That same evening, Adam arrived in Volka—the brooding port city that stared across the sea at Zarros Point like a vulture eyeing prey. The air smelled of salt and oil. It was a place built on deals no one spoke of in daylight.Adam had chosen to make the trip alone. No escorts. No entourage. Just Dante waiting for him at the airport exit, wearing a black tactical jacket and mirrored sunglasses that reflected the glare of the streetlamps.“Supreme General,” Dante greeted quietly, falling into step beside him.“No time for delays,” Adam said. “Is the boat ready?”Dante gave a short nod. “Everything’s been arranged. She’s docked and fueled.”They didn’t exchange pleasantries. There was nothing to say. Both men moved like soldiers in enemy territory—silent, efficient, always watching. Within minutes, they were at the harbor, slipping past fishermen and freight workers until they reached a sleek black vessel. No name on the hull. No flags. Just pure intent.They boarded wordlessly, and the

Adam didn’t slow down.His body burst forward like a shadow cutting through the dark, muscles coiled tight with purpose. In a single motion, he reached the edge of the slope, dropped low, and belly-crawled to the crest of the hill.Eyes narrowed.The valley stretched beneath him—small and quiet, tucked like a secret between two ridges. No more than a few thousand square meters, just enough to be forgotten by the world.But he wasn’t here for the landscape.His eyes scanned for movement.Nothing.Not a single soul wandered outside. The handful of houses—plain, rural structures with slate-tiled roofs and narrow doors—stood silent under the veil of dawn. Smoke had yet to rise from the chimneys. Lights were off.They were still asleep.Except for two.At the valley’s entrance, two guards slouched on crude wooden stools, dozing like they hadn’t slept in days. Heads lolled. One clutched his spear with limp fingers. The other’s mouth hung open slightly.Perfect.Adam’s mind snapped into focu

The man who rose from the ruins... was Adam.He stood among the smoke and settling ash like a ghost torn straight from the jaws of death. His clothes were little more than burnt rags clinging to a bruised, blood-slicked body. His hair hung in wild, soot-streaked strands over his face. Blood had crusted down the side of his jaw and soaked into his collar.He looked like hell itself had chewed him up and spat him back out.And yet, there wasn’t a single soul who dared move.Because Adam was alive.Alive.They had all seen what that explosion did. The entire house had disintegrated in a split second. The shockwave alone should have shattered every bone in his body.But there he stood. Not just breathing—but burning. A living inferno of rage and killing intent.If they hadn’t seen it with their own eyes, not a single man among them would have believed it.A few took an involuntary step back.The silence cracked as Adam slowly floated down from the air, his figure descending like judgment

The Elder didn’t waste another second. With a sharp battle cry, he lunged at Adam, cloak flaring behind him like a shadow.In that instant, the eleven black-clad traitors fanned out around the ruins, surrounding Adam from all sides. Each of them was a seasoned guardian—men Adam had once trusted, trained, and bled beside. Now, every one of them had blades drawn and eyes filled with murderous intent.They weren’t just lackeys. Each was a grandmaster in their own right.And the Elder? He wasn’t called that for age. He was the strongest among them—late-stage grandmaster, his aura pulsing like a storm barely contained.Together, they radiated overwhelming force, a killing formation meant to crush even a peak grandmaster. That was the Elder’s gamble. That even if Adam was whole—if he hadn’t been hurt by the explosion—this ambush might still bring him down.“Kill him!” the Elder roared, throwing his fist like a war hammer straight at Adam’s chest. Power surged along his arm, a burning wind t

Adam coldly smiled, his aura rippling faintly with restrained power. “I am injured, yes. But it’s nothing worth celebrating. You’ve underestimated the Celestial realm far too much, Phoenix King. To me, anyone below it is just… background noise.” He tilted his head slightly, expression unreadable. “That blood earlier? Part of the act. I needed bait to draw out the real rats, hiding in the shadows.”The Phoenix King’s eyes narrowed. “So you knew I was watching all along?”Adam shook his head. “No. I only sensed a presence lurking. A shadow trailing behind everything. I didn’t know it was you—though I should’ve guessed. Your stink of ambition isn’t exactly subtle. You're foolish Phoenix King.”His steps echoed against the stone as he slowly approached the wounded Phoenix King, who was still on one knee, gripping his abdomen. “The Elder betrayed me for the Cursed Idol Amulet. I assume you did the same. Or is your price a little different?”A flicker of rage passed across the Phoenix King’