As Erik's words echoed through the hall, all eyes were on him. Looking down with a frown, he presented a stern image, only somewhat softened by the obviously conflicted Naeku, who was battling between fury and compassion as she looked at the people on stage.
At the same time, Erik released some of the hold on his own power. Instantly, an aura of strength pulsed through the hall. As these Wulfs were only first- and second-rankers, the presence of not just a third ranker, but a powerful one, was enough to make them forget to breathe. Most of them had been in either Ankhur's or Enkai's presence before, but neither had been this suffocating.
Meanwhile, Naeku's fresh third-rank power quickly became just a blip in the ocean. No one noticed her jump in strength. In fact, in that moment, they barely noticed her.
