*thud*

A headless corpse slowly collapsed on the ground, while a severed head rolled a few yards away. The nearby guards felt their hands trembling with horror as they witnessed the current scene!

“W-what just happened now?”

One of them numbly muttered as he gazed at the dismembered head of his fallen comrade.

“Sh*t! This old geezer is a Legacy Inheritor!”

An older guard at the back yelled out with a slight quiver in his voice, while slowly stepping back.

Hearing that the old man was an Inheritor, the rest of the guards started sweating profusely as their hands and knees started to tremble.

“So, which one of you wanted to strangle my disciple?”

Elias frostily stated, as drops of fresh scarlet blood dripped from his hand, while he continued to slowly walk towards the remaining guards.

Before anyone could make another move, Elias again exploded into a burst of crimson mist and suddenly appeared behind another guard.

“I will make sure your brothers will join you soon.”

Elias darkly whispered into his victim’s ear, as he thrust his hand into the guard’s chest!

*cough*

The guard excruciatingly coughed up a mouthful of blood, as he slowly dropped onto the floor, never to move again.

“S-send a t-transmission to the city Lord!”

A frantic voice sounded out from one of the guards, as he desperately tried to run away.

Just as the guard began to move, Elias abruptly flashed in front him with a cruel smile on his face.

“Going somewhere?”

Another spurt of blood sprayed into the air, as the guard’s corpse silently thudded onto the ground.

Only three more guards were left standing as their knees miserably shook in fear.

They had all thought that they had finally completed their task when they finally caught up with the boy and saw the hopeless look on the child’s face. Now, under the intense aura of this old man, they all cursed their fates as they realised that their lives were in the hands of this old man!

“Do you have any children of your own?”

Elias icily asked, as his eyes bore into the oldest appearing guard.

“Y-yes, one s-son and a daughter!”

The older guard replied in a shaky voice.

Hearing the older guard’s answer, a howling wind suddenly erupted out from behind Elias as a heavy pressure started to oppress the three remaining guards.

“When did our hearts become so cruel, that we seek to kill each other’s children?”

Elias softly whispered, as the pressure around the three guards continued to increase until their knees crashed onto the ground and drops of sweat formed on their foreheads.

“The day we kill for pleasure, is the day we lose our humanity.”

Elias calmly said, as he walked closer and closer to the three kneeling guards.

Just as he arrived in front of them, the guards suddenly clasped their hands around their necks as the pressure from Elias started to suffocate them!

“P-plea… se… h-have… mer… cy!”

One of the guards despairingly rasped, as tears started to flow from his eyes.

“Mercy does not exist for people like you.”

Elias evenly stated, as a bright light flashed from his grey eyes.

“ARGHHHH!”

Miserable cries of agony sounded out in the forest, as the surrounding gra.s.s was slowly being stained with dark blood and the smell of blood seeped into the air.

Hearing the gut-wrenching screams behind him, Calron abruptly stopped and glanced behind him.

“Master!”

Calron tried to yell, but only a hoa.r.s.e whisper came out.

Calron had been in a daze the entire time as his body slowly took one step at a time, without his conscious effort. His mind was drifting in and out, and even the Voice was completely muted in his head!

Only the loud cries of the guards had brought Calron out of his daze! He leaned against a nearby tree, and panted as he desperately tried to remain conscious.

All emotions and sensations had left his body, as only a ferocious will to survive remained!

Only a few meters separated Calron and his Master, so Elias was still able to faintly hear the hoa.r.s.e whisper of his disciple.

Elias immediately activated the Blood Mist Step as he rushed towards his disciple.

“Calron!”

Just as Elias arrived in front of Calron, the boy suddenly fainted in exhaustion!

Seeing the current state of the boy, Elias felt a furious wrath welling up inside of him! Calron’s lips were parched and various wounds covered his body from the strain of going past his body’s limits. Using the domain of the legacy and constantly activating the Blood Mist Step, it was a wonder that the boy was even alive!

A sudden light illuminated the surroundings, as Elias’s eyes started to glow mysteriously!

Gently touching the closed eyelids of the boy, Elias softly whispered.

“I had hoped to pa.s.s this onto you at a happier time, but current circ.u.mstances leave me no choice.”

