"It's him." Alaric's face turned grim as he exchanged a look with his son. Both nodded in silent agreement. Swoosh echoed as the two shot out of the mansion with icy expressions.

Floating above the Duskwood estate was a man with long black hair and an unnervingly handsome face. "Yo." Grey greeted with a cold smile. "It is our first time meeting face to face, but you should know me very well since I am the one who killed Cedric Duskwood."

Alaric's expression darkened instantly. "Grey Lockhart. What are your intentions?" "My intention?" Grey's Saint Eyes shone with purple brilliance as he smiled faintly. "To eliminate your entire family of course."

"You dare?" Alaric roared as corruption energy exploded from him like a tidal wave. His aura twisted unnaturally while he glared at Grey. "You might have killed Lord Varyn but if you harm us I will turn the entire Nova City into a graveyard, including your father and your former friends."

Malaric released his aura as well. The pill he took earlier pushed him near the late stage and the pressure intensified. Grey's expression shifted slightly since Alaric being late stage was unexpected.

But so what? A grin slowly stretched across Grey's face as he snapped his fingers. A secret realm portal appeared behind Alaric and his son without warning.

"What is this?" Both were startled as a sudden suction force pulled them in. Their vision swirled for a brief moment as they crossed over. Grey stepped in after them and the power of the realm descended.

Boom!

Alaric's face twisted in horror as the brief dizziness left him helpless. His elixir field struggled desperately but the realm sealed his powers instantly.

"What is happening? Where is this place?" Alaric's voice shook as fear filled his eyes. The sound of explosion erupted beside him. He turned and froze when he saw Malaric lying in a spreading pool of blood.

"Malric!" Alaric shouted as his voice cracked with pain. His son was dead and reality tore at him mercilessly. The temperature around them suddenly soared.

Fiery humanoid figures descended from above while Grey hovered among them.

"My fellow Infernals." Grey smiled. "Jump that guy."

The Infernals dropped like meteors and swarmed Alaric without hesitation at his command. They punched, kicked, slammed, and sliced him with unrestrained brutality. Within minutes his face resembled a swollen pig's head as his body trembled from burns and bruises.

"S... stop!" Alaric screamed in agony. Despair engulfed him as if he had fallen into the deepest pit of hell. Grey descended slowly with an unreadable expression.

"That video." Grey asked calmly. "Who made it? Answer honestly and maybe we can talk." He was genuinely curious since that video was the reason he was branded a traitor.

"It was Varyn." Alaric gritted his teeth and chose to cling to Grey's promise. "Everything we did was under his instructions and we never would have posted that video without him. Please spare me."

Grey smiled faintly. "No."

From the looks of it, the enemy that caused his downfall in nova city was already dealt with. Since that was the case, there was no need to keep Alaric alive. He just gave him a false hope to make him talk faster. There was no room for negation with enemies after all.

Heavenly tribulation power fused with sword energy and nexus energy in his palm. Buzzt echoed as the destructive force struck.

Alaric's eyes bulged in shock. A heartbeat later he collapsed lifelessly onto the ground.

"It is time to finish the Duskwood family." Grey waved his hand and the portal reappeared.

...

Lia descended into the main city prison with a cold expression. Inside were Liebert and the head of the Ironfang family trapped behind a sealing barrier. Their elixir fields were suppressed and their injuries made resisting impossible.

When they saw Lia they froze in disbelief. Especially Liebert Nova who looked devastated. The ironfang family head glared at him coldly since he had always favored the Duskwood family and even now tried to defend them. Now look what had happened due to all that!

"The Duskwood family..." Liebert stammered with trembling lips. "Lia, what is happening outside? They must have been manipulated by the High Order since they would never do something like this." He had completely lost touch with reality.

The family head of ironfang family looked at him with disgust since he was truly pathetic. Lia did not spare him any emotion either. She raised her hand and divine energy surged outward.

The barrier shattered instantly.

"What?" The Ironfang family head, Toren was stunned. "Miss Lia, you broke the barrier that easily?"

They were shocked since that barrier could restrain several middle stage second rankers.

Lia said nothing as she simply released a part of her aura. That should give them the answers they seek.

They stiffened instantly, especially Liebert.

"You... Lia, you are a second ranker now?" Liebert's voice cracked with desperate hope. "Help me out of here so you can talk to the Duskwood family and make them stop." He stepped forward with trembling hands. "The young master of their family likes you and he will definitely listen if you speak."

Lia looked at him with cold disappointment. "The Duskwood family?" she said softly. "Grey has already killed their ancestor and patriarch so that family no longer exists."

A trace of sadness flickered in her eyes. "And you are still living in a delusion since I never said I wanted ties with them. So what if their young master liked me when I did not like him and you decided everything on your own."

"You... what are you saying, Lia?" Liebert's expression twisted with anger. "I am your father and I decide what you do and what you must not do." His eyes turned cold as rage overtook him.

"You will obey me. Do you hear me? I kept you alive and gave you food and shelter." He spat the words like they proved his ownership over her.

The Ironfang family head frowned in disgust at the outburst. Liebert looked utterly pathetic in this moment.

Lia stiffened briefly as a flicker of panic crossed her face.

Then a calm voice echoed behind her.

"I am behind you."

The voice was unhurried and the instant Lia heard it all her panic disappeared completely.

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