Nolan continued to stare at the lake, but his hearing sharpened. He began to understand something. Before Nolan Caelthorn died, another anomaly had apparently occurred that obscured the Horoscope. After the previous defeat, Hades didn't have enough time to counterattack. The incident in Kaffal—especially Nolan Caelthorn's murder—couldn't have happened without purpose.
What disturbance could have fooled Antares's horoscope? Could it have been related to his soul's time in the Realm of the Dead, which ultimately transferred it into Nolan Caelthorn's body?
Nolan shook his head slightly. That conclusion wasn't necessarily correct. If the disturbance occurred before Caelthorn's death, then someone else must have understood—or even manipulated—the Horoscope.
"Chief Mycroft told me that the Aurora Association has been preparing to repeat the Transcendence Trial. What do you think, Brother?" Maven asked.
"You arrange it. I've always had confidence in your abilities," Vincent replied, taking another sip of his wine.
"Don't worry, Brother. I'll arrange everything," Maven said, his tone softening. "You don't have to worry about Catherine or Hades either. Don't force yourself to do everything alone to the point that it weighs on your mind."
Vincent stared at the wine glass in his hand, then drank until it was half empty. "I should be the one saying that to you and Antares. I'm the one who's too hard on you."
A moment of silence fell. Nolan could no longer hear Maven and Vincent's conversation, which only made his curiosity grow. Hidden information like this was always tempting, and this time it felt too important to ignore.
Suddenly, Maven snapped his fingers.
A translucent purple dome immediately enveloped the entire Moon Garden. A barrier formed, sealing off the space as if to emphasize that the following conversation was a secret not to be overheard. Even Melody and Narcissa, who had been chatting casually, suddenly fell silent.
"Brother," Maven said anxiously. "Antares told you this. The Divine Church Hall has reappeared—specifically in the Lavanya region, the site of the Transcendence Trial. I'm thinking of asking Chief Mycroft to change the location of the test."
Maven's face clearly showed his worry. But Vincent's expression was the opposite. His cold face now displayed deep disappointment mixed with regret.
Nolan recognized that expression.
He had seen it in his own reflection long ago on Earth. It was the disappointment he felt toward his mother that continued to torment him. The regret that came too late when he realized she was just mentally ill. But none of that stopped Nolan from harboring anger and resentment.
What kind of disappointment and regret weighed on Vincent now?
"Antares..." Vincent whispered softly, his voice barely audible. "What other information did he discover?"
"He predicted another clash," Maven replied with a soft sigh. "Between the Daemon race, the Dark Sentinels, and the Sentinels taking the Trial of Transcendence." Maven paused for a moment before continuing. "Antares senses that the Daemon race knows the location of the Divine Church Hall. Could it be that Hades is targeting that place?"
The next instant—
—a tremendous mana aura exploded from Vincent's body.
A wave of mana swept over the gazebo, causing the lake's surface to ripple wildly. A strong wind blew, whipping Vincent's long, black hair. Nolan and Melody flinched back as the pressure slammed into their bodies.
Amidst the chaos, Narcissa—the beautiful girl who had been chatting amiably with Melody—rushed over to Vincent. She knelt before him and gripped his hand, which was clenched tightly on the back of the chair.
"Dad, calm down," Narcissa said in a trembling voice. Although she was clearly frightened, she continued to stroke Vincent's back, trying to calm his anger. Her gaze then shifted to Maven, who was standing beside her. "Uncle Maven, what's wrong with my dad?"
Maven looked at them with an equally worried expression.
"Brother," he said softly. "Calm down."
At that moment, the immense mana aura Vincent had released disappeared completely. The man seemed to regain his composure. The shattered glass in his hand was restored with a simple wave of his hand—whole again, though its contents could never be.
"You should go back to your seat, Cissy," Vincent said softly.
"Dad, are you not angry anymore?" Narcissa asked, her voice still trembling with sobs.
Vincent simply stroked his daughter's black hair. Nolan caught the subtle hint—it was better for the girl to obey than to provoke her father for no reason.
Narcissa nodded, looking gloomy, and sat back down beside Melody. She immediately stroked the young girl's shoulder gently. Maven returned to his seat, though his eyes never left Vincent. Vincent was still staring at the empty glass before setting it back down on the side of the table.
"Nolan, Melody. Come here," Vincent said.
When he heard his name called, Nolan regained his calm expression. He stepped forward and stood before Vincent and Maven, who were seated in large chairs. Melody stood beside him.
Vincent didn't immediately speak, however. For the first time, Nolan saw the man close his eyes. He remained silent for a moment before finally opening his eyes and observing them both.
