thought that Lam would never force such a strong reaction from Mane, but she was wrong. His blue eyes had grown colder, and the swords that lay calmly within his scabbard before were humming in excitement.


    "Calm down Mane! Nothing has happened yet!" Hildegarde pleaded hastily. How could she understand what Mane was feeling? He had finally made friends in this world ¨C a world in which he was a complete stranger. And they hadn''t disappointed him yet. Not only were they highly talented, but their innocence was almost infectious. They were kind, almost to a fault, and Mane had grown to love them. Also, he was responsible for them. He had chosen to make them stronger, and it was because of him that Lam was in this competition in the first place.


    How would he explain to Elder Fan that he had been responsible for his grandson''s wellbeing but had failed if anything were to happen to Lam? His fury may seem too extreme a reaction considering that nothing had even happened yet. But as someone who had trained with Lam every day for the past month or so, he was aware of the young man''s weakness. Lam wasn''t adaptable to situations like this. Situations where there was a change in abilities and techniques usually caught him off guard, and although he had gotten better he wasn''t quite at the level Mane wanted him to be at yet. On the contrary, Lily was one who thrived in situations like these. And it was because of this that Mane was so worried. He feared that Lam wouldn''t be able to cope with the sudden change in power that Black Saga was experiencing. He hoped he was wrong. But how many times had he been wrong in his life?


    Next to Mane Vital Orange had taken several steps back, his gaze full of terror. He couldn''t believe that Mane could cause him so much fear with his aura alone, and he was shaken by the feeling of death that had approached him from just standing close to the boy!


    "Yet," Mane squeezed out of his throat, his voice several times lower and deeper than usual. He threw out the promise he made about never harming anyone for no reason and made his feelings clear.


    "But if something happens to Lam," I would dye Asher City in blood!"

 Chapter 391 - You Are Now Strong

    As the two ¨C Elemental and Godling ¨C bottled up their rage, the one involved was in a much better position than they thought. Although his facial expression which had been concealed by the mask had turned ugly upon hearing Maggie''s words and understanding that his opponent was basically ''doping'', he was able to calm himself shortly after. Taking in a deep breath, he did something that he hadn''t done since the match started. He charged straight at Black Saga.


    Wielding the sword that had been gifted to him by The Citadel, he weaved through the field, even avoiding the raindrops that fell his way. Like a swan taking flight, his movements were elegant and refined ¨C almost ballerina-like. In under a few seconds he was right in front of his foe. Black Saga was momentarily taken aback seeing Lam appear so quickly. He was more surprised by the fact that Lam had taken the initiative to start an attack, something that the white masked boy hadn''t done since their match began. Yet that gave Black Saga some confidence and a little bit of relief. Lam attacking meant that he was threatened by the change that the Healing Enhanced Potion would give Black Saga. And that calmed his rapidly beating heart down greatly.


    "Roar!" releasing a mighty roar that was full of pent-up frustrations, the Captain of the Black Team hoisted his huge rod onto his shoulder and then span on the same spot he stood.. Gathering momentum quickly, he crouched slightly ¨C mid spin ¨C and swung his large rod towards the incoming Lam. His speed was several times greater than before, and his rod was upon Lam before the boy could properly prepare himself. That was what an increase of 20% in all abilities did. Although it didn''t look so significant, it actually was. If before he was slower than Lam, now he had just about caught up with the lanky teen. Added to the fact that Lam''s mind had already projected the limits of Black Saga''s speed from their earlier clash, he was caught unprepared. So even before he could prepare his strike, Black Saga''s rod had gotten to him. That''s when he remembered what his friend told him.


    "Why do you dislike Half-Moon''s Counter so much?" Lam asked Mane about a week ago. The young Supreme was shirtless, his well-proportioned body exposed to his surroundings. Mane smiled and replied,


    "Because that isn''t the way by which one must fight. When my Master taught me this technique, he warned me never to get too attached to it. He forbade me from using it until I mastered Dance of the Half-Moon"


    "But I have mastered Dance of the Half-Moon," Lam argued.


    "You think you have mastered it? If you had mastered Dance of the Half-Moon you would have been able to use Wrath of the Half-Moon by now" Mane smiled and shook his head wryly. Oh how sweet it was to be ignorant.


    "Have I not?" Lam asked inquisitively. Mane didn''t reply. What he did was use his actions to do the talking. He looked around, searching for something that he could use as target practice. Soon he found something he could use ¨C a large tree about 70 meters away from his position. The tree was several meters tall ¨C at least 50 meters by Mane''s estimate ¨C and about 30 meters wide, with a circumference of about 95 meters and an area of about 707 meters square. Mane picked up a stone from the ground. The stone was smooth and round, just like a pebble. He gently ??r?ssed the stone and suppressed his inner energy to the level of Lam''s.


    "Prideful Sword: Dance of the Half-Moon" Mane stated loudly to Lam''s hearing. The talented young man was confused by Mane''s actions so far, but gathered that his friend wanted to show him something so he remained silent. But when he heard Mane''s words, and saw what happened next, his jaw dropped to the ground in stunned silence.


    After activating the skill, Mane flung the small stone towards the tree.


    *Crack*


    The little stone easily penetrated the large tree and reappeared on the other side. But it kept going. Like a flash of lightning it whizzed past the entirety of the field they stood on and finally exhausted itself when it crashed into the wall of the compound.


    *Bang*


    Lam couldn''t believe his eyes. Mane deliberately allowed Lam to sense his aura when he lowered it to his friend''s level, so Lam could tell that he wasn''t using his full strength. But Lam knew that at his level Mane should be was nowhere capable of delivering such a devastating attack.


    "How?" Lam finally muttered after several seconds of standing comically next to Mane with his mouth wide open. The elegant boy had never been this disorganized emotionally.


    "That was Dance of the Half-Moon. That skill is no weak skill. There are four stages to mastering a technique. The Beginner Level, the Intermediate Level, the Mastery level, and then the realm of Full Mastery. You are b?r?ly at the Beginner Level of proficiency with the Dance of the Half-Moon. Whereas I am at the Mastery Level. On the contrary, your Half-Moon''s Counter is at the Intermediate Level, whereas mine is at the Beginner Level" Mane stated calmly. Then he reached out to gently push Lam''s jaw back into place, causing his friend to blush embarrassingly.


    "I didn''t know it was that powerful," Lam muttered. He had seen Mane use Dance of the Half-Moon against the Apex Monkeys but he didn''t see it having such a devastating effect. If Mane could do this with a pebble, then he could have surely finished the Apex Monkeys easily. So why didn''t he?


    "With the Apex Monkeys," Lam started.


    "Why didn''t I deal with them with Mastery Level Dance of the Half-Moon?" Mane laughed as he interrupted his friend''s statement. Lam nodded, very curious about this.


    "My Master''s orders. ''Don''t use Mastery Level skills. Keep using your skills at the Beginner Level. It is only by mastering a skill''s basics that you would be able to reach the Realm of Full Mastery''. Those were my Master''s exact words. I dare not disobey them." Mane laughed and said.


    Full Mastery was a realm that couldn''t be attained by just practicing. One had to gain insight into the skill to reach this realm. Mane had been stuck at the Mastery Level for several of his skills. In fact, all of his skills with the exception of Half-Moon''s Counter had reached the Mastery Level. Yet after three years in the True Universe, he couldn''t reach the Full Mastery Level for any of them. Even Star Flicker and Extreme Burst were only at the Mastery Level. However, for those two Mane could feel that he was close to breaking into the Full Mastery Realm. He could feel that he would get there if he was able to fully master integrating the two into the skill he had created based on his understanding of them. If he could master Flickering Burst, he would reach Full Mastery for Star Flicker and Extreme Burst!


    "I really wonder about your Master. He must be a great man" Lam stated. He didn''t pry into the matter because he had spoken with Mane several times concerning this matter and his friend had been clear with his intentions to keep that information hidden.


    "He is. But so are the others" Mane replied.


    "Who created a hole in the wall?!" an irritated voice interrupted the two''s conversation.


    "Oops," Mane laughed foolishly when he saw the angry Orange Ivy approaching.


    Back on the battlefield, Lam''s eyes flashed with a feeling of realization. His hand that was grasping his sword seemed to come alive, and just when the rod was about to smash into him his sword arm moved to intercept it. He didn''t block the attack. He attacked the attack!


    "Prideful Sword: Dance of the Half-Moon," Lam mumbled as his sword flashed and struck the base of Black Saga''s rod. The power behind his strike was comparable to the power of Half-Moon''s Counter from earlier. But this time it was a few times stronger.


    "He broke through," Mane''s rioting aura cooled drastically upon feeling the change in Lam''s Sword Mastery. His friend had reached the Intermediate Level of Dance of the Half-Moon! Mane couldn''t help but be pleased with the result of this unfair match. Now his fury had dulled greatly, and his eyes were flashing with delight.


    *Bang*


    Black Saga''s expression changed greatly when he felt the power of the strike. Even with his strength so greatly improved he was sent flying back. He spat out a mouthful of blood and crushed into the barricade for the second time today.


    "I don''t believe it! Even with the Healing Enhanced Potion, Black Saga is totally outclassed! Who is White Mask? And how is he so strong?!" Peter exclaimed, echoing the sentiments of the crowd that had gathered today to watch their team. All of them were silent. There was no cheering nor were there feelings of optimism, for there was no need for either. Black Saga had been beaten without the Healing Enhanced Potion, and then with it. He had tarnished his image by doing something unacceptable as a warrior of his standards, yet the results were the same. How could they cheer? How could they be optimistic?


    Lam''s eyes flashed ¨C and so did his figure ¨C when he sent Black Saga flying into the barricade. He timed his run perfectly, and when Black Saga crashed into the barricade he activated Star Flicker.


    *whoosh*


    He was there in a flash, and in a flash he attacked.


    "Guard of the Half-Moon," he mumbled and rammed his sword¨C hilt first ¨C into the huge frame of Black Saga that had bounced back after hitting the barricade, slamming the large fellow into the barricade yet again.


    "Genius," Mane couldn''t help but admit that the way Lam used Guard of the Half-Moon was art in itself.


    The secret of Guard of the Half-Moon was in the hilt of the blade. The skill enforced a person''s wrist and hands, as well as the hilt of the sword so that one would be able to withstand the force of a blow. Lam had reached the Intermediate Level of Guard of the Half-Moon even before he reached the Intermediate Level for Half-Moon''s Counter. That was because his defense had to be strong enough to block an opponent''s attack before he would be able to unleash a counter. What Lam did was to use himself like a battering ram. Applying Guard of the Half-Moon to his sword, his rammed into Black Saga with his hilt instead of his blade, and succeeded in causing significant injuries to the man but keeping him alive.


    Black Saga felt his vision slowly fade away, yet he was unwilling. Several of his ribs had been turned to dust following Lam''s brutal ?ssault, and both wrists were dislocated after Lam''s Dance of the Half-Moon attack. He slowly slumped onto the ground as his vision turned white.


    "He is unconscious," Steel Fist quickly checked Black Saga''s pulse before breathing a sigh of relief. She looked at Lam strangely. This person was not fighting to kill. He didn''t even plan on hurting Black Saga so badly, and she could tell that Black Saga had only been so badly injured because Lam had gone all out, something he had been forced to do. This was strange to her considering that Black Saga was clearly trying to kill him, and she thought Lam was from The Citadel.


    "White Mask wins!" she announced, finally allowing the healing team to come in and check on Black Saga.


    Lam stood before the man he had beaten, sword in hand and mask on. As the rain fell upon his lanky frame, the audience stood. Every person rose to their feet, their faces filled with unwillingness, but also with awe. They had watched a legend of their home cheat his way to defeat. And in his defeat a new legend was born; the legend of the sword wielder who wore a white mask. It wasn''t clear how, but the crowd were now on his side, and they chanted his name, albeit with a small change to his title.


    "Sword King White Mask"


    "Sword King White Mask"


    "Sword King White Mask"


    "Sword King White Mask"


    "Sword King White Mask"


    "Sword King White Mask"


    "You are a Sword King now," Lam felt a hand gently rest on his shoulder, and a small smile found its way to his face. Unfortunately, no one could see this smile due to his mask. He knew who it was that dared to hold him like this. Who else other than Mane would do this?


    "Thank you," Lam whispered, but Mane heard it. A month and a half ago his friend promised him that he would make him stronger than the Grand Tourney''s best. He had his doubts then, and he never believed it would happen so soon. But here he was, standing victorious over the unconscious figure of a man he had once watched through the images of a Record Stone and admired. Mane had kept his promise.


    "I only gave you a push. The rest was all you. You took flight all on your own" Mane replied through his mask.


    "You say that now but who was the one who was threatening to flatten Asher City only a few minutes ago," Hildegarde scoffed, but Mane ignored her. He was too happy to care about her words.


    "The Citadel is really full of freaks" Indigo Queen muttered as she and the rest of the Indigo Team sat in their place, witnessing the birth of a new legend.


    "Indeed. The Citadel remains The Citadel. In a way we should be pleased that the last stand of mankind is growing stronger." Celestial Fairy nodded her head, concurring. As for Swift Indigo and Indigo Shadow they didn''t say anything, but their eyes reflected their amazement at what they had just witnessed.


    "I told you he would be fine," Orange Ivy breathed a sigh of relief. Lily remained silent, but a small smile hung on the sides of her lips. Finally she whispered silently to herself,


    "You have finally become who you wanted to be. You are now strong."

 Chapter 392 - Backstabbing

    "Hope that nothing happens to my Prince. Your lives and the fate of this entire city depends on it." Ivor remarked coldly as he stood in front of City Lord Sutton and his family. He had his back turned to them, preventing them from seeing his expression. And because he stood with his back before them, they couldn''t tell if he was back to his old smiling self, or if he was still mad. Added to the fact that he was standing right in front of them and was a very large man, they couldn''t see what was happening on the field. And for some reason they couldn''t hear a thing outside either. They couldn''t hear the crowd, the commentary, or any sounds that indicated an intense clash between two strong warriors. They were completely isolated from the world! City Lord Sutton and Madam Anna didn''t know how it was possible for one to have such an ability, but they didn''t doubt for one second that this was Ivor''s doing.


    The man was so mysterious and powerful that even his skills were out of the norm. Maybe he was a Mystic Path Warrior ¨C the most logical conclusion they could come up with ¨C but for now that mattered little. All that mattered was the outcome of the match happening right below them. The match that they were prevented from seeing. They could only hope and pray that Black Saga failed in his attempt to harm the ''Prince''..


    City Lord Sutton and Madam Anna had grave expressions on their faces, and Mira clung to her father tightly like a terrified child. Wait, she was a terrified child clinging to her father. For the aura Ivor was giving off was so cold that she knew that she and her parents could easily lose their lives today. She couldn''t help the shivering of her body, a natural reaction to the immersive bloodlust that Ivor was freely unveiling from his large frame. Her teeth struck each other, the bottom set striking the upper set fervently and creating small chattering sounds.


    "That''s right. Gnash your teeth in fear." Ivor still had his back facing them, but his awareness of his surroundings was astute. Even though Mira''s situation wasn''t loud, the sound of the expression of her fear, which was a teeth striking each other, didn''t escape his ears. He didn''t even bother to turn to face them. He kept his eyes glued to the happenings below him, focused on seeing it all.


    However, slowly his tightly fisted hands were unclenched, and his bloodlust grew thin. As he watched the match below, signs of his anger subsiding began to show, and City Lord Sutton and Madam Anna breathed a sigh of relief. Mira let go of her father''s arm upon feeling the vice of death that had been tightly wound around her neck unclasp. She was slightly embarrassed, but also very relieved. She wasn''t as experienced as her parents, but she was also a talent. Her observational skills weren''t as strong as theirs, but she was able to pick up a few signs. Ivor''s bloodlust disappearing was the most obvious one, and his hunched posture, indicated that he was now very interested in the outcome of what he was watching below, instead of being wary and ready to pounce like before. It was safe to say that Black Saga had failed.


    "Foolish oaf," Mira secretly cursed the foolish Tiger under her breath. His reckless actions had almost cost them the lives of everyone in this city, and theirs. His d?s?r? to exact vengeance had done nothing but backfire. Besides, her father didn''t have any bad blood with Lam, Mane and Lily. The man actually wished he could cooperate with them, especially after realizing that Lam and Lily had an unordinary relationship with Ivor. But now it was more likely than not that Black Saga had destroyed any good impression they had of City Lord Sutton and his family. Now that Ivor had revealed Lam''s standing as his ''Prince'', Mira knew that her father would be deeply regretful of today''s proceedings. They may not lose their lives today, but they certainly had lost the rights to acquire magnificent talents who would bring Ivor and his hidden organisation closer to them. And that was a huge loss.


    "Rejoice and be thankful that your warrior''s moment of foolishness brought a moment of clarity and inspiration to the Prince," Ivor stated with his back turned to them, pulling Mira out of her thoughts. Next to her was her father. The man had a relieved expression on his face, but that quickly turned to pity and regret. He was probably thinking about the same thing his daughter was thinking. But knowing that Black Saga did all this because of his love for the city and his rage after discovering the people that wanted to kill his City Lord, he couldn''t even find it in him to mete out any punishment to the man. What else could he do but accept the hand that fate had dealt him and be thankful that at least he and his family got to keep their lives.


    "Well, didn''t everything end perfectly?" Ivor turned to face them, his trademark smile back in its place. His aura was as gentle and meek as a lamb''s, and no one would be able to place the man who was threatening to kill them just a few minutes ago as the one who was here right now. Yet that terrified City Lord Sutton and his family more. Someone like Ivor who could switch levers so easily was more dangerous than a man who went around massacring indiscriminately. For a mass murderer who didn''t hide his/her intentions, it wasn''t that problematic to deal with. But someone who was able to kill as easily as he was able to smile was a fire that could hardly be sniffed out, much less extinguished.


    "Well then, I better pick another spot. We wouldn''t want the people to see a strange man standing in front of their City Lord now, would we?" Ivor laughed and then walked away from his position. He picked a more inconspicuous spot, choosing to stand right behind City Lord Sutton and his family like a dutiful bodyguard. He had no intentions of leaving yet. And City Lord Sutton knew why.


    "Crafty old fox!" City Lord Sutton cursed ¨C secretly. He didn''t dare say this out loud, and the helplessness he felt had to be kept hidden within him. He knew that Ivor was planning to use this to gather more benefits from their alliance with him. Since they dared ''touch'' his Prince, the man had every right to ask for compensation.


    "Well things didn''t go exactly as planned," a hooded figure had his eyes glued to Lam''s figure as he slowly mumbled. His eyes were the only things that could be seen, but their color was so striking that anyone who saw them would be filled with unexplained terror. His eyes were blood red! Not blue, not green, not brown, not black and definitely not yellow. His eyes were entirely red in color. There was no clear distinction between the pupil, the iris or the sclera. They were all one, and they shared the same color.


    "It isn''t really surprising though. He may have just gained some strength, but he still is the Prince of the Elementals." Another hooded figure sat next to the first one. The second person was a woman, and her gentle voice had a slight seduction to it. However, just like the first speaker, her eyes were completely red.


    "I would like to know how he gained his strength though. To directly push into the Realm of Predators from having nothing at all is amazing. And it isn''t just him. The Princess of the Elementals ¨C his sister ¨C also experienced this magical surge" Another voice chimed in. It belonged to the third and last member of this strange group. This voice was the most childish of the three, and there was excitement when this person spoke of Lam''s strength. Her red eyes were glued to Lam''s masked figure, and although her features were hidden ¨C making it difficult to discern her thoughts ¨C the battle intent that she exuded was enough to tell those next to her that she wanted to fight.


    "Easy. We aren''t here to fight." The one who spoke first, and the only male in the group was quick to remind the excited woman that their objective wasn''t to battle.


    "Besides, The Tattler is here. If we give ourselves away, we would be buried here." He continued, extinguishing the battle intent that his colleague was building up. Whoever these people were, they weren''t to be underestimated. Not only did they know about Lam, Lily and Ivor, but they were people hidden in the dark. They knew about their enemies, but their enemies knew nothing of them!


    "You seem to be lost in thoughts Captain," the man addressed the other woman in the team. This woman was the second person who had spoken, but she had been silent since.


    "That boy intrigues me," the Captain stated and pointed to Mane. The others turned to look at the boy hidden by the black mask, and their expressions turned a bit hardened.


    "You mean the one connected to the Prince of Ancients?" the man asked, his voice grave.


    "Indeed. I don''t know why an Ancient is mingling so freely with Elementals, but the changes of the Twin Royals began with his appearance. Besides, we know that Ancients have several secrets to gaining strength. It is very likely that he was the reason behind their sudden surge in strength." The Captain''s analysis wasn''t entirely accurate, but she was very close to the truth. The only inaccuracy in her words was that Mane was an Ancient, and that wasn''t true. Apart from that, her deduction was spot on.


    "Do you think we should deal with him?" the childish lady asked, her voice dripping with excitement.


    "No. We cannot afford to antagonize both Ancients and Elementals at the same time. We may force them to unite and deal with our race." The Captain smartly extinguished her subordinate''s fire, and then added.


    "Besides, you all felt the aura he unleashed some time ago. Even we would find it difficult to deal with him. At least one of us will die before we can kill him. And we cannot afford to die now."


    "For now, let us finish our mission," the Captain stated, and the other two nodded their heads in agreement. Their Captain reached into her cloak and pulled out a small jar. In the jar was an ugly looking insect with blood red carapace. The insect slept peacefully within the jar, yet when it was exposed to the blood red eyes of the Captain it began to screech in discomfort.


    "Kill"


    Back on the field, Lam approached the unconscious Black Saga who was being stretchered off. He felt bad for injuring the man so, and although Black Saga tried to kill him initially, Lam still couldn''t overcome the feelings of guilt he had. So he moved to apologize to Black Hammer and Black Axe who walked beside their captain with solemn expressions. But when they was that Lam was approaching, they made the first move.


    "Thank you for sparing Captain''s life," both men bowed slightly and said, stunning Lam. Black Axe and Black Hammer weren''t fools. They knew exactly what their captain was planning by choosing to fight first. The man was clearly trying to kill Lam, but Lam had not taken his life, even at the end when he had no choice but to go all out.


    Lam was slightly flustered by their apology, so much so that he didn''t notice that the eyes of Black Saga had snapped open. But those eyes were strange. They were dull and without an ounce of life or energy, and there was a faint red light shining within them. A small dagger appeared within Black Saga''s hand, and he struck, piercing through Black Axe''s ?h?st just to get to Lam.


    *Puchi*

 Chapter 393 - Stay Behind!

    "I don''t believe it! How could Black Saga do something so despicable! Not only has he harmed his fellow teammate, he has also harmed Sword King White Mask!" Peter was shocked. He stuttered as he spoke, trying his hardest not to believe what he had just seen. Yet try as he could, he couldn''t erase the poisonous images from his mind. His words shook the soul of everyone here. The last bit of respect they had for their legend was gone, and there was nothing but disgust and pain left. How could he do something like this? He had attacked even after he lost? He was nothing but a disgrace!


    Lam''s eyes were opened wide in disbelief, his gaze naturally drawn to the hand that was embedded in his ?h?st. Even with the mask on, one could see that those eyes were full of stunned surprise. Black Axe spat a mouthful of blood, his eyes slowly turning lifeless.


    "Captain?" he stuttered, not believing for once that his life would have been ended by the man he adored and worshipped the most. He struggled to turn his head, a feat that seemed impossible for the one he yearned to see was directly behind him. But through sheer will and belief, he managed this seemingly impossible task. And when his head turned a full 180 degrees, he was able to look the man he had called captain for years in his eyes, and in doing so he realised an anomaly immediately..


    Seeing those flickering red lights dancing within Black Saga''s eyes, Black Axe knew immediately that his Captain wasn''t himself. After all, why would his Captain try to kill him? Even when death was just before him; even with his vision fading and his reality turning to mush, he could tell that this person wasn''t his Captain. Those eyes were devoid of any emotions. There was no anger, no pain, no joy, or sorrow. Those eyes were dull, almost like his captain was dead and was being controlled by another.


    "Axe!" Black Hammer screamed, his deep voice shrilled by the sorrow he was feeling. Black Axe was his brother, with only three years between them. They were so close that many people thought that they were actually twins, and their years of doing everything together had left them inseparable. There were two people that Black Hammer respected more than anyone else in the world, even more than City Lord Sutton. One was his big brother, Black Axe, and the other was Black Saga. But if he had to rank the two, Black Axe would undoubtedly take the first position with a very sizable gap. His brother''s position couldn''t be replaced by anything else, and not even his Captain could fill that void if it were to be left behind. But now he had watched one of the men he respected very much, crush the heart of the person who was the world to him. His eyes turned red with fury, and his large hammer came crushing down.


    *Boom*


    *Crunch*


    With the sound of bones being crushed into countless little fragments, Black Saga was forcefully separated from Black Axe, but the dagger he used was still lodged in Lam''s ?h?st. His arm had been crushed by Black Hammer''s violent attack, but he was still alive. "Healers! Please help us!" Black Hammer hastily reached for his brother, and screamed for help. Lam slumped onto the floor once the hand that held on to him was no more. Blood poured out of his ?h?st, in such copious amounts that it was almost impossible to see any way out of this for him. His eyes dimmed slowly but surely, and the cold hand of death reached for him. Black Hammer''s shouts had awakened everyone in the stadium. The disbelief from what they had just witnessed was forcefully pushed aside by Black Hammer''s helpless roar. Healers rushed to both Lam and Black Axe. Several more made their way onto the stadium, knowing full well that at this moment, there could never be too many healers.


    Steel Fist also sprang into action. Her eyes were full of rage, and her aura was turbulent. She didn''t hide anything anymore, and the power of an Eagle made its appearance.


    *Scree*


    Her power extended its wings into the sky, like an eagle soaring in the rain. She moved towards Black Saga''s broken figure with incomparable speed, her feet almost never touching the ground. As she glided towards him, her eyes filled with disappointment and rage, and then she struck his broken figure as the man tried to get up once again.


    Black Saga was mercilessly pounded into the ground. The injuries he accumulated from Lam''s ram were aggravated, and blood flowed endlessly out of his mouth. That strike that snapped his spine in half, and he would never be able to walk again. His eyes were still dull, yet at this moment the red lights slowly receded, and he came to himself. Even though he wasn''t in control then, he still saw for himself what he had done, and tears started to pour out of his eyes. He regained control of himself just in time to see the figure of Steel Fist towering over him. Even in her rage she had held back, not killing him but choosing to cripple him instead for his actions. Even if she didn''t care about Lam, Black Saga acting against one of his own was a crime punishable by death, and crippling him was mercy.


    "You dare shed a tear!" Steel fist screamed, her fury further heightened by seeing the emotion in Black Saga''s eyes. To her he was nothing but a reckless man; a fool who didn''t think twice about killing his own subordinate just to exact revenge. She knew that he had a temper, but she never expected the honest looking man to be this immoral. She abandoned her decision of letting him go. She was an Eagle, even if she chose to exact judgement on behalf of the City Lord, he wouldn''t be able to do a thing, and she was ready to do just that. Her eyes flashed as her aura ascended into the sky. The aura of an Eagle half materialized behind her. The large beast screeched in anger, and its talons reached for the man who was responsible for its rage.


    From the audience a powerful aura sprang to life, and a figure clad in a large cloak breezed past several people, pushing most of them out of the way just to get to the field. In less than ten seconds, this cloaked figure was on the field, and in just a couple of seconds, this person was right next to Lam.


    "Brother!" the heartbreaking voice of this person was particularly moving, and the healers who surrounded Lam sighed in pity and pain. The voice was a feminine one, and as the hood of the cloak fell off to reveal the stunning features of the one who had so rudely barged upon the premises not open to the public, even the most unmoved by the most recent events felt their heartstrings tear just a little bit. A beautiful face that was almost ethereal was what they say. Green eyes that seemed to hold the power of nature itself moved past them and focused only on the figure breathing laboriously on the ground. Even the snot and tears on her face couldn''t hide her pain. And her sorrow was infectious.


    "Ma''am, please calm down," one of the healers attempted to calm the girl down, but when he tried to touch her he was thrown back violently by a strong force of repulsion.


    "That''s my brother. Don''t you dare tell me to calm down! And why is the dagger still embedded within his ?h?st!" the young woman screamed furiously, her tremendous power exposed for all to see. Her powerful aura was like a billowing storm, and most of the healers struggled to breathe under the power of her might. They wanted to tell her to calm down. They wanted to plead desperately with her for amnesty even though they weren''t responsible for what had happened. They needed her to take the powerful pressure of them so that they could try to save the masked man, but they couldn''t even open their mouths under her pressure. They couldn''t say a single thing. They couldn''t speak, breathing was a laborious task now, and their bodies were slowly drenched in sweat that mixed with the raindrops. Slowly but surely they kneeled under the power of her aura.


    *Roar*


    A mighty roar was heard all through the stadium, as a stoic figure descended from the clouds. Well this person didn''t really descend from the clouds. She descended from the commentator''s booth, but because of how high it was placed in the stadium, many thought she descended from the sky. The loud roar was from this person. That roar was the result of her aura manifestation, for behind her was a large golden lioness. And although it had only half-materialized, its power wasn''t to be underestimated.


    "Please calm down and let the healers do their jobs!" the powerful woman pleaded as she tried to get close to the rioting young miss. Many people recognised this person, and they were stunned by her power. It was Maggie who had stepped in. And although many suspected that she was unordinary, they had never once considered that she was a Lioness! They watched in stunned silence as Maggie confronted the young girl. After all, what else could they do but watch? They had no power, and those who did couldn''t even stand up to the girl''s aura, let alone go against it.


    Maggie squinted her eyes as she observed the girl before her. Although she had no problem going against the girl''s aura, she could feel the power in it was no way inferior to her own and wanted to avoid a clash as much as possible. It was hard to believe that one who looked so young was this powerful, but she was aware that many powerful women were able to keep their looks till a certain age, and thought that maybe this person who looked like a young girl may actually be her age or a few years younger than her at most.


    "How can I calm down?! That oaf attacked my¡­"


    "Lily," a calm voice interrupted their conversation as a figure clad in a black mask made his way next to the girl.


    The eyes exposed by the mask were serene, and had not a hint of emotion, yet looking into those beautiful blue eyes didn''t leave Maggie with the appreciation of their beauty, but with chills all over her body. She could feel her power slowly receding before this man, as if it was expressing its d?s?r? to concede!


    "How is that possible?" she wondered. How could her strength so easily leave her in front of another? It was then that she realised that this man was way out of her league. He could easily kill her, and she shivered in fright from the thought of this. When had her life ever been in the hands of another? She was a Lioness, she wasn''t going to surrender to anyone!


    "Roar," she roared loudly as her aura billowed once more. Yet she had hardly gathered momentum when the black masked man gazed at her and said, "Quiet."


    *Crack*


    Like a deflated balloon all the power she was accumulating disappeared. She felt a certain weakness overcome her, and she fell to the ground. One word! That was all it took! How could someone stop a Lioness with just a word? The healers and every other person around felt nothing but fear, for what kind of power must one wield to be able to easily deal with a Predator ¨C and to do so with nothing but words and not even their fists?


    "Let the healers do their job," the black masked figure stated and put out his arm around the girl''s shoulders. He reached out to wipe her tears, an action that didn''t seem congruent with the cruel and powerful image he had built in the minds of those around them with his most recent feat. His words and his actions seemed to have opened a dam in the girl''s heart, for she grasped him tightly, throwing her arms around his neck and pushing herself into his embrace like a helpless lamb. Her cries and sobs were heartbreaking, but her powerful aura was no more.


    "Get to work," the black masked man coldly commanded, and the healers hastily returned to the side of stabbed white masked man, trying their best to save him. Others moved to Black Axe, not forgetting their duties as healers even under the threat of death.


    "Thank you," Hildegarde said as she flew right next to Mane. She had a complicated expression on her face.


    "You have used up the only favor I owe you. There shall be no next time." Mane coldly replied through Lock-On. The reason he hadn''t blown his top yet was Hildegarde. Every fairy was entitled to a request. They had the right to ask anything of their Tested and as long as it was within the Tested''s power, he/she had to fulfil it. It was called Fairy''s Favor. Usually fairies saved this favor for later, choosing to make their requests after the test was over for maximum benefits. However Hildegarde had made her choice and used her request selflessly, asking that Mane spare the lives of the Asher City citizens.


    "He isn''t in any danger. The dagger missed his heart and surrounding arteries." One of the healers examining Lam breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that the boy''s height had helped him. Although Lam was tall, he wasn''t as tall as Black Axe. So when Black Saga had struck through Black Axe, the dagger was lodged right below Lam''s clavicle and had missed his heart which was below.


    Mane nodded his head expressionlessly, and then he struck the nape of Lily''s neck, knocking her unconscious. His figure flashed and he disappeared before everyone''s eyes. Then he reappeared next to the unsuspecting Orange Ivy who was still processing the events of the day.


    "Take care of her," Mane spoke slowly and handed Lily to Orange Ivy who nodded her head vigorously and immediately took Lily out of Mane''s arms. Mane then turned his head to face the direction he was headed to.


    "You have touched my friend, yet you dare escape? Stay behind!" he bellowed mightily as the aura of a 1st Stage Earth Realmer exploded from within his body!

 Chapter 394 - A Painful Breakthrough

    On a rooftop belonging to one of the many homes in Asher City, three people were running at top speed to make their escape. They were the cloaked figures from before; the people who were responsible for Lam''s near death state. Once their goal was accomplished, they rushed out of the stadium faster than the eye could blink. They didn''t want to be found out, for Ivor the Tattler was famed for his merciless nature just as much as his merchant nature. Everything had been proceeding smoothly, and nothing had gone contrary to their escape plan. Yet when they were just a few meters shy of reaching half a kilometer in their escape, a powerful aura locked on to them, and a furious bellow shook their souls and pressed down upon their bodies.


    "This aura!" the cloaked man shivered when he felt the power that had locked onto him. This power was full of aggression and rage, and its might was so resounding that he could hear his own bones creaking in submission.


    "This is the power of one who is Half a Step into the Nightmare Realm!" the childish lady amongst the three felt goosebumps creeping onto her skin as that powerful aura locked onto them. Her fighting intent was slowly extinguished, and she felt the urge to escape more than she felt the urge to fight. And why would she be eager to fight one with such level of power? She was talented within her generation, but she was still too young and was only just a Predator. She didn''t have the power to go against a being who was close to achieving the power of a Nightmare..


    The gap between the Nightmare Realm and the Predator Realm was like a huge chasm. In fact, calling it a gap would be underestimating how large the gulf between the two levels were. Naturally, that gulf wasn''t easy to cross, and it took several years for the most talented Predators to make it across. The Predator Realm and the Nightmare Realm were like two cities separated by a large lake. This lake was the gap between the two realms, and to cross it, one needed a boat. But the lake was treacherous and full of poisonous and powerful creatures. So just any boat wasn''t enough to get across. The boat that could be used to cross this large lake had to be strong, resilient and capable of containing vast resources. This boat was the talent of a person. A mediocre person would never be able to get across the lake because their talent, which was the boat, would be too small and weak to go against the creatures of the lake and make it to the other side ¨C the Nightmare Realm. The boat would sink and be destroyed even before it could move a few meters. Only the truly talented would be able to make the journey across the lake. The lake was referred to as the path that was between the two realms ¨C Half a Step into the Nightmare Realm.


    But even the talented could fail in their journey. The boat had to be able to cross the entire distance, and not give up halfway. That was how being Half a Step into the Nightmare Realm was. It didn''t necessarily guarantee that a person would become a Nightmare. In fact, only 5% of people Half a Step into the Nightmare Realm actually became Nightmares! This was because being Half a Step into the Nightmare Realm was the greatest test for a person. Once a person failed that test, he/she would fall back into the Predator Realm.


    However, because of how large the gap between the two realms ¨C Nightmare and Predator Realms ¨C was, being Half a Step into the Nightmare Realm was further divided into stages. These were the low, mid, and high stages ¨C and each stages was a challenge on its own. But that mattered little right now. For the person coming after them was exactly someone with such power. The only aura that could make them cower was that which was above the Predator Realm. And since this person didn''t crush them to death with his/her aura, that meant that he/she wasn''t a Nightmare but a Half Step into the Nightmare Realm powerhouse.


    The Captain narrowed her lovely eyes into slits, as she gazed into the direction from which this aura, and the furious bellow came from. This wasn''t the power of Ivor. He was much stronger than this. They wouldn''t stand a chance against that man''s aura. But this power wasn''t weak either. This power that had interfered with their escape and sought them out even in the midst of the chaos they had left behind, was enough to threaten their lives.


    "We need to leave this place!" she ordered. "Fast!" she reiterated. They couldn''t afford to be careless. Although that aura belonged to a powerhouse, the team wasn''t weak. They had they strength to stand up to such power. Even if they were to be defeated, it would be difficult for this person to kill them. However, as long as this person caught up to them and engaged, Ivor would come. Once Ivor found them, they would die!


    The man and the childish lady both nodded their heads with solemn expressions. Although their Captain was the strongest analyst amongst the three, they weren''t dumb either, and could tell exactly why she was worried. A Half Step into the Nightmare Realm powerhouses were rare, but they could handle them. After all, their Captain was also an existence Half a Step into the Nightmare Realm, and they were at the peak of the Predator Level. Although they usually wouldn''t be able to go against a Half Step Nightmare Realm Expert, with their Captain they would be able to. In a sense, they had the advantage. However, as long as they were delayed, they would be killed by Ivor. That demon must be fuming now, especially after seeing his Prince, the person he was supposed to protect, fall before his very eyes.


    However, right after they hastened their steps and sought to get away quicker, the aura pursing them exploded in speed. In less than ten seconds, this person was right behind them.


    "Fast!" the Captain''s eyebrows shot up in worry. She didn''t possess this kind of speed, and it was bad that their pursuer did. Not only did it worry her that this person would catch up quickly, but she was also worried that with this kind of speed, they could actually be killed by this person!


    Suddenly the sky exploded into a ceremony of lightning, as several lightning bolts as thick as a person''s fist crackled and danced ¨C and descended onto the team of three.


    "Move!" the Captain''s eyes were filled with alarm, and she hastily gave the order upon feeling the danger that was approaching them from above. The three moved quickly, each darting out of their former paths and rolling to the side.


    *Boom*


    *Boom*


    *Boom*


    *Boom*


    Several bolts of lightning struck the ground they stood on before, creating several small craters. The red eyes of three were filled with a bit of fear and alarm. How could a person have control over lightning? This destructive and rebellious element never acceded to any man ¨C just beasts. So how?


    "So it was you," the Captain calmed her beating heart and gazed upon the figure of the one who had arrived. Their pursuer had made it in time. With a black mask that hid all but his blue eyes and with his golden hair dancing in the rain, she quickly placed this man''s figure in her memory. After all it hadn''t been long since she last saw him. He was the Ancient they were curious about. She had heard his furious bellow, but she didn''t think that the one calling the Elemental Prince a friend was this fellow. After all, she thought that he was only a Predator.


    Hildegarde flew above the two groups ¨C Mane and the red eyed fellows ¨C with a complicated look in her eyes. She sighed slowly, a bitter smile etched on her face.


    "Is this fortune or disaster?" she laughed bitterly to herself. The rain that fell hadn''t yet deciphered her presence. The drops just swept past her indiscernible figure, none the wiser.


    "To break through because of a friend''s pain," she muttered to herself. When Mane saw Lam''s figure falling with a dagger embedded into his ?h?st, a dam seemed to have been opened, and his strength returned to what it was in the True Universe ¨C the Earth Realm. But that wasn''t the only change. How was the young Supreme able to sense these three fellows? How had he made them out? Did he guess, or was he told? The answer was neither. The young man figured it out for himself. For not only had he broken into the Earth Realm, he was now a Low-Level Scholar!


    Mane had skipped the Trainee Scholar level by answering one of the Seven Great Mysteries when he had met Ananse and become a Beginner Scholar. But he had been stuck in the early stages of the Beginner Scholar Level ¨C until now. To grow as a Scholar, one had to answer questions. That couldn''t be changed. But one had to be certain about their answers. Mane had figured a lot of things out in this world, but he wasn''t certain about any of them. All of them were just ?ssumptions to him, and he dared not solidify those ?ssumptions into truths because the risks were high.


    As a Scholar, if one wasn''t certain about their answers and still went ahead to present them as truths to themselves, they would lose the favor of their manuals and would dent their foundations. With Ananse he hadn''t dully processed the information that she gave him when they first met, which was why he had so carelessly gone ahead to answer one of the Seven Great Mysteries. If he had known about how dangerous it was to do so, he wouldn''t have done it. Ananse probably didn''t tell him because it was all in the information that she had given him. She probably didn''t see the need to say the same thing twice. Otherwise Mane would have been using this method to test every ?ssumption he had. For as long as he was right, he would advance in strength. Because Mane didn''t want to hurt his foundation or lose the trust of his manual, he never tried to confirm the things he had found out.


    But seeing Lam''s broken figure forced him to make a rush decision and he presented his ?ssumptions as truths before his Scholar Manual ¨C and passed. Of the truths he had presented, the one about the Fairies not knowing anything major about this world, and the one about the Status Window being inaccurate, were surprisingly First Grade Mysteries, and improved Mane''s strength by a lot, helping him grow into a Low-level Scholar instantly. With that surge of power came an increase in abilities.


    Lock-On received a great boost. Now Mane could communicate with more than four people at the same time using Lock-On. Initially, the limit of this technique was two people.


    Words of Power was also strengthened, allowing Mane to now be capable of using two word statements instead of the initial limit of just one word. Also, now Mane could use Words of Power effectively against any person weaker than him! Initially it was against only people with lower energy levels than him. The difference between the two was huge. In terms of energy levels, it meant that Mane couldn''t use Words of Power against someone at the 1st Stage of the Earth Realm and beyond. But in terms of just his opponents being weaker, it meant that as long as Mane was stronger than his opponents, he could use Words of Power effectively against them. As someone whose combat prowess was far above his actual energy level, this was a massive gain!


    The last skill in Mane''s repertoire was Scout. Scout didn''t simply improve, it evolved. It was no longer Scout, but a skill called Trace. Not only did it vastly improve Mane''s sensing ability from a 100 meter radius to a 500 meter radius, it also allowed him to mark a maximum of five people and trace their movements as long as they were within a 500 meter radius. The limit in distance decreased if the number of people being Traced was less. With every less person Traced, there was an increase of 50 meters.


    "Vent your frustrations on them instead," Hildegarde sighed and flew higher into the sky, observing the figures who were facing at each other below.

 Chapter 395 - Venting

    "You speak to me as if you know me," Mane whispered through his mask. Yet the faces of the three red eyed people were filled with surprise because they clearly heard what he said. His voice wasn''t loud, neither was it as deep as the thunder that reverberated all around Asher City, birthing rain in the process, but they could hear it. They could feel the calmness in his voice, yet that calm only unsettled them.


    "What are you doing here? Why are you blocking our path?" The woman who was the Captain of the team asked. She didn''t answer Mane''s question, rather she feigned ignorance of the current situation.


    "You seem to have answers to questions even I do not know," Mane ignored her question. If she could disregard his questioning, then he could do the same. Besides, his Scholar Manual was beckoning him, guiding him, advising him. It was telling him that these people knew a lot about this world, so much so that they even knew the answers to questions he hadn''t bothered to think about.


    "I just need to keep one of you alive. I would get what I want from that person.." Mane stated, as though the outcome of the fight was certain, and his words infuriated the childish lady.


    "Do you think we are easy pickings?" she stated, her voice rife with disdain. Her anger at being disregarded pushed her into losing her fear for this Half a Step into the Nightmare Realm powerhouse.


    "Be still," Mane turned to the woman he had ignored since he came and said. And immediately the words left his mouth, Edict forced its way onto the childish woman and shackled her movements. Her body went stiff, and she found it difficult to move a single muscle. She felt like one who had been burdened with several weights on every part of her body; as though there was a huge yoke around her neck, sealing her movements.


    "Bind; Retrieve" Mane ordered once again, and Edict invisible to the n?k?d eye took up the shape of a rope with a hook at the end and bound the childish woman from head to toe And she fell onto the ground. The hook then flew to Mane''s side and embedded itself into the ground right next to him. Then the woman was forcefully pulled towards Mane''s side. It was now that the other two red-eyed people realised that something was wrong.


    "Number 3!" the man screamed and tried to reach out and grab the childish woman called Number 3. He was angry, for Number 3 wasn''t just a colleague, but his lover too!


    "Don''t, Number 2," his Captain immediately stopped him from doing anything rush. "As long as we deal with him, we would get her back," the Captain reassured the man called Number 2, and he regained his calm. But when he looked at Mane, his face was full of rage. He wished that he could swallow Mane alive and then spit him out.


    "Protect," Mane looked down upon the red-eyed woman who was lying to his side with eyes full of terror and deep panic and used Words of Power once again. This was the technique he used to subdue a peak Profound Realmer with such ease. At his order, Edict formed a protective cloak and surrounded the woman, protecting her from the rain and any other destruction that would follow. He needed to let lose, and he wouldn''t be able to protect her when the fight begins.


    "Are you angry?" Mane asked expressionlessly. "Are you upset?" he continued.


    "Do you feel your heart pounding?"


    "Does the world around you seem to blur?"


    "If you haven''t reached this stage then you haven''t experienced what I have experienced. You haven''t been through what I have been through"


    Mane spoke slowly, yet each of his words carried the pain of one who was raging. As he walked thunder bellowed, and lightning flashed ever brightly in the sky above them. The rain fell even stronger, and power that belonged to a man at the 1st Stage of the Earth Realm slowly flooded the place. Lightning danced around Mane''s elusive figure, as he prepared to unleash his fury on the two before him.


    "My rage, can you handle it?" Mane asked, and he activated Brimstone.


    *ROAR*


    Fire and lightning came to a temporary consensus, and they danced together around the man who had asked for their aid. Like brothers in arms reunited after a long feud, their crossed swords and melded together. Blue lightning; golden yellow flames. Oh how they surrounded the figure of the Supreme, their voices raised as they cried in expectation.


    "Attack him now!" the Captain screamed in fear upon seeing Mane''s changes. The fact that Mane was able to freely use an element as destructive as Lightning was a feat that amazed her, but to think that he was also a fire user! She could tell that if they allowed Mane to fully prepare himself, once he was ready they wouldn''t be his match. So she immediately gave the order to attack.


    "Ahh!" Number 2 bellowed in rage. The only person who was holding him back had given the order, so he could unleash his wrath upon the one who had birthed it. He retrieved a short sword from him cloak and charged at Mane. The Captain wasn''t any slower in throwing herself into the fray. In fact, before Number 2 had charged in, she had already pulled out her sword from her cloak and had taken the lead.


    The two ¨C man and woman ¨C with swords in hand reached Mane''s position in no time, and attacked from both sides in a two prong attack. Their tense gazes relaxed slightly when their swords reached Mane''s figure, but once they had cut through him, they noticed that something was wrong. The reason for that was simple. They didn''t feel like they were cutting through flesh, but felt like they were only slicing their swords through the wind. In that moment, Mane had used Absolute Darkness to phase through their attacks!


    *Whoosh*


    "Back now!" the Captain ordered, her voice made hoarse from screaming too loud, showing just how anxious she was. She kicked the ground that had softened due to the rain furiously and retreated. Although the slippery ground reduced how much ground she could cover, her retreat was a success. But her words of wisdom were too late. For Number 2 didn''t share her fast reflexes. When he tried to move back, he realised that his foot was stuck. He down at his leg and saw that from his entire calf downwards, there was a large hand made from the muddied earth keeping him in place. He lifted his head only to see a pair of cold blue pupils staring into his eyes. They were so expressionless that he momentarily forgot about his anger. A strong hand reached out of the orange cloak that the black masked man wore. This hand was entirely covered in flaming lightning, and Number 2 could feel that as long as that hand reached him he would be finished. The hand reached for him and clutched his neck so tightly that he felt all the air he had inhaled being forced out!


    "It seems that you cannot handle my rage," Mane stated, his voice contrary to the fire that surrounded his frame. For his voice was cold and unfeeling. Once his hand touched Number 2 the man''s figure was engulfed in flame and lightning, and the man who was so mad that he charged in gallantly earlier, screamed in terror and pain as his body was reduced to nothing but ash in less than a few seconds.


    "Ahhhh!"


    "Number 2!" the Captain gritted her teeth in powerlessness. How foolish she was! To think that she thought that she could handle this demon just because both of them were Half Step into the Nightmare Realm. How could she have ignored the fact that even that stage was divided into several smaller sub-stages? Now she had lost both her colleagues. One of them had been burned alive with fire and lightning ¨C a horrible way to go ¨C whilst the other lay at the feet of the one responsible for this carnage, as her eyes filled with even more fear from seeing how her friend and lover had died. Number 3''s eyes turned and locked onto the figure of her Captain. And she spoke with her eyes.


    "Run"


    That''s right. Number 3 could clearly feel the terror of this man. This was someone who could easily subdue a person with his words, and summon fire and lightning effortlessly. Plus he seemed to have control over the earth they stood on and could allow attacks to rain on him without fear for they were not capable of even harming a strand of hair on his head. Even among Ancients, those who could use so many elements with this level of Proficiency were few and far between. This man must surely be a well-respected figure among the Ancients. For his talent was comparable to, if not stronger than that of the Prince of Ancients!


    The Captain bit into her lips so hard that they began to bleed. They thought that the only person capable of forcing them into such desperate straits was Ivor the Tattler, and that was why they didn''t want to run into that devil. In fact, when Mane had caught up with them, she wasn''t worried about how they would get away or if they could defeat him. To her, both options were the only options, and the only problem was the time they would waste in achieving either. For she didn''t want to run into Ivor. They thought that the best this black masked man could do was stall them, but he had proven that he was to be feared as much as they feared Ivor. And that was because although he gave off the aura of a Half Step into the Nightmare Realm powerhouse, he was comparable to an actual Nightmare! She wasn''t his match ¨C not with her teammates ¨C and definitely not alone. So though it hurt her greatly to make this decision, she turned and tried to run away. She needed to let her people know about this Ancient who could use so many elements and had mysterious powers.


    But she seemed to have forgotten something. And Number 3 who was still held captive; whose eyes held a little bit of relief from seeing the figure of her Captain fading into the distance had also forgotten that very same thing. In fact, they had ignored two things.


    One: Mane was faster than them. He had caught up to them even when they had a good head start.


    Two: He could control lightning


    *Crack*


    *Boom*


    With a loud bang, a new hole was formed on the Asher City streets, and a pitiful figure lay sprawled within. The eyes of this figure were red like the blood that run through the arteries and veins of every human in the world. Yet they were lifeless. There were several scorch marks on the body of the woman called Number 1, and it was almost entirely blackened with most of the cloak that was concealing her frame burnt to a crisp. She was dead.


    The eyes of Number 3 were once again filled with pain. The carcass of her Captain was like a large hammer that struck her already fragile heart, and it broke into countless little pieces.


    "Now we can talk. There is much I want to know." The cold voice of the one who reaped the lives of the man she loved and the woman she admired sneaked into her ears, and fear filled her eyes once again. When she looked into those blue eyes she saw nothing but despair.


    "Undo stillness," Mane ordered, and Number 3 felt the strange power that had made her mute disappear. She could speak again. But she felt no joy, for she knew why she had been given her voice back.


    "I won''t tell you anything," she remarked bravely even though she was terrified. Although she was afraid, she meant her words. She didn''t plan to tell Mane anything.


    "I know," Mane nodded his head and squatted next to her. "I have killed two of your people. It isn''t surprising that you don''t want to speak to me," Mane continued. But then he quickly added, "But who said you have to be willing?"


    "So, shall we begin?"

 Chapter 396 - Aftermath and New Information

    It had been only a day since the finals of the Grand Tourney ended, yet there was no jubilating. There was no laughter in the streets of Asher City. There was no singing and dancing, and there certainly wasn''t any celebratory feast. Every time the Grand Tourney ended, the hosts, Asher City, would entertain the citizens of the city and the Champions in what was called the Celebratory Feast. It was referred to as a feast, but it was really more like a festival. For it was filled with several different programmes and activities. The overabundance of food during this period was just a plus. However, the usual Celebratory Feast held for the Champions that normally run for a whole week had been cancelled. And no one was surprised. No one was in the mood to celebrate after how the Grand Tourney ended.


    Because of the manner in which the events of that day had ended, the new Champions weren''t presented to the people, though everyone knew who the new Champions were. It was an undisputed fact that the Orange Team were the new Champions after Sword King White Mask had wiped the floor with Black Saga, the strongest member of the Black Team without so much as a scratch. But the competition didn''t get the fitting end it deserved, for Black Saga did something so despicable that the people of Asher City didn''t even want to remember it..


    The man who was a legend of their city, a veteran of war, and a hero of the people, had attacked Sword King White Mask after their fight had ended! Sword King White Mask had approached the stretcher that was carrying Black Saga out of the stadium out of his concern for the man''s health. Yet Black Saga had attacked Sword King White Mask without any intention of accepting his loss. Even more despicable was that he struck Sword King White Mask through his own teammate, Black Axe! Black Axe was still in critical condition, and his life hung in the balance. Black Saga''s actions had destroyed the image he had strenuously built in the eyes of the Asher City citizens. His legend was no more, and his image was nothing but a stain on the records of this great city. To the citizens of Asher City he deserved nothing short of an exile, for his existence reminded them of the events they hoped to forget.


    The streets were empty, and very few people chose to use the roads now. Many were still cooped up inside their homes, disturbed by the treacherous scenes of that day. As the guards patrolled the streets, not a single person was in sight.


    "To think the actions of one man have reduced our lively city into a near dead one." Two guards were patrolling a street. Both were completely covered ¨C from head to toe ¨Cin thick shiny armor. Their helmets only revealed their eyes, and both were of a similar build. Strapped to their waists were their swords which were sheathed in plain leather scabbards. As they walked, they sighed piteously as the state of their city.


    "I don''t know what he was thinking when he did that." One of the guards shook his head and said. His helmet rattled like an old tin can because of his head movements as he walked down the street with his colleague.


    "I am sure he was blinded by rage. I heard that his anger was legendary, and that he always had anger issues. But I didn''t think that he would stoop so low." The other guard sighed once again. He felt like he had grown a few years older in just a day from witnessing the depression that plagued this great city.


    "I don''t know how he is still alive." The first guard stated. That''s right. Black Saga was still alive. Steel Fist had moved in to kill the man, but she had been stopped at the last minute by a man well known to the guards but unknown to the people.


    Ivor!


    Ivor had prevented the death of Black Saga. However none of them thought that it was for Black Saga''s sake that he was spared. And that was because of Ivor''s expression when he arrived. The man wasn''t smiling like he usually was. He had a deep frown on his face with his face twisted in fury. He stopped Steel Fist''s movements with nothing but a wave of his hand, freezing the Eagle in her place. Then he approached the fallen figure of Sword King White Mask and apologized for failing him.


    "Sword King White Mask must be an unordinary figure," the first guard said, and the other nodded his helmet clad head. Both were quite fortunate to witness Ivor''s interaction with the fallen warrior, and could see the pain in the man''s eyes. Added to the apology Ivor had given with a fully submissive countenance, they could tell that Sword King White Mask wasn''t an ordinary person. Both of them felt that Black Saga was only spared so that he could account for his sins when Sword King White Mask awakened. For the masked man who had made his name known after just one battle was not dead. The dagger had missed his heart, and although he was still unconscious, he wasn''t in any real danger.


    "His sister wasn''t ordinary either," the 2nd guard added. Both of them thought back to the beautiful woman who had shed tears at the sight of the unconscious Sword King White Mask. Their eyes were dazed for a few seconds as they recalled the pitiful ethereal figure who had almost unleashed her fury on the healers and Maggie the Lion.


    "If it wasn''t for Black Mask she would have gone on a rampage," the 1st guard shivered when he recalled the powerful aura that kept him in place on that fateful day. He was nothing but an Animal Thrasher. There was no way he could resist the power that flooded the field that day.


    "That Black Mask," the 2nd guard narrowed his visible eyes into slits and said.


    "He was the most dangerous of them all," the 1st guard finished the statement. Both of them remembered that the beautiful woman was knocked unconscious by Black Mask, and that Maggie the Lion had her aura of power forcefully dispelled after Black Mask said a simple word! Besides, when he handed Sword King White Mask''s sister over, that powerful aura that filled the field was far more intense than any other they had ever witnessed. It was the power of a wild beast; untamed and unrestrained. The fury contained within that aura shook the bodies of all who were in the stadium that day to their very core. When they recalled how thunder bellowed and lightning danced in the sky from the aura of that one man they were once again stricken with fear. Luckily for them, something else seemed to draw Black Mask away from the stadium, and the man disappeared. No one was able to trace his movements, and no one knew where he went or where he was right now.


    "I wonder where he is, or what he is doing," the 1st guard stated.


    "Not me. I wouldn''t want to be in the sight of such a demon." The 2nd guard shivered and said. Both men slowly completed their rounds, and moved to the next street.


    The man they spoke of was currently cooped up in a basement, sorting out his thoughts.


    "Do you think that she''s telling the truth?" Hildegarde was back to her favorite position ¨C Mane''s shoulder. Her brows were furrowed in thought as she sorted out the information that she had been fed; information that she was struggling to accept.


    "Why wouldn''t she be telling the truth?" Mane was without his now iconic black mask; his handsome features no longer hidden. Yet in a basement like this without any life other than his and Hildegarde''s, it was almost as if he was still hiding his features.


    "She was under the effect of Words of Power. With her strength only at the peak of the Profound Realm, she wouldn''t be able to resist my commands." Mane added, before sitting into a cross-legged position on the ground.


    "Then from her words, there are three major races: The Ancients, the Elementals, and the Barbarians. The twins are royal siblings of the Elemental Race, whereas Dan is the Prince of the Ancients. Humans came after, but they were too weak to pay attention to. Everything changed with the appearance of the Black Dragon of the East. This is all a lot of information to take in." Hildegarde rubbed her lovely temples and sighed.


    "It is. But it is the truth." Mane nodded his head and said. They had learned a lot from the Barbarian woman with the code name Number 3. They learnt about the true history of the Black Dragon, The Citadel''s real purpose, the legends of the Ancients and Ivor''s true identity.


    "You are the first fairy to know all this," Mane added, and a small smile found its way onto Hildegarde''s face.


    "All thanks to you," Hildegarde acknowledged. She began to wonder how the Testeds that passed this stage had passed without knowing all this.


    "Now I know who I have to lend my strength to," Mane narrowed his eyes and said. Hildegarde nodded and asked, "The Citadel?" That seemed like the best choice since they were human, and Mane was a human godling.


    "No," Mane surprised Hildegarde by shaking his head and rejecting her suggestion.


    "The Ancients?" Hildegarde tried again. Dan was the person who had taken Mane in when he arrived in this world and had trained him for a while. Mane loved the man, so maybe he wanted to lend the Prince of Ancients his strength.


    "No," but once again, Mane shook his head in disagreement.


    "The Elementals?" Hildegarde presented the last choice before the Supreme, but with a bit more confidence than the first two. That was mainly because it was the last of the three races Mane was acquainted to left. The Barbarians had tried to kill his friend so there was no way Mane would side with them. Plus since the twins were Elementals it made sense for Mane to take their side. She was a little surprised that Mane had picked them though, since his relationship with Ivor was still shaky. But relationships that hadn''t reached a life or death stage were still mendable.


    "Not them either," however, Mane once again left her stupefied with his decision.


    "Then who?" Hildegarde asked.


    "The twins are Elementals, which means that Elder Fan is in no way ordinary, and he has been lying about not knowing anything about Edict. In fact, I suspect that he was the one who placed a seal on the twins'' star maps. And that would mean his understanding of Edict eclipses that of Dan''s by a huge margin." Mane started.


    "Why would he do that to his own grandchildren?" Hildegarde was stunned. It was safe to say that she didn''t see that one coming.


    "I don''t know. He must have his reasons. But since the twins are royalty, that would mean that he is also royalty. And the minds of people in power are difficult to decipher." Mane himself was clueless about this. How was he supposed to know what that elder was thinking?


    "Dan is an Ancient, and probably the most important person in my life right now."


    "Sure he is," Hildegarde smirked with a knowing smile on her face. Although she didn''t say anything, Mane knew what she meant. The naughty fairy was teasing him again. As for the person on the other end of the teasing scale, it was none other than the Princess of the Elemental Race ¨C Lily.


    "Ehem," Mane cleared his throat to hide his embarrassment and continued. "But I know nothing about his people and from Number 3''s words, they are the most scheming of the bunch. Although her view would be skewed since the Barbarians aren''t on good terms with the Ancients and she was a Barbarian herself, all I have to work with currently are her words."


    "The Barbarians aren''t even an option since I already have a blood feud with them. The Citadel is new to me, and I have no close ties to them. As for me being a Human Godling, that matters little. I have killed as many humans as I have beasts. In fact that tally would have increased if not for you." Mane''s expressionless face as he spoke about killing chilled Hildegarde''s heart. How could a boy who was only 11 be this callous concerning taking the lives of others. However she quickly resolved herself that she would try her best to make Mane more human.


    Mane didn''t know about Hildegarde''s internal dilemma and proceeded with his thoughts on the issue at hand. "I cannot antagonize either the twins or Dan since by picking a side that''s exactly what I would be doing."


    "So what would you do?" Hildegarde asked.


    "I don''t know yet. I would still need some time to consider everything." Mane confessed.


    "That seems to be the best option right now," Hildegarde agreed.


    "First we need to dispose off her body," Mane stated, and turned to face the corpse a few meters away from him. The skin of the deceased figure was shrunken and looked like the skin of an extremely aged person. The entire body was a pale yellow color, and the opened mouth and terror in its eyes before death showed that this person didn''t die a pleasant death. It would have been difficult to place this corpse, but the wide open eyes of the corpse revealed its identity. For the eyes of the deceased were blood red, meaning she was a Barbarian. This corpse belonged to the Barbarian called Number 3.

 Chapter 397 - Devours Effects

    "At least now we know what happens when one uses Devour on a living thing," Mane frowned and said, and Hildegarde nodded her head.


    When Mane was gifted Devour by the Selfish Titan King who was somewhere within his soulscape, he didn''t understand much about the skill. However, he had been enlightened and gained some understanding on the skill. His comprehension came after he gained new found understanding of the Laws of Life and Death. And with that understanding came the realization that he couldn''t simply use the skill Devour on a living being. The risks to the living were severe. He hadn''t tested it at the time, but he just felt it. That''s what the Laws of Life and Death told him. They whispered to him that it was not a good idea, and he believed them. But when the chance came to test it out first hand, he took it.


    "She didn''t die though," Hildegarde stated.


    "But I had her wishing that she had," Mane didn''t think that was a plus.. He didn''t torture Number 3. Yet the condition of her corpse would have said otherwise to anyone else who saw it. If she wasn''t tortured how did her previously gorgeous skin become so swallow and discolored? The answer was Devour. Mane had tested the skill on her and the effects were disastrous. He had pulled out her outer energy, but her body came out with it.


    When he pulled out her outer energy, every part of her body that was enforced by this energy was affected ¨C her muscles, her skin, her tendons, her ligaments and bones were all affected. They either atrophied or were completely destroyed. That had caused Number 3 excruciating pain. Even Mane couldn''t continue with it. He stopped immediately, leaving her half dead. Her death was a relief really, since there was no way she could recover from the effects of Devour. However, this unfortunate incident allowed him to understand something else about Devour. If Number 3 lost the integrity of her muscles, bones and other structures that handled outer energy, then that meant that for those that handled inner energy their blood vessels ¨C veins, arteries, and capillaries ¨C and more importantly their hearts, would rupture or breakdown if Mane pulled out their inner energy. This was because it was these structures that housed inner energy. However, there was another interesting finding.


    There was something else that he didn''t tell Hildegarde. He had also analysed Number 3''s internal system, and recorded her star map. And the next finding was based on what he had seen. Number 3''s star map was different from Mane''s and the twins, but shared some similarities with Dan''s. Her star map was red ¨C completely red ¨C just like her eyes. The twins and Mane had only white stars in their star maps, whereas Dan had both white and red stars. Number 3 had only red stars.


    Number 3 had five stars in her star map, and all of them were red. Three of these stars were filled, whereas the other two were empty. At first Mane reckoned that the stars had to do with a person''s talent. But the twins were just as talented as him, however they had only seven stars in their star maps unlike Mane who had nine. And Dan had fourteen, which just didn''t seem to make sense since Dan''s talent was currently in decline and was comparable to Mane and the twins''. So right now Mane didn''t know what to think. There was one thing he was absolutely certain of though.


    The color of the stars was not just related to a person''s ability to store Edict or Chaos, but their race. According to what Number 3 told him, Ancients were physically strong and could control the elements as well. Barbarians had extreme physical strength, but didn''t have the blessing of nature to use elements. Elementals were, well, elementals. They could use a particular element to near perfection, but they were very weak physically.


    Initially, Mane had ?ssumed that Dan''s red stars were to store Chaos. He wasn''t taking away that ?ssumption. However, he was modifying it. Number 3 had red stars in her body, and they were just as robust as Dan''s. Yet she had stored outer energy in these red stars! This meant that although the red stars may be able to store Chaos, they weren''t limited to only that. For Chaos storage Mane wasn''t so sure since he hadn''t been able to confirm it, but since he saw red stars in Number 3''s body containing outer energy, that meant the Barbarians used the red stars to house their outer energy. But that also meant that Ancients were the most talented of the three races. And that may explain why although Dan was all alone, the Barbarians didn''t dare pick a fight with him but chose to eliminate the twins. That and the fact that the Ancients still had very dangerous legends roaming the surface of the earth was a detriment to all the other races.


    "We should leave," Mane stated as his eyes roamed the abandoned basement. This was the place he kept Number 3 after he captured her. He skulked the city looking for a place he could use and found this abandoned warehouse with a conveniently hidden basement. He had been gone for too long. He needed to return to the mansion of the Orange Team. He needed to get back to her.


    "Yes. Maybe Lam is awake now." Hildegarde nodded her head and said.


    "I hope so," Mane sighed and dashed out of the place. His figure streaked through the deserted streets like a flickering lamp. No one could place him, and all the guards who caught a glimpse of his figure didn''t see anything but a fluttering black cloak.


    The mansion of the City Lord was a respected place ¨C probably the most respected place in all of Asher City. Not many people were allowed to enter, only a select few. And even fewer were allowed to use the rooms of the mansion like their own backyard. But as they say, to every rule there is an exception. This exception was within the dungeon of the City Lord''s mansion; an exclusive prison rarely used. But it was in use right now. And someone even the City Lord didn''t dare to chastise was using the place.


    Within one of the exclusive cells of the City Lord''s Dungeon, there was a thick-tall man hanging from the ceiling. The condition of the man was terrible to say the least. Both his upper body and lower body were uncovered, with only a skimpy shorts hiding his genitalia. There was several cuts on his body, some deep and others shallow. And there were bruises everywhere. There were parts of his body which were still bleeding, and some that were now starting to heal. His hair had covered his entire face, leaving only his dark eyes which stared emotionlessly at his aggressor.


    His torturer was a man almost as tall as him, but this man had a rounded figure. His eyes were narrow like that of a snake, and there was a nonchalant look on his face as he approached the hanging man with a large rod in his hands. The large man was a figure feared by all who actually knew him. Some called him Ivor the Tattler, others called him Ivor the Genial, and still others referred to him by what he actually was, Ivor the Insane. People related to him based on what they knew him by. Those who knew him by the title Ivor the Tattler knew him as an Information Merchant with mysterious means. Those who called him Ivor the Genial clearly didn''t know anything about him and just called him that because of the wide smile he usually had on his face. But the last group ¨C those who actually knew this man''s true self ¨C called him Ivor the Insane because that was exactly who he was.


    "Are you wondering why you are still alive, Black Saga?" The man being tortured was Black Saga, and as the large man approached him, he only gave him a cursory glance. Black Saga looked at Ivor the Insane with very few emotions. The few emotions that remained were of pain and regret. That''s right. Black Saga was part of the unfortunate few who knew Ivor by the title the Insane. And now he was witnessing for himself how insane this man could get.


    "Well, I was going to tell you anyway," Ivor walked to Black Saga''s side and swung the rod he was holding with very little power. And along with the sound of a few bones breaking, the rod connected with Black Saga''s midriff.


    *Whack*


    *Crack*


    "Mmph," Black Saga let out a muffled grunt. Even for one as stoic as him, the pain of that seemingly weak rod was too much to bear. Even though it was swung so cordially, its bite was anything but that. Of course it was going to hurt. Ivor wasn''t a body wielder, but an energy wielder. With every swing, no matter how lazy, he would infuse some of his inner energy into the rod. He didn''t need to swing the rod hard to get what he wanted, and Black Saga had found this out after several hours of continuous torture.


    "If it were up to me, you would be dead," Ivor ??r?ssed the rod like a dear old friend; a look of love etched on his face.


    "But you must remain alive. So that when the Prince awakens, he can see the face of the one who dared strike him!" Ivor roared and struck Black Saga with fury and a miserable cry rang out


    *Whack*


    *Crack*


    "Ahhh!"


    Mira shivered. The weather was kind, and it was warm and comfortable Also, she was sitting next to the fireplace, but she still shivered. She was close to the dungeon, only a floor above the dreaded prisons. So she could hear Black Saga''s miserable screams. And all it brought her was nothing but fear.


    "Can''t we try to escape, Dad?" she turned to the man who had protected her for as long as he had been alive. The man who was usually so bubbly had a sunken face, and his eyes were filled with worry. Next to him was the madam of the city, Madam Anna. Her lovely features were just as saddened as her husband''s. For she was filled with worry as well.


    "We cannot," City Lord Sutton sighed sadly.


    "Ivor is terrifying. If we are to stay put, we may be spared." Lord Sutton added.


    "But if we were to try to escape we would die," Madam Anna gritted her teeth and said. Oh how she and her husband would love the option of an escape. If not anything, just to send their daughter away so that she would be safe. But they knew full well how terrifying the man torturing Black Saga was. If they tried to escape, uncertain death would become certain death!


    "He is keeping us alive for when the Prince wakes up," City Lord Sutton explained. He didn''t dare refer to Lam by his name now that he knew who the young man was.


    "That boy is kind. He would spare us when he wakes up." Mira stated with certainty. If that was the only reason why their judgement was being delayed, then they had more hope than she thought.


    "Oh? Why do you say so?" City Lord Sutton asked.


    "Intuition."

 Chapter 398 - Oracles And Prophecies

    Just like everyone was in shock over the most recent events, the winner of the Grand Tourney were reeling from the effects of the Grand Tourney Finals. Yet the reason why they were struggling to come to terms with what had happened was because they knew more than the average man. They knew the finer details, information hidden in heaps of sand so mountainous that hills looked minuscule next to them. And these people were the original members of the Orange Team ¨C Black Hand, Vital Orange who was the team''s captain, Orange Ivy and the recently recovered Orange Monk. They had isolated themselves from the unoriginal members of the Grand Tourney, and were talking about very private information. Apart from these four, there was no one else in the room. They were currently discussing the appearance of one man. This man was the reason for their cautious behavior, and the reason for their whispers even though they were behind closed doors.


    "He appeared¡­Ivor¡­did you see the expression of the man known for his merciless hand?" Orange Ivy shivered slightly and asked. Her expression was akin to that of a woman who had seen a ghost, for she was pale faced and cold like one with a severely incapacitating fever.


    "I did. Although I knew that the twins were important to him, I ?ssumed it was for some money scheming agenda. After all, that man is known for his greed and selfish hand.." Vital Orange narrowed his eyes and said. He was much more composed than Orange Ivy. And though he was wary and to be honest a little fearful, he was a Predator of The Citadel ¨C mankind''s greatest hope. It was going to take more than Ivor''s reaction to leave him trembling in fear like Orange Ivy.


    "I thought the same. But it seems we were wrong." Black Hand was probably the most relaxed person here. Although when he met Ivor the first time he revealed a pathetic image to the man, displaying the behavior of someone afraid of the one known as Ivor the Insane, he wasn''t truly afraid of Ivor. That was just good acting. He needed to create such an impression because Ivor didn''t know at the time that he was a descendant of the Black Dragon. And descendants of the Black Dragon didn''t fear Ivor. They were only wary of him. Their pride in their ancestor wouldn''t allow them to harbor such fear.


    "So you''re saying that the twins you allowed to stay here are Elementals?" Orange Monk who had been away for treatment opened his mouth and spoke for the first time since the meeting began. This meeting had been going on for about an hour, and all Orange Monk did was to listen. After all, he had been kept in the dark since he was receiving treatment and unable to meet the team. Only Orange Ivy had been coming to see him, and she didn''t tell him anything. It wasn''t that she didn''t want to, but it wasn''t the best plan to share secrets in a hospital that belonged to your enemy.


    "Yes," Vital Orange nodded his head. "When they came here the first time we thought that Ivor had some other agenda by being so nice to them. We didn''t think for one minute that they were Elementals. And from his reaction to Lam''s injury, the twins surely aren''t regular Elementals. They must have very high statuses amongst the people of their race." Vital Orange explained.


    "It was because Lam fought for us for free that the idea of him being an Elemental never even crossed my mind," Black Hand shook his head wryly and said. Orange Ivy and Vital Orange nodded their heads in agreement. With how greedy Ivor was, he would have surely charged them for the twins'' aid. But since those two were obviously unordinary, Ivor wouldn''t have allowed them to participate at all. And from how they appeared in this place for the first time it didn''t seem like he was planning to. Rather it was Mane who had made the suggestion.


    "What about the other one; the one who was actually meant to replace me?" Orange Monk snapped his fingers and asked, trying to remember the name he had so inconveniently forgotten.


    "Mane?" Orange Ivy asked, and the recently recovered Thrasher nodded his head and replied, "Yes, that''s the one."


    "What about Mane?" Black Hand asked.


    "Is he an Elemental too? After all, if those around him are Elementals then it should be safe to ?ssume that he is one. For if it eats like a duck, quacks like a duck and waddles with other ducks, then it must surely be a duck." Orange Monk finished.


    "He isn''t an Elemental," Black Hand shook his head and said. Vital Orange didn''t think to seem so either. As for Orange Ivy, she wasn''t so sure.


    "And why do you say that?" Orange Monk asked, a serene expression that didn''t match the gravity of the issue etched on his face.


    "We fought with him. Kind of like a mock duel. He fought b?r? handed ¨C without any weapons; just with his bodily strength." Black Hand started.


    "And he won," Vital Orange finished.


    "I see," Orange Monk nodded his head in understanding, seemingly satisfied with the answer he had been given.


    "That''s it?" Orange Ivy asked, clearly exasperated. How could that be the reason they were ruling Mane out as an Elemental?


    "Yes. That''s it. Elementals were weak physically. They need to use their elements or that strange energy they store within themselves coupled with weapons and several techniques. Lam uses a sword, but when it comes to pure physical strength he is comparable to an Animal Hunter. Mane on the other hand¡­" Black Hand''s explanation trailed off there.


    "That boy is a beast even without his inner energy," Vital Orange continued. Both didn''t seem to know that they were also energy practitioners, but their energy was stored in their muscles and bones and was called outer energy. And that Mane used that exact same outer energy to deal with them.


    "Besides, during our duel I happened to catch an interesting confrontation," Black Hand suddenly stated.


    "What did you see?" it was clear that Vital Orange was left in the dark in this, because he was the one who asked this question, and he was clearly eager to know the answer.


    "Mane was staring at Ivor the entire time, and Ivor was the same. Although he was fighting us he seemed to be keeping an eye on Ivor. I''m certain that he didn''t reveal an awful lot because he didn''t dare to do so with Ivor watching. He doesn''t trust the man" Black Hand revealed what he saw on the day of their duel. This was something he noticed. Every time Mane''s aura spiked, it was directed at Ivor. That was strange to Black Hand, mainly because one would have expected that Mane would be focusing on them and not a bystander. So he took notice of it and came to a conclusion: neither trusted the other. Not Ivor and certainly not Mane. Both were only cordial because of the twins!


    "I cannot believe that we tried to recruit Elementals," Vital Orange smiled bitterly and said.


    "Even worse we gave them valuable treasures as gifts," Orange Ivy added. Her expression was bitter because she knew that they would get punished for making such a wrong call. The others had ugly expressions as well. Well, everyone except Black Hand.


    "It isn''t entirely a failure," Black Hand comforted.


    "What do you mean Master," Orange Ivy asked.


    "Well, the twins don''t seem to know their heritage. Those two are very na?ve and cannot even lie. They haven''t been trying to deceive us. If they were, I would have known." Black Snake stated. The others nodded in response to his words. The man was a Snake and was better at deception than most. If indeed the twins were acting he would have been able to see through it.


    "It is Mane who seems to be keeping so many secrets, and doesn''t tell the truth most of the time," if Mane were to be listening in on their conversation he would be stunned. He thought he had gotten away with his stalling tactics and lies but Black Hand wasn''t deceived. A Snake would never fall for the schemes of a teenager whose main talent lay with the sword.


    "If the twins didn''t know who they were, how were we supposed to know?" Black Hand stated. The others smiled wryly. Although all this was true, it wouldn''t stop their punishment from coming. At best, it would only reduce it.


    "The reason why I said it is not a complete failure isn''t because of this," Black Hand clarified. His words had the others focusing their gazes on him with hope.


    "I''m referring to Mane. We can still recruit him." Black Hand stated, and the expressions of Vital Orange and Orange Ivy lit up. However, they turned dull soon after.


    "Why would he join us? He is clearly friends with the twins. And they are close." Vital Orange argued and Orange Ivy nodded her head. Those were her thoughts exactly.


    "But he is also enemies with Ivor. And they are distrustful of each other." Black Hand countered, and the eyes of the doubtful duo lit up in hope. Black Hand was right. And that meant that if they could recruit a talent like Mane then they would rack up merit, and not punishment. What would be awaiting their return wouldn''t be a bed of nails, but a rosy plantation of sweet rewards.


    "I don''t know why the Dragon Lord decided to work with that man anyway. We wouldn''t be in this mess if we had just hired an actual Information Merchant to find us a replacement. I don''t believe that Ivor is the best after all." Orange Ivy stated with a sullen expression. She was really finding it difficult to understand why The Citadel''s Lord would choose to work with their enemy of all people. Ivor was a good Information Broker, but he wasn''t the best. That wasn''t his focus after all. It was just a front to glean more information off those he kept an eye on. Besides, The Citadel was in touch with several excellent Information Brokers, so why did the Dragon Lord pick Ivor. Why was Ivor the Tattler ¨C no, Ivor the Insane ¨C tasked with this.


    "Is the Grand Tourney truly so important?" Orange Ivy asked again, compounding her questions and heaping them onto the head of her Master.


    "That is classified," Black Hand replied, causing Orange Ivy''s expression to become uglier.


    "But there is something I can answer ¨C your first question," Black Hand added, and Orange Ivy''s eyes lit up. Vital Orange was eager to hear the answer as well for he was also wondering why the Dragon Lord chose to work with Ivor. As for Orange Monk, he was still very serene. It was almost as if he didn''t care about what was happening.


    "Our Oracle received a text ¨C a prophecy," Black Hand stated, and the expressions of the three, including Orange Monk, changed. Oracles were highly regarded in every city, and they seldom received visions or prophecies. But when they did, they weren''t to be taken lightly, no matter how funny these visions or prophecies sounded.


    "I still remember her words: The Deceiver shall bring you a King, a King in commoner''s clothes. His background will be humbling, and his appearance deceiving for one as noble as he. The King shall be brought to your doorstep, a diamond in the rough; one whose maturity is of mind only. Yet your treatment of him shall determine where you shall stand when he comes into himself. He shall be swallowed by the depths, deceived by those he loves. But he will not die. For Sheol wouldn''t be able to keep him. And from it he shall rise as the Harbinger of Chaos!"


    "Initially we thought this prophecy was to be fulfilled by a man who had survived the belly of a Resurrection Cat. But that man is an Ancient. And he cannot possibly be our King. When we were about to give up the Oracle saw a new vision. In the vision Ivor appeared, and the cord of destiny was wound around him. We knew then that he was the Deceiver the prophecy spoke of." Black Hand finished, giving the others time to digest this old information that was new to them.


    "And that''s why you hired him," Orange Monk was the first to digest everything fully. Black Hand nodded his head. If they had their way they wouldn''t work with the Tattler. Alas, they weren''t always going to get their way.


    "So how do we get into the King''s good books?" Orange Ivy who had just recovered asked as well. She didn''t dare call Mane by his name anymore.


    "We must be there for him. We don''t know how he would fall into the darkness, but we must be there to help in any way that we can."


    "And how do we do that? He wouldn''t exactly allow us to follow him wherever he goes." Orange Monk stated.


    "Apparently Lam isn''t waking up, and he needs some special help in order to," Black Hand spoke.


    "How do you know this?" Orange Monk narrowed his eyes and asked. This wasn''t information that they could get from Mane or Ivor.


    "Lily told Ivy. Once again proof that she has no idea who she really is." Black Hand replied. Orange Ivy and Lily were the only women here, so when Mane was off and about dealing with the Number 3''s interrogation, a broken and helpless Lily had confided in Orange Ivy. Naturally, Orange Ivy relayed what she learned to her Master.


    "What are you saying?" Vital Orange asked.


    "We must go with him."

 Chapter 399 - I Want To Go With You

    In one of the rooms of the Orange Mansion (as it was now being called since the Orange Team had won the Grand Tourney and achieved permanent mansion status), a pale faced Lam was lying on a bed, unconscious but alive. His entire frame was covered with a large blanket, and from time to time his brows furrowed like he was in pain.


    Next to him was a weary looking Lily. Her beautiful face was stained with tears, and her eyes were heavy with exhaustion. There were dark circles hugging her eyes and her haggard looking hair suggested that she hadn''t taken a shower for some time. Yet none of this bothered her. Her green eyes were fully placed on the figure lying on the bed. For right now, it was only her brother''s health that concerned her. She was so focused on her brother that she didn''t even notice the door open. Neither did she see the one who had just come in. Maybe it was because she was too tired to really sense anything. Or it could even be that she wasn''t threatened by the new entry, hence her body didn''t see the need to warn her. Either way, she definitely didn''t notice that a person had come in..


    Mane slowly walked to Lily''s side and was only a footstep away from coming into her vision. His eyes were filled with worry when he looked at the unconscious Lam, and when he turned to look at the haggard and weary Lily the worry in his eyes intensified. He couldn''t help but announce his presence to the woman he had slowly come to cherish as his dear friend.


    "The healers say that he isn''t in any real danger. His life signs are all okay, and he is healing excellently from his injuries. He just hasn''t woken up yet. You cannot stay here all day. You need some rest."


    Lily''s body shook slightly when she heard Mane''s voice, but she didn''t turn to face him even though she wanted to. Her body just wouldn''t listen to her. However, she still managed to muster a reply even though her tongue had been unused for a large majority of the last 36 hours.


    "I am fine," she replied. Her voice was hoarse like one who was just speaking for the first time in many years, and it was nothing like the bubbly tune Mane was used to. Her voice sounded so tired and worn out that it was hard to believe that it belonged to her. Her reply and tone didn''t please Mane, for a small frown made its way onto his face and pulled his lips downwards.


    "Turn to me and say that first," Mane argued. Naturally Lily couldn''t do this. She had been stuck in this position for so long that her entire body was stiff. She couldn''t move even if she wanted to. Added to the fact that she was an Elemental, and not an Ancient or Barbarian, her body wasn''t that strong and staying up as long as she did, in the position that she was in, was not a pleasant thing. Mane was one with very astute senses, so he naturally realised that she wasn''t fine in any way.


    "What are you doing?! Let me down!" Lily screamed as Mane hoisted her from her position ¨C half lying on the bed and half sitting on her chair ¨C into his arms. She blushed furiously as she struggled to escape his strong arms, yet with her severely exhausted and energy deficient body she couldn''t muster up much of a resistance. What she was doing was akin to the struggles a rabbit puts up against a predator of vast physical superiority like a Lion. It was futile.


    Naturally Mane didn''t accede to her request. He ignored the furiously blushing Lily and walked out of the room with her in his hands. Lily''s room was right next to Lam''s so Mane didn''t have to travel far to find it. Normally he wouldn''t enter her room. In fact, he had not really been to her room, only Lam''s. But now he had to go in there.


    Mane got to her door in no time and proceeded to enter her room. He took a moment to observe the room for anything that didn''t feel right. For though Number 3 told him that hers was the only Barbarian team that had been sent out on this mission, he wasn''t fully settled with her answer. Whilst it was true that Number 3 may think that, Mane didn''t think that the higher ups of the Barbarian Race would inform a team that would be liable to capture after completing their mission of more information about another team. So he had to be cautious. He quickly scanned the room with Trace, but didn''t find anything out of the ordinary within a 500 meter radius. And with that realization, was some relief.


    "Can you put me down now?" a feeble voice asked from within Mane''s arms, bringing Mane''s attention back to the room. Mane looked down and saw a red faced Lily clutching onto his shirt and staring at him pitifully. She was panting slightly. No doubt as a result of her needless struggles to get out of Mane''s hold earlier. It was needless because she was an Elemental and was more like an ordinary human if she didn''t resort to inner energy. Looking into her eyes that were still as stunning as he remembered them to be, Mane was lost for a while. However, he recovered himself soon and blushed in embarrassment. He coughed lightly and set Lily down onto her bed.


    "Rest up now. You are going to need a lot of sleep to recover your strength." Mane quickly stated and tried to get out of the room. His panicked countenance was delight to one person in the room ¨C the one person that no one else but Mane could see.


    "Look at the mighty Mane, panicking like a scared little mouse and trying to run away. Hahaha! What a beautiful sight! Hahaha!" Hildegarde as usual was quick to jump onto the teasing train. For the past few hours things had been pretty tense with her Tested, so she was more than happy to tease him when the chance provided itself.


    "It wouldn''t kill you to keep quiet for once you know. I would still know that you''re alive if you are silent." Mane countered with his back to Lily as he reached for the door.


    "I know. But I refuse to be silent." Hildegarde bit back, almost causing Mane to cough blood in frustration.


    "I want to go with you," the silent Lily suddenly said, and Mane who was reaching for the door handle froze. His hand remained midair, like a general stopped in his march. Slowly he turned his head to face the tired Lily, and observed her for a few seconds.


    "She''s serious," Mane thought to himself. He sighed and pulled his hand back to his side. Then he walked over to Lily''s bed, dragging her bedroom chair along with him, and sat down.


    "I don''t want you to come with me. It is safer for you here." Mane finally stated when he was seated. He looked Lily in the eye to convey just how serious he was, but his words didn''t dissuade the Elemental Princess who reiterated her d?s?r?.


    "I want to go with you."


    "What about Lam? Do you want him to wake up and not see you here?" Mane argued, and his words finally elicited a reaction from Lily. The beautiful Elemental shook a little hearing Mane''s words, and some panic flashed past those enchanting green eyes. But soon, that panic was no more. She lifted her head calmly and said,


    "The probability of that happening is low."


    Mane''s eyelids twitched upon hearing her words. He thought that would be enough to persuade her but it apparently wasn''t. And while what she said wasn''t false, he wished that it were.


    "I know that you are worried for me. But if Ivor is right and that flower is our best bet at waking Lam up, then I want to go searching for it with you." Lily said seeing that Mane was silent.


    Ivor told them of a plant, a plant called Revival Grass. According to Ivor it was a plant that could forcefully wake a person up. It was mostly used by the resourceful to forcefully open the eyes of a dying relative and have them leave behind a will or last words. But the plant was so rare and precious that it was difficult to find. There was one reliable place where it could be found however ¨C the Dark Valley. It was a dangerous part of the planet, but Mane reckoned that based on the standards of this world he would be fine.


    "You should let her come with us. That way you would be able to keep an eye on her. If you leave her here she may wallow in pain, misery and depression. And if the anxiety of waiting doesn''t kill her, stress would." Hildegarde stated, making her first intelligent contribution since the very recent interaction between Godling and Elemental began. Her words were wise, and Mane couldn''t find the fault in them.


    "You have to promise me that you would take good care of yourself from now onwards. Promise me." Mane insisted before giving Lily his word.


    "I promise," Lily was quick to reply, her voice no longer hoarse after speaking with Mane.


    "We would leave tomorrow. So now sleep." Mane gently tucked Lily into her bed and said. The young Elemental nodded her head and closed her eyes. She drifted off to sleep not long after.


    "She must have been exhausted. She fell asleep almost immediately!" Hildegarde remarked.


    "Yeah," Mane sighed. He felt a bit guilty that he had been moving in and out of the house and had left her alone for most of the day. If he was here, maybe she wouldn''t have been stuck in her brother''s room.


    He smiled seeing her sleeping face and then left the room. Since he said that they would leave tomorrow he had to get some things ready. His weapons were good ones and he didn''t need to prepare anything on that end. The weapons here were the ones he got from Black Hand and co. The heavy swords that had been gifted to him by The Citadel were very good, and Mane was pleased with them. They were Pseudo High Grade swords, and the best he had seen in this world so far. His focus was elsewhere. What he needed to do know was to prep the horses for the journey and pack a few essential items. For the basic essentials that he needed, he just had to inform Tucker, and the man would fetch them for him. So that wasn''t his main concern. Now, all that was left was the horses. So naturally, Mane''s destination was the stables.

 Chapter 400 - Barbarian Lord: Part I

    This world was without a name to most, but that was only to most. Since humans were the most plentiful species on the surface of this planet, they were the ''most'' here. But to those who didn''t occupy the entire land yet had greater talent and skill, this world was the World of the Three Races. It had been named so several millennia ago, before other races were born. Before the humans came to occupy most of this world it was known by that name. And if the Three Races didn''t wish for the humans to occupy this world the humans would have never gained a foothold. These Three Races were also known as the Three Great Races, and they were the Barbarians, Elementals and Ancients.


    Even now, with the power the Three Races commanded, every human was in great trouble. Even Lions, Eagles and Snakes didn''t control their own destiny. To the Three Great Races, Predators were nothing but mid-tier warriors. They were nowhere near the cream of the crop. After Predators were Pseudo Nightmare Powerhouses also referred to as Half a Step into the Nightmare Realm Experts. And above that were Nightmare level warriors. But even then, Nightmares weren''t the peak of power within the three races.. For there were two more levels above the Nightmare Realm!


    Pseudo Phenoms or Half a Step into the Phenom Realm Warriors!


    And Phenoms!


    Pseudo Phenoms were truly talented members of the Three Races, and their power was above that of Nightmares by a huge margin. These people had the power to change the destiny of the world itself, and had the strength to singlehandedly wipeout humanity. Maybe only the Black Dragon of the East ¨C that legend of old ¨C would be able to stand up to a Pseudo Phenom. But even then the Black Dragon would fall without the support of The Citadel. In a way, The Citadel was mankind''s greatest defense, yet mankind itself was unaware of this. Maybe The Citadel had the power to go against a single Pseudo Phenom, but even this ''greatest shield'' was nothing but a lump of coal before the might of a true Phenom!


    Phenoms were just what their names suggested ¨C Phenoms! They were unbelievable forces of nature that could only be described as legends. Their power and stories were so pure and so true that it was hard for anyone to believe that such people existed without seeing them for themselves. These were the true powerhouses of the Three Great Races. But even the Three Great Races had only a few Phenoms. Each race had about 6 or 7 Phenoms, and no more than that. Because of how rare these warriors were, Pseudo Phenoms usually handled the affairs of the Three Great Races. For each race''s Lord was a Pseudo Phenom. The Phenoms were referred to as Great Ancestors, and once a Pseudo Phenom became a Phenom, no matter who they were ¨C whether Lord of the Race or not ¨C they had to put down their worldly attachments and become a Great Ancestor. These worldly attachments included their families. For it was believed that Phenoms had so much power that if they were to remain interested in the affairs of mortals they would be breaking the balance of the world. Great Ancestors were only called upon when the Three Great Races were in great trouble ¨C or when there was information that even they would be interested in.


    The Barbarian Race wasn''t a race of brainless buffoons. They weren''t called Barbarians by the Elementals and the Ancients because they were idiots. When it came to the race with superior intellect, it was undoubtedly the Ancients. They were strong and very innovative, capable of creating mysterious medications that could turn the previously ordinary humans into extraordinary.


    The Elementals were also intelligent, but their intellect wasn''t the kind that brought about new inventions or changed the world. Their intelligence had to do with their comprehensive abilities when it came to the elements. Unlike Ancients, Elementals didn''t have the ability to use more than one element. There was no dual elemental user in the Elemental Race. Yet it was because of this that they were so powerful. Their superior comprehensive abilities pushed them to the summits with their elements. For unlike the Ancients who never truly master the power of their elements, Elementals always reached the peak of Elemental Comprehension. That was their greatest strength, and that was why even with their inherently weaker physiques they were still able to go head to head with the Ancients after all these years.


    So what about the Barbarians? What was their intelligence? The Ancients had their deep scheming and innovative minds. The Elementals had their Elemental Comprehension. And the Barbarians had their Battle Intelligence. That was their intelligence. It sounded trivial, but it was not. Barbarians were so called because they were beings who loved to battle. They weren''t ugly, grotesque looking creatures that were of no appeal to anyone. In fact, most Barbarians were very good looking and exceptional physical specimen. Place them anywhere in the world and there would be millions of men and women craving for their attention. They were very good looking creatures, just like the Elementals and the Ancients. But when it came to battles, this beauty was tossed outside the window. Barbarians had extremely strong bodies, and they had battle awareness that neither the Ancients nor the Elementals possessed. Not only were they able to combat members of other races at a higher level of power than themselves, they were able to read the flow of battle so accurately and adapt to any unexpected changes with such speed that none of the races could match up to.


    Luckily for the humans, the Three great Races weren''t populous. And their numbers kept dwindling over the years. So they slowly disappeared from the world.


    But the Three Great Races hadn''t disappeared. They had difficulty procreating, but they still lived in this world. After all, this was their world before it was the world of humans. And though some of the Elementals, one of the Three Great Races, chose to mingle with the humans, the Ancients kept to themselves. The Barbarians mostly used the humans as breeding tools, but they didn''t live amongst the humans like they did in the past. Now the Barbarians had returned to their home, and they performed many tasks from there. As for how they still procreated with humans, the secret lay in the greedy humans themselves. For some members of that race were so selfish that they were willing to sell their own people for a few coins. This group was known as the Black Market.


    The home of the Barbarians was a small one. It was called Intersection, for it was right in the middle of three lofty mountains. The entire region was covered in a fog that robbed away the vision of all who dared venture into it. And the city itself was covered by a barrier. In fact, the fog was nothing but a part of the great barrier that concealed and protected Intersection. Any human who was foolish enough to venture into this place was either killed by the numerous ferocious Magical Beasts that roamed it, or was dealt with by the Barbarian Border Patrol Team.


    But for a human to survive the caliber of Magical Beasts around Intersection was nothing short of a miracle, and the Barbarian Border Patrol Team seldom had anything to do. For the beasts that lived on the three mountains were all powerful, and there were several Mythic Class Magical Beasts among them! Each mountain housed at least 100 Mythic Classes, 50 Pseudo Legendary Classes, and 25 Legendary Class Magical Beasts! This was a number that would dumbfound and terrify any human who heard it. After all, it took only one Pseudo Legendary Class Resurrection Cat to reduce a village at the peak of the human world into a shadow of its past strength. Yet that wasn''t even the peak of power on these mountains. For each mountain had a ruler, and each ruler was a beast at the level of a Pseudo Phenom! These beasts were called Sacred Beasts, and they could easily destroy the human race. But they weren''t known to the humans, and to the Barbarians they were nothing but animals to be hunted for food and p???sur?. In fact, a group of Barbarians were out hunting right now.


    On one of the Three Mountains called Ice Frost Mountain because it always snowed on this mountain, there were three healthy looking Barbarians riding some large Tigers. These tigers were easily taller than the ?du?t man, and they were at least three meters high! Their fur coats were a beautiful combination of blue with several black stripes running along it, and their eyes were a beautiful golden color. These were Golden Eyed Tigers! They were creatures not known by the human world, but famous amongst the Three Great Races. These beasts were born with their strength already in the Mythic Realm, and by the time they reached maturity they would be Legendary Class Magical Beasts! They were powerful beasts, but these powerful creatures were only serving as mounts for these three Barbarians.


    "Leave the mounts here. We''d finish the rest of the journey on foot." The Barbarian who sat on the largest beast spoke up. His eyes were red, just like Number 3''s, and he was very good looking. He had long red hair that extended all the way to his bu????ks, and almost covered his entire back. He was almost two meters tall, and had an extremely impressive build. He wasn''t bulky, but lean with well sculpted muscles. Even on Ice Frost Mountain which was covered in snow and ice, this man was almost n?k?d! He wore only a pair of trunks that covered his genitals, and had a large axe strapped to his back. However, apart from these, he was wearing nothing else. This man was the Lord of the Barbarians!


    "Yes Lord," the other two Barbarians who were with him didn''t hesitate to dismount like their leader. They were even taller than their leader. Both of them were easily over two meters tall, and had very bulky physiques. Unlike the Barbarian Lord whose physique was a healthy mixture of strength and speed, these two had physiques that suggested that they were full of strength and lacking in agility. Their arms were large enough to easily crush rocks just by leaning onto them, and their legs seemed to hold power that could easily crush their mounts to dust. Just like their Lord, they wore only trunks, with each man opting to use the weapon their Lord used.


    Soon all three had dismounted. They tied their Golden Eyed Tigers to large tree and left them with some food. Golden Eyed Tigers were beasts of the Fire Element, and had no problems surviving in the cold. Once that was done they moved on ahead without the Tigers.

 Chapter 401 - Barbarian Lord: Part II

    "Search for its tracks," the Barbarian Lord ordered, and both men took different sides. One took the path to the Lord''s left, whereas the other opted to search the path to the Lord''s right.


    "Here Lord," the one on the right exclaimed. "It passed here," he continued and pointed at a large paw print that was almost as large as he was! The print was so deep that it was impossible to miss, for it had almost carved out a ditch on the snowy ground!


    "Let''s go," the Barbarian Lord nodded his head when he saw the print. His eyes flashed in anticipation and battle ?ust, but he hid them quickly and followed the large prints, with his subordinates always within a meter of him. As they moved, they came across more prints, each one deeper than the last one. They were getting closer.


    "We are here," the Barbarian Lord stated with a bit of excitement seeing their prey. Several dozens of feet away from them was a large bear covered entirely in snowy white scales. The bear was about ten meters tall, and several meters wide! It had piercing blue eyes and an aura that shook the heavens itself. It was a beast known to the Three Great Races, and it was called the Ice Bear. It was a beast of the Ice Element! Not only did it have a rare elemental affinity, it was also a Pseudo Phenom and the ruler of Ice Frost Mountain! That was why they left the Tigers behind.. Those tigers would cower in fear before this beast and would lose their reasoning. The best case scenario was that they lost their consciousness, with the worst case being that they could be easily controlled by the Ice Bear.


    "Hey old friend!" the Barbarian Lord laughed happily and approached the bear. The large creature looked down on the approaching barbarian. Its eyes were clouded in confusion for a while. Who was this person that dared to come into its presence? Did he now know who it was? But when it stared at this person a bit more closely, the confusion in its eyes disappeared, and there was nothing but excitement and battle ?ust.


    *ROAR*


    It roared in exhilaration upon recognizing the Barbarian before it. Its roar shook the entire mountain, and every creature who heard it shivered in fear.


    "Don''t interfere," the Barbarian Lord exclaimed in excitement and unsheathed his axe, leaving him with nothing but his trunks.


    "Roar," he roared mightily, his roar just as daunting and powerful as the Ice Bear''s. The two''s auras exploded from within their frames, and they dashed at each other.


    The aura of the Barbarian Lord swept past the towering Ice Frost Mountain like a storm. His furious bellow served as a warning to the creatures that served the Ice Bear. His power aura shook them greatly and reminded every submissive Legendary Class Magical Beast that this battle wasn''t for them. And it was a challenge to them as well.


    Come and I''d kill you!


    Animals should be spoken to like animals. And the Barbarian Lord did just that. In a world were only strength was valued, he made his own statement. The power of a Half Step into the Phenom Realm powerhouse was his own, and he announced it like a dragon descending upon a mountain. The Barbarian Lord was a Pseudo Phenom at the peak of his power, and his might was not to be underestimated. Like a ghost his steps were inscrutable and his figure almost a blur. He moved like a fleeting shadow, irritatingly so like a mosquito in the eyes of the Ice Bear. For just like that tiny and prickly creature, it wasn''t able to keep its eyes on the elusive figure of the man who ruled the Barbarians.


    The charging Ice Bear was no different. As a Sacred Beast it was comparable to a Pseudo Phenom powerhouse and so it wasn''t moved by the power of the Barbarian Lord. If anything, the man''s power only caused it more excitement. If the aura of the Barbarian Lord was akin to that of a dragon descending a mountain that wasn''t its and claiming dominance, then the aura of the Ice Bear was like that of a furious dragon ascending into the sky to remind those below that it was still the one, true ruler.


    The large size of the Ice Bear wasn''t reflected in its speed. For it moved like a phantom, and its figure couldn''t be so easily discerned by the n?k?d eye. As it moved the entire mountain shook. Not from its size however. For though it was a large beast, it was always going to be smaller than the mountain. And smaller it was, for the mountain was so large and tall that its height could b?r?ly be estimated. So why did the mountain shake? Why did Ice Frost Mountain''s land shift uneasily so? It was because its ruler had been awakened. The one who called the shots upon this lofty mountain was going into battle, and its aura was enough to remind the mountain of its place as a mere dwelling and nothing more. In just a couple of seconds the two met and collided, and the furious tempest that was born from their clash shook several kilograms of snow off the mountain and broke apart several icy grounds.


    The Ice Bear opted for a probing attack as its first choice, and the Barbarian Lord did the same. The Ice Bear swung its large paw that could easily flatten the gates of a city into nothing but rubble at the Barbarian Lord, and the power of a Sacred Beast was fully displayed. The Barbarian Lord merely narrowed his eyes at this display of power. He too chose to swing his palm at the beast instead of using his axe. The large and mighty axe became nothing but a spectator as it was switched to his weaker left hand to do nothing but watch the clash of palms. It was a decision that didn''t seem the wisest in any way. For the Ice Bear was several times bigger than the Barbarian Lord. Even on all fours the large bear was several times larger, and its paw was even bigger that the Barbarian Lord''s entire frame. But when both palms met the results weren''t normal. And that was because neither of them was normal.


