NOVEL NEXT Chapter 437: The Confrontation
The Emperor's face had turned an alarming shade of red, veins bulging at his temples as his centuries of accumulated pride finally reached its breaking point. His hands trembled—not from fear, but from the sheer effort of containing the volcanic rage building within him.
"You DARE stand against me, boy!"
The words erupted from his throat like a battle cry, and with them came the full unleashing of his power.
The meeting room exploded into chaos.
His aura burst forth in a symphony of raw, terrifying magic that would have made lesser beings soil themselves. Light magic blazed like a newborn sun, turning the air itself into liquid gold. Earth magic followed, causing the very foundations of the building to groan and crack as his power sought to reshape reality itself.
Space mana warped the air around him, creating distortions that made the eye water to look upon.
The combination was devastating—a Rank 20 being's full power unleashed in all its terrible glory. The kind of aura that had made gods take notice, that had crushed armies and toppled kingdoms. Pure, undiluted Chaos that should have driven anyone within fifty feet to their knees in abject terror.
It crashed against Pyris like a tsunami hitting a mountain.
And went through him like water through a basket.
Pyris didn't even blink. He sat there, one leg crossed over the other, that infuriatingly handsome face wearing an expression of mild interest as if watching a particularly boring street performance. The crushing weight of imperial power that should have pulverized his bones? It simply... slid off him.
Elsa, standing beside his chair, barely reacted either. Having lived with beings like Emberly, Zara, Astrid, and the otherworldly Lady Nysa, she'd been exposed to power that made most mortals' minds snap. Violence was nothing new, and besides—she was safely within her big brother's protective aura, a space where even gods would think twice about causing trouble.
The clash of wills was spectacular to witness. The Emperor's power pressed forward like a battering ram, all fury and ancient authority, while Pyris remained seated, casual as you please, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
The air between them crackled with opposing forces—one desperate to dominate, the other simply... unbothered.
Until Pyris's eyes changed.
The golden orbs that had been merely amused suddenly took on a dangerous glint, like sunlight reflecting off a blade. His smile widened, but there was nothing pleasant about it anymore.
"Alera was right," he said conversationally, his voice carrying easily through the chaos. "I should turn you into her Shadow General."
The casual way he discussed the Emperor's death—like commenting on the weather—sent ice through everyone's veins.
Tired of the pointless display, Pyris turned to Elsa. "Little star, go outside and meet Aunt Alera. I'll be back in a minute."
Smart as she was, Elsa immediately understood what was about to happen. She nodded without question and took a step toward the door, her small form moving with the grace of someone who'd learned to navigate dangerous situations.
Lekiza watched this exchange in growing horror, her political instincts screaming warnings as realization dawned. This boy—this impossibly beautiful young man—had just faced down her father's full power without so much as a flinch. The floor beneath their feet was shaking from the residual energy, crystal decanters had shattered, and the very air seemed to weep from the pressure.
Yet Pyris sat there like he was enjoying afternoon tea.
'He's containing it,' she realized with mounting dread. Both she and her father possessed the space element, which meant they could see what others couldn't—the way Spatial Laws bent to Pyris's will, creating an invisible prison that kept their confrontation from spilling beyond these walls. The sheer casual mastery required for such a feat...
'If he can do this, it means he can take on Father. And Father's too blinded by rage to see it.'
The moment Elsa stepped out, the fight would be inevitable. And given what she'd just witnessed, there was only one possible outcome.
"Stop!" Lekiza shot to her feet, her voice cracking with urgency. "Little, Elsa, wait!"
The young elf paused, looking back with curious ice-blue eyes.
Lekiza turned to her father, her voice taking on the tone of a seasoned politician desperately trying to prevent a war. "Father, handle this with caution. We're not in our empire." Her words carried the weight of cold political reality. "Do you understand what would happen if you harmed the Young Lord of House Obsidian?" She said carefully to not make it seem like she was telling her father that he can't take on this young boy or else...
Her voice transmission was swift and urgent: 'Father, calm down. Remember the rumors of the secret army guarding the Obsidians. The same army The Sun God warned us about through his champion, Prince Kaelion.'
The Emperor's eyes widened as understanding crashed over him like a bucket of ice water.
"The Phantoms," he whispered, his voice barely audible.
Lekiza nodded grimly. 'There's no need to fight Pyris. After all, the entire House Obsidian is doomed when the gods descend. Why waste energy now? Hadn't the Eternal Sun told us to wait and gather our army while being subtle about it?'
The Emperor's aura slowly began to retract, his breathing heavy as he forced himself back under control. His face was still flushed with rage, but political calculation was beginning to override his wounded pride.
Pyris sighed, completely oblivious to the mental conversation happening before him. He had no way of knowing that the Emperor's sudden change of heart was related to Prince Kaelion Elise, the Champion of the Sun God also known as the Eternal Sun, or the larger schemes brewing in the shadows.
He simply saw an old man finally remembering his manners.
"Elsa, come back," he called gently, and she returned to his side with a small nod.
With another sigh, Pyris settled back into his chair, his dangerous expression fading back into that infuriatingly calm mask of polite interest.
"Now then," he said pleasantly, as if the last few minutes hadn't happened, "shall we discuss business like civilized people?"