"Was that a dream?" she whispered to herself, her voice trembling.

Ariel sat up slowly, her teary eyes scanning the alien surroundings. The cave she found herself in wasn't of this earth—it shimmered with an ethereal glow. A gentle stream flowed nearby, the water reflecting silver light, and the chirping of unseen birds echoed like a celestial symphony.

Her gaze shifted, and she froze. A heart-shaped lake stretched before her, its surface glimmering with liquid starlight. Around it, glowing rose petals floated and scattered, bathing the cavern in a soft, otherworldly luminescence. Night ruled here, painting everything in shades of magic and allure.

A deep, resonant voice suddenly sliced through the serenity.

"You're finally awake."

Ariel's head whipped around. Standing before her was a man with piercing hazel eyes, arms crossed over a broad, muscular chest. He wore a long black hood that draped from head to toe, yet even in the shadows, his chiseled face glimmered with striking intensity.

He smirked, his voice laced with mockery.
"Look at you… such a frail thing. You look like you've been crying for years, tsk."

Ariel's chest tightened with fear, yet something in his presence demanded her attention. She managed to whisper,
"Wh—who are you?"

I know it's been quite some time—my bad! How have you all been? I've missed you terribly. I'm so sorry for going silent for months. Truth is, I had to put this story on hold for a while, and when I finally tried to come back, I discovered I couldn't log in anymore. 


But thanks to the Webnovel Service Committee, I managed to recover my account and return to you all!


Now, here's the important part—while I was away, I took the time to re-edit every single chapter. I made a lot of improvements to the flow and story. I especially want you to go back and read Chapter 149, because I completely rewrote it. That chapter now gives full context to what's happening here—especially how Horace finally defeated Baron Von Stucker. 


Oh, and for my Xavier × Alicia fans… I added some juicy scenes you'll absolutely love. 


Thank you all so much for your endless love and support. You're the reason I keep writing. I appreciate every single one of you.


Chapter 160 - THE ALPHA'S TRIUMPH