The heavy wooden door of Baron’s private hostel room clicked shut.Juliana immediately turned the brass lock, letting out a long, heavy breath that she had been holding ever since they left the main corridor. She turned around to face Baron, who stood in the middle of the dim room with his back to her. His shoulders were stiff, his hands clenched tightly into fists at his sides."Baron," Juliana said softly, her voice filled with deep concern as she took a slow step toward him. "Please, talk to me."Baron didn't move. He kept staring at the wooden floorboards, his breath coming in ragged, uneven gasps. The red glow of his Crimson Qi was still faintly flickering beneath his skin like a trapped fire trying to burst free."Baron, look at me," Juliana pleaded, stepping right in front of him and gently placing her warm hands on both sides of his face.The moment her cool fingers touched his skin, Baron trembled. He slowly looked up, his dark eyes brimming with a terrifying mix of raw grief

The howling wind blew across the desolate borderlands, carrying the bitter stench of ash and dry mud.Lord Jordan Rockwood walked slowly through the dark, jagged gorge, his long velvet cloak snapping in the wind. Standing beside him was his silent bodyguard, while James, Maya, and Loveth trailed a few paces behind. Up ahead, perched upon a barren stone cliff, sat a dark fortress built from black iron and jagged rock—the lair of the notorious Dark Master, Dukaki."Father, are you sure about this?" James asked, adjusting his leather collar as he looked up at the ominous iron fortress. "Dukaki is a maniac. He fought alongside Matthew Vance’s army in the last war. The man lost half his dark warlords to Dean Lashley’s forces.""That is precisely why we are here, James," Lord Jordan replied, his voice cold, steady, and full of calculating arrogance. "Dukaki is humiliated. He is bitter, hungry for revenge, and hiding in these wasteland rocks like a wounded wolf. A wounded wolf with five hund

The night air was dead silent as Baron walked his evening patrol through the quiet stone corridors of Tuntadel’s residential wing. His Student President sash was pinned neatly across his chest, and his dark eyes scanned every shadow, on high alert for any sign of Rockwood trouble. Suddenly, frantic footsteps echoed down the empty hallway! "Baron! Please! Help me!" a hysterical voice sobbed. Baron spun around, his hand dropping to his belt. Kate came stumbling out of the shadows, her hair wild, tears streaming down her face, her uniform torn at the shoulder. She collapsed onto her knees right in front of him, clutching at his trousers with trembling, desperate hands. "Kate?!" Baron gasped, instantly dropping down to support her shoulders. "What happened to you?! What's wrong?" "It's... it's my younger brother!" Kate wept uncontrollably, her chest heaving as she pointed a shaking finger back toward the dark western corridor. "James Rockwood... he found out my brother refused to joi

The golden hues of daybreak bled across the horizon, casting long, dramatic shadows over Tuntadel University’s central plaza.Hundreds of students gathered in terrified, whispering crowds around the marble fountain. Word had spread through the dormitories like wildfire: Student President Baron Colgate had vanished during his night patrol, and the Rockwoods had called a mandatory dawn assembly.Stepping out onto the raised stone balcony at the center of the lawn were James, Maya, and Loveth Rockwood.Behind them, two muscular Future Faction recruits dragged a figure bound in heavy, dark iron chains. Baron’s head hung low, his arms pinned tightly to his torso, his shirt torn and stained with dark purple blood from the Spiritual Lead slash on his shoulder. He could barely hold his head up—the paralyzing poison was still binding his core, keeping his body completely helpless."Look!" a female student shrieked from the crowd, clutching her face in horror. "It's Baron! What did they do to h

The bitter wind howled across the jagged rocks of the desolate borderlands, carrying the foul stench of smoke and black magic.In the wide canyon below the iron fortress, five hundred dark warlords stood in tight, menacing lines. They wore spiked leather armor, bone masks, and carried heavy black-iron broadswords. Parked behind them were massive, black-market siege engines—heavy ballistas and armored battering rams forged from corrupted dark steel, stamped with the hidden crest of the Rockwood Syndicate.Dukaki stood at the edge of a high stone cliff, overlooking his assembling army. His dark black aura hovered around his shoulders like a storm cloud, his green eyes burning with murderous delight.Beside him stood his chief lieutenant, a giant warlord named Vane, whose arms were covered in dark magic tattoos."Look at them, Vane," Dukaki rasped, his scarred face twisting into a hideous, cruel smile. "Five hundred bloodthirsty fighters! Armed with the finest black-market siege weapons