Isaac listened to the conversation of his disciples as he patrolled the area.

Patrolling was not exactly the word, for he did not necessarily have to physically move. There was nothing in the surroundings that could escape the scrutiny of his senses.

He was pleased that everyone had accepted the plan. While it was true that this way it would be safer for everyone involved, he omitted from the Dante that the main reason for this was to make him test his limits. Again and again.

He couldn't feel bad about it. How does one feel bad about throwing wood on the fire, anyway? The boy's eyes sparkled when his progression was mentioned. It would be a sin to stop him from advancing.

Of course, he couldn't forget the extent of the pain Dante probably felt. And, it would not get better anytime soon. Still, it puzzled him how the boy's mind had not yet broken into pieces. He bet it was some effect of the monster core that lived within him. Added to foolish stubbornness, of course.

Sunfire phoenix... Isaac had heard stories of the monster that now lived within the young cultivator. He could not even imagine how far Zay had gone to obtain it. Monsters like that were not simply born. They were creatures from other times, when humans did not yet rule the heavens.

When they ascended, it would be hard work to hide his presence from the others. If this lower realm was a river full of hungry fish, the other side was a sea full of sharks and long forgotten monsters.

He took a deep breath. That was a subject for another time. Dante had a good heart. If his potential had a chance to be fulfilled, Isaac was sure that Zay would spare no effort to protect him.

Taking a cigar from his clothes, Isaac lit it with his finger, as usual. He would need more Tabaco soon. If he was struggling with anxiety, he would smoke more. That was why he had tried for so long to get rid of human contact. Creating impenetrable barriers helped the elder to keep his inner self unhurt.

But, little by little, those four proved to him that they deserved his attention. He had not yet changed his mind, for his crimes had no absolution - the only punishment was death. But in the time that remained, he would at least try to help those children.

Identifying that there was nothing unusual in the cave, Isaac searched for the nearest exit and moved on. On the way, he passed several monsters and cultivators, who could not even process his speed. To them, Isaac might as well look like a breeze.

Climbing the stairs, he didn't stop on the ground. He jumped to the skies, and flew until high enough he could see the entire region comfortably.

He observed cultivator was fighting for his life. A D class monster was giving that child trouble. He paid attention, making sure that the sect disciple would come out alive. He would intervene, but only at the last second, and if necessary.

Many of the slayers there would do nothing to prevent such a death, and Isaac knew that. He agreed in parts, after all, anyone who would die to a mere Class D monster would not do great things as a slayer. But, he could not bear the weight of another death on his hands.

Since he had started training Dante, his world view had changed somewhat. That boy who came into his tutelage a few weeks ago was no longer recognizable. He couldn't help but fondly remember the other three, too. They were all hard-working, that was undeniable. Each day they grew stronger. Closer to the next step.

A handful of stars. Individually, each of the four possessed great potential. If they continued and learned to work as a team... in a few years, the world would have some new monsters to fear.

After making sure that the brat nearby was okay, he headed for the outer barrier that surrounded the school area. Expanding his senses as much as he could without damaging his veil. He scanned the surroundings. Something was strange. He walked down to a nearby mountain, taking care not to be observed.

Walking cautiously, it didn't take long to realize what was strange. There were no monsters there. No monsters.

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Deciding that it was worth the risk, he pulled a line from his veil. Before his eyes, information that had been hidden earlier appeared. He easily found several types of Qi nearby, gathered together. He needed to be careful. Using his Qi, even to some extent, endangered the atmosphere of the place.

Still carefully, he got close to the place, which turned out to be a kind of campsite. Among some vestiges of civilization and human remains, some monsters were standing around.

It was strange that so many monsters were gathered in the same place. Class B monsters were relatively conscientious, but this organization... there needed to be a Class A or higher monster to command all this.

Fully focused, Isaac noticed too late when a strong, heavy hand grabbed him by the shoulder.

The monster, which looked like a gorilla with dog-like features, drove him mercilessly into the ground, shouting sounds that surely meant fresh meat for dinner.

