Before the elder could recover, another punch smashed into his jaw, sending Malachar staggering backward. Kade gave him no chance to regain his footing. He immediately followed with a spinning kick aimed directly at the old man’s head.Bang!Malachar barely managed to raise Titanfall in time. The impact forced him backward several more meters, his boots carving deep trenches across the shattered earth.“Not bad,” Malachar admitted, steadying himself. “But…” His smile gradually disappeared, his expression turning cold. “…this ends now.”Without warning, he stopped moving altogether and planted Titanfall upright before him.The colossal weapon began vibrating violently as crimson energy spread across the battlefield like flowing rivers of blood, crawling through countless cracks in the earth. The ominous aura instantly sent alarm bells ringing through Kade’s mind.Danger.Every instinct he possessed screamed at him to retreat.Unfortunately…He was already too late.Malachar slowly spre

Kade remained staring into the night sky for another few moments before finally turning around.“It seems…”“…my real journey has only just begun.”Without another word, he disappeared from the ruined battlefield.⸻Nearly half an hour later…Azure Organization’s Eastern Headquarters remained brightly lit despite the late hour.Inside the emergency command hall, Elder George Hale, Reign Bozeman, Hazel, and the surviving Dragon Guards stood restlessly. No one had been willing to sit down. Ever since retreating under Kade’s orders, every passing minute had felt like torture.Reign paced back and forth like a caged beast.“I shouldn’t have left.”His fists remained tightly clenched.“I should’ve stayed and fought beside him.”George remained silent.Although his injuries had already been treated, his face was unusually pale. He understood better than anyone how terrifying Malachar truly was. Sending Kade to fight alone had been the most painful decision of his life.Hazel repeatedly look

A faint smile appeared on Kade’s face as every pair of eyes remained fixed on him, waiting for an explanation. He raised his left hand, allowing the black golden ring resting on his finger to catch the light of the command hall before gently rotating it between his fingers.“The reason I could wield Titanfall…”His gaze settled on the ring.“…was because of this.”Everyone instinctively followed his line of sight.“The Azure Seal?”George frowned slightly.Kade nodded. “When I was this ring during the coronation, I originally thought it was nothing more than a symbol of authority. It wasn’t until today that I truly understood one of its hidden abilities. You were the one who mentioned earlier that the Azure Seal possesses the power to nullify certain enchantments placed upon artifacts.”George slowly nodded.“I did.”Kade continued without the slightest hesitation, his tone calm enough to make the lie sound perfectly reasonable. “Titanfall recognizes only cultivators who have reached

The words “Chad Bozeman?” echoed through the command hall, and for the first time since returning from the battlefield, genuine surprise flashed across Kade’s face. The atmosphere that had only moments ago been relaxed instantly became heavy once again. Every Dragon Guard present looked toward one another in confusion, unable to understand why the elder would dare convene an emergency council without first informing the King himself. It wasn’t merely unusual—it was a direct violation of Azure Organization’s chain of command. Since Kade’s coronation, every major decision involving the Council of Elders had required the King’s approval. Chad had served Azure for decades. He knew the rules better than anyone. Which was exactly why his actions made even less sense.Kade sighed, his expression becoming unreadable as countless possibilities flashed through his mind. Chad Bozeman had never been someone who acted impulsively. Whatever he was planning had undoubtedly been calculated well in ad

The silence inside the Grand Council Hall was so absolute that even the faint crackling of the spirit lamps along the walls could be heard. Every elder remained frozen after Kade’s question, their eyes shifting between the King seated at the head of the table and Chad Bozeman, who remained comfortably seated as though he hadn’t just ignored the highest authority in Azure Organization. The tension was almost tangible, pressing down upon everyone present like an invisible weight.For several seconds, Chad simply smiled.Then, very slowly, he rose to his feet.His chair scraped across the polished stone floor, the sound echoing throughout the chamber.Instead of showing the slightest remorse, he calmly adjusted the sleeves of his robe before finally looking directly at Kade.“You ask why I didn’t seek your permission?”His voice was steady.“I’ll answer you.”He paused just long enough for every person in the hall to focus entirely on him.“Because…”His eyes hardened.“…I don’t acknowle