Unease

The moon was shining brightly, completely hiding the terrifying under currents, brewing silently on the continent.

Adrian was still not sleeping, sitting silently on the stairs of their home, looking at the brightly shinning moon. Deep within his thoughts, he didn't even notice his mother Michelle, has silently crept behind him. But he wouldn't even notice her even if she walk at his side.

If assassins could be immediately seen then what's the use of this proffesion?

" What's bothering my eldest?" Michelle asked while handing a jar full of water. Looking at the full moon she continued. " I noticed that you always fell into daze this past few days."

Adrain didn't think that it's that obvious to Michelle. He couldn't help but laugh before talking again.

" Something is making trouble deep within the valleys. The docile guys, started to become very aggressive and easily irritated these past few weeks, while those sleeping magical beasts started to appear at daylight. Third hunting elder went with some of our elite warriors to investigate what's happening in the valleys. But the only thing, they got when they returned are, serious injuries and one of the white stage apprentice senior was killed, while three others were heavily wounded. " Adrian said in a worried tone. He accepted the jar and drank a mouthful, before placing it down." They couldn't even get in the inner perimeter before they've fought to some pack of Nirvanna Wolves. The only thing I knew from what the seniors told. The average wolf of this pack have strength at superior stage at yellow threat level, but their swiftness suppressed the white stage practioners. While their alpha was a certified Intermediate stage orange threat level demonic beast. "

He couldn't hide it fully to his mom, as the elders and tribe chief themselves were getting worried. They felt unease, but were helpless to know what's really happening in the inner regions. Their third elder's right hand was gone, one of their elite died and three others were heavily injured before they could went deeper and investigate what's really happening.

Michelle went into deep though before she smiled at him. " We couldn't even fend off against those orange level beasts at the lowest stage. Much less that thing steering trouble on that valley. The only thing we hope is that Giant Serpent Tribe's masters were gonna investigate in the inner regions. Looks like the bazaar this month would be cancelled. "

" Yeah. Only those guys at master realm, could fend for themselves in that region. " Adrian nodded his head. Trying to change the topic Adrian looked at Michelle delightfully.

" Mom, I've already advance to crimson stage. " Adrian said in a delightful manner, trying to change the topic to easen the situation. He held his weapon firmly, determined to make his dream come true, and to not let fate guide him.

Michelle was stunned before congratulating him in a happy tone. She knew how much hard work her eldest son did when they've found out that their father went missing. Now that he's reaping some of the success that he had work hard she felt genuinely happy for him.

" Son... you should try courting up girls on the village. You're already old enough to marry." Michelle changed the topic adruptly, that Adrian couldn't immediately react. Blushing for a bit, Adrian immediately tried to think of excuses to this topic.

In the end he came up with a lousy one.

" Yeah you're right, I could find one with decent looks in the village... but who'll take care of you guys?" Adrian said seriously, though his mother knew that this is a very lousy excuse.

Upon seeing that his mother wanted to talk again. Adrian got up with his trusty spear, then started thrusting his spear seriously at the clearing while still talking seriously." Besides mom, it's still early, what if... the same thing will happen to me, just like the dad's. "

Michelle wanted to retort, but just sighed heavily and tap Adrian's shoulder, before going back to sleep. Of the five brothers, no one was left alive. Only children and widows were left to fend for themselves in this cruel world.

Their situation was more stable than the other four, as two of them could provide food. While on the other hand, only one could provide food to the other four.

So whenever there's some extra food on their table, she'll task Vee or Nice to deliver some to other four families. When the five siblings were still alive, even til' date, the five families have very good ties.

Now that they have a more stable life, they could help more to the other four families. Trying to repay the kindness bit by bit, given to them, when they were the ones in need of help in the past.

....

The schorching sun have already risen up in the sky illuminating the world with its bright light, but the second son of Michelle was still sleeping like a log.

After Vee woke up from his deep slumber, he lazily ate his brunch (breakfast plus lunch) and did some of his daily routines, like taking a bath and stuff.

