The masked man was horrified. The impact from earlier had knocked his hood back, leaving his face completely exposed. And in his eyes — clear, unmistakable shock.

He gritted his teeth and pushed himself up to his feet. With trembling fingers, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small locket, quickly fastening it around his neck.

"Oh? You brought an armor as well," Derek said confidently.

But for a brief moment, a flicker of concern crossed his eyes.

The man didn't reply. 'We can't let him walk away alive. He's seen my face, and the young master is involved as well. His reputation will be ruined if this situation isn't handled immediately… That boy is just a cultivator. With this armor, killing him should be easy.' He mapped out his plan in his head, thinking through how to deal with Derek swiftly.

Seeing the man activate the armor, Frederick finally breathed a sigh of relief again.

"You made a grave mistake going against the Nelson family," Frederick said coldly to Derek. "After you die, the destruction won't stop with you. I'll make sure everyone related to you suffers. Even that pathetic team of yours — I won't spare them."

But while he was speaking, something clicked inside Derek's mind. His blood churned

"So you're from the Nelson family," Derek said calmly. "I was warned to be careful around you."

"Whoever gave you that advice must've known what they were talking about," Frederick sneered. "But it won't matter. Looks like you're just unlucky."

"Unlucky, huh?" Derek repeated, but his tone had changed entirely. The earlier hint of playfulness vanished, replaced by sheer coldness. "We'll see about that. Earlier, I needed to know why you were targeting me. But now that I know you're one of the Nelsons, one of the families working with demons, I don't need any more reason."

"What demons?!" Frederick asked, confused.

But the armored man's face drained of color.

'How does he know that? Even among the family, only a handful are aware of this… And he's saying it so casually. Is he not afraid of them at all?' His thoughts spiraled rapidly.

Derek didn't care about their reactions or questions.

He simply raised his hand, and his sword flashed out from his storage ring. He caught it calmly.

But that single motion sent a violent shiver down both of their spines.

'Why is he holding a sword? Isn't he only a cultivator?' The armored man's pupils shrank. 'Damn it… If he's an Auran, then the armor won't hold properly…' Panic finally crept into him again.

Derek dashed straight toward the armored man. 'I need to take him down first.'

The man didn't wait for Derek to close the distance. He swung his wand, unleashing a surge of flames. Unlike a fireball, this spell blanketed a wide area, leaving no space to dodge.

But he had no idea about Derek's past — a life forged in hell, where death was a constant companion.

Derek didn't even hesitate. He jumped straight into the flames.

He vanished inside the blaze… then erupted out the other side like a demon walking through fire.

The man's eyes widened in shock. Derek's clothes were charred, and patches of skin were red and blistered.

But Derek brushed off the pain as if it were nothing.

His sword whistled through the air. At that instant, the man realized something.

Derek's blade wasn't emanating aura — nothing like the sword of an Auran would.

'So he isn't an Auran… just a cultivator. I can block this.' Confident in the locket armor's capabilities, he lifted his left elbow like a shield. The artifact encased his body in a shimmering barrier.

Derek's blade met flesh. And what the man had anticipated didn't happen.

Instantly...

Schlk!

A spray of blood burst out as the man's arm was severed cleanly from the point of impact.

For a moment, there was no sound — as if time itself stalled while his brain failed to process what had happened.

Then...

"AAAAAHHHHH!!"

A scream tore from his throat, raw and agonized. He clutched the bloody stump, doubling over in pain.

Derek didn't even blink. He thrust his sword forward.

The blade tore through the man's abdomen, slicing through armor, flesh, and bone with frightening ease.

With one hand, Derek grabbed the man's shoulder and yanked the sword back out.

The man collapsed onto the ground, writhing. He managed to lift a trembling finger toward Derek.

"Wha… what in hell are you…?"

Derek stared down at him, eyes cold.

"I am hell," he said softly. "For demons… and for people like you."

He turned. Fredrick was still frozen in place, rooted to the ground by terror. His mind was blank, his breath trapped in his lungs. He didn't even remember that he was alive — or that he should be running.

But when Derek's gaze locked onto him…

Something deep within Fredrick screamed in panic. His legs finally reacted.

He staggered back, stumbling, barely able to control his own body. Then he turned and began running.

But he didn't even make it five steps.

Schlk!

Derek's sword pierced through his back, the blade exiting from his chest in a spray of blood.

Fredrick's body stiffened. His eyes widened. And then.....

He collapsed face-first on the ground.

Derek then quickly took out the jade stone Meredith had given him for emergencies and sent a rapid message, explaining everything that had happened and asking her to notify the House Master immediately.

He didn't have to wait long. Both Meredith and Yami arrived at the scene in a hurry, their expressions tight with concern.

"Derek, what the hell happened here?" Yami demanded, eyes darting between the charred ground and the two lifeless bodies.

"Frederick Nelson tried to kill me," Derek said calmly. "He was using a vanishing cloak to spy on me, but he was leaking killing intent. Once I exposed him, he attacked directly. And when he realized he couldn't win, he called for backup. That man arrived shortly after."

Yami's eyes narrowed. "And you killed him as well?"

"I had to," Derek replied without hesitation.

"I'm not questioning your reason," Yami said slowly. "I'm asking how. That man was an A-class mage assigned for Frederick's protection… and you took down both of them?" His voice cracked with disbelief.

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