The land began to shake as the beasts from both sides bolted. Weapons clashed. Screams echoed. Blood splattered.

Within a few minutes, the land started turning crimson as more and more soldiers fell from both sides.

"So this is what war looks like," I gasped, my hand flying to my mouth.

Amid all the horrifying noises of cutting flesh and breaking bones, another voice emerged—a male voice filled with fury.

"How dare you show your face here after what you did to my son?"

A fox man shouted from the top of the city wall. He wore a long silver-colored robe with a gold-plated belt. His facial structure was similar to the Ancestor's, but he looked a few decades younger than him.

"I swear that I will kill you, two-tailed demon," he declared as he jumped off the wall.

Gumiho and the others were still standing in their positions, observing the situation. They hadn't attacked yet.

"Who is that man, Father?" Gumiho asked.

"You might not know him because he just recently returned to the clan. He is Yamato, head of the Fox Clan. But what the heck is he babbling about?"

"If he's the head of the Fox Clan, then I know why he is furious. It must be because when Yuta rescued me, the clan heir tried to stop us. So I exploded both his legs and one arm."

"Because of you, Riku bled to death, and my wife killed herself from the pain of losing her son," Yamato shouted as he rushed toward the group, slicing any beast that came in his way with his dagger-like claws.

"And you, Yuta, you were my biggest mistake. Every time I see you, it makes me feel disgusted that my blood flows through your veins. I should have killed you along with your mother twenty years ago."

Yuta tightened his fists and shouted as a tear left the corner of his eye, "I am equally ashamed that my veins flow with the blood of a fiend like you."

Yamato's eyes turned bloodshot, and his body started to transform into a large fox with long white fur.

His jaw opened, aiming directly at Gumiho as he reached closer to the group.

"Have you forgotten that I'm still here?"

Aruma stood in front of Gumiho and was about to swing his sword, but suddenly, two large hands gripped Yamato's mouth.

"Forgive me, Lord Aruma, but this pretty fox is my prey," Vyomendra said as he swung his arms, sending Yamato flying in the opposite direction of the city.

"And don't you also have someone else to deal with?"

Vyomendra pointed toward the city wall before bolting in the direction where he had thrown Yamato.

"Lord Ancestor has arrived!" someone from the fox army shouted.

"Please kill the demon and avenge young master Riku's death, Lord Ancestor!" another pleaded.

The morale of the fox army boosted severalfold the moment the Ancestor arrived at the city wall.

He stared down at Gumiho and, with a sickening smirk on his face, asked,

"Have you awakened, Ume?"

The moment the Ancestor's words reached Gumiho's ears, her body shivered uncontrollably. She held her chest tightly and began gasping heavily. The trauma she had been suppressing inside her was ignited by this simple sentence from the Ancestor.

Gumiho was about to collapse, but then two hands touched her head simultaneously.

"Don't be afraid, Ume," Hana said softly.

"That fiend will never touch you again."

Hana's motherly touch prevented Gumiho from fainting.

On the other side, Aruma was also patting Gumiho's head but didn't say a word of comfort. He knew that the Ancestor's fear was deeply rooted inside Gumiho's heart, and the only way to uproot it was to utterly and completely destroy him before her very eyes.

"Oh, Aruma, you brought back my Ume. Are you perhaps also following the heaven's will—"

Clang...

The Ancestor was about half a mile away from us. The reason I was still able to hear him was because he was speaking by lacing his voice with Soulforce.

And yet, before he could complete his sentence, Aruma's sword was already clashing with his claws. He had cleared such a large distance within microseconds.

My Blink skill was also fast, but the distance it covered was extremely short.

This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness the skills of the man called the Battle God.

"Vivi, activate Phantom Simulator on Aruma."

"Initializing Host's request..."

"Phantom Simulator is activated."

"Creating a folder with the target's name..."

"Folder created."

"Battle God Aruma

—Skills recorded: 0/1"

"What? I can only record one skill?"

"Due to the Host's low skill level, for now, the Phantom Simulator can only store one skill per target."

"And how many such targets can I select?"

"At a time, the Host can only choose one target; however, multiple folders of different targets can be created, given they are selected individually."

"This skill is dope. I should focus on upgrading it," I thought inwardly before muttering, clutching my exploding stomach, "that is, if I survive this calamity."

I was worried, but at the end of the day, I could only shrug my shoulders and focus on what was happening before me.

Aruma's speed was incredible, but the Ancestor's instincts were equally impressive. In split seconds, he managed to block that flashing sword attack.

"I never once liked you, Aruma. You were too arrogant and always looked down on me. That's why..."

Sparks erupted with a shriek as Aruma's blade ground against the Ancestor's claws.

"That's why I took my revenge on your daughter. I touched every part of her body, inside and out. So how do you feel, Aruma? Getting your daughter defiled by the man you looked down on?"

Aruma's eyes boiled with crimson energy. The gigantic wall beneath the Ancestor began to tremble, and—

Bang...

Aruma smashed him to the ground along with the wall where he stood.

The Ancestor's claws were still protecting him from the fierce sword attack of Aruma.

"Keep my daughter's name out of your fucking mouth," Aruma commanded, raising his sword before descending it again, cutting down the Ancestor's claws.

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