(Martial Disciple Stage 3)
(Power +3 +3 +3 +2 +7 +9 +1 +2)
(Stage 4, 5, 6...9)
(Congratulations, host, for breaking through to the Martial Warrior Realm.)
Kael heard the mechanical voice as his smile widened. Finally, the fight could stop, but he was able to learn something today—how powerful luck truly is.
Every time the leading assassin attempted to kill Garrick, he would mysteriously dodge or even counter the deadly attacks. It was an eye-opener for Kael, and he realized that fighting the son of destiny wasn't so easy.
"Second Uncle, you can end it now. Preferably, get some information out of him before killing him," Kael said.
"But, Uncle, before you leave, do you notice anything different about me?" Kael suddenly asked. He was puzzled. Even though he broke through the Martial ranks, he got no reaction from his second uncle, as if he was still the same.
"Little kid, you've become smarter, that I can say. Your father will be proud of you," the middle-aged man said before disappearing to finish the assassin.
When he was alone, Kael sighed. Maybe it was the unique way the Chaos Concept worked, but he still liked it. That didn't mean he couldn't showcase his strength, but with his experience, he knew it would be better this way. He could attack and kill anyone while keeping his power hidden until it was truly needed.
Looking around, Kael saw the gruesome scene. Yet, he didn't feel irritated or disgusted. It was like seeing dead flies—no pity, just a plain, indifferent look.
"Hm, I've changed. Maybe it's because of the Chaos Body, but I feel excited and extremely pleased with this gruesome scene," Kael thought as he examined himself with furrowed brows.
During a change, the best thing to do is understand oneself. Drawing this conclusion made Kael sigh again. He wondered how he would be like once he completed the three trials.
Taking a deep breath, Kael moved on to examine his body. At the Martial Disciple Realm, he felt he could take on multiple strong humans in a fight. But at the Martial Warrior Realm, he felt fighting one hundred men would be no problem for him.
"What a fascinating feeling," Kael thought, admitting that having strength was satisfying.
Kael took out the crest given to him by the drunken warlord and smiled as he placed it on one of the dead guard's bodies.
"This will hurt a bit," Kael thought as he picked up a clean sword and slashed his palm.
Blood dripped quickly as he clenched his fist and let it cover the crest.
Holding his bloody palm, Kael tore off a piece of garment from the ground and wrapped it around his wound.
Just then, Garrick and his second uncle arrived.
"Young lad, I'm sorry. I couldn't get any information from him, so I thought maybe you might be able to. Don't worry, I've rendered him useless. He's nothing but a normal human now," the middle-aged man said, dropping the body to the ground.
"Oh, alright. Thank you, Second Uncle. I'll see what I can do then," Kael replied.
"You're welcome. And this bodyguard of yours—he's a talent, you know. A good leader doesn't forsake his subordinates," the middle-aged man advised.
"I'll take note of that, Second Uncle," Kael replied as the man nodded with a smile before disappearing back to the Eryndor Kingdom.
"Hope I didn't cause you any serious damage?" Kael asked with concern, walking toward Garrick and checking him over.
Traces of minor injuries could be seen.
"It's nothing, Crown Prince. Just doing my job. Besides, he deserved it," Garrick said, and Kael nodded.
In fact, if the son of destiny had been seriously injured, Kael would have been even more pleased. But, of course, he couldn't say that aloud. He still needed to pretend.
"Alright. Even though you need to protect me, your life is important. Value it," Kael said.
"Worthless," Kael thought with a grin.
"I will, Crown Prince. What are you going to do with him, though?" Garrick asked, pointing at the unconscious assassin leader's body.
"Well, I haven't tried it yet, but... something interesting," Kael said with a sly smile.
************
Eryndor Kingdom...
The Crown Prince's carriage returned to the Eryndor Kingdom, albeit this time with an extra assassin leader and far quieter than when they had left. After all, most of the guards had been killed.
News of the Crown Prince's return quickly spread among the nobles, and the royal family's joy was evident. However, not everyone was pleased to hear the news.
