《Demon Emperor's Rise: Becoming The Greatest Villain For My Daughter》


 Chapter 1 Reapers Messenger

    ?On a hotel that was a fifty-story ss-walled building, located on the forty-fifth floor.


    In a room sat a fat man on a white sofa, smoking a big cigar. "So, how many girls have we got?"


    The fat man looked at a woman opposite him who was wearing a tight outfit. She had two handsome boys with baby faces sitting on either side of her. They were caressing her private parts and kissing every open space they could.


    Behind both, this man and woman were a couple of men with suits on, and they had guns in their pockets.


    The woman licked her lips as she pushed one of the boy''s head onto her neck. "I have around six hundred girls. All young and ripe."


    The fat man rested his chin on his arms and then said."That''s a quite good number you have. As expected of you, La."


    "I have to do my best for my best client, Clinton," La smirked at him.


    These two were famous criminals who were searched by police and the CIA everywhere.


    Clinton was a famous businessman in the ck market who would sell and auction young girls. He was just the secretary of a certain politician. By betraying him and grabbing into power, he became what he is now. He was a favorite of some of the top officials in the government.


    On the other hand, La was someone with a ratherplicated history. She was actually a top official herself in the government, but something happened that made her lose her position. Then she went on the business of kidnapping young girls and selling them to businessmen like Clinton. She was surprisingly able to easily do this work because of her husband. Her husband was a kidnapper himself. So, it was easy to get into the business.


    "When will the container arrive?" Clinton asked, taking a puff of smoke from his cigar.


    La said while caressing her boys."It will arrive at 11:00 p.m. at Nilon Harbour. Red container, number 12 B."


    "Good," Clinton nodded his head and signaled the man behind him who had a suitcase in his hand.


    The man came to the table and ced the suitcase on it. He opened it, showcasing what was inside it.


    A big grin appeared on La''s beautiful face, which had light makeup.


    It was, as you all guessed, a suitcase full of money and checks.


    "Our job is do-"


    Thud


    La was about to say something when suddenly her body copsed and she crashed into the table, head first.


    Everyone in the room was shocked. La''s guards were about to check up on her when suddenly they saw the boy who was on La''s right side throw grayish and green balls up in the air.


    Clinton recognized them right away and attempted to warn his guards."DU-!!"


    But it was alreadyte.


    Bang! Thishh!


    Two different kinds of sounds could be heard from these two grenades. From one, smoke started to spill out, and from the other, a white light spread that blinded everyone.


    The guards were not wearing any eye protection, so they got blinded. While they were trying to get back to their senses, they suddenly heard the screams of theirrades and the opposite faction''s guards.


    "Ahh!"


    "rk!..."


    "Someone save¡­.me!"


    Clinton''s eyes started to return to normal, but all he could seeter was gray smoke and the sound of his men dying.


    "Who are you!?" Clinton shouted in fear.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    But he only got replied with screams of agony.


    "Ahh!"


    "Where are you!"


    Bang


    Clinton couldn''t take it anymore and started shooting at the spot where a scream would ring out.


    Bang Bang Bang


    Clinton shot in panic, but it wasn''t able to stop the massacre that was happening.


    Then the scream stopped, and the smoke also dissipated because of an unknown opening in the ssed walls.


    Clinton was finally able to see what had truly happened at thisst minute of absolute chaos. The whole room was littered with corpses. From their wounds, it looked like someone had slit their throats with a small knife.


    No one was alive except Clinton and the unconscious La.


    Step


    Then Clinton came back to his senses and saw the boy who was with La walking right at him. He had a knife in his hand that had fresh blood dripping down from it.


    "Who are you?" Clinton asked, pointing his gun at the boy.


    But it didn''t seem to faze the boy as he walked before him fearlessly. Aftering in front of him, the boy grabbed his face and tore open the mask.


    Rip


    After the mask was removed, what appeared before Clinton''s eyes was a man who had the most handsome face he had ever seen. He had arge lower jaw, prominent cheekbones, and thick eyebrows. His messed-up silky short ck hair added to his allure.


    The man finally spoke for the first time. "You don''t have to know me. Just know my code name, Reaper''s Messenger.  I am here to fulfill my client''s order."


    Clinton didn''t speak much and went silent with his eyes wide open. He said it with shock. "So, you are the Reaper''s Messenger, who is the famous assassin known in the underground."


    "Egh?" The man clearly didn''t like this, as he told him. "I have be too famous. Then it seems you have to leave this world to not spread anything about me."


    Clinton''s eyes widened as he knew he would die, so he pulled the trigger of the gun. "Die you asshole!"


    Click


    "Huh?" Clinton became stumped as he saw the boy still looking with the same expression as if nothing had happened.


    "You are so stupid." The man said with disappointment as he pointed his gun at Clinton''s head


    "Wai-"


    Bang


    A bullet tore through Clinton''s head, instantly killing him. After he was done, he picked up the suitcase and La. He loaded La and the suitcase into the trolley that served the food.


    Putting on a cap, he calmly walked out of the room as if nothing had happened.


    A smile appeared on the man''s face, which was hidden by the cap. "I am finally done with this job."

 Chapter 2 A Sun Shine

    ?"Phew," A man with a deep cut on his cheek puffed out a cloud of smoke. He was leaning against a car in a parking lot.


    Through the corner of his eyes, he caught sight of a man. It was none other than the man who killed Clinton earlier. He was carrying a giant bag on his back and a suitcase in his hand.


    A smile appeared on the man''s face with the deep cut as he pushed his right hand forward. "Max! You truly don''t disappoint me."


    However, Mac didn''t ept the handshake with him, instead, he handed the suitcase in the man''s hand."Take your stuff, Tobi."


    Afterward, he dropped the bag behind his back in front of Tobi and opened its mouth. From it emerged La, who was unconscious. "I have also brought what the client wanted."


    Tobi had opened the suitcase and was looking at the bundles of notes with content. He picked up two bundles of notes and threw them at Max.


    Max caught it in his hand and put it in his pocket. After that, he spoke to Tobi. "As agreed, this is ourst cooperation. I hope you don''t call me for anything in the future."


    Tobi was Max''s only friend and the person that would give me all kinds of missions from the headquarters. From childhood, he was raised to be an assassin, and he thought he would lead most of his life like that, but something happened that changed his heart. He negotiated with Max to let the headquarters let go of him.


    He wanted to quit being an assassin.


    "Okay, Max. I will keep my end of the bargain. It was truly nice working with you all these years." Tobi put La''s body behind the trunk and spoke to him with a smile. "But I still can''t believe the famous assassin, Reaper''s Messenger, would quit being an assassin just because of his daughter."


    Just after Tobi said that he felt a tiny tingling on his neck. He turned around to see Max staring at him with cold-blooded eyes.


    "I hope that secret doesn''t spread to anyone''s ears." Max left, leaving behind those threatening words.


    Tobi was left alone as he chuckled helplessly while walking into the driver''s seat. He started the engine, and along with that, his facial expression changed to a deadpan one. "I am sorry, Max. But that isn''t a secret to the big guys anymore."


    Vroooom


    With that, the ck Audi left the parking lot.


    ¡­


    Asahikawa City, Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan.


    This city is located on the northern side of Hokkaido, where snow can be seen all around the year. The snow and mountains make this ce a great ce to visit for tourists.


    In a certain street, there was a traditional Japanese house, and before the gate of it, one could see Max standing.


    He opened the gate and silently went to it. The moment he opened the door, he removed the cold, expressionless face. He called someone with a smile. "Ana, papa is here."


    Max heard the sound of someone walking down the stairways as he took off his boot.


    "Papa you are back!" Just after he took off his boots, he got hugged by someone in front.


    It was Max''s daughter, Ana. She was wearing a white skirt with a gray sweater on top. She had short ck hair and a pair of big, curious eyes that wanted to know everything about the world. Her cheeks were red because of the cold, but that added a bit more cuteness that Max couldn''t handle.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    He picked up his four-year-old daughter and said with a heartwarming smile." Did Ana miss Papa?"


    Ana nodded her head, pouting and showing a bit of shyness.


    "Haha," Maxughed out loud seeing that. He took her to the kitchen. "Then papa will make his special takoyaki."


    Ana''s eyes brightened just hearing that. She loved the takoyaki made by her papa''s hands. She shouted in excitement. "Yeah! Takoyaki!"


    "Yeah!" Max also cheered along with her.


    Max was not always like this, even after finding out that he had a daughter. His transformation was the result of Ana''s influence on his life.


    Five years ago.


    Max, who was a famous assassin underground, was always thinking of murder and how to kill. To not get too depressed and totally emotionless, Tobi suggested doing a one-night stand with a girl at the bar.


    He did as he was told and easily had a one-night stand with a girl; after all, who could resist such a handsome man?


    But he identally made the girl pregnant and got Ana as a result. However, he was oblivious to it. He only knew when, just one month ago, Tobi brought a kid to him and told him it was his daughter.


    He was stumped at first but eventually decided to take her in. At first, he didn''t know what to do and didn''t want to take care of her. However, that changed as time passed by. Whenever he was feeling bad and not knowing what to do, his daughter woulde to him and bring a smile to his face.


    Gradually, he fell in love with this cute daughter of his; she was the sunshine of his dark and gritty life.


    For her, he decided to leave this dirty job and give everything he had to keep that smile intact, something her mother couldn''t do because she was annoyed and irritated at having to raise her.


    Now, he was free, and he could give everything to her.


    "Ana, here is your special takoyaki." Max presented the takoyaki in front of her.


    "Ohh~!!!" Ana''s mouth was bing watery just by looking at it and smelling the dish in front of her.


    She pped her palms together and said with her eyes closed. "Itadakimasu~"


    Max chuckled at her enthusiasm. But suddenly, he heard a bell ring.


    "I will get it." Max left to see who it was at this time.


    Max opened the door and asked with a smile. "Hello, can I hel- "


    Max''s eyes widened as he saw a man in front of him pointing a gun at his head.

 Chapter 3 Escape

    ?Bang


    Max, in the nick of time, moved his head to the side as he somehow was able to feel the bullet just graze past his ear.


    Max quickly took the gun from that man''s hand and punched him in the face.


    The other two were surprised to see their teammate miss such a clear shot at such close range.


    However, just as they were about to aim, they heard the sound of a gunshot again.


    BangBangBang


    Three shots were fired from the gun in Max''s hand, which hit right in their heads.


    Their bodies were about to drop, and with their remaining consciousness, they saw Max had already left the door.


    Thud


    Along with the sound of their bodies dropping, Max also slid open the kitchen door.


    Max turned his head around in panic when he didn''t see Ana in front of his eyes. From the corner of his eyes, he saw a man carrying Ana in his arms. He was trying to get up the wall but was failing because of Ana''s trashing.


    "Shut up!" The man in anger was about to punch Ana when suddenly.


    Bang


    A strong pain ran throughout his head, and his consciousness became blurry.


    Ananded on the ground and got terrified by the blood on her body and the wide-open eyes of the uncle that was taking her away.


    She got up and ran toward Max. "Papa."


    Max dropped down his hand, which was holding the gun that had smokeing out of it. He squatted down and hugged Ana. "Ana, are you okay?"


    "Papa¡­papa¡­.that uncle is¡­is¡­" Ana clearly was still in fear of what she saw with her eyes.


    Max took his daughter in his chest and got up. He rubbed her back, caressing it softly, which calmed her down. He said it with a bit of sadness in his voice. "I am sorry, daughter. It will be alright."


    Then Max''s ears picked up the sound of footsteps.


    He ran into the wall and jumped over it by grabbing its top. He did it effortlessly, unlike the previous guy, who was struggling many times.


    Max tucked Ana''s head inside his chest and ran toward the forest.


    "There they are! Shoot them!" One of the men noticed their escape and rmed the others.


    They came around the corner and chased while shooting at Max.


    BangBang¡­


    Max dodged some and quickly turned to another to escape.


    "You guys stay in the car, we will tell you where they will go." A guy said to a walkie-talkie in his hand and ran with his teammates.


    Max looked around him, trying to find a way to escape faster.


    However, unlucky for him, nothing passed by him.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    ''Damn it!'' Cursing in his mind, he decided to use the only thing his eyes caught.


    He grabbed a bicycle that was parked outside a house, and from the looks of it, it was used by a delivery boy.


    "Hold me tightly." Max made Ana hug him like a ko. He started paddling at a fast speed from the start, and the slippery road helped him furthermore.


    Riding it, he would go around from time to time but wouldn''t find anyone. But just as he was about to pass by a cross-section, his eyes caught a glimpse of a caring toward them at full speed.


    Luckily, Max was about to pass that section quickly, but it rmed all the people that were searching.


    Max paddled in a hurry as a snowy mountain came into view. He could use the woods to hide and escape, and the steep snow would give vehicles a hard time, especially motorcycles, which could be used there too.


    Quickly,ing before the foot of the mountain, he took Ana deep into it.


    The cars which were all chasing him finally was to catch a glimpse of him climbing the mountain. They were having a hard time chasing Max because of the flexibility and mobility of the bicycle on narrow roads.


    "Kill them fast; the police are warned. They will being at us shortly."


    They got out of the car and chased behind Max on foot.


    Bang


    A bullet missed Max and hit a tree ahead of him. He quickly picked up the pace and used the trees to help him hide.


    Along the way, Max would shoot them back, which he wouldn''t miss unlike them.


    He was the top assassin for a reason.


    Ana suddenly watched as her father killed many uncles along the way. "Papa, are you a bad guy?"


    Max was stumped for a second but quickly regained hisposure.


    Bang


    Killing another man, he said to Ana with a cold face."Yes, Ana. Your papa is a bad guy. He kills people to live. Ana¡­Do you hate papa?"


    Ana immediately shook her head. "I do not hate you, papa. I know you are doing this to save Ana. Papa is a knight for Ana like Hueg is a knight for Princess Vy in My Adventure."


    Max''s heart raced upon hearing those words, and tears started toe out of his eyes.


    "My Adventure" was a cartoon show about a knight and princess going on a journey where the knight would save the princess every time. It was Ana''s favorite show.


    Max shot another person and spoke with a shaky voice. "I am very fortunate."


    He felt he was blessed with the best daughter ever.


    Max put Ana down beside a tree and looked at her big, curious eyes. He rubbed her head and said with a smile."Ana, can you wait? Papa will take care of those uncles."


    Ana squeezed her fist and strongly nodded her head.


    "What a brave girl." Max walked away, leaving behind hisst words. "Stay there; don''t go anywhere. Papa wille."


    Ana saw her papa''s figure vanish in the sudden hail. She crouched down and heated her hands by breathing into them. ''Papa,e back quickly, please.''


    Ana waited silently in the bone-aching cold that was on the mountain, and it increased much more as the intensity of the hail escted.

 Chapter 4 Just A Little Sleepy

    ?"It''s too cold," Ana whispered softly as hot breath came out of her mouth. Her face has turned red from the intense cold. "Papa,e back fast."


    Krch Krch


    Suddenly, she heard the sound of someone walking in the snow. She turned her head up, and excitement filled her. Her papa hase back.


    Ana ran toward him, despite having a hard time walking on the pile of snow.


    Max was clutching his stomach, which was throbbing in pain. He got hit by a bullet there, and he was bleeding heavily. But he hid it with his arm, not trying to let Ana see it.


    Max had a smile on his face seeing Ana still being fine. He wanted to run toward her, but an intense pain ran throughout his body that made him kneel on the ground.


    Ana came before Max grabbed his head and said with concern. "What is wrong, papa?"


    Max endured the pain and said, holding back the blood that wanted toe out of his mouth."I am fine."


    Despite saying that normally, Ana was able to see blooding out of the corner of his mouth. She looked around and saw Max''s hand, which was clutching his stomach; it had turned red.


    Ana said it in panic. "Papa, you hurt. You have to cover it with ice. Momma told me if you get injured, you just have to ce ice on it and it will go away."


    Ana went to her right side and started to pick up the snow on the ground.


    Max tried to stop her from touching the snow. "Ana, stop. You might catch a cold."


    However, Ana didn''t pay heed to Max''s warning. She scooped up snow with intense focus. Max felt his heart sooth seeing her like that. ''Ahh~ She is always like this. Trying everything just to save someone. She has healed so many wounds in my body¡­I can''t even remember.''


    Getting a helpful amount of snow in her hand, Ana got up from the ground."It is okay, papa. I will treat your wound away-"


    Just after she said she saw a man behind a tree pointing a gun at them.


    "Watch out, papa!" Ana shouted anxiously and got in front of Max.


    Bang!


    Puchi


    Max just turned his head, and his eyes widened in extreme shock. He felt the whole world start to move in slow motion as Ana''s blood started flying in the air.


    Max''s breathing became rough and his heart started to beat slowly but loudly.


    Thud


    Then all returned to normal, and he watched in horror as Anay down on the snow. The snow around her started to turn red, like a ssh of red ink dropped on a nk sheet of white paper.


    The man was to shoot another time after seeing he failed to kill Max, but he was a bit slower. Max had already aimed his gun at the man''s head.


    Bang


    With that, the man also dropped to the ground.


    Max threw away the gun in a daze and picked up Ana in his arm. He grabbed her cheeks and shook them a little."Ana¡­Ana¡­are you okay, darling?"


    Ana looked at Max''s face with drowsy eyes. She whispered silently. "Papa¡­it hurts¡­can you put ice on the ce it hurts? ...and papa¡­I feel sleepy."


    Tip<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Tears started to fall from Max''s eyes. He said it in panic. "Ana, it will be okay. Just stay awake; I will save you. Just please don''t fall asleep."


    Max was about to stand up when he felt a weak pull on his jacket. He looked down and saw Ana closing her eyes.


    "Papa¡­I can''t stay awake long¡­.I wanna..sleep¡­" Ana closed her eyes and bent like a shrimp in Max''sp.


    Max held her close and tightly. He gritted his teeth, trying to hold back his tears. "I am¡­sorry. I am so sorry¡­."


    "Ahhh!" Max''s cry could be heard in the mountain that was filled with pain and rage.


    For ten seconds, Max cried out loud and only stopped when he felt his body getting weak.


    In that instant, Max''s face returned to his previous state, without any emotion. He took the phone from his pocket and called on a number.


    ¡­


    "Sir, this is all there is to know about Max''s full operation," Tobi said to a man sitting across a ss desk.


    The man had a neck full of beard and had a big build. Which hid the wrinkle he got from old age.


    They were currently in a well-decorated room with full of expensive items. The building they were in could be called a giant castle, which was surrounded by a lush, green forest.


    This was the headquarters of the Dying Sun. The assassin organization that Max worked in.


    The old man with a beard was the boss of this organization, Khalid.


    Khalid nodded in satisfaction upon hearing Tobi''s report. "As expected of Max. Sealing the room with soundproof walls earlier, manipting the meeting to take that ce, no evidence left along the way¡­ Huh~ He is truly one of the best assassins the world has had in a while."


    Then he said, disappointedly. "Sadly, he has to go. We let such a good dog of ours roam freely among themoners. So, is he dead already?"


    Tobi shook his head. "No, sir. But he can''t live long enough. He may be one of the greatest assassins, but he is not strong enough to survive a swarm of people. He only knows how to kill people by hiding in the dark."


    "True." Khalid agreed with him.


    At that moment, Tobi''s phone started to ring.


    He picked it up and heard a weak, soft voice.


    "Tobi, you really tried very hard."


    "You are still not dead? But from the tone of your voice, it looks like you have a few seconds to live." Tobi didn''t get much shock; he was just a bit surprised Max was able to go on for so long.


    "You were a best friend of mine, but it looks like I forgot we were criminals. Can you give the phone to the boss?"


    Tobi raised his eyebrows and handed the phone to Khalid. "Boss, Max wants to say something."


    Khalid took the phone curiously and put it on his ear.


    Then he heard something that left him dumbfounded.


    "Die¡­Asshole."

 Chapter 5 Regrets

    ?Khalid got confused as to why Max was cursing him like that. "What kind of nonsen-?"


    BOOOOM


    All of a sudden, the whole castle got ignited into fire and an explosion urred that blew the castle into many bits and pieces.


    ¡­


    Beep


    Max disconnected the call right after hearing the call.


    The culprit behind that explosion was none other than Max. He was suspicious of headquarters, as they might do something outrageous after he quit. So, he put explosives all around the castle, which would explode right after he pressed a button on his phone.


    But he didn''t expect them to do it that fast.


    "I should have blown them from the beginning," Max mumbled to himself.


    Then heid down on the ground with Ana beside him. He hugged her body and looked at her sleeping face with drowsy eyes.


    Max felt his vision be blurry, and he started to not feel any kind of sensation around his body.


    He hugged Ana''s body closely, caressed her head, and whispered softly. "I was able to somehow get my revenge, but I am filled with so much regret."


    "I wanted Ana to go to school, and graduate from university. get a job, marry a decent guy, and give me some grandchildren for me to take care of them all day. But¡­but¡­I wasn''t able to give her any of them." Max started to sob silently.


    Max''s vision darkened slowly, and he knew his time was totally up now. He kissed Ana''s forehead with all the affection his body and heart could give. Hugging her body, he said with a smile. "I am sorry¡­Ana."


    Pheeeew~


    Heavy wind and snow started to ur in the mountains, which made every animal take shelter in a cave with their children or with their partner.


    But, Max and Ana didn''t have the strength to do so as their bodies got covered in snow.


    ¡­


    Thump! Thump! Thump!


    ''What is this sound?'' Max, who just died with Ana in his arms, started to hear something beating loudly.


    ''Huh? What is this? Why is everything in my vision all red?'' Max looked around and saw nothing but blood red. And that time he saw some bubbles floating up.


    Something sparked inside Max''s mind. ''Am I inside a pool of blood or something? Am I in hell?...I should be¡­ A fitting ce for a sinner like me.''


    He tried to move but failed to do so. Head, hands, legs¡ªhe couldn''t move anything. ''What is happening?''


    [ Ding ]


    Suddenly, he heard a mechanical, genderless voice that almost scared him. ''Who is it?''


    Max felt shocked as he felt no voicee out of his mouth, and it seemed to be echoing around him. ''How was I able to speak?''


    [ Destined System is activating ]


    [ Detected that the host is born as a demon ]


    [ Calcting Destiny ]


    [ Ding ]


    [ System has transformed ording to the host''s destiny ]<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    [ Demon Emperor''s System is Activated ]


    Crack


    Max who was listening to all of this in a daze, suddenly heard something breaking.


    Crack-Thus!


    The next moment, Max got sted with a sh of white light that almost blinded him.


    Along with that, he started to feel cold in his body, which meant he could finally use his body, and he knew that was true because he was able to see with his eyes now.


    In front of Max''s eyes was brown and dark soil that was littered with blood and eggshells. The egg shells had strange patterns that were glowing in purple light, but from the looks of it, they were slowly dimming down.


    Max got up and looked down, just to get shocked beyond his imagination. "Where is my original body!? Why am I so small?"


    Max saw he had tiny hands just like Ana, and he was fully naked. "It looks like I am the same height as her."


    He assumed that by looking at the height of the cave he was in. The cave was small, not that deep, and the lighting from the entrance illuminated almost half of the cave.


    "Huh?" From the corner of his eyes, he saw something that made him doubtful. He saw a pair of small wings attached to his back that had visible blood veins. He could feel the wings. "Did I just grow a pair of wings?"


    Max touched the small wings in doubt, and his confusion grew immensely. "What is actually happening?"


    [ Hello, Host. I think I can exin to you about everything. ]


    Again, a voice rang in his mind. Max''s face turned stern, and he asked with caution. "What is happening? Is this all your doing, the nameless voice in my head?"


    [ Yes, it is all my doing, and you don''t have to be cautious of me, Host. ]


    [ Because I am your assistant to help you get stronger. ]


    "What are you anyway?" Unlike all other young boys, Max had never delved into novels and anime. So, he was oblivious to such things.


    [ I am Demon Emperor''s System. A system designed for you to be the greatest Demon Emperor. ]


    [ And host, before you ask further questions, I will say this; I didn''t choose to be the Demon Emperor''s system. It was based on the body you were born with. A demon. ]


    "A demon, huh? A truly suitable one for a sinner like me." Max touched his head, and as he guessed, he had a pair of horns.


    [ Yes, you were born as a demon because of your sins, and your daughter was born as a hero because of her pure soul. ]


    "My daughter¡­Ana!" Max''s eyes widened as he dashed toward the entrance. He felt he was running faster than his normal self, but he didn''t care much about it.


    At that moment, the system''s warning rang loudly in his mind.


    [ Wait, host! She is not born yet! ]


    This brought Max''s dash to a halt.


    Max said it with extreme confusion and a threatening tone. "What do you mean she is not born yet?"


    [ You see, host, when I was about to reincarnate you into the demon egg''s embryo, I felt another soul heavily attached to you, and it was your daughter''s. ]


    [ So, I decided to reincarnate her too. But Ana''s would take time as her young soul could not bear the pressure to be reborn in this new world. ]


    "How long will it take?" Max asked anxiously.


    [ 2 Years. ]

 Chapter 6 The Only Companion

    ?Max looked down at the ground and contemted. ''Two years¡­I can wait until then.''


    He raised his head and looked at the blinding light. He decided to check the world he was reborn in.


    GRAWW!


    Right after he came out, he got sted by a strong wind, along with a roar that felt to him like it was from a dinosaur, but he knew it was not as he saw giant creatures flying in the sky, wings attached to their hands.


    He looked around at his surroundings and saw that he was standing above a mountain. Below him was a lush, green forest that stretched to the horizon.


    "What world am I in?" Max asked curiously as his eyes wandered around everywhere.


    [ Host, you are in a magical world where strength reigns supreme. Many mythological creatures and deities roam around the world. ]


    "So, does that mean I can also have that level of strength?" A strong yearning could be heard in Max''s voice. He failed to save Ana despite being the top assassin, and he could do nothing about it as he was just a mortal. Now, that he heard someone could get to the level of deities, how could he not want to be like that?


    [ Yes, Host, you can. But it won''t be an easy journey. ]


    A grin appeared on Max''s face upon hearing that.


    Who even cared about the journey being hard? You have given yourself the chance, and if you can''t fulfill it despite having that chance, it would only mean you were not destined to have it.


    This was Max''s belief.


    Graa!


    Suddenly, he heard a screaming toward him. He looked up and saw a bird-like creature that had a sharp beak and ws. Its feathers were brownish, with white tints here and there. Its wing span were three meters long, which cast a shadow on Max''s small body.


    Max''s body tensed up, but there was no fear in his eyes.


    Max jumped to the side before the ws of that bird creature touched him. He rolled on the ground and stopped right before the cliff.


    KGraa!


    The bird creature roared at him and walked up to him.


    Max felt immense pressure radiating from the creature, and he knew he would die if he wanted to fight it. He looked down at the cliff and jumped off without any kind of thought.


    ck


    Just after he jumped, the creature missed catching him with its beak. It looked surprised and looked at the fallen Max. It didn''t chase after him and went inside the cave to eat the main thing he came for. The remains of the egg.


    Meanwhile, Max was falling down on the ground as the wind made whizzing noises in his ears.


    "Now," At that moment, he tried pping his short wings in the air.


    However, what Max thought didn''t happen. He assumed his wings could take the pressure from the wind, but it looks like he was wrong. His thin, meaty wing got ripped here and there by failing to receive the wind.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Despite this failure, Max didn''t get mad or make a noise because of the pain. He was happy that was able to stop his falling speed drastically.


    Max stretched out his hand just as he got closer to the tree. He grabbed onto branches and used those to help him descend down.


    Step


    Landing on the ground, Max sighed in relief. "I was lucky, and this body is strong."


    Max made a fist and felt the strength inside his body. It was higher than what he had in his previous life. Also, the injuries on his wing got healed.


    "But this strength is weakpared to creatures like that." Max looked up at the cliff from where he just jumped off. At that moment, the creature also came out and flew away.


    Max then looked at his surroundings and decided to roam around a little. He didn''t want to live around a ferocious creature that could kill him at any second.


    Fortunately, Max was not able to see any. He just saw tall, towering trees and big bushes that blocked his view.


    At that moment, he heard the sound of water running. He quickly chased after the source of the sound and stumbled upon a small stream of water.


    "I can live near this area for now; it is a safe area too. I can''t venture anywhere as I am still too weak." Deciding that, he came before the stream and looked at his reflection in the crystal-clear water.


    "I look almost the same." Max was bewildered after seeing the same face he had in his childhood, except with a pair of ck horns now, which added a bit more charm.


    [ Your soul influenced it. ]


    "I see, so will my daughter have her previous appearance too?" Max asked curiously.


    [ Yes. ]


    Taking a scoop of water from the stream, he drank it to quench his thirst. He also used the water to wash away the blood on his wings. Then he climbed a tree nearby and rested on its thick branch.


    Max looked at the beautiful blue sky with some clouds here and there, along with a few flying creatures, and asked in a daze. "System, tell me more about this world."


    [ Host, you are in the Tapir Region of the Mystralyn Continent. This continent is a mystical and enchanted ce, where the very air is charged with magic and anything is possible. It is also the ce where heroes and demons roam around freely. ]


    "Sounds like a big world with all sorts of wonder," Max said it with a little bit of awe. "Anything else?"


    [ Host, I suggest you find it yourself. If I tell you everything, where will you find the sense of exploration? ]


    "You are right." Max agreed with the system, as it would be no fun. "I thought you were an emotionless AI or some sort of intelligence. But it seems I am wrong."


    [ No, host. I truly don''t have any emotions. I gave that answer based on the philosophy and knowledge I picked up from your world and this. ]


    "Oh," Max said with a smile. "No matter what you are, you are at least apanion to this lonely me."

 Chapter 7 Accustomed With The Law Of The Jungle

    ?[ Host, from my current understanding, it seems you are a bit sad about being alone. ]


    Max said it in a daze, looking at the sky and feeling the gentle breeze hitting his face. "Yes, I am feeling lonely. As an orphan, I got picked up by an assassination organization. I went through arduous training just to survive and get a better meal for a day."


    "But as I grew older, I started to feel the burden of killing people as I saw the sadness and grief of the deceased ones. I wanted someone in my life to share my burdens with them. Then I identally gave birth to a daughter."


    "I thought I had made a mistake, and I was very wrong. She proved me wrong. I started to feel what love is and what it feels like not to be alone. I was actually a family guy. However, that was robbed. My daughter died, and I wasn''t able to spend time with her. I wasn''t able to protect her."


    Max''s face turned stern, and his voice was firm. "This time, I won''t let anyone do anything to her."


    [ Host, to do that, I am here for you. I will provide you with everything you need to be the Demon Emperor. ]


    "Ehh¡­I didn''t expect you tofort me. You sure are learning human emotions fast." Max teased the system with a slight smirk. "Now, tell me how you will support me?"


    [ Host, before that, you should take a little look at yourself. Just chant "Status" in your mind. ]


    Max did as the system told him. ''Status.''


    The next second, a digital screen appeared right before Max''s eyes.


    [ Host Name: Max


    Magic Realm: None


    Vitality Realm: 3rd Stage Health Seeker


    Age: 1/150


    Race: Low Ranking Demon


    Talent: Low


    Magical Techniques:  None


    Movement Techniques: None


    Skills: None ]


    "This looks so bad!" Max was a bit speechless after seeing his status interface. Among all these negative ratings, only his Vitality Realm was somewhat good.


    "System, what is this Health Seeker?"  Max asked curiously. He somewhat guessed that those might be his power levels and skills, like the ones used in many games he saw kids y. He just wanted to know some of these unknown words.


    [ Health Seeker: This is the starting point for those who seek to cultivate their magical vitality. At this stage, individuals are focused on improving their overall health and well-being through simple magical practices such as purification spells, energy cleansing, and meditation. It helps them start to gain superhuman strength. ]


    Max rubbed his chin and pondered out loud. "So, the first realm is for the people who want to cultivate their physical strength. The fact I got into it just after I was born means demons are blessed with physical strength. Maybe, on the other hand, humans are blessed with magic or both."


    "Anything else?" Max asked again, as he felt this wasn''t the only thing the system had to say.


    [ Ding! ]


    [ You have received a mission ]


    [ Mission: ustomed with the Law of the Jungle<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Synopsis: Try to survive in the forest for seven days.


    Reward: Awakening Pill (Peak Earth Grade)


    Penalty: None ]


    "This mission looks challenging. It will be hard with my childish body. The reward seems good too. Also, the penalty is none. That makes sense. If I can''tplete this mission or survive, that would only say one thing; I failed to survive and died under the jaws of beasts."


    Max summarized the mission as a habit as he did in his previous life. He started to n what to do for the past seven days.


    Firstly, he shouldn''t leave this safe perimeter of his. The mission didn''t specify that he had to leave this ce. He could just as easilyplete this mission by camping here.


    Secondly, he needed to craft a weapon. This ce might be safe, but no one knows what could go wrong.


    Lastly, he had to build a small shelter and a stable food source.


    Step.


    Max got down from the tree and decided to start the work right now.


    ¡­


    On the seventh day after Max came into this world, he had already done a lot of things.


    He wanted to build a shelter first, so he went to search for scattered logs and branches. However, fortunately, he found a hole in a tree that was big enough to easily amodate him. He was first cautious, thinking it might be a snake or a bird''s nest, but scouting the perimeter once again, he found none.


    Hence, Max got a safe shelter easily!


    The next thing he did was craft a weapon. He wanted to build a normal, basic spear but felt that would do nothing to this world''s creatures. So, he went to look for something else, and he found bones of dead creatures on the ground. He collected all of them and checked to see which was the hardest and would be the most resilient.


    Max eventually found a suitable bone for a weapon. It was a one-meter-long, slightly curved bone.


    He sharpened that bone against a boulder by the stream and made it into a sharp de. He felt it would be hard, but he forgot his vitality realm.


    He ate fruits to satisfy his hunger and drank from the stream to quench his thirst.


    Max was currently sitting by the stream, eating a fruit that was blue in color and looked like an apple. He looked down at his reflection and could not believe he had grown in just a few days. From 60 centimeters to 63 centimeters.


    He asked the system about this, and it told him a demon would reach its peak height in just 16 years after birth.


    ''Truly a magical world.'' Max, like every day, looked at the sky and wondered silently in his mind.


    At that moment, Max''s eyes widened as he quickly grabbed his bone sword and jumped to the right.


    Bang!


    Something crashed into the ce where Max was sitting earlier.


    Max raised his head up and looked to see what it was. As the dust settled, he was shocked to find the source of the attack.


    A twelve-meter-long giant green snake was looking right at Max''s eyes with its ck, vertical eyes.

 Chapter 8 The First Fight

    ?"Where did this thinge from?" Max looked at the giant snake with bewilderment. He was sure he didn''t hear anything, and any kind of traps he set were not turned on.


    To answer that question, Max saw a screen pop up in front of him.


    [ Forest Python ( Grade- 5 Enchanted Beast) - A massive green python that can blend into the forest canopy and strike down on unsuspecting prey from above.


    Danger Level - 2 Star ]


    ''This guy is very stealthy!'' Max now understood how it was able to ambush him. Then he saw a shadow cast over his body. He dodged to the right without looking up while saying. ''Thank you, system, for the information.''


    Bang


    The Forest Python mmed its name onto Max, but it missed. It looked to the side and saw Max running into the forest. Its eyes sparkled seeing its prey go into its home territory.


    Max, using his small and agile body, jumped from one tree branch to another. He looked behind and saw the Forest Python enter the forest too.


    Max''s eyes widened when he saw the Forest Python vanish right after entering the tree, and he also didn''t hear any kind of noise of it slithering in the trees. ''What a lethal skill.''


    Max knew the danger of this kind of born skill. As an assassin, he had a hard time blending in with his environment. Now that he saw a creature that was able to do it easily, he couldn''t help but feel shocked.


    But he was able to notice something. The sunlight peeking through the leaves would darken as if something were blocking their path. He slowed down his run and waited for the Forest Python''s attack.


    And it came!


    Max jumped to the left just before its maw was about to bite him.


    Thrus!


    The tree branch broke from its bite. Max, using this as a chance, swung his bone sword on the Forest Python''s neck.


    ''So hard!'' Max was astonished by the hardness of its scale. He was only able to break one of its scales, and his sword was also stuck.


    This made Max crash along with the Forest Python into the ground.


    Max hung onto his dear life. He decided to get on top of it and use all of his force to take the sword out.


    Bang


    The Forest Python crashed onto the ground and shook the surrounding trees. Fortunately, Max was on top of it, so he didn''t get many injuries. He had also taken out the sword.


    The Forest Python felt its prey was standing on top of its body, and it got enraged. It started trashing the wild, mming its body on every tree in its sight.


    BamBamBam


    Max grabbed onto the opening of its scales and held onto himself. He felt he was riding a bull, but with much more intensity.


    Max gritted his teeth and slowly got closer to its eyes.


    "ARRGHH!" With a big shout, he inserted his sword into the Forest Python''s right eye.


    KRAA


    The Forest Python screamed in pain, which shook the forest and the leaves. It swiped its tail at Max, who was totally unprepared for that.


    In the nick of time, Max raised his sword and braced for the impact.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Bam


    His eyes widened when the bones on his arms cracked and his skin ruptured after getting hit by that tail. He saw himself distancing away from the Forest Python.


    Bam


    Again, he got hit by something, and this time it was a tree. After his body mmed into the tree, he slumped down on the ground.


    Max sat down, resting his back on the tree as his legs spread out. He raised his head up, only to see two giant fangs and throbbing meat in front of his sight.


    Gulp


    The Forest Python ate Max and, with satisfaction, swallowed him.


    But, all of a sudden, its only remaining eye shot wide open, and it felt intense paining from inside its mouth.


    It opened its mouth to scream, which revealed the bloodied figure of Max. He inserted his sword into the upper jaw of the Forest Python while his legs dangled in the air.


    "AHH!" Max gave a loud scream with a crazed look and swung his sword down like he was doing an overhead swing.


    Puchi


    A deep cut appeared on its upper jaw as the blood spilled down onto its mouth and on Max.


    Max was not done with that alone. He jumped up the moment his feetnded on its lower jaw. He cut straight through the already-open slit on its upper jaw.


    Using all of his strength, Max sliced through its upper jaw and came out from the other side.


    The Forest Python was able to see its prey again, who had caused more damage than he had ever felt.


    "Die!" Max inserted his sword into its remaining eye.


    KRAA


    Max didn''t let it go this time so easily. He forced his sword with all of his might and fully inserted it, cutting straight into its brain.


    THUD!


    The Forest Python''s body fell to the ground, and it slowly started to die.


    [ Congrattions, Host! You have killed a Grade-5 Enchanted Beast: Forest Python. ]


    [ You have received the skill - Enhanced Senses. ]


    [ Enhanced Senses - Forest Pythons have keen senses and are able to detect prey from great distances. Surviving an encounter with one could grant you enhanced senses, such as heightened sense of smell or improved night vision. ]


    Max didn''t pay any attention to the skill received; instead, his eyes were on the blood and the open meat of the Forest Python. His hands turned into sharp ws as his nails grew.


    Then he jumped onto the Forest Python''s body and started eating everything.


    In this quiet and beautiful ce, you could hear chewing and some growls that would make people think a demon or a beast was present.


    And they were right, it was a demon but with a human inside it.

 Chapter 9 A Demons Behavior

    ?"Hah¡­hah¡­hah¡­" Max exhaled loud breaths as he looked at the art he had made. He looked at his bloodied hands, which were toomon for him to be moved, but this time was different.


    Max''s body and hands were shaking in disbelief; he couldn''t believe what he had done.


    The Forest Python''s head was now riddled with holes, and the only thing left was its bloodied scar with some meat on it. The culprit in this was none other than Max.


    Max wasn''t shaking because of the blood or killing something, he was shaking because of his beastial behavior. ''Is this because I am a demon? I wasn''t even able to control myself after seeing the raw meat and blood. This is dangerous, I can''te before my daughter with this horrifying nature.''


    [ Host, you don''t have to worry. ]


    Max, who was anxious and panicking, calmed down after hearing the system''s mechanical voice. He curiously asked. "Why are you saying that?"


    [ Host, you are acting like that because of your lower-ranking demon bloodline. Low-ranking demon has a lower consciousness level. They will do just as their instinct tells them to do. You were not acting like that because you have a high-grade human soul.]


    [ Host, you can solve this problem by awakening your bloodline further with the reward you will receive afterpleting this first mission. ]


    "Huh~" A heavy boulder was lifted down from his heart after hearing that.


    "Thanks, system." Saying that to his emotionless system, he was able to focus on other stuff now. He nced at his newly found skill and felt it was a good one.


    "System, will I get skills like these every time I kill a beast?"


    [ No, that is random. You got this as beginner''s luck. ]


    "Oh,'' Max nodded in understanding. He decided to try this skill.


    The moment he activated this skill by chanting in his heart, just as the system told him, his vision, senses, and smell expanded. He could smell the bloody smell of the Forest Python and the fresh, clear air filled with vegetation. He was able to sense even the tiniest bit of leaves, and grass moving and could see ants crawling onto trees.


    "The range is approximately 50 meters. This is what I need the most now. It will increase my chances of survival, and it will also be good for hunting too in the future." Max nodded his head in satisfaction.


    He turned his head at the dead carcass of the Forest Python and decided to use it to its fullest. It could provide him food, materials, tools, and weapons too.


    ¡­


    Coming to the tree hole where he had made his home, he started stocking the materials under the tree.


    Only one day was left before hepleted the mission, so he wasn''t too worried about those. He knew he might be able to increase his strength after he got the reward.


    It was already evening when he had finished storing all of those and went to the stream to wash himself. Fortunately, he had no clothes to wear in the first ce, so nothing got stained or destroyed.


    Max came to his shelter and ate some raw meat. He wanted to cook but decided not to. Because on the first night, he made a campfire, he seemed to have seen many gigantic beasts rushing towards him by bulldozing through the trees.


    Max slumped down in his tree hole, where his bed was a bunch of leaves piled up together.


    He looked up at the night sky that had twinkling stars scattered all over its dark ocean and the blue moon that was peeking its head behind a red moon bigger than it.


    "I should scout the ces outside my safe zone and get some clothes. It feels too cold to sleep at night." Saying to himself, Max fell asleep.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    ¡­


    The next morning,


    Max had already eaten breakfast, which was some fruits and a bit of meat. He picked up his damaged bone sword and waited by the stream, for his reward to arrive.


    [ Ding! ]


    [ Congrattions! You havepleted the mission: "ustomed with the Law of the Jungle" ]


    [ Congrattions! You have received: Awakening Pill (Peak Earth Grade) ]


    Suddenly, Max saw a small portal open above his head and a small ss bottle dropped down from it.


    He caught it in his hands and saw a red pill inside it.


    [ Awakened Pill (Peak Earth Grade): This can help you trace back to your ancestral bloodline and awaken it. The higher the grade of the pill, the greater its effects. ]


    Max stared at the pill for a few seconds beforeing to a decision. He opened the bottle and threw the pill into his mouth, gulping it down in one go.


    Max readied himself for any kind of reaction happening inside his body, yet nothing happened. He was about to rx his body, and at that moment, a jolt of pain attacked his body.


    Thud


    Max knelt down on the pebble-filled ground and screamed in pain. "AAAHHH!"


    Blood came, oozing out of his mouth, nose, ears, and eyes. He clutched at his chest as his heart started to beat slowly. His consciousness started to be blurry as he was about to fall asleep, and he gave in to that. But at that moment, he remembered his daughter, who would being into this world.


    Max gritted his teeth in pain and endured it, trying not to shout as much as before.


    As time passed, Max''s pain also started to subside. Then it was all gone, leaving Max in relief now.


    Max''s chest heaved up and down as he took deep yet long breaths from time to time. He stood up and looked at his body.


    ''No change in appearance, but¡­'' Max bent his leg and leaped up.


    In the past, he was able to jump 5 meters. Now, it has increased to 7 meters. Landing down, he swung his sword at the stream.


    Shush


    An air st hit the surface of the stream, which caused a medium-sized ripple.


    ''I got stronger.''

 Chapter 10 An Egg In A Cave

    ?Max became satisfied with this increase.


    He checked his status once again.


    [ Host Name: Max


    Magic Realm: None


    Vitality Realm: 4th Stage Health Seeker


    Age: 1/155


    Race: Abyssal Lord (25%)


    Ability 1: Mastery of Dark Magic


    Talent: Top


    Magical Techniques:  None


    Movement Techniques: None


    Skills: Enhanced Senses ]


    ''I broke through to 4th Stage Health Seeker and my race changed to Abyssal Lord.'' Max pondered as he looked at his status once again. I think I have to find a way to increase the Magic Realm and Vitality Realm, it can''t go on like this.''


    ''Also, this Abyssal Lord sounds like a strong race. It helped me awaken an ability despite not fully awakening.'' Rubbing his chin, Max shifted his focus to the new ability he got.


    [ Mastery of Dark Magic: The Abyssal Lord has an innate understanding of the dark arts and can wield magic associated with darkness, death, and destruction. ]


    ''Oh¡­so, that weird feeling I am having inside my body is because of this dark magic.'' Max looked at his palm, from which a dark and sinister-looking magical substance emerged. He dropped in on the grass beside him to see what would happen.


    ''Hmm¡­just the attributes the system said this dark magic possessed.'' Max saw, the moment his dark magic touched the grass, it turned it dead first and then into ashes. ''It will be very helpful.


    At that moment, he heard the system''s notification again.


    [ Ding ]


    [ New 2 Mission Has Arrived ]


    [ Mission 1: The First Subordinate


    Synopsis: As the Demon Emperor, you can''t have anyone under you. So, recruit your first subordinate and use that as a stepping stone to create the biggest army.


    Reward: A Random Breathing Technique (Peak Earth Grade), A Random Weapon (Earth Grade)


    Penalty: None ]


    [ Mission 2: The Base


    Synopsis: A Demon Emperor can''t always roam around in the forest and live in the trees. Go make a small base first and then try to upgrade itter on.


    Reward: Shop Function, A Binding Spell (Earth Grade)


    Penalty: None ]<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    ''Heh? Those look like basic missions, yet they are very important too. But I do not know why the system is making me take these steps so early?'' Max turned very curious. He was always cautious about anything, and he would think through even the smallest things.


    After thinking for a minute or so, Max came up with an assumption. ''Time, it is because of time. This is not the earth where you can make anyone stronger by just giving them guns. Here you have to umte power over time, and it might take years. So the earlier Iy the groundwork, the better.''


    Max then nced at the rewards. ''I need the first mission''s rewards most right now. The second would be easy, as I will just build a small wooden house first.''


    Max sorted out all of his thoughts, and headed outside his safe area. ''I hope I don''t meet big monsters.''


    ¡­


    ''Hmm..weird, I didn''t see any kind of beasts nearby, but I saw some big ones roam that made me sweat hard. Why does it feel like I am in the most dangerous territory where small and weaker beasts don''t roam around much.'' Max pondered as he walked against the current of the stream.


    Most of the civilizations are built near arge water source, and the stream he lived by had toe from one of those. Max felt he needed to live close to human civilization as a source of news and resources. He might not live in the city or town with his appearance, but he could supply his needs from time to time.


    As Max walked slowly, while always activating his "Enhanced Senses" all the time, he suddenly stumbled upon another cave. He decided to check on it.


    As Max got closer, he started to get a simr feeling in his heart. ''This¡­is there another demon just like me that is being born?''


    Max cautiously entered the cave and saw that it was almost the same size as his. In the end of the cave was an egg the same size as his with red and pinkish patterns glowing on its shell.


    As he got closer, he started to feel the egg was¡­beating.


    ''What is happening?'' Max asked himself the question, and the system popped out to answer him.


    [ Host, it is because the demon inside the egg detected someone with a stronger bloodline than it.]


    ''Oh, is there a bloodline hierarchy among the demons?'' Max instantly guessed after reading the keywords in the system''s words.


    [ Yes, the demons with a low-ranking bloodline will always respect someone with a high-ranking bloodline. But remember, demons are cruel and deceitful creatures. If they see someone weaker than them possessing a high-ranking bloodline, they will instantly kill them to make their bloodline stronger. ]


    ''That was expected.'' Max nodded his head in understanding. Then he raised his vignce against the egg. It might have a lower bloodline than him, but he couldn''t guarantee it will be weaker than him.


    ''So, system, when will it ha-'' Max wasn''t able to finish his sentence when he heard something.


    Crack


    Max looked at the egg with wide eyes and saw the egg start to shake intensely, and cracks started to appear all over.


    Max went into battle mode and readied himself to attack if anything hostile came out.


    Crack-Thrush!


    The egg then burst open, and its shell flew everywhere. From it, something jumped toward Max.


    Max was about to swing his sword but halted as he felt zero hostility, and from what he saw through his eyes, he couldn''t see himself attacking.


    The figure leaped onto Max and hugged him tightly.


    "..L¡­Lor¡­.Lord¡­" A cute yet feminine voice sounded from the figure. This figure was currently pinning Max down on the ground and leaving Max dumbfounded.


    Max uttered, being stumped. "It is a girl."

 Chapter 11 Demon Emperors First Servant

    ?Max didn''t expect a girl toe out of the egg. He looked at her carefully and was able to notice various different features of her body.


    She had a thin, frail-looking body with pale skin. She had short pink hair with two tiny horns. She also had a wing on her back like Max but hers was pure ck. Additionally, she had a short tail with a cupid shape at the end of it.


    "Lo¡­Lord." The demon girl again spoke with her little squeaky voice.


    Max got rid of the demon girl and stood up. "I am not your lord."


    "Ah!" The demon girl got shocked upon hearing that, and then tears started toe out of her eyes as she sobbed, begging Max."But you are lord, I am born to serve you. Lord, don''t leave me."


    "Uh¡­" Max was left in a predicament, as he had no idea what to do in this situation.


    [ Host, I suggest you take her as your subordinate. ]


    ''Are you sure? Also, why did she recognize me as her lord?''


    [ She is a subus; they are a race meant to serve the strong lords of the demon realm. ]


    ''Then how can I make her my subordinate?''


    [ Just say something big and drop some of your blood in her mouth. ]


    ''This¡­'' Max got heavily confused about what to think of now. ''What do those demon lords say in the cartoons that kids watch? ...Uhhh¡­ Yes, that''s it¡­I remember now.''


    "Quiet!" Max raised his voice and spoke with a hoarse voice.


    This made the demon girl jolt in shock and then be silent.


    "Listen up, I am not abandoning you. You have to follow a ritual to be my servant. Are you willing to do so?" Max said this with arrogance as he looked down at the demon girl.


    The demon girl nodded in a daze, totally getting charmed by Max.


    "Good, you will not regret being this lord''s servant." Max raised his voice more. "I, the Demon Emperor, the one who will lead the demon realm, bring chaos to this world, would like you to be this lord''s first and most loyal servant. If you are willing, kneel before this Lord on your left knee."


    The demon girl knelt on her left knee subconsciously and looked straight into Max''s ck eyes, which looked like an abyss.


    "Excellent." Max bit his finger and ced the bitten finger on top of the demon girl''s head. "Drink this lord''s blood; only then will you be recognized to be my loyal servant."


    The demon girl opened her mouth, brought her tongue out. That moment, a drop of blood dropped from Max''s finger andnded on the demon girl''s tongue, which she gulped immediately.


    Right after the blood entered her body, a reaction urred inside her. A dark tattoo started to appear on the middle of her chest, which stopped in the shape of a pair of Max''s wings. Max also saw a small pattern on his right wrist. The moment it appeared, he felt a connection with the demon girl, as did she with him.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Lord, I have finally be your servant." The demon girl jumped in joy and showed the tattoo on her,ing before Max.


    "Okay, okay, now we should first get some clothes. Come with me¡­" Max wanted to call her by her name, but then he remembered he hadn''t asked her name yet. "What is your name?"


    The demon girl tilted her head in confusion. "I don''t have a name, Lord."


    "Oh," Max rubbed his chin and tried to think of a name to give her. ''What should I name her?''


    Thinking for a second or so, he finally came up with a name. "I havee up with a name for you. Do you want it?"


    The demon girl nodded her head in excitement. Her lord was going to name her; how could she not be excited?


    "From now on you will be called Ravenna." Just after Max said that the demon girl, or Ravenna from now on, had her eyes sparkle.


    "Ravenna liked it." She said, pumping her fist.


    "Great, now let''s get out of here," Max said while turning around. However, when he had just turned around, he started to hear Revenna''s voice.


    "Ravenna wille..but¡­Ravenna feels¡­sleepy.." Ravenne tried to speak as she stumbled her way toward him, but as she came closer to him, she slumped down.


    Fortunately, Max was there, and he caught her easily. He had many questions, like why did she fall unconscious, etc.; however, he didn''t have the time to think. Currently, he was very worried about the creatures that mighte here now because of his own experience.


    Max piggybacked her and ran away from the vicinity of that cave. Max felt he was lucky as no beasts or creatures were nearby them.


    He came back to the stream again and continued to walk on the path he had taken. He started to ask the system about the doubts he had earlier.


    [ Subus is a unique race that relies on their partner to get stronger or through physical rtions with the opposite sex. So, when a subus finds someone with a strong bloodline, they be eager to be their partner. ]


    [ When you came closer to the egg, Ravenna was able to feel your bloodline. She might have been scared that you might leave her or kill her, so she hatched forcefully, earlier than the expected time. She was talking to you earlier with her sheer willpower. But when you provided your blood, which was fully potent with power, it brought energy back to her body and forced her to sleep. ]


    [ She is currently rejuvenating her power; she will wake upter on. ]


    ''Huh~ What a silly girl.'' Max sighed, ncing back at Revenna''s sleeping face. ''It looks like there are many kinds of demonsing to this world. It will be very dangerous for my daughter.''


    Max became concerned for his daughter''s early safety as he felt there might be more demons like him or with stronger bloodlinesing to this world. ''System, why are demons being born in this world from an egg?''


    [ Sorry, host. I cannot reveal that information. It involves beings that are out of your imagination. ]

 Chapter 12 Just A Simple Guy

    ?Max became a little stumped hearing that. He wasn''t expecting to get that answer, because throughout these past days after rebirth, anything he asked the system about, it would answer everything.


    ''Looks like the system is scared of my safety or just keeping the information locked so as not to make me worry.'' Coming with his own conclusion, Max tossed away the question he asked at the back of his mind.


    Max felt he would know the truth about this eventually when he gained a certain amount of strength.


    "So, system, can you give me the rewards forpleting the first mission then?" Max asked with a teasing voice.


    [ Ding ]


    [ Congrattions! You havepleted the mission: "The First Subordinate" ]


    [ Congrattions! You have received A Random Breathing Technique (Peak Earth Grade): Purple Sun Technique. ]


    [ Congrattions! You have received A Random Weapon (Earth Grade): Demon-Splitter. ]


    ''These two sound awesome, let me see if their capability is good too.'' Max had seen many stuff with cool names on them, but when you buy it and use it, you will know most are useless and they were told exaggeratedly.


    [ Purple Sun Technique: A technique derived from the demon realm''s lowest sun, the Purple Sun. This sun has purple me and lightning that contains great destruction ability. ]


    [ Demon-Splitter: A katana made of a ck, shimmering metal that seems to reflect the abyss itself. This katana can be called an abyss itself. It absorbs the souls of the ones the user kills and bes stronger gradually. This weapon can only be used by someone who knows dark magic. ]


    Max skepticism was still there but most of it was gone after reading those. He would fully believe after seeing them and experiencing himself.


    ''But now is not the time, I have to find a ce to rest first.'' Max looked at the sun that was setting, turning the forest into darkness again.


    Searching for a few minutes or so, Max was not able to find a single ce to spend a night. ''I guess, we will sleep on a tree branch tonight.''


    He climbed up the nearest tree with Ravenna on his back. It was hard to climb but not impossible.


    Sitting on a thick branch with Revenna on hisp now, he started eating fruits he picked up when he was on the search.


    Max looked up at the red and blue moon that was shining mildly and floating in the dark ocean like a couple.


    Max hugged Ravenna and she went back to, thinking of his pillow. Max got reminded of Ana, after feeling Ravenna''s small body hugging him.


    Max said mncholy, "I am waiting for you, Ana."


    Saying that Max closed his eyes and fell asleep with Ravenna in his arms.


    ¡­


    "Wake up¡­Wake up¡­" Max opened his drowsy eyes, and saw a blurry picture of Ana. "...Ana."


    Max forcefully got rid of drowsiness and looked carefully.


    "Lord, you are finally awake." Max got disappointed when he saw and heard it was just Ravenna. However, he quickly got rid of the disappointment and regained his stoner and serious face.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "When did you wake up?" Max asked curiously as he looked at her rosy and healthy body which was totally different from yesterday.


    Ravenna proudly said. "Lord, I went hunting for some food for you but I didn''t find anything. Luckily, a rabbit passed by me. Look below, Lord."


    Max did as she told him to and saw a dead white rabbit lying down beside the tree trunk.


    "Good job¡­" Max just said that and his eyes widened. "Did you just kill a rabbit?"


    Max was asked that because when he was in the forest these past few days, he didn''t find any normal animals. He only saw big, gigantic beasts roaming around. He felt the normal animals will be nearby humans as humans would keep these animals for stockpiles.


    Max got ecstatic thinking about that but he calmed himself down.


    Ravenna tilted her head in confusion as to understanding why the lord asked such a simple question. "Lord, did I do something wrong killing that rabbit?"


    "No, you did a great job. It is just that I had never seen a rabbit aftering to this world." Max said as he jumped down from the branch.


    Ravennanded next to him and asked. "Really, Lord?"


    Max nodded his head, then he looked at the rabbit and said."Let''s first have our breakfast."


    Ravenna nodded quickly. She picked up the dead rabbit and tore it apart from the middle and gave Max one of it.


    Max stood there, dumbfounded.


    "What happened, Lord? Don''t you like the rabbit Ravenna hunted?" Ravenna''s eyes became watery and tears were about to fall from her eyes.


    Max facepalmed and took both of the rabbit''s body parts. "We can''t eat these raw. We have to cook first."


    "What is cook?" Ravenna asked with doubt as this wasn''t in her vocabry.


    Max gathered dry grass, and branches and started making fire with the primitive method - banging stones.


    With his strength and skill, he caused a spark and made a fire. He inserted a sharp stick inside the rabbit''s body and put it above the fire. "This is cooking. Burning raw food with fire to make it tastier."


    This was the simplest exnation Max could give to Ravenna. He felt she didn''t have to know everything as she might not understand it. He could teach her slowly everything he knew about.


    Ravenna''s eyes sparkled. "The Lord is really intelligent. He knows such a great discovery."


    Max didn''t want to bask in the false praise, he told her the truth immediately. "I am not intelligent, I am just using what humans have discovered through history."


    "Then does that mean humans discovered all the secrets? Lord won''t be able to discover anything new anymore?" Ravenna asked, scratching her head.


    Max turned his head and looked at Ravenna with a new light. ''She was able to get that quickly with such a small clue? I think I underestimated the demons with high-ranking bloodlines.''


    Then he answered Revenna''s question with a smile on his face."No, I won''t be able to discover new things. I am just a simple guy. But I can or we can do many new things with this existing knowledge."

 Chapter 13 The Katana

    ?"Oh~" Ravenna didn''t know what she just listened to, but she felt those were some wise words. So, she secretly memorized those.


    Thip


    Max did a small chop on her head and said. "Don''t get dazed, we will in a few minutes."


    Ravenna nodded her head and waited beside Max, looking at the meat slowly cooking under the fire.


    ¡­


    "Lord, this tastes better than eating raw!" Ravenna said excitedly as she chewed on the cooked meat.


    Max also bit into his share of meat and said, disappointedly. "It would have tasted better if we had some spices."


    Ravenna tilted her head and spoke with the meat in her mouth. "Lom¡­wam ii pice?"


    Max squinted his eyes and bonked on her head again. "Don''t try to speak when you have food in your mouth."


    Ravenna caressed her head, where Max just hit and pouted. But she listened to his words and gulped down the meat. Then she asked her previous question. "Lord, what is spice?"


    "Spices are magical ingredients that can change the vor of food however you want." Max had already readied an answer for that, so he was able to answer that question right away.


    "Wow!" Ravenna was again shocked. "Lord, you know about so many magical items. Is this spice also discovered by humans?"


    Max finished his meat while nodding his head. He turned his head toward Ravenna and said. "Finish your food quickly. I want to check something."


    Ravenna nodded her head and ate the meat in a few seconds.


    ''She is a glutton.'' Max couldn''t help but say when he saw her finish that fast.


    Max tossed those thoughts away and went to an open area. Ravenna followed behind him, curious about what Max wanted to try.


    Aftering to an open area, Max said in his mind. ''System, give me the rewards.''


    Right as he finished saying that, a portal like the previous time opened. From it a purple yet rusty book dropped, and alongside it came a long, two-and-a-half meter long katana that''s whole body was dark as void.


    Max caught the handle of the katana with his right hand and the book with his left. He was expecting his hand to dig down after grabbing it, as katanas were generally heavy. But when he caught it in his hands, he felt he was holding the lightest object in his life.


    Ravenna peeked her head around his shoulder and looked at the sword that was bigger than her and Max. The moment her eyesid on it, she felt her heart pounding rapidly. This made her stumble back and fall to the ground.


    However, Max turned around and caught her in time. He asked curiously. "Is there something wrong?"


    Ravenna nodded her head nervously and pointed her shaky finger at the katana.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Oh, this." Max looked at the katana with a stumped face. He then said, with a smile, to calm her down. "You don''t have to be scared of this thing. This is my weapon to save our lives and grow stronger."


    "Really?" Ravenna asked with skepticism.


    "Yes," Max pushed the katana before and showed it doing nothing to her. Ravenna''s fear started to fade away little by little, and then she was finally able to stand properly again.


    After she returned to normal, Max looked at the katana with amazement. ''Just like the name suggests, it brings fear to them already.''


    Max fell instantly in love with this katana. Its fully dark body was giving the light a hard time reflecting on it. It had a guard that was round and had aplicated pattern. It had red strings crisscrossing around the ck cloth handle, and it was also extremely light weighted. However, the only problem it was causing was its size; it was a bit too big for Max''s use. But, Max didn''t mind such a small issue, as he just had to wait and grow up.


    [ Host, feed a drop of your blood to make it recognize you as its owner. ]


    Max did as the system told him, biting on his finger and feeding it a single drop of his blood.


    Right as the drop of bloodnded on its de, the blood vanished. The next second, the katana started to vibrate and float up in the air.


    Max and Ravenna watched silently as it rotated horizontally in the air. Max started to doubt if it would run away.


    And the katana answered his question itself. It aimed at Max''s chest and shot straight at him.


    "Lord!" Ravenna yelled in shock. But what she was expecting didn''t happen; instead, the sword melted in his chest.


    Max felt his consciousness was being controlled by someone as he saw a purple pattern being imprinted in his soul, and the next second he felt something being burned into his right arm. He returned from deep inside his consciousness and was able to see a purple colored tattoo had appeared on his right arm.


    "What is this?" Max identally blurted it out in bewilderment.


    "I do not know." Ravenna shook her head, and then she started scratching her head. "But¡­Lord¡­it looks like a contract seal."


    [ Host, she is almost right. It is a Seal of Bond. Proof that you are its master. ]


    Max nodded his head, understanding it. Also, he praised Ravenna. "Ravenna, you are smart. It is indeed a seal."


    Ravenna puffed her chest with pride for finally being able to help her lord and to acknowledge her intelligence.


    All of a sudden, he felt a bunch of information getting dumped inside his mind. When it finished, Max was able to know many things, as those pieces of information were sent by the katana.


    He did something ording to the information and called the katana out with his will. The tattoo lit up, and the katana emerged out of his palm. He tried multiple times, and he was able to call back and retract easily.


    Holding it in his hand, he raised the katana and said. "I can''t bring you out by calling you a sword every time. Let''s give you a name. How about I call you ck Sun?"

 Chapter 14 Right Is Always Right

    ?Right after Max gave that name, the katana shook in response.


    "Good," Max nodded in contentment. Then call back the katana to rest in his arms.


    "Now, it''s time to check on you." Max stared at the book on his left and went forward to open it.


    [ Host, do you wish to learn the Purple Sun Technique? ]


    The system''s sudden notification made him halt in his movements. He asked curiously. ''System, would you like to imprint all of the book''s memory in my soul just like the sword did?''


    [ Yes. You can also try to learn it yourself if you feel like it, but I have to tell you, you will need to learn the book''snguage first before you can even be able to read what the first sentence actually meant. ]


    Max thought through this a bit and got a new emerging question in his mind. ''System, why do I feel like I neglected my ability tomunicate with the people of this world?''


    Max felt truly odd as to why he was able to understand what Ravenna said and how Ravenna was able to understand what he said.


    [ It is because I made changes in your soul, vocal cord, and ears when you were being born into this world. ]


    ''Then why didn''t you change my eyes and muscle memory a bit too?'' Max asked with doubt.


    [ I can''t spoon-feed you everything. Try to learn what this world has to offer by yourself. ]


    Max wasn''t anticipating such an answer from the system. ''Okay, okay, forget what I asked. Now, teach me this technique quickly.''


    Just as Max finished saying that, Ravenna''s face popped before his. Max, in surprise, backed down and asked. "What are you doing?"


    "Lord, I was scared. I thought something happened to you as you were just standing there without saying anything." Ravenna said, looking down at the ground, and one could hear a voice of guilt within what she said.


    ''Ahh¡­'' Max got a bit ashamed, he felt he asked something that sounded too harsh, and all she was doing was worrying for him. He said this to her with a smile. "Silly, I was not silent. I was reciting a mantra. It helps me easily learn anything. Look!"


    Ravenna was skeptical at first but still listened to what he said and raised her head up. Her eyes widened when she saw the book turn into a small light speck and shoot into Max''s head.


    "Wow!'' Ravenna''s mouth went wide as she couldn''t believe what she saw.


    She came before Max, who had his eyes closed. "Lord, did you actually learn everything inside that book?"


    Max opened his eyes and looked at Ravenna while breathing in a different way than normal, which was making his heart calmer and filling him with strength.


    "This feels great," Max uttered in amazement.


    "What feels good, Lord?" Ravenna asked again, as she started to feel left out in many things.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Max nced at her big, curious eyes, which automatically brought a smile to his face. "Nothing; I just found a way to make me stronger. Also, Ravenna, you don''t have to call me Lord all the time. Just call me by my real name."


    Ravenna nodded her head after some hesitation.


    Thip


    Max looked at Ravenna with a serious face. "Do I look like some kind of scary-looking guy?"


    "No, it''s just that¡ªsomething in my mind is telling me not to disrespect the Lord in any way possible?" Ravenna shook her head and became gloomy.


    Max raised his eyebrows as he felt this sounded familiar, so familiar that he remembered instantly what it was. ''Someone brainwashed her even before she was born into this world, not exactly like how the organization trained me and told me much propaganda from her childhood, but it is simr.''


    ''Also, this is a magical world; anything can happen, but to brainwash someone before birth feels too far-fetched. When I hatched, I had a body older than someone who was just born, or is it that we are being transported from this demon realm to this world through incubating in an egg? I feel like that''s it. It also exins many things now.'' Max felt he had already guessed many things, and now it was time to stop. He has many years to think and find the truth, but not enough time to get stronger.


    Max said to Ravenna with his earlier epic speech pattern. "Ravenna, is the voice in your head more important or your Lord''s?"


    Ravenna jolted out in shock and looked at Max''s arrogant face, which was rare to see. ''The Lord became serious again; he returned to his true self again. I need to follow his orders.''


    "No, Lo- Max''s orders are important. Ravenna will do anything to follow Max''s orders." Ravenna bowed her head and said with courtesy.


    "Good." Max had a smirk on his face. Then he asked her. "Now, let''s forget all of this stupid stuff. Show me where you killed the rabbit."


    Ravenna nodded her head and led Max to the ce.


    ¡­


    ''My assumption was correct.'' Max looked at the small canal in front of him, which had rather calm, peaceful water.


    Ravenna answered carefully. "Max, did I find something important?"


    "Haha! You found the best thing." Max embraced Ravenna in joy, and she did so too in return. After ending the hug, he looked at both sides and racked his brain for where to go. He subconsciously asked. "Ravenna, where do you think we should go? Left or right?"


    "Right. Isn''t right supposed to always be right?" Ravenna looked at Max with a weird gaze, wondering why he was asking such a simple question.


    A chuckle escaped from Max''s mouth. He turned to the right side and said. "I was just a little confused there. Right will always be right."


    "Let''s go," Max said while facing Ravenna.


    Ravenna happily trotted behind Max, as her home would always be beside him.

 Chapter 15 Ravennas Fear

    ?One and a half months passed by in the blink of an eye.


    Max and Ravenna had traveled along the canal for the past few weeks and still didn''t find any sign of human activity. Max was close to losing hope when one day he saw a big wooden boat flow down the canal.


    That made his hope return back to normal and broke the peak limit. His eager heart couldn''t calm down.


    ¡­


    Currently, besides the canal, one could see a boy and a girl.


    The boy was swinging a katana that was bigger than him while the girl wasying down on the grass, breathing heavily.


    These two were Max and Ravenna.


    These days, Max has decided to get rid of boredom by training himself and Ravenna. He practiced with Ravenna in hand-to-handbat and was able to discover something.


    Ravenna''s fighting style could be considered wild. She would swing his sharp ws and attack him, leaving behind many openings.


    Max felt a slight frustration in his heart because he had trained his body for so many years just to fully utilize his hand-to-handbat skill. Now, he saw someone with greater strength than him not being able to do anything using that, which made him quite conflicted, and the strange yet true fact was she could kill anyone with only her poor skill, including any professional fighters easily on the earth.


    That was only because of her great physical strength! Strength beyond humanprehension that doesn''t require any special skill to destroy your opponent.


    But Max didn''t me Ravenna either. She was basically a child, and from the guesses he made, he knew newborn demons could be considered mindless creatures. They have zero sense of morality.


    Max was satisfied with the progress Ravenna made these past few weeks. She could be considered a quick learner, but azy one at that. She didn''t want to work hard, and that caused Max quite a headache.


    Also, not only Ravenna but also Max made progress in his strength. He cultivated ording to the breathing technique and was able to make progress.


    This technique was basically about absorbing all the elemental mana in the atmosphere and transforming them into his dark magic, which he could use to make a small core in his heart that would have purple lighting and fire that was of the violent attribute.


    ''Basically, just like the name suggests, I am creating a purple sun in my body that would be the source of all my energy.'' This was all Max could think of.


    After he was done practicing his own swordy, he retracted ''ck Sun'' back. Then he looked at the medium-sized tree across from him and pointed his palm at it.


    Instantly, purple thunder shot out of his palm and sted a hole in the middle of the tree with too many rough edges around the hole. Then he tried the same thing, but this time, a purple fireball shot out of his palm.


    The moment the fire made contact with the tree, an explosion urred that brought the tree down.


    "Max, you''re so strong!" Ravenna cheered him from the side, looking at the destruction Max had caused.


    Max nodded his head, agreeing that he had grown strong. These purple fire and thunder had explosive elements that made his every attack lethal.


    Max sank his consciousness and saw the purple sun core, or the magic core, as this world calls it. His magic core was the size of a small grain of rice, but it was able to generate and store a great amount of mana.


    [ Host Name: Max


    Magic Realm: 1st Stage Apprentice Realm<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Vitality Realm: 4th Stage Health Seeker


    Age: 1/155


    Race: Abyssal Lord (25%)


    Ability 1: Mastery of Dark Magic


    Talent: Top


    Magical Techniques:  Purple Sun Technique


    Movement Techniques: None


    Skills: Enhanced Senses ]


    Max was just at the 1st Stage Apprentice Realm. He found out that he would only be able to cast simple spells that don''t require much effort. Another thing he found was, he felt he could break through the realms faster, but his body was stopping him from it.


    The system told him that his body wasn''t ready to receive or hold that much power at such an age.


    Most of the beings here only start cultivating mana when they turn 14, as that is when the body has all of its potential opened and is ready to receive mana to unlock much more hidden stuff.


    So, that only meant, Max would have extremely slow growth until the age of 14.


    ''I guess, I can''t do anything about that.'' Max gave a helpless sigh and looked at Ravenna, who was approaching him.


    Max noticed something different today, Ravenna was acting a bit shy in front of him. He asked, raising his eyebrows. "What is it?"


    Ravenna knew he had guessed what she was trying to do, so she blurted it out without any drama. "Max, can I also learn a technique like the one you are using to get stronger?"


    Max looked at Ravenna carefully and pondered. ''Is she jealous? What stupid question am I even asking myself? Of course, she will be, and not only her, anyone will be jealous.''


    Max rubbed Ravenna''s head and said apologetically. "I am sorry, Ravenna. I can''t give you that, as it might not be very suitable for you. But don''t worry, I won''t ever neglect you on such things. I am currently trying to find a technique that will suit you and be unique at the same time. So, can you give me some time?"


    Ravenna''s gloominess went away after hearing Max''s promise. She nodded her head, understanding his struggle.


    Actually, other than jealousy, she had another thing on her mind. She didn''t want to get left behind by Max and just watch his figure leave while she was just standing alone in the path.


    Max then looked ahead and spoke to Ravenna. "Let''s move forward. I feel like we might find something today."


    "Find what, Max?" Ravenna asked as she walked side-by-side with Max.


    Max answered with a smile on his face. "Find something that might change how we live."

 Chapter 16 Ravennas Ability

    ?Max and Ravenna walked for close to two hours straight but didn''t find anyone or anything. However, they didn''t lose hope, as it was normal for them not to find anything anyway.


    "Huh!?" Suddenly, Max eximed in surprise.


    Ravenna asked, tilting her head. "What happened, Max?"


    Max looked at Ravenna, beautiful yet cute face, and said with a big smile on his face. "We have finally found it."


    Max had his skill "Enhanced Senses" always on so that he could be safe from any iing ambush and be prepared beforehand if he found someone.


    At this moment, he found the only thing he had been searching for these past few weeks.


    He has finally found humans!


    Fifty meters ahead of them was a two-hundred-meter-long cement bridge that was currently, what Max could say, upied by bandits.


    [ Ding ]


    [ Detected that the host has finally found humans. The humans are bandits that have currently killed a merchant''s carriage. ]


    [ Task - Kill The Bandits


    Synopsis: This is not a heroic or moral act. As the demon emperor, how could he not kill a single human? Go! Wash your hands with human blood to fully announce the start of your journey.


    Reward: Bronze Level Lucky Spin - 10


    Punishment: (1) Avoid Conflict - No more tasks in the future


    (2) Fail toplete - Killed by the hands of bandits ]


    Max wasn''t afraid of such a task; instead, it felt very normal to him. But the synopsis was a bit weird.


    He looked at Ravenna and whispered softly. "Ravenna, we have finally encountered humans, and a group of bandits at that, the vilest of them all. We will bathe in the blood of humans to announce the start of my grand journey."


    "OHH!" Ravenna didn''t know why, but for her, that sounded so awesome. She said it with excitement. "Max, can I kill too? I will show my special ability today."


    Max became a bit stumped hearing that. These past few weeks, he asked what her special ability was, as he could guess all the demons with high-ranking bloodlines to have one, and he was right; Ravenna had one, but she was reluctant to show it or some reason.


    Ravenna told him she would only show it at a special time.


    ''She just wanted to show off in front of me.'' Max thought while ck lines appeared on his face.


    "Anyway, let''s go, or we might miss them," Max said as he ran forward, and Ravenna followed behind him.


    ¡­


    On the bridge were twenty-four men who had leather armor and various kinds of weapons in their hands.


    However, one of them was a bit different than the others, and this one was the leader of the bandits.


    He had messy hair and a deep cut on his right eye that made him only see with his left eye. He had silver armor that protected the vital parts of his body and much more too. A broad sword was hanging behind his back that had no sheath.


    His name was Gnar,  also known as the Rogue sher in the area.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Gnar sat on a box and looked at the man in front of him. "How much did we get?"


    "Sir, this was a clothes merchant. He left without any kind of money in his pocket; we only found a bunch of clothes in various sizes." The man reported.


    "Tsk," Gnar looked at the bridge that was littered with the corpses and blood of the merchant and the adventure team that had been hired. "I guess we will have to leave empty-handed."


    Gnar was about to stand up when suddenly a scream pierced his ears. He looked ahead, along with his other members, and saw a headless man dropping on the ground.


    Just after the man dropped in front of everyone, a small demon appeared that had a katana that was bigger than it. Beside it was a demon girl, who was looking at them curiously.


    "Kill them!" Gnar didn''t say anything and gave a direct killing order.


    He knew that many high-ranking demons would be born from time to time, and their strength just after birth was something beyond human expectation.


    Max looked at the bandits that were rushing at him wearing leather cuirasses. ''Let''s try the technique now.''


    Max decided to see the purple thunder and fire''s ability. However, he just raised his hand and immediately halted. Because Ravenna has rushed forward and swiped her hands up in the air.


    Max was skeptical of her behavior, but what he saw next made his eyes widen.


    From the blood on the ground, four spikes rose up, made of blood, that went through four bandits'' chins and killed them instantly.


    This not only shocked Max but even the bandits too. They halted their sprint and looked at Ravenna with horror.


    Ravenna, on the other hand, didn''t seem to get fazed. Her face was writhing with excitement. There were only two thoughts going through her mind.


    To impress Max more and kill more to quench her fun.


    "Don''t get scared! Kill them quickly!" Gnar rushed forward to support them, as he felt he might have stumbled into high-ranking demons.


    ''She is working hard; let me do some too.'' Max thought with a smile.


    Step.


    Max ran past Ravenna, headed toward the bandits. Max coated his katana with purple fire that burned wildly.


    The bandit in front of Max swung his sword, and Max followed along.


    Bang


    The bandit''s eyes widened in surprise as he saw his body flying away.


    Max also backed away, getting affected by the explosion too. But he didn''t get discouraged; instead, he was satisfied with what he had done.


    He could handle that recoilter on when he would gain a substantial amount of strengthter on.


    Max said this to Ravenna, who was killing the bandits like it was nothing. "Ravenna, let yourself all out. I want to see what you gained."


    Ravenna shouted back with her cute voice. "Yes, Max!"

 Chapter 17 Maxs Skill

    ?''These little shits!'' Gnar cursed in anger, seeing his team as disposable to Max and Ravenna. So, he sprinted as fast as he could to kill them.


    Max also noticed Gnar''s sudden rush. He had to admit that they were fortunate because the only danger he perceived was from Gnar, and he was the farthest away, close to the other side of the bridge.


    ''Have to kill the mobs before he arrives.'' Max nced at the four bandits running towards him. ''Fast, you have to do it fast.''


    Max didn''t use the Purple Sun technique; instead, he went to use his katana only.


    Max came before the man in front and evaded it by ducking down. He made a diagonal upward sh that cut the man in half.


    Just after he killed that man, he quickly retracted back his katana and sidestepped.


    Ting!


    A sword shed right beside Max, from which he could even see his reflection.


    Max shed diagonally to his left, killing the man who just missed his attack. Then, from the corner of his eyes, Max saw two banditsing from both sides, trying to pin him.


    Max didn''t get fazed by that tactic. He ran to the man on his left, not even ncing at the man on his right.


    That right man got surprised and got his guard down for a second.


    Puchi!


    At that moment, Max''s katana came in, inserting itself into his head.


    The left guy got angry, seeing his brethren dying left and right. He swung his sword at Max, who was right before him.


    Max swiped his right hand upwards and from it, a purple fireball shot out which shed against the man''s sword.


    Bang


    An explosion urred that made the man stumble backward. "Cough!"


    Coughing up from the smoke, he waved his hand to blow the ck smoke away. Just as the smoke cleared, the man saw Max above him, blocking the sun.


    Max''s stern face, his dark eyes that are of the abyss, his short, fluttering hair, and the way he came swinging down his katana; made the man feel a death demon god wasing for his life.


    And he was right.


    Puchi!


    Max beheaded the man, bathing in the blood that sprayed out of his severed neck.


    Just as Maxnded on the ground, he swung his katana to the right.


    TDing!


    Max''s body shot backward as his feet dragged on the concrete floor. Coming to a halt, he looked up and saw the bandit leader had already arrived.


    Then he shifted his eyes toward where Ravenna was fighting. His eyes widened at what he saw.


    Ravenna had only three men before her, and all were dead this quick!


    Max shouted. "Ravenna, leave one alive!"<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    He couldn''t let everyone die, as he needed one alive to extract information about this region.


    "You little devil," Gnar rushed before Max and swung his sword in anger.


    Max''s eyes widened when his eyes couldn''t even capture the shadow of the sword. ''So fast!''


    Max decided to attack with his instinct and swung his katana at where the attack mighte from.


    Ting!


    Despite being able to predict the attack by watching Gnar''s hand motion, he wasn''t able to tank the force behind that attack.


    Bang


    Max''s body smashed against the bridge''s railing. Fortunately, that attack wasn''t strong enough to break it. However, some bones on his back broke, which healed instantly.


    ''I have to use a different tactic.'' Max pondered as he stood on his feet, looking at Gnar, who was only a few meters away.


    [ Gnar (7th Stage Health Seeker): The bandit leader, known as Rough sher. He specializes in heavy sword y. ]


    ''This isn''t helping much, but it still lets me know how strong that guy is.'' Max thought as he dodged Gnar''s attack by sidestepping. But he didn''t have time to react when Gnar attacked again, and a chain attack followed.


    Max dodged every one of them, pouring all of his focus and strength into it.


    As Max danced around Gnar''s sword, he started to feel Gnar''s attack bing more visible to him. ''Am I catching up to his speed? No! I am getting familiar with his fighting style.''


    Because of Max''s analysis skills that he trained for assassinations, he was able to get ustomed to the things he experienced firsthand. It helped him to learn many things by finding out the root of the actions or objects.


    Gnar also noticed this as his attacks went from missing by an inch to having a hard time catching Max''s shadow. ''This bastard is learning very fast.''


    Seeing that he had only one man left and that he might even die if Ravenna joined in, he decided to use a move. " [ Great Mountain sh ]."


    Max had just taken a step back; he saw something brewing inside Gnar''s sword as he did an overhead sh.


    As soon as Gnar swung his sword, a brown aura in the shape of a crescent moon shot at Max.


    Max felt an impending danger from that, and he also knew he couldn''t dodge it as it wasing toward him at a rapid speed. ''I guess I have to try this.''


    On ''ck Sun'', purple thunder shed, along with purple fire too. One had to know those two were hard to mix together, as Max had tried multiple times in the past. Because of their explosive attributes, they were hard tobine.


    But he was trying tobine them now because he felt in his heart that only bybining those two could he tackle this attack.


    To Max''s surprise, they didn''t explode upon contact. ''Sess!''


    With that thought, Max swung his sword at the [ Great Mountain sh ].


    Boom


    An explosion urred that shook the bridge. However, Ravenna, who was watching from a certain distance, wasn''t fazed much by it. She watched intensely to witness the awesomeness that her Lord, Max, would do.


    The smoke and dust obscured Gnar''s vision, so he didn''t know what the result was. But he felt there was no way Max would be able to survive it. ''Now, time to capture that demon girl. I know the nobles will like to y with her.''


    However, just as he thought, from the corner of his eyes, he saw something shing toward him¡­

 Chapter 18 Task Complete

    ?At first, it wasn''t clear to Gnar what it was, but when it was out of the smoke, he was able to see clearly.


    It was Max''s katana that was sparkling with purple thunder.


    Gnar went into defensive but his eyes widened when he saw the katana speed up ande before him in a matter of seconds.


    Max''s purple thunder and fire had two different abilities. The purple was able to speed up Max''s attack and had a small range but massive explosive damage. On the other hand, the purple fire had a wide range, and its explosive damage was well spread out.


    Boom!


    The katana hit Gnar''s armor, sting it into smithereens and exposing the leather clothes underneath.


    "Ack!" Gnar squealed in pain as his body stumbled backward. But he quickly got on his footing.


    However, at that moment, Gnar saw a small demon right in front of his face, ring at him. A katana came andnded on the small demon''s hand¡ªor Max''s hand, to speak of.


    Gnar pulled his sword up to defend, but he failed to do so as Max''s katana, which was lit up in purple fire, had alreadynded on Gnar''s neck.


    Max felt an obstruction at first, but the explosion caused by his fire rxed Gnar''s muscles.


    Then, with a smooth sh, Max beheaded Gnar''s head.


    Thud


    Gnar''s headnded on the ground with Max, matching his timing.


    "Huh! Huuh! Huh!" Max breathed in and out heavily as he was exhausted mentally and physically. This was the most he had ever tried to do anything in his life.


    TipTipTip


    Blood dripped down from his katana''s tip as he felt a pulseing from "ck Sun" as if it was satisfied.


    Max nced at his katana and thought. ''I guess you have absorbed the souls of the bandits.''


    [ Ding ]


    [ Congrattions, Host! You havepleted the task: "Kill The Bandits" ]


    [ Congrattions, you have received Bronze Level Lucky Spin - 10 ]


    "Max, you were so awesome!'' Max didn''t have the time to see the rewards carefully when he heard Ravenna''s shout, which was filled with excitement. She didn''te toward him because she was binding a bandit with her blood ability, using the blood as rope.


    Max walked before her and patted her head. "No, you did well. You killed more people than me, and you did it without breaking a sweat."


    "No." Ravenna shook her head and spoke with stars in her eyes. "You killed the big guy and I just killed some small, weak ones. You did the hardest thing. I don''t think I could have killed that guy that easily."


    "If you say so," Max said with a chuckle then turned his head toward the bandit, who was cowering on the ground. Max''s facial expression also changed, turning cold and devoid of any emotion.


    "Hik!" The bandit squeaked in surprise as Max''s katana rested on his neck.


    Max looked at the bandit with a deadpan face and said. "Tell me everything you know about this region. And don''t think of not wanting to. You are right, I will kill you, but don''t make it painful for you."


    The bandit looked at Max in disbelief. ''How does he know what I am thinking!?''<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Hey, are you thinking of getting a painful death?" Max slit open his skin, seeing the bandit not talking.


    "I will say it, I will say it." The bandit quickly blurted out everything he knew in fear.


    ¡­


    Puchi


    Max shed open the bandit''s head, giving him a painless death as he promised.


    After retracting his katana back, he looked at the other end of the bridge, opposite from where they entered earlier.


    Ravenna said, tilting her head. "So, we will enter this Baron Fiarta''s fief."


    Max nodded his head. "Yes, we will go there to spend a couple of days. But first¡­"


    He turned his head toward the carriage. "Let''s get some clothes on first."


    Max and Ravenna came before the carriage and got on its back. On it, they saw many boxes piled up one after another.


    Opening them, they found a box full of clothes. Max smacked his lips when he saw this much. ''I thought there might be a few clothes when my eyes caught the boxes lying on the carriage, but I didn''t expect these would be stuffed with just clothes.''


    Ravenna rummaged through the boxes and found some dresses that were of her size. "Max, do we wear these?"


    Max turned his head and saw her holding medieval girls'' dresses and some frocks that he could guess were for nobles. "No, I won''t wear those. Those are for girls. This is for me."


    Max pulled out a pair of white and brown pants and a t-shirt that was his size. "Now, quickly wear these."


    Afterward, they wore their newly found clothes in a matter of seconds. Ravenna was struggling to put on a red-long frock that had beautiful ck embroidery on it, which Max helped with by cutting an opening on the back for her wings.


    Ravenna gave it a spin, making the skirt fly in the air, and said to Max with joy. "How do I look?"


    Max took a look at her new look, which had been greatly enhanced by the dress."You look very beautiful, just like a princess."


    "Hehe," Ravenna giggled, covering her mouth, happy with Max''s praise. Then she looked at Max''s nd clothes, which didn''t make him bloom. "Why did you wear such clothes? I have seen many good-looking dresses; why don''t you wear them?"


    With a smile on his face, Max shook his head. "I don''t actually care about looks."


    "Oh," Ravenna didn''t quite understand the reason but decided to think about itter on.


    "Now, let''s leave for Fiarta''s Barony." Max jumped out of the back of the carriage with a pair of ck clothes in his hands.


    Ravenna also jumped and asked, noticing the ck clothes in Max''s hand. "What are those?"


    Max threw one of them at Ravenna, which she caught easily. Unfolding it, Ravenna was able to see that it was a cloak.


    "What do we do with this?" Ravenna asked.


    "We wear them. Remember, we are demons; we can''t let humans know of that." Max wore the cloak, covered his head, and walked toward Baron Fiarta''s fief."


    Ravenna wore her too¡ªin a hurry and followed behind Max.

 Chapter 19 Baron Fiartas Fief

    ?Three and a half weekster.


    "We are here," Max said, looking at the big wall that was surrounding a city.


    Beside him was Ravenna, who was eating roasted birds'' legs. "Mo¡­eeeg!"


    Thup


    Max gave her a light head chop and said, ring at her. "I told you to not speak while eating."


    Gulp


    "Sorry," After gulping down the meat, she said while getting her tongue out a little.


    "Anyway, cover yourself properly. We will be entering the city through the main road, and there are many carriages and people walking on it. Don''t show yourself." Max and Ravenna were currently in the forest, hiding behind a giant tree.


    Just a few meters to their left was a big dirt road that led to one of the main gates of the city.


    Max and Ravenna put on the hoodie and entered the road. They silently walked behind a carriage that was filled with boxes.


    Max nced at the city and pondered silently. ''I hope I find some useful information.''


    ¡­


    "Max, look, what are those!?" Ravenna pointed her fingers at a vendor who was selling freshly made juices from the various fruits this world could offer.


    Aside from apples and strawberries, which were from the earth, there could be seen multiple fruits that Max had no clue about.


    "Those are fruit juices. They are good for your health, and they also taste very good." Max answered as his head rotated in every direction, trying to map out this city in his brain.


    "Can we have those?" Ravenna asked eagerly and with much yearning too.


    Max looked at the vendor where the vendor was. He could see many people giving gold coins after the vendor owner gave them juices contained in a cup which Max couldn''t guess what it was made of.


    "No, we will get thoseter on." Max denied it without any nonsense and dragged Ravenna away.


    Ravenna threw tantrums on the streets and asked as if something unfair had been done to her. "No! I want it now."


    Max brought Ravenna close to his face and whispered softly. "Listen, we are out of money now. The few I have will be used for our demon army."


    Ravenna stopped her tantrum and asked with doubt. "Really?


    Max squinted his eyes and said it with seriousness. "Do you think I would lie to you?"


    Ravenna nodded her head, then quickly denied it by shaking her head left and right.


    Thup<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Max bonked on her head again, then said. "Okay, let''s explore this city first."


    He took Ravenna away so that she couldn''t go away, like a child getting lost from her mother.


    The next few hours, Max and Ravenna explored the entire city and got to know and witness many things.


    They saw many varieties of foods, weapons, and clothes that this city could offer. They were marveled by those and wanted to buy a few to enjoy. Unfortunately for them, they were still poor and couldn''t buy a single fabric.


    They also saw the culture of this city. It was very kid-friendly, and because of that, nobody probed Max and Ravenna carefully, despite hiding themselves.


    What caught Max''s interest most was a giant building that had a big sign on its front entrance. -Guild Association-


    All the people he saw walking on the street in fantasy outfits could be seen crowding inside. Max guessed that this was a sort of organization that would let everyone be a legal team and do many missions to make a living. This way they could control the strong people Max saw and maintain order because no functioning society would let these strong guys run freely.


    However, despite finding all of this, Max was not satisfied. He was here to carefully get information about the world, but he couldn''t do it properly because everyone didn''t want to talk to him because he was a kid.


    This made Max very frustrated. ''This is so annoying.''


    Max, dejected, walked beside the big fountain that was situated in the middle of the city. The fountain was light brown, looking like it was made of mud. But all the people sitting there didn''t make a bump, and the clear water it was holding that didn''t wet its barrier, meant it was not made of ordinary mud. In the middle of it was the statue of a valiant man standing, holding his sword in the middle, and wearing armor.


    Ravennaforted Max by holding his hand and patting his head. "Max, don''t be like that. We will know about those ourselves when we get a little bigger and gain more power."


    Max felt ashamed gettingforted like that, but he had to say that he liked the optimism that Ravenna always has in her. No matter how bad it would be, she would see it as just a casual failure and be ready to try again the next time.


    "Yeah, we will know it in the future; there is still time." Max returned to his normal mood and spoke to Ravenna with a smile.


    "Hehe," Ravenna giggled, seeing that she was able to help Max. She then asked."Max, can we go get that candy we saw earlier? I think that man could give us. You did see how nice he was."


    Max contemted a bit and nodded his head, deciding to go ask that candy shop owner. He did see that owner giving away candies to children freely.


    Max pulled Ravenna''s hand and walked in that candy shop''s direction. "Let''s g-"


    "The old man is back!"


    Suddenly, he and Ravenna heard someone shouting, which caught their attention and that of many others too.


    Kids, adults, and many adventurers bunched up around the fountain.


    Ravenna asked curiously. "What is happening?"


    Max was as confused as her; he couldn''t understand who this old man was who would make everyone stop what they were doing, ande to see him.


    "Let''s take a look." Max took Ravenna and needled through the crowd easily.


    After getting in the front, they were finally able to see the old man¡­

 Chapter 20 Star Shower Of Prosperity

    ?Max and Ravenna were able to see an old man sitting on the edge of the fountain, with kids gathering all around him.


    The old man had tethered clothes and a musky smell. His long white beard had a brown stain, and he had a big smile on his face.


    The kids under him started to ask various questions.


    "Grandpa Hart, tell us that great beginning of an era story."


    "Yes, that sounds so cool. I wanna know what that is."


    "Me too, me too."


    "We all want to hear it."


    The adults on the sideughed and talked to themselves. The adventurers perked up their ears to hear too, as they felt they encountered something amazing.


    "Come on, old. Tell us already; we can''t wait."


    "What is this era story these kids are talking about?"


    Seeing and hearing all the urgesing from everywhere, the old man apologized with a smile. "Sorry for that, I have not received such a big audience at once in my life. I am overwhelmed.


    "Hahah."


    The crowd giggled andughed, seeing an old man get overwhelmed by such a small crowd.


    "Old man, you are too humble. Now, tell us."


    "Okay, then be quiet now." The old man said it with an innocent smile, but everyone immediately obeyed, not questioning him.


    Max was amazed by this, as he hadn''t seen such respect for the elderly in his life. In his previous life, most of the countries didn''t respect their elders much, only most of the Asian side did and a select few in the west. ''This might be the culture of this city or this whole region''s. Because I am sure many adventurers here are not from this city.''


    However, Max halted his train of thought and tossed this out of his head. He focused on what the old man had to say.


    "There is a legend surrounding this region. No! Not this region, but the whole world." The first few big words immediately pulled everyone in, and seeing this, the old man spoke with a calm yet slightly loud voice. "A legend that can change the whole world''s destiny. It is called the -Star Shower of Prosperity- ."


    ''Star Shower of Prosperity?'' Max, along with many others, had their curiosity piqued.


    Ravenna, who was beside him, was looking at the old man, clenching her fist in pure excitement. She was still a kid, so stuff like this made her feel enthusiastic.


    The old man smiled, seeing everyone''s curiosity. "The Star Shower of Prosperity is as the name suggests. A full cycle of stars will fall from the sky from day to night. The stars contain the boons of gods, and in these stars contain souls of many heroes! Geniuses that will shape the face of this world. This Star Shower of Prosperity announces the start of the golden age of our world!"


    "OH!"


    The kids had their mouths wide open hearing such words. From birth, they were exposed to the stories of various heroes and their deeds.


    So, how could they not be in awe when they heard so many heroes would being to this world at the same time?


    Forget about the kids; even the adults and adventurers were amazed and some were skeptical.


    Few adventurers put forth their doubt.


    "Are you sure, old man, this would happen? Because I have roamed many ces, but I have never heard something like this."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "I know, right? I have been to many capitals but haven''t heard such a legend."


    "Okay, guys, let it go. Let''s hear from him when this will even begin."


    Despite hearing such words, it didn''t faze the old man, or Hart, to speak of. He gave a smallugh and answered. "I know you will doubt. It is alright; many will doubt my words. It is okay to not believe me. But let me answer that youngdy''s question first."


    "The Star Shower of Prosperity only urs one million years after thest one urred." Then Hart showed his index finger and said. "We have one year left for the next one to begin."


    Multiple gasps could be heard throughout the crowd as they had a hard time believing this would ur in such a short time.


    "Is it true, grandpa Hart!?"


    The kids asked eagerly, grabbing every bit of Hart''s dirty cloth.


    Hart justughed. "It is true, but many won''t believe me here. But everyone should be prepared for this old man''s words to be true. Hahaha.."


    "Grandpa Hart, we believe you."


    "Yes, we believe you, Grandpa Hart."


    Different from the adults'' doubtful faces, the kids were fully convinced that Hart was right.


    Max was skeptical himself, the opposite of Ravenna, who was daydreaming about what might happen in the future.


    ''System, can you tell me if it is?" Max asked the system, as it was the only thing he trusted now and felt wouldn''t lie to him.


    [ Yes, host. It is everything the old man said, Star Shower of Prosperity will ur at the start of the next year. ]


    Instead of bing shocked, Max''s eyes widened as various dots in his mind started to connect. ''So, will my daughter be among these stars?''


    [ Might be. I had put her soul in the world''s destiny pool. She has a higher chance of bing one of the stars. ]


    ''Good job, system.'' Max said that with heartfelt sincerity, knowing his daughter would be born with a great boon.


    The system didn''t reply and went silent.


    At that moment, the crowd dispersed after asking a few questions to Hart. The kids wanted to stay, but their parents took them away as it was time to shower.


    Max was also about to take Ravenna away when he heard Hart calling them.


    "Wait, little ones. I have not seen you here before."


    Max and Ravenna turned around and saw Hart still sitting at the fountain, smiling at them.


    "We are as new as you are thinking," Max replied simply. wanting to leave.


    Just as Max and Ravenna turned their heads away from him, they heard Hart say again something that made them halt in their steps.


    "You two have great destiny on your heads."


    Max and Ravenna turned their heads back in shock, only to see the old man not present anymore.

 Chapter 21 See You Again

    ?"Where did he go!?" Ravenna moved her head to search for Hart, but it was to no avail.


    Max said with a grim face. "Let''s leave this ce."


    "Hmm." Ravenna nodded her head and took Max''s hand.


    They were about to leave, but suddenly they heard the sound of coins making noise near them.


    Max and Ravenna looked down. Max''s eyes widened when he saw a bulge in his cloak''s pocket.


    He put his hand in the pocket and took out what was inside it.


    When the objects came out, despite knowing the truth, Max and Ravenna were shocked.


    It was a small bag full of coins.


    The shock they had earlier was not for the bag full of coins, it was for this bag suddenly appearing inside Max''s pocket.


    Because they were sure no one came near them and they didn''t hear this noise earlier.


    ''That old man.'' Max thought with dread in his eyes, as he could guess the culprit.


    Ravenna asked. "Max, was it¡­?"


    Despite having an immature brain, Ravenna was at least able to guess the crux of the issue very closely to Max''s guess.


    "Huh~" Letting out a sigh to calm himself down, he said to Ravenna. "I think that old man gave us these coins to enjoy. Especially after he saw you making tantrums for candy."


    "I¡­I didn''t." Ravenna strongly denied it and pouted away her face.


    "Anyway, let''s get you some." Max felt they should just enjoy themselves instead of dwelling on it.


    Ravenna nodded her head and pulled Max toward the candy shop.


    Along the way, Ravenna asked, with her mood being a little down. "Max, that old man was strong, right?"


    Max went silent for a second, then eventually let it out. "Yes, no one noticed his movement."


    "Do you think we can be like him too?" Ravenna''s downcast expression was suddenly gone and reced with a bright face that had a big smile.


    Max got stumped seeing her like that. Then he also chuckled a little and spoke firmly. "We will."


    They then entered the candy store, unaware that someone was listening in on their conversation.


    Hart was standing on a rooftop with his hand behind his back. He still had his usual smile on his face, but there was a slight dignity that could be seen emanating out from him.


    There was a rule here that one couldn''t get on top of any kind of building except if it was someone sent by the owner themselves or the owner himself.


    However, no one came to warn him despite his attire, knowing such a dirty old man could never go up and know someone would send him. But that wasn''t the issue. Many people looked in his direction, yet they acted like there was no one there.


    Hart stroked his beard and thought. ''Interesting duo. I have never seen demons with so much rational thinking right after birth. Not even higher-ranking demons would do that.''


    ''I will keep an eye on you two.'' Hart''s body vanished the next second.


    Tring


    Max and Ravenna also came out at that moment. Max nced at where Hart was, as he felt that someone was watching them from that spot.


    Ravenna''s sudden urge brought him back to his senses. "Max, let''s go try that juice."


    "Okay, but we have to use the money as minimally as possible." Max went to the juice vendor while teaching Ravenna.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    ¡­


    Inside the forest beside Baron Fiarta''s fief.


    Max and Ravenna were currently going to a tree hole that Max had spotted earlier when they came to this route.


    He felt that would be a nice spot to stay for a night.


    Beside him, Ravenna was drinking orange and red colored juice. After taking a sip, she sighed in relief. "Ahh¡­so good. Max, this juice is so good; it is still cold despite such strong heat."


    "Yes, they are." Max nodded his head, as he had also tasted that. It was really good, as it had a sweet vor and a little spicy vor to it. Additionally, it was cold; even in such heat, its temperature didn''t increase.


    Max had checked if there was any ice and he didn''t find any.


    Coming before the tree hole, which was ten meters above them, Max said, "This will be our home from now on."


    Ravenna got confused and asked Max, tilting her head. "But can''t we build one better?"


    "No," Max looked at the bright, blue sky and said. "We might move somewhere one yearter. So, I won''t build a house yet."


    "Oh." Ravenna''s mouth widened, despite not understanding Max''s intention.


    Thup


    After bonking her on the head again, Max said."You go rest now, I will bring lunch."


    Ravenna rubbed her head as she looked at Max''s figure fading into the trees. "Meanie."


    Saying that, she went to rest inside the hole.


    On the other side, Max spoke inside his mind while walking. ''System, who was that guy?''


    [ A storytelling enthusiastic. ]


    Max asked back with a deadpan face. ''Nothing else?''


    [ Host, that figure is someone who you will know as time passes by. ]


    ''I see,'' Max assumed that it was also someone like those big guys that the system was hesitant to talk about. ''Then tell me, will you be able to track my daughter''s star?''


    This was what Max was mainly worried about because he knew he could never find her in such a big world all by himself.


    [ Yes, but you have to pay a price. ]


    ''What is the price?'' Max raised his eyebrows, hoping it wouldn''t be something onerous.


    [ You have to sacrifice your lifespan ]


    Max halted in his steps and said dumbfoundedly. "That''s it?"


    He didn''t expect it to be something so simple. He had seen his status, he had many lifespans to spare, and he could gain more after advancing in realms.


    [ That''s it. ]


    A smile appeared on his face, finally knowing he was closer to meeting his daughter.


    Max raised his head and looked at the sky that was peeking at him through the dense leaves.


    "Ana, I will see you again."

 Chapter 22 Changes

    ?One yearter.


    Inside a forest that had high terrain.


    One could see a pair made up of a boy and a girl walking. The boy looked like he was five years old and had a brave stature. The girl, on the other hand, appeared to be four years old, with back-length pink hair fluttering in the wind.


    These two were Max and Ravenna. They had grown a few inches taller this past year.


    "Max, it is in that direction." Ravenna pointed her finger straight ahead, where the ground started to rise.


    "Let''s go." Max squinted his eyes and walked forward.


    Currently, they were heading toward a cave that Ravenna had found. In this forest, finding a cave wasn''t difficult, but Ravenna discovered something in that cave that piqued Max''s interest.


    The object was none other than a demon egg!


    Max had great interest in such things. He wanted to see if the same thing would happen with this egg as happened earlier with Ravenna.


    RAWR!


    Suddenly, Max and Ravenna halted in their steps as they heard a loud roar, which Max could guess might being from a tiger. And the second, Gale found his guess was correct.


    Nine light green colored tigers came out of the bushes, surrounding Max and Ravenna.


    They saw the tigers had green stripes and fur that floated in the air for some reason, making them look mystical.


    "Max, these are Forest Gale Tiger." Ravenna came closer to Max and spoke softly.


    Max nodded his head and looked at his surroundings to see how strong these Forest Gale Tigers were.


    ''Hmm, most of them are in the 3rd and 4th Stage Apprentice Realm.'' Max didn''t need the system to tell him what beasts or humans were in the magic realm. He could use his mana to identify his opponent''s magic realm.


    Max didn''t tell Ravenna about these tigers'' magic realm, as she could also identify them. He just calmly said to her as he brought his katana out. "Follow me."


    As soon as ck Sun appeared in Max''s right hand, he dashed toward the nearest tiger, with Ravenna following close behind him.


    The Forest Gale Tiger''s swiped their ws from which wind des show out, racing toward Max and Ravenna''s direction.


    The Forest Gale Tiger standing in front of Max also wed at them. However, Max didn''t give this one a chance to do so.


    Max shot out a purple fireball that destroyed the Forest Gale Tiger''s attack.


    Boom


    It stumbled back because of the recoil of its attack failing. Max took advantage of the opportunity and approached it. That Forest Gale Tiger was about to make its move to bite Max, but it ended up in a failure.


    Ching


    Max shed his katana at its neck, making a clean cut and having it leave this world without any pain.


    However, Max didn''t have the time to rejoice as the dozens of wind des shot by the dead tiger''spanions were heading in their direction.


    Max turned around and swung his katana vertically, which was infused with purple thunder.


    BOOM<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Fortunately, Ravenna hade behind Max in time; if not, she would have been caught by that explosion.


    The Forest Gale Tigers that were on the left and right of the one Max just killed rushed into the smoke, as they were still able to sense the demons were still alive.


    Shwosh! Shwosh!


    Suddenly, something shot out of the smoke and directly hit the Forest Gale Tigers on both sides by surprise.


    Puchi(2)


    An arrow made of blood was inserted into the Forest Gale Tigers heads, instantly killing them. The others, who were also about to rush, halted after seeing theirpanions getting killed again.


    "Good, your training is actually paying off now." Max''sment could be heard as the smoke settled down.


    The remaining Forest Gale Tigers saw Ravenna aiming at them with a bow while multiple blood arrows floated beside her.


    This was one of the lucky draws Max got from the lottery. He didn''t get just this, he also got a storage pouch that had ten cubic meters of storage space in it, and that''s it. He didn''t get anything useful other than this. The remaining items included clothing, shoes, a hairb, and a box of KitKat.


    Ravenna aimed her bow, which was made of ck wood, and there were some red rubies attached to its body while others formed like spikes on its two ends. This was a short bow, made for close-range and sometimes long-range fights.


    Ravenna shot another arrow, and when she did, the rubies on its body lit up, enhancing the arrow.


    Shwosh


    The arrow zoomed through the air, headed toward another Forest Gale Tiger. Fortunately, it was ready and was able to move to the side. Still, it underestimated the arrow''s speed.


    Puchi


    The arrow prated the Forest Gale Tiger''s stomach, making it bleed nonstop. Itspanion panicked after seeing that and was about to change formation to take revenge for theirrades, but they werete too.


    Max had sneaked past them while they were focused on Ravenna by using the trees.


    Max came beside one and beheaded it by surprise.


    The few others who were about to take revenge, abandoned that thought immediately and made a run.


    How could Max and Ravenna let that happen when they were the ones trying to kill them first?


    Max killed the one closest to him, and Ravenna killed the one farthest away.


    In a few seconds, they ughter the entire Forest Gale Tiger pack like pigs.


    "Huh~" Max exhaled a short breath after he was done killing thest one.


    Ravenna retracted her bow, which transformed into a speck of light and shot into her chest, just right below her neck bone. A butterfly-like tattoo appeared on her chest, which enhanced her beauty.


    "How was I, Max?" Ravenna trotted before Max asked curiously.


    "You did well, not missing a single target. Looks like the training paid off." Max praised her, as she really did excellent despite using a bow for one year. It had Max''s hand too, as without him, she might not have learned the basics in the first ce; heck, she might have never tried using a bow.


    Max was about to move forward when he heard. "Now, give me a KitKat as a reward."

 Chapter 23 The True Beginning Of The Story

    ?Crunch


    Ravenna took a bite out of thest of the remaining KitKat and caressed her cheeks. "Max, this is so good. Where did you get this? You don''t ever tell me."


    Max walked with ck lines all over his face. "Didn''t I tell you, I picked those up from the streets? It is your choice if you want to believe it or not. Lastly, can you stop eating those? We only have two left in the stocks."


    Max felt like he was about to cry. He wanted to save a few for his daughter, as he didn''t know if he would ever get them again. But Ravenna had snatched all of those with her cute nagging.


    Ravenna put out her tongue and bonked her head herself.


    "Ahh~" Max let out a helpless sigh and then went back to his original mood. "Forget it; let''s just do what we came here for."


    Ravenna nodded her head and led Max toward the cave.


    A few minutester, Max and Ravenna arrived before a short cave that was on the bottom of a hill.


    Max used [ Enhanced Senses ] to check if there was any kind of danger inside the cave. After seeing there were none inside the cave, Max signaled Ravenna to enter.


    Max took the lead, and Ravenna followed behind him. The cave was just an ordinary one, with moist walls and a small space.


    However, Max and Ravenna didn''t care about that, their attention was grabbed by the beating, pulsating egg at the end of the cave.


    Max stood before the egg and watched to see if it had the same reaction as Ravenna''s.


    But to Max''s dismay, it didn''t. He brought his katana out and cut off its top.


    Crack-sh


    The egg cracked open, and blood sshed down from it. Max and Ravenna stepped back to not get their feet wet.


    "Ahh¡­" Max and Ravenna heard a painful groan as they were backing down. They looked carefully and saw a small, malnourished demon still lying in the egg.


    It raised its head toward Max and Ravenna, showing its face fully.


    Max and Ravenna saw a bony face that had sharp fangsing out of its mouth and bloodthirsty eyes, despite just being forcefully hatched.


    "Ahh¡­" It growled and crawled at them with its sharp ws. It would growl from time to time, like it was announcing to them that it wasing to get their blood.


    Max came before it and looked at it with a deadpan face.


    The demon started to fling its w intensely, as if it wanted to rip its prey apart in shreds.


    Max raised his katana, and looked at the demon below him. "Just at 1st Stage Health Seeker Realm and you already want to kill us. What a mindless idiotic creature."


    Ching-Thud


    The demon''s head rolled on the ground while its body twitched a little, and eventually it also flopped to the ground.


    Max retracted his katana back."Let''s leave."


    Max walked out of the cave as Ravenna followed behind him.


    Coming out of the cave, Ravenna asked curiously. "Why did you kill it? It could be your subordinate too."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "No, I don''t want something as mindless as that." Max said, walking forward. "I was expecting someone to have intelligence like you. I don''t like bloodthirsty creatures like that, even beasts are better than them."


    "Oh," Ravenna memorized these lines as she felt this might be useful in the future.


    "Here is another one." Max pulled out a KitKat and handed it to Ravenna.


    Ravenna was surprised, as Max would never give her this willingly.


    "Why are you giving me this?" Ravenna took the KitKat and started eating it already while she asked this.


    A smile appeared on Max''s face, seeing her behavior. He answered with a bit of mncholy. "Because I am d that I have someone like you."


    Ravenna didn''t know why he was saying it like that, but she was happy to hear him say he was d to have her.


    Max walked silently as he felt the peaceful nature of the forest with the addition of Ravenna''s crunching noise. He could say he didn''t hate it.


    This past year was the most peaceful time in his life.


    ¡­


    Night came shortly after.


    Max and Ravenna had just finished dinner, and now they were resting on top of the tree''s branch, gazing at the naked sky. This was their routine for this past year.


    It was not Ravenna''s favorite thing to do at first, but Max made her fall in love with it. Max got this habit of gazing at the night sky because of the prophecy.


    When Max looked at the sky, he felt like he was watching his daughter.


    "Max, where are the stars today in the sky?" Ravenna curiously asked, as she could not find any star in the clear sky. Only the dark space and the moon shining down on them.


    Max became stumped; he was in a daze, so he didn''t focus on the sky, but now that he looked carefully, there truly wasn''t any star in the sky. "Where di-?


    Max stopped in the middle of his sentence because of the sight in front of him. Ravenna also looked up in shock like Max.


    Because currently they were seeing countless stars lighting up the sky, and there seems to be no end to it.


    "Is it happening?" Ravenna remembered Hart''s story, and her eyes lit up. "Is it just like the old man?"


    Max nodded his head with wide eyes, not trying to miss a single moment.


    Not only them; the entire world was witnessing this event.


    ¡­


    In a glorious kingdom that was full of prosperity.


    One could see a man sitting on a throne inside a luxurious castle. The man was wearing a cape, and a golden crown was on top of his head. Because of the darkness, it was hard to see his face, but one could feel the might of an emperor emanating from him.


    The man raised his head and gazed at the ceiling; his gaze pierced through it and could see what was happening outside.


    "Oh, so it has finally started. I waited the entire night just for this, but it''s worth it. This king is fortunate to witness such an event as told by the past kings. Come, young ones, the Mystic Heaven World is waiting for your arrivals!"

 Chapter 24 The True Beginning Of The Story (2)

    ?Somewhere in a deep forest where towering trees were seen as the norm, there was ake that was tens of kilometers wide.


    In the middle of thatke was a boat that was moving with the help of the slight waves that theke made and the gentle breeze that was in the air.


    On that boat was an old man holding a fishing rod, trying to catch something in the middle of the night. This lone old man was none other than Hart.


    Suddenly, countless streaks of light could be seen reflecting on the surface of theke.


    Hart raised his head and looked at the star shower. With a smile on his face. "So, it has finally started. I didn''t expect I would live long enough to see a second one."


    At that moment, Hart felt something pulling on his rod. "Good thingse all at the same time but what may be good to some, it may be bad to others.


    "Now,e here, you little fishy." Hart pulled the rod hard, and something came to the surface of theke. A huge basin, probably the mouth of some fish-type beast could be seen under the clear water.


    ¡­


    "Hmmm, the age of chaos hase. I should let the young ones." In a chasm, a hoarse voice resounded.


    In a royal chamber, where the world''s most expensive objects could be found, a burst ofughter escaped. "HAHAhaha¡­ I have the biggest harem, Gods! Watch as I finally conquer the world with my kids."


    Just like them, many influential figures and old monsters woke up, trying to get a piece of this giant pie that wasing.


    The stories told by Hart, which many didn''t believe in, shocked them now, as they didn''t expect a random old man''s story toe true.


    ¡­


    ''System, which one is my daughter?'' Max eagerly asked as he couldn''t calm down his heart.


    [ Host, you first have to pay the price. ]


    ''Just take it!'' Max spoke quickly, as he felt he might miss this chance.


    [ Host has made a high-level request. ]


    [ Approximately 150 years have been subtracted from the host''s lifespan. ]


    [ A wide-ranging search has been initiated. ]


    Max''s eyes shot wide open in shock, as he hadn''t anticipated such a massive cut. The effect of deducting so much from his lifespan was taking a toll on his body.


    His hair started to have white tints here and there, while his body started to be skinny and his skin wrinkly.


    Finally, it stopped there. Max felt he had aged much more than he expected.


    Ravenna also noticed Max''s change when he started breathing heavily earlier. She gave Max a careful look and saw his body aging, which shocked her. She asked with concern. "Max, what happened to you?"


    "Nothing," Max calmed down his breathing and said. "I was using a forbidden technique to find something."


    "Find what?" Ravenna asked, tilting her head.


    Max looked at her face, then shifted his attention to the sky, where stars of various colors were shooting down. He felt in his heart that he should tell her some truth at least, as he believed Ravenna had be someone close to him and the onlypanion other than the system.


    "Ravenna, I am finding my daughter." Max looked at the star with yearning.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Daughter?" Ravenna became heavily confused. She might be new to this world, but she has already seen only the adults who had children.


    "I know you are confused, Ravenna. This daughter is from my past life." Max answered her truthfully.


    "So, Max, you''ve reincarnated." Ravenna tapped her chin and thought of the answer.


    Max was surprised to hear that from Ravenna. "How do you understand that term?"


    "I don''t know why, but I feel like I know. It feels like it is engraved in my memory." Ravenna answered after pondering a bit. "Also, Max, reincarnation is normal. Many great demons do that."


    Max''s eyes widened as he felt thunder struck in his mind. Ravenna just revealed something that exined many things. But he quickly tossed those thoughts away as he saw the star shower was done.


    [ Ding ]


    [ The search isplete. ]


    [ The target, ''Ana'' - Her soul has been locked. ]


    [ A map has been made using the host''s lifespan. ]


    [ Host can check the soul''s position on the map. ]


    Max stood up and spoke to Ravenna. "Let''s go to sleep now. We will leave this ce early in the morning."


    "Also, Ravenna, I hope you don''t tell anyone about my secret," Max spoke softly as he entered the hole.


    "Of course not," Ravenna said with a giggle. Inside her mind, she thought. ''How can I let anyone know you are a reincarnation of a great demon? I knew Max was someone great and mighty, I am d he picked me.''


    With that thought, she also entered the hole and slept beside Max.


    ¡­


    The sun just shone on thend, waking up Max from his sleep.


    Ravenna also woke up as she felt her body pillow move away from her clutches.


    "Wake up, sleepy head. We will leave." Max said as he left the hole.


    Ravenna rubbed her drowsy eyes and jumped from the hole where she tripped and fell.


    Fortunately, Max was there to catch her and safely let her stand on the ground. Max wasn''t angry at her for that, as it was a daily urrence.


    "Let''s go, we will eat something on the road." Max started walking while Ravenna followed behind him, holding his sleeves.


    A map appeared in front of Max''s eyes as he walked out of the forest.


    The map was mostly gray, and red dots could be seen everywhere with only a small clear patch in the bottom right corner. He could see an arrow that moved as he changed directions. ''So, that''s me and¡­''


    Then he shifted his focus to a couple of green dots that were not far from his position. ''The red dots may be the maximum level of danger where I could potentially get killed, and the green dots are the safe ce.''


    Finally, Max''s eyesnded on a blue dot with ''Ana'' written on top of it. This dot was also not far from him. ''Ana, I aming.''

 Chapter 25 Maxs Turbulent Heart

    ?Six months passed by in a blink of an eye.


    Max and Ravenna had finally arrived at their destination in that span of time.


    They were currently inside another baron''s fief and ording to the map they were right in the ce where Ana might be born.


    "Max, do you need water?" Ravenna asked with concern to Max who was sitting beside her with a pale face with no blood.


    "No, Cough!" Max suddenly started coughing while answering Ravenna.


    "Here have some," Ravenna quickly forced the mouth of the leather flux between Max''s lip, letting him drink the water in it.


    After drinking a bit, Max''s coughing stopped and light appeared in his dead eyes. "Thank you, Ravenna."


    A bit of sadness was mixed in Max''s voice. He could feel but think of himself as pathetic. The reduction of his lifespan made him very weak, he felt he might die any day from any random disease. The only thing keeping him alive was his magic realm and vitality realm.


    Max decided he would focus on increasing his power quickly to regain his lifespan but after he was done seeing his daughter.


    "Ravenna, why is everyone rushing toward Baron''s castle?" Max asked curiously as he saw young and old heading toward Baron Arash''s castle.


    Ravenna looked at Max with sorrow. "Max, you forgot something again. I told you just this morning that the Baron will show his new daughter to everyone."


    "Oh, I forgot again." Maxughed at himself. He was gradually forgetting something as days went by and it has be amon urrence. Then he tossed these emotions away and asked Ravenna. "Let''s go there."


    Max tried to get up in a hurry but just as he was about to walk, he almost stumbled in his steps. Fortunately, Ravenna was there to support him.


    She took her slowly to the Baron''s castle as they watched many people walk past them easily and some adults gave them weird nces, as if they were guessing if Max was injured or not. Max and Ravenna were wearing cloaks, so it was hard for others to see.


    A couple of minutester, Max and Ravenna arrived at a ce where it was brimming with people. In front of them was a big castle, with normal decoration and gray walls that made it not too ugly yet made it look ancient. A balcony could be seen that coincidentally faced the crowd''s direction.


    Max and Ravenna couldn''t go forward because of the dense crowd, so they decided to watch it from afar.


    A few short momentster, everyone could see a pair of man and woman in royal robes entering the balcony, stopping the chittering in the crowd.


    The man was in his forties and had a small beard with a young face. He had short, white hair and a charming smile. On the other hand, the woman was of someone with a mature vibe as her figure bloomed that more. She also had white hair but it had a slight blue tint to it.


    These two were Arash and his wife, Vienna. Their arrival caused many to gossip.


    However, nothing stole Max''s attention other than the small baby on the woman''s arm.


    "I wee everyone here, foring to my newly born daughter''s announcement," Arash said loudly and with joy. "My daughter was born just after the Star Shower of Prosperity. So, you can guess what happened. I had the schrs test my daughter''s talent and do you know what they said?"


    Arash stopped there and didn''t speak further, building suspense in the crowd. His wife, Vienna giggled seeing her husband''s ploy.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    When the tension peaked its highest, Arash dered. "Unparalleled! My daughter is someone born with unparalleled talent. She is the future of this ce, the one who will bring prosperity to our little kingdom."


    "OHH!" The crowd cheered upon hearing that. They were hearing all kinds of stuff these past few months about the legend. They also had yearning in their hearts, to change the face of their ce, to make them shine. Now, they heard someone like that was born here. How could they not be excited?


    "Now, let me introduce you to my daughter," Arash pushed Vienna forward, signaling her to show their daughter''s face. Vienne turned to the side and lifted her daughter up to let everyone see. "Meet my daughter, Ana Starlia."


    "OHHH!"


    "She is so beautiful!"


    "As expected of someone that will change our future."


    While everyone was filling the ce with praises, there was someone who went into a daze and it was none other than Max.


    Max was looking at Arash''s daughter''s face and mumbled in trance. "That facial structure, that smile, and this¡­this feeling of closeness in my soul. It is her¡­.it is my baby..Ana."


    Tears started to roll down from his eyes and he walked forward, trying to reach her.


    Ravenna, who was watching Ana too, was surprised to see Max walking into the crowd. She quickly grabbed Max before he could enter the crowd as people might find out their identity. "Max, stop."


    [ Host, I suggest you stop. ]


    Max not only got held back by Ravenna but also got warned by the system. A wave of anger rose in his heart. "Why are you stopping?"


    "Didn''t you say humans should not find out about our identity?" Ravenna whispered softly.


    Max gritted his teeth as he didn''t know what to do. He turned around and looked at Ana. The more he did the more he couldn''t calm down his heart.


