Feeling the surge from the wooden hand, Soraya, Kaelan, and the other guests break out of the auction house. Kaelan halts at a distance, turning to see the once grand hall reduced to a trembling ruin. The two Twilight Protoss stand their ground, shielding the Heavenly Heart from three attackers.
Kaelan notices the assailants are half-puppet, half-human. Beside him, Soraya remarks, "The Divine Puppet Sect is serious—they've sent three Heavenly Officials."
The three Heavenly Officials strike, channelling wooden energy that draws life from nearby plants, leaving them blackened and dead. The Twilight Protoss retaliate, their attacks a swirling fusion of black outer flames and golden inner light. Demons under the Core Formation Realm retreat to the edges, while even the stronger Core Formation demons watch warily from afar; both sides are at the Demon Spirit Realm, though their titles differ.
One of the Heavenly Officials chants, "Turbid Rain." Kaelan senses a massive spiritual fluctuation as dark clouds blanket the city, and rain begins to fall. The city glows crimson, its magical shield protecting the buildings from the downpour.
Kaelan releases his mana barrier, but the rain eats through it, corroding his body. He channels his understanding of Dark Law to shield himself—the attack is no ordinary energy assault, but a precise strike of law itself.
Soraya's voice cuts over the storm, "We should get out of here—or we'll be dragged into this fight!"
Kaelan glances back and sees a crimson barrier encircling the city. "The Red Swan Clan isn't willing to let anyone leave."
The male Twilight Protoss chants, "Heavenly Wheel." A black-and-gold wheel forms in his aura, smashing the clouds overhead and striking one of the Heavenly Officials. The official counters, "Death Gate." A massive bone gate erupts from the ground, blocking the attack.
Kaelan mutters, "Aren't we supposed to be enemies of the Twilight Protoss? Why are they helping them?"
Soraya shrugs, "Who said we are?"
Kaelan frowns, "But didn't they destroy the Night Dynasty?"
The Heavenly Official commands, "Dead Grip." The bone gate shudders, then bursts open as a massive skeletal hand lashes out toward a Twilight Protoss.
Soraya's eyes narrow, voice low but sharp. "Without the support of the royal and noble demon clans, the Twilight Protoss couldn't have destroyed the Night Dynasty. They aided the Twilight Protoss because the Night God had gone mad—demanding endless blood sacrifices. First humans, then ordinary demons… eventually, his own descendants would have been next. The noble clans helped resurrect the Day Goddess and provided intelligence for the final strike against the Night God."
Kaelan's eyes widen. "Then why do they still worship the Night God and uphold the dynasty?"
Soraya shakes her head, expression grim. "Admitting their involvement would be a disgrace. The Night God isn't fully dead, so they hide the truth, pretending loyalty while vilifying the Twilight Protoss. Ordinary demons remain ignorant of what truly happened."
The female Twilight Protoss shouts, "Heavenly Arrow!"
An energy bow manifests in her grip, black and gold lines pulsing across its frame. She draws the string, and a dark arrow with a golden head forms, humming with destructive force. The moment she releases, the arrow tears through the air, colliding with the bone hand.
The impact annihilates both attacks. The resulting shockwave ripples outward, throwing Kaelan and the other spectators back several meters.
Kaelan steadies himself, frowning as his senses sharpen. *They aren't in Stage Three… yet they're releasing Stage Three–level attacks.* The two Twilight Protoss draw on the world's power itself, while the three Heavenly Officials channel energy from their half-puppet bodies. Their clash grows fiercer, the air vibrating with violent law fluctuations.
Then, without warning, the void splits open above them. A colossal, rotting black hand bursts forth—its stench heavy with decay—and snatches the Heavenly Heart.
The two Twilight Protoss react too late; the three Heavenly Officials hold them back, their coordination precise. The hand vanishes with the treasure, leaving only a swirling residue of corrupted law behind.
Seeing their mission complete, the Heavenly Officials shift their stance, their killing intent sharpening as they press their assault.
Four pairs of wings unfold from the male Protoss's back, black and gold feathers spreading like a storm. His voice thunders, "I'm going to kill you three."
A small portal blooms beside him, smooth and circular. From within, a sword handle slides out, gleaming faintly under the stormlight.
Soraya's eyes widen as she whispers, "Divine Weapon… Twilight Star Sword."
The male Protoss draws the blade fully from the portal. A surge of golden-black light erupts, tearing through the storm as he swings. Each strike cuts through the Heavenly Officials' layered defences, shattering their techniques and splitting their constructs apart.
The three officials join forces, forming a thick defensive force field to block the relentless strikes. The female Protoss releases a volley of radiant arrows to press the assault, forcing the officials to retreat step by step under the crushing power of divine law.
Kaelan shields himself from the shockwaves, but his gaze is drawn away when a deafening explosion erupts outside the city walls. Smoke and dust rise high, and when it clears, he sees a corpse on the scorched ground—its lifeless hand still clutching the Heavenly Heart. Around the body stand five Twilight Protoss, their auras cold and vast.
Soraya narrows her eyes. "Now I understand why it was so easy for them to grab the heart."
Kaelan nods grimly. "Looks like the Twilight Protoss intend to erase the Divine Puppet Sect completely."