    *Boom*


    The Barbarian Lord was forced several meters back, yet his feet remained solidly upon the ground. He only crouched slightly to withstand the impact of the blow and retain his balance, but he didn''t do anything more than that. The Ice Bear didn''t come out on top either. For although it only took a few meters back, it was a beast that was inherently stronger than man, Elemental, Ancient and even Barbarian. Yet the slim looking Barbarian Lord had been able to withstand its blow with no problem at all! That showed just how powerful the man was with just his physical strength!


    "You have gotten better," the Barbarian Lord remarked as he licked his lips. The Ice Bear roared at him loudly, as if saying that the Barbarian Lord had grown stronger as well.


    "Yes, I have grown stronger as well," the Barbarian Lord laughed heartily. The Ice Bear roared again, but this time with a little disdain in its tone.


    "You really think you are still the better one?" the Barbarian Lord''s face was all smiles. He laughed and then said, "Very well. Let''s see who is better then. The score is my 175 wins to your 174. Let''s see if you are better or I am."


    The Ice Bear roared furiously hearing the Barbarian Lord''s words, and the face of the Barbarian Lord grew unsightly.


    "What? You think you''re are the one with 175 wins and not me? That''s b*llsh*t and you know it!" the Barbarian Lord pointed at the Ice Bear and exclaimed. The Ice Bear roared again, and the Barbarian Lord responded. Barbarian and Bear kept doing this for several minutes, forgetting that they weren''t the only ones here.


    The two Barbarians who came with him were several hundreds of meters away from the scene. They were entirely covered in snow and ice from the aftermath of that simple clash, yet they weren''t cold or dismayed in any way. The simple clash had reached all the way here! They knew that things would get very intense and so they retreated right after the fight started, but they were still caught in the snow storm that ensued.


    Both of them had bitter smiles on their faces hearing the happy laughter of their Lord and seeing him bickering with the Ice Bear. Anyone who was familiar with the Lord of Barbarians would scarcely believe what they were seeing if they were here. The Lord of Barbarians was known as Magma the Intense. He had been given the name Magma because of his red hair, and now it was as iconic as his temper. He was always serious, and rarely laughed or joked with another. Yet here he was, bickering with a bear. But both men weren''t stunned by what they were seeing. They weren''t just Magma''s aids. They had grown up with him.


    Several years ago, when all three were nothing but seedlings of the Barbarian Race, they had run off to Ice Frost Mountain under no supervision to play. They were childish and na?ve, and didn''t truly understand the dangers of this lofty mountain. However, as the greatest talents of their generation they weren''t weaklings, and even at the tender ages of twelve and thirteen they were Predators. They had been able to survive in the lower parts of the mountain for several hours, and didn''t really meet any challenges since the stronger beasts were at the top of this large mountain. But they didn''t get to be carefree for long. They came across a snow white bear cub that had coincidentally escaped its home too. They didn''t recognise it then, but it was the cub of the then ruler of Ice Frost Mountain ¨C an Ice Bear cub! Anyway, they fought the little critter, and b?r?ly managed to defeat it by working together!


    However, the little cub was indignant. It was the descendant of a Sacred Beast and was going to become a Sacred Beast in the future. It was an intelligent beast, and it baited Magma into fighting it alone.


    Magma''s future had been established since his birth. Born with a strong physique and impressive talent he was bound to be the future ruler of the Barbarians, following after the paths his father and his father before him had taken. Barbarians could understand the speech of Magical Beasts, and so he understood what the bear cub was saying and accepted the challenge. Both fought, and the cub eked out a feeble victory. But it was still a victory. Magma who had never lost to any member of his generation wasn''t saddened by this, but excited. He had finally found a worthy advisory, and the little bear cub felt the same. Just when both were about to clash again, their parents appeared and each one was pulled back to his home. Magma to Intersection, and the little bear cub to the peak of Ice Frost Mountain.


    Both had been battling each other since their youth, and had grown accustomed to the other''s fighting methods. As they grew older they lost more and more freedom until they b?r?ly had any time to spar anymore. Now, they only had such a chance once every few years. It had been at least 5 years since Magma''s last visit, and now that they had met again it was no surprise that they were this chatty.

 Chapter 402 - Magma and the Ice Bear

    "Look," one of the Barbarians stated, his finger pointing at Magma. "They are about to get serious," he added. The other nodded his head in agreement. Magma had returned his axe to his dominant right hand, and his aura was steadily climbing up again. The Ice Bear had extended its formerly retracted claws as well. Each claw was as long as Magma and was extremely sharp. Its aura climbed up steadily as well as both ¨C man and bear ¨C prepared to clash once more.


    *Roar*


    "Roar"


    Both roared like beasts unhinged. Like animals unbound after decades in captivity they allowed their bloodlust to take over, and they crashed into each other for the second time already.


    Magma started to spin when he was only within a few meters of the Ice Bear. As he span the snow and ice around him were forcefully removed and gathered around the Barbarian Lord.. His turbulent aura was like glue, keeping the snow and ice in a constant whirlwind round him.


    The Ice Bear was like a merciless brute. Each step it took left vast consequences on the land, with its paws creating several dents and new ditches with every step it took. As it moved it commanded the element that was its birthright, and it acceded to his request. Ice and snow gathered at its roar, and its long and sharp claws were covered in them. The ice coalesced around its mighty figure, forming an impregnable silvery white armor that was far stronger than its scales. As if that wasn''t enough, several ice shards gathered on the spine of the armor and took the shape of two giant ice wings that flapped each time the Ice Bear moved, drastically improving its speed. With every flap of the wings the Ice Bear moved several meters closer to its target, and snow was blown away. In less than a second, these childhood rivals were upon each other. The one who commanded the whirlwind with nothing but his physical strength alone crashed into the controller of ice and snow. And the results were¡­


    Destructive!


    *Boom*


    With a loud bang both crashed into each other. Whirlwind into ice claws, and their furious auras of power tormented the landscape they battled upon. The two Barbarians who came with the Barbarian Lord were forced to retreat even further. Both men escaped speedily, their expressions grave. They had witnessed many duels between these two, but they had never experienced anything of this scale yet.


    "Both of them broke through!" one of the Barbarians shouted at the top of his voice so that the other could hear. The raging winds and heavy snow had greatly hindered their senses. They could b?r?ly make each other out, much less hear the other without screaming.


    "I can see that!" the other Barbarian responded with a shout as loud as his colleague''s. Both men continued to race down the mountain towards the place where they kept the Golden Eyed Tigers. They needed to get those unfortunate creatures out of here before the avalanche that had been started by the carelessness of Magma and the Ice Bear reached them.


    Magma was a High-Level Pseudo Phenom, and so was the Ice Bear. At least both of them were when they last fought. But it seemed that both had broken through to the Peak of the Pseudo Phenom Realm, hence there was a massive increase in their strength. Since Magma was the Barbarian Lord and b?r?ly had any issues that required his personal action, even his aides weren''t aware that he had grown stronger. They were just finding out. If they knew that he had grown this strong, they wouldn''t have stayed when they found the Ice Bear. They would have left for the Golden Eyed Tigers immediately.


    As for the two involved in the clash, they cared very little for what was happening around them. Their eyes glowed with excitement as they pounced on each other. Magma hoisted his large axe and brandished it with the expertise and skill of a man who had been using an axe his entire life. The large weapon gleamed brightly and was particularly resplendent even in the storm of hail and snow. Like a mighty warrior king, Magma swung the axe at the Ice Bear and his powerful aura engulfed the Peak of Ice Frost Mountain!


    The Ice Bear was no weaker than its childhood friend, and the axe that had slain many was a weapon familiar to it. The axe didn''t scare it, and neither did Magma''s aura. For it was just as powerful as Magma, and was eager to show its friend that beast was always superior to man, even if that man was no ordinary man but a Barbarian Lord. With a mighty roar the Ice Bear swung its sharp claws at Magma, choosing to face the Barbarian Lord''s attack head on!


    *Bang*


    Like the clash of two extremely gigantic cymbals, axe met claws. And though the claws were several times larger than the axe, they didn''t gain the advantage they logically should have, and were only able to push the wielder of the axe some meters back. Magma was forced back several meters but was otherwise unharmed. He still had a crazed look on his face and was not discouraged by his forced retreat in any way. Although Barbarians were superior to all other ''human'' races in terms of strength, the beast race was the true superior when it came to body strength. So he wasn''t fazed that the Ice Bear had bested him. He rushed towards the large beast once again, his axe spinning ceaselessly in his hands as he gathered momentum.


    *Roar*


    The Ice Bear roared in satisfaction and excitement. Seeing Magma getting closer and closer to it, the large Ice Bear rose up. It stood on its hind legs and brought its fore legs together, putting its paws together like it was about to pray. And then it swiped down powerfully towards Magma with its claws still covered in ice.


    Magma''s eyes narrowed slightly seeing the unusual action of the Ice Bear. But a smile soon found its way onto his face. His old friend was trying to fight like a human! Magma laughed in amusement and suddenly sped up. Like a man drugged with enhancement medication, he quickly jumped out of the way, avoiding the powerful blow. He wasn''t stupid enough to think that he could use his axe to block such a mighty charge.


    The powerful limbs of the Ice Bear struck the solid icy ground and exploded them into several chunks. The ground shook slightly as several more cracks appeared on the Peak of Ice Frost Mountain. Yet the one who the Ice Bear had intended to bury under the ice was not there. Like a ghost he appeared right next to the Ice Bear, displaying his amazing speed. His axe was still spinning in his hands, with the Barbarian Lord easily controlling the weapon like it was a small dagger. The large axe that weighed a few hundred kilograms was easily and deftly controlled by Magma, and without stopping to take a breather he slashed the powerful blade of the weapon towards the side of the Ice Bear.


    *Bang*


    The axe struck the Ice Bear mercilessly, and it was sent flying several metres away. It rolled on the ground a few times before finally regaining its footing. Even though it was struck squarely on its left side, there wasn''t even a scratch on its ice armor! It shook off the snow that had adhered to its large body during its roll and turned to look at the person who had embarrassed it so. Yet the Barbarian Lord wasn''t there anymore!


    "I''m here old friend," the gloating voice of the Barbarian Lord was heard, and the man reappeared next to the left side of the Ice Bear once again. Without giving the Ice Bear any time to react he struck the same side he struck just moments ago with deadly precision, and a bit more power.


    *Bang*


    *Crack*


    Once again, the Ice Bear was knocked away. But unlike before, there was a crack in its ice armor. For Magma had struck the same spot he struck earlier! However, the crack was slowly being restored as ice and snow gathered around it under the control of the Ice Bear.


    *Roar*


    The Ice Bear roared in annoyance. It certainly wasn''t enjoying being toyed with. And it was no fun to be sent flying with the huge body it had. But the person responsible for its plight was certainly enjoying himself, and he wasn''t ready to give up his advantage. And he certainly wasn''t going to wait for the armor to be mended. He displayed his unmatchable speed once again, as his figure flashed before the eyes of the Ice Bear and he appeared right where he wanted to be next ¨C at the site of the crack. With a mighty swing he struck the Ice Bear again, but this time things didn''t go as he planned.


    A large ice wing was in his way, and it was this ice wing that blocked the attack. Magma looked baffled. Although it wasn''t the first time the Ice Bear had formed ice wings, it never used it in this manner. Its control of ice wasn''t so refined that it could use it to block and commence attacks. It only used it to boost its speed. But Magma recognized the potential in such a skill. If his friend could control the wings a bit more freely and maybe attack and defend with them, it would become a much more troublesome opponent. And eventually, it may even be able to fly using this method!


    *Roar*


    The Ice Bear roared provocatively and swung its large wing, swatting Magma away. The Lord of the Barbarians flipped a few times before landing some meters away from the Ice Bear. He dusted the snow off his hair and laughed.


    "It seems that if we don''t get more serious there would be no winner today," Magma stated.


    *Roar*


    The Ice Bear roared in agreement, and opened its huge mouth to reveal its powerful teeth. Each tooth was like a large sword and was capable of grinding several heavy swords to dust. Yet that wasn''t the reason it had opened its mouth. Several small lights began to gather in front of its mouth as ice shards all around were drawn towards that light. Soon a powerful presence filled the place as the Ice Bear''s Breath attack neared completion. This power was called Frost Breath. It was a skill every Ice Bear inherited, but its destructive power varied from Ice Bear to Ice Bear. However, this Ice Bear was a talented member of its species that had been battling a Barbarian Lord since its youth. So the power of its breath was far above ordinary.


    "I can''t dawdle either," Magma smiled, and his red eyes became even redder. A red light covered his entire frame, and his aura skyrocketed. If before he was like a dragon descending upon a mountain, now his aura was akin to that of the dragon of dragons. He was now a Dragon Lord hungrily seeking for something to devour. He held his axe with both hands, something he hadn''t done since the duel began, and the red light extended onto the weapon as well. And with that, something amazing happened.


    As the red light grew stronger, Magma grew with it. And so did his axe. The formerly two meters tall man grew to about 5 meters, and his axe experienced the same kind of growth. Magma gave a loud roar filled with excitement and jumped at the Ice Bear. It was at this moment that the Ice Bear''s preparations were completed, and it let go of that which it was holding on to, firing its Ice Breath at Magma!


    *BOOM*

 Chapter 403 - Flames of Magma

    "It should be over by now" two Barbarian men stood at the foot of Ice Frost Mountain with three large tigers. Their half-naked bodies were entirely covered in snow, just like the tigers next to them. These men were the Barbarian warriors who had accompanied their Lord on his journey. Due to their superior physical abilities they were able to escape Ice Frost Mountain before the avalanche that had been caused by their Lord and the Ice Bear got to them. And they retreated with the Golden Eyed Tigers while they were at it. After all, although Golden Eyed Tigers were Fire Elemental Magical Beasts, they wouldn''t be able to survive a snow avalanche. It was a disaster that even warriors at their level feared, much less Legendary Class Magical Beasts like Golden Eyed Tigers.


    "It should," the other Barbarian nodded his head in response to his friend''s earlier words. His name was Rasa, and he was a Pseudo Phenom just like Magma. His friend was Waska and he was also a Pseudo Phenom. They were the personal guards of the Barbarian Lord Magma. As Rasa spoke he scooped a handful of snow from his thick hair and dropped it onto the ground. Since the tremors from before had ceased both ?ssumed that the duel between Barbarian and Beast was over..


    "I wonder which of them came out on top this time," Waska violently pulled onto his hair to shake out the snow and ice that had gotten stuck in it. Since the fight was over, there should be a winner. And because both Magma and the Ice Bear had breakthroughs prior to their battle, neither Waska nor Rasa could confidently say that Magma or the Ice Bear was the winner.


    "Maybe it was a draw again," Rasa stated, and Waska sighed. "Yes. That is very possible." Magma and the Ice Bear had fought a total of 499 times, excluding this most recent fight. Of those duels, Magma was leading with a record of 175 wins to the Ice Bear''s 174. But there were also 150 times when there wasn''t a clear winner and both sides had to settle for a draw. This was their 500th duel, and since both had achieved breakthroughs and neither didn''t seem to have that much of an edge over the other, it was highly likely that a draw will be the most probable outcome.


    "It seems that we are wanted," Rasa stated, and Waska nodded his head. "Indeed."


    Before long the sound of hooves striking the ground was heard, and five figures riding large black horses appeared in the distance. Even from a distance one could tell that those mounts were no ordinary mounts. For the horses were about 0.5 times bigger than the average horse and their strong leg muscles carried the large and powerful bodies of the Barbarians mounted on them with no problem. Soon the Barbarians had reached Rasa and Waska''s location. They quickly dismounted and approached Waska and Rasa.


    Two of the five Barbarians were topless and only wore trunks. Each of them was strong and powerful, and the weakest of them was a Pseudo Nightmare! Both of them had heavy swords strapped to their shirtless backs, and their red eyes glowed within their eye sockets. The other three were Barbarian women. Unlike the men they weren''t topless, but they didn''t cover up that much. They only wore skimpy crop tops and trunks that were so short and tight that their fair legs were mostly exposed. They were all beautiful, but they powerful auras were the only things that mattered. Each of them was at least a Pseudo Nightmare!


    When they reached Waska and Rasa all five of them immediately dropped to their knees and onto the snow covered ground. With their heads facing the ground they knelt on they addressed the men who were their Lord''s personal aides. But it was only one of them who did the speaking. The woman who led the group was the one who spoke up.


    "Night Patrol greets the Flames of Magma!"


    "What is it?" Waska sighed and rubbed his temples with a tired look on his face. The team before him was called the Night Patrol. And they were a special team with a high position in Intersection. They were rarely deployed for missions outside Intersection itself because of their importance, but there were still some figures above them. It just so happened that Rasa and Waska were part of those who outranked this elite team.


    Rasa and Waska were given the title ''Flames of Magma'' due to their positions as the Lord''s personal bodyguards. They were only inferior to Magma and the Ancestors and shared a similar position of power with the Barbarian Elders. So naturally, the Night Patrol had to be very cautious around them.


    Honestly, Waska was already exhausted when he saw that it was the Night Patrol that was approaching. Since it was an elite team, they were hardly sent out for trivial matters. For them to be all the way here meant that they were here for the Lord. And they were most likely under orders from the only group of people that could order the Night Patrol around ¨C the Barbarian Elders. And that could only mean that there was trouble.


    "The Elders have summoned the Lord. They request to see him urgently." The Captain of Night Patrol replied immediately. All five members were still half kneeling on the ground, yet none of them had any complaints.


    "Do you know what this is about?" Rasa asked, speaking to the Night Patrol Captain for the first time since her team arrived.


    "Yes," the Captain responded. "It is because of the Princess."


    "What happened to the Princess?" Waska''s face became a bit sterner, and Rasa''s eyes flashed dangerously. The Barbarian Princess was a special existence. She was the sister of the Barbarian Lord Magma, and she was highly talented. At an early age she portrayed talent that was not inferior to her brother''s in any way, and she had already become a Captain of her own team before she was 30. That was a massive achievement. The only reason she didn''t captain a team earlier was because Magma was reluctant to give her such a responsibility. The Barbarian Lord was unsurprisingly soft and doting towards his blood related sister. And he didn''t want her to be in danger. But he relented eventually and allowed her to take missions outside Intersection.


    The Princess had recently left on a mission of great importance, but the risks were minimal. She was expected to return soon. But the presence of the Night Patrol meant that there had been an unexpected development. For the Elders to summon the Lord was outside their authority. Only the Lord could summon them and not the other way round. They were only allowed to do so when there was an issue of great importance that required the Lord''s attention.


    "The Princess''s life talisman is broken," the Night Patrol Captain stated calmly, but she wasn''t able to remain calm for long.


    *Boom*


    For an oppressive aura pressed upon her ruthlessly, and she felt the wind around her being su?k?d into this powerful aura. A large hand reached for her neck and she was lifted into the air and forced to look her aggressor in the eye. Eyes that were just as blood soaked and cold as her own stared into her very soul.


    "What did you say?" Waska, the one known as the Mad Flame of Magma held onto the Night Patrol Captain''s neck as he slowly squeezed out the words from his lips. His hair fluttered wildly in the wind, and his turbulent aura pushed away all the snow within a ten meter radius! The other members of the Night Patrol were mercilessly sent flying several meters back. They were Pseudo Nightmares and Nightmares, but before the might of Waska the Mad Flame of Magma, they were but helpless weaklings!


    "Calm down Waska," a hand reached onto Waska''s shoulder and the aura that threatened the lives of every member of Night Patrol slowly disappeared.


    "It could be a mistake," Rasa, the man who had his hand on Waska''s shoulder said, and Waska released the flailing Night Patrol Captain from his iron grip. She fell with a thud, her face filled with sweat and a bit of fear. She was a Nightmare, but when Waska grabbed her she couldn''t muster any strength to resist. She had never felt so helpless before. Her gaze flickered between the figures of Waska and Rasa.


    Waska the Mad Flame!


    He was indeed true to his name. One minute he was calmly speaking to her and in the next his rage switch had been flipped. His change was faster than a chameleon''s!


    Rasa the Wise Flame!


    Unlike Waska, Rasa''s wisdom was more famous than his strength. He was a man known for his ability to display terrifying calm and tranquility in situations where most would lose their heads. It was said that Waska and Rasa were always together because Rasa was the only one who could calm Waska when he grew mad. And from what she had just witnessed, he was true to his reputation.


    "True," Waska didn''t apologize for his actions. His eyes were still on the Night Patrol Captain''s figure, but they showed a greater amount of calm now.


    "Regardless, Magma must be told," Rasa added, and Waska nodded his head. Both men then turned away and walked towards the mountain, intending to scale it and inform their Lord of what they had been told. They ignored the members of the Night Patrol like they weren''t there and left.

 Chapter 404 - Palpable Tension

    Intersection was a beautiful city, and unlike many other cities in the world it didn''t have the problem of overcrowding. There weren''t that many slums, and the people were well taken care of. Intersection''s walls were tall and fortified with barriers that hid it from the outside world. So even if one was able to go past the three Great Mountains, they wouldn''t be able to get into Intersection without permission.


    At the centre of this grand city was a large palace. The palace was built with red stones similar in structure to White Stones. They were strong and tougher than White Stones, and could only be breached by Nightmare Level Powerhouses! This palace was the home of the Barbarian Lord and his family. And it was this very same palace that housed the Barbarian Ancestors whenever they were present in Intersection.


    Currently the most important men and women of the Barbarian Race were gathered in this mansion. They were all gathered within a large hall in the palace. And each of them had somber expressions. There were people of varying ages and genders here. There were some middle aged men and women, some old men and women, and some relatively young men and women.. These individuals were the Barbarian Elders.


    Barbarian Elders were barbarians who were considered High Born. As such, the position of Elder remained within that family for as long as that family was alive. So as long as there were descendants, that family would be part of the Elders'' Circle. And that explained why some Elders were old and others young. For the young ones, they were the most qualified of their generation. But they wouldn''t be here if the most qualified members of their older generation were still alive.


    Right now, none of the Elders had a pleasant expression on their faces. Each of them had somber expressions, with some of the younger ones fidgeting nervously within their boots. The quiet atmosphere was not only born from the news they had just received, but the presence of the handsome man who sat at the end of the hall.


    This man wasn''t the largest Barbarian male. Although he was close to two meters tall, for Barbarians that was the average height. And he was relatively leaner than the average Barbarian too. Plus with him seated on that large stone chair meant for the Lord of Barbarians, he looked smaller than normal. But his physical appearance didn''t do anything to hide the ferocity of his aura.


    For although his eyes were closed and his breathing absurdly calm, one could feel a hint of turbulence underneath that tranquil surface. And within that destructive energy was rage that threatened to boil over and remind people that his name was more than a reflection of his appearance. And that name was¡­


    Barbarian Lord Magma!


    His red hair was the reason for his name, but over the years he had proven without any doubt that his anger was just as fiery as his name. And to force Magma to make a move was stupidity in itself. Besides, even if he didn''t make a move, the two who stood at his sides were just as deadly and destructive. The Flames of Magma they were called, those two.


    Waska the Mad Flame and Rasa the Wise Flame!


    Just like Magma they weren''t the largest barbarians in Intersection, but they were certainly amongst the most powerful. They had forged their own legends. Some they forged individually ¨C apart from each other ¨C others they forged together, and some they forged with their Lord. But one thing was certain: Never cause either of the Flames to umbrage. For offending either one of them was the same as signing your death warrant. But what happened when a person didn''t just annoy Waska or Rasa, but annoyed them both? And even worse, what if they also annoyed the Barbarian Lord Magma? Well, the answer would be realised today.


    *Tap*


    *Tap*


    *Tap*


    Magma slowly tapped the armrest of his chair with his eyes still shut. Every now and then a gulp would be heard from the crowd of Elders waiting for him to return to them. The place was silent for several minutes, yet none of them dared to utter a word or even a groan of complaint. Finally, Magma''s eyes snapped open. The tension that had disappeared after his fight with the Ice Bear was back when he heard the news from Waska and Rasa. And that tension was felt by everyone in the hall. An oppressive aura filled the place, and the throats of many of the Elders, including the ones from the older generation who weren''t weak at all, tightened.


    "When?" Magma asked calmly. His voice was sweet and tender, just like his appearance suggested. But when the Elders heard his voice they all felt as though a harsh trombone was being blown into their ears, and many of them couldn''t hide their anxiety. Being before the most talented Barbarian Lord in history was pressure in itself. But when this monster was angry, his presence was no longer considered as mere pressure, but as a life and death encounter. One wrong word and there would be one less Elder in the hall!


    "A few minutes ago," the oldest Elder here responded. She was an aged woman with hair full of gray hair and eyes that reflected deep pools of wisdom. Seeing her step up, many of the elders sighed silently in relief. And why was that?


    Well, this elder was called Elder Miriam. And she was no ordinary elder. She was one of Magma''s teachers! Magma only had two teachers his entire life, and Elder Miriam was one of them. She was the only one amongst the elders who knew Magma better than he even knew himself. And Magma respected her so much that there was no way he would ever harm her. In fact, she was the only one who would never be afraid to confront Magma, and she wasn''t afraid to twist his ear in rebuke whenever he did something wrong either!


    "I see," Magma''s aura faltered a little bit when he heard his teacher''s voice. He sighed and asked, "And the others?"


    "Number 3''s life talisman is still intact. But Number 2''s is broken," Elder Miriam replied sullenly. Number 2 was a member of her household and her grandson. He was put in the same team as the Barbarian Princess because the two grew up together and were quite close. And since they were all highly talented, they formed a great team. But now he was also dead.


    "Take heart Teacher Miriam," Magma stated calmly. "Whoever killed Agni must have surely been responsible for Totty''s death. I ?ssure you that the culprit would be dealt with." Magma said, and Elder Miriam nodded her head. Totty was her grandson''s real name. His code name was Number 2, but his real name was Totty. And Magma loved the boy because he was his teacher''s grandson.


    "What about Number 3?" Magma asked.


    "Her life talisman remains. But it is fragile with many cracks." Elder Miriam replied.


    "She must have been captured," Rasa stated, and Magma nodded his head. Cracks on a person''s life talisman meant that the person''s life hang in the balance. So it was highly likely that Number 3 had been captured.


    "Do we have any idea who is responsible?" Magma asked. If they didn''t know this, then what was the point of talking about justice and vengeance?


    "The Princess''s last mission was to eliminate the Elemental Twins. Since they weren''t under the protection of Caliburn''s Wielder, this was supposed to be an easy mission." One of the Elders replied.


    "However, because Ivor was still around the mission directive was to avoid direct confrontation and use other means."


    "What other means?" Magma asked calmly.


    "Heart Beetle," came the reply, and Magma nodded his head. A Heart Beetle was a deadly creature that could control the mind of any unfortunate soul whose heart had been pierced by the creature.


    "Continue," Magma ordered, and the Elder gulped nervously and explained the plan in detail.


    "Ivor was usually not around the twins, and the Elemental Prince was participating in the Grand Tourney, so they were to capture whoever was to face the Elemental Prince and use the beetle on him."


    "And that way no one would know that we were responsible," Rasa bu??ed in, and the Elder nodded his head. "It is not a bad plan," Rasa praised, and the Elder gleefully nodded his head. To be praised by the Wise Flame meant that his plan was good indeed.


    "But it is not a good one either," Rasa suddenly stated. "Excuse me?" the Elder asked dumbfounded. Didn''t Rasa just say that his plan wasn''t bad?


    "This plan is incomplete," Rasa stated. "For starters this plan only eliminates the Elemental Prince. But what about the Princess?" Rasa asked. All the while Magma just sat with his eyes fixed on the Elder, seemingly waiting for a response.


    "Well¡­" the Elder suddenly understood how incomplete this plan was. If it was a plan to kill the Elemental Twins, then how was it only the Prince who was meant to die?


    "And what if Ivor found them? The Heart Beetle must be within a 200 meter radius to be used, so that meant they would have had to be there when the Elemental Prince was killed. And that would mean their retreat would depend on how quickly Ivor can figure things out. And from how scheming that man is, the correct answer should be: very quickly."


    As Rasa spoke he walked away from Magma''s side and gradually walked towards the Elder. With every step he took the heart of the Elder tightened, and beads of sweat began to roll down his face.


    "Since the Princess is dead that could mean that she and her team failed in their task. So not only have we lost three talented geniuses, we may have nothing to show for it. An inexperienced team like the Princess''s didn''t have to be ?ssigned to such a dangerous mission"


    "The plan wasn''t bad. But it wasn''t good either." Rasa stated once again. He was now in front of the Elder. He forcefully lifted the chin of the man who was too scared to look him in the eyes and said, "This plan was only average. And average isn''t good enough; especially when it concerns the Princess."


    *Crack*


    Along with the sound of bones breaking and a muffled grunt, the Elder slumped onto the floor, lifeless. His eyes were wide open and his face displayed the fear of a man who knew that his days were all but numbered. Rasa didn''t even bother to spare another glance at the corpse. He calmly walked back to Magma''s side.


    "Could it have been Ivor?" Magma asked, his brows wrinkled in worry. Although Ivor was only a peak Nightmare Level powerhouse, the one that crazy man served was someone that he was weary of. Taking on Ivor would be like admitting that they were the ones who made an attempt on the Elemental Prince''s life. And that would be enough for the matter to blow up and lead to a full scale war between the two races. And the Ancients would be more than happy to see this. Although he was a brother, he was also a Lord and he couldn''t make decisions based on his emotions alone.


    Suddenly a small hole appeared above Magma''s head. This hole was pitch black, and it reflected nothing but darkness.


    "Protect the Lord!" one of the Elder''s shouted and rushed to Magma. The aura of a Nightmare was fully unleashed from his frame. The others didn''t dawdle either, and several powerful auras exploded from every corner of the room as the Elders rushed to encircle Magma. None of them was weak, and the mildest aura here belonged to a Pseudo Nightmare Level powerhouse!


    However, the person they were protecting was looking at the black hole with a dull expression. The only thing that he did was furrow his eyebrows in thought.


    "Is that?" Waska looked at the black hole in deep thought as well. As someone who was supposed to protect the Lord, he looked a little too laid back. And that was because he had an idea of what that black hole was.


    "It is. Ivor''s power." Rasa narrowed his eyes and said. There was only one person who had this kind of power. And that was the reason why he was so feared. A controller of the Space Elements and a maniac of the Elemental Race, Ivor! Soon the black hole disappeared, almost like it wasn''t there in the first place. But it was, and everyone here was sure of that. And that was because of the letter that dropped from the hole.


    Waska walked over to the letter and picked it up. He opened it up just to be safe, and then walked back to Magma and gave him the letter. Magma glanced through the contents of the letter. But as he read the letter, his expression grew sterner.


    "What is it Lord?" Rasa asked.


    "See for yourself," Magma replied and passed the letter over to Rasa who read it before handing it over to Waska and whispering some things in the Lord''s ear.


    The Elders were calm by now and had returned to their seats. They waited anxiously for the Lord and his aides to finish with the letter and tell them what was in it.


    "Ivor didn''t kill them. But he knows who did" Rasa addressed the crowd of Elders, and they were stunned. Since when did the Elementals become so generous?


    "He wants this person dead as well," Rasa spoke, and the Elders nodded their heads. That much was clear. Otherwise the Elementals wouldn''t be this gracious to them.


    "So who is this person?" Elder Miriam asked, her eyes flashing with hatred.


    "It''s a boy. His name is Mane," Magma spoke this time. It seemed that whenever Elder Miriam spoke, Magma was reluctant to let Waska or Rasa address her in his stead. He smiled slightly and rolled the paper into a ball.


    "And we know where he''s headed."


    "Rasa and I shall depart at once," Waska bellowed.


    "There is no need for that," Magma waved his hand and said. "The culprit is only at the Pseudo Nightmare Realm. Send a few Peak Pseudo Nightmare Teams and just to be safe, let the Night Patrol go too."

 Chapter 405 - Entering the Dark Valley

    Dark Valley: a land that flowed with blood and reeked of death. It was located in the furthest part of the wilderness and was said to be a place protected by the gods. There were many legends about the place, but perhaps the most famous of them all was the Legend of the Fruit of Immortality. It was believed that Dark Valley was a land that grew the mythical fruits called Fruits of Immortality. It was believed that when this world was created, an Immortal Tree was born with it. And this tree bore Immortal Fruits every 200 years. It was also believed that anyone who ate of these fruits would live forever. It was said that the reason why Dark Valley was so dangerous was because there were powerful beasts christened by the Creator of this world to guard the tree. Apparently these powerful beasts were the ones that dealt with every person who entered Dark Valley.


    As for how such a legend came about, it was likely because of the fact that even from far away, people could see a towering tree that extended to the clouds from within Dark Valley. This tree had been around for as long as anyone could remember, and that was why people thought it was an immortal tree. It wasn''t the soundest of logic, for trees generally lived very long lives. But the legend was loved by kids and ?du?ts alike..


    Dark Valley was a dangerous place. And because of how dangerous it was, there was no sane person in the world who was willing to go there. Even if one was told that their souls had been tossed into that land forsaken by nature and they had to go retrieve them, they wouldn''t be willing to go there. And that was because no one knew what exactly was there. And fear of the unknown was a phobia for everyone. Of course there were people who still visited Dark Valley. In fact, there were three kinds of people who visited Dark Valley.


    The Insane


    The Foolishly Greedy


    And the Overconfident Warriors.


    The insane ones were those that were so curious about that dangerous land that they were willing to risk their lives just to see what exactly was in the place. Of course they never made it out so whatever they found out, lived with them ¨C no, died with them rather.


    The foolishly greedy ones were those who had heard of legend of the Immortal Tree and the Fruits of Immortality and dreamed of getting their hands on these fabled fruits. Needless to say, none of those idiots made it out alive. The knowledge of whether or not they discovered the Fruits of Immortality died with them. And so did their lineage ¨C hopefully. For the world didn''t need any more fools, only scholars and sages.


    The last category of people who went looking for the Dark Valley were the overconfident warriors. These were men and women who believed that they had reached the peak of this world''s existences, and ?ssumed that they were too strong to fail. Seeking for new challenges and hoping to create their own legends by becoming the ones who survived Dark Valley, they went looking for the forbidden land, found it, and made their homes in it.


    Actually, there was a fourth category. There was another kind of people who went into Dark Valley. They could be described simply as the people of the Three Great Races. Unlike the humans of this world who could only speculate and make ?ssumptions on what was really in the Dark Valley, the members of the Three Great Races had been to the land that was meant to house the Immortal Tree and had explored it. And because they had explored the Dark Valley, they knew that there were no Immortal Fruits. But there were several precious herbs and ores to be found in the valley.


    Because it was seldom visited by humans due to how dangerous the place was, it was rich in several resources that had gone extinct over the several years that man had ruled the world. One of these precious herbs was a flower called the Revival Grass.


    Revival Grass was an unassuming plant with the ability to wake anyone up. It didn''t matter if the person was asleep, in a coma or had literally just died, the Revival Grass was able to wake them all up! Of course its effects differed depending on the condition of a person. If a person was asleep, using a Revival Grass was a huge waste since that person could just be slapped awake. If the person was in a coma, using the Revival Grass would wake him or her up without any problems. And it didn''t matter how long the person had been stuck in the coma. As long as one used a Revival Grass, that person would wake up. Now to the dead. If a Revival Grass was used on someone who had only just recently passed, it wouldn''t be able to save his/her life. The awakening was only temporary, and only if there was another miraculous herb with insanely effective healing abilities would this person be truly saved. But that alone was a huge boost.


    There were two people who technically belonged to the fourth category travelling to the Dark Valley. Their goal? The Revival Grass. Of the two was a Princess of the Elemental Race. It wasn''t like she knew this though. The other was a being that transcended the three Great races and had the right to look arrogantly upon this world. For he was the one destined to rule the Universe ¨C although not this one. He was the Supreme.


    Supreme and Princess; young man and young woman; children with exceptional backgrounds and great talent that allowed them to disregard everything, were riding their mounts speedily. Their mounts were Red Maned Horses, and they rode them so swiftly that the creatures moved with the speed of the wind. Their blurry figures were all that could be seen as they raced towards the land that every sane person raced away from.


    They rode for several minutes, almost half an hour, before stopping. Red Maned Horses didn''t have the capability to travel at such speed for such a long period of time. But that was only under normal conditions. Provide these lovely beasts with Edict and they would run to the every ends of the earth for you. As long as you could constantly feed their enormous appetite for the energy that was a building block for many planets.


    Why did they stop then? Why did their riders halt their charge? Were they out of Edict? Certainly not. It would take more than thirty minutes to drain a Profound Wielder of all his/her energy, and it was even less likely for an Earth Wielder. So why did they stop?


    "We are here," the man looked at the pitch black valley before him and said. From his position he could see the trunk of a huge tree which seemed to be rooted within this valley, reaching into the clouds. His blue eyes gazed emotionlessly at the strange scenery before him. His golden yellow hair fluttered in the wind and tugged at his slightly rugged beard. He was a handsome youth with an aura of nobility. He wore a leather coat, with two heavy swords strapped to his back. The sheaths of the swords were pitch black, just like the valley before them and there was a Dragon Insignia on the handles of both swords.


    "Was it a good idea to reject their help?" the woman next to him asked. Her green eyes only briefly took in the image of Dark Valley before she turned to face the one whom she was travelling with. She was beautiful, and the green robe she wore brought out the green in her eyes by a notch. Her majestic aura was in no way inferior to the young man''s. She had a light sword strapped to her waist. Just like her robes and her eyes, the sheath of the sword was nature green, and so was the handle that poked out.


    "They would have slowed us down. They don''t have inner energy like we do, so travelling with them would have taken much longer. And I''d rather that we don''t lose more time." The handsome youth shook his head and said. The beautiful lady nodded her head. She knew that he was right, and honestly she would have rejected them too if he hadn''t.


    "Why do you think they wanted to come with us though ¨C the Orange Team?" the lady asked. The two were ¨C as you would have guessed by now ¨C Mane and Lily. They were travelling to one of the most dangerous places in the world, so it didn''t make sense that a people they had just met were willing to accompany them on their predictably arduous task. And she didn''t believe that they did it because of guilt either.


    "I don''t know," Mane confessed. He too was baffled by the decision of the Orange Team. When Black Hand came to him and told him that they were willing to travel with him, he was stunned. He tried to understand just what it was that they wanted, but he never could reach a viable conclusion.


    Anyway, he had rejected their request and although they insisted they would tag along, Mane and Lily had left them behind by injecting Edict into their Red Maned Horses and travelling so quickly that no one could possibly keep up.


    "We should get going," Hildegarde who was seated on Mane''s shoulder said, and Mane nodded his head.


    "Let''s go. And be careful" Mane said and lightly nudged Roxanne. The uneasy beast followed Mane''s command and moved towards Dark Valley.


    Lily nodded her head and rode beside Mane. Slowly, both of their figures were lost in the darkness.

 Chapter 406 - Fire Phoenix

    "That''s the last one," Mane stated as he tossed a humanoid creature onto the ground. This creature was shaped like a human. It had arms and legs and even a face. However its arms were longer than the average human''s, and its fingers held sharp and pointy claws. The ugly beast was stockier than an average human but shorter. The creature was green with very thick skin, and had pointy ears. Its eyes were the same color as its skin, green, and its teeth that were exposed from its open mouth were sharp and pointy. This creature was called a Green Goblin.


    Once the dead goblin fell onto the ground its body was engulfed in crimson flames that swallowed it whole. The flames lit up the dark environment, and several other burnt up corpses could be seen littered all around the place. The corpse of the beast was quite tough, for it took more than three seconds for it to burn up completely. And this was a magnificent feat considering that Mane''s flames couldn''t be handled by anyone below the Earth Realm. The goblin was only a Middle Class Magical Beast, but its tough skin made it almost impossible for Thrashers to kill it. Added to the fact that they attacked in huge numbers and had pretty excellent teamwork, only a Predator would be able to survive their charge.. Survive it, but not eliminate it.


    "This must be why so many people die when they come here," Lily who was only a few feet away from Mane sheathed her light sword once the last goblin was killed. Although she had never killed before, she had no problem defending herself. With her exquisite swordsmanship, she was able to easily defend herself from any attack and deal some damage. So Mane didn''t have to worry about protecting her. He didn''t have to worry, but he worried all the same. And that was why he swept through the crowd of goblins that had taken the lives of many, some Predators included, in just over twenty seconds.


    "Indeed," Mane stated in response to Lily''s earlier statement. These goblins were enough to give even a Tiger or a powerful Snake a headache. So it was understandable that the humans of the outside world had all failed when they tried to traverse the Dark Valley. One must also remember that these goblins were only at the entrance of the valley. If the creatures that lived at the mouth of the valley were this strong, then those that lived deeper could only be judged as stronger.


    "Plus the fact that one can b?r?ly see anything in here makes defending oneself all the more improbable," Hildegarde stated from atop Mane''s shoulder. Her words were right, and though Mane didn''t say anything, he agreed with her.


    The Dark Valley was darker inside than it looked on the outside. It was impossible to see anything once a person entered the valley, and one could only rely on one''s senses to navigate one''s way through this deadly valley. And the darkness wasn''t the biggest problem. There were countless creatures who lived in this valley and were accustomed to its dark nature. These creatures would all be coming for your head, and it was highly unlikely that a person would be able to survive more than five minutes here. For it had only been a couple of minutes since Mane and Lily entered the valley, but they had fought two different groups of goblins within that short period of time.


    So if it was impossible to see through the darkness of the valley, how were Mane and Lily able to wade their way through? It could be understood if it was only Mane since he was a Scholar and had Trace. With Trace Mane was able to sense anything within a 500 meter radius. That was a pretty handy skill in a place like this. But Lily was here with him as well. He couldn''t possibly hold her hand the entire journey. So how did they cope? The answer was pretty simple. They used a treasure.


    Light Grass


    The Light Grass was a small plant that lit up once it was placed in a dark environment. One had to just drop a bit of blood onto the flower for it to work. Once placed in a dark place it would float before person whose blood it swallowed and brighten up the place. The light it provided could illuminate an area of about 150 square meters! And its light could last for more than thirty minutes! That was how the Three Great Races explored Dark Valley. They might be strong, but even they were disadvantaged in the dark. Mane and Lily had several reserves of Light Grass. They had been given to them by Ivor. Light Grass was also rare, and ironically it could only be found in the one place where it was most useful ¨C Dark Valley.


    "Let''s proceed," Mane directed Lily and walked to the Red Maned Horses which were between the two. Lily was the one who protected the horses when the goblins attacked. And that may very well be her role since she wasn''t a killer.


    "If we had a choice I would have chosen not to bring them here," Lily sighed and said.


    "Yes, if we had a choice," Mane replied as he rode Roxanne. He could feel how tense his Red Maned Horse was, and Lily''s horse was no different. If it wasn''t because Mane and Lily were in a rush to get the Revival Grass, they would have traveled on foot. Although Lam''s life wasn''t in any real danger, they were both eager to get his eyes to open; hence, their impatience to get to Dark Valley.


    "Now that I think about it, we should have just left the horses behind," Mane frowned and said.


    "Wouldn''t they have been stolen?" Lily asked. Red Maned Horses were special. They were a rare breed of horses that were extremely precious. Leaving them unattended to, was basically asking to be robbed.


    "I don''t think they would have," Mane shook his head and said. "Seeing that no one dares to come within several kilometers of his place, as long as we left them outside they would have been safe," Mane explained. It was highly unlikely that anyone would be visiting Dark Valley anytime soon seeing how much the humans feared this place. And those who came here, did to get into the valley so they likely wouldn''t take the horses.


    "That is true," Lily nodded her head. "But I would have been uneasy leaving them behind, even if statistically speaking the probability of them being stolen is low," Lily confessed.


    "You know, you could have asked Ivor for something to help you deal with this situation," Hildegarde mumbled to Mane. Seeing her whispering was cute since the one she was whispering to, was actually the only person who could see or hear her for that matter.


    "What do you mean?" Mane asked through Lock-On.


    "Well he gave you the Light Grass because he was worried about Lily. But he is still a stingy man. I''m sure he has something in his reserves which could be of help to you." Hildegarde elaborated.


    "Think about it. The Three Great Races have been coming to this place to search for treasures every now and then. They surely didn''t walk here. And I doubt that they ever had to bring their mounts inside. So they must surely have a way to leave their mounts outside but protected." Hildegarde explained some more and Mane finally understood what she was saying. He smiled bitterly, thinking that she was actually right. Maybe if he had asked Ivor for his help, the man would have reluctantly handed over whatever it was that could protect their horses.


    "We have company," Mane sighed and jumped off Roxanne. He petted the uncomfortable horse and fed her a sugar cube. Lily didn''t dawdle when she heard Mane''s words. She got off her mount as well and brought her horse next to Mane''s. She remained standing next to the horses as she prepared to serve as their protector for the third time today in only under a few minutes. She unsheathed her light sword and released her aura, and small green sparks exploded from her sword.


    Mane''s heart eased greatly seeing her preparation was completed so quickly. Lily''s sword was also a gift from The Citadel. The blade was called Nature''s Edge and was made with precious materials. It was made from materials called Wind Stones. Wind Stones were minerals that were full of the wind element, and these kind of treasures weren''t exclusive to only wind. There were fire stones, earth stones, water pearls, and ice crystals. Elements like lightning had stones even rarer than the other elements. As it so happened, Lily''s element was wind hence the sword had taken a liking to her almost immediately. Because of this blade Lily was able to use tiny portions of her wind power, integrating the might of the wind element into her sword.


    Mane gently patted the heavy swords that were strapped to his back. Night''s Kiss and Night Mare they were called. They were made from the even rarer Darkness Stones, and Mane liked them. However, it wasn''t the time to use them. The things that were coming were too weak.


    "Goblins again?" Lily asked, her nerves a bit tense. After all, she wasn''t a regular at fighting. Although this was the third time she had to defend herself today, the frequency of attacks didn''t make it any easier.


    "Yes," Mane nodded his head and activated Brimstone.


    His body was immediately engulfed in flames, and the bright crimson light of his fire shared in the task of the Light Grass, illuminating the surroundings to a greater degree.


    *Roar*


    Several humanoid figures were shaken by the fiery figure they intended to attack, and their resolve was put to the task almost immediately. How were they supposed to attack someone who was on fire?


    "Since you''re here, there is no need for you to think anymore," the fiery figure stated, his blue eyes still discernable even from among the flame. And when he spoke, he moved.


    *Bang*


    The first goblin was killed pathetically. It didn''t even have the chance to scream when it was engulfed in flames and burnt to a crisp. All this happened so quickly that the others hadn''t recovered yet. Mane didn''t dally. Once he was done with the first goblin, he moved to the next.


    *Bang*


    *Bang*


    *Bang*


    *Bang*


    Several screams were heard, and several goblins burnt. Green changed to blackened ash and solid became nothing but dust. Mane''s figure flickered between the numerous goblins. For once their numbers made no difference to their enemy. For it didn''t seem to faze the powerful teen at all. Soon the eyes that were filled with hunger when they first arrived and then confusion and doubt when Mane became a fiery embodiment of power, were filled with nothing but fear. They tried to get away, but Mane wasn''t going to let them. He didn''t need them joining another troupe and annoying him again. So he burnt them all, and he chose to do so spectacularly.


    "Fire Phoenix Form: Exploding Wings" Mane mumbled to himself and a loud Phoenix cry was heard.


    *Scree*


    Fire wasn''t his strongest element, but he had been training. And he had been training under the best Fire User he knew ¨CRay. His father was a person who had abandoned everything but fire, and because of that he had grown so powerful with just this element. Not only that, he had developed his own fire technique.


    Fire Phoenix


    Fire Phoenix was Mane''s father''s creation, and it was a powerful technique. It had several moves and all of them were attack based. Mane had just employed one of those many moves: Exploding Wings.


    Mane''s mumble was the trigger for the huge fiery wings that grew on his back. The wings were several dozens of meters long and several meters wide. When they appeared on Mane''s back they rose high into the sky, and flapped rapidly. Yet their beating didn''t lift Mane up or take him into the sky. With the beating of those wings, the cry of a Phoenix filled the ears of all who were here, and several large flames descended upon the retreating goblins, burning them all to a crisp. The fire was stronger, completely eliminating the goblins in less than a second.


    "Every time I think I have seen his limits, he shows me that he has more cards hidden," Lily had a complex look on her face as she watched the flames slowly receded from Mane''s body and disappear into the atmosphere. Now she wasn''t so repulsed by the death around her.


    "We should go," Mane smiled at her and hopped onto Roxanne. Lily smiled and jumped onto her horse too. Slowly, both of them made their way deeper into Dark Valley, seeking the treasure called Revival Grass.

 Chapter 407 - Running into a Crystal Monkey

    Mane and Lily rode their Red Maned Horses side by side. Naturally because of Mane''s ability to sense everything around him once they were within 500 meters, he was able to engage in casual conversation with Lily without worrying too much about being caught unaware by a sneaky beast. The light from their second Light Grass illuminated their surroundings and allowed them to see what was ahead of them and around them. They came across a lot of goblins, and so far they had been able to handle them fairly easily. Mane mostly burned the goblins they came across with his father''s technique, Fire Phoenix Flames. He was basically using them to train his fire proficiency. Of all his elements, Earth was the one with which he had the highest understanding, and although the elements weren''t skills, one''s level of elemental mastery was measured like one measured skills: Beginner Level, Intermediate Level, Mastery Level and Full Mastery Level. Earth and Water were the only elements that Mane had Mastery Level understanding of. Fire had b?r?ly entered the peak of the intermediate stage. And Wind had been stuck at the peak of the intermediate stage for a long time now, and that was mostly because Mane didn''t know how to perfectly use it in battle.


    Mane usually used Wind as an accompaniment, choosing to use it to strengthen his flames or extinguish them. He knew that for him to reach the Mastery Level with Wind he had to use the speed related element as a major fighting force, but it was easier said than done. As for Lightning, it had immediately jumped to the Intermediate Level when Mane unlocked it, and it was progressing very quickly even though Mane didn''t use it that much. It was almost at the middle stage of the Intermediate Level! The Darkness element was also at the peak of the Intermediate Level, and the Time element which Mane had comprehended so long ago was still only at the Intermediate Level. However, it had also experienced growth, albeit an extremely slow progression. For in so many years it had gone from the initial stages of the Beginner Level to the peak of the Beginner Level. It had only broken into the Intermediate Level after Mane unlocked his True Eyes.


    However, when one considered how difficult it was to master Time and the fact that Mane wasn''t fully attached to just Time but many other elements, it was easy to understand just why the progress hadn''t been as swift as the others. Besides, Mane''s progress was very good. It wasn''t comparable to the peak Time Wielding Geniuses in the True Universe, but it wasn''t far away.


    Because of Mane''s lack of dependence on Wind, he wasn''t able to properly instruct Lily on how to use her element as a large part of her fighting strength. But he actually didn''t really need to. Lily''s progression with Wind had been extremely swift, much like Lam''s had been with fire. And she seemed do have an inherent understanding of just how it could help her in battle, just like Lam. Both were at the peak of the Beginner Level in terms of proficiency! This was crazy because they had only just unlocked their elements and started using Edict! Mane found this too quick as well, but after interrogating Number 3 and understanding that Lam and Lily were of the Elemental Race, it made more sense to him why their talent with their elements was so unreal. After all, they were called Elementals. If they were any less talented with their elements, they wouldn''t be worthy of such a lofty name.


    "It''s been a while since they last attacked," Mane suddenly said, and Lily replied thusly, "Yeah. It''s been almost ten minutes."


    It was odd, considering how many attacks they had weathered in the 40 minutes that they had been here. They had to withstand attacks almost every minute, and each time they finished off the goblins within a few seconds. In fact, if it wasn''t because of how swiftly Mane dispatched off the goblins, it was highly likely that the next wave would come when they were still engaged with the last. But things had been very quiet for the last few minutes. It had been ten whole minutes since the last attack, and not one goblin had showed up.


    "Do you think that we scared them off?" Lily asked. It seemed likely since they had dealt with every goblin wave as easily as flipping the palm of their hands.


    "I don''t know," Mane shook his head. "But it could be," he added. "Or it could be that we have left their territory," came his last statement, and Lily furrowed her brows in thought.


    "That seems very likely," Lily nodded her head. Magical Beasts were territorial, so it would make sense if the goblins didn''t dare attack because Mane and Lily were in another''s territory. But even then, some conditions for their abstinence had to be met.


    "For them to stay away means¡­" Lily started.


    "This must be the territory of stronger Magical Beasts," and Mane finished her thought. Both were thinking the same thing. Even though Magical Beasts were territorial, that only applied to the stronger beasts. Stronger Beasts could claim a territory as theirs, and the weaker ones wouldn''t dare to trespass. If the goblins were really staying away because this territory belonged to another, that would mean that the owners of this territory were stronger than the goblins. And the gap had to be relatively sizeable as well, otherwise the goblins would have risked attacking anyway.


    "I wonder which beast it is," Lily gently pulled back a stray strand of her hair and said. Within the dimmed light of the Light Grass this action was particularly charming, and Mane caught himself staring at Lily for a few seconds.


    "What is it?" Lily asked and tilted her head cutely when she realised that Mane was staring at her. Her question brought Mane back to his senses, and the young teen blushed slightly in embarrassment.


    "Hahaha! You look like an idiot! Hahaha!" As expected there was someone who was more than happy to see Mane like this, and she didn''t waste the chance to tease the young Supreme. Her laughter and her words embarrassed Mane even further, and the slight reddening of his cheeks became even more pronounced. If he could, he would have tossed the infuriating fairy from his shoulder, but he didn''t have that ability. Hildegarde was someone who could comfortably remain on his shoulder even when he was using Brimstone and remain unharmed! In fact, she had been groggily rubbing her eyes as she sat within the dangerous flames that could easily burn a person entirely in under a second! Mane was helpless when it came to her. Luckily for him, the place wasn''t too bright so Lily couldn''t see his current state of embarrassment, saving him his blushes.


    "I was wondering how far you have gone with the Scholar Manual I gave you," Mane replied quickly. For the first time in a long while he was very grateful that his brain worked so quickly. If not it would have been even more embarrassing for him.


    "I have understood the gist of it, and I am close to becoming a 1st Degree Scholar." Lily sounded excited. A 1st Degree Scholar was basically a Trainee Scholar and it was the first step to truly stepping into the world of scholars. Mane had fulfilled his promise to her by giving her a Scholar Manual about a month ago ¨C well, half a month ago to be accurate. Because Ananse didn''t just give Mane a manual but handed over her own experiences and understanding of scholar manuals as well, Mane''s brain was like a library for several other scholar manuals that Ananse had perused. And because he had her understanding of the few valuable ones, he was able to pick out one for Lily. It was a manual comparable to his, and it suited her really well.


    It was called Nature''s Touch, and it was said to be perfect for people who were loved by nature. Even for those who weren''t blessed by nature the manual could still be used, although it wouldn''t be as effective. Because there weren''t many of such people ¨C those loved by nature ¨C in the world the true ability of Nature''s Touch had never been fully unlocked and many scholars branded it as an Intermediate Level Scholar Manual. Lily was the best person for this manual, and the fact that she was close to becoming a scholar in such a short amount of time was proof of her talent for it.


    "That''s great," Mane was genuinely excited for her. And he was a little impressed by her talent for it. Being a talented scholar wasn''t easy because every scholar was talented. After all, without having an unreal level of intelligence, one couldn''t become a scholar. And that meant that scholars were already immensely talented and intelligent people. And to become the cream of the crop amongst such an elite group of people was very arduous. But it seemed that Lily wasn''t going to have that problem. Now all she needed was to comprehend some intelligent situations and she would break through.


    "Let me give you some pointers based on my own experience," Mane offered and Lily excitedly nodded her head. Hildegarde watched as they went on and on about experiences and techniques with a teasing smile tugging at the ends of her lips. It was a good thing for Mane that he couldn''t see it, otherwise he would have become very self-conscious. Suddenly Mane stopped talking and turned to look in a particular direction.


    "What is it?" Lily noticed his change and asked. Yet though she was asking and a reply hadn''t come yet, she was unsheathing her sword. She knew that for Mane to react this way meant that they had unwanted company. Her question was almost reflexive.


    "It''s here," Mane replied and jumped off Roxanne who was neighing continuously in fear. Even when the goblins attacked Roxanne didn''t have such a reaction. Lily''s horse, Skimpy, was no different from Roxanne. The young mare didn''t hide his unease and kept fidgeting uncomfortably.


    "It? You mean that its only one beast?" Lily picked up what Mane was trying to convey as she soothed her horse. She also got off her mount.


    "Yes," Mane replied. "For one beast to scare off so many goblins shows just how much power it has," Mane added. Actually, he could feel the aura of the approaching beast, and he was a little surprised. It was a High Level Earth Realm Battle Beast! Or as one would refer to it in this world, it was a Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast! The goblins were so weak, yet this creature was several times stronger than them. And they hadn''t even reached the deepest region of the Dark Valley. Coming across a Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast which was so rare in the outside world after just 40 or so minutes in Dark Valley was amazing. And Mane couldn''t help but wonder what else was here.


    *Roar*


    Soon the beast revealed itself, and Lily unconsciously su?k?d in a breath of cold air when she saw it. Mane was also stunned upon seeing the beast. Illuminated by the light of the Light Grass was a monkey beast that was made of crystals. It was about 10 or 11 meters tall with bulky arms and legs. Its eyes were blue like Mane''s, and it had a small horn on its forehead. This beast was something that neither Mane nor Lily had expected to come across here because it was a myth. They had both read about it, but neither had expected to see it in real life.. This beast was called a Crystal Monkey. And it was a powerful creature!

 Chapter 408 - A Rare Beast

    "To think that we would meet a Crystal Monkey here," Mane smiled bitterly and said. Unlike Lily he still had his blades sheathed. Which meant that he didn''t feel that the Crystal Monkey was life threatening.


    "I have never seen one before. And I have been to several worlds." Hildegarde stated as she admired the beautiful beast. Although the Crystal Monkey definitely wasn''t here to make friends with them or invite them over for tea, Hildegarde was gazing at the creature with a slightly infatuated look on her face.


    "Wish you could take it with you?" Mane smiled and teased.


    "Actually, yes," Hildegarde smirked and replied. Her reply almost had Mane laughing, but ultimately the presence of Lily was enough of a reminder that he was not alone here. He didn''t want to explain why he was laughing all of a sudden like a crazy person. It wasn''t like he could use Lock-On for that.


    Crystal Monkeys weren''t primitive to this world only. In this world they were seen as a myth, but in the True Universe they were considered rare and precious beasts. Mane had read about them when he was back on Zandor, and he knew quite a bit about their rarity. Even his masters didn''t have the luck of meeting a Crystal Monkey. Well, only one of them did. 2nd was the only one who had seen a Crystal Monkey before. The others hadn''t. Even 1st who was the oldest had never seen a Crystal Monkey in his long, unending life.


    Crystal Monkeys were Earth Elemental Beasts. In this world they were considered to be Magical Beasts of the Earth Element. Either way, they were still beasts that had the ability to call upon the earth for aid. As a Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast it was more intelligent than many other beasts, and had a bit more skills.


    The Crystal Monkey wasn''t an existence at the peak of the food chain. In fact, the strongest Crystal Monkey recorded was only at the level of a Heaven Realmer or as they referred to them in this world, Nightmares for humans, and Legendary Classes for Magical Beasts. It was because of the fact that they were beautiful beasts and were rare that made them so precious. Also their bodies didn''t decay and their crystalline body could be mined to create precious weapons and artefacts. So they were highly regarded. Maybe that was the reason why they were so rare: because whenever anyone found a Crystal Monkey, they would kill it immediately if they had the strength to do so in order to harvest its corpse.


    This particular Crystal Monkey was only at the 7th level of the Earth Realm. Mane could tell from the beast''s aura that it wasn''t any stronger than that. And that was why he didn''t see the need to unsheathe his blades. Right now Mane was very strong. When Lam fell, it wasn''t only Mane''s Scholar Level that had improved, but his Soul-Body Integration had grown as well.


    Name: Mane


    Age: 15


    Current Setting: Healthy


    Energy Level: Earth Realm Stage 1


    Test Difficulty: Chaos


    Testing Ground: Chaotic Era


    Daily Quest: Go to the Dark Valley [Completed]


    Tomorrow''s Daily Quest: [Not Applicable]


    Goal: End Goal ¨C Become Chaos


    Skills: Speedy Chaos [Active skill] ¨C You have caused chaos after only one month of entering the testing grounds. You run towards chaos, and it runs towards you. Run Wild Supreme. Be Chaos! {Permanent increase in Agility stats by 1.5. Additional 10% increase in speed when activated}.


    *Devour: You have been blessed by the powerful Selfish Titan King with the ability Devour. You can now devour Edict unscrupulously from the living and the dead; from elements and from nature.


    *Soul-Body Integration: 77%


    This was Mane''s new Status Window, and there were some changes. Of his two skills, Mane hadn''t used Speedy Chaos before. He hadn''t yet fought against anyone who would push him to use the skill that was expected to increase his speed by 10% when activated. Devour was the only skill he had used before, but that was a skill he got from Cronos, not the Fairy System.


    The changes in his status weren''t limited to just his Energy Level. These changes extended to Mane''s completion rate and soul-body integration. Mane''s completion rate had gone up by more than 6 points. And that was after Lam was injured. Before then it had been stuck at 7.25. But Mane wasn''t able to smile when he saw the change because it came at a price he would have rather not paid.


    The second notable change was what was mentioned earlier. Mane''s Soul-Body Integration had moved from 57% to 77%. It was an entire 20% increase! And with that increase came a boost in power that couldn''t even be ignored. Mane''s Enlightenment had merged his inner and outer energy and made him much stronger than he was before. And although he told Hildegarde that he had never tried to merge the two energies before, it wasn''t true. Back on Zandor he had experimented with the merge, and had even used it when he faced the Master ¨C Dominic. He was only able to maintain it for a short while at the time, and he dreamed of the possibility of being able to maintain it for a significantly longer period. He didn''t tell Hildegarde the truth because he didn''t think it was necessary to. However, his Enlightenment had done his ?ssignment for him, and his Edict was now whole.


    Back in the True Universe, Mane was able to handle wielders who were an entire realm above him. He was able to face the Master of the Eastern Empire who was a 3rd Level Heaven Realmer with his strength only being at the 1st Stage of the Earth Realm. Granted he was lucky to win that fight, but Mane was able to handle 1st Stage Heaven Realmers with ease at the time. Now he was even stronger. And that was because of his energy merge and Devour. Although Mane''s Soul-Body Integration was only at 77%, he was stronger than he was in the True Universe!


    Before, with his integration at 57% he had the power of his past, being able to face wielders an entire realm above him! Now that his Soul-Body Integration had improved and his actual fighting ability from the True Universe was merging with him, his strength was now comparable to a mid-stage Heaven Realmer. Mane reckoned that he could handle up to the 6th or 7th stage. But since he hadn''t fought with a Heaven Realmer yet, he couldn''t be sure. One could only imagine how strong Mane would become when his Soul-Body Integration reached 100%.


    *Roar*


    The Crystal Monkey beat its hardened ?h?st angrily and roared at Mane when it realised that the young boy wasn''t even paying any attention to it. It struck the floor furiously, causing an earthshattering boom, and dashed towards Mane.


    Mane admired the large crater that the Crystal Monkey had made. Looking at the pit Mane couldn''t tell how wide it was because the light wasn''t expansive enough. But it seemed very wide. A simple punch from the beast had been able to create such a large pit. It was very impressive indeed. However, he couldn''t ignore the monkey forever, especially when it was right above him.


    The Crystal Monkey unleashed a furious bellow and curled its fingers into a fist. It descended from the sky with a lot of power, intent on smashing Mane into several tiny bits. Its punch reached Mane quickly, and the smashing might of a giant meteor threatened to crush the head of the Supreme.


    "Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beasts sure are different," Mane mumbled admiringly when he felt the powerful aura of the Crystal Monkey reach him. The aura was strong and full of power, and even Mane was drawn to it. Seeing the fist that was approaching from above, Mane didn''t show any signs of panic. He curled his fingers into fists and responded in kind. His aura was still largely serene, and the Crystal Monkey couldn''t make out how strong Mane was because it couldn''t sense anything.


    *Bang*


    The two fists met and produced results that the Crystal Monkey didn''t expect to see. Its fists were several times bigger than Mane''s. In fact, its hands were as large as Mane himself, and it expected that it should be able to smash Mane apart with no problem. But it was wrong.


    Although the impact from their clash caused the ground beneath Mane to break apart and the trees that were hidden in the darkness to snap into two, the young man was mostly fine. Rather, it was the Crystal Monkey that was sent flying due to the clash.


    *Boom*


    The Crystal Monkey landed on the ground with a confused expression on its face. It gazed at its hands and scratched its head as it struggled to come to terms with what had just happened. It looked at Mane, and then its hands. And looked at Mane again.


    "You can look all you want buddy. It''s not going to change what just happened." Mane smiled and said. One can imagine how the Crystal Monkey took his teasing.


    Not well. It took umbrage at his remarks and struck its ?h?st repeatedly. A golden yellow light surrounded its body and when it disappeared, an earth armor covered its entire frame. It looked like a war general with its excessively large build and armor-clad self. Its hands were covered in large gantlets that had spikes on them. Its appearance was imposing enough, but it wasn''t done.


    *Roar*


    It roared again, and another golden light was summoned. This time however, the light only gathered at its shoulders and two large canons were formed. The canons looked like large guns when they were placed on the Crystal Monkey, and they attached themselves to the beast''s shoulder pieces.


    "You just had to annoy him, didn''t you?" Hildegarde laughed bitterly seeing the drastic changes the Crystal Monkey had gone through just because of Mane''s comments.


    "How else would it go all out," Mane shrugged and said. He smiled gleefully and used earth himself, and his hands were covered by earth gantlets. A golden light surrounded him shortly after, and an armor that wasn''t any less imposing covered his entire frame. But Mane wasn''t done. To truly enjoy the upcoming fight he had to do something else.


    Suddenly Mane exposed his aura to the Crystal Monkey, and its confusion only grew. The aura it felt was that of Predator! How was this person able to hit it back with such meagre strength, it wondered? Of course it didn''t know that before Mane wasn''t this weak. He had compressed his strength to a much lower stage. That''s right. Mane reduced his strength to the 1st Level of the Profound Realm! It was amazing that he was able to swiftly compress his strength to such a low level, but he did. Since he didn''t really know where his limits lay concerning his newfound battle strength he thought he would test it out.


    Ignoring the look of surprise on the face of the Crystal Monkey, Mane sighed in p???sur?,


    "It has been so long since I got to fight with earth.. Prove yourself worthy Battle Beast."

 Chapter 409 - Battling the Crystal Monkey

    *Bang*


    *Bang*


    *Bang*


    "I can''t believe it," Lily still had her sword in her hand, but she wasn''t using it. And it didn''t look like she would have to. She was stroking the mane of her mount, Skimpy. Her eyes were glued to the figures charging at each other from within the darkness. The two were like bright flickering lights, bringing warmth to this otherwise dark space. They clashed over and over again, neither really gaining an advantage over the other.


    Lily wasn''t fond of fights but what was happening before her was unbelievable to the Elemental Princess. And it was because she could feel Mane''s aura as he fought with the Crystal Monkey ¨C b?r?handed!


    "How is he able to face that beast with his strength only at the 1st Stage of the Profound Realm?" Lily wondered. That was what she found unbelievable. She couldn''t accurately judge the strength of the Crystal Monkey because she was weaker, and the Earth Realm was above her. But she judged that the beast must be strong because she could tell that it was an Earth Realm Beast, or a Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast as they referred to them here.


    Even if the beast was at the 1st Stage of the Earth Realm, Mane choosing to face it with his strength at the 1st Stage of the Profound Realm was unreal, yet he was doing just that. And even more fascinating, he wasn''t losing!


    *Bang*


    Mane and the Crystal Monkey struck at each other for the nth time today. A loud bang followed from their collision, and torrents of energy wreaked havoc on everything around them. Although it was very dark, the illuminating Light Grass spread its meagre light sufficiently enough to show just how devastating the fight had been. Several ditches of varying sizes and cracks that extended all the way to the depth of the earth had been born from the tumultuous clash. Yet the two involved were not finished.


    "Again!" Mane exclaimed, his blue eyes glowing with battle ?ust. Once his feet touched the ground he was off. The earth armor on his body was constantly being repaired and reinforced. And the gantlets on his arms grew by three sizes as he moved in to strike the Crystal Monkey once again.


    The eyes of the Crystal Monkey also glowed with p???sur?. It wasn''t looking at Mane like someone it had to devour, but was staring at him with appreciation and hunger ¨C hunger to do battle.


    *Roar*


    It roared joyfully seeing the approaching Mane and dashed towards the young Supreme as well. As it moved a golden yellow light engulfed its arms and legs, and its leg armor grew slightly thinner whilst the claws and cannons on its shoulders grew larger by a notch. It seemed that it had opted for greater speed on the lower end and more firepower on its upper end. Once it was close enough, it swiped those large claws at Mane.


    The claws that were as large as him didn''t daunt his progress. For Mane''s large earth fist smashed into the Crystal Monkey''s giant claws, and the claws that had been able to stop him fairly easily weren''t able to hold him back this time. They broke off the Crystal Monkey''s gantlets and fell with a loud thud.


    However, Mane didn''t move any further once he broke off the claws. It wasn''t that he didn''t want to take this opportunity to attack, but he wasn''t able to. The reason was the golden light that was building within the large cannons on the Crystal Monkey''s shoulders. Each cannon had a yellow light constantly growing within it. The lights were growing bigger quickly, and in less than two seconds the lights from the cannons had flooded the entire area like suns in a dark night. Mane crossed his arms before him, a large earth shield taking shape to protect him. As if that wasn''t enough, two more shields formed before the first shield with each larger than the former. Yet with the increased size came weaker defenses.


    Finally, the cannons unleashed their lights, and a dense amount of Edict bashed Mane into the ground.


    *Boom*


    "Mane!" Lily screamed, her blade glowing with a faint green lights as she prepared to charge into the darkness and join the fray.


    "I''m fine," however Mane''s voice reached her from within the darkness and calmed her nerves. The Crystal Monkey had a look of admiration on its face as it looked at Mane''s figure lying in the large crater it had made. Mane''s clothes were in tatters, but he was largely unharmed. The earth shields had been broken and his armor destroyed, but he was very much fine.


    Mane stood up, dusted the filth off his pants and removed the debris from his hair. He could have easily avoided the blow by using Absolute Darkness: Evasive Killing to just phase through the attack. But that ability took a lot of Edict to activate. And because Mane''s strength had been reduced to the Profound Realm, to use such an ability to block such a powerful attack was basically calling for all his Edict to be used up. So he didn''t use it. Rather, he only used the Earth Elements. Although the shields were conjured in a rush, Mane just needed them to take some of the heat off his armor.


    "To think that you were able to break open an underground water source," Mane sighed as he lifted up one of his legs which were soaked in water.


    The crater that the Crystal Monkey had created with its blast was so deep that it had somehow broken into an underground water source and the water was now coming to the surface and filling the crater Mane was in.


    "Although I don''t think this is good for you," Mane informed the Crystal Monkey which looked at him in confusion. It largely understood what Mane was saying, and that was why it hadn''t attacked again, but it didn''t understand why Mane was saying that the water wasn''t good for it. Wasn''t water a good thing?


    "Mastery Level Earth Manipulation," Mane smiled and a golden light covered his body once more. Several earth fragments were drawn to Mane, and they rearranged themselves on his body to form another earth armor. As they drowned in the golden light, the fragments were strengthened and refined. Their rough exteriors became as smooth as jade and gave Mane a majestic look that he didn''t possess before.


    The Crystal Monkey looked at Mane with a dumbfounded expression on its face. As an Earth Elemental Beast it understood just how difficult it was to not only strengthen an element, but refine it. Only people with Mastery Level understanding of earth could pull this off. It was only at the Intermediate Stage, and to be honest only Legendary and Sacred Beasts had Mastery Level understanding of an element. The Crystal Monkey was at the peak of the Intermediate Level and seldom found anyone that could compare to it when it came to Earth Manipulation. Yet what Mane was doing was beyond its current abilities. Which meant that the boy wasn''t at the Intermediate Level like it thought he was. He was at the Mastery Level!


    What it didn''t understand was why Mane didn''t use this power before. How was Mane supposed to tell the Crystal Monkey that he was generally not allowed to use any of his skills at the Mastery Level? Initially he wasn''t going to, but the Crystal Monkey was so good that at the Intermediate Level Mane didn''t see a way to best the beast. That''s why he resorted to doing this.


    "This feels really good," Mane mumbled as he felt the power of his earth armor. This feeling was intoxicating, but his constantly depleting reserves of Edict reminded him that he couldn''t relish this feeling for long.


    "I can still do one more thing," Mane mumbled, and the water that was filling the crater started to bubble. Under the astonished gazes of both Lily who had no idea that Mane could use water so freely and the Crystal Monkey which thought it had seen it all, large amounts of water engulfed Mane''s figure and filled in the fine lines in his armor. As if the earth armor wasn''t enough, the water also formed an armor around Mane. Mane stretched his hands before him, and water elements conjured right in front of him to form a bow. Mane grabbed hold of the bow and pulled on the string. As it was drawn back, water coalesced into a fine line and was notched as an arrow. It was at this point that the Crystal Monkey regained its senses. It immediately fired up its cannons, and two bright lights slowly flooded the place like before. In next to no time, it was ready to strike, but so was Mane. Mane let go of the thin water arrow, and the Crystal Monkey released its cannon might.


    *Roar*


    Mane''s water arrow suddenly morphed into a large tiger and crashed into the balls of light. The large water tiger swallowed the lights whole, and their might was extinguished. Without losing any of its momentum it rushed towards the Crystal Monkey and descended upon the rare beast with a furious bellow. The Crystal Monkey had a panicked expression on its face. It released a feeble roar and conjured up a large earth shield.


    *Boom*


    The water tiger crashed into the earth shield and destroyed the only barrier between it and the Crystal Monkey. However, once the shield was destroyed the Crystal Monkey rushed at the water tiger with a strange looking rod in its hand. The rod wasn''t there before, and Mane had no idea how it was summoned, or why a monkey was using a weapon. But when the Crystal Monkey smashed the rod into the water tiger Mane felt his connection to the water tiger disappear, and the water tiger was reduced into a puddle.


    "What a strange rod," Mane''s eyes glowed with curiosity. Yet he didn''t remain idle. He crouched and called on the water elements, and a small wave was formed beneath his feet as the water from the crater propelled him forward.


    *Bang*


    *Bang*


    *Bang*


    *Bang*


    *Bang*


    Mane moved around the Crystal Monkey like a specter, shooting water arrows in the process, much to its annoyance. Several water arrows crashed into the Crystal Monkey which was only able to destroy a few.


    *Roar*


    It roared in annoyance as if to say, "Stop running around and let''s fight like we did before."


    "This should end now," Mane mumbled to himself feeling his energy almost depleted. The water tiger had cost him a lot, and the earth armor was draining him of his energy every single second. Since he had summoned the armor, he might as well use it.


    Mane let go of the bow, and it returned to the small wave that was ferrying the Supreme around as a blob of water. Mane balled his fists and took a deep breath as he felt the power of the earth armor gathering into his palms. Then he crashed into the Crystal Monkey with speed that outstripped what he had displayed so far, and ferocity that was way superior to the beast''s.


    *Boom*


    *Crack*


    The Crystal Monkey wasn''t prepared at all for the sudden burst of speed and was caught off guard. Its large ?h?st felt the full brunt of Mane''s strikes as both of the Supreme''s relatively small fists landed on its torso. The earth armor it was so proud of was undone, and two cobwebs of cracks spread from the sites of impact and extended towards its shoulders and abdomen. It was sent flying into a few trees, breaking them all in the process, as white blood poured out of the cracks on its body.


    "You were strong," Mane stated as he walked towards the Crystal Monkey. Golden lights gathered around his hands as he spoke. As for what he planned to do with them, only he knew.


    "Mane!" Lily called out.


    "I won''t kill it," Mane smiled and said. He knew what she was worried about, but Mane ?ssured her that there was no need for her to worry. The Crystal Monkey was a rare beast, and Mane didn''t have any use for its remains. There was no need for him to kill the beast.


    "You are very calm. I like that." Mane stated once he stood on the ?h?st of the large beast. Because of how massive it was, Mane had to climb it to reach its head. Its eyes were very calm, as if it didn''t care for what was going to happen.


    "You are an Elemental Beast. So this would be of help to you," Mane mumbled, and the Edict from the earth that surrounded them was drawn into the golden light in his hand. Mane had used Devour to suck out the inner energy from the earth. Under the astonished eyes of the beast, he placed his hands on the cracks that he was responsible for, and the golden light that he summoned flooded the body of the Crystal Monkey.


    And it broke through!

 Chapter 410 - Silver

    The large pearl-like eyes of the Crystal Monkey were slightly dazed. However, once it felt its newfound strength coursing through its veins it was excitement that filled its being.


    *Roar*


    It gave a loud roar filled with elation as the power of an 8th Stage Earth Realmer was fully unveiled. Its body trembled slightly with excitement and the cracks that Mane had inflicted on its ?h?st began to heal. It still lay on the ground, but its large eyes were now glued to the human who stood on its ?h?st. This usually demeaning action didn''t seem to annoy the Crystal Monkey. For it only looked at Mane with gratitude and with a bit of curiosity.


    "What an interesting fellow," Mane was astonished by what had just occurred. He used Devour to suck out the Edict from the earth around them and transferred it to the Crystal Monkey, hoping that it would aid in its recoveries. After all, it was a Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast. A beast of that level was an elemental beast, so Mane reckoned that as long as it had earth elemental Edict, it would be able to recover. However even he didn''t expect it to recover that quickly, or to achieve a breakthrough! Obviously the quick recovery was as a result of the surprising breakthrough, but Mane was not expecting either.


    "Did you know that Crystal Monkeys could do this?" Mane asked Hildegarde. Since Crystal Monkeys were rare and were mostly killed for their bodies, information about them was only limited to the use of their corpses. Next to no one knew about their physiology and how their bodies operated. The universe''s knowledge of this extinct beast was limited to its anatomy.


    "No. I had no clue." Hildegarde was just as surprised as Mane was by the changes the creature that lay like a carpet beneath them was experiencing. Just like Mane and many other beings of the universe, she didn''t really know much about Crystal Monkeys. The fact that they were rare was one reason for that. The other was that no one really observed these creatures to understand them. They were usually killed on sight for their precious bodies.


    "I see," Mane nodded his head and said. He had a conflicted expression on his face, but ultimately he seemed to have come to a decision.


    "True Eyes," Mane silently said to himself and activated the ability that he inherited from the 6th Supreme. It wasn''t an ability he liked to use. Although he knew that the only way that the ability would grow was by him continuously using it, he didn''t really have the luxury to do so. Not only was the skill incredibly draining, Mane b?r?ly had any free time. He always had to be on his toes because of Ivor, and even the month where he had to prepare for the Finals of the Grand Tourney was mostly spent training the twins. And though he did train True Eyes during that period, it wasn''t with as much intensity and conviction as he trained his other skills.


    "Amazing," Mane exclaimed inwardly once he saw the structure of the Crystal Monkey. His True Eyes were still at the Beginner Level of proficiency, but he was able to easily see through most things. And the structure of the Crystal Monkey couldn''t be hidden from his powerful vision. Mane''s eyes flashed with a faint glow. His sclera was deep blue like turquoise shells, and his iris was as crimson as a sea of blood. His pupils were golden yellow, embodying the beauty of the midday sun. What Mane saw through these eyes was a body that was entirely different from anything he had seen so far.


    He had seen the structure of beasts and men. He had seen the structure of Elemental and Ancient. He had also seen the structure of a Barbarian. But none of them filled him with as much awe as the structure of the Crystal Monkey. The common thing Elementals, Ancients and Barbarians had was the presence of a star map. Although the stars differed in color, they all had stars in their bodies that held Edict. Weak Magical Beasts didn''t have a star map and couldn''t really store Edict, but High Class Magical Beasts and above were capable of employing some Edict based skills. However even for them, they didn''t have star maps. Mane hadn''t met any Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast before this, so he didn''t know if the Crystal Monkey was an exception or not. But the creature itself was like a giant star!


    It didn''t have any stars in its body, but its body acted like a star itself! The large beast was capable of storing energy in its entire body. It didn''t need a star map, for it a star itself! And that was what astonished Mane.


    "It is no wonder that you broke through," Mane looked at the motionless Crystal Monkey beneath the soles of his feet and sighed. Whenever True Eyes were activated, the world came to a standstill. That was the main reason why the skill was so draining. If Mane could use it without stopping the time of the world, he wouldn''t waste so much energy. Maybe if he was able to break into the Intermediate Level of proficiency he would be able to.


    "That''s enough I guess," Mane mumbled to himself and deactivated True Eyes. His eyes returned to their original color, and the world regained its times and seasons. Mane felt his vision becoming cloudy, and a bitter smile graced his lips. Even with his strength now in the Earth Realm, he still couldn''t use True Eyes comfortably. His Edict that was already bottoming was instantly depleted, and the fact that he remained standing was through sheer will, and sheer will alone.


    "Are you okay?" Hildegarde was a bit alarmed by these changes. She suddenly felt Mane''s energy disappear. She had no idea how he used up his Edict so quickly, but she was worried about him.


    "Oh I''m fine. Just a bit tired. Maybe using earth and water at the Mastery Level with my strength only in the Profound Realm was too much" Mane still hadn''t told Hildegarde about True Eyes so he didn''t tell her the actual reason behind his fatigue.


    "That is true," Hildegarde didn''t think twice about his excuse. His reason was a very plausible one after all.


    "We should get off him before he runs out of patience," Hildegarde stated and Mane nodded his head. He hadn''t forgotten that he was standing on top of a rare beast. He slowly got off the Crystal Monkey after he cast one last glance at it smooth crystalline ?h?st which had no signs of the previous injury.


    "Mane!" Lily was waiting for him below. She had already brought the horses over, something that Mane was very grateful for.


    "Are you okay?" Lily asked whilst checking Mane for injuries. Because his clothes were mostly destroyed Mane was practically wearing rags. Usually Lily would be embarrassed to see him like this. But she wasn''t even thinking about that right now. All that mattered to her was that her friend was fine.


    "I''m fine. Just tired." Mane slightly leaned on to Lily. He couldn''t help it. Getting off the Crystal Monkey had taken the last bit of energy he had been able to summon through sheer will alone. He was very tired now. In fact, he really wished that he could get some sleep. But he didn''t dare to.


    "I''d take you to Roxanne," Lily stated as she allowed Mane to lean onto her. The mounts were right next to her so carrying the taller Mane wasn''t a difficult task. Besides, she was using Edict to strengthen herself, so Mane''s weight was practically nonexistent to her.


    "Thank you," Mane slowly said as he appreciated Lily''s understanding. Leaning onto her supple body which smelled of fresh flowers, Mane unconsciously began to close his eyes.


    "You cannot afford to sleep right now," a voice pulled Mane back from the approaching darkness. It was Hildegarde who spoke and stopped Mane from falling to the sweet seduction of sleep.


    "I must really be tired," Mane thought to himself. It seemed that the stress from the days before and now were finally taking a toll on him. After all, he shouldn''t be this exhausted from using True Eyes. Well the fact that his energy was almost depleted when he used it was a factor, but it was no excuse to fall asleep in a dangerous land.


    "Devour," Mane mumbled silently, and several streams of Edict rushed into his body from the surroundings. Soon his fatigue was gone, and he was mostly fine. Slowly his body began to grow stronger and his strength crept towards the Earth Realm once again.


    "Here you go," Lily had no idea that Mane could now walk by himself. After all, it had only been a couple of seconds since he asked for her help to reach Roxanne. She carried the boy who was taller than her by a head and placed him on Roxanne.


    "Thank you," Mane smiled and said. "I feel much better now," he added whilst stretching.


    "You''re welcome," Lily smiled sweetly and said. She jumped onto Skimpy and both proceeded to ride their horses away from the place.


    *Roar*


    A loud roar interrupted their attempts to leave as a giant figure walked over to them.


    "What is it Monkey?" Mane ???ked his head in confusion. They had spared its life and increased its strength, so what else did it want?


    *Roar*


    "It''s expressing its willingness to follow you," Hildegarde was stunned to see the Crystal Monkey''s actions. Getting a beast to follow you wasn''t an easy thing to do. Not only did you have to beat the beast, you had to plant seeds of respect in it for it to decide to submit to you.


    "Why?" Mane didn''t understand what the Crystal Monkey was thinking. How could it chose to follow him after just one fight?


    *Roar*


    The large monkey beat its ?h?st and stomped the ground as its eyes flashed with excitement and eagerness. Mane didn''t understand what it was saying, but he was able to pick up its answer from its actions.


    "Really? You ¨C a monkey ¨C want to get stronger?" Mane was surprised. The Crystal Monkey nodded its large head when it heard Mane''s words, expressing that that was indeed its intention. This beast was much more intelligent than he thought. Any other creature would have been satisfied with the increased strength and would have left. But the Crystal Monkey didn''t forget how it had grown stronger and wished to follow the person responsible. It wanted to be right next to the one who could help it grow stronger continuously. To the Crystal Monkey, Mane was a treasure ?h?st. And it wasn''t silly enough to let this treasure leave its sight.


    "We should bring it along," Lily who had been quiet expressed her opinion. To her if they had the Crystal Monkey with them, they would be able to navigate the place faster. Besides, it was a rare and beautiful beast. Lily was more than happy to have it accompanying them.


    "Okay. You can come Monkey." Mane replied with a shrug and the Crystal Monkey thumped its ?h?st elatedly.


    "But you need a name. We can''t keep calling you monkey or it." Mane added, and the large monkey nodded its head again.


    "Why don''t you name it?" Mane turned to Lily and said.


    "Me?" Lily was baffled by Mane''s request.


    "Yes. Don''t you want to?" Mane smiled and said.


    "I do!" Lily clapped excitedly like a little girl. She blushed slightly when she realized the naivety of her actions and cleared her throat to hide her embarrassment. Fortunately for her it wasn''t bright enough for Mane to see the slight reddening of her cheeks.


    "Well, you are beautiful and bright like precious silver. So we''d call you Silver!"

 Chapter 411 - Displeased Barbarians

    "We are here," a group of 15 men and women were at the entrance to the Dark Valley. Most of them wore nothing but trunks and small top with weapons of varying sizes and types hanging on their backs or strapped to their waists. Some had swords strapped to their waists. There were light sword users and heavy sword users. There was even a woman with a zweihander strapped to her back. There were also people with axes and hammers. There were also about two of them who had spears clinging to their backs, and two more with clubs made from pure metal. Yet the one thing they shared in common was their auras. Each of them had the aura of a powerhouse. Some had auras denser than the others, but of all of those here none was weaker than a Pseudo Nightmare!


    Of the fifteen, 5 were at the High Level of the Pseudo Nightmare Realm. Another 5 were at the Peak of the Pseudo Nightmare Realm. And the last five people were at the Nightmare Realm! Of the five who were at the Nightmare Realm, one was at the Low Level Nightmare Realm, two were at the Mid-Level of the Nightmare Realm, another one was at the High Level of the Nightmare Realm, and the last person who happened to be the strongest person and leader for this expedition was at the Peak of the Nightmare Realm.


    The one who spoke earlier was a woman. She had long black hair and deep red eyes. She was beautiful, much like every other woman here and she had the aura of one who looked down on the world from a gaping height. She was one of the sword users, and had a large heavy sword strapped to her back. This sword was for only those with amazing physical ability and that was because it was a zweihander! Not only was her weapon impressive, but her aura was magnificent. For she was one of the Nightmares in this group! Her High Level Nightmare Realm aura wasn''t restrained, and its might kept every curious creature at bay.


    "We are late by a day," there was another woman standing next to the zweihander user. No, it was rather the zweihander user who stood next to her. And that was because within this group of fifteen this woman was the leader. She was also very beautiful and had red eyes just like the zweihander wielder. Her long black hair was slightly longer, just ending right above her bu????ks. She had a large axe strapped to her back, and her red eyes were squinted slightly as she gazed at the entrance of Dark Valley, a place she had been to only a few times in her life. And definitely not since she became the captain of the Night Patrol.


    With her status she wasn''t supposed to be at a place like this. Scouring Dark Valley was reserved for Pseudo Nightmare Level Teams. But her team was a Nightmare Level one, so she wasn''t supposed to be here. Life was strange at times. A place she thought she would never see again was before her. And her duty was go bring back the one who killed the Princess. But she was to do that without killing him. And that was why there were so many powerhouses here. Although the culprit was only a Pseudo Nightmare, he was able to kill the Princess who was a Low Level Pseudo Nightmare with combat ability of a Mid-Level Pseudo Nightmare. So they brought more than enough men and women for the job.


    "We are," the woman with the zweihander acknowledged her leader''s sentiments. "But none of us could have foreseen the interruption of the Ancients," she added, and the leader nodded her head.


    "It''s a good thing we were able to still get here at this time," the zweihander wielder spoke once again.


    "We lost ten people Chichi," the captain of the Night Patrol sighed and said. Although majority were still able to get away, they still lost ten barbarians to that unforeseen interruption. Those ten were strong fighters, and amongst them were two Nightmares who fell to the enemy''s blade. The two Nightmares were captains of two other teams that had been dispatched. There were 5 teams that had been chosen for this mission, with the captain of Night Patrol chosen as the leader. But before the mission had even started, they had lost two captains and 8 team members. Although no Night Patrol member nor any of Chichi''s men had died, it was still a huge loss. As for those who had made it here, they were only able to after successfully shaking off their enemies. Chichi was the Captain of another elite team, one that was comparable to Night Patrol. Her team was called Sunset Bloom. She had a good relationship with the Night Patrol captain, having been friends with her for over a decade, although their relationship didn''t start off that way.


    "We can never have a mission without casualties, Camila," Chichi, the zweihander High Level Nightmare smiled wryly and said.


    "I know. But it is disheartening to lose numbers even before a mission starts," Camila stated.


    "Indeed. But the person we are up against shouldn''t be a challenge. He is weaker than the weakest person here. So we should be able to get this done pretty easily." Chichi replied.


    "You are right," Camila nodded her head and took her eyes off the Dark Valley. She took a few steps back, and started walking to the horses that had been tied to the side.


    "Everyone! We didn''t arrive here in time." She addressed the several other Barbarians who were here with her. Each of them paid attention to her, whether they were members of the Night Patrol, or members of other teams. Right now they were her subordinates, and they were under strict orders to listen to her without any complaints.


    "We have missed our target. It is likely that he has already made it into the Dark Valley. And that means that we have no choice but to wait for him." Camila stated, and many of the barbarians frowned.


    The Dark Valley was large and difficult to navigate, even for barbarians. It was stupid to go searching for someone in it, so Camila''s suggestion was the best and only thing they could do. But they didn''t like the prospect of having to wait indefinitely. The frustration of having lost some comrades and the helplessness of having to wait for some nobody was starting to get to them. And they swore that they would make the one who dared kill their princess pay for bringing them so many inconveniences. Even though they couldn''t kill him, nothing was said about how healthy the boy was supposed to be when they brought him back. So torture was still very much part of the equation.


    "In the meantime, we shall set up some traps and barricade the area. We cannot allow other members of the three races to go in." Camila ordered, and everyone nodded their heads. Since their order was to bring the boy back alive, they couldn''t risk having other races interfering and either helping the boy to escape, or killing the boy. Since the three races were in constant disagreements with each other, it was more likely that they would help the boy escape if they saw that the barbarians were trying to capture him. It would be done out of spite, but since it would make them feel really good they wouldn''t mind putting their lives on the line to do something like that.


    "The Night Patrol is in charge of the barricading. Sunset Bloom would set the traps. And the remaining members of Fire Flash would join the surviving members of Thorned Horns under Captain Nasir. You are in to remain on the lookout for any unwelcome guests. Dismissed."


    Camila dished out orders quickly and efficiently, and everyone got to work. Well, everyone except the largest man in the entire group. This man was about two and a half metres tall, with a large shaggy beard and fierce eyes. His hair was brown, and so was his beard. He had a large hammer hanging from the side of his waist. He approached Camila slowly, and gestured that he wanted to speak to her.


    "What is it Nasir?" Camila asked. The large bearded man was called Nasir. The man was so big that Camila who was a tall lady and stood at about 1.9 meters looked like a child before him. He was the captain of Thorned Horns. Thorned Horns had lost two men in the earlier ambush, and those positions were now filled by the remaining survivors from the other teams that didn''t make it.


    "The boy; is he an ancient?" Nasir went straight to the point. There was no need for small talk between captains. He wasn''t close to Camila like Chichi was. But his relationship with her wasn''t poor either. However, it wasn''t at the stage where they would need to make small talk between themselves.


    "Honestly, I don''t know," Camila shook her head with a bitter smile on her face. She couldn''t help but admire Nasir''s mind. The man may look like a brute, but he was very far from that. Nasir was highly intelligent, and it was his intelligence that held more renown than his strength. The only reason he wasn''t leading the team was because the other captains objected to it, saying that the strongest and not the wisest, should be leading the charge. And since the mission wasn''t considered a complicated one, the Elders agreed. But now those captains who opposed him were dead. The irony in it wasn''t lost to Camila.


    "Because it is seems like too much of a coincidence that we were attacked by them once we were out. And that seems too strange to me." Nasir narrowed his eyes and said. They thought Mane was human at first. But thinking about it, which human other than the Black Dragon had been able to enter the ranks of Pseudo Nightmares? And one so young too? He couldn''t be an Elemental because Ivor had personally thrown him under the bus, and he was no barbarian. So that left one race ¨C the race of Ancients.


    "Indeed. But if they were there to protect the boy, why did they retreat after a while?" Camila asked. Perhaps the greatest inconsistency was the fact that their enemies had let them go. And that was what she couldn''t understand. Chichi and the others thought that they had been able to escape, but only the truly discerning like Nasir realized that that was far from the truth. Their pursuers had just given up halfway into the chase. They had only escaped because they were allowed to.


    "I don''t know. But it almost feels like they were dwindling the numbers to a level that could be dealt with." Nasir stated with a serious expression on his face.


    "Pff. You think he can deal with us? He is a Pseudo Nightmare teenager. It is impressive, yes. But talent isn''t going to save him when he''s up against so many Pseudo Nightmares and actual Nightmares." Camila stated with a slight chuckle. To her, Nasir''s words were not to be taken seriously.


    "I guess you are right. I must be overthinking things." Nasir admitted.. He too felt that he was thinking too much into the entire situation."

 Chapter 412 - Matriarch

    "Are you sure it was okay to let them go?" a man clad from head to toe in a large black cloak spoke in a raspy voice that showed signs of ''un-use''. As if he wasn''t pleased with the way his voice sounded, he cleared his throat several times. The man was tall and had a sword strapped to his waist. He wasn''t alone, and his words weren''t meant for himself. Next to him was another person also fully covered in a black cloak. He was referring to an ambush that they had set up. They ordered some of their top class teams to tail and intercept a group of Barbarians and whittle down their numbers. And the mission had gone off without a hitch. However, now he wondered if it was the right thing to do when they could have just killed off the entire group.


    "Yes," the person next to the tall man replied. This person was different from the man. For not only was she a woman, she was an old woman. Her back was slightly bent and her hunched figure leaned heavily upon a gorgeous cane. The cane was exquisite, and it had a crown that was made entirely with precious materials. The crown of the cane was made of pure gold, and it was shaped into a Lionhead. Her voice didn''t belong to one her age, for it sounded cool and was refreshing to the soul. Her eyes peered into the distance with calmness and they looked so peaceful that one would think that she had not a worry in the world. Yet anyone who was familiar with her would know that this was far from the truth. The burdens upon her shoulders were heavy, and much of her stooped posture was a result of the yoke of responsibility that had been passed to her by the reckless and careless vagabond Basileus.


    "Why? If we had dealt with them all, they wouldn''t be a danger to the boy." The man who was with her was confused. Although he had been following this woman for a long time, and most likely his entire life, he still wasn''t able to decipher her thoughts; neither did he understand her ways.


    "That much is obvious," the old lady smiled and struck her cane against the ground. The smile that stretched her lips apart was infectious and was full of concern. Yet anyone who had come across her on the battlefield or on a chessboard knew that she was more merciless and conniving than she was kind.


    "So why didn''t we just do that?" the man next to her wondered. His eyes were full of curiosity and eagerness to learn. He had received a lot of guidance from the old lady by following her. His intelligence, wits, comprehension and judgement had all improved over the years, and he knew that by staying at her side he could get even better. He had never been right when he was with her. But that was okay with him. For whenever he was wrong, he grew mentally. And that was why he was far above so many of his peers. And it was also the reason why whenever the Elders asked him to take up a higher ranking role, he refused them. Being this old lady''s aide was high ranking enough. And he wasn''t planning on doing anything else other than that.


    "Because we are not raising a daisy," the old lady smiled and said. As she spoke, she struck her cane onto the ground, and the ground shook slightly. The man next to her smiled bitterly and said, "Control your strength Matriarch."


    This friendly looking old woman was the Matriarch of the Ancients! Her position was an untouchable one. For the Matriarch wasn''t simply the ruler of the Ancients. Unlike the Barbarians and Elementals, the one who ruled the Ancient race wasn''t under the jurisdiction of the Ancestors. For she was the ultimate ancestor! She was one of the most powerful ancestors of the Ancient Race. There were less than four people among the Ancestors who could stand up to her. And one of these people just happened to be Komfo Anokye who was better known as Basileus. The former Patriarch of the Ancient Race had passed his position to the Matriarch before leaving on a mission that was of great importance to the Ancient Race with another of their Ancestors ¨C Keira.


    This happened at least a few times each day. Sometimes the Matriarch would forget her position and struggle to control her strength. And the results were¡­well not great.


    "Ah. I lost concentration there for a bit," the woman who was the Matriarch of the Ancients smiled bitterly and said. The place where her cane struck now had a long crack in it, and the crack extended into the deeper recesses of the earth. A light tapping of her cane had caused such chaos. One could just imagine what would happen were she to go all out!


    "What I saying before?" the Matriarch had a look of confusion on her face. The man who was her aide smiled bitterly. Although the Matriarch looked old, and was old, her memory was still fresh and strong. How could she forget what she was saying? She was just messing with him.


    "You were saying that we weren''t raising a daisy, but a wildflower," the aide replied, and the Matriarch nodded her head in approval whilst saying, "I see you haven''t forgotten what you learned."


    "No I haven''t Matriarch," the aide laughed and said. Whenever the Matriarch feigned a disjointed, discontinuous memory, it meant that she wanted him to prove his worth. She had said this before regarding her own son, the Prince of Ancients: we are not raising a daisy, but a wildflower. She didn''t finish her statement, and had handed the task of completing it over to him, and he had passed the test by doing just that.


    What that statement meant was simple. Ancients weren''t a pampering race. They didn''t believe in confining their talents or limiting their tasks. At times they even abandoned their kids ¨C the really talented ones ¨C and chose to let them grow with humans under several trials and difficult tests. Just so that they would get the very best out of them. They afforded them some protection, but it was meagre compared to what the two other races did for their talents.


    The Barbarians were so reluctant to let their Princess out that they gave her the simpler missions. In fact the Barbarian Lord Magma didn''t want his sister to do any sort of task and had been holding her back for the longest time, worried that she may get hurt or even worse, lose her life. And he was proven right in his worry when she was given a dangerous mission without his knowledge and lost her life.


    The Elementals weren''t any better. Lam and Lily were sheltered by their grandfather, their talents locked within them so that they wouldn''t be able to wield. Why? To protect them from the world of the Three Races. Old Fan wanted to keep them away from the war that had been eating away at the population of the Three Great Races for decades and centuries now. Of course that had been thrown outside the window when Mane baptized them in Edict and gave them the freedom to pursue power.


    Now let''s compare that to the Ancients. Dan was the Prince of Ancients, yet his own mother hadn''t hesitated to throw him into the belly of the Resurrection Cat; just so that he would unleash his true potential. And the strangest part was that Ancients were very intelligent and had several ways of achieving this without putting him through such great danger. She had stayed in the village to protect him for some time, but had left him to himself when she thought she wasn''t needed anymore. She didn''t even hesitate to orchestrate an entire Overflow to achieve her goals. This was the way of Ancients. They didn''t shield their talents from the world and its troubles. They threw them headfirst into them!


    "He doesn''t need us to protect him. He only needs us to reduce the numbers." The Matriarch smiled and said. Her aide nodded his head and added, "Besides if he is in real danger the Heavenly Nether Beast you sent as his guardian will protect him."


    A Heavenly Nether Beast. This was a beast that was described as belonging to the Beyond Legendary Realm. And why was that? Why wasn''t it called a Sacred Beast, but a Beyond Legendary Realm Magical Beast? Sacred Beasts were beyond the Legendary Realm, with each Sacred Beast possessing power at the top of the Magical Beast food chain. So why was a Heavenly Nether Beast not just called a Sacred Class?


    The answer was actually simple: because Heavenly Nether Beasts didn''t have measureable strength! Yes, these beasts were called Heavenly Beasts because they were capable of growing stronger than Sacred Beasts! Although the ones that could exceed the Sacred Beast realm were rare, they had the talent to do so. And as long as the right conditions were met, they would become true to their names, exceeding the Sacred Beast level and becoming Heavenly Beasts! Such a beast was a treasure wherever it went, and its power wasn''t to be underestimated. As long as it was guarding anyone, that person could rest easy.


    "Yes," the Matriarch replied. "You are getting wittier and wittier boy," she added and turned to face her aide.


    "It is because I am with you Matriarch. Your teachings sharpen my mind." The aide humbly reflected the praise to the one who gave it. He seemed well versed in his actions, for he bowed very low, almost too low in a comic fashion; a ???ky smile hanging at the corner of his lips.


    "And better at flattery too," the Matriarch laughed and turned to walk away.. Her aide smiled pleasingly and followed her.

 Chapter 413 - The Beast That Guards The Flower

    Two races had their eyes on one person. In fact, three races did, if one counted the race Ivor the Tattler belonged to. But of the three only one had good intentions towards this person. The others either wanted to kill or capture him. For both the first option was more welcoming. The second will only be chosen if there was no choice. But the person who was on the radar of the Three Great Races had no idea that he was in their line of sight. Neither did he know that there were members of one of these races waiting for him outside the Dark Valley. Right now he had one mission and one mission alone: to find the Revival Grass.


    Normally a search like that would have taken him quite a while. And Mane had already prepared himself to actively search for the plant even if it took him months to find it. But his task had been made much easier. And the reason for this was the giant Ape that travelled with them now.


    The ape was about 11 meters tall at the very least when it stood upright on its legs. But even hunched over it was about 9 or 10 meters tall. It had large hands the size of a person and a crystalline physique ¨C literally. It was a precious beast called Crystal Monkey. Mane hadn''t expected to meet one here, much less befriend it. He had unwittingly helped the beast achieve a breakthrough from the 7th stage of the Earth Realm to the 8th stage. And the sly creature, seeing an opportunity to grow infinitely stronger, chose to stick with Mane. It hadn''t been unhesitant in offering its loyalty, and when Mane said he was looking for the Revival Grass it had offered its help and knowledge of the Dark Valley.


