My Descendants Are My Power

"Basic Mastery?!"

Terror gripped Phillips' heart. Both he and Daniel unleashed their Competent Force power, but it was futile. "Run, Daniel!" Phillips roared, his voice laced with panic. "Ancestor, help me!"

…

On the outskirts of Azure Cloud, Owen and Bill exchanged grim glances. Before them stood two figures in masks, their auras radiating the unmistakable power of Basic Mastery experts. They were clearly there to intercept them.

Behind them stood Larry.

They could sense other powerful presences converging on Glory City. What kind of force could mobilize so many experts in such a short time? What had the Blackwood clan gotten themselves into?

Even Owen, who had seen his fair share of battles and turmoil, felt a shiver of fear.

"Our business is with Azure Cloud Blackwood," one of the masked figures said, his voice cold and emotionless. "Hand over Larry, and you will be spared."

"You…" Owen started, his face darkening with anger.

Larry placed a hand on his arm, silencing him. She stepped forward, her gaze unwavering. As the acting commander of the Azure Cloud army, the years she had spent in the Swamp Jungle, commanding legions of beasts, had hardened her resolve. She wore her military uniform with an air of quiet strength and determination.

She held out a Storage Ring to Bill. "Master Bill, General Owen," she said, her voice steady, "it seems our time together has come to an end. Thank you for your guidance, for your support of my clan. This ring contains the psychic beasts I've raised over the years. Should you encounter any of my kin, please entrust them with my legacy."

Bill's eyes widened as he took the ring, his heart sinking. He recognized the look in Larry's eyes, the resolute gaze of someone who had accepted their fate. She wasn't afraid of death. All that remained was a quiet sense of peace and a glimmer of hope.

"Larry…" Bill began, his voice thick with emotion.

She offered him a sad smile. "Don't worry, old friend."

Turning towards the masked figures, she walked forward, her chin held high. She didn't know who her clan had angered, where these assassins had come from, but the absence of her kin spoke volumes.

"Foolish child," one of the masked figures sneered, looking down at her as if she were an insect. "No one from Blackwood will survive this day."

Owen and Bill closed their eyes, unable to watch.

Larry unleashed her full power, her soul igniting in a blaze of defiance. She charged towards the Basic Mastery experts, a whirlwind of fury and despair.

In her final moments, she triggered her ultimate technique, the Nine-Nine Thunder Tribulation, a desperate gamble, trading her life for a sliver of hope.

She didn't beg for mercy. She didn't hesitate. She chose to fight, even if it meant certain death.

The thunderous roar of the tribulation echoed across the land, shaking the very foundations of Azure Cloud.

When the dust settled, only Bill remained, his face etched with grief. He carefully gathered Larry's ashes, his hand closing tightly around the Storage Ring. He tossed the ring to Owen. "Go," he said, his voice hoarse. "Don't go to Glory City. Find somewhere safe.

I'll stay here, in Azure Cloud. If I can save even one life… it will be worth it. I'll find you when this is over."

"…Very well."

Owen stood there for a long moment, his gaze fixed on the horizon. Dark, ominous clouds gathered over Glory City.

A deafening explosion ripped through the air, a mushroom cloud rising into the sky.

Owen turned away, unable to bear the sight. "I'm going to the Imperial Capital," he said, his voice heavy. "Not even they would dare to attack Radiant Sky Grotto."

…

"What's happening in Azure Cloud?!"

In the heart of the Endless Forest, the Druids watched in astonishment as a mushroom cloud rose above the horizon.

Then another.

And another.

The sky itself seemed to crack, a translucent dome appearing above Azure Cloud, ripples of energy distorting the clouds. The sheer power of the explosions was staggering.

Every Druid present knew that a battle of unimaginable ferocity was raging in the distance.

"It's Glory City! The Blackwood clan!" A Druid high priest rushed to Mike's side, his face alight with grim satisfaction. "Apostle, the Blackwood clan, the ones who slaughtered our brethren… they're finally getting what they deserve! This is our chance! Azure Cloud will be in chaos! Give the order, Apostle, and we'll…"

"Silence!" Mike roared, his hand shooting out to strike the high priest across the face, sending him sprawling to the ground. He drew a deep breath, his voice booming across the forest. "Prepare for war! We attack Azure Cloud with everything we have!"

"Yes, Apostle!"

As the Druid army mobilized, a wave of unease washed over Mike. "What have you gotten yourselves into, Blackwood clan?" he muttered, his voice filled with a strange mix of dread and concern.

He sought out the two eldest and wisest Druids, Lester and Shane. They too were watching the explosions, their ancient faces etched with concern.

"Elders," Mike said, bowing respectfully. "I implore you, accompany me to Azure Cloud Blackwood."

"Why?" Lester asked, his voice as cold and unyielding as the earth itself.

Mike extended his hand, a faint glow emanating from his palm. "Does this answer your question?"

Within a century, he would ascend to Basic Mastery.

Lester and Shane exchanged glances. "Very well," Shane said, his voice a low rumble. "Let us see what has transpired in Blackwood."

Moments later, they were soaring through the air, heading towards Blackwood territory. But instead of the anticipated triumph, a sense of foreboding settled over Mike. "Please, Nathan," he whispered, his voice filled with worry. "Please be alive."

…

Dust and debris choked the air, a suffocating blanket of destruction. The stench of death lingered over the battlefield.

Ethan stood amidst the ruins of Glory City, his Celestial Pole Energy Spear planted firmly in the ground, his body a shield against the relentless assault. He had anticipated this, had prepared for the moment when Heavenly Path's reincarnated fragments descended upon them like a plague.

The three nuclear detonations and the antimatter bomb he had entrusted to Nathan had bought them some time, but it wasn't enough.

He looked up, his eyes widening in horror as another figure emerged from the dust cloud, his features twisted into a mockery of Nathan's own. They kept coming, an endless tide of Heavenly Path's fragmented souls, each one driven by an ancient hunger for revenge.

He fought with the fury of a cornered animal, his spear a blur of motion, but despair gnawed at his heart. For every fragment he struck down, another slipped past him, drawn towards Glory City like moths to a flame.

In two hundred years, the Blackwood clan had faced countless enemies, overcome impossible odds. But against Heavenly Path, against this fragmented monstrosity, he felt a profound sense of helplessness.

[Your descendant, Larry, has fallen!]

[Your descendant, Wayne, has fallen!]

[Your descendant…]

One by one, the names of his kin echoed in his mind, each death a fresh wound on his soul.