A few paces behind, Margo followed in silence, his expression dark and brooding. His once-arrogant posture was gone, shoulders slightly slumped, eyes lowered as he trailed after his own team like a shadow.
The events of the battle replayed in his mind in merciless clarity—the sight of Max cutting down Ascendants, the golden swords cleaving through monsters that even seasoned veterans feared to challenge.
Margo clenched his fists, swallowing the bitter taste of his own wounded pride. He had seen enough to understand one unshakable truth: Max was in a realm entirely beyond his reach.
'Going against him would only bring me ruin,' Margo thought, the muscles in his jaw tightening as he forced himself to remain silent, to fade into the background. He kept his eyes lowered, hoping that staying invisible was the wisest path for now.