Isaac decided to pretend he was nervous. It would be easier to analyze the environment that way. Real meals were rare there, and this smelled delicious.

As the monsters there screamed in anticipation, Isaac detected that there were six Class Bs. It was too much of a coincidence. Normally, Class B monsters hung out in packs of only the same species. There were all different appearances and Qi types. A monster that must have been a hobglobin or something approached Isaac, smiling.

"Hmmmm. Human. Tasty food."

"So you're the wormier of the worms, huh?" asked Isaac, not expecting much. It was rare that Class B monsters could hold a conversation. Still, it was worth a try.

"I eat you, asshole. Suffer, you."

"Big wolf, big lion, big snake?" Isaac tried once more. Speaking about the more generic species, who knows, he might get some information. He needed to find out something about the organization of those disgusting creatures.

It seemed that the bluff was effective. The change in the monster's features was quick. Whoever was bossing it around used fear as a tool.

"Big snake. There. Eat you and bring stakes here."

Interesting. To put that much fear into him, it was either something that looked like a snake at the pinnacle of class B, or higher. From recent events, he had a good hypothesis.

Isaac almost got excited. Restraining himself, he rationalized the situation. The chance that he would encounter a worthy opponent was almost nil.

It seemed that the monsters' patience had come to an end. Yellow Qi began to exude from the monster, which opened its mouth, drool running down its body. Raising a club of sorts, it amassed as much force as it could and downed the club into Isaac's head.

At that moment, a noise could be heard. A noise that typically occurs when a parable object meets a mountain. Just after the Tud, the club broke, its pieces falling to the ground.

Opening a devilish smile, Isaac thought it was time to warm up a bit. Moving his head from side to side, he stretched his neck. He decided to play some more. It wouldn't be a bad idea to show the monster's boss how wrong he was to try to mess with those children. His children.

"Goblin. Weak. Fried."

Releasing some of his Qi, a fist of magma materialized in his left hand. Long ago, that had been his favorite skill. Now, it was one of the least sharp weapons in his arsenal.

Not that he needed any Qi at all.

Aiming at the monster that had detected him, he landed a precise punch, right in the middle of the abdomen. Like a rotten fruit, the monster burst open from inside.

Its body continued to travel for meters. An empty, lifeless husk. When it hit a nearby tree, the corpse stopped only in the middle of the trunk.

At that very moment, a feeling familiar to the monsters rose up, stronger than ever. An animal always recognized a predator.

Some tried to run away. Others looked at him greedily, wondering what they might gain if they got a piece of that primeval meal.

Like a volcano preparing for eruption, Isaac accumulated his Qi. Releasing it all at once, he caused all his surroundings to explode, lava flying in all directions.

The consistent symphony of screams of pain was music to his ears. Now, came the fun part.

He located those hideous heads. One by one he crushed the craniums. Brute force or the extreme temperature, it was hard to define what had left those heads in that shape.

As he looked at the battlefield marked by the heat of his Qi, Isaac couldn't help but wonder what Dante's path would look like. Isaac was once just like the young cultivator. Without a specific path to follow, he walked on his own.

Although Dante was evolving rapidly, he was still a long way from having the mentality of a real cultivator. There was no chance for mercy. Violence was almost always the answer. Even when the question had not yet been asked. Dante was not naïve, of course. But he was not yet a predator.

Picking up his Harvester, the master observed the item shaped like a skull. After a certain point, standard Harvesters were no longer useful. Every slayer had a special one.

Absorbing the Qi in layers, he was careful not to mix up the monsters. Whatever information he could get would be indispensable, after all.

At that moment, he realized that Dante was helping him as much as he was helping the disciple. It had been a long time since he had felt the need to protect someone. Not bad, for someone who wished for death.

With a long-forgotten relief, Isaac returned to the castle. With luck, he would find who was behind it all. He couldn't wait for the next massacre. His body starved for some monster meat.