It came...

It cannot be…

Seven years have not elapsed yet. I've been counting them and no day has eluded my count…

In the small window that I had begun to think in fluster, the mosaic's beast was no longer above the lake. Worse yet, I had not managed to see it disappear. I swivelled in place, my heart ever racing, sweat beading from the whole of me and my legs quacking like a rumble similar to an earthquake.

My sword was yet between the grips of my hands, its tip swaying cackling that one could mistake me for shooing flies away.

The scenario had always been played out differently within my head. Whatever Demonic was sending me, I was, at the very least, not as scrambled as my current state.

Was it being a six year old boy the fact that troubled me so greatly? Or was it something about me…about my preparations cut short?

No!

After seeing it…I was enlightened…however much I trained, from now till the next ten years—make it a hundred even, I would never have had the chance of leaving in one piece—scratch it…I would never had made it out alive.

I need to esca—

My foot had barely twisted to begin my escape attempt when in front of me, breathing its foul breath directly into my nostrils, it appeared again in a flash I was yet able to perceive.

I saw its yellow serpentine eyes hunger for my flesh, for my soul. Beneath them I could distinguish the many rows of sharpened fangs, ones I'm sure they would tear me apart in a single bite. Above its head, coiling horns like that of a goat and a reindeer combined, dignified it like a crown over a king's head. A king among beasts.

It roared viciously and everything in the area cracked and creaked in its wake. A loud whistling engulfed my ears. The beast raised its gigantic paw and slammed it down directly over where I stood.

It was fortune that I slipped upon the blood of the lizard I slew. Where the blow landed, whatever was dirt or stone had become fine dust carried away by the subtle breeze. I could imagine such a strike reaching my mortal body and reducing it into a pile of nothingness.

'Shit…shit…shit!'

I got back on my feet as fast as I could and carved my way deeper into the forest.

"That fucking beast is toying with me," I looked back and I didn't see it after me when I knew plenty it could have ended me earlier. With its agility, several connected attacks were not out of its means. "Fuck!"

I scoffed for I had no destination, no plan.

Imagine! The wise Akilaba…defenceless and unable to concoct a way to save himself. It was pitiful even beyond the time when I was sentenced to beheading.

To bring myself comfort, I convinced myself that I was now Ke Lei Ba. It was only natural for me to feel that way then.

'That must be it. That must be the reason.'

Perhaps if I reached the village, I could signal Chu Qiang, or even Gudu Xing Chen for assistance…

(I know.)

It was shameless to have them fight my own battles but it could not be helped in this situation as anyone would have such thoughts right now. I knew not how much they were powerful, but surely they could stand against this monster. I saw senior Qiang fight and it was otherworldly just like the beast. His master should be stronger still.

Right?

…BAAAAMM!

Another paw came from the beast when it appeared yet again out of nowhere, pulverizing the ground behind me just in time as I shot through with the Close Half-Step technique. With the boost from it and the recoiling damage, I was thrown around rocks and dirt in amounts unheard of and the pressure of it sent me flying in an uncontrolled somersault.

Its push gave me a little of a head start but I was going to hit a tree square in its trunk, head first.

"Bone-Breaking Palm!" I cried, but even with the world spinning in my eyes, my aim was true.

I was astounded at how coolly I was able to produce these concentration-needy techniques when I barely had the brains to run without falling.

A slight comfort, but far from the actual feeling.

Weight rushed towards the extent of my palm, power burning through like a bonfire and the tree burst into splinters as I adjusted my manoeuvring mid-air. I rolled a few times on the ground, my arms breaking and my flesh tearing apart. Once I managed to raise myself on my feet, I was back to running away.

I'm pitiful…

I need to escape!

I should be fighting…

I need to find someone to help!

I am the ruthless child, get a grip…

I can't fight this thing!

I have fought the entirety of my life…

Conflicting thoughts clouded my mind. Was I to stand and fight, keeping my pride whatever the cost? Or flee searching for help?

Once again my train of decision-making was interrupted by its sudden appearance.

It was probably faster than Demigod Luo…

I fell back, slipped and tried running the other way.

It was where I looked to go.

I turned to my right.

It was there.

To my left.

Also there.

My heart sank low enough for me to feel it churning within the lower part of my body. I hadn't noticed how much it had been toying with me for the duration of my struggle. If it was able to precede my vision and be located where I meant to break into a run, then it meant it could have ended me earlier than I wished to admit.

Surely my months of agility training were not that useless.

"No, you won't fool me with these illusions!"

I had to move now.

I feigned my gaze to the right again but my intention was to dash to the front with the movement technique. A ploy to gain distance.

The beast disappeared and I expected it to go to the right.

"Close Half-Step!"

