Crying Ghost looked at the wavy motions of the sea ahead of him with a calm expression and folded arms. He stood ramrod straight like a spear and radiated a solemn yet domineering aura of a dictator that instilled a feeling of respect and inferiority in those around him, completely unlike the sinister auras of the common Blood Fiends that were wild and chaotic. However, if one were to truly look into his eyes, they would see the light of a furious, almost rabid fire that aimed to destroy everything.

Clearly, despite the fact that he was trying to hide it, he was very, very angry.

Ghost looked at the Blood Fiend towards his left, it was a man with pale blonde hair that was almost white and a lanky body that reached 6’7. His cultivation was also at the Soul Refinement Realm (4th Realm for the Enlightened Races) and his aura was that of a cold and eternally patient serpent, one that looked like it could strike out at any moment with the prey none the wiser.

Currently, this man was crouched down with his hand –which was glowing with a frigid blue light– placed in the water which subsequently froze and increased the size of the giant icy road that had started all the way in the South Continent.

“Jin.” Ghost called out. His voice was deep and emotionless.

The man called Jin withdrew his hand from the sea and swiftly stood up to attention, his face was cold and his eyes were sharp, but there was a submissive tinge to his demeanour that showed his subservience to the Blood Fiend Progenitor.

“Yes, Sire?”

“You seem to be slowing down again. Do you need more blood?”

“...” For a moment, Jin did not respond. Instead, he gave a quick almost imperceptible glance towards the crowd of Fiends before looking back at Ghost. Not a single emotion to be found. Then he said:

“Sire, I can surely continue for a few more hours before requiring any-”

“Come.” Ghost interrupted Jin and waved his hand towards a beautiful female Blood Fiend who was at the Core Refinement Realm (3rd Realm). She had voluminous black hair and a respectable height of 5’11.

The girl, who was already pale just like every other Blood Fiend, somehow managed to become even more pale as despair bloomed on her face. Still, she didn’t make a single sound other than a few pitiful whimpers and made her way over to Ghost without resistance.

She had accepted her fate.

Everyone had been silent the whole time and it wasn’t anything new, but the silence now was positively deafening. They all knew what was going to happen but they didn’t dare to raise attention, deathly afraid of the consequences.

When the girl had finally arrived in front of Ghost, blood coloured tears had begun to seep out of her eyes. The tension in the air was so thick that one could have choked on it but Ghost’s mood seemed to have improved. There was a mild smile on his face as he looked at the trembling girl before him, causing her to tremble even more. However, instead of doing anything that the current mood would have suggested, he lifted up his hands and placed them on her cheeks where he began to caress her bloody tears.

“Ssh, ssh, sssh~... Do not cry, girl. What is your name?” He whispered as he pressed his forehead upon her own.

The girl jerked, sniffled and sobbed before managing to say: “T-Ti-Tia”

“Tia?”

“Y-yes”

“Mmh~... A good name.” Ghost said before placing a gentle kiss on her forehead, then once more pressing his forehead upon her own and staring into her completely red eyes. “A good name indeed.”

“Tia... What is it that I said to those that came before you?”

Hearing this, Tia actually lost the strength in her legs and began to collapse. It was only Ghost who swiftly wrapped his arms around her waist and steadied her that stopped her from completely falling.

“Easy, easy now~” Ghost said with an amused smile. There was also a slightly mellifluous tone to his words that depicted his rising mood. A playfulness that wasn’t there before.

“You are a great Blood Fiend, Tia. Be strong.” Ghost said in a soft voice as he gave her a light shake with his hands now wrapped around her arms.

“Now…” Ghost whispered, his lips pressed against her ear. “Say it.”

For a moment, the only sound was the crashing waves of the sea and the piteous sound of Tia cries as she tried her best to inhale oxygen into her lungs. Her lips were quivering intensely but eventually, she still obeyed without question.

“T-those w-wh-who s-s-sa-sacrifice t-themselves f-for the greater good o-of the B-Blood Fiends, will b-be-become the s-strength of t-the Blood F-Fiends e-even after d-d-death. W-w–we will n-not b-be lost. O-once a-a Blood Fiend, a-always a B-Blood Fiend.”

Ghost suddenly grinned widely as his fingers around her arms tightened to unbearable degrees that caused cracking sounds in the girl’s arms.

“Yes! Indeed! Once a Blood Fiend, ALLLWAYS A BLOOD FIEND!!!” Ghost practically roared. Then he opened his mouth to reveal terrific shark-like teeth that took a sudden, massive bite out of the girl's neck.

KSSSSHHHH!

Blood spewed out of brutal injury that sprayed the Progenitor, Jin, and a few other close-by Blood Fiends in its crimson liquid.

“Now…” Ghost said as he turned the girl’s body around to face Jin, his face returning to its normal calm like nothing had happened. “Drink her blood and do not waste her sacrifice.”

He shoved her body towards Jin who effortlessly caught her, and then returned back to his original position with his arms once again crossed over his chest. But he gave one last look towards Jin.

“Oh and… Do not lie to me ever again. Otherwise, you will be the one to be continuing your service in the afterlife.”