After he was done with his daily routines, he went back practicing sword battle techniques. This time he was eagerly hitting trees with another wooden sword. While he was hitting the trees, he's also trying to master his sword technique's essence and principles, to make his mastery of these sword techniques go higher bit by bit.

After many hours of torturing the tree, Vee stopped and rested for a while. Closing his eyes for a bit, while finding some comfortable position on the tree that he recently tortured. Unknowingly he fell asleep, tired and also lazy enough.

After hours of sleeping, Vee unconsciously mumble some unknown language, a purplish brilliance envolope his body for a bit, before it disappeared, as if it was just an illusion.

Opening his eyes, instead of the scorching sun, he was greeted with a beautiful shining crescent moon. He was stunned for few seconds, before immediately picking up his wooden sword and rush back home at full speed. Who've thought that his simple five minutes nap can turn into a long sleep.

When he got to the vicinity of the house. He saw his two brothers and sister look at him with pity, his elder brother even shook his head while making some "tsk tsk " noise .

Before he could even take the next step, he was hit hard at his back by a very hard object.

Stumbling with his head first. Vee groaned painfully, then he furiously turned around to looked for the culprit and was gonna start cursing, but his furious gaze was immediately replace by fear and his words were stuck in his mouth. He have seen this many times, and every time he saw this he still shudders in fear.

A beautiful lady carrying a large broad wooden sword, with an evil smirk on her face. The broad wooden sword's blade was a two foot long. It was made by an old ancient wood found by their father in the valley before he disappeared.

It was a very heavy and sturdy piece of wood of unknown tree, since no one could identify it, even Pooch. This wooden sword was the only thing that didn't break or got chip when the four children swing it to the trunk of trees in the nearby woods at full strength.

He forgot that his mom also have an extraordinary strength, rivaling those black stage of the apprentice level practioner in the tribe, while she herself was at the red stage of apprentice level.

She was a very gentle, caring, virtues, and warm hearted woman. That's what the other people call her, but when she was angry or infuriated, someone would surely be in a bad day.

And to those who've seen and experienced it, they could only pity those who'll be next to experience its full brunt. She doesn't hold back at desciplining her children or even adults.

Now Vee was the one who made her angry, and upon seeing battle aura emitting out of her body, Vee is absolutely sure that his back will ache for a month or two.

Their mother have many rules, many of them can be bent and disobey, she'll just lecture you for a bit and you'll just make a promise to never do it again.

But the only thing that they should not disobey or even dare, is to not be late at dinner, and if you're ever late you should have a very good explanation. Or else you'll find yourself grunting in pain for a month.

After two weeks of groaning in pain after the "care" he received, Vee started to move his body, excersising them slowly trying to adjust the pain level that his body feels.

Although deemed as a lazy, and sometimes foolish person by many. Vee work hard silently without his peers knowing the depth of his strength, and his hard work gave him somewhat a nice, yet surprising thing.

His mastery of two out of the five battle techniques that he practiced had already reach at senior level proficiency. Yes, he is already at the senior proficiency even though he only practiced for how many months in total. He can bring out seventy percent power of the techniques that he have senior level mastery.

He never told anyone, as he wanted to maintain low key and also surprise everyone. The only ones who knew that he has already mastered one of the technique to the senior proficiency level were, Jay, Jeuseppe, and his brother Alex.

The rest, they only knew that his most proficient at Mountain Breaker Sword technique, which was at the high level mastery.

Altogether he have six techniques and one cultivation technique. The Seven fist technique at middle mastery, Mountain Breaker sword technique senior level mastery, Eight Hidden Blades at high level mastery, Demon Ox Fist at senior level mastery, Silver Bird sword technique, and his cultivation technique, left behind by their father before he disappeared Sun Devil Sutra.

Though it looks plenty, it is lacking, compare to those at higher level tribes. Most of their warriors have at seven battle techniques and one cultivation technique. Those are just the common warriors, while the higher position one's, elites, and prodigies have more.

