BOOM!!!A deafening explosion ripped through the air, shaking the world as golden and black light clashed violently in the sky. The impact lit up the night with an eerie brilliance—gold streaked with dark energy, illuminating the heavens in an unnatural glow.But that wasn’t all.Even though the clash happened fifty meters above ground, its shockwave reached far beyond. Goblins stationed nearly two kilometers away were hurled back hundreds of meters, caught in the blast’s sheer force.Seconds later, a figure wreathed in golden light was sent flying backwards—miles away—crashing through the sky like a meteor. Simultaneously, another figure cloaked in black aura plummeted just as far, slamming into trees and finally smashing into a massive boulder that cracked under the force before his body finally came to a stop near the forest’s edge.“Damn it!”The dark-aura figure cursed under his breath, gritting his teeth. He pushed himself off the ground, pain searing through his right arm.“My

"That bastard’s got no shame!"Grizelda cursed, unable to hold back her fury any longer after hearing Elliot’s words.“Hey, you son of a bitch! You came here and wreaked havoc in my territory, and now you’re blaming us? You really think you can test our patience like that?”She jabbed a finger in Elliot’s face, barely holding back the urge to strike.Hundreds of thousands of goblins had perished at the hands of this butcher. As the goblin leader of the northern region—where they stood now—Grizelda felt it was her duty to take action. Anything less would be a disgrace to her title.“You made a grave mistake. I’ll never forgive you.”A cold, sinister aura burst from Grizelda’s body like a black storm. Her eyes burned with unfiltered rage and an overwhelming thirst for blood.But just before she could lash out, Thorga stepped in. Her beloved nephew quickly positioned himself between her and Elliot.“Auntie, please… think this through.”His gaze locked with hers, his expression firm yet p

Back to the present.“Huh? Elliot, are you calling me senile? That’s it, isn’t it? That’s what you’re trying to say, right?”Grizelda glared sharply at Elliot. The anger she felt toward Marc now seemed redirected at the general.“Have you forgotten about the token? Anyone who holds that token has the right to grant goblins permission to enter human territory. And I can assure you that every goblin who entered Cammont—or anywhere in Walenstein—did so with that permission.”As soon as those words left her mouth, Grizelda’s appearance changed in an instant. Her tattered dress became clean and pristine. Her messy, tangled hair straightened and fell neatly over her shoulders. The dark, peeling skin on her face smoothed into a clear, pale complexion.In that moment, she looked beautiful—like a woman in her early forties. By human standards, this goblin could easily be considered elegant, even captivating.As a noble among goblins, Grizelda had always possessed a striking beauty for her age.

“Elliot… are you?”Marc narrowed his eyes, limping closer to the general who was still kneeling on the ground.Now he remembered.This old man wasn’t a complete stranger to him.He was that annoying old geezer Marc had helped back in Pinewood District—a pervy old man who had been third on his patient list that day.“You're the one who asked me to transfer my zhenqi to you, aren’t you? You were hiding your inner power all along?”Elliot looked up at Marc. Before he said anything, he shook his head firmly.“No. You’re mistaken. I never hid my inner strength.”“What do you mean? Please don’t lie to me again.”Marc suspected the old man was trying to trick him once more, just like he had a few weeks ago.Still, even as he said that, Marc extended his still-healthy left hand to help Elliot up from the ground.“I do it too,” Marc admitted, acknowledging that he also keeps his true strength hidden. “So I can tell when someone else is doing the same.”Earlier, when Elliot had been talking to

"In short, you—you were the one who helped me restore my inner energy, Marc!"Elliot beamed as he clapped Marc's shoulder again and again with enthusiastic gratitude. His eyes sparkled with pride and appreciation. The idea of ever recovering his cultivation energy had once seemed impossible. And yet, this young man had made it happen."And I’ll never forget that. I owe you my life."Marc nodded slightly in response to Elliot’s heartfelt words.So my inner energy helped restore his cultivation? he wondered. But if that’s the case, why couldn’t Helma heal him?He didn’t dwell too long on the question. There was something else gnawing at his curiosity—something even more pressing."I'm glad I was able to help, even if just a little," Marc replied. "But there's something else I need to know. It's about Grizelda. I heard her mention something about a token. Can you explain what that has to do with these goblins?"At the mention of the token, Elliot’s smile faded. The laughter in his eyes v