The cold night mist shrouded the towering rows of black pine trees, rising like pillars of death. Beneath the dense canopy, Gerry stood atop the highest branch, staring straight toward the main trail that cut through the forest. The night wind rustled through the trees, carrying the scent of resin and frost that seemed to pierce his pores, yet the young man did not move an inch. His right arm throbbed with warmth, emitting a glow of black-and-gold metallic lines that pulsed in rhythm with his heartbeat.Warning: Ground structure analysis complete. Mineral density at the central point is sufficient to conduct the freezing rune's energy, Vesper's voice rang softly inside Gerry's head, displaying a holographic visual map of intricate geometric lines spreading through the roots and rocks beneath the forest floor.Gerry raised his right hand, allowing his fingertips to touch the surface of the pine tree beside him. The moment contact was made, a stream of pale blue, icy energy seeped from

The remnants of the Sterling clan's guardian forces lay stiffly across the snow-covered ground, spilling pools of thick blood that seeped into the ice and stained the white pine forest a dark crimson. The night air trembled violently beneath the pressure of the dark aura emanating from the Obsidian Fang, which hummed with a low vibration. Amid the scattered corpses and fragments of the ruined war chariot, Helena stood trapped behind a golden barrier dome that had begun to crack with a creaking sound. Her breath came in ragged, uneven gasps inside her chest, which felt as though it had been struck by a sledgehammer.Gerry stepped forward without a sound, staring straight into the golden wall of light. The sound of galloping horses in the distance grew fainter, muffled by the deathly silence created by this swift massacre. No reinforcements would arrive in time to save what remained of the Sterling clan's pride here."You can't hide behind that shield forever, Helena," Gerry said coldly

Dandy screamed in agony as the golden spiritual energy within his abdomen was forcibly ripped out by the radiance of the Obsidian Fang. His piercing cries shattered the silence of the grand hall, which was filled with thousands of invited guests. The young man's body arched rigidly in midair, completely immobilized by the absolute metal manipulation that had taken control of the entire Sterling Clan palace formation."Argh! No! My stomach... it feels like it's going to explode!" Dandy roared between his agonized screams, saliva and sweat mixing across his face as it turned deathly pale.Gerry stood directly before Dandy, his right hand wrapped in streams of black and golden liquid metal as it plunged into the young man's navel without hesitation. There was not the slightest trace of mercy in Gerry's pitch-black eyes. He allowed the Forging Heart to operate at full capacity, tearing apart the artificial meridian pathways that had spent the last two weeks surviving off a stolen organ."

The night sky above the main residence of the Sterling Clan was illuminated by clashes of deep gold and pitch-black energy colliding in the air, creating artificial flashes of lightning that struck the marble ruins. Alex Sterling screamed, spewing black blood from his mouth as his forbidden monstrous form absorbed the remnants of energy from the fallen soldiers scattered around the palace courtyard. The trapped human souls were forcibly drawn into Alex's meridians, boosting his physical strength until they created gravitational pressure powerful enough to crush the massive stones around him."You think you can defeat me with that stolen blood, Gerry?!" Alex shouted in a hoarse voice that sounded like rusted metal scraping against metal, his eyes glowing red with blazing hatred.Gerry stood tall atop a pile of rubble, his eyes fixed sharply ahead without the slightest trace of fear. The golden-black metallic lines along his right arm pulsed in rhythm with the beat of his new heart, rad

The morning wind blew fiercely, sending clouds of dust from the ruins of the former Sterling clan residence swirling through what had now become a vast open plaza. Before thousands of alliance cultivators, shadow soldiers, and prominent representatives of the Azure clan standing in neat rows across the courtyard of the new palace, Gerry stood tall on the main balcony. His gray robe billowed in the wind, while his right arm radiated a glow of black-gold metallic lines that had perfectly merged with his pure bloodline.On the left side of the balcony, Lyra, the Azure clan’s chief envoy, raised a blue jade seal high into the air, signifying the official recognition of the young man’s absolute dominion. The roar of the wind seemed to subside, replaced by reverent silence as thousands of eyes gazed upon the figure who had just brought down the greatest dynasty in the western territory of the continent in a single night. That day’s coronation was not merely a declaration of victory, but a t