"Kairos, how can you blame yourself for this? You've always protected us, and we grew up together. Who could have known he would suddenly change like that?""Kairos, don't blame yourself. It's my fault for not realizing he had ulterior motives for practicing the Decatorian Way."Brian glanced at Aria again. "If our dying wish is truly affecting the war, we would not rest in peace."The fortune tellers had descended the mountain to save the citizens. Yet, not only were their sects annihilated, but they were also used as catalysts for the Soul Manipulating Manifestation.Now, they had become fuel for the very manifestation they sought to prevent. If Aria were in their position, she, too, would be consumed by hatred. She wished she could kill the traitor herself."Miss, I believe I know what our regret is," Brian said softly, his gaze lingering on his peers."I have an apprentice, Marek Crespo. He's only five years old and a bit mischievous. I didn't tell him we were leaving the mou
Brian looked at Aria with earnest eyes. "What's done is done. He has borne this injustice for so many years. I humbly ask for your help to clear his name and bring the truth to light."Aria raised her eyebrows upon hearing that. "Clearing his name isn't a problem. The challenge lies in finding him. "Based on what you've said, he must have been ostracized by the other sects. Everyone believed him to be a murderer and wanted him dead. He must have concealed his identity—perhaps even changed his name. Without any clues, it will be difficult to track him down."She paused, then added thoughtfully, "Perhaps you can sense which sect he was originally from? That might help me narrow it down by age."Brian chuckled. "It's not as difficult as it seems. My apprentice joined our sect relatively late, so he never revealed his ordination name to the public."However, I assigned him one. It's a secret shared only between us. Knowing his determination, he'll find a way forward even if the other
Brian's eyes glistened with tears. "That's great! With the sect's seal and my handwritten letter, no one will dare to slander him."All my peers know he didn't join any sect because he wanted to return to Mount Mystic. Please, deliver this to him. It will only be useful in the present world; it has no value here."Aria nodded. "Okay."The fortune tellers gazed at her as though they were seeing the long-lost Marek through her.Aria understood their intentions and didn't shy away from their looks. Instead, she addressed them one by one."That's right. I was confused before. You're all my seniors," she said with a small laugh.The presence of laughter during the manifestation began to influence the effect of the Soul Manipulation Manifestation.Brian didn't hesitate. "We have no more unfulfilled wishes. All we hope for now is a safe and peaceful future for our country."As soon as he finished speaking, he took the lead and sat cross-legged in mid-air. He started chanting, preparin
"The Carver family? I thought we intercepted all their information!""It was handled by the man beside me—there's no way there could've been a mistake. Besides, I have my own people inside the Carver family.""You're right. Once we find the intruder, no matter who they are, they'll be dealt with permanently! This territory is under my control!"Morlock suddenly turned to Eddy. Eddy's face went pale, and his expression twisted in terror as Morlock's own features seemed to shift grotesquely, as though shared by two distinct entities.Frozen in fear, Eddy couldn't move a muscle. His wide eyes reflected pure panic."Have Colonel Krieg investigate anyone who might've infiltrated!" Morlock instructed. With a loud thud, Eddy fell to the ground. Scrambling to his feet, he stumbled out of the room, trembling violently.Morlock added, "One look will tell him all he needs to know."The door slammed shut on its own, though there wasn't even a whisper of wind.…Meanwhile, Viktor conti
"Wait, this isn't right! We haven't boarded yet, and the only ones on the plane are Colonel Krieg and his adjutant. Why is it taking off?"Viktor listened to the panicked voices around him and suddenly pieced it together. "The enemy is on that fighter jet!"Indeed, it was Aria. With her skills, taking on an entire army alone might be a challenge, but handling three or four Krowonian soldiers—snipers or not—was no issue.The most difficult part of engaging a sniper was pinpointing their location. Luckily for Aria, her time as a sniper in the Special Ops team made this task a breeze.She was determined not to leave the Krowonian military camp without something to show for it. Taking a souvenir back seemed only fair.Taking out the leader would cripple the army. And if it came to negotiations, having a commanding officer as a prisoner would provide valuable leverage.But Aria wasn't causing this commotion without reason. She was baiting a certain fortune teller into revealing himsel
Greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance, and doubt were emotions that dwelled within all hearts.Before Aria stood the restless souls of the fallen, their pain echoing in a single question—why us?Had they not lived earnestly, without sin? Had they not protected their humble lives, harming no one and never defying the heavens? Why, then, were they denied even an intact corpse?They had honored their elders, labored like beasts of burden, and asked for nothing but the survival of their children. Was such a modest hope too much to ask?These questions, arising from the depths of the souls' torment, were maddening enough to unnerve even the strongest of wills.Evil spirits, as terrifying as they might be, paled in comparison to the fathomless cruelty of the human heart.In the Netherrealm, there was an ancient saying, "The Wail of the Damned". It spoke of souls lost in the deepest corners of the River of the Dead, unredeemed and forever restless. Their cries had been so piercing that e
