Chapter 13: Deus Ex

It was Ensio! Perched on Ensio's shoulder was a vulture, not particularly large. It was his fourth-tier Illusionary Beast, the Saber-Headed Vulture. The vulture's beak was as sharp as a sword, hence its name. "You little bastard, you've... killed my two sons in succession! Today, I'll skin you alive and tear you apart, leaving you neither alive nor dead!!!" Ensio's face twisted into a terrifying grimace as he roared, his voice echoing through the air. Behind Ensio stood a group of family strongmen, all with crimson eyes filled with hatred at the sight of Iwao. On the street, a crowd had gathered, murmuring in shock. "Hiss, Iwao killed Diata and Kenyi!" "No way, wasn't he crippled by the Wind Sword Sect?" "Yeah, without his Illusionary Beast, he's practically worthless!" "Could it be... he encountered some sort of miracle?" Iwao's pupils were icy cold as he patted Tammy's hand, signaling her to stay calm. Then, with a cold smirk, he spoke up, "You colluded with the Wind Sword Sect, deceived my sister, and made her willingly marry the Clayton Family's young master, all for a Deadly Elixir! Attempted to use the Deadly Elixir to kill me, but little did you know, I turned the tables and killed Kenyi and Diata instead!" "You shut your mouth, you little brat!" Ensio exploded in anger, bloodshot eyes bulging. "Kid, this might be a tough fight." Travis grinned, showing his teeth, "But I'm sticking with you till the end!" Inside the arena, a thick murderous intent was rising! Ensio's fury had reached its peak! He had two sons in total, both outstanding. Never did he expect them to die at the hands of Iwao. "Boom!" Suddenly, Spiritual Energy erupted between heaven and earth. Ensio's palm glowed as he reached for Iwao's neck. A terrifying aura directly pressed down, suffocating! The Saber-Headed Vulture let out a screech, its sharp beak stabbing fiercely towards Iwao. Just as it made its move, it was a deadly strike! Ensio wasn't planning on letting Iwao leave the family alive. At this moment, he was filled with only one thought — to kill Iwao and avenge Kenyi and Diata! "Attack!" An infinite killing intent burst forth from Iwao's eyes. He knew he had to carve out a path of blood! Unflinching, he clenched his fists and collided with Ensio. With a loud bang, shockwaves rolled, and the ground beneath Iwao's feet suddenly cracked open. Iwao swayed, relying on his formidable physique to completely neutralize Ensio's attack. Travis leaped into the air, wielding two sharp wooden blades, engaging in combat with the Saber-Headed Vulture. Despite its small size, Travis exuded immense strength! With every strike, the air hissed. A flash of green light and Iwao gathered the power of the Imperial Art, attacking once more. "You little bastard, it's time for you to die!" Ensio blocked Iwao's punch, then grabbed his arm, twisting it violently. It was Ensio's own Martial Technique, the Bone Shatterer Strike! "Buzz!" However the expected outcome did not occur. Instead of Iwao's bones breaking, a burst of green light pushed Ensio back. In a swift movement, Iwao slammed his shoulder into Ensio's chest. Ensio grunted and stepped back, but not without grabbing Iwao from behind, leaving five sharp blood marks on his neck! With each clash, both sides exchanged blows. After steadying himself, Ensio glanced over, noticing Travis locked in intense combat with the Saber-Headed Vulture. Above Travis's head, a faint yellow aura swirled. If one didn't observe closely, they might not have noticed. It was the symbol of a First Rank Illusionary Beast! "A First Rank Illusionary Beast?" Ensio sneered. "No wonder you regained your strength. But what good will it do you? In the end, a First Rank Illusionary Beast is still worthless!" As Ensio pressed forward again, Iwao's eyes flashed with fury. "Sister, hold on tight!" Iwao knew he had to fight his way out quickly. He couldn't afford to continue this battle of attrition. "Come on!" He roared in anger, charging forward alone, with his sister on his back. Some attacks, Iwao could have dodged, but to protect his sister, he took them head-on. Some of the attacks Iwao could have easily dodged, but to protect his sister, he had to endure them with sheer physical strength! In just moments, Iwao's body was battered and bloody. The intense pain pierced his heart, and even with Myriad Wood Soaring Body, he couldn't recover quickly enough. "Iwao, you dared to kill Omega, now I'll make you pay!" In the distance, a roar echoed, as Rick swiftly charged forward like lightning, wielding a sharp spear that seemed unstoppable. The spear aimed at Tammy's back with a sinister arc. A tearing sound echoed in the air. Rick knew Iwao cared deeply for his sickly sister. So, before he met his end, he wanted Iwao to experience the agony of losing a loved one. Trapped by Ensio, Iwao couldn't turn around. As the spear neared his back, Iwao's eyes widened with fury. With a roar, he forcefully turned his body, seizing the tip of the spear. A squelching sound filled the air as the spear pierced through Iwao's palm, blood streaming down. Gritting his teeth, Iwao's palm sprouted countless vines, entangling the spear. Rick's pupils shrank. Before he could react, the vines accelerated, piercing his neck with a squelch. "Gurgle, gurgle!" The vines greedily absorbed Rick's life essence. In just moments, Rick's body withered away completely. With a squelch, Iwao yanked the spear from his palm, blood staining his eyes with resolve as he charged at Ensio. Meanwhile, on the second floor of a nearby tavern, a girl in a plain dress watched the bloody battle below with lazy interest. "So, this is Iwao? Quite spirited, and his Illusionary Beast seems unique," she mused, raising an eyebrow. "My lady, our goal is to retrieve Adino's plaque from the Leach Family. There's no need to waste time on these defeated foes," a poised woman beside her suggested. The girl frowned slightly. "Perhaps I should intervene directly and end this chaos." "Aunt Lilly, do you think he can escape?" the girl asked, her smile ambiguous. "It's doubtful. If not for Mateo's protection after his son took first place in the Spirit Path, Iwao and I might have crossed paths more often. But in this era, strength speaks louder than honor," Aunt Lilly shook her head. Boom! A deafening explosion erupted, signaling Iwao's reckless escape from the fray, trading injuries for freedom.