Up in the sky, Leander clashed head-on with the black-robed man, only to be struck back and forced several steps away. The sight made everyone below go pale.Moments ago, Leander had single-handedly overwhelmed eight opponents, nearly wiping them out. Everyone thought victory was already in his grasp Maeve had even been ready to cheer-but the sudden appearance of this Western stranger dragged them all harshly back to reality.With just one casual move, the man had forced Leander backward. His strength was terrifying; even if those eight had joined forces again, they probably couldn't have withstood a single one of his blows.It was clear that this black-robed man intended to protect Neil. That meant he stood directly against Leander. But could Leander really defeat someone like him? The same question surfaced in everyone's mind."How interesting." Leander rolled his shoulders, blood surging with battle heat as a faint grin touched his lips.Though he hadn't yet activated the Devourer Form, his physical body was already among the strongest in the world. For this man to knock him back so easily with one strike, he truly lived up to the title of a King Phase warrior from a hundred years ago. The thought only deepened Leander's curiosity about those ancient rulers who once dominated the world.The black-robed Westerner stood tall in his black robes, wind whipping through the fabric. Hovering above his head was the Ring of the Sage. His tone was calm and faintly arrogant. "You've felt that punch. There's no need for us to continue. May I take him and leave now?"He spoke with the self-assurance of one who had lived through history itself— someone who knew the hidden truths of the world and understood just how vast the gap was between the ancient Kings and those who had only recently ascended.Though his cultivation wasn't far above Neil's, he could crush Neil with ease. That was the unbridgeable gulf between the Kings of the past and the Kings of this era— the very essence of their power came from different sources. He hadn't said as much aloud, but he was certain that that single punch had been enough to make Leander understand."I told you, no one's stopping me from killing him today." Leander smirked, blue light blazing around him like burning fire. "Devourer Form-Activate!"The blue light flowed across his body like liquid flame, and his skin began to gleam with a crystalline radiance.Standing dozens of feet apart, he swung his fist.Trinity Strike Technique, Act One-Soulbreaker!The blue fistprint pulsed with dreamlike ripples, lighting up the night sky. It spanned nearly sixty feet across as it tore through the air."Stubborn fool!" the black-robed man growled. No longer holding back, he summoned holy light that surged around him before condensing along his arm. Then he too struck forward with a punch.The two forces collided in midair, and shockwaves burst outward from both sides. Ripples of visible energy shattered the clouds above, scattering them across the night sky.Blue and white light wrestled in the heavens—one moment the blue pressed down, the next the white pushed back. Neither yielded an inch, the entire sky turning into a dazzling swirl of those two colors.Bam!A deafening crack rang out as both powers exploded, scattering into countless motes of light. Leander and the black-robed man reappeared, standing firm-neither had moved an inch."Hm?" The black-robed man gave a low sound of surprise. Clearly, he hadn't expected that.Previously, the man had easily knocked Leander back with a single punch. But this time, Leander met him blow for blow. His fists roared like surging waves, relentless and crushing, pressing the black-robed man with mounting force.For the first time, the ancient King Phase fighter felt genuine pressure—a faint but undeniable sense of threat from someone outside his league.Neil's expression froze in disbelief. He had thought Leander's earlier display-when he condensed his spiritual strength into an airblade was already his peak power. But how he realized Leander hadn't even been fighting seriously. The thought was staggering. This man hadn't reached the King Phase, yet his strength had been pushed to such terrifying heights. What kind of monster was he? How can he possibly match my power without stepping into the King Phase? Could he be the reincarnation of some celestial being? the black-robed man thought, his gaze fixed on the blue aura burning around Leander.Within that light, he sensed something he had never felt before-a force so pure, so refined, that it made his own energy seem crude by comparison. Their realms were worlds apart, yet the density and purity of Leander's power far exceeded his own.It was like comparing a ton of cotton to a pebble—one vast but soft, the other small but indestructible. He had no doubt that if Leander's cultivation matched his own, Leander could crush him effortlessly.noveldramaEven so, his face remained calm.the kingAstonishment did not equal fear. Power was power-but as long as Leander hadn't ascended to nded Phase, there was no chance he could lose. Besides, he hadn't come here to fight to the death. His goal was simply to get Neil out alive. With that thought, his lips moved ever so slightly, his voice transmitted directly into Neil's mind. "Neil, I'll hold him off. Go now! Head to Vordos Castle in Angleland Royal Park. Wait for me there. This is the Church's final offer to you!"Only Neil could hear him. The moment the message reached his ears, Neil reacted at once. Holy light surged around his body as he turned to flee."Hmph." Leander's low chuckle cut through the air before Neil could even take off. "Trying to stall me so he can run?"He didn't move to chase, merely lifted a finger and shook it lightly. "No man I intend to kill escapes from me."Even as he spoke, Neil had already fled almost a mile away, his figure reduced to a tiny white dot in the distance, growing smaller by the second.The black-robed man smiled faintly, unfazed. "You're truly one of Astria's rare prodigies, Ashcroft. A century ago, you would've been the Church's number one kill target But times have changed. There's no need 's no need for hostility between us. Consider Neil's escape today a favor owed by the Church. In the future, when facing the Arbitration Office, perhaps you and the Church could be allies." Neil's presence had all but vanished from sight. The black-robed man didn't believefor a moment that Leander had any means of stopping him now—especially with himself standing here as a shield."You really think he can get away?" Leander's tone was mild, almost amused. He looked at the man and shook his head with a small smile. "From the moment my spiritual blade touched him, he was already dead."The black-robed man's pupils contracted, suspicion flashing in his eyes. "What did you say?"Leander didn't answer but only commanded plainly, "Burn the soul."Instantly, that faint white dot at the edge of the sky suddenly halted and then turned crimson, flickering and blurred.The crowd below didn't understand what was happening—but the black-robed Westerner did. His eyes widened violently as he saw Neil's body erupt into roaring flames, burning from within until he became a blazing sphere of fire.The man's expression froze, horror etched across his face.