(A/N: If we get a good rank, I will continue with daily updates otherwise this will shift to weekly updates of one to two chapters, thank you)
...
{3rd Pov}
The Commander-level Winged Wolf roared as it flew straight toward the tallest structure in the city.
Its target was clear—the largest tower, the skyscraper that dominated Bo City's skyline.
Coincidentally, it was also the branch headquarters of Star Industries, the tallest building in the entire city.
At the very peak of that tower stood Lisa.
She calmly looked at the approaching Winged Wolf Commander.
To ordinary people, this monster was nothing short of a natural disaster.
Even though it was only at the Commander level, it possessed enough raw strength and destructive power to wipe out a small to mid-sized city like Bo City all by itself.
That was simply the reality of this world.
Humanity had always been weaker than monsters of the same tier.
A Commander-level monster could easily overpower multiple mages at the same cultivation level.
Only a small fraction of humans—elite fighters and true geniuses—could fight monsters one-on-one at the same tier and survive, let alone win.
And even then, those people were rare.
Compared to the total human population, the number of such elites barely reached the tens of thousands.
They were exceptions, not the rule.
Lisa was one of those exceptions.
She was among the geniuses who could face monsters of the same tier alone.
Not only that, she had even fought beings above her level—so-called Fake Emperors—and survived.
This wasn't luck, nor was it arrogance.
It was the result of brutal, methodical training.
She had been trained personally, step by step, by her Master and Lord—Astreo himself.
To her, the incoming Winged Wolf Commander was not a city-destroying calamity.
It was simply her next target.
At her current peak of the Super Tier, Lisa already possessed combat strength comparable to a true Forbidden Tier mage.
This alone made her the most talented Lightning Mage in the world by a wide margin.
The only reason she had not officially broken through to the Forbidden Curse Tier was not due to lack of talent or comprehension, but purely because of resources.
The requirements were absurd.
Advancing further demanded an enormous amount of merits for the resource to ascend the Forbidden Tier Mage, far beyond what most mages could even imagine accumulating in their entire lives even if they earn it in money and try to get somewhere else.
However, Lisa had nearly completed those requirements.
She had already gathered most of the necessary merits, and she was also preparing to exchange them for a high-quality Heaven Tier Lightning Seed directly from Astreo.
Once that was done, she would officially become the third Forbidden Curse Tier mage under Astreo's command.
That breakthrough was no longer a distant goal.
It was imminent.
Lisa calmly looked at the Commander-level Winged Wolf as it closed the distance, its massive wings cutting through the rain-filled air.
To ordinary mages, this beast was a walking catastrophe.
To her, it was nothing more than an obstacle that needed to be removed.
She did not move from her position; she didn't even retreat and neither hesitated.
Raising her hand, Lisa immediately formed a complete and flawless Star Palace.
The mana in the air surged violently as she cast Tier 5 Advanced Magic — Chain Thunder.
A terrifying blue bolt of lightning erupted from her palm, exploding outward with overwhelming power.
The lightning tore through the rain-soaked sky and struck the Winged Wolf head-on.
The monster did not even have time to react properly.
There was no roar of pain.
There was no counterattack.
The lightning struck instantly, flooding its entire body with destructive electrical energy.
Its massive form convulsed for a fraction of a second before being completely charred black.
Flesh melted, blood vaporized, and bones cracked under the sheer intensity of the lightning.
The creature's body rapidly disintegrated, turning into a mixture of molten remains and ash as it fell from the sky.
By the time it hit the ground, the Winged Wolf Commander was already dead.
Just like that, the leader of the monster horde was eliminated.
The battle had ended before it truly began.
Meanwhile, the Sound Mage standing behind Lisa stared at her in complete awe.
Even she herself was capable of defeating a Commander-level monster on her own, yet she knew very well that she could never do it with such terrifying ease.
To eliminate a beast of that level in a single attack, without even giving it the chance to resist or roar, was something far beyond what she could accomplish.
What shocked her the most was not just the kill itself, but the result of the attack.
The Winged Wolf had not merely been slain—it had been nearly vaporized.
What little remained of the monster amounted to barely ten percent of its original mass, and even that was nothing more than molten bones, scorched flesh, and drifting ash.
