“I’m… fine.”Black Reaper forced the words out.His voice sounded weak and strained, as if each syllable required tremendous effort.He shook his head slowly, trying to maintain his balance.For a moment, it seemed as though he might actually recover.But the next instant—His body convulsed violently.“Ugh—!”A horrifying cry burst from his throat.Then a thick stream of blood poured from his mouth.It splashed onto the floor in a dark red pool.Mixed within the blood were pieces of shredded flesh.Fragments of his lungs.The sight made several of the tea mistresses scream in terror.Black Reaper’s eyes widened.The savage arrogance that had once filled them was gone.Now there was only disbelief.His knees buckled.His thin body collapsed heavily onto the ground.Thud.The moment his body hit the floor, the last trace of life faded from his eyes.Black Reaper of the Furious Four was dead.The teahouse fell silent again.Phantom, Ruin, and Bloodfang all stared at the corpse.Even Bal

Bloodfang stepped forward slowly.Among the Furious Four, he was the largest.His body was massive, his muscles bulging like iron cables beneath his skin. Standing there, he looked more like a raging beast than a man.The floor creaked faintly beneath his weight.His face twisted with fury as he stared at the bodies of Phantom, Ruin, and Black Reaper.All three had died within moments.And now he was the last one standing.Bloodfang clenched his fists.The veins on his arms bulged like thick ropes.“You bastard…” he growled.His voice sounded like thunder rolling inside the room.Without warning, he charged forward.Each step he took caused the wooden floor to shake.Boom. Boom. Boom.His speed was shocking for someone of his size.In just a few strides, he had already reached Jaden.Bloodfang swung his massive fist.The attack carried terrifying force.The wind from the punch alone caused nearby teacups to rattle.Compared to that gigantic fist, Jaden’s hand looked small and insignif

“Mr. Rift,” Kaelus said respectfully from the driver’s seat, glancing briefly through the rearview mirror.“There’s an invitation for you.”Jaden leaned back against the seat and closed his eyes.“Who’s it from?”Kaelus replied immediately.“Roland Sky.”Jaden’s eyes opened slowly.Roland Sky.Admiral of the Southern Fleet.Commander-in-chief of the South.In terms of military rank, Jaden, the General of the North, technically outranked Roland by a level.But when it came to authority and responsibility, the two men stood on equal ground. One commanded the Northern forces. The other commanded the Southern fleet.They were pillars of the nation’s military.However, their relationship went far beyond ranks and titles.Several years ago, the two of them had taken part in a multinational military drill overseas.It had been a joint exercise involving several powerful nations.During that mission, something unexpected had happened.A group of foreign assassins had infiltrated the operation

Leon Nagger burst into hearty laughter after hearing his son’s compliment.“You’re not bad yourself,” he said proudly.He leaned back slightly in his chair and glanced at the chessboard between them.“Your strategy has improved a lot.”Then he sighed faintly.“Your old man is getting older by the day.”He looked at Neyo with a thoughtful expression.“Soon enough, it will be you and your younger brother running this family.”His voice carried both pride and expectation.But just as he mentioned his younger son—Footsteps suddenly echoed from the hallway.Someone rushed toward the study in panic.Bang!The door swung open violently.A man stumbled inside.It was Alfred.The loyal butler of the Nagger family.His usually calm face was now pale with fear.Before anyone could even ask what happened, Alfred collapsed onto his knees.His body trembled uncontrollably.“Sir…!”He tried to speak, but his voice cracked.Leon frowned slightly.“What’s wrong?”Alfred opened his mouth again.“Mr. T

Authors note: Leah is Nora, slight error.A long silence followed.The wind rustled through the trees, brushing past the temple walls.Barbarian remained still inside the doghouse.For a while, it seemed like he hadn’t even heard Leon’s words.Then, slowly, his dry lips moved.“And who is that?”His voice was hoarse.Rough.Like something that hadn’t been used in years.Leon’s eyes darkened instantly.Hatred surged within him.“Jaden Rift.”The name was spoken through clenched teeth.Every syllable carried killing intent.Barbarian’s gaze flickered slightly.He didn’t respond.But the air around him seemed to grow colder.—The next morning.Sunlight broke through the clouds, casting a warm glow over the coastal roads.Three luxury cars sped steadily toward East Bay.Inside the main vehicle, Mia was pressed against the window, her face full of excitement.“The sea!”“I can see the sea!”Her voice rang with pure joy.Selena smiled as she watched her daughter.Nora and Vane were also in