I sensed them before I saw them—Tyler returning with not just one, but two Martial Saints. The wounded female Saint from earlier was nowhere to be seen. Instead, two fresh powerhouses flanked Tyler, their imposing auras washing over the barren landscape like oppressive waves.
"Did you really think I'd just walk away, Knight?" Tyler sneered, his confidence restored now that he had new muscle backing him. "That little trinket of yours might have surprised us earlier, but I've brought proper reinforcements this time."
I remained silent, my mind racing. The Soul Bead pulsed warmly in my spatial ring, but I had no idea how to control it. Would it protect me again, or had its earlier display been a one-time occurrence?
The Martial Saints stepped forward, both middle-aged men with cold, calculating eyes. One was tall and lean with a scar running across his temple; the other stocky with hands like hammers. Their spiritual pressure was suffocating—each easily ten times stronger than me.
