SPLASH!!!The sea roared as Kagame’s body slammed into its depths, vanishing into foaming waves. For a heartbeat, silence reigned—only the sound of water churning.Daku’s eyes widened."What on earth…" His thoughts spiraled. "Senior Kagame was hit like a dummy."His heart sank deeper than the waves below.His expression turned grim, sweat clinging to his forehead as his gaze flickered toward Zion, who was still grinning wildly."I knew this was a bad idea… the other one is battle-crazy. He tore apart our attacks like paper, and with just a wave of his hands unleashed slashes that shook the air itself.""And the rest of them haven’t even moved yet… This is not good. I must be ready… ready to fly away at any moment."Yuto’s jaw tightened as the echo of Kagame’s fall lingered.His mind reeled, shock written across his face. "What just happened? Raw strength—pure brute force. Kagame, with all his techniques, was swatted away like a child. That’s not normal. That’s monstrous."Zane’s calm

Yuri’s eyes narrowed, watching the chaos that had already unfolded.His mind raced.“What are these kids…” he thought, his voice echoing inward as he glanced at Yurai who stood just behind him, her hands clenched in trembling fists.He looked back toward Zane, who hovered in the air like a looming calamity, lightning and dark wind curling around him.“Yurai… you feel it too, don’t you? The magical energy from this kid—it surpasses the beginner level of the Enlightened Realm.""And yet… his cultivation is clearly only at the beginner stage of Enlightened. How is his magical energy above that?!”The realization struck like thunder.His expression hardened.“Leave this kid to me. I’ll hold him long enough for you to escape.”!!!Yurai’s breath caught in her chest.She stepped forward, trembling, her voice breaking as she cried:“What do you mean escape, brother? What do you mean? I can’t— I won’t let you sacrifice your life for me!”Her body shook, her aura flaring instinctively, but her

The sea stilled only for a breath, but its silence carried weight.The smell of ozone and char lingered in the air as Elder Fujin’s body bled vitality, his voice ragged, choked in blood, his aura collapsing into fragments.His frame wavered, no longer able to hover, and his body gave in—falling heavily, lifelessly—towards the carved sea trench below.“You… you…” his final words cracked like broken glass, drowned by the hiss of his own blood spilling from his mouth and pores.Zenon’s gaze followed the descent, cold and detached.His eyes were storms of black lightning, still sparking faintly across his body, each pulse like a heartbeat of thunder.“You were wondering how I suppressed you,” Zenon said icily, his voice void of triumph.“My lightning seeped into you with every pulse of my aura. With every spark you felt across your skin, with every faint shiver you ignored—I was branding your nervous system, snaring your mana channels, binding your limbs.”He remembered the sight: Fujin s

!!!“What just happened? I can no longer feel Zion’s energy… and also the other one who was close to him…” Zane thought, his crimson eyes narrowing just after releasing a dark gust of wind toward Yuri.The gale howled like a living beast, distorting the very air and space in its path.But—Yuri swung his massive scythe in a perfect crescent, its edge glowing with fiery martial aura.The blade split the air like a divine cleaver, slicing Zane’s attack in half.The gust disintegrated, shredded by his control, and the sea splashed and roar beneath the recoil of the cut.!!!Yuri stepped forward, his heavy presence pressing against Zane like a tidal wave.His voice was calm, even amused, as he advanced.“So tell me… who do you think is stronger? You… or Oasis of Lunaris?”Zane’s lips curled into a smirk, his confidence unshaken.His voice rolled with certainty as he closed the distance.“If you were fighting him… the chances that you would have already crossed over a few days back are ver

Then Yuri smiled.Zane’s eyes narrowed.“Is death that amusing to you?” His voice was sharp, almost mocking, but his gaze was unwavering, piercing.“Your companions are dead. And that woman you let escape… her safety isn’t guaranteed either. You know this is Aetheria.""Anything can be hiding—behind the trees, in the mountains, beneath the bushes, under the earth… even beneath the seas and canals. Danger lurks everywhere.”Yuri’s smile didn’t fade.His breathing was calm, his voice carrying the weight of centuries. “You are still but a brat. I have lived around—if not more than—ten times your age in this realm. I know Aetheria better than you ever will.”He straightened his back slightly, his scythe gleaming faintly in the moonlight.His tone dropped lower, heavy with experience.“In those years, I have killed many. Some for survival. Some for amusement. There are countless reasons to kill.""And as long as you live in this world—whether as a merchant, a scholar, even a physician—you