Emperor's Reckoning

"T-There! Someone else finally comes out!" said one of the cultivators who noticed the slightest hint of flesh.

"It's Porealus!"

The young master of the family, Arunga. The youth stepped out with his head held high. The smile on his face was not for the onlookers but for the sky.

"It seems like he had a fortuitous encounter," muttered one of the cultivators seeing that smile.

"That's just a matter of course, his grandfather did it before him," said another.

"But look, none of the elders died! A successful exploration!"

"Woah, you're right!"

The onlookers gasped as they realized the sum number of the Arunga was still the same as they first embark. The successful return was unprecedented, even his grandfather faced a fatal loss before.

"Congratulations!"

"Congratulations!"

The words of congratulatory immediately showered his group. Their smiles looked genuine but Porealus won't buy it. The youth was born into a wealthy and powerful family. He had seen those types of smiles every day.

The youth disregarded their praises and unworthy words to please him. He looked around, far and wide before letting out a sigh.

"Is something the matter, young master?" asked Elder Peli.

"The senior I want to see is not here," answered Porealus.

(Senior?) Elder Peli furrowed his eyebrows. All the elders were here behind him, not a single one lost their life, even when that thing of a giant came out of nowhere.

"P-Pardon my lack of sharpness but, who are you referring to young master?" asked Elder Peli as he smiled wryly.

"Who else could it be? The man who destroyed the thing everyone saw in there," said Porealus with a smirk before he leaped over the onlookers and landed on the ship.

The elder was left dumbfounded with his mouth slightly gaping. The very event caught him shivering in fear. The sight of the monstrous being still etched inside his mind the other elders. At that moment, they were just fish on a chopping board, could do nothing but struggle senselessly.

"Let's go home, I need to tell grandfather," said Porealus with a slightly higher tone.

Elder Peli raised his eyebrows. "Y-Yes! Certainly!"

The elders hopped onto the ship before they sailed without further ado. Leaving the enthralled onlookers, they went to the bright horizon.

---

Porealus and the elders arrived at their quarter after half a day had passed.

He leaped off the boat before waving against the elders, "I'm going to see grandfather."

"Y-Young master, the patriarch is still meditating," said Elder Peli.

"Yeah sure," replied Porealus as he disregard the elder's words with a wave of his hand.

He ran straight toward the biggest house in the quarter after a few welcoming gestures from the servants.

An old man with thinning gray hair was sitting inside a big room. He didn't seem weak by any means and the face, though weary with time, was still brimming with vigor. The neutral atmosphere and the noiseless place were perfect for enhancing one's mind.

He opened his eyes after a twitch from his ears. The intimidating glare immediately present before the door to his side opened.

The old man took a glance at his grandson before a smile was formed. "You succeeded."

Porealus nodded before stepping in then closed the door behind him. "I'm sure you know that Treas family has lost its prestige some time ago."

The old man nodded, "I know, and I know about the recent event in the summit meeting as well."

He crossed his arms before letting out a serious sigh. He averted his glance from his grandson toward the empty wall in front.

"It seems like the Mortal World just gave birth to a monstrous freak. Then hidden experts coming out along with his rose to fame."

Porealus smiled wryly. (This is perhaps the first time I ever heard him praising someone of the latter generation to this level. thought the old crook never had it in him to acknowledge the new generation's power).

"You did the right thing for not offending him, at least you didn't grow up to be a haughty fool—"

"So many geniuses died being a haughty fool," cut Porealus. "I heard it so many times, I can even make an impression of you saying those exact lines now."

The old man smiled wryly, "And it worked out in the end now, does it?"

Porealus shrugged as he smiles.

"Then, what do you want to talk about?" asked the old man.

Porealus eyes turned serious before he recount what he saw in that place.

As the old man listened, his ears twitched before he slowly turned his glance back against his grandson. His pupils were dilating and not blinking at all.

"Grandfather?" Porealus called out.

"I-I knew it."

"You knew it?"

"When I was young and explore that area with fellow cultivators. I vaguely sense a sinister aura far greater than anything I've felt, thus the reason I head north instead. Nobody believed me then," muttered the old man.

"However, I still don't believe it, golem, the race that was thought to be extinct for centuries, not to mention that big." The old man snorted with a smile, "Almost reminds me of a certain story."

"Certain story?" Porealus tilted his head.

"That's not important right now," the old man shook his head. "The fact that he could destroy that humongous golem is what's important."

"Lyon Torga," the old man muttered. "Who exactly is he?"

---

After a few days had passed, someone else had come out from the realm.

Zet came out from the vortex with a leap, surprising the onlookers. He might be the youngest out of the Great Family representative, but no one dares to doubt his strength along with his famed curved sword, Irae.

"Congratulations!"

A set of congratulatory words were immediately being thrown at him but the young master looked around to see someone in particular. His eyebrows quickly furrowed as he didn't find the person he was searching for.

Gunther and the rest of the elders just came out from the vortex before their young master shouted.

"BIG BROTHER LYON! GUNTHER WANTS TO FIGHT ONE OF YOUR ELDERS!"

"EEK!" Gunther immediately shrieked as he heard what his young master had just shouted.

The onlookers immediately gasped at the sudden declaration of challenge. They didn't expect that someone would dare enough to challenge one of the trios that helped Lyon flatten Treas's assets.

The other elders were looking at Gunther before the latter immediately approached his young master.

"H-Hmm, young master, perhaps the young noble has already gone home? Why not change it for another time?" said Porealus as he makes sure the rest of the onlookers heard it too.

He had to save his face and his life at the same time. The perfect opportunity wouldn't rise once more. His luck had saved him. (There is no way I will fight that monster!) thought Gunther as he shook his head. He had assumed that it was the imposing half-giant that had killed the Eternal Golem instead of Lyon since the mere thought of the latter was near impossible.

"Well that's a shame, I thought I would see some action from you Elder Gunther," said Zet as he let out a sigh, not knowing that he had almost killed the latter.

"H-H-Hahaha... perhaps some other time, young master."

"Then, let's go home," said Zet as he headed toward his ship.

"Yes, young master!" the elders answered in unison.

---

Another day has passed before another group exited out of the place.

"Look!" said one of the onlookers.

It was quite a sight that even after a few days had passed the onlookers didn't decrease even one bit.

"It's Ivy and... wait... Yunesia!"

The onlookers never thought that the two of them would get out of the place at the same time. Based on the previous exchange of words in the summit, they were not on good terms, at least not that much.

"It seems like something indeed happened at the top of the pillar back then," muttered one cultivator.

"But we will never know," sighed a cultivator.

Yunesia was smiling as ever whilst Ivy had the cold indifferent stare. The rest of the group also followed behind them. Garuda, Madoka/Madoku, Ayumu, Crystal, and the rest of the elders from Yuki clan.

Yunesia stretched her arms before yawning, "I really need to sleep, I guess this is farewell, lady Ivy."

Yunesia smiled as she put a tease when she called Ivy's name, but the smudge in her tone crashed to a wall of ice.

Ivy didn't even take a glance at her as she walked toward her carriage. Opening the door, she entered, then closed it without even a word to spare.

The elders immediately followed suit before they all set and departed from the island by freezing a line of the ocean to form a path for the horses.

"Wow, not even a word," commented Ayumu.

"She has always been cold just like the rest of that family," said Yunesia as she shook her head with a smile.

Meanwhile, the young ice woman was leaning against the window as she looked at the beautiful sky indifferently.