Tyrant Emperor

Leon stared at the woman's lifeless body sprawled on the ground, his trembling hands coated in sticky, warm blood. 

"I…"

His breaths came in ragged gasps as his lips parted to speak, but no sound came. Leon collapsed to his knees. 

The crimson pool spread slowly, staining the grassy earth. His gaze remained fixed on the corpse before him, unmoving, unblinking, as though time itself had ceased to flow. 

"Sigh." After a long time, he rubbed his hand, "She tried to kill me, most especially she dared to disguise as my mother…" 

Slowly standing up, he looked towards the sky at the setting sun at the horizon with a calm and steeled expression with his body bloody bathed in blood, shoulder slumped like a monster, expressionlessly.

"Young master," a worried voice echoed behind him as a woman appeared in front of him with long, flowing brown hair. Her body nearly froze on the spot when she saw a battered figure staring at the sky with an expressionless face.

Leon stood there, his head tilted toward the sky, completely and utterly unresponsive.

She tugged at his sleeve, trying to wake him from his daze, but Leon didn't react.

"Young master, we should leave this place. Please, come with me."

"Veronica," Leon said calmly, tilting his head toward her with an expressionless face. "Where are my father and mother?"

"They…"

Veronica hesitated.

Without warning, Leon moved his strong arms, instantly stepping in front of her and catching her by the neck.

"Tell me where my father and mother are," Leon demanded, his eyes narrowing as his grip gradually tightened around her neck, nearly cutting off her windpipe.

"Young master…" Veronica gasped, her arms flailing desperately.

"Tell me!" 

"Tell me!" 

Leon's roar echoed like that of a wild beast, his eyes squinting as veins bulge around his temples.

'Young master, how can I speak if you're choking me!?' she screamed inwardly, her voice trapped by the pressure on her throat.

Veronica's vision began to blur, the world around her fading to black.

Suddenly, Leon released her, his expression still blank. Veronica coughed and gasped for air, collapsing to her knees. 

He stared at her, his face shifting to one of shock as he looked at his bloodied hand. 

"Did I do this?" he muttered, disbelief in his eyes.

A searing pain coursed through his head, sending a strange shiver through his entire body.

"Ahhh—" 

Leon collapsed to the ground, writhing in agony as veins bulge across his body, making him appear monstrous. 

"It hurts... it hurts!" Crying out loudly, his voice raw with pain. 

As his cries echoed, a flicker of black light appeared before his eyes, and a faint panel materialized in front of him. 

[Congratulations! Sage Candidate, you have awakened the first part of the Tyrant Emperor.]

Leon glanced at the screen from the corner of his eye, his expression stunned: 

"What?" 

His muscles twisted violently, and his eyes shut tightly. His arms fell limp, and his breathing stopped entirely... 

Veronica staggered to her feet, gasping for air. She looked at Leon with a stunned expression, her chest heaving as she tried to steady herself. Her cherry-red lips trembled as a hesitant, conflicted look crossed her face. 

She sank to her knees, her gaze fixed on the ground, her expression unreadable—an indescribable mix of fear, sorrow, and determination. 

Slowly, she rose again, her trembling hand reaching down to pick up a stone. 

"I'm sorry, young master," Veronica murmured softly, her voice barely audible. 

Tears welled up in her eyes as she lifted the stone in front of her, her hand shaking as she prepared to bring it down... 

***

In a tilted, uneven land, four shadows clashed rapidly, their movements blurring together in a chaotic dance of power. The wind howled fiercely, and the sun blazed high in the sky, illuminating the battlefield with harsh light.

Every strike they exchanged shattered the air, creating shockwaves that rippled outward. Storms seemed to form and dissipate in an instant. 

The ground beneath them crumbled incessantly, sinking and breaking apart, as though unable to bear the fury of their battle.

This relentless confrontation continued for what felt like an eternity, until the earth was finally stained with crimson blood. 

At last, the four shadows emerged from the chaos. 

One of the figures was a tall, bulky man with a commanding presence, his muscles taut with restrained fury. Beside him stood a woman with long, flowing white hair and piercing crimson eyes that seemed to delve into the depths of one's soul. 

The remaining two figures, cloaked entirely in black robes, concealed their forms, but their pitiful state was unmistakable—blood gushed from their wounds, pooling at their feet.

"Alex, you know the King has already fallen. Do you still want to continue?" 

One of the black-robed figures spoke, his voice trembling faintly. Though he tried to sound brave, the pain he felt was unmistakable, seeping into his tone. 

"Bunch of weaklings," Alex roared, his voice like thunder. "Do you think you can stop me?" 

His eyes burned. "Even if the King is dead, I will have my revenge!" 

"Fool," the black-robed figure sneered, his tone laced with mockery. "The new King is a Thousand-strong warrior. Do you really believe that a mere Hundred-strong warrior like you could kill him?"

"We will never know if we don't try." 

He swung his greatsword through the air, the mere motion unleashing countless wind-like blades that shot toward the two figures. 

"Alex, do you really want to do this?" 

The two figures frantically dodged the wind slashes, panicked. 

"Yes." 

Alex grinned. "Our ancestors have always been loyal to the King. Our style is to never back down, never give up." 

"Even if the King dies, I will create a bloodbath and slaughter all in my path." 

He raised his greatsword before his face, closed his eyes. Swirling strands of golden energy enveloped his entire being, radiating outward. 

"Limitless Tyranny: Tenfold." 

"Damn it," the two uttered in horrified tones. 

Blood splattered as their bodies exploded into countless bits, scattering across the ground. It was a gruesome sight, with organs spilling everywhere. 

Alex opened his eyes as the golden aura around him subsided and he collapsed to the ground.

"Alex, are you alright?" Zara asked, touching his shoulder with a worried expression. 

He stood up and nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine," Alex sighed. "I'm no longer in my prime. Just using Limitless Tyranny to incorporate ten techniques has left me utterly exhausted."