At the sight of my blood spilled on the ground, Ester and Sery, who were also on the ground due to Velvira's pressure, began circulating their primordial essence through their bodies in order to at least withstand some of the pressure.
But as if to wound their pride, Velvira increased the intensity of her pressure. Ester and Sery began coughing up blood, yet the rage in their eyes remained visible.
Castiel, who had been staring in a certain direction, suddenly turned his attention toward me. He had seen my blood on the floor.
He understood.
The rage of my knights.
The sentence: Velvira's death.
But my knights are too weak to kill her.
He understood.
Oh yes, he understood!
I clenched my jaw against the pain, looked up at the sky, and took a deep breath. I can't show more weakness than I already have.
"What a disgrace…" I sighed.
I looked in a random direction. And, gathering all my willpower to resist Velvira's pressure, I pointed at a skyscraper. I don't know if Velvira is actually over there. But I decided she would be. Not because it's logical. No. Just because I want her to be there.
"You."
She doesn't deserve for me to say her name. My voice is filled with pure disdain.
"You spilled imperial blood."
I blamed her. She didn't do it personally, but she's the cause of it.
"So I, Zikron Zeta, last child of His Majesty… will personally kill you."
The sentence has been declared. I must appear arrogant in her eyes. But that's not my problem.
Even if she were a god, I would hunt her down for spilling my blood. Castiel, upon hearing my declaration, burst out laughing.
It must have seemed absurd to him to hear that.
Me, a mere aspirant, sentencing a Primarch to death.
"What kind of nonsense are you spouting, little dragon?!" Velvira shouted.
Hearing her voice, I smiled.
She was exactly where I had decided she'd be.
A woman jumped from the skyscraper. Her light brown hair flowed gracefully with her descent. The lower part of her face was hidden by a mask, but her almond-shaped eyes could captivate any man.
She landed without causing any damage. That demonstrated her control over her primordial essence.
As she faced me, I could see her frown.
"Repeat what you just said to my face," she said.
"I never repeat myself," I replied.
Her eyes narrowed. Her killing intent began to spread. Am I afraid? No. I have declared the sentence.I cannot be afraid.
"You think you can kill me? I don't care about killing you right here and now. So go ahead and repeat it to my face. The emperor isn't here to save you."
She drew a blade too flexible to be a real sword. She truly meant to kill me.
Her subordinates behind her looked horrified.
They clearly didn't want more problems with the Emperor.
Sery clenched her fists until they bled. She knows my nature. She's afraid. Why are you afraid? I cannot die here. But her eyes screamed for me to stop. To think about myself.
Ester… his stoic face was broken by pure rage.
My friend, this is one of the most sincere expressions you've ever shown me.
I looked at him deeply.
"Don't be afraid. My story won't end here," I told him through my gaze.
He understood.
But the rage still remained.
The atmosphere is heavy. Oppressive.
My heart is pounding. It has never beaten this fast.
Is this what it means to face death?
My body is trembling.
My instincts are screaming at me to run.
But that's a choice I will never heed.
I am not the one who should fear death… she is.
A faint smile appeared on my lips as I looked deep into her eyes.
"I never repeat myself. I made an exception for you.
My father will surely kill you.
But he won't get the chance.
Because I will do it before him."
The killing intent exploded. Intense. She wanted to end my life.
I bit the inside of my lip to keep from looking away.
"You nobles are arrogant. But you? You're the peak of it. I'll kill you myself," she said, repeating my own words.
She had declared her sentence.
No more words were needed.
A wild smile formed on my lips.
The situation excited me.
I wanted to laugh.
But I couldn't.
Her killing intent made it impossible to move.
I am still too weak to face her.
---
Velvira found the situation absurd. Oh, how absurd it was.
This arrogant young prince dares to threaten her?
He, who hasn't even reached the level to touch her?
She, who had survived a thousand trials? To be threatened by this little prince?
No matter if he's a Zeta. Power only respects power.
Velvira stopped thinking. She was going to kill that damned brat.
With a gesture both delicate and brutal, she unsheathed her blade. The wind howled.
"YOUNG MASTER!!!"
Ester and Sery cried out in unison, worry and helplessness distorting their faces.
The wind screamed. The world seemed to stir.
Zikron hadn't even realized how close he was to death.
But his body had understood it well.
His back was drenched in sweat. His heart pounding as if it wanted to flee his chest.
His instinct screamed at him to retreat.
But strangely, Zikron didn't blink.
His body no longer trembled.
Or rather, it no longer dared to tremble.
He looked up, just to see the silent man since the beginning of the exchange.
The one he felt a slight envy toward.
The one who had said he would not be responsible for what might happen to them.
Castiel.
He had protected Zikron from the woman's attack.
Castiel, who had been watching the scene with amusement, had sensed the attack coming.
He hadn't particularly wanted to save Zikron.
But the headache his death would cause wasn't worth the risk.
"This kid… doesn't he know when to back down? He's far too reckless," he thought, slightly annoyed to have intervened.
Velvira, driven by pure rage, wanted to kill Zikron with all her soul.
But Castiel had stepped in.
"Castiel, always you in my way! Do I need to kill more of your companions for you to stop getting in my path?!" Velvira roared.
"Your face really doesn't match the way you talk," Castiel replied, shaking his head, disappointed.
Velvira jumped back to create distance.
Even if the man annoyed her, he wasn't an easy opponent.
**Clap. Clap. Clap.**
As they were about to clash again, the sound of clapping interrupted the tension.
A man stepped out from the shadows, clapping.
His face clearly said: "The fun is over."
Upon seeing him, Sery's face lit up with hope.
The sky, once dark, turned crimson red.
As if the apocalypse was about to begin.
A terrifying pressure fell.
The weakest couldn't bear it.
Some died. Others lost consciousness.
Many of the dead belonged to Velvira's group.
Stern collapsed, unconscious.
Velvira shivered from head to toe.
Castiel, true to himself, remained unmoved.
But the atmosphere around him had hardened. Less playful. More serious.
Zikron stepped back slightly.
Not out of fear. No.
Because the man approaching was clearly not in a good mood.
After all, they had left without his permission.
Ester watched the scene with pain. Velvira's pressure had weakened him too much.
Blood-red hair. Eyes black as the abyss.
A scar above the right eyebrow.
He wasn't walking—he was crushing the air beneath his steps.
A presence that screamed fear.
Hair that screamed blood.
Eyes that revealed experience.
An overwhelming force.
A Primarch.
The Red Star had arrived.