Emperor's Reckoning

Jin's eyes immediately turned sharp as the aloof look of his vanished after he heard Noark's revelation. He would have never thought that his disappearance was caused by the latter's own father. Discarding his own son toward a place where even with Noark's prime back then, still can't get out.

Priscila and the others of the family members gasped in disbelief as the speculating theories that were bubbling in the masses were actually true. The pretext of having the son of the one that was supposed to inherit the Treas family went missing without leaving any clue was already suspicious enough. There was no way that the investigation back then came out with nothing, especially with the powerful connection the old bone had.

"Grandfather threw you away?" asked Luke as he gulped his saliva. He knew his father was strong but even then, he still lost. Were it not for being missing for countless years, he believed that his father could take on that old bone.

"Of course not directly, given time, one on one against me would come in my victory. However, with how I am now, I'm not certain that I could do that. At the time, he was not alone. I was ganked from all sides. His friends were all-powerful but if they think that they could cripple me by numbers they were mistaken greatly."

Noark gruntled as he crossed his arms with his face scorned, "I still can't believe my own father would do that to me, he is blinded by power, by richness. That senile old man, not even the treasure that he won could satisfy his greed."

It was apparent from the tone of his voice that killing intent was infused within.

"Hmm? Where is Titania? Why don't I see her here? Are you guys still having a fight with her?" asked Noark.

Luke was adamant not to say anything despite the glance that his father gave him, thus the latter could only dart toward his daughter instead.

"That woman is not my little sister, father," answered Priscila sternly.

Noark obviously furrowed his eyebrows as he couldn't help but wonder what had happened.

"That daughter of yours tried to take over my palace, not caring for the safety of her own siblings, she is like your father, Noark, basked in greed and power. I don't know what's gotten into her," answered Emperor Jin.

"Then her husband?" asked Noark.

"I killed him."

Noark opened his eyes wide before his pupils moved toward the source. It was his own benefactor, his grandson-in-law.

"Benefactor, you kill... uh... Borton?" asked Noark in disbelief before he slightly rubbed his own thumb against the index finger to pacify his nervousness. Thinking what he had done back then in the other plane, it was no surprise that his strength was sufficient to kill that of an older generation.

"Not only that, he killed his father too," smugged Jin as his aloof self started to come back.

"What?!" exclaimed Noark as he couldn't believe his ears. Killing an older generation was one thing but two generations before were something else entirely. That was at the same level as Noark himself according to age.

"I can't remember his name though," laughed Lyon as if something that he just did was not so important.

Noark made a harsh swallow of his gulp. (No. I know Borton's father, I know him well enough to know that he was eyeing the grand treasures that Treas is keeping. He is an ambitious man, that same trait was inherited by his son, you mean to tell me that, that same man died by his hands?).

He slightly looked around but none seemed to doubt the revelation despite the fact that they were not there to witnessed it.

"He also killed Russel," followed up by Cecile.

"Who?" asked Noark.

"Your grandson," answered Lyon.

Noark's eyes were slightly squinted in confusion. He didn't seem to recall the name Russel. in his mind. He searched his hazy memories that were flooding back but there was no such name came upon any occasion.

"Titania's son," answered Priscila as she refused to acknowledge her as her sibling.

"She had a son?" muttered Noark as his eyes opened in disbelief.

"That's not the only thing, don't you notice anything similar with this fine lady beside me," said Luke as he nodded against Sophia that was standing beside her.

"Hmm?" Noark furrowed his eyebrows as he looked at the young woman in front of him.

"Greetings, grandfather, my name is Sophia, Sophia Treas Alrude," bowed Sophia as she paid respect toward the old man.

"Ah.... young... Sophia, please stand up. I'm sorry that I was not there for you and play as I did with Cecile, things had gotten rough and... well... you know the point," said Noark as his heart softened.

"You must want to know my reason for killing Russel, your grandson that you hardly know," said Lyon as he courted all of the attention.

People would usually pass this kind of question and let it be dragged by the wind instead to avoid awkwardness since Lyon was both his benefactor and his grandson's killer. His feeling must have been a bit jumbled. On the other hand, Lyon had saved his life from the path of doom, meanwhile, he had killed his grandson that he didn't even know existed.

One could only praise Lyon for daring to address the matter without delaying any further. The more it lingered, the higher it would be for trouble to arise in the future. The topic was like a seed that was kept being watered each day but no one knew where it would bore the ugly fruit.

Noark turned around before nodding, "I am. benefactor, I want to know the reason. Seeing you had saved me from that place, you must have a heart of a cultivator, there must be a reason that you must kill my grandson. I just hope it's a sensible one."

Lyon smirked, "It's a good thing that you don't feel attached to that grandson of yours."

His eyes suddenly turned sharp as Noark's pupils immediately constricted before his ears received the serious tone of his words, "He was trying to mess with my women."

A smooth hint of a flake of killing intent was infused in the word as he felt a  thump on his heart. That one single heavy thump reminded him how he was young and came face to face with death for the first time. He couldn't believe that such a thing came from the body of a young man of the later generation. He could only count a few instances this had happened to him with one finger, never did he thought that the list would add up once again after all this time.

"It may not be justified from my words alone, but he forced my hand, you can ask him the details of what happened," said Lyon as he pointed against the pardoned one.

The pardoned one immediately stood up straight, though all this while, both of his hand was held by Lyon's copies.

"Y-Yes! What the revered one said was true! Russel was taunting him whilst running for his pathetic life. He laughed arrogantly as he held the returning jade stone thinking that he could escape. However, the revered one power was too immense to comprehend. Not even after destroying the stone did he could escape, the revered one grabbed him by his neck despite being encompassed inside the jade light. That was when things escalate...."

The pardoned one kept going with the stories before he accidentally recounted the whole event. Not forgetting to praise Lyon in any way possible, the very least he could do now was acting like his lackey so that he was, at the very least, not on his bad side. The madman dared to declare war against the world, figuratively speaking, and Legion themselves. One could only imagine what Lyon would do if he offended him.

Lyon smirked as he basked in his praises, "I don't need your understanding, I can take on Treas by myself, either I take it slow or maybe tomorrow. For now, I need to rest for a while, keeping all of you afloat while destroying that 'thing', heaven's tribulation was it? It's quite tough."

Cecile chuckled as she knew that Lyon was lying. She could vaguely felt the abundance of energy inside him. He could probably drag the whole ocean back and forth and still standing if he wanted to.

"I leave the guests and my friends all up to you, for now, I'm going west, I need to.. rest..." said Lyon before he grabbed Cecile's hands and flew toward the west without waiting for their reaction.

"Hey wa—!" Priscila's words were answered with a gale before she covered her eyes. She put her arms on her waist as she shook her head, "That tall lady of mine!"

"We are going to, turn around," said Lumina without hesitation.

"Hey, I'm not your actual dri—," Yunesia couldn't finish her words before Lumina's draconic aura suppressed the giant bird with ease. With a screech, the bird could only bow to her command and left.