The Seven Demon's Tamer

The sound of Master Sung's strike was like a thunderclap. He slammed the Eclipse Tiger's mouth closed with a slap so hard that the familiar's entire head was buried into the ground, creating a crater around its head.

The strike had been delivered with such perfect timing and intense force that the Eclipse Tiger's attack was not only stopped but reversed. Instead of unleashing whatever devastating ability it had been preparing, the creature found itself buried head-first in the earth, caught off guard and helpless.

"Step away from my familiar!" Kyujiro barked as he swung his fist at Master Sung, recognizing that he no longer had any defense. The desperation in his voice was clear—he was fighting for his life now, and he knew it.

If he didn't act at that moment, he would lose his familiar because Master Sung was still staring at the buried Eclipse Tiger with interest, as if he were trying to gauge the creature's worth.

And now then, he spoke.

"I will be killing you, Kyujiro, not just your familiars," Master Sung looked at him in the eyes and declared with the kind of calmness that was more scary than any calm threat should have been. "Why do you even care about your little pet in the first place when you are next?"

The words were delivered with such visible intent that they seemed to drain the strength from Captain Kyujiro's attack. This wasn't mere intimidation—this was simply a statement of fact.

Kyujiro threw his full-strength punch at Master Sung, but lost his entire arm a few inches from impact. The Thunder Whisker Koi, which had suddenly appeared out of nowhere, had chomped off his entire limb clean to the shoulder.

The attack had been so swift that Captain Kyujiro hadn't even seen it coming. One moment his arm was there, the next it was gone, severed so violently that blood splashed haphazardly everywhere.

"**Thwack!**"

He stumbled back in pain quickly, creating a distance between him and Master Sung, but then...

The sound of Master Sung's foot connecting with the Eclipse Tiger's buried head as soon as Kyujiro's hands were chomped off carried finality. Blood splashed haphazardly again as he crushed the creature's skull with his heel, ending its life instantly.

The Eclipse Tiger's body immediately went limp and fell to the ground, truly dead. Shortly after, its body began to disintegrate into particles that sparkled briefly before disappearing entirely.

Calmly walking towards Kyujiro, there was an astronomical amount of rage present. Rage and nothing else—not even the slightest bit of fear.

"No matter what you do, Master Yuki would win," Kyujiro smiled with craze in his eyes. "This battle has already been decided to be a success with or without me."

"Two red-marked monarchs," Leo commented, standing with the others behind and unable to do nothing—not that he didn't want to throw some fists, he just didn't see a reason to. Master Sung was already too overpowering.

"Yeah," Brok added. "He just killed two red-marked monarchs like they were nothing."

Mara's expression became thoughtful as she joined. "Are red mark monarchs estimated to be around the same strength as an ordinary black mark this?"

This statement instantly made everyone quiet as everyone turned their gaze towards Ryder, causing Luxy to gulp from the inside.

Calmly walking towards the now one-armed Captain Kyujiro, Master Sung's presence radiated an astronomical amount of calm bloodthirst. It was bloodthirst that was dormant—not even the slightest bit of hesitation was against his craving for killing.

"You know what the amusing thing is?" Master Sung said conversationally as he approached the bleeding, one-armed man. "All of this could have been avoided. All of this destruction on my side, and the one that is about to befall on yours too. Your guild leader just couldn't mind his business and leave me alone."

Captain Kyujiro, despite his injuries, despite the pain that was clearly taking a toll on him, managed to smile. It was a crazed smile, filled with the kind of manic joy that comes from someone who has nothing left to lose.

"No matter what you do, Master Yuki will win," Kyujiro smiled with madness in his eyes, blood streaming down his face and mixing with his sweat. "This battle has already been decided to be a success with or without me."

"You think this is about winning or losing?" Master Sung asked, his voice carrying an unreadable emotion. "You think this is some kind of game where the last person standing gets to claim victory?"

"This is more of a villain and victim battle," Master Sung continued. "Where I am the victim, and the villain is your guild leader."

"This is about a brother who chose to become a monster and about the death of everything I once held dear."

"Kill me if you wish," Captain Kyujiro said, his voice growing weaker but his smile never wavering. "I don't c..."

"**Thwack!**"

The sound of Master Sung's hand piercing through Captain Kyujiro's chest was wet. Blood splashed onto Master Sung's robe as he stared expressionlessly at the body in his hand that went limp immediately.

There was no anger in the killing strike, no satisfaction, no sense of victory. It was simply the end of a conversation that had gone on too long.

Pulling his hand free, Master Sung stared at his blood-stained robe with obvious displeasure. "I should have put on my combat clothes before coming out here," he muttered, his voice carrying the irritation that seemed completely out of line with what he had just done.

Turning around, Master Sung stared at the comrades that had been spectating for far too long. He was about to open his mouth when a portal opened and three others joined—the three exclusives.

"Do you have any information you could share that would be of benefit to us?" he asked Ryder.

"Yes," Ryder responded firmly. "There are only two hundred Falcon Guild members here."

Master Sung gave a short nod and spoke. "I killed a few on my way here, the others fled, probably going to search for easier opponents that would inflict an indirect effect to me and my guild."

"You all should split and search for the two hundred. I'll be off on my own." As soon as Master Sung finished, he zoomed off again, leaving their field of view before they could respond.