Fire Mage

"NO!!!" Titus roared, dashing toward Jessie's cleaved body—

Only to see her halves slowly reattaching themselves.

"Don't worry, Titus. As long as I'm within this Blood Domain, I won't die easily," Jessie said, touching her forehead.

"But I do feel the pain... and I'd rather not go through that again."

Titus looked at her with a complex expression, a sense of unfamiliarity settling in.

Shaking his skull, he turned toward Marcus's body.

"Hmm? Why is his body still hovering?"

"That shouldn't be possible," he muttered.

Then he saw it—

Marcus's severed head slowly rising...

And reattaching itself to the body.

At that moment, the Destiny Grimoire's spell—'Destiny Life-Revive'—activated.

"What the f*ck?" Jessie stared, dumbfounded. She sighed heavily.

"Looks like we're not the only ones with trump cards."

"I doubt he has many left," Titus replied as he activated [Dark Domain] and enveloped the area in shadow. He reappeared behind Marcus instantly.

Jessie followed up with [Opposite Thoughts] and [Blood Shackle], restricting both Marcus's mind and body.

Titus seized the moment.

He raised his scythe and severed Marcus's soul link—

Then reached out with his other bony hand, grasped Marcus's soul with [Reaper's Grasp], and chanted in the nether tongue:

"Death's Embrace."

An icy chill enveloped Marcus's soul—

And froze it completely.

Titus didn't stop.

He cast [Soul Extraction], turning the soul into a small, bead-like orb.

Then, touching the bead with a bony finger, he chanted one final spell:

"Eternal Rest."

In that instant, a strange, eerie book appeared in the air and began to fall—

Drifting toward the spot where Noel and Rhea were seated.

The book gently landed on Rhea's lap.

"It seems the mysterious book has chosen Rhea as the next host," Titus said, his voice grave.

"But tell her to beware that strange power."

Just then, a portal-like void opened before him, from which skeletal hands crept out.

Titus stepped toward it without hesitation and tossed the Soul Bead inside.

"Spend the rest of your existence in the Underworld... and repent for your sins," he said coldly, then turned back.

"My job here is done, sister. Though I wanted to stay and spend time with all of you, my current position doesn't allow me to act freely anymore."

There was regret in his tone—sorrow.

"If you ever want to see me again, come to the Underworld. But before that... focus on your path. Rise to the top.

When you're confident enough to face any being in this vast cosmos—come find me. I'll be waiting."

With that, he looked once more at the void and stepped into it.

His skeletal form melded into the creepy hands... and vanished.

"He left... just like that, huh?" Jessie whispered, staring at the empty space.

Though he was alive, her heart ached with loss.

"Even though he still exists, why does it feel like I've lost the Titus I once knew?"

"That's not true, lass." A familiar voice spoke from behind, making her eyes widen.

"That lad's still the same. Cold and distant, sure—but he's no longer a child. He's grown into a man."

The space behind her shattered like glass, revealing a brown-haired middle-aged man.

"Mr. Runeth!" Jessie bowed in respect.

"Thank you for watching over us during the battle."

"I didn't do anything. It seems all of you were affected by that lad—and became monsters in your own right."

Runeth's gaze was distant, thoughtful. He could feel it—Charles possessed a strange power to change the fates of those around him.

That was when Jessie turned pale.

She remembered.

"Charles... He brought that enemy somewhere else. Will he be okay? His opponent is a Divine Being!" she asked, her voice filled with worry.

"Just a demoted avatar," Runeth said calmly.

"And the outcome was decided the moment Sasha tried to trap Charles in that strange dimension."

As he finished, a spatial crack appeared in the sky, over a hundred meters away.

The crack widened into a bluish portal.

From within, a deep-blue-haired man—around 25—stepped out.

"The battle's already over?" Charles asked, scanning the surroundings with his wisdom power.

But then his expression darkened.

He flew over to Runeth and Jessie.

"Where's Titus? I don't see him nearby."

Runeth waved a hand.

"He left. Seems he has no plans to return to Edhen World."

"He left?" Charles murmured.

Haa... I was hoping to ask more about the Undead Rankings... maybe learn some tricks to deal with necromancy spells. But it can't be helped.

Although he had planned to prepare before heading to the Garden of Undead, Charles could only sigh in disappointment.

"What should we do next?" Runeth asked.

