Chapter 29: Farewell
The clouds start to pour rain and Ray is still frustrated after what happen with the old man, He screams, smashes his fist on the ground and cry at the same time. Must be hard for him although he only met the old man just a few day ago.
Bell and Zed finally arrive but what they see make them speechless, Ryo and the old man laying on the ground and the bandit leader has been chooped off by someone. They immediately change their gaze to Ray, They notice the dagger covered in blood so the aura earlier was Ray. But it's scary knowing the bandit leader has been beheaded by Ray.
Without wasting anymore time they headed towards Ryo and the old man, But thank god Ryo is breathing but he's in pain right now due to the transformation skill. He will be fine if he rest for a few days. Unfortunately the old man's condition is bad, He's bleeding and the bleeding won't stop.
"Old man, Hang in there, I will call for help!"
Bell can't stand watching the old man bleeding, But just when he want to call for help the old man grab his hand. Tears start to drop from Bell's eye, But it seems the old man want to say something so Bell approach the old man and listen to the old man.
"Don't mind me, You should help your friend there he is now mentally unstable , Help him or else he will break"
'cough'
"But you, You're bleeding how can I ignore you"
"I've live long enough, Live with my regrets and now I can finally die in peace, I already forge your weapon to hehe so make sure you make good use of it and don't do bad things with my weapon okay? And please tell your friend it's not his mistake that I ended up in this situation, It was my ignorance that got me in this situation. So I hope you guys can achieve what you wanted to achieve"
After the long speech, The Legendary Smith die at the age of 60, Bell and Zed can't hold their tears anymore. Once again they feel empty and hopeless but this time there will be no hope the old man has die and Ryo is not in a great condition either. Ray feel that this was his fault and keep blaming himself for what happen. He start to question himself, is this adventure worth it? Is this a dream?. Tezz notice something abnormal is happening, So he go to the window at his castle and what he sees is something terrifying.
It is a dark side of Ray, The combination of Rage, Hatred, Guilty and self doubt. He knows this is a bad news for them if this thing successfully take over Ray's body. He immediately tell Ray's friends although it's not the right time but he must tell them or else.
"Bell, Zed! I'm sorry to interrupt you two but this is bad news, You two need to punch Ray right now he's being consume by the dark side. Go now!"
But it's already too late, Ray has been consume by the dark side and now the situation is worsening once again. Ray's eye completely turns red and his sense also completely gone, There is only one thing that pops in his mind right now.
'KILL THEM ALL'
"Uwarrghhhhhh!"
His aura is different this time, It's full of hatred and bloodlust. Zed and Bell can't move, it's like there is something that chains their legs and what's worse Ray start to shift his gaze towards them. Without hesitation he charge towards them, First he attack Zed but fortunately Zed has activate his barrier and protect himself. Ray keeps pummeling the barrier with his own hand and Bell who see an opportunity immediately strikes Ray with a consecutive magic arrow.
Bell's attack somehow works on Ray but it's not enough to take him down, Next Ray is aiming for Bell he dash at full speed and strike Bell with his powerful strike. Thankfully Zed activate his barrier just in time for the impact and manage to stop Ray's fist.
Knowing that his strike won't connect Ray retreat for a bit and to chant a weird spell. A blackish aura start to gather on Ray's right hand, Poof Ray suddenly disappear Zed sharpen his sense just to detect Ray. At first he thought Ray would appear on his back but he's wrong. Ray actually appear in front of him, Zed immediately reinforce with 10 more barriers but Ray's power is too strong with just one powerful punch, All of Zed barriers shatter and Ray's fist finally reach Zed's body. He sent Zed flying and Zed immediately reinforce another barrier on his back to avoid a fatal wound.
Seeing Zed has been targeted by Ray Bell can't sit there doing nothing he must do something to help Zed. Then an idea pops up in Bell's head, He will use the binding arrow but to use it he must sacrifice his own bow to use the binding arrow. Bell without hesitation start to chant the binding arrow technique. It only takes 30 seconds to complete the chant, After done chanting Bell immediately shoot the arrow and bull's-eye the arrow hit Ray's stomach.
The arrow starts to bind Ray's body and of course Ray will resist it. The binding arrow slowly bind Ray's movement and Zed who sees the opportunity cast his blood prison skill, The idea is to suffocate Ray until he's unconscious.
But then again the blackish aura start to emerge from the ground covering the blood prison. The blackish aura slowly breaks Zed's blood prison, Zed reinforce his blood prison again and again but he can't reinforce that forever. His mana is depleting and the blood prison slowly crack. In just a few seconds the blood prison will break.
Ray's hand start to stick out of the prison blood and start to smash the blood prison wall. Now the blood prison is completely broken, Ray's slowly walk out from the prison blood. Ray lock gaze towards Zed.
"Uwarghhhhhh!"
"Kneel!"
Ray immediately kneel, He try to resist but he can't. Zed who is confused, tries to search who is the one who made Ray's kneel but after he finds out who it is, His eye widens because the person who make Ray's kneel is the king himself.
"Go to sleep young man"
The king thrust Ray's chest with his palm and he manage to make Ray unconscious, Zed staggering he can't stand up well and his consciousness fading. After a few seconds he fall to the ground.
"Treat their wound immediately"
"Yes sir!"
The king order his soldier to take the kids to a healer as soon as possible, But what surprise the king more is when he sees Ray wound has been heal. But he try to be positive and let it go for now.