To be honest, Victor could see every movement Kai made… Heck, He could track each step as though Kai were trudging through water!!
The truth was, Victor’s focus wasn’t on Kai…. but on the sword he wielded.
That blade wasn’t just powerful; it was radiating a pressure only a Sovereign’s weapon could command.
It was far beyond what Kai could handle.
The sword’s energy throbbed, unstable as if straining to synchronize with its wielder.
Victor couldn’t help but think of it like shoving a top-tier processor into a cheap phone—impressive on paper, but wasted when it can’t be used to its full potential.
If Kai had levelled up even a little more, maybe he’d have stood a chance at wielding it properly.
Yet the assault continued,
BOOM!
BOOOM!
BOOOM!
The entire castle shook with each impact, cracks spidering across the ground as the mountain felt the pressure.
One by one, students and servants began to trickle out from their rooms, confused and frightened by the tremors.
Among them was Vesperine, although she emerged slightly delayed, having put Leon to sleep and dressed quickly, a drowsy expression painted on her face, “What’s happening?” she asked, looking to Kira and the other attendants.
Kira chuckled, though there was a hint of nervousness in her tone. “Well… let’s just say your boyfriend might not make it to see tomorrow’s sunrise,” she said, pointing down toward the ground below.
There, Victor was crouched over, repeatedly slamming his fists into Kai’s bloodied form, each punch landing with brutal indifference.
Vesperine’s eyes widened, her heart skipping a beat as her gaze locked on the beaten body on the ground.
Before she knew it, she was running.
“KAI!” she screamed, voice laced with both fury and fear.
Victor’s knuckles were stained red as he delivered punch after punch, his face expressionless, but each blow carrying a simmering anger that had been held back far too long.
Thanks to his Freedom skill, he could finally unleash all that pent-up rage without violating his contract.
For now, at least.
[Warning: Killing Kai Frostblade is not advisable!]
Victor chuckled under his breath, ‘Who said I’m killing him?’
[Please refrain from killing your contractor]
Victor ignored the log’s interference, gazing down at Kai’s barely conscious, bruised face, his voice lowering to a dangerous growl, “You thought you were stronger than me?… Hehe… I haven’t even used half my power, Kai.”
BOOOMM!
Crack!
Blood splattered from Kai’s mouth as cracks spread outwards from his broken form, the plain ground beneath him resembling a shattered spider web.
“If you ever call Selene those filthy names again…” Victor leaned close, voice low and deadly, “Mark my words, it’ll be the last thing you ever do.”
Victor’s muscles tensed, his fist drawing back for a final, punishing blow….when suddenly, a thin, shimmering blue blade appeared at his throat.
“Stop!” Aqualina’s voice was sharp as steel, her expression set in a tight frown.
But it wasn’t just her.
“Victor, you need to stand down,” Helena’s voice echoed from behind him, her fingers crackling with golden energy, her expression firm and unyielding.
“NO!” Vesperine arrived at Kai’s side, her face pale with fury and fear, shielding Kai as she glared at Victor with tearful eyes.
Victor’s gaze shifted to each of them.
Aqualina held her blade steady, ‘I can’t let Kai die—not before he signs the Aether over to me,’ she thought, her jaw clenching as she tried to steel her nerves.
Helena, fingers glowing brighter, ‘I might not like Kai, he might be a good guy but I can’t afford to lose Aether….. who might become stray slave,’ she reminded herself.
Meanwhile, Vesperine trembled outwardly, but inwardly, her thoughts betrayed her composed exterior. ‘Damn, he really is something… Those muscles… that strength. If only he were my target,’ she thought, biting her lip as her eyes flickered over Victor’s bare, muscular chest.
Each of them had their own reasons, their own agendas. But Victor, smirking as he regarded the situation, took a step forward, defying the blade at his neck.
“Did you really think… you could stop me?” He leaned into Aqualina’s sword, brushing his fingers over the blade, his eyes flashing with amusement. “Or hold me back?”
Aqualina’s grip tightened, and her voice shook with barely restrained anger, “Victor, don’t test me.”
“Oh?” he raised an eyebrow, a grin breaking across his face. “Or what?
Aqualina smirked her excitement barely contained.
