...
A silent shadow wove between the ruins of the region. Trails of blood and clean corpses of creatures were left by its blade. The area was blanketed by a heavy and suffocating silence that made it hard to breathe.
However, silence was not foreign to the silent shadow. It was something akin to a loyal companion that had accompanied him for years. And perhaps... forever.
HOWL!
A soft vibration thrummed against his skin, causing him to stop as he assessed the oppressive weight behind it. Through the vibration, he could tell that it was a howl. One made by a very powerful creature. Something worthy of his attention.
'How long can they last?'
...
Looking at Liam's dissipating form, Kaiser's lips curled slightly.
'He has mastered the first step. Fascinating for someone from the outer sector of the universe. The Void Sect would be shocked.'
Turning his gaze towards the red eyed beast meters away, he rose from his position and gazed at the growling beasts around him.
Perhaps their leader had cautioned them from attacking him.
"GGRR"
A low guttural growl echoed from the position of the beast as it rose up, revealing its full form. It towered nine feet in height, dwarfing the minions under it. Then it lowered its eyes to look at him like a prey.
"I want to converse..." Kaiser spoke in a whining tone. "It's been so long— too long!"
His eyes swirled with madness as he tore at his own shirt, tearing it off and revealing his tattooed body and— his eyes crying tears of blood.
"I hope we can talk for a long time."
Saying that, he summoned his spear— the blade glistening even in the dim lights.
As a deaf person, he had found it hard to understand people. And after years of torture in the deafening silence, his only way of understanding people was by fighting them. Through their body movements he could tell what kind of person they were. Through their techniques he could tell their past. Through their eyes he could see their intent— and their heart.
They were the only moments he enjoyed most.
And now, was one of them.
The Ruin Alpha, the apex predator and leader of the Ruin Hunters lunged at him as its body shifted into something smaller. A more corporeal beast with six sharp tails.
Kaiser spun his spear as it parried four of the tails while he twisted his shoulder to dodge the other two which would have stabbed his heart and lungs.
They exchanged several attacks, reducing everything around them to rubble as their forms seemed to blink in and out of reality. They moved fast— too fast for regular eyes to follow.
Grinning, he jumped forward, reaching the beast's height as his movements lightened. A sense of soft lethality enveloping them.
'Soft gale: Blossoming Blood'
His attacks weaved through the Alpha's own and softly touched its skin without leaving any visible mark. It repeated several times until he moved back and landed on the ground— his eyes shining brightly.
"Blossom..."
*ROOAR!*
The beast roared in pain as several red lines appeared on its body— blood spurting from them.
'Ah, you're always used to winning. You have never felt this kind of pain, have you?' He thought with an amused chuckle.
This beast was always the ruler since it was born. No one to challenge it and overthrow its control— in the outskirts anyway. The harrowing creatures in the center region always sent shivers of fear down it's spine.
This, he felt it all clearly. The arrogance at the start. The quiet sense of reluctant respect as they clashed. The growing sense of unease it felt when it realized none of its attacks injured him. Then the current growing sense of despair.
The beast growled in frustration. Its hunter instincts telling it this prey couldn't be hunted. Yet it failed to believe. After all, it was a maniac in other's eyes. However, in this person's eyes it only saw cold arrogance and quiet hunger. The hunger wasn't even directed at him but at something more. Something that might give him what he wanted. It made the beast angry. Its opponent was ignoring it. How spiteful!
Kaiser watched the beast's internal struggle with faint amusement— surprised at its intelligence.
Suddenly, it growled and rushed towards him. His eyes glinted in amusement as he let the beast crash into him—sending him tumbling away.
Blood pooled at his tongue as he happily spat it out, his gaze filled with joy.
That chaos.
That injury.
Those attacks.
He reveled in them all.
'Ah, this is so— pleasurable!'
"More! Give me more! You coward!"
As if triggered, the beast growled angrily and attacked with wild abandon. It's eyes brimming with madness— yet it was dwarfed by the amount of it in Kaiser's.
This alone sent a violent shiver through the beast's brain as it paused slightly to assess his bloodied form.
Although gravely injured in several places, his vitals were not even affected— stable and optimal.
"You're weak—" He whispered sadly. "You won't beat me if this is all you have. Is it really all you can do? Answer me!"
The beast roared in agony as Kaiser's spear cut off one of its legs. It wobbled slightly as its eyes quivered from something primal. Something it remembered as fear.
Something it only felt once— when it met the Ruler.
With a loud cry, the minions rushed at him with crazy resolve— ready to defend their leader through any means.
Kaiser's eyes, now dead calm like a stagnant pool of black water, looked at them with pity and a hint of respect.
'How loyal?'
Before the first beast could reach him— light flashed. Its body exploded into a rain of blood and flesh alongside several of its pack members.
[You have slain six Gremlin Beasts, Ruin Hunters]
[Your art grows stronger]
[You have received 500 points]
He briefly dismissed the messages before attacking— his form weaving quietly through their ranks. Everywhere he passed, carnage followed as the beasts dropped dead silently.
Half a minute later, he stopped a few meters away from the Alpha.
It loomed over him just like before, its intimidating aura now totally gone.
It looked pathetic. Totally unbefitting of its majestic position.
After all, it was a leader.
BOOM!
Lashing out its claws, red lines appeared in the air as they zoomed at Kaiser.
Silently, Kaiser rushed forward and cut the slashing claw down in one swing. It was too weak. Too weak for his liking.
SHIING!
His spear flashed— then its head fell with a resounding thud!
[You have slain a Warrior Beast, Ruin Alpha]
[Your art grows stronger]
As the body fell to the ground, he looked at his timer.
'I guess I still have time to deal with that.'
Turning his head, he gazed at the distance with narrowed eyes.
"Watched enough?"