章 36: Chapter 41: When it all comes crashing!

The injured traveler entered his maternal family's dojo where he met with his older cousin Chae and Grandfather, Ye-Jun. The Grandfather pointed out an old pair of their family's Tonfas to his Grandson while Derek watched Chae admiring a strange spear, the same their Grandfather held. Derek walked over and picked up the unique Tonfas that he was gifted from the rack. "I heard that you were asking about… our Hyun Dea?" Said Ye-Jun as he tightened his gloves. "I heard his name mentioned here and there, mostly by Young." Derek replied as he tightened his the same and got a feel for his Tonfas. Ye-Jun raised his eyebrows as Derek realized he was having a light bulb shine in his head. "Prepare yourself, Chae's will be coming at you with everything she's got. We'll test your reflexes and multitasking skills for this test, soon your strength will be returning. Listen to his story as you try to subdue her." Ye-Jun ordered his Grandson as he gave his Granddaughter the command with his hand.

Derek nodded his head with a serious look in his eye. Chae threw her hand down toward her hip as her eyes shifted colors to beige like his shift into white, it was a red flag for him when he noticed. Chae began dancing around the arena so gracefully and fluidly as he squared up but stayed on his own toes.

"Hyun Dea was a generous although a very lewd and hedonistic young soldier in his time. As he described himself, he wasn't a virtuous character but one who was chosen because he was— to put it simply, had strong supremacist tendencies." Ye-Jun described as he stood watching the two fight like they were performing. The old man's Granddaughter went on the offensive as his Grandson was impressively evasive and kept escaping her from tagging him.

"He came from the earth's ancient eighth continent, Enotoskure. It was occupied and conquered by two different humans. The kingdom of the Inhales and the Kingdom of the Reek. Separated after ages of war for unspecified reasons. My guess is that they had a school like modern day where they were taught history but he was too young." Ye-Jun retold as Derek groaned from the physical struggle, blocking his older cousin pressing her spear down on him with his steel twin tonfas.

"He, I, the rest of us and part of you, thanks to your mother, descend from the latter. That old lady, Philly, your siblings and the rest in his father Bertrand's family descend from the Inhale." Ye-Jun continued with a smirk. Derek dropped then began rolling swiftly leaving her caught off guard by his escape. "He was an elite squadron of soldiers known to the kingdom as the Ashen conservers, who were responsible for defending their kingdom from the flock of monstrous beasts of the day that the weaker denizens simply could not. He stated that one member was powerful enough for their legions and flocks alone. To maximize their training and morale, only one guard would be stationed while the others were free to leave the continent or kingdom." Ye-Jun continued as he was finishing the meal he's been holding in his hand. "The greatest seer of her time and on the continent as she was acknowledged by those practicing the gift for their artistry in the kingdom, was able to gather all of the Supreme guard including the monarchy and revealed that a threat bringing the downfall of both of the kingdoms on Enotoskure and the death of the final Enotoskurans was inevitable to arrive." Ye-Jun recollected as Derek dodged swings from Chae's spear, he flipped and rolled his way around her as he couldn't find an opening to get close enough to counterattack.

"The Kingdoms got into contact and made a truce regarding any social, political or religious tension to heed this seer's warning and sent their support to one another to help the other prepare yet there still were overwhelming hatred coming from the soldiers, citizens and the equivalent high ranks under the respective monarch's noses." Ye-Jun retold slightly more emphasized. Derek was stuck in a state of frustration as Chae's offense was too great and his head began going dizzy and ears ringing once again, he tried his best to push through the annoyances and continue sidestepping and leaping away from being touched by his cousin's spear, Chae.

"This creature, this monster, this mystery that the kingdoms were up against, wiped out Inhale then came after Reek. Much to the orders of the king, Hyun Dea and the Seer, our Ancestor's comrades were too accustomed to eradicating threats by themselves and when it was time for them to confront their biggest threat together. They failed in doing so." Ye-Jun informed them with a melancholic tone. "Their deaths were filled with suffering as were everyone else who died by the creature in a swift attack the Ashen conservers have never faced. He wiped out everyone, suffering was all around Hyun Dea, he faked his death, ran and escaped to another continent leaving Enotoskure on its own. The guilt and shame almost entirely consumed him until he met the only other Inhale survivor who talked him out of letting his cowardly actions lead him to bring his own demise; they made a promise to the other. I'll let you think about what that promise could have been, which eventually led to the vanquishing of that detached demon." Ye-Jun finished as he saw Derek on the ground. Exhausted and feeling dizzy with an upset stomach. "He's the fastest opponent I've ever faced even in his current tragic state. I can understand why he'd be such a sore loser if I was once as impressive as him and taken down by a common thug like his situation." Chae commented with an awestruck tone as she rushed over to help her cousin. "That's a him-problem, Chae. Not the real issue I'm trying to confront. Once he recovers, he'll figure out the moral in the slim chance that he hasn't already." Ye-Jun replied before he walked over as well.

"We asked one thing of you, a simple task, to keep yourself out of trouble as you recover!" Sun-Jin shouted at him with an ambivalent tone as he did, the concern he felt with the anger can be heard. "He has his dad's image with his mother's tendency to bring noise to her home." Dal-Rae criticized with a chagrined expression aimed towards her nephew. Sun-Jin and Ye-Jun let out a deep sigh as they thought of their memories with Tae-Lee. "Since we can't trust you to be on your own, from now on while you live under this roof, recover under this roof, we'll be more careful and strict with you. You'll continue to work at the store to get your fresh air and body active then it's right back to the manor after your hours are over until these few months are over." Sun-Jin assertively ordered Derek's consequences for his first offense. Derek sat in his chair, staring away from everyone as he was stuck in his own thoughts as well.