Gu Erin felt his heart beat quicken as his blood started to flow faster and faster, his mind was set for the battle to come. His mind cleared of all thoughts as the ground shook even further and the roars turned near deafening. It wasn't till Gu Erin saw the trees start to shake and shift that he finally drew his sword.
The trees parted as five beasts leapt into the clearing, still in a dead sprint, as they did not even examine their surroundings before charging at the nearest target. Their eyes were glowing an eerie red as the qi around them seemed to shift away from them.
This was an effect of the beast tide, although it sent the beasts into an enraged state, dramatically increasing their combat effectiveness, as their own survival instincts took the back seat. This absolute disregard of their own life made them fearsome, however, this also took away one of the beasts' natural advantages, or at least limited them in a way. This was their instinctual use of qi.
This mindset both strengthened and weakened the beasts, but their sheer number made up for any disadvantage. Because as soon as these five beasts leapt at Gu Erin another four beasts had already come into the clearing.
Gu Erin examined his opponents, and dared not hesitate. Although they were weak as Entry Rank 1 beasts, Gu Erin knew all to well how being surrounded could affect one's outcomes. Gu Erin swung his sword, and with a perfect movement Gu Erin separated the first beast's head from its neck.
Next Gu Erin kept the momentum of his blade as it swept to his next target, a Mountain Ape, a Middle Rank 1 beast, it was strong, but slow.
"So slow…." Gu Erin whispered, this of course was not aimed at the ape, no, it was towards all of them.
Gu Erin felt like everything was slow in his mind, now that his gaze was focused on their movements. As his past life's experiences moved to the forefront of his mind, he watched each of them easily, examining every micro movement.
Ducking under a thrown stone from the new third group's Mountain Ape, his steps and body were fluid and graceful as he started dancing between almost imperceivable gaps between the attacks.
"So slow…." He whispered again as his blade sung through the air., separating two more heads easily.
"Why…?" Gu Erin took a step forward that closed the distance between him and his next target, it looked like a single step, yet it sent Gu Erin's body forward four meters, making him arrive in front of the Vine Tree Lizard. It tried to react by swinging its powerful spiked tail, yet found that its perspective was shifting rapidly. Darkness over came the Vine Tree Lizard, a Middle Rank 1 beast; as it didn't even know how it died.
"Why are they so weak?'" Gu Erin was confused yet; this confusion didn't affect his movements as he wove through three more beasts, bisecting them as he past them by. His sword leaving silver afterimages in the air. The qi in the area seemed to dance to the sound of his singing sword, as it gathered to him, like the qi was alive.
In his past life, these beasts would have made even Peak Blood Transformation Warriors struggle to keep up with them, but now? Gu Erin had to leap back keeping himself in the clearing as he cleared his way to the forest line. Twenty bodies of Rank 1 beasts littering the ground behind him.
Gu Erin didn't put down his guard, but he was starting to feel an indescribable frustration, why were they so weak? Or was he strong? He knew that his innate talents were at least Heaven Grade, was this the difference between a True Genius and the common rabble.
Gu Erin felt more and more frustrated, as he slaughtered each and every beast that entered the clearing not realizing the image he was painting with his actions. Gu Erin finally felt the approaching aura of a Rank 2 beast, and he finally felt…. relieved?
No, he had to be serious. Yet when he felt the enraged aura pressure him he almost found himself scoffing. Why was his mind all over the place? He felt strange, like he wasn't himself.
If Gu Erin hadn't been completely focused on the enemies in front of him, he would have noticed what the others in the camp were seeing. Although he had kept back the first small wave of beasts it looked like a completely different scene to them. Gu Erin's slaughter had taken a new form, and that was a beautiful natural catastrophe. Every movement seemed to take color away from the world around him.
The grass under his feet died, and turned black, as countless blood lotuses started to grow and bloom, an entry level herb that was notorious for growing on ancient battlefields. Yet, was somehow growing in an area where fresh blood had been spilt. The light morning mist started to turn light red, growing in depth with each new beast Gu Erin killed.
The mist was like a living entity as it started to move and swirl around Gu Erin's each and every movement, like something that was alive. Like a mysterious entity encouraging even more bloodshed.
Gu Erin didn't know about this as his mind was only focused on the enemy in front of him. The first Rank 2 beast, it was a Black Ridge Python and it hissed menacingly; however, it was reluctant to approach. Allowing Gu Erin to take the initiative.
Gu Erin did not bother on asking any more questions to himself, he knew he wouldn't get answers, instead he took this chance to take down a Rank 2 beast before the rest arrived. With a swing Gu Erin's blade slashed against the Black Ridge Python's body, sparks flying off its hard scales.
