The entire Andes Palace shook violently. Cracks spread across the walls and the eastern ramparts crumbled as if they were made of sand. Another explosion followed from the west, shaking the ground and sending dust into the air.
Charlie gritted his teeth. The Snake Goddess Organization had a small membership in the Andes region, and after the previous battle, only about a hundred remained. If this counterattack came from the Aurora Association or one of the Nine Guilds, their position would be in jeopardy.
"You guys, get to the tower! Repair the damaged barrier now!" Charlie shouted, his anger barely concealed.
Two Daemons in the front row turned their heads, their faces pale, and nodded hurriedly before running at a frantic pace toward the protective tower.
Charlie continued shouting orders in every direction, urging his men to prepare for the worst. But beneath his anger, his mind raced, searching for an answer to a nagging question.
Amidst the chaos, a man approached. He wore a long black coat and had black hair that faded to pale blue at the bottom.
Finnick.
Daemon Ultimate Squeance 8—one rank above Charlie. He was a member of the Daemon race and the youngest member who had been by their side the longest.
"How could the protective dome have been destroyed so easily?" Finnick asked in a cold, deep voice. "The Aurora Association isn't stupid enough to attack directly. Besides, they're still under the watchful eye of the Noble Council members, who only care about their own comfort."
Charlie furrowed his brows and breathed heavily.
"You're right, Finnick. The Kingdom of Arathen is now ruled by Queen Catherine. The Five Major Guilds wouldn't dare move without her approval."
Charlie's gaze shifted to the figure of the boy, Nolan, tied to the post.
"Even though that boy is the banished crown prince of Arathen," Charlie continued sarcastically, "Queen Catherine hates her own son deeply."
Suddenly, a tremendous pressure shook the ground again. Small stones rose from the surface, floating lightly around Charlie's feet before falling back down with a crunch.
Charlie's heart was pounding.
This pressure was different. Far greater than he had anticipated.
A thought crossed his mind. This power might surpass Lady Medusa's. It might even surpass the leader of the Daemon race.
The once-bright sky began to dim, its color fading until it finally turned dark. A pitch-black purple portal slowly opened in the sky as if tearing it apart. Darkness spread, followed by an immense wave of pressure that swept across the Andes Palace.
Everyone in the area was forced to their knees by the crushing pressure, which assaulted both body and soul.
Then, a growl sounded from within the portal.
Two gigantic figures emerged.
They were black, scaly dragons with sharp, menacing eyes. Their long, massive bodies resembled giant snakes. Unlike most dragons, these creatures lacked legs and distinct tails. Their bodies were covered in pitch-black scales studded with sharp, thorn-like protrusions.
This immense wave of pressure could crush the entire Andes Palace. If it continued, the remaining members of the Snake Goddess Organization would be wiped out, and she herself would not survive.
Charlie looked up. There, before him, was a figure clad in black armor and a pitch-black robe. The collar of the robe was shaped like a dragon scale. The man's long, black hair flowed neatly down to his waist, with some strands falling over his shoulders.
The pressure emanating from the figure was so terrifying that it made Charlie feel the presence of Lady Medusa again.
"Seriously, am I being forced to kneel?" Finnick growled angrily.
The daemon shot into the air and immediately activated protective magic. A massive dome formed and enveloped the entire Andes Palace. The immense pressure eased slightly, enough for Charlie to breathe again.
However, the sight above made his throat tighten.
A man stood on an invisible platform, accompanied by two scaly black dragons hovering at his sides. It was the banished crown prince of Arathen, missing for decades. The Crownless Prince.
It was a figure who slaughtered mercilessly. He destroyed the Kinan region, the territory of the Daemon race. He killed the Dark Sentinels without hesitation. He stood in opposition to the kingdom and the Council of Lords. He meted out punishment with a cold hand—even more cruel than Queen Catherine.
Leader of the Death God Guild:
Vincent Caelthorn.
For the first time, Charlie saw a figure who only lived in tales of terror and whispers of fear. He was a Sequence 9 Extreme Sentinel, yet the aura he radiated far exceeded the limits of the sequence.
No wonder the Daemon race and the Dark Sentinels were always cautious. If such a figure returned to the surface, then on the other side stood someone they truly feared.
Vincent took a step forward.
Just one step.
Suddenly, the invisible ceiling beneath his feet cracked, emitting a sound like shattering glass. At the same time, Finnick's protective dome shook violently and shattered.
Finnick was thrown to the ground and hit it, coughing violently.
Charlie growled. Even though Vincent was far above, his anger was boiling over. His entire body was enveloped in a gravitational mana aura, and he shot upward with a scream.
