Lightning cracked across the sky as the clouds above Noctharis slowly turned crimson.
Inside the castle, the atmosphere had become suffocatingly quiet.
Blood dripped slowly from Mil's injured eye, falling onto the stone floor.
Morgan finally released his grip on the guard's body.
Mil collapsed to the ground.
"Ahh!!"
His scream echoed through the ruined hall.
Morgan simply watched.
Cold.
Motionless.
No emotion on his face.
Mil tore a piece of his clothing and wrapped it around his injured eye, tightening it into a makeshift bandage.
He took a shaky breath.
I lost an eye in the guard's body. I've damaged him a lot... I don't think I even have a chance to win this fight anymore with just one eye.
Morgan looked down at him.
"Can you fight?"
He paused.
"Whatever you say doesn't matter. I will kill you."
Mil slowly looked up.
"So you have a traumatic past. Your dad thinks of you as a failure just because you couldn't unlock the powers of an emperor."
Morgan's eyes narrowed.
For the first time, something changed in his expression.
Mil noticed.
Morgan replied calmly,
"You learned a lot without any conversation. But sadly, it will not matter at the end."
Mil picked up his sword and slowly cleaned the blood from the blade.
Morgan watched him.
"Let's see how you fight with just one eye."
He suddenly threw a knife.
Mil tilted his head.
The knife passed beside him.
Mil immediately swung his blade and began charging an attack.
Inside his mind, he remembered his training.
I trained a lot in elsewhere.
I can fight with one eye easily.
Morgan continued attacking.
But Mil kept dodging.
One attack.
Another.
Another.
Despite having only one eye, Mil's movements remained sharp.
The storm outside grew stronger.
Blue flames flickered across the castle walls as lightning illuminated the two fighters.
Mil raised his blade.
Energy began gathering around him.
The air seemed to become heavier.
"KING'S PUNCH!!"
A spear-like blast of orange energy launched from his blade, tearing through everything in its path.
Morgan stood his ground.
Mil's remaining eye widened.
Morgan caught the attack with both hands.
The orange energy pushed against him, illuminating his face.
But Morgan didn't move.
Mil couldn't believe it.
Morgan slowly tightened his grip.
The attack began collapsing between his hands.
Then—
He crushed it.
Mil stared in disbelief.
Morgan disappeared.
Before Mil could react, a powerful kick struck him.
His sword flew from his hand.
Mil reached for it.
His fingers almost touched the handle.
Then Morgan's foot struck his face.
Mil was launched through the wall.
The stone shattered around him as he flew outside the castle and crashed onto a rock near the beach.
For several seconds, Mil didn't move.
The ocean waves rolled beneath the cliffs.
Rain fell across his face.
Morgan stepped through the broken wall and walked outside.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
His energy continued increasing with every passing second.
Mil slowly lifted his head.
I don't have a chance of winning this battle anymore.
He clenched his fist.
I have to go all in.
The moment he finished the thought—
Something happened inside the Devil Horns' chamber.
A bright blue glow suddenly filled the room.
Mil's body inside the chamber began glowing from the back.
The blue light intensified.
Then—
A roar echoed through the sky.
Morgan stopped walking.
Above Noctharis, the clouds began splitting apart.
The crimson sky opened.
A blazing force descended toward the ground, tearing through the clouds and shattering everything in its path.
The entire beach trembled.
Mil slowly pushed himself up from the rock.
Blue energy began surrounding James's body.
Morgan looked toward the sky.
For the first time...
He was surprised.
He didn't understand what he was feeling.
His breathing became slightly heavier.
He raised his hand and wiped the sweat from his face.
Morgan stared at the blue energy surrounding James.
His expression remained controlled.
But inside...
He was nervous.