    Honestly, Mane was very surprised that the Crystal Monkey was this helpful. He knew that the beast was intelligent, but when Lily had suggested that he tell it what they came for he was a bit hesitant. After all, the Crystal Monkey couldn''t possibly know what a Revival Grass was. It wasn''t that Mane didn''t think it didn''t know about the grass, but he didn''t think that the Crystal Monkey would know what he was talking about. After all, humans called it Revival Grass, but beasts surely didn''t know it by that name. However, once he mentioned the name of the grass and said he needed it to wake a friend up, the Crystal Monkey beat its ?h?st in pride and excitement and indicated that it knew where this plant was. And it asked that they follow him. Yes, him. The Crystal Monkey was male.


    So they had been travelling this way for a while now. Crystal Monkey ahead, humans and mounts behind.


    "Is this the way, Silver?" Mane asked as the three moved. He was seated on his mount, Roxanne, and Lily was perched on her horse, Skimpy. Before the two was the large Crystal Monkey Lily had named Silver.


    *Wu wu wu*


    Silver nodded his head several times and pointed to the path before them. Well, it wasn''t so much a path as it was a cave. For that was exactly where Silver was leading them. Before them was the entrance of a cave that for some reason seemed to give off a faint glow. In a place like Dark Valley where there was no light at all, a glow like that was especially catchy.


    *Wu ha wu wu*


    Silver had a slightly worried expression on his face. Thanks to the glow of the Light Grass that lit up the area around them, his face which was filled with worry could be seen. And Mane and Lily could see that the Crystal Monkey didn''t want them to go in. Its large eyes were filled with questions and concern. As for the reason why, it had already informed them before they started their journey here.


    By using gestures and feeble roars Silver had told them that there was a powerful beast guarding the Revival Grass. Apparently this beast treated the patch of Revival Grass that grew in Dark Valley as its farm, and it didn''t allow any of the stalks of the flowers to be taken away. Only those who were powerful enough to beat it into submission got its permission to take away the plant. This beast was so powerful that Silver didn''t dare to confront it, and it was worried about Mane and Lily''s decision to go against this beast.


    Of course Mane didn''t really worry about the guardian beast. His combat prowess was an entire realm above Silver''s. Any beast that could make Silver this weary was likely to be a Legendary Class Magical Beast ¨C a beast comparable to a Nightmare! Yet Mane wasn''t afraid. He reckoned that he would be able to handle a Legendary Class Magical Beast. Unless this guardian beast was beyond the 6th Stage of the Heaven Realm, Mane would be able to deal with it. And if it was, he would be forced to go all out. All out with his Glows; all out with his skills, and his Breaths.


    "You can stay outside if you want," Mane giggled and patted the giant arm of the Crystal Monkey. When he struck the beast the sound was akin to hitting a metallic pipe.


    *Roar*


    Silver hit his ?h?st in pride as if to say he wasn''t going to run away from them and that he would come along.


    "Yes. Act all brave now. As if you haven''t run away before." Mane smirked and got off his horse. His words elicited a subdued roar from Silver. The fear and worry it showed when it informed them of the guardian beast suggested that Silver had confronted the beast before and lost. To lose a fight and still be alive in the world of beasts meant that the loser was able to escape from the winner. And that was how Mane knew that it had retreated before. And it was also the reason why Mane was confident that he could handle the guardian beast. After all, if Silver who was at the High Stage of the Earth Realm was able to escape, that meant that the guardian beast was not overpowered. It was at a fairly reasonable level of power for Mane to take on.


    "What an intelligent beast," Hildegarde sighed, swinging her small legs like a pendulum on Mane''s shoulder.


    "It amazes me that he is able to understand human speech," Hildegarde added, and Mane nodded his head in response to her words. Since Lily was right beside him, he couldn''t use Lock-On. But that didn''t mean he couldn''t agree with Hildegarde. He felt that she was absolutely correct. Talking to Silver didn''t feel like talking to a pet or a beast. It felt like talking to a mute intelligent lifeform. For the shiny monkey understood every word he said. And Mane was finding it difficult to understand how that was possible. After all, Silver had lived in Dark Valley his entire life. He had informed them of this. And Silver also made his curiosity in Mane and Lily obvious. It didn''t hide that it was trying to understand this new race that had entered the Dark Valley. And that meant that it didn''t come across a lot of humans. So how did it understand what Mane was saying? It was a question that only Silver could answer, but sadly, he wasn''t able to speak so he couldn''t.


    "We are leaving them here?" Lily asked seeing that Mane had gotten down.


    "Yes," Mane nodded his head and said. "The presence of a superior beast has cleared out this area. There aren''t any Magical Beasts for at least a kilometer. And did you notice that for a while now we haven''t been attacked?" Mane added. Although the guardian beast wasn''t making its presence known, it seemed like it didn''t need to. It was highly plausible that it had built up a reputation for itself in this area, and this was its territory. After all, it was a Legendary Class Magical Beast and was inclined to mark out its territory. Silver was only a Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast, yet he had his own territory.


    "I thought that was because of Silver''s aura," Lily said with a slightly confused expression as she got off her horse.


    Silver roared in pride as if to say, "Yeah. It was because of me." Lily smiled slightly when she saw the big brute behaving in such a cute manner.


    "His aura drove away the beasts, that''s for sure. But that was before we entered this beast''s territory. Since we entered this particular part of the Dark Valley, I haven''t sensed any other beast apart from the one in here. Although I can''t make out its aura because it is actively hiding it." Mane stated.


    While it was true that Silver''s aura scared off most Magical Beasts, that was before they entered the guardian beast''s territory. Since they entered its territory, Mane hadn''t sensed any other aura but its own. And this meant that the beast was similar to Silver. It was a solitary beast and preferred to live alone. Which was great because if it was a Legendary Class Magical Beast that commanded hordes of other Magical Beasts things would have been much more troublesome.


    The strange thing about the beast however, was that it could hide its presence from Mane. Since Mane could sense it, that meant that it wasn''t at a level where Trace would be useless. Unless it was unreasonably more powerful, Mane should be able to sense its aura of power. And since Mane could sense its life aura, logically he should be able to sense its aura of power. But he couldn''t. And that could likely mean that the beast had a skill that allowed it to hide its aura; possibly for ambushes and surprise attacks. Added to the fact that Silver hadn''t been concealing his aura at Mane''s request, it must have surely felt Silver''s presence. So that meant that it knew they were here. But it still remained in the cave. That solidified Mane''s belief that it wasn''t a beast well suited for frontal exchanges. For if Silver''s aura was making it uneasy, that meant that it was slightly wary of him, and may only be at the 1st stage of the Heaven Realm.


    "We should go in," Mane ordered, and Lily nodded her head. She unsheathed her sword and stood next to Mane. She didn''t know if she would be of much help in the fight to come, but she was more than ready to provide her help if necessary. Of course she would rather that they didn''t have to fight at all. But life was never that easy now, was it? Mane spoke a few words to the reluctant Roxanne as though he was comforting her. Lily was doing the same with Skimpy. When the two had settled down, Mane and Lily proceeded to enter the cave.


    *Roar*


    Silver roared loudly as if to give himself some encouragement.. There was a little hesitation in his eyes, but he steeled his resolve and followed after Mane and Lily who had already entered the cave.

 Chapter 414 - The Beast That Guards The Flower: Part II

    The cave was much larger than it looked on the outside. Mane and Lily had been walking for a good part of half an hour, yet there were still no signs of the beast or the Revival Grass stalks. Not only was the cave long, it was wide and tall. For even the Crystal Monkey that was as several times bigger than the biggest human being in the world and stood at a height of over 10 feet tall when stooped was able to comfortably walk upright in the cave.


    "This is no cave. It''s like a tunnel." Hildegarde who was seated on Mane''s shoulder grumbled as though she was the one doing the walking. Mane smiled wryly when he heard her words. Tunnels were artificial. They were either made by large creatures with the capability to dig so well and so deep that the end products were nothing short of incredible, or they were made by man. But this wasn''t made by either. It was a natural landmark, and so it was a cave. But it was so abnormally large that anyone who used it would have thought it was a tunnel. As for why Mane was certain it was a cave, it was because Revival Grass only grew in ''untainted'' areas. That is, they only grew in parts of the world that hadn''t been touched by human or beast hands. The Dark Valley was certainly a place that remained untainted by human hands, but it was filled with beasts. If the Revival Grass was able to grow in this cave, that meant that this cave was a thing of nature, and that there were no beasts occupying it. Only the Guardian of the Revival Grass could live so close to it and not destroy it. Of course Hildegarde knew this as well, but she was bored because she was promised a good fight, yet all she got was meaningless trekking for over 20 minutes.


    *Uh Hah Wo Wu*


    Silver bent down slightly and gestured as quietly as he could that they were almost at the end. They were almost there. Soon, they would get to meet the Guardian Beast and see the Revival Grass.


    "You are very cautious of this creature, aren''t you?" Mane found it amusing that Silver was being so careful. The first time this beast had met them it roared loudly as though the entire valley belonged to it. Yet here it was now, being so considerate towards intruding on the habitat of another.


    Lily found Silver''s reaction amusing as well. She smiled slightly as she watched the large beast scratching its head in embarrassment. Yet within those embarrassed eyes, she saw hesitation and panic. And this confused her. It was one thing to be cautious and fearful of whatever was at the end of this cave. But why the hesitation. Was it that Silver didn''t want them to confront this beast at all? Or was there something else?


    Mane didn''t see the hesitation in Silver''s eyes. For the first time in a long while, he had let his guard down. His mind was preoccupied with the thoughts of his unconscious friend. So much so that he didn''t realise that something was off about this entire ordeal.


    "There is light ahead," Mane stated with a dumbfounded expression on his face. Lily who was next to him was just as surprised by their discovery, and Hildegarde who was seated on Mane''s shoulder suddenly frowned. Dark Valley was pitch black. There was no area in this valley that wasn''t filled with darkness. To be able to generate light in the darkness could only be done by means of artificial sources. And one of these artificial sources was Light Grass.


    This plant could light up a small area for about 30 minutes or so before dying out. But that was only if it was plucked from its main tree. That''s right. The Light Grass was the flower of a tree called Light Tree. Usually Light Grasses would always be alight. When one plucked them off the Light Tree, they would lose their brightness, and only when activated with blood will they shine dimly for half an hour. But if they were maintained on the main tree, they could light up a place for decades, centuries, millennia, and even forever, as long as the Light Tree remained. The Three Great Races of course tried replanting the Light Tree in the outside world. The Barbarians apparently uprooted an entire tree with their powerful physical strength and replanted it, but the tree died. Ancients and Elementals took seeds from the Light Tree and also planted them, but those didn''t survive. After countless tries, all of them failures, all three races reached a consensus: the Light Tree couldn''t survive outside Dark Valley.


    The light that was peering through the shadows and reaching for them was very bright. It far overshadowed the small illumination that the Light Grass suspended before Mane and Lily gave. It seemed this light was the source of the faint glow at the entrance to the cave. The Light Grass was the only source of light in Dark Valley. The three Great Races had explored most of the area except the area around the out of bounds Immortal Tree, and they had found no other living thing with the ability of the Light Grass. And that meant that this light was likely from Light Grass. And from its brightness, there were surely several of them. And that meant that¡­


    "That is light from a Light Tree," Mane and Lily both said the same thing, at the same time. Lily had a confused expression on her face, and so did Mane. Revival Grass couldn''t grow in a place tainted by human or beast. Light Trees had been widely studied by the three Great Races, and Ivor had happily shared the findings with Lily and Mane when Lily asked. So both were aware that Light Trees grew above ground. Meaning, they grew in the open, and not in caves. For a m?tur? light tree to be here meant that it was transported the same way the Barbarians did. And although Light Trees couldn''t be grown outside Dark Valley, transplantations within the valley itself didn''t harm the plant.


    "But if that is a transplanted Light Tree, how does the Revival Grass grow here?" Lily asked the question that had not only nestled in Mane''s mind, but gnawed away at Hildegarde''s reasoning as well. Based on what they knew so far, things just didn''t add up. They were confused, and in their confusion none of them saw that Silver was getting increasingly restless the closer they got to the source of the light. His anxiety reached the peak once they reached their destination, and all the pieces that weren''t quite right; every puzzle piece that didn''t fall into place finally did once Mane and Lily saw everything.


    "So that is how it understood human speech," Hildegarde smiled bitterly and said, and Mane nodded his head. Lily who was next to him had an unsightly expression on her beautiful face. For she too was highly intelligent, and understood everything once they got here.


    "And this must be the first time you have been done in by a beast," Hildegarde added, and Mane''s eyebrows twitched in annoyance. It was exactly because it was a beast that he had let his guard down. After all, who would expect that a beast would be this cunning?


    Before them, at least a few dozen meters away, was a beautiful plant that sprouted several colorful flowers. These flowers were like small suns, with each of them producing piercing rays of light that the creatures underneath the tree bathed in. Yes, there was more than one beast. There were 11 beasts to be exact. And none of them were what Mane or Lily expected to see.


    For starters, Mane thought that whatever beast was guarding the place was something that had the ability to hide its aura. He was wrong. For the beasts before him all had their auras restricted. Before Mane got here, he only sensed one life aura. As for the other ten, he didn''t sense them at all. For some reason, his Trace skill had been tampered with! In fact, it wasn''t just his skill; even Hildegarde had been affected just by being with him. She also could only sense one beast. But standing right before the beasts, he was able to sense their auras. Putting the pieces together, there was only one culprit.


    "Silver" Mane furrowed his brows and called the name of the beast that had led them here. Silver had an apologetic expression on its face as it made its way to the other 11 beasts that stood beneath the tree.


    Hildegarde had mentioned before that it was remarkable for a beast that was cut off from the outside world to understand human speech so well. Mane had wondered about that, and he was sure that Lily who was just as bright and curious as he, had similar questions. Yet none of them could had the answers and had just let them be. Since Silver couldn''t talk they just let it slide. But now they knew why. Silver was a trickster. It was likely that it had led many humans to this very place, and over time it had picked up the human language. Why were Mane and Lily so certain of their reasoning? The answer lay in the appearance of the other 11 beasts.


    All of them were Crystal Monkeys! Every¡­single¡­one¡­of¡­them!


    The creatures that were thought to be extinct had a dozen of their race hiding in a small cave. Of the eleven, most of them were just as large as Silver, and they shared a similar level of strength. 5 of them were at the 6th stage of the Earth Realm. 3 were 7th stage Earth Realmers, and 3 were 8th stage Earth Realmers. There was only one beast here that was different from the rest. It was the reason why almost all of them were similar to Silver, yet not all of them were the same as Silver. And that was because of the appearance of this beast.


    It was also Crystal Monkey. That bit could easily be discerned just by looking at the thing. But it didn''t possess the white shiny crystal bodies that the others shared. Its body was entirely emerald green, much like the color of Lily''s eyes. It was at least double of Silver''s height, standing at a height of 20 meters on its legs! Its aura was the strongest and it was undoubtedly the leader of the group. For it was a Legendary Class Magical Beast! The aura of a 5th Stage Heaven Realmer was abundant in this space because it was the aura of this beast, and the aura of life Mane had felt particularly came from this beast.


    *Roar*


    It gave a mighty roar filled with power when it cast its eyes on Mane and Lily, and Lily unconsciously shivered. Not only was the beast several times stronger than her, it was intentionally trying to intimidate her. She didn''t have the power nor the will to resist the fear that naturally clutched for her since she wasn''t an active fighter and hated violence.


    Mane''s expression grew stern, and his eyes flashed with a strange glow. He stretched his hand, and one of his heavy swords flew out of its sheath and landed in his palm. Just when he was about to strike another roar was heard, and a beast several times smaller than the Legendary Class Emerald Crystal Monkey appeared between both sides.


    "Silver?" Mane lifted one of his brows in surprise. The beast that had gotten in the way was Silver. It unleashed its aura as an 8th Stage Earth Realmer and roared a few times to the leading Legendary Class who was just as confused as Mane was.


    "It seems it isn''t a totally heartless creature," Hildegarde smiled and said. Indeed, the hostility of the Emerald Crystal Monkey died down when it sensed Silver''s aura. It had a surprised expression on its face, and kept speaking to its kin, possibly asking about how Silver broke through. And Mane was certain that this was the discussion because Silver pointed at him and then at himself as if to say, "He did that to me."


    Silver seemed to have quite the status here, for the Emerald Monkey stopped its intimidation, and Lily recovered herself.


    "Lily," Mane grasped the shoulders of the girl he adored when he saw that she was back to herself.


    "Mane," Lily blushed slightly from being so close to Mane. Their faces were literally only a few inches apart and she could feel his breath.


    "Listen to me," Mane stated seriously, not at all aware that he was causing the heart of the Elemental Princess to beat in anything but a rhythmical sequence.


    "Try to analyse all that had happened with Silver and present the truths before the scholar manual I gave you. That way you will break through."


    Mane had gained a small stage in his strength as a scholar just now. And he was now at the middle stage of the Mid-Stage Scholar Realm. This was because he had put everything he had experienced right now together and presented them to his manual. Lily surely had reached the same conclusions he had, and she would certainly gain more if she were to present her findings.


    "Okay," the blush that was creeping onto the sides of Lily''s face disappeared, and she became serious. She nodded her head and proceeded to do just that. Since it was her first time, it would take a while.


    Mane turned to face the Emerald Crystal Monkey. The reason he could be so bold as to tell Lily to train was because the beast had no intention of fighting him now. Rather, it was looking at him with appreciation.


    "You are very talented, Silver," Mane grinned and said. Silver beat its ?h?st in pride as if to say, ''of course I am.''


    "Could you undo your skill now?" Mane''s voice travelled to Silver and Silver alone. He couldn''t say it out loud because it would interfere with Lily''s process since it was part of the truth she was presenting.


    *Roar*


    "It is an impressive ability," Hildegarde admitted and Mane nodded his head. Silver was highly talented. It was only a Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast, yet it already had four skills.


    Earth Manipulation: Armor


    Earth Manipulation: Cannons


    Earth Manipulation: Weapon Creation


    Distort

 Chapter 415 - Revival Grass: Obtained

    The last skill was what messed up Mane''s Trace, and it was so strong that Hildegarde had been affected just by being close to Mane. Silver was smart enough to use Distort on Mane when Mane was healing him, and since it wasn''t a life threatening skill, Mane''s senses didn''t pick it up. It was highly useful and Mane was impressed by it. Now that he knew there was no danger, he could appreciate Silver''s genius.


    With his Trace back on he was able to tell the differences in the auras of the Crystal Monkeys here. Surprisingly, all of them were much older than Silver. In fact, from their auras Mane was able to tell that Silver was younger than all the monkeys by a large margin. Yet his energy level wasn''t the least amongst the group, and that showed that Silver was very talented. At least he was more talented than any of the other monkeys. There was another interesting detail however.


    "You are related?" Mane asked with a pleasantly surprised expression on his face. Silver was stunned when he heard Mane''s words. But he eagerly nodded his head and pointed to the Emerald Monkey with an expression of pride on his face.


    "Why aren''t you green then?" Mane asked in confusion. The thing that he found interesting was Silver''s origin. Silver''s aura was very much linked to the Emerald Monkey''s aura. In fact, Silver''s aura felt like it was born from the Emerald Crystal Monkey''s aura. The other Crystal Monkeys didn''t share that kind of connection with the Emerald Crystal Monkey. That was why Mane was curious to know the relation between the two. And his guess was right. Silver confirmed that the Emerald Monkey was his mother! But if that was the case, why wasn''t Silver also green?


    Silver scratched his head in embarrassment and looked down. He kept moving his feet in anxious embarrassment whilst sneaking glances at the Emerald Crystal Monkey. The large beast that towered above even Silver gestured a few times to Mane whiles pointing at Silver. It seemed that it understood what Mane was asking and was providing an answer.


    "He lost his color?" Mane was stunned by the reply that he received. Although logically he shouldn''t be able to understand the monkeys, for some reason he did. Maybe it was because he had been speaking to Silver for some time now. Or it was because the mother and son duo were really good at gesticulating and signing their intentions, but they got their message across.


    According to the Legendary Class Emerald Crystal Monkey, Silver had lost his color.


    The Emerald Monkey nodded its head and pointed at the Light Tree behind them. Then it pointed at itself and to the other Crystal Monkeys as if to say that the tree was beneficial for them. Mane was confused for a short while as he tried to make heads and tails of what he was being told. He finally got it after a few more minutes of thinking.


    "I see. The light from the Light Grass helps you maintain your true colors and form," Mane was very intrigued by what he was hearing. Since Crystal Monkeys were so rare, very few people in the universe knew about their physiology. In fact, before now Mane didn''t know that Crystal Monkeys had other colors other than silver. He didn''t know they were so intelligent that they could pick up human speech. And there had never been a sighting of a Heaven Realm Crystal Monkey ¨C ever. But here he was, speaking to a Heaven Realm Crystal Monkey. And this monkey had a different color too. Initially, Mane thought that its color was due to its strength. That maybe Crystal Monkeys had their color changed to green when they broke into the Heaven Realm. But he was wrong. Apparently it wasn''t that way. Green was the color she had been born with, and coincidentally she passed that color over to her son who had somehow lost his ''complexion''.


    Light Tree seemed to do more than provide light for the crystal monkeys, and that may be the reason why they had transplanted the tree to their home. It not only gave them light, but maintained their ''complexions'' and helped them in training. The rays from the Light Tree were absorbed into the bodies of the crystal monkeys whose special physiques allowed them to convert the Edict inside to their own.


    Silver had run away from home a few years ago, and had been without the rays of the Light Tree for a long time now. It had slowly lost its color over the years, and its inner energy slowly stagnated at the 7th Stage of the Earth Realm. Without the rays of the Light Tree to ''feed'' on and grow, it had not improved since the time it had left. It was only able to break through after Mane had unwittingly helped it out. If not, it wouldn''t have improved.


    Mane once again felt his Scholar abilities improve when he found this out. His strength climbed to the peak of the Mid-Level Scholar Realm. Mane was confused by the change. After all, he didn''t figure this out himself. It was the Emerald Crystal Monkey that told him. But soon he understood the reason why.


    Since his conversation partners were monkeys, Mane wasn''t expected to understand what they were saying. Yet he did comprehend their words, and his manual credited to him as his genius. It was a welcome surprise, and a gift that Mane was more than happy to receive. Mane quickly passed on what he had learned to Hildegarde through Lock-On.


    "So that is why Crystal Monkeys in the True Universe have their strength stuck in the Earth Realm," Hildegarde stated in understanding. She had been on the sidelines all this while. She didn''t really understand what was going on, neither did she comprehend how Mane was able to communicate with the beasts. But now that she had been informed, she understood the lot.


    "It seems that Crystal Monkeys are highly talented then. As long as they have the Light Tree, they can keep on growing." Hildegarde added.


    Mane was inclined to agree with the small fairy. Silver was the perfect example of what Hildegarde was saying. He had broken through a small stage when Mane forced Edict into its body. Through the use of True Eyes Mane was able to see how it absorbed Edict into its body. Crystal Monkeys were basically sponges. They could absorb Edict endlessly.


    The issue was the purity of Edict. They couldn''t absorb tainted Edict because their bodies didn''t have mechanisms for cleansing impure Edict. And that was why they found it hard to grow. And it was the reason why the Light Tree was so vital. It was one of the few treasures in the world that utilized pure and uncontaminated Edict to provide light. However, because there was just one tree and it wasn''t that large, the Crystal Monkeys didn''t get to absorb that much. That was why most of them were still stuck in the Earth Realm. In fact, all of them were, with the exception of the Legendary Class Emerald Crystal Monkey.


    "Will he get his color back?" Mane asked, keeping his eyes on Silver who had been besieged by the other Crystal Monkeys and was seemingly answering some questions.


    *Roar*


    The Legendary Class Emerald Crystal Monkey nodded its head confidently whilst pointing to the tree.


    "So as long as he stays, he will get his color back," Mane nodded in understanding.


    "Didn''t Silver say he will go with you?" Hildegarde asked.


    "That was only to deceive us into coming here," Mane smiled bitterly and said.


    "Is that what you think?" Hildegarde smiled.


    "What are you getting at?" Mane furrowed his brows and asked.


    "He didn''t bring you here the first chance he got. In fact, it was only after you asked for the Revival Grass that Silver brought you here. And he was reluctant to come here the whole time. You guys basically forced him into making a decision."


    "He only did that to make us believe that we should come here." Mane argued.


    "And the fact that his mother claims that he run away from home years ago?" Hildegarde counted.


    "Humans don''t really come to the Dark Valley. So it makes sense that he was roaming the place whilst looking for someone to deceive." Mane bashed her counter.


    "Mane, Silver bowed down to you. No matter how intelligent he is, he is still a beast. Beasts don''t submit to a person and forget about it. They don''t take that lightly." Hildegarde sighed and explained.


    Mane furrowed his brows in thought. Right now he was confused, and didn''t really know what to think. However, he didn''t get to think for long. Silver seemed to have successfully shaken off the curious monkeys and made its way back to Mane.


    *Roar*


    Silver roared and beat its ?h?st, drawing Mane''s attention.


    "What is it?" Mane asked


    "She has a Revival Grass?" Mane asked, stunned by the most recent development.


    What was the reason why Mane and Lily came to Dark Valley? They were looking for Revival Grass. That grass was their best bet to waking Lam up from his coma. And so they made this trip. A trip to a land that was feared by so many humans. Just so that they could find the flower that only grows in Dark Valley. And that was why they had followed Silver to this place in the first place.


    The large monkey told them that they could find Revival Grass here, but they will have to get past a guardian. Yet when they came they found no Revival Grass. All they found was a Crystal Monkey habitat. And if not for Silver''s intervention, Mane and the other monkeys would be embroiled in a fearsome fight right now. So you can imagine Mane''s surprise when he found out that there was indeed Revival Grass in this place.


    Silver nodded his head and Mane turned to the Emerald Monkey for confirmation. Once it nodded its head, Mane was filled with excitement. The largest monkey retreated to a spot behind the Light Tree and returned with a pouch. It pulled the pouch open and took out a beautiful leaf with seven clovers. The mere presence of the leaf filled this place with life, and Mane could tell right away what it was.


    Revival Grass!


    There was no doubt about it. It was the same as it was in the images Ivor had shown him before he made the trip here! The Emerald Monkey pulled out another Revival Grass and gave both to the dumbfounded Mane. Because the monkey was so large, the grass looked small when it was in its hands. But once they were in Mane''s hands, he realized how large they were. Each clover was about the size of his fist, and the two flowers looked like small shirts in Mane''s hands.


    "Thank you," Mane expressed his thanks sincerely, and the Emerald Monkey nodded its head.

 Chapter 416 - Telepath

    "How was it?" was the first thing Lily heard when her lovely eyelids fluttered open. Seated next to her was the boy she was travelling with. His long blond hair was carelessly left as it was ¨C unattended to. And his beautiful blue eyes were focused on her and her alone. Lily didn''t know how long she had taken, or how long Mane had been sitting next to her. But she subconsciously let out a smile seeing him sitting by her side calmly and waiting for her.


    "I am now a Trainee Scholar," Lily smiled happily and said.


    "That''s great!" Mane exclaimed, genuinely enthused about her breakthrough. He knew that she had wanted this for a while now, and seeing it happen for her was satisfying for him as well. Even though he expected that she would breakthrough since he had, it felt great to her it from her.


    "That''s not all," Lily smiled mysteriously and said.


    "It isn''t?" Mane stated with a slightly confused expression. "What else did you get?" Mane asked with a curious expression etched on his handsome face.


    "I am at the peak of the Trainee Scholar Level" Lily informed Mane.


    "This¡­" Mane stuttered with his blue eyes wide open. The shock on his face was so vividly expressed that Lily couldn''t help but laugh out loud for it was rare to see Mane like this.


    "You can use telepathy!" Mane exclaimed with Lock-On, shaking Lily''s poor ears. Yet she couldn''t even fault Mane for this. For what she had just revealed was stunning.


    When she informed Mane that she was at the peak of the Trainee Scholar Level, she didn''t do so by parting her lips and striking her tongue against her teeth. No, she didn''t speak. What she did was to transmit her thoughts directly to Mane! And that was why Mane was so surprised. It wasn''t because of her excessive breakthrough. If the information was enough to give him such a boost at the Mid Scholar Level, then it would definitely be more beneficial for Lily. Plus he broke through directly into the Beginner Scholar Level when he became a Scholar. So that wasn''t enough to warrant such a reaction from him. It was the telepathy that startled him.


    Mane was a user of a high level scholar manual he inherited from Ananse. And it was because of this manual that he was able to use skills like Lock-On and Words of Power. Those two were special skills that his manual conferred onto him. The only skill that was expected for any scholar no matter what manual they were using was Scout. But even Mane''s Scout had mutated into Trace. Every manual had the kind of skills it gave, and the higher the level of the manual, the better the skills one would receive.


    But telepathy was different. It was something that no manual could give you. One could only unlock it if they had the talent for it inherently. It was the same with Telekinesis for Spiritualists. Yet Lily had unlocked this rare skill, and that was what Mane wasn''t expecting.


    "I can," Lily replied once more with telepathy.


    "That''s incredible," Mane sighed and said. He was happy for her, but a bit envious since it was an incredible skill. He started to wonder if he could ever unlock such a skill.


    "You have no right to be envious," Hildegarde who was seated on his shoulder could immediately tell what was going on in his head.


    "You are a Body Wielder, an Energy Wielder, a Scholar and a Spiritualist. People count themselves lucky if they could be Dual Wielders. Yet you, an 11 year old in the skin of a 15 year old, are a Tetra Wielder. You have no right to be envious."


    Mane smiled wryly hearing his fairy''s words. She was right. He was massively talented, and many would be jealous of him if they knew just how much he could do. He even had the luxury of limiting himself and his skills when fighting because he had advanced in so many of them and was seeking inspiration to reach the much coveted Full Mastery Realm for all of them. With the many gifts he had, he had no right to be jealous of another. Hildegarde was absolutely right concerning this.


    "What other skills did you unlock?" Mane asked Lily. Since telepathy was her own gift, she ought to have unlocked other skills. Logically, she should unlock three since her manual was also a High Class/Level Manual.


    "Well, I got Lock-On," Lily replied via Lock-On. Unlike with telepathy her lips moved when she spoke, and Mane didn''t feel the words resounding in his head like before.


    The manual she was given by Mane also conferred Lock-On to user. After all, it was mainly because she witnessed and experienced Mane''s use of Lock-On that she became enamored with the skill. So that much wasn''t surprising.


    "What else?" Mane probed once more.


    "I got Scout. And I also got a skill called Track. It is a variation of Scout." Lily gave up the last two skills.


    "Track?" Mane was surprised by the last skill.


    "Yes. You know it?" Lily asked.


    "I do," Mane nodded his head in response to her inquiry. "It is a very useful skill," he added.


    "It is," Lily smiled gleefully.


    Track was indeed a variation of Scout. It allowed a person to place a mark on someone. Dissimilarly to Trace it could only be used on one person at a time. And unlike Trace, it had no distance limitation! So Lily could track the location of the person marked no matter how far this person was! It was an amazing skill. Besides, Mane knew from the memories he inherited from Ananse that when a user of Track reached the High Scholar Level, the skill would integrate with Scout to create a new skill called Explorer. Surprisingly, not even Ananse knew how Explorer worked. The skill was so rare that not much was known about it. And even the Wise Spider Goddess was no exception.


    "Now that you are up we can leave," Mane informed Lily, and the Elemental Princess nodded her head in agreement.


    "We need to get back to searching for a Revival Grass," Lily whispered and stood up. She hadn''t forgotten their purpose.


    "We don''t," Mane smiled mysteriously and said.


    "What do you mean?" Lily was confused. Didn''t they come all the way to this place for that particular plant? Did Mane somehow come up with a solution when she was having her breakthrough?


    "Here," Mane smiled and handed his open backpack to Lily. It was now that Lily noticed that Skimpy and Roxanne were in the cave with them. It seemed that Mane had gone for them whilst she was breaking through. The two horses were asleep however, and that was why Skimpy didn''t come over when Lily ''woke'' up.


    Lily curiously peered into the backpack, and when she saw the new addition to its contents, her eyes flew wide open. She faced Mane with the same expression he had on when he learned of her telepathy and asked with her voice trembling slightly, "Are those Revival Grasses?"


    "Yes. It turns out Silver wasn''t lying about the grass. They really had it here. It was given to me by his mother." Mane smiled seeing her expression and explained to her everything that had happened whilst she was in her mindscape, including the relationship between the Emerald Crystal Monkey and Silver. He didn''t hide anything from Lily.


    "I''ve got to thank her," Lily hastily wiped the few tears that gathered at the corner of her eyes and said. She stood up hurriedly and approached the Emerald Crystal Monkey. Mane only smiled and watched her leave. He didn''t say anything. He had to only wait a minute for Lily to walk back to him, and the first thing she said when she returned was,


    "So when are we leaving?" Now that they had what they came for, the only question they had left to answer was this one.


    "Initially I wanted us to leave immediately after your breakthrough," Mane stated. "But Silver''s mother asked that we stay a couple of days. I didn''t agree. I wanted to hear from you first. What do you think?"


    "Really? You want my opinion?" Lily had a strange look on her face when she asked this question. Mane had basically been making all the decisions since the journey began and had never asked her for her opinion.


    "Yes," Mane blushed in shame. He understood why Lily was behaving that way, and he was ashamed of himself for being so dominating the entire journey. He could make excuses and say it was because he was a dominant male or because he was used to doing things on his own, but it wouldn''t change the fact that he had been wrong this whole time.


    "Who knew that you also knew how to be ashamed and regretful," Hildegarde giggled melodiously seeing Mane''s expression. It was in times like these that she loved to fly around the young Supreme, just so that she could see his full reaction. Besides, it also made it impossible for Mane to ignore her since he could see her flying around his head in circles.


    "I think we should accede to her request. She did give us what we wanted after all. And if not for her, we would have definitely spent a longer period of time looking for the plant. Remember that Ivor even said that it could take up to a month to find it?" Lily''s answer was in line with what Mane was thinking.


    Both knew that the only reason the Emerald Crystal Monkey would ask them to stay was Silver. After all, she didn''t know them and she had given them a gift. In essence, they owed her a favor and not the other way around. So if keeping Silver company for two days was all she wanted, then they would do that.


    "I remember," Mane nodded his head.. "We should let her know we are staying then," Mane replied and stood up, moving to the giant monkey to inform her of their decision.

 Chapter 417 - Played Twice By A Monkey

    It had been exactly two days since Mane and Lily agreed to stay for a while, and it was time for them to leave. In the Dark Valley, a place where the light of the sun never shone, the concept of time could be tricky and it was almost impossible to discern how many hours or days a person spent exploring it. But Mane and Lily embarked upon this journey, one fraught with mystery, with a pocket watch, so that wasn''t a problem. Mane and Lily had done as they had said and now that two days had passed, they couldn''t afford to waste any more time. They had to get the Revival Grass to Lam. But before that, there was a situation that needed diffusing.


    "Why do you have to fight?" Lily had a worried expression on her face as she addressed Mane. Mane was right next to her, but his focus was on the blades he was retrieving from his backpack.


    "Apparently I need to prove that I am strong enough to protect Silver in the outside world," Mane smiled bitterly and replied.


    During their two day stay, Silver''s allegiance to Mane had come up. It was Silver himself who made the confession to his mother. And he did so because his mother was refusing to let him follow Mane and Lily. Mane understood why Silver run away the first time, and why he was so reluctant to return when Mane asked him for the location of a Revival Grass. It was because Silver knew that he wouldn''t be able to get out if he came back here, and he was a Crystal Monkey that loved freedom. Apparently the only reason why Silver never made it outside Dark Valley when he escaped the first time was because he didn''t know how to get out. If he did, he would have left ages ago.


    Mane understood Silver''s mother''s worries. Crystal Monkeys were hunted no matter where they went, and that wouldn''t change. Silver wanting to explore the world would definitely leave her very worried. Besides, Silver had an unusual identity. Silver was a Crystal Monkey King! Mane and Lily had a hard time believing it when they were told. The monkey that had pledged allegiance so easily to Mane was actually a King?!


    Emerald Crystal Monkeys were special existences. Silver''s mother was born as a Crystal Monkey Queen, and Silver was a Crystal Monkey Prince. Although he had lost his complexion, it was bound to return if he kept on improving in strength and basking in the light of the Light Tree. Although Mane had proven to Silver''s mother that he was more than capable of helping Silver grow with Devour, he hadn''t done anything to show that he was capable of protecting her son and future King of the Crystal Monkeys.


    Mane underestimated the gravity of Silver''s decision to submit to him. Just like Hildegarde said, a beast''s submission to a human was far more important than Mane thought it was. Silver''s mother wouldn''t have given any conditions at all if not for the fact that Silver had already submitted to Mane. In fact she had a fit when she found out, and the other monkeys had to calm her down. If not things would have become very ugly.


    So to settle the issue, she gave a condition. The only way Mane would be able to take Silver with him was if he won a round of duels. Yes, a round of duels. Mane was meant to fight against the other beasts and Silver''s mother. The first round was a duel against 11 Earth Realm Crystal Monkeys! 5 of the monkeys were at the 6th Stage, 3 were at the 7th Stage, and the last three were at the 8th Stage. It sounded unreasonable, but Silver''s mother argued that if Mane couldn''t win in a fight against all the monkeys, then he wasn''t worthy to face her. And Mane had to admit that she had a point. For she was a Heaven Realm Beast, and had the right to make such claims for her strength was indeed vastly superior to the others.


    So Mane was going to do just that. Mane sheathed his blades after confirming that they were still as good as new. Then he slung the scabbards over his shoulders, allowing both swords to rest on his back. All the while Lily stood beside him with a worried expression on her face.


    "We both know you aren''t sorry so cut it out," Mane scowled at the other figure next to him. Lily stood to his right, and Silver to his left. Silver scratched his head embarrassingly when he heard Mane''s words, suggesting that he really wasn''t here to apologize for pushing Mane into this pit. Mane was surer than ever that Silver knew exactly what was going to happen after his revelation and had planned this entire scenario out. But he couldn''t complain. He did get two Revival Grasses here after all.


    "Just say what you actually want to say," Mane sighed and said. He lightly moved his arms and stretched a bit. As he warmed up, he turned to face the large monkey beside him and spoke to it. Spending two days with the Crystal Monkeys had been very beneficial. Both to Mane and Lily. Both of them had grown more accustomed to the monkeys, and had spent a lot of the time here speaking to them. So now they could understand a lot of what the monkeys said. Mane had even given them numbers based on their strength. Numbers 1 to 11. And he did this by testing them all, which was why Silver''s mother didn''t dare to be complacent and said they should fight Mane together. And it was also because of this that Mane was certain that Silver set him up. After all, it was only after witnessing Mane''s true strength that Silver informed his mother of his submission to him. It was almost as if after seeing Mane bash every single one of the other monkeys with relative ease, Silver was certain that Mane could dig him out of this mess.


    *Roar*


    Silver roared feebly with a pleading expression on his face. And then as if thinking about something important, he roared again.


    "Which do you want me to do: go easy on them or win? Because I definitely cannot do both." Mane spat out with a bit of frustration.


    "Doesn''t feel good to be played by a monkey twice, does it?" Hildegarde who was upon his shoulder was finding the entire situation amusing. She knew why Mane was upset, and who wouldn''t be. After all, he had been played by Silver twice in a span of a few days. Not only was the monkey using him, he also wanted Mane to go easy on the others. And then he seemed to think about his request and also added that Mane should win.


    *Roar*


    Silver roared with a bit more conviction now, and Mane waved him away whilst saying, "Fine. I would do that. I would use my fists when I fight them. But I would use my blades with your mother. She is too strong for me to fight b?r?handed.


    *Roar*


    "I said I would do it. Just stop making noise"


    Lily smiled whilst watching the two of them bickering. She understood Silver just as well as Mane now. So she caught the entire interaction. To her it was amusing that man and beast were able to get along ''so well''.


    "I''m ready ¨C I guess," Mane stated after putting on his boots and picking a few stones from the ground.


    "Be careful," Lily gently hugged him and said.


    "Here is where you say ''I will''" Hildegarde teased when she noticed that Mane was rooted to the spot.


    "I will," Mane recovered, replied and quickly turned away before revealing his embarrassment. He had hugged her before, but the circumstances then were very different from now, and each time he had been expecting it. More often than not he was the initiator, but this one caught him off guard. Not only was he not expecting it, she was the one who initiated it. And that was why he was so surprised.


    As he breathed in the scent of lilies that was still glued to him, he was overcome with a great sense of calm. He was able to disregard everything, even the 11 Pseudo Legendary Crystal Monkeys waiting patiently for him. Mane had achieved the state of tranquility. It was the perfect state one could be in when fighting.


    "Who knew that a single hug could be this miraculous?"


    Unfortunately for Mane, Hildegarde''s naughty comment broke his state of tranquility. Mane''s eyebrows twitched in annoyance, and he swatted the fairy off his shoulder like he was warding off a fly.


    *Roar?*


    Silver who was walking next to Mane tilted his head in surprise seeing Mane''s action.


    "There was a bug," Mane lied and kept walking, leaving the confused Silver who knew that there were no bugs in this cave.


    "I am not a bug!" Hildegarde fumed whilst flying back to Mane. But even she knew that she deserved that. So when she returned to his shoulder this time, she sat down quietly.


    Once Mane reached the ''centre stage'', he came face to face with the eleven crystal monkeys ¨C and Silver''s mother.


    *Roar*


    Silver''s mother roared loudly and beat her ?h?st. Mane who understood what she meant only nodded his head. She acknowledged his reply and repeated her actions to the eleven crystal monkeys, who beat their ?h?sts and returned her roar. And then she gave the signal to fight.


    *Roar*


    The monkey leading the eleven looked apologetic, and it roared to Mane as if to ask for forgiveness.


    "I know you don''t want to Number 1. But you must. He is your Prince and future King after all. Besides, you cannot disobey the orders of your Queen."


    After Mane had beaten them up, he had spared with them a lot, and they had come to like each other. Because of that they were really reluctant to fight him, and Number 1, who was the strongest amongst the eleven was quick to tell Mane that none of them wanted any part in this.


    "Let''s start then," Mane stated plainly, and his strength was displayed in all its glory as the aura of a 1st Stage Earth Realmer filled this space.

 Chapter 418 - Counting Down Numbers

    Without waiting for the monkeys to make the first move, Mane seized the initiative. Feeling up the stones in his hands, he quickly counted them. They were four. A lucky coincidence or planned genius, it worked out just fine for Mane who quickly spread the stones and lodged a stone in between his knuckles. Then he flung all four at once, each to a different location.


    *Pew*


    *Pew*


    *Pew*


    *Pew*


    The stones flew through the air like mini rockets, each coated with Mane''s superior and pure energy. Before the monkeys could react the stones had already reached their targets, and four of them were struck squarely on their heads.


    *Bang*


    *Bang*


    *Bang*


    *Bang*


    Four Crystal Monkeys were sent crushing into the ground, all of them unconscious. Till the very last scene of their consciousness, they didn''t see what exactly it was that knocked them out.


    *Roar*


    It was at this point that Number 1 recovered his wits. Although he was stunned and a bit terrified by how quickly Mane had taken out four of them, he wasn''t going to dwell on that. His roar was an order. An order that marked the beginning of a messy 7 on 1 fight. At least that was how it was supposed to be. But the one they were fighting against was the boy who had beaten them all just a day ago. And he knew not to be surrounded by the monkeys.


    Mane sprang into action once he flung the stones. And even before they hit their targets he was preparing for his next targets. The stones were meant for 4 of the 5 6th Stage Earth Realm Crystal Monkeys. Mane didn''t target the stronger beasts because he wasn''t sure if that would be enough to knock them out. His energy wasn''t limitless. So he had to make the most of it considering that he was still up against Silver''s mother after this.


    Mane clenched his fists and pulled back his arm as he advanced. Like a freight train full of energy and power he blasted a punch into the ?h?st of the last of the 6th Stage Earth Realm Crystal Monkeys; a monkey Mane had given the name Number 9.


    Number 9 hurriedly crossed his arms before him, memories of being beaten miserably only the day before resurfacing and causing him to subconsciously take a small step back. Mane smiled slightly seeing this. For Number 9 had unwittingly stepped into a small hole Mane had just fashioned.


    *Roar?*


    Number 9 roared in confusion as he lost his footing, not understanding how it could have stepped into a hole. After all, there were no holes here. It naturally lost its protection when it lost its balance, as the arms that were serving as shields before weren''t doing so anymore. It tried to bring its arms back up, but it was too late. Unfortunately for Number 9, Mane didn''t give it the time to recollect itself. He wasn''t one to give up an opportunity he had created for himself. His powerful fist struck the wide open Number 9.


    *Bang*


    Number 9 was sent flying into the wall of the cave, and he lost his consciousness soon after. Mane was keeping his promise to Silver. He wasn''t going overboard and he was controlling his strength perfectly to stop from hurting them. But he couldn''t have them up and about. So knocking them into forced sleep was a small price they had to pay.


    "5 down, 6 more to go," Mane mumbled to himself before quickly diving out of the way.


    *Boom*


    Two Crystal Monkeys, Number 1 and Number 3 landed where Mane previously stood. Both had their fists stuck in the ground from the ferocity of their punches, and they were the reason Mane had fled so hastily. Yet they weren''t the only ones he had to worry about.


    "Nice thinking," Mane praised inwardly seeing the figures that were charging at him. For he had dived directly into the paths of Number 2 and Number 4. Number 5 and Number 6 were on the other side. It seemed that they had covered every possible route Mane would have taken to avoid Number 1 and Number 3''s attack. That was a basic strategy, but it was brilliant when it was performed by beasts.


    Mane didn''t try to avoid the incoming Number 2 and Number 4. While it was true that he had lost a bit of momentum from his retreat, he was used to group broils. And he had been involved in many broils featuring Celestials ¨C beings who were made for war. So he wasn''t close to panicking just yet.


    He calmly gathered energy into his arms and legs and started spinning at such a high speed of rotation that the winds gathered around him and formed a mini tornado, much to the bewilderment of Number 2 and Number 4.


    "Wind Bash," Mane''s serene voice was quite contradictory to the furious wind that surrounded him. Number 2 and Number 4 had stern expressions on their faces. A golden light surrounded their bodies and beautiful earth armors were covering their frames soon after.


    *Roar*


    *Roar*


    Both Number 2 and Number 4 roared gallantly and did something that looked silly but was actually brilliant. Both rushed towards the tornado without any hesitation or doubt. They raised their arms over their heads and smashed downwards with all their might once they were close enough, and a deafening explosion rang out.


    Mane was sent skidding back. However, his expression was anything but panicked. There was a small smile on his face as he retreated, almost like he was not bothered that the tornado he conjured had been so easily broken. And in a few more seconds his opponents understood the reason for his smile.


    Borrowing the momentum of his retreat Mane smashed his legs into the ground and pushed out, gathering much greater speed than before. A golden light surrounded his arms and two large earth gauntlets gloved them both. Without hesitation he crashed into the two beasts in his path, who were coincidentally, the weakest of the bunch ¨C Number 5 and Number 6!


    That had been his aim all along! When he was forced into the path of Number 2 and Number 4, he positioned himself in the line of Number 5 and Number 6. Crystal Monkeys were smart, and had good battle awareness. Mane knew this, so he summoned a tornado. Since his use of wind in battle wasn''t that good, it wasn''t meant to have a devastating effect. He gave it the name ''Wind Bash'' to fool the monkeys into thinking that it was an actual skill. That way they would make the most logical decision: stop the skill before it was completed. And that was why they had intercepted his charge. An interception that had sent him flying towards the unsuspecting Number 5 and Number 6!


    Just like Number 2 and Number 4 had done only moments before, Mane raised both hands over his head and jumped up high. His run made his jump more extreme than usual, and like a powerful javelin Mane smashed into Number 6, his arm gantlets sinking into the poor beast''s shoulders.


    *Bang*


    Like it had been hit by a meteor, Number 6 was bashed into the ground. Mane wasn''t done yet. A golden light surrounded his legs, and both his lower limbs were covered by large high boots made of earth. He swung his legs decisively towards Number 5 who was moving to intercept him and smashed the beast towards the rapidly approaching Number 2.


    *Bang*


    Because the kick was a hasty one and not filled with much power, Number 5 was still very much conscious. His ?h?st ached a bit, but other than that he was fine. Number 2 caught the flying Number 5 without much difficulty, but the decision to grab his comrade midair forced him to retreat a few meters with his friend within his bosom. That meant that Number 3, Number 4, and Number 1 were the ones tasked with getting to Mane.


    Mane didn''t pay any attention to the approaching monkeys. A golden light filled his hands, and a club that was only as big Silver''s forearm was created. It wasn''t as big as the monkey beneath him, but it was big enough to do the job he had in mind. Looking down upon the dazed but still conscious Number 6, Mane smashed down with very little hesitation ¨C onto the head of the large ape!


    One swing and Number 6''s lights were out. Mane was satisfied seeing the poor guy''s eyes roll behind his head, and then he moved away. But this time he didn''t retreat. He rushed headfirst into the trio of monkeys charging at him!


    The club in his hands disappeared, and the golden light of earth elements filled Mane''s entire body once again. But Mane wasn''t the only one going through changes. Number 1 and Number 3 also had golden lights flooding their bodies. As for Number 4 he was good. His armor was still his strongest barrier yet, although it hadn''t yet been tested.


    Once the golden lights disappeared, three figures covered entirely earth armor came roaring out. Even Mane couldn''t help but let out a loud defiant roar in response to the provocations of his opponents. Just like that, Mane dashed towards the three Earth Realm Crystal Monkeys with resolute determination.. Without forgetting about the returning Number 2 and the furious Number 5.

 Chapter 419 - Counting Down Numbers: Part II

    *Bang*


    The first beast Mane crashed into was Number 1. The giant ape was almost as large as Silver, and he wasn''t about to be done in so easily. Mane''s fists only found Number 1''s arm guards. And though Mane''s fists were several times smaller than Number 1''s fingers, his punch was ferocious. Number 1 was sent skidding back several meters, and his arms shook violently due to the powerful after effects of Mane''s devastating strike.


    Number 3''s eyes flashed with an ominous light, and he struck at the currently defenseless Mane. His large fists that were greater than Mane''s torso approached the Supreme rapidly, and as his fist tore through the air the sound of small explosions could be heard. Streams of inner energy bound themselves to his large hand as it was sent smashing into Mane!


    Number 4 wasn''t idle either. When Number 3 moved, Number 4 also moved. He was a tad bit slower since he was a stage weaker than Number 3, but his reactions were precious. Unlike Number 3 who opted for a more conventional jab, Number 4 decided to depend on his palms. Straightening his fingers into towering rods, he gathered inner energy into his palms and summoned the earth elements once again, asking them to enforce his armor. Unlike the other Crystal Monkeys, Number 4''s armor was particularly detailed around the hands and he had rocky gloves. His large palm was akin to an earth plate of towering pressure, as he struck towards Mane''s shoulder!


    Mane didn''t panic even when the attacks were almost upon him. As stated earlier, group brawls were kind of his thing, and this wasn''t enough to cause him much discomfort. He lightly swiveled and bent slightly. Instead of retreating, he prepared his own attack, much to the confusion of Number 3 and Number 4. They watched in surprise as Mane gathered several stream of Edict into his arms and legs, seeming throwing away his intentions to preserve his energy out the window and just focusing on the current match.


    And with that change in mentality, came a new kind of reckless spending of power. The power that gathered in his arms and legs gave out a piercing darkness that was particularly bright in this lit up space. The darkness quickly surrounded his frame and covered him entirely. It was something none of the monkeys had seen Mane use just yet. And it was a skill that was bound to torment their souls.


    Absolute Darkness ¨C Elusive Killing


    Silver''s mother watched with furrowed brows as the dark light covered Mane''s entire frame. Her eyes shook in anxious fear as she recognised the element that was being called upon. Silver who was next to her was confused, not understanding his mother''s sudden change in countenance. But even he could understand one thing: whatever that light was, even his mother was afraid of it!


    Lily had never seen this dark light either. It was an ominous darkness and was very much unwelcome, just like a moonless night. The wind elements that stuck to her so eagerly and were usually so chatty started to move away from her, and their noisy voices died down. Their chattering ceased, and Lily could feel everything around her become colder. No, it wasn''t a change in weather. Dark Valley had no times and seasons ¨C only darkness. It was that grim shadow that surrounded Mane!


    "This¡­" even Mane was stunned by the change. Although Absolute Darkness had recently advanced to the Mastery Level, it had never reacted like this to his energy.


    "It must be this place," Mane came to the most logical conclusion. Surely this must be a reaction to Dark Valley''s darkness. It seemed that his darkness element was more than happy being in a place that fully embraced it; a place that loved it for what it was ¨C a menace.


    *Bang*


    Under the astonished gazes of Number 3 and Number 4, their attacks passed through Mane''s darkened body, and they ended up striking each other. Since Mane was shorter than them by a long shot, they didn''t hit any important areas, but they certainly limited their mobility. For Number 3''s punch landed on Number 4''s left knee, and Number 4''s palm struck Number 3''s right leg.


    *Bang*


    Both stumbled and fell almost immediately, the surprise in their eyes still apparent. Even kneeling they were still much taller than Mane, but their submissive postures made it much easier for the one who was destined to rule the world and face the gods to get to them.


    The dark light that covered Mane receded. He couldn''t attack with Elusive Killing ¨C only defend. The name of the skill contained the word ''kill''. Unless Mane wanted to lob their heads off their shoulders, there was no way he would strike them with this skill. Phasing through their attacks was enough.


    Mane gathered Edict in his arms, and the much familiar golden light spread out once more. It took away the shock and dread of the dark light, but it wasn''t that comforting for the two monkeys on their knees.


    Mane returned the favor to the two. A palm for Number 4 and a punch for Number 3.


    *Bang*


    Like well struck rotund balls, the two apes were sent crashing into the cave walls. Both were embedded securely within the walls, and weren''t going to recover anytime soon. But Mane didn''t have the time to gloat, for Number 2 and Number 1 had finally caught up. Number 5 who was with them was still angry at being kicked away like a common rubber ball, but seeing Number 4 and Number 3 who were stronger than him being dealt with so casually, his anger had cooled down immensely.


    Mane didn''t wait for the three to reach him ¨C he reached out for them. Number 1 was the fastest, and he got to Mane a tad earlier than the others. Added to the fact that Mane had moved to him specifically, it didn''t take long for the two to meet. And when they did, they didn''t hesitate to trade blows.


    *Bang*


    *Bang*


    *Bang*


    *Bang*


    In just a couple of seconds, both had traded several jabs and kicks. It was easier for Mane to get his attacks in since he was much smaller. All of Number 1''s attacks missed their target and landed on the ground or struck only the air that surrounded them, whereas Mane''s strikes always found a part of Number 1''s body. He had already struck Number 1''s legs and abdomen a few times. Both didn''t get to enjoy the company of each other for long. For Number 2 was the next to join the action. And immediately he did, he fizzed a well-timed punch towards Mane''s figure.


    Seeing the shadow looming over his head, Mane didn''t hesitate to abandon his ?ssault on Number 1. He pushed his feet against the ground and slid away from the sneaky attack.


    *Boom*


    Number 2''s huge fist created a new hole in the cave ground, and Silver''s mother''s eyebrows twitched in frustration as she realised her folly of letting them duke it out in here, instead of outside.


    Once Mane escaped from the two large beasts, he made his intentions known. For his path was the path of Number 5, and he was planning to finish this in one blow. Just like how he had finished the others.


    "Fire Phoenix Form: Piercing Arrow"


    Mane mumbled silently, and Edict gathered into his small fist and then spread all over his body. Fire consumed his frame yet he was unburned. He punched forwards, towards the astonished Number 5 who was now more wary and fearful of Mane than he was angry. He didn''t want to be disregarded, but he definitely didn''t want to be on his radar like this.


    The cry of a Phoenix Rang out as the fire around Mane morphed into a flaming arrow with Mane''s fist as the arrow head. Without giving Number 5 the time to think, Mane crushed into him.


    *Boom*


    The bruised and battered body of Number 5 fell onto the ground. He was still breathing, but amongst all the monkeys who had been beaten so far, he came off the worst.


    *Roar*


    Silver gave an angry roar of disapproval, clearly showing what he thought of Mane''s attack.


    "What?" Mane bit back.


    "He was annoyed I disregarded him so I decided not to," the young Supreme continued, ignoring Silver''s rapidly changing facial expression.


    "Besides, he isn''t hurt, just a bit burned. He will be fine after a couple of hours." Mane waved his actions away, and then jumped out of the way to avoid the incoming Number 1.


    *Boom*


    Number 1 landed right where Mane was before. This time his gaze was filled with a bit more anxiety. They were eleven, but now they were only two. How were they supposed to win now? He turned to look at Number 2. The monkey that had never been satisfied that it was ranked below him shared his concerns, and both weren''t eager to fight anymore. But they couldn''t go against their Queen''s order, and Mane was equally unwillingly to let them go.


    "Explode," Mane smiled strangely and said. His smile shook Number 1 and Number 2 who didn''t understand what was going on, but were not eager to find out. The two monkeys attempted to get out of the way, but they were too late.


    Mane didn''t just fire up the place to deal with Number 5. He did something else that he hadn''t done since he dueled with Abelard, the twins ¨C Jake and John ¨C Selina, and Frederick some months ago. He planted fire into the ground. He coated them with wind, and now that Number 1 and Number 2 had so conveniently walked into his trap, there was no need to let them go unscathed.


    *Boom*


    A deafening explosion shook the cave, with Silver, Lily and Silver''s mother wondering if this place could last under this kind of careless bombardment of energy. Number 1 and Number 2 were blown away by the fearful fire elements reinforced by the wind elements, and they fell onto the ground just a few meters away from the site of the explosion.


    Both struggled to get up, but they were battered and bruised all over. Mane smiled grandly and turned to face the annoyed Emerald Crystal Monkey in what could only be described as reckless defiance. With a polite voice that was opposite to his actions he asked,


    "Can we fight now?" much to the amusement of the spectating Lily.

 Chapter 420 - Testing Limits

    "Can you not be so smug about it?" Hildegarde smiled wryly and said. She had been on Mane''s shoulder the entire fight and hadn''t moved an inch away from her favorite spot. Not even when Absolute Darkness showed a different side of itself did she move. She was there the entire time.


    "Why should I not be?" Mane replied. Since he had been thrust into this situation by Silver''s mother, there was no way he wouldn''t taunt her about her first failure when it presented itself so grandly.


    "What if she gets mad?" Hildegarde asked.


    "She''s a 5th stage Heaven Realmer Hildegarde. I can still handle her. As long as she isn''t at the 8th stage it should be fine." Mane waved Hildegarde''s worries away and said. He could handle a wielder of average battle talent at the 7th stage of the Heaven Realm at best. The Emerald Crystal Monkey was at the 5th Stage of the Heaven Realm, but she was stronger than that. After all, the 11 Crystal Monkeys Mane had just defeated were all stronger than their actual energy levels by a single level. And that was why Mane hadn''t found it as easy as he would have hoped to deal with them. And this was only because both groups were holding back. Mane theorized that if the monkeys had fought with their lives on the line, they would be able to fight averagely talented wielders who were two levels above their energy levels!


    Going by that logic and based on Silver''s talent, Mane reckoned that the Emerald Crystal Monkey had a greater talent. Since she and Silver were basically the same of their kind ¨C royalty ¨C that meant that they had similar talent. Silver''s fighting prowess and numerous skills meant that he could go head to head with an averagely talented wielder who was stronger than him by two levels. And if he fought with his life on the line, he would be able to handle talents three levels above him! So his mother should be about the same.


    "About Absolute Darkness¡­" Hildegarde went to the topic she was most curious about. She had b?r?ly began her statement when Mane interrupted her with an "I don''t know," although she didn''t seem to be buying it.


    Feeling her gaze boring into his temple Mane shrugged his shoulders and said, "I really don''t know. It may be because we are in Dark Valley, a place deeply baptized in darkness that it had such a reaction. That''s the only thing I can think about."


    "Is it?" Hildegarde furrowed her brows and thought silently. Was that really nothing but a reaction to their current environment? Or was there something else?


    She didn''t have the time to consider it though, for an angry Emerald Crystal Monkey was approaching Mane. Silver''s mother was so mad that she had forgotten that she had reminded herself to move the fight to the outside and was intending to deal with things right here.


    From the distance, Silver and Lily watched on. The large monkey moved to Lily when he saw his mother leaving his side to confront Mane. Maybe he figured that it would be better if he was at the same place with someone who supported the one he was rooting for.


    *Roar*


    The Emerald Crystal Monkey''s roar shook the cave and threatened to crush Mane. The aura of a heaven wielder was fully unveiled, as the power of one who was in the middle stages of the Heaven Realm was revealed to all who were here. It was a small congregation of mankind and beasts, but they served as just the right audience for this showdown.


    Mane didn''t cower under the threatening aura of the Queen of the Crystal Monkeys. Without any hesitation he pulled his swords out of their scabbards. Their pitch black blades didn''t reflect any light and seemed to only swallow the light rays of the Light Tree. Their hilts were engraved with the figures of dragons; dragons that seemed to coil around the entire sword and not just the handles. Mane pushed much of his inner energy into the swords, and they somehow turned a tad bit darker. And then they burst into flames!


    *Whoosh*


    Mane sprang into action, and he was the first to do so. He wasn''t a fool to sit back and wait for the bashing of a beast that had so much more inner energy to spare than he did. And even worse, the previous fight had drained him of almost half of his energy, so he couldn''t afford to be wasteful.


    "Prideful Sword: Dance of the Half-Moon"


    Mane span round and round, gathering momentum with each full rotation. His fiery blades didn''t lose their burning vigor and grew more powerful with each spin. When Mane activated the technique of his master, the blades screamed in excitement. And their thunderous roar when they smashed into the arms of the Crystal Monkey Queen was priceless.


    *Bang*


    Silver''s mother was forced to retreat due to the ferocity of the blow. Her large figure skidded across the ground, drawing up several kilograms of soil and dirt as she moved. Her eyes squinted into small needles as she cast them to her arms that had served as her shields in the clash. Although she had coated her arms with energy, the blades still hacked into her skin and there were two shallow cuts on her arm! She knew that she couldn''t take this lightly, but even she wasn''t expecting her inner energy coat to be breached so simply. After all, the opponent was still an Earth Wielder. And he was at the weakest level too!


    Mane didn''t want to give her anytime to think, or to activate her techniques for that matter. If he went by what he had seen from Silver, the Emerald Crystal Monkey should have all those techniques as well ¨C and a few more. And maybe just like Silver she may have an unusual ability like Distort, and Mane didn''t want to present her the chance to use it. And it was because of that that Mane didn''t hesitate to turn to one of his earliest skills.


    "Star Flicker"


    Like a gentle breeze accompanied by a frenzied storm, Mane''s figure flashed and disappeared, and under the astonished gaze of the Emerald Crystal Monkey he reappeared right next to her.


    "Prideful Sword: Dance of the Half-Moon"


    "Bloodied Blade: Crazed Cut of the Blade King!"


    Mane employed two techniques at the same time, not choosing to worry about his meagre energy reserves. His body bathed in the strengthening of Edict, elevating both his inner and outer energy to new heights as he pierced his two swords towards the Emerald Crystal Monkey.


    The expression of the Queen of Monkeys was anything but pleasant. As an intelligent beast it understood just what Mane as planning, and she was angry and too proud to admit it but it was working. She wasn''t getting the time required to use any of her skills, and if this continued, she would lose without being able to show her full strength. She had the battle ability of a 7th Stage Heaven Realmer even when she wasn''t trying, yet she wasn''t able to fight at her full potential. Currently she was fighting at a level lower than her actual level. And all she could do now was defend.


    She could see that this new attack carried twice the amount of power compared to the one earlier. And that meant that she couldn''t just handle this with her inner energy coat. So she countered with a skill she didn''t need to prepare herself to execute. A special skill much like Silver''s Distort. It was called Sonic Blast.


    Opening her mouth widely, she inhaled a sharp breath of air, and then violently coughed out this air. But what came out wasn''t a gust of wind. What was returned was a powerful blast that struck against Mane''s blades and did exactly what the skill was named ¨C cause a blast!


    Three techniques intertwined, yet there was no winner. Both Mane and Silver''s mother were knocked back by the sheer power of their skills. Mane flew back a couple dozen meters, and Silver''s mother was knocked back by a few more with her back almost touching the cave walls. But to her this was a more welcome sight. For at this distance, she had the time to prepare, and prepare she did. A golden light much denser than anything the other monkeys had been able to summon flooded the body of the Queen and encased her within.


    Earth Manipulation: Armor


    Earth Manipulation: Cannons


    Earth Manipulation: Weapon Creation


    Earth Manipulation: Blade Wings


    Earth Manipulation: Earth Drones


    Mane watched sternly as the golden light receded to reveal his opponent''s new form. The Emerald Crystal Monkey was fully covered in thick and well sculpted armor. The cannons that Silver had used against him were mounted upon her shoulders, only this time they were a few times larger and sturdier looking. Her hands were covered with large earthen gloves that were full of spikes and had very sharp claws at the end. Added to the skills Mane had already seen Silver use were two that he wasn''t familiar with. There were two large wings shaped like swords extending from her shoulders and fluttering in the air. And Mane didn''t need to be told that he should avoid those blades if he wanted to live before knowing to do just that. In addition to that were 8 floating earth balls with wings that flew around the figure of the Emerald Crystal Monkey. They were as large as him and filled Mane with a sense of dread, forcing the feeling of wariness down his throat.


    The details of the armor and accessories were so fine that Mane didn''t even need to think to understand that Silver''s mother had reached the Mastery Realm of Earth Manipulation! She was superior to her son in this aspect as well. She was at the same level as him! That meant that he couldn''t afford to meet her with his skills limited to the Intermediate Level. And that also meant that she may be more than capable of holding her own against 9th Stage Heaven Realmers if she went all out. Mane couldn''t handle 8th Stage Heaven Realmers, much less a 9th Stage. He knew that the fight had become much tougher and that his chances had grown several times slimmer!


    But rather than panic, he exhaled a deep breath of air. He had many techniques, many skills and Supreme level talent. He just needed to find the right combinations. Ever since his change he wasn''t sure of the limits of his battle ability. Maybe this was the right time to find out. What better way to test your limits were there than against an enemy who wasn''t trying to kill you!


    Seeing that Silver''s mother had freely unleashed her abilities, he did the same. Even calling upon a Glow and a Breath he hadn''t used in a while.


    "Glow: Brimstone"


    "Glow: Takeover"


    "Breath: True Flames"

 Chapter 421 - Testing Limits: Part II

    Mane''s hair turned red, and so did his eyes. A pitch black aura engulfed him, but unlike before it didn''t carry the dread of darkness; it expressed a different kind of dread. It carried the dread of war and battle, and it smelt of unbridled power. As if that wasn''t enough, blue flames engulfed Mane''s entire body, intermingling with the black aura. The temperature of the flames was so high that the walls of the cave began to crack and burn!


    *Vroom*


    Mane''s aura climbed up steadily. His strength crept up the hill of power with indomitable will and d?s?r?, and as his aura grew stronger, the cave began to shake. When he told Hildegarde he could possibly fight against a 7th Stage Heaven Realmer, he had done so in consideration of all his skills. Without Takeover or True Flames, he was incapable of handling even 6th stage Heaven Wielders. With them, everything was very different.


    Silver''s mother furrowed her brows in surprise and doubt. Techniques that could increase a person''s strength so were forbidden, and they took a huge toll on a person''s body. Unless it was a skill that was inherited like hers, the price to use it would be too steep. Why would this boy resort to such a method for her son''s sake? Did he truly value her son as a precious comrade? Or was she just thinking too much. As she thought about this her eyes remained glued to the figure of the boy engulfed in flames so blue that it was almost as if Mane was engulfed in a watery flame.


    The Monkey Queen had no idea that Mane didn''t need to pay the huge price she thought he did to experience such a vast increase in strength. Takeover increased his strength to three times his original power, but it was a Glow; a glow he inherited from his mother. Although he was left weary to the point of over exhaustion after using it, he didn''t receive any detriments to his foundation or energy. If it was such a costly move, there was no way he would have used it. For although he liked Silver, he had known him only a few days. It was unreasonable to make that kind of sacrifice for someone he had just recently befriended.


    Of course Silver''s mother didn''t know this. She stomped the ground lightly, and several pillars of earth rose up and fastened themselves to the roof of the cave. Some bound themselves to the caves walls, and the shaking ceased. A battle of this caliber shouldn''t be fought here. After all, a Heaven Realmer was capable of levelling a city if he/she went all out. She was a powerful Heaven Wielder with her battle prowess at the 8th Stage of the Heaven Realm. And Mane certainly had the abilities of a Heaven Wielder even though he was not. So their fight was bound to be destructive. If it wasn''t because of the special properties of the cave that allowed it to withstand such grave impact, she would have moved out without hesitation. But that didn''t mean that she wasn''t worried. After all, even if it was special, how much could it possibly take?


    "His fire is different," Lily who was watching stated. She had moved to the entrance of the cave, into the passageway that led to the outside. The passageway was long and vast, and it typically took a person about 30 minutes to walk from the passageway to the outside. She had no choice but to move here due to the fierceness of Mane''s fights. And this last one was going to be more savage than the others.


    *Roar*


    Next to her was Silver who had moved also for that very same purpose. The large monkey looked on with awed eyes. His eyes particularly travelled to Mane''s figure more often than it travelled to his mother''s. He agreed with Lily that Mane''s flames were different. He could feel the power of the flames even from here. They cackled and hissed and scotched him like the sun itself. He knew that this fire was vastly superior to Mane''s former flames. If this was the fire Mane had used against the Earth Realm Crystal Monkeys, there was no way any of them would have survived!


    The ground Mane stood on developed new cracks, and slightly caved in. His eyes were fully focused on the figure of the Emerald Crystal Monkey. Once he felt the familiar power fill his entire being, he knew that he was ready. He couldn''t use more than two Glows at once, and could only handle a Breath per time. But it was enough. At least he felt it was. As to whether it would be good enough to deal with the beast before him, there was only on way to find out. And he set upon doing just that.


    *Whoosh*


    Mane''s figure flashed as he moved towards the Monkey Queen. His fiery figure left a huge trail of light when he moved, and he seemed to have stolen the spotlight from the Light Tree, becoming the brightest existence here.


    But he wasn''t the only one who moved. The Monkey Queen wasn''t idle either, and she moved almost immediately Mane moved. She was large, but that didn''t negatively affect her speed. She was big, but she wasn''t sluggish at all. She moved with the grace of one who controlled the lives of millions; with the poise of a ruler; and with the majesty of a Queen. Although she was heavy, her steps were light and refined, and so well controlled that the cave ground didn''t even realise that she was treading upon it.


    In no time, both had narrowed the large gap between them to only a few meters.


    "Prideful Sword: Dance of the Half-Moon Butterfly"


    With swords in hand, Mane could apply the much more convenient Dance of the Half-Moon Butterfly. His figure that the Monkey Queen was able to follow all this while turned illusionary and he disappeared, much to her dismay.


    Mane reappeared right next to the Monkey Queen. Without any hesitation he sliced his fiery blades at the huge figure of the Emerald Crystal Monkey.


    "4 Way Cut: Perfect Square"


    Sword lights flew from Mane''s swords and formed a perfectly large square. The square was burning with blue flames, and its heat was several times greater than the fire that surrounded Mane. It was the largest square Mane had formed just yet and was comparable to the large arm of the Monkey Queen. It was so large that it was bigger than him, and it drained quite a bit of his energy.


    In a fight like this not only was her huge size a disadvantage in terms of mobility ¨C since the cave wasn''t large enough so that she could move freely ¨C it also provided Mane with a large surface area to strike. But there was also an advantage: which was that every attack had to be large and strong enough to threaten her. A perfect example of this was the huge flaming square that was flying towards the Monkey Queen''s leg.


    The fiery square was quick. In less than a second it had already reached its target. But before it could strike the Monkey Queen, one of the earth drones flew into its path and blocked the attack.


    *Boom*


    With a resounding roar several chunks of earth were blown away as the earth drone was destroyed. Mane had an ugly expression on his face. He rapidly retreated as the large fist of the Monkey Queen descended upon his previous location.


    *Bang*


    A new hole joined the many others that had been formed today, as the giant fist of the Monkey Queen caved out its own pouch in the ground.


    "Disappointing," Mane mumbled while finding his footing again. "It disappeared after destroying just one drone," he continued. Whilst Perfect Square wasn''t his strongest attack, it was disappointing to see it take down only one drone and disappear. Mane had considered the drones when he struck. But he thought that his attack would be able to break through a drone and find its target; weakened, but capable of doing a little damage. He had vastly overestimated his capabilities and underestimated his opponent''s. Then again, those drones were not only big, but had great defenses. After all, they were born of the earth element.


    "She surely doesn''t think that way," Hildegarde who was flying above Mane said and pointed at the annoyed Emerald Crystal Monkey. Even she was uncomfortable with Mane''s flames. It couldn''t threaten her, but it made her feel like she was in a hot and uncomfortable room. So she took off.


    *Roar*


    Silver''s mother wasn''t best pleased that she had lost a drone. Those things weren''t easy to produce, and stole a huge chunk of inner energy. If they were recalled that energy was returned, but if they were destroyed it was lost. So there was no way she was happy. The seven earth drones around her readjusted their positions to compensate for the loss of one, and each one opened up to reveal a small hole in the middle. Small lights gathered within these holes and prepared to fire at Mane. As if that wasn''t enough, the cannons on the Monkey Queen''s shoulders also lit up, as violent torrents of energy formed within them.


    "Are you kidding me?" Mane exclaimed seeing that the drones could not only defend, but attack.


    "Dance of the Half-Moon Butterfly"


    Mane activated his technique quickly once the energy blasts were fired at him. His figure moved seamlessly between the blasts as though he was dancing. And though he came close to being struck a few times, he was never hit. But the walls and ground weren''t so lucky.


    *Bang*


    *Boom*


    Serving as testimonies to the destructive abilities of the turrets were several new deep holes on both the ground and walls. Smoke escaped from these holes and rushed to the surface, and Mane could tell just how destructive the turrets were from the sights around him. He didn''t dwell on that though. He reckoned that a skill like that would need time to cooldown. So he struck.


    "Prideful Sword: Dance of the Half-Moon"


    "Bloodied Blade: Crazed Cut of the Blade King"


    Activating two techniques he was vastly proficient with, Mane crashed into a drone. Since they were going to be blocking his attacks, he might as well destroy them now. Two fiery sword lights sliced through the drone without much issue.


    And without any true suspense, the weaponized flying machine was cut into two. Yet Mane''s sword lights weren''t fully depleted. They were thinned out, but still capable of one more attack. And Mane knew this. Both skills were stronger than 4 Way Cut: Perfect Square, and he was much closer to the drone than he was before. After all, the first time he wasn''t even planning to hit a drone. And that was why Mane hadn''t aimed for one, but two drones!


    *Boom*


    This time both sword lights were exhausted and blew up with the second drone. Including these two, Mane had taken care of three drones in total, leaving him with five drones to deal with. But now that he had made his intentions clear, the Monkey Queen wasn''t going to make it easy for him to achieve them. Besides, she was far from her usual ''chirpy'' self.


    *Roar!*

 Chapter 422 - Lightning Mane

    Accompanying the roar of the Monkey Queen was a huge change in her aura. The intimidation her aura carried grew much greater, and the earth armor she wore became shinier. The cannons on her shoulder were engulfed by a golden yellow light, and when the light receded they had grown bigger and a tad longer.


    The earth drones also underwent a change. Two more wings grew on each drone, and they became at least three times faster than before. A golden light appeared in her palms, and a long beautiful golden rod was formed. The weapon looked dense and highly destructive. It had a different feel to it ¨C the rod. It didn''t feel like something that had been fashioned right this minute, but a weapon that could be summoned at any time. After all, both Mane and the Monkey Queen had the same level of proficiency with earth, and Mane knew that to do something like this was highly improbable. To create a weapon that could give off such an aura comparable to a high grade weapon was even unlikely if one reached Full Mastery, much less at the Mastery Level. It was similar to the rod Silver summoned when he fought Mane, only stronger. But how this weapon appeared or what it was made from mattered little right now. For Mane had to face the person wielding it. As if that wasn''t enough, a small crown appeared on her head, and Mane could feel that her strength had entered into the ranks of a 9th Stage Heaven Realmer!


    "Are you sure you can handle her?" Hildegarde was next to Mane, so she could see all that he saw. And she could feel that the Monkey Queen had become much stronger. For a 5th Stage Heaven Realm beast to possess such power was indicative of the high talent that it possessed. Mane couldn''t help but wonder if Silver would also become this powerful, since he was bound to be a Monkey King in the future.


    "I don''t know," Mane frowned and replied. A 7th Stage Heaven Realmer was his limit. Maybe if he fought with his life on the line he would be able to handle an 8th Stage. But a 9th Stage was something else. That was the peak of the Heaven Realm! And it was bound to be much more difficult to overcome.


    "Man it would have been great if I could also use Endless Wave," Mane thought whilst exposing a wry smile. Endless Wave was analogous to Takeover. Takeover was from his mother, Endless Wave was from his father. And both gave massive increase in strength. Unlike Takeover, Mane still couldn''t freely use Endless Wave even though he had already unlocked the Glow. If he could, it would have helped him massively.


    "What are you going to do?" Hildegarde asked. They needed a plan if he was going to come out victorious. After all, his opponent was very much outside his league.


    "I don''t know," Mane had never been this out of sorts before. But this was life. Even geniuses had times of unease where they were grossly outmatched.


    "However I do know this: I cannot allow her to make the first move," Mane stated and sprinted towards the large and majestic Monkey Queen. His fiery figure moved like a blur, and the heat of his flames melted any and everything it came into contact with. The oxygen in the cave diminished sharply as Mane pulled them towards his flames to strengthen them. And his fire got even hotter. In next to no time, he was right before the Monkey Queen. And he wasted no time and mounting an attack.


    "Prideful Sword: Wrath of the Half-Moon"


    Along with the humming of his swords and the shaking of the cave, the blades in Mane''s hands produced several sword lights which became one to produce a massive sword light that was a long as Silver''s arm yet as thin as a strand of Mane''s hair. Mane''s face grew pale after producing the sword light. It was clear that it took quite a toll to produce such an attack. Wrath of the Half-Moon was the strongest of the Prideful Sword series and was very draining. Added to the fact that it had to be made as big as the Monkey Queen to cause any real damage, it took a lot out of Mane to activate.


    The aura of the sword light was so threatening that even the Monkey Queen couldn''t disregard it. Without wasting any time she struck the ground with full force and produced an earth shield so dense that even the iron walls of Asher City paled in comparison. And then she struck the shield towards the incoming sword light.


    *Boom*


    Along with a deafening explosion, the powerful earth shield was sliced into two clean halves. Although the sword light had grown dimmer and weaker, it was still travelling towards the Emerald Crystal Monkey like a man on a mission. As it whizzed past the air, the feeling of the dread it carried travelled to all watching.


    Lily and Silver were joined by the recently defeated monkeys to watch the duel. Those who were still unconscious had been dragged here. And those who were awake could feel, just like Lily and Silver, the overwhelming power behind that sword strike. None of them would have been able to break through the Queen''s earth shield, even if they all attacked together and had been given several tries. Yet that thin sword light had done the business seemingly easily. Although it had been weakened, it still looked powerful enough to cause their Queen a major headache.


    True enough, the Monkey Queen furrowed her glass eyebrows when she saw the approaching light. At her command three of her drones flew away from her, each one with their turrets out and golden lights loaded to fire. At her behest all three were driven into the path of the sword strike, each one shooting energy beams along the way.


    *Bang*


    *Bang*


    *Bang*


    With a few bangs, all three drones were destroyed, much to the annoyance of the Queen. However, they weren''t useless, for the sword light had grown even dimmer, and its aura was far less menacing than it was before. Now the Queen felt that she could deal with it, and so she did.


    *Roar!*


    With a loud roar she shot a Sonic Blast out of her large mouth and onto the beam, reducing the light of the sword once again. And without stopping, she dashed towards the sword light whilst spinning her rod, creating a small whirlwind in the process. And when she reached it, she struck it decisively.


    *Boom*


    The powerful rod proved to be more than a creation of the earth. For it crashed into the sword beam and dispersed it without even a scratch on its surface. As if taunting Mane, the Monkey Queen gave a loud cry before she dashed towards him.


    "Prideful Sword: Dance of the Half-Moon Butterfly"


    Mane quickly activated his movement technique when he spotted the approaching monkey. He was lucky that it was so large and the cave wasn''t, because this severely limited the movement of the beast. However, it was still very fast. So much so that Mane was struggling to avoid each blow. For about thirty seconds the two played a game of cat and mouse, with Mane successfully avoiding every attack that the Queen threw at him. Alas, he couldn''t always get away.


    The Monkey Queen span her rod with the expertise of a rod user and swung it towards Mane. Before the large rod, Mane looked like a small bug that could be easily squashed, but he had successfully escaped this ill fate each time by being as slippery as one. And that was what he was planning to do.


    The eyes of the Legendary Class Emerald Crystal Monkey Queen flashed with a sinister light, and she stomped her foot onto the ground. Her action caused the small cave to shake as though it had been rocked with a massive explosion, and Mane who was in the process of avoiding another one of her blows, lost his footing.


    Mane''s facial expression grew tense when he felt his feet leave the ground, yet he remained composed. He was also an earth user, and the Monkey Queen seemed to have ignored this. Allowing himself to fall onto the ground hands first, Mane morphed the earth as he saw fit and shifted himself out of the way, rolling away from the large rod which pounded the ground furiously. Yet when his eyes caught sight of the two flying rotund figures that had sandwiched him, he let out a bitter smile.


    The Monkey Queen hadn''t forgotten who he was, neither had she ignored his talent with earth wielding. The rod was merely a distraction. After all, she didn''t want to kill him. If she did, he wouldn''t have lasted so long with his battle prowess only at the 7th stage opposed to her 9th stage strength. The true attackers were the drones.


    The two earth drones already had their turrets out, and even before Mane caught sight of them they had been loaded with energy blasts just waiting to fire. As if that wasn''t enough, the cannons on her shoulders also lit up as small balls of light slowly grew.


    "I see," Mane seemed to come to a realization when he saw the sneaky drones. As the golden light of earth filled his body and clothed him with a hastily ?ssembled earth armor and a small earth dome that surrounded him, Mane understood a few things.


    Distort wasn''t a skill exclusive to Silver. The sneaky beast didn''t tell Mane that his mother had it as well. It may as well be a skill that all Emerald Crystal Monkeys possessed. Secondly, Silver''s mother''s Distort was a level higher than her son''s. For Mane could still feel everything in his surroundings. He could sense everything. And maybe that was why he had arrogantly thought that nothing could surprise him. What happened was that the drones had been clouded from his senses. It wasn''t his Trace skill that had been disabled, but the ability to pick up the drones.


    Mane learned from Silver that to use Distort on a person, he had to get in contact with that person''s aura. If the principle was the same, then Siler''s mother was no different. But to shield only the drones meant that she had to get the drones in contact with Mane''s aura.


    "Which means all the drones are connected," Mane realised, and the feeble addition to his scholar energy was the evidence that his thoughts were right on the money. It seemed that the drones were linked, and Mane smashing a few of them had given them the prerequisite to hide from him. And it had worked out charmingly.


    *Boom*


    The force of drones and cannons weren''t to be underestimated, for the damage they caused was beyond just Mane. There was now a huge hole, one large enough to create a small stream in the cave.


    Along with a loud explosion, the earth dome was shattered into countless little fragments and Mane was sent hurtling across the cave, with the cries of Lily and Silver''s angry roar filling the space. Yet when the two ¨C Princess and Prince ¨C tried to move towards Mane, they were forcefully stopped. Not by the Monkey Queen, and definitely not by the Earth Stage Crystal Monkeys. What stopped them was the sight of Mane''s fallen figure being submerged in the light of the Light Tree.


    "I didn''t want it to come to this," Mane mumbled with a wry smile, with blood seeping out of his mouth and onto his lips. He slowly bathed in the light of the Light Tree as several speck of white fell upon his frame. He opened his mouth and let out a small sigh. He was very much unwilling to do this, for he didn''t know what the consequence of his actions would be. But he had to. For Silver''s sake.


    "Devour"

 Chapter 423 - Lightning Mane: Part II

    As if a trigger had been pulled or a wheel cap turned, countless light fragments flew to Mane and drowned his entire figure in light. Several small explosions rang out as Mane was baptized in the light of the tree that never went out. Along with his baptism came the dimming of the light in the cave as the Light Tree slowly gave up its essence, much to the alarm and dismay of the Emerald Crystal Monkey Queen.


    *Roar!*


    Unleashing a loud roar filled with fear and anxiety, she rushed towards Mane, the two drones that surrounded her moving even faster than she was. She disregarded her huge size and darted towards the Supreme, not worrying about the fact that her actions were causing the cave to become more unstable or that she was bumping into the ceiling so many times. Her goal was to get to the one who wanted to rob them off their means of growth.


    "Prideful Sword: Dance of the Half-Moon"


    A calm voice contrary to the anxious state of the Monkey Queen rang out from within the white light capsule, and a very thin sword light flashed past the walls of the cave. The beam of light was dimmer than all the ones Mane had produced before, yet occasionally a few sparks surrounded the sword light and lit up the place. It moved like an elusive shadow. Like one drunk with wine it moved randomly and unusually. So much so that its trajectory could not be discerned. And it was with such trickery that it travelled forward and struck the two drones.


    *Whish*


    As though it was nothing but a gust of wind, it passed right through both drones ¨C the sword light ¨C and kept travelling towards the Monkey Queen.


    The charging Monkey Queen snarled angrily at the incoming sword light. It was as thin as a strand of hair; maybe even thinner. If it wasn''t for her incredible vision as a Heaven Realmer, she wouldn''t have even noticed it. But she could feel that the power contained in it was a tad greater than the previous sword light! Although it wasn''t as bright as the sword light born from Wrath of the Half-Moon or as long, the power it carried was more threatening. And she knew that she couldn''t be lax. The drones that had been sliced into two equal halves and were falling a few meters in front of her were perfect examples of how brilliant this attack was.


    Sonic Blast!


    The Monkey Queen wasted no time in unleashing her first attack. This was how she dealt with his previous sword lights: weaken them and then destroy them. But unlike before Sonic Blast didn''t explode upon impact. It didn''t weaken the light at all! Rather it was sliced through by the sword light which just kept travelling towards the Queen!


    The Monkey Queen''s shock couldn''t be explained. Sonic Blast wasn''t a tangible form of matter. It was energy. Pure energy converted into a blast! A solid sword light shouldn''t be able to disperse it like it was cutting through a doughnut. And the blast was meant to explode upon impact. Yet it hadn''t. It was as if the sword light had constricted the power of her energy blast.


    *Roar*


    Silver''s mother roared passionately and span her rod at such a great speed that all that could be seen of the great weapon was a blurry golden light. Several earth walls ascended from the ground below and positioned themselves before her. There were about 8 earth walls in total. And though they were made hastily, they were dense and not easily broken. A golden light surrounded the walls even as the sword light crashed into them, reinforcing their defense. All the while the Monkey Queen was stopped in her tracks ¨C unwillingly of course ¨C but stopped nonetheless. She kept spinning her rod and gathering momentum. The familiar golden yellow light of earth surrounded both she and her weapon. And several streams of Edict rushed to her side.


    *Whish*


    *Whish*


    *Whish*


    *Whish*


    *Whish*


    *Whish*


    *Whish*


    Mane''s singular sword beam was like an unstoppable general. No matter how dense the walls were, it passed through them all; slicing through like they were nothing but cakes of bu??er! And though it grew weaker with every successful conquest, it maintained its course. It was so dim that it looked like it would go out any minute now, but it just kept moving.


    The Monkey Queen was well aware of the failure of her walls. But that was okay. She hadn''t expected them to do the job or she wouldn''t have been preparing her actual attack. Gathering the last bit of the ?ssembled Edict she took a huge leap forward and smashed her rod directly onto the sword light.


    *Bang*


    There was a violent collision. For the first time since its appearance Mane''s sword beam was stopped in its tracks. It had run into something it couldn''t cut through. Although this was the person it was meant to defeat, it couldn''t. For this person was no ordinary foe. She wasn''t a wall that lacked little resistance or a helpless drone. She was the Monkey Queen! And the crown which shown ever brightly on her head was proof of her nobility and power.


    *Roar*


    Once the light disappeared, Mane''s figure was exposed for all to see. Mane had taken much from the Light Tree, but it seemed he still had discretion. For the tree still provided this place with light. Although it was several times dimmer than before, it was gradually increasing in intensity; a revelation that calmed the previously uneased hearts of the Monkey Queen and every other Crystal Monkey here greatly. After all, the Light Tree was what provided them with their strength. Without it, they would be stuck in their current levels forever. So seeing it going out was a scary experience for them. Even Silver who wanted out didn''t want to see that happen. And all were relieved that it didn''t. But even their relief didn''t ease their grudge towards the one who had given them such a scare.


    Standing several meters away from the Monkey Queen was a teen clad in the dark aura of Takeover. His eyes were red from the power of his Glow, and his hair shared that very same color still. The blue flames that previously coated the black aura were no more, but that didn''t make Mane any less threatening. For in place of the flames was the element that birthed fire.


    Several lightning bolts appeared intermittently around Mane''s figure. Whenever they did, a white light would flash briefly within his eyes before disappearing. The lightning consumed every part of him: his clothes, his body, and his weapons. The pitch black blades looked like swords made by priests, for they shone brightly and exposed a whiteness that was not at all their nature. Looking at them now, no one would be able to identify them as the dark swords that Mane used. For they were as white as the Light Tree itself. And their cries of excitement filled the hearts of the monkeys with dread. And in that respect, even the Monkey Queen was the same.


    She couldn''t quite place her finger on it, but Mane seemed much more dangerous than before. If she had to venture a guess, she would reckon that her unease was born from the sparks that were generated around him from time to time. His physical transformation wasn''t that spectacular to her. After all, he had been clad in blue flames only recently. But the fact that he could use lightning was a huge danger. The lightning sword light she had struggled to destroy was a perfect example of the kind of danger that lightning was.


    It was a powerful element that sought nothing but distraction, and she knew it couldn''t be underestimated. She didn''t know how the Light Tree was able to bestow lightning onto someone. But it had. And all she could do now was deal with that someone.


    "How?" Hildegarde was dumbfounded as well. If Mane''s flames from before were like sitting in a hot room that brought discomfort, his lightning clad form was like being trapped in a slow cooker that slowly drained you of your life. It was much more threatening!


    The thing was, Mane''s lightning was at the bottom of the barrel when compared to his proficiency with the other elements. Even wind was better than lightning. Yes, Mane used wind to complement the other elements, but he used it much better than he did lightning. He was only able to use lightning freely whenever it rained and he could directly sense it. Other than that, his proficiency level was pretty average and was only at the Intermediate Stage. It was progressing quickly, but it could be quicker.


    But now Hildegarde felt a change. The lights that surrounded Mane were born of lightning for sure. And it was lighting at the Mastery Level! It was unbelievable. A dream that wasn''t a dream. And Mane was the lucky dreamer.


    "I could feel lightning within this tree the very moment we stepped in here," Mane slowly explained.


    When they first arrived, he could feel himself drawn to the Light Tree; almost as if there was something beneficial for him. He couldn''t quite understand it, so when he and Lily had decided to stay a few days, he had approached the tree. He used True Eyes on it (he didn''t tell Hildegarde this as he explained) and he found out that it was filled with Lightning! The light of the Light Tree never died because it was a resource born of Lightning. The sparks of lightning in its core were transferred to its leaves, and they converted this into actual light energy. But when these leaves were removed from the tree they lost their connection to their main source, so one wouldn''t be able to tell that the light it produced was from Lightning ¨C and Mane was no different.


    Mane could feel the anxiety of his bloodline. As one born of lightning, it sought to consume whatever was in the tree. The issue was that Mane had no idea what was going to happen were he to give in to his urges. Would the tree die, or would it still be able to go on. And if it could go on, how long could it go on for. After all, it was of vital importance to the Crystal Monkeys, and he didn''t want to ruin it.


    However, he had given in at the end. The duel was nothing but an excuse for him to surrender to his cravings. And when he did, he realised that he had been worried for nothing. The Lightning source within the small Light Tree was so vast that Mane couldn''t devour it all even if he wanted to. Not only was it vast, it seemed to have regenerative abilities, explaining how the Light Tree was capable of providing light for all eternity. He had been lucky. Not only did he get what he wanted, but the Light Tree was also safe.


    "I see," Hildegarde smiled gleefully after hearing Mane''s explanation. "That is great for your bloodline then!" she added and Mane nodded his head. His bloodline was an improbable one and the main reason for his immense talent. Yet somehow it had improved after being baptized by the Light Tree, and he had grown stronger. For now that he could use lighting without having to depend on the weather, his battle prowess had gone up yet again.


    *Bang*


    Mane stamped his feet onto the ground and moved. His control over lightning hadn''t been fine-tuned, so the path he stomped had a deep footprint in it. And every step he took left similar effects on the ground. He covered the distance between he and the Monkey Queen within a second, much to her dismay, and slashed his blades at her.


    "4 Way Cut: Perfect Square"


    A thin square shaped beam travelled speedily and crushed into the Monkey Queen.


    The large size of the Monkey Queen proved a hindrance yet again. Whilst she wasn''t faster than the current Mane, she was fast enough to avoid a blow like this. For she was still a Heaven Realmer. But with no space between her head and the ceiling, all she could do was receive the attack head on.


    *Boom*


    Mane sheathed his swords and returned to basics. His opponent was unarmed, and since it wasn''t a fight to the death he had to be unarmed as well. Clenching his fists and covering them with lightning, he made a giant leap towards the Emerald Crystal Monkey Queen who was currently dazed. Without an ounce of mercy he struck her with his most violent fist technique.


    "Splintering Fist!"


    *Bang*


    And knocked the Queen out.

 Chapter 424 - Return of the Death God

    There were three people on their way out of Dark Valley. Of the three, only two rode mounts. The other followed on foot. Yet it effortlessly kept up with them. The three were a dashing teenage boy, a beautiful teenage girl, and a giant Crystal Monkey. In front of the group of three was a floating flower that lit up their way and gave them an idea of where to go.


    "We are almost out," Mane exhaled a small breath of air as he spoke.


    "Yes," Lily smiled gracefully and nodded her head.


    *Roar*


    Silver who was walking right behind them roared in excitement. He had been trying to leave Dark Valley for a very long time. However, he had no idea where the entrance of the valley was since he was born here. So he had never been able to leave. Now he could so it was natural that he was so excited.


    As they neared the entrance of the Dark Valley Mane was filled with a bit of relief ¨C relief born from knowing that they had accomplished their purpose. However, as they got closer to the entrance of Dark Valley, an uneasiness he couldn''t understand overcame his soul.


    "What is it?" Lily noticed Mane''s uneasiness and prodded for an explanation.


    "I don''t know," Mane furrowed his brows and said. "Something feels off," Mane added.


    "What does?" Lily tilted her head adorably and asked. However Mane was too engrossed in this strange feeling of his that he couldn''t appreciate the adorableness of the Elemental Princess.


    "That I do not know," Mane shrugged and said. He was finding it hard to explain what he was feeling to Lily. After all, he had no evidence that something was wrong. It was nothing but an uncomfortable feeling.


    "Mane," Hildegarde who was dozing on his shoulder suddenly sat up and called her Tested''s name.


    "I can feel some powerful auras up ahead. About 19 in total." Hildegarde knew that Mane wasn''t going to give her a response since Lily was riding right next to him and had her eyes glued to his figure. So she went ahead to tell him what she felt.


    "This may be the reason for your unease," Hildegarde added. As a fellow wielder, she knew better than to disregard the intuition of a wielder. That''s why she took it much more seriously than the newbie Lily when Mane said that he felt uneasy. In response to his words she spread out her aura and noticed that there were strong presences outside Dark Valley.


    Mane narrowed his eyes in thought when he heard Hildegarde''s words, and he spread out Trace to its maximum range. When they were within less than 500 meters of the entrance, Mane felt exactly what Hildegarde was talking about.


    *Roar*


    Silver suddenly began to act in an agitated manner once they were so close to the entrance that they could see a bit of the light from the outside. Silver could feel the auras of very threatening presences outside, and that was why he was agitated. Lily furrowed her brows in alarm at his strange actions and decided to investigate herself. Lily was now a Scholar, so although she was the weakest of the three Scout picked up the powerful auras outside and transmitted the information to her.


    "Is that why you said you felt uneasy?" Lily had a look of alarm on her face as she spoke. Her voice shook slightly when she addressed Mane. It wasn''t easy to resist the powerful presences that had latched onto her skill.


    "It may be highly likely that is the reason," Mane nodded and said.


    "There is something strange though," Mane suddenly spoke. Although he was speaking to Lily and Silver, Hildegarde was a part of this conversation as well. He just couldn''t address her because of how close Lily was to him.


    "The auras I feel are those of 19 people. Of the 19, 5 are High Level Pseudo Nightmares, 5 more are Peak Level Pseudo Nightmares, and 5 are Nightmares. 2 of the 5 Nightmares are at the Low Level, one is at the Mid-Level, and another is at the High Level. The last person is at the peak of the Nightmare Realm"


    Mane calmly mentioned the levels of the opponents like he wasn''t talking about Pseudo Nightmares and Nightmares. And Lily exhaled a small sigh of relief when she heard Mane''s words. She had learned a few things from the Crystal Monkeys during her two days stay, and had come to understand that there were other levels beyond the Predator level. So she was now pretty well informed. After Mane''s breakthrough in the cave that saw him defeat the Monkey Queen, his combat prowess had improved even further. Now he could handle anyone below the Pseudo Phenom Realm! As long as there wasn''t any Pseudo Phenom involved, they had a chance at survival.


    Mane was hiding something from her however. The auras outside were those of outer energy users. And the only outer energy users who weren''t from The Citadel yet had gone beyond the Predator level were Barbarians!


    "What about the other 4?" Lily asked. Her heart clenched in anxiety when she asked the question. For if the other 4 were Pseudo Phenoms, there was no way they could get away. She wished that she could tell for herself, but the enemies were so far out of her league that she couldn''t tell their actual strengths.


    "Try to concentrate Scout on each of them, and you would realise that what I am talking about," Mane didn''t give Lily a direct answer.


    Rather he asked her to investigate herself. It was a proposition that Lily didn''t quite understand, considering that Mane was a Scholar himself and a user of Scout (now Trace for Mane). He of all people should know that it would be impossible for her to tell the levels of the people that were outside. However, she did still close her eyes and focus on the auras outside. Mane wasn''t a fool, so there must surely be a good reason for his direction. And soon her eyes snapped open in understanding. She understood why now.


    "Did you sense it?" Mane asked when he saw that she had opened her eyes. Since she was new to this she needed to concentrate a bit more to do this. In just a matter of days she would be able to use Scout effortlessly without having to focus too much. She may even be able to leave it on indefinitely.


    "None of them are Nightmares or Pseudo Nightmares. They are all weaker!" Lily''s eyes were filled with confusion. The four people she had just Scouted were all weak. The strongest was a Predator and the weakest was a Thrasher. Of the 4, two were Predators and two were Thrashers. Compared to the other 15, they were too weak! It was almost as if¡­


    "They don''t belong!" Lily suddenly exclaimed upon her realization.


    "Yes," Mane ?ssented. That was exactly what he thought. "Not only are they weaker, their auras are unstable and growing weaker." Mane elaborated. "Which likely indicates that they were captured and are being tortured," Mane frowned and said.


    "You are still uneasy," Hildegarde noticed that although Mane was now aware of the threat and shouldn''t be uncomfortable since it was within his power to handle it, he was still insecure.


    "The auras I felt; they are familiar," Mane explained to Hildegarde seeing that Lily was speaking to Silver.


    "That means that you may know the captured?" Hildegarde''s eyebrows jumped in surprise. Mane knew very few people in this world, and apart from the twins the one he was closest to was Dan. Dan was not a Profound Wielder, so he surely wasn''t among the captured. Besides, they wouldn''t be able to capture him so easily. The issue was that all four auras were familiar.


    "It can''t be!" Mane suddenly exclaimed via Lock-On.


    "What?" Hildegarde could feel the anxiety in Mane''s voice. For him to react like this must mean he had figured something out.


    "Remember how Lily and I ditched the Orange Team when we were coming here, and how they said they would follow us no matter what?" Mane transmitted his worries to Hildegarde.


    "You don''t mean that¡­" the cute fairy immediately picked up on what Mane was implying.


    "It''s them! That''s why the auras were familiar." Mane frowned deeply and jumped off Roxanne. He pulled out his swords, Night Mare and Night''s Kiss from one of the bags strapped to Roxanne and slung them over his back.


    "Lily, stay here with Roxanne and Skimpy," Mane ordered Lily as he dashed into the distance. Lily bit her lips unwillingly, but didn''t protest. She didn''t like violence, and she wasn''t strong enough to help him anyway. So there was nothing she could do but stay out of the way. Since there were no Phenoms or Pseudo Phenoms, Mane should be fine. She would only hinder him if she were to follow. She balled her fists tightly when she realised how helpless she was. For the first time in her life she began to crave power; power that would allow her be of help to those she loved.


    "Silver, protect Lily," Mane''s final command came before his figure disappeared into the entrance ¨C which was also the exit ¨C of Dark Valley.


    *Roar*


    Although Mane''s figure had disappeared, Silver still responded. As long as the opponents weren''t as powerful as those outside, he would be able to protect Lily with very little issue. This was especially so since they were on the outskirts of Dark Valley. The beasts here weren''t strong and Lily could easily deal with them even without his protection.


    Mane''s eyes narrowed as soon as he left the valley filled with darkness and came to the outside. The sky was so bright that the light that flooded his eyes was too much for him to take. But he hadn''t forgotten that there were enemies outside, so he kept Trace active. Soon he could feel several auras surrounding him.


    15 powerful auras locked on to him from all sides, and Mane could hear their voices as they talked amongst themselves, seemingly trying to confirm if that was their target.


    "Is that him? The one who killed the Princess?"


    "Should be. We were told his hair was golden and ragged, and that he was good looking."