When the remains crashed to the ground, they caused almost no damage to the surrounding area at all, further emphasizing just how overwhelming Lisa's lightning magic had been.
This was not a normal Advanced Magic.
This was power pushed to its absolute limit.
The scene was broadcast live throughout the Star Industries building.
A camera mounted on the rooftop had captured everything clearly before the feed was finally cut.
Inside the building, students, teachers, and countless survivors watched the moment unfold on the massive screens.
They saw it.
They saw the most terrifying monster they had ever witnessed in their lives get erased in a single strike.
For a brief moment, there was silence.
Then cheers erupted.
People shouted in relief, some cried openly, and others collapsed to their knees as the weight of fear lifted, even if only slightly.
The realization hit them all at once—this was the kind of power protecting them.
This was the strength standing between them and complete annihilation.
Those who had been saved by Star Industries and Star Clan looked at the screens with a mixture of gratitude, disbelief, and renewed hope.
The nightmare was not over.
But for the first time since the Crimson Alert began, they believed they might survive.
"Her name is Lady Lisa, and she is one of the highest-ranking members of the Star Clan!" an elite subordinate announced loudly.
His voice carried firm confidence as it echoed through the secured halls.
"I dare say this openly—within my own knowledge, I know no superior, than her inside the Star Clan. And today, Bo City is extremely fortunate that she is present here!"
He paused briefly, then continued with an even stronger tone.
"I also have an important announcement to make! Lady Lisa is fully Chinese by birth. Her real name is Lei Yao!"
This message had been delivered directly to him through a Sound Mage stationed at the top of the skyscraper, transmitted straight into his ears.
No one else had been able to hear that communication at all, perfectly demonstrating the precision, secrecy, and battlefield value of the Sound Element.
This was exactly why the Sound Element was often referred to as the Commanding Element in large-scale battles.
The decision had not been made on impulse.
Everything had already been carefully discussed beforehand.
Although Lisa had long discarded her former identity, it still held strategic value.
The fact that she was a native of Bo City could be used to strengthen trust among civilians, reduce resistance, and further elevate the reputation of Star Industries and the Star Clan across the region.
This wasn't deception.
It was calculated information control.
The elites executing these announcements were merely following pre-approved instructions.
Every word spoken had already been vetted and approved by Lisa herself.
Their task was simple—execute the plan precisely and without hesitation.
As they carried out these orders, they couldn't help but feel a deep sense of admiration.
The level of foresight and coordination shown by their superiors was astonishing.
Every move was layered with intent, every announcement serving multiple purposes at once.
And while they were managing public morale and stabilizing the city, the true leader behind everything—the one who stood at the very top of Star Clan and Star Industries—was already elsewhere.
He was confronting one of the primary architects behind the entire Bo City disaster.
Or rather—
He was bullying him.
…
Wu Ku stared at Astreo tensely for a brief moment, his body instinctively stiffening as he processed the sudden appearance behind him.
However, that tension quickly faded.
He let out a short chuckle and deliberately relaxed his posture, as if forcing himself to dismiss any unease.
"Well, well, well… isn't this our famous foreign Young Master, Astreo?" Wu Ku said in a mocking tone, his lips curling into a smug smile.
There was no fear in his eyes—only ridicule.
From his perspective, there was no reason to be afraid.
To the public, Astreo was nothing more than an Intermediate Mage.
Sure, he was unusually strong for his level and carried the backing of Star Clan, but that alone wasn't enough to make Wu Ku feel threatened.
Political influence didn't mean much in a direct confrontation, especially not in the middle of a disaster.
Wu Ku was an Advanced Tier Mage.
More than that, he was a Water Calamity—a being on the same level of notoriety as the Psychic Calamity Ding Yumian and the Ice Calamity Qin Yu'er.
This meant that even while still at the Advanced Tier, his combat strength already surpassed that of an ordinary Super Tier Mage.
That was the confidence he relied on.
That was why he didn't fear Astreo at all, even when the young man had appeared silently behind him without warning.
In Wu Ku's eyes, Astreo was still just a talented junior who had wandered into a place far above his station.
Or so he believed.
