Chapter 33: A Hero
-Black Fist Dungeon-
Ai watched the entrance of the dungeon days ago and based on the people going in and out of the dungeon, only two Masters are guarding the dungeon around this time and it's also the time when they switch guards. And so he found the right timing for his plan but this only leaves him 10 mins to execute the plan.
He went ahead face covered looking down. He has to hide his face as he's famous across the Black State as the only survivor of the Black Petal Clan.
One of the guards started to get suspicious, "Stop. Aren't you too early? And why are you hiding your face." Looking extremely hostile. The guard knew that only Masters are allowed to do guard duty in the dungeon but they felt like he's only at the early stage of Expert.
A flaw to his plan, 'Shit...' He swiftly activated the unsealing art to release more Qi for him to reach the peak of expert but because he has to break through first to reach Master, his plan is now about to be blown off. *Cough* As the overflow of qi hurt his body a little bit causing him to let out cough out of pain. "I'm sorry, I lost track of time."
The other guard somehow has a different mood than the other one. "Wait, nevermind. I can say you're at the Peak of Expert. Sometimes, it requires a lot of gold coins to buy the requirements to breakthrough. I've been there so I understand. And make sure you rest after duty, I could tell you're sick that's why your face is covered. A guy with a sense of responsibility not letting a simple cold stop him from doing his job. Anyway, we'll leave the rest to you. Make sure you keep an eye of the little princess or we'll all be in trouble." Eager to have their rest and dinner, a few details helped Ai execute his plan.
Ai nodded, 'That was close.' Waiting for them to get out, Ai carefully looked at them for a bit till the guards get out of the place. He knew that he doesn't have much time but he has to be careful as well. One wrong move and not only one the princess's head will roll to the ground, but his as well.
A small prey alone in a den of hungry predators, he is risking everything he has to save someone who saved him from giving up. Now, he has a chance to make up for what she's done for him.
*Door closes* Swiftly but silently rushing towards the dungeon cells, Ai tried his best to find Sha but all he could find are wounded people from the Black Fist Clan crying not because they wanted to live but they wanted to die for their suffering to end.
Ai couldn't take it. Seeing their condition, he couldn't resist throwing up. 'Ughhh! I have to find her!' With their condition, he's already seeing dead people.
Panicking as he wasted too much time looking for her but he still couldn't find her. The dungeon is too crowded that finding one person would be too hard as there are like a hundred people inside. 'Shit, where is she?! I have to do something or the other guards will be here soon!' Couldn't use his art to increase his awareness as it could alarm the higher-ranked cultivators, he's running out of options.
"Aren't you too bold for coming this way to save our little princess?" Then... he heard a familiar voice, the voice who scolds him a lot for being the son of Bahura.
It was Deboko, the auction leader. "Old man Deboko! How did you know it was me? Just wait, I'll open the gate for you!" Seeing someone he knows, it gave him hope of finding Sha.
Deboko's eyes aren't the same as it used to. A lively old man turned into someone who's given up. "You're wearing the magic ring I've given you before and those rings aren't the normal ones I give to random people. Those rings are called Spatial Genesis which can hold life. Here, take this. It has no use to an old man like me." To Ai, he thought it was normal to store anything inside his magic ring. This is new to him. A Spatial Genisis was so precious that only the Clan Leaders have it. Deboko handed Ai his magic ring.
"Only you and your friend at the auction have those and as the true heir of the Black State, you deserved it. It used to be your father's. But it's not the time for this kind of talk, you don't have much time. You have to leave this place, An Expert like yourself won't be able to open this gate. It was designed to hold even Grandmasters... So leave us. There's a future ahead of you." They didn't only take what he has but they took the only place where he belongs.
Grabbing Deboko's weak hands, "I will avenge your family and I will save Sha. Do you know where I could find her?" Sharing his warmth for the last time.
"Sha's easy to find. It's just that you're looking for the wrong person. Sha's eyes have changed, the same eyes you used to have. Please bring Sha back..." Deboko's right. He was looking Sha who's aura emits hope and love but after all what happened... he knew what to look for, the one who has endless bloodlust.
He focused his mind, his body, and his soul. Instead of looking for warmth, he found endless coldness. Somewhere not far from him. He didn't even use his Art but he found her so fast. "Thanks, old man, I'm going to save her."
A girl lying on the floor covered by a dirty rag. Her legs showing with bruises all over, it was from the time she was attacked. The cell door doesn't show any qi prints which means no one has entered her cell. It was a good thing as it also means that no one has laid a finger on her while she's inside.
There's still one problem. Like Deboko said, even Grandmaster won't be able to open this gate. It was created to hold the most dangerous criminals. 'How am I supposed to open this?! I don't have... wait...' Then he thought of a better idea.
Ai couldn't stop himself from crying after seeing Sha. "Sha... it's me, Ai. Please wake up. I came to save you." Biting his lips after seeing her condition.
"Why did you come? You should have left me to rot here. I don't have anyone left. My father... my clan... You've come here to shove to my face that we deserved this, don't you?! Then, you're right! Leave me alone!" Sha has given up. Knowing that she lost everything.
Then somehow, Ai remembered himself. He used to be like her pushing Sha away when she offered help but somehow, he has changed. "I... I used to hate your family. That's true but you still have your brother and me! Now, don't you think we have the same enemy? I'm not going to lecture you with any lame-assed reason to leave this place but I think this is the best chance for you to get stronger and do whatever you want to do. I won't stop you." Sha's eyes somehow liven up. She knew he was right and giving up would only put her family to shame. This day isn't the day the Black Fist Clan to fall.
"I've tried everything to get out of this place but with this bar-"
"You don't have to worry. Get close to me." Sha crawled towards him. It was a heartbreaking scene but he needs to endure this humiliation towards Sha. They need to leave this place. "Then what-"
*SWOOOOSH* Just like that, Sha disappeared and was devoured by his magic ring. "They should have used a closed door."
...
Just in time, he was able to leave the dungeon before the guards arrived and they were surprised by what they saw.
"Shit... we're in trouble..." Not a single prisoner can be seen.
***
-Grassland, South of Black Fist Clan-
The night is so dark.
It was a blessing from God for Ai, with his trusted horse Longface, to escape the forsaken place. Now, he's riding towards the Dark Forest where the others are currently at.
Somehow, he felt a sudden pain. He just realized that something's off. His qi is being absorbed by something... then his ring suddenly shined brightly. He couldn't control it.
*SWOOOSH SWOOOOSH* The people he absorbed using his ring came out of it.
Looking for an answer "Wait, how can this happen?" Ai knows they are now safe and away from the city, still, the Dark Forest is dangerous to travel with injured people.
Deboko seems to have an explanation "I can say that your qi wasn't enough to maintain the use of the Spatial Genesis to hold all of us inside. You've done well enough, kid. It must have been hard for you to endure it all the way here. But it baffles me how an Expert could use a Spatial Genesis with so many people." Then Ai remembered, he used his unsealing art to release his overflowing qi. It must be the reason why.
He got off his horse. He wasn't even looking at them when he absorbed them to his ring, now he realized that he was able to save almost a hundred of the survivors from the Black Fist Clan. Ai lost the strength of his legs...
*Grabs* Almost passing out, Ai snapped out of it and saw two people holding his arms stopping him from falling. "Thank you." He said and they just let out a smile, showing a new hope. A hope that one day, they will have a place they can call home. To them, Ai is the hero they don't deserve but the hero they need.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone