The legendary warrior

"His power's too strong!" A palpable tension sailed through whispers of quivering mouths. "A-amazing…"

The mysterious man in Blood Robe spared a spiteful glance to the onlookers. Driven still by the ominous threat that lay behind the being's scrutiny, they sealed their mouths shut in fear of offending him.

This male was not normal by any means. After all, he was none other than the incarnation of the Sacred Blood Lion.

"Welcome to Lion King Castle!"

Benson and his disciples fell to their knees in one swift movement, displaying their unwavering reverence for the spirit before them. They couldn't be more delighted to be standing on the dais as they beheld his awaited arrival.

However, the guest harbored such deep and clear hostility towards the group, that their futile attempt to plow past his indifference with the use of courtesy went ignored.

It was a fact that Ricky couldn't completely comprehend. He thought that the relationship between the subjects would be one filled with homage, what with the widespread legend of its ancestry. And yet, a disturbing truth dawned on him as he further observed the situation; humans and beasts, with their glaring differences, were just as incompatible as mixed oil and water.

If it weren't for the submissiveness of the contenders, the spirit would have started a massacre if he had felt even the slightest malicious intent drifting from one of them.

He shifted his predatory gaze to Benson's form, not bothering to hide his distaste. "Here are the three drops of blood essence from my body. Take them," he said as he regarded them coldly, stretching out his right hand to reveal his bloodstained fingertips. Three dark beads of blood slipped past the thick surface of his skin and floated towards Benson.

The receiver took out a jade bottle from his loose sleeve hastily as he prepared to catch the flying drops of liquid. He couldn't help but feel excited at the sight of it, his hands trembling with the obvious effort to stay calm.

"Thank you, my honorable Sacred Blood Lion!" Benson bowed deeply to the benevolent figure. His disciples followed his actions shortly after.

"This marks the end of the debt I once owed to your castle. From now on, expect that I will no longer be back. Your kind and mine shall never mingle again, and if ever we do--" his glare bored into them, chipping away at the chunks of metal serving as their armor. To him, it must've looked like mere toys. "--we are to meet as enemies."

He left in a trail of dark red smoke, disappearing without a trace in the open air.

It appeared that the Sacred Blood Lion was more than unwilling to pay a visit to a human's territory.

The warriors all sighed in relief at his departure, finally able to breathe at ease without the all-encompassing presence.

Then, one by one, heads snapped like magnets entranced to a piece of metal as the king held the white, delicate jade bottle that contained the blood essence. Greed reflected in their eyes, burning rays into the small object that almost seemed to melt under its intensity like wax against a white-hot flame.

No warriors in this world could've had the tenacity to resist the temptation of the rare matter.

Even so, resorting to using underhanded tactics was a taboo amongst the whole region. One must go through the Iron Blood Trial to earn such a prize; if not, they would face the wrath of the Snow Sect.

A conceited warrior of Bone Reinforcement had taken it upon him to commit such a foolish, daring act once.

and as a dire consequence, his name found its own home on the Sect's death list as a prime wanted man. Soon enough, the burglar and his accomplices' bodies had served their purposes as

nerve to oppose the authorities since

into a daze the longer he stared at the bottle. He couldn't help the thirst he had for the power within his reach, but he also had questions he'd like to clarify. "Master Grace, there's something about the Trial that feels a bit... uncertain to me. As per tradition, Benson had always followed the tradition of pouring all the blood essence into the Sacred Blood Pond, but if his disciples fail in the test, what would be there for Lion King Castle to gain?" he pondered over the matter as he whispered with a childlike sense of wonder tainting the sound of his voice. "The Lion King

of the blood's energy has been drawn out before it's dribbled into the Scared Blood Pond?" Grace answered,

embarrassment; rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly before flashing her an awkward smile, "Oh… Is

Sect in exchange for our protection," she added. "Otherwise, our sect won't trouble itself with guarding this place. Having only ten quotas to represent our sect in

is everything, I'm so

exclaimed, having found Grace's words as a source of hope for him to imbue.

...

all might have seen, the blood essence had been transferred to this bottle I hold in my hand. The Iron Blood Trial will proceed three days from now as scheduled; I hope you'd all do well, especially with the knowledge of this event being the last one in history. May you

the crowd into shouting with glee and jubilation with

each warrior's fiery soul. Everyone in the area had come with an undeterred will; they were all prepared to see through any

...

began to leave the venue. Ricky and Grace followed suit but

you little bastard coming here! Don't tell me you intend to compete in the Iron Blood Trial!" Connie scoffed, speaking to Ricky in a venomous tone, while she was supported behind by the presence of a young man in black along with

manner, and immediately concluded that these disciples were to join the trial.

felt like the first breeze of an oncoming storm; dangerous and gloomy, inevitable destruction caused by the unstoppable force of nature. Ricky bristled at the

with the

me, and I'll go anywhere I

Connie must've hoped to see after delivering her vicious taunts.

in, a faint wicked smile marring his lips. Suddenly, an enormous intent to kill gushed out and painted their atmosphere with straining pressure. It was nothing compared to the terror

right to judge my disciple!" Grace argued,

you say such a thing? Both of us are core disciples of the Snow Sect. It's our collective duty

crumble in lividity. "This guy doesn't even know how to act in front

be willing to do this job

turned and asked, knowing full well that his question was just for the

arrogant weakling like him would surely be in good

asked him instead, "Is this young disciple of yours at the eighth grade of Skin Refinement? Or higher?" Ricky visibly recoiled as his attention swept to Jim, a

for ourselves? I'll be looking forward to it," he studied Ricky in contemplation, a

leave it

to an abrupt end at his master's final words. Ricky followed her dutifully, marching out of the place as they headed towards their inn.

...

said, "Be at ease, that bastard won't survive the trial." He whispered what he thought were words of comfort to Connie, his lustful

him, her attention already lay somewhere else. Far from him, or them, as she watched Ricky's form slowly disappear into the bustling city with obvious resentment. She wanted it so bad to kill Ricky right there and then, stopping at the right time when she realized that she was still with her companions. She