"Though it is surprising that you know my name," Wu Ku said, a trace of unease briefly flashing across his face.
However, after thinking it through, he quickly dismissed that discomfort.
His identity, while still hidden from the general public, was likely already known to many high-ranking figures within the Judgement Court and other major organizations.
Unlike Salang, whose identity was completely shrouded in secrecy, Wu Ku was not entirely invisible.
It was reasonable to assume that Astreo had learned about him through intelligence related to the Black Vatican.
After all, Young Masters from powerful factions were trained to remember exactly who they could afford to offend and who they absolutely could not.
Making enemies blindly was a fast way to die.
Without proper background information, a careless remark could easily provoke an international powerhouse.
That was precisely why, in so many stories, Young Masters always ended up insulting the protagonist instead.
Protagonists usually came from low-profile or common backgrounds, with little to no recorded information.
Their names weren't drilled into the heads of elites by their superiors, making them easy targets for arrogance.
Wu Ku assumed Astreo was simply well-informed.
"If I'm not mistaken," Wu Ku continued with a sinister grin, "that earlier lightning attack must have been from Lady Lisa. Truly terrifying—such power from a Super-Tier Lightning Mage."
His gaze sharpened as he looked directly at Astreo.
"But it seems her adopted son is standing right in front of me now."
The corners of Wu Ku's mouth lifted slightly as his thoughts turned darker. In his mind, Astreo was no longer just a nuisance.
He was potential leverage.
A hostage worth taking.
"Astounding," Astreo spoke calmly. "I honestly had no expectations from you, yet you still managed to disappoint me."
He finished his sentence while spreading his arms slightly, his expression blank and almost bored, as if he were judging something trivial rather than facing a supposed calamity.
"What the fuck do you mean?!" Wu Ku cursed loudly, his temper flaring instantly.
Without hesitation, he thrust his hand forward as water rapidly manifested around Astreo, surging from all directions with the clear intent to restrain and suppress him.
However, before the water could even fully solidify—
Astreo simply activated his Water Domain.
In an instant, Wu Ku's control over the Water Element was completely overwhelmed.
The surrounding water froze in place, then dispersed entirely as if it had never been summoned at all.
Wu Ku's connection to his element was forcefully severed, leaving him momentarily stunned.
"THE FUCK?!" Wu Ku shouted in disbelief.
Panic surged through him.
Without wasting even a second, he pulled out a small object and pressed down on it immediately.
It was a Super Tier Space Magic item, one capable of teleporting its user hundreds of kilometers away in an instant—a last-resort escape tool meant for situations exactly like this.
But nothing happened.
The item flickered weakly, then went completely inert.
That was when Wu Ku realized something was terribly wrong.
Astreo's Forbidden Curse Tier Space Domain, overlapped seamlessly over his Water Domain, had already sealed the surrounding space.
The teleportation item had been rendered completely useless the moment Wu Ku tried to activate it.
"Don't you get it yet, Wu Ku?" Astreo said casually, lifting a hand to his forehead as if genuinely tired.
"Or is your brain really on the level of a fish?"
He let out a quiet sigh, his expression clearly saying 'this is a waste of my time,' as if silently praying for patience.
After all, the situation should have been obvious.
Astreo had made a completely silent entrance, bypassing Wu Ku's magic senses as if they didn't exist.
He had casually called out Wu Ku's name, openly identified him as the Water Calamity, and even exposed the fact that he was a calamity-inflicted individual.
Any sane person would have realized by now that something was terribly wrong.
Yet this bastard still chose to ignore every warning sign and acted as if everything was under his control.
Astreo genuinely couldn't understand it.
He had never seen someone this stupid.
How could a person like this even be Salang's disciple?
If nothing else, the fact that Salang could terrify the entire world with nothing more than Super Tier strength, relying purely on her intellect, planning, and manipulation, spoke volumes about the kind of woman she was.
She didn't need overwhelming power to crush nations—she used her brain.
And then there was her disciple.
Absolute Water.
Standing there, panicking.
'Well, I guess he's called the Water Calamity for a reason,' Astreo thought with mild amusement as he looked at Wu Ku's increasingly fearful expression.
'Though honestly, he's more like tap water than a calamity.'