The pressure of the strike was enough to leave a deep gash, making Gu Erin feel slightly stunned, he wanted to ask why, but dared not as the ten-meter-long snake launched itself at him. Gu Erin jumped and blocked with his sword.
The impact threw him back, yet for some reason the very qi and air around him seemed to slow down his descent, causing him to slightly pause. Gu Erin looked around and finally noticed the Blood Mist, his heart shook, however, just as it did something in his mind snapped. Some of the unnoticeable dense haze in his heart and mind had lifted, as he understood.
This was part of his bloodline, the Immortal War Tyrant, the Ruler of the Battlefield, and the absolute existence of war. Gu Erin felt the Blood Mist like a third arm, he felt it trying to support him, yet unsure what to do. Gu Erin was equally unsure; he did not know how to use this aspect of his bloodline. Although his mind had been made aware of his bloodline, it did not equal understanding.
With a mental push, Gu Erin felt the mists give him a boost forward towards the Black Ridge Python… directly into its sweeping tail. Gu Erin was sent flying back yet again, but found himself cushioned by the Blood Mist. Irritating the Snake to no ends, as it hissed furiously, finally taking the initiative to attack.
Gu Erin cleared his mind, this was a new development, but it would not change anything, he needed to fight and kill this snake before the next group of Rank 2 beasts arrived. Gu Erin stood and with all his focus and determination charged the snake. Weaving through all the Rank 1 beasts in his path.
With each swing, Gu Erin could feel the connection of his sword to the Blood Mist, following his instincts, and the intuition of his new bloodline Gu Erin willed the Blood Mist to wrap around the blade.
Gu Erin's blade turned blood red as it glowed a dark crimson, making each sword hum get followed by a bloody afterimage. More and more beasts fell to Gu Erin's blade as he finally saw the people of his camp act. However, their efforts were for nought as the arrows shot by them either harmlessly bounced off the scales of the Black Ridge Python, or stuck in superficially, doing practically no damage.
Gu Erin met the snake again, this time ducking under the strike as he leapt for its head, something the Black Ridge Python didn't like as it did something new, but was something Gu Erin was waiting for. It shot qi imbued venom from its mouth, and expecting this Gu Erin shifted his target as he fell back. Aiming a powerful slash at the snake's midriff.
It gave a screaming near deafening hiss as it was nearly cut in half from Gu Erin's newly enhanced blade, which shocked both the snake and Gu Erin himself. The Snake writhed around in its death throws as Gu Erin aimed for the beast's head, nearly severing it completely.
With a final slash the beast's head was separated from its body, now if Gu Erin remembered correctly… With a disemboweling bisection, Gu Erin started to rummage through the snakes' innards. The action only taking a second as Gu Erin grasped a beast core the size of a large grapefruit. This beast core was not black like Rank 1 beasts, no it was purple the sure sign that it was Rank 2.
Gu Erin threw it towards the camp as he felt three more strong aura's approaching as he kept cutting down beasts left and right. Of course, Gu Erin could not hold back the tide by himself, countless beasts had gotten past him. Although they were frenzied that did not mean they were completely brainless. Only the fearless and the stupid charged recklessly, like the Rock Boar that Gu Erin had just nearly beheaded.
While the smarter and more cunning beasts weaved around him for the much weaker looking humans at the rear. Of course, they would not find an easy meal that easily, as they were stopped in their tracks by a solid wall of qi. Only to have multiple spears strike out at them. Some failed to evade, while most beasts had the quick reflexes to do so.
Most danced around the barrier, their steps far more graceful than their frenzied state would let on, as they did their best to avoid the spears and arrows, while simultaneously watching their steps for the sharpened steaks. Beasts who found themselves stuck in place temporarily would be soon turned into pin cushions by the human archers.
Beasts roared in frustration as it felt like they were assaulting a turtle, unfortunately for Gu Erin's camp, these roars were attracting more and more of the beast tide. And in doing so, likewise attracted more Rank 2 beasts.
***
In A Place Where Time And Space Have No Control Over –
Chaos frowned at his inheritor, although he was happy that he had awakened part of his new bloodline, he did not notice the changes he saw.
His inheritor would soon undergo a trial that he wasn't sure he'd survive.
A battle with himself, past, present, and future. The Trial of the Heart, one that is slowly being forced by the Universal Law itself, as it has detected the imbalance of time within his inheritor's Divine Soul and Dao.
Chaos only hoped that he came out of this Heart Tribulation, without a fractured mind and ego.