But in these backwater region, its already amazing enough and to have two of them at peak mastery is also an amazing thing. Although low level ones, it's still good.

Many coveted this techniques, but we're all eaten up by Michelle and Adrian. Some elders tried to "peacefully" learn it, but was killed by Pooch. Pooch also knew the five families thought doesn't have that close relationship, he and the five brothers, once have some dealings against low level supernaturals that comes out of the valley.

Pooch himself was a good demon hunter that hunted in the Winterlands. A land that only have winter and no other seasons, except a two months of fall.

The land was at the northern sector of the continent, plague with supernaturals and demonic beasts of different kind and levels that has affinity to ice element. It has a span of ten thousand kilometres all in all.

Though not famous, Pooch and his other partners could be competent enough to not die easily. Although his partners still died at the end.

This experience and knowledge of his was needed in this backwater place. As most of the demon hunters couldn't even identify their foes.

Although the five brothers were an exception, as almost all of the supernaturals in the area of the Blue Mist Valley, were easily identified by them. This impressed Pooch, as he never thought that some demon hunters of this region were still competent, and not just some cannon fodders.

On a large house at Blackstone Tribe, a middle age man with handsome features was silently looking at some children sparring with each other. On his side was a beautiful girl holding a giant axe, smiling at the kids "playing" in the training ground.

This two were the Blackstone Tribe's leader Pooch, and his gorgeous daughter Christine.

Christine was a gorgeous and elegant girl. With a tall height that rivals men of their village, with some curvy body and beautiful face she was a perfect lady in the hearts of the village guys.

Though most of these her admirers were teenage boys and children, as most of the guys at the village themselves have families of their own. They also tend to forget that within that beauty, a fierce and honest White stage Aprrentice level axe wielding practioner was.

She was known to many as beauty with power. As those of the later generations can only defeat her in duels. Most of the guys were always beaten by her miserably every bazaar competition for the younger generations.

Seventy claimed genius were always beaten by her, most of them were men and if by chance she fought with women, she tends to be a bit lenient.

She was also the eldest of the family, next to her were two boys, at the respective age of sixteen and ten. The second child was also known for his fearsome and handsome features. Just like his elder sister, Christian also beat those so called geniuses at the competition.

The only ones who are at the same age that could really force him to not hold back, can only be counted at one hand.

The genius of Earth Bear Tribe, Allan or Earth Cub, Allan could duel Christian for many hours without being disadvantage, as his battle and cultivation techniques were derived and base from the powerful, yet defensive green threat level Earth Bear.

Xander or much known as Son Of Serpent Tribe. Xander practiced the agile, yet deadly technique known as Demonic Serpent. The technique was based on a alpha Horde leader beast in the valley known as Gold Strip Demonic Serpent at the Red threat level. Although it was really based on the inferior one that still hasn't really became powerful.

Nice or spear demoness. Though doesn't have much more powerful and advance techniques, she was known for her unique, yet forceful qi. It's also because on how much of a genius she is. Basically she merge three different spear techniques and with the help of their cultivation technique.

Alfonso or the Sunset Successor of the low ranking thousand tribe in the Eastern part of the valley, Eastern Sunset Tribe. At the age of thirteen he have already mastered two middle tier techniques, and Setting Sun cultivation technique a high tier cultivation technique.

And the leader of the younger generation of the allied powers. The successor of the famous Seven Jade Palms at the peak tier. Also known as the Little Jade Master, the sixteen year old boy defeated all five strongest of the hundreds of tribes, even though all of them fought with him. Affiliated with the second strongest force of the region, known as Jade Monastery.

Jade Monastery was known for their benevolence and honesty, and of course their fighting prowess, which suppress two regions in total, just next to the Calm Paradise who was crowned as the king of three regions.

Christine was also a Calm Paradise desciple, and head desciple of thirteenth hall, one of the twenty halls of the Paradise. She was also well known as the Axe Maniac.

The Fort of the paradise was held by twenty elder level practioners and two grandmaster practioners. One was the current leader of the Paradise and the grand elder.

