“Miko!”

Hina and the others ran up towards Miko cheering after he just defeated Tang. Miko stood there with his arm raised in a victory pose, and then-

*Bam!*

A loud sound resounded and Hina and everyone else who were running up to Miko, had their vision dyed red all of a sudden. They all halted and touched their faces after feeling like something splashed on their faces. They wiped their face with their hands and look at them.

“…..!”

They saw blood on their hands. They quickly looked at each other and saw that the others also had blood splashed onto their bodies and faces. They then quickly turned and looked back at Miko. There they saw a bloody, skinless figure standing in the center of an area stained with blood. Their minds couldn’t process what was before them for a long time. It’s only when the bloody, skinless figure fell to the ground that they moved.

“Miko!”

They all screamed with horrified expression as they ran up to him. Before they could get there, Tiamat, Ishma, and Regis appeared beside him. Tia lifted Miko’s fleshy body and her hands were instantly stained with his blood, that was draining from his newly exposed flesh.

“This is bad, really bad!”

Even Tia had an expression stricken with worry.

“Mixing his demon blood with Chaotic Ruler was too reckless. He needs medical attention ASAP.”

She looked up at the altar in the sky.

“Gamiko!”

Hearing Tiamat, Nero stood up from his throne.

“I’m on it.”

He disappeared and reappeared on the ground where he grabbed Sasha, Leon, and Momo before popping up in front of Tiamat and grabbing Miko as well. He nodded at the others and then shot into the sky and took off. Tia disappeared in a bright light leaving everyone without saying a word.

“Big bro…”

Everyone else was left with worried expressions. Meanwhile, on the altar-

“Young Master Tang!”

“Master Fang!”

“The Master is dead! The Young Master is dead! Dragon Storm is doomed!”

The members of Dragon Storm were grieving the deaths of their leaders. The remaining executives: Xue Bao, Kane, and Xiao Zhi all had bitter expressions on their faces. They knew what losing Tang and Fang meant to their organization.

“Dammit!”

Xue Bao cursed and clenched his fists. He also lost his granddaughter in this battle so he probably lost the most. His eyes were burning with anger. He slowly approached the edge of the altar and spoke.

“Nero is gone. This is the perfect time to avenge our fallen comrades.”

“What?”

The soldiers all looked at Xue Bao with surprise.

“Dragon Storm isn’t dead yet! As long as a single one of us is alive then it continues to live!”

He shouted. The soldiers all looked surprised.

“If you call yourself members of Dragon Storm then you can’t allow those who harm us to go unpunished!”

“Yes!”

The soldiers became pumped up. Xue Bao was right. As long as a single member of Dragon Storm was alive it will continue to live on even if its leaders fall again and again.

…..Too bad they weren’t the only ones aware of this.

“Yo, old man.”

Xue Bao turned around and looked at Alec with a growl.

“Don’t you think going after exhausted kids after they beat you guys fair and square is shameful?”

Alec had a smug look on his face. It was different from his usual self.

“Would you rather we kill you here instead?”

Xue Bao and the rest of Dragon Storm started glaring at Alec and Kirika who was beside him.

“Oh, I was hoping you’d asked.”

Xue Bao grinned.

“I’m gonna enjoy smacking that smug off your f-”

Xue Bao suddenly froze.

“Xue Bao?”

“Are you alright?”

Kane and Xiao Zhi looked at him with wonder. His body then suddenly stiffen.

“Hey!”

They quickly approached him and started inspecting him with their eyes and hands.

“What’s wrong? Weren’t you going to smack me?”

Kane and Xiao Zhi turned around and glared at Alec.

“You! What did you do to him?!”

“I don’t think you can afford to look away at this moment.”

Alec pointed at Xue Bao and the two looked.

“?!”

They saw blood-colored flames coming out of Xue Bao’s Orifices like it was liquid seeping out. It looked like he was bleeding from all over.

“The Bloodflame?!”

Kane and Xiao Zhi immediately let go of Xue Bao and stepped away with terrified expressions.

“When did the Bloodflame enter his body?”

“Yesterday when we had a small fight. I injected it into him and had it slowly build up power by fusing with his blood.”

