Azrael stood before Noah.
Not panting.
Not even mildly interested.
As though everything that had happened so far had merely been an inconvenience.
The black hand that had thrown the First Successor aside hung casually at his side.
Noah slowly rose to his feet.
Blood trickled down the corner of his mouth.
Every muscle in his body screamed.
Still...
He refused to lower Shadowfang.
Azrael noticed.
A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
"Tell me."
His voice was calm.
"What makes you believe that dagger can hurt me?"
Noah wiped the blood from his mouth.
"I don’t."
Azrael raised an eyebrow.
"But I’m still going to stab you with it."
For the first time...
Azrael laughed.
A genuine laugh.
"I understand why Ragnarok chose you."
His expression instantly turned cold.
"Unfortunately..."
"I don’t approve."
Without warning—
He disappeared.
Noah’s pupils shrank.
Predator’s Instinct exploded.
Every nerve in his body screamed.
Right.
Above.
Behind.
Every direction.
Too many warnings.
Too fast.
Noah swung Shadowfang on instinct.
CLANG!
The dagger struck something invisible.
A shower of black sparks erupted.
Azrael stood behind him.
His index finger was pressed against Shadowfang’s blade.
"...Impressive."
He sounded almost pleased.
"You actually reacted."
Then he flicked the dagger.
BOOM!
An overwhelming force exploded through Noah’s arm.
Bones cracked.
Shadowfang flew from his grasp.
The dagger spun through the air before embedding itself deep into a stone pillar.
Noah was launched backward.
He rolled across the ruined sanctuary until his back slammed into the base of the statue.
He coughed violently.
Blood stained the ground.
Azrael didn’t pursue.
He simply watched.
Like a teacher observing a child.
"You rely too much on the System."
Noah glared.
"And you talk too much."
Azrael sighed.
"Defiance without strength."
"How... predictable."
The apostle took another step.
"I’ve watched six Successors before you."
"They all believed they were different."
"They all died."
Noah’s jaw tightened.
"I’m not them."
"No."
Azrael agreed.
"You’re weaker."
The words struck harder than any punch.
Noah’s fingers dug into the earth.
Anger.
Frustration.
Helplessness.
Everything boiled together.
The First Successor slowly climbed from the rubble.
Its ancient armor was cracked.
One arm hung limply by its side.
Yet it still raised its sword.
"You..."
The guardian’s voice rumbled.
"...will not touch him."
Azrael looked genuinely disappointed.
"You still haven’t learned."
He sighed.
"I respected you once."
The words hung heavily in the air.
"But that was before you chose to become a jailer instead of a warrior."
The guardian charged.
Its massive sword blazed with crimson flames.
The sanctuary shook beneath every step.
Noah watched in stunned silence.
This was the full power of the First Successor.
Nothing like the restrained movements he’d seen before.
The guardian swung.
The sword split the air itself.
A crimson arc carved through the sanctuary.
Azrael...
Raised one hand.
He caught the blade.
Bare-handed.
The flames vanished.
The sword stopped.
The sanctuary became silent.
Noah’s eyes widened.
Impossible.
Azrael looked at the ancient weapon.
Then back at the guardian.
"You’ve become sentimental."
CRACK.
His fingers tightened.
The sword shattered.
The legendary blade exploded into thousands of crimson fragments.
The guardian staggered backward.
"No..."
Its voice was barely a whisper.
Azrael drove his palm into the guardian’s chest.
BOOOOOOM!
A shockwave ripped through the sanctuary.
The ancient warrior flew backward.
It crashed into the giant statue behind it.
Stone exploded.
Dust filled the air.
The guardian didn’t rise.
Its body was covered in deep cracks.
The crimson light within its eyes flickered.
Dying.
Noah’s heart sank.
Even the First Successor...
Couldn’t stop him.
Azrael slowly turned back toward Noah.
"The lesson is over."
He extended his black hand.
"This time..."
"I’m taking the Fragment."
The broken crown on Noah’s hand suddenly burned.
Not painfully.
Urgently.
The crimson crystal the First Successor had given him rose into the air.
It floated between Noah and Azrael.
The apostle smiled.
"There it is."
He reached for it.
Then—
Everything stopped.
The heartbeat.
The wind.
The forest.
Silence consumed Blackthorn Forest.
Azrael frowned for the first time.
"...What?"
A voice echoed from deep beneath the earth.
Ancient.
Heavy.
Filled with quiet fury.
"Enough."
The ground split apart.
Massive roots burst from beneath the sanctuary.
Not roots.
Chains.
Countless black chains wrapped in crimson runes.
They erupted toward Azrael from every direction.
The apostle’s smile disappeared.
"So..."
He whispered.
"You’re finally awake."
The heartbeat returned.
BOOM.
This time...
The entire forest bowed.