    "His height and age fit the description as well"


    "Plus those swords on his back have the engraving of the Black Dragon of the East. It must be him."


    "It seems that they know an awful lot about you," Hildegarde stated, and Mane agreed. For them to know this much meant that he had been sold out. Someone had passed on his information to the Barbarians, and even the description of his weapons was included. As for who this Princess was, Mane wasn''t sure. But he reckoned that this person was amongst the two Barbarian women he killed that day.


    Mane''s eyes quickly grew accustomed to the sunlight, and he was able to open them. Once he did he came face to face with his aggressors.


    "They are all Barbarians," Mane thought to himself.


    Just as he suspected, the people who surrounded him were Barbarians. Each and every one of them was in good shape, and that was easy to see because their clothes were flimsy and b?r?ly covered anything. They had a variety of weapons, and their eyes were deep red. Mane''s gaze remained on the figure of the Peak Pseudo Phenom here. But he didn''t focus on her for long. For there were four people who caught his attention.


    A few yards away were the familiar figures of Vital Orange, Black Ink, Orange Ivy, and the unfamiliar yet recognizable Orange Monk. They had stuck to their words and had followed him here. Yet Mane wasn''t best pleased to see them. For each of them was tied to a pole. Their clothes were in tatters, and their complexions were pale. Sores and bruises littered their bodies, and a few purple patches indicated that their bones were broken. Mane''s anger slowly boiled when he saw their sorry states. They were like this because of him! If he hadn''t left them behind and had taken them with him he would have been able to protect them. If it wasn''t because they were hell-bent on helping him they wouldn''t have been found!


    "Are you the one called Mane?" Camila quietly observed the boy before her. She couldn''t sense his aura, but Ivor had already informed them beforehand that the boy could hide his strength. She was sure he was the one they sought. And if he wasn''t, they would still capture him. He was young and handsome and would make a good breeding tool. Yet the boy didn''t answer her. His eyes were fixed on the men and woman they had caught only today.


    "Hey boy, didn''t you here our leader''s words?" one of the Peak Pseudo Nightmares growled and said. He was already annoyed that he had to wait for a human boy, and one that that they couldn''t even kill for that matter. And he was eager to take his anger out on him.


    "Kill yourself," Mane only glanced at the man before using Words of Power. And the bumbling man lifted his hand and stuck his axe into his neck before he could say anything else. His eyes were filled with disbelief as he fell, finding it hard to believe ¨C even to the point of death ¨C that he would actually kill himself.


    The Barbarians were stunned, and Camila, Nasir and Chichi were shaken. Mane''s blue eyes gazed into Camila''s soul, and she felt her own mind shake in fear. She felt like she had been accused of a crime and stood before a judge. She felt as though her life wasn''t in her own hands, and that the one who held her destiny was this boy in front of her. Mane slowly parted his lips and declared his judgement.


    "All of you will die."

 Chapter 425 - Return of the Death God: Part II

    Camila struggled to shake her mind awake. She was a veteran warrior of the Barbarian race and a lover of battles. She had been through many difficult situations, and had come out of all of them a survivor. This situation was no different. Her experience proved a vital resource as she quickly made the wisest decision.


    "Attack now! Forget capturing him. Kill him!" Camila ordered, and the eyes of the Barbarians somehow became even redder. They were already harboring hatred for this human boy who had not only kept them waiting, but had indirectly caused the death of several members of their race. Twelve of them rushed towards Mane with a recklessness that was born from their pent up frustrations. All of a sudden the boy who had felled their colleague with nothing but a two word command was not so threatening.


    Mane looked expressionlessly at the group of barbarians jumping at him; all manner of weapons held in their hands. Of the 12, only two were Nightmares. The rest were Pseudo Nightmares. In less than a second the first few Barbarians had reached him. But Mane didn''t cower. He was upset. He was angry. Just like they were furious with him, he was furious with them. But unlike this motley crew, he actually had the power to prove how much his fury was worth. He took a step forward, moving closer to the approaching Barbarians whilst preparing himself for a flurry of commands. Edict gathered at his call, and Words of Power was activated.


    "Bind"


    "Deviate"


    "Fumble"


    Mane let out a flurry of commands, and with each utterance came a huge cost of Edict. Since words of power now allowed him to deal with anyone who was weaker than him in terms of battle prowess and not energy level, he could use it on this motley crew. Grunts and cries rang out as several Barbarians had their weapons deviated into the path of their own teammates. And when those attacked tried to get away, they mysteriously lost their footing and had to watch helplessly as axes hacked into their skulls and hammers crushed their bodies into meat patties.


    In nothing but a few seconds, the twelve had been reduced to four. The two Low Level Nightmares were amongst the four survivors, whilst the other two were Peak Pseudo Nightmares.


    "Regroup," Camila ordered and took several steps back herself. Nasir and Chichi who stood to her side moved as well. Each one had his/her hand on their weapon, and their eyes remained glued to Mane. The four survivors quickly jumped back as well. They retreated as far back as their leaders, and stood behind them with pale expressions.


    "What power is that?" Chichi asked with a huge frown on her face. The hand that held her zweihander shook slightly as sweat formed on her forehead. She was a veteran of many battles. She had been through many missions with a completion percentage of 95 and she had experienced the war of the Three Great Races more than once. Yet in all her life she had never seen anything like this; power that allowed one to dictate the flow of battle like he was eating a bag of chips ¨C with nonchalant ease.


    "I don''t know," Nasir was just as alarmed as Chichi. His hand gripped his heavy hammer tightly, causing the strong weapon to squeak slightly. His eyes were filled with confusion and a bit of fear. As an intelligent man there was one thing he feared more than anything. He feared things he had no knowledge of! And what he was seeing was one of those things.


    "Camila, have you ever seen something like this?" Chichi asked the lady who was in charge of this team.


    "No," Camila''s response was cold. Camila''s huge axe was cradled in her arms like a newborn baby, yet her eyes were without any warmth. They were cold and devoid of passion. Those cold red eyes were for just one person ¨C the blue eyed young boy who had so easily killed 8 of her men; 3 of whom were Night Patrol members!


    "But it must have some sort of limit," she added, and Nasir nodded his head in agreement. He was of the same opinion. There was no way such power was limitless. There must be some sort of bridle; some sort of cap. Something, anything at all; something that would prevent the boy from using it so freely. And they were right to think this way.


    Words of Power was a powerful skill. But it wasn''t without cost. What it did was manipulate Edict around a person into achieving what you wanted. With the first barbarian whom Mane had ordered to kill himself for example; when Mane gave the command, Edict streamed into his arms and legs and caused his outer energy to ran wild, making it difficult for him to control his own limbs. And then Edict latched onto his arm and neck like a band, swinging his axe hand towards his own head. Mane couldn''t stop a person''s heart or explode a person''s brain or anything like that. That wasn''t how it worked.


    Number 3''s situation was another good point to look at. When she resolved herself to never give up any information, Mane used Words of Power to get the words out of her mouth. How was that possible? After all, Words of Power could physically force her to open her mouth, but it couldn''t bring the words out of it. What Mane did was simple really. He used Words of Power to bring up mists and illusions that clouded Number 3''s judgement, and then he was able to successfully hypnotize her. He studied Hypnosis from his 3rd Master ¨C the Spiritualist. And he was pretty good at it. It was just that Number 3''s mind was firm so Mane had to use mists and illusions to disorient her so he could use his hypnosis technique successfully.


    And doing all these came at a cost. Whilst Words of Power now allowed Mane to deal with people he was stronger than, it still stood that their energy reserves were higher than his. To overcome them came at a huge charge. The simple command to the one barbarian asking him to kill himself took up almost ten percent of his energy reserves! And after dishing out those commands just now, he had lost 20% more! It was a powerful skill, but it couldn''t be used recklessly.


    "He is coming," Camila stated when she saw Mane taking a small step towards them


    "We should spread out," Nasir stated. "Agreed," Chichi nodded her head in ?ssent. Since Mane could order them like weapons against one another, it was best to be farther away from each other than they were now.


    "Do it," Camila ordered, and the three leaders and 4 survivors quickly created sizable gaps between themselves.


    "Smart," Mane admitted that their thinking was good. But it hardly did them any favors right now.


    "Kill yourself," Mane b?r?ly looked at the Peak Pseudo Nightmare he had sentenced to death before giving the command. There was no need for him to do this. He could have fought with his hands or swords and finished this quickly anyway. But he wanted them to feel fear. He wanted them to bemoan their fates and feel the dread of death. He wanted the Grim Reaper who watched from the depths of hell to see and shudder. They needed to pay for what they had done.


    *Poof*


    "We must strike now," Camila''s face scrunched up when she saw another one of her people die.


    "Attack from all angles," she added, and the others nodded their heads in response. It would be foolish of them to attack from similar positions because they may just get in each other''s way or be used by Mane.


    *Whoosh*


    The 6 moved speedily, but Camila was obviously the fastest. Chichi wasn''t slow either, and Nasir was right behind the two. The other three were Low Level Nightmares ¨C and one Pseudo Nightmare ¨C so their speed couldn''t compare to Camila''s, Chichi or Nasir''s. However, they weren''t far behind.


    Camila reached Mane first, and without any hesitation she flew at him with her huge axe pulled back to its farthest. And without giving the boy any time to react, she swung the weapon at him.


    "Bullseye"


    The faces of Nasir and Chichi looked brighter when they saw Camila''s axe pass right through Mane. To them it looked like the boy was weak against pure physical confrontations and had been done in easily. No matter how powerful his mouth was, he was still nothing but a Pseudo Nightmare. However, their joy lasted for less than a second. For the axe passed right through Mane indeed, but it didn''t draw any blood. Not only was the boy fine, he was moving towards one of the Low Level Nightmares.


    Obviously Mane used Absolute Darkness to avoid the hand of death. He activated it the moment Camila leaped at him. He wasn''t stupid enough to think that Words of Power''s barrier was going to save him from the axe of a Peak Nightmare.


    "Star Flicker," Mane mumbled softly and his figure disappeared from Nasir''s vision. When he reappeared, he was behind the Low Level Nightmare. And before Nasir could warn the poor guy, Mane had already struck.


    "Absolute Darkness: Evasive Killing"


    Using nothing but his hand, Mane sliced through the man''s neck like it was bu??er and a fountain of blood was opened. Before the headless corpse could even touch the ground, Mane had activated Star Flicker again, and he was out of sight.


    "Watch your backs!" Nasir screamed, but his warning came a second too late. For another headless figure was falling to the ground. Mane didn''t dally and moved to the last Low Level Nightmare. And he too was killed without being able to muster any resistance.


    "B*st*ard!" Camila screamed in anger when the last of her subordinates fell. Her rage was like a billowing storm and her aura ravaged the land. Nasir and Chichi were gritting their teeth in fury as well. Like torrent of rain their auras fell upon the land. Even the unconscious figures of Black Hand and the others twitched uncomfortably under this pressure. For even in their forced slumber, their bodies reacted to the threat that was so close to them. Yet the one who was the focus of this aura was very calm.


    He chose the weaker ones because they were the ones he could kill with nothing but a move. The three in front of him were different. However it didn''t mean that he couldn''t handle them. It just meant that he had to be at his peak to do so. So he restocked his Edict supply.


    "Devour"

 Chapter 426 - Absolute Darkness; Its Weakness?

    Mane''s gentle whisper was an edict to Edict; an order to the energy that embodied order. Streams of Edict rushed into his body at his command. Outer energy that was escaping from the dead Barbarians merged into the energy of the surroundings and filled Mane''s body speedily. Mane allowed himself to be filled with Edict. Like a withered branch soaking in the pleasant waters of the river of life, Mane basked in the glow of power that dominated the world. Every fiber of his being ¨C from his bones to his muscles; from his heart and blood vessels to his organs and every single tissue; from his every single one of his tendons to his ligaments ¨C was filled with power. His eyes flashed brightly as he basked in the glow of being filled once again and he finally, for the first time since the fight had begun, unsheathed his twin blades.


    "Camila," the three leaders of the now obliterated party of 15 were together once again. They made the decision to separate, but that had only made it easy for Mane to pick off the weak ones from the horde. But now they had regrouped.


    "What is it Nasir?" Camila''s eyes were cold as she regarded the figure of the golden haired boy whose battle sense was far beyond his age. Logically, their decision to attack as individuals seemed the right choice, but this boy had turned it around. And their decision now looked foolish. And that was because they had been judging him by his energy. They had been judging him as a Pseudo Nightmare, when really they should have been judging him based on his fighting prowess. So he had been underestimated, and they had paid the price. Although they didn''t know about his strange abilities or how he was already this good as a young man, it was no excuse that they had lost all the people they came with.


    "What should we do? Should we retreat?" Nasir asked and Camila furrowed her brows. She turned to look at Nasir, and then at Chichi. Chichi''s expression suggested that she agreed with Nasir. However she couldn''t understand their logic. Neither looked terrified; they only looked weary. So she couldn''t understand why they wanted to retreat when someone had killed their teammates.


    "We can''t. The punishment we would face when we return will be several degrees greater if we cannot bring back his head!" Camila stated, almost losing her composure.


    They had left with more than 15. The ambush from the Ancients had whittled down those numbers so that they reached Dark Valley with just 15 people. Their Lord could understand losing numbers to an ambush ¨C as long as they completed their mission. But what would they say if they didn''t? Those were valuable fighters of the Barbarian Race; Pseudo Nightmare and Nightmare Level Teams! And all of them had died. They would be lucky to complete the report without dying at the hands of the Flames of Magma!


    "I understand; believe me, I do," Nasir placed his hand on the shoulder of the agitated Camila. He knew how frustrating this must be for her, especially since she was the leader for the mission. Not only had she lost all her subordinates, including her own teammates, he was asking her to retreat. It would be difficult for anyone to accept such an outcome.


    "But this boy is dangerous. We must report this to the Elders and the Lord." Nasir reasoned. The boy was strong, so much stronger than they thought or expected. If they knew he was this powerful, they would have come with one of the Elders. But they didn''t, and now they were in a pickle. Nasir wasn''t foolish enough to declare that they would win. They had already lost 12. Thinking that you would be the victor wasn''t optimism. It was foolishness. They had to cut their losses and do the most important thing. They had to let their Elders know that this boy was dangerous. And that he had to be killed ¨C not captured ¨C at all cost. And Nasir didn''t believe that the three had the power to do this.


    "You''re right," Camila lightly exhaled and said. Nasir''s words were very reasonable. And he was right. She was angry so her reasoning was impaired. But that was why she had ?ssistance. And she had to admit that his way was the right one.


    "I know what to do," Camila faced Nasir and said. "What about you? Are you ready?" She asked Nasir.


    "I have always been," Nasir smirked and said.


    "Chichi," Camila called.


    "Yes?" Chichi responded.


    "I want you to escape quickly when Nasir and I engage the boy. You''re the fastest amongst the three of us. You have the best chance of getting to the Elders. Do not stop to rest, sleep or eat. Just go straight back to Intersection." Camila ordered.


    "Noted," although Chichi wasn''t at all pleased with the decision, she had to follow. Her friend and Nasir were willing to keep Mane in check so that she could report this to the Lord and the Elders. After all, there was no way they would all be able to escape together. That would only leave them open to attacks from the boy. So the only option was to send out the fastest to return and make the report. And it had to be done now. For the boy was walking towards them already. But this time he wasn''t b?r?handed. He held two pitch black heavy swords in his hands; his eyes fixed on them.


    "Go," Camila ordered as she and Nasir dashed towards the approaching Mane. Chichi gritted her teeth as a pail of sorrow was dropped onto her head at the realization that she may not see her friend again. She turned her head and run away, not looking back even once. For she knew that if she turned her head, she would return. She was very quick, and soon her figure was nothing but a small dot in the distance.


    "She''s escaping," Hildegarde looked on worriedly as Chichi displayed her unreal speed. She was right to be worried. For she, just like Mane, had listened to Number 3 talk about the history of the Three Great Races. And she was aware that there were Pseudo Phenoms and Phenoms amongst them. As long as Chichi successfully escaped, Mane will be in a lot of trouble.


    "I can''t do anything about it," Mane frowned and said. There were two strong Pseudo Phenoms rushing at him. He couldn''t afford to pay any attention to the escapee.


    "Absolute Darkness: Evasive Killing," that said, he was going to finish this as quickly as he could and leave this place before more trouble came looking for him.


    Camila''s axe was the first thing to reach Mane, and Nasir''s hammer wasn''t far behind either. But just like before, the axe passed through Mane''s figure like it was a mirage, and Nasir''s hammer was no different. Mane literally walked through the hammer, as the giant weapon crashed into the ground with a loud explosion.


    *Boom*


    A new large crater forced Mane to pay a bit more attention to the large Barbarian with the shaggy beard. Several cracks that looked like a spider''s intricate webbing spread from the site of impact and across several dozens of meters. Mane knew that if he were to be hit by that, there was no way he would survive!


    Camila''s axe wasn''t weak either. In fact, its effects were more devastating than Nasir''s. For when her axe went through him, the wind it carried forced every single particle of sand off the ground! Her power was tremendous, and Mane was shaken by the fact that this was just the result of the aftereffects; a shockwave born from a mighty warrior''s strike. Neither of these two was weak!


    And Mane acknowledged that. His swords gave a loud cry as they enjoyed the baptism of darkness. As Darkness attributed weapons, this process was like giving them food. And they relished it. With Absolute Darkness: Evasive Killing still activated, Mane swung his swords towards Nasir. Although he wasn''t using any sword techniques, he had injected a rich supply of inner energy into his sword. And unlike the Barbarians who only had outer energy, hence couldn''t manifest weapon beams, he could. And the dark sword lights that traveled towards Nasir were perfect examples of this.


    But Nasir wasn''t slow. His quick wit and sharp movement already prepared him for attacks like this. He didn''t attempt to block the attacks. He recognized the element now that he could see its color. The boy was a Darkness User! It was no wonder he was able to phase through attacks like that. But even for Darkness Users, a skill like that was very rare and highly sought after. He had seen Mane effortlessly chop off a person''s head because of Darkness energy. And he wasn''t slowwitted enough to think that he could actually block and intangible sword light.


    With movements so graceful that Mane started to doubt if Nasir was truly a big man, the large barbarian evaded both sword beams. The beams travelled for several meters more before they disappeared.


    It was at this time that Camila struck again. She held her huge axe over her head as she gathered energy into her slender arms. Those arms that looked like fragile branches bulged out as she released a low roar and slashed downwards with all her power.


    Mane was tall, but compared to a Barbarian woman, he was short. Camila was a full head taller than him, and he could feel the stinging power of her axe even before it reached him. Like a furious whirlwind it threatened to crush him, and Mane''s expression grew stern.


    "Absolute Darkness: Evasive Killing," Mane once again turned to this technique, and the huge axe went right through his head and all the way to the ground without so much as leaving a cut on him! But it left a cut on the floor. A huge cut.


    The axe was a weapon that wasn''t as destructive as a hammer. Yet one would be forced to rethink this after seeing the results of Camila''s slash. The huge axe was lodged deeply into the earth, its entire head almost swallowed by the ground. A huge crack that stretched for as far as the eye could see was born from that mighty slash.


    Mane immediately went on the offensive whilst Absolute Darkness was still in effect. He stabbed Night Mare at the crouching Camila whilst gathering power in Night''s Kiss.


    Camila let go of her axe handle and slightly tilted her slender frame to avoid Mane''s sword. And then she grabbed her handle once again and tugged at her axe.


    *Creak*


    With a loud groan, the earth gladly relinquished its hold over the large axe that had cut it so deeply, and Camila swung it again ¨C immediately.


    Mane frowned seeing the axe approaching his head. Since Camila was still crouching, she wasn''t able to gather much power in her arms and deliver a devastating strike, but it was still nothing to scoff at. Night''s Kiss screamed in ecstasy, having had its fill of Edict. And just in time too, because Mane needed its ?ssistance. Without any hesitation the young Supreme brought his sword down to meet Camila''s axe. And the two produced a loud explosion in response to their first meeting.


    *Bang*


    Camila was knocked into the ground, her figure rolling for a few meters before screeching to a halt. She flipped back up almost immediately. Mane wasn''t any better. Though he was the one with literally the higher ground in that confrontation he was knocked back as well. His body remained midair for a while before he landed on the much more familiar ground. His arms shook from the impact, and his bones creaked under the pressure of that blow.


    Camila licked her lips, a crazed look in her eyes.. She smiled and said, "So that''s it."

 Chapter 427 - Absolute Darkness; Its Weakness: Part II

    "Are you alright, Camila?" Nasir was quick to move to the side of his leader. Seeing her figure covered entirely in dust and dust alone, and not wounds, made him a much more relieved man. But he still asked of her wellbeing out of courtesy.


    "I''m fine," Camila smirked and replied. She gently patted the dust off her alluring figure. Although she was covered in dirt and grime, she didn''t lose her appeal in any way. The short shorts she wore had been scrapped during her floor roll, and it had become even shorter with a few small holes displaying her fair th??hs. Her skimpy top wasn''t spared either. The lower bottom of the shirt and a bit off its top had been torn, revealing a bit of the two fair mounds that were meant to be hidden. Nasir couldn''t help but be distracted by the beautiful Barbarian woman before him, even though he knew that it wasn''t the time to lose his concentration.


    Camila gently tugged at her axe, and the large weapon was easily hoisted by her slender arms and placed on her shoulder with a small bang. That bang was all it took to shake Nasir awake. Seeing Camila''s furrowed brows and slightly playful smirk, Nasir scratched his head in embarrassment. He had been found out.


    "Did you discover anything?" Nasir asked. It wasn''t that he wanted to change the subject. Rather he realised that for Camila''s spirits to be lifted to the extent that she would crack a smile for his inappropriate attitude, something good must have happened.


    "I did," Camila nodded her head and pulled a few stones from her long hair.


    "Well, what is it?" Nasir asked, very curious about whatever it was that could make Camila this excited. All the while he kept his eyes glued to the boy who was also watching them with eyes filled with caution. For Nasir, this was necessary. Not only as a precaution against any sudden attacks, but because he couldn''t afford to be distracted by Camila again.


    "It''s that skill that he uses," Camila started, still working hard to remove the stones from her hair.


    "I discovered its mechanism," she added, and Nasir''s eyes lit up. That ability the boy possessed was a handful. Not only did it give him the right to phase through every attack, it also allowed him to kill an opponent with nothing but a gentle touch. The main issue with the skill was that neither of them had faced an ability like this before. And they didn''t know how exactly it worked. But they were Barbarians. Their battle sense was their greatest intelligence. As long as they fought for a short while, even the most complex of moves will be decoded by them.


    "Whenever he activates the skill, it lasts for just a couple of seconds. That means that if the opponent is too fast for him to react, he could be dealt with. Which means we have to be so fast that he wouldn''t have time to react." Camila started with her explanation.


    Nasir didn''t interrupt, but he did furrow his brow. Both he and Camila had experienced the boy''s speed. His attack speed and movement speed weren''t inferior to theirs. And if it was, it wasn''t by much. The only reason the boy was resorting to the strange skill was because there were two of them. In a one on one, he may not use that ability at all to escape from either of them. But he was certain that Camila was getting to something else. For if he knew this, then she who was fighting the boy with him also knew this.


    "The other way is to feign the attack, or attack within a couple of seconds of each other" Camila smiled and said, and Nasir''s eyes lit up like lanterns strung up on a dark winter night. He immediately understood what Camila was implying. She was basically saying that as long as they feigned an attack and forced the boy to activate his skill, they could draw back and delay their strike by a few seconds and allow the skill to fade. Then they would strike.


    The second option was even more attractive. Because they were two, they could attack within a few seconds of each other ¨C right when the skill had ended ¨C and leave the boy in a heap of trouble. This option was much better than the first. But it came with a risk.


    "What about that strange ability to kill a person with nothing but a swing?" That was the risk. Apart from the ability to phase through attacks, the boy could also easily kill a person by ignoring physical barriers until he got to the part he wanted to destroy. It was a deadly skill that could cause them a lot of harm if they went by the second option.


    "Both belong to the same skill," Camila smirked and revealed. Nasir calmly thought about her words, and realised that it was very likely that what she said was true.


    "Which means that the main ability of this skill is to remain intangible for a while whilst possessing the ability to harm others yourself?" Nasir asked.


    "Yes," Camila nodded her head in confirmation. "According to my timing, the skill only lasts about 2 and a half seconds. The issue is that I have no idea its cooldown period." Camila revealed the one drawback she had experienced in her bid to understand the boy they were facing.


    "Do we need to know that?" Nasir stroked his beard and said.


    "What do you mean?" Camila asked. Knowing a skill''s cooldown was highly important in order to defeat its user.


    "We know that as long as we attack within two seconds of each other and get it right, he will die. What is the point of knowing his skill''s cooldown when he''s dead?" Nasir shrugged and explained.


    "That''s true. We must get this right then." Camila ?ssented


    "Let''s go," Nasir stated as he hoisted his giant hammer and jumped into the air.


    "Very decisive," Camila smirked and dashed towards Mane herself.


    "They''re coming," Mane''s cold eyes gazed at the figure of Nasir that was streaking through the air like a hairy meteorite before looking at the rapidly approaching Camila. Although the two spoke in undertones, Mane heard every word. They were within range of course, and as a Scholar his senses were definitely going to pick what they said up. Although he was impressed with their amazing battle sense and intelligence, knowing what they knew allowed him to set up perfect counterattacks.


    "Be careful," Hildegarde knew that she didn''t have to say so for Mane to be, but she did out of concern anyway. She moved close to Nasir and Camila when they were chatting to find out what they were saying and relay it to Mane if he missed it. He didn''t, but it allowed her to understand just how scary those two were. After all, they had clashed with Mane just twice, yet they already understood a lot about Absolute Darkness.


    Nasir was the first to get to Mane, and as ''luck'' will have it, Camila was only a few seconds behind him. Nasir''s jump was so well timed that his landing was calculated to be right in front of Mane. As for why he didn''t choose to land on top of Mane and attack, that could only be attributed to the plan he and Camila had cooked up. They needed Mane to use Absolute Darkness. He descending from above was grand and all, but Mane could just dive out of the way to avoid him, and he didn''t want that.


    *Boom*


    Nasir landed on the ground with a loud bang. As if it had been smashed into by a heavy stone, the ground developed a few more cracks. Yet that was none of Nasir''s concern. He lifted his large hammer to strike Mane, but Mane beat him to it.


    Why would Mane see the trajectory of another''s landing, foresee that person''s attack, and allow that person to achieve their goal smoothly anyway? He sprang into action immediately Nasir crashed into the ground. The man was nothing but a few meters away from him after all.


    "Prideful Sword: Dance of the Half-Moon"


    "Bloodied Blade: Crazed Cut of the Blade King"


    Mane''s blades glowed with the Darkness element. Although Mane didn''t use Absolute Darkness, he still fed Night Mare and Night''s Kiss with darkness. This time because of how close Nasir was to him, Mane didn''t release the sword lights. Rather, he allowed the dark beams that contained the power of his skills to cloud the blades, and he swung them at Nasir.


    Although Nasir wasn''t expecting to be on the receiving end so soon, he didn''t panic. The power he felt from the swords was strong, but as long as he was careful he would be able to handle it. He was still crouched from when he landed, but that didn''t stop or hinder him from gathering power into his hammer. Like a furious whirlwind, he executed a short crouching spin and smashed his hammer into the two swords.


    *Bang*


    A hammer was naturally much heavier and much more effective than a sword in direct confrontations, even if those swords were heavy swords. And Mane was forced back by the power of the strike. Nasir himself was also pushed back. The boots he wore dragged his body across the ground as he tried to regain control over his body''s direction of movement. He was finally able to do so, but when he did, a beautiful figure holding an axe flashed past him. Nasir smiled and waited a few milliseconds before following his exquisite leader. He hadn''t forgotten that their attacks had to be within a few seconds of each other.


    Mane''s deep blue eyes glowed when Camila reached him. Her huge axe was a towering presence on its own. But when it was held in those thin arms, its threat grew by at least a few levels. If it was a tower on its own, it was a fortress in her hands. Camila''s arms gathered power and her feet anchored her outer energy to the ground. Like a stable war carriage, she swung her axe towards Mane''s head, and Mane couldn''t help but marvel at the technique. Her skill with the axe was far greater than Vital Orange''s! And it wasn''t because she had greater energy. She was actually better in terms of poise, grace, and execution. She used her axe like it was a delicate flower ¨C a delicate flower that could easily kill you. Her attack left him no openings whatsoever. The only escape route he had was to the back. But doing so would cause him to lose momentum, and it would be disadvantageous for him. She wanted to force him to use Absolute Darkness. And he obliged.


    "Absolute Darkness: Evasive Killing"


    The axe passed right through Mane like he was nothing but a mirage. Camila tried hard to stop the smile that was tugging at her lips.


    Mane saw her smile, and when she turned her head to look at him and saw him smiling as well, her heart shook. She realized that something was wrong. But like a pulled back string of a bow that had been let go of, the arrow of their attack had already been shot and couldn''t be stopped.


    Nasir''s hammer came smashing down, yet the intended flattening of the boy wasn''t what happened.


    "Breath: The Dark Times"


    Mane phased through the attack again.. But this time he attacked mid-phase ¨C and Nasir''s head went flying off his body.

 Chapter 428 - Possession?

    *Bang*


    The large head that was covered all over in shaggy hair rolled on the ground a few times.


    Camila was right in her analysis of Absolute Darkness. Her timing and everything else was spot on. The only thing she couldn''t quite figure out was its cooldown, but as Nasir had put it so succinctly before his head was forced to part ways with his body and tasked to fend for itself ¨C a task which the copious amount of blood that was streaming out of the decapitated head would suggest it failed at ¨C the cooldown didn''t matter if they got their timing right. In truth, if Mane didn''t have other elements he could use and was only a Darkness User, he may have been in some trouble from her analysis. Some trouble, but not enough to see him join the souls of the departed.


    And that was because Camila and Nasir had no idea about Breaths. They didn''t know that Mane didn''t only have Absolute Darkness, but a Darkness Element Breath as well. This Breath was called The Dark Times.


    Mane had used The Dark Times in an actual fight just once since he had comprehended it. He used it in a duel against his father to hide the effects of Takeover from his old man. Apart from that, he had never used it again, a decision that could be attributed to his choice to not rely on darkness so much.


    The issue with The Dark Times was that its cloaking ability wasn''t active. It was a passive effect of activating the skill. Once a person which in this case was Mane, activated The Dark Times, whichever skill they were using ¨C as long as it wasn''t of the darkness attribute ¨C will have its true effects hidden.


    However, the main purpose of The Dark Times was to augment darkness attributed skills, and this case, Absolute Darkness. When used with a darkness attributed skill, The Dark Times increased the skill''s range. So when Mane activated The Dark Times, Absolute Darkness which had a time limit of just 2.5 seconds experienced an increase of a single second, moving its skill time limit of 2.5 seconds to 3.5 seconds. It seemed minute, but it was this one second that caught Camila and Nasir off guard and led to Nasir''s death. However, that wasn''t the only thing The Dark Times did.


    The Dark Times not only augmented the range (time range) of a skill, but its capacity as well. And that meant it could increase the overall effectiveness of a darkness attributed skill. Absolute Darkness allowed Mane to phase through attacks and kill others with pretty much the very same mechanism. However, he couldn''t do both at the same time. For the skill Absolute Darkness: Evasive Killing was divided into two right now.


    Absolute Darkness was the first part of the skill. It caused Mane to be nothing but a shadow to his opponents, and that meant that they couldn''t hit him even if they tried. It was this part of the skill that allowed him to phase through attacks


    Evasive Killing was the second part. Evasive Killing allowed Mane to kill opponents by phasing through whichever body part he targeted, but destroying it in the process with little or no force. This was why it had the name it had.


    This skill was amazing, and though Mane''s darkness element comprehension was still in the Intermediate Stage, the glow, Absolute Darkness: Evasive Killing was a skill of the Mastery Level. Of course Mane could only use it at the Intermediate Level because of the command of his masters. If he could use it at the Mastery Level, its time limit would have increased. However, that wasn''t the point. The point was, Mane couldn''t activate both sides of the skill at the same time. He couldn''t phase through an attack whilst simultaneously killing that person.


    But The Dark Times made it so. It could combine both effects of the skill and allowed Mane to kill Nasir whilst evading the large Barbarian''s strike. The drawback was that it drew out a large amount of Edict, and Mane had already lost about 40% of the energy he had absorbed through Devour. Also once it was used Mane couldn''t use both The Dark Times and Absolute Darkness: Evasive Killing for an entire day.


    The decapitated head of Nasir rolled to Camila''s side and she was able to see its expression up close. The eyes of the head were largely tranquil, and a small smile was plastered onto its face. Even in his last moments, this person definitely didn''t think he was about to die. His expression was too calm for that. He never thought that he would die so simply.


    In that moment, time stood still. Camila watched dumbfounded as the head rolled around a few times. It was only after Nasir body joined its head and fell onto the ground as well, that she woke up from her daze.


    *Thud*


    Once that body fell, Mane seemed to come alive.


    "Brimstone"


    Golden yellow flames engulfed his figure as he deactivated the Glow and Breath of the dark element, and refocused his attention to the element that he loved to use in fights like these. With Night Mare in his right hand and Night''s Kiss in his left, Mane charged at the confused Camila. The smile she wore from before was gone, and her eyes which were filled with the d?s?r? to avenge her people was largely extinguished. The shock that one death had brought her had her reeling. And Mane wasn''t going to miss this opportunity. Why would he wait for his opponent to rediscover herself when he could strike now and gain the advantage?


    "Prideful Sword: Dance of the Half-Moon"


    "Bloodied Blade: Crazed Cut of the Blade King"


    Night Mare and Night''s Kiss released their respective battle cries as fire engulfed the blades and filled them with power. Although their cries weren''t as ecstatic as they were when Mane resorted to using the darkness element, they were still power-filled. The two shone sharply with fire, and two thin sword lights were produced once Mane swung them towards Camila.


    The fiery sword lights were powerful, and although they were as thin as a thread of fabric, the scorching heat they carried was a reminder of the threat they held. Camila''s eyes crimson eyes grew a tad bit redder as she took her eyes of the dead body of Nasir. Her emotions were stirred, and the rage she felt subside when Mane killed her kin was rekindled. She couldn''t feel the high temperature of the approaching flaming sword lights, for the fire that burned within her was far hotter and much more dangerous.


    *Roar*


    With an angry bestial roar, she span her axe before her like a windmill fan. The large weapon gathered the winds like a harvester gathering grain, and that small wind formed a small barrier between Camila and the sword lights.


    *Bang*


    Camila was pushed back a few meters once the beams smashed into her rapidly revolving axe. Mane''s attacks were dispersed quite effortlessly, as the fire that could singe the brows of many from a couple of meters away disappeared. All the while, Camila had her eyes glued to Mane''s figure. She growled like a hungry beast, her beauty nothing but an outwards appearance that failed to reflect the image within.


    "She has changed," Mane grimly stated. He could feel Camila''s aura gradually growing stronger. Even worse, the aura that seemed humanlike was slowly growing into the aura of a Battle Beast! No person was capable of this: perfectly embodying the aura of a beast. One could mimic it, but one will never get the full effects of perfectly copying the aura.


    Beasts were naturally stronger than many other species in terms of battle strength. A beast at the 1st level of the Heaven Realm could handle a human at the 2nd level. And that was because they had sharper and more refined battle senses, in addition to their superior physical attributes. And that was why there were wielders who tried to incorporate the moves and abilities of beasts into their arsenal of moves. But to do that, one had to fully embody the aura of the beast. Now that Camila was revealing such an aura, Mane didn''t need to be told that the fight was going to get much harder.


    *ROAR*


    With a deafening roar, the illusionary figure of a large Snake appeared behind Camila.


    "What a powerful aura!" Hildegarde exclaimed. "Are you sure you would be okay?" she worriedly asked Mane. Although Camila was at the 9th stage of the Heaven Realmer before, she was merely at the entry level. But now, her aura had skyrocketed, and she was at the true peak of the Heaven Realm!


    "I will be fine," Mane stated whilst keeping his eyes glued to Camila''s figure. He couldn''t afford to take his eyes off her and possibly lose her when she struck. Although Hildegarde couldn''t see the large snake behind Camila, she could feel her aura change and was wary. Mane could see it because he was a Scholar, and that made him even wearier.


    He couldn''t attack her first because he was unsure of the kind of changes she was going through and he couldn''t afford to make a mistake. All he could do was watch and analyse. But he didn''t get to do that for long. For Camila''s aura stopped growing when it reached the peak of the Heaven Realm, and she cast her dazed eyes onto Mane. In that moment Mane felt cold. He felt as though he was being stared at by a lifeless corpse with no emotions or d?s?r?s apart from rage. And Camila''s aura of life was the same. It was almost as if she was a living corpse!


    "This is¡­" Mane felt some fear after realizing what had happened. And that was because he recognised this change. He had seen it before when he was back on Zandor. A masterful sword fighter he fought had merged with a rod user Abe was fighting to create and atrocity that was so difficult to kill. At the time he and Abe worked together to kill the beast. Mane fought the creature whilst Abe tried to locate the source of its immortality and strength. For it was only by destroying this source that it could be killed. But even that hadn''t been enough, and they had come across this undead creature once again. Mane hoped he would never come across a beast like that. He hoped that he wouldn''t have to go through so much torture to kill another creature. And that creature was even weaker than him by a large margin at the time. Yet he struggled against it. This time his opponent was different. Camila was very strong, and if it wasn''t for his breakthrough back in the Crystal Monkey Cave, he would have lost to her once the fight started.


    He didn''t know how, but in some weird way, Camila had gone through something similar to Possession! And Mane knew that he was in serious trouble now.


    As Mane dreaded the sudden turn of events, his senses failed to pick up a small fluctuation in space. With his senses fully focused on Camila and her strange transformation, he didn''t see the small black dot that appeared about a hundred meters away.. This black dot hovered several feet above the ground and watched the fight below.

 Chapter 429 - Something Else

    "I''ve seen something like this before," Hildegarde who was right next to Mane had a struggling expression on her face as she tried to recall where she had seen this. Luckily her struggles didn''t go on for long. For Mane came to her aid immediately.


    "You saw them in my memories," Mane had an unsightly expression on his face as he spoke. When he and Hildegarde had been bonded together during their transfer, she got to see his memories. There were some he hid from her, and some he showed to her. His first fight with the Possessed, when he and Abe had to deal with it after Abe''s breakthrough, was amongst those memories that she had been allowed to see.


    "Ah yes," Hildegarde exclaimed in remembrance. However, a huge frown framed her face when she remembered the actual details of that memory. She remembered that Mane and his friend had only been able to kill that undead creature by destroying its core. And that core had been discovered by that friend of his whilst Mane kept the Possessed at bay. It was different now. Not only was this suspected Possessed enough of a match for Mane, he had no help.


    If he wanted to do this alone he had to make sure that his scholar level was the same as the Possessed''s wielding level. When he fought the Earth realm Possessed on Zandor, 3rd lamented that if Mane was a Mid-Level Scholar he wouldn''t have required any help to locate its core. And that was because a Mid-Level Scholar was equivalent to an Earth Realmer. Now that he was facing a Heaven Realmer, unless his scholar level was at the High Level, he couldn''t possibly do this on his own.


    "What are you going to do?" Hildegarde asked. This was a huge problem. Mane couldn''t afford to fight a Possessed with his attention divided, which meant he couldn''t try and find the source himself whilst keeping it at bay. But if he didn''t do that, how was he going to deal with Camila''s new form?


    "Hers is different," Mane told Hildegarde. The rioting Edict around Camila was slowly beginning to settle. And the phantom of the large snake that hovered over her head like a protective spirit became even more tangible, slowly gaining substance.


    "What do you mean?" Hildegarde asked as she sought to understand more of the issue whilst keeping her eyes glued to the figure of the formerly charming Barbarian. Camila''s skin was now as red as her eyes, and several veins were wriggling underneath her flesh. Her body somehow became even skinnier, making her look more like a bag of bones surrounded by skin than a living thing, and her hair was slowly turning grey.


    "Her aura of life is similar to a dead person''s, but it isn''t the same. There is still some life force; only that it has been suppressed." Mane explained. Although he was nothing but a Beginner Scholar when he fought his first Possessed, he had his masters to explain the attributes of a Possessed to him.


    Possessed''s were born via a dark technique. And it had a few conditions that had to be satisfied before it was activated. It was a technique that forced the soul of a warrior to fight on even after death. Therein was the first condition: one must first die. Camila hadn''t died. She wasn''t even in any danger when her transformation took place. Her transformation was that of emotions ¨C not a loss of life. It was her rage that triggered her transformation, not her death.


    Secondly, the source of a Possessed was implanted. It wasn''t a natural thing. It was a device that was implanted by someone with a vast understanding of the darkness attribute. The one Mane had fought on Zandor was made by the Dark God Seth. But the fact that Camila and Nasir didn''t know much about Absolute Killing meant that they weren''t familiar with darkness. And it was highly unlikely that there was someone with Seth''s level of understanding of darkness in the Barbarian Race ¨C a race which had very little understanding of the elements.


    Thirdly and most importantly, as Mane had just explained Camila''s life force had only been suppressed. It hadn''t disappeared. The fact that her life force was still lurking within her body meant that her soul was still very much alive. She wasn''t being forced to fight ''after death''.


    Last but not least was the snake phantom that Mane could see. Although he was a weaker Scholar when he fought his first Possessed, the Possessed was weaker too. He didn''t see any creature appear above it. And it didn''t undergo the kind of transformation Camila was going through.


    "So what are you saying?" Hildegarde had only seen memories of the thing. And in those memories Mane''s interaction with his masters had been covered up. She didn''t have the understanding that Mane had when it came to Possesseds. So she needed some clarification.


    "I''m saying that what she is experiencing is a transformation ¨C not a Possession. It may be a skill exclusive to Barbarians. Or maybe just her. But it definitely isn''t Possession." Mane explained.


    "I see," Hildegarde felt a bit relieved when she heard his words. Knowing that it wasn''t as bad as it could be was reassuring, even if the situation was still no good.


    "Don''t breathe out just yet. We are still in trouble" Mane frowned and said.


    "Yeah. But it''s better than facing a Possessed." Hildegarde argued.


    "True," Mane ?ssented. Although he knew that it was going to be troublesome to deal with Camila, it was better than dealing with a Possessed. At least with Camila, the death energy around her was only protecting her life energy ¨C the irony of which wasn''t lost on him. But it could be breached. As long as Mane broke through the death energy that protected her soul, he would be able to reach Camila and break her transformation. And this meant that she wasn''t immortal like a true Possessed. As long as her transformation could be undone, he had a huge shot at winning.


    *Roar*


    The snake phantom above Camila roared loudly, a characteristic Mane was certain snakes weren''t supposed to have. For a snake was a hisser, not a belter. But he soon understood that what he thought was a snake wasn''t actually a snake when he noticed the small horn on its head.


    "It''s a Flood Dragon," Mane screamed internally. The snake didn''t have wings so it couldn''t be a Winged Serpent. But because it had a horn and could roar, it definitely wasn''t a snake. The only beast that fit this description was a Flood Dragon. And it made Mane wonder how this transformation was achieved.


    Once the Flood Dragon had announced its presence ¨C which Hildegarde didn''t see or hear due to the fact that it wasn''t quite visible ¨C it flew into the clouds and then dove down and found solace in Camila'' body like she was a water body.


    Once it had achieved its aim, it was like a floodgate had been opened. For torrents of energy even stronger than what was around Camila now rushed into her body and filled her with even more power. She skin grew swallower somehow, and her bones became more visible. The power that filled her was so strong that Mane was certain that she wasn''t a Heaven Reamer anymore.


    "She''s half a step into the Nobility Realm!" Hildegarde was familiar with this sort of energy. This kind of power didn''t belong to a Heaven Realmer. As a Nobility Realmer herself she knew that this power was closer to the Nobility Realm than it was to the Heaven Realm. It wasn''t fully across the line, but it was close.


    "Such a powerful aura!" Mane frowned and said. He heard Hildegarde''s words. After all, who else would she be speaking to if not for him ¨C the only person who could see or hear her? He was a tad bit relieved to hear that Camila hadn''t risen above the barrier that separated Nobles from the warriors of Heaven. But she still had her foot halfway through the door. And that was still something that Mane will struggle to handle.


    "I must prepare as well," Mane frowned and said. He had watched patiently as Camila underwent her transformation because the energy that was around her was violent. He couldn''t afford to interrupt because he didn''t see a way to breakthrough it. Since he couldn''t do anything, he had only been watching. But seeing that Camila was beyond what he could currently handle, he knew he had to make some adjustments. And adjust he did.


    "Deactivate Brimstone" Mane mumbled, and the flames around him disappeared.


    "Activate Takeover"


    Along with Mane''s command came the change that will help him cope with the hole he had dug for himself. A pitch black aura surrounded his frame like a leather coat and held him close. His eyes became red, much like a Barbarian''s and his hair followed suite, taking on the same color as his transformed eyes. His power instantly skyrocketed as the ground around him struggled to contain his new change. Several large cracks appeared all around Mane as his aura wreathed havoc; with Night Mare and Night''s Kiss shaking and screeching loudly.


    As if that wasn''t enough, Mane summoned the element of his birth; he called that which he had control over by birthright. And several snakes of lightning appeared around him, winding themselves around his figure. The lightning moved in between the dark aura of Takeover, with each bolt gaining more strength once it came into contact with the aura.


    *Roar*


    Camila''s transformation had just ended, yet she didn''t rush at Mane. And that was because she could feel the threat of death from Mane. Although her eyes were still lifeless and her body akin to that of a skinless corpse, that flicker of intelligence that remained prevented her from making a rash decision.


    "What are you waiting for?" Mane slowly mumbled, his voice like thunder in a furious storm. The ground shook like it had been hit by the mallet of Gaia herself, and the sky trembled in excitement at the grand spectacle that was to come.


    Camila growled upon hearing Mane''s words. The boy may now look like a war god, but his words provoked her. And every last bit of hesitation was wiped away. She moved like a freight train, and like a freight train the power that she carried was destructive and could destroy anything in its path.


    But what was in her path was no minor obstacle. Mane moved as well. Like a furious bolt from Zeus''s spear he snaked into Camila''s path. And both clashed midair.


    *Boom*

 Chapter 430 - Mane Versus Camila

    *Bang*


    *Bang*


    *Bang*


    *Bang*


    In less than a second both had exchanged a flurry of blows. Camila''s giant axe had crashed into Mane''s twin heavy swords so many times that both set of weapons had developed feelings of rivalry and comradery at the same time.


    Mane''s red eyes flashed strongly like the blazing coals of a fiery smelt. Along with the bellow of thunder he pierced Night''s Kiss towards Camila. As he did he didn''t forget to utilise Night Mare. The other heavy sword gathered lightning upon its blade and concentrated the destructive element wielded by Zeus and Thor onto its tip.


    *Bang*


    Unsurprisingly, Camila was able to deflect Night''s Kiss blade without any issue. Her huge axe span around her like an ever present shield. Like the shield of Aegis no matter which part Mane struck, she was protected. Her eyes were still lifeless, yet there was a fire that burned within its depths that tried to bore into Mane''s soul whenever he looked into them.


    Without dwelling on his nth failed attempt to breach Camila''s defenses, Mane struck with Night Mare. A small ball of dense lightning was at its tip, and the furious energy of destruction could be felt from several meters away. Naturally, as the person closest to it Camila could feel the strength of Mane''s lightning more intently than anything or anyone else around. Once Night Mare was almost upon her, it fired the lightning ball at its tip unsuspectingly, and it flew with such rapid pace that even a Pseudo Phenom would be hard pressed to avoid such a blow at this range. But Camila was currently an unreal existence. Her instincts that should have been dead screamed at her, and she twisted her body strangely to avoid Mane''s blow. The small lightning ball sank into the ground a few meters away, and with that development came a deafening explosion.


    *Boom*


    A large crater with a diameter of at least 10 meters was formed because of the power of the lightning ball. Its energy was so violent that even after detonation one could still see several bolts of lightning flickering in the crater. However, neither Camila nor Mane had any interest in what was happening outside their battle. They kept their attacks going, with neither actually gaining the upper hand.


    "4 Way Cut: Perfect Square," Mane''s eyes flashed with a faint white light as lightning gathered on Night''s Kiss. 4 lightning snakes surrounded Night''s Kiss and morphed into a three dimensional shape ¨C a cube. Mane quickly brought down the blade, swinging it like a giant hammer towards the transformed Camila.


    Camila wasn''t unaware of the threat Night''s Kiss carried. She too gathered Edict into her arms and filled her axe with power. Her arms bulged slightly, and the image of a small flood dragon appeared behind her once again. With a low growl Camila swung her axe towards the rapidly approaching Night''s Kiss, and a loud bang was heard.


    *Bang*


    The lightning cube around Night''s Kiss was shattered into many different lines which crashed into several different areas around them. Each sword line held the power of lightning and left a long scar on the ground where they struck. Both Mane and Camila retreated a few meters after the clash. The momentum of their reckless attack had sent them both skidding backwards. Night''s Kiss''s blade looked a tad duller than before. Its edge had somehow lost its ?uster, and its power slowly went down. Yet it still screamed in eagerness, not willing to surrender this battle.


    Camila''s weapon wasn''t in perfect shape either. The large axe had a small chip in its blade, and its wooden handle was splintered in some areas. There were a few cracks running through the handle as well, indicating that it wasn''t going to last for long.


    *Bang*


    As if he couldn''t see the changes on Night''s Kiss, Mane stomped his feet into the ground and threw himself towards Camila again. As he moved he started to revolve, and several streams of lightning were gathered into both Night''s Kiss and Night Mare. Both blades shone brightly due to the baptism of the Norse Thunder God''s element. And though Night''s Kiss''s embodiment of the Olympian God King''s power was slightly inferior to Night Mare, its duller look only served to fuel its thirst for blood.


    As Camila watched Mane''s lightning clad figure gaining on her, she hoisted her giant axe into the air and screamed in rage. The image of the flood dragon appeared behind her again. Only that this time it was much clearer than it was before. When Camila screamed, the flood dragon behind her also roared. It leaped into the air and then snaked into the giant axe. The large weapon was surrounded by a bright light when the flood dragon entered it, and a furious storm gathered around Camila. Her skin became redder, and her bone even more prominent as her muscles atrophied once again. Whatever this technique was, using it in such a prominent way was taking a toll on her body. But it mattered very little right now. With a loud roar Camila swung her axe a few times. And threw it at Mane!


    *Boom*


    The powerful axe crashed into Mane with a sort of fury that was certainly bestial. Night Mare was the first to greet the large weapon. Yet it was unable to ward off its might by its lonesome, so Night''s Kiss had to lend a helping hand. The axe threw Mane off course and pushed him several meters to the left of his intended destination. His arms shook slightly from the powerful force that traveled along the blade of the axe, and he felt his muscles and bones creak in protest. But he couldn''t afford to stop now. The death energy around Camila was fading, and the more powerful the move she employed, the faster her death energy dissipated. As long as he was able to outlast her, he would be able to deal with her!


    And so he moved again. But this time he wasn''t the first to move. Camila had already made her way to him when she threw her weapon, and she followed him when he was knocked away. Leaping into the air to catch her giant axe, the woman who now resembled a sack of bones left behind several afterimages as she quickly made her way to Mane''s position. Her elusive figure was like a gust of wind. One minute it was here, and in the next there. In less than a second she was right in front of Mane, her red eyes sending a chill down the spine of the Supreme. Yet along with that feeling of unease, was the feeling of realization and a sense of achievement. And Camila soon understood why.


    "Explode: Earth Mine"


    *Boom*


    Camila''s figure was tossed into the air due to the surprise attack. Several burn marks appeared on her skin, with the burns at the sole of her feet being the most severe. Mane hadn''t been needlessly moving around during the battle. He had long removed the limiter on his skills, and he was using Earth at the Mastery Realm. Whenever he clashed with Camila, he would drop an earth mine in that location. And that was why he tried to clash with her at every part of the field. He needed to cover as much ground as possible. And he had done just that. His movement right before Camila got to him was to reposition himself so that he wouldn''t be caught in the blast. And it had worked out very well.


    Mane''s figure flashed and he appeared midair, right above Camila''s floating figure. Without any hesitation he span a bit to gather some momentum, the lightning elements still cloaking both he and his weapons, and then he swung them at Camila.


    "Prideful Sword: Dance of the Half-Moon"


    Camila was battered, but she hadn''t lost her sense of place. She knew where she was, and she knew how to use the weapon in her hand. She wasn''t going to allow herself to receive a direct hit. She was midair and still reeling from the effects of the explosion. Undead energy or not, her eyes experienced some cloudy vision, so she couldn''t evade. Bringing her axe before her ?h?st like a small shield, she braced for impact.


    *Boom*


    Night''s Kiss and Night Mare struck the large axe and caused a few more chips in the large blade. Several more cracks appeared on the weapon''s handle as Camila was struck into the ground. And as it happened, towards the location of another earth mine!


    *Boom*


    Unsurprisingly, Camila was knocked back up into the air due to the explosion, still holding on to her trusty axe. Her burns were healing rapidly, and the few fractures she had sustained from her fall were quickly being mended. Mane who had intentionally knocked her towards another earth mine was there to receive her once again. This place was littered with the tiny little critters, and even Mane himself would have lost count of how many there were if they weren''t connected to him. Mane was naturally pleased to see Camila''s recovery. For her death energy had reduced even further.. And that was exactly what he wanted.

 Chapter 431 - Mane Versus Camila: Part II

    Once again Camila found herself below Mane''s towering figure. The red in his eyes were not at all inferior to her own, but the deep contradiction between the red of his eyes and the white of his lightning wasn''t lost on her. Several loud screeches were heard as Mane gathered lightning into his twin blades, their edges sharpening rapidly under the tempering of the destructive element.


    "Bloodied Blade: Crazed Cut of the Blade King!"


    With a furious bellow Mane announced the name of his technique. It wasn''t to anyone in particular. It was more like a declaration of what he was going to do. He intended to crash the foe before him with absolute force. The lightning around his blades screamed even louder as they became more destructive. The Bloodied Blade Series was so much more destructive than the Prideful Sword Series. So much so that Mane had been able to pick up just one technique from it so far. And when used in conjunction with an element of mass destruction like lightning, its effects were catastrophic. As the swords reached Camila, the temperature of the blades caused her swallow skin to turn redder and sustain a few more burns. The small fiery sparks born from lightning forced Camila to rethink her decision to take the attack head-on.


    Releasing a small growl, she twisted he body strangely as massive amounts of death energy were consumed. The large image of the Flood Dragon appeared again. Mane had seen it so many times that it was more annoying to see the scaly face of the beast than it was to hear his father speak about how he met his mother. I mean for crying out loud, he was happy that the two got together. After all, he was born from their union. But did he have to be told over and over again ¨C at least three times a day ¨C how the two met?


    Anyway, the image of the Flood Dragon was not as defined as before. It was blurry and much more illusionary, and the death energy that surrounded it was minuscule when compared to its appearances from before. The realization almost had Mane smiling, but he reminded himself that nothing was set in stone yet. He had seen the kind of things Camila was capable of whenever this image appeared. When it was absorbed into her axe she became a few times stronger. And when it was absorbed into her body like right now, she became like a feather ¨C lightweight and difficult to pin down.


    Mane watched wide-eyed as Camila turned and shifted and somehow evaded his strike. The resultant sword lights flew towards the ground like misfired high energy beams and left deep cuts that extended way beyond the earth''s surface. Even Mane with his Scholar enhanced vision couldn''t see how deep those cuts were! Yet that remained a minor concern for him.


    Camila eyed Mane with a wrathful gaze. Without holding back any punches ¨C as he had done with her ¨C she swung her giant axe at the seedling Supreme.


    "Prideful Sword: Guard of the Half-Moon"


    *Bang*


    Mane''s arms creaked under the sheer power of that strike, and he was knocked several more meters into the air. Camila crouched midair and pushed upwards like she was stepping on solid ground. And even more fascinatingly, her action birthed results. For she dashed towards Mane, moving through the air like she would if she was on the ground ¨C albeit a little bit slower.


    "How could I forget that Flood Dragons can actually move through the air?!" Mane scolded himself. Because they had been fighting on solid ground all this while, he had not considered Camila''s current movement when the Flood Dragon reappeared. And now he was paying for his carelessness.


    In less than a second, Camila was below him again. Her axe was sent swinging upwards as she sought to reap Mane''s life like a harvester gleaning for grain. Mane''s eyes flashed with a green light as he was hit with sudden enlightenment.


    "Of course! I could use it that way!"


    Several green specks of light invisible to the n?k?d eye shrouded Mane and he was pushed to the side, successfully evading Camila''s strike. Mane used Wind to move midair. He wondered how he had never thought of this before when it was actually the first thing that should have come to mind. It was an element called Wind, which was basically ''moving air''. How did he never link that to the word ''airborne''? He wished he had paid a little more attention to Wind, for he was very unfamiliar with using it midair. And that unfamiliarity cost him. For Camila was right next to him in no time.


    Once again she swung her axe at him. And once again, Mane evaded by relying on Wind. It seemed she had realised that he wasn''t good at controlling himself midair, so when he escaped her axe, she moved rapidly to the side and struck her long legs towards his side.


    "Prideful Sword: Guard of the Half-Moon"


    Mane was struck by those thin legs and two of his ribs were fractured instantly, causing his expression to turn a bit pale. He felt as though he was struck by a large bull, and the pain that he felt was one he hadn''t felt in a long time. Blood slowly seeped out his mouth as he was sent crashing towards the ground. Because he was midair and was off balance, Guard of the Half-Moon was only able to contain about 60% of Camila''s kicking power. The remaining 40% was enough to inflict such a degree of injury on him.


    Mane timed his landing well, using wind like a mattress to break his fall and prevent any more injuries. He kept his eyes glued to Camila as he was falling. And because of that he was able to see her rapidly descending towards him. His eyes flashed with a bit of rage ¨C and some weariness for he was mentally drained ¨C and then he did what she had done to him only moments ago. Only this time, he did something it better.


    "Combination Technique ¨C Flickering Prideful Sword: Wrath of the Half-Moon!"


    Violent torrents of lightning filled Night''s Kiss and Night Mare as they were filled with the power of Edict. They shone brightly as powerful sword lights gathered on their edges and covered them entirely. Mane made sure his connection to his swords was robust, and then he threw them!


    Like javelins, or Gungnir itself, Night Mare and Night''s Kiss flew towards the falling Camila in a straight trajectory. Enhanced by Star Flicker, they moved through the sky like stars on earth. This combination was something Mane had been trying on Zandor. It only had a 30% success rate, and took quite an amount of energy to activate. So it was a huge risk. But he had taken his chance, and it was a success! The swords were so swift that Camila had very little time to react. But she did get her axe in front of her in time. Unfortunately, that wasn''t enough.


    *Bang*


    *Poof*


    The large axe was only able to prevent the charge of Night Mare. As for Night''s Kiss, it had avoided the large axe and lodged itself into Camila''s shoulder. Several bolts of lightning sneaked into her system, destroying organs and tissues and blood vessels along the way. Their destination? The source of her death energy. And they reached their target in no time.


    *Boom*


    Blood poured out of the wound on her shoulder, and some more found its way out of her mouth as her death energy core was destroyed. The cry of the Flood Dragon was heard once more, only that this time it was grievous, containing feelings of pain that expressed its reluctance at this forced resignation. The image of the flood dragon appeared behind Camila once more, only to shatter into several tiny fragments. Her appearance started to return to what it was. Her hair regained its black color, yet her skinny frame remained unchanged. It seemed that it would take the careful attention of a healer for that portion of her transformation to be rectified. Seeing the changes Mane''s eyes flashed in expectation. It was the indication Mane was hoping for. The sign that the technique similar to Possession had been broken. And once he saw it, he moved.


    He powered through the pain of the broken ribs. It wasn''t his first time getting hurt this badly, and there had even been worst moments. Besides, it wasn''t going to be his last. He dashed towards Camila, his speed lesser than it was before, but still more than enough for the current Camila to contain.


    The eyes of the Barbarian woman flashed with helplessness as Mane'' fist descended upon her. In her last moments all she heard was the name of the fist technique.


    "Splintering Fist!"


    *Boom*


    Mane''s fist crashed Camila''s ?h?st and destroyed her heart. Once she fell down dead, Mane fell right next to her. Takeover subsided, and its effects racked his body and reminded him not to depend on it so much.. Now that the fight was over, he could truly ''relish'' the pain that was born from both Takeover aftereffects, the reckless use of lightning and his broken ribs.

 Chapter 432 - The Traitor

    "You won," Hildegarde landed on his head and said. Although Mane was hurt, she had a small smile on her face knowing that it was all over.


    "Yeah. This is one of the most difficult fights I''ve had to endure. And I was largely lucky." Mane smiled wryly and said. If the other Barbarian lady had stayed behind and Nasir was also included in this fight, Mane wouldn''t have stood a chance being besieged on all sides since the transformed Camila was more than enough for him. The only thing he didn''t quite understand was why Camila didn''t use this form sooner. After all, although its aftereffects weren''t pleasant, it was better than dying. And that was why Mane attributed the victory to luck. So many elements had gone in his favor in this battle.


    "Something feels off," Hildegarde suddenly stated, her expression tense.


    "Mane! Watch out!" she screamed.


    But it was too late


    *Puchi*


    Mane''s eyes travelled downwards and stopped at his ?h?st. Lodged in his pectoral region was a long, thin rod that was pitch black in color. The rod was as narrow as a finger yet as long as a standing broom. It was stuck in his ?h?st and lodged into the ground below him, his blood pouring out from that opening and staining the ground ¨C and the rod. Mane felt his vision growing blurry. Yet his eyes tried to find the one responsible for his injury. In his state he was defenseless even against an Animal Hunter. So this person had chosen to strike at the right time.


    Mane''s senses picked up a familiar aura. It was the aura that belonged to a man he was exceedingly wary of. It was the aura of the one he knew as the Tattler. It was Ivor''s aura! Mane heard the man''s footsteps getting closer and closer until they stopped. His eyes could only see the boot of the Elemental who was responsible for his situation. Yet his ears could hear every single word that this traitor spoke.


    "I must admit that you are far more powerful than I thought," Ivor remarked as he looked down on the young handsome teen he had reduced to such a state with very little emotion. As for the little that was, it was pity.


    "I may not have been able to handle you on my own," Ivor admitted. He had seen the entire battle and had witnessed Mane''s might. Ivor was powerful, but even he would have a hard time against Camila. Yet Camila was dead; dead at the hands of the boy who lay at helpless at his feet.


    "Your greatest mistake was to get close to the Prince and Princess," Ivor squatted and whispered into Mane''s ears.


    Mane closed his eyes. The rod had missed his heart when it struck him. Not out of luck, but out of intention. Whatever Ivor wanted, he needed him alive. And he couldn''t bear to look at the man''s face. For right now there was nothing but rage boiling deep within his ?h?st. And many things that didn''t seem to make sense did now.


    Mane had been confused when Ivor turned to him to find the Revival Grass. After all, the man was stronger at the time and knew Dark Valley better than Mane did. It would have been better for him to go. Yet he had chosen Mane for the task. Mane convinced himself that it was because Ivor had to protect Lam and that was why he had to stay behind. But what about Lily? Ivor had allowed the Elemental Princess to follow Mane pretty easily. It didn''t take an awful lot of convincing to make up Ivor''s mind concerning Lily''s participation in the trip. And now it also made sense why the Barbarians knew so much about him.


    They knew everything about him ¨C from his hair color to his height and even his name. Oh how foolish he had been. How did he not realise that the only person who had something to gain from his downfall was Ivor. He was here, racking his mind, trying to come up with an inkling of thought concerning who might have been responsible. Yet he missed the most reasonable suspect the entire time!


    "Lam is awake," Ivor suddenly added. It was almost as if he felt a bit of guilt for his actions. For he was literally dealing with a person he had no grudges with for very little reason. "I thought that you should know this," Ivor added before bending to pick up Mane who had realised by now that he had been played all along. Ivor didn''t need a Revival Grass. All he probably needed to do was contact the Elementals and get some from their storage supplies. Mane kept his eyes shut and resigned himself to his fate. However, before Ivor had even walked a few meters away from the scene, a cold voice interrupted him.


    "Leave the boy," came the voice that Mane had never heard before.


    "Waska? What is the Barbarian Lord''s aide doing all the way here?" Ivor remarked as his hold on Mane tightened. His brief statement enlightened Mane and exposed the identity of the newbie.


    "You think we don''t understand how crafty you are?" Waska replied as he moved to intercept Ivor, standing right between the large man and the black hole Ivor had used to get here. Before Waska Ivor didn''t seem so large anymore, and the aura of control that he had all this while was shaken by the appearance of this one man.


    "Rasa was unconvinced by the Lord''s decision to send only Nightmare Level teams for this task. So he asked me to follow. Unfortunately my journey was delayed because I had a few orders to accomplish ¨C orders given by my Lord." Waska responded coolly.


    "In the end Rasa was right. Hand over the boy," Waska coldly ordered as he stood in Ivor''s path.


    "Mane! Mane! Are you okay?! Say something!" Hildegarde flew around Mane''s head and screamed at the boy who was slung over Ivor''s shoulder like a trophy with the black rod still stuck in his ?h?st.


    "The rod missed my heart Hilde. But I can''t gather Edict. Whatever this rod is made of is preventing me from even using Devour. My senses are also greatly disoriented. He came prepared." Mane responded through Lock-On. Since Ivor was an Elemental, it was safe to ?ssume that he had a couple of instruments that could prevent Elementals from gathering Edict. And this rod was one of such instruments. Mane felt his body gradually losing strength, and even Devour was inaccessible to him.


    "There must be something I can do!" Hildegarde stated resolutely as Edict began to gather around her small frame.


    "Don''t be foolish. The fact that he wants to capture me and not kill me means that I still have a chance. The punishment for you using your power in a test is too severe. Unless it''s the last resort, do no such thing." Mane coldly ordered, and Hildegarde unwillingly stopped what she was doing.


    In the end, Mane was right in saying what he said. If she interfered, she will be withdrawn from the trial and imprisoned. As for the exact details of the imprisonment, not even Hildegarde was aware. Mane didn''t want her to take such a risk when nothing was set in stone yet. It was at this moment that a loud roar which shook the eardrums of all three ¨C Barbarian, Elemental and Godling ¨C rang out.


    Mane''s hazy senses picked up a powerful aura. Even with his senses clouded he could never ignore the ferocity of the aura that was approaching. It was the aura of a Sacred Beast, and one at the peak!


    "This¡­" Ivor''s expression changed for the worst, and so did Waska''s. The Barbarian man immediately went into battle mode, pulling the long handled axe strapped to his back and deftly shifting the weapon to his dominant left hand. Once his weapon was held in his left hand, the aura of a Pseudo Phenom challenged the powerful presence which was approaching. Ivor immediately darted to the side without looking back. He was no match for the beast which was coming and he knew that.


    "A Sacred Beast and a Pseudo Phenom!" Mane mumbled. He could feel the haste behind Ivor''s movements. This sneaky man was actually seeking for a place to hide!


    Soon a large golden lion with beautiful yellow wings landed before Waska. Its eyes were filled with rage when it gazed at Ivor, and the man felt his blood grow cold. "That''s a Heavenly Nether Beast!" he realised quickly. Without any hesitation Ivor tossed Mane far away. He was quick to realise that the beast was here for Mane and made the wisest decision of abandoning the boy.


    *Bang*


    Sure enough, once Ivor threw Mane off his shoulder, the large lion''s eyes left his figure and it moved towards Mane.


    "Not so fast!" Waska exclaimed and charged at the beast, stopping its charge, an action it didn''t take kindly to.


    *Roar*


    With a mighty roar the struggle between Barbarian and Beast began. As for Ivor, he jumped straight into the black hole once Waska moved away from it. It was almost as if he had forgotten that his Princess was in the valley right next to the battlefield.


    "It''s here for me?" Mane couldn''t feel any animosity from the Heavenly Nether Beast. He might be bleeding, battered and bruised, but the most recent events had left his brain sharper than ever. He understood that the beast was here for him. Not to capture him for some twisted scheme, but to protect him.


    "Let''s hope it wins then," Hildegarde stated. Mane couldn''t nod or move any part of his body for that matter.. So all he could do was grunt painfully in reply.

 Chapter 433 - Ivors Master

    In another of the desolate parts of the wilderness, a black hole stood. The hole was a few feet off the ground and looked like a mirage to anyone who was within 50 meters of it. Yet no creature dared to get close to it. For the few that did were su?k?d into the black hole ¨C well, parts of them. Some had only their heads su?k?d in, effectively beheading them and costing them their lives. Others had half of their bodies taken, and some were totally minced even before they could step foot into the black hole. The creatures that remained had learned from the deaths of the first few. No one dared try again.


    Suddenly the black hole that had been quiet all this while showed signs of activity. It moved and churned into a spiraling vacuum as it slowly grinded into motion. The few creatures around watched in curiosity as the black hole which had only been taking, spat something out for the first time. What it spat out was a large man who had a slightly panicked expression on his face. The man fell onto the ground with a loud thud and rolled around a few times before finally standing up.


    "That was close," Ivor quickly wiped off the small beads of sweat that had formed on his forehead and exclaimed. The strange black hole behind him which had been his means of escape closed swiftly and disappeared.


    This was the destination he had set the black hole to. He wasn''t silly enough to set his escape route to Asher City or any of the surrounding areas. So had placed his Space Mark here ¨C in the middle of nowhere. And it proved to be the right decision.


    "What a shame," Ivor sighed and turned to look at where the black hole previously stood with a regretful expression on his face. He was planning to bring Mane here when he captured him and get all he wanted before leaving. He wasn''t na?ve enough to think that the Barbarians trusted him to the point that they would believe his every word. So his actual goal was to get what he wanted from Mane before presenting the boy to the Barbarians as a ''gift''. That way he would not only get what he wanted, but would also force a favor to be returned down the throat of the Barbarian Lord. Unfortunately the Wise Flame Rasa had read his intentions and had sent Waska to intercept him.


    And even if Waska didn''t come, Ivor knew that there was no way he would have been able to escape with the Heavenly Nether Beast protecting Mane.


    "Who would have thought that the Ancients valued him so?" Ivor thought sullenly. The last remaining Heavenly Nether Beasts were joined to the Ancients. So it was easy to guess who wanted to protect Mane. What he couldn''t understand was why the beast took so long to appear.


    "It doesn''t matter anymore," Ivor remarked to no one in particular. What worried Ivor now was how he was going to let his mistress know that he failed.


    "I gather that this means that you failed?" a lovely voice was suddenly heard whilst Ivor was stuck in his introspection.


    The voice was packed with so much allure that Ivor''s cheeks turned a bit pink before they grew pale. His eyes also became hazy and feelings of ?ust threatened to overtake him. However just like the coloring of his cheeks, he recovered himself pretty quickly. And those eyes that were filled with ?ust were swiftly occupied by fear.


    "Ivor greets Master," Ivor immediately turned to the source of the voice and knelt down on all fours. He looked like a dog left all alone in the cold. For he shivered and shook just like one. Only that he wasn''t a dog, and the weather was too soothing to strike someone of such stature with feelings of discomfort. He was shaking from fear ¨C fear of the one who had magically appeared here.


    "You failed," the seductive voice of the woman was heard yet again, and Ivor felt its effects all over again. It had been centuries since he started serving his Master, yet her charm was something he had never been able to overcome. And he doubted that there were any in the world who could. His Master''s power made her irresistible to any who had tasted the forbidden fruit of ?du?thood. Unless one knew not the ways of p???sur? and ?ust, one would not be able to hold off her seduction. The scariest part was, she wasn''t even trying to seduce him! She was angry, and even then her tone was still enough to almost cause him to lose himself. And that was why he mostly communicated with her via letter. As for how he knew she was angry, it was pretty simple. For his Master to leave her tower and come all the way here meant that she was not best pleased.


    "Yes Master," Ivor didn''t bother to excuse himself or present any explanations. His Master''s power allowed her to look into his mind and soul and find out whatever she wanted for herself. She would eventually see why he failed and understand what was going on.


    *Boom*


    Once Ivor answered in the affirmative a strong force tugged at his body and forced him to kiss the earth. His large body helplessly banged into the ground and was kept pressed against the floor. With each second that passed the forced that pushed him deeper and deeper into the ground increased, and Ivor could feel his bones creaking.


    "Pwease weed my mrind, Mashterr," Ivor struggled to bring out words as he pleaded with his mistress to look through his mind. Maybe when she saw that his plan was doomed to fail from the start because of the Heavenly Nether Beast, she would be a bit more lenient.


    "Seeing that you are so eager to have your mind read for the first time since you started serving me, I am curious to see its contents."


    The force crushing Ivor ceased in its attempt to kill the big man, and Ivor exhaled a huge sigh of relief. His forehead was filled with sweat again. But this time it was much more that the first. He smiled bitterly thinking that he cleaned his sweat too soon.


    There was a small gust of wind, and a beautiful foot appeared before Ivor''s eyes. The foot had on no shoes or even a slipper. It remained a few centimeters off the ground, not touching the earth below it as though it was not worthy enough to carry the owner of the foot. And one could see why. For the foot was as beautiful as the most glamorous of pearls and was sculpted with such care that it looked like a masterpiece on its own. It was almost ¨C almost, yet not certain ¨C as if the Creator had utilized all his skill on this one foot, and settled for mediocre ones after completion because he felt that there was no way he could exceed his work.


    Ivor marveled at the beauty of the dainty foot for a second, before hurriedly sinking his head into the ground. However, a soft hand reached out for him and grabbed onto his fleshy chin. With so much delicateness that one would have thought that Ivor was a piece of fragile glass, those beautiful fingers forced his head up. Ivor couldn''t even admire the pretty fingers for once his head was raised he found himself staring at the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Her eyes were slightly limpid yet somehow focused at the same time. They were a mix of black and brown and seemed to hold the mysteries of the world. Her eyelashes were like palm leaves ¨C long and supple ¨C and her eyebrows swept the top of each eye like gorgeous curtains. In between those lovely eyelashes was a black dot that gave her appearance an extra bit of charm ¨C as if she even needed it.


    Her nose and lips were just as masterfully made as her eyes. Each of them looked like beautiful art pieces that were carved by the hard work and combined effort of several maestros. And they drew in anyone who gazed upon them.


    "Let''s see what is in here," those beautiful red lips parted as that sweet voice entered Ivor''s ears. His eyes lost their focus, and his Master easily invaded his mind. Her eyes flashed with a faint black glow and she gazed into Ivor''s eyes for about a dozen seconds. Finally the black glow in her eyes faded, and she let go of Ivor''s fat chin gentler than she had picked it up, slotting her subordinate''s face back into the head shaped hole in the ground.


    "I see," Ivor''s Master had an excited expression. What had excited her most about Ivor''s memories was Mane. His battle with Camila had been spectacular. And though the current her could easily deal with him with nothing but a wave of her hand, he had so much potential that she was unwilling to let him go.


    "Return for the Princess. It''s time for the Noble Twins to know of their heritage. Oh and grab the Crystal Monkey while you''re at it" She licked her lips sensually and said. "I will get the boy," she added before her figure disappeared. Along with her disappearance went Ivor''s muddle-headedness. The large man picked himself up and smiled wryly before bowing to where his mistress last stood and saying,


    "As you wish, Mistress."

 Chapter 434 - Ivors Master: Part II

    Ivor''s destination was the entrance of the Dark Valley. He had placed a Space Mark there so that was the only place he could travel to. Besides, it was the only place he would need to go to since Mane''s appearance meant that the Princess wasn''t that far behind.


    The first thing that greeted Ivor was the dim lighting of a Light Grass. When he looked across the space to locate the source of the grass he was met with the surprised expression of the one whom he was meant to protect ¨C the Princess he had come for.


    "Ivor?" Lily had a surprised expression on her face when she saw the newcomer. A black hole suddenly appeared before herself and Silver. It was within the range of the light grass that floated right before them so they saw it pretty easily. And both were pretty anxious when the gaping hole they couldn''t see through suddenly appeared before them. Their anxiety from waiting for Mane was heightened, and Silver had even summoned his earth armor and battle rod to prepare for whatever was coming. So she was both greatly relieved and surprised to see Ivor come out of the portal. She knew that the man was mysterious, but she didn''t think his abilities were this strange. And this begged the question: if he could so easily appear here ¨C in Dark Valley ¨C why didn''t he do that for herself and Mane? Or why didn''t he come for the Revival Grass himself?


    "Princess!" Ivor breathed a huge sigh of relief and rushed to Lily''s side. He moved like a specter, and Silver''s eyes opened widely in alarm seeing the large man move so quickly. For it couldn''t follow Ivor''s movements at all.


    "Princess?" Lily was slightly baffled when she heard her title. Although he usually called her that, he always did so in a playful manner. However this time there was no playfulness. His strict tone stunned her.


    "There is not time to explain," Ivor spoke hurriedly. Since he had been given the go ahead by his Mistress to reveal the twins'' origins to them, there was no need to hide anything. Unfortunately, this was neither the place nor the time to dive into stories and legends. He could feel two powerful auras clashing outside. Although his Mistress had her own means, she was never going to get here faster than him. So they had to leave before the brutes fighting outside realised that there were still some people inside.


    "We need to leave," Ivor held Lily''s arm and said.


    "No!" Lily immediately tried to jerk her arm free, but Ivor was too strong for her. She failed after numerous attempts.


    "Mane is still outside. We have to get him!" Lily pleaded.


    "He will be fine. My Mistress is coming here to protect him. With my strength I can''t protect him from those fighting over him outside." Ivor lied through his teeth like it was the easiest thing to do. There was no way he was going to tell this na?ve teenage girl that he was the one who had put Mane in this mess in the first place. And he certainly wasn''t going to admit that whatever his Mistress wanted with Mane, protection was the least of it.


    "But¡­" Lily was hesitant. Something didn''t feel quite right. Her senses were screaming at her and forcing her brain into overdrive, trying to figure out what exactly was off about the entire thing. But before she had the time to think some more, a large hand gently struck the nape of her neck. Her eyes rolled backwards and she fell unconscious ¨C into the arms of the fat man called Ivor.


    *Roar*


    Silver was not best pleased by what he was witnessing. Although the aura of the man before him was more threatening than his mother''s ¨C albeit not too far off ¨C he tried to overcome the fear that had paralyzed him till now. He couldn''t allow Ivor to take his friend.


    Silver beat his crystalline ?h?st and let out a loud bellow. He span his battle rod in his hand, and the weapon grew a few more metres in length and gained a few meters in diameter. But before he could make a move the large man disappeared, and an angry growl was heard behind him.


    "Keep it down you fool! Do you want us to be found?!" Ivor smacked Silver so violently that the Crystal Monkey was sent flying into the Black Hole before disappearing beyond it.


    "I need to leave," Ivor stated and then dove into the hole himself; the unconscious princess in his grasp.


    *Bang*


    *Boom*


    *Whoosh*


    *Boom*


    Several loud explosions and blasts rocked the world just outside the Dark Valley as Waska and the Heavenly Nether Lion battled each other. Both were High Level Pseudo Phenoms, and both were quite evenly matched. However, the Heavenly Nether Lion had stronger battle prowess, and was slowly gaining he advantage. Waska had been reduced to retreating and defending against the powerful lion as the two flickered about the vast battlefield.


    *Boom*


    Another loud sound was heard as the powerful paw of the Heavenly Nether Beast, capable of splitting the world into two narrowly swept past Waska''s sharp figure and landed onto the ground. A large crater that was capable of holding a small lake was formed by this one paw and joined the several other large ditches and deep cracks that ran through the battlefield.


    "Amazing," Mane mumbled as his tired eyes struggled to keep up with the two who were battling to decide his fate. He thought he was strong enough to stand at the peak of this world. Even though he knew there were Nobles here, he thought he would be able to escape from them if they ever showed up. But watching the two who were moving so fast that the sounds of their blows followed seconds after they had moved on to something else allowed him to understand just how na?ve his thinking was. Even if he was given a ten minute head start, there was no way he would be able to get away.


    "I have to get this rod out," Mane thought silently and cast his eyes away from the two battling Nobles. There was no way he could influence that battle. Even at his peak he would be helpless, much less now when he had been cut off from Edict once again. He wished he could analyse the structure of the rod, but he was so disoriented that he couldn''t even activate True Eyes. So he had to find another way.


    "I could help you," a booming voice suddenly made its way into Mane''s mind. No, it didn''t make its way into his head. It came from his head!


    "Cronos," Mane narrowed his eyes and said. There was only one person in his mindscape ¨C in a part of his mindscape so deep that Mane didn''t even know it existed. And that person was the Selfish Titan King and the Wielder of the Clock of Eternity; the Mighty Ruler who had escaped the Dark Realm ¨C Cronos! Mane had no idea how he was able to speak to him since he shouldn''t be able to, but this wasn''t the time for that now, was it?


    "What do you want?" Mane asked. There was no such thing as a free lunch. Cronos had helped him once already without asking for anything in return. Mane reckoned that was because giving him Devour was actually what Cronos wanted, but he wasn''t sure why. Now this same person was offering to help him out. This time Mane doubted that Cronos would be as generous as he was before.


    "Smart boy," Mane heard the booming voice of the Selfish Titan King again. This time it sounded pleased. Seemingly because he didn''t need to say too much for Mane to understand that this was a transaction.


    "I could help you unlock power that will get you out of this, but you must promise to go to a place in this world ¨C a place I will guide you to" Cronos replied.


    "What is the name of this place?" Mane had a lot of questions. What was this power that could help him out when even Edict was deprived such a duty? And what was this place that even Cronos was curious about? And why did it exist in this plane?


    "You don''t need to know that now. You would find out its name if you accept my offer." Cronos was much more patient than Mane thought he would be. Mane had expected him to snap at him by now. It wasn''t to be though, for the Titan King was very patient with his speech. Now Mane wondered if what he wanted from him was so important that the Titan King was so forbearing, or if he was just like that.


    "What do you say?" Cronos asked.


    "No," Mane replied resolutely. He didn''t need a genie to tell him that Cronos''s wish was a pit of darkness waiting to explode. Mane didn''t want to commit to anything that would likely cause him more harm than good. Besides, the Heavenly Nether Beast looked like it would be able to deal with Waska, and Mane was greatly relieved by this.


    "You think that that big Lion will save you?" Cronos laughed heartily, having seen through Mane''s thoughts.


    "It is a remarkable beast," Cronos admitted, his tone still calm and composed. "But it is nothing compared to the monster approaching," he added. Before Mane could ask for clarification a powerful aura swept through the area, and the two who were entwined in battle ¨C Waska and the Heavenly Nether Beast ¨C lost their respective momentums. Hildegarde who was next to Mane shook like she had been tossed into a basin of ice water and muttered shakenly,


    "This power belongs to an Ascender!"


    *Huuu*


    A strong wind blew past the battlefield as woman dressed as conservatively as she could appeared next to Waska. Only her face and feet were exposed. Every other part of her body was covered by the long red gown that she wore. Her beauty was beyond anything Waska had seen before, and when he looked into her eyes he was lost in its endless wonders.


    "So you are the one who wants to kill him?" the lady stated with a small smile on her face. When she spoke her voice soothed Waska''s angry soul greatly, and his eyes grew even hazier. He was completely lost, not able to tell right from left. He had no idea what she was talking about, mainly because he was so mesmerized that he didn''t hear a word.


    "I''d leave you alive for now. I''m in a good mood so I don''t feel like killing." The lady in red glided past Waska like a weightless flower. Her feet didn''t touch the ground as she moved. Whenever she took a step the winds gathered beneath her feet and made it their sacred duty not to cause her feet to strike the ground. She moved past Waska quickly, although she took nothing but a step forward. In less than a second she was right in front of the Heavenly Nether Beast.


    "You are here to protect him?" she laughed softly, her joy like a pot of herbal brew that healed every kind of disease.


    The Heavenly Nether Beast could feel the danger this woman posed. It was no man, so it wasn''t shaken by her beauty. It released low menacing roars as it took a few steps backwards subconsciously.


    "Then you shall come with us," the lady in red commanded, and a green sphere formed around the Heavenly Nether Beast.


    *Roar*


    *Bang*


    *Bang*


    *Bang*


    *Bang*


    The powerful paws that were capable of breaking apart the earth and tearing new holes on the ground and in the sky were helpless against the green barrier. It struck the barrier several times, yet it didn''t even ripple, much less break apart.


    "You are Mane," the lady''s figure disappeared and she appeared right next to Mane. Her long fingers gently ??r?ssed his face like he was the most valuable pearl in the world. Her eyes were filled with longing and curiosity, and her expression was that of a woman drunk on wine.


    "Who are you?" Mane''s voice was horse from the blood that hardened around his lips and made speaking difficult. He couldn''t see the lady clearly because his eyes were closed. His senses were sealed, but his instincts screamed that it was the right thing to do. So he kept his eyes closed.


    "Poor boy. That fat trickster used a Sealing Rod on you." The lady didn''t reply Mane. Instead she reached out and grabbed onto the rod that kept Mane powerless like a newborn baby. With care comparable to the way a mother handled her newborn baby, she pulled the Sealing Rod out of Mane''s ?h?st.


    *Cough*


    *Puchi*


    As the rod was pulled out, blood poured out of the large hole in Mane''s ?h?st like a fountain of spring water. Mane coughed up some blood due to the actions of the lady. The dominant pain that ?ssaulted his senses had him gritting his teeth. This woman knew Ivor. And that meant they were working together. Well, based on how easily this woman had been able to subdue the beasts Ivor run away from, it was safe to ?ssume that she wasn''t working for the fat merchant, but it was Ivor who was working for her.


    "You''re coming with me," the lady stated. At her command a green barrier appeared around Mane and lifted him off the ground. The barrier was comfortable, like a large pillow, and Mane could feel the familiar Wind Elements in the barrier walls.


    "She''s a Wind User?" Mane was stunned. To think this woman''s understanding of an element he was so horrible with was this high.


    "She must be an Elemental," Mane guessed. "Hildegarde? Why are you so quiet?" Mane tried communicating with Hildegarde via Lock-On, only to realise that the fairy was very stiff.


    "Are you trying to reach your fairy?" the lady in red suddenly asked with a broad smile on her face ¨C a smile Mane couldn''t see because his eyes remained closed.


    Yet her words shook him to his very core. Hildegarde couldn''t be seen by anyone in this world. She was beyond the laws of this world. Yet this woman could not only see her, but knew her race. She was clearly very well informed about fairies. Recalling Cronos''s words Mane realized how right the Selfish Titan King was about this woman. She was indeed a monster. Her strength and knowledge were incredible.


    "She''s safe," the lady stated when Mane refused to speak. "I picked her up the minute I got here," she added and a small green barrier was tossed into Mane''s barrier. The small green barrier popped like a bubble, and Hildegarde fell from within and onto Mane''s back.


    "Now let''s go to my tower," the lady stated and waved her hand, as Mane, the Heavenly Nether Beast, and the lady in red disappeared from the battlefield, leaving the dazed Waska behind.

 Chapter 435 - Ivors Master: Part III

    The lady in red streaked through the sky effortlessly. She moved as though she was one with the wind and wind pressure didn''t seem to affect her. For the speed they moved at was beyond anything Mane had ever experienced. If it wasn''t for the green barrier, neither Mane nor the Heavenly Nether Beast would have been able to travel so comfortably amidst the strong winds that tried to bombard them from the outside.


    The Heavenly Nether Beast had long halted its actions. It wasn''t trying to resist anymore. After constantly striking the barrier with all its strength for several minutes without end, it had exhausted its power. What it was doing now was recovering. It was lying on the ground with its eyes closed, seemingly sleeping. But the Edict that gathered outside its barrier and permeated it to get to the large cat proved that it was doing anything but sleeping.


    As for Mane, he was still lying prone on the ground. The bleeding had stopped, and the large hole in his ?h?st served as evidence that everything that had happened thus far was no dream but reality.


    Muddled, yes. But it was still reality. Streams of Edict rushed into his body and nourished him. And though his injuries remained, the pain was minimal and he was now capable of movement. Of course he still chose to lie down as though he was helpless. Hildegarde the fairy sat on Mane''s back. The panic that had washed over her at the early stages of their capture had been largely swept away as they travelled. Now she was a lot calmer than before, but that didn''t mean she wasn''t nerved by what was happening. After all, they had run into an Ascender. This was an Ascender who could see her! It was no trivial matter.


    "How much trouble are we in right now? Write the answer on my back" Mane requested Hildegarde via Lock-On. Hildegarde nodded her head and proceeded to use her tiny fingers to trace out a reply on Mane''s back. Mane focused on her actions and was able to pick up her reply.


    *A lot*


    Since Hildegarde could be seen by The Lady In Red, there was no way she could not be heard by her. So this was the only way Mane could come up with for them to communicate privately.


    "Do you have any idea who she is?" Mane asked, hoping that although the likelihood of it being possible was slim, the fairies had some information on this strange woman.


    *No. Not a single clue. Even Ascenders shouldn''t be able to see me*


    "Unless¡­" Mane started, before his voice trailed off.


    *Unless what?*


    "Unless she''s a Scholar as well" Mane smiled bitterly and sat up. He didn''t pretend to be unable to move anymore. He tore a piece of fabric from his shirt and ignored the blood stains on it. Then he tied the cloth around his eyes like a blindfold. He sat up and positioned himself in a way that had him facing the back of the Lady In Red. Using nothing but his other heightened senses, Mane was able to do this pretty easily.


    "I was wondering how long you were going to pretend," a smooth voice that made Mane a lot more relaxed than he should be found its way into his head. And Mane smiled wryly.


    From his knowledge, Scholars could see things that weren''t when they reached the level of a Scholar King/Queen. And any Scholar could intercept the skills of another scholar as long as he/she was at least a full level above the latter. This basically meant that Mane''s conversation with Hildegarde had been monitored from the very first word. There was no need for him to come with such an elaborate way of communicating between the two because the Lady In Red had intercepted his Lock-On.


    So she heard everything he said. And as if to confirm that she was indeed a Scholar, she spoke to Mane directly ¨C sending her voice into his mind. She didn''t use Lock-On. Rather, she was a Telepath, just like Lily. Albeit being much stronger and more experienced. Mane who didn''t think there would be any Scholars in this world was not expecting this.


    "Shocking huh?" the pleasant voice of the mysterious lady traveled into Mane''s ears once more, and the young Supreme nodded his head reluctantly. Before this woman he didn''t seem to have any advantages.


    "You didn''t possibly think that only the True Universe had Scholars, did you?" the lady said, and Mane felt a small explosion go off in his head. His eyes behind the blindfold were bulged in disbelief, and his mouth was opened wide. He shook all over. For fear and doubt greater than anything he had ever felt in his life gripped him by his groin and held him captive.


    Not only was this world not part of the True Universe, it belonged to another universe entirely. The people here knew nothing about the other worlds in this universe for they were much farther apart ¨C with much distance between them ¨C than the worlds of the True Universe. Yet this lady here not only knew about the True Universe, she seemed to have some understanding of it. After all, she knew that Scholars were in the True Universe as well. She couldn''t have learned this from a Tested because if she had, then the fairies would have had information on her. So how did she know this? Who was she really?


    "Just as you want to know more about me, I also want to know a great deal about you," the lady read Mane''s thoughts pretty easily. She wasn''t shy to express her interest in him.


    "After all, not many people have seen a fairy before, much less have one as a personal guide," the lady had her back turned to Mane the entire time as she flew through the air, with her captives suspended in the green spheres. When she spoke this time it wasn''t to just Mane in particular, for Hildegarde heard her as well. But even in the midst of the strong winds and the great noise that drummed up all around them, her voice could be heard in perfect clarity ¨C word for word; tone for tone.


    Hildegarde swallowed a large gulp of saliva, her anxiety apparent. Mane only frowned. This woman was dangerous. Although she seemed forthcoming and nice, Mane could feel a dangerous presence around her. To him she was scarier than the Barbarians. For she was very much like Ivor. She hid her intentions and appeared calm and kind on the surface. She looked like she was easy to get along with and that one could glean knowledge from her if they tried. But like a rose ¨C pretty yet covered in thorns ¨C her knowledge was not to be easily plucked. Neither were her ways readily discerned.


    "When we get to my tower I will find out all I want to know," she added before increasing her speed and the speed of the green balls.


    They had been travelling for about an hour. They had passed over several cities and towns, villages and forests. Mane had lost count of how many human civilizations they had moved past. The speed they travelled at was enough to move around Zandor in a dozen minutes, yet they hadn''t reached their destination even after an hour. This showed that this world was much bigger than Zandor.


    "Don''t be inpatient. We are almost there." The lady turned and said to the blindfolded Mane. Mane nodded politely, although he didn''t really care about that. Honestly, Mane wished that they would never get to this lady''s tower. After all, there was no way he was going to drink tea and eat cakes when he got there. Not being ''brutally'' tortured was the best case scenario for him.


    However, Mane wasn''t the only one wondering about how long it would take them to get to their destination. A certain Nether Beast was none too pleased that it was taking so long to get there. The Heavenly Nether Beast didn''t share in Mane''s logic however. As a beast that had the talent to reach the Heavenly Beast Level, it was very proud and usually got whatever it wanted. Although it was being held against its will, it knew its rarity and level of talent. So it was confident that it wouldn''t be mistreated. And that was why it still had the guts to have opinions.


    "And as for you," the lady turned to face the Nether Beast and flicked her finger. A small green light was shot from the tip of her finger towards the sphere that held the Heavenly Nether Lion. The green light easily passed through the green barrier and struck the Heavenly Nether Beast squarely on its large paw.


    *Bang*


    The beast struck the walls of the sphere as it was sent flying after it was hit. If it wasn''t for the sphere, it may have possibly been sent flying several hundreds of meters away. It released a feeble roar as a gaping wound appeared where the light struck. Blood poured out in large amounts, and its eyes were filled with panic.


    "Speak again and I will take your head next," she coldly remarked before turning away. Mane felt a cold hand gripping his heart when he saw how decisive she was. That was a Heavenly Nether Beast! A rare and talented creature. Yet she didn''t even hesitate to injure it. And Mane could feel that her threat was real. She wasn''t joking when she spoke of killing the large cat. If it provoked her once again, she was going to do just what she said she would.


    "I''m sorry," Mane sighed in apology. The beast was in this mess because it tried to save him. If it were not for him, it wouldn''t have been captured.


    *Purr*


    The large cat didn''t dare to roar anymore, but it did communicate with Mane. Mane was stunned upon realizing that he could understand what the beast was saying.


    "You owed me because my hair increased your bloodline purity?" Mane remarked with a stunned expression on his face. It was amazing enough that he understood the Heavenly Nether Beast. But its words were even more confusing.


    "Oh? You can speak to Magical Beasts?" the lady in red observed with a small smile on her face. "You are becoming more and more interesting."


    "I don''t know how," Mane shrugged in reply. The Noble Beast was asking how Mane understood it. Maybe it was because of Silver that Mane could understand intelligent beasts now.


    "Wait a bit," Mane suddenly said and activated the Fairy System he hadn''t been dependent upon for a long while.


    "Status"


    Name: Mane


    Age: 15


    Current Setting: Healthy


    Energy Level: Earth Realm Stage 1


    Test Difficulty: Chaos


    Testing Ground: Chaotic Era


    Tomorrow''s Daily Quest: [Not Applicable]


    Goal: End Goal ¨C Become Chaos


    Completion Rate: 15.17


    Skills: Speedy Chaos [Active skill] ¨C You have caused chaos after only one month of entering the testing grounds. You run towards chaos, and it runs towards you. Run Wild Supreme. Be Chaos! {Permanent increase in Agility stats by 1.5. Additional 10% increase in speed when activated}.


    Devour: You have been blessed by the powerful Selfish Titan King with the ability Devour. You can now devour Edict unscrupulously from the living and the dead; from elements and from nature.


    *Beast Language: You have been blessed by the Beast Gods who appreciate your eagerness to see beasts as equals. You can now understand the speech of intelligent beasts and find favor in their presence.


    Soul-Body Integration: 85%


    "Well, that explains a lot.." Mane murmured, and Hildegarde who was watching the Stats Window next to him nodded her head in agreement.

 Chapter 436 - Mistress Ashera and the Tower of the Hundred

    "Welcome to my tower," the lady in red stopped before a long building that reached up to the sky. It seemed to want to reach the heavens and not want to at the same time. For its tip touched the sky before it stopped its rise. It wanted to see the heavens, but it respected them too much to actually do anything but sneak a peek. The tower was not just tall. It was made with sturdy and strong materials of much greater quality and density than white or red stones. No one beneath the Ascension Realm had the power to breach its walls!


    Mane frowned at the sight before him. For he could feel the power of Edict deeply entwined with the tower. He was still blindfolded, so it was his other senses he was relying on. And before his shut eyes what he could ''see'' was a large towering solidification of Edict! Whatever this tower was, it was extraordinary. For not only was it so strong that Mane couldn''t see a way to even create a scratch on its walls, he could sense that if the Edict that occupied every single stone in the walls was activated, the tower would become a different kind of beast!


    "There is no way I can escape from this kind of place!" Mane''s frown deepened. This tower was clearly an artefact, and one at the Divine Level. High Class Artefacts in this world were rare, yet here he was, before a tower that was only below an Origin Divine Artefact in class! Who would have thought that the first time he actually got himself in a pickle in this world, he would be entwined in a mess that he couldn''t unmake. His first Divine Artefact viewing, and he was doing so as a prisoner.


    "To escape from my tower, you must be at the level of an Ascender," the lady in red smiled and said.


    "Telepaths," Mane gritted his teeth. Telepaths could read the minds of others as long as they marked that person; and the person was significantly weaker. And Mane fit both criteria. So now there was nothing he could think or say that would not be seen by this lady. Which meant that escaping was out of the question. The moment the thought was conceived, she would know. And any plans that would be made will also fall into her lovely palms.


    "I know right?" the lady exposed a sweet smile and replied. Even Hildegarde who was of a different race and of the same s?x was mesmerized by the smile for a few seconds before recovering her wits.


    "It''s a good thing that Mane''s eyes are closed," Hildegarde thought silently to herself. If even she was drawn to this lady''s eyes, Mane who was a young pubescent boy with a lot of energy and testosterone wouldn''t be better off.


    "Indeed," the lady in red smiled and turned to Hildegarde. "Few can resist my charm," she added, and Hildegarde blushed upon realizing that her thoughts had been seen through. How could she have ignored that she was in the presence of a Telepath!


    "Let''s get down," the lady seemed to have had enough fun the Supreme and his fairy. She waved her dainty hands, and they began their descent. As they got closer and closer to the ground, Mane could feel the presence of three figures waiting down below. Their life auras indicated that they were all women. And all of them were of the Nobility Realm!


    "We greet the Mistress Ashera," the three women bowed when the lady in red arrived. As usual her feet didn''t touch the ground, only hovering a few centimeters above it. Her playful expression from dealing with Mane and Hildegarde was no more. She looked like a stern mother about to berate her child. Her gaze was cold, very much like her eyes had been tempered in the cold waters of Cocytus. Yet even with such an expression, few would have found it hard not to be dazed by her good looks. Although the three women were beautiful and lovely, each endowed with their own respective charms, they paled greatly in comparison to Ashera.


    "So her name is Ashera," Mane thought to himself. It was only now that he learned the name of his captor. He had no idea who Ashera was. He had never heard this name, or anything related to it. But it was no surprise since she was clearly a figure powerful enough to wipe all information about herself from the annals of history.


    Ashera nodded her head at the three women and mentioned their names whilst pointing at each of them.


    "Daisy is the one to the left. Rose is the one in the middle. And Sunflower is the one to your right."


    Because Mane had his eyes closed he couldn''t see the women, but he could tell them apart from their life auras. That was why Ashera took her time to mention the positions of the women so that Mane would take notice.


    "What is with Elementals and naming their women after flowers?" Mane wondered. Just like Lily, these three women were named after plants. And Mane found that funny. So much so that even in his current circumstance he could appreciate it as comedy.


    Ashera''s lovely brows twitched in annoyance, and Mane smiled gleefully. Although he couldn''t see what kind of expression she had on, he was willing to bet it wasn''t great. And that pleased him.


    "Lift your heads," Ashera ordered. It was only after she did so that the three beautiful ladies straightened themselves.


    "Such beautiful women!" Hildegarde sighed. Daisy, Rose and Sunflower were each so beautiful that their looks were almost illusionary.


    Daisy had a calm smile on her face and a cool demeanor that was capable of washing away even the most stressful of emotions. Her dark hair was long and wavy, stopping at her bu????ks. Her curves weren''t exaggerated but delicate and delightful. She wore a black gown that covered her entire figure and a small black diamond necklace.


    Rose was just as beautiful as Daisy, but in a different kind of way. Her hair was shorter than Daisy''s, only extending as far as her lovely shoulders. And unlike Daisy''s her locks were straight and silver blond with streaks of red running through. Her curves were greater than Daisy''s and every bulge she possessed a tad larger. She wore a long silver gown complementary to her hair, with a small red necklace hanging around her neck. Her eyes were full of innocence and grace that Hildegarde would have taken her as anything but a servant. She had the elegance of a Noble and the poise of a ruler.


    Sunflower was the last of the three. She had yellow blonde hair like Mane and beautiful golden eyes ¨C much like the flower she was named after. Of the three her hair was the longest, extending as far as her shin and almost kissing the ground. And of the three, she was the one capable of provoking the most perverse emotion in the heart of any man. Her eyes were limpid and charming. As if her eyes were playing a game of hide and seek her long eyelashes fluttered from time to time in the most rhythmic fashion. Her lips were as red as an apple, and her curves were greater than Rose''s. Of the three, she was the most similar to Ashera in terms of charm. Only that Ashera went out of her way to hide her charm, wearing clothes that covered her entire figure and making it difficult to discern. Sunflower on the other hand was like the midday sun ¨C exposed and scarcely hidden. For though she wore a gown just like the others ¨C a yellow gown ¨C her gown was designed differently. First and foremost it had a plunging neckline, revealing the white peaks that should have been hidden. Secondly, it had a long slit that extended all the way up to her waist, revealing a large portion of her left th??h. Unlike the others she wasn''t conservative. Hildegarde thought that the name Wildflower suited her more.


    "This is Mane. Say hello." Ashera introduced Mane to them, and Mane felt very strange. He was a captive, so why was he being treated like some kind of valuable treasure. He ?ssumed that the best case scenario for him would be torture but here he was ¨C being introduced to a bunch of women like he was at a social gathering.


    "Hello"


    All three ladies greeted in synchronicity. Daisy looked at Mane with a curious expression. Rose was more fascinated by the fact that their Mistress had brought a man to her tower. And Sunflower just licked her lips. Her eyes were focused on the Heavenly Nether Beast in the other green sphere. She was much more interested in that beast than she was in Mane.


