Emperal looked at him, his expression controlled. This...looking at his face, the man doesn’t seem to have been joking.

Emperal exhaled lightly, "But, why me?"

But before he could answer.

CRACK!!!

A massive crack ripped through the space. Zeratheil tilted his head and frowned. Following his gaze, he saw that the space around Soleine was beginning to crack.

"Tch"

Zeratheil clicked his tongue when he saw this, "Alright, it seems I cannot keep this dome for long. My offer stands until the realm of EverHeart opens. I need your answer before that. Also..."

Zeratheil stepped forward and smirked, causing Emperal’s expression to change slightly.

"If I were you, I’d stand at least a country away from the woman. Her existence...is far beyond your comprehension at this moment."

Emperal listened to his words, and for the first time in months, his heart skipped a beat—no, he could understand. There was no lie or any sense of begrudge in his tone.

Just then...

BOOM!!!

The space and time that were frozen were violently broken. A massive torrent of eerie dark green flames spread throughout the space, ripping apart whatever was left of Zeratheil’s abilities.

"Mythravel"

A cold voice echoed throughout the space. Emperal shivered as he heard that. Tilting his head, he saw the thing that would forever be etched into his existence.

A massive tide of dark green flames devouring the endless sky...twisting and turning like living, breathing creatures.

Emperal’s breath hitched, his chest heaved up and down. His eyes were hurting intensely as he looked directly at the flames. But he didn’t back down.

The presence of Heaven dimmed as the face of a beautiful woman became visible. The space itself was bending, and the average temperature of the entire...Verandis was rising forcefully.

And standing beneath all of it was a single man, his back straight and his eyes swirling. Mysterious symbols floated around in his eyes as he tilted his head.

"Nirvana...using your authority directly. Ho—"

"Don’t give me that bullshit. How dare you mess with time in my presence? That too, on him no less! I should just kill you and raze your Elven kin to the ground today."

Soleine’s silver hair began glowing as she stepped towards Zeratheil. Her golden orbs glowed like suns.

The flames above still hadn’t waned, but flamed brighter than ever. The distance between them and the people on the ground wasn’t really big. So how were the ants still standing and talking, you ask?

A thin layer of green veil prevented a single spark from entering the earth.

Hearing Soleine’s words, Zeratheil snorted in disdain.

"Who are you kidding here, Nirvana? Just say that you fear me spil—!!"

Zeratheil’s eyes narrowed, and he raised his hand. The space around his palm warped and distorted heavily. Revealing a small, green snake. But it wasn’t an ordinary snake. The aura it was giving off was way too eerie.

"This is..."

"So you sensed it, huh? It seems I really underestimated you, Zeratheil."

Just in time for Soleine to drop a few meters away from him. There was a small frown on her face.

...

Down below, Emperal looked around and was surprised to see the faces of Alzerath and Aldric standing beside him.

They had grim looks on their faces, especially Aldric.

"These...ancient things have grown way too powerful."

The Dragon Lord muttered, from his tone and words, one would know that he and the man standing beside him were definitely not as powerful as the beings standing high above the Heavens.

Aldric nodded, his expression heavy. But he had far more things to worry about compared to the Dragon Lord standing beside him. Without looking at Alzerath beside him, he couldn’t help cursing.

"This bastard, at least, has a powerhouse of that level holding the ground for him in Draventhar. But in Valdenmere? Aside from Grandfather, none are even close to reaching that level."

Many couldn’t feel it, but they? They both could clearly feel the overwhelming eeriness of those flames, while the mysteriousness in the eyes of Zeratheil...spoke volumes entirely cosmic.

Aldric’s sole concern was this—there was no guardian holding the last grounds for them. Back in the ages, Kaaeleen’s overwhelming power alone deterred hundreds of races, keeping the humans safe. But now? After his death, no one was born with the potential of his caliber.

No one, except—his eyes flashed. A sense of urgency filled Aldric’s eyes as he looked up.

"It’s all on your shoulders, my...Granddaughter"

Although surprised by the sudden silence, Alzerath didn’t interrupt Aldric.

"Father! W-What is happening?"

Just in time, Seraveth jumped from the building and landed on the ground beside...Emperal.

Emperal’s face twisted and he side-stepped as if he had seen some nasty insect.

"Y-You!!"

Seraveth was stunned when she saw Emperal’s actions, her expression confused, as if she didn’t expect any creature to recoil in disgust in her presence.

Emperal didn’t look at her, which just irked her further. But...she dared not say any nonsense at this moment.

Just seeing his powers growing and Soleine’s backing made her think twice. She walked towards Alzerath. Her movements didn’t escape Emperal.

He couldn’t help but sigh, once he had been trampled by her mere words. But now? She dared not face him while he had openly mocked her in front of her father.

"Heh, coward."

He, of course, said this out loud. Making both Alzerath and Seraveth’s expressions twitch.

"Boy, you dare?"

Alzerath’s eyes narrowed dangerously, no matter how evil, low, and twisted his daughter was. At the end of the day, she was his daughter—Alzerath Vulcarion’s daughter.

"Hmph"

Emperal snorted, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

"Generally, I wouldn’t dare. But now? I may or may not. Seeing her..."

Saying that, he pointed his finger at the figure standing beneath the flames. A vein popped on his forehead, but...the years of experience held him back.

Just as he was about to reply to Seraveth...he froze. It wasn’t just him, even the two mighty figures above, who were conversing, froze.

From the center of Draventhar, a thick bolt of terrifying black thunder tore through the space, moving at a speed so absurd that even Zeratheil’s ancient eyes failed to trace it.

In an instant, it pierced through the dark green flames that had swallowed the heavens, ripping them apart with overwhelming force before Soleine could even speak.

BOOOOMMMMMM!!!!!!!

The sky shattered in a violent burst as endless shockwaves exploded across the world; the raging sea of flames collapsed inward upon itself. It was forcibly erased layer by layer beneath the sheer lethality of the thunder.

The surrounding space cracked open like fragile glass.

Emperal’s heart shook. "That...thunder. No way"