    [ Host, if you get too close to her, you might never meet her again. ]


    ''What nonsense are you spouting?'' Max couldn''t understand why the system was hellbound about this.


    [ Host, if you get close to her, she might be your enemy. ]


    ''Nonsense! Why would she do that to me!?'' Max felt he had enough of Ravenna and the system, so he started walking forward, not caring about Ravenna''s and the system''s constant warnings.


    [ Host! I am telling you the truth, believe me. I don''t want to see your journeye to such a quick end. ]


    But that still didn''t sway Max''s determination. He was just about to insert his hand between the crowd, he heard the system''s mechanical yet calm voice.


    [ Host, won''t you listen to your first and onlypanion? ]

 Chapter 26 God

    ?Step


    Max halted in his steps as the hand that was reaching forward started to shake.


    The system truly and unconsciously became his first-everpanion, with whom he spoke with an open heart. Sure, he did speak with Tobi, but that was only when he was in need of something.


    ''Give me a good reason quickly as to why I can''t meet my daughter?'' Max said, holding back his strong urge.


    [ Host, there is a rule set by the God of Destiny. The rule is that when a hero and a demon meet or cross paths, only conflict and destruction will ensue. So, if you get close to your daughter, she will somehow see you as the biggest enemy in her life. ]


    Max''s eyes widened as he felt someone burning his heart with fire. He turned back and walked toward the city''s gate.


    Ravenna followed behind him, then she gave onest look at Ana, whom Max was so desperate to meet. She wanted to ask why Max was leaving so suddenly. She had stopped him from getting into the crowd as it might reveal their identity, but she didn''t say they could meet her while sneaking into the castleter.


    So, she was very confused and wanted to ask what the reason was for his sudden change of heart.


    But she stopped herself from asking as she could feel a rage building inside Max that was subconsciously spilling out. For that reason, she didn''t say anything, as Max might identally reveal everything.


    Slowly yet surely, Max and Ravenna got outside of the city and headed toward the nearby forest.


    Just after they entered the forest, Ravenna asked. "Max, why did you leave?"


    Max didn''t stop in his tracks and just stumbled his way forward. While he walked like that, he said to Ravenna. "Ravenna, do you believe in God?"


    "God? Like the ones humans say, Who created them and made this world?" Ravenna said while poking her right cheek. She was a demon, so she didn''t know it at first, but after mixing with humans and learning from Max, she was able to learn about the concept of gods.


    "Yes, do you believe?" Max asked again with a stern voice.


    Ravenna racked up her brain and used all her intellect toe up with an answer, as she didn''t want to make Max disappointed. "Yes, I do. If there is talk or a rumor about something, or if something many people believe in, then that thing has to be true¡ªthat is what you taught me."


    "Good, then Ravenna¡­" Max halted in his tracks finally and turned his head back at Ravenna. With an ear-to-ear grin on his face, Max said. "I want to kill A God."


    Ravenna also halted in her tracks and looked at Max dumbfoundedly. She couldn''t believe her ears after hearing what she just heard. "Are you serious, Max? Can we even kill a god?"


    Ravenna was skeptical because, from all the information she had heard, she had grown to believe that gods were omnipotent.


    "Why can''t we?" Max continued walking forward after saying that. "If these gods are real and their powers too then they should have heard my words. But look, I am still fine; they are not some strong omnipotent and all-knowing deity you are thinking of, Ravenna, they are just beings with god-like powers."


    Max said that with absolute belief. Because he had thought this through when he was heading here, and even if they were omnipotent, Max would still vow to kill them.


    Then, Max, what should we do now?" Ravenna asked with awe, as Max''s words had the same charm as when she met him for the first time.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Now, I will regain the years I have lost," Max answered softly. "Then we will go on the search for this god."


    Ravenna nodded her head, feeling that was the best thing to do. He was very weak now; even a normal beast could kill him now.


    In a few minutes, Max and Ravenna arrived before a cave that was surrounded by tall, majestic trees.


    "Ravenna, I have to let you work hard for a few years. I hope you will provide food for us, clean our clothes, and do other kinds of necessary stuff too." Max said while entering the cave.


    Ravenna happily said with a smile. "It''s okay, I am here to serve you my entire life."


    ¡­


    Baron Arash''s fief.


    Arash and Vienna were still showing off their daughter, Ana, to everyone.


    At that moment, Ana''s eyes opened slowly as thoughts appeared in her mind. "Where am I? Papa?"


    Opening her eyes, Ana looked around and found two strange people who were smiling at her. "Paaaa!" Ana wanted to call her father, but not a proper word escaped from her mouth; instead, a baby''s cry came out.


    "A, she is awake, and she''s calling your name already," Vienna said with joy, seeing their daughter speak for the first time.


    Ana was just born a few hours ago, and when she came out, she didn''t make any noise like a normal child. So, they were scared at first but fortunately, they found there was nothing wrong with her when the royal doctors came.


    "Hahaha, whose daughter is she, you have to see that first," Arash said proudly, puffing up his chest,


    Tears started toe out of Ana''s eyes as she could not understand whatnguage they were speaking, and it was making her scared. She started calling Max again in panic. "PAAA! AHH! WAAHH! PAAA!"


    However, still, no clear words came out of her mouth as her vocal cords were not fully delivered.


    "Hey, why is she crying? Is she hungry?" Arash asked in concern, seeing Ana crying so suddenly.


    "Let''s take her inside, enough with the show-off." Vienna took Ana inside with love and care.


    Arash followed behind her without dispersing the crowd.


    Like this started their nightmare and blessing.

 Chapter 27 The Start Of Something New

    ?Sixteen years passed by in the blink of an eye.


    In the cave where Max has been cultivating these past years, one could see that its entrance was almost veiled by snow.


    Inside the cave, a faint sigh could be heard. "Huh~ How many years has it been?"


    Step Step


    Slowly from the cave, a teenage boy emerged who had thigh-length hair. He was wearing a leather shirt and pants. He was close to six feet tall, and his face was that of nonchnce, but that couldn''t hide away his demonic charm.


    He was none other than Max.


    Max looked around and saw snow covering the whole forest, which was lush green. "Haven''t seen snow in a long while."


    Max walked before a tree that had a branch lowered down, capable of giving Max ess. He caressed the snow on the leaves and felt it stinging cold. But that subsided in the next second like nothing happened.


    "Max!?" Suddenly, he heard a shout that made him turn around. He saw a teenage girl wearing a red skirt while her pink, neck-length hair fluttered in the cold wind. She had a slightly big chest that didn''t burst out, and she had an hourss-like figure.


    Max asked with a smile. "How are you doing, Ravenna?"


    Ravenna quickly trotted before Max and said curiously."I am doing fine. Don''t we meet from time to time?''


    "Hehe," Max said, chuckling to himself. "Yeah, we did meet, but I was so focused on cultivating that I didn''t notice you carefully except for the daily necessities you brought to me."


    Just as Max told her, Ravenna delivered him all his daily necessities. Without her, he would have to work much harder.


    Max asked with concern. "I didn''t tell you earlier, but where did you sleep?"


    "I was sleeping beside you in the earlier days, but that didn''t help me much. So, you should have seen me leave and not sleep with you. That is because I built a small house for myself. I sleep there, I eat there, I change there, I do all sorts of things there." Ravenna said it proudly, puffing up her chest.


    "Oh." Max became a bit surprised because he remembered Ravenna to bezy and she hated to do any kind of work. ''It looks like time changes for many people.''


    "Come, let me show you." Ravenna quickly grabbed Max''s hand and took him toward her house.


    Max let Ravenna forcefully take him away, as she deserved to be rewarded for what she did. Through their touch, Max could feel Ravenna''s strength. ''Looks like she also didn''t ck off.''


    [ Host Name: Max


    Magic Realm: 9th Stage Apprentice Realm


    Vitality Realm: 8th Stage Health Seeker


    Age: 17/186


    Race: Abyssal Lord (25%)


    Ability 1: Mastery of Dark Magic


    Talent: Top<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Magical Techniques:  Purple Sun Technique


    Movement Techniques: None


    Skills: Enhanced Senses ]


    Just like how he broke through to the 9th Stage Apprentice Realm and the 8th Stage Health Seeker, these past years, and gained his lifespan back, Ravenna has also broken through to many realms.


    She was in the 3rd Stage Apprentice Realm and the 9th Stage Health Seeker.


    In a few minutes, they arrived at an open field where Max could see a small wooden hut, which was now veiled with snow. There was a small fence surrounding the house, and he could see some flowers standing tall despite it being winter.


    Max was truly dumbfounded now, as he didn''t expect Ravenna to build such a house properly, as no one, not even him, taught her how to do so. "Ravenna, how were you able to build such a thing?"


    "Hehe," Ravenna said with arrogance. "I just secretly watched how the humans built their houses and slowly tried it myself. I failed in my first year of building it, butter I got the gist of it, and it became easy."


    "You''re a genius, Ravenna." Max could say only this praise, as he didn''t know what else to say.


    But, Ravenna was more than satisfied hearing that.


    Then Max and Ravenna went inside to let Max see its interior.


    It was as simple as Max expected. Just a simple wooden bed, a table, a chair, andst but not least, flower pots with various kinds of flowers in them.


    Afterward, Max and Ravenna went to eat together and talked about the events that had passed during these years.


    At the end of their conversation, Max asked. "Ravenna, you came earlier to me without anything in your hand, so it had to be some kind of news, tell me what it is."


    "As usual, you can find out anything with the simplest clue." Ravenna looked at Max and said with a smile."I came to bring news about your daughter."


    "Oh, what kind of news is it?" Max became interested and asked her curiously.


    "Ana turned 16 just a few days ago, and ording to humans, after this age, they can start to cultivate mana in the atmosphere. So, many want to send their children to academies that could provide support and help their children grow exponentially." Coming to this point, Ravenna stopped to see if Max was still focused, which he was. So she continued. "Fortunately, your daughter, Ana, was invited to the Royal Academy of the Kingdom of Bright, which is the capital of this region and also the ce where the king resides."


    "So, she left." Max said with a sigh, not as eager as he was in the past. "Also the king of this region, huh¡­"


    Ravenna curiously asked."Max, will we go after her?"


    "No, she has her life." Max stood up from the bed and headed outside.


    Ravenna followed him outside. "Then what shall we do?"


    "We will find clues as to where this God of Destiny resides," Max smirked, looking at the bright sun that was melting the snow and bringing the vibrant life back.


    Ravenna''s eyes widened as those sparkled like stars. She asked eagerly. "So, will we start the hunt for God now?"


    Max turned his head toward her and said, looking into her ruby-like eyes. "Yes, we will start by searching for this god''s devotees."

 Chapter 28 Crystal Mine

    ?Max was currently on the bed while Ravenna was sleeping. He heard that she was guarding him most of the time and didn''t sleep much, so he quickly forced her to sleep.


    ''Did this girl even sleep properly these past years?'' Max looked back at Ravenna''s sleeping face and saw how she was hugging his arms like a pillow while releasing soft breaths, but he knew that was not the case.


    ''Her mana and strength were keeping her energetic, if not, she would have beenying around on the ground.'' Max thought with a smile on his face.


    Then he looked at the wooden ceiling, which had a few holes. ''So, many years passed by, but the system didn''t give me any new mission. It looks like it is waiting for me toplete that mission first.''


    ''System, take this ce as the base.'' Max calmly said it in his mind.


    [ Congrattions, host! You havepleted the mission: The Base ]


    [ You have opened the Shop function ]


    [ You have received A Binding Spell(Earth Grade) - Illusion Bind ]


    [ Illusion Bind - This spell creates an illusion that immobilizes the target, trapping them in a false reality. Only fully usable on someone who is in the same magic realm as the host and the ones under. ]


    [ Shop - You can find various types of items, but there are specific locks that could be unlocked only after breaking a major magic realm. ]


    ''This!?'' Max became dumbfounded reading this binding spell''s information. He couldn''t imagine the things he could do with this. Sure, there are restrictions, but that didn''t matter much to Max. ''It looks like the hunt for this god has be a little easier.''


    Then he shifted his focus on the new ''Shop'' function he opened.


    A long list appeared in front of his eyes, and he could see many normal items. He clicked on the sort out option with the help of his mind and saw there were many options. These were equipment, consumables, mounts, and,st but not least, storage.


    Max scrolled through all of them and found there were not very good items in the shop, at least not as good as the ones he got as rewards, most felt very basic.


    ''I guess I have to break through to get new stuff.'' Max got another goal to be stronger.


    To purchase anything from the shop, he needed mana crystals. There were many types of mana crystals, and the ones Max currently needed were Common Mana Crystals that could be found anywhere. Because these things were found in caves, they could be seen almost anywhere.


    Even Max could find one if he carefully searched his surroundings.


    Max rubbed his forehead as he pondered. ''All of these are making me build a force of my own. I guess I will build er; let me check on this world''s lore properly.''


    Max went to close his eyes to slowly inhale the mana in the air to cultivate more, as he felt he could break through to the next major realm if given some time.


    ¡­


    A few hourster, Max felt a little tug on his sleeves.


    He looked back and saw Ravenna was awake. She was rubbing her eyes and giving a big yawn. "What time is it?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "The evening just passed by," Max said, making Ravenna look at the open window.


    "Ahh!'' Ravenna panicked. "I made you wait for so long."


    "Hehe," Max chuckled, seeing her act like this. "It''s fine, I was busy sorting out stuff anyway."


    "Oh," Ravenna nodded her head, then went to fix her hair without any use of a mirror.


    Max decided what he would buy first from the store as he watched Ravenna fix her hair. He stood up and asked. "Ravenna, have you seen any crystal mines here?"


    He asked that casually, without any hope, as he knew it had zero chance. But he was stumped when Ravenna said. "Yes, I have seen one nearby."


    Max turned his head toward her and asked with his eyes wide open. "Where is it?"


    Ravenna squinted her eyes and looked up. Then, thinking a little, she answered. "It might be a few meters away from us. But Max, that mine is controlled by a Demon Knight."


    "A demon knight?" Max raised his eyebrows as he heard that term for the first time.


    Ravenna had already fixed her hair at that moment, so she grabbed Max''s hand and took him outside. She headed in the direction of the mine, knowing Max would want to go there, and she exined it to him on the road. ''A demon knight is the lowest rank given to a demon who has control over a small force and has the highest strength in the 5th Stage Novice Realm. They control a small range ofnd and are known for their grand ambition to annex others and grow stronger."


    "Ohh¡­" Max''s interest was piqued as he felt he might have found an easy way to make a force of his own.


    Zigzagging through the tall, giant trees and the wet grass, they finally arrived before a small hill where a cave could be seen.


    Max and Ravenna hid behind a bush and saw demons that looked like the one they saw 16 years ago. Unlike the demons they saw thest time, these ones were much healthier and a bit stronger.


    They saw these demons carrying gray-colored crystals in the basket on their backs. Aside from these demons, there was another kind that had a pig head, was fat and was much bigger than the demons that were carrying the crystals.


    These pig demons acted like guards like if any demon identally dropped a crystal, they woulde and beat them heavily.


    "Max, see this mine is already upied," Ravenna said to Max, and the reply he got from him was.


    "Then we just have to take it back from their hands."


    Ravenna was surprised, but not enough to feel like it was unbelievableing from Max. "So, when will we take this for ourselves?"


    Max rubbed his chin and then answered. "We need to first take a look at this demon knight to see if we can take him down, but from what you were saying¡­. I feel like I can take down someone of that strength myself."


    "I feel like I want to attack now."

 Chapter 29 A Small Raid

    ?"Argh!" One pig demon kicked a small demon, who just halted in his tracks to take a breath.


    The small demon fell to the ground, and the Common Mana Crystals on its back, scattered around the ground, making that small demon not care about the pain it just got; instead, it quickly went to pick up the Common Mana Crystals in a hurry.


    The seven pig demons around it startedughing out loud, seeing the petty situation of that small demon. Its miningpanion didn''t even look at him, they were busy and worried with the task in their hands.


    The pig demon that kicked the small demon went forward to hit him more, as it was bored.


    Puchi


    At that moment, a blood arrow pierced through its head, dropping it dead.


    This sudden turn of events caught everyone by surprise. The pig demons equipped themselves with their clubs and looked in the direction the arrow came from.


    They saw a girl in a mboyant red dress with a skirt that spread like petals, aiming her bow at them as her pink hair fluttered in the hair.


    One of the pig demons pointed its club at Ravenna and gave a war cry. "Rarghh-!"


    But it got suddenly cut off as its head rolled down from its neck.


    "Don''t make noise." Making a clean cut on that pig demon''s head, Max ran toward itspanions.


    He wanted to kill these guards as quietly as possible, not wanting to catch the demon knights'' attention. For that, he didn''t use his magic powers and silenced the pig demon, who was about to make noise.


    [ Swinefiend (8th Stage Health Seeker) - These types of demons could be seen on the 1st to 3rd floor of the Demon Realm. They are mostly tamed for doing chores that noble demons hate. They are also livestock for many demons. ]


    [ Meatscraper (2nd Stage Health Seeker) - These types of demons could only be seen on the 1st floor of the Demon Realm. They live by eating the dead and the scraps thrown by higher-ranking demons. They live in packs to increase their chances of survival. They are mostly violent and have extremely low rationality. ]


    This was what Max learned from the system before he came to attack them. These pig-headed demons were called Swinefiend, and these small ones were called Meatscraper.


    Max thought he might have a challenge, but after seeing their vitality realm, he knew that wouldn''t be the case.


    Max ducked backwards by leaning his body, evading the club that came at him horizontally. Then he quickly straightened his body and pierced his katana right at Swinefiend''s heart, which was before him.


    Giving a twist, he sliced diagonally, killing the swinefiend and making it drop to the ground with blood spurting out from its cut-apart shoulder and heart.


    Max dashed forward at the one that was charging at him.


    Puchi


    But before the Swinefiend was able toe close to Max, its head got pierced by a blood arrow, making it crash into the ground.


    The remaining four Swinefiend looked at each other and quickly came up with a n. Separating in pairs, they each went for Ravenna and Max respectfully.


    Ravenna didn''t faze after seeing two approaching her; she quickly ran around and ran to the closest Swinefiend''s dead body.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    The two Swinefiends didn''t know what she was doing, but they changed their direction and followed her with all their strength.


    Meanwhile, on the other side, Max sidestepped, evading the club that wasing down at him vertically.


    Bang


    The club smashed the ground into pieces and bits. Max was about to swing his katana to kill this Swinefiend but halted as he felt another one''s presence behind him, who had swung its club horizontally at him.


    Max grabbed the Swinefiend''s head, which was in front of him, and used it to propel himself forward, escaping the attack from behind. While he propelled himself, he used enough force to throw the Swinefiend''s head in front of that attack.


    Bang


    That Swinefiend''s club smashed its fellowpanion''s head, caving its head and possibly killing it.


    The Swinefiend became stumped after seeing it kill its own brethren, and in that moment of hesitation, Max came in with his katana swinging, iming its life.


    Thud


    The Swinefiend''s head was severed from its neck and dropped to the ground.


    Max swiped his katana, making the blood on it fling away. Retracting his katana back, Max turned around to see if Ravenna was done. But from the looks of things, it seems she was not.


    But Max didn''t go forward to help her as he could see a smug smile on Ravenna as she closed in on the dead Swinefiend''s body.


    Ravenna hade before the Swinefiend''s dead body at that moment, she gave a nce back and mumbled. "I have not done this in a long time."


    Ravenna jumped up the dead body, floating over it. However, when she was right on top, she turned her body midair and swiped her hands at the Swinefiend duo behind her with such grace that it made Max fall into a daze.


    The blood that wasing out of the dead Swinefiend''s body churned up and shot towards the Swinefiend duo in the shape of spikes. This attack took the duo by surprise, which resulted in impaling them in the air.


    Puchi (2)


    Thud


    The Swinefiend''s body dropped dead on the ground, announcing the end of this small raid by Max and Ravenna.


    Ravenna trotted toward Max and asked with a smile, standing before him. "How was I?"


    "You did well." Max said, raising the corner of his lips. He could see Ravenna has improved inbat experience as she didn''t use up all of her blood just to kill the rest. She knew she would be faster than them, so she came before the dead body and used it to kill them.


    "Now," Max turned his head around and looked at the Meatscrapers hurdling up together in fear of them. "Let me see my future workers."

 Chapter 30 The Demon Knight - 1

    ?Step Step


    The Meatscappers looked ahead in horror at the strong, unknown man and woman walking toward them who just killed the guards that they feared most easily.


    Max and Ravenna stood before them. Max said, looking down. "So, I want to take you all under me, but¡­"


    Max crouched down and said, meeting each other''s eyes. "...Tell me, where is your lord?"


    The Meatscrapers shook their heads, and waved their hands, possibly indicating that they didn''t know themselves.


    "Max, it looks like we have to take these guys away for now. We willeter to clear the demon knight." Ravenna suggested from behind.


    Max sighed, knowing they had to dy a big fight. He was about to stand up, but a Meatscaper bravely came forward and said while moving its hands. "Arghh¡­Ahhh¡­Graagga.."


    Max raised his eyebrows as he could identify who this Meatscraper was. It was the one that just got beaten earlier by that Swinefiend. He looked at this Meatscaper and felt it was a bit uniquepared to other ones, as it had a brave front and not much fear could be seen in its eyes.


    "What are you trying to say, little guy? Are you saying you know where your lord is?" Max asked, tilting his head.


    That Meatscraper nodded his head, acting a bit eager too, possibly wanting to show the lord to Max quickly and let him kill its lord.


    "You can calm down, little guy. I will kill you, lord." Max said with a smirk on his face while standing up. "But you have to me sho- "


    "Ehhh? I guess we don''t have to go on an expedition." Max''s face turned indifferent again.


    Ravenna also turned her back and said."Max, should I give you a little hand?"


    "No, I want to move this rusty body of mine a little." Max grinned, looking at the giant figure in front of him.


    The Meatscrapers behind Max and Ravenna started shaking in fear, hurdling together more, except the one that just talked to Max. It stood on its ground while controlling its fear and looked at Max''s straight and firm back.


    The figure in front of Max and Ravenna was a ten-meter-long, stout demon with a pig head. It had bulging muscles and not much fat on its belly. It had a vicious-looking face with red eyes.


    From its nose, hot steam would blow out from time to time.


    [ Ding ]


    [ Urgent Task has been issued. ]


    [ Task: Take control of a demon knight''s ce


    Synopsis: Kill the boss of this ce, Swinefiend General and im its ce.


    Reward: Demon Emperor''s General Function, Demon Knight Achievement


    Punishment: Humiliation ]


    [ Swinefiend General (5th Stage Energy Cultivator): The demon knight of this forest, Through excessive usage of Common Mana Crystal and devouring other demons flesh, his genes have mutated and he has gained newfound strength. ]<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Constant notifications popped up in front of Max,pletely covering his sight. Giving them a quick nce, he removed these.


    Looking at the Swinefiend General who was grabbing its giant axe and kicking the ground, Max thought. ''This pig has a big bounty. I hope it doesn''t disappoint.''


    Max got his katana out, holding it in his right hand and walked forward. Just as Max had taken his third step, the Swinefiend General vanished from its spot and came, charging toward Max in full speed.


    [ Wild Charge ]


    A skill that it learned after breaking through to Energy Cultivator. It helps it to shoot its body in a single line at extreme speed.


    ''Fast.'' Max was surprised at the Swinefiend General''s arrival before him. Still, Max didn''t get too fazed, he leaped up to dodge its horizontal swing. Floating in midair like a squirrel, Max watched the giant axe zoomed beneath him, creating a huge wine st.


    Bhassss!


    The ground behind Max had its upper soil ripped apart. Various pebbles and dirt flew toward Ravenna with a strong wind carrying it.


    Ravenna swiped her left hand from left to right. The blood on the dead Swinefiend''s body flew out in arge chunks and formed a blood shield in front of Ravenna.


    The blood shield blocked the pebbles, dirt, and wind, letting the Meatscraper behind Ravenna be safe and not get blown away by the wind.


    Max, who was in midair, was about toe down, but his eyes widened when he saw the Swinefiend General, who in a matter of seconds pulled its axe over its head and gave a vertical sh at Max while saying in a hoarse voice. "Die!"


    Max came up with a solution in that span of time as he pointed his left palm upwards in the axe''s direction. The next second, a surge of purple fire shot out from his palm, making contact with the descending axe.


    BOOM


    An explosion urred that blew Max away as he slid on the ground while, on the other hand, the Swinefiend General took a few steps back.


    The Swinefiend General looked at Max in surprise, as it had not seen any demons using magic, at least not the ones it killed. Its eyes widened, firming its will to kill Max, or he might be a huge blockade on its path. "...I¡­kill¡­you¡­"


    "You mindless beast, do you know only these words?" Max squinted his eyes and pulled his sword backwards. "I will let you know who will kill who?"


    Bang


    Max vanished from his spot where the soil was dug open and appeared beside the Swinefiend in a split second. He has used the purple thunder on his feet to boost his speed.


    Max swung his sword, which was burning with purple fire. The Swinefiend General didn''t have the time to use its axe to defend, so it used its arm to block.


    Boom


    The Swinefiend General took a step back and looked at its left arm, where a cut could be seen that had its sides charred. Madness quickly filled its eyes, and it roared out loud.


    Max quickly emerged out of the smoke, not caring about its emotion. He grabbed his katana with both hands and pierced it into the Swinefiend General''s right shoulder.


    Boom

 Chapter 31 General

    ?Max''s eyes widened a little as he saw that despite opening a giant wound on the Swinefiend''s General shoulder, he wasn''t able to shake it away, and he knew the reason for that when he saw the anger in its eyes.


    Max calmly cursed under his soft breath. "Well shit."


    With a scream in Max''s face, the Swinefiend General grabbed Max''s body with its giant hand, then it smashed Max to the ground like a toy.


    Bang


    Max smashed into the ground and then bounced up like a ball. The Swinefiend General at that moment used [ Wild Charge ] and smashed its head against Max''s body.


    Bang


    That head bash shot Max''s body to the small hill where the crystal mine was, imprinting his entire body on the wall.


    The Swinefiend General wasn''t done with that, as it went for another [ Wild Charge ] with its bloodied right arm.


    Max also got out from behind the hill''s wall and looked at the approaching Swinefiend General with his head tilted.


    "That hurt," Max whispered as his wounds healed.


    At that moment, the Swinefiend General had arrived before him. Max leaped forward and pressed his palm forward.


    Thut


    The moment Max''s palm touched the Swinefiend General''s head, he bounced up, evading the head bash.


    Then he inserted his katana into the giant wound on its shoulder so he would not leave its range.


    Bang


    The Swinefiend General''s head smashed against the hill, creating a giant fissure.


    Step


    Maxnded on the ground and looked ahead.


    Crack


    Cracking his neck, which made his head return to normal, he pierced the katana with both hands on the Swinefiend General''s back, facing the katana''s sharp edge upwards.


    The Swinefiend General didn''t have the time to turn back in time as Max''s katana, which had purple thunder infused with it, moving at a faster speed than the Swinefiend General.


    Boom


    Max''s katana sted into its right shoulder again, but from the backside, this time,pletely separating its right arm.


    Thud


    The giant arm fell to the ground, and arge amount of blood and intestines spilled out.


    "Arghhh!'' With onest scream, the Swinefiend General swung around its axe at Max.


    However, Max didn''t dodge, he calmly stood there and put up his right hand.


    Thup


    Casually catching the axe on its sharp edge, Max watched the small giant fall onto its knees, taking rough breaths.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Max ced his katana on its neck with his left, free hand. He could see his katana easily sinking into its skin. "Do you know why I didn''t go for your neck? Because I know my katana won''t be able to cut through your tough skin because I can see a hot-headed guy like you without any scars on his body. Surely you would have to get beaten by stronger guys for your stupidity. Now that you''re weak and your muscles are fully rxed, I can easily¡­"


    "Who¡­are¡­" Suddenly, the Swinefiend General spoke with itsst breaths.


    "You really cut me off?" Max said it with disappointment. Then, with one clean swipe, he beheaded the Swinefiend General. "I wanted to act cool in front of my future henchmen."


    [ Ding ]


    [ Congrattions, Host! You havepleted the Task: Take control of a demon knight''s ce ]


    [ You have unlocked Demon Emperor''s Generals function. ]


    [ With this newly added feature, you can take generals under your wing, who will be supported by the system in their growth and keeping their status in check. ]


    [ You have unlocked the achievement: Demon Knight ]


    [ Demon Knight: A title only given by strong and aspiring demons who had made a small force under them and had taken control over a certain region. To fortify the title, you need to cause at least one mayhem that would spread your fame into the human realm.


    Effects: This title only has special effects on the host, given by the system. You can feel the loyalty and hostility in the people under you. ]


    Max quickly tossed these notifications away, as he had certain things to do now.


    He walked before Ravenna and spoke while rubbing the back of his head. "Sorry, Ravenna. I damaged the clothes."


    "No, it''s fine. As long as you are okay, the clothes don''t matter." Ravenna said with a giggle.


    If you say so." Max shrugged his shoulders, he was about to buy new sets of clothes again, so he also wasn''t worried about it. Then he looked behind Ravenna and saw the Meatscrapers standing straight at his nce while still shaking from fear.


    But there was that one exception: that little guy, who was now looking at Max with awe.


    Max asked with a grin. "What is it, little guy?"


    That Meatscraper didn''t say anything; instead, it came before Max and kneeled on the floor, bowing to him. It started speaking gibberish, which Max had a hard time understanding. "Agooo¡­arghgaha..bragah.."


    Ravenna, who was beside him, tried to interpret what it wanted to say from its bodynguage. "Max, I think it wants you to recruit it. It wants to fight for you."


    That Meatscraper raised its head up and nodded its head, agreeing with what Ravenna just said.


    "Ehhh¡­" Max contemted what to do now. He looked at it and then at itspanion. ''It is better than some cowards, and I love passionate guys too.''


    Max eventually decided to let this one work directly under him.


    But before he could say anything, he again got a system notification.


    [ Do you want to ept The Meatscraper as your general? ]


    ''Sure,'' Max agreed with it immediately, as he wanted to see what the system could do to grow this lowest-level Meatscraper.


    [ Drop your blood ]


    ''That shenanigan again.'' Max thought with a sign then decided to do it anyway.


    Max straightened his body, puffed up his chest, and said with arrogance while looking at the Meatscraper with a stern face. "I, the Demon Emperor, the one who will lead the demon realm, bring chaos to this world, would like you to be this lord''s general. If you are willing, kneel before this Lord on your left knee and open your mouth."

 Chapter 32 Ragnar

    ?Thud


    The Meatscaper quickly knelt on its left knee and opened its mouth, which was filled with sharp jaws.


    Max bit the skin of his finger open and put his hand on top of the Meatscraper''s mouth. A drop of blood trickled down,nding on the Meatscraper''s mouth.


    The moment the blood entered its stomach, its heart gave a loud beat, and then his body started shaking. "ARGHH! ARHKGK!"


    The Meatscraper rolled on the ground, wing its body as if it were filled with millions of itches. Its eyes began to turn white as saliva started dripping out of its mouth.


    "Don''t Waver!" Max''s sudden shout brought it back from its blurry consciousness. "You are going to be a general of this lord. Don''t you dare waver."


    Max''s cold yet sincere voice, which was filled with expectation, made the Meatscraper firm its heart and withstand the pain.


    The moment it started to endure the pain, changes started to appear on its body.


    The Meatscraper was just three feet tall, but now it has grown to five feet. Meat started to fill its skinny body, and its body started to resemble that of a well seasoned martial artist. It didn''t have as much as a demon should have, it only had a pair of short white horns on its head.


    Now the horn has grown a little, with blonde hair growing out too, and a tail has also grown out of its back.


    Max was dumbfounded by thisplete makeover, as he didn''t expect the system would do such a thing. ''Your awesome system.''


    [ No, host. You are responsible for half of the work. I just extracted blood essence from your body and densely packed it in the form of a single drop. Then I used that to unlock its hidden genes and trace back the little high-ranking bloodline it possessed. ]


    Max was surprised to find the process. He had thought the entire credit went to the system, but it looked like he had some stake in it.


    The newly changed Meatscraper got up and got on its knees. It looked up, showing its handsome face, totally opposite of what he possessed.


    ''Did I just create ady killer?'' Joking a little inside his mind, Max asked. "How is it?"


    "Ahh¡­.I¡­am grateful¡­Lord." The Meatscraper spoke with great difficulty.


    Max and Ravenna were surprised to see it speak fluently now. Max nced down at it and said. "Good, now you will work for this lord, on helping me to expand my power."


    "Glory to the Lord." The Meatscraper spoke firmly with its head down.


    "Now." Max then squinted his eyes as he knew it was time to name him. After thinking for a bit, he quickly came up with one. "This Lord has decided to give you a name. This will be your identity and your existence from now on; don''t ever forget it. You will be called Ragnar."


    "Thank you, my Lord." Ragnar said this loudly while trying to hold back his tears.


    "It''s fine, and you don''t have to be very humble in front of me. We will check the ce this demon knight stayed." Max turned around to sit down at a ce. Before that, he spoke to Ravenna. "Ravenna, go get a set of clothes for me and him."


    Ravenna nodded her head and ran toward their base.


    Meanwhile, Max went to sit on the dead Swinefiend General. Max said in his mind, resting his butt on its belly. ''Its somewhat soft.''


    Then he was about to check on the things he got from the system but got stopped as the Meatscraper flocked under him.


    "Arghgh¡­"


    "Agaaa¡­aggga.."


    Max saw them bowing their heads, and from their hopeful yet greedy eyes, he guessed they also wanted to change like Ragnar.


    "Ragnar." Max silently called Ragnar, who was a few meters away, clenching his fist and checking his body. Ragnar flinched at hearing Max''s soft call and looked in his direction.


    Anger filled his eyes upon seeing the Meatscaper annoying Max.


    In a matter of seconds, Ragnar arrived beside them and swiped his leg, going for a killing blow.


    "Stop." However, Max''s warning stopped him again.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    The Meatscraper that was the target saw Ragnar''s leg stop before his face, and a strong wind blew into its face.


    "Don''t kill them, they are useful to me. Just teach them things that they shouldn''t do." Max calmly said, looking down at the scared Meatscrapers.


    Ragnar bowed to Max before straightening his body. "As you wish."


    Then he nced down at the Meatscrapers who knew they had messed up. Ragnar walked away, and the Meatscraper followed behind him obediently.


    Max didn''t mind as he knew this was a normal demon''s behavior. Then he focused on why he was here.


    [ Host Name: Max


    Demon Ranking: Tier 2 Demon Knight


    Magic Realm: 9th Stage Apprentice Realm


    Vitality Realm: 9th Stage Health Seeker


    Age: 17/186


    Race: Abyssal Lord (25%)


    Ability 1: Mastery of Dark Magic


    Talent: Top


    Magical Techniques: Purple Sun Technique


    Movement Techniques: None


    Skills: Enhanced Senses, Illusion Bind


    Generals: 2/2 (Ravenna, Ragnar) [You will unlock another slot after you break through a major realm in magic realm. ]


    "Oh, the system already took Ravenna as a general." Max mumbled to himself. "Also, I can check their detailed status now."


    "Let''s start with Ragnar''s first."


    [ General: Ragnar


    Race: Martial Demon


    Vitality Realm: 7th Stage Health Seeker


    Combat Strength: 9th Stage Health Seeker


    Ability: Blessings of Martial Demon God


    Vitality Technique: None


    Skills: None ]


    "Interesting¡­martial demon.." Max rubbed his chin, thinking of what this race was and what that ability was. Fortunately, the system gave a detailed exnation of those in the next second.


    [ Martial Demon: Demons that roam around from the 11th floor to the 13th floor of the Demon Realm. They are known for their extreme fighting nature and high proficiency in martial arts. They are in BattleManiacs. ]


    [ Blessings of Martial Demon God: Once this race was the top of the Demon Realm, standing shoulder to shoulder with demons of the deepest level for their skill and mostly for their idol and legend Martial Demon. Unfortunately, after his disappearance, this race declined. The one who has his blessing will be able to master any martial technique to high levels of proficiency in a short time. ]

 Chapter 33 On The Search

    ?"Ehh?" Max raised his eyebrows upon ncing at the notifications right before him. ''Martial Demon¡­.Demon God¡­''


    Max was surprised and ecstatic at the same time; he felt he had hit the jackpot. But he was also confused. ''How did this low-ranking demon get the bloodline of a martial demon? It doesn''t make sense; I want to ask the system about the truth, but I feel like I would miss the exhration of finding the truth about myself.''


    Then Max marked the name Martial Demon God inside his head as he found something interesting. ''It is said he disappeared, not died. There is something going on here, hmmm¡­I guess I will find outter about this.''


    ''Now let''s take a look at Ravenna''s.'' Max became eager again, as he was always interested in her ability and her race.


    [ General: Ravenna


    Race: Blood Subus


    Magic Realm: 3rd Stage Apprentice Realm


    Vitality Realm: 9th Stage Health Seeker


    Combat Strength: 2nd Stage Energy Cultivator


    Ability: Whisperer of Blood


    Vitality Technique: None


    Skills: Basic Archery(Mastered) ]


    ''Blood Subus¡­so, she is of a different branch.'' Max was a little surprised to find Ravenna wasn''t just a subus but of a different breed too.


    [ Blood Subus: A demon born to only serve strong demon lords. They have zero voice in theirmunity as they are seen as demons that do service, their strong ability to convince strong children, and as battle partners for lords. They are settled in from the 10th floor to the 12th floor of the Demon Realm. ]


    Max raised his eyebrows and pondered. ''They look like ves and prostitutes for the ruling ss.''


    Then he shifted at her ability, which let her control blood.


    [ Whisperer of Blood: Can let you control the blood of your own and others. There is a legend: If you reach a certain stage in strength, you can kill a living person just by controlling their blood. ]


    ''A legend?'' A smirk gradually grew on Max''s face. ''System, don''t chalk that off as a legend. Legends are only born from truth.''


    Max felt the system wanted to bait him and hype him up for that, but he knew the system wouldn''t put that piece of information there for no reason.


    Max raised his head and saw Ragnar disciplining the Meatscrapers like a PE teacher would his students.


    Seeing he had nothing to do, Max went to cultivate, as he felt he was close to breaking through a major realm.


    ¡­


    A few minutester, Ravenna had arrived with two sets of clothes.


    Max woke up from his cultivation state and breathed out a small amount of steam. ''I still need a few days. After passing sixteen years, the mana veins in my body were all opened, and now they are helping me to gather mana more easily into my mana core than in previous times.''<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Then Max and Ragnar wore the clothes, which were basic leather shirts and pants.


    "Now, let''s go take a look at this pig''s hideout. Ragnar, lead the way." Max said, looking at Ragnar.


    Ragnar bowed his head and led them to their destination while also taking the Meatscapers. They went around the hill, then walked in a straight line, and finally arrived at their ce.


    "That was short. We could havee here earlier." Ravenna asked, tilting her head.


    Max facepalmed and said with a sigh. "It is because I don''t want to walk around with a damaged cloth and a naked man."


    "Oh," Ravenna looked up at the sky and tapped on her oval-shaped mouth.


    The Swinefiend General''s base was just a basic wooden house that had a roof shaped like a cone and a circr body. There were piles and piles of bones scattered outside the base, where various critters and bugs could be seen crawling around.


    Max and the people behind him walked into it like it was nothing. They entered the small house and saw nothing but a small mat and piles of ashes.


    "Lord, those ashes are from the Common Mana Crystals that pig absorbed." Max didn''t know if Ragnar called Swinefiend General a pig because he was having a hard time finding a proper name for it or in spite of pure anger.


    But that didn''t matter much to Max, as he was a bit disappointed now because not seeing any Common Mana Crystals. He knew the Swinefiend General would use them, but not to this extent. ''That guy was a true glutton.''


    "Let''s leave. There is nothing here, and put those guys to work. Just don''t be hard or they won''t be productive." After leaving this order, Max and Ravenna left the ce.


    Ragnar took the order to his heart and went to put those Meatscrapers back to mining once again, and didn''t treat them too harshly as Max told him.


    ¡­


    Max and Ravenna walked past their house, making Ravenna a bit doubtful.


    Max saw Ravenna''s doubt but didn''t reveal anything at first; instead, he said to her. "Go, bring two cloaks."


    Ravenna went to the house and quickly took out two brown leather cloaks. They both put them on and started walking toward the city. Now, Ravenna asked. "Max, why are we going there now?"


    "Do you know what people do when they believe in certain gods?" Max asked nonchntly.


    Ravenna scratched her cheeks with her index finger, giving a pensive look at the sky. Then she finally got that answer as she remembered the things Max told her in the past. "They build temples and churches to let everyone gather and pray together. That is also the ce where the teachings of the gods and the gods'' apostles are found."


    Max turned his head at Ravenna and said with a smirk. "You still remember what I said so many years ago. You have a sharp mind, Ravenna."


    "No, it''s nothing," Ravenna said, with pride in her voice.


    Max justughed at her actions, as it made him recall her tantrums and how she acted. Then he said to her. "So, we are going to find a church of a god, or we might get to see many others too."


    Max had visited only two cities in the past, and he had also seen everything those cities had to offer. He did see thosescivious churches in the past, but he tossed it off as he felt religion wasn''t much, but now he feels like it might be the core of this world''s social structure.

 Chapter 34 The Church

    ?Baron Arash''s fief, Migotanie City.


    "Nothing much has changed in the past few years," Maxmented, looking at that same old city structure and the building he saw thest time.


    "Yes." Ravenna nodded her head, agreeing with him. She had beening to this city for all these years and saw everything that urred; for her, it was very clear what changed and what didn''t.


    "I hope the churches are also here." Max walked toward the church''s direction, which was close to him.


    After three minutes of short walk, they arrived at a giant white stone church that covered a small portion of the city. The church had brown borders with green patterns on it. On top of the church was a mural of a woman who had leaves spreading out of her arms and looked like she was about to embrace the world.


    Max couldn''t identify how the woman would look, but from the hourss figure and the depiction of her face, she was a beauty, which Max knew for sure.


    Max and Ravenna were hiding behind a dark alleyway, silently watching the stream of people entering and exiting the church.


    "So many people are here as usual, and the number of kids seems to have increased in this city. Look, there are so many of them." Ravenna said it with awe, standing beside Max.


    Max watched silently, thenmented. "Yes, there are too many kids. At first, I didn''t notice this because of my worry about something else. But now that I''ve given it a careful look, I find it odd. Don''t you too, Ravenna?"


    "What is odd?" It seems Ravenna also had zero clue.


    So, Max calmly told her what he had in his mind."Look carefully, and you will see every adult has at least one kid with them, and some even have four. Most of them seem to be teaching and warning something to the kids, as those kids'' faces are serious and nervous like they are about to go on a very arduous test."


    Now that Max has mentioned it, Ravenna was able to see just as Max has described.


    Ravenna became eager to check in as to what the church was hiding but calmed her heart down after remembering their origin. "Max, how will we find out what is happening inside?"


    Max nced at the guards wearing white armor with brown and green patterns all of them. They were wearing helmets that covered their entire faces, making them look very intimidating, and from the aura, they were emanating, they were also strong to back it up.


    [ Pdin Guard (2nd Stage Fleshcrafting Realm): Pdins that guard the church. ]


    ''That was a boring description.'' Max sighed in his heart, then looked at the men who were wearing white robes with green and brown patterns like those on the pdin guards'' armors.


    [ Acolyte (4th Stage Novice Realm): Young trainees who are trying to be priests. They are learning various techniques and the teachings of the church. They are knowledgeable about various aspects of their church and the god they worship. ]


    "We found our target." Max signaled for Ravenna to follow him.


    They walked away from the church''s direction; instead followed behind a boy and a girl. The girl was wearing a nun''s outfit with the same design as the boy''s robe.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "I heard it was your first day at the church, so how was it?" The boy asked with a smile.


    The girl replied back with a kind smile. "It was fine, I was able to learn many things, and the priest seems to be very happy with my work, I got so many praises from him."


    "Oh," The boy didn''t say anything, just gave a quick nce at her figure, which he has given many times already.


    The almost hourss-like figure and the buttocks that swayed left and right, catching any man''s attention, and the baby-like face, full of innocence with a mature beauty, made the boy sigh in wonder. ''I know why the priest is very happy with your work.''


    The boy turned his head toward the girl, hesitating to say something but eventually stopping. He just gave her a look of pity.


    At that moment, the girl spoke. "We have to go on a different path now. My home is that way."


    "Oh, is that so? Mine is in theplete opposite." The boy said apologetically, rubbing the back of his head.


    "Oh, unfortunate." The girl gave a small pout and then walked away while waving her hand. "Will see you tomorrow then."


    The boy also waved his hand back and then headed toward his house''s direction.


    His house was on the northern side of the city, where most of the citizens lived. The boy lived in a rental apartment, all by himself. His room was situated on the bottom floor, so he didn''t have to make the effort to climb stairs.


    The boy had entered his room and was about to close the door when suddenly he felt an obstruction. He turned his body to see what he had gotten stuck in.


    However, just as he turned his head, a giant palm attacked his sight and then blocked off his mouth.


    Thud


    The boy got mmed into the wooden wall and then raised up in the air. He wasn''t able to see clearly what happened or who the culprit was because he was taken by surprise, but now his view was clear and he was out of his shock state.


    The boy looked down just to feel his soul leave his body. A pair of demons, consisting of a male and a female, were ring at him.


    The male one was holding his mouth, and the female one had just closed the door.


    "MHMM!" The boy was about to use a spell but felt a cold sensation on his chest. He moved his eyes down and saw a dark sword as the obsidian was ced on his chest, and it was slowly pushing into his chest.


    The male demon softly whispered with deadpan eyes. "Hey, little kid. I just want to ask a few questions, so don''t make too much noise or I might send you to your god."

 Chapter 35 Gods And Goddesses

    ?"Hmm..hmm..hmmm...hmmm.." The boy breathed out heavily, trying to calm down his raging heart.


    The boy could feel the honesty and coldness in the demon''s voice.


    These two were, of course, Max and Ravenna. Max saw the boy panicking too much, which made him frown a little as he felt the boy might do something stupid.


    "Ravenna, bind him." Max put the boy down, letting him sit on the bed. Meanwhile, Ravenna made a small opening on her finger, letting the blood flow out and bind the boy, acting as rope.


    Max took the only chair in the room and sat down before the boy, face to face. He leaned forward and asked with a smile. "Let''s start with an introduction. Tell me what your name is?"


    "M- my¡­my¡­" The boy stuttered, not able to speak, still being in fear.


    Max let out a sigh and then said. "Look, just answer truthfully, and I won''t kill you. If you are too scared, then let me introduce ourselves first. This is one of my general, Ravenna, and I am M- ."


    Max halted in speaking of his name; he pondered about what changes might be seen if his name bes public. He was sure once his daughter finds out about his old name, mixing with demons, she might think different things. So, he didn''t want to risk going with this name. For that reason, he used a name that he knew while living in Japan in the past.


    The boy was stumped as to why the man before him stopped suddenly, but he didn''t have to think too much as the man looked into his eyes and said with a smile. "Sorry for that; I forgot that I have a new name that I got recently. My name is Benimaru. Nice to meet you. Now, can you please tell me yours?"


    Ravenna was surprised to see Max using this name, and he wanted to question him about why he did that, but now was not the time.


    She will have to call him Benimaru from now on, and so will others.


    The boy gulped his own saliva and pondered. ''These guys don''t look bad. I heard demons kill humans on sight, but they are doing nothing. Maybe the rumors are wrong.''


    What this boy heard was true, as demons would kill anyone or anything on sight; the only very few exceptions were people like Benimaru and Ravenna, or to say high-ranking demons.


    "My name is¡­" The boy hesitated for a bit before finally blurting out his name. "My name is Nihal."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Nihal, what a nice name! Nihal, can you tell me what your church is about and what god you worship? You see, I am new to this world and very curious about its culture." Max asked with great interest.


    Nihalpletely let lowered his guard after seeing Benimaru being so easygoing, and the girl behind him also had a sweet smile on her face like a sunshine girl next door. So he asked softly. "Can you please free me first? This binding is hurting me, so I hope you can do it."


    "Sure." Benimaru agreed without a second thought. He signaled for Ravenna to take back the binding, which she did, retracting her blood back into her body.


    Nihal rubbed his arms, where the blood rope was binding him, and then said to them. "You guys want to know about the church I worship in. So, let''s start with who this church belongs to."


    "This church is of Ignia, the Goddess of Nature and the Mother of Mana. She is the one who maintains the order of nature and the flow of mana in this world. So, the children and the worshipers under her can have the highest mana control and flow."


    Benimaru and Ravenna were very surprised. Nihal might have only exined a few things about Goddess Ignia, but it already revealed how strong she was. Benimaru further asked. "These children you are talking abou, is that the sea of them I saw outside the church? Were they trying to get some sort of approval from her or something?"


    "Yes." Nihal nodded his head, agreeing with his guess. "The children wille before Goddess Ignia''s statue and connect with her through the help of the priest. Then by dropping a drop of blood in the pond, right before her statue, and showing their devotion, they will get a marking from the Goddess. The marking is a lotus flower, and the amount of patel indicates the favorability of the Goddess and the volume of mana they can contain and absorb."


    Benimaru rubbed his chin, feeling there was more to it, but he wasn''t able to quite put his finger on it. Then he asked. "Did the daughter of the baron alsoe to church to get the goddess''s marking? Because I heard she is very talented, so she didn''t need toe."


    "No, you are wrong." Nihal shook his head and then exined to them. "You see, God and Goddess have the highest authority in this world, even more than the king. If they take a city, small orrge, under their control, then everyone there will have to follow the teachings of that God or Goddess. Because they bring peace and protection to that ce."


    ''Just as I guessed, there is a different social structure, and it determines a ce''s culture.'' Benimaru was surprised to see that his assumption was correct. This also meant his daughter dide here to get the Goddess Ignia''s blessing, which he didn''t mind as it would make him grow stronger.


    Then came the final question that had been bugging Benimaru for a while. He looked at Nihal and spoke with a stoic yet stern face. "Hey, I also heard a nasty rumor about the priest. It is said he does a lot of bad stuff to the young girl Acolytes and some beautiful children?"


    Nihal was taken aback by the sudden change in atmosphere, as it somehow turned gloomy. He could even feel the anger in Benimaru''s calm face.

 Chapter 36 Bearing Benimarus Hatred

    ''What happened to him?'' Nihal looked at Benimaru dumbfounded, as he didn''t expect this change.


    ''And how could such a rumor spread out? I don''t think anyone would have the courage to do so.'' Nihal racked up his brain thinking of such information leaking outside.


    "Having a hard time remembering such things as the priest did?" Benimaru''s sudden voice brought him back to his senses. He saw Benimaru sitting quietly, looking at him, probably waiting for him to remember the events.


    "No, no, I clearly remember and know who he is. I am just sorting out my mind." Nihal said, waving his hands, bbergasted. "The rumors might be true as the priest does have such behaviors. He would favor the young, beautiful acolytes, making them lower their guards and finally conquering them in his chambers. He would also suggest the parents of the children who have beautiful daughters to have their daughters be acolytes of this church in the name of Goddess Ignia. When they grow up and be of age, he would also defile them, and¡­and¡­."


    "And what?" Benimaru asked with a voice that felt devoid of any emotion, only Ravenna could feel the raging anger that Benimaru was holding back in his heart.


    Nihal spoke up what was stuck in his mouth while gritting his teeth. "And he would take some to his chamber when he couldn''t calm down his urges."


    Then the gloomy atmosphere instantly vanished, totally contrary to Ravenna and Nihal''s expectations. Benimaru asked with a slight smile. "Did he try to do that to the baron''s daughter?"


    "Uhhh.. she came to the church when I first joined. So I can vividly remember what had happened." Nihal, despite being dumbfounded, told him everything. "The priest did get riled up after seeing Princess Ana, as her beauty was truly unparalleled in the region, but he didn''t do anything as he was very scared of Baron Arash and his family. That was also the day I found his true identity and nature, as I had yet to blindly believe in anything."


    Thap


    Benimaru suddenly patted Nihal''s shoulder and stood up. He looked down at Nihal. "Thank you for your cooperation. You are a good boy but too good to do anything, to bring a change. So, rest now."


    Nahil looked at Benimaru''s eyes, trying to understand what he meant, but the moment their eyes made contact, Nihal''s eyes turned nk, and he slumped into the bed.


    [ Illusion Bind ], Benimaru finally used this ability to let Nihal fall into an illusion for a second. He made a follow-up event where the Goddess Ignia descended and fought him to death, thus finally saving the city. She showed her condemnation toward Nihal for not letting the priest''s atrocitye to light and mixing with demons before leaving.


    Benimaru was sure that would let Nihal think he had a premonition from the goddess, and for that reason, he might try to find a way to let the truth about the prieste out and not talk about talking to him and Ravenna.


    Walking on the streets with their cloaks on, Ravenna asked Benimaru. "Why did you change your name?"


    Benimaru exined his reasoning, which Ravenna heartily understood. "I hope you call me by this name now."


    "Sure, Lord¡­Benimaru." Ravenna gave a slight chuckle, blocking her mouth.


    Benimaru alsoughed along with her, raising the corner of his mouth.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Also, what will we do with the church now?" Ravenna nced at Benimaru''s face, knowing what he might be thinking after hearing what he asked from Nihal earlier.


    "We will uproot this church," Benimaru answered her with a big, innocent smile.


    "Hehehe, I knew you would do that." Ravenna guessed it, knowing how much Benimaru loved his daughter. He could go to drastic lengths just to do anything to harm the culprits who would show up with malicious intentions toward her.


    "I do not know what Ana is up to or where she is now, but I am sure she will gloat toward the priest when she hears what her father is going to do," Ravenna said with wonder while looking at Benimaru in a daze; only she knew what was going on in her heart.


    However, Benimaru didn''t pay attention to what Ravenna was going through, but mentioning his daughter made him think of her. "I believe wherever she is now, she is doing well."


    "So, we should do our stuff, I believe we will see her in the future, and I will introduce you to her." Benimaru turned his head around and met with Ravenna''s eyes, which were intensely looking at him. He called her, bringing her out of her daze. "Ravenna?"


    "Uhh,, I was just wondering how our paths might cross, I hope your daughter likes me." Ravenna fluttered a little, then came up with an answer quickly.


    "I am sure she will do." Benimaru headed toward the gate of the city. "Let''s go to the base, I think they have done enough mining."


    "Yes," Ravenna nodded her head and then followed along with him, tossing away the feeling she was having right now.


    ¡­


    Thousands of kilometers away from Migotanie City.


    A row of luxurious carriages was moving up a lush green valley that was squeezed by two mountains that were four thousand meters in height, respectively.


    Inside one of these carriages were a group of young boys and girls, most of them being at the age of sixteen.


    Among them was a young girl who stood out the most. She had white hair, while her root hair was oceanic blue. Her eyes wererge and bright, with longshes and a deep, captivating gaze, and her deep sapphire-colored eyes reflected her calmness. Her features were delicately shaped, with high cheekbones, a small nose, and a perfectly shaped mouth. Her lips were soft and full, with a natural pout that seemed to invite admiration. Her figure was slender and graceful. Her long blue gown with a fluttering skirt enhanced her beauty more.


    She was none other than Benimaru and Baron Arash''s daughter, Ana Silveria.

 Chapter 37 Ana Silveria

    "Miss Ana, care to introduce yourself fully to us?" Ana, who was looking at the passing scenery outside that was of lush green and mountainous, had her attention grabbed by a boy''s voice.


    Ana turned her head and saw that the boy opposite her was looking at her with a smile. She remembered she had only said her name earlier when they both met each other in this carriage. From her memory, she remembered this boy''s name being Marley.


    She looked to her side and saw the rest of the people carefully. One of them was a girl who was sitting beside her, having the same hair color as the boy before her, which was ck. She then shifted her focus to the remaining boy who was sitting beside Marley.


    This one had a noticeable feature that caught her interest. The boy had silver, messy hair, and he was wearing a ck, royal outfit, which didn''t match with his hair, as all royals were very serious about their appearance. In addition to that, the royal outfit he was wearing wasn''t fully buttoned, which showed the white shirt under it that wasn''t properly tucked in the pants either. The way he was sleeping, with his arms crossed and his head hanging down, indicated to Ana that this boy would be troublesome.


    After finishing the survey of her surroundings, Ana properly introduced herself. "Greetings everyone, I am Ana Silveria, daughter of Arash Silveria and Vienna Silveria. I am from Migotanie City."


    "Oh, you are from Migotanie City? I am from the city next to it, Ggar City." The girl beside Ana suddenly spoke, right after her introduction. Ana nced at her with interest in finding someone who was closer to her.


    The girl could feel Ana''s emotion, despite her trying her hardest to hide it. She said it with a smile. "Oh, I forgot to properly introduce who I am. I am Lily Tarakov, daughter of Fiarta Tarakov."


    "Really? I didn''t expect to meet Uncle Fiarta''s daughter. It''s nice to meet you. You should have told me who you were earlier." Light appeared in Ana''s eyes.


    Lily became a bit embarrassed and said. "I am shy around strangers, so I don''t talk much."


    "Uh¡­You are the same as me, I also stay quiet around strangers." Ana spoke with a slight pout, trying to express her pain.


    Then they started talking to each other about other stuff, quickly bing close friends. They totally ignored Marley, who wanted to know Ana''s information first.


    Marley quickly got out of his dumbfoundedness and asked them. "Cough, excuse me. You should not hang people when you are in the middle of a conversation with them."


    Ana, who was about to ask Lily how her uncle Fiarta was but got cut off by Marley.


    Ana looked at Marley and said, feeling a slight shame. "Sorry, I got carried away, but I don''t think I was talking to you. It was you who wanted to know about me, and I already said it."


    In the first half, Marley nodded in satisfaction upon seeing a beautiful girl apologize to him, but in the second half, he became dumbfounded once again. He screamed inside his head. ''Then why did you even apologize!?''


    Calming himself down, Marley asked what he thought was most important to him. "Care to tell what noble rank your fathers are?"


    Ana and Lily looked at each other, feeling the question rather odd. But still, they decided to answer, which Lily did on behalf of Ana. "Both of our fathers are barons."


    Just as she said that, Marley''s face contorted into hideousness as if he was disgusted by something.


    ''From her looks and attire, I thought she would be at least the daughter of an earl, but she is just a daughter of a lowly baron.'' Marley''s face then turned into arrogance, and he said while looking down at Ana and Lily. "You two are daughters of barons; that exins your behavior, don''t know how to act before others. As expected of country bumkins."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Ana frowned deeply while Lily looked down in shame.


    The ones who were selected to enroll in the royal academy were told to gather at a certain ce, where the carriages sent by the academy would take them away. From marquesses to barons, daughters, and sons would have to gather at their nearby earl''s ce. Only exceptions being the dukes and kings offsprings. They could go directly to the academy at any moment.


    So, it was expected that something like this skirmish could happen.


    Ana and Lily had both heard of their fathers'' warnings about the ss discrimination, but they didn''t expect it to be like this.


    Ana looked at Marley and didn''t say anything, as she hated unnecessary troubles. Instead, she turned her face away and chatted with Lily about some personal stuff and what she was doing, diverting Lily''s emotions too and letting her ignore such things.


    "Tsk," Marley sneered silently, seeing them not even fight back.


    Meanwhile, the boy beside him was still sleeping, without any care for the world.


    Marley also showed his disgust toward this unknown boy, seeing his messy attire. ''This guy is more country bumpkin than these two girls. What did I do that I had to be in the same carriage as them? I want to make a connection with those beautiful daughters of earls and marquesses.''


    Marley brooded over his trash luck in his mind, feeling like his life was close to ending.


    At that moment, Ana''s eyes widened, and the boy who was sleeping had his shot open. They both stood up simultaneously and looked at their surroundings with a frown.


    Lily and Marley were both stumped by their sudden action.


    "What happened, Ana?" Lily asked curiously, as she was very confused.


    "What is wrong with you? Didn''t your parents teach you a single shred of anything? Why are you acting like animals that just sensed danger?" Marley blew himself out.


    Ana and the boy then looked down at Marley, ring at him as they were both mad at him for insulting their parents.


    Ana said with an icy-cold voice. "Shut up, you no-brain chicken."


    Ana''s insult might havee off as civilized, as she didn''t have the habit of cursing, but that wasn''t the case with the boy.


    The boy looked down at Marley with the veins on his forehead twitching, looking like he was really annoyed and might do anything to remove it."You donkey fucker, if I hear a single thinging out of your mouth, I might shove an eggnt of a horse in that shitty mouth to fix your brain."

 Chapter 38 Hueg

    "Ahhh..." Marley was out of words after hearing this unknown boy''s cursing, as were Ana and Lily. They had never heard anyone say such things before.


    Still, Marley got his wits back, knowing he was superior to them in status. "How Dare-"


    He wasn''t able to finish his sentence, but suddenly their carriage came to a halt, making him almost fall off his seat.


    Lily was also about to, but Ana was there to hold her from falling of the seat.


    "Ahhh... I hate this. I thought I could at least have a good sleep before attending this stupid academy." The boy rubbed the back of his head, saying it with annoyance.


    "Let''s go outside, we have a serious issue on our hands." Ana sternly warned Lily and was then ready to take her outside.


    "Huh?" The boy, who was conflicted about going outside but got surprised to see Ana take Lily out encouragingly. "Oi, are you really going to sweat over something like this?"


    "Yes, I will go outside, I can''t put my life in the hands of others." Ana gave a side nce at the boy then left, saying. "Also, you should not advise what others should do. You are a stranger that I don''t even know your name of."


    The boy got stumped by that. He let out a sigh of helplessness and then walked out too. "She is right, that was excessive of me, and I can''t also put my life in other people''s hands. Let me go outside to map out an escape route."


    Marley was also curious about such actions from them, so he also went outside to check.


    Just as he came outside of the carriage, his eyes met with rows and rows of beasts emerging out of the woods. He looked around in panic, and just like them, many carriages had also stopped and had their fellow ssmatesing out.


    Marley stood behind his carriage''s group, not knowing what to do in such a situation. From what he could see, they were ambushed and surrounded from all directions. ''Where are the teachers? Weren''t they supposed toe with us? Why are we all alone?''


    Like Marley, many people were brooding over this fact. They were born with a golden spoon, and many had to face zero hardship, which is now showing. Even before tackling the issue, they had already given up.


    "Man, I have the worst luck today. There is not even a single escape route." Meanwhile, the boy beside Ana brooded over other things.


    Ana gave a weird nce at the boy, then quickly retracted it.


    "Oi," The boy pointed his finger at Ana, catching her nce. He said it with righteousness. "What is this? Are you seeing me as a weird guy? This is pure bigotry!"


    Ana''s veins on her forehead finally twitched after hearing this boy spouting nonsense again. She turned around and tried to preach to the boy with anger but failed to do so; instead, she acted cute. "Can you shut up your mouth?"


    "Ahhh.." The boy was left speechless, as he didn''t know what to say to such cute venting. So, he acted like a gentleman, he put his right hand on his chest and bowed a little. "I am sorry, miss."


    ''This guy...'' Ana didn''t expect he would give in so quickly and in such an unconventional way.


    The groups beside them saw their charade and discussed it with unfavorable impressions.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "What is wrong with those two? They are having a couple''s quarrel in such a situation."


    "These guys have no shame. Watch them die first."


    These words entered Ana and the other trio''s ears. Lily came in the middle of them and decided to sort things out. "You guys, now is not the ce for this. The beasts are approaching; we should defend ourselves first."


    Ana and the boy decided to stop it too, as they saw through the corner of their eyes that the beasts were dashing toward them.


    Ana looked at the beasts before her and asked the boy. "What is your name? I can''t have a nameless boy protecting my back."


    "First of all, you don''t have to insult me by calling me like that." The boy stretched his arms and said with a calm posture totally different from his past self. "Also, my name is Hueg Kurgast, it''s nice to meet you. What are your guys?"


    "I am Ana Silveria, and she is my friend, Lily Tarakov." Ana said, nodding her head as she introduced them both.


    "I see." Hueg nodded his head and then took out a double-edged sword from his storage ring.


    Like every other fantasy world, this world also had storage rings, as that was the best method to carry items and necessary belongings.


    Marley, who was behind, got totally ignored by them. But he didn''t say anything as these guys were in front and could be used as meat shields for him. ''These fools.''


    Lily took out a wooden wand, bracing herself by going behind Hueg as it looked like he was the only one who could fight in close range; she didn''t know about Marley''s case and didn''t even care about it.


    Ana nced at every beast, analyzing what type of element they possessed and their characteristics. ''Forest Gale Tiger, Forest Python, Dire Bear, and Giant Bat. These are just basic-level monsters that could be found just by entering the forest. Taking them out one on one would be easy, but they are in a giant group. This will be hard.''


    ''The Forest Gale Tiger will attack from long range, the Forest Python is not much as its ability mostly works inside the forest, and the Dire Bear will be the first hurdle as their thick fur and sharp ws will be a big issue. Last but not least, Giant Bat, these things would sneak attack.''


    Just as Ana finished her analysis, the beasts were already close to them. She made a hand gesture that was like a finger gun and aimed at the beasts. Resting her thumb scope on the six beasts head, she whispered silently. " [ Star Revolver ]"


    Just as she said that, six miniature white balls appeared behind her and then shot toward the six beasts, like a beam.


    Puchi(6)


    With only one trick, Ana took down multiple beasts, and from the looks of her face, it looked like she had more left in her.


    Ana silently said it in her mind. ''Papa, I hope you are watching me.''

 Chapter 39 Anas Path

    ***


    Ana Silveria, despite acting calm and quiet, was hiding away strong emotions deep inside her heart.


    Right after being born in this world, she was surrounded by strangers. She would cry and live in constant fear and nervousness.


    She was a small child being reborn in another world as a baby; for her, this was a bizarre concept that she was only able to learn after growing up.


    She stopped crying and began to ept her new parents, with whom she had to live from now on. Fortunately for Ana, Arash and Vienna were both doting and caring parents. She was able to get along with them, learning many things from them.


    However, Ana still had the desire to meet her true father, Max.


    So, when she was eight years old, she asked Arash. "Father, can we bring people back from the dead?"


    Arash, who was reading a book, was stumped to hear thising from his young daughter, as no eight-year-old would question about death. Still, he answered his daughter with a big smile. "Ana, I do not know anything about bringing people back from the dead, or maybe because I am just a small baron because of that, I do not hold such information."


    Ana''s face saddened, and she looked down with a slight depression, which made Arash''s heart quake. So, he quickly came up with something that he knew a little about. "Actually, there might be someone who could."


    "Who?" Ana''s head shot up and she looked at Arash''s eyes eagerly.


    "God," Arash pointed his finger up. "Gods and Goddesses who reside in the high heavens. They have the power to bring people back from the dead. But unfortunately, we can''t be gods or ask them to do such things."


    Ana''s face was about to be gloomy again, but Arash''s sudden enthusiastic voice broke it.


    "However! I heard that if you can reach a certain realm that is just below god, then you can ask god to do anything for you."


    Ana''s eyes sparkled with firmness as she found the hope and goal she had in this life. She had seen the magical powers of this world, so she believed it was possible.


    Arash rubbed his daughter''s head, ruffling her wellbed hair, and asked. "Was I of any help?"


    Ana hugged Arash''s legs and said with a big smile on her face. "You were, father."


    "I am d." Arash''s heart was soothed, feeling the affection from Ana. He was very worried at the start as Ana would always cry and would not want to be hugged or touched by anyone, not even him and Vienna. ''It looks like I was worrying for nothing.''


    Like that, Ana started her journey to be a strong mage right after awakening her mana pool in her heart. Because she was able to use a rare magic element, which was star magic, she was easily enrolled in the royal academy.


    Ana was from Earth; she had seen many spectacles and weird things on TV despite being young. So, she was able to achieve many things using star magic with her wild imaginations.


    [ Star Revolver ]


    This spell was something Ana made after getting mesmerized by Max''s shooting skills.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Ana aimed her fingers at beasts that tried to approach them and killed them easily with white beams, which came from the white mana balls that constantly came out of her and revolved behind her.


    Hueg, who was preparing himself, was surprised by Ana''s power, he could feel the lethality of the beams, and the speed at which they shot was hard to dodge against. However, Hueg didn''t get too worried about her but was filled with excitement. ''This will be fun.''


    Marley, Lily, and the people in their surroundings were also surprised by her powers. Especially Marley, as he was sure he would easily get killed if he fought against her. ''This can''t be!? I am someone from a Viscount''s family, and she is from a Baron''s. How can she be stronger than me?''


    Ana didn''t care about what anyone thought; all she had on her mind was clearing these obstacles that were blocking her path. At that moment, she saw many beasts approaching them¡ªonly a few meters apart¡ªwhich she couldn''t kill; she only had a few shots to take in this spell.


    Ana said this to Hueg without turning her head. "Will you do something now?"


    "Yes, I was just watching how others y," Hueg said with a smirk and then took a step forward.


    Step


    Just as Hueg took that step, he vanished from his spot and arrived beside a Forest Gale Tiger. He swung his sword down¡ªthat was filled with green-colored mana¡ªat the Forest Gale Tiger''s neck, severing its head in one go.


    However, a wind-sted out from his sword in the shape of a crescent moon, injuring the Forest Python that was beside the Forest Gale Tiger by surprise.


    " [ Flurry of Wind ] " Hueg''s spell, which shot wind in a crescent shape from his sword.


    At that moment, a giant bear paw came swinging down at Hueg.


    " [ Wind Thrusts ] " Hueg used another spell, having wind shot out of his feet, having him shoot up in the air, dodging the Dire Bear''s paw.


    Hueg in the sky, looking down at the Dire Bear which was below him and used [ Flurry of Wind ], leaving only a deep scar on top of its skin.


    "Tsk." Hueg scoffed a little but didn''t get too disappointed as he expected such a result as Dire Bear was known for their thick fur.


    In the sky, Hueg flipped his sword in his hand, like doing a trick to showcase for the audience. But that wasn''t true as Hueg, who was holding his sword backward with its point pointed backward, pushed his sword.


    Puchi!


    Hueg''s sword pierced a Giant Bat''s chest by surprise, which wanted to take Hueg by surprise in the first ce.


    Hueg twisted his sword and swung his sword diagonally with [ Flurry of Wind ], sting off the Giant Bat''s right side of the shoulder.


    "KRAA!" It fell down with a scream, and Hueg too.


    Hueg, still using [ Flurry of Wind ] came crashing down on the Dire Bear below him while swinging his body like a Beyde.


    BANG

 Chapter 40 Saved

    BANG


    Hueg severed the Dire Bear''s body in half, killing itpletely, and he wasn''t just done with this. He dashed around the field like a breeze of wind which killed anything that got touched by it.


    Ana, who was also killing the beasts, watched the silver-haired boy dance wildly amidst the beasts with unpredictable movements, killing everything that was before him. She could see a big grin on Hueg''s calm-looking face, indicating he was enjoying himself.


    Ana didn''t just focus on Hueg, she was also looking at her surroundings, carefully assessing herpetitors.


    Ana saw Lily¡ªwho was beside her¡ªraising her staff and creating a giant wallpletely made of water. It was five meters in radius and four meters tall. " [ Small River''s Protection ] "


    Ana became surprised when she saw her attacks easily passing through the wall, but the beasts that luckily came in front of them got blocked by that wall.


    "Good Job, Lily." Ana praised Lily for making such a useful barrier. Lily just smiled at her while strongly holding her staff up, trying to keep the barrier up to the maximum output.


    Seeing her struggle, Ana used another spell that she felt was needed now. She pointed her right palm at the beasts as a white light started glowing on her palm. " [ Star Spike Burst ] "


    A white ball made of her mana shot out of her palm and galloped amidst the beasts. The moment it came to the center, the ball exploded, creating multiple smaller versions of itself that spread all around the ce.


    The moment these small white balls came into contact with beasts, white spikes burst out of them, piercing anything. A plethora of white urchins immediately covered the field, grabbing everyone''s attention.


    A couple of secondster, these white urchins turned into specks of light, vanishing into the air, leaving behind the dead bodies of the beasts.


    "This¡­This¡­" Marley stuttered after witnessing Ana''s show of strength, stumbling backwards and almost falling to the ground on his butts. He had never witnessed someone of his peers doing such feats.


    Lily was also surprised to see Ana''s strength. She had never met with Ana in person because of personal reasons, but she had heard from her father about Ana who was very hardworking and dedicated to learning magic and growing stronger. Her father would always praise Ana every time he came back from Arash''s ce.


    So, Lily had always been curious about Ana''s strength, and now witnessing it in person made her believe her father.


    "Who is she? I have never heard of someone like her?"


    "Me neither, but that doesn''t matter, should we go ask for her help?"


    "Hmph, no need to. We can solve this ourselves."


    Many marveled at Ana''s strength, and some wanted to ask her to help them, but they were children of nobles, they were born with arrogance.


    How could they lower their heads to some stranger?


    However, these didn''t matter to Ana, as she only cared about her and Lily''s wellbeing. She just dropped her hand down, and Hueg''s irritated voice came.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Oi! Were you secretly trying to kill me?" Hueg came walking toward her while rubbing his right cheek. Ana noticed a trace of blood where Hueg was rubbing, but after Hueg removed his hands, there was no injury that could indicate that blood.


    Truthfully, it was healed, and that blood was from the scar that Hueg got because of Ana''sst attack as he was in the middle of that beast horde.


    "Sorry." Ana nonchntly answered Hueg.


    "You''re definitely not sorry!" Hueg pointed his finger and yelled with justice.


    Ana just gave a side re at him and didn''t say anything. Instead, she shifted her attention to other sides, where she could see various types of skills and abilities being utilized in many people''s hands.


    However, contrary to Ana''s expectations, not everyone was as good as Hueg. But that didn''t make her lower her expectations of not finding proper opponents in the academy, as she could feel strong mana signatures fluctuating far away.


    Marley, who wanted to say something at that moment, started feeling heavy goosebumps all over his body. He turned his head back, just to see a giant Dire Bear smashing out of their carriage.


    Bang


    Behind the Dire Bear were a bunch of young kids lying on the ground with injuries all over their bodies, and the Dire Bear wasn''t the only beasting in his direction; there were many others!


    Marley got so mentally shocked that he forgot to defend himself by attacking the Dire Bear and instead grabbed Lily, who had her guard lowered. He shoved her before him, trying to make her a meat shield.


    At that moment, Lily, Hueg, and Ana reacted to the situation. Lily''s eyes were horrified to see the shadow of a huge bear pawing toward her while showing its shiny, glistening ws.


    Hueg and Ana subconsciously moved. Hueg used [ Wind Thrusts ] to its fullest, arriving just in the nick of time to see the Dire Bear paw before his face. Meanwhile, Ana had used [ Star Revolver ] to deflect the attack for them.


    Bam


    Ana''s all six star beams shot at the same time and shed with the Dire Bear''s paw, which was just about to make contact with Hueg''s sword, which eventually resulted in the Dire Bear''s right front arm getting destroyed, making it stumble backwards.


    Hueg took this as a chance and used [ Flurry of Wind ], killing the Dire Bear in front and the potential offensive beasts around it.


    "Phew~" Hueg sighed in relief and then looked behind him at Lily, who was wiping the sweat off her forehead. He asked with concern. "Are you okay?"


    "Yes," Lily nodded her head. "And thank you for saving me."


    Then she looked behind to thank Ana too, but saw Ana standing before Marley, who was slumped onto the ground.


    Ana aimed her fingers at Marley below like she was holding a gun and said, looking down at Marley with an icy cold re. "Die."

 Chapter 41 Second Invasion

    "No! Don''t kill me, or your family won''t be able to live peacefully!" Marley quickly threatened Ana with his familial power.


    Surprisingly, it did work. Ana showed hesitation on her face. Arash and Vienna might be a new family to Ana, but they were indeed her family. She had also grown affectionate toward them because of how doting they were toward her. She couldn''t do anything that could put her family in harm''s way.


    Ana was very angry at Marley for using Lily as a meat shield, who was her only friend, but it seems like she has to halt her revenge for her. Lily also saw Ana''s expression and understood her, so she nodded her head at her, saying it was okay.


    Ada calmed her mind down and took a step back. Seeing this brought the arrogance inside Marley back. He started getting up from the ground while saying something to Ana with a smug smile. "Hehe, I have to remind you, of your ce every time. So patheti-"


    Marley wasn''t able to fully finish his sentence when he felt a metallic coldness on his nape. He wanted to turn back and see who it was, but he knew if he moved just a little, his nape would get cut by the metallic de.


    "You are right. It is indeed pathetic to remind the lowlifes of their ce." Hueg''s voice, devoid of any emotion, entered Marley''s ears.


    Ana and Lily were surprised by Hueg''s action, as they did not understand his courage. Ana looked at Hueg, who was cing the tip of his sword right on Marley''s nape, with an emotionless face.


    Despite being in such a situation, Marley lost his rationality and asked with anger. "Who are you calling a lowlife?"


    "I am calling you. Your idiotic behavior is really annoying me." Hueg said it with an irritated voice. "I know how you are so confident because you are from a Viscount family, right?"


    Before Marley showed any sign of being surprised, Hueg spoke. "Don''t be surprised, I only know you because I remembered that greedy Viscounting to my 14th birthday with his arrogant son. You were truly a brave youngling to speak haughtily with the earl, my father."


    "Huh?" Marley was initially confused after receiving this information in his head, but in a matter of a few seconds, he was able to deduce what Hueg wanted to imply. He said it while stuttering. "You highness¡­.Hu¡­Hueg¡­it''s¡­you..?"


    "Oh¡­its great that you remember me. It will be a nice way of sending you to the afterlife, knowing you died under the hands of your superior." Hueg said with a big grin and swung his sword to behead Marley, not even considering any kind of consequences.


    Ana''s eyes widened in shock upon seeing it. She knew this would spell aplete disaster, Marley''s family might not do anything to Hueg as he is the son of the earl, but they would surely try to harass her and Lily''s in some way or another.


    But at that moment, a loud scream resounded that brought the whole road to silence, even halting Hueg''s sword and saving Marley from getting killed.


    Everyone looked in the direction and saw the beasts that were attacking the students being killed from behind. Everyone was also able to see the source of that scream. It came from a boy who was fighting at close range against the beasts.


    Currently, he was lying on the ground, clutching his left arm joint, where blood was spraying nonstop ¡ª which was severed by a weapon.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Hueg''s face turned stern, looking at the newly emerged enemies. "You are lucky." After saying that, Hueg walked forward, leaving behind Marley, who was breathing heavily.


    Hueg stood beside Ana and asked. "What do you think of the situation?"


    Ana gave onest nce at her surroundings and gave her assessment. "I feel like we are being tested."


    "Oh, it looks like you also picked it up." Hueg gave Ana a surprised look as if he wasn''t expecting Ana to be this smart.


    However, Ana just rolled her eyes back at Hueg and instead listened to Lily''s question, who was beside her now. "What did you pick up, Ana?"


    "Do you see any dead bodies among the students?" Ana didn''t answer her directly but asked back first.


    Lily was surprised by Ana''s question and looked around her. Indeed, just as Ana said, there were no dead bodies of any students, and the boy whose arm got cut off also could not be seen, it was as if they all had vanished.


    "The reason I said we are being tested, forgetting about the disappearance of the dead bodies first, is because there are no bodyguards. There are many scions here, from earl to baron. The academy wouldn''t want them to get killed or ambushed by enemies, and we don''t have to say anything about the royal families. Lastly, the sudden beast horde attack was too coincidental, and this new demon horde attack is too good to be coincidental." Ana calmly stated her reason, to which Lily nodded her head, understanding her.


    Lily was just suspicious of not having any guards, but she felt it was normal to not have guards in the academy, and she didn''t know anything about this type of horde-type attack because she had spent most of her life inside the castle, never leaving outside.


    "So let''spete to see who can beat that Demon Knight." Hueg invited Ana with a smirk while pointing at the giant humanoid-looking demon, walking behind the demon horde.


    Ana also looked at the demon knight, who had a skinny, dark-skinned body. It had sharp ws and bony wings. Its jagged jaws were visible with a smirk on its face. It had no hair on its head or body, just a pair of horns on its head.


    "That looks like a tier-2 demon knight, Corruptor. Do you think we can take it down?" Ana asked skeptically.


    Hueg just rubbed the back of his head and said something, shrugging his shoulders. "I do not know; I never fought one, but don''t you think it is the best situation to try one."


    Ana didn''t say anything, just silently agreed with Hueg. She also wanted to go all out against a strong demon that was above her strength.

 Chapter 42 Teachers And Academy

    "Lily, provide support from the back." Ana dashed toward the demon horde after saying that to Lily.


    Hueg also followed Ana and then, in a matter of seconds, left her behind.


    Lily nodded her head and prepared herself, but all of a sudden, a realization struck her. ''She is a mage too. Why is she going close range?''


    There was no one to answer Lily''s doubt, so she tossed it aside. She didn''t have to watch her back as another group of students were defending it.


    " [ Wind Thrusts ] " Hueg cut a straight line in the demon horde, not even breaking a sweat to kill these low-level demons.


    Meanwhile, Ana analyzed the situation once again. ''That is a tier-2 demon knight, and from the energy signature, it looks like it is at the 1st Stage Fleshcrafting Realm. I and Hueg are both in the 8th Stage Apprentice Realm, and I can tell from Hueg that his body is filled with mana, not the vital energy that warriors possess. On the other hand, Lily is in the 7th Stage Apprentice Realm. We might not be enough to take this thing down, but that doesn''t mean we can''t give it a try.''


    ''However, let''s clear these mobs first, or they might be an obstruction in the future.'' Ana shifted her focus from the Corruptor to the low-level demons ¡ª to clean them up from the field.


    ¡­


    Somewhere deep into the forest, a mountain could be seen kissing the edge of this forest.


    On its ridge were a group of mature men and women in schr''s robes, sitting on their respectable chairs.


    "Looks like some kids have found out." A bored man with a thick beard said it nonchntly, looking at the battle that was taking ce in the distance. He was Greg, one of the teachers in the academy. He had ck hair and tight muscles underneath his robe. He was a 6th Stage Bloodline Strengthening Realm, a Warrior.


    "Duh, it is not much of a secret anyway. People with brains can find it out." A voluptuous woman, who was having a hard time hiding her figure even in such a loose robe, rolled her eyes backwards at Greg. She was Cynthia, also one of the teachers in the academy. She had blonde hair, brown eyes, and a face that bloomed with maturity. She was a 4th Stage Master Realm, a Witch.


    Cynthia looked at the woman beside her, who had a calm face and was smiling below at the fight that was urring. Cynthia asked. "Hey, Monia. Care to tell me why you were so hell-bent on sending the demon knights we were saving?"


    Monia, the woman sitting beside Cynthia, replied."I just want to see how good the new batch of students are. We were having basic geniuses these past years despite the Star Shower of Prosperity urring. If we find good ones, we will nurture them fully. You do know our branch of the academy is declining. We might get severe resource reductions if this keeps going on."


    Monia was also a teacher at the academy, but she was in the senior category. She had a smaller body than Cynthia, and she had light blue hair. She was a 9th Stage Master Realm, a Ice Mage. She knows a lot of insider stuff that the people around her do not know now.


    Monia was tasked with this year''s selection, and she would do anything to bring the fame back to her branch.


    The academy was mainly located in the Central Capital, where the King resides. Because of the increasing number of people each year¡ªin the past¡ªthe king decided to separate it into three branches called The Three Arms of EverGreen Academy of EverGreen Region.


    Students from all sses, from royals to peasants, could enroll in these three arms, which were located in the three Duke''s Kingdoms. Then the people who would perform exponentially could enter the Main Arm of the academy, in the King''s Kingdom.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    The people under the age of 23 who could enter the top 500 of the dragon ranking could enter the Main Academy, where resources were abundant.


    Thest man, who was beside Greg, nodded his head to Monia''s concern. "Senior Monia, your concerns are truly valid, and it looks like we are getting some good and rare geniuses."


    This man looked considerably younger than the others here. He had red hair and ruby like eyes. He looked innocent yet arrogant at the same time. He was Vik, a 1st Stage Master Realm, Fire Warlock.


    Vik then looked in another direction, where a bunch of students were getting healed. "But to think that you could bring our branch''s top genius with those same words."


    Monia just smiled and didn''t answer Vik''s question.


    Vik was referring to the one who was escorting the injured students away. This top genius was called Asher, a genius Space Battle Mage who was in the 1st Stage Master Realm.


    ¡­


    "Huuh~" Hueg stood on the ground and let out a deep breath. He looked ahead at the Corruptor who was just looking at them nkly and not doing anything. "I guess this guy is arrogant."


    "Yes." Ana agreed with Hueg, so did Lily, who was behind them.


    They could feel strong energy signaturesing from other ces, indicating the fight against demon knights had already begun, but here was the exception.


    Ana nced at Lily and Hueg, asking them with slight concern. "Can you guys handle it?"


    She was worried because they got exhausted cleaning up their surroundings and the other students didn''te to help them, instead backed away, which resulted in the other demon rushing toward them ¡ª having them clear six to eight blocks of carriage worth of demons.


    "Heh! You underestimate me too much, little girl." Hueg said with a big smirk, readying himself to rush forward.


    "Yes, this is nothing." Lily also bravely said.


    Ana didn''t know why, but she felt a certain feeling in her heart¡ªfun, exhration, bonding, trust¡ªthat she had not felt fully in her past life.


    Ana also removed her ice-cold expression and said it with a smile. "Let''s give it our all."

 Chapter 43 Fighting The Corruptor

    On Ana''s side, a woman was hiding secretly under the branches of the trees, carefully assessing this side of the field.


    She was the judge of this side, carefully noting everything. Currently, her main focus is on Ana, Hueg, and Lily''s fight.


    The other students beside them had distanced themselves away, resting on the ground and silently watching how they would fight.


    For this bravery, Ana and others already made her add points beside their names. ''d, there are courageous people this year. These royal children are all cowards. Well, that is expected of them, being sheltered from everything.''


    Then she assessed the probability of Ana and others winning against the Corruptor. ''That girl named Lily has great control over water magic. She only used a defensive spell earlier, and no attack spell has yet to be used by her. Will have to see what she has more of in her.''


    ''And this ruffian-looking guy is called Hueg, He is the son of Earl Hayden Stormwind. Can''t believe a son of an earl would have such etiquette. But he is a great fighter for a battle mage. Battle mages are a shame to the mage profession in general, but the fact he picked this ss speaks of his character. I feel he has one more thing up his sleeve.''


    ''Now,st but not least, Ana. She is a big surprise this year. She can use star magic, which is extremely rare, and her use of spells is totally unseen. Maybe she might have what our academy needs this year.''


    Mentioning Ana made the judge fully forget to assess her ability, on which she was not to me as star magic users were truly rare in this world.


    As the judge silently watched the fight that was about to ur, there was also someone watching secretly like her, for entirely different reasons.


    ¡­


    Hueg dashed forward without saying a word. He used [ Flurry of Wind ] while running, trying to distract the Corruptor before he came close to it.


    The Corruptor just gave a creepy, cynical smile at Hueg''s attack and uttered it with a hoarse voice. "Disappear."


    It looked like there was some kind of magic in Corruptor''s voice, as the moment it said that, the crescent-shaped wind attacks vanished into thin air.


    Hueg''s eyes widened in deep shock as he had never encountered something like that, and now that creepy smile on its face started to give Hueg some chills on the back of his spine.


    He halted his steps and ran around, attacking with [ Flurry of Wind ].


    But that was to no avail, as it would just utter the word ¨C disappear ¨C to nullify his attacks.


    Ana, who was far away, shouted at Hueg. "Hueg! That is a Corruptor. Anything it says will happen, but there is a restriction on the limit of that power. You should mainly worry about its physical skill, as it is also great at it."


    Just after Ana finished saying that, she shot [ Star Revolver ], which also vanished after it uttered the word ¨C disappear ¨C again.


    Ana had not only trained her entire life but also studied diligently. She had read many books and knew a lot of stuff about this world, so finding out what kind of demon the one in front of her, was nothing to her.


    Hueg pondered deeply. ''This thing is also great physically, but that doesn''t mean I can''t just fight it at long range. I have to get close; that is where I shine.''


    With [ Wind Thrust ], Hueg zoomed before the Corruptor and swung his sword. His sword shed down on it at a fast speed, getting boosted by wind.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    This still didn''t make the Corruptor have a change in its expression, it just had that same creepy smile on its face and uttered. "Stop."


    At that moment, Hueg''s body came to a halt in the air, and his face contracted as he felt some invisible force controlling him.


    The Corruptor shoved his right w at Hueg''s face, trying to rip it apart.


    Time seemed to slow down for Hueg as he felt his death approaching gradually.


    Bang!


    At that moment, a white streak galloped through the air and hit the Corruptor''s right w, blowing it to smithereens.


    Hueg felt his body being freed, and he quickly retreated back. The Corruptor got angry seeing its arms getting destroyed. It looked at the direction of the attack and saw a white haired girl sping both of her hands and aiming both index fingers at it.


    [ Star Caliber ], this was the name of this spell. It was like a sniper, which was one shot but with great pration and destructive capability. This was shown through the Corruptor''s shattered arm and the trees behind it having giant holes in them or some getting destroyed.


    The Corruptor looked at Ana angrily, as if it wanted to tear her apart.


    Ana was now kneeling on the ground on her right knee with her shaky hands. This was the first time she had tried this spell at full power, and it took a toll on her hands. ''I guess I have to exercise more.''


    The Corruptor red at Ana and aimed its right arm at her. It growled softly. "Come."


    Ana''s eyes widened as she felt her body getting pulled toward the Corruptor by some kind of force. But she didn''t panic; instead, she said it with a smirk on her face. "Look below, you ugly demon."


    The Corruptor didn''t understand what Ana meant but still looked below, curious. It saw a giant blue magic circle underneath its feet.


    Lily, who was far away, had her staff raised up, and sweat could be seen running down her body. She said this, gritting her teeth. " [ Jaws of Sea Predator ] "


    Just as those words came out of Lily''s mouth, a giant shark like beast''s maws emerged out of the blue magic circle,pletely engulfing the Corruptor in its sharp jaws.


    Cruchhhhh!


    The Corruptor''s body got riddled with holes, and several parts of its bones got broken.


    Then the spell ended, with the water not being held by any strong force, making it ssh onto the ground along with the Corruptor.


    Thud

 Chapter 44 Despair

    Lily also dropped to her knees along with the Corruptor.


    That spell had drained all of the mana in her body, making herpletely weak and vulnerable now.


    ¡­


    The judge who was watching secretly got surprised after seeing Lily''s spell, as she could recognize it.


    ''That is a 3-star spell that takes hard work and experience to learn it. This spell is mostly learned by someone who is in the mid-stages of the Novice Realm and when someone is close to breaking through to Adept Realm. The fact she learned it at such an early stage shows that she is a genius, or she had only worked on this spell for her entire life.''


    The judge hypothesized, rubbing her chin. Then she surmised how many points she should give Lily for her disy of that spell.


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, Ana arrived beside Lily, grabbing her tightly, to let her stand properly. "Are you okay?"


    "Yes," Lily answered softly while looking at the dead body of the Corruptor."Have we done it?"


    "Not we, you." At that moment, Hueg arrived and said something to Lily, looking at her carefully. "You did it. Your attack killed it in one hit."


    "Hehe." Lily chuckled embarrassedly. "No, if you guys didn''t hold that thing down, I wouldn''t have been able tond that spell. I am not proficient enough to use this spell instantly, I need time to set it up."


    "But you''re still good," Ana said, after leaving Lily standing properly. She was truly d that Lily was able to aplish such a thing in front of everyone.


    Ana had heard sometimes from her Uncle Fiarta about how much Lily hated to use or learn magic. ''But it looks like something happened that changed her.''


    Another reason Ana was happy was because she didn''t have to reveal herst card, which she wanted to save it as much as possible. Also, this spell she had yet to master might severely damage her body.


    Lily was overwhelmed hearing both of their praises, as she had seen how well both did and how good their strength was, so these praises were totally unexpected for her.


    But it didn''t end there, Lily also heard what her fellow ssmates were saying, who were a few meters away.


    "That girl actually used a 3-star spell. That is amazing."


    "I wanted to learn one myself, but it is so hard to understand the structure of such a spell."


    "Hmph, she is just lucky to learn that. Did you see her using any other spell? She may have just learned that her entire life. What a waste of time!"


    Lily heard admiration along with the castigations of a few. But she didn''t pay any heed to those.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    At that moment, Ana and other''s eyes widened as they felt that dreadful aura from the Corruptoring toward them again. They turned their heads to the Corruptor''s body just to hear.


    "He..al¡­"


    The moment the Corruptor said that the injuries on its body healed instantly and its bones mended together, making it look as new as the first time.


    "No way!" Hueg uttered it with shock. He knew demons had a great ability to recover themselves, unlike humans, but not like this!


    Everyone also had this kind of belief, but it wasn''t their fault, as Corruptors were a bit special. They too had great ability to recover themselves, but their most distinctive feature was their ability to do anything just by themand of their voice. So, when this Corruptor said the word ''Heal'', it elerated the speed of its recovery, which could only be seen in demons in higher realms.


    The Corruptor stood straight and red at Ana, Lily, and Hueg. It growled in a hoarse tone. "You are dead."


    "Kneel!" The moment Corruptor said that everyone in the vicinity knelt on the ground on their knees.


    "This¡­" Everyone was dumbfounded by the sudden change and mortified too. This had also brought great shame to them, as they had never kneeled before anyone except to the ones who were of higher noble rank than them.


    "Rip your right arm." The nextmand made everyone mortified as they saw their left hand moving on its own and trying to grab their right arm.


    "Nooo! Stopp!"


    "I won''t do it! I won''t do it!"


    "Damn it! Why can''t I control my arm!? Arghhh!"


    Despair spread among the royal children as they were experiencing something bizarre and unnerving. They haven''t yet started their journey and didn''t want to end it right here.


    In the meantime, the Corruptor walked slowly toward Lily, who was tearing up because she was not able to control herself.


    Ana and Hueg''s eyes widened as they felt all of their paths get blocked. They were powerless, and given the situation they were in, the teachers should have alreadye to their rescue by now, but there was no sign of them whatsoever.


    ''Is this going to end like this?'' This question shed inside Ana''s mind as she started having the hallucination of giving up in such despair. But her eyes and will firmed the next second as she tried to resist the Corruptor''s control. She tried to stand up and regain control of her arms. ''There is no way I will be giving up. I still have not asked God to bring my papa back!''


    Hueg, who was beside Ana, was having the same thought as she was having earlier. His decision was much firmer, as he didn''t have any goal in his life to begin with. He had everything since birth, which made him not satisfied with anything, so he lived most of his lifeid back.


    But that thinking shattered inside Hueg''s mind when his eyesid upon Ana, who was resisting greatly, and the most striking was to him Ana''s firm will that was burning in her eyes and it seemed to be spilling outside too.


    ''What is driving her to burn like a ring ze?'' Hueg questioned himself in a daze.

 Chapter 45 Senior Brother

    Hueg was always curious about the people who had great desires and end goals in their lives and why they would want to achieve such goals by wasting their time when they could just enjoy their lives.


    He once again encountered that, and it was with a girl who was his age.


    "I want to see it.'' Hueg slowly muttered inside his mind. ''I want to be beside her and see what her goal is that can make her challenge inevitable encounters.''


    ''I know I am aid-back person, but letting my life go away just because of this¡­this feels stupid.'' Hueg halted his left hand from grabbing his right arm, which was just a few inches away from each other. ''I want to live and follow her. I want to know how to live with a goal!''


    Hueg''s knees sank to the ground, trying to resist and stand up.


    Lily, who was scared to go numb, was also shocked by Ana and Hueg''s sudden resolve. She wasn''t expecting them to be resisting so strongly and not breaking apart in such a despairing situation.


    ''Can I be like them too?'' Lily also asked such a question in her mind. Then something shed before her eyes as she remembered what her mother told her and what Lily''s own wish was.


    ''I know I am weak, not strong enough like them, but I will try, try to survive till an opportunity, a change!'' Lily also started to resist strongly.


    The Corruptor was surprised to see such weaklings trying to defy itsmands. It sneered with strong disdain. "Futile."


    But they didn''t seem to hear it, not even trying to pay any heed to it.


    Ana, on the other hand, was able to aim her arms at the approaching Corruptor who was just a few meters away from them.


    ''I use my secret spell; I can''t hide it anymore. I do not care about the damage, I have to survive, I have to take this thing down!'' Ana yelled in her mind loudly while a strong white light emanated from her palms.


    The Corruptor didn''t show much reaction to Ana''s new attack. It just tilted its head and grinned, showing its jagged teeth. "Hands down."


    Ana then felt her hand getting pulled down by an invisible force, making her aim down.


    "I won''t let you do it!" Ana gritted her teeth and showed a crazed expression, stopping her arm from moving even an inch.


    Ana''s crazy action and intensity made everyone dumbfounded. They had never seen such things, and the other students who were arriving, watched from afar and also witnessed such things.


    The Corruptor also saw this, having it be dumbfounded. Then it started to panic, not knowing what to do as it was currently being heavily restricted.


    Ana locked the aim of her palm at the Corruptor and said it with determination. " [ Gre - "<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    p!


    However, Ana, who was toplete the spell, got her attention grabbed by the sudden and abrupt p from beside her. This calp not only grabbed Ana''s attention, it did everyone''s, even the Corruptor''s.


    But what happened next shocked them, as they felt the invisible force that was controlling their body parts.


    They looked at the one who was probably the culprit in this.


    "Huh!?" Ana, Hueg, Lilly, and others were surprised to see it being a boy who looked like he was the same age as them.


    The boy was wearing a short schr''s robe and ck pants with ck boots. He had a nonchnt face with a slight smile on his face, which made him attractive with the addition of his already beautiful looking face. He had short yet wavy, light-violet-colored hair that swayed a little because of the gentle breeze. He was walking toward them with his hands in his pocket, not even caring about the Corruptor.


    "Little ones, I was watching the entire time, your beautiful performances. I have to say I do have to apud you all for your just average effort." The moment he opened his mouth, it immediately stung many people''s hearts.


    "But, there were a few exceptions who truly amazed me." The boy looked at the trio, consisting of Ana, Hueg, and Lily, as he said that.


    "Who are you?" At that moment, the Corruptor spoke with cautiousness as it felt extreme dangering from this boy.


    The boy finally looked at the Corruptor and spoke with it with a big smile on his face, like he had reunited with his old friend. "I am Asher, a student of the EverGreen Academy. It is nice to meet you. I always wanted to see one of you, a young and dumb Corruptor with zero battle knowledge."


    "And I was indeed right, you Corruptors are so weak when you are in the early stages. Man, nothing like those big guys, which gave me such a headache to kill." Asher said it with annoyance, letting out his frustration.


    "But." Asher looked at the Corruptor curiously, who was looking at him cautiously. "Sending a Corruptor to newbies is still too much, as you guys are elites among demons."


    Then he looked down at Ana, Hueg, and Lily, who were dumbfoundedly looking at him because of how much Asher had talked by now in such a situation. "Hey, don''t give me that look. I want to praise you guys, you know. The fact that you guys didn''t give up and fought for a way to kill it is truly praiseworthy. The people who gave up before even trying are someone most detested to have you on their team."


    "You see, the Corruptor might look like someone with invincible power, but it isn''t thatplicated." Asher tilted his head sideways and looked at the Corruptor. "So, today I am thinking of giving you guys some advice from your soon-to-be favorite senior."


    "What do you guys think?" Asher then asked, looking at everyone.


    ¡­


    The judge, who was watching this from afar with a deadpan face, couldn''t help but sigh helplessly. ''He is at it again with his showoff-ness."

 Chapter 46 Invitation

    "Haha, he is teaching his juniors again." Gregughed out loud when he saw Asher''s shenanigans again.


    "I just hope he teaches them something useful, not just showcases his abilities." Vik, from the side, said."You know what happenster. He is just increasing his fans and influence by doing this."


    "Don''t worry, Vik," Cynthia said it with a smile. "I feel a different motivation in him this time."


    ¡­


    "It looks like everyone agrees." Asher took everyone''s silence and their focused look as, yes.


    Asher looked at Corruptor, who was still standing in fear, and why it was feeling this much fear, it didn''t know. But its heart and soul were screaming that this boy was dangerous; if it tried to do anything other than just standing properly, the boy would kill it.


    "The Corruptor''s ability is not all that mighty. It has several restrictions. You saw earlier that when it was getting ganged up from close quarters and from afar, it wasn''t able to do much, just had limited actions. Then when it did such wide-range casting, to make you all kneel and rip your arm apart, you were all able to resist it despite being so dominated." Asher exined calmly while taking a step forward.


    "And you also saw it went for your arm, not your neck, to choke you all to death because you could have stopped it with your other arm. Also, it didn''t do much when this miss (Ana) was going to attack it. So all in all, this thing isn''t unbeatable. If you all tried together, you could have killed it." Thest sentence made everyone embarrassed, and they didn''t have words to refute it as Asher had already exined many things.


    "Another thing," Asher said, raising his voice a little. "You can also kill it¡­"


    Asher vanished from his spot and appeared before the Corruptor, giving it a jumpscare and making it flinch backward.


    "Repel!" The Corruptor directlymanded, which made an invisible force pull Asher''s body backwards, but it failed miserably as Asher just stood in his spot as if nothing happened.


    ",,,By overwhelming it in the power realm." Saying it with a smirk, Asher punched the Corruptor''s stomach, sting it away and eventually smashing its body against a tree.


    Bang


    The Corruptor''s body stuck on the tree as ck-colored blood spurted out of its stomach, where Asher hit. That ce churned and ruptured. This type of injury would have nothing to do with the Corruptor but for that reason, Asher''s move was very effective.


    The Corruptor was about to heal itself, but it vanished from its spot and arrived before Asher, who was looking at it with a smug face.


    "Wee."


    Bam


    Asher greeted the Corruptor with a punch in the face, having it fly in the air. But it again didn''t have the luxury of responding and healing itself as it got teleported before Asher.


    Bam


    Again, Asher punched the Corruptor, sting it away, and it happened multiple times as if Asher was ying a game.


    Bam


    Bam Bam<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Bam Bam Bam!


    Eventually, Asher stopped as he looked down at the Corruptor who was lying down on the ground with a body that was hardly recognizable. Its body was now smeared with its own ck blood, and its body parts were twisted in many ways.


    BAM!


    Asher suddenly stomped his feet on the Corruptor''s head, smashing it like a watermelon and eventually killing it, letting it free of its suffering.


    However, on the other hand, Asher was fully intact, not even the Corruptor''s blood touched his body, as if it were blocked by an invisible wall.


    Asher finally turned his head at his juniors, who were looking at him dumbfoundedly. This made Asher a bit embarrassed, but he quickly hid it and maintained his usual demeanor. "So, how was it? This thing looked easy to kill now, right? You guys can do that too, just have to work hard and learn. And to do that, you will have great instructors in our EverGreen Academy."


    Despite such bizarre events, everyone still got excited to hear that, as they witnessed Asher''s power firsthand and how he was able to kill something that they were having a hard time with.


    "Now, everyone go back to your carriages, and for the ones whose carriages are broken, they can wait, more carriages wille pick you up. Also, well done in your first test by the academy." Asher said, smiling at everyone.


    Everyone just got embarrassed as they knew they didn''t do well, except a few who were above or close to Ana and Hueg''s level. With that embarrassment, they walked toward their carriages direction.


    Ana, Hueg, and Lily were also about to leave, but all of a sudden they got stopped by Asher. "Can I have a moment with you guys?"


    The trio looked toward Asher, confused, as to what he wanted with them.


    Asher saw the confusion visibly on their faces and exined the doubt. "The carriage you were in is destroyed, so I was thinking about joining mine."


    The trio looked at each other, not knowing what to do. Asher was right that their carriage was destroyed and they had no transportation, but they didn''t want to ept a stranger''s invitation.


    Hueg asked. "What do you want with us?"


    Asher nced at Hueg and said it with a smile. "Actually, it doesn''t have anything to do with you two." He pointed his finger at Hueg and Lily.


    Then his finger finallynded in Ana''s direction and stayed there. "I just want to talk with this miss."


    Ana and other''s eyes widened upon hearing that. They immediately turned cautious and looked at Asher with wryness.


    "Hey, hey." Asher then acted surprised. "You guys acting like that would make people assume I am a viin."


    "Then what do you want to do with me?" Ana squinted her eyes, not understanding anything about Asher. She has not met anyone like this in her life, whose actions and words are mismatched.


    Asher just answered Ana''s question with a simple smile. "I just want to discuss with you about your star magic."

 Chapter 47 Offer From Asher

    "My star magic?" Ana was also confused, not understanding what Asher''s goal was.


    Ever since Ana came to this world and grew older, she became more cautious of her surroundings. She didn''t know why she was like this, but she guessed it might be from her first father, Max. She came to understand that an assassin had to be cautious of everything, so she felt she got this perk from her first father.


    "Yes, I bring no harm. I am just curious, and you might also like to know some stuff, right?" Asher stared right into Ana''s eyes as if he could see through her.


    Fortunately for Ana, Asher truly did. Ana really wanted to know many things, as she couldn''t get much information by just staying at a small ce.


    And it wasn''t like Asher knew Ana''s deep secret. He hade to the understanding that people would likely have some sort of secret in their hearts that they wanted to know, so he just exploited that.


    "Okay, I will follow you." Ana dropped her guard and decided to go with Asher.


    A smile bloomed on Asher''s face. He then signaled for them to follow him. "You two cane too, or you can also go separate ways."


    Lily agreed with no sign of hesitation. "I will follow Ana."


    This made Ana inwardly very happy. She looked at Lily and nodded her head, to which Lily also nodded back, bravely indicating that ¡ª I am with you.


    However, on the other hand, Hueg refused. "You guys can go, I will go on my own."


    Ana looked carefully and saw that Hueg''s facial expression was not right; it felt to her that he was burying something deep inside him. But she didn''t ask, as they were both still strangers.


    A glint appeared in Asher''s eyes, which he quickly retracted. ''Interesting, it looks like they are not a couple, but something is ring up.''


    Asher might look young, but he had his fair share of experience in life already. So, he was able to grasp something.


    Hueg looked at Ana and Lily with a deadpan yet smiling face. "I will see you guys in the academy; till then, I hope you guys are fine."


    "Will see youter." Lily gave a small wave of her hand at Hueg, while Ana just nced at Hueg''s leaving back.


    Then they followed behind Asher to go to his carriage, but at that moment, they were stopped by Marley''s voice. They turned their heads to the side and saw Marley standing with his back arched.


    Marley closed his eyes and asked with a smile on his face. "Senior Asher, I am also in their group. So, can I tag along?"


    Marley had seen Asher''s power and was in awe, as he felt Asher was as strong as his father, who was a viscount. ''I can''t let this chance slip. If I can somehow get on his side, my position to get my father''s throne is guaranteed.''<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Marley wasn''t the only child that his father had, there were many. Among his brothers and sisters, there are some more talented than him, so he could only get the chance to fight for the throne.


    "Oh, you are with their group." Asher made a surprised expression and then said it apologetically. "But I am sorry to say this. My carriage is already full, so you have to wait for the spare carriages to arrive and pick you up. I hope you understand."


    Then, without giving Marley a chance to respond, Asher took Ana and Lily away. Marley just stood there in aplete daze and woke up hearing a small snickering from Ana and Lily.


    ''I will remember this.'' Marley squeezed his hands in anger while vowing in his heart as madness shed in his eyes.


    On the other hand, Ana and Lily couldn''t hold back theirughter after seeing Marley in such a situation, despite being tense earlier. Asher just smiled at theirughter, seemingly not caring much. But Ana and Lily quickly returned back to their normalposure.


    A few minutester, they arrived before Asher''s carriage, which wasn''t as fancy as they expected. His carriage was fully made of mahogany wood, except for the tires, which had a touch of metal in them.


    Asher could see the surprised expression on Ana and Lily''s faces, so he exined to them. "You see, I don''t need a carriage most of the time, as with my powers I can reach the capital in less than a minute."


    Ana and Lily came to an understanding; this also made Ana think to herself. ''From what I have seen of his fight earlier, I can assume he uses space magic, and this also further proves it. But I can''t say it with a guarantee.''


    Ana felt she was able to capture what Asher''s power was, but she still wasn''t sure, as speed is something that varies with power level and user ability. She was also not able to clearly see Asher''s element.


    After they sat inside the carriage, it started moving forward.


    At that moment, Asher spoke with his arms crossed. "So, let''s first start with our introductions. I already told mine earlier, may I know yourdies?"


    "I am Ana Silveria, daughter of Arash Silveria and Vienna Silveria. I am from Migotanie City." Ana gave a short introduction of herself, and then it was Lily''s turn. "I am Lily Tarakov, daughter of Fiarta Tarakov."


    "Oh," Asher then said with a smile. "It is nice to meet you."


    "Now, we should go down to business." Saying that Asher''s face turned stern. Ana and Lily also felt the tense atmosphere.


    Asher looked into Ana''s eyes and said, like he was giving an order. "I want you to work under me. Be my right hand."


    Ana was stupefied at such an invitation. She wasn''t able to quite understand Asher, she thought Asher wanted to discuss about her power, and she would also get to know many things, but not in such a situation that she felt might change the course of her path.


    Ana asked, squinting her eyes. "Why do you want me to work under you?"

 Chapter 48 Cricsis City

    Asher stayed silent during Ana''s question, making Lily nervous instead of Ana.


    Eventually, Asher sighed and answered. "The reason I want to have you work for me is because of your power."


    "My power?" Ana raised her eyebrows as to what her weak self could do to Asher.


    "Yes. Mainly your magic element, the star magic. It repels my magic power." Asher snapped his finger, and Lily vanished from her seat and appeared alongside Asher, which surprised Lily and Ana.


    They both wondered with shock. ''It is that power again.


    Snap


    Asher snapped his finger, and Lily returned to her spot. Then Asher spoke calmly. "I can use space magic. It helps me to change anyone or anybody''s position as long as they are weaker than me. But¡­"


    Snap


    Asher snapped his finger, and at that moment, Ana felt an obstruction in her body that went away in a matter of seconds, and she appeared beside Asher.


    "...When I try to use my power on you, I feel a strong resistance from you, mainly from your star magic." Asher then snapped his finger again, making Ana return to her seat.


    In these few seconds, Asher had installed a strong fear inside Ana and Lily''s hearts. They knew how many possibilities were there to kill them with Asher''s one use of his power.


    "Don''t be scared,dies; I won''t do anything to you, or I might get chased down by the academy till the end of the world." Asher waved his hand, saying those words with embarrassment.


    Asher''s attitude made Ana and Lily calm down. Ana then asked. "Why are you revealing your powers to me?"


    On hearing that question, a quiet smirk appeared on Asher''s face. He said it with arrogance. "You will find out about me, my everything the moment you enter the academy. You see, I am very famous."


    ''What is wrong with him? He changes every second. I can''t get a read on him. He is arrogant, humble, goofy, kind, funny¡­.it feels too unreal.'' Ana appeared calm on the outside, but inside, several rm bells were ringing inside her heart.


    "Anyway, let''s toss this stupid stuff away. So, will you work¡­for me, Miss Ana?" Asher asked once again, looking intensely at Ana''s sapphire eyes.


    "No." Ana''s answer instantly surprised Lily and Asher. Lily was surprised because she couldn''t imagine what Asher might do now that someone had refused him like that, and on the other hand, Asher was surprised because of Ana''s quick response.


    ording to Asher, someone who could follow him just for some information that he or she might not know was true would have a low chance of refusing something he asked.


    Asher didn''t react muchter, just said it with a calm smile. "I see; if that is what you want, then I won''t ask further."


    Lily sighed in relief, seeing Asher acting calm, she was truly scared something bad might happen.


    Then, throughout the next stage of the journey, Ana removed her cold face away and chatted freely with Lily. She didn''t want to put Lily in such a dilemma after having her join.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    ¡­


    Two dayster, rows and rows of carriages arrived before a massive city of who knows what scale it might have.


    "Wow, so this is Duke Bilovar''s fief, Cricsis City, and the ce where our academy is!" Lily poked her head, letting it hit against the strong yet gentle breeze. In front of her eyes was a hundred-meter-tall, rough yet clean gray wall that circled around the city.


    Ana also looked through the window and saw the wall. ''So we are finally here.''


    These past two days, Ana and Lily have spent some quality time together, making their bond much stronger. They were at first very worried about Asher, but he didn''t seem to be interested in them; most of the time he would perform his breathing technique. So they were able to do anything with peace of mind.


    The rows and rows of carriages, which consisted of the new batch of students of the EverGreen Academy, slowly entered the city through its wide and tall front gate, which was made of unknown metal.


    The students poked their heads out and watched the new city where they would be spending the next few years.


    Now it was morning, and the sun had just sat on top of the world. So the citizens of this city could be seen roaming around. Some were busy pleasing their customers, some were pulling small carts consisting of goods, some were going on to their next destination; and small children could be seen in every corner of the streets. Everyone was well-mannered, well-suited, and well behaved. This was enhanced more by the children''s ying sounds andughter.


    The students, seeing this for the first time, were amazed, as they hadn''t seen such harmony and peace before. This wasn''t their fault, as most cities would mostly be corrupted and sometimes have chaos hidden underneath ¡ª making ordinary people''s lives in disarray.


    The citizens saw the rows of carriages, and they immediately knew who hade, as they were very familiar with this. They waved their hands and gave their blessing.


    "Good luck, young ones. Bring prosperity to the world."


    "Get strong and make the academy proud. Especially your parents."


    "Hahaha, if you guys want to spend your evening,e to my ce to eat."


    "Brothers and sisters, wait for me. I will also grow big and join the academy like you."


    The students were overwhelmed by such heartwarming receptions. No matter what kind of people they were, their hearts melted.


    "A¡­They are so nice and sweet." Lily eximed, holding her mouth, not able to receive these wishes.


    Ana also nodded her head, agreeing with Lily. ''They seem to live a very peaceful and good life to have such a mind. This is hard to find in my territory.''


    "Don''t you guys feel curious about why they are like this?" Asher suddenly spoke, catching Lily and Ana''s attention.


    "Yes, can you tell us why they are so sweet and nice?" Lily asked eagerly.


    With a slight grin on his face, Asher said. "It is because of the God of Wisdom."

 Chapter 49 Ashers Thinking

    "God of Wisdom?" Lily and Ana both blurted it out curiously.


    "Yes, this ce is under the God of Wisdom''s influence," Asher said with a smile, then looked at Ana and Lily''s confused faces. "Hmm, it is okay to not talk about this one as he only has temples in big cities, where a region''s top figures mostly roam around."


    "I wish we had him in our ce. People would like this there too." Lily brooded after getting to know the God of Wisdom''s nature just a tidbit.


    However, Ana was having other thoughts. ''He is a God of Wisdom, he surely knows how to bring back dead people.''


    Despite having different goals, Asher was able to notice the same emotion in them ¡ª yearning ¡ª which made Asher be mncholy. "Don''t be like that; Gods are superficial beings that we mortals can hardly have contact with. Only the truest and strongest can make their hearts change a little. However, people still try to worship these Gods, who just follow whatever they have in their hearts, simple desires just like humans."


    Then Asher nced outside the window, where many faces full of smiles were reflected before his eyes. "But what can we do? We are just puny humans, mortals wearing weak skins. We are helpless, clueless, and self-med. We can only look up to a higher being to show us the path and make our belief be justified under the blessing of some unknown god that we don''t even fully know."


    Lily and Ana stared silently at Asher as his words made them ponder about many things. Especially Ana, who went into deep thought. ''This guy''s vision seems beyond normal people. His words and actions make me think he is hiding something deep.''


    However, Ana didn''t directly ask about that, as it might bring unnecessary trouble.


    Asher woke up from his trance state. He said it with a bit of embarrassment. "Haha..sorry about that. I am ashamed of my weird and unexpected words. I hope youdies don''t think too much of it."


    Lily waved her hands, as she also appeared humble like Asher. "It''s okay, I don''t mind. Everyone has their own sense of thought, so it is okay to blurt it out before someone, or it might bring pain to your heart if you bury it in."


    "Ahh,, Miss Lily is also very thoughtful, I see." Asher praised Lily''s words, making her blush.


    In the meantime, Ana looked at the passing cityscape, trying to memorize and take in what she might have to spend her time with.


    In a few minutes, their carriage stopped along with everyone else''s.


    "It looks like we have arrived," Asher said, pointing his head outside.


    Ana and Lily also looked and saw a big rectangle-shaped building enclosed inside a twenty-meter-tall wall. The building looked as new as if it had just been made. The rooftops were made of tiles, covering the top of the building in the shape of a cone. They could see various shapes and sizes of students, who were wearing the same robe as Asher, walking around.


    "Let''s go." Lily eagerly said to Ana ¡ª not able to contain her excitement.


    However, at that moment, Asher spoke up. "Wait."


    Ana stopped rising from her seat and looked at Asher, and so did Lily.


    "Miss Ana, you listened to me and came to my carriage on the condition that I tell you everything you want to know. But on condition of joining me, which unfortunately you declined. However, I will answer one of your questions, just foring with me." Asher showed his index finger and gazed at Ana.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Ana''s face turned stern, and she went into thinking about what she should ask. She only had one chance, and she couldn''t ruin it.


    A few secondster, Ana eventually came up with what she wanted to ask. "How much stronger should I have to get to let the gods listen to me?"


    Asher''s eyes widened in surprise, not expecting Ana to ask this question. Then a light chuckle escaped from Asher''s mouth as he felt amused. ''A truly interesting girl.''


    Asher quickly rposed himself and answered Ana''s question. "At least as strong as a Duke."


    "A Duke¡­" Ana mumbled under her breath. Then she asked again. "How strong is a Duke?"


    Ana couldn''t help but ask again, as she was basically from a countryside where this kind of knowledge is hardly found. She didn''t even know which realm Ashe might be in.


    "Sorry, Miss Ana." Asher leaned back in his seat and said it with an innocent smile. "I already answered one of your answers. I am a man of my words; I can''t go back to what I said."


    Ana was a bit disappointed but didn''t get her mood down, as she knew many capable people were in the academy and would be able to answer her questions.


    "So, youdies should go now and enjoy your life. The academy is full of mystery and all kinds of fun stuff, you shouldn''t spend your entire life in my shady carriage." Asher quickly told them to leave as he could see the sea of students rushing into the academy.


    "Senior Asher, won''t youe with us?" Lily suddenly asked as she thought Asher would go with them till the end.


    "No, I have some work to do. You guys have your fun." Asher waved his hands and closed the door after they descended from his carriage.


    Lily also waved her hand, and Ana just nodded her head.


    Lily said this after seeing the carriage go a certain distance. "Ana, let''s go now. We should first check our dormitory."


    Ana nodded her head and followed behind Lily. However, she gave onest look at Asher''s carriage, feeling something in her heart like the start of a big event.


    ¡­


    Asher''s carriage.


    "So, you are feeling it too, girl." Asher smirked to himself as he felt Ana''s gaze.


    Then his face turned serious, devoid of any emotion. "You are very lucky. If you weren''t a student of the academy, I could have instantly killed you."

 Chapter 50 Anas Past

    A calm yet raging arrogance spilled out of Asher, filling up the space.


    The reason he didn''t kill Ana was just as he said, because she was now a student at the academy.


    Asher had years of experience with why and what the academy could do. If he killed a student for no valid reason, he would be hunted down by the academy to the end of the world, even if he was the top student at the academy.


    The reason for this was, the academy sees something like this as betrayal, an untrustworthy person to whom the academy couldn''t put their faith upon. The academy wants a loyal, nationalist, and devoted to the academy type of student.


    "But, don''t ever try to be an obstacle in my path, or I might kill you without a second thought." Asher gave a ring vow with wide, firm eyes.


    ¡­


    EverGreen Academy - Third Arm, girls dormitory.


    "Ahhh¡­" Ana slumped her body on a soft,fy bed, closing her eyes.


    A few secondster, she opened them and looked at the white concrete ceiling. She was currently in her room, which just had this bed, a table, a wide window with an open view, and a small device.


    This device was called the Temperature Adjuster; it was a magic device built to make a small, spacious room that could increase or decrease the room''s temperature. It was fueled by mana crystals, making it hard formon people to use, and it was only found and built-in bigger cities.


    Still lying on the bed, Ana whispered to herself. "It is so hard¡­so hard to act strong."


    "Papa Arash, mama Vienna, and Papa Max, it is so hard. I want to be spoiled by you all, but I have to be strong to make my new parents proud and have Papa Maxe back." Ana spoke with a strong, firm voice, but if someone looked at her face, they would see she had tears flowing down her eyes, trying to hold back herself from crying.


    Ana might look strong, but it was all just an act to show everyone she was strong, which she had been doing since her birth on Earth.


    Yes, on the Earth, from where she came.


    When Ana was born, she was a naughty and cheerful kid. She wouldugh and joke around with her 3-year-old vocabry.


    But that changed when she felt what her mother was doing. She neglected Ana and went to bars, parties, and casinos. She woulde back every night with a new guy. This made Ana very sad, as she wanted to know who her father was, as she saw the neighbor''s kids, who were the same or close to her age, ying happily with their father.


    Ana would get yelled at for asking this question and her behavior, sometimes getting beaten up too. Her mother got annoyed with her and shoved her to her parents, letting them know everything and letting them take care of her.


    Ana was hopeful at first, thinking he would get nice grandparents like the old men and women on the streets who spoiled her and doted on her when she met them.


    But unfortunately for her, she met the same fate here. Despite being at such a young age, Ana could feel the scornful gaze of her grandparents.


    So from then on, Ana decided to not cry in the corner every day and look at them hopefully ¡ª she wanted to be strong. Fortunately, someone was there to help her with it, and this person was none other than the maid of the house.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    She would secretly take care of Ana and tell her all about how to be a strong and independent woman.


    But one day, the maid overheard something at night where the grandparents were discussing throwing Ana at an orphanage as they felt she was wasting their money.


    The maid was horrified and didn''t know what to do. Eventually, she decided to contact Ana''s mother and beg her to give Ana back to her father.


    At first, Ana''s mother didn''t agree; only after continuous nagging and begging did she agree.


    That is how Ana was handed to Max¡ªas an extra useless object that nobody wanted.


    Ana thought she had found bliss after meeting her father, despite him being a little cold-hearted at first. But that happiness also vanished.


    In this new world where there were countless possibilities, she would try to achieve her goal even if she had to sacrifice her nature.


    "I hope you are watching me, Papa Max." Ana gazed at her ceiling, but instead of seeing the same old concrete walls, she saw the face of Max, smiling down on her.