Inside the heart of this manifestation lay something powerful—something that belonged to Landon—the Soul-Summoning Plaque. This cursed artifact had once bound Landon, dragging him into the mountains and forcing him into a life of servitude, a mere plaything in someone else's hands."How could Landon forget its sinister pull and still venture near it? And what of Aria? Was she truly raised by her mentor only to have her soul offered to feed such a scheme?"While the crow stood in confusion, trying to piece together the unfolding events, Landon suddenly froze mid-movement.The black mist within the manifestation, which had been thickening ominously, abruptly ceased.Instead, it coiled around Aria, swirling slowly until it reached a complete standstill.Even the crow, experienced in such supernatural forces, was stunned by this sight.Then, from the dense fog, Aria's voice rang out, strong and defiant, "Because of these invaders! Because there will always be those who place power ab
"Didn't you say I'm just a Farsies, an experimental subject, no different from a lab rat?""Then let me experiment on you too, how about that?""Uncle Ryan, don't be afraid. Stupid, hold his legs.""His hands look delicious. I'll take care of those."Voices echoed one after another, mingling eerie laughter with sobbing cries.The Krowonian soldiers were paralyzed by fear; their mental states shattered. Scrambling backward in desperation, they clawed at the ground, their movements frantic and disordered.Some, gripped by blind terror, raised their guns—only to fire at their own comrades.When fear peaked, it turned humans into predators of their own kind.Amid the chaos, Aria didn't even spare them a glance. Her focus remained unyielding as she piloted the fighter jet higher. With a precise motion, she unleashed a missile aimed directly at the enemy's communications tower. The explosion severed their last means of escape.Seeing his forces crumble, Marlock clenched his tremblin
Dorian reached out instinctively, but he was too late. Magdalene hit the ground hard, her forehead bruised. How she wished she could just faint and escape this nightmare. But reality was merciless. With her head throbbing, she could only look at Dorian and the chaos engulfing the Fitzroy Group.Dorian's knees trembled with fear. "Mom, what should I do? That bastard must have exposed me! He'll pin everything on me. Mom—""D-Don't worry. As long as I'm here, I'll get you out of this," Magdalene said, though she was barely holding herself together.But the SWAT team would be here any second.Dorian's face turned deathly pale as a sudden realization struck him. "Mom, you told me to do everything. You said helping the Draycott family tamper with Waymond's financial statements would give us the upper hand!"Magdalene froze. Her outstretched hand dropped as she coughed up blood. "Y-You—!""Don't worry, Mom. Even if you go to jail, I'll come visit you. You're already old, but I still h
Dorian steadied Magdalene, helping her sit down. "Mom, what if Laura refuses to apologize? We need to put an end to this mess online before someone digs too deep.""Don't worry. Your brother is the one involved, and he's already on the plane. No one will link the Grisham family's accounts to you. Even if the police conducted an investigation, they'll only interrogate your brother." Magdalene took a deep breath, but it did little to calm her. Her clothes were stained with Laura's blood, making her feel utterly repulsed. Meanwhile, Dorian relaxed, reassured that he wouldn't be implicated.To him, his half-brother was nothing but an obstacle—a liability who competed for the inheritance. Though Dorian had joined the Fitzroy family late, he had Magdalene's support.Neval, on the other hand, had been nothing but a disgrace, sinking deeper into his gambling addiction. Now, at last, he served his purpose—as a scapegoat.Just as Dorian was savoring that thought, a frantic voice broke thro
Eamon never loved Laura, but he had always respected her. He fulfilled her requests, supported her family, and never strayed. While other wealthy men indulged in affairs, Eamon remained distant and polite, just as he had been in college.Their marriage wasn't filled with passion, but his world still revolved around her, Jett, and his work. Laura had a life many envied—a stable family, a respected position—yet she had only realized its worth too late. Tears welled up in her eyes. If she had been more decisive, things wouldn't have come to this. She could have continued her life as Eamon's wife, reaping its privileges whether love was present or not. Instead, she had listened to her mother and lost everything—her family, her son, and the Grisham family shares she had once taken for granted.She had never even desired those shares. So how had it come to this?Regret twisted inside her, making it hard to breathe. Clutching her shirt, she barely registered the voices around her unt
