The employer's young son, Dorang, who had been silent with his head bowed, suddenly looked up, his gaze resolute. "That's right. I was the one who sold the information to Frannie.
"We're all in the same situation, so why should you be the ones making all the decisions? I don't want to go back to that painful family at all, but you, Grandpa Hans, and Big Brother Dordoni don't care about how I feel. You're willing to pay any price to go back. Since that's the case, I can only rely on myself. Once Lord Coloid gets the treasure, I'll become his disciple!"
"I thought you were just good at talking and had gotten along well with your employer. I never expected you two to be brothers!" Desterie said with a laugh as he looked at Dordoni.
Dordoni remained mired in the despair of betrayal, his eyes clouded with confusion, unable to find the words.
"Dordoni, don't resent me, either. From the moment you decided to hide me among the guards and put yourself out in the open, I stopped believing we had even the slightest brotherly affection for each other. It's not too late for you to learn the truth now. Soon, Teacher Coloid will wipe you all out!" Dorang's expression turned cold.
"Little brother, you haven't even become his disciple yet. Don't be in such a hurry to call him your teacher," Desterie said with a mocking laugh.
"A mere One-Star God Hunter, and you dare talk so big? If you're counting on Angola, you might as well give up! A mere Seven-Star God Hunter can't withstand even one move from Lord Coloid!" Frannie said icily, her face frosty.
Dordoni watched everything unfold in disbelief and asked instinctively, "Taylor went to fight, too. Are you even going to look after him?"
Frannie merely smiled. Earth Divine Power appeared in her hand as she prepared to attack Dalayer and Desterie.
But at that moment, the Metal Lifeform stopped its rapid descent and steadied once more.
A bald young man came hurtling inside, unable to control his fall, and smashed a huge hole right through the Metal Lifeform.
Frannie recognized him and stared in shock. "Lord Coloid, who could have beaten you to this state?"
As soon as the words left her mouth, Angola rushed in, his body radiating terrifying black energy.
Coloid didn't answer Frannie. He stared intently at Angola and asked, "You're a Seven-Star God Hunter, yet you have Sovereign's Might—and it isn't even Earth Sovereign's Might!"
Angola was just as puzzled himself. When he had been on the verge of death, a drop of black Sovereign's Might had suddenly appeared before him for no apparent reason. He had immediately seized it and drawn on its energy, surviving the Asura's attacks thanks to the hundredfold increase in power it provided.
And because it had all happened so suddenly, Coloid had been caught off guard, allowing Angola to land the first blow and briefly gain the upper hand.
In terms of fusing profound mysteries, Angola was actually only on the level of a Six-Star God Hunter. It was his racial advantage and the strength of his wind-attribute material attacks that had let him reach the level of a Seven-Star God Hunter. So even with Sovereign's Might, he still couldn't kill a particularly powerful Asura. Only after feeling his own strength surge and still failing to kill his opponent did he realize just how terrifyingly strong the man was.
Seeing that Angola was about to attack again, Coloid suddenly said, "Angola, since we're evenly matched, why don't we join forces and kill them? We can share the treasure. Why fight to the death?"
Angola shook his head. "My mission isn't complete, and I won't make a deal with a tiger. Once the Sovereign's Might wears off, you won't spare me, either."
Coloid issued a threat. "In that case, let's see how long you can hold out!"
But just as the two sides were about to attack, an irresistible force suddenly bound them fast, leaving them unable to move or strike.
The one who had acted was, of course, Desterie. He strolled to the middle and smiled. "Gentlemen, this farce ends here!"
With a Six-Star's basic strength and Willpower far greater than a Paragon's, Desterie's Death Divine Clone could easily restrain even a powerful Asura.
As he spoke, Desterie glanced casually at Frannie.
"Ah—!" Frannie immediately collapsed to the ground, utterly unable to resist. She clutched her head in pain and let out a piercing scream.
"Soul Leech..." Coloid was well-informed and recognized Desterie's technique at a glance. His face went deathly pale, and his lips trembled. "Who are you?"
He knew all the experts who practiced the Laws of Death on the Earth Divine Plane, but none of them could restrain him so easily. Anyone who could trap him so effortlessly could also control and torment him. Death-attribute experts generally had poor temperaments.
"Angola, how did it feel to use Sovereign's Might? Was it wonderful?" Desterie didn't answer Coloid. Instead, he turned to Angola.
Angola suddenly understood. His face filled with gratitude and delight. "So it was you who helped me just now, sir. And I made you waste a drop of Sovereign's Might. But using Sovereign's Might really is an indescribable experience. I may not be very strong, but I know how valuable Sovereign's Might is. You saved my life, sir. I'd gladly brave fire and water to repay you!"
Desterie waved a hand. "Sovereign's Might is nothing to me. I've come to trust your character over these past few centuries, so I saved you. As for repayment, you're too weak right now. Come repay me once you've fused the Laws to the Asura limit!"
The Asura limit?! Coloid heard this and felt his vision go dark. What kind of expert could look down on even an ordinary Asura? He hurriedly begged for mercy. "I didn't know I was in the presence of a Paragon, sir. Please spare Coloid. I'm willing to pay any price."
A Paragon! Everyone was stunned. Dordoni even forgot the pain of betrayal and asked, "Big Brother Desterie, are you a Paragon High-God?"
Desterie neither confirmed nor denied it. He released the Willpower that bound them and said to Coloid, "Now tell me: what is it that an Asura like you has been scheming and plotting to get?"
Coloid wore a bitter expression, but he still answered without delay. "Reporting to you, sir, it's actually a Soul Defense Sovereign Artifact."
A Soul Defense Sovereign Artifact? Desterie was a little surprised. He turned to Dordoni. "Now I think I understand what your younger brother Doro was thinking. Wouldn't it be better to keep this for yourself?"
Dordoni replied bitterly, "Big Brother Desterie—no, sir. A Soul Defense Sovereign Artifact can't guarantee the safety of Doro and me. We're too weak. I think it's well worth it if the family takes us in and protects us.
"Besides, after I bound myself to that ring Sovereign Artifact, I discovered a small gap in the soul barrier it formed. We couldn't repair it, and it definitely wouldn't withstand the soul attacks of a truly powerful expert."
A Soul Defense Sovereign Artifact with a gap in it—and a ring, no less. What was this, Linley's Coiling Dragon Ring?
Before you continue