At sea.


    The Fischer family''s fleet sailed on grandly, soon to transition from the rtively safe White Sea into the Aphotic Sea''s bounds. Behind them, the sky and the sea were still a beautiful azure, but ahead, the world was already shrouded in darkness, resembling the terrifying, mad abyss from the stories.


    Theo stood at the fore of the gship, gazing into the Aphotic Sