Baika had already started leaving the area, a slight impatience in his eyes. 'Damn them, how did they reach an alliance so fast. This does not bode well for the continent.'
His master's figure was the tall tree protecting the young sapling from danger. A steady look in his aged face. The staff he used looked clean but unassuming, similar to his basic green and blue robes.
Faintly his muscular physique could be seen underneath his clothing. The monk would mutter softly but took a long look at his apprentice.
"What are you thinking?"
Baika bit his lip slightly, a hidden implication in the question he'd already caught onto.
"Master the Goldbringer family is undoubtably the most responsible ones to bear the mantle of king and queen. I have no intentions of getting involved with succession, but letting those monsters take over would spell the end of the land. Remember what the Clown Gods did to the Floitin region."
The master was silent, not answering his disciple. His staff making a rhythmic wooden tap on the floor.
Stopping the monk spoke again, "To be concerned with every state of the world is to allow yourself to subject to it's change. A constant and ever flowing stream of change, and yet you think it won't drown you. I cannot say what tomorrow brings but the trees will blossom like they always do each year."
Baika let out a breath of frustration packed air. Though he knew his master was right about the state of the world it did little to set his heart at ease.
He wondered if the man underestimated how bad the repercussions will be. Zamma was a freak and not even the worst of that group.
On top of that the Blood sect, part of the Goldbringers, and the Sunken Lions being in cahoots was anything but reassuring. Each group was destructive and crazy in their own right.
Feeling in his pocket, Baika took out the talisman that signified his favor towards Ash. Looking towards his master Baika was about to speak when his master just looked at him.
'He almost always knows what's on my heart.' "Thank you master." His master smiled as the two disappeared.
******************************************************************************************************Back at realm entrance*
Ash looked at the menacing figure of Kraven, something keenly different compared to before.
"There's no sign of wastage and he looks invigorated. This sucks, I could barely fight him before and now he's magically healed up." Looking at Pocket still in his arms and Grim on his shoulder Ash felt this was as good a time to pray as any.
"Hey God, hahaha, it'd be great if you made it so..... I don't know, I don't die. Aren't I like chosen or something, a little help. Please let my friend live, help Kaz and I to get out of here, and make sure that F*ing monk pays back my favor."
Ash had barely blinked and Kraven was flying at him with speed that he couldn't even hope to match. As the cleaver chopped down onto Ash, his pupils had yet to even recognize the presence of it.
"No." With one word a staff met the cleaver causing it to deviate from Ash. A red flash and the area next to Ash now had an enormous cut. Ash's pupils shrunk as Baika now stood before him with his master not far away. Kraven's master as well as Ponzi both seemed to raise an eyebrow.
Kraven looking at Baika's figure grew furious. "Another intervention from the Earth Fuckers. Back off or I'll gut you like a fish Baika. You have no business interfering."
"It is my business Kraven. These two are under the protection of the Lotus Sect. You may not lay a finger on their heads."
Ponzi spoke, "Does the Lotus Sect now stand against the Legion Association?" For the first time, Baika's master frowned.
"I don't believe any of you friends need to escalate to that level. The boy has done a great favor to the Lotus Sect and our guests have the utmost appreciation. Please friend, let us find another way."
Zamma chuckled and whispered something to Ponzi. Kraven's master gave a disdainful scoff hearing the monk speak.
"Seems you monks need to be taught a lesson... again." The monk and sect elder only shared a glance but monstrous pressure descended. Ash flushed pale while his vision became lined with blurry images.
'Am I conscious?' Confusion was the only present emotion. Ash couldn't even tell if he was awake or not. The pressure itself was bad but the area around the monk had a type of energy that felt filled with nature's wrath.
The Blood Sect elder on the other hand had an energy that seemed to reek of agony and blood itself. Their collision of mere will was apocalyptic, the ground seemed to explode around them, the air vibrated, screams and chanting could be heard.
Baika, Kraven, Kaz, and Ash all shook. Ash and Kaz shook the worst as their expressions were filled with pain.
Baika bit his lip while Kraven's grip on his cleaver tightened. This was a battle of monsters. Grim had passed out with Pocket groaning from pain. For the first time, Ash felt absolute fear. This was nothing like the Blood Realm, it was beyond it. Neither of the two were actually fighting, merely showing off who's will was stronger. The sickening feeling of the Blood Sect elders' energy was something hadn't ever experienced. Even the Lotus Sect elder gave off the feeling of a mountain ready to descend upon him.
Yet the pain didn't last long. Both elders stopped as Ponzi clapped his hands. Just from that clap a wave of energy calmed the entirety of the area. The surroundings looked like they'd seen hellish battle.
"The boys may live. But a price they must pay." The blood sect elder frowned at the declaration but went back to silent indifference.
Baika frowned and looked at his master but the man remained stoic.
"What price."
"Freedom."
"What do you have in mind. "
"Send them to the Star Gas Realm." Kraven spoke, his master actually smiling at the suggestion.
Baika's face flushed pure red in anger. About to speak out his master sternly looked at him before answering.
"Is this the only offer?" Baika's master ignored Kraven looking to the clowns. Ponzi didn't even answer and simply nodded. A long sigh and a heavy look, Baika's master agreed.
Kaz looked around confused at the bleak expression of Baika and his master. Ash shared a look with his tubby friend, equally confused.
'A realm, and not the good kind by the looks of it.' As though their fates sealed, Zamma laughed looking pleased, much to the annoyance of everyone around. Kraven walked up to Ash with only Baika between them.
"I know where you come from little rat. You know, this wasn't the outcome I wanted, but I'm glad." The smile on his face highlighting the razor sharp canines and look of dark malice in his eyes.
"I'm glad you'll spend eternity burning alive while I massacre the remnants of your village."
Ash's face morphed into abject rage. Yet a heavy hit came upon his head before he could speak. Baika now holding him and his two bonds. Kaz looked at Baika, his usually goofy face absent with something else replacing it. It was far more serious than anyone could've expected. A type of sullenness along with a burning flame in his eyes.
"You may have us down now, but one day we'll be back. Back to take everything and then some." Kraven looked at the boy thinking little of him but the look in his eyes commanded him to take it seriously. It was the look that someone gave as if to consume their soul no matter the price.
'This is why master always said to never leave them alive. The karma they get you tangled with is deep.' Baika's master knocked the Kaz and Mako unconscious, carrying the two of them.
"On behalf of the Legion Association. I Hannibal Kabal sentence these two to twenty years in the Star Gas Region." Zamma danced at the judgement laughing as faint whispers of the head spoke to him.
Baika and his master nodded, proceeding to leave.