Chapter 7: **chapter 7**
**Chapter 7: Display of Talent**
Damon watched as Fendrick soared high above, a tempest of rage swirling within him. "How could such chaos unfold during Martlock's esteemed ceremony?" Fendrick unleashed his spiritual pressure upon both Damon and Emily, but Damon remained steadfast, unfazed by the mounting provocation. "How can he withstand my pressure?" Fendrick seethed, his fury deepening. "Worst of all, I sense no spiritual energy from him. This child must perish!"
With that, Fendrick gripped his sword, channeling a torrent of energy aimed at Damon and Emily's necks. Yet, thanks to the Heavenly Wheel Eye, Damon perceived every thread of energy weaving through the air. Acting swiftly, he seized his sister and leaped back just in time, a deep gash marking the ground where they had stood. Emily clutched her neck, shaken by the near brush with death. Fear coursed through her veins, but one question lingered in her mind: why did Damon remain so composed in the face of such danger?
Damon, however, was deep in thought, strategizing their escape. He grappled with the uncertainty of using his spiritual energy, fearing it might unleash demonic forces. Time was short, and he needed to act. He quickly began to circulate his energy, sensing the audience's collective dread as thick waves of demonic energy filled the air. Suddenly, a voice resonated in his mind: "I will assist you in circulating your spiritual energy; just fight." It was the voice of the willow tree, guiding him. Without hesitation, Damon released his spiritual flow, pure energy bursting forth from him, eclipsing the darkness of the demonic energy.
"Wh-why does that child exude such pure spiritual energy?" Fendrick exclaimed in disbelief, launching another slash aimed at Damon's neck. Damon, now enveloped in spiritual energy, caught the sword strike with his bare hands, leaving the audience in stunned silence. With newfound determination, he leaped forward, confronting Fendrick.
"What does a ten-year-old brat think he can do against a king?" Fendrick bellowed, fury igniting his voice. But Damon charged with speed, executing a kick that Fendrick blocked, the force of which made the elder pause in surprise. As Damon followed up with another strike aimed at Fendrick's head, the old man raised his hand to deflect it. The audience could hardly believe their eyes, some whispering that Damon was a millennia-old monster disguised in a child's form.
In a breathtaking moment, Damon infused void energy into his palm and slashed it toward Fendrick. The audience gasped, astonished by the raw power emanating from the young boy. Fendrick sensed the impending danger but dismissed Damon as nothing more than a young cub destined for death. He retaliated with a wave of sword energy, slicing through Damon's void attack with ease.
As Damon landed on the ground, he quickly regained his stance, launching a barrage of punches toward the sky where Fendrick hovered. Waves of purple spiritual energy, resembling fireballs, surged toward Fendrick, leaving the crowd in awe. "Wh-why does this child possess such skill?" they murmured, realizing that if Damon survived this encounter, he would emerge as a prodigy of unparalleled genius.
Among the spectators, a round boy named Pyo sat with his father, transfixed by the unfolding drama. His heart raced; he could not bear the thought of his new friend perishing. Mustering all his courage, he turned to his father. "Father! Please, I want to use my wish right here! You promised to grant one!"
A sense of foreboding washed over his father as he met Pyo's earnest gaze. "What is your wish?" he asked, concern lining his brow.
"I wish for you to help Damon and his sister!" Pyo declared boldly, knowing well his father's immense strength as a peak king's realm expert and the first elder of the Ruthless Buddha Sect. With a determined nod, his father took flight, his form resembling that of his son.
As the fireballs surged toward Fendrick, the old man's shock morphed into fury. "This is why I must eliminate you today; you are a spawn of the devil!" He unleashed a series of slashes, countering the void balls with explosive clashes in the sky. But before chaos could envelop the audience, the first elder of the Ruthless Buddha Sect soared into action. With a sweeping motion of his hand, he absorbed the entire explosion, rendering it harmless.
"Isn't that the first elder of the Ruthless Buddha Sect?" the onlookers whispered. "He ranks among the pillars of his sect!"
"Why would you bully a child like this? You are a man of strength, a fellow king's realm! Let this young one go!" the elder implored Fendrick, but the old man's rage intensified. "Did you not see what this demon spawn and his sister did during the ceremony? I cannot allow them to escape, especially that boy. He must die!"
With that, Fendrick lunged toward Damon, but the first elder intercepted him, activating the Hand of the Brahma King. A spectral hand materialized, striking Fendrick away with a series of powerful palm techniques.
Seeing his opportunity, Damon dashed toward Emily, lifting her in a princess carry as he activated Crazy Steps, propelling them forward with fierce urgency. "You will not escape!" Fendrick's voice boomed behind them, his relentless pursuit fueled by rage. He had switched positions with a spiritual puppet, now hot on their heels, unleashing waves of sword energy in a desperate attempt to shred Damon apart.
As Damon evaded the deadly strikes, he felt a chilling grip around him, something that clawed not just at his body but at his very soul.
In that frantic moment, Damon glanced at Emily, confusion mingling with his fear. "Why aren't you helping? It's not only my life in danger!"
She chuckled nervously but quickly began a chant, summoning two abysmal creatures that materialized on her shoulders. Damon regarded them with distaste as they took flight, executing Emily's commands with trepidation. The creatures latched onto Fendrick, held him by the waist, but he remained oblivious to the attack as he was held on the air , lost in his own fury.
Emily opened her mouth, calling forth the Mist Eaters, who descended upon the scene. As they approached, Fendrick charged at them with full speed, sword raised high. In a moment of swift action, the first elder of the Ruthless Buddha Sect intervened, pushing Fendrick back with overwhelming force.
"Why couldn't you just let me kill these bastards? You have no idea what you've unleashed upon us!" Fendrick roared at the elder, his fear evident. Recognizing the threat posed by the elder, he withdrew, returning to the ceremony to seize his fourth prince, determined to regain control of the chaos that had erupted.