The man within the blood mist froze. "How did you know?"
Erwin's lips curled into a smile. He slowly rose to his feet, extending his arms. Blue starlight energy swirled around him, followed by a surge of yellow energy that resonated with the light.
The figure in the mist scrambled upright, eyes widening behind his mask in sheer horror.
"Divine power! How is this possible? How could you possess divine power?"
Erwin laughed. "Yes, how could I? I was supposed to be restricted, helpless, so you could eliminate me later, wasn't that the plan? Unfortunately, after all your years of scheming, you'll never understand the principle that man proposes, but fate disposes."
The figure stared at the dual streams of energy swirling around Erwin. He gritted his teeth.
"Erwin, don't be so smug! You're just a pawn. Just wait—next time, it won't just be me!"
The mist around him began to condense, signaling his intent to flee.
"Trying to run? Too late," Erwin said coolly. "I don't want him to know just yet."
Erwin attacked. His hands moved, and the blue starlight and yellow divine power coalesced into two spears, shooting toward the blood-mist figure. The man didn't dare be careless; crimson mist surged to form a shield.
The spears struck the mist with a sharp clang, like metal colliding. The force knocked the figure back several steps, thinning the protective fog.
"How is this possible?" the man gasped. "You have no authority! How can you control divine power to this degree?"
Erwin sneered. "Authority? Who said I lacked it?"
The man's pupils contracted. "You... you've awakened?"
"Awakened?" Erwin replied. "Perhaps I was never truly lost. Let's finish this."
Erwin raised a hand. Countless blue and yellow spears materialized in the air above him. The blood-mist man panicked.
"No, Erwin, you can't kill me! My soul descends from the higher realm. Killing me now only costs me power, but I can still return! Spare me, and I won't tell anyone about your awakening. I can be your servant. You know what you'll face—no matter how strong you are, you cannot sweep everything away alone. I can help you! I've researched divine power thoroughly. I can find lost authorities, steal them, and replace the original gods. I can be your greatest ally!"
Erwin smiled. "Is that so? You've misunderstood one thing."
The man froze. "What?"
"Who said your soul gets to go back?"
Before the man could speak, Erwin's hand fell.
The spears rained down. The blood-mist man summoned his crimson fog in a desperate attempt to block them, but it was like trying to stop a tsunami with a sieve. The first spear pierced through, embedding itself in his body. A scream tore from his throat as blue and yellow divine power merged, igniting into a special flame that began to consume him.
"Impossible! Damn you, you hid this well! You awakened long ago! You retrieved them! Ah! I am not reconciled to this!"
But his screams were drowned out as more spears pierced the mist, impaling him until he looked like a pincushion. The flames roared higher.
Erwin watched calmly, heart unmoved. As he had said, his odds of winning were always higher than anyone else's, because no one knew his true trump card. Therefore, Erwin was inherently invincible.
As the flames burned, a wisp of blood floated from the inferno. Erwin caught it. It seeped into his palm, and his aura surged violently. He felt a shatter deep within him—a shackle breaking free.
Faint roars of dragons emanated from his body. A pressure so immense it was imperceptible to humans swept across the Black Forest. Outside, the dragons Erwin had subdued felt it immediately. They descended from the sky, prostrating themselves toward the depths of the forest and letting out soft, mournful cries.
The wizards watching gasped.
"What's wrong with them?" Vinda asked, frowning.
Charlotte's eyes lit up. She knew. Erwin had merged with the Dragon Speaker bloodline. He had won.
Vinda didn't press further, seeing Charlotte's expression. She knew of the Dragon Speaker bloodline and the so-called "Eight Great Families," though details were scarce, hidden in shadow and legend.
Inside the ruins of the Solent Manor, Erwin closed his eyes. Magic surged within him, growing at a visible rate. It shattered through the fifth-level barrier, crashing into the sixth level. The surge didn't stop. Magic coursed through him, sweeping away the surroundings. The manor groaned, collapsing into rubble under the sheer force of his power.
Erwin stood amidst the ruin, protected by a barrier of magic that kept the debris at bay. Inside, his power continued to skyrocket—a combination of the magic from killing a false god and the fused power of the Dragon Speaker bloodline.