The Heavenly Road: God Hunters

Chapter 029 New Partners (revision)

No matter how hard Flares called, Asta refused loudly. His attitude succeeded in provoking Flares' irritation.

"Alright, then, stay there" said Flares, as he approached Asta.

Asta won't lose. When Flares ordered him to be quiet, he quickly jumped back to keep his distance.

"No way, Master," Asta insisted, then ran away.

Flares gritted his teeth in frustration, his hands clasping tightly while a sense of annoyance peaked. "Son, with your attitude like that, it seems like you really want to be the food of this monster."

Asta immediately fled, his adrenaline spurring his heartbeat faster than usual. He was pondering about who would want to be a monster meal, Asta thought.

Flares was still standing in place, but in an instant he had already appeared beside Asta. His hand moved in a blow that landed on Asta's butt.

"Who do you think your teacher is, ha?" challenge Flares.

Asta was thrown forward, hitting the cave wall hard. Flares came back closer and kicked him, making him crash into the legs of the huge creature in front of him.

Asta's eyes and the eyes of the huge creature met, creating a tense moment. Unknowingly, Asta gulped as their eyes locked each other within a very close distance.

"Buck! You actually dared to come here with this much courage! Are you trying to underestimate me with your low cultivation?" the great creature shouted, the roar of his voice vibrating the cave.

Asta was stunned by what he heard. The 50-meter-tall creature is capable of speaking like a human.

"No, Mister. I'm not coming to subdue you. My teacher invited me here to meet you. And of course, I still want to stay alive" Asta replied trying to explain.

"This teacher is indeed inhuman," Asta murmured while throwing a glance at his teacher.

Flares narrowed his eyes at Asta's comment.

"Haha...!!! I am Zaru, the Ruler of one of the 12 Ancient Animal Races, the Horned Hell Bear! It seems that you, humans, are beginning to lower my presence. You dare to send a brat like you to conquer this ruler! Even though I'm tied to a chain, that doesn't mean I'll be easily subdued!" said the creature, introducing himself as Zaru, the Ruler of the Horned Hell Bear Race.

Asta bowed a few times sincerely. He begged forgiveness for his disrespectful attitude.

"Mr Zaru, please forgive us, my teacher and me. I admire you so much as a noble person all this time. I'm lucky to meet and talk to you. However, my teacher was stubborn. Please forgive our negligence," he asked humbly.

Flares just smiled seeing Asta prostrate. However, then she heard Asta talk more about her.

From the beginning, Zaru was unable to see Flares' form at all. The thing that makes him feel played is when Asta says he came with his teacher, whereas Zaru does not feel the presence of anyone other than Asta around him. All he saw was Asta talking alone, then suddenly being thrown here and there.

Slowly, Flares began to appear before the eyes of Zaru, the Ruler of the Horned Hell Bear Race. Zaru was fixated, his eyes staring in awe as he looked at the form of Flares who was smiling warmly.

"Over time, Zaru," said Flares with a warm smile on her face.

Zaru's sharp gaze continued to focus on Flares' face, figuring out if this was really the figure he used to know.

Before long, all the shackles that bound Zaru's body suddenly shattered into fragments. Zaru transformed into a small horned bear and dashed quickly towards Flares' embrace.

Asta was shocked and panicked when he saw the huge chains shackling Zaru suddenly disintegrate. He did not realize that Flares had intentionally destroyed it.

"Teacher, careful!" asta exclaimed, trying to warn Flares. However, the action was too late as his movements were not fast enough to match Zaru's speed.

Asta felt her tears drip, afraid of losing her teacher. His chest felt tight, almost unable to breathe.

"Sup..!!!" Shouted Asta.

"Master! You're finally back! I already know, I already know! You will definitely come to pick me up again! I know Row is a liar! How could he say that you were dead? He is an ungodly disciple, and you must punish him, Sir!" Shouted Zaru while crying and hugged Flares tightly.

Flares just hugged him without saying a word. Despite being silent, Flares could feel how deep the suffering Zaru had experienced during this long wait.

Asta looked in shock at this scene. He sat down and gave them time for both. Asta feels there is a big story behind the close relationship between Flares and Zaru during Flares' life.

