Grand Ancestral Bloodlines

Ryu's pupils constricted.

The voice was like the eruption of a volcano and yet it didn't seem as though the Heaven's Warrior had tried to be so forceful. It was as though this was simply its natural cadence. It didn't feel the need to put in effort for such ants.

It didn't elaborate its meaning, it wasn't overly verbose, it simply spoke two short and succinct words. As for whether others understood what it meant, maybe it truly didn't care. But, wasn't its meaning as clear as day?

Who dared to fight against the Heavens?

As for why Ryu was so shocked, it actually wasn't because of this. He was caught off guard because he had already concluded that the Heavens was nothing more than a fictitious entity that represented the rules the world was governed by. The reason it was actually stupid enough to take out more rage on Ryu than the Martial Gods below who were actually responsible for all of this was simply because it was enacting its rules rigidly and without recourse.

However, if one of its representatives could speak, what did that mean? As simple as it sounded, speech represented a level of sentience that was beyond what Ryu had previously concluded. On top of that, it also implied understanding.

If you could speak coherently, that implied that you understood just as coherently, at least in the vast majority of cases. So, to Ryu, this almost felt like everything was changed, and yet possibly not at the same time… It was possible that the core of his deduction was still true while instead of being falsified, things had simply become more complex instead.

"Are you not the one who insisted on wiping me from existence first?"

Without much information, Ryu decided to probe instead. If this Heaven's Warrior continued to talk, it was possible that he could learn something. Though, Ryu wasn't very expectant of it. It seemed like an impossibility. This Heaven's Warrior felt even more arrogant than himself.

However, to his surprise…

"You are a traitor of your people, is that not what you deserve?"

Ryu's gaze narrowed. "Traitors do deserve death, but when did I betray you?"

"Standing on the side of these ants with your status is the greatest insult. You have made us furious."

'My status…?' Ryu was baffled. What did that mean?

He, of course, knew that he was the scion of the Tatsuya Clan, but in the history of the Heavens, just how many 'Tatsuya' Clans had it seen rise and fall? In fact, hadn't Ryu's Tatsuya Clan also fallen as well? So it was even less important.

Unless it was the case that this 'status' the Heaven's Warrior referred to was his status as a citizen of this world? But that didn't seem right either. The words of the Warrior seemed to imply that there was something that separated Ryu from the other traitors, just as he had previously speculated.

Was this separation because he was representing Overseer Eudo? Or was there a different reason entirely? Ryu truly wasn't certain.

"I have every intention of wiping them from existence once I am strong enough. Their days are numbered."

Ryu's words weren't concealed in the slightest, nor did he feel the need to conceal them. At this point, even if he revealed his Tatsuya name, he didn't believe he could push the Martial Gods to want to kill him any more than they already did. That boat had sailed long ago.

It could be said that the only reason Ryu had yet to reveal this was because he instinctually felt that he was incorrect. Somewhere deep inside, he knew that if he revealed his real name, the fervor with which the Martial Gods came after him would reach an entirely new level. They may very well not hesitate to mobilize all the power and strength they had.

Ryu wasn't sure where this feeling was coming from, but he chose to trust it because it was a feeling that Ailsa shared as well. If it was just his own speculation, he was probably reckless enough to ignore it. However, since it would worry Ailsa, he chose against it.

As expected, Ryu's words caused a complete uproar. It swept through the crowd and the World Sea Realm experts with a fervor that almost toppled the setting entirely.

King Adonis' gaze sharpened. If it wasn't for Heaven's Punishment still being present, he would have already slaughtered the boy where he stood. The prestige of the Martial Gods wasn't something that just anyone could trample upon.

The Heaven's Warrior gazed at Ryu deeply for a long while before pointing downward.

When Ryu saw where he was pointing to, his gaze narrowed, a killing intent that rolled like waves off of his body causing those below to be suffocated. Even those outside the barrier of the Heaven's Punishment, presumably protect from Ryu's rage, felt as though their chests were collapsing.

Wasn't this boy's killing intent a bit too strong?!

The Heaven's Warrior, however, was unmoved.

"If that is truly your intention, then why do you help her?"

The question of the Heaven's Warrior was even more baffling than Ryu's previous words. Why did it seem like the Heaven's were trying to give Ryu a way out? What kind of ridiculous nonsense was this?

Weren't all arbiters of the Heaven's supposed to be cold, calculating and inflexible? They had never even heard of ones that spoke before, let alone one's willing negotiate with those they called supposed traitors.

Hearing the intention in the Heaven's Warrior's voice, despite it sounding like a clap of thunder, Ryu's gaze eased somewhat. But, even then, it was only somewhat. He didn't like anyone pointing at his wife at all, even if it was for something so benign.

"That's simple." Ryu replied plainly. "She's my wife, I won't allow any harm to come to her."

If Ryu's first words had caused an uproar, this caused pin drop silence.

No one believed that he was being literal. Rather, they all believed that he was claiming Elena before them all without a care for the faces of the countless World Sea Realm experts who didn't dare to even do the same.

Isemeine herself felt like fainting. Once Ryu died, Eska would most definitely kill her and everything would be finished. She was really done…

She really, really, really hated this man.

However, the Heaven's Warriors next words truly left them all speechless.

"I see. Depending on your performance, an exception may be made in the future. But, it will depend on you.

"According to the rules, since I have descended, I must fight. Prepare yourself."

The words had hardly fallen when a fist appeared before Ryu's face.