Sebastian arrived at the gates of Isildus, now filled with hundreds of residents fleeing the city. Many left wearing only the clothes they had on, and some were covered in open, untreated wounds. Sebastian could see into the city, where hundreds of soldiers were running around. They looked ragged and dusty, seemingly having not slept all night and working until dawn.

  “ISILDUS CITY IS UNDER ISOLATION! IMMEDIATELY PROCEED TO FERARA CITY!”

  Seeing Sebastian, a soldier rushed toward him. “The city of Isildus is closed. What business do you—”

  The soldier recognized who was standing before him; after all, he knew Edward’s son well.

  “S-SEBASTIAN?! YOU'RE ALIVE!”

  Sebastian ignored the soldier’s words. His eyes were cold and empty, and his hand continued to grip the heavy black hammer tightly. The soldier’s initial joy slowly faded as he understood the meaning behind Sebastian's gaze. He then looked around and saw that no one else was watching them.

  “I'll take you to Captain Edward. Follow me... by the way, my name is Alexi.”

  Alexi guided Sebastian into the city and led him toward the soldiers' camp. Many injured soldiers were passing by, and some were pushing carts filled with bodies. However, Sebastian wasn’t at all shocked by the horrifying sight unfolding before him. Alexi and Sebastian entered a small tent, where Sebastian finally saw his father, Edward, who hadn’t sent any word or letters for quite some time.

  Edward sat in a chair, giving orders to the soldiers in front of him. When he saw Alexi and Sebastian, his face turned pale, as if he had seen a ghost. Sebastian stared at Edward with an icy gaze, as though a block of ice had slapped Edward’s face. Alexi quickly turned his head away, unwilling to watch what was happening.

  “For now, everyone leave. Don’t forget to report everything that happened to me.”

  All the soldiers in the tent left, leaving Sebastian and Edward alone. The atmosphere in the tent became heavy and tense, as if a knife could split the air. Sebastian remained silent, his eyes fixed on Edward, who appeared restless and fearful. Sebastian took something from his coat pocket and threw his mother’s pendant directly at Edward’s chest.

  “I buried mother behind the church, with Father Daniel, Justin, and all the townspeople I could bury.”

  Edward was shocked by these words. His whole body trembled, and he felt a coldness wash over him. Suddenly, the air seemed to disappear; his chest tightened, and his stomach churned. He struggled to calm himself but couldn’t. Tears streamed from his eyes, and his hand clutched tightly onto the pendant that once belonged to Apollonia.

  “You don’t have to pretend to be sad. Not a single letter in the last two months. Do you know what mother felt every day?”

  Edward wiped his eyes, his heart aching, his thoughts scattered. Finally, he spoke, “I-I’m sorry for being a terrible father.”

  Sebastian slammed his hand down on Edward’s desk so hard that the table broke in half. He then grabbed Edward by the collar and lifted him up high.

  “Mother died because of you! How could your job as a soldier be so important that you forgot about her?! I hope you burn in hell right now, because that’s where I am now!”

  Sebastian threw Edward to the ground, revealing something terrifying. Edward had lost both of his legs. All that remained were stumps covered with ragged cloth. Edward sat there, speechless. He couldn’t say a word, knowing that anything he said would only sound like an excuse. He understood the pain gnawing at his son’s heart. Sebastian, however, seemed indifferent. He didn’t care at all about Edward’s condition. Turning away, he walked out of the tent, not feeling the slightest bit of guilt. In fact, the more he looked at his father, the angrier he became.

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  “Forgive me, Sebastian.”

  “You think I’ll feel sorry for you? Go to the village and dig your own grave there.”

  Suddenly, Alexi appeared from behind the tent fabric and struck Sebastian’s face with a powerful blow. He was furious, gasping for breath. Edward was shocked by Alexi’s appearance, while Sebastian seethed with anger at what had just happened.

  “DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR FATHER HAS SACRIFICED ALL THIS TIME?! HOW MANY PEOPLE HAS HE SAVED, AND HOW GREAT HIS DEEDS HAVE BEEN FOR THIS CITY?!”

  “ALEXI, ENOUGH!”

