Godslayer's Legacy: THE PATH TO SUPREMACY

After his conversation with Arlan, Rui's thoughts were still clouded, but a sense of clarity had begun to form. The path ahead was uncertain, but he knew one thing for sure—he couldn't leave without seeing his family first. The estate, his home, was where it all started. The people there had shaped who he was, and despite the pull of the Central Continent, Rui needed to go back, if only to say goodbye.

The night had fallen, and the cool breeze of the evening brushed against his skin as he stood before the gate of the academy, looking out toward the distant horizon. The looming decision of whether to join Fenrir and venture to the Central Continent still lingered, but he knew he had to settle things at home first.

He didn't waste time. With swift, deliberate steps, he made his way out of the academy grounds, the familiar walk through the stone paths feeling different now. He was no longer just a student here. Rui felt the weight of his newfound power, and though his feet carried him toward his family's estate, his mind remained on the future, on what Fenrir had offered him, and on what awaited him on the other side of the journey

Rui's journey back to the estate was quiet but uneventful at first. With the cool breeze of the night brushing against his face, he walked along the winding paths that led him away from the academy. His thoughts, though clouded with the weight of his decision, were determined. He couldn't let the Central Continent's pull be the only factor in his choice. His family, the people who had supported him all his life, needed to be seen, even if just for a brief moment before everything changed.

The journey was meant to take a week on foot, 3 days on a carriage, but Rui, now fully aware of the power coursing through him, decided to make it in just 1. He wanted answers, he needed clarity, and there was no time to waste. He knew that Fenrir's offer, however tempting, would come with a heavy cost. He had to think long and hard about what it meant for his future, and for the people he loved.

So, Rui decided to push.

As the moon climbed high in the sky, he quickened his pace, allowing his refined power to aid his speed. His legs burned with effort, but the surge of energy within him allowed him to continue without tiring. The path blurred before his eyes, and with a focused mind and every ounce of his strength, Rui ran, feeling the world around him transform into a blur of motion. He traveled through forests and over hills, each step faster than the last, the only sign of his passing the slight tremor in the earth beneath him.

The journey, which would have taken a full week for a normal traveler, was completed in just 1 day.

Rui arrived at the gates of his family's estate as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting an orange glow over the landscape. The air was thick with the scent of pine and the earthy undertones of the fields surrounding the estate. His chest still burned from the exertion, but he felt an undeniable surge of satisfaction in having made the journey so swiftly. The familiar sight of the estate brought a sense of comfort, but as he gazed up at the mansion in the distance, he also felt a pang of uncertainty. This place had been his world for so long, yet now it seemed like the beginning of a chapter he might be leaving behind.

His silver eyes, gleaming faintly in the fading light, scanned the estate grounds. He expected to hear the usual sounds of evening activity: the servants moving about, the rustle of the wind through the trees, the faint chatter from within the house. But the silence was deafening.

Rui felt a sudden chill ripple through him, the hairs on the back of his neck standing up. Something was wrong.

Rui's heart pounded as he moved through the estate's entrance. The familiar air of home felt strangely distant now, as if the land itself had shifted under the weight of the decisions he was carrying. His mind was still torn, Fenrir's words lingering in his thoughts as he walked, but he didn't have time to dwell on them for long. There was something in the air—something off.

The estate grounds, usually full of activity in the late evening, were eerily silent. There was no rustling of the servants going about their tasks, no sound of conversation drifting from the courtyard. Even the trees that lined the perimeter seemed still, their leaves unmoving as if the world had frozen in place.

A chill ran down Rui's spine. He had seen this silence before, but only in the wake of a storm or after something terrible had happened. His instincts flared. Something wasn't right.

He quickened his pace, stepping lightly, his senses heightened by the physical prowess he had trained so hard to master. His bones, hardened and reinforced by his training, made every movement feel more deliberate, grounded. Yet, even as his steps rang out on the familiar stone path leading toward the mansion, Rui couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. The hairs on the back of his neck prickled, his mind running over the possibilities—bandits? Assassins? But why? Who would attack here?

The estate should have been protected. His family were powerful cultivators, skilled enough to defend against most threats. And yet, the unsettling silence only deepened the sense that something was wrong.

When Rui reached the courtyard, he immediately saw it—the massive stone walls, the beautifully manicured gardens, and the once grand mansion looming in the distance—but there was something different about it. The perimeter, usually dotted with guards and warding spells, appeared empty. The flickering lights of the lanterns near the gates seemed dim, as though the light itself was struggling to stay alive.

Rui felt an inexplicable tightness in his chest. It was as if everything he had worked for, everything that was familiar to him, was starting to slip away.

Stepping through the entrance, Rui called out, his voice steady but carrying an undercurrent of urgency. "Mother? Father?" His words echoed, but there was no response. His footsteps quickened as he moved deeper into the mansion.

The door to the main hall creaked open, revealing the opulent interior of the estate—a place where his family had hosted countless guests, shared laughter, and celebrated victories. But now, it felt hollow. The air was thick, as though the space itself held its breath. A faint smell of smoke lingered in the air, too faint to be anything serious but enough to unsettle him.

Suddenly, he heard it—a low, distant sound. At first, he thought it was just his imagination, but as he moved further into the estate, it became clearer. The sound of something... breaking.

Rui's pulse quickened, and he sprinted toward the source of the noise, his feet pounding against the cold floor. He rounded a corner and froze.

Before him, in the grand hall, the walls were cracked, the floor splintered as though a massive force had just collided with it. But what truly shook Rui was the sight of his parents' chambers. The door was ajar, and as he looked inside, his heart stopped.

The room had been ransacked. Bookshelves overturned. Furniture splintered. The walls were marked with scorch marks, signs of a battle. But worse than that—his parents' absence.

Rui's breath caught in his throat. No. No, this couldn't be happening. He had felt something strange in the air. But he never thought it would come to this.

The stone in his pocket suddenly pulsed, a faint glow spilling through the cloth. Fenrir's words echoed in his mind. "You'll have to choose quickly, Rui. Time is not on your side."

But in this moment, the weight of his responsibility to his family and his home overwhelmed him. Whoever had done this—whoever had attacked his family—would feel the full force of his power.

He moved quickly, his body already reacting, his senses sharpened despite the uncertainty. He couldn't waste time. The enemies had to be dealt with. And he had to find his parents.

As he walked through the mansion, his mind raced. The rumors of his power, the sudden attention from the Central Continent—it all made sense now. Someone had gotten word of him, and they were trying to strike at the heart of his world before he could make his decision.

A figure suddenly appeared in the shadows. Rui stopped, immediately going on alert. The figure moved swiftly, stepping into the light—tall, with sharp features and an air of quiet authority.

Rui's gaze narrowed, his body tense with a mixture of rage and confusion. The figure before him was unmistakable—there was something about him, an aura that defied understanding. This wasn't a mere mortal. His power radiated with an almost surreal intensity. It felt otherworldly. Rui's silver eyes flickered with recognition, but the situation felt too unreal for it to make sense.

"You," Rui repeated, his voice edged with disbelief. "You're the one behind this."