Amane was a 22-year old who recently joined the Bloody Apes just barely a week ago. He grew up on the rough streets of Eastside, Kyosei shi [Boundary City]. His father was incarcerated, and his mother struggled with addiction. He learned to rely on his fists and wit to survive. After a while, he joined the "Bloody Ape Gang" seeking protection, brotherhood, and a sense of belonging. He quickly proved himself in fights and minor heists.
He quickly earned respect from senior members and formed tentative bonds with fellow recruits. He participated in low-level crimes during his short stay, learning the gang's dynamics.
He had already witnessed the grotesque sight of Kuroma beating Iguro to a bloody pulp many times, and though he felt awry, he could not possibly match up to Kuroma's cultivation, still being at the Upper E Grade.
The lad's body contorted, scales bursting forth, and wings unfolding. Amane watched in horror as the transformation completed, revealing a majestic human-dragon hybrid. Amane's mind reeled, struggling to comprehend the impossible. Fear, awe, and confusion warred within him. He could inform the others, or watch the scene further unfold.
His mind in turmoil, he simply stood quietly. Suddenly, a burst of energy suddenly descended on him.
"A Tribulation!" Amane said somewhat fearfully. A cultivator should never be near another cultivator during a Tribulation, unless they wanted to be blasted into bits.
However, this person was only breaking into the D grade, so the World Beam shouldn't be too powerful.
As he beam descended, he has prepared to flee, but the sudden beam left him abashed, and he despaired.
How the hell could a D Grade summon such a Tribulation?
As he silently accepted his fate, he suddenly yelped, his body being dragged towards the draconic being. About to resist, he grunted and circulated his Cultivation Art.
A moment later though, he witnessed a whole hundred meters turn to nothing, and silently stood within the dragon's embrace.
Many cultivators fled alongside their comrades, but their escape was short-lived. Panic set in as they realized Iguro's rampage had drawn unwanted attention: The Hunters' Association.
A sleek black van screeched to a halt beside the fleeing cultivators. The HA's emblem – a silver crescent moon – adorned the side panel. Armed agents, nearing the hundreds, clad in tactical gear, spilled out.
"You're the Bloody Apes," an agent spat. "Responsible for the string of robberies and assaults. Tonight, you pay the price." Several recognized the woman's voice – Yurika, a famous executive of the Hunter Association.
Yurika raised her hand, unleashing [Spellbound Retribution]. Fiery arrows rained down, striking fleeing gang members. Ice shards impaled others, freezing them in place. Illusions confused and disoriented the remaining members.
The HA had tracked the Bloody Apes for weeks, fueled by grievances from past encounters. Tonight, they would settle the score. The HA agents fiercely attacked, not sparing any gang members. Cries of agony resounded as the gang's numbers swiftly reduced.
"You're the one who helped capture the dragon, huh?" Yurika sneered at Daichi as she pointed at him."Your punishment will be... creative." Daichi readied himself, knowing the HA wouldn't show mercy.
With a dash, Yurika kicked at Daichi, sending him crashing into a wall. "Your fighting skills are amateurish," she sneered, conjuring a swirling vortex. "But I'll give you credit – you're brave."
As Daichi struggled, Yurika summoned a icy blade. He was beyond depressed, knowing an A Grade couldn't contend with a true cultivator.
"Your gang's actions have consequences," Yurika declared. The ice blade shot out of her arms, shooting towards Daichi. "Tonight, you pay for your crimes." Daichi parriedthe blade, covering his arm in a thin layer of frost, but buying time. He recalled whispers of the HA's ruthless tactics, and seemed to despair for a a moment, but suddenly burst out in happiness.
A joyous expression appeared on Daichi's face, and a shockwave spread violently. A fiery blast struck the van, shattering windows and sending agents to heaven. A mysterious human appeared.
"Leader Hisashi!" Daichi shouted happily. Yurika squinted, her sword blowing away dust.
Hisashi conjured a blade of blazing fire, pointing it at Yurika. "Leave him alone," he calmly spoke. Yurika's eyes narrowed.
"For strength, of course!" Hisashi grinned. "I need a pawn under my control." The meek Bloody Ape members went berserk, exploding into a poisonous blood mist.
From within the World Energy beam, two finger-thick red beams shot out, flying towards Hisashi. "Instead of multiple common Mutants, I just need one extremely powerful one."
Hisashi smiled, shoving the blood drop into Daichi's mouth.
Amane felt something rioting within him. Iguro shouted, "Stop revolving that art and rebel against your Qi if you want to survive!"
Amane's form began to compress, his eyes turning blood red. Iguro warned, "Rioting against your Qi will cripple you, but it's the only way to get rid of that damned art!"
Nodding quickly, he rebelled against his own Qi, but it didn't seem to be enough. Bestial Qi was extremely savage, and destroyed his low quality Qi easily. A crazy thought lit up within his head, and he suddenly absorbed surrounding World Energy, ballooning up.
Meanwhile, Daichi suddenly enlarged, muscles thickening, skin turning scarlet. With a deafening roar, he punched at Yurika.
Yurika retreated, ambient temperature dropping. [Frosted Burial!] With a wave, several ice coffins fell from the sky, freezing Daichi solid.
Husashi suddenly appeared by her side and hacked ruthlessly, intending to cripple her. However, a bright light burst forth as he struck with his sword, and he flew backwards uncontrollably.
"Artifact!" Hisashi shouted, surprised. Quickly stabilizing himself, he shot back at her.
Daichi cracked through the ice, shooting his arm backward in an unnatural way as he suddenly sensed Yurika release a devastating attack.
Yurika suddenly flicked, releasing [Divine Flame Arrow]
A massive flame arrow suddenly burst forth from her fingertip, flying at an unnatural speed. With a loud bang and a shockwave that sent everything flying back, Daichi's Palm and the arrow collided.
His arm quickly gave way, and was burnt to nothing. Not seeming to lose power, the arrow continued forth, impaling his body.
Frustrated, Hisashi quickly drew symbols in the air, and a metal spike descended upon Yurika.
Flustered, she prepared to activate her artifact again as she couldn't move freely due to the timing o the attack.
Suddenly though, a middle-aged man struck at the spike, colliding a screech to spread out as blood poured from his mouth. Suddenly intercepting, he grabbed Yurika and rapidly fled.
"A C Grade cultivator could stop a True Cultivator?" Yurika was dumbfounded.
Meanwhile, Hisashi grinned, ignoring Mr. Kaito entirely. A diagram of a worm glowed before him, and a loud screech resounded as his plan unraveled. "Peak Earth grade," Yurika frowned at the atrocity before her – a giant worm with limbs of countless other beasts attached.
"None of you will escape the massacre!" Hisashi grinned, punching the sky. A symbol glowed brightly as he punched, and crimson barrier appeared, trapping them within.
Meanwhile, Iguro would roll his eyes in anger if he could spare the time. A normal Tribulation was about ten minutes. Yet two hours had passed, yet the Tribulation continued!