    Knock Knock


    At that moment, the sound of her door knocking resounded throughout her room.


    Ana quickly wiped the tears from her face and eyes and stood up. She asked. "Who is it?"


    "It''s me, Lily." Lily''s cheerful voice came from the opposite side of the door.


    Ana regained herposure and walked toward the door with a smile instead of having a deadpan face. She felt she would at least remain true to herself before those who she felt were close to her.


    Ana opened her door, just to see Lily''s excited face again. She curiously asked. "What happened? You look very enthusiastic."


    Lily didn''t say anything but first pulled Ana out of her room by grabbed her hand. She exined to her that along the way, Ana saw many girls moving in the same direction. "They posted the ranking of the tests we took along the way."


    "Oh," Ana''s interest piqued, as she also wanted to know where she stood.


    In a few minutes, they arrived before a long and wide board where many names were written. Ana was standing behind many others, but that didn''t matter as her and many others'' visions were far superior.


    She first looked at the top, then traced down. Then her eyes finally locked onto her ranking, making her have a forced smile on her face. "It looks like I am still weak."


    Rank 16 - Ana Silveria

 Chapter 51 EverGreen Region And The World

    The forest beside the Migotanie City.


    One could see a small wooden shack in the middle of the forest that was just guarded by a small wooden fence. But still, no beast dared to invade it.


    Inside the wooden house was Benimaru, reading a thick book while resting his face on his right hand. He was alone now because Ravenna went to take the fourth batch of Common Mana Crystal from the mines.


    Benimaru had used all of this Common Mana Crystal to buy everything on the Level-1 of the shop. But he still wasn''t able to buy all of them.


    Benimaru couldn''t help but say that. ''I guess there is no end of trash in this world.''


    Benimaru knew in his heart that the things on the Level-1 wouldn''t do anything when he grew stronger; maybe not even his underlings would like to use them.


    But still, he was satisfied, as he bought many 1 and 2 star spells and skills for himself and his generals. However, Benimaru wasn''t ecstatic when he got those; he was happy when he got the books that held various knowledge in his hands.


    These books might contain basic knowledge for people of this world, but they meant a lot to him.


    Benimaru first read the book that had information about this ce''s geology and power structure.


    Firstly, he was in the EverGreen Region, and just as the name says, this region is full of greenery and is located in the south. It wasmon to see lush forests, warm rivers, and medium-sized mountains ¡ª the mountains of this world are muchrger than on earth because of mana''s influence ¡ª making it an ideal spot for people to live and develop.


    Benimaru wanted to know the information for other regions, but there was none. After asking the system, he found that he could buy books containing the other regions'' information in the next level.


    Then he read the power structure. It was just as he guessed. It was the same as the European monarchical system. But here, if you want to get royal titles, you don''t just have to have a certain amount of merit, you also have to reach a certain realm.


    This book only says anything about till Viscount, but that was enough for Benimaru.


    To be a baron, you need to be in the Physique Refinement Realm of the Vitality Realm or the Adept Realm of the Magic Realm.


    To be a viscount, you need to be in the Bloodline Strengthening Realm of Vitality Realm or the Master Realm of Magic Realm.


    ''Hmm, if it is in serialized order.'' Benimaru thought that because he had checked the power level book, it told him until the 4th phase of each power realm.


    For the Magic Realm, it was like this ¡ª Apprentice Realm, Novice Realm, Adept Realm, and Master Realm.


    For the Vitality Realm, it was like this ¡ª Health Seeker Realm, Fleshcrafting Realm, Physique Refinement Realm, and Bloodline Strengthening Realm.


    Each had nine stages as minor realms, which people had to cross first to reach the next major realm.


    What caught Benimaru''s attention was mostly the ss system.


    ''What kind of warrior or mage I am is decided by my use of power and its awakening. Interesting¡­ it feels like subsses of the main ss like warrior, archer, mage, etc to make it easier to understand.'' Benimaru rubbed his chin, pondering silently.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    ''I''m curious what ss I am in.'' He felt curious.


    [ Host, you are a Battle Lord. Should I show it on your status interface? ]


    ''Battle Lord?'' Benimaru raised his eyebrows. ''Sure, show it.''


    Benimaru pulled his status interface out and saw his ss. He clicked on it with his mind, making the information about it pop out.


    [ Battle Lord: A battle enthusiast who cultivates both power systems to gain an advantage in battle through sheer power and skill differences. A ss that people fear fighting against. ]


    ''That sounds reasonable.'' Benimaru nodded his head after finding the answer to his curiosity.


    ''But I have to first get stronger to have an advantage.'' Thinking about that, Benimaru quickly went to cultivate.


    He decided to first try to break through to the Fleshcrafting Realm, because he was feeling a huge change might happen. He was confident now that he could break through because he had read about the realms thoroughly and knew what differed from others.


    Vitality Realm could be called an alternate version of magic cultivation as it uses mana as an energy source. Vitality cultivators would use the mana in the air to refine their bodies ording to what the realm demanded.


    Now that Benimaru knew how the Fleshcrafting Realm worked, he could get to the realm easier without the help of any technique.


    As usual, just as the name suggests, Benimaru just had to refine every single fiber of his flesh, but there was a catch ¡ª he couldn''t make a single mistake by refining other parts of the body. If he did so, then the energy might slip through other parts of the body, like a hole created in a pipe. So, he needed a calm mind and strong mental energy.


    Fortunately, it meant nothing to Benimaru. He, with peace of mind, refined his flesh, slowly yet surely, in the wooden house.


    Time passed by, and it was already afternoon.


    At that moment, a group of people arrived near the house, and it was none other than Ravenna, Ragnar, and the Meatscrappers. Ragnar and the Meatscrapers were carrying baskets filled with Common Mana Crystals on their backs.


    "Miss Ravenna, I didn''t expect we would empty the mana crystal mine in such a short time." Ragnar apologetically said this to Ravenna.


    "No, no, it''s fine. It isn''t your fault. We will find more like this in the future." Ravenna said it with a smile that bloomed like a flower.


    But the Meatscrapers, who were happy that their bad days of mining would be over, started to have chills down their spines hearing that from Ravenna, as they couldn''t imagine their future.


    Ragnar saw the Meatscraper slow down for some reason, so he shouted at them. "Why are you guys cking!? Don''t you dare slow us down!"


    The Meatscrapers jolted back to life and started walking faster, almost overtaking Ragnar.

 Chapter 52 Another Secret

    In a matter of seconds, Ravenna and her group arrived at the house.


    At that moment, they felt a strong presenceing from inside the house. This made everyone vignt.


    Ragnar went to the fighting stance and asked Ravenna sternly. "Should we go in?"


    "No," Ravenna shook her head and said with a calm looking face. "I can recognize this aura, this is our lord''s."


    "Oh," Ragnar said, surprised, and then he put his guard down. He had been with Benimaru for at most an hour, so he wasn''t familiar with him, but Ravenna had spent many years with Benimaru, so it was nothing for her to recognize. "So, this means the Lord is getting much stronger again."


    "Yes," Ravenna said in a bit of a trance state, but she quickly rposed herself, not letting others notice.


    "Then we have to work hard and try to at least catch up to his shadow!" Ragnar said to himself and encouraged him.


    But he didn''t know it also managed to encourage Ravenna.


    "Yes, we have to try hard." Ravenna agreed with Ragnar with a smile on her face.


    ¡­


    Inside the house.


    Crackling sounds could be heard and the source of it was Benimaru himself.


    The muscles in his body were tightening up, and his body looked full of vigor, different from his past self. If someone looked at Benimaru now, they would feel in their hearts that they were in the presence of metal that was hard to bend.


    "Phew~ finally done." Benimaru sighed in relief as he had finally broken through to the Fleshcrafting Realm.


    He stood up and clenched his fist, filling the power brimming inside his body. "I feel like I can punch through the Swinefiend General''s body with just a punch."


    However, he wasn''t sure if it was an illusion of a sudden power surge or the truth ¡ª which he had to find it himself.


    "But I didn''t expect this development." Benimaru''s eyes suddenly contracted, and the wings behind his back retracted back to his body, so did the horns on his head. "Now this feels better. These things were obstructing many things, especially moving around in public."


    "But it reduced twenty percent of my power, what a weird race."


    Then he noticed the presence of Ravenna and others outside the house. "So, they are already here. Let''s meet up with them."


    Ravenna and Ragnar, who were eagerly waiting for Benimaru, finally found their wish fulfilled as they saw the door opening.


    "Lord- !'' They were about to call him, but all of a sudden, they came to a halt.


    Benimaru also noticed the strangeness, making him a vignte. "What happened?"


    "Lord..Lord¡­Lord¡­." Ragnar stuttered, finding himself hard to speak.


    "Is this a joke? Are you guys having fun or something?" Benimaru asked with a re and emanated his pressure a little.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Seeing this, Ravenna quickly pulled herself together and said. "No, no, no, Benimaru, it isn''t anything like that. We were just shocked to see you not having your wings and horns."


    Benimaru raised his eyebrows, feeling the situation was much more weird than he thought. "What is wrong with me hiding my wings and horns? Isn''t it more flexible to walk around without them?"


    "But¡­"


    Thud


    Ragnar suddenly went to his knees and answered what was truly wrong. "But, Lord. The wings and horns are the symbols of who we are. It is engraved in our soul that we shouldn''t hide them. If we did, it would make us the enemy of the entire demon race."


    "Huh?" Benimaru had a big frown on his face. Hearing that, he felt he had stumbled upon another secret.


    ''Hide your wings and horns? This sounds like bullshit. Demons are cunning by nature, they would do anything to get anything they liked. I don''t believe the guys at the top would let all the other demons abide by thisw. Demons aren''t that stupid not to know the benefits of hiding their wings and horns. However, they have to engrave this rule in every demon''s soul; they are basically brainwashing them.'' Benimaru pondered deeply.


    ''It looks like I am not affected by such thoughts because I have a different soul.'' He also guessed the reason why he wasn''t brainwashed.


    "Benimaru?" Ravenna asked as she and Ragnar looked at him worriedly. They were scared that Benimaru might be thinking of getting rid of them, as they saw him without wings and horns.


    Benimaru returned back from his train of thought process and saw the nervous look on their faces.


    "Are you guys doubting me?" Benimaru first asked a question.


    "No!" Ravenna and Ragnar both answered simultaneously.


    "Then why are you both having second thoughts about me?" Benimaru tilted his head. "Also, do I look like someone who would follow the rules set by others?"


    "No!" Ravenna and Ragnar both answered again.


    "Good," Benimaru nodded his head in satisfaction and then ordered them. "When you both reach the next major realm, you gutsy will also stop showing your wings and horns. Did you guys get what I said?"


    "Yes, Lord Benimaru. We will follow your orders." Ravenna said with a small bow while Ragnar was on his knees. They both felt strong urges from their hearts that this was wrong and they should retaliate, but they resisted ¡ª they decided to follow what Benimaru ordered.


    A big smile appeared on Benimaru''s face after seeing the strong will and loyalty from them and he was also a bit maddened. ''Dare to control my people, I don''t care who you might be, but when I am strong enough, I will pull the curtain on which you are hiding behind.''


    After making a small vow in his heart, Benimaru remembered something. "Okay, you guys can rx now."


    Ravenna straightened her body, and Ragnar stood up. They looked at Benimaru, knowing he was about to order something.


    "Do you guys know any demon knights ruling near us?" Benimaru curiously asked.


    This made Ravenna and Ragnar go into deep thought. They mostly moved in a limited space in their lives, so they hardly knew the area.


    But Ragnar had a bit more knowledge than Ravenna. "Yes, lord. I remember one being at the north."

 Chapter 53 Rewards For The Generals

    ?


    "North," Benimaru turned his head toward that direction and pondered for a little before answering. "Okay, let''s go see this demon knight."


    "Yes, Lord." Ragnar immediately agreed with Benimaru without asking any questions.


    But that wasn''t the case with Ravenna; she curiously looked at Benimaru and asked. "Why are we going to see a demon knight?"


    Benimaru just smiled at her and said, "I will tell you on the way, but first, let''s tie down these little guys. We can''t take them with us and can''t even leave them here."


    Benimaru came before the small group of meatscrapers and said it with a humble smile. "Hello, little guys. You did a good job at mining these Common Mana Crystals. So, as a reward, you guys can get to be in heaven."


    The meatscraper looked at Benimaru''s face, not understanding what he meant. But when their eyes met, the meatscrapers dropped to the ground like flies, unconscious.


    [ Illusion Bind ], Benimaru again used this spell on them, sending them to a small heaven that he imagined which might be liked by demons.


    "Ragnar, lead the way." Benimaru then said this without turning back.


    "Yes, my lord. Follow me this way." Ragnar respectfully said so, showing Benimaru and Ravenna the way.


    Ragnar walked in front, while Ravenna and Benimaru walked behind him, together. At that moment, Benimaru said. "You wanted to know why I am interested in seeing this demon knight?"


    "Yes," Ravenna said, nodding her head. "Because I remember you saying that you would destroy the church. So why are we doing this now?"


    Benimaru instantly had a face palmed. "Girl, you have a valid reason but a du- weird one."


    "Anyway, let me borate to you." Benimaru gave a helpless sigh before exining to Ravenna, who was a bit ashamed now. "Actually, the reason I wanted to see a demon knight in the first ce was because of the church issue. But to do that, I have to get much stronger."


    Benimaru came to this decision today after reading the books. He was able to make a guess at how strong a priest might be ording to the power a baron wielded. No matter how much good and prosperity the church or gods might bring to the cities, they were still an outside force. The leader of that city would instantly take control of the church if the one running it was someone weaker than the leader.


    Heck, Benimaru was even guessing the priest might have a bodyguard or a protector for the church who had strength equivalent to the baron.


    So, thinking all of this through, Benimaru decided to halt his actions as he was very weak right now. For that reason, he decided he would umte strength and, along with that, expand his forces.


    Then Benimaru thoroughly exined the reason, using the thinking he had earlier.


    "Oh," Ravenna said, rubbed her chin, and took all that in. "So, we are still on the same mission but doing something of a preparation beforepleting it."


    "Yes." Benimaru looked at Ravenna weirdly. ''She knows the terminology but doesn''t know the practical way of using it.''


    Benimaru tossed these thoughts away, instead deciding to do something else. "I have picked up some skill and spell books for both of you. Have this as a reward."


    He pulled down four thin books from his system storage space and gave two pairs each to Ravenna and Ragnar respectively.


    Ragnar and Ravenna took the books and carefully examined them.


    Benimaru has bought many one- and two-star skills and spells, but only a select few that he felt were best suited for Ragnar and Ravenna. But it wasn''t like there wasn''t anything other than these; there were; it was just that Benimaru felt having too many skills under one''s arsenal might slow that person down as one would only use a select few in battles.


    Basically, it would be a waste of time. What if Ragnar or Ravenna decided to master all the skills and spells, but eventually they only got to know that not everything was avable? It would be a waste of their hard work too.


    Ragnar wasn''t able to read, and neither was Ravenna, so they asked Benimaru. "What are these Benimaru?"


    Yes, what are these, lord? If it is anything about writing or reading, then I have to disappoint. I can''t do any." Ragnar gave an extra apology, thinking he wasn''t able to do anything with the Lord''s grace he received.


    "It''s fine." Benimaru waved his right hand, nonchntly saying to them. "You just have to rest those on your forehead and think you mind this word ¡ª learn. You got it?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Ragnar and Ravenna didn''t say anything further and did as Benimaru told them to.


    The moment they finished the series of actions told by Benimaru, the books turned into specks of light and were inserted inside their heads, making them go into a trance for a few seconds.


    After they came to their senses, their eyes glowed, and Ragnar even started ttering Benimaru.


    "Lord, you are amazing. I didn''t know you had the power to let people learn anything just like that. I feel like these skills are engraved in my mind and body, I just have to practice them to fully master them."


    Ragnar truly felt amazed, as the skills he learned made him feel that he had grown much stronger than before.


    [ Counter (1-Star) ¨C A simple yet strong martial skill that lets martial artists divert the power and use the power of his/her opponents against them. ]


    [ Blurry Dash (2-Star) ¨C A set of movements that is made into a skill, letting the martial artist dash forward in a weird way, making him/her look like a blurry image in the enemy''s eyes. ]


    Ravenna also showed her amazement. "Benimaru, these spells suit me very much. Now, I have more ways of attacking and defending."


    "I am d both of you liked it." Benimaru nodded his head, feeling happy that they both liked his choice.


    [ Blood Spike (2-Star) - A spike made of blood bursts out of the ground, having great piercing ability and slowing down. ]


    [ Corpse Bomb (2-Star) - A hated and disgraced spell that is rated down from its original rank because of the hate it received from all the mages. A spell that sts the residual energy of a corpse by using the blood. The power behind the explosion depends on the strength of the dead body. ]


    Benimaru was stupefied when he found that spell at such a low level in the shop; he thought there was a glitch in the system. But after speaking with the system, he was assured that there was no glitch. He couldn''t help but gasp as he understood the power and value of this spell.


    He didn''t care about the negative part, which meant nothing to Benimaru as killing had no form for him, it didn''t matter much what happened to the dead body except if his client was interested.


    Also, Benimaru didn''t show favoritism by giving Ravenna two 2-Star spells but giving Ragnar just one. He just felt the other 2-Star were not as good as that 1-Star, as it had too many practical uses.


    Then a smirk grew on Benimaru''s face. "The rewards don''t end here. I have one more thing for you guys."


    Benimaru pulled out a pair of books under the hungry and eager eyes of Ravenna and Ragnar. He handed those books to them and told them to do the same thing.


    "Oh, so this is a way to cultivate mana." Ravenna wondered out loud, receiving her boon, so did Ragnar.


    What Benimaru gave them now was cultivation techniques. One was a vitality technique called Great Tiger and Bear Art for Ragnar and a magic technique called Mana Blessing Technique for Ravenna.


    These two had their own specialties that Benimaru felt would greatly benefit them.


    p


    Then Benimaru pped his hands, bringing them both out of their daydream. "Okay, you guys can do anything with these after returning home. First, we should check up on this demon knight."


    Ravenna and Ragnar nodded their heads, calming themselves down, but from the way Ragnar led them ¡ª enthusiastically and fervently ¡ª made Benimaru know that they were still not able to calm down their hearts.


    Benimaru didn''t mind, as he knew they both still had not enjoyed anything in their lives, which made him realize that he also had not thoroughly enjoyed life, so he decided to capture ever such moment in his memories.


    Ten or so minutester, Ragnar stopped Benimaru and Ravenna. He pointed his finger forward and said to them, "Lord, the one sitting on top of the tree is the demon knight of this area."


    Benimaru and Ravenna looked ahead and saw a skinny yet toned-muscled demon sitting on top of a thick branch, leisurely sitting while chewing on a human hand. It had a rosy body, a pair of spiral short horns, and a snake-like tail, but no wings on its back.


    Benimaru raised his eyebrows when he saw it, as it was not what he was expecting. ''Can''t there be anything like Ragnar or Ravenna who has a simple human-like body?''

 Chapter 54 Raum, Scavenger Demon

    ?


    [ Raum (9th Stage Health Seeker/Tier 1 Demon Knight) - A scavenger-type demon that roams around the third and fourth floors of the demon. They will eat and do anything to survive. But they won''t band together with other demons, not even its own kind. ]


    "Hmm," Benimaru rubbed his chin, pondering over the information about this demon. ''So, this thing is from the top floors of the demon realm.''


    Then Benimaru started to decide if he should take this demon as his general or just as a simple underling. The more he thought this through, the more he felt this one should be his underling, not a general.


    The reason for this was because he didn''t like the nature of Raum. Benimaru could guess it mutated into something stronger after receiving his blood essence, but he would always be annoyed and frustrated by its behavior. It''s clearly said that this type of demon doesn''t even mix with their own race, so how might it not betray him in the future? Who could put a bet on that?


    He picked Ragnar, despite being a low-level meatscraper was because he liked his personality and nature, which were full of enthusiasm and vigorous.


    As for Ravenna, we don''t have to say anything about her.


    "Ragnar." Benimaru called Ragnar, catching his attention. "I have a task for you. Do you think you can do it?"


    Ragnar said it with seriousness. "Yes, my lord. No matter how dangerous it might be, I will try."


    "Haha," Benimaru said with a soft chuckle before pointing his finger at Raum. "It isn''t as dangerous as you think. You just have to beat that guy."


    Ragnar was surprised a little, but got excited. "Lord, I will fulfill this with all of my heart."


    Without looking back at Benimaru and Ravenna a little, he quickly walked toward the Raum.


    Ravenna couldn''t help but say this after seeing Ragnar leave like this. "He looks very excited."


    "Yes, that is expected." Benimaru nodded his head, agreeing with what Ravenna said.


    Benimaru knew why Ragnar was like this, and it was mostly because of his bloodline. Martial Demons were known for their battle enthusiasm, so it wasn''t hard to guess why, and the final reason was mostly to try his new skills.


    ''Also, let me see how good this martial demon bloodline is.'' Benimaru also had his motives for sending Ragnar and not going by himself.


    He wanted to see how a demon with the martial demon bloodline from the bottomyers of the demon realm fared against a demon knight who was at the top of the demon realm. He was also curious what tier Ragnar might be in.


    The ranking of demons was given to identify a demon''s power and influence. Not everyone could see a demon''s power. So, the people of this world would put a demon on a tier list for everyone to know what kind of power the demons hold of.


    It made it easier for everyone to avoid them and easier to hunt when needed, as they could go prepared.


    The tier list was absolute and believed by everyone because of how fast they were edited when a certain change happened.


    This list had a simple rule of identifying which demon could be on which tier.


    If a demon has strength from the 6th to the 9th stage in any major realm and is able to control a specific area for its tier, it will be a tier-1.


    If a demon has strength from the 1st to the 3rd stage in any major realm and is able to control a specific area for its tier, it will be a tier-2.


    If a demon has strength from the 4th to the 5th stage in any major realm and is able to control a specific area for its tier, it will be a tier-3.


    This cycle repeats itself, and you have aplete demon ranking.


    ¡­


    Crunch


    Raum leisurely chewed on thest of the hands, which were fingers. He ate them like french fries, not caring about the blood that was sttered all over its body.


    At that moment, its ears twitched as it heard the rustling sound of leavesing from the side.


    It looked in that direction and saw a demon in human clothes walking toward it.


    Raum was first excited as it thought a human might havee, but no, it was just a fellow demon. Still, it wasn''t like it would let go of him just because Ragnar was a demon. It will show him what he would pay for intruding on its territory.


    "Hey, care toe down here?" Ragnar first tried tomunicate with it. "I want- "


    But his words came to a halt when he saw the sharp ws shining before his face.


    [ Counter ]


    Ragnar backhanded the w to his right side, making Raum miss him. Then, using that force, he diverted the attack to its left shoulder.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Khich


    Its w ripped away a part of its left shoulder, taking it byplete surprise. It didn''t even have the time to scream as Ragnar gave a backhanded punch with his left hand, this time on Raum''s face, making it spin midair.


    Rangar went for a killing blow on its head, but at that moment, the tail on its back shot toward Ragnar like an arrow, making Ragnar halt his punch, instead go into defense.


    Puchi!


    But he failed to do so as the sharp tail end pierced his shoulder.


    Eventually making both parties separate from themselves and take in the moment of the battle that conspired.


    Ragnar looked at his bleeding right hand and the pierced left shoulder, which were now healed. "That was something; you took me both times inplete surprise. Which is a shame to me, I hope the Lord didn''t see it."


    "But, it won''t happen again." Ragnar''s face turned serious as he focused all of his senses on the Raum before him. "I will surely take you down now."


    The Raum was confused as to why Ragnar was babbling in the first ce, but that quickly went away as its heart got filled with anger, someone who came to its territory, injured it and was probably threatening it to surrender. How could it not get angered?


    Quickly healing its injury, the Raum began to prepare itself to kill the foe in front of it.


    A small standoff happened between them, but that onlysted for seconds as the Raum couldn''t hold its patience like Ragnar.


    It dashed toward Ragnar and appeared beside him in seconds.


    Ragnar''s eyes widened in shock. ''I knew it. This one has unbelievable speed!''


    But it wasn''t like Ragnar couldn''t keep up with that kind of speed. He captured the moment when it had to stop beside him to attack and took that chance to counterattack.


    Ragner bent his body backward, dodging the swipe it did. However, there was a follow-up attack of its tail from behind Ragnar.


    Without much thought, Ragnar leaped in the air a little and rotated his body, dodging that attack too.


    Then he smacked the Raum''s head with his fist while spinning his body, trying to get more force behind that attack.


    Bam!


    The top of Raum''s head got squashed like a potato as if a hammer was smashed onto its head, and the force behind that smack shot its head to the ground,


    Bang


    Its head smashed into the ground, and its body went limp along with it.


    This made Ragnar scared, as he was ordered to defeat it and let Benimaru subdue itter; if it was killed, he might get punished.


    But to Ragnar''s surprise, the moment hended on the ground and took his guard down, the tail again shot toward him.


    He quickly put both of his palms in its direction, which didn''t help but just pierce through them. However, he wanted to do just that, so he quickly grabbed the tail while it was pierced into his palms.


    Rip!


    He ripped apart the sharp tail head,pletely destroying it.


    Yes, Demons were known for their healing capabilities, but there were restrictions. If their horns, tail, and wings get damaged, they can''t be healed, at least not in conventional ways.


    So, Ragnar hadpletely eliminated one of Raum''s attack methods, making him sigh in relief. Then he looked at the heavily injured Raum, who stood in its ce like a zombie with its head still smashed.


    "KRAAAAA!" After giving a loud scream, the injuries on its body got healed. However, that wasn''t the only thing that changed, the rosyness on its body vanished, and it became a bit more thinner. Ragnar could also feel a strong energy brewing inside the Raum''s body.


    This made Ragnarugh at himself. "I can''t believe I underestimated my own race. I guess I still have many things to learn."


    ¡­


    "Benimaru, what happened?" Ravenna asked curiously, seeing the sudden change and the power surging inside the Raum''s body. She wasn''t worried about Ragnar, as if the situation got dire, they would be ready to go in to help.


    Benimaru answered, rubbing his chin. "It seems to have sacrificed the blood essence of the humans it ate that it stored inside this entire time."

 Chapter 55 Invest

    ?


    "Using the blood essence it stored to boost itself." Ravenna was amazed to think Raum would have such a great, inborn technique that could put many in shame. "It is much stronger than we expected."


    Benimaru shrugged his shoulders. "It is nothing. No low-level and weak being would do anything to survive and thrive in a world ruled by the strong. So, it isn''t out of expectation for it to develop such a technique."


    Benimaru wasn''t saying it to look cool or knowledgeable; he had experienced such a harsh world to be a top notch assassin that waster feared by many.


    Ravenna nodded her head, agreeing with him. Then both of them watched the fight before them fervently.


    ¡­


    "KRAA" Raum screamed out loud again at the sky, then looked down at Ragnar.


    Ragnar didn''t lose hisposure; he braced himself with intense focus, readying himself for this battle to show his power and determination to Benimaru.


    Ragnar captured every single bit of its potential as a weapon in his memory. ''These newly grown, sharp nails will surely give trouble. This new skinny body feels like he would be much faster than before. Lastly, its senses, now that its body is basically empty, or, to say, hungry, its senses are heightened up automatically to find its prey.''


    At that moment, the Raum vanished in front of Ragnar''s eyes, making him shocked. He converged his senses just to have it around him, so he could capture the Raum''s arrival immediately.


    And Ragnar seeded.


    He saw an upward swipeing right below him. He retreated back, dodging the attack in a nick of time. But he got surprised when a follow-up attack came at him, using its left hand this time.


    Ragnar didn''t have any choice but to retreat once again.


    Like this, a game of tag urred in the open space of the forest before delving into the midst of trees.


    The Raum attacked with all of its strength and speed but wasn''t able to catch Ragnar. No matter how much it tried, it failed to do so; moreover, it felt Ragnar was dodging its attack more easily.


    And it wasn''t wrong, as Ragnar was truly managing to dodge the attacks far more easily than before. It wasn''t that Ragnar was getting stronger; he was actually adapting.


    Ragnar has managed to capture the Raum''s attack pattern, making it simple for him to evade as he could probably predict how it would attack.


    However, the Raum wasn''t to guess this as its intellectual level was very low; instead, it got very mad and started attacking Ragnar wildly.


    ''Idiot.'' Ragnar''s eyes shone as he saw the golden opportunity. He used the movement skill for the first time toe near the Raum.


    [ Blurry Dash ]. The moment he used that, he arrived before the Raum by surprise, using its madness as camouge.


    Bam!


    Ragnar punched the Raum''s stomach, making it bend like a shrimp. Ragnar quickly grabbed both of its arms and then pulled it closer to him.


    Bam!


    He gave a knee to its chest area this time, making it cough out slightly dark blood.


    Ragnar wasn''t done with that; he grabbed the Raum''s head, pulling it down this time.


    Bam!


    Another knee came, this time to the face, which broke its nose and teeth.


    Bang!


    Ragnar smashed its head to the ground, burying it deep into the ground. He quickly shifted his focus to its arms and legs. Without further waiting, he broke them apart, maiming it to the ground.


    Ragnar knew it wouldn''t be able to heal itself now as it had consumed too much of its energy.


    p! p!


    Suddenly, Ragnar''s eyes widened as he raised his head up, but he immediately rxed after finding it was Benimaru and Ravenna.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Ravenna said to Ragnar, seeing him act like that. "You don''t have to tense up. Nobody will ambush you in the Lord''s presence."


    "Yes, just rx now. You did a great job." Benimaru gave his heartfelt appreciation, as he was amazed by Ragnar''sbat skills.


    If someone told him that Ragnar had zero practice inbat, if he hadn''t met Ragnar till now and witnessed his skill just now, he wouldn''t believe that person''s words.


    The reason for this is that Ragnar had all the basics down and knew what to do in a fight when it was his first fight.


    Benimaru was sure if Ragnar had at least three days of training from him, he would have taken down this Raum in a matter of seconds, not dragging it for too long.


    Ragnar put his hands on his chest and gave a short bow to Benimaru. "I am truly d that the Lord liked it."


    Benimaru nodded his head and then ordered. "Pull it out of the ground, I will make it tamer now."


    Ragnar quickly got Raum''s head out without dying the order given by Benimaru.


    A bloodied face with jagged jaws was presented before Benimaru''s eyes. Benimaru expressionlessly pulled out a red seal with weird patterns on it. He pped that on the Raum''s head in surprise, and it melted inside its head.


    "What is that, Benimaru?" Ravenna asked curiously, as she had never seen anything like this.


    "This is called the Seal of Loyalty. It will make the person who you inserted loyal, or you can just say be a ve of yours." Benimaru casually exined, shrugging his shoulders.


    This was an item he bought from the shop. It was a 2-Star item that would make anyone loyal. One just had to smear it with just a sprinkle of his blood and put it on the head of the person you want to make loyal when they are weak.


    A few secondster, he felt a connection with Raum¡ªnot an equal bond but that of a ruler and his soldiers.


    But he couldn''t confirm if Raum truly was loyal to him, as it was very wounded now, not even able to open its eyes. He had to say, Ragnar beat this guy very badly.


    He looked at Ragnar and said. "Let''s carry this guy to the base." Then he shifted to Ravenna. "And you go hunt a small beast, I don''t want a dead weight to burden me. I need workers very fast."


    Ravenna and Ragnar nodded their heads, quickly carrying out Benimaru''s orders. Ravenna left to hunt while Ragnar lifted the Raum, resting it on his shoulder.


    Benimaru and Ragnar walked toward the house. On the way, Benimaru thought to himself. ''I need to gather more Common Mana Crystals or I might run out of these seals.''


    He couldn''t help but get a headache because this thing was very expensive for the current him. One Seal of Loyalty costs twenty thousand Common Mana Crystal which is totally absurd.


    You have to know that Benimaru only got five hundred thousand Common Mana Crystal from the Crystal Mine. Also, he couldn''t waste all of that on just these, he had bought many items that he felt were useful, especially on skills, spells, and techniques, which were expensive in themselves.


    ''I guess I could ask this Raum after it wakes and see if it has it in its territory. Also, I need more small workers to mine these things, or we have to go down the mines ourselves. I can''t let myself and the generals waste their time on mining. We have to use that to hone our skills, spells and cultivate properly.'' Thinking to this point, Benimaru couldn''t help but put a frown on his eyebrows. He rubbed his forehead. ''Ahhh¡­ so troublesome to run and manage an organization on your own.''


    Benimaru and Ragnar arrived at the house and saw the Meatscrapers still sitting on the ground, in a pure daze.


    Benimaru decided to undo the spell as they were here now, but from the corner of his eyes, he saw something that surprised him.


    A Meatscraper was sitting on the ground and eating what could have been a dead deer.


    This not only surprised him but Ragnar too. He knew Benimaru had put them under an illusion, but he didn''t expect one to break out of it.


    The Meatscraper, who was eating its deer meat, happily heard some footsteps, making it jump up and be on alert. But it quickly rxed its guard, seeing that it was Benimaru and Ragnar.


    This made Benimaru curve up the corner of his lips in a big grin. ''Interesting, it didn''t try to escape and feelfort near us. I think it should know it would just die or get captured if it leaves my area of influence. The Meatscrapers should be smart¡­''


    Benimaru nced at Ragnar. ''...They were told to be at the top of the Demon Realm, where basic and normal demons reside, but here we are with two Meatscraper with high-level intelligence. Is it something only seen in Meatscrapers or is there some kind of secret or phenomenon I don''t know of? Only time will tell.''


    "Lord, what do you want to do with it?" Ragnar asked curiously, as he wasn''t good at making such decisions as whether he should dispose of it, let it stay, or do other things.


    Benimaru just answered him with a smile. "Invest."

 Chapter 56 A New General?

    ?


    "Come here, little buddy." Benimaru signaled that particr meatscraper toe before him.


    The meatscraper was a bit scared but eventually picked up its courage and walked toward Benimaru.


    "Oh, also being that piece of meat of yours." Benimaru reminded the meatscraper about its meat, which he wanted to use it on the Raum.


    The meatscraper quickly picked up its piece of meat despite hesitating at first. It brought the meat to Benimaru and presented it to him.


    Benimaru said it with a smile. "Ragnar, shove this in the Raum''s mouth."


    Ragnar nodded his head and quickly followed Benimaru''s action, forcing that meat into the Raum''s mouth.


    Just as the meat got into its stomach, the Raum''s eyes shot open, and the injuries on its body also started to heal. It looked around in panic, but the next second it rxed when its eyesid upon Benimaru. It walked before him respectively and bowed down on its knees.


    "Good." Benimaru became satisfied, as he was a little worried at first if it would work, but it looks to him like it worked very well. He couldn''t me himself for being worried, as he was very cautious about everything.


    Then Benimaru ordered with amanding tone. "From now on, you will be called Lagnir, and you will be in charge of these meatscrapers."


    Lagnir didn''t say anything, just stayed silent, which Benimaru took as a "yes," as it wasn''t able to speak properly.


    "But, not this one." Benimaru shifted his focus to the meatscraper below him. "I have things to do with it."


    Lagnir gave a short nce at the meatscraper, then quickly retracted it back.


    "Now, you may leave." Benimaru said, turning his body around. Then he added, referring to the meatscraper. "You follow me."


    The meatscraper followed behind Benimaru, cowering a little. Meanwhile, Ragnar quickly got in charge of Lagnir and the meatscrapers, which were now out of Benimaru''s spell.


    ¡­


    In the house.


    Benimaru was sitting on the chair while looking down at the meatscraper. "Can you tell me how you were able to escape from my spell?"


    "Arg..arggg¡­grkkkss..graaa¡­" The meatscraper immediately started trying its hardest to exin itself, as if wanting to justify some wrongdoing it had done.


    "Okay, it looks like it won''t go anywhere." Benimaru rubbed his forehead as he was having a headache about what to do.


    Should he try to take this guy as his general and make it speak after that? Or wait and see after its natural growth?


    Eventually, Benimaru firmed up his mind and made his decision.


    He stood up and said this while looking down at the meatscraper. "Life is all about gambling. So, let me gamble on you."


    "So, do not disappoint me." He made a small opening on his index finger and rested it on top of its head. "Open your mouth and receive my blessing. My new general!"


    The meatscraper didn''t know why but felt that it got entranced and decided to do anything Benimaru said. Just as it opened its mouth, a drop of Benimaru''s blood essence dropped, melting into its tongue.


    The moment that essence entered its body fully, a reaction urred. The meatscraper body started to metamorphose, transforming into a totally new appearance.


    ''I guess, there is a low chance of demons failing to change after receiving my condensed blood essence.'' Benimaru thought as he watched the changes happening in the meatscraper''s body, which had grown taller now, close to a teenager.


    But when it reached the final stage, Benimaru''s eyes widened in shock as he saw the meatscraper feminine traits.


    No! It was a female, as breasts and a birth canal appeared on her body.


    This took Benimaru by surprise, as he didn''t expect this one to be a girl. The reason was because there was hardly anything that could help Benimaru identify a low-level demon''s gender properly.


    The girl below him, with a pained expression on her face, opened her eyes. She got up and looked at her body, touching every part, admiring and getting amazed.


    "This..This..is¡­me?" The girl spoke up, while stuttering.


    At that moment, she heard Benimaru''s voice. "Here, wear these. These are Ravenna''s; I am sure she wouldn''t mind you wearing them."


    Benimaru tossed the woman''s clothes into the girl''s embrace while averting his eyes. The girl got confused seeing them, not knowing how to even start. It was not like a man''s where, with one action, you could wear them instantly.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Ahhh~'' Benimaru gave a helpless sigh, seeing the girl being a bit lost. He knew she might destroy the clothes if he didn''t do anything. So, he walked forward while saying to himself. "I wish Ravenna was here. But whatever, I will do it."


    A couple of minutes went by and in that span of time Benimaru was able to help her wear it and even teach her how to wear it properly.


    Benimaru couldn''t help but say. ''She looks beautiful.''


    He wasn''t just exaggerating when he said that, as she indeed looked beautiful. She had long blond hair, a slim figure, a face that was innocent yet sharp, andstly, her ck eyes, which could see anything.


    However, Benimaru only marveled at her beauty for a second before saying."Now, let''s begin what we started."


    "Wait!" He just sat on his chair when suddenly something popped into his mind. "I still have to give you a name. What should I call you?"


    Benimaru rubbed his chin, contemting what he would name her. After thinking for a little, he finally decided on a name.


    He looked at the girl before him, who was looking around all the objects curiously. "Come here."


    The girl instantly locked her focus on Benimaru the moment she heard his voice.


    Benimaru looked at her face and said it nonchntly. "I have decided to give you a name. I can''t call you a little gu- girl all the time."


    "From today onward, you will be called Fiain, and you will also be my general. I hope you have the skills for it."


    Fiain knelt on the ground on her knee as she had watched Ragnar do all the time. "Ye- Yes, my Lord."


    "Good," Benimaru nodded his head in satisfaction, seeing Fiain being a fast learner, close to Ragnar. "So, now tell me, do you remember anything about before you came to this world?"


    Fiain went into deep thought, trying her hardest to remember, eventually answering. "I am sorry, Lord. I can''t remember a single thing."


    "It''s okay." Benimaru waved his hand, not caring much about it. "You should go outside and meet with your colleague Ragnar. He will teach you everything."


    "I will, my lord." Riain said before standing up but before she would leave, she said to Benimaru. "Thank you, Lord. For giving me a new life. I am indebted to you."


    Benimaru looked at Fiain''s figures leaving the house in surprise. Then a small smile appeared on his face. "Considerate, huh?"


    "Unfortunately, I didn''t find anything from her. I would have been depressed wasting my blood essence and a spot for general wasting on her but¡­" Benimaru looked at the digital status screen in front of him. "...I have a better way of finding out."


    [ General: Fiain


    Race: The Watcher


    Vitality Realm: 6th Stage Health Seeker


    Combat Strength: 7th Stage Health Seeker


    Ability: Eyes of Envision


    Vitality Technique: None


    Skills: None ]


    "What the!?" Benimaru got dumbfounded seeing the status, but that wasn''t what shocked him most, but what it said about them.


    [ The Watcher: An elusive demon race that dwells on the 15th floor of the demon realm. No one knows who or what they are, but they are someone even the kings of the bottom floors worry about. But there is one thing that everyone knows, and that is ¨C they are master hunters. Anyone they set their eyes on, they will capture them, no matter how impossible the task might be. ]


    [ Eyes of Envision: A pair of conceptual eyes that the Watchers are blessed with. It gives them strong visual capabilities and especially lets them see what might happen in the future. This power depends on the strength the user possesses. Legend has it that the ancestor of the Watcher race was able to see hundreds of years in the future, which helped them predict the catastrophe that might have happened in the demon realm. ]


    "This¡­isn''t this too overpowered?" Benimaru couldn''t help but question himself, as he had a strong yearning for it.


    He couldn''t imagine how much stronger he might get after having this eye power. However, the main reason for this yearning was about the past. He couldn''t help but think about what could have happened if he had had this power. It didn''t matter if he could just see for a second into the future, that would be enough for him to save her.


    However, he quickly tossed these thoughts away from his mind. ''Now is not the time to regret. Whatever happened in the past is already gone. At least I know how my daughter is doing even after her death. I should first focus on killing this god.''

 Chapter 57 A Human Like Demon

    ?


    ''Well, at least the investment didn''t go to waste.'' Benimaru happily thought, very satisfied with the results. ''Also, it looks like something is going on in the first floor of the Demon Realm that is making just the meatscrapers or other demons mutate.''


    ''Forget it, I will see it in the future when I have the chance.'' Benimaru sat cross-legged and decided to cultivate his mana, so that he could break through to the next major realm. ''I will cultivate till Ravenna arrives.''


    Time passed gradually, and Benimaru was also close to breaking through, he was feeling it calling him to break open the gate.


    But for some reason, a frown could be seen on Benimaru''s forehead.


    "Tsk, can''t cultivate like this." Benimaru stood up and looked in a certain direction. "Why is she this long? No, I can''t wait any longer. I have to go check." Benimau walked outside and saw that the sun had just started to set. ''Didn''t expect so much time have passed. Going into cultivation makes me almost forget about everything.''


    "Ragnar, Lagnir, follow me!" Benimaru headed toward the direction they came from earlier.


    Ragnar, who was sparring and teaching Fiain about everything he knew, left the work in his hands and quickly followed behind Benimaru. However, he gave an order to Fiain before leaving. "Take care of the site and the meatscrapers."


    "I will." Fiain firmly said so, vowing to fulfill this duty to the fullest.


    Meanwhile, Lagnir, who was patrolling the perimeter with the meatscrapers, quickly abandoned the work in the meatscrapers hands and went to follow Benimaru.


    Benimaru and others dashed in full throttle, arriving at the site where Ravenna separated from them. They then ran in the direction she went.


    Along the way, he pulled out three blue gems and handed them one each. "Just pour some of your power into it and you will be able to send messages to others with just a thought. So, spread out, when you find Ravenna, no matter which situation she might be in. Send a message."


    Ragnar and Lagnir nodded their heads. They separated from Benimaru, going in other directions.


    While Benimaru ran straight, contemting and ming himself. ''This is my fault. I should have given her the Short Distance Communication Jade the first time, but I didn''t think she would stumble into a dangerous situation just to hunt a small prey, or I might be wrong too. She is fine and just stuck in the middle of something. No matter what, I just hope nothing bad happens to her.''


    Minutes passed by, but Benimaru didn''t find a single trace left by Ravenna, and no message had been sent by others.


    This made Benimaru nervous and mad at himself. ''Did I lose someone again? Just like that?"


    When Benimaru started having dreadful thoughts in his mind, the Short Distance Communication Jade began to vibrate.


    He quickly put his thoughts into it and got the massage, He could tell from the voice that it was Ragnar.


    ¨CLord, I have found her. I think you guys should arrive here in a hurry; the situation is bad, and I will try to stall till then¨C


    Without further thought, Benimaru sprang toward Ragnar''s direction, knowing it was worse than he had expected.


    Lagnir also ran as fast as he could. He was the farthest away, but with his speed, he didn''t have to worry.


    ¡­


    On Ragnar''s side, two minutes earlier, before Ragnar sent the massage.


    "Huh?" Ragnar''s eyes widened in surprise as the smell of blood entered his sharp nose. He halted in his sprint and walked to the source of that smell.


    He saw an open space with trees piled up on one another ¨C probably from getting destroyed by strong force ¨C making a chaotic ce, also a clue for Rangar.


    Ragnar came before the blood stains and rubbed it with his finger, taking a closer and deeper smell. Ragnar got shocked the moment he sniffed the blood on his finger. ''I guessed it. It has the same scent as Miss Ravenna''s blood.''


    Ragnar was able to know that because he had memorized it when Ravenna fought the Swinefiends. He quickly followed the trace of the scent of the blood and the small drops sprinkled here and there.


    Within a minute, he arrived at another open space, but this was a big one, and it had nothing piled in the middle except some wooden houses.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    He looked ahead and saw something that made his blood boil and worried him at the same time.


    In the center of the houses, a woman could be seen tied down to a long stick. She was surrounded by various demons, and this woman was none other than Ravenna. She was bruised and probably unconscious.


    At that moment. A man arrived with wings, horns, and a tail like a demon''s. No! He was indeed a demon, just like Benimaru, Ragnar, and Ravenna, indicating his high-ranking bloodline.


    This made Ragnar, who wanted to jump in, very hesitant. There were already close to twenty demons below the Health Seeker Realm, and two were at Fleshcrafting Realm. Lastly, the man himself, who was giving the same feeling as Benimaru, A being that he had a low chance of going against.


    "My soldiers! I wee you all to the coronation of your queen. A eternal beauty and a strong warrior that the whole world will envy!" The man said it loudly, and the demons in front of him yelled along too.


    "Kraaaa!"


    "ARGGG!"


    The man had a striking feature as his dark green hair swayed in the air while his ebony eyes reflected his confidence and arrogance. He had a pair of wings that had feathers like leaves, which were a dark greenish color.


    "Good, Let me consummate my queen today that will bear the kings of the world that will be ruled by me in the future." The man grinned, walking beside Ravenna. He gave her a greedy look as if he couldn''t wait for the future she would uphold.


    Ragnar, who was in the middle of sending the message, had his veins pop off. The words from that man meant a lot of things to Ragnar, but the main thing was that he was disrespecting someone very close to his lord.


    How could Ragnar bear that?


    He left ast sentence, saying he would go try to stall for time, knowing he wouldn''t be able to beat them.


    The man before Ravenna looked at her with glee, as he could not believe he had found such an exquisite woman who had beauty that could rival many and strength that was hard to find in the early stages of a demon girl.


    So, the moment he spotted her in the forest with his underlings, he quickly fought her, testing her worth. When he felt satisfied, he quickly suppressed her.


    ''I guess I will be ahead of you assholes in thepetition.'' With that thought, he began to perform a ritual to bring Ravennapletely under his control.


    But at that moment, a loud scream came from behind the pack, catching everyone''s attention.


    The man and his underlings looked behind them just to see a human-like demon killing a Swinefiend but smashing its head like a watermelon.


    The man raised his eyebrows, not caring about the deaths of his men. He was most concerned about the demon in front of him. ''Who is he? There was supposed to be no one spawning in this area. I have engraved everyone''s faces in my mind. He is definitely not one of them. Who is he?''


    The man decided to question Ragnar about his identity. "Stranger, tell me who you are and why did you kill my man?"


    Ragnar, who had the mentality of going on a rampage, got a bit dumbfounded, but the next second he got ecstatic. ''This is an opportunity!''


    Ragnar calmed himself down and spoke proudly. "I am Ragnar, general of Lord Benimaru."


    ''Ragnar¡­Benimaru¡­ What is happening? Nothing rings a bell in my head! There is clearly no one with that name who was supposed to spawn here, or someone tweaked the transportation spell?'' Ragnar''s introduction put a deep frown on the man''s face, as he felt everything was unknown to him.


    The reason he didn''t get this much suspicion when he saw Ravenna was because their n leaders told them that some girls with good potential would be thrown in too. That information was confidential, and who would get them, depended on their luck. He had waited seventeen years, eventually finding Ravenna.


    ''And this guy is a general of someone else. A high ranking demon like him is listening to someone else''s words. This Lord Benimaru might be as strong as me or might be even better.'' The man was in deep thought when Ragnar suddenly interrupted him.


    "Care to introduce yourself now?" Ragnar said, respectively, not showing his hostility.


    The man held down his hostility too, as he wanted to get more information before ensuring his safety. "I am Garner, also known as Lord of the Fallen Leaves."

 Chapter 58 Close Call

    ?


    ''Fallen Leaves?'' Ragnar murmured silently under his breath as he felt the name being weird, but he decided to toss this useless thought away.


    "Now, reveal your intention for killing my men." Garner asked, ring into Ragnar''s eyes and putting his pressure on him.


    Ragnar could feel the pressure, which was like a mountain pressing him down, but he didn''t yield. He stood strong to his ground and said it with a resolute face. "It is for capturing myrade, the Lord''s first general, Ravenna."


    Garner''s eyes widened in shock again, as he was having a hard time believing a lord like a demon would take such a strong and beautiful woman just for his general. This implied so many things, but Garner didn''t want to think about it because he knew what it meant to kidnap some other lord''s general.


    It was a war!


    "Kill him! Don''t let this guy escape!" Garner quickly ordered his own generals, which amounted to two.


    One of which was a Swinefiend at the 1st Stage Fleshcrafting Realm, and the other one was a Gorebuzz at the 2nd Stage Fleshcrafting Realm.


    This Gorebuzz was a demon that roamed in the 2nd and 3rd floors of the Demon Realm. They have insect-like heads, and their flesh would boil from time to time like water. Their main weapon was the natural inborn scythe on their arms, which was sharp as a de, and they had great speed that wasn''t a short burst but a flexible one that made them very nimble.


    However, Ragnar didn''t know the full history of it but he was able to guess many things after seeing its body parts.


    ''This guy¡­he didn''t send his smaller minions first. He is very cautious.'' Ragnar braced himself as he felt his stalling time would get shortened as he was now against elites. He was expecting to use the mobs to his advantage, but unfortunately, nothing goes as nned.


    Ragnar gave a short nce at Garner before asking if he tried to move or do anything to Ravenna. A soft sigh of relief escaped from his mouth when he saw none of these happening. So, he distanced himself from the whole group to make space for him to fight properly.


    The Swinefiend, used its move, which was [ Wild Charge ], rushing at him at a fast speed with its club in hand. Meanwhile, the Gorebuzz seemed to have vanished from his sight, making Ragnar panic.


    ''It is using the Swinefiend as a bait to vanish into my limited view of sight.'' Such thoughts made Ragnar more worried about Gorebuzz than the Swinefiend itself.


    However, that didn''t mean Ragnar didn''t have his way. He used [ Blurry Dash ], arriving before Swinefiend, who didn''t even notice his existence.


    [ Counter ], Ragnar grabbed the Swinefiend''s right arm in the way and swung its force a little, making the Swinefiend ultimately lose its bnce.


    At that moment, the danger senses in his heart rang continuously, alerting him of a sneak attack. He, without looking at this attack, raised the Swinefiend''s arm ¨C the one he was holding ¨C to the attack''s direction.


    Puchi!


    A sharp scythe cut straight into the Swinefiend''s arm, eventually getting stuck. Ragnar used this as an opportunity and initiated a punch at its face.


    But he halted midway and quickly retreated back.


    Hended on the ground and looked at the two enemies in front of him. He touched his right cheek and brought his hand forward. He could see traces of blood that were his. ''I underestimated them. No, I overestimated myself. I was almost killed. Why did I think I could kill them that easily? In the face of absolute strength, no tactics stand.''


    Ragnar shifted his focus to Garner. He started panicking heavily when he saw Garner doing some kind of ritual in front of Ravenna. "No! Stop it!"


    Ragnar went mad, rushing forward without any care for the two enemies before him.


    They took this as their own chance andunched their attacks. The Swinefiend swung its club horizontally at Ragnar''s course, causing the dust and the upperyer of the soil to st away.


    "AHHHH!" Ragnar didn''t even try to dodge it as he punched forward, putting every ounce of his strength into his right fist.


    BANG!


    The moment Ragnar''s fist and the club came into contact, an explosion sounded, which originated from Ragnar sting the club into pieces. But Ragnar''s right arm also ruptured and his fingers were broken.


    Ragnar didn''t even have time to breathe as Gorebuzz suddenly came beside him, swinging both of its scythes at Ragnar''s neck. On the other hand, Ragnar raised his right arm to block that attack.


    Puchi


    Ragnar''s ruptured arm got cut off, but he wasn''t worried about it; instead, it was just as he wished. His cut off right arm grew back, looking as new. Ragnar used his left arm to grab the end of the scythe, blocking the scythes right before they reached his neck.


    Ragnar used two fingers on his right hand to poke it into Gorebuzz''s eyes, taking it by surprise. <novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Krakk!" The Gorebuzz screeched in pain after losing both of its eyes.


    Ragnar, grabbing both of its scythe arms, threw it at the Swinefiend below him, which had fallen down, smashing them together.


    Ragnar didn''t waste any time after that and ran forward as fast as possible. The other minions of Garner came forward to block him, but he didn''t pay heed to them as they couldn''t do much.


    However, even before he could reach the small army of minions, something grabbed hold of his legs,pletely halting his run, and he wasn''t able to even trip over properly as ebony-colored tree roots grabbed hold of his body, raising him up in the air, properly binding him.


    Ragnar trashed himself, trying to get himself free, but nothing worked. The roots were like the strongest rope, made of rubber and steel.


    Ragnar could only stay where he was and watch Garnerplete his ritual.


    Garner gave onest nce at Ragnar, showing his smug smile and curved eyes, gloating at him. ''Just kidding. Did you think I would be scared of your so-called lord?''


    Ragnar gritted his teeth and said it with a pained expression. ''Sorry, my lord. I failed you.''


    He didn''t even want to watch it because he was too ashamed.


    Meanwhile, Garner was in thest phase of the ritual. He looked at Ravenna, saying with wonder. "You are being wanted by so many people already. So, once I conquer you, I will finally be able to show my strength."


    Then Garner spread his hands in the air and said joyfully."Now! We shall begin. To have you as my qu-"


    BOOM!


    Suddenly, a loud explosion urred, catching everyone''s attention. Garner turned his head to see but got greeted with something else.


    Bam!


    A punchnded on his face that destroyed the structure of that side of his face. However, that wasn''t the end, as an explosion followed along that sted Garner away, crashing him into the house and then the trees.


    Ragnar saw who it was and said, even roaring a little. "The Lord is here!"


    Yes, Benimaru has arrived just in the nick of time.


    Benimaru had a stoic yet calm face. But those who knew him properly would know that he was seething with pure rage. He said it to Ragnar without looking back. "I want you to quickly escort Ravenna away from here."


    At that moment, the tree roots withered away, letting Ragnar be free. He quickly followed Benimaru''s wish. Untying Ravenna from the long stick, he gave a run to their base camp with her on his shoulder.


    Meanwhile, the Swinefiend and Gorebuzz had healed themselves and were about to rush toward Benimaru as they saw their lord''s safety as their first priority rather than letting Ravenna escape.


    "Stop!" Their action came to a halt as they heard when they heard their lord''s voice. Garner came out of the forest while fixing his jawline. "Go capture her! I want her to be mine, no matter what happens. I will take care of him till then."


    Garner red at Benimaru. "The so-called Lord, who is weak as my general."


    The Swinefiend and Gorebuzz didn''t waste any time thinking. They started their chase to catch Ragnar.


    Meanwhile, only Benimaru, Garner, and his small minion army were present there.


    Benimaru and Garner were having a standoff.


    "So, you are the anomaly, huh?" Garner broke the silence first. "I didn''t expect you to be weak. I thought someone who could have two high ranking demons as his general would be someone strong, but¡­ you are so weak."


    "Are you trying to taunt me?" Benimaru asked back with a calm face, as if the one in front of him was the same as the low level demons. "Your cheap tactics won''t work on me. Instead, I have many questions for you."


    "But first, to dare to capture my people¡­this audacity¡­ It looks like I have let the demon knights of this forest know who I am." Benimaru dered, ring at Garner. "So, to do that, I will first raze this whole ce down to cinders."

 Chapter 59 Decisions

    ?


    Garner went silent for a second, then the veins on his forehead started to twitch. He forced a smile on his face and said. "Good, good. I will remember to hang your head on my front gate to remind stupid lords like you."


    Benimaru didn''t say anything; instead, he analyzed the status screen before his eyes.


    [ Garner, Lord of the Fallen Leaves (Cursed Mera) (4th Stage Novice Realm) : Dark magicians of the Demon Realm. Cursed Meras are mostly seen on the 14th Floor. They are known for their toxic and cursed tree magic usage. They are also hard to kill, as they could seep away life force from nt life in a matter of seconds. ]


    Benimaru''s face darkened a little after reading that, but he quickly hid it away, not letting Garner show any sign of weakness. ''This will be hard. He is not like the opponents I fought in the past. He is a prodigy of the bottom floor''s race, and the characteristics of this race are a bit broken.''


    "Huh? Why are you silent? Is it because you are scared of me, right?" Garner smirked while pressing his right hand forward. "Well, it looks like this fight will finish very fast."


    Tree roots that were like sharp spikes sprung out of the ground, aiming to make Benimaru into a honeb.


    But Benimaru was waiting for this to take Garner by surprise and possibly finish it in one sweep. He brought out his katana, shing it multiple times in a sh. Then he used his purple lightning to burst himself toward Garner.


    Garner, who had just finished making that move, was taken by surprise, not even noticing Benimaru''s sudden dash toward him.


    Benimaru came before Garner and swung his katana, which was burning with purple mes. Garner quickly crossed his arms, and a thick shield made of unknown wood was conjured that blocked Benimaru''s attack. However, that wasn''t enough, as Benimaru''s katana just cut through half of it when the purple me turned into a ze, eating Garner''s entire shield.


    BOOM!


    A loud explosion urred, sting Garner away. He smashed into a tree, eventually stopping his flight. He got out of the thick tree that was able to take in Garner''s force and his whole body. Garner looked at his hands, which were charred and broken beyond repair.


    But that was subverted when tree roots came out of his back, inserting themselves into the tree he was stuck in. In a matter of seconds, Garner''s arms got healed at the cost of the massive and healthy tree dying.


    Garner then shifted his focus to Benimaru, who was dashing toward him at full speed. He quickly made a sign with both of his hands and said. " [ Curse of Gargatos - Cruel Tongue ] "


    Seven tree roots burst out of Garner''s back, moving in an unpredictable manner like an octopus''s legs. His eyes turned ck, as if he were being possessed by someone. Garner looked at Benimaru, tilting his head like a zombie.


    Benimaru had his guard up when he saw Garner use some unknown spell. But that still didn''t let him be safe. The moment he came near Garner, the tentacle-like roots shot at him like arrows, not letting Benimaru even react.


    ''So fast!?'' Benimaru''s eyes widened in shock as he could only think of one way to avoid them. He swiped his left hand from left to right and whispered. " [ Wall of Devastation ] "


    A rectangle shaped wall made of purple fire, conjured before Benimaryu in an instant. This was abination of two spells he bought from the shop. There was no spell in the shop currently that did match with his power, so he had toe up with his own.


    This wall had strong defensive ability and quake damage too, which was shown right now.


    Boom!


    The tentacle roots tried to pierce through that wall but got blocked as if they were hit against a boulder made of steel, and that wasn''t the end of it as a strong repulsive force and explosion urred that forced the tentacle roots away while also damaging them.


    However, it looks like these damages were nothing, as they healed in a matter of seconds. On the other hand, Benimaru used that small opening toe closer to Garner.


    Garner knew his tentacle roots would be able to attack Benimaru now and even be able to stop him, but he wasn''t satisfied with just that. He opened his mouth wide open, and along with that, a green flower with four dark petals bloomed on top of his head.


    A dark green energy ball started to conjure in his mouth, aiming at Benimaru, who was up close.


    [ Curse of Gargatos - Sun Eater ]


    Garner used a spell that worked like photosynthesis, but here it was to make an energy ball from the sun''s energy with special attributes to it. If Benimaru gets touched by that, his body would start to corrode at breakneck speed, and he would have to use more than enough energy to heal it than normal times.


    However, Benimaru didn''t know that, but it didn''t matter much as he could feel the fetal threat from it. So he also decided to use his own skills to counter it.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    He came to a halt and inserted his katana in the ground. Knowing he was about to get attacked from everywhere by the tentacle roots and the possible attack from Garner''s mouth.


    " [ Chaos Dome ] " Just as Benimaru uttered those words, a sphere spread out of his katana that was mixed with purple thunder and purple fire, which shed against the tentacle roots.


    At that moment, the energy ball inside Garner''s mouth shot out like a cannonball. A dark beam with green tints on it made contact with Benimaru''s expanding dome.


    Boom..


    Then simultaneously,rge explosions urred that sted away the trees and soil.


    "You¡­" Garner whispered in a hoarse tone with a shocked expression, as he didn''t expect someone weaker than him to explode with such power. His tentacle roots ¡ª which were almost destroyed by the counterattack of Benimaru''s dome ¡ª started to restore themselves after absorbing the life essence of the surrounding nts.


    In the center of the explosion, where Benimaru was, the dust settled down, revealing Benimaru, who was intact. Instead of looking ahead, he nced at his pair of burned hands. ''Somehow, that beam actually managed to enter my dome. I''m d I used this technique, or I might have been heavily injured.''


    Finally, he looked at Garner, who looked intact, just like him. ''This vitality¡­ this is going to be a big headache. I have to finish this quickly, or I hope my stamina can hold till the end.''


    While Benimaru was contemting the rest of the fight, Garner was thinking of something else. ''How was he able to damage me while being under the influence of Lord Gargatos''s power? His powers¡ªit feels so familiar¡ªas if I have seen it many times in my life.'' Garner halted his train of thought at that moment as he saw Benimaru about to make a move.


    Benimaru steeled his heart and came up with a n. ''I guess I will have to destroy the source of his recovery ability.''


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, on the other side of things.


    Ragnar was running as fast as possible with Ravenna on his shoulder. ''I have to leave this ce fast or they might cau- "


    Ragnar wasn''t able to finish his thought when he felt two unknown yet familiar presences from behind. He ran as fast as possible without looking back, as he knew who they were. ''Damn it, they are so fast!''


    Gorebuzz made cricket-like noises upon noticing Ragnar. It left behind its partner, Swinefeind, and sprinted with its full speed, which resulted in catching up to Ragnar.


    Ragnar knew he couldn''t outrun them, so he made a choice instantly. He came to a sudden halt and gave a roundhouse kick ¨C rotating his body ¨C taking the Gorebuzz byplete surprise.


    Bam!


    Ragnar''s kicknded on Gorebuzz''s face, smashing its body into the tree nearby. Then he dropped Ravenna''s body to the side, letting her rest against a tree.


    After doing that, Ragnar quickly came before Gorebuzz. He rested his right feet on its stomach and then grabbed hold of its arms.


    Gritting his teeth, Ragnar gave a silent roar and pulled both of its arms out from its body.


    Rippp!


    "KRAA!" The Gorebuzz shrieked in pain after losing its arms.


    Meanwhile, Ragnar yed with the Gorebuzz''s arms a little, eventually bing familiar with them. After he was done, he looked to the side, at the Gorebuzz and swung the scythe on his left hand, severing its upper body from its bottom.


    The Gorebuzz was about to heal its arms and give a try to kill Ragnar, as without its arms it is nothing. But it didn''t expect Ragnar would use its weapons against itself, taking it by surprise once again.


    Ragnar wasn''t able to go for a surekill as the Swinefiend had already arrived. He nced at it, preparing his newly found weapons. ''I hope this can kill it. These guys have vitality beyond imagination.''

 Chapter 60 The Turn Of Events

    The Swinefiend saw its partner getting killed like that, so it decided to fight at long range. But how could it be done?


    It looked at the trees beside it and knew what it had to do. Using its brute strength, it pulled off two trees with its pair of hands and swung the one with its right hand vertically.


    Ragnar''s eyes widened seeing that, not because he might get injured, as this won''t do anything to him, but at the thought of Ravenna, who was near them, getting injured by the aftermath.


    He quickly turned back and went to pick up Ravenna. Fortunately, he was fast enough to pick her up, but at that moment the tree had alreadynded, causing a shockwave on the ground and eventually making a ripple on the soil, which destroyed the surroundings.


    Ragnar used that force to propel himself forward and leave the site. He again dropped Ravenna on the ground and thought. ''I have to take this fight far away from her.''


    Ragnar quickly dashed forward and arrived close to the Swinefiend. At that time, the Swinefiend swung the other tree horizontally, making Ragnar leap in the air. Then, straightening his body, he shot down at the Swinefiend. The Swinefiend raised its arms to defend against Ragnar''s attack but failed to do so as both of its arms were cut off.


    However, Ragnar saw this as a failure too, as he wasn''t able to cut off its head. ''Shit¡­its arms are so hard.''


    Still, Ragnar didn''t even try to take the time to rest; as soon as his feetnded on the ground, he rotated and shed the Swinefiend''s nape.


    The Swinefiends weren''t known for their speed; instead, they were known for their raw strength. So, the Swinefiend wasn''t able to defend itself, and half of its neck got severed.


    Ragnar''s eyes glowed as he felt he was about to seed in defeating his nuisance like enemies. He went for another swing, this time for a killing blow.


    Ting


    But Ragnar''s scythe didn''tnd on the Swinefiend''s neck as it got blocked by an identical scythe just like the one on his hand, making Ragnar very surprised.


    He looked carefully and saw it was none other than the Gorebuzz.


    ''How is it still alive!? I was sure it did- '' Ragnar wasn''t able to finish his thought when suddenly he felt a tingling sensation on the back of his head. Without looking back, he swung his scythe behind him, shing against another Gorebuzz''s scythe.


    ''Huh!?'' Ragnar was beyond shocked by this sudden turn of events, as he was having a hard time understanding the current situation.


    Still, he shoved both of them away by sheer force and then distanced himself. But the two Gorebuzz followed behind him, pinching him both ways.


    Ragnar had to use [ Counter ] as efficiently as possible to keep himself unharmed.


    Their sh continued throughout Ravenna''s surroundings, but it didn''t reach her, or Ragnar didn''t let ite near her. Ragnar was also thinking about the Swinefiend who might have fully healed by now.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    However, throughout this whole fight, Ragnar noticed something. He might be having a hard time fighting them, but that was because he was outnumbered. However, he wasn''t having a hard time overpowering them in strength.


    ''Don''t tell me I am fighting the same Gorebuzz, but it has now divided itself in half and its strength has also halved.'' Ragnar came to a sudden realization, which made him calmer.


    Gorebuzz had an innate ability that wasn''t that special, as most insect-like demons in the Demon Realm had this. This ability was called self-cloning. Most of the insect-like demons could make clones of themselves by separating them.


    Ragnar''s face quickly darkened as he noticed something else. ''Looks like I am outnumbered again.''


    "GRAA!" The Swinefiend rushed at him, who was fully healed now. It didn''t care about the trees it shed against, as only rage and brutality were written on its eyes.


    ''I guess I have to just hold on.'' Ragnar immediately made a decision, as he knew it would be a hard battle to win. So, he decided to keep himself alive and not go for any kill.


    But that thought also didn''tst a second as someone arrived at the scene, and it was none other than Lagnir.


    Just as he arrived, he jumped straight into the rushing Swinefiend, catching it by surprise. Lagnir dug his ws inside the Swinefiend''s eyes and the area around them.


    "Graww!" The Swinefiend screamed again in pain after losing its eyesight.


    Lagnir wasn''t done with that, as he started wing its face like a beast. The Swinefiend couldn''t endure it anymore, so it punched upward and sessfullynded its punch on the wild Lagnir''s face.


    Lagnir flew in the air while also healing his broken face. With the fear he jumped earlier on, the Swinefiend grew more.


    This nature was inside Lagnir''s heart, as when he would see someone stronger than him, he would always escape. This was how he and his race survived until now. They wouldn''t pick an unwinnable fight. So, he acted out of his way like that, like a feral beast, as he had to help his lord in any way possible.


    Ragnar didn''t know how many emotions he felt today, but he knew it was more than he would ever get as the n he was brewing in his mind right now got torn apart after seeing Lagnir in such a situation.


    Ragnar gritted his teeth as he also started to lose patience. ''Screw this¡­ I will take this chance andpletely kill this Gorebuzz in front of me. I seem to have noticed that the Lord killed demons by aiming at their hearts or by severing their heads. I guess I will have to try this and finish it quickly.''


    Ragnar used [ Blurry Dash ] and arrived before one of the Gorebuzz. He didn''t use this technique frequently as he wanted to use it as a trump card to take them by surprise, which he seeded in doing.


    He swung his scythe at its neck. The Gorbuzz, in panic, somehow managed to deflect it in the nick of time.


    Ragnar didn''t get sad that he failed, but he confirmed something after seeing the panic. ''So, the neck and the heart are the way.''

 Chapter 61 The End

    ?


    Bang


    Something smashed into the ground, destroying the surroundings with it.


    "Graaa." A painful groan escaped from the newly created pit and it was from the Swinefiend. It had many scars on its body and many broken bones. But unlike other times, the injuries on its body didn''t heal. Not that it didn''t but at a much slower speed.


    It looked ahead and saw three shadows streaking amidst therge canopies. One of them was Ragnar and the other two were the Gorebuzz.


    Unlike the Swinefiend, they had no injuries on their bodies. But they were rtively tired. Especially Ragnar, who was sweating heavily.


    With his ragged breath, Ragnar whispered softly. "They just can''t die."


    Ragnar was having a huge headache as he couldn''t strike their vital parts that could kill them. Whenever he aimed there, they would be able to block it somehow.


    ''They seemed to be on guard from the moment I started aiming for their vital parts. No, it can''t go on like this. This half baked try won''t lead me anywhere.'' Ragnar''s eyes started to be firm and resolute. ''If it goes like this I will be the first one to drop. I should end this with all I have left.''


    The Gorebuzz on the right swung its scythe at Ragnar, so did the one on the left. Ragnar put both of the scythe in his hand up, blocking the attack.


    Ragnar who was holding this pair of scythe for this entire time finally let go of them. He grabbed their scythes with his hand and pulled them toward him, despite his hands bleeding intensely.


    Ragnar released their scythes when they both came closer to him. The Gorebuzz found Ragnar''s action as a stupidity as they saw this being their best chance to kill him.


    They shed toward Ragnar with their other scythes. In such a close range, it was inevitable Ragnar would get at least injured as they were faster than him.


    Ragnar also knew that, so he just let them attack but not without doing anything. Before their scythesnded on his body, he pped them down, letting it slice into his abdomen.


    The Gorebuzz was confused as to why Ragnar did such a thing. However their confusion instantly turned into fear when they saw Ragnar''s face who had a menacing smile on his face.


    "I got you." Ragnar said with a grin on his face while holding back his pain. He ttened both of his hands and pierced them into their chests.


    The Gorebuzz wanted to escape but to no avail as they felt their scythe being stuck inside Ragnar''s abdomen. In the midst of their panic they weren''t able to think of anything. They just had to watch Ragnar effortlessly pierce their hearts, instantly killing them.


    "Huh¡­huh¡­.huhu¡­..huh¡­" Ragnar took constant deep breaths as he watched the Gorebuzz''s bodies limp over. He grabbed the scythes that were inside him and pulled them out.


    Puchi!


    "Arghh." A painful groan escaped Ragnar''s mouth, just as the scythes came out. Blood guzzled down from his abdomen, with no sign of healing.


    It was because he was out of energy. He didn''t use any energy to kill the Gorebuzz earlier and it wasn''t like he was about energy too. But that was not the case as he used the remaining energy to constantly heal his pierced abdomen, trying to hold the scythes in them, not letting theme out.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Damn it. I don''t even have the energy to eat their flesh and blood." Ragnar cursed, trying to grab the dead Gorebuzz.


    Ragnar''s n was to use all of his energy to kill the Gorebuzz and use their body to regenerate his energy back as this was a demon''s inborn skill. But Ragnar didn''t even have the power to properly move his body.


    Ragnar knelt on his knees and raised his head up. He said with a forced smile on his face. "Well, looks like the life my lord gave will be squashed now."


    He couldn''t help but say this as the Swinefiend was approaching him like a truck, with no sign of stopping.


    Ragnar could see his life shing before his eyes. "Thank you lord for at least giving me a chance to enjoy this power."


    The Swinefiend had arrived just as Ragnar finished saying his gratitude. Ragnar looked at the Swinefiend stretching its club backwards to give a full blown swing and to that, Ragnar just had a smile on his face with no regret.


    Puchi!!


    But all of a sudden, something red shed and the next second the Swinefiend''s head dropped which had a dumbfounded expression on its face.


    Ragnar was also surprised by the sudden turn of events.


    Thud!


    The Swinefiend''s giant body dropped to the groundter along with its head, letting Ragnar finally see who it was.


    "Miss¡­Ravenna¡­" Ragnar said softly as he didn''t expect Ravenna to wake up.


    Ravenna''s face was stern and was filled with anger too. She retracted back her whip ¨C made of her blood ¨C into her back. She looked down at Ragnar and said with concern. "Lie down quickly, let me heal your wounds."


    "No, just let me eat them and I will be okay." Ragnar denied, ncing at the dead bodies.


    Ravenna didn''t pay heed to what he said and forcefullyid him down. She pulled the blood out of the dead bodies and inserted them into Ragnar''s open wounds. They flowed into it like they were in small pipes.


    Then in a minute or so, the two giant wounds on Ragnar''s body were close to healing them into their previous states.


    Ragnar was surprised by this as he knew consuming or using other people or demons'' blood would heal any injured demon but it would take time to digest properly. However, that was not the case with Ravenna''s healing method.


    Under a minute Ravenna was able to heal him to perfection and even regenerate some of his energy back.


    How could Ragnar not be shocked?

 Chapter 62 Benimaru Vs Garner

    ?


    Ragnar asked Ravenna curiously. "Miss Ravenna, how did you do it?"


    Ravenna replied, still focusing on the wound. "What do you mean? I just used the blood to give you energy and help you get well."


    Ragnar was left dumbfounded by that simple response. He held back his urges to ask back as much as possible because he knew he might not get anything.


    At that moment, Ravenna asked."What happened while I was unconscious?"


    Ragnar started to recount everything, without hiding anything. The more Ragnar went, the more guilt and concern filled Ravenna. Seeing this, Ragnar said to her. "Miss Ravenna, you don''t have to worry about the Lord. He is strong enough to take that guy down."


    Ravenna nodded her head, agreeing with him. The reason she was like this was because she felt it was all her fault that the situation was escting to this degree.


    "But still¡­" At that moment, Ragnar spoke out. "We should go and try to help the Lord as much as possible."


    Ravenna quickly regained herposure and said it with her signature smile. "Yes, let''s go."


    Ragnar stood up, nodding his head. But instead of heading toward Benimaru''s direction. He gave a look to his right first. Beside broken trees and pebbles, one could see Lagnir''s bodyid down. Ragnar pointed his finger at him and said. "We should bring him along too."


    Ravenna had also seen him but didn''t care much about him at first. Now that Ragnar has said it, how could she disagree? Because Ragnar''s interests always aligned with Benimaru.


    ¡­


    A couple minutes earlier, before Ragnar and Ravenna defeated their foes.


    Bang!


    A dark silhouette streaked through the air, eventually smashing into a giant boulder.


    "Who are you?" Garner crawled out of the rubble created by the boulder and asked Benimaru with shock.


    Benimaru, who appeared before him, said it with a nonchnt face. "Didn''t I say that earlier? I am Benimaru, and I will be lord of this forest."


    Garner ignored Benimaru''s strong im, despite not defeating him. Instead, he asked further. "No, I am talking about your powers. You have the same power as the Purple Sun in the Demon Realm. How can you use this power? That power is only used by the kings of the bottom floor." Garner expressed his shock as he had finally recognized Benimaru''s power while in the middle of their fight.


    This power had made him vulnerable and even overwhelmed in the fight. So, he couldn''t help but think of it.


    "Oh~ it looks like this power is something truly marvelous, even in the Demon Realm." Benimaru contemted himself. However, that didn''tst long as he shifted his focus to Garner and said it with a threatening tone. "It looks like no matter what happens, I have to kill you. I can''t let my powers be public knowledge."


    Benimaru knew people would get to know about his power, but he didn''t want everyone to know every single detail of it.


    "Huh? You will kill me?" Garner''s face contorted into hideousness as he said it, dering it to the sky. "I will let you see my true power."


    " [ Gargatos''s Curse - Mouth of the North ] " Just as Garner said that his front body parts had multiple splits in them, like someone had sliced them apart.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    This wasn''t the end, as sharp teeths also grew out of them and slithering tongues appeared. Then flower buds bloomed on the back of his body, eventually changing his entire appearance.


    "Now¡­" Garner spoke with his mouth, but voices from the newly opened mouths all came, echoing together. "Feel my power."


    Just as Garner said that, dark and greenish beams shot out of his mouth, aiming toward Benimaru.


    Benimaru''s body became fully alert and started dodging from left to right.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    These beams, upon contact with anything, would destroy that object, and it wasn''t just that; afterwards, the object would start to corrode. It happened with the trees, soil, and boulders.


    Benimaru frowned upon seeing this effect. ''Tsk, these beams are so fast. I can''t even dodge them properly, and their aftereffects... I can''t get touched by it in any way possible. I have to shorten the distance.''


    Benimaru dodged with nimble steps and approached Garner slowly yet surely. On the way, he charged his katana with the purple fire and thunder, letting them coexist as the lethality was the highest in this state.


    Then the moment came, Benimaru was finally close to Garner, just three meters away. At this range, Benimaru was on full alert, as it was now very easy to be hit by the beams. Garner had a low chance of missing him.


    As expected, Garner waited for this moment, saving his power and waiting for Benimaru toe close. Seeing Benimaru at such close range, Garner had a smirk on his hideous face.


    The beams shot out of Garner''s mouth, as he could already imagine Benimaru getting riddled with holes.


    But it didn''t happen as he expected, as Benimaru vanished from his spot, dodging the attacks just before they reached him.


    Garner nced to the side and saw Benimaru appear.


    Benimaru had a calm face, as he had calcted everything. He used a skill called [ Short Burst ] which would let him have a momentary burst in speed. Using it efficiently, he was able toe closer to his goal.


    Or so he thought.


    Benimaru''s eyes widened when he saw Garner still smiling at him, which immediately let him know that something was wrong. In a matter of split seconds, Benimaru came to a realization when he moved his gaze just a little away from Garner''s face.


    Without any thought, Benimaru swung his katana, filled with purple fire and thunder, enhancing the destructibility and lethality of the strike.


    BOOOM


    A loud explosion urred that shook that side of the forest, burning and destroying every piece of vegetation. A rtively small mushroom cloud was formed, which subsided in a few seconds.


    This revealed the culprits who were responsible for this destruction.


    Benimaru and Garner were having a standoff in a tiny pit that was able to hold them. Benimaru looked at the tongues on Garner''s body that were retracting back to the mouth.

 Chapter 63 Benimaru Vs Garner (2)

    ?


    Benimaru said to himself with a darkened face. "How could I have neglected this? Even the tongues can be used as weapons. But why are they so tough?"


    While Benimaru was thinking of his next course of action, Garner was having the same thought process. ''This power of the Purple Sun. It can rival Lord Gargatos''s power. If I don''t have a way to neutralize it, I can''t win."


    Then Benimaru and Garner''s eyes met. Not saying a single word this time, they rushed toward each other, taking the fight to its final stages.


    ¡­


    On Garner''s base.


    Garner''s underlings were able to hear the loud explosion and feel the ground and trees shake from the aftermath of their fight, letting them bunch up together in fear as they might get swept by this when their fightes here.


    Not only they, but Ragnar and Ravenna were also able to feel it as they arrived near the base.


    "It looks like the fight has entered thest stage." Ragnar made assumptions based on his current knowledge.


    Ravenna nodded her head to that and at that moment, they entered the open area of the base, in front of the underlings eyes. Ravenna looked at them and asked Ragnar. "I think we shouldn''t intervene while they are deep into the fight. So, while they are fighting, we should capture these guys. Benimaru would love some more workers."


    Ragnar nodded his head and dropped Lagnir''s body, which was on his shoulder, to the ground, as if he were a bag of dirt.


    The underlings, who had zero clue about their surroundings other than just focusing on the fight, didn''t know they were about to get captured again, to work for someone else this time.


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, the fight between Benimaru and Garner had entered a white-hot stage.


    Benimaru was running out of patience, as nothing worked against Garner. It was as if he were an impregnable object.


    Garner was having the same dilemma as Benimaru, as he couldn''t do anything to him. He was a mage, not a close-range fighter. He could only fight from a distance and try to defend himself when Benimaru came close. ''Damn it! This is why I hate fighting against fast, close-range fighters. They would do anything to not let them get hit by anything.''


    At that moment, Benimaru came to a decision. ''I am going to kill him anyway. So, it doesn''t matter if he finds out about this.''


    Instantly, the purple thunder and fire on his katana vanished. This made Garner a bit confused, as this power was the only reason Benimaru was able to fight against him properly.


    However, he was answered very quickly when dark substances started conjuring on Benimaru''s katana, coating it entirely.


    Garner''s eyes widened in shock as he felt his heart pounding rapidly, as if his imminent doom wasing. ''What is this? What kind of power is this? I have never felt anything like this except when I am in front of our leader.''


    Benimaru wasn''t done with that, as wings, a tail, and horns started to sprout out, revealing his full form. Benimaru flew up and nced down at Garner as if he were looking at an ant. The aura of someone superior radiated from Benimaru which shook Garner''s heart.


    Without any nonsense, Benimaru shot toward Garner like an arrow.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Garner did the same as usual, shooting his beams at Benimar. However, this time Benimaru didn''t evade, just went straight into them.


    Benimaru gave a horizontal sh just as he was about to sh with the beams. Unlike other times where he would get forced back by the power of these beams, this time the opposite happened. His katana coated with his dark magic corroded the beams into countless specks, failing to even touch the edge of his katana''s de.


    Garner felt an ill omen in his heart, knowing something bad was about to happen as his beams weren''t able to do anything. So he retreated back while still trying his hardest tond a hit on Benimaru''s body.


    Benimaru chased him without paying any heed to his attacks, as if they were nonexistent. The only thing on his mind now was to kill Garner, no matter what the cost might be.


    Their short chase didn''tst long, as Benimaru was able to catch up with Garner easily. Benimaru''s speed in flight was much faster than using his feet, and he was able to maneuver quite easily using his wings.


    Garner gritted his teeth as he felt he was forced into helplessness, which he didn''t like the most as he also had arrogance like many other young lords. He stopped in his tracks, and instead of retreating, he charged forward at Benimaru.


    "Idiot." Benimaru whispered with a nonchnt face. He pulled his katana back again and said, " [ Dark sh ] "


    Benimaru shed his katana at Garner, who was a meter away from him. But the moment he used this skill, he vanished from his spot and appeared behind Garner as a dark streak could be seen in the air.


    Garner froze in his tracks as his eyes widened. "Wha-" He wasn''t able to finish his sentence as his head fell to the ground.


    Thud!


    Garner''s head, which fell to the ground, looked at Benimaru. Still having a little of his consciousness left, he felt he could heal himself. But that hope got crushed as he saw Benimaru piercing his katana into his standstill body, mainly on his heart.


    The moment the katana pierced through Garner''s heart, the light in his eyes dimmed down. One could see regret and anger in the moment of his death.


    "Huh~" Benimaru let out a sigh of relief after finally seeing Garner dead, and what confirmed his death more was the notification before his eyes.


    [ Congrattions, Host! You have killed Tier-3 Demon Knight Curse Mera(Garner) ]


    [ You have received Cursed Glutton''s Bow and Arrow Set ]


    [ Congrattions, Host! You havepleted the urgent task ]


    [ You have received Grade-9 Enchanted Beast x9 ]


    [ You have received x6000 Gold Coins ]


    [ You have received x200 Common Mana Crystals ]

 Chapter 64 Savor The Rest

    ?


    "Huh?" Benimaru appeared after seeing the notifications in front of his eyes. However, his surprise mostly came from the drop he got from killing Garner.


    "I actually got a weapon set... This feels more like the MMORPG games people yed on earth." After expressing his wonder, Benimaru happily picked the rewards, as he didn''t mind any free stuff he would get.


    The other rewards were from the urgent task he got just before arriving at Garner''s base.


    Benimaru rubbed his chin, ncing at a certain reward. "Nine Grade-9 Enchanted Beast summons¡­ Is it a specified beast or random? Well, it doesn''t matter, all will be workers under me anyway."


    Afterwards, Benimaru picked up Garner''s dead body and ran toward his base. "I hope we can make some good stuff from his body."


    Benimaru had read that many demons'' bodies could be used for making weapons, potions, and even ornaments in some cases. Garner was someone with a high-ranking bloodline, at least, so Benimaru felt his dead body mighte in handyter on.


    In just a minute or so, Benimaru arrived before Garner''s base while crossing the devastated path that they had created through their fight.


    "Huh?" Benimaru got surprised when his eyesid upon the base. He saw rows of Garner''s underlings looting the treasures of this ce and gathering them in one ce. That ce was guarded by three people with whom Benimaru was very familiar: his general and one soldier.


    Benimaru was concerned while heading there that Garner''s underlings might have escaped and taken the treasures away too. But it looks like he was worrying for nothing. Also, the reason he wasn''t worried about Ravenna''s and others safety was because he believed in them, he believed in their strength, and that they would easily take care of their adversary.


    Benimaru''s arrival was instantly noticed by Ragnar, Ravenna, and Lagnir. They turned their heads in his direction and warmly weed him.


    Benimaru walked before them with a smile and asked. "Are you guys? Had any trouble?"


    "Uh¡­." Ragnar was stumped, as he didn''t know what to say. He knew that the things did get very worse.


    "No, it went very well. Ragnar was able to hold himself till I woke up, and after that, all went rtively easy." Ravenna answered, seeing Ragnar struggle. Also, she couldn''t let Benimaru worry about them.


    "Good." Benimaru nodded in satisfaction and was happy that his belief in them wasn''t wrong.


    Ragnar, who heard this from Ravenna, almost had a tear in his eye. He swore in his heart. ''I will protect Miss Ravenna even if it costs my life.''


    Benimaru then changed the subject. He looked at his future workers, who were standing dumbfoundedly now after seeing Garner''s dead body in his hand. "You guys all did a good job handling the situation here, saving so much time. How much treasure is still left?"


    Ragnar made a rough estimation, giving a nce at the pile of treasures. "Not much. We will be done in seconds."


    "Okay, I will check something until then." Benimaru nodded his head and went on to sit on a wooden bench that was poorly made.


    Benimaru wanted to check his rewards and decide what he could do with them. But that was interrupted by Ravenna. He looked up and saw Ravenna preventing the sun from reflecting on him. He asked curiously. "Is there anything wrong?"


    Ravenna didn''t answer immediately, stayed silent, hesitating to speak. But eventually she picked up her courage and said, bowing toward Benimaru. "I am sorr-"<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    However, Ravenna wasn''t able to finish her bow and words when she felt a sudden obstruction, as if someone was holding her from bowing. She opened her eyes and saw Benimaru grabbing the top of her head. He said this, looking at her nonchntly. "You don''t have to apologize. It wasn''t your fault anyway. Just be more careful in the future. Also, it was my fault for not giving you something that would alert us if you got into trouble."


    Benimaru shoved her head up, letting her body straighten. Then he said it while waving his hand. "Now if you want to rest, then sit beside me or go work if you like it."


    Ravenna got embarrassed and very happy to see Benimaru not even slightly mad or concerned about the mess she caused. This wasn''t her fault for thinking like this, as it was engraved in their soul. Mostly the subus race, as they were known to be just the disy and ything of lords. They couldn''t do anything wrong to make their lord sad or disappointed.


    Ravenna went to work happily, not trying to disturb Benimaru, as she felt he needed some rxation.


    Benimaru watched silently as Ravenna trotted to her work. He smiled to himself. ''What a silly girl.''


    Tossing these useless thoughts away, Benimaru focused on his rewards.


    ''I can give this bow and arrow set to Ravenna after returning to our ce. It is better to have more options while fighting, which mighte in handy. The summons¡­ I will see what I get from them. I will use them based on their abilities.''


    ''Lastly, these gold coins and mana crystals. These things will be more useful for building a base than other stuff.''


    ''Well, that was short, but it is better to n things out rather than think of doing themter.''


    At that moment, Ragnar called him. He raised his head and saw Ragnar waving his hand. "Lord, we are done!"


    Benimaru got up and said, "Let''s go."


    ¡­


    Half an hourter, Benimaru and others arrived at their base.


    The treasures were carried by Benimaru''s new workers while they were guarding them from all sides, to not let them get attacked by anyone or anything.


    Just as they arrived, they were faced by Fiain and a couple of meatscrapers with sharp sticks.


    Fiain, who was at guard first, dropped it after seeing it was her lord.


    She came before him and gave a short bow. "Wee back, my lord."


    "It looks like you did a good job guarding the ce." Benimaru nodded his head in satisfaction, seeing Fiain being so diligent.


    Benimaru looked back and said. "Put all of these things in ce and rest. We will be working hard in the days toe. So, savor it."

 Chapter 65 Progress.

    ?


    One monthter.


    "Yes, these weapons are of better quality." Benimaru said, looking at a simple yet sharp sword made of Affinity Metal.


    This Affinity Metal was dug from an ore vein that was found by Benimaru''s generals when they were conquering a demon knight''s area. Affinity metal has a high conductive power to amplify any element, so it was sought after by everyone to make equipment.


    Benimaru, who was wearing simple clothing, which was a white shirt and brown leather pants, nodded in satisfaction at seeing the sword in his hand. Not just this one but the rest of the ones in rows of boxes below him.


    "Graa." A meatscraper before Benimaru rubbed its hands and also nodded in satisfaction. It was very happy to be praised by Benimaru. However, it wasn''t the only one present here. There were many others like it behind them who were also very happy.


    Other than their race beingmon, there was also another thingmon in them, and that was their ragtag clothes and the burned marks on their hands and faces.


    "Continue making them. We will take these to sell in just a few hours." Benimaru''s words quickly made the meatscrapers faces darken, but the next words changed them back to normal. "Also, I will reward you all with Body Enhancer Pills before I leave."


    "Ohhh!" The meatscrapers instantly went on their knees and bowed to Benimaru. Then they left with bright faces, ready to make more weapons for their lord.


    Benimaru watched the meatscraper with a smile on his face as they left enthusiastically. ''Such a simple trick, but very effective. Just talk nice and give them decent enough rewards for yourrge share, and you will have happy employers who will do anything for you.''


    Tossing these thoughts away, Benimaru looked beside him, at the boxes full of various weapons, ranging from swords, axes, bows, arrows, and pickaxes. They were made with the same metal. ''These will give me so much ess. Well, I am very fortunate to have noticed that technique in all those piles of garbage.''


    The piles of garbage were the shop in the system, and the technique was something that Benimaru was about to skip. As everyone could guess, it was a cksmithing technique. It wasn''t like Benimaru had not seen any cksmithing techniques in the shop, but all of those were trash.


    However, this one was different, as this technique could purify any material and had a wide range of ways to make various weapons. He found an Affinity Metal vein a few days before he found this in the shop. Also, the main reason for buying this was because he had to find a way to get a foothold in Arash''s fief and what was better than putting up a shop and doing business there.


    But cksmithing wasn''t the only way to go into business. Benimaru first tried alchemy, as that was a very ludacris business, and if he could tap into its market, he would be set. However, there was a catch. Unlike cksmiths, where one can learn the basics just by having a good build. You couldn''t do that in alchemy, as it required mental energy and high wisdom, which demonscked the most. Only, Ravenna was able to master the basics of alchemy and was able to make some useful potions, like the Body Enhancer Pill Benimaru just talked about.


    Forck of manpower, it wasn''t something Benimaru could mass produce, so he stuck to cksmithing, in which he had many workers.


    ''Let''s gather everyone together.'' Saying that in his heart, Benimaru walked out of a wooden shack. This was specially made for cksmithing which was forty meters long and thirty meters wide.


    Just as Benimaru exited the smithy, his eyes met with Ragnar training with various demons under him.


    Among these demons were meatscrapers and swinefiends. They were wearing simple leather armor and holding weapons, respectively. The meatscrapers had swords, while the swinefiends had axes, clubs, and hammers. He captured these guys this whole month, trying to expand his force. These pieces of equipment were recently made, so they had yet to taste blood.


    Benimaru''s eyes eventually rested on Ragnar, whom he put these forces under to train. A status interface appeared before his eyes to clearly show his progress.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    [ General: Ragnar


    Race: Martial Demon


    Vitality Realm: 1st Stage Fleshcrafting


    Combat Strength: 4th Stage Fleshcrafting


    Ability: Blessings of Martial Demon God


    Vitality Technique: Great Tiger and Bear Art


    Skills: Counter, Blurry Dash ]


    Ragnar had made significant progress in his cultivation and was able to reach the 1st Stage Fleshcrafting Realm. This helped him to hide his demonic traits and let him blend in with humans easily.


    After he was done with his checkup, Benimaru called Ragnar. "Ragnar, prepare yourself. It is time."


    Ragnar halted his training, and so did others. Ragnar first bowed at Benimaru, followed by others. "Yes, my lord."


    Benimaru walked away with a smile on his face, but he was sighing in his mind about something. ''Wish the demon knights we fought were all like him at least, but unfortunate, they all chose violence.''


    Benimaru was genuinely disappointed, thinking of all the potential workers he and others had to kill. He did winnd and resources but lost some valuable soldiers that he felt might have been a great addition to his forces.


    ''Well, it already happened; nothing will happen now with brooding about it.'' Benimaru got rid of these thoughts and headed toward another wooden shack.


    This one was north of the main base, which was where Benimaru, his generals, and his forces lived. The smithy was to the east of the main base, so it was just a few walks away for him to reach it.


    Unlike the smithy, where the smell of oil, fire, smoke, and metallic scent could be found, here it was the opposite. There was the smell of herbs and blood, while some pungent smells of rot could be found.


    This was the alchemy chamber where Ravenna made various potions and pills.

 Chapter 66 Blood Doctor

    ?


    Benimaru walked to the door and opened it without knocking on it.


    The moment he entered, his eyes met with Ravenna''s back, who was standing in front of a table that had various herbs and a small pot.


    Without disturbing her, he walked beside her and saw her focused face. She was intensely looking at the pot that was filled with green liquid, and some herbs could be seen swirling in it. She had multiple blood threadsing out of her fingers. They dove inside the pot full of liquid and moved from time to time.


    This was Ravenna''s way of doing alchemy. Instead of just using mental energy, she would use her blood threads to let the herbs essences mix along with each other, making them more potent.


    [ General: Ravenna


    Race: Blood Subus


    ss: Blood Doctor


    Magic Realm: 9th Stage Apprentice Realm


    Vitality Realm: 1st Stage Fleshcrafting Realm


    Combat Strength: 4th Stage Apprentice Realm/Fleshcrafting Realm


    Ability: Whisperer of Blood


    Vitality Technique: None


    Magic Technique: Mana Blessing Technique


    ss Technique: Medical Blood Art(2 Star)


    Skill: Basic Archery(Mastered)


    Spell: Corpse Bomb, Blood Spike. ]


    Benimaru also checked on Ravenna''s progress, as hers was a bit interesting to him. He wanted her to focus onbat, especially archery, but after giving her the magic cultivation technique and the ss technique, which was for alchemy, she totally switched her path from a physical to a magic user.


    She progressed by leaps and bounds in just one month of hard work. These were all the results of the alchemy technique he gave to her. She fell in love with alchemy the moment she tried it.


    But what caught Benimaru by surprise was the ss section she got. Benimaru knew about the sses, as everyone would get them when they found their true path. He didn''t expect Ravenna to find one and the system to immediately categorize it properly.


    ''I don''t know when mine and other generals will be categorized.'' Benimaru pondered, rubbing his chin.


    "Done!" Ravanna''s face suddenly glowed as a big smile appeared on her face. "I did it! I did it! ..."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Ravenna ran toward Benimaru and jumped on him, hugging him tightly. "I did it, Max!"


    Benimaru also hugged, or this girl might have let them fall to the ground together. Benimaru was happy for her sess but asked with confusion as he didn''t know much about alchemy. "What did you seed in?"


    Ravenna let go of Benimaru and said excitedly."I finally made the Basic Healing Potion."


    "Oh." Benimaru didn''t know what to say, as the name sounded like something that was easy to make. It wasn''t that she was doubting her, as she had already made very unique potions like Body Enhancer Pills, Stamina Recovery Potion etc.


    But this Basic Healing Potion made Benimaru doubt Ravenna''s excitement.


    Ravenna could see Benimaru''s confusion, so instead of shying away, she exined to him like a teacher exining to her student. "Actually, just as you guessed, this potion is very easy to make, I could have made it anytime, but there was something else I wanted to try. I wanted to have a stamina recovery effect on this too. So that was where the dy became."


    Ravenna took a vial in her hand and scooped out some green liquid from the pot with it. She showcased the vial to Benimaru, who could see everything inside. Benimaru''s nonchnt face immediately disappeared when he looked at the vial in front of him. He saw small brown balls floating inside the green liquid. They weren''t like bubbles that floated upward and piled up on the surface. It felt to him that they were a part of the green liquid. Just a few stains have urred in it.


    "Care to exin, Miss Ravenna?" Benimaru said it in a teasing manner.


    Ravenna acted like he didn''t do anything and started everything for him. "I used the recipe to make Stamina Recovery potion and mixed it with the Basic Healing Potion. But they didn''t mix well with each other and produced something else, which was basically poison. I tried many times tobine them, but unfortunately, I failed."


    Despite saying that her face wasn''t saddened. She continued to answer enthusiastically. "So, after many failures, something clicked in my brain. If I can''tbine then why don''t I mix them in a way in which they will still act like separate entities? The result was this."


    "You did something truly amazing. As expected of my first and best general." Benimaru nodded his head in satisfaction and with pride.


    Ravenna giggled happily when she suddenly remembered something. "Max, will you give this potion a try?"


    Benimaru''s prideful face drastically changed after hearing that and seeing Ravenna with big, glowing eyes in front of him. The reason for this was that Benimaru heard a rumor that Ravenna would search for guinea pigs to test her first freshly made pills or potion. The one who tried it would mostly fall sick or be close to death.


    This rumor was further proven when a meatscraper came home at night and was about to die. But fortunately, Ragnar was close enough to provide his blood to help it. Upon questioning, it revealed that Ravenna called it suddenly as it was passing by the alchemy chamber. After tasting her medicine, this happened.


    Benimaru quickly put on an act, as he didn''t want to risk his health. His face turned stern, and he put on a pensive look. "Ravenna, it is truly unfortunate that I can''t try your newly created potion. I am fully rejuvenated and healthy, so this won''t have any effect on me, and I won''t be able to give you any feedback. Also, I have to gather everyone as we leave for the city. You can ask others, I will take my leave."


    Benimaru walked toward the door while leaving behind some words. "Also, don''t take too much time ande fast."


    Ravenna pouted her face with disappointment and anger, seeing Benimaru escape his clutches. But that changed as she also came outside and called a passing swinefiend. "Hey, want toe and try this potion. It will help you get stronger."


    The swinefiend flinched and got shivers seeing Ravenna''s innocent smile. In its heart, it was saying, "Don''t go," but the temptation of getting stronger overwhelmed its judgment, and it happily entered the alchemy chamber.


    Benimaru, who was watching it from afar, prayed in his heart. ''If you survive, I will increase your sry, buddy.''

 Chapter 67 Benimarus Eye Candies

    ?


    Benimaru eventually entered his newly built residence, which was a miniature castle.


    Benimaru didn''t want to build such a thing at first, as he felt it was unnecessary. But the constant requests from his generals made his heart change. He thought in his mind. ''If we are going to build one, then let''s build a proper one at least.''


    They were all inexperienced in carpentry and construction work. So, Benimaru bought some elementary-level books in such a category and learned them instantly. The end result was a castle made of stones that consisted of seven bedrooms, one dining room, and one king''s hall, which took two weeks to make. The castle was two stories tall. Benimaru and Ravenna lived at the top in their separate rooms, while others lived at the bottom.


    Benimaru went to his room and wore his merchant''s outfit, which was ck and red in color with some yellow borders to the side. He alsobed his messy hair and put on a pair of ck shoes.


    With all things down, he came downstairs and saw Ragnar, in his usual outfit, standing alone before the main entrance.


    Benimaru didn''t get mad or show any negative emotion seeing Ragnar like this, as he wouldn''t be going with them. Someone has to watch the ce, as anything or anyone might invade them, so Ragnar was good for this job. Instead, Benimaru asked in confusion. "Where are those two?"


    The ones Benimaru was talking about were Ravenna and Fiain. Ragnar answered with embarrassment, despite not doing anything. "Umm¡­Lord, they are dressing up together and helping each other. Miss Ravenna told me it might take time."


    "Ahh~" Benimaru instantly face-palmed while letting out a sigh too. ''It looks like no matter what race women might be from, they are all the same in heart and nature.''


    Benimaru could do nothing but wait now and discuss some stuff with Ragnar. "Ragnar, in the absence of us, I hope you can guard this ce properly."


    "I will, my lord." Ragnar vowed, resting his hand on his chest.


    Benimaru nodded his head and then told him about other things. "Remember, if you see anyone near the perimeter of our ce, immediately report me. If the target is weak, then kill him instantly, and if the target is strong, call everyone to the castle and go to defense and wait till wee back."


    "As you wish." Ragnar engraved those words in his mind as he felt he had a heavy burden on his shoulder.


    Suddenly, Ragnar felt Benimaru''s hand resting on his shoulder. He looked up and saw Benimaru say it with a bright face. "Also, listen to this carefully. If the situation bes dire, escape immediately. Do not care about the castle. Nothing is more important than your life."


    Ragnar went into a trance just after hearing that. Ragnar could still be considered a newborn baby, so he didn''t care much about emotions. But he knew in his heart after hearing this that Benimaru cared about him very much.


    At that moment, Ravenna and Fiain instantly stopped the tears that were about toe out of Ragnar''s eyes. Benimaru didn''t notice that as before Ragnar showed those emotions, he had turned his head back to Ravenna and Fiain. Benimaru was immediately entranced by their beauty and charm. ''Damn, I might break into the market on the first day.''


    Benimaru couldn''t help but say this, as they were truly looking very beautiful in their dresses. Ravenna was wearing an oceanic blue long frock, and her hair was tied down like a ponytail. Lastly, her smiling face made people seem very approachable. <novelsnext></novelsnext>


    On the other hand, Fiain was wearing a light yellow long frock just like Ravenna''s. Her dress somehow matched with her eyes and hair. Finally, her emotionless face, without care for anything, had a unique charm of its own.


    They were able to hide their demonic traits after breaking through to the second major realm. This brought a totally new perspective to their beauty, a human one at that.


    The other reason Benimaru said this was because he wanted eye candy for his new shop. He knew that with just good products, he couldn''t make a solid stand in the city; he needed something extra that could bring a bunch of loyal customers from the very beginning, something that could attract them. So, he thought of Ravenna and Fiain, who were in their own league in terms of beauty standards.


    However, this belief solidified more just now, after seeing them in their human form and fully dressed like modest girls. The reason for Benimaru''s doubt was because there was a charm to women with and without demonic traits. However, it looks like his generals weren''t something to be looked down upon, they could hold their own against the top beauties of the world with their demonic traits and human form too.


    ''I guess my choice of dress was right too.'' Benimaru praised himself secretly as he chose the dress for them, which he bought from the shop. Long frocks were showcasing their curves and physical beauty while also looking modest, which was the sweet spot for a shop manager in Benimaru''s book.


    ''But, this girl truly surprised me. I know she is very good-looking, but I believed she was not on the level of Ravenna''s. However, I am wrong, she has her own charm. Well, I guess every girl has their own charm. I need to reconsider my beauty standards. Also, this girl being able to catch Ravenna and Ragnar in just a short period of time is truly unbelievable.'' The girl Benimaru was talking about was Fiain, his newly ''born'' general.


    [ General: Fiain


    Race: The Watcher


    Vitality Realm: 1st Stage Fleshcrafting Realm


    Combat Strength: 3rd Stage Fleshcrafting Realm


    Ability: Eyes of Envision


    Vitality Technique: Heart and Eye


    Skills: Gale Thrusts, Raging Wind. ]


    Yes, Fiain did reach the 1st Fleshcrafting Realm. But we have to keep in mind that she received help from Benimaru as he gave her many potions and pills; she also just reached the 1st Fleshcrafting Realm while Ravenna and Ragnar, on the other hand, could break through to the 2nd stage at any moment.

 Chapter 68 To Migotanie City

    ?


    "You girls have finally arrived." Benimaru returned from his trance state and said to them. "We are behind schedule with our meeting with the Chief of Commerce."


    "Sorry, but I had to try all the dresses you bought for us and see which one looked good." Ravenna said this with embarrassment while looking up, trying to hide her shyness.


    "Ahh~ forget it." Benimaru let out a sigh before asking. "Did you guys bring your bag of clothes? We might be staying for a while."


    Ravenna nodded her head at that,pletely forgetting her embarrassment. "We told our servants to bring it down, they wille when we are already inside the carriage."


    "Good, let''s go." Benimaru led them towards the carriages, and along with them, Ragnar also came.


    After one minute of walking, they arrived before four carriages lined up perfectly. The one in the front had a passenger box in the back, while the other three had tents covering them, but from the weapons and a few potion boxes, one could guess what they were for. The carriages were tied down to horses that Benimaru had bought from the city with his previous task''s reward money.


    Benimaru looked at the four Raums that would be going with them. Benimaru and the others would be going to the city as merchants; they couldn''t be without protection, or it might bring suspicions.


    So he picked Raums, who had the most human-like structure, and covered them with full body armor. He had ordered Ragnar to cut their long nails or make them shorter by their own will. He also told Ragnar to teach them human behavior so as not to fumble when they interact with humans in the future.


    Benimaru entered the carriage with the girls, and the Raums took the reins on each carriage.


    With thesh of the whip from the first carriage, they started their journey toward Migotanie City, finally leaving their ce.


    Inside the carriage, where Benimaru and others were.


    Ravenna asked. "How long will it take to reach the city?"


    Benimaru answered before giving a pensive look. "At this speed, probably one hour at best."


    Ravenna nodded her head and then started chatting with Fiain about some stuff that only they could understand.


    Benimaru didn''t try to eavesdrop on their conversation but instead gave onest look at his progress.


    [ Host Name: Max (Benimaru)


    Demon Ranking: Tier 3 Demon Knight


    Magic Realm: 1st Stage Novice Realm


    Vitality Realm: 3rd Stage Fleshcrafting Realm


    Age: 17/223


    Race: Abyssal Lord (25%)


    Ability 1: Mastery of Dark Magic


    Talent: Top


    Magical Techniques: Purple Sun Technique


    Vitality Technique: Body Sharpening Technique


    Skills: Enhanced Senses, Illusion Bind, Dark sh, Short Burst, Chaos Dome, Wall of Devastation. <novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Generals: 3/3 (Ravenna, Ragnar) [You will unlock another slot after you break through a major realm in magic realm.] ]


    ''Looks like I have yet to find the ss for myself.'' Benimaru said to himself, forcing a smile on his face.


    But he tossed those useless thoughts away and focused on other things.


    Benimaru had made great progress in such a short time span. He might not have done those jumps in cultivation like his generals, but that was because the higher one''s cultivation bes, the more energy and time it takes them to make progress.


    Benimaru had bought a new vitality technique for his body cultivation process. Just ignore its name, as Benimaru did too; the only thing that mattered was its value, which Benimaru saw. This technique could sharpen bones like a weapon and remove any kind of impurity from his body ¡ª making it a very optimal technique for the long term.


    ''I don''t know what my truebat strength is, but it feels like I can take on those high-level Fleshcrafting Realm warriors or Novice Realm mages.'' Only after making these assumptions did Benimaru decide toe to the city. Because he was sure that people in the third major realm were very scarce in such a remote ce.


    Benimaru rubbed his chin and thought, closing his eyes. ''By the time I have properly settled my business down, I might gain more strength.''


    ''I should also build a human force secretly to gather information in cities. I don''t have many human-like demons under me and that is hindering me doing anything inside human habitants.''


    ''Fortunately, from the books I read, it told me it was actually humans carrying heroes bloodlines who couldn''te in contact with demons. Demons could interact freely with other humans who don''t have heroes bloodlines and have no issue. But¡­it also further confirms what the system said was true.''


    Benimaru let out an inaudible sigh, feeling helpless and frustrated again by this curse set by the God of Destiny.


    All of a sudden, notifications started popping up in front of him, almost giving Benimaru a scare.


    [ Detected that the host has found his goal. ]


    [ Searching missions suited till the end of host''s goal. ]


    [ Mission: Know My Name


    Synopsis: The Demon Emperor has finally bred some ns in his mind. Use this to levitate your name into the sky to let everyone know your arrival.


    Conditions: (1) Kill half the forces in Migotanie City


    (2) Leave behind your and your generals'' names before leaving


    Rewards: Pool of Body Mending x1, Heart Weapon Vault, Random Technique x3, Gold Coins x500000, Rare Mana Crystals x50000. ]


    Benimaru''s heart started to pound the moment his eyesnded on the rewards. After breaking through to the second major realm, he unlocked some more items in the shop, but those required Rare Mana Crystals to buy them.


    One could say, Benimaru had hit a pay wall.


    He had dispatched many scouts to search for such crystal mines, but unfortunately, no luck.


    Now that he had a way to get them, how could he hide his greed?


    But Benimaru calmed himself and looked up, which made his face darken.


    ''System, you won''t let mey low in this world?'' Benimaru was saying those after seeing the conditions of this mission.


    Benimaru, who had a whole n made up beforeing here that involved him not revealing a single thing about himself or even his group, felt that the n he worked so hard on might be ruined and even put a fire on it with gasoline added.

 Chapter 69 Benimarus Goal

    ?


    ''Ahhhhhh~'' Benimaru let out a deep sigh in his mind and calmly thought things through. ''Well, let''s find the loopholes once again.''


    Every mission the system had issued to Benimaru had some kind of loophole in it, and he was sure of it after seeing it for multiple times.


    ''Kill half the forces¡­.'' Benimaru squinted his eyes as he felt this condition was a bit tricky and vague. ''Will it beplete if I kill half the poption of the city or kill half the overall strength of the city? Does the church even count as the city''s forces? They feel like a separate entity. I guess I will have to check it out by talking to some higher-ups. If they are, then it would be better for me, I do not want to harm Arash. I owe him for taking care of my daughter, and I do not want to have the resentment of my daughter.''


    Then he shifted to the second condition, which made him raise his eyebrows as he instantly found some things. ''Leave behind our names after doing the deeds. That is some movie viin thing, and stupid too. Why would you let anyone know who you are? It would just bring everyone''s focus on you.''


    Benimaru couldn''t help but shake his head when thinking about this. As an assassin, it always baffled him when he watched the viins in movies and TV shows reveal anything about them when meeting with the protagonist or his group. But he knew it was for an information dump for the audience, to let them know who the heroes would be facing.


    ''Well, forget about it. That is fictional anyway, but we are talking about an AI system helping in a magical world; who am I toin about that? Hmmm¡­fiction¡­.characters¡­'' Thinking about this, something popped into his mind. He remembered he had done some over-the-top stuff when making his generals, but that sure did work and made them in awe of him.


    Benimaru rubbed his chin as his eyes lit up. ''Hmmm¡­this can work too. I cane with fake names and hide our faces. Not only that, we can show our true form, making people assume the ones who did it were demons. That would help us freely roam in human form.''


    A smile appeared on his face as he felt excitement in his heart. ''I don''t know why I am feeling this, but it looks like the childish side that I wasn''t able to enjoy might being out.''


    "Benimaru." Suddenly, Ravenna''s call brought him back from his daydream. He looked ahead and saw Ravenna and Fiain looking at him with weird gazes.


    "Cough." Benimaru faked a cough to bring theirposure back. "What do you want, Ravenna?"


    Ravenna did have her normal face now, but there was still the weird gaze hidden behind her eyes. "Why were youughing by yourself?"


    Fiain also nodded her head, expressing her doubt too.


    Benimaru decided to put on an act because he couldn''t tell them about his childishness. He brought back his big smile on his face, and he said it with a bit of arrogance. "I was thinking of our future. How we will rule the market and slowly conquer the city in the shadows."


    "Oh~" Ravenna and Fiain both nodded their heads in understandment. But then something clicked in Ravenna''s mind. "Speaking of that, what is our main goal in going into the city?"


    The reason why Ravenna said that was because she knew Benimaru always had an end goal in his mind when going into a designated ce. The other thing he would do was just think of any bonus rewards that he could think of. <novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Benimaru went silent for a second. ''She really does know me well.''


    Like just earlier, Benimaru again put on an act. Raising his finger and wiggling it left and right, he said. "I can''t tell you now. But don''t worry, you will know it when the timees."


    "Okay," Shrugging her shoulders, Ravenna returned to chat with Fiain, as she knew asking further wouldn''t do anything. Also, she had some guesses in her mind about what it might be¡ªmost probably rted to the church.


    Benimaru let out a soft sigh of relief, seeing them return to doing their usual stuff. The end goal of Benimaru in Migotanie City was something very private. He didn''t want anyone to know about it.


    Afterwards, Benimaru decided to cultivate, as he had nothing to n about and it would take some time to arrive, so he might as well cultivate and make use of this time.


    One hour passed by in the blink of an eye.


    Benimaru had left his base early in the morning ¡ª if measured by clock, then it was approximately 10 AM ¡ª to arrive in the city fast and in time, keeping in mind if something bad might happen on the road.


    Benimaru opened his eyes and spread his senses forward to see the city ahead of them.


    ''d we arrived in time.'' Benimaru felt the anxiousness in his heart finally lift. Another reason he wanted toe fast was because the Chief of Commerce would only be avable until the sun rose above their heads, which meant until noon. Also, there were many others who had meetings with them, and there was no serial, so the early bird gets the worm.


    Benimaru''s carriages slowly crept toward the main entrance after lining up with others.


    However, they didn''t enter immediately, as the guards would check up on them first.


    Knock Knock


    The sound of someone knocking on Benimaru''s carriage''s door entered their ears. Benimaru opened the window and saw a guard d in shiny silver armor standing before them. His head and face were covered by the helmet, so Benimaru wasn''t able to see his appearance, which Benimaru didn''t care about in the first ce.


    The guard wanted to ask something but suddenly felt an unknown horror when his eyes met with Benimaru and the other two girls.

 Chapter 70 Shop Frenzy

    ?


    "What is it, mister guard? Is there something wrong with the girls?" Benimaru''s words brought the guard back to his senses. He quickly wiped the slight sweat on his forehead and looked at Benimaru, who was giving him the smile of the uncle next door.


    The guard rposed himself and said, straightening his body. "Nothing, sir. I was just shocked by the beauty of the misses."


    "Oh, it''s okay. Many people do praise their beauty." Benimaru nodded his head, while puffing up his chest a bit proudly.


    "They sure are, sir." The guard nodded his head as Benimaru''s easy going mood rxed his mind and muscles.


    Benimaru didn''t stretch the topic further but instead asked. "So, can I know why you knocked on my carriage?"


    The guard''s mind jolted, remembering his job. "Sir, I wanted to ask for any kind of pardon by the government. I would also like to check up on the carriages behind you. Sir, don''t worry about time. We will just do a quick checkup, nothing more."


    "Here is the pardon from the chief ofmerce." Benimaru pulled out a white envelope from his pocket and handed it down to the guard below.


    Opening up, the guard gave a quick nce, mainly focusing on important words like the reason for hising and the sign from the chief ofmerce himself. After finding all of these, the guard signaled hispanion to do the checkup.


    Two other guards dressed the same as him walked before the carriages below and checked what was in them. Just as it said in the pardon, there were all kinds of weapons. Finishing the checkup and finding nothing unusual, they walked before the guard that was chatting with Benimaru to report to him. However, they couldn''t help but give onest nce at Benimaru''s personal guards, who were each driving a carriage.


    A sprout of suspicion grew upon seeing them. It didn''t start now, but from the very beginning, when they were about to do the checkup. Just like the first time, Benimaru''s guards waved their hands at them, and they only stopped after they averted their gaze from them.


    But they decided not to tell anything about this to the main guard, as this wasn''t something out of the ordinary.


    However, who could exin to their main guard that no personal guards or security would wave their hands at someone unknown, try tomunicate with them.


    Anyway, forgetting all of these, the guards reported the one in front of Benimaru.


    Listening to hispanions'' words and knowing nothing bad was being carried by Benimaru, the guard said with a smile on his face which was unfortunately hidden by his helmet. "Sir, you can go now. I hope you have a great time in Migotanie City."


    Benimaru just nodded his head and signaled his driver to start moving.


    Finally, Benimaru and others were able to enter the city, where another adventure would begin for them.


    ¡­


    The guards that were still doing their jobs had a small discussion while waiting for the next set of carriages to arrive.


    The guard who was mainly talking to Benimaru asked his twopanions. "Hey, did you find anything unusual about this one¡­ the one we just did a checkup on?"


    Hispanions looked at each other and were able to see the surprised faces of one another despite being hidden behind a helmet.


    "There was nothing unusual about the carriages. Just like it was said in the pardon, they are indeed here to do weapon business."


    "But, Garry¡­ we felt something was wrong with the guards."


    The two exined their experience and their reason, to which the man in front, named Garry, had to facepalm.


    Still, he said to himself, thinking about Benimaru and the two girls with him. "Your reason might be dumb, but¡­in this case, why does it feel like a valid issue?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    The other two also nodded their heads, feeling the same.


    "Well, let''s forget about this and continue doing our job. No one can do anything in this city anyway in the presence of Baron Arash and the church." Shrugging his shoulders, he went to maintain the main entrance. Hispanion also threw this worry out of their minds and went back to work.


    ¡­


    "It looks like we are still not the fastest one." Benimaru said, looking at the three red and brown colored carriages lined up before him.


    "But, this is good enough. We can have a short rest before meeting with the chief." However, Ravenna looked on the bright side and cheered up Benimaru.


    Benimaru shrugged his shoulders, as he didn''t mind it much in the first ce. He opened the door and invited the girls by pushing his hand forward. "Ladies first."


    Ravenna didn''t shy away and descended down, with a smug face. Fiain, who was usually quiet, still had that cold demeanor. She followed behind Ravenna and exited the carriage with her.


    Eventually, Benimaru''s turn came, and he also left the carriage. The first thing that caught his eye was a tall, three-story building, made of cobblestone. It had giant wooden windows and a rooftop where few people could be seen walking. In front of the building''s entrance, hung a board right on top that had the words written ¡ª Migotanie Commerce Building.


    Benimaru marveled at the sight before him ¡ª which was nd to him ¡ª a little before ordering his guards to get a few weapons down. He told one to bring those weapons to him and told the rest to watch the carriages while they were away.


    After he was done with it, he led the girls and the guard inside the building, carrying a small box full of weapons.


    Just as he entered the building, his eyes met with people in formal dresses walking in a sprinting manner, as if they might miss the train if they weren''t fast enough. Other than that, there were very few people ¡ª probably for their personal work ¡ª who could be seen sitting in the waiting lounge.


    However, Benimaru didn''t directly go there; instead, he came before the reception, where a girl in a tight outfit that was struggling to hold her chest toe out, could be seen sitting.


    Seeing Benimaru and others, the reception girl woke up from her dozing off and greeted them with a professional smile. "Wee, guests. How can I help you?"


    Benimaru also greeted her back with a smile of his own. "I am here to have a meeting with Chief rg."


    "Oh," The reception girl couldn''t help but get surprised to hear that name, as it was the name of the Chief of Commerce. It wasn''t that she hadn''t heard someoneing to meet up with him directly, but not this frequently, as someone just went to meet up with him earlier.


    The thing was, Benimaru had the wrong idea about the traffic and the possibility of opening a new business. There would be at most three peopleing to meet up with Chief rg for business. There wasn''t much hype and interest about doing business; it would eventually be gobbled up by the big ones, and people didn''t have the heart to do so in the first ce. The people of this world had their hearts set on getting stronger and bing legends in the world.


    However, in this week alone, there were twenty peopleing to discuss with Chief rg about opening a shop in this city, which was rare and baffling.


    Benimaru saw the surprise on the girl''s face. He didn''t know the reason for her surprise, so he asked curiously. "Miss, is there anything wrong? You look a bit surprised."


    "No¡­no¡­no¡­it''s nothing." The girl quickly waved her hands, denying it, but she eventually decided to tell the truth. "It is just¡­there have been many peopleing to our city to open up a shop. You have to know that at most four people mighte in a week to open a shop. However, this sudden jump in numbers is surprising not just to me but even to many people in this city. But we do now know what your reasons might be foring to do business in this city."


    "Our?" Benimaru had a frown on his forehead as he felt totally confused. So, he inquired about it. "What do you mean by we? I think my reason is totally different from what others might have."


    The reception just calmed down her surprise, and she was dumbfounded this time. She looked at Benimaru and others with wide, open eyes and said. "You don''t know, or are you lying to me, guests?


    However, to that question, the girl was met with silence. She immediately knew her mistake and started apologizing. "I am sorry, guests. I asked for something I shouldn''t have."


    "No, it''s okay. Miss is still young, it is okay to be cheerful." Benimaru instantly forgave her with a smile, which surprised the girl. Seeing Benimaru as kind and easygoing, she felt she should exin everything to him on her own. "Sir, the reason for the frenzy of opening shops in our town is because of our princess, the pride of our city, Ana."

 Chapter 71 A Strange Man

    ?


    "Huh?" Benimaru became dumbfounded hearing that he couldn''t believe the reason for all this was none other than his daughter.


    However, Benimaru quickly rposed, as he knew he had gotten to the bottom of this. Benimaru asked curiously and with a bit of enthusiasm. "Care to tell me the reason? I do know Princess Ana is very good and has a lot of potential, but that shouldn''t be enough for people to be like this."


    The reception girl shook her head, denying Benimaru''s im. "Guest, you are wrong. That is the real reason all of them areing here. You see, princess Ana defeated prince Troy, the sixth son of the Duke Bilovar."


    Benimaru and others were shocked to hear that. Benimaru knew about the power a duke wielded, and he had exined it to his generals. So, everyone could imagine the feat Ana aplished to defeat the offspring of such a powerhouse.


