A fierce wind lashed against his tattered cloak as he shot down from the height of the cliff. His body felt light, yet heavy with the Void energy surging through every fiber of his muscles. Below, the Mist Valley looked like an open wound carved into the earth, shrouded in unnaturally pulsing violet mist. But he did not head there directly. He needed footing. He needed information more precise than the system’s scan.Black Ivory City. That was the name of the nearest settlement on the border of Arbian territory. The city was a dumping ground for wanderers, mercenaries, and those unwanted by the major sects. The perfect place for someone who had just crawled out of hell.He landed on the outskirts with a soft, nearly inaudible thud. His boots sank into the muddy ground, splashing dirty water onto his cloak. He straightened, letting the Shadow Veiling function operate at full capacity. His pale skin prickled slightly as the illusion of an ordinary human aura wrapped around him, conceali

Dust and fragments of the altar stone scattered wildly as his body slammed into the center of the formation with meteor-like force. The ground beneath his feet collapsed instantly, forming a gaping crater that spread outward, cracking the crystal pillars around him. With fury burning like molten hellfire, he charged through the thick purple mist, ignoring the thousands of Arbian soldiers staring at him in horror and fear.“Elara!” he roared, his voice breaking under the weight of despair and uncontrollable rage. His black-scaled hand reached out desperately, trying to tear apart the chains of energy binding the girl on the altar.But when his fingers touched Elara’s skin, there was no warmth. No heartbeat that once calmed him. Her figure trembled faintly, then shattered into thousands of cold, merciless purple particles, scattering like ash in the wind.Before him, Kael’s figure faded as well, leaving behind only a mocking echo of laughter that reverberated across the valley, as if th