Aria couldn’t hold it together anymore. The calm, almost untouchable grace she used to carry as a heaven-blessed prodigy was gone, smashed to pieces. Panic took over—raw, suffocating, leaving her no space to think straight.If Luthien Aris died here, that was it. The end of everything.Aria was just a maid. Nothing more. Her position, her protection, even her future existed only because of her young lady. Without Luthien, she wouldn’t last a day in this cruel, ancient ruin. The thought pressed on her chest so hard it felt difficult to breathe.Out of everyone here, there was only one person she trusted.Kaelen Viremont.She’d heard Luthien talk about him before. Not casually. Never lightly. There was respect there. Real trust. Luthien had once said Kaelen was someone who stayed standing when things turned ugly. Someone who didn’t abandon you when it mattered.So in this unfamiliar Eldravan Empire, Aria had only one option left.She had to find Kaelen Viremont.When she finally finishe

“What on earth is happening?” Luthien Aris whispered, her voice barely audible over the pounding of her heart. Fear and fascination twisted together in her chest. Every time she watched Kaelen move, it felt like she was falling into a storm she couldn’t escape—a storm that somehow drew her in instead of tearing her apart. Calm on the surface, yet deadly beneath. Magnetic. Dangerous.She knew he carried secrets. Secrets he’d never share. Their bond had grown closer with each day, but there were still walls between them, walls made of unspoken truths. His past, his power… Kaelen never let anyone see what lay beneath. And yet, here he was, holding her gently but firmly, standing in a place that reeked of danger. Luthien couldn’t deny the thrill that surged through her. Safety—yes—but safety forged by someone impossibly strong.Outside the sacrificial grounds, Aria’s eyes went wide. Her usual calm mask flickered, just for a second. She’d seen skilled warriors before, people with talent th

Clang.The sound rang out sharp and brutal, metal smashing against metal, echoing through the vast chamber like a struck bell.Clang.Another impact followed, even heavier this time. The Furnace of Creation shuddered, its ancient walls trembling as if they might finally give in.Inside, Kaelen Viremont was no longer calm. No longer composed.He moved like a trapped beast.Again and again, his body slammed into the furnace’s inner walls. Each collision sent violent shockwaves rolling through the air. The ancient metal groaned, glowing faintly, as though it were struggling to cage the storm tearing itself apart inside him.Outside the furnace, Luthien Aris and Aria stood motionless.Their hands were shaking before they even realized it.This… this wasn’t what they had expected.Kaelen had always been quiet. Controlled. The type who rarely raised his voice, who carried himself with an almost gentle restraint. But the man inside the furnace now felt like a stranger. He showed no mercy to

No one spoke.After both Kaelen Viremont and Kael had made their positions clear, the rest stayed quiet. It wasn’t that they disagreed. Far from it. They simply understood what those words carried—and arguing would change nothing.This expedition had taken everything out of them.Their bodies ached. Their minds felt frayed. Their spirits were worn thin.They had brushed against death too many times to count. Ancient traps are buried beneath cracked stone. Beasts hiding in darkness that felt older than history itself. Ambushes that came out of nowhere and ended with blood soaking the ground.Somewhere along the way, just staying alive had started to feel like a good fortune.And right now, more than anything else, they wanted to leave. To go home.Only after enduring the madness of the ancient ruin did they truly understand how valuable a sect’s protection was. Out here, there were no rules to rely on. No structure. No mercy.Only danger.Endless, merciless danger.Every breath felt

“Kill!”Kaelen Viremont didn’t waste a single word. No taunt. No flourish. No warning. Just pure, burning intent. Every ounce of his being focused on one thing: crush Tarian Lysand and carve his name into the heavens of the Eldravan Empire.This wasn’t just a fight. It was a declaration.A warning to the younger generation of the imperial family: remember the name Kaelen Viremont. Tremble. Respect it. Never look down again. If he ever stood against Zevran, it wouldn’t be with borrowed prestige or empty titles. Authority had to be earned—through blood, through steel, through fire itself.And today… Today might be the only chance. A perfect, fleeting chance.“Nine Heavens Tyrant God Spear!”Tarian Lysand didn’t hesitate. Not a heartbeat. The golden dragon spear in his hands quivered, as if waking from centuries of slumber. Light erupted from its tip, a flood of molten-gold radiance pouring over the battlefield.This wasn’t just a weapon. It was the legacy of the Heavenly Dragon itself.