The Valkyrie trembled when she saw Ryu’s change of weapon.

Everyone of that era knew about. The three Tatsuya Saintly Weapons. The spear. The glaive. And… The halberd.

The first was known as the God Emperor, a master spearman who had unrivaled cleverness. The second was known as the War God, a man who knew nothing but war and battle. But the third, this was a weapon that stood above both others. The Dragon God!

Ryu never used his halberd. It wasn’t because he preferred the spear or the glaive, it was rather because every trial he had faced until now was simply a way of testing himself. He wanted to push himself to his limits because this stage was far too small for him.

Simply put. If he used his halberd… There would be no suspense.

Tatsuya Clansmen were the descendants of the Fire Dragon, a mighty mystical beast that once stood at the very top of this Realm. While the spear and the glaive tapped into the human aspects of their Tatsuya Clan, the halberd tapped into their bestial aura, it was the true strength of their Clan. Simply holding the Halberd in his hand, Ryu felt his Fire Dragon blood bubble to life, causing a heated steam to emit from his body. Although he could only tap into five percent of that feeling with just a single hand, it filled him with such power that he felt as though he could topple a mountain range.

“Come.”

‘As you wish, young master.’ In a flash, she stepped forward.

Monalise. During Ryu’s first life, she had only just taken over the position of Ancestor. Her heart held a heavy burden, she felt that she let the founders of her Sect down. However, this trial ironically gave her hope. She could hold her head high and say that she helped the Scion of the Tatsuya Clan grow.

Ryu raised his arm. It was once tired and spent, but a surging hot qi erupted from his blood. It wasn’t the qi of the Qi Realm, but rather the Vital Qi of his Fire Dragon blood!

BOOM!

Ryu was sent flying backward. No matter how oppressive his halberd, he was still using it with just one arm. He didn’t want to end this battle so soon, he needed to hear Monalise’s story. At the same time, he wanted to rely on the enraged state of his blood while Ailsa helped him to replenish his neutral qi.

‘Young master.’ Monalise continued to attack. The trial rules that bound her didn’t allow her to use anything less than the full strength she wielded at Ryu’s age, so she could only continue to oppress him. ‘I do not know the full details of what occurred. The inner workings of the Shrine Plane are too grand for my small stature, but I will tell you what I know.

‘After young master’s death, there was much speculation. The Tatsuya Clan remained silent about the true cause. However, many undercurrents began to surge afterward.’

Ryu nodded to himself emotionlessly. Revealing that the Scion of the Tatsuya Clan died by suicide would be an irredeemable stain, one that would no doubt harm the Faith of the Clan. While he was certain that his parents wouldn’t care about such a thing, the various Shrine Elders would. In addition, his parents would have went along with it, not wanting their son’s memory to be stained.

‘Though I do not know how young master died, I do know that Master Titus was enraged. His anger boiled the skies himself and… He claimed that he would drag your soul back from that Realm.’

Ryu’s eyes constricted into tiny pin holes. The fluctuations in his emotions were so fierce that he lost his grip on his Vital Qi. His strength erupted so abruptly that his right arm split into a shower of blood, bulging in size by onefold as his strength turned tyrannical. Even Monalise was forced to take a step back after his strike despite him still using just one arm.

Ryu grit his teeth. ‘…Continue.’

That Realm, it was a place even lofty individuals of the highest plane didn’t dare to name. But, Ryu wasn’t such a superstitious person. The mere idea of something didn’t shake him with fear, but the idea of his father entering that place…

Ryu didn’t need to guess how his father found a path to that Realm. It was his own fault. Why did he have to find the location of the Death Shrine? Why couldn’t he have kept it to himself instead of blabbering away? If he had, his father, even if he wanted to enter that place, would have never been able to.

‘Our enemies took advantage of the Master’s disappearance. Such a small event shouldn’t have shaken the Faith of the Tatsuya Clan, but, for reasons unknown, it was as though the Heavens themselves were against us. That one event turned the tide so fiercely that we couldn’t fight back.’

Ryu’s teeth clenched. He was completely oblivious to shocked gazes of the elders who still watched. How could they not be shocked? Just minutes ago, he had used their Clans Core Teaching strike better than their Ancestor could. And now he was lasting against their Ninth Order Ancestor with just one bloody arm.

But, Ryu didn’t care, his mind was elsewhere. He thought back to a conversation he had with Elena during his last day… She had said that numerous Holy Winged Saintesses appeared, in fact, she had said that nine appeared.

Back then, Ryu had been shocked. A single talent of that caliber was already amazing, but nine appearing in a single generation was bordering on ridiculous. Simply put, the Holy Wing Clan didn’t have enough Faith to sustain such great talent being birthed so frequently.

Though he didn’t say much, that seed of doubt continued to grow. His pupils throbbed as though they could feel the tide of Fate shifting… Unnaturally.

‘The Holy Wing Clan…’

Monalise’s eyes widened. ‘How did you know?’

She had wanted to be delicate about the topic, especially considering she knew the young master’s fiancée was a member of the Clan. But, to think he knew himself.

‘Not just the Holy Wing Clan, but it felt as though the whole Shrine Plane turned against the Tatsuya Clan. The only individuals who remained by their side were the two Phoenix Clans and the Kunan Clan. Even the Tatsuya Clan’s subordinates like the Scarlet Sparrow Clan defected to the enemy…

‘It was then that the Shrine War began. The tide of Faith suddenly turned as though young master’s death was the focal point of everything…’