Peculiar ignored Bradfort’s question entirely. Her eyes, sharp and commanding moments ago, softened as they settled on Adam. For the first time since her arrival, the mask of Lord Terror slipped, revealing something raw beneath—guilt.“Adam,” she said quietly, though the entire hall still heard her. “Long time no see.”The words stunned the crowd into silence. Jaws dropped, eyes widened. The newly appointed God of War not only knew Adam, but spoke to him with familiarity and… regret?Murmurs erupted.“They… they know each other?”“What kind of relationship is this?”“Could it be…?”Adam leaned back slightly in his chair, his expression unreadable. His tone was calm, almost indifferent, when he finally replied.“Yes, it has been a long time. Long enough that I don’t remember you anymore.”The statement was like ice—flat, dismissive, and laced with quiet contempt. His words struck harder than any insult could, and Peculiar flinched as if she had been cut.She drew a breath, her voice tr

“That’s right!” Peculiar declared proudly, her chin tilted high, her posture radiating superiority. “Compared to all of you, I am already a master. In terms of ability, I stand as a grandmaster. In terms of status, I am on the verge of being promoted to God of War. And I am only twenty-five years old. My future… is limitless.”Her voice carried like a blade slicing through the hall, leaving everyone stunned by her confidence. Murmurs broke out, voices tinged with awe and envy.“Twenty-five and already a God of War candidate…”“She really is a prodigy.”“She’s destined for greatness.”Peculiar’s lips curved into a faint smile, but her eyes gleamed with burning conviction. “But if we’re speaking of a true master, there is only one name in my heart—only one man who stands at the pinnacle. The Supreme General. He alone sweeps across the world, crushing nations beneath his might. He is the master of masters. He is the only man worthy of admiration.”When she spoke his name, her entire expr

Gabriel stumbled forward dramatically, clutching his cheek as if the wound still burned. His face twisted into an expression of injustice, like a child rushing to complain after being bullied.“My lord… you must stand up for me!” he cried. His voice cracked with exaggerated pain, but his eyes gleamed with malice.Marvin’s brows knitted. His deep voice rumbled like distant thunder. “What happened?”Gabriel immediately pointed toward Adam, his tone pitiful yet accusatory. “My lord, I was struck! He hit me without mercy. It’s one thing for him to raise his hand against me, but the greater insult is this—I am your man. He knew this and still dared to beat me. That is not just disrespect toward me… it is a blatant insult toward you.”Dorian hurried over as well, his face flushed with both fear and eagerness to pile on. “Mr. Gabriel speaks the truth, Lord Chaosbreaker. That bastard is vile beyond belief. He struck Gabriel, and he struck me as well! Worse, when you entered, he didn’t kneel,

The sound of the slap cracked through the hall like a whip. It was sharp, clean, and final. For a heartbeat, time seemed to stop. Every head turned. Every breath caught.Lord Chaosbreaker—the indomitable, feared Marvin—staggered backward, his cheek reddening where Adam’s palm had struck. The echo of the blow still rang off the walls. People stared, eyes wide and mouths parted, as if they had just witnessed a god bleed.No one had ever dared touch Lord Chaosbreaker. No one. Yet here was Adam, standing tall, hand lowered at his side, eyes blazing with authority.“Kneel,” Adam commanded, his voice low but slicing through the silence like a blade.The impossible happened. Marvin’s body trembled. His jaw clenched. And then, as though the weight of a mountain pressed down on his shoulders, his knees buckled. He crashed to the ground with a thud. The great Lord Chaosbreaker knelt, head bowed, sweat dripping down his temple.Gasps rippled through the crowd. This wasn’t just disrespect. This w

“The Armand family. The Woods family. The Blackwood family of Storm City. The Iron family of Ray City. The Grant family of Ray City. Stay.”Adam’s voice rolled across the hall like thunder, leaving no room for negotiation. His tone was not loud, yet it pressed on every heart like a mountain. “The rest of you, step aside.”The command was iron law.The crowd scattered in panic, tripping over their own feet to flee the Supreme General’s gaze. Those unfortunate enough to be named froze in place, their legs trembling as if chained to the ground. Faces drained of color. Sweat drenched their backs.Elanour was the first to collapse, her knees smacking against the floor as she pressed her forehead down hard. “O Supreme General, have mercy! We know we were wrong! Please… please give us another chance!”Brielle quickly followed, her dignity abandoned. She clawed at the ground as she crawled closer, bowing repeatedly until her forehead turned red. “Supreme General, we were blind! Spare us, I be