Karl's eyes narrowed as he took in the faint shimmer that still clung to Lucian's frame.
Not an aura. Not killing intent. Something deeper—like the air itself had agreed to move around him differently.
He tilted his head, a slow grin forming.
"…You're X Rank."
The words cut through the stillness like a blade.
Eron, standing further back with his arms crossed, stiffened. His jaw tightened as his gaze locked on Lucian. "Impossible," he muttered under his breath, but there was a sharp edge to it—an unease he didn't bother to hide. "No human gets there without… no. This shouldn't be happening."
Athena, who had been calmly overseeing the cleanup, turned fully toward them. Her composure cracked for a fraction of a second, just enough for her eyes to widen. "X Rank?" she said quietly, almost to herself. Her mind was already running, searching through everything she knew, every legend, every classified report.
