[Chapter 5]: Battle Against Serenity

The First Hassan, known as the Old Man of the Mountain, had long dwelled in secluded valleys. Generations of Hassans and their followers were unaware of his true appearance, even doubting his very existence. They only knew that whenever a current Hassan strayed from the path, he would appear and strike them down, embodying the legendary assassin. But Kenshi was certain that the First Old Man of the Mountain existed.

The First Old Man was the origin of the Assassin class, deeply connected to the Angel of Death, Azrael. His understanding of death was unparalleled. Kenshi believed that if he could inherit this legacy and master the concept of death, his Mystic Eyes of Death Perception and assassination techniques would reach new heights. This was why Kenshi sought refugees—to find the Hassan Base and, in turn, meet the First Old Man of the Mountain.

Rumor had it that anyone who confronted the Old Man of the Mountain was killed by their destiny. Kenshi was gambling that he would survive, that his destiny would not end there.

"That's impossible!"

Serenity rejected him instantly. It wasn't just due to her beliefs; more importantly, she did not know of the First Old Man's existence.

"Miss Serenity, if you take me to Azrael's shrine, I can protect the people you wish to save. They will no longer suffer this fate."

Kenshi pointed at the Ansari family as he spoke.

At this, Serenity glanced at the Ansari family. Their faces were worn and weathered as if they hadn't seen food or shelter for days. Starved and weak, they looked pitiable. Her resolve faltered slightly.

In this land, the Crusaders had destroyed most of the habitable areas, leaving countless people homeless and suffering.

"What do you mean by this?" she asked, her tone skeptical.

"If the Crusaders are truly defeated, why would these people still need protection? They should be able to sustain themselves."

"They need protection from the Lion King's calamity. In The Lion King's vision, there is no place for these people. Not everyone has a pure soul. What I can do is deceive the Lion King and give them a chance to survive."

"What?!"

Serenity hadn't forgotten that the man before her claimed to be a knight of the Lion King. Enraged, she demanded, "What exactly is your purpose?!"

"For the salvation of humanity!"

Kenshi raised his greatsword, his expression fervent. As he spoke, he even began to believe his own words.

"Thus, Hassan-i-Sabbah is essential! Miss Serenity, why don't you believe me? Why argue with me?"

Boom!

A burst of crimson mana erupted around him, rising skyward like the revival of a dragon. Kenshi's black hair billowed wildly. His gemstone-like Mystic Eyes transformed into vertical pupils, locking onto Serenity—cold and merciless.

This was Kenshi's first time unleashing his full power since receiving the Lion King's blessing. His dragon blood boiled, pushing his mana to its peak and overwhelming his humanity with an inhuman presence.

"Last chance, Miss Serenity. Will you abandon the Ansari family and the others living on this land, or will you agree to this transaction?"

The mana surged within him, his vitality immense, and his physical stats had all improved. At that moment, he felt confident he could withstand the poison and capture Serenity alive.

Silence. Ten seconds of silence. But before she could act—

Boom!

The crimson mana surrounding Kenshi contracted, and he shot forward, closing the distance between him and Serenity. A faint purple mist approached him as she prepared to vanish into the gas.

Slice!

The blade cut through the air, meeting the death line. In the instant she released the poison, Kenshi killed the gas!

"What?"

Serenity watched, shocked, as the poison dissipated. Before she could react, Kenshi grabbed her nearly invisible form and slammed her heavily against a stone pillar.

"Miss Serenity, the world has changed far more than you can imagine!"

Kenshi gripped her face tightly, smashing it into the stone pillar. Even though the poison seeped into his palms, he was fearless. His dragon blood boiled, devouring the poison as it entered his body.

The changes brought by his awakened dragon blood were more than just physical; he could feel his mind becoming colder and more calculating. The feeling was exhilarating!

Boom!

As Serenity struggled, Kenshi twisted her body, flinging her through several stone pillars until she came to a stop.

"Miss Serenity! Even I am the weakest knight under The Lion King! The other Knights of the Round Table are far stronger than me! They're slaughtering people. How many can you save each time?"

Kenshi strode forward, severing death lines with each step, crumbling the stone forest around him. Serenity's figure vanished into the forest. Now that Kenshi had moved away from the Ansari family, she decided to reveal her true form.

A cloud of poison, nearly thirty meters wide, spread throughout the stone forest.

"It's useless!"

Kenshi swung his sword, clearing away everything with a single strike. As the poison dissipated, he locked onto Serenity's figure, death lines guiding him forward. Though he couldn't match her in speed, he had the advantage of explosive power.

"Miss Serenity!" he called, his voice resolute as he stared into her eyes behind her skeletal mask.

"I must meet the First Hassan. I've offered all my sincerity, my identity, my power, my terms. What part of this is not enough?"

Not far away, Serenity tensed. It wasn't just the red dragon aura around Kenshi; it was also his unique Mystic Eyes that filled her with the fear of death.

"Or perhaps we can journey together to see what fate awaits this land."

Seeing that she still had no intention of agreeing, Kenshi realized that prolonging this battle would compromise his goals. He decided that seeing the actions of Gawain and the others might convince her, even if only with false conviction.

"Of course, Miss Serenity, you don't have to go. I could take the Ansari family and slowly find your village. Azrael's shrine should be in the mountains beyond the eastern village, right?"

Faced with Kenshi's blatant threat, Serenity finally relented. "I hope you're not lying—"

"Of course—"

Kenshi calmed his dragon blood, returning to his human form. Exhausted, he felt the drain on his mana and his physical limits after pushing himself so far.

Confirming her agreement, Kenshi called to the trembling Ansari family in the distance: "Mr. Ansari! Please come with me!"

With the Ansari family in tow, Kenshi was confident that Serenity wouldn't abandon their journey.