An afterimage of myself remained where I pondered aimlessly before and I was at the front now, regaining the ground I had lost earlier to it.

A smile appeared on my face as I wondered how my plan had worked in my favour.

Obviously curious to see what became of the fooled depiction, the corner of my eye glimpsed backwards but all was dark as far as I could tell. An unusual darkness that meant only one thing.

It was over me and…

BAAAMM!

With a jump, its claws licked my back and I fumbled forwards with much aching felt.

It could be worse…the poor dirt was not as lucky as getting grazed like I was.

This time it finally meant the end of me running away. I was not a fool to think that I could outrun it even with the alien speed I obtained in the span of my training. Even I knew my limits.

My only option left was to fight.

I reached to my space bag and took out a minor healing pill and gobbled it.

"I won't go down without at least taking an arm of yours alongside," I got back up, my wounds searing like the sun but lessening with the effects of the dan, my sword raised to it. "En, an arm is good enough."

It grinned manically and cackled its jaw as if laughing at me. A hissing noise came out of it — a sarcastic hissing sequence.

That fucking beast…

It understood me! And more than that, it was obviously mocking me. Was it implying that even an arm was out of my reach?

My brows furrowed in anger. My teeth gritted creakingly. It was a feeling I had never witnessed before. The feeling of being undermined. I was furious.

(My pride…it will be the death of me…literally.)

It all came down to my swordsmanship right now. I was confident with at least this. Although it was not the same style I used to practice during my golden days, the Shui's sword moves were not inferior to it by much. It took quite a while to accustom myself and semi-master it, so it should be plenty to hack its arm off before I die the death that was long overdue.

Here — I gulped — goes nothing…

I spaced my legs appropriately, raised my sword above my hips, straightened my back and sharpened my eyes at the target.

"What's that?"

As I was so preoccupied to flee before, it was only now that I noticed a hole through its chest. It was peculiarly out of place and it seemed as if it was an error when the beast was created or something of the sorts.

It then hit me.

Could it be the piece of mosaic which the old king pocketed back then? Was this the purpose behind his act?

"Bareyad Izaresius…" I mumbled to myself with a shaking head and an excited voice, "in this life I owe you. If I survive then I will remember it."

It tilted its head as if it was showing its boredom.

Hoh! You're pushing your luck, puny beast.

I grew confident now that this simple weakness revealed itself to me. When I glanced properly, I could distinguish part of a heart roofing the hole carved into its chest.

My wielding hand grew steadier than before and I no longer shivered like a wet dog.

I was blind with confidence at the glimmer of hope that opened itself before me. I rushed without a strategy in mind.

My only goal…to reach that heart.

With me closing in on it, the beast remained frozen, no signs of flinching apparent on its extremities. I could not deduct any openings or retaliation.

Unlike the time I trained with senior Wu, whenever I tried to deduce how my approach on this beast would end, I always saw my death. It was as if this monster was bred to be the worst enemy of mankind and it was not possible to land a single proper hit on it.

But I would not regress.

My fury was beyond the means to make sane decisions.

I was a few paces away from it when I sensed that the area around its head had not this much of protection. I saw the chance to strike and I did. I jumped high to reach its stature and swung upon it the weight of my sword.

A loud clank reverberated into the echo of the dead forest. That was the sound of my steel slashing across its ugly face, a horizontal blow that passed through one of its eyes.

"Yes!" I revelled in the small earned victory.

I landed on the dirt and looked up at it. I needed to see the look upon it when it was flailing madly in pain of losing part of its sight.

But…

All I saw was a maw wide open, an enemy unfazed and calm, and a golden light accumulating from small particles getting sucked in.

A second later, a beam tore out and dragged me with fierce destructiveness off my feet and a fair distance away. The area around where I was launched upon was decimated in whole to the point where one would think that a deforestation occurred not too long ago.

My mind was hazy. My body numb. I could not raise my head or my hands for that matter. Even my eyelids were not strong enough to open and look up.

I just wanted to reach to my stomach and feel the wounds that stung in a chilling and slithering coldness.

This was the end for good. My strokes of good lucks had been used up.

I knew it was back above me. The sun no longer appeared as red under my closed eyes and the sudden shade was a giveaway.

I heard a sound that was the same as the one that emerged when it was charging its beam attack.

So it meant to finish me decently.

Good.

A proper death.

A fitting end to my vileness.

Souls that I have tortured in my lifetime, be witnesses to your avenging.

"RAAAAAAWWWWRRRR!"

That was the last sound I should I have heard.

What a battle cry!

…

It's terrible silence now. Finish already!

…

"Shrieeeeeeeeekkkk!!!!"

Hm? What's happened?

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*Check the very first chapters at the very beginning for the Index*