Despite the cheering earlier, few had the courage to congratulate Elian. Whatever kinship they might've felt toward him vanished the moment they saw him fight. At first, most believed he was just a stronger version of a knight—like Ned. But they were wrong.
Elian's prowess eclipsed even the S-rank Breakers humanity idolized. Fighting monsters was one thing—but raising the dead? Weaponizing the sun? Commanding the sea? That was something else entirely.
He spared the moth woman wearing human skin. Turned traitorous humans into metal puppets. Bombed his own friend to the brink of death. And created human flags of those that opposed him.
Elian Reed wasn't a hero or a villain—he was an enigma. A contradiction wrapped in black and ashen metal.
And when the System announced the city's impending destruction, Crestfall froze. But Elian only said one thing: "Don't worry, I got it." No rage. No despair. Just unshakable faith—not in others, but in himself.