Charles sharpened his gaze toward Dreamforge City, then glanced in the direction where Rhea sat on the ground beside Noel.

"Let her handle this matter. Once it's done, we're heading to the Destiny Tower."

"We're entering the Destiny Tower right away, Mr. Charles?" Jessie asked.

"I'm strong enough to go in alone, Jessie," Charles replied, his eyes lingering on Rhea.

By then, Rhea and Noel had already recovered and begun moving toward their respective destinations. Charles waved his hand toward them and continued.

"The truth is, Rhea isn't strong enough to claim the Destiny Tower on her own. To even step into a dungeon-like tower like that, she would need to be capable of facing a Legendary Powerhouse. But we don't have time to wait."

Runeth let out a long sigh.

"He's right. You've all grown tremendously over the past two decades, but it's still not enough for what lies ahead in the Chaos Era." He paused, looked up at the clear blue sky, then added, "Noel has inherited the legacy of the Star Emperor, and you, the legacy of Asher—the last Syreni Empress. With a bit of fortune, you both could become the Heroes of Edhen and shift the tide in the coming Planar War. But Rhea… she's the weakest among you. So far, she's only relied on her own strength to rank up and manage the Kingdom. Her path may be set, but she still has a long way to go before she's ready to enter the Destiny Tower alone and claim the First King's Legacy."

"Which is why we're going now," Charles said firmly. "We'll help her obtain it."

"You're right. Then I'll deal with the remaining issues here," Jessie nodded and turned her attention to the city.

Without delay, she activated her Wisdom Power and soared toward the well-fortified city.

At the same time, Rhea and Noel arrived nearby and asked, "Where is she going? Is she planning to subdue the Griffon Family by herself?"

"She's more than capable. But we should follow her," Charles responded, already flying after her.

Rhea, Noel, and Runeth followed, and the five of them soon reached the fortress battlement overlooking the city.

Jessie took the lead, descending gracefully toward the battlement. As she landed, several soldiers and Rank-3 and Rank-4 Mystics launched attacks, but she effortlessly blocked them with her Wisdom Power.

Then she raised her voice, amplifying it with magic.

"I am Jessie Jones, disciple of the Ancient Mage Oswald. I come seeking an audience with Duke Andy Griffon to resolve our past grudges peacefully. Drop your weapons and surrender, and no blood will be shed."

She raised her hand, her tone turning cold.

"Otherwise, I will rain spears of blood upon this city and leave none alive."

Her words echoed through the city, instilling fear in those who heard them. Though some hesitated, nearly 90% of the soldiers dropped their weapons.

The once-bustling city fell into an eerie silence. The clatter of steel hitting stone rang through the streets as Jessie walked to the edge of the fort wall, then hovered into the air and flew toward the city center.

There, she saw a mass of soldiers and Mystics gathered. After a few moments, she descended once again, landing near a large, dome-shaped mansion.

The soldiers, along with several well-dressed men, stood frozen in shock at her sudden arrival.

"Let me take it from here," Rhea said as she flew to Jessie's side.

The moment her figure appeared, the soldiers and onlookers began dropping to their knees one by one.

Though many had never seen her in person, they all knew her face—and her reputation.

Even the nobles dismounted from their horses and knelt before her.

"As expected of the Queen," Jessie murmured with a smirk.

Rhea swept her gaze over the gathered crowd and nodded.

"A wise decision," she said, her tone calm but commanding. "Take us to Duke Andy Griffon. We have matters to discuss."

A group of guards stepped forward, uncertainty in their eyes. One of them, a captain around forty with black hair, a square face, and brown eyes, bowed low. He wore silver armor and carried a helmet in one hand.

"Please follow me, Your Majesty. The Duke is awaiting you in the main hall."

Rhea and her group followed the captain through a wide courtyard, under the watchful eyes of the citizens gathered outside. The atmosphere was thick with tension and hushed curiosity.

They walked through a grand hallway lined with rooms and corridors, eventually stopping before a towering three-meter-tall iron door.

Several guards along the way questioned their presence, but the captain silenced them with his authority, clearing the path.

With a strong push, he opened the door, ushering them into the grand hall.

Inside, a young man-no older than eighteen—sat at the head of a triangular table, surrounded by nobles locked in heated arguments. The moment Rhea and the others entered, all discussion ceased, and every eye turned toward them.