    "He has your hair," Daisy turned to Sunflower and said.


    "Indeed," Sunflower nodded her head with a small smile.


    "Who is he Mistress?" Rose asked. From the way they spoke, they weren''t that cautious around their Mistress, which meant she wasn''t heavy handed with them.


    "He is a genius who would be staying here from today onwards," Ashera announced, and the three women were stunned. Their master had never allowed any man to stay here ¨C not even Elemental Ancestors. Her male subordinates had never been allowed to enter, only being given the privilege of reporting to the entrance of the tower and nothing else. Yet their Mistress was saying that the boy before them was going to live here? They were naturally dumbfounded.


    "Daisy," Ashera didn''t mind their shock. She called out Daisy with the intention of handing her a task.


    "Yes Mistress?"


    "Take the Heavenly Nether Beast to the 5th floor," Ashera ordered.


    "Yes Mistress," Daisy bowed slightly. As she approached the Heavenly Nether Beast, the beast grew fidgety and panicked. And it turned to look at Mane pleadingly whilst eliciting a few subdued roars.


    "I know I am in no position to make any requests since I am your captive, but could I be allowed one?" Mane suddenly spoke. His words confused Daisy and the others. If he was a captive why was he being treated so well? They had seen what happened to their Mistress''s captives. It was never good. This boy was allowed to even live here. He was no captive.


    "Go on," Ashera replied, and the three ladies sighed. Their Mistress was being very tolerable of this kid. And that made them curious about him.


    "Could she stay with me? Wherever you put me, could she come as well?" Mane asked. Hildegarde who was sitting on his shoulder was nervous from the cold gazes Mane was attracting from Daisy, Rose and Sunflower who thought that Mane was in no position to make any requests of their Mistress, especially with his strength as low as it was.


    "Fine," Ashera waved her hand and said. "But he has to miniaturize," Ashera added.


    "Sasha, can you do that?" Mane asked the Heavenly Nether Beast and it roared in reply. Mane learned from it as they spoke that it was called Sasha, and it was female. Beasts at the Nobility Realm could reduce their size to a more ''pet friendly frame''. And the Heavenly Nether Beast was more than happy to share this information with Mane.


    Edict swirled around the beast, and a small whirlwind surrounded it. When the winds dispersed, the large lion was no more. In its place was a beautiful golden cat with tiny wings.


    "So cute," Hildegarde''s eyes involuntarily softened when she saw the cute little critter. And Daisy and her compatriots were no different.


    Ashera waved her hand, and the green spheres that surrounded both Mane and the Heavenly Nether Beast disappeared. Sasha immediately beat its small wings and flew awkwardly to Mane''s side before landing on Mane''s shoulder. Coincidentally, that was the spot that Hildegarde occupied.


    "Hey!" Hildegarde screamed and flew out of the way. Since Sasha couldn''t see her she could only grumble to herself and move to Mane''s other shoulder.


    Ashera subconsciously leaked out a smile when she saw this, but she covered it quickly before anyone could notice it. Well, someone did see it ¨C Rose. But the lovely lady only wrinkled her brows in thought and did nothing more.


    "Did Ivor bring the other one?" Ashera asked Rose. Mane didn''t know what this other one was, but he doubted it had anything to do with him. Of course he would soon realise how wrong he was.


    "Yes Mistress. It''s on the 5th floor."


    When Mane heard the words ''5th Floor'', he understood that he had been wrong to think this conversation had nothing to do with him. Ashera stated before their journey that Lily was safe. The only person Mane knew could use Space Elements was Ivor. So it made sense to ?ssume that he was the one that retrieved Lily. He must have returned after he run away.


    Ashera wanted Sasha to be sent to the 5th Floor initially. Mane''s request had overturned her decision, but it served to teach Mane that the 5th Floor must be a Beasts Keep. Which meant that the ''other one'' Ashera was referring to was a beast. And there was a beast with Lily when Mane left her ¨C Silver!


    "I can''t believe I forgot about him," Mane smiled wryly and said.


    "Good," Ashera nodded her head. "Bring it to Mane''s room as well."


    "Yes Mistress"


    "Sunflower," Ashera called.


    "Mistress"


    "Take Mane to the 7th Floor and tend to him. Let him have a bath and then bring him to see me," Ashera ordered before flying away.


    "Yes Mistress," Sunflower bowed slightly towards Ashera''s departing figure, and so did the others. Although they were surprised that Mane got to live on the 7th floor, they weren''t ones to question their Mistress''s decisions in front of a stranger.. That could wait.

 Chapter 437 - An Uncomfortable Bath

    On the 7th Floor of the Tower of the Hundred, two women were engaged in conversation. Both women were beautiful and dressed very conservatively. Not only were both of them perfectly lovely, they had similar demeanors. For both had the air of nobility and power swirling around them, only that one of them possessed both in greater quantity.


    Of the two, one was seated on a simple stool with one of her legs placed elegantly over the other. In front of her was a small table that held a kettle and a teacup. The other was standing next to the seated woman with her arms placed before her in a humble posture. As she stood her eyes didn''t travel around the room. They remained fixed on a portrait on the wall across the room. The portrait held a painting of a woman flying through the skies with a slender sword in hand and a large Dragon flying right at her side. Although it was just a painting, it held a certain grandeur and charm that was sure to draw attention to it. These two were Rose and Mistress Ashera.


    "Is it okay to have a stranger here?" Rose asked as she bent down to reach the lovely kettle on the small table. She gently tilted the kettle until its sprout was resting on the teacup. Then she slowly refilled the empty cup with the contents of the kettle. As the tea was poured into the cup, an intoxicating aroma slowly spread. Within that aroma were small strands of Edict that swirled around the room before disappearing into the bodies of the two women. It was clear that this tea was a very precious resource. Yet both remained calm even under the baptism of the energy that many of this world were unfamiliar with.


    "Hmm," Ashera elegantly brought the teacup to her mouth and took a small sip. The blistering hot liquid didn''t burn her lips or scald her throat when she swallowed. A relaxed expression made its way to her face when she took that first sip however, and her tense eyebrows relaxed.


    Rose was back to her standing position when she was done pouring the tea, calmly awaiting her Mistress''s reply. It was difficult to accept that a person with that amount of nobility leaking out her was this patient in serving another. However she was indeed a spitting image of what a true leader should be like. For if one wanted to lead, they must first learn to serve diligently. For leadership was nothing but service.


    "Usually the answer to that question would be no," Ashera lowered the teacup and replied. "However, these are unusual circumstances," Ashera added before taking another small sip. Rose nodded her head ever so slightly. Both didn''t speak for about a minute. Ashera kept swirling the tea in her cup, seemingly thinking about something, whilst Rose kept staring at the picture across the room.


    "What do you think of the boy?" Ashera asked after a while. Rose furrowed her brows slightly in thought, before replying.


    "Strange," she said in a voice that was akin to a whisper. However, Ashera smiled and nodded her head. They were close to each other, and she was a Scholar. So she was obviously going to hear whatever Rose said ¨C and thought.


    "Elaborate," Ashera took a larger drink of the tea this time and an audible gulp rang in the room. Rose was very similar to Ashera, and that was why Ashera always sought her opinion whenever she did something. Especially when she was blinded by her own selfish interests. To her, since Rose was most similar to her amongst the three girls, she would be the one most likely to make the decision that Ashera would have made if she was in her right mind. Rose nodded her head at her Mistress''s request and explained what she meant.


    "I have just met him, so I know very little about him. However, my judgement is based on how you are treating him, Mistress." Rose''s reply was neither slow nor fast. Her voice was magnetic and strong. And her eyes flashed with a strange glow when she spoke of the boy.


    "How am I treating him?" Ashera asked, as though she wasn''t aware of the things she was responsible for. Rose however, didn''t seem to find this question odd. She did as her Mistress asked and answered the question.


    "Better than you''ve treated any one else ¨C apart from us sisters," Rose replied, not forgetting to be specific with her answer. Although it was but a sentence, the last part of it was specific enough. The sisters she was talking about were Daisy, Sunflower and herself. They were blood siblings! Born to the same mother and father. Though they had different demeanors and even had different hair colors, they were triplets! And Rose was the oldest. Daisy came after Rose and Sunflower was the last of the three.


    Naturally Rose wasn''t resorting to flattery when she said Ashera treated herself and her sisters best. Their Mistress treated them so well that there was no way they could have any complaints. She gave them strength, power and status. She groomed them to be the women they were today. She had accepted them when they were nothing but teenage orphans and had given them new lives. She didn''t think her Mistress treated anyone better than them.


    "That seems accurate," Ashera nodded her head and put down her cup. Rose refilled the empty cup gracefully and returned to her position.


    Ashera had not only allowed Mane to be on the 7th Floor, which was the floor occupied by Ashera and the three sisters, she had allowed him to be willful by accepting his request. From what Rose could see, Mane was brought here against his will. And the fact that he was so reserved in his actions and the surprise he had on his face from having his request granted was proof of this. No captive had ever seen the higher floors of the Tower of the Hundred. They usually languished in the dungeons below in torture and misery whilst waiting for death. Yet Mane was being given favorable treatment. He was even attended to by Sunflower!


    Sunflower was the sister Ashera doted on the most. She was like Ashera''s little sister. For Ashera to ask her to take care of Mane was her way of letting the sisters know how much she valued the boy. Naturally the intelligent women were certain to notice this.


    "Don''t you have any questions?" Ashera asked as she took her tea.


    "I do Mistress," Rose responded honestly. There was no need to deny this fact.


    "What is it?" Ashera gave Rose the opportunity to voice out her thoughts.


    "Why?" Rose simply asked. It was one of the simplest words there were, but when Rose asked it Ashera furrowed her brows like she had been given a task too weighty for her to carry out on her own.


    "Where do I start from?" Ashera gently tapped her th??h with her fingers and said.


    "Hmm," she sighed and beckoned Rose to come before her. Rose obliged and moved to stand before her Mistress. And then she knelt down before Ashera so that they were face to face. Once she had done this, she extended her neck to Ashera and closed her eyes. It seemed that whatever was going to happen was something that she was used to.


    Ashera grabbed both sides of Rose''s head and placed her forehead on hers. The two otherworldly beautiful women formed the world''s most picturesque painting as a green light slowly engulfed both their figures and made them appear even more illusionary. The light remained for a couple of seconds before dissipating. And once it did, both opened their eyes. As Rose drew her head back her eyes were filled with confusion and shock, no doubt from what she saw.


    "This¡­" Rose muttered as she subconsciously stood up and returned to her position. It took a while for her to regain her wits. All the while Ashera was silent, not interrupting Rose''s comprehension process.


    "I understand why Mistress holds him in such high esteem now," Rose sighed and said. She had a complicated expression on her face when she looked at Ashera. Along with that was gratitude and love. After what she had seen, she had no more questions. Rather her respect and admiration for her Mistress had gone up.


    "Don''t tell the others," Ashera waved her hand and said. "They aren''t ready to know this just yet," Ashera added


    "Yes Mistress," Rose replied. This wasn''t the first secret she had to hide from her sisters. As her Mistress''s chief confidant, she knew more than what the other two knew.


    "They should have been here by now," Ashera mumbled. "What is taking those two so long?"


    The Tower of The Hundred was much bigger on the inside than it looked on the outside. The 7th Floor alone ¨C which was the narrowest floor ¨C was like a small town. It was so large that anyone who didn''t know the place would have gotten lost if they didn''t have a guide. Once Mane entered the tower, he finally understood why he needed an attendant. If he were alone, even with his senses he wouldn''t have been much better off. With Sunflower''s help he was able to get a room, one that was several times larger than his room back on Zandor. It had a bath that was the size of two rooms and several excellent facilities, including a training room. Currently, Mane was taking a bath.


    "You have a good physique," Sunflower slowly traced the contours of Mane''s n?k?d back and said. Her thin fingers slowly ??r?ssed the protrusions, and her face was filled with appreciation.


    She wore a lose gown that was mostly see through, and the water from the bath tub easily permeated the light bath gown and made it even more see through. Honestly, if Mane could see her he would have wondered if she was wearing anything at all.


    Fortunately, he could not. His eyes were still covered by the bloodied cloth even though he was almost completely n?k?d. He wore nothing but a small pair of trunks to protect his modesty. His broad shoulders and built torso were exposed, and his muscular legs in the water were also unclothed. The hole on his ?h?st had been sown, and although his ribs still hurt they were healing rapidly. Most importantly, he was very uncomfortable.


    "Please, I told you that I can do this myself," Mane pleaded. He had said this a thousand times already, but Sunflower refused to listen to him. He had been bathing himself for as long as he could remember. Even with countless servants at his disposal he had always done this himself. So he didn''t need any help. But Sunflower was having none of his excuses. She was ''carrying'' out her Mistress''s order without being slack at all. And it wasn''t like Mane could do anything about it. Not only was Sunflower vastly stronger than he was, there wasn''t much he could do against enemies who were being this gracious. He didn''t even know whether he could refer to them as enemies anymore. He was brought here against his will. That much was true. But he was certainly not being mistreated in any way.


    "No one can wash their backs themselves. Not even Mistress Ashera." Sunflower slapped away Mane''s hand that was trying to take the wash cloth from her. Of course she didn''t use Edict. Otherwise Mane would have lost a limb.


    "You adore her," Mane stated. Although he had only been with Sunflower for a dozen minutes, he could tell from how much she spoke about Ashera that Sunflower respected and loved the woman.


    "Of course," Sunflower smiled gleefully and said. "Mistress adopted us sisters when we were 13. She has taken care of us since then. Not only have we never lacked, we have been given power and strength that we had no right to." Sunflower gently cleaned Mane''s back as she spoke. Her movements were so delicate that one would have thought she was cleaning a valuable porcelain vase.


    "I''m sorry," Mane muttered. He didn''t need Sunflower to tell him that they were orphans for him to understand that bit. Whether they were abandoned or their parents died wasn''t his question to ask.


    "Don''t be," Sunflower shook her head and said. "Why weren''t you surprised when I said Daisy, Rose and I were sisters?" That was more interesting to Sunflower than anything else.


    "Because your auras are linked. I have been with a couple of twins to understand how to identify people born of the same w?mb. Although you have different demeanors, when you stand together, your auras blend like you are one." Mane explained.


    Sunflower was stunned for a while. Then she smiled and resumed cleaning Mane''s back. "So you are a Scholar just like Mistress," Sunflower stated.


    "I am," Mane nodded his head. Ashera already knew this so it was no secret.


    "So what can you tell me about my aura?" Sunflower smirked playfully and slowly pressed herself against Mane''s n?k?d back. Her gown was so thin that Mane could feel every inch of her flesh. He wanted to move forward, but their positions were such that he couldn''t do so. He panicked initially, but quickly regained his cool. Then he extended his senses to probe Sunflower. As he did a small smile graced his lips.


    "Sensual," Mane replied with a simple word, and Sunflower''s lips curled into a mischievous smirk. She was about to move when Mane added something else.


    "But kind. Beneath that seductive aura is kindness and reservation that is deeply hidden."


    Sunflower was quiet for a while, a complicated expression finding its way onto her face. She sighed before releasing Mane and returning to scrubbing his back.


    "Tell me about yourself," she asked. Mane nodded and told her about general things about himself. As they spoke time slowly trickled by. And before Mane knew it, it had been an hour since he started his bath.


    "I think we should go," Mane stated. Sunflower was interesting and Mane had learned a lot from her. But he couldn''t keep Ashera waiting. And he doubted that Sunflower wanted to either.


    "Yes," Sunflower agreed. "But first you need to wash your face," she added before getting up and moving to the space in front of Mane. Mane was seated with his legs akimbo, so the only space available was the space in front of him. She slowly seated herself down between his legs and reached for his blindfold. Mane didn''t stop her. The blindfold was only to protect him from Ashera. And the fact that Sunflower hadn''t asked about it meant that it was a wise choice. There was already a new blindfold next to the tub.


    "This is filthy," Sunflower stated as she pulled off the bloodied cloth and tossed it into a laundry basket several feet away with unbelievable accuracy. Mane shrugged at her words, but when he opened his eyes his face turned beet red.


    "Why aren''t you wearing anything?!" Mane panicked and quickly turned his face to the side. He naturally ?ssumed that Sunflower was n?k?d because he could see every inch of her skin. Everything that should have been hidden was not, so he was right to think in that manner.


    "It''s a bathing gown Mane. It is supposed to be this thin." Sunflower shrugged helplessly and said. She slowly pulled Mane''s head to face hers and looked into his eyes.


    "They are blue," Sunflower muttered in disappointment. She was hoping his eyes were like hers.


    "They are my mother''s," Mane smiled and replied. Even he didn''t realise that he had blurted this out subconsciously.


    "She gave you something beautiful then," fortunately for him, Sunflower didn''t ask follow-up questions. She could see the slight sorrow in Mane''s eyes when he mentioned his mother and knew that it wasn''t a topic to venture into. At least until they knew each other a little better.


    "Your hair is just like mine," Mane said in a surprised voice. Because of Sunflower''s ''nakedness'' he didn''t even notice that her hair was yellow blonde like his. He hadn''t met any person with his hair color until now, and was starting to believe that it was a trait that only belonged to his mother''s family.


    "Yep," Sunflower nodded her head happily and said. Her smile was very bright and innocent, very much unlike her usual sensual look.


    "And your eyes are the same. I was right." Mane stated.


    "About what?"


    "Your eyes. They are kind. And your smile is innocent and kind as well." Mane replied. Sunflower was quickly embarrassed. She jammed the wash cloth onto Mane''s face to hide her embarrassment before proceeding to clean his face. Soon the two were done. Mane cleaned himself up with a towel and got dressed. It seemed that the only clothes here were for women, so Mane had to wear a pair of feminine trousers and a long coat. They apparently belonged to Ashera. Even her scent was still on them. And though they were a bit tight and shorter than Mane would have hoped, it was going to do just fine for now.


    Once Sunflower helped him put on his blindfold, both left to see Ashera.

 Chapter 438 - Great Shock

    "You are finally here," Ashera squinted her eyes with a slightly irritated look on her face as she looked at the boy standing several feet away from her. Although his clothes were comically small, he was still a dashing young man. His hair was carelessly left over his shoulder, yet it added to his charm. It was a shame that she didn''t get to see those deep blue eyes that she had only caught a glimpse of in Ivor''s memories. But she wasn''t going to ask him to take the blindfold off because it was a wise decision on the part of the boy to avoid her eyes.


    "Pardon my disrespect Mistress Ashera," Mane bowed slightly in apology. He was very much in the wrong here, and it would be foolish to do anything but accept his mistake.


    "Pff," Sunflower softly laughed upon seeing Mane''s current appearance. His appearance in those clothes when taking the bow, coupled with his serious expression was as sight to behold.


    "Sigh," Ashera turned to look at the snickering Sunflower standing next to her. When Sunflower brought Mane in, she walked to her Mistress''s side having accomplished what she was asked to do. She stood to Ashera''s left whilst Rose was on Ashera''s right. As for Daisy she was still on the 5th Floor. That floor was huge and housed many creatures ¨C rare and powerful alike ¨C that Ashera had captured over the years. It was going to take some time to find Silver.


    "Behave Sun," Rose chided, and Sunflower cutely stuck out her tongue in protest.


    "What shall I even do with you," Ashera smiled bitterly and whispered. Sunflower had never been one for decorum. Added to the fact that Ashera pampered her greatly, she was the most unrestrained amongst the three sisters.


    "Come closer," Ashera beckoned Mane. Once she spoke Rose move to the back and brought out a stool. She then placed it a few feet away from Ashera.


    Mane nodded his head and kept his cool. Of course he heard Sunflower''s snicker. And he knew that it was about his clothes. After all, she hadn''t been kind enough to hide her reactions to his clothes on their way here.


    Mane walked towards the stool and sat down. Because the entire tower was made of Edict, everything in this place was coated with energy. So Mane''s senses were able to pick the outline of everything around and transmit the knowledge of the environment into his brain. And that was how he was able to move around without his sight. As he got used to this, his senses became sharper and it was not taking as long as it should have for him to tell what was around him. His constant use of his senses was tiring, but he could feel his Scholar level slowly but surely improving.


    "How is your room?" Ashera asked once Mane was seated. The boy was going to be here for a long time. So it was important that he felt comfortable with the place he would be sleeping in.


    "It is good Mistress Ashera. Thank you for your generosity." Mane was swift with his response. Although he would rather not be here, he couldn''t say that now, could he?


    "Do you keep forgetting that I am a telepath," a lovely voice intruded Mane''s mind and reminded him that it was important to not even think about anything that wasn''t flattering towards Ashera. Mane smiled bitterly when he heard her voice. He hadn''t forgotten that he was in the presence of a Telepath. It was easier to think about something than to not think at all.


    "How do you find everything here?" Ashera asked as she took a sip of her tea. She turned her head to Sunflower and nodded at her. And the last of the triplets smiled before moving to the back to retrieve a small table similar to the one Ashera had before her. There was a teakettle and a teacup on the table. Sunflower gently placed the table in front of Mane before proceeding to fill his cup with tea. As the aroma of the tea invaded Mane''s nostrils, he finally understood what kind of tea it was.


    "This is Spirit Tea?" Mane was stunned. When he first came in he could smell the sweet aroma in the room. But because the energy from the tea was being absorbed by Ashera and Rose, he thought it was just a sweet smelling beverage. He didn''t think so now that his body was carelessly bathing in the glow of Edict.


    "You are knowledgeable," Ashera was a bit surprised that Mane knew what this was. Many people in this world, including those of the three Great Races, had no idea about this tea. It was a precious resource that was unavailable to most. Of course Mane knew what Spirit Tea was. Maybe in this world it wasn''t popular, but in the True Universe it was a different situation. 2nd Master had always raved about how amazing Spirit Tea was. Apparently it was very abundant on her planet. So much so that they exported the precious herb to other planets for income. Mane had seen pictures of it before and knew its effects, so when it was placed before him he knew exactly what it was.


    "Thank you," Mane turned to Sunflower and said. The only lady who had seen him n?k?d in this world smiled and replied, "You''re welcome," before taking her position next to him. It seemed that she was the one going to be serving him.


    "Thank you for your generosity Mistress Ashera," Mane didn''t forget who it was that had given him the tea. As his body slowly soaked in the nutritious effects of Spirit Tea, the hole on his ?h?st began to itch and slowly healed up. His broken ribs started to heal even more rapidly. And Mane was confident that in a few hours his injuries would be no more!


    "You are very quiet," Ashera turned to face the fairy sitting on Mane''s shoulder to communicate with her. Although Ashera could see Hildegarde, neither Rose nor Sunflower could see her. If Sunflower knew that a little fairy had been watching when she was trying to embarrass Mane in the bathtub, Mane didn''t know what she would think ¨C or how she would react.


    "Are you afraid of me?" Ashera smiled slightly and asked. She would be unnerved if someone was able to do something beyond the laws of this world.


    "No Mistress Ashera," Hildegarde shook her head and said. She was scared when Ashera first found her out, but after seeing how Ashera was treating Mane, all that fear had been tossed out the window. There was something else that bothered her though. She had been quiet all this while because she had been trying to get in touch with the Fairy Headquarters. They were only allowed to contact Headquarters whenever there was an unusual activity beyond the abilities of the fairy. Usually she should have been able to reach them. But for some reason she hadn''t been able to ever since she reached this tower.


    "Then is it because you can''t call for help?" Ashera asked, thinking that Hildegarde was trying to contact some reinforcements.


    "Who can save us from the hand of a Phenom?" Hildegarde smiled bitterly and said. Her words made Ashera''s smile extend even wider, almost covering her entire face.


    "I am intrigued about you," Ashera suddenly told Hildegarde.


    "Because I am a fairy?" Hildegarde asked.


    "No. I have seen fairies before." Ashera shook her head. "You intrigue me because I cannot read your mind," Ashera furrowed her brows and added. She was still smiling, but there was a slight chilliness in that smile that even Mane could feel.


    He didn''t know what Ashera was saying to Hildegarde. But Hildegarde hadn''t hidden her replies. So he knew that the two were engaged in conversation. He could feel Ashera''s aura grow a bit hostile so Mane hoped that Hildegarde hadn''t done anything to offend the Ascender.


    "Never mind," Ashera took her eyes off Hildegarde and took back her hostility as suddenly as it had appeared. Hildegarde breathed a small sigh of relief when she felt the constricting aura that was coagulating around her disappear.


    As a precaution every fairy had a lock placed on their minds by the Fairy King himself. So as long as Hildegarde wasn''t foolish enough to reply Ashera with her own thoughts and therefore create a crack in that lock, she would be safe. If Ashera found out that she was trying to reach the Fairy Headquarters, she doubted that her link to Mane would be enough to save her.


    "Mistress Ashera, if I may ask you something?" Mane requested.


    "You may," Ashera took a sip of her tea and gave him the go ahead.


    "What do you want from me?" Mane asked the question he was most curious about. He was far weaker than even Ashera''s servants. For he couldn''t even sense their power levels. All he knew was that they were at likely Nobles. Ashera herself was an Ascender. She was also a Scholar. So there was no way Mane could actually help her with anything. So why had she brought him here? And what did she actually want from me.


    Ashera smiled slightly when she heard Mane''s question before her voice wormed its way into Mane''s head, "You tell me. You are the Supreme, aren''t you?"

 Chapter 439 - His Place Is Higher Than Mine

    Shocked wasn''t enough to explain Mane''s current train of emotions. Surprised, scared and terrified were certainly better descriptions. But they still didn''t cover the full brunt of emotions that swarmed Mane when Ashera''s voice reached him. He blanked out, his mind nothing but a simmering black hole. His lips shook and twitched like one suffering from involuntary, uncontrolled spasms, and his body shook like a leaf struggling against a furious storm.


    His aura involuntary forced its way out of his body, as torrents of fire and lightning squirmed round him like snakes and bound themselves to him. Violent winds whipped the area around Mane, tossing the coffee table before him to one of the ends of the room. As Mane clenched his fists a black aura clothed him fully, accepting him in its embrace. His golden locks grew into red knots that hissed angrily at the current circumstances. He was still seated, with his arms placed on his ??ps like a calm gentleman. But his reaction suggested that he was anything but calm. His greatest secret was known to one whom Mane knew nothing about.


    Mane''s strange actions didn''t go unnoticed by Rose and Sunflower. When Mane asked his question, they had seen their Mistress smile and then go quiet. Only for Mane to suddenly have such a violent reaction a couple of seconds later. They didn''t need to be told that their Mistress had given a reply telepathically. And whatever it was, it shook the young boy to his very core.


    Rose only furrowed her brows slightly at the amount of power that was being displayed by someone who was merely at the 1st Stage of the Earth Realm. Although she felt no threat to herself, she could confirm that this kind of strength and power was enough to handle anyone below the Nobility Realm. Even those with a foot in the Nobility Realm would fall when faced with the full brunt of this power. This kid was indeed as extraordinary as their Mistress said.


    Ashera only smiled upon witnessing Mane''s reaction. There was a slightly mischievous and satisfied expression in her eyes. Both twinkled with a bit of delight, seemingly taking p???sur? in another''s misfortune. She was quite pleased with Mane''s reaction to her revelation. Feeling her Scholar Level rising rapidly and stopping at the peak of the Scholar Queen, she was elated. She had been stuck at the Middle stage of the Scholar Queen level for centuries. However, just a simple statement had caused her to break through two small levels, allowing her to skip past the High Stage to the Peak of a Scholar Queen immediately.


    As for Sunflower, she was the most ill-informed amongst the three, and was quite wary of what she was seeing. And this wasn''t because she was weak. She and Rose shared a similar wielding level as she was also a Noble. Mane''s aura didn''t deter her in any way. And though she was surprised by the power contained within Mane''s aura, making her understand that the boy was not a mere Earth Realmer, it was something else that intrigued her. She had been with Mane for the past hour, trying to glean s?ns?t?v? information from the boy. And though she learned much about him, as he did from her as well, both didn''t give away anything of significance, no matter how strongly the other probed. She had tried everything to get him to speak. Even occasionally taking off his blindfold so that he would have no choice but to stare unblinkingly at her seductively wet figure was not enough. For he had remained unbroken. He was very uncomfortable, but never had he shown any reaction even close to anger. She was curious, eager to know what exactly her Mistress said that had Mane so ballistic. However she couldn''t have him raging for long.


    "Calm down," Sunflower was still next to Mane. Even though the table and every other thing within range had been sent flying by Mane''s aura, she stood firmly next to him. It was going to take more than some feeble wind to push her even an inch from her position. Her soft hand gently landed on Mane''s shoulder when she spoke. She easily passed through the scorching barrier of fire and lightning and allowed her hand to rest on his shoulder. She squeezed slightly with as little Edict as she could muster, and Mane''s aura was diffused like a deflated balloon.


    "My apologies," Mane took several deep breaths to calm himself. He unclenched his fists and teeth. Ashera knowing about him being a Supreme was unexpected. And he certainly didn''t want that. But what could he do? He was still injured, and even if he wasn''t, there was no way he could handle any of the three sisters, much less Ashera. He was totally helpless. And that feeling of helplessness infuriated him more than anything else.


    "Pardon me. I need to clear my head." Mane announced before getting up and leaving. Although it was very rude to do so and in the manner he had done it, Mane was too muddled to consider any of that now.


    "You!" Rose''s eyes burned with anger seeing how arrogantly Mane was behaving. How could one dismiss himself before her Mistress as though he owned the place!


    "Stay still," Ashera lifted her hand and stopped Rose from making any movements. The Edict that was coagulating around Rose disperse, and the cold woman refrained from doing anything rash. Yet her eyes which followed Mane were full of hostility.


    "Are you okay?" Ashera spoke to Sunflower the moment Mane disappeared behind the door. Rose frowned slightly and then examined Sunflower more thoroughly, her eyes roaming past her sister''s figure and rested on her hand. Rose squinted slightly when she saw the state of Sunflower''s hand. And she understood why Ashera was asking of her sister''s wellbeing.


    "It will heal in a few minutes," Sunflower waved her slightly blackened hand and said. The hand that she had used to stop Mane was not much different from before. However, that was only upon a shallow examination. A more thorough look would reveal a few red spots in her palm and a slightly blackened backhand. It seemed that moving past Mane''s elemental barrier was much harder than it looked.


    "How?" Ashera asked. Although fire and lightning were especially powerful aggressors, lightning especially, they should have posed no harm to Sunflower.


    "That dark aura," Sunflower spoke slowly as she gently massaged her hand. The reddened spots were slowly being restored and her backhand was quickly returning to its original color.


    "The fire and lightning were easy to get past," Sunflower explained. "But that dark aura was menacing. There was a violent energy in there that I have never felt before. It actually tried to invade my body." Sunflower added.


    "It tried to invade your body?" Rose was so stunned that she spoke out of line. She had forgotten that her Mistress was doing the questioning. It wasn''t like Ashera minded though. She furrowed her brows in thought when she heard Sunflower''s words, seemingly contemplating something.


    Heaven Realmers had energy coats that protected them from injury. Nobles had similar coats. But their coats were called Law Coats and they were much more powerful that a Heaven Realmer''s energy coat. For something to try to invade a Noble, it must first breach the Law Coat. What Sunflower was essentially saying was that Mane''s dark aura was able to breach Law Coats!


    "Did you learn anything useful from him?" Ashera asked whilst stroking her chin.


    "No. He was quite skillful. He dodged every s?ns?t?v? question." Sunflower shrugged helplessly. Her hand was fully restored now. One couldn''t even tell that it was burned only a few moments earlier.


    "Hmm," Ashera frowned.


    "Why don''t you just search his mind for what you want Mistress," Rose asked. She didn''t really like the boy. So her suggestion was naturally one that had some risks.


    "No," Ashera shook her head immediately without stopping to even consider that option. "Even trying to read his mind is taxing. The boy has a strong will. Unless he allows me, I could damage his mind by forcefully trying to read it. Even then, it is unlikely that I would find the information I seek."


    Sunflower secretly breathed a sigh of relief when Ashera rejected Rose''s suggestion. She felt it would be a shame to harm someone with such talent. Luckily her Mistress shared her sentiments. And though it was a bit surprising that Mane had the power to resist Ashera''s mind reading to a certain degree, it was acceptable.


    "Besides, I need his strength more than I need his brain," Ashera added. Rose nodded her head in response to her Mistress''s words. After all, she knew why her Mistress had brought the boy here.


    "What are you not telling me?" Sunflower frowned and asked. Mane was too weak to do anything now. For Ashera to say that they needed his strength meant that there was something else that they weren''t telling her. And with how her Mistress and Rose loved to keep secrets between just themselves, she wouldn''t be surprised if they had left Daisy and herself out again.


    "I will tell you later Sun," Ashera smiled comfortingly and said. "For now I need you to return to the boy. You will be the one in charge of his needs during his stay. And he would be staying for a long time." Ashera looked more like she was pleading with Sunflower than commanding her.


    "Fine," Sunflower trudged out of the room begrudgingly having been refused her request. She didn''t forget to bang the large door on her way out.


    *Bang*


    "You seem to detest the boy," Ashera smiled and said to Rose. Naturally she could sense Rose''s dislike for the boy. And Rose''s earlier suggestion, even after she knew of the boy''s importance, suggested this.


    "He treated you harshly Mistress," Rose coldly stated. Ashera smiled hearing her words. Of the three sisters, Rose was the most calculating. But she was also the harshest. She loved strongly and hated harshly.


    "While I am pleased that you lost your bearings for my sake, don''t forget his identity. He is a Supreme. Gods and Ascenders will fall at his feet when he comes into himself. His status is naturally much higher than mine." Ashera reminded Rose.


    "I will keep that in mind Mistress," Rose replied, although it didn''t look like she was going to do anything of the sort.


    "Sunflower certainly seems to have a favorable impression of him. And that means that he is a good child." Ashera stated and Rose nodded her head. Her sister had never served anyone before. But now she was being asked to do it for the long term. Yet she didn''t complain or grumble. This showed that she didn''t dislike the boy.


    "Her eye for character has always been good. Give the boy some leeway would you?" Ashera smirked.


    "As you wish Mistress," Rose bowed slightly and said.


    "Besides, he needs to get stronger quickly, which means you sisters have to start training him.. So you must learn to bear with him."

 Chapter 440 - Being Trained...By Elementals

    "Am I allowed to use my weapons?" Mane asked the woman with a cold expression standing several feet away from him. This woman had beautiful silver blonde hair with red streaks running through the numerous locks that adorned her delicate head.


    "You are," Rose nodded her head with a serene expression on her face. She was dressed in a long gown not suited for battle, but it didn''t look like she was going to change. There were a few other people in the room with them. Two ladies who had similar facial features to Rose and two beasts. The beasts were Sasha and Silver who had finally been spotted by Daisy after a three hour search. Silver sat on the floor with his knees to his ?h?st and his eyes glued to Mane''s figure with a bit of anticipation and excitement. On top of his shoulder sat Sasha, who was still in her miniaturized state. She lazily licked her paws and only cast her eyes to Mane''s figure once in a while. She didn''t seem that interested in the duel that was about to take place. As for the two ladies, they were naturally Daisy and Sunflower.


    "Sister seems to dislike the boy," Daisy had a calm expression on her face as she spoke. Both she and Sunflower were seated on the ground just like Silver. Yet even such lowly position didn''t reflect on them.


    "Yeah," Sunflower sighed and briefly informed Daisy of what happened in Ashera''s hall.


    "Just that?" Daisy shook her head with a wry expression on her face.


    "Yes," Sunflower smiled bitterly as well. "You know how sister is when it comes to Mistress Ashera," Sunflower added.


    "Indeed,'' Daisy nodded her head in understanding. "But considering that Mistress Ashera has likely told Rose of the boy''s identity, you would think that she would be more considerate towards his emotions after whatever it was that Mistress told him," Daisy yawned lightly and said. She also wasn''t na?ve enough to think that Rose didn''t know what their Mistress knew.


    "I know right," Sunflower smirked and said. "But when it comes to Mistress Rose''s logical mind becomes nothing but a rigid plane," Sunflower giggled and Daisy chuckled as well.


    "I hope that she doesn''t go hard on him," Daisy smiled and said. "He''s just an initial stage Pseudo Nightmare after all," she added.


    "He''s not merely at such a level," Sunflower shook her head and informed her sister of what happened when Mane lost his cool.


    "He was able to breach your Law Coat?" Daisy asked with a stunned expression.


    "Yeah," Sunflower nodded. "Whatever this boy is, he is Mistress''s greatest hope to break through the Curse of the Hundred," Sunflower frowned and said. Daisy seemed to agree as she did nothing but clench her fists and stare straight ahead.


    Although their Mistress didn''t reveal everything troubling her to them, they knew of her greatest d?s?r?. This tower was not a haven, but a prison.


    "Mistress says you would be serving the boy. Are you okay with that?" Daisy switched the topic since the atmosphere had grown grim because of the mention of the Curse of the Hundred.


    "I guess. I spoke to him earlier. He is a good lad." Sunflower stated with a small smile.


    "I see," Daisy smiled knowingly and nudged Sunflower lightly.


    "What?" seeing her sister''s teasing smile Sunflower raised one of her brows and kissed her teeth.


    "Nothing," Daisy replied with the teasing smile still etched across her face.


    "If you don''t stop that I''d punch that smile off your face," Sunflower smiled brightly and said. As she spoke her hair began to rise as her fist gave off a soft yellow glow.


    "I''ve stopped!" Daisy hurriedly lifted her hands in surrender with a slight look of panic on her lovely face. "Jeez," she mumbled once Sunflower''s aura died down. Sunflower might be the youngest, but of the three she was the most violent ¨C and powerful.


    "Sasha," Sunflower turned to look at the lazy cat atop Silver''s shoulder and called her name.


    "Cone down," she beckoned Sasha to descend while patting her ??p.


    *Meow*


    For a Heavenly Nether Beast Sasha sure was easy to befriend. Sunflower had already gotten into the good books of the beast by offering it a very expensive morsel only a few minutes ago. Now Sasha was an eager follower of Sunflower. The beautiful cat flapped her small wings and leaped off Silver''s shoulder. She glided through the air elegantly and landed gently on Sunflower''s ??p.


    Sasha purred in contentment as Sunflower stroked her fur. Daisy smiled slightly and then turned her attention to the two facing off against each other.


    "Before we start, there are a few things that you should know," Rose stated calmly as the air around her turned violent and the winds began to howl. Her gown fluttered gently in the violent tempest that was raised as a result of her aura, and her eyes grew colder.


    "My technique is the Emotionless Sutra. And I am a Wind Elemental." As Rose spoke a soft green glow enveloped her frame, and she was detached from the mess her own aura was creating. Although the space around her was still violently affected, her gown was now stable and her hair was as still as a rock.


    "Secondly, I am aware that you can use multiple elements. For the purpose of your training, you are only allowed to use the element of the one before you. In this case, wind."


    "Alright," Mane frowned slightly after hearing the second point. But knowing that it was for his own good, he didn''t argue with it.


    "Thirdly, my strength would not be depleted to an acceptable level for your sake. This is training, not a baby camp. I would however, not be allowed to move. I would stay where I am no matter what. If I do move, I would have lost." Rose stated coldly.


    "However, your objective is only to breach the barrier around me without resorting to any other technique or skill." Rose added.


    "I presume you know what a Law Coat is?" Rose asked.


    "Yes," Mane replied. How insulting! His masters were all Ascenders and Gods.


    "She doesn''t like you much," Hildegarde stated from atop Mane''s shoulder.


    "I could care less," came the irritated reply of the young Supreme. Of course he knew what a Law Coat was. And he could naturally sense Rose''s hostility towards him. And honestly, he didn''t care. He may look calm, but he was even more pissed off than she was.


    "All you have to do is breach it without resorting to anything but wind," Rose explained.


    "How is that possible? There is no way he would be able to breach a Law Coat with nothing but elemental force!" Daisy frowned. Her sister was going overboard.


    "It isn''t sister''s intention," Sunflower was frowning too, but this time she came to Rose''s defense.


    "You mean¡­" Daisy''s frown deepened for she understood what her sister was implying.


    "Yes. Those were Mistress Ashera''s orders." Sunflower confirmed her sister''s thoughts.


    "What is Mistress thinking?" Daisy mumbled, wishing that she could worm her way into her Mistress''s mind to see what exactly it was that made her give such an order.


    "Who knows?" Sunflower shrugged nonchalantly whilst stroking Sasha''s fur. Yet within her beautiful fiery eyes was a hint of worry.


    "Shall we begin?" Rose stated calmly as he aura took form fully. Several wind whips formed around her and smashed into the ground she stood on. Large cracks were formed on the sturdy floor, causing Mane''s brows to wrinkle in worry. But that didn''t dissuade him from the challenge at hand.


    "Sure," Mane stated and stretched out both arms. Night''s Kiss and Night Mare which were next to Silver shook and flew off the ground. Like dark arrows they flew towards Mane and came to a stop right before his opened palms. Each sword''s hilt rested perfectly in the hands of the Young Supreme, before his aura was fully unleashed. Hildegarde hastily flew off his shoulder. This duel was different from any other Mane had been embroiled in since she joined him. He was facing someone as strong as herself. She couldn''t nonchalantly sit on his shoulder like she was taking a Christmas vacation.


    A green light covered Mane''s body, just like Rose. But his light was much paler, and was far weaker in comparison to Rose''s.


    "This is nothing compared to his use of fire and lightning from before. It''s pitifully weak." Sunflower noted with a small frown on her face.


    "Yes. He can''t even sharpen his wind. It''s too generalized. It seems he isn''t that skilled with it." Daisy stated what she observed.


    "Looks like this match has a foregone conclusion," Daisy added. If the boy couldn''t use any technique and only had to rely on wind, there was no suspense behind this duel. Not like there was any in the first place.


    "Yeah," Sunflower sighed and said.


    "Begin," Rose stated calmly and a large wind whip came crushing down on Mane.


    "I may not have my techniques," Mane mumbled as his feet shifted underneath him and propelled him away from the dangerous wind vine coming his way.


    *Boom*


    A loud crashing sound followed by a massive dent on the ground resounded.


    "But I have years of battle experience," Mane''s eyes flashed as he retreated from yet another wind whip.


    *Bang*


    "I may not be able to do much with wind," Mane smiled.


    "But evading isn''t one of them," he chuckled as a small green light enveloped his boots and pushed him out of the way of yet another wind whip. Using his swords as anchors Mane twisted his body and changed directions smoothly, rushing towards Rose.


    "Good," Rose couldn''t help but nod her head in acknowledgement of the boy''s skill. She wasn''t going all out, but being able to evade the blows of a Noble was a precious skill.


    "Let''s see how you would be able to handle two at once," her voice found its way to Mane and two large wind whips sneaked up on him.


    *Boom*

 Chapter 441 - Making a New Friend

    "So, how was he?" Ashera asked. She was seated on a large, comfortable chair. Her long hair fell carelessly over her shoulders, with some stray strands covering up her eyes. Before her were the three sisters ¨C Rose, Daisy and Sunflower.


    "His understanding of wind is poor," Rose gave her honest ?ssessment. "His comprehension is at the Intermediate Stage, but his use of it in battle is limited. However, he is intelligent and creative. Before his practice with me ended he had been able to conjure a wind shield." Rose added.


    "I see," Ashera nodded her head.


    "And you?" Ashera pulled back the loose hair strands so that the triplets could see her dazzling eyes.


    "His understanding of water is exceptional. It''s at the Mastery Stage, and he is almost as good as I am." Daisy started. "However, he doesn''t seem too reliant on it so he was a bit rusty when we fought. Tis no surprise though, since he is multi-elemental."


    "Good," Ashera nodded her head, pleased with what she was hearing.


    "Sun," she called.


    "His fire mastery is at the Intermediate Stage. But his use of it in battle is exceptional. He is able to manipulate flames and conjure shapes that highlight the depth of his creativity. In addition, he is so well versed in its use that he is able to use it subconsciously, unlike with the other two. His fire is showing signs of improvement, and I reckon that he would reach the Mastery Stage in no time." Sunflower''s report was as bright as Daisy''s. It had Ashera grinning brightly like the midday sun.


    "What about your techniques? Did he show any interest in them?" Ashera asked.


    "No," all three sisters responded at once.


    "It seems he has his own techniques," Daisy started


    "And they aren''t the least bit inferior to ours," Sunflower finished.


    "It isn''t surprising," Ashera nodded with a look of understanding. "His identity is a bit special. It is normal for him to have manuals superior to or similar to ours." "But even then I don''t think he has a mental technique just yet," Ashera added.


    Rose was a user of the Emotionless Sutra, Daisy''s mental technique was Mermaid''s Breath, and Sunflower''s mental technique was called Kirin''s Light.


    "Now that you mention it, what is Mane''s identity?" Sunflower asked with a stern expression on her face. That was something she was really interested in. Daisy''s ears perked up slightly hearing Sunflower''s question. She obviously wanted to know this too.


    "Not yet," Ashera shook her head and denied Sunflower''s request. "Why not?" Sunflower questioned.


    "If I told you your opinion of him may be swayed. And right now I cannot afford to have that happen." Ashera explained


    "And that doesn''t apply to Rose?" Sunflower argued.


    "Rose is a master of the Emotionless Sutra. Nothing can sway her emotions into the positive ¨C not even that boy''s identity." Ashera calmly reasoned with Sunflower. "And you both know that my words are true. She already doesn''t like the boy." Ashera shrugged.


    "Hard to argue with that," Daisy flashed her Mistress a cool smile and said. Sunflower pouted displeasingly, but she wasn''t probing anymore. Her Mistress''s words were right after all.


    "Especially you, Sun"


    "What about me?" Sunflower frowned and said.


    "I need you to genuinely learn as much as you can from him. There is still much I want from him. If you know his identity your treatment of him may change. And I don''t want that. If you aren''t genuine, he would find you out. He is an intelligent kid"


    "Sure," Sunflower shrugged and said.


    "She already has a favorable impression of the boy," Daisy bu??ed into the conversation with a teasing smile on her face. Her words caused Sunflower''s expression to turn dark, and her hair slowly began to rise.


    "What have I told you about using violence every time you''re teased?" Ashera snapped her fingers and dispersed Sunflower''s rioting aura as if she was blowing out a tiny flame.


    "It isn''t like she is wrong," Ashera added with a knowing look on her face. "Just remember that he is still a kid before doing anything rash," she added, causing Sunflower''s expression to become even darker. Daisy chuckled melodiously, and even Rose couldn''t help the small smile that made its way to her face seeing Sunflower''s darkening expression.


    "Daisy, I need you to go into one of the towns and get the poor boy some clothes. He cannot keep wearing those feminine trousers"


    "Yes Mistress," Daisy responded immediately and proceeded to leave the room.


    "Sun, you should return to Mane," Ashera ordered, and Sunflower nodded her head and left as well.


    Once the two were gone Ashera''s expression became much sterner, and she released a small sigh.


    "Are you worried about the curse Mistress?" Rose asked as her figure flashed and she reappeared at her Mistress''s right hand.


    "I am. I always worry about the curse." Ashera didn''t hide her feelings. There was no need to.


    "The boy is greatly talented. He will be strong enough to break the curse in no time Mistress," Rose comforted.


    "I have waited several millennia for hope ¨C hope that can make me believe that I would be freed from this curse. Now this hope has appeared. I would wait even longer for this hope to blossom into the key to unlock my chains." Ashera smiled and said. Her dazzling smile looked a bit forlorn and lonely, and even the stolid Rose couldn''t help but sigh in pity.


    "We would do our best to prepare him, Mistress," Rose promised, and Ashera nodded her head in thanks.


    "Something does baffle me greatly: how attached she seems to be getting to the boy. They''ve only known each other for a few hours and she is already very comfortable around him." Rose frowned and said.


    "You cannot see?" Ashera lifted her head to look at Rose and said.


    "See what Mistress?" Rose asked with a puzzled expression on her face.


    "They are the same kind of people ¨C Sunflower and Mane," Ashera stated. Rose frowned, her brows furrowing in doubt.


    "They both have almost no friends, and are not a reflection of who they really are on the inside," Ashera explained.


    "Sunflower acts like a wildflower, displaying infinite charm with amorous eyes that can steal the soul of any man. Anyone seeing her would think she''s a loose woman, but you and I know that she is cleaner than a white rose. Yet she is so free with Mane. His aura pulls her to him. So much so that she wasn''t shy to share a bath with him."


    "Mane is no different. His aura is cold and distant on the surface. And he has the ruthlessness of a killer. There is no doubt that his hands have been stained with the blood of several hundreds ¨C maybe even thousands."


    Rose nodded at Ashera''s words. She had observed the very same thing.


    "But his ruthlessness is nothing but a cover for the fragile heart seeking company and a soulmate who can understand him deep within."


    "So you see, they may be separated by a vast age difference, but they are very much the same." Ashera''s explanation seemed very sound to Rose, for she nodded her head in understanding.


    "In the meantime, do you think he should know about this?" Rose asked. Sending Sunflower to Mane was basically asking that the boy be told about the Curse of the Hundred. Sunflower wasn''t dumb. She knew what must be said and what mustn''t. Since it was no secret that Mane was their Mistress''s hope, he had to be told of what his purpose was. But Rose questioned the timing. For it couldn''t be too early.


    "I know what you''re thinking Rose," Ashera propped her head onto her arm and said. "But I would leave the timing to Sunflower. She is brilliant. She will pick the right time to tell the boy." Ashera stated with unwavering faith. As long as Sunflower got close to the boy and he started to feel affection for them, he wouldn''t feel forced to offer his help. He may even be spurred on to provide it.


    "You''re right. Sunflower would know what to do," Rose stated. "In the meantime I think you should get some rest Mistress," she added, and Ashera nodded her head before closing her eyes and drifting to sleep right there, in that position.


    Mane was taking a shower when he heard the knock on his door. "I bet it''s your bath partner," Hildegarde teased. Mane didn''t reply her. He hastily completed his shower before donning his blindfold and a towel and opening the door.


    "It seems a came a tad too late," Sunflower smiled seductively when she saw his half-naked appearance. Her eyes roamed his body like she was an artist thoroughly checking out an art piece, resting on his recently healed wound before settling on his well-defined set of abs.


    "Haha. Please come in" Mane laughed uncomfortably before ushering Sunflower into his room. She had helped him dress earlier, so he couldn''t tell her to wait outside.


    "Please give me a minute," Mane requested before retreating into the washroom with a pair of trousers and a coat.


    "Okay," Sunflower wasn''t unreasonable this time. She knew not to take things too far. But she did skip the couch in Mane''s room and make herself comfortable on his bed like it was hers.


    True to his words, Mane was back within the minute. He smiled bitterly upon feeling Sunflower''s presence on his bed. He tried moving to the couch, but Sunflower had been reasonable enough for the day.


    "Just come here. I''m not going to do anything to you." Sunflower giggled and said. Her laughter was akin to Christmas bells, capable of cheering up the souls of all who were lost. Mane hesitated for a while before moving to the other side of the bed when Sunflower added,


    "What are you afraid of? This bed is so large that it could fit eight people effortlessly."


    Mane settled down furthest from Sunflower''s aura. Once he was comfortable, he let out a small sigh.


    "What is it?" Sunflower obviously heard his sigh. After all it wasn''t done in secrecy.


    "I''m just thinking about my friends," Mane said. Images of Lam and Lily forced their way into Mane''s mind, and the smile that followed was involuntary. He couldn''t help but wonder how they were doing. And what they would think if they found out that Mane was with a member of their race.


    "I see. The Prince and the Princess?" Sunflower asked as she inched just a bit closer to Mane''s side of the bed.


    "Yeah," Mane nodded. It seemed that they knew quite a bit about him.


    "Are those your only friends?" Sunflower asked with a curious expression on her face.


    The images of Abelard, the twins ¨C Jake and John ¨C Selina and Frederick came to Mane''s mind at her enquiry. But ultimately he frowned and said, "Yes. Those are my only friends." Before adding the last bit in his head, "In this world."


    "I''m hurt," Sunflower had a pitiful expression on her face. She was now right next to Mane. So much so that Mane could feel her body heat.


    "Why?" Mane asked curiously. "This numbskull," Hildegarde sighed. This boy was hopeless when it came to understanding people outside of schemes and war.


    "I thought we counted as friends now," Sunflower sighed exaggeratedly.


    "We are not," Mane shrugged, his shoulder brushing past Sunflower''s in the process. His words caused Sunflower to smile wryly.


    "But I do have a favorable impression of you. We could become friends." Mane added, and a large smile blossomed on Sunflower''s face.


    "He''s learning fast," Hildegarde nodded her head in approval. "I do feel sorry for Lily though. At this rate this woman is going to imprint herself deeply into Mane''s mind."


    "I see. I shall work hard then to become your friend. You need more than two after all." Sunflower smiled and said.


    "You are one to talk," Mane chuckled.


    "What do you mean?"


    "You say I need more than two friends, yet you have none," Mane stated. There was no way Sunflower had any friends. She lived in this lonely tower after all.


    "I actually do," Sunflower argued. "My sisters are my friends, and so is Mistress Ashera"


    "That doesn''t count. They are your family." Mane fought back. "The fact that you cannot separate friends from family means that you don''t understand friendship."


    "Can''t your family be your friends?" Sunflower bit back. Her words were sound, since one could have their best friend being their brother or sister.


    "Looking at two people who have not the slightest idea what friendship is arguing about the meaning of the word is exhausting," Hildegarde rubbed her temples in frustration.


    "Well, that is true," Mane agreed with Sunflower''s last words and the Fire Elemental involuntarily let out a smile.


    "What I should have said was outside of those you consider as family, you don''t have any friends." But Mane''s words wiped her smile away and left her with a face full of longing.


    "So I would also try hard to be your friend," Mane added, and Hildegarde''s eyes filled up with crocodile tears. "You''ve gotten so smooth," she remarked, not hiding her thoughts from Mane this time. Mane''s lips twitched hearing her words, but he chose to ignore her.


    Sunflower''s expression was slightly complicated. She turned to look at the side profile of the boy next to her, finding it hard to believe he was this knowledgeable at such a young age. She flashed him a smile he couldn''t see, one full of genuine appreciation and joy. Then she propped herself up to look at his frontal view.


    "Thank you," she murmured to his hearing and then plopped back down. But this time she had half her body resting on Mane. Her torso was directly pressed against Mane''s ?h?st and abdomen, and her head was resting on his shoulder.


    "Don''t move," Sunflower pleaded when she felt Mane shift uncomfortably. Mane froze sensing the vulnerability in her tone. He sensed that she just needed a warm hug. So he smiled and obliged, wrapping his arms around her, a move that seemed to take her by surprise. But she smiled shortly after, and wrapped her arms around his neck.


    Both remained in that position for a long time. In fact, Sunflower fell asleep in this state. Mane could tell from her even breathing and overly calm aura. He had planned to use this period to study the anatomy of elementals and the other races ¨C including humans. Imagine his shock when he found actual books, and not stone slabs. But compared to all the things he had been through in the past couple of hours alone, that revelation was pretty trivial.


    Slowly, Mane also drifted off to sleep; the sweet fragrance of the warm beauty within his arms serving as his lullaby.. As he did, he couldn''t help but wonder how his friends were doing ¨C his other friends. Were they already on Systema? And if they were, how were their trials going?

 Chapter 442 - The Other Side: Part I

    *Boom*


    *Bang*


    Countless booming sounds rang out from within a large underground palace. The palace was largely empty, with only several giant statues holding on to mighty spears guarding checkpoints every ten or so meters. At the end of the large room were two statues. One of the statues was that of a strong and mighty red dragon with its mouth wide open in a defiant roar. It had a beautiful red crown adorning its large head, and its eyes were just as red as its scales. The second statue was just as grand as the first. However this dragon statue had a calm disposition, unlike the fiery disposition of the first. This statue was a beautiful blue dragon with a majestic blue crown on its head and azure blue eyes.


    Within the palace were three figures entwined in a fiery encounter. Of the three, two were humans. The other was a phantom of a small red dragon. The two humans had identical appearances, for they were twins, yet their auras were different. One of the twins had an aura similar to the blue dragon''s, whilst the other was a spitting image of the red dragon. These twins were Jake and John ¨C Mane''s closest friends.


    Jake''s entire frame was completely engulfed in powerful flames that spewed and sputtered like volcanic fire. Several miniature fire dragons formed from his flames flew around him in menacing ferocity, constantly striking the phantom dragon that served as his challenge in this test. His eyes were steely with determination, and the naivety that belonged to an eleven year old was not there. His eyes were very different from what Mane had grown used to. For they were the eyes of one who had gone through countless entanglements and struggles ¨C struggles that had forced the eleven year old to grow.


    John was no different from his brother. He was just as determined and m?tur?. If one had to point out a difference, it was that instead of fire, it was ice that was his element of choice. A suit of ice armor surrounded his entire frame, with two huge vestigial wings made of ice extending from his spine. The wings were as thin as a cicada''s wing, but sharper than a high grade sword. Just like Jake several miniature ice dragons served as his guardians, shielding him from the attempts of the dragon phantom to break through his ice armor.


    The two brothers, each of different elemental dispositions, kept striking the phantom with a level of cooperation that was almost telepathic. Jake attacked, and John defended. Volcanic fire and tongues of lava travelled from Jake''s fist and descended upon the Dragon Phantom.


    *Roar*


    The huge phantom roared in pain as a large portion of its blurry figure was destroyed. Without giving it a moment of respite, several fire dragons crushed into its broken side and infiltrated its body. Ice dragons followed after the fire dragons, sealing the ethereal wound to prevent the dragon phantom from being able to force out the fire. Several booming sounds were heard as the fire dragons exploded from within the Red Dragon''s blurry figure, eliciting another piercing roar of pain from the poor creature. Several wounds appeared on its figure, and its eyes lost much of its vigor. It tried to open its mouth to summon a fiery breath, but before it could compress energy into a tangible destructive mess, a thin ice wing slashed through its neck, and its head was lobbed off its body. The figure of the dragon disappeared soon after, and a large red orb appeared in its place, hovering above the two.


    "Passed! Grade: Excellent"


    A booming voice shook the palace, and Jake and John descended onto the ground immediately they heard it. The fire surrounding Jake was extinguished immediately, and John''s armor disappeared into his body. The dragons that flew around them were recalled as both boys gulped large mouthfuls of the oxygen that they had never been deprived of in the first place. Several large beads of sweat covered their foreheads, and their clothes were soaked with the products of their perspiration.


    "Finally," John stated as he breathed laboriously.


    "Indeed," Jake agreed. He clenched his fists with a small smile on his face. They had failed at this particular level a few times already. This was their seventh attempt and they had finally succeeded. This was the toughest test they had faced thus far. And it made it all the more satisfactory that they had not only passed, but had been able to excel this time round.


    "I can''t believe that we have grown so much in just 6 months," Jake stated with a small smile.


    "It''s all thanks to this inheritance," John stated with a stern expression on his face. Jake nodded. The Twin Dragon Inheritance seemed to have been tailor made for them. He and John had been training in this underground palace for a bit over 6 months, and they had grown exponentially within this period of time. They had to fight a dragon at each stage, and the latter dragons were always stronger than those who came before by at least two times. The dragon they had just faced for instance was three times stronger than the dragon before it! And each of the dragons was formed from pure Edict. So it took more than just skill to defeat them. They had to fight whilst slowly siphoning the Edict of the opponent. Every time they passed a test, the reminder of the Edict from the beast coagulated into a ball of great concentrated purity which they could absorb to improve their strength. The level of purity depended on their grade upon completion. There were five grade. Average, Good, Very Good, Excellent, and Distinction. The power of the dragons had slowly but surely purified their bloodlines and increased their talents. Hydras were cousins of the dragons. Since Jake and John had a Hydra based bloodline, their benefits were immense. Right now their bloodlines had broken into Level 12 from the prior Level 9!


    "We need to hurry. I am worried about the state of affairs ''upstairs''." John stated with a worried expression on his face. Upstairs naturally referred to the land of Zandor. These two didn''t know how the war was progressing, and their mental state grew increasingly unstable at the thought of their family and friends left all alone to deal with the threat of the Dark God.


    "Auntie is around. So I am not as worried as I would have been." Jake stated. John nodded his head in understanding. The auntie they were speaking of was Alexis ¨C Mane''s mother.


    "But we still need to hurry and get back. At least in time to meet up with Abe, Selina, and the Fulbrights." Jake added before slipping into a seated meditation pose. Although John was just as exhausted as his brother, he also readjusted himself into a meditative pose. Both closed their eyes and allowed the large orb to descend upon them. And once it did, a large amount of Edict engulfed them like a gentle storm.


    Both remained seated for a few hours, absorbing the dense quantity of pure Edict before them. After the fourth hour, both opened their eyes and their auras were fully exposed.


    *Bang*


    The winds within the palace rejoiced in great p???sur? at the powerful presence of the two within their midst. They howled and turned and announced the presence of the Nobles before them. Yes, Nobles!


    Both Jake and John were Nobles! Each was at the first stage of the Nobility Realm! Yet their auras were faint and unstable, seemingly likely to dissipate at any moment. The eyes of the two dragon statues at the end of the hall flashed with a strange glow, and two powerful dragon roars were heard.


    *Roar*


    Phantoms of two powerful dragons ¨C one red, the other blue ¨C descended upon Jake and John respectively. Once the dragons descended upon the twins, their unstableness of their auras was quickly rectified, and their strengths were solidified. The dragons danced around them a few more times before rushing into the dragons statues and disappearing.


    Once their auras were solidified the natural order located them and announced their presence. For two Nobles had been born, and they were the purest of Nobles.


    "Hydras! Different bodies but of the same mind. For they are Nobility Kings!" a booming voice rang in the ears of both.


    "Jake: the Volcanic Dominator! A Fire King!"


    "John: the Great Defender! An Ice King!"


    Breaking into the Nobility Realm was a bit special. For Nobles had titles. Baron/Baroness; Viscount/Viscountess; Earl/Countess; Marquis/Marchioness; Duke/Duchess; Prince/Princess; King/Queen; Emperor/Empress. In increasing order of magnitude, these were the orders of Nobility. Each Noble had a title given based on their talents and power. For instance, Ray was a King. And now the twins had been judged as Kings as well. Invoking their titles added to their strength and mobilized the World''s Will in their name. It was a whole different league from the Heaven Realm.


    "Hah," Jake and John sighed in exhaustion and collapsed onto the ground. Soon, soft breathing sounds could be heard as both slipped into the sweet realm of sleep. This had been their life for the past half a year. Fight, eat, and sleep. There hadn''t been much entertainment. They only had each other for company.


    Far away from Zandor was a small planet. This planet was devoid of life, and was an abandoned planet. It had been barricaded, shackled with countless powerful chains of Edict that kept it away from outsiders. This planet was Systema. Though shackled, there were four people currently on this planet ¨C Abe, Aegeus, Frederick and Selina. The barrier that stopped many, Ascenders included, was no detriment to them. They had been brought here by the man known to them as Butler Fin. The butler of their friend''s household had displayed his uncommonness by easily breaching the barriers of this lonely planet half a year ago, before promising to come pick them up in a few months'' time. Right now they had only one month left before Butler Fin''s scheduled return.


    Within a small smithy on this remote planet, countless distinct sounds of an anvil being struck resounded. Over the anvil stood a well-built teen with a rugged appearance. His beard was unkempt and his appearance filthy with ash and grime. His eyes remained glued to the sword that was slowly taking shape on the anvil. The aura of a High Class Artefact was leaking ceaselessly from the sword; its golden red blade glowing softly every now and then.


    "You should rest Big Brother," a tall handsome teenager with looks similar to the blacksmith''s appeared through the door with a large beast slung over his shoulder. In his hand was a sturdy looking rod with several gold markings on it. He looked burly and had a strange charm around him.


    "Selina would not be happy if she comes to meet you working this hard," the teenager added, before dumping the corpse of the beast onto the floor and jumping onto the only available couch in the room.


    "I''m almost done," Frederick stated, before cutting his palm with a knife and dropping several drops of his blood onto the blade to temper it. The blade shone with a powerful light, and its aura rushed to the peak of the High Class Artefact Level, almost turning into a Divine Weapon. Frederick put the sword away with a satisfied sigh, placing it next to the other weapons he had forged for his friends. It was only after he was done that he turned to cast a glance at the beast on the ground.


    "Is that a Moon Wolf, Aegeus?" Frederick asked with a surprised expression on his face.


    "It is," Aegeus nodded his head with a small smile on his face. Moon Wolves were powerful beasts with at least Heavenly Realm level power. And judging from the size of the wolf next to Aegeus, this beast was at the peak of the Heavenly Realm.


    "You said you needed one half a step into the Nobility Realm, so I went out to get one," Aegeus explained.


    "Hahaha," Frederick laughed heartily and then bent down to examine the dead beast. His smile widened upon completing his examination. But as he moved to take the beast, a large foot stomped on the corpse and a powerful aura descended upon the smithy.


    "That''s enough forging for today Big Brother," Aegeus smiled sweetly and said. The aura of a peak Heavenly Realmer was fully unleashed by the handsome teen, and Frederick couldn''t help but nervously swallow a few mouthfuls of his own saliva. Although he was also at the peak of the Heavenly Realm, Aegeus''s battle strength was at the Mid Nobility Realm, and Frederick knew that it would be stupid to pick a fight with him.


    "Alright," Frederick lifted his hands in surrender, a bitter smile adorning his lips.


    "If you don''t go to bed I would let Selina know that you haven''t rested for the past few days when she returns," Aegeus''s threatened and Frederick shivered like a small leaf in a winter storm.


    "I''m going to bed right now!" Frederick hastily reported before hurriedly pulling off his apron and rushing into the back room to get some rest. Aegeus''s aura only died down after his brother''s figure disappeared. He smiled bitterly and then raised his head to gaze at the ceiling. His pupils flashed and changed into a golden color. Although he was looking at the roof, his eyes weren''t focused on the rusty old ceiling. They pierced through the metallic covering above him, past the clouds of Systema and into the vast expanse.


    "How are you doing Master?" he sighed with a look of longing on his face. Even he couldn''t explain why he was so close to his Master when he had known him for so little a time.


    "Aegeus is now strong enough to stand by your side. When we meet again, you will be proud to call me your disciple!"

 Chapter 443 - The Other Side: Part II

    "That should be the last one," a handsome looking young man of about 1.7 meters in height stated as he tossed a large red leopard onto a small pile of dead creatures. The young man had shaggy brown hair and beautiful brown eyes. This young man was none other than Abelard. It had only been six months, yet the fat on his face had disappeared, and his height was anything but the height of an eleven year old. His broad shoulders and powerful arms was the envy of any other man, much less a boy. He held a large sword over his shoulder. The sword was a claymore, and it was several kilograms heavier than any regular heavy sword. His physique was worthy of one who belonged to the Clan of Wyverns. As for the recipient of Abe''s message, she was a beautiful battle maiden.


    "I think we should go back," the beautiful woman in battle armor stated.


    She was an eye catching beauty, her facial features enough to earn her a place in the Heavenly Courts of any Heaven Realm. Her long hair was like an intricately woven net that could draw in the gazes of any man or woman alike. She had a long spear strapped to her back. The spear was stained with blood of different colors, and though it soiled her hair and dirtied her armor, she didn''t seem to mind it. This valiant warrior goddess was Selina.


    "Yeah. We have been away for a few days now," Abe agreed quickly. Their lives on Systema were all war and carnage. Only Frederick was not embroiled in such a world. For he was a weapon smith. That wasn''t to say that Frederick didn''t have his own agenda, or his own goals. Each of them had tasks to complete; tasks given by the Will of Systema.


    *Ding*


    *Mission: "Hunt Down 20 Noble Beasts" Completed*


    *Reward: Increase In Level of Energy By a Small Stage*


    Along with the mechanic sound of a bell, a small interface appeared before Selina and Abelard. Once the window appeared, a bright light descended from the closed heavens of Systema and engulfed both of them. Selina and Abelard were unfazed by the bright light. They looked calm and composed, and it was because they had been through this a lot of times in the past half a year. It was the reason for their rapid improvement after all.


    *Boom*


    Once the lights fully engulfed the duo, their auras were fully expressed. Abe''s aura was that of a Noble ¨C a 3rd Stage Noble! His aura steadily climbed upwards, only stagnating when it reached the peak of the 3rd stage. Selina''s aura was slightly weaker, but it was also that of a Noble. Her strength grew from the low stage of the 1st Level of the Nobility Realm to the mid stage of the 1st Level. When the light faded, both of them exhaled in p???sur? upon feeling the increase in their abilities. Then they turned to each other and smiled.


    "We should take those with us," Selina pointed at the mountain of corpses before them and said.


    "Yeah. Frederick might these to complete his task," Abe nodded his head in agreement. He waved his hands towards the corpses before him, and a green glow engulfed them. The glow came from a strange looking bracelet on his wrist. This was a gift from Alexis ¨C his master. And as you may have guessed, it was a storage artefact. It started out as a Mid-Grade Storage Artefact with very limited space, but after Frederick''s alterations, it was capable of storing so much more. The large corpses didn''t even occupy half of its storage space.


    "Let''s go," Abe stated and Selina nodded her head. Both walked shoulder to shoulder as they moved towards the north. 6 months had caused Abe to even grow taller than Selina, and as both moved, their figures marked by the sun in the sky, Systema''s Will blessed their achievements and secretly recorded their names in its annals of legends.


    Back in the Western Empire, in the Kingdom of Neces to be exact, in a large mansion that reeked of gold and silver, of riches and honour, a handsome gentleman was gazing lovingly upon the figure lying quietly on the king sized bed before him. The man was young, with wavy brown hair and beautiful eyes that flashed from brown to green and green to brown every few seconds. He wore a lose gown that exposed his muscular ?h?st and broad shoulders. His posture was that of an Olympian, and that was because he was an Olympian! This person was Ray ¨C Mane''s father.


    "You are still here?" a voice traveled to Ray''s ears as a middle aged man appeared right next to him. The door was still closed, making one wonder how this man came here in the first place without alerting Ray; or how he even got in so fast. But Ray wasn''t wondering about that. He didn''t care about such trivial issues ¨C mainly because he had the answers to them. Without taking his eyes of Mane''s figure, which lay so serenely on the bed, Ray addressed the man who was his guardian and mentor.


    "Mentor, where else would I be?"


    "What do you mean ''where else would you be''? You know there is a war ongoing, and you are needed, right?" Butler Fin had his arms behind his back in a classic gentleman''s pose. His eyes squinted slightly when he thought of the war and how it was going.


    "I cannot leave," Ray shook his head with a small frown on his face. "My son needs me to protect him. Alexis has already left, and I promised her that I wouldn''t leave Mane''s side." Ray explained.


    "But that was before the recent development. You wouldn''t allow your brother to have his way now, would you?" Butler Fin frowned and said. As the two spoke, it became increasingly clearer that the war they spoke of may be different from the one Mane had fought in a few months ago.


    "Half-brother," Ray corrected with an ever deeper frown. Whatever it was, it was clear that he didn''t have a favorable opinion of his half-brother. Then again, he didn''t have any good impressions of his father''s family.


    "Alright. Half-brother. Do you want that pompous warmonger to take your father''s place as King? With someone like that as the Olympian God King, there is no way there would be peace. What do you think is the first thing that fool would do? Are you really okay with all this?" Butler Fin didn''t mince his words at all. He clearly expressed that he didn''t like this half-brother of Ray.


    Ray of course knew the answer to that question. His brother would wage war first chance he got. And possibly come looking for them.


    "I am not," Ray admitted honestly.


    "Then you must do something about it. I can protect Mane from any threats on Zandor." Butler Fin persuaded.


    "I can''t do that Mentor," Ray smiled bitterly and said.


    "I understand your worry. But aren''t you also worried about Athena?" Butler Fin stated. His words caused a change in Ray, as the handsome father wrinkled his brows in worry.


    "I am. She is the only one I consider family." Ray sighed.


    Athena had been doing all she could to reverse his son''s dark fate. She was cooped up in the Olympian Library, and only she could open the library. This meant that she was temporarily safe. But it also meant that she was cut off from the world with no idea of what was happening on the outside.


    If that half-brother of his wanted to stabilize his position on the throne, he would have to ensure that all heirs were no more. Hades was not available to contest his rule, and news of Poseidon had been lost for many years. Ray and Athena were the only threats to his rule. Ray was a Battle God, and even his half-brother would have to think twice before engaging him in battle. After all, few people were on the level of Thor Odinson. And Ray was one of those few. Athena was a Goddess of War, but she was a loving sister as well. That man may be Ray''s half-brother, but he was Athena''s blood brother. They shared the same mother and father. There was no way she would strike a killing blow at him, and he knew that. That foul man had no such reservations however. His hatred for his father had corrupted him, and he knew not the emotions of any but himself.


    "Then you must be there to protect her. If you appear, the courts would be divided. That would be enough protection for her." Butler Fin continued to try to persuade Ray.


    "Do you want to let her down when she never has?" Butler Fin added.


    "Mentor, you are asking me to protect either my son or my sister," Ray stated with a wry expression on his face.


    "I''m not asking you to do that. I''m here, am I not?" Butler Fin quickly stated.


    "You are, but it doesn''t change the fact that you are asking me to make a choice. And there is no way I would abandon my son." Ray clenched his teeth and said.


    "You''re not abandoning him. You are leaving him in my hands. Do you not have any faith in me? Have I not proven myself a more than worthy guardian over the years? Was he not under my care all this while?" Butler Fin frowned and threw a barrage of questions at his ward.


    "You have been a faithful guardian mentor. And I don''t just have faith in you mentor. You know that I will willingly put my life in your hands." Ray stated.


    "But not my son''s life. I cannot go to Olympus." Ray shook his head.


    "Why not? You are clearly torn by this matter," Butler Fin stated as he pointed at Ray''s balled up fists.


    "Because the Dark Lord has been quiet for too long. I feel that he may be planning something that even you cannot handle alone," Ray confessed.


    "Mmm," Butler Fin frowned and rubbed his smooth chin in thought. Ray had a point. Someone like the Dark God didn''t remain quiet for this long for no reason.


    "Alright. I hope you don''t regret your decision." Butler Fin stated. "I hope you don''t hate yourself for allowing Aries such easy passage to kingship."


    "You are one to talk,'' Ray finally turned to face Butler Fin and said.


    "What do you mean?" Butler Fin asked.


    "It isn''t only Olympus that is in turmoil," Ray said.


    "True," Butler Fin nodded his head. "But Asgard would be restored to normalcy once Lord Odin returns. Right now, Thor is enough to keep things in order." Butler Fin argued.


    "Don''t you think the two are connected?" Ray suddenly presented a theory he hadn''t before this minute.


    "What do you mean?" Butler Fin feigned ignorance. Unfortunately for him, Ray found him out.


    "All the years I''ve known you, you have had but one fatal flaw," Ray smiled and said


    "Which is?" Butler Fin seemed interested in this flaw.


    "You are a horrible liar," Ray smiled and said. And Butler Fin couldn''t help but let out a small chuckle.


    "You are an intelligent man, Mentor. No Spirit Emperor is dumb, much less one who has also evolved into a Sensor God. If I could consider this, surely you already have." Ray stated.


    "You''ve grown," Butler Fin admitted that he had indeed considered this. After all, the timing of the two events was too close to be considered mere coincidences. Besides, the instigators of both events were suspected to be in cahoots long before any of these things happened. So it wasn''t a stretch to consider this a conspiracy.


    "What I don''t understand is this: Loki is vastly intelligent. His wisdom is in no way inferior to Lord Odin''s, and his scheming is right up there as well. Why would he pick such a route?" Ray furrowed his brows and said.


    "It''s almost as if all this is a distraction, and there is something else he wants," Ray put forward his thoughts.


    "I feel the same," Butler Fin sighed and said.


    "What about you? Don''t you worry about Zeus? He is still missing. And his injuries were pretty heavy. Without access to his Godhead it will be difficult for him to recover." Butler Fin swiftly changed the subject, causing Ray to frown as he felt that there was something Butler Fin wasn''t telling him. But he decided to let it go.


    "I am not," Ray shook his head and said. Unlike with Athena, he didn''t feel anything for that man.


    "He is your father you know," Butler Fin smiled wryly and said.


    "I know. And that is why I am confident in his abilities. If that lightning bearded womanizer could be so easily killed, I would have done so myself." Ray stated emotionlessly and Butler Fin revealed a helpless look.


    "But that''s not why you came here now, was it?" Ray turned to his mentor and said.


    "It''s not," Butler Fin confessed. Butler Fin''s aura suddenly became a bit chaotic.


    "What is wrong?" Ray noticed the change in Butler Fin''s demeanor. And he had an inkling of what his mentor was going to say.


    "Indra has sent us a message," Butler Fin started. Indra had taken up Alexis''s post in the North when she left. And they hadn''t heard from him in two months. For him to suddenly send a message could only mean¡­


    "He has found traces of the Dark God."

 Chapter 444 - The Other Side: Part III

    "How fitting," A handsome green-eyed man dressed in a beautiful white robe gazed at the huge trees that blocked his path. Countless roars resounded from behind the trees. These roars were filled with power and strength. The auras of several Heaven Realm Beasts could be felt from within those roars. And one could even make out the aura of a few Noble Beasts, yet the handsome gentleman in white didn''t seem fazed by them.


    The man ignored the warning growls of the beasts within the forest, and instead of moving away from the forest ¨C a task that would have been all too simple considering that he was only standing on the outskirts of it ¨C he crossed the boundary and entered it.


    Once he did several threatening auras locked on to him. Like a tsunami of power beasts of varying sizes and strengths rushed towards the man. There were large cats, dog-like creatures, and even Winged Serpents of varying sizes in this great ?ssembly of beasts. The eyes of every single beast reflected deep hunger and d?s?r? ¨C the d?s?r? to possess the core of the man walking towards his supposed doom. Each beast was as large as a small hill, and their movements caused the earth beneath them to tremble and creak in protest. But they heeded not the pleas of the ground they trod upon. Like crazed maniacs they were only focused on one thing ¨C the man small enough to do nothing but fill the gaps between their huge teeth.


    "One would think that beasts of this level would have just a little bit of sanity," the white robed man smiled and let himself go. The aura that had been restrained from the Battle Beasts rushing at him was revealed, and the unbridled power of one way past the realm of Nobles was suffocating.


    Every Heavenly Beast collapsed to the ground, each foaming at their mouths. Their eyes were dilated and their spirits crushed. With just his aura, this man had incapacitated all he deemed unworthy to come close to him. The Noble Beasts who were formerly rushing towards the man in reckless abandon stopped in their tracks. It didn''t matter what species they belonged to, or whether they had their own colonies. Every Noble Beast ¨C the ones who showed the hunger of a starving giant ¨C didn''t dare take a step forward. Their eyes were filled with fear; their large bodies shaking at the pressure that threatened to crush them to the ground.


    *Boom*


    *Boom*


    *Boom*


    In only a few seconds, each Noble Beast was pressed to the ground as the man''s powerful aura forced them to kiss the earth they had so nonchalantly disregarded only moments earlier. Like pancakes flattened by a skillet, they remained in this humiliating posture as the man walked through their vast numbers. Yet they dared not be angry or dismayed. For they had no right to be. The man who was within their midst was a god! They may be kings on this small planet; beings who could kill any of the measly humans who dared to come in here in what could only be described as utter foolishness; but they hadn''t forgotten who it was that trapped them here. It was a god who had confined them to this forest, never to set foot outside again. And though this god was weaker, he was still a god. And his authority was not to be challenged. The fact that they were alive after trying to consume him was mercy. And none of them wanted to despise this grace.


    "He is really here ¨C or he had been here not long ago," the man in white frowned and said. He had been to the Forest of Gloom before. Although it was a forbidden zone in Zandor, it was forbidden to only mortals too weak to survive the countless beasts and dangers this forest held. And it was because he had been here before that he was able to recognise the changes in the actions of the beasts.


    The outskirts of the Forest of Gloom were occupied by weaker creatures, creatures at the mortal and above-mortal realm. One only encountered more powerful creatures when they went even deeper. Yet he had been faced with Heavenly and Noble Beasts right at the off. He had b?r?ly crossed into forest when he was besieged by them.


    Heavenly and Noble Beasts weren''t fools. Once a beast became a Beast of the Earth, it was filled with wisdom and intuitive knowledge; much less Heavenly and Noble Beasts. They weren''t mindless creatures who attacked on sight. And they were too lazy to be focusing on the humans who intruded on their territories. And that was why there were people who had survived the Forest of Gloom. If they were this violent; this anxious; this crazy for blood, no one would have made it out of here alive. But now that was exactly what they were. Even with his aura concealed their senses as beasts should have warned them to stay far away. They shouldn''t have even come looking for him, much less try to attack him. Yet they had. These beasts who were supposed to possess high intellect were nothing but fools now. They only knew hunger, anger and fear.


    As the white robed man moved, he heard a powerful shriek. He gazed into the clouds, for he felt the aura of an approaching Noble from there. And soon he saw the beast.


    *Scree*


    With another powerful screech the beast descended from above ¨C a peak Noble it was. It was a large black hawk comparable to a small mountain, and it easily eclipsed every other creature here in terms of size. The god ignored the beast upon sensing its energy level. Well, he didn''t ignore it entirely.


    *Crackle*


    *Boom*


    *Scree*


    "For their natures to grow increasingly towards the dark side, it means that the Dark One resides here," the lightning god stated with a look of concern on his face. He had caused quite the commotion when he entered the forest, and dispatching the bird surely didn''t help hide his presence either.


    "I must be cautious," the lightning god extended his hand, and a long spear that was whiter than snow appeared within his grasp.


    *Crackle*


    Along with its appearance were several dark clouds which concealed the gaze of the sun and stole its home for themselves. Thunderous roars accompanied by the numerous bolts of lightning that danced across the sky were the god''s personal orchestra. And oh how they sang gloriously.


    The white robe the man wore developed golden patterns so intricate that they were dazzling, and a powerful presence far more superior to the aura he had first revealed to the beasts forced them deeper into the ground. Although the god whose presence was like a vice around their neck was at least a hundred meters away now, they still couldn''t muster the courage to get up. And the recent development had made them even more nervous. Was this god going to change his mind? No, he wasn''t.


    This god was only cautious because of something entirely different. He had released his domain simply because he felt a humanoid presence approaching him from within the forest. Although the aura of this being was only at the Noble Realm, he didn''t dare show any signs of carelessness. For gods could reveal whatever aura they felt to reveal. So more often than not, a god''s aura mattered little.


    "Please Great Indra, I am of no threat to you," a beautiful woman dressed in nothing but scanty clothes revealed herself before the lightning clad god. Her back bent slightly as she bowed in subservience, but she didn''t go down any further. She didn''t perform a full bow. And though her forehead was wet with sweat and her body trembled ever so slightly at the threatening bolts of lightning that struck the ground a few inches away from her seductive frame, her eyes were focused on the god called Indra.


    "I can smell his presence on you," Indra sniffed slightly like a dog. And his eyes narrowed into slits as a dangerous light flickered deep within those beautiful emerald pupils. He had found what he was looking for.


    "That is embarrassing, Great Indra," the woman''s eyes grew limpid as a shy blush crossed her face from seeing Indra''s actions. She started to radiate a seductive aura that crept steadily towards Indra.


    "You are brave. To dare use a Charm Technique on a God is worthy of admiration." Indra stated warmly, yet the woman''s expression only grew panicked at his words.


    "-And death," Indra added as he lifted his hands to the heavens. Several rumbling sounds were heard as a huge bolt of lightning took shape in the clouds.


    "Please, wait Great Indra; Master of a thousand kings; and Emperor of Lightning! I am nothing but a divine servant of the Dark God; one unworthy of your bolts!" The woman stated hurriedly and bowed her head. She didn''t dare make eye contact with Indra anymore.


    "And why would I wait?" Indra still had his hand raised, with no intention of stopping. "Not only have you confessed to being the servant of a god I am eagerly searching for, you have also offended me. Why should you be spared?"


    "Great Indra, I am nothing of worth to a god like you. So you can do with me as you please, but please spare me. For I have a message from my Master ¨C the Dark God Seth. Would you smite down one unworthy of your presence even before you listen to her plea?" the beautiful woman pleaded.


    "Introduce yourself," Indra finally dispersed the gathering lightning and brought his hand back to his side.


    "Thank you Great Indra," the woman expressed her gratitude and then curtsied elegantly as she introduced herself.


    "I am Lina, a divine servant of the great God of Darkness, Seth."


    "What message does Seth have for me," Indra asked plainly.


    When he heard Lina''s name he frowned slightly, but recovered his wits soon after. Lina also frowned when she heard Indra''s nonchalant way of addressing her master. After all, Seth was several generations older ¨C and greater ¨C than Indra. But she kept her silence on the matter. Indra may be younger than Seth, but he was a vastly talented god who was almost on the same pedestal as her master. In fact, if Indra and her master fought as they were now, even if Seth was to win, he would pay a huge price. The only advantage that Seth really had was that he was a Spiritualist and could track Indra''s Godhead. If not for that great detail, he wouldn''t even be confident of winning a battle against this battle maniac!


    "My Master ¨C the Dark God Seth ¨C knows that you seek his presence. And he is willing to grant you an audience." Lina explained the purpose for her coming.


    "He wants to meet me?" Indra frowned as a bad premonition filled his heart. Seth knew why Indra was looking for him. And he knew that once he was found Butler Fin and Ray would be informed as well. With those two and himself, even Seth would be done for if a battle was to erupt. So why was he being so cooperative? There was no way that this wasn''t a trap.


    "My Master indeed does, Great Indra," Lina nodded her head.


    "I see," Indra rubbed his chin in thought. "Are you to lead me?" Indra asked.


    "If that is your wish, Great Indra," Lina smiled and said.


    "And if it is not?" Indra probed.


    "Then please permit me to hand over this address to you," Lina reached into her fair and plentiful bosom to retrieve a map before approaching Indra and handing it over to him.


    "Hmm," Indra hummed when he saw the place marked out on the map. "Smart," he thought to himself.


    "You are a High Level Servant right?" Indra asked.


    "Yes Great Indra. Why do you ask?" Lina was puzzled by the question.


    "I just want to make sure that you can meet Seth in time and tell him that I am coming right now," Indra stated, before flashing a gorgeous smile at Lina. Lina was utterly confused, but soon she understood why. As a High Level Servant she had ''spare lives''. She was in no way faster than Indra. So what faster way could she inform her master of Indra''s coming than for her to be sent directly to her master? The answer lay in her death.


    "Plea-" Lina hardly said a word when a large bolt of lightning descended upon her and reduced her to nothing.


    *Boom*


    "You may just be a divine servant, but I have heard of your foul means," Indra spoke to himself. His spear disappeared, and his robe became ordinary once more.


    "There was no way I was going to give up the chance to take one of your lives," Indra smiled before reaching into his robe to retrieve a small medallion and speaking into it.


    "The Dark God is in The Deep. I am heading there right now."


    Once he was done, he positioned himself and turned to face the direction of the Kingdom of Neces.. Then he tossed the medallion towards the large kingdom, hoping that it would reach the Sensor God who resided there in time.

 Chapter 445 - War of the Two Heavens

    There were many gods in this universe. And each god clan had its own residence. However, for the god clans that ruled over the heavens, their status was far from that of the ordinary god clans. Of the 7 Heavenly Realms, the rulers were each strong and powerful. And rarely did their clans become engulfed in the struggles that plagued other god clans. But this was a strange year. For two of the Heavenly Realms were plagued with exactly these kind of troubles. For the 1st and 2nd Heavenly Realms were in turmoil, and the worlds that fell under their jurisdiction felt the effects of their chaotic battle for succession.


    The 2nd Heaven was the realm of the Olympians. Aries, the son of Zeus and brother of Athena had declared himself king after defeating his father ¨C Zeus. Along with his declaration was a fierce struggle that was still ongoing even till this day. The 1st Heaven was slightly better off in comparison to the 2nd Heaven. For the 1st Heaven still had Thor ¨C the rightful successor to Asgard. Since Baldur''s disappearance, Thor had been named successor. As long as he was alive, it was going to be difficult for anyone else to take the throne of Asgard. However, there was an even more important reason why the situation of the 1st Heaven wasn''t considered grim. The Allfather hadn''t returned. The famous vagabond of a God King was off on another adventure. He wasn''t dead. He was still very much alive. As to where he was that he hadn''t heard of the chaos ongoing in his realm, nobody knew. But what the people of the 1st Heaven knew was that once he returned, the Giants that dared to wage war on Asgard once again would be in for a difficult fight.


    On a world belonging to the 1st Heaven, there was a grand battle taking place. Soldiers completely covered in golden armor faced off against the Jotnar ¨C the giants of the 1st Heaven. Although the Jotnar wielded only their battle axes and wore very little armor, their tough skins made it difficult for the golden armored soldiers to easily do away with them. Several fell to the sword of another. Soldiers and giants lost their lives as rapidly as leaves fell from a tree in the Fall. The corpses on the ground were like a grand carpet of death.


    "Captain!" a small man with an aura of a Nobility Realm powerhouse expertly evaded the axe of a Jotnar and cleaved the head of the giant off its shoulders with his slender blade. He ignored the blood that drenched him from head to toe and screamed at the man currently surrounded by five giants. The small man evaded the blow of another giant and violently kicked it towards its fellow giant. Then he leaped towards both and pierced them through with his blade. He quickly made his way to the side of the captain who was b?r?ly holding his own against the five Noble Giants keeping him hostage.


    *Bang*


    The small man immediately announced his presence once he was close enough. Picking up a discarded golden spear he flung the weapon with all his might towards one of the unsuspecting Noble Giants too focused on his captain to pay attention to anything else.


    *Puchi*


    And just like that a Noble Giant was killed. The other four became aware of the new threat once their comrade died, and along with their divided attention came the opening that the captain sought for.


    *Boom*


    "Captain! Only the last of them remain!" The small man was a feisty one. He hadn''t forgotten where he was. For even as he spoke to his captain, he was still fighting. He swiftly evaded the blow of a weaker giant and jumped onto its shoulders. With ferocity that didn''t match his size he violently twisted the giant''s head off its shoulders.


    *Crack*


    "Good! Lets'' finish this then!" the captain replied whilst delivering a fearsome punch onto the face of a giant that had tried to sneak up on him. The face of the poor giant caved in as its brains were forcefully expelled from its skull.


    "You heard Captain! Kill them all!" the small man''s eyes turned red as he bathed in the blood of his enemies. His movements were similar to that of a shadow. Even though the sun hung high in the sky, none of the giants could track his movements. Like an elusive shadow he disappeared and appeared wherever he pleased. And each of his appearances were marked by the death of a giant or two.


    "ROAR" the golden armored soldiers roared like beasts on steroids. Their furious roar travelled to the heart of the giants who b?r?d their path to their home. With ferocity not at all inferior to the small man''s each soldier attacked with the pain and despair of seeing their friends being struck down.


    The gruesome battle went on for about 30 more minutes, and when it was over only a few soldiers remained. They began the battle a thousand men strong, but now they were just shy of a hundred. They had lost so much. And it was because of this that they didn''t bother to celebrate their win. Each man went around the battlefield, surveying the area for valuables that belonged to their friends ¨C valuables that had to be returned to their families.


    "What is that?" the small man was seated on the ground next to captain. Both were recovering their energy when they felt a tremble in the earth they sat on. The small man put his hand to the ground, trying to confirm what he felt. Once he did his face grew pale.


    "It seems today we will get to see Valhalla," the captain laughed bitterly and stood up. His energy was b?r?ly recovered. But there was no way he was going to sit down and allow himself to be easily butchered. If he was going to go down, he would do so whilst taking down several of those giant brats with him.


    "On me!" the Captain screamed, and the scattered soldiers who also felt the tremor came running. Soon they had formed a small formation with their captain as their head. They all had their eyes glued to the space before them, and before long they could see the vast army of giants that were approaching.


    "They are even greater than before," the captain shook his head wryly when he realised that he couldn''t seem to see the end of the huge army that was approaching. As if that wasn''t enough, each giant was completely blue in color, like shiny turquoise statues.


    "Are those Frost Giants?" one of the soldiers stuttered. His question was rhetorical, and all around him knew this. The soldiers involuntarily shivered as a piercing cold breached their armors and made its way onto their skin.


    Frost Giants formed a large part of the Jotnar, but they were a major fighting force and rare rarely deployed to a planet of minor significance like this one. With their abilities to constantly devour and grow stronger, and their affinity with ice, they were a dangerous group to make enemies out of. And though the soldiers knew that they weren''t going to make it out alive, they now questioned if they would be able to take down even one giant with them.


    "What is that?" a sharp eyed soldier raised his head and said. A blue light was descending rapidly onto the battlefield. Like a meteor of unstoppable might in quickly approached and crashed into the group of giants leading the way.


    *Boom*


    A large man draped entirely in lightning descended from the clouds and smashed into first few giants. Although each giant was about 5 meters tall and had arms as thick as the man himself, none of them were spared the destructive power of lightning. Each giant was burnt into cinders; none survived.


    Without bothering to look at the effects of his landing, the lightning clad brute with long golden hair and a beard that extended to his ?h?st forged ahead. Before him was an army of giants so vast that one couldn''t even discern their true number. Each giant had the aura of a Heaven Realm powerhouse, with several Nobles and a few Ascenders mixed within. Yet this vast army didn''t deter the lightning clad man in the slightest. His blue eyes flashed with a strange glow as several thunder clouds formed in the sky above the battlefield. Lightning fought the sun for the sky and won. Thunder rumbled loudly to signal the victory of the element so destructive that few could wield it.


    Seeing the change of weather and recognizing the man who had intervened, the faces of the soldiers turned red in excitement. With unity of spirit and voice they exclaimed at the top of their voices,


    "All hail the mighty Thor!"


    *Bang*


    "So that is the power of the God of Thunder," the captain sighed in awe. Next to him the small man''s eyes were flashing with d?s?r? and admiration.


    Before long several dots appeared in the sky as a few more figures descended onto the battlefield. Each of these newcomers was a woman, and they all had armors with wings that flapped and beat the winds to carry them around. Leading these women was a blonde haired woman with deep blue eyes who shared similar looks with Thor. In her hand was a beautiful sword that reflected the majesty of the sun. With domineering ferocity that didn''t lose out to Thor''s, she crashed into her first opponent ¨C an Ascended Giant ¨C and it didn''t last past a second.


    *Puchi*


    As though she was merely mowing a lawn, she passed through the horde of giants in very a relaxed manner. It didn''t matter what level the giants had reached. Heavenly Giants, Noble Giants and Ascended Giants all felt the sting of her blade. She felled them quickly, her speed not at all inferior to the god who wielded the lightning of the 1st Heaven. The winged maidens whom she led were also powerful. They swept through the giants like a storm, leaving the soldiers with nothing to do but to cheer them on.


    "All hail the graceful valkyries! All hail the Absolute Queen!"

 Chapter 446 - Thor and Thrud: Father and Daughter

    "That''s the last of them," Thor stated as he crushed the head of an Ascended Giant easily with nothing but his b?r? hands. Next to him was the Valkyrie who shared many of his facial features. The beautiful Valkyrie evaded the blow of an Ascended Giant herself, before twisting her body and making her way behind the Frost Giant to deliver a devastating jab to its temple. Then she leaped high into the air and came crushing down with her sword.


    *Whish*


    The head of the Frost Giant came off quite simply. These two made killing Ascenders look really simple.


    "Don''t wipe that on your cape," Thrud, daughter of Thor and one of the Heads of the Valkyries chided as she forcefully separated the God of Thunder''s hands from his cape. Alas, the simple thunder god had already wiped much of the blood and gore onto his golden cape.


    "Sorry," Thor shrunk back from his daughter''s piercing gaze.


    "Frigg worked hard to make that cape for you. Forget it." Thrud sighed and gave up. Her father was beyond redemption.


    "Any loses?" Thrud turned to ask the Valkyrie who had only just arrived at her side. All around them were several giant corpses. Frozen soil and blood populated the battlefield, and a disgusting smell of rot and decay was starting to ?ssault the senses of those who had lived past the violence of the battle.


    "Yes," the Valkyrie nodded her head and proceeded to inform Thrud of their loses. "We lost 15 Valkyries. Only 35 remain."


    "I see. May they rest in the halls of Valhalla," Thrud struck her ?h?st and said.


    "May they rest in the halls of Valhalla," the other Valkyries imitated her actions in a dignified and united manner.


    "Have the others search the battlefield for the souls of the warriors worthy to join the ranks of Asgard. You know what to do with those that are not." Thrud ordered.


    The golden armored warriors who had fallen weren''t warriors of Asgard but warriors of this world. However, since this world was under the jurisdiction of Asgard, they had every right to take what belonged to them. The warriors with pure and eager hearts who fought to the end without entertaining any thoughts of cowardice would surely be chosen to join the gallant forces of Asgard. As for those that were deemed unworthy, their souls would be allowed to return to Hel.


    "Yes Thrud," the Valkyrie struck her ?h?st with a fist gently before handing out Thrud''s orders to the others.


    "How does it feel to be back?" Thor smiled and asked. "To have others calling you Thrud again. I bet you had forgotten that that is your original name." Thor laughed and added. Thrud''s eyebrows twitched in annoyance, before she lifted her fist and struck Thor.


    "Ouch," Thor grimaced as his laughter was cut short by another ferocious punch to the shoulder from Thrud. That punch was filled with Edict, and though he was well beyond harm due to his powerful runic armor, it still hurt.


    "It was just a question. No need to be so mean about it." Thor rubbed his sore shoulder and said.


    "I had to leave Mane, Dad. A punch is the least you should be getting. I kept telling you to be on your guard concerning Loki. Especially when he returned a few years ago. But noooo. You kept talking about how you had been brothers for so long and how there was no way he would be a menace to the security of Asgard." Thrud gritted her teeth and said. Her words had Thor smiling bitterly.


    "I guess I deserved that," Thor admitted.


    "Heimdall isn''t here to see through the schemes of others. And grandfather is still God knows where, searching for God knows what. Grandma Frigg and Grandaunt Freya are the only reasonable ones left in Asgard. But their task is administrative. You only had to keep an eye on Loki. Just that. What on earth were you doing?!"


    Thrud didn''t spare Thor any of his dignity. She created a shield around them so that no one could hear what they were saying. But her screaming figure and Thor''s flinching frame could be seen by those outside the shield. However, the Valkyries just ignored what was going on. They kept reaping the souls of those worthy across the battlefield. They were clearly not interested in something that they saw at least once each day ¨C Thrud chastising her father.


    As for the golden armored warriors of this world, they didn''t dare to approach the gods and goddesses of Asgard. Mortals couldn''t approach gods. Only gods could approach mortals.


    "Searching for the Chaotic Flame," Thor smiled as he gave his reply to his daughter''s enquiry.


    "Why were you doing that?" Thrud was thrown off by the answer. Her voice subconsciously went lower when she asked her question.


    "We needed a soul weapon for Mane," Thor confessed with a shrug.


    "That¡­" Thrud began to stutter upon hearing his reply. And then a small blush crept up her cheeks as she realised that she had been chastising her father for something he was doing for her son.


    "I''m sorry father," she apologized.


    "Don''t be," Thor waved her apology away. "You were right you know. I could have just sent Forseti to search for the materials and stayed behind to ?ssist Freya and Frigg. But I was eager to get a breather and didn''t think about the consequences of making such a decision." Thor admitted.


    "So, did you find it?" Thrud asked with a bit of expectation shinning in her lovely eyes.


    "Haha. Look at you all excited, just like when you were little." Thor laughed boisterously.


    "No I''m done! I''m done!" The Thunder God of the 1st Heaven hastily waved his hands before him when he saw Thrud balling her fist and raising them up.


    "I not only found it, but I found Devilstone as well," Thor replied with a bit of sweat forming on his forehead.


    "How did you ever manage that?" Thrud asked without bothering to hide her surprise. If her grandfather had been the one saying this, she wouldn''t have been surprised. After all, Odin was a wise god before he was a battle god. But the one saying this was her father who knew nothing but war and chaos. Even with Forseti''s help, it was still unbelievable that he had achieved his goals in such little time.


    "We had help," Thor admitted. He wasn''t offended by her lack of faith in his skills as an explorer. Anyone who knew the slightest bit about him knew that he was anything but that.


    "Who?" Thrud asked with furrowed brows. Anyone who could lead Thor to Devilstone and Chaotic Flames was bound to be as wise as, if not wiser than Odin. And to get such a person''s help certainly must have come at a cost.


    "Ananse," Thor stated simply.


    Thrud''s mouth was wide open in surprise. Of all the names she expected to hear, the one that belonged to the goddess Thrud strove to become was not one of them.


    "There you go," Thor reached out and gently pushed Thrud''s lower jaw back into place. His actions brought her back to earth. And her fist that connected solidly with his shoulder was enough to show that she wasn''t best pleased by his actions.


    "Ouch! I was only trying to help!" Thor protested.


    "That''s not how you help! I am not a child anymore!" Thrud fumed with a red face.


    "Hehe. I can''t help it." Thor scratched his head and said. "No matter how old a child gets, she is still her father''s baby. When Mane is older you will understand." Thor smiled and said. And Thrud couldn''t help but keep silent at his words.


    "So, where is his soul weapon? Has it been created yet?" Thrud asked, eager to change the subject.


    "It has," Thor nodded his head and said. "It was completed six months ago, along with his armor and support weapons," Thor smiled and said.


    "That''s great!" Thrud couldn''t help but beam in excitement, prompting the Valkyries who were passing by to watch her in amazement. They had never seen their leader this excited before.


    "Yes," Thor admitted. His face was full of pride as he witnessed Thrud''s reaction. He looked like he forged the weapons himself.


    "What does it look like ¨C the sword?" Thrud asked.


    "It is not a sword," Thor shook his head and said.


    "What? Mane only knows how to use a sword proficiently." Thrud frowned and said.


    "If it''s not a sword, what is it? A spear, a bow, a machete?"


    "No," Thor smiled and said. "It is an axe."


    "What!!!"


    *Bang*


    "Ouch!!!"


    "Of all the weapons you could have gotten him, you picked an axe?! Who is going to teach him how to use that?!" Thrud fumed as she mounted Thor and struck him over and over again.


    "Are all the gods and goddesses this violent?" a few of the golden armored soldiers couldn''t help but wonder. They shivered involuntarily from the powerful fragments of Edict that escaped the confines of the shield. If they were told that those two were father and daughter there was no way any of them would believe it.


    "I wonder what he did to make Thrud so mad," one of the Valkyries shook her head and only glanced briefly at the duo before resuming her task. The others also had wry smiles on their faces. Yet they still focused on the task at hand.


    After about 2 minutes of continuously pummeling her father into the ground, Thrud''s anger was sated. It was hard to believe that the one known as Alexis across the myriad of realms, who was famed for using her brain to solve most of her problems, could become this violent.


