Javier's eyes were still on the field, the once blood-soaked ground now cleared of the carnage. The air felt strangely hollow, as if even the wind dared not disturb the silence.
Before he could turn away, a voice cut through the stillness.
"Javier."
He froze for a heartbeat, the familiarity of that voice tugging him back to reality. Turning slightly, his surprise was plain, his father stood there, expression unreadable, flanked by Alf, Erinnette, and Hesbeirn.
But it wasn't just them.
Standing just a step behind was a figure that made his chest tighten. His mother...Francesca.
Inside Javier's mind.
Damn!
I didn't even sense their mana before they got this close.
But this father of mine…
Even now, standing right in front of me, I can't feel a shred of his power.
No aura, no mana, nothing. As if he's just… empty.
Ugh… even after growing this strong, I still can't measure his true power.
And it's not just him.
