Midir’s fists were clenched so tightly that his knuckles had turned white from the strain.
He stared at Phoenix’s calm, unruffled face, the fury in his heart nearly boiling over. He fought the urge to throw a punch with everything he had.
Just then, sensing the trouble, Aila rushed between them like a gust of wind. She grabbed Midir’s arm in time, stopping the conflict that had been on the verge of exploding.
“Hey, hey, hey! Both of you, calm down!” Aila’s voice was filled with anxiety and helplessness.
“Why are you two suddenly about to fight? Phoenix, do you really know Midir’s background? You should know that even after all my efforts, I couldn't find a single clue. How do you know anything?”
She pressed down hard on Midir’s raised right arm, trying to force him to settle down while casting a suspicious look at Phoenix.
Hearing this, a faint, knowing smile played on Phoenix’s lips, as if he were hiding something profound.
He gave Midir a brief glance before turning to Aila and speaking in a calm tone.
“I did know him in the past, and there is a deep history between us. As for fighting, he is currently no match for me, but that is not why I am remaining silent.”
Midir gradually calmed down after being held back by Aila. He took a deep breath, struggling to settle his emotions, and slowly lowered his fist to look at Phoenix with a complicated gaze.
He knew that although the man’s words were brief, they revealed quite a bit of information.
“Then can you explain what that white spherical energy was before the Void Demon died? What does it have to do with the Power of Creation I just used? Surely you can tell me that much?”
Phoenix nodded slightly, thinking it over before speaking.
“I can tell you that. That sphere was the Power of Destruction, created by combining your Destruction Flame with War God Battle Qi. Its nature is the exact opposite of your Power of Creation, much like light and darkness, or life and death. It is only natural that you cannot control such power yet, so I stepped in to help you.”
“Creation... and the Power of Destruction?”
Hearing this explanation, Midir couldn't help but lower his head and fall into thought, mulling over the words.
“If you have no other questions, then it is time for us to leave.”
Seeing that Midir had nothing else to ask, Phoenix spoke again, breaking his train of thought.
Just then, Midir heard the sound of wind from outside the window. The gold-red bird named Blaze had appeared in the sky outside.
As Midir’s attention was drawn to the great bird, he saw Phoenix waving gently to Rosal and speaking softly.
“Come, little one. Go and say your goodbyes to that fellow.”
Rosal’s face showed a hint of hesitation and reluctance. She bit her lower lip softly, gathered her courage, and walked toward Midir. Her voice carried a touch of shyness and apology.
“Um... Mr. Midir, I... I plan to leave with Mr. Phoenix. I asked him a couple of days ago... Is it too selfish of me? I’m so sorry...”
Ronald stepped forward, attempting to pat Midir on the back in a comforting, elder-like gesture. However, due to the height difference, he only managed to reach Midir’s waist, causing him to laugh awkwardly.
“Midir, don't worry too much. Rosal has to set out on her own journey eventually. There are things Aila might not be able to teach her, but Phoenix can. This is her path to growth.”
Seeing Ronald’s attempt to act like a mature adult, Midir found it hard to suppress a smile. He reached out and gently ruffled Rosal’s hair, his eyes full of encouragement and support.
“Rosal, what is there to be sorry about? You’re a grown girl now. Walk your own path, and all of us will stand behind you in support. Besides, this has always been your dream, hasn't it? Go on, pursue your dream with courage!”
Rosal’s eyes turned slightly red as she struggled to control her emotions and keep the tears from falling.
Seeing this, Aila walked to her side and patted her back with a smile.
“Rosal, look at you~ You weren't even this sad when you told me, your master, that you were leaving! This is blatant favoritism! But as I’ve said before, as long as you’ve made your decision, we will support you unconditionally. Phoenix, you’d better listen up—if you dare bully Rosal, I, Aila, will never let you off!”
With that, Aila turned and shook her fist at Phoenix by the window in a show of defiance that was both playful and serious. Then, she gently pushed Rosal toward Phoenix.
Phoenix remained as indifferent as ever, only nodding slightly as a final farewell to the group.
However, just as the two were about to leave, he suddenly turned back and threw a meaningful remark toward Midir.
“By the way, as a reminder, Agaleqi has not truly perished. What you destroyed a few days ago was merely one of her more powerful clones. You must remain vigilant in the days to come.”
“Agaleqi? Wait... is that the Void Demon’s name?”
Midir’s expression changed instantly. He reacted quickly, wanting to step forward and ask for more details.
But the figures of Phoenix and Rosal had already moved away as the great bird Blaze flapped its massive wings. They quickly became a blurry dot in the sky before finally vanishing from sight.
Midir watched the bird disappear into the distance, let out a silent sigh, and returned to the bedside.
He sat back down and fixed his gaze on the bowl of meat porridge that was still steaming.
A sudden, intense hunger hit him. He picked up the bowl without hesitation and began to drink in large gulps, as if trying to swallow all his worries and fatigue along with the porridge.
Seeing this, Ronald knew Midir needed time to process his thoughts. He announced that he needed to perform necessary repairs on Giant No. 23 and, after a brief greeting, hurried away. Only Blake and Aila remained in the room.
Aila walked over and sat on the edge of the bed, softly and in detail recounting everything that had happened while Midir was unconscious.
The great battle from a few days ago had actually ended with an unbelievable ease once Phoenix intervened.
The great bird named Blaze had used some unknown technique to instantly wipe out every Void Demon near the city walls.
Not long after, the reinforcements led by Ferdinand and the garrison from Azure Fortress arrived almost simultaneously, but by then, the main combat was nearing its end. They only had to assist in cleaning up the remaining stray Void Demons.
Although the defense of the fortress was considered a victory thanks to the group's efforts, Azure Fortress itself had suffered unprecedented and massive casualties.
The elite garrison, which had originally numbered nearly ten thousand, had been decimated by the tide of Agaleqi’s Void Demon army.
Over seventy percent of the forces had been wiped out, and many soldiers didn't even leave behind a complete body.
As for the precious magic crystal cannons, they were almost entirely destroyed, with less than a tenth remaining functional.
On the walls, besides the massive crater Midir had created with his Power of Destruction, there were multiple sections pierced by giant insects, leaving the fortifications in a state of partial ruin. The once-solid defensive line was now full of holes.
The defensive arrays had long since shattered during the battle, losing their protective function.
Fortunately, the civilians in the city had been evacuated in time before the crisis hit and suffered no substantial harm.
However, the explosion the Void Demons had caused within the mountain had become a hidden threat.
The collapsing mountain was quietly affecting the fortress’s foundation, even causing some buildings to show signs of tilting.
Currently, Azure Fortress was at a critical crossroads. Most of the leadership, headed by Duke Rowena, had yet to recover from their weakened state. The reconstruction and defense of the entire fortress had fallen almost entirely onto the shoulders of Blake and his brothers.
They had been working non-stop for the past few days, and such a hectic schedule would likely accompany them for a long time to come.
Rate on N.U.