    "You were really heavy handed," Thor touched his bruised face and said. One of his eyes was blackened entirely, and his lips had several cuts on them. However, his armor lit up as several strange runes engulfed him, and in less than a few seconds, all these wounds disappeared.


    "You deserved it," Thrud was still fuming.


    "Well I guess I wasn''t thinking properly when I made that request." Thor apologized.


    "The thing was, I felt within me that a sword wasn''t the way to go. I tried settling for the spear but that also felt wrong. Only when we decided on an axe did things fell right."


    "We?" Thrud asked.


    "Yeah. Father and myself." Thor stated whilst touching his jaw. Although the wounds were gone, it still hurt.


    "Grandfather was part of this?" Thrud was surprised. "Yeah," Thor nodded. "He felt the same as I. We both decided on an axe." Thor added.


    "I see. I am sorry then." Thrud apologized honestly. If her grandfather said so as well, then it really was decreed by the heavens.


    "So where is the axe?" Thrud asked.


    "Being tempered ¨C on Nidavellir."


    "I see," Thrud stroked her chin and said.


    "And I also got Mane another present," Thor smiled mysteriously and said.


    "What present?" Thrud asked.


    "It''s a surprise," Thor laughed.


    "Oh no you don''t," Thrud immediately protested. "All your surprises are usually horrible. You are going to tell me what the surprise is right now," she demanded.


    "Okay okay," Thor lifted his hands in mock surrender. "I got him a few new recruits." Thor stated.


    "Oh? Well that doesn''t sound so bad." Thrud was a bit relieved. Her father''s gift wasn''t as horrible as she thought.


    "Where are these recruits?" she wondered.


    "On a mission ¨C an important mission." Thor''s expression grew stern when he spoke. Thrud was intrigued by this, and was eager to know what this mission was. But something else invaded her mind, and her expression changed swiftly.


    "Wait a minute. You need a person''s blood and hair to consolidate a Soul Weapon, much less a Chief Soul Weapon. The fact that you said the weapon has been made means that this has been done." Thrud stated coldly as several fragments of Edict rushed into her fists.


    "Hold on honey," Thor took a few steps back as sweat poured from his forehead.


    "You took Mane''s blood?! He''s just a boy! And even worse, he''s your grandson!"


    *Bang*


    "Ouch!"

 Chapter 447 - Sealed

    In a desolate land long destroyed during the war of the gods so many millennia ago, a cloaked man with a raven perched on his shoulder resided. He was seated on a small solitary rock; his eyes fixed on what was before him. Before this man was a tear in the dimensional space; a new land of pure energy right before him. In his hand was a long wooden staff that looked insignificant and unimpressive, regardless of which angle one viewed it from. Yet the specks of Edict that flocked towards it and latched onto the staff said otherwise.


    *Croak*


    Along with a loud caw, another small raven descended from the clouds and landed stably on the unoccupied shoulder of the man ¨C nay, the god.


    "Oh Huginn? You''re back. What did you find out?" The man''s raspy voice was heard as he strangely communicated with the bird.


    *Croak*


    The black feathered bird displayed its unusually high intelligence by actually cawing out a reply. And even stranger, the god whom it was subservient to understood what it was saying.


    "I see. Loki has started the war huh. In the end he couldn''t resist his inner demons." The cloaked god sighed in grief, a forlorn look in his eyes. He turned to look at the heavens ¨C the heavens of which he owned a part of ¨C and sighed painfully. His single eye was like a bright star, piercing through the skies above him and seemingly looking beyond the confines of this world.


    *Croak*


    Huginn croaked again, and the other raven that had been silent all this while ¨C Muninn ¨C croaked as well.


    *Croak*


    "Am I going to go back?" Odin, the Allfather; God King of the 1st Heaven and Ruler of Asgard; God of War and Wise King, smiled wryly when he heard the enquiries of his ravens.


    "I cannot and you both know that," Odin shook his head and said. "It isn''t my destiny to stop Loki. This is a war that involves Asgard and Olympus. I am only a god of Asgard. Zeus is only a god of Olympus. Alexis, Ray, and everyone else who has the power to go against them is either a god of Asgard or Olympus. None of them belong to both heavens."


    "Unfortunately, this is a fight that can only be ended by the one who belongs to both heavens. There is only one person who fits the bill." Odin smiled slightly when he spoke of the one who was worthy ¨C the one whose destiny was to stop the meaningless fighting that had engulfed the two heavens.


    *Croak*


    "Yes Huginn. That''s why I sent him to the Dreamscape earlier than planned. I do not believe that a person is ever ready to face their destiny. It is when their destiny comes for them that they would be forced to grow up. A fulfilment of destiny is the measure of a person''s readiness. Nothing else is." Odin remarked as his only eye shone brightly like a precious jewel within its socket.


    "Besides, we cannot leave even if we wanted to. There is a barrier around this world." Odin added.


    *Croak*


    Huginn tilted his head in confusion and addressed the one who had felled many in the War of the Gods.


    "No you can go out if you want. The barrier is meant for me and me alone." Odin smiled and said. Huginn was confused since he had left this world and had only just returned to report what he had learned. So how could Odin say that there was a restriction on this planet?


    "Let me show you. Come, Gungnir" Odin spoke plainly. At his behest, the staff at his side began to greedily swallow the energy that was all around them. It shone with the piercing golden rays of the sun as it slowly took the form of a beautiful golden spear that radiated an air of majesty befitting a Chief Soul Weapon.


    "Shatter" Odin commanded, his bu????ks still firmly planted to the surface of the small rock. He hadn''t moved a muscle for he didn''t need to. It wasn''t going to make a difference anyway.


    He flung the spear with such authority that the entire planet began to creak and shake in pain. For it recognised this power. This was the power that had destroyed all the life it held millions of years ago! Gungnir flew in a straight trajectory, its accuracy not surprising for that was its myth ¨C the spear that never misses. With a deafening crash it struck the sky above them.


    *Boom*


    Gungnir was mighty; its power extraordinary. If even a god had been the target of that spear, they would have been destroyed. Yet when it met the ordinary looking sky of this world, its valiant march was stopped ¨C forcefully. It''s sharp, pointy tip ground against the strange looking barrier that surrounded the planet. Several strange inscriptions were on the barrier, and no matter how hard Gungnir fought, it couldn''t break the restrictions.


    "See?" Odin turned and addressed Huginn who now seemed to appreciate the gravity of the situation. The intelligent raven nodded his small head in understanding. However, Muninn seemed to be in thought.


    "Return, Gungnir," Odin commanded, and Gungnir disappeared before it reappeared in his hand as an unassuming staff.


    "What is it that tickles your mind Muninn?" Odin knew his birds well enough to discern when they had doubts. And Muninn was having doubts right now.


    *Croak*


    "Why is it weaker? Well, the barrier prevents me from recalling Gungnir''s spirit. So I cannot be at full power." Odin shook his head and explained. Gungnir''s spirt was what gave it its true power. Without it Gungnir was only half full. Gungnir''s spirit was a traversing one ¨C it could move freely between realms and return to him. But the barrier seemed to have been prepared to counter this. And this meant that it had likely been put in place when Odin sent Gungnir''s spirit to Mane.


    "Loki really thought this through," Odin smiled bitterly and said. "Which means he has been monitoring all of us all along. He waited for just the right time to strike." Even though Odin had been done in by Loki''s wits, he was still appreciative of the intelligent mind that conjured it.


    "What worries me is that Loki doesn''t have the power to bind me ¨C even if I am without Gungnir''s spirit," Odin brought his knees to his chin and said.


    Loki''s talent was his wit. When it came to power, he was not a match for even Alexis (Thrud) who was a generation younger than him. But the barrier around this planet was strong. It wasn''t something Loki could conjure. Which meant that there was someone powerful ¨C someone at Odin''s level ¨C who was working with Loki. It wasn''t Aries. That boy may be strong but he was too daft to be capable of unlocking the mysteries of Spiritualists or Scholars. Besides, he was weaker than Odin. If it wasn''t because of Loki''s plots, there was no way Aries would have overcome Zeus. So that meant that there was someone else.


    "Well, worrying about it wouldn''t change anything," Odin stated and stood up. His hunched figure was as imposing as a lofty, tall mountain.


    "I might as well try to regain Mimir''s well" Odin murmured and moved into the dimensional crack with his ravens still perched on his shoulders. On his right hand a small golden ring appeared, lighting up the dark path and embalming him in its essence.


    Olympus was a mighty planet. It was the home of the gods of the 2nd Heaven and a sacred land of all who sought to reach the peak of power. Over the years several heroes and gods had come from Olympus. Several King and Queens had been produced from the harsh trials of this land. And each of them had the power to rule several worlds if they saw it fit. Olympus was beautiful, for the Olympian Gods paid much attention to the beauty of their realm. Although the Olympians did wage wars and go on conquests, these battles were never staged on Mount Olympus ¨C their home planet. Even then, wars and conquests had grown thinner and thinner as Zeus grew wiser and wiser. Olympus was calm for millennia, and the worlds under their control rejoiced for it.


    But all good things have to come to an end. Aries, the son of Zeus waged war on Olympus. With his mighty axe he declared a rebellion, and struck Zeus out of the heavens! Olympus was now at war. Those who believed in Aries and took his side contended with those who did not. Heracles, the mighty hero and demigod of Olympus hadn''t fallen. This half-man half-god was so powerful that Aries couldn''t handle him on his own. But Aries was not alone. Several heroes who had grown tired of Zeus''s love for peace sided with Aries, leaving Heracles with the very few who believed that Zeus was still alive.


    Within the throne room of the Olympian Gods, a handsome, burly man was seated on a beautiful throne. His eyes were half-closed in dazed wonder as he appreciated the power that he had longed for all his life. Yet his peaceful indulgence wasn''t to last forever. For a beautiful woman went past the doors of the throne room and came to stand before him. She immediately fell to her knees when she witnessed the majesty of the one on the throne. As though she couldn''t contain herself she shook slightly for a few seconds before regaining her calm.


    "Any news, Atalanta?" Aries, the man on the throne asked after withdrawing his bloodlust that was making Atalanta shake in fear and said.


    "Yes, Lord Aries. Heracles and the others have retreated beyond the path of the mountains. Should we give chase?"


    "No," Aries shook his head. Then he opened his eyes and took a good look at Atalanta. His eyes shone with a perverted light as he licked his lips and said, "You shall serve me tonight."


    Atalanta shook slightly from Aries''s brazen look. Yet though her delicate frame displayed its terror at the request of the man before her, she didn''t dare to decline. The heads of those mounted on pikes outside the palace walls were enough of a deterrent. And even for those poor women, he had his way with them before killing them. So what was the point of disobeying him?


    "Yes, Lord Aries."

 Chapter 448 - Skills of Barbarian Royalty

    In the World of the Three Great Races; A Few Minutes After Mane Had Been Taken


    "Matriarch, I have found her body," a tall man with a gorgeous sword strapped to his waist was knelt right next to a withered corpse. Although the condition of the corpse wasn''t great, with several bruises and injuries littering its frame and severely atrophied muscles, this man still recognised the corpse. And why wouldn''t he? After all, this woman had been his rival for over a hundred years. This man was the aide of the Matriarch of the Ancients. And as it was, as it always had been, he was here with the woman who held the fates of every Ancient in her aged hands.


    The Matriarch of the Ancients was several meters away from her aide. Her focus was on the four figures hanging from the pole. She stared at them with eyes that radiated with infinite wisdom, almost as if they had been soaked in the well of Mimir for dozens of years before being given to her as a gift.


    "Matriarch," her aide called again, and the old woman who had lived several millennia sighed and took her eyes off the only living creatures left on this battlefield. She turned her head aside, moving without any particular urgency with the ?ssistance of her Lionhead cane towards her aide''s side.


    "She doesn''t look good," were the first words that came out of the Matriarch''s mouth when she saw Camila''s corpse. Her aide smiled bitterly hearing her words.


    "You seem to know her," the Matriarch lightly tapped her cane whilst looking at her aide. She could sense a subtle feeling of loss from her ?ssistant when he gazed at the broken figure of the woman at his feet. It wasn''t sadness from losing a loved one, but pity from having a worthy rival taken away. It was the pain that came from knowing that you weren''t the one to defeat your rival. For someone had done it first. And you wouldn''t get the chance to ¨C not ever.


    "I did Matriarch," her aide nodded his head. He didn''t deny it. And why would he? Everyone among the younger generation of the Ancients knew that his greatest rival was no Elemental like most of them. They all knew that his greatest rival was the Barbarian called Camila. In fact, some Elders were aware of this. But the Matriarch of course had no idea. Camila was nothing but a Nightmare. For someone at the Matriarch''s level, even a Pseudo Phenom was hardly worthy of consideration, much less a mere Nightmare. If he wasn''t her aide, there was no way she would have known him.


    "Whoever she was, she seems to have a tiny bit of Barbarian royal blood in her," the Matriarch rubbed her chin as she spoke. Her words stunned her aide, taking him by surprise.


    "Why do you say so, Matriarch?" her aide wondered.


    "Why do you think that she looks like this? You couldn''t possibly think that Mane was the one who did this now, could you?" the Matriarch smiled, and her aide involuntarily blushed having his thoughts seen through exactly. It was okay if he was correct, but from his Matriarch''s tone he was far from the truth. And that was embarrassing.


    "The techniques of the Barbarian Royals ¨C I presume that you have been educated about them?" the Matriarch brushed past his embarrassment and asked.


    "I have Matriarch," he nodded his head. Of course he knew about the Barbarian Royal Family''s techniques. They were skills that every youth was aware of. After all, they were taught about them once they were old enough to fight.


    "Good," the Matriarch nodded her head lightly. "So you know exactly what they can do?" she probed.


    "Yes, Matriarch. The Barbarian Royal Family''s lineage is a special one. The blood of their Royals confers upon them a special constitution, allowing them to employ techniques that no other member of their race is capable of. These techniques are Blood Warrior and Gigantism."


    "Gigantism confers onto its user the ability to increase in height and size by a few times. This allows them to display a greater degree of strength and power. However, it doesn''t end there. Gigantism doesn''t take away the speed of its user, so one doesn''t need to sacrifice speed for the new increase in strength. For their speed remains the same. And in some instances, it even improves! How large a Barbarian Royal can get is dependent on their innate talent and depth of training. Highly talented Barbarian Royals can even extend Gigantism to their weapons."


    "The second technique is Blood Warrior. And what it does is to burn the blood essence of a Barbarian Royal in order to summon a Bloodline Beast and increase their strength temporarily. For highly talented Barbarian Royals with dense royal blood, there is no need to burn their blood essence to use this technique. However, for distant royals, they would have to burn their blood essence first. And this could leave problems for them in the future, harming their foundations."


    "Also, Blood Warrior erodes the minds of all who use it, making them appear as mindless corpses. The weaker a royal''s bloodline, the easier it is for them to be influenced by the soul of the Bloodline Beast. Because of this, Blood Warrior is rarely used. For only a few have been able to rely on it without harming their foundations. Throughout all of Barbarian history, there have been only 12 individuals who have been able to use Blood Warrior without any repercussions ¨C and the Barbarian Lord Magma is one of them."


    "What else do you know about Blood Warrior?" the Matriarch asked.


    "That''s all I know Matriarch. Please educate me Matriarch."


    "Very well," the Matriarch stated, and proceeded to expand her aide''s sphere of knowledge.


    "Gigantism only appears in Royals with dense bloodlines. If a Barbarian Royal has a diluted bloodline, they wouldn''t be able to unlock this technique. However, Blood Warrior has no such restriction." The Matriarch spoke slowly, yet her aide had his ears almost flying in her direction, intent on not missing a single word that she spoke. For the Matriarch''s guidance was a privilege that many didn''t have.


    "Which means that it can appear on folks with very shallow Royal Bloodlines. Your friend here is one such person."


    "Stunned?" the Matriarch smiled and said, seeing her aide''s eyes going wide in surprise. He nodded silently. Of course he was surprised. Barbarian Royalty were still Royalty irrespective of their bloodline density. But Camila had never been treated as royalty. If she had been treated as such, she would have been given much better resources and wouldn''t have been struck at the peak of the Nightmare realm for the past 15 years.


    "Her royal blood is vastly thin. Even I could only catch a trace of it when our men ambushed them earlier. For it to be so thin, it must mean that she must be a descendant of a distant royal ¨C one who has most probably been forgotten by his or her people. Because of that it seems her identity as a royal had been kept hidden. Otherwise she wouldn''t be here. However, it seems that she was aware of her heritage, seeing that she is able to and did use Blood Warrior. But because of how shallow her bloodline density is, using Blood Warrior is much more costly for her. It doesn''t just affect her foundation ¨C but her bones and muscles as well. However, she is a Barbarian, so such injuries wouldn''t be permanent and would have healed eventually."


    "I see," her aide mumbled.


    "How many times have you faced her in battle?" the Matriarch suddenly asked


    "More than a hundred times," her aide confessed.


    "The fact that she never revealed Blood Warrior in front of you means that she was aware of its devastating effects ¨C and what it could do to her. And it also meant that she never truly felt in danger against you."


    "That is true Matriarch. She was usually stronger than me. I only surpassed her recently." Her aide didn''t feel any embarrassment from this. Camila was older than him by fifty years. Although his life was long and eventful, fifty years was still a significant head start. But now he was different from the last time they fought each other, which was ten years ago. Now he was a Pseudo Phenom! And the first of his Ancient generation to reach such a lofty realm!


    "But she used it against Mane," her aide furrowed his brows and said.


    "Yes. The boy is much more powerful than I thought. To be able to take on a strengthened peak Nightmare with nothing but a Pseudo Nightmare''s strength is an extraordinary feat." The Matriarch said and her aide nodded his head.


    They knew that the boy was talented, but they didn''t think his battle prowess had risen to this extent. They had been relaxed because the Heavenly Nether Lion was watching over Mane. But they didn''t expect that he would be able to deal with an enhanced Camila all on his own. And when he looked down at the empty space in her ?h?st which should have encased her missing heart, even he felt a few chills going down his spine. The boy wasn''t just strong, he was decisively ruthless.


    "We must get him back ¨C no matter the cost," the Matriarch''s eyes flashed with a green light when she spoke.


    "But we don''t know who took him," her aide shook his head sullenly. They rushed here as soon as they received the Heavenly Nether Beast''s distress call. But they came to meet no one. If they had, they may have been able to find out what happened here. As for the four unconscious people, neither the Matriarch nor her aide considered them as valuable information centers. This was because they had deduced that they had been unconscious for a very long period of time.


    "While that is true, it doesn''t mean that this place is without clues. Search it thoroughly boy. There must be something that we are missing. I would try and discern the intangible from the energy remnants" The Matriarch said before disappearing to follow the trial of energy that dominated this place ¨C energy belonging to the wind elements.


    "Yes Matriarch," her aide nodded as he proceeded to search the battlefield as well.. As for the four humans who were hanging on the pole, they didn''t bother about them. Why would they care about people who belonged to the Black Dragon of the East?

 Chapter 449 - Elder Glass

    Intersection, Within the Palace of the Barbarian Lord


    Magma was seated upon his throne of authority, his mood a much improved one from the last time when he heard of his sister''s death. Next to him was Rasa the Wise Flame. However they weren''t the only ones here. Although Waska was nowhere to be found, almost every Elder was here before them. And in their midst was a beautiful woman covered in dust kneeling on the ground. As she spoke the looks of the Elders grew grimmer and grimmer. Ugly expressions overtook the faces that were formerly filled with a genuine lack of interest. And they began to speak amongst themselves.


    "If what she says is true, then we must strike ourselves"


    "Yes. Based on her report this boy is too dangerous to be left alive."


    "To think that a Pseudo Nightmare would be able to take on an entire team stronger than him and force a Nightmare to retreat."


    "It''s unbelievable"


    "Yet scary at the same time. He is so young. Who knows what he might become when he is older."


    "And that is why he must die"


    "I don''t think it would be that easy"


    "Why do you say that?"


    "The Ancients. They clearly ambushed them to whittle down their numbers. Which means they knew of the boy''s abilities and had been monitoring him for a while."


    "Do you think he is affiliated to them? You think he''s an Ancient?"


    "Yes. After all, we all know how those monsters nurture their talents."


    "If that''s true then this boy is proof that their methods are better than ours. Maybe we should revise our own methods?"


    "Well¡­that may be true. How do we go about that anyway?"


    Rasa''s brows twitched in annoyance when he sensed that the Elders were going off topic. And he saw it fit to shut them up.


    "Silence!" Rasa''s booming voice shook the Elders out of their personal meeting and reminded them that they were in the presence of their Lord. They wondered how their Lord was taking this news and cast their eyes to him. Yet what they saw was a still calm Magma. They expected that he would be simmering with rage after hearing Chichi''s report. Yet he was very still. And it wasn''t a fury that was hidden in a false sense of calm. This was genuine stillness that was born from a lack of worry. He was deep in thought, as if there was something else that Chichi said that they had missed. Or as if there was something he knew that the others didn''t.


    An old woman who had been quiet this entire time cast her eyes onto the man seated on the throne. She had known him since he was a boy, and was aware of his character inside and out. Even when others couldn''t read his mood, she could. She sensed that there was something amiss. She squinted her eyes and surveyed the empty space to the Lord''s left ¨C the space that was meant for Waska the Mad Flame. Her eyes flashed with a strange light, and she approached the Lord.


    "What is it Teacher?" Magma asked when he sensed Elder Miriam approaching. For the first time since Chichi entered the hall, he had cast his eyes onto someone else.


    "If I may be so bold to ask, where is Waska the Mad Flame?" Elder Miriam asked, her hunched posture not an indication of her respect for her student ¨C not that she didn''t respect him ¨C but a characteristic gifted her by her aged spine.


    "So you noticed," Magma smiled slightly and said. How could he not see the look of expectation in his Teacher''s eyes? Just like she had spent so much time with him, he had spent a lot of his time with her as well. Just as she knew him, he knew her.


    "Rasa asked him to keep an eye on the situation in case anything went wrong. It was unwise to put all our faith in Ivor after all. Trusting a deeply scheming man like him is the epitome of stupidity." Magma stated slowly, and the faces of several of the Elders eased into relaxed expressions. If Waska was there, then everything would be fine. Elder Miriam''s eyes flashed with an immense amount of satisfaction and expectation. The boy who was now a man had learned well. And soon the one responsible for the death of her grandchild would be groveling at her feet. Oh how she was going to make him suffer.


    There was one more person who was shaken by the news that Waska had been dispatched along with them. Chichi had her forehead pressed to the ground this entire time. Yet when she heard Lord Magma''s words she couldn''t stop her body''s reaction. She instinctively lifted her head, her eyes filled with surprise and confusion. And within these swirling emotions were several questions she dared not ask.


    "Are you surprised?" Magma of course wasn''t going to miss her reaction. She was kneeling right before him after all.


    "I can see that you have many questions," the one who lorded his authority over the Barbarians frowned and said.


    "I dare not harbor such thoughts Lord Magma!" Chichi exclaimed, terrified by the frown that her actions had brought to Magma''s face.


    "Waska was asked to follow you at a distance and not interfere. No matter what happened to you, his goal was to get the boy and nothing else." Magma went on to explain things anyway. It wasn''t difficult to discern the thoughts of the warrior kneeling before him.


    "If you succeeded then that was that. That meant that Ivor, for the first time in his life, had made an honest bargain." Magma continued. Yet as he spoke, Chichi felt a chill consume her heart and threaten to swallow her whole. Her entire body screamed in fear and pushed her to run out, yet her reasoning reminded her that there were many old generation Elders like Elder Miriam around. Each was more than a handful, much less the entire group. She wouldn''t be able to escape even if she tried. Not to mention the two powerful Barbarian men staring at her like she was nothing but prey. She was trapped!


    "But you failed," Magma calmly uttered, yet his words caused a huge change in the Palace Hall, for the aura of the one who stood beside him ¨C the one called the Wise Flame ¨C flared and danced for all to see. This aura was as strong as Waska''s, if not stronger. And it wound itself around Chichi like an iron vice, buckling her to the ground.


    "Your entire team failed. When you made your escape there were only two remaining ¨C Camila and Nasir. And who even knows whether they have been able to stop the boy by themselves or if Waska had to intervene. You must be punished. Ideally your punishment would be death"


    When Chichi heard her Lord speaking of her death so simply, her heart clenched. She knew that this was most likely going to be her fate, but knowing didn''t make the process any easier. She had to accept the cold reality that was she was a Barbarian. And in Intersection, her life was worth as much as the missions she failed. The ones she had completed ¨C in distinction or not ¨C mattered little. Only the ones that failed mattered. For those determined your fate. And hers was currently heading in a direction she didn''t want to see. She was headed to the reaper of souls. And boy must he be delighted to see her, the one who brought him so many others during her long, war-filled life.


    "However it would be unfair to take your life since it is unclear whether your team did succeed or not."


    "Elder Glass," Magma called out, and one of the elders from the old generation stepped out. His aura was mountainous, and his posture was as straight as a rod. If not for his long grey hair, none would have identified him as old.


    Chichi''s relief from hearing that her life would be kept for a little while longer disappeared when she heard the title ''Elder Glass''. She knew that name. Who in Intersection didn''t?! He was the most powerful Elder in Intersection, possessing the strength of a peak Pseudo Phenom and the personal guard, well former personal guard, of the former Barbarian Lord ¨C Magma''s father. He himself had guarded Magma for a time until the boy had grown into a man and had created his own team. It was only then that he stepped down. Yet none dared to underestimate him. For he was Magma''s second teacher! It was he who groomed Magma into the warrior he was, and most of Magma''s fighting techniques were created by this man''s hands.


    But he was famous for another reason. After Magma''s father gave up his position, Elder Glass refused to call out the name of another but him as his Lord. So he cut off his own tongue! He was a man famed for his loyalty, and in Intersection the name Glass was the apex of fidelity. He was man worthy of the title ''genius'', and everyone knew this. In fact, if it wasn''t for his d?s?r? to retire from a life of war and focus on exploring the mysteries of the world, there was no way Magma would have indisposed him from his position as Protector. Because of his vagabond nature he was rarely around, so Chichi wasn''t expecting to hear that name.


    "Take her to the Sweepers," Magma ordered. Yet his tone was unusually soft when he spoke to Elder Glass. Although he didn''t call this man teacher because he dared not to, he still valued and cherished him. And though his training had been barbaric and tough, it was that very training that made him who he was today. He hated him when he was a child, yet as an ?du?t he loved this man very much.


    *Nod*


    Elder Glass nodded his head and easily lifted Chichi off the ground and onto her feet. He pointed at the door, his intentions clear. Chichi dared not question him. She shakily walked past the door with the most powerful Elder behind her. Their destination? The Sweepers: a prison for the prisoner of the Lord.


    The Elders stared at the door for a short while, watching as Chichi was escorted out of the Palace. Then they returned to business, discussing several important topics with the Lord whilst they waited for news from Waska. It was several hours later when Waska the Mad Flame finally made an appearance. Yet when he came without the boy, each person''s expression grew grim.


    "What happened?" Rasa asked seeing Waska''s disheveled countenance. No matter how strong the boy was, there was no way he would have been able to deal with Waska.


    "She came!" Waska screamed, his composure lost.


    "Who came?" Rasa asked the question they all wanted to know.


    "Ivor''s Master! That accursed su??ubus ¨C Ashera!"

 Chapter 450 - Primogenitor and Pathfinder

    The Barbarian Race was blessed with 7 Ancestors. They were blessed with seven men and women who had the power of Phenoms. However, these 7 weren''t always around. At times all but one were outside Intersection, seeking to find the mysteries of the world they didn''t quite understand although they had reached the very summit of the said world. It was rare for all 7 to be present at Intersection at a time. At most there would be about 4 or 5 available. But even then, the people of Intersection had no idea which Ancestors were around, and how many remained to watch over their city. Even the Elders weren''t privy to such knowledge. Of course there were some Elders who knew more than others. A few families which were blessed to have a member of their race as an Ancestor knew when their Ancestors were around. And an Elder like Glass was also made privy to such knowledge because of his special identity. However, there was one person who was always aware of the movement of the Ancestors. There was one person who always knew how many Ancestors were around and when the others were expected to return. This person was the Barbarian Lord ¨C Magma.


    As the son of the former Lord who was now one of the Ancestors, Magma knew more than most. And as the Lord, he knew everything that happened in his city. And the details of the Ancestors were part of his vast knowledge. For they lived right here with him.


    Magma walked through the halls of the palace with a solemn look on his face. In one of the strangest scenes of his life, Magma was without any Protectors. Waska and Rasa not allowed to see the people he was going to see. Knowing that Ashera had stretched her bony hands for a boy who was meant to be here with them, suffering agony and pain only known to the vilest prisoners of the Barbarians, he understood that he didn''t have the power to handle the current situation. He had to inform the Ancestors about this. The Phenoms had to be made aware of the vastly powerful threat that had appeared once again.


    Magma walked for quite a while before branching into a desolate corridor. Unlike the previous corridors there weren''t any maids or manservants scrambling to pay their respects to the passing Lord. This place was dark and quiet, and the only source of light was a flickering candle which stood on a small lampstand at the end of the corridor. Magma walked all the way to the end of the hallway. A huge wall stood in his path, yet Magma was certain that his journey was beyond these walls. Ignoring the heat of the candle and the burning wax that would have singed the skin of any normal man, Magma held on to the candle and gave it a gentle tug. The huge wall ?r??n?d in response to his actions, and slowly caved inwards before sliding to the side to give room to Magma.


    "Hoo"


    Magma took a deep breath to calm his rampaging heart. It was like this every time. No matter how many times he came to see them, or even when he left their presence; every time he came here he was filled with a sense of anxiety and dread that he just couldn''t overcome. It didn''t matter that his father was usually behind these walls. For even the man who had raised him didn''t feel the same. For images of the smiling and gentle father that Magma knew had been slowly washed away and replaced with the stern, expressionless gaze of an Ancestor. Magma was a Lord; a ruler of an entire race. Yet even he cowered before the man that was his father once upon a time.


    Once Magma felt that he was good to go, he walked past the wall and into the path its movements had created. He found himself in an ordinary room with only a few necessities.


    When Magma got past the wall a bright light ?ssaulted his eyes, yet his gaze remained steely, fixed on the man who was seated several meters away from him with a chessboard on a table before him. This man had long black hair without a single strand of grey. He was handsome, and shared a lot of facial similarities with Magma. And this was no coincidence, for he was Magma''s father. However, his red eyes were solely on the chessboard before him, almost as if he didn''t sense that someone had come in. He wasn''t alone though. There was another person seated opposite him ¨C a woman. This woman was dressed in a comfortable pair of trousers and a large shirt that covered her entire torso. Her beautiful face was all smiles as she enjoyed the game of chess with the man.


    The huge wall shut behind Magma with a small boom. Yet the two who were engrossed in their game of chess didn''t turn to acknowledge Magma''s presence. And Magma didn''t dare to interrupt them. As he waited the anxiety in his heart grew heavier, and like a filled up dam it threatened to break.


    "Yes! I won this time! Finally, the old triumphs over the new!" The beautiful woman exclaimed, her laughter like lovely bell chimes that soothed the soul.


    "I lost," the man smiled bitterly and finally turned to look a Magma.


    "You still hesitate to come in after you open the door. If you don''t learn to calm your heart even in this mild situation, how would you ever reach the realm of Phenoms?" the man shook his head as he chided. Magma remained quiet with his head bowed as he listened to his father''s words.


    "Don''t be so hard on the boy Pathfinder," the woman stood up and walked over to Magma.


    "He is at the peak of the Pseudo Phenom Realm now. He didn''t have this strength the last time we spoke." The woman said. Then she pulled Magma''s hand intimately and led him to the table.


    "You have to stop being so considerate towards him Primogenitor," Pathfinder shook his head with a wry smile on his face. When he became an Ancestor he gave up everything he owned, including his name. Pathfinder was the title he had been given by the other six because he was the first to rediscover the path to the realm of Phenoms in the Barbarian Race in the last 2000 years.


    "And why would I do that? Just like you he is my descendant, and I always pamper my descendants." Primogenitor waved away Pathfinder''s advice like she was swatting a fly.


    The Primogenitor was the first ancestor. She had lived longer than anyone in Intersection, and had been present since the time the three races were allies, to the times of the first war, and was still alive now. So vast were her experiences that no one remembered her actual name, and neither did she. She was the first ever ruler ¨C the first Lord of Barbarians ¨C and Pathfinder and Magma''s direct descendant.


    "Besides, he has my hair," Primogenitor added with a smile. Indeed, Magma''s hair was directly inherited from his ancestor. His red streaks were just like hers, only a tad bit duller in brightness.


    "So, why are you here?" Pathfinder sighed and asked his son. Magma only came here when he had something important to share, and Pathfinder didn''t think that this time was going to be any different.


    Magma who had been quiet the entire time finally lifted his head to speak. His eyes first settled on the Primogenitor, before he hastily turned to face his father upon seeing the teasing smile etched across her beautiful face. He knew that if he stared any longer, she would start pulling his cheeks. He was old, very old. But to The Primogenitor he was still a child, and he wanted to avoid being treated like a child at all costs.


    Although his father''s eyes brought him an immense amount of discomfort and a bit of disappointment, Magma was able to power through and state the purpose for his visit. He narrated the incidents of the past few days simply yet accurately. He told them about the death of the Princess, and their pursuit of the one who was responsible. Yet even when he mentioned the Princess''s death, his father didn''t flinch even once. It was like the man was hearing about the death of a complete stranger. As for the Primogenitor, she furrowed her brows at his words. However Magma didn''t for once think that she was touched by the loss of a royal. It was more likely that she was wondering why he had come here for something of this nature. After all, she didn''t know the Princess, and she expected that Magma should be able to handle the capture of a puny Pseudo Nightmare.


    "What was the complication?" Pathfinder asked. His sharp brain was quick to understand that his son who was hailed as the greatest genius ever to appear in the Barbarian Race was never going to come here for this.


    "Ashera. Ashera appeared and came for the boy." Magma stated, and the expressions of the two Ancestors before him finally changed.


    Over the course of the vast and long history of the Barbarian Race, there had been 15 Barbarians who had broken into the realm of Phenoms. Of those fifteen, war amongst the three races had robbed the Barbarian Race of 8. The Ancients alone were responsible for the death of 6 of those 8 Phenoms who had been lost. Ananse and the Matriarch had killed two each. The other two were shared amongst the other Ancient Ancestors. As for the Elementals, they had only two deceased Barbarian Ancestors to their name. However, this was not all. The two had fallen to one Elemental and one Elemental alone; the accursed Master of the Tower of the Hundred ¨C Ashera! Just like Ananse and the current Ancient Matriarch, she was responsible for the death of two Ancestors.


    And that was the only reason why Magma was here. For there was a person with a personal vendetta against Ashera. For those two Ancestors whom she killed were the brothers of the red haired Primogenitor! The eyes of the Barbarian Primogenitor became fiercer, and a turbulent aura filled the entire Intersection as she squeezed a short sentence through her clenched teeth.


    "So that witch has finally shown up again!"

 Chapter 451 - Asheras Past and the Curse of the Hundred

    "Calm down Primogenitor," Pathfinder placed his hand on his ancestor''s shoulder in an attempt to calm her down. Very few things could make the one, true ancestor of the Barbarians lose control.


    Unfortunately, Ashera was one of those few things. In fact, the other ancestors knew that to mention the name Ashera in her presence was inviting her wrath. And no one wanted that ¨C not even those who now shared a status almost equal to hers.


    "Whew. Sorry about that." Primogenitor apologized with a bright smile on her face. It was almost as if her outburst from before was nothing but an illusion. But it wasn''t. And Magma knew that all too well. His pale face and rapidly trembling frame from the residual aura of a powerful Phenom was proof of that.


    "Calm yourself," Pathfinder furrowed his brows and placed his hand on Magma''s shoulder. Immediately Magma felt a warm current flowing through his body and calming his rioting energy. Like a gentle flame it boiled the fear and anxiety from before into nothingness and restored Magma''s calm.


    "Thank you Da¡­Pathfinder" Magma almost referred to his father as he did a long time ago, before he became an Ancestor. The warmth he felt from his father''s hand took his mind back to the times of peace and calm before his ascension. But he was quick to recover himself and correct his error. He couldn''t call Pathfinder by any other title than his current one.


    "I wouldn''t do it again. You need to handle matters like these by yourself. That''s the only way you can become a Phenom and live up to your potential." Pathfinder smiled warmly and said. His smile stunned Magma for a while. For it had been a very long time since he saw his father smile with actual emotion. Usually it was a shallow stretching of the lips that meant very little and contained almost nothing. It was merely symbolic. Not this time though.


    "What do we do Primogenitor? Are you going to go after her?" Pathfinder turned to the Primogenitor and asked.


    "Yes. Absolutely. Now that she has shown herself she shouldn''t think of getting away. After all, we have a valid excuse this time." The Primogenitor smiled with excitement.


    Pathfinder smiled bitterly seeing her behavior. Although he was the youngest of the Ancestors and the Primogenitor the oldest, when the two were together he was the more m?tur? one. No one would ever see both of them walking along the road and think she was the older of the two. Her looks aside, her aura was extremely vibrant ¨C not archaic like one would have thought ¨C and her attitude was that of a brash teenager. And that was why most of the decisions were left to the 2nd Ancestor. Unfortunately, he wasn''t around. But it wasn''t like Pathfinder was just going to let her have her way.


    "I don''t think it is the right decision Primogenitor," Pathfinder naturally objected to her willful demands.


    His words caused Magma to frown in worry. Pathfinder''s daughter by blood was dead. Yet the man wasn''t intent of bringing the murderer to heel. If this was what it meant to become a Phenom; if it took losing one''s feeling and emotions to reach the peak, Magma felt that he was much better off not reaching it at all.


    "Why not?" the Primogenitor folded her arms with a glaring look of disapproval on her face. She was obviously not happy with Pathfinder''s objection.


    "Because it is too risky," Pathfinder shook his head and said. He continued with his explanation seeing that she was silent.


    "Since she has shown herself, that means that she is either prepared to deal with those that would come flocking her way, or she has backup. Even if she doesn''t, she was strong enough to kill two Ancestors on her own thousands of years ago. She must have definitely grown stronger. It would be too risky for you to go. You are the absolute pillar of our race. Any of us can die, but not you."


    The Primogenitor was powerful. There was no doubt about that. Amongst the Ancestors, only the 2nd could match her raw power. And even then, he could only hold her off for roughly thirty minutes. He would succumb to her strength after that amount of time elapsed.


    But no matter how powerful she was, it was Ashera they were talking about here. Pathfinder wasn''t alive when Ashera was carving out territories for the Elementals. However, the 2nd had told him a lot about this woman. Her power was at the very peak of this world, and the 2nd was not at all confident of taking her on.


    "That woman¡­she is just as powerful as 1st"


    That was what 2nd told him. And Pathfinder knew that it wasn''t modesty that birthed such a compliment for a woman who was their enemy. 2nd was genuinely wary about the woman. And Pathfinder could sense a bit of relief in the 2nd Ancestor, Destiny''s tone when he spoke of her disappearance and disinterest in the affairs of the last few thousands of years.


    "I think that you worry too much," the Primogenitor shrugged and said.


    "On the contrary 1st, I think that my worry is very much warranted," Pathfinder counted.


    "If she is cursed like you say she is and that an effect of this curse is the power of infinite regeneration, how can you possibly kill her?" Pathfinder argued, and the Primogenitor furrowed her brows displeasingly.


    Ashera and the Curse of the Tower of Hundred. It wasn''t known to many, but all who knew of this character and the tower in which she resided were capable of changing the fate of this world with their actions.


    It was said that Ashera was a young and willful Elemental once. She did as she pleased and thought nothing of her actions. Her pride was immense as she was a talent capable of instilling fear even in the powerful relics of the old generation. And her beauty was almost mythical. Everywhere she went, her beauty drew people to her. Sometimes it brought her good people, other times it brought her degenerates. It just so happened that one day it was a degenerate her beauty had pulled over.


    The man was the son of a wealthy merchant and thought himself fit to possess the beauty before him. After all, if money couldn''t have this gorgeous specimen before him, what could? It turned out that money was not enough. Ashera cared less for the man, and her pride as an Elemental saw her enter into a fit when she realised that the one making advances on her was a mere mortal ¨C a human. She snapped his spine in half and frayed his nerves, leaving him alive ¨C but only just. The man became an invalid who had to spend the rest of his life in bed, all because he approached a woman out of his league.


    Ashera disregarded the incident. To her, it was another uneventful morning. But she was in for a surprise. The man she had thought of as mortal was indeed mortal. But he wasn''t a mortal human. He was a mortal Ancient! The man was average, but his father was an Ancient Elder, and a powerful one at that. With his strength at the peak of the Pseudo Phenom Realm, few could match up to him. Hearing what happened to his son, he sought Ashera out, and they fought.


    It was here that Ashera''s legend truly began. With her strength only in the middle stages of the Pseudo Phenom Realm, she was able to push back the Elder after cutting off one of his arms! Through this fight she displayed her uncommon talent and superior battle senses that exceeded even that of Barbarians! The Elder could only helplessly flee back to the Ancients.


    Years passed by after that incident. Those years quickly became decades, and those decades became centuries. Centuries turned into millennia and millennia into tens of millennia. Ashera became a Phenom and her legend grew. People knew her less as Ashera and more by her moniker ¨C the Blood Witch. She cut down expert after expert, legend after legend. Yet none of her feats quite compared to her legend of killing the two brothers of the Barbarian Primogenitor. The two were powerful Phenoms who were alive long before Ashera, yet they fell to her blade! Not only that, she was able to escape as well. But her victory wasn''t without cost. She was injured, and had to go into hiding for a while for she had felled an Ancient Ancestor as well in her escape. Hunted by the two races meant that she couldn''t return to the Elementals for fear of implicating her race. But no hiding spot was permanent.


    The one-armed Elder hadn''t forgotten his blood debt. He had only buried it because he was weaker. But hearing that the powerful Ashera was injured, he knew that his time for vengeance had come. He was a master of the Mystic Arts and a very skilled seeker. So he gathered a team and went after Ashera, following the trails she had left behind. And he did find her. And they fought. But he underestimated the Blood Witch. For even injured, she was much more powerful than he could comprehend. But that was okay. He had come prepared. Feeling that this was the only chance he was ever going to get, he took out a relic of his family; a miniature tower that was said to contain the power to inflict curses.


    Using the tower as a medium and giving his life as the price, he cursed Ashera. He cursed her with her worst fears.


    "With my life as the price, I curse you. May you be inflicted with your greatest fear. And may you never die. You will live on and wish for death as the thing you fear the most consumes you."


    The curse was a curse of infinite regeneration and her worst fear. To the one-armed Elder, someone like Ashera must fear losing her power the most. And that was what he expected to happen. But if he had lived long enough to see the effects of his curse, he would have been stricken with grief and wished he had been more specific with his words.


    For Ashera''s greatest fear wasn''t losing her power. Her greatest fear was being fettered to one spot ¨C unable to move as she wished. She feared losing her freedom the most. And that was what happened. The tower grew, and pulled her in. It kept her trapped and prevented her from being able to move as freely as she wished. And though she had found a way to navigate the boundaries of the curse over the years, she couldn''t leave the tower for long. She was still trapped. And she had no way to break the curse.


    "It is true that she has infinite regeneration."


    The 1st sighed as she recalled the legend of Ashera''s curse. She was experienced enough to know that everything was true. However, there was one thing that the one-armed Elder didn''t account for. The Tower of the Hundred wasn''t an ordinary curse medium, it was also a trial. As long as someone other than the cursed completed all the trials, they would be able to make a request.. And that request could be the cancellation of a curse.

 Chapter 452 - The Curse of Ashera

    "Ashera isn''t as strong as she was in her prime," the Primogenitor suddenly decided to say some things that she had kept hidden for a while.


    "How so?" Pathfinder asked. As Phenoms they didn''t grow weaker as they aged, only stronger. So the 1st Ancestor had to explain what exactly she meant.


    "When she was sealed in the Tower of the Hundred, she wasn''t sealed as the Blood Witch." The Primogenitor started.


    "The Tower of the Hundred isn''t an ordinary cursing artefact. It has the ability to seal a person''s strength as well. But since it wasn''t evoked in her curse, it isn''t part of the bargain. That''s where her actual curse comes into play."


    "The reason she is able to leave the tower every now and then is because of the sealing power of the tower."


    "What do you mean?" Pathfinder furrowed his brows. The 1st Ancestor was surely taking her sweet time to get to the point. But he knew better than to rush her.


    "Since the curse didn''t involve losing her power, that function of the tower was left to sleep. However, as the decades went by and she craved her freedom more than anything else, Ashera began to study the tower. She understood a few things and came to realise that this curse tool was much more complicated than she thought. Not only was the method to breaking her curse contained within the tower and the trials thereof, the method to go around her curse was there also."


    "Water, little Magma," the 1st primogenitor turned and said to Magma who had been quiet this entire time and was only listening. Magma smiled wryly when she heard her address him as little Magma, but she was probably one of the few in the entire Intersection with the power to address him as such.


    "Yes Primogenitor," Magma hastily got up and walked over to the end of the room to do just what he had been asked to do. It didn''t take him long to return with a serving tray carrying two cups of water.


    "Thank you," the Primogenitor smiled and picked up a cup. The tray was placed on the table, next to the chessboard. As for the other cup of water, it was meant for Pathfinder. Though he made no such requests, Magma didn''t see any problem with providing it just in case.


    "Good thinking. Thank you." Pathfinder nodded his head at Magma and said. Although he didn''t reach for the cup, he did acknowledge Magma''s thought. For it was when one put down his/her status that one was able to grow mentally.


    "That was refreshing," the Primogenitor sighed pleasurably after downing a huge gulp of water. "Where was I?" she asked.


    "You said the method to go around the curse was also contained within the tower," Pathfinder answered. Magma didn''t reply because it wasn''t in his position to.


    "Ah yes! Indeed, the loophole in the curse was also contained within the tower. You see, although her freedom had been robbed, there was a way to still have some level of freedom ¨C not much, but good enough. And Ashera found out what it was. The tower would give her freedom based on how much strength she was willing to seal away."


    The 1st Ancestor''s words stunned Magma greatly. From the story so far, Ashera had several enemies. Some of these enemies were Barbarians of immense power like the 1st Ancestor, whilst others were of the Ancient race and were close to the Primogenitor in strength. The main issue was, all of her enemies were powerful, and she needed to be strong enough to confront them.


    However, in order to receive some freedom from the Tower of the Hundred, she had to be willing to give up part of her strength. It sounded simple, but it was far from that. Even losing a small fraction of her strength would cause Ashera to be below the likes of the Primogenitor and other powerful Ancestors in power. And this would mean that even if she had her freedom, it wouldn''t last for long before she was sought and killed. But since her regeneration was endless, it was more likely that she would be tortured for eternity than killed. Either way, none of these options were pleasurable ones.


    Pathfinder furrowed his brows in thought. Although it was new information to him, his steely mind wasn''t going to be moved that greatly by it. His main concern was what this kind of information did for them.


    "How do you know this?" Pathfinder asked. The 1st wasn''t exactly the brightest, and she wasn''t a curious one either. Research wasn''t her forte and intelligence reports were according to her, "the most boring notes on the planet." So the real issue was the source of her information.


    "When the Ancient Matriarch and I were on good terms all those years ago, she allowed me to learn about the Tower of the Hundred. She told me a lot about the tower." The Primogenitor''s reply was satisfactory to Pathfinder who only nodded his head to acknowledge that he got it.


    Since the Ancients had lost the tower in sealing Ashera, there was no point in hiding its functions from the Barbarians. After all, Ashera had most likely shared all she knew about the tower with her race since she needed them to find a way out for her.


    "So, how much of her strength did she sacrifice in exchange for some bit of freedom?" Pathfinder wondered. Magma was also wondering the same thing. It was the most important detail of the story. It was this information that was going to determine if they could capture Ashera or not.


    "Well, the tower allows you to leave its confines when you sacrifice 10% of your strength. And if you want to bring people in, you must sacrifice 2% more for each person recruited. And based on her appearances over the past few decades, I would say that she has given away about 20% of her strength."


    "20%?" even Pathfinder was stunned by what he was hearing. 20% was no meagre sum. For warriors, strength was wealth. Asking a warrior to seal 20% of his/her strength was akin to asking a rich man to give away 20% of his possessions. It was highly difficult. Even 10% was immense, let alone 20!


    "That means that she isn''t your match at all now," Pathfinder added.


    "No she isn''t," the 1st Ancestor smiled.


    "But can you breach the tower?" Pathfinder asked, although he already had a good guess as to what the answer to that question was. Ashera had made a lot of enemies. It was to the extent that Barbarians and Ancients who didn''t see eye to eye shared intelligence concerning her. Yet no one had tried to break into the Tower of the Hundred to apprehend her.


    "No one can. That tower is an instrument of the old times. It was made with the strongest of materials and the strangest of powers. Even if all the Phenoms in the world come together, we wouldn''t be able to dent its walls." The 1st Ancestor had a wry smile on her face as she spoke.


    Her words shook Magma to the core. Phenoms were existences that were way beyond the current him. Yet the most powerful Phenom he knew was saying that even if all the Phenoms came together, they wouldn''t be capable of leaving a mark on a tower!


    "Besides, the tower doesn''t have just one location. It disappears and reappears from time to time. No one can find it unless she actually reveals herself to the world." She added.


    "So what you''re basically saying is that there is no way anything can be done to her," Pathfinder smiled and said. He started to wonder why the Primogenitor was so eager to attack Ashera when there was nothing she could actually do to her.


    "Not entirely," the 1st Ancestor shook her head and said.


    "Why?"


    "Now that she has shown herself all we have to do is monitor her tower. It wouldn''t move for a while now because of the boy. It would take about 2 years for her to be able to use its teleportation function. So as long as we wait patiently¡­"


    "We would be able to capture her," Pathfinder finished his ancestor''s statement.


    "Exactly. She loves her freedom. She would definitely leave at a point. That''s when we get her."


    "I see."


    "As for the boy, once the Master of the Tower is gone, it would be a simple feat for me to retrieve him from the tower," the Primogenitor stated, much to Magma''s relief. For he thought that they had actually forgotten about his sister''s murderer.


    The eyes of the 1st flashed ominously as she declared confidently, "The day that witch leaves her tower will be the day I get my revenge!"

 Chapter 453 - Tell No One

    Back in the village where everything began, two older men were engaged in conversation. They sat on small stools within a well-lit hall with small bowls filled with mead before them. Both had heads full of grey hair and wrinkled faces. However, that was where their similarities ended. Whilst one of them was relatively dashing yet ordinarily dressed, the other had several peculiar piercings all over his body. As if that wasn''t enough, he had ornaments of iron hugging his wrist and ankle joints. His eyes were entirely white in color, and his expression that of total nonchalance. These two old men where Old fan and Chief Doctor Kaka.


    "She shouldn''t have appeared. Now that old witch in the Barbarian camp would be stalking her like a hungry wolf." Old Fan sighed before gently downing a bit of his mead.


    "At least she was the one to come for him, and the worst case scenario you hoped to not see didn''t happen," Chief Doctor Kaka gulped down his mead greedily ad said. He used his hand to wipe the remains of the expensive brew before taking another huge gulp.


    "That is true. Better her than the other Ancestors." Old Fan acknowledged with a small nod.


    "But the fact that she took him into the tower must mean that she thinks he is her best bet to breaking her curse. And that means that the boy is in danger anyway. If the Ancients find out where he is, things wouldn''t end well." Kaka stated expressionlessly.


    "I don''t think it''s that bad. The boy belongs to no one, so even if the Ancients do find out where he is, nothing can be done about it." Old Fan remarked.


    "That''s where you are wrong old friend. You told me that the boy accepted Dan as his guardian, didn''t you?"


    "I did," Old Fan replied.


    "Dan is an Ancient. And not just any Ancient, he is the Prince of Ancients; the one spoken about in their myths and legends. He is the one they have been waiting for several millennia for. Since Mane is his ward, that means Mane is technically Ancient. And that gives them all the right in the world to demand that he be returned to them." Kaka explained his thoughts, and Old Fan frowned as he listened.


    "Then it''s a problem," he didn''t want to admit it, but Kaka''s reasoning was sound.


    "It''s only a problem if they find out where he is," Kaka corrected his friend.


    "That wouldn''t be difficult Kaka. There were too many loose ends in this case. The Barbarians know too much. As long as they say something, the Ancients would find out everything they need to know." Old Fan frowned and said. This was what troubled him the most ¨C that the power to keep this secret was not in their hands.


    "I doubt they would speak. After the Ancient Matriarch and the Barbarian Primogenitor''s fallout a thousand years ago, the two races haven''t been on exactly good terms. They have fought for silly reasons and never cooperate for anything. They would rather sew their mouths shut than to say anything of benefit to the other."


    Unlike the wary Old Fan, Kaka was very calm about everything that was going on. As he sipped his mead his bracelets made clanking sounds from striking each other. Yet even that didn''t break a hole in his tranquil state.


    "I guess you are right." Old Fan said. "And Dan ¨C is he still here?" Kaka changed the topic.


    "He is. But he wouldn''t be here for long. He is planning to go to Asher City to look for Mane tomorrow." Old Fan replied.


    "Do we want him to get to Asher City?" Kaka''s pupil-less eyes flashed with an ominous light as he spoke. A faint whiff of blood made its way from Kaka and into the room as he struggled to keep his bloodlust in check.


    "It doesn''t matter whether he gets there or not. My grandchildren aren''t there anymore, and he wouldn''t be able to find Mane." Old Fan shook his head and waved his hand, and Chief Doctor Kaka''s bloodlust was f?r??b?? extinguished.


    "I''m sorry," Kaka apologized insincerely when he realised that he had failed to keep his bloodlust in check.


    "I thought it was okay now," Old Fan frowned and said.


    "It would take a lot more than a few years to heal an injury inflicted by the Ancient Matriarch," Kaka finally showed a bit of emotion when he spoke of his injury. He looked a bit lost, but he swiftly recovered his bearings and went back to work on his mead.


    "That''s true," Old Fan nodded his head.


    "With Dan, just to be cautious send Samoa and the Hands after him. They are to tail him; nothing more. If the Matriarch comes for him, we must know." Old Fan ordered.


    "As you wish," Kaka''s reply was as unconcerned as it had always been, yet Old Fan didn''t seem to mind. The peculiar old man always got things done. He was highly efficient, despite his not so pleasing appearance. So Old Fan didn''t care about his behavior.


    "Whom did Ivor say Lily and Lam were going to study under?" Old Fan asked.


    "You are really getting old. Even your memory is beginning to fail you." Kaka mocked. Old Fan smiled slightly in response. It wasn''t that he had forgotten. The thing was that he was distracted when Kaka was telling him about it so he didn''t know at all.


    "They will study under Ancestor Pier," Kaka replied.


    "That is best. If anyone can bring the best out of them, it would be their very own Great Great Grandfather."


    "What is this uncomfortable feeling that I just can''t rid myself of." A tall, good looking, dark-skinned man was sitting on the rooftop of his own house with an uncomfortable expression on his face. His eyes were filled with confusion, and there was a sense of unease he just couldn''t shake off. For about four hours now this uneasiness had been there, and no matter what he did, he just couldn''t rid himself of it.


    "What could it be?" Dan wondered. "I must see Mane. I hope nothing has happened to him." Dan bit his nails anxiously in worry. He then tried to get up and jump down, but his body felt heavy, and it refused to listen to his command.


    "What is happening?" Dan wondered as he vision grew blurry and slowly faded. When he finally managed to open his eyes, he was not on the roof of his home any longer.


    "Where is this place?" Dan was highly alert. For he had appeared in a strange place. He found himself in a meadow. For as far as his eyes could see there was nothing but grass.


    "Hello Little Dan," a feminine voice Dan found all too familiar made its way into his ears. He turned around sharply and found a hunched over old woman smiling at him.


    "Oracle!" Dan exclaimed in shock. He knew this woman.


    This was the woman who had treated him best in the entire village. There was nothing she didn''t do for him. Until the day she disappeared, she made sure that he was always fine. And when she did suddenly leave, he was hurt for a while. He didn''t know why he felt so close to her, but he cherished this woman. She was like the mother he never had. If he knew that she was actually his mother it was unknown how he would take it.


    She was the only one who could call him Little Dan so affectionately. And when it came from her mouth, it didn''t feel wrong. Although it was funny that a small old woman was calling the much taller Dan little, Dan didn''t see it that way.


    "You have grown Little Dan," the Ancient Matriarch smiled and said. She had both hands on her Lionhead cane with her cloak fluttering gently in the wind.


    "Why?" Dan asked as he slowly approached the woman he felt so close to even after several years of not seeing her.


    "Why did you leave?" Dan asked with a hurt expression on his face. She had left him when he needed guidance the most. And she did so with no explanations or reasons. She just left.


    "I had to. It was the only way that you could grow. You had come to depend on me too much. I loved that, but it stifled your growth. I was the tumor that had to be removed for you to function perfectly." The Matriarch sighed and said.


    "If you say you are a tumor, why are you here now?" Dan took a few deep breaths to calm himself. His heart slowly grew calm within him, and he regained his composure.


    "I am not really here," the Matriarch replied.


    "What do you mean?" Dan asked with confusion written all over his face. He could see her and there was no record stone around, so what was she talking about.


    "This is a dream," the Matriarch replied. "See?" she said and struck the grass beneath her feet gently with her cane. Dan watched with a stunned expression as the grass rippled like a river surface and then went back to normal. He tried stamping his foot onto the ground, and realised that she was right. The effects were pretty much the same.


    "In as much as I want to speak to you, I don''t have much time," the Matriarch said and drew close to Dan.


    "What do you mean?" Dan asked.


    "My power cannot maintain this link for long," the Matriarch confessed her limitations and then pulled Dan to sit on the grass next to her.


    "You mustn''t go to Asher City," the Matriarch started.


    "Why not?" Dan frowned. She had been gone all this time and had returned to tell him what to do? Did she think he was a child?


    "Because Mane isn''t there. He went missing a few hours ago. We are looking for him right now." The Matriarch confessed.


    "How do you know about Mane? And what has happened to him?" Dan was quickly alarmed. His unease from before resurfaced as he finally understood just what was causing it.


    "I may not have been by your side, but I watched over you in everything you did. So of course I know about the boy whom you picked up. As for what happened to him, I don''t know. I am currently searching for him." The Matriarch shook her head and said.


    "Then I will help you search," Dan stated resolutely.


    "No. I can manage that on my own. You have no idea where to start from, and you would only be walking in circles. I want you to do something else for me instead." The Matriarch immediately shot down his request. He was needed elsewhere.


    "What do you mean," Dan asked.


    "Here," the Matriarch stated and touched Dan''s forehead. A gentle light escaped her finger and burrowed its way into Dan''s head. Dan didn''t question the similarities between this and how Mane had given him his manual. He was more focused on the new information and the strange map in his mind.


    "Go to the marked spot. There are four individuals hanging on poles who need your help. I have a feeling that they may know where Mane is, but I know if they did they wouldn''t tell me."


    "Why not?" Dan asked.


    "Because of my identity. But they may tell you if they feel they owe their lives to you. You are Mane''s guardian, so it may be a bit easier for you to earn their trust. Especially since you yourself have no idea about your heritage."


    "I see. Wait, what did you mean by your last statement?" Dan frowned.


    "I will tell you later ¨C about your heritage and mine. Our time is up. And one more thing: Be careful of Old Fan. Don''t tell him you''re leaving." The Matriarch announced.


    "Wait! Hold on!" Dan screamed but it was too late. The strange dream shattered into several fragments, and Dan opened his eyes to find himself back on the rooftop.


    "What did she mean by my saying I don''t know my heritage? And why shouldn''t I trust Old Fan?" this meeting had left Dan with more questions than he had hoped for. Yet the answers to all of them lay with the woman whom he had no idea how to find.


    "Let me do what I can actually do then, instead of obsessing over the things I have no control over," Dan told himself and leapt off the roof and into his home. He was done preparing his luggage in just under thirty minutes.. And once he was done, he snuck out of the village without informing anyone ¨C not even Old Fan.

 Chapter 454 - 2 Weeks

    "Mane! It''s time to wake up!" a lovely voice informed the only male resident of the Tower of the Hundred that he had been in his room long enough.


    "Okay," a young boy dressed only in a short pair of trunks and currently in a pushup hold was quick to reply. His voice wasn''t particularly loud, yet it travelled all the way from the training room he was in and into the ears of the lovely maiden standing outside his door.


    "Let''s wrap this up shall we?" Mane mumbled to himself as he exhaled a small breath of air to lift his long hair off his face.


    "976"


    "977"


    "978"


    Suddenly, there was a small gust of wind in the still room, and Mane felt his someone appear.


    "Not bad," Sunflower smiled and said. Mane smiled bitterly when he felt her presence right next to him. He had been here for about two weeks already. And that was enough time to understand a bit of her habits. And one of those habits was her lack of tolerance when it came to waiting. Sunflower hated waiting. So when he heard her call him, he knew that she was definitely going to come in.


    "I''m almost done," Mane was slightly short of breath. Pushups were good body strengthening exercises. And to get the maximum effect, he wasn''t depending on Edict. Even then, the remnants of outer energy that filled his bones and muscles remained, and that was why he was able to go this far.


    "998"


    "999"


    "1000"


    Mane fell onto the ground breathlessly when he was finally through. Sunflower didn''t say anything, just choosing to silently watch over him with a smile.


    "You should take a shower," Sunflower suggested once Mane''s breathing had returned to normal.


    "Huh? Why? We are going to duel, so is a shower truly necessary?" Mane wondered. If he was going to sweat some more, why was it necessary for him to take a bath first?


    "It''s proper hygiene," Sunflower argued.


    "That doesn''t make any sense," Mane shook his head as he repositioned himself so that he could face Sunflower. Staring into her beautiful eyes, Mane rattled on for about a minute about why it made no sense to take a shower now. He finally stopped when he saw her eyebrows twitching nonstop. That was a sure indication that she was about to lose her temper.


    "You really are dumb, aren''t you?" Hildegarde sighed. "What?" Mane lifted his eyebrows, slightly offended. How could she call him dumb? He was a very intelligent boy. Otherwise how would he have been able to become a Spiritualist and Scholar?


    "Sure you are battle smart and book smart. But you are emotionally stupid." Hildegarde mercilessly stated. Mane wished he could grab her and toss her into a well. Alas, that could only be dreamt, not done.


    "Just say yes and get on with it," Hildegarde advised before flying off into the bedroom, leaving only Mane and Sunflower in the training room.


    "Okay, I''d take a shower. But if we are late you have to tell Rose that it wasn''t my fault." Mane finally ?ssented, and a Sunflower revealed a bright and charming smile.


    "No problem!" she happily said.


    "Now let''s go," she said and dragged Mane towards the bathroom.


    "Together?" Mane asked with a bit of hesitation.


    "Yes, together. We have been showering together all this while. What are you suddenly hesitating for?" Sunflower asked with a slightly puzzled expression on her face. Yet within the depths of her eyes was a light of mischievousness that shone briefly before disappearing.


    Of course she knew why Mane was hesitating. Mane had a healthy reading habit. Every day he tasked himself to read a few books. He read everything: history, social and biological sciences, and studied several different arts. To make sure that he was as unbiased in his reading options as possible, he didn''t pick the books consciously. He picked different books from different sections of the library without necessarily knowing what he had picked. He only screened each book after returning to his room. And Sunflower had come to known this.


    Just the day before, she had sneakily slotted some biology and anatomy books into Mane''s reading pile. These books had to do with the male and female reproductive systems. As if that wasn''t enough, she included a book about ''sexual maturity'' that explained the workings of the two s?xes and how they ''worked'' together. She wanted to tease Mane since he had become so used to her presence that he didn''t even flinch when they showered nowadays. And it seems she had succeeded.


    "No reason. I just want to try taking a shower on my own." Mane hastily cooked up an excuse as his face slightly reddened upon remembering what he had read the day before.


    "Do I make you uncomfortable?" Sunflower asked with tears in her eyes.


    "No, that isn''t it," Mane shook his head, panicked when he saw her reaction to his request.


    "Why are you pushing me away then? Do you dislike me?"


    "No, that isn''t it. I like you very much. You''re my friend."


    "Then why can''t I shower with you?"


    "You can," Mane finally sighed bitterly and surrendered. Although he knew that she was not being sincere and that her tears were fake, he couldn''t turn her down.


    "Great!" Sunflower exclaimed and dragged the boy who was destined to one day lead the universe through a time of turmoil towards the bath.


    "He is becoming kinder," Hildegarde who was supposed to be gone peeked her head out of the opened door and remarked. Although Mane had only been here a few days, his attitude was undergoing a change. Maybe being surrounded by women of vastly different temperaments was good for him. For he was learning to let a lot of things slide. And he was doing so willingly. Even the dense killing aura that engulfed the boy and hid his s?ns?t?v? interior had thinned.


    "Maybe being captured wasn''t such a bad thing," Hildegarde sighed before flying out into the bedroom. This time, she really did leave.


    "Was it a good idea to send Sunflower to call the boy?" Rose rubbed her temples in frustration as she eyed her little sister. Daisy smiled embarrassingly and turned her head away. After all, she was the one who sent Sunflower after Mane.


    "You basically asked a cat to bring you a fish," Rose shook her head and sighed. She couldn''t wrap her head around Daisy''s decision.


    "Well, you still for some reason do not like the boy. So obviously you cannot be the one to call him here." Daisy blew at her nails and said. One would think that after two weeks Rose would be over her first impression of Mane by now. But she was still unmoved. She still didn''t like him.


    "Why didn''t you go and call him then?" Rose asked with furrowed brows. Although she had to admit that the boy had an okay personality, it was too early to say what she thought of him. Let him stay a few years and break her master''s curse, then she will start to like him.


    "Because I am not as close to him as Sunflower is. Although he has been treated quite well, he is still here against his will. We need him to slowly let go and accept us. To do that we have to send our best weapon."


    "Sunflower," Rose interjected.


    "Exactly. She would loosen him up before he gets here, making him more relaxed. If either of us went for him he would have his guard up. We don''t want that. We need him to be willing to stay here. For only when he is willing, will he be qualified to take the trial."


    "I must admit that you have thought much further than I have. Maybe my opinion of him has slightly blinded me." Rose smiled and said.


    "Maybe," Daisy let out a cute chuckle.


    "Besides, I had to go for them," Daisy added, her slender finger pointed at the two Magical Beasts playing at the end of the room. Well, playing wasn''t exactly the word. Sasha was flying around Silver whilst pelting him with small wind bullets. She had slowly adapted to this form and was having a lot of fun with it. Silver on the other hand wasn''t enjoying this so much. Yet he was weaker, so there was very little he could do about it.


    "They are here," Rose suddenly said, and Daisy''s mind which was shackled to the two Magical Beasts was set free. Turning to the entrance of the room, she saw Mane and Sunflower approaching. Both looked freshened and energized, and the sisters understood right away why they had taken so long. The two time wasters had taken a bath! Daisy merely chuckled, but Rose released a disapproving grunt.


    "No wonder you took so long," Daisy laughed. "You-" Rose was about to tell Sunflower just what she thought about the duo''s regular showering sessions. Yet she was stopped by Daisy whose eyes reminded her of their previous conversation. They didn''t need the boy to be self-conscious. Rose sighed in resignation and let it go. She promised herself that she would speak to Sunflower alone after this.


    "Sorry we are late," Mane bowed slightly in apology.


    "It''s fine," Rose replied, and Mane looked at her with a stunned expression on his face. This was the first time she had been so understanding towards him. Usually she would have him do a series of drills without relying on Edict as a punishment.


    "What are you looking at?" Rose asked, her voice as cold as a thousand year old block of ice.


    "Nothing," Mane scratched his cheek wryly. Even when she was nice to him it wasn''t complete.


    "Let''s get started," Rose stated and moved away.


    "Okay. Who am I facing today?" Mane wondered.


    "Me!" Daisy smiled brightly and said.


    "And him," she added whilst pointing at Sasha. As if feeling that she was needed, Sasha abandoned her torture session with the now much relieved Silver and flew towards Mane''s side.


    "Okay," Mane''s hardened expression showed that he was taking this very seriously.


    "I can only use water, fire and wind then," Mane thought silently to himself. Sasha was dual attributed, capable of using both fire and wind. Daisy was a Water Elemental. According to the rules, he was only able to use the elements they were able to use.


    "Are you ready?" Daisy asked as her energy was fully released. Although she was not going to be moving, she was going to attack at full strength.


    *Roar*


    Sasha let out a loud roar as her huge frame began to shift into her battle physique. The cute kitty was swiftly transformed into the ferocious lion that Mane had seen on the day he was brought here. Her powerful aura was like a powerful vacuum that threatened to suck all the air around him away.


    "I am," Mane took a deep breath and said. His aura was fully unveiled, and his energy which was now in the 2nd Stage of the Earth Realm surrounded him like a blanket.


    "Then start"


    *Boom*

 Chapter 455 - A Power That Belongs To The Old

    Mane jumped out of the way to avoid a long water whip that came crushing his way right after the fight had started. The whip looked feeble and delicate, yet when it struck the ground it created a small scar in what was supposed to be a highly reinforced floor. However, the scar healed quickly and in no time there was no evidence of the whip''s frightening capabilities.


    *Whish*


    *Bang*


    *Whish*


    *Bang*


    Mane moved with the gracefulness of a seasoned dancer, avoiding blow after blow. He always managed to avoid the whips by a hair''s breath, yet the calmness of his expression showed that he was anything but tensed. His eyes were steely; his gaze unwavering.


    *Roar*


    Mane quickly jumped to the side when he heard Sasha''s roar. And in time too, for a beam of light flashed past him and rammed into the wall.


    *Boom*


    A fist sized hole appeared in the wall before it was rapidly mended. But Mane couldn''t stop his eyebrows from twitching upon seeing the effects of Sasha''s attack. It was merely a highly concentrated breath of wind. Yet it had such devastating effects.


    "Don''t lose your focus," a delicate voice travelled into his ears as two thin water whips came flying towards him from both sides. Mane''s expression remained the same even after sensing the approach of the whips. He rapidly span round his axis like a twirling ballerina, gathering the wind elements as he did. And with a furious bellow he blasted out a punch.


    "Hah!"


    A powerful wind wave blasted the water whips away and pushed Daisy back slightly. Her expression was that of surprise. For she didn''t see that coming. As for Sasha, she remained where she was. Her large size made it almost impossible to cause her to barge with only this much.


    "Is that¡­" Sunflower had a stunned expression on her face as well.


    "Wind Punch," Rose continued her sister''s statement with a slightly complicated look on her face. This move was her move. It was her punch. She had only displayed it a few days ago. And though Mane had modified it by adding a little spin to it, mainly because his control of wind wasn''t as fine tuned as hers, there was no way she wouldn''t recognise her own technique; especially when even her sisters recognised it.


    "What a freak," Sunflower mumbled, but the smile on her face showed that she was nothing short of extremely pleased. It was almost as if she was the one who had performed the skill.


    "His talent is indeed extraordinary," Rose ?ssented, before casting her attention back to the duel.


    "Very impressive," Daisy smiled. "You are clearly not threatened by this level of power. So let''s take it up a notch, shall we?" she laughed before several globs of water surrounded her to create a huge giant made entirely of water. The giant was faceless, yet its powerful suppression threatened to take Mane''s breath away ¨C literally. In its hands were a shield and a sword. And it wore armor that was embedded with tiny ice crystals.


    "She has never done this before, has she?" Hildegarde asked. This was really a different level from what Mane was used to. He had fought with her a few times and all those times she resorted to using the only water whips. For her to go to this level meant that she thought he was now worthy of moving up by a stage.


    *OOOOOOHHHHH*


    Although the Water Giant had no face, it was still able to let out a roar. The roar shook the room and created a crack in Mane''s aura shield. And then its sword came crushing down.


    "Dodge!" Mane quickly judged that there was no way he would be able to handle the large beast that was falling towards him. The giant was large, almost 20 meters in height. Yet its speed was much superior to his.


    *Boom*


    The ground Mane formerly stood on developed a new crack when the sword descended upon it. Mane watched with a forehead filled with sweat as several ice crystals lined the new crevice in the room and prevented it from healing.


    "She isn''t simply a Water Elemental. She is actually an Ice Elemental!" Mane''s new understanding of Daisy''s power helped him understand how much she had been holding back these past few days. But he wasn''t given an awful lot of time to think. For the Water Giant let go of its shield, and the weapon meant to reinforce its defense floated serenely at its side. It spread out its huge hand and summoned the forces of Edict. Several ice bullets as large as Mane himself were conjured over its palm. Then it fired them towards Mane!


    "Oh no!" Mane performed a series of strange movements and pulled several balls of water towards himself. In one swift motion he conjured a hand as large as himself. As if that wasn''t enough, a fiery hand as large as the water hand was conjured on his opposite side. Both floated next to his arms like secondary arms. His eyes flashed with concentration for he knew that he had to be highly accurate in what he was about to do. The crystals were fired over a wide range, making it impossible for him to think of avoiding them. This was all he could do.


    "Now!" Mane screamed internally and advanced. He ducked slightly to avoid the first ice bullet and swiveled to the side to take on the next. Using the fiery hand he diverted the path of one of the bullets into the path of another, causing both to crash into each other and exploded into tiny little ice pearls. Pushing himself slightly off the ground, Mane threw a punch at another ice bullet ¨C with his water hand. The bullet easily penetrated the water hand, yet for some reason when it entered the water hand, Daisy''s connection with it was lost and it lost its power.


    "Woo" Mane took a deep breath and extended his senses to everything around him. If he could use any of his techniques he would have chosen Fire Phoenix. Its wide attack range would have been the best for nullifying Daisy''s attack. But Elementals were a race that relied heavily on techniques as well. Who knew what kind of techniques Daisy would have used if she was allowed to.


    *Boom*


    "That''s the last of them," Mane murmured as he smashed his fiery hand into the last ice bullet. His energy was rapidly falling. But he knew that he had to stay on for as long as he could.


    "Are you just going to keep watching?" Daisy turned and said to Sasha who had been quiet this entire time.


    *Roar*


    Sasha roared as though annoyed by Daisy''s provocation. She flapped her wings rapidly, and a furious storm gathered round her. But that wasn''t enough. She opened her mouth widely and summoned the fire elements, and they heeded her call.


    "That''s a fire breath! And she''s planning to use wind to augment it!" Mane''s eyes went wide in horror when he sensed was Sasha was up to.


    "I have to stop her," Mane reached a decision quickly and made his move. But Sasha wasn''t the only one he was facing.


    "Oh no you don''t," Daisy smirked as she reminded Mane that she was also present. She hadn''t left and wasn''t going to be leaving for quite a while.


    "What a nuisance," Mane mumbled annoyingly as he clashed with several water whips and avoided the few ice bullets that came his way. He inched closer and closer to Sasha and was finally within effective range when a furious bellow reached his ears.


    *OOOOOOOHHHHHHH*


    This bellow came from the giant Daisy had conjured. Mane had been ignoring it because he had figured out its effective range and since Daisy couldn''t necessarily move, he was out of danger. All he had to watch out for were the ice bullets. But those weren''t difficult to avoid once you figured out its trajectory. However the Giant was intent of giving Mane a few surprises. The Water Giant retrieved its shield and to Mane''s astonishment, threw it!


    *VOOOOO*


    The shield flew towards Mane with a frightening noise, and Mane''s expression quickly turned pale. The shield was large. And avoiding it meant that Mane had to give up all the ground he had just covered. But it was either that or be pummeled into the ground.


    *Bang*


    *Bang*


    *Bang*


    The shield crushed into different sides of the room and kept rebounding off the walls to return to chasing after Mane. By now Mane had forgotten all about Sasha''s attack. He was trying his hardest to not be crushed. The shield was like a constant menace, and no matter what Mane did, it kept coming back towards him. It was as if it was a lock-on missile that had him as its target. However, unlike regular lock-on missiles, this one didn''t explode upon contact with the walls or other obstacles. It just bounced off them and kept coming back.


    "Gotcha," Daisy laughed. Her melodious laughter sounded like the call of the devil to Mane''s ears. For he realised that in his bid to escape her he had moved back into her effective range.


    "Well this is just great," Mane smiled bitterly as a huge sword descended upon him rapidly. He was caught between a rock, a hard place and something extra. For the boomerang shield was before him, the sword above him, and Sasha behind him.


    "For a descendant of the greatest titan to have ever lived, you really underestimate yourself." Mane was about to concede when a powerful voice rushed into his head.


    "Cronos," Mane frowned upon realizing the identity of the one speaking to him.


    "Titans are born with a great deal of strength. My son suppressed that strength and started the path of energy wielding. You however, are a body wielder. And have the right to tap into that strength."


    "I hereby release your bindings. Receive the Titan''s Might!"


    *Ding*


    *New Skill Awakened*


    *Skill''s Name: Titan''s Might*


    *Skill Description: You have received the Blessing of the Selfish Titan King who rules over the confines of time. Titan''s Might allows you to unleash the Primordial Power of the Titans of Old ¨C raw, outer energy. Skill is now at the Beginner Proficiency Level*


    *Boom*


    Mane felt an explosion go off in his head after Cronos''s proclamation. A strange sort of power filled his body as he felt his strength elevate to new heights. His energy level remained the same, yet his raw power vastly increased and every drop of outer energy was used. None of it was wasted. He suddenly felt like he could stop the sword on his own.


    "Why hasn''t he conceded?" Rose frowned. She wasn''t the only one wondering about Mane''s decision. He had always conceded before today, so it was not an issue of pride. Daisy was about to command her giant to stop when Mane leapt up and crashed into her sword.


    "What is he doing?!" Rose screamed in worry. That boy was their Mistress''s greatest hope. Nothing must happen to him. As she prepared to make a move, a hand appeared right before her and stopped her.


    "Sunflower! What are you doing? Do you want something to happen to your boyfriend?" she screamed furiously. Surprisingly, the one who stopped her was the one whom she would never have expected to. In fact, she should have been the one to rush there first in Rose''s opinion.


    "First and foremost, we are still just friends. Whether that would change or not remains to be seen," Sunflower coolly started, and Rose almost lost her temper.


    "Secondly, I may have known him for only two weeks but he never does something he isn''t confident in," Sunflower added.


    "Confidence and having the ability to¡­" Rose''s speech was cut short by a deafening explosion. She quickly cast her eyes to the source of it and was stunned. For the large sword of the water giant conjured had been broken! And there was a figure air walking towards the giant''s head with a serene expression on his face.


    "You were saying?" Sunflower smiled gleefully. Rose only shook her head and took a step back. As long as the boy was fine, nothing mattered. Not even her own pride.


    "Gather and shatter," Mane mumbled as his small fist smashed into the head of the giant.


    "Titan''s Fist!"

 Chapter 456 - Devouring True Eyes

    "So this is the power of old; power that belonged to my ancestors?" Mane mumbled to himself as he gripped his fists. Yet the only person who could currently answer his question was silent. For Cronos had grown quiet ¨C just as he was all these years. However, Outer Energy wasn''t as eager to maintain its silence. It streamed into every corner of Mane''s body, perfectly merging with inner energy to create small explosions within his Star Map. These explosions could actually be heard by the triplets, and the small sparks around his fists gave them a clue as to what was going on.


    *Boom*


    The Water Giant that had now lost its head was reduced into a large puddle all around Daisy. Although she was encased by the giant all this while, her clothes were still tidy and dry. The only thing out of place was her mouth which was wide agape in surprise and wonder.


    "What was that? You know you aren''t allowed to use skills right" she asked. Although what happened didn''t feel like something born from a skill, it was the most logical deduction. Rose and Sunflower both perked their ears up like dogs eager for some praise in order to hear just what Mane''s response was.


    "It is power born from my bloodline," Mane answered simply. He didn''t need to tell them the name of his power or its origins. After all, he still didn''t know them that well.


    "I see," Daisy nodded her head as though she accepted and respected his decision to remain discrete. However when Mane saw her giving Sunflower a knowing look his eyebrows twitched. And when he saw Sunflower responding with a smirk before winking at him as if to say, "You''d tell me right?" he smiled bitterly and sighed in resignation. Because he could see a lot of himself in her, he found it difficult to hide things from her.


    "Yeah, after this," Mane used Lock-On to send her a reply, which caused Sunflower to beam brightly from ear to ear. Rose sighed helplessly as a smile also blossomed on Daisy''s face. They all knew that Mane was a Scholar. Mane didn''t hide it from them because Ashera already knew this since she was also a Scholar.


    "Nice," Hildegarde praised Mane. Mane was seriously confused when he heard her remark. What did she mean by nice? What he didn''t understand was that his actions made Sunflower feel special, since she was the only one he was willing to confide in. Of course Hildegarde wasn''t going to tell him that. Making the boy self-conscious about his actions may be just the trigger to stop him from ever opening up to Sunflower again.


    *Roar*


    A loud roar from the other corner of the room where the forgotten Heavenly Nether Beast stood was enough to bring everyone''s attention back to the beast.


    "I can''t believe I forgot about her," Mane smiled bitterly and prepared to jump out of the way. Sasha''s Breath Attack was complete, and a huge mass of fiery delight was floating right in front of her. The scorching heat that filled the entire room was enough for Mane to understand that there was no way to face this attack head on. For even from so far away, he could feel his skin burning. And he was a fire user too!


    "Where do you think you are going to?" Daisy hadn''t forgotten her task. Several water whips filled the room. They were so many that Mane couldn''t even count them all. This was certainly the greatest number of water whips Daisy had created by far. Each whip was placed strategically, blocking every possible point of escape that Mane could use.


    "Why do you hesitate? Do you not know that you are a descendant of a Titan? Strike a punch into that ball and shatter it!" Cronos''s booming voice forced its way into Mane''s mind and made him dizzy for a while. That voice was filled with the power of the Selfish Titan King, and though he was present only as a soul, the remnant of his power was still more than what Mane could handle.


    "Use your True Eyes. You don''t want to use it because it makes you dizzy? Rubbish! Power is meant to be exploited. In time that power will bow to you. Stop bowing to it! Look past the flames and locate its core. For every element based attack has an area of amalgamation. Find it. And break it!"


    *Roar*


    Sasha''s released another powerful roar and finally let go of the Breath Attack. She quickly returned to her miniature size after that. It was clear that it had taken all she had to maintain the attack for so long. It wasn''t so much creating it that drained her, but holding on to it for as long as she did.


    Mane closed his eyes slowly as the fiery breath approached. He could hear Cronos''s words over and over again.


    "Stop bowing down to power"


    Those words struck a chord in his soul. He was the Supreme! A man born to lead and not follow! How could he be so wary of a power that belonged to him?!


    "True Eyes"


    As Mane''s eyes opened, the world around him ceased to exist. All there was the fiery mass so close to him that his clothes were melting. With his eyes he could see the core of the fiery mass. It was deep within the flames, yet not beyond reach. He looked around, his eyes which were a mix of blue, red and yellow ¨C the colors of his sclera, iris and pupil respectively ¨C taking in everything around him.


    Daisy who was quite a distance away from him had a panicked expression on her face. She was stuck in a run, seemingly trying to get to Mane before the fireball got to him. Rose had her hand stretched out with a look of deep concern on her face; the kind that Mane hadn''t seen her display before. At least, never towards him.


    Sunflower was the most obvious with her emotions. The alarm on her face exceeded that of the others. And she was rushing towards him. There were no elements around her. She was just trying to get to him before the fiery mass of power did. From the corner of her eyes Mane could see the faint traces of tears that threatened to fall, and gratitude filled his heart.


    "She isn''t just trying to get close to me for her Mistress''s sake," Mane knew this, but seeing evidence of it was very reassuring.


    "Stop dawdling and get to work!" a cold voice pulled Mane''s mind away from his current thoughts and back onto the situation at hand.


    "Concentrate. You have been making a mistake all this while by thinking that if you used True Eyes enough, you would eventually be able to get it to obey you; that it wouldn''t dare to seize the flow of time. But that is just wrong!"


    "You must tell it what you want! Have you forgotten who you are? You are not just your mother''s child but your father''s child. And that connects you to me. Time is your birthright! And True Eyes are nothing but an instrument of time! Use that instrument to get what you want! Possess it! Why do you think I gave you Devour? To swallow only Edict? No!"


    "Take what was given to you and swallow it whole! Devour True Eyes!"


    Cronos''s words were like a huge tub of adrenaline, and its rush had Mane boiling in expectation. And he proceeded to do just what he was told. He dug deep, feeling the beat of his bloodline. The part of his bloodline that held Time which had been suppressed by his own ignorance roared eagerly, and Mane could feel himself grabbing hold of the pupils that had perplexed him for so long. Devour automatically activated, and he could feel his Spirit taking full control of True Eyes. And Mane could feel a word bubbling from within his Spirit. A word that would allow him to take control of everything.


    "Restore," Mane uttered that word, and everything became as it was. A Sundial appeared beneath his feet. The Sundial was the trigger of restoration; the fiery breath approached speedily and the triplets regained control of their bodies, not knowing that time had stopped for a good number of seconds before.


    "Don''t interfere," Mane mumbled and the actions of Sunflower ceased. Rose only furrowed her brows before continuing with what she was doing. She would rather trust in her own strength than Mane''s limited one. Daisy disregarded him as well. In the end it was only Sunflower who made the decision to listen. Although she struggled to do so, she made the choice to trust him. What she knew about him boasted that he never did anything out of arrogance.


    "Did you not hear me?" Mane stated and turned to look at both women who were now so close to him. And when their eyes met his, they saw that it was different. All strength left their bodies as they helplessly collapsed to the ground. Both had looks of inconceivable surprise etched on their faces.


    Mane didn''t use Words of Power for it was useless here. What he did was to slightly mess up with their time and disorient them. In doing so they temporarily lost their connection to Edict and their balance.


    "Gather and Shatter ¨C Titan''s Fist," Mane commanded and his body''s time was increased by a few times, causing him to immediately appear before the fiery hot fireball. By now he had thrown away the rule of only using the elements of those he was facing. Right now he wanted to fully experience the power of Time and Titans. The powerful strength of Titan''s Might elevated the power of his fists by a few times, and as Mane''s fist approached the core, even the fire gave way.


    "Go, my descendant," Cronos''s low rumble was the last straw, as Mane''s fist struck the core of the Fireball with a recklessly superior amount of power.


    *Boom*


    The intangible fireball suddenly cracked into several different fragments and fell apart. It grew dull and fell onto the ground like pieces of glass. There was no explosion; no fiery blast to commemorate the victory. For Mane had crushed the source of its fire, and it was nothing but dust now.


    "I lost. I used a different element from what was allowed" Mane''s voice woke everyone up. The dazed triplets were awakened, and so were Silver and Sasha. And Hildegarde was no exception.


    "I''d be in my room," Mane left hastily, eager to maul what he had comprehended cleanly.


    "What was that?" Rose asked with some lingering fear. For the first time in a hundred years, she was shaken greatly. Even when she heard of Mane'' role in her Mistress''s life she hadn''t been this moved.


    "Was that time?" Daisy asked. "I''m leaving," Sunflower stated and rushed out of the room.


    "We must tell Mistress Ashera," Rose stated, and Daisy nodded her head. They left swiftly as well, leaving behind the exhausted and sleeping Sasha and the dumbfounded Silver. Silver rushed to Sasha and prodded her with his huge finger. Then seeing that she was only sleeping, he picked her up and rushed out of the Dueling Room. His destination?


    Mane''s room

 Chapter 457 - Questions And Answers

    "There we go. Unleash your potential to its fullest. I wondered how long it would take to see some real power. After all, you are a Supreme. But you have exceeded my estimates. Well done, boy with the Blood of the Olden."


    Ashera sat in her room with her eyes closed. With her senses extended she could feel everything on her floor. She always resorted to this whenever it was time to train Mane, in order to ''see'' how his training was going. So she had seen, heard and felt for herself how he had changed. Although the why was unknown, that was less relevant. Only her curiosity as a Scholar craved for such information, but that was it. In the grand scheme of things, it was irrelevant.


    "They are here," Ashera smiled slightly upon feeling the chaotic auras of the two women who had been with her since they were 15. With nothing but a thought, the door to her chambers were opened, and Daisy and Rose entered unobstructed.


    "Mistress, the boy he¡­" Rose was flustered, and her speech just like her aura, was unstable.


    "I have seen and felt everything you have Rose. Calm down ¨C both of you" Ashera advised her two subordinates. Rose and Daisy walked over to their Mistress whose eyes were still closed. They stood next to her, their auras slowly growing calmer and their calm countenance restored.


    "Mistress, was that Time?" Rose hesitated a bit before asking her question. Although she knew the answer, she couldn''t help but want confirmation.


    "You were there in person. What did you feel?" Ashera didn''t answer directly but threw their question back to them.


    "It felt as though our bodies had been frozen in time. And in that dimension my connection to my power was frozen." Daisy replied.


    "Time Share," Ashera explained. "That is a power belonging to Time that can disorient a person''s perception of time. This kind of power can temporarily shut down your connection with your power"


    "I see," Rose frowned and said. She finally understood just how the boy manipulated time.


    "Time isn''t easy to comprehend, and it is even harder to progress in. He truly is a gem." Ashera smiled and said.


    "The day of your freedom draws nearer Mistress," Rose bowed slightly and said in a congratulatory tone. Daisy emulated her sister''s actions; her face, just like Rose''s was filled with excitement. The stronger the boy grew, the better their Mistress''s chances.


    "And the boy? Has he asked you why he is here?" Ashera asked. Unlike the other two she didn''t get carried away. Mane had to agree to help her first before she could start hoping to regain her freedom.


    "No. He still hasn''t said anything."


    Both Rose and Daisy had frowns on their faces as they spoke. Mane was an intelligent boy. Certainly he knew that there was a reason for his being brought here. He surely knew that he wasn''t here for a vacation. After all, he was technically a captive. Yet he hadn''t asked. He had made his intentions to remain silent and stay out of things clear.


    "I guess we haven''t earned his trust yet," Ashera wasn''t worried. They had a lot of time. "He will eventually ask Sun."


    Back in Mane''s room, the Supreme was seated cross-legged on the ground. He didn''t even move into his training room. For in his haste he dropped to the ground the moment he arrived, with his sweat soaked clothes still draped over his body. Even his door wasn''t completely closed.


    "Are you okay?" Sunflower poked her head through the door gap and asked.


    "I broke through Sun," Mane replied with a smile. His eyes snapped open, and the multicolored eyes that Sunflower had seen before were no more. What greeted her was his actual blue eyes. However now they were flashing with energy. They were vibrant and full of mystery. They were the eyes of one who had come to an understanding of himself.


    "You''re now at the 3rd Stage?" Sunflower had a surprised expression on her face. Mane had only recently broken through. His training speed was too quick!


    "No," Mane smiled and unleashed his aura. And the full power of a 5th Stage Earth Realmer filled the room. Sunflower''s mouth was wide enough to fill an egg. Her face was full of surprise as she tried to understand just how it was possible.


    "How?" she wondered. "Is it because of what happened before?" she probed.


    "Well, it is to a certain effect," Mane answered vaguely before explaining some more.


    "I came to a realization concerning one of my abilities, and now my training speed has gone up," Mane smiled. Devour had evolved. It had developed a passive side that drew in Edict to him unconditionally. Every kind of element was drawn towards him speedily. And Mane reckoned that it wouldn''t even be a month before he becomes a peak Earth Realmer.


    "I see. Congratulations then!" Sunflower was genuinely happy for him. But unlike Daisy and Rose, it wasn''t just joy born for her Mistress''s good, but Mane''s as well. She ignored Mane''s sweaty body and gave him a hug, much to his dismay. For he tried stopping her from doing so but she didn''t listen.


    "Thank you," Mane was very pleased with the day''s profits.


    "Now let''s go take a shower!" Sunflower clapped excitedly and said. Mane''s brows twitched in helplessness. How could they go from something so serious to this?


    "Why do you have to take a shower?" he asked with a wry smile on his face.


    "You''re sweaty and I got drenched when I hugged you," Sunflower gave a very reasonable excuse. Yet all it did was make Mane feel more helpless. It was exactly because he smelled such a plot that he was so reluctant to hug her. In the end what he was wary of happened anyway. As he was trying to think of a way to convince Sunflower to change her mind, he felt the auras of Silver and Sasha close by, and a smile subconsciously found its way to his face.


    "Why don''t you take a shower after I am done?" Mane suggested.


    "That would only waste time. And every second that could be spent training lost is a waste." Sunflower righteously answered, and Mane almost spat out a mouthful of blood. As if that was her reason. If her purpose was this noble, he would have been okay. Besides, she had her own room. She could equally take a shower at the same time as him and it wouldn''t lead to any time wastage at all.


    "Then who would keep Silver and Sasha company?" Mane asked with a small sigh as though he was worried.


    "Huh?" Sunflower turned in time to see the large Monkey making its way past the narrow doors with Sasha in its arms.


    "Can''t they just¡­"


    *Bang*


    Sunflower''s eyebrows twitched when she heard the sound of the bathroom door being shut.


    "Smart," she acknowledged, before taking Sasha out of Silver''s arms and making her way to Mane''s bed. She didn''t try to barge into the washroom. She chose to be reasonable today. She placed Sasha on the bed and lay right next to her.


    Mane didn''t take long at all. He was out within thirty minutes. And he was fully clothed too. He lay right beside Sunflower when he came out, with Sasha in between the two. As for Silver, he was sprawled on the floor, occupying most of the space.


    "Now tell me about what your Mistress wants from me," Mane''s expression grew stern when he mentioned this. Sunflower''s beaming smile was also wiped away. Yet a small smile replaced it shortly after, for he had finally asked.


    "Good. Listen closely then. Listen to the Legend of the Mistress Ashera." Sunflower didn''t hold anything back in her explanations. And the more she spoke the more Mane''s frown deepened.


    "I see. So she needs me to enter the Trial and win," Mane understood the gist of what he was brought here to do. However, it didn''t seem like an easy task. If it were, the triplets would have already completed it.


    "That''s right," Sunflower nodded her head in confirmation.


    "I don''t understand something though," Mane expressed a concern.


    "What is it?" Sunflower wondered.


    "Why can''t you break the curse for her? You are all talented and could have entered the trials in her steed. After all, you said the trials could only be engaged by people below the realm of Phenoms."


    That was the one thing that Mane didn''t understand. According to Sunflower''s explanation, the trials could only be entered by people below the Ascension Realm. The triplets were all Nobles. And their understanding of their elements was far above most. Why didn''t they try for their Mistress then?


    "We did," Sunflower smiled wryly and said.


    "So you failed," Mane didn''t need her to continue to understand the end results. After all, Ashera was still trapped here. So there was no way the triplets succeeded. The fact that individuals as talented as them had failed allowed Mane to understand just how difficult these tests were.


    "Yes. There are a 100 levels to the tower, which is why it has its name. However, they aren''t quite in that order" Sunflower explained.


    "What do you mean?"


    "Well, each floor has ten levels instead of a level per floor. And that means that there are ten bosses for each floor. After defeating each boss, you would have to face all the defeated bosses in what is called the Tower Brawl."


    "That seems unusually difficult," Mane frowned and said.


    "It is. Rose was able to get to the 2nd floor after clearing the 1st Floor before she was eliminated. Daisy was the same."


    "And you?" Mane asked. He knew she was the strongest of the three. So surely she couldn''t have done worse.


    "I couldn''t even clear the 1st Floor!"


    "How is that possible?" Mane was stunned. How could the strongest fail at what the others had succeeded in?


    "The tests aren''t based on strength only. Once the Tower Brawl is over, a riddle appears before you. Only by answering correctly can you move ahead. I couldn''t answer it correctly so I was eliminated."


    "I see" Mane was learning a lot about this Trial. Of course he was sure to be briefed by Ashera herself when it was time. But at least he knew a little about the Trial of the Hundred.


    "There is one thing I fail to understand as well," Mane stated, and Sunflower who had ?ssumed that he had no more questions asked with a puzzled expression, "What?"


    "Why?" Mane asked


    "Why what?"


    "Why is there a trial at all? A curse is a curse. Even if it can be broken why would the tool that performed the curse provide a way out?" Mane asked, noting Sunflower''s expression keenly.


    "I don''t know what you are talking about," Sunflower replied. Yet her expression was a bit unnatural, and Mane caught that.


    "Sure you do," Mane smiled and said. "But you don''t have the authority to give me this information, so I''m going to ask the one who does."


    "Isn''t that right, Mistress Ashera?"

 Chapter 458 - I Am War; I Am Chaos

    "Do not pretend you aren''t listening Mistress Ashera," Mane calmly stared at the ceiling right above him and said. His eyes flashed with a strange glow as he spoke and his senses that were fully spread were tasked even further.


    "Are you sure you want to know this?" Ashera''s melodious voice forced its way past the walls of Mane''s room and reached the ears of both Mane and Sunflower.


    "What do you mean by that?" Mane asked. It seemed that things were more complicated than he thought.


    "If I am to tell you what you seek, you will be embroiled in a world that you may not want to be a part of," Ashera clarified what she meant.


    "What is it that I wouldn''t want to be a part of?" Mane asked with furrowed brows.


    A mirage of Ashera appeared on the walls of Mane''s room when Mane asked this question. And Mane sat up to face her. His eyes flashed as True Eyes were activated. For it was only with this power that he could face her without any issues. And this was the first time he actually saw her.


    She was so beautiful that Mane was certain that he had never seen any as blessed with beauty as her. The only person that maybe had a slight edge over her was Ananse. Yet this was just a reflection of Ashera''s true self. Mane wouldn''t be able to truly say who was superior until he was standing before her and got to judge her countenance in person. Her appearance was vulnerable yet powerful at the same time. Ashera''s pretty eyes travelled all over his figure, before resting on Sunflower''s comfortable frame on the bed with a look of helplessness in them. Finally, she sighed and went back to what mattered.


    "War," Ashera''s reply was simple, yet its connotations were immense. Sunflower''s expression was that of hesitation, and when she turned to look at Mane who lay beside her, her eyes flashed with a complicated glow. She wished that he would want to be a part of that world yet she also wished that he will stay far away from it at the same time; a mix of complicated emotions that told just how she felt about the current trend of circumstances. For that world was brutal, and many had fallen. She wished that he wouldn''t carry such a burden, but she also hoped that he would be eager to watch their backs; to join her; to help carry her burdens ¨C and her Mistress''s.


    "What do you see when you look at me?" Mane asked with s serene expression on his face. He knew about the war of the Three Great Races. And the fact that he was embroiled in the schemes of these races meant that Ashera must know that he knew this. But when she mentioned War she wasn''t asking him to take a side. All she said was that it was a world he didn''t want to enter. And that possibly meant it was a war beyond the Three Great Races. The mention of war didn''t perturb him ¨C not in the slightest.


    "You have the blood of many on your head," Ashera answered simply, and Mane smiled slightly. Sunflower who was next to him shifted uncomfortably as a thick wave of bloodlust filled the room. Mane''s grating voice rang alongside the bloody aura as he announced with unprecedented authority,


    "I am War"


    "I am Chaos"


    "Why would I be perturbed by that which I stir up?"


    "You truly are one with experiences that do not match your age," Ashera sighed. The killing intent from this young man was comparable to that of a general of a thousand battles. She didn''t know how he cultivated such vast killing intent, but he had done it. Her keen senses could pick out the blood of special races and powerful people, talents and royalty. Yet all had fallen at the hands of a young boy. This made her curious. She was really curious about this boy''s true background.


    For even his countenance was that of a noble. He wasn''t shaken by her presence neither did he feel the urge to revere her. Although he still wore his blindfold when he was around her, he never did when he was around the triplets. But now that he seemed to have activated a strange power, maybe he could face her without his blindfold. Before he never dared call her out because he was vulnerable even before a mere image of her. Yet now he was facing her without any reservations. And he wasn''t showing any signs of discomfort. Ashera didn''t know what those eyes were, but whatever they were, they made her charm nonexistent. At least her passive charm was useless before him. As for actively charming him, she could never see that happening so they will never find out if he was strong enough to fight against it.


    "I''m sorry," Mane quickly withdrew his killing intent when he noticed Sunflower''s discomfort. He had to admit that he was envious of her in a way. She had lived for so long and had been embroiled in this War Ashera spoke of, yet she was still uncomfortable with killing.


    "I''m fine," Sunflower shook her head with a small smile on her face. Although her face was slightly pale and she was a little nauseous, she was fine. It was just that his killing intent brought back memories she didn''t like to remember.


    Ashera smiled slightly when she saw Mane display kindness uncharacteristic of one with so much blood in his hands. But the smile was fleeting, and soon she was back to her serene self.


    "Do you still want to know?" she asked


    "My d?s?r? for that knowledge hasn''t wavered in the past few seconds," Mane answered with a calm expression on his face as one of his hands gently stroked Sasha''s fur coat, eliciting purrs of comfort from the still sleeping Heavenly Nether Beast. The other was tenderly stroking Sunflower''s face. It was unknown whether Mane was fully aware of that though, for it was something he hadn''t done before. And Sunflower''s slightly surprised face was the evidence that this was the first time he had touched her voluntarily. Soon her surprise was gone, and a small smile blossomed on her face. Yet when she felt Ashera''s eyes on her she blushed slightly and turned away.


    "Have you heard of this name before: Pazuzu?" Ashera asked Mane.


    "No. I have never heard of this name. Who is this person?" Mane was puzzled. He knew that this had to do with the war Ashera spoke of. But as to how, that remained to be seen. However, the way the completion rate bar of his Status Window was growing, Mane knew that this information was vital.


    "Not person ¨C demon," Ashera stated calmly, yet Mane could feel a slight tremble in her voice when she spoke. And this made him all the more curious. He didn''t speak up. She was going to tell him what he wanted anyway.


    Completion Rate: 18


    "We don''t know how he appeared, or what he was before he became what he is now. But he is a Demon King of the Wind. According to texts we found, he is the son of the God of Evil Humbaba. It is said according to the texts that Humbaba was sealed. Yet Pazuzu remains, and his danger to our world is real."


    Completion Rate: 20


    "A Demon King?" This was the first Mane was hearing about demons. He knew they existed, but apart from that he didn''t know much.


    "Yes. That means he has several demons under his command. He is the reason why the Three Great Races only dare to sneakily battle each other now. For we are the only thing that can stop him."


    "I see. But if he is a Demon King and has been around for so long, how come the Three Great Races didn''t discover him at the very beginning. After all, a demon with several other demons under his command will see no need to hide." Mane asked


    "Valid question; an intelligent one. There was one who kept Pazuzu at bay ¨C Hanbi, the Guardian God and brother of Pazuzu." Ashera replied.


