Emperor's Reckoning

"Fusya!"

The group inside the caravan was still shocked by the image that kept rotating between the participants of the crown above the flyer. The silent atmosphere made them picked up the sound of the wheels grinding the road.

The old man made a fake cough to break the silence before he said with a tinge of smile on his face, "Well, it is quite funny that I was thinking of squeezing him in The Throne tournament and abuse my power once in a while, however, looks like there is no need after all hahaha!"

"Hmmm, do you think that the other contestants are as strong as older brother?" 

Tuey's question caught the interest of the twin servants. The twin and she witnessed how powerful Lyon was in different places and times. Especially Tuey, who traveled with him and firsthand experience Lyon's showcase of might. He singlehandedly destroyed the Andro Kingdom along with its five powerful figures including Loewe the king himself. Not to mention the island that the kingdom reside was shifting its land as a result of Lyon's powerful attack.

"Hmm..."

The old man contemplated. He too witnessed his strength and had a rough gauge by how powerful Lyon was, at least, when he first met him. It didn't take long before he changed his mind as he realized he was underestimating him far beyond his true capabilities.

"I would say that he is probably one of the strongest competitors, a favorite if you will. However, the interesting part of his identity is that his name is not that well known yet. He will be considered an underdog by most or even being ridiculed by the nickname that was placed before his name hahaha."

"An underdog? Older brother?"

Tuey let out a wry smile. There would be no way for Lyon to be an underdog for long. He might be the favorite one by the next move that he performed.

"I don't think that he will find the other ninety-nine contestants to be challenging."

The old man, the twin servants, and Tuey glanced at the voice that came out from the ultimate beauty of the group. Never did they thought that the dragon lady would utter her opinions about this matter. Though she acted all cold on the outside, as long as the warmer was nearby, she ain't that cold enough. 

However, unlike the rest of them. The dragon lady knew the full extent of Lyon's power. She witnessed firsthand how he acted like a hero, sort of. Words couldn't describe the sheer force that was hiding in this young man's body but the result could. He alone made the entire Arch World shook and trembled with spatial storms formed because of the broken space. Contesting a dragon's roar with his own roar. Would there be someone amongst those ninety-nine competitors that could do the same feat? The answer was probably not.

She knew when Lyon was fighting, it was not about the contest of who got the higher cultivation level. Those norms wouldn't apply to him and many had fallen because of it. It was something called, battle experience or combat experience. Magic, technique, tactic, skills, and cultivation level. Everything came into play and Lyon had full control of all of it as if it was his seventh sense1.

She combed his hair with her fingers as she smiled, "I don't think that they would stand a chance against this one, whether they are a dragon or whatnot, there would be no chance at all."

The others nodded in agreement. The potential he had, not to mention Yoji admitted that Lyon was his emperor. His true identity would probably be scarier than the old man himself.

"Even so, hahaha, he didn't have any shame and called himself Young Emperor. Hahaha!"

"Somehow, if it's any other nickname, then I won't believe it belonged to older brother."

Tuey let out a shrug and shook her head. She knew him well enough, or maybe too well that she started to forget that she used to be a shy healer that was always on the back of the conversation.

"Fusyah!"

The caravan slowly and gradually reduced the speed before it came to a complete stop. 

"Looks like we have arrived at our destination."

The old man smiled before he was the first one to come out of the caravan. The sun had entered the dusk as its shift was nearing its end. The beautiful orange light illuminated the horizon of an endless grass field. The wind was ever-flowing as the few trees in his glance danced their branches against it. He took a deep breath with a smile before he turned around.

"Hmmm??"

He furrowed his eyebrows as he saw the rice hat flew away and ride along with the wind. There was something odd that he couldn't make head and tails about it however, it all became clear as soon as the driver slid down and dropped to the ground. Blood was churning out from his neck as no words could be said from his mouth. The poor young driver could do nothing but opened his eyes wide as they reflected the silhouettes of the people that slit his throat. It was too fast and it was too late for him to dodge and for him to be saved.

"Oh? There are people inside this caravan??"

The bandit leader was the biggest of them all with huge machetes on each of his hands. The old man noticed that there was some blood dripping from one of the machetes, there was no doubt that it belonged to the young driver.

"HAHAHA! I guess we strike it really lucky today huh?"

The bandit leader laughed as the rest of the group did too. He put out his tongue and lick the blood from the machete as he opened his eyes wide and intimidate the old man.

"You know what to do, right old man?"

The bandit leader sneered as he laughed against the sky.

The group inside the caravan heard the maniac laughs but the dragon lady took a glance at Tuey and the twin servants with a glare. It was obvious that she wanted them to stay put and shut up. With the mana so dense, there was no way the cultivation of the bandits could be compared against their low cultivation level. The one that could handle them right now was only three and the last one was having a sweet dream.

The old man shook his head after he put his arms behind his back, "Looks like this young fella is delivering some shady items huh?"

The bandit leader stopped his laugh before he darted his glance from the sky toward the old man with a grin on his face.

"Looks like you are not just a somebody old man. However, that's even better. It means you know what I'm talking about right? This is robbery old man, give me all your stuff and I will give you a quick death."

"Is there no option that you could let me go?"

"Hahahaha! The fact that you know there is a shady item inside the caravan, chances are you too belonged to a certain circle. It would be bad for ours if you managed to get out of here alive. We don't want a war of turf now do we?"

"Fuu... Fuuuuusya!"

The bandit leader furrowed his eyebrows as he took a glare against the lizard. His face was annoyed as killing intent surrounded the being.

"Fu... Fu..."

The giant lizard tried to get away but its neck was bound by the caravan. There was obvious fear that was presented in its eyes and lips.

"How annoying! DIE!"

The bandit leader raised both of his arms as the two blades reflected the shimmering dusk. The old man furrowed his eyebrows as his eyes turned sharp that instant. The moment the blade was swung those old feet left the soil.

"SHUT YOUR GODDAMN MOUTH!"

The old man and the bandits opened their eyes wide in disbelief before the caravan next to the former exploded. The bandit leader froze as a silhouette clawed its way before grabbing him by the face.

"W-what?!"

"Don't you know that you woke me up from a very pleasant dream?!"

The silhouette gritted his teeth as he gripped the face of the bandit leader as a cracked cheekbone could be heard before the former slammed his face to the ground. The moment the back of the bandit leader's head made an impact toward the earth, a huge crater was immediately formed.

The rest of the bandits including the old man froze at the sudden development.

"Hmph!" Lyon crossed his arms as his back was against the shimmering dusk of the day.

The Fusya eyes were glimmering as it didn't blink looking at its cool hero.

"F...Fusyah...." (I will follow you for the rest of my life).

Thus Lyon had accidentally made a lifetime bond with a being he didn't even know existed beside him.