Chapter 144: Shu Bua

“So we’re just going to leave?” Wang Zen said, as Ton drew his luggage into his storage stone.

“Be prepared to leave.” Wang Ton said. “We’re going to wait on the outskirts of town.”

“Seems all we do lately is run.” Zen grumbled as Shibi leapt on his shoulder.

“The day you can defeat a whole guild on your own, then you can lecture me on my choices.”

They left the inn and walked down the street. Then they stopped. Before them was the Bua teenager and Zi Fu. There were two more females with them and at the middle of the group was man, not as old as Zi Fu but he was the second oldest of the group and he had the air of leadership about him.

“Shu Bua” Wang Ton said.

“You know him?” Zen said.

Ton nodded. “That is the Guild Master of the Brown Feather Guild.”

“So you haven’t lost your memory.” Shu Bua said, as he and his group walked forward. “I’m guessing then, you remember the agreement we made after I kicked you out of the guild for the second time.”

“Yes, forgive me, Shu Bua.” Ton began, Zencould hear the nerviousness in his voice. “We were just…”

Bua rushed forward, his forearm hitting Ton across the face, sending him hurtling back.

“Hey!” Zen said, making to follow the two.

Jua Bua stepped in front of Zen. “I’ll handle his brat!” He stretched his arm out toward Zen and tendrils of green grew out to towards Zen.

The vines tangled Zen who could not get to his storage stone to summon his sword. “Shibi!”

Shibi had already gathered flames before him.

“Not this dumb ape again!” Jua said. “A little help here!”

A woman joined Jua by his side, her hand wreathed in flame.

Shibi sent a stream of fire outwards but the woman caught it and sent her own stream of fire back, blasting Shibi off of Zen’s shoulder and making him catch fire.

“Shibi!” Zen shouted in pain as his shoulder was burning. The vines wrapped around him, smothering the flames but also wrapping his body up. He fell forward and turned his body like a wiggling worm to look at Shibi.

The Scorch Ape got up, smoke rising from its fur.

“Shibi, get out of here!” Zen struggled against the vines. “We’ll be okay! Just leave!”

“No!” Shibi said before charging at them.

“Damnit, Shibi!” Zen struggled harder.

Shibi’s fist blazed with fire the closer he got to the woman. She gathered her own fireand when they met, Shibi summersaulted over her and continued on.

Jua stood in his way, vines stretching out to Shibi who dodged over them and ran between his legs, closer to Zen.

“Shibi,” Zen said happily, as Shibi was coming closer.

A ball of fire struck the ape!

“Shibi, no!” Zen cried.

The fire burned for a while before it dies, with Shibi lying flat down. Zen looked at the other woman, who walked closer.

“Honestly, you two are careless.” The other woman said, walking to them.

Zen gritted his teeth and flipped on his belly to look at their last hope, the only one of them still standing… barely standing.

Ton swayed in the middle of the street, his nose bleeding and a bruid on his forehead. People ran away as Shu Bua charged at him, earth gathering before him as he ran faster.

“Shu Bua, please…” Ton said, raising his arms in defence before Shu’s attack struck, sending him flying back and crashing into a wall. He spat out blood as he landed on his hands and knees.

Shu grabbed him by his black hair and raised him up. He punched him in the gut then in the face, sending him into the building wall.

“No,” Zen whispered in despair.

Jua stepped on his back while he too looked at the battle. “This is the best fight. My daddy beating your daddy.”

Shu Bua continued to punch Ton.S

“Did you think I would show you mercy?” Shu Bua said, punching him again. “Why would you be so foolish as to come here again?”

“My… My son.” Ton said.

Shu kept his fist raised but did not punch Ton. “What?”

“My son died… his brother.” Ton nodded at Zen, who was still on the ground trapped. “He died and we’re here to honour him.”

Shu lowrred his fist and let Ton falls to his knees.

“We’ll leave town and if you allow us, we’ll stay in the outskirts only and…”

“Do that.” Shu said, turning his back on him.

“What? But father…!” Jua said.

“They’re leaving,” Shu said as he passed Jua. “No need for us to pursue this any further.”

Zen could tell Jua was angry, his foot pressing intohis spine and the vines tightening around him confirmed it for him. However, he did leave him.

Once they were gone, Ton got up, withdrawing a sword from his black storage stone. He ran the edge along Zen’s binds, effortlessly splitting them and freeing Zen. Zen got up and ran to Shibi, cradeling him in his arms.

“What was that all about?” Zen said. “You didn’t fight back at all.”

“Part of the battle is knowng when to fight.” Ton said. “Now come, we’re leaving.”