"Young Levis."

"Levis!!!"

"Kid! You are alive!"

"Levis, are you hurt?"

“Senior Wan, Rowen!”

As Levis arrived at the open and burned field, which was cleared of trees for a hundred and so meters, the guards and old Wan looked in slight surprise at the boy, that stood on the back of the large boar, while waving his hand at them, as he and the boar were approaching the group and seated old man.

“Greetings—, old human fellow—. I have—agrrr— brought the human cub—, as I was told— to do.”

“You have my gratitude, sir Boar. ---Sir Baron has already conveyed to me, that you sir have already departed to rescue this child.”

“Good—agrrr—. Now I will— stay here—, to protect your pack—, until— my pack—, will arrive.”

My great appreciation to sir Boar’s assistance.”

“Cub Levis—, go down—agrrr—, boar— will start to protect— your pack—, you go and stay— with your pack.”

“Mmm.”

Forced to get down from the high spot on the boar's back, Levis set foot on the ground, which was still rather warm, evident of the fact that the heat power of the fire cultivator, had not been just a show of simple exhibition.

“Are you alright, young Levis?”

“Mmm—, yes, I did not take any big injury from the snake, and the boar had arrived rather fast, saving me from the snake, as it had tried to eat me.”

“Good—. Though I have to admit, you made this old man’s heart nearly jump out once I saw you on that snake’s head. To actually go for a beast, that could kill you in an instant---, you truly are the ant that wants to battle the bird----. Now go inside the shield, the others awaiting you.”

“Alright—, then heal well, senior Wan.”

“Aha—, go already, I do not need a brat looking after me.”

“Aha—, alright, alright.”

Leaving the old man to recover, Levis notice him grabbing a strange flask and taking small sips from it, which he guessed to be an elixir, similar to the ones that he had seen in the shop at Rud.

But as Levis was leaving, old Wan’s astute eyes were examining the boy, as a small crease had risen on his exhausted and sunken face, though just for an unnoticeable moment. Because, even as the rather durable clothes, had no visible rips or tears in them, some places showed small impacts or collisions taken, which were still visible and detectable to the sharp eyes of the old man. However, to his bewilderment, the boy stood walking, as though he was more than just alright, giving the impression that nothing had even happened, in the dangerous endeavor on the snake's head.

[Senior Wan is observing me?]

[He is most likely scrutinizing you, to see if you are lying or not. How are your bones, muscle, and organs?]

[Alright---, the pain is gone, but the bones just feel a little bit hot at this moment, nothing much to say.]

[Hmmm—, good.]

[Though this new clothing is amazing, they have not ripped or tears in them despite the whole ordeal, are the clothes magical too!?]

[The fabric seems to be capable of taking quite a large amount of force nothing more, the snake was not going to stab you or else the story would have been a different one.]

“Levis!”

“Damn brat, what was in your head, to do what you have done.”

“Levis you—, you are alright? When— I did not see you— and found myself pushed— I had no idea what—what was going on. How—how are you?”

“As you can all see, I, the great Levis, have returned in—, good health.” — [Fuck, I was about to say “in one piece” but given the state that the deceased guards are in, it might not be a good choice of words.]

[Ahahah—, you can say it, the dead are the dead, and you are you, kid. But being conscious of the situation when conversing, is a sign of growth, even if it is a mere fluke.]

Entering thru the orange protective shield, the group of men that had lived thru the unnatural disaster, which had been the battle between old Wan and the enemy cultivator, surrounded Levis, happy to see that he was alive. As currently the feeling of dread in their minds, was still at its highest point because in the distance lay the body pieces, of the ones, that they had not long ago, called friends and brothers, mixed together with the destroyed snakes which had Institut the chaos in their ranks. Yet, as the dread and fear still existed in their minds, from all that they had witnessed, from the beasts charging towards them, and of the battle that they had no right to be mixed in, a kind of unnatural but deep and primal fear had been affected them as it was still persisting, evident from their bodies that were still shaking minutely.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

“You—, are you alright?”

“We are fine—! It is supposed to be you, that we should be worrying about. But I guess that will not go far, for someone with the mettle to take the snakes all on his own.”

“Rowen—! Are you?”

“I am alright. As this is nothing but a shallow stab, so you do not need to be bothered about it.”

“Mmm—.”

One after another, the guards and then the flustered and panicking Hubert, came to greet him, but Rowen’s voice drew his attention from the group of guards, as he seated with his upper clothing and protective armor down, while Adrian was carefully extracting the tip of the sword that had been embedded in his lower right chest between his ribs.

But at Rowen’s rather unconcern reply, Levis gently nodded, as he moved his gaze on the two men that were supposed to live as his servants. Though once his gaze fell on them, his eyes squinted as the chains that were supposed to restrain them had disappeared at some point.

“Hmmm—? If you are wondering about the chains, well you know how it is when you move with a lot of stuff on your hands, things will just naturally fall.”

"You are alive."

"Ohh---, well some reptiles and some hooligans will not suffice, to be the end of my tale."

As Levis's gaze just landed on Zuger, who had been looking at him since he had first appeared, without a second to make him wait, he gave him a reply, while smirking in a condescending way at him.

“Is that so.”

