But their frantic protests hung in the air like smoke dissipating on a breeze, for neither Thunder Lord nor Tower Lord Mathew spoke up in their defense this time; both men stood silent, their expressions dark and brooding, because as experts who had long stepped into the Divine Rank, they possessed senses sharp enough to cut through illusions and hidden strength.
They could see with absolute certainty that Max's aura held no deeper layers, no hidden fluctuations—it was precisely and only the aura of someone at the 8th level of Master Rank, pure and unembellished, leaving them caught in a web of contradictions between their own instincts and the words of their subordinates.
Just then, a voice like a cannon blast split the tense air, echoing off the invisible boundaries of the vast sky above Misty City as a powerful, commanding tone shouted, "Alright, let's end this facade for now!"
