"An Honored Heart made from bark."
"At such a tender age... truly, summoners are extraordinary."
Voices rippled through the enormous plaza, blending into a tide of admiration and awe as one young hero after another stepped onto the raised platform.
Thousands had gathered.
Citizens packed every available street surrounding the ceremonial square. Merchants had abandoned their stalls, noble families occupied the balconies overlooking the plaza, and even children sat atop their parents’ shoulders, trying to catch a glimpse of the city’s defenders.
The events of the previous night had shaken Blackwater City to its very foundations.
A demigod.
Even uttering those words was enough to make seasoned warriors shiver.
For generations, Tier Four existences had remained distant legends whose names were only spoken in temples, royal courts, or ancient records. They represented beings capable of reducing cities to ruins with a single spell or wiping out armies through sheer presence alone.
Yet one had descended upon Blackwater.
For several horrifying hours, everyone believed the city was doomed.
Families had locked themselves inside their homes, praying to every god they knew.
Others had simply embraced one another, waiting for death.
And yet...
Against every expectation...
Blackwater still stood.
Many had died.
Many more had been injured.
Entire districts had become uninhabitable after the corruption spreading from the ritual building.
But compared to what could have happened...
It was nothing short of a miracle.
Today was the city’s way of expressing gratitude.
One after another, members of the City Guard, the White Tower, and the Punishment Hall received medals, treasures, enchanted equipment, and public recognition.
Every name announced was followed by thunderous applause.
"Commander Varek!"
Cheers erupted.
"Senior Mage Elwin!"
Another wave of applause.
"Captain Selene!"
The crowd practically roared.
Eventually—
"Ethan Algar."
The applause became noticeably louder.
Many eyes immediately landed upon the young man walking calmly across the stage.
Although he appeared composed, countless spectators stared at him with unconcealed curiosity.
This was the summoner.
The one who had repeatedly accomplished feats no one believed possible.
Whispers spread throughout the audience.
"So young..."
"I heard he’s only eighteen."
"They say his summons fought directly against the demigod."
"His summons even killed multiple Tier Six experts."
"I’ve heard he possesses several Legendary Spirits."
"No wonder the White Tower values him so highly."
An elderly noble stroked his beard thoughtfully.
"Summoners truly are terrifying."
Another elder nodded.
"An Honored Heart made from bark..."
"To receive one at his age... remarkable."
A beautifully carved wooden medal was placed against Ethan’s chest.
Despite appearing simple, every citizen recognized it instantly.
The Honored Heart.
One of Blackwater City’s highest civilian honors.
Fashioned from the sacred Ironwood Tree that grew beside the city’s oldest shrine, the medal symbolized unwavering courage in the face of impossible odds.
Receiving one meant your name would forever be engraved within the city’s Hall of Honor.
Ethan bowed politely.
The applause intensified.
To everyone watching, he looked calm.
Collected.
Even humble.
Only Ethan himself knew how bitter he truly felt.
His gaze unconsciously wandered across the assembled heroes.
So many familiar faces.
Many were wrapped in bandages.
Some stood on crutches.
Others had lost an arm or an eye during the battle.
But they had survived.
Unfortunately...
Not everyone was present.
His fingers subconsciously tightened around the wooden medal.
Hela.
Ella.
Their absence felt painfully obvious.
Officially, the ceremony listed them as being "unable to attend due to urgent personal matters."
Everyone applauded politely when their names were mentioned.
Only Ethan knew the truth.
They hadn’t chosen to be absent.
They had been taken.
The absurd matriarch of the Dracontis Family had forcibly brought both women to the Royal Capital.
Whether it was because of their bloodline...
Their talent...
Or some twisted matchmaking scheme...
No one knew.
Lady Arian herself hadn’t even explained everything.
She had merely informed him of one thing.
"They’re gone."
The thought left an unpleasant taste in his mouth.
The ceremony continued for another hour.
More speeches followed.
The City Lord praised the bravery of every organization.
The High Priest thanked the gods.
Representatives from the White Tower promised to strengthen the city’s magical defenses.
Eventually...
The ceremony concluded.
People slowly dispersed.
Heroes were immediately surrounded by grateful citizens hoping to shake their hands or offer gifts.
Children excitedly begged for signatures.
Ethan quietly slipped away.
Crowds had never appealed to him.
He preferred silence.
As he descended the marble staircase leading away from the plaza, a strange sensation prickled across his senses.
Someone was watching him. His Tyrant instincts sharpened immediately.
Without moving his head, he subtly scanned the surroundings.
Hundreds of people.
Families.
Merchants.
Soldiers.
Travelers.
Nothing seemed unusual.
Then...
Near a narrow alley between two buildings... A familiar figure stood concealed beneath a hood.
Lady Arian. Only her eyes were visible.
She didn’t wave.
Didn’t speak.
She simply looked directly at him.
Ethan frowned.
"Lady Arian?"
The bustling crowd swallowed his voice almost instantly.
She didn’t respond aloud.
