The Montclair family ranked second among the ten great families, their influence stretching across Storm City and beyond. As the cherished daughter of the Montclairs, Aurora’s words carried real power. When she spoke, people listened.Most men would have thought twice before standing against her, but Gabriel wasn’t most men. His lips curled into a disdainful sneer. “Ms. Montclair, I advise you not to meddle in matters that don’t concern you. Your family may be powerful, but I am not afraid. I have Lord Chaosbreaker behind me.”Gasps echoed across the hall. Lord Chaosbreaker—the very name sent a ripple of unease through the crowd.Gabriel straightened his back, radiating pride. As a Patrol Commander serving directly under Lord Chaosbreaker, he commanded a unit of Ray City Defenders, an authority few dared to provoke. With such backing, even great families tread carefully around him.Aurora’s brows drew together at the name, but her expression didn’t waver. Her voice cut through the ten

Discussions buzzed through the hall, low voices carrying sharp edges. Disdainful glances darted toward Adam, as if everyone were waiting to see him crumble under the weight of his own arrogance.From the crowd, Elsie stepped forward, her tone dripping with scorn. “Adam, do you even realize what you just said? You should apologize to Mr. Grant this instant before things spiral beyond your control.”“Apologize?” Adam’s smirk widened, cutting sharper than a blade. “Elsie, are you seriously asking me to bow my head to him? You must be out of your mind.”The hall went silent for a beat before gasps rippled through the crowd.Elsie’s eyes flared, her chest rising and falling rapidly. “What? How dare you say I’m out of my mind!”Adam didn’t flinch. His tone grew colder, slicing through her anger. “Not only out of your mind. You’re also severely out of touch with reality. He provoked me, he threatened me, and now you expect me to apologize to him? Tell me, isn’t that absurd?”A few onlookers

Gabriel’s body flew six feet back from the crisp slap, hitting the marble floor with a sickening thud. The impact reverberated through the hall, silencing every murmur as dozens of eyes tracked his fall.An advanced-level warrior. A man feared by criminals and respected by nobles. Yet he had been slapped down like a servant, utterly defenseless before Adam.Groaning, Gabriel clutched his swollen cheek. His face burned with pain, but what shook him more was the humiliation. His voice cracked in disbelief. “You… you dare strike me?”Adam’s eyes narrowed, his tone like a whip. “Dare? You deserved it. Consider it a lesson. If you so much as open your mouth again, I’ll shut it for good.”The words cut through the tense air, every syllable carrying the weight of absolute authority.Gasps rippled through the spectators. Many had thought Adam bold before, but this? First humiliating Dorian in front of everyone, and now slapping down the Patrol Commander, a man under the Supreme General’s comm

Most in the grand hall frowned in puzzlement at the unfamiliar name. Everyone in Coastal Flair knew that there were sixteen Gods of War recognized across the land. Among them, the four most revered were Lord Venom, Lord Nyra, Lord Hades, and Lord Hammer, with twelve others completing the list.But Lord Terror was a name none of them had ever heard before.A low murmur swept through the crowd. “Lord Terror? Who’s that?”“There’s no such God of War on record…”“Has the title been newly bestowed?”An older retainer with sharper insight quickly provided the answer. “Lord Terror is the newly appointed God of War! Word has already spread—her title is to be confirmed today. Show respect!”The revelation crashed into the crowd like thunder. Gasps and hurried whispers turned into frantic motion as heads swiveled toward the entrance. One by one, people began to bow in reverence, their movements echoing through the hall like a wave.Even proud heirs such as Dorian lowered their heads, suppressin

Adam remained seated, his posture relaxed as if the hall full of hostile stares didn’t exist. Slowly, he turned, his calm eyes locking on Peculiar at last.It had been years since they had last met. Time had refined her. The lively, youthful girl who once followed him so eagerly was gone. In her place stood a woman cloaked in authority, her aura sharp enough to cut. Maturity draped over her features like armor, and the hall quaked beneath her commanding presence.A faint smile tugged at Adam’s lips. His voice, however, carried both weight and mockery.“Peculiar,” he said deliberately, the name rolling out with familiarity. “You’ve grown into quite the imposing figure. Do you expect me to kneel and pay my respects?”Gasps exploded in the crowd.Elanour snapped instantly, pointing at him with shaking fury. “How dare you! Lord Terror’s title is sacred, not something you can spit out so casually! Insolence!”Her words barely left her mouth before Peculiar’s voice thundered across the hall