Emperor's Reckoning

It didn't take Hezar a few minutes to figure out that the two participants of the tournament were murdered. He furrowed his eyebrows as he shared the same question with the rest of the spectators. He had not a single inclining idea of who it might be.

Hilde turned around before leaving the other royalties. She found herself back on her seat before letting out a sigh.

"Hm? Something wrong?" asked the king.

Hilde showed a weak smile. "Definitely."

---

"Hmph!" A snort was heard from a pale nose.

The temperature suddenly made a free fall as the grass froze at light speed before catching the hooves of a hellboar in place. The sharp burning sensation made the giant hellboar squeal before the crawling ice encapsulated it whole.

Its eyes were wide open and the last thing it saw was a woman approaching. 

Ivy's eyes were determined. She had the conviction to kill. It only took a single roundhouse kick to destroy the giant hellboar that was towering over her.

The hellboar shattered like it should before the three horns separated itself from the body. 

Ivy approached the three horns on the ground as the ice surrounding it melted. She took the little pouch before putting it in.

She looked around and try to see an anomaly in her surrounding. Ivy furrowed her eyebrows as she found nothing. She took one step but didn't move forward. She spread her divine sense as she try to hear the forest. However, it was a futile attempt.

She found no one nor sense anyone. The forest was peaceful and calm true to its lusciousness.

She squinted her eyes before she move forward. (Something's not right. This forest... is not as it used to be).

After she walked a few steps her eyebrows furrowed once more. She quickly vanished from normal sight before moving away.

(This presence... the Arunga) her eyes turned sharp before she accelerated her speed. 

Moving between trees her supple movements were almost lithe-like. Despite the cold glare and the freezing attitude that she exuded, she was fiery at certain aspects. Even though she didn't like him that much, he still share the same world with her, the same home, that's now being bullied by heaven.

"Fucking hell..." muttered Porealus as he found himself surrounded by four three-horned beasts.

He was heaving up and down with a smile on his face. "Since when did you guys gang up on one cultivator? I thought the horns signified pride."

The hellboars grinned. The four of them were inching closer and closer against the young man to a giant tree.

(Shit dead end) thought Porealus as he felt his right heel bump to the giant tree. He was cornered by all four of the giant hellboars with no visible way to escape but to jump or climb the tree.

"Yuki art..."

Porealus opened his eyes wide before he quickly climbed the giant three.

Ivy's eyes turned sharp before she punched the air in front of her with her fist.

"Ice Devastation!"

Snow immediately came out in the direction of her palm like a blizzard. The temperature dropped as it should but it was not enough to freeze them whole. 

The power of the ice was divided into four to make sure that the hellboar at the very least stuck to the ground. 

The hellboars growled at her but a silhouette was falling from the tree.

The veins inside his forearms bulged before he slowly pulled his hands beside his waist. His eyes turned sharp as he shouted. "Eat this!'

"Arunga Art: Arunga Twin Palm!!"

The massive force immediately destroyed the two hellboars to a gory state. It was only a moment before they become carcasses.

The other two hellboars immediately squealed and tried to raise their legs but to no avail. Ivy's art still got a hold of them. There was no chance for the remaining boars to escape.

Porealus landed with two feet before he let out a huge sigh of relief, "Phew~! Without you, it won't end well for me."

"Hmph," Ivy didn't answer before she proceeded to kill the hellboars.

(Man, talk about heartless) thought Porealus as he looked at the cold woman casually end their squealing. 

The horns dropped naturally and Ivy took six of them into her pouch.

(At least its fifty-fifty) thought Porealus as he took the ones he killed. 

"You must have noticed it too," said Ivy whilst Porealus was crouching and collecting his spoils

Porealus raised his eyebrows before he muttered. "You mean how the forest is quiet?"

"That's right."

"So it's not just me."

"What?"

Porealus stood up before facing her. "Something is going on with this forest. I've not seen one-horned hellboar yet."

