The raiders stood frozen, none daring to move a muscle. They had thought they'd won, but in truth the fight had never truly begun. Anthony and Jaxen had expected this outcome. An S-rank boss shouldn't have gone down that easily. Now the true fight had begun. Anthony pointed his sword forward. "Don't waver! Everyone in formation! It's just one more round. We can do this!" The raiders' courage rushed back into their veins. As long as they had their capable leader, they still had a chance. There was still hope. Valdamond Black tilted his head, facing toward Anthony. "You seem to spark hope in their eyes. As I earlier expected, you're a real nuisance." "You're not going to instill fear in us!" Anthony paused in a defensive stance. Whoosh. Valdamond Black vanished from sight. Blink Sight immediately activated. Jaxen saw it—in exactly 0.5 seconds, he glimpsed what was going to happen. But it was too fast. Boom! Valdamond Black punched straight at a forcefield protecting Anthony.

Peter and the mages were preparing the magic circle. As before, Peter stood at the center, his staff planted firmly on the cracked stone floor. The five mages surrounded him, their hands extended, their faces pale with exhaustion and fear. The mission was simple. All the mages would have their mana absorbed by Peter, and Peter would then act as a channel and pour all the mana into Valdamond. A direct overload. A final gambit. Of course, Peter was capable of doing things by himself. He could end this fight in an instant. But seeing Jaxen struggle against Valdamond was worth a few slaughters. Especially if it meant Jaxen would grow stronger. He needs to learn, Peter thought, his eyes fixed on the battle ahead. He needs to understand that death isn't always an option. That sometimes, he has to fight without a safety net. Jaxen and Valdamond continued to exchange blows. Pound for pound, sending shockwaves rippling through the air. The ground beneath them cracked and crumbled wit

"Quick! You have to stop the bleeding!"The raiders swarmed around Jaxen. With his foot cut off, he was bleeding uncontrollably, his life spilling out onto the cracked stone floor.Jaxen's foot had fallen with Valdamond. There was no reattaching it.Anthony rushed to a nearby lava pool, plunging his blade into the molten rock just long enough to heat the metal. He withdrew it, the edge glowing red-hot, and pressed it against Jaxen's wound. The sizzle of cauterized flesh filled the air. Jaxen's body convulsed, his teeth clenched, but he didn't scream. He was too weak.Peter knelt beside him, his hands glowing with green healing magic. The light washed over Jaxen's wound, closing the worst of the damage, but the blood loss had already taken its toll. Jaxen's eyes fluttered before closing completely.After sealing the wound, they wrapped it tightly with strips of torn cloth to secure the cauterized stump."We don't have lo

The morning sun streamed through the windows of Liberty Guild headquarters, casting golden light across the polished floors. The building was buzzing with energy—staff members rushing through the halls, phones ringing off the hook, reporters gathered outside the entrance.Jaxen walked through the doors, his prosthetic foot clicking against the marble floor. He had received Bill's call like everyone else. Another meeting. Another announcement.He didn't want to be here.But he came anyway.The main hall was packed. Raiders from both teams filled the space, their wounds healing, their spirits high. Anthony stood near the front, his ribs still wrapped but his posture straight. Sofia was beside him, her arm no longer in a sling. Jack leaned against a pillar, his axes strapped to his back.Peter was nowhere to be seen.Bill stood at the front of the room, his arm fully healed—the Stitch Cradle had done its work. He was all s

"Gods? Multiverses? Wars?" Jaxen's voice was sharp, edged with disbelief. "You really expect me to believe all that crap?"He didn't want to believe Peter's words. The weight of it all felt unreal. It sounded unrealistic—that an all-powerful entity chose him, a nobody from the Grayzone, to save the multiverse from an inevitable threat."Why me to begin with?" Jaxen's hands clenched into fists. "What's so special about me? I'm a nobody. Why didn't it choose someone else? Maybe one of the god-tier hunters. Maybe someone from another universe or planet or—"Peter stood up from his stool, his expression unreadable. "No one knows. AEONAXIS didn't choose a successor based on merits or power. He had his reasons.""Bullshit." Jaxen stood up, his prosthetic foot pressing against the floor. "What did you expect would happen? That I would blindly believe your words? All this nonsense about a cosmic war that could end everything—"Peter mov