But the crease made by Levis's eyebrows on his small face, made the man’s eyelid twitch for a moment, as he could feel the almost vicious intent hidden inside him.

“There is no need to worry, as they have, behaved, otherwise I would have already killed them.”

The one to suddenly talk was none other than Adrian, who had finished helping Rowen in extracting the tip of the sword from his chest and then helping him wrap the bandages around his chest.

“You are right. As long as they behave they will not die.” — [With how I stand now, in truth, I do not fear any of them.]

“What can we do, with grandpa over there? We might die, merely if he were to look sideways at us. So stop using those chains, they are quite uncomfortable.”

“As long as you understand, but this will be decided by the captain, not me.”

Despite this, Adrian looked at the two knowing, that in mids of the confusion, this man here had stolen his key which had been given by Rowen, as he no longer had the key on his person, once he had the time to inspect himself, as the fight had ceased and ultimately seen them free of the chains.

[Well no matter. Still, this orange thing is interesting, I felt a strange water-like ripple when I entered inside, and the battlefield outside is filled with the energies of the cultivators, though senior Wan’s energy, is the one that is almost not present, as I barely felt any of it remained outside.]

[Kid, what do you think of the white hair boy?]

[Kind, gentle and powerful, he reminds me of the old village chief.]

[Kind and gentle, you say. He is powerful but the white hair boy is actually black, dark might be more appropriate to say, as his mind or soul, if you want to convey, is the one that is dark.]

[What do you mean?]

[What do you think his element is?]

[I do not know, is it black fire?]

[Aaa—, you stupid brat. Use that intellect of yours sometime—!!! When the light had disappeared and the surrounding had changed, have you sensed something?]

[That, rather than sensing something, it was more akin to being enveloped, as the world was no longer reachable.]

[Hooo, finely something good---. Exactly! You idiots, have been enveloped by the white hair boy's element.]

[Realy, what it was? What kind of magic senior Wan has?]

[You are still asking me!!? Do I have to spell it out for you?]

[Aah-aha—, disciple, disciple, tell me what has shrouded you?]

[What has shrouded me? Well—, I did not understand, as it was all dark and I could not see.]

[Exactly! It was—.]

[It was—, darkness!?]

[Aha, we attained it, the correct answer!]

[Finally, you damn stupid brat.]

[--- ---. How am I to know? I do not know what an element is. Still---, darkness. What is that, can he call the night sooner, is this even useful like the fire, of the fire cultivator?]

[You do not know, but the dark element is actually quite rare to encounter, as, in millions and millions of cultivators, you might not even find one. If you are to scour this world you might not find more than ten thousand of them. However, the reason we are talking about him, is that his aptitude, as well as the control and mastery of his element, had long surpassed his stage and rank. Were he, not to be in his current physical condition, the fight would have ended in mere moments, as he seems to be rather adept in the art of killing.]

[Is he this amazing!? But why is he so weak then?]

[He is dying.]

[What? Why? Is he that old?]

[He is old, though it is his cultivation that is failing him and the hidden injuries in his body. As for when he will die—, I would say twenty years from now, given the rate of his decline and decay.]

[Can you help hi—.]

[No! I will not help him. If you want to save him you will have to do it with your own hands. As what interests me, it is not his life, but the comprehension and understanding he had reached, given his years of accumulation and training, which can help you greatly, once you will start your training in understanding the elements, as well as their attributes, and characteristics.]

[Why not?]

[---.]

[Hmmm—, you have a wrongful understanding of me, kid! I am not good nor evil, as other than your life, I could not care if all the people on this planet and the planet itself were to be destroyed. You are my only concern, moreover, I do not want to intervene too much—. As with my knowledge and experience making you the great man that you want to be is an easy thing. But will you feel fulfilled? If the dream that you possess is given to you, and not grasped by your own two hands?!]

[Hmm----, I feel that I understand what grampa told me, a long time ago.]

[Wha—what!?]

[ ---“I have legs to walk, and hands to grasp. A man must walk the road with his feet, and use his hands and fists, to remove the obstacles, and problems on the road. A man walks, but a great man caries others too.”--- You are already a great man if you can carry me, but if you do that, I can not become a great man, that is why I have to do it on my own. I understand it now.]

[ [Hmmm—he had a small epiphany? Though you tricked him into taking another goal other than his revenge, and the dream of becoming a torturer.] ]

[ [Well, you are right, he needs other goals than what he has at this moment, it is better if we tell— direct him in the right direction. I was to rush into helping him with the crude sacrificial dantian of his friend, though the change is not exactly all than good, as I took a liking on the red boy.] ]

[Am I right?]

[Yes your logic is—, well–, not wrong.]

[Now I know what I have to do, help senior Wan and take his understanding of the dark element.]

[Ohh, now you are talking my language.]

[Still—, how am I supposed to take his understanding, I remember you saying that the element is something innate to everyone based on— on one mysterious—, magical understanding of—, the world, place that they have lived in!?]

[Hmm-hmm—, do you really think you are restricted to just your innate element, I did not call your physique, the perfect physique for nothing, as you are designed, not to only eat and grow on the world’s energy, but to imitate its nature and element in the most perfect way possible. I called this uniqueness of yours, “The World Belongs to the Mad Man”. What do you think?]

[Ahhh---! That---, does not sound good at all!]

[Ehh!?]