Magdalene's voice rang out, sharp with indignation. "What an ungrateful wretch! If not for my husband, you wouldn't have achieved any of this!"The PR manager remained unimpressed. "And yet we stayed here for his sake. Otherwise, with their so-called capabilities…" His gaze flickered toward Dorian, who stood frozen in shock. "Your youngest son is a fool blinded by women. He lacks competence and knowledge."As for your eldest, he has potential, but you raised him to be useless. I've been in this business too long to be deceived. You're only doing this to hold on to power."Magdalene's breath hitched. His words cut deep.The PR manager added, "Now that Fitzroy Group belongs to you, clean up the mess yourself."Her hands trembled with fury. She lifted a finger, pointing at the departing figures, but no words came out.Dorian leaned in, his voice hushed yet frantic. "Mom, what do we do? The Guetta family won't even pick up our calls."Magdalene bit down so hard on her lip that the t
The deeper people dug online, the more they painted Eamon as the perfect man—handsome, intelligent, scandal-free. Many began to feel it was a waste for him to have married Laura in the first in the first place. As for Magdalene's accusations, the public remained skeptical. They weren't entirely convinced by her words but were eager to hear the Grisham family's statement. No matter how attractive Eamon was, cheating was unacceptable.Aria stayed out of the online chaos, but she knew exactly who was orchestrating it—Eamon.Since the Fitzroy family refused to acknowledge their wrongdoing, Aria saw no need for restraint. It was time for the final blow."Expose the Fitzroy family's IP addresses," she ordered. "And have the one who photoshopped that image apologize. If he refuses, the dark web forum will make sure he regrets it."Online smear campaigns often relied on bots, just as the Fitzroy family had used them to fabricate rumors about Eamon's infidelity. After tossing out a few mi
Laura's marriage to Eamon had turned her into a laughingstock in Ludwiten. How could that heartless man transfer their marital assets ahead of time? What had she even gained from wasting years in this sham of a marriage?"I want that jerk to pay! Aren't feminists trending right now? Just spin the narrative like they do!"The Fitzroy Group had always been a family-run business, but aside from Magdalene, none of her descendants were competent enough to keep it afloat.The PR manager had long known this. Most senior employees remained loyal out of respect for the late CEO, but after hearing Laura's words, they could only exchange helpless glances. Did these spoiled heirs truly believe the internet could be so easily manipulated? That people would blindly believe whatever was fed to them? How delusional.The reality was damning. The video clearly showed Laura drugging Eamon. Instead of conducting themselves with the dignity befitting an esteemed family, they had resorted to illegal s
The Fitzroy Group's reputation was in shambles, battered by relentless criticism online. Dorian Fitzroy, the so-called CEO, had once boasted that he would triumph over Waymond and the Grisham family. Yet now, he was scrambling just to save himself.The Fitzroy family's underhanded tactics had been thoroughly exposed, with the internet tearing apart their every move.While the previous three generations of Fitzroys had been capable leaders, everything changed once Magdalene took over. Their successors had become mere opportunists, riding the coattails of others rather than proving their worth.Even within the company, employees had no idea what Dorian's actual skills were. Aside from exploiting his connections and bribing officials, he was utterly useless.Now, overwhelmed and powerless, he refused to even leave his office. When his secretary knocked, he stayed silent, praying for Magdalene to rescue him.Meanwhile, the prestigious families who had hoped to use the Fitzroys to el
"How did the video get leaked out? Did Eamon know about this beforehand and prepared for it? All you know is to cry! If I can't secure the Grisham family's shares, you'll soon be worthless!" Magdalene's voice was sharp, sending a chill down Laura's spine. The words cut deep, leaving her eyes brimming with resentment. But Magdalene had no patience for her daughter's emotions. "Who released this video? Why hold onto it for so many years? Did Eamon do this to take you down? Does he not care about Jett at all?"Laura didn't have the answers. All she felt was a deep, throbbing pain. Her phone buzzed nonstop—messages from high-society women, all pretending to be concerned but prying for gossip. Their insincere probing only intensified her hatred for whoever had exposed the truth."Mom, what's the point of yelling at me? I had no idea an old video like this would resurface. Before Jett was born, Eamon did..." She trailed off, her mind suddenly dragging her back to a buried memory.It was
Magdalene had never encountered such humiliation before. Gripping the chair for support, she trembled with fury, her face dark and rigid. The anger surged within her, rendering her speechless—only her heavy breaths betrayed the storm raging inside. People had always feared her. With her status, no one dared to raise their voice at her, much less hurl insults. In the past, when others struggled to survive, she stood above them, indifferent and untouchable.Raised in an elite family, Magdalene had long believed in class superiority. To her, the so-called common folk had no right to challenge her, let alone condemn her.Yet now, they all turned against her. Their scorn was relentless. They called her a vile, greedy old woman who leeched off her daughter's success. Some even accused her of being capable of far worse than drugging someone.Her expression darkened as she read their words. Taking a deep breath to suppress her growing panic, she swiftly contacted Neval."Board the plane