Azel entered the Emperor's office.
It had been quite a while since he was here, but at least he remembered the place clearly… the same hallway lined with polished gold pillars, the same high balcony view from the castle's top floor.
Even the same two guards stood outside the door, wearing golden armor that reflected off the sunlight… they looked as dashing as ever.
And they were much more powerful… he could practically feel it radiating from them.
Both were elites, probably close to the level of a Grand Knight, but strong enough to crush a Rank 2 monster if they fought together.
But even so, Azel knew that if he went all out, if he used everything in his arsenal… he could kill them while almost dying in the process… Just like he was sure of his chances of going against a Grand Mage like Luke.
"Welcome, Azel," one of the guards greeted. "You've really grown."
Azel gave a small nod, offering a polite smile. "Thank you."
