WAR GOD : Rise After Betrayal

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

The deeper the night grew, the more oppressive the atmosphere in the Cole mansion became.

Behind the high walls and layered security, Elara slept soundly in her room, unaware of anything amiss. The bedside lamp had been turned off. The curtains were half open, allowing faint moonlight to spill softly onto the marble floor.

Meanwhile, in another wing of the mansion, Ares woke up abruptly. He sat upright on the bed, his breath caught in his throat.

“No…” he murmured softly.

His chest felt tight. Not pain, but a sudden oppressive sensation with no clear cause. Ares closed his eyes, trying to calm himself, but instead, the image appeared again.

None other than Elara.

The woman was alone. And everything around her was dark, without any light.

A flash of sharp metal.

Ares opened his eyes quickly. His eyes widened.

“This isn’t a dream,” he whispered.

He stood up, his steps unsteady. His heart pounded hard. His hands clenched unconsciously.

“Why again?” he muttered in frustration. “Why is it always her?”

The image grew clearer. Elara lay still. A stranger stood nearby. The murderous intent felt so real that Ares became nauseous.

“I can’t stay still,” he said firmly to himself.

At that very moment, the pulse in his chest exploded.

The seal that had bound something deep within him all this time shattered completely.

Ares froze.

The air around him trembled. His eyes blazed brightly, not ordinary light, but a cold, inhuman glow.

“What is this…?” his voice was barely audible.

But his body did not wait for an answer.

In a single breath, Ares vanished from the room.

In Elara’s room, time seemed to flow normally. Elara shifted slightly, pulling the blanket higher. She murmured softly, then fell silent again.

Without a sound, a shadow appeared behind the curtain.

A man dressed in dark clothing stood there. His movements were almost silent. His face was covered by a black mask, leaving only his cold eyes visible.

He quickly scanned the room.

“Layered security,” he murmured quietly. “But they’re foolish enough not to realize an intruder has slipped in.”

The CCTV had been completely disabled. He was confident that tonight would proceed perfectly according to his master’s orders.

His hand moved, gripping a slim knife that reflected the moonlight. He stepped closer to the bed.

Elara was still asleep.

“Primary target,” he whispered. “Tonight, you must die.”

The knife was raised, aimed directly at Elara’s heart.

The next second—

The air in the room rippled.

“What—”

Before the man could react, a violent impact slammed into his body from the side.

“Urgh!”

His body was sent flying, crashing into a small table and then hurled toward the window. Glass shattered violently with a deafening sound.

“What is this?!” he shouted in panic.

Ares stood between the bed and the window. His eyes glowed brightly. His face was cold, expressionless.

“Don’t touch her,” Ares said quietly, but his voice carried immense pressure.

“Who are you—”

Before the sentence was finished, Ares moved.

A single powerful punch slammed into the man’s chest. No complicated technique. No unnecessary words.

Only pure strength.

The man’s body was thrown out through the shattered window.

“No—!”

The cry was cut off by a heavy impact from below.

Silence followed.

Then—

“What was that?!”

“What was that sound just now?!”

The guards’ shouts echoed from various directions. The mansion lights turned on one by one. Footsteps rushed closer.

Elara woke up screaming.

“Ahh!”

She sat upright on the bed, her breathing ragged. Shattered glass littered the floor. The night wind rushed inside.

“What’s happening?! Who’s there?!” her voice trembled.

The bedroom door was forced open.

“Miss Elara!”

Tom entered with several guards. Their faces were pale.

“Are you hurt?” Tom asked quickly.

Elara shook her head in panic. “I… I don’t know. Suddenly… the glass shattered.”

A guard ran to the window. “Mr. Tom! Someone fell from the upper floor!”

“Call the police!” Tom ordered. “Lock down the entire area!”

Elara looked around the room. Her chest rose and fell rapidly.

“There was… there was someone in my room,” she said shakily. “I’m sure of it.”

Tom nodded seriously. “We will investigate, Miss.”

Elara hugged herself. Her hands trembled.

“I almost…” She stopped, unable to continue.

Tom turned to the other guards. “Check every corner of the mansion. There must not be a single gap.”

“Yes!”

While chaos unfolded, in a dark corner of the room, the air trembled faintly.

Ares stood there for a moment, watching Elara from a distance.

Seeing Elara alive and safe from death was enough to calm him.

The glow in his eyes faded. The burning pulse in his chest slowly tightened again, as if forcibly pulled back inside.

“I must not be seen,” he murmured softly.

In an instant, Ares disappeared.

Several minutes later, Ares was already back in the guest room. His body staggered as he reappeared. He grabbed onto the table, his breathing heavy.

“What… did I just do?” he whispered.

His hands trembled. The light in his eyes was gone. All that remained was confusion and overwhelming exhaustion.

He slowly sat down on the edge of the bed.

“I can even disappear in seconds,” he murmured.

He covered his face with both hands.

“This is crazy,” he said quietly. “I must be stressed.”

Outside the room, the sound of footsteps and guards’ radios filled the air.

Ares lifted his head.

“Elara…” he murmured softly.

He stood up, glanced at the door, then shook his head gently.

“It’s better if I don’t appear,” he said to himself. “She doesn’t need to know.”

Ares lay back down. His eyes stared blankly at the ceiling. Inside his chest, the seal had fully opened and had now closed again.

But Ares still believed that all of this was nothing more than coincidence.