    ''As expected of my daughter.'' The next moment, Benimaru''s face turned into ecstasy, and he appeared proud, which stupefied the reception girl.


    "Ahem, sir." Suddenly, the reception girl coughed, trying to bring back Benimaru from his dreams.


    Benimaru snapped out of his stupor and looked at the girl before him. "Sorry about that. I was just thinking of what could have happened if I had a daughter like her. Huh~ Unfortunate."


    Almost, a chuckle escaped from Ravenna''s mouth after she heard what Benimaru said and the disappointed face he made. Because she knew the truth, and it felt very funny to her.


    However, Fiain and especially the reception girl didn''t know about that. So, she decided tofort Benimaru, saying, "Sir, you do not have to be worried as I can feel the misses with you will surely bear a strong child for you."


    "Uh-" Dumbfounded, pure dumbfounded. Benimaru wasn''t expecting such words toe out of her.


    Hearing this made Ravenna''s face flush red like a tomato, and she felt thousands of butterflies flying in her mind. On the other hand, Fiain appeared to be confused, not understanding what the girl implied as she had no knowledge about human reproduction.


    Benimaru let out a helpless sigh, deciding to forget about this. ''Well, she is still young. It is normal for her to say anything they deem right.''


    "Miss, you should just tell us where Chief rg''s office is and notify us when the other party is done." Benimaru said, rubbing his forehead.


    The reception girl knew she had said something wrong, so she quietly wiped her sweat and said. "Sure, sir. Chief rg''s office is on the third floor, room number 302. Until the other gues-"


    "Oh." The reception girl suddenly paused as she noticed someone through the corner of her eyes who were the first guests. "Sir, they had just left, you can go meet up with Chief rg now."


    "Thank you, and I wish Miss to be careful." Benimaru left, but not before nodding his head to the girl.


    "Hehe.. I will." The reception girl nodded heavily and bowed her head a little. ''I made so many mistakes in the first couple months of my job. I am sooo idiot¡­''


    While the girl was contemting about herself, Benimaru was already close to the staircase.


    But beforeing close to it, his eyes met with those of a man who was passing by him with two guards protecting him.


    Benimaru was always on alert for his surroundings and would keep a watch on the people around him. Most of the time, nothing would capture his eyes, but for some reason, there was something about the man beside him that attracted him.


    The man had neck-length blonde hair that didn''t flutter in the air. He had a pair of green eyes and a smile that would melt anyone''s heart. He was wearing a light yellow coat with green borders, but that wasn''t able to hide his finely toned muscles; instead, it helped to enhance them. He had a long saber by his waist that was sleeping inside a white scabbard.


    However, none of these caught Benimaru''s eye except his smile. He felt there was something deep hidden in that smile, and it was so familiar to him.


    It wasn''t only Benimaru''s eyes that caught the blonde-haired man''s, but the opposite too. The man''s eyesnded on Benimaru''s, making them halt in their steps.


    They both stood silently and looked at each other. They didn''t utter anything, but their eyes seemed to tell many stories.


    Ravenna, Fiain, and the man''s guards were confused and finally alerted, as they felt something might happen at any moment.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    The man caught the sight of this, and the attention their stare-down was bringing from the surrounding. He quickly greeted Benimaru with his usual smile and pushed his right hand forward along with it. "Nice to meet you, fellow sir. I am Okarino Belogeuch, owner of All Peoples."


    Benimaru also put a smile on his face and shook hands with Okarino. "I am Benimaru, owner of Heaven''s High."


    Okarino put on a surprised face and said it with astonishment. "What a bold and arrogant name! Mister Benimaru seems to be someone with high vision."


    "No, no, no." Benimaru also put on a front, just like Okarino, and his was humble. "I just gave that name to catch everyone''s attention, nothing much. But you, on the other hand, have a name that shows you love everyone, no matter their origin. You know we businessmen are known as scumbags who only seek money, which is kind of true, but just from the name of your shop, I can see the goal and vision, and for that, you have my respect."


    "Hahaha, it''s nothing." Okarino shook his head, not wanting to borate much further, and Benimaru also didn''t push him.


    Instead, Beinmaru said. "Mister Okarino, you caught my attention the second you appeared on this floor, and another reason was that the aura you possessed was something only worthy of a meeting with Chief rg."


    "You tter me too much." Okarino became a bit embarrassed.


    "You deserve it, and I just wanted to ask, is Chief rg soft? Will he let me open a shop in this city easily?" Benimaru whispered, asking curiously.


    Okario just shook his head and smiled. "You worry too much, mister Benimaru. This city is in dire need of an influx of money, and for that, foreign goods are necessary and must be sought. It will help them attract people from the surrounding area and easily increase its poprity. So, you can be sure, you will get the deal done."


    "I see. Thank you for the help." Benimaru nodded his head and left while waving his hand. "We will meet again, Mr. Okarino, and I hope you have sess in your business."


    Okarino didn''t say much, but he nodded his head and waved back. After Benimaru''s group was finally gone from Okarino''s viewpoint, his face changed drastically and went stern. "Quickly find information about him. I can''t sense his powers properly, and something about him seems wrong."


    "Yes, sir." The guards behind him nodded their heads and followed Okarino out of the building.


    Meanwhile, Benimaru was having his own thoughts about the incident. ''What was that? I couldn''t sense his powers, and the system also didn''t notify me about him. This only happens when someone is special or stronger than me. No matter what the case might be, this is bad for me. Especially if he tries to be my enemy.''


    Suddenly, Ravenna asked. "Benimaru, what was that? Is there something wrong with that man?"


    "Yes." Benimaru nodded his head and exined everything to them.


    Just right after Benimaru finished his exnation, Fiain began to say. "Lord, I was not able to see his future. This only happened with the Lord and the generals. But it isn''t like I can''t fully see yours. I can just see a fraction of the generals, but I have yet to see the Lord''s. It also happened with that man."


    Fiain was still young and had yet to master her own way of speaking, so it sounded not too appealing. However, it was enough for Benimaru and Ravenna.


    "Your words made the belief I have in him be stronger." Benimaru said, rubbing his chin.


    At that moment, they had arrived at Chief rg''s office. Benimaru first gave a knock, after which an answer came out. "Come in."


    Benimaru opened the door and entered a basic-looking office that had a wooden desk with papers jumbled on it, one pair of sofas, one book shelf, and some other necessities.


    Benimaru''s eyesnded on the man who was sitting behind the desk.


    He was a man who looked to be in his thirties. He had short ck hair and rectangle shaped spectacles sitting on his nose. He had a rollie-finger-type mustache that was a bit short.


    The man stood up and enthusiastically said it with a hearty smile. "Wee to Migotanie City, guests. I am rg, chief ofmerce for this city. Can you quickly tell me about your business so that I can sign it quickly?"

 Chapter 72 Be Careful In What You Say

    ?


    "Haha, sir rg, you don''t have to panic. I didn''t see anyone before I walked the stairs." Benimaru joked a little and sat down before rg.


    Ravenna and Fiain didn''t sit along with him, as he had exined to them that they would be going with him as his maid. He also taught them about what the maid had to do, so they wouldn''t mess up the cover.


    "No, sir. You don''t know. These guys cane at any moment, and you all are big guys. So, I can''t just offend you by wasting your time." rg shook his head, denying what Benimaru said.


    "Oh~" Benimaru felt quite amused for some reason. "Will Mister rg not check the businessman to see if he or she is good or evil? You know, for your choice, something bad might happen to this city."


    "Huhh~" rg let out a sigh before saying. "Sir, didn''t I tell you I couldn''t offend anyone? If you guys were from a small ce, then I would at least have the heart to question them thoroughly. But¡­you are all from big ces that we can''t ever imagine going to. It is only our luck that Princess Ana is able to bless us; if not, they might not even look at us."


    "If we break our bond this early, then no matter what we be, those guys will not bat an eye at us." Seeing rg''s sudden descent into depression left Benimaru dumbfounded. He just wanted to have some fun with rg, but it looked like he identally triggered the deep anxiety inside him.


    "Mister rg is quite smart. This alone is making me establish a big shop for the sake of this city''s people." Benimaru spoke passionately and acted like he had made a vow.


    "No, no, no, you don''t have to do this. This will make me feel guilty." rg waved his hands, trying to stop Benimaru. "Anyway, let''s forget this. Sir, give me your pardon, and I will do the paperwork in seconds."


    Benimaru happily handed the pardon into rg''s hand and waited for him to finish his work.


    Almost two minutester.


    "Here it is, sir Benimaru." rg handed down a parchment to Benimaru and said. "Now you can freely sell your weapons to anyone. Also, if the quality is great and it gets famous, maybe Baron Arash might make a deal with you for being the supplier for the army."


    After taking the parchment, Benimaru shook hands with rg and said."If it does well as you say, then I wouldn''t mind striking a deal with Baron Arash."


    rg shook his hands happily and said it with a smile. "I wish you good luck, sir Benimaru. It was fun talking to you."


    "Same to you." Benimaru nodded his head and left, saying those words.


    After exiting the building, Benimaru said to the guard that had been with them the entire time. "Put the box back into the carriage, we will move directly to the shop now."


    The weapons he brought for possible inspection came to no use, and it wasted manpower. But Benimaru could do nothing, and it was also best to be prepared.


    At that moment, Ravenna asked him. "Benimaru, don''t you want to know what Ana did to make so many people flock here?"


    "Ravenna, I want to know about it more than anyone, but we have our hands already full." Benimaru answered with a sigh and entered his carriage, which was followed by Ravenna and Fiain.


    After taking their respectable seats, the carriage started to move forward, and Benimaru also started saying. "However, no, this matters. As long as the aftermath of her actions is positive, we can just sit peacefully. Just hope it stays like that."


    Ravenna nodded her head, agreeing with Benimaru. They shouldn''t meddle in Ana''s business until the moment something bad urs to her. Meanwhile, Fiain appeared extremely confused, not understanding what these two were talking about. She wanted to ask but refrained from doing so, if her lord wished then he would exin to her eventually.


    Then the carriage became quiet. Benimaru nced outside the window with a pensive look and thought. ''As much as I am saying that, it isn''t urgent to know what she did, but my heart can''t stop thinking about what my daughter aplished.''


    ¡­


    Slowly, the scenery drifted off and the time rewinded back.


    One week before, Benimaru was ready to head to Migotanie City.


    Cricsis City, EverGreen Academy Third Branch.


    "So, what is the result of your search, Ana?" Lily asked Ana softly.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Ana said, reading the book in her hand. "Nothing significant, but I found a few interesting things."


    They were currently in the library, upying a small table in the corner, trying to avoid the prying eyes of others, which they did not do as there were not many people present in the library.


    "Oh, tell me, tell me." Lily''s eyes sparkled as she couldn''t wait to hear Ana''s discovery. She and Ana had be very close, so Ana had revealed some of her secrets to her, and one of them was her goal of finding the god that could bring people back from the dead.


    Ana nodded her head, and started exining quietly, trying not to alert the librarian. "There are many gods and goddesses in this world, but not all of them are omnipotent. They follow a specific path, and they can only use that path''s power. Among the few I got to know about, only three can potentially bring dead people back."


    "Who are they?" Lily eagerly asked, making her voice rise a little.


    But without caring about it, Ana answered her. "They are the Goddess of Life, the God of Death, and the Time Guardian."


    Lily was surprised to hear such big names, but something bugged her when she thought things through. "Wait, you told me three gods or goddesses can bring back the dead, but who is this Time Guardian? He doesn''t sound like a god to me."


    "I do not know," Ana shrugged her shoulders as she was equally as her. "This name was included along with the gods, so he has to be someone who is equal in strength to them."


    "Or¡­" Something sparked inside Lily''s mind that she wasn''t able to control and let slip from her mouth. "The gods are just strong people who gained enough strength to control powers that a true god canprehend. Maybe that exins why the Time Guardian doesn''t have the title "God" in hi-."


    Thwap!


    Lily wasn''t able to finish her sentence when suddenly a paper folded ruler hit her head.


    "Uuuu." Lily cried out in pain and rubbed her head. She looked at her friend, Ana, and saw her head buried inside her book as if nothing mattered to her.


    Lily decided to look back to see who was the culprit for hitting her and making Ana do a U-turn.


    The moment she turned her back, she became mortified. Lily tried to speak but stuttered while doing so. "Uh..umm..professor Mo¡­Mori.."


    The person behind Lily was one of the professors of this branch academy and the sole librarian. He had short yellowish hair and a neatly washed dress, which was worn by all the professors. He had a pair of ck eyes with no emotion. But there was a calm demeanor on his face and body that made people start to have respect for him¡ªfor no reason.


    "Lady, you should be careful with what you say." Mori warned Lily, looking at her first before shifting to Ana. "You too. I know you would have agreed with her."


    "Yes, professor." Ana lifted her head from the book and said it apologetically.


    "You young ones." All of a sudden, a sigh escaped from Mori. He said to them, "I know it is nothing ordinary to be hotblooded and think beyond in different ways, but you have to refrain yourself from certain topics."


    "In what, professor?" Lily''s question made Mori a bit dumbfounded, eventually making him decide to exin it thoroughly to them. He rposed himself and returned to his usual calm yet stern expression.


    First, he asked them a question. "Do you know who is most respected and feared in this world?"


    Lily and Ana didn''t answer instantly as they started pondering. However, it didn''t take long for Ana to know the answer. "It is the deities."


    "Correct." Mori nodded his head. "These gods and goddesses can be considered taboo existences. You can worship them, sing praises for them, and fear them, but don''t ever dare badmouth them. They might not hear you, or in some cases, few can, but no matter what, you should be worried when you badmouth them as their apostles, devotees could be anywhere."


    "I will tell you this, those guys hate the most when someone dares to badmouth their deity." Mori warned, ring at them, showing them how severe the situation was.


    Lily asked in such a tense atmosphere, "Professor, have you witnessed such a situation?"

 Chapter 73 The Start Of Classes

    ?


    "Ummm¡­" Mori started to ponder: should he tell them or not, as it would reveal some secrets.


    But after thinking things through carefully, he decided to tell them. Firstly, it wouldn''t matter much to them as they were still too young, and he had nothing to do anyway as not many people were present in the library.


    "Yes, I indeed have witnessed such an event with my own eyes." Mori took a seat beside them and started telling them the story. "One hundred or so years ago, a genius was born in a duke''s family. No, we can''t call him genius; he was a monstrous prodigy that was feared by many, old or young. No one could beat him at anything, and no one tried to go for his life because of his father''s protection. "He is a free beast roaming among weaker predators." That was what everyone would say about him."


    Reminiscence could be seen shing before Mori''s strict eyes. "However, this also became his bane. This made him wild, careless, and mainly arrogant. He would do any kind of thing without thinking of the consequences that woulde after."


    "So, in the prying eyes of everyone, he dered to kill a god when getting into a quarrel with a priest. This instantly brought out the anger of the god and his believers. A purge urred that left the duke hopeless, and on top of that, he didn''t get any support from other dukes or the king himself." Mori started shaking his head, as if he didn''t want to recount the unfortunate event. "The believers of the god ced that genius head right below his statue, where the main temple was located. The god has cursed his head to no decay in the flow of time, and every year they would water the head with the blood of the dead geniuses."


    Gulp


    Lily and Ana couldn''t help but take a gulp of their saliva, not expecting the story to get this dark. They looked at each other with eyes full of horror.


    "That is why I am saying to be careful when you talk about them. Try your best not to say offensive words." Mori once again warned them, trying to engrave this in their hearts.


    Ana couldn''t help but think of Asher, who seems to harbor some sort of hatred towards the gods. ''Why isn''t no one targeting him, or is there something going on in the dark that I am not aware of? Maybe he is better at hiding his intentions, but that doesn''t make sense, as he told us, to strangers, about his malice.''


    While Ana was contemting deeply, Lily again asked, this time with her voice lowered. "Professor Mori, who is the god that the genius offended?"


    Mori stared at her eyes silently for a few seconds before replying. "Do you want me and you to die?"


    "Uhhh¡­" Lily became stupefied by that answer, as she was having a hard time understanding. But that didn''t take time, as she only needed to calm her mind. She rapidly shook her head and said. "No, no, no¡­.Professor, I am sorry. I will keep my mouth shut from now on and not even utter anything!"


    "Calm your voice down. People are quietly reading." Mori quickly notified her, ring at her.


    Lily could only bite her tongue at such a mistake.


    Tringgg!! Trinnnggg!!


    Suddenly, the academy bell began to ring, rming every student and teacher. The sses for the first year students mostly start after the third and second-year students are done with theirs. The second and third years sses would begin early in the morning. There would be just two sses that were one hour long each. After they were done, it would be the first year''s turn, during which the senior years would take a break.


    "Professor, our sses will begin now. We will be taking our leave." Ana stood up and said it respectfully.


    Still sitting down on the chair. Mori gave a surprised look at Lily and Ana. "So, you guys are first years. That exins why your faces seem so unfamiliar."


    Mori had a sharp memory that is praised by everyone in the EverGreen Region, so it wasn''t hard for him to memorize every student. However, not everyone could remember and identify each student, so the academy had to find a way to easily identify what year the students were in.


    The formal dress for the academy was a white schr''s robe with green borders and embroidery. To recognize which year a student was in, you had to look at their cor. Each year''s cor was different from the other. The first year had one single green stripe with three petaled Bethlehem flowers on both ends. For the second year, there were two stripes and six petaled Bethlehem flowers. For the third year, there were three stripes and nine-petaled Bethlehem flowers.


    However, Ana and Lily weren''t wearing their schr robes, or else Mori could have recognized them easily.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Yes, we are. Professor, take care of us whenever you take sses for us." Ana and Lily left in a hurry after bowing to Mori.


    "Ahh.." Mori was stumped, as he wanted to ask which section they were in, but they left him in a rush. "Well, forget it; I will find it out myself in a short moment."


    Then Mori''s eyesnded on the book that Ana was reading, which was called "The Benevolents and Unfathomables". It was a book about the gods and goddesses of the world that was written by Luthor, who roamed the entire earth in search of these unreachable beings.


    ''It has been so long since someone came to search for gods after entering the academy. It looks like this girl has some backstory.'' Mori picked up the book and went to put it back in its ce.


    After he was done, he headed towards the exit of the library. ''Now, let''s see which section I will be assigned to this year.''


    ¡­


    The girls dormitory.


    "Hurry up, this is the first day of our ss. We can''t miss it no matter what." Lily quickly changed her dress and went to grab herb.


    While Lily was panicking, Ana, on the other hand, calmly undressed herself and picked which dress she would wear in a pensive look. "Lily, there is still time. I know you are eager after not doing anything for one month but roam around the campus and daze off."


    Yes, this was their first ss session aftering to the academy. This past month, they couldn''t do anything but familiarize themselves with the campus as the teachers were busy examining themoners who had to enter the academy with nothing but pure skill.


    After putting on their schr robes, they happily strode toward their ssroom. Each batch of the year had four sections, and they were further divided into two. The four sections of the first year were: crimson, azure, emerald, and gold. These sections were divided into bright and dim, for example, bright crimson and dim crimson.


    Ana and Lily were at Bright Emerald together. Their room was in third ce, which didn''t take much time for them.


    Without further ado, they entered simultaneously, taking a deep breath. Instantly, their eyes met with the usual big hall with seats curved upwards, letting students from all corners to see the professor and the board easily.


    Students of every color and shape could be seen sitting or chatting with their ssmates. Ana and Lily didn''t know anyone here, so they didn''t waste any time and went to look for their seats. The seats were already nned, so it didn''t matter who came first orte, they had to sit on their designated spot.


    It didn''t take long for them to find their seats, as they were right at the top of the middle row.


    However, there was an issue: a few people were already upying the spot.


    Ana and Lily looked at their invaders with unfavorable eyes. Four people were taking their seats, and from the looks of it, they were all together. There were three boys and one girl. The boy and the girl were sitting together in the middle while the other two were on the corners, as if they were guarding them.


    Ana ignored them both in the corner and just focused on the girl and the boy. The girl had long, red, wavy hair and a pair of red eyes that were filled with disdain. The boy, on the other hand, had dark brown, short hair, properlybed. He had brown-colored eyes, and he had a calm yet arrogant face that was somehow different from Asher''s, which Ana couldn''t exin herself properly.


    "Why are you sitting in our seats?" While Ana was analyzing them, Lily finally asked why they were here.


    The red haired girl looked at them and said, raising the corners of her mouth. "Can''t you see? We will be using this seat from now on."

 Chapter 74 Silly Conflict

    ?


    "How could I know that? You are thinking of using our seats without telling us, that feels like what thieves would do." Lily didn''t get provoked by the girl''s snicker toward her; instead, she preached to them about their wrongdoings.


    Their nonchnt faces instantly vanished upon hearing what Lily told them. No one appeared more angry than the girl. She stood up and pointed her finger at Lily. She started yelling at her, letting everyone in the ssroom focus on their drama. "How dare you call us thieves? Do you know who we are? Do you know who this is?"


    The girl pointed her finger at the brown haired boy before focusing on her. "Forget about him, do you know who I am?"


    "Wait, Kiana." Finally, the brown haired boy spoke out. He tilted his head and asked, looking at them questioningly. "Where are you guys from?"


    Lily, who got yelled at just now and had everyone looking at her, was very embarrassed. She didn''t know what to do, and the boy''s question further made her panic. Fortunately, she had someone on whom she could rely on.


    "Where are we from? Is it that you are scared of our background? So typical of you guys." Ana scoffed at the brown boy. "Well, let me tell you, our fathers are just simple barons. So, what do you want to do to us after hearing it?"


    The veins on the brown haired boy''s head started twitching madly. He smiled to himself. "Your mouth sure runs very smoothly."


    He gave Ana a menacing grin and red at her. "Do you want to have your academy life ruined before it starts?"


    This time, Ana''s eyebrows started to twitch, as she wasn''t someone who hated being threatened by others. "Want to try me first? I know that the people who say too much are always the weakest ones."


    "Hehe." The boy stood up and said something to her with the smirk still on his face. "Sure, I also want to see where you are getting this confidence from, just to offend me."


    Suddenly, the magical aura started blowing out of them, sting all kinds of paper on the table and everyone''s hair. However, no one dared toin as they didn''t want to get into this mess.


    ''What should I do? I can''t let them fight here. They both will get kicked out if I don''t stop them, but how? Ahh¡­. it''s all my fault.'' Lily was deeply piling herself on guilt seeing the situation escte to this degree. She couldn''t help but pray for someone toe and stop them.


    Fortunately, Lily''s prayer came to fruition as someone entered their ssroom and witnessed this with their eyes.


    "Am I in a well-known prestige academy''s ssroom or in a street fight club?" A calm yet authoritative voice brought everyone''s focus from their drama to the front of the dais.


    On it, they saw a mature man with light yellowish hair standing straightly. Everyone''s eyes instantly filled with fear and panic. They quickly hurried toward their seats and sat quietly, knowing this would be none other than their homeroom teacher.


    Ana and others also shifted their focus to their teacher. Ana and Lily were surprised to see a familiar face, as this homeroom teacher was none other than Mori, whom they had met earlier.


    "All of you,e down here." Mori didn''t ask anything first but instead ordered them, which they followed immediately.


    Afterwards, they stood alongside Mori on the dais. Mori calmly asked Ana and others. "Care to tell me, what is happening between you guys?"


    Lily quickly started her exnation before others even got the chance. With teary eyes, Lily blurted out everything, the injustice they were about to face and such.


    However, in the middle of it, Kianal interjected, trying to prove their innocence. "No, professor. She is lying. We were just upying that bench because we didn''t know our seats were fixed. However, when they arrived, they didn''t care to exin it to us, and instead they started ming us for no reason."


    Ana and Lily were so dumbfounded by her tant lie that they forgot to rebuke her and prove their innocence. Kiana took this as a chance and tried to push further. "Professor, you do not have to say anything. You just have to punish them and start our ss, or what these two mig- "


    "Miss Kiana, right?" Mori stopped her from saying anything more and calmly warned her. "You do not have to tell me what I should do. Solving this issue and bringing a result would let other students in this ss know what to expect of me."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Kiana gulped her saliva and silently stood on her spot.


    Mori started summarizing what he thought after listening to their stories. "From what I can see, you guys are fighting for a few seats, like no different than actual kids. It brings me concern for your futures."


    Everyone got ashamed after hearing about the revolution Mori gave them. However, there was one who couldn''t take it, and it was none other than the brown haired boy. "Professor, as royals with higher rankings, we should be acknowledged for our position and let others respect us, or this would bring chaos to this region. Professor, imagine somemoner questioning the king without knowing what he had to go through to be in that position."


    Mori went silent, not saying anything but instantly looking at the brown-haired boy.


    The brown haired boy felt he won after seeing Mori like this. Others also felt the same, not expecting him to be sessful. While Ana and Lily became more worried about the oue of this.


    However, none of them knew Mori''''s actual thought process, as he didn''t even agree with what the boy told him. ''Those eyes, those words¡­the arrogance¡­it is just like him. So, we got another this year too. I do know how many will be there. I don''t know what you did, but after your death, it feels like a curse has been inflicted on the younger generation, always thinking they are the best and acting out of their mind.''


    The brown haired boy who was gloating over Mori, Ana, and Lily, all of a sudden heard Mori''s voice. "Troy, I see you respect the code made by the royals, very deeply. This, I can''t say anything wrong. However, let me ask you. What if themoner had strength above the king? Should the king not listen to themoner''s words then?"


    Mori had memorized all of his students'' names, bios, and faces beforeing here, so he was able to call them by their names without asking directly from them.


    Mori''s question left Troy dumbfounded, as he couldn''t find the answer. So, he came up with a rebuttal. "This is impossible. How can amoner even gain the strength to evenpete with the king?"


    "How can he not? Can we not make brilliant students, no matter what their origins might be? Or did you forget our academy''s goal? There aremoners here in this ssroom too. Are you saying they are useless?" Mori''s voice rose little by little, showing the anger inside him. "As someone who is very devoted to following the integrity of amunity, you surely are not following the academy''s motto where you will spend your next three years."


    "I¡­" Troy wanted to say more but held back as he had nothing to reprimand with. He clenched his fists, trying his hardest to calm himself down.


    Mori went silent for a second, seeing Troy like that, before saying. "So, you want to prove that you are right by fighting against Miss Ana?"


    Life seemed to return in Troy''s eyes as he answered, sternly looking at him. "Yes, professor."


    Nodding his head, Mori looked at Ana. "What about you?"


    "Yes, professor." Ana also agreed with Mori''s request without thinking much.


    Mori turned his head toward every other student who was watching the show. "You all came to this academy to learn many things. History, adequate manners, professions, geography, chemistry, cksmithing, the list just goes on. But we can''t take away the fact that fighting is the main source of our driving force to be stronger. So, what is a better way than just teaching you about fights in a practical way? So, do you all want to witness this battle?"


    "Yes, Professor!" Everyone chanted loudly, agreeing with Mori that they couldn''t wait to see them fight.


    Mori walked outside with a smile. "Follow me then. Also maintain a single file. I do not want to see any mess."


    Mori''s decision to settle Ana and Troy''s fight caught the attention of many as they saw them heading toward the battleground. They also wanted to go and see, but their professor would most likely disagree.


    Hueg, who was dodging in his seat, woke up when he saw Ana and her whole ss heading in a certain direction. This made him intensely curious, almost to the point of thinking about escaping the ssroom. ''What are they up to?''

 Chapter 75 Ana Vs Troy

    StarGazer Stadium, a ce where all kinds of events and battles were celebrated. It was an iconic spot for this branch of EverGreen Academy''s. Most of the exchange tournaments and regional tournaments happened here. It would be empty most of the time, as without the permission of the professor, no student could use it. So, only on festive asions could this stadium be seen full.


    But today was different, as it weed people at a convenient time.


    Mori led the students into the stadium, letting them witness the grandiosity of the stadium. Ana and others looked around in awe as they saw how massive this stadium was.


    "So big! It is almost half the size of my city." Lily eximed out loud, having a hard time containing her shock.


    Ana nodded her head to Lily''s statement, agreeing with what she said. She had seen and heard of this ce but never got the opportunity to pry into it, but today she got the chance and got reminded of how small a city she came from.


    "Tsk, bunch of country bumpkins." Suddenly, Troy snickered at them, ruining Ana and Lily''s mood.


    However, they saw not only Troy but a few others also looking down and acting proud. Ana didn''t have to take a guess to know that, given their high privilege, these people might havee here many times.


    Mori didn''t pay attention to their shock or wonder; he just led them to a corner of the stadium where a small court could be seen. "You guys take your positions. We will be using this court for our own, and the rest, follow me."


    After saying that to Ana and Troy, Mori took the front seats for himself and the students. With just a few of them, the stadium wouldn''t even look like it had people in it, but that wasn''t the case this time.


    It was senior year students'' break time, so they were mostly dozing off outside and cking off. Having nothing to do, they decided to follow Ana''s group, wanting to see what they were up to and Mori had a great reputation among the students, so they believed whatever he was trying to do would be great. They sat behind Ana''s ssmates and discussed with enthusiasm about the soon-to-happen battle. However, not everyone came to the stadium, but those who did were enough to make one side of the stadium look full.


    Troy casually stood a few meters away from Ana and said to her. "Make a move, I want to finish this fast."


    However, Ana ignored the orders that he was giving with his authoritative tone; instead proposed. "Before we fight, let''s have a wage."


    "Oh," Troy said, showing interest despite Ana making him mad just now. "What is the wage?"


    "It is very simple. Whoever wins will have the defeated listen to their one wish." A sudden smile appeared on Ana''s deadpan face, as if she could already see the result of this.


    "Good, good." Troy didn''t notice her expression or ignore it, as the wage had made him think of the possible chores he could give to her after winning. "Okay, I agree, but do not cryter on."


    Ana just smiled at him and started warming her body with mana. However, Troy didn''t do anything, just stood in his ce with no care.


    "First rule." Mori said this to his students, who shifted their focus from the drama before them to him. "Do not underestimate your enemy, even if he or she is not as strong as you. Remember, a defenseless man is no different from a naked chicken."


    Not many understood that statement, but the seniors in the back did, as they had many years of experience.


    "I wish I had someone like Professor Mori in my ss to tell me this. I almost got killed by an adventurer group for ordering them."


    "What the!? Why were you even ordering them? Did you think they were weak just because they were lowly adventurers? Clearly, you don''t know the dormant monsters living among the adventurers."


    "Hey, it wasn''t my fault for being like that. I was taught that we, the students of EverGreen Academy, are the best and respected by everyone."


    "Well, there are many things wrong with your thinking, but I will say, do not dare to be arrogant, just as Professor Mori said."


    Just like these two recent second-year friends, many were also describing their unfortunate events and some were preaching to others.


    Ana, who was a bit dumbfounded by Troy''s confidence. But her face turned stern as she aimed her finger at Troy''s head. ''Don''t make it look easy. [ Star Revolver ]. ''


    Troy grinned at Ana, who was aiming her finger at him, thinking of what she would do with just that. However, he was proven wrong when suddenly a white light shed from her finger, making his heart quake. ''Evade it, no matter what, evade it!''


    Nudging his body to the left in the nick of time, Troy managed to save himself from getting killed. With sweat dripping from his head, he looked at Ana and wondered. ''What was that spell? I have never seen something so deadly and fast.''<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Come on, don''t make it look like I won by ident." Ana said this while still shooting at Troy.


    Troy, suppressing his anger, dogged the attacks. He wanted to get a solid footing but failed to do so, making him still run around the court aimlessly but in an organized way.


    Morimented on the current situation, teaching his students. "Another thing people neglect is having their footing on the ground. For mages, warriors, or whatever your ss might be, you need a solid footing to cast your spells and skills. Maybe it is not necessary inter stages, but for now it is important for you all."


    "Ana is definitely exploiting this advantage she got from Troy''s earlier negligence." Mori became more surprised as he went on, as he didn''t expect Ana to know such basics.


    While other students tried to engrave it in their minds. It could be guessed why the students frommon backgrounds did not know such a thing, but for royals, they had every resource in their arsenal, however, even they took this teaching. The reason was that royal children had the best tutors teaching them from early ages, but there was no one to teach them how to actually utilize the basics of a fight. Only the ones who got to experience real life and death battles knew such things.


    ''No, I can''t keep on running like this.'' Troy gritted his teeth, trying to think of a way. ''I don''t have any defensive spells to counter¡­then I will use offense as the defense.''


    Troy, in midair, focused all of his mental energy with everything he had and conjured one of the spells he knew. " [ Fire Snakes Chase ] "


    A medium sized rec magic circle appeared before him, from which six snakes ¨C made of fire ¨C burst out. They slithered in the air and shed with Ana''s star bullets.


    Bang Bang Bang


    Small explosions urred, scattering smoke and dust in the air. Troy used this to hide from Ana''''s vision and finally escape from her onught of attacks.


    Ana stopped shooting, knowing she wouldn''t be able to hit Troy amidst the smoke and that it would just be a waste of her energy.


    "Good. Using any aspect of the battle to use it for your own advantage is necessary." Mori praised Troy too, not being biased toward Ana just because he was behaving badly with him. ''It looks like he isn''t arrogant just for being someone with a good background. His strength was the boost for this arrogance.''


    "They are both good while just being in the 1st Stage Novice realm."


    "Yes, they know the basics very well, which many first-year studentsck. Are we finally going to see the Star Shower of Prosperity generation?"


    "What nonsense are you sprouting about? There is no specific generation. After the Star Shower of Prosperity, in the next fifty years, the geniuses we will be seeing are most likely blessed by the gods."


    While they got derailed from their discussion, the fight between Ana and Troy continued on.


    Ana had her eyes on both sides of the smoke, ready to attack the moment Troy came out.


    However, contrary to her assumption, Troy didn''te out in the direction she guessed. Ana looked up and saw Troy crashing down at her.


    Troy had both his hands pressed down on Ana as he spoke. " [ Rain of Fire Tears ] "


    From the red magical circle before his hands, balls made of fire speed out, shooting down at Ana.


    Ana quickly came up with her own countermeasure. She also pressed her hands upward. " [ Star Spike Burst ] "


    Balls made of star magic shot upward, shing against Troy''s own attack. Upon contact, the white balls burst open like spikes, impaling the ones that escaped their influence.


    Boom


    Another cloud of smoke appeared above the air, blocking the views of everyone in the stadium.

 Chapter 76 The End Of The Battle

    ?


    Mori didn''t exin anything now, as the battle had reached a white-hot stage and everyone was deeply invested in the fight too. ''This fight is getting more interesting than I thought.''


    ¡­


    Ana sted the ground underneath her with her star magic, creating a strong wind that pushed the smoke away from her, giving her a great range of view.


    Ana looked up, watching carefully for Mori to leave, and shortly, the moment came¡ªTroy emerged from the smoke, but something was out of ce that caught Ana''s eyes.


    Troy''s right and left hands were veiled in fire, burning brightly. The determination Ana saw in Troy''s eyes as he came crashing down at her, made her initial assumption of Troy''s ss.


    From the very beginning, Troy was fighting from a distance and only using spells, which made Ana think Troy was a mage, but she was wrong. Troy''s real ss is called Elemental Combatant, a ss where people fight with magic at close and long range; instead, they don''t use weapons. That is what separates them from Battle Mages, who use weapons to amplify their power.


    Ana leaped back, trying to distance herself from Troy. Fortunately, she was sessful in escaping from Troy''s attack, whichnded on the ground.


    Bang


    Rock and soil exploded into the surroundings after Troy''s attack missed andnded on the ground. But Troy wasn''t done with this, as he started chasing Ana, letting her not get enough range.


    However, that didn''t matter much to Ana, as she could fight even at close range. She aimed her right palm at Troy, and from it, white balls shot out. " [ Star Spike Burst ] "


    The white balls galloped through the air, heading toward Troy. Seeing those familiar white ballsing at him again. Troy didn''t show any panic. He pumped up more of his mana into his arms and said. " [ Fire Knuckles ] "


    Giant fists made of fire grew into Troy''s hand. With their help, he punched away Ana''s attacks to the side before they burst open.


    Bang Bang


    The rocky terrain started to change from their fight, but it wasn''t of any concern as their indispensable desire was to defeat the enemy in front of them.


    Ana quickly moved in another direction as she was about to reach the border of the court. She didn''t know what might happen if she crossed it. Maybe in a life-or-death fight, Professor Mori wouldn''t mind it, but now it was a mock battle, so crossing that line was the same as admitting defeat.


    Just as Ana changed her direction, a small smirk appeared on Troy''s face, which nobody noticed except Mori and the senior years.


    Mori thought with a pensive look. ''What is he up to? He doesn''t seem to have any advantage¡­''


    Then, with a surprised look, he looked to the side and wondered with a smile on his face. ''Heh, maybe I am the one that is underestimating them too much. I just thought they would be fighting head-to-head but to think of him using his brain.''


    Clueless about Troy''s smile and Mori''s guess, Ana just retreated without looking back, the only thing that was in her mind ¨C how to bypass Troy''s giant fists. The moment he started using that spell, none of her moves were able tond on Troy. Those fists might seem fragile and transparent, but they were far from that, as Ana almost started to see them as Troy''s real, physical arms.


    However, suddenly something started to bug her mind.


    Unease.


    As if a premonition of a future disaster was rming her.


    Before she could think of anything further, through her eyes, she saw a big smile on Troy''s face, as if he were seeing the victory. ''What is th- "


    Ana wasn''t able to finish her sentence when suddenly a big, red magic circle lit up underneath her feet. With her face lit up by the red hue of the magic circle, Ana thought with shock. ''He can leave behind his spell?''


    That was thest thought Ana had in her mind before getting swallowed by the spell. Six snakes made of fire with the width of an adult male''s legs burst out. They tied Ana in midair with their bodies before bursting into giant mes.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Boom


    After the zing fire calmed down, Ana''s charred body with torn clothes dropped to the ground. Still, she didn''ty down on the ground and tried to get up with anything she could. She was just able to get on her knees when, all of a sudden, Troy appeared before her.


    Winding his ming fist to punch Ana, Troy gave Ana a victorious smile. He knew he had won the moment Ana fell for his trap, and seeing her current state, Troy decided to finish this battle with a simple punch.


    Troy''s fist was about to hit Ana''s face when it got obstructed by something. With pure shock in his eyes, Troy saw Ana holding his fist with her hands.


    Troy knew how fierce and hot his mes were, as he had the densest fire among the many Novie Realm mages. Ana knew that too, as she had experienced that herself just recently. The only way she was able to do it was because, while trying to protect her body from that attack, she had attempted to coat her body with her star magic, despite it being apletely new experience for her.


    But in the moment of life and death, she had an epiphany about how she had to coat her body. Well, not the entire body, but certain parts. However, that was enough for Ana to know how to achieve victory.


    Moving forward, Ana came before the surprised Troy and put her finger on his forehead.


    Troy was still in shock at how his victory slipped away, and for trying to win it with a simple punch, he had his guard down and no mana powered up in his body. "..I."


    "I win." Ana cut Troy off before he could finish.


    The moment Troy heard that, he came to the realization of the loss and the humiliation he would receive. So he tried to rebuke her. "No, I ca- "


    A white beam shot out of Ana''s finger, grazing past Troy and reminding him of the situation. "If you wanted that type of battle, then you should have told me from the very beginning. Then I could have easily won this by killing you."


    "You.. You¡­ " Troy became speechless, not knowing what to say. He also couldn''t throw a fit in front of all these people.


    "Okay, the battle is over." Mori finally interjected as he suddenly appeared beside Ana and Troy as if he had teleported. "Ana had won this fight. You have to acknowledge it too, Troy."


    "But, professor¡­" Troy still felt contradicted, as he was unable to ept it.


    "I know what you want to say." Mori looked at Troy and calmly exined. "But you have to see it clearly. This type of battle, which we usually call mock battle, is won when your opponent ispletely at your mercy."


    "I was still able to fight, though." Troy said desperately, trying to somehow pursue Mori.


    But he was unsessful in doing so. Mori patted Troy''s shoulder and said. "Troy, you clearly saw Ana could have killed you, but you didn''t. So, listen to what I say, let go of your arrogance. You always lower your guard when you underestimate your opponent, and that is the manifestation of your arrogance. If you can get rid of that, then I can be sure no one will defeat you easily."


    Troy just stood silently while clenching his teeth and fists. He was having a hard time believing that he had lost like that. He always believed the only ones who could defeat him were his brothers and sisters, but that belief was broken.


    Mori shifted his focus from Troy to Ana, who was now being covered up by her ssmates. The academy''s robes were specially made to endure any kind of damage, so they were unscathed even after experiencing that kind of damage. But Ana''s informal clothes were ordinary, so they got burned.


    "Also, you do not get this win over your head. Our academy''s rankings might not be absolute, but they aren''tpletely false. You are ranked at number sixteen, and he is at number fifteen. In this fight alone, you can see how close this was. You were able to win this because you somehow managed to know how to use your magic on your body. However, you won''t be lucky the entire time." After saying all of this, Mori said this to Ana after seeing her mood getting down. "Still, you did great, both of you did. I hope you can make my section proud."


    "Everyone, follow me to the ss. Troy and Ana wille back after they are done cleaning themselves, and their friends can stay too." Mori then left with his students.


    Troy left with his group for his dormitory before giving Ana onest nce.


    Ana didn''t see that as she walked toward her own dormitory with the support of Lily.

 Chapter 77 Not So Good Start

    ?


    "You did awesome, Ana!" Lily looked at Ana with wonder and started praising her skills.


    Ana just shyly chuckled at Lily''s remarks and said. "It is nothing, and I didn''t win that easily. Just as Professor Mori said, I got lucky."


    Saying that, Ana''s mood degraded. She knew she was not at the top of the rankings, yet she had hope in her heart that she could climb this rank. But it seemed impossible now, as she was having a hard time defeating the one that was right above her, making it feel like she was climbing a steep mountain.


    "Hey, why are you making that face?" Lily squinted her eyes at Ana before putting her hands on her hips. "I see you are disappointed with the result of the battle, right? Ahhh¡­why are you being like that? You know, I can''t even dream of reaching top 15, and top 80 is already hard for me."


    Ana became stumped, seeing Lily downcast now. So she quickly removed her own and said it with a smile. "I believe you can rise too and challenge me. But remember, I won''t stop moving forward."


    Lily''s move instantly changed as if a switch had been clicked. "Yes, we won''t give up and won''t stop moving forward. But first, let''s go to the ss and get your reward. You won the fight, right?"


    Dumbfounded, Ana didn''t expect Lily to act for her just to make her motivated. However, it wasn''t like she denied such things. Laughing up a little, Ana and Lily strode towards their ss. "Let''s go, I really want to make a big demand of this duke''s son."


    ¡­


    Bright Emerald ss.


    Currently, students were waiting and calmly chatting among themselves as no professor was present in the ss. For the next professor toe, it would at most take two minutes.


    At that moment, Ana and Lily entered the ssroom, catching everyone''s attention, especially Ana, as she had be somewhat famous in her ss.


    The two friends walked up the stairs, heading toward their bench. This time, Troy and his group didn''t upy their bench and were sitting on their respectful benches.


    Just as Ana and Lily came beside Troy''s bench, they stopped. Looking at them, Ana said. "I have won the battle, and get ready to aplish what I wish for."


    "Tsk." Sneering to himself, Troy asked. "What do you want?"


    "I know you have many sponsors under you. I just hope you send them to my city to open up shops close to fifty to seventy." The moment Ana finished saying her wish, Troy turned his head at her and looked at her with bewilderment.


    With disbelief in his eyes, Troy said. "You want my sponsors to go to your city? Are you serious? How can I even convince them in the first ce? This is outrageous."


    The sponsors they were talking about were businessmen and some hidden forces that supported the heir to the throne to their liking. This knowledge wasn''t secret, as everyone knew of it, and it is seen as a highlypetitive market.


    Because the one who chooses the best prince with the best potential could have a chance to rule the area if that prince gets to sit on the throne. These types of practices were mostly seen among Kings, Dukes and Marquesses. So, at first, Ana was surprised when she learned about it and decided to exploit it for her own benefit.


    "That isn''t my issue. If you can''t do it, then it will let everyone here know how ipetent you are, and people won''t believe your words." Ana left for her seat before smirking at Troy.


    Troy was left frustrated again as he saw people watching him, probably curious about his choice. He knew his next words would decide his image, which was very important for someone like him.


    At that moment, their next professor came for their next subject.


    Ana and Lily were sitting behind Troy, but they hadn''t heard any reply yet. Ana decided to wait until the end of this ss, as she thought Troy might be not answering in the fear of the professor. But she was proven wrong, as Troy said, without turning back. "Your wish will be fulfilled."


    This brought a smile to Ana''s face as she and Lily calmly, with peace in their minds, focused on the teaching while Troy sat in his position with a darkened face.


    ¡­


    All of this was unknown to Benimaru, as he didn''t have any source to know this and didn''t have time now to learn about it as he had been busy recently.


    Benimaru, Ravenna, Fiain, and his guards were cleaning the shop they were assigned to. The shop they got from rg was made of wood, and it had two floors. The top one is for residential purposes, and the bottom is for doing any kind of business.


    Benimaru was expecting an empty shop at the center, but those were already upied, so he got one in the middle, closer to the walls. He didn''t get a position of his desire, and to top it off, it wasn''t even cleaned. So, before he could set up the shop, he had to clean it up properly. <novelsnext></novelsnext>


    At first, Benimaru thought of hiring some locals to do the cleaning, butter he felt it would be a waste of time and especially money. So, folding his shirt and his pants, he went down to work, and as he expected, with their strength and capability, it didn''t take time.


    The sun was resting right above their heads, announcing it was noon.


    "Great job guys. Now bring all the boxes inside, and we will be done." Dusting off his hands, Benimaru congratted everyone for their hard work.


    The guards quickly went to bring the boxes, as Benimaru''s praise quickly ignited back the fire in their hearts. Ravenna and Fiain didn''t want to get left behind, so they also went to shake hands.


    After a few minutes, all the boxes full of weapons were unloaded from the carriages and brought to the shop. Then they started to decorate the best ones for disy and put the rest in the storage room.


    They were all magicians and warriors, they can be considered superhumans now, so this type of continuousbor was nothing to them.


    Finally, putting on the price tags before the weapons, they finally announced the end of their shop decoration.


    "Everyone, we will open up the shop after we are done having our lunch." Benimaru said this to everyone with a smile on his face.


    Ravenna instantly asked, hearing Benimaru''s decision. "But, we don''t need to. We can go on till the night without food."


    Just as Ravenna said, food was not mandatory for them anymore. Food is eaten by normal people because theyck a way to fill up their energy other than by consuming various types of food. But for them, who are walking on a different path, they no longer need them, as the mana in the air can recharge their bodies.


    "No, we can''t." Shaking his head, Benimaru instantly denied Ravenna''s request. "Remember what I told you guys earlier? We are here as businessmen, we are not magicians or warriors. Just simple human beings, trying to make profit. So, we can''t open the shop during this lunch hour. Even if we don''t eat, we have to at least put on an act."


    "Oh." Ravenna and others felt they gained enlightenment after hearing Benimaru''s words. It wasn''t their fault, as they were demons to begin with and had zero knowledge of how humans lived.


    Closing the doors of their shop, they had a little lunch, just to satisfy their tastes.


    Finally, the time came for them to open the shop and live their new life.


    Benimaru looked at the guards and said to them, "You two, guard the doors from outside, and the other two, take position in two corners of the store."


    Nodding their heads, the guards quickly took their position while also checking if their armor was properly worn, as Benimaru had warned them about it earlier when they were eating.


    Shifting his focus to the girls. Benimaru said. "You guys are ready to wee the customer. Also, try to be as humble as possible. Do your best not to irritate them."


    Ravenna and Fiain rapidly nodded their heads as they felt this task was more arduous than watching over their base and hunting other demons.


    Readying themselves up, Benimaru put on the sign that their shop was open and went to his position, which was behind the counter, as he would do the cashier''s job.


    Then the waiting game begins.


    They waited for 10 minutes.


    30 minutes.


    1 hour.


    2 hours.


    Time passed and it was already afternoon, but not a single customer came to their shop. All of them gave their shop one or two nces before leaving, probably thinking of the authenticity and quality of their shop.


    This made Benimaru''s face darken. ''Well, why did I think it would be easy to begin with?''

 Chapter 78 First (Interesting?) Customers

    ?


    "Ummm¡­Benimaru." Ravenna called him with some hesitation. They were expecting it would be a heavy task from the very beginning, given how good their weapons were, but it looks like her perception of such things was wrong.


    Fiain, who didn''t talk much, finally spoke out, as even she couldn''t hold back her confusion. "Lord, did we fail?"


    "Huh~" Letting out a sigh, Benimaru said with a tired expression. "We didn''t. This is how the world works. You don''t be sessful just by having the best items. You need advertising, poprity, and trust before you can settle down properly."


    "So, we have to wait?" Ravenna''s face became downcast as Benimaru''s words were still not enough.


    Benimaru nodded his head and quickly brought his smile back to his face. "It''s okay. We can just wait. Our main goal isn''t earning money anyway. This is just a cover up."


    Just as Benimaru said, having a sessful business wasn''t their main goal but a subgoal. Still, it would hurt Benimaru''s heart if, in the end, they weren''t able to earn any money, which he is in very desperate need of. He might have many resources, but he couldn''t use them properly to make anything. By spending the money he got from rewards, he was able to get the essential stuff to make buildings and bring the tools that could help in alchemy and cksmithing. Also, if his business bes sessful, it will be much easier for him to aplish his goals.


    Ravenna and Fiain looked at each other before stopping to question Benimaru further. They didn''t know Benimaru''s true goal for this mission, but if the main goal isn''t to start a sessful business, then they could just spend their time leisurely and peacefully.


    Time started to move forward without waiting for anyone, eventually announcing the arrival of evening.


    Benimaru was standing with his eyes closed, cultivating the mana around him. It would be a waste of time to not do anything, so he decided he might as well cultivate and have more assurance.


    Ravenna and Fiain were also cultivating after seeing Benimaru, not wanting to feel left out.


    At that moment, a doorbell rang, waking everyone up.


    ''Someone, finally.'' Benimaru opened his eyes with expectation, and so did others.


    Their expectations didn''t go down as they saw three people with armor entering the shop. There were two men and one woman; the man leading the two indicated the leader of this group. Benimaru noticed something strange about them. ''This is the smell of blood. I can see the blood stain on their armor too. It looks like they came right here after fighting.''


    "Wee to Heaven''s High, dear customers. How can we help you?" Ravenna quickly came forward and greeted them with a big smile on her face.


    The leader of this group, the man in front, had arge build and a bald head, but he didn''t have any scars on his face or even on his body. The man said it shyly, looking a bit embarrassed. "Miss, I am Bl, and it is nice to meet you. We are he-"


    Bl wasn''t able to finish his sentence when the girl behind him cut him off.


    "Boss, I told you not to tell your name to anyone you meet." The girl warned Bl, ring at him. She has red hair that was tied into a bun. She had an average height for a woman, but her hourss-like figure made people think otherwise. She was Bailey, the main attacker in their group.


    "Uh¡­sorry about that, but I feel like this miss isn''t someone who can harm anyone." Bl said to Bailey, trying to show his innocence.


    However, at that moment, a chuckle escaped from Benimaru unconsciously. He knew what Ravenna was capable of, so it felt very funny to him to see someone paint Ravenna with their own innocence.


    The groups heard Benimaru''s chuckle and got curious. Bl expressed their curiosity on others behalf. "Sir, what is funny?"


    "Nothing." Benimaru shook his head, still with a smile on his face. He covered up the reason for not letting them know. "It is just that I have never seen anyone with such a strong build be so gullible."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Bl became too embarrassed to even speak now. Bailey decided to speak out for him after seeing her boss be like that. "Sir, this is how our boss is. He was very innocent from the start. He can''t even kill livestock properly."


    "Oh." Benimaru''s eyes widened in surprise, not expecting Bl to be so kind hearted. However, something bugged him about this. "If I am not wrong, you guys are adventurers. So you have to kill to make a living. How can he do this job if he is so afraid to kill a¡­chicken?"


    "He doesn''t kill." This time the boy, who was quiet the entire time, spoke. Benimaru shifted his focus to him and saw a boy with ck hair and a mage-like robe on. He had a deadpan expression, as if nothing seemed to interest him. He was Tanaka, the mage on this team.


    "What do you mean by that?" Benimaru asked, raising the corner of his eyebrow.


    "Bl''s ss is a tank, which he chose despite having the strength of berserkers. The reason for that is that he didn''t want to kill, so just by being a tank, he could help his teammates kill by defending them and don''t have to worry about having his hands get dirty. But he still can''t stop the urge to puke after seeing a fleshly-being get mutted before him." Tanaka said with a sigh, shaking his head.


    "Ahhhh¡­let''s forget these. We should do what we came here for." Bl quickly changed the topic, not wanting to get embarrassed anymore by his own people. He looked at Ravenna and asked. "Miss, from the looks of it, you guys mostly sell weapons and some armors. So, are there more than the ones on disy?"


    "It feels sad to say this, but we only have the ones on disy. But don''t be discouraged; the ones we have are top quality items for their own ranking, which you will hardly find, and we will bring more and better items in the future." Ravenna said it firmly, making them feel calm and, at the same time, believable.


    Bl and others went to check out the weapons, first trying out the basic longsword. Bailey was the main attacker on this team, so she carefully inspected it while others waited. Giving it a swing or two, surprise appeared on Bailey''s face. She looked at Ravenna and said. "So, you are telling me this is a 1-star weapon?"


    "Yes." Nodding her head, Ravenna started to sing praise of the weapons and the armors in their shop. "As you can see this is a top quality 1-Star weapon but is no way close to being a 2-Star. That is the specialty of our shop. Every item we have in our shop is top-tier in its own ranking."


    With surprise and doubt in their eyes, they gave a short nce to the shop, but their eyes couldn''t judge the items that easily, and they were doubtful if these shopkeepers were doing their best to scam themter.


    So, with a calm and collective mind, Tanaka picked up another sword randomly and felt its weight and fluidity in his hands. He might be a mage, but he had practiced with a sword, so he had some knowledge about it. ''This feels so good to use.''


    He turned around and asked the other shopkeeper, Fiain. "Miss, care to show me some guards that can protect my vital points."


    Just like Tanaka, Fiain spoke to him with a calm yet icy face. "This way, please."


    Tanaka didn''t mind her behavior that much. He followed behind her enthusiastically, showing his interest in guards.


    Bl and Bailey knew the items in this shop were good, as not many things could catch Tanaka''s interest easily.


    So, Bailey decided to see if she could buy this sword. "How is this?"


    Ravenna didn''t say much; instead, she pointed at the price tag before them. They turned their heads to look at the price tag and were left dumbfounded. Not because of it being with a very absurd price but how cheap it was.


    They were locals, so they had knowledge about the prices of things that were sold in this city. 1-star weapons mostly cost around fifty to sixty gold coins, not custom made. But that is already too pricy, asmon people didn''t have much gold coin in their savings, only the adventurers and royals were able to get those in hefty amounts. Except adventurers had to earn their way the hard way, and they would still get less than what they deserved. So, one could guess how ludacris the job rted to adventurers was, where only the royals benefitted the most.


    Now, they saw a top-quality 1-star weapon in Benimaru''s shop that cost only thirty-five gold coins, which made them feel what a reasonable price it was to begin with.

 Chapter 79 Belal

    ?


    "Miss, are you not being serious? Won''t thise as a loss?" Bl asked with concern, starting to feel that they might scam Ravenan instead.


    "No," Ravenna said, shaking her head with a chuckle. "Thank you for your concern, but we have put the price after calcting every cost."


    Bl and Bailey looked at each other before Bailey began to urge Ravenna. "We will have this right."


    Ravenna looked at the pouch of gold coins that Bailey pulled out from her storage ring to pay her. However, Ravenna quickly stopped her before she opened it. "Miss, please go to the counter and pay there. Also, you don''t have to be in such a hurry. We have many in our storage that have yet toe out of the boxes."


    "Oh..uh." Bailey became dumbfounded and a bit ashamed. But quickly rposing herself, she went to the counter with Bl.


    "Sir, we will be taking this." Bailey showcased the sword by resting it on the desk.


    Nodding his head, Benimaru recorded the item name and price on the notebook. "One basic longsword¡­ thirty gold coins."


    "Boss." Bl suddenly asked, in panic. "Why is it thirty gold coins now? We saw it was thirty-five."


    "Oh, this." Laughing to himself, Benimaru exined to them the reason. "You are our first customers, so how can I not sell you for a lower price?"


    Bl became a bit emotional, not expecting to encounter this today. "But, you are already selling it at a cheap price."


    Benimaru chuckled after hearing what Bl said. Shaking his head, Benimaru said to him. "It is true that I am selling it for cheap, but if I can say it, then I am still making profit out of it. So, for me, I am not making any kind of loss. Another reason is, I don''t believe in selling stuff overpriced for your own benefit."


    Benimaru stared into their eyes and said it with a smile, making them hypnotized by Benimaru''s charm for a second. "If my item is good and it is reasonable for others, then it will sell no matter what happens. People have forgotten the main rule of business, which is trust. Without trust, even the world''s best item won''t sell."


    Truth with the lie''s butter ¡ª a tactic that was used by most cunning men to make his or her victim think their words were believable or even tant facts. As an assassin, Benimaru had to also learn how to fake out or gain someone else''s trust.


    Benimaru''s words worked marvelously against Bl specifically, whose heart was too innocent to even capture the ws. "You are indeed wise, boss."


    Benimaru just smiled at Bl''s praise. Instead, he asked Bailey. "Miss, the money?"


    "Oh," Bailey said, waking up from her daze where she was thinking about the stuff Benimaru told them. She quickly pulled out thirty gold coins from her pouch ¨C which made it look empty ¨C before handing them to Benimaru.


    Putting those in the cash box, Benimaru asked curiously. "Bl. Will you mind if I ask you a question? Don''t worry, I am just curious about it."


    Bl froze for a second after hearing Benimaru''s request. But he quickly returned to normal and said. "It''s okay. You can ask anything. You did so much for us that I can''t even refuse."


    "Sure, then don''t mind me." Benimaru started to like and appreciate Bl''s personality more and more. "Sir Bl, care to tell me why you are doing this adventurer''s work? From what I heard and saw earlier, I feel you do not suit for such things. If you really needed some money for your livelihood, then you could have just gotten some physical work; you know, with your body, that is very easy."


    "Hahaha¡­ as expected of the boss, he is indeed wise. You already caught on to many things." Laughing to himself, Bl became ready to tell Benimaru the reason.


    "Actually, I hate to do this more than anyone. I don''t like seeing people kill something that has life. I don''t like blood, violence, conflict¡­I just want to live peacefully. Unfortunately, I can''t do that." Bl''s face saddened all of a sudden.


    Benimaru didn''t ask anything, just waited silently. <novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "The money I can earn from doing normal work or doing adventurers'' work is vast. If it wasn''t about the money, then I wouldn''t even have the audacity to think of being an adventurer." Bl smiled to himself; that had a hint of loathing.


    Raising his eyebrows, Benimaru asked. "Why do you need so much money?"


    "For my mother." Bl answered instantly, not even hesitating a bit. Upon saying the word "mother", a radiant smile appeared on Bl''s face. "I need loads of money to heal her. When I have enough money, I will be able to hire the best healer to take away all my mother''s sickness."


    Benimaru looked at Bl''s radiant face in a daze. His words might sound kind of childish to him, but the love and affection for his mother were undeniable, which reminded him of his daughter.


    "You know, boss? My mother taught me to stay away from violence, and for her, I am what I am now. Isn''t it funny she told me to stay away from violence, but now I am using it to help her while staying away from myself?" Bl startedughing out loud, finding that joke very funny.


    Benimaru also chuckled along with him. "It sure is. It looks like you really love your mother very much."


    "Yes, I really do. How can I even have the thought of hating her? She is the one who gave birth to me, she is the one who raised me and took care of me when my father abandoned us. Despite giving her such a hard time for my naiveness in the past, she still loved me and took the brunt of anything for me. How can I not take care of her when it is her chance to be taken care of?" Bl boasted proudly, showing off how great his mother was.


    Bailey and Tanaka knew about this, so they just showed a bit of emotion. Ravenna and Fiain had zero clues or knowledge about familial connections, so they felt clueless.


    However, Bl''s boasting worked for Benimaru. He became amazed by how awesome Bl''s mother was. Benimaru said with a heartfelt smile, staring deeply at Bl. "I will pray that your mother bes well very soon, and I am sure she will, she is truly blessed."


    "Haha.." Bl rubbed the back of his head, getting embarrassed by Benimaru''s sudden praise. He had always seen people take the words about his mother lightly, so he didn''t expect much when he said them to Benimaru, but it looked like he was wrong. "Thank you so much, boss."


    All of a sudden, something hit Benimaru, making him notice something. "Sir Bl, won''t you buy anything for you?"


    "I really want to but the shields in your shop are too small for me. Also, that miss told us all the items here are the same, so I didn''t bother to ask much." Bl asked, giving a short nce at the shield section.


    "I see." With a pensive look, Benimaru rubbed his chin. After he was done thinking, he said to Bl. "Sir Bl, maybe you don''t know this, but we can also take orders for custom made items. It is just that we have recently opened the shop here, so we didn''t think of trying to have this function open. However, we can open it by starting with you."


    "But¡­" Before Benimaru could discuss further, Bl expressed his worry. "Boss, won''t it cost too much money? You know I can''t just spend money wantonly."


    "It''s okay." Benimaru shook his head, denying such things. "I won''t take any from you. See it as an offer by me to the first ever customer to my shop."


    "Boss, you don''t have to do this, or are you trying to take pity on me?" Bl felt a bit heartbroken thinking about it.


    "I am going to be a little honest here. I am indeed taking some pity on you, but the main reason in my heart is that, I want to see that smile on your face, Bl. I have never met a person like you. I don''t want to see you sad. Also, do you know that blessings from the elderly are more valuable than any object in the world? I just want that blessing, I hope your mother gives me that." Benimaru said this with a tender smile on his face.


    Bl froze for a second before tears started toe out of his eyes. Backing down a bit, he gave a full bow to Benimaru and vowed. "Boss, I will forever be indebted to you. If you need anything or get into any trouble, I will be there to help you."


    "Huh~ why are you doing this? Quickly stand up, or you will embarrass yourself." Benimaru shook his head andughed. "Tell me what kind of shield you want fast, so that I can have it made fast."


    Wiping the tears from his face, Bl began to describe his ideal shield to Benimaru.

 Chapter 80 A Hopeful Day

    ?


    "So, basically, a giant steel gate?" Benimaru looked at Bl weirdly after summing up his description.


    "Haha, you can say that. Can you make it?" Bl asked with a smile.


    Benimaru agreed by nodding his head. "Sure. After two days,e to my shop. I will be ready by that time."


    Bl and Bailey became surprised after hearing Benimaru''s words, not expecting such a short time. But they didn''t question. Happily agreeing with him, they waited for Tanaka. After Tanaka was done picking his suited guards, he paid Benimaru and eventually was ready to leave with others.


    "Wait a second." All of a sudden, Benimaru stopped them, making them curious.


    Bailey asked with an inquiring gaze. "What is it, boss?"


    "Ummm¡­ If you guys have the chance, could you please try to advertise my items? You don''t have to do it all the time, just when people ask you." Benimaru tried to sound as shameless as possible, but his words couldn''t lie to others.


    But they didn''t mention anything about it; instead, they dly epted it. Bl gave a thumbs up to Benimaru. "Boss, we won''t ever miss this chance."


    "Thank you." Benimaru said it with a little bow, which made Ravenna and others instantly follow.


    Seeing everyone bow at them made them flustered a bit, so they quickly left, saying their goodbyes to Benimaru and others.


    Once again, the shop descended into silence, in stark contrast to the bustling streets illuminated by the night lights of the surroundings. However, that didn''t matter much to Benimaru now, as he was satisfied with just getting this group of customers.


    "Fiain,e here." Benimaru suddenly called Fiain.


    Fiain quickly left her position and arrived before Benimaru. "What is it, my lord?"


    "Take this note and thismunication jade recorder. Go south, just delve a bit deep into the forest, and try to use yourmunication jade to connect with Ragnar''s. After you are able to make a connection, first read what is written on the note. Then connect themunication jade recorder with yourmunication jade. After the massage inside is done ying,e back." Benimaru said it with seriousness, letting Fiain know the importance of her mission.


    "I will, my lord." Fiain said, swearing with her heart.


    "Good, you can leave now." Fiain left the shop just as Benimaru told her to leave.


    Benimaru couldn''t let others know about the location of his base by following them, so he decided to usemunication jade to his benefit, which would let him freely send messages without worrying about getting followed by others.


    Benimaru has sent Fiain to let Ragnar tell Ragnar about the order he got from Bl. The note had a description of how Bl wanted his item. He didn''t worry about Fiain not being able to read, as he had told Ravenna to teach them thenguage of this world. Unfortunately, only Fiain and Ragnar were able to learn them, while others failed miserably.


    Still, for a backup n and to not let the cksmiths misunderstand what was written and told by Fiain, he gave her amunication jade recorder. He had found this item in the shop during his daily scrolling. This would record a short moment of speech, and it can only be used once. After the speech inside is yed, the jademunication recorder would reset itself.


    ''I hope Haturi doesn''t mess it up. I don''t want to destroy trust with Bl, especially because he is my first customer.'' Benimaru contemted in his mind, still worrying about the result, as it was the first time the guys in the cksmith would be making something unique without his presence.


    But he had some trust in this Haturi, whom he appointed as the main head of the cksmithing group. This guy was more knowledgeable than others and had a deep passion in his heart for cksmithing. Also, he was good at it too, so eventually Benimaru decided to give him a name, which is Haturi.


    ¡­


    A few hourster, Fiain returned.


    Entering the shop, she saw the shop empty as of the time she had left.


    "Tell the other two toe in. We will close the shop now." Benimaru quickly told Ravenna after seeing Fiain enter the shop.


    Fiain came before Benimaru and asked with confusion. "Lord, why are we closing so early?"


    She has gained a bit of knowledge about how the human city works, as she has seen it after going outside. All the shops were still open, and people were still enthusiastic as if they could go on exploring the nightlife of the city.


    "Well, it looks like we would be wasting our time hoping to have some customers. We did get some after you left, but they didn''t buy anything and just yelled at us." Benimaru shook his head in frustration, looking tired too.


    "How dare they? Lord, tell me who they are." Fiain''s face turned stern as she couldn''t wait to see who it was that insulted her lord.


    Benimaru instantly facepalmed upon hearing Fiain''s words. "How many times will I have to tell you that don''t think of killing others without my saying. Just throw the word "kill" out of your mind."


    Fiain became a bit stumped and conflicted.


    "Okay, okay. Go to sleep or cultivate. I have a feeling we will have many customers tomorrow." Benimaru didn''t push Fiain any further, as he knew she was just worrying about him. <novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Fiain quickly rposed herself and said. "Yes, lord."


    At that moment, Ravenna came beside Benimaru after locking the doors of the shop. "Is your feeling really right? Something wrong always happens when you say it."


    Benimaru walked along Ravenna to the upstairs. He said it with a darkened face. "Lady, It looks like your naughty hours have started. I won''t fall for your teasing again"


    "But what I said is indeed true." Ravenna said, giggling to herself.


    Benimaru''s eyebrows twitched uncontrobly, but he still refrained from talking back to her. However, that didn''t stop Ravenna from rambling about the mistakes he made.


    Benimaru was only able to free himself from this torture after she entered her room and Benimaru entered his.


    "Are girls her age all like that? I wonder what Ana is like?" Benimaru slumped onto the bed with that before going into a deep sleep.


    ¡­


    The next morning.


    Benimaru and his crew were fully prepared and ready for today''s adventure.


    ''Hopefully, there is some improvement today.'' With anticipation in his heart, Benimaru waited, and so did others.


    But they were met with the same fate as yesterday. No one came to his shop, and no one could be seen passing before his shop.


    "Well, it is still too early. So, people might not have yet woken up.'' Benimaru thought optimistically and logically.


    Close to an hour after opening the shop, there were still zero people showing any interest in his items or even trying to enter his shop.


    Benimaru finally let out a helpless sigh. ''It seems I have to give up hope of earning anything. Well, let''s just focus on the main mission for now.''


    Just as Benimaru was letting the thought of earning some money slip away from his mind, a group entered his shop consisting of seven people.


    Everyone, who was deep in the cultivation state, woke with brightened eyes.


    Ravenna quickly came forward and was greeted with a big smile. "Wee, customers, to Heaven''s High, where you can get the best items possible."


    The boy in front, who looked very young and had messy blue hair, said to Ravenna. "Oh, so this is the ce."


    Turning his back, he said to his group members. "Guys, we have finally arrived at the ce."


    "Argh¡­.finally. I thought big brother Bl was lying to us."


    "How can he? It is just that we are dumb, looking for it at the center of amercial district."


    "Hey, don''t me us like that. With how exaggeratedly big brother Bl told us about this shop and how he showcased how good the weapons were, anyone would think this kind of shop would be in the middle of themercial district where all the top notch shops are located."


    The shop immediately brightened after their conversation, lighting up the mood of Benimaru and others for some reason.


    "Guys, keep quiet. We will further try to make sure that we are in the right ce after we talk to the boss." The boy, probably the leader of this group, gathered everyone''s attention.


    He looked at Ravenna and asked politely. "Miss, can you tell us where your boss is?"


    Ravenna happily showed them by pointing her finger at Benimaru. "There he is. You can go talk to him if you want."


    "Thank you very much, miss." The boy quickly led the group to Benimaru.


    Benimaru swept his eyes across this group, which consisted mostly of youngsters. After he was done getting a full checkup, he asked with a smile. "How can I help you all?"


    The boy presented his hand forward, hinting at a handshake, which Benimaru took hold of. "I am Nil, boss."


    "Boss.." Benimaru whispered softly,ughing a bit because he had somewhat guessed why they came here after hearing their conversation earlier and now calling him boss, which only three people called him.

 Chapter 81 Challenge

    ?


    Shaking Nil''s hand, Benimaru said. "I am Benimaru, owner of this shop. Also, you don''t call me boss."


    "No, how can we not?" Nil shook his head, instantly denying Benimaru. "Big brother Bl calls you boss, right? So, how can we not?"


    "Bl¡­Are you all his little brothers and sisters? He told me he only has his mother as his family, no one other than her can I remember him mentioning about." Benimaru suspiciously looked at Nil, trying not to get swayed by his happy-go-lucky face because he had used this tactic many times in the past.


    "No, you are wrong, boss." Nil said, raising his voice and putting his right hand on his chest. "Bonds can''t be justified by blood. It goes beyond that, it is the connection between souls."


    Then the people behind Nil followed along, giving their opinions too.


    "Yes, boss. Big Brother Bl has helped and saved us many times. We can''t ever forget his kindness toward us."


    "Brother Bl is the only reason we were able to live properly. He has changed our lives."


    Benimaru became a bit surprised after seeing the love and praise for Bl. But it brought relief to Benimaru. ''Well, expected of Bl. Kindness can do wonders for many.''


    "It looks like it is my fault for doubting you." Benimaru apologized to them with a smile before asking. "But I want to ask something before selling you anything. What made you see real interest in my items?"


    "Oh," Nil quickly recalledst night''s event before saying. "It is because we saw the weapons in your shop being disyedst night."


    Benimaru became very interested. "Can you please tell me what happened? I am very curious to know."


    "Sure." Nil nodded his head, happily agreeing with Benimaru.


    ¡­


    Yesterday, after Bl and his group waved goodbye to Benimaru.


    Without waiting, they walked toward the heart of themercial district. Along the way, they started discussing what happened in the shop.


    "Brother Bl, do you think he will make it for you?" Tanaka, who was usually quiet, asked.


    Bl nodded his head vigorously. "He will; I believe in him. I have met many people in my life, so I can somewhat guess how a person might be based on their behavior and how they talk. I am sure that boss Benimaru is kind-hearted; he won''t lie to us."


    Tanaka and Bailey decided to trust Bl, as despite his innocence, he had years of experience.


    Bailey suddenly asked. "But, brother Bl, did you feel the boss was somewhat elusive for some reason? I wasn''t able to see through him. He just gave me the normal shopkeeper vibe with a kind-hearted vibe."


    "Well, I can''t argue with that." Bl racked up his brain, trying to remember the entire conversation with Benimaru. "He looks somewhat like someone who has some history. But that doesn''t matter; we shouldn''t try to pry into others'' lives. Remember this."


    "Okay, brother Bl." Tanaka and Bailey spoke in unison.


    They always call Bl "brother" and also see him as one. The only reason they called him boss in the shop was because they wanted to let strangers feel Bl''s intimidation. However, they always failed to do so, as Bl didn''t like faking; he liked the way he was.


    Walking for a bit, they arrived at the center of themercial district, a crossway. Here, it had a festive atmosphere, and the lights brightened the whole street. People were very busy with their goals, and it looked very bunched up yet so open.


    In the center of the crossway was something that caught most passerby''s eyes: a big stage where a fight between two people could be seen.


    "Brother Bl, let''s go see who is fighting now." Tanaka said it with a bit of enthusiasm in his voice.


    "Well, let''s go anyway; we already know your passion for fighting." Bailey said sarcastically, sowing her disdain for fighting.


    "Okay, don''t say it like that." Blughed and led them towards the stage. "I am also curious about the fight."


    After they came closer, they were able to finally see who they were.


    A big frown appeared on Bailey''s face upon seeing who they were. "Tch, I knew why I didn''t want to see it in the first ce."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    The reason for Bailey''s annoyance was the person who was beating his opponent badly. He was Trek, leader of the Hounds, a notorious adventure team in this city. He had slick blonde hair and was thin yet medium-built. An arrogant smile could be seen on his face all the time, making people ufortable in their first impression for a weird reason.


    "Winner of this battle, TREK!" Thementator, who was judging at the same time, announced loudly and with passion.


    "Arghhh, I lost again!"


    "Hmph, maybe you are new, so you don''t know Trek. Those who know him already put their bets on him."


    "Well, this failure will be a great lesson for him. Hahaha!"


    Trek enjoyed the shower of praise from his surroundings while looking down at his opponent below, who was squirming in pain. He gave a nce to his surroundings to let his fans witness his face, but he came to a halt when something caught his eye.


    "Ahhhh¡­let''s leave." Tanaka spoke to Bailey with guilt after noticing Trek''s gaze.


    "Heh! Where did your interest go now?" Bailey scoffed at Tanaka before ring at Trek''s affectionate eyes. "I am so tired of this. Watch me end this now."


    Trek walked to the edge of the stage and said to Bailey. "Well, you look at that. I didn''t expect to see you here. Are you perhaps here for me?"


    Bailey didn''t reply to him; instead, she jumped on the stage and stood opposite Trek. She brought out the sword from her storage ring that she bought from Benimaru''s shop earlier and pointed it at Trek. "Grade - 5 Umon Beast Core. Come, let''s fight."


    "HOOOO!!!!"


    The crowd erupted in cheers after hearing Bailey''s deration of challenge, and the wager was a grade - 5 umon beast''s core; how could they not be hyped up for it?


    The first stage of beasts was called the Enchanted Beast. At this stage, their bodies were somewhat enhanced by their genes and mana. But after that, there was a watershed. Beasts would start to gather the mana they gained from consuming any kind of food in their bodies, forming an energy core.


    If any beasts were able to achieve that, then they would be called umon beasts. Beasts had the lowest IQ among the various species in the world, so to be able to form an energy core on their own was a feat to be acknowledged.


    The veins on Trek''s forehead started to twitch. Forcing a smile on his face, he said. "You never learn, huh? Today I will make you suffer for trying to ignore me."


    Trek went into his battle stance with his sword ready for battle.


    Trek was in the 5th Stage Fleshcrafting Realm, and Bailey was in the 4th Stage Fleshcrafting Realm. So, if they exchanged blows with their full strength, then the entire ce would be in shambles. To prevent that from happening at any time, rules were made here.


    Fights would only happen with their skills; there was no usage of mana. If anyone broke this rule, then they would be jailed and cklisted by the city guards.


    "Let the fight begin!" The announcer said that enthusiastically, and just as he finished saying that, the fight between them began on the stage.


    Bailey came before Trek in a sh and started shing at Trek''s weak points. Trek stood strong in his ce and reflected all those attacks seamlessly.


    Ting Ting Ting


    Bailey started to see less weak points as time passed by, so she distanced herself from Trek. However, Trek took this chance and instantly chased after Bailey.


    Now it was Bailey''s time to defend, which she was able to do calmly. But the aftershock from Trek''s blow, which sted strong air at the crowd, showcased how hard it was to defend these attacks.


    However, it also described two different types of fighting styles. Trek''s was strong, straightforward, and full of heavy blows. On the other hand, Bailey was soft, swift, and agile, using minimum strength to get the best result possible.


    "Brother Bl, do you think Bailey will win this time? She always goes in full confidence but loses the fight eventually." Tanaka asked Bl with worry, recalling the past results.


    Bl went silent for a second, thinking of an answer after analyzing the possibilities, before answering. "I think she has a better chance today. Her form and performance look way better today than in the past. Maybe she has finally taken the failures as lessons."


    I hope she wins then." Tanaka let out a sigh and then looked at the fight in front of him. "I''m also tired of this."


    Bl nodded his head, agreeing with Tanaka."I hope she wins, but if she doesn''t, then I will finally have to step in. I can''t let this go on."

 Chapter 82 Unexpected Victory

    ?


    What Bl meant by stepping in could only be guessed by a few people. But that was forter in the future.


    Ting


    Bailey and Trek went into a deadlock as Trek pressed his sword against Bailey''s. However, Bailey didn''t back down, she held onto her ground strongly.


    "Come one, give up already. You know you will lose." Trek said with a smirk, trying to dwindle Bailey''s hope.


    But that didn''t work on Bailey, as usual. She said to him, returning the smirk back to him. "If you focus on one specific thing, you will lose other stuff."


    Trek was confused before he came to a realization, but it was already toote.


    Bam!


    Bailey kicked Trek''s waist from the left, making him stumble to the side. Trek wasn''t even able to groan in pain properly when Bailey came beside him and gave him a horizontal sh.


    Trek clutched his waist with one hand and defined the attack with another.


    Ting!


    Trek''s sword was pushed back, leaving him vulnerable before Bailey. How could Bailey miss this chance? She immediately went for a killing blow.


    ''This bitch! Doesn''t she know killing is prohibited!?'' Trek wondered in shock as he felt death sh before his eyes. But he couldn''t die this easily, he had to do anything to keep himself alive.


    Trek quickly kicked Bailey''s right leg as she was about to pull her sword back for a swing.


    Bailey lost her sense of bnce and fell onto her right knee. Trek used this opportunity to move away from Bailey and let him recover.


    They couldn''t use any mana; they couldn''t use that to recover. But their bodies were already in the realm of the supernatural, so they just had to rx their bodies properly and they would heal themselves.


    Recovering himself, Trek finally exploded in anger. "How dare you try to kill me? You think people would not notice? You really do not respect the rule set by Lord Arash."


    "Hmph," Bailey scoffed, refusing to borate on her goal. "You expect everyone to be like you? To mistakenly kill someone? I have learned to hold back my strength in time."


    Trek''s face darkened as Bailey brought up an old wound, which he hated the most. "I will let you know what you get from angering me."


    "Oh, it looks like we have more to see."


    "Let''s go! Finally, a fight I can enjoy in a while."


    "You''re right. Without drama, it feels boring. I don''t even care about losing the bet now."


    "Hahaha, me neither."


    "Uhhh¡­" Tanaka started sweating a little. "Brother Bl, should we stop them now? I feel like it might go out of control."


    Bl immediately shook his head, denying Tanaka. "No, we can''t. When two warriors are deep in a battle, especially when they are at each other''s throats, we should never meddle in, or it might bring deep bacsh."


    Tanaka could just reluctantly ept the current situation and watch silently.


    " [ Tigers w ]. " Trek appeared before and used a skill that imitated the swing of a wild tiger.


    Due to mana usage being prohibited, the skill didn''t bloom to its full potential, but it had some power in it, which gave Bailey headaches.


    Bailey put her sword to the right and evaded to her right side, grazing past the attack.


    Screech


    But Trek''s sword came into contact with Bailey''s, as it rubbed down on it below, blowing sparks.


    Bang!


    Trek''s attack finallynded on the ground, making a small explosive sound. The crowd saw one deep scar on the concrete stage and two light scars on both sides.


    ''I freaking hate this move so much.'' Bailey cursed in her head. Because of the skill at sudden explosive speed and with great strength behind it, it was hard to defend and dodge.


    However, Bailey didn''t want to be outdone by him, as she also used a skill of her own. " [ Graceful Breeze ]. "<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Bailey appeared behind Trek and shed at his neck. Still using his skill, he quickly swung back, just to miss. He nced to the side as he saw her showing up there.


    Bailey swung her sword at Trek''s neck. Trek''s eyes contracted as he quickly stopped using his skill and put his sword forward to defend.


    Ting!


    Trek''s body pushed back, and his feet slid across the stage. Trek thought with shock. ''What is that skill? I have never seen her use it before? Did she perhaps learn it just to defeat me?''


    ''No way in hell will I let that happen! I will stop her right here, right now!'' Trek immediately went into a battle stance and said softly, " [ Sudden Strike ]. "


    Bailey''s eyes widened as she saw Trek vanish before her eyes. ''He is going for a killing blow, one single strike to defeat me. Then let me show him my resolve.''


    Bailey calmed her mind and focused intensely on her surroundings. Then, at that moment, she caught something in her range. She swiftly swung her sword at it. " [ Graceful Breeze - Winding Blow ] "


    TING!


    Bailey''s sword shed against Trek''s. As a result of their sh, strong winds sted in all directions.


    They again went into a deadlock. But this time, Bailey''s feet dug into the stage, indicating the force of the blow as the skin on her hands ruptured, blood trickling down from them. Despite all that, strong determination could be seen in her eyes¡ªthe goal in her mind being to win.


    However, Trek ignored all that, as he could see his victory. He had full faith in this strike, as this was the best skill in his arsenal. He arrogantly said this to Bailey with a smirk on her face. "Come on, give up already. You can''t win. You might be on par with me in fighting skills, but you are weaker than me in strength. Also, do you know what is unfair in the rule set by the Lord? He might have banned the usage of mana but not items. The one who has the best weapon will win. Mine is a 2-Star sword, bought from the best weaponsmithing shop in the city. No way will you win that puny, 1-Star sword of yours."


    Trek''s eyes nted as he felt the victory getting closer and closer. He whispered to her softly. "Also, don''t worry; you will be mine one day even if you refuse. I will take you when Bl is no more. So give up, alr-"


    Snap


    Suddenly, Trek''s sword snapped in half, widening his eyes in deep shock. "Wha-!"


    He wasn''t able to finish his sentence when Bailey''s sword shed into his chest, blowing him out of the stage.


    The crowd went dead silent, witnessing this sudden turn of events, but that didn''tst long as they had to express their excitement.


    "What the hell just happened!?"


    "You blind idiot! Didn''t you see that Trek''s sword broke and he lost?"


    "I did see, it''s just I was¡­"


    "That was such an awesome fight. I felt Trek was bragging about his sword, but it broke just after he said it. That was too funny. Hahaha¡­"


    "Serve that arrogant bastard right. Hahahah¡­."


    "NO MY MONEY!!!!"


    While someughed and some cried, it eventually announced the end of the fight.


    Bailey looked at her sword, which had a few chips here and there, but other than that, it looked still new.


    Bailey could say the victory was only achievable because of this sword. Earlier, when they were in deadlock, Bailey noticed from close range how badly Trek''s were chipped. It had many broken edges.


    Taking this opportunity and Trek''s self-indulgence in his speech, she somehow managed to scrape her sword to dig deep into the most broken edge. After she was done, with enough force, she was able to snap Trek''s sword in half.


    ''I didn''t expect this sword to be this good!'' Bailey was amazed by the sharpness and durability of the sword.


    But at that moment, she heard a shouting in front of her. She looked up and saw Trek ring at him like a raging beast. "You bitch! I will kill you!"


    Trek walked forward with a giant wound on his chest that had blood flowing out of it constantly. Fortunately, he still had his armor, or he might have to pay his earnings to hire a healer.


    The crowd dispersed, giving Trek space to walk. Bailey red back at him, readying herself for a big battle. She didn''t even care about the city guards arresting them for fighting here. She won''t get peace of mind without beating the hell out of this guy who has always harassed her.


    Trek had gained enough momentum after walking for a bit and was ready to jump in, but suddenly he felt a giant hand on his sword. He growled back with killing intent. "Who is it!?"


    However, his courage died down when his eyes met the man behind him. A towering shadow that was oppressing him with its inhuman raw strength. But that vanished, and he was met with a carefree and kind smile. "Trek, calm down. We shouldn''t fight among ourselves, or what might the Lord think of us?"


    It was none other than Bl who was worried about Trek and Bailey after feeling the conflict escting very fast.

 Chapter 83 Clash Of Paths

    ?


    "Uh¡­uhh..mhm..okay." After going through several stages of hesitation, Trek decided to listen to Bl and back off. He looked to his team and signaled them not to jump in on the issue.


    Bl said with a sunny smile. "Trek, you have grown up so much. I am d you can think things through carefully now."


    "Yeah, I do." Trek replied, forcing a smile. He quickly pulled out a grade-5 umon beast core and threw it to Bailey. Then he left with his team, not wanting to delve with them any longer.


    "Let''s leave too." Bl called Bailey, waving his hand. Bailey and Tanaka followed Bl''s leaving figure without mentioning anything in front of everyone.


    After they walked a certain distance, Tanaka asked. "Brother Bl, I didn''t expect you to know how to scare people away."


    "Huh?" Bl gave a confused nce at Tanaka before saying. "I didn''t scare him anyway. He left on his own. I just persuaded him a little, that''s all."


    "Uh.." Tanaka was stumped and speechless. Eventually, he could only agree with him. "You are right, brother Bl."


    Bailey smiled at their interaction. Bailey had more experience with Bl than Tanaka had, so she knew more about Bl''s personality than he did. ''Brother Bl is the same as always. He misunderstands why people listen to him most of the time. It isn''t because of his kind nature, but his strength.''


    All of a sudden, Bailey was pulled back from her train of thought by Bl''s call. "Bailey, how did you actually win that fight? I thought you were about to lose."


    "Yes, did you use your vital energy secretly?" Tanaka also asked curiously.


    Bailey shook her head at Tanaka''s question and replied. "I won because of my sword. Throughout the whole fight, my sword damaged and chipped Trek''s sword''s edges. So, at thest moment, I noticed it and put all my strength into snapping his sword by using the most damaged edge."


    "Huh?" Tanaka was left stunned. "So basically, you won because of your sword."


    Bailey nodded her head, agreeing with that statement. This left Tanaka stupefied, as he was one of the firm believers that the fights were won by pure skill there."


    "Hahaha..now you guys can''t doubt Boss Benimaru." Blughed out loud, proud that he had been right all along.


    "Brother Bl, can we know where you got that sword from?"


    At that moment, they heard a young voiceing from behind. They looked back and saw it was Nil with his team.


    "Nil, were you guys stalking us?" Bl asked, smirking at them.


    "No, no." Nil waved his hands, feeling embarrassed to hear that. "We were chasing you and were fortunate to hear that conversation."


    "I see." Bl nodded his head and then started to educate them about Benimaru''s shop.


    After Bl finished, Nil and his team went silent. This made Bl confused. "Why are you guys not saying anything? Don''t you guys have questions about it?"


    Bl''s words woke them up from their silence, and they swarmed around Bl.


    "Brother Bl, quickly tells us the location of the shop."


    "Brother, why didn''t you tell us about the shop first? I thought we were all family to you!"


    Bl became helpless and overwhelmed by them. So, he tried to calm them down. "Okay, guys. I am sorry for telling you all at first. But don''t me me; we just found out about this shop a few hours ago."


    "Don''t worry, brother Bl. We do not me you." Nil then looked at his entire team and said. "Find a way to bring some money, we will go find the shop and buy everything we like."


    "Yes!" The entire team said it in unison, scaring the pedestrians.


    "Argg!" Bailey became annoyed and embarrassed by this and shouted at them. "You guys! Can you act normal in public for once?"


    "Sorry, sister Bailey." They apologized, once again saying it in unison. This made her facepalm, and Tanaka and Blughed.


    Bl stepped forward and said to them, "Okay, you guys go to your home and sleep well. Don''t you guys dare go drinking!"<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "We will not, brother Bl." They left, making a promise to Bl.


    Bl looked at them with adoration as he saw them leave. He had a special brotherly love for them. They were all young, between the ages of 14 and 18, which made Bl want to take care of them. Especially them being orphans.


    "Let''s leave too." Bl led the other two to their house, to take a rest.


    ¡­


    "So that is what happened." Benimaru rubbed his chin after hearing Nil''s whole story. He didn''t get to know the entire thing, he was just able to know what Nil saw and heard.


    "Thank you for taking your time to tell this long story." Benimaru said it with gratitude before saying. "For this, I will give you all 10% off. Now, choose what you want."


    "Wow! Just as brother Bl said, the boss is truly generous." After their praise and awe, they all went to buy what they wanted.


    In just a few minutes, they had bought the stuff of their choice and left, saying goodbye to everyone in the shop.


    At that moment, Ravenna came before Benimaru and told him optimistically. "Benimaru. looks like we can earn a lot after this."


    Benimaru nodded to Ravenna''s statement. "Yes, these kids look like someone who would easily advertise our product after they taste how good it is. We just have to wait."


    Ravenna happily went into her position after hearing what Benimaru said. She was happy that they would earn a lot of money, and the other reason was that she could have more funds to make various pills and potions.


    Benimaru stood calmly, habitually looking up to check the clock. Despite not having one, he thought about it. ''It might take a few hours before we have more customers. Let''s cultivate until then.''


    ''Now that I think about it. We have the concept of time here but no clocks.'' All of a sudden, Benimaru''s intrusive thoughts got hold of him. ''Is it because no one had the thought of making one, or they had the idea but didn''t know how to? Or they didn''t make one for non-workers toe up with a timetable for work? Hmmm, maybe the rich businessmen stopped the making of clocks, so that they could exploit thebor of people as much as possible.''


    ''Well, these are all stupid guesses. I should go back to cultivating.'' After giving a soft sigh, he went to cultivate.


    Just as Benimaru predicted, he started to gain customers gradually as time went on.


    While Benimaru was counting his shiny coins, a few blocks away from his shop was a shop called "All Peoples" which was Okarino''s.


    On the second floor of the shop, Okarino''s office.


    One could see Okarino sitting behind a desk, skimming through a bunch of papers leisurely. He had many people in his arsenal, so he didn''t need to sit in the shop.


    "Origin: unknown, parents: unknown, age: unknown, unknown, unknown." Okarino looked at the papers pensively. "Nothing is known about this guy and the people around him. He came out of nowhere, this is so weird. The kingdom has every person''s information recorded. He might be from another region, but that would still let him record his information before entering the kingdom."


    Dropping the papers on his desk, Okarino looked up at his wooden ceiling. "Perhaps he is from a secret kingdom, or he is a demon in disguise? No, no, no¡­"


    Okarino quickly shook his head, denying it because he and everyone else knew that demons despise themselves to remove their demonic traits and look like humans. They hate it to the bone.


    "I will have to try and see who he is. I can''t let anyone be an obstacle in the Lord''s mission." Okarino''s face turned stern, and he said it with firmness.


    At that moment, one of his guards entered the room, making Okarino look back.


    "Sir, we have brought the items you want." The guard dropped the box with his hands on the table and opened it.


    Okarino came in front of it and looked down at it, which was full of Benimaru''s items. Okarino took them in his hands and carefully inspected them. After a while, he said it with wonder. "What fine artsmanship! I haven''t seen anyone make such a low tier weapon with this quality."


    Okarino quickly pulled out a pouch from his bag that was ringing with coins shing against each other. He handed it to the guards and said to them. "Have the best criminal team here to rob this shop for me. I want to see how they will respond. If they are pure cksmiths or are someone with a hidden agenda."


    "Yes, sir." The guard bowed his head to Okarino before leaving to do his job.


    Okarino went back to his seat and said. "I hope you do disappoint me. I don''t want to handle additional trouble."

 Chapter 84 Clean Up

    ?


    The cold darkness veiled the world while getting warmth from the dim moonlight in the sky.


    In this deep night, the entire Migotanie city was asleep, tired after working in the seething heat.


    "We are here." A man in a dark cloak said this to four other people like him who were in the back. They were standing on a building''s roof and looking down at Benimaru''s shop.


    "Hehe¡­ boss, let''s go quick. We are just wasting time being cautious." The one on his right side who had a feminine voice urged the boss¡ªthe man in front of them.


    "No," The boss denied her request instantly. "We got such a hugemission for this so-called simple mission of yours. This isn''t as simple as it looks on the surface. So, it is better to be cautious."


    "The boss is right. We shouldn''t let ourselves be killed. We have yet to spend all that money." The one on his left side sided with him.


    The girl didn''t say much, just looked down silently.


    "Okay, enough chatting. Let''s go." The boss signaled them, bringing focus to their eyes.


    With just a few steps, they jumped from one building to another,nding on Benimaru''s shop without making a sound, like a bunch of cats.


    The boss then pointed his finger down, staring at one of his men. The man nodded his head and went to execute the order. Sticking to the window, he started to find out what type of lock the window had and where it was. Meanwhile, the other guys on top, had their eyes on the perimeter for the night guards, as they would pass by this street every ten or so minutes.


    All of a sudden, the boss looked at his team and said, "It is done."


    They quickly jumped down and, in a stylish yet elegant way, entered the shop through the window that had just been opened by their team. After entering, they didn''t do anything but wait patiently for their boss''s order.


    After searching for any traps and security mechanisms through his senses, the boss signaled with his hands to his team to go search for the storeroom now.


    ¡­


    "Arg¡­what is this feeling?" Benimaru woke up from his cultivation state and frowned.


    Just now, he felt another magical presence in his shop, but it disappeared in a matter of seconds. It also happened once, so he wasn''t sure his intuition was correct. He checked every corner of the shop with his senses but found nothing.


    ''Well, let''s forget it. I am close to reaching the 2nd Stage Novice Realm.'' Benimaru calmed his mind down and continued breathing in the mana in the air.


    However, he didn''t know that what he thought was correct, as few people hade to steal his items. It wasn''t his fault, as the thieves were using a magical artifact called the Blind Man''s Cloak to hide their presencepletely. Only a few people in this city who had superior mana senses could detect them.


    Mana senses were abination of mental energy and mana. Just as you use mental energy to use mana, the same way you could use mana to amplify your mental energy and receive a state called mana senses. Benimaru had an early form of that application when he received the skill [ Enhanced Senses ].


    Other than Benimaru, no one noticed this sudden presence of an outsider except for Fiain, who had even better mana sense than Benimaru and could stack his [ Enhanced Senses ] on top of his base mana sense. The reason was because of her race¡ªthe Watcher.


    "Huh? Who are these people?" Fiain''s eyes revolved with golden light as she clearly saw every bit of movement by the thieves. She got up from her bed and stood silently. "They clearly have bad intentions. Should I tell the Lord first?"


    Giving a non-existent pensive look, she eventually decided to clean up the mess herself. "I can''t disturb the Lord now. He is most likely deep in his cultivation. Let me do it myself, as these guys are not that strong."


    ¡­


    The only girl on the team opened a door slowly yet silently and peered inside. Her eyes lit up when she saw rows of cold metal shining under the dim moonlight. ''Well, let''s inform others.''


    She was about to pull an object out of her storage ring that would help her send a message to her team when suddenly she felt a cold sensation on her back as it quickly got drenched in sweat.


    She hastily looked behind her but saw no one. ''Did I hallucinate? Shit..I shouldn''t have drunk beforeing here.''


    She quietly wiped the sweat from her forehead and let out a sigh. But at that moment, no sigh came; only blood blurted out from her mouth. In herst moment, she watched with horror and shock as the blooding from her mouth dropped into a wooden bucket. <novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Fiain silentlyid the girl''s corpse on the ground after severing her head. With gentle care and nimble movements, she tried as much as possible not to make any kind of noise.


    Fiain then looked at a certain direction and melted into the shadows, like a hunter who found his prey.


    ¡­


    ''There is nothing in this room.'' The boss left a room full of dust and cobwebs in disappointment.


    But a frown appeared on his face quickly, as if remembering something. ''This ce isn''t a maze or a castle, just a small shop. It shouldn''t take this much time for us to find the ce where the items are. Did something happen to them? If it is, then this is bad, very bad.''


    He quickly went to find some clues about them after cursing to himself a little. In a few twists and turns, he appeared in the showroom, where peoplee to buy. ''Hmmm¡­let''s forget the items in the storeroom. We should take these away instead. I should inform them about it. I hope nothing bad happens to them.''


    With thest bit of hope, he went to bring the item that could let him message his team, but at this time, he noticed something through the corner of his eye ¡ª blood.


    Blood smeared on the ground in a way that looked like a body had just been dragged away.


    The boss immediately knew something was wrong, as blood on a shop''s floor was taboo and they wouldn''t clean it. It was something that was hard to imagine.


    Escape ¡ª that was the only thought in his mind. He didn''t even care about the well being of his team. They were receable, but he wasn''t.


    Unfortunately, his worst nightmare came true as a glistening light shed before his eyes.


    Chick


    However, he somehow managed to escape it by only letting his right cheek get cut. But he didn''t have the time to breathe as a continuous onught of attacks rained on him. He used every ounce of his body to keep himself alive and not make any kind of noise.


    Be that as it may, he also found out something else. ''Why isn''t she using any kind of weapon? Why isn''t she using a strong move? Why¡­isn''t she making a noise?''


    Then a sudden realization dawned on him. ''Don''t tell me, she is also trying to keep it as quiet as possible. If it is true, then I have to use it to my advantage. I will kill her without making noise.''


    With a crazed look, he disbanded his retreat and went on offense. He also didn''t use any weapon, just using his hands and feet, he counteracted Fiain''s attack.


    Soft bursts of wind blew here and there from time to time, but they weren''t strong enough to knock any object down.


    Fiain contemted as she attacked and defended. ''He is somewhat good, as expected of someone who is in the 4th Stage Fleshcrafting Realm.''


    Fortunately for Fiain, she broke through to the 2nd Stage Fleshcrafting Realm; otherwise, she might not have had these many chances.


    ''Well, let''s try this. Let me see how good this power of mine is.'' Instantly, Fiain''s eyes turned golden as a golden swirl urred on both eyes as if trying to suck in anything.


    The man felt goosebumps looking at them. ''What is that? I have a bad feeling about this.''


    Still, the man didn''t back down; instead, he became more desperate to finish this fight.


    But in a matter of a few seconds, the man''s eyes widened in shock as he was having a hard time believing that he, who was going toe to toe with Fiain before, was having a hard timending a proper blow. On the other hand, his body was full of injuries.


    ''What is happening?'' The man was able to finish his thought as his chest got pierced by Fiain''s hand, and his heart was crushed by her eventually.


    "Huh¡­huh¡­..huh¡­." Only Fiain''s heavy breath could be heard in that showroom. She thought with wonder. ''That cost so much energy than I had anticipated.''

 Chapter 85 Invitation

    ?


    "Well, at least I was able to kill them all quietly. Now, let''s clean them up." Letting out a sigh of relief, Fiain brought the corpse to a room where the other four were piled up together.


    ''I have to wipe the blood stains away, but if I did that, I wouldn''t have the time to remove those bodies away from this ce.'' Fiain contemted deeply as she started having headaches from the dead bodies.


    Suddenly, an idea came to her mind, making her eyes brighten. ''Yes, I can do that.''


    Fiain quickly dashed toward the corner of the hallway and arrived before a door that had loud snortsing out of it. She gave a few knocks, and in a matter of seconds, a Raum opened the door.


    It had no armor on its body. It yawned, opening its big mouth and scratching its back. After its eyes started to get clear, it appeared stoked to see the person before it.


    Raum quickly went to call itspanion, as it didn''t want Fiain to feel they were cking. "Gr-!"


    "Shhh!" But Fiain stopped it before it could make any kind of noise. She whispered softly to the Raum. "I have a few snacks prepared for you in the room beside the storage. Wake up your buddies and quietly finish them. Do not leave any kind of evidence that you did anything there."


    The Raum nodded enthusiastically, as its sleep was gone now, thinking of the snack Fiain was talking about.


    Fiain then left to wipe the blood stains away in a hurry.


    The Raum quickly woke its teammates up and informed them about what Fiain told them. They also became enthusiastic and quickly went to their destined room.


    The night slowly passed as everyone was still in their deep sleep. But in Benimaru''s shop, one could hear the sound of rags rubbing against the walls and floors. If one went even deeper, they could hear the sound of bones getting crushed, meat getting chewed, and the sound of continuous gulping of a certain fluid.


    ¡­


    "Good morning." Ravenna turned her head, greeting Benimaru, who just came down the stairs, while turning the sign that says - Open.


    "Good morning, Ravenna." Benimaru greeted her back. Then he shifted his focus to Fiain, who was already standing in her position. "Good morning, Fiain."


    Fiain said it with a small bow. "Good morning, Lord."


    Benimaru just smiled and stood in his position. But after a while, Benimaru felt a bit bored. "You did great, Fiain."


    Fiain instantly became stumped before rposing herself. "For what, lord?"


    "Forst night. What? Did you think I wouldn''t know after you made such a ruckus?" Benimaru teased Fiain, raising his eyebrows.


    "Uh¡­" Fiain was out of words, not knowing what to say. But after thinking for a while, she decided to admit it, as it wouldn''t do her any good to lie. "I am sorry, my lord."


    "It''s okay." Benimaru waved his hand, shrugging such stuff off.


    Fiain hesitated a little before curiously asking. "Lord, when did you find out?"


    "The moment you left the room." Benimaru pointed his finger at Fiain and exined. "I keep my eyes on everyone. So when you left your room so deep into the night, I grew suspicious. And sure, you didn''t disappoint me."


    Benimaru had his mana senses on them every time, just not in their room but outside of it.


    "I see." Fiain said with a sigh, frustrated that she failed to achieve her goal.


    "Wow, you found out so early!" Suddenly, Ravenna butted into their conversation. "I only found out after she cut that girl''s throat."


    Fiain looked at Raveena dumbfoundedly. "You too?"


    "Yes, you might escape my clutches by doing anything except when it involves blood." Ravenna spoke proudly.


    However, ignoring her prideful words, Benimaru asked with doubt. "What were you doing before that? Don''t tell me you were sleeping?"


    "Yes. What is wrong with that?" Ravenna pouted and started preaching him. "Just because we don''t sleep doesn''t mean we shouldn''t. I heard from others that sleep is essential for girls, it is necessary for their health, figure, and skin."


    "Yeah.¡­you are right." Benimaru couldn''t do anything but just agree with her, as he already knew who these "others" were.


    Tringg!


    Suddenly, their entrance bell rang, announcing the arrival of their customers. "Well, we will talkter. Let''s go back to work."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    They quickly obliged with Benimaru''s words and returned to their post.


    While working, Benimaru thought. ''I didn''t expect these first days here to be so eventful. Well, as long as we are safe, it is okay. But¡­''


    All of a sudden, Benimaru''s face darkened. ''The ones who sent those guys to infiltrate my ce¡­don''t let me find you.''


    However, Benimaru didn''t show his anger outside; with a neutral face, he exchanged with his customers.


    ¡­


    All Peoples Shop, second floor.


    "I see, so they failed." Okarino tapped his fingers on the desk after listening to the guard''s report.


    "Yes, sir. There was no sign of them after they left to go on stealing the Heaven''s High shop. We have searched and found out that they had not left the city after stealing, as all of their wealth is still at their home. It is as if they have disappeared from the face of this world." The guard further exined why he felt the thieves had failed.


    "You may leave now." Okarino ordered it after he was done with the report.


    The guard left before giving a bow to Okarino.


    Once again, Okarino was left alone in his office, silently contemting. ''This is giving me such a headache. I thought this would be an easy task, but it looks like there are moreyers to it. I can''t even go and kill them, as I am not sure if they are one-hit kible. It might backfire and rm Baron Arash instead.''


    "Huh~" Okarino let out a frustrated sigh. "I hate undercover missions so much."


    ¡­


    Time passed by like a flowing river.


    Three weeks went by in the blink of an eye, and in that time, many changes could be seen in this city.


    Migotanie City, which only had a low influx of people and mostly empty streets, has now be a bustling hub. Adventurers, royals, and merchants from the surroundings came here to experience or for their own benefit.


    This brought a big smile to Benimaru''s face, as he could see his cashbox glittering every day. But it also gave him a headache as the adventurers had to delve deep into the forest to hunt because there were too many people. It made him abandon his castle¡ªthe ce where it all started¡ªand go to another ce and start a new one.


    Now, Benimaru''s castle was deep in the forest, just hugging thest border of the territory under his control. However, it still raised his concern about the worst oue, which was getting besieged by a couple of adventurers.


    But he couldn''t worry about that as he had more pressing matters on his mind.


    "Did you get everything I said? Do not try to get into any kind of conflict while I am away." Benimaru said this to his entire shop''s members, gathering them in one ce.


    "Yes, My Lord." All of them replied in unison.


    "Good. I am off to Baron''s ce now." Benimaru left the shop, waving his hand at them. Just as he exited through the door, he was met with a simple carriage that had a few cityguards around it.


    One of them noticed Benimaru and spoke to him respectfully. "Sir, this way. We will directly escort you to Lord Arash''s ce."


    Benimaru nodded back with a smile and didn''t give any reply. He embarked on it and headed to Arash''s castle, watching the street view through the window.


    Benimaru had built up quite a reputation. His items have be this city''s famous ce, as many can''t miss buying from him. This had brought the attention of the baron, who now wanted to have some chat with him and some other emerging shop owners.


    ''Is he inviting all of us to inspect our motives and backgrounds, or does he just want to make a giant order? But why would he do that? There isn''t any crisis happening in this city, and the budget isn''t even enough.'' Benimaru pondered, ncing at the bustling streets.


    ''Whatever it might be. I can''t let him find out anything about me. Also, I didn''t even imagine I would be meeting with Ana''s other father this fast.'' Benimaru thought with mncholy.


    After a couple of minutes, Benimaru''s carriage finally stopped.


    "Sir, we have arrived." The driver looked behind him and informed Benimaru.


    Because themercial district was very close to the baron''s castle, it didn''t take much time. If not, it would have taken him much more time with how heavy the traffic was.


    Benimaru stepped outside his carriage, and his eyes met with the grandiose castle of Baron Arash. ''Now mine feels like a cheap one from a dor store.''

 Chapter 86 Not So Good News

    ?


    Baron Arash''s castle was surrounded by its own walls made of stone and alloy. In the middle of it was his castle, which was standing proudly. It was two stories high and had four domes on its four corners that had roofs made of red tiles. Its gray stone walls, which had yet to have scratches, indicated how new it was.


    "Sir, this way." The guard with him, brought him back from his sightseeing and led him inside the castle.


    Benimaru followed behind him and met with many things, like a walkwayid with carpet, various chandeliers to light up a giant room, some water canals on the corner to move away any water, and many other things that he could get for his own castle.


    After a few twists and turns, he finally arrived inside a room on the top floor, where he saw many people beside a big oval table. He could recognize the ones on the sides, as they were some influential businessmen, and he also recognized the one on the far end, who was guarded by two men in armor.


    He was none other than Arash, the ruler of Migotanie City. Arash, who was chatting with the gentleman beside him, noticed Benimaru''s arrival and greeted him with a smile. "Wee, mister Benimaru. Come have a seat quickly; we are about to start the discussion."


    "I will, my lord." Benimaru slightly bowed at Arash, putting his right hand on his chest, and went to take an empty seat on the side.


    Just as Benimaru took his seat, he noticed the person in front of him. ''He is also invited.''


    The man Benimaru was talking about was Okarino. Identically, Okarino was also looking at Benimaru, but he was not as surprised as Benimaru. He expected Benimaru to be invited, given how popr he was bing.


    "Now that everyone is present, I would like to start the discussion I brought you all here for." Arash said it softly, but it was clear to everyone''s ears.


    Benimaru and others waited for Arash to start a dispute, being very curious. But one fellow couldn''t help himself from asking. "Lord, what is this about anyway? If you wanted to buy something from us, you could have just sent your messenger."


    ''Thanks for asking, dum dum.'' Benimaru was inches away from face palming himself. They were all curious about it, but they didn''t ask because they knew Arash would exin it to them anyway.


    Fortunately, Arash didn''t mind his stupidity. He answered back with a chuckle. "I have not called you all here just to buy your stuff but to talk about something more important."


    Everyone became surprised as they couldn''t help but wonder what could be more important to discuss with them than selling their stuff.


    Arash could see the doubt and curiosity on their faces. So he didn''t let them wait anymore and exined thoroughly. "Recently, the scouts in the army have noticed strange activities on the north side of the forest. The general sent a squad to fully check it out, and they found a giant army, consisting of demons. They were gathering up all kinds of weapons and building war machines."


    The room descended into pin-drop silence as they were dumbfounded by this sudden reveal. Then it exploded with various questions, assaulting Arash.


    "Lord, will we be going to war?"


    "Lord, I will immediately order my team to start mass producing as many weapons as possible."


    "Lord, what should we do?"


    "Lord¡­.."


    The veins on Arash''s forehead started to twitch, annoyed by their continuous questions.


    "Everyone, calm down." Arash spoke lightly, yet with a slight anger in his voice. All the businessmen in the room felt that and instantly went quiet.


    "Now listen up. I have invited all the best alchemy and weapon shop owners here for you guys to mass produce as much as possible. I don''t know what might happen, but I want to stay prepared. Also, I want you all to lower the prices of your items."


    They were all happy to hear Arash wanted to buy their products, but their faces darkened upon hearing Arash order them to lower the prices. They could do anything but sell their products at a low price, as it was impossible!


    However, there were only a few people who thought things critically, one of them being Benimaru.


    ''He wants to keep the influx of adventurersing. In troubled times, they might not want toe here, but giving them missions and letting them have things at a cheap price would make adventurers think they are benefiting. But it is he who is benefiting the most. Having freebor to clean up the demons and using those demons to profit back. He is not bad.'' Benimaru couldn''t help but admire Arash''s vision.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    However, something caught his eye at that moment. He saw a maniacal grin on Okarino''s face, which only shed for a second, but it was enough to ring multiple bells inside Benimaru''s heart. ''This guy¡­ Looks like I have to keep a close eye on him.''


    Arash sighed helplessly, seeing the grim faces of the businessmen. "I hope you guys follow my order. It is for the greater good of this city."


    Everyone looked at each other, a bit hesitant, but eventually agreed with Arash as they had no choice.


    Arash''s face glowed brightly after hearing them agree with him. "Thank you, everyone. I wish for happy cooperation. But before that, let''s have breakfast. I can''t leave my guests with an empty stomach."


    Afterwards, they started eating the dishes presented before them and chatted among themselves about other things, Arash also joined in with them from time to time.


    Only Benimaru, Okarino, and a few others were silently eating and thinking to themselves.


    Taking a bite of the bread filled with fillings made of various meats and vegetables, Benimaru pondered. ''It looks like I have to go full throttle with my production. It would have been very hard to mass produce if it had been at the time I came here, but fortunately, Ragnar conquered more Demon Knights and their forces, increasing the manpower under me. Now, I have more workers in the cksmithing department.''


    Thinking to this point, Benimaru''s eyes started to glow, imagining all the wealth he could pocket in. ''Also, I can use this opportunity to strike the church.''


    "Mr. Benimaru. Mr. Benimaru."


    ''Heh..I am getting some great ideas..''


    "Mr. Benimaru. Mr. Benimaru. Mr. Benimaru!"


    "Huh?" Suddenly, Benimaru woke up from his daydream from the sudden shout and looked for the source of it. He saw everyone staring at him with weird gazes, but he ignored them and found the source of it which was none other than Arash.


    Benimaru quickly stood up and bowed to him, humbly apologizing. "I am sorry, My Lord. I was busy thinking of something else."


    "It''s okay." Arash waved his hands, not thinking too much about it. "But, I am curious about what you were thinking that was so engrossing to you?"


    Benimaru''s mind started moving at rapid speed, trying to think of a way to lie. All of a sudden, something popped up in his head, letting him grin secretly. But he didn''t show that outside but asked curiously. "Lord, I was wondering if the church would join to help the city?"


    "This¡­" Arash was stumped at first, and then he became a bit dispirited. "I do not know. But if the demons attacked the city, it would also bring disaster to their church, so they had to help us. However, as far as I know, the church doesn''t meddle unless it is truly fetal for them."


    "I see." Benimaru went silent afterwards, not asking anything further as he might bring suspicion toward them. "By the way, Lord. Why did you call me?"


    "Oh, I would have almost forgotten if you didn''t ask me." Arash came out of his dispirited state and began to remember why he called Benimaru in the first ce. "I was curious about the weapons you sell. I have never seen this much growth from a new shop. Only Mr. Okarino was able to match your growth."


    Everyone gave a short nce at Okarino, who was silently listening to them as if these praises meant nothing to him.


    "I was just lucky. None here were able topete with my items; if they were than I could have stood no chance." Benimaru said it humbly, but everyone could sense the sheer arrogance in them, which tickled many''s egos here.


    And this was what Benimaru wanted¡ªto incite hatred and jealousy in them. Benimaru doesn''t like to be high profile, but he did here because he wanted to weed out the rotten eggs that had been troubling him these past few days. Every time his team would go to bring back the supply, they would meet with multiple stalkers, which caused Benimaru headaches.


    So, by doing this, he would force the worst-intentioned people out.


    Benimaru smirked in his heart, ncing at everyone. ''I hope some of you took the bait.''

 Chapter 87 Another Invitation

    ?


    "Hahaha¡­I quite like your confidence, Mr. Benimaru." Arash couldn''t help butugh out loud, seeing Benimaru''s show.


    Benimaru bowed slightly and spoke modestly. "I am just stating what I truly feel."


    "I see." Arash nodded his head and then continued eating.


    Benimaru also went to eat, but this time he would get res from here and there. He ignored them and just ate while gloating silently. ''This is going to be fun.''


    A couple of minutester, they were done eating. Giving their goodbyes, they left the castle and quickly headed to their shop, as they had tons of work piled on their hands now.


    Going to his shop while watching the cityndscape, Beniamru couldn''t help but wonder. ''What will the future of this city be? I am very curious.''


    Along the way, Benimaru suddenly noticed one side of the road getting decorated with all kinds of fancy stuff, changing the entire appearance.


    Benimaru asked the driver, intrigued by this. "What is happening there?"


    The driver followed the direction of Benimaru''s finger and saw the decorated street. He thought for a while, remembering the cause of it, before answering. "Sir, I heard the priest is returning from the holy city."


    "Holy city?" Benimaru raised his eyebrows, surprised to hear this term for the first time. There wasn''t anything mentioned about it in the books.


    "Sir, you don''t know what a holy city is?" This time, it was the driver''s turn to be surprised.


    Benimaru quickly came up with an excuse. "I am not religious. So, I never bothered to hear about it."


    "Uhh.." The driver was still left speechless, as he was not religious like him, but at least he had heard about it, so Benimaru should have been too. But who was he to care about such things? He was just a driver, and he should guide his passengers. "Sir, the Holy City is the home of a god. It is the ce where a god had his or her greatest presence. So, their devotees had built the city around it. Basically, it is their headquarters."


    Benimaru went into deep thought after hearing this. The driver might not have said many things, but it opened up many possibilities for Benimaru. ''Their headquarters..huh? It is also the ce where that religion''s god had his greatest presence. This made my goal much more clear. I guess I have to find this God of Destiny''s holy city.''


    ''But¡­that will be forter. I am sure there are monsters sitting there. I would be just inviting my death by going there now.'' Benimaru clenched his left fist, feeling the power in it. ''However, this is enough to do some damage to this church.''


    ¡­


    "Goodbye, Sir. I hope we meet again in the future." The driver left, after tipping his head to Benimaru.


    "Same here." Benimaru said this with gratitude, waving his hand as a goodbye.


    Then Benimaru entered his shop and met with a decent amount of people buying or inspecting his items. However, they were all not customers, as some just came to watch their goddesses, Ravenna and Fiain. They might just fill the numbers, but they also buy some items from time to time when Ravenna and Fiain ask them. He also saw Ravenna taking his post and collecting money while Fiain single-handedly entertained the customers.


    They noticed Benimaru''s arrival and greeted him simultaneously. "Wee back, boss."


    Benimaru didn''t say anything but quickly took his position and said something to Ravenna. "We will talkter, now go to your position. I am sure Fiain can''t handle it all alone."


    "Yes," Ravenna quickly took her original position and entertained some customers, taking some burden off Fiain''s hands.


    Their day continued like usual without any kind of drama or sort.


    ¡­


    The moonlight had already descended upon the world fully, announcing the end of the day.


    It also announced the end of today''s work, as Benimaru ordered Ravenna to put the close sign on.


    However, just as she was about to do so, someone knocked on the door, making her halt her action. She replied without opening the door. "Sorry, we are already closed."


    The shop door was made of full wood, so she wasn''t able to see carefully who the person on the other side was. But she was able to know this person''s gender after they replied to her warning. "Miss, I am an envoy from the church."


    Ravenna''s eyes shot wide open as she looked back at Benimaru in a hurry. Benimaru also heard it, so he nodded his head back, signaling her to open the door.


    Ravenna calmed her raging heart. It wasn''t her fault she was feeling that way, as she had always been notified that the church was their enemy¡ªespecially since they were demons ¡ª so she was told to be wary of them.


    Opening the door, Ravenna was met with a man in a white cassock that had green borders and some nt-like embroidery on the chest. She hid her anxiety and asked with a smile. "How can we help you?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Here." The man didn''t reply to her question; instead, he handed her a simple envelope. "I hope youe to our priest''s reception."


    "For what?" Ravenna took the envelope and asked curiously.


    The man went silent for a second before answering. "For our priest''s return."


    "Now, please. I will take my leave." The man nodded his head as a gesture of courtesy and left the ce, probably heading to other shops.


    Closing the door, Ravenna took the envelope and handed it down to Benimaru. Taking it from Ravenna''s hand, Benimaru opened it to see the content inside.


    Browsing his eyes through in one single sweep, Benimaru already summed up the reason for it.


    "Does this guy think he is some kind of superstar?" Benimaru couldn''t help but ask himself, as the content of the letter made him doubt.


    Apparently, the priest wanted to host a party and get along with the people of the town. He wanted to catch up and have some conversation with them, as he missed them. Lastly, he wanted to also give some teachings about the goddess in case they had forgotten about it.


    Which was all bullshit!


    Benimaru could clearly see that the priest wanted to let others know that he had arrived; he wanted himself to be glorified. Also, about inviting everyone, Benimaru knew it was fake too. He only invited some influential people just like him, as he had be one himself recently. If he wanted to invite everyone, he could have announced it with a microphone or with posters.


    But, Benimaru couldn''t reject this invitation, as he wanted to see this priest, and his eyes were always on him. "Ravenna, get ready. We will take a look into the church tonight."


    "Lord, can Ie too?" Fiain asked eagerly.


    "No," Benimaru shook his head. "Only two people can go with this invitation."


    "I see." A bit of sadness shed on Fiain''s cold face.


    "Hey, don''t think too much. I wanted to take you at first but thought I couldn''t leave behind the shop in Ravenna''s hands. You don''t know when she might fall asleep." Benimaru said with a shrug and ignored the re Ravenna was giving.


    Some might think Benimaru was coaxing her with sweet words and lies, but he wasn''t. Benimaru was genuinely concerned that leaving Ravenna might be a mistake. She wasn''t the best at guarding or managing stuff.


    This made Fiain feel better, and she wished them luck on their way.


    ¡­


    "Well, there are a lot of people." Benimaru said, looking at the heavy crowd going inside the church. Fortunately, the church was big enough to make this number of people look insignificant.


    "Let''s go in. I want to go back quickly and sleep." Ravenna said this with a bored expression.


    "Sure. But you could at least wear something else." Benimaru looked at Ravenna weirdly, who still had the dress she uses for work. The only thing she added was a small jacket because it was a bit cold tonight ¡ª despite this cold being nothing to them!


    On the other hand, Benimaru was still in the dress that he used to wear to visit Arash.


    "What is wrong with that? You also didn''t change." Ravenna rebuked him back.


    Benimaru just calmly replied. "Mine is for such asions. But yours¡­."


    "Mine what? You are wasting my time. Let''s go in." Ravenna grabbed Benimaru''s hand and forcefully pulled him inside the church.


    Just as they stepped in, they were instantly met with a giant hall with a statue of the Goddess of Nature on the other end, who had her arms open as if wanting to embrace anything. There were pdin guards on every pir, watching carefully for any suspicious things or beings.


    Benimaru and Ravenna walked forward, delving a bit deeper by zigzagging through thepact crowd.


    After a while, they were finally able to see the people in front of the statue who were mostly important.


    Among them, Benimaru recognized just one, and that was Okarino. He also saw a few shop owners who were at Arash''s meeting too. But there weren''t that many, as he had seen them in the crowd, indicating they were invited but weren''t worthy of going there.


    This made Benimaru more wary of Okarino. ''Who is this guy actually?''

 Chapter 88 The Head Priest

    ?


    Benimaru cautiously stood with Ravenna while keeping his eyes on the front.


    "What is it?" Ravenna asked curiously, not understanding why Benimaru suddenly came to a halt.


    Benimaru didn''t say anything, just pointed his head at Okarino, letting her see it by herself. Ravenna followed his directions and was surprised to see who it was. Benimaru had told her everything about Okarino and the doubts he had about him, so she knew why Benimaru was acting like this.


    "Wanna go to a corner?" Ravenna asked Benimaru, carefully.


    "Sure, Let''s stay away from here. We are just spectating anyway." Benimaru nodded his head and began to lead Ravenna along the way.


    "Oh, isn''t this Sir Benimaru?" Suddenly, they heard a familiar voice from behind, making them stop in their tracks.


    ''Tch, this guy¡­'' Holding back the curses in his head, Benimaru turned around with a smile and was followed by Ravennater on.


    They were met by none other than Okarino. He was standing before them with a gentle smile, which might put many off letting their guards down, but not Benimaru.


    Benimaru acted a bit surprised. "Oh, so it is, sir Okarino. I didn''t expect you toe down here to greet us."


    Shaking his head, Okarino replied. "No. No. No. No. How can I not greet you? You know, you are one of the few people I know well in this town. My lonely self sometimes sees you as my friend. Ah..forget me saying that. I hope you didn''t mind."


