The four Grand Lords felt the ground tremble beneath their feet, but what shocked them the most was the cage.
A force so powerful it seemed capable of devouring the heavens and the earth emanated from within the cage. As the force surged outward, the cage shattered-its iron bars, capable of consuming all energy, were torn apart and scattered across the ground.
In the center of the wreckage, Kayden slowly stood up.
He was actually standing! Moments ago, he had appeared on the brink of death, yet now, he stood tall and steady.
More importantly, his entire being radiated an icy, murderous intent. It was as though their actions had awakened a killing intent within Kayden.
The four Grand Lords froze, utterly dumbfounded. Their eyes were filled with disbelief as they stared at Kayden.
The battle was supposed to be over. Kayden should have been dead, yet here he was-alive. And not just alive-he had broken free from the cage.
This was something no one had accomplished in centuries.
And yet, he had done it.
He had risen like a phoenix from the ashes.
“This… this…” one of the Grand Lords stammered, looking to the leader of their group with wide, questioning eyes. “What is going on?”
Their shock was beyond measure.
They had unleashed the Zenith Power, drawing on the forces of the heavens and summoning the might of lightning itself. Yet, it hadn’t killed him.
Not only that-Kayden seemed stronger now, as though he had grown even more powerful than before.
No, it couldn’t be possible. No one could withstand the Zenith Power wielded by four Grand Lords.
They wanted to deny the reality before them, but they had no choice but to accept it.
“Impossible! How can this be? Did one of you open the cage?” Firestone asked, his face pale with shock.
None of the four answered. Their eyes were fixed on Kayden.
Suddenly, he moved. Kayden moved. He raised his hand and casually brushed the dust off his clothes.
He had really moved-they weren’t imagining it.
Not only that, but Kayden spoke. As he dusted himself off, he muttered to himself, “I suppose I should thank all of you.”
Hearing this, the leader of the Grand Lords furrowed his brow in confusion. “What do you mean? How are you still alive?”
Kayden gave a faint smile. “Not only am I alive, but I’ve also regained the power of my sixth layer. More than that, your Zenith Power allowed me to fully merge with the Ninefold Dragon-Chi within me. For years, I struggled to control it. But thanks to the lightning you summoned, I’ve finally mastered it. Perhaps this is what they call a blessing in disguise. So yes, I thank you.”
The leader’s eyes widened in astonishment. His entire body felt as if it had been struck by lightning.
How could this be possible? The attack they had just unleashed was meant to be fatal, yet it seemed to have no effect on Kayden.
And then there was what Kayden had just said.
He had broken through to the sixth layer. Did that mean he had only been at the fifth layer before?
If he had been that powerful at just half his strength, how strong would he be at full power?
“Are you saying… that earlier, you were only using half of your strength?” the leader asked, his voice trembling with disbelief.
Even asking the question felt absurd.
If Kayden had fought them to a standstill with only half of his power, it was an insult to all of them.
Kayden nodded slightly. “That’s right. I was indeed only using half of my strength. But that no longer matters. Thanks to you, I’ve now mastered the Ninefold Dragon-Chi. And to show my gratitude, I’ll make your deaths quick.”
“I said I would destroy you, and no one in this world can stop me. I’ll admit, your Zenith Power is impressive. But to think that you could use it to kill me? That was nothing more than a foolish dream.”
“Still, I must thank you again for summoning the lightning,” Kayden added, his tone calm.
With that, Kayden clasped his hands together in mock gratitude and addressed the four elders. “Thank you, gentlemen! I’ll repay your kindness now.”
The four Grand Lords felt a deep sense of humiliation.
The leader, his face filled with shock and anger, barked, “Do you really think that breaking free from this cage and withstanding the Zenith Power means we can’t stop you? You underestimate us!”
His defiance was clear, but inside, panic gripped him.
Despite their bravado, they were all seasoned warriors, giants in their own right. Surrender was not in their nature.
“Come, then! Let me end this,” Kayden said coldly, the corners of his mouth curling into a chilling smile.
“Arrogant brat! You’re insane!” the leader shouted, his voice trembling with rage.
“Formation!” he commanded.
The four Grand Lords moved as one, their hands coming together in perfect synchronization. It was as if the four of them shared a single body.
“Now, kill him!” the leader roared.
Four beams of light shot forth from four directions, converging on Kayden.
Kayden stood firm, narrowing his eyes as he shouted.
The broken blade lying on the ground suddenly flew into his hand.
In an instant, the blade split into four.
As the beams of light raced toward him, the four blades shot forward, meeting the beams head-on.
A deafening explosion followed. Sparks and light filled the air, and in the blink of an eye, everything was reduced to ashes.
Standing in the center of the devastation, Kayden remained calm. “Gentlemen,” he said, “when your energy cannot unite, you are nothing.”
The four Grand Lords furrowed their brows in frustration.
He was right-without their energy converging, their attacks lacked lethal force.
“Fool! Die!” the leader shouted, his voice filled with desperation.
Kayden moved like a predator, charging at the leader with the speed of a leopard.
Within a second, his hand closed around the leader’s throat.
Kayden lifted him from the ground, his voice cold and merciless. “You can die now.”
With a surge of power, Kayden tightened his grip. Blood dripped from the leader’s lips as his head slumped forward.
He was dead.
The leader of the Grand Lords had been killed-instantly and effortlessly.
The remaining three shouted in panic, but it was too late. The leader was gone.
Kayden twisted the corpse’s neck with a sickening crack, then raised the lifeless body high above his head like a trophy.
“The Nightshade will no longer exist!” he declared.
His words struck the hearts of every Nightshade disciple like a thunderclap.
He had killed a Grand Lord.
Even Firestone stood stunned, unable to process what had just happened.
The remaining three Grand Lords, overcome with fury, gritted their teeth.
“You bastard! How dare you kill our brother! You’ll pay with your life!” they roared, attacking with all their might.
Kayden moved like the wind, evading them with ease.
Moments later, beneath the dungeon’s dim light, four lifeless bodies lay sprawled on the ground.
The four Grand Lords of The Nightshade, masters who had lived for over a century, were dead.
At that moment, The Nightshade truly met its end.