At the south gate .

Step! step! The sound of heavy steps filled with sadness and regret rang out, as Xander walked though the streets, ocasionally bypa.s.sing corpses of soldiers, as well as the destruction caused by said soldiers . After navigating the streets for a few minutes, he arrived at where the children of the scorching sun clan had gathered before . " . . . " He looked around silently, and with a blank expression, observed many of the children that had returned before him . Many of them were bruised and bloodied, with dirt staining their clothes and skin . While others were still shaking from fright or fear, wincing from time to time as the wounds on their bodies twitched . " humph! so you are the last?" The scorching sun clan master asked . " I . . . don't know . . . " Xander replied quietly . " It was a rhetorical question . If anyone else is still out there, they should be able to find their way back safely . " The clan master said . ' that b.a.s.t.a.r.d in the sky killed most of the soldiers, so the remainder should be paniking, trying to find a way to get away by now . They shouldn't have the time or luxury to to kill anyone . So if anyone is still out there, as long as they stay out of sight, they should reach the clan easily . ' he thought . " So? What is that in your hands?" The clan master asked . In xander's arms was something wraped in cloth, with blood ocasionally dripping from the center of it . " This is . . . laxus . . " Xander replied quietly . " . . . . Laxus? Was that one of ours? Why are you carrying a corpse around? Anyone of our people who died today will be recoverd tomorrow, and returned to our clan to be burried . You didn't have to drag around a body . " The clan master said, puzzled . " . . . did you know?" Xander asked softly .

" huh?" The clan master responded, confused . " Were you watching?! Why didn't you help him then!? Are you that heartless?! You-" boom! Xander was forced to stop talking, as a crus.h.i.+ng pressure enveloped his body, making it hard for him to even stay on his feet . " Don't misunderstand, i only observed a few of you . I am not so heartless as to leave the children of my own clan to their deaths . I understand the feeling of loosing a friend, but don't forget your place . " as the clan master said this, the pressure dissapated . " And even though you were too late to save him, you should have still avenged your friend, right?" The clan master asked . At this question, xander's face twisted with sadness . " I-i . . . . " He couldn't say anything beyond that . " humph!" Although Xander had his head low, the clan master could guess what happened . ' Shouting at me for being heartless when he didn't even avenge his friend, ridiculous!' The clan master thought . " Though, i do understand how it feels to be afraid . . . to fight . . . and to kill . . . maybe that is why i am not being so hard on the boy . . . " He mumbled to himself .

He was not heartless, but on the road of cultivation, after you reached a certain point, your views on life changed . It was not the same for everyone, but the change did always happen, no matter how slight . " Alright, get up, all of you! We are going back!" After a moment of silence, the scorching sun clan master shouted, causing the empty minded children sitting on the ground to jolt, as they came back to reality . As they walked though the streets, they saw the damage done to many buildings, with multiple commoners dead on the ground . Some beheaded, while others died more greusome deaths . They even recognised some of the buildings and people . The old man who always sat at the corner of a small resturant, selling his incense . A beautiful lady who always brought her 4 young children out just before the sun went down . Even the gruff looking hawker who's best products were his large and sweet, red apples . At this moment, all of them just wanted to go back to their clan, where it was peaceful and without death . Although rivalry was strong in their clan, and at times, some of them went overboard while fighting, they would take that over the h.e.l.l that they had experienced today, anytime .

. . .

Over the north side of the imperial city, a bright red trail decorated the sky, as Levi flew at a breakneck speed . " ka!" He suddenly coughed a mouthful of blood . ' Tch! This d.a.m.n raven bloodline, does it have to act up now? Flying like this is also putting too much strain on my body, and my arm is also still choped off . . . What a bad day . . . ' Levi thought, as he hovered in the sky, his eyes darkening with anger and irritation . After thinking for a while, he slowly lowered himself to the ground, and made his way through some alleys . fwoos.h.!.+ He pulled the feather coat from the spatial ring, along with his arm . " Do these people have something against this arm . . . " Levi looked at the arm in his hand . Without wasting anymore time, blood poured from his shoulder, but instead of dropping to the ground, it moved as if alive . He then placed his severd arm up against the blood, as it slowly grew closer until only a thin line of blood remained . After a few seconds, even that thin line of blood was no longer seen . " I have to learn more about human body structure . who knows what else i might lose . . . " levi mumbled self-mockingly, with a half joking tone . ' I really don't understand my own emotions . ' he thought with a smile . ' One minute i am angry and irritated, and the next, i am smiling . ' fwis.h.!.+ He then swiftly put on the coat, without forgeting to put the hood over his head, then began to walk . " . . . i wonder why i am in such a good mood . " Levi mumbled to himself as he walked, a wide grin hidden by the shadow of his hood . ' haha, being able to fight . . . defend myself against that general's attacks is probably the reason . No matter how small, it proves that i am becoming stronger . ' he thought . " search! search for the boy!" Just as Levi was about to walk out of the alley, he heard heavy steps, along with the cluncking of armor . " . . . d.a.m.n killjoys . . . " The foot that he had extended returned to his side, as he turned around, finding a small path between two buildings that led to another alley .

