Won suddenly stopped.
His eyes widened and he laughed, "Ah. I guess you win Wang So. Wow you really figured it out fast."
Won fell to the ground. The large hand faded away and even the black skin and red eyes on Won dissapeared.
Everything turned into dust.
Won's body began to shrivel up as his vitality was being consumed.
Wang So stood up, his eyes red.
Wang So eyes flinched, "You were amazing. Yet I was lucky."
Wang So suddenly held his held and fell to one knee.
He vomited some black blood.
Wang So said, "That technique you used it alongside your discharge of energy with that pill, therefore the loss and gain were equal. So all I did was increase the gain momentarily so the loss would automatically increase and then quick reduce the gain."
Wang So raised his sword, his eyes shining red, "At my Cultivation everything should be much more elegant, yet I fought such a barbaric fight. A fight where I could barely do anything and had to use my full strength at all time. You continue to make me curious and dumbfounded Won. Yet today is the day you die."
Wang So raised his sword and stabbed Won through the heart.
A silence fell.
Wang So limped away.
...
From the darkness over a hundred shadows appeared.
They began to suddenly fall to the ground as something strange poured into Won.
Won's body began to visibly heal, as his sunken in skin began to glow again full of youthful vigor. A soft thud in the wind, began to turn into a rancorous rumbling.
One shadow whispered, "Master knew the risks yet he took the pill. Even with his secret method of being able to control the flow of energy his meridians have been irreversibly damaged. Even healing him is difficult as the vitality is just going wherever it wants and not being circulated by his body. Even his Dantian and Magic heart have basically become disabled. He's barely alive and will need Continuous vitality as a life support."
Another continued, "This was a known fact. Even if master won it is likely this would have happened."
"What do we do?"
"First take him to rest."
The shadows took Won gently away.
...
Back in the Ito capital. Won was resting on a bed in the Emperor's palace in a coma.
Two days had passed.
A crowd of shadows sat in a circle giving their vitality towards Won.
Ozaris sat anxiously outside purple fog lingering around his brows. His heavy eyes gazing at the sky, an wild wrath clearly drawn on his creased forehead.
He slammed his hand down and the ground cracked a nearby castle began to crumble and fall.
Gasps of fear and shock could be heard from the palace maids wandering about.
Ozaris's eyes glazed over as he thought, "For the vitality to help master recover if I sacrifice this entire capital it should be more than enough. Perhaps he can even recover his meridians if I kill this entire Empire and Sangria..."
Ozaris then shook his head, "No master would be disturbed and anxious over having so many lives hang on his shoulders... So thej what should I do!"
Ozaris shrunk inwardly at his weakness.
Just then a soldier came rushing over.
Ozaris peeked up and asked, "What is it? Sangria?"
Ozaris's eyes turned red. A dangerous and visible killing intent flooding outwards.
The soldier paled, but replied, "No sir. The citizens have gathered outside questioning about the Lords condition. Although we tried to hide as much information as you said to prevent the situation getting worse, it seems a man plucking vegetables on a mountain happened to see the Shadows carrying Lord."
Ozaris spat out in disgust, "What are they panicking? Are they asking His Majesty to take responsibility or something of the sort."
The soldier said, "Some are saying that."
Ozaris turned his head away, "Miserable, undependable humans."
The soldier tightened his fists and raised his head, "Sir, although some are blaming the Lord for his greed and his arrogance. More are questioning genuinely of the Lords health. Many of those who frequent the mountains have donated top quality herbs for the Lord. Even a 100,000 year old Ginseng and 1000 year Blood Fruit have been donated. The ones with enough money have literally thrown their money at us to buy medicine for the lord. Even the poor said they would do anything even dying for the Lord. While not everyone the majority of Ito believes, admires and worries for our beloved God of Victory and now our Emperor."
Ozaris stood up, he walked towards the soldier and stared at him deeply in the eyes, "Are you telling the truth."
The soldier looked firmly back and said, "Yes sir. I and Ito itself will protect our Lord, we will die for him, we shall fight even to out last breath for his sake. He who has freed us from suffering, he who has promised us much more than we deserve, he who gives us strength and courage. He who defies the unsightly and selfish Heavens for us! The one who speaks of responsibility when no one would ever take such care! He is truly the God in our hearts! He bleeds for us and fights for us, and we shall repay him in part."
Ozaris flinched.
Those willful eyes. They were so alarming.
Some could say two years was a short time, but if spent to its best two years could be worth more than a million or more.
Ozaris recalled something Won told him.