"I'm sorry that my promise was too late. Because of me, you have to suffer all this time. If only that time..."

"Enough, Sir. Don't talk about it again. This decision is my own choice. If only I had obeyed your words, I would have also accepted the Heavenly Punishment," Zaru quickly cut off, stopping Flares.

After a while, Zaru finally eased his cries and released a hug.

"Sir, is he your son? You guys are kind of alike. Even though he is not as handsome as Master," asked Zaru.

"Haha... He's definitely not my son. You know that, right?" reply Flares while laughing.

Zaru is an Animal Spirit who has tied the contract with Flares, so he knows a lot about Flares during his life.

"Then who is he? And why did you bring him here? Can't you come alone?" ask Zaru curiously.

Flares smiled faintly, "Zaru, earlier, there was one thing I needed to tell you. Actually, I've been dead a long time. Row never lied about it. In order to avoid the worst, I set aside a portion of my soul in the Dark Fire God Book. And as you know, I lost that fight" Flares said.

Zaru was surprised, never expecting that those words would come out of Flares' mouth.

"So, it was you who transferred me to the True Fire Flame Sect. Then, then, isn't your life now just a little while away...?" Asked Zaru with a worried tone.

"Ahh, no need to worry. That bad boy is Asta. He was the heir of the Light-Eating Fire God Spirit. So, as long as I'm around, my body won't fade. I can stay alive by absorbing his spirit essence," Flares explained with a small laugh.

"What..?! That kid..?!" Zaru asked as he pointed at Asta with his index finger.

Asta pointed to himself. "What's wrong with me?" Confused ask.

"Yes, that's why I took him and made him my student. I came here to save you and also to invite you to work with me once again to guide him" Flares said.

"Sir, with your abilities now, are you planning to take revenge for what happened hundreds of years ago? Do you know? Decades ago, the Arkhan Emperor struck a pact with the Skull Mountain. Instead of destroying them to their roots, he secured their security by capturing the area of Skull Mountain, which is now Shan Province, the Wounded Mountains. Though he himself had sensed their cruelty all along," explained Zaru.

"One year ago, the treaty was broken. There was no longer Shan Province, only Skull Mountain was now the Cursed Valley State. Besides, who was and is the Arkhan Emperor?" Ask Flares.

Zaru raised an eyebrow, "Master, have you really forgotten about it? He is the boy who is always attached to you. How could you forget it?"

Flares' eyes widened, "you mean that brat? Already many centuries had passed, how could he possibly survive until now? Did he find a treasure that kept him young and reigning for centuries?"

Zaru blinked his eyes, "No, sir. You taught him how to cultivate. Although his abilities are still far from yours, but he has a very high cultivation."

After that, Zaru went on to tell about the Arkhan Emperor making a pact with the Skull Mountain, taking its territory, and merging it with the Arkhan Empire.

However, decades later, someone came again to the Central Shan Province and created chaos. The place was destroyed and there were many casualties. The figure claimed to be the Emperor's envoy, and this sparked a war that took place two years ago. The war that was later won by the 7 Gods Faction Alliance, a combination of the 7 Great Sects of the Human Race in Arkhan Empire.

Flares sighed, recalling the subsequent events he witnessed.

"All right, let's end this conversation. I won't force you to come if you want to go back to your place. I'm sure your presence has been anticipated" said Flares.

Zaru scowled, realizing that his family would not be happy to see him back. However, the encounter with Flares was something he had been waiting for a long time.

"Those fools must be disappointed to see me back. I better choose to join you," Zaru replied in agreement.

"Before we continue, what about the other Ancient Animal Race? Were they already uninterested in a cultivator born with a Spirit God?" He asked while observing that Asta was not accompanied by any spirit animal.

"They do not know his birth. No Ancient Animal Race knew about it, because Kyuichi found it first. He was able to make a free agreement with his parents. For his safety, he even changed his name to Ace" Flares explained.

"The wolves are really experts in sabotage. So, where is he now?" Zaru asked to know Ace's whereabouts.

"His country was having internal conflicts, so he had to leave. It's been a year and a half since he left" Flares replied.

"Ahh, so. Then, where are we going next?"

