The Clan's End (3)

Bartos was the one to raise the barrier. The plan to raise the barrier after leading a certain level of bandits inside was devised by him and Nalos. The metal balls were to trick them into making the stronger ones stay at the back of the charge and they purposefully had the clan members with low morale at the front so that the bandits at the front would rush in. If they fought head-on, Nalos would be overwhelmed by the Earth Realm enemies who would then destroy the rest of the clan. However, this way they could at least do some good damage to the Black Dog Bandits.

Once they saw the suicidal warriors of the clan attack, the rest of the clan eventually joined in and the bandits were being overwhelmed. The spiritual sense of a Sky Realm master touched the barrier but was repelled. This master, sitting on a luxurious chair in the forest, was surprised that a minor-level force could have such a good protection array, but it also made him more determined to see the end of this clan. This master wasn't a member of the Black Dog Bandits, he was someone sent by their sponsor to aid them since there was supposedly a mysterious elder in the Heaven clan. This master didn't believe such a thing at first, but now he had to consider it.

"Don't worry great sir. We'll have that barrier down soon."

The leader of the Black Dog Bandits, Roy, was a lean man with a black dog tattoo on his forehead and two long scars on his bare chest. He was usually the boldest, bravest and fiercest of the bandits, but in front of this master who wore a clean, lightly-coloured cloak, he was as subservient as could be. As the leader of the bandits, he knew that that one in the capital only saw him as a dog to be used, but while profit could be made he was glad to act like one.

In order to prevent this battle from lasting too long and irritating this master, he took out a pearl from his pocket and crushed it. This would signal the traitors inside the clan to make their moves.

Back within the clan, Bartos was observing the fight on a balcony of Sky-wind Pavilion. He wanted to join the fight as well, but his role required him to keep a constant watch of the battlefield. He held the main controller in his right hand and used his spiritual sense to detect the depletion of the spirit gems supplying the protection array. The bandits outside the barrier made no move to destroy it but Bartos knew why.

'They're waiting for the traitors to do it for them.'

Right as Bartos had this thought, he sensed someone behind him so he turned around.

"I thought you would be coming. Shouldn't you have escaped since they've already abandoned you?"

Corin looked at him with indifference. Since his wrongdoings were revealed, it was obvious that Corin had been thrown away by the bandits, but he was still here, appearing to make an attempt at regain the bandits' favour.

Corin had considered escaping, but he didn't believe he would be able to do so for long if the enemy was determined to kill him, so he stayed in order to prove himself useful and hopefully be spared.

"Hand it over Bartos."

Corin didn't bother with any sweet words or tricks since he knew that wouldn't work on Bartos. He went straight ahead and used mental control to restrict Bartos in place while reaching for the orb in his hand. However, a different hand interfered.

It was Nalos, Corin showed no surprise at his presence, but there was indeed a bit of pain in his eyes.

"Don't you have other business to attend to? I'm sure you have a good idea about what the other traitors are planning to do by now."

Nalos didn't respond. He knew what Corin was referring to but he already made the decision to take care of his former best friend.

"I won't ask for forgiveness."

Right as those words left Corin's mouth, Bartos raised his arms to guard against the sudden strike that was aimed at him. Still, the lightning fast strike blew him out the building.

"Bartos!"

Around the time Bartos had been attacked, Nate was facing a similar situation. Iris had tried to convince him to switch sides in their house when the battle started, but he firmly refused. He was just like his father in that he was determined to live and die with the clan. Iris felt this was a shame since she admired Nate's usual wit, but she didn't love him enough to change her mind, and he didn't love her enough to betray the clan.

"I told you. This brother of mine is smart, but he's too stubborn."

Lus also entered the house along with Kran and two other elders. These were the people who wanted Nathan to be the next Patriarch, but as soon as they realised their 'partners' had more than enough strength to destroy the clan, they switched boats. In their minds, while it was unfortunate for the clan, at least they would be able to survive.

Seeing them enter at this timing, there was no doubt in Nate's mind that they were traitors. Lus tried to put his arm over Iris' shoulder but she cleanly avoided and left him there standing awkwardly.

'Damn bitch!'

Lus held in his raging irritation and focused on Nate who was evaluating his foes. There were five of them in total. Iris likely wouldn't participate in the fight since she was stuck in the first level of the Soul Realm, but that would still leave four people in the late Soul Realm against Nate who was at the peak. One on one, he knew he was stronger than any of them, but four on one, his chances were very low. Out of them, only Nate was informed about the protection array, the rest of them thought that Nalos did something so they were planning on using Nate as a hostage to force him to surrender. However, this would make the fight even harder for them.

While both sides closely watched the other, Nate took out the few metal balls that Bartos gave him and threw them at the five. Since they recognized the balls, they hastily put up their barriers. But as they were distracted by the metal balls which released corrosive liquid that blocked their vision, Nate made his next move. He used the spear on his back and thrusted straight through the rightmost elder along with his barrier and then raised the blade of the spear to split his upper body into two.

Without wasting a breath, the spear tip swung around and moved like a serpentine dragon towards the elder on the left. It broke through the barrier but the Lus stopped him from getting any further with his axe.

"Tch, that damn spear!"

Instead of responding to Lus' gripe about his spear's barrier-breaking ability, Nate summoned three 'Blue Wind Spears' and aimed them at Iris, Lus and Kran. Lus was forced to step back but Kran and Lus would be able to deal with this spell on their own, unfortunately Kran had to help Iris block the one aimed at her. Though he was disappointed, Nate didn't show it as he faced them in the destroyed house. The spear that now had its tip towards the floor and its other end behind his back and towards the sky, was a masterpiece by Bartos, one of three supreme spirit-rank artifacts he was able to forge in addition to the one Shui helped him with.

In addition to its passive skill of increasing strength and agility, this Blue Breeze Spear could break through the barriers of any cultivator on the same or below the level of the wielder. This sort of overpowered artifact made Lus both jealous and irritated.

"What a heartless man. So eager to cut up your wife?" Lus asked in a provocative tone.

"No woman of mine can be a traitor. But since we were once man and wife, I was hoping to give her a quick death, how unfortunate."

When Nate spouted this line with an expressionless face, it was hard to believe yet Iris knew how much emotion he put into these words. But it wouldn't change her mind, she wasn't going to die in this clan that she married into.

Since Iris couldn't fight, it was now three vs. one, but one of those had been injured in their initial clash. Even so, any other person would have been tense. However, although he wasn't there yet, Nate was the person in the clan most likely to reach Earth Realm and dominated his age group as a child. Though he didn't win first place in the Inter-clan competitions, he had come a close second place twice. They might have outnumbered him, but Nate wasn't in despair in front of these traitorous folk.

"Kill."

It was in a flat tone, but when Nate aimed his spear tip at Lus, the killing intent that rolled off him made his enemies break out in cold sweat, as if they were the ones backed into a corner.