Instead—
Her calm voice echoed directly inside his mind.
"Do not react."
Ethan’s expression hardened.
"They’ve reached the Royal Capital."
His heartbeat slowed.
"The Dracontis Matriarch intends to move sooner than expected."
He remained completely still.
"Gather everyone you trust."
A brief pause followed.
"We leave immediately." No unnecessary explanations.No dramatic speeches. Just four simple words, We leave immediately.
Ethan nodded once.
Lady Arian disappeared into the moving crowd almost as though she had never been there.
Without wasting another second, Ethan turned around.
His pace quickened.
Soon he was almost jogging through the streets Citizens stepped aside instinctively, Something about him today felt...Different.
More dangerous.
By the time he reached the apartment, he was already planning routes toward the Royal Capital.
His hand gripped the doorknob.
Twist.
LThe door swung open.
Inside, everyone immediately looked toward him
Kang.Several Punishment Hall members.Even those casually chatting suddenly fell silent. The atmosphere around Ethan pressed against the room like invisible pressure.
Ever since inheriting the Tyrant Class, subtle changes had become increasingly obvious.
His eyes had grown colder.
His posture straighter.
Even standing still, people instinctively felt as though a predator had entered the room.
It wasn’t killing intent.
It was something deeper.
An aura that demanded obedience.
Today...
That feeling had intensified several times over.
No one joked.
No one smiled.
Kang slowly stood.
"What happened?"
Ethan didn’t bother sitting.
"Hela and Ella were captured."
Silence.
"They’ve been taken to the Royal Capital."
Another silence followed.
Then—
"We’re getting them back."
His voice wasn’t loud.
Yet every word landed like steel striking stone.
"Lady Arian is waiting outside the city walls."
No one questioned him.
No one asked whether this was wise.
There was no discussion.
No debate.
Simply action.
Arthur rose first, His hand reached for Excalibur.
Dracula calmly adjusted the gauntlets covering his hands.
Morgan silently closed the spellbook resting upon her lap, Kang grabbed his weapon from beside the wall.
Within moments everyone was moving Armor was equipped, Weapons checked.
Supplies gathered.
The apartment became a whirlwind of controlled preparation.
Less than ten minutes later they were already leaving.
Word spread astonishingly fast.
Before Ethan’s group even reached the eastern gate, messengers had already informed the Punishment Hall.
One signal flare shot into the sky.
Then another, Then another.
Across the city...
Members of the Punishment Hall emerged from every direction.
Dozens.
Then hundreds.
Veteran executioners.
Investigators.
Battle mages.
Elite warriors.
No formal orders had been issued. None were needed.
Everyone knew why Hela and Ella had stood beside them during the city’s darkest night.
They had fought. Bled, Risked everything. No one intended to abandon them now.
Soon the harbor became filled with activity. Battleships prepared for departure. Supply vessels loaded provisions.
One massive warship slowly drifted away from the docks, its enormous runic engines humming to life.
City Guards arrived next.
Then White Tower.
Even civilians came to watch.
The City Lord only learned what had happened after nearly half the force had already mobilized.
By the time he arrived at the harbor, soldiers were already boarding ships. He opened his mouth to object...
Then quietly closed it again, Instead...
He simply watched.
Sometimes leadership meant understanding when people had already made their decision.
Rows of City Guards stood at attention along the docks. As Ethan walked toward the flagship, they saluted.
Not because of rank.lBut because of respect. No speeches were exchanged.
No dramatic farewells. Only silent determination. The fleet slowly departed Blackwater City.
Its destination—
The Royal Capital.
...
Far away...
Within the sprawling capital, surrounded by towering mountains and ancient stone walls, stood one of the grandest estates in the empire.
The Dracontis Villa.
Massive dragon statues lined its entrance. Servants hurried through elegant courtyards while armored guards patrolled every corridor.
Deep within the estate... An elderly woman sat lazily upon an oversized throne carved from crimson crystal.
Although her appearance resembled that of a refined grandmother, the invisible pressure radiating from her body distorted the surrounding air. Every servant nearby kept their heads lowered.
No one dared meet her gaze. She casually pointed toward a handsome young noble practicing swordsmanship in the courtyard below.
"That one is rather strong." She smiled mischievously.
"What do you girls think?" Turning her head, she looked toward the two young women seated beside her.
"Would he make a suitable husband?"
Hela and Ella sat stiffly in elaborately decorated chairs. Both wore expensive ceremonial dresses embroidered with golden dragons. Jewels adorned their necks.
Layers upon layers of makeup covered their faces. The cosmetics were so excessive that neither even resembled themselves anymore.
Their expressions, however, remained identical. Utter annoyance.
Hela resisted the urge to tear the dress apart. Ella looked moments away from committing murder. Unfortunately...Neither moved.
Because standing quietly behind them...With one hand resting casually upon the back of the throne...
Was a Tier Four demigod,His mere presence filled the room with suffocating pressure.
No chains restrained them. None were necessary. Against a demigod... Escape was impossible.
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