Flares pondered while holding his chin. "Maybe to a martial arts tournament. I heard there will be a tournament in less than two months. I want to take him there, it could be a good place for him to gain experience."

The two of them walked up to Asta who was playing around with lava.

"What's wrong?" Asta asked, looking astonished.

"What are you planning?" Asta's question began to feel something was amiss seeing their gazes.

"Before, you spoke ill of my master. So, obviously I won't let you just like that" Zaru said.

Asta swallowed his saliva, not expecting his words to be taken seriously. "Ehh, it's just a joke. Why are you so serious? Anyway, it's actually..." Before Asta could finish his sentence, Zaru unleashed an attack.

Of course, Asta did not stay silent. Facing Zaru who didn't seem to want to hear any reason, he was forced to fight him. Although not sure he can survive the attack.

"Boom..!!!" A loud bang was heard as Asta and Zaru's fists clashed.

Apparently, Asta's efforts will not be able to match Zaru's punch. Asta crashed and crashed into the wall of the cave behind him.

"Is that all your ability? You're really disappointing, son," Zaru sneered.

Actually, Zaru did not mean to seriously injure Asta for that reason just now. He was testing the abilities of someone who had inherited spirit essence from his master.

"You haven't seen everything. So, how did you know?" reply Asta.

Asta rose again and launched a counterattack. Zaru smiled disdainfully, fending off the attacks easily.

This fight reminded Asta of the time he challenged Ace. The memories were similar to the current situation, where Asta had difficulty hitting even a single blow.

"Zaru, he's on par with Ace. I was too arrogant to think I could beat him. I almost forgot who he really was" Asta muttered softly.

"Spirit Technique, Firing Slash!" Asta took out his sword and unleashed a Spirit Technique attack towards Zaru.

The fight looks to be getting heated up. Asta expended all his strength to be able to fight against Zaru. Although the results are still very far from enough.

"That boy, really gave a name to his technique," Flares said as he patted his eel.

Zaru, who knew Asta's cultivation level, felt surprised upon hearing Asta shout out spirit techniques. However, Zaru did not waver in the slightest.

"Slow technique like that will never hit me. Try again," challenge Zaru.

Asta is not stupid. Removing the Burning Slash required about a third of its heavenly resources. He could not scatter his heavenly resources just like that.

Zaru pulled both horns on his head, and the horns turned into a spear with two spear eyes on each side. The spear was pitch-black and took out a ring that formed a small tornado at the end of each spear eye.

"The Spear of Destruction of the Universe," Zaru mentioned the name of his new weapon.

Zaru toyed with his spear nimbly before suddenly lunging forward.

"The Heavenly Bible the Dark Fire God! The Darkness Flame Soared Nirvana," Asta summoned the power from the first page of the Darkness Fire God Book, releasing spirit energy to increase his strength in a moment.

"The release of the Spirit Wolf God, Heavenly Eyes," Asta attempted to combine the release of the spirit with his spirit beast.

"Booommm...!!!!"

There was a burst of energy as Asta tried to combine the two enhancement techniques. With her current body level and spirit control, Asta was not worried about the side effects of the release of her spirit beast. Therefore, he tried to combine both of those enhancement techniques.

"Lumayan. You're smart enough to figure out a way to combine two releases at once. However, it is still not enough to cover the distance of our strength," Zaru commented in a complimenting tone, while thrusting his spear.

Asta jumped up to dodge his spear attack, "Thank you for your praise. Now, it's my turn to attack."

"Forward! I will gladly accept it!" challenge Zaru.

Asta charged forward, pouring his power into his sword. His sword moved nimbly releasing powerful slashes.

Every time Zaru's spear eyes met Asta's sword, a burst of energy rattled the air around him. However, it was clear that Zaru's spear was stronger than Asta's sword. The two continued to clash with each other with an unshakable spirit and determination.

Suddenly, Zaru spun in place at an incredible speed. His spear formed a rotating circle that created a strong wind that hit Asta.

Asta dodged swiftly, applying his speed and agility. It moved like a shadow that was hard to catch, dodging Zaru's spear attack with precise and measured movements. Although both are in an exciting fight, Asta still maintains his peace of mind and tries to find a gap to overcome the great strength of his opponent.