The contrast was almost funny.
Astreo watched Wu Ku struggle to process the situation, fear finally setting in, and couldn't help but feel disappointed.
This was the man responsible for triggering a city-wide disaster.
And this was all he amounted to.
The space around them distorted violently, folding in on itself as if reality itself had been twisted by an invisible hand.
In the blink of an eye, they were no longer in Bo City, nor were they anywhere within the known world.
The surroundings felt detached, isolated, and completely severed from normal space.
However, this place was neither the System's Dimensional Space nor the Astral Plane.
This was a spatial pocket, one that Astreo had formed entirely on his own.
It was a sealed, artificial space created through pure mastery of the Space Element.
Astreo had been heavily investing time and effort into his Space Element, not just raising simply its tier, but expanding his understanding, refining his control, and pushing its versatility to absurd levels.
Every time he upgraded his Spell Tier, new spatial spells naturally formed within his consciousness, shaped by experience rather than templates.
There was a very specific reason he had deliberately chosen to remain at Super Tier for many of his elements, despite being fully capable of brute-forcing his way into Forbidden Curse Tier across the board.
And that reason was simple.
While his elements were still classified as Super Tier, they were already far stronger than what even a so-called genius Forbidden Curse Tier mage could wield.
Higher Spell Tiers, deeper mastery, better efficiency, and vastly superior flexibility made his magic overwhelmingly more practical and lethal.
Forbidden Curse mages were walking nukes.
Astreo was a Versatile Mage.
And there was a massive difference.
He didn't specialize in a single overwhelming trump card.
He specialized in adapting, countering, overwhelming, and dismantling his enemies in every possible way.
If he had gone all-in on becoming a pure Forbidden Mage, the very identity of the world he had transmigrated into would have needed to change.
Otherwise, the name of the novel he has transmigrated into itself wouldn't make sense anymore.
Ahem.
'Forbidden Mage: Infinite Resources sounds like a pretty shitty title, not gonna lie,' Astreo thought with mild amusement, the corner of his lips twitching slightly.
After that brief moment of self-reflection, his gaze returned to Wu Ku.
Calm, cold and utterly unimpressed.
Wu Ku stood frozen in place, trapped inside the spatial pocket, finally beginning to understand just how badly he had misjudged the situation.
"Y–You are a Calamity as well, right?!" Wu Ku finally shouted, his voice trembling as realization struck him like a hammer.
Only now did everything Astreo had said earlier start to make sense.
The way he had spoken, the way he had casually referred to himself as a calamity, the way he had treated Wu Ku's strength as if it were nothing more than a mild inconvenience.
Earlier, Wu Ku had dismissed it completely, convinced that Astreo was merely bluffing or posturing like any other arrogant Young Master.
After all, how could someone who appeared to be nothing more than an Intermediate Mage possibly be a Calamity?
But now, trapped inside this sealed spatial pocket, stripped of his magic, stripped of escape, stripped of control, Wu Ku finally understood the truth.
Astreo wasn't just another Calamity-inflicted individual—those so-called "potential men" who carried danger but had yet to mature.
He had already realized the vast majority of his potential.
No—Astreo was already standing at the peak.
He was one of the strongest mages to ever exist in the entire history of the Main Plane.
"Finally, you got it right," Astreo replied casually, his tone almost approving, as if Wu Ku had just managed to answer an extremely basic question correctly after struggling for far too long.
"But unfortunately for you, there are no bonus points for late comprehension."
Before Wu Ku could even react, Astreo's body was instantly clad in Chaos Armor.
The armor manifested without sound or ceremony, wrapping around him like a second skin forged from pure destruction.
The moment it fully formed, the pressure within the spatial pocket skyrocketed.
Wu Ku couldn't breathe.
His lungs refused to function, his heart felt as if it were being crushed by an invisible grip, and his body instinctively screamed at him to flee—even though escape was no longer an option.
"Honestly," Astreo continued, looking at him with clear disappointment, "you're even shittier than I expected."
Wu Ku's eyes widened in terror.
"But," Astreo added, tilting his head slightly, his voice calm and indifferent, "I'll still give you a grand ending. After all, killing you will at least let me farm some aura points."
