Mortimer's lips parted the moment he entered the hall, but the first words out of his mouth weren't directed at anyone in particular."Where is Tobias?"David's expression stiffened. Without saying a word, he pointed toward the crumpled figure lying a few meters away.Mortimer's gaze followed his finger. The familiar black robe came into view. His footsteps halted."Tobias...?"For a brief second, he thought the young man was merely unconscious. But when he saw Tobias' bloodied body, torn robes, and deathly pale face, the color drained from his own.His pupils contracted violently. Impossible... His heart skipped a beat.Throughout the whole of Cascadia, Tobias had always stood at the pinnacle of martial arts. Countless experts had challenged him over the decades, yet none had ever managed to push him into a corner.So who... Who could reduce Tobias to such a miserable state?"...Is he dead?" Mortimer's voice trembled ever so slightly. "What happened?"For the first time in years, the