Ghost churned his Mana through his body at full throttle and savagely swiped at the woman with his claws. And at last, his attack made contact with flesh, ripping open her chest and spewing blood into the air. However, for some reason, unlike regular blood, her blood seemed to have a slight golden undertone.

But Ghost wasn’t surprised. In fact, he would have been surprised if her blood was normal. After all, all the great figures he had seen in the past had blood like this, with the only difference being the colour. Asura’s blood had a black undertone, Envy’s blood had a green undertone (although much more noticeable than the undertone of the others), and his own blood had a brighter red undertone.

He didn’t know the cause, but it seemed to be a hallmark of extremely powerful figures, which this woman obviously was. But if he didn’t care too much to think about it back then, he certainly wasn’t interested in thinking about it now.

He swiped out with his other arm, taking pleasure in the ever-so-slightly widened eyes of the woman who he was sure was suppressing outward emotions, and even more pleasure in the blood coating his fingers. Had had to get another hit in! He needed more blood!

*Bizz!*

With a flash of golden light the woman disappeared and reappeared a few steps back, and in the same moment, 2 of those High Humans that weren’t fending off other Blood Fiends dashed forwards with their weapons and slashed/thrusted towards him.

However, he wasn’t the same fool that he was many years ago. He would never forget the day he had laughed at Asura for trying to attack him with all 4 of his weapons from over 20 metres away, thinking that he had gone mad from frustration, but it was that moment of carelessness that almost caused him to be destroyed by the following crescent lights.

“USELESS!” He roared, leaping towards the figure on the right and striking down with a heavy blow. But at the last second, he changed the trajectory of his attack and swung towards the right of the High Human’s back where he suspected the woman to appear. She obviously didn’t want her people to die so she would definitely try to save this one.

Unfortunately, although he had the right idea, his estimations were a little off. The woman appeared to the left side of her subordinate, a little in between the man and him, and slashed down with her sword of light with a speed that he simply couldn’t bring his body to react to.

Like that, he lost his entire arm.

Thanks to his unparalleled innate regeneration abilities, the hole in his stomach had been close to closing. But now his arm was gone, and even if he wasn’t in the middle of a fight and focused his energy on regenerating it, it would still take a good few minutes to get it back.

Despair threatened to breach his heart but he shoved it back, instead allowing the rage that was already occupying his heart to overflow.

From the beginning of this fight, he had always known that it was pretty much hopeless. Talk less of her ridiculous ability to hide and her obvious affinity with the rare and illustrious Light Element… her speed was just too much. Speed had been the very thing that he had primarily relied on to retain his life against foes like Asura and Envy. Both of them could easily release powerful attacks that could rearrange the constitution of his body if the attacks landed, so if he wanted his lifespan to remain intact then he better get out of the way as soon as possible, and it was when he was at a safe distance that he could begin to use his words if all else failed him.

But this woman… This woman was so fast that he could barely see her move! Talk less of dodging her attacks! Every of her attacks so far, even if just 2, had managed to hit him and damage him severely. Against this woman he could not defend himself!

But…

But looking at the emotionless eyes that gazed at him as if he were a nobody, and looking (with his Spirit Sense) at the growing number of Blood Fiends that had suddenly decided to flee, knowing very well that he would not be enjoying the luxury of leaving this place to deal with them… something in his head went off. Something in his head snapped.

“AAAARRRRRRRRGHH!!!!” Feeling utter hate churning through his veins like a tangible liquid he roared to the skies with unadulterated wrath. His vision warped to red and many things in his brain began to shut down as fury sparked across his skin like an electric current, leaving only thoughts of anger and slaughter.

From the beginning, he had always been oppressed, always been the underdog, and always been the weak one. There was always someone there to crush his wants and desires. Always.

First it was the chief of his tribe back when he was a human. His desires had been as simple back then as his situation. All he wanted was food, enough food to fill the belly and that was all. But no. He was always denied. So driven by madness, madness almost like the one he was feeling now… He killed that man and drank his blood, causing him to become the Blood Fiend that he was today.

Later, when he thought he was finally free to do as he wished without having to be afraid of being punished, the Lord of all Monsters struck terror across the entire Continent and he was once again living life on the edge, his desire to be the strongest a thing he could only dream about.

Later, when he gave up the dream of being the strongest individual and found more promise in the strength of the masses, he desired the conquest of the Continent and made many sacrifices to make that happen, doing his best to even get the foolish Monsters under his banner. But like clockwork, the Phoenix of Envy arrived and his desires were dashed.

Here he was again, dreaming of claiming back the power that the Blood Fiend race had once held, and perhaps obtaining more, hoping that things would be better this time. He had left that accursed Continent, right? Things can’t be the same, right? Right?

But no. No.

NO! LIKE CLOCKWORK, ANOTHER BEING HAD APPEARED TO DASH AWAY HIS DREAM!

“AAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGHHHH!!!!” Ghost roared again, stumbling backwards as wrath and anguish flooded his soul.

‘BEYOND! BEYOND! BEYOOOOOND!’ Ghost inwardly screeched as blood began to drip out of his eyes like crimson tears.

‘WHY DO YOU HATE ME SO!’