The battlefield lay wrapped in unnatural silence. Northern froze his entire body with Ice Manipulation, then warmed it back up. This left his skin slick with moisture that mingled with the blood staining his form, creating crimson rivulets that traced down his frame.
Meanwhile, both Verulanian soldiers and military forces remained frozen in place—they couldn't even attack each other anymore. They simply stood there, watching this strange and incomprehensible figure cleanse himself of blood in such an otherworldly manner.
Northern stepped away from the monster corpses, casting one final glance at them before his brow furrowed.
"I didn't even harvest the cores. Again. How careless I've become… tsk… even monsters deserve that courtesy. One mustn't forget the fundamentals."
He snapped his fingers. A clone materialized instantly, moving toward the nearest corpse and crouching down to begin its work.
Northern walked away slowly, surveying his surroundings as he moved.
Silence blanketed everything. Everyone was trying to retreat as far as possible.
Eventually, someone approached him. A tall man with golden beard and hair cascading down his shoulders reached him and bowed his head respectfully before speaking.
"I am Trisvellia Von Verulania..."
Northern's eyes widened slightly as he studied the man before him.
"My word... the first prince of Verulania himself."
He grasped the man's hand and shook it enthusiastically, offering a small bow.
"What an honor to meet you in person! I grew up on Verulania's outskirts, and I've followed news of your remarkable achievements since childhood. The kingdom is truly blessed to have you!"
The prince stared back at Northern with pale blue eyes that contrasted sharply with his golden hair and sun-weathered face—a striking combination that was impossible to ignore.
He released a dry chuckle.
"Ha... ha... I'm not entirely certain..."
Words failed him. He slowly surveyed the chaos that had just silenced the entire battlefield. The young man responsible had grown up in the borderlands of his own kingdom.
How was he supposed to process any of this?
He bowed even deeper to Northern and spoke with measured precision.
"First, sir, I must thank you for your tremendous aid today. Your presence changed everything. I hardly know what to say or how to express the depth of my gratitude. Honestly, I'm not even sure these are the right words, because my thoughts feel scrambled and I'm still struggling—with little success—to make sense of what just unfolded."
He paused, trembling. Now he was the one gripping the young man's hand.
"You arrived and defeated someone even the great Prominent Leg couldn't handle in under a minute. You slaughtered all four monsters that claimed hundreds of our soldiers' lives in even less time? How is such power possible? I had no idea another Paragon walked among us... and one raised in Verulania's outskirts, no less? So Verulania has finally birthed a Paragon? But wait... how can you be a Paragon at such a young age?!"
Northern continued watching the prince with growing concern.
The young man looked as though his sanity was unraveling.
"I think... oh wait... what do you need? How can we reward you for this kindness?"
Northern smiled slightly and shook his head.
"Any reward will have to wait. The war is far from over."
His expression slowly hardened, causing the prince to straighten.
"The nations—I'm certain they've remained indifferent to this entire war. I don't know their reasons, but it was a foolish move. They underestimated Dante, and they're going to pay dearly for that mistake. This was merely the opening strike."
He studied the prince intently before stepping back.
"Right now, I must focus on saving my school. You try to save what remains of your nation."
Northern's clone approached him, clutching several soul cores with a battered and bloodied man slung over its shoulders.
A small rift shimmered and tore through space itself. The prince and the people scattered around staggered backward but froze mid-step as they watched the clone enter the rift with the military man.
Northern waved dismissively.
"Don't worry about that."
The rift vanished completely.
Northern rose slowly into the air.
The prince stared up at him, his face a canvas of conflicting emotions. He looked as though he didn't want Northern to leave—wanted to learn more about this enigmatic young man, wanted answers to the questions burning in his mind.
Yet understanding flickered in his gaze. The weight of his own responsibilities reflected in the depths of his eyes.
"He seems like a good man."
Northern murmured to himself before flying toward the Estate.
***
The Estate's atmosphere had grown calmer compared to the chaos that had consumed it earlier.
The Arena marked the Estate's heart—frozen, still, standing like a monument that whispered stories of sacrifice and courage.
Most students had received treatment and now sat gathered around the first estate building. Though they could have entered their usual resting place, the instructors had ordered them to remain outside. Preparations were underway for an immediate return to the Academy.
Instructors and Citadel representatives, along with notable clan representatives who had helped secure the students' safety, moved busily throughout the grounds.
The students sensed something was deeply wrong, but none understood exactly what was unfolding.
They suspected the city was under attack, but this felt like something far worse.
Nyssa sat leaning against one of the columns that framed the building's entrance. Beside her, the vice president had also taken a seat. Behind her, leaning against the same column, his stomach and head were bandaged, his face pale yet radiating more life than anyone would expect from someone who'd been stabbed mere hours ago.
Still, a despondent expression clouded his features. Nyssa's face appeared deadpan but carried a somber weight.
Shae clenched his teeth inwardly, hiding the action behind closed lips. He looked down slightly.
"I heard he died trying to protect us…"
Nyssa remained silent for a long moment, then her voice emerged—tender and fragile, demanding gentle care.
"There's no way to know for certain. No one has checked the coliseum. He could be frozen... maybe by his own talent ability."
Her voice carried a broken quality that made Shae's eyes widen slightly as he looked at her.
She frowned and met his stare.
"What?"
He shook his head and quickly looked away.
"Nothing!"
A melancholy smile ghosted across his face barely a second later as he turned his gaze toward his feet.
"...It's just that... I've never seen that expression in your eyes before."
Nyssa tilted her head to the right, trying to decipher Shae's words, but understanding seemed to elude her.
Then something descended toward them from the sky.