Chapter 280: Strength (1/2)

Ed crouched down and picked up a handful of red soil. It was dark red due to the amount of blood that was shed there once, the blood of cultivators and normal soldiers alike. Ed could tell, thanks to his powerful memory, that the spot he was standing on was the exact same one where he fought Alexander, the late master of the Sword sect. He let the soil fall down from his palms, as some of it scattered along with the wind.

”Feeling nostalgic, o' mighty hero of Avalon?” the leader of the rebels walked forward and pointed a battle-ax at Ed. He was a large man with arms thick and long, where his veins bulged against his bare skin. He wore a vest made of a bear's pelt and black leather pants, undoubtedly, from a monster he had once slain. His ax was only one meter long, black and adorned with blood red lines that intertwined all over the handle. Every step he walked caused the feeble ground to sink in; every breath he took deprived those around him from the air. His head was bald and shiny, and his eyes carried a glint of murderous intent.

The smile on his face faded with time, as he noticed that Ed had paid neither him nor the army behind him a single thought; they were not worth even one glance. After all, Ed was busy reminiscing of the ones who were gone, the ones who had left him, the ones who had stuck with him, and the ones he longed to meet again.

The old finally had enough and threw his ax towards Ed. The ax picked up speed and power as it approached Ed, its goal was to cut his neck cleanly. Yet, it fell a few steps short. The ax disappeared from in front of his neck and reappeared behind the bald man, who reacted instantly by catching the handle. The power packed behind the ax forced him a couple of steps into the front.

The baldy turned his head around in blinding rage, his eyes waiting to find the figure of in order to attack him once again. But, he did no such thing. After all, he found Ed standing right in front of him, a gentle smile on his face. Through both shock and fear, the baldy swung his ax at his hardest, attempting to cleave Ed in two, but he failed once again. Ed was standing back at his original spot.

”Is that all you're good at? Running and sneaking away from your enemies?” the bald man said as he picked up a smile through his terror-stricken face. ”It seems that the rumors were true though, you've stagnated. Your cultivation level hasn't changed in the past two years at all. Still at level 7. Aren't you ashamed? Thousands of people died in order to bring this piece, but instead of working hard in order to sustain it, you waddle around using your name and fame in order to live a good life. Your father would be disappointed if he were to see you.”

”Oh did you know my father?” Ed finally spoke to the bald man. ”I don't recall him ever mentioning a useless man.”

”Oh joke around all you want, but your family is the only joke left in this world,” baldy shot back at Ed. ”What was your father's power level when he died? Level 6? Or level 7 like you? In both cases he was weaker than me, a level 10!”

”My, how proud are you. Being so weak, yet so proud. I guess you dogs that bark the most do have the weakest bite.” Ed took his gaze off the man and stared at the sky.

”I wouldn't want to be called a weakling by you, nor by your family. How is your brother, the king, now? Barely holding on I believe? So many responsibilities left to him by a father who bit the dust in the war, and a brother, who was once a cripple. Quite the joke, isn't it?”

”Yes, it is. I'm sure he curses me secretly,” Ed added sarcastically.

”How is your mother, by the way?” the bald man sniggered. ”Being a fresh new widow, I'm certain she misses a man in her life!”

”Ah, you see, this is when a person must draw the line.” Ed took his eyes off the sky and stared at the bald man.