. . .

The imperial palace .

The 3 clan masters, along with the old masters stood before the king silently . To the other side of the room, the cold general, general luca, along with the laid back general, issac and the silent general, Ian stood . Beside each of them were the people who appeared at the north, east, west and south gates . The old man who appeared at the north gate, who wore a white and gold embroidered robe, with short white hair, was the laid back general, issac's master . The old man from the east gate, who wore a black and white embroidered robe, with long gray hair, was the cold general's, luca's master . The woman who appeared at the west gate who wore a black cloak, who had yet to arrive, was the angry general, Eli's master . And the silent general's, Ian's master, who looked to be the youngest of the four with his long, curly black hair, went to the south gate . step! step! " Hmm, is she finally here?" Issac's master groaned . " Oh? It seems that i am late?" A woman who looked to be middle aged walked through the giant, open throne room doors .

" . . . what took you so long . . . old bat? . . . . i was sent all the way to the south gate because you three ganged up on me . . . . but i still got back earlier than you!" After an unusual few seconds of silence, the silent general's, Ian's master shouted . " It is a given that out of the four of us, the most insignificant one of us would do the most work . And, who are you calling old, boy? I am still in my prime, don't make this G.o.d of war teach you a lesson . " The woman spoke, as a dangerous gleam flickered in her eyes . " There you go again . . . flaunting your old t.i.tle . . . . if anything . . . wouldn't this sword G.o.d be the one giving the lesson?" the silent general's master spoke . " huhu, me? being taught a lesson by a self-proclaimed sword G.o.d? huhuhu, you still know how to joke . " the woman laughed mockingly . " you! who is self-proclaimed! " the silent general's master shouted . " Why don't you two-" Before issac's master could finish, the king's oppressive voice rang out . " You elders seem to be having fun? Even forgeting that you are in the presence of this king . " He said without emotion . As soon as he spoke, everyone in the room turned their heads .

" Don't be that way, your highness! since you were so quiet, we just decided to have a little bit of fun . " The angry general's master said with a smile . " Oh? You seem to be in a good mood, despite what has befallen my city?" The king asked, as his sharp gaze swept over her body . " Well, what can you do, right? what has happened, has happened!" She spoke once again . " Hahaha, i guess that is true!" The king suddenly burst out laughing . " What has happened, has happened, right? Then, let me tell you a little secret, luna, or G.o.d of war, if you would prefer . Your precious disciple, eli, or as the citizens used to call him, the angry general, is dead . " A shadow covered the king as he sat back comfortably on his throne, with only his almost glowing eyes being visible in the darkness, as he looked down towards luna . " . . . . . what . . " After what seemed to be a long few seconds, the woman's eyes widened with shock, as her body shook .

" Oh, yes, you didn't know, did you? He stupidly gave into taunts and left the city's walls, only to lose a few thousand soldiers! So many lives lost due to his incompetence, wouldn't you say that he deserved to die?" The king spoke with a leisurely tone . " Your highness, from what i know, Eli boy died in order to save your son . " issac's master spoke, his white and gold embroidered robe s.h.i.+fting as he raised his hands while explaining . ' This boy hasn't changed in the slightest . i had thought that since he had gotten children, that he would change his ways . But that cruelty still seems to be burning strong . ' Issac's master thought . " Is that so . Then what of the rest of them, abel? How did the four of you raise them? Like fools, they gathered in one place, succ.u.mbed to the taunts of four brats, and one of them even ended up dead . Zenoh, Luna, Eivan and Abel, proudly known as the elder generals by few, but what is the use of your disciples?" The king asked seriously .

" You . . " The cold general's master, Eivan spoke, but stopped himself before he said anymore . " . . . " The silent general's master, zenoh, as well as Abel kept silent . Silently, a terrifying killing intent spread through the throne room, chilling everone to the bone . " L-luna . . . what are you-" before Abel could finish, the king spoke . " What are you trying to do, G.o.d of war?" The king asked, putting emphasis on her t.i.tle . " I thought you said that what happened, has already happened, and nothing could be done about it? I should remind you that i am no longer a weak boy . We are both at the universal harmony stage, but while you are at the first level, i am at the third, so think wisely before you do anything, as i have no mercy in me for a worn out general that would attack her king . " The king spoke, as a similarly terrifying killing intent leaked from his body .