The mention of The Shadow made everyone’s expression change. Most people warily distanced themselves from those nearby.

The bodyguards flanking the various bigwigs fully unleashed their Power.

The cool voice continued, "Will everyone please proceed to the inspection rooms."

The faces of those hidden in the crowd changed instantly as a silver glint flashed between their fingers.

A Grandmaster from The Phantom Trove opened two small doors. Inside were rooms originally used to hold auction items. They contained X-ray machines, perfect for screening every person.

Alvin Morgan led Beta Morgan into one of the rooms, and they emerged from another door.

The cool voice said, "Let them go..."

The sealed doors to the auction hall opened, and Alvin Morgan and Beta Morgan walked out.

Just then, several figures suddenly charged for the exit. A silver light flashed in their hands as they launched projectiles toward the doorway with unstoppable force.

But the Power Domain enveloping the auction hall acted like a solid wall, repelling the attack of the hidden weapons.

Seeing their attack fail, the figures suddenly turned and rushed into the crowd. The Phantom Trove’s personnel were quick to react, swiftly engaging them in battle.

From within the crowd, someone suddenly yelled, "Run! There are assassins—"

The shout threw the previously calm crowd into a state of panic.

Like a flock of startled birds, the crowd scrambled to escape the auction hall.

Fortunately, the area outside the auction hall was a spacious deck.

"Silence—"

This time, the pressure from the Power Domain was several times greater than before, and many people fainted, unable to bear it.

Suddenly, one figure broke through Aurora Sinclair’s Power Domain, lunging for the person closest to him.

Aurora Sinclair, who had remained motionless on the ship’s highest deck, finally moved. Like an eagle, she leaped from the rooftop, a drop of dozens of stories.

"Don’t come any closer!"

"Au... Aurora..."

Hearing his voice, Aurora Sinclair’s expression changed instantly.

The man holding Elias Lennox by the throat backed slowly toward the ship’s railing.

Just then, a loud BOOM erupted from the stern, and the entire ship began to shake violently, as if in an earthquake.

Billowing black smoke rose from the stern...

"Aurora Sinclair, a little gift for you... Hahaha..."

"You..."

"If you want him to live, come after me—alone."

The man knocked Elias Lennox unconscious with a chop to the neck, then vaulted over the railing with his body in tow. Aurora Sinclair moved to follow, just in time to see a speedboat appear from beneath the ship.

Aurora Sinclair’s lips tightened as she vaulted over the railing. As she fell, an overwhelming Power Domain erupted from her body. Her clenched fist suddenly opened, and a Water Dragon shot up from the water below, catching her and propelling her toward the speedboat at incredible speed.

The man on the speedboat’s expression tightened. He never expected that the severely injured Aurora Sinclair could still draw on the power of heaven and earth.

He immediately rose, spreading his arms wide to meet Aurora Sinclair’s Power Domain.

The two massive energy fluctuations alerted the Guardians of the Continent of Southeland.

Four figures sped toward the area of the sea.

"Leader, these two..."

The man in the lead witnessed their terrifying Strength, and his expression grew grim.

A voice laced with Power echoed across the entire harbor.

"Invaders! Kill them—"

The people from The Phantom Trove were stunned and hurriedly shouted, "Your Excellencies, we are pursuing a Shadow Killer—"

But the Guardians of Southeland did not stop. Four Sea Walls, each powerful enough to destroy an island, rose to surround the people in the water.

"Stop—"

Alvin Morgan’s shout came from the ship. He adjusted his watch, and the cruise ship suddenly let out a piercing warning blast from its horn.

The voice from The Phantom Trove rang out again, "A Prince of the Ocrean Empire is on board! Cease your attack and assist in the rescue—"

The lead Guardian froze for a second, his brow furrowing slightly. His raised palm clenched into a fist, and one of the Sea Walls began to slowly recede.

The other three also moved their Sea Walls back, but they did not disappear. The walls remained, trapping them like a cage.

"Get the people off that ship!"

’They don’t want to let Aurora go so easily,’ Alvin Morgan realized. ’This is the perfect opportunity for them to weaken the power of another nation.’

He spoke into his watch, "How far out are you?"

Benjamin Morgan’s voice came back instantly. "Almost there!"

As if on cue, several large warships appeared on the horizon. They moved with the imposing grandeur of warriors striding across the water, an awe-inspiring and intimidating sight.

Immediately after, the flag of Veridia was raised on the warships, its bright colors impossible to ignore.

The expressions of the Southeland Guardians darkened instantly.

A voice broadcast from the warships, growing louder as they approached. "Veridian Fleet 218, requesting to assist in the operation."

"Leader, what do we do?"

The lead Guardian was silent for a moment before saying flatly, "Let them go—"

The Water Walls gradually subsided, revealing the two people locked in a standoff.

One stood on the speedboat, arms outstretched; the other stood upon the water, their silver hair flying in the wind.

The space between them seemed to have frozen in time, yet only other Martial Artists could feel the earth-shattering energy radiating from them.

The four Guardians of Southeland fixed their gazes on the two people at the center of it all. A strange light gleamed in their eyes, particularly when they looked at Aurora Sinclair.

"Leader, that must be the Son of God they spoke of, right?" one Guardian asked, his voice tinged with excitement.

’I never expected the Son of God’s energy to be this immense. Maybe we should consider their proposal after all.’

「On the surface of the sea.」

The man on the speedboat wasn’t concerned about his current predicament. He just smiled and said, "Aurora Sinclair, there’s no point in capturing me. Of all our kind, you are the closest to being a perfect Son of God. Your very existence is the best possible advertisement for us."

Aurora Sinclair froze.

"You’re one of us. Why are you trying to hunt your own kind!"

"You perform human experiments! You murder countless innocent people..."

"No, you’re wrong. We’re saving people," the man on the speedboat retorted. "Do you have any idea how many people die each year from war, famine, and disease?"

His voice suddenly dropped, taking on a deep, bewitching quality.

"What did they do to deserve death? It’s because they were born weak—so weak that the strong can freely plunder their food, health, and wealth. What we are doing is making those weak people strong."

At this, he suddenly began to laugh, his eyes filled with longing as he gazed toward some distant point.

"You call it murdering innocent people? No. This isn’t murder; it’s a sacrifice for a magnificent cause. If everyone in the future can use God’s Blessing to change their destiny, the names of those who sacrificed themselves will be remembered for eternity..."

Standing on the waves, Aurora Sinclair’s eyes widened.

Gradually, the sun vanished behind the clouds, and the sea began to churn with high winds and waves, tossing the speedboat about like a lonely leaf.

The people watching from the shore wrung their hands in anxiety.

Suddenly—

A figure on the speedboat leaped up, striking at the man opposite him with all his might. But his target dodged with impossible speed and struck him in the chest with a palm.

"Elias—" Aurora Sinclair cried out in alarm.

But Elias Lennox’s body was sent flying from the speedboat like a kite with a snapped string, plunging into the roiling waves.

The wave beneath Aurora Sinclair’s feet dissipated, scattering like heavenly flowers, and her body fell with it into the sea.

The man on the speedboat suddenly attacked, striking toward the figure bobbing in the waves.

"Aurora—"

A heart-wrenching scream tore through the air from the shore.