The skies above the Elise Kingdom had long since turned to dusk, but Reyon had already crossed its borders. His cloak fluttered behind him, dust trailing at his heels as he marched without pause, eyes set with quiet resolution.
After parting ways with Julie, he headed straight toward the old royal graveyard nestled beyond the Horizon Forest Palace—the place where his grandmother, Min Hee, once resided.
The palace had long been abandoned. Over time, vines had overtaken its stone walls, and tall trees had crept up around its edges, shadowing the ruins. But none dared enter. A powerful 8th-circle barrier enveloped the entire estate, erected to prevent even the most daring of fools from disturbing the grave of the Empress of Elements.
Yet Reyon walked through it.
The instant he neared the barrier, the Ring of Ferica on his hand shimmered faintly, recognizing its creator's bloodline. The barrier rippled like a curtain in the wind and parted silently before him.
He stepped inside.
The main palace had crumbled, but atop its once-glorious roof stood a massive stone monument—a grave unlike any other, carved from a crystal-white obsidian, inscribed with golden runes. Her name. Her legacy.
Reyon knelt.
His hands trembled slightly, clenched over his knees as his hair hung loose, shadows covering his face.
"I'm sorry… Grandma," he whispered, his voice cracking.
"I visited you so late."
A gust of wind blew through the trees.
He closed his eyes.
"If only… I could've given you my final goodbyes… I wouldn't be feeling so damn guilty."
Tears rolled down his cheeks, dripping onto the moss-covered floor beneath him. His voice grew quieter, rawer, more vulnerable.
"In my last life… you were a stranger. But in this life—you were my closest family member. My teacher."
He took a long, shaking breath.
"Grandma… I promise… I would do everything I can to keep the empire safe."
And there he stayed—kneeling, unmoving—for hours. Even the birds around him went silent, as if mourning with him.
Eventually, as the moon rose high into the night sky, Reyon stood.
His face was calm now. His tears had dried, leaving behind a steel-like resolve.
He turned back.
By the next sunrise, he had reached the royal capital.
A high-level meeting had been summoned at the Grand Parliament Hall—every marquis and noble above that rank had been ordered to attend.
Dozens of carriages lined the cobblestone path. Inside, murmurs and concerned whispers filled the chamber.
When Reyon entered, all eyes turned to him.
He didn't flinch.
As he reached the center, Edward nodded from the Emperor's seat and gave him the floor.
Reyon stood tall, his arms crossed behind his back, his voice firm and clear.
"The disaster we face isn't over."
Gasps echoed. Reyon continued.
"The Brook Kingdom is behind the creation of the dragons. And there are still two dragons left—both stronger than the Blue Dragon we just defeated."
Murmurs turned to alarm. A marquis rose, slamming his hand against the desk.
"What nonsense is this? That was a mythical beast—how can there be more!?"
Reyon didn't falter.
"The Silver Dragon is the natural opposite of my father. Even when he reached the 9th Circle, I believe if he fought it one-on-one, he wouldn't come out alive."
The hall went silent.
"Chances are, the Silver Dragon would survive that battle. But… thankfully, it doesn't have the regeneration power the Blue Dragon did."
He paused. Then added:
"If Father and I fought it together… we would defeat it. And come out unscathed."
Someone at the back shouted, "Then what's the real problem?"
Reyon's gaze darkened.
"The Black Dragon. It can alter time."
He let the words settle.
"It can make a person… stuck in time. You won't be able to move. You'll just die—helplessly."
A marquis stood up, lips trembling.
"How do you know all this…?"
Reyon stared at him.
"That's not important. Just focus on what's coming."
Even the doubters couldn't find words.
Derox, who once would've snapped at him, sat still—eyes narrowed. He knew now. Reyon was no longer someone he could scorn.
He had the strength. The title. The Classers. The empire's most dangerous intelligence network was his to command.
The meeting concluded in hushed awe. Most nobles left with faces pale and silent.
Only Reyon and Edward remained inside.
The doors closed behind them.
Edward sighed, rubbing his temples as he turned toward his son.
"What are we gonna do against the Black Dragon?"
He looked tired. Human.
"As you said, that dragon can alter time… so even I would be useless against it."
Reyon walked to the large stained-glass window, watching the imperial banners wave in the wind.
"If only Grandma was alive and healthy," he muttered. "We wouldn't have to worry. We could've asked her to teach you Mana Nullification."
