'Just what the hell is that?'
Joaquin's eyes narrowed as a white light descended silently toward them. He couldn't sense a thing from it—not a trace of mana, not even the faintest ripple.
It irritated him.
'Just when I was finally having a rare moment with my son…'
Of course, something had to interrupt.
He and Azriel had never exactly been close. Conversations between them were usually short, clipped, almost awkward. But tonight, for the first time, Joaquin had felt like they might finally talk—really talk. Maybe even share a drink, trade battle stories, laugh a little.
And now?
'…How annoying.'
The white glow drew closer. It looked like a falling star, delicate and almost innocent, yet it carried an unsettling weight.
He should have crushed it already. But years of battle had honed his instincts, and his instincts whispered one thing: don't.
'It's an arrow. An assassination attempt?'
Bold. Ridiculously bold. To think someone would try to kill the Crimson King with a single arrow.
And yet…
'The archer isn't even in the capital.'
That thought unsettled him more than the arrow itself. Whoever had fired it was beyond his detection range—and that was saying something.
'Well, whatever. I can't exactly let it hit the estate, can I?'
He stepped forward, ready to act, when a quiet voice stopped him.
"Wait, Dad…"
Joaquin turned, surprised. Azriel wasn't even looking at the arrow. Instead, his eyes were fixed on empty air, as if reading something only he could see.
Following his son's gaze, Joaquin saw nothing.
'What's he looking at?'
He didn't ask. He simply watched, intrigued.
'He can see something I can't… does he have a skill? But why stop me?'
Finally, Azriel turned to meet his gaze. For several long seconds, he just stared, silent. Then his eyes shifted back to the arrow, which now bathed the entire estate in blinding light.
'Truly like a falling star,' Joaquin mused, almost amused despite himself.
Then Azriel spoke.
"Don't do anything."
Joaquin blinked.
'Don't do anything?'
"…Why?" he asked flatly.
"Have you lost your mind?"
"Aren't you curious?" Azriel replied calmly.
Joaquin's jaw tightened.
'Of course I'm curious. But since when does curiosity excuse stupidity?'
Still, something in his son's voice made him pause.
"…Fine."
The arrow's glow turned night into day. Joaquin sighed.
'Aeli is going to kill me for this.'
He imagined his wife's furious voice and felt a cold sweat. Shaking his head, he grabbed Azriel's shoulder.
"Whoa!" Azriel yelped as Joaquin blinked them both to the far edge of the garden.
"Damn, that's bright," Azriel muttered.
"It is," Joaquin agreed, deadpan.
'And when she starts yelling, I'm blaming him entirely.'
The ground exploded.
BOOOOM—!
The earth quaked, dust billowing high.
'Oh, now she'll definitely kill me.'
Joaquin clenched his teeth. The impact was far fiercer than expected. He shot his son a glare. Azriel, of course, looked completely calm—like he'd just been watching fireworks.
'This boy! He'll drag me into the abyss with him, no matter what I do.'
With a wave of his hand, Joaquin banished the dust.
And blinked.
The arrow was there, embedded in the earth. Perfectly intact. No crater, no damage. Its glow had dimmed but still pulsed faintly.
"Huh…?"
That made no sense.
Before he could think further, Azriel was already walking toward it. Joaquin didn't stop him. He was too curious. Besides…
'I like it.'
Azriel had changed. The Voidrealm hadn't broken him—it had sharpened him. And though Joaquin was proud, he was also annoyed.
'I'll get my revenge one day, boy. When you least expect it.'
Azriel crouched, picked up the arrow easily, and held it in his hand. The light pulsed brighter. Joaquin tensed, ready to intervene—
But nothing happened.
Azriel studied it calmly.
"What a weird form…" he murmured.
'Form?'
Joaquin opened his mouth to ask, but then he saw it—the smile. That smile he knew all too well.
The smile of someone excited.
The same smile Joaquin himself wore in the heat of battle.
It startled him, though he didn't show it.
'Why is he smiling like that?'
Then Azriel spoke, still smiling.
"Very well…"
Snap—!
The arrow shattered in his hand as easily as a twig.
"I accept."
Joaquin's eyes widened.
'What? How?'
He was certain the arrow was the work of at least a Grandmaster. And yet Azriel had broken it like nothing.
'Was I wrong?'
Before he could recover, white light surged around his son, enveloping him completely. Joaquin's body tensed, every instinct on alert.
But Azriel looked back at him with that same smile.
"Don't worry. I'll be back soon… probably."
And then he was gone.
"…."
The silence was deafening.
"Did I just make a mistake?" Joaquin muttered.
He had let it happen, convinced Azriel knew what he was doing. But now—
"Was I wrong?"
He shook his head. No. Azriel had recognized something the moment the arrow appeared. That much was clear.
Still, that smile haunted him.
He stepped forward, eyes widening.
Where Azriel had stood, a black cross was carved into the earth.
"…How…?"
It was a mark. Only Grandmasters could leave such things behind. Normally white. This one was black.
With a mark, a Grandmaster could open their own void rifts and anchor themselves both here and in the Voidrealm.
"I see…" Joaquin whispered.
The arrow hadn't been an arrow at all.
"It was... a Void artifact."
He let out a low chuckle.
"For someone who wanted a peaceful life, you have a real talent for doing the opposite."
And yet, he wasn't worried. Not even a little.
Why?
Because Azriel was his son.
"I'll be waiting," Joaquin said quietly.
The sound of guards shouting and running drew closer. The explosion had clearly woken the entire estate.
"Right…" He clenched his fist behind his back, smirking faintly.
"I'll be waiting… but you'd better come back soon, son. So I can kill you myself."