    ''Bullshit¡­ that is the mostmon way to know your enemy.'' However, Benimaru didn''t show his dumbfoundedness outside; instead, he replied back humbly. "It''s okay. I don''t mind having Sir Okarino as my friend either. You see, I also have no one in this city."


    "d, you didn''t mind." Okarino said before pushing his hand forward, indicating a handshake.


    Benimaru froze for a second,ing up with countless possibilities for why he wanted a sudden handshake. But he rposed himself and shook Okarino''s hand. "I hope our friendshipsts as long as the nap of a god."


    "What a unique analogy! I quite like it." Okarino said while shaking his hand.


    However, they both didn''t let their hands go; they just stared at each other, smiling.


    "Uhh¡­Lord?" Ravenna called Benimaru, not calling him by his name as they were in public.


    After Ravenna''s concern-filled question entered their eyes, Okarino and Benimaru let their hands go.


    Okarino looked at Benimaru and said it with embarrassment. "I am sorry, Miss Ravenna. It is just that I became emotional for having and calling someone my friend. You see, I never felt what it was like to have one. I am d that Benimaru didn''t embarrass me any further by questioning my actions."


    "Oh, I see." Ravenna nodded her head in understandment.


    Meanwhile, Benimaru said. "It''s fine. I also didn''t have friends for so long. It feels great to have one again."


    However, inside his mind, he was cursing heavily. "You sly fox. You were injecting your vital energy into my body, trying to probe me. You didn''t even let my hand go, even after getting strongly repelled by me.''


    ''But, one thing I can say¡­''


    Benimaru and Okarino stared into each other''s eyes and spoke simultaneously.


    ''This guy is strong.''


    "Well, you look at that. I didn''t expect the two rising stars of this city to get along so well." Suddenly, a caring yet arrogant voice came from beside them.


    Benimaru, Okarino, and Revenna looked in that direction and saw a man in the Goddess of Nature church''s cassock, but his was a bit different as he had an extra short green robe on. The man was thin but still had that young vitality in him. His hair was blonde and short, and he had a pair of green eyes. Two men who were dressed like the person who handed Ravenna the invitation.


    "You tter me too much, Priest Belmuk." Okarino replied, nodding his head.


    Meanwhile, Benimaru and Ravenna stayed silent, as they didn''t know him. Okarino could see that, so he decided to introduce him to them. "Benimaru, Ravenna, this is Belmuk, the head priest of this church. Priest Belmuk, from your words, I can already guess you know them."


    "Yes, yes, I do." Belmuk nodded his head while ogling his eyes all over Ravenna, not leaving any single detail. This gave Ravenna some creeps as she became a bit angry, but she held herself back and acted shy.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "So, you are the head priest." Suddenly, Belmuk''s view was blocked by Benimaru''s face. He now had to see Benimaru, who was staring at him with his intense gaze. This gave him the creeps in return.


    "What is it?" Belmuk subconsciously took a step and asked cautiously.


    "Sorry about that, priest Belmuk. I am just a big fan of yours. I have seen how you changed this city into such a prosperous and happy ce. It is truly marvelous." Benimaru started singing praises, letting Belmuk let his guards down.


    "I see." Belmuk forced a smile on his face, feeling the situation a bit absurd. He mainly came to them just for Ravenna, as she had caught his eye. But he didn''t expect to meet such a big fan, which surprised him very much. He knew that people might respect him, but no one was a fan of his except the female acolytes he made by himself.


    "Thank you. I will keep doing what is best for the world and under the divine mandate of the goddess." Belmuk ignored Benimaru before saying that. He nced at Okarino and then shifted his eyes to Ravenna once again. "Okarino, care to tell me who this beautifuldy is? She looks very worthy of a Saintess candidate."


    "She is my shop assistant, priest Belmuk. Her name is Ravenna. She just hit seventeen a few months ago." Benimaru''s words made Belmuk''s eyes lit up, but they quickly dimmed with what Benimaru said next. "Unfortunately, priest Belmuk. I have to give you some bad news."


    Benimaru whispered softly, "She is heavily used by me every day. So, she is not suitable for being a saintness."


    He might have said it softly, but the ones nearby had heard him clearly, and Ravenna did so too. She blushed heavily and burned her head down in shame.


    "I see." Belmuk''s face darkened after hearing Benimaru''s words and Ravenna''s reaction.


    Meanwhile, Benimaru savored Belmuk''s grim face. He knew Belmuk was a sex fiend, and from the acolyte that he interrogated first, he was able to guess who Belmuk was with¡ªyoung girls under the age of eighteen. This was also further proven by the missing reports of young girls being much higher than married, mature women in this city.


    "Well, you guys can leave anytime after eating something. You don''t have to stayte, you guys have to open up your shop early in the morning anyway." Belmuk left them after saying that.


    Silent the entire time, Okarino stood still and contemted the entire interaction between them that he just watched.


    "Unfortunate, isn''t it, Okarino?" Benimaru said this to Okarino, shaking his head and looking disappointed. "She missed such a great chance because of me. I could have also made some profit."


    Okarino smiled upon hearing Benimaru''s words. "It looks like Benimaru is a businessman to the very core, still thinking about profit. But I will say it is indeed unfortunate."


    "Well, we will leave after having some free meals." Benimaru nced at Ravenna before turning his body to the tables that were filled with food. "Goodbye, Okarino."


    "Goodbye." Okarino waved his hand at their leaving figure. Just as they left, his face turned stern. ''This man is so hard to read.''


    ¡­


    "Don''t you ever do such things again. Make a better excuse next time." Ravenna said this to Benimaru while throwing a tantrum as usual.


    They were now heading towards their shop as they were done eating.


    Benimaru just shrugged his shoulders. "Hey, that was the best excuse that came to my mind at that time. Also, this is for the best. He will not eye you even once now."


    Ravenna thought for a bit before feeling that Benimaru was right. "Okay, fine. I forgive you."


    Benimaruughed to himself, shaking his head. But then his face changed as he nonchntly said. "Ravenna, we have to be careful now. In the beginning, Okarino wasn''t sure if we were a threat to him or not. But now he is absolutely sure about it. He will try to create trouble for us."


    "Also, I feel like the robbers yesterday were sent by him." Benimaru gave a pensive look at the dark sky that had clouds slowly drifting with the moon''s light shining on them.


    "So, what do you think we should do now?" Ravenna asked Benimaru carefully. She knew Benimaru always came up with a n while solving mysteries.


    "n.." Beninmaru rubbed his chin, thinking of something.


    After a while, he shrugged his shoulders and said. "There is none this time. Let''s just do our job and live peacefully."


    "Heh?" Ravenna became a bit dumbfounded and started contemting while following behind Benimaru.

 Chapter 89 The Chance For Cure

    ?


    One week passed by in the blink of an eye, and that brought some changes to the city.


    Migotanie City was now in full bloom, as adventurers could be seen flocking everywhere. One has to know that the main drivers of the economy of a city are its adventurers. They were the most expensive consumers in the world, only second to the royals.


    The main reason for this was the decrease in price, most of which were adventurers'' items.


    The city is also heavily armed now. Army squadrons could be seen on the streets more than the city guards, giving the people a bad premonition. This was also further solidified when they saw the army stationed outside the walls now.


    ¡­


    A few hundred meters away from the city, deep into the forest, a small group of people were passing through the trees while the sunlight fell upon them through the slight opening of the leaves.


    This group was none other than Bl''s team. They were heading to hunt in the forest early in the morning, just as usual. But today was a bit different. They were in their best armor in their arsenal, with grim faces on.


    "Brother Bl, are you sure we can take on that monster now?" Tanaka asked with skepticism. He was wearing a leather robe that hid everything he wore inside. But one could hear the sound of metal objects shing against each othering out of him, hinting at the armor pieces he wore to protect himself.


    However, to his skeptical question, Bailey answered on behalf of Bl. "What are you scared of now? We have be stronger. Surely we can do this. Also, this is for brother Bl''s mother. Do not chicken out."


    Bailey was wearing tight yet flexible armor that was silver in color. Inside it were leather clothes to protect her skin from getting bruised by the armor. On her waist was a long sword that was hidden inside a scabbard.


    "Hey, don''t call Tanaka a chicken. I am sure he is just worrying about our safety. Because I feel this would be dangerous." Bl finally spoke, defending Tanaka. He was wearing slightly brownish armor that fit his giant body and made him more giant like. His head was covered by a helmet, so it would stop people from getting intimidated after seeing his sunny smile. Every time he took a step, the ground would quake a little, showcasing the weight of the armor.


    "But, brother Bl. We have to do this. This is the highest confidence and assurance we have in defeating this monster. If we can kill this monster, you can finally have the money to cure your mother." Bailey said with excitement, reminding them again of the reason for theiring here.


    "You are right." Bl spoke with a hoarse tone. "But if the situation gets dire, we retreat. I do not want you guys to die."


    "Thank you, brother." Bailey said, pumping her fist in the air. "However, we do not have to retreat because I believe we can do this."


    Bl and Tanaka justughed at Bailey''s enthusiasm and quietly walked forward.


    ¡­


    After walking for half an hour, they arrived before a bunch of trees that had their branches interconnected together as if done manually by someone.


    Bl and others halted in their steps after arriving before it. They looked up with their hearts racing rapidly.


    On top of the interconnected tree branches, they saw a giant, hairy arm swinging left and right. They weren''t able to see what was on it clearly, but they knew who it was.


    It was the sole reason for their arrival.


    "Tanaka." Bl called Tanaka, signaling him to start. Meanwhile, he pulled out an item from his storage, the shield that he ordered Benimaru to make.


    Bang!


    A giant, nine-meter-tall shield dropped on the ground, and it was just a little wider than Bl''s body. The shield was rectangr, looking like a steel door. It was made of pure metal and some special ore that Benimaru had in his storage. It had borders on the side and an image of a long skull with twin horns.


    "Graaaa!" The sound of his shield dropping to the ground seemed to have woken the whatever thing was on top.


    On the other hand, Bailey unsheathed her sword, which was a double-edged longsword. But its length and weight were different from the basic ones. Its weight was as light as a tree branch, and its length was fifty centimeters longer than the average one.


    " [ Raging Hurricane ] " Tanaka, aiming his staff at the beast on top, chanted his spell''s name.


    Green mana glowed on the tip of his staff before a big magic circle appeared, from which a medium sized hurricane shot toward the beast, above.


    Bang¡­Skricht¡­!


    Firstly, the hurricane shed against the beast''s body before destroying the surrounding branches, destroying its air bed that it built with so much hard work.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    After the branches were destroyed, the beast''s giant body dropped to the ground, smashing heavily against the soil.


    BANG!


    Dust and soil debris blew everywhere.


    "Graaa¡­graaa." The beast that fell from the sky made some sound before swinging its hands, blowing the dust away, and revealing itself. "GRAAAAA!!!"


    Bl and others were met with a loud scream that made their ears shake. However, that didn''t matter, as their enemy was right in front of them now.


    It was a Silverback Gori. This type of beast was known for its flexibility and brute strength. The one in front of them was fourteen meters tall, which was still far from reaching its peak, as an adult Silverback Gori could reach fifty-one meters of height. So, it was not unfair to call this one a child. It has dark brown, thick fur, but on its back, it has silver-colored fur that shines even under the dark and gloomy atmosphere created by thepact trees huddled together.


    ''This is a grade-8 umon beast. This will be very hard.'' Bl contemted it with deep worry. Tanaka was in the 4th Stage Novice Realm. On the other hand, Bailey had broken through to the 5th Stage Fleshcrafting Realm. They could have stood no chance against it all alone.


    But they still came here, and that reason was for him. He was at the 8th Stage Fleshcrafting Realm which he slowly climbed after working so hard. He was just at this stage in his early thirties, while the people of his age who started along with him had reached greater heights than him.


    Step Step


    Bl slowly stepped forward, catching the mad Silverback Gori''s attention.


    "Graa!" Screaming out loud, the Silverback Gori leaped toward him and punched at him.


    Bl put his shield forward with absolute trust.


    BAM!


    A loud bang urred from that sh as strong winds sted everywhere.


    The Silverback Gori stood in its position while screaming in pain from punching the shield. On the other hand, Bl''s feet dragged backwards while digging into the ground, but he held his posture still like an impregnable wall.


    ''Damn, if it was my old shield, it would have cracked long ago.'' Bl cursed while also praising his shield. But it wasn''t like his shield did all the work. He himself had coated his shield with his vital energy, reinforcing it to be much stronger and sturdier.


    Warriors couldn''t project their vital energy outside, just like mages, but they would transfer it to objects that were in contact with their bodies. However, they could do it when they reached a certain realm, but that was forter.


    Bailey took this opportunity and appeared beside the Silverback Gori''s right leg. Her focus was on the tendon area of the leg. She wanted to make it immobile as fast as possible.


    Ting!


    Bailey''s world seemed to slow down as she watched in shock as her sword was deflected back just after her attacknded on the tendons. It didn''t do anything but cut a few furs from its body. ''Shit! I should have put in much more strength.''


    Bailey didn''t think much further and escaped back, covering herself in Bl''s towering shadow.


    Tanaka, on the other hand, had also prepared an attack. " [ Wind Bind ] "


    Two ropes made of wind appeared beside Silverback Gori''s both sides and were tied into both of its hands. But before the rope could pull its hands further and immobilize it, the Silverback Gori swung its hand and broke the wind ropes.


    The Silverback Gori''s eyes turned red as it fumed in anger, getting to feel pain and being annoyed by two flies too. It red at the towering shield, vowing in its heart that it would smash it into pieces.


    It again leaped forward, but this time being a bit different. The silver fur on its back shone with luster suddenly, and its fists turned into silver-like metal.


    Bl''s eyes widened as he could feel the danger of this attack, so he also used a skill of his own. " [ Immovable Mountain ] "


    BANG!


    This time, a much stronger wind sted all around, shaking the trees and soil.

 Chapter 90 Fighting For Dear Life

    ?


    Bam! Bam! Bam!


    Deep into the forest, the sound of someone beating a metal against another could be heard, and the continuous shaking scared the surrounding beasts and demons.


    "Graa!" The Silverback Gori screamed a bit before drowning Bl in a sea of punches.


    "Hik." Bl stood on his ground with everything he had, his eyes filled with determination. He poured every ounce of his vital energy onto his shield to not let a single one pass by him, as he had his dear ones to protect.


    Bailey and Tanaka were helpless the entire time, knowing their attacks couldn''t do anything to the Silverback Gori''s current state.


    "What should we do?" Bailey asked anxiously, not knowing what to do in such a situation.


    Tanaka looked ahead of him with a grim face, quickly assessing their current situation. Racking up his mind for a while, he could onlye to one conclusion. "Bailey, you go to the other side andunch your strongest attack to distract it. When it chases after you, I willunch mine and distract it again."


    Bailey quickly agreed with Tanaka without thinking too much, as she found this the best solution right now.


    Dashing to Bl''s right side, Bailey leaped up and hovered in the air for a second. At that moment, she raised her sword overhead and yelled with her eyes wide open. " [ Dancing Moon ]"


    She shed her sword multiple times, and from them, grayish-white vital energy in the shape of a crescent moon shot out. They galloped toward the Silverback Gori like a disorganized.


    Sure, warriors couldn''t channel their vital energy into the atmosphere, but that didn''t mean there wasn''t a way. The only way to do that was to learn skills that would help you. However, there was one downside to using it early on, and that was that it could make you weak very quickly. It was only rmended to people who had a considerable amount of vital energy or to those who dual-cultivated both magic and vital energy.


    "Gra.." The Silverback Gori suddenly stopped as it sensed dangering from its left side. It looked back and was met with Bailey''s attacks.


    Thrud! Thrud! Thrud!


    "Groooaaaa¡­." The Silverback Gori groaned in pain as scars started to fill its left side. But that quickly subsided as those injuries healed.


    However, Bailey had seeded in catching the Silverback Gori''s attention. It turned its head in Bailey''s direction and readied itself to sprint at her.


    Baileynded on the ground and saw the Silverback Gori ready toe at her. She also prepared herself to escape but felt her body getting weak, almost to the point of giving up. She turned her head back in horror as the Silverback Gori kept shortening the distance between them.


    At that moment, several objects zoomed through the air and hit the Silverback Gori''s back.


    Puchi! (9)


    "GRAAA!" The Silverback Gori once again screamed in pain. It turned its red and wide-open eyes back and saw several swords made of wind impaled in his back.


    This attack felt much more painful than Bailey''s attacks because its backside, where the silver fur was, which is its weak point. Most of the energy veins were connected there, and these wind swords have cut several of them now.


    It looked at the culprit of this attack and saw that it was Tanaka.


    The Silverback Gori heaved up and down from immense anger as steam came out of its nose and mouth every time it exhaled.


    It didn''t chase after its attacker immediately, this time. Its hands once again turned into metal, and it spread its hands.


    "GRAAA!" With a loud scream, it pped its hands.


    TING!!!!!


    A metallic bell rang through the forest as strong vibrations could be seen and felt in the air.


    "AHH!" Bailey and Tanaka got hit by that in surprise. Their eardrums almost exploded as blood trickled down from them.


    Both of them kneeled on the ground inplete daze, their eyes turning pure white.


    ''Arggg¡­that hurts.'' Only Bl was able to save his ears from that attack by covering his ears with his strong vital energy; however, it still hurt him a little. But now, he was extremely worried about them, especially Tanaka, as the Silverback Gori was sprinting towards him.


    ''No, you don''t!'' Gritting his teeth, Bl ran toward Tanaka to save him.


    The Silverback Gori arrived before Tanaka in a few leaps and pped him horizontally.


    Tanaka was still unconscious, so he had no clue he was about to get hit by a killing blow.


    Thud!


    But surprisingly, the Silverback Gori''s p stopped for a second, blocked by an invisible wall.


    That was the shield Tanaka had conjured for any potential long range attack. But he hadn''t anticipated the attack to be corporeal.


    Silverback Gori was surprised for a second before pushing further, destroying the shield with brute force.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Thrus!


    Just as the shield shattered, the Silverback Gori''s pnded on Tanaka''s left side, sting him away. Fortunately for him, the force behind the p had been significantly decreased by the shield, but that was still enough to break all the bones on his right side of the body.


    Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!


    Crashing into several trees and destroying them, Tanaka''s flying body finally got stopped by one tree as his body got stuck in it.


    "Graaa!" The Silverback Gori roared in delight before rushing forward again. It wanted to toy with Tanaka as much as possible before killing him.


    But at that moment, someone grabbed its head from behind and smashed it to the ground.


    Bang!


    "Stay here with me." Bl said, letting go of its head after smashing into the ground.


    Bl didn''t stop there, as he pulled out his shield again from his storage ring and smashed it onto its back.


    Bam!


    "AHH!" The Silverback Gori screamed in pain after feeling the heavy shield get smashed on his back. It could feel the pain of several of its bones breaking. Not even its monstrous and sturdy body can stop it.


    Bl was about to lift the shield and drop it again on its back when, suddenly, the Silverback Gori rotated its body on the ground and gave a backhanded punch to Bl''s face.


    Bam!


    Bl took a few steps back after getting taken by surprise.


    The Silverback Gori stood up after being freed from Bl''s clutch. It gave a right hook to the stumbling Bl.


    Bl''s eyes widened as he quickly put his left arm up to defend that.


    Bam!


    Bl''s left arm got flung back after defending that punch, and that wasn''t the end of it as a left punch from the Silverback Gori wasing at him now.


    Gritting his teeth, Bl put forth his shield with just his right hand and used his right feet to stop his staggering. "AHH!"


    Bam!


    The Silverback Gori''s punch once again hit Bl''s shield, but he wasn''t able to do anything. Seeing the same failure once again, The Silverback Gori went for another punch, but this time it got surprised.


    All of a sudden, Bl let go of his shield and charged toward the Silverback Gori. He smashed his head against it, trying to use his brute strength and the helmet''s sharp edges to damage it. Fortunately, he was sessful in doing so.


    Bam!


    The Silverback Gori''s head shot back, and so did Bl''s. But Bl, with his strong determination, pulled himself back. He quickly turned the Silverback Gori''s body and dropped it on the ground.


    Bl grabbed both of its hands from behind and strongly stepped on its back, to not let it have the chance to get up. Finally, opening such a chance, he yelled at the other two. "Escape now! QUICKLY!"


    "No!" However, he got a negative reply from Bailey, who was behind his back. He didn''t know why she was close to him, but he knew she was up to something.


    Gliding in the air, Bailey arrived on top of the Silverback Gori''s leg.


    " [ Dancing Moon ] " Bailey once again used her strongest move despite having just a little bit of vital energy in her body.


    Puchi! (5)


    This time, Bailey was sessfully able to cut the Silverback Gori''s tendons, making itpletely immobile and unable to stand up again. It could heal itself, but healing vital body parts costs a huge amount of energy and wastes time.


    However, Bailey had now lost control of her body, as she was in her weakest state ever. Smashing onto Bl''s head, shended on the Silverback Gori''s head.


    Opening her drowsy eyes, Bailey was met with a giant, glistening eyeball that looked like it had been dyed red.


    "Die!!" Bailey shouted with streams of blooding out of her mouth. She inserted her sword into its eyes, blinding it.


    "GRAA!" The Silverback Gori screamed in pain and trashed around, trying to shove these two enemies away from it.


    However, Bl didn''t let go, holding it down with everything he had. Meanwhile, Bailey forced herself to stay awake and hold onto her sword for dear life, not even thinking of letting go.

 Chapter 91 A Chain Effect

    ?


    At that moment, Tanaka came closer to the Silverback Gori''s head and aimed his staff at its wide, screaming mouth.


    "Let me see how strong your insides are." Heaving up and down, Tanaka said with resolve as his staff''s point started to glow in green and a magic circle appeared. " [ Howling ws ] "


    Multiple wind ws shot out from the magic circle and entered the Silverback Gori''s body through its mouth.


    "Graaa¡­Graa¡­Ga.." Squealing in pain for a bit, the Silverback Gori''s body went limp as blood flowed out of its mouth.


    "Ha¡­Ha¡­Ha..ha¡­" Bl exhaled deeply, letting go of the SIlverback Gori''s body. Then he looked at Bailey and Tanaka and asked. "Are you guys okay?"


    Bailey justid down on the ground, not saying anything. Tanaka was the only one who could speak and move around, but that was already hard as his left side of his body waspletely broken .


    "I am okay, brother, and it looks like Bailey has overdone herself. She will wake up in a while." Tanaka came toward Bl while staggering many times.


    "That''s good." Bl quickly put the Silverback Gori''s dead body inside his storage, as any object that has no life in it could be stored inside the storage ring. "Let''s leave this ce fast, or we might get into more trouble."


    The Silverback Gori was clearly the master of this area of the forest. So, after its death, many other beasts would flock over here to eat its body or to take control of this ce.


    Bl picked up Tanaka and Bailey and put them on both of his shoulders. "You guys can''t move at all. Justy down on my shoulder till you regain your strength. We have to escape this ce fast."


    Bl quickly ran toward Migotanie City, taking long strides.


    ¡­


    Migotanie City, Heaven''s High Shop.


    Benimaru and others were having their usual day, taking care of the shop and the customers.


    Today, there were an average number of customers, but that didn''t worry Benimaru, as these basic items weren''t his main source of ie now. Most of his moneyes from the private orders he receives.


    Benimaru underestimated the people''s desire to have the best item suited for them. Many people had different body shapes and sizes, so they needed the best suited weapon and armor for them to be at their best in the field.


    Benimaru was dozing off as usual while carelessly taking the money from his customer when suddenly someone barged in.


    "Everyone! Come to the Guild Association Hall! Bl and his team havepleted one of the most infamous missions on the board."


    "What!? Which one?"


    "I do not know. I, myself, heard about it from someone. Let''s go and find it together."


    "You asshole. Are you lying to us? You don''t even know about it yourself, and you are telling others to go. But¡­ I have to go. Now, I can''t hold back my curiosity."


    Everyone also left the shop,pletely deserting it, leaving the shopkeepers speechless.


    "Benimaru, it looks like Bl did something amazing." Ravenna said this with excitement.


    Benimaru came out of his dumbfoundedness and saw her sparkling eyes. He could instantly guess what was going on in her mind. "If you want to go, then take Fiain with you."


    "Really? But won''t you need someone to help you with the shop?" Despite showing concern, Ravenna had already grabbed Fiain''s hand, ready to go any moment.


    Benimaru said, stupefied. "Yeah. I am sure no one wille to the shop for a while. I can handle it on my own if someonees."


    "Great." Ravenna and Fiain left the shop, leaving behind a facepalmed Benimaru.


    ''This girl¡­'' Benimaru sighed helplessly. ''Maybe it was wrong to bring her. The city girls she sometimes talks with have influenced her so much. Well, now she acts more like a girl. It is for her and Fiain''s best. I can''t rob them of their teenage years just because they are my generals. In the long term, it might even help them grow.''


    Benimaru was also curious about what Bl did, but not as much to have him leave this ce. He felt it would be best to cultivate, as he knew Bl woulde to tell him anyway.


    ¡­


    "Wow!" A girl in a simple brown dress looked at the giant corpse in front of her in shock.


    "How is it, Miss Sonia?" Bl asked with a smile. He had retracted his armor back to his storage ring and was wearing his normal outfit. The girl he was talking to was the vice leader of Migotanie City''s guild association.


    Sonia forced a smile on her face and replied. "I didn''t expect you to actually do it."


    Just like Sonia, many others who were watching the corpse from the side also didn''t expect this. Sonia was doing her paperwork in her office when suddenly the receptionist came and told her about the feat Bl and his team aplished. At first, she felt this was a joke, but the more her receptionist insisted, the more she started to feel this wasn''t a joke. So, she came down to see if it was true or not, and she was proven wrong¡ªthey did kill the Silverback Gori.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Well then, let me give you your reward." Sonia pulled a storage ring out of her pocket and tossed it to Bl.


    Bl caught it and saw what was inside. In a matter of a few seconds, Bl had various emotions. From shock, disbelief, joy, andstly, sadness, before he said to Sonia. "Thank you, Miss Sonia."


    "No." Sonia shook her head. "You earned it with your own strength."


    Bl shed an ear-to-ear smile, feeling a bit proud of himself. Bailey and Tanaka, who were beside him, also felt it.


    "Brother Bl, will you host a party now?"


    "Yes,e on. Throw one! I want to get washed away."


    "Yes, I believe you got enough to spend on the boys."


    Bl looked at his fellow adventurers and shook his head. "Sorry guys. I can''t spend a single penny. I will leave with my mother tomorrow for Cumi City to treat my mother."


    "Oh, that is unfortunate. But host one where your mother gets better."


    "Sure." Bl agreed with that, as he didn''t have to tell him. He would throw a big party in celebration of his mother getting better. "Let''s go, guys. Tell Mother the news."


    Bailey and Tanaka nodded their heads and went with Bl to his house.


    ¡­


    Goddess of Nature Church.


    Knock Knock


    An acolyte knocked on a well decorated white door and waited silently.


    Creak.


    The door slowly opened, showcasing what was inside. Several young girls are lying here and there on a giant bed while several white incense sticks were burning in various ces. All of these girls were naked, as their bodies were glistening with heavy sweat and various fluids. These girls had their eyes closed, while some of them had their eyes rolled back.


    However, the acolyte didn''t even dare to look in that direction, just stared at the man before him respectfully. "Priest Belmuk, the Silverback Gori has finally been killed. We can retrieve its body at any moment."


    Belmuk was frustrated as someone stopped him from helping his disciples get ''closer'' to the goddess. But that vanished after hearing what this acolyte said. "Hahaha¡­finally. Good, good, it looks like there are really somepetent people in this city. My ns would have been aplished faster if that stupid pdin had listened to my words, but no!"


    The acolyte stood silently, listening to the curses Belmuk was giving. After Belmuk was done, he said to the acolyte. "Good job, bringing the news. Now, quickly retrieve the body."


    "Yes, Priest Belmuk." The acolyte was about to leave when suddenly Belmuk stopped him, which made the acolyte''s heart sink.


    "Is there anything you want, Priest Belmuk?" The acolyte asked respectfully.


    "Can you bring me some more newly fresh female acolytes?" Belmuk asked, but to the acolyte, it was an absolute order that he had to do it.


    After hesitating for a bit, the acolyte asked. "Sire, should I tell them the same thing about letting them get closer to the goddess under your close guidance?"


    "Yes." Belmuk nodded his head. "Bring some good ones from this year''s batch. The ones I had feel older now. Oh¡­that reminds me. Send the old keepers and pick these girls up. Tell them to kill the child they had. This time, I impregnated many by mistake."


    "I will," The acolyte bowed with cold sweat and horror in his eyes. He had only one word in his mind. ''Monster¡­absolue monster.''


    "Now, go. Let me give them some more love before they are no longer with me." Belmuk shut down the door and went to do his work.


    The acolyte still had not left, as he was so aghast by the things he heard and saw. But that further increased when he started hearing the faint noises of girls screaming and moaning.


    His eyes widened when he unfortunately heard.


    "Ahh¡­ah¡­please see me goddess¡­I am pleasing your loved devotee."


    Followed by a p.


    The acolyte felt his stomach churn, imagining the things that were happening inside, mostly to young girls under the age of eighteen, and quickly left the ce.

 Chapter 92 Belals Mother

    ?


    "Come in, guys." Bl opened his house''s door, made of wood and metal.


    Bailey and Tanaka took his invitation and entered the house. They might have known about Bl long enough, but they never had the chance to visit Bl''s house. It wasn''t like they didn''t; they trieding into his house, but Bl would stop them every time. It looked like he was very hesitant.


    So, respecting his worry, they forgot about ever going into his house. But it looks like that has changed today, which they had guessed already¡ªmostly because Bl had enough money to cure his mother.


    Bl''s house was situated at the southern corner of the city, where people living in their personally boughtnd and built houses could be seen. These people had money to live peacefully and do whatever they could in their range, yet they lived a hard and onerous life in the modern world. They would be called middle ss families in the modern world. Especially the upper middle ones.


    They had houses made of stone and y that were strong enough to withstand any disaster and survive even in the toughest times. These types of houses could be seen sprawling throughout this entire area. However, there were some exceptions, one of which was Bl''s house.


    His house was mainly built of wood and metal. Some holes and broken pieces of wood could be seen here and there, with the culprit usibly being termites.


    Tanaka and Bailey looked around Bl''s house to see it having a simpleyout and necessities. After they entered the living room, a dining table ¡ªmade of wood¡ªcould be seen in the middle and some racks on the side that were filled with various foods.


    "You guys wait here. Let me call my mother." Bl sat them down on the chairs before going to the room in the right corner.


    Tanaka and Bailey waited silently, getting nervous as time went on. They have fought so many things and been in so many situations, but they have never felt this much nervousness.


    This nervousness came from meeting a new person through someone close to them. They were a bit scared if the other person would like them or not, as Bl didn''t let theme in many times¡ªthere has to be a reason.


    "Tanaka, do you think Auntie will like us?" Bailey asked with concern.


    Tanaka fired up his brain to think of the best answer and solution. "Hmmm. She will. You might not know, but I heard that old and mature women are very reasonable and kind."


    Bailey squinted her eyes, staring at Tanaka. "Where did you hear such things?"


    Tanaka went silent for a second before diverting the topic, knowing he might lose trying to reason with Bailey. "Hey, forget such things. What do you think Auntie will look like? A small giant like him?"


    "What weird things are you spouting?" Bailey looked at Tanaka with pure disdain. "Of course she would look like a simple woman who has old traits, like white hair and wrinkles."


    "Hey, it isn''t my fault. I have seen what the human race is capable of, but I have never seen anyone asrge as Brother Bl." Tanaka said before going back, swimming into his sea of thought.


    At that moment, they heard footstepsing from the room that Bl had entered earlier.


    They both looked in that direction and saw Bling, and behind him another person followed along.


    Tanaka and Bailey''s eyes instantly widened uponying their eyes on the person behind Bl.


    A woman, who was wearing a light green dress that covered almost her entire body yet it wasn''t able to hide her curves, walked out. She had ck hair with white tints in various ces. Her hair fluttered while also enhancing her facial beauty, despite some wrinkles being visible. She was the same height as Bailey and Tanaka, or might be even higher.


    "Hello, little ones. You two must be Bailey and Tanaka." The woman asked the awe-struck duo, making theme back to their senses.


    "Uh..uh¡­" After stuttering for a few times, Bailey finally replied. "Nice to meet you, and you might?"


    "Oh, can''t you guess who I am even after seeing meing with little Bl." The woman smirked and looked at Bailey with a teasing gaze.


    Bailey went silent, thinking about what she was trying to say, but after a few thoughts, her eyes widened in shock. She pointed her shaky finger at the woman and stuttered once again. "Don''t tell me..you..you¡­"


    "You are brother Bl''s mother!? No way!? How can this be!?" Tanaka stood up and said with shock, loudly.


    "Hahaha¡­is it that hard to guess, or do I still look young to you two?" The woman asked with pride in her voice.


    They both nodded their heads in unison, like chickens pecking rice.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "What nice kids! Sit down; I will get something to eat." The woman turned her body to head toward the kitchen when, suddenly, Bl stopped her.


    "Mother, you don''t have to. Your body is we¡­"


    Bl wasn''t able to finish his words as he was met with his mother''s ring gaze.


    "Bl, were you supposed to call me weak again?" Bl''s mother asked calmly, but Bl could feel the threatening aura around her.


    "No, mother. Never! I was about to say your body is well enough for anything, but mine is still better. Also, you have not visited the kitchen for so long, you might not remember where the stuff is." Bl said, shaking his head while also closing his eyes as if afraid of matching his eyes with hers.


    "Brother Bl, she has already left." Suddenly, he heard Tanaka''s words, which made him open his eyes. He appeared surprised at not seeing his mother anymore. He let out a helpless sigh. "Well, let her do it this once."


    "Brother Bl, first sit down. We have to talk." Bailey gave Bl a serious look and forcefully made him sit down.


    "What do you guys want to talk about?" Bl asked curiously, not understanding what their issue was or whether he knew and was just pretending.


    Tanaka squinted his eyes at him and said. "Stop pretending. We know you well; we can see you lying."


    Bl went silent before saying. "Well, that is my mother, Bianka. If you have anything to say, then just ask me."


    "Why is she so young?" Tanaka asked about the thing that was stuck inside his mind.


    Bl and Bailey gave him a weird look. Bailey asked out loud. "What are you asking? Aren''t women supposed to look young? Every woman in this world looks young before they hit eighty."


    "No, not that. It is okay that she would look young, but she looks way too young. Also, there is that mature feeling about her. It is so odd." Tanaka went into deep thought,pletely ignoring the people he was talking with.


    They looked at each other and knew Tanaka had delved deep into his theory-crafting. So, ignoring him was the right thing to do.


    "Let''s forget him. Brother Bl, tell me, why didn''t you tell us you had such a gorgeous mother?" Bailey said it with fanaticism in her eyes.


    "Uhh¡­I was just embarrassed." Be said, rubbing the back of his head. "You can see how you two reacted after seeing her young and beautiful appearance. That''s why I don''t take my mother outside too often."


    Bailey frowned and said it with an angry face. "Brother Bl, you should quit acting like a child. How can you hide such a beautiful and sexy-looking mother?"


    "Yes, tell her, girl." Suddenly, they heard Bianka''s voice. They turned their heads and saw hering back with a big tray in her hands. On the tray, there were cups filled with tea, which they could identify after sniffing the aroma, and biscuits visible to their eyes.


    Bianka put the tray down and said. "He is always stopping me from going outside with him. If he cages me here, then my beauty would be for nothing. People need to appreciate the figure I maintained for years."


    "Yes, yes." Bailey nodded her head, eyeing her hourss-like figure. She couldn''t help but say. "I can''t believe someone would say you are stuck with a deadly sickness."


    "Hahaha¡­" Bianka''sughter died down after hearing that. She sat on the chair with them and said. "Unfortunately, I am indeed not well. I might leave this world at any moment."


    "No, you won''t!" All of a sudden, Bl shouted out loud. He said it with excitement and firmness in his eyes. "Mother, finally, I have enough money to cure you. We will leave tomorrow and see the best priest close to us."


    "Huh?" Bianka appeared surprised before asking, her eyes widening. "What are you saying? How did you get such an absurd amount of money?"


    Bianka clearly knew the price of inviting a well-known priest to heal. They were not something that anybody could ask for.


    "Wepleted the top mission of our guild association. The money is the reward from that mission." Bl spoke proudly, only to meet with Bianka''s sad eyes.

 Chapter 93 Promise

    ?


    "So, you actually managed to gather that much money." Bianka sighed softly, acting a bit defeated.


    Bl became extremely confused, not understanding why his mother appeared to be disappointed. "What is wrong, mother? Did I do something wrong?"


    "No, you didn''t." Bianka answered back with a smile on her face. "Bl, you can use that money for yourself. There is no need to spend them on me."


    "Huh!?" Bl became shocked to hear that, as did the other two. "What do you mean by that, mother?"


    "You heard what I just said. I need to be cured." Bianka said, shaking her head.


    "Why!?" Bl yelled out loud as he felt all his effort was for nothing.


    "Bl." Bianka suddenly became a bit angry. She said this, ring at him. "Won''t you listen to your mother?"


    "..Uh¡­.I¡­." Bl gritted his teeth, almost trying to refute her, but he held himself back. He stood up and left the house in a matter of seconds.


    Tanaka and Bailey looked at each other,municating with just their eyes.


    "I will go to talk to him." Tanaka left to chase Bl after they were done with their invisiblemunication.


    Only Bailey and Bianka were left alone in that room.


    Seeing Bianka depressed as she rested her forehead on the stand that she made with both of her hands, she decided to talk through her. "Auntie, why did you refuse? You know, Brother Bl has worked hard to gather this much money. He wouldn''t be able to gather much in a short while; he could only do so after getting the help of a well-known friend he made and risking his life toplete this mission."


    "Risking his life¡­why does he have to do it? Did I give birth to him for that?" Bianka questioned herself after hearing that.


    Bailey appeared a bit angry. "How can you say that? A child has to return the love they received from their parents when their parents can''t do anything, just like they couldn''t in their childhood. No matter how hard you try to deny it, brother Bl won''t leave you alone."


    Tip Tip


    Crystal clear tears started to fall from her eyes as she spoke with sadness yet with a bit of pride. "I know. I know him better than anyone. He loves me very much. He won''t let his mother die like this."


    "Then why are you denying it, auntie? What is it?" Bailey asked with concern in her eyes as she tried toprehend the reason.


    Hesitation began to appear on Bianka''s face, not knowing if she should tell Bailey or not. Eventually, she came to a decision. "Sorry, Bailey. I can''t tell you."


    "But." Bianka held Bailey''s hands tightly and looked at her with a pleading gaze. "Please, promise me. Promise me that you will never leave Bl alone, no matter what happens."


    Bailey was stunned to hear that, as it felt like a parting wish to her. But tossing these thoughts away, she answered with a bright smile. "I will."


    "Thank you." A rare sign of relief could be seen in her face, which made Bailey curious¡ªwhy was she doing all this? What was her reason? What secret lies within her? ¡ª But she didn''t dare to ask as it was her personal problem.


    "Oh, by the way, you told me Bl made a well-known friend. Is it a boy or a girl?" Wiping her tears away, Bianka asked.


    "It is a boy, and he is very famous in the city." Bailey replied with a slight chuckle. Probably knowing why she cared about the gender and the reason being for Bl still being single.


    "Oh." However, Bianka didn''t get disappointed; instead, she was more relieved. "I wish I could meet his friend. Bl never had a friend in his life. Well, he did, but¡­they were all for benefits."


    Bailey thought for a bit before saying. "Auntie, let''s go with me. I will introduce this friend of his."


    "Really? Won''t Bl yell at you for taking me out?" Bianka asked skeptically.


    "Hmph, he won''t dare to argue with me." Smugly, Bailey dered, showing her confidence.


    She took hold of her hand and pulled her outside.


    "Wait, let me wear something." Bianka said it in a hurry.


    "It''s alright. Auntie, you are already very beautiful. You don''t need external things to help you look good."


    "Well," Bianka pointed at her head. "My dress makes me look like I don''t wear anything on top. I don''t want to look unruly."


    Bailey''s forehead folded as she looked around for a solution. Surprisingly, it didn''t take her long to find a white scarf lying on the clothing stand. She wrapped it around Bianka''s head and said so, resting her hands on her waist. "Done. let''s go. Now, it is lunch time. We might have them free now." <novelsnext></novelsnext>


    ¡­


    "See youter." Ravenna waved her hand at the group of boys, who looked like they were in bliss.


    "See youter, Miss Ravenna." The boys group said it in unison before leaving the shop.


    Benimaru watched it from his throne, gloating at the boys as he had nothing to do. ''Hehehe... man... they don''t change. Beauty sure makes money.''


    Benimaru had lost count of how many times his items just got sold precisely for Ravenna and Fiain. Thinking about this made him feel proud of his decision to bring them.


    ''Huh, so the time hase. Not even diehard fanse at this time.'' Benimaru sighed after seeing that it was lunch hour and that the number of customers was decreasing slowly.


    Benimaru dozed off and cultivated as usual, but that came to a halt when someone entered his shop. Unlike other times, there was something¡ªa premonition¡ªthat jolted Benimaru''s body to be tense. Not just him, but everyone inside the shop, except a few customers.


    "Ravenna, it''s nice to see you." Bailey greeted Ravenna, who appeared to be stunned.


    "Ah.." Ravenna brought herself back to her senses and said. "It is nice to see you again, Bailey."


    Bailey had be close friends with Ravenna in the past few weeks. So they spoke very casually to each other.


    "Who is this youngdy behind you?" Ravenna gave a curious nce at Bianka.


    Surprisingly, Bianka was also in a trance state. Rposing herself, she said. "I am Bianka, Bl''s mother. Nice to meet you, Miss Ravenna."


    "Wha!" Ravenna was beyond dumbfounded after hearing that, and so was Benimaru.


    "Hahaha¡­Just like you, I was shocked too. Doesn''t brother Bl''s look very young? I am sure any man would agree to marry her immediately." Bailey joked with Ravenna, smirking to herself.


    "Hmm" Ravenna nodded her head, agreeing with her immediately.


    Bailey then took Bianka''s hand and led her to the counter. "Let''s go meet the boss now."


    In a couple of short strides, they arrived before Benimaru, who was smiling ear to ear, as there was no bound to his happiness.


    "Boss, you look very happy today? Did something happen?" Bailey asked curiously, never having seen Benimaru look so happy.


    "How can I not be happy?" Benimaru instead questioned her back. "I am meeting Bl''s mother. This is very fortunate of me."


    Bianka stared at Benimaru for a few seconds before saying. "So, you must be Benimaru, Bl''s new friend. Bailey said a lot of things about you."


    "It''s nice to meet you, Auntie Bianka. Also, you tter me with such words. I am not so praiseworthy." Benimaru said it humbly.


    "I see, so it looks like this is fate." Bianko looked down and said softly. Then she raised her head and said to him, "I came here today to meet you. I do not know who you truly are or what kind of person you are, but I want you to answer just one question of mine."


    "Auntie, please do tell." Benimaru''s face became serious, readying his mind for her question.


    "Benimaru," Bianka looked into Benimaru''s eyes and asked. "Will you help my son even if it brings harm to your goal?"


    Benimaru didn''t instantly answer her; instead, he went silent.


    Others watched it quietly, as did Bailey. However, she was mostly confused and worried. ''What is happening? Wasn''t they both supposed to have some happy talk? Am I missing something?''


    "Auntie Bianka." Finally, Benimaru broke the silence. Bianka stared at Benimaru''s face and saw him smiling now. "How could you think I wouldn''t help my only friend? My friends are worth more than the goals I want to achieve¡ªwell, at least some that I can''t lie about to you."


    Bianka was stunned for a little while before she started smiling along with Benimaru. "I am d; you are honest, and that is what matters to me."


    The moment she met Benimaru, she felt she was seeing a fake. The way he talked and the expressions he made all looked fake to her. But this time, there was honesty to it, despite still looking fake.


    "Auntie, let''s forget all this. You came to my shop for the first time, and I don''t know if you mighte ever again, so I can''t let you leave without having something to eat." Benimaru looked at Fiain, signaling her to bring food.


    Bianka saw that, as she had also done it many times. "No, you do not have to. I will take my leave now, or my son might get angry at me."

 Chapter 94 Spawn Of Demon

    ?


    Tring


    Bianka and Bailey closed the door before waving their hands at them.


    Benimaru put his hand down after they left and returned to his cultivation session.


    At that moment, Ravenna and Fiain approached him. "Benimaru.."


    "It''s okay." Benimaru said it with assurance. "You do not have to worry. Let''s continue in what we are doing. Only, time will tell."


    Ravenna hesitated for a bit, not understanding what to do. But Fiain grabbed her shoulders, and she also gave her a look of assurance.


    Only after that did Ravenna calm herself down and go to work.


    Seeing Ravenna back to normal made Benimaru secretly sigh in relief. ''Huh~ Life is sure full of surprises.''


    ¡­


    The sun set down, announcing the start of evening.


    Bianka and Bailey had arrived in front of Bianka''s house gate.


    "It feels so nice to walk after such a long time. Thank you, Bailey." Bianka said with a cheerful smile.


    "Auntie, it was my pleasure. If you need to go out again, then just tell me." Bailey said it seriously, again showing her confidence in not being afraid of Bl.


    "Hahaha¡­" Bianka just chuckled at that and didn''t say anything.


    They entered the house without knocking on the door. Just as Bianka opened the door, she met Bl''s rushing figure, and behind him was Tanaka.


    Bl came before Bianka and asked with concern, looking around everywhere. "Mother, are you alright? Did anything happen? Why did you stay outside for so long? Do you feel ufortable."


    Seeing her son''s concern made her smile and have some tearse out too. But holding herself back, she said. "I am just fine. Your mother can still beat men with just her one arm."


    "Huh~" Bl sighed in relief, ignoring her joking manner. "I am gl-"


    "rg!"


    Thud


    Bl''s words came to a halt as he watched, with open eyes, Bianka fall to the ground.


    "Auntie!!" "Mother!!"


    Everyone yelled out loud in shock. They crouched down and checked up on her.


    Bl took his mother into his arms and saw her weak and fragile body that was suddenly aging. Bl made a surprising revtion, seeing her like that. "You lied to me¡­you told me the sun wouldn''t do much if you came into contact with it for so long. You lied¡­why?"


    "Uh¡­" Bailey contemted hearing that as she started to feel guilty.


    Tanaka saw all this and shouted in anger. "Quit all of this nonsense. Brother Bl quickly brings Auntie to church. I guess we have to use what is avable to us."


    "Huh..Huh¡­Yes, yes¡­let''s go." Bl came to realize that he was wasting time just thinking about all the unnecessary stuff now. His main priority now was to have her see a good healer.


    He carried her like a princess and ran in the church''s direction with all of his might. He even forgot about the issue of trying to hire the priest of this church.


    The reason Bl wanted to hire another goddess of life church''s priest was because of the absurd price and ss discrimination that existed in this church. The people would have him run around in ces and suck his money as much as possible before finally getting to talk to the priest. And when you finally meet the priest, it would be fortunate if the priest would see your patient properly, as he or she only cares about people with status.


    A couple of minutester, they arrived at the church and prepared to rush in. However, their spring came to a halt as the pdin guards stopped them.


    "Hold it. You can''t go in."


    "Move away. Can''t you see a sick patient in his arms? Lead us to your priest." Bailey shouted in anger. Her shout caught the attention of many in the streets, and they started flocking toward them after they recognized who they were.


    However, Bailey''s words had zero effect on the guards. "Then show us your permit. You have to know that we do not allow unregistered people inside the church. This is for the safety of the church."


    Everyone was left dumbfounded, despite the reason being somewhat valid.


    Bailey said with a frown as she went to grab her sword. "Hey! If you guys don''t move, then I wi-"


    "Please," Suddenly, Bl spoke, halting Bailey. She looked in surprise to see Bl bow his head, go on his knees while his mother was still in his arms. "Please, I beg you. Let me go see the priest. I will give you whatever you want."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    The crowd''s mood became gloomy after seeing Bl like that, and they began to showpassion toward him. But they still didn''t stand with him, as they were afraid of angering the church.


    The guards also became a bit speechless, not knowing what to do.


    "What is happening?" Suddenly, a voice came from behind, surprising the guards. They quickly turned around and spoke in unison while bowing. "Greetings, priest Belmuk."


    Belmuk walked out of the entrance with his personal guards and two other junior priests. His eyesnded on the crying Bl, who was looking at him with hope. This made him raise his eyebrows. "What is happening?"


    The guards quickly exined it to him, making Belmuk quickly assess the situation. He said it softly, with annoyance. "Tch, they made such a scene for this? Now, I can''t take advantage of them. Unfortunate."


    However, Belmuk didn''t show his annoying side outside; instead, he walked forward with an innocent smile. "Child, I have heard everything, I can help your mother. Also you do not have to give the money now, you can give it to any of the priests when you can."


    Belmuk pressed his right hand in Bianka''s direction.


    Seeing this, Bl said it with utmost gratitude. "Thank you, priest Belmuk. I will never forget this."


    Belmuk didn''t say anything, instead focusing on healing the patient before him as fast as possible as he had to go meet with Baron Arash.


    A green light glowed from his palm as it slithered into Bianka''s body. At first, Belmuk had a nonchnt face, but as time went on, his face gradually distorted.


    All of a sudden, his eyes shot open as he retracted the mana back. Taking a few steps back, he looked at Bianka with shock. "How? How can this be?"


    He looked up at Bl and said it with anger. "Who are you? How can you be allowed to be in this city, you spawn of a demon!"


    Everyone''s eyes widened in shock after hearing Belmuk''s words.


    "Demon''s spawn? Don''t tell me¡­"


    "But she¡­"


    Bl yelled with dumbfoundedness. "What are you saying, Priest Belmuk?"


    "Can''t you understand?" Belmuk''s face turned stern as he red at him. "I was checking your mother''s body to find the cause of her sickness, but I found something else. Your mother''s body is made of demonicposition, and demonic energy is overflowing her body. She isn''t human, but a demon."


    "No¡­no¡­ You are lying. How can this be?" Bl felt his entire world crumble. He felt the world was not as bright and open as before; it was filled with darkness, of which he uncovered only the firstyer.


    "Kill them quickly! Call the city guards too!" After saying that to his guards, Belmuk looked at the top of the church. "Why are you sitting quietly? Come and finish them fast, or they might escape."


    Thud


    Suddenly, a silhouette dropped to the ground, just before Bl. It was a man d in shiny silver and white armor with a green cape. He had a helmet on that made it hard to see his face, and a short green tail was on the back of his helmet. There were also some green clothes on other parts of his body. There was a giant broadsword on his back.


    "Is that the Pdin Captain of this church, Ahat?"


    "Yes, it''s him. There is no escape now."


    Ahat looked down at Bl and said it with a hoarse tone. "It is interesting to be able to blend in with humans for so long. But that ends today."


    Ahat went to grab his sword and kill them in one single blow.


    Tanaka and Bailey were stunned and scared to even make a move. They could feel the mana pressure that Ahat was putting on them.


    Tanaka thought in horror, sweat covering his face. ''How can we win against him? He is too strong. Much stronger than the Silverback Gori.''


    Meanwhile, Bl''s heart was broken beyond repair; he had zero will to do anything but watch as Ahat''s sword fell on him.


    "Huh?" Suddenly, Ahat''s eyes widened as he wanted to retreat, but it was toote.


    Bam!


    A strong force hit his face and sted him away, sending him crashing onto the church walls.


    Bang!


    "What¡­." Bl became shocked to numb witnessing the sudden turn of events.


    Bianka on his arms was no more, as she was standing before him with her new looks. He watched dumbfoundedly as his mother smiled once again, but with heavy arrogance. "I am sorry, Bl."

 Chapter 95 A Brief Look Into The Past

    ?


    Everyone was dumbfounded and in awe of the scene in front of them.


    A gorgeous woman was standing tall before Bl. Her valiant and heroic might made some fanatical. Her long ck hair, which was of medium length, swayed left and right in the air. Her tightly knitted muscles showcased her strength and figure, which brought shame to many men.


    "Mother?" Bl was having a hard time believing the person before him was his mother.


    "Yes, I am, Bl." Bianka smiled at him with her warrior-like aura, yet despite that, there was a motherly affection on her face that was hard to remove. "Let''s leave this ce first."


    Bianka swiped her hand up, and the ground beneath Bl, Tanaka, and Bailey''s feet got ripped apart from the earth. After she was done doing so, her figure vanished into the air as she zoomed through the sky like a bullet, and along with her was the ground she ripped apart where Bl and his team were.


    "What just happened here?'' The bystanders asked each other dumbfoundedly, not expecting the situation to escte to this height.


    Thrud¡­


    Ahat got out from behind the wall bypletely breaking it. People''s respectful gaze toward him vanished this time and was reced with fear. They could feel the dreadful aura leaking out of him, indicating how angry he was getting smacked away in public.


    He couldn''t let this shame go away. He had built his reputation for so long, how could he let it be destroyed like that?


    "Guards. Summon everyone. We will go on a purge." Ahat said this with glowing red eyes behind his helmet.


    "Yes, sir." The guards quickly obliged with his orders and went to gather everyone.


    ¡­


    Deep into the forest on the east side of Migotanie City.


    Bam!


    Biankanded on the ground with Bl and others. Just as she set foot on the soil, she stumbled a little before supporting herself against a tree.


    "Mother!" Bl quickly went toward her to support his mother. "Mother, are you alright?"


    "I am fine." Bianka looked beside her son, who was staring at her with worry. She wanted to fake it and let him see she was alright, but she failed miserably. All of a sudden, her body gave up and slumped toward Bl.


    Quickly catching her, Blid her down and used his arms as a pillow.


    Bianka''s body slowly returned to her previous self, this time much weaker and more fragile. Her former glory was gone, and so were her tiny horns on her head that were hard to see.


    "Mother¡­" Bl cried with tears in his eyes. He didn''t know what to do; his mother was a demon; the entire city would be looking for him; he didn''t know if Tanaka and Bailey would see him with the same eyes as before¡ªhe was lost now.


    "Bl, don''t cry. You are a grown man, you shouldn''t be crying. You know your father never cried, so how can you be his child?" Bianka said softly, soothing her son''s turbulent heart.


    "Bl, let me tell you something before I leave and do not interrupt me with your crying, okay?" Bianka said it with love and affection, which Bl couldn''t refuse. "Thank you."


    "Bl, as you already know, your mother is not a human but a demon. Not just any, I am from a race called Titanomia, a race that dwells in the deepest parts of the demon realm, boasting their overwhelming physical strength. I, with my racial talent, became a well known Demon Lord and killed and plundered the human inhabitants."


    Bianka''s face saddened, and one could see a slight guilt in her face, but that vanished with what she said next. "However, everything changed when I met your father. After getting defeated by a fellow demon lord, I fled with my injured body, to find a shelter. That day, I stumbled upon your father, who was just an ordinary farmer. At first, I wanted to kill him because of my nature, but instead of fearing me, he took me with care and mended my wounds. No matter what sort of threat I pose to him, he would just swat it with a smile on his face, and that¡­managed to capture my heart."


    "Then, forgetting all of my past, I lived a simple life with your father, and eventually I got pregnant. Unfortunately, for us demons to bear a child that has human blood, it takes too much time as mana and demon energy have tobine together and make totally different veins to hold. So, it took you too long toe out, and by that time, your father had already left the world, as he wasn''t a mage or warrior, he was just an ordinary man. But he didn''t be sad when he heard that, he just looked at me with a smile and said he hoped that I could let you grow up properly. He was just happy to have you."


    Bl became stunned as tears just rolled down his cheeks. <novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Bl, I hope you are like your father and don''t feel guilty."


    This made Bl confused. "What do you mean?"


    "Bl, us demons are forbidden to have children with humans. So that such things do not happen, the elders have put a restriction on them. If we conceive a child with humans, our bodies will age as time passes. It just takes five years normally for a demon to wither away from this world, anding into contact with the sun would elerate this process."


    "You mean¡­" Bl went from shocked to numb as he started to understand everything. Then something clicked in his mind. "I was born so long ago, but you are still alive. Don''t tell me!?"


    Caressing his cheeks, Bianka spoke with a husky voice. "I extended the process forcefully so that I could help you be a better man. To watch you grow. I feared dying and leaving you alone so much, but fate seems cruel. It would make things go ording to themselves, even if it takes decades."


    "I¡­.I¡­." Bl was at a loss for words. Meanwhile, Tanaka and Bailey watched silently, holding back their tears.


    Yes, they were at first wary of Bianka and Bl as they were demons, but as time passed and they watched everything transpire, their conception of demons changed a bit. They felt stupid for even having the thought of doubting Bl.


    "Found you." Suddenly, a hoarse voice came from behind them, scaring the living daylights out of them.


    They looked back and saw Ahat walking toward them slowly. They became shocked, not understanding how he came this fast. ''How can this be? We are more than thirty kilometers away from the city. He doesn''t look as strong as Auntie Bianka; he shouldn''t be this fast!''


    They were right, Ahat would have never been this fast. Except he had the help of a rare item that the church had easy ess to¡ªa teleportation scroll that can teleport in any direction within twenty kilometers of its radius. With its help, Ahat was able to chase them so fast. Unfortunately, he couldn''t bring his army, as the scroll supported only one person.


    But, there was no need for them, as Ahat was able to do it by himself.


    Bianka looked at Ahat in horror beforeing to a decision. "Bl, take them and leave. I still have some strength in me, I can hold him for a few minutes."


    "No, I won''t leave you alone." Bl was instantly denied.


    "Bl, did you forget who they are to you now?" Bianka''s question made Bl''s eyes widen. He looked ahead at the cowring figures of Tanaka and Bailey, who were arming themselves to fight Ahat despite being scared.


    Bl came to the realization that he had a new family that he had to protect. "Mothe-"


    "Well, well, a puny human is trying to threaten to kill demons." All of a sudden, a man in a ck and red-bordered cape appeared before Tanaka and Bailey. Not only he, but two female figures in pure ck cloaks appeared before them.


    One thing that wasmon among them were the masks they were wearing. All of them had different masks that hid their faces.


    The man''s one was a yaksha with one horn, while the two females had rabbit and cheetah masks.


    Of course, everyone could guess who these people were. They were none other than Benimaru, Ravenna, and Fiain.


    "Huh? Another demon? But why are you hiding your faces?" Ahat asked curiously.


    "That is none of your business." Benimaru didn''t answer his question; instead, he said something to the girls. "Take them to the base and kill anyone that approaches you."


    "Ignoring me? Well, let me see where you take them?" Ahat pulled his sword out and dashed toward Bl, ignoring Benimaru this time.


    Ting


    Suddenly, Benimaru appeared before him and used his most faithful katana¡ªck Sun¡ªto block Ahat from going any further. "You sure have a big ego."

 Chapter 96 Exchanging Blows

    ?


    "Hmph," Ahat scoffed at Benimaru''s remarks and pushed him away.


    In that span of time, everyone had already fled the scene, leaving behind only him and Benimaru.


    Ahat decided to forget about chasing them and focus on the man before him, whom he had zero clue about. "Who are you? I have never seen demons disguise themselves. Demons are known to be proud and arrogant of their traits."


    "Well, I will tell you about ourselves, but first, can you tell me how you found out I was a demon? I didn''t even mention it, nor can you see us fully." Benimaru asked, tilting his head.


    Ahat thought for a bit before answering. "You were defending demons, so it wasn''t hard to guess."


    "Huh!?" Benimaru was dumbfounded, which he showcased despite hiding his face. "That''s it? Buddy, you make assumptions very quickly. What if I deny being a demon now?"


    "No, that is impossible." Ahat shook his head. "The reason those two humans were trying to defend those demons was because they had meddled with them. But you do not know them, and you just save them because they are demons. You said it yourself earlier."


    Only silence came as a reply from Benimaru before he started chuckling. "Hahahahaha¡­ I will hand it to you on this one. But do not underestimate emotions. It doesn''t have any boundaries, so it can create many miracles. Well, forget all about this, let me introduce myself."


    Benimaru rested his right hand on his chest and grabbed his cape with his left hand. Benimaru said, bowing down and moving his left foot backward. "I am yer, the leader of Masked Fools. We are an organization that wants to save innocent demons and bring justice to them."


    "Ha¡­hahahahahah¡­.." Ahat let out a chuckle beforeughing hysterically. "Save innocent demons? Bring justice to them? You are joking, right? How can you put innocent and demon together? You are mental!"


    Benimaru stood silent, letting Ahatugh to his heart''s content.


    Afterughing for a bit, Ahat saw Benimaru looking at him silently. He grimaced and asked. "What? Do you think I''m crazy thinking that?"


    A grin appeared on Benimaru''s face, which Ahat wasn''t able to see. "Of course. It baffles me how a short-sighted person like you can be Pdin Captain."


    Ahat''s eyes widened in surprise. "How do you know I am a pdin captain?"


    Ahat became surprised because the leader of the Masked Fool was someone as strong as him; there was no way he could have proper knowledge of the world as no one in the city knew about his title.


    Ahat wasn''t wrong; there was no way for Benimaru to know who and what he was. Fortunately for him, he has a system that lets him know other people''s information. Ahat was an influential figure in Benimaru''s book, as he wasn''t that strong enough to ignore a person like him.


    And Benimaru couldn''t see this type of influential figure''s status because the system wouldn''t show it. But Benimaru finally found a way to make it show up. He had to go into physical conflict with them, as he did with Ahat earlier. It let him know more about Ahat, which he studied while he wasughing.


    [ Ahat(9th Stage Fleshcrafting Realm): One of the many Pdin Captains of the Goddess of Nature. He is assigned here to guard the church to hisst breath. However, killing any demons alsoes under the church''s order. So, he had to kill Bianka and Bl while also fulfilling his personal issue. ]


    This let Benimaru know one more thing: that these divine beings, or these churches and temples, hated demons to the bone. But there was something Benimaru thought otherwise about. ''Maybe, they want to have a good public view by eliminating demons. I have seen it happen many times on earth.''


    Benimaru looked at Ahat and said, "Hey, Mr. Ahat. Do not judge us by our strengths."


    Ahat''s face turned stern as a killing aura radiated out of him. "Then I will destroy you before you grow."


    Benimaru just smiled and prepared himself for battle. ''Man, this will be a hard one.''


    [ Host Name: Max (Benimaru)


    Demon Ranking: Tier 3 Demon Knight


    Magic Realm: 3rd Stage Novice Realm


    Vitality Realm: 4th Stage Fleshcrafting Realm


    Age: 17/243


    Race: Abyssal Lord (25%)


    Ability 1: Mastery of Dark Magic


    Talent: Top


    Magical Techniques: Purple Sun Technique


    Vitality Technique: Body Sharpening Technique


    Skills: Enhanced Senses, Illusion Bind, Dark sh, Short Burst, Chaos Dome, Wall of Devastation. <novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Generals: 3/3 (Ravenna, Ragnar, Fiain) [You will unlock another slot after you break through a major realm in magic realm.] ]


    Benimaru has broken through to the 3rd Stage Novice Realm and the 4th Stage Fleshcrafting Realm. He felt mana cultivation was rtively easier for him than vital cultivation. In mana cultivation, he progressed through two stages, while on vital, just one.


    Benimaru knew the limit of his strength fully, and after shing with Ahat, it became more clear.


    The two silently stood apart from each other, not making a single move. They were waiting for their opponent to make the first move.


    However, their patience wasn''t that long, as they both rushed toward each other simultaneously.


    Ting Ting


    Their swords shed with each other multiple times as they tested their opponents strength. But that fight didn''t stay in one ce; they danced throughout the forest, zigzagging through the trees.


    Thrud Thrud


    However, as time went on, they didn''t even bother to care about the trees. To them, they were in an open field and wanted to sh with their opponent with everything they had.


    Suddenly, Benimaru distanced himself a little and used his skill. " [ Short Burst ] "


    In a matter of seconds, Benimaru arrived before Ahat and swung his sword, filled with purple thunder.


    "[ Earth''s Protection ] " Ahat held his sword forward like a shield and spoke softly. A brown vital energy emanated from his body and coursed through his sword, forming a round shield that covered his entire body.


    Bang!


    An explosion urred that sted Ahat''s body away, but it didn''t do anything to him as he quickly got his footing on the ground. He looked forward and saw Benimaru alsonding on the ground.


    Ahat quickly inserted his sword into the ground and then swung his sword upwards. Influencing the earth''s mana with his vital energy, he made the earth burst out with nine rocky spikes that galloped toward Benimaru.


    " [ Wall of Devastation ] " Benimaru swiped his left hand from left to right. A rectangle-shaped wall made of purple fire was conjured before him.


    Boom


    Another explosion urred that destroyed the trees nearby. The dust covered their sights, not letting them see where their opponent was right now. However, they had mana senses, which helped them know where the other person was.


    Ahat looked to his right suddenly and went into his battle stance. But his eyes widened in shock when Benimaru''s silhouette in his senses turned entirely ck and was approaching him at a rapid speed. This made him decide to use his strongest move to tackle it, as he had underestimated Benimaru''s speed.


    Ahat pulled his sword back to give a big swing but halted in the middle because Benimaru was no longer in the radius of his senses. It was as if he hadpletely vanished in midair.


    ''What happened? He was just right there. Am I hallucinating? But the destruction of our battle is still there.'' Ahat contemted deeply, trying to think of what might have happened. ''It all feels like a dream¡­.dream¡­wait! I hallucinated, or he made me. That guy¡­he used that to escape.''


    ''Tch, Failure. People will take me as a joke.'' Ahat looked to his right and thought. ''Let''s kill a powerful demon knight and cover it with something else. It might be enough for the public.''


    Afterwards, Ahat vanished from his spot as he rushed toward the nearest Tier-3 Demon Knight to get its head.


    ¡­


    Benimaru''s base.


    "Who goes there?" Ragnar stood outside the entrance of their base, which had giant wooden doors, with his soldiers.


    From Ragnar''s perspective, multiple people came out of the bushes that they used to hide their base from in sight. Ragnar''s face was stern as he was ready to fight.


    Then, when the people came out, his eyes shot open as he prepared to give the soldiers the order to kill them, as the people before him were humans and two were unknown.


    "Wait, Ragnar. It is us, Ravenna, and Fiain." Ravenna signaled them to stop while removing her mask, and Fiain followed along.


    "Miss Ravenna and Fiain? What are you doing here? Why are you bringing humans along with you?" Ragnar was still on full alert as Benimaru warned him to do so. Human activity has increased these past few days, which has given Ragnar too much headache, he even had to wipe out some teams that saw their base.


    Ravenna spoke with a serious face and a grave tone. "Now is not the time to exin, Ragnar. These are the Lord''s friends, and someone is in need of emergency medical care. Move aside; you will know about everything when the Lord arrives."


    After thinking for a while, Ragnar decided to do so. As Ravenna and Fiain were Benimaru''s loyal friends¡ªRagnar being one too¡ªand his most trusted general, they could never betray him. "Alright,e in."

 Chapter 97 Moving Forward

    ?


    "Phew~ That was a tough fight." Benimaru said it with a sigh of relief.


    For outsiders, it might look like Benimaru was almost toe to toe with Ahat, but only he knew he was able to get those advantages because Ahat didn''t know anything about his powers or how he fought. So, making an opening for him, he escaped quickly.


    Benimaru first raised Ahat''s vignce against him to as high a level as possible, to have all the distractions in his mind disappear. When he achieved that, he used [ Illusion Bind ] to make Ahat think he was still fighting him. Benimaru knew this type of spell wouldn''t work much on Ahat, but the small amount of time it would was enough to let Benimaru escape.


    He wasn''t also afraid of Ahat chasing him because the cloak he was wearing would clear any kind of trace, be it mana or physical. This was a pricey item in the shop, but he felt it suited best for the organization he created. Also, the mask was a set piece for this item, so when he wears them together, a set effect activates, which increases the base power by twenty percent.


    ''If it weren''t for these items, I wouldn''t have that high of a chance against him.'' Benimaru contemted this fight. ''My overallbat strength should be average 8th or 9th Fleshcrafter or maybe even less. But that indicates one thing, Ahat isn''t a normal 9th Stage Fleshcrafter. Huh~ I am still weak against the top guys.''


    Benimaru arrived before his base entrance while still in his own sea of thoughts. Just as he arrived, he was met with Ragnar.


    This time, Ragnar didn''t go into his battle stance, as the person before had almost the same clothing as Ravenna and Fiain. And he was proved right that the person before him was of no harm when he took off his mask.


    "My Lord, wee back." Ragnar bowed, and the soldiers behind him imitated him.


    "You did a great job guarding the base." After praising Ragnar, Benimaru asked with a serious look on his face. "Where are Ravenna and others?"


    "Inside Miss Ravenna''s Alchemy House." Ragnar said before leading Benimaru in that direction.


    On the way, Ragnar spoke with a low voice. "Lord, I hope you do not get mad because thatdy''s condition is too bad. I think Miss Ravenna would have a hard time even keeping her alive."


    Benimaru didn''t speak; he just silently walked with him. After they came closer to the Alchemy House, Benimaru spoke with a mournful tone. "I know, Ragnar. That''s why I told Ravenna to take them here, so that this friend of mine can have his final moment with his mother peacefully."


    "I see, my lord." Ragnar nodded his head, expecting Benimaru to understand anything, just as he usually does.


    Click


    Benimaru opened the door without knocking or announcing his entry. Just as they entered the door, they were met with the sight of Ravenna closing the eyes of a husky, old woman. He wanted to say something, but he stopped as he watched the old woman wither into dust in a matter of seconds, vanishing from the world.


    "Mo- mother¡­." Bl wept softly, seeing his motherpletely disappear from the world, not even letting him bury her.


    At that moment, he felt a handnd on his shoulder, and looking back, he saw it was Benimaru.


    "Boss." Bl couldn''t hold himself back anymore and jumped into Benimaru''s arms, hugging him tightly. "Boss, she left¡­she left me entirely. If only she told me about it earlier..if only."


    Caressing his back, Benimaru said softly. "Hey, it isn''t anyone''s fault. Your mother wanted to see you smile and work hard. She forced herself to stay alive for your sake and for you to follow the correct path. And I know she did see them before leaving this world."


    Bl didn''t reply to his words; instead, he cried on his shoulder, taking in everything. Benimaru stood strongly, supporting Bl and hugging him back.


    In that moment, he felt a feeling that he had forgotten long ago: a fatherly affection and responsibility. He might look younger than Bl in appearance, but inside he was a forty-year-old man who had seen and experienced much of the world. To him, Bl was just a child that needed parental care, which he could never deny.


    Ten to twelve minutester, Bl finally calmed himself down. He let go of Benimaru and wiped his tears.


    Benimaru watched carefully, seeing if there was still sadness in his face. But, fortunately, there was none, only a rosy face from the tears and rubbing his eyes.


    "Are you feeling alright now?" Benimaru asked, to bepletely sure.


    "Yes," Bl replied with a calm expression. <novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Benimaru became a bit surprised to see him like that; he felt something had changed inside Bl. What kind of change happened? Unfortunately, Benimaru didn''t know.


    However, Benimaru didn''t think too much about it, as he was d that Bl was okay. Finally, Benimaru asked a question that was bugging him. "Bl, what do you want to do now?"


    "I¡­" Bl stuttered a little before saying. "I do know."


    Benimaru patted his shoulder, seeing him getting disheartened. "You can stay at my ce till you find the answer. Make yourself feel at home."


    "Thank you, Boss." Bl said, expressing his gratitude.


    Benimaru nodded his head with a smile, but he still didn''t leave, because he had one more thing to ask. "Don''t you want to know why I hide my identity?"


    "No, humans and demons¡­what matters anyway? They are both the same. One can be the vilest being as possible and can be a kind man too." Bl said, staring into Benimaru''s eyes.


    "d to hear that." Benimaru nodded his head and turned around to leave the ce, but before leaving, he said something to Bailey and Tanaka. "I hope you two also do not mind us demons."


    Ravenna and Fiain left with Benimaru, preparing to head toward the city as they couldn''t have their shop closed or it might breed suspicion.


    Ragnar arrived before Bl and spoke to him respectfully. "Come, follow me. I will lead you to your rooms."


    Ragnar has seen how close Bl was to Benimaru and the care in Benimaru''s eyes. So, he had to be extremely careful in what he said now.


    "Thank you¡­." Bl got stuck, not knowing what the name of the person before him was.


    "It is Ragnar, second general of Lord Benimaru." Ragnar helped Bl ovee his awkwardness.


    "Thank you, Ragnar. I am Bl, by the way. And these two are my teammates. She is Bailey, and he is Tanaka." After giving his own side''s introduction, Bl said to him, "Please lead the way."


    Nodding his head, Ragnar led them to the vacant rooms at the castle that were unused. Along the way, Bl and his team saw where Benimaru''s base was. Demons of various kinds¡ªmostlymon ones in the most southern part of the Evergreen Region¡ªcould be seen roaming around, sitting leisurely, eating raw meat, training, or sleeping on the ground.


    They all gave Bl''s trio a curious look, because they were walking behind their most respected general''s back. But they lost interest quickly and went back to work.


    Bailey couldn''t help but ask, seeing the demons all around her. "Brother, will we be okay?"


    Tanaka was also sharing the same concern as her. They trusted Bl despite being a demon because he was closer to them; they had spent a lot of time together, and the kindness Bianka showed was enough for them to fully trust in Bl. But their disgust and worry for demons had yet to fade from their minds.


    "We will. These little guys do not look like someone who would hurt us." Just as Bl said that they were met with a meatscraper toying with a small lizard while eating its body slowly.


    "Uhhh¡­" Bl was left speechless; he was just defending demons when he was met with this scene.


    At that moment, Ragnar stepped forward to defend them. "Friends. Do not think too much about them. This is the nature of low-ranking demons. They have a low IQ, so you can''t me them. It is a totally different case for high-ranking demons like me, the Lord, and the two girls. We hate eating raw meat and meat in general from an animal that is still alive."


    "Oh, brother Ragnar. Can you tell me what high ranking demons are?" Bl was confused, as he had never heard this term. He had lived in a rural area his entire life.


    Ragnar became a bit surprised hearing Bl call him brother, but he decided to go along with it as there was no harm to it and he liked Bl for some reason, maybe because of the innocent smile he always has on his face. "Brother Bl, right? To help you categorize this easily, the high-ranking demons are basically those that can take on their human form and have high wisdom, closer to humans. Just like¡­you."

 Chapter 98 Do Not Disrespect Ones Wish

    ?


    "So, my mother was a high-ranking demon." Bl looked at his right hand and clenched it tightly, feeling the raw strength in his body. Then something popped into his mind. "Wait a minute. Brother Ragnar, how did you know I was a demon?"


    Ragnar replied back with a smile on his face. "The Lord told me. I was actually shocked to hear that because you looked and felt no different than any other human."


    "I looked like a human¡­brother, is there anything else?" Bl felt a bit stupid because he still believed in his heart that he was a human, and he was having a hard time with his new demon identity. So, if he were a human, why would he look different from other humans in the first ce?


    Ragnar pondered for a bit, finding the correct feeling. After a while, something clicked inside Ragnar''s mind. "Brother¡­Bl, I think it is mainly because I do not sense any kind of demonic energy from you. You are not hiding your energy like others, so my senses cannot be wrong."


    Bl had been calling him brother for so long, so Ragnar felt it was right to call him back too.


    "I see." Bl nced at his right hand, feeling the vital energy but no other energy outside that. He asked Ragnar curiously. "Brother Ragnar, why do I not feel the demonic energy inside me? Is it because I failed to inherit my mother''s powers, or do I have to do something to awaken them?"


    "That¡­" Ragnar thought for a little before answering. "I do not know. We learn to fully utilize the power inside us when we kill any being. So it feels natural to us. But yours didn''t; maybe there is another thing that is a ma-"


    "Uhhhh¡­about that." Bl suddenly cut off Ragnar in the middle of his talk, making him confused.


    "What is it?"


    "Brother Ragnar, to be honest, I have not killed anyone in my life. Demons, beasts, humans¡­none of them died in my hands." Bl said, feeling extremely embarrassed for some reason.


    "What!?" Ragnar became so shocked that he was left speechless. "You lived your entire life without spilling blood with your hands?"


    Bl nodded his head, feeling a bit proud. Then Bl started discussing other stuff with Ragnar.


    Meanwhile, Bailey and Tanaka watched them from behind. Tanaka couldn''t help but say it, seeing how well Bl and Ragnar were getting along. "Brother Bl is at it again. No matter who it might be, Brother would somehow make them gain a favorable impression of him and be friends."


    Bailey agreed with Tanaka, this was a sort of special skill that Bl had within him. "But, Tanaka. Is it okay to trust these demons? Maybe these guys just want to use Brother Bl for their own gains. I am sure they wouldn''t have helped us if Auntie and Brother weren''t demons."


    "That¡­I can''t argue with," Tanaka paused a little before continuing. "But, we have to ept our situation. If we want to live, then we have to live alongside demons because our own kind won''t let us step into your ce."


    "But." Bailey was still having a hard time epting reality. She couldn''t imagine living side-by-side with demons.


    "Bailey." Tanaka said, ring at Bailey, "Did you forget the look Auntie gave us before she left this world? She wanted to stay beside her brother all the time and take care of him. We are the only ones left that my brother can call family. Will you betray him for your own beliefs? It was our brother who picked us from the trash; it was him who taught us how to fight and live in society properly. Do not forget that."


    Bailey became silent, as everything Tanaka said was true. They were heavily indebted to Bl, which they could never repay in their entire lives. "Thank you, Tanaka."


    "It''s okay. There is nothing wrong with being irrational at this time; we have gone through a lot of things in such a short few hours." Tanaka said with a sigh.


    "But, if they try to do anything to brother Bl, then you won''t see me stay put." Bailey with a firm voice.


    "Undoubtedly." Tanaka nodded his head, regaining his smile, and so did Bailey.


    ¡­


    On the other hand, Benimaru and the girls were rushing as fast as possible, getting closer to the forest every minute.


    On the way, Benimaru pondered to himself. ''I didn''t expect Bl to be a demon. Well, the first time we met, the system didn''t show his information status, I should have already guessed at that time something was wrong.''<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    ''Hmmm..it wasn''t my fault either. At that moment, the system also didn''t show any information about Bailey or Tanaka, so I thought the system was asleep.''


    [ Please, host. Refrain from ming the system. The system never sleeps, it is always active, watching the host and his surroundings. ]


    ''Even when I am in the shower?'' Benimaru didn''t mention the toilet because this wasn''t an issue for a supernatural being like him.


    [ Yes. ]


    ''I knew it!'' Benimaru yelled in amazement. ''I always had that nagging feeling that someone was watching me, but unfortunately, I never saw the culprit. I didn''t expect the pervert to be living inside me.''


    [ Host, please stop badmouthing the system. The system does not have any sexual urges because it does not have a gender. The system is only monitoring the host''s status and is on the lookout for anything noticeable. ]


    ''Okay,okay. Stop crying about it. You will not go to jail for it anyway.'' Benimaru joked with the system a bit more before asking. ''Forget all of this; I have finally found you. Answer a few of my questions. You seem to have be more secretive about revealing anything, and you do not receive my summoning.''


    [ Okay, I will answer just one question this time. ]


    ''One huh?'' Benimaru went into deep thought, trying to find the best doubt in his mind that was important for him to know. ''System, why can''t I see everyone''s information? Are there some prerequisites that I have to fulfill?''


    [ Yes, host. There are a few prerequisites that you have to fulfill before getting that person''s information. The reason for not many people''s information getting shown is just as the host guessed. ]


    [ There are many people who are stronger than the host and pose a threat, so the system refrains from showing their information. From what the system has seen and read about the earth''s history, curiosity can lead humans to do things beyond their reach. ]


    [ The system is afraid that the host will bring hostility from the unknown. However, the host can get their information if they have their full trust or if they have already made the other person the host''s enemy. ]


    ''Oh, that makes sense. I might actually try to make connections with them if I know them fully. My cautionary nature will make me want to know everything about the person who might pose a threat to me. Fortunately, the level of threat an unknown person from this world possesses is truly frightening. That helped me to not go and try to know them. Well, you have my thanks here, system.''


    [ No problem, host. The system is your best helper. It would never do anything that harms you. ]


    [ Now, the system will go back to sle- monitoring the host. ]


    ''Oi, I heard what you said there. You there? Tch, left in a hurry.'' While Benimaru was giving a few curses to the system, something clicked in his mind. ''Wait, if only the fully trusted person''s information can be shown, that means Bl has yet to trust me fully.''


    Benimaru thought that with how innocent Bl was and how close they were, he would have already trusted him to his heart, but it looks like there was still a barrier. ''Hmmm, he is lost. Do not know where to go. It is okay to be vignt of others.''


    ''But, the system didn''t show any information about Bailey, Tanaka, or Nil and his team. Maybe they are all together and connected to Bl, so the system identified them as equal threats.''


    Benimaru felt he started to know more about his surroundings and about himself by just contemting this one issue.


    At that moment, Ravenna asked. "Benimaru, will Bl be able to join us?"


    Benimaru raised his eyebrows and asked curiously. "What makes you say that?"


    "It is because in thest moments, Bl''s mother looked at me with full trust, and through her eyes, I could see that she wanted to entrust her son to us. I think Bl also guessed her wish." Ravenna told me what was on her mind the entire time. She was a bit worried about Benimaru''s answer, as she had never seen or heard of him recruiting humans.


    "We will see about that when the timees." Benimaru didn''t give a proper answer to her question. "It is one''s wish to be who he or she wants to be. If Bl wants to join my force, then I won''t reject him, but if he doesn''t, then I won''t force him to join us."

 Chapter 99 Undercurrents

    ?


    "I see." Ravenna went quiet after Benimaru exined it to her.


    Benimaru watched carefully and asked. "Do you want him to join so badly?"


    Ravenna hesitated at first but eventually blurted it out. "Yes. I have never met such a nice person other than you all. And he also is a demon; I am sure he would be rejected by humans now; not even his human form can save him."


    Benimaru went silent before saying something while sighing. "Ravenna, only time will tell if he wants to join or not. Let fate decide."


    "Hmm." Ravenna nodded her head and continued focusing on running.


    Meanwhile, Benimaru thought silently. ''Fate..huh¡­''


    ¡­


    All Peoples shop.


    "A half breed? What a sphemy." Okarino said this with wonder after hearing the news from the guard in front of him. "Half breeds are hated by both races and even by gods. I am sure he will be hunted by humans and demons, but not as much as churches and temples."


    "Do you know where the half-breed went?" Okarno asked his guard.


    "No, sir. We were toote to send men to search. Only the Pdin Captain of Migotanie Church, Ahat, might know. From what we heard, Ahat had used a Basic Teleportation Scroll to chase after them."


    "Oh," Okarino said, surprised. He also knew the value of a Basic Teleportation Scroll, it is only used for strategic values, and only people with high status could get their hands on them as they were very scarce. Only the temples and churches had the highest supply to let it be used by the top figures of their branches.


    While Okarino was contemting deeply about the situation, his guard suddenly called him. "Sir Okarino, I have something else to report to you."


    "What is it?" Okarino asked, raising his eyebrows.


    "Sir, the shop you have told me to keep an eye on was suddenly closed."


    "Well, shops can be closed and opened at any moment. There are multiple asions that can cause it. This shouldn''t be enough for you to report this to me. What is it? I am sure there is more to it." Okarino immediately caught onto many things in that small sentence.


    "Yes, sir. You arepletely right. There is something more. The moment they closed their shop, we were still unaware of the half-breed incident. So, when we connected two of the urrences together, we found they happened at the same time."


    "Okay, you leave." Okarino ordered his guard and then closed his eyes, going into deep contemtion.


    The guard left before giving a small salute.


    All alone in his office, Okarino thought with a calm mind. ''Maybe they went to hunt the half breed just after knowing about it. But that doesn''t make sense, no one knew the guy would be a demon, and it wasn''t for him that it was revealed he was a demon. It was for his mother.''<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    ''For the sake of her child, she had to show her true form. If not, we would have never known¡­.wait¡­.she was hiding it, ying sight, but we didn''t know because she was hiding her power and was in human form. Don''t tell me, Benimaru and the people with him are demons too.''


    ''Yes, yes, so much makes sense now.'' Okarino felt he had caught onto something and just needed a way to affirm it.


    ¡­


    Baron Arash''s castle, assembly hall.


    "Sire, this is all we have gathered." A soldier closed a scroll that he had just read to Arash and the ministers below.


    Arash rubbed his forehead with his fingers, getting a giant headache after hearing about the half-breed situation.


    "Lord Arash, what should we do now?" One of the ministers started sharing the concerns of others. "Now the city might fall into potential chaos. Demons are hiding among us in their human form, which is unheard of, but it happened and we weren''t able to detect it. Lord, this would make the citizens lose trust in us.''


    "I know, I know." Arash said with a sigh, already feeling exhausted thinking of the future troubles. He looked at the soldier who did the reporting and asked. "Did Ahat find the half breed?"


    "Not yet, sire." The soldier said it with a bow, feeling guilty for giving bad news. "There has been no news about the Pdin Captain since he left chasing after them."


    Arash instantly knew that wasn''t good news and that something had gone wrong. He knew how strong Ahat was, and from what he heard, the half breed and his team weren''t that strong, so it would have been very easy for him to capture them.


    ''This only means one thing: someone as strong as him is helping the half breed. This is bad.'' Arash''s face turned gloomy thinking about it.


    His ministers noticed his expression and asked. "What is wrong, Lord?"


    Arash looked at his scared ministers and decided not to tell them. "Nothing, I am just worried about the priest, who will me me for many things now. But don''t worry, his words do not mean anything to me now. You guys leave."


    The ministers looked at each other and decided to do as he told them to.


    After they left, Arash ordered the soldier beside him. "Summon the general; I want to talk with him."


    "Yes, sire." The soldier quickly left for the barracks, to deliver this message to the general of Migotanie City.


    Arash sat quietly on his throne and went into deep thought. ''What is happening all of a sudden? Demons are building an army near me, and we are having one inside the city too. They be active so suddenly. What is happening to the world? Am I not being noticed because I am still weak?''


    Then something popped into his mind. ''Should I tell, Ana? She might now be strong and influential to help the city.''


    ''No,'' Then, realization hit Arash. ''What am I thinking? I sent Ana with the intention of letting her be someone who would shine brightly in this dark world. I can''t let her know about this, I will protect this city, even if I have to use my powers once again.''

 Chapter 100 On Move

    ?


    Arash contemted silently on his throne, and at that moment, the door opened once again.


    Arash raised his head and saw a very familiar face. "It''s good to see you again, Haitam."


    The man before him¡ªwearing zing silver armor¡ªkneeled on his right knee and spoke respectfully. "It is my blessing, sire."


    He was the general of Migotanie City, Haitam. A man who was respected by many didn''t care if they were his enemies too. He had a long, double edged sword on his waist and a helmet on his other hand. He had ck eyes and short, messy ck hair.


    Raising his head, Haitam asked with a calm yet serious tone. "Sire, is there anything you need from me?"


    "Haitam, the city is about to descend into chaos. I have no one to trust other than you. So, I have an order for you." Arash said it with a grave tone.


    "Sire, just tell. This servant will do anything for you."


    Arash nodded his head in satisfaction. "I want you to go back guarding the city once again. However, you do not have to worry. It won''t conflict much with your current mission, as I need you to guard against the demon army more than anything. So, I nned for you to do just two things."


    "First, you just have to show your might to anyone that tries to ensure conflict on my streets. Lastly, you will capture anyone who is suspicious, no matter who that person might be. If anyone tries to question it, then just say, The suspect might be a demon."


    Haitam went silent, digesting the order, before he asked Arash. "Sire, can I know the story behind these orders?"


    "Yes, I will tell you." Arash told Haitam everything. Haitam wouldn''t do anything on a national scale until he knew everything about them. For this, Arash felt very fortunate that an important figure for his city was not someone who blindly followed others.


    It took just a couple of minutes to exin everything to Haitam, including his concerns.


    "I see, sire." Haitam contemted and then said. "Don''t worry; I will keep this city from any harm. You just govern this city with peace of mind."


    "Thank you, Haitam. You may take your leave now." Arash said with a smile as he saw Haitam leaving before giving a bow.


    After Haitam left the hall, Arash whispered softly. "I can only rely on you, Haitam. You are the only powerhouse I have in my arsenal."


    Arash rested his head on the throne and looked up at the ceiling. "If only I could use power wantonly, like in the past."


    ¡­


    Slowly, the news of a half-breed mixing and going along with humans spread to the surrounding cities, catching the attention of the barons. However, the ones who got riled up the most were the churches and temples of various gods.


    They were given mendette directly from their gods and goddesses, to purge demons, giving most attention to the half breeds as they were soiling humanity.


    Night had already descended when this message reached the surrounding cities.


    Heaven High shop.


    "Thank you for your visit. I hope youe again, sir." Ravenna said to the leaving gentleman before closing the door and putting on the closed sign.


    Afterwards, she and Fiain stood before the counter, where Benimaru was. They didn''t do this every day, as they would just go back to eating and sleeping. However, today was a bit different, Benimaru wanted to discuss something with them.


    "Do you know why I am holding this short meeting?" Benimaru asked, giving them a questioning gaze.


    Ravenna didn''t answer, as she was bad at this type of thing. She would try her best to conserve her brain power.


    However, Fiain, on the other hand, was very passionate about this. "Lord, Bl''s situation isn''t an issue to you now, despite it being the talk of the town. I think you are going to talk about the big demon army''s presence we felt beforeing back. We also saw Baron Arash''s army being stationed outside."


    "It looks like they are nning to stop any future invasion. Baron Arash knew about this clearly, but he still didn''t make the citizens know about it, or he was making them feel like there wasn''t anything to worry about in the first ce. The demon army is located in the north-east of the forest, and there were no adventurers nearby, meaning that the baron has banned any mission that is located in the north and east." Fiain gave an analysis while having a pensive look on her face.


    "Good job, you summed up everything before I could even say it. It saved me so much time." Benimaru was almost about to p for Fiain''s wisdom.


    He had told them about this when he came back from the meeting that Arash held with them. At that time, Benimaru didn''t care much about it, as he felt this demon army would be just cannon fodder in front of all these adventurers and the powerhouses this city holds. But he was proven wrong when he felt the sheer size of the army after feeling their presence.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "So, now what do you think we should do about it?" Benimaru further asked, curious if Fiain could guess it again.


    But, Fiain failed toe up with anything this time. "I do not know, Lord. This demon army does not benefit us anyway except for helping us decrease the manpower of the city."


    "Well, you are somewhat right but not entirely." Benimaru shook his head and gave a look to Ravenna, to see if she could surprise him.


    However, it was the same as usual. Feeling his gaze, Ravenna started acting dumb. She looked at the shining axes beside her, acting as if she had found some dirt on them, and went to wipe them off.


    "Huh~." Letting out a helpless sigh, Benimaru decided to exin them thoroughly. "You guys should have seen it by yourselves. With how big the army was, it could mean there is more than one Demon Knight or even one Demon Baron."


    Demon Baron was the next on the ranking list of the demons. All of them have a strength level above the 5th Stage Fleshcrafting Realm.


    "However, even with such a big army and strong people among them, they still dare not strike right away and are waiting. So, they are not confident that they can take down the city."


    Fiain rubbed her chin and nodded her head. "Hmm, you are right, Lord. But where do we y in all of these?"


    Benimaru said this with a big grin on his face. "We will be their confidence."


    "Huh?" Fiain and Ravenna became surprised, not understanding what he meant.


    Benimaru stood up from his tool and said something to them before leaving. "Sleep quickly, we will leave early in the morning. We have some new allies to make."


    Fiain and Ravenna looked at each other, not expecting Benimaru to go this route. But they could feel Benimaru was up to something big, their mission in this city might being to an end much sooner than they expected.


    ¡­


    Chirp Chirp


    The sun had just peeked its head on the horizon, and the birds had already begun their fight for the early worm.


    Outside of the city entrance, one could see a carriage galloping through the dirt road that cut through the forest leading to the nearby city.


    However, just as the carriage entered the forest road, it deviated from its path and headed inside, among the sparsely popted trees. In just a few minutes, the carriages vanished, as if it were all but an illusion.


    But that wasn''t the case. The carriage was now on a road that had been cut open and had all the weeds removed, almost like a road. Well, this was a temporary road to help Benimaru get his items in and out without letting anyone notice.


    The roadblock that let them vanish was an artificial bush that had no thick branches, making it as soft as cotton. Around that area, they also put more of these to make them look natural.


    After a few twists and turns, The carriage¡ªthat was holding Benimaru, the girls, and the guards¡ªarrived before his base.


    However, they didn''t descend from their carriage. Benimaru opened the window and was met with Ragnar.


    "Greetings, Lord. May I know what the reason is for your sudden visit?" Benimaru became surprised to see Ragnar eloquently talking to him, and his posture also felt a bit different than his rougher ones.


    But he decided to toss this curiosity away and told him everything.


    "I see, my Lord. Do you need me toe with you?" Ragnar asked eagerly.


    Benimaru could see Ragnar''s enthusiasm, as he might be missing the adventurers he had with him. He looked at the girls and asked with a smile. "Who wants to stay?"


    "I do. I do not want to be in a stressful atmosphere." Ravenna decided to give up, as she knew how the negotiation table worked every time. She might as well rx in the meantime. She is always standing to do her job; it might not exhaust her physically, but it does her mentally.


    ''Of course, you do.'' Benimaru already knew this. He looked at Ragnar and said it with a smirk. "Quickly prepare the carriages and bring the best toon. Oh, bring those little guys too. It would help us more."

 Chapter 101 Not So Peaceful Start

    ?


    Benimaru and his team headed toward the demon army''s camp.


    For the first time, Benimaru traveled with his army. It felt somewhat novel to him.


    Behind their carriage were one hundred well-trained demons of various kinds. Swinefiends were in formation at the front with their shields and spears. Behind them was another group of Swinefiends that used heavy weapons to jump on the enemy after the shielders blocked the enemy. On the sides were Gorebuzz and Raums who protected the sides. In the center were fully armed Raums on Emberhoofs.


    Emberhoofs were the summoned beasts that Benimaru got as a reward for his previous task of killing Garner.


    Emberhoofs were fiery equine creatures with ming hooves that left behind scorching trails and could ignite objects upon contact. They stand at an imposing height, like a majestic horse in size and stature. Their muscr bodies are covered in sleek, obsidian-ck fur that glistens with an otherworldly sheen. Their fur has an inner heat that radiates a soft glow.


    Emberhoofs were best for cavalry and to show your military might.


    Benimaru was in awe when he got them from the lucky spins. He even had the thought of keeping them for himself and using them for his own. But thinking things through rationally, he felt his soldiers needed them the most, and he knew what more awesome beasts he would get in the future as he grew stronger¡ªhe might even have the chance to ride a dragon.


    "Lord, how will we gain their trust in the first ce? Or what should we do if they try to attack us and seize our valuables?" Ragnar asked with a serious look in his eyes. These worried him for the entire journey.


    "I am sure they wouldn''t attack us. The more allies they get, the better for them. But if they did, then we could escape easily, and I am also sure they wouldn''t want our soldiers as they are unreliable for them at this stage." Benimaru calmly answered while fiddling with the yaksha mask on his hand. "And about the trust¡­we will see about that. No one will trust a stranger in the first ce, so I am not that worried. But if I can somehow gain their trust, just even a little, that would be best."


    Ragnar and Fiain nodded their heads, understanding what Benimaru had in his mind. This also gave them a confidence boost to not be nervous in front of the leaders of the army.


    However, a couple of minutester, Fiain''s eyes widened all of a sudden. This caught the attention of Benimaru and Ragnar.


    Ragnar asked curiously. "What is it?"


    Benimaru was also curious, so he used his [Enhanced Senses] and his eyes widened too, just like Fiain. "I see. You two, do not panic."


    Fiain knew what it was, yet she was eager to know why Benimaru dismissed her for panicking. But on the other hand, Ragnar was entirely clueless, so he asked. "Lord, can I see what it is?"


    Ragnar''s range of mana sense was rtively lower than theirs, so he didn''t find anything in his rader. Knowing this, Benimaru said it with a smile, wanting Ragnar to be surprised when the reveal came. "It is nothing. Just some generous guy helped us gain the trust we were worrying about."


    Ragnar didn''t ask anything further, knowing Benimaru wouldn''t tell him. Benimaru would do things like this sometimes, and he seemed to have fun. Ragnar decided to let time dictate everything.


    ¡­


    After one or so, Benimaru arrived at the demon army camp.


    The camp was fortified using wood that was chopped down when clearing this big space in the side of the forest. Meatscrapers were guarding the outskirts, while Gorebuzzes, which had sharper vision, were stationed on towers to keep an eye out for ambushes.


    Benimaru''s arrival caught the attention of the demons guarding the entrance.


    The Meatscrapers went to attack Benimaru''s soldiers right after seeing them.


    "KRIEK!"


    However, the Gorebuzzes stationed on the tower, screaming out loud, probably warned them to stop attacking.


    ¡¤?¦Èm The Meatscrapers listened to their orders and stopped instantly. But there was an unfortunate one that was already close to the cavalry.


    The Emberhoof that was majestically standing saw a demoning to kill it. With a cold snort and without waiting for the order of the master on top of it, it turned around and kicked the Meatscraper''s face by surprise.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Bam-Bang!


    That kick from two legs, imprinted a burning stamp that med up gradually. Eventually, a small explosion urred, sting the Meatscraper''s face into smithereens.


    The Gorebuzzes on the towers didn''t think too much about it, as these dumb demons were easily receable. They stopped Benimaru from entering and waited for their master''s response.


    Fortunately for Benimaru, it didn''t take long.


    The wooden gates that were clucky and weak¡ªnot even as good as Benimaru''s one¡ªopened. Benimaru''s small fleet entered the camp and was greeted with demons of various kinds gathering on the side of the road, eyeing Benimaru''s fleet.


    Well, most of them aremon in this part of the region, so Benimaru also had these types of demons under him.


    In short strides, their carriage stopped, making Benimaru and his two generalse out. The demons were aching to know to whom this fleet belonged, as their masters would let them in.


    However, they were met with disappointment, as Benimaru and the other two had their faces and bodies covered.


    Yes, Benimaru decided to go along with his yer persona more and wanted to spread his organization''s name far and wide. It would cover his demon identity and his simple business persona too.


    Benimaru and Fiain were in their usual outfits. On the other hand, this was Ragnar''s first, so Benimaru had toe up with a mask for him, as he had several cloaks like these stockpiled in his storage. For Ragnar, he decided to go with a monkey one.


    They strode into a giant tent that a Swinefiend was pointing at. It was made of ragged and torn cloth. But it seems it got torn apart like that because of war and fighting. In normal times, it was the strongest cloth this piece ofnd could offer. The tent was guarded by four Swinefiends, who were ring at them.


    Ignoring their nces, Benimaru and the other two strode into the tent arrogantly.


    After entering, they saw a round table sitting in the middle and two demons in their human forms sitting quietly. Unlike Benimaru and his generals, they had their demonic traits on.


    Benimaru became a bit surprised to see them being of different genders, one man and one woman. He was expecting them to be both men, but he just shrugged his shoulders. ''It is what it is.''


    The woman had a striking body with gleaming blonde hair. She had red eyes that could entrance anyone. Her wings were surprisingly filled with white feathers, making her look like an angel, but the horns and the tail were present to clear people''s doubts. She was wearing loose clothing, but to the dismay of any demon that would lust over her, she wore a silver armor that covered her body.


    On the other hand, the man was well built and had an arrogant pose. He had dark violet hair that was waist-length and a pair of ck eyes, just like the woman beside him. However, his dark violet wings didn''t have any feathers on them. He was wearing ck armor that had multiple scratches, making one guess it was used by others before.


    Benimaru came in front of the table and greeted them with respect. "Thank you for letting us have a peaceful talk, two lords. I am yer, leader of the Masked Fools. These two are my Executors. The one with the monkey mask is called Wukong, and the one with the cheetah mask is called Hunter."


    Giving them a few short nces, the woman spoke. "Masked Fools¡­ Your name is yer? Can you tell us what you are here for?"


    "Before we tell our intentions, don''t you two lords have to introduce yourselves first? It isn''t very lord-like." Benimaru didn''t go into the main topic; instead, he asked them arrogantly yet politely.


    "Oho~ You came into our territory and taught us what we should do too? Are you cowardly demons, who hide their faces and traits that we pride ourselves in, even worthy to speak in front of us? Do you have a dead wish?" The woman said it with smugness, taunting them heavily.


    "Oh my! Lords. You make me act up in different ways, especially the one that I buried DEEP INSIDE." Benimaru also said in a threatening tone that he was ready to fight them at any time.


    They released each other''s mana pressure, trying to intimidate each other. Benimaru could feel these two had the upper hand in terms of realm advantage, but one had to remember Benimaru cultivated dual ways, so he had enough mana to fight against them and perhaps even win.


    "Okay, stop it. I do not want to destroy the soldiers that I gathered with all my hard work." Finally, the man spoke, warning both of them calmly.

 Chapter 102 Bait

    ?


    "Hehehe¡­sorry about that." Benimaru humbly backed away from his mana sense, making the woman also back down.


    The man gave Benimaru a short nce before introducing themselves. "I am Vio, and this is mypanion Savrena. Mister yer, can you let us know what you want to talk to us about? I do not think you are here to fight us."


    Benimaru didn''t answer; instead, he sat on the chair before him. Ragnar and Fiain sat beside him.


    Then Benimaru said it, crossing his legs. "Lord Vio seems like a man with wisdom."


    Benimaru couldn''t help but praise Vio''s vision, as no leader would let a stranger with an army enter their area without knowing their goals and origin. The fact that Vio was able to deduce all of this and be confident wasmendable in Benimaru''s book.


    However, Vio didn''t show much reaction to his praise. Benimaru didn''t mind it that much; instead, he started to exin. "Lord Vio, I won''t beat around the bush. From what I have seen these past few days, it looks like you are having trouble trying to decide whether or not you should invade the city."


    Vio once again stayed silent, letting Benimaru chuckle out. "I take your silence as a yes. Lord Vio, I wouldn''t havee to discuss this with you if it weren''t for the incident that urred yesterday."


    Vio and Savrena raised their eyebrows, trying to figure out what Benimaru was talking about. Savrena was the first to remember, so she asked. "Are you perhaps talking about the half breed that got discovered? Wait, it was you guys who saved him from that Pdin Captain."


    "Oh my, will you look at that? The Lords already know of our works. But it helps me from exining unnecessary stuff now." Benimaru was about to go to the main topic when suddenly Savrena cut him off.


    "No, I want to know more about your organization. Why was this organization made in the first ce? What is your vision?"


    Benimaru went silent. ''This woman can''t control her mouth for sure. A gossiper, huh? Well, let''s tell them anyway. There is no harm in it.''


    "Masked Fool is new and was not inherited. I made this for only one purpose, to relieve the suffering of every demon kind."


    Vio squinted his eyes and added. "Even half breeds?"


    Benimaru tilted his head and shrugged his shoulders. "Why not? They have our blood in them, so there isn''t any reason for me not to save them from any injustice."


    "Injustice? Just like your organization''s name, you are also a fool. Can you save millions or billions of demons that are being killed by those filthy humans every passing moment?" Savrena sneered at Benimaru, feeling his goal was a bit oundish.


    Benimaru stared at Savrena, not letting anyone know what kind of emotion he was going through inside because of the mask. "Lord Savrena, do not mind my words, but you are dumb."


    Savena''s mouth and eyes were wide open, stumped by Benimaru''s words. So was Vio, not expecting Benimaru to be so direct.


    Then Savrena''s face distorted in pure rage. Rising from her seat, she began to threaten Benimaru. "I am done with your bullshit. Do you think you can go away without saying anything, just by acting mysterious? You are wrong, yer. We do not give a damn what your strength is or that of the people with you. Because you were strong, you wouldn''t being here, seeking our help."


    However, Benimaru didn''t try to go head-to-head with her. Sitting calmly on his chair, Benimaru rified. "You are getting me wrong once again. By dumb, I was trying to question your view on injustice. Simply killing someone isn''t injustice."


    Savrena''s eyes twitched. With a promotion, she would get tutored in front of everyone, but she had to or people might think she is irrational, especially Vio.


    Seeing Savrena calm down, Benimaru continued. "Lord Savrena, do you think killing a demon that murdered a human''s entire family is injustice? Or ying your enemy, for example, demons, is that also injustice? Or is killing a demon in order to save your close ones an injustice?"


    Savrena racked her brain toe up with a counter. "You are saying those from a human''s perspective."<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    "Hehehehe." Benimaruughed a little. "You are not wrong, Lord Savrena. They suit humans the most, but they also work on demons. What if we go berserk and kill every single one of your soldiers and you too? Won''t you try to stop us, or you won''t just because we are demons?"


    "This." Savrena wanted to rebuke Benimaru but found no possible answer that could counter him. She would indeed stop or even kill anyone that tried to destroy her most precious things, which now were her army. She had poured every bit of her time and sweat into building this army, finally being able to sit along with someone she had eyes on.


    "So, injustice is something like getting robbed of your freedom¡ªa chance to lead a peaceful and happy life, in a nutshell, you can say." Benimaru looked at Savrena, who had her head down. "I hope I was able to exin, Lord Savrena."


    Bullshit,plete bullshit, is what Benimaru just spewed. He didn''t give a damn about anyone; he created this artificial goal to let people know what their organization was about. Sometimes a clear-cut goal can bring potential allies and even enemies. However, as a demon, he knew he could never mix with humans, so this goal was best suited for demons who would easily team up with him after hearing his high moral goal.


    "I admire your vision, yer. But I want to know why half breeds? You do know the consequences of defending half breeds, right?" Vio finally spoke, asking with great interest.


    "I do, Lord Vio. However, that doesn''t mean anything. Like how you are willing to shake hands with me despite trying to bring justice to a mere¡­half breed." Benimaru smirked, pointing his finger at Vio.


    Vio raised his eyebrows. "When did I say we would be teaming up with you?"


    "Why not, Lord Vio? There can only be winners if we band together. Don''t think that too?" Benimaru spoke softly, slowly drifting into Vio''s ears. It was as if a demon was influencing his thoughts to do losing business with it.


    ''He is dangerous.'' Vio immediately got hold of himself and looked at Benimaru with wariness. He didn''t mean in strength, as Vio was having a hard time trying to identify it. He was speaking about Benimaru''smunication skills. He had the skill to manipte people, blurt out their secrets, or make them go along with his wishes with just a few phrases.


    Vio knew this type of man was very dangerous; they can set you up for something that you wouldn''t even notice. This thinking made Vio sweat for things that were nonexistent.


    However, Vio didn''t show his panicked reaction outside. With a calm face, he said to him. "If you say so, yer. Mind if you tell us about what you can offer other than inbat?"


    ''He agreed?'' Benimaru didn''t expect Vio to agree with him immediately. ''It looks like he has something in his mind. This is getting interesting.''


    "Lord Vio, you might not know, but because we hide out demonic traits, we were able to easily establish a secret base in the city. Do you know what that means?" Benimaru could see the sparkling eyes of Vio and Savrena. He decided to exin it thoroughly to rile them up more. "You just have to siege control of the entrance, and you will enjoy victory next because we will have the city under control in the meantime."


    A juicy offer that was making Vio and Savrena have a hard time thinking logically. The desire to have that city was only known to them.


    Vio and Savrena stared at each other,municating through their eyes. Benimaru gave them the time to properly discuss, as this was the most important part. He had set up enough for them to take the bait.


    s, they didn''t take much time¡ªonly a few seconds¡ªhelping Benimaru to not sit in suspense.


    "When do we begin, yer?" Vio asked, making Benimaruugh inwardly as he was sessful.


    However, Benimaru held himself back and answered. "Two weeks. Give us two weeks to set up everything. After two weeks, you will see ck clouds looming over the city, which will be a signal of the start of your advancement."


    Vio and Savrena became delighted upon hearing that. Their initial time for going on a full scale war was one and a half months away, so they were hoping the time Benimaru would give was slightly less than that. But fortunate for them, it was much earlier than they had anticipated.


    "Hahaha¡­.it seems you had set up your troops inside the city much longer." Savrenaughed, taunting Benimaru in a joking manner.


    And Benimaru replied back with a chuckle. "Yes, we did, Lord Savrena."

 Chapter 103 Upcoming Crisis

    ?


    "Oh." Savrena squinted her eyes at Benimaru, getting more interested in him as time passed.


    "Now, we will take our leave." Benimaru stood up from his chair and signaled the other two to follow him.


    Vio and Savrena also stood up to escort them out of the tent as a form of respect, but they were stopped by Benimaru all of a sudden. "Lords, I am curious about one thing. Why do you want the city so much?"


    They didn''t reply to him right away; instead, they walked forward. "Let''s go. I will exin to you along the way."


    Benimaru and the other two followed side by side with Vio and listened to what he had to say.


    "There is no hidden meaning for capturing that city. We just want to have a stronger fortress to withstand the Purge." Vio said it with a grim tone.


    "Purge?" Benimaru and the other two were surprised to hear such a word. They became extremely curious about this "Purge" Vio is talking about.


    "Mind if you tell us what this Purge is?" Benimaru asked politely.


    Vio and Savrena raised their eyebrows in bewilderment, as the Purge was something all the high ranking demons knew about, so the trio had to know such things. But from their curious gazes, Vio and Savrena could tell they were not faking it.


    This made them curious about this organization''s identity.


    However, tossing these thoughts out of his mind, Vio carefully exined. "The Purge is done by the gods and goddesses to weed out all the weaker beings and create strong ones. It happens every thousand years, and we have one in our age, unfortunately."


    "It will happen in three years. At that time, ferocious creatures of the otherworld will invade this ne, trying to destroy everything in their path, and the whole world will descend into chaos."


    This shook Benimaru and the other two''s hearts, feeling an impending existential crisis.


    ''What is this? Why are all of these once-in-a lifetime events happening while I am here? First the Star Shower of Prosperity, and now this.'' Despite being perplexed, Benimaru asked with a low voice. "Does the Star Shower of Prosperity happen at the same time as the Purge? Or is it rare? If it isn''t, then what other events that mighte in the future do you know about?"


    Vio thought for a bit, trying to figure out if he missed something before answering. "No, this type of alignment is very rare. Because if it happens at the same time, then it wouldn''t be a purge to remove the weak but a yground and showcase for the geniuses of the Star Shower of Prosperity. The higher beings would not let it happen in a million years. So, there might be variables in this purge, and that is why it is making us so desperate to get a stronghold of humans that are easy to guard. Also, about the events in the future, well, there are none to begin with, or maybe I do not know."


    "Hmmm," They came outside of the tent as Vio finished speaking. One could see Benimaru rubbing his chin, appearing to be in deep thought.


    Stopping in their tracks, Benimaru once again asked. "Where will the otherworldly creaturese from? I mean, will they spawn in random ces or in a designated spot?"


    "They wille from the edges of this world''s ne. So you can understand more how vulnerable we are, as just a few hundred kilometers away is the edge." Vio''s face turned grim.


    Benimaru now fully understands Vio''s situation, or that of the lowly Demon Knights and Demon Barons. They were, as one could say, on the vanguard of the war; they had to bear the burden of the frontal onught. There were a few strong demons with unimaginable strength hiding in the forest areas where they had turned their piece ofnd ording to their favorability; people have marked them as Forbidden Zones.


    Weaker demons like them could enter these Forbidden Zones and work under these strong demonic beings. But that was very unlikely, as the masters of the Forbidden Zones go out of their way to capture demons with the potential to have them work under them. So, if you try to request that they give you a spot when they don''t want to, you will only be calling for your death.


    ''Wait a minute¡­does that mean¡­?'' Benimaru looked into Vio''s eyes and asked. "Lord Vio, so the masters of the Forbidden Zones will alsoe out and try to upy a city of their own."


    Sure, these masters were strong, but not strong enough to stop the overwhelming numbers of otherworldly creatures on their own, and there was also the possibility of strong otherworldly creatures like them.


    "Yes, the world will fall into chaos in these few years. I hope you have a ce in your mind, yer." Vio warned Benimaru, to which he nodded his head.


    Benimaru decided to end their conversation and leave, but remembering something in his mind, he stopped. He looked at Vio and said. "Lord Vio, have this as a gift for answering all of these questions for me."


    Vio and Savrena were confused by what Benimaru was trying to say. Their eyes widened as a sword came out from his right palm, making them and the soldiers alert.


    Savrena cursed in her mind as she prepared to have her weapon out too. ''These pieces of sh*t! They were acting all along.''<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    However, to their surprise, Benimaru didn''t attack them. He swung his sword at an uncut tree near them. A crescent moon-shaped purple thunder shot out of his sword andnded on the canopy in the blink of an eye.


    Boom


    The upper side of the tree broke in several pieces, and from it, surprisingly, a body dropped to the ground.


    The body was that of a man¡ªa human at that. Alert and tense shed across the entire camp. The man was in a brown cloak and had his face covered with a brown mask, made of cloth. The man looked up, groaning from the pain of his injured body.


    However, the man''s face was filled with dread when he saw three people, whom he was following at the time, standing before him.


    "Tsk, tsk. Spies have infiltrated to the very core of your camp, Lord Vio." Benimaru joked with Vio, giving nces at Vio''s seething face.


    The man quickly decided to blurt out everything about Benimaru, knowing it might divert Vio''s attention and let him escape. "Wait, don''t kill me! This man-"


    Bam


    However, the man wasn''t able to finish his sentence because his head exploded with the right sweep of Ragnar''s leg.


    "Oh my, when did spies have permission to say?" Benimaru appeared surprised, not expecting the spy to exin himself.


    But this brought a frown to Vio and Savrena''s faces. Savrena asked. "Why did you kill him? We could have pulled out some useful information out of his mouth."


    Benimaru turned his head, ncing at Savrena with a big grin. "Well, do I even have to say who these spies might be from? Why do you want to gather information about something that you will be destroying with your hands."


    "You¡­" Savrena gritted her teeth secretly. She couldn''t understand anything about Benimaru. He could be the most friendly person you have ever met or the most passive-aggressive. But the way he talks and the things he says make her hard to refute.


    "We wasted a lot of time, We will take our leave now, lords. There are many things we have yet to prepare." Giving a slight bow, Benimaru and his generals mounted on the carriage.


    Finally, Benimaru left with his army, leaving behind a dust trail for everyone in the camp to see.


    Meanwhile, Vio and Savrena stood alone, as they were a bit conflicted.


    Savrena decided to seek Vio''s opinion first. "What do you think about them, Vio?"


    Vio gave a few careful thoughts before saying. "I think we should have our guards up against them. I have this nagging feeling that we are going to face a crisis."


    "So, should we really follow their instructions?" Savrena asked, as this was the most viable option, ording to Vio''s decision.


    "Yes, we should." Contrary to Savrena''s expectations, Vio decided to go along with Benimaru. "Do not think too much. That is just a gut feeling of mine, I might be wrong or even right. But that doesn''t take away from the fact that we need the city. And I also told them about the Purge, so they will be desperate too to have one for themselves. They might even join us when he captures that city."


    Savrena nodded her head in awe and amazement at Vio''s rational thinking.


    She felt more and more that she was right to have her eyes on him.


    ¡­


    On Benimaru''s side.


    Benimaru looked at the passing greenery andmented with a smirk. "Those guys might be thinking I will team up with them more because of the unexpected event called the Purge I heard for the first time."

 Chapter 104 Fire Burning Under Emotions

    ?


    "What makes you think that, Lord?" Fiain asked curiously, not understanding how Benimaru could make such an affirmative assumption.


    Benimaru exined, without turning his head. "Isn''t it very obvious? A tsunami washing over a city can gather your most hated friends together and force you to stay in the same room as them. Now, a disaster ising, so my best possible shelter can be the city we will be helping them conquer. How can anyone let go of thend that you worked hard to conquer? You do not know if you can have that chance in the future."


    Ragnar and Fiain nodded their heads in acknowledgement, totally admiring Benimaru''s wisdom.


    Benimaru just giggled at their reverent expression toward him.


    They might look old, but their mentality wasn''t, and Benimaru was sure of it. Because he knew that some of the people who have sharp minds would have caught up on it easily.


    ''I am stuck with babies, but with ones that can be considered bombs.'' Joking to himself, Benimaru decided to close his eyes and cultivate his magic realm.


    But at that moment, Ragnar asked. "Lord, if we try to destroy the city, won''t the powerhouses of the humanse to stop us?"


    "I do not think that is possible." Benimaru shook his head, denying. He had also thought of it before, but after some careful thinking and research, he found out the answer to his worry. "If strong humans kill demons weaker than them, it might lead to all-out war. These two races hate each other to their bones, so they want to kill one another more than anything they desire. But if they wantonly killed other races weak people by using stronger powerhouses, it would lead to mass genocide. It might also cripple an entire race."


    "So, you can say they won''t interfere where the power level in this type of war is bnced. And their interference is less now because of the Purge. I am sure they are worried about defending their own fortresses from getting invaded by a cruel demon."


    "Oh." Ragnar felt he knew more about the world than usual. This also bred some thoughts in his mind that mighte to fruition in the future.


    Finally, with peace of mind, Benimaru went into deep cultivation. ''I have to get stronger and be sure of this victory. I hope two weeks are enough.


    ¡­


    All Peoples Shop.


    "WHAT!?" Okarino shot up from his chair and yelled in shock.


    The guard before him felt his heart sink into the abyss as he had to face Okarino in his state of anger.


    "How can this be?" Okarino rubbed his forehead, thinking of what might have happened. "He was my most trained spy. He had abilities that could hide his presence and items that could make his energy traces disappear. How can he be discovered? Only the monster in the¡­wait, if they also have people like those guys, then this is troubling."


    After some careful consideration, Okarino firmed his heart and decided to implement what he came here for. "Tell everyone to stand by their position and be ready, we will strike the moment the city is getting invaded by the demons."


    "Yes, sir." The guard quickly left to deliver this message to every squad that was hiding in the city.


    All alone in his room as usual, Okarino pondered. ''This is indeed a problem in my n. I just hope you do not side with my enemy.''


    Strongly clenching his fist, Okarino said, eyes filled with conviction. "Or I will have to crush everything by force."


    ¡­


    Two weeks passed by in the blink of an eye.


    At first, the citizens and adventurers were living their lives peacefully, without any issues on their minds. But as time went on, they started to feel the heavy atmosphere that was looming over their city.


    Soldiers from the royal army could be seen patrolling heavily from time to time, and they could also see a few people getting into conflict with them. However, they not only saw soldiers but also many suspicious looking people in strange outfits.


    This gloomy and tense atmosphere signaled the city was about to wee its once-in-a decade crisis, and it wasn''t that far away.


    Migotanie City was about to wee its new day as the sun was about to peek its head out of the horizon, but unfortunately for them, it wasn''t the first sunlight that woke them up from their sleep today.


    "Well, let''s begin the show, shall we?" Inside Heaven''s High, Benimaru was sitting on his tool behind the counter.


    He was currently dressed in his yer persona, with his mask on. Unlike previous times, there were no items on the shelves to disy except a few ones that looked defective. Not only that, but everything Benimaru felt was valuable was missing.


    Benimaru raised his right hand up, burning with purple fire, illuminating his fierce, red raksha mask.


    Snap


    Boom


    As soon as he snapped his fingers, a loud explosion urred that blew his shop and the ones beside his to smithereens. It shook the city and woke everyone up as a result.


    However, that wasn''t the end of it, it was only the beginning of the chaos the people of this city had to embrace.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    ¡­


    Braon Castle.


    Coming out of his chamber, in his royal night robes, Arash asked his butler. "What is happening?"


    Arash was sleeping soundly, holding his wife in his embrace, when suddenly an explosive sound entered his ears. This caused him a huge amount of panic, knowing something bad was about to happen.


    "Sire, we also do not know. The general will send his army to check in a while." The butler answered, wiping the sweat off his forehead.


    Arash nodded his head, knowing he couldn''t rush such things. "Good, I believe in Haitam''s capabi-"


    PRRRUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!


    Arash wasn''t able to finish his sentence when the sound of a warhorn rang throughout the city.


    Arash was confused at first, but he quickly remembered why that was blown. "Oh no, the demon army is alsoing. Quickly warn everyone to be on guard and prepare for war!"


    "Yes, sire." The butler ran as fast as possible, with visible fear and nervousness in his eyes.


    Arash strode toward his assembly hall while contemting, with ck lines all over his face. "Whoever is doing this will pay for it."


    ¡­


    All Peoples shop.


    Inside Okarino''s office, Okarino was standing before the window that reflected his appearance, but that didn''t enter his eyes as only the sound of cries and the burning of the city reflected on his eyes. "So, you guys have started this, huh? Blowing up your shop in the beginning, removing all the evidence. You guys are cunning, but fortunately, I noticed your behavior early on."


    "Sir, should we start too?" Behind Okarino was a group of people in brown cloaks, hiding their faces and body structures.


    "Of course." Okarino put a grin on his face. "Let them take some burden off our shoulders."


    Okarino picked up the rapier that was lying on his chair. Without saying a word, he shed at his back wall, slicing it apart in multiple pieces. It resulted in the backside being wide open. Despite the rapier being used for thrusting, Okarino managed to use the sharp point to slice apart the wall, showcasing his sword skill in full disy.


    Afterwards, Okarino jumped outside, and the others followed behind him.


    Having his vision set up on the baron''s castle, Okarino marched on with his men.


    ¡­


    The army camp, on the east side of the city.


    Bang


    Haitam mmed his fist on the table in spite of his anger. "These bastards! How did they enter the city without anyone noticing? With such a well-thought out n, they were preparing in the city despite my soldiers keeping a watch."


    Haitam was sure it was done by the demons, as just as the chaos in the city started, the demon army also began their advancement.


    Well, He wasn''t wrong in that regard.


    "Sir, what should we do?" The captain of a certain squad asked with concern.


    "We have only one thing to do." Haitam stood up and put his helmet on his head. "We will go to war. Let''s crush these demons as fast as possible; we will finish the ones insideter on. I am sure the church won''t be able to stand still with all of this happening. They will also feel the brunt of it."


    Haitam walked out of his tent and ordered the captain. "Prepare the cavalry. I want to smash their confidence first."


    ¡­


    Haitam was betting on the church to step up, but little did he know that the church would be one that was going to hit hard the most.


    Standing on the roof of a building that was in front of the church, Benimaru looked down and said with a big smirk on his face. "I want to see if your mother wille after I kill every single one of you."