Edward exhaled slowly.
"Contemplating on that won't change anything."
He crossed his arms.
"Mana Nullification could undo any type of magic… but we can't be sure if it'd work against time magic."
He looked up at the ceiling, lost in thought.
"Still… I'll try to master it. I'm not as talented as Mother, but I could still try to learn it."
Reyon's head snapped toward him.
"What do you mean by 'not as talented'? You're the second person to reach the 9th circle!"
Edward laughed, a dry, hollow sound.
"Yeah… but Mother was otherworldly. She could stop the mana flow itself."
Reyon's breath caught.
"I realized it after I reached the 9th Circle… Even though she was unconscious and unwell, she was leagues ahead of me."
He clenched his fist, eyes narrowing.
"She was a wall. An insurmountable wall."
He lowered his voice.
"It's just that the human body can't endure more than the 9th circle… Otherwise, she would've reached the 10th Circle."
Reyon's jaw clenched in awe.
"Then… what about Grandpa Leywin? He was said to be much more powerful than Grandma."
Edward chuckled again, this time more genuinely.
"Haa… I don't have a word for him."
He leaned back in his chair.
"Your grandma once told me about the Great War between humans and dragons…"
He stared at the table, fingers drumming slowly.
"We always thought she was the first 9th Circle mage. But that wasn't true. There were ten 9th Circle mages back then."
Reyon's eyes widened.
Edward continued:
"They weren't as powerful as your grandma. But still… they killed thousands of dragons."
Reyon muttered, "Huh the dragon we faced aren't that weak?"
"Because the origin dragons were just a little bit stronger than the white wyvern we defeated in sky mountains." The white wyvern became this strong after consuming centuries of mana on sky mountains
He leaned forward.
"But the dragons we're facing now—are not like that."
He clenched his fists.
"The Blue Dragon we fought was as strong as the Dragon King from the Great War."
Reyon frowned.
"But the records—"
Edward cut in.
"Don't trust the records. The White Dragon can use crystal manipulation, and the Black one can control time."
"Even back then, no dragon had abilities like that."
He paused.
Coming back to topic earlier
"Your grandfather created something different."
Silence fell.
"Even back then, when there were ten 9th Circle mages, no one created something close to Vectors."
Edward looked at Reyon.
"He built a system that lets even a 1st Circle manipulate mana as well as a 9th."
His voice softened.
"Your grandma once said… even if she could reach the 10th Circle, she wouldn't hold a candle to him."
He smiled faintly.
"She said… if there were a God, Father would be comparable to him."
Reyon exhaled sharply, stunned.
Edward placed a hand on his shoulder.
"So I never made father my goal. I can't reach even your grandmother's level."
He laughed bitterly.
"But look at you. I can already tell you're as strong as me. Just train."
He stepped back.
"If anyone can subdue the Black Dragon—it's you. You're the only one after Father who can use Vectors."
Reyon lowered his gaze. A storm of thoughts raced through his head.
Then he looked up, eyes glinting.
"Father… if the current dragons are that powerful—even stronger than the Dragon King…"
He hesitated.
"Then I think… it's possible that Grandfather Leywin is behind all this."
Edward's face twisted in anger.
"Are you saying your grandfather caused this chaos?!"
Reyon stepped closer.
"Think about it."
His voice was firm.
"Even Cerberus was made by Grandfather. Driven mad by black mana."
He clenched his fist.
"There's no one else capable of recreating an extinct species."
Edward froze.
The silence between them stretched.
He wanted to deny it—but he'd seen what black mana did to Reyon.
How he'd lost control.
How his very soul had been nearly eaten away.
The only reason reyon regained his consciousness and sanity was due to a continuous supply of pure mana from leywin and the Ring of Ferica was modified to block black mana by leywin.
Edward sighed, heavily.
"Reyon… if someday you also lose your sanity… then chaos would occur."
He looked into Reyon's eyes.
"And after some time, I'm sure you would surpass me."
He turned away.
"Then… there'd be no one to stop you."
His voice was low.
"So stop interfering in fights from now on."
Reyon wanted to argue. To say that the ring had subdued the mana. That he could regain his sanity.
But he looked at his father.
At his eyes.
At the weight in his voice.
So Reyon just nodded.
He had something to try—something to test.
And this… wasn't the time to argue.
End of Chapter 98