Sitting in a wooden room on a sunset orange mat, an elderly man's eyebrow ever so slightly rose up.

"Oh… what could a discarded body possibly offer up that could suffice as making a deal with?" Hearing the Second Ranker speak, Ryu paused his steps. Waiting for further instructions from the elder.

Akata's eyes scanned around his surroundings since he didn't know where the voice came from. His gaze was bold and full of spirit. Everywhere it passed it made a person's will falter.

"If we are capable of beating your geniuses then you let us go…"

Hearing up to here, the Second Ranker's expression remained the same. This part of the deal was expected.

"... But if we lose, I'll just tell my sect to send another disciple to crush you in our place. Although we'll take a light punishment it'll be worth it to see your sorry figures wailing and sprawling about." Akata's voice remained calm and confident throughout him speaking about this "deal". But what came out of his mouth was so unexpected that it made everyone in the Rock Bottom Sect pause for a second. It was as if time froze, as if it too were trying to take time to comprehend what Akata just said.

The eyes of the elder in the wooden room burst open. A flicker of rage within. But just as quick as it was there, it disappeared. "Ryu kill them. Everyone, join in the slaughter." He flatly said. All in the sect heard his voice.

"Come on!" Ryu's cold but brooding voice enticed others to bring out their weapons. Akata and the others were already surrounded to begin with but now the scene took a drastic turn for the worse.

Akata looked over at the burly man named Ryu. He stood 2 meters tall and had muscles the size of a watermelon. He didn't seem too old only about his mid-upper 20s. What made him outstanding was that he was already at the peak of the First Rank. One more step and he would be at the Second Rank, where one's life would change. In this part of the continent he could be considered a genius.

The man approached Akata, as he figured this was the leader of this group, he aimed to make an example out of him. He wanted to use Akata's death as a way to break the minds of the rest of his team. Already envisioning his bloody fantasies, he unconsciously licked his lips.

Watching Ryu come closer one step at a time, Akata stood still without a worry whatsoever. He could see all the minute body movements Ryu made. From them, he could guess his thoughts.

"Such a vile person. He truly aims to kill us. Hmph." Akata felt repulsed just by looking at the man further.

All of a sudden Ryu disappeared. The members of the Rock Bottom Sect were at a loss. But then became overjoyed when they saw him appear in front of Akata. A 3 meter long orange mallet was in his hand as he smashed down with enough force to topple a house.

Akata watched on as this happened as if he were a bystander. Finally, when the orange mallet was just upon him, Akata made his move. Raising a hand, it seemed as if Akata wanted to catch the mallet.

Whoosh! Seeing Akata looking to catch his mallet, Ryu gave a slight smile of disdain. "Heh. This mallet weighs over a ton. I can barely lift it with my cultivation and physical strength. Swinging down, this has enough force to heavily injure a normal First Grade Second Ranker. " He hurried to increase his speed and power, looking to thoroughly obliterate Akata.

From beginning to end the Moon Cloud Corps stood still. It was like they didn't bother dealing with these people. They didn't make any moves to help Akata either. The members of the Rock Bottom Sect were confused but then took it as the group being scared senseless; but in truth, the Moon Cloud Corps wanted to use this chance to see how strong their leader was.

The mallet came hurtling through the air, smashing upon Akata's palm.

Boom!

A loud muffled bang rang out. A flashy light or energy didn't appear, just the simple sight of Akata holding the mallet in his grasp.

"He… he caught it?"

"But that's Ryu's Sunset Blow Mallet! It weighs over a ton! Jeez."

Shocked cries rang out, the whole Rock Bottom Sect knew about the Sunset Blow Mallet. It was a weapon that when struck down blazed like the glow of the sunset. This mallet weighed over a ton, and even with Ryu's cultivation he was barely able to lift and control the mallet. Yet Akata, a young boy, caught it easily with one hand.

Akata looked Ryu in the eyes. Ryu could see Akata's eyes as well. The mask Akata wore was a plain black mask. From the front there didn't appear to be anything on the mask, not even slots for the eyes, mouth or nose. But there was a small screen-like structure built in the mask to allow the wearer to see, speak, or breathe perfectly fine. Of course Akata also had the function to open slots in the mask to allow people to see part of his face or all of it.

Ryu stared into the blazing red eyes of Akata. He could feel the imposing aura of a monster like being emanating from him. It was terrifying to say the least.

Akata simply stared at Ryu. Crunch! All of a sudden the Sunset Blow Mallet lost its luster. The weapon became lighter as well. Not a huge difference in weight but it was definitely noticeable for anyone who had tried to use this weapon before.

Ryu's eye's constricted. He turned his gaze slightly towards the Sunset Blow Mallet resting in Akata's now enclosed hand. This weapon was completely pulverized. This was a mid tier First Rank Weapon. Yet Akata destroyed it so easily. Ryu's heart couldn't help but shake further and fear kept creeping into his mind, body, and soul.

He turned his gaze back to Akata. But found Akata starting to walk towards his group. He was just about to yell to Akata when he found out he couldn't speak. He put his hands to his throat only to feel a warm wet substance. Looking at his hands it was full of blood! But when did…

In fact everyone else was stricken stuck. They didn't even see what happened. Yet his throat had already been sliced. No. His whole neck had been sliced from his shoulders.

