章節 293: Sun Zenith
After dispatching the Vampire Elder, Seraphina and I continued our scouting, covering the territory once guarded by the now-wiped-out brigade. The work was grueling, but necessary—each step forward in this war demanded vigilance, strategy, and the resolve to face what lay ahead.
Returning to the base, the last person I wanted to see was the one waiting for us.
"Well, here he is—the golden boy," the man said, arms crossed, his tone dripping with a mixture of amusement and condescension. "Handled the Vampire Elder, did you?"
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes, forcing myself to meet his gaze. His long black hair was tied back in a neat ponytail, a style frustratingly similar to my own. But it wasn't his appearance that made me bristle—it was the way he carried himself, the weight of his presence, the superiority that radiated off him like a second skin.
Beside me, Seraphina stiffened, her body language betraying the tension she always felt in his presence.
"It's good to see you again, Divine Dragon of Mount Hua," I said evenly, offering him a polite nod.
Sun smiled, though it didn't reach his eyes, his gaze sweeping over me before settling on Seraphina. The slight tremble in her posture did not escape him.
"You've grown," Sun said, addressing me with the casual tone of someone who knew exactly how far above you they stood. His eyes lingered on Seraphina, his smile twisting into something sharper, something colder. Her hand twitched in mine, and I instinctively tightened my grip, grounding her.
Sun and Seraphina. Their relationship had always been strained, a collision of fire and frost that neither could escape.
"I've grown a lot since we last met," I replied, my tone measured. I thought back to that first meeting over two and a half years ago, when I was still at low Silver-rank, barely scratching the surface of my potential. Back then, Sun had been a towering figure, already at low Ascendant-rank, his power so vast that the mere thought of opposing him was laughable.
Now, things were different.
I stood at high Integration-rank, my combat power pushing dangerously close to high Ascendant-rank. Yet, even with the strides I'd made, the gap between us remained. Sun had ascended further, now at high Ascendant-rank, the peak within his grasp. In a matter of months, he would cross the threshold into Immortal-rank—a realm I could only glimpse from afar.
He was stronger than me. That was undeniable. His immense talent, combined with four additional years of experience, ensured that. But the disparity no longer felt insurmountable.
Sun's smile grew wider, as if sensing my thoughts. "Still holding your ground, I see. Impressive, for someone so young."
I chose not to respond, letting the weight of his words settle. Sun always had a way of making praise feel like a backhanded compliment, a reminder of just how far I still had to go.
He turned his attention fully to Seraphina now, his smile taking on a more pointed edge. "And you, princess. I hope you've learned how to hold a sword properly by now."
Seraphina's grip on my hand tightened, her knuckles whitening. Her response was cold, her voice steady despite the tremor I could feel through her hand. "I've learned plenty, Sun. More than you think."
"Oh, I don't doubt it," he replied smoothly. "But talent without resolve is like a blade without an edge. Let's hope you've found both."
The tension between them was palpable, a silent battle that played out in their glares and clipped words. It wasn't my place to intervene, but I couldn't help the protective instinct that flared within me.
"Is there a reason for this reunion," I said, breaking the moment, "or are you just here to measure my growth?"
Sun's smile turned predatory, his eyes gleaming with something I couldn't quite place. "Consider it curiosity," he said. "After all, it's not every day I see someone rise as quickly as you. A high Integration-rank warrior with the strength of an Ascendant—it's remarkable. Almost unnatural."
There was an edge to his words, a probing curiosity that made my skin prickle. Sun was never one to let things lie. He always had to dig deeper, to uncover the truths others would rather keep hidden.
"Natural enough," I replied, keeping my tone light. "Hard work and a bit of luck go a long way."
Sun hummed thoughtfully, clearly unconvinced. "Well, whatever it is, I'll be watching. And if you can keep that momentum, who knows? You might even reach my level one day."
The challenge in his words was unmistakable, but I didn't rise to it. There was no point in engaging with him on that level—not now.
Instead, I met his gaze, unflinching. "I'll keep that in mind."
Sun chuckled, stepping back and giving a mock bow. "See that you do, golden boy."
And with that, he turned, leaving us in the uneasy silence he always managed to create.
I exhaled slowly, the tension in my chest easing slightly. Seraphina's grip on my hand hadn't loosened, her fingers trembling ever so slightly.
"You okay?" I asked quietly, turning to her.
She nodded, though the flicker of unease in her crystalline blue eyes betrayed her calm. "I will be. Let's go."
The silence between us lingered as we walked back to her room. When we arrived, the spacious chamber, adorned with soft silks and the faint scent of lavender, seemed an odd sanctuary in a world drowning in war.
"Do you worry about being inferior to him?" I asked, breaking the quiet as I leaned against the edge of her writing desk.
Seraphina stood by the window, twirling a strand of her silver hair between her fingers. She turned slightly, her gaze meeting mine. "Of course, Arthur. I can't help but worry about that."
I nodded, watching the moonlight cast a soft glow over her face. Sun wasn't just her rival—he was her adopted brother. The weight of comparison, the pressure to match his brilliance, was a burden she had carried far too long.
"You've helped me so much," she continued, her voice a quiet thread in the stillness. "But it's not enough to surpass him, is it?" A low, almost self-deprecating chuckle escaped her lips.
"I'll surpass him then," I said simply, my tone steady.
She tilted her head, her lips curving into a faint, wistful smile. "I know you will, Arthur. But so what?"
Her words hung in the air, heavy with unspoken pain. I stepped closer, closing the space between us. "I'll surpass him for both of us, not just for me," I said, my voice softer now. I reached out, running my hand gently through her hair, letting the silken strands slip through my fingers.
She leaned her head against my chest, her shoulders easing as if she had been carrying a weight too heavy for too long. "If you do," she murmured, "I'll be happy, Arthur."
I tightened my arm around her, pulling her closer. Her vulnerability was a rare thing, something she guarded fiercely. But here, in this quiet room, she let it show.
"Seraphina," I began, my voice low, "you don't have to be like him. You don't have to be at the top of the world to be enough. You already are."
Her eyes glistened as she looked up at me. There was a depth in her gaze, a mix of gratitude and something else—something warmer. She leaned into me fully now, the tension in her body melting away.
"I thought I had to prove my worth," she admitted. "But maybe… maybe you're right."
She hesitated for just a moment before closing the distance between us. Her lips brushed mine, soft and tentative at first, then surer as the moment deepened. The world outside—the chaos, the war, even the shadow of Sun—faded into nothing.
Because making her happy made me happy. And in this moment, that was all that mattered.
And if anyone tried to touch that, I would cut them apart.
Even if it was Sun Zenith.
每周推薦票狀態
-- 推薦票
榜單 
-- 推薦票