However, halfway there—
—Vincent raised his hand and grasped at the void.
In an instant, Charlie's mana aura shattered into dust.
"Trash," Vincent said with a lopsided smile.
The gravitational mana aura surrounding Charlie's body shattered. His body was sent flying and fell to the ground. Fortunately, he wasn't seriously injured. Charlie looked up with a slight gasp and stared hatefully at the figure standing there.
The entire Andes Palace shook violently as if it would collapse at any moment from the immense pressure exerted by Vincent, the leader of the Death God Guild.
Amidst the tremors, a new presence appeared.
A woman dressed in a blood-red dress floated in the sky. Her reddish-black hair was tied back neatly, and a snake-shaped crown rested on her head. A large red snake coiled around her, hissing furiously, at her side.
"Lady Medusa?"
Charlie was shocked. Medusa's sudden appearance in Andes Palace was completely unexpected. The beautiful woman was the Ninth Demon King. Although her face remained beautiful, a frown was visible, especially when her snake, Basilik, hissed angrily at the two black, scaly dragons.
The two creatures growled and hissed at each other, radiating murderous intent. From Charlie's perspective, however, Vincent's scaly black dragon felt far more terrifying and powerful than Basilik.
"Vincent, you've been in seclusion for a long time," Medusa said casually. "And then you come here and ruin my place."
Charlie could only stare at the two figures from different races—two beings who stood at the pinnacle of power.
"A sycophantic woman who follows Hades," Vincent retorted, curling his lips into a lopsided smile.
Although Lady Medusa remained calm, the insult to the Demon Emperor Hades was clearly intolerable. Moreover, it came from a human, a race she considered extremely arrogant, like Vincent.
Vincent stood, his black robes fluttering and his purple eyes emitting a dark light. His gaze swept across the courtyard of Andes Palace and finally settled on the three children tied to the tall pillars.
"You want to take back your nephew?" Medusa asked. "It won't be that easy."
"You dare threaten me when your forces are already helpless?" Vincent's voice boomed. "If you threaten me again..."
His purple eyes glowed darker. The two scaly, black dragons growled in agreement, their pressure making the ground tremble violently.
"...I will destroy your place."
The entire courtyard of Andes Palace shook again. Despite Lady Medusa's protective shield, the immense pressure remained, bearing down on everyone beneath it, including Charlie.
"Vincent, do you want to start a war with us?" Medusa asked calmly, even though her protective shield trembled. "You'll only be hunted by your sister-in-law, who wields the power of Arathen."
From below, Charlie stared up at the leader of the Death God Guild. There was not the slightest change in expression on the man's face. Medusa's threat seemed to mean nothing to him. In fact, he looked too calm, with a feral aura that far surpassed anyone Charlie had ever met.
Without a word, Vincent waved his hand in the air.
The three tall poles ensnaring the boys shattered instantly, crumbling like sand. The boys' bodies slipped and floated for a moment before disappearing and reappearing beside Vincent, lying unconscious in midair.
Charlie held his breath.
Vincent stared at his nephew for a long moment. Then, his purple eyes shifted and fixed directly on Charlie.
"You're a Sequence 7 Ultimate Sentinel," Vincent said flatly yet piercingly. "Yet you were defeated by my nephew, who is still a Sentinel Master."
Those words hit Charlie harder than any other attack.
His fists clenched tightly, his nails nearly digging into his palms. Shame and anger mingled together. In his heart, Charlie swore that one day, Nolan would die by his hands.
Vincent then turned his gaze to Medusa.
"Medusa," he said casually, his hands behind his back. "A dozen years ago, you and your disgusting race toyed with me. We could be considered old acquaintances."
His smile was lopsided, cold, and full of mockery.
"Unfortunately, Hades is badly injured. And you..." Vincent sighed softly. "Still trapped. You failed to even break halfway through a sequence."
Charlie could feel the air around him tighten.
"I just broke through to the final stage of sequence nine," Vincent continued indifferently. "A few days ago."
Charlie's anger grew, but he couldn't do anything about it.
With a wave of his hand, Vincent made Nolan and the other boys and girls disappear completely.
"You have no chance of winning now," Vincent said coldly. "After I return from exile, will you dare to start a war?"
The pitch-black purple portal opened again. Vincent stepped through casually, followed by two scaly black dragons. The portal slowly shrank, then vanished as if the man had never existed.
Silence fell over the Andes Palace.
Suddenly, Charlie saw Medusa clench her fists tightly.
A scream of rage erupted from her lips.
A large pillar in the palace courtyard shattered.
For the first time, Charlie witnessed Lady Medusa losing control of her anger in front of a human.