Yuta's private bedroom was utterly devastated; the air reeked of the metallic scent of blood, and the corpses of terrifyingly powerful beings lay scattered across the floor. In one corner of the room, Yuta sat, filthy and disheveled.
His torn clothes were soaked in blood, and his white hair was a chaotic mess, stained with crimson splatters. He looked up, revealing that he was in the midst of devouring a maid who had entered the room, ignoring all warnings.
The scene was gruesome; the sounds of chewing and swallowing echoed through the room. The maid's head—bobbing up and down—still bore an expression of shock, yet Yuta paid it no mind as he tore into her flesh.
He had cast aside the regal bearing of a ruler and the majesty of a Path Lord, allowing his animalistic instincts to surface in their most hideous form.
He struck the maid's skull with immense force, pulverizing it into a pulp of bone, blood, brain matter, and hair.
Yet, a smile filled with murderous intent and ravenous hunger played upon his lips. He devoured the maid's skull in a single bite as if it were nothing, immediately resuming his feast on her body as though nothing had happened.
Loud laughter erupted from him after he consumed the final morsel of her body, leaving behind nothing but scraps of clothing. "Hahahahahaha... Hahahahahahahahahahaha!"
Yuta's laughter was utterly deranged, as if he had lost the last shred of his sanity; he then rose to his feet and headed toward the bed. That egg—housed within the palace of the ruler of Yusebikers—remained perfectly intact.
Yuta was losing his mental grip, driven by the primal instincts of hunger and protectiveness. He moved toward the egg as if it were the most precious thing in his entire life—his movements erratic and strange.
But just before he could reach it, someone snatched the egg away: a subordinate of the "Black and White Scorpion."
The man spoke with a mocking tone, looking down at Yuta—who had frozen in place. Yuta's expression was obscured by blood-matted hair clinging to his face. "Oh, look—Subject 000002546, Class D. It seems this egg means a lot to you."
"It's a shame the boss of the Black and White Scorpion wants it. He'll turn it into a resource to make himself the strongest. Isn't it wonderful? A filthy experiment like you acting just like an animal... seeing you in your natural state is revolting—it makes me want to laugh."
Yuta said nothing, yet an indescribable internal struggle raged within him. His mental state had been completely unstable since the end of the Furslikin Academy festival; he was consumed by an unbridled urge to devour flesh—to consume anything that fell within his line of sight.
He was losing his mind by the second; animalistic instincts—specifically the drive to protect and the hunt for food—had taken total control of him.
He spoke in a highly agitated tone, clutching his hair so tightly that the subordinate laughed mockingly at him. "No, no, no, no... how dare you think of taking my daughter away from me? I'll kill you... I will..." "I'll kill you all! Nothing in this world matters to me; I'll destroy anything that keeps me away from Hydralina."
The subordinate didn't linger to hear more of Yuta's rant; he tried to slip away, taking advantage of Yuta's mental instability and the way his hair hung wildly over his face like a madman's.
Yuta's gaze snapped toward the subordinate, who was struggling to open a door leading to the balcony—a door that refused to budge due to the reinforcements Madeline had recently installed.
Yuta glared at him out of the corner of his eye; a dark, reddish aura radiated from him, heavy with a terrifying, murderous intent.
Yuta let out a scream so powerful it threatened to burst the Scorpion Organization subordinate's eardrums, sending the man sprawling while he clutched his ears as blood gushed profusely from them. "Aaaargh!"
Meanwhile, Yuta instinctively moved to shield the egg, embracing it tightly—a truly pitiful sight for someone like him.
"You're okay, my dear... you're okay. Everything is fine, alright?" Yuta's voice remained laced with tension and anxiety as he held the egg, then turned his gaze back to the Scorpion Organization subordinate—a look filled with hatred and murderous intent.
He spoke in a furious, murderous tone: "You want to die that badly? Fine, I'll grant your wish."
He deposited the egg into his own spiritual realm—into a room specially prepared for it—before turning toward the subordinate. As he did, his body began to transform: his hair turned coal-black, black veins appeared on his face, black horns with crimson tips sprouted from his head, and razor-sharp claws emerged... Pointed teeth...
The expression of the Scorpion Organization subordinate turned ghastly pale as he trembled violently—overcome by sheer terror and shock at what he was witnessing. He exerted a vast amount of his power, yet the door didn't budge even an inch.
His fear mounted; he had assumed that slipping out—taking advantage of the entry of the maid Yuta had devoured moments earlier—would be easy, especially since he hadn't sensed the seals distributed across parts of the room.
Yuta seized him forcefully from behind and ripped out his spine. The man collapsed instantly, unable to move a muscle; yet, because he was an expert-level Ruler, he remained alive despite suffering an injury that would have killed an ordinary human in a split second.
As for Yuta, the warm, metallic blood gushed over his entire body, turning his face and hair a deep crimson.
Yet, his expression remained filled with hatred and an ever-growing desire to kill and devour his prey.
He consumed the spine with ease. After all, having devoured Vermon Solterk—along with several parallel worlds—in a single bite, he found no difficulty whatsoever in consuming something as trivial as a spine.