But Zaru's attack didn't just stop. He leaped into the air agilely, while his spear continued to spin resulting in a stream of energy splitting the air. With great skill, Zaru threw his spear towards Asta at a frightening speed.

Asta sensed an approaching threat, yet he did not give up. Quickly, he swung his sword and aimed his attack towards Zaru's spear. The burst of energy occurred when the sword and spear met, producing a dazzling flash of light. Although it was difficult, Asta managed to block Zaru's spear.

Gradually Asta felt his hand start to numb every time Zaru's sword and spear clashed. Until then, Asta was unable to maintain his grasp. His sword fell to the ground. His body trembled feeling the effects of those collisions.

However, Asta's courage did not subside. In an instant, he transformed his physique into fire, which made him immune from any physical attacks. However, the wind vortex on the tip of the spear was still able to hurt him.

"Uhukkus! Uhukk! I surrender! There's no way I can beat you using the techniques you've also seen in your entire life" Asta said, raising both hands. Asta realized that he could not continue this fight in his weakened condition.

Zaru turned his spear back into a horn that he placed again on his head. A satisfied smile was engraved on his face.

"Haha... How fascinating. I thought you were just a spoiled child found by my Master. Turns out you have a little bit of ability too. In this way, I won't hesitate to help you," Zaru said with a satisfied smile praising him. Asta was still stunned to hear the praise from Zaru.

"There is no need to force yourself anymore. Now you can rest. We'll start the journey tomorrow anyway" Zaru continued as he walked away.

Asta's eyes began to twitch, indicating his body was unable to withstand the burden he received. A moment later, Asta fainted unconscious on the still warm ground of the fight.

Sighing a long sigh, Zaru changed his size slightly larger. He walked up to Asta and picked up his body gently. Calmly, Zaru followed in the footsteps of Flares, carrying the unconscious Asta, leaving the place that had been shackling him all along.

The next day, Asta woke up with a fully recovered body. His eyes blinked looking for the whereabouts of his teacher.

"Hey, Son. Are you ready now?" Zaru asked while waking him up from his daydream.

"Ehh, where...?" Asta asked while rubbing her still sleepy eyes.

"Of course break through to the Master Realm," Flares chimed in from behind with a gentle smile.

Suddenly, a familiar voice sounded. Asta's hungry stomach sounds seem to remind of everyday reality. Asta just grimaced awkwardly while scratching his non-itchy hair. Fortunately Flares had prepared a dish for him.

After eating, Flares approached Asta and gently held both of his shoulders. A familiar sensation crept slowly throughout his body - a painful sensation as he broke through the realm.

"Akhhhh...!!!" Asta cried out sobbing due to this unexpected sensation. Flares really didn't give her a chance to rest, even as she digested her food.

"Zaru, go!" Flares Command. Zaru held Asta's shoulder and channeled his power. This is to help speed up the process of breaking it so that it does not take a long time.

The process of breaking through the realm became even more painful as he felt the energy from Flares and Zaru flow at him. Asta felt like his soul was being ripped apart and his muscles torn from within.

Even so, Asta suppressed his pain with his determination. This is different from previous breakouts. Now, it was not only his energy that worked, but also the energy stimulation from Flares and Zaru that forced him to step forward.

In just two days, the refining realm was successfully completed. Asta had reached the Master Realm at a young age, only 12 years old.

The next day, they were ready to leave the Valley of Hell, heading for a new adventure.

"Teacher, are we leaving now?" Ask Asta, excitedly.

Flares nodded his head sincerely. The three of them prepared to leave the Valley of Hell, stepping towards a new stage on their journey.

"Dad, Mother! Wait for me! I'll find you soon!" Shouted Asta full of determination.

# Arc 1 End "Facing the Path of Heavenly Destiny"

 

Finally, after a long time had passed, the first Arc was finished being revised. Thank you to those of you who have been patient and waited this long.

I am also very grateful to you new readers who have taken the time to read my work. At once, to apologize for the delay in this revision.

The next arc, I'm going to start revising and possibly finish next month. So, I say see you at the next meeting, see you in next time:)

From me, San_art (snjy_3)