That was the final sentence Wu Ku ever heard.
Astreo activated his Astral Element.
A beam of Astral Magic erupted from his hand, striking Wu Ku's completely immobilized body head-on.
There was no explosion, no scream, no chance to resist.
Wu Ku was erased.
He was deleted from existence, his body, soul, and even the most fundamental particles of his being vaporized down to the atomic level.
No trace that he had ever existed.
The spatial pocket fell silent.
Wu Ku—Water Calamity, disciple of Salang—was gone forever.
[Ding! Master has acquired the Title: 'Blessed by Water']
Astreo's eyes widened the moment the system notification rang out inside his mind.
He immediately felt something shift deep within him.
His Water Element changed at its very foundation, as if something fundamental had been forcibly rewritten.
Mana surged through his veins in a way that felt unfamiliar yet perfectly compatible, like a missing piece finally snapping into place.
The flow of water mana around him became smoother, heavier, and far more obedient, responding to his will with frightening ease.
"The hell…?" Astreo muttered, instinctively focusing inward.
Then it hit him.
The ability known as Blessed by Water—Wu Ku's Calamity talent—had transferred to him the moment Wu Ku ceased to exist.
Astreo's expression shifted from surprise to understanding almost instantly as the logic clicked into place.
"So that's how it works," he muttered thoughtfully.
The system's rules became clear in his mind:
Calamity-type talents are not destroyed upon the user's death.
Instead, they are automatically transferred to the individual who meets the optimal criteria.
And those criteria were brutally simple.
The talent would seek out:
The person with the greatest potential in that element across the entire world, or
The individual with the strongest cultivation at a reasonably young age, allowing room for further growth and evolution.
Astreo met both conditions.
Even though his Water Element was technically still at Super Tier, his age made him an anomaly.
He was absurdly young for that level—possibly the youngest Super Tier Water Mage in existence.
On top of that, his Water stars had already been refined using Emperor-grade Spiritual Cores, making the quality of his cultivation utterly ridiculous.
In raw strength, control, and efficiency, he was already among the strongest Water Mages in the world, regardless of tier labels.
In short, he was both a "Potential Man" and "Strongest Candidate."
The talent had no reason to hesitate.
It chose him the instant Wu Ku died.
Astreo let out a slow breath, then smirked.
"Well," he said casually, rubbing his chin, "that explains it."
Then, as if something from his past life reflexively took over, he straightened up and made a familiar pose, spreading his arms slightly.
"Ah," he said with mock seriousness, "I guess this is what people would call… Absolute Cinema?"
He froze.
His brow twitched.
Then reality caught up.
"…Wait."
He glanced inward again, remembering which element had just been blessed.
He coughed awkwardly, his confidence evaporating mid-pose.
Clearing his throat, he looked around the empty pocket dimension—just in case anyone or anything was watching—then forced himself to finish properly.
"…Absolute Water."
The words echoed in the silent space.
Astreo stood there for a moment.
Then his lips twitched.
He clicked his tongue in clear dissatisfaction.
"Tch," he muttered, visibly annoyed.
"That seriously just sounds like tap water."
He sighed deeply.
"…Whatever."
And with that, the pocket dimension fell silent once more.
...
Meanwhile, Mo Fan regrouped with the escaping students from his school as chaos spread through every corner of Bo City.
Amid the screams, collapsing buildings, and relentless monster attacks, he heard the city-wide announcement delivered through Lisa's voice.
The message was clear, firm, and decisive, cutting through the panic like a lifeline thrown into a sea of despair.
Very quickly, the students and teachers realized something important.
Trying to escape toward the Safe Zone barrier in the mountains was far more dangerous than they had expected.
The routes were already swarming with monsters, military defenses were collapsing, and the distance alone meant many would never make it there alive.
In contrast, Star Industries was closer, better defended, and actively broadcasting that it was offering protection to survivors.
With no time to waste, the decision was made.
They would head toward Star Industries.
Mo Fan, along with several elite students and Tianlan High School teachers, took the lead and formed a vanguard.
They pushed forward at the front, clearing paths, fending off monsters, and absorbing the most danger so that the hundreds of terrified students behind them could move forward as safely as possible.