    Completion Rate: 25


    "They were brothers?" Mane was stunned, but then he remembered that his father''s family was a mess. After all, his grandfather had usurped his father''s throne to become king. And his mother''s family also had their own issues.


    "Yes. According to the texts they are brothers. We thought we were the first of this world before finding those ruins. There was a war before this world became barren; long before the first of the Three Great Races were born. It was the War of the Gods."


    Completion Rate: 30


    "Before us there was a race of mortals, and they were ruled over by their Gods. For centuries they served their gods, and the gods protected them. Pazuzu, was a Demon King, yet he was one who turned his own sword against his people. He fought other demons to protect the realm of mortals, and sought no recompense. The texts do not state clearly what occurred, only that there was suddenly a great disagreement, and Pazuzu rebelled. Joining him in rebellion were the multitudes of demons under his command. His rebellion changed the tides. And the forces of evil run wild. Enlil, the King of the Gods tried his best, yet Humbaba''s power kept him at bay. And with him out of the picture, many gods fell."


    Completion Rate: 33


    "Yet they didn''t die in vain. It isn''t clear how the war progressed, but the fact that there were only four remaining means that the others perished. And the mortals of this world who were caught in the fire were all wiped out. So one could say that the Forces of Evil had their way."


    Mane nodded at Ashera''s words. One side wanted destruction, the other peace and calm. Since destruction doth reign, the forces of destruction taketh hold of the victory of the olden days.


    "Enlil, Hanbi, Pazuzu and Humbaba were the four who remained. Two were of good; two were of evil. Humbaba kept Enlil at bay, preventing the kind god from using his power for the good of mortals. And Hanbi kept Pazuzu at bay, holding his brother back from destroying the realm of mortals. According to the texts, they had been fighting all this while ¨C and they still are"


    Completion Rate: 37


    Mane was stunned by her words. How could they still be fighting? No one could possibly fight for millennia!


    "The way you feel now, is the same way we felt when we found the records of old. We thought they were just stories. That was until he revealed himself ¨C Pazuzu returned. I don''t know what happened to Hanbi, but he had failed in his task. Pazuzu was free. He was powerful, and it took the combined efforts of all the races to seal him. Only three races remained after that war."


    "Ancients, Elementals and Barbarians," Mane frowned and said.


    Completion Rate: 44


    "Yes. We called ourselves great because we thought we had won. But we were wrong!" Ashera''s tone suddenly grew more frantic.


    "What we fought was nothing but Pazuzu''s clone! His real body was still embroiled in a bitter exchange with Hanbi! Hanbi hadn''t failed at all!"


    Completion Rate: 55


    Ashera''s words shook Mane greatly. How could a clone possess the power to wipe out many races, leaving behind only three?! How was that even possible?

 Chapter 459 - The Old Gods

    "I have gathered much of Pazuzu''s history over the years. He is capable of sending a clone every thousand years. So far we have been successful. But they get stronger each time. And whenever powerful warriors die, their powers are su?k?d in by Pazuzu, and sent to his true self. Surely a day will come when he would break free from Hanbi''s power and return. As long as this world remains he wouldn''t die by our hand. Only gods can kill gods. We can only seal him"


    "So that is what this tower is," Mane was suddenly enlightened. "It isn''t meant to curse but to seal Pazuzu!"


    Completion Rate: 67


    "You are smart. Yes. That is its true purpose. It is a weapon of the True Universe, and that is why it possesses such power. But for that to happen, it must find a successor; one worthy enough to pass all the tests and become the Lord of the Tower. Only then will we be able to seal Pazuzu."


    "I see," Mane frowned and said. When Ashera spoke about the Tower of the Hundred being a weapon of the True Universe, she did so through telepathy, so Sunflower didn''t hear her. Mane being from the True Universe was something Sunflower was still not ready to know.


    "Where is Pazuzu?" Mane asked. Since this demon was on this planet, he surely had an abode. Mane wondered which part of this vast world was able to contain the power of two warring gods.


    "There is only one place where he can actually be ¨C and is," Ashera replied. "Before the gods fell in battle, they had their own holy temples, secluded in a forest under the protection of Hanbi the Mighty Guardian. Although they have fallen, that forest remains to this day. The Forest where the Gods lay is where Pazuzu is contained."


    "Where is this forest?" Mane wondered.


    "It is a place you have actually been to before ¨C an Enchanted Forest" Ashera replied.


    "I have?" Mane asked with some surprise. He had not explored this world thoroughly, and had only really been to two Enchanted Forests. However, his eyes soon widened in realization as he thought of that Enchanted Forest that he had deemed odd. The one that took far too long to traverse and where he had been found unconscious by Dan when he first came into this world.


    "That place?" Mane was stunned. Ivor must have told Ashera a lot about Mane, and about where he had first been found. And that was why she knew that he had been to that particular Enchanted Forest. Of course Mane didn''t actually know that Ivor hadn''t told her anything about that. She had searched the large man''s memory for that kind of information.


    "Yes. The Enchanted Forest guarded by the Elemental called Old Fan." Ashera nodded slightly and said. Mane was truly shaken by what he heard. He was right all along. Old Fan wasn''t the ordinary old man he pretended to be. For someone chosen by the Elementals to guard such a valuable place, a place that served as the war zone for two warring gods, was surely not just a Predator.


    "So much information," Hildegarde was dumbfounded as she listened. She suddenly realised how little the fairies actually knew about this world. As for Mane he started to think about Dan. Was an Ancient truly safe being next to a powerful Elemental like that?


    "Are you worried about your guardian?" Ashera asked upon seeing Mane''s worried expression. Well, it was likely that she just read his mind to know but either way she did notice that he was worried. Mane nodded his head without trying to hide it. It would be useless to do so.


    "He will be fine. Fan didn''t know of his identity until a few tens of years ago. Fan himself has a miserable background. His father was a noble deserter ¨C striped of his status with nothing on his back but his clothes and a few of his family''s precious heirlooms. Fan does feel some affection for your guardian. Unless he is left with no option, he wouldn''t kill him."


    "Well that''s reassuring," Mane mocked. It sure was nice to hear that Dan could be killed if Old Fan was left with no other ''option''.


    "Is there anything else?" Ashera''s brows twitched a bit when she heard Mane''s mocking tone, and her intentions to tell the boy about how the Ancients had bred Magical Beasts relying on Pazuzu''s blood was thrown outside the window. Maybe it was better this way. Unless the boy wondered about this and sought the answers himself, it wouldn''t improve his Scholar level in any way.


    "There must be something more that I must do; passing the trial definitely isn''t the way to become the owner of the tower." Mane asked. If passing the trials would automatically qualify him for ownership of the tower, he wouldn''t have had a say in whether or not he wanted to join the war because this weapon was too important.


    "There is," Ashera didn''t deny this. Since he was interested in this and could help them massively, she didn''t see why she should hide any valuable information from him.


    "The Curse Trials are merely a prerequisite to qualifying for the Inheritance Trial," Ashera continued. "But as to what that trial is, I have no idea," Ashera stated helplessly.


    "It''s good enough. You have helped plenty," Mane smiled slightly and said. "Which level now?" Ashera asked. Sunflower looked confused. What were these two talking about? However, she didn''t have to wait for long for the answer to her question to present itself.


    "Mid-Level Scholar," Mane smiled and said as he pushed his senses to the maximum. Although Ashera fed him all the information, he was the one who asked intelligent questions. And he was also the one who found her out and called her to answer his doubts. The information he was given was hugely important, as evidenced by how much his Completion Rate Bar grew by. As a result his Scholar Level broke through a major realm directly and he was now a Mid-Level Scholar.


    "Congratulations," Ashera smiled. "I''d leave you be to digest your spoils," Ashera''s image blurred even before Mane could express his thanks or bid her farewell, and she disappeared.


    "What is she hiding?" Mane turned to Sunflower and asked. He could tell that Ashera was unusually agitated when she spoke of Pazuzu. As an Ascender, she could escape this world if they failed to win the war. So there was no need for her to be this riled up. And Mane wasn''t na?ve enough to think that she was so kind that she feared for this world. The fact that she tried to kill Sasha on their first meeting meant that she cared little for those she didn''t know.


    "What do you mean?" Sunflower asked unnaturally.


    "You are a horrible liar," Mane said. "Are you going to tell me or not?" Ashera looked a bit restless before she left, so it was very likely that she had withdrawn her senses from this place completely. So even if Sunflower told him what he wanted to know, Ashera wouldn''t know that she had been sold out.


    "That¡­" Sunflower hesitated greatly, and Mane sighed seeing this. "Forget it," Mane stated and stood up to leave.


    "Where ae you going to?" Sunflower asked with guilt written on her face. "Training room," Mane answered simply and left, closing the door to the training room behind him.


    Sunflower sighed helplessly as she sunk deeper into the bed. "It is better if she tells you herself," she mumbled and closed her eyes.


    "So, what new abilities have you unlocked?" Hildegarde asked once Mane was seated. "Well, Lock-On''s targets has increased to 7 people. Trace''s area of influence has improved as well, leaping from a 500 meter radius to a 700 meter radius. Words of Power now allows 5 word commands at most."


    Each and every one of the skills Mane possessed had improved greatly. And Hildegarde couldn''t help but feel slightly envious. Even though she wasn''t a Scholar, it sure sounded like it would have been nice if she was.


    "And the new ability? Did you get anything new?" Hildegarde still wanted to know about that. There must surely be something new right?


    "Yes. A skill called Reinforce." Mane replied.


    "What does it do?"


    "Simple: it raises the strength of any skill by 10%. It''s a pretty useful skill." Mane replied.


    "That''s amazing," Hildegarde admitted. Supporting skills of such a nature were rare. And though Hildegarde knew little about Scholars or the kind of skills they regarded as common, she had an inkling that this one wasn''t.


    "Yes. But it has its limitations. For instance, it can only be attached to one skill for now. So it isn''t like I can recklessly use Reinforce with any of my skills. I can only choose one skill for now and tether it to that skill." Mane explained the limits of this skill to Hildegarde.


    "It''s still pretty good. Besides, as you grow stronger I''m certain that that limitation will be slowly lifted." Hildegarde comforted.


    "Yes. That is highly likely. It is a growth type skill after all." Mane nodded his head in agreement.


    "So what skill are you going to augment?" Hildegarde asked. That was the most important question. Without answering this question, Reinforce was useless.


    "I''m not sure. I would have to think long and hard about that one." Mane shrugged helplessly. This wasn''t a decision that could be taken lightly. Once Reinforce was tethered to a skill, Mane wouldn''t be able to remove it. So the decision had to be a well-thought out one.


    "Well you have time," Hildegarde felt that Mane was right to not make a hasty decision. He had powerful skills, and each of them was important. So it wasn''t easy to pick out just one.


    "Right now there is something else I am interested in," Mane stated and closed his eyes. "What?" Hildegarde wondered, but Mane wasn''t replying.


    "Mane?" she called, but the boy remained silent, his long hair falling carelessly onto his face. "Don''t tell me," Hildegarde suddenly thought about something as a bit of panic flashed past her eyes.


    "He can''t be thinking of¡­" she cried out and hastily flew onto his head to tug at his hair. "Mane!" "Mane!" she called out, yet he remained unresponsive.


    "How can he so confidently go to him?!" Hildegarde was truly panicking. And that was because she had guessed just what Mane was up to. There was only one person in Mane''s Soul Sea now, and that person was highly dangerous. It was different if Cronos spoke to him, but Mane going into his Soul Sea to seek the Selfish Titan King out was not the wisest decision.


    "You are a brave one," the blurred figure of the man on the throne greeted Mane unenthusiastically once he appeared. Even with his energy now at the Mid Scholar Level, Mane couldn''t discern the figure of the man. Although this was his own Soul Sea, Mane didn''t feel like it belonged to him with this Titan living in it. For the Titan King''s majestic presence threatened to overwhelm his very existence, and Mane had to push his Soul Strength to its very limit to stand before him without faltering. For just staring at Cronos was tiring.


    "What do you want?" Cronos asked simply. He was always like this with Mane. He didn''t bother to entertain the boy longer than he was supposed to.


    "I think I should be the one asking you that," Mane furrowed his brows and said. Titan''s Might was the second skill Cronos had given him. And it had been given freely just like the first, Devour. And that was out of character for Cronos. Although it was unfair to judge the Titan based on what his masters told him, his masters rarely deceived him. He would rather take their word than judge Cronos on what he had received so far. There was something the Selfish Titan King wanted.


    "Kid, you already know the answer to that question," Cronos stated without much emotion. His words had Mane frowning even more deeply, for he had an idea about this.


    "The place you wanted me to come to, it is here isn''t it?" Mane asked. When Mane was pierced through by the Sealing Rod, Cronos promised to give him a power that could turn the tides. It was a power that would have allowed him to ignore the effects of the rod and still have some strength. And that power was Titan''s Might. Mane didn''t know how Titan''s Might would have been able to save him from Ashera, but if Cronos said it had such power, then it surely did.


    "Hehe," Cronos laughed eerily hearing Mane''s question. His laugh sent a few chills down Mane''s spine, yet he persisted.


    "You said you were going to give me power to escape my situation. When you said that it was because of Waska and Sasha. You hadn''t sensed Ashera at the time." The more Mane spoke, the more confidence he gathered.


    Why did he think this? It was because of how quickly Cronos had disappeared when Ashera appeared. Cronos couldn''t be felt by Ashera because he was above her in so many ways. He didn''t fear her either. The only reason why he didn''t dwell on his offer was not because he was cautious. But because there was no need to.


    "You withdrew your offer after Ashera appeared, almost as if you recognised her. Or rather, you recognised the scent of the tower on her. My masters aren''t able to come to this world. They may be weaker than you, but together even you would have no choice but to retreat. If you can appear here, then so can they. But they weren''t able to. Why is that?" Mane slowly walked towards the Titan King''s throne as he spoke, his steps gathering more and more confidence with each stride.


    "Don''t worry. I would answer the question myself."


    "It''s because for some reason you have a connection to this world. The thing you wanted me to find is this tower. And that means you know something about it that not even Ashera does."


    "So that makes me wonder: is this the only place you wanted me to come to? Or is there another? And more importantly, what really is the Tower of the Hundred?" Mane asked.

 Chapter 460 - 2 Years

    Just like the Barbarians, the Elementals had their own capital. Though they preferred to stay in the realms of men, they still had a place to return to ¨C Amalgamation. Amalgamation was the Elemental Capital, and probably their only true dwelling place. It was much smaller than Intersection, but it was very beautiful. Unlike the Barbarians who focused on defense and military robustness when they were building Intersection, the Elementals had abandoned all that to make Amalgamation as beautiful as humanely possible. And that they had done in grand style. Amalgamation was a city of many colors. The sky above the city was filled with the power of the Elements, causing it to constantly change color every few days. The walls were the same, for they were baptized by the sky above and picked up its characteristics. Every house; every building; and every stone that was used to make the roads was colorful too. It was a real haven.


    Although Amalgamation was beautiful, it wasn''t weak. The warriors that manned the walls were at least of the Pseudo Nightmare Realm, and the sky above was filled with power. It was because of the vast power of their mysterious sky that they dared build such a beautiful city with almost no real defenses. For the sky above was a defense mechanism that could erect a powerful barrier around the city if the need ever arose. And this had made the other races wary. For they dared not waste resources trying to breach such a structure.


    Amalgamation was not populous. Though it was a small city ¨C even smaller than Asher City ¨C most of its homes were unoccupied. For the Elementals were a race of vagabonds who couldn''t stay in one place for a long time. However, the Elemental Ancestors were always around. That was the difference between the Elementals and the two other Great Races. Unlike Ancients and Barbarians, the Ancestors of the Elementals remained in Amalgamation all their lives. They never left unless it was for something of vital importance. Because of this, each Ancestor had their own place of residence.


    Within one of such residences lived a set of twins ¨C a boy and a girl. Nay, a man and a woman. Both looked to be about 18 years of age and were equally good looking. The boy was slender and elegant, like a feeble flower. Yet his eyes radiated wisdom uncharacteristic of someone his age. Whenever he moved the elements of fire that were around hummed in excitement, as though they were gazing upon their king. His red robe was the symbol of the element he had great control over ¨C fire. And he wore it like the imperial robe of an Emperor. His aura was that of steadfast invincibility. He looked like a man who had never lost a fight.


    The woman was not at all inferior to her brother. Her green eyes captured the soul of all who dared stare into them with the strength of an iron vice. Her long hair gently rested on her slender back and swayed slightly when she moved. Her countenance was that of a queen gazing upon the masses. But this was no arrogant queen. For her expression was kind and her character just. Her eyes were filled with lovely innocence and a bit of naivety. Yet within them was maturity and learnedness that came from experience. She had seen a lot of the world, yet her true nature remained untainted. Just like her brother she wore a robe that reflected her element ¨C a green robe. And she moved like a leaf in the wind.


    These twins were naturally Lam and Lily.


    But the twins weren''t alone. There was someone else here with them ¨C an old man with eyes that looked so young that one would have thought that he was surely wearing a pair of contact lenses. He wore a simple black shirt and trunks with an old smoking pipe hanging over the side of his mouth. His eyes beamed with pride as he watched the two kids he had taken in only two years ago.


    "You two have grown so swiftly," the old man smiled pleasantly and said. These kids had truly made him proud.


    "It is all thanks to Grand Grand''s guidance," Lily smiled swiftly and walked to the old man''s side to hold his arm like a little girl. And like a little girl she swung it eagerly. This brought an even wider smile to his face. Who would have thought that his idiot son who run away would have fathered a son who also fathered a son who also fathered his own kids? In the end, the children had returned to him. And he who was expecting to spend the rest of his life all alone, finally had a family.


    "No no no, my Princess, even with my guidance it takes a lot to get to where you are in just 2 years," Ancestor Pier wasn''t simply flattering them. For he was indeed being honest.


    Although Lam looked like a feeble, beautiful man, he was at the peak of the 3rd stage of the Heaven Realm! And Lily was even more brilliant. She was at the peak of the 4th Stage of the Heaven Realm! However, Lam was stronger than Lily combat wise. And that was because even after 2 years, Lily was still adverse to anything that had to do with battle. Which meant that her actual battle experience paled a lot in comparison to Lam who kept making trips to Enchanted Forests like he was going for a picnic.


    "Do you think we are strong enough?" Lily asked with a slightly lost expression. Lam''s expression also turned a bit sour. Ancestor Pier sighed helplessly when he saw their expressions. They were talented. That much was true. But the main trigger for their impressive growth was because of a lofty goal they had in mind. For they were chasing after a boy; the very one who helped them embark upon this road of power. They sought to stand by his side. And they needed power to do that.


    "That I cannot answer my Princess," Ancestor Pier shook his head and said. "Ashera is an existence that even I have to be wary of. And she decides when to speak. So far, she has said nothing about your young friend."


    "I see," Lam answered calmly. But Ancestor Pier could see the disappointment in his young descendant''s eyes. Lily''s expression also grew dimmer. Ancestor Pier could only sigh sadly. However, his eyes lit up as he remembered something he ought to have told the twins a few days prior.


    "Wait a minute," Ancestor Pier said.


    "What is it Grand Grand?" Lily asked.


    "I remember now that Ashera sent word that the young man would come to Amalgamation one of these days."


    "Did she say when?" Lam asked with a little light finally making its way into his eyes. Lily''s expression also lit up.


    "She didn''t say," Ancestor Pier shook his head, much to the disappointment of the duo who came from the same w?mb.


    "She did say that it will be within this season. However, that was all she wrote in her letter. As for when he would make it, I do not know."


    "Well, it is better than no information at all," Lam commented, and Lily nodded her head in agreement. Yet her eyes were still a bit lost as she gazed into the distance, wondering how her friend was doing.


    In the entire city of Amalgamation, there was only one merchant store. And that store belonged to the Elemental called Ivor. And here in Amalgamation, he was known as Ivor the Tattler. For the crafty man could tattle his way to a sale unlike any other. Even useless pebbles could be sold by the large merchant. However, Ivor''s store wasn''t always open. The man only opened the store when he felt like it. After all, how many people were in Amalgamation? He didn''t need to be the most diligent shop owner. Besides, he was not the only one who thought this way. The few shops in Amalgamation opened irregularly. This was mainly because Amalgamation was a rich city. All those who chose to remain didn''t lack anything. And Ivor was no different.


    Ivor was in the back room sorting out some wares. They were mostly Elemental Stones of the fire and wind attributes. He was packing the items into a large bag. The stones were meant for Ancestor Pier. The man had become a regular customer, fond of ordering large amounts of Elemental Stones for his descendants, much to Ivor''s delight. So whenever Ivor went out, he made sure he procured as many Elemental Stones as possible. It took him about five minutes to pack the bag. That told just how many stones he had to send.


    "Only a filthy rich person like Ancestor Pier can order a few hundred elemental stones every couple of months," Ivor shook his head with a happy smile on his face. He had wealth, but always adding on to his funds brought him great joy. Suddenly, there was a strange creaking sound as the door to Ivor''s shop was forced open.


    "We are closed," Ivor shouted when he heard the door of his store being opened. Then Ivor heard his door being closed as the aura of the unwelcome guest disappeared round the corner.


    "Why can''t people just read?" Ivor frowned in annoyance. For the sign on the store clearly said ''closed''.


    "You haven''t changed much Ivor the Tattler," a voice full of charm and maturity found its way to Ivor''s ears, and the large man was taken aback. He didn''t feel the aura of this person at all. And he could have sworn that the person who came in first had left. Or did he?


    "Who are you?" Ivor asked wearily as his eyes scanned the store for the one whose voice could be heard but could not be seen. Ivor was however comforted by the thought that this was Amalgamation. It was impossible for someone unwanted to get in here.


    "Have you forgotten me so swiftly?" a gentle voice resounded once more as Ivor quickly turned his head to its source. It was coming from right in front of him.


    "Who are you?" Ivor asked doubtfully.


    In front of him was a man half a head taller than him, something that was rare in itself for he was a large man. The man was quite peculiar. For there was a small winged cat seated on one of his shoulders and a little monkey playing freely next to his feet. The man himself had well-groomed hair, and every trace of a beard had been cleanly shaved off. And because of this Ivor could see the traces of immaturity on the man''s face, which suggested that he wasn''t old. The blueness of the man''s eyes showed that he was no Barbarian, so he was likely Elemental. Yet Ivor couldn''t remember ever seeing someone like this in Amalgamation before. Especially someone strong enough to hide his presence from him.


    "It has been only two years, yet you have forgotten about me. Is it because I shaved my beard?" the man asked with a sigh.


    "Wait a minute¡­" Ivor''s eyes suddenly widened as fear gripped his very being. Those blue eyes; that golden hair; he knew the one they belonged to. It was a person he was most fearful of.


    "Do you finally recognise me, Traitor? How easy you forget those you bore a hole through with a Sealing Rod." Mane''s smiling expression was wiped off as his aura bore down on Ivor. His gaze was cold, like a millennium old frozen block of ice. A pitch black rod with a pointed end appeared in his hand.


    *Boom*


    Ivor felt his body crushing into the ground below him. His eyes lost their vision for a split second as his store was blown away ¨C literally. A power much greater than his pressed down on Ivor like a mighty mountain. And the loftiness of the one who looked down on him caused Ivor to involuntarily dip his head even further.


    "This is Amalgamation!" a powerful voice echoed as a presence loftier than Mane''s made itself known. An elderly man with good looks and a hair full of grey hair descended right next to Mane and stared at the boy coldly. At his sides were Lam and Lily.


    "Mane?" Lily exclaimed in shock when she saw the person standing before her. He had grown taller, and his back had gotten broader. Although he had his back to her, that familiar presence was something she could never forget. After all, he was the first man she had ever fallen for.


    "Oh? Princess Lily. Prince Lam.. It''s good to see you again."

 Chapter 461 - 2 Years: Part II

    When Mane turned his head to face Lily and Lam both felt several positive emotions flooding them. How they had missed him!


    "He is the one?" Ancestor Pier had a stunned expression on his face. He never thought that he would meet his descendants'' friend this way. He tried shaking off Mane''s aura with his in order to free Ivor, yet it proved futile. His aura although more prominent, bounced off Mane''s aura like it had struck the shield of Aegis itself. His brows leapt in caution as he realised that the boy before him was far from common.


    "Mane!" Lily tried to move towards the man whose memory had pushed her to strive to grow stronger each day. However, a strong hand gripped her arm and stopped her from moving forward.


    ""Grand Grand?" Lily turned to face the one whose hand was holding her back. "He''s dangerous," Ancestor Pier had his eyes narrowed into small slits as he analysed the boy before him. Although this boy was giving off the air of a Noble, the aura of blood around him was thicker than a winter coat. Behind that smile was a cold personality that didn''t seem breach-able. The boy''s aura of power was no joke either. For Ancestor Pier could feel some danger from the boy. It was difficult to describe, but Ancestor Pier knew that it was unwise to dismiss someone just because they appeared weaker than you. Especially when said person was unruffled by your aura.


    "He is the one we told you about," Lam stated, thinking that his Ancestor was being too cautious. "I know who he is. But he called you by your titles. He may bear the same looks but he may not be the person you remember" Ancestor Pier stated. He had a good point. After all, the fact that Mane called the two by their titles meant that over the years his feelings towards the two had waned.


    "What are you doing to Ivor?" It was only now that Lily recognised the person who was embedded in the ground next to Mane.


    "Just settling a few scores Princess. Do not tell me that one as bright as yourself didn''t manage to place the pieces together in the past couple of years. " Mane shrugged slightly and asked. He still maintained calling Lily by her title.


    Lily face grew pale when she heard Mane''s words, and Lam who was next to her was no different. Of course they knew what Ivor had done. If it wasn''t for Ivor they wouldn''t have gone to Dark Valley. If it wasn''t for the fat man''s schemes Mane wouldn''t have been caught between a rock and a hard place. And if it wasn''t for Ivor, Mane wouldn''t have been captured by Ashera. Although the latter was much better than the others, everything happened because of the betrayal of one man.


    "Kid, you should put away the Sealing Rod and let things slide." Ancestor Pier felt that he had been quiet enough. So he decided to speak up. Although Ivor had wronged the boy, he was far too important to Ancestor Pier and Amalgamation to be killed ¨C especially in front of him.


    "You must be Ancestor Pier," Mane nodded slightly at the older gentleman, an action that ticked Ancestor Pier off. Although many ?ssumed that to become a Phenom one had to let go of their basic emotions, that was untrue. There were some who still thought and acted like normal people. And there were some who valued their title and power more than anything else. Ancestor Pier was one such person. It was because of his pride that he had refused to forgive his son when the boy committed wrong, which prompted him to run away.


    He was one of great authority and power. Many would bow when they saw him. Yet this kid didn''t even have any look of respect or reverence when he addressed him. It was like he was seeing another passerby. However Ancestor Pier calmed himself when he remembered that this was the same person who was willing to travel to a dangerous land for Lam. The twins liked the boy, and that was what held him back from taking any action.


    "I am," Ancestor Pier took a few deep breaths to calm himself, before replying. This boy was backed by Ashera. She may be trapped, but she was still someone he couldn''t afford to slight. Lily who was holding on to Ancestor Pier could feel his aura becoming colder and gripped him tightly as though to offer her comfort, an action which Ancestor Pier greatly appreciated.


    "If someone betrayed you and almost caused your death, what will you do?" Mane asked, ignoring Ancestor Pier''s changing countenance.


    "Kill him," Ancestor Pier answered honestly. Why would he let such a person go?


    "I thank Ancestor Pier for his guidance," Mane nodded slightly and let go of the Sealing Rod.


    "You dare!" Ancestor Pier raged as his aura boiled like a furious storm. His eyes flashed in fury like a man possessed.


    "Stay where you are old man," Mane stated plainly, and Ancestor Pier felt his movements shackled. His aura which had been growing was reduced to nothing and disappeared. His eyes were opened wide in shock as he stared into the eyes of the boy before him. Those eyes were different. Initially they were just blue, but now they were a mix of yellow, red and blue. And looking into those eyes filled Ancestor Pier with nothing but dread. He tried summoning his strength once again, yet his power broke down before it was ?ssembled like a faulty appliance which failed to turn on. And his heart grew cold.


    "For the Prince and Princess''s sake, I would only take your legs," Mane stated coldly as the Sealing Rod descended into Ivor''s spine.


    *Puchi*


    "Argh!" Ivor screamed in pain as his connection to his legs was severed. Mane used True Eyes to locate the nerves that innervated Ivor''s legs and severed them. This was cruelty, but considering what Ivor had done to him before, Mane considered it mercy. Although Mane said it was for Lam and Lily''s sake, it was really for Ashera''s. Although the Mistress of the Tower of the Hundred had given Mane the right to take Ivor''s life, Mane knew that she only did so for his sake. Ivor was the only one she could communicate with without leaving the tower due to his power. It would be inconvenient for her if he was killed.


    "That boy sure is merciless"


    "I wonder how Ivor offended him"


    "Even Ancestor Pier who is usually so volatile is silent. I wonder what his background is."


    "The other Ancestors will surely be coming here soon after all this commotion."


    Although Amalgamation was largely unoccupied, the few that remained saw everything. And the guards who patrolled tried their best to stay away. Yet they all remained a bit invested. Amalgamation was too quiet. Naturally they were a little excited to see some chaos.


    "Mane!" a lovely woman approached speedily with a worried expression on her face. Her eyes were full of helplessness as she watched Ivor squirming on the ground in pain. Yet all she did was sigh.


    Sasha who was laying lazily on Mane''s shoulder immediately woke up when the lady approached. Her eyes lit up like burning saucers as she flew to the woman and landed in her arms. Then she purred adorably and settled in them. For one who used to take orders from Ancients, she sure was chummy around Elementals.


    "Hmm," Mane pulled out the Sealing Rod from Ivor''s back and returned it to the sheath on his back. His eyes returned to their original blue color as he turned to face the woman who had accompanied him on his outing. For she was a person he had come to cherish greatly over the past few years. "You took longer than I thought Sun," Mane called the woman out as he walked towards her, leaving the injured Ivor behind.


    "Well it took longer to find it," Sunflower smiled slightly and said. It was then that she turned to face Ancestor Pier and bowed slowly.


    "Sunflower, servant of Mistress Ashera, greets Ancestor Pier."


    "How is your Mistress?" Ancestor Pier''s ugly expression softened due to Sunflower''s show of courtesy. At least there was someone here who knew a thing or two about proper manners.


    "She is doing very well, Ancestor; only a bit stifled" Sunflower kept her head bowed as she spoke, prompting a frown on Mane''s face. He clearly didn''t like to see her this subservient.


    "That is good to hear," Ancestor Pier nodded. He was a proud man, but his personality was quite pleasant once a person showed him some respect.


    "Check his wounds Lily," Ancestor Pier asked his disciple; the one who shared his blood. Lily had been held back by him all this while. If he wasn''t holding on to her, she would have rushed to Ivor''s side as soon as the Sealing Rod made contact with him.


    Lily rushed to the large man and placed her hands on his back. Her hands generated a green glow as Ivor was covered in a green light. Slowly his bleeding stopped, and the hole in his back closed up. Mane''s brows were raised in surprise as he watched Lily. He didn''t think she would become a healer, and one who was this talented. But when he thought more deeply, this role suited her non-combative nature. Added to the fact that she was a Scholar, she was several times better than the best healer.


    "How is he?" Ancestor Pier asked


    "His wounds aren''t life threatening," was Lily''s first ?ssessment which prompted Ancestor Pier to sigh in relief. But that was quickly washed away when Lily spoke again.


    "But he will never be able to walk again," Lily stared at Mane complicatedly when she spoke. There was a time that he was reluctant to hurt others in front of her. For he feared scaring her. But now here he was, doing what he would have never done 2 years ago without a hint of remorse or pity. He had really changed. Yet she felt she was the last person to judge him. But Lam had no such reservations.


    "You have changed," the older twin stated with a frown.


    "It has been 2 years Prince Lam. It would have been strange if I hadn''t changed. Even you have changed. I can feel the blood of many in your aura." Mane smiled and said. His smile however, didn''t extend to his eyes. When he spoke to the twins, he didn''t really feel a thing.


    *Woo*


    The small monkey next to Mane''s feet suddenly called out to Mane and grabbed his robe. Mane had an exasperated expression on his face as he listened to the monkey.


    "Fine fine you can go," Mane waved the troublesome creature away, and it run straight to Lily in excitement.


    "Wait Grand Grand," Lily stopped Ancestor Pier who was preparing to stand in front of her.


    "Silver?" Lily asked pleasantly. It was only now that she realised why the monkey next to Mane was so familiar. Although for some reason his crystal skin was no more, she felt it was Silver.


    Silver nodded excitedly and jumped into Lily''s arms. Unlike Mane, it was clear that Silver still adored the Elemental Princess. Lily smiled happily as she spoke to Silver.


    "How long are you going to watch?" Mane suddenly said. The so-called Elemental Ancestors had come even before he struck Ivor, yet they hadn''t intervened. They were clearly not too keen to interfere with what they saw as a good show. But Mane was too impatient to let them stay hidden. He thought they would come out after he hurt Ivor, but they were surprisingly patient.


    "You truly are unordinary," a handsome middle aged man revealed himself first. His pupils were red as crimson and his hair even more so. His name was Ancestor Bold.


    "Indeed. Ashera has raised a great man." An elderly woman appeared next. Her hair was entirely gray yet her posture was that of youth and power. For she wasn''t stooped over like one burdened with age. She was called by the title Ancestor Fire.


    "Remarkable kid" the next to appear was also a woman. But unlike the former, she maintained her looks. She was very charming, and her appearance was definitely at the peak of this world. Her title was that of ice, Ancestor Ice.


    "Ashera chose well" a young looking man appeared next to the woman. He was similar to the woman in looks, and Mane could tell that they were siblings. He had the title of the one who controlled the storms, Ancestor Storm.


    "I like his eyes" the last to appear was a blind man whose aura was the greatest out of all of them. Although the gray in his eyes suggested that he couldn''t see, Mane could feel himself being probed when the man''s eyes focused on him. However, Mane''s barrier protected him from any probing. Mane also recognized this man. For he had been taught about all the Elemental Ancestors before he left the tower. This blind old man was the oldest Elemental there was, and their Primogenitor. His title was Ancestor Origin.


    "Interesting lad," the old man called Origin gave up after his attempts to probe all failed.


    "Lam,"


    "And Lily,"


    "Greet the Elemental Ancestors"


    Lily and Lam immediately expressed etiquette befitting of royalty as they bowed courteously in greeting. However when Sunflower tried to do the same, Mane grabbed her and prevented her from doing so.


    "No need girl. He clearly doesn''t want you to serve us. He is one equal to us. His wishes are just as important as ours." The blind old man ''saw'' their little interaction and intervened. There was a small smile on his face as he spoke.. Yet the chill that appeared in his dull eyes didn''t escape Mane''s eyes.

 Chapter 462 - Purpose

    "So, why is Ashera''s herald here?" the blind old man asked. When he spoke the others were silent, and even Ancestor Pier who valued his face looked withdrawn with the old man around. He was holding on to both Lam and Lily as though he was trying to prevent them from doing or saying anything silly. This blind old man was surely not as kind as he looked.


    "Ancestor Origin, it is an honour to meet you ¨C and the others," Mane nodded slightly at the Ancestors who commanded the respect of the masses as he spoke. His actions caused a few of them to frown, yet when they looked into his multi-pixelated eyes their powers trembled, and they felt their energies being drawn towards the young man standing before them. The boy was like a vacuum. A mere look was all it took to weaken them. They hastily turned away in shock.


    "Sun, can I have it please?" Mane turned to Sunflower and said.


    "Oh yeah. Here." Sunflower quickly passed over a black blindfold to Mane. This was what she had left to procure. Although Mane could resist Ashera now, he had recently achieved a breakthrough in True Eyes and was having some challenges controlling his power. Since True Eyes had been strengthened by Devour, Mane could actually use it to activate Devour now. However, his recent breakthrough meant that he was involuntarily taking up the energy of others. Even worse was that True Eyes could appear on its own without being summoned, which was what had just happened. And that was why a blindfold was so vital.


    Unfortunately, the blindfold he left the Tower of the Hundred with had been destroyed on their way here in a training accident. And that was why Sunflower left to buy another one. Once Mane wore the blindfold the Ancestors felt the weight on their shoulders lifted. As for Ancestor Origin, his ''gray'' eyes twinkled with a strange light as his smile widened. He was the only one who was unaffected by Mane''s power. And he was intrigued by it.


    "What I have been tasked to bring you is by no means something that can be said here, with so many prying eyes and curious ears," Mane''s speech was slow yet authoritarian. He didn''t sound like a boy who hadn''t lived for even 20 years talking to a bunch of old ghosts.


    "Where are my manners?" Ancestor Origin struck his forehead as though he had forgotten something highly important.


    "Specter," Ancestor Origin turned and called out Ancestor Pier. That was actually Pier''s title. The twins knew him by his real name because they were his disciples. And Mane knew him by his real name because Ashera had told him when he inquired about the twins. Added to the fact that Pier was the youngest Ancestor, many Elementals still remembered him by his name before he became a Phenom.


    "Yes Ancestor Origin," Ancestor Pier''s attitude was vastly different from what it was when he was dealing with Mane. He was very subservient, and one would have thought that he was a servant with the way he was acting.


    "Your residence is closest to this place. You wouldn''t mind if we entertain this guest there now, would you?" Ancestor Origin asked with a smile.


    "Of course not Ancestor. It will be an honour." Ancestor Pier hastily agreed. "Take care of Ivor. Get him to the Healing Center first. Lam, go with her." Ancestor Pier whispered to his disciples before proceeding to take to the skies.


    Lam nodded sullenly at the order. He understood that he was not yet worthy to stand with the Ancestors in one room. For him to reach such a stage, he had to become a Phenom. His eyes flashed with a complicated gleam when he saw Mane who had also taken to the skies. Unlike the Ancestors, Mane didn''t use the forces of the world to fly. Rather, he was using Ashera''s famous Wind Walk. The wind elements gathered beneath his feet like a wave as he soared into the air, his speed not at all inferior to the speed of the Ancestors!


    His arm was around Sunflower''s waist in the most delicate and nimble of movements as he carried her with him. He had clearly done this several times. And the gentleness he attached to his actions showed that she meant a lot to him. Lam cast a side eye to his sister. Silver was still in Lily''s arms, but the young princess who had long come to understand her feelings towards Mane was biting her lips strongly as he watched him take to the skies with another woman.


    "Are you okay?" Lam couldn''t help but ask. He wasn''t referring to the fat gentleman who lay on the ground unconscious. He was worried for his sister.


    "I am fine," Lily hastily forced down the tears that threatened to spill over, yet a few did find their way out. And she quickly wiped them off her delicate face.


    "He has really changed," she couldn''t help but say. All these years she had only thought of him. She wondered how he was doing; what he would say when they met again; how impressed he would be when he realised how much she had grown; how large his smile would be when he saw that Lam was alive and well. Yet none of those scenarios had played out just how she thought they would. He b?r?ly cast her a glance. He even called her by her title now. He felt more distant than ever. And it hurt her.


    "He has," Lam agreed. There was a chilliness about Mane now. It was there before, but he always hid it around them so as to not freak them out. But now it was in full swing. He didn''t mind letting them feel the distance between them now. Not only in terms of power, but emotions too.


    "But I don''t think he was acting right just now," Lam stated. He couldn''t help but feel that something was off.


    "What do you mean?" Lily asked as she kept feeding her energy into Ivor, causing the man''s pale complexion to become rosy again.


    "He was being too distant. He was deliberately pushing us away with his aura, as though he didn''t want to be ?ssociated with us. Not that actually, rather it was as though he didn''t want anyone to think he was ?ssociated with us." Lam furrowed his brows and said.


    "And why did he leave this fella here with you? Isn''t that his beast companion? If he couldn''t be bothered about us, why would he leave his monkey with you? Would he not have to come back for it?" Lam analysed and his words caused Lily''s eyes to flash brightly in realization.


    "Silver is a he, not an it. The only reason why he would leave Silver here was if he needed Silver to tell me something!"


    Lily understood the language of Crystal Monkeys as well as Mane did. And if Mane remembered this, it would make sense why he had left Sliver here with her. She hastily gripped the ears of the monkey who was jumping around her and pulled him to her side.


    "Did he ask you to tell me anything," Lily asked. Silver''s eyes flashed craftily before he mumbled some things to her in beast language.


    "Yes, I would get you all the treats you want when we go back," Lily''s eyelids twitched when she heard Silver''s request. The greedy pig was asking for three Spirit fruits and any other thing that was about that level. Her answer seemed satisfactory to Silver, for he nodded his head and began to speak to Lily in beast language. As they spoke, Lily''s expression got brighter and brighter. And Lam noticed this, making him feel that his guess was spot on.


    "What did he say?" Lam asked.


    "He said Mane left a special message for us. He doesn''t trust the Ancestors, and that was why he didn''t say anything to us." Lily explained through telepathy. "So we need to go to a secluded area" Lily added.


    Lam nodded his head and tossed the large Ivor over his shoulder. They had spent two years in this city, and they knew it like the back of their hands. Soon they found themselves in a secluded area only frequented by rats. Lam gently dropped Ivor on the ground before Lily spoke to Silver again. The cautious crystal monkey looked around to make sure that there was really no one around, before retrieving a stone from its mouth.


    "A record stone," Lily exclaimed as she hastily snatched the stone from the grumbling Silver. "I''m sorry. I''d give you an additional Spirit Fruit," Lily promised quickly upon realizing that she wasn''t acting normally. Then she played the video on the record stone.


    "Hello, if you''re seeing this then I presume that you didn''t let me down and had figured out that something was off. I have missed you two dearly, Lily and Lam."


    The two twins smiled widely like clowns when they heard the Mane in the video address them without their titles. It truly was refreshing to hear.


    "You might be wondering why I acted so distant and why I acted so coldly towards you. That is because I have to protect you."


    Mane''s words caused both Lam and Lily to look towards each other. Who could Mane want to protect them from when they were in Amalgamation? Unless the person they needed protecting from was in Amalgamation!


    "You are smart, so I am sure you must have guessed by now what I am about to say. Yes, there is a Traitor in Amalgamation.. And that is the real reason why I am here. This traitor is an Ancestor!"

 Chapter 463 - Reaching Out

    It took less than a minute for the ancestors and Mane to get to Ancestor Pier''s home. Soon they were all seated in one of the halls, with high quality alcohol and tea options placed before each one of them.


    "Okay Ashera''s Herald. Now that we are all nice and comfortable, can you tell us what it is that you are doing here?" Ancestor Origin asked. He didn''t suggest that Sunflower, whom Mane had seated next to him without seeking anyone''s consent, be removed from this meeting. If Mane was willing to do that, he wouldn''t have come here with her.


    "My purpose here is simple: To help fortify Amalgamation and prepare her for Pazuzu''s return," Mane stated as coolly as one in deep comfort would have spoken. His words caused the expressions of every Ancestor to grow stern. They had their suspicions when they were informed that Mane would be coming. But to hear that it was indeed related to Pazuzu still chilled their hearts.


    "What does Ashera have for us?" Ancestor Origin asked. It was almost as though he was the only one allowed to speak. For the others, although laden with questions they sought to answer through Mane, kept their silence.


    "According to the words of the watchman who guards the city and sees the happenings of the gods, the signs are telling."


    Ancestor Pier''s face twitched when he heard his grandson being referred to as a watchman. It wasn''t like he could do anything about it though, for Old Fan''s task was indeed that of a watchman. An extremely powerful watchman with a noble bloodline, yes. But still a watchman. The other ancestors seemed to be taking joy in his misfortune, as many of them smiled. Ancestor Ice went as far as to stick her tongue out at Ancestor Pier, which made Mane realise that these Phenoms were very much children inside and not the old freaks he was hoping to meet.


    "Over the past few months the atmosphere around the forest has changed, and this prompted him to seek to clear the doubts in his mind. Upon exploring the forest, he noticed that the gate of the gods had appeared once again, and the cracks on it served as the evidence he needed to come to this conclusion. However, he couldn''t be completely certain."


    The gate of the gods was a barrier that hid the two gods from the world, and almost isolated them in a different dimension. For they were still warring in the forest, but their power didn''t affect anything around them because of the barrier. It was a barrier that had been erected long ago, during the time of the gods, when they lived with humans yet away from them. The barrier was capable of healing itself. However, it wasn''t invincible. If the energy it had to hold back became too much to bear, cracks would appear on it, and the barrier which should have been hidden will appear. It was at such a moment that Pazuzu usually sent out a clone by using the gaps in the gate to get away.


    "And that''s why he sought out the Mistress of the Tower?" Ancestor Origin asked.


    "No. He didn''t seek us out. You of all people know that no one can just come and see Ashera. Besides, he is your watchman, not Mistress Ashera''s. He doesn''t report to her." Mane shook his head as he spoke.


    "That means you people sought him out?" Ancestor Origin tried again, and this time he was right.


    "Yes. Another of Mistress Ashera''s servants, Rose, was the one dispatched to find him. When she did find him she was led to the site of the gate. And she confirmed with her own eyes that it was indeed true. The gate had reappeared, and its cracks were larger than they were the last time it appeared. Pazuzu is getting stronger."


    Mane''s words set the atmosphere in the hall to a grim one, as all the Ancestors felt the gravity of the situation.


    "The watchman was asked to hold off on making a formal report to you. It was an executive order from Mistress Ashera, who is technically an Elemental Ancestor herself, so he couldn''t reject it. However, he was promised that the information would be sent to you."


    "And that is why you are here," Ancestor Origin nodded his head in understanding.


    "Did you go to the forest first?" Ancestor Origin suddenly asked, prompting every Ancestors gaze to turn to Mane.


    "Yes," Mane nodded simply.


    "And?" Ancestor Origin was a smart man. For Mane to have been sent even after Rose had confirmed the news was unusual. This was because Rose had been serving Ashera long before Mane''s arrival. There was no reason for Ashera to doubt her. And that meant that if Mane went there, it was for another purpose. And that purpose was likely mending the gate. It sounded impossible, but Ashera was capable of that. In fact, she had delayed the coming of Pazuzu by her lonesome so many times. But it was difficult to accept that a man as young as Mane was capable of doing what Ashera, who had trained for thousands of years, was capable of.


    "I have mended the cracks. But it wouldn''t hold for long." Mane answered.


    "That''s impossible!" Ancestor Pier suddenly interjected. The other Ancestors didn''t stop him. Each of them had doubts in their eyes and they didn''t hide it. When Mane said he was here to fortify Amalgamation they ?ssumed it was going to be done with his strength. But from the way he was speaking he was coming to do what Ashera was able to do ¨C fortify the barrier above the city.


    Ancestor Origin merely smiled at Ancestor Pier''s interruption and didn''t stop him. He sat back in his chair, sinking deeper into the comfortable softness that engulfed him.


    "Only Ashera has such power. How can you, a boy who is merely a few decades old, know this? Even if you trained under her, you wouldn''t be at her level in just 2 years!"


    All of the Ancestors nodded their heads in agreement. To them Ashera was a freak who had learned some strange arts. But she was useful, and it was because of her that the ancient barrier of Amalgamation still stood. But to say that a young man was her equal was something they were unwilling to accept. Especially since this young man wasn''t an Elemental.


    "I am not at Mistress Ashera''s level. I am still much weaker. But my strength is enough to mend the cracks." In the past two years Mane had grown a lot, and now he was a peak High Level Scholar. Mending the cracks on the barrier was actually not as difficult as it sounded. It required one to be learned in the way of Scholars or Spiritualists. But for one to have the power to mend the cracks, one had to be at the High Level of either disciplines. Mending the barrier was like tying torn strings to each other. It wasn''t that hard. It was creating the barrier that was extremely difficult. And it was beyond Mane and even the current Ashera. However, these people who had no understanding of the way of Scholars couldn''t possibly know that it wasn''t as complicated as it looked.


    "Isn''t that a bit too arrogant?" Ancestor Bold was the speaker this time. Seeing that Ancestor Origin had allowed Ancestor Pier to speak, he had found the courage of his name to be expressive.


    "No," Mane replied. "If I had no such ability it would be deemed so. But what I display now is confidence, and the repaired barrier serves as my evidence." Mane stated, and then he activated Lock-On and linked himself to each and every person here.


    "Wouldn''t you agree, Ancestors?"


    Hearing the boy''s voice in their heads was all the proof they needed. They were slightly surprised that he could do what Ashera was famed for doing, but it was enough to set their minds at ease and convince them that he was indeed capable.


    "When do you plan to fortify the city''s barrier?" Ancestor Origin asked. Since they had gotten their doubts out of the way, they could discuss the more pressing issue. The barrier had been repaired temporarily, but it wouldn''t last long. The patches will eventually be destroyed by Pazuzu. They had to prepare for his coming.


    "I exhausted most of the repair materials when I visited the Forest of the Gods. So we need to restock first." Mane answered.


    "How will you do that when you have just crippled the only Merchant we have in Amalgamation? And you destroyed his shop as well so there is no way we can skulk around for supplies." Ancestor Origin asked, with his brows twitching in frustration for the first time.


    "He was your only merchant?" Mane asked in feigned surprise, which caused Ancestor Pier to grind his teeth sharply in anger. The boy clearly knew this, yet was fooling around.


    "Now that just seems like bad planning," Mane added, and the faces of the Ancestors turned green. Even Ancestor Origin who was most composed almost blew his top.


    "Behave," Sunflower pinched Mane gently in the side, and the young Supreme halted his antics.


    "I was thinking of asking for some help from one dear to me," Mane said seriously. "And with his help the materials will be here by tomorrow at the very least."


    "Who?" Ancestor Origin asked.


    "A man you wouldn''t be happy to see."

 Chapter 464 - The Prince of the Ancients and the Dark Spear

    Time worked in different ways. For some it led to progress, whilst for others time robbed them of everything. Some had it both ways, but whichever one came last was the true defining factor for them ¨C progression or robbery. However those with their destinies already written in the stars always experienced the most turbulent of eras. Their fates were never set in stone. Succeed at what fate had touted its horn that you would do and you would be remembered for all eternity. Fail, and you would be forgotten. Even if you were remembered, it wouldn''t be the kind of memory you would hope people have of you. A man with such destiny was the Prince of Ancients, Dan.


    The mysteries of the Dark Valley were plentiful, so much so that each of the Three Great Races had their own agendas and beliefs concerning the place. For the Ancients, their strongest belief was that a powerful weapon was hidden in the Dark Valley. This weapon was believed to possess unprecedented power, and it was said to be of the same origins as the Tower of the Hundred. The Ancients believed that this weapon may be the very reason for the existence of Dark Valley. Without this weapon, the darkness of the valley would slowly give way to the inextinguishable light of the sun. However, so far they hadn''t found anything. All they got for their efforts were clues upon clues. And they were currently nowhere. But they still believed, for several of their Oracles had seen such a vision.


    "The Chosen ¨C the Prince who would be born to the Matriarch ¨C would find the spear that pierces through light itself. With it shall he slay the Dark One who terrorizes the world. A spear from Darkness shall pin the Dark One to the ground. Oh the irony!"


    This was a prophecy that came long before the three Great Races reached their current heights. They remained confused about the prophecy until the day they learned about Pazuzu. It was then that they thought, "What if¡­just what if the Dark One was the strange god trying to destroy the world?" If it was so, then it was the destiny of the one of their own to save the world.


    They had spent several centuries trying to understand the other parts of the prophecy. And they narrowed down the location of the weapon to the Dark Valley. However they had never found it. But now their approach had changed. The Prince they abandoned to fend for himself was now the one relied upon to find the ''spear''. For they thought to themselves, what if the weapon could only be found by the one meant to wield it? And so off he was, the Prince of Ancients, to find a weapon that could never be found.


    As for the man in question, he was currently steeped in a group brawl. Dan was surrounded by three large creatures. All three creatures were of the same species, for they were all large birds. And just like every other creature, they had a name ¨C Fire Condors.


    Their wings were on fire, and their tails were as well. Occasionally they exhaled long breaths of smoke before belching out powerful jets of flames. Each bird was at the Nobility Realm, yet Dan was holding his own against them very well. In fact, if it wasn''t for the fact that they were flying too far above him for him to mount any proper counter, this ?ssault wouldn''t have gone on for as long as it did. Dan was very nimble. Every fiery attack was evaded spectacularly, and he wasn''t hurt in any way.


    He had been in scenarios like these since he entered the deeper regions of Dark Valley. The creatures here were smart and played to their advantages. He had faced Earth Moles who were experts at quick attacks and evasive maneuvers that saw them slink back into the earth as quickly as they appeared. He had faced fishes that tried to change the terrain to suit themselves. And he had even had to deal with insects that were a bit too powerful for their size. And through it all, he had come out on top. This wasn''t going to be any different.


    "That''s enough," Dan stated exasperatedly as a powerful wind swept the entire area. The powerful jets of fire that sought to burn him to nothing were forcefully halted as the winds formed a barrier in front of Dan under the astonished gazes of the birds.


    "That''s right you twigs. I can use elements too."


    Since the fight began, Dan had only been depending on his physical strength and abilities. He didn''t use his element of choice, Wind, because he didn''t want to alert his preys to his true intention. His eyes flashed with a green glow as they pierced through the darkness of the valley on their own. Ancients had their own way of traversing Dark Valley. A technique called ''Sight''. It allowed one to see beyond the confines of light. And that was what Dan was using right now.


    "Gather and return," Dan mumbled as he gestured to the winds which howled and gathered the fire as they came, and rolled the fires into one large fire ball. And then it was sent towards the ones who had summoned them.


    *Scree*


    All three birds screamed in panic as they tried to get out of the way. In their complacency they stood together instead of flying in an expansive formation that would have made it difficult for Dan to attack all at once. They were quick birds, and it looked like they were going to be able to weather this storm. But Dan wasn''t going to let that happen.


    "Explode," he commanded, and the fireball exploded spectacularly.


    *Boom*


    Along with the massive explosion that temporarily lit up this particular vicinity, the three birds were tossed towards the ground. The fire didn''t harm them largely, but it did cause some injuries. Dan didn''t expect an attack which wasn''t aimed at anyone in particular to do the job. It was the follow up that mattered.


    Bending his knees and summoning the energy that he had grown so used to controlling over the past few years, Dan launched himself into the skies and was before the first descending condor in no time at all. The beast was still disoriented and unaware of what was happening. And this made things much simpler.


    Clutching the spear in his hand tightly, Dan blazed his way through the beast. Although he was nothing but a mere grain of sand before the massive beast, his skill was akin to that of an expert chef carving out a chicken.


    *Puchi*


    Dan''s spear was like a carving knife, and with it he tore apart the heart of the condor before it could even scream in pain. Its eyes lost their ?uster as it continued plummeting to the ground. This time however, it was doing so lifelessly.


    Dan showed his prowess as a true Wind User as he changed direction midair and pushed his way towards the second condor. It was a wonder really. If he had such skill; being able to air walk so freely, why wait for so long to use them?


    As Dan approached the second condor he kept spinning like a legendary ballerina. As he span the winds gathered around him and converged into a single point. If there was any light one would have seen a giant ''wind mill'' surrounding Dan. Like a razor sharp cleaver the mill tore through the second condor without much suspense. The feathers of these beasts weren''t the strongest form of defense, but they were as tough as steel. Yet Dan made killing them seem like butchering a thanksgiving turkey.


    "Last one" Dan mumbled as he changed directions and rushed to the last beast. The last condor had been able to stabilize itself after several failed attempts. And once it did, it noticed that the others were no more. Its eyes flashed with panic as it tried to fly away. Alas, that decision would have been sound before Dan took to the sky.


    "No you don''t," Dan exclaimed as his speed suddenly increased to about threefold of what it was before. And in no time he was right above the retreating bird.


    "Descending Chaos," Dan mumbled as Edict gathered around him and converged onto the tip of his spear. The weapon shone brightly like the noonday sun as Dan acted as its herald.


    "Roar!"


    With a loud roar Dan struck the condor which screamed in pain. Once he did the light that gathered at the tip of his spear exploded, and the condor was totally destroyed!


    *Bang*


    Unlike the other two, this condor left no remains. True to its name, Descending Chaos was an obliterator. Once Dan was done he flew back to the ground, his green eyes piercing through the darkness to locate the beast he had been trying to bait. It was for this reason he had delayed so much with killing the condors. For there was a creature which delighted in condor meat, and Dan had successfully pulled it to his side.


    "A Winged Lizard" Dan mumbled when he saw the beast approaching. His eyes flashed with expectation as he swung his spear around him to ready himself for battle. He had intentionally destroyed the last condor so thoroughly so that its blood would remain in the air for quite the amount of time. That way the Winged Lizard wouldn''t miss this location even though the auras of the condors had disappeared.


    Suddenly his expression changed as a message came to him from the one who had sent him here in the first place.


    "Withdraw Dan. Your ward has returned.. Go get him back."

 Chapter 465 - First Trace Of The Watchers

    Back in Intersection, Waska and Rasa were getting ready to depart. The details of their departure were simple: find the boy and bring him back if possible. If capturing him was impossible, kill him. With the two Flames of Magma were three Elders who were all in the Pseudo Phenom Realm. And one of them was even a Peak Pseudo Phenom. Magma was really holding nothing back to capture Mane.


    "The report reaching us is that he is in Amalgamation now," Rasa informed Magma as he polished his blade in his final preparations.


    "Yes. Apparently he went to the Forest of the Gods first before making a beeline towards Amalgamation. We don''t know how long he will stay there, but I reckon that it wouldn''t be for long" Waska was loading a few supplies onto his mount as he spoke.


    "Bring him back the first chance you get," Magma ordered simply and left, not bothering to see his men off all the way to the gates. He needed to tell the Primogenitor of the new developments. If the boy was out, Ashera may be joining soon.


    "Let''s go," Rasa was leading the mission this time. He jumped onto his tiger and urged it forwards, and the others quickly followed after him.


    Back in Amalgamation, the one who had caused such a large movement in the camp of the Barbarians was deep in thought as he analysed the design of the city''s overhead barrier. There were several sheets of paper before him, each with several texts and explanations on the barrier and its usefulness. The barrier''s mechanism of action, its core, and supporting engines had all been included in the material Mane had been given. And as he perused, the wrinkle in this brows deepened.


    "What is it?" Mane wasn''t the only one in the room. Sunflower was here as well. She had already changed into her sleeping attire, and it seemed she had no designs of sleeping in the room she was allocated tonight. She noticed that Mane was thinking too deeply about the material he was holding on to. And hoped that there was no issue with it.


    "The barrier. It''s almost as if the one who designed it initially, designed it to have flaws." Mane frowned and said. Usually, when something was to be created, its design was always better than the final product. For the design was a mixture of fantasy and perfection, but reality was so often disappointing. The materials needed to create the level of masterpiece the creator had in mind, coupled with the skill of the technicians always determined just how close the object would get to the original design. Often times, creators had to tone down their expectations, with some having to redesign their works in an inferior setup to make things much simpler.


    "Maybe these aren''t the true original designs? The creator may have had to reduce the level of quality to make it feasible." Sunflower argued. Her thoughts were along the path of logic. For as mentioned earlier, creators at times had to tone down expectations and make something inferior to what they truly had in mind.


    "This is different," But what Mane was looking at was different. There were many strategically placed flaws. These flaws showed both the genius of the maker and a bit of cryptic thinking.


    "Whoever designed this wanted it to be flawed. A Nature Barrier isn''t difficult to make. Nature Barriers are only complicated because of the amount of resources that go into it. Which is why most opt out of it. But once completed, a Nature Barrier is much better than a Defense Barrier or even a Cover Barrier." Mane went on to explain what he meant to Sunflower.


    The Nature Barrier encompassed the natural laws of several elements into itself to create a masterpiece that could last for eons. The issue was where one was going to find those resources. Luckily, Elementals were a race that were made for the Elements. So finding severally talented people in many different elements was no problem. Which meant that the most important resource of the Nature Barrier was no problem to the Elementals. For Barbarians however, a Nature Barrier was not possible for them to make. For they were a race dull in elemental affinity.


    The next step was to get media for accommodating and transferring the energy of the Elementals into the barrier. For this to happen, a core had to be created. The core was to be the collection of the natural laws and serve as a constant fuel for the barrier. And herein lied the second issue. Cores were very difficult to create because of the sheer wealth required to make and maintain them. According to the design in front of Mane, the first ever core was made with a thousand Elemental Stones for each of the four basic elements ¨C fire, water, earth and wind! That meant that a thousand Fire Stones, a thousand Ice Stones and a thousand of every other stone were forged into one. Elements like lightning and darkness however, were not used. After all, where was one going to find several Darkness and Lightning Elementals to fill the stones with their energy and solidify their laws?


    The last step was the trickiest, yet easiest. The last step was all on the technicians. The last thing to be done was to perfectly position the core before a constant energy source and place it in such a way that it would be easy to reach for maintenance, yet inaccessible to the unwanted ''scrutiny'' of enemies during invasions.


    Herein lied the issue with the designs mane was looking at. A Nature Barrier was lacking in complexity. Yet the designer had left a flaw in each stage of its creation. In the first step where a thousand of each stone was required, the creator used 999 per element. It was a difference of just one, but it significantly reduced the efficiency of the barrier. The next step also had a gaping flaw. Although Elemental Stones of the same element contained the same energy, their energy signatures were different. And this would destabilize any barrier if they were used this way. So when filling Elemental Stones with energy, there was a need to completely empty the stones so that they could be molded by the energy of the donor. This was because surrounding atmospheric energy was always the same, no matter who commanded them. Then the creator would tweak each stone so that they shared one likeness and aura. Yet in this case, it wasn''t done so. 2% of the Stones'' energy was left within them before they were refilled, meaning that the stones weren''t in perfect harmony with each other.


    The last flaw was also striking. The core was usually placed almost central to the barrier''s semi- sphere of influence. The core was meant to act as the heart of the Barrier, and so it was positioned exactly as one ¨C in the middle of the barrier; about two-thirds to the left of the midline and one-third to the right of the midline. Once again, the creator had reversed this. The core was rather positioned in such a way that two-thirds of its structure was to the right of the midline, and one-third of it was rather to the left. It was a reversal that meant that the Barrier would have to be fixed every hundred years, instead of its proposed every thousand years.


    "So you''re saying they are too deliberate to be mistakes?" Sunflower asked after Mane was done with his lengthy explanation.


    "Yes. That''s exactly my point. These mistakes are too conspicuous to be accidents. And they are well planned, meaning that the creator was no fool. Mistress Ashera could have corrected them when she did maintenance for the barrier a hundred years ago, yet she didn''t. And this makes me wonder why." Mane rubbed his chin and said.


    "Which means you also have no intentions of correcting them either," Sunflower smiled and said.


    "Exactly," Mane nodded his head.


    "I''m going to bed. Don''t stay up too late." Sunflower yawned and advised before placing a soft kiss on Mane''s temple and plumping herself onto the large bed.


    "Sure," Mane nodded and proceeded to look deeper into the designs. It took the young prodigy about two hours to finish going through everything, and once he was done his eyes were filled with slight excitement. Mane was hardly one to be moved by anything mediocre. Yet his eager eyes showed that whatever he had discovered was anything but average.


    "So that''s why it was made this way!" Mane slapped his knees and exclaimed. He quickly cast his eyes onto the figure lying on the bed upon realizing how loud he was. He only sighed in relief when he saw that she was still asleep. Once Mane had gone through the entire design, he understood why Ashera hadn''t corrected the flaws. And why she who was cursed, who was so protective of him had allowed him to come out.


    "I will see for myself when the time comes," Mane calmed himself and said. "My word it''s late!" it was now that the young man realised how much time he had spent going through the designs. But there was still one more thing he had to do.


    Mane pulled out a piece of paper and scribbled a few things onto it.


    "Recreation: Origami Crane," Mane chanted, and the paper folded itself into a bird that flapped its wings and took flight. This was a skill he had unlocked when he became a High Level Scholar ¨C Recreation. It was highly useful and allowed Mane to do so much. Mane fished through his pockets and retrieved a small stick. He broke one end of the stick and burnt it. Then he poured the ashes onto the living Origami Crane. The ashes melted into the crane like it was dust, and it shone with a dull light.


    "Find him. Tell him that I need his help." Mane ordered, and the crane flew out of the room with blinding speed.


    "I have to get to the twins," Mane mumbled before his figure slipped past the bedroom window and into the expansive darkness outside.

 Chapter 466 - Lilys Tears

    "Do you think that he''s still going to come? It''s almost midnight!" Lam paced anxiously around his sister''s bedroom and said. Pacing next to him in a comical fashion was Silver who just seemed to like causing mischief. Lam''s eyebrows raised in annoyance upon noticing the monkey walking by his side, trying to imitate his gait.


    "Come back here Silver," Lily ordered the stubborn monkey return to her side when she saw that Silver was getting on her brother''s last nerve.


    "Maybe he''s forgotten?" Lam asked. Although Lily didn''t necessarily say anything, she was inclined to agree. After all, it was a bit too late. They were all staying at Ancestor Pier''s house, and the old man never slept early. He didn''t really need sleep actually. He only did it for p???sur?, not rest. So they didn''t think that Mane whose understanding of Edict was so high wouldn''t know that a Phenom didn''t need rest. That would mean that Mane couldn''t be na?ve enough to think that coming here deep in the night was going to be any different from say, coming here at 9pm.


    "No I haven''t forgotten. I just got wrapped up in my work that''s all." A calm voice suddenly encroached on their territory, and both Lily and Lam tensed up temporarily before recognizing the owner of the voice. It was the same voice that had interacted with them earlier today. But at the time it was cold and distant. However, this time the warmth that was characteristic to the friend they knew from the past was back. And both could sense the longing in his tone. He had clearly been waiting for this moment as long as they had, with the expectations that they had.


    "I''ve missed you both," Mane appeared in the middle of the room like a specter before his figure flashed and both Lily and Lam found themselves in his embrace. Logically both should have screamed in caution and called for the guards, but how could they?


    Lam returned Mane''s embrace as gently as he could. He looked calm, but his slightly shaking hand as he placed it on Mane''s back showed that he was anything but that.


    "Yeah. We''ve missed you too." Lam expressed himself freely, something he hadn''t been able to do in the past couple of years. In Amalgamation he was the Prince and future of the race. He didn''t really have anyone to call a friend, or even a rival. But in front of his old friend, he found that the feelings of dependency and comfort were back. His mind clearly remembered the one who had protected him and blessed him with power ¨C even if it happened more than two years ago.


    Lam sighed and slowly extricated himself from Mane''s hold. He would have liked to hug his friend just a bit longer. But there was someone who needed the blonde haired boy''s attention more in this room. And he was willing to hand over his share of the spoils to her.


    "I''m sorry," Mane smiled bitterly as he wrapped both arms around Lily''s delicate figure and pressed her deeper into his ?h?st. Her soft sobs were the reason for his apology as there was nothing more to be said really.


    "You have only just reunited, yet you already have her shedding tears. You really are something else, aren''t you?" Hildegarde, Mane''s trusty fairy was as usual not one to shut her mouth. Seated on Mane''s shoulder like always, she pouted displeasingly as she spoke.


    Mane couldn''t be bothered to pay her any heed. Over the past few years he had grown accustomed to her egging, and his skin had grown thicker and thicker. Although she still knew what to say to rile him up, Mane was able to largely ignore her comments when he wanted to without reacting the way she wanted him to. And today was no different.


    It took about 10 minutes for Lily to calm down. Once she did, she blushed in shame and rushed into the washroom to clean up, leaving Mane and Lam alone in the room for a while.


    "I really bought your act back there," Lam offered Mane a beverage and said. He slowly downed the contents of his as he spoke.


    "Even I was impressed with the way you acted," Hildegarde agreed with Lam enthusiastically. "Who knew that your acting skills were just as fine-tuned as your elemental understanding," she added sarcastically. Once again, Mane ignored her. Or she thought he had ignored her until the young schemer patted his shoulder to invite Silver over for a seat. That wouldn''t have been a big deal if that shoulder wasn''t the one where Hildegarde had taken up residence.


    "Hey!" Hildegarde grumbled as the small monkey leaped enthusiastically onto Mane''s shoulder. This was usually Sasha''s privilege, and Sasha''s alone. So Silver was very excited to be on Mane'' shoulder. As for the fuming fairy, he couldn''t see her. Even if he could, he wouldn''t care.


    "I had to be convincing," Mane sipped his own beverage and said. He couldn''t help but inhale a few times and take in the sweet scent of the great flavor in his hands. Yet there was also a weird familiarity in the drink. However, he couldn''t place his hands on it.


    "She made it," Lam smiled and said upon seeing Mane''s puzzled expression. The beverage in Mane''s hand was just a simple orange extract. It didn''t have any wielding benefits, and shouldn''t have stolen his attention. Yet it had. And when Lam spoke he understood why.


    "That explains the feelings of familiarity and longing contained within this one drink," Mane smiled and took a larger gulp. His eyes were filled with warmth and appreciation.


    "It''s very good," Mane added before finishing everything in a large gulp.


    "It is impressive that you were even able to sense that," Lam smiled whilst taking a sip of his own drink. Lily had learned how to create such beverages as a hobby when they came here. She hoped that one day Mane would taste her work and waited eagerly for that day to hear just what he thought of it. She would have been happy to know that he liked it.


    "I am not as impressive as you apparently. You are a Nightmare now. Congratulations on getting closer to reaching the peak." Mane chuckled. He was able to tell Lam''s level with a single glance and was very surprised when he screened both him and Lily only to discover that they were Heaven Realmers. He knew that they were talented, but he didn''t think that two years would have seen them barge into the Heaven Realm from the lowly Profound Realm.


    "You are one to talk. You can stand against the Ancestors with no issue. And even Ancestor Origin was not enough to faze you. I don''t even know how strong you are now." Lam shrugged with a helpless smile. He thought he had caught up with Mane. Or at least was very close. But the earlier events had twisted his mindset forcefully and reminded him that he still had a long way to go. The fire of improvement and progress which had slowly dimmed when he broke into the Heaven Realm was lit up again upon realizing that the boy whom he sought as his goal was still much stronger. And Lam couldn''t help but feel that this was a good thing. For it was only under this kind of pressure that he was going to explode in power.


    "If they had truly attacked, I would have been vulnerable. My Spirit is immense and that is why they are weary. However, my actual strength is still within the confines of this world. I''m not a Pseudo Phenom yet." Mane smiled as he explained. His words stunned Lam for a short while.


    "But how is that possible?" Lam asked. He had seen Mane press Ivor down with nothing but his presence. And that was why he ?ssumed his friend to be at least a Noble. Besides, Mane''s energy signature was very similar to a Noble. So whenever he released his aura, it was the aura of a Noble that was released.


    "As I said, that''s Spiritual Pressure. The Spirit is a source of our talents and strengths. And mine is unusually strong for my current level. Integrating with my Spirit allows me to display power far beyond my level. But I still cannot handle Ancestors yet. I can restrain them, don''t get me wrong. But I cannot harm them and they cannot harm me." Mane explained.


    "So it''s sort of like a stalemate?" Lam probed.


    "Exactly," Mane nodded his head in agreement.


    The two then went on to talk about trivial matters as they waited for Lily to return. Soon they were laughing and patting each other on the back as they recounted stories of the past few years. And when Lily returned to see them sitting very close together, so much so that there was almost no space in between them, her brows shot up in surprise. She thought it would take a while for them to get back to the level of familiarity that shared before. She was wrong.


    "Over here," Lam called out to his twin when he saw her emerge all cleaned up. He shifted a bit to the side to create some space for Lily. Patting the area next to him, he invited Lily over. It was the part of the couch that would have Lily seated in between both Lam and Mane. Lam dragged her over and placed her there anyway before she could react.


    "He liked it you know," was the first thing Lam said when Lily was seated. And when he saw that she was confused, he pointed to the empty cup next to Mane.


    "I did," Mane confirmed and Lily''s bright smile lit up the room. It was a refreshing smile full of sincerity and care. Mane couldn''t help but smile because of how infectious her smile was. All three got to talking. Soon laughs and giggles filled the room as they caught up. The room was sound proof for privacy, so they didn''t have to worry about making too much noise. Before they knew it, an hour had passed and they had done nothing else but talk about their experiences. Naturally, Lam brought up the main topic of discussion when he felt that it couldn''t wait any longer.


    "The traitor: do you have any suspects?" Lam wondered.


    "No. Each Ancestor is of a great standing and has vast experience. The said person wouldn''t give themselves away so easily." Mane regretfully shook his head.


    "So what are you ¨C we ¨C going to do?" Lily asked enthusiastically. She was very eager to work with Mane. She wasn''t the only one. Lam was itching for some action and Mane was equally excited to finally work with his peers.


    "I have a plan. But we have to be very careful. One wrong move and it could be very troublesome for all of us." Mane stated.


    "Got it," both twins agreed immediately. They knew that whatever they were going to do would be risky. That wasn''t enough to change their minds though.


    "And you have to be ready to treat everyone like a suspect ¨C including your master." Mane added, causing the twins to frown.


    "I''m not saying he''s guilty. Just don''t tell him any of what we are doing. Keep him out of this. But we mustn''t discriminate. What we are going to try with the others, we must try with him as well" Mane clarified.


    "Okay," Lam sighed helplessly. Lily nodded her head sullenly. She wasn''t pleased with it, but it was the smart thing to do.


    "Good. Now here''s what I am thinking"

 Chapter 467 - Premonition

    Just like how the three Great Races had their own capitals, humans also had their capital. The difference between the two was that humans were so divided that they even fought amongst themselves and didn''t try to band together, mainly because they didn''t know about the Three Great Races. However, the most capable city was undoubtedly their capital. And over the past few years, this capital had been moving, mobilizing men and women and pulling warriors into their ranks. They swallowed cities and towns that Elementals had infiltrated long before they came along, and tried to pool the humans together. It hadn''t reached the level they hoped it would reach by now, but their plans were progressing nicely. This was a city hidden to the ignorant and feared by those who craved power for themselves. This was¡­


    The Citadel!


    The Citadel was a large city. It was much larger than Amalgamation and Intersection combined and multiplied by a factor of ten! One could even raise the sum of both to a factor of three and The Citadel will still be larger. It was a grand city, capable of housing several millions comfortably effortlessly. And it did. The walls of the city were thick and strong, and the warriors who manned them powerful. At a glance one would see several Thrashers moving about on the walls, serving as lookouts! Although this paled in comparison to the lookouts of the Three Great Races, one had to keep in mind that The Citadel was much larger and couldn''t afford to waste important warriors like Pseudo Nightmares and Nightmares by having them serve as only lookouts. And though it was true that The Citadel''s history couldn''t be compared to the history of the Three Great Races'' cities, explaining why they were weaker, it had a lot of room for growth.


    Amalgamation was a city guarded by a Nature Barrier. Intersection had its Defense Barrier as its guardian, and The Citadel had a Cover Barrier. Defense Barriers were built by relying on the bones and blood of powerful warriors who had died ¨C about a thousand in all. By using those as the ingredients, a skill formation specialist is able to build a fortified barrier that would employ the power of the dead to strengthen the defense of the living. Because it was built on corpses, Defense Barriers had the added effect of hallucinations and disorienting the minds of all who entered its range of influence.


    Cover Barriers were perhaps the least expensive of the three, with Nature Barriers requiring the most expensive of materials to erect. However, as stated earlier, the lesser the resources required for a barrier, the stronger and more complex it would be. As such, it took a very skilled person to build a Cover Barrier. And that was why Elementals and Barbarians didn''t even try to erect one. Cover Barriers required a mix of the materials used to build Defense and Nature Barriers ¨C a couple hundred Elemental Stones of the four basic elements; and a hundred corpses of strong men and women. Compared to Nature Barriers which required a thousand Elementals Stones each of the four basic elements and Defense Barriers slightly less extravagant demands, the Cover Barrier took much less. Yet its strength was superior to the two.


    Hallucinations and Disorientations; A Barrier Wall so thick that even a Phenom would struggle; Curse Inflictions; and most importantly, the ability to launch attacks!


    These were the basic functions of a Cover Barrier. Yes, they were merely the basic settings. Other than these, every Cover Barrier had its own special skills. Usually, a Cover Barrier had two other special skills, and those were only known to its owners. Another difference between a Cover Barrier, a Defense Barrier and a Nature Barrier was its control. The latter two weren''t controlled by anyone. They were more like automated barriers that had to be maintained every few years. Cover Barriers however, also had a manual option. As for who had absolute control of The Citadel''s Cover Barrier, it was the man known as the Dragon Lord.


    The palace of the Dragon Lord was grand. It was as large as an eighth of Asher City and much more elegant. Its walls were made of precious stones and jewels, and it smelt like wealth and privilege from as far as a kilometer away. The guards of the palace were peak Thrashers, and there were even a handful of Predators walking around; a magnificent lineup for mere watchers. Surely the Dragon Lord himself was protected by stronger warriors.


    Currently the man who ruled over the entire city was deep in thought. He wore a long white robe with the image of a black dragon drawn beautifully on its back. He stood in hall several floors above the ground floor, which was the size of several large rooms put together, his eyes focused on the busy streets of his city below. As he gazed through the large window that was made of pure crystals, his eyes lost their focus. It was only when the door to the room opened that his mind returned to his body, and his consciousness was reawakened.


    "I knew I would find you here," the man who just came in was handsome and elegant. He also wore robe that had the image of a dragon inscribed onto it, just like the Dragon Lord. However, his robe was pure black, not white. This man was Black Hand! He looked much fuller than he did two years ago, and his rosy complexion suggested that he had been living quite well. His eyes were filled with vigor and tenacity, and his aura was that of a peak Predator!


    "What is it nephew?" the Dragon Lord asked without bothering to turn his head. If it was any other person who dared interrupt him when he was deep in thought, he would have lost his mind. Only his wife and the man behind him had such a privilege.


    "He is out. Our scouts have seen him ¨C the boy," Black Hand was brief with his words. In front of a ruler like his Uncle, there was no need to start any small talk. Time was valued greatly by both men.


    "Oh?" the eyes of the Dragon Lord flashed with interest and he turned around to face Black Hand.


    "Are they certain of this?" the Dragon Lord asked as his figure shook before he disappeared. When he reappeared, he was standing right in front of Black Hand. It would have startled anyone ¨C his unreal speed ¨C but Black Hand was still calm and composed. There was even a small smile on his face. He was used to his Uncle''s antics, so they didn''t impact him greatly anymore.


    "They are. He matched the descriptions we gave them ¨C and the sketch as well. Apparently he has shaved his beard, but that is the only thing that was different," Black Hand answered.


    "Where did they first see him? And where is he now?" the Dragon Lord asked.


    "Next to the village he came from. That was where they first saw him. As for what he went there to do, they do not know. All we know was that he did visit the Enchanted Forest there. However, we do know where he is now. From the traces he left behind and the direction in which he is travelling, he is likely going to Amalgamation."


    "Hmm," the Dragon Lord frowned when he heard the last bit of Black Hand''s statement. Why would the boy want to go to the land of the Elementals?


    "That isn''t all," Black Hand interrupted his leader''s train of thought once again. And just like before, the Dragon Lord didn''t seem to mind.


    "What else is there?"


    "He is accompanied by another," Black Hand replied. "An Elemental," Black Hand finished, and expression of the Dragon Lord became grim.


    Of the Three Great Races, Ancients were probably the ones that could be called the hated enemies of The Citadel. And probably the Ancients felt the same. However, the relationship The Citadel had with the Elementals was complex. They weren''t enemies per se. They were more like rivals or business competitors, with both eagerly fighting the other to recruit more humans. Hearing that the boy they were looking for was accompanied by an Elemental was like being told that a rival had developed a new high technology weapon that could threaten the peace of your people.


    "If he is in contact with the Elementals, then they have an edge over us," the Dragon Lord sighed before moving towards the only available chair in the room. This was his private space, and since he didn''t entertain company here, he accommodated only himself. Black Hand didn''t seem to mind. For he approached his master''s seat and them plumped himself onto the ground.


    "You don''t look too concerned," Black Hand noticed. The Dragon Lord should have been grinding his teeth in frustration when he heard his last statement. But he wasn''t. Although he looked tired, he was far from hitting that reaction. He seemed too calm for the kind of person he was.


    "That is because I am confident that he would come to us," the Dragon Lord gave his reason, and naturally Black Hand probed for a more detailed explanation.


    "The Oracle sees again," the Dragon Lord said, and Black Hand''s expression grew stern. That phrase could only mean that the Oracle had seen another vision!


    "And?" Black Hand enquired. The way he spoke to his Uncle was enough to suggest that their relationship was a very informal one ¨C one without much decorum or restrictions.


    "The hour is come, when the King shall be plunged into Darkness. He shall grieve, turning in his sleep which is no sleep, consumed by restlessness that comforteth not. He shall awaken, and shall lead us into an era of humans."


    "That is what she said ¨C word for word." The Dragon Lord explained.


    "I see that there is no reason to worry then," Black Hand smiled, but his smile quickly turned into a frown when he saw the crease of worry on his Uncle''s forehead.


    "Why are you still concerned? Do you doubt the Oracle''s abilities?" Black Hand wondered.


    "Far from that. I trust her dearly. Her visions are our greatest weapons." The Dragon Lord denied his nephew''s words without so much as a second thought. How could he doubt the Oracle? She was his wife after all!


    "Then what worries you so?" Black Hand could tell that there was something bugging his Uncle; something that was clearly eating away at the man''s happiness.


    "It''s the vision. I feel that it is a lot more complex than we understand. And that there is something big coming." The Dragon Lord explained. It was just a feeling, but he didn''t dare dismiss it.


    "What is this big thing that is coming?" Black Hand asked. The Dragon Lord sighed in worry and provided but a single word as his reply.


    "War"

 Chapter 468 - We See As She Sees

    Turbulence and chaos were the hallmark of change. Before change could be effected, there must be rebellion. People were naturally resistant to change, whether good or bad. Everyone was entitled to a difference of opinion. However, it was usually the opinion of the masses that counted. For they made up the bulk of the world. But this wasn''t always so. For the powerful could ignore the words of the masses. They could disregard the thoughts and feelings of the entire world even if it meant they were in the wrong. That was the benefit of power. That was the truth of strength. Strength was disregarding. It cared for nothing and no one but the one who possessed it. And it had every right to. For weakness was meant to be trampled upon; to be molded into strength.


    The year was 101A; 101 years after the apocalypse. The apocalypse started like any other apocalypse ¨C by human hands. And the prime culprit was the Emperor of Darkness. A man who was also known by the titles Beast Emperor and Death Killer. For he emerged from the abyss men had dug for him with an army so vast that the world above couldn''t contain it. He was a man who wasn''t a man. He was a being who wasn''t a being. He was wrath itself. He plunged the world into chaos, taking back all it had stolen from him in a vengeful pursuit that devastated over half of the world. Half of the world was desolated by his hand. The other half ¨C by humans.


    The place was a vast desert; one with no end or beginning. No it wasn''t a desert. It was a devastated land. A land smoked by war and strife. So much so that the land couldn''t bear life any longer. And only few dared to live upon this land. The few that did however, had grown accustomed to the harsh environment of this place. Their skin had become rough and hardened, and their eyes capable of weathering the harsh dust storms that could consume any other man. The sun had ruthlessly baked their skins, leading to a few cracks here and there. Yet they were alive, and their bodies were now capable of using the rays of the sun for nutrition. Because of this outsiders labeled them differently from humans, giving them the scientific name, Homo novus. But they were popularly known as Photo Humans. Photo Humans were easy to discern because of the above mentioned features. And if one wanted to cross this desert, they needed the help of the Photo Humans. However it was difficult to gain the help of a Photo Human. They didn''t trust easily, for humans were cunning and deceitful, and there were many of the human race who had kidnapped and sold Photo Humans after they had been aided in crossing the desert.


    "We must be cautious. The Photo Humans dominate this place." A middle aged man wearing a full set of protective clothing coupled with a large transparent helmet that was attached to the main suit via a few shoulder straps was the one who spoke.


    "Yes Father," came a slightly muffled yet immature voice. Standing next to him was a young man dressed just as cautiously.


    Both traversed the desert with difficulty, using the sharp rods in their hands to propel themselves forward amidst the strong desert wind. Looking at his son struggling to cross the desert, the older man sighed in pity, as his mind travelled back to the times before the world was plunged into chaos. He may look middle aged, but he was over a hundred and fifty years old! He had a long life because he wasn''t a human, but an Elemental, and one of the few left.


    "Are you thinking about that again?" the young boy asked his father upon noticing the man''s distant expression.


    "If you had been there before, you would have been thinking about it as well," the older man sighed helplessly.


    "Then tell me about it Father," the young boy urged. His father didn''t like to talk about those days because of some past trauma. And when they lost his mother, his father became even more withdrawn. The boy was just speaking in hope, but surprisingly, his father obliged.


    "In those days the Emperor of Darkness wasn''t our problem. Our problem was Pazuzu. And before Pazuzu our problem was ourselves." The man started slowly.


    "What do you mean Father?" the young boy impatiently asked.


    "Patience young one. I am getting there." The man chuckled in amusement before going on to explain what he meant.


    "Before there were humans, we the Three Great Races existed. We fought amongst ourselves and split the earth as we saw fit. And then we came to know that we weren''t the first. Before us there were gods, and the vilest of them still remained ¨C Pazuzu."


    "Pazuzu was the King of Demons, commanding an army so vast that it took the few kind gods who were left to seal him away. Yet he did break free. And he came after us. But we prevailed. For Son of Light was with us."


    "The Son of Light? Was that the Great Light Emperor, Dan the Ancient?" the boy asked.


    "No. At the time the Great Light Emperor was the subordinate of the Son of Light. Together with the Twin Elementals of Glorious Victory, the Son of Light and the Great Light Emperor slew Pazuzu. And peace reigned."


    "But we made a mistake," the man''s voice grew cold when he reached this juncture, and he began to tremble.


    "Instead of relishing our victory, we feared the power of the Son of Light. For he belonged to no one."


    "How?" the boy asked, intrigued by the story he had known not until this moment. Even the heavy propelling rods in his hands didn''t feel heavy anymore. For his intrigue overwhelmed his flesh.


    "He wasn''t an Elemental that we could claim him. He was no Barbarian that he could be confined to Intersection. Neither was he Ancient, that he should dine with the ones of old. Even though he had affiliations with them all, he could not be trusted. So we schemed and plotted against him until he fell into an abyss so deep that we were sure he wouldn''t return."


    "Bu he did. And when he did he wasn''t known the Son of Light anymore. For the abyss had purged the light in him and had broken down his Spirit to that of Darkness. With an army of beasts by his side he waged war, and he wiped out our strongholds. He chased after us and destroyed the entire world to get what he wanted. All who stood in his way perished. Even the Twin Elementals of Glorious Victory tasted defeat at his hands. If not for those three ¨C the Great Emperor of Light and the Twin Elementals ¨C we would have long been wiped out."


    "And we are still hunted to this day. All because we were too stupid to make the right choice."


    The man seemed to have aged a few more years once his story was finished. The boy who had never heard this story couldn''t help but feel a bit of disdain and disgust towards his race. He hated the Emperor of Darkness. And if not for the Great Emperor of Light and the Twin Elementals, the three Great Races would have longed being wiped out. And though he still hated the man, he felt the respect he had for his race quickly extinguish. For they had brought this upon themselves.


    "And that is why I didn''t want to tell you. I don''t want you to lose the respect you have for your race because of this. For if you think a bit more deeply, you can understand just why they thought it best to rid themselves of the Son of Light."


    Suddenly the world fractured like a glass panel, and everything returned to darkness. The eyes of the one who beheld these things fluttered open, and she hastily escaped the confines of her bed. Her entire bed was soaked with sweat, her clothes weren''t spared either. Her eyes were filled with panic, and her frame shook greatly like one plunged into a pool of iced water.


    "What was that?" she mumbled shakily. "I have never had a vision so clear before"


    "What is it Matriarch?" a tall dark skinned man hastily entered the tent with his sword drawn. His eyes were full of alertness. He had rushed in here carelessly because for the first time in his life, the one he served was disoriented. Her aura was so disorderly that the elements of the world were in turmoil, and the strong storm that churned above was the result of this.


    "I had a vision," the Matriarch of Ancients stated as she tried to take hold of her emotions. Her aide frowned when he heard her. The Matriarch was one who never lost her cool. She was an Oracle, so naturally visions and prophecies were her daily bread. Even when she saw the vision of her son''s path, she wasn''t shaken so. Whatever she saw must have been devastating.


    "What did you see Matriarch?" the aide asked.


    "The End," she replied.


    "The end?" her aide asked in confusion, not comprehending her words as she wished he had.


    "The End of everything," she replied as her aide helped her to sit down. Her words shook him, and he finally understood just a tiny bit of what she had experienced. Even he was slightly quivering hearing her words. How she was able to remain this contained after witnessing it herself was beyond him.


    "By whose hand?" he asked stutteringly.


    "One called the Emperor of Darkness."

 Chapter 469 - A Great Mystery

    Why were the gods so fearful of the 7th Supreme? Why did they fear the boy so much that his parents had to send him away? Why did they leave him stranded on the lonely planet of Zandor? Why did gods of such prestige and power like Ray and Alexis have to resort to such a means? And why did the Olympians and Asgardians ¨C pantheons of great power and authority ¨C have no choice but to stand aside, bidding their time and building up an army for the boy? Why? Why? Why? Why did they have to humble themselves so? To the point where even some of them were against keeping the boy alive for they feared for their lives as well. What could possibly cause one to conceive the thought of killing one of their family?


    Fear


    Fear was the driving force for many of the decisions people made. Just like determination was a powerful driving force, fear was also a powerful driving factor. And fear was the reason why the gods sought the head of the Supreme. There were too many gods to fend off, and when his existence threatened to start a large scale war that was bound to crush the very foundations of the Universe and reduce it to a ruins similar to the times of old ¨C the times of chaos that decided the boundaries of the Universe and the demarcations of the heavens ¨C they had to compromise. If not, the Universe will be destroyed. And they couldn''t afford such a price. They couldn''t plunge the Universe into chaos. They couldn''t drive a cleaver through the peace they had struggled so hard to construct. So they sent him away; a boy weaning. They sent him off to fend for himself.


    So what was it that made them so fearful? What drove them to chase after the life of a newborn? After all, no matter how sinful a man was, those sins never started in his infancy. They feared the boy because of the prophecy concerning him. One prophecy was scary, but could be ignored. But there were many prophecies concerning the boy. And several Oracles saw of those visions and shared in those testimonies. There were seven visions in total. A sevenfold prophecy. They conveyed the story of his growth and rise to power. Yet they all had one theme: destruction.


    Every one of these prophecies told of destruction. It didn''t matter what it was, destruction was at its end. Many had given up on the boy, escaping him rather than trying to help him. Yet one remained unmoved. There was one who strove to find a way to break the curse upon her nephew''s head. She was a goddess known for her cunning war strategies and great wit. Her name was Athena. Born of the Night with the insignia of the owl she was. She scoured the realms, searching for something that would give her a clue as to what could overturn her nephew''s fate. And it led her back home ¨C to the Olympian Archives. So she locked herself up, not eating or drinking or seeking any of the p???sur?s of man. She did nothing but search for a clue; something; anything that would show her the way. And she had been there to this day.


    "Mimir is one wise in all things. His knowledge is beyond the confines of this Universe. For he knows the mysteries that were in their entirety. Yet he was feared by the Universe Will and Odin himself for no secret remained hidden to the God of Wisdom. He was hunted down, and disappeared around the time of the Great War. No one has heard from him since for he didn''t return to Asgard. Even the Spider Goddess is clueless of his whereabouts. Over time, Mimir''s location became one of the 7 Great Mysteries; written down in the records of this Universe against his will."


    Athena slowly read the text of the large scroll she had found a couple of years back. As she read her eyes shone with delight and expectation, and her hopes were renewed. Not like they had died anyway. She always read this scroll to reassure herself that there was always hope. Besides, she had managed to pass on her findings to one just as wise as she was ¨C or even more so. And the one who hunted down the God of Wisdom was now searching for him.


    "If anyone would know how to reverse Mane''s fate, it will be one such as this. I am sure of this" Athena frowned and said. She reached out into her large cloak and produced a small medallion. This was a communication medallion. It was actually an Olympian tool. Just like the Black Book of the Asgardians, the Communication Medallion was highly functional and very useful. However, unlike the Black Book, it was highly specific and allowed only a two way communication. So only two people could share their thoughts. It was through this medallion that Athena kept in contact with the one who searched for Mimir. The medallion shone faintly with a message.


    "Access messages," Athena gently rubbed the medallion, and the image of a man entirely covered in a black robe with two black ravens on his shoulder appeared before her.


    "Odin," Athena furrowed her brows and said.


    "Athena. I hope you are well"


    "I am better than you," Athena chuckled lightly, and Odin''s image leaked out a rare smile.


    "You are one to talk. Even your hair is a mess. When was the last time you had a good night''s rest?" Odin asked in concern.


    "This is coming from the god who once told me that sleep was only for the dead and the clueless? Yeah right." Athena mocked, causing Odin shake his head with a wry smile.


    "I presume that there is something important you want to tell me?" Athena dove straight into the heart of the matter. While exchanging pleasantries with a wise and intriguing god like Odin was soothing to her, every second lost was an opportunity to find a solution faster gone.


    "I found a dimensional gap," Odin announced, and Athena''s expression switched to interested and expectation at the same time.


    "What did you do?" she asked


    "I tore it apart to get a better view," Odin pointed at Gungnir in his hands and said.


    "A bit violent, but a viable approach nonetheless," Athena''s brows twitched when she heard his method, but she didn''t argue against it.


    "Indeed. I admit that in my eagerness I used the crudest of means. But it was worth it." Odin replied.


    "What did you find?" Athena asked.


    "A whole new galaxy the size of three heavens. It is one that knows no filth or life. It has an energy so pure that and untainted; an energy undivided. It is true utopia." Odin had a look of admiration and a bit of infatuation on his face as he spoke. His eyes flashed brilliantly like a youthful man lost in the throes of passion, and his description of the place had Athena sharing in his emotion.


    "And Mimir?" Athena asked the most important question. A new galaxy was great and all. But the only reason why they were searching for something like that was because they hoped to find the Well of Mimir. They hoped to find the God of Wisdom. After all, they had scoured the entire Universe for him, yet he remained hidden. So there were only two options left.


    One: he was in the Dark realm. This option seemed unlikely, for running to the Dark Realm, even for the one known as Mimir was suicide. And with his level of understanding of the Universe, he of all people understood just how dangerous the Dark Realm was. Many could only speculate, but he knew exactly what was there; the monstrosity that remained unsated. So he would never go there. And that brings us to option number two.


    Two: he had escaped to another dimension; an all new galaxy. It sounded farfetched, but when you were as knowledgeable as Mimir, you were certain to know a few things that no one else did. After all, who would find him if he fled to a place where he was unknown? Athena and Odin had only come up with such a thought when they remembered that there was another such dimension; one that was tethered to Asgard ¨C the Dreamscape. If there could be such a universe, how could there not be another. However this Universe ¨C the True Universe ¨C was vast, and travelling to the end of it took 1 quadrillion light years. Even with Odin''s impressive speed, he could only get to its edge in less than a couple of days. If he used his mount, he could get there in an hour. But to search the entire universe was different from travelling its width. And it had taken a decade to finally see some result.


    "He is near. I can sense his Well; and he can sense me." Odin''s response was a positive one, and it had Athena who had long learned to control her emotions squealing in delight like a common church mouse. Her pretty face reddened in excitement as she picked herself up from the ground and announced,


    "I''m coming there. Send me your coordinates."


    "I wouldn''t do that if I were you," Odin shook his head in disapproval.


    "Why?" Athena furrowed her brows impatiently.


    "I am trapped here. Without Gungnir''s Spirit I cannot break through." Odin explained.


    "Who would¡­" Athena started before her speech was cut off ¨C willingly.


    "You mean¡­" she frowned.


    "Yes. They couldn''t wait any longer. Loki made a move. And that means that that knucklehead you call a brother had also made his move. And he would obviously like to ''take care'' of those he considers a threat to his rule." Odin refused to call Ares by his title or even his name. To him, that was below him.


    "In the end, brother couldn''t hold back," Athena sighed painfully. Why was this the destiny of Olympians; father killing son and son killing father? It was a cycle of treachery and vileness she hoped to never see or experience again. Yet it had returned. And it was likely to throw the Universe into turmoil.


    "I hope Father is okay," Athena mumbled.


    "That old coot is probably fine," Odin waved his hand dismissively, causing Athena''s eyes to twitch in annoyance. If she was there right now, she would have punched him in his face.


    "I have known that brat for as long as my memory begins," Odin started and said exactly what Ray said to Butler Fin, "If he could be killed so easily, I would have killed him already."

 Chapter 470 - A Near Impossible Task

    As Odin moved through the serene space of the galaxy he had discovered ¨C well, Mimir had discovered ¨C his eyes took p???sur? at the grand sight he was beholding. Several lights shone from so far away that they looked like several grains of sand. These were Primordial Stars; stars which had just been birthed and remained untainted by the Beings of the Universe. Their energy was so pure that Odin could feel himself being refreshed every second and every minute.


    "I could get used to this," Odin could understand why Mimir had chosen to hide here. Because there was no life yet born in this galaxy, it was easy to pick out the only one there was. It was like a beacon of light in a dark corner of the world; easy to see and simple to detect. And from that aura Odin felt a pressure that was nonexistent before. The God of Wisdom''s aura was much stronger than it was before. Clearly he had benefitted a lot from this place. After all, he had monopolized the resources of this galaxy all to himself. The pure energy of this place was undivided, unlike Edict and Chaos which were no longer one. Even Edict had been further divided into two. But this energy was pure and calm. It was so kind that it took nothing to digest it.


    And Odin could feel himself growing stronger, and his abilities as a Scholar rapidly grew also.


    *Caw*


    Muninn lightly knocked Odin''s skull with his beak. Huginn who was on the other shoulder was a bit gentler. For he rubbed himself against Odin''s cheek delicately like a puppy.


    "I am aware that it would be difficult to convince him now that he is stronger," Odin smiled and said. His companions were worried about the new aura of Mimir. The god that had been chased helplessly to the ends of the Universe wasn''t as helpless as he was before. And he had every right to hate Odin. For it was Odin''s greed that fueled that hunt. For the Asgardian King craved for the knowledge he held, and was willing to resort to anything to get it.


    "Your worries are unfounded. If he wanted to come after me, he wouldn''t have exposed his aura so blatantly." Odin picked his nose and said; a habit that didn''t go down well with Muninn who didn''t hesitate to hide his frustrations by smacking the God King of Asgard with his wing.


    "Sorry. I''ve stopped." Odin hastily apologized before his figure sped towards the spot of Mimir''s aura.


    As he stated earlier, if Mimir really wanted to hurt him, he would have shown himself the minute Odin appeared. After all, in the True Universe it would be hard to take on Odin for he was surrounded by countless other gods and powerhouses, the most troublesome of the lot being Thor and Heimdall''s all seeing eyes which would make ambushes impossible. So one could say he stayed here because he couldn''t get back at Odin. But now that Odin was here and hadn''t hidden himself ¨C a task that would have been almost impossible for there was nothing else here ¨C Mimir would have come for him if he still held a grudge. But he did not. He only issued Odin a warning by unfurling his aura. It could also be that Mimir''s action was that of mercy and he will attack Odin if he did come. But Odin couldn''t care less.


    "This place doesn''t look it, but it is much larger than our heaven ¨C the 1st Heaven," Odin frowned as he flew. Soon he was outside a small planet, which like every other thing in this galaxy, had no life. There were no trees, no grass, no animals nor man. There was only earth. Yet the planet exuded a rich sense of life and grace that was uncharacteristic of a barren planet.


    *Caw*


    "Yes Huginn. This planet is going to produce life soon. Possibly in a few hundred years." Odin nodded his head and descended into the planet.


    To any a hundred years was a lifespan, but to gods it was like a day''s wait. This planet was already breeding life laws, and soon those laws would birth real living things. It was only then that the laws of death would be constructed and chaos born. However, it will take a while for the laws of death to form after those of life. So the Primordials of this world would live much longer than their descendants. And as the years go by, the lives of those that come after will grow shorter and shorter. But that wasn''t Odin''s business. That was the way of life and death; birth and destruction. It had been so long before he was, and will continue long after he was gone.


    "You have come," a gentle voice reached Odin''s ears the moment his feet touched the ground, and a gust of wind blew past. A tall, slender man with a small dagger attached to his waist appeared before Odin. The man had long shaggy beard that stretched all the way to his abdomen. Yet it suited him really well and didn''t make him look out of place. He looked wizened and sharp, just like an old owl.


    "You look well," Odin smirked and said. He was pretty shameless to be talking so genially to someone he had tried to kill several times already.


    "I am," Mimir admitted. "Ever since I retreated to this abode due to your relentless pursuit, peace has been easy to come by," Mimir stated plainly as he sat down on the ground.


    "True," Odin admitted before sitting down as well. Huginn and Muninn flew off Odin''s shoulders to explore this world and learn a bit more. They held much curiosity towards this galaxy itself, and soon they forms flashed past the orbit of this world as they sought to learn more of the galaxy itself.


    "You don''t seem that upset upon seeing me," Odin admitted that he was quite surprised that Mimir was this calm. After all, if he came across someone who had chased him for years just to kill him, he would break his neck.


    "That is because your fate is much more pitiful than mine," Mimir flashed Odin a smile filled with pity and said. Although he was supposed to hate this man, when his eyes showed him what would become of him, he felt nothing but helplessness; helplessness that one as wise and powerful as this could do nothing to save himself from what was coming.


    "It must be pretty bad for you to look at your enemy with such an expression," Odin laughed happily. He didn''t seem to mind that much. He cared little for what was going to happen to him, and more for what was going to happen after him. His family and his people were his concern. Not his life. Even when he pursued Mimir for his wisdom it was because he wanted to have a tool that would let him prepare for everything. It wasn''t for his own selfish interest.


    "Regardless, I will tell you," Mimir ignored Odin''s lack of interest towards his fate and approached the Asgardian God King. Soon his eyes turned completely golden as a voice that was his yet not his emerged out of his mouth in a grating yet strangely pleasing tone.


    "And the wolf shall descend with hunger unmatched by the Universe. At his head shall be the one who stands above all. And together will they devour the Wise God Odin. Flesh and bone they shall consume. God King they shall swallow. They shall leave nothing behind. They shall tear it all apart"


    "I can''t say I don''t deserve such an end," Odin smiled uncaringly and waved his hands freely. After all that he had done; the things he had pursued; and those he had killed, this fate seemed a bit too mild for someone like him.


    "No one deserves such an end, Wise One," Mimir shook his head in disapproval.


    "In front of you I don''t deserve to be labelled as Wise," Odin objected to the title given to him.