Soraya shakes her head slightly. "If they did, they would have done it five hundred years ago. Now… this feels more like Heaven itself wants them gone."
Kaelan's expression tightens. "You mean the Twilight Protoss can communicate with the world's will?"
Soraya glances at him, her tone low. "Nobody knows… but they claim they can."
Kaelan lowers his gaze, thoughts racing. *If that's true… then I'll have to hide deeper than ever.* He suppresses his aura, sealing away the faint trace of void energy within him. *Until I'm strong enough to face the Twilight Protoss, no one can know what I am.*
On the battlefield, the three Heavenly Officials struggle to maintain their defence. Their trembling barrier flickers under the divine sword's relentless assault. Then, their bodies begin to glow—lines of spiritual light crawling over their skin as their combined voices echo through the sky, "Taboo Technique: Mad Puppet!"
A blinding radiance engulfs the battlefield. The city's red barrier groans, cracking under the pressure. When the light fades, the three officials are gone—replaced by a towering abomination of wood, metal, and bone. The fused puppet's aura surges, crushing the air around it. It lets out a thunderous roar, and the city's barrier shatters completely.
Soraya and Kaelan exchange a sharp glance. "Let's escape."
They fly out of the city, the air behind them rippling from the collapsing barrier's shockwaves. The crimson light fades as they cross the shattered walls and soar above the dark lake beyond. Ripples spread across the water beneath their feet as they speed toward the far bank.
Just as they near the shore, a flash of gold streaks through the sky—swift as lightning. A radiant chariot bursts from the clouds, halting before them and cutting off their path. The air trembles under the pressure of its aura.
Kaelan narrows his eyes as the golden light dims, revealing two familiar figures inside the chariot—Serina and Lareth of the Light Peacock Clan.
The chariot descends slowly, gleaming feathers scattering light across the lake's surface. When it lands, Serina and Lareth step out gracefully. With a faint hum, the chariot contracts into a stream of golden light and sinks into Serina's chest, vanishing without a trace.
They face Soraya and Kaelan, calm and composed amid the chaos burning in the distance.
Soraya's jaw tightens. Her voice drips with venom as she glares at Serina. "Serina… what do you want?"
Serina smiles faintly, her tone laced with mockery. "What do you think I want?"
Lareth steps forward, his expression cold. "Soraya, hand over the Light Lotus."
Soraya's eyes flick toward Kaelan. His relaxed posture—arms crossed, eyes half-lidded—steadies her. "And what happens if I don't?"
Serina's smile fades, replaced by icy malice. "Last time, I let you live because the Third Elder requested it. This time… I won't."
Soraya scoffs, golden light flickering around her fingertips. "If not for a traitor, you would've never defeated me."
Serina's gaze sharpens. "Lareth, it seems Soraya is unwilling to cooperate."
Lareth vanishes from sight, leaving only a flash of silver. He reappears before Kaelan, sword already slicing down in a clean, killing arc. His plan is simple—kill Soraya's companion and break her will to fight.
"Lareth!" Soraya's voice rings out, her hand igniting with golden radiance as she prepares to strike. At the same moment, Serina raises her own hand, the same golden light gathering in her palm.
The sword cleaves through Kaelan's chest—yet instead of blood, his body scatters into drifting wisps of black smoke.
Lareth freezes, his blade cutting only air.
Behind him, Kaelan's voice sounds almost lazy. "Soraya, I was afraid I was going to die."
He stands with one hand pressed lightly to Lareth's back, the faint shimmer of dark energy coiling around his arm.
Serina's composure cracks. Her eyes widen as she stares at Kaelan in disbelief. She had thought him just another lower demon, easily crushed in a single blow.
Now, she realises she may have gravely underestimated him.
Lareth turns sharply, meeting Kaelan's calm gaze.
"Friend," Kaelan says lightly, his tone almost teasing, "I should call you the fastest opponent I've faced."
Lareth's face darkens. From Kaelan's voice, he hears no trace of fear—only casual amusement, as if he were humouring a child.
"You…" Lareth growls, fury twisting his features.
Before he can finish, his instincts flare too late.
A pulse of dark energy bursts from Kaelan's palm, slamming into Lareth's stomach. The impact sends him flying backwards, crashing through the lake's surface and hammering into its depths. A heartbeat later, the beam detonates underwater, shaking the entire lake and sending a towering column of mist skyward.
Kaelan senses an attack from behind—a searing flare of light—and turns slightly, but before it lands, Soraya intercepts it with a burst of golden energy.
She flicks a sharp glance at him. "You've completely angered Lareth. Can you handle him? He's already at the peak of Core Formation."
Kaelan's lips curl into a faint smile. "Guess we'll find out."
He draws his golden sword, its edge humming softly with compressed void energy, and glances toward Serina as she gathers power for another strike.
"Don't get defeated too quickly," he says, his tone dry, before launching himself toward the lake.
The rippling surface has just begun to calm when it bursts open again—Lareth emerging in a blur of light, water cascading from his body.
Their swords meet in a blinding clash, one wreathed in radiant gold, the other cloaked in devouring darkness.
The collision tears the air apart, sending shockwaves racing across the lake, and the night itself seems to tremble from the force of their blows.