"I hereby stand as the Demon King, leader of all the Demonic Sect" The Demon King so declare atop the platform, minimal gesture was made as he speak with loaded syllable each carried by the wind as if the nature itself stops to hear him.
"For those who had survived the Southern Academy Trial, you have proven yourself to be capable enough to overcome the brutal world of the Jianghu in its barest form" The Demon King said, the way he frames it makes him sound thoughtful whether it was intended or not.
"And with that, I hereby officiate your stay here, O brave children who have challenge fate themselves and comes away alive" He finally raised his right hand, as if declaring to the whole world that the children bellow him, though young and inexperienced has overcome something not even adult has a guaranteed chance of surviving.
"The Southern Academy shall hereby accept you, child, I hope you will learn more than just fighting"
It was strange to think about, no matter what method of public speaking he just did, whether it was the words he said or how he said those words. But instant those words that should not mean many leaves the Demon King mouths, it's as if years of pain suddenly went away.
All the children, noble or not collapse into whatever position they found comfortable beside standing. Some began to breathe a sigh of relief, others began breaking down and crying not over sadness or fear, but out of joy that they had finally survived.
Its just 4 days, yet those 4 days subjected them to something no 10 years old should ever experience, sacrificing their childhood and humanity just to go on another day all the while they are being hunted and killed by those who had forever discard their humanity.
Some noble children cry quietly, because from the mouth of what is presumed to be a merciless tyrant, it is a word not once uttered by their parents.
'I hope you will learn more than just fighting'
So simple, yet in the context of those unloved and pushed to become something they never want, such statement is louder than what years of therapy could achieve.
Here, they can become just themselves, just 10 years old, just a child.
And unbeknownst to them, the Demon King makes his exit.
"I leave the rest to you, Lord of Sword" he said, patting on Musashi Gen's shoulders before his entire form disappears.
"…" Musashi Gen then looked at the crowd of children who is currently crying, yet not a single negative emotion lingers.
"…Sad?" Musashi Gen turned his face towards his side yet there was nothing there, but a second later a form materializes. His guardian spirit, more so the Musashi family Guardian Spirit. Ainu.
Not her real name, but that's the only thing she could remember from her past so Gen started calling her Ainu.
The form has no coherent face nor body shape, just a silhouette that is enough to make out her rough shape. What Gen is surprised at is the fact that Ainu decided to manifest.
Ainu is very weak; she barely has any energy because her real name was lost and therefore her fame was gone with the name. Gen understood how important a Name is for a Spirit, not only is it the only thing that anchor them to their past, but their power is also tied very closely to their name.
Because fame is what ultimately strengthens a Spirit, if they are forgotten they will inevitably cease to exist. Ainu has conserved the very last of her energy for when things really matter. But she decided to manifest here, an act that consumes energy.
"Why are you heading out?" he asks, almost reaching out to her fleeting silhouette as if trying to prevent her from manifesting.
"...Sad" a single word leaves her form.
"Why?" Gen asks, his eyes are full of concern and confusion, trying to reach out to her.
"Children… Crying… Sad" she said, not a full word yet the intent is clear.
"… It is necessary" Gen said, shifting his gaze towards the ground as if wanting to hide his conflicted gaze. Yet Ainu moves closer to him, her presence is but a mere breeze, no, lesser than breeze. Yet it speaks volume to how much she wanted to manifest herself despite her weakness.
"Why?" Ainu asks, two shape emerge from the silhouette to embrace Musashi Gen.
"… Because our Sect survival depends on their suffering, we need the Wu Clan to be hateful"
"Why?"
"Hate makes them stronger, the more hateful they become the better"
"Why?"
"…Because we need the future Demon King to be strong"
"Why?"
"…"
"…Why?"
Ainu speaks what he cannot thinks, his devotion blinded him of his kindness and yet what can he do? The generational debt is weighing down on Musashi Gen's shoulder, the kindness of the Wu Clan to accept the Vagabond of Musashi Family. This is the only way his family can repay the thousand years old debt.
By following the Wu Clan and fulfilling whatever it is that they wish, to implant hatred towards the Wu Clan is one of their duties.
And thus, a conflict arises inside of Gen Musashi, on one hand he cannot abandon his duty, on the other he desperately wanted for all Children, to equally experience what they should've experienced.
He is sure that even the current Demon King, wished for this tradition of keeping flower inside a garden only to rip them out of the rich and humid soil to a barren and hostile land.
Delusion and self-imposed value will only get him too far, he has sunken into the depths of self-hatred for letting this Children suffer and he cannot rise back up, the sins of Sloth have washed him away.
"What will you do?" Ainu speaks, before Gen knew it, she had taken almost a full form only to appease him from his worry. A familiar figure appears when his parents and wife could no longer, he wished she would also appear herself to Yan.
"… Just once, huh?" Gen looked at the crowd of crying children. For once, he breaks his duty.
"…" He hesitates a bit, before drawing in a deep breath and steeling himself to speak what he felt was necessary.
"Greeting students" he bellowed out his voice, instantly all the child, no, students raise their head and is reeled back from the momentary escape from reality.
