Blood. Fresh warm blood
I stared at the scarlet blood puddle around me. Dripping from my sword. Staining my hands. Splattered on my clothes and my body. .specks on my face. All of it was Blood.
Blood was everywhere. But not my blood.
I stared at the dozens of bodies that lay around me. Swords and spears lay broken on the ground, some jutting out of bodies and the snow.
Bows snapped in half lay sprawled, the splinters littered in the blood-stained snow, their arrows embedded in the trees of the forest and the ground alike.
Limbs and severed heads lay here and there. Blood painted everything, like splashes of red across a canvas of white and green. My hair blew gently in the cold breeze, resembling a river of flowing, fresh blood.
I felt nothing as I looked upon this scene of gore.
My eyes shifted to the warrior before me. His short brown hair was disheveled while his beard was caked with dry blood. His blood.
He wore tight-fitted leather armor designed for mobility, with greaves and vambraces made of a Qi beast's furless skin. He was kneeling on both knees, while his arms lay on his side, both severed by the hands.
His sword lay broken on the snow, like glass shards.
He looked up at me and coughed up a dangerous amount of blood as he prepared to speak to me.
" Your reputation precedes you." he started."Demon of the Crimson Moon."
"I have not heard that name in a long time, Demon hunter," I said in reply, my voice like honeyed wine, laced with amusement.
He chuckled, the action causing a chain of bloody coughs.
"Demon hunter? I have hunted many of your heartless kind but it seems I will fall today to the very Demon I sought to kill."
"You seek my head Demon hunter and you have failed. In return, I will have yours. Speak your last words Demon hunter."
"Your name." He replied. "I wish to know your name, your real name, if you even own one
Devil of the Crimson Moon. "
I paused. Ah, I nearly forgot. Yes, I have a new one now.
"Ryu. My name is Ryu." I said "It means hope."
"It also means tragedy," he replied
"I know," I said, lifting my sword up over my head. I didn't need to use Qi to kill him; a simple swing would have been enough to end it. I brought my sword down diagonally, separating his head from his body in one clean strike. Warm blood splattered across my porcelain skin as his head fell into the bloodied snow.
His last words echoed in my mind. It means tragedy. Tragedy.
"I know," I said to no one in particular.
I stood there in silence, watching the snow fall. Slowly I outstretched my hand to catch the white snowflakes.
"Almost, just a little farther and I'll be there," I whispered in anticipation.
For weeks I had traversed the forest of beasts, or as the elves called it, Elrone. The friends of nature they say. The elves.
I heard the rumors that ran through taverns, and inns about the elves. They were described as graceful, both their men and women. Their beauty was described as ethereal, graceful, and gentle. They had a natural affinity towards mana, more than any other of the races, apart from dragons.
Yes, the other races are quite interesting but no other races live in Janghai except humans.
Janghai. The world of cultivation. I shook off the thoughts. Channeling Qi from my dantian to my lower body, I used a movement art.
[4 Steps of the Wind God, first form:]
[Cloud walk]
Wind Qi condensed under my feet as I sprinted. Not on the snow-laden grounds, nor on the roots of the towering trees, no, I ran on air. Only martial artists who are at the peak of the realm of Qi refinement would be able to see me move through the air, anything below that would only catch a blur.
I imbued Qi into my already enhanced eyes. Despite my high speeds I saw every detail clear as day.
As I ran I thought about the martial world, and its ranks.
First was body refinement, where one would reshape his body with Qi, strengthening the muscles, the senses the bones, and the organs. At this point, a martial artist can only channel Qi to strengthen themselves and enhance their senses.
The next realm was the realm of Qi refinement.
Someone of this realm could not only channel Qi, but could also use it to coat one's weapon and could shape Qi. Once you reach the peak of Qi refinement you can use Qi with attributes, such as elemental Qi.
Only the greatest of geniuses in Janghai could ever reach this rank at my age. Excluding me.
The power system of the mana users, however, I found to be much more straightforward and more accurate.
I shifted my attention to the passing scenery
as I ran.
The forest ahead of me changed gradually, snow-laden grounds and dark colored trees gave way to a forest of honey colored trees, and leaves that resembled jade.
I, however, did not stop to admire their beauty. Not yet, I told myself.
The forest had been teeming with Qi beasts and now with mana beasts. I had to suppress my Qi so as not to attract any unwanted attention.
I may be of the strongest across the continent for my age and even my generation, but the forest was filled with mana beasts and other unknown creatures, the likes of which I couldn't face yet.
My ear, which could pick up on sounds most wouldn't, heard faint sounds up ahead. Shouting? Screaming? No. The sound of battle.
Soon I came across a clearing in the forest. I found a boy and a girl fighting mana beasts. They numbered at 4, with another half a dozen of them lying scattered on the forest floor died.
They resembled a bear, but stood at 4 meters in height on their hind legs, their fur was thick and mahogany in color, and their arms were bulky and long.
They were locked in combat with a group of people around my age.
The first girl seemed to be 18, around my age, and from what I see she seemed to be a mage.
She seemed to be able to control purple
flames that seemed to eat away at the bear's fur. Her deep purple hair was tattered and her lilac eyes were scanning for a way to end the fight or flee it.
Her slender body was swiftly dodging the bear's attacks, but not unscathed as shallow claw marks covered her left arm and hip. Her fair glass-like skin, however was untouched.
The boy she fought with tall with an athletic build, his ivory skin marred with the beast's blood. He barely dodged a clawed strike, the tips of the claws grazing his golden hair.
His gold eyes searched for any openings in the bear's movement where he could exploit with his red and gold longsword.
Despite being superior to the bear in almost every aspect he was fatigued, not to mention the second bear assaulting him.
The boy saw the 4th bear lunging at the girl and swung his sword. A crescent of sun-colored light erupted from his sword cleaving the beast's body in half and engulfing its body in flames. It was dead.
Taking advantage of the boy's distraction, one of the bears he was engaged with struck him square in the chest with a clawed fist.
The strike sent him flying into one of the forest's giant trees, the crash splintering the wood and making foxes of jade-like leaves to fall. He was conscious but unable to move.
The girl was brought to her knees from the fight. She was unable to continue aswell.
The 4 mana beasts lunged at the boy and girl
I sighed.
"I guess I should step in now."
I stared at my sword. It had no guard or pummel. The hilt and blade were both black like a starless night and the blade was long, slender, and thin. The blade had no decorations or engravings and curved to a point gently at the end. The sheath was just as unremarkable as the blade itself, black and without any decorations.
Do-mue was its name. Funny enough it also meant ordinary sword.
I channeled Wind Qi throughout my entire body , and around it.
[4 steps of the Wind God,4th step:]
[Void step]
I appeared between the bears that were still mid-air lunging and the boy and girl who were watching helplessly.
I slowly drew my sword from its sheath, my mouth parting to form words.
"Demonic sword, Second form. Endless mutilation."