"Me neither," answered Ivy.

"According to the map, this should be the best place to find single-horned helbo—! Crap!" Porealus smacked his palm against his own face.

"What is it?" Ivy furrowed her eyebrows as her divine sense immediately spread but found nothing.

"I forgot to tell Lyon about the map," said Porealus.

"Oh," Ivy rested her sharp eyes.

"Don't 'oh!' me, he is the most powerful one among us."

Ivy didn't deny the fact but neither did she admit it. There was still a feeling inside her that made her believe that under some circumstances, she could win if she were to fight him. However, she didn't know what the circumstances would actually be to enable her to do so.

Porealus could see the hint of flustered on her face but he knew it was wise not to pursue it further. "I have a bad feeling about this"

"?!" Their eyes opened wide before two shadows appeared right behind them.

Both Ivy and Porealus immediately leaped away as their instinct kicked in. 

However, the moment Ivy's foot was about to touch the ground, a palm hit her right against her navel. 

She gritted her teeth as she was sent flying from the force.

"Ivy!" Porealus shouted as he looked at the woman blasting through small trees before her back slammed against a giant one.

"Guha!"

She coughed out blood as the branches rustled due to the impact.

"Heh, dumb trash!" 

Porealus raised his eyebrows (Shit! I let my guard down).

His jaw took a clean hit before his chest followed. 

"Eat this!" the attacker shouted as he ended his combo with a straight palm against the center of Porealus's chest.

"Guha!" he coughed out the blood at the moment of impact before he was sent through the trees then ended up rolling to the ground. 

The direct hit was too much for him to sustain. He could feel his breathing was slower than it normally was. His eyes glared openly as he looked at the attackers. 

There were two of them. A charming man and a beautiful woman. They were the perfect figure for role models based on their looks, but the wicked smile of the man and the haughty look of the woman made it all but a dream.

"Brother, do you have your feelings?" asked Felicia.

"Not yet," said Altre as he grinned. "These fists won't be satisfied until they die!"

Porealus struggled to stand up with dry blood running from the edges of his mouth. His breathing was slow and heavy as he was having a hard time calming himself down.

"You lunatic siblings!" said Porealus before he slowly straightened up his back.

"What did you call us?" asked Felicia with a glare.

"Lunatic siblings!" said Porealus once more.

"How dare you run your mouth like that?!" shouted Felicia as her killing intent spread out.

Porealus immediately felt gnawing on his soul as the size diminished with each bite. (The woman is the strongest of the two).

"Why are you attacking us?!" asked Porealus as he slowly massaged his chest region.

"Heh, what are you talking about? This is a tournament, if you complain about getting hit then you can always crush that Returning Jade Stone of yours," said Altre. "Though I doubt that you will advance to the next round."

"The sunsets in about three more hours," said Felicia before she looked at him with a demeaning gaze. "You will never win. No mortal is allowed to win!"

"Heh, hahaha!" Porealus laughed.

The siblings naturally furrowed their eyebrows as they scowled at him. "What's so funny?"

"You all act so high and mighty! Everyone in the Mortal World knew!"

"Knew what?" asked Altre.

Porealus grinned before he crossed his arms like a certain someone. "That you got beat up, real.... fucking... bad!"

"What?!" shouted Altre as his veins popped up.

"Every single one of us knew, even those that beg for money or live in solitude inside a cave."

"YOU!" Altre leaped forward with a devastating speed. "Die!"

"Brother wait!" shouted Felicia, but it was too late.

(Got you!) thought Porealus before he muttered, "Don't underestimate the Mortal World."

Porealus simply jumped vertically as Altre's eyes followed.

*Thump!

Altre opened his eyes wide before seeing Ivy was already plunging her palm toward his chest. (She was waiting?!) thought Altre before he felt a gush of cold corrupting his meridians in a flash. 

He was sent flying before his sister quickly caught him.