Morning filtered through the curtains. Taylor rose silently, observing the two girls still lost in sleep for a moment.
He traced a few runes in the air; immediately, his body was enveloped in a flickering, living flame, and without making a sound, he glided toward the door of the room.
He stepped into the corridor still in his pajamas and found Rebecca cleaning alongside two servants.
He beckoned to her, and they both headed toward the study.
As soon as they crossed the threshold, Taylor spoke with an impassive expression "Today, I won't be returning home until late. So take care of my sister and the girls while I'm away."
Rebecca nodded, her face as expressionless as ever "Don't worry. I'll do my best to attend to the needs of the young ladies."
Taylor kept his gaze steady "I'm sure you won't fail me. After all, you're an expert Spirit Warden, stage two."
After explaining Evelyn's preferences in detail, he left the study and boarded the carriage, heading toward the edge of the island.
The journey ended in front of a vast expanse of water. On the beach were armed people of various races, all ready for combat. As soon as Taylor set foot on the sand, the ground trembled.
The vibration intensified, and in an instant, nine figures appeared. They called themselves the Nine Authorities.
They positioned themselves in front of Taylor, motionless and silent. None of them spoke; they waited for the central figure to address him first.
The Authority of the continent of Arkhora stepped forward. He cleared his throat before speaking " If you help us defeat the sea monster and the other creature that will appear, We will grant you the same authority on the island that we possess."
Taylor looked at him with icy eyes "I asked for the entire island. Do you nine really think a little authority will be enough for me?"
Although the Nine Authorities were the highest-status figures across the nine continents, before Taylor they could not object to his tone.
The Authority of Arkhora responded with an embarrassed laugh "At the moment, it's not possible. To make this island resurface, we used a special rune and it became bound to our souls the moment we activated it."
Taylor, noticing his forced expression, spoke in a cold voice "So this place is unstable without you, and I can only have nominal authority?"
The other nodded. Taylor let out a slight sigh "After eliminating these sea monsters, you will show me that rune."
Taylor drew a rune, and a sword appeared in his hand. He turned to the Nine Authorities and addressed the Authority of Vespera "Eryon, your favorite vassal, Marianne, almost attacked me yesterday."
For the first time, Eryon heard of this incident. Her hands trembled, and as she met Taylor's icy gaze, her legs almost gave way.
The fear was palpable, yet the sight of this boy conveyed the coldness of someone capable of taking lives without flinching.
With a trembling voice, she said "Marianne was gravely in error. But I hope you can reconsider and forgive her on my behalf."
Taylor watched Eryon tremble. A woman who had reached the pinnacle of power in society, strong solely through her own strength and never allying with anyone, always meticulous in her actions and in commanding her vassals and yet, for the first time, he had managed to corner her.
A strange feeling passed through Taylor, and a smile formed on his exquisite face. Eryon and the others saw a smile on Taylor's face for the first time, but for some reason, they felt a bad omen.
Taylor did not take his gaze off Eryon and, with the same smile, said "Delegate your duties to someone else. After you're done here, you will come with me."
Eryon's eyes widened. Her heart raced, and a sense of anticipation surged through her.
Taylor turned toward the sea and spoke in a cold voice "They've arrived. Prepare yourselves."
Instantly, he traced some runes and vanished in a form of flame.
The Nine followed him, heading toward the place where the monster's power could be felt.
Ilyandra, the Authority of Luthra, spoke to Eryon "It seems your courtship of him all this time has borne fruit, though it took three years."
Blushing, Eryon said "Look ahead."
A gigantic monster emerged from the water, a turtle with a fierce gaze, almost as large as the island. But the most terrifying thing was that fourteen identical ones appeared alongside it.
Looking at the number and strength of the monsters, Ilyandra said with a serious expression "They're all Spirit Warden Stage 4. And that one at the back a Sovereign of Essence Stage 1."
Felsar's authority shivered down his spine and, with a trembling finger, said "There are two Sovereign of Essence Stage 1. Even though we're all Sovereign of Essence Stage 3, you know that those types of monsters when they lose control, manifest four times the visible Essence power."
Taylor turned toward the beach and saw that some smaller monsters were attacking the shore, but they were being stopped by the people present.
Returning his gaze to the giant turtles, he said in a cold voice "Take care of the nine in front. I'll handle the three Spirit Warden Stage 4 and the two Sovereign of Essence Stage 1"
The nine authorities, knowing Taylor's strength well, nodded without hesitation.
Taylor unleashed the wings of fire he had created and moved swiftly toward the back of the turtles. Those who tried to attack him were immediately struck down by the nine authorities.
Arriving in front of the turtle that would be his prey, it tried to strike him, but Taylor was faster.
With a downward slash, his sword traced a cut aimed directly at the target. He didn't stop there, dodging an attack from behind, he swung horizontally at the turtle, delivering a second strike.
The two turtles, despite their sturdy shells, were sliced cleanly by his blade.
Taylor turned to the last one, ready to finish it before returning to the other two, but he paused.
the weaker turtle had joined the stronger ones, advancing together toward him.
With a cold glare, he said "Seems my power, Sovereign of Essence Stage 4, doesn't scare them, I suppose that makes sense."
The air around him began to turn chaotic. His red pupils took the shape of a flame., and tiny stars started appearing in his irises.
His wings blazed brighter than before, with stellar symbols dancing among the flames, while the sword in his hand began to melt.
Throwing the molten blade into the water, Taylor generated a flame that rose into the sky, transforming into an incandescent rune that radiated intense heat.
Raising his arm toward the heavens, he said in a cold voice "Incinerate" and then lowered it, unleashing his full power.
The two strongest turtles unleashed waves of aquatic Essence energy. When they collided on the rune, they began to evaporate.
The weaker one rushed rapidly toward Taylor, but he drew a rune before it could get close.
The rune took the shape of a flaming sword and struck the turtle, which, blinded by fury, couldn't react and was cut in half.
The other two, focused on launching their attacks, managed to stop him, or so they thought.
A second wave, identical to the first, arrived suddenly. Exhausted, they couldn't defend themselves and were incinerated.
Seeing that it was over, Taylor returned to his original form. Noticing that the others were nearly finished fighting, he moved toward Eryon.
Creating runes that took the shape of a sword, he decapitated the turtle and, grabbing Eryon by the waist, carried her to the beach.