Ragnar could feel gritty particles gathering beneath his eyelids, mixing with the blood matting his lashes. He would have to cleanse his eyes carefully. Otherwise, the damage might leave him with vision problems that even his Golden Eyes technique couldn't compensate for.He groaned and pushed himself onto his knees.“Easy! Wait, let's get you patched up first,” Zhuge Qingyun muttered, reaching out to steady him.Ragnar suddenly noticed Gu Tiance staring at him.His eyes were narrowed, suspicion written all over his face. He looked almost as though he'd seen a ghost. Or perhaps an anomaly.Ragnar followed his gaze to his injured hand.The gaping hole left by the giant spike was closing at a visible rate. Slowly, but unmistakably so to anyone observant enough. Even the severed blood vessels were reconnecting themselves.It wasn't normal. It shouldn't even be possible.If anyone discovered the extent of his bizarre ability, he would be in trouble.Sure, plenty of powerful bloodlines and

Another heavy stomp thundered from above.Metal rods, stones, and exposed rebar came crashing down around them.The spikes and blades continued firing relentlessly as Zhuge Qingyun and Gu Tiance struggled to knock them aside, keeping the deadly mechanisms from tearing into their bodies.Ragnar continued breathing dragonfire onto the gates, but with every successive breath, the flames grew weaker.He was barely holding on himself.With one final exhalation, he coated every inch of Gate Twelve in ice. The blades and mechanisms froze in place, their deadly movements finally halted.Just then, the ground beneath Gates Ten and Eleven collapsed completely.Zhuge Qingyun sucked in a sharp breath and leapt aside. His heart hammered wildly as a massive metal beam crashed down where he'd been standing moments earlier.He'd barely escaped being crushed.This place was becoming more dangerous by the second.“Tiance! Now!”Gu Tiance raised his hammer and swung it in a series of circles. Once. Twic

Whispers swept through the court, growing louder and more chaotic by the second. Students argued and speculated at the top of their voices, each offering their own interpretation of the events that had just unfolded.Nika watched Ragnar's retreating figure and sighed. Sorrow lingered in her eyes, mingling with something that looked painfully like regret.“Why do you keep looking at him?” someone snapped beside her.She turned to find Darlene standing nearby. She had been watching from a distance when Lady Beth's ropes had bound Nika.Darlene scoffed, her nose curling in disdain.“He's in for some serious shit this time. You should distance yourself from him even further. What a jinx.”Nika shot her a sideways glance. “Be careful what you say. He has done nothing wrong.”“Am I wrong? He's nothing but a jinx. Now Gu Tiance and Zhuge Qingyun will also get dragged into trouble because of their association with him. You should ignore him from now on. Don't let his ill wind rub off on you.”

By the time Ragnar reached the Emerald Lake Lodge Complex, he was utterly exhausted.Using spatial techniques would only have created more problems. His energy reserves were already depleted, and he couldn't afford to use any technique that required soul power. Otherwise, he might exhaust himself to the point where he would be unable to help Thane.He had no choice but to make the journey on foot, occasionally employing movement techniques to increase his speed.At last, he arrived at the Emerald Lake Complex, still carrying Thane in his arms.The moment he approached the lodge, his senses went on high alert.Armed men were stationed at various points outside their building, seemingly waiting for someone.Ragnar's eyes narrowed.What were they doing here?Just as he considered taking another route, he caught sight of the insignia on their uniforms.A Solar Falcon.The emblem of the Rothmere Clan. They were here for Thane.Ragnar took a step towards them, but another thought suddenly c

Ragnar cursed under his breath.Had he just been tricked? Weren't these people from Thane's branch of the family?Or was this some kind of test?His brows drew together as another possibility crossed his mind. Could they believe he was responsible for Thane's injuries and intend to punish him for it? Was that why they had brought him here under the pretence of helping Thane?His thoughts raced through one possibility after another. Yet, after a moment, he let out a slow sigh.He was already here. He might as well see it through to the end.His gaze swept across the room.The interior was minimalist, decorated almost entirely in shades of cream and mocha. Everything was neat, understated, and meticulously arranged. It certainly wasn't the kind of design Thane would have chosen for himself. If he had any say in the matter, the room would probably have been furnished quite differently.Ragnar's eyes continued moving, taking in every corner.Near the light crystal at the northern end of t