It had been a disheartening day for the six Guardians. Although they gave it their all, Slicer gave them a platter of humiliation. Their loss had the unsettling connotation that the fallen Emperor Death Wrath might rise again. What should they do? They had the opportunity to stop this from happening, but they botched it. They must bear this considerable weight for the rest of their lives.

A few days later, the five Guardians were convened in the main room at the Siheyuan. They were gathered around a table, listening intently to Douglass's speech while he appeared before them in the form of a hologram.

A white spherical gadget generated the hologram. Much like the telephone, the Utopians used this gadget to communicate.

"What should we do, Sensei? Slicer has outrightly dominated us. In the process, he took with him all the talismans," Yung Fu said.

He looked down in distress as he considered how to respond to Yung Fu's question.

"This is genuinely difficult to take in. If Slicer hands the talisman to Havoc and they set Death Wrath free, Armageddon shall be upon us."

On top of what he said, Kuhn Lau continued, "Indeed. The first factor would be that Death Wrath would now be significantly stronger than he was before. Undoubtedly, Ken Sou will not take the gauntlet this time."

Douglass then turned to face the ceiling. The prospect of a life-threatening force daunted him.

"Let's continue to remain hopeful. Remember that Havoc's domains are dispersed throughout the Multiverse. Slicer will need much more time to get there."

Then Viper argued against him, "Slicer left a few days ago, but it is still obvious that he is far away. We won't catch up to him even if we travel throughout the Multiverse."

"You've raised a valid point there, Viper. Then let's avoid letting worry sap our positivity. Instead, let's long for the sun to shine during these gloomy hours. I will speak with our Lordship about our current circumstance."

The hologram disappeared, signaling the end of their conversation.

"What should we do for the time being? Wallow in the depths of our sorrows?" Pete grinned with sarcasm.

"No, there is no time for that. We should come up with an effective strategy in the meantime."

Pete's face was laced with frustration as he clenched his fist. He slammed the table with force.

"Then what should we do, Kuhn Lau? You realize that the moment Death Wrath is set Free, there will be hell on Earth!"

He pointed at each of them while his voice increased significantly with rage.

"Picture this, all five of you stood no chance against one...just one of Death Wrath's top-tier Commanders! Imagine facing the entire fleet?"

"Peter, please calm down." Suggested Viper.

"No, I refuse to calm down, Vanessa! I never asked to be a part of this. Going on a mission and fighting deranged assassins."

He paused briefly and continued, "My life was fine...until all this nonsense happened. I lost something special because of this lifestyle, and now you're telling me I must partake in some war because fate has decided so!"

"Pete, please calm down!" Demanded Viper once more.

"I said no!"

He ascended to his feet and stormed out of the room. Then there was silence as Kuhn Lau looked at everyone.

"I'll go talk to him." He got up from his chair and followed him.

Meanwhile, Yung Fu was left with Viper and Ace.

"Speaking of which, do you guys have any whiskey lying around? I'm very thirsty?" Inquired Ace as he rubbed his hands

Yung Fu looked at him and said, "Yes, of course."

"Really, where can I find it?"

"If you can go outside, you'll find a tap. There, you can drink as much whiskey as possible."

"Really?"

Moments later, Pete sat in front of a tree and pondered immensely, his eyes locked firmly with the tree trunk and his mind abstract. Kuhn Lau then approached him from behind and sat next to him.

Pete grabbed a stone which he threw away. "What do you want? To lecture me about how I should not focus on the past! Kuhn Lau, it was my fault that she is dead. I wish I weren't so pathetic."

Kuhn Lau locked eyes with him; his facial expression told another story.

"Look, Peter, you shouldn't blame yourself for Bianca's death. No one anticipated that, not even I. She chose to sacrifice herself so that she could live on. That further illustrates that Bianca saw potential in you. Why is it that you can't see that?"

He then looked at himself as he slightly raised his hands.

"My parents died at young age Kuhn, Lau. To make things worse, the people that raised me hated me. They told me that I wouldn't amount to anything. Look at me; I don't have a job, a family, or friends. I have nothing. So give me a damn good reason for believing in myself!"

"It's because  I believe in you, Peter, and so did Bianca! Do not allow your past to define you. You are more special than you think. Deep down, there is a lot of potential waiting to be unlocked. Once you do, you will conquer the world. Not just the world but the universe itself, and  If I have to be with you to help you unlock your potential, I will do so."

