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in the blink of an eye, 10 years worth of memories filled with Clearwind's diffucult training, accompanying family and clan, passed.
Night, Radiance city, Golden-tray restaurant.
"Brother Clearwind, please do think about it! the Flowcrest clan is a powerful behemoth with many experts, and also one of the 8 clans who are responsible for humanity's protection against the Demi clan." a stout man sitting at a table was gobbling down food as he tried to persuade a young man with long black hair and white tips.
"This i know, and my clan and i are grateful for their contributions to humanity, but brother Hardstone has to keep in mind that this might be my only chance to breakthrough to the Arch Assimilation realm. Whatever the case, i have to prioritise myself in this matter, not to mention that i nearly lost my life in order to harvest the tri-flower." the current Clearwind seemed more mature. he had a somewhat handsome face and shoulder long hair, and after all the difficult training his body has developed into one that is 1.8 meters tall, and muscular but compact seemingly holding explosive power.
"Alright, but elder Flowray wont be happy about this." Hardstone sighed as he got up while shaking his head. "please continue your meal brother Clearwind, i'll take my leave first."
"Mm, take care." Clearwind fell into thought as he watched Hardstone walk away, why is elder Flowray so adamant about getting the tri-flower? a day after news leaked about me harvesting the flower in the deep forest, he sent a subordinate over telling me to name a price, something is not right. a tri-flower albeit rare shouldn't warrant such importance to an elder of the 8 major clans.
The Flowcrest clan is an ancient clan that has existed for slightly longer than a thousand years, compared to that, the Clearsword clan's history of a hundred years seems much shorter. they also have an exalted seat in the human alliance's 8 seats.
Although the tri-flower is extremely useful for those at the peak of the Body Tempering realm, the Flowcrest clan has no lack of Arch Assimilation realm experts.
Hmm.. i'll have to inform father about this, Clearwind decided that he should be careful regarding this matter, after all the Flowcrest clan posses a lot of power in the human race, offending a member of the clan especially an elder can potentially prove inconvenient.
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"H- how did it come to this...?" Clearwind face was pale as he couldn't believe his eyes, looking at Radiance city from a nearby mountain.
Radiance city was being illuminated by the Clearsword clan's residence area burning, and men, women and even children were being slaughtered while trying to escape.
"NO please spare my child!" a woman was shielding her child as a Flowcrest soldier slashed at her with an axe.
"Damn Flowcrest clan! traitors! traitors!" a one armed old man shouted loudly as he rushed in with a sword before being cut down by multiple Flowcrest soldiers.
"Ahhhhh! please stop, no more!" a child was screaming next to a woman's body.
"Hahahaha... as long as a single member of our clan escapes we will have our revenge!" a valiant man was laughing as he took down three soldiers before being surrounded and killed.
"All of this because of a tri-flower....?" Clearwind's eyes were red and his body was shaking. he had multiple slash wounds along with ragged robes. he grabbed his sword intending to jump back into the fray.
before he could even move a step forward, a fist crashed down on his head.
"Fool!" a stern man with a gaping wound on his side scolded angrily. it was none other than his father and an Arch Assimilation expert Clearbreeze.
"What can you do? i barley managed to rescue you and your mother, if i was late by even a minute i might not have been able to. i don't even know where your brother is, and you want to go back in and die?" although Clearbreeze was visibly angry, his eyes were also red as he looked at the clan's residence being burnt down and the clansmen scrambling to escape.
"But father! it's my fault this is happening to the clan, if i had just given up the tri-flower obediently.... if only i had done that... how wonderful would that have been?" tears filled Clearwind's eyes. he was filled with guilt!
"You really think that the Flowcrest clan's goal is the tri-flower?" Clearbreeze shook his head as he stared at his son. "although the tri-flower is somewhat rare, it means nothing to them. they are merely using this as an excuse."
"Son, there is no need for you to feel guilty about this matter. they would have gotten an excuse eventually, what matters most right now is to escape" his mother sitting on a rock nearby added in.
"Your mother is right, lets go. i will carry your mother, follow me we need to move quickly before we are discovered" as soon as Clearbreeze finished talking he moved towards his wife and hoisted her on his shoulder before running down the other side of the mountain.
Clearwind stared at the city with tears in his eyes, bowing his head, before quickly following after his father. although his father was carrying his mother, his speed was still shocking. Clearwind was barley able to keep up thanks to his father slowing down for him.
...
Escaping to the obscure village.
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His father Clearbreeze's death due to severe injuries.
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His mother's death due to her illness.
...
And finally the moment the young man known as "Clearwind" took his own life in despair.
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Near the village, on top of the hill. Rain was starting to dwindle, and the weather started to clear up
As Aught laid there, his mind was in turmoil.
"Clearsword clan... Clearwind... Flowcrest clan... what an unfortunate fate" although he inhabited Clearwind's body, he could still feel his lingering resentment. It was so immense that Aught felt discomfort in his heart.
It was no wonder, anyone in his place would usually fall into despair and graner resentment. Just when he got the tri-flower and had a chance to reach the realm he was training for since being a child, it was snatched by force as an excuse to attack his clan resulting in his clan being nearly exterminated. He had to watch as both his father and mother slowly died after escaping that nightmarish night. his hopes and the people he loved were shattered as though fate was mocking him.