He grabbed the body again, only to find it lifeless; the mental core and Dantian roots within had sustained catastrophic damage, and the massive blood loss in such a short time—with no means to heal—had sealed his fate.
Then, he... Yuta grabbed him by the head, wearing a look of sheer madness, and crushed his skull completely—much like smashing a rotten pumpkin—forcing his eyes from their sockets and causing blood to gush from his head and ears.
His head transformed into that of a dragon, and his neck grew massive and elongated; he immediately devoured the victim in a single gulp. He then let out a laugh that shook the entire area before reverting to his original form and collapsing to the ground, unconscious from sheer exhaustion.
As time ticked by, the room bore silent witness to the carnage and the stench of blood that filled the air during those moments.The overwhelming aura emanating from his body was potent enough to repel even monsters from his room.
The following day—July 23rd, year 675, at 12:34 PM—Yuta's bedroom remained in pristine condition, a stark contrast to the devastation of the previous night.
Yuta lay asleep in his bed, while the Exalted Heavenly Blessing, Elizabeth, dozed on a nearby chair, her head resting gently against his stomach.
She had cast aside the prestige and status of a being capable of bringing the world to its knees with a mere thought; in this moment, nothing mattered but her role as a mother.
She opened her eyes, a faint smile playing on her lips. Though she had no biological need for sleep, she cherished the act; it made her feel like a mother—someone who worried over her child—rather than an absolute entity treating existence like a plaything to be molded at will.
She gazed at Yuta, who was deep in slumber, utterly drained from the previous ordeal. "That egg is completely draining his vitality," she thought anxiously. "Hydralina... my granddaughter, my future. I do not know whether to be happy or the opposite."
Elizabeth sighed softly as she stroked Yuta's hair, ignoring his repulsive odor. After all, she was his mother; such trivialities meant nothing to her. All that mattered was his well-being.
As she gently stroked his hair, Yuta slowly opened his crimson eyes and turned his gaze toward her.
Suddenly, a violent headache struck him, causing him to... He closed his eyes again, unable to move even an inch of his body. Yet, the Exalted Blessing-Bearer of the Sky, Izlabith, did nothing; she was familiar with this phenomenon, as it had occurred with both Duralia and Lunaria when Yuta and his two triplet siblings were being born.
Their protective instincts were active, consuming a massive amount of energy—a demand so great that the burden had to be shared. Indeed, one of the reasons Yuta had six fathers and six mothers was to distribute this immense energy drain across multiple individuals rather than placing the strain on a single person.
Several minutes passed with him unable to move a muscle, until finally, he managed to twitch a finger with great difficulty. Izlabith sighed in relief as she watched Yuta begin to recover, bit by bit.
After six minutes, he sat up, leaning his back against a cushion. He took a deep breath, gazing at his hands before clenching them with tremendous force.
"I couldn't do a thing for the past three days; I've never felt so helpless. It seems I'll face many challenges before Hydr-Lina is born. In the end, nothing in this world is free; I must pay the price for my actions, my successes, and my failures."
Izlabith said not a word. She simply gazed at him calmly, a faint smile playing on her lips—a smile holding the relief a mother feels for her son. After all, wielders of the Blessing Wing were often deeply emotional, especially toward their children, even if they sometimes appeared cold or distant. Disregarding them...
She gently wiped Yuta's hair—still matted with dried blood—leaving him somewhat puzzled by her actions.
"You were right; nothing in this world is free. Everything has a price, though the cost varies. Even so, don't act as if your death wouldn't affect anyone. You are the Master of the Path of Death; your demise would mean the absolute end of that path. You must be cautious in every move you make." The voice of the Revered Saintess of Izlabith was calm and solemn as she tended to his hair.
Then, with a smile, she gave his ear a playful pinch—her annoyance barely showing. "Anyway, let's get back to the main point: you need a bath. You reek. Do that before anything else."
Yuta looked at her with clear annoyance, then let out a frustrated sigh as he left to wash off the stench and the blood that covered his entire body.
"I feel so relieved. Who would have thought I'd act like a madman last night? Oh—that maid. It seems Athena brought her back to prevent any suspicion." Yuta's voice was cheerful and relaxed as he bathed in the scalding water.
He stretched his body out fully when, suddenly, an egg appeared and dropped onto his stomach. Surprised, he picked it up, smiling with eyes that resembled those of the dragons—the very eyes he had used to kill that operative from the Scorpion Organization.
"You mischievous, gluttonous little thing... you really made a fool of me, didn't you?" "You're shy, aren't you?" Yuta's voice was gentle as he cradled Beidha. She was nuzzling against him—much like a cat rubbing its cheek against its owner to scratch an itch.
She then hopped into the pool, diving in and out repeatedly, all while Yuta watched with a faint smile.
After a few minutes of bathing, Yuta dried Beidha and returned her to the palace in his spirit realm. He dressed and left the bathroom, only to find the Revered Lady of the Heavenly Blessing, Islabith, still there; she was sitting on the sofa, eating a fruit salad.
She was reading a novel titled *The Game of Death* but glanced up at Yuta as he sat before a mirror to dry his long hair.
