Chapter 22: XXII Resolution
"Do you think that after killing one of us, you will live?" The energy in Bad Wolf's body exploded with power. His black tunic swaying in the wind, revealing the terrifying scars on Bad Wolf's body.
Mark was standing on guard beside Ophelia and Elijah, on the ground was the body of several men, woman, not even the kids were spared
"Brothers! What should we do with him?" Bad Wolf looks at the men behind him.
''Kill him! Chief.'' All of the Hooded Bandits have become extremely furious after seeing their brother's corpse. At this moment they all raise their weapons. Seeing all the people that had died, Elijah's body slightly moves while his whole body emits cracking sounds. With burning eyes, he looks at Bad Wolf in front of him.
"You must be way stronger than that trash, right? Don't disappoint me."
"Brothers, kill everyone here while I play with this brat." Bad Wolf gives the order very nonchalantly.
"No matter what, I won't let them kill anyone. Sister!" Elijah performed Void Steps and transformed into a blur, his body followed a fantastic path of movements appearing and disappearing like like a ghost, soon, he arrived at Bad Wolf's face and executed a sweeping kick aiming at his heart.
But before he could defend himself Ophelia's eyes lit up. In this little time where her brother had distracted them, she had gathered enough light energy to use her Divine Ability [Radiant Light Boost]
One of the weakness a early realm Mortal Cultivator had before an early realm Divine Cultivator was that they didn't have permission to absorb this world's energy and had to rely on medicine and meditation in order to recover the wasted vital power(Vitality) they used in battle.
Ophelia's Divine Ability had boosted Elijah's Body Strength, Reaction Speed and his Energy.
"What?" Elijah's face suddenly changes color a lot as a terrifying torrent of energy has suddenly transferred to his body from Bad Wolf's leg, sending him meters away.
''Die! Your Trash!'' Using a war-ax he took from the ground, Bad Wolf slashes with his weapon downward, Elijah immediately infused on his legs and his whole body shoots up into the air like a bird. Soon afterwards he does a flip and run away.
'I hope my master's theory was right about using the rune's power together with his sister's boost'
Before Elijah enter the battle. Seeing what was happening from the carriage's window Elijah asks Shadow. "Master, can you help me?"
"If I was not sealed and couldn't use my power, I would be able to defeat that old geezer in one attack. However, that avatar I send was my limit, if I do something more the person who sealed could discover that I'm helping you. Therefore, I can't help you get rid of him personally or lend my power to you. So, everything is up to you."
Elijah shook his head and replied, "I'm not his opponent, he's too strong for me."
"You could use your rune and that bestial might, along with your sister's divine ability, then you both may have a chance. However, I must say that you are very weak now. I do not know if your fragile body can withstand its power. If a problem occurs, I will not be able to solve it either. "Shadow asked slowly," Do you still dare?"
"I do!" Elijah nodded without hesitation.
"This man trained in a berserk art, it will increase his brute power as well as weakening others, but with how much energy he's using it won't last much, just let him waste some energy before fight him. And after discovering his secret you will understand why i'm certain you can kill him. " Shadow explained.
"Also do not use my power before powerful Divine Cultivators or they might discover that I am the one nurturing you."
Back to the battle Elijah was standing away from Bad Wolf as he says. "I'll end this now!"
Feeling the power of the boost on flowing about him. He closed his eyes.
"Thurisaz!"
And like last time Elijah felt a strange heat inside him as his body began to grow, but this time, he did not grow into a fourteen-year old boy, but a Sixteen-year old teen.
Seeing this happening, Bad wolf had a bad premonition, his instinct was telling to run, but he could not let his brother behind, because from Elijah's gaze he knew that leaving them would mean their death. So he charged with a mighty cry, leaving a trail of a red berserk energy.
"Ell!" Ophelia shouted.
But when Bad Wolf's weapon neared Elijah everyone was astonished to see Elijah gripping the war-ax blade with two fingers.
Opening his eyes, Elijah looked at the evil wolf with contempt and fury in his gaze that shone with a ruthless golden light. "I understand now, you may be a third-realm Mortal Lord, but compared to Divine Cultivators, your vital power with a hint of berserk energy is nothing more than a trick. You also aren't from any family or faction, and the technique you practiced in aren't that great. Just the boost from the rune is more than enough for me to beat you. "
Seeing that his secret was discovered, Bad Wolf turned and began to run away, leaving everyone behind.
"Oh no, you will not run away from me after killing all those people."
Elijah looked at the little girl hiding behind her career, the girl Luna, he met her on this trip and she was discovered to have great talent, born with a special kind of spiritual body, her parents who made farmers made everything they could to leave the kingdom and find somewhere better, but in the end, they die at the hands of those thieves leaving their daughter alone in this world.
Standing tall with his body covered in blood, Elijah's demon-like gaze focused on the bandit chief as he threw his palm forward. It was so fast that no one saw what happened before they heard a bloody scream from afar followed by a sudden silence.
Then he held onto his hammer and smashed on the head of a hooded Bandit. With his unfathomable footwork, Elijah's body, which appeared and disappeared as he wiped out the bandits one by one.
Several horses whinnying non-stop, because of all the noise and killing, these horses became confused. They tried to scatter and gallop, but the caravan's mercenaries had prevented them from running away, but the dust left by the horses surrounded Elijah who was in the middle of the bodies.
The survivors hiding on the carriages leaved and they all look at the blur of Elijah's body in the middle of the bodies in astonishment.
Originally,to all of them, Elijah was only a kind and innocent boy. Who could believe that just now this boy would annihilate an entire group of bandits which they think was extremely terrifying, in just a little while without any resistance.
Everyone's eyes were focused on Elijah like he the god of death. But at this moment only Ophelia realized that he was panting and crying, and only she knew why he is gasping for breath and crying, while no one had imagined the turmoil in his heart at the moment.
Even though he was extremely resolute when he was killing the bandits, this is after all, the first time he has ever killed a human before.
"What have I done?" In his mind, Elijah was a bit terrified.
Even though he had killed several monsters and creatures before, after all he is still only a ten year old kid. If a kid who normally treats people kindly killed several people in one go, even if he had a strong will, he would still become terrified.
"Ell" Ophelia runs to Elijah, who was shaking non-stop and stroked his shoulders. Elijah looks up at her. His eyes are with a hint of fear, panic and pain. Other than the shock brought by the battle power capable of overcoming two entire realms that he just demonstrated, Ophelia knew he was happy, instead he was feeling rather conflicted.
"Ell, I know what you are feeling because this is also the first time I've killed someone. But you must understand they are bad people, monsters and they deserved to die. On your path you will need to be resolute and strong if you can't even kill monsters like them, how you are gonna protect your friends and family? How you are gonna protect me? Just remember that for every bad person will kill, you save a thousand. This is what Lord Apollo, had said to me when I first killed someone. "
Ophelia says while staring at Elijah.
"Killing a bad person can save a thousand." Elijah murmurs to himself several times as if he was convincing himself of that.
After a while, Elijah lifts his head once more as his eyes shine with resolution. He turns to Ophelia. "Thank you, sis, I think I've finally understood what I should do."
"See kid, in the end this serves as a great lesson for you." Says Shadow.
Suddenly, Elijah has a faint smile on his face: "Sis, why haven't you quickly gone help other people? Aren't you, a servant of the God of Light? You should heal them first instead of trying to comfort me."
"Ah, you're right." Ophelia's mind has also been completely focused her little brother. After being reminded of him, She immediately started to help the seriously injured survivors and began organizing everything before they parted away from this place.