A black light shown and the Bludhaven Scythe instantly appeared in Akata's hand. He twirled it around in his hand effortlessly and without any thought. This was the last thing Ryu saw before his vision blacked out… for eternity.

Nobody saw when Akata had unleashed his Dark Intent Ring for an instant and cut down Ryu in one strike. Even before having all his cultivation bases, Akata was capable of fighting against First Rank Grade 10 figures. Now it was simply a cake walk.

Plop. Plop.

After Ryu's head and body fell to the ground the Rock Bottom Sect came back to their senses. They were instantly afraid. What kind of existence could casually kill a peak First Ranker?

"Arrgh!" A roar spread across the whole sect. Out from a building in the central part of the sect, a bang resounded. A light flew from that place towards the surrounding crowd. In that light a figure could be seen, an elderly man.

His speed didn't stop as he rushed toward Akata.

"You killed the Blood Saint's peripheral disciple! You're dead meat! I'm dead meat! No. No. No. No. No. I'll… I'll offer you up then he'll spare me. Certainly! Yes yes!" The man sounded crazed and his appearance looked disheveled.

He didn't wait for Akata to prepare himself as he struck out with a blast from his palm. During this attack he fully displayed his cultivation, Second Rank Grade 1.

"Hmph, trifling senior. You should learn to respect your juniors." The elder was within a hundred meters of Akata when he struck out. From this distance it was all too easy for a Second Ranker to hit their target. Yet Akata wasn't worried at all.

He turned around and gazed at the elder. He had a bed of white hair on his face and head. Simply looking like a yeti. His clothes were way too big on him as well.

As soon as Akata turned he vanished in a black light. When he reappeared he was behind the elder. Instantly, a world shaking aura and pressure sprung forth from Akata's body. Beneath his clothes one could see his skin turn into tree bark.

Akata rotated his runes at full power and unleashed the full strength of his combined cultivation bases. He cast a simple yet profound ability and readied his next attack.

The elder had cultivated all the way to the second rank so he wasn't a newbie when it came to fighting. He quickly turned around when he had sensed Akata disappear. But when he saw the figure that suddenly showed up his expression froze then quickly changed to fear.

"B… Blood…. Blood Saint." The elder stumbled over his words as his aura died down completely.

Obviously the real Blood Saint didn't appear as it was Akata standing there. The technique he used was Shattering Heart. The already jumbled mind of the elder was further tampered with bringing endless fear creeping into the elder's heart.

Akata didn't stop there as he was already charging up his next attack. While in his Bloodline Form, Akata's strength increased exponentially. His speed, reactions, power, and every other aspect was boosted immensely. It was enough to close the gap between the First and Second Rank… and then some.

Akata held his Bludhaven Scythe. He gathered the power of his hellfire and mixed the Outer Elements of Souls and Khaos within. The explosiveness of the hellfire instantly doubled. The black and crimson hellfire also had a light violet glow.

Akata unleashed the first stance of the Underdark Scythe Art. Soul Swipe.

The Underdark Scythe Art was created by Cultist Soulfire, a Fourth Rank demon that specialized in the Soul Outer Element and Fire Core Element. Akata was very talented in using these two elements and could thus bring out a lot of power using this technique.

The Bludhaven Scythe swung down smoothly. As if space couldn't impede it's movements. The attack seemed to phase through the elder's body and went straight to his soul.

The elder shuddered and his face became pale. He coughed out a mouthful of blood and retreated back some distance. At the last moment he broke free from the Shattering Heart technique and hastily put up a defense. Though he wasn't prepared for the attack to go directly for his soul.

"I was only able to severely injure his soul. Tsk. I need to get stronger." Akata didn't falter as he chased after the elder. If the elder survived, news of their appearance would spread and they would have people tracking them. They were in a war at the moment, after all.

"Kill everyone." Akata coldly spoke. The Cloud Corps immediately assented and unleashed attacks at the members of the Rock Bottom Sect.

The elder Akata was facing was the strongest person in the sect. While Ryu was the second strongest. Being a dragonknight himself, Mindlife's strength easily eclipsed everyone's present save for Akata. The other Cloud Corps members weren't weak either. The weakest of them could match First Rank Grade 9 figures. Thus it would be all too easy to annihilate this sect of only a few hundred people.

Boom! Bang! The Moon Cloud Corps went to action. Instantly killing off a few unprepared disciples. The members of the Rock Bottom Sect were drawn to the fight between their Sect Master and Akata, so they were completely unaware of the danger the rest of the Cloud Corps possessed.

Seeing his group go into action, Akata continued to chase the elder. Even though Akata was still in the First Rank, his speed was equal to the Second Rank elder.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Since the distance barely changed between the two, Akata was still in range to unleash attacks. He swept the Bludhaven Scythe across the air, sending waves of dark energy towards the elder. With each attack, Akata would slowly approach the elder.

After fleeing until they were out the sect Akata turned serious. "Now I can unleash my full power."

The elder looked back to see Akata slowing down. "Heh. Can't keep up with me. His cultivation is too low." The elder couldn't help but smile at this. But all of a sudden he felt something amiss.

The natural energy around him started to become chaotic. The laws of nature were reacting to a very dangerous aura. In fact, the elder could also sense this almost impossible to describe aura. His eyes blanched.

"Wha… What the fuck is going on with this kid…" The elder stared at a loss as he sensed the energy radiating from Akata's body.