It was no longer about exams, rankings, or pride.
It was about survival.
As they fought their way through ruined streets and blood-soaked alleys, Mo Fan encountered members of the Black Vatican.
And then he witnessed it with his very own eyes.
Zhou Min.
Dead.
One moment she had been alive, panicked but still fighting, and the next she was gone—cut down mercilessly.
Several of his teachers met the same fate right in front of his eyes, unable to escape, unable to resist the overwhelming brutality of the attackers.
The shock nearly broke him.
Fear, anger, grief, and helplessness crashed into him all at once.
Cornered, exhausted, and running out of options, Mo Fan finally reached a point of absolute desperation.
With enemies closing in and no guarantee he would survive, he made a decision driven by instinct rather than logic.
If he was going to die—
Then no one else would get the Holy Spring.
Without hesitation, he took out the vial and drank it.
Not to become stronger.
Not to fight back.
But simply so that even if he fell here, the Black Vatican would gain nothing from his death.
The moment the Holy Spring entered his body, something unexpected happened.
Instead of overwhelming him, its power was immediately drawn toward the Little Loach Pendant hanging from his neck.
The pendant reacted on its own, absorbing the Holy Spring completely, as if it had been waiting for this moment all along.
Mo Fan barely had time to process what had happened.
All he knew was that he was still alive.
And the Holy Spring was no longer something anyone else could take from him.
In the very next moment, elite members of the Star Clan suddenly appeared on the battlefield as if they had descended from nowhere.
Their movements were swift, decisive, and utterly merciless. Before anyone could even react properly, they launched themselves straight into the ranks of the Black Vatican, cutting them down without hesitation.
The fight was completely one-sided.
To Mo Fan and the surviving students, it was a shocking sight.
The very people who had just moments ago been hunting them, cornering them, and slaughtering teachers like livestock were now being manhandled like helpless children.
The Black Vatican members didn't even have time to scream before being eliminated one after another.
There was no struggle.
No dramatic resistance.
Only overwhelming suppression.
In the midst of the chaos, Yu Ang appeared.
And the truth finally came out.
Yu Ang—the adopted son of the Mu Family—was one of them.
He stood among the Black Vatican members, his presence confirming what no one had dared to believe.
The realization struck the students like a hammer to the chest.
The same Yu Ang who had stood proudly on the stage, who had spoken with arrogance backed by his family's status, had actually been a hidden member of the Black Vatican all along.
Before anyone could even fully process that revelation, punishment came swiftly.
An Advanced Tier Fire Magic struck him casually, without ceremony or hesitation.
There was no scream.
No final words.
Yu Ang was instantly reduced to ashes, leaving nothing behind but scorched ground and a bitter sense of disbelief among those watching.
Even after being saved, Mo Fan and the rest of the students were far from relieved.
The price had already been paid.
They stood in stunned silence, grieving the death of Zhou Min, the elite class monitor, along with the teachers who had died protecting them.
The weight of loss pressed heavily on everyone's chest.
Some cried openly.
Others stood frozen, unable to fully accept what had happened.
Survival did not erase grief.
And then Mo Fan remembered something important.
Xinxia.
Panic surged through him as he immediately broke away from the group and began searching for her.
He pushed past survivors, healers, and guards, fear clawing at his chest with every second that passed.
Thankfully, fate was not cruel this time.
He found her inside the Star Industries building, already among the rescued civilians.
She was shaken, frightened—but alive.
The moment he saw her safe, the tension that had been strangling his heart finally loosened.
At that moment, Mo Fan had to admit something he had never wanted to acknowledge before.
Even if Star Industries and the Star Clan were a foreign power—
Even if their presence made many uneasy—
They were the only reason he, his friends, his classmates, and his sister were still alive.
Without them, Bo City would have been nothing more than a mass grave.
…
Lisa stood calmly at the very peak of the Star Industries skyscraper, her gaze fixed on the chaotic city below.
From this height, she could clearly see flashes of magic erupting across Bo City as elite members of the Star Clan continued fighting monsters and rescuing civilians.
Beside her stood a single elite Sound Element mage, acting as her personal bodyguard.
