Five pairs of eyes were fixed on Hudson. The intensity of their stares made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Swallowing hard, he asked, "What's going on?"He had never seen Ivory and the others this serious before. Their expressions made him instinctively think they were about to discuss something extremely important.Ivory folded her arms and looked at him calmly."Shouldn't you give Kitty an answer?""While you were unconscious, she stayed by your side every single day. She barely let any of us take care of you.""We all saw how she feels about you." She paused before continuing. "And don't you think you owe all of us an explanation, too?"Hudson was speechless. After all that tension… This was what they wanted to talk about?He couldn't help glancing at Kitty.Her cheeks were bright red, and she kept her head lowered, nervously twisting her fingers together. She looked too embarrassed to even meet his eyes.Since Ivory had brought the subject into the open, Hudson unders

Early that morning, the residents of Redwood City, Northern California quickly sensed that something unusual was happening. Groups of people dressed in the uniforms of the Divine Sect had appeared throughout the city. They stood at major intersections, neighborhood entrances, and key roads, watching every movement with stern expressions.The atmosphere grew tense."What happened? Why are there so many people from the Divine Sect here? With this many people, something big must be going on.""Maybe they're still hunting that former sect leader they declared wanted. Redwood City isn't that far from the northern counties, so he could've come here."Whispers spread from one corner of the city to another as speculation continued.Inside the Hilton family's estate, every member of the household, young and old alike, had gathered in the main reception hall.Late the previous night, the family's security guards had discovered dozens of Divine Sect members quietly surrounding the estate. Realiz

At this point, no one knew how deeply the White Night Sect had infiltrated the Divine Sect. The members of the Heavenly Guard Squad standing before Hudson could only be treated as the first sparks.After all, a single spark was enough to ignite a wildfire.When Hudson noticed that Marco still looked confused, he briefly explained the current situation. He told him that reclaiming control of the Divine Sect with their present strength alone was impossible. They needed someone the entire sect would recognize, someone capable of rallying the loyal members together.That person was Dein.Finding him was the key to everything.Hudson then instructed Marco to act as though nothing had happened. Once he returned, he wasn't to mention today's events to the other Heavenly Guard members. At this stage, no one could tell who had already been corrupted by the White Night Sect.If word reached the leaders that someone was secretly exposing the truth and trying to split the Divine Sect from within,

Hudson frowned. He hadn't sensed anyone nearby. As far as he could tell, there wasn't anything unusual in the area.Following Taron's gaze, he spotted the person the old man had been watching.It was a young girl dressed in a school uniform, wearing a backpack and walking down the sidewalk. She looked like an ordinary high school student on her way to class.Hudson observed her carefully for another moment.Nothing.She didn't have the aura of a martial artist, nor did she show any signs of combat training. She looked exactly like any other teenage girl.After another glance, Hudson turned back to Taron."Are you sure you're not mistaken?" he asked. "What's wrong with her?"Taron slowly looked back at him, a sly grin spreading across his face."You don't believe me?" He folded his arms. "How about we make a bet? If there's something wrong with her, you lose. If she's just an ordinary student, you win."Hudson narrowed his eyes. Knowing Taron, there was always some hidden trick behind

A person's spirit could often be seen in the way they carried themselves. The moment Hudson examined Dein, he understood just how deeply this ordeal had affected him.In the past, even when Dein simply sat in silence, he radiated an invisible presence that naturally commanded respect. Without saying a single word, he carried the confidence of someone who had stood at the peak for years. It was the kind of aura that instinctively made others lower their heads.But reality could be merciless. Very few people could endure devastating setbacks without eventually breaking.One crushing blow had shattered everything Dein had built. The commanding presence that once surrounded him had disappeared, replaced by the quiet resignation of a man who had already accepted the end of his journey.It wasn't just physical defeat. It was self-imposed exile, and was giving up on himself.That was something Hudson refused to accept. He knew exactly why Dein had changed so much.His martial foundation had