[The expression… I would kill this guy if I get my memories.]
Killian cleared his throat.
"I have no choice but to believe I am Sire. So I want to do whatever it takes to reclaim my memories."
Merikh immediately disappeared.
Killian had hoped that letting him into his dreams would at least give him some faith in him.
But he wasn't going to tolerate his disrespect. This was the closest he had ever gotten to growing stronger, and he wasn't about to let it slip away.
Killian's expression darkened. "Merikh!"
He appeared at his previous location.
"If I am Sire, then you already know I despise being looked down on."
His expression softened.
"I am weak, and no one knows that better than I do. That's why I won't be leaving weak.
"I need to grow stronger—not just to stand a chance in my realm, but more importantly, to reclaim my lost memories."
"I accept your challenge, Merikh. We fight, and the winner takes it all."
Merikh smirked, "Agreed." He said and vanished.
Deimos bowed his head, "I will have to take my leave, Sire."
Killian gave a firm nod, and he was gone.
The others stared at him with calm expressions.
"I was expecting you guys to be worried."
His eyes darted at their faces.
"Not at all, Sire. This is your realm, and everything here bends to your command."
Endanger bowed.
"Must you bow all the time?"
"Yes, Sire."
[Jezz… what a pain.]
Killian hoped they could help him cheer up, but rather gave him more to think of.
He dismissed them, then hurled himself on the bed.
Fear began to creep in. He lay flat, clutching tightly to the bed sheet while his heart raced anxiously.
[How can I win against that?]
His body began to tremble. He gritted his teeth with his cheek resting on the bed.
[I won't leave until I'm deemed stronger. I mustn't go back weak.]
Killian turned his face to the ceiling.
"Lyssa."
In an instant she stood beside him.
His heart slowly sank.
"Is there a place where I can train?"
"Yes, Sire."
Killuan took a deep breath, got out of the bed and asked her to take him there.
She snapped.
In an instant, they stood in the middle of a massive training center. The room was bright as if no shade of darkness existed within the concrete walls. Armors, weapons and gears, decently decorated on the triangular walls.
Killian could feel the softness of the fluffy black moss beneath his feet.
[This is amazing.]
He turned to Lyssa.
"Why must you always snap?" He asked with his head snapping around.
She glanced at her fingers. "Because Endanger and I are the youngest. We've been drained more than the others, making us lose a few of our abilities."
"I really need to put an end to this, huh?"
Killian had no desire to harm those who were willing to serve under him. His egotistical side rejoiced in such situations. With that, the state of the Evolution Realm remained a pressing concern.
Their situation made his desire to become stronger, unyieldingly strong.
"What exactly must I do to get stronger?"
She snapped. Bia and Endanger appeared in an instant.
"Sire wants to know what he can do to get stronger."
Lyssa said, staring directly into Killian's eyes.
In an instant, Deimos appeared.
Killian began to panic.
[What is going on?]
He took slow, steady steps backward, unsettled by the intensity in their eyes and the mysterious aura surrounding them.
"Are you guys going to kill me?"
"Sorry, Sire." Endanger said, tears streaming down his cheeks.
"What is going on?"
Killian observed the surroundings, trying to look for a way to flee.
[What can I think of? Home! Wildlands! Secret place! Nothing?]
Before he knew it, a shadowy and electric sensation filled the hall. Lightning crackled, descending slowly from the ceiling to the ground, while darkness crept through the air, swallowing the atmosphere in an overwhelming embrace.
His eyes darted around, his heart pounded out of his chest and his body trembled.
"Wha—
A fist burst through the mist, slamming into his cheek—strong enough to clear the fog on his right side. Yet, he stood his ground.
His jaw cracked from the strike, but with a heavy heart, he glanced down—shadowy figures had emerged from the ground, gripping his legs tightly.
He tilted his head upward, confused and sad, he tried to flee.
That was the last time his brain functioned.
