The swordsman raises his blade, once again summoning the blue energy that danced around him.

Gerard’s eyes bulged, but his body was still healing from the attacks given by the overwhelming individual.

It was a different form of power—something the Beast King had never felt from anyone.

“#90: Heaven’s Descent.”

In a heavy swing, the swordsman brought his blade down, cutting through seemingly everything as if landed.

And then—

“W-wha… what is that…?!” Gerard gazed at the sky, watching as a brilliant blue flash of light descended.

It looked like a heavy slash of energy, but bursting with so much power, and so massive that it seemed like the fall of the sky itself.

>BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM<

Right before Gerard’s eyes, the massive light consumed the Beast Kingdom… turning everything to dust.

Every single thing was vaporized, right before his very eyes.

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!” He cried, both out of pain and rage.

His bulging eyes brought out tears as everything and everyone he loved was devastated right before his eyes.

The swordsman turned to look at him with a cold, nonchalant attitude.

“So, is that enough motivation for you? Why don’t you try harder and maybe—”

>VWOOOOOMMMMM<

Gerard’s body moved on its own as he lunged at the swordsman, baring his fangs at the monster who would kill so many people so seamlessly.

“No…”

With a light flex of his hand, Gerard found himself being pushed back, crashing into one mountain and destroying it in an instant.

However—

“GUROOOAAHHHHH!!!” His rage and uncontrollable sorrow did not let him remain down.

Once again, Gerard pushed himself toward the enemy, aiming to do nothing else than tear him apart.

His speed had reached a new pinnacle, same as his strength.

Gawain was bursting with so much power that he put his past self to shame.

Yet—

“No…”

He was flung to another mountain.

And then another.

Also… another one.

It mattered not how many times Gerard stood to fight, it still wasn’t enough.

After a series of one-sided battery, Gerard was finally down for the count, completely exhausted.

“It seems I mistook you for the perpetrator of that incident. Since this is your territory, and you’re the Beast King, I assumed…” The swordsman sheathed his blade and sighed.

Gerard could barely move, so he could only throb as uncontrollable pain assailed his body.

He felt like dying, but there was no way he could be able to reunite with his family without killing the man before him.

“Why… why are you doing… this…?!” Gerard asked in a wheezing tone.

“Well, let’s just say you wouldn’t understand. You’re not a Martial Artist, after all.” The swordsman looked in the direction of the devastated Beast Kingdom, and his eyes flickered a bit as he noticed something.

“It seems someone survived that attack. Perhaps that’s the one I am looking for.”

“N-no! He’s not! They’re not here! The true perpetrators are not here!”

“Hmm… you don’t appear to be lying. Still, it’s curious. I’ll be heading to check it out.”

The swordsman made to leave, but there was no way Gerard could allow the man to make contact with the only survivor of his people.

Most especially, the survivor was none other than Gerard’s son.

“ASAAAAAA!!! HIDE AS BEST AS YOU CAN!!!” With that final scream, Gerard launched himself toward his enemy, aiming to buy as much time as possible.

Even if it was five, or ten—maybe more—seconds, then he would have at least fulfilled his role as the father of a brilliant child.

Unfortunately for him—

“I said I was done with you. But, if it is death you seek…”

—The swordsman didn’t even turn to look in his direction, or even flinch.

Blue energy surged forth and consumed Gerard, turning him to dust.

“You are not worthy to die by my blade.” With that statement, the swordsman sharply moved to the point where he sensed the survivor.

It was instant, almost like teleportation.

“So… you’re the survivor? This is intriguing.” He spoke to the air—after all, it appeared as though no one was present where he was looking at.

“No need to look so scared. I won’t hurt you. I find your ability interesting, but you’ll most likely not be a match for me at this point…”

The swordsman could see a child crying and trembling.

“You must have survived because you became one with your environment. That is a good move. I can’t even touch you as you are now, unless…”

Suddenly, the man’s hand turned incorporeal, and he placed it gently on the shaking boy’s blue hair.

“You’re injured. It must be because you’ve not perfected it yet. Still, this is good. You have potential.”

A bright blue light shone from the Martial Artist, consuming the young boy with its power.

However, rather than destroying the kid, the boy’s scathed body became restored.

“You should rest. Help will soon come. I can already sense distortions…”

The boy still couldn’t help trembling as the man stroked his hair.

“By the way, I killed your father and everyone else here. There won’t be a chance for revival too, since I utterly broke down their souls. They’re not coming back…”

The boy’s eyes widened and tears streamed down. Even though he was experiencing such sorrow and pain, the man didn’t stop stroking his hair.

“You have to grow stronger to avenge them, don’t you? Grow very strong. The thing is, I’m quite powerful, so you need to become even more powerful. Enough to beat me someday… for your family.”

Asa, the blue-haired boy couldn’t explain his emotions. He was supposed to utterly despise the man in front of him, but he couldn’t help but agree with him.

The boy wasn’t sure why, but he simply couldn’t hate the man in front of him.

Was it perhaps his gentle smile, or the calmness he exuded?

But, the swordsman was right… he had to grow stronger. For his family… for himself.

Having that thought, even though Asa still trembled in fear, his eyes showed a different emotion—if only just for a moment.

Upon seeing that, the swordsman smiled. Once again, he had managed to secure another potential opponent.