Emperor's Reckoning

Poger had his jaw slacked open in disbelief. His fist was un-balled as his shoulders locked. The woman whose speed was far beyond his reach had her throat penetrated by a sword from behind. Her body was horrifically twitching, and her vitality plummeted. Her lips jittered as she tried to mumble a word or two to him, however, Poger couldn't make up any. He had never thought the day would come that Rezali would be in that state, convulsing with blood spewing out of her lips.

Her scythe slowly glided out of her grip and then it fell to the ground below. The Empress of the Void had unsurprisingly come out as the victor of the battle that took place away from the city.

Reinhard furrowed his brows and raised them the moment he found Poger's figure. "Stop right—!?"

He paused. He too saw the woman that had inflicted harm on his friend Noah and was in a state where even he felt pity. Such a powerful cultivator was on display, hanging by a literal sword that pierced her throat.

"Reinhard!" Rayus came and hovered next to him. He furrowed his brows before following Reinhard's line of sight. He frowned before gulping. He had expected that the madam would win, he had seen a glimpse of her tremendous power.

"Rezali!" shouted Poger. He knew that the two students were hovering not far from him, however, his key to leaving this place safely was hanging.

"KH! Kh!" Rezali couldn't utter a word.

"Where is my darling?" asked Selena as her sight landed on Reinhard and Rayus.

"E-Eh? T-Teacher is still in the city," said Reinhard.

"Is he safe?" asked Selena.

"More than that," Rayus smiled wryly. Her husband was not an ordinary character despite looking like one. "He got the whole town by the throat."

Selena smiled, "Of course, he would. Did he leave a message for me?"

"No?" Reinhard answered, "He did say that Madam might go overboard."

"Hmm, overboard," Selena muttered to herself.

"L-Lady!" Poger chipped in. His eyes were looking at her with the utmost fear that he had ever experienced in his life. He gulped to pacify his nervousness but alas, it was impossible. Forget about the cultivation level, the woman might have suppressed her real cultivation level and both of them bit the poisoned apple. "Let Rezali live..." he said.

Selena frowned.

"Madam don't!" said Reinhard before Rayus slapped the back of his head. "Ouch!"

"Keep quiet, Reinhard, we're not in the position to utter a word right now," said Rayus. "This is madam we're talking about."

"R-Right..."

Poger gulped once more as he heard no word coming out. "I assure you that it's not too late, she can still be healed."

Selena pulled her sword out of her throat before catching her nape and gave it a choke with her other hand.

"P-Poger! Save me!" shouted Rezali. Her frantic tone caught Poger off guard. He had never seen her so frightened before.

( You think I don't want to!? I don't know how! ) thought Poger with his teeth gritted. Were his vitality at his peak, he would have been able to make Reinhard and Rayus hostages. That way, he could barter them for his own safety. However, the two brats proved to be difficult to deal with, especially when he was an arm less.

"L-Lady, you don't want this, if you kill us both, Burgeon Swan will hunt you and your husband down, and you will not be able to sleep well a single night, please consider that," said Poger. "You are a powerful cultivator, far beyond the scope of Second Heaven, I might as well dare to say that you belonged in Paradise! The very goal of every cultivator! However, the safety of your husband is a different matter."

Selena furrowed her brows. "Are you threatening my darling?"

( Poger you stupid pig! ) screamed Rezali inwardly.

The wave of killing intent made his skin crawl. He couldn't digest how a beautiful lady like her would have a severe killing intent that even made him, bow in defeat. There was not an individual in his entire life that could even par against hers.

"P-Please show mercy!" said Poger. "We are of no threat to you! You can kill us with a brandish of your sword at any time of your choosing, please, let us live...!" his head bowed with tears coming from his eyes.

Reinhard lost his bloodlust as he looked at Poger. The man that was laughing at the sky was now groveling in mercy. He had never thought the man that could end a city would break down in tears once his life was threatened.

"He has nowhere to go," Rayus shook his head, "His fate was sealed the moment teacher and madam stepped in, no, it was sealed the moment they chose to oppose them."

"Mercy..." Selena muttered. "Would you show mercy, Reinhard?"

Reinhard raised his brows, "H-Huh?"

"Don't make me repeat myself."

Reinhard gulped with his entire body shaking. Her dominating presence could dull any sword, let alone a rookie like himself. "I-I..."

"Young master!" Poger turned and kowtowed in midair. "I-I, this lowly one has made a mistake, a grave grave mistake! I hope that you can forgive me, I will give you anything you want! I will give you my Summoning Ruby Stone! I will give you protection! Wealth! J-Just have mercy on this old one! I-I have a child as well! As big as you, in fact, he is not older than you! I-I just want a happy life for him!"

Reinhard was taken aback by his sobbing tone. His shoulders loosened as well as his grip on his spear. "I..."

"Y-Y..." Rezali tried to add more words.

"Close your lips," said Selena.

( Eek! ) Rezali was stumped. The blood had stopped spewing out from her lips, but her throat was still severely damaged. Although her life was hanging she was not going to die that easily, due to her high cultivation level but she didn't dare to try to escape using Returning Jade Stone either. She knew that Selena had the full capacity in severing her head before the light could even send her off to distant land.

"A-A child?" Reinhard muttered in disbelief. A child, the same age as him. The words immediately occupied his judgment. The convincing tears, the sobbing tone, and the pure act of powerlessness. He was passed the power to judge a man's life and death. One decision to change the course of fate.

Rayus was looking at Reinhard with worry in his eyes. There was no doubt that his friend was measuring the decisions presented to him. To kill or to let live. However, Rayus knew that he should not say anything at the moment. This was crucial for Reinhard.

Reinhard's eyes looked down as his spear was pointing in the same direction.

( Now! ) Poger screamed inwardly. He knew that Selena or Lyon would kill him either way, no sob story would save him from those two, especially the former who harbored such killing intent. However, making Reinhard a hostage was an option that enabled him to live. ( Thank you, stupid fool! ).

( Fuck! ) Rayus had his guard down and opened his mouth to call out for Reinhard the moment he saw Poger pouncing at him. "Rein—"

Reinhard looked up, but he revealed a sharp glance. He tightened his grip on the spear and seemed to have prepared for this surprise attack.

"Huh?!" Poger was not expecting that look. He bet it all in this one movement that he did and left his body open as the price.

Reinhard retaliated and swiftly dodge then thrust his spear against the man's right eye, the most delicate part of a cultivator.

"Aaagh!" Poger wailed in pain.

"Eat this!" shouted Reinhard and Rayus at the same time before both of them sent a flurry of thrusts and slashes toward the man from the polar directions.

"Kayan!" Reinhard put all of his strength into this thrust that aimed for Poger's heart from the back. He roared as mana swirled around the tip and penetrated through the thick muscle of Poger and outward.

"Tailwind!" Rayus shouted and went for the neck.

"Damn Brats!" was the last words Poger said before his head was severed by Rayus's wild slash.

Both Reinhard and Rayus heaved heavily as they watched Poger's body crash down. They looked at each other before smiling together.

"We did it," said Reinhard.

"Y-Yeah, we can take Ferece, at least, we have the possibility," said Rayus with his lungs hungrily consuming the air.

Rezali looked over as much as she could, "P-Please...?"

Selena furrowed her brows and Rezali's pupils shrunk. She severed her neck with an effortless swing and let the body and head follow Poger to the ground. She sheathed her sword and left without a single pause.

Both students didn't utter a word as they silently nodded at each other and followed Selena back to the city where the teacher awaited their return.