Fortunately, just when the elders thought they were dead for sure, a figure appeared before them.

"Stay your hand, boy!"

Seth’s glowing blue hand, already on the move, was suddenly repelled backward.

For the first time since his return, Seth’s eyes showed the slightest bit of emotion — annoyance.

He could feel the daunting, impressive pressure of the Awakened Rank being before him.

Unlike the rest, this newcomer had to be in the mid-Leader Grade Awakened.

But in Seth’s eyes? He might as well have been a slightly tougher porcelain dog.

A pair of ethereal pitch-black hands swirled around Elder Johan as he stared at Seth coldly.

"You dare use the power of our ancestor to slay their kin?" the elder’s voice boomed with righteous fury.

The two flying hands swirling around him billowed with a sinister obsidian cadence in tandem with his emotions.

One had to remember these men were Duskreavers with the Asura King bloodline — one purer than Seth’s.

The fists rode the air, whizzing straight toward Seth.

A thick scent of danger burned his nostrils. Seth’s eyes flashed.

’One could really compare a human with a beast...’

Johan might be mid-Leader Grade, but he was unlike any beast Seth had faced.

This was an old monster who had lived for centuries. Needless to say, battle experience was something he didn’t lack.

The elder flashed, appearing in the opposite direction his flying fists struck from.

An obsidian haze blazed around his figure, his will projecting fury into reality, his eyes smoldering with dense killing intent.

If the four elders hadn’t been so foolish, there might have still been hope to reconcile Seth as a family genius.

But now that things had come this far, there was no need for facades. He would end this child right here and now.

But how could he fathom that Seth had never once cared or thought much about the family?

These elders practically died for nothing. The Duskreavers might have been impressive and unfathomable, but compared to Seth’s grander path, they weren’t worth much.

Seth’s eyes flashed, his ethereal jade-blue hands already moving to intercept his opponent’s attack.

Meanwhile, a saw blade appeared in his grasp.

[Weapon: Dile Bone-Crushing Saw!]

He spun around, the jagged blade flashing, humming with the intense essence trait of Oscillation, unleashing its true might.

The elder’s heart palpitated as he suddenly felt the force mustered by his ethereal obsidian hands dissipate.

Before he could recollect himself, a flash of silver streaked, followed by a spurt of crimson.

His face twisted in agony as his hand — his actual hand — spun through the air, leaving behind a bloody stump.

His eyes bulged, red blood vessels coiling within them like snaking dragons. His aura blazed brighter as he unleashed a gene skill without any more restraint.

Elder Johan was powerful not only because of his rank but also because of his unique Leader Grade ability.

His first hand skill from his Asura lineage — an absurdly eerie skill that allowed him to share his damage with his enemy.

Seth’s gaze flashed, his frame already reeling through the air in retreat as he watched his own hand swing through the air, a clean-cut stump spurting blood left behind.

’The fuck just happened?’ he stared at his sudden injury grimly.

"Hurts like a bitch, right?" Elder Johan chuckled sinisterly.

Though he smiled outwardly, inwardly he was appalled.

His heart palpitated as he stared at the essence unit bar flashing dangerously red in his vision.

[Essence Unit: 401/099]

A whole third of his essence had been burned just to share damage with Seth?

What the hell was with this cost?

There was no way this child could be that strong... right?

A silhouette was already before him. Seth’s gaze remained cold as he whipped out his still perfectly functioning hand.

He chopped straight into the elder’s neck, hoping such a devastating strike could crush his opponent’s throat and kill him in one blow.

Seth’s teeth clenched hard as a replicating force hacked against his neck.

He could feel cracks spreading through his bones, artery after artery bursting.

He hacked out blood as he landed in the distance.

Seth gnashed his teeth in fury.

’I’m stronger than this guy — then why is this battle so complicated?’

For the first time, Seth realized that in some unique circumstances, gene skill grade didn’t matter. So what if he had a Monarch-grade skill?

He still had to be wary of even Leader-grade skills.

The elder also struggled to his feet, coughing out blood. Just now, replicating this attack had cost him every lick of essence.

His obsidian hands, keeping Seth’s jade-blue fists occupied, vanished as the roiling obsidian around him calmed.

Seth stared at him coldly.

The elder sighed. If only he had more essence, he could be stronger. He just might have been able to defeat this boy.

He stared at Seth’s cold, emotionless expression. He couldn’t help but ask:

"Did you truly harbor any intentions of taking over the family?" he managed to choke out from his crushed neck.

But Seth didn’t reply. The boundless disdain oozing from him spoke volumes.

Seth sneered inwardly.

’Was that really the reason? To think these guys targeted me because I was so talented they assumed at some point in the future, when I was stronger, I’d grow discontent and try to claim status as head of the family.’

They antagonized him because of a foolish conjecture Seth had never once considered.

He never thought of leading the Duskreavers. He never even saw himself as one of them.

He did care for some of them — his siblings and father were all he recognized.

As for him leading the Duskreavers... were they even worthy?

He didn’t have time to waste words with the elder. His hands pressed down.

The elder let out a weak sigh. He never did anything wrong; he only acted based on what the situation called for.

But this was reality. The strong were king, and the weak could only die or submit.

With these last thoughts running through his mind, he was crushed into fine bloody paste.

Seth turned, staring at the two left.

"P-please don’t kill us! We will do anything — please have mercy." The two elders broke down.

To them, Johan was the strongest, someone they couldn’t dream of facing. Yet even he died after clashing with Seth.

This naturally meant they didn’t have a chance. Their hearts burned with fear and regret.

Why the fuck did they have to antagonize this monster?

If only they’d left him alone...

The pathetic duo quickly poured all their belongings out of their inventories, pleading for Seth to spare their lives.

A pair of hands flew above them. Seeing this, their hearts chilled.

This kid still wanted to kill them. They mobilized their essence, turning to run — but they weren’t fast enough.

Blood splashed, their bodies erupting under the pressure of the tidal force.

The Hands of Tide vanished as Seth waved his hand, collecting all their items.

His eyes flickered with worry. It was time to check on his father.