"This Transcendence Trial will be far more dangerous than you imagine," Vincent said. "Especially with the clash between the Daemon race and the Dark Sentinels."
His gaze shifted to Melody. "Melody, you're a Sequence 4 Sentinel Saint. During the mission with Morgan, you two worked quite well together. What do you think of Morgan?"
Melody seemed a little flustered by the question, but quickly composed herself and answered clearly. "Brother Morgan? Of course. His abilities on joint missions are excellent. His combat prowess is high, and he develops strength much faster. Besides, he is a Sequence 6 Sentinel Saint."
Nolan simply listened. But a question arose in his mind: Morgan? In the memories of this body, he didn't recognize anyone named Morgan. Could he still have some connection to the Caelthorn family?
"Good. Perhaps I'll consider it," Vincent said, glancing at Maven, who was sitting beside him. "Maven, I need you to coordinate with the Aurora Association to tighten security in the Lavanya region. Also, bring me the list of Sentinels who will retake the Transcendence Trial. But before that, the Aurora Association has requested a Fighting Competition in the Arena. You should be the one to arrange it."
"Don't worry, Brother. I'll take care of everything as soon as possible. You don't need to worry," Maven replied in a relaxed yet enthusiastic tone. "Besides, I'm confident we can handle the previous incident in the Kaffal region. If the Daemon race or the Dark Organization invades Lavanya, several elite Sentinels are already stationed there. The guilds have also increased security for the safety of their members."
Vincent snorted softly. "If they truly enter Lavanya's territory," he said, emphasizing each word, "deploy all your forces and wipe them out."
After Vincent declared his desire to wipe out the entire Daemon race and the Dark Organization, which is dominated by the Dark Sentinels, Nolan could sense his uncle's burning determination. Vincent clearly had a clear ambition and goal in life: to destroy all his enemies without leaving anything behind.
In contrast, Nolan realized that he was different. Since taking over Nolan Caelthorn's body, his ambition and goals had never truly been his own. Everything he did seemed to be for the real Nolan Caelthorn—the life he had stolen and the suffering he had never avenged.
Looking back, Nolan realized that he had not been on his own path, but rather, had been walking in Nolan Caelthorn's shadow.
"Nolan."
Vincent's sudden voice calling out to him jolted Nolan out of his reverie. His uncle's eyes were sharp and firm as he stared at Nolan.
"Your two friends failed the Transcendent Trial because they couldn't obtain the white crystal stone. However, you managed to rise to Squeance 2. I wanted to ask: Will you be participating in the Transcendent Trial again to fill the gap in your team?"
Nolan looked at Vincent with even more focus.
"That's right," Maven added in a serious tone. "Any Sentinel who fails to obtain the white crystal stone doesn't get the chance to fuse and advance in rank. Your two friends' failures can be compensated for by the incident. However, you obtained the white crystal stone and advanced in rank through fusion."
Maven continued, "In the Transcendent Trial, a team must have three members. This means your team is now short one member."
Nolan thought again. Without a full complement of members, Selena and Julian wouldn't be able to take the Transcendence Trial. That would mean they would have to find new members, start over, and adjust to the rhythm of battle.
"That's highly unlikely," he muttered to himself. "Finding truly suitable members to fill the gaps in the team."
He raised his head and looked at his two uncles seriously.
"Uncles, can I join my team again?" Nolan finally asked.
Melody, standing beside him, raised an eyebrow slightly, intrigued by the question.
"The Transcendence Trial doesn't restrict young Sentinels from further honing their powers," Maven explained. "It's simply a test, just like when you're sent out onto the battlefield. Obtaining the white crystal stone is just a bonus for defeating the Demon Beasts."
Maven glanced at Vincent, who nodded slowly in response.
"The Lavanya Region is filled with dense, dark fog and Demon Beasts," Maven continued. "Of course you can join again. As for your advancement, that depends on whether your friends succeed in the fusion."
"Thank you, Uncle Vincent. Thank you, Uncle Maven," Nolan said, bowing his head. Vincent returned the gesture with a slow nod.
The man stood and glanced at Maven, who also rose from his chair.
"Maven, there's something else I want to discuss with you. Meet me in my office," Vincent said. Then he turned to leave. His long black robes swept across the grass of the garden as he walked away.
Before following him, Maven approached his daughter.
"Melody, you should return to the dormitory. Bring Narcissa along. Dad wants to speak with Nolan for a moment."
"Yes, Dad," Melody replied with a nod. Narcissa immediately approached Melody, bowed politely, and left with her cousin. The Moon Garden was silent again, leaving only Nolan and Maven.
"Nolan," Maven said finally. "When I met Antares in the Arathen Church Hall, he asked me to give this to you."