13 Receiving the Inheritance

"Has he left yet?"

A man emerged from the shadows standing straight behind Clan Leader Wilkes without a hint of respect.

"...Are you really going to do it? You watched for two years. Two whole years, watching your son get beaten up. Are you really his father?"

"You also watched for two whole years. Are you his Grandpa?"

The man countered Clan Leader Wilkes with his own question but in the end they both bore a tinge of regret and guilt in their hearts.

"I'm already at Spiritual Transformation 9. I have enough strength to finally take back my wife. Old man, you should know how difficult a lonely life is. With regret how will I ever move on. Do you want your daughter-in-law to live a pitiful life. Trapped in darkness."

Clan Leader Wilkes kept silent at the remark and agreed he made a good point. Whether it was from a moral, fatherly or a leader's aspect his argument was reasonable.

Besides being objected by dozens of elders who refused to waste resources on a cripple the man before him wanted his son to be able to survive an ordeal.

If one day he didn't return from his trip and his son was too sheltered his mentality would collapse. They can say it hurts them to do this to Dean but inwardly they would never be able to comprehend his situation.

A child's mind is formed by the environment they live in. Sometimes it overpowers genetics that they are born with. Some are born leaders yet they later grew up to only be obedient henchman which was believed to be a common phenomenon.

Believing that Dean would just grow into a stronger person, they weren't exactly wrong. The one problem with that was Dean taking this one ideal of revenge his meaning in life.

Would they still keep their hand on their matter if they knew Dean's philosophy?

No one would know because time doesn't work like that. If so then Dean would've already done it.

"If I don't return...I won't leave a note"

"You, you, you...you always liked to make people speechless. At least go to your grandma's grave before you leave."

Clan Leader Wilkes heaved a deep sigh with his son leaving. Like father like son. His son and grandson proceeded to go on a journey.

One may face unexpected danger while the other is doomed to either die or live hell like life.

One will be a relief for the elders as that means one less mouth to feed while the other will cause everyone to grieve at the lost of an expert.

But if he somehow lives then the clan will curse him for inviting a powerful calamity.

A disaster with a force that will make sure that the name Wilkes never enters a book in this continent and corpses will be turned to dust.

The old man sighed in his powerless state.

His other offsprings wouldn't care about this matter. Were they the ones suffering? No, then since it has nothing to do with them they wouldn't care.

It's happening to my brother? Great, on less competitor.

This was further reflected by their children. Without teaching them important lessons they bully those who are weak.

Others are too afraid to help and be the first to act.

What has happened to my family?

"Oh, what's this."

There was a black scroll on the top of his desk. Before talking to his grandson and son he was busy doing some paperwork but despite his son saying he wouldn't leave a note he left a document.

This couldn't have been left by Dean as he was too aloof and sadly didn't acknowledge me as his grandfather.

Right after Dean left his son came in so it could have only been him.

Opening the scroll he read it. Once finishing it the paper erupted into flames.

Growling in a hollow voice the old man bellowed his anger

"CUT OFF ALL CONNECTIONS WITH THE VIKANDER FAMILY"

The howl was heard throughout the whole clan with many of the elders startled.

However Dean never heard of this incident.

....

After many days of walking he came back to this accursed cave.

A few years later and moss covered the cave but after the rupture of rocks the cave's entrance was entirely blocked.

Dazed Dean wondered how he would get through the rubble but the blue orb flew out of his chest and flashed a bright blue light.

Closing his eyes instinctively Dean felt that his shoulder seemed a lot lighter than last time.

He forgot how heavy Rose was and how comfortable it was to travel in a group.

The cheerful laughter was gone and so was the friendly aura he used to travel in.

Opening his eyes once more his vision returned a sight that was unusual "...I-impossible"

Stuttering he rubbed his eyes but the sight was the same. Most of the precious herbs and precious metals were there however the manual on the throne was gone.

Muttering to himself "I thought Christian ransacked the whole place."

Thinking about this even more, Dean felt the incident was weird.

"How did I even get outside. They definitely wouldn't carry my body outside, so why?"

"What happened?"

What Dean didn't know was that there was more to this array that the golem had mentioned in the past. On one hand it stopped the activation of runes but it also had the effect of casting illusions.

For two years he hadn't seen those people so he wasn't able to get more information. The same could be said about their family.

It was if nothing every happened.

Ivan's family had no reaction.

Dean shook his head in rejection "What has happened, has already happened."

Refusing to linger too long on those memories, Dean looked around the cave.

Dean didn't want to let go of his grudge with Christian so he kept on making excuses. He resolved himself to eventually get his hands on the book.

Blaming it as his duty as a disciple to reclaim what was once his master.

He dawdled past the moldy door and and continued through the passageway. Going towards the surface with an open trapdoor he was greeted with a ripped article of clothing and a pile of rocks.

Not saying anything he placed a flower that barely touched the rocks and clothing so that it would have a delicate look.

Leaving he didn't say anything but he would glance at the graves a few times before returning to the treasure cove.

Taking a deep breath he tried to organize everything in this cove. He felt that with the aid of that mysterious master he should at least show his sincerity.

He picked up the skull that oddly fell from his throne and kowtowed three times.

From then on he became a disciple of a master who only remembered that he was something like a clown.

The blue orb escaped from his torso and gently floated towards his hand

Dean grasped the orb very carefully and placed it in front of him. There was a sensual sensation that it gave off.

Thinking about using it he suddenly saw the instead of the blue orb. The space inside was very large and in the center of the whole place was a small book.

Imagining that he was flying closer and grabbing the book he saw it sitting on the throne. Taking a look at the title it was named

[Battle Instinct Manual]

Dean felt confused as most mysterious would want to make their inheritage have flashy names to interest people but this book seemed dull.

'hmm, Battle instinct.'

Willing the blue orb, everything within the cove disappeared as the herbs and metals all entered the blue orb for Dean's usage.

Looking at the emptiness he decided to take a seat on the floor and start learning about this [Battle Instinct Manual]

He had already accepted his fate and wanted to start making his marks on that road.

Reading the pages he felt enlightened

{Our path that we follow is called an 'error'. That is nothing more than an outsider's perspective. What does that concern with you. You are you, so why should it matter?}

{We are called demons for surviving torture and devils for scheming. In fact we are just strong at enduring and smart for thinking. That is all}

{Are we gods? Are we mortals? Why should we be labelled by other's definitions. We can reference them in order to act like everyone else but when in the dark our true fangs appear.}

{Plot those who dare to sin. Kill those who rebel. Murder those that betray. We are tools. We can only be used by ourselves and by no one}

{Heed my writings and battle everything that obstructs your path}