The rest of her team had already been deployed throughout the city, reinforcing defensive lines, evacuating survivors, and eliminating high-risk threats.
Everything appeared to be proceeding according to plan.
Then, without warning, space distorted.
A portal abruptly formed out of thin air right on the rooftop, its edges rippling unnaturally as if reality itself was being forced open.
The Sound Element mage noticed the disturbance instantly, her pupils shrinking as alarm surged through her body.
Even before she could react, Lisa's expression changed.
Her calm shattered into instant reverence.
Without the slightest hesitation, Lisa dropped to one knee, bowing her head deeply toward the forming portal.
The motion was so sudden and decisive that it stunned the Sound Element mage completely.
For a brief moment, she froze—her mind unable to comprehend why her powerful, unshakable superior would kneel so abruptly.
Then she felt it.
The pressure.
From within the portal, heavy footsteps echoed as a figure emerged.
Astreo stepped out slowly, his entire body clad in Chaos armour, its surface wreathed in faint crimson flames that burned without smoke.
Though he had deliberately restrained his aura, the overwhelming majesty and pressure radiating from him was impossible to conceal.
It weighed down on the surroundings like an invisible force, making even breathing feel slightly heavier.
This was authority.
The Sound Element mage felt her knees weaken instinctively, her instincts screaming danger and reverence at the same time.
Realizing what her superior had already understood, she immediately followed Lisa's example and knelt down as well, lowering her head despite not knowing the true identity of the man before her.
She only knew one thing with absolute certainty.
The being who had just arrived was someone far above her understanding.
She realized the truth almost instantly when Lisa spoke in a low, reverent voice, her head still bowed deeply.
"Lord Emperor… I have completed the task you assigned to me," Lisa said firmly, yet respectfully.
"All the students are safe and alive, along with the orphans. None of them were lost."
The moment those words left Lisa's mouth, the Sound Element mage, Su Xingming, felt her entire body freeze.
Her mind reeled in shock.
She knew the power structure of the Star Clan very well.
There were seven Monarchs who ruled beneath a single supreme existence—the Emperor, the one who stood at the absolute peak and governed the entire clan and its vast industries.
That being was more than just a symbol; he was the foundation upon which the Star Clan existed.
Su Xingming had only ever encountered one other Monarch in her life—Rumy—and even that meeting had left her shaken for days.
As for the Emperor himself?
He was a being spoken of only in whispers and reverence, someone she had never imagined standing before.
And yet—
He was right here.
Her breathing became shallow as fear and awe gripped her heart.
Her knees trembled violently as she finally understood who was standing in front of her.
Then a voice rang out.
"Lisa."
The sound was deep, heavy, and commanding, carrying a natural authority that did not need to be raised to be absolute. Astreo, still clad in his Chaos armour, turned his gaze toward the distant outline of the ruined city visible from the rooftop of the skyscraper.
"You did a good job," he said calmly.
Those simple words were enough.
Lisa's expression immediately softened into a sincere smile, one filled with pride and fulfillment.
Without lifting her head, she responded with unwavering devotion.
"Your praise alone is more than enough for my happiness, My Lord," she said earnestly.
"I will continue to strive to serve you better and exceed your expectations."
Behind her, Su Xingming remained kneeling in absolute silence, her mind still struggling to process the reality she had just witnessed—
that the Emperor of the Star Clan had personally descended, and she was kneeling in his presence.
"Hmm."
Astreo's gaze shifted calmly toward the kneeling Sound Element mage.
His eyes settled on her without hostility, yet the weight behind them made it impossible to breathe easily.
"Su Xingming," he said evenly, his voice steady and unquestionable, "keep my visit here a secret."
Yes, Astreo remembered her name clearly.
In fact, he remembered the names of all major personnel working under him, including those at the Advanced Tier and above.
Even though their total number had long surpassed a thousand, it was trivial for him.
After all, he was a Forbidden Tier Psychic Mage—remembering identities, affiliations, and loyalty profiles was effortless.
Su Xingming's heart nearly leapt out of her chest when she heard the Emperor call her name directly.
"L-Lo—Lord Emperor!" she stammered, her voice trembling uncontrollably.
"As you command! I swear on my life, this matter will never leave my lips!"
