King Lee's Grief

"Are you sure that we should leave him there?" Jin Chow asked, waiting with Sergio and King Lee after sending the rest back to the village.

"I believe him! If he said he could make it, he would certainly make it," declared Sergio, recalling Liu Kai's struggle to contain his bloodlust earlier.

They are waiting for Liu Kai outside the woodland, the supposed to be Giant Cursed Tree's new outside range.

Jin Chow, unable to sit still, walked back and forth, worried about Liu Kai's condition. King Lee and Sergio were sitting on the grass, leaning on a tree while patiently waiting.

Before they notice, Liu Kai landed in the middle of them, unscathed. They flinched, seeing him in front of them, who looked like a guy that came from a park, not in a fight.

King Lee and Sergio stood up to walk closer to him and Jin chow did the same thing.

"How did you..." Jin Chow scanned him, worried about his condition but was confused about his aura.

"What happened? I know I'm exhausted and I lowered my guard, but... I could barely perceive your presence," King Lee stated. He narrowed his eyes as he scans Liu Kai.

'He has gotten stronger,' King Lee talked to himself. His eyes were wide open while scanning his physique and couldn't believe what he's seeing.

"A lot of strange things have happened," explained Liu Kai, scratching his head. He didn't know where he should start.

"I knew you would survive but... this... is just exceptional," told Sergio after scanning his whole body up close.

Earlier, they are concerned about how he could survive. But now, they are so confused to see him so soon and unscathed.

"Just how did you escape!?" The three asked in unison, pinching their cheeks to make sure that they weren't dreaming.

"I... somehow... consumed the Giant Cursed Tree," answered Liu Kai, stuttering to answer them.

"WHAT!?" They all asked in unison, puzzled about what he meant.

"Uh... I ate it since I'm mad at it while I'm on berserker mode," alibi Liu Kai.

'Sorry, I can't let you know about my abilities yet guys,' Liu Kai said to himself.

"You... what?" asked King Lee, raising his right eyebrow, weird out by his answer.

"How is that possible? Do you have a black hole in your stomach?" queried Jin Chow, touching Liu Kai's abdominal muscles with Sergio.

Liu Kai took a series of deep breaths and explained, "Uh... The Tree is alive. It talked to me and used a lovely fragrance to attract me to walk closer. Once you're close to it, it will wrap you with its vines to make you a tree monster. While the vines were coating me, I felt the life force of the tree inside its body. Of course, I fought back and looked for it and ended up consuming it."

"Woah," They can't help themselves but open their mouth in astonishment. But the same thing does not apply to King Lee, who's suspecting him.

"Where's your mask and tank?" questioned King Lee, narrowing his eyes while looking at him.

"I told you that I consumed the Giant Cursed Tree. I threw it away since it has no use," answered Liu Kai, hiding his breath and starting to get sweaty.

King Lee marched past them and kept for another few meters. He looked back in the direction of the Giant Cursed Tree and found it dried.

"He's... telling the truth," mumbled King Lee.

'No, this can't be right. The Giant Cursed Tree that we used as the village's convenience... It's now...'

King Lee pounced forward and choked Liu Kai with both hands as they both fell to the ground.

"Hey, what the heck are you doing!?"

"You!!! How did you know that the Cursed Tree's range expanded? You just got here, how did you know?"

Jin Chow and Sergio attempted to lift King Lee out of Liu Kai, but he wouldn't budge. King Lee squeezed Liu Kai's neck, influenced by his presumptions.

"You can't conceal the fact that you're a monster anymore back then, are you? The bugs even bowed down to you before we left you. Who the heck are you? And what happened to your injuries?"

Liu Kai, lying on the ground, could not answer the questions because King Lee was strangling him. But even if he's free, he doesn't know how he would respond. He tried to remove King Lee's arms, but it won't budge even an inch.

Tears unexpectedly formed from the side of Liu Kai's eyes as he thought, 'He's right. I am a monster. I even assaulted my comrades during a mission. Hahahaha. I thought things changed after I woke up. I'm still that good for nothing that everyone thought, aren't I? I thought I'm helping but... I am always the problem.'

"LEE LET HIM GOOOO!!!" Jin Chow screamed at the top of his lungs, trying to lift him.

"BASTARD!!" Sergio released his hold to King Lee and took a few steps back. "LET HIM GO!!" Sergio kicked King Lee's face, forcing him to release Liu Kai from his strangle.

"HAAAAAA!" Liu Kai touched his neck as he took a series of deep breaths, sobbing as he stared at the dark blue sky.

King Lee and Jin Chow rolled over the ground several times from Sergio's kick. King Lee quickly stood up and wiped the blood off his nose. He quickly focused his gaze back on Liu Kai, who's still lying on the ground.

King Lee walked slowly to Liu Kai, disregarding Sergio, standing on his side, protecting Liu Kai. As he steps closer, he said, "I... would make sure you'll pay for what happened... Wang Xiu Ying... My best... student and my other students..."

Sergio saw King Lee's weepy eyes and just remained standing, frozen on his feet. King Lee gets past him and lifts Liu Kai.

"...They all died."

King Lee lost his sense of balance and fell on his knees as he burst out crying. He looked down and hugged Liu Kai's feet as he continued to cry.

"AHHHHHHHHH!!!!"

King Lee screamed, crying about his loss. Liu Kai lifelessly remained standing, staring at the heavens with tearful eyes.

"Tsk!" Sergio and Jin Chow narrowed their eyes and looked down, too, getting emotional about what happened.