Alec smirked.

“At the moment, his entire bloodstream is made up of my Bloodflame.”

He pointed at them.

“Do you know what my flames are capable of doing to a living thing? You must’ve heard the stories.”

Alec’s scarlet eyes were giving off a scary glow.

“My flames don’t burn you, they suck the moisture out of you and turn you into a mummy. This is one of the abilities of Bloodflame. It enters a living being and use its blood as fuel to increase its strength while killing them. It isn’t just blood alone, it can also use the water inside a living person as fuel and thus completely dehydrating them to the point they’re reduced to skin and bones.”

Just like Alec described, Xue Bao’s body started drying up and he became a mummy soon after. The Bloodflame then flowed out of his body as if it was alive and started burning the dried up corpse. Just like that, a Divine level fighter was turned into ash. This was the power of the Bloodflame.

“Xue Bao….”

Kane and Xiao Zhi couldn’t believe their eyes. Their friend was just lively and ready to fight but now he was dead. They were immediately filled with anger.

“You’re dead!”

“Aren’t you forgetting something?”

Alec smiled.

“My Bloodflame is kinda like a contagious disease and you two just touched patient zero.”

“?!”

The two looked and saw the Bloodflame entering their pores and trying to seep inside them. They quickly released their full strength and force it out.

“As long as it doesn’t enter our bloodstreams, Divine Level fighters like us wont be killed that easily.”

“True, the Bloodflame isn’t that effective against a Divine Level warrior that has their guards up.”

Alec showed a devilish grin.

“But it severs as a great distraction.”

Suddenly Kane and Xiao Zhi felt a presence behind and wanted to put up their defenses but it was too late.

“Raging Dragon Style:…”

*Flash!*

The area was devoured by a light and Kirika was seen standing in front of Kane and Xiao Zhi with her back turned to the two of them.

*Clack!*

She sheathed her sword.

*BAM!*

Kane and Xiao Zhi’s bodies burst apart into several cleanly cut pieces.

“Heaven’s Flash.”

Kirika walked away as the lumps of flesh fell on the ground.

“No matter how powerful you are, let your guard down around us and even immortals will be slain.”

Alec stepped forward with his arms spread which frightened the remaining soldiers and caused them to tremble. He seemed like a devil in their eyes.

“Now then, Dragon Storm….”

Kirika silently gripped her sword beside him as he spoke.

“Death awaits.”

********

Meanwhile, there was a fleet of airships leaving the Silver Continent and heading in the direction of the Night Continent.

“Thanks again Commander Raj for coming to get us.”

Tara said to a dark skinned man with green hair and a gem in the center of his forehead.

“Don’t mention it, Tara. Even if Emperor Ahi didn’t ask I would’ve volunteered myself. We’re family after all.”

He looked at Tara who had numerous wounds over her body.

“I watched your battles and I must say that the Dragna clan are far more capable than I thought. I heard about the Midnight Witch, but I never thought that she’d be your equal.”

“She was indeed quite something. I also felt like she didn’t go all out against me.”

“I know, but so didn’t you. The reason I said that she was your equal was because I could see that you both had more cards up yourselves.”

Raj said.

“….How did father and our people react to me surrendering?”

“You don’t need to worry. You chose the best solution. We can’t afford to lose the Crown Prince and everyone knows this. The outrage has died down and no one is blaming either of you.”

“I see…”

“But, I think the Crown Prince will need time to recover from his lost. It isn’t the fact that he lost that’s the problem, it’s how he lost.”

Raj became serious.

“That kid that he fought is a dangerous entity. He not only defeated Klaus, he crushed his pride so easily and rendered him powerless. I honestly fear what he’ll become in the future.”

“…….”

Tara became silent. She recalled the words that Ace said to her before she carried Klaus away.

“We’re the ones at fault huh? I think I need to stick at Klaus’s side more often now and guide him down a path that won’t lead to destruction.”

“That is the right course of action.”

A light flashed behind them and Vritra appeared out of nowhere. Tara, Raj and all who were inside kneeled in front of him.

“Klaus has currently hit rock bottom. For him to rise up and be born a new, he’ll need all the support he can get. You guys need to be that support.”