He yelled, screamed and cried, his body gave up and he felt his soul slipping away—but those monsters—hmm.
His vision blurred. He couldn't see who struck him or who sent jolts of electricity through his body. Yet, the pain was endless. His heart stopped countless times, only for those monsters to revive him with each strike.
The attacks ceased for a moment, the next thing he felt was his body collapsing on the ground.
The pain began to fade and his vision cleared a little. A glance at his body, he was absorbing the lightning and dark fog around him.
[What is going on? I feel stronger.]
The more his body absorbed the sensation, the stronger his limbs and muscles grew.
The room cleared in no time. His body had absorbed every inch of the sensation.
He lay on the ground feeling stronger than ever.
[I can take on Sovereignty at this point.]
He felt a sudden desire to hover midair. He pressed himself against the ground and hurled himself mid air.
[I've never been this high before.]
His eyes sparkled, glancing at his body.
He landed slowly, with a steady thin wind blowing below his feet.
As he stood there admiring his newfound strength, his disciples bowed their heads.
[Oh yeah, they killed me.]
"We are sorry, Sire."
Killian let out a sigh. If Killian had known he'd grow stronger, he wouldn't have minded the pain—his desire for strength surpassed everything else.
"Why wait this long, if you knew it would make me stronger?"
"It was by your command, Sire. The last thing we recall before this conundrum was your order—to do this whenever you asked us to make you stronger."
"Really?"
"Yes, Sire. How exactly it makes you stronger remains unknown to us."
That made Killian wonder. Did he anticipate his pursuit for strength?
He turned to a wall, his hand touching his lips.
[I am not much of a strategist.]
He wondered, what actually drew him to a point where he would make such decisions?
[I'm sure there was something I couldn't overcome.]
He knew himself well enough to know he had to be triggered to make such decisions.
He let out a sigh.
Killian buried the confusion and turned back to them.
"How strong am I now?"
"We aren't sure, Sire. We would figure that out when you fight Marikh."
Endanger said and snapped.
They stood at the center of an arena, surrounded by his army as they cheered for him.
Watching them cheer his name reminded him of something.
"Why did you save Ahvi? I saw none of you too."
Bia bowed her head. "That was my doing, Sire. While checking the time difference between the realms, the soldiers came across her. She needed help, so I ordered them to assist her."
"Right." Killian gave an awkward nod.
At first glance, Bia didn't seem like someone who would care much about others. But realized he was wrong—she also cared a great deal about the time difference for some reason.
Before long, Merikh appeared and the crowd immediately stopped cheering.
Killian tilted to the others, they were gone, only Endanger stood by.
[I guess he would be officiating the fight.]
Marikh gazed intently into Killian's eyes. His aura filled the air with dust blown from the grown.
Killian stood there with his hands tucked in his pockets as tornado-like wind blew around Merikh.
"Whoa… Terrifying."
Killian knew he was being overconfident, but he was glad—at least he could do something.
[Do I have an aura of my own?]
At Endanger's mark, Merikh dashed toward him.
He moved sluggishly. Killian dodged his strike effortlessly, confusion creeping in—could someone of his caliber really be that slow?
In an instant, there was another strike, but Killian dodged effortlessly.
[Dude my hands are tucked, come on.]
Before he knew it, dozens of attacks came at him, barely resting on an attack before the next one followed.
Yet, not a single strike landed. To Killian, the gaps between his attacks were long enough to prepare an entire meal.
[At this point I will win without laying a finger. But no…]
It seemed too good to be true. His aura was easily twice that of Raiden's, yet falling for such cheap jabs wasn't something Killian would do.
[I must try.]
Killian swiftly removed a hand, attempting to strike him in the ribcage.
In an instant, Killian was sent sliding backward on his feet.
"What happened?"
His left hand was still tucked, and his right hand was in motion to land the strike.
"Did he touch me?"
A sharp pain shot through his abdomen, instantly followed by a strong urge to puke.
"Blood?"