 Chapter 105 Fire Burning Under Emotions - 1

    ?


    In front of the church''s entrance were the same two guards that stopped Bl from entering with his mother.


    They were tense, probably scared of getting attacked by anyone in this situation.


    "What is happening here? I never thought this city would encounter such a devastating attack."


    "I do not know, but we should be on our guard. The captain is preparing the pdin army and the acolytes to defend against any kind of attack."


    They both talked to each other, trying to ease each other''s beating hearts.


    While they were talking, they failed to notice that many unknown entities had already entered the church''s perimeter.


    They were about to go silent when suddenly, a sharp light shed before their eyes, and when it disappeared, they were left awestruck.


    Thud(2)


    Their heads dropped, followed by their bodies. They died just like that, without knowing who was the culprit.


    Just as their bodies dropped, multiple shadows entered the church. Not only from the main entrance but also bursting through the windows. These were all Benimaru''s soldiers. He had brought them inside the city by the carriages when he returned. He had bonded well with the entrance guards in the south¡ªwhere he travelled using most of the time¡ªwhich helped him to easily bypass the security without wasting much energy.


    Benimaru also entered the church, followed by his generals. Today all of them have gathered together to once again go on an expedition with their lord. He brought all of them together only after he had the assurance that someone would guard his base, and fortunately, he got Bl.


    Bl and his team have now fully integrated with his people. The hatred of the demons left their hearts after they spent time with them. Now, Bl had gathered his own group of demon soldiers and followers. He would train them and teach them many things.


    However, this incident didn''t mean that everyone would get along with demons if they spent some quality time together. This exception happened because of Benimaru. He had imnted many rules that helped the demons be civilized. He had shaped the old ideology inside these demons'' minds unbeknownst to them.


    After Benimaru entered the church, which was filled withvendish white and had various nts and markings engraved on the walls and pirs, showcasing the symbols the goddess held. But now they were smeared with blood and scratches.


    His soldiers and the Pdin army fought against each other, inside this small yet big hall.


    Benimaru and his generals leaped through the air, flying over the battlefield below them. However, just as they were above the pdin army, some of them focused on them.


    They jumped up and were ready to intercept Benimaru and his generals path.


    Benimaru didn''t try to do anything about it, nor did Ragnar or Fiain. Only Ravenna looked ahead of her and smiled. She swiped her right hand from back to front.


    Instantly, the blood on the floor flew out and shot at the pdins like an arrow. They were in midair, so they had no way to dodge them but just get hit.


    Puchi!


    Shooting through their vital parts, they dropped to the ground as if heavy boulders were thrown.


    Easily, they bypassed the pdin army and headed toward the entrance that led to the resting room for the priest which was on the bottom floor. But before they could get close, someone emerged from the shadows of the big entrance, blocking any light reaching on the other side.


    "We meet again, yer." Ahat smirked while still fully armored.


    "Sorry for keeping you waiting." Benimaru also teased him, carefully looking at him.


    He was assessing if Ahat had grown stronger than the previous time they fought; if he did so then it would spell bad news for him. Unfortunately, Benimaru had no way of knowing it, as if anyone hid their vital energy or mana, it was hard to judge others'' strength. But it was a different case if you were much stronger than your target.


    "Come, Let me finish you for once and for all." Ahat pulled out his sword from the back and pointed it at Benimaru. "You made quite a show outside, right?"


    Without anymore talking, Benimaru rushed forward all alone and brought his katana out. Ahat also ran forward and shed against Benimaru.


    Ting


    Ahat grinned heavily, this time assuring himself that he would kill Benimaru for good. But that thought didn''tst long when Benimaru before him vanished into thin air.


    "Huh?" Ahat was left dumbfounded, not understanding what exactly happened.


    Then he heard Benimaru''s voiceing from behind. He looked back and saw him waving his hand at him. "Not this time, Ahat. You can try my executors, though."<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    Benimaru''s body disappeared in the dark afterwards, leaving behind Ahat, who was extremely dumbfounded. ''Shit! I forgot about that ability.''


    Ahat knew he had fallen for the same trick once again.


    Bam!


    He wasn''t able to finish his thought process when a punch suddenlynded on the left side of his face.


    Ahat''s body shot to the side, but he was able to open his eyes and give onest nce to see who it was. He saw it was the man with a monkey mask on¡ªRagnar.


    Right before his body was about to hit the wall, he got stopped. Multiple tentacles, made of blood, hold his hands, legs, and neck. Their grip was tightening around him, and they wanted to rip his body apart. Ahat again nced up to see who was capable of this, and this time it was the one with the bunny mask on¡ªRavenna.


    Gritting his teeth, Ahat forcefully freed himself from her clutches. But at that time, another silhouette appeared before him, blocking the light from the chandeliers reflecting on him.


    This time, it was the one with the cheetah mask on¡ªFiain. She swung her sword at his chest, sting his body against the walls, resulting in him smashing through them.


    The trio stopped, not trying to chase after him.


    In a matter of seconds, Ahat crawled out of the rubble. He walked slowly and twisted his joints, making crackling noises. Benimaru had taught him a lesson by getting tricked all the time. So he fully grasped what theirbat style was before deciding to go all out. "Will your boss cry if I kill all of you?"


    "Hey, don''t say that, or you might jinx yourself. Nobody knows who will die here." Ravenna rebuked her back, saying it casually.


    They also checked how well Ahat was doing, so they didn''t go all out from the start and exhaust themselves. As Benimaru warned, he had great vitality, as no injuries could be seen even after those attacks, and with how quickly he reacted to their attacks, it was enough to let them know how strong Ahat was.


    "Come!" Ahat shouted before rushing at them.


    Ragnar and Fiain went forward, while Ravenna stayed back.


    Their fight was about to shake the church to its very core, but before that.


    ¡­


    Baron''s Castle, outside of the gate.


    Okarino and his team opened the gate and entered the castle leisurely. Not caring about the guards with holes in their bodies lying down.


    As they strode forward, they met with a group of young kids of various ages. One thing that wasmon about them that Okarino noticed was their hair color, as all of them were white. This let Okarino know who these children were. ''Arash''s Spawn.''


    Arash had many wives, just like any other royal man. So, he had far more children than Ana but he didn''t show off them except Ana, because of her potential. He wanted to let his people know that he could still produce talented heirs for his throne.


    They halted in their steps and looked at the children, who were shaking, scared of their surroundings.


    One of the girls noticed Okarino''s arrival and asked him, maintaining their distance. "Who are you people? Are you with the guards? Are you here to help them handle the bad guys?"


    Okarino deduced why these children were here, sitting like a bunch of ducks. His men might have spotted them, and the guards were stopping them. To not let them roam alone and get caught by other intruders, they told them to wait here.


    Pity shed before Okarino''s eyes, which quickly turned into a cold gleam. He whispered in an inscrutable voice. "Sorry, kids."


    Just as he finished saying that, the man behind him, who was taller than most others, dashed before the children and swung his big ax.


    Phrruuuchhh!


    In a matter of seconds, the children were reduced to half, killing them with fear and shock in their faces.


    Okarino nced at the dead bodies without any emotion and walked over their bodies. "Let''s go; we have to purge this family before the war outside ends."


    Their arrival caused a hugemotion that brought dread to everyone''s hearts. No one was capable of stopping them except a few. But who were they in front ofrger-quality fighters?


    Only cries of desperation and injustice rang inside the castle.

 Chapter 106 Fire Burning Under Emotions - 2

    ?


    Wherever Okarino and his team went, only cries of sorrow and horror would be left behind. Their trail was smeared with the blood of old and young.


    Slowly yet surely, they arrived close to the assembly hall, where Arash mostly stays.


    However, just as they were about to take another step forward, they halted. They raised their heads and looked at the white ceiling.


    Boom


    The next second, the ceiling broke, and from it dropped a girl in shining silver and yellow armor. The sword in her hand was impaling one of Okarino''s men to the ground, and many like him were also lying by the side.


    Okarino and his team felt a raging mana pressure sting toward them. He couldn''t see her face because it was covered by a helmet, but he knew exactly who she was. "So, you are the elusive City Guards Captain. I didn''t expect it to be a girl."


    Okarino knew and had seen every single person in the city. He had marked those who were strong and were in the category of threat level. The only one missing was the City Guard Captain. He had tried many ways to find her whereabouts, but it seemed Arash had hid her as the demon army camped on the edge of the forest.


    "You fiends will die here under my de." The girl pointed her sword at them and dered with a serious tone. "The audacity to attack Sire Arash and his family. It was fortunate that Sire told me to camp here."


    "It looks like you are a strong and quite brave youngdy. May I know your name?" Okarino asked politely.


    However, to his disappointment, the girl didn''t answer; instead, she went to her battle stance.


    "Unfortunately, if you act like that, then I have to remove you from this world too." Okarino sighed before looking at her with a deadpan expression. "But I can''t do it with my hands. You guys, take care of her."


    Just as he ordered, his team rushed forward simultaneously.


    "Do not underestimate me!" She yelled, giving a big horizontal swing. From her sword, a lightning aura burst out that sted all of her enemies in front.


    However, after clearing the obstacles, she saw that Okarino was no longer there.


    Thud


    She looked back and saw the door leading to the assembly hall shut down, indicating he had easily bypassed her.


    ''Damn it.'' Cursing to herself, she prepared to chase behind him. But Okarino''s team was there to stop them.


    This left the City Guard Captain no choice but to fight. ''I hope, sire can handle him.''


    ¡­


    Assembly Hall.


    Okarino stepped in and saw the door behind him close all by itself. ''Interesting.''


    However, dismissing these useless thoughts, he shifted his focus to the front, where the main goal of his mission was.


    Arash was sitting on his throne, resting his head on the stand he made with his arm. Beside him was a golden spear with angelic wings spiraling around its shaft. He looked down at Okarino with emotionless eyes. "So, you are the one who is the culprit behind all of this. I didn''t expect it to be you, Okarino?"


    Okarino smiled at him and replied. "You look quite scary now, Arash. Where did your humble attitude go?"


    "I am humble to my allies. But¡­" Arash stood up and took the spear in his hand. "A tyrant to my enemies."


    Okarino pulled out his sword too and entered in a standoff with Arash.


    However, their standoff didn''tst long, as they vanished from their spots, appearing in various ces. One could only get a glimpse of them when their weapons shed.


    Ting Ting Ting


    Arash''s attacks were aggressive and straightforward, with no fear in his heart. Meanwhile, Okarino danced along with those attacks and nimbly deflected them with his rapier.


    It didn''t take long for Okarino to finally find a chance. As Arash''s spear thrust was about to hit his legs, he quickly shifted them and evaded the attack. <novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    Seeing the opportunity, Okarino quickly raised his left leg and stomped on the spear, not letting Okarino pull back for another thrust. He thusted his rapier at defenseless Arash''s head.


    Arash was prepared for that the moment his spear got locked under Okarino''s feet. Dodging the rapier''s sharp point in the nick of time by ducking his head to the side, he swiped his spear to the right, freeing it from Okarino''s control.


    Arash pulled his spear as far back as possible and said, with his eyes open wide as he swept his spear at Okarino, " [ Light Whip ] "


    A blinding glow of light shot out of his spear, hurling it toward him like a thick rope.


    Okarino stopped in his tracks by sliding his feet on the floor. Then, pointing his rapier at Arash, he said. "[ Blooming Lotus ]".


    Water burst out of his rapier point and formed a giant lotus that acted like a shield.


    Bang!


    Just after the light whip shed against the lotus shield, steam emerged that blocked Okarino''s sight. But he swiped his rapier and sted it away.


    Okarino didn''t attack right away butmented, standing straight. "So, that is the rare light element. People who are blessed with rare elements are guaranteed to achieve greatness, and your ss seems like that of a Soldier of Light, a warrior subss that is also very rare. But these all went to waste for a reason because here you are, a lowly Baron at a remote ce."


    "You know a lot. It looks like your background isn''t small. Who sent you here? Who wants to kill my family?" Arash asked with a stern look.


    Okarino went silent, wondering if he should say it. But after pondering for a bit, he felt there was no harm in saying it now. "Arash, you should have taught your daughter to respect the higher royalties well. You can say this is all her fault."


    Arash''s eyes widened as the realization hit him. ''So, that exins all of this. The prince would do anything that would harm his chance of getting the throne. He might not do anything to Ana, but he wants to break her mentally by killing her family.''


    "Why did you go silent? Regretting your choice to send your daughter?" Okarino asked, curious about Arash''s response.


    Arash stared at Okarino, who was filled with pride, surprising Okarino. "I never regretted anything in my life. Like the moment when I discarded my future for my wife. I didn''t care about what glory I would get with my powers. I just wanted to protect my queen''s smile and lead a happy life with her. Many showed disdain for what I did, they said I was a coward and a weakling to be entranced by a lowly woman."


    "Hahaha!" Arash startedughing, remembering the past. "What a joke! Aren''t we all using these earth-shattering powers to achieve our happiness? So, what is wrong with me having mine? Those fools! But¡­ I do feel sad for them to hurt my mana core, crippling me to helplessness. If I had my original strength, this battle would have been a joke to me."


    Finally, Arash looked back at Okarino again and said, "Just like how I didn''t regret anything in the past, I also do not regret sending my daughter and her choices. She is doing what is best for her and thinking about her family. How can I be sad about having such a wonderful daughter?"


    Okarino stared at Arash''s bright eyes with admiration, whispering softly. "I wish we were on the same side and I could ride your glory, but fate is cruel. I, Okarino, soldier of his future duke, vow to erase you and your lineage from the face of this world."


    Arash didn''t get mad at his remarks. He could see Okarino was just doing his job, a soldier for the kingdom to the very core, which made him have respect for him. "Come, Okarino. Try to kill this wounded Lord. You have to try your hardest. My weak situation might make you ck. So here is a reminder, I am not a Soldier of Light but a Commander of Light."


    "Come!" Okarino yelled, pointing his rapier at Arash.


    Arash thumped his spear shaft on the ground and said. " [ Heavenly Skin ] "


    Arash''s entire body glowed in golden and orange light. In a matter of seconds, his appearance changed. His cloak has turned golden and orange with light mana, and a full body armor appeared on his body, made of that same light. His helmet only showed his eyes, and two short ribbons waved in the air that were stuck to his helmet.


    ''Fuu~'' Arash took a deep breath inside. ''One minute. I have one minute to finish this fight.''


    Okarino''s eyes widened in shock as he could feel the power emanating from Arash. ''That is probably a high-level spell that he learned when he was in his prime. This is going to be hard.''


    Giving each other onest nce, they rushed forward, full of killing intentions.


    Bang Bang Bang


    Now, their every sh shook the assembly hall as their blows shattered the pirs, the walls, and the floor. Completely changing the assembly hall''s appearance.


    ---------


    Okarino ¡ª 9th Stage Fleshcrafting Realm and 9th Stage Novice realm. (Knight of Solidary Lake)


    Arash ¡ª 6th Stage Bloodline Strengthening Realm and 5th Stage Master Realm(Prime). Current Combat Strength: 1st Stage Adept realm.

 Chapter 107 Fire Burning Under Emotions - 3

    ?


    "HAA!" Arash came crashing down, thrusting his spear toward Okarino, who was below.


    Okarino didn''t move; he stared at Okarino''s spear point, and the moment it was just a meter away from his face, he evaded to the side.


    Bang!


    Stones and pebbles shot everywhere, and a small pit appeared where Okarino was.


    Okarino wanted to make a move now, but he saw Arash rushing toward, with no sign of exhaustion. ''He has been attacking me for quite a while, and he didn''t catch his breath a single time. He seems¡­.desperate or is too strong to feel it.''


    Okarino wasn''t sure what the reason was, but now wasn''t the time to think about it. He thrust his rapier, which was glowing in blue at the approaching Arash.


    " [ Sea Serpents Chase ] " Several long serpents burst out of his rapier point and glided towards Arash.


    Arash came to a halt, but there was no sign of him trying to evade it. He let out a breath as hot steam came out and said. " [ Light Piercer ] "


    He thrust his spear just as the water serpents were near him, sting them into smithereens. However, that wasn''t the end, as light beams galloped toward Okarino, taking him by surprise.


    Okarino once again used his shielding skills to defend himself. " [ Blooming Lotus. ] "


    Bam Bam Bam


    Ripples appeared on Okarino''s shield after the light beams hit. Okarino had a nonchnt face at first, but that changed when he saw his shield breaking apart, as the water dropped on the floor. ''Oh no.''


    Thring!


    The lotus shield burst open, spraying water everywhere.


    At that very moment, Okarino saw a blinding light sh before his eyes. Without thinking anything, he shifted his head to the right, dodging Arash''s surprise attack. However, it still grazed past his cheeks, leaving behind a scar where blood oozed out uncontrobly.


    Okarino gave a right-house kick with his left leg in that position.


    Bam


    Okarino''s kicknded on Arash''s cheek, sending him stumbling backward. Finally having a chance, Okarino escaped far away and decided to heal his scar. But it didn''t go within his expectations. ''What!? His light magic has the attribute to stop healing too!? Isn''t he a bit too strong?''


    Laughing to himself after finding out the truth, Okarino pointed his rapier at the uing Arash with the rapier''s hilt roasted on his chest. " [ Unseen Urchin ] "


    In a matter of seconds, Okarino thrust his rapier more than forty times. As a result, a sea of needle-like water spikes enveloped Arash''s vision, making his heart pound. He could feel the danger from those sharp water needles, which were approaching him at a rapid speed.


    Arash quickly pulled his sword back and thrust it with every ounce of his strength as an extremely bright glow of light could be seen on the spear that was increasing gradually. " [ Tear of Heaven ] !"


    A silence descended upon the hall before a shattering noise came. From Arash''s thrust, a thick beam of light shot out that evaporated the water needles. The beam didn''t stop after that, as it had more things to destroy in its path.


    Fortunately, Okarino had a foreboding in his heart when Arash began to charge his spear and right arm. So, early on, he escaped from his thrust''s path.


    Okarino felt a huge boulder was put down from his heart, as he watched the beam pass before him.


    BANG!


    The beam burst through the castle''s walls as if they were nothing and continued on its path.


    A few secondster, the beam subsided, leaving behind a path of destruction.


    Then many heads poked out of the holes; no matter if they were friends or foes, all had dread and awe written on their faces.


    "Huh..Huh¡­" Arash took slow, deep breaths after using that skill. ''I exerted more energy than I had anticipated.''


    Suddenly, his eyes widened. He quickly swung his spear to his left side, stopping Okarino''s rapier from reaching him.


    Ting


    Then their weapons shed once again, this time much more intensely than before.


    "ARGHHH!" Arash yelled, using hisst ounce of strength to kill Okarino.


    Unfortunately, Okarino had gone into defensive mode as he already sensed the depleting energy in his body. Additionally, his exhaustion and desperation also gave away his weakness, making Okarino sure that Arash would be hopeless when his energy ran out.


    Okarino distanced himself and only blocked Arash''s attack, not taking any kind of initiative to attack, even if Arash deliberately gave multiple openings.


    A crazed look appeared in Arash''s eyes, as he felt he would only die if he didn''t finish this now. He had one minute to bring Okarino down, but that was shortened after using that high level skill.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    Arash stopped in his tracks and held his spear with both hands, raising it above him. "Oh great heaven, your helpless child is begging for your blessing. I do not want anything but a curse, a curse with infinite strength to burn myself alive. Release [ Wild Charge of Raktar ] "


    Specks of light flowed out of him and then enveloped his spear and body.


    Okarino sensed an overbearing dread and decided to go all out too. Pointing his rapier at Arash once again, he circled it in the air, making a water ring appear in thin air. If one looked carefully, they would see magic patterns on the water ring. " [ Cry of Sea Dracoon ] "


    "KRRAA!"


    A dragon head¡ªmade of water¡ªemerged from the ring with deer antlers. With a loud cry, it shot toward Arash.


    At that moment, Arash was donepleting his skill. His eyes shot open as they glowed with a golden glow. Then, with a short kick to the floor, his body sted toward Okarino. With his spear forward, he went through the air like an arrow shot by a divine being.


    BAM!


    The Sea Dracoon only managed to halt him for a second before it burst out and he sliced through it.


    When Arash came before Okarino, he saw Okarino make a lotus shield right before his eyes.


    BANG!


    Once again, Arash came to a halt, not being able to prate Okarino''s shield. But he didn''t give up, he poured every ounce of his strength into it, not even caring about emptying himself. "ARGGGGHHHHH!!!!"


    Okarino saw his lotus shield once again quack, announcing its shattering time. Okarino also didn''t have the heart to give up, he hade all this way and now can''t just die like that. Using his energy to heal and strengthen his lotus shield as much as possible, he shouted from the top of his lungs. "ARGGGGHHHHH!!!!"


    Only the screaming of two grown men rang throughout the castle. Arash''s earlier move had brought everyone''s attention, as this was the moment that would determine the fate of their battle.


    The City Guard Captain, full of injuries and blood all over her body, limped her way out of the holes in the wall and witnessed the site before. She said it with sadness in her voice. "Your lord, please-"


    She wasn''t able to properly make her wish, as the deciding moment hade.


    Thrush!


    The lotus shield broke, and Arash''s spear charged forward, making contact with Okarino''s body.


    BANG!


    Suddenly, a loud explosion urred, blocking everyone''s sight. However, it didn''t take long before it subsided, letting everyone see the oue.


    "No, this can''t be."


    "How can he?"


    The city guards felt their souls leave their bodies from what they were seeing.


    Meanwhile, the City Guard Captain was left stumped as she wasn''t able to process the scene before her. Her lord, Arash, was now lying dead on the ground, with no signs of vitalitying from him.


    Okarino was standing before his dead body, heaving up and down heavily. His body was shaking, as he had never felt this close to being dead.


    The reason he was still alive was because of the blue crystal locket on the ground that was withering away. That was a special protection item that was rewarded by the prince. It can block the attack of anyone under Master Realm.


    "Huh¡­.huh...huh¡­.huh¡­.I was lucky, extremely lucky. There was no way I could have beat this monster." Okarino looked at Arash''s dead body with dread and awe. After Arash''s attack failed to do anything to him, his body became weak. Okarino took that chance and stabbed his chest quickly for more assurance.


    "Die!!" Suddenly, Okarino heard a shouting from his side, making his turn around. He saw it was the city guard captain, leaping down at him with a sword hanging over her head.


    Without panicking, Okarino shed his rapier at the city guard captain''s stomach¡ªat a much faster and more acute angle.


    Thud


    Her body flew away andnded on the ground. But she stood up again; despite blood flowing out of her stomach.


    Okarino fully turned his body at her and said it with a smile. "Don''t be so desperate. I will kill everyone in just a few seconds."


    She stood with difficulty, clutching her stomach. With unwavering resolve in her eyes.


    Okarino felt he should taunt people now to calm down his turbulent heart. "Ahhh¡­ what a pitif-"


    Puchi!

 Chapter 108 A Star Perishes From Others Heart

    ?


    Puchi!


    "Wh- What?" Okarino looked below and saw a spear impaling through his heart.


    He looked back and saw with shock that Arash was standing with his hands and head slumped down. "How?"


    The heart was where mages and warriors stored their energies, in the shape of a core. If one could destroy that core, it would spell immediate death.


    Okarino fell to the floor, asking to himself, andter, Arash''s body also followed behind him.


    Thud (2)


    "Lord¡­" The city guard captain whispered first before running and shouting. "LORD!!!"


    She quickly came beside Arash and knelt on both of her knees. She picked up Arash''s body and let him rest on his arms. She called with tears in her eyes. "Lord¡­"


    To her, Arash wasn''t only a lord but a father figure too. She was a warophan, so the only ce she could call home was the dirty streets. But one day, when she was getting bullied by the locals as usual, Arash identally passed by her. Afterwards, he took her in and provided her with everything he could. He took care of her like his own daughter, and as a result, she vowed to protect him and this city with her very soul.


    But¡­ It looks like she failed to keep her promise.


    "Do not cry¡­Nina." Arash nced at Nina''s crying face and said it with a low voice, while trying to make a smile on his face.


    "I failed, I wasn''t strong enough. I failed to protect you." However, Nina didn''t listen, as she knew the only person she could be family with was dying in her arms.


    "What a silly girl. You stopped so many bad guys for me. If you didn''t, I would have died long ago." Even on his deathbed, Arash wasughing at Nina.


    However, this made Nina more sad. "Please, don''t say that."


    "Hahahha¡­ Nina, I do not have much time left. So can you fulfill these wishes of mine?" Arash said it with a soft smile. "After I die, bury me with my children and wives who died. Then, announce to the city that the new baron will be my eldest son, Arlon."


    "What about Princess Ana?" Nina asked, feeling she was most suited.


    "Let her continue on the path she had taken. Also, when shees back, tell her that the ones who killed us are humans, sent by Prince Troy. I do not want her chasing demons and wrongly wasting her life." After saying those, Arash raised his right hand with difficulty, yet surely he was able to rest it upon Nina''s cheeks. "Tell everyone¡ªI love you. Don''t let them be sad about me. I know they can be beautiful beings if they pour their hearts into what they love. Tell Ana, especially, to look after her family without diving too deep into revenge. Also, Nina, my daughter, I love you too."


    Arash''s hand fell from her cheek andnded on his chest, leaving Nina dumbstruck. Then, gradually, she came to her senses and hugged Arash''s body softly. She buried her face in his shoulder and whispered. "I love you too, father."


    ¡­


    "Ha!"


    "What is wrong, Ana?" Mori, who was passing by Ana''s seat, noticed her getting jump-scared all of a sudden.


    Lily, who was beside Ana, came forward and supported her. "Is there something wrong, Ana?"


    The entire ss also noticed the abnormality and looked in their direction.


    Ana, covered in sweat, wiped her forehead. "No- nothing."


    Mori raised his eyebrows, seeing Ana deny it like that. So, he decided to let her open up, as these kinds of things should not be hidden, especially among his students. "Ana, you do not have to worry. I am here for you, what is there to worry about?"


    "I¡­" Ana still hesitated, but thinking of Mori, she decided to spill it out, as Mori was a very reliable teacher. "Professor Mori, just now I felt that I lost something, like something is missing in my heart."


    Mori looked down at his student''s sad and anxious face, giving him shbacks about simr experiences. He brought a caring smile to his cold face and rubbed Ana''s head. "It is okay. If you lose something, then you just need to reimagine it to be in your heart and guard it safely from next time on. And if you want to bring it back, then you have to know that you have many friends and allies who will give their lives for you."


    Ana stared at Mori''s face, somehow bringing tears to her eyes. "I will, professor."


    After giving her head a few rubs, he went towards the dais. On the way, he thought with sadness, as the sudden tears confirmed his guesses. ''I am sorry, my child. I had tofort you with lies.''


    Meanwhile, Ana sat in her ce while wiping her tears. ''This sadness¡­feels so familiar.''


    ¡­


    On the east side of the city.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    "ARGHH!" Under Haitam''srge sword swings, the demons were sliced in half like cotton.


    He was leading the front charge while his army was in the back. His brave charge brought great courage to his army.


    At that moment, Haitam''s eyes widened as he felt a strong energy signatureing from the center of the city, where Arash''s castle was. Haitam recognized that energy carefully, as he was fortunate enough to see Arash in his glory and also be able to learn about Arash''s issue.


    ''This amount of energy¡­don''t tell me.'' Haitam''s heart quacked, thinking of what might be happening if Arash had to exert this amount of energy, and he knew the consequences of this. ''Sire is in trouble. No, he won''t even be able to move after that.''


    Haitam''s worry grew as Arash was the only one who couldpete with the person who could make him use that much energy. ''I have to finish this fast!''


    Haitam''s eyes shifted to Vio and Savrena, who weremanding the demons from the very back. With rage filled in his eyes, he descended from his horse and stepped on the ground. But the moment his feetnded on the ground, he burst into the air, leaping towards Vio and Savrena.


    "Oho~" Savrena got amused by Haitam''s sudden charge directly toward them. As far as war goes, themander of the army should not fight the enemymander from the start because many factors coulde in that might change the war. But if they fought from the start, the oue of the battle would be decided immediately, which was irrational, and no one wanted to do it.


    "Should I go?" Savrena asked Vio, implying she wanted to try out Haitam all on her own.


    "No!" Vio instantly denied. He said this, ring at Haitam. "Let''s go together. You can''t take him alone because he is strong."


    Haitam raised his sword over his head and shouted. " [ Boulder sh ] "


    A shining, metallic aura shot out of Haitam''s sword, in the shape of a crescent moon.


    Vio and Savrena could already feel the sharpness of that strike. They dodged to both sides as fast as possible.


    Bang!


    The attack cleaved the ground in half, making a small crevice and slicing anything into half. Cries from many strong demons rang as their bodies got separated in half or they fell down the crevice.


    Haitamnded on the ground and looked above at Vio and Savrena.


    Savrena brought out a sword and dashed before Haitam in a matter of seconds, surprising Haitam.


    Savrena''s race, the Whisperers of Importance, was known for their speed. They were a race to deliver the messages of the lords. So to guard such information, they had to be loya, fast, and great at fighting, or else they would die the moment they set foot outside.


    Ting!


    Haitam skillfully used his sword to block Savrena''s attack without much difficulty.


    Savrena didn''t get dismayed for failing to strike as she disappeared from her spot and appeared on the other side of Haitam.


    Haitam quickly shed to his other side, managing to deflect that strike. This couldn''t help but make him wonder. ''Her strikes aren''t strong, but her speed is the most dangerous. I have to keep an eye on that.''


    Suddenly, Haitam heard the sound of thunder rumbling. He attacked the source of the sound without looking. " [ Boulder sh ] "


    A metallic sh shot out of Haitam''s sword and shed with a sea of violet thunder.


    Boom!


    ncing to his back, Haitam saw it was Vio. He was floating above, with thunder running through his body. His fists were also enveloped in them.


    Seeing his attack fail, Vio didn''t get disappointed, as he wasn''t good at long range in the first ce. He dived into Haitam while saying. " [ Biddu''s Rage ] "


    Vio''s fists got charged up with violet thunder as long trails were left behind them.


    Haitam, who was using his mana senses to tackle Savrena''s onught, noticed Vio''s arrival. ''Damn it! This is going to take much longer.''


    Cursing himself, Haitam used his other skill. " [ st of Sharp Edges ] "


    In an instant, multiple sword shes like [ Boulder sh ] shot out everywhere, taking Vio and Savrena by surprise.

 Chapter 109 Promises

    ?


    Savrena retreated back and dodged in the gaps of the shes, letting her not get injured.


    But Vio was having a hard time. He didn''t have the same speed as Savrena, so he had to attack to defend himself. However, his attacks didn''t do anything, as the shes would cut his lighting like butter.


    Fortunately, that wasted enough time to make the shes spread more and give him space to dodge.


    Savrena and Vio were stocked after getting hit hard like that. Vio was in the 8th Stage Novice Realm, and Savrena was in the 5th Stage Fleshcrafting Realm. But that wasn''t enough to make any dent in Haitam.


    ''I can''t sense his realm properly, don''t tell me, is he?'' Vio''s worst fear came true. Haitam was stronger than them in the realm.


    Haitam was in the 9th Stage Fleshcrafting Realm, close to breaking through to the Physique Refinement Realm, so he was able to detach his vital energy from his body early on¡ªa perk avable only to those who were halfway into the Physique Refinement Realm.


    In this situation, the only thing that came into y were the special sses. However, there was no one here who got a special ss of their own.


    Savrena''s racial talent might be good, but they weren''t good for death battles, they were most suited for survivability. On the other hand, Vio''s race, Worshipper of the Purple Sun, as the name suggests, worshiped the Purple Sun of the demon realm. For this, they were granted a fraction of the sun''s power, which was just a high damage boost, nothing special.


    Under all these circumstances, Vio made a quick decision and resolved.


    "Light Up! [ Tartalia ] " Puffing up his chest, Vio shouted in anger. Instantly, his chest glowed with violet thunder and coerced through his body. His hands, eyes, hair,and wings elementalized into violet thunder, making him look like a thunder god.


    Savrena''s eyes widened at that. ''Oh no, he is burning his mana core.''


    But her concern couldn''t help but make her do anything now, as Vio had his eye focused on Haitam.


    "Ahhhh!" With a short scream, Vio appeared before Haitam in a matter of seconds, surprising Haitam.


    Bam!


    Vio punched Haitam in the face, sending him flying with a resounding shockwave.


    Savrena saw that as an opportunity and flew toward the Haitam with her sword point aimed at his chest.


    The surprise on Haitam''s face disappeared after that punch and was reced with seriousness. He rotated his body in midair and swung his sword to ss against Savrena''s.


    Vio wouldn''t let this happen, knowing Savrena couldn''t do anything in front of Haitam''s sheer strength. Zooming through the air as fast as possible, Vio caught up to Haitam.


    At that moment, a smirk appeared on Haitam''s face. ''d you are much faster now.''


    " [ Boulder sh ] " In a sh, Haitam swung his sword behind his back, catching Vio off guard.


    Purich!


    A deep scar appeared on Vio''s chest, which made him fly backward and crash to the ground.


    Haitam then shifted his focus to Savrena. He grabbed her sword with his bare hand, stopping it from reaching his body. Blood dripped through the sword, but that wasn''t important to Haitam.


    One of his main enemies was just before him; how could he miss such an easy kill?


    Haitam swung his sword at defenseless Savrena, Time seemed to have slowed down for her as she saw the swording at her with a full 180 degree swing. She wanted to escape, and with her fast speed, it was possible. But Haitam''s sh was faster, and they were in very close range, destroying Savrena''s hope of evading.


    ''Am I going to die? I have not even confessed to Vio yet.'' Regrets started to appear in her mind.


    "Huh?" Suddenly, Haitam''s swing came to a halt. He grabbed Savrena''s wrist and flung her to the side, smashing her to the ground. Savrena went further away from Haitam as she continued rolling on the ground.


    Haitam turned back and inserted his sword into the ground, acting as if it was a shield.


    BANG!!


    A four meter thick beam, consisting of pure violet thunder, smashed into Haitam''s sword, dragging his body back for the force behind it.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    "DON''T YOU DARE TOUCH HER!" Vio shouted out loud, announcing to the world his desire. He was floating in the air, just a few centimeters away from his feet touching the ground. From his chest, the thunder beam wasing out, and particles of mana entered his wings, acting like rechargers.


    "Argh!" Haitam groaned in pain as his body turned static. He could feel the residual thunder entering his body, through his eyes and nose. Because of its destructiveponent, the thunder was destroying his body parts from inside. As a result, blood trickled out of his nose, mouth, eyes, and ears. But he held on strong, gritting his teeth.


    Haitam shot a nce at Vio and saw his body churning and having fissures. ''He can''t do this for longer, and it can be said the same to me.''


    Haitam was trying his hardest to quell the thunder in his body with his vital energy, but all for naught. He couldn''t keep up with the amount of residual thunder entering his body and kept channeling his vital energy to reinforce his sword, which was also showing cracks; despite coating it with his vital energy.


    ''Damn it, I can''t even dodge. I will get hit by it the moment I move.'' Haitam cursed his mind, seeing himself in such a grave situation.


    All of a sudden, Haitam felt another source of great danger approaching him. He gave a nce to the side and saw Savrena standing while ring at him, like that of a killer.


    ''Is this the end? Not even seeing the sire for onest time?'' Haitam began to doubt whether he could get out of this situation. But, for him, it took only a few seconds to know his aim and goal.


    ''No, I am the sword of Lord Arash. I had no talent or anything special, but still, Lord Arash gave me a ce to stay. So, I vowed from that day on that I will cut through anyone and anything for Lord Arash. I sharpened my strikes for years to cut a straight road for Lord Arash. How can I go down like this?'' Light appeared in Haitam''s eyes, and resolve filled his heart.


    Haitam twisted his sword, making the edge face Vio''s direction. Then he swung it upward. " [ Muttion ] "


    Arge sh with a metallic shine cut through the thunder beam, dividing it in half.


    Vio saw the sh approaching him, but he was not in the right mind to think of anything rational. So, he could wait and get cut by it.


    Phruch!


    A vertical line appeared on Vio''s body, and he stopped shooting his beam too. Then the vertical line slid open his skin, bursting out bright red blood.


    Thud


    Vio''s body just dropped to the ground when Haitam turned around and swung his sword horizontally while still in the skill''s active state.


    This was a consecutive sh skill that he came up with, that had the [ Boulder sh ] as its base.


    [ Boulder sh ] consumed time and energy to charge up, but this one had the same intensity and could be done in a row.


    Savrena had her mind go nk when she saw Vio''s situation, losing heart to attack Haitam. But she still instinctively put her sword before Haitam''s sword path.


    However, that was of no use as her sword got snapped in half and Haitam''s sword cut into her waist.


    Thrush!


    At that moment, Haitam''s sword broke into multiple pieces, which canceled the skill. But still, his sword had cut through half of her waist, and the force behind it shot her body in Vio''s direction.


    She once again rolled on the ground and eventually stopped one meter away from Vio''s body.


    Vio felt he was losing control of his body and his sight was getting blurry, but he still saw what hade to Savrena. He tried to move, attempting to get closer to her, but it was to no avail. ''Why? Just why? I wanted to have a ce to live peacefully, with someone that I could love. Why can''t we demons have that? Always getting hunted by demons... Are we demons or they?''


    Meanwhile, Savrena could still move her body, but she could feel pain from the sword shards every time she moved. In spite of that, it wasn''t enough to stop Savrena from reaching Vio.


    Crawling with great difficulty while losing a huge amount of blood, Savrena managed to touch Vio''s cold hands.


    "Vio, can you hear me?" Savrena called with a quaking voice, but no response came from Vio.


    Savrena got caught in the grave situation, so she said with tears and a small smile on her face. "Vio, do not be sad that we failed. We demons are destined to live a life of constant death. So, I hope in the next life we can live the lives of normal beings."


    After a moment of silence, a quiet yet firm voice entered her ears. "Promise."

 Chapter 110 Generals In Action

    ?


    The light in Vio and Savrena''s eyes disappeared, announcing their deaths.


    The demons fighting against the soldiers also saw and felt it. They started to panic, losing their leaders. The soldiers saw this as a chance and killed them as much as possible.


    Thud


    "KWAK!" Haitam knelt on the ground and coughed heavily. He tried to use his hands to stop the blood froming but failed miserably, as with every cough, his hand and body got painted in red.


    ''Damn it!'' Haitam became mad. Seeing his situation, he understood why his body was reacting like that. Earlier, when he used that skill, he stopped using his vital energy to stop the residual thunder from spreading in his body. Taking that chance, the sparks ran amok in his body and destroyed every part, even severing some important blood vessels, lung, liver, hearts, and many more.


    He turned his head back to the city. ''Lord¡­''


    BANG!


    Suddenly, the wall on the southern side crumbled as if it had been hit by something very big and strong.


    ''I am co..ming¡­.''


    Thud


    Haitam''s intense desire to save Arash couldn''t stop his body from copsing on the ground. His eyes turned white as he lost consciousness.


    ¡­


    A couple of minutes earlier, when Okarino had just stepped into Arash''s castle.


    " [ Blood Spikes ] " Ravenna wed up, and instantly, blood spikes burst out of the ground, trying to prate Ahat.


    But Ahat skillfully ran around and glided in the air, dodging them.


    At that moment, Fiain came to his predicament path as if she had known all along and swung her sword. " [ Raging Wind ] "


    A crescent moon shaped sh¡ªmade of wind¡ªshot out of her de and instantly exploded into multiple sharp wind shes.


    Ahat inserted his sword into the ground and whispered. " [ Earth''s Protection ] "


    Several walls rose from the ground and blocked Fiain and Ravenna''s attack from reaching him.


    Ahat wasn''t to take a breath of relief as Ragnar appeared above him with his right fist winding up behind him.


    " [ Shattering Fist ] !" With a loud shout, Ragnar crashed down, punching at Ahat. Ragnar''s fist was enveloped in white energy, which enveloped his entire hand, making him look like he was moving down while forcing aet to move forward with his own hand.


    Ahat calcted that he wouldn''t be able to dodge that attack in time, so he decided to take it head-on. He put his sword''s t side on top of his head and braced for impact.


    BAM!


    Just as Ragnar''s punchnded on Ahat''s sword, his leg dug deep into the floor, and the floor also caved in. Ahat thought with shock as he withstood the attack, gritting his teeth. ''This strength!''


    The reason Ahat was surprised was because he had fought against Benimaru, who was Rangar''s and others leader. When they fought, Ahat could see Benimaru wasn''t as strong as it seemed. But in just a matter of two weeks, he was exchanging blows with his underlinings and was having a hard time. This made him wonder, What is Benimaru''s strength now? ''These bastards! I shouldn''t have let them go.''


    [ General: Ragnar


    Race: Martial Demon


    ss: Martial Master of Stars


    Vitality Realm: 5th Stage Fleshcrafting


    Combat Strength: 8th Stage Fleshcrafting


    Ability: Blessings of Martial Demon God


    Vitality Technique: Great Tiger and Bear Art


    Skills: Counter, Blurry Dash, Shattering Fist ]


    Ragnar was close to reaching the 2nd Stage Fleshcrafting Realm, so it didn''t take much time for him to reach the 5th Stage Fleshcrafting Realm this quickly. In these few months, Ragnar had honed his fisting skills and proficiency. This gave him inspiration, and as a result of that, the skill [ Shattering Fist ] was created.


    This skill not only gave him more options but also increased his overall strength. Because the main part of this skill was fisting, which corrted with his other skills, making them much stronger.


    However, for some reason, Ragnar awakened his ss too. This was the most confusing part for Benimaru, as this ss didn''t match with anything he did, so he knew there was something deep happening with Ragnar that he was unaware of.


    "ARGH!" Ahat didn''t know about that; the only thing on his mind right now was to kill these demons who were sullying the sacred ce. Shoving Ragnar away, Ahat inserted his sword into the ground and swung upwards in Ravenna''s direction. Stopping them from making a follow up attack. " [ Ravage, Earth ] "


    It was the same skill that he used against Benimaru the previous time they fought. Nine rocky spikes burst out of the ground and galloped toward Ravenna and Fiain.


    " [ Wall of Neverending Blood ] " Ravenna swiped her hands horizontally in the opposite direction. Following the movement of her hands, blood behind her battlefield flew out and created a giant wall made of blood, where Fiain also came behind to take shelter.


    BANG!


    The spikes smashed into the wall, but they couldn''t do anything but turn into pebbles. It was as if they had encountered an indestructible wall.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    [ General: Ravenna


    Race: Blood Subus


    ss: Blood Doctor


    Magic Realm: 6th Stage Novice Realm


    Vitality Realm: 2nd Stage Fleshcrafting Realm


    Combat Strength: 9th Stage Apprentice Realm/Fleshcrafting Realm


    Ability: Whisperer of Blood


    Vitality Technique: None


    Magic Technique: Mana Blessing Technique,


    ss Technique: Medical Blood Art(2 Star)


    Skill: Basic Archery(Mastered)


    Spell: Corpse Bomb, Blood Spike. Wall of Neverending Blood ]


    Ravenna was making giant leaps in her own way. She had jumped from the 9th Stage Apprentice Realm to the 6th Stage Novice Realm. She was focusing on her magic cultivation realm, so she didn''t make much progress in her vitality cultivation realm. However, other than that, there was nothing significant or noticeable change in her except for the new spell she learned.


    After the dust settled from the rocks that got crushed, it revealed what was going on on the other side of the wall. In the meantime, Fiain and Ragnar were holding Ahat in ce, not letting him move around that much.


    Ahat was having a bad feeling in his heart, seeing them so desperately stop him from moving that much. He looked at the remaining piece of his unease, and his eyes widened at what he saw.


    The battlefield was quiet, the demons and his soldiers had stopped fighting for some reason. And Ravenna was crouching down, pressing both of her palms on the ground. Before he could further think about what she was trying to do, Ravenna''s eyes shot open.


    " [ Corpse Bomb ] " An invisible pulse ran through the floor, but people with keen eyes properly saw what it was. Thin blood veins had bulges moving to their other ends. Taking a closer look, Ahat noticed those were connected to the corpses piled on the ground.


    Ahat saw quite a few around him, letting him know what was happening. ''Oh no.''


    He wanted to escape from this ce, but at that moment, Ragnar used [ Shattering Fist ] on top of his fist inplete surprise, making him lose consciousness for a second as his helmet caved in.


    Ragnar retreated back, with a smirk on his face, to watch the beautiful show.


    BOOM!!!!


    A chained explosion urred that shook the church to its very core, destroying everything that got caught in these explosions. Ahat''s soldiers weren''t exceptions, as they bore the brunt. They didn''t have the slightest clue what was going to happen, as the only thing that was bugging their minds was the demons'' sudden retreat. They only saw therades who died have their bodies bulge in various shapes before their vision turned ck.


    After the explosions and their aftereffects subsided, the only things left were the broken walls, chandeliers, pits on the ground, and rows and rows of mutted bodies.


    Ahat''s senses returned back, only to see this devastating scene. He didn''t know why he was falling to the ground, but he knew one thing¡ªhe was mad, very mad.


    But before he could find the target to vent his anger on, he was greeted by Fiain''s sudden arrival. She unleashed a flurry of attacks at very weird angles. " [ Strikes of Unforseen ] "


    This was a skill that Fiain came up with that used her racial ability. By seeing two seconds into the future, she would sh in acute angles, where the vital parts of her enemy were. Because of her preattack, her enemies would have a hard time reacting, making it a deadly attack set.


    Bam Bam Thruch Thruch!


    After a few scratches on Ahat''s armor, Fiain''s attacks prated andnded on Aaht''s body, eventually resulting in his body being shot backwards because of the force behind these strikes.


    Bang


    [ General: Fiain


    Race: The Watcher


    Vitality Realm: 5th Stage Fleshcrafting Realm


    Combat Strength: 8th Stage Fleshcrafting Realm


    Ability: Eyes of Envision


    Vitality Technique: Heart and Eye


    Skills: Gale Thrusts, Raging Wind, Strikes of Unforseen ]


    Fiain also made great progress, making her breakthrough into the 5th Stage Fleshcrafting Realm. For Fiain, Benimaru had high hopes. Because of her skills and abilities, she was best suited for solo missions. One had to say¡ªher race was truly the best for hunting.


    Ravenna, Ragnar, and Fiain stood side by side, sensing Ahat''s vitality, readying themselves for any sudden attack.


    But, they didn''t have to, as Ahat''s vitality was decreasing slowly yet surely as time passed by.

 Chapter 111 O Mother

    ?


    "Did we do it?" Ragnar asked curiously, didn''t expect the victory woulde that easily.


    "It seeds like it." Ravenna stretched her arms and yawned. "Ahhh~ When will Benimaru finish? I had to wake up so early today."


    "It won''t take much time. With the Lord''s new strength, he might be able to finish the mission in a few minutes." Ragnar made a rough estimation with the information he knew of. Ragnar had seen Benimaru''s growth, and he could feel the energy radiating out of him every time he exited from his cultivation session.


    A glittering smile appeared on Ravenna''s face. "Really? Let''s go! I can have a long rest before Benimaru finds a new mission."


    "Uhhh¡­" Ragnar got reminded of something when he saw Ravenna make this im. He hesitated a bit before deciding to spill it out. "Umm¡­ Miss Ravenna, you have to work on making new potions and pills after this mission. Oh, also, you have to find apprentices that could take your teaching."


    "Wha-" Ravenna was left speechless, as she had never heard of anything like this. "Ragnar, are you joking with me? Tell me this is a lie."


    Ragnar stared at Ravenna''s puppy eyes, filled with tears. He wanted to lie, but it would be no use as her end was inevitable. "Sorry to say this, but the Lord has discussed this with me these past days."


    "And you didn''t try to deny such a task? I thought we wererades." Ravenna started throwing her usual tantrums, giving Ragnar arge headache.


    Fiain just watched them do their shenanigans with a slight smile on her face. It was true that she was always cold and devoid of any emotion, but that didn''t mean she didn''t like this. She would rather stay with them peacefully than go to war every time. But if it was Benimaru''s wish, then that was a different case.


    However, at that moment, Fiain''s eyes shot open as she shouted, looking at where Ahat was lying. "Be Careful! He isn''t dead yet."


    Ravenna and Ragnar''s faces changed, reced with seriousness. They armed themselves and prepared themselves for battle.


    "You..demons..how dare¡­you?" Ahat walked out of the rubble, staggering, with his head hung down.


    Thrud


    Ahat removed his helmet, revealing his face for the first time. He had rough skin and a thick, blonde beard on his neck. His short, blonde hair was swept down because of the blood. He exhaled loudly, while ring at the trio.


    "You have to die. You all have to die before the goddess!"


    Thud


    Ahat knelt on his knees and looked to the sky, pleading by spreading his arms. "Dear Mother! Your children are crying. They are dying to save the very ce where mortals could nce at you. We are trying, Mother! But our strength is nothing in front of these dreadful demons, the vilest creature to this beautiful world of yours."


    The trio gave him weird nces, feeling that what Ahat was doing looked stupid. Gods were untouchable, unseenable, and unattainable beings. How could they spare their time for insignificant beings? Sure, Ahat might be following her given path and working under her, but there were many others who were far better and stronger than him.


    "We should kill him now. I am having a bad feeling." Ravenna suggested the other two.


    Ragnar might not have felt it, but Fiain agreed with Ravenna. There was a promotion in their hearts that something outrageous might be happening.


    "Mother! I beg you. Please, give this child of yours strength to defend your holy ground." Ahat cried out loud, ignoring the trio rushing toward him.


    "Please¡­ let me at least die saving your sacred ce." Ahat''s voice gradually lowered, but a raw emotion could be felt in his voice.


    At that moment, Ragnar and Fiain had already closed in on him, and Ravenna''s blood spikes were blooming around Ahat.


    But, these were all nonexistent to him. Ignoring his life about to end, he still looked up at the destroyed ceiling, No! To the sky above, trying to see if his goddess looked back at him.


    He didn''t lose hope. He believed, believed that the goddess would not let her children die of injustice.


    ""Your heart is so full of love for your mother, my child.""


    At that very moment, a soft, melodious voice echoed throughout the hall, bringing a certain calm to everyone''s heart. But it also filled their hearts with fear. The fear of losing your own self, destiny, and path.


    "Mother, you listened to your child." Ahat had tears rolling down his eyes, not believing that the elusive goddess that he vowed to protect and worship till his death had finally appeared because of his cry.


    No one could see the goddess, not even Ahat. But they could feel her presence despite her absence.


    ""How can I not listen to my most devoted child? I have not had a child like you for centuries." <novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    Gradually, a smile appeared on Ahat''s face. "Thank you, mother. Mother, let me lend your strength to y these fiends that are sullying your sacred ground."


    ""I can''t give you much, but this is enough to defeat the enemies in front of you.""


    Instantly, a radiating green glow fell from the ceiling, slowly descending onto Ahat.


    The trio wanted to go and kill Ahat before it reached him. But what can they do when they are in the presence of a goddess? They were sweating heavily right now because they knew that if they made a move, they would cease to exist in this world forever.


    Eventually, the green luminescent glowing from just a small dot¡ªentered Ahat''s chest.


    First there was silence, then tremors started to appear on the ground.


    "Ahhh~ This skill... this power... Mother, I will show you that your gift isn''t in vain." Ahat stood up, and every second, the injuries in his body started to heal. His skin got rejuvenated, and he seems to be filled with much more energy than before.


    "Heed my call, O great earth. From the soil that I was made and the soil that I will go back to." Ahat words reverberated throughout the hall as soil and brown specks of condensed mana entered his body. Then his eyes shot open, and as he said with pride. "Let me be your protector once again! [ Warrior of Earth ] "


    A strong wind sted, that blew dust into everyone''s eyes, But it didn''t take time for it to settle and see what Ahat had be.


    The sword in his hand wasbined with rock and soil. It was eight meters long and looked refined, like a new sword out of a furnace. A rocky armor enveloped Ahat''s body, leaving no opening. But there were some holes in his helmet that helped him breathe. It wasn''t only Ahat''s appearance that changed, there was something more inside that was making the trio have thoughts of running away.


    This made their hearts shake, as they had never had such thoughts before. No matter what the situation or what their future might be, they would always go on the path fearlessly that their Lord told them to go.


    "Don''t you joke with me!?" Ragnar shouted out loud and rushed toward Ahat, trying to deny his fear.


    Ravenna and Fiain yelled simultaneously, seeing Ragnar acting recklessly.


    "No! Stop!"


    "You do not have to fight him!"


    But their words didn''t register in Ragnar''s ears. The only thing that was running through his mind was to kill Ahat. The fear that made him think of betraying his lord''s words.


    Ahat didn''t move from his ce. Pressing his right arm forward, he whispered softly. "Lock."


    Puchi!


    In a matter of seconds, several rocky spikes with high density burst out of the ground at breakneck speed and immobilized Ragnar in his tracks.


    "Whe- Blurgh!" Ragnar spurted out a huge amount of blood. He felt he was losing control of his body and vision.


    "Ragnar!" Ravenna and Fiain were beyond shocked by the sudden turn of events. Then their emotions were only filled with rage.


    "Die!" Fiain dashed forward, with the intention of killing Ahat. Her senses were deteriorating, but she still held on, as she needed a calm mind to win against Ahat.


    Meanwhile, Ravenna used [ Blood Spikes ] and was freed from the rocky spikes. She quickly used the blood as ropes and brought him back to her.


    At that moment, Fiain had already arrived close to Ahat. She aimed her sword''s sharp point at Ahat. " [ Gale Thrusts ] "


    This was a skill that used to attack at a single point with as much strength as possible, best for using on someone who had strong armor or defense. Ahat fit that criteria, making her feel this skill was the only usible weapon to injure him.


    But before she finished thrusting, a towering shadow cast itself on her. She nced up and saw Ahat swinging his sword down at her.


    ''When? How can he lift such a heavy sword and swing it that quickly? This is impossible." It might seem impossible to her, but here she was, witnessing it with her own eyes.


    Fiain knew she couldn''t dodge, she had to take that head-on. Just putting her sword forth would not be enough to block that strike; she had to put additional force behind it. " [ Raging Wind ] "

 Chapter 112 Unstoppable Despair

    ?


    BANG!


    "ACK!" Fiain''s leg bent after taking that strike, and her feet dug deep into the floor. The floor under her feet cracked open, starting to cave in.


    Fiain nced up to see if Ahat was having any trouble overpowering her. But to her dismay, she could only see calm and cold eyes; that wasn''t her in his eyes.


    ''How¡­can this be?'' Fiain gritted her teeth, struggling to stop the strike. Her arms began to shake, letting others know she was failing. ''How can he have this much power in such a short amount of time?''


    When the goddess''s presence entered the hall, no one was able to hear her voice, except Ahat himself. So, they weren''t sure who the person was who granted Ahat this much power.


    But, connecting the words Ahat said, Fiain was able to make an assumption about who it might be. ''Is it the goddess? If it is, then everything makes sense.''


    However, finding out the truth only made her fall into far greater despair. Because who was she to go against the power of divine beings?


    Meanwhile, Ravenna was healing Ragnar as fast as possible. She could see the struggle, and as a bystander, she knew Ahat was toying with her. ''Hold on, Fiain. I aming.''


    But it was toote, because cracks started to appear on Fiain''s sword. ''No, I have to do something else.''


    Racking her brain up, she thought of a crazy idea when she stared into Ahat''s eyes.


    At that moment, Fiain let go of her sword. Before Ahat''s sword fell on her body, she moved forward and aimed her sharp nails at Ahat''s eyes. " [ Gale Thrusts ] "


    Ahat''s eyes widened a little, surprised by Fiain''s conviction to go down with him, injuring him badly.


    Thud


    Catching Fiain''s wrists with his left hand, Ahat red at Fiain''s eyes silently. After pondering for a bit, he came to a decision.


    Bam


    Ahat smashed Fiain''s body to the floor as if he were beating a wet cloth against a wall.


    Bam Bam Bam


    After several times smashing her body, Ahat raised her, putting her gaze on the same level as his. He saw Fiain''s face for the first time after the mask broke from hitting the floor. Her eyes were closed, and she was getting unconscious to start saving energy to repair her body.


    Thud


    Flinging her to his side, Ahat looked at Ravenna, who was staring back at him with fear and anger.


    "You also have that will to go against your fate. To defeat your feared enemy." Ahat''s tone turned hoarse. "I hate that to my very core. I do not want to see demons, who are cunning and vile creatures, have that belief. That is only reserved for us, humans. So, I have decided not to kill you."


    Ahat walked forward while ring at Ravenna. "I will capture you and tie you down before the demon races. Then I will sever your heads with that unwavering will of yours. To let those demons know that no matter how strong your convictions may be, all wille in vain going against us."


    "Shut up!" Ravenna yelled in rage, thinking of the scenario Ahat just described in her mind. Instantly, blood from the battlefield flows out, galloping toward Ahat.


    Ahat saw a sea of blooding toward him, making him evaluate Ravenna''s strength once again.


    Before arriving close to Ahat, they turned into sharp swords. However, that still didn''t faze Ahat.


    Ahat mocked Ravenna. "You think you can defeat with overwhelming numbers?"


    Ahat raised his sword up a bit before inserting it into the ground. "Rise."


    The ground rumbled, and high, rising walls rose up, blocking Ravenna''s attack from reaching her.


    "Let me show you what true strength is." Ahat ran around the giant wall and came close to Ravenna in a matter of seconds.


    Ravenna swiped her hands, conjuring a wall of blood.


    However, to Ahat, that wall was nonexistent. He swung his sword, making the wall burst open and having the blood stter all over the ce.


    Phruch!


    Ahat''s sword hit Ravenna''s waist. But she quickly used her own blood to block it from leaving her with a grave injury.


    Ravenna''s eyes widened as Ahat''s sword seemed to bypass her guard without much effort. One has to know Ravenna''s blood was very potent, and when she used it with her own mana, its effectiveness would be tenfold. <novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    Still, Ravenna didn''t give up, she used the fraction of time her guard was able to stop the strike and used her hand to block further force. She knew that still wouldn''t be enough, so she used that as a catalyst and flung herself away while taking Ragnar with her blood rope.


    But she wasn''t able to stand her ground when a towering shadow cast itself on her. She looked up with horrified eyes, just to see Ahat ring down at her.


    Bam!


    Ahat kicked at Ravenna''s waist once again, sending her flying away and eventually crashing into a wall.


    From that kick, Ravenna felt her bones break and her intestines churn. But these types of injuries meant nothing to her.


    ''However, why is it taking so long to heal?'' To answer the confusion, she looked inside her body and found out the answer. ''What is this energy? I can''t remove a small part without using my entire energy.''


    Ravenna saw white balls with green cores in them that glowed softly roaming around her body. It was right to not know about this, as this was much higher energy.


    It was called divinity. Only gods and their chosen ones could use this power. The ones Ahat was using are only the smallest fraction of the Goddess of Nature''s power.


    However, she knew one thing for sure, and it was that Ragnar and Fiain lost so fast despite having great healing abilities because of these.


    Ravenna tried to get out of the way while warning herself. ''I have to not get hi-''


    She wasn''t able to finish her thought process when Ahat''s giant hand grabbed her face and smashed her against the wall, making it copse.


    "Were you scared? Come tell me!" Ahat used as much force as possible to smash Ravenna on the ground.


    BANG!


    The ground cracked and had fissures after Ravenna''s body smashed against it. But because of the force Ahat used, Ravenna''s body didn''t get stuck in the ground; instead, she bounced out like a ball.


    Bam


    Then it was continued by a punch in the face, making her fly away and smash against a pir this time. Her body prated through it, resulting in the pir being destroyed.


    Ahat didn''t chase behind her but mocked her, standing in his ce. "Oh, you can still move after those hits. Your healing capability is quite remarkable."


    Ravenna''s distorted face was mended to its original shape and appearance with the help of her Medical Blood Art Technique. Not only her face, but the injuries on her body started to heal.


    Step Step


    Ahat walked slowly, having the time of his life toying with demons who had high-ranking bloodlines. This was enough for him to be promoted to Pdin Lieutenant or even Pdin Commander if the headquarters were generous. "Yes, heal yourself properly. I want to see how long you can go on."


    While all of this was happening, Ragnar was watching it with his eyes half-closed . He wanted to go help Ravenna, but he couldn''t. His body had stopped healing itself because the divine energy was still upying his body. He was only able to even breathe properly because of the treatment Ravenna gave him while Fiain was stalling for time.


    Ragnar whispered to himself while seeing Ravenna get brutally beaten down. "Stand."


    Bam!


    Ahat''s violent beating shed before his eyes. "Please, stand up."


    Bam Bang!


    "Why are you not listening?" Slight tears starteding out of Ragnar''s eyes. "I always get held down, only to be rescued by the Lord."


    Ragnar remembered when Benimaru came to save him when the Swinefiends were abusing him and were about to kill him. He also remembered when he couldn''t save Ravenna from Garner. The same thing happened once again, and he was left feeling powerless.


    Bam


    Ravenna''s breathing was getting chaotic as she was running out of energy to keep healing herself. She could lose consciousness at any moment, but she was still holding on because of her strong will.


    "If only I was strong as the lord¡­if only..." While speaking those words, something popped into his head.


    He remembered that he always felt a strong energy hidden in his heart, which would help him every time he cultivated, helping him strengthen his vital core. When he asked Benimaru about it, he told him that it was his blood essence in its most condensed form. Then, when he asked what it was used for, he answered with a smirk.


    "This is one of the most valuable treasures in the world."


    Remembering all of this, a crazy idea formed in his mind. ''If I use this all up, what kind of power will it grant me?''

 Chapter 113 Mysterious Power

    ?


    For Ragnar right now, the only thing that could change this current oue was this blood essence. But He hesitated because of what Benimaru told him.


    "I used it to enhance your bloodline, but it looks like not all of it was used to upgrade it. Still, do not use it now; I am sure when you reach a higher stage, this potent energy wille in handy."


    Bam!


    Ragnar''s hesitation broke the sound of something getting smashed against a solid object entering his ears. Channeling his mana senses, he began to influence the blood essence to start activating.


    "ARGHHH!!!"


    Instantly, Ragnar''s body started to deform, and dark light shed from his orifices. He groaned and screamed in extreme pain, as if thousands of needles were poking his inner body.


    Crack


    Suddenly, cracks started to appear on Ragnar''s body as he began to lose consciousness. ''No, I can''t control this power. I made a mistake.''


    When Benimaru''s blood essence was used to upgrade Ragnar''s bloodline, the system was the one handling everything, so Ragnar didn''t feel this much of a pain. But now, he was using it on his own, without any knowledge about it.


    He was bound to fail from the start.


    Ahat stopped in his tracks toward Ravenna and nced at Ragnar. He felt a very sinister energy radiating out of him, making him scared for the first time. ''What is happening? I have the power of the goddess in me, why am I being scared?''


    This made Ahat extremely worried about Ragnar, but when he saw Ragnar''s life force seeping away, his worry vanished. ''Was this a bluff? But still, I should finish him off on my own.''


    Ahat changed his trajectory and headed towards Ragnar. He took slow steps because he didn''t know what might happen. He might get possessed by a great demon, or his body might explode. Whatever it might be, it was dangerous for him.


    Ragnar was clueless about Ahat approaching him. He was having a hard time trying to stop this power. ''I can''t die. Not yet!''


    "''"Yes¡­..you still have live¡­..for me¡­"''"


    At that moment, a voice echoed from Ragnar''s inner consciousness. He didn''t know who this voice belonged to, but there was a sign of familiarity about it.


    That didn''t matter right now, as after the voice died down, the pain in Ragnar''s body subsided and the dark shing stopped. Ragnar''s body became stiff as if he were dead.


    Ahat had a sh of doubt in his mind. ''Did I worry too much? He died just like that.''


    But Ahat wasn''t able to let out a sigh of relief when suddenly, from Ragnar''s body, a white beam shot out to the sky. Gradually, Ragnar''s body also started to float and became stationary in midair.


    "Something feels wrong." Ahat put up his guard, looking at Ragnar with distress.


    Tang


    The white beam disappeared after a sound of metal ringing. Afterwards, Ragnar''s eyes shot open, which were devoid of any emotion. His white hair grew down his waist, like a lion''s mane.


    Ragnar looked at Ahat with deadpan eyes, before he started walking toward him.


    Ahat nerves were twitching nonstop as he was feeling an invisible pressure emitting out of Ragnar. ''This aura and this otherworldly feeling¡­this ispletely different from his previous self.''


    To quell his panicked heart, Ahat rushed toward Ragnar and swung his sword.


    While Ahat''s sword wasing down at Ragnar, he was still walking leisurely. But the moment it reached close to his head, Ragnar sidestepped casually, evading it like it was nothing.


    ''What!?'' Ahat was beyond shocked by Ragnar''s speed.


    Ragnar punched at Ahat''s chest, who was defenseless now. Ahat could feel the punching, but he wasn''t that worried because he was very confident in his armor, which was filled with the goddess''s power.


    Crack-Bam!


    Ahat was proven wrong instantly as his rocky armor shattered the moment Ragnar''s right fist came in contact with his chest te.


    That wasn''t the end of it, as the fist continued on its track andnded on Ahat''s solid chest.


    Bam!


    Ahat''s body shot like a cannon and prated through several walls.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    After Ahat stopped, he thought while lying down. "What is this outrageous streng- rg!"


    A mouthful of blood came out of Ahat''s mouth, painting his body red. He tried to get up in a hurry because he had to defend himself before Ragnar got close to him.


    But he just put his hand on the rubble to stand, when suddenly a tall shadow fell on his body. With his eyes wide open, Ahat punched at Ragnar''s guts.


    Ragnar grimaced at seeing this before he kicked Ahat''s chin, sending him flying in the air.


    Smashing through three or four ceilings, Ahat appeared outside, getting a view of the burning city and the chaotic noise from the war outside. Unfortunately, Ahat wasn''t able to experience any of this as he was unconscious from the kick.


    Ragnar looked up and saw Ahat''s body falling right on him. Winding up his right fist, he imbued it with white, vital energy.


    " [ Meteorite Punch ] " Then he punched at Ahat, as if he was throwing an object at him. With the force of his punch, all the rubble surrounding him blew away. A fist-shaped vital energy, containing some sort of mysterious energy, galloped toward Ahat, destroying the ceilings in its path.


    Ahat, who was just gradually having his conscience return, just saw a white light sh in front of his eyes before his eyes turned dark.


    The punch hit the center of Ahat''s body, freezing him in the air for a few seconds.


    Boom


    Then, all of a sudden, his body exploded into bits and pieces, which rained down on the church.


    Inside the church.


    Ragnar looked at his body and squeezed his fists, feeling the power inside him. "Hmm¡­This body didn''t disappoint me. This is much better than I anticipated. The legendary Abyssal Lord''s blood essence, with this much purity, is no joke. I wish I had gotten my hands on it earlier."


    At that moment, he felt someone approaching in his direction. "I guess it is time for me to leave, and I can''t stay any longer anyway, this body can''t handle this much power yet."


    Thud


    Ragnar''s body slumped to the ground, unconsciousness.


    Ravenna walked out of the hole in the wall and saw Ragnar lying on the floor. Coming toward him quickly, she checked up on him, to see if he was okay.


    "Phew~ he is still alive." Ravenna sighed in relief after feeling the vital energy running around his body. But that wasn''t the case for Ravenna. She might look perfect without any injury on her body, but these weren''t able to hide her low mana in her body, her ragged breath, or her ripped-apart clothes.


    She was only able to move because she forced herself to drink all the blood and then eat the broken body pieces to regain her energy. With the help of it, she first healed Fiain to keep her alive and then handed her to their demon army. Afterwards, she headed in Ragnar''s direction to see if he was okay.


    "I am d you are fine." She picked him up on his back and walked towards the army. While walking, she contemted the scene she saw. ''What was that power Ragnar was using? I am sure he never possessed such power before; if he did, he would have never hid it from us? That power is very dangerous; I will have to inform Benimaru after all of this ends.''


    ''Well, let''s first leave this ce through the route Benimaru gave us, or we might get surroundedter.''


    ¡­


    "Hmmm, the tremors finally stopped. Their status is still active, so it means they won. I didn''t expect them to be this strong." Benimaru marveled at his generals'' strength while walking down the never-ending stairs.


    Benimaru first went to the priest''s office but found no one there. Not a single acolyte was present there. He went to his room upstairs by smashing through the ceiling. But he was still not there, except for the lifeless bodies of young girls.


    "These assholes are everywhere, no matter which world I go to."


    After cursing Belmuk, he was left very clueless, he wasn''t sure where to look for him, and there wasn''t anyone to even interrogate too.


    So, he used [ Enhanced Senses ] and followed his recent traces. Eventually, he once again stumbled into his office.


    Benimaru instantly knew where Belmuk was when he couldn''t find any more traces left by him, as if they had vanished into thin air.


    "So, the same old secret door that leads to theirir. ssic." Benimaru tried everything that could act as a trigger. He was very familiar with it, as most of the rich people he killed hid in these secret rooms.


    However, Benimaru failed this time, leaving him a bit frustrated. "Tch, is there a different method in this world?"


    Benimaru pondered while casually touching the small statue of the goddess on the table. The moment he moved it a little, a rectangle-shaped entrance appeared on the floor, leaving Benimaru speechless.

 Chapter 114 Benimarus Surprise

    ?


    "Using your goddess as the key, huh?" Benimaruughed at himself, before walking down the stairs.


    He first thought the stairs would be small, but he was proven wrong. It was a long, spiraling staircase that was taking too much of his time. If it was a straight one, Benimaru was sure it wouldn''t take him much time. Also, the reason he wasn''t rushing down was because of any potential traps.


    While he was walking down, the tremors from above made him worried about his generals. But from the looks of it, they werepletely fine.


    Benimaru got a bit annoyed for still not seeing the end. ''Tsk, why is this so damn long? What is he actually hiding down here?''


    Just after he said that, a dim red light shed, announcing that he had finally arrived.


    Benimaru walked into the entrance and was met with a giant cave that had torches lighting up the ce. However, what caught Benimaru''s attention were the bones littered on the ground. From what Benimaru could tell, these were humans, beasts, and demons. There was a murky scent of blood and rotten flesh in the air.


    At the other end of the cave, a bunch of acolytes and junior priests stood and prayed softly. Benimaru didn''t know if they were praying for someone or praying to someone. But he knew one thing¡ªthere was something very secretive and sinister going on here.


    "Mother will heal her children."


    "Mother will heal her children."


    "Mother will heal her children."


    Benimaru got close and heard what they were saying. Raising his eyebrows, he nced at their hands. From their hands, green mana flowed out and entered the small blood pool before them.


    ''This looks like a healing spell. But who are they healing?'' Benimaru didn''t know why, but he didn''t go for a direct kill. Maybe because he had grown confident in his strength or because he was just very curious about what they were doing, and wanted to see the end result.


    "Mother will heal he- "


    Thud


    One of the acolytes fell on his knees suddenly and started taking heavy breaths. Then, like a switch, others started to fall. Their bodies were filled with sweat, and their hands were shaking constantly.


    "What are you all doing? Continue healing the priest!" One junior priest shouted at the acolytes while he himself was sweating profusely. He also wasn''t faring well.


    "I can''t anymore! We have been going on for two weeks. Let us rest at least." An acolyte begged.


    But the junior priest ignored him. He ordered him, ring with a grim expression. "Get on your feet and start praying, or do you want to face the priest''s wrath? Look around, can''t you see what we might be?"


    This jolted every acolyte back to their senses. They didn''t even have to nce at their surroundings, as they knew what would happen to them if they didn''t listen. They would be piles of bones in an unknown dungeon, not letting their family know what even happened to them.


    Maybe because they were very focused on the task before them or because they were too scared to think of their surroundings, so they didn''t know Benimaru was close to them.


    Benimaru carefully analyzed what they said before his eyes widened in shock. ''No, I have to stop them from doing this.''


    In a sh, Benimaru swung his katana, severing the necks of the acolytes that were behind the group. Their screams didn''te out of their mouths; only the remaining words of prayer whispered out of their mouths.


    But the sound of their bodies and heads dropping to the ground alerted everyone.


    However, it was toote.


    Benimaru''s katana danced around the mass, taking lives as if they were nothing. Still, he did one thing, and that was to put them out of their misery.


    "ARGHH! Do not kill me, please!"


    "I didn''t do anything. I was forced."


    "Let me live. I have a family!"


    However, Benimaru ignored all of their pleas. He killed them without any remorse, like always.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    A couple of secondster, the cave had reced the sound of prayer with the calming sound of blood dropping into a small puddle.


    "Now, let me see what is in there." Benimaru walked before the blood pool and carefully inspected it with his mana sense.


    ''Hmmm¡­ this pool of blood¡­ there is no blood essence. With this much blood, the blood essence would be potent enough for me to reach the 9th Stage Fleshcrafting Realm. Where did it all go?''


    To fill his curiosity, Benimaru extended his mana sense deeper into the pool. His eyes widened at the thing he saw below.


    It was a man''s body, and most importantly, Belmuk''s. His eyes were closed, and he was naked. But what surprised Benimaru was Belmuk''s current physique. He had gotten slimmer, and bulging muscles that were knitted tightly could be seen on his body. His face has also grown a bit handsome.


    ''But, there is no sign of vital energy or any life force in his body. Is he already dead?'' Benimaru became surprised when he thought of it.


    Carefully thinking, Benimaru connected that Belmuk was absorbing a huge amount of blood essence. But to refine this much blood essence would take a serious toll on his body, and he might even die. So, he had all the acolytes and junior priests cast healing spells on him continuously to help him refine properly.


    ''It looks like I foiled his ns. I came in the middle of the process.'' Benimaru shook his head with a sigh. He wanted to say some things to Belmuk, but it seems they have to be buried in his heart for now.


    Benimaru decided to leave, seeing his missione to a quick end. ''But before that, Let me destroy this body to smithereens. I do not know what kind of trouble it might bring.''


    He raised his katana up and enveloped it in purple fire. With a strong swing, his sword fell into the blood pool.


    BURHSS!


    But suddenly, a hand emerged from the blood pull and caught Benimaru''s sword, causing an explosion that shook the cave and evaporated the blood.


    Thrup


    Benimaru leaped back and stood with his guard on. He looked ahead with caution while also being a bit surprised.


    Step Step


    "Huh? So they are all dead. That exins why I couldn''tplete thest stage of refinement." Belmuk walked toward Benimaru while ncing beside him to see where the acolytes and junior priests'' dead bodies were.


    Finally, he raised his head and stared at Benimaru. "Hmmm¡­red and dark cloak¡­a weird demon mask. You must be a yer."


    "Oh my. It looks like Ahat told you about me carefully. It is an honor to be remembered by a pedophile. Sir Belmuk." Benimaru said it respectfully yet in a mocking tone.


    "Huh?" Belmuk frowned upon hearing that unknown word from him. He had never heard of that term, as it was not something yet to be found in this world. But he felt somehow offended hearing it. "What are you saying? I have never heard of something like a pedophile."


    Benimaru said it with a smirk on his face. "Ah¡­it''s nothing. Something I came up with for people who sexually abuse children."


    "Hmph." Belmuk scoffed and looked at Benimaru with disdain. "What weird thinking. Those girls will be grateful for my touch."


    "Hahahaha¡­." Laughing up a bit, Benimaru asked. "How did you refine that huge amount of blood essence this quickly?"


    Belmuk tilted his head and cracked outughing. "You also have such low vision. How can youe to the conclusion that it would take this much time for me to refine such a little blood essence? Do you see me as someone weak?"


    ''Yes.'' However, Benimaru didn''t say it out loud. Instead, he stood silently on his spot.


    "Then let me tell you why I had to take so much time." Belmuk made a fist with his right hand and punched to his right. In the next second, a wind sted forth from his fist andnded on the wall, caving in the shape of his fist. "I was trying to assimte the Silverback Gori''s heart with mine. To make itpatible with my body and heart, I had to use a huge amount of blood essence to improve my constitution along the way. I was just close topletely integrating it, but you came to foil the ending. Still, it doesn''t matter anymore. My body has improved greatly, and thest steps will happen automatically."


    Benimaru raised his eyebrows, not expecting Belmuk to do such a thing in the past few days. "Sir Belmuk, this type of refinement and assimtion are hard to do. You need a proper technique to help you. But only the guys from the demonic cults have these. Don''t tell me¡­"


    Just like humans worship gods, there are some maniacs who take the path to see the higher demonic existences as their lords.


    "What!? Are you trying to put me on the same level as those lunatics?" Belmuk became angry upon hearing that. "I am one of the priests of the Goddess of Nature, Ignia. I have strengthened myself to bring her to glory!. And here you are trying to defile me. It was indeed a waste of time trying to exin my doings to you."

 Chapter 115 Embracing The Hatred Of The World

    ?


    ''Who told you to waste your time, idiot. Thanks for letting me have a rough estimate of your strength.'' Benimaru scoffed inwardly but didn''t say it out loud. He didn''t want to rile up Belmuk anymore.


    Because Belmuk had a higher vitality realm than him, the system didn''t showcase Belmuk''s information entirely.


    But at that moment, a digital screen appeared in front of his eyes.


    [ Ding ]


    [ The system has detected that the host has encountered the boss of mission "Know My Name."]]


    [ Boss encounter has been initiated ]


    [ Urgent Task: ying The Corrupted Priest


    Reward: A guaranteed skill drop based on the boss''s abilities


    Punishment: None ]


    ''Another urgent task. These things alwayse up when a certain strong character appears before me. But this seems a bit different.'' Still, Benimaru readied himself to defeat Belmuk. The reward was too juicy for the current him.


    Also, the punishment was none, but Benimaru could guess why the system put that in. There were two possibilities: he might die or he might escape.


    ''Let''s not do either.'' Smiling to himself, Benimaru pointed his sword at Belmuk.


    "...After pulling everything in my way, I will slowly take control of this city and the surrounding ces too. No one should order the church. I will make my goddess''s influence bloom throughout the world." While Benimaru was pondering about the urgent task given by the system, Belmuk had suddenly begun to recite his dominance n.


    "Sir Belmuk, can we start?" Of course, Benimaru didn''t listen to any of these.


    "You¡­" Belmuk red at Benimaru with pure anger. "You didn''t listen to me. I again wasted my time exining to you my glorious future."


    Benimaru became a bit annoyed hearing this once again. "Sir Belmuk, do you need validation of your wrongdoings? Tsk, the ones who worship these strange gods and goddesses are sure maniacs."


    Belmuk''s eyes turned red, and his muscles started to twitch, along with the veins on his forehead. "Your dead!"


    In a blink of an eye, Belmuk vanished before Benimaru''s eyes. ''So fast!''


    Quickly activating [ Enhanced Senses ], Benimaru was able to catch onto Belmuk''s shadow. Pre-aiming at the spot where Belmuk might attack, Benimaru swung his sword.


    ''Huh?'' Benimaru became surprised when his sword hit the vacuum. But heter sensed Belmuk behind him, making an uppercut. Benimaru wanted to turn around, but it was already toote. ''So fast!''


    BAM!


    The sound of a giant boulder dropping on the ground echoed throughout the cave, along with the cracking noises of bones breaking. Afterwards, Benimaru''s body shot upward, smashing through the ground.


    "Cough!!"


    In the middle of the ground, Benimaru coughed out a mouthful of blood as he just felt the aftereffects of that punch.


    ''What an absurd strength!''


    Bang!


    Finally, Benimaru burst out of the ground. Smashing through a building, his body hit the giant walls,pletely destroying them afterwards.


    "AHhhh!! Run!"


    "Mommy¡­ Mommy¡­ Where are you?"


    "Father, don''t let my hand go!"


    Because the church was the second-strongest force in the city and was the goddess of nature, many people felt secure hiding behind it. So, when the demons or the evil forces causing chaos came after them, the church had to step up and protect them.


    But little did they know that the church was now almost wiped out.


    So, the aftermath of Benimaru''s body destroying the walls led to many people getting killed. As the giant stones and boulders didn''t have eyes, they fell onto anyone, not caring if it was an old man ordy, a baby, or a pregnant woman.


    Dust scattered into the air, blocking everyone''s sight. But that got blown away after Benimaru unfolded his wings and flew up into the air.


    "AHHHHH!! It''s a demon! It was the demon who did this. Because of him, my grandson died!"


    An old man pointed his finger at Benimaru, who was hovering in the air. His eyes were filled with anger, yet the tears rolling out of them told a different story.


    "He will kill us. He will kill all of us now."<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    "Who will save us now?"


    "Please, someone. I don''t want my only child to die!"


    Benimaru nced at the despair-filled people, who were looking at him as the vilest being in the world. He could feel the strong resentment they had toward him.


    Benimaru contemted seeing this. ''So, I have be a viin to the world now.''


    Truth be told, Benimaru didn''t want this path; he wanted to live peacefully and reunite with his daughter. But destiny told him otherwise, and to destroy this same destiny, he had to walk down this path. He was sure that to be the enemy of the gods, you had to be the enemy of the world too.


    "Don''t fetter, O child of the goddess." All of a sudden, a loud voice echoed throughout the area, making the panicked and despair-filled citizens shift their focus. They saw a tall, handsome man wearing the priest''s cassock walking toward them. With his chest puffed up, he shed a kind smile towards the people. "Children of the goddess, I, Priest Belmuk, will protect you and this city from these wicked demons. In the name of Goddess Ignia, I vow to purge these demons from the face of this world!"


    Belmuk''s heroic and Nobel-winning speech and posture captured the hearts of many, giving them hope.


    "I didn''t expect that it was Prist Belmuk. He looks nothing like before."


    "He has received the divine blessing of the goddess. I can see the goddess''s hand on his shoulders."


    "Priest Belmuk, please save us from this demon. It killed my son. I beg you to avenge us!"


    Benimaru watched the show calmly. ''This guy¡­ he is using this as an advantage to gather everyone''s hearts. Then, let me tag along with you.''


    Belmukpletely forgot about Benimaru, as he was feeling like he was in heaven, receiving all these praises and pleading eyes. This was what he yearned most for. He had seen the priests of the bigger cities get showered by it daily, but not him. Despite keeping a kind and warmhearted persona, no one looked at him with these reverential eyes. They were only reserved for Arash.


    "You lowly priest!" Suddenly, he heard Benimaru shouting from above. He saw Benimaru pointing his sword toward him and yelled with justice. "You dare to kill my pet beast and use him for your own benefit! I won''t let you live properly and this town that you hold dear."


    Benimaru raised his sword overhead with both hands and swung down in anger. "Now, face my wrath!"


    A wave of purple fire rained at Belmuk, covering two hundred meters of radius and enveloping the citizens and Belmuk.


    Belmuk was initially confused butter understood what Benimaru was trying to achieve. ''You asshole!''


    ''Hehehe¡­ want to be a hero? Then let me see how many people you can save.'' Benimaru silently gloated, waiting for the next show to unfold.


    The hope that Belmuk brought to them once again crumbled into pieces. They looked at Belmuk, trying to see if he really was the savior they needed.


    "Priest Belmuk, please save us!"


    "Please save us."


    "Priest Belmuk, save my father first!"


    "Priest Belmuk, I don''t want to die."


    "Priest Belmuk¡­"


    "Pries¡­"


    Belmuk felt his patience was reaching his limit. A minute hasn''t passed, and he has already begun to breed regret for ying the hero. He almost had the thought of abandoning them but he couldn''t do it right now.


    Winding both of his fists to the back, he took a deep breath, closing his eyes. Then his eyes shot open as he punched upwards, leaving hundreds of fist shadows. " [ Dance of the Wild Beast ] "


    These fist shadows carried a strong wind and breath of life in them. They hit the clouding mes, which exploded upon contact.


    BOOOM!


    A loud explosion urred that rumbled throughout the city and outside.


    Hovering in the sky, Benimaru pondered. ''He can use the nature element with his beastly power. So he has strong physical strength and healing capability. Heh¡­ he is no different from a demon now.''


    Benimaru couldn''t help but joke to himself, as he knew the uing battle would be hard to win.


    At that moment, the familiar digital screen once again appeared before his eyes.


    [ Belmuk(1st Stage Fleshcrafting Realm): Head priest of Migotanie City Church He has a strong desire to be recognized by others, and he also has a strong obsession to be recognized by his goddess too. So he would go to any length to achieve his dream. He has assimted the heart of the silverback gori, which is a taboo ced upon it by the Goddess Ignia. Her taboo is also recognized by others. Tomit this taboo is to announce your own death. ]


    ''You finally showed his information. Is it because he is a boss to be killed now?'' Benimaru asked the system but got no reply in return.


    However, Benimaru didn''t care, as his eyes were now glued to the bottom information on Belmuk''s status. ''Hemitted a taboo but is still so open about it. That means¡­''


    Benimaru gave a weird nce at Belmuk, who was readying himself to jump at him. ''Even if I lose, his death is inevitable.''

 Chapter 116 Anticlimactic?

    ?


    Bang!


    Belmuk leaped at Benimaru, setting out dirt and dust.


    Benimaru stayed in his spot, not fearing Belmuk''s rush. He swiped his left hand from left to right. " [ Wall of Devastation ] "


    A rectangle-shaped wall made of purple fire was conjured before him. Unlike the previous ones, this one was much morepact because of his increase in strength and proficiency in skills.


    Belmuk''s rocket-like punchnded on the wall. Belmuk was confident in his power, as the Silverback Gori''s strength was unparalleled in this part of the region. But he was quickly proven wrong.


    This hard yet transparent wall, which he believed would smash into pieces under his attack, didn''t budge a little.


    Belmuk was about to pull his fist back, but a strong force refounded in his fist that was multiplied by the purple fire attributes. His right arm bounced back as a result, making him defenseless.


    " [ Short Burst ] " Benimaru then dashed before the falling Belmuk with his katana that was burning with purple fire.


    Benimaru shed at Belmuk''s chest to end this quickly. But Belmuk crossed his arms and prevented the attack from reaching his chest. Still, that sh managed to sever his arms as a result, and the purple fire exploded upon contact with his skin, sting him down at a faster rate.


    Bang!


    Belmuk smashed into the ground, creating a ten-meter-wide pit. He quickly stood with his severed arms hanging down. Blood rolled down from his severed arms and was on its way, creating a small blood puddle.


    Belmuk nced up and said to himself. " [ Lathik ] "


    Instantly, the rich natural mana, which was of wood and earth, gathered into his severed arms and began to heal.


    Benimaru raised eyebrows at this. ''The Silverback Gori''s heart has increased his vitality by a considerable amount, and added to that are his healing spells in his arsenal¡­tsk, this guy feels unkible.''


    Which was a bad sign as Benimaru didn''t want to prolong this fight, fearing a third party with a strong powerhouse might enter the battlefield. He could have gone for the kill right now, but he was testing if Belmuk had anything more. Now that he had gotten a better estimation of what Belmuk was capable of, Benimaru had thought of a way to kill Belmuk.


    Belmuk''s arms were half way through healing properly when, suddenly, he felt danger rms ringing in his mind. He saw Benimaru pressing his hand forward, having his pal face toward him.


    " [ Thunder Spears Rain ] " Benimaru whispered, devoid of any emotion. The next moment, spears made of purple thunder were conjured behind him in dozens or so. If one looked carefully, they could see a small, condensed purple fireball on the tip of the spear points.


    This was anotherbination move, this time he tried with spells. This is thebination of three spells that cost Benimaru lots of money and time. But he felt it was worth it. Because he knew the destructive power of this spell.


    Under Benimaru''smand with his mental energy, the thunder spears shot down at Belmuk.


    Fortunately for Belmuk, the civilians retreated further away while he rushed up to attack Benimaru.


    Belmuk had already decided in his mind what he wanted to do. He can''t go head-on against these, as he would get swarmed by them in a matter of seconds. So, using his fast speed, Belmuk evaded while keeping in mind not to go close to the civilians.


    Boom Boom Boom


    The moment the thunder spears came into contact with the ground, explosions urred that destroyed that piece ofnd entirely.


    Like this, one side of the city waspletely ravaged under Benimaru''s domineering power, attracting many people''s attention.


    Meanwhile, Belmuk danced around to get touched by them. He was sessful most of the time, as his speed was corrted with that of the Silverback Gori, who had great agility.


    But no matter how great his dodging skill was, he was still a novice at fighting. Belmuk had been a priest his entire life, he had never fought against someone in his entire life. So, one misdirection of his dodging led him to get drowned in the thunder spears.


    "Noooo!"


    Boom Boom Boom Boom


    Belmuk''s body got sted and ravaged under strong, destructive fire and thunder. A few secondster, the thunder spears stoppeding at him.


    After the smoke and dust from the explosions settled down, Benimaru saw Belmuk lying down on the ground, trying to heal his body. His ckened, charred body matched the charred ground around him, which was the result of Benimaru''s doing. He has ckened an entire side of the city all by himself, making it unrecognizable.


    ''This healing ability¡­'' Benimaru frowned, seeing Belmuk''s deep injuries getting healed at a rapid speed. He could have made a follow-up attack, but he needed to charge up a strong skill to do so, as normal attacks won''t do anything to a strong, steel like body.


    "Hahahaha¡­what is wrong? You can''t do anything to me, fiend. I have the blessing of my almighty goddess." Belmukughed out loud, feeling confident and proud of his abilities. He knows he is garbage at fighting, but his healing abilities, which he honed for years, are not something to be looked down upon.


    At that very moment, a fleeting, melodic whisper entered Belmuk''s ears, sending shivers down his spine. <novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    """I am disappointed."""


    "Who-" Belmuk wasn''t able to finish his sentence when he felt his injuries worsening once again.


    "Wha-" Belmuk became beyond shocked. He tried to use his healing capabilities, but nothing happened. "Where are my powers? Where is my healing power that I have crafted for ages!? WHERE IS IT!?"


    Benimaru raised his eyebrows, confused at what had happened. But he didn''t have the time to think of it now that an opportunity was presented to him.


    " [ Dark sh ] " Benimaru''s katana got enveloped in dark mana as he shot toward Belmuk.


    Leaving behind a dark streak, like a stroke on the world''s canvas, he arrived behind Belmuk. Belmuk was still in his madness, and he was having a hard time believing he had lost his most precious power so suddenly.


    The moment he noticed Benimaru arriving behind him, it was already toote.


    Belmuk''s head was severed from his neck and fell to the ground. To ensure that Belmuk died properly, Benimaru turned around and swung his katana in a sh, cutting Belmuk''s heart in half.


    A dumbfounded expression was still on Belmuk''s severed head, as he didn''t expect there to be so many turns of events against him. With hisst strand of consciousness left in his mind, he questioned not himself but his goddess. ''What did I do wrong, mother? I was only doing everything just for you.''


    This time, unlike the melodic, sweet voice, a cold toned voice devoid of any emotion entered his ears.


    """Do not call me mother, you fiend."""


    Something cracked inside Belmuk''s soul in that fleeting moment. He was scared, like a child who the world has rejected.


    But anyone will look back at a child and embrace them back; it doesn''t matter if it''s a man or a god. But to a fiend? Not even the birth mother would share a shred of love.


    Benimaru watched silently as the light in Belmuk''s eyes faded away. Despite winning, it left a sour taste in his mouth.


    Benimaru, earlier, got hit by Belmuk''s surprise punch because he wanted Belmuk to be under the illusion that he was the strongest. This would make him confident and reveal important information to someone weak like him. This n seeded, and Belmuk did spill many things, but all were useless. Belmuk might have jumped in strength, but he was weakpared to Benimaru.


    [ Host Name: Max (Benimaru)


    Demon Ranking: Tier 1 Demon Baron


    Magic Realm: 5th Stage Novice Realm


    Vitality Realm: 5th Stage Fleshcrafting Realm


    Age: 17/310


    Race: Abyssal Lord (25%)


    Ability 1: Mastery of Dark Magic


    Talent: Top


    Magical Techniques: Purple Sun Technique


    Vitality Technique: Body Sharpening Technique


    Skills: Enhanced Senses, Illusion Bind, Dark sh, Short Burst, Chaos Dome, Wall of Devastation.


    Spells: Thunder Spears.


    Generals: 3/3 (Ravenna, Ragnar, Fiain) [You will unlock another slot after you break through a major realm in magic realm.] ]


    In these past few days, Benimaru has gone full throttle to ensure his safety andplete victory in this mission. He was happy to see his demon ranking rise up. Because there was no way for him to gauge hisbat strength like the way it is shown for his generals. So, this was a way to let him know his limit.


    However, he wasn''t able to get ss like others, which left him disappointed. He felt hisbat style suited the Battle Mage most, but from the looks of it, it was far from the truth.


    Benimaru looked at Belmuk''s body and frowned heavily. ''Something is wrong. Why did his power disappear so suddenly? Hmm. His healing poweres from the goddess. So¡­don''t tell me¡­''


    When he came to this point of thought, he got shivers down his spine.

 Chapter 117 Mourning Of Arash.

    ?


    ''The Goddess, Ignia, was watching the fight?'' Benimaru instinctively looked into the sky, trying to find the gaze that Ignia gave from the high heavens.


    But there was nothing, which didn''t matter much to Benimaru. He then nced at his surroundings, watching the despair-filled eyes staring at him. He knew the time hade for his promotion.


    Benimaru''s wings pped as he leaped into the sky. Hovering in the air, he looked down and said it with arrogance. "Listen up, you mortal humans. Today, I, yer, the leader of the Masked Fools, have destroyed the church of the Goddess Ignia for bringing injustice to innocent demons."


    "So, take this as a warning. If anyone dares to do anything to harmless demons, you will face my wrath!" Benimaru''s loud yet calm voice reverberated throughout the city, engraving these words in their hearts.


    Benimaru decided to leave, as he felt this was enough to give some shock and the rumors spread bymon folk would be enough. But at that moment, he heard an earth-shattering shout.


    "STOPPP!!!"


    Benimaru shifted his focus to his right side and saw a man in bloodied armor and disheveled hair rushing toward him. Benimaru instantly recognized who that man was.


    ''Isn''t that Haitam, the general of Migotanie City?'' Benimaru gave him a weird nce before flying away in the opposite direction. He didn''t have the time to mingle with them now.


    Haitam became frustrated seeing Benimaru run away. ''Damn it, if only I had enough strength.''


    Haitam stopped, deciding to head toward the castle. He couldn''t catch Benimaru, no matter what he tried; it would be a waste of time. He might as well go to the castle and check up on Arash.


    ¡­


    After Haitam walked into the castle, he was horrified by the dead bodies lying on the grounds. What intensified it more was the mumbled wailing drifting into his ears.


    He started to grow concerned, panicking about the thought he was having in his mind. ''Is lord¡­''


    Haitam shook his head, denying it. He firmened his will and sprinted deep into the castle to confirm his doubts and worries.


    He had just arrived before the assembly hall when he saw the captain of the city guards, Nina, walking out with someone in his arms. He nced at the man in her arms. The moment his gazended on the man''s face, his legs gave up, and he knelt on the ground.


    Thud


    "No, this can''t be¡­"


    Haitam''s face became dispirited as slight tears started to roll down his eyes. He had thought of the worst whening here, but not this.


    Nina''s face was calm as she spoke to Haitam. "General, Lord has given his final orders. We should give him a proper burial with his loved children."


    Haitam was shocked to see Nina acting so calm. Because he himself has seen her grow up and how she was. She might look strong and cold on the outside, but she was a very weak girl inside. He didn''t know what had caused her to act like this, but he knew the Lord''s death might have affected her heavily.


    Haitam also steeled his heart and stood up. With a respectful gaze toward Arash''s sleeping, smiling face, he uttered. "As you wish, sire."


    ¡­


    Quickly, the news of Baron Arash''s passing spread throughout the city before reaching the surrounding cities'' ears.


    This brought a heavy reaction from the people of the city.


    "This can''t be! Are we doomed now? First the church, now the baron¡­is our city on the verge of destruction?"


    "I do not know. My hopes are gone, I lost everything to his war. If only¡­if only those demons didn''t do anything. Why can''t we eradicate the demons from this world already!?"


    "Calm down, the massacre on the Baron''s family was by humans."


    "You can''t be joking!?"


    "Yes, the general has sent the body to the marquess to investigate the origin of the culprit. But you are still right. If it weren''t for the demons, at least the church and the general would have their hands free and might have been able to stop this disaster."


    No matter what, hatred mainly went toward the demons. They were also humans, so in their hearts, they stopped themselves from criticizing them. But demons, being notorious in this world, were an easy scapegoat for ming.


    Also, Benimaru''s fame began to grow ever after this.


    "So, a new organization has emerged, and it is led by demons? This is rare."<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    The people were surprised when they heard this. Demons would mainly build a kingdom rather than some organization or team, as their hearts, which desired domination and conquer, suited best for kingdom building.


    There has never been a group of demons who created an organization with a different goal than conquering. This was the very first in the history of the world.


    "This organization is called Masked Fools, do you know what their goals are?"


    "Hahaha¡­you won''t believe it if I say it to you. It is to bring justice to innocent demons."


    "Wha¨C hahahahaha¡­..is this a fucking joke?"


    Instead of bringing concern and fear about Benimaru''s organization, it brought disdain. which was still considered fame as his name spread throughout the city and even the surrounding cities.


    ¡­


    Two dayster.


    Migotanie City was rejuvenating under everyone''s hands as they joined together. But today, everyone decided to have their days off.


    Because today was Arash''s burial.


    So, people from nearby cities and their lords¡ªmostly barons¡ªcame to see him off for thest time. Not only them, but Ana hase back with her friend, Lily.


    On the city''s square, thousands of people had upied the roads and the rooms. However, they didn''t go into the middle of the square, as it was upied by Arash''s family members and a few influential people. They were standing before a coffin where Arash was resting.


    No one talked to others, remaining as pin-drop silent as possible. Children also didn''t speak, as they were heavily warned by their parents.


    This silence continued on for three minutes before Haitam came beside Ana and a young man who looked very simr to Arash. This was Arlon, to whom Arash wanted to pass his crown.


    "It is time." Haitam said it as respectfully and softly as possible.


    Ana and Arlon looked at their father''s coffin with a somber gaze. Ana stayed silent, not giving a reply, but Arlon spoke on her behalf. "Let''s go."


    The soldiers took the coffin on their shoulders and walked toward the castle, where a royal graveyard was ced. Arash''s family walked behind him as they quietly followed. But if one looked carefully, there were a couple more smaller coffins behind Arash''s family. These were the dead bodies of Arash''s children and wives who were killed. However, there were more who were killed at Okarino and his men''s hands, but their bodies were so dismembered, it was hard to recognize them.


    It took twenty minutes to reach the graveyard and bury them.


    Cru-thud.


    Ana watched the graveyard''s gate get closed. Her somber look returned to calmness. Then she walked toward her room, while Nina followed alongside her.


    "Is it true that humans are responsible for this?" Ana asked her, not wanting to hear a negative response.


    "Yes, princess."


    "Has the marquess sent any report about who it might be?"


    "This¡­" Nina hesitated a bit before answering. "I do not know. Since we sent that body, their side has been awfully quiet. Every time we try to ask them to give an answer, they try to deviate from the topic in another direction. It is as if they are afraid of speaking about it."


    Ana went silent for a moment, thinking of something. Then she said, "With marquess strength and power under his arsenal, it isn''t very hard for him to find out about a person who is just at Peak Fleshcrafting Realm."


    Nina also felt weird and suspicious about this, which made her guess many things.


    At that moment, they arrived in front of Ana''s room. She entered her room while talking to Nina. "Okay, you may leave."


    Nina watched Ana disappear into her room with a bit of sadness in her eyes. She could feel and see the change in Ana. She was a very cheerful and well hearted girl who loved hanging out with her close ones as much as possible.


    ''There seems to be a killing intent revolving around you, youngdy, every time. I hope she doesn''t go down the wrong path.'' Nina left while expressing her concern.


    Inside Ana''s room.


    "This happened after my duel with Troy. But that wasn''t enough for me to mark him as a suspect. However, after spending some time in the academy, I became familiar with Troy''s character. He is a person who hates to be stepped down by others." Ana pondered out loud as a chilling whisper escaped her mouth. "And the marquess''s hesitation to open up has made my assumption more firm. The Marquess is only scared of the duke and king."

 Chapter 118 A Guilty Heart

    ?


    "If it is what I think it is¡­" Ana pondered deeply, not letting anyone discern what she was feeling. "Troy¡­."


    ¡­


    The night fell shortly afterwards, nketing the world in darkness.


    In the graveyard.


    Step Step


    A shadowy figure came before Arash''s grave. The figure was Benimaru, and he said mncholy. "I didn''t expect we would have our meeting like this."


    After he escaped to his base, he met up with others and asked if everything went as nned. His heart jumped when he heard his generals were almost close to dying, but something happened to Ragnar, which changed the situation. This made Benimaru think of many things.


    But the next thing he heard brought him much more shock. When he learned about Arash''s death, he dove into a deep trance. He wanted to just bring down the church, but he didn''t expect Arash to die in the middle of the chaos. And it didn''t take him much time to guess who was the culprit. There was only one man who was under his radar who was most suspicious¡ªOkarino.


    Benimaru nced down at Arash''s grave and brought out a bottle of wine. Opening the cap, he murmured. "I heard you liked the old man''s Hobbs wine very much. So, I brought you some."


    Hobbs owned a brewery in this city that was as old as the city''s establishment date. They were known for their wines that could rival those that contained magical ingredients.


    Squatting on the ground, Benimaru tilted the wine bottle and let the wine drop on Arash''s grave. After he dropped half of the wine in the bottle, he stopped. Then Benimaru moved his mask a bit from the bottom, just letting his mouth show up, and he started to chug down the rest of the wine.


    "Ahh~ now I know why you loved this. It sure is great." Benimaru praised the wine after he finished drinking.


    Afterwards, Benimaru talked to Arash''s grave, acting as if he were talking to Arash. "Arash, I do not know what to say, but I am sorry. If it weren''t for me, you would have been alive and continued witnessing your children''s journey. I might not have understood it if I were my previous self, but after bing a father, I began to understand."


    "I robbed you of your privilege and luxury to guide your children and watch them take care of you when you get old. Arash, now that I think of it, I might have done this to so many parents and their children in my past upation. Arash, do you think those souls that I took would forgive me for robbing them of their familial love?" Benimaru said this with sadness as he felt many feelings of guilt waking up from deep within his heart.


    However, he was only met with silence. But Benimaru didn''t mind this, as it helped him to contemte about himself.


    A couple of minutester, Benimaru stood up and went to Arash''s grave with a smile. "Thank you for taking care of my daughter and your daughter too. I already owe it back to you for letting Ana grow into such a beautiful child, and now that has increased a hundredfold."


    "So, let me repay this debt by guarding this city for five years before Ana matures. Also, I am sure Ana wouldn''t let go of your killers. When she decides to take revenge, I will be there to do the heavy lifting."


    Step Step


    At that moment, Benimaru heard footstepsing near him. "Well, the guards are here. I will take my leave now. I hope whether you go to hell, heaven, or a different ce, you are able to live a better life, my friend."


    The next second, Benimaru''s figure vanished into thin air. When the guards arrived, they smelled something.


    "Hey, does that scent feel familiar?"


    "Hmm¡­isn''t this Hobbs wine? Why is it here? Did someone drink here while we went for a dinner break?"


    "I don''t know. I hope nothing bad happened while we were away."


    ¡­


    Without going anywhere, Benimaru arrived at his base.


    Just as he arrived, he was met with his generals. He looked at everyone''s worried faces and asked. "What is it? Why are you all making that face?"


    Ragnar and Fiain hesitated to speak, so Ravenna replied on their behalf. "We were just worried about you. You know, we never saw you have such a strong reaction to anything."


    They were really concerned, as they have always seen Benimaru to be stoic, have an easy-going attitude, and be thoughtful. It was the first time that they saw their Lord be shocked beyond numb, as if world-shattering news had hit him.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    "Hahaha.. You guys. It is nothing." Benimaru shook his head andughed, not trying to exin to them the reason.


    Instead. He walked toward the castle, and others followed behind him.


    On the way, Ragnar asked. "Lord, what is the next course of action?"


    Benimaru thought about Ragnar''s question and told him the answer. "We will stay dormant here for the next five years. No more expanding and no more recruiting anyone except for someone with potential."


    "As you wish, my lord." Ragnar nodded his head, as he felt his days of training soldiers were gone. But he asked, curious about this decision. "Lord, why do we want to stay dormant for five years?"


    Benimaru hesitated a bit before settling on telling them. They were his close ones, and they would carry out many things, so they needed to know. "I want to protect this city. The new baron is young, and he doesn''t have the trust of many. He might receive attacks from many directions. I felt, five years should be enough for him to mature. Afterwards, we will leave this ce and head deep into the EverGreen Region to find a new suitable ce to call home."


    Others were surprised and curious why Benimaru decided to protect this city in the first ce, but Ravenna, who knew many things about Benimaru, could guess why he did it. However, forgetting all this, Fiain asked as she caught on to something. "Lord, are we going too deep into the region because of the Purge?"


    "Hmm." Benimaru nodded his head. "If we stay at this ce, we will die even before getting to defend. So, I want to go deep and find a suitable ce where we can iste ourselves and have an easy time defending the base."


    "You can say we are going to make a forbidden zone for ourselves."


    At that moment, they entered the castle. He said it to everyone. "Okay, everyone, go take a rest. We will talk about other stuff tomorrow."


    The generals nodded their heads and left. Benimaru entered his room and slumped onto the bed. "What twists and turns!"


    Looking at the ceiling, he said to himself. "I am sorry, Ana. For making you sad once again for losing your father."


    Benimaru felt much worse than when he died with Ana in the past. He got a chance to reunite with his daughter, even if he couldn''t meet her. But what about Arash?


    Will he get a chance?


    Will he go into this nonexistent ce called heaven and hell to begin with?


    "I wish I had the power to control the dead." Benimaru reached his right hand to the ceiling, clenching it suddenly.


    "I need to get stronger. Only that way can I guarantee myself that this type of mistake won''t happen again." Benimaru got up and sat on the edge of the bed. He said to the system. "Give me my rewards."


    These past two days, he didn''t im his rewards because Arash''s death had weighed on his mind so much that he forgot about everything.


    [ Congrattions, host! You havepleted the mission "Know My Name" ]


    [ Your actions have caused the deaths of half the forces of the city, especially, Arash, Ahat, and Belmuk. ]


    Benimaru knew why he was responsible for Arash''s death. He was holding down the church by himself, and his n left the army to be upied by Vio and Savrena. This led to Okarino having much freedom to wreak havoc in the castle.


    But hearing this from the system brought him more guilt.


    [ Your unique ambition has brought great fame. Many are curious about what you will do in the future, and some are baring their teeth at you. Masked Fools have now be a prominent force, even if they are the weakest. ]


    Benimaru''s face darkened after hearing that. He didn''t know if he were to be happy or mad at this.


    ''What a foolish mission¡­'' Benimaru signed helplessly. ''It is my fault to begin with. I just went to the church because of the animosity that I had bred for them. Just because Belmuk had ulterior motives for my daughter.''


    Yes, Benimaru''s reason for doing all of this work was because he wanted to make the man suffer who looked at his daughter with bad intentions.


    "Anyway, let''s get the rewards." Shaking his head, tossing these thoughts away from his mind, he said to the system.

 Chapter 119 Getting The Rewards

    ?


    [ Congrattions, you have received Pool of Body Mending x1 ]


    [ Congrattions, you have received Heart Weapon Vault ]


    [ Congrattions, you have received Random Technique x3 ]


    [ Congrattions, you have received Gold Coins x500000 ]


    [ Congrattions, you have received Rare Mana Crystals x50000 ]


    Benimaru''s eyes gleamed in delight after seeing the rows of reward notifications flood before him. ''Now, let me see what these things are.''


    Beniamru couldn''t see any reward information until hepleted their missions. So, he was rather curious about what he got this time. At least he was hoping they were notpletely useless.


    [ Pool of Body Mending: A blood pool made of the drop of God of War. In ancient times, when even gods came down to fight for their rights, much blood was shed. The blood of the gods is the most valuable treasure for mortals. However, based on their efficiency, the effects and value may vary.


    Effects: (1) Can help one to increase their physical attributes and potential.


    (2) Can help one progress through Vitality Realms easily.


    [Only usable for people from Fleshcrafting Realm to Physique Refinement Realm] ]


    Benimaru''s eyes widened when he read the description and the effects of this treasure. ''This thing is too good for me.''


    Benimaru was struggling to increase his vitality realm as his magic realm was gradually surpassing it. He was afraid that this would make him ignore his vitality realmpletely in the future.


    ''But, from this description, I found something else. I can find treasure like this in the wild too, however, it would depend on luck. Also, I am sure the gods didn''t just drop their blood on this world.'' Benimaru felt he should pay much more attention to his surroundings than before.


    Then he shifted to the next one.


    [ Heart Weapon Vault: The origin of this treasure is unknown, but the ability it holds is hard to find.


    Effect: (1)Integrate your weapon to be suitable with your mana.


    (2)Let your weapon grow along with your realms


    (3)No one can take control of your weapon after it is sealed inside the vault ]


    ''Hmmm¡­'' Benimaru raised his eyebrows after seeing this. He felt this was not that great for him. He already had a weapon that would grow after it fed on the souls of the ones he killed.


    ''But¡­ the mask and the cloak I wear are most important to me. These items need to be upgraded too to keep up with my progress. Let''s see if these can be upgraded.'' As Benimaru grew stronger, his initial items, which were low grade, would be useless as the powerhouses at his level would not be affected by these items. Also, these two items were his most important parts for his ns in the future; he couldn''t just discard them, and he wouldn''t be able to find someone who could make them for him.


    Extracting the reward from the system, Benimau looked at the Heart Weapon Vault. It looked very simple, just a steel box with no rough edges. It had skin as smooth as the surface of still water.


    However, suddenly, the box shot into his chest, taking Benimaru by surprise. But he didn''t panic, as he knew it might have been the system''s work. He sent his mana senses inside his heart and saw the box revolving right below his mana core.


    Benimaru willed his katana, making it move toward the vault, and the moment it came close to the vault, in a matter of seconds, it got sucked in. Benimaru decided to check if he could call his katana outside, and he seeded in doing so. Seeing this, Benimaru sent the mask and the cloak inside.


    After he was done doing it, he shifted his focus toward the rest of the rewards.


    [ Do you want to im your Random Techniques now? ]


    ''Yes.'' Benimaru didn''t know why the system had to ask that. He literally just told it to give it to him.


    [ Randomizing the techniques. ]


    [ Congrattions, you have received Calming Waters Meditation, Blood Chains, Wind Walk ]


    [ Calming Waters Meditation: This technique involves using vital energy to enter a meditative state duringbat, enhancing focus, and allowing for quick analysis of opponents'' moves. [After mastering the technique, you can use it freely as a skill] ]


    [ Blood Chains: By manipting the blood in their vicinity, the practitioner can form chains to bind and restrain opponents during battle. [After mastering the technique, you can use it freely as a spell] ]<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    [ Wind Walk: By executing precise sword strikes while in motion, the practitioner can move with incredible speed, making it seem like they are gliding on the wind. [After mastering the technique, you can use it freely as a skill] ]


    ''All of them are good.'' Benimaru was surprised to see techniques that he would have bought from the shop if he had stumbled upon them. He was expecting at least one to be useless.


    Rubbing his chin, Benimaru analyzed which suited him best. '' This Blood Chain is clearly for Ravenna, so let''s put it aside. Wind Walk is good, but it requires someone who can control the wind element. Only Calming Waters Meditation works for me, and so does for Ragnar too.''


    ''Now, that I think about it.'' ck lines started to form on his face as he spoke coldly. ''It is as if these were for my generals, not for me.''


    Benimaru was waiting for the system to refute him, but it seems it remained silent as usual.


    ''Ahh forget it.'' Tossing these useless thoughts out of his mind, he extracted the rest of the rewards, which were gold and rare mana crystals. These were his shopping expenses for at least one week.


    Benimaru finallyid down on the bed and decided to announce the end of today.


    ¡­


    The sun peeked through the horizon, curious to see what this world had to offer today.


    Benimaru also woke up after an hour or so.


    "Ahhh~ I miss sleeping so much." Benimaru spoke with emotion as the word sleep seemed to be getting erased from his mind. As he grew stronger, he began to feel sleep was useless. It became much more apparent when he was heading toward the third of the major realm.


    Walking outside, Benimaru decided to take a walk and see his base after a long time.


    ''Everything is the same as always.'' Benimaru thought as he nced through his surroundings.


    In a few minutes, he arrived at the barracks. Here, he met someone that he hadn''t seen for a while.


    "Bl, you woke up as early as always." Benimaru smiled, looking at Bl, who was exercising quietly. The reason he knew Bl woke up early was because every time he opened his shop, he would see Bl waiting outside with his team. When he asked why he came so early, Bl answered that they had woken up a long time ago, having nothing to do. They decided to chat with him before going hunting.


    Bl was surprised by Benimaru, as he had not met him in a while. "Hahaha¡­can''t get rid of this old habit of mine."


    Benimaru remained silent, thinking of the question he had in his mind. Eventually, he decided to ask after seeing Bl''s big smile. "Are you doing well now, Bl? I hope no one troubled you here."


    "Yes, brother. I have never lived so peacefully in my life. The only thing weighing in my heart is that I couldn''t meet you early? If I did so, I could have lived with my mother peacefully too." Bl sighed, raising his head up in the sky.


    Thup


    Patting Bl''s shoulders, Benimaru said with a smile on his face. "I am d you are alright."


    Bl stared at Benimaru, feeling very fortunate to meet him. "Thank you, brother."


    "Hahaha, it''s alright." Chuckling a bit, Benimaru looked behind Bl, where he could see dozens of Swinefiends, Gorebuzz, Raums, and Meatscrapers following the training actions Bl took. "It seems you have made many followers."


    Bl turned his head back and said it with embarrassment. "Sorry about that. These guys have been following me after I trained them for just two days. I do not know what got into them."


    Benimaru knew what got into them. They have experienced the warm radiance and kindness that Bl exudes. They might be demons, but they have hearts and minds. So they got infected by him, as this was also the first time they had experienced something like this.


    However, Benimaru didn''t say it. "Maybe they are just following you after seeing how strong you are. Well, anyway, I have something to do now. You train with them."


    Benimaru headed toward the back of the castle, as he wanted to have the Pool of Body Mending situate there.


    But suddenly, Bl stopped him in his tracks. "Brother, wait a minute."


    Benimaru looked at Bl curiously and asked. "What is it? Just tell me, I will try to do it with what I have."


    "Thanks a lot for saying that, brother. It warms my heart. But I am not going to ask anything like that." Bl rubbed the back of his head as usual, hesitating, but eventually he encouraged himself to speak it out. "Brother, can I join you?"

 Chapter 120 Pool Of Body Mending

    ?


    Benimaru squinted his eyes and asked sternly. "Have you really thought this through? Do you know what you will get entangled with?"


    Bl nodded his head as he looked at Benimaru with a confident gaze. "Yes, brother Benimaru. I know I will have to live in the shadows and start taking lives with my own hands. If it helps me repay your debt, then so be it. Also, I have no ce to call home, I can only rely on you, brother."


    Benimaru pondered for a bit before patting Bl''s shoulder. He said it with a chuckle. "Don''t worry, I won''t kick you out of this ce. The entire church of Goddess Ignia would have a killing order on you."


    "I do want to take you in right now, but there is something that is keeping me busy. I will officially have you as my general when the timees, however, you don''t have to wait for that ceremony to get that title. You are already one of my generals." Benimaru said, grinning ear to ear.


    Bl''s eyes widened, not expecting to get the general position so easily. "Brother, are you sure you didn''t make a mistake? How can you give that title to me that easily?"


    "No, you deserve it." Benimaru shook his head, not wanting to exin. Instead, he headed in his original direction. "You continue with your training. Also, if your other two teammates want to join us, they can bemanders under you."


    Bl was stumped and speechless by Benimaru''s decision. However, happiness grew inside his heart, and he felt blessed to meet Benimaru.


    Meanwhile, Benimaru, who was walking towards the back of the castle, contemted silently. ''I didn''t anticipate him making such a decision. It looks like he has firmed up his heart to take the lives of others from now on. Unfortunately, the slots for generals are full, so I couldn''t take him in. But that doesn''t matter; I have enough time to go to the next major realm and open up another spot."


    The reason he wanted to take Bl as a general was after Benimaru judged how strong his bloodline was. He had seen Bianka''s short burst of strength, and that shook him to the core. He then knew Bl''s bloodline¡ªTitanomia¡ªwas pure, raw strength-based. Because he could feel Bl''s vital energy was much more dense and dense in volume than his, if justparing Benimaru''s vitality realm.


    ''But it isn''t that much. I am more under staged than him.'' Benimaru didn''t get demotivated after thinking about that; instead, he looked at it from the other way around.


    At the end of his thinking, he had already arrived in the backyard of the castle. It is surrounded by small trees, bushes, and tall grass, showcasing that they might have taken this ce as their home but have not taken care of ces that they didn''t use a lot.


    Benimaru brought out his katana¡ªck Sun¡ªand walked forward. "Time to go back to my gardening days."


    With that, the katana that would y beings of unknown was now reduced to cutting the weeds in the garden.


    After ten minutes or so, Benimaru was done clearing the entire backyard.


    "Well, I wish I had you in my past life. It feels so nice to cut everything down with just one sh." Benimaru sighed while wiping away the fake sweat on his forehead.


    ck Sun shook, expressing its distress. Benimaru could feel it clearly, so he patted its blunt edge andforted it. "Here, here, don''t be like that. You need to take a day off from your busy and intense life. If not, you won''t be able to enjoy what the world has to offer."


    ck Sun calmed down after its ownerforted him, but it was still a bit distressed from mowing weeds and trees.


    Benimaru retracted the katana back to his arm and looked down at the ground. "Now, time to dig a hole."


    He had thought of many ways to do it, but eventually it all boiled down to wasting time andbor. So, he came up with a short and easy solution.


    Coating his right hand with purple thunder, he punched the ground, causing an explosion that caught everyone''s attention.


    "What happened!?" Ragnar jolted out of his room in panic and headed toward the source of the noise.


    Ravenna, Fiain, and Bl, who were busy at their work, also rushed in the same direction.


    When they arrived, they saw Benimaru throwing chunks of soil out of a pit hole.


    "Benimaru, what are you doing?" Ravenna came to the edge of the pit and asked, bewildered.


    Benimaru stopped picking up the soil and looked up. A big smile shed before his face suddenly as he spoke to them. "Good, you all came here. Come down and help me throw these chunks of soil."


    They were heavily confused about why he was doing it, but he was their lord, so they couldn''t deny him. After they joined hands, it took a few seconds to clean it up.


    They got up and waited for Benimaru to do anything.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    Benimaru didn''t answer anything immediately, as he was busy asking the system some questions.


    ''Is this enough?''


    [ Yes, Host. ]


    ''Good. By the way, why didn''t you make a pit yourself? I am sure, with your power, you can do it. Also, why do I have to work harder to get my reward?''


    [....]


    Benimaru grimaced after seeing the silence. ''Tsk, you once again y dead, youzy bum.''


    ''Can you tell me if the blood will leak into the ground?''


    [ No. The blood of divine beings is rejected by the world. Only the living beings could use them. ]


    ''I see.'' Benimaru was a bit interested in hearing that. He always feels that whenever the system reveals something like this, it is connected to something big. ''Anyway, give me my reward.''


    [ Host, I can do it immediately, but do you want to make it look like you are summoning this blood or make me do it on my own? ]


    Benimaru''s eyes widened as he didn''t think of that. ''You truly are my friend. When I press my right hand, make a portal on top and drop it into the pit.''


    [ Yes. Waiting for host. ]


    Benimaru pressed his hand forward and said to others. "Watch carefully. This is our most sacred treasure now."


    Everyone was surprised by Benimaru''s sudden action, as he had been quiet for a considerable amount of time. They became further interested in the treasure Benimaru was talking about.


    The next moment, before their eyes, a blue vortex appeared on top of the pit. From it, blood dropped out and filled the pit in a matter of seconds. By analyzing the time, it might seem short, but if you consider the pit, which was thirty meters wide and twelve meters deep, it would let one know how much blood hade out of the vortex.


    Benimaru and others looked at this new blood and were surprised. Normal blood looked just red and had a murky scent to it. But from this pool of blood, a potent vitality aura emitted, which enriched everyone''s bodies just by taking a sniff of it. The blood also glistened with brown and orange colors, while the red color shed like a firefly.


    "What is this, my lord?" Ragnar''s eyes gleamed as he felt his body screaming to dive into it. Others were also as curious as Ragnar. Because they had never seen anything like it before.


    Benimaru smirked, staring at the blood pool too. "This is the Pool of Body Mending. It has the blood of the God of War. It can help one cultivate their vitality realm easily without worrying about your foundation. Instead, it will continue enriching your body''s potential and physique."


    "How did you get your hands on this!?" Ravenna asked with shock, as she didn''t expect Benimaru to bring out such an awesome treasure. She was sure this would increase everyone''s overall strength.


    "I just found it while taking a stroll in the forest." Benimaru shrugged his shoulders, giving his most useless excuse. He knew there was nothing that he could hide with it, so he might as well throw one. They would at least not ask anymore.


    Ravenna squinted her eyes, giving Benimaru a sideways nce. However, she refrained from asking anything further.


    p


    "Okay." Benimaru pped his hands, bringing everyone to him. "I will make some rules now. Anyone who has merit can use it to soak in this Pool of Body Mending. To get these merits, you need to find natural treasures or recruit someone who is at least above the 5th Stage Fleshcrafting Realm."


    Everyone''s eyes glowed as they couldn''t wait to use it.


    Then Benimaru began to undress himself. He waved his hands at them and said it with a smile. "Till then, I will use it on my own."


    They knew what Benimaru meant. He was telling them to get these merits as fast as possible, or they might not even get a piece of pie properly.

 Chapter 121 The Trigger

    ?


    Benimaru submerged himself in a pool of blood. The moment his body was fully submerged, he felt his pores opening on their own and absorbing the rich energy of the blood.


    Benimaru could feel his entire body strengthening as time passed, but there was no sign of him getting closer to breaking through to the next minor stage. However, he wasn''t worried about that, as he could feel his vitality energy bing much more potent.


    ''I can''t feel much in such a short time. But as time goes on, its effects will start to show. This is too great. I do not know if I can find this by myself in the wild in the future.'' Benimaru waspletely mesmerized by the effects of the blood.


    However, after thinking with a clear mind, he guessed something. ''Maybe it will be hard. The big guys wouldn''t let this kind of rare treasure be left out. The only ones I could find are probably in ces that are hard to reach.


    Sighing in distress, he resumed his cultivation. It would do him no good to think about this anymore.