"You know me already, I am the Lord of Sword Musashi Gen. On behalf of his lordship the Demon King I was imposed with the duty to educate you lots"
He said, holding his violent words back.
"I know how hard your trial has been, therefore today y'all will be getting a good food and sleep!" He declares, smirk overtaking his face filled with neatly trimmed beard.
"No drinks tho, y'all are still young and green. Don't want your nutrients to be a salted alcohol haha" He lets out a satisfied laugh, whether anyone laughs or not it doesn't matter. He just doesn't want the student to feel pressured.
"Now follow me towards your dorm, tomorrow is where the hard work begins! Chop chop now! Early birds get the best room!"
.
.
.
In Crimson Palace, inside the Demon King private study room atop the highest pavilion.
He reads a scroll written in a scrambled language, deciphering it as he occasionally stole his glance towards the academy.
In between this repetition, a sudden noise breaks it. Footstep, and one he recognized belonging to his son, Wu Chen.
The sound of the sliding door being opened permeates the quiet room. Yet the Demon King did not break his routine.
"I greet my father" Wu Chen said, something in his voice is laced with smooth venom. If the Demon King did not know any better, he would've assumed that he was just being sarcastic, threatening his authority like this is a grave offense whether Wu Chen is a Prince or not.
"…I had thought that you would abide by the Academy rules. To leave its vicinity is to be expelled by them"
The Demon King said with the same cold and authoritative voice, and he still fixed his gaze at the scroll.
"…" Wu Chen did not reply.
"First, I would like to congratulate my father ascension towards the External Stage of his Cultivation" Wu Chen said, that hidden venom permeates each of his syllables still.
"Second, I wanted to ask a question"
"…" The Demon King finally let go of his attention towards the scroll and beckon towards Wu Chen. Only now did he realize that not once does Wu Chen ever bow his head at his presence.
Yet its not defiance that he sees etched inside Wu Chen eyes, just disappointment and confusion.
"What did you wish to ask?" The Demon King replied.
"…Why would you allow that trials to take place?" Wu Chen asks.
"Such useless answer, and yet you expect me to give you an appropriate answer?"
The Demon King answer starkly, giving Wu Chen the 'are you serious?' face.
"I just wondered, why the cruelty?"
"…"
"Is this how our Sect operates? I know we are cruel, but they are just a child!" Wu Chen voice rises with each word he speaks, a steady build up of pressure inside his mouth.
"Are you not a child?"
"THAT ISN'T THE POINT!" Wu Chen shouts, now his face is utterly consumed by rage and confusion.
"What is the reason for all of this!!?? Is it just cruelty for the sake of one?"
"…" The Demon King did not answer, he simply gets up from his seat and turn his face away from Wu Chen towards the courtyard below.
"I thought that we are only cruel to those who are hostile to us?! What did those children even do?"
"You're saying this as if you are not to blame for some of their demise"
"Because I have no choice!"
Wu Chen slams his hand towards the sliding door, shaking the structure so profoundly that the entire room vibrates alongside it.
"…" Wu Chen wanted to speak more, shouts more and yet his mouth were tangled in web of unspoken emotions. How could his father, whom he respects and cares so much for to not give a damn at not just his wellbeing, but his siblings too?
"…Why?" and yet only those words leave his mouth, a single question that represents the multitude of his confusion.
"Not only did you barge into my room, but you also dare to raise your voice and shouts at me? Your father? How dare you"
"I will overlook your grave offense, leave now" The Demon King continues, still facing away from Wu Chen.
And yet what he receives is not an answer, just a denial.
'If you cannot even utter to me the reason, then what am I to begin with?'
Those thoughts Wu Chen cannot utter out, jammed inside his throat loaded with a myriad of another question.
His father is no longer the kind person he knew and loved, just another bloodthirsty and cruel image of the previous Demon King.
Wu Chen face contorts once more, eyes blown wide in shock and disappointment. Before he quietly cast his gaze down towards the mist his father created. Slowly he turns around, just a beat slightly hesitating to fully commit, before he eventually turns to leave.
But just as he was about to fully leave the room, a single statement escapes his mouth.
"And I thought you were kind and wise"
"…" The Demon King hands shakes, just very slightly before he stops its vibration.
How foolish, some kind of monarch he is that he cannot even control his own emotions.
"…Is this how you felt, my accursed father?" The Demon King, no, Wu Raijoo utters out. Looking at the palm of his hand, he could still see its shaking.
He cannot ever bring himself to fully look at his son's face, fear grip his heart, fear of looking at his son's face. Being so disappointed, so sad and so solemn.
"Oh Chen, if only you knew the weight of the crown…" Wu Raijoo then grab the scroll he was reading before Wu Chen visits.
The details of his plan to free the Wu Clan from the hereditary curse, that is their power. The Tarnished River Body.
"I do not wish for you nor any of your siblings to inherit my curse…"
He closed the scroll, looking below to see Wu Chen's fleeting form.
"I will make sure, my sins won't be inherited" Wu Raijoo then wears his white mask, his eyes glow bright red as the room descend into total darkness.
This time, he will break the generation of curse and hate.