Emperor's Reckoning

The fisherman boat slowly entered the beach before stopping right before Lyon and his two servants. The hunchback old man slowly reached out the edge before stepping over it. His feet were slightly buried in the sand before a smile was given to the young man.

"Good morning old man, quite unusual morning isn't it?" said Lyon with a smirk on his face.

The old man in front of him just sailed across a dangerous sea that contained nothing but demonic beasts. Yet, the boat was intact and his clothes were spick and clean as if he just iron it.

The old man raised his eyebrows, "Oh? What is quite unusual?"

"You should know how weird this situation already is," chuckled Lyon.

The old man smiled before laughing, "Hahaha, of course, it is. Silly old me, not just any morning would start with an old man rowing a fisherman boat to say 'good morning'."

"So, what is your goal old man? I would advise nothing ill-intent would be the best."

The hunchback old man was surprised by his reply before laughing, "Hahaha, nothing of sort young one. I'm just here to talk and ask about that huge fish over there."

"Oh, guys, bring our most revered guest a slice of that delicious meat."

The two servants immediately nodded before rushing to prepare a plate for the old man. They cut the meat very easily despite their mortal bodies. It was the work art of cooking that enabled them to do so.

Meanwhile, the old man laughed once more, "Young one, you are an interesting one. First, not only you led our conversation, you established a threat. Second, hahaha, that one was a very subtle insult yet not an insult, a sarcasm you might add."

"I don't know what you're talking about old man," smiled Lyon as he feigned ignorance.

Before long, the servants served the dish right in front of him. The smell of the grilled meat dance in his nose as his eyes couldn't help but closed to bask in the pleasure. "What a smell, this one is cooked to perfection. Just salt and meat, the most simple things are usually the most beautiful things."

"Yeah, like love."

"Hahahaha! I will eat for that!" said the old man as he mowed down the plate.

It didn't take too long before the old man finished his plate, the second plate, the third plate until there were seven stacks of the plate. Lyon smiled as he crossed his arms, watching him burped.

"Oh, that was really good, I'm full now."

"So good that you forgot to act your fake hunchback?"

"Ah?"

The old man laughed as he was defeated by the young man in front of him without a single fist being formed. Suddenly his face became serious as he looked at the young man. His eyes seemed to assess his physique and the aura coming out of him. "Hmm, your mind is quite a sharp tool but the aura you exuded and your cultivation level is quite far behind it."

"Oh? What do you imply?" asked Lyon with a smile.

The old man smiled back, "Let's say I give you riches beyond this world, resources that if put in one place would be considered a world of its own. What will you do about it? Will you give to the poor? Will you give to the needs? Will you savor all of it? Used them to gain strength? Tell me."

"I will take all the resources."

His answer was so quick that it took some time before the old man could comprehend his simple reply. The old man blinked three times before smiling wryly, "Heh, you didn't even make an effort to lie. However, please elaborate young one, with your sharp mind, I doubt you would let the resources sit still and rot with the eternal time."

Lyon shook his head before he stood up and gazed at the horizon beyond the sea. "I will not help the poor nor will I help the one in need. I will not help the weak either. I don't fight for justice nor pride. I don't act by the value of money nor an ideal. I don't fight for heaven, I don't fight for hell nor the world."

Sun and Shen both opened their eyes wide. They could feel faint mana imbued within the words Lyon was saying.

"No way..."

"No doubt about it!" said Sun with a grin on his face.

"It's the mantra! Never thought 'he' would teach the kid that."

"No, he must have picked it up himself naturally due to the circumstances of his reincarnation. Mantra, cannot be taught!"

"Here it comes, 'He' who was born with one of the ultimate physiques!"

Lyon slowly gazed back at the old man with a smirk on his face. The aura exuded from his body changed from that of an arrogant young one to something divine. Within his sharp eyes, the world was presented under his feet.

"I will help who I want to help, protect my loved ones even if it means against the entire world. Why? Because I am me!"

The old man's pupils shrunken as his entire body shuddered. The vision in front of him was no longer a young man but he got a clearer view. Something majestic, an image of an emperor in which under him were silhouettes of his loyal commanders made of heroes and criminals. (W-what is this? An illusion? Premonition? Wait there are ten, hundred, thousand?! No, wait, more! Under those silhouettes, there are still more?!).

"Old man, you alright?"

The old man blinked twice before he realized he was still at the beach but unaware of the cold sweat forming on his forehead. His heart and his breathing slowly turned to normal as his skin feel the warm temperature around him.

"Oh, ah hahaha, I'm fine just a little tired that's all. These old bones are starting to get tired of me hahaha!"

The old man faked his nervousness but the thought in his mind, (This young man is not a hero, a villain? No no no, this young man had passed those stages! This young man, is an emperor level quality!).

"Hmm? That's an interesting ring you got there," said Lyon as he pointed at one of his fingers.