Jae floated high above the fractured battlefield, with the divine flames of curses writhing around him. Below, the frozen wasteland bore fresh scars — shattered glaciers, craters filled with steaming blood, and the distant rumble of collapsing ice. Yet even from this height, Jae's sharp eyes locked onto the unfolding drama near the ancient trees.
Eryndor stood transformed.
His once neat hair now fell in wild, messy strands across his forehead, darkened by sweat and blood. His frame had thickened with raw, corded muscle, shoulders broader and stance heavier, radiating a presence that pressed down on the world like an unseen mountain. The air around him felt heavier, colder, charged with something primal and ancient.
His hand rested firmly on Lucifer's shoulder, fingers digging in like iron claws.
Lucifer spun violently, launching into a ferocious aerial spin kick — his body twisting mid-air with deadly grace, his mana exploded from his heel in a crescent of annihilating force.
Eryndor didn't flinch.
He effortlessly sidestepped the spinning kick, the wind of it barely brushing his cheek.
In the same fluid motion, he grabbed Lucifer's extended leg with one hand, grip unyielding.
Lucifer felt it again — that scary, creeping chill crawling up his spine, burrowing into his bones. His dark red eyes widened as a massive, terrifying spectral wolf materialized behind Eryndor. The beast's eyes glowed with otherworldly hunger, its form shadowy yet solid, fangs longer than swords and fur rippling like midnight frost. It wasn't an illusion. It was a manifestation of something deeper, something hungry.
"How rude," Eryndor said calmly, voice low and cold. "You're not gonna answer my question."
With terrifying strength, he hurled Lucifer through the air.
Lucifer crashed hard into a towering tree.
Wood splintered violently.
Lucifer coughed and spat blood wildly, his body sliding down the cracked trunk, leaving a trail of dark red on the frost-covered bark.
Eryndor turned away from the broken Emperor and walked toward Seraphina.
His steps were measured, each one crunching softly into the snow. Seraphina sat against a smaller tree, breathing heavily, her white cloak torn and stained.
"You alright?" Eryndor asked, voice softening just a fraction.
Seraphina looked up, eyes wide with shock. The sheer power this man had displayed — effortless dominance over Lucifer — left her stunned. A faint blush crept across her pale cheeks. "U-uh… a-a-are you Eryndor? Ellie's brother?"
Eryndor smiled gently, the expression surprisingly warm amid the carnage. "Yes. And you must be Seraphina."
Seraphina opened her mouth to respond, but her eyes suddenly widened in alarm.
A shadowy figure appeared behind Eryndor, black flames raised to strike.
"Hey—!" she cried.
Eryndor moved like lightning. He spun and grabbed the figure, it was Lucifer and then he threw Lucifer into another tree.
The impact shattered the trunk completely.
Seraphina stared, completely stunned.
Eryndor turned back to her with that same calm smile.
"Stay here while I deal with that pathetic Emperor of Decay."
He disappeared in a blur, reappearing instantly in front of Lucifer, who was struggling to rise.
Before Lucifer could fully stand, Eryndor's boot slammed hard into his face.
A sickening crunch echoed.
Blood burst from Lucifer's nose and mouth.
Eryndor crouched down, grabbed a fistful of Lucifer hair, and lifted him up so their faces were level.
The creepy chill returned.
Lucifer's eyes darted behind Eryndor — the giant terrifying wolf was there again, staring with predatory intensity.
"W-w-what are you…?" Lucifer stuttered, voice trembling for the first time.
Eryndor didn't answer. He simply raised his fist.
"Remember — you tried to strike me first."
Then the punches began.
One after another. Methodical. Relentless. Eryndor's fist slammed into Lucifer's face again and again.
Each impact sent shockwaves through the trees.
Blood sprayed across the snow.
For a full three hours, the sound of bone meeting flesh echoed across the wasteland.
Lucifer's once-arrogant features became swollen and broken.
He tried to fight back, summoning his wings, but Eryndor's overwhelming presence and speed crushed every attempt.
The wolf spirit loomed larger with each strike, feeding on the violence.
Finally, Lucifer's eyes rolled back. He passed out completely, body limp.
Eryndor sighed, releasing the bloody, fainted Emperor.
