The celebration following the alliance announcement filled the crystalline halls of the Seyoung estate with warmth and revelry. Nobles from both realms mingled, their qi and mana creating subtle patterns in the air as wine flowed freely. Azar, the legendary Twilight Blade though none present knew him as such, sat among a group of Seyoung nobles, his usual sharp focus slightly dulled by the excellent vintage they'd been sharing.
"What a clown," a loud voice cut through the pleasant atmosphere. A muscular man with the bearing of a supreme cultivator stood from his table, qi rippling with undisguised contempt. "I know we're allied with the Valestrix now, but this is supposed to be their royal guard? I wish the so-called Twilight Blade was here – I wanted to test if the rumors about their strength were true. Probably all exaggerated, like everything else from the magic kingdoms."
Azar's consciousness sharpened instantly, wine-haze evaporating. From his perspective, he wasn't looking at a mere arrogant noble anymore – he faced a dangerous beast, one that shouldn't have been provoked. Yet his outward appearance remained casual as he listened.
"Quiet," another noble hissed. "You have no right to—"
The temperature in the room plummeted. Azar rose from his seat, movements fluid, and something about his presence had changed – as if a different person entirely had emerged.
"Stand up," Azar commanded, his voice carrying an edge that made several nearby cultivators flinch. "State your name and position. Properly this time."
The man, who had introduced himself earlier as Kang Sung-min, attempted to maintain his bravado. "I've already said who I am. What's it to you, boy?"
"Since you have dishonored the name of the Valestrix," Azar's voice was eerily calm, "and you're so confident that a mere member of the royal guard is a joke, I challenge you and whoever stands with you." A cold smile crossed his face. "And I won't even use mana."
The declaration drew gasps from the crowd. Eren, watching from nearby, noticed Jin's eyes widening with interest. Even Soo had stopped her conversation to observe the developing situation.
Kang Sung-min's face flushed red with anger. "Don't underestimate us, you arrogant brat!" He stood, his qi exploding outward as two others joined him. Their combined aura was impressive – Eren could sense that Kang was likely at the Supreme Peak realm, around 8 Stars by Magic Kingdom standards, while his companions hovered between Peak and Supreme Peak, roughly 7 Stars each.
"That's nowhere near enough to challenge Azar," Eren muttered, earning a knowing look from Jin.
"What the hell are you all doing?" Clan Leader Seyoung's voice boomed across the hall, but it came too late.
In a flash – literally a single instant – all three challengers were on the floor. Their qi dispersed, their proud auras shattered. Azar hadn't even appeared to move, yet somehow he'd neutralized all three supreme cultivators without breaking a sweat.
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Then, as if taking them down wasn't enough, Azar released just a fraction of his mana. The pressure in the room became overwhelming, a glimpse of the true beast that lurked beneath his calm exterior. Several cultivators fell to their knees, and even some of the stronger ones found themselves taking involuntary steps backward.
"A-Azar..." Kang stuttered, eyes wide with terror as realization struck him. "You're... you're the Twilight Blade..."
The pressure vanished as quickly as it had appeared. Azar's terrifying presence suddenly shifted, and he swayed slightly, the wine seemingly affecting him again. "Whoops," he said cheerfully, reaching for another cup. "Might've overdone it a bit there!"
The abrupt change in demeanor left everyone speechless, though few missed the underlying message in his display of power.
As the chastened cultivators were helped away, the celebration gradually resumed, though with a notably more subdued tone. Hours later, as the evening wound down, Eren prepared to depart with the Valestrix entourage.
Soo approached him first, holding out a small crystal that pulsed with gentle qi. "Here," she said softly. "A communication crystal. You can pair it with your system if you want to talk." A slight pause. "After your tower trial, maybe?"
Before Eren could respond, Jin appeared beside them, pulling him into a brotherly embrace. His whispered words made Eren's heart skip. "If you want to marry her, I can just tell my uncle," Jin murmured, his voice pitched for Eren's ears alone. "The alliance makes it perfect timing..."
Heat rushed to Eren's face before he could control it. He quickly pulled away, but Jin's knowing smirk told him he hadn't hidden his reaction fast enough.
The grand teleportation array hummed to life, intricate patterns of qi and mana interweaving to form the portal to Valestria. As they emerged in their kingdom's entrance hall, crystal spires piercing the evening sky, exhaustion finally caught up with Eren. Without conscious thought, shadows swirled around him, lifting him into the air. He soared through the darkness, riding the shadows like waves before disappearing from sight.
Soren, the Dark Emperor, watched with carefully concealed surprise. This development – his son's ability to fly through shadow mana – was unexpected, even for him. "His growth continues to exceed expectations," he remarked calmly, settling the startled attendants.
In his room, Eren collapsed onto his bed, the communication crystal warm in his palm. The tower trial loomed ahead, but his thoughts drifted to his grandmother, Althrea Valenstride. If anyone could help him understand the strange presences he sometimes felt within his mind, it would be her. Her mastery of mind magic was legendary, and though he couldn't explain why, something told him she held answers to questions he hadn't even formed yet.
Valeria found him there later, still lost in thought. "Rest well," she advised. "The tower's entrance trial will test every aspect of your being."
Sleep pulled at him, but Eren knew his rest would be brief. Beyond the trial lay the first floor of the tower, where the Northern Mage Association thrived under his grandmother's guidance. Perhaps there, among the ancient knowledge she preserved, he would find the key to accessing the mysterious corners of his own consciousness.
The communication crystal pulsed softly in his hand, a reminder of all that had changed in a single day. In the deepening shadows of his room, Eren drifted off to sleep, the tower's challenge awaiting his awakening. Tomorrow would bring him one step closer to understanding the mysteries within his own mind.