    While Benimaru was cultivating quietly, he didn''t know someone else was watching him silently.


    "This little guy has truly not disappointed me." An old man uttered softly, who was just above Benimaru, in the middle of the sky.


    This was none other than Hart, the old storyteller.


    Hart wanted to travel to other ces after giving Benimaru and Ravenna some money, but for some reason, his heart told him to stay. Hart was someone who followed his instinct and didn''t care about logical stuff, he wanted to see magical stuff, miracles incarnations.


    So, while Benimaru was cultivating for sixteen years, regaining his lost lifespan, Hart was telling stories in the nearby cities. He immediately noticed Benimaru when he left the cave. From then on, he kept an eye on him and his crew.


    Hart was already fascinated by Benimaru''s im that Ana¡ªa human¡ªwas his past life''s daughter. His curiosity grew more intense when he began to see Benimaru''s work and journey. Hart, for a long time, once again felt he was watching a legendary story unfold before his eyes. Because his powers to turn normal demons into high ranking ones, to find more interesting characters like Okarino and Bl, and to get into the big war in Migotanie City and influence it more were what he was searching for.


    At first, he wanted to interfere with Benimaru as he was harming the humans but when he found the works of the church himself, he refrained from doing anything. What broke his heart was not the church turning out bad but humans¡ªhis own race¡ªkilling each other.


    However, what permanently solidified his interest in Benimaru was the God of War''s blood and the portal that it came out of. Even he couldn''t pry into it.


    ''For millions of years I have been roaming this world and guarding it fromplete copse; however, I don''t mind because this is the job for us Sky Guardians. So, to relieve my boredom, I went on the journey to see how others zed their paths. There have been only two people in those millions who could bring me emotions of all kinds.'' Hart stared at Benimaru intensely and thought with wonder. ''Can you do it too, being the first demon?''


    Hart has lived for many years and seen many things, so he knows many things that others might not know. For this reason, he had no issue with demons being the protagonists in his eyes right now.


    Suddenly, he looked to his right side and squinted his eyes. He muttered softly. "Oh¡­ those guys seem to have begun to prepare. I don''t know how much they can harm the Church of Goddess Ignia. Ahh¡­ the Star Shower of Prosperity, I miss this event so much. When I was able to see it with my own eyes, I was nothing but a chess piece for the big guys. Now, let me witness the chaos taking the top seat."


    Hart is in ecstasy right now. He had no one in his life that he could call family, friends, or even enemies. The only thing that could pump his dying heart was the journey of young heroes, making his heart boil.


    Hart looked below at Benimaru. ''I wille back after five years. I have many things to check and make sure of now. I hope you don''t die before Ie back, little guy.''


    Then Hart vanished into thin air, as if he wasn''t there to begin with.


    At that moment, Benimaru raised his head and tilted into confusion. ''Am I hallucinating? I felt someone watching me. Was it the gods? Hmmm... if it is you, god of destiny, just wait.''


    Benimaru went into a deep cultivation state, more motivated after thinking about his archenemy, the God of Destiny.


    ¡­


    South-west of the EverGreen Region, in the deepest part of the dense forest that had towering trees that would break one''s neck if they tried to look up at their crowns.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    Forests, rivers, and mountains teeming with life were what made the EverGreen Region, or, in thenguage of this world, the Tapir Region. These were its specialties. So, this dense forest was the norm, as the edges of this region were full of them, but the dense forest of the southwest side was blocked by a sea of towering mountains that blocked one''s view to see what was on the other side.


    Near those mountains were multiple wooden houses that had circr domes made of straw and sticks. However, these wooden houses were bigger than the ones used by tribes. The windows were as tall as an adult human''s length. Their doors were like the giant gates of smaller cities, which were used for the main entrance.


    On the top of a tree crown, one could see such a building too; however, this was a bit different than others. On its outer wall, severalrge and small heads were lit by torches.


    Inside this particr house, six Silverback Goris were sitting before each other on both sides. They were thirty meters tall and eight meters wide. Their wideness was stretched this far because of their beefy arms, which had the strength of unknown horror.


    Most of them had passed their adult lives, except a few. So, one could see them with leisurely eyes. However, that shouldn''t fool you, as any one of them could wipe out any baron-level city with the swipe of their hand.


    But these Silverback Goris were sitting respectfully before a human, who was taking the seat above, looking down at everyone. This man was none other than the Silverback Gori n leader, Garmain.


    It might be confusing to many who are not familiar with beast ns, but if someone among them can reach a certain stage in the power realm, they could transform themselves into their human form. The one who could achieve it would instantly be the leader of the n.


    "So, what you said was true?" Garmain asked, resting his head on his arm.


    "Yes, leader. They have used the blood of our n for their own sakes."


    "Leader, we can''t stay quiet anymore."


    The six below Garmain were all the elders of the n. They were all expressing their anger and wanting Garmain to do justice.


    However, Garmain didn''t answer immediately. He nced at everyone and thought to himself. ''Hmmm¡­ these guys actually used the blood of my n. Are they not afraid of us, not even me?''


    Garmain didn''t doubt this information, as they had their own spies who would send secrets that anyone wanted to hide.


    "Elders, we have sent a request to the headquarters of Goddess Ignia''s church, right?" Garmain asked something else, as he wanted to be more sure before making a decision.


    One of the elders spoke up, on behalf of others. "Leader, we sent it the moment we received this information, but they have yet to give us a proper answer. They told us they have nothing to do with this incident and are refraining from talking further.


    Garmain''s eyes widened in shock, not expecting them to go this route. To satisfy other people, one had to give them something in return; everyone knows that, and so does Garmain. For this, Garmain was expecting to give them something valuable to make them quiet, and Garmain would be satisfied with that. He didn''t want to create a big conflict and endanger other n members'' lives.


    But it seems like the church didn''t care about it or they weren''t afraid of them in the first ce.


    "These lunatics! They dare to use my n and not care about it. Tell everyone to wake up; it''s time to let everyone in the EverGreen Region remember our n''s glory." Garmain stood up in anger and walked outside.


    He raised his head and looked to the side. He asked with his eyes widening. "Are we doing anything wrong, Sky Guardian Hart?"


    Hart floated in the air and shook his head while smiling. "Nothing. I was just making sure if there was a valid reason."


    "Now, good luck, Garmain. I will be watching you." Hart vanished before Garmain''s eyes, leaving Garmain smirking.


    "Watch me, old man Hart."

 Chapter 122 New General

    ?


    Inside a chaotic yet cheerful tavern.


    "Have you heard about the ongoing secret war between the Silverback Goris and the Church of Goddess Ignia?" One adventurer asked the person before him.


    "Of course I did. It is the talk of the tow- Oh, sorry, the kingdom''s now."


    "Brother, can you tell why they went to war all of a sudden? I thought the beasts should never go into conflict with humans."


    "Huh~ it looks like you are a new adventurer. So, I won''t tell you everything, but remember this: the usage of beast blood for your own benefit is strictly prohibited."


    That young adventurer got a bit nervous, seeing the brother before him warn him with stern eyes. So, he curved those words in his mind and silently chugged down the beer in his hand.


    Commoners and young adventurers might not know or they were refrained from informing others about this stuff. Because when someone gets to know about something, even if it is the worst thing possible, it might sow a seed of curiosity to give this unknown a try or see it with their own eyes.


    Humans and demons were arch enemies of each other, as was their blood. If one wanted to use others'' blood to strengthen themselves, they would fail miserably. However, there was one exception, and it was the blood of beasts.


    Beast blood does not contradict with either human or demon blood. So, in ancient times, humans and demons of all kinds used the beasts as much as they liked to make themselves stronger. However, in doing so, the beast race was almost about to getpletely wiped out.


    They begged everyone to let them go and have their own freedom, but no one agreed; no one looked at them with kind eyes, not even the gods. Beasts were left in hopelessness as they could see themselves going extinct. So they waged an all-out war, not caring about the casualties. If they would disappear from this world, then they would at least go out in glory. They didn''t want the future world to know them as livestock.


    Humans and demons were left speechless, as they didn''t know what to do in this scenario. They might win with their overwhelming number, but the casualties they would have would be enormous, which is what the demons were also thinking about.


    Eventually, to stop this madness, Goddess Ignia descended down onto the world, quelling the angry world to peace. She was the one in charge of maintaining bnce in this world. She couldn''t let a racepletely disappear from this world, or it would bring chaos to the world.


    However, Ignia only banned using the blood to strengthen your own, as it would delude the blood and give you an advantage over others. But they could use other parts for anything, such as making weapons, for example.


    No one disagreed with her either, as killing others was the norm; every race killed other races; even in-killing happens. Because only the words of the strong were the rule.


    So, to think the Church of Goddess Ignia would be the one to break this taboo was mind-boggling to many.


    ¡­


    Near Migotanie City, the forest stretched toward the horizon.


    "From here on, I grant you to be the fourth general under this lord." Benimaru spoke with a hoarse yet dignified tone as he pulled his hand back. He looked down, watching Bl gulp down his condensed blood essence.


    They were inside the castle, in the throne room, without any brilliance around them. Behind Benimaru were his other generals, who were watching the ceremony calmly, as was the entire demon army behind Bl.


    Bailey and Tanaka watched calmly, not worrying about the future, as they would follow whatever path Bl took.


    Unlike Ragnar and Fiain, who had extreme reactions, Bl was kneeling quietly, just like Ravenna. But there was an invisible improvement happening inside Bl''s body, which Benimaru and his generals could see.


    "Now, you may stand." However, Benimaru didn''t care about it and instead began to close the ceremony.


    Bl stood up and stared into Benimaru''s eyes. He saw him smiling and signaling with his eyes to move behind him and stand with other generals.


    Bl immediately followed his orders and went to Benimaru''s right, standing with Ravenna. On Benimaru''s left were the other two, Ragnar and Fiain.


    After Bl stood in his position, Benimaru spoke to the other demons below him. "Are you all jealous? Do you also want to get this lord''s blessing and climb up the ranks?"


    The demons nodded their heads eagerly, greed shing before their eyes.


    A smirk grew on Benimaru''s face, satisfied with the response. It meant one thing for him now: the demons would work much harder. But, this wasn''t enough, Benimaru wanted to give them more to have this yearning engraved in their hearts. "My soldiers! I believe you can also reach this height, do not get worried about your limited potential."<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    "You see the two generals on my right? You have seen their strengths?"


    How could they not? Fiain and Ragnar were their main goals to achieve, as they had the most contact with them. They had seen how strong and awesome they were in their eyes. Especially Ragnar, who had garnered a fanbase who would do anything to join his camp. Only Bl was close to that level of poprity.


    "Then let me tell you something. They were once meatscrapers, just like many of my soldiers below."


    This information shocked many, especially the meatscrapers. Only the original ones, who were in the same batch as Ragnar and Fiain, had calm expressions.


    "They were also like you, but their bravery and will had made me grant them my blood, leading them to this evolution. So, work diligently, because everyone''s future is limitless!" Benimaru''s voice peaked, echoing throughout the room. However, what Benimaru said was something even he doubted, as he was not sure if his blood essence was capable of it, but he was sure of one thing¡ªit would increase anyone''s strength gradually.


    "GRAAAA!!!"


    "KRIII!!!"


    "ARRRRGGG!!"


    All the demons yelled in enthusiasm as they were filled with energy to do anything now.


    Benimaru nodded his head in satisfaction before saying. "Now, dismiss. I hope you guys return with good results."


    After bowing to Benimaru, they left the castle and went onto the work on their hands. Only Bailey and Tanaka didn''t leave, they were waiting for Bl.


    Benimaru nced at them, then headed toward his throne, not minding their presence.


    Sitting on his throne, Benimaru asked. "So, do you have anything to report today?"


    "Yes, my lord." Ragnar was the first one to speak. "The Tier 1 demon baron on the north of our border is acting up all of a sudden. Some of our spies say he is arming up his soldiers and stationing them near our borders."


    "Oh.. that guy is again trying to do something even after getting our warning." Benimaru pondered for a bit before calmly saying. "Eliminate him or try to see if he wants to join us."


    "As you wish, my lord." Ragnar bowed a little, as he couldn''t stop his itchy hands.


    "Lord," The next one was Ravenna, who didn''t call him directly by his name. She has grown up and knew she could let their personal lives step into the actual workce. "I have sessfully concocted the Three Stipe Tiger Pill."


    A smile grew on Benimaru''s face as he started to dream of monopolizing the entire alchemy market. So he bought every pill-concocting technique and gave it to Ravenna to learn. By doing so, he could produce them in mass amounts in these five years of peacetime. However, the problem of no manpower still remained, as it was extremely hard to find demons with as high intelligence as Ravenna.


    ''I should send more expeditions to search for demons with high-ranking bloodlines.'' Benimaru pondered while Fiain spoke of what she knew of.


    "Lord, we have some bad news. Pdin Warriors from the Church of Goddess Ignia have arrived in the city." Fiain spoke with a cold face. However, her words made others'' faces turn grim.


    This past six months, after the burial of Arash, Benimaru had reached a new height in strength, unlocking another level of the shop. First, he bought all the books rted to the world because Benimaru believed that the more he knew about this world, the better his chance of sess. This time, he had made a library, storing all of these books and encouraging his generals and enough sentiencemanders under them to read them.


    This batch of books has greater knowledge and some secrets than the past ones, so everyone who had spent time in the library knew what this meant.


    "They are finally here to exterminate us and Bl. They want to take revenge and improve their public image through Bl. These hypocrites! They should be worried about handling the Silverback Goris." Letting out his annoyance a little, Benimaru asked. "How good is their strength?"


    Fiain had better vision and great speed, so he gave her the spy department. While Ragnar took the military side, so did Bl too.


    Fiain pondered for a bit before answering. "Lord, we have only seen four people, but there may be more. From what I could sense, it seems they are stronger than us but that doesn''t mean they are unbeatable. It''s just¡­"

 Chapter 123 Misunderstanding

    ?


    "It wille at a heavy cost." Benimaru finished Fiain''s sentence, as he had gotten a grasp of the situation. ''It looks like their hands are heavy, trying to handle the Silverback Goris. They should have sent people with enough strength to overpower us easily. But¡­unfortunately for them, they made this decision based on the old data.''


    "You don''t need to worry about it." Benimaru stood up and stretched his body. "Let theme. Just be careful of your surroundings. I don''t want any ambushes."


    Afterwards, Benimaru left for his room; no one knew what he would be doing inside.


    ¡­


    Inside Benimaru''s room.


    "Hmmm. Even if we try to remain peacefully, danger wille walking toward us." Benimaru sighed, sitting on his bed.


    "However, this doesn''t matter much. I have to think of finding another treasure that can help strengthen us." Benimaru rubbed his forehead, thinking of the main problem that was bugging his mind.


    Just a few days ago, the Pool of Body Mending had its blood essencepletely depleted; now it waspletely useless. It has brought them to greater heights by making qualitative changes in their bodies. But it ran out far earlier than he anticipated, making the generals who had used the least wait.


    A couple of minutester, Benimaru let out a disheartened sigh before continuing his cultivation. ''It is a waste of time thinking about it. Let''s cultivate.''


    ¡­


    North of Benimaru''s area.


    A small demon army, consisting of sixty demons, was heading to the north. This army was led by none other than Ragnar himself. He was riding an Emberhoof that he had taken for himself. He couldn''t travel with just his feet, as he was a general.


    Ragnar looked straight ahead, not caring to watch his sides. But that didn''t mean he was careless, as he always had his mana senses on. He wanted the enemy to attack him by acting carelessly.


    However, no fish caught on his bait, making Ragnar a bit surprised. ''It looks like the other party is cautious, but they are still preparing to attack us.''


    Ragnar became very curious to meet his opponent now.


    As he moved forward, Ragnar''s eyes suddenly widened. ''This level of stealth skill. There is no way these ordinary soldiers can use it. Someone is good with spells.''


    Just now, someone was detected on his mana senses¡ªonly for a second. But that was enough for Ragnar to gauge his opponents tactics. This was all the umtion of the expedition he went on alone.


    Ragnar caressed Emberhoof''s neck and said it with a smile. "Buddy, you can go wild for a while, but don''t hurt our own men."


    The Emebrhoof neighed in joy before mming its front hoofs to the ground. Instantly, a wave of fire ran through the ground, eventually hitting the trees and bushes to the sides and lighting them on fire.


    "Raaa"


    "Kraa"


    Panicked screams followed after that, as several demons ran away from the burning trees.


    Ragnar didn''t nce at them, just ordering his men, he began to move forward. "Kill every single one of them."


    Instantly, the army behind him divided in half and went to chase down the ambushers.


    The ambushers saw themselves being targeted by Ragnar''s men, but they didn''t retreat. Instead, they signaled others with their eyes and rushed forward to kill the enemies before them. How could they be afraid of demons who were the same number as them?


    Their leader had only told them to be worried about Benimaru and his generals.


    But, their leader made a mistake. Not only were Benimaru and his generals strong, so were his soldiers. One thing that most demon lords do is that they just give their soldiers a basic training before letting them do whatever they want. However, that wasn''t the case for Benimaru.


    Benimaru had given his attention to every aspect, as he hated to have a visible weakness. So, he even bought some techniques that could be used by demons who had low intelligence.


    This led to the ambushers getting crushed in a matter of seconds, not even putting a proper dent in their armor.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    "March forward, my soldiers. We have yet to achieve victory." Ragnar''s words echoed throughout everyone''s ears. He didn''t even let them take a breath, but the soldiers didn''t mind, as they wanted to get this victory more than anyone else, to get the merits.


    ¡­


    Inside a well-lit cave that didn''t have any dim spots.


    "Who is this guy!? How can his puny army be this strong?" A screeching voice rang throughout the cave, scaring the pair of Gorebuzz who were guarding the entrance.


    The source of this voice was of a woman''s. She had long dark hair, a pair of short horns, and a tail that was hidden under her long violet robe. Her ruby-like eyes nced at the white ball in front of her, which was showing theplete annihtion of her army.


    She was Gardenia, the lord that Ragnar was targeting. She was from the Witch race, the least known among the high-ranking bloodlines.


    "No, I have to do something." She picked up the white orb and headed outside the cave. "I have to at least set up some traps before he arrives."


    ¡­


    After ten minutes or so, Ragnar arrived before the cave entrance. It was on a rtively small hill, nothing special.


    Raising his eyebrows, Ragnar nced around. "Where is everyone? Did they escape right away?"


    "Everyone, quickly search the surroundings." Ragnar continued by giving instructions to his soldiers.


    His soldiers formed a team of four and scattered everywhere, in a strict disciplinary way. If one saw it, they would be surprised, as disciple and demon never went along with each other.


    Meanwhile, Ragnar waited quietly, sitting on his Emberhoof. Closing his eyes, he calmly pondered. ''Was the demon baron of this ce too confident or is hiding something?''


    Suddenly, his eyes shot open as he nced down. Arge enough magic circle¡ªapproximately ten meters of radius¡ªlit up below him, glowing red.


    "When?!" Ragnar was extremely surprised, as he had checked everything through his mana senses but didn''t find any traces of mana left by others anywhere.


    He didn''t have any time to think as a raging inferno burst out of the magic circle, engulfing Ragnar and his Emberhoof entirely.


    This attracted everyone, especially Ragnar''s soldiers. They were familiar with Ragnar''s fighting style, so they knew this wasn''t done by him. So, they quickly rushed in his direction in panic, even knowing they might be of no help.


    However, in that momentary distraction, dozens of demons jumped at them, taking them by surprise.


    "Hmph¡­ Benimaru''s generals are nothing but this? You sure were putting on a great arrogant font." Gardenia emerged from the cave as if she had always been there. She scoffed after seeing Ragnar not even notice her trap.


    "Don''t be disappointed. You have yet to see anything." Suddenly, a calm voice came from beside her, stumping her. She turned her head and saw Ragnar standing up, giving the Emberhoof lying on the ground a soft pat.


    Gardenia''s eyes widened, seeing Ragnar and the Emberhoof unscathed. The Emberhoof was even snorting the res in the air leisurely.


    "But, I have to say. I am very surprised by your mastery of spells, especially concealing techniques." Ragnar said it with a look of appreciation. He had never seen such high level spells used so easily, even hiding from others eyes. Not even Benimaru and Ravenna, who were well known for their use of spells, had this level of skill.


    Gardenia raised her eyebrows, seeing the carelessness of Ragnar. She didn''t take Ragnar''s words very seriously, as she was very proud of her talent in spellcraft, she didn''t need others to tell her how good she was anyway. "Tell me, what do you want?"


    Ragnar with seriousness. "I am here to take you down before you attack us. You were deploying your troops just outside our borders. No demons do that except when they have the idea of attacking others."


    What Ragnar said was true, as demons didn''t care much about borders; those were only present for them to show off how muchnd they owned. Only humans had their soldiers deployed around the borders to protect themselves from others.


    The veins on Gardenia''s forehead began to twitch after hearing Ragnar''s response. She shouted in anger. "Who told you that? I was deploying my men to protect myself from your guys. At the pace at which you are conquering thends beside you, I was afraid that it was my turn. You are so unreasonable."


    Ragnar was left speechless, not knowing what to say in return. Now that he thought about it, he felt she was right. They made an irrational division. But it wasn''t their fault, as no demon ever deployed troops to guard the borders.


    "I apologize for our mistake." Ragnar said it politely. In these past few months, Benimaru has taught them ethics and morals, which will help them tremendously as brute force doesn''t work all the time.

 Chapter 124 A New Member

    ?


    Gardenia became surprised, not expecting ethics toe out of demons. But it confirmed one thing for her, and that was that the Lord and the generals under him are a rare sort of bunch.


    Gardenia appeared humble, seeing Ragnar being polite to her. "No, it''s fine. This was all just a misunderstanding. I hope you can take your troops back to your base."


    "I will, but before that, I want to ask something." Ragnar stared into Gardenia''s eyes. "Want to join us?"


    Gardenia''s eyes widened dumbfoundedly, but eventually she calmed down, as this was expected. Every demon lord would try to expand their forces as much as possible; it didn''t matter if the other party was willing to do so or not; they would coarse them in some way to join them.


    So, Gardenia could already guess what Ragnar might do to her. Still, she tried to see if they were different. "What if I don''t want to?"


    Ragnar''s face didn''t change after hearing that. He gently shook his head. "Don''t worry, we won''t force you."


    At that moment, Ragnar''s soldiers came out of the forest with scars and blood on their bodies. From the looks of it, they survived the ambush and, on top of that, emerged victorious, just losing two Meatscrapers and a Swinefiend.


    Gardenia''s face darkened, going into deep thought. Ragnar waited patiently as he hoped she wouldn''t make a mistake.


    After a couple of seconds, Gardenia looked straight into Ragnar''s eyes and said, "Okay, I will join you."


    "Good." For the first time, a smile appeared on Ragnar''s face, making Gardenia''s eyebrows twitch upon seeing it.


    "But, can we wait for a second? I want to bring my necessary stuff from my cave." Gardenia said, pointing her finger at the cave.


    Ragnar replied, shaking his head. "You do not have to do it. My soldiers are enough."


    Ragnar made eye contact with several of his soldiers, who understood what he was trying to convey. Quickly, they went inside the cave to pick up everything they could.


    "If you have other soldiers under you, call them." Ragnar continued. "If not, just follow us."


    Gardenia spread her mana senses and found all of her soldiers dead. With frustration in her voice, she uttered. "I have no one; let''s just leave."


    Ragnar gave her a weird nce before heading toward their base. Gardenia and Ragnar''s soldiers followed behind him, while the few soldiers doing the pick up job were behind.


    On the way, Ragnar couldn''t help but nce beside him, looking at Gardenia''s gloomy face. He asked curiously. "Ummm.. If you don''t mind, can I ask you why you look so angry?"


    Gardenia turned her head and looked at Ragnar''s straightforward face dumbfoundedly. At first, she wanted to hold herself back, but thinking of joining their side now, she felt she could do what she had in her mind.


    With fiery eyes, she yelled at Ragnar with justice. "You are asking that after you killed all my soldiers, which I cultivated with blood and sweat, wasting my time. You also forcefully made me join your camp. To think you had the audacity to ask!? You are dumb!"


    Ragnar''s eyes widened as he was left stumped. Not only him, even the soldiers behind him were left speechless. Their brave and courageous general, whom they respected and feared from the bottom of their hearts, was now getting scolded by a woman they met just a few minutes ago.


    After letting out her spicy speech, she breathed heavily. As she calmed down, she started screaming in her mind, panicking heavily. ''AHHHHH!!! What did I just say? You dum-dum. Now you are dead. I have to find a way to escape quickly.''


    At that moment, Ragnar also came back to his senses, and his eyes drooped down. This gave Gardenia the greatest scare of her life as she prepared to run at any time.


    But contrary to her expectations, nothing happened.


    "I am once again sorry, Miss Gardenia." Ragnar halted his Emberhoof and pointed his head to the back of the Emberhoof. "Please, take this seat. I can''t let you walk all the way to the base. I have nothing to amend for my mistake; this is the only thing I can do now."


    Gardenia froze as she was left speechless by Ragnar''s behavior. She knows demons'' behaviors, even if they gained higher intelligence or had a high ranking bloodline, they were violent to the core of their souls.


    Seeing Gardenia not responding, Ragnar asked curiously. "Is this not enough?"


    Gardenia woke up from her shock and immediately shook her head. "No, no, no, it''s enough."


    Then she ascended on Emberhoof''s body and went with Ragnar in a rxed manner.


    Along the way, she couldn''t help but ask. "You are far stronger than me, so why are you respectful?"


    Ragnar answered without turning his head back. "Oh that. This is something my Lord taught me and others. We will only show our enmity to those that are hostile to us." <novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    "Also," He further added. "I am not that strong. We are both basically in the same realm, it''s just¡­ there was no one to guide you while I had others to hone my skills."


    [ General: Ragnar


    Race: Martial Demon


    ss: Martial Master of Stars


    Vitality Realm: 9th Stage Fleshcrafting Realm


    Combat Strength: 2nd Stage Physique Refinement Realm


    Ability: Blessings of Martial Demon God


    Vitality Technique: Great Tiger and Bear Art.


    Skills: Counter, Blurry Dash, Shattering Fist, Calming Waters Meditation, Dance of Blinding shes. ]


    Ragnar had reached the pinnacle of Fleshcrafting. He was just one step away from reaching the next major realm¡ªPhysique Refinement Realm. Just as the title suggests, in this you have to refine the physique you had and connect with your entire body.


    Physiques aren''t integrated with one''s body, but they could still use it as if it was already part of it. One can look at physiques as a medium or an external item. By influencing your energy, you can use it however you want. However, this was the most wasteful way of using your physique, as you had to use tons of energy to influence.


    That changes when one steps into the Physiques Refinement Realm. To achieve this realm, one had to know one''s physique thoroughly before they could start integrating it into their body. Then slowly, they would ascend multiple stages,bining the body and physique as a whole. When one reaches the pinnacle of this realm, their energy cost for using their physique is reduced by half while their body''s potential increases tremendously.


    "Really!?" Gardenia let out a cry of shock. She didn''t expect Ragnar to be also at the pinnacle of the second major realm. In her case, it was the 9th Stage Novice Realm. She thought Ragnar had a much higher cultivation realm than her because she couldn''t believe someone in the same realm as her would be able to defeat her.


    Ragnar nodded his head. "Yes, I am not lying. You can also achieve my level of strength. If the Lord is satisfied with you, he will give you a proper training n."


    Gardenia''s eyes shone brightly. At first, she thought she had sealed her fate by agreeing with Ragnar, but from the looks of it, it isn''t that bad.


    ¡­


    Half an hourter.


    "We have finally arrived." Ragnar''s voice entered Gardenia''s ears, waking her up from her drowsy state.


    Gardenia opened her eyes fully and witnessed Benimaru''s small yet packed base, where many demons were roaming around. It was surrounded by a 10-meter-tall wall. There were a few archer stations on top where meatscrapers were keeping an eye on their surroundings.


    Ragnar dismissed his soldiers, ordering them to return to their stations. Meanwhile, he took Gardenia to meet with Benimaru. They still didn''t have the authority to take any high ranking demon without letting Benimaru know of it. Without his consultation, taking a high ranking demon was a crime in itself.


    "What!? Is what you are saying all true?" Suddenly, Ragnar and Gardenia heard a panicked shouting from their right side. Gardenia was new here, so she didn''t know anyone. But Ragnar instantly recognized that voice.


    ''Isn''t that Bl''s?'' Ragnar became curious, so he changed his direction. ''Let''s take a look.''


    A couple of secondster, they arrived before a small barrack, which was Bl''s. Descending from the Emberhoof, Ragnar didn''t enter the barracks. Instead, he led Gardenia to the back of the barracks and saw Bl talking with Bailey and Tanaka.


    They felt someone''s presence, so looking back, they saw it was none other than Ragnar.


    "Brother Ragnar! I''m d you are here." Bl''s face glowed with light as a soft sigh of relief escaped his mouth.


    Ragnar became more curious after seeing Bl like this. "What happened, Bl? You seem very worried about something."


    Bl came before Ragnar and grabbed both of his shoulders. "Brother Ragnar, I need your help."


    "For what?"


    Bl hesitated a little but eventually blurted it out. "You know that the Pdin Warriors were sent by the Church of the Goddess Ignia. They should being for me, but they are targeting the kids I raised."

 Chapter 125 Change In Self

    ?


    "Kids?" Ragnar became even more confused, as he didn''t know Bl''s side of the story that well.


    "Ahh¡­ I guess I didn''t tell you yet." Getting embarrassed, Bl quickly exined it to Ragnar. "It is a group of kids that I picked up from the streets. I raised them until they were ready to experience the world. All of them are orphans, so they could only call me and themselves family. Together, they made an adventure team called Night re."


    Oh, it looks like they are about to get interrogated by those Pdin Warriors. This is bad, very bad." Ragnar rubbed his chin, as he could feel how grave the situation was. You don''t just interrogate your enemy; you also kill them or use them as bait.


    Bl said it in a hurry. "Brother, they are safe for now because of the new Baron. But I don''t know how long they can hide. You know the Baron isn''t omnipotent."


    Ragnar nodded his head, as the new Baron was just a kid and didn''t have much reach into every corner of the city. Looking into Bl''s sad and concerned eyes, Ragnar sighed before saying. "Bl, you should leave now and try to rescue them out of the city. But don''t take too many people with you. I will inform the Lord about it."


    "Thank you, brother." Bl quickly hugged Ragnar before he could even react. Letting him go, he signaled Bailey and Tanaka through his eyes.


    They were about to leave when Ragnar suddenly called them. "Bl, wait for a bit."


    Bl halted in his steps and looked at Ragnar curiously.


    "Nothing. It''s just¡­ take her with you. I can promise she will be of great help." Ragnar showed Gardenia by stepping aside.


    "Huh¡­" Gardenia was first confused before she became dumbfounded. "Huh? Why me?"


    Ragnar squinted his eyes, ring at her. "Don''t ask questions. See this as a test for joining us."


    Gardenia stared at Ragnar''s face for a few seconds, thinking about something. Then, letting out a sigh, she went along with Bl.


    Bl didn''t question Ragnar''s decision, knowing he wouldn''t do any harm to him.


    Seeing their shadow vanish after jumping out of the wall, Ragnar headed toward the castle. ''I hope the Lord doesn''t get too mad at me.''


    ¡­


    Knock Knock


    "Come in." Benimaru opened his eyes from deep cultivation and nced at his door.


    Click


    After the door opened, Ragnar entered his room with a small bow.


    Benimaru got up from his bed and sat on the sofa beside him. Ragnar also sat on the sofa, which was opposite of Benimaru.


    "What is it, Ragnar? Have you finished the mission?" Benimaru asked, guessing Ragnar was here to report about what transpired on the conquest.


    "Yes, my lord." Nodding his head, Ragnar began to retell everything that happened with Gardenia, not leaving any detail.


    "I see." After listening to Ragnar''s entire exnation, Benimaru couldn''t help but facepalm. He didn''t expect he would take the lives of innocent demons, which was totally against the goal of the makeshift motto of his organization.


    ''Well, forget it.'' Letting out a sigh, Benimaru asked. "Where is she now?"


    "Uhh¡­" Ragnar stuttered all of a sudden, hesitating to speak.


    Benimaru raised his eyebrows, feeling the situation was weird. Never once did Ragnar stutter when telling him something. So, Benimaru became very interested.


    Ragnar went silent and picked up his courage. "Actually, lord¡­"


    Then Ragnar started to describe what happened with Bl.


    Bl had a calm face at the beginning, but the more he listened, the more grim and surprised he became.


    When Ragnar finished his speech, Benimaru stared at Ragnar intensely. Because of him now, Ragnar is apletely different person. Ragnar would never deny his orders or rules. But here he was, giving permission to Bl to go on his own. One could say Ragnar acted on his behalf, but he hadn''t made such a rule yet.


    If a general could use his authority to assign someone for anything, it wouldn''t do any good. Especially in this case. Benimaru didn''t want his generals to do anything without telling him, not now. Because they were still very weak, they couldn''t act carelessly in such a state. But it might be a different case when they get stronger in the future.


    "You have changed, Ragnar." Benimaru blurted it out with emotion.


    Ragnar''s eyes widened as he was preparing to get scolded; however , it looks like nothing happened. Smiling to himself, he asked. "Did I really change, Lord?"<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    "Yes." Benimaru nodded his head. "But it''s bad. Caring for others will make you stronger."


    Benimaru smiled, satisfied with Ragnar''s development. However, it also alerted him of something. ''There seems to be more emotion on his face after our invasion of the church. Ravenna had told me he gained an unimaginable power all of a sudden and turned the tides. Unfortunately, I can''t find anything in him with my own powers. If only the system was not also silent.''


    Thinking of the system, his face darkened.


    Here is a short glimpse of their interaction:


    "System, can you tell me what is wrong with Ragnar''s body?"


    [ No. ]


    "Why? He is my general and is registered under you. Everything about him should be known to me. So, why are you not talking about his other secrets?"


    [ ¡­ ]


    "System? You there?"


    [ ___ ]


    "..."


    In the current time.


    Benimaru stood up, and so did Ragnar. Going to his bed, Benimaru said to Ragnar. "You and Fiain go to the city. Help them in any way possible."


    "As you wish." Ragnar bowed his head.


    "Also." Stopping right at the edge of his bed, Benimaru turned his head back and smirked. "This is an order given by you. Do not have it go to waste."


    "Yes, my lord!" Ragnar gave a full bow. He became serious, as he could understand what Benimaru was trying to imply. ''I can''t mess this up.''


    Watching Ragnar leave, Benimaru sat in the middle of his bed. However, instead of going into cultivation, he went into deep thought. ''Those guys would surely kill those young kids if it were the previous times. But times have changed. This brother of Ana is not strong, but he has strong management capability, which is very suited for a ruler. So those young guys would be safe. But we can''t say anything about them being abducted. Then the situation might spiral down to the abyss.''


    Benimaru had spent considerable time with Nil and his team. They were a bunch of hot-blooded, simple kids, and they were his daily customers. He actually liked spending time with them and had a very favorable impression.


    ''I hope nothing bad happens.'' Benimaru let out a sigh before his face turned serious. ''If it is needed, I will go there by myself.''


    ¡­


    On the edge of the forest.


    "Miss, you should change to your human form. I mean, just hide your demonic traits." Tanaka advised Gardenia. They were about toe in with human contact. They couldn''t let others see them having a demon with them. They were already wanted everywhere, and Gardenia being like this won''t help much either.


    Gardenia squinted her eyes, feeling ufortable. Demonic traits were her pride; how could she hide them? But she had to follow what she was told. While retracting her horns and tail, she suddenly realized. ''Now that I think about it, I didn''t see any demonic traits in Ragnar.''


    It wasn''t her fault, as she was in a very tense moment. The only thing on her mind was how to escape from Ragnar''s clutches.


    ''He is also a demon, but he too is hiding his demonic traits.'' Gardenia started at Bl''s back. It wasn''t as strong as Ragnar''s, but there were a few wisps of demonic aura in him. Then, looking at the other two, she frowned. ''But these two are pure human beings.''


    She was confused and, at the same time, very interested in this group. Who was this lord? Why didn''t he mind hiding the demonic traits that every demon was proud of? How can he allow humans to work for him? She has so many questions, but no answer for now.


    After they came out of the forest, they put their cloaks on, hiding their appearance and bodies.


    "Now, let''s wait for a disposal carriage." Bl told others and waited patiently.


    Gardenia''s eyes widened when she heard that. "What do you mean by that?"


    "Oh," Bl said, looking at her anding to the realization that she was new. "We are wanted everywhere, so to bypass the security, we had to mix in the disposal carriage. But don''t worry, we won''t be hiding inside trash, but cow dung."


    Cow dung is rich fertilizer, which is an efficient fuel and biogas producer, a useful building material, raw material for making paper, and insect repellent. When they are brought back to the city, the guards don''t check. Using this, they could go in very easily. The only downside was that they had to get smeared in them. They could use mana or vital energy to protect their bodies from being touched by them, but the guards will detect it immediately.


    "No, no, no!" Gardenia instantly disagreed. She couldn''t let herself get into that. "Forget that; I have a better way."

 Chapter 126 Blockades In The Mission

    ?


    On the southern gate of Migotanie City.


    "Why are there so few people these days?" One guard asked as he watched the empty roads.


    Hispanion, standing beside him, agreed. "You are right. It might be because we don''t have many specialty stores in our town anymore. In the past, prominent businesses rose, but all of them disappeared after that incident."


    The incident he was talking about was the one Benimaru participated in six months ago. After Arash''s death, all those businessmen left as there was no safety in town, and one of the powerhouses, Arash, perished. All of this umted into a loss of trust for the city.


    "Maybe that''s the case. Man, I miss that weapon shop that sold cheap yet quality weapons."


    "Me too. Now, I have to buy something made by the locals. You know how long theyst."


    The two of themmented the past. The time Benimaru stayed may have been short, but it was full of wonders for the locals. It was, in short, their own glory days.


    Pfft Fraap Poot


    Suddenly, they both became silent, looking at each other. They just heard a soft yet long fart, but there was no one besides them, which made the atmosphere a bit awkward.


    "Uhhh¡­ don''t speak. It''s okay. I have my mouth shut." The one on the right patted the other''s shoulder with sympathy.


    Instantly, the patted guy raged, feeling injustice. "What are you spouting about? The noise clearly came from in front of us. Do you think I can fart from the front?"


    The other guard shrugged his shoulders in reply. "Who knows? There are many wonders in the world; anything can happen."


    "You!!!" He gnashed his teeth, holding himself back from crushing his buddy to pieces.


    ¡­


    In a tight alley.


    "Phew~ We got lucky." Tanaka took off his hoodie and wiped his nonexistent sweat.


    The others followed along and stared at Bl simultaneously.


    Bl got nervous, feeling everyone''s gaze on him. "Why are you looking at me like that? It wasn''t my fault. It was that damn fly''s."


    Yes, Bl was the one who identally leaked his gas. Because he digested food normally, to enjoy it thoroughly, he would let the food turn into the most beneficial essences for his body and dump the rest as trash or impurities. Leading to him having gas like normal people.


    "Forget it." Gardenia shook her head, as ming others wouldn''t do anything. No matter what happened, they didn''t fail in their task, at least.


    The others nodded their heads, agreeing with Gardenia. At that moment, Bailey suddenly said. "Gardenia, you are amazing. I have not met someone who is good at concealing their abilities. Well, you do not have that ability, but your mastery of such spells is awesome."


    The idea that Gardenia gave was that she would cast an invisibility spell and sneak into the city from the front gate, as simple as it is. The thing that amazed others most was how Gardenia''s spell worked. One only needs to stop using their mana, or vital energy, and they will be invisible to the naked eye; even the usage of mana sensing couldn''t detect them. So, despite Bl making a noise, the guards weren''t able to sense or see them.


    One has to understand that noise also counts as some form of energy.


    "Hahaha¡­ I am not that great." Gardenia shook her head, not taking that praise to heart. She knew her tricks wouldn''t work on someone who has superior mana sense. "Forget all of this, and let''s get these kids you are here for."


    Bl nodded his head and asked Bailey. "Where are those guys hiding?"


    Letting out a depressed sigh, Bailey answered. "They have no one they can call family. They only know themselves. So, they are hiding where they know and can call home, the house they bought with their hard-earned money."


    "I see." Bl chuckled to himself before heading toward the east side of the city. "Let''s go pick them up."


    ¡­


    East side of Migotanie City.


    This side of the ce was the housing area. Many well-known people have built their houses here. But as time went on, the entire ce became packed, leaving no room for even opening the balcony. Only a few lucky ones still had the luxury of having open space around their house. This type of house can now mostly be seen on the southern side.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    For this, there were no small alleyways. Criss-cross roads could be seen running all around the ce.


    Bl and others were walking along with others in the road, in in sight. But they had the invisibility spell on, so no one was able to see them.


    They were about to take a turn around the corner when suddenly Bl put his arm up, stopping them. Having their backs caressed against the wall, only Bl looked around the corner.


    Bl saw a man standing in front of a house, which was Nil''s and the other kids. The man had the same armor and outfit as Ahat, but there were other things that separated him from Ahat. He had a six-petal flower shoulder badge on both sides of his cape and a six-petal flower crest on his chest.


    Bailey asked as softly as possible, only letting the trio hear her voice. "What is it, brother Bl?"


    Bailey and the other two still haven''t seen anything, and they couldn''t use their mana senses to look at what made Bl cautious, as it would make the spell useless.


    "One of the Pdin Warriors is here." Bl said in a concerned tone.


    Tanaka''s eyes widened as he blurted out in shock. "Is he going to kidnap them all in broad daylight?"


    Hearing that, Gardenia answered after some thought. "I don''t think so. If he or they wanted to, they would have already done it. From the way Sir Bl is talking, it looks like he is hesitating to enter."


    "She is right." Bl agreed with Gardenia''s statement, as he could also see the Pdin Warrior standing there all alone, quietly.


    ¡­


    ''Interesting, all of them are hiding together. That is smart of them. At least they would be able to make noise if something happened, or it would be quite easy to pick them off one by one.'' Kai pondered silently. He was one of the Pdin Warriors and is currently being watched by Bl and others.


    However, they weren''t the only ones who were watching Kai secretly. ''This is quite amusing. That young Baron actually deployed his general to keep an eye on me, and that other city guard captain might be watching thosezy bums.''


    Kai was far stronger than Haitam, so it wasn''t hard for him to notice Haitam''s mana sense on him. The reason he wasn''t doing anything against it was because the headquarters had strongly warned them not to do anything against the Baron or they might have to face strong consequences.


    Kai was confused as to why the headquarters would give such a weird warning, but the orders were given, and they couldn''t deny it.


    ''Man, this is one of the easiest missions, and the most annoying mission at that too.'' Kai frowned, as he didn''t know what to do now.


    ¡­


    "What should we do now? We can''t wait like this forever." Bailey asked impatiently, as she couldn''t help but worry about her friends. Tanaka nodded his head, he was as worried as her.


    Gardenia looked around to find anything. Her eyes widened when she spotted someone.


    "Everyone be ready. When I say "go", sprint for the door." Gardenia''s suddenmands brought everyone''s attention. They looked at her, trying to tell her what she wanted to do.


    Gardenia aimed her palm at an old man who was walking slowly beside the road. " [ Fire of Unseen ] "


    An invisible fire shot from the palm, not even letting out any mana traces. The fire flew through the air and hit the old man, who was clueless. The moment the fire came in contact with the old man''s body, mes swallowed him entirely by surprise.


    "ARGHHH!! HELP ME!" The old man shouted in panic and dropped to the ground.


    The vendor owners by his side quickly brought their bucket of water and sshed it on his body. Unfortunately, nothing happened, making the crowd panic and distance themselves from the old man as much as possible.


    "Please help! My grandson is waiting for me at home. Please¡­ Please, knight of the Goddess Ignia, help me." His body burning slowly, the old man cried out in pain to Kai, who was acting dumb as if he didn''t even notice the incident.


    The crowd also shouted, as they couldn''t watch the old man burn anymore.


    "Knight of Goddess Ignia, save this poor old man."


    "He will definitely save him; just watch. Goddess Ignia is the only one who loves us mortals."


    Kai''s eyes twitched after hearing all of these, but he still went to help as he couldn''t watch the old man die after everyone praised the goddess so much.

 Chapter 127 Crumbling Trust

    ?


    Walking before the old man, Kai pressed his hand on the old man''s head. The next moment, a soft brown glow emitted from his body, which dispersed the fire on his body and also began to heal his burned marks and scars.


    Most of the fighters under Goddess Ignia use Earth Element. When they vowed to abide by Goddess Ignia''s theocracy, the goddess would instantly change their element to earth. While the healers¡ªPriests, bishops, and such¡ªget Wood Element.


    The wood element is best for healing; however, that doesn''t mean other elements aren''t as good as it. Still, only the Earth Elementes second in terms of healing power.


    As Kai healed the old man, he frowned. ''What is this? This level of mana is at such a random ce, and¡­if I am not wrong, there also seems to be demonic energy mixed in.''


    ''Don''t tell me¡­'' Kai started to doubt if some demon was hiding nearby and pulling a prank. ''...or a demon did it deliberately to capture my attention.''


    After healing the old man, Kai stood up and spread his mana senses as much as possible. But he couldn''t find anything, only sawmon people doing their daily work. At that moment, he suddenly noticed Nil''s house''s window open. He became surprised, as when he first came, they had everything shut, boxing themselves.


    Spreading his senses inside, he found no one. Kai turned his head in Nil''s house''s direction with his eyes wide open. ''When and¡­how?''


    Getting out of the crowd, Kai ran around, trying to see if he could find them. But all of this effort came for naught.


    Kai stood in his spot and pondered in shock. ''How can this be? There is no way they left this ce this fast, and they had to leave some mana traces behind. But there is none.''


    Kai was finding it hard to believe someone could bypass under his nose, and on such arge scale at that.


    While Kai was pondering to himself, onerge group was walking just a few meters ahead of him, invisible to the naked eye.


    Bl looked behind him, watching Kai not far away from them. He looked at the group and made a gesture by cing his finger on his lips, telling them to stay quiet.


    After a while, they exited the city and headed toward the forest. Now that no one was near them, they began to talk quietly.


    Nil came beside Bl and others and spoke sincerely. "Thank you, Brother Bl."


    Looking at Bailey and Tanaka, he continued. "Bailey and Tanaka, you guys too."


    Bl patted his shoulders and shook his head. "You don''t have to thank us. All of this happened because of me in the first ce. I should be the one apologizing."


    "Brother Bl, you are still as humble as always." Nil joked, not letting the atmosphere get gloomy.


    Bl also cheered up, seeing them not mind the troubles he brought. Suddenly, thinking of something, Bl asked. "You guys know I am a demon. So, you guys¡­"


    Bl hasn''t even finished his sentence, as Nil cut him off. "Brother, do you think our bond can be severed just because of different races?"


    The others behind Nil also followed along.


    "Brother, don''t you ever try to say something like that. You still have to keep your promise of letting me join you."


    "Huh? I was the first one who asked Brother Bl to let me join him. You say behind the line."


    "You guys¡­ Please be quiet. We don''t know if someone is near us or not."


    Seeing the others still have the same attitude and respect toward him, he couldn''t help but tear up a little. He thought they might fear him now and hate him for what he had put through them, but it seems like they didn''t even think about such things.


    Gardenia listened to their conversation in surprise. She was wondering why these humans would believe Bl so much. ''It seems there is more to bond between people than race.''


    When they entered their house and took the invisibility spell off, everyone was ready to jump on them, especially when they saw Gardenia, who was in front. But Bl''s one word was enough to make them stop and fully believe in her.


    As they walked forward, a red-haired boy came beside Nil and asked with caution. "Nil, can we trust that woman?"


    This boy''s name was Rabi, one of his team members. Nil knew who he was referring to. So he replied calmly with a smile. "You do not have to worry, Brother Bl doesn''t ever be friends with people who are untrustworthy, or do you not trust Brother?"


    "No, no, no, that''s not it. It''s just that I don''t want any disaster to strike us." Rabi said it with a gloomy face.


    Nil became a bit surprised before he put his arm around Rabi''s neck. "Rabi, since when did you be so cautious? But it''s fine, we need more cautious people like you. Our group has been very careless many times."<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    "Don''t worry, they will also be cautious when the timees."


    "Hahaha¡­ you are right." Chuckling to himself, Nil went ahead to chat with Bl.


    The rest of their journey was calm and peaceful, as they were close to arriving at the edge of the forest.


    However, just at that moment, two people walked out. Bl and the other three recognized them immediately.


    "Brother Ragnar and Miss Fiain." Bl called them with a smile. But unfortunately, they weren''t able to see them as they still had their spells on.


    "Who?" Ragnar became cautious as he wasn''t able to see anyone. Despite recognizing the voice, he stayed vignt, as it might be a trap set by their enemies.


    Fiain activated her bloodline power, and her eyes revolved in golden light. "Huh? It''s Bl and his team. Also, there are a bunch of kids with him."


    Gardenia, who was about to dispel the spell, had her eyes widen in utter shock. She couldn''t believe someone was actually able to see through her spell.


    "Yes, it''s us. We can''t hide anything from Miss Fiain." Blughed to himself before saying it to Gardenia. "Hey, you can take off the spell."


    Bl''s words brought Gardenia back to her senses. She quickly dispelled the spell, revealing everyone to Ragnar and Fiain.


    Ragnar nced at everyone and asked, not trying to delve into greetings. "Is this everyone?"


    Bl nodded his head in reply.


    "Good." Ragnar turned his body in their base''s direction. "Let''s go quickly. We don''t know if those Pdin Warriors mighte at any moment."


    Everyone agreed with Ragnar and was ready to go along with him. When suddenly, Fiain threw a sword¡ªwhich she brought out from her storage ring¡ªat the kids group, specifically at Rabi.


    It all happened so suddenly that no one was able to react in time, especially everyone with their guards lowered.


    "RABI!!" Everyone shouted in unison as they watched the sharp sword slowly approach Rabi''s.


    Grip


    But what happened was beyond anyone''s expectations. Rabi didn''t get impaled by the sword; instead,ughter escaped¡ªa voice foreign to others who are familiar with Rabi¡ªfrom his mouth as he clutched the de of the sword. "Well, you look at that. It looks like there are some capable people in this unknown demon lord''s army."


    Everyone''s eyes widened as they were having a hard time believing the scenario before them. Rabi''s outer skin melted slowly, turning into mud. When his appearance melted into mud, everyone was able to see who this unknown voice belonged to.


    A man stood proudly, who had the same hair as Rabi. He had above-average looks, but that arrogant smirk on his face somehow enhanced his appearance, adding a distinct charm. He was wearing a ck, tight robe that looked like a cloak, and he had red gloves on both of his hands.


    "Wh- Who are you!?" Rabi''s closest friend, Gran, pointed his sword at him and asked with anger.


    "Everyone, stay away from him." Ragnar quickly warned, making otherse behind him reluctantly. They wanted to know what happened to Rabi by themselves, but from the aura this fake Rabi was emitting, they knew they had no chance.


    The fake Rabi didn''t attack instantly, as he just swept his nce around Benimaru''s generals and Gardenia.


    "I think you should now introduce yourself." Fiain asked coldly, as she was ready to pounce on him at any moment.


    The reason Fiain acted surprised at first was because she detected a dangerous aura from Rabi, not for the invisibility spell. To not let the snake know her gaze, she acted like nothing happened.


    "Me?" Feeling everyone''s eyes on him, he said proudly. "I am Kailer, Demon Hunter, Rank Red."


    "Demon Hunter? Rank Red?" Ragnar squinted his eyes, as he had never heard of such a name before.


    "Hehehehe¡­" Kailer chuckled, seeing Ragnar''s confusion. "It looks like you don''t know what a Demon Hunter is. But it''s okay; not everyone knows about us."


    Staring into Ragnar''s eyes intensely, Kailer continued. "We are an organization that kills demons for livelihood, and weprise the top geniuses that humankind has ever produced. We are the most respected and feared organization on Mystralyn Continent."

 Chapter 128 I Recovered. Grinding The Past Chaps. Wait!!!

    Benimaru and his team headed toward the demon army''s camp.


    For the first time, Benimaru traveled with his army. It felt somewhat novel to him.


    Behind their carriage were one hundred well-trained demons of various kinds. Swinefiends were in formation at the front with their shields and spears. Behind them was another group of Swinefiends that used heavy weapons to jump on the enemy after the shielders blocked the enemy. On the sides were Gorebuzz and Raums who protected the sides. In the center were fully armed Raums on Emberhoofs.


    Emberhoofs were the summoned beasts that Benimaru got as a reward for his previous task of killing Garner.


    Emberhoofs were fiery equine creatures with ming hooves that left behind scorching trails and could ignite objects upon contact. They stand at an imposing height, like a majestic horse in size and stature. Their muscr bodies are covered in sleek, obsidian-ck fur that glistens with an otherworldly sheen. Their fur has an inner heat that radiates a soft glow.


    Emberhoofs were best for cavalry and to show your military might.


    Benimaru was in awe when he got them from the lucky spins. He even had the thought of keeping them for himself and using them for his own. But thinking things through rationally, he felt his soldiers needed them the most, and he knew what more awesome beasts he would get in the future as he grew stronger¡ªhe might even have the chance to ride a dragon.


    "Lord, how will we gain their trust in the first ce? Or what should we do if they try to attack us and seize our valuables?" Ragnar asked with a serious look in his eyes. These worried him for the entire journey.


    "I am sure they wouldn''t attack us. The more allies they get, the better for them. But if they did, then we could escape easily, and I am also sure they wouldn''t want our soldiers as they are unreliable for them at this stage." Benimaru calmly answered while fiddling with the yaksha mask on his hand. "And about the trust¡­we will see about that. No one will trust a stranger in the first ce, so I am not that worried. But if I can somehow gain their trust, just even a little, that would be best."


    Ragnar and Fiain nodded their heads, understanding what Benimaru had in his mind. This also gave them a confidence boost to not be nervous in front of the leaders of the army.


    However, a couple of minutester, Fiain''s eyes widened all of a sudden. This caught the attention of Benimaru and Ragnar.


    Ragnar asked curiously. "What is it?"


    Benimaru was also curious, so he used his [Enhanced Senses] and his eyes widened too, just like Fiain. "I see. You two, do not panic."


    Fiain knew what it was, yet she was eager to know why Benimaru dismissed her for panicking. But on the other hand, Ragnar was entirely clueless, so he asked. "Lord, can I see what it is?"


    Ragnar''s range of mana sense was rtively lower than theirs, so he didn''t find anything in his rader. Knowing this, Benimaru said it with a smile, wanting Ragnar to be surprised when the reveal came. "It is nothing. Just some generous guy helped us gain the trust we were worrying about."


    Ragnar didn''t ask anything further, knowing Benimaru wouldn''t tell him. Benimaru would do things like this sometimes, and he seemed to have fun. Ragnar decided to let time dictate everything.


    ¡­


    After one or so, Benimaru arrived at the demon army camp.


    The camp was fortified using wood that was chopped down when clearing this big space in the side of the forest. Meatscrapers were guarding the outskirts, while Gorebuzzes, which had sharper vision, were stationed on towers to keep an eye out for ambushes.


    Benimaru''s arrival caught the attention of the demons guarding the entrance.


    The Meatscrapers went to attack Benimaru''s soldiers right after seeing them.


    "KRIEK!"


    However, the Gorebuzzes stationed on the tower, screaming out loud, probably warned them to stop attacking.


    The Meatscrapers listened to their orders and stopped instantly. But there was an unfortunate one that was already close to the cavalry.


    The Emberhoof that was majestically standing saw a demoning to kill it. With a cold snort and without waiting for the order of the master on top of it, it turned around and kicked the Meatscraper''s face by surprise.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>


    Bam-Bang!


    That kick from two legs, imprinted a burning stamp that med up gradually. Eventually, a small explosion urred, sting the Meatscraper''s face into smithereens.


    The Gorebuzzes on the towers didn''t think too much about it, as these dumb demons were easily receable. They stopped Benimaru from entering and waited for their master''s response.


    Fortunately for Benimaru, it didn''t take long.


    The wooden gates that were clucky and weak¡ªnot even as good as Benimaru''s one¡ªopened. Benimaru''s small fleet entered the camp and was greeted with demons of various kinds gathering on the side of the road, eyeing Benimaru''s fleet.


    Well, most of them aremon in this part of the region, so Benimaru also had these types of demons under him.


    In short strides, their carriage stopped, making Benimaru and his two generalse out. The demons were aching to know to whom this fleet belonged, as their masters would let them in.


    However, they were met with disappointment, as Benimaru and the other two had their faces and bodies covered.


    Yes, Benimaru decided to go along with his yer persona more and wanted to spread his organization''s name far and wide. It would cover his demon identity and his simple business persona too.


    Benimaru and Fiain were in their usual outfits. On the other hand, this was Ragnar''s first, so Benimaru had toe up with a mask for him, as he had several cloaks like these stockpiled in his storage. For Ragnar, he decided to go with a monkey one.


    They strode into a giant tent that a Swinefiend was pointing at. It was made of ragged and torn cloth. But it seems it got torn apart like that because of war and fighting. In normal times, it was the strongest cloth this piece ofnd could offer. The tent was guarded by four Swinefiends, who were ring at them.


    Ignoring their nces, Benimaru and the other two strode into the tent arrogantly.


    After entering, they saw a round table sitting in the middle and two demons in their human forms sitting quietly. Unlike Benimaru and his generals, they had their demonic traits on.


    Benimaru became a bit surprised to see them being of different genders, one man and one woman. He was expecting them to be both men, but he just shrugged his shoulders. ''It is what it is.''


    The woman had a striking body with gleaming blonde hair. She had red eyes that could entrance anyone. Her wings were surprisingly filled with white feathers, making her look like an angel, but the horns and the tail were present to clear people''s doubts. She was wearing loose clothing, but to the dismay of any demon that would lust over her, she wore a silver armor that covered her body.


    On the other hand, the man was well built and had an arrogant pose. He had dark violet hair that was waist-length and a pair of ck eyes, just like the woman beside him. However, his dark violet wings didn''t have any feathers on them. He was wearing ck armor that had multiple scratches, making one guess it was used by others before.


    Benimaru came in front of the table and greeted them with respect. "Thank you for letting us have a peaceful talk, two lords. I am yer, leader of the Masked Fools. These two are my Executors. The one with the monkey mask is called Wukong, and the one with the cheetah mask is called Hunter."


    Giving them a few short nces, the woman spoke. "Masked Fools¡­ Your name is yer? Can you tell us what you are here for?"


    "Before we tell our intentions, don''t you two lords have to introduce yourselves first? It isn''t very lord-like." Benimaru didn''t go into the main topic; instead, he asked them arrogantly yet politely.


    "Oho~ You came into our territory and taught us what we should do too? Are you cowardly demons, who hide their faces and traits that we pride ourselves in, even worthy to speak in front of us? Do you have a dead wish?" The woman said it with smugness, taunting them heavily.


    "Oh my! Lords. You make me act up in different ways, especially the one that I buried DEEP INSIDE." Benimaru also said in a threatening tone that he was ready to fight them at any time.


    They released each other''s mana pressure, trying to intimidate each other. Benimaru could feel these two had the upper hand in terms of realm advantage, but one had to remember Benimaru cultivated dual ways, so he had enough mana to fight against them and perhaps even win.


    "Okay, stop it. I do not want to destroy the soldiers that I gathered with all my hard work." Finally, the man spoke, warning both of them calmly.

 Chapter 129 Wait For Update

    In front of the church''s entrance were the same two guards that stopped Bl from entering with his mother.


    They were tense, probably scared of getting attacked by anyone in this situation.


    "What is happening here? I never thought this city would encounter such a devastating attack."


    "I do not know, but we should be on our guard. The captain is preparing the pdin army and the acolytes to defend against any kind of attack."


    They both talked to each other, trying to ease each other''s beating hearts.


    While they were talking, they failed to notice that many unknown entities had already entered the church''s perimeter.


    They were about to go silent when suddenly, a sharp light shed before their eyes, and when it disappeared, they were left awestruck.


    Thud(2)


    Their heads dropped, followed by their bodies. They died just like that, without knowing who was the culprit.


    Just as their bodies dropped, multiple shadows entered the church. Not only from the main entrance but also bursting through the windows. These were all Benimaru''s soldiers. He had brought them inside the city by the carriages when he returned. He had bonded well with the entrance guards in the south¡ªwhere he travelled using most of the time¡ªwhich helped him to easily bypass the security without wasting much energy.


    Benimaru also entered the church, followed by his generals. Today all of them have gathered together to once again go on an expedition with their lord. He brought all of them together only after he had the assurance that someone would guard his base, and fortunately, he got Bl.


    Bl and his team have now fully integrated with his people. The hatred of the demons left their hearts after they spent time with them. Now, Bl had gathered his own group of demon soldiers and followers. He would train them and teach them many things.


    However, this incident didn''t mean that everyone would get along with demons if they spent some quality time together. This exception happened because of Benimaru. He had imnted many rules that helped the demons be civilized. He had shaped the old ideology inside these demons'' minds unbeknownst to them.


    After Benimaru entered the church, which was filled withvendish white and had various nts and markings engraved on the walls and pirs, showcasing the symbols the goddess held. But now they were smeared with blood and scratches.


    His soldiers and the Pdin army fought against each other, inside this small yet big hall.


    Benimaru and his generals leaped through the air, flying over the battlefield below them. However, just as they were above the pdin army, some of them focused on them.


    They jumped up and were ready to intercept Benimaru and his generals path.


    Benimaru didn''t try to do anything about it, nor did Ragnar or Fiain. Only Ravenna looked ahead of her and smiled. She swiped her right hand from back to front.


    Instantly, the blood on the floor flew out and shot at the pdins like an arrow. They were in midair, so they had no way to dodge them but just get hit.


    Puchi!


    Shooting through their vital parts, they dropped to the ground as if heavy boulders were thrown.


    Easily, they bypassed the pdin army and headed toward the entrance that led to the resting room for the priest which was on the bottom floor. But before they could get close, someone emerged from the shadows of the big entrance, blocking any light reaching on the other side.


    "We meet again, yer." Ahat smirked while still fully armored.


    "Sorry for keeping you waiting." Benimaru also teased him, carefully looking at him.


    He was assessing if Ahat had grown stronger than the previous time they fought; if he did so then it would spell bad news for him. Unfortunately, Benimaru had no way of knowing it, as if anyone hid their vital energy or mana, it was hard to judge others'' strength. But it was a different case if you were much stronger than your target.


    "Come, Let me finish you for once and for all." Ahat pulled out his sword from the back and pointed it at Benimaru. "You made quite a show outside, right?"


    Without anymore talking, Benimaru rushed forward all alone and brought his katana out. Ahat also ran forward and shed against Benimaru.


    Ting


    Ahat grinned heavily, this time assuring himself that he would kill Benimaru for good. But that thought didn''tst long when Benimaru before him vanished into thin air.


    "Huh?" Ahat was left dumbfounded, not understanding what exactly happened.


    Then he heard Benimaru''s voiceing from behind. He looked back and saw him waving his hand at him. "Not this time, Ahat. You can try my executors, though."


    Benimaru''s body disappeared in the dark afterwards, leaving behind Ahat, who was extremely dumbfounded. ''Shit! I forgot about that ability.''


    Ahat knew he had fallen for the same trick once again.


    Bam!


    He wasn''t able to finish his thought process when a punch suddenlynded on the left side of his face.


    Ahat''s body shot to the side, but he was able to open his eyes and give onest nce to see who it was. He saw it was the man with a monkey mask on¡ªRagnar.


    Right before his body was about to hit the wall, he got stopped. Multiple tentacles, made of blood, hold his hands, legs, and neck. Their grip was tightening around him, and they wanted to rip his body apart. Ahat again nced up to see who was capable of this, and this time it was the one with the bunny mask on¡ªRavenna.


    Gritting his teeth, Ahat forcefully freed himself from her clutches. But at that time, another silhouette appeared before him, blocking the light from the chandeliers reflecting on him.


    This time, it was the one with the cheetah mask on¡ªFiain. She swung her sword at his chest, sting his body against the walls, resulting in him smashing through them.


    The trio stopped, not trying to chase after him.


    In a matter of seconds, Ahat crawled out of the rubble. He walked slowly and twisted his joints, making crackling noises. Benimaru had taught him a lesson by getting tricked all the time. So he fully grasped what theirbat style was before deciding to go all out. "Will your boss cry if I kill all of you?"


    "Hey, don''t say that, or you might jinx yourself. Nobody knows who will die here." Ravenna rebuked her back, saying it casually.


    They also checked how well Ahat was doing, so they didn''t go all out from the start and exhaust themselves. As Benimaru warned, he had great vitality, as no injuries could be seen even after those attacks, and with how quickly he reacted to their attacks, it was enough to let them know how strong Ahat was.


    "Come!" Ahat shouted before rushing at them.


    Ragnar and Fiain went forward, while Ravenna stayed back.


    Their fight was about to shake the church to its very core, but before that.


    ¡­


    Baron''s Castle, outside of the gate.


    Okarino and his team opened the gate and entered the castle leisurely. Not caring about the guards with holes in their bodies lying down.


    As they strode forward, they met with a group of young kids of various ages. One thing that wasmon about them that Okarino noticed was their hair color, as all of them were white. This let Okarino know who these children were. ''Arash''s Spawn.''


    Arash had many wives, just like any other royal man. So, he had far more children than Ana but he didn''t show off them except Ana, because of her potential. He wanted to let his people know that he could still produce talented heirs for his throne.


    They halted in their steps and looked at the children, who were shaking, scared of their surroundings.


    One of the girls noticed Okarino''s arrival and asked him, maintaining their distance. "Who are you people? Are you with the guards? Are you here to help them handle the bad guys?"


    Okarino deduced why these children were here, sitting like a bunch of ducks. His men might have spotted them, and the guards were stopping them. To not let them roam alone and get caught by other intruders, they told them to wait here.


    Pity shed before Okarino''s eyes, which quickly turned into a cold gleam. He whispered in an inscrutable voice. "Sorry, kids."


    Just as he finished saying that, the man behind him, who was taller than most others, dashed before the children and swung his big ax.


    Phrruuuchhh!


    In a matter of seconds, the children were reduced to half, killing them with fear and shock in their faces.


    Okarino nced at the dead bodies without any emotion and walked over their bodies. "Let''s go; we have to purge this family before the war outside ends."


    Their arrival caused a hugemotion that brought dread to everyone''s hearts. No one was capable of stopping them except a few. But who were they in front ofrger-quality fighters?


    Only cries of desperation and injustice rang inside the castle.

 Chapter 130 Two s Updated.

    "Oh." Savrena squinted her eyes at Benimaru, getting more interested in him as time passed.


    "Now, we will take our leave." Benimaru stood up from his chair and signaled the other two to follow him.


    Vio and Savrena also stood up to escort them out of the tent as a form of respect, but they were stopped by Benimaru all of a sudden. "Lords, I am curious about one thing. Why do you want the city so much?"


    They didn''t reply to him right away; instead, they walked forward. "Let''s go. I will exin to you along the way."


    Benimaru and the other two followed side by side with Vio and listened to what he had to say.


    "There is no hidden meaning for capturing that city. We just want to have a stronger fortress to withstand the Purge." Vio said it with a grim tone.


    "Purge?" Benimaru and the other two were surprised to hear such a word. They became extremely curious about this "Purge" Vio is talking about.


    "Mind if you tell us what this Purge is?" Benimaru asked politely.


    Vio and Savrena raised their eyebrows in bewilderment, as the Purge was something all the high ranking demons knew about, so the trio had to know such things. But from their curious gazes, Vio and Savrena could tell they were not faking it.


    This made them curious about this organization''s identity.


    However, tossing these thoughts out of his mind, Vio carefully exined. "The Purge is done by the gods and goddesses to weed out all the weaker beings and create strong ones. It happens every thousand years, and we have one in our age, unfortunately."


    "It will happen in three years. At that time, ferocious creatures of the otherworld will invade this ne, trying to destroy everything in their path, and the whole world will descend into chaos."


    This shook Benimaru and the other two''s hearts, feeling an impending existential crisis.


    ''What is this? Why are all of these once-in-a lifetime events happening while I am here? First the Star Shower of Prosperity, and now this.'' Despite being perplexed, Benimaru asked with a low voice. "Does the Star Shower of Prosperity happen at the same time as the Purge? Or is it rare? If it isn''t, then what other events that mighte in the future do you know about?"


    Vio thought for a bit, trying to figure out if he missed something before answering. "No, this type of alignment is very rare. Because if it happens at the same time, then it wouldn''t be a purge to remove the weak but a yground and showcase for the geniuses of the Star Shower of Prosperity. The higher beings would not let it happen in a million years. So, there might be variables in this purge, and that is why it is making us so desperate to get a stronghold of humans that are easy to guard. Also, about the events in the future, well, there are none to begin with, or maybe I do not know."


    "Hmmm," They came outside of the tent as Vio finished speaking. One could see Benimaru rubbing his chin, appearing to be in deep thought.


    Stopping in their tracks, Benimaru once again asked. "Where will the otherworldly creaturese from? I mean, will they spawn in random ces or in a designated spot?"


    "They wille from the edges of this world''s ne. So you can understand more how vulnerable we are, as just a few hundred kilometers away is the edge." Vio''s face turned grim.


    Benimaru now fully understands Vio''s situation, or that of the lowly Demon Knights and Demon Barons. They were, as one could say, on the vanguard of the war; they had to bear the burden of the frontal onught. There were a few strong demons with unimaginable strength hiding in the forest areas where they had turned their piece ofnd ording to their favorability; people have marked them as Forbidden Zones.


    Weaker demons like them could enter these Forbidden Zones and work under these strong demonic beings. But that was very unlikely, as the masters of the Forbidden Zones go out of their way to capture demons with the potential to have them work under them. So, if you try to request that they give you a spot when they don''t want to, you will only be calling for your death.


    ''Wait a minute¡­does that mean¡­?'' Benimaru looked into Vio''s eyes and asked. "Lord Vio, so the masters of the Forbidden Zones will alsoe out and try to upy a city of their own."


    Sure, these masters were strong, but not strong enough to stop the overwhelming numbers of otherworldly creatures on their own, and there was also the possibility of strong otherworldly creatures like them.


    "Yes, the world will fall into chaos in these few years. I hope you have a ce in your mind, yer." Vio warned Benimaru, to which he nodded his head.


    Benimaru decided to end their conversation and leave, but remembering something in his mind, he stopped. He looked at Vio and said. "Lord Vio, have this as a gift for answering all of these questions for me."


    Vio and Savrena were confused by what Benimaru was trying to say. Their eyes widened as a sword came out from his right palm, making them and the soldiers alert.


    Savrena cursed in her mind as she prepared to have her weapon out too. ''These pieces of sh*t! They were acting all along.''


    However, to their surprise, Benimaru didn''t attack them. He swung his sword at an uncut tree near them. A crescent moon-shaped purple thunder shot out of his sword andnded on the canopy in the blink of an eye.


    Boom


    The upper side of the tree broke in several pieces, and from it, surprisingly, a body dropped to the ground.


    The body was that of a man¡ªa human at that. Alert and tense shed across the entire camp. The man was in a brown cloak and had his face covered with a brown mask, made of cloth. The man looked up, groaning from the pain of his injured body.


    However, the man''s face was filled with dread when he saw three people, whom he was following at the time, standing before him.


    "Tsk, tsk. Spies have infiltrated to the very core of your camp, Lord Vio." Benimaru joked with Vio, giving nces at Vio''s seething face.


    The man quickly decided to blurt out everything about Benimaru, knowing it might divert Vio''s attention and let him escape. "Wait, don''t kill me! This man-"


    Bam


    However, the man wasn''t able to finish his sentence because his head exploded with the right sweep of Ragnar''s leg.


    "Oh my, when did spies have permission to say?" Benimaru appeared surprised, not expecting the spy to exin himself.


    But this brought a frown to Vio and Savrena''s faces. Savrena asked. "Why did you kill him? We could have pulled out some useful information out of his mouth."


    Benimaru turned his head, ncing at Savrena with a big grin. "Well, do I even have to say who these spies might be from? Why do you want to gather information about something that you will be destroying with your hands."


    "You¡­" Savrena gritted her teeth secretly. She couldn''t understand anything about Benimaru. He could be the most friendly person you have ever met or the most passive-aggressive. But the way he talks and the things he says make her hard to refute.


    "We wasted a lot of time, We will take our leave now, lords. There are many things we have yet to prepare." Giving a slight bow, Benimaru and his generals mounted on the carriage.


    Finally, Benimaru left with his army, leaving behind a dust trail for everyone in the camp to see.


    Meanwhile, Vio and Savrena stood alone, as they were a bit conflicted.


    Savrena decided to seek Vio''s opinion first. "What do you think about them, Vio?"


    Vio gave a few careful thoughts before saying. "I think we should have our guards up against them. I have this nagging feeling that we are going to face a crisis."


    "So, should we really follow their instructions?" Savrena asked, as this was the most viable option, ording to Vio''s decision.


    "Yes, we should." Contrary to Savrena''s expectations, Vio decided to go along with Benimaru. "Do not think too much. That is just a gut feeling of mine, I might be wrong or even right. But that doesn''t take away from the fact that we need the city. And I also told them about the Purge, so they will be desperate too to have one for themselves. They might even join us when he captures that city."


    Savrena nodded her head in awe and amazement at Vio''s rational thinking.


    She felt more and more that she was right to have her eyes on him.


    ¡­


    On Benimaru''s side.


    Benimaru looked at the passing greenery andmented with a smirk. "Those guys might be thinking I will team up with them more because of the unexpected event called the Purge I heard for the first time."

 Chapter 131 Wait

    ?


    "HAA!" Arash came crashing down, thrusting his spear toward Okarino, who was below.


    Okarino didn''t move; he stared at Okarino''s spear point, and the moment it was just a meter away from his face, he evaded to the side.


    Bang!


    Stones and pebbles shot everywhere, and a small pit appeared where Okarino was.


    Okarino wanted to make a move now, but he saw Arash rushing toward, with no sign of exhaustion. ''He has been attacking me for quite a while, and he didn''t catch his breath a single time. He seems¡­.desperate or is too strong to feel it.''


    Okarino wasn''t sure what the reason was, but now wasn''t the time to think about it. He thrust his rapier, which was glowing in blue at the approaching Arash.


    " [ Sea Serpents Chase ] " Several long serpents burst out of his rapier point and glided towards Arash.


    Arash came to a halt, but there was no sign of him trying to evade it. He let out a breath as hot steam came out and said. " [ Light Piercer ] "


    He thrust his spear just as the water serpents were near him, sting them into smithereens. However, that wasn''t the end, as light beams galloped toward Okarino, taking him by surprise.


    Okarino once again used his shielding skills to defend himself. " [ Blooming Lotus. ] "


    Bam Bam Bam


    Ripples appeared on Okarino''s shield after the light beams hit. Okarino had a nonchnt face at first, but that changed when he saw his shield breaking apart, as the water dropped on the floor. ''Oh no.''


    Thring!


    The lotus shield burst open, spraying water everywhere.


    At that very moment, Okarino saw a blinding light sh before his eyes. Without thinking anything, he shifted his head to the right, dodging Arash''s surprise attack. However, it still grazed past his cheeks, leaving behind a scar where blood oozed out uncontrobly.


    Okarino gave a right-house kick with his left leg in that position.


    Bam


    Okarino''s kicknded on Arash''s cheek, sending him stumbling backward. Finally having a chance, Okarino escaped far away and decided to heal his scar. But it didn''t go within his expectations. ''What!? His light magic has the attribute to stop healing too!? Isn''t he a bit too strong?''


    Laughing to himself after finding out the truth, Okarino pointed his rapier at the uing Arash with the rapier''s hilt roasted on his chest. " [ Unseen Urchin ] "


    In a matter of seconds, Okarino thrust his rapier more than forty times. As a result, a sea of needle-like water spikes enveloped Arash''s vision, making his heart pound. He could feel the danger from those sharp water needles, which were approaching him at a rapid speed.


    Arash quickly pulled his sword back and thrust it with every ounce of his strength as an extremely bright glow of light could be seen on the spear that was increasing gradually. " [ Tear of Heaven ] !"


    A silence descended upon the hall before a shattering noise came. From Arash''s thrust, a thick beam of light shot out that evaporated the water needles. The beam didn''t stop after that, as it had more things to destroy in its path.


    Fortunately, Okarino had a foreboding in his heart when Arash began to charge his spear and right arm. So, early on, he escaped from his thrust''s path.


    Okarino felt a huge boulder was put down from his heart, as he watched the beam pass before him.


    BANG!


    The beam burst through the castle''s walls as if they were nothing and continued on its path.


    A few secondster, the beam subsided, leaving behind a path of destruction.


    Then many heads poked out of the holes; no matter if they were friends or foes, all had dread and awe written on their faces.


    "Huh..Huh¡­" Arash took slow, deep breaths after using that skill. ''I exerted more energy than I had anticipated.''


    Suddenly, his eyes widened. He quickly swung his spear to his left side, stopping Okarino''s rapier from reaching him.


    Ting


    Then their weapons shed once again, this time much more intensely than before.


    "ARGHHH!" Arash yelled, using hisst ounce of strength to kill Okarino.


    Unfortunately, Okarino had gone into defensive mode as he already sensed the depleting energy in his body. Additionally, his exhaustion and desperation also gave away his weakness, making Okarino sure that Arash would be hopeless when his energy ran out.


    Okarino distanced himself and only blocked Arash''s attack, not taking any kind of initiative to attack, even if Arash deliberately gave multiple openings.


    A crazed look appeared in Arash''s eyes, as he felt he would only die if he didn''t finish this now. He had one minute to bring Okarino down, but that was shortened after using that high level skill.


    Arash stopped in his tracks and held his spear with both hands, raising it above him. "Oh great heaven, your helpless child is begging for your blessing. I do not want anything but a curse, a curse with infinite strength to burn myself alive. Release [ Wild Charge of Raktar ] "


    Specks of light flowed out of him and then enveloped his spear and body.


    Okarino sensed an overbearing dread and decided to go all out too. Pointing his rapier at Arash once again, he circled it in the air, making a water ring appear in thin air. If one looked carefully, they would see magic patterns on the water ring. " [ Cry of Sea Dracoon ] "


    "KRRAA!"


    A dragon head¡ªmade of water¡ªemerged from the ring with deer antlers. With a loud cry, it shot toward Arash.


    At that moment, Arash was donepleting his skill. His eyes shot open as they glowed with a golden glow. Then, with a short kick to the floor, his body sted toward Okarino. With his spear forward, he went through the air like an arrow shot by a divine being.


    BAM!


    The Sea Dracoon only managed to halt him for a second before it burst out and he sliced through it.


    When Arash came before Okarino, he saw Okarino make a lotus shield right before his eyes.


    BANG!


    Once again, Arash came to a halt, not being able to prate Okarino''s shield. But he didn''t give up, he poured every ounce of his strength into it, not even caring about emptying himself. "ARGGGGHHHHH!!!!"


    Okarino saw his lotus shield once again quack, announcing its shattering time. Okarino also didn''t have the heart to give up, he hade all this way and now can''t just die like that. Using his energy to heal and strengthen his lotus shield as much as possible, he shouted from the top of his lungs. "ARGGGGHHHHH!!!!"


    Only the screaming of two grown men rang throughout the castle. Arash''s earlier move had brought everyone''s attention, as this was the moment that would determine the fate of their battle.


    The City Guard Captain, full of injuries and blood all over her body, limped her way out of the holes in the wall and witnessed the site before. She said it with sadness in her voice. "Your lord, please-"


    She wasn''t able to properly make her wish, as the deciding moment hade.


    Thrush!


    The lotus shield broke, and Arash''s spear charged forward, making contact with Okarino''s body.


    BANG!


    Suddenly, a loud explosion urred, blocking everyone''s sight. However, it didn''t take long before it subsided, letting everyone see the oue.


    "No, this can''t be."


    "How can he?"


    The city guards felt their souls leave their bodies from what they were seeing.


    Meanwhile, the City Guard Captain was left stumped as she wasn''t able to process the scene before her. Her lord, Arash, was now lying dead on the ground, with no signs of vitalitying from him.


    Okarino was standing before his dead body, heaving up and down heavily. His body was shaking, as he had never felt this close to being dead.


    The reason he was still alive was because of the blue crystal locket on the ground that was withering away. That was a special protection item that was rewarded by the prince. It can block the attack of anyone under Master Realm.


    "Huh¡­.huh...huh¡­.huh¡­.I was lucky, extremely lucky. There was no way I could have beat this monster." Okarino looked at Arash''s dead body with dread and awe. After Arash''s attack failed to do anything to him, his body became weak. Okarino took that chance and stabbed his chest quickly for more assurance.


    "Die!!" Suddenly, Okarino heard a shouting from his side, making his turn around. He saw it was the city guard captain, leaping down at him with a sword hanging over her head.


    Without panicking, Okarino shed his rapier at the city guard captain''s stomach¡ªat a much faster and more acute angle.


    Thud


    Her body flew away andnded on the ground. But she stood up again; despite blood flowing out of her stomach.


    Okarino fully turned his body at her and said it with a smile. "Don''t be so desperate. I will kill everyone in just a few seconds."


    She stood with difficulty, clutching her stomach. With unwavering resolve in her eyes.


    Okarino felt he should taunt people now to calm down his turbulent heart. "Ahhh¡­ what a pitif-"


    Puchi!

 Chapter 132 Wait For Update

    ?


    "Kids?" Ragnar became even more confused, as he didn''t know Bl''s side of the story that well.


    "Ahh¡­ I guess I didn''t tell you yet." Getting embarrassed, Bl quickly exined it to Ragnar. "It is a group of kids that I picked up from the streets. I raised them until they were ready to experience the world. All of them are orphans, so they could only call me and themselves family. Together, they made an adventure team called Night re."


    Oh, it looks like they are about to get interrogated by those Pdin Warriors. This is bad, very bad." Ragnar rubbed his chin, as he could feel how grave the situation was. You don''t just interrogate your enemy; you also kill them or use them as bait.


    Bl said it in a hurry. "Brother, they are safe for now because of the new Baron. But I don''t know how long they can hide. You know the Baron isn''t omnipotent."


    Ragnar nodded his head, as the new Baron was just a kid and didn''t have much reach into every corner of the city. Looking into Bl''s sad and concerned eyes, Ragnar sighed before saying. "Bl, you should leave now and try to rescue them out of the city. But don''t take too many people with you. I will inform the Lord about it."


    "Thank you, brother." Bl quickly hugged Ragnar before he could even react. Letting him go, he signaled Bailey and Tanaka through his eyes.


    They were about to leave when Ragnar suddenly called them. "Bl, wait for a bit."


    Bl halted in his steps and looked at Ragnar curiously.


    "Nothing. It''s just¡­ take her with you. I can promise she will be of great help." Ragnar showed Gardenia by stepping aside.


    "Huh¡­" Gardenia was first confused before she became dumbfounded. "Huh? Why me?"


    Ragnar squinted his eyes, ring at her. "Don''t ask questions. See this as a test for joining us."


    Gardenia stared at Ragnar''s face for a few seconds, thinking about something. Then, letting out a sigh, she went along with Bl.


    Bl didn''t question Ragnar''s decision, knowing he wouldn''t do any harm to him.


    Seeing their shadow vanish after jumping out of the wall, Ragnar headed toward the castle. ''I hope the Lord doesn''t get too mad at me.''


    ¡­


    Knock Knock


    "Come in." Benimaru opened his eyes from deep cultivation and nced at his door.


    Click


    After the door opened, Ragnar entered his room with a small bow.


    Benimaru got up from his bed and sat on the sofa beside him. Ragnar also sat on the sofa, which was opposite of Benimaru.


    "What is it, Ragnar? Have you finished the mission?" Benimaru asked, guessing Ragnar was here to report about what transpired on the conquest.


    "Yes, my lord." Nodding his head, Ragnar began to retell everything that happened with Gardenia, not leaving any detail.


    "I see." After listening to Ragnar''s entire exnation, Benimaru couldn''t help but facepalm. He didn''t expect he would take the lives of innocent demons, which was totally against the goal of the makeshift motto of his organization.


    ''Well, forget it.'' Letting out a sigh, Benimaru asked. "Where is she now?"


    "Uhh¡­" Ragnar stuttered all of a sudden, hesitating to speak.


    Benimaru raised his eyebrows, feeling the situation was weird. Never once did Ragnar stutter when telling him something. So, Benimaru became very interested.


    Ragnar went silent and picked up his courage. "Actually, lord¡­"


    Then Ragnar started to describe what happened with Bl.


    Bl had a calm face at the beginning, but the more he listened, the more grim and surprised he became.


    When Ragnar finished his speech, Benimaru stared at Ragnar intensely. Because of him now, Ragnar is apletely different person. Ragnar would never deny his orders or rules. But here he was, giving permission to Bl to go on his own. One could say Ragnar acted on his behalf, but he hadn''t made such a rule yet.


    If a general could use his authority to assign someone for anything, it wouldn''t do any good. Especially in this case. Benimaru didn''t want his generals to do anything without telling him, not now. Because they were still very weak, they couldn''t act carelessly in such a state. But it might be a different case when they get stronger in the future.


    "You have changed, Ragnar." Benimaru blurted it out with emotion.


    Ragnar''s eyes widened as he was preparing to get scolded; however , it looks like nothing happened. Smiling to himself, he asked. "Did I really change, Lord?"


    "Yes." Benimaru nodded his head. "But it''s bad. Caring for others will make you stronger."


    Benimaru smiled, satisfied with Ragnar''s development. However, it also alerted him of something. ''There seems to be more emotion on his face after our invasion of the church. Ravenna had told me he gained an unimaginable power all of a sudden and turned the tides. Unfortunately, I can''t find anything in him with my own powers. If only the system was not also silent.''


    Thinking of the system, his face darkened.


    Here is a short glimpse of their interaction:


    "System, can you tell me what is wrong with Ragnar''s body?"


    [ No. ]


    "Why? He is my general and is registered under you. Everything about him should be known to me. So, why are you not talking about his other secrets?"


    [ ¡­ ]


    "System? You there?"


    [ ___ ]


    "..."


    In the current time.


    Benimaru stood up, and so did Ragnar. Going to his bed, Benimaru said to Ragnar. "You and Fiain go to the city. Help them in any way possible."


    "As you wish." Ragnar bowed his head.


    "Also." Stopping right at the edge of his bed, Benimaru turned his head back and smirked. "This is an order given by you. Do not have it go to waste."


    "Yes, my lord!" Ragnar gave a full bow. He became serious, as he could understand what Benimaru was trying to imply. ''I can''t mess this up.''


    Watching Ragnar leave, Benimaru sat in the middle of his bed. However, instead of going into cultivation, he went into deep thought. ''Those guys would surely kill those young kids if it were the previous times. But times have changed. This brother of Ana is not strong, but he has strong management capability, which is very suited for a ruler. So those young guys would be safe. But we can''t say anything about them being abducted. Then the situation might spiral down to the abyss.''


    Benimaru had spent considerable time with Nil and his team. They were a bunch of hot-blooded, simple kids, and they were his daily customers. He actually liked spending time with them and had a very favorable impression.


    ''I hope nothing bad happens.'' Benimaru let out a sigh before his face turned serious. ''If it is needed, I will go there by myself.''


    ¡­


    On the edge of the forest.


    "Miss, you should change to your human form. I mean, just hide your demonic traits." Tanaka advised Gardenia. They were about toe in with human contact. They couldn''t let others see them having a demon with them. They were already wanted everywhere, and Gardenia being like this won''t help much either.


    Gardenia squinted her eyes, feeling ufortable. Demonic traits were her pride; how could she hide them? But she had to follow what she was told. While retracting her horns and tail, she suddenly realized. ''Now that I think about it, I didn''t see any demonic traits in Ragnar.''


    It wasn''t her fault, as she was in a very tense moment. The only thing on her mind was how to escape from Ragnar''s clutches.


    ''He is also a demon, but he too is hiding his demonic traits.'' Gardenia started at Bl''s back. It wasn''t as strong as Ragnar''s, but there were a few wisps of demonic aura in him. Then, looking at the other two, she frowned. ''But these two are pure human beings.''


    She was confused and, at the same time, very interested in this group. Who was this lord? Why didn''t he mind hiding the demonic traits that every demon was proud of? How can he allow humans to work for him? She has so many questions, but no answer for now.


    After they came out of the forest, they put their cloaks on, hiding their appearance and bodies.


    "Now, let''s wait for a disposal carriage." Bl told others and waited patiently.


    Gardenia''s eyes widened when she heard that. "What do you mean by that?"


    "Oh," Bl said, looking at her anding to the realization that she was new. "We are wanted everywhere, so to bypass the security, we had to mix in the disposal carriage. But don''t worry, we won''t be hiding inside trash, but cow dung."


    Cow dung is rich fertilizer, which is an efficient fuel and biogas producer, a useful building material, raw material for making paper, and insect repellent. When they are brought back to the city, the guards don''t check. Using this, they could go in very easily. The only downside was that they had to get smeared in them. They could use mana or vital energy to protect their bodies from being touched by them, but the guards will detect it immediately.


    "No, no, no!" Gardenia instantly disagreed. She couldn''t let herself get into that. "Forget that; I have a better way."

 Chapter 133 Wait For Update

    ?


    Savrena retreated back and dodged in the gaps of the shes, letting her not get injured.


    But Vio was having a hard time. He didn''t have the same speed as Savrena, so he had to attack to defend himself. However, his attacks didn''t do anything, as the shes would cut his lighting like butter.


    Fortunately, that wasted enough time to make the shes spread more and give him space to dodge.


    Savrena and Vio were stocked after getting hit hard like that. Vio was in the 8th Stage Novice Realm, and Savrena was in the 5th Stage Fleshcrafting Realm. But that wasn''t enough to make any dent in Haitam.


    ''I can''t sense his realm properly, don''t tell me, is he?'' Vio''s worst fear came true. Haitam was stronger than them in the realm.


    Haitam was in the 9th Stage Fleshcrafting Realm, close to breaking through to the Physique Refinement Realm, so he was able to detach his vital energy from his body early on¡ªa perk avable only to those who were halfway into the Physique Refinement Realm.


    In this situation, the only thing that came into y were the special sses. However, there was no one here who got a special ss of their own.


    Savrena''s racial talent might be good, but they weren''t good for death battles, they were most suited for survivability. On the other hand, Vio''s race, Worshipper of the Purple Sun, as the name suggests, worshiped the Purple Sun of the demon realm. For this, they were granted a fraction of the sun''s power, which was just a high damage boost, nothing special.


    Under all these circumstances, Vio made a quick decision and resolved.


    "Light Up! [ Tartalia ] " Puffing up his chest, Vio shouted in anger. Instantly, his chest glowed with violet thunder and coerced through his body. His hands, eyes, hair,and wings elementalized into violet thunder, making him look like a thunder god.


    Savrena''s eyes widened at that. ''Oh no, he is burning his mana core.''


    But her concern couldn''t help but make her do anything now, as Vio had his eye focused on Haitam.


    "Ahhhh!" With a short scream, Vio appeared before Haitam in a matter of seconds, surprising Haitam.


    Bam!


    Vio punched Haitam in the face, sending him flying with a resounding shockwave.


    Savrena saw that as an opportunity and flew toward the Haitam with her sword point aimed at his chest.


    The surprise on Haitam''s face disappeared after that punch and was reced with seriousness. He rotated his body in midair and swung his sword to ss against Savrena''s.


    Vio wouldn''t let this happen, knowing Savrena couldn''t do anything in front of Haitam''s sheer strength. Zooming through the air as fast as possible, Vio caught up to Haitam.


    At that moment, a smirk appeared on Haitam''s face. ''d you are much faster now.''


    " [ Boulder sh ] " In a sh, Haitam swung his sword behind his back, catching Vio off guard.


    Purich!


    A deep scar appeared on Vio''s chest, which made him fly backward and crash to the ground.


    Haitam then shifted his focus to Savrena. He grabbed her sword with his bare hand, stopping it from reaching his body. Blood dripped through the sword, but that wasn''t important to Haitam.


    One of his main enemies was just before him; how could he miss such an easy kill?


    Haitam swung his sword at defenseless Savrena, Time seemed to have slowed down for her as she saw the swording at her with a full 180 degree swing. She wanted to escape, and with her fast speed, it was possible. But Haitam''s sh was faster, and they were in very close range, destroying Savrena''s hope of evading.


    ''Am I going to die? I have not even confessed to Vio yet.'' Regrets started to appear in her mind.


    "Huh?" Suddenly, Haitam''s swing came to a halt. He grabbed Savrena''s wrist and flung her to the side, smashing her to the ground. Savrena went further away from Haitam as she continued rolling on the ground.


    Haitam turned back and inserted his sword into the ground, acting as if it was a shield.


    BANG!!


    A four meter thick beam, consisting of pure violet thunder, smashed into Haitam''s sword, dragging his body back for the force behind it.


    "DON''T YOU DARE TOUCH HER!" Vio shouted out loud, announcing to the world his desire. He was floating in the air, just a few centimeters away from his feet touching the ground. From his chest, the thunder beam wasing out, and particles of mana entered his wings, acting like rechargers.


    "Argh!" Haitam groaned in pain as his body turned static. He could feel the residual thunder entering his body, through his eyes and nose. Because of its destructiveponent, the thunder was destroying his body parts from inside. As a result, blood trickled out of his nose, mouth, eyes, and ears. But he held on strong, gritting his teeth.


    Haitam shot a nce at Vio and saw his body churning and having fissures. ''He can''t do this for longer, and it can be said the same to me.''


    Haitam was trying his hardest to quell the thunder in his body with his vital energy, but all for naught. He couldn''t keep up with the amount of residual thunder entering his body and kept channeling his vital energy to reinforce his sword, which was also showing cracks; despite coating it with his vital energy.


    ''Damn it, I can''t even dodge. I will get hit by it the moment I move.'' Haitam cursed his mind, seeing himself in such a grave situation.


    All of a sudden, Haitam felt another source of great danger approaching him. He gave a nce to the side and saw Savrena standing while ring at him, like that of a killer.


    ''Is this the end? Not even seeing the sire for onest time?'' Haitam began to doubt whether he could get out of this situation. But, for him, it took only a few seconds to know his aim and goal.


    ''No, I am the sword of Lord Arash. I had no talent or anything special, but still, Lord Arash gave me a ce to stay. So, I vowed from that day on that I will cut through anyone and anything for Lord Arash. I sharpened my strikes for years to cut a straight road for Lord Arash. How can I go down like this?'' Light appeared in Haitam''s eyes, and resolve filled his heart.


    Haitam twisted his sword, making the edge face Vio''s direction. Then he swung it upward. " [ Muttion ] "


    Arge sh with a metallic shine cut through the thunder beam, dividing it in half.


    Vio saw the sh approaching him, but he was not in the right mind to think of anything rational. So, he could wait and get cut by it.


    Phruch!


    A vertical line appeared on Vio''s body, and he stopped shooting his beam too. Then the vertical line slid open his skin, bursting out bright red blood.


    Thud


    Vio''s body just dropped to the ground when Haitam turned around and swung his sword horizontally while still in the skill''s active state.


    This was a consecutive sh skill that he came up with, that had the [ Boulder sh ] as its base.


    [ Boulder sh ] consumed time and energy to charge up, but this one had the same intensity and could be done in a row.


    Savrena had her mind go nk when she saw Vio''s situation, losing heart to attack Haitam. But she still instinctively put her sword before Haitam''s sword path.


    However, that was of no use as her sword got snapped in half and Haitam''s sword cut into her waist.


    Thrush!


    At that moment, Haitam''s sword broke into multiple pieces, which canceled the skill. But still, his sword had cut through half of her waist, and the force behind it shot her body in Vio''s direction.


    She once again rolled on the ground and eventually stopped one meter away from Vio''s body.


    Vio felt he was losing control of his body and his sight was getting blurry, but he still saw what hade to Savrena. He tried to move, attempting to get closer to her, but it was to no avail. ''Why? Just why? I wanted to have a ce to live peacefully, with someone that I could love. Why can''t we demons have that? Always getting hunted by demons... Are we demons or they?''


    Meanwhile, Savrena could still move her body, but she could feel pain from the sword shards every time she moved. In spite of that, it wasn''t enough to stop Savrena from reaching Vio.


    Crawling with great difficulty while losing a huge amount of blood, Savrena managed to touch Vio''s cold hands.


    "Vio, can you hear me?" Savrena called with a quaking voice, but no response came from Vio.


    Savrena got caught in the grave situation, so she said with tears and a small smile on her face. "Vio, do not be sad that we failed. We demons are destined to live a life of constant death. So, I hope in the next life we can live the lives of normal beings."


    After a moment of silence, a quiet yet firm voice entered her ears. "Promise."

 Chapter 134 Wait For Update

    ?


    ''The Goddess, Ignia, was watching the fight?'' Benimaru instinctively looked into the sky, trying to find the gaze that Ignia gave from the high heavens.


    But there was nothing, which didn''t matter much to Benimaru. He then nced at his surroundings, watching the despair-filled eyes staring at him. He knew the time hade for his promotion.


    Benimaru''s wings pped as he leaped into the sky. Hovering in the air, he looked down and said it with arrogance. "Listen up, you mortal humans. Today, I, yer, the leader of the Masked Fools, have destroyed the church of the Goddess Ignia for bringing injustice to innocent demons."


    "So, take this as a warning. If anyone dares to do anything to harmless demons, you will face my wrath!" Benimaru''s loud yet calm voice reverberated throughout the city, engraving these words in their hearts.


    Benimaru decided to leave, as he felt this was enough to give some shock and the rumors spread bymon folk would be enough. But at that moment, he heard an earth-shattering shout.


    "STOPPP!!!"


    Benimaru shifted his focus to his right side and saw a man in bloodied armor and disheveled hair rushing toward him. Benimaru instantly recognized who that man was.


    ''Isn''t that Haitam, the general of Migotanie City?'' Benimaru gave him a weird nce before flying away in the opposite direction. He didn''t have the time to mingle with them now.


    Haitam became frustrated seeing Benimaru run away. ''Damn it, if only I had enough strength.''


    Haitam stopped, deciding to head toward the castle. He couldn''t catch Benimaru, no matter what he tried; it would be a waste of time. He might as well go to the castle and check up on Arash.


    ¡­


    After Haitam walked into the castle, he was horrified by the dead bodies lying on the grounds. What intensified it more was the mumbled wailing drifting into his ears.


    He started to grow concerned, panicking about the thought he was having in his mind. ''Is lord¡­''


    Haitam shook his head, denying it. He firmened his will and sprinted deep into the castle to confirm his doubts and worries.


    He had just arrived before the assembly hall when he saw the captain of the city guards, Nina, walking out with someone in his arms. He nced at the man in her arms. The moment his gazended on the man''s face, his legs gave up, and he knelt on the ground.


    Thud


    "No, this can''t be¡­"


    Haitam''s face became dispirited as slight tears started to roll down his eyes. He had thought of the worst whening here, but not this.


    Nina''s face was calm as she spoke to Haitam. "General, Lord has given his final orders. We should give him a proper burial with his loved children."


    Haitam was shocked to see Nina acting so calm. Because he himself has seen her grow up and how she was. She might look strong and cold on the outside, but she was a very weak girl inside. He didn''t know what had caused her to act like this, but he knew the Lord''s death might have affected her heavily.


    Haitam also steeled his heart and stood up. With a respectful gaze toward Arash''s sleeping, smiling face, he uttered. "As you wish, sire."


    ¡­


    Quickly, the news of Baron Arash''s passing spread throughout the city before reaching the surrounding cities'' ears.


    This brought a heavy reaction from the people of the city.


    "This can''t be! Are we doomed now? First the church, now the baron¡­is our city on the verge of destruction?"


    "I do not know. My hopes are gone, I lost everything to his war. If only¡­if only those demons didn''t do anything. Why can''t we eradicate the demons from this world already!?"


    "Calm down, the massacre on the Baron''s family was by humans."


    "You can''t be joking!?"


    "Yes, the general has sent the body to the marquess to investigate the origin of the culprit. But you are still right. If it weren''t for the demons, at least the church and the general would have their hands free and might have been able to stop this disaster."


    No matter what, hatred mainly went toward the demons. They were also humans, so in their hearts, they stopped themselves from criticizing them. But demons, being notorious in this world, were an easy scapegoat for ming.


    Also, Benimaru''s fame began to grow ever after this.


    "So, a new organization has emerged, and it is led by demons? This is rare."


    The people were surprised when they heard this. Demons would mainly build a kingdom rather than some organization or team, as their hearts, which desired domination and conquer, suited best for kingdom building.


    There has never been a group of demons who created an organization with a different goal than conquering. This was the very first in the history of the world.


    "This organization is called Masked Fools, do you know what their goals are?"


    "Hahaha¡­you won''t believe it if I say it to you. It is to bring justice to innocent demons."


    "Wha¨C hahahahaha¡­..is this a fucking joke?"


    Instead of bringing concern and fear about Benimaru''s organization, it brought disdain. which was still considered fame as his name spread throughout the city and even the surrounding cities.


    ¡­


    Two dayster.


    Migotanie City was rejuvenating under everyone''s hands as they joined together. But today, everyone decided to have their days off.


    Because today was Arash''s burial.


    So, people from nearby cities and their lords¡ªmostly barons¡ªcame to see him off for thest time. Not only them, but Ana hase back with her friend, Lily.


    On the city''s square, thousands of people had upied the roads and the rooms. However, they didn''t go into the middle of the square, as it was upied by Arash''s family members and a few influential people. They were standing before a coffin where Arash was resting.


    No one talked to others, remaining as pin-drop silent as possible. Children also didn''t speak, as they were heavily warned by their parents.


    This silence continued on for three minutes before Haitam came beside Ana and a young man who looked very simr to Arash. This was Arlon, to whom Arash wanted to pass his crown.


    "It is time." Haitam said it as respectfully and softly as possible.


    Ana and Arlon looked at their father''s coffin with a somber gaze. Ana stayed silent, not giving a reply, but Arlon spoke on her behalf. "Let''s go."


    The soldiers took the coffin on their shoulders and walked toward the castle, where a royal graveyard was ced. Arash''s family walked behind him as they quietly followed. But if one looked carefully, there were a couple more smaller coffins behind Arash''s family. These were the dead bodies of Arash''s children and wives who were killed. However, there were more who were killed at Okarino and his men''s hands, but their bodies were so dismembered, it was hard to recognize them.


    It took twenty minutes to reach the graveyard and bury them.


    Cru-thud.


    Ana watched the graveyard''s gate get closed. Her somber look returned to calmness. Then she walked toward her room, while Nina followed alongside her.


    "Is it true that humans are responsible for this?" Ana asked her, not wanting to hear a negative response.


    "Yes, princess."


    "Has the marquess sent any report about who it might be?"


    "This¡­" Nina hesitated a bit before answering. "I do not know. Since we sent that body, their side has been awfully quiet. Every time we try to ask them to give an answer, they try to deviate from the topic in another direction. It is as if they are afraid of speaking about it."


    Ana went silent for a moment, thinking of something. Then she said, "With marquess strength and power under his arsenal, it isn''t very hard for him to find out about a person who is just at Peak Fleshcrafting Realm."


    Nina also felt weird and suspicious about this, which made her guess many things.


    At that moment, they arrived in front of Ana''s room. She entered her room while talking to Nina. "Okay, you may leave."


    Nina watched Ana disappear into her room with a bit of sadness in her eyes. She could feel and see the change in Ana. She was a very cheerful and well hearted girl who loved hanging out with her close ones as much as possible.


    ''There seems to be a killing intent revolving around you, youngdy, every time. I hope she doesn''t go down the wrong path.'' Nina left while expressing her concern.


    Inside Ana''s room.


    "This happened after my duel with Troy. But that wasn''t enough for me to mark him as a suspect. However, after spending some time in the academy, I became familiar with Troy''s character. He is a person who hates to be stepped down by others." Ana pondered out loud as a chilling whisper escaped her mouth. "And the marquess''s hesitation to open up has made my assumption more firm. The Marquess is only scared of the duke and king."

 Chapter 135 Wait For Update

    ?


    Benimaru squinted his eyes and asked sternly. "Have you really thought this through? Do you know what you will get entangled with?"


    Bl nodded his head as he looked at Benimaru with a confident gaze. "Yes, brother Benimaru. I know I will have to live in the shadows and start taking lives with my own hands. If it helps me repay your debt, then so be it. Also, I have no ce to call home, I can only rely on you, brother."


    Benimaru pondered for a bit before patting Bl''s shoulder. He said it with a chuckle. "Don''t worry, I won''t kick you out of this ce. The entire church of Goddess Ignia would have a killing order on you."


    "I do want to take you in right now, but there is something that is keeping me busy. I will officially have you as my general when the timees, however, you don''t have to wait for that ceremony to get that title. You are already one of my generals." Benimaru said, grinning ear to ear.


    Bl''s eyes widened, not expecting to get the general position so easily. "Brother, are you sure you didn''t make a mistake? How can you give that title to me that easily?"


    "No, you deserve it." Benimaru shook his head, not wanting to exin. Instead, he headed in his original direction. "You continue with your training. Also, if your other two teammates want to join us, they can bemanders under you."


    Bl was stumped and speechless by Benimaru''s decision. However, happiness grew inside his heart, and he felt blessed to meet Benimaru.


    Meanwhile, Benimaru, who was walking towards the back of the castle, contemted silently. ''I didn''t anticipate him making such a decision. It looks like he has firmed up his heart to take the lives of others from now on. Unfortunately, the slots for generals are full, so I couldn''t take him in. But that doesn''t matter; I have enough time to go to the next major realm and open up another spot."


    The reason he wanted to take Bl as a general was after Benimaru judged how strong his bloodline was. He had seen Bianka''s short burst of strength, and that shook him to the core. He then knew Bl''s bloodline¡ªTitanomia¡ªwas pure, raw strength-based. Because he could feel Bl''s vital energy was much more dense and dense in volume than his, if justparing Benimaru''s vitality realm.


    ''But it isn''t that much. I am more under staged than him.'' Benimaru didn''t get demotivated after thinking about that; instead, he looked at it from the other way around.


    At the end of his thinking, he had already arrived in the backyard of the castle. It is surrounded by small trees, bushes, and tall grass, showcasing that they might have taken this ce as their home but have not taken care of ces that they didn''t use a lot.


    Benimaru brought out his katana¡ªck Sun¡ªand walked forward. "Time to go back to my gardening days."


    With that, the katana that would y beings of unknown was now reduced to cutting the weeds in the garden.


    After ten minutes or so, Benimaru was done clearing the entire backyard.


    "Well, I wish I had you in my past life. It feels so nice to cut everything down with just one sh." Benimaru sighed while wiping away the fake sweat on his forehead.


    ck Sun shook, expressing its distress. Benimaru could feel it clearly, so he patted its blunt edge andforted it. "Here, here, don''t be like that. You need to take a day off from your busy and intense life. If not, you won''t be able to enjoy what the world has to offer."


    ck Sun calmed down after its ownerforted him, but it was still a bit distressed from mowing weeds and trees.


    Benimaru retracted the katana back to his arm and looked down at the ground. "Now, time to dig a hole."


    He had thought of many ways to do it, but eventually it all boiled down to wasting time andbor. So, he came up with a short and easy solution.


    Coating his right hand with purple thunder, he punched the ground, causing an explosion that caught everyone''s attention.


    "What happened!?" Ragnar jolted out of his room in panic and headed toward the source of the noise.


    Ravenna, Fiain, and Bl, who were busy at their work, also rushed in the same direction.


    When they arrived, they saw Benimaru throwing chunks of soil out of a pit hole.


    "Benimaru, what are you doing?" Ravenna came to the edge of the pit and asked, bewildered.


    Benimaru stopped picking up the soil and looked up. A big smile shed before his face suddenly as he spoke to them. "Good, you all came here. Come down and help me throw these chunks of soil."


    They were heavily confused about why he was doing it, but he was their lord, so they couldn''t deny him. After they joined hands, it took a few seconds to clean it up.


    They got up and waited for Benimaru to do anything.


    Benimaru didn''t answer anything immediately, as he was busy asking the system some questions.


    ''Is this enough?''


    [ Yes, Host. ]


    ''Good. By the way, why didn''t you make a pit yourself? I am sure, with your power, you can do it. Also, why do I have to work harder to get my reward?''


    [....]


    Benimaru grimaced after seeing the silence. ''Tsk, you once again y dead, youzy bum.''


    ''Can you tell me if the blood will leak into the ground?''


    [ No. The blood of divine beings is rejected by the world. Only the living beings could use them. ]


    ''I see.'' Benimaru was a bit interested in hearing that. He always feels that whenever the system reveals something like this, it is connected to something big. ''Anyway, give me my reward.''


    [ Host, I can do it immediately, but do you want to make it look like you are summoning this blood or make me do it on my own? ]


    Benimaru''s eyes widened as he didn''t think of that. ''You truly are my friend. When I press my right hand, make a portal on top and drop it into the pit.''


    [ Yes. Waiting for host. ]


    Benimaru pressed his hand forward and said to others. "Watch carefully. This is our most sacred treasure now."


    Everyone was surprised by Benimaru''s sudden action, as he had been quiet for a considerable amount of time. They became further interested in the treasure Benimaru was talking about.


    The next moment, before their eyes, a blue vortex appeared on top of the pit. From it, blood dropped out and filled the pit in a matter of seconds. By analyzing the time, it might seem short, but if you consider the pit, which was thirty meters wide and twelve meters deep, it would let one know how much blood hade out of the vortex.


    Benimaru and others looked at this new blood and were surprised. Normal blood looked just red and had a murky scent to it. But from this pool of blood, a potent vitality aura emitted, which enriched everyone''s bodies just by taking a sniff of it. The blood also glistened with brown and orange colors, while the red color shed like a firefly.


    "What is this, my lord?" Ragnar''s eyes gleamed as he felt his body screaming to dive into it. Others were also as curious as Ragnar. Because they had never seen anything like it before.


    Benimaru smirked, staring at the blood pool too. "This is the Pool of Body Mending. It has the blood of the God of War. It can help one cultivate their vitality realm easily without worrying about your foundation. Instead, it will continue enriching your body''s potential and physique."


    "How did you get your hands on this!?" Ravenna asked with shock, as she didn''t expect Benimaru to bring out such an awesome treasure. She was sure this would increase everyone''s overall strength.


    "I just found it while taking a stroll in the forest." Benimaru shrugged his shoulders, giving his most useless excuse. He knew there was nothing that he could hide with it, so he might as well throw one. They would at least not ask anymore.


    Ravenna squinted her eyes, giving Benimaru a sideways nce. However, she refrained from asking anything further.


    p


    "Okay." Benimaru pped his hands, bringing everyone to him. "I will make some rules now. Anyone who has merit can use it to soak in this Pool of Body Mending. To get these merits, you need to find natural treasures or recruit someone who is at least above the 5th Stage Fleshcrafting Realm."


    Everyone''s eyes glowed as they couldn''t wait to use it.


    Then Benimaru began to undress himself. He waved his hands at them and said it with a smile. "Till then, I will use it on my own."


    They knew what Benimaru meant. He was telling them to get these merits as fast as possible, or they might not even get a piece of pie properly.

 Chapter 136 Wait For Update

    Benimaru submerged himself in a pool of blood. The moment his body was fully submerged, he felt his pores opening on their own and absorbing the rich energy of the blood.


    Benimaru could feel his entire body strengthening as time passed, but there was no sign of him getting closer to breaking through to the next minor stage. However, he wasn''t worried about that, as he could feel his vitality energy bing much more potent.


    ''I can''t feel much in such a short time. But as time goes on, its effects will start to show. This is too great. I do not know if I can find this by myself in the wild in the future.'' Benimaru waspletely mesmerized by the effects of the blood.


    However, after thinking with a clear mind, he guessed something. ''Maybe it will be hard. The big guys wouldn''t let this kind of rare treasure be left out. The only ones I could find are probably in ces that are hard to reach.


    Sighing in distress, he resumed his cultivation. It would do him no good to think about this anymore.


    While Benimaru was cultivating quietly, he didn''t know someone else was watching him silently.


    "This little guy has truly not disappointed me." An old man uttered softly, who was just above Benimaru, in the middle of the sky.


    This was none other than Hart, the old storyteller.


    Hart wanted to travel to other ces after giving Benimaru and Ravenna some money, but for some reason, his heart told him to stay. Hart was someone who followed his instinct and didn''t care about logical stuff, he wanted to see magical stuff, miracles incarnations.


    So, while Benimaru was cultivating for sixteen years, regaining his lost lifespan, Hart was telling stories in the nearby cities. He immediately noticed Benimaru when he left the cave. From then on, he kept an eye on him and his crew.


    Hart was already fascinated by Benimaru''s im that Ana¡ªa human¡ªwas his past life''s daughter. His curiosity grew more intense when he began to see Benimaru''s work and journey. Hart, for a long time, once again felt he was watching a legendary story unfold before his eyes. Because his powers to turn normal demons into high ranking ones, to find more interesting characters like Okarino and Bl, and to get into the big war in Migotanie City and influence it more were what he was searching for.


    At first, he wanted to interfere with Benimaru as he was harming the humans but when he found the works of the church himself, he refrained from doing anything. What broke his heart was not the church turning out bad but humans¡ªhis own race¡ªkilling each other.


    However, what permanently solidified his interest in Benimaru was the God of War''s blood and the portal that it came out of. Even he couldn''t pry into it.


    ''For millions of years I have been roaming this world and guarding it fromplete copse; however, I don''t mind because this is the job for us Sky Guardians. So, to relieve my boredom, I went on the journey to see how others zed their paths. There have been only two people in those millions who could bring me emotions of all kinds.'' Hart stared at Benimaru intensely and thought with wonder. ''Can you do it too, being the first demon?''


    Hart has lived for many years and seen many things, so he knows many things that others might not know. For this reason, he had no issue with demons being the protagonists in his eyes right now.


    Suddenly, he looked to his right side and squinted his eyes. He muttered softly. "Oh¡­ those guys seem to have begun to prepare. I don''t know how much they can harm the Church of Goddess Ignia. Ahh¡­ the Star Shower of Prosperity, I miss this event so much. When I was able to see it with my own eyes, I was nothing but a chess piece for the big guys. Now, let me witness the chaos taking the top seat."


    Hart is in ecstasy right now. He had no one in his life that he could call family, friends, or even enemies. The only thing that could pump his dying heart was the journey of young heroes, making his heart boil.


    Hart looked below at Benimaru. ''I wille back after five years. I have many things to check and make sure of now. I hope you don''t die before Ie back, little guy.''


    Then Hart vanished into thin air, as if he wasn''t there to begin with.


    At that moment, Benimaru raised his head and tilted into confusion. ''Am I hallucinating? I felt someone watching me. Was it the gods? Hmmm... if it is you, god of destiny, just wait.''


    Benimaru went into a deep cultivation state, more motivated after thinking about his archenemy, the God of Destiny.


    ¡­


    South-west of the EverGreen Region, in the deepest part of the dense forest that had towering trees that would break one''s neck if they tried to look up at their crowns.


    Forests, rivers, and mountains teeming with life were what made the EverGreen Region, or, in thenguage of this world, the Tapir Region. These were its specialties. So, this dense forest was the norm, as the edges of this region were full of them, but the dense forest of the southwest side was blocked by a sea of towering mountains that blocked one''s view to see what was on the other side.


    Near those mountains were multiple wooden houses that had circr domes made of straw and sticks. However, these wooden houses were bigger than the ones used by tribes. The windows were as tall as an adult human''s length. Their doors were like the giant gates of smaller cities, which were used for the main entrance.


    On the top of a tree crown, one could see such a building too; however, this was a bit different than others. On its outer wall, severalrge and small heads were lit by torches.


    Inside this particr house, six Silverback Goris were sitting before each other on both sides. They were thirty meters tall and eight meters wide. Their wideness was stretched this far because of their beefy arms, which had the strength of unknown horror.


    Most of them had passed their adult lives, except a few. So, one could see them with leisurely eyes. However, that shouldn''t fool you, as any one of them could wipe out any baron-level city with the swipe of their hand.


    But these Silverback Goris were sitting respectfully before a human, who was taking the seat above, looking down at everyone. This man was none other than the Silverback Gori n leader, Garmain.


    It might be confusing to many who are not familiar with beast ns, but if someone among them can reach a certain stage in the power realm, they could transform themselves into their human form. The one who could achieve it would instantly be the leader of the n.


    "So, what you said was true?" Garmain asked, resting his head on his arm.


    "Yes, leader. They have used the blood of our n for their own sakes."


    "Leader, we can''t stay quiet anymore."


    The six below Garmain were all the elders of the n. They were all expressing their anger and wanting Garmain to do justice.


    However, Garmain didn''t answer immediately. He nced at everyone and thought to himself. ''Hmmm¡­ these guys actually used the blood of my n. Are they not afraid of us, not even me?''


    Garmain didn''t doubt this information, as they had their own spies who would send secrets that anyone wanted to hide.


    "Elders, we have sent a request to the headquarters of Goddess Ignia''s church, right?" Garmain asked something else, as he wanted to be more sure before making a decision.


    One of the elders spoke up, on behalf of others. "Leader, we sent it the moment we received this information, but they have yet to give us a proper answer. They told us they have nothing to do with this incident and are refraining from talking further.


    Garmain''s eyes widened in shock, not expecting them to go this route. To satisfy other people, one had to give them something in return; everyone knows that, and so does Garmain. For this, Garmain was expecting to give them something valuable to make them quiet, and Garmain would be satisfied with that. He didn''t want to create a big conflict and endanger other n members'' lives.


    But it seems like the church didn''t care about it or they weren''t afraid of them in the first ce.


    "These lunatics! They dare to use my n and not care about it. Tell everyone to wake up; it''s time to let everyone in the EverGreen Region remember our n''s glory." Garmain stood up in anger and walked outside.


    He raised his head and looked to the side. He asked with his eyes widening. "Are we doing anything wrong, Sky Guardian Hart?"


    Hart floated in the air and shook his head while smiling. "Nothing. I was just making sure if there was a valid reason."


    "Now, good luck, Garmain. I will be watching you." Hart vanished before Garmain''s eyes, leaving Garmain smirking.


    "Watch me, old man Hart."

 Chapter 137 Wait For Update

    ?


    Savrena retreated back and dodged in the gaps of the shes, letting her not get injured.


    But Vio was having a hard time. He didn''t have the same speed as Savrena, so he had to attack to defend himself. However, his attacks didn''t do anything, as the shes would cut his lighting like butter.


    Fortunately, that wasted enough time to make the shes spread more and give him space to dodge.


    Savrena and Vio were stocked after getting hit hard like that. Vio was in the 8th Stage Novice Realm, and Savrena was in the 5th Stage Fleshcrafting Realm. But that wasn''t enough to make any dent in Haitam.


    ''I can''t sense his realm properly, don''t tell me, is he?'' Vio''s worst fear came true. Haitam was stronger than them in the realm.


    Haitam was in the 9th Stage Fleshcrafting Realm, close to breaking through to the Physique Refinement Realm, so he was able to detach his vital energy from his body early on¡ªa perk avable only to those who were halfway into the Physique Refinement Realm.


    In this situation, the only thing that came into y were the special sses. However, there was no one here who got a special ss of their own.


    Savrena''s racial talent might be good, but they weren''t good for death battles, they were most suited for survivability. On the other hand, Vio''s race, Worshipper of the Purple Sun, as the name suggests, worshiped the Purple Sun of the demon realm. For this, they were granted a fraction of the sun''s power, which was just a high damage boost, nothing special.


    Under all these circumstances, Vio made a quick decision and resolved.


    "Light Up! [ Tartalia ] " Puffing up his chest, Vio shouted in anger. Instantly, his chest glowed with violet thunder and coerced through his body. His hands, eyes, hair,and wings elementalized into violet thunder, making him look like a thunder god.


    Savrena''s eyes widened at that. ''Oh no, he is burning his mana core.''


    But her concern couldn''t help but make her do anything now, as Vio had his eye focused on Haitam.


    "Ahhhh!" With a short scream, Vio appeared before Haitam in a matter of seconds, surprising Haitam.


    Bam!


    Vio punched Haitam in the face, sending him flying with a resounding shockwave.


    Savrena saw that as an opportunity and flew toward the Haitam with her sword point aimed at his chest.


    The surprise on Haitam''s face disappeared after that punch and was reced with seriousness. He rotated his body in midair and swung his sword to ss against Savrena''s.


    Vio wouldn''t let this happen, knowing Savrena couldn''t do anything in front of Haitam''s sheer strength. Zooming through the air as fast as possible, Vio caught up to Haitam.


    At that moment, a smirk appeared on Haitam''s face. ''d you are much faster now.''


    " [ Boulder sh ] " In a sh, Haitam swung his sword behind his back, catching Vio off guard.


    Purich!


    A deep scar appeared on Vio''s chest, which made him fly backward and crash to the ground.


    Haitam then shifted his focus to Savrena. He grabbed her sword with his bare hand, stopping it from reaching his body. Blood dripped through the sword, but that wasn''t important to Haitam.


    One of his main enemies was just before him; how could he miss such an easy kill?


    Haitam swung his sword at defenseless Savrena, Time seemed to have slowed down for her as she saw the swording at her with a full 180 degree swing. She wanted to escape, and with her fast speed, it was possible. But Haitam''s sh was faster, and they were in very close range, destroying Savrena''s hope of evading.


    ''Am I going to die? I have not even confessed to Vio yet.'' Regrets started to appear in her mind.


    "Huh?" Suddenly, Haitam''s swing came to a halt. He grabbed Savrena''s wrist and flung her to the side, smashing her to the ground. Savrena went further away from Haitam as she continued rolling on the ground.


    Haitam turned back and inserted his sword into the ground, acting as if it was a shield.


    BANG!!


    A four meter thick beam, consisting of pure violet thunder, smashed into Haitam''s sword, dragging his body back for the force behind it.


    "DON''T YOU DARE TOUCH HER!" Vio shouted out loud, announcing to the world his desire. He was floating in the air, just a few centimeters away from his feet touching the ground. From his chest, the thunder beam wasing out, and particles of mana entered his wings, acting like rechargers.


    "Argh!" Haitam groaned in pain as his body turned static. He could feel the residual thunder entering his body, through his eyes and nose. Because of its destructiveponent, the thunder was destroying his body parts from inside. As a result, blood trickled out of his nose, mouth, eyes, and ears. But he held on strong, gritting his teeth.


    Haitam shot a nce at Vio and saw his body churning and having fissures. ''He can''t do this for longer, and it can be said the same to me.''