“Yes!”

Everyone spoke in unison.

“First, I’ll have Ahi free his mother.”

“?!”

Everyone looked at him with shocked expressions.

“Are you sure, My Lord? Klaus’s mother committed a grave sin against the empire. Are you going to pardon her?”

“I am. If you want Klaus to leave the path that he’s on then his mother needs to be returned to him. Do you have a problem with that?”

“I would never. You’re right. The return of his mother is the best solution.”

Tara bowed her head to head with a delighted smile on her face. Vritra paused a bit before saying-

“Also, you all should start preparing to face two enemies.”

“Enemies?”

He nodded.

“The first is the faction that’s building around the Young Satan, Miko. The other is the group of fools trying to usher a New Era.”

He spoke with a serious face.

“These two will be the greatest threats to the world in the future.”

*********

At the same time, on a different ship in the Vritra fleet. Zora was standing in front of a monitor with Nidhogg at his side.

“You lost, Zora.”

The man who said that looked quite a bit like Zora but his hair was longer and wilder. He also had numerous scars over his body and had an aura of a veteran warrior. This man was Zora’s father and leader of the Black Bone Tribe, Hora.

“I’m sorry, Father.”

“I don’t want an apology. I’m just making sure you understand that you were completely defeated.”

Hora showed to signs of comforting his son.

“I know. I gave everything I had and even pushed past my limits but it still wasn’t enough. What made it worse was when I saw the battle between Tang and Miko. It made me realize how difficult my dream will be.”

“Are you planning on quitting?”

“Hell no! I’ll only quit when I’m dead and have no way to return to the living.”

Hora finally smiled.

“That’s my son. Even though all three of my children lost, I’m satisfied that they gave it their all and their spirits aren’t broken.”

“Wait! I didn’t lose, Papa!”

Kuga walked in the room and shouted.

“They lost but I didn’t.”

“Kuga, leave.”

“Yes….I was just clarifying it for you.”

Kuga quickly left the room. Hora sighed and looked at Nidhogg.

“Nidhogg, I hope that you’ll continue to guide my son.”

“Of course. I chose Zora because I know that he has what it takes to become the strongest.”

********

Meanwhile, Shenlong was sitting on the edge of the crater that was now Tang’s final resting place. Everyone had already left the scene and only him had remained. He was looking at the sky with a smile on his face.

“I bet you got to see all kinds of colors in your last moments, Tang. May your tormented soul Rest In Peace.”

He closed his eyes and smile before opening them again. He turned to his side and a man dressed in all white and wearing a smiling ghost mask was standing beside him.

“So you came, Phantom.”

“Of course. As someone who put him on this path, I had the duty to witness his demise.”

Phantom said.

“So what did you think of his last moments?”

“I think he couldn’t ask for anything more.”

“You’re not upset that he didn’t take Miko with him? I knew that was your intentions.”

“I had no such intentions, but if you’re saying I used Tang then I’ll gladly admit it. However, Tang allowed himself to be used. That’s why we could get along so well.”

The wind blew gently on the two of them and made their hair sway.

“So what now? You no longer have a Proxy so you soon have to leave this realm.”

“Yeah….Or maybe you want to be my next Proxy?”

“I’ll pass. I don’t need such a thing as divine powers. I can manage on my own.”

“I see. That’s too bad~.”

“At least try to sound genuine. You would never want a proxy like me. I would only bring you to ruin.”

Shenlong laughed but didn’t deny his words.

“What about you? What’s the next step in your grand plan to destroy the dragna clan?”

“If I told you then there wouldn’t be any surprise left now would there?”

“So no spoilers? Even after you used my proxy to test how the Dragna Empire would react to a crisis, how many of its forces are available to for deployment at a moment’s notice, and how capable are it’s younger generation? That’s a lot of help Tang gave you. I’m sure we deserved at least a single spoiler.”

Phantom laughed after hearing Shenlong’s words.

“Well, I guess can give a single spoiler.”

His blue eyes shone menacing behind his mask.

“The moment the clan shows a sign of weakness, I’ll be knocking at their door in the name of Grim Legacy.”