Islabith rose and walked over to Yuta. She took the comb from his hand and continued combing his hair, a faint smile playing on her lips.
Yuta looked at her in surprise and tried to take the comb back, but she met his attempt with a cold stare, prompting him to lower his hand.
Several hours later, at 8:34 PM in the city of Berhais—specifically in the city center—a crowd had gathered, comprising humans, elves, angels, and some dwarves.
Yuta was there with his family—Jia, Chloe, Madeline, Kira, Lira, Athena, and Sira—while nearby stood the Revered Lady of the Heavenly Blessing, Islabith. Elsewhere, the Venerable Lotus Jihao Yuxuan, the Venerable Go-Master Ping Tao-xin, the Venerable Star-Hunter Zendaya, and the Heavenly Sword Emperor Yuchira Escanora stood watching the proceedings in silence.
It was the highlight of the Summer Festival—a celebration of the harvest and abundant bounty. Over the next twenty-five days, a portion amounting to 3% of the yield would be distributed to the poor and needy across the twelve cities and villages.
At the twenty-two-minute-and-thirty-four-second mark, Jia and Yuta stepped onto the ceremonial platform. They began a sword-blade dance that mimicked the movements of trees and the gentle summer breeze with exquisite precision...admiring their skills.
Yuta spoke telepathically in a calm tone: "Jia, get ready; the next performance will surely be even more spectacular."
Jia smiled as she stepped back with a graceful, fluid motion. "I am always ready; it is *you* who needs to be prepared." Her tone was laced with heavy sarcasm.
Yuta smiled, glancing at the sky for a moment before deftly dodging a surprise attack from Jia. "I was born ready—prepared long before the event even began," he quipped.
He turned to the audience, who were applauding enthusiastically. Approaching Jia, he bowed—a faint smile still playing on his lips. "Thank you for watching our performance, 'The Sword Dance.'" His voice was full of appreciation as he bowed, only to suddenly collapse to the ground, clutching his chest.
He screamed loudly, shocking the crowd: "My heart... it hurts so much! It feels like it's burning!"
Jia looked at him in shock and rushed to hold him, only to be struck by unbearable pain herself; she clutched her own heart. "I feel such intense pain... my heart... what is happening?"
The audience was stunned. Athena and Sira looked on with suspicion, while Kira and Lira, anxious and worried, tried to rush toward them—but Athena held them back, sensing that something sinister was at play.
As for the Honorable Lotus Flower, Jihao Yuxuan... Elizabeth "Sky Blessing," Zendaya "Revered Star-Hunter," Ping Tao-xin "Revered Last Patch," and Yuchira Escanora "Heavenly Sword Emperor"—their expressions remained stoic, for they were certain Yuta was playing a game.
A loud burst of laughter erupted from the sky; the Black and White Scorpion looked down at Yuta and Jia, who had collapsed to the ground, clutching their hearts in agony. "Hahahaha... the fun is over. It is time for you to become part of my energy."
Yuta, Jia, and the others turned their gazes toward the Black and White Scorpion, their expressions a mixture of fear, shock, astonishment, and terror. He was one of the leaders of the Scorpion Organization Council—specifically "Scorpion No. 3," one of the organization's most powerful commanders.
Yet, a faint smile appeared on both Jia and Yuta's faces as they looked at the Black and White Scorpion and rose to their feet, acting as if nothing had happened.
He was utterly shocked as he stared at them. "How? Aren't you supposed to be lying on the ground?" The Black and White Scorpion's voice was filled with disbelief as he looked at Yuta and Jia, who stood there completely unfazed.
He easily dodged a surprise attack from Yuta, yet Yuta's smile did not vanish as he gazed at the "Coal-Black Scorpion," whose mask was beginning to shatter; Yuta had no intention of dragging this out. The events unfolded to reveal the identity of the "Black and White Scorpion"—none other than the Magic Empress, Aster Guilford—leaving everyone in a state of shock.
The Magic Empress was one of the Empire's Pillars; who would have believed she was also a leader within the "Scorpion Council," the most powerful criminal organization in their fantasy world?
Yet, Jia was the most shocked of all. She recalled the words of Yuta Casiral on Jijua Island, the remarks of the Venerable "Chessboard" Ping Tao-xin in the city of Yuspeakers, and the statements made just days ago by the Venerable "Lotus Flower" Jihao Yuxuan.
Questions regarding why the Magic Empress Aster Guilford had adopted her, whether she was being exploited, and the truth about her real family—so many questions were answered all at once, leaving her unable to utter a single word.
She clutched her chest as she remembered that day on Jijua Island—a memory that had seemed so strange at the time but now suddenly made perfect sense.
Flashback:
Yuta looked at Jia's captivating face, which was filled with annoyance and anger. He patted her chest as if she were a small child; this only fueled her rage and caused a murderous aura to surge from her body.
"Why are you so annoyed? Is being treated like a girl bothersome to you, or what?"
"I would be less angry if the person doing it loved me. You don't have a shred of love for me—it's something else entirely, something I don't yet understand."
A sly smile appeared on Yuta's face as he listened to her words; he shifted his gaze toward Jia's chest, causing her to look back at him. With utter contempt