The Deceitful One

Ron slowly made his way through the forest and towards the cave mine. He was bloodied all over and was currently limping as he dragged his feet.

He realized that he couldn't take it anymore and hence supported himself against a tree. Ron grunted in pain as the wounds all over his body recovered at an extremely slow speed.

Usually, a Blood Path Transcendent's regeneration ability was ridiculously fast. However, it would turn slower the more one used it.

The fact that Ron's wounds were regenerating at such a slow speed, meant that he had to use this ability multiple times during the course of his earlier battle with Andrew.

Ron observed his wounds healing and the blood slowly seeping back inside them. Blood Path Transcendents not only had an innate regeneration ability but also another ability, which was control over blood!

In the earlier stages, they would have control over their own blood and to a small extent, control over others' blood. Like how earlier Alfredo was able to coagulate the blood on Bryan's wounds and stop the excessive blood loss.

However, as one progressed, their control over blood would increase. Meaning, at high ranks, a Blood Path Transcendent could control the flow of blood inside their opponents and instantly kill them!

Currently, although most of the wounds on Ron's body were healing, the wounds on his right arm and chest area weren't.

If observed closely, his right chest as well as the entirety of his right arm were beginning to show signs of decay!

As Ron looked at the condition of his right hand, he couldn't help but curse aloud, "Fucking Death Path!"

Death Path Transcendents not only had dominion over death but also rot and decay! In the previous battle, Andrew had used one of Death Path Rank 1 Transcendent's innate abilities, Perishing Touch!

Anything touched by the Perishing Touch would instantly decompose, whether it be objects or humans! At high ranks, a Death Path Transcendent could decompose even something as elusive as a concept!

Ron steadied himself again as he continued to slowly walk towards the cave mine, "I must get to Alfredo and get this treated first…"

A few minutes later, he finally came out of the forest and arrived at the clearing where the mine's entrance was located. Ron couldn't help but be taken aback at the state of the battlefield here.

Although, he had personally participated, now when he looked at it, he was greatly shocked. Tens of bodies were strewn around the place, twenty of them belonging to the Apprentices from the Holy Blood Sect.

Nine of them were the Blood Path Transcendents who had perished in the beginning. Ron's gaze then fell over Henry and Emma's headless corpses. A wave of complicated emotions rose in his heart.

He had spent years working with them, and now that he saw their lifeless bodies, he didn't know how to feel.

Ron steeled his heart as he stumbled towards Alfredo who was currently laughing like a maniac as he sat upon Bryan's body and continued to carve the latter's torso.

On his way there, Ron was surprised when he saw five figures in red hooded robes guarding the entrance of the cave mine.

"Who are they?" Ron's eyebrows furrowed as he mumbled, "Were they brought here by Master?"

Seeing that they had no intention of interacting with him and were instead busy dutifully guarding the cave, Ron didn't approach them either.

As he got closer to Alfredo, the scene he saw sent shivers down his spine. Bryan's left arm was now completely cut off from the shoulder. His left eyeball was also missing, moreover, the curse marks on his left eye had now even spread to his right eye.

But that wasn't even the worse of it. Alfredo was sitting atop Bryan, and was carving his chest and stomach with a runic dagger!

The skin on Bryan's torso had completely been removed. Most of his flesh had also been destroyed. What Alfredo was doing now, was actually carving on Bryan's bones and organs!

Ron gulped involuntarily and wondered if he could ever withstand such a level of pain. He then looked at Bryan and found that he was listlessly looking at the sky.

Even though Alfredo was carving his bones and organs in such a vicious manner, not even a grunt escaped his lips.

Ron walked closer to Alfredo and asked, "Is he still alive?"

Alfredo stopped in his actions as he turned his head to look at Ron. He grinned from ear to ear as he replied, "Oh, he's alive all right. He's just grown numb to the pain, unfortunately. He's one tough bastard, I must admit."

Ron then turned to look at Bryan once again and when he did, he was taken aback as he stumbled a few steps backward and fell on his butt.