    "How long have you been waiting for me?" Odin asked. Mimir was too calm, and from his voice Odin could sense some expectation ¨C and a bit of relief. It seemed that Mimir had waited for his arrival.


    "Long," Mimir replied. "You actually took longer than I expected. You should have been here five years ago." Mimir''s eyes flashed with a pale yellow color as he spoke. Odin''s eyes flashed in delight when he saw the change in Mimir''s eyes. For that was the eye of wisdom that Odin had sought after for years.


    "I was delayed," Odin drew closer to Mimir with a wry smile on his face. A lot had happened during his search, and a lot of these happenings had to do with his Great Grandson. There was much he had to prepare beforehand.


    "I know," Mimir''s eyes were still alternating between yellow and black. It was amazing that even from a Universe away, he could still keep track of the happening of the True Universe.


    "Of course you do," Odin stated. There were two who belonged to Asgard who had sight beyond sight ¨C Heimdall and Mimir. Their visions were linked in a way, yet disconnected from each other. Mimir''s eyes were linked to his intelligence. With Heimdall, he could see everything ¨C literally everything, as long as he wanted to. Mimir however was limited in his visions. But unlike Heimdall, when he saw something, he saw several other possibilities and options from that one vision, giving him wisdom that belonged to none other.


    "How did you carry your well here?" Odin was really concerned about this. Mimir''s well was his life force. It was his godhead. He couldn''t abandon it, yet it was too large to carry. However, he had somehow managed to pull that off.


    "You truly haven''t changed. As long as it has nothing to do with you, your curiosity towards everything else is unmatched," Mimir shook his head with a small smile.


    "Well I am famous for my drive to learn and know more," Odin laughed heartily.


    "Do you want to know that or you want to find out how to break your great grandson''s curse?" Mimir asked.


    "My great grandson comes first of course," Odin replied. How could he come all the way here and leave without getting that for which he came.


    "Good. Then I shall tell you. For there is a way to challenge his fate; a way to reverse his dark destiny ¨C and ours. For the two are linked as an unborn baby is planted to his/her mother by the placenta."


    "Speak Mimir. What shall I do?"


    "It is better if I show you," Mimir beckoned to Odin. The two left, the God King following the Wise God. Soon they were before a small well filled with sparkling blue water.


    "You must drink," Mimir drew some water from the well and offered it to Odin who drank it unhesitant. After all, Mimir''s aura was quite strong. If he wanted to kill Odin, he wouldn''t use a poison.


    Once Odin drank of the well his eyes become like Mimir''s and he saw that which no other was privileged to see other than the Wise God himself. For an entire minute he was stuck in this state, and when everything was over, he closed his eyes.


    "Now you know what you must do," Mimir remarked once Odin''s eyes pushed open.


    "Yes," Odin sighed, his expression like that of a man with a thousand kilograms of weight tied to his ankle.


    "With the energy of this world, solving another of the 7 Great Mysteries and finding a whole new galaxy ¨C a grand mystery of its own ¨C your power as a Spiritual and Battle God must be through the roof right now. So nothing can bind you." Mimir spoke with calm unbefitting of one who had seen the world and its end.


    "Will you stay for a while?" Mimir offered, although he already knew the answer to that question.


    "No," Odin shook his head, rejecting the Wise God''s kind intentions. "There is much to prepare," Odin replied. Gungnir had drank its fill from the energy of this galaxy. It was more than enough to break through the barrier. Unfortunately, the war outside was not his problem. For there was no time to waste. He had to complete the preparations to prevent what he had seen. Otherwise ending the war would be meaningless.


    "Huginn"


    "Muninn"


    "Thank you my friend," Odin didn''t forget to place his gratitude where it ought to be. Then he pushed his feet off the ground and darted towards the edge of this galaxy, to the place from whence he came.


    "Such a dark fate ¨C both of them." Mimir sighed piteously once again. He shook his head and slowly descended into the well. As his mouth disappeared beneath the waters his voice could be heard saying,


    "What a great task it is.. To stop the end of the Universe ¨C Ragnarok."

 Chapter 471 - Universal Delay

    The Norse Gods told of a story; a story of the end of times. They told of a time when their lineage will end; their blood dispersed to the furthest ends of the Universe ¨C the Ragnarok. For millennia they had been trapped under its curse, fated to die by the hands of beings of destruction and be reborn only moments after. It was because of this dastardly curse that they who had been born long before the times of the Origin Divine Artefacts hadn''t mastered the power to go against them. For their constant birth and rebirth left them weak and unimpressive. Yet that curse had been broken by the one called Odin, granting him the title of Allfather. They grew stronger and finally had the power worthy of beings who had been born in the early years of the formative Universe.


    Ragnarok was known only to the Norse. The other Pantheons had their own trials, and they called them by other names. But they had not faced their trials yet, and they did mock the Asgardians for their failure to overcome theirs o''er so long ago. But what if Ragnarok hadn''t ended? What if it had merely been delayed by the hand of Odin, the King Slayer? For the beings that sought to destroy Asgard were still alive. So why was Asgard doing so well? Why was it still standing?


    "Universal Delay," Odin frowned and said. He was out of the dimensional crack, and was currently having to placate the two birds that had always kept him company. For they were his eyes and ears and his strength.


    "You know better than anyone else that we cannot use it again," Odin shook his head helplessly.


    Universal Delay was an ability of great power, and it appeared in only one man ¨C Baldur. Baldur, the one kissed by the Light of the Sun was a god of unquestionable intelligence and kindness. He was no battle god, but each of his abilities were far greater than any could hope for. One of these vast abilities was Universal Delay.


    Many knew Cronos for his selfish and greedy ways. And many feared him for his power. For he was a Master of Time unlike any other. Yet this titan had stayed away from the realm of Asgard. Why? The answer was simple: Universal Delay.


    Universal Delay was a time based skill that couldn''t be taught. For it was gifted; gifted by the Universe itself to whomever it saw fit. And this it did without the approval or thoughts of the Universe Will. It was such a powerful skill that Cronos was terrified of approaching Asgard. And the one who held its power was Baldur.


    Universal Delay allowed a person to reset the Universe, to turn back the hands of time to a moment when there was nothing. Essentially it gave a person an extra life. It was a great power, and in the wrong hands it was a dangerous tool. Ironically, Baldur was one who hated death and war; chaos and famine; strife and disease. He was a god untainted by the Universe though he lay in it, and maybe that was why the Universe chose him to carry this skill, for he was the best keeper for it. Baldur was no Time Wielder, so his understanding of Universal Delay was shallow. Instead of being capable of resetting the entire Universe, he could only reset the timeline of those he was connected to by blood and origin ¨C the Asgardians.


    It took the God of Light ten thousand years to awaken the skill, a feat that Cronos found lamentable for he believed that he would have accomplished this feat in only ten. Odin was inclined to agree, but he was grateful that it took Baldur that long to awaken the skill. For every thousand years the skill awakened by a percentage of 10. And when it did it automatically reset the world of Asgard as it saw fit, reviving a people who could remember just how they died. This skill had given them time. And in that time Odin had discovered a way to escape the curse. For Mimir helped him. And that was when Mimir was named as the Wise God.


    Unfortunately, even if Baldur was alive, they still wouldn''t be able to rely on Universal Delay because it was useless. It took the skill a trillion years to recharge after a full use. And Baldur had already used it in the ten thousandth year. It had only been several billions of years since then. Besides, all this mattered little for Baldur was gone.


    "But that doesn''t mean that we cannot prepare," Odin held Gungnir in his hands with a crooked smile on his lips. He had seen his end, so he had no more reservations. He didn''t care about how to save himself from his fate. All he wanted was to save the others from theirs. He had very little to lose now. And a man was at his most dangerous when he was in such a state ¨C the state of having nothing. But when such a state appeared in a god, it was catastrophic at a Universal level.


    Odin needed to communicate with someone; someone he hadn''t spoken to in several millions of years. But the barrier was an obstacle. It had to be destroyed.


    "Gungnir, the spear that misses nothing yet seeks everything," Odin slowly spoke of the tale of his weapon; the power of its might. He set its legend b?r? and pleased it so. For Gungnir hummed in delight and power, feeding off the energy it had taken from Mimir''s galaxy.


    "All these years you have been with me. All who faced you have perished. And those who didn''t are marred by your power. What is it that you cannot break?"


    *Hum*


    "Well, there is one thing you haven''t pierced," Odin frowned and pointed at the sky above him with his other hand. Gungnir shook in much greater intensity; its rage felt seeping through the confines of the metal that held it together.


    "Can you stomach such a thought? Can you accept such an outcome? Weaker or not, you are still Gungnir. And you shall pierce all you wish to pierce!" Odin''s words were like an order to Edict itself, for the entire energy of this Universe heeded his call and rushed towards Gungnir. Odin felt the energy he had stolen from Mimir''s galaxy be completely used up. But it was worth it. For it fortified the power of Gungnir and fueled its rage. And the power that Gungnir itself had also stolen was augmented once more.


    Words of Power!


    This was the skill Odin was using. His words were lengthy and his speech long. For he was a Scholar Emperor ¨C a Sensor God! His long speech was not an encouragement to a weapon without its Spirit, but a move of the forces around him. With the power of the newly discovered galaxy, he was able to unleash it to its full potential, and the power that gathered around Gungnir''s tip proved that he had indeed released a beast.


    Odin calmed himself, not allowing his spirit to be moved by the constant pestering of the Edict that surrounded him. How could he afford to be drawn into this madness? He was the one commanding them. He wasn''t their leader. He wouldn''t follow their excitement either. His eyes flashed brightly as several runes formed around Gungnir, and a Rune of Great Perception formed in Odin''s very eyes. His eyes peered through the sky above, fixating upon the core of the barrier. It was here he was meant to strike. For once that thing was destroyed, the barrier would be nothing but a decoration even if it wasn''t fully broken.


    "Go, Gungnir!"


    *Caw*


    *Caw*


    Odin flung Gungnir with all his might, his power a torrent of Universal storms and destruction. Huginn and Muninn gave their ?ssistance, blessing Gungnir with the power of their soul and strength and inscribing even more runes upon the spear. From Huginn came runes of Accuracy; from Muninn, power.


    Gungnir whistled through the air, cutting apart the laws of wind themselves. As long as it came into contact with something, it pierced it! Like a thirsty man upon a dry land Gungnir swallowed and swallowed. All forms of matter, no matter how microscopic were pierced through and consumed. The molecules that evaded the vision of the eyes and the quantum realm that remained independent of man; everything was pierced. Everything was made as fuel for Gungnir. And when it reached the core of the barrier, its fury caused the brave defender that dared trap Odin to shake and struggle. For it could foresee its end. It hoped to leave, but that same power that allowed it to remain tethered to this world in blind arrogance kept it yet again, and Gungnir struck it.


    *Crack*


    There was no grand explosion. There was no sonic boom. There was only a tear as Gungnir drove through the core effortlessly and kept on travelling. Its destination? The moon of this world!


    "Oh Odin. You surely don''t know when to give up." A short man with a strange appearance stood upon the moon of the world that kept Odin entrapped. In his hands were a strange looking shield and a small dagger.


    "I''m sorry I have to do this to you. But that boy is too great a risk. And my duty is to drive away every demon- including those who haven''t awakened yet." The dwarf sighed piteously. There was a bit of conflict when he looked into the vast expanse, but slowly that turned into gritty determination.


    *Crack*


    "What is that?" the dwarf was alerted by the strange sound and cast his eyes back to the unassuming planet. His eyes widened in horror when he saw the golden beam rushing at him.


    "Gungnir?" the dwarf thought as he brought his shield before him hastily, not even having the time to mobilize his Edict. And unsurprisingly, Gungnir pierced through the shield effortlessly and pinned the man to the moon!


    *Boom*


    "Cough"


    Blood flowed freely from the new wound as the dwarf coughed out several pines of blood repeatedly. He cast his hazy vision to the man who stood next to him. Even as the darkness encroached he could still make out those two ravens and that cold face. He wished to ask how Odin made it out, yet an answer wouldn''t come, and neither would the question.


    "Bes, I am disappointed it was you," Odin true aim was never the barrier. Gungnir was sure to pierce through that. His goal was the one who controlled it. And it seemed he had succeeded swimmingly.


    "Most often than not it is those we expect most of who let us down." Although Bes''s gums were filled with blood which spilled out of his mouth, that didn''t stop him from speaking up.


    "Indeed," Odin agreed and brought his foot down onto Bes''s ?h?st.


    *Boom*


    *Cough Cough*


    Bes coughed up some more blood as Odin''s stomp shattered his entire thorax and punctured both lungs. His ribs were basically twigs now and his blood vessels torn into several pieces.


    "I am not in a very good mood, so bear with me," Odin apologized insincerely and summoned several limiting runes that prevented Bes from accessing his Godhead fully, stalling his healing.


    "I shall seal you where you sealed me," Odin remarked. Bes was a God of Egypt and could not be killed without destroying his Godhead. But Odin was more than capable of returning the favour. With such a grave injury, if his access to his godhead was cut off, Bes would suffer greatly. He wouldn''t die, but he would be too weak to even move. Odin had hidden the other dimension well so he wasn''t worried. Besides, Bes wouldn''t be able to move anyway.


    The Eternal King; the Cold Emperor ¨C Winks!

 Chapter 472 - Universe Destroyer

    Eternals loved to hide. They were like moles that hid in the soil below. And it was difficult to find them without help from one of their own. Eternals had many Legends, yet only a few remained now. One of these few was the one known as the Cold Emperor; the Eternal called Winks. Winks was a man who had lived many years. He had seen several eras come and go, and he had served under many Supremes. Over the many years he had remained alive, watching his friends and family die and his life gradually lose its meaning, he had changed in a lot of ways. He had grown from a playful child, to an optimistic teen and then to an ?du?t who had experienced the harsh realities of the world and had grown disenchanted with it. Yet there was one thing that had never changed. There was one thing that remained the same no matter what happened to Winks.


    His loyalty


    He may be the reigning Emperor of the Eternals, but he hadn''t forgotten his vow to the Supremes. No matter what he became, his loyalty was theirs and theirs alone. Even when he learned of the destiny of the new Supreme, his loyalty to the boy never wavered. Instead of abandoning the boy, he went journeying throughout the entire universe, seeking the Eternal Legends of old; those who shared in his prestige and status amongst his people. For it was time to reunite the race and stand behind the one who was ¨C unlike his predecessors ¨C meant to rule the entire universe and beyond.


    Winks was currently on a remote planet with very little signs of life. He was here for the very same reason he had visited all the other desolate planets in the Universe: to search for Eternals. So far he hadn''t made much progress, but he had been able to pinpoint the location of the one he sought and narrow down the options to just two. Soon, he will find the Eternal whose flames were eternal.


    "Grandfather," a man with brown hair and eyes that resembled pools of ink approached Winks with a large beast on his shoulders and a zweihander in his hand. The man was more beautiful than he was handsome. Even with his muscular and well cut frame, he couldn''t hide his feminine appearance.


    "You found one?" Grandpa Winks leaped off his bed with speed that the n?k?d eye couldn''t track. The young man, James, was a Noble. Yet his eyes could b?r?ly track his grandfather''s casual motions.


    "Yes," James had b?r?ly replied when he felt the weight on his shoulders disappear. A wry smile adorned his lips as he realised that his grandfather had already taken the corpse of the beast they had been searching for for a few months now ¨C a Tracking Bear.


    Tracking Bears had a special liver that Eternals could use to find other Eternals. It was a secret known only to them, and would remain that way as long as no traitor emerged amongst them.


    Grandpa Winks was quick and efficient. In less than a couple of seconds the liver of the Tracking Bear was removed, and Grandpa Winks was already working on it. Before long the liver began to glow, and Grandpa Winks'' eyes shone with delight. Now he knew where the Fire Eternal was.


    "We leaving?" James asked. Grandpa Winks wasn''t one to dally once he had all he needed for his task. So it went without saying that they were leaving right away.


    "Get Morgana," Grandpa Winks replied eagerly as he packed the few belongings he had here. James nodded his head in reply and left. Morgana was only in the next room, so he didn''t have to walk far. Soon he was standing in the middle of her room. But he dared not do anything else. For his wife was upon her bed, her face scrunched up in anxiety and pain as she twisted and turned upon her bed.


    "James, Morgana; what are you younglings waiting for?!" Grandpa Winks entered the room impatiently and almost lost it when he saw James standing there, as static as a statue. However, his frustration quickly turned into worry when he saw the girl he regarded as his own granddaughter shaking piteously on the small bed.


    "When was the last time she had a vision?" Grandpa Winks asked, his brows furrowed in worry.


    "It''s been several years since her last one. And that one wasn''t as intense as this." James was just as worried. Although Morgana would be fine, it wasn''t a pleasant sight seeing the one you loved and were bound to rolling around in pain. Grandpa Winks frowned and opened his mouth to speak once again.


    "This begs the question: what must she be seeing, for Morgana of all people to be this shaken?"


    Morgana was stuck in a strange state. The world around her was different from the one she knew. Desolation and chaos were widespread, and every planet that could fit into her limited vision was either dying or already dead. This wasn''t the peaceful Universe she had come to love and accept. This was something else. A sort of grim reality that tore the soul apart and broke the bones.


    People fled with fear and panic written across their faces. From every planet flew countless men and women seeking to save themselves. Some were in special suits made to survive the turbulence of space. Others were in spaceships and some were in space bots. It didn''t matter who these people were ¨C mortals or Ascenders. Everyone was eager to save his/her own life. Morgana saw several Ascenders fleeing just as panicked as the mortals. No one was too strong to be exempt from this disaster. There was none who could get away. Those who had not the power nor resources to escape could only watch in horror and helplessness as the Universe crumbled around them. What could they do but pray and hope that this carnage would end? But it wasn''t meant to be.


    Before Morgana''s worried eyes countless planets were consumed, swallowed by the dark shadow which swept past the walls of the Universe in only a split second. So fast was this shadow that Morgana couldn''t see anything concerning it. Only a pair of red eyes that were deeper than a sea of blood made the cut. For those eyes were too eerie to miss. Morgana''s eyes were those of perception. They may not be comparable to the Eyes of Destruction or True Eyes but the eyes of a Seer were treasures. Yet her eyes that were given to see the visions and messages others could not surprisingly couldn''t keep up with whatever this shadow was. In the time it took for one to blink their eyes, countless planets ¨C almost a hundred ¨C were swallowed. Yet the dark shadow remained unsated. Those huge red eyes flashed past the men and women who had escaped their homes before the shadow moved to consume them also, causing several screams and calls of despair to ring across the Universe.


    Ascenders tried firing their strongest of attacks. The laws which they had dominance over filled the place, lighting up the bleak skies for o''er a short period of time. But they were ineffective. The laws of the Universe failed to even leave a scratch on whatever this creature was. It doth swallow the laws just as it swallowed the planets. And though it belched in p???sur? after, none were na?ve to think this was the p???sur? of satisfaction. Its mockery was demeaning, yet none had the p???sur? of being offended so.


    Nobles called forth their titles and besieged the Will of the Universe to invoke their Noble Right. Yet the Universe Will remained silent, secretly cheering on the dark shadow that sought to eat all and be all. Heaven Realmers mobilized the Edict in the space above, yet even Edict trembled at the presence of this being and dared not show its countenance. These attacks did nothing. Heaven Realmer, Noble, Ascender; each man was swallowed like a bug, incapable of mounting any lasting or significant resistance. The laws of this world and the powers of men had failed. She saw a few gods come and fall. Even they were helpless before this creature. She watched in fear as their Godheads were summoned from their places of rest and swallowed as well, effectively killing the supposedly immortal gods. There was only one winner ¨C the being that swalloweth all and was now all.


    The more the being swallowed, the more the darkness around it was stripped away. And its form became clearer and clearer. After swallowing the thousandth planet, a dark moon with a bit of red in its core was formed in the vast expanse, its light connected to the figure that was now revealing itself. From that moon Morgana could feel a kind of evil that was beyond her. It caused her to shake as though she was in the middle of an ice storm.


    Before that moon she felt n?k?d; she felt alone; she felt distraught. Like a little girl tossed aside by her parents Morgana clutched her shoulder in trepidation as her face turned pale. She wasn''t of this world. This was only a vision. So why did it feel so real? Why did it threaten to consume her soul? Why did it scare her so? Morgana took a deep breath and summoned the only energy that seemed to thrive in all of this ¨C Chaos. With a heart that sought clarity and calm, she utilized a Lease and created a barrier around her, shielding her from the ominous energy of the Black Moon.


    *Awooo*


    A loud howl forced itself past Morgana''s barrier and into her ears. Her barrier shattered like fragile glass once this howl resounded, and the energy she was trying hard to stay away from engulfed her. A creature so large that the entire Universe looked like it could be its blanket appeared before Morgana. Her eyes shook in fear as those deep red eyes that seemed to see past time and space appeared before her. Each eye was as large as three High Level Planets put together, and contained much more power than several thousands of High Level Planets. Within those eyes were savagery, wrath and the d?s?r? for destruction.


    A wolf of destruction. Fur as black as the night and power that eclipsed everything but its own hunger and greed. Its name was Fenrir. Fenrir nostrils exhaled a small breath of air. But due to its large size this insignificant action stirred up a Universe storm that caused even more destruction. Yet in all this, Morgana remained where she was. A strange power held on to her, preventing her from being blown away or escaping. She tried to get out of the vision, yet she was unable to. She was trapped!


    Her worst fears were confirmed when she saw Fenrir open his mouth. The large beast had saved her for this moment. Although she wasn''t particularly powerful, it could sense a special energy in her that it sought to consume. As those huge jaws closed over her, Morgana could feel her connection to her world shattering and her presence in this one being established. This Universe Destroyer was breaking time and space apart just to consume her!


    She had given up. She had accepted her fate. She wouldn''t be able to see her husband James again. And her hopes of a reunion with Maia, her daughter whom she had abandoned, was off the table. There was nothing but those huge teeth comparable to a Universe Cyclone within her sight. So she closed her eyes. At least she didn''t want to see how she was going to die.


    "She is not of this world. Leave her be." A calm, masculine voice that exuded confidence and an air of omnipotence resounded as Fenrir''s rapidly closing jaws suddenly halted in their actions.


    Fenrir released a few pitiful howls, seemingly hoping that whoever spoke would change his mind. This stunned Morgana greatly. For she had seen this wolf break apart everything recklessly. Yet now it was seeking favor from another. Who was this person that dared command Fenrir? How was he still alive? And why did Fenrir seem to respect and fear the man at the same time? She hoped to see him, yet all that filled her vision was Fenrir''s huge mouth.


    "Let her go. She is needed elsewhere." The owner of the voice spoke up again and Morgana could feel her connection to the True Universe being reestablished amidst Fenrir''s whimpering.


    "Go woman" the man ordered, and Morgana could feel herself being drawn back to her body without her permission.


    "Who are you?" she wondered.


    "A shadow of my former self; a vengeful spirit; an angry child" surprisingly, the man heard her thoughts and gave her a reply. Though the reply was vague, it was still a reply.


    "Oh and tell Sir Winks: Only you have a chance to stop this. No one else does."


    And then she awoke.

 Chapter 473 - Fire Eternal

    The first face that Morgana saw was James''s. His eyes were full of worry and his countenance grim. In his hands was a blood soaked towel and on the bed next to him was a small bowl of hot water which was now reddened with the blood from the towel. Next to James was Grandpa Winks. The Cold Emperor''s eyes were grim as he beheld the broken state of his granddaughter¨Cin¨Claw. His helpless expression quickly brightened up when he saw Morgana''s eyes flutter open.


    "Are you okay?" James asked hastily once he noticed that Morgana was finally awake. It took a while for Morgana''s senses to return to her, and once it did she understood where exactly the blood was coming from. For her nose and ears were bleeding profusely, as though they had been pierced through by many small needles. And James had made it his sacred duty to keep cleaning her up.


    Slowly the memories of what she had seen came rushing back to her, and tears fell from her eyes as her shoulders shook in pain and misery.


    "I am here. I am here." James had no idea why Morgana was crying, but he could feel that it had something to do with whatever she saw. His wife hadn''t cried this miserably since the day she had gotten over abandoning their daughter. He couldn''t begin to imagine what she had seen.


    "What did she see?" Grandpa Winks felt a huge boulder descend onto his shoulders when he saw Morgana shedding such bitter tears.


    How many times had things obscured to others been revealed to her? How many times had she seen the things many weren''t meant to see? Many, many times she had been privileged enough to see the things that others did not. Yet never had she had such a reaction. Grandpa Winks sighed in grief as he slowly made his way out of the room. It wasn''t in his place to comfort Morgana. He felt that his presence was restricting James from doing what he would have to do to calm her down.


    "No. Don''t go. Stay."


    But Morgana saw him leaving. Although her tears blurred her vision, she could still see grandpa Winks'' intentions. Though they were kind, she found them unnecessary. It took the two men several minutes to calm down the usually resilient Morgana. And when she was calm, she narrated what she saw unto them. And they marveled and feared at the same time. They marveled at the vision she had been shown. And feared that they had almost lost her.


    "But what could have such power?" James shook as he spoke. His hand held onto Morgana''s for he feared losing her. She had come so close to dying ¨C dying in a dream.


    "I think it was Fenrir," Morgana replied shakily.


    Her words forced a deep frown on Grandpa Winks face. And this was because he had witnessed the fall of Fenrir with his own eyes. He was in that war. The war between the 5th Supreme and the Beings that Sought Destruction in her time ¨C the World Snake and her brother, Fenrir. Before these two beings Odin and Thor were helpless, and every god with much power was rendered useless. Gods of Egypt; the Celestial Court of the gods of the East; Olympians; everyone was rendered helpless by their restrictive power. And Sutur who emerged as their vanguard didn''t help out matters either. Yet they had defeated that generation of destruction hungry maniacs and bought the universe peace for a while. Yet it seemed this peace was about to end.


    "The fact that Fenrir had no form before and constantly gobbled up worlds to reemerge means that he was injured. The most dangerous person here is the one whose voice you heard." Grandpa Winks'' frown was yet to fade, and he was in deep thought. Who could that man possibly be? One who had the power to restrain Fenrir was definitely no ordinary man. For even the 5th Supreme had failed to tame such a beast. Yet from Morgana''s vision someone had. And who knew, maybe this person was the one to have brought about the reappearance of the beast who was meant to be dead.


    "Did you see any other Beast of Destruction?" Grandpa Winks asked, but Morgana shook her head in reply.


    "Only Fenrir was there. But the World Destroying Wolf was enough." Morgana could still remember the dreadful power of the beast. It was but one creature, yet all others fell to its power. They called it a World Destroyer, but its power was clearly that of a Universe Destroyer.


    "I see," Grandpa Winks furrowed his brows as he held his chin in thought. "Get some rest. James, cast a deep sleep lease on her so she has no visions." Grandpa Winks lovingly rubbed Morgana''s head as he proceeded to leave the room.


    "He did tell me to tell you something though, Grandfather"


    But Morgana''s words stopped him in his tracks. For the first time in a thousand years the Cold Emperor''s shoulders trembled. His eyes which were not facing Morgana were wide open in surprise.


    "What did he say?" Grandpa Winks asked. He had no idea what this vision meant. After all, visions were not always what they seemed. But one thing that was certain was that this one was a message of Universal destruction. As to whether Fenrir would be part of it or not, that wasn''t set in stone. However, for his name to be mentioned meant that Morgana''s near death experience was not just her imagination. It was true. And that was because in visions only titles were used. Never was a person''s name given. Never.


    "He said to say to Winks: Only you have a chance to stop this. No one else can."


    "I see," Grandpa Winks frowned as he spoke. He was still trying to figure out who this person was. And the terrifying thought that took root in his mind shook him even further.


    "Grandfather, do you think that person is under orders?" James asked the very question that was ringing in the mind of the Cold Emperor right now. It was this very thought that had taken root upon hearing Morgana''s words and caused the man famed for having no emotions to feel a strange chill shrouding his heart.


    After all, this person had not only saved Morgana, but offered a helping hand in the form of a warning. If saving Morgana seemed like an unusual act born from the hands of fate protecting her, sending them a warning destroyed the former thought. This person had saved Morgana intentionally because he didn''t want to see her die. And he had sent her back with a message because he didn''t want to see the destruction of the Universe occur.


    "I think James is right," Morgana had calmed down greatly by now. She was a steel-minded woman. And now that she was able to think straight, she felt her husband''s words were sure; that they were true.


    "Why?" Grandpa Winks asked. He wanted to know if there was anything more in what the man had said. Another message perhaps to prove that he was on their side yet forced to do the bidding of another.


    "He called you Sir," Morgana''s statement was like nail to the head they needed. For her words hammered in the nail with such accuracy that there was no doubt remaining. It seemed this person was not willing to do what he had done in Morgana''s vision ¨C leading the fall of the universe!


    Yet that provided them no comfort. Their grim expressions and fearful hearts showed that such feelings were far away from them. After all, if someone who could control the World Destroying Wolf who was much stronger than before was under the orders of someone he couldn''t disobey, that meant that whomever this real mastermind was, he/she was much more powerful than both the wolf and the mysterious man!


    "We need to find the Fire Eternal quickly," Grandpa Winks'' voice carried urgency that was absent before. Although initially he was eager to find his old friend, this time he knew he had to find her.


    James and Morgana ¨C husband and wife ¨C nodded their heads in agreement and quickly packed up their luggage. In no time the family of three was on the move again. Grandpa Winks held on to both James and Morgana for they had not the power of flight. They flew speedily past the desolate plains with the Tracking Bear''s liver glowing brighter and brighter the further north they traveled.


    Soon they found themselves before a cave and halted their steps. For the Tracking Bear''s Liver was shinning so bright that the sun in the sky had to squint.


    "She''s here," Grandpa Winks stated before crushing the Tracking Bear''s Liver and moving a step closer to the cave''s entrance. However he didn''t enter. For a powerful fiery energy erupted from within the cave and rushed towards him. A few large balls of flames was Grandpa Winks welcome as the Emperor of Cold summoned the element that was fire''s polar opposite to shield him and his family.


    *Boom*


    "Does she think we are enemies?" James asked as he brushed off the ice fragments on his shoulders and in his hair.


    "No. She knows exactly who were are. If I can feel her aura, then so can she." Grandpa Winks frowned and said


    "Your temper''s still as poor as ever" Grandpa Winks didn''t make any attempt to enter the cave, but he did tell the Fire Eternal what he thought of her attack.


    "What do you want old coot?" came the delicate voice that was not at all similar to the fiery voice James and Morgana were expecting.


    "The Supreme has returned, yet you ask what I want?" Grandpa Winks frowned and said. "I know we have our differences, but whatever happened between us should remain in the past. We must cast aside our differences if we are to help the one who is our sky."


    "Do you still want to serve the kid? His destiny is one of chaos and destruction." The Fiery Eternal remained within the cave, but her voice was loud and clear to the three outside.


    "Do not dishonor our Lord so" James and Morgana stepped back as a powerful energy erupted from Grandpa Winks'' body and threatened to further add to the desolateness of this world.


    This aura was so powerful that the duo didn''t even think about what could have happened between Grandpa Winks and the lady. As the ground shattered and the sky screamed in pain, a gentle sigh that somehow made it to everyone''s ears came from within the cave, and a woman so beautiful that both Morgana and James were temporarily blinded emerged.


    Her hair was like a silk curtain that flowed all the way to her feet. Her eyes were blue like the sky above and were bordered by eyelashes that looked like mini silk threads. Her face was so exquisite that one would be hard pressed to find another that could come even close to her beauty, and her graceful countenance further added to her charm. Before this woman, even one as beautiful as Morgana felt inferior, and she almost found herself bowing down to the Fire Eternal in admiration. Unlike her flames, she looked surprisingly docile.


    "Even after all these years, the Supreme is still your weak point," the Fire Eternal smiled brightly and said. "Calm down. I know why you are here." She stated coolly, and the Cold Emperor''s rioting aura immediately ceased its rebellion and calm returned to this already broken world.


    "We need your help. Amongst all of us, you are probably the one with the strongest power." Grandpa Winks'' words enlightened James and Morgana, who finally understood why Grandpa Winks had been far more eager to find the Fire Eternal than the others.


    "The boy isn''t ready for our help just yet. You are the one who said to wait until he is older." The Fire Eternal frowned and said. The Cold Emperor was amongst those who suggested that with the Olympians and Asgardians as his family, they didn''t need to appear just yet. So what was this change about?


    "Asgard and Olympus are at war" Grandpa Winks informed the out of date Eternal. Since she had been stuck here for so long without any links to the outside, it was no surprise that she didn''t know what was happening now.


    "With each other?" the Fire Eternal asked, not masking her surprise.


    "No. Internal strife." Grandpa Winks answered. Then he went on to explain what was happening now whilst introducing Morgana and James to the Fire Eternal.


    "There is more," Grandpa Winks also informed her of Morgana''s prophecy. And the expression of the Fire Eternal finally turned grim.


    "Then we must return to the Master''s side," the Fire Eternal called Ravi sighed. "Where is he now?" she questioned the one who seemed to have all the answers.


    "Zandor. But we would need to get Asgard to tell us the coordinates. That is the difficult part." Grandpa Winks replied. Since Asgard was at war, it wouldn''t be easy to get the information they sought.


    "Zandor? That planet?" the Fire Eternal ignored everything that Grandpa Winks said but that bit ¨C Zandor. It was clear from her expression that she knew much about the hidden planet. And from the way Grandpa Winks nodded his head, he did too.


    "So, how will we get the coordinates then?" Ravi asked.


    "Odin is missing. We could try to find him."


    "And how are we ever going to manage that" Ravi asked sarcastically. Odin was a famous vagabond. Even Asgard had no idea where he was. If they did, they would have asked him to return.


    "Well¡­" the Cold Emperor was rudely interrupted by a beam of light that lit up the entire world. The eyes of the two Eternal Ascenders tore through the beam and located the several runes within the light.


    "Is that¡­" the Fire Eternal recognised the markings right away, and the clan to whom they belonged.


    "It seems we don''t have to go looking," Grandpa Winks finally smiled.


    "They came to us."

 Chapter 474 - Dimensional Key

    The Cold Emperor left the others behind and walked into the light. Surrounded by runic images and the smell of Edict, he could see and sense an awful lot. Before him the ethereal image of a man with two ravens on his shoulders took shape. The man had only one exposed eye, for the other was covered by a golden eyepatch. Yet that one eye seemed to contain the wonders of the world and its secrets. He may have seen this man only a few times in his life, but Grandpa Winks knew exactly who he was. He was the famous vagabond God King. He was the one they called Allfather.


    "God King Odin, we meet again," the Cold Emperor was servant to no one, only the Supreme. Although he did display his respect to the god before him by slightly bowing his head, that was all he did. He wasn''t going to bow in subservience for Odin wasn''t his Allfather. This level of respect was all Odin was going to get, not like the God King of Asgard was complaining.


    "Cold Emperor Winks," Odin nodded his head at the Cold Emperor to return the man''s greeting. Although the Cold Emperor was only an Ascender, his power could rival that of several strong gods. Added to the fact that he was an Eternal and well, couldn''t die, he was basically like a god himself. Some gods of old even referred to him as a god of the Eternals. Some went as far as calling him the Eternal Ice God. A lofty title it was, but when one witnessed the power of the Cold Emperor in battle, one would know it was apt.


    "Thou hast come seeking for me just as I sought to find thee myself. Thou truly art the god that knoweth just when to appear." Grandpa Winks smiled slightly and said, taking the initiative to speak in the old tongue.


    "Oh? Didst thou needeth my help?" Odin was a bit surprised. The only person Eternals were known for seeking was the Supreme. If they were looking for him, that meant they needed information on the Supreme. And this information was possibly something that had to do with the coordinates to Zandor and how to breach its barrier without destroying it. That was the only thing Odin could think of.


    "Art thou yet ready to serve thine Master ¨C he who is thine Lord and Sky?" Odin asked, hinting that he had an inkling of why they were looking for him.


    "Aye. There have been some troubling signs, signs that have fast m?tur?d our zeal to return to our Lord and Sky." Grandpa Winks had a serene expression on his face when he spoke of the troubling signs that had prompted him to suddenly seek the Lord whom he had promised he was going to give time to grow.


    "I see. There have also been some troubling signs on my end. And that is why I seek thee. For thou musteth return to thine Lord and Sky." Odin spoke in the language of the old tongue, for it was an official plea. And Grandpa Winks heard this plea and responded to it.


    "Our duty, be it in death or with breath, is to serve that which is our Sky and Lord. If thine eye leadeth thy face to us, then the Eternals shall harken to thine call and rally behind our Lord and Sky." Although Grandpa Winks didn''t know what Odin had seen that caused him to seek him out, he knew that it must be pretty ominous for the God King to abandon what was happening to his people and look for him. But he didn''t ask what it was. He didn''t pry for he had no right to. It was for this very same reason that Odin didn''t ask him concerning what the troubling signs the Eternals had received was. It concerned his great grandson alright, but it was none of his business as long as the Eternals did what they had to do.


    "Thine Lord and Sky hath been summoned to the Universe of Dreams," Odin informed Grandpa Winks, and the latter''s eyebrows fluttered in amazement. He knew what it meant to be summoned to the Dreamscape. That other Universe was tethered to the Allfather, and it only called forth Asgardians whom it saw fit to pass its test. But the Supreme was only 11. Being called at such a young age was a true testament to his skill and talent.


    "Wouldst thou want to aid thine King in the land where one knoweth nothing?" Odin asked, offering to send the Eternals to the Dreamscape.


    "It is mine creed; mine calling; mine heart. I shall serve mine Lord and Sky, even in the Land where one knoweth nothing." Grandpa Winks promised.


    "Good. This shall be your key then." Odin dispensed with the formalities and tossed over a golden key to Grandpa Winks.


    Grandpa Winks caught the key solidly, gripping it tightly like it was his greatest possession. And in some way, it was. For this was a Dimensional Key. There were so few of these that one could count them in a single hand. Odin didn''t have a lot of these lying around. In fact, this was his own personal Dimensional Key. He was literally giving them what was his so that they would be able to do their jobs. And Grandpa Winks appreciated the gesture greatly. Yet at the same time his worry grew. For Odin was known as one who trusted no one but himself and his own wisdom. He did put his faith in a few people, but he wasn''t one to give away his most valued resources without any reason.


    Billions of years ago he had relinquished control over Gungnir so that the Great Ra could cripple Fenrir, making it easier for the 5th Supreme to kill the dastardly creature. Even further back he had granted his Power of Invincibility to Baldur when he dared to use Universal Delay to reverse their fate. Each time Odin did such a thing, it was because the threat was so grave that he wasn''t capable of handling it on his own. And now he was giving up his Dimensional Key. That alone was telling. It told of a grave danger that Odin couldn''t possibly deal with on his own.


    "What are you going to do?" Grandpa Winks asked as he put the key away.


    "I am going to find the others," Odin didn''t hide his intentions. "There are many more who should be with you ¨C others of other races," Odin added. "Preparations must be made, and things set in place for his return."


    "Then I bid thee farewell, Great God King of Asgard," Grandpa Winks switched back to the formal as he beat his hand on his ?h?st solidly in an Asgardian greeting as a sign of his respect. This respect Odin had earned by sacrificing something as important as a Dimensional Key.


    "And I you," Odin smiled and returned the greeting. His figure quickly disappeared from within the light beam as he left to take care of other matters.


    "May the stars align and smile upon our quests," the Cold Emperor sighed and returned to his small group. He immediately told them what happened from within the Light Beam, informing them that Odin had also seen something that forced him to relinquish his control over the Dimensional Key.


    "You must go first," Grandpa Winks stated as he channeled his power into the Dimensional Key. The requirement to activate the key was great, and no matter how much power it siphoned from the Cold Emperor, the small key was never full. It drew and drew and drew, with no intentions of stopping.


    "Why?" James asked, wondering why his grandfather wasn''t coming with them.


    "Odin giving him the key means that he expects your grandfather to be around to send others in. He basically offered Winks a chance to work with him. They were tasked with finding the worthy and sending them off to Mane. Odin, with finding the other races, and Winks, with finding the members of his own race." Ravi answered, revealing her age old wisdom.


    "Get ready," Grandpa Winks informed them as he felt the key had accepted enough to open a gateway. He slowly stuck it out before him, and a keyhole formed around the golden key. Twisting the key produced a clicking sound, and a black hole that revealed nothing but darkness in its infinite nature appeared before the small group.


    "Go," Grandpa Winks ordered. "Bye Grandfather," Morgana hugged the Cold Emperor softly before entering the black hole confidently, not all worried by what it could lead her to. Her hug softened the young looking old man''s features, for a bright smile lit up his face.


    "Don''t die old man," James didn''t hug his Grandfather. If he had attempted to do so the man would have probably broken his teeth. But he did call him by the address Grandpa Winks hated, yet the Eternal famed for his excellent control over ice didn''t chastise him for it.


    Ravi was the last person to enter the black hole. She didn''t share any words of sentiments with Grandpa Winks, but her eyes said it all.


    "Take care of them for me," Grandpa Winks pleaded.


    "I will," Ravi promised as her eyes told of her affection for the man in front of her. Then she too jumped into the black hole.


    "So I find myself alone again, just like in the times of the past," Grandpa Winks frowned and said. It had been so long since he felt this alone that the feeling was almost foreign to him ¨C almost mind you.


    "Let''s get to work then," Grandpa Winks stretched before closing the Dimensional Gate and flying out of this world. His destination? The planet where he left his subordinates ¨C Kreech.

 Chapter 475 - Seeking

    A man in white robe slowly moved through the misty atmosphere that covered the entirety of the place known as The Deep to Zandorians. In his hand was a spear that shook with the power of lightning, and his robe was lined with several golden writings that formed a protective barrier around him. His green eyes flashed brightly as they tore through the illusions that stood in his way. He was fully alert, for the one he sought was dangerous and crafty. And it was because he was on the alert that he felt the presence of another.


    "Who is it?" Indra asked with furrowed brows. The aura that approached wasn''t that of darkness, and it wasn''t hidden either. It was intentionally revealed, and that was why Indra felt that this person was no enemy. If not, he would have attacked immediately he felt the aura of this person and would have worried about the consequences of his decisions later.


    "It is I," a man wearing a very clean suit appeared before Indra. He had nothing on him but his clothes yet he couldn''t be underestimated for he was an Elder God ¨C whom who had been since the era of the gods began. Not only was he ancient, he had great power. For he was a Sensor and Spiritual God at the same time! This man was Butler Fin.


    "You caught up Sir Fin," Indra smiled at the appearance of the man wearing a butler''s suit in such an environment. He didn''t dare to refer to Butler Fin as a butler, for he had seen more than enough of the god to know that calling him so was disrespect. It was different for children who had no idea who he was. But Indra wasn''t a child now, was he? Maybe he could be considered as a youngling in the society of gods, but as a person destined to Lord over the 4th Heaven one day, that was no excuse for him.


    "Yes. You sure are dressed up." Butler Fin pointed at Indra''s apparel with a small smile on his face.


    "Yes I am," Indra couldn''t help but let out a chuckle.


    Having someone of great power next to him gave him a large confidence boost in what he endeavored to achieve ¨C kill Seth. As for him activating his defensive robe and keeping himself at maximum power, that was a given. After all, not everyone could be like an Elder God, being able to activate and deactivate their power at a whim. This was because Elder Gods had lived so long that they had grown to be one with their power. Their very breath was filled with their power, and they didn''t need to do much to call forth the elements that served them. Young gods like Indra were yet to achieve such unity with their power. He had much power at his disposal, but he could only safely use his power within a certain range and couldn''t activate it as easily. And that was why age was so important to a god or goddess. How much power a god could draw determined how dangerous they were.


    "Can I see the map you were given?" Butler Fin extended his hand to Indra, seeking for the path that led to the Dark God.


    "Here," Indra replied before transferring the information he had to the Elder God.


    "Hmm. Interesting." Butler Fin nodded his head upon receiving the information he had asked for.


    "What about Ray?" Indra asked as he extended his senses to the maximum to locate the Brute King. "Is he not coming?" Indra wondered when his aura returned to him with nothing. There was no one else here but them.


    "No he isn''t coming," Butler Fin shook his head and replied in the negative. He turned towards the direction the map led to and moved forward.


    "Is it because of Mane?" Indra asked. Yet even as he asked, he knew the reply already. If he had a kin here, he would be unsettled to leave him be also. After all, they couldn''t be sure that this wasn''t a trap. Maybe the Dark God had discovered the boy''s identity and had lured them here to capture or worse, kill him. It was unlikely, but possible. So it was indeed vital that Ray remained. Besides, he was needed to protect the realms of men just in case Seth appeared there instead.


    "It is." Butler Fin was actually in support of Ray''s decision to stay behind this time. In fact, he would have stayed behind if Ray came. For one of them had to be around Mane at all times to protect him now that Mane was fast ''asleep''.


    Slowly the two made their way towards the path that had been marked out for them, wondering if they were walking into a trap or a scheme. For there was no way the Dark God was that kind as to sacrifice himself.


    The Deep; an environment created by the destructive Law of Corrosion. A law that had been thoroughly explored by the god called Shiva. Yet now the one who made The Deep into the hell it was, was there no longer. Expelled from the place he had steadily gathered power, Shiva was now nothing but a homeless god. His quest to find the Supreme had come to a halt, for the boy had made no movements and Zandor was out of Shiva''s reach. If he went there again, he would lose his body to Indra''s wrath.


    "For a god so young, that lightning freak sure has an abnormal amount of strength," Shiva gritted his teeth in bitterness. How shameful he found it that he was forced from his hunting grounds by a god much younger than himself. Yet he had no other choice than to leave. It was that or lose his body and spend decades, and maybe even centuries regaining his power.


    "I need a place to lay low for now," Shiva frowned as he moved. His eyes scanned the vast expanse, seeking for an uninhabited planet to find refuge for a time. At least, until he felt that he was free to roam the Universe and cause carnage again.


    "I think this place would do well for now" Shiva finally found a suitable planet, one that fit his current criteria, and descended onto it to occupy it.


    "It''s rusty, but it will do just fine," Shiva could smell nothing but desolation here. Edict was scarce and chaos reigned. It would be hard to grow stronger here, but that was okay. It wasn''t like he could easily grow stronger at his level anyway.


    However, Shiva wasn''t able to settle down in this world before feeling a powerful aura rapidly approaching. His expression changed for the worse as he wondered who it was that had come after him. The aura was weaker than Indra''s and was comparable to Shiva''s, just a bit weaker. But Shiva didn''t know if this person was coming alone and was the first of many. And that was why he was alarmed by the intruder.


    Shiva looked around, searching for a means of escape. He didn''t want to face anyone just yet. For his power wasn''t fully recovered from Indra''s shackles.


    "Do not fret. I mean you no harm." Shiva had b?r?ly made the decision to escape when a calm voice made its way into his head and alarmed him.


    "A telepath," Shiva''s expression changed upon realizing the identity of the newcomer. "I cannot escape from one such as him," Shiva understood much of what telepaths were. So he didn''t escape anymore. He stood and waited, and soon a man more beautiful than a woman appeared before him. This man was lanky and gave off a calming presence, yet Shiva knew better than to underestimate a Scholar.


    "Who are you?" Shiva asked.


    "Loki. I am sure you have heard of me before, Sir Shiva." The one called Loki, who had started the war of two Heavens with nothing but schemes and plots alone bowed his head slightly when he spoke in respect to the one who stood before him.


    "So you are Loki," Shiva''s heart shook a little when he heard the man''s name. Who didn''t know Loki? Especially now that everyone was aware that he was warring with Asgard. He was a figure of great prestige now, even more than he was before. For before he was just the son of Odin the Allfather. But now he was his own man, and a bringer of desolation.


    "What does one like you want from me?" Shiva asked with his guard up. This man could go against those who raised him. A person like that was one who couldn''t be taken lightly.


    "I am here to offer you what you want," Loki replied.


    "And how would you know what I want. For I want many things." Shiva argued.


    "Yes, but none exceed your d?s?r? to possess the power of the Supreme," Loki replied and Shiva''s frame shook. His eyes were fixated on Loki as his body shook in anticipation of what was going to come out of the crafty god''s mouth next.


    "What if I told you I could help you get to him? No, I am offering that to you ¨C a path to the Supreme!"

 Chapter 476 - Planet Celestial Opens Its Borders

    Every Higher World had one great similarity. It wasn''t in the kind of goods they exported, or the fact that they all had powerful warriors. After all, every world had goods that fetched them a great sum because these goods were found nowhere else. And though it seemed improbable because of the vast number of worlds there were, each world had its own signature export. For some, their exports were even human resources ¨C strong warriors hardened by war. As for having powerful warriors, it wasn''t a distinct feature since to become a Higher Planet, that planet had to have a trove of powerful men and women. What really made Higher Worlds similar was their connection to God Academies.


    Each Higher World was a place of longing for those of the Lower Realms, for it was only by getting to a Higher World that a man or woman will be in touching distance of the elite, God Academies. The stronger the Higher World was, the greater the number of connections it had to God Academies. So there were Higher Worlds with connections to only one God Academy, some with connections to two, and some with connections to ten. The number of God Academy branches, popularly referred to as God Roots, situated on your world told just how much power your world had. Over time it had come to become a form of authority and display of might ¨C bragging rights of a sort.


    However, there were also situations where some Higher Realms had grown so powerful that a singular entity had bought them out. These Higher Realms were referred to as Chief Higher Realms. Though they were still under the jurisdiction of the God Clans, their power was in no way inferior to some of these God Clans. For Chief Higher Worlds, it wasn''t prestigious to have several foreign institutions taking root in their land. It was rather insulting, since it meant that they didn''t have full control of what was thought to be theirs. So for realms such as those, prestigious God Academies approached and made offers, each better than the former, seeking to plant themselves within the borders of that world. After all, Chief Higher Realms produced stronger warriors than the other Higher Realms. Being rooted in such a planet meant that there were more geniuses willing to utilise your institution. And more geniuses equaled greater prestige and a stronger backing.


    Planet Celestial however, was a strange Chief Higher World. It had power so great that many placed it only below the 7 Heavenly God Clans in terms of power. Yet they had never allowed any God Academy to take root in their home. Every offer from every academy had been turned down. It didn''t matter if it was Emperor Academy, or God''s King, or even Monarchy, which was the greatest academy there was. They had all been turned down. But, they said seasons were for a time and times for a particular season. So it was with Planet Celestial. The Celestial Race that had been so resistant in allowing others into their world had suddenly undergone a change of heart. The people renowned for their stubbornness, and not just their strength, had finally shown some changes. They had allowed the God Academies to come in!


    Finally, after an entire history of seclusion and sealing themselves off from the rest of the Universe, the planet was ready to welcome its first batch of God Roots. Yes, Roots. For they had allowed three academies to come in. Emperor Academy, a place that boasted of several Elder Gods and the great God King Ra; God''s King Academy, the school that churned out geniuses like the Brute King and the Absolute Queen, probably the strongest couple in the Universe, and was backed by Odin himself; and King''s Crown, the prestigious new academy and the one that had the greatest potential.


    Each of these institutions were behemoths, and the fact that they had compromised, choosing to coexist within Planet Celestial, spoke of just how mighty the Celestial Race was. In response to their trust in him ¨C so much so that they had willingly sacrificed their pride and competitive natures ¨C the Celestial Emperor made them a promise.


    "You shall have the greatest geniuses of this generation. Two to each."


    It was a promise weightier than gold, and the main reason why the academies were so quiet although they had been here a few months already. Yet that quiet was bound to exist no longer. At least for the next three months, there was only going to be noise and competition. For the end of the year admissions had begun! And the entire Planet Celestial was enveloped in the joy and excitement of their first God Academy admissions! One could feel this excitement anywhere: in bars, inns, diners and eateries. Each man and woman ¨C Greater and Lesser Celestial ¨C was excited at the prospect of something new. For they were experiencing just that; a series of exciting emotions that they hadn''t known for millions of years.


    In one of these many pubs, several men and women were discussing the events that were currently happening. And just like any other discussion, the focus of their comments were the young geniuses that made the cut ¨C and those whose paths had been predestined long before. So basically, they were gossiping.


    "They say Kahn the Great and Max the Tormentor are going to God King''s," a man with a long beard and arms as large as a tree trunk stated with a face full of excitement. Yet it was hard to tell whether his excitement was from the ongoing trials or the large number of beers he had downed in nothing but a few minutes. For his face was as red as the behind of a pig.


    This man was seated at a table that hosted seven other men ¨C and a few women. Each person possessed extraordinary aura, and the swords that were strapped to their backs that gave off such a rich scent of blood and grime suggested that they were people who bathed knee deep in blood. For such individuals to be talking about god academies showed just how much of an impact these institutions had wherever they went.


    "Yes. They are the two chosen to go to God''s King. The Reaper''s Edge, Sarong, and the Canyon''s Mouth Sharon are those going to Emperor Academy." One of the women at the table took a long drink out of her beer before speaking. Although she had drunk so much, her eyes were still focused and her bearing steady. She didn''t look like one who had indulged in wine and merry all night. But that was exactly what she had done.


    "That''s nothing . Broken Saber Joe and Mountain Breaker Juan are going to King''s Crown. Each of them are highly impressive. If Roses Thorns Luis wasn''t considered as part of the younger generation any longer because of his overwhelming strength, I am sure he would have been part of the teams joining the God Academies."


    "Yes. You are absolutely right."


    "If only I was younger," one of the men sighed and said.


    "Yeah right. When you were their age was your power any close to theirs?" One of the women mocked with a large grin on her face. Her comments caused several of the others to snicker as they teased their friend. For their friend was a late bloomer. He had only reached his full potential long after exceeding the average age of growth for every Celestial. Even Lower Celestials didn''t experience a low like their friend had during those years.


    "Besides, the Emperor promised the academies his best. That automatically rules out old coots like us ¨C and Lower Celestials. Unfortunately we fall under both categories."


    "Man, the Emperor is really pulling out all the stops, isn''t he?"


    "Indeed. Those six are the best our race has to offer. All of them are Greater Celestials too, so there is no question of sincerity on the path of the Emperor. Although if you ask me, the Emperor is being a little too sincere."


    "What do you mean?"


    "I think our Lord is being too nice to the God Academies. It is almost as if he wants something from them. After all, why would he break the rules of the planet and go against the traditions of old to invite outsiders in if not for something important."


    "That is very true. But that just makes one wonder, doesn''t it?"


    "It does: what does the Emperor seeks from these academies?"


    This table was particularly loud, but in the noisy bar they could b?r?ly be heard. However, a few tables away, there was one paying much attention to their words. This person was fully cloaked and had her head bowed down. Yet even from the few features that remained unhidden, one could tell that she was a beauty. Even more notable, she was no Celestial!


    This didn''t come as a surprise. Inviting the God Academies in meant inviting people of other races in as well. For there were sure to be outsiders eager to pass the trials and become God Students themselves. This young woman was one of the many who came pursuing such a dream. But unlike the many, her participation was the most dangerous out of all those who had come. For she wasn''t an ordinary woman. She was an Eternal!


    She had taken a great risk coming here to change her fortune; to pursue the images of her talented parents and mysterious great grandfather. Yet this risk hadn''t been merely taken on a whim. For her aura and race were hidden by the Origin Divine Artefact called Eternal Throne. This artefact was joined to her as a tattoo on her back; an inscription that protected and guided her.


    "It seems we have stumbled upon something interesting Reiki," the lady mumbled and the tattoo on her back glowed slightly.

 Chapter 477 - Planet Celestial Opens Its Borders: Part II

    "Excuse me Sirs and Madams," Maia, the one known as the Eternal Monarch by her people who had no idea that such a title originally belonged to another, approached the table of the men and women whom she was secretly listening to. The nature of the bar, with all its noisiness and chaos made it so that its disoriented and boisterous clients didn''t notice Maia''s actions. And even if they had, it was highly unlikely that they would have paid any attention to her.


    "Oh, young lad. How can we help you?" one of the women liked Maia''s polite attitude and offered herself to be of any ?ssistance. Although they couldn''t see Maia''s face, they could tell from the tone of her voice that she was very young. Besides, her aura was largely youthful.


    The others had faces reddened from booze and wine. Yet even they liked the stranger''s politeness. This was the difference between Greater and Lesser Celestials. Greater Celestials were nobles and expected this kind of treatment from everyone. Over the years they had grown pompous and arrogant, leaving only a few with humble and sincere hearts. Lesser Celestials however, seldom found others to offer them respect. They only found respect in each other. Because of this they were much easier to approach. Thankfully, this bar was not in the inner city, so rarely did Greater Celestials frequent the place. Which meant that it was filled with Lesser Celestials.


    Maia''s bearing was that of a noble, and though she had successfully hidden her race, her upbringing couldn''t be hidden from the eyes of anyone. While it was true that the Celestials here were drunk, they could still tell that Maia was far from a child of ordinary descent. And it may be the influence of alcohol, but each one of them felt that Maia''s destiny was just as uncommon as her heritage.


    "Would you mind if I sat beside you?" Maia asked, her voice still laced with charm and the innocence of one who knew not the ways of the world, although her life suggested very differently.


    "Please, by all means. And do feel comfortable." One of the ladies smiled brightly before shoving the man next to her to the end of the table to make space for Maia. This girl had a certain charm and likability to her that made them want to draw close to her. And the fact that she didn''t mind sitting next to them, on a bench that was soiled with the results of their careless beer handling, made them like her even more. For the robes the girl wore were made of high quality materials, and few could procure these in the outer city.


    "Thank you," although she was completely hidden from their eyes, she did flash them a genuine smile of thanks. Then she plumped herself onto the space that had been made available for her with no reservations. Her actions caused the eyes of the team around her to sparkle. For if she had acted in a restrained or hesitant manner, they would have lost all the good impression they had of her. However, she doing this made them feel like she was one of them. She may be noble, but she was surely not pompous.


    "So far so good," Reiki, the Eternal Throne transmitted to Maia. "What next?" Reiki wondered.


    "Long before, Dad always used to say that, ''to get into the good graces of men is to show them no ill will, become like one of them, and offer them what they need the most at the moment.''"


    "We are going to do the last bit," Maia replied.


    "What they need the most at the moment?"


    "Yes. Right now they don''t need money or fame or anything else. So we don''t have to worry about depleting our treasury. What they need is alcohol. So I am going to give them that."


    "Barkeep," Maia called out, her delicate voice only drawing the attention of the one person who was never supposed to get drank in a bar. "A round for my new friends," Maia instructed, and the faces of the Celestials eased into large grins and heartfelt laughs.


    "Good lad," a man seated next to Maia struck her shoulder with a broad smile on his face. The gentle strike brought a small frown to Maia''s face, for the man was a Heaven Realmer! His casual strike was deadly to an earth realmer like herself.


    "You moron. Can you not bruise everyone you meet?" the lady who was seated next to Maia didn''t like the action of her colleague one bit. And the seated high kick that was delivered to the poor man''s jaw was proof of that.


    *Bang*


    Maia watched in surprise as the man was struck cleanly and accurately out of the bar. The woman literally kicked the man out of the bar. And even stranger was that none of those indulging in alcohol seemed to mind. They only ''ohhed'' at the accuracy of the strike that sent the man right through the door without breaking anything. Other than that, they were okay.


    "I am starting to like these folks," Reiki said to Maia, causing the young queen to smile. She had to admit that she preferred the simple and straightforward nature of Lesser Celestials to the complicated schemes of men. Although those she was sitting with right now were a bit different from the simple Lesser Celestials that she was thinking of.


    "I am Nesa," that said, she was one who had experienced too much to now be scheming herself. She introduced herself alright, but she didn''t give out her real name.


    "I am Nola, their leader," the lady next to Maia extended her hand for a handshake. Celestials were much bigger than other races. Nola was actually the smallest at the table, yet her hands were twice as large as Maia''s. When Maia rested her hand in Nola''s, she felt like a child.


    "It is rare to meet an outsider. I reckon that you are here for the Academy Trials?" Nola enquired.


    Although Maia was covered up, it wasn''t hard to tell that she was of a different race. Not only was she much smaller than Celestials, her frame was too delicate to be that of a Celestial. Besides, no one other than Greater Celestials, was allowed into the inner city. That meant that even if a person was a king from a High World, they would have to make do with living in the outer city. And that was why they weren''t surprised that someone with Maia''s bearing was in the outer city.


    "I am," Maia nodded her head in acknowledgement. She didn''t deny her origins, neither did she deny her intentions in coming to Planet Celestial. If this were to be in the past, before the advent of God Academies on Planet Celestial, Maia wouldn''t have dared to declare herself an outsider, or even come into the city for that matter. She had read much about this world before making her way here. And she knew that though Planet Celestial was mainly occupied by fierce beasts and other races in the wilder parts of the planets, Celestials did claim ownership over the land. And Celestials frowned upon intrusion of their territories by other races.


    She wasn''t planning on coming here before because of the danger. After all, although Planet Celestial had now opened its borders, she couldn''t tell if they will show hostility towards outsiders or not. But her master had asked her to come here. In fact, it was her master''s spell that transported her to this world. As to the purpose for which she was brought here, she didn''t know. But she was told that she was needed here. She trusted her master. After all, he gave her everything. So she wasn''t inclined to refuse his demands.


    "I see," Nola nodded her and turned to receive the tray of beers from the barkeep. She expertly tossed the entire tray onto the centre of the table whilst keeping one for herself. One would have expected a violent collision, but the beer-filled tray hit the table so delicately that b?r?ly a tremor could be felt. Every bottle was intact, and no alcohol spilled out of the opened bottles.


    ''Celestials are indeed freaks at control,'' Maia thought silently to herself. It was one thing to read about the ridiculousness of a race, and another to see it firsthand.


    "You''re one to talk. Eternals may be weakened by the disappearance of the 6th Supreme. But their strength rises like an erupting volcano once the Supreme returns. As long as the Supreme grows, you grow with him. Plus eternal life seems like a pretty good deal to me." Reiki scoffed at the absurdity of Maia''s thoughts. To him, Maia was the last person who had the right to marvel at the cheat codes of another race.


    "Point well taken," Maia had to admit that her artefact was right. So she stopped thinking about that and brought her mind back to Planet Celestial.


    "If I may be so bold to ask, what do the trials entail?" Maia finally asked the question she needed an answer to. After all, she didn''t buy the beer to share with them. She had a purpose for her actions. And now she demanded repayment.


    "The trials differ from world to world. As you may know, only Higher Worlds have God Academy branches. These branches are called God Roots. Because Planet Celestial is a Chief Higher Planet, this places it above other Higher Worlds.. And that means that the trials here are much harsher than the average Higher World."

 Chapter 478 - God Trials

    "Each academy is conducting a different series of trials. And each has a different number of spots to offer." Nola kept on explaining the details of the trials. She was very well informed, and as she spoke Maia realised that she had indeed come to the right place. After all, she doubted that many knew what Nola knew. And her expression ¨C genuine or otherwise ¨C suggested that she was curious of Nola''s identity. Granted she was a Lesser Celestial, but she must be pretty influential to know so much about the trials.


    So basically, Maia understood a few rudimentary things from Nola''s explanation. The first had to do with the number of entries. There were two ways to get into a God Academy. One was by a recommendation from a well-known godly figure. This was less common because very few were able to get the attention of a god. The other was by passing the trials.


    If one wanted to be tried, they had to register at the academy. Each academy had been registering applicants for the past few weeks, and registrations were meant to last all the way till the end of this month ¨C which was only a week away. So that meant that Maia had less than 5 days to present her information to a God Academy. The forms to be filled weren''t overly complicated. The most important detail in that form was the programme of study. One had to choose where their interest lay: body wielding, energy wielding, or following the path of Scholars and Spiritualists. Of course, one could choose more than one, but that would mean that they had to be tested on each of these paths as well.


    There were requirements for registering however. Each applicant had to be of the younger generation; they couldn''t be older than the age of 30. As for how young they were, it mattered little. As long as one wasn''t thirty that was enough. After all, if a young prodigy passed the trials, that would mean that the sky was the limit for such a person. And no God Academy will reject such a genius. Apart from the age restriction, each person had to pay an amount of a hundred gold coins as an entry fee. This amount was nonrefundable, so that meant that if a person failed the test, the God Academies weren''t liable to paying them back their money. Apart from these registration requirements, there were no more.


    After the registration came the screening process. For a couple of days, each application will be looked through and investigated to discover the truths concerning the information presented by each applicant. This wasn''t a very thorough process, as there were outsiders involved. So Maia wasn''t worried about them finding out her true identity as an Eternal. Besides, she was going to give them all the information they needed, including her identity as queen. After all, the Eternals had hidden themselves so deeply that none knew that Maia''s kingdom belonged to them once upon a time. So she wasn''t that worried.


    What worried Maia was the next stage; the one that came after the screening. After the screening stage, the skeleton structure of the applicants would be analysed. There were a couple of tools that could do this. It would reveal how much potential a person had for the path of wielding. And it could also tell a person''s true age and whether or not they had wielding experience. Some could even accurately measure a person''s wielding level and their battle ability based on their bone density and muscle mass. Maia was fine with all this, but the last part of it bothered her. These tools were so accurate that they could confirm a person''s race.


    "I can hide your race with no issues," Reiki however reassured her that his cloaking ability was stronger than Maia thought it was. When she questioned his prowess, he responded thusly,


    "Don''t underestimate me, neither should you compare me to those mediocre artefacts."


    And so Maia cast her fears and burdens onto Reiki.


    This part was arguably the easiest part of the process. After the unworthy had been ruled out and cast aside, the selected would have to go through the trials. Each Academy was proud and didn''t tolerate two or three-timers. So they who normally didn''t see eye to eye had agreed to hold their trials over the same period of time. This way applicants would be forced to choose only one God Academy to dedicate their time to.


    Each Academy had their own ways of conducting the trials, but they were pretty much the same. The difference between them was in terms of execution. For each had their own ways of handling their trials. All had a 7 Stage Trial process which lasted for a period of seven days.


    The first trial tested for strength; pure physical strength. The second Trial was also a strength test, but with Edict involved. The third and fourth trials were tests of agility in the same order as tests one and two. So the third was for pure agility, and the fourth for Edict infused agility. The fifth tested stamina without Edict and the 6th, stamina with Edict. As for the last test, it was regarded as the most important. It was the test for intelligence. It tested a person''s battle awareness, and general ability to understand and comprehend skill books and manuals. If one exceled in all 6 yet failed in the 7th, they wouldn''t make it through. However, if one failed any of the other six and exceled in the others ¨C intelligence included ¨C they may pass depending on their overall score. That was how important the last test was. And the reason it was last was because the examiners hoped to place a toll on the minds of applicants due to continuous days of testing. That way they would be able to pick out those who worked best under stressful and unconducive conditions.


    However, it was important to note that the tests weren''t the same for each applicant. The above process was for energy and body wielders only. Spiritualists and Scholars had their own trials. As a rarer breed of wielders, they had to be tested differently. The most important thing for both was intelligence. So the first trial was general for the two. Each applicant was shown an image painted by a Painting Grandmaster and infused with mysteries. However, within those mysteries were flaws intentionally dawn up by the Grandmaster. Each applicant was allowed to observe the painting for three hours for any abnormalities. Afterwards, they were given a set of three skill books, also riddled with flaws, to study over a course of six days.


    The second tests were different for both. Since Spiritualists also had need of a Soul-based bloodline, their bloodline types were tested, and their bloodline densities confirmed. This was perhaps the easiest part of the test, yet the hardest. For unlike with the first test, this test depended entirely on one''s genetic makeup; not their own skill.


    Each Academy had a quota. God King was accepting a hundred students. Of this number 80 were for energy and body wielders, and 20 for spiritualists and scholars. Emperor Academy was no different. They had just about the same quota. However, unlike the two ancient academies, King''s Crown was accepting about 150 pupils ¨C 120 energy and body wielders, and 30 spiritualists and scholars. Of course this meant that more people fancied their chances with King''s Crown than they did with God King''s and Emperor Academy. But, the true geniuses ¨C those who had absolute faith in themselves ¨C would rather try their hands on the trials of God King and Emperor Academy. After all, those two had a reputation King''s Crown just couldn''t match up to. At least, they couldn''t do so yet. Each Academy had two of the energy and body wielding quotas filled, so really the others were fighting for a bit less than usual. Also, if one pursued more than one path and passed the trials for each one, they filled the quotas for those paths. For instance, if a person applied for Energy Wielding and Scholar Wielding, and passed the tests for both, he or she would occupy a quota for Energy Wielding and a quota for Scholar Wielding as well. Adding to the fact that there were bound to be one or two recommendations, the competition for the remaining spots was fierce.


    "So, what are you going in for?" Nola asked Maia after providing her with all the information she had. Now came the chance to sate her curiosity. She had indulged in wine. Now it was time to indulge in some gossip.


    "Energy Wielding," Maia answered. She had already known what she was coming to do long before she set off.


    It was her master''s recommendation, and it was the only path she knew. The power her link to the Supreme had granted her was not largely related to the other paths. It had only blessed her with talent in Energy Wielding. But boy was that talent immense. Maia had no doubts that she could pass the tests. Her life experiences were much similar to that of Celestials. For she had been fighting her whole life. But unlike most Celestials, especially those of the Noble Classes, she didn''t have parents or guardians by her side. And her master never stayed for more than a few hours. However, there was something she didn''t tell Nola. Her master had also asked her to apply to be a Scholar. By his words it was a real shame that one as bright as Maia wanted to waste her intelligence by only following the path of Energy Wielding. And this meant that if her registration process was accepted without any major glitches, she would be part of the few who had to undergo a more strenuous testing sequence.


    "I see," Nola nodded, her eyes flashing brightly as she looked at Maia closely. Maia spent a while in the bar, speaking to Nola and the rest of her team about trivialities. It was deep into the night when she bid them farewell and left.


    "Follow her," Nola secretly ordered one of her men, who nodded his head and disappeared round another exit.


    "What a tasty prey," Nola''s eyes flashed with a bit of greed before she quickly hid her intentions when she saw Maia turn to wave goodbye.

 Chapter 479 - Stealing From An Outer City Ruler

    "Where did she go?" the Lesser Celestial who had been tracking Maia frowned in confusion and came out into the open. For a few minutes he had followed her without any major issues. However, the girl had suddenly disappeared.


    "Dammit!" the man screamed uncouthly as his search yielded no fruit. He tracked back to where he came from, and even went as far as investigating the alleys in the area, yet he came up short in both departments. The girl had suddenly disappeared.


    "Nola is going to have my head," the Lesser Celestial shivered in fear before sighing and giving up. It was better to face the music now than to wait for Nola to catch up and play an entire album for him. He gave the place another cursory glance, looking intently into the alley that Maia had disappeared into, before finally deciding on leaving.


    "She is good," he acknowledged before his figure flashed a few times and he left. By now he had realised that the girl wasn''t as na?ve as Nola thought. She may be carrying the aura of a noble, but she was certainly no fool.


    About a minute after his disappearance, the Lesser Celestial appeared again. "Still no signs of her," he mumbled. He hadn''t really left. His announced departure was nothing but a bait. But it had failed. It was either that Maia was too smart to be deceived by such a childish trap, or she really wasn''t here.


    "Back again I guess," the man who was every bit as large as any other Celestial shook his head in pity, before leaving again. However, just like before he was back after a few minutes. The first time he returned after only a minute, but this time he was back in two.


    After scanning the place once again, he left with a forlorn expression on his face. Some hints of desperation and fear could be discerned from his aura. Nola was a merciless leader, and a mistake like losing a mere Earth Realmer was not going to go unpunished. He couldn''t help but shiver slightly at the prospect of falling into the hands of one of the 5 Rulers of the Outer City. This time when the man was leaving, he walked away. And peace returned to the alleyway ¨C for 10 seconds. Unlike the first few times, the man''s return was even shorter. He was hoping that Maia was going to try to escape with the limited time that she had. His first few departures were only meant to be baits, drawing Maia into calculating the time he took before his returns. And the last one was meant to be the real deal. However, he had failed once again. For Maia didn''t buy it ¨C that is, if she was still around.


    "Ahh!" the man screamed in anger and struck the nearby building. His fist effortlessly made its way past the walls and completely destroyed the building''s foundation, effectively turning the poor chap who wasn''t home into a homeless person as it came crushing down. At least this person got to keep his/her life.


    After seething for a while, the man left. 15 minutes after his departure, the one whom he had been trying to capture appeared from within the building''s rubble. A faint white light shielded her from the debris and kept her safe. In fact, her clothes were without a single speck of dust.


    ''Are you sure that it''s okay to come out now?'' Reiki asked. The man had feigned his departure so many times that the Eternal Throne wasn''t sure if he was really gone this time. And he wondered why his mistress was so sure that it was okay to come out.


    ''He is gone this time,'' Maia however, was completely confident in her actions. There wasn''t a trace of doubt in her mind, neither was there any hesitation in her decision to leave.


    ''How are you so confident he won''t return?'' Reiki wondered.


    ''Because he told us. The first time he left too quietly. His second departure was just as quiet, but his third departure was noisy. It wasn''t simply because he was trying to trick us. He clearly doesn''t have the brightest of minds. He was genuinely terrified. His shaking body was no act. And his frustrated punch was also a sincere expression of his emotions.''


    ''It still isn''t enough to explain why you think it is okay to come out this time?'' Reiki argued. What Maia said was good and all, but they were merely circumstantial. There was no real evidence.


    ''Because he foolishly destroyed a building. This is the territory of one of the 5 Rulers of the Outer City ¨CFist Mind. His name should tell you that he does very little thinking. Destroying property here is one thing, but staying longer and getting yourself caught it another.'' Maia explained further, and this time Reiki didn''t question her.


    ''How did you know that they will follow you?'' Reiki went another way with his curiosity this time. He still couldn''t wrap his head around the last few series of events. His Master had so expertly evaded the watch of a man who was a full realm stronger than her, and he just couldn''t understand how she was able to do it.


    ''Because I knew who they were before I even approached them,'' Maia smiled briefly underneath her hood and quickly made her way out of the alley. She was still shrouded in Reiki''s light just to be safe, making her invisible to the normal human eye. However, any Heaven Realmer will be able to make her out as long as they were actively searching for her.


    ''You did?'' Reiki asked in surprise.


    ''Yes,'' Maia nodded her head. She didn''t just enter a random bar. And she didn''t just ''happen'' to run into a group that knew all about the trials. She didn''t pick her best robe to wear for this occasion just because she had nothing better to do. She didn''t turn to wave when she was leaving because she enjoyed their company, but to present an image of naivety and ignorance she hoped they would pounce on. She wasn''t some teenager who depended entirely on luck. And fate was definitely not kind to fools. Be ignorant and fate will abandon you.


    Maia knew who Nola was. She knew that she could get the information she sought from the woman regarded as one of the 5 Rulers of the Outer City ¨C the Scheming Empress. Of the five, she was the one with the greatest intelligence and knowledge. Her network was so widespread that even the inner city was entangled in her web. Surely she wasn''t nearly as influential in the Inner City, but how many of the Rulers could boast of such an achievement?


    Maia had only three good robes. She left most of her clothes in her kingdom. Most of what she possessed she bought along the way. They were largely inferior clothes and kept her away from the greed of men. However, she did pick a few good clothes for occasions like these. And time proved that her actions were right on the money. But she didn''t only pick Nola for her knowledge. She picked the Scheming Empress because there was something she wanted from the lady.


    ''Why would you go through all that trouble when you could have purchased that information with money you have? After all, information vendors abound plentifully in this city.'' Reiki continued with his questioning. By now the nimble legs of Maia had carried her all the way to her inn, and into her room. Sitting upon her bed with walls all around her eased Maia''s rapidly pounding heart somewhat.


    ''Because of this,'' Maia retrieved a ring from her robe and set it upon her bed. The ring wasn''t what she had taken from Nola. It was a storage ring and Maia had hidden it to prevent Nola from tracking her by chasing after the owner of this ring. For this ring was too catchy to be worn in public, especially when going on a mission such as this ¨C where secrecy was of the highest requirement.


    Maia reached into the ring with her mind and retrieved that which she had toiled for.


    ''A stone?'' Reiki asked in puzzled wonder as the light of the Eternal Throne reached out from Maia''s back and covered the stone.


    ''No wait!'' Reiki suddenly exclaimed in astonishment. ''This is no ordinary stone'' Reiki was dumbfounded. ''This is Devilstone!'' he screamed, finally understanding why Maia had risked herself so, just to sit at that table. Devilstone, one of the 7 Great Mysteries of the World. A stone impossible to find, and too rare to fabricate.


    ''How were you able to take devilstone out of the possession of a Heaven Realmer?'' Reiki further questioned.


    ''Easy,'' Maia chuckled, her laughter like a refreshing well that restored the soul of any who heard it. How unfortunate it was however, that the only person here was a Divine Artefact who cared not for the beauty of a woman''s charms.


    ''The alcohol,'' Maia answered.


    ''You laced it?'' Reiki was stunned. Maia didn''t have any interactions with the bartender, and Reiki will know this. After all, he was with her the entire time. Unless Maia was a secret Telepath, that was impossible. And Maia certainly wasn''t stupid enough to do so anyway since that would have led to a loose end that could have easily been followed by Nola. So how was she able to lace the drinks without any of the Celestials noticing?


    ''Sense Stabber. I applied it the moment I arrived at the table.'' Maia answered.


    Sense Stabber was a substance that possessed no real levels of toxicity. It didn''t harm nor did it lower the defense mechanisms of anyone. It was actually a drug meant for¡­uh¡­recreational purposes. But it was quite rare.. And it reduced the senses of its target for a while.

 Chapter 480 - Stealing From An Outer City Ruler: Part II

    As though decreed by fate, one of the few planets that had the drug called Sense Stabber and knew much about it was Maia''s planet. Added to the fact that most planets had no understanding of the drug, it was no surprise that Maia was able to easily use it without getting caught. Not only was it tasteless and odorless, it had no real color. And even more convenient, it was a powder and could spread through the air without anyone noticing.


    ''So that''s why you gulped down that juice before you left for the bar! You were taking a sort of antidote!'' Finally some things that Reiki had ignored in the morning started to make sense. He didn''t know much about women because he had never had a female owner before, and he had learned quite a bit from Maia. His newly acquired knowledge included the differences between men and women, and he had learned not to question Maia whenever she took in anything strange because it was a case of privacy. And that was why he had ignored her action in the morning.


    ''Well, it isn''t an antidote per se because Sense Stabber isn''t a drug. But it does heighten your senses for 24 hours; a perfect counter to the effects of Sense Stabber.'' Maia explained.


    Since her planet had explored Sense Stabber to the maximum, they had obviously explored plants with opposite effects. After all, there was no yin without yang. Just as Maia had an abundance of Sense Stabber with her, she also had the counter to that, Stabber Nullifier with her as well. And she wasn''t shy to use it.


    The first thing Maia did when she reached the bar was to act in a way that would make Nola interested in her. Once that was accomplished, all she had to do was wait for Nola to extend her hand for a handshake. After living in Planet Celestial for a while, Maia knew that it was a common show of friendship here. That came as a surprise to her since she was expecting Celestials to greet each other with their swords or something.


    Anyway, Maia powdered her palms with Sense Stabber and once she had shaken Nola''s hand, she did extend that friendship to the others on the table. She did that because she was confident Nola would send someone after her, and needed each person to be just a bit duller so that she could escape quite easily. And she was correct in her decision. The only reason she was able to easily escape the eyes of the tracker sent after her and activate Reiki''s shielding ability was because Sense Stabber was occluding the man''s senses. So he wasn''t completely hundred percent. In fact, he was b?r?ly at the fifty percent mark. If he was at a hundred percent, even with Reiki''s help, Maia would have been discovered.


    ''You really are a genius,'' Reiki sighed in praise. He knew that Maia was smart, but seeing her using her brain like this, scheming and counter scheming, was very impressive. He finally understood why Maia''s teacher insisted that she try to be a Scholar was well. It truly was a waste to ignore her impressive brain''s abilities.


    ''Wait a minute,'' Reiki realised that Maia''s aura was growing calm, suggesting that she was about to sleep. And he was having none of that.


    ''Don''t sleep just yet. I have more questions.''


    The inquisitive Eternal Throne had Maia sighing in exasperation. She tiredly opened her eyes and asked, ''What is it?''


    ''How did you know that she had Devilstone on her?'' Reiki wondered. ''Oh wait, never mind,'' however the same Reiki was quick to dismiss his own words. That was because he remembered that Maia''s ring wasn''t a simple storage device. It was also a mapping system, capable of taking in scores of land into its database and transferring them into Maia''s extraordinary mind. This map was a fully detailed one, and it included treasures and rare artefacts within that particular area. This was possible because it was a Scholar''s Ring. It was a divine artefact that Scholars sought for, and it was made with the remains and power of a Scholar Emperor or Empress, making it a very reliable sensing tool.


    And this meant from the moment Maia stepped into Outer City, she had already seen the location of Devilstone. Now all Maia''s preparations from the days before started to make sense.


    ''I don''t know why you don''t tell me these kind of things beforehand,'' Reiki grumbled. That was Reiki''s one complaint. He felt like he always told Maia everything, yet didn''t receive the same kind of feedback.


    ''That is because you question everything. You can never just contribute ideas or solutions. You always have something negative to postulate.'' Maia smiled wryly and said. Reiki usually acted like a child. But whenever Maia would suggest something that was mildly dangerous, his old side would come out. Complaints; resistance; constant nagging; and trying to change her mind where among the many things that he resorted to doing in such instances. So Maia had started keeping some things away from him. It was tough since they were bonded; they were one. But distract Reiki well enough, and you can paint him white.


    ''I need to get a good rest. So if you have no more questions, I ask that you allow me to sleep peacefully. After all, I have to go to God''s King tomorrow. Good night Reiki'' Maia informed Reiki before slumping onto the bed. The day had been exhausting for her and she was too tired to take a shower. Right now the only thing that called to her, was her bed. As for the devilstone, she tossed it nonchalantly into her storage ring.


    ''Goodnight Dear Maia,'' Reiki affectionately called out.


    ''I wonder how she is going to react when she realizes that something so precious has been stolen,'' Reiki guffawed gleefully, his laughter the last thing that Maia heard before she lost her consciousness to sleep. As for Maia going to God King, it wasn''t a surprise to him for he already knew. It was her Master''s decision that she go there, and she wasn''t going to disobey.


    Elsewhere in the Outer City, someone''s mood was quickly turning sour.


    "So you came all the way here to tell me that you lost her?" the Scheming Empress''s eyebrows were lifted in mock surprise.


    Yet her aura which pressed onto the poor Celestial who was sent after Maia suggested that mockery was the last thing the guy was worried about. Her aura was at the peak of the Heaven Realm, and the tracker who was merely at the 3rd Stage of the same realm was finding it difficult to breath. The current location was different from the bar. They had returned to their base of operations.


    So that meant that the tracker wasn''t the only one here. There were others here as well. Apart from those Maia had seen at the bar, there were a few more people. These were the direct subordinates of the Scheming Empress. And though she trusted no one, she did place her faith in these people a few times. And for someone who was dubbed the Scheming Empress, this said an awful lot about them.


    "I''m sorry Nola. She just suddenly disappeared," the man pleaded. Unlike Maia, Nola had given her real name. She had done this confidently because very few knew her name, so it didn''t matter if Maia did. She wouldn''t know whether it was true or false.


    Nola wasn''t best pleased by her man''s decision to talk back. And she made sure she expressed her dissatisfaction. One of her long, slender legs whipped towards the tracker''s shoulder like a pole of great flexibility. Before the man could even see it, it had landed on his shoulder.


    *Boom*


    "Umph," the man bite down hard on his own lips, causing them to explode into a mess of blood and flesh. Although he was in excruciating pain, for Nola''s kick had broken the head of his right humerus, his scapula, and somehow a small section of his clavicle; yet, he dared not complain or voice out any discontent. For if he did, Nola would do much worse.


    "All of you, leave at once!" Nola ordered, her mood soured by the most recent news. The men left quickly, none of them willing to be on the receiving end of Nola''s wrath. However, none left faster than the injured tracker. He was hurt, but his legs still worked fine, didn''t they?


    "Crafty kid," Nola slumped onto her chair and gritted her teeth in rage. Suddenly she felt that there was something missing. The bulge that was always present in her large jacket was no more. That bulge was a treasure, one so important that Nola didn''t dare to leave it anywhere else but on her person.


    She hastily reached into her pocket, yet it was empty! Her eyes widened as her body shook slightly. She thought back to the events of her day, recalling the last time she knew she had her treasure on her, and the events that occurred after that. In all this, there was only one thing which stood out.


    "That brat!" Nola screamed, her aura allowed to run riot and wreck the room. With a powerful bellow she struck at the ceiling and tore the whole thing off, including the floor above hers!


    *Boom*


    "Just pray I don''t find you, you measly little twerp!"


    Her fury was not just because she had lost her treasure, but because she understood that she had been played! She was the Scheming Empress, yet it was she who had been played. And that by a child no les! How insulting this was for her!


    Her subordinates who had only just made it out shivered in fear when they heard her angry below. As for the destroyed building, it wasn''t largely surprisingly. Their leader destroyed at least three building each month ¨C and a few bones. As long as their bones remained intact, they had nothing to complain about.. At least all of them were fine except for the poor tracker who was being rushed to a clinic for treatment.

 Chapter 481 - Max And Kahn

    Giant City was one of the three major cities of the Celestial Empire. Of the three major cities, it was the one with the largest influence on the empire''s army. For it was more like an army headquarters than it was a city. Because of its position, the three God Roots had been installed there. And the Lord of the City, known as the Lord of the Giants, The Kaiser Reich Lord, was more than happy to welcome them.


    The presence of the God Academies had attracted a lot of outsiders to Giant City. And it was in this city that Maia resided. However, Giant City wasn''t largely worried about the newer members of their city. At least the nobles here weren''t worried. The city was divided into two ¨C the Outer City and the Inner City. The Outer City was for the commoners, and the Inner city for the nobles. To accommodate the influx of outsiders, the Outer City was expanded, and the stretch of land it covered increased by a few times. Massive walls were built around the new borders, and the old wall was quickly torn down.


    The heir to the Kaiser Reich House, a boy called Max, was currently outside the confines of his home. Yet he was in no true danger, for he was in the home of an ally, or rather, his best friend. He was in the Romano House, one of the three great families of Giant City who were in the running to be Lords when the time of the current Lord''s tenure of service elapsed. The Romano House and the Kaiser Reich House were allies by virtue of friendship, for Max''s father was friends with the head of the Romano House. And that friendship had seemingly extended to their children, who seemed to have an even stronger bond than their fathers. Although the Kaiser Reich Lord was the Lord of the Giants, he didn''t dare underestimate his friend and ally, who was a close confidant of the Celestial Emperor. In fact, if it wasn''t for the fact that Flagstaff City was in charge of handing out appointments, the Kaiser Reich Lord knew that he wouldn''t be the Lord of Giant City. For if it was up to the Celestial Emperor, his friend would be Lord.


    Max and Kahn were both heirs to their families. Although Kahn was second among only two children, he was the only male, and Rosa was not at all interested in the position of Lord. Honestly, Kahn wasn''t all too interested in the position either, for the option of being fettered by laws and the Celestial Emperor didn''t appeal to him. But he had to do it. His father didn''t want to do it either when he was younger, but that had ended up being a mantle he had to carry, and he carried it with pride now.


    "I have to admit that the food here is a tad better than back at home" Max was lying lazily on Kahn''s bed. His eyes were half closed and his expression serene. He looked like a cat stuffed with fish and cheese, too full to take a single step forward. And that was because he was immensely full. He had just finished eating a meal meant for three people, Kahn didn''t doubt that Max would still indulge himself if he was to be given another serving.


    "Just a tad? Says the guy who ate like a pig and had to be shamelessly dragged away from the dining hall just so that his eating spree could be stopped." Kahn''s eyelids twitched in annoyance as he spoke. Since his unruly friend had his bed, Kahn had to settle for the couch. His eyes were on his friend''s bulging stomach the entire time. Even through the thick layers of Max''s military uniform, one could see his puffed up tummy.


    Kahn was right. If not for his pro-activeness to interfere and drag his friend away, Max would have still been stuffing himself with food, even though he was full! This same person who actually shed a tear as he ate; this same person who cried out in countless emotions as he filled himself; this very same boy who ?r??n?d and m??n?d and spoke in weird tongues that none but himself understood as he ate; now had the audacity to say that the meal was ''just a tad better'' than it was back at his home. If it was only a tad bit better; if it was but a slice better; if only a notch above what Max was used to; then this notch must surely be as high as the sky was from the earth.


    "I didn''t eat like a pig," Max waved his finger before him in protest. Yet even this trivial task proved too much for the boy who would one day be the Kaiser Reich Lord. Kahn''s face was scrunched up in a wry smile, yet before he could say something, Max spoke up once again. It seemed his friend wasn''t done with his statement.


    "I ate like the king of pigs," Max guffawed shamelessly, prompting Kahn to helplessly hold his head in his hands. Even in such a situation his silly friend wanted to be the best out of the lot. However, Kahn couldn''t help but smile slightly whenever he was with his friend. For it was only around him that Max could act this way: unbridled, relaxed and like a child. For the responsibilities and expectations on his shoulders were great, and even smiling was a task ever so laborious under the weighty fate that befell his friend. Kahn didn''t even have to look far to find a way to relate to his friend. For although his sister Rosa had taken up much responsibility, it didn''t reduce Kahn''s either. In Noble Houses, the number of heirs didn''t reduce the burden of responsibility, but multiplied it.


    "Where is Rosa? Is she out on another mission?" Max asked. His speech was slurred and his voice very hazy. Even talking was now proving too difficult a tax for the genius Celestial.


    "She went out. Luis came back today so she went looking for him." Kahn smiled brightly when he spoke of his sister ¨C and her intentions. There was a sinister gleam in his eyes, like a child who had just tricked an ?du?t into buying her a brand new doll.


    "So she fell for your schemes huh," Max shook his head with a small smile on his face. As close as they were, there was no way Max didn''t know what Kahn and the Romano Lord''s intentions were. And it seemed that their plans were hatching quite wonderfully, yielding bountiful results.


    "Yes. You should have seen how her face lit up when she heard that Luis was back." Kahn laughed heartily, yet that only brought a chill to Max''s heart. For he understood that he wasn''t outside his friend''s range of scheming.


    "How do you think she would react when she sees him? Do you think she will honestly tell him how she feels now?" Max wondered. Rosa was a prideful Celestial. Would she really be able to admit to someone she rejected over and over again that she now liked him?


    "She wouldn''t get to meet him," Kahn smiled sinisterly and said.


    "What did you do?" Max''s heart chilled slightly when he saw that smile. He knew instantly that Kahn was up to something again.


    "I only sent Luis a message to leave as soon as possible. Rosa''s pride has to be broken into countless fragile pieces for it to work. This plan cannot have any holes." Kahn''s answer scared Max so much. For now he knew how far his friend was willing to go to achieve his goals. Although this was for Rosa''s own good, the process sure was brutal. Max was very eager to change the topic, and he regretted bringing Rosa''s name up in the first place.


    "Do you think that kid will come?" Max suddenly asked. His tired eyes were suddenly filled with life, and his expression was full of excitement.


    "I don''t know," Kahn of course knew exactly who Max was speaking of.


    "And you shouldn''t be calling him that kid. You know his name already." Kahn berated his friend.


    "Fine," Max grumbled.


    In the past 6 or 7 months since the time they had met ''that boy'', Max brought him up constantly. Their loss to the one they suspected was Asgardian was what drove them. And the fact that both had grown so powerful in the past half a year was proof of just how much drive that meeting had given them. Their fathers were stunned by their progress, and knew that something must have happened to spur the two on so. Yet no matter what they did, neither of their sons told them exactly what happened.


    The most they heard of the incident was, ''we lost to someone more talented than ourselves''. All their probing into who this person was had failed. In fact, if it wasn''t for the fact that they had seen their children transform into mad men who sought nothing but war to improve their strength, they wouldn''t have believed them. After all, who could be more talented than the children proclaimed by the Celestial Emperor himself to be the most talented Celestials to have ever been born? In fact, their whole generation was talented, prompting most to call them the ''Celestial Generation''. Yet the fact that both pushed themselves so far was proof enough. And whomever this person was, he/she had also affected Kahn''s squadron, for they too had improved massively.


    "It would be pretty cool if we ended up meeting again at God King''s," Max smirked.


    "That is unlikely. There are several God Academies in the Universe. And though there aren''t many that could be counted in the same vein as God King in terms of prestige and power, there are enough to go around. If he is really Asgardian, Mane would have many options. And that means the chances of meeting him at God King are less than 2%." Kahn was not as optimistic as his friend. For he believed in numbers and facts better than he did in fate and luck.


    "I''m sure he will attend God King''s. How much stronger do you think he has gotten?" Max wondered whilst ignoring Kahn. Kahn''s lengthy speech about Mane''s presence in God King''s being highly improbable deterred Max in no way. To him, they were fated to meet the blue-eyed Asgardian. And that very fate may be explored in God King''s.


    "I don''t know," Kahn shook his head. How was he to know the answer to such a question? "However, he cannot possibly be weaker than us," Kahn did believe in that one fact. Even if the boy''s wielding level was not quite on the same level as theirs, his monstrous fighting ability was more than enough to make up for it. Who would have thought that one day, they, Celestials ¨C beings renowned for their prowess in battle ¨C would envy the battle ability of another?


    "Good point," Max agreed with his best friend''s statement, yet the fire in his eyes didn''t die. For they burned even brighter.


    "And that is why I want to fight him even more," Max exclaimed as his lazy countenance was completely washed away. The might of his aura filled the room as his yearning for battle infected his childhood friend, causing Kahn''s aura to also burst forth. The power of two 8th Stage Earth Realmers filled the place as Kahn''s eyes flashed brightly,


    "I wonder how far we could go this time."

 Chapter 482 - Atlas

    The palace of the Celestial Emperor was like a shrine. And every shrine had strict laws governing it. Such laws made it almost impossible for those who didn''t fit within the confines of these laws to get into the shrines. Just like shrines were limited to priests and devout worshippers, the Celestial Palace was limited to only a select few ¨C the aides and trusted confidants of the Celestial Emperor. Not even the concubines and children of the Celestial Emperor were allowed into the palace. That was how restricted the place was. However, there were exceptions to every restricted space. And that exception was the absolute ruler of this planet and its strongest denizen ¨C the Celestial Emperor. There were times the Emperor of the Celestials summoned some into the palace. However, he rarely summoned his own children unless it was to declare something of supreme importance. Yet he had now.


    Of the Emperor''s bloodline, there were several talents. However, the recent emergence of talents like Max The Tormentor and Kahn The Great had slighted those talents. After all, those talents were much older than Max and Kahn, and there wasn''t any of the royal bloodline who was of the generation of those two that could match up to them. Many thought the Emperor would never have the chance to produce a child that could match up to those two, yet he had. Two in fact, had made it to that level, and stood shoulder to shoulder with Max and Kahn. These two were siblings; born of the same mother and father. A rare occurrence since the Emperor was known to avoid concubines immediately after siring a child with them. These two were The Reaper''s Edge Sarong and Canyon''s Mouth Sharon.


    They were some years older than Kahn and Max, and logically their talented selves should have been discovered before the former two. However, they weren''t exposed to the people whom they were born superior in nobility to. They had remained in the shadows, unwilling to reveal their talents and strengths. They travelled to other planets, felled numerous foes and grew enormously powerful. Their father was rarely concerned about his children, and unlike other Emperors, cared little for whether his children would survive or not. So they had quite the amount of freedom. Yet once their talents were discovered, their father''s attitude towards them changed quite a bit, in that their freedom was restricted.


    Of the 5 children of the Celestial Emperor, they were the ones to have been invited to the Celestial Palace the most. It was said that the Emperor always called upon them on their birthdays and bestowed upon them a gift. It was also rumored that the Celestial Emperor had shared a joke with them before, and that they had heard the rare laughter of their Lord. As to whether or not these rumors were true, only the three involved knew.


    Today was as good a day as any. And to Sarong and Sharon, it was an even better day. For they had been called to the palace of their Emperor and Father. And as they waited behind the large metallic doors that led into the throne room, the anxiety from meeting their estranged father was nowhere to be found. If any saw how they fidgeted and moved, they would know that it wasn''t due to discomfort or fear, but due to expectation. And why was that? Why were these two so eager to meet a man many wanted to avoid; a man who was thought of as one of the worst fathers in history? Simple really. It was because rumors were after all just rumors. For they knew much about their father, and they loved him dearly. They had no idea who the monster in the circulating rumors was, but it definitely wasn''t their father.


    "I wonder if Elder Brother will be there this time," a beautiful black haired maiden whose eyes resembled the deep well of Mimir looked at the door expectantly as she spoke. Her long hair reached all the way to her slender waist, and rested on her rounded h?ps. Her long legs were full of strength and elasticity. She wore the standard battle suit of Celestials, complete with a pair of combat boots, yet her exquisite charm couldn''t be hidden. Even in such a getup, she was like a delicate flower with loads of love to share. This Celestial was Sharon, the one known as Canyon''s Mouth to most Celestials.


    "Brother Shanxi? Who knows?" the boy who shared in her irregular movements resembled Sharon a lot. And that was no strange thing, for they were related ¨C by blood. He was Sharon''s brother. They both had the same shade of black hair. He also had deep black eyes and was a tall gentleman, something that wasn''t largely unpopular with Celestials. He was well built, and gave off the charm of one who did everything with absolute confidence and authority. His arms were like tree trunks and his legs like the core of Nidavellir itself. Unlike Sharon, he had a small red birthmark on his forehead, right above his left eye. And he seemed a bit better composed. However, the rhythmic tapping of his fingers against his opposite arm was proof that his impatience was just as great as his sister''s. This man was Sarong, the Reaper''s Edge.


    "I hope he is here. And hopefully he came with some gifts!" Sharon clapped her hands excitedly when she spoke of her elder brother Shanxi. Although Shanxi was born from another mother, he was the closest to the brother and sister pair among the other three children. Unlike what most Celestials thought, the Celestial Emperor didn''t summon his children often not because he was too proud or uncaring to send for them, but because they were rarely around.


    Sharon and Sarong had met their other siblings ¨C Peter and Anna ¨C not more than five times! They were always out on other planets, seeking different conquests and gouging themselves in battles that most Celestials would salivate over the possibility of being a part of. That was why they weren''t close.


    However, they still did well to send letters and postcards the way of Sharon and Sarong. And every time they included gifts. Sharon''s axe, her main weapon and the reason for her name, was a gift from Peter. And Anna gifted Sarong a lovely pair of High Level Boots that made him two times faster than he was. Because they were the youngest, they often received such gifts from their older siblings. It was as though they were trying to reassure the lonely duo that although they weren''t here, they still loved them. Even Shanxi wasn''t always around. Although Shanxi returned from time to time, usually bearing gifts for the duo and the Emperor as well, he b?r?ly stayed for more than a day before leaving. And usually, when their father summoned them, it was because Shanxi was here.


    Why did the Celestial Emperor hide the locations of his children so? Why did he make their returns so secretive? No one knew, not even his children. But each could tell that there was something serious at stake; something that not even their father who confided in them in everything, was willing to say.


    "It''s opening!" Sharon squealed in delight as the large doors slowly moved out of the way. The five second wait felt like a century to Sharon, and she kept looking through the gap to see what was inside.


    "Shanxi!" Sharon screamed in excitement when she saw just the person she was looking for. Beyond the door was a large man, one very large even for a Celestial. He was almost twice Sarong''s height, and his muscular arms were like the anvils of the gods of craft themselves. He had a gentle aura around him, and his smile was very infectious. He was a very handsome man, and when he saw Sharon running towards him his smile widened all the more.


    "Little Shasha," Shanxi called affectionately and caught his sister who had leaped towards him. He span her around a few times before putting her down.


    "I''m not little anymore," Shasha''s face was red in embarrassment and joy. Yet she still protested to the title used to address her. As she spoke she intentionally or unintentionally patted her bulging ?h?st, and Shanxi smiled wryly.


    "Of course. They call you Canyon''s Mouth now." Shanxi guffawed, causing Sharon''s face to grow even redder. But this time, it was due to shame.


    "Apparently you felled an entire colony of Battle Beasts on your own. Well done." Shanxi gently stroked his sister''s head and said. Sharon didn''t like her moniker, but when she heard her elder brother''s praise, all the complaints that had lined up in her head disappeared, and she allowed herself to enjoy his gently touch. For she knew that it wasn''t a touch that would last for long.


    "And you," Shanxi let go of his sister and approached Sarong who had cleverly remained behind Sharon as she had her moment with Shanxi. Although he also desperately wanted to speak to Shanxi, he held himself back and waited his turn.


    "Brother Shanxi," Sarong smiled brightly and hugged Shanxi tightly. The large smile plastered on his face was no act. For he was genuinely happy. Shanxi was like a mighty oak, and Sarong was not able to get his arms all the way round Shanxi''s back. For the man was like a foundational pillar, immovable and firm.


    "Reaper''s Edge," Shanxi grinned teasingly once he let go of Sarong.


    The boy smiled embarrassingly and scratched his head. For just like his sister, he wasn''t a big fun of his title. Shanxi knew both well. He knew them so well that he understood just how introverted these two were. Planet Celestial believed that the two had gone off world to fight for fame and increase their abilities so that they could stun the universe when they returned. But it was far from that. These two hated being in the spotlight so much that they were willing to go to other worlds to train! Whenever they gained a bit of fame in one world, they left immediately. That was how introverted they were. In fact, if not because they wanted to protect their father''s image by proving that the Celestial Emperor had children of the latter generation who could match up to the present geniuses, they wouldn''t have ever revealed themselves.


    "I always feel like an outsider whenever you are here Shanxi. These two haven''t even noticed that I am here with you." A voice filled with authority and the mantle of leadership filled the ears of the three siblings and brought a small smile to Shanxi''s face. Sarong and Sharon turned to face the man who spoke, and in their line of sight appeared a man who was perfectly described as¡­perfect.


    A face so smooth that an egg would lose a bet against it; jaws so well chiseled that even an axe'' edge would be forced to admit its inferiority; and eyes that resembled the stars that filled the midnight sky. This man was the very embodiment of physical perfection. Mane was good looking, but if he found himself ever facing this Celestial, he would realise just how much he paled in comparison to this man. Although the man wasn''t the largest Celestial, he wasn''t small either. He was a tad bit taller than Sarong, yet he was slightly skinnier. His eyes were steely, yet the love in them when he looked at the three siblings couldn''t be hidden.


    "Father!" Sharon called out eagerly and run towards the Celestial Emperor, having forgotten all about Shanxi. Sarong was calmer. He walked towards his father with a large smile plastered across his face.


    That''s right.. This Greater Celestial who stood in the middle of the throne room was the absolute ruler of the Celestial Empire. He was the Celestial Emperor, Atlas!