In the center of the arena, William stood motionless.
The casual, confident posture he had maintained while decapitating the "Soul Eater" was gone.
His grip on his sword hilt tightened until his knuckles turned white, but the blade remained in its sheath.
To the observers, it looked as though he had been turned to stone.
His eyes, usually sharp enough to cut through illusions, were clouded, reflecting the turbulent struggle occurring within his spiritual sea.
Within William's mind, the world was fracturing.
The ringing of the bell felt like a massive hammer striking a crystal sphere.
Each chime sent cracks through his consciousness.
As a half step transcended being, his soul was tempered like divine steel, yet this artifact bypassed physical defense entirely.
He felt his connection to his mana thinning.
The "weight" Noah had sensed earlier was now a crushing reality for his General.
High in the VIP tower, Noah's relaxed expression vanished.