At a particular aristocrat's house...
William was pacing anxiously around his room, his mind swirling with possibilities of failure.
"Is he dead? Or was he captured alive? Did the bride's ancient warrior master make a move? Did he confess when tortured? Aargh! Why did I agree to this in the first place?!
I'm dead. Dead," William said, holding his head in his hands, his face full of dread.
"Wait, no. I still have hope. I have to see her now," William said after a few minutes of panic.
As a noble, he could house a Martial Master, but he couldn't bring one across the border without the royal family's knowledge.
This directly showed that William was working under someone—and that someone was a member of the royal family.
*******
At the palace...
Kael was summoned by his father as soon as he arrived.
Upon entering the throne room, Kael found only his father waiting. They discussed the events that had occurred.
Even though Kael's second uncle had already informed his father about what happened, the King still preferred to hear it directly from Kael.
After a few words of caution, telling Kael to be careful and avoid going out, the Crown Prince was dismissed.
At an underground room.
Kael stood alone with a man tied to a table. Various equipment littered the room, each designed to inflict the most excruciating pain imaginable.
"Name?" Kael asked, his voice calm yet chilling.
The man remained silent. His face was bruised, his physique fit but ordinary. He wore only a cloth covering his lower body, leaving the rest of him exposed to the cold, merciless air of the room.
Kael, on the other hand, was dressed in a new outfit that struck a perfect balance between casual comfort and luxurious refinement. His presence exuded dominance and control.
"I'm sure my second uncle tried to get something out of you with his methods, but it seems you're stronger than he anticipated, huh?" Kael remarked with a slight grin.
The man remained silent, his eyes avoiding Kael's piercing gaze.
Kael shook his head. "Since you won't talk, I'll have to start with a little experiment. I came up with some new ideas for torture. Forgive me if I make any mistakes, alright?" he said, his grin widening as he approached a large metallic table.
Spread out before him were a variety of sharp tools, each more menacing than the last. Picking up a knife and a plier-like instrument, Kael turned back toward his captive.
This man had once been a Martial Master Realm cultivator, but now, stripped of his cultivation by Kael's second uncle, he was reduced to a mere mortal.
"You've got ten fingernails," Kael began casually. "Losing one shouldn't be a problem, right?"
He opened the plier's jaws, clamping it onto one of the man's nails. "Here's how this works. For every question you answer, we move to a new game. But if you don't answer, we continue with the current one. Fair enough?"
The man's silence persisted.
Kael sighed and applied pressure, slowly prying the nail loose. Blood began to trickle, and the man grimaced in pain.
"Ah, I was starting to think you were mute," Kael said mockingly as he yanked the nail free.
"Argh!" The man screamed, his eyes bloodshot from the pain, as blood poured from his fingertip.
Kael watched the scene with unsettling relish. He couldn't tell if it was due to his Chaos Body, but he was enjoying this. After all, why should he show mercy to someone who had tried to kill him?
"Next nail, then," Kael announced, his tone cheerful yet sadistic. This time, he moved even slower, maximizing the man's agony.
By the time Kael finished, all ten fingernails were gone, the man's fingers bleeding profusely. He lay gasping for air, each breath feeling like a knife stabbing into his lungs. His mind teetered on the brink of collapse.
"No, I must not speak," the man thought desperately, clinging to his resolve. "If I talk, my family will be killed. I just have to endure this… I'll die here anyway. A few days more, I can do this."
Kael chuckled, placing the last nail onto a metal plate. "Impressive, I must admit," he said, his voice laced with mockery.
He picked up the knife he hadn't yet used and slowly approached the man. "How about I treat your wounds? They look so… irritating," Kael said, his words dripping with feigned concern.
Each step Kael took toward him felt like the approach of a demon. The man's heart pounded in his chest, fear gripping him tightly. Without his cultivation, he was no longer a warrior but a helpless mortal, entirely at the mercy of this sadistic crown prince.
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