"Mr. Raj, you look exactly like the Guildmaster did five years ago," Jasmine said as we descended the hill. "He also used to be covered in monsters' blood during that time."

"He was? I can't imagine him like that," I replied, surprised.

"I'm speaking the truth. He is completely different from how he used to be. Back then, his eyes glowed a sharp crimson, and he always carried a frightening look on his face. And just like you, he also ranked up in the midst of battle. But after he met the Vice Guildmaster, he completely changed and became much more gentle and kind."

"He didn't change after meeting Sister Aisha," I replied. "He merely returned to how he always used to be."

While conversing, we had already reached the bottom of the hill, standing in front of the portal.

"But the question is, what turned him into the Blood Demon before he met Sister Aisha?" I asked as we both stepped out.

The space before us distorted, and we returned to the temple.

Ding…

"Congratulations! You have completed the special challenge of the 30-day daily challenge.

[Claim the reward]"

She was about to answer my question but was distracted by a man standing in front of us.

"Fuck! He saw us coming out!" I exclaimed inwardly.

The man had blue eyes sharp as daggers, and black hair mixed with strands of grey, indicating his middle age. A brown, skin-fit formal suit was tailored snugly to his body, and a longsword was sheathed at his waist, fastened to a Gucci belt.

"Oh, good afternoon, Mister. Have a good day," I smiled awkwardly, stepping forward to move past him as if nothing had happened.

"S-Sw-Sword King Rudra," Jasmine murmured, her voice barely leaving her lips.

My step immediately halted as I processed what she had just called him.

"Raj Singh, younger brother of the Blood Demon, and Jasmine, the most trustworthy subordinate of the Blood Demon, come to my territory and sneakily enter a D-Rank dungeon," Rudra said, his voice serious and his face expressionless. "Should I consider this the Black Raven Guild's challenge to the Silver Sword Guild?"

"N-no, sir, you're misunderstanding us," Jasmine blurted out in a hurry. "We were forcefully pulled inside the gate, but when we entered, someone had already cleared the dungeon."

Rudra's glare sharpened, and he suddenly released a suppressive killing intent toward Jasmine.

Before it could reach her, I stepped in front of her and surged my Soulforce outward to stop him.

Our Soulforces collided, and obviously, mine was pushed back. His intent struck me, instantly causing internal injuries.

"Cough—cough!"

Blood spilled from my mouth, and I almost fell to my knees, but I controlled myself and remained standing.

"Mr. Raj! Are you alright!?" Jasmine asked anxiously.

"Oh, you are an interesting one," Rudra said, his focus shifting to me. "You detected my killing intent despite being at E-Rank."

"How could you attack someone with killing intent for no reason!?" I demanded, wiping the blood from my lips.

"No reason? First, you clear a dungeon in my territory, and then you dare to lie. I could kill you for that crime!"

"Jasmine clearly told you it wasn't us who cleared the dungeon," I countered. "And even if we did, you don't have the right to judge us."

"You are in my territory, so—"

"You aren't the owner of these lands. You're only a guard whose duty is to clear the gates in this area," I said, cutting him off mid-sentence.

For the first time, an expression appeared on his rigid face—an expression of irritation.

"Mr. Raj, please don't provoke him," Jasmine pleaded from behind, tugging at my shirt.

"You might be an E-Rank Awakener, but your arrogance surely is at S-Rank," Rudra muttered. "Be careful whom you are talking to, boy."

A sudden surge of sharp Soulforce erupted into the air, shattering the branches of the trees and making the earth beneath us tremble.

Jasmine fell to the ground, unable to bear the pressure, while I somehow remained standing, clenching my teeth.

"So this is the Soulforce pressure of someone at S-Rank," I murmured inwardly, stabbing my katana into the ground to support myself.

"That looks like an interesting sword," Rudra said, stepping forward.

With each step he took, the pressure intensified. After coughing out drops of blood, Jasmine fell unconscious.

"Oy, Rudra, stop it!" I shouted, veins bulging on my forehead.

"It's Sword King Rudra for you," he said, stopping right before me. "Only the strong have the right to order others. Weaklings like you should drop to your knees and beg me for mercy."

He raised his hand toward Shinku no Sabi, but I immediately retreated a few feet back, one hand gripping the katana while the other grabbed Jasmine by her waist.

I placed her beside a tree and turned my focus to the calamity standing before me.

"You can still move?" he asked, a faint hint of surprise appearing on his face. "You have a very strong will. If you had awakened at B-Rank, you would have become one of the strongest S-Ranks. You can still become the strongest C-Rank Awakener—if you can make it out alive today, that is."

While he was yapping, I was secretly absorbing Soulforce from the Soul Stone directly through the small inventory hole behind my back.

Ding…

"You have absorbed enough Yin-Yang energy for a breakthrough."

A bright glow radiated from my body, healing my internal wounds and making my body feel lighter.

"Congratulations! The Host has successfully broken through! The Host's realm has increased.

Mid-Stage Spirit Adept Realm → Late-Stage Spirit Adept Realm

All stats +10"

"The maximum capacity of Yin-Yang energy has increased!

Yin energy: 3200/5000

Yang energy: 3200/5000"

"Are you kidding me!?" Rudra exclaimed, his voice rising as his eyes widened slightly. "Did you just rank up right now?"

With a glare, he condensed all the Soulforce pressure in the area into a single point—right where I was standing.

My leg bones instantly cracked, blood spewed from my mouth, yet I refused to bow before that bastard.

"If you want to live then bow to your knees and offer that sword to me!" he demanded, standing right in front of my face.

With a wide smirk, I murmured, "You are the insecure bastard who slandered my brother by manipulating the media. I would rather die than bow before you!"

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