Anjee let out a harsh laugh, his voice breaking through the air. "Fantasy, you say? Hahahahaha."
Even frozen under my control, his body trembled violently.
His teeth lengthened, and his eyes burned red-hot with rage as he shouted, "If my family and I were so weak, then why did our members start dying whenever they showed talent? Why were our resources taken away? Why did our women have to marry into the Ranthors if they were strong? We are not weak, you’re just pathetic cowards who try to control us at every step."
Before Dijet could open his mouth, I raised my hand.
"Alright, enough. This isn’t a family drama. At least you both agree that something was found at that location, something Saturn discovered. The Ferans came to know about it, and now even more are coming. So, tell me, what was the deal between you and Saturn?"
Dijet exhaled heavily. "The deal was simple. He gave us the location and helped with the initial setup. In return, we promised to help him destroy the Vaythos and take control of Sukra."
"Interesting." I nodded slowly. "But tell me, did you know Saturn was a traitor?"
Dijet’s head snapped up. "What do you mean?"
"He was in contact with Phantoms," I said, meeting his gaze.
His eyes went wide, panic spreading across his face as he shook his head frantically. "No. We didn’t know that. We had no connection with them, none at all."
I watched him carefully, noting how desperate he was to distance himself from Saturn. After a moment, I gave a small nod. "Alright, if you say so."
"So, Anjee told me that this Transcendent named Vaelix is coming here. Is that true?" I asked.
Dijet met my gaze and gave a slow nod.
"And how many people are they bringing?"
He smirked, that familiar Feran arrogance showing even through the pain.
"Fifty Grandmasters and around a hundred Masters. They’ll be led by a Transcendent, Vaelix. I heard he’s close to level three hundred fifty, maybe even higher."
I ignored the smugness in his tone and nodded thoughtfully. "And where will they arrive? What’s the plan after that?"
Dijet’s expression shifted. He glanced between the hole in the floor and me, hesitating.
"Oh, Anjee hasn’t told me that part," I said quietly, leaning forward. "You can go ahead and speak your mind."
He swallowed, then answered, "The plan is simple. Saturn will receive them once they arrive, and then we’ll travel together to the unique location."
Anjee’s voice cut through the air from below, filled with venom. "Yeah, they don’t trust that human Saturn. I’m sure Vaelix will torture him, rip out every secret he’s hiding before killing him."
Dijet scoffed under his breath but didn’t deny it. The silence that followed was all the confirmation I needed.
But these Ferans had no idea that Saturn was already dead, Peanu was under Vaythos control, and only Sukra remained to be taken.
"So if it’s not a Genesis Rune, then what is it?" I asked Dijet directly.
"I’m not sure. I don’t know, honestly. Based on our research, it could be anything," he said, face blank, voice steady.
I nodded once and snapped my fingers. Ice wrapped around him again, sealing his body completely. With another snap, the entire frozen house shattered into thousands of cubes that scattered into the wind, leaving me and the three Ferans suspended in the open air.
In the next moment, I shot upward, breaking through the mist until we reached the cover of clouds. The trio floated beside me, still frozen midair.
I turned my eyes toward Anjee, the only one with enough freedom to move his head. He was glaring at Dijet and the other Feran before finally meeting my gaze.
"You really disabled them," he muttered. "Aren’t you afraid of the Ferans?"
I shrugged lightly. "Let’s not talk about that. What I want to know is, if that really is a Genesis Rune, what are the benefits?"
Anjee swallowed before answering.
"It depends on what the Rune’s source is. If it’s a Law, you can directly meditate on the Law’s origin itself. If it’s a planet, then the Laws of creation, elemental balance, everything will be accessible for comprehension. The benefits differ... but one thing’s certain. Your strength will skyrocket."
I nodded slowly.
"All right, Anjee. You’ve been helpful, but I’ll confirm whether what you said is true. Once I do, we’ll decide how to deal with you. Until then, you stay captive."
Ice spread from his neck upward, encasing his face completely until only silence remained.
I turned away and connected to the World Core, letting its pull guide my path as I accelerated toward the capital. But before that, I made a quick stop near an Abomination Zone.
Hovering high above the zone, I extended my perception downward until I sensed the Grandmaster stationed there. My lips curved slightly.
I tapped my foot in the air and whispered, "[Froststorm]."
A ripple spread from beneath me, and a shimmering blue arrow of condensed ice began forming below my feet. Within moments, the arrow was three feet long, glowing faintly against the light. I smiled and nudged it forward.
BOOM.
The air tore apart as the arrow shot downward, striking the zone’s core.
BOOM.
The explosion echoed like thunder, and in an instant, frost spread in all directions, freezing the land, the abominations, and every trace of life. The Grandmaster barely stepped out before solidifying mid-motion, eyes wide.
I waved my hand, pulling his frozen form upward and adding him to my growing collection of captives.
Then I continued on, repeating the process across each corrupted zone I crossed. By the time I floated above the capital, I had three Ferans and seven human Grandmasters suspended in silent orbit around me.
I kept my presence hidden as I descended lower through the clouds. I spread my perception, the air felt tense, alert. My scan confirmed it. The news had already reached the Emperor.
Inside the throne room, the man sat tall and composed, surrounded by every Grandmaster stationed in the capital.
Layers of Essence flowed around the palace like ripples in a pond, feeding into a vast barrier that covered the entire city.
But Dante was already inside. He sat casually on the roof of the palace, one leg dangling over the edge, head tilted toward the barrier as if studying it. His calm posture contrasted sharply with the chaos brewing below.
I exhaled quietly and connected once more to the World Core.
The pulse of my Essence spread outward, linking with the distant threads that marked my summons. They were still moving across the region, continuing their not so silent hunt.