  “The sacrifices and everything he’s done for this city won’t bring my mother back from the dead. Now I’m just hearing excuses, none of which matter.”

  Sebastian stood up and walked past Alexi and Edward out of the tent, heading to a place he knew was responsible for the events of the previous night. He noticed some soldiers watching him, wondering what he was up to. When he reached the church, he saw dozens of soldiers stationed outside.

  There was a protective magic surrounding the church, and Sebastian didn’t care about what Valentinus was doing or planning anymore. He gathered all the power he had into the hammer he was holding. The light from his hammer shone so brightly that it distracted the soldiers around him from their tasks.

  “DIVINE HAMMER!”

  Sebastian’s strike was like an explosion, the sound echoing across the city and drawing the attention of many. A strong wind blew, knocking down anyone who was near him. But despite the powerful attack, the protective wall didn’t even shake. A cloud of dust surrounds Sebastian, but not only that, several City Guard surrounds Sebastian dan point their swords at him. Sebastian was ready to fight now, he doesn’t care if he need to fight the citu guard, nothing will stop him now.

  “HAHAHAHAHAHA! AMAZING! WHERE DO YOU COME FROM, YOUNG ONE?!”

  From behind the dust emerged Ipsilas, grinning widely. He had wounds all over his body, and half of his face was bandaged. Ipsilas walked toward Sebastian, studying him from head to toe. It seemed he had seen this young man before, and he soon remembered the golden child he had encountered in the Sullar forest.

  “Golden child?” Ipsilas asked.

  Sebastian looked confused. This was his first encounter with Ipsilas, but somehow, he could instantly tell that Ipsilas wasn’t an ordinary person. Sebastian noticed the calluses on Ipsilas’s hands, which could only be gained through martial arts training. When he looked at Ipsilas, it felt as though he was facing a mountain.

  Sebastian turned his gaze back to the church, ignoring Ipsilas completely. His goal today was to break in and kill everyone inside. He didn’t care about what happened to him; all he wanted was the blood on his hammer and Valentinus’s body hanging from the church roof.

  “So, what brings you here, young one? Are you lost? The church is closed, and it might not reopen for a long time.”

  “I need to get in now. There’s something I have to do inside.”

  Ipsilas chuckled again. “We both have the same goal!”

  Sebastian looked around and walked in a circle around the church, with Ipsilas closely following behind, watching him intently. The power Sebastian had displayed earlier was no joke. It was very strange for a young person like him to possess such terrifying abilities, but Ipsilas knew that Sebastian was still far from his level—he was like a child who had just begun to walk.

  “Hey, young one, what martial arts do you use?”

  “I don’t know. This martial art doesn’t have a name.”

  “Do you have a teacher?”

  Sebastian paused for a moment before replying, “He’s no longer here.”

  Ipsilas smiled and then blocked Sebastian’s path. “I want to be your teacher! I’ll make you the strongest person in this world, after me, of course.”

  Ipsilas laughed again, but Sebastian was not in the mood for jokes. In fact, he became irritated as Ipsilas continued to follow him. Sebastian walked past Ipsilas without saying a word, continuing his search for a way into the church, even if it meant circling the church a hundred times.

  “I’m serious, young one. You’ll become the strongest in the world, no one will be able to defeat you!”

  Sebastian stopped walking and said, “I only have one teacher for martial arts, and that’s enough.”

  Ipsilas was taken aback by Sebastian’s response. It was the first time someone had dared, or had the awareness, to reject his offer—especially someone so young. Ipsilas paused for a moment, and from the look in Sebastian’s eyes, he realized there was nothing that could captivate his attention.

  “At least, young one, could you tell me your name?”

  Sebastian stopped and looked at Ipsilas with a frustrated expression, replying, “Sebastian. My name is Sebastian.”

  Sebastian then could see Ipsilas face shift from smile to even bigger smile. However, the smile Ipsilas shows right now seems off, borderline creepy and unsettling. Sebastian didn’t know why Ipsilas insist on following him or what his intention are, but there’s definitely something behind all of this. While Sebastian just brushed off the thought about it now, Ipsilas keep following Sebastian from behind with a creepy smile plastered on his face.