"We're seeking death? Hah! You arrogant brat, you've lost the Water Dragon's protection. Let's see what tricks you have left to stop us now!" The four black-armored men closed in, their murderous intent palpable as they stepped forward.
As for the remaining cultivators, some lingered while others quickly dispersed. With the Water Dragon's legacy gone, there was no reason to stay—better to search elsewhere for treasures...
Even the two tenth-tier powerhouses had withdrawn. The white-bearded elder had sighed softly the moment Kael claimed victory and slipped away unnoticed. The other tenth-tier expert hesitated briefly before following suit.
To beings of their level, staying served no purpose. Seizing Kael's inheritance? They'd considered it—but someone as formidable as the Water Dragon would surely have safeguards in place.
Thus, both chose to leave.
With the tenth-tier experts gone, the ninth-tier reigned supreme.
Instantly, the black-armored faction became the dominant force—four ninth-tier elites, united in purpose.
Black-Armored No. 1 smirked coldly as he and his comrades encircled Kael. Their goal wasn't the legacy—it was Kael's death.
Once an enemy, never let them live. Especially not one who'd gained the Water Dragon's power. A future threat had to be eradicated.
The black-armored men's ruthlessness and cunning were undeniable.
Kael frowned. He'd always wondered about their origins—their identities were shrouded in mystery, far from ordinary.
Yet even so, fear never touched him.
"Brother Idris!"
Arjun suddenly stepped to Kael's side, resolve etched across his face. Despite the encircling enemies, he stood firm.
"Arjun, you—" Warmth surged in Kael's chest. Arjun's loyalty ran deep—to stand with him now, at such a critical juncture...
Arjun knew full well his own strength—peak eighth-tier—was no match for these foes. He risked death, yet he still stepped forward.
"Reckless fool!" Black-Armored No. 1 sneered, his battle aura surging through his body like a roaring tide, its resonant hum piercing the air. His imposing presence loomed like an unshakable mountain, bearing down with crushing force.
Meanwhile, Black-Armored No. 3—the sole mage among them—raised his staff, locking onto Kael from a distance as he chanted an incantation, poised to unleash a devastating spell.
The spell he recited was long and intricate, clearly a high-tier magic in the making.
Simultaneously, Black-Armored Nos. 4 and 5 shielded No. 3, anticipating Kael's potential assault. They were well aware of his magic crystal cannon and had prepared accordingly.
Their strategy was meticulous—every variable accounted for. A cold smirk curled No. 1's lips. With this setup, Kael had no escape. There was no way he'd survive.
"Arjun, fall back!" Kael's voice was icy, leaving no room for argument.
"What?" Arjun stiffened, wondering if he'd misheard. At such a critical moment, Idris was telling him to retreat?
Yet when he met Kael's frost-laden gaze, he instinctively obeyed, stepping away cautiously.
No. 1 charged forward, his battle aura raging like a storm. But Kael remained unfazed, weaving through the attacks with Phantom Star Steps, his movements ghostly and unpredictable.
"Too arrogant to even use that cannon? Do you really think the Water Dragon's legacy makes you invincible? You've overestimated yourself!" No. 1 mocked, though his eyes narrowed—despite the gap between their tiers, Kael's agility was unsettling.
Kael said nothing. Then—
A sudden glint flashed in his eyes.
Intricate runes and spells materialized across Kael's pupils, forming an eerie yet mesmerizing magical pattern—as though his very eyes had become living magic arrays!
"What the hell—?!" No. 1's instincts screamed. Something about Kael had changed drastically, fundamentally.
"His eyes!..." Nos. 4 and 5 cried out in unison, realizing the source of the anomaly.
Yes—Kael's eyes.
Blinding radiance erupted from them, projecting a mysterious sigil brimming with overwhelming power. All Kael did was look at No. 1—
Suddenly, Black-Armored No. 1's body convulsed violently. The next instant, icy-blue flames and violet lightning erupted across his form!
But this was nothing like Kael's previous attacks. The flames and lightning now carried annihilative force—a power so vast and extraordinary it defied comprehension.
This was the true might of mutated magic!
And it was the Water Dragon's final gift—a mastery Kael had achieved under his guidance.
"Aaaagh—!" No. 1's scream was inhuman, shrill as a slaughtered pig. His entire body writhed within the entwined frostfire and thunder, the air trembling as mana surged chaotically.
There was no doubt: Kael's eyes harbored cataclysmic power.
No. 1's agony was absolute. The light in his eyes dimmed, his cries weakening until his struggles ceased entirely.
His corpse collapsed—charred black, still smoldering with icy flames.
Dead.
"What… just happened?!" A bystander stammered, eyes bulging as if witnessing a nightmare.
Even Black-Armored Nos. 4 and 5 were stunned, hearts pounding in disbelief.
To them, Kael had merely glanced at No. 1—and in that instant, frostfire and lightning had consumed him without resistance.
This defied all logic.
Kael was only peak eighth-tier, while No. 1 had been early ninth-tier—a gap that should've been insurmountable.
Yet an eighth-tier mage had killed a ninth-tier.
No—not killed.
Annihilated.
Indeed—annihilated in the blink of an eye!
Arjun was speechless. Now he understood why Kael had ordered him back. Kael hadn't needed his help at all; he'd only wanted to shield Arjun from the magical backlash.
Terrifying. Absolutely terrifying.
The scene burned itself into the minds of every onlooker. An eighth-tier mageobliterating a ninth-tier defied all conventional wisdom. The crowd stood frozen, their earlier greed replaced by cold sweat. Those who'd contemplated ambushing Kael now thanked their luck—had they acted, they'd have died without even knowing how.
Black-Armored No. 3's incantation faltered, visibly shaken, but he redoubled his chanting speed.
What Kael had unleashed was his newly mastered mutated magic.
As the Water Dragon had instructed, he'd fused his variant energies into a single point—but Kael had taken it further.
He'd concentrated it in his eyes.
Yes—his eyes!
It had been accidental at first. Yet when Kael channeled his magic there, an unprecedented transformation occurred, granting his gaze devastating power. Even the Water Dragon had marveled at this discovery.
Kael named it "Eyes of Thunder and Flame."
Their lethality was undeniable—enough to erase a ninth-tier expert instantly. But such power came at a cost: the drain was colossal. Even with Kael's monstrous mana reserves, he couldn't spam this technique indefinitely.
To the awestruck crowd, Kael now seemed an enigma—invincible despite being merely peak eighth-tier. The shock he inspired was akin to an eighth-tier mage casting tenth-tier spells.
Was this man even human?
The spectators remained paralyzed, drowning in disbelief.