The last son, of Pooch, mischievous as hell and also dumber than his other two children. But still loved by many people of the village. The only known gentle person in the family.

Though the youngest, Chris prove that he could take another path and not just become the shadow of his two elder siblings. After his third competitions he dealt a heavy blow against the arrogance of the youngest reigning King of the allied powers by defeating him.

The youngest elite of the Ethereal Swan Tribe, was defeated and uncrowned after five hundred exchanges with Chris. This made the Blackstone Tribe ecstatic.

But the other allied tribes just sighed in amazement as they acknowledged that these three siblings were monsters of their own style.

The eldest is good at axes, the elder brother was good at swords, and the youngest was good at palms and fist techniques.

Every one of the tribe Chief's family was a monster by itself, not considering that their father knew five different kinds of weapons like the back of his hand, ironically his left hand was crippled.

Upon thinking of this Pooch couldn't help but smile in satisfaction. Although he never annnexed other territories within the last few years, many still knew that if he wants, only the thousand men tribes could really stop him from his ambitions.

But he was already contented in this way of life. He could see the growth of his children and tribe, while grooming elites that could maybe takeover the tribe. If his children were incompetent to lead the tribe, and instead of more glory they'll lead them sorry.

Then he'll willingly give his position to those who are more worthy, and base of his observations no one from the trio are good leaders. They're good fighters, yes that's true but what's the use of good fighters if there's no fight?

The three children knew this of course, but their answers made Pooch amused. The eldest just nodded before going back into practice, the second son pondered for minutes before expectantly looking at his father's eyes and saying "then if I give the position away as the head, I'll not lead people anymore?"

The second son was also a lazy and hopeless leader guy. Especially when he couldn't even tell the cardinal directions. The third son's answer made Pooch laugh really hard.

"If the next leader can give me a piece of gold then I'll give him the position!"

Not understanding the fact that gold will flow continously into his hands as long as his the leader. He also knew that their more focus in their individual strength, so of course even if they become leaders they need substitute for the daily affairs.

Getting off his chair, Pooch went back to the massive house. After few minutes he came back with a rectangular shape black box. Upon seeing the black box, Christine was startled.

Maybe she was the third or fourth and last person who k ew what's really inside that thing. A treasure sword forge in Frost Copper, a metal that looks like copper but is more light, could deal more damage and can have inscriptions in it. It could withstand heavy blows of beasts and Supernaturals, as long as it doesn't exceed five thousand kilos.

It was the treasure sword of her father, that he kept and never again used after his left hand was crippled. The only time when he used it was when he'll fight foes that he evaluates as threatening.

And the last time he used it when a giant flying demonic beast at early green theat level attack the village, though saved many lives, casualties still couldn't be avoided entirely.

Seven Black tier practioners died while two yellow servant class practioners were also slained, trying to protect the lower level ones.

Christine could never forget that event, her father took the bird down with four swing of his blade. The first swing probe, the second cut deflected its energy claws, the third one cut one of its wings, while the last one took its life away.

Now that it was taken out again, this made her curious on who will her father used it upon. Since the last one became a very nice stew.

Seeing the curious gaze of his daughter lingering in the rectangular box, Pooch smiled before he beckoned her.

Christine went near him, and under her feevant gaze, he took out a blue colored sword. Shining brightly as it saw the sun again after many years of its confinement. It's hilt had a blue colored gem while sword itself glowed.

" Father what's the deal with you taking out Flowing River?" Even though she have already seen it many times, Christine still couldn't help but get mesmerised. Of course she'd prefer an battle axe than a sword.

Pooch put down the box and looked at the children playing, before looking at the bustling people, his own people that he swear to protect.

" There's an unease in the inner region of the valley, it is a big problem as it have already affected the outer region. I reckon that if ever it's a beast then it should be at the highest green threat level or the red threat level. But either or, it have affected the outer region. I'll have to take a look with the other masters. "

After saying that he went out of the tribe, secretly and the only one who'd known he left was his eldest daughter. Not even the most trusted elder knew a thing or two about his disappearance.