Old Jing glanced down and looked at the sword penetrating through his chest. He coughed as the blood-smeared the sword and the ground.
"Hama you bastard!"
Never in his wild mind that the friend he had been with would betray him on a case like this. He was prepared for the hundreds of demonic beasts in front but not an attack from his own kin.
"You've always been a hidden thorn under my rule Jing, it would only take you a chance before you usurp me off my position."
"Y-You're crazy!"
"Hmph! I'm crazy? You're the one who made an arranged marriage for my granddaughter to that useless trash of a kid you picked up."
"For a long time now, you've hidden as an expert cultivator but the truth is, your power is deteriorating because of your age! Your body is not as strong as it used to be! But even then, you still could do whatever you want in the village. A threat that I must get rid of."
*thud
Hama could feel a bump from an object hitting his head. Though the pain could be ignored, the notion was not. He glanced back only to saw the kid how was at the brink of death standing with his eyes glaring at him. It was obvious that he was the one who threw a rock at his head.
"Your effort is futile kid, you're weak."
He retracted his sword before making an x shaped slash against Old Jing's back before the latter crouched down while gritting his teeth.
"You'll pay for this! YOU WILL!"
"Hmph!"
Hama casually kicked Sein's stomach before letting him grunting.
"Let me tell you a little secret, every person in the village despise you, the only reason they smiled at you was because of Jing. They are afraid of his power, thus they want him dead. They're tired of living in fear, under the shadow of a grim reaper."
Hama casually carried Sana before turning around.
"I'll let you be with your grandfather, forever."
He left the scene as quickly as the wind leaving the two figures to be swarmed by the demonic beasts.
Sein gritted his teeth before he stood up with rage fuming from inside. Every person in the village flashed within his mind, the fake smile they gave, and the killing intent they hid toward his grandfather. Suddenly a hand patted his shoulder. His eyes immediately teared up as he saw the condition the old man in front of him was in.
"Stop crying and listen to me, here take this."
Old Jing took out a necklace with a sapphire pendant from his pocket and pressed it against his hand.
"This necklace is an item I was told to give it to you when you are able to cultivate by your grandfather. Things will be hard from now on, but you're a strong kid, I know you can conquer the heavens someday, I know it!"
Sein was trying so hard holding his tears but no matter how hard he did it, the warm liquid kept running across his cheeks. He felt his throat becoming sore as he couldn't utter a single word. Though he was in a bloody mess, the physical pain was secondary to him.
"NOW GO! Don't you dare turn back! I want you to live on and prove to me that you are his grandson."
With his tears already soaking the ground as he looked at it, he took a deep breath before putting the necklace on. Wiping his tears and snots with his arm, he turned around before shouting, "I am your grandson too!"
Watching the departing figure of his only loved one, Old Jing smirked before a crocodile tear could be seen in his eyes. "Cheeky brat, where did he learn to speak like that."
Turning around against the hungry demonic beasts he readied his stance once more albeit the neverending blood coming out from his wounds.
"C'mon you lots of ugly flavored beasts! Either your horns penetrated my body or my fist obliterated yours! RAAAAH!"
The old man charged to the swarm of demonic beasts toward the latter's surprise. Before long, his fist already broken one demonic beast's head to a pulp and changed his target. His speed was on another level despite the gruesome wounds he was in. However, as he kept killing them off, a scene of the past keep playing in his mind.
He was squatting in his room as a baby was trying his first walk. He wobbled around in the first three steps before finally made a run toward him. "Ah, look at you, you are quite talented even as a baby hahaha!"
Then the scene changed again, the baby had turned into a toddler with his set of gleaming teeth. He was tending an ax in the backyard before the toddler sneakily plays with the short dagger beside him. "Hh-hey! C'mon give it to grandfather, slowly, that thing is dangerous, hey! Don't run off!"
Then the scene changed again, as the toddler grew a few centimeters, he took him to the backyard to train. "Just pick whatever weapon you like, I will guide you thoroughly, wait don't pick all of them up!"
The memory was bittersweet before he was back to reality with a horn penetrated the right side of the wound the sword made. "Th-Thank you for being in my life, Sein."
His eyes slowly turned to rage as he glared at the demonic beast that had its horn penetrated his body, "Die!"
Sein who was running through the forest with sheer adrenaline alone was crying nonstop while gritting his teeth. The scene where Hama thrust his sword against his grandfather kept replaying in his mind. "I swear! Be it by the gods in heaven or the devils in hell! I will kill you all!"
After letting his shout, his eyes turned blurry before he immediately passed out on the ground.
"Good vow kid! You will love being under my wing!"
A man suddenly appeared in front of the lying youth with a smirk on his face. The gold dagger earring on his right ear slightly swayed by the wind.