The arena suddenly turned cold.All the grandmasters lined up below the stone stage could only stare with their mouths open, as if they had just witnessed the god of thunder slap the earth. They stared at Takeshi, who was still lying face-down in the bushes with leaves stuck to his back, his body still shaking from the impact."W-what… just happened?""Senior… Senior Takeshi fell?""Impossible! He must have slipped!"One of the most stubborn grandmasters stepped forward, pointing at the bush-covered figure that used to be Takeshi. "Takeshi-sama was only distracted! That was an accident! Did you not see? The ground there is clearly uneven!"Yet everyone clearly saw Takeshi get thrown four meters after his punch was casually swatted aside by Max. But their denial was stronger than logic."Yes! Exactly!" another shouted. "There is no way Takeshi lost! He is a senior grandmaster!"But those ego-filled mouths slowly fell silent when Takeshi began to move.The old man groaned softly, pushin

Max let go of Takeshi’s hand, then took one step forward. His voice, usually flat, now carried a cold fire that made the air in the arena feel sharp like ice."Enough with the formalities," he said firmly. "Now listen carefully. I did not come to Mount Alken to take positions or take your seniority." "I came for one reason to invite you to destroy the Demon Blood Cult that has ruled for far too long."Even the name alone changed the faces of the grandmasters. Some clenched their fists until their veins stood out."They kidnapped millions of civilians in the past year," Max continued, his voice even colder. "Children, women, even the elderly. Used as living sacrifices to summon high level demons." "The villages at the base of the mountain are empty. You who call yourselves grandmasters who protect the people, how long will you stay silent?"The respectful silence instantly turned into burning anger.An old grandmaster with a long white beard stood up, his face red. "We... we did n

In Vesula, Max’s house was no longer just a place to live. After the conquest of the Alken Mountains and the ten grandmasters kneeling to him, Max turned one of his large buildings in the city center into a headquarters for the grandmasters.The building was tall and strong, and all of its floors were modified into training rooms, strategy rooms, and resting areas for the senior grandmasters.Takeshi stood on the balcony of the seventh floor, looking at the bright city lights of Vesula that hid darkness behind its alleys."This is a big city," Takeshi muttered. "And we have many demons to hunt."Max stood beside him, arms folded, his face cold and focused. "Starting tonight, we will not wait for them to attack. We will be the ones hunting."That night, Vesula became a slaughter ground for the members of the Demon Cult.The mid generation grandmasters, men in their forties to their sixties who still had strength, speed, and sharp instincts, spread across the entire city. They moved li

Max’s car slowed down, the large tires scraping against the stone corridor of the campus, which reflected a soft purple-silver glow from the evening sky. Aurora felt a breeze pass by, carrying a familiar scent, Max’s scent, just before the car door opened. Max stepped out of the driver’s seat with steady steps, his posture firm and his shadow stretching long across the ground. The moment he removed his sunglasses, his sharp gaze softened as soon as it found Aurora. Without looking at Aston at all, as if the man did not exist, Max pulled his wife into his arms. “My wife,” his voice was deep and warm, like always. “How was your day?” Aurora placed her cheek on her husband’s chest, letting that faint dark fragrance calm her. “Tired…” she whispered softly, both spoiled and honest. “I had so many classes today and the assignments too… I do not know, it feels like my head is about to explode.” Max let out a quiet laugh, a sound only Aurora ever heard. “Then let us escape from all that

BLAAAR! SCREEECH!!! The car tires screamed loudly against the asphalt, and Aurora’s body was thrown forward until the seat belt jerked her back harshly. Her heart immediately started pounding. “What was that?!” she shouted, her hands gripping the dashboard. “Did we hit something? A person?!” Max had already turned off the engine. His face was tense but controlled. He quickly turned to Aurora, one hand gently holding her arm to calm her down. “Calm down, Babe. I am not sure, but I braked because I saw a sudden shadow in front of us. Stay here and do not get out yet. Let me check.” Aurora nodded slowly, though her eyes were still wide with fear. “Okay… but be careful, Babe.” Max gave a faint smile to reassure her, then opened the door and stepped out. He walked slowly toward the front of the car. The headlights were still on, brightly illuminating a figure lying on the road. A young woman in a long black coat was sitting while holding her ankle. Her long wavy hair framed her pal