He tossed the body carelessly to the ground and walked back to Seraphina, his expression cold once more, fresh blood still dripping from his knuckles.
"Anyway… let's patch you up."
He knelt beside her. radiant dark red energy flowed from his hands into Seraphina's wounds. The gashes closed, bruises faded, and strength returned to her body.
As the healing continued, the two began to talk.
Seraphina watched him curiously. "You're… different from what I imagined Ellie's brother would be. She spoke of you with such worry, but you fight like someone who's seen hell itself."
Eryndor chuckled softly, a rare sound. "I've walked through enough nightmares to know what matters. Ellie's my everything. Protecting her… that's all I've got left."
His voice carried quiet warmth when he spoke of his sister. He asked about Seraphina's journey, how she ended up fighting alongside Ellie against the Emperors.
Seraphina found herself opening up. She told him about her duty as Emperor of Ice, the weight of her title, and the growing doubt she felt toward the divine contractors. Her voice softened as she described the loneliness of power. Eryndor listened intently, offering small nods and occasional reassuring words. The conversation flowed naturally — cute, almost tender moments where their eyes met a second too long, or when Eryndor's hand lingered while healing a particularly deep cut on her arm. Seraphina blushed again when he complimented her strength and resolve.
Their talk deepened. Seraphina shared fragments of the hidden hierarchy among the Emperors, the influence of the divine contractors, and the fragile alliances that kept the north under control.
Eryndor absorbed every detail, his expression growing more serious.
Eventually, Seraphina looked at Lucifer past our body and asked the question hanging in the air. "Why didn't you kill Lucifer?"
Eryndor paused, hands still glowing with healing light.
"I was hoping to get answers from him first. That bastard was way too stubborn. Even after punching him for those three hours, he wouldn't break. Now he's passed out."
Seraphina laughed lightly, the sound surprisingly bright.
"Yup, sounds like Lucifer. But what do you want to know? You know… I'm also an Emperor."
Eryndor's eyes widened in genuine shock.
He rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly embarrassed.
"Right… I forgot. I'm so used to beating answers out of people that I didn't even think to just ask."
He laughed awkwardly.
Seraphina smiled warmly, reaching out to touch his arm reassuringly.
"It's alright. The divine contractors pull strings from the shadows. They grant power but demand absolute loyalty. The Emperors are their enforcers — Kai with his flames, Lucifer with death, the others with their domains. But cracks are forming. Ellie's resistance, your arrival… it's shaking everything."
She continued explaining the structure — how the contractors used curses and contracts to bind them, the hidden weaknesses, and potential ways to sever those ties.
Eryndor listened closely, asking thoughtful questions.
The conversation built a genuine connection between them, filled with lingering glances and mutual respect.
Far away, the battlefield with Ellie and Kai raged on.
"Who the hell is that?"
Kai growled, flames dancing wildly around him as Ellie's sword hovered dangerously close to his neck.
Ellie smiled, cold and confident. "He's the one who will kill the divine contractors."
Kai laughed at first — a booming, arrogant sound.
But when he saw the absolute seriousness and confidence in Ellie's eyes, his expression changed. He didn't know this Eryndor, but if what she said was true, they needed to reach him immediately.
The other Emperors noticed Kai's shift and readied themselves.
Kai secretly began gathering his mana. "Is that so? Then I guess I'm gonna have to end this battle quickly."
Kai screamed, voice echoing across the wasteland: "SELF DESTRUCT!"
Ellie's eyes widened in horror as a cataclysmic explosion erupted.
The blast sent her flying through the air, body tumbling amid fire and ice shards.
Far away,
the huge explosion interrupted Eryndor and Seraphina's conversation.
Eryndor stood up instantly, his expression hardening.
He knew — Ellie was in danger.
But then Lucifer began to stir, groaning as he woke. His body twitched violently.
He grabbed his hair and started to pull it.
"Die… die… die… die… die… die… die… die… die… You're gonna die!!!!"
Ernydor looked at Lucifer then at the smoke if the explosion and then seraphina grabbed Eryndor's robe sleeve, her eyes steady and determined.
"Go to her. I will handle things here. Trust me."
The look in her eyes filled Eryndor with confidence.
Everything would be fine. He nodded once, then broke into a run toward the explosion's direction.