Chapter 50: Surrender

Chapter 50: Chapter 50: Surrender

Damon’s eyes widened.

"So that’s your true form..."

The newly evolved spirit hovered in the air.

Its body was covered in soft white feathers mixed with pale green patterns that glowed gently. Tiny currents of wind wrapped around it like playful ribbons.

Its eyes were bright and lively.

Its little wings looked adorable.

Yet behind that cute appearance...

The pressure it emitted made everyone’s breathing difficult.

A Wind Sovereign Roc.

A creature recorded only in legends.

An existence said to rule the skies.

"No..."

One Elemental User trembled.

"Impossible..."

"A Wind Sovereign Roc?"

Even the veterans felt their scalps turn numb.

Because at that moment...

An enormous phantom suddenly appeared behind the tiny Roc.

The entire ruin froze.

Above the heavens...

A gigantic bird spread six magnificent wings.

Its feathers shone like jade.

Clouds gathered around its body.

Mountains seemed tiny beneath its shadow.

Its eyes looked down upon the world with ancient indifference.

Like a true ruler.

Like a god of the skies.

Like the lord of all winds.

Everyone stopped breathing.

Some even forgot the pain from their injuries.

One man fell to his knees.

"T-this..."

"Is this... a divine beast?"

Another swallowed hard.

"No..."

"This thing..."

"It’s like a god..."

Even Damon felt goosebumps.

The phantom lasted only a few seconds.

Then it vanished.

Leaving behind the tiny Roc floating innocently in the air.

The contrast was absurd.

Cute.

Small.

Adorable.

Yet nobody dared underestimate it.

Not anymore.

And then...

The wind around the little Roc compressed.

Layer after layer.

Denser.

Sharper.

Stronger.

The surrounding Aether trembled.

Damon’s eyes lit up.

"Let’s see what you’ve got."

The little Roc chirped happily.

Then...

BOOM!!

The compressed wind erupted.

A circular shockwave exploded outward.

The stone beneath everyone shattered.

The walls cracked.

Dust rose everywhere.

A giant ring of wind spread through the ruin.

"ARGHH!"

"My ears!"

"Brace yourselves!"

The blast sent countless Elemental Users flying once more.

And in the middle of that chaos...

Freya finally became free.

The little Roc immediately flew toward her.

Its eyes sparkled with excitement.

Almost like a child asking for praise.

Damon laughed.

"Hahaha!"

"Good job!"

"You really did it."

He understood now.

The little Roc had evolved because of Freya.

Because she saw her senior sister in danger.

Because she wanted to help.

Because she adored her.

And honestly...

He loved that.

"Looks like I owe you a reward later, Freya."

The little Roc chirped proudly.

Meanwhile, Freya walked over calmly.

Her eight tails swayed behind her.

Her silver fur gleamed under the lightning surrounding her body.

She gently touched the little Roc’s head.

Almost as if saying...

You did well.

Leave the rest to your senior sister.

The little Roc immediately became excited.

Meanwhile, Damon smirked.

His eyes narrowed.

He had waited long enough.

Through their connection, he finally gave his command.

"Freya."

"No more playing."

"Let’s end this."

The moment those words reached her...

Everything changed.

The playful fox disappeared.

A terrifying pressure spread.

The lightning around her thickened.

Crackle!

Crackle!

Her eight tails rose behind her.

Lightning danced around them wildly.

The air itself began to scream.

The Elemental Users who had just recovered froze.

"What..."

"No..."

"Something’s wrong!"

One veteran’s face lost all color.

"She wasn’t serious before..."

Another stared with horror.

"All this time..."

"She was playing with us?"

Cold sweat covered everyone’s backs.

Their instincts screamed.

Run.

Run immediately.

But nobody moved.

Because the pressure pressing on them had become unbearable.

Some felt their knees weakening.

Others nearly knelt.

And still...

Freya continued walking.

Step.

Step.

Step.

Her blue eyes had become calm.

Serious.

Not angry. Not playful.

Just serious.

And somehow...

That frightened them even more.

"Prepare the capture relic!"

"Hurry!"

"Activate the lightning barriers!"

"Use the defensive treasures!"

"Move!"

The leaders shouted desperately.

Everyone scrambled.

Relics activated.

Protective equipment glowed.

Multiple barriers appeared.

Their preparations were finally revealed.

And then...

Freya opened her mouth slightly.

Crackle...

The lightning surrounding her tails suddenly exploded outward.

BOOOOOOOOM!!

It spread like a sea.

A terrifying ocean of lightning swallowed everything.

There was no target.

No selection.

Everyone present became victims.

"AAAAHHHH!"

"My barrier!"

"IT’S BREAKING!"

"DAMMIT!"

"THIS ISN’T ENOUGH!"

"AHHH!"

Lightning flooded every corner.

The first impact alone sent blood flying.

Some weaker Elemental Users fainted immediately.

Others collapsed, twitching violently.

Protective treasures shattered one after another.

Crack!

Crack!

Crack!

"No!"

"My relic!"

"That’s a family heirloom!"

"Curses!"

"Who said this would work?!"

The lightning didn’t stop.

It continued.

Relentlessly.

The screams echoed through the floating ruin.

Even veterans began coughing blood.

Some cried.

Others cursed.

Several leaders who had confidently entered earlier now wore expressions of despair.

Meanwhile...

Damon stood with his mouth slightly open.

"...Wow."

Even he was shocked.

This wasn’t her domain.

This wasn’t her strongest skill.

And yet...

The sheer destruction made his scalp tingle.

Freya had truly changed after growing her eighth tail.

This attack alone could dominate battlefields.

He slowly smiled.

"Proud of yourself, aren’t you?"

Freya lifted her chin proudly.

Her tails wagged slightly.

The little Wind Sovereign Roc beside her chirped happily, looking around excitedly as if cheering for her senior sister.

And after enduring several seconds of that nightmare

The surviving Elemental Users finally broke.

"We surrender!"

"Please stop!"

"We give up!"

"Mercy!"

"We don’t want the spirit anymore!"

"Take everything!"

One after another—

Their will to fight collapsed.

Especially when they noticed something horrifying.

The Wind Sovereign Roc...

The creature that had just shaken the entire ruin...

Was still floating beside Freya.

Ready to fight.

And standing behind both spirit beasts...

They noticed the silhouette of a smiling young man leaning against the doorway.

Watching everything unfold.

Like a spectator.

Like the mastermind behind the disaster.

The Elemental Users didn’t even dare look closely at the silhouette standing behind the two spirit beasts.

Just seeing that figure standing calmly in the doorway was enough to make their backs turn cold.

Their faces turned pale.

Nobody wanted to know who the mastermind was.

Nobody wanted to stay either

"We surrender!".