The Grand Ball had only just begun, yet the tension in the hall was already thick enough to cut with a blade.
"Is this to be some sort of joke?"
The voice rang out clearly, cutting through the murmurs before Layla, Elara, and Evelyn could even begin their introduction.
All eyes shifted toward the speaker — an elder from the Sword Pavilion, one of the most respected sword sects in Reality Nine.
He was a tall, stern man with a long silver beard and sharp, arrogant eyes.
He had been among those quietly eyeing the massive stronghold months earlier, his pride and patience clearly worn thin.
He stood up from his table, voice loud and challenging.
"You invite the entire verse here under the guise of a celebration, speak in riddles about Heaven and the Night, and now you expect us to sit quietly while you parade your so-called Gods?"
"Who do you think you are?"
The hall fell into a heavy, anticipatory silence.