His eyeballs widened with shock. He never thought there'd ever be an individual who would believe in him since Bianca. For this reason, Kuhn Lau's words uplifted him. It's as if the Heavens bridged a path for him to embark upon, a way encrusted with gold tiles and a field of flowers blooming from the sidewalks.

"Thanks, Kuhn Lau. This means a lot to me."

"Kuhn Lau!" A voice had said from behind. Kuhn Lau then turned around and not far away, stood Yung Fu.

"Pardon me for the intrusion; however, something urgent has come up the shore."

"What is going on?"

"Commander Douglass was able to reach Ken Sou. Now Ken Sou wants to speak to all of us."

The three rushed back to the Zhengtang. They found the other Guardians seated when they arrived, waiting patiently for the meeting to begin. They took their seats and listened.

Ken Sou appeared before them in a holographic form. He wore a gold Jade emperor armor. In his grasp, he wielded a gold naginata encrusted with crystals at the handguard.

"Good day to all. As most of you know, I am Ken Sou. Douglass here has brought forth troubling news concerning the talismans. I'll ask only once. Why have you failed to protect the talismans? Have you been reluctant towards your training?"

"My Lord, I apologize for our failure to protect the talismans. With that said, Slicer has outrightly shunned us all," said Kuhn Lau

Ken Sou burned with fury. He slammed the hilt of the naginata on the ground. The surface he stood on shook violently.

"This is preposterous! All of you have trained ferociously. A commander from the Elite Force should not have been to trouble for you!"

"My Lord, I do not justify our flaws; but Slicer shattered our expectations. His speed was unrivaled. He was too swift for our eyes to see."

Ken Sou lowered his head and placed his hand against the edges of his brow. He then rubbed his face and sighed with draught.

"It would seem that the Elite Force has become stronger than we have anticipated."

Yung Fu then sat back on his chair and crossed his arms, "Pardon me, my Lord; however, we cannot sit here all day and talk about this matter. We need to come up with a solution to our problem."

"Rest assured; there is no need to panic. When I trapped Death Wrath in the Dark Realm, I cast a spell that authorized the talisman to work by your authority. Simply put, the Elite Force cannot activate the talismans without your consent."

They were relieved to hear those words utter from his mouth. One of them, however, was not content with the outcome. That person was Pete. 

"Oh, how is that good news?" Pete said from behind.

Ace then looked at him with disbelief, "Listen, dude! I don't know why you said that. But you just addressed a top-tier Utopian with insult."

Peter stared daggers at him, "Why should I give a fuck about that?!"

He rolled his eyes and rose to his feet; with insane courage, he walked toward Ken Sou and looked at him intensely.

"Is this how you address your elderly young man with disrespect?!"

"Listen, pops, you can say whatever you want about me, but I need you to understand something. You are selfish!"

The others gasped with horror, for they had not seen a mortal address an influential figure like Ken Sou with such disregard.

"Slicer may be halfway across the universe by now, but he will return. Once he does, he will capture us, and where will you be?"

Kuhn Lau arose from his seat and admonished him.

"Peter, I understand your frustrations, but you cannot address Ken Sou like that!"

He ignored him and glared Ken Sou down.

"You heard me, Kuhn Lau. If something happens to us, he won't help us!"

"What do you mean by that?!"

"I am tired of running for my life Kuhn Lau. Where was Ken Sou when I needed him? He knew I was vulnerable, but he did nothing to protect me!"

Ken Sou then placed his hand on Pete's shoulder. He empathized with his struggles.

"Pete, my deepest condolences to your father and your best friend. Yes, I was not there to protect you. In turn, I ask for your forgiveness."

The others glanced at one another in disbelief. Not only did Pete have the courage to confront Ken Sou, but he made him realize his faults. No one in the history of Utopia has done this but the King.

"It'll take time for my wounds to heal. Even so, I don't think I will ever forgive you."

"Even if you don't, I won't hold this against you instead when the time comes. I want to invite you to our home planet one day. This is an offer that you cannot refuse."

Ken Sou then walked past him and continued to address them.

"Well then, Guardians, brace yourself for another duel with Slicer. You can use his absence to your advantage and enhance your combat skills. Therefore, I ask you to train Pete Yung Fu."

Yung Fu bowed, "Yes, my Lord."

"Then, as for the rest of you! I wish the best for you. Have a blessed day."

Author's note

Will their training be enough to take down Slicer during their round? If Yes, suggest why; if no, state your reason as well.