She’d always been curious about the Sovereign’s disciple.
Could she take him on?
Without hesitation, she angled her slender blue sword, her eyes sparkling with challenge. “Shall we put it to the test?” she taunted, pushing her blade toward him.
Victor’s eyebrows lifted in amusement. Catching her sword with his bare hand, he gripped it tight as blood seeped from his hand and
BOOM!
Helena who was standing behind Victor blinked because she didn’t see what happened just now.
She turned back and saw Aqualina who was hit on the wall as she crumbled on the floor!
Victor barely glanced over his shoulder. “How about you?” he asked, his tone dripping with invitation.
Helena flinched, but a spark of defiance lit her eyes. “I’m much stronger than her,” she stated, gathering energy in her hands.
“Oh?” Victor turned fully, a smirk playing on his lips, “Then let’s find out…” With a flick of his hand, the golden fireball she’d summoned shot outward, nearly slipping from her grasp. She tried to summon another spell, but Victor was faster, landing a swift kick to her midsection that sent her hurtling into the sky like a meteor.
“AAAAAAaaaaahhhhhhhhhh….” Helena’s voice faded into the distance.
Victor chuckled, watching her disappear into the clouds before refocusing his attention on Kai’s crumpled form… But Vesperine, trembling yet resolute, stepped between them, her eyes wide with fear but her stance unwavering, “P-Please… don’t hurt him,” she stammered, legs shaking.
Victor grinned, stepping closer, “Look at you… even terrified, and yet you stand your ground. What a brave little thing you are~”
[+100 AP]
Victor blinked, glancing at Vesperine once more. Her face was painted with fear…
“Anyway…” He moved forward, raising his hand dismissively, “Step aside, and I’ll—”
“Mind if I join in the fun?” A voice interrupted, a hand suddenly clasping Victor’s shoulder.
Victor grinned, twisting just in time to dodge Thalia’s swift kick. “Of course,” he murmured, catching her ankle and knocking her off-balance. But she managed to twist in midair, narrowly avoiding a collision with the ground by flipping out of his grasp.
“Not bad,” Victor said, eyes narrowing in appreciation.
“I didn’t expect you to grab my sword without hesitation.” Aqualina’s voice dripped with frustration as she regained her footing beside Thalia, brushing the dust from her clothes.
Thud!
Helena landed nearby, fury blazing in her eyes, “I held back because you helped me before, Victor, but now…” She raised her hand, light pouring from her fingers.
Victor smirked at the growing crowd, rolling his shoulders as he prepared himself, ‘If only they knew I was Aether…’ He couldn’t help but savour the thought. “Alright, ladies. Come at me!” he declared, voice laced with dark amusement.
Ssssshhh!
Meanwhile…
Arkanis, after dealing with the remains of a monstrous elephant, held two gleaming, rainbow-coloured crystals in his hands, his gaze fixed on them. “What are these?” he muttered, frowning at the unusual energy radiating from each stone.
He’d thought they were merely the creature’s eyes, but there was something… different about them.
“They hold a strange power… Yet strange as I never felt this before” he mused, pocketing them for later examination. Satisfied, he turned back, eager to check on his son.
Pushing open the grand hall doors, he was met with a sight he hadn’t expected…. emptiness.
“What’s happened here?” Arkanis demanded.
One of the guards immediately dropped to his knees, recounting the events that had transpired. But before he could finish,
Thud!
His head fell to the floor, lifeless, with Arkanis gazing down at the rest of the guard detail with an icy expression.
“What were you all doing while my son was dishonoured?”
The remaining guards stammered, “N-No… Dragon Emperor—”
Thud!
Another head rolled.
“Did you enjoy watching?” Arkanis’s voice was devoid of warmth as he advanced, his killing intent stifling.
“N-No, Emperor, please—”
In seconds, the grand hall floor ran red with blood, the guards lying motionless in his wake.
With furious eyes and a voice booming with unrestrained wrath, he shouted,
“VIIIIIICTOOOOOOOORRR!” His words echoed, shaking the empire itself.
Back in the castle courtyard…
Victor held both Aqualina and Thalia in each hand, their necks held tightly as they struggled. A grin spread across his face, a dangerous gleam in his eyes, “Ah… look who we have now~”
