The moment Zarak heard Nolanās name, anger erupted within him.
He glared at the Singularity of Chaos and shouted, "Donāt you dare mention that son of a bitch in front of me! Even if it is you, Singularity of Chaos!"
"Pfft!" The Singularity of Chaos couldnāt help but smirk. "And what will happen if I do? Youāre just a weak prince I could kill with a single glance."
Whoosh!
A terrifying pressure suddenly descended from above, striking Zarak with overwhelming force.
Boom!
His body slammed into the ground, sending faint cracks radiating in all directions. Pain contorted his face as he gritted his teeth, struggling to resist.
But he was just an ordinary human. Against someone as powerful as the Singularity of Chaos, he was nothing more than an antāno, even that was too generous. He was mere dust, meaningless and fragile.
Then suddenly...
Buzz
Hundreds of magic circles, each two meters wide, appeared in the air and shot straight at the Singularity of Chaos.
The figureās expression flickered with shockābut it was already too late.
Whoosh... Boom!
The magic circles converged, pinning the Singularity of Chaos in place.
His body bent under the crushing pressure from all sides.
Zarak, still wracked with pain moments ago, couldnāt hide his delighted laughter.
"Hahaha!" He laughed, even as the pressure of the Singularity of Chaos pressed down on him. "Surprised? This is the trap I set for you!"
The crushing force gradually eased, and he began to regain control of his body.
"To be honest, thereās something I havenāt told you, Singularity of Chaos. This cave is filled with magic circles left behind by powerful figures of the past. And, well... I didnāt tell you, just in case you broke your promise," he said triumphantly.
If there were a list of the smartest people in the Empire, he would be at the top. Not even Cedric could fool the Singularity of Chaosābut he could.
A gleam of excitement crossed his face as Zarak grinned and threatened, "Grant my two previous requests, and Iāll release you. Otherwise..."
A mocking smile spread across his lips. "Youāll be trapped here forever, unable to escape!"
He had never imagined that someone as powerful as the Singularity of Chaos could be so easily tricked. And that worked in his favor.
Now, the Singularity of Chaos had no choice but to comply.
Just as Zarak was savoring his victory, laughter echoed in front of him.
"Hehehe... Zarak Lorian, you are truly stupidāutterly stupid! Now I finally understand why the emperor never praised you. You are the dumbest of all his children. I even wonder if you are really his son... or the result of your motherās affair with another man."
Zarak froze at the words. The joy that had filled him vanished, replaced by a burning, uncontrollable anger.
But before he could react, the Singularity of Chaos clenched his left fist.
Boom!
A devastating explosion rocked the cave. Zarak was hurled dozens of meters, his heavy body slamming violently into the wall behind him.
"Argh!" He coughed up blood, pain radiating through every fiber of his body.
Looking up, he saw the ancient magic circles he had counted on to hold back the Singularity of Chaos... shattered into fragments.
The masked figure rose calmly, stretching as if nothing had happened.
A flash of fear crossed Zarakās face. He shook his head in disbelief.
"Impossible... absolutely impossible! How... how could you break free from all those ancient magic circles? These traps were created by Celestial-level mages across eras. This place... itās the legacy of the long-dead fifth emperor! And yet... theyāre all destroyed? Thatās... impossible!"
"Impossible?" The Singularity of Chaos chuckled softly.
Whoosh!
In the blink of an eye, he vanished and reappeared directly in front of Zarak, gripping his neck and lifting him into the air.
"Argh! Let go of me!" Zarak growled, thrashing and striking at the arm that choked him.
His struggles were futileāthe grip was unyielding.
"Zarak Lorian, you truly disappoint me," the Singularity of Chaos said coldly. "I was kind, helped you, and even promised you what you wanted. And what did you give me in return? Betrayal. I take back my praiseāyou are nothing but worthless trash. Compared to your brothers, youāre not even worth a thought."
The mocking words slammed into Zarak, and a wave of rage tore through him, forcing blood from his mouth.
But he could do nothing. His body was frozen, locked in place.
Even if he could move, what could he possibly do?
"Do you know why I didnāt grant your wish earlier?" The Singularity of Chaosās lips curved into a cruel, playful smile. "Because youāre going to die today. I see no reason to hide it from you."
He removed his mask, revealing his face.
Zarakās eyes widened in sheer horror. His body trembled violently, his heart hammering as if it might tear itself from his chest.
"Are you... Nolan!? Impossible... How... how could this happen?" He screamed.
He tried to convince himself that what stood before him was a lieābut he couldnāt. The figure of the Singularity of Chaos was truly Nolan.
"Surprised?" Nolan chuckled softly. "Now you finally understand why I wouldnāt comply with your request, donāt you? I was never going to help you in the first place."
Zarak remained frozen, his body stiff with shock at the revelation.
"Oh, right, I forgot one thing," Nolan continued, a playful smile on his lips. "Do you remember your grandfather? He disappeared because I killed him. As for the Red Obsidian Trading House... its destruction was also my doing. Shocking, isnāt it?"
Zarak snapped out of his paralysis, his face burning red. "Nolan Lorian! Youāre a devil! A real devil! Cruel! Argh!"
His scream was so loud that Nolanās brow furrowed.
Plak!
A sharp slap landed across Zarakās right cheek, smashing his mouth and leaving him only able to groan in pain.
"Youāre too loud," Nolan said, his gaze cold and piercing. "To be honest, I had every intention of sparing youāand I might have even granted your request as promised. But youāve crossed the line. So, letās end this."
Fear surged through Zarak once more. He shook his head desperately, but Nolan ignored him.
Thoomp!
A thunderous boom rattled the cavern, and suddenly the surroundings turned gray. Time itself seemed to freeze, suspended in that moment.
Under Zarakās horrified gaze, Nolanās eyes shifted into glowing symbols of the sun and moon.
Whoosh!
Black flames erupted, engulfing Zarakās body. But unlike before, they didnāt consume him all at onceāthey crept slowly, excruciatingly, torturing him so relentlessly that tears welled in his eyes.
"You tried to harm my sister... And this is your reward. Every second of this will feel like years in hell," Nolan said, his laughter cold and cruel. "Hehehe..."