"What a peculiar child. Your talent is truly immeasurable, so much so that I find it hard to believe you're human. It's being wasted here. How about it? Join us, and I'll let you kill her."
The gazes of Kazimir and the other branch heads flickered with shock. Even Avalon and Anastasia, who instinctively wanted to fly up to their son, were momentarily frozen in disbelief.
Avalon grabbed Anastasia's arm, stopping her, though the tension in the air was intense.
Before anyone could react, Blackgate raised his arm, and in an instant, Elysia materialized in front of him, trembling.
Her once-confident demeanor had crumbled entirely, her face now marred with fear, her body old and withered. She began speaking fast, stuttering.
"My lord, I-I mean Paragon… I've been loyal to the Order. I-I would never betray—"
Her voice, once cold and assured, was now trembling and frail, matching her aged appearance. But mid-sentence, her words were cut off.
A sharp, piercing scream filled the air as blood gushed from her mouth. Her tongue had been severed without warning, blood dripping from her lips.
She met Blackgate's eyes in horror, immediately silencing herself, her body shaking in sheer terror.
Blackgate turned his attention back to Atticus, but his eyebrows lifted slightly. The temperature around them was climbing rapidly.
Inside Seraphina's construct, Atticus had become a living inferno, his body radiating heat so intense it warped the air, turning it into a liquid-like haze. The flames around him roared hotter than ever, every inch of his form pulsating with fury.
Blackgate smiled, "Such anger. Beautiful."
He stretched his hand out toward Atticus, fingers curling as though to pull him in.
But then a sharp voice cut through the tension, cold and intense. "You must be blind."
Seraphina's usual serene tone was gone, replaced with an icy fury that chilled the air.
A large shadow suddenly stretched out from behind her, an oppressive aura radiating from her figure that made the entirety of Sector 3 shudder.
The ground quaked beneath her power as her gaze erupted into an intense purple glow. Behind her, two massive, slanted yellow eyes appeared, looming over the battlefield like the gaze of a divine beast.
Her voice echoed through the space, regal and majestic, carrying a weight that only a divine being should possess.
"It's either that, or you've chosen to blatantly disregard me."
Purple marks etched themselves across her face as her aura grew even more intense, cracks splitting the earth beneath her feet. The power of a Paragon unleashed fully.
"I would advise you pick the first option. I have a short fuse."
The air grew thick, the tension climbing to a suffocating level. Even the grandmasters in the area found it hard to breathe. Seraphina's aura had fully erupted, the pressure making it clear she was ready for battle.
Avalon clenched his fists so hard his knuckles turned white. The others stood still, watching with grim expressions.
Another Paragon clash here would annihilate Sector 3. However, Avalon, Anastasia, and most of the Ravensteins were more worried about Atticus, who was dangerously close to the action.
Blackgate, however, merely chuckled. "Seraphina… I would be a fool to claim I didn't see you. But does that really matter? Drop the bravado. We both know you have more to lose here than I do."
For a moment, Seraphina hesitated. Blackgate was right. If they fought now, Sector 3 would be reduced to nothing.
She might be able to protect Atticus, but the others would perish, and she knew he would never forgive her for it. Her aura waned slightly as she reconsidered her position, realizing the gravity of the situation.
Seeing her pull back, Blackgate turned back to Atticus. "So, what do you say? The Order is the perfect place for you to grow."
The entire battlefield descended into silence, every gaze locked on Atticus, waiting for his response. For a brief moment, the world seemed to stand still.
But none of the Ravensteins had a shred of doubt. Atticus was a Ravenstein through and through. And if there was one thing the Ravensteins never were—it was forgiving.
Atticus's molten gaze met the man's silver eyes. Despite the fact that the man was a Paragon, Atticus did not flinch. His rage burned hotter than ever, the flames licking the air around him. His voice was calm, but the heat in his words was scorching.
"Right now, I'm weak. So weak that I can only watch as you leave, unable to stop you." His eyes glowed, and the temperature spiked, the flames around him surging.
"But I promise you, No matter how long it takes, I'll hunt you down—every last one of you. And when I find you, you'll beg me for a mercy you will not receive. Burn my face into your mind, because it will be the last thing you see before you die."
Silence followed.
Avalon and Sirius grinned wide, pride swelling in their hearts. Lyanna's smile was fierce, while the Ravenstein elders chuckled darkly.
Anastasia clutched her chest, a sad expression appearing on her face. Even Seraphina couldn't help but chuckle.
"He's a fiery one, isn't he?" one of the Triplets of Ruin suddenly said.
"Clearly. Must be all that Ravenstein blood," Rurik added.
However, the third squinted his eyes at Atticus before adding, "Well, someone's got to teach him to make proper threats. He's still a bit green."
Blackgate's expression remained calm—until his smile suddenly widened, and he broke into a fit of laughter.
"How unfortunate," he said between laughs. "You really are dangerous."
Blackgate's arm stretched out, and the entire world seemed to pause. Seraphina's eyes narrowed, instantly alert. Her aura flared again, preparing to act.
But before Blackgate could move, the sky above him churned violently, thick clouds gathering in an instant.
Thunder roared, followed by a flash of lightning that struck down just in front of Seraphina.
A brilliant white light filled the battlefield, momentarily blinding everyone. When the light dimmed, a figure stood tall, radiant and commanding.
The man was made entirely of lightning, his form crackling with electric energy. Yet, despite his elemental appearance, everyone knew him immediately—Magnus Ravenstein.
Seraphina's sharp eyes narrowed. 'It's just a construct,' she deduced. Magnus wasn't physically present, but the sheer aura of the lightning construct was overwhelming, blanketing the battlefield in radiant energy.
Magnus's construct didn't speak. It didn't need to. The radiant spear in its right hand was more than enough of a statement.
Blackgate glanced at the construct, his smile unwavering, before turning his gaze toward Sector 2. Powerful figures were rapidly approaching from the distance. The reinforcements were nearly there.
Blackgate turned back to Atticus, his gaze lingering for a moment before his grin widened. "I'll look forward to seeing you again."
A massive black gate appeared in the sky above, its dark form swirling ominously. It descended over the group, engulfing them, and in the blink of an eye, their forms vanished from the battlefield, leaving behind only silence and devastation.