"When I was a child I depended and loved two people only. My mother and my Auntie. My mother was obvious, she was the only one who cared for me, she was the one who gave me my dictionary for life. Then there was my Auntie, you see she wasn't actually my Auntie. I ran away when I was kid, it was right after my mom died. I ran into the woods and met her. She was haughty for no reason, and rough, yet she showed me genuine concern and affection. That's why when I do something even when I'm lying I actually do it. When I tried tricking Yuna into loving me, a small part of me genuinely wanted a warm family with her. I think intention matters not the action in of itself. Many people insult killing others, but for only if it's needless, useless killing or something like that is it worthless and horrid. When you kill someone to survive, when you kill someone for revenge, dosent that seem almost admirable. Thus in every interaction I've had I haven't been acting, I've genuinely been interested in things, in the people of Ito. I honestly think my intention would get through to them, just like how my Aunties crude behavior had warmness and safeguarding towards me. I'll never forget her and one day I'll bring her back to life, and I'll take care of her just like she did me."
Ozaris laughed as he looked back.
"Your Majesty is this what you meant? If so you should be proud. Ah you're really cool aren't you."
Ozaris looked towards the soldier, "Thank you. Let us go."
The soldier said firmly, "Yes sir!"
Then he scratched his head, "Where?"
Ozaris shook his head, "Take me to the people of Ito. My masters people."
...
Ozaris looked at the hordes of people in front of the castle.
Indeed of the hundred's of thousands of people outside, only about 40 were disgusting humans with no respect for those who fought for them.
Those fourty were rich and Nobility and even the soldiers here from Won's personal guard who had fought with their lives on the line, they were disregarded and insulted. In the world those who fought for others were in the end given the same obscene and terrible treatment. Those who do not respect the sacrifices of others and the blood they shed are scum. These bastards were screaming about their property and money, not caring about the lives of others.
Ozaris exclaimed loudly, his voice shaking the skies.
"Silence!"
It rang in echos spreading across, penetrating into ones pores.
Silence pervaded.
Ozaris said, "His Majesty the Emperor of Ito Won is currently in a coma after having fought the expert from Sangria. The expert is currently severely injured and thus Ito is safe for now so those who are worried for their families worry not, in the coming days their will be attempts made to evacuate the young, old and disabled. Children will be taken with one parent or guardian."
One noble asked, "How can Ito be safe! Sangria is a Gigantic Empire how can our small Empire ever fight against it!"
Ozaris looked sharply over, his Iris turning into slits.
"We have been fighting those who are stronger, who have more potential and abilities for this long and have Continuously come out victorious. This is thanks to effort and sacrifice of our citizens in the army, as well as His Majesties plans. He has made countless safeguards worry not."
One noble snickered, "Countless safeguards? Haha then why is he in a coma..."
That nobles head exploded.
Ozaris's aura flooded into the sky.
His voice like the darkest demon from the deepest hell, "Anyone who dares insult my master I shall burn in flames of purgatory."
The Nobility became alarmed they aggressively retorted, "Do you think you can just kill and do as you wish! You can't just kill people! Isn't that... right..."
The noble woman who spoke felt the emotionless and uncaring eyes of the citizens and soldiers fall on her.
She then began to tremble as she looked up.
She saw two red eyes speak, "No I don't think anyone will say anything. The intent behind the action matters, not the action itself. That's what His Majesty told me."
Ozaris calmed himself down and said, "Anyway while this will prevent Ito being invaded for the time being and protect the future of our populace, our Empire will surely crumble when that expert comes. He fought with His majesty and just the results of his actions flattened countless mountains, I'm sure you can imagine his strength. Furthermore that was when he was being restrained by his Majesty."
An old man asked, "What shall we do Great Advisor?"
Ozaris said, "His Majesty is currently on life support with the aid of the vitality from our servants and objects. If you have herbs rich in spirituality or have special vitality please I beg you come help His Majesty."
The people all looked to each other in distress.
An old man raised his hand and said, "I have an old sword an Immortal my great grandfather saved gave to us. Even a weak old man like me when I hold it has enough strength to cut trees like butter."
"I have a necklace with some strange water, whenever I wear it it's cold to the touch as if Ice."
"I have a beaded necklace I found in a bamboo groove, it had Buddhist inscriptions!,"
"I have a shovel that's passed down in my family! Compared to other shovels it is hundreds of times better, it even rings from time to time as if in enjoyment!"
"I was born with great strength and great vitality. The doctors said that the vitality had clogged my eight main channels and that I would die at twenty. I don't know if I can help Great Advisor."
"I was born with a super tooth. It's sharp like steel and seems to glow in the night!"
Like that endless amounts of people offered their sacred objects, their family heirlooms and beloved treasures that could change their lives in one move. They all did it for one man.