Suddenly, an intricate and ancient symbol started to form on Calron’s forehead!

Within a few seconds, a celestial white glow started to emit from the symbol as it slowly faded away.

“It is done.”

Elias whispered as the glow within his own eyes started to dim.

“Master?”

Calron softly rasped, as his eyes slowly opened again.

His complexion had started to become healthier and even the wounds on his body started to heal at a slow pace.

Although the healing effects were not as miraculous as Elixir of Rejuvenation, Calron at least regained a bit of his vitality and stamina.

“YOU LITTLE s.h.i.t! YOU REALLY THINK YOU CAN ESCAPE?”

A furious echo resounded throughout the forest as the ground started to shake with tremors!

Calron’s eyes abruptly opened in panic as soon as he heard that familiar voice.

“Haha, I guess we are truly having a sh*t day, eh Calron?”

Elias asked in an amused voice, as he gently gazed at Calron.

“Master! That’s the city Lord, we need to escape now!”

Calron frantically shouted, as he quickly got up on his feet.

“Huh? What happened to my body?”

Calron stated as he curiously touched his body.

“You will soon learn of it later, I need you to follow my instructions carefully now, Calron.”

Elias sternly spoke as he deeply gazed into Calron’s eyes.

“Run to my hut, and underneath the mat, you will find a large inscription pattern etched on the floor. Immediately place a drop of your blood on it, and it should activate. I had been saving it for an event like this, but I had hoped that it would be me that would have to run and not you.”

Elias gingerly said as he ruffled Calron’s hair.

“Master, what will that inscription pattern do?”

Calron hesitantly asked, as he felt that his Master was hiding something from him.

“It will take you to the Desolate Mountains. Now, GO!”

Elias hastily stated as he felt that Regis was drawing close.

“Master, what about you-“

Calron started talking, but was immediately cut off by Elias.

“Child, do not worry about me… I have lived a long and satisfying life… just do not forget about me… “

Elias softly whispered as he lovingly gazed at Calron.

“M-Master? What are you talking about?”

Calron’s voice started to tremble as he realized what this meant.

With tears blurring his vision, Calron suddenly rushed towards Elias as he tightly embraced him!

“Haha, you need to go now, child. A whole new life awaits you… “

Elias tenderly spoke as he patted Calron’s head.

Another loud roar reverberated throughout the forest, as Regis furiously bellowed.

Breaking the embrace gently, Elias pushed Calron towards his hut.

“GO!”

With tears streaming down his face, Calron gave a deep bow to Elias, as he ran towards the hut.

Seeing that his disciple had left, Elias’s aura abruptly changed as the vicious and bloodthirsty killing intent returned!

Just as a blazing figure wrapped in flames appeared within his sight, Elias savagely roared.

“t.i.t…TAN”S… FURY!”

Meanwhile, Calron sadly stood in front of his Master’s hut as he realized that this was the first time he was ever entering it.

Turning his head around to look behind him, Calron gazed at the distant trees with a forlorn expression on his face.

“Master… “

Wiping his tears away, Calron slowly entered the hut.

The room was completely empty besides a bed and a mat. There were no further possessions in the entire hut!

Elias had never bothered with worldly materials and that was reflected in his home.

Walking towards the mat, Calron gingerly swept it away as it revealed a large circle with various patterns etched onto it. They vaguely resembled the symbols on his palm, but Calron was uncertain. However, the inscription pattern on the floor was definitely related to the Blood Legacy!

“Kid, are you ready?”

The Voice abruptly asked in a serious tone.

Biting his palm, Calron slowly placed his hand over the large circle as a single drop of blood splashed onto it.

*shua*

A dim scarlet glow filled the room, as the patterns on the floor seemed to come alive!

“Life will be hard from here on forth, Calron. You will be alone, without the warmth of friends or family.”

The Voice somberly stated to test the boy’s resolve.

“Who says that that will be my fate? I will create my own destiny!”

Calron firmly responded with a determined expression on his face, as he started to take a step into the inscription circle.

“Haha, that’s my boy! Let’s go!”

The Voice happily yelled, as he urged Calron.

“The Desolate Mountains, huh?”

Calron softly whispered to himself as he finally stepped into the circle.

A bright crimson light suddenly burst from the hut, until it slowly faded away and revealed an empty room.