A short while later, Lucas arrived at the previous battlefield. The smell of blood was still strong in the air, and the ground was filled with lifeless bodies.He quickly saw three figures in the distance.Alistair, Catherine, and Dorothea lay on the ground, their bodies destroyed and unmoving.Lucas let out a faint snort. "Just as I thought. You didn't last long," he said with a mocking tone.Some cultivators from the three great families were still there. They immediately turned when they saw Lucas return."You… you came back?" one of them said in disbelief.Lucas looked at them coldly. "You're really pathetic. Your leaders are dead, and you're just standing here with no direction," he said without hesitation.A Sullivan cultivator stepped forward in anger. "How dare you say that! You're the one who ran first and left us," he shouted with emotion.Another added, "That's right! You coward. You saved yourself and now you come back to mock us?" a Hayes cultivator said with hatred.Luca

"Don't just focus on one direction," Lucas said casually, his hand striking straight toward Bradley.BAM!Bradley had to jump back to avoid it, his eyes narrowing sharply. "You really dare to side with him?" he said coldly.Lucas gave a faint smile. "I'm just choosing the winning side," he replied lightly.Quentin didn't wait. "Don't talk to him. Kill him now," he said without emotion.In an instant, both of them moved together.BOOM!Quentin attacked from the front, while Lucas attacked from the side. Their combined assault immediately pressured Bradley without giving him any opening.Bradley swung his sword, blocking Quentin's attack. "Interesting teamwork. A traitor and a loyal dog," he said while defending.But Lucas was already behind him."Too late."BAM!The attack hit Bradley's back, sending him stumbling forward a few steps."Aaagh!" Bradley groaned, but quickly turned and launched a counterattack.The energy explosion forced Quentin and Lucas to step back for a moment.Bradl

A strange energy pressure spread, not to suppress, but enough to slow their steps. It wasn't full power, but it was enough to create a moment of hesitation."Why rush to die like that?" Lucas's voice sounded calm, almost like giving advice. "You've survived this far, and now you want to end it with a reckless choice."James stopped, his eyes narrowing. "What do you mean? Don't try to play with words in front of us."Lucas looked at them one by one, his gaze sharp but still calm. "Who do you want to die for? Emperor Grant is already dead. The Langfords are gone. There's nothing left for you to protect."That sentence hit harder than any attack.Amelia gripped her spear tightly, her breathing starting to lose rhythm. "We're imperial soldiers. We don't need any other reason than that," she said.Lucas slowly shook his head. "Those are empty words if there's nothing left to protect. You're holding on to something that no longer exists."He took one step closer, his voice lowering but deep

The shadow of the past gradually faded, as if swallowed by the darkness.Fire, blood, and screams that once filled that night disappeared one by one, replaced by the soft sound of machines and the cold light of white lamps.Time returned to the present.Inside a secret laboratory hidden deep underground beneath the empire, the atmosphere felt silent and sterile. Steel walls reflected dim light, while advanced medical devices hummed softly, keeping a life that was almost gone alive.In the center of the room, a transparent capsule stood upright. Inside it, Zena's body lay still.Her skin was pale, her breathing was almost imperceptible, and her entire body was filled with fine energy cracks, like frozen glass shards, inside her flesh. The effect of the Langford Clan's attack was still deeply embedded, like a poison that refused to disappear.Lucas stood in front of the capsule, staring without blinking.His hand slowly lifted, touching the glass surface."I've waited too long…" he mutt

The atmosphere in the Hawkins family mansion felt much quieter than usual. Everything looked normal on the surface, but an unseen pressure hung in the air like a shadow that couldn't be erased.Vito Hawkins stood in front of the large window in his study, his phone pressed to his ear while his other hand clenched tightly at his side."How's Alexander's condition right now?" Vito asked in a low but firm voice, his eyes still looking out the window without focus.The voice on the other end sounded calm, too calm for a situation like this, as if there was no urgency in every word."He's still unconscious," Malric answered shortly, without any pause.Vito's jaw tightened the moment he heard that answer, and his breathing felt heavier than before. He tightened his grip on the phone, holding back something rising inside him."And his condition? Explain it clearly, Malric, I don't need half answers," Vito continued with a deeper tone.Malric went silent for a moment, as if choosing his words