It was because he found Bryan staring him dead in the eye! Although his left eye was missing and the right one was now damaged because of the curse, Ron was sure Bryan was coldly looking at him!

"See," Alfredo chuckled, "I told you he was alive."

He then looked at Ron's right arm's condition and sneered, "Looks like that kid really did a number on you."

Ron snapped out of his daze and looked at Alfredo, "Can you help cure this? If it's not treated in time, I'll have no choice but cut off my arm entirely."

"I could…" Alfredo chuckled, "But what of that kid, Andrew? Did you finish him off?"

Ron's eyes narrowed, "Are you doubting my abilities?"

Alfredo shrugged as he shook his head, "No, no, not at all."

He then coldly looked at Ron and added, "What I'm doubting…is your feelings."

Ron silently stared at Alfredo for a long time and finally replied, "I hope you will be able to provide an explanation to Master when I tell him why I had to get rid of my right arm."

Alfredo couldn't help but scoff in disdain, "Always using master's name when things don't go your way eh?"

He then took out a small vial that contained a dark red liquid, from his coat's inner pocket and threw it at Ron, "You could learn a thing or two from Bryan. I've been torturing him for so long, yet he hasn't spoken a word."

Ron caught the vial and uncorked it, he then immediately gulped it down. The taste of this potion was very bitter but Ron knew it would do the job since it was a healing potion of the highest quality.

Soon, he began to feel itchy all over his body, especially his right chest and arm. This meant that the potion was taking effect.

He looked at his right arm and could see it recovering at a rapid speed. Earlier, the skin on this arm looked like tree bark. Now it seemed to have finally absorbed some moisture and turned healthier.

A few minutes later, Ron was back in good shape. All the wounds he had sustained in his previous battle had now been fully healed.

But although he looked brand new and was fully healed, it didn't mean that he was in fighting shape again. His spiritual force had already run dry after he used Blood Claw to stab Andrew earlier. Moreover, he had also run out of stamina.

If he were to fight again, he would die instantaneously. Even a regular human would have only a little bit of difficulty in killing him.

Looking at Ron now fully recovered, Alfredo said flatly, "That potion cost me a lot of money. You owe me."

Ron simply nodded his head in return. He then slowly got back to his feet with great difficulty and looked towards the cave entrance, "Who are those five?"

"Reinforcements from Nadir," Alfredo replied as he twirled his dagger to begin his torture on Bryan once again.

Ron's eyes widened, "The Holy Blood Sect from Nadir sent them!? The organization already knows of Master's advancement?"

Alfredo stopped in his actions as he turned to look at Ron once again and scoffed, "Master is about to advance to a Rank 4 Transcendent! Do you really think the organization won't send support? A Mid-String Transcendent is a valuable asset in any part of this world."

Ron nodded his head and thought that it made sense. He still didn't wish to approach the five people from Nadir though. Because they were emanating a sort of intimidating aura that naturally prevented him from coming closer.

He then turned to look back at Alfredo who had already begun to carve on Bryan's bones once again. He couldn't help but feel uneasy and nauseous looking at Bryan's state.

"Just get it over with and kill him already!" Ron urged.

Alfredo continued his carving as he replied without looking back, "I can't kill him yet. Not until Master gets the artifact inside the ruin. If I kill him before that, this ruin will forever be sealed. Until we find another member of the Medici Family, that is."

Ron didn't say anything else. He just silently stared at Bryan who was still looking in his direction. Although Bryan's right eye had fully blackened because of the curse, Ron could feel that Bryan was looking at him with the utmost hatred, fury, and resentment.

Even though Bryan's face was expressionless, his eyes spoke a thousand words. Looking into his eyes, Ron couldn't help but feel his heartbeat quicken and fear invade his whole being for some reason.

Right at that moment, the entire area around the cave entrance lit up with an eerie red light. Runes began to form on the ground and formed a giant runic formation that covered all the corpses. Soon, the blood was drained out of these thirty-one corpses!

Alfredo looked at the giant runic formation under his feet and mumbled, "It has begun!"