Emperor's Reckoning

*whistle

"Good job!"

"You are my idol Riku!!

"Biane we love you!!"

All the clamours were very well deserved for those three. There was no one in the history that ever made a disciple from the Central Region sustain injuries and even pushed him to use his full power during the Ascension.

"Say, brother, are you interested in joining our legion?" suddenly a voice entered Lyon's ears from his side. Lyon didn't notice a person was already standing beside him where Biane used to sit. He had the most common face and common figure one could find anywhere in Deo.

Lyon stopped his clapping and lazily looked at the guy who offered him an invitation. However, before he could say anything, the guy continued, "Our legion can offer you greater power! High-quality beads daily!"

Seeing Lyon didn't even have a reaction to his offer, he retracted a bead of a high-quality one on his palm. The bead was at the size of a rice and everybody would kill just to get this single item, but Lyon didn't even bat an eye to it. The guy was stunned for a second, but soon he let out a smile as Lyon casually picked the bead.

Lyon carefully inspected the bead he just picked up like a diamond ring. "Don't worry, it's not a fake bead, you can try it." smiled the guy. Lyon looked at the guy once more with a confused expression only to meet with a 'be my guest' gesture.

*flick

Lyon flicked his finger and let the bead flew into his mouth and with a gulp, he swallowed the bead whole. However, he felt no changes whatsoever.

The guy who offered him the bead had bulging eyes that about to pop from its socket. He still couldn't believe that Lyon just ate the precious bead. If some cultivators were to know about this, they would rush and gutted Lyon.

Lyon looked at the guy and realized something. "Y-you ...*sigh ... I am not supposed to eat that, am I?" said Lyon with a sour face. With bulging eyes, the guy shook his head.

(Fuck!) thought Lyon.

*ehem

Regaining his sense, the guy continued to offer him the invitation. "How about it brother? Don't worry about the bead, we still had many more. Sometimes accidents do happen."

(Fuck you! That was not an accident!! Anything else can be called an accident but not that! That was just so stupid to be called an accident!) Lyon was crying inside.

"What is your legion about?" asked Lyon. He was a bit sceptical and about to refuse him, but that accident made him change his mind.

"I am sorry, brother, but you have to join first to know our goals," said the guy with an apologetic expression.

Lyon squinted his eyes, as he thought (Wow, only a dumb protagonist would join this kind of fishy group). "Is your legion some kind of a cult?" asked Lyon.

"Yeah, I guess you can call it that, sort of," said the guy like he was doubting his own answer.

(This guy is really pathetic, which fool would even join his legion) chuckled Lyon. If the beheaded elder were to hear this, he probably strangled Lyon to death.

"So you are joining?" asked the guy.

"No," said Lyon.

"Oh ok then," the guy just walked away as nothing happened. Lyon didn't know if he was disappointed or not, in the end, he paid no heed to it. However, when he glanced back, the guy was already out of his vision.

Lyon then decided to join Ryona to the infirmary where Riku and the two girls being treated. Ther he saw the three women laying on the bed, groaning. Riku's parent was obviously beside her daughter, while the other two seem to have no relative visiting.

Sitting between Biane and Clemora, Lyon was kind of happy somehow. "Does it hurt?" asked Lyon.

Both women instantly glared at him, if it wasn't because they were badly injured, they would send him flying already.

"Sorry, that was a stupid question," said Lyon after he realized what he asked.

"Why is nobody visiting you guys? Don't you have a relatively high status in your kingdom?" Lyon decided to say what was in his mind, this was because judging by their weapons and stuff, they should have high status in the kingdom, but the fact that no one was coming, intrigued him.

"A-actually ..."

*knock *knock

A soothing voice from the outside the door caught everyone's attention. "May I come in?"

"Yes," said Lyon.

*creak

The person behind the knocking was unexpectedly the head of the Mist Clan. With that familiar band-aid on her forehead, Lyon quietly chuckled a bit.

"First of all, congratulation on Ascending to the Central Region. We are lucky to have three talented disciples this time around. May your greatness let us soar in heaven." said the head of the mist clan with cupped hands.

"No, no need to reply to my gesture, your health is more important," said the head as she waved her hand. Looking at Lyon who was sitting calmly, she stated the reason for her visit. "May I speak with you in private?"

Her tone made Lyon confuse if she was being serious or not. "Alright, I'll be back later guys."

"Please excuse us," then the head said to Lyon to follow her.

The hallway they were into was not decorated in anything at all, even the red carpet had lost its vibrant colour. At the end of the hall was actually a single door made of sturdy old wood.

"Are you really that cheap?" said Lyon while his head was leaning back on his hands along the walk.

"As the head of the clan, I must save up resources and made less expenditure on things that are unnecessary."

"But this is too much, don't you think?" the head of the clan only smiled and continued walking.

*creak.

As they arrived at the room, Lyon was not surprised at all to see the degrading quality of the room. Although everything was clean to the point it reflected light, their quality was something one could get in the street.

Facing her back, Lyon said, "C'mon what is it that you want to tell me? I need to go back quickly.". Lyon was about to heal the three girls up before the head invited him to talk.

"Oh don't be in a hurry, you are my boyfriend, aren't you? Won't you talk to your girlfriend a little while."

The head turned around and a whole new person was right in front of him. She was the reason why Lyon was fighting the elder.

"R-Reka?" said Lyon with his eyes wide open.