    Haitam was trying his hardest to quell the thunder in his body with his vital energy, but all for naught. He couldn''t keep up with the amount of residual thunder entering his body and kept channeling his vital energy to reinforce his sword, which was also showing cracks; despite coating it with his vital energy.


    ''Damn it, I can''t even dodge. I will get hit by it the moment I move.'' Haitam cursed his mind, seeing himself in such a grave situation.


    All of a sudden, Haitam felt another source of great danger approaching him. He gave a nce to the side and saw Savrena standing while ring at him, like that of a killer.


    ''Is this the end? Not even seeing the sire for onest time?'' Haitam began to doubt whether he could get out of this situation. But, for him, it took only a few seconds to know his aim and goal.


    ''No, I am the sword of Lord Arash. I had no talent or anything special, but still, Lord Arash gave me a ce to stay. So, I vowed from that day on that I will cut through anyone and anything for Lord Arash. I sharpened my strikes for years to cut a straight road for Lord Arash. How can I go down like this?'' Light appeared in Haitam''s eyes, and resolve filled his heart.


    Haitam twisted his sword, making the edge face Vio''s direction. Then he swung it upward. " [ Muttion ] "


    Arge sh with a metallic shine cut through the thunder beam, dividing it in half.


    Vio saw the sh approaching him, but he was not in the right mind to think of anything rational. So, he could wait and get cut by it.


    Phruch!


    A vertical line appeared on Vio''s body, and he stopped shooting his beam too. Then the vertical line slid open his skin, bursting out bright red blood.


    Thud


    Vio''s body just dropped to the ground when Haitam turned around and swung his sword horizontally while still in the skill''s active state.


    This was a consecutive sh skill that he came up with, that had the [ Boulder sh ] as its base.


    [ Boulder sh ] consumed time and energy to charge up, but this one had the same intensity and could be done in a row.


    Savrena had her mind go nk when she saw Vio''s situation, losing heart to attack Haitam. But she still instinctively put her sword before Haitam''s sword path.


    However, that was of no use as her sword got snapped in half and Haitam''s sword cut into her waist.


    Thrush!


    At that moment, Haitam''s sword broke into multiple pieces, which canceled the skill. But still, his sword had cut through half of her waist, and the force behind it shot her body in Vio''s direction.


    She once again rolled on the ground and eventually stopped one meter away from Vio''s body.


    Vio felt he was losing control of his body and his sight was getting blurry, but he still saw what hade to Savrena. He tried to move, attempting to get closer to her, but it was to no avail. ''Why? Just why? I wanted to have a ce to live peacefully, with someone that I could love. Why can''t we demons have that? Always getting hunted by demons... Are we demons or they?''


    Meanwhile, Savrena could still move her body, but she could feel pain from the sword shards every time she moved. In spite of that, it wasn''t enough to stop Savrena from reaching Vio.


    Crawling with great difficulty while losing a huge amount of blood, Savrena managed to touch Vio''s cold hands.


    "Vio, can you hear me?" Savrena called with a quaking voice, but no response came from Vio.


    Savrena got caught in the grave situation, so she said with tears and a small smile on her face. "Vio, do not be sad that we failed. We demons are destined to live a life of constant death. So, I hope in the next life we can live the lives of normal beings."


    After a moment of silence, a quiet yet firm voice entered her ears. "Promise."

 Chapter 138 Wait For Update

    ?


    Inside a chaotic yet cheerful tavern.


    "Have you heard about the ongoing secret war between the Silverback Goris and the Church of Goddess Ignia?" One adventurer asked the person before him.


    "Of course I did. It is the talk of the tow- Oh, sorry, the kingdom''s now."


    "Brother, can you tell why they went to war all of a sudden? I thought the beasts should never go into conflict with humans."


    "Huh~ it looks like you are a new adventurer. So, I won''t tell you everything, but remember this: the usage of beast blood for your own benefit is strictly prohibited."


    That young adventurer got a bit nervous, seeing the brother before him warn him with stern eyes. So, he curved those words in his mind and silently chugged down the beer in his hand.


    Commoners and young adventurers might not know or they were refrained from informing others about this stuff. Because when someone gets to know about something, even if it is the worst thing possible, it might sow a seed of curiosity to give this unknown a try or see it with their own eyes.


    Humans and demons were arch enemies of each other, as was their blood. If one wanted to use others'' blood to strengthen themselves, they would fail miserably. However, there was one exception, and it was the blood of beasts.


    Beast blood does not contradict with either human or demon blood. So, in ancient times, humans and demons of all kinds used the beasts as much as they liked to make themselves stronger. However, in doing so, the beast race was almost about to getpletely wiped out.


    They begged everyone to let them go and have their own freedom, but no one agreed; no one looked at them with kind eyes, not even the gods. Beasts were left in hopelessness as they could see themselves going extinct. So they waged an all-out war, not caring about the casualties. If they would disappear from this world, then they would at least go out in glory. They didn''t want the future world to know them as livestock.


    Humans and demons were left speechless, as they didn''t know what to do in this scenario. They might win with their overwhelming number, but the casualties they would have would be enormous, which is what the demons were also thinking about.


    Eventually, to stop this madness, Goddess Ignia descended down onto the world, quelling the angry world to peace. She was the one in charge of maintaining bnce in this world. She couldn''t let a racepletely disappear from this world, or it would bring chaos to the world.


    However, Ignia only banned using the blood to strengthen your own, as it would delude the blood and give you an advantage over others. But they could use other parts for anything, such as making weapons, for example.


    No one disagreed with her either, as killing others was the norm; every race killed other races; even in-killing happens. Because only the words of the strong were the rule.


    So, to think the Church of Goddess Ignia would be the one to break this taboo was mind-boggling to many.


    ¡­


    Near Migotanie City, the forest stretched toward the horizon.


    "From here on, I grant you to be the fourth general under this lord." Benimaru spoke with a hoarse yet dignified tone as he pulled his hand back. He looked down, watching Bl gulp down his condensed blood essence.


    They were inside the castle, in the throne room, without any brilliance around them. Behind Benimaru were his other generals, who were watching the ceremony calmly, as was the entire demon army behind Bl.


    Bailey and Tanaka watched calmly, not worrying about the future, as they would follow whatever path Bl took.


    Unlike Ragnar and Fiain, who had extreme reactions, Bl was kneeling quietly, just like Ravenna. But there was an invisible improvement happening inside Bl''s body, which Benimaru and his generals could see.


    "Now, you may stand." However, Benimaru didn''t care about it and instead began to close the ceremony.


    Bl stood up and stared into Benimaru''s eyes. He saw him smiling and signaling with his eyes to move behind him and stand with other generals.


    Bl immediately followed his orders and went to Benimaru''s right, standing with Ravenna. On Benimaru''s left were the other two, Ragnar and Fiain.


    After Bl stood in his position, Benimaru spoke to the other demons below him. "Are you all jealous? Do you also want to get this lord''s blessing and climb up the ranks?"


    The demons nodded their heads eagerly, greed shing before their eyes.


    A smirk grew on Benimaru''s face, satisfied with the response. It meant one thing for him now: the demons would work much harder. But, this wasn''t enough, Benimaru wanted to give them more to have this yearning engraved in their hearts. "My soldiers! I believe you can also reach this height, do not get worried about your limited potential."


    "You see the two generals on my right? You have seen their strengths?"


    How could they not? Fiain and Ragnar were their main goals to achieve, as they had the most contact with them. They had seen how strong and awesome they were in their eyes. Especially Ragnar, who had garnered a fanbase who would do anything to join his camp. Only Bl was close to that level of poprity.


    "Then let me tell you something. They were once meatscrapers, just like many of my soldiers below."


    This information shocked many, especially the meatscrapers. Only the original ones, who were in the same batch as Ragnar and Fiain, had calm expressions.


    "They were also like you, but their bravery and will had made me grant them my blood, leading them to this evolution. So, work diligently, because everyone''s future is limitless!" Benimaru''s voice peaked, echoing throughout the room. However, what Benimaru said was something even he doubted, as he was not sure if his blood essence was capable of it, but he was sure of one thing¡ªit would increase anyone''s strength gradually.


    "GRAAAA!!!"


    "KRIII!!!"


    "ARRRRGGG!!"


    All the demons yelled in enthusiasm as they were filled with energy to do anything now.


    Benimaru nodded his head in satisfaction before saying. "Now, dismiss. I hope you guys return with good results."


    After bowing to Benimaru, they left the castle and went onto the work on their hands. Only Bailey and Tanaka didn''t leave, they were waiting for Bl.


    Benimaru nced at them, then headed toward his throne, not minding their presence.


    Sitting on his throne, Benimaru asked. "So, do you have anything to report today?"


    "Yes, my lord." Ragnar was the first one to speak. "The Tier 1 demon baron on the north of our border is acting up all of a sudden. Some of our spies say he is arming up his soldiers and stationing them near our borders."


    "Oh.. that guy is again trying to do something even after getting our warning." Benimaru pondered for a bit before calmly saying. "Eliminate him or try to see if he wants to join us."


    "As you wish, my lord." Ragnar bowed a little, as he couldn''t stop his itchy hands.


    "Lord," The next one was Ravenna, who didn''t call him directly by his name. She has grown up and knew she could let their personal lives step into the actual workce. "I have sessfully concocted the Three Stipe Tiger Pill."


    A smile grew on Benimaru''s face as he started to dream of monopolizing the entire alchemy market. So he bought every pill-concocting technique and gave it to Ravenna to learn. By doing so, he could produce them in mass amounts in these five years of peacetime. However, the problem of no manpower still remained, as it was extremely hard to find demons with as high intelligence as Ravenna.


    ''I should send more expeditions to search for demons with high-ranking bloodlines.'' Benimaru pondered while Fiain spoke of what she knew of.


    "Lord, we have some bad news. Pdin Warriors from the Church of Goddess Ignia have arrived in the city." Fiain spoke with a cold face. However, her words made others'' faces turn grim.


    This past six months, after the burial of Arash, Benimaru had reached a new height in strength, unlocking another level of the shop. First, he bought all the books rted to the world because Benimaru believed that the more he knew about this world, the better his chance of sess. This time, he had made a library, storing all of these books and encouraging his generals and enough sentiencemanders under them to read them.


    This batch of books has greater knowledge and some secrets than the past ones, so everyone who had spent time in the library knew what this meant.


    "They are finally here to exterminate us and Bl. They want to take revenge and improve their public image through Bl. These hypocrites! They should be worried about handling the Silverback Goris." Letting out his annoyance a little, Benimaru asked. "How good is their strength?"


    Fiain had better vision and great speed, so he gave her the spy department. While Ragnar took the military side, so did Bl too.


    Fiain pondered for a bit before answering. "Lord, we have only seen four people, but there may be more. From what I could sense, it seems they are stronger than us but that doesn''t mean they are unbeatable. It''s just¡­"

 Chapter 139 Wait

    ?


    Walking before the old man, Kai pressed his hand on the old man''s head. The next moment, a soft brown glow emitted from his body, which dispersed the fire on his body and also began to heal his burned marks and scars.


    Most of the fighters under Goddess Ignia use Earth Element. When they vowed to abide by Goddess Ignia''s theocracy, the goddess would instantly change their element to earth. While the healers¡ªPriests, bishops, and such¡ªget Wood Element.


    The wood element is best for healing; however, that doesn''t mean other elements aren''t as good as it. Still, only the Earth Elementes second in terms of healing power.


    As Kai healed the old man, he frowned. ''What is this? This level of mana is at such a random ce, and¡­if I am not wrong, there also seems to be demonic energy mixed in.''


    ''Don''t tell me¡­'' Kai started to doubt if some demon was hiding nearby and pulling a prank. ''...or a demon did it deliberately to capture my attention.''


    After healing the old man, Kai stood up and spread his mana senses as much as possible. But he couldn''t find anything, only sawmon people doing their daily work. At that moment, he suddenly noticed Nil''s house''s window open. He became surprised, as when he first came, they had everything shut, boxing themselves.


    Spreading his senses inside, he found no one. Kai turned his head in Nil''s house''s direction with his eyes wide open. ''When and¡­how?''


    Getting out of the crowd, Kai ran around, trying to see if he could find them. But all of this effort came for naught.


    Kai stood in his spot and pondered in shock. ''How can this be? There is no way they left this ce this fast, and they had to leave some mana traces behind. But there is none.''


    Kai was finding it hard to believe someone could bypass under his nose, and on such arge scale at that.


    While Kai was pondering to himself, onerge group was walking just a few meters ahead of him, invisible to the naked eye.


    Bl looked behind him, watching Kai not far away from them. He looked at the group and made a gesture by cing his finger on his lips, telling them to stay quiet.


    After a while, they exited the city and headed toward the forest. Now that no one was near them, they began to talk quietly.


    Nil came beside Bl and others and spoke sincerely. "Thank you, Brother Bl."


    Looking at Bailey and Tanaka, he continued. "Bailey and Tanaka, you guys too."


    Bl patted his shoulders and shook his head. "You don''t have to thank us. All of this happened because of me in the first ce. I should be the one apologizing."


    "Brother Bl, you are still as humble as always." Nil joked, not letting the atmosphere get gloomy.


    Bl also cheered up, seeing them not mind the troubles he brought. Suddenly, thinking of something, Bl asked. "You guys know I am a demon. So, you guys¡­"


    Bl hasn''t even finished his sentence, as Nil cut him off. "Brother, do you think our bond can be severed just because of different races?"


    The others behind Nil also followed along.


    "Brother, don''t you ever try to say something like that. You still have to keep your promise of letting me join you."


    "Huh? I was the first one who asked Brother Bl to let me join him. You say behind the line."


    "You guys¡­ Please be quiet. We don''t know if someone is near us or not."


    Seeing the others still have the same attitude and respect toward him, he couldn''t help but tear up a little. He thought they might fear him now and hate him for what he had put through them, but it seems like they didn''t even think about such things.


    Gardenia listened to their conversation in surprise. She was wondering why these humans would believe Bl so much. ''It seems there is more to bond between people than race.''


    When they entered their house and took the invisibility spell off, everyone was ready to jump on them, especially when they saw Gardenia, who was in front. But Bl''s one word was enough to make them stop and fully believe in her.


    As they walked forward, a red-haired boy came beside Nil and asked with caution. "Nil, can we trust that woman?"


    This boy''s name was Rabi, one of his team members. Nil knew who he was referring to. So he replied calmly with a smile. "You do not have to worry, Brother Bl doesn''t ever be friends with people who are untrustworthy, or do you not trust Brother?"


    "No, no, no, that''s not it. It''s just that I don''t want any disaster to strike us." Rabi said it with a gloomy face.


    Nil became a bit surprised before he put his arm around Rabi''s neck. "Rabi, since when did you be so cautious? But it''s fine, we need more cautious people like you. Our group has been very careless many times."


    "Don''t worry, they will also be cautious when the timees."


    "Hahaha¡­ you are right." Chuckling to himself, Nil went ahead to chat with Bl.


    The rest of their journey was calm and peaceful, as they were close to arriving at the edge of the forest.


    However, just at that moment, two people walked out. Bl and the other three recognized them immediately.


    "Brother Ragnar and Miss Fiain." Bl called them with a smile. But unfortunately, they weren''t able to see them as they still had their spells on.


    "Who?" Ragnar became cautious as he wasn''t able to see anyone. Despite recognizing the voice, he stayed vignt, as it might be a trap set by their enemies.


    Fiain activated her bloodline power, and her eyes revolved in golden light. "Huh? It''s Bl and his team. Also, there are a bunch of kids with him."


    Gardenia, who was about to dispel the spell, had her eyes widen in utter shock. She couldn''t believe someone was actually able to see through her spell.


    "Yes, it''s us. We can''t hide anything from Miss Fiain." Blughed to himself before saying it to Gardenia. "Hey, you can take off the spell."


    Bl''s words brought Gardenia back to her senses. She quickly dispelled the spell, revealing everyone to Ragnar and Fiain.


    Ragnar nced at everyone and asked, not trying to delve into greetings. "Is this everyone?"


    Bl nodded his head in reply.


    "Good." Ragnar turned his body in their base''s direction. "Let''s go quickly. We don''t know if those Pdin Warriors mighte at any moment."


    Everyone agreed with Ragnar and was ready to go along with him. When suddenly, Fiain threw a sword¡ªwhich she brought out from her storage ring¡ªat the kids group, specifically at Rabi.


    It all happened so suddenly that no one was able to react in time, especially everyone with their guards lowered.


    "RABI!!" Everyone shouted in unison as they watched the sharp sword slowly approach Rabi''s.


    Grip


    But what happened was beyond anyone''s expectations. Rabi didn''t get impaled by the sword; instead,ughter escaped¡ªa voice foreign to others who are familiar with Rabi¡ªfrom his mouth as he clutched the de of the sword. "Well, you look at that. It looks like there are some capable people in this unknown demon lord''s army."


    Everyone''s eyes widened as they were having a hard time believing the scenario before them. Rabi''s outer skin melted slowly, turning into mud. When his appearance melted into mud, everyone was able to see who this unknown voice belonged to.


    A man stood proudly, who had the same hair as Rabi. He had above-average looks, but that arrogant smirk on his face somehow enhanced his appearance, adding a distinct charm. He was wearing a ck, tight robe that looked like a cloak, and he had red gloves on both of his hands.


    "Wh- Who are you!?" Rabi''s closest friend, Gran, pointed his sword at him and asked with anger.


    "Everyone, stay away from him." Ragnar quickly warned, making otherse behind him reluctantly. They wanted to know what happened to Rabi by themselves, but from the aura this fake Rabi was emitting, they knew they had no chance.


    The fake Rabi didn''t attack instantly, as he just swept his nce around Benimaru''s generals and Gardenia.


    "I think you should now introduce yourself." Fiain asked coldly, as she was ready to pounce on him at any moment.


    The reason Fiain acted surprised at first was because she detected a dangerous aura from Rabi, not for the invisibility spell. To not let the snake know her gaze, she acted like nothing happened.


    "Me?" Feeling everyone''s eyes on him, he said proudly. "I am Kailer, Demon Hunter, Rank Red."


    "Demon Hunter? Rank Red?" Ragnar squinted his eyes, as he had never heard of such a name before.


    "Hehehehe¡­" Kailer chuckled, seeing Ragnar''s confusion. "It looks like you don''t know what a Demon Hunter is. But it''s okay; not everyone knows about us."


    Staring into Ragnar''s eyes intensely, Kailer continued. "We are an organization that kills demons for livelihood, and weprise the top geniuses that humankind has ever produced. We are the most respected and feared organization on Mystralyn Continent."

 Chapter 140 Wait

    ?


    On the southern gate of Migotanie City.


    "Why are there so few people these days?" One guard asked as he watched the empty roads.


    Hispanion, standing beside him, agreed. "You are right. It might be because we don''t have many specialty stores in our town anymore. In the past, prominent businesses rose, but all of them disappeared after that incident."


    The incident he was talking about was the one Benimaru participated in six months ago. After Arash''s death, all those businessmen left as there was no safety in town, and one of the powerhouses, Arash, perished. All of this umted into a loss of trust for the city.


    "Maybe that''s the case. Man, I miss that weapon shop that sold cheap yet quality weapons."


    "Me too. Now, I have to buy something made by the locals. You know how long theyst."


    The two of themmented the past. The time Benimaru stayed may have been short, but it was full of wonders for the locals. It was, in short, their own glory days.


    Pfft Fraap Poot


    Suddenly, they both became silent, looking at each other. They just heard a soft yet long fart, but there was no one besides them, which made the atmosphere a bit awkward.


    "Uhhh¡­ don''t speak. It''s okay. I have my mouth shut." The one on the right patted the other''s shoulder with sympathy.


    Instantly, the patted guy raged, feeling injustice. "What are you spouting about? The noise clearly came from in front of us. Do you think I can fart from the front?"


    The other guard shrugged his shoulders in reply. "Who knows? There are many wonders in the world; anything can happen."


    "You!!!" He gnashed his teeth, holding himself back from crushing his buddy to pieces.


    ¡­


    In a tight alley.


    "Phew~ We got lucky." Tanaka took off his hoodie and wiped his nonexistent sweat.


    The others followed along and stared at Bl simultaneously.


    Bl got nervous, feeling everyone''s gaze on him. "Why are you looking at me like that? It wasn''t my fault. It was that damn fly''s."


    Yes, Bl was the one who identally leaked his gas. Because he digested food normally, to enjoy it thoroughly, he would let the food turn into the most beneficial essences for his body and dump the rest as trash or impurities. Leading to him having gas like normal people.


    "Forget it." Gardenia shook her head, as ming others wouldn''t do anything. No matter what happened, they didn''t fail in their task, at least.


    The others nodded their heads, agreeing with Gardenia. At that moment, Bailey suddenly said. "Gardenia, you are amazing. I have not met someone who is good at concealing their abilities. Well, you do not have that ability, but your mastery of such spells is awesome."


    The idea that Gardenia gave was that she would cast an invisibility spell and sneak into the city from the front gate, as simple as it is. The thing that amazed others most was how Gardenia''s spell worked. One only needs to stop using their mana, or vital energy, and they will be invisible to the naked eye; even the usage of mana sensing couldn''t detect them. So, despite Bl making a noise, the guards weren''t able to sense or see them.


    One has to understand that noise also counts as some form of energy.


    "Hahaha¡­ I am not that great." Gardenia shook her head, not taking that praise to heart. She knew her tricks wouldn''t work on someone who has superior mana sense. "Forget all of this, and let''s get these kids you are here for."


    Bl nodded his head and asked Bailey. "Where are those guys hiding?"


    Letting out a depressed sigh, Bailey answered. "They have no one they can call family. They only know themselves. So, they are hiding where they know and can call home, the house they bought with their hard-earned money."


    "I see." Bl chuckled to himself before heading toward the east side of the city. "Let''s go pick them up."


    ¡­


    East side of Migotanie City.


    This side of the ce was the housing area. Many well-known people have built their houses here. But as time went on, the entire ce became packed, leaving no room for even opening the balcony. Only a few lucky ones still had the luxury of having open space around their house. This type of house can now mostly be seen on the southern side.


    For this, there were no small alleyways. Criss-cross roads could be seen running all around the ce.


    Bl and others were walking along with others in the road, in in sight. But they had the invisibility spell on, so no one was able to see them.


    They were about to take a turn around the corner when suddenly Bl put his arm up, stopping them. Having their backs caressed against the wall, only Bl looked around the corner.


    Bl saw a man standing in front of a house, which was Nil''s and the other kids. The man had the same armor and outfit as Ahat, but there were other things that separated him from Ahat. He had a six-petal flower shoulder badge on both sides of his cape and a six-petal flower crest on his chest.


    Bailey asked as softly as possible, only letting the trio hear her voice. "What is it, brother Bl?"


    Bailey and the other two still haven''t seen anything, and they couldn''t use their mana senses to look at what made Bl cautious, as it would make the spell useless.


    "One of the Pdin Warriors is here." Bl said in a concerned tone.


    Tanaka''s eyes widened as he blurted out in shock. "Is he going to kidnap them all in broad daylight?"


    Hearing that, Gardenia answered after some thought. "I don''t think so. If he or they wanted to, they would have already done it. From the way Sir Bl is talking, it looks like he is hesitating to enter."


    "She is right." Bl agreed with Gardenia''s statement, as he could also see the Pdin Warrior standing there all alone, quietly.


    ¡­


    ''Interesting, all of them are hiding together. That is smart of them. At least they would be able to make noise if something happened, or it would be quite easy to pick them off one by one.'' Kai pondered silently. He was one of the Pdin Warriors and is currently being watched by Bl and others.


    However, they weren''t the only ones who were watching Kai secretly. ''This is quite amusing. That young Baron actually deployed his general to keep an eye on me, and that other city guard captain might be watching thosezy bums.''


    Kai was far stronger than Haitam, so it wasn''t hard for him to notice Haitam''s mana sense on him. The reason he wasn''t doing anything against it was because the headquarters had strongly warned them not to do anything against the Baron or they might have to face strong consequences.


    Kai was confused as to why the headquarters would give such a weird warning, but the orders were given, and they couldn''t deny it.


    ''Man, this is one of the easiest missions, and the most annoying mission at that too.'' Kai frowned, as he didn''t know what to do now.


    ¡­


    "What should we do now? We can''t wait like this forever." Bailey asked impatiently, as she couldn''t help but worry about her friends. Tanaka nodded his head, he was as worried as her.


    Gardenia looked around to find anything. Her eyes widened when she spotted someone.


    "Everyone be ready. When I say "go", sprint for the door." Gardenia''s suddenmands brought everyone''s attention. They looked at her, trying to tell her what she wanted to do.


    Gardenia aimed her palm at an old man who was walking slowly beside the road. " [ Fire of Unseen ] "


    An invisible fire shot from the palm, not even letting out any mana traces. The fire flew through the air and hit the old man, who was clueless. The moment the fire came in contact with the old man''s body, mes swallowed him entirely by surprise.


    "ARGHHH!! HELP ME!" The old man shouted in panic and dropped to the ground.


    The vendor owners by his side quickly brought their bucket of water and sshed it on his body. Unfortunately, nothing happened, making the crowd panic and distance themselves from the old man as much as possible.


    "Please help! My grandson is waiting for me at home. Please¡­ Please, knight of the Goddess Ignia, help me." His body burning slowly, the old man cried out in pain to Kai, who was acting dumb as if he didn''t even notice the incident.


    The crowd also shouted, as they couldn''t watch the old man burn anymore.


    "Knight of Goddess Ignia, save this poor old man."


    "He will definitely save him; just watch. Goddess Ignia is the only one who loves us mortals."


    Kai''s eyes twitched after hearing all of these, but he still went to help as he couldn''t watch the old man die after everyone praised the goddess so much.

 Chapter 141 Writing From Tomorrow

    ?


    "Using your goddess as the key, huh?" Benimaruughed at himself, before walking down the stairs.


    He first thought the stairs would be small, but he was proven wrong. It was a long, spiraling staircase that was taking too much of his time. If it was a straight one, Benimaru was sure it wouldn''t take him much time. Also, the reason he wasn''t rushing down was because of any potential traps.


    While he was walking down, the tremors from above made him worried about his generals. But from the looks of it, they werepletely fine.


    Benimaru got a bit annoyed for still not seeing the end. ''Tsk, why is this so damn long? What is he actually hiding down here?''


    Just after he said that, a dim red light shed, announcing that he had finally arrived.


    Benimaru walked into the entrance and was met with a giant cave that had torches lighting up the ce. However, what caught Benimaru''s attention were the bones littered on the ground. From what Benimaru could tell, these were humans, beasts, and demons. There was a murky scent of blood and rotten flesh in the air.


    At the other end of the cave, a bunch of acolytes and junior priests stood and prayed softly. Benimaru didn''t know if they were praying for someone or praying to someone. But he knew one thing¡ªthere was something very secretive and sinister going on here.


    "Mother will heal her children."


    "Mother will heal her children."


    "Mother will heal her children."


    Benimaru got close and heard what they were saying. Raising his eyebrows, he nced at their hands. From their hands, green mana flowed out and entered the small blood pool before them.


    ''This looks like a healing spell. But who are they healing?'' Benimaru didn''t know why, but he didn''t go for a direct kill. Maybe because he had grown confident in his strength or because he was just very curious about what they were doing, and wanted to see the end result.


    "Mother will heal he- "


    Thud


    One of the acolytes fell on his knees suddenly and started taking heavy breaths. Then, like a switch, others started to fall. Their bodies were filled with sweat, and their hands were shaking constantly.


    "What are you all doing? Continue healing the priest!" One junior priest shouted at the acolytes while he himself was sweating profusely. He also wasn''t faring well.


    "I can''t anymore! We have been going on for two weeks. Let us rest at least." An acolyte begged.


    But the junior priest ignored him. He ordered him, ring with a grim expression. "Get on your feet and start praying, or do you want to face the priest''s wrath? Look around, can''t you see what we might be?"


    This jolted every acolyte back to their senses. They didn''t even have to nce at their surroundings, as they knew what would happen to them if they didn''t listen. They would be piles of bones in an unknown dungeon, not letting their family know what even happened to them.


    Maybe because they were very focused on the task before them or because they were too scared to think of their surroundings, so they didn''t know Benimaru was close to them.


    Benimaru carefully analyzed what they said before his eyes widened in shock. ''No, I have to stop them from doing this.''


    In a sh, Benimaru swung his katana, severing the necks of the acolytes that were behind the group. Their screams didn''te out of their mouths; only the remaining words of prayer whispered out of their mouths.


    But the sound of their bodies and heads dropping to the ground alerted everyone.


    However, it was toote.


    Benimaru''s katana danced around the mass, taking lives as if they were nothing. Still, he did one thing, and that was to put them out of their misery.


    "ARGHH! Do not kill me, please!"


    "I didn''t do anything. I was forced."


    "Let me live. I have a family!"


    However, Benimaru ignored all of their pleas. He killed them without any remorse, like always.


    A couple of secondster, the cave had reced the sound of prayer with the calming sound of blood dropping into a small puddle.


    "Now, let me see what is in there." Benimaru walked before the blood pool and carefully inspected it with his mana sense.


    ''Hmmm¡­ this pool of blood¡­ there is no blood essence. With this much blood, the blood essence would be potent enough for me to reach the 9th Stage Fleshcrafting Realm. Where did it all go?''


    To fill his curiosity, Benimaru extended his mana sense deeper into the pool. His eyes widened at the thing he saw below.


    It was a man''s body, and most importantly, Belmuk''s. His eyes were closed, and he was naked. But what surprised Benimaru was Belmuk''s current physique. He had gotten slimmer, and bulging muscles that were knitted tightly could be seen on his body. His face has also grown a bit handsome.


    ''But, there is no sign of vital energy or any life force in his body. Is he already dead?'' Benimaru became surprised when he thought of it.


    Carefully thinking, Benimaru connected that Belmuk was absorbing a huge amount of blood essence. But to refine this much blood essence would take a serious toll on his body, and he might even die. So, he had all the acolytes and junior priests cast healing spells on him continuously to help him refine properly.


    ''It looks like I foiled his ns. I came in the middle of the process.'' Benimaru shook his head with a sigh. He wanted to say some things to Belmuk, but it seems they have to be buried in his heart for now.


    Benimaru decided to leave, seeing his missione to a quick end. ''But before that, Let me destroy this body to smithereens. I do not know what kind of trouble it might bring.''


    He raised his katana up and enveloped it in purple fire. With a strong swing, his sword fell into the blood pool.


    BURHSS!


    But suddenly, a hand emerged from the blood pull and caught Benimaru''s sword, causing an explosion that shook the cave and evaporated the blood.


    Thrup


    Benimaru leaped back and stood with his guard on. He looked ahead with caution while also being a bit surprised.


    Step Step


    "Huh? So they are all dead. That exins why I couldn''tplete thest stage of refinement." Belmuk walked toward Benimaru while ncing beside him to see where the acolytes and junior priests'' dead bodies were.


    Finally, he raised his head and stared at Benimaru. "Hmmm¡­red and dark cloak¡­a weird demon mask. You must be a yer."


    "Oh my. It looks like Ahat told you about me carefully. It is an honor to be remembered by a pedophile. Sir Belmuk." Benimaru said it respectfully yet in a mocking tone.


    "Huh?" Belmuk frowned upon hearing that unknown word from him. He had never heard of that term, as it was not something yet to be found in this world. But he felt somehow offended hearing it. "What are you saying? I have never heard of something like a pedophile."


    Benimaru said it with a smirk on his face. "Ah¡­it''s nothing. Something I came up with for people who sexually abuse children."


    "Hmph." Belmuk scoffed and looked at Benimaru with disdain. "What weird thinking. Those girls will be grateful for my touch."


    "Hahahaha¡­." Laughing up a bit, Benimaru asked. "How did you refine that huge amount of blood essence this quickly?"


    Belmuk tilted his head and cracked outughing. "You also have such low vision. How can youe to the conclusion that it would take this much time for me to refine such a little blood essence? Do you see me as someone weak?"


    ''Yes.'' However, Benimaru didn''t say it out loud. Instead, he stood silently on his spot.


    "Then let me tell you why I had to take so much time." Belmuk made a fist with his right hand and punched to his right. In the next second, a wind sted forth from his fist andnded on the wall, caving in the shape of his fist. "I was trying to assimte the Silverback Gori''s heart with mine. To make itpatible with my body and heart, I had to use a huge amount of blood essence to improve my constitution along the way. I was just close topletely integrating it, but you came to foil the ending. Still, it doesn''t matter anymore. My body has improved greatly, and thest steps will happen automatically."


    Benimaru raised his eyebrows, not expecting Belmuk to do such a thing in the past few days. "Sir Belmuk, this type of refinement and assimtion are hard to do. You need a proper technique to help you. But only the guys from the demonic cults have these. Don''t tell me¡­"


    Just like humans worship gods, there are some maniacs who take the path to see the higher demonic existences as their lords.


    "What!? Are you trying to put me on the same level as those lunatics?" Belmuk became angry upon hearing that. "I am one of the priests of the Goddess of Nature, Ignia. I have strengthened myself to bring her to glory!. And here you are trying to defile me. It was indeed a waste of time trying to exin my doings to you."

 Chapter 142 s Are Being Written. I Beg You

    ?


    [ Congrattions, you have received Pool of Body Mending x1 ]


    [ Congrattions, you have received Heart Weapon Vault ]


    [ Congrattions, you have received Random Technique x3 ]


    [ Congrattions, you have received Gold Coins x500000 ]


    [ Congrattions, you have received Rare Mana Crystals x50000 ]


    Benimaru''s eyes gleamed in delight after seeing the rows of reward notifications flood before him. ''Now, let me see what these things are.''


    Beniamru couldn''t see any reward information until hepleted their missions. So, he was rather curious about what he got this time. At least he was hoping they were notpletely useless.


    [ Pool of Body Mending: A blood pool made of the drop of God of War. In ancient times, when even gods came down to fight for their rights, much blood was shed. The blood of the gods is the most valuable treasure for mortals. However, based on their efficiency, the effects and value may vary.


    Effects: (1) Can help one to increase their physical attributes and potential.


    (2) Can help one progress through Vitality Realms easily.


    [Only usable for people from Fleshcrafting Realm to Physique Refinement Realm] ]


    Benimaru''s eyes widened when he read the description and the effects of this treasure. ''This thing is too good for me.''


    Benimaru was struggling to increase his vitality realm as his magic realm was gradually surpassing it. He was afraid that this would make him ignore his vitality realmpletely in the future.


    ''But, from this description, I found something else. I can find treasure like this in the wild too, however, it would depend on luck. Also, I am sure the gods didn''t just drop their blood on this world.'' Benimaru felt he should pay much more attention to his surroundings than before.


    Then he shifted to the next one.


    [ Heart Weapon Vault: The origin of this treasure is unknown, but the ability it holds is hard to find.


    Effect: (1)Integrate your weapon to be suitable with your mana.


    (2)Let your weapon grow along with your realms


    (3)No one can take control of your weapon after it is sealed inside the vault ]


    ''Hmmm¡­'' Benimaru raised his eyebrows after seeing this. He felt this was not that great for him. He already had a weapon that would grow after it fed on the souls of the ones he killed.


    ''But¡­ the mask and the cloak I wear are most important to me. These items need to be upgraded too to keep up with my progress. Let''s see if these can be upgraded.'' As Benimaru grew stronger, his initial items, which were low grade, would be useless as the powerhouses at his level would not be affected by these items. Also, these two items were his most important parts for his ns in the future; he couldn''t just discard them, and he wouldn''t be able to find someone who could make them for him.


    Extracting the reward from the system, Benimau looked at the Heart Weapon Vault. It looked very simple, just a steel box with no rough edges. It had skin as smooth as the surface of still water.


    However, suddenly, the box shot into his chest, taking Benimaru by surprise. But he didn''t panic, as he knew it might have been the system''s work. He sent his mana senses inside his heart and saw the box revolving right below his mana core.


    Benimaru willed his katana, making it move toward the vault, and the moment it came close to the vault, in a matter of seconds, it got sucked in. Benimaru decided to check if he could call his katana outside, and he seeded in doing so. Seeing this, Benimaru sent the mask and the cloak inside.


    After he was done doing it, he shifted his focus toward the rest of the rewards.


    [ Do you want to im your Random Techniques now? ]


    ''Yes.'' Benimaru didn''t know why the system had to ask that. He literally just told it to give it to him.


    [ Randomizing the techniques. ]


    [ Congrattions, you have received Calming Waters Meditation, Blood Chains, Wind Walk ]


    [ Calming Waters Meditation: This technique involves using vital energy to enter a meditative state duringbat, enhancing focus, and allowing for quick analysis of opponents'' moves. [After mastering the technique, you can use it freely as a skill] ]


    [ Blood Chains: By manipting the blood in their vicinity, the practitioner can form chains to bind and restrain opponents during battle. [After mastering the technique, you can use it freely as a spell] ]


    [ Wind Walk: By executing precise sword strikes while in motion, the practitioner can move with incredible speed, making it seem like they are gliding on the wind. [After mastering the technique, you can use it freely as a skill] ]


    ''All of them are good.'' Benimaru was surprised to see techniques that he would have bought from the shop if he had stumbled upon them. He was expecting at least one to be useless.


    Rubbing his chin, Benimaru analyzed which suited him best. '' This Blood Chain is clearly for Ravenna, so let''s put it aside. Wind Walk is good, but it requires someone who can control the wind element. Only Calming Waters Meditation works for me, and so does for Ragnar too.''


    ''Now, that I think about it.'' ck lines started to form on his face as he spoke coldly. ''It is as if these were for my generals, not for me.''


    Benimaru was waiting for the system to refute him, but it seems it remained silent as usual.


    ''Ahh forget it.'' Tossing these useless thoughts out of his mind, he extracted the rest of the rewards, which were gold and rare mana crystals. These were his shopping expenses for at least one week.


    Benimaru finallyid down on the bed and decided to announce the end of today.


    ¡­


    The sun peeked through the horizon, curious to see what this world had to offer today.


    Benimaru also woke up after an hour or so.


    "Ahhh~ I miss sleeping so much." Benimaru spoke with emotion as the word sleep seemed to be getting erased from his mind. As he grew stronger, he began to feel sleep was useless. It became much more apparent when he was heading toward the third of the major realm.


    Walking outside, Benimaru decided to take a walk and see his base after a long time.


    ''Everything is the same as always.'' Benimaru thought as he nced through his surroundings.


    In a few minutes, he arrived at the barracks. Here, he met someone that he hadn''t seen for a while.


    "Bl, you woke up as early as always." Benimaru smiled, looking at Bl, who was exercising quietly. The reason he knew Bl woke up early was because every time he opened his shop, he would see Bl waiting outside with his team. When he asked why he came so early, Bl answered that they had woken up a long time ago, having nothing to do. They decided to chat with him before going hunting.


    Bl was surprised by Benimaru, as he had not met him in a while. "Hahaha¡­can''t get rid of this old habit of mine."


    Benimaru remained silent, thinking of the question he had in his mind. Eventually, he decided to ask after seeing Bl''s big smile. "Are you doing well now, Bl? I hope no one troubled you here."


    "Yes, brother. I have never lived so peacefully in my life. The only thing weighing in my heart is that I couldn''t meet you early? If I did so, I could have lived with my mother peacefully too." Bl sighed, raising his head up in the sky.


    Thup


    Patting Bl''s shoulders, Benimaru said with a smile on his face. "I am d you are alright."


    Bl stared at Benimaru, feeling very fortunate to meet him. "Thank you, brother."


    "Hahaha, it''s alright." Chuckling a bit, Benimaru looked behind Bl, where he could see dozens of Swinefiends, Gorebuzz, Raums, and Meatscrapers following the training actions Bl took. "It seems you have made many followers."


    Bl turned his head back and said it with embarrassment. "Sorry about that. These guys have been following me after I trained them for just two days. I do not know what got into them."


    Benimaru knew what got into them. They have experienced the warm radiance and kindness that Bl exudes. They might be demons, but they have hearts and minds. So they got infected by him, as this was also the first time they had experienced something like this.


    However, Benimaru didn''t say it. "Maybe they are just following you after seeing how strong you are. Well, anyway, I have something to do now. You train with them."


    Benimaru headed toward the back of the castle, as he wanted to have the Pool of Body Mending situate there.


    But suddenly, Bl stopped him in his tracks. "Brother, wait a minute."


    Benimaru looked at Bl curiously and asked. "What is it? Just tell me, I will try to do it with what I have."


    "Thanks a lot for saying that, brother. It warms my heart. But I am not going to ask anything like that." Bl rubbed the back of his head as usual, hesitating, but eventually he encouraged himself to speak it out. "Brother, can I join you?"

 Chapter 143 One Is Updated

    ?


    Bang!


    Belmuk leaped at Benimaru, setting out dirt and dust.


    Benimaru stayed in his spot, not fearing Belmuk''s rush. He swiped his left hand from left to right. " [ Wall of Devastation ] "


    A rectangle-shaped wall made of purple fire was conjured before him. Unlike the previous ones, this one was much morepact because of his increase in strength and proficiency in skills.


    Belmuk''s rocket-like punchnded on the wall. Belmuk was confident in his power, as the Silverback Gori''s strength was unparalleled in this part of the region. But he was quickly proven wrong.


    This hard yet transparent wall, which he believed would smash into pieces under his attack, didn''t budge a little.


    Belmuk was about to pull his fist back, but a strong force refounded in his fist that was multiplied by the purple fire attributes. His right arm bounced back as a result, making him defenseless.


    " [ Short Burst ] " Benimaru then dashed before the falling Belmuk with his katana that was burning with purple fire.


    Benimaru shed at Belmuk''s chest to end this quickly. But Belmuk crossed his arms and prevented the attack from reaching his chest. Still, that sh managed to sever his arms as a result, and the purple fire exploded upon contact with his skin, sting him down at a faster rate.


    Bang!


    Belmuk smashed into the ground, creating a ten-meter-wide pit. He quickly stood with his severed arms hanging down. Blood rolled down from his severed arms and was on its way, creating a small blood puddle.


    Belmuk nced up and said to himself. " [ Lathik ] "


    Instantly, the rich natural mana, which was of wood and earth, gathered into his severed arms and began to heal.


    Benimaru raised eyebrows at this. ''The Silverback Gori''s heart has increased his vitality by a considerable amount, and added to that are his healing spells in his arsenal¡­tsk, this guy feels unkible.''


    Which was a bad sign as Benimaru didn''t want to prolong this fight, fearing a third party with a strong powerhouse might enter the battlefield. He could have gone for the kill right now, but he was testing if Belmuk had anything more. Now that he had gotten a better estimation of what Belmuk was capable of, Benimaru had thought of a way to kill Belmuk.


    Belmuk''s arms were half way through healing properly when, suddenly, he felt danger rms ringing in his mind. He saw Benimaru pressing his hand forward, having his pal face toward him.


    " [ Thunder Spears Rain ] " Benimaru whispered, devoid of any emotion. The next moment, spears made of purple thunder were conjured behind him in dozens or so. If one looked carefully, they could see a small, condensed purple fireball on the tip of the spear points.


    This was anotherbination move, this time he tried with spells. This is thebination of three spells that cost Benimaru lots of money and time. But he felt it was worth it. Because he knew the destructive power of this spell.


    Under Benimaru''smand with his mental energy, the thunder spears shot down at Belmuk.


    Fortunately for Belmuk, the civilians retreated further away while he rushed up to attack Benimaru.


    Belmuk had already decided in his mind what he wanted to do. He can''t go head-on against these, as he would get swarmed by them in a matter of seconds. So, using his fast speed, Belmuk evaded while keeping in mind not to go close to the civilians.


    Boom Boom Boom


    The moment the thunder spears came into contact with the ground, explosions urred that destroyed that piece ofnd entirely.


    Like this, one side of the city waspletely ravaged under Benimaru''s domineering power, attracting many people''s attention.


    Meanwhile, Belmuk danced around to get touched by them. He was sessful most of the time, as his speed was corrted with that of the Silverback Gori, who had great agility.


    But no matter how great his dodging skill was, he was still a novice at fighting. Belmuk had been a priest his entire life, he had never fought against someone in his entire life. So, one misdirection of his dodging led him to get drowned in the thunder spears.


    "Noooo!"


    Boom Boom Boom Boom


    Belmuk''s body got sted and ravaged under strong, destructive fire and thunder. A few secondster, the thunder spears stoppeding at him.


    After the smoke and dust from the explosions settled down, Benimaru saw Belmuk lying down on the ground, trying to heal his body. His ckened, charred body matched the charred ground around him, which was the result of Benimaru''s doing. He has ckened an entire side of the city all by himself, making it unrecognizable.


    ''This healing ability¡­'' Benimaru frowned, seeing Belmuk''s deep injuries getting healed at a rapid speed. He could have made a follow-up attack, but he needed to charge up a strong skill to do so, as normal attacks won''t do anything to a strong, steel like body.


    "Hahahaha¡­what is wrong? You can''t do anything to me, fiend. I have the blessing of my almighty goddess." Belmukughed out loud, feeling confident and proud of his abilities. He knows he is garbage at fighting, but his healing abilities, which he honed for years, are not something to be looked down upon.


    At that very moment, a fleeting, melodic whisper entered Belmuk''s ears, sending shivers down his spine.


    """I am disappointed."""


    "Who-" Belmuk wasn''t able to finish his sentence when he felt his injuries worsening once again.


    "Wha-" Belmuk became beyond shocked. He tried to use his healing capabilities, but nothing happened. "Where are my powers? Where is my healing power that I have crafted for ages!? WHERE IS IT!?"


    Benimaru raised his eyebrows, confused at what had happened. But he didn''t have the time to think of it now that an opportunity was presented to him.


    " [ Dark sh ] " Benimaru''s katana got enveloped in dark mana as he shot toward Belmuk.


    Leaving behind a dark streak, like a stroke on the world''s canvas, he arrived behind Belmuk. Belmuk was still in his madness, and he was having a hard time believing he had lost his most precious power so suddenly.


    The moment he noticed Benimaru arriving behind him, it was already toote.


    Belmuk''s head was severed from his neck and fell to the ground. To ensure that Belmuk died properly, Benimaru turned around and swung his katana in a sh, cutting Belmuk''s heart in half.


    A dumbfounded expression was still on Belmuk''s severed head, as he didn''t expect there to be so many turns of events against him. With hisst strand of consciousness left in his mind, he questioned not himself but his goddess. ''What did I do wrong, mother? I was only doing everything just for you.''


    This time, unlike the melodic, sweet voice, a cold toned voice devoid of any emotion entered his ears.


    """Do not call me mother, you fiend."""


    Something cracked inside Belmuk''s soul in that fleeting moment. He was scared, like a child who the world has rejected.


    But anyone will look back at a child and embrace them back; it doesn''t matter if it''s a man or a god. But to a fiend? Not even the birth mother would share a shred of love.


    Benimaru watched silently as the light in Belmuk''s eyes faded away. Despite winning, it left a sour taste in his mouth.


    Benimaru, earlier, got hit by Belmuk''s surprise punch because he wanted Belmuk to be under the illusion that he was the strongest. This would make him confident and reveal important information to someone weak like him. This n seeded, and Belmuk did spill many things, but all were useless. Belmuk might have jumped in strength, but he was weakpared to Benimaru.


    [ Host Name: Max (Benimaru)


    Demon Ranking: Tier 1 Demon Baron


    Magic Realm: 5th Stage Novice Realm


    Vitality Realm: 5th Stage Fleshcrafting Realm


    Age: 17/310


    Race: Abyssal Lord (25%)


    Ability 1: Mastery of Dark Magic


    Talent: Top


    Magical Techniques: Purple Sun Technique


    Vitality Technique: Body Sharpening Technique


    Skills: Enhanced Senses, Illusion Bind, Dark sh, Short Burst, Chaos Dome, Wall of Devastation.


    Spells: Thunder Spears.


    Generals: 3/3 (Ravenna, Ragnar, Fiain) [You will unlock another slot after you break through a major realm in magic realm.] ]


    In these past few days, Benimaru has gone full throttle to ensure his safety andplete victory in this mission. He was happy to see his demon ranking rise up. Because there was no way for him to gauge hisbat strength like the way it is shown for his generals. So, this was a way to let him know his limit.


    However, he wasn''t able to get ss like others, which left him disappointed. He felt hisbat style suited the Battle Mage most, but from the looks of it, it was far from the truth.


    Benimaru looked at Belmuk''s body and frowned heavily. ''Something is wrong. Why did his power disappear so suddenly? Hmm. His healing poweres from the goddess. So¡­don''t tell me¡­''


    When he came to this point of thought, he got shivers down his spine.

 Chapter 144 Two s Will Be Updated Daily

    ?


    Savrena retreated back and dodged in the gaps of the shes, letting her not get injured.


    But Vio was having a hard time. He didn''t have the same speed as Savrena, so he had to attack to defend himself. However, his attacks didn''t do anything, as the shes would cut his lighting like butter.


    Fortunately, that wasted enough time to make the shes spread more and give him space to dodge.


    Savrena and Vio were stocked after getting hit hard like that. Vio was in the 8th Stage Novice Realm, and Savrena was in the 5th Stage Fleshcrafting Realm. But that wasn''t enough to make any dent in Haitam.


    ''I can''t sense his realm properly, don''t tell me, is he?'' Vio''s worst fear came true. Haitam was stronger than them in the realm.


    Haitam was in the 9th Stage Fleshcrafting Realm, close to breaking through to the Physique Refinement Realm, so he was able to detach his vital energy from his body early on¡ªa perk avable only to those who were halfway into the Physique Refinement Realm.


    In this situation, the only thing that came into y were the special sses. However, there was no one here who got a special ss of their own.


    Savrena''s racial talent might be good, but they weren''t good for death battles, they were most suited for survivability. On the other hand, Vio''s race, Worshipper of the Purple Sun, as the name suggests, worshiped the Purple Sun of the demon realm. For this, they were granted a fraction of the sun''s power, which was just a high damage boost, nothing special.


    Under all these circumstances, Vio made a quick decision and resolved.


    "Light Up! [ Tartalia ] " Puffing up his chest, Vio shouted in anger. Instantly, his chest glowed with violet thunder and coerced through his body. His hands, eyes, hair,and wings elementalized into violet thunder, making him look like a thunder god.


    Savrena''s eyes widened at that. ''Oh no, he is burning his mana core.''


    But her concern couldn''t help but make her do anything now, as Vio had his eye focused on Haitam.


    "Ahhhh!" With a short scream, Vio appeared before Haitam in a matter of seconds, surprising Haitam.


    Bam!


    Vio punched Haitam in the face, sending him flying with a resounding shockwave.


    Savrena saw that as an opportunity and flew toward the Haitam with her sword point aimed at his chest.


    The surprise on Haitam''s face disappeared after that punch and was reced with seriousness. He rotated his body in midair and swung his sword to ss against Savrena''s.


    Vio wouldn''t let this happen, knowing Savrena couldn''t do anything in front of Haitam''s sheer strength. Zooming through the air as fast as possible, Vio caught up to Haitam.


    At that moment, a smirk appeared on Haitam''s face. ''d you are much faster now.''


    " [ Boulder sh ] " In a sh, Haitam swung his sword behind his back, catching Vio off guard.


    Purich!


    A deep scar appeared on Vio''s chest, which made him fly backward and crash to the ground.


    Haitam then shifted his focus to Savrena. He grabbed her sword with his bare hand, stopping it from reaching his body. Blood dripped through the sword, but that wasn''t important to Haitam.


    One of his main enemies was just before him; how could he miss such an easy kill?


    Haitam swung his sword at defenseless Savrena, Time seemed to have slowed down for her as she saw the swording at her with a full 180 degree swing. She wanted to escape, and with her fast speed, it was possible. But Haitam''s sh was faster, and they were in very close range, destroying Savrena''s hope of evading.


    ''Am I going to die? I have not even confessed to Vio yet.'' Regrets started to appear in her mind.


    "Huh?" Suddenly, Haitam''s swing came to a halt. He grabbed Savrena''s wrist and flung her to the side, smashing her to the ground. Savrena went further away from Haitam as she continued rolling on the ground.


    Haitam turned back and inserted his sword into the ground, acting as if it was a shield.


    BANG!!


    A four meter thick beam, consisting of pure violet thunder, smashed into Haitam''s sword, dragging his body back for the force behind it.


    "DON''T YOU DARE TOUCH HER!" Vio shouted out loud, announcing to the world his desire. He was floating in the air, just a few centimeters away from his feet touching the ground. From his chest, the thunder beam wasing out, and particles of mana entered his wings, acting like rechargers.


    "Argh!" Haitam groaned in pain as his body turned static. He could feel the residual thunder entering his body, through his eyes and nose. Because of its destructiveponent, the thunder was destroying his body parts from inside. As a result, blood trickled out of his nose, mouth, eyes, and ears. But he held on strong, gritting his teeth.


    Haitam shot a nce at Vio and saw his body churning and having fissures. ''He can''t do this for longer, and it can be said the same to me.''


    Haitam was trying his hardest to quell the thunder in his body with his vital energy, but all for naught. He couldn''t keep up with the amount of residual thunder entering his body and kept channeling his vital energy to reinforce his sword, which was also showing cracks; despite coating it with his vital energy.


    ''Damn it, I can''t even dodge. I will get hit by it the moment I move.'' Haitam cursed his mind, seeing himself in such a grave situation.


    All of a sudden, Haitam felt another source of great danger approaching him. He gave a nce to the side and saw Savrena standing while ring at him, like that of a killer.


    ''Is this the end? Not even seeing the sire for onest time?'' Haitam began to doubt whether he could get out of this situation. But, for him, it took only a few seconds to know his aim and goal.


    ''No, I am the sword of Lord Arash. I had no talent or anything special, but still, Lord Arash gave me a ce to stay. So, I vowed from that day on that I will cut through anyone and anything for Lord Arash. I sharpened my strikes for years to cut a straight road for Lord Arash. How can I go down like this?'' Light appeared in Haitam''s eyes, and resolve filled his heart.


    Haitam twisted his sword, making the edge face Vio''s direction. Then he swung it upward. " [ Muttion ] "


    Arge sh with a metallic shine cut through the thunder beam, dividing it in half.


    Vio saw the sh approaching him, but he was not in the right mind to think of anything rational. So, he could wait and get cut by it.


    Phruch!


    A vertical line appeared on Vio''s body, and he stopped shooting his beam too. Then the vertical line slid open his skin, bursting out bright red blood.


    Thud


    Vio''s body just dropped to the ground when Haitam turned around and swung his sword horizontally while still in the skill''s active state.


    This was a consecutive sh skill that he came up with, that had the [ Boulder sh ] as its base.


    [ Boulder sh ] consumed time and energy to charge up, but this one had the same intensity and could be done in a row.


    Savrena had her mind go nk when she saw Vio''s situation, losing heart to attack Haitam. But she still instinctively put her sword before Haitam''s sword path.


    However, that was of no use as her sword got snapped in half and Haitam''s sword cut into her waist.


    Thrush!


    At that moment, Haitam''s sword broke into multiple pieces, which canceled the skill. But still, his sword had cut through half of her waist, and the force behind it shot her body in Vio''s direction.


    She once again rolled on the ground and eventually stopped one meter away from Vio''s body.


    Vio felt he was losing control of his body and his sight was getting blurry, but he still saw what hade to Savrena. He tried to move, attempting to get closer to her, but it was to no avail. ''Why? Just why? I wanted to have a ce to live peacefully, with someone that I could love. Why can''t we demons have that? Always getting hunted by demons... Are we demons or they?''


    Meanwhile, Savrena could still move her body, but she could feel pain from the sword shards every time she moved. In spite of that, it wasn''t enough to stop Savrena from reaching Vio.


    Crawling with great difficulty while losing a huge amount of blood, Savrena managed to touch Vio''s cold hands.


    "Vio, can you hear me?" Savrena called with a quaking voice, but no response came from Vio.


    Savrena got caught in the grave situation, so she said with tears and a small smile on her face. "Vio, do not be sad that we failed. We demons are destined to live a life of constant death. So, I hope in the next life we can live the lives of normal beings."


    After a moment of silence, a quiet yet firm voice entered her ears. "Promise."

 Chapter 145 Wait, The Chaps Are Ongoing.

    ?


    Puchi!


    "Wh- What?" Okarino looked below and saw a spear impaling through his heart.


    He looked back and saw with shock that Arash was standing with his hands and head slumped down. "How?"


    The heart was where mages and warriors stored their energies, in the shape of a core. If one could destroy that core, it would spell immediate death.


    Okarino fell to the floor, asking to himself, andter, Arash''s body also followed behind him.


    Thud (2)


    "Lord¡­" The city guard captain whispered first before running and shouting. "LORD!!!"


    She quickly came beside Arash and knelt on both of her knees. She picked up Arash''s body and let him rest on his arms. She called with tears in her eyes. "Lord¡­"


    To her, Arash wasn''t only a lord but a father figure too. She was a warophan, so the only ce she could call home was the dirty streets. But one day, when she was getting bullied by the locals as usual, Arash identally passed by her. Afterwards, he took her in and provided her with everything he could. He took care of her like his own daughter, and as a result, she vowed to protect him and this city with her very soul.


    But¡­ It looks like she failed to keep her promise.


    "Do not cry¡­Nina." Arash nced at Nina''s crying face and said it with a low voice, while trying to make a smile on his face.


    "I failed, I wasn''t strong enough. I failed to protect you." However, Nina didn''t listen, as she knew the only person she could be family with was dying in her arms.


    "What a silly girl. You stopped so many bad guys for me. If you didn''t, I would have died long ago." Even on his deathbed, Arash wasughing at Nina.


    However, this made Nina more sad. "Please, don''t say that."


    "Hahahha¡­ Nina, I do not have much time left. So can you fulfill these wishes of mine?" Arash said it with a soft smile. "After I die, bury me with my children and wives who died. Then, announce to the city that the new baron will be my eldest son, Arlon."


    "What about Princess Ana?" Nina asked, feeling she was most suited.


    "Let her continue on the path she had taken. Also, when shees back, tell her that the ones who killed us are humans, sent by Prince Troy. I do not want her chasing demons and wrongly wasting her life." After saying those, Arash raised his right hand with difficulty, yet surely he was able to rest it upon Nina''s cheeks. "Tell everyone¡ªI love you. Don''t let them be sad about me. I know they can be beautiful beings if they pour their hearts into what they love. Tell Ana, especially, to look after her family without diving too deep into revenge. Also, Nina, my daughter, I love you too."


    Arash''s hand fell from her cheek andnded on his chest, leaving Nina dumbstruck. Then, gradually, she came to her senses and hugged Arash''s body softly. She buried her face in his shoulder and whispered. "I love you too, father."


    ¡­


    "Ha!"


    "What is wrong, Ana?" Mori, who was passing by Ana''s seat, noticed her getting jump-scared all of a sudden.


    Lily, who was beside Ana, came forward and supported her. "Is there something wrong, Ana?"


    The entire ss also noticed the abnormality and looked in their direction.


    Ana, covered in sweat, wiped her forehead. "No- nothing."


    Mori raised his eyebrows, seeing Ana deny it like that. So, he decided to let her open up, as these kinds of things should not be hidden, especially among his students. "Ana, you do not have to worry. I am here for you, what is there to worry about?"


    "I¡­" Ana still hesitated, but thinking of Mori, she decided to spill it out, as Mori was a very reliable teacher. "Professor Mori, just now I felt that I lost something, like something is missing in my heart."


    Mori looked down at his student''s sad and anxious face, giving him shbacks about simr experiences. He brought a caring smile to his cold face and rubbed Ana''s head. "It is okay. If you lose something, then you just need to reimagine it to be in your heart and guard it safely from next time on. And if you want to bring it back, then you have to know that you have many friends and allies who will give their lives for you."


    Ana stared at Mori''s face, somehow bringing tears to her eyes. "I will, professor."


    After giving her head a few rubs, he went towards the dais. On the way, he thought with sadness, as the sudden tears confirmed his guesses. ''I am sorry, my child. I had tofort you with lies.''


    Meanwhile, Ana sat in her ce while wiping her tears. ''This sadness¡­feels so familiar.''


    ¡­


    On the east side of the city.


    "ARGHH!" Under Haitam''srge sword swings, the demons were sliced in half like cotton.


    He was leading the front charge while his army was in the back. His brave charge brought great courage to his army.


    At that moment, Haitam''s eyes widened as he felt a strong energy signatureing from the center of the city, where Arash''s castle was. Haitam recognized that energy carefully, as he was fortunate enough to see Arash in his glory and also be able to learn about Arash''s issue.


    ''This amount of energy¡­don''t tell me.'' Haitam''s heart quacked, thinking of what might be happening if Arash had to exert this amount of energy, and he knew the consequences of this. ''Sire is in trouble. No, he won''t even be able to move after that.''


    Haitam''s worry grew as Arash was the only one who couldpete with the person who could make him use that much energy. ''I have to finish this fast!''


    Haitam''s eyes shifted to Vio and Savrena, who weremanding the demons from the very back. With rage filled in his eyes, he descended from his horse and stepped on the ground. But the moment his feetnded on the ground, he burst into the air, leaping towards Vio and Savrena.


    "Oho~" Savrena got amused by Haitam''s sudden charge directly toward them. As far as war goes, themander of the army should not fight the enemymander from the start because many factors coulde in that might change the war. But if they fought from the start, the oue of the battle would be decided immediately, which was irrational, and no one wanted to do it.


    "Should I go?" Savrena asked Vio, implying she wanted to try out Haitam all on her own.


    "No!" Vio instantly denied. He said this, ring at Haitam. "Let''s go together. You can''t take him alone because he is strong."


    Haitam raised his sword over his head and shouted. " [ Boulder sh ] "


    A shining, metallic aura shot out of Haitam''s sword, in the shape of a crescent moon.


    Vio and Savrena could already feel the sharpness of that strike. They dodged to both sides as fast as possible.


    Bang!


    The attack cleaved the ground in half, making a small crevice and slicing anything into half. Cries from many strong demons rang as their bodies got separated in half or they fell down the crevice.


    Haitamnded on the ground and looked above at Vio and Savrena.


    Savrena brought out a sword and dashed before Haitam in a matter of seconds, surprising Haitam.


    Savrena''s race, the Whisperers of Importance, was known for their speed. They were a race to deliver the messages of the lords. So to guard such information, they had to be loya, fast, and great at fighting, or else they would die the moment they set foot outside.


    Ting!


    Haitam skillfully used his sword to block Savrena''s attack without much difficulty.


    Savrena didn''t get dismayed for failing to strike as she disappeared from her spot and appeared on the other side of Haitam.


    Haitam quickly shed to his other side, managing to deflect that strike. This couldn''t help but make him wonder. ''Her strikes aren''t strong, but her speed is the most dangerous. I have to keep an eye on that.''


    Suddenly, Haitam heard the sound of thunder rumbling. He attacked the source of the sound without looking. " [ Boulder sh ] "


    A metallic sh shot out of Haitam''s sword and shed with a sea of violet thunder.


    Boom!


    ncing to his back, Haitam saw it was Vio. He was floating above, with thunder running through his body. His fists were also enveloped in them.


    Seeing his attack fail, Vio didn''t get disappointed, as he wasn''t good at long range in the first ce. He dived into Haitam while saying. " [ Biddu''s Rage ] "


    Vio''s fists got charged up with violet thunder as long trails were left behind them.


    Haitam, who was using his mana senses to tackle Savrena''s onught, noticed Vio''s arrival. ''Damn it! This is going to take much longer.''


    Cursing himself, Haitam used his other skill. " [ st of Sharp Edges ] "


    In an instant, multiple sword shes like [ Boulder sh ] shot out everywhere, taking Vio and Savrena by surprise.

 Chapter 146 Wait

    ?


    "Did we do it?" Ragnar asked curiously, didn''t expect the victory woulde that easily.


    "It seeds like it." Ravenna stretched her arms and yawned. "Ahhh~ When will Benimaru finish? I had to wake up so early today."


    "It won''t take much time. With the Lord''s new strength, he might be able to finish the mission in a few minutes." Ragnar made a rough estimation with the information he knew of. Ragnar had seen Benimaru''s growth, and he could feel the energy radiating out of him every time he exited from his cultivation session.


    A glittering smile appeared on Ravenna''s face. "Really? Let''s go! I can have a long rest before Benimaru finds a new mission."


    "Uhhh¡­" Ragnar got reminded of something when he saw Ravenna make this im. He hesitated a bit before deciding to spill it out. "Umm¡­ Miss Ravenna, you have to work on making new potions and pills after this mission. Oh, also, you have to find apprentices that could take your teaching."


    "Wha-" Ravenna was left speechless, as she had never heard of anything like this. "Ragnar, are you joking with me? Tell me this is a lie."


    Ragnar stared at Ravenna''s puppy eyes, filled with tears. He wanted to lie, but it would be no use as her end was inevitable. "Sorry to say this, but the Lord has discussed this with me these past days."


    "And you didn''t try to deny such a task? I thought we wererades." Ravenna started throwing her usual tantrums, giving Ragnar arge headache.


    Fiain just watched them do their shenanigans with a slight smile on her face. It was true that she was always cold and devoid of any emotion, but that didn''t mean she didn''t like this. She would rather stay with them peacefully than go to war every time. But if it was Benimaru''s wish, then that was a different case.


    However, at that moment, Fiain''s eyes shot open as she shouted, looking at where Ahat was lying. "Be Careful! He isn''t dead yet."


    Ravenna and Ragnar''s faces changed, reced with seriousness. They armed themselves and prepared themselves for battle.


    "You..demons..how dare¡­you?" Ahat walked out of the rubble, staggering, with his head hung down.


    Thrud


    Ahat removed his helmet, revealing his face for the first time. He had rough skin and a thick, blonde beard on his neck. His short, blonde hair was swept down because of the blood. He exhaled loudly, while ring at the trio.


    "You have to die. You all have to die before the goddess!"


    Thud


    Ahat knelt on his knees and looked to the sky, pleading by spreading his arms. "Dear Mother! Your children are crying. They are dying to save the very ce where mortals could nce at you. We are trying, Mother! But our strength is nothing in front of these dreadful demons, the vilest creature to this beautiful world of yours."


    The trio gave him weird nces, feeling that what Ahat was doing looked stupid. Gods were untouchable, unseenable, and unattainable beings. How could they spare their time for insignificant beings? Sure, Ahat might be following her given path and working under her, but there were many others who were far better and stronger than him.


    "We should kill him now. I am having a bad feeling." Ravenna suggested the other two.


    Ragnar might not have felt it, but Fiain agreed with Ravenna. There was a promotion in their hearts that something outrageous might be happening.


    "Mother! I beg you. Please, give this child of yours strength to defend your holy ground." Ahat cried out loud, ignoring the trio rushing toward him.


    "Please¡­ let me at least die saving your sacred ce." Ahat''s voice gradually lowered, but a raw emotion could be felt in his voice.


    At that moment, Ragnar and Fiain had already closed in on him, and Ravenna''s blood spikes were blooming around Ahat.


    But, these were all nonexistent to him. Ignoring his life about to end, he still looked up at the destroyed ceiling, No! To the sky above, trying to see if his goddess looked back at him.


    He didn''t lose hope. He believed, believed that the goddess would not let her children die of injustice.


    ""Your heart is so full of love for your mother, my child.""


    At that very moment, a soft, melodious voice echoed throughout the hall, bringing a certain calm to everyone''s heart. But it also filled their hearts with fear. The fear of losing your own self, destiny, and path.


    "Mother, you listened to your child." Ahat had tears rolling down his eyes, not believing that the elusive goddess that he vowed to protect and worship till his death had finally appeared because of his cry.


    No one could see the goddess, not even Ahat. But they could feel her presence despite her absence.


    ""How can I not listen to my most devoted child? I have not had a child like you for centuries."


    Gradually, a smile appeared on Ahat''s face. "Thank you, mother. Mother, let me lend your strength to y these fiends that are sullying your sacred ground."


    ""I can''t give you much, but this is enough to defeat the enemies in front of you.""


    Instantly, a radiating green glow fell from the ceiling, slowly descending onto Ahat.


    The trio wanted to go and kill Ahat before it reached him. But what can they do when they are in the presence of a goddess? They were sweating heavily right now because they knew that if they made a move, they would cease to exist in this world forever.


    Eventually, the green luminescent glowing from just a small dot¡ªentered Ahat''s chest.


    First there was silence, then tremors started to appear on the ground.


    "Ahhh~ This skill... this power... Mother, I will show you that your gift isn''t in vain." Ahat stood up, and every second, the injuries in his body started to heal. His skin got rejuvenated, and he seems to be filled with much more energy than before.


    "Heed my call, O great earth. From the soil that I was made and the soil that I will go back to." Ahat words reverberated throughout the hall as soil and brown specks of condensed mana entered his body. Then his eyes shot open, and as he said with pride. "Let me be your protector once again! [ Warrior of Earth ] "


    A strong wind sted, that blew dust into everyone''s eyes, But it didn''t take time for it to settle and see what Ahat had be.


    The sword in his hand wasbined with rock and soil. It was eight meters long and looked refined, like a new sword out of a furnace. A rocky armor enveloped Ahat''s body, leaving no opening. But there were some holes in his helmet that helped him breathe. It wasn''t only Ahat''s appearance that changed, there was something more inside that was making the trio have thoughts of running away.


    This made their hearts shake, as they had never had such thoughts before. No matter what the situation or what their future might be, they would always go on the path fearlessly that their Lord told them to go.


    "Don''t you joke with me!?" Ragnar shouted out loud and rushed toward Ahat, trying to deny his fear.


    Ravenna and Fiain yelled simultaneously, seeing Ragnar acting recklessly.


    "No! Stop!"


    "You do not have to fight him!"


    But their words didn''t register in Ragnar''s ears. The only thing that was running through his mind was to kill Ahat. The fear that made him think of betraying his lord''s words.


    Ahat didn''t move from his ce. Pressing his right arm forward, he whispered softly. "Lock."


    Puchi!


    In a matter of seconds, several rocky spikes with high density burst out of the ground at breakneck speed and immobilized Ragnar in his tracks.


    "Whe- Blurgh!" Ragnar spurted out a huge amount of blood. He felt he was losing control of his body and vision.


    "Ragnar!" Ravenna and Fiain were beyond shocked by the sudden turn of events. Then their emotions were only filled with rage.


    "Die!" Fiain dashed forward, with the intention of killing Ahat. Her senses were deteriorating, but she still held on, as she needed a calm mind to win against Ahat.


    Meanwhile, Ravenna used [ Blood Spikes ] and was freed from the rocky spikes. She quickly used the blood as ropes and brought him back to her.


    At that moment, Fiain had already arrived close to Ahat. She aimed her sword''s sharp point at Ahat. " [ Gale Thrusts ] "


    This was a skill that used to attack at a single point with as much strength as possible, best for using on someone who had strong armor or defense. Ahat fit that criteria, making her feel this skill was the only usible weapon to injure him.


    But before she finished thrusting, a towering shadow cast itself on her. She nced up and saw Ahat swinging his sword down at her.


    ''When? How can he lift such a heavy sword and swing it that quickly? This is impossible." It might seem impossible to her, but here she was, witnessing it with her own eyes.


    Fiain knew she couldn''t dodge, she had to take that head-on. Just putting her sword forth would not be enough to block that strike; she had to put additional force behind it. " [ Raging Wind ] "

 Chapter 147 Wait

    ?


    "Using your goddess as the key, huh?" Benimaruughed at himself, before walking down the stairs.


    He first thought the stairs would be small, but he was proven wrong. It was a long, spiraling staircase that was taking too much of his time. If it was a straight one, Benimaru was sure it wouldn''t take him much time. Also, the reason he wasn''t rushing down was because of any potential traps.


    While he was walking down, the tremors from above made him worried about his generals. But from the looks of it, they werepletely fine.


    Benimaru got a bit annoyed for still not seeing the end. ''Tsk, why is this so damn long? What is he actually hiding down here?''


    Just after he said that, a dim red light shed, announcing that he had finally arrived.


    Benimaru walked into the entrance and was met with a giant cave that had torches lighting up the ce. However, what caught Benimaru''s attention were the bones littered on the ground. From what Benimaru could tell, these were humans, beasts, and demons. There was a murky scent of blood and rotten flesh in the air.


    At the other end of the cave, a bunch of acolytes and junior priests stood and prayed softly. Benimaru didn''t know if they were praying for someone or praying to someone. But he knew one thing¡ªthere was something very secretive and sinister going on here.


    "Mother will heal her children."


    "Mother will heal her children."


    "Mother will heal her children."


    Benimaru got close and heard what they were saying. Raising his eyebrows, he nced at their hands. From their hands, green mana flowed out and entered the small blood pool before them.


    ''This looks like a healing spell. But who are they healing?'' Benimaru didn''t know why, but he didn''t go for a direct kill. Maybe because he had grown confident in his strength or because he was just very curious about what they were doing, and wanted to see the end result.


    "Mother will heal he- "


    Thud


    One of the acolytes fell on his knees suddenly and started taking heavy breaths. Then, like a switch, others started to fall. Their bodies were filled with sweat, and their hands were shaking constantly.


    "What are you all doing? Continue healing the priest!" One junior priest shouted at the acolytes while he himself was sweating profusely. He also wasn''t faring well.


    "I can''t anymore! We have been going on for two weeks. Let us rest at least." An acolyte begged.


    But the junior priest ignored him. He ordered him, ring with a grim expression. "Get on your feet and start praying, or do you want to face the priest''s wrath? Look around, can''t you see what we might be?"


    This jolted every acolyte back to their senses. They didn''t even have to nce at their surroundings, as they knew what would happen to them if they didn''t listen. They would be piles of bones in an unknown dungeon, not letting their family know what even happened to them.


    Maybe because they were very focused on the task before them or because they were too scared to think of their surroundings, so they didn''t know Benimaru was close to them.


    Benimaru carefully analyzed what they said before his eyes widened in shock. ''No, I have to stop them from doing this.''


    In a sh, Benimaru swung his katana, severing the necks of the acolytes that were behind the group. Their screams didn''te out of their mouths; only the remaining words of prayer whispered out of their mouths.


    But the sound of their bodies and heads dropping to the ground alerted everyone.


    However, it was toote.


    Benimaru''s katana danced around the mass, taking lives as if they were nothing. Still, he did one thing, and that was to put them out of their misery.


    "ARGHH! Do not kill me, please!"


    "I didn''t do anything. I was forced."


    "Let me live. I have a family!"


    However, Benimaru ignored all of their pleas. He killed them without any remorse, like always.


    A couple of secondster, the cave had reced the sound of prayer with the calming sound of blood dropping into a small puddle.


    "Now, let me see what is in there." Benimaru walked before the blood pool and carefully inspected it with his mana sense.


    ''Hmmm¡­ this pool of blood¡­ there is no blood essence. With this much blood, the blood essence would be potent enough for me to reach the 9th Stage Fleshcrafting Realm. Where did it all go?''


    To fill his curiosity, Benimaru extended his mana sense deeper into the pool. His eyes widened at the thing he saw below.


    It was a man''s body, and most importantly, Belmuk''s. His eyes were closed, and he was naked. But what surprised Benimaru was Belmuk''s current physique. He had gotten slimmer, and bulging muscles that were knitted tightly could be seen on his body. His face has also grown a bit handsome.


    ''But, there is no sign of vital energy or any life force in his body. Is he already dead?'' Benimaru became surprised when he thought of it.


    Carefully thinking, Benimaru connected that Belmuk was absorbing a huge amount of blood essence. But to refine this much blood essence would take a serious toll on his body, and he might even die. So, he had all the acolytes and junior priests cast healing spells on him continuously to help him refine properly.


    ''It looks like I foiled his ns. I came in the middle of the process.'' Benimaru shook his head with a sigh. He wanted to say some things to Belmuk, but it seems they have to be buried in his heart for now.


    Benimaru decided to leave, seeing his missione to a quick end. ''But before that, Let me destroy this body to smithereens. I do not know what kind of trouble it might bring.''


    He raised his katana up and enveloped it in purple fire. With a strong swing, his sword fell into the blood pool.


    BURHSS!


    But suddenly, a hand emerged from the blood pull and caught Benimaru''s sword, causing an explosion that shook the cave and evaporated the blood.


    Thrup


    Benimaru leaped back and stood with his guard on. He looked ahead with caution while also being a bit surprised.


    Step Step


    "Huh? So they are all dead. That exins why I couldn''tplete thest stage of refinement." Belmuk walked toward Benimaru while ncing beside him to see where the acolytes and junior priests'' dead bodies were.


    Finally, he raised his head and stared at Benimaru. "Hmmm¡­red and dark cloak¡­a weird demon mask. You must be a yer."


    "Oh my. It looks like Ahat told you about me carefully. It is an honor to be remembered by a pedophile. Sir Belmuk." Benimaru said it respectfully yet in a mocking tone.


    "Huh?" Belmuk frowned upon hearing that unknown word from him. He had never heard of that term, as it was not something yet to be found in this world. But he felt somehow offended hearing it. "What are you saying? I have never heard of something like a pedophile."


    Benimaru said it with a smirk on his face. "Ah¡­it''s nothing. Something I came up with for people who sexually abuse children."


    "Hmph." Belmuk scoffed and looked at Benimaru with disdain. "What weird thinking. Those girls will be grateful for my touch."


    "Hahahaha¡­." Laughing up a bit, Benimaru asked. "How did you refine that huge amount of blood essence this quickly?"


    Belmuk tilted his head and cracked outughing. "You also have such low vision. How can youe to the conclusion that it would take this much time for me to refine such a little blood essence? Do you see me as someone weak?"


    ''Yes.'' However, Benimaru didn''t say it out loud. Instead, he stood silently on his spot.


    "Then let me tell you why I had to take so much time." Belmuk made a fist with his right hand and punched to his right. In the next second, a wind sted forth from his fist andnded on the wall, caving in the shape of his fist. "I was trying to assimte the Silverback Gori''s heart with mine. To make itpatible with my body and heart, I had to use a huge amount of blood essence to improve my constitution along the way. I was just close topletely integrating it, but you came to foil the ending. Still, it doesn''t matter anymore. My body has improved greatly, and thest steps will happen automatically."


    Benimaru raised his eyebrows, not expecting Belmuk to do such a thing in the past few days. "Sir Belmuk, this type of refinement and assimtion are hard to do. You need a proper technique to help you. But only the guys from the demonic cults have these. Don''t tell me¡­"


    Just like humans worship gods, there are some maniacs who take the path to see the higher demonic existences as their lords.


    "What!? Are you trying to put me on the same level as those lunatics?" Belmuk became angry upon hearing that. "I am one of the priests of the Goddess of Nature, Ignia. I have strengthened myself to bring her to glory!. And here you are trying to defile me. It was indeed a waste of time trying to exin my doings to you."

 Chapter 148 Wait

    ?


    ''The Goddess, Ignia, was watching the fight?'' Benimaru instinctively looked into the sky, trying to find the gaze that Ignia gave from the high heavens.


    But there was nothing, which didn''t matter much to Benimaru. He then nced at his surroundings, watching the despair-filled eyes staring at him. He knew the time hade for his promotion.


    Benimaru''s wings pped as he leaped into the sky. Hovering in the air, he looked down and said it with arrogance. "Listen up, you mortal humans. Today, I, yer, the leader of the Masked Fools, have destroyed the church of the Goddess Ignia for bringing injustice to innocent demons."


    "So, take this as a warning. If anyone dares to do anything to harmless demons, you will face my wrath!" Benimaru''s loud yet calm voice reverberated throughout the city, engraving these words in their hearts.


    Benimaru decided to leave, as he felt this was enough to give some shock and the rumors spread bymon folk would be enough. But at that moment, he heard an earth-shattering shout.


    "STOPPP!!!"


    Benimaru shifted his focus to his right side and saw a man in bloodied armor and disheveled hair rushing toward him. Benimaru instantly recognized who that man was.


    ''Isn''t that Haitam, the general of Migotanie City?'' Benimaru gave him a weird nce before flying away in the opposite direction. He didn''t have the time to mingle with them now.


    Haitam became frustrated seeing Benimaru run away. ''Damn it, if only I had enough strength.''


    Haitam stopped, deciding to head toward the castle. He couldn''t catch Benimaru, no matter what he tried; it would be a waste of time. He might as well go to the castle and check up on Arash.


    ¡­


    After Haitam walked into the castle, he was horrified by the dead bodies lying on the grounds. What intensified it more was the mumbled wailing drifting into his ears.


    He started to grow concerned, panicking about the thought he was having in his mind. ''Is lord¡­''


    Haitam shook his head, denying it. He firmened his will and sprinted deep into the castle to confirm his doubts and worries.


    He had just arrived before the assembly hall when he saw the captain of the city guards, Nina, walking out with someone in his arms. He nced at the man in her arms. The moment his gazended on the man''s face, his legs gave up, and he knelt on the ground.


    Thud


    "No, this can''t be¡­"


    Haitam''s face became dispirited as slight tears started to roll down his eyes. He had thought of the worst whening here, but not this.


    Nina''s face was calm as she spoke to Haitam. "General, Lord has given his final orders. We should give him a proper burial with his loved children."


    Haitam was shocked to see Nina acting so calm. Because he himself has seen her grow up and how she was. She might look strong and cold on the outside, but she was a very weak girl inside. He didn''t know what had caused her to act like this, but he knew the Lord''s death might have affected her heavily.


    Haitam also steeled his heart and stood up. With a respectful gaze toward Arash''s sleeping, smiling face, he uttered. "As you wish, sire."


    ¡­


    Quickly, the news of Baron Arash''s passing spread throughout the city before reaching the surrounding cities'' ears.


    This brought a heavy reaction from the people of the city.


    "This can''t be! Are we doomed now? First the church, now the baron¡­is our city on the verge of destruction?"


    "I do not know. My hopes are gone, I lost everything to his war. If only¡­if only those demons didn''t do anything. Why can''t we eradicate the demons from this world already!?"


    "Calm down, the massacre on the Baron''s family was by humans."


    "You can''t be joking!?"


    "Yes, the general has sent the body to the marquess to investigate the origin of the culprit. But you are still right. If it weren''t for the demons, at least the church and the general would have their hands free and might have been able to stop this disaster."


    No matter what, hatred mainly went toward the demons. They were also humans, so in their hearts, they stopped themselves from criticizing them. But demons, being notorious in this world, were an easy scapegoat for ming.


    Also, Benimaru''s fame began to grow ever after this.


    "So, a new organization has emerged, and it is led by demons? This is rare."


    The people were surprised when they heard this. Demons would mainly build a kingdom rather than some organization or team, as their hearts, which desired domination and conquer, suited best for kingdom building.


    There has never been a group of demons who created an organization with a different goal than conquering. This was the very first in the history of the world.


    "This organization is called Masked Fools, do you know what their goals are?"


    "Hahaha¡­you won''t believe it if I say it to you. It is to bring justice to innocent demons."


    "Wha¨C hahahahaha¡­..is this a fucking joke?"


    Instead of bringing concern and fear about Benimaru''s organization, it brought disdain. which was still considered fame as his name spread throughout the city and even the surrounding cities.


    ¡­


    Two dayster.


    Migotanie City was rejuvenating under everyone''s hands as they joined together. But today, everyone decided to have their days off.


    Because today was Arash''s burial.


    So, people from nearby cities and their lords¡ªmostly barons¡ªcame to see him off for thest time. Not only them, but Ana hase back with her friend, Lily.


    On the city''s square, thousands of people had upied the roads and the rooms. However, they didn''t go into the middle of the square, as it was upied by Arash''s family members and a few influential people. They were standing before a coffin where Arash was resting.


    No one talked to others, remaining as pin-drop silent as possible. Children also didn''t speak, as they were heavily warned by their parents.


    This silence continued on for three minutes before Haitam came beside Ana and a young man who looked very simr to Arash. This was Arlon, to whom Arash wanted to pass his crown.


    "It is time." Haitam said it as respectfully and softly as possible.


    Ana and Arlon looked at their father''s coffin with a somber gaze. Ana stayed silent, not giving a reply, but Arlon spoke on her behalf. "Let''s go."


    The soldiers took the coffin on their shoulders and walked toward the castle, where a royal graveyard was ced. Arash''s family walked behind him as they quietly followed. But if one looked carefully, there were a couple more smaller coffins behind Arash''s family. These were the dead bodies of Arash''s children and wives who were killed. However, there were more who were killed at Okarino and his men''s hands, but their bodies were so dismembered, it was hard to recognize them.


    It took twenty minutes to reach the graveyard and bury them.


    Cru-thud.


    Ana watched the graveyard''s gate get closed. Her somber look returned to calmness. Then she walked toward her room, while Nina followed alongside her.


    "Is it true that humans are responsible for this?" Ana asked her, not wanting to hear a negative response.


    "Yes, princess."


    "Has the marquess sent any report about who it might be?"


    "This¡­" Nina hesitated a bit before answering. "I do not know. Since we sent that body, their side has been awfully quiet. Every time we try to ask them to give an answer, they try to deviate from the topic in another direction. It is as if they are afraid of speaking about it."


    Ana went silent for a moment, thinking of something. Then she said, "With marquess strength and power under his arsenal, it isn''t very hard for him to find out about a person who is just at Peak Fleshcrafting Realm."


    Nina also felt weird and suspicious about this, which made her guess many things.


    At that moment, they arrived in front of Ana''s room. She entered her room while talking to Nina. "Okay, you may leave."


    Nina watched Ana disappear into her room with a bit of sadness in her eyes. She could feel and see the change in Ana. She was a very cheerful and well hearted girl who loved hanging out with her close ones as much as possible.


    ''There seems to be a killing intent revolving around you, youngdy, every time. I hope she doesn''t go down the wrong path.'' Nina left while expressing her concern.


    Inside Ana''s room.


    "This happened after my duel with Troy. But that wasn''t enough for me to mark him as a suspect. However, after spending some time in the academy, I became familiar with Troy''s character. He is a person who hates to be stepped down by others." Ana pondered out loud as a chilling whisper escaped her mouth. "And the marquess''s hesitation to open up has made my assumption more firm. The Marquess is only scared of the duke and king."

 Chapter 149 Wait

    ?


    [ Congrattions, you have received Pool of Body Mending x1 ]


    [ Congrattions, you have received Heart Weapon Vault ]


    [ Congrattions, you have received Random Technique x3 ]


    [ Congrattions, you have received Gold Coins x500000 ]


    [ Congrattions, you have received Rare Mana Crystals x50000 ]


    Benimaru''s eyes gleamed in delight after seeing the rows of reward notifications flood before him. ''Now, let me see what these things are.''


    Beniamru couldn''t see any reward information until hepleted their missions. So, he was rather curious about what he got this time. At least he was hoping they were notpletely useless.


    [ Pool of Body Mending: A blood pool made of the drop of God of War. In ancient times, when even gods came down to fight for their rights, much blood was shed. The blood of the gods is the most valuable treasure for mortals. However, based on their efficiency, the effects and value may vary.


    Effects: (1) Can help one to increase their physical attributes and potential.


    (2) Can help one progress through Vitality Realms easily.


    [Only usable for people from Fleshcrafting Realm to Physique Refinement Realm] ]


    Benimaru''s eyes widened when he read the description and the effects of this treasure. ''This thing is too good for me.''


    Benimaru was struggling to increase his vitality realm as his magic realm was gradually surpassing it. He was afraid that this would make him ignore his vitality realmpletely in the future.


    ''But, from this description, I found something else. I can find treasure like this in the wild too, however, it would depend on luck. Also, I am sure the gods didn''t just drop their blood on this world.'' Benimaru felt he should pay much more attention to his surroundings than before.


    Then he shifted to the next one.


    [ Heart Weapon Vault: The origin of this treasure is unknown, but the ability it holds is hard to find.


    Effect: (1)Integrate your weapon to be suitable with your mana.


    (2)Let your weapon grow along with your realms


    (3)No one can take control of your weapon after it is sealed inside the vault ]


    ''Hmmm¡­'' Benimaru raised his eyebrows after seeing this. He felt this was not that great for him. He already had a weapon that would grow after it fed on the souls of the ones he killed.


    ''But¡­ the mask and the cloak I wear are most important to me. These items need to be upgraded too to keep up with my progress. Let''s see if these can be upgraded.'' As Benimaru grew stronger, his initial items, which were low grade, would be useless as the powerhouses at his level would not be affected by these items. Also, these two items were his most important parts for his ns in the future; he couldn''t just discard them, and he wouldn''t be able to find someone who could make them for him.


    Extracting the reward from the system, Benimau looked at the Heart Weapon Vault. It looked very simple, just a steel box with no rough edges. It had skin as smooth as the surface of still water.


    However, suddenly, the box shot into his chest, taking Benimaru by surprise. But he didn''t panic, as he knew it might have been the system''s work. He sent his mana senses inside his heart and saw the box revolving right below his mana core.


    Benimaru willed his katana, making it move toward the vault, and the moment it came close to the vault, in a matter of seconds, it got sucked in. Benimaru decided to check if he could call his katana outside, and he seeded in doing so. Seeing this, Benimaru sent the mask and the cloak inside.


    After he was done doing it, he shifted his focus toward the rest of the rewards.


    [ Do you want to im your Random Techniques now? ]


    ''Yes.'' Benimaru didn''t know why the system had to ask that. He literally just told it to give it to him.


    [ Randomizing the techniques. ]


    [ Congrattions, you have received Calming Waters Meditation, Blood Chains, Wind Walk ]


    [ Calming Waters Meditation: This technique involves using vital energy to enter a meditative state duringbat, enhancing focus, and allowing for quick analysis of opponents'' moves. [After mastering the technique, you can use it freely as a skill] ]


    [ Blood Chains: By manipting the blood in their vicinity, the practitioner can form chains to bind and restrain opponents during battle. [After mastering the technique, you can use it freely as a spell] ]


    [ Wind Walk: By executing precise sword strikes while in motion, the practitioner can move with incredible speed, making it seem like they are gliding on the wind. [After mastering the technique, you can use it freely as a skill] ]


    ''All of them are good.'' Benimaru was surprised to see techniques that he would have bought from the shop if he had stumbled upon them. He was expecting at least one to be useless.


    Rubbing his chin, Benimaru analyzed which suited him best. '' This Blood Chain is clearly for Ravenna, so let''s put it aside. Wind Walk is good, but it requires someone who can control the wind element. Only Calming Waters Meditation works for me, and so does for Ragnar too.''


    ''Now, that I think about it.'' ck lines started to form on his face as he spoke coldly. ''It is as if these were for my generals, not for me.''


    Benimaru was waiting for the system to refute him, but it seems it remained silent as usual.


    ''Ahh forget it.'' Tossing these useless thoughts out of his mind, he extracted the rest of the rewards, which were gold and rare mana crystals. These were his shopping expenses for at least one week.


    Benimaru finallyid down on the bed and decided to announce the end of today.


    ¡­


    The sun peeked through the horizon, curious to see what this world had to offer today.


    Benimaru also woke up after an hour or so.


    "Ahhh~ I miss sleeping so much." Benimaru spoke with emotion as the word sleep seemed to be getting erased from his mind. As he grew stronger, he began to feel sleep was useless. It became much more apparent when he was heading toward the third of the major realm.


    Walking outside, Benimaru decided to take a walk and see his base after a long time.


    ''Everything is the same as always.'' Benimaru thought as he nced through his surroundings.


    In a few minutes, he arrived at the barracks. Here, he met someone that he hadn''t seen for a while.


    "Bl, you woke up as early as always." Benimaru smiled, looking at Bl, who was exercising quietly. The reason he knew Bl woke up early was because every time he opened his shop, he would see Bl waiting outside with his team. When he asked why he came so early, Bl answered that they had woken up a long time ago, having nothing to do. They decided to chat with him before going hunting.


    Bl was surprised by Benimaru, as he had not met him in a while. "Hahaha¡­can''t get rid of this old habit of mine."


    Benimaru remained silent, thinking of the question he had in his mind. Eventually, he decided to ask after seeing Bl''s big smile. "Are you doing well now, Bl? I hope no one troubled you here."


    "Yes, brother. I have never lived so peacefully in my life. The only thing weighing in my heart is that I couldn''t meet you early? If I did so, I could have lived with my mother peacefully too." Bl sighed, raising his head up in the sky.


    Thup


    Patting Bl''s shoulders, Benimaru said with a smile on his face. "I am d you are alright."


    Bl stared at Benimaru, feeling very fortunate to meet him. "Thank you, brother."


    "Hahaha, it''s alright." Chuckling a bit, Benimaru looked behind Bl, where he could see dozens of Swinefiends, Gorebuzz, Raums, and Meatscrapers following the training actions Bl took. "It seems you have made many followers."


    Bl turned his head back and said it with embarrassment. "Sorry about that. These guys have been following me after I trained them for just two days. I do not know what got into them."


    Benimaru knew what got into them. They have experienced the warm radiance and kindness that Bl exudes. They might be demons, but they have hearts and minds. So they got infected by him, as this was also the first time they had experienced something like this.


    However, Benimaru didn''t say it. "Maybe they are just following you after seeing how strong you are. Well, anyway, I have something to do now. You train with them."


    Benimaru headed toward the back of the castle, as he wanted to have the Pool of Body Mending situate there.


    But suddenly, Bl stopped him in his tracks. "Brother, wait a minute."


    Benimaru looked at Bl curiously and asked. "What is it? Just tell me, I will try to do it with what I have."


    "Thanks a lot for saying that, brother. It warms my heart. But I am not going to ask anything like that." Bl rubbed the back of his head as usual, hesitating, but eventually he encouraged himself to speak it out. "Brother, can I join you?"

 Chapter 150 Wait

    ?


    "If it is what I think it is¡­" Ana pondered deeply, not letting anyone discern what she was feeling. "Troy¡­."


    ¡­


    The night fell shortly afterwards, nketing the world in darkness.


    In the graveyard.


    Step Step


    A shadowy figure came before Arash''s grave. The figure was Benimaru, and he said mncholy. "I didn''t expect we would have our meeting like this."


    After he escaped to his base, he met up with others and asked if everything went as nned. His heart jumped when he heard his generals were almost close to dying, but something happened to Ragnar, which changed the situation. This made Benimaru think of many things.


    But the next thing he heard brought him much more shock. When he learned about Arash''s death, he dove into a deep trance. He wanted to just bring down the church, but he didn''t expect Arash to die in the middle of the chaos. And it didn''t take him much time to guess who was the culprit. There was only one man who was under his radar who was most suspicious¡ªOkarino.


    Benimaru nced down at Arash''s grave and brought out a bottle of wine. Opening the cap, he murmured. "I heard you liked the old man''s Hobbs wine very much. So, I brought you some."


    Hobbs owned a brewery in this city that was as old as the city''s establishment date. They were known for their wines that could rival those that contained magical ingredients.


    Squatting on the ground, Benimaru tilted the wine bottle and let the wine drop on Arash''s grave. After he dropped half of the wine in the bottle, he stopped. Then Benimaru moved his mask a bit from the bottom, just letting his mouth show up, and he started to chug down the rest of the wine.


    "Ahh~ now I know why you loved this. It sure is great." Benimaru praised the wine after he finished drinking.


    Afterwards, Benimaru talked to Arash''s grave, acting as if he were talking to Arash. "Arash, I do not know what to say, but I am sorry. If it weren''t for me, you would have been alive and continued witnessing your children''s journey. I might not have understood it if I were my previous self, but after bing a father, I began to understand."


    "I robbed you of your privilege and luxury to guide your children and watch them take care of you when you get old. Arash, now that I think of it, I might have done this to so many parents and their children in my past upation. Arash, do you think those souls that I took would forgive me for robbing them of their familial love?" Benimaru said this with sadness as he felt many feelings of guilt waking up from deep within his heart.


    However, he was only met with silence. But Benimaru didn''t mind this, as it helped him to contemte about himself.


    A couple of minutester, Benimaru stood up and went to Arash''s grave with a smile. "Thank you for taking care of my daughter and your daughter too. I already owe it back to you for letting Ana grow into such a beautiful child, and now that has increased a hundredfold."


    "So, let me repay this debt by guarding this city for five years before Ana matures. Also, I am sure Ana wouldn''t let go of your killers. When she decides to take revenge, I will be there to do the heavy lifting."


    Step Step


    At that moment, Benimaru heard footstepsing near him. "Well, the guards are here. I will take my leave now. I hope whether you go to hell, heaven, or a different ce, you are able to live a better life, my friend."


    The next second, Benimaru''s figure vanished into thin air. When the guards arrived, they smelled something.


    "Hey, does that scent feel familiar?"


    "Hmm¡­isn''t this Hobbs wine? Why is it here? Did someone drink here while we went for a dinner break?"


    "I don''t know. I hope nothing bad happened while we were away."


    ¡­


    Without going anywhere, Benimaru arrived at his base.


    Just as he arrived, he was met with his generals. He looked at everyone''s worried faces and asked. "What is it? Why are you all making that face?"


    Ragnar and Fiain hesitated to speak, so Ravenna replied on their behalf. "We were just worried about you. You know, we never saw you have such a strong reaction to anything."


    They were really concerned, as they have always seen Benimaru to be stoic, have an easy-going attitude, and be thoughtful. It was the first time that they saw their Lord be shocked beyond numb, as if world-shattering news had hit him.


    "Hahaha.. You guys. It is nothing." Benimaru shook his head andughed, not trying to exin to them the reason.


    Instead. He walked toward the castle, and others followed behind him.


    On the way, Ragnar asked. "Lord, what is the next course of action?"


    Benimaru thought about Ragnar''s question and told him the answer. "We will stay dormant here for the next five years. No more expanding and no more recruiting anyone except for someone with potential."


    "As you wish, my lord." Ragnar nodded his head, as he felt his days of training soldiers were gone. But he asked, curious about this decision. "Lord, why do we want to stay dormant for five years?"


    Benimaru hesitated a bit before settling on telling them. They were his close ones, and they would carry out many things, so they needed to know. "I want to protect this city. The new baron is young, and he doesn''t have the trust of many. He might receive attacks from many directions. I felt, five years should be enough for him to mature. Afterwards, we will leave this ce and head deep into the EverGreen Region to find a new suitable ce to call home."


    Others were surprised and curious why Benimaru decided to protect this city in the first ce, but Ravenna, who knew many things about Benimaru, could guess why he did it. However, forgetting all this, Fiain asked as she caught on to something. "Lord, are we going too deep into the region because of the Purge?"


    "Hmm." Benimaru nodded his head. "If we stay at this ce, we will die even before getting to defend. So, I want to go deep and find a suitable ce where we can iste ourselves and have an easy time defending the base."


    "You can say we are going to make a forbidden zone for ourselves."


    At that moment, they entered the castle. He said it to everyone. "Okay, everyone, go take a rest. We will talk about other stuff tomorrow."


    The generals nodded their heads and left. Benimaru entered his room and slumped onto the bed. "What twists and turns!"


    Looking at the ceiling, he said to himself. "I am sorry, Ana. For making you sad once again for losing your father."


    Benimaru felt much worse than when he died with Ana in the past. He got a chance to reunite with his daughter, even if he couldn''t meet her. But what about Arash?


    Will he get a chance?


    Will he go into this nonexistent ce called heaven and hell to begin with?


    "I wish I had the power to control the dead." Benimaru reached his right hand to the ceiling, clenching it suddenly.


    "I need to get stronger. Only that way can I guarantee myself that this type of mistake won''t happen again." Benimaru got up and sat on the edge of the bed. He said to the system. "Give me my rewards."


    These past two days, he didn''t im his rewards because Arash''s death had weighed on his mind so much that he forgot about everything.


    [ Congrattions, host! You havepleted the mission "Know My Name" ]


    [ Your actions have caused the deaths of half the forces of the city, especially, Arash, Ahat, and Belmuk. ]


    Benimaru knew why he was responsible for Arash''s death. He was holding down the church by himself, and his n left the army to be upied by Vio and Savrena. This led to Okarino having much freedom to wreak havoc in the castle.


    But hearing this from the system brought him more guilt.


    [ Your unique ambition has brought great fame. Many are curious about what you will do in the future, and some are baring their teeth at you. Masked Fools have now be a prominent force, even if they are the weakest. ]


    Benimaru''s face darkened after hearing that. He didn''t know if he were to be happy or mad at this.


    ''What a foolish mission¡­'' Benimaru signed helplessly. ''It is my fault to begin with. I just went to the church because of the animosity that I had bred for them. Just because Belmuk had ulterior motives for my daughter.''


    Yes, Benimaru''s reason for doing all of this work was because he wanted to make the man suffer who looked at his daughter with bad intentions.


    "Anyway, let''s get the rewards." Shaking his head, tossing these thoughts away from his mind, he said to the system.

 Chapter 151 Wait

    ?


    Ragnar raised the corners of his eyes and scoffed. "What are you even saying? Are you fooling us with that bluff? Kailer, right? It seems like you don''t even know how to talk properly."


    Kailer stood dumbfounded after hearing that. After a while, he began tough out loud as if he had heard one of the best jokes of his life. Wiping the slight tear from the corner of his eyes, he said to Ragnar a bit apologetically. "I am sorry about that. I grew up in the jungles, so I do not know how to talk big like those privileged idiots."


    "But¡­" Gradually, hisughter died down, and he spoke to them with a mocking tone. "If you don''t believe the strength of the Demon Hunter, then you can give it a try."


    Ragnar''s face darkened as he spoke with a grave tone. "Bl, take these kids away. I want to see what this Demon Hunter is."


    Bl didn''t immediately obey his words. He stood beside him, urging the vital energy in his body.


    Ragnar became confused seeing him act like this. "What are you doing? Take them away. Fiain will also help you along."


    "Why would I leave?" Fiain spoke sternly, bringing out her sword.


    Then Bl followed behind her. "Yes, we can''t leave you alone."


    Ragnar froze before he felt he was about to lose his mind. He always acts calmly and thinks on behalf of everyone, so it was rare for him to get angry. However, it wasn''t surprising, as in his mind he felt they would hold him down. He just wants to buy them time to escape. When they have gone far enough, he will retreat. He didn''t want them to face danger, as it would hurt his Lord. The man in front of him had a bad premonition, so he couldn''t let any mistake happen.


    But in his heart, he felt a rare sense of warmth that he wasn''t able to properly describe. He put a smile on his face and looked at Kailer arrogantly. "Do you guys think I will lose to this wild human? I am just concerned that you two will hold me back. So, leave the ce and wait for me in the castle."


    Fiain and Bl were surprised to hear Ragnar''s words. They watched Ragnar walk forward with great fighting intent. Looking at each other, they decided to believe in Ragnar because whatever he did, he would do it with great confidence.


    Ragnar stood ten meters away from Kailer, as he didn''t feel others'' presence behind him anymore. Secretly letting out a sigh of relief, he said in his mind. ''Finally they left.''


    After all of this was done, atst, his gaze fell upon Kailer, who was staring at him amusingly. With a darkened face, Ragnar asked. "What is it?"


    "Interesting, quite interesting." Tilting his head, Kailer began to talk. "I have hunted down many demons, but it is very rare to seepanionship. The only time I saw it was from a high-ranking bloodline duo. Hmm¡­ So do all high ranking bloodline demons have the same raw emotions and feelings as humans?"


    Gradually, a big smirk started to appear. "Let''s try it out myself."


    His words have just finished, and Rangar has arrived before him. With his eyes widened, Ragnar punched toward Kailer''s face.


    But, before the punch could get any closer, ice burst from Kailer, engulfing Rangarpletely.


    However, that wasn''t able to hold Rangar forever, as just a few secondster, the ice cracked and Ragnar came out unscathed. Ragnar looked forward and saw Kailer had distanced himself while he was trapped in the ice.


    For the first time since meeting Ragnar and his group, Kailer became a bit serious. ''This speed¡­ despite being in the 9th Stage Fleshcrafting Realm, he can explode with such strength. It seems like I''ve finally stumbled into a genius.''


    Just as Kailer was thinking of Ragnar, so too was Ragnar thinking of Kailer. ''Ice user, and from the looks of it, he doesn''t seem like a close range fighter. Ice element¡­ This is the first time I will be fighting someone who uses it. I hope I don''t get caught up in any traps.''


    Then the field descended into silence, both of them staring at each other.


    However, this silence didn''tst long.


    Bang


    Ragnar just took a step when an ice wall suddenly appeared before him. Smashing through it, he dashed forward. Along the way, there were many ice walls, each gradually bing thicker and stronger.


    Using this, Kailer continued to distance himself. Seeing this made Ragnar frown. ''This guy is testing my strength.''


    How could Ragnar not know what is going on inside Kailer''s mind. " [ Blurry Dash ] "


    Then Ragnar''s body slightly faded as he dashed forward in an entric way. This made it harder for Kailer to guess where to put up the ice wall.


    Pressing his palm in Ragnar''s direction, he whispered. " [ Ice Spears ] "


    Behind Kailer, dozens or so ice spears were conjured, which shot at Ragnar one by one.


    Ragnar calmly came to a decision, seeing all his path being obstructed by the ice spears.


    " [ Shattering Fist ] " Ragnar''s hands got enveloped in white vital energy, which had countless scattered stars shining in it.


    Bang Bang Bang


    With every punch, Ragnar destroyed two or three ice spears together. One had to know these were not made of normal ice. Strengthened by mana, these spears were treasures that even Physique Refinement Realm warriors might flock over.


    Backing away, Kailer looked at Ragnar carefully. ''I do not know where did this guye from, but if I connect everything I know right, then this is one of the men of this demon lord that the church is hunting. This guy already seems a bit troublesome, and there are more of his buddies. There is also this lord of theirs."


    Kailer''s face became grim. ''To top it off, there is this Masked Fools too. Did they make a mistake sending me or¡­ these guys have grown beyond their expectations?''


    If it was the first then someone might be plotting against him. But if it waster, then he knew he was in trouble. Only one rank-red demon hunter was not enough for this mission.


    But it wasn''t the time to think of this issue, as his hands were now upied. Kailer stopped in his tracks and carefully waited for Ragnar while having the [ Ice Spears ] spell on.


    Ragnar became alert after seeing Kailer stop like this. He knew he was plotting something, but he still went forward.


    As time passed, the distance between them gradually decreased.


    Suddenly Kailer''s shot opened as he raised the tip of his toe a little. However, he wasn''t able to finish what he was about to do as Ragnar turned around and ran for the forest as fast as possible.


    Kailer was left speechless as he watched Ragnar''s figure gradually shrink. ''This guy¡­ he took advantage of my curiosity and wasted time.''


    Because Kailer wanted to test Ragnar fully, he didn''t go all out from the beginning. If he did, he was sure he would have smashed Ragnar close to death.


    Still, Kailer didn''t chase him, as he knew he didn''t have enough strength to go against the entire force of this demon lord. Turning his head, he nced at the city to see a few dots rushing at him. ''It took them so much time to arrive. As expected, no one here is capable of worthy of my attention.''


    Kailer has seen a bigger world and knows many monsters, especially the ones in the Demon Hunter Association. Those guys would have already been shot the moment he and Ragnar fought.


    After a while, five figures appeared before him. Four of them were Pdin Warriors sent by the church, while the remaining one was Haitam.


    Just after arriving, one of them grimaced. "There is an aura of demons, and this one seems strong."


    Then he looked at Kailer and said it with a neutral face. "Kailer, we told you to keep in touch with us. It looks like you found out their whereabouts and followed them. Without that, there is no way you could have a sh with them."


    The other three also stared at Kailer with an unfavorable impression. Demon Hunters were respected and feared by many, but for bigger forces, they were the most hated. The reason for their hatred is extremely simple, and it was their butting in on anything rted to demons. This stopped those forces from plotting anything against demons.


    The reason for this was the current master of the Demon Hunter Association. He was very righteous at heart and hated demons to the bone. For the betterment of humanity, he wouldn''t let demonse closer to humans. If it had been the past master, these forces would have been able to rx. The past master might be the same as the current one, but he could be swayed with benefits.


    "Yea, yea¡­ whatever. You guys would have slowed me down. On my own, I have gained many things that you will be now craving for." Kailer nonchntly said, not taking their disdain for him to heart.


    "Kailer! You were hired by the church. You should be helping us solve these demons as fast as possible, not going on your own." One of them burst out, as he wasn''t able to contain himself anymore.

 Chapter 152 Wait

    ?


    "Hehehe¡­sorry about that." Benimaru humbly backed away from his mana sense, making the woman also back down.


    The man gave Benimaru a short nce before introducing themselves. "I am Vio, and this is mypanion Savrena. Mister yer, can you let us know what you want to talk to us about? I do not think you are here to fight us."


    Benimaru didn''t answer; instead, he sat on the chair before him. Ragnar and Fiain sat beside him.


    Then Benimaru said it, crossing his legs. "Lord Vio seems like a man with wisdom."


    Benimaru couldn''t help but praise Vio''s vision, as no leader would let a stranger with an army enter their area without knowing their goals and origin. The fact that Vio was able to deduce all of this and be confident wasmendable in Benimaru''s book.


    However, Vio didn''t show much reaction to his praise. Benimaru didn''t mind it that much; instead, he started to exin. "Lord Vio, I won''t beat around the bush. From what I have seen these past few days, it looks like you are having trouble trying to decide whether or not you should invade the city."


    Vio once again stayed silent, letting Benimaru chuckle out. "I take your silence as a yes. Lord Vio, I wouldn''t havee to discuss this with you if it weren''t for the incident that urred yesterday."


    Vio and Savrena raised their eyebrows, trying to figure out what Benimaru was talking about. Savrena was the first to remember, so she asked. "Are you perhaps talking about the half breed that got discovered? Wait, it was you guys who saved him from that Pdin Captain."


    "Oh my, will you look at that? The Lords already know of our works. But it helps me from exining unnecessary stuff now." Benimaru was about to go to the main topic when suddenly Savrena cut him off.


    "No, I want to know more about your organization. Why was this organization made in the first ce? What is your vision?"


    Benimaru went silent. ''This woman can''t control her mouth for sure. A gossiper, huh? Well, let''s tell them anyway. There is no harm in it.''


    "Masked Fool is new and was not inherited. I made this for only one purpose, to relieve the suffering of every demon kind."


    Vio squinted his eyes and added. "Even half breeds?"


    Benimaru tilted his head and shrugged his shoulders. "Why not? They have our blood in them, so there isn''t any reason for me not to save them from any injustice."


    "Injustice? Just like your organization''s name, you are also a fool. Can you save millions or billions of demons that are being killed by those filthy humans every passing moment?" Savrena sneered at Benimaru, feeling his goal was a bit oundish.


    Benimaru stared at Savrena, not letting anyone know what kind of emotion he was going through inside because of the mask. "Lord Savrena, do not mind my words, but you are dumb."


    Savena''s mouth and eyes were wide open, stumped by Benimaru''s words. So was Vio, not expecting Benimaru to be so direct.


    Then Savrena''s face distorted in pure rage. Rising from her seat, she began to threaten Benimaru. "I am done with your bullshit. Do you think you can go away without saying anything, just by acting mysterious? You are wrong, yer. We do not give a damn what your strength is or that of the people with you. Because you were strong, you wouldn''t being here, seeking our help."


    However, Benimaru didn''t try to go head-to-head with her. Sitting calmly on his chair, Benimaru rified. "You are getting me wrong once again. By dumb, I was trying to question your view on injustice. Simply killing someone isn''t injustice."


    Savrena''s eyes twitched. With a promotion, she would get tutored in front of everyone, but she had to or people might think she is irrational, especially Vio.


    Seeing Savrena calm down, Benimaru continued. "Lord Savrena, do you think killing a demon that murdered a human''s entire family is injustice? Or ying your enemy, for example, demons, is that also injustice? Or is killing a demon in order to save your close ones an injustice?"


    Savrena racked her brain toe up with a counter. "You are saying those from a human''s perspective."


    "Hehehehe." Benimaruughed a little. "You are not wrong, Lord Savrena. They suit humans the most, but they also work on demons. What if we go berserk and kill every single one of your soldiers and you too? Won''t you try to stop us, or you won''t just because we are demons?"


    "This." Savrena wanted to rebuke Benimaru but found no possible answer that could counter him. She would indeed stop or even kill anyone that tried to destroy her most precious things, which now were her army. She had poured every bit of her time and sweat into building this army, finally being able to sit along with someone she had eyes on.


    "So, injustice is something like getting robbed of your freedom¡ªa chance to lead a peaceful and happy life, in a nutshell, you can say." Benimaru looked at Savrena, who had her head down. "I hope I was able to exin, Lord Savrena."


    Bullshit,plete bullshit, is what Benimaru just spewed. He didn''t give a damn about anyone; he created this artificial goal to let people know what their organization was about. Sometimes a clear-cut goal can bring potential allies and even enemies. However, as a demon, he knew he could never mix with humans, so this goal was best suited for demons who would easily team up with him after hearing his high moral goal.


    "I admire your vision, yer. But I want to know why half breeds? You do know the consequences of defending half breeds, right?" Vio finally spoke, asking with great interest.


    "I do, Lord Vio. However, that doesn''t mean anything. Like how you are willing to shake hands with me despite trying to bring justice to a mere¡­half breed." Benimaru smirked, pointing his finger at Vio.


    Vio raised his eyebrows. "When did I say we would be teaming up with you?"


    "Why not, Lord Vio? There can only be winners if we band together. Don''t think that too?" Benimaru spoke softly, slowly drifting into Vio''s ears. It was as if a demon was influencing his thoughts to do losing business with it.


    ''He is dangerous.'' Vio immediately got hold of himself and looked at Benimaru with wariness. He didn''t mean in strength, as Vio was having a hard time trying to identify it. He was speaking about Benimaru''smunication skills. He had the skill to manipte people, blurt out their secrets, or make them go along with his wishes with just a few phrases.


    Vio knew this type of man was very dangerous; they can set you up for something that you wouldn''t even notice. This thinking made Vio sweat for things that were nonexistent.


    However, Vio didn''t show his panicked reaction outside. With a calm face, he said to him. "If you say so, yer. Mind if you tell us about what you can offer other than inbat?"


    ''He agreed?'' Benimaru didn''t expect Vio to agree with him immediately. ''It looks like he has something in his mind. This is getting interesting.''


    "Lord Vio, you might not know, but because we hide out demonic traits, we were able to easily establish a secret base in the city. Do you know what that means?" Benimaru could see the sparkling eyes of Vio and Savrena. He decided to exin it thoroughly to rile them up more. "You just have to siege control of the entrance, and you will enjoy victory next because we will have the city under control in the meantime."


    A juicy offer that was making Vio and Savrena have a hard time thinking logically. The desire to have that city was only known to them.


    Vio and Savrena stared at each other,municating through their eyes. Benimaru gave them the time to properly discuss, as this was the most important part. He had set up enough for them to take the bait.


    s, they didn''t take much time¡ªonly a few seconds¡ªhelping Benimaru to not sit in suspense.


    "When do we begin, yer?" Vio asked, making Benimaruugh inwardly as he was sessful.


    However, Benimaru held himself back and answered. "Two weeks. Give us two weeks to set up everything. After two weeks, you will see ck clouds looming over the city, which will be a signal of the start of your advancement."


    Vio and Savrena became delighted upon hearing that. Their initial time for going on a full scale war was one and a half months away, so they were hoping the time Benimaru would give was slightly less than that. But fortunate for them, it was much earlier than they had anticipated.


    "Hahaha¡­.it seems you had set up your troops inside the city much longer." Savrenaughed, taunting Benimaru in a joking manner.


    And Benimaru replied back with a chuckle. "Yes, we did, Lord Savrena."

 Chapter 153 Wait

    ?


    One week passed by in the blink of an eye, and that brought some changes to the city.


    Migotanie City was now in full bloom, as adventurers could be seen flocking everywhere. One has to know that the main drivers of the economy of a city are its adventurers. They were the most expensive consumers in the world, only second to the royals.


    The main reason for this was the decrease in price, most of which were adventurers'' items.


    The city is also heavily armed now. Army squadrons could be seen on the streets more than the city guards, giving the people a bad premonition. This was also further solidified when they saw the army stationed outside the walls now.


    ¡­


    A few hundred meters away from the city, deep into the forest, a small group of people were passing through the trees while the sunlight fell upon them through the slight opening of the leaves.


    This group was none other than Bl''s team. They were heading to hunt in the forest early in the morning, just as usual. But today was a bit different. They were in their best armor in their arsenal, with grim faces on.


    "Brother Bl, are you sure we can take on that monster now?" Tanaka asked with skepticism. He was wearing a leather robe that hid everything he wore inside. But one could hear the sound of metal objects shing against each othering out of him, hinting at the armor pieces he wore to protect himself.


    However, to his skeptical question, Bailey answered on behalf of Bl. "What are you scared of now? We have be stronger. Surely we can do this. Also, this is for brother Bl''s mother. Do not chicken out."


    Bailey was wearing tight yet flexible armor that was silver in color. Inside it were leather clothes to protect her skin from getting bruised by the armor. On her waist was a long sword that was hidden inside a scabbard.


    "Hey, don''t call Tanaka a chicken. I am sure he is just worrying about our safety. Because I feel this would be dangerous." Bl finally spoke, defending Tanaka. He was wearing slightly brownish armor that fit his giant body and made him more giant like. His head was covered by a helmet, so it would stop people from getting intimidated after seeing his sunny smile. Every time he took a step, the ground would quake a little, showcasing the weight of the armor.


    "But, brother Bl. We have to do this. This is the highest confidence and assurance we have in defeating this monster. If we can kill this monster, you can finally have the money to cure your mother." Bailey said with excitement, reminding them again of the reason for theiring here.


    "You are right." Bl spoke with a hoarse tone. "But if the situation gets dire, we retreat. I do not want you guys to die."


    "Thank you, brother." Bailey said, pumping her fist in the air. "However, we do not have to retreat because I believe we can do this."


    Bl and Tanaka justughed at Bailey''s enthusiasm and quietly walked forward.


    ¡­


    After walking for half an hour, they arrived before a bunch of trees that had their branches interconnected together as if done manually by someone.


    Bl and others halted in their steps after arriving before it. They looked up with their hearts racing rapidly.


    On top of the interconnected tree branches, they saw a giant, hairy arm swinging left and right. They weren''t able to see what was on it clearly, but they knew who it was.


    It was the sole reason for their arrival.


    "Tanaka." Bl called Tanaka, signaling him to start. Meanwhile, he pulled out an item from his storage, the shield that he ordered Benimaru to make.


    Bang!


    A giant, nine-meter-tall shield dropped on the ground, and it was just a little wider than Bl''s body. The shield was rectangr, looking like a steel door. It was made of pure metal and some special ore that Benimaru had in his storage. It had borders on the side and an image of a long skull with twin horns.


    "Graaaa!" The sound of his shield dropping to the ground seemed to have woken the whatever thing was on top.


    On the other hand, Bailey unsheathed her sword, which was a double-edged longsword. But its length and weight were different from the basic ones. Its weight was as light as a tree branch, and its length was fifty centimeters longer than the average one.


    " [ Raging Hurricane ] " Tanaka, aiming his staff at the beast on top, chanted his spell''s name.


    Green mana glowed on the tip of his staff before a big magic circle appeared, from which a medium sized hurricane shot toward the beast, above.


    Bang¡­Skricht¡­!


    Firstly, the hurricane shed against the beast''s body before destroying the surrounding branches, destroying its air bed that it built with so much hard work.


    After the branches were destroyed, the beast''s giant body dropped to the ground, smashing heavily against the soil.


    BANG!


    Dust and soil debris blew everywhere.


    "Graaa¡­graaa." The beast that fell from the sky made some sound before swinging its hands, blowing the dust away, and revealing itself. "GRAAAAA!!!"


    Bl and others were met with a loud scream that made their ears shake. However, that didn''t matter, as their enemy was right in front of them now.


    It was a Silverback Gori. This type of beast was known for its flexibility and brute strength. The one in front of them was fourteen meters tall, which was still far from reaching its peak, as an adult Silverback Gori could reach fifty-one meters of height. So, it was not unfair to call this one a child. It has dark brown, thick fur, but on its back, it has silver-colored fur that shines even under the dark and gloomy atmosphere created by thepact trees huddled together.


    ''This is a grade-8 umon beast. This will be very hard.'' Bl contemted it with deep worry. Tanaka was in the 4th Stage Novice Realm. On the other hand, Bailey had broken through to the 5th Stage Fleshcrafting Realm. They could have stood no chance against it all alone.


    But they still came here, and that reason was for him. He was at the 8th Stage Fleshcrafting Realm which he slowly climbed after working so hard. He was just at this stage in his early thirties, while the people of his age who started along with him had reached greater heights than him.


    Step Step


    Bl slowly stepped forward, catching the mad Silverback Gori''s attention.


    "Graa!" Screaming out loud, the Silverback Gori leaped toward him and punched at him.


    Bl put his shield forward with absolute trust.


    BAM!


    A loud bang urred from that sh as strong winds sted everywhere.


    The Silverback Gori stood in its position while screaming in pain from punching the shield. On the other hand, Bl''s feet dragged backwards while digging into the ground, but he held his posture still like an impregnable wall.


    ''Damn, if it was my old shield, it would have cracked long ago.'' Bl cursed while also praising his shield. But it wasn''t like his shield did all the work. He himself had coated his shield with his vital energy, reinforcing it to be much stronger and sturdier.


    Warriors couldn''t project their vital energy outside, just like mages, but they would transfer it to objects that were in contact with their bodies. However, they could do it when they reached a certain realm, but that was forter.


    Bailey took this opportunity and appeared beside the Silverback Gori''s right leg. Her focus was on the tendon area of the leg. She wanted to make it immobile as fast as possible.


    Ting!


    Bailey''s world seemed to slow down as she watched in shock as her sword was deflected back just after her attacknded on the tendons. It didn''t do anything but cut a few furs from its body. ''Shit! I should have put in much more strength.''


    Bailey didn''t think much further and escaped back, covering herself in Bl''s towering shadow.


    Tanaka, on the other hand, had also prepared an attack. " [ Wind Bind ] "


    Two ropes made of wind appeared beside Silverback Gori''s both sides and were tied into both of its hands. But before the rope could pull its hands further and immobilize it, the Silverback Gori swung its hand and broke the wind ropes.


    The Silverback Gori''s eyes turned red as it fumed in anger, getting to feel pain and being annoyed by two flies too. It red at the towering shield, vowing in its heart that it would smash it into pieces.


    It again leaped forward, but this time being a bit different. The silver fur on its back shone with luster suddenly, and its fists turned into silver-like metal.


    Bl''s eyes widened as he could feel the danger of this attack, so he also used a skill of his own. " [ Immovable Mountain ] "


    BANG!


    This time, a much stronger wind sted all around, shaking the trees and soil.


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