A deafening roar erupted, as though the heavens themselves were being torn apart.
A single bolt of lightning struck the iron cage, illuminating it so brightly that no one could keep their eyes open.
It was a force of nature-divine, awe-inspiring, and terrifying.
The leader of the Grand Lords watched the scene unfold, nodding in approval before letting out a regretful sigh. “What a waste of a prodigy,” he murmured. “Why did you have to go against Hellblazer?”
To provoke Hellblazer was to invite certain doom. No matter how talented you were, it would never matter.
Firestone stared at Kayden, who was trapped within the lightning, and burst into laughter. “Do you see this?” he sneered. “This is what happens when you cross The Nightshade! Lucy, look closely! The man who vowed to destroy The Nightshade is now dead!”
“Who in this world could ever destroy The Nightshade?”
Firestone’s voice melded with the crackling of lightning, creating a haunting symphony of terror.
Lucy’s tears streamed uncontrollably down her face. She bit her lip, shaking her head incessantly as she muttered, “No, no! This can’t be happening!”
“Dr. Scott, wait for me. If you die, I will not live alone!”
Deep down, she knew the truth-if Kayden died, she would not survive either. To The Nightshade, she was a traitor. A traitor could never live peacefully. Even if she managed to survive, she would be trampled mercilessly.
“Ah, there’s someone else who should witness this moment,” Firestone said with a smirk. “I almost forgot.”
With a triumphant clap, he gestured toward the great hall.
A disciple standing at the entrance nodded slightly, then disappeared into the hall. Moments later, he emerged, dragging a woman behind him.
The woman wore a flowing red dress, but her frail figure was evident. Her lips were ghostly pale, and her face betrayed a deep exhaustion.
Yet even in this fragile state, her beauty was unmatched, otherworldly, and breathtaking.
Even weakened to such an extent, she outshone both Mags and Lucy effortlessly. What made her truly captivating, however, was her aura-a commanding presence that set her apart from ordinary mortals.
She carried the grace of a warrior who had seen the battlefield, a nobility that could not be faked or replicated.
Ever since she was captured by The Nightshade, the eight Enforcers could hardly keep their eyes off her. Her beauty was so mesmerizing, so devastating, that none could resist sneaking glances. And, if it hadn’t been for Hellblazer’s strict orders, the woman, Wood Faulkner, might have already been subjected to their vile intentions.
As she was brought forward, Firestone leisurely approached her. There was no rush to kill Lucy now-she was already at his mercy. He wanted her to sink into despair, to lose all hope, step by step.
Firestone circled Wood Faulkner like a predator stalking its prey. Then he gestured toward Kayden with a self-satisfied smirk.
“Do you see him?” Firestone said mockingly. “That’s the man who came to save you!”
Wood Faulkner raised her head, following Firestone’s finger. Her gaze found Kayden, trapped in the iron cage, lightning coiling around his body, assaulting him relentlessly. Within the cage, his figure was contorted, writhing in pain.
He looked like a wretched, pitiful animal.
Kayden, the man who had always seemed untouchable, arrogant, and invincible, now appeared broken. The sight was enough to make anyone’s heart ache.
Wood Faulkner’s brows furrowed, and she shook her head in disbelief. “Mr. Scott,” she whispered.
Though her memory had not yet fully returned, she instinctively knew there was a connection between her and Kayden.
Why else would he risk his life to save her?
“What have you done to Mr. Scott?” she demanded, summoning the last vestiges of her strength.
Firestone laughed arrogantly. “Those who obey me thrive; those who defy me perish! He dared to challenge The Nightshade, and this is his fate! Tell me, who in this world would dare to stand against The Nightshade?”
Firestone’s arrogance was palpable, his dominance suffocating.
Wood Faulkner shook her head, her voice calm but resolute. “You’re delusional. Mr. Scott isn’t someone you can kill so easily.”
“But he’s already dead!” Firestone roared, his voice brimming with pride.
Wood Faulkner met his gaze and said firmly, “You know nothing about true strength.”
As soon as the words left her lips, she felt her head grow heavy. The surge of adrenaline subsided, and she fainted.
“Is he really dead?” one of the Grand Lords asked suddenly.
The leader of the Grand Lords nodded slightly. “Even if he’s an innate Hermit, he should be dead by now. No one could survive the power of this lightning.”
With that, they retracted their energy, feeling certain the battle was over.
Kayden lay motionless in the cage, curled up on the ground.
At last, the storm seemed to pass. The Nightshade had once again weathered a crisis unscathed.
The four Grand Lords exchanged relieved smiles.
Inside the cage, Kayden felt as though death had claimed him. The lightning had pierced through his flesh and bones, merciless and overwhelming.
The sheer force of it was beyond his comprehension.
Even as a Master, trapped within the cage, he was powerless.
He could no longer breathe, his body weak beyond measure. He felt his soul slipping away from his body.
But just as his consciousness began to fade, a figure appeared in his mind.
It was a man-tall and imposing, his face obscured. He stood silently, watching Kayden.
Then, the figure morphed into an old man with a white beard.
Kayden recognized him instantly. It was the man who had once passed his skills onto him.
Kayden tried to call out, but before he could speak, the old man began to chant softly.
“Congratulations on mastering the Ninefold Dragon-Chi. What it lacked was the power of heavenly lightning. Now, it has become one with you.”
As the old man’s words faded, he disappeared.
In his place, a woman’s face appeared.
It was Georgia. Her tear-streaked face flashed before him, her sorrow unmistakable.
“Georgia,” Kayden murmured, his lips moving faintly.
At that moment, he felt nine surging forces erupt within his body.
Ninefold Dragon-Chi!
The energy coursed through him, colliding with his heart.
“Ugh!” He spat out a mouthful of thick, black blood.
He could feel something breaking free inside him.
Suddenly, the ground beneath The Nightshade trembled violently, as if an earthquake had struck.
Then, the unthinkable happened.
A blinding light burst forth from the dungeon, shattering the cage and piercing through the roof, straight into the heavens.
Instantly, all of The Nightshade was thrown into chaos.