Astreo gave a small nod, completely indifferent to her shaking voice.
He was already accustomed to such reactions.
Everyone who met him for the first time reacted the same way—fear, reverence, awe, and the instinctive urge to kneel.
And that was exactly how it should be.
Over the years, he had deliberately engraved a strict distinction between his normal persona and his Emperor persona in the minds of everyone under his command.
Even if they knew his true identity, even if they had interacted with him casually before, he never allowed them to forget one fundamental truth—
He was an Emperor.
Their Emperor.
And his authority over them was absolute.
Astreo turned his attention back toward the city below.
From the rooftop of the skyscraper, the outline of Bo City was clearly visible—half-ruined, scarred, and stained with the aftermath of destruction.
Entire districts lay in ruins, smoke still rising from collapsed buildings and broken streets.
He knew the cost.
Tens of thousands had died.
Even now, monsters still lurked within the city limits, but the tide had already receded.
They were no longer pouring in.
The frenzy had ended.
The calamity had run its course.
The Bo City disaster was finally over.
To be continued...
💬 (A/N: Support the Author!)
Hey everyone! 💖
If you're enjoying my stories, check out my Re:Zero fanfic — Re:Zero: The Great Sage!
You can also join my Membership Program to get early chapters, exclusive stories, and cool illustrations!
🌟 Membership Tiers
💠 $2.5 — Trial Tier
You'll receive:
5 advance chapters of Re:Zero: The Great Sage
3 advance chapters of Is It Wrong to Be a High-Elf in a Dungeon?
3 advance chapters of Pride if Alternative
3 advance chapters of Versatile Mage: Infinite Resources.
5 advance chapters of In Mushoku Tensei With Unique Skill Great Sage
💎 $5 — Respected Member
12 advance chapters of Re:Zero: The Great Sage
7 advance chapters of Is It Wrong to Be a High-Elf in a Dungeon?
All available advance chapters of Pride if Alternative
All available chaps of Versatile Mage: Infinite Resources
12 advance chapters of In Mushoku Tensei with Unique Skill Great Sage.
Exclusive Illustrations unseen by the public
Discord Role — gain entry to the inner sanctum of Akros Zero's followers
🔥 $10 — Loyal Member
20 advance chapters of Re:Zero: The Great Sage
15 advance chapters of Is It Wrong to Be a High-Elf in a Dungeon?
All available advance chapters of Pride if Alternative
All available chaps of Versatile Mage: Infinite Resources
20 advance chapters of In Mushoku Tensei with Unique Skill Great Sage.
5 advance chapters of the Wives Reboot.
All Available chapters of the Sloth if: Starting life in another world from zero
Exclusive Illustrations unseen by the public
Discord Role — gain entry to the inner sanctum of Akros Zero's followers
👑 $15 — Royal Member (Sold Out!)
30 advance chapters of Re:Zero: The Great Sage
25 advance chapters of Is It Wrong to Be a High-Elf in a Dungeon?
All available advance chapters of Pride if Alternative
All available chaps of Versatile Mage: Infinite Resources
All available chapters chapters of In Mushoku Tensei with Unique Skill Great Sage.
All available advance chapters of the Wives Reboot.
All Available chapters of the Sloth if: Starting life in another world from zero
Exclusive Illustrations unseen by the public
Discord Role — gain entry to the inner sanctum of Akros Zero's followers
💫 $20 — Mommy Minerva's Sugar Child (Sold Out!)
35 advance chapters of Re:Zero: The Great Sage
All available advance chapters of Is It Wrong to Be a High-Elf in a Dungeon?
All available advance chapters of Pride if Alternative
All available chaps of Versatile Mage: Infinite Resources
All available chapters chapters of In Mushoku Tensei with Unique Skill Great Sage.
All available advance chapters of the Wives Reboot.
All Available chapters of the Sloth if: Starting life in another world from zero
Exclusive Illustrations unseen by the public
Discord Role — gain entry to the inner sanctum of Akros Zero's followers
⚔️ $30 — King Arthur Tier(Sold Out)
All previous perks
Special small animated scenes from my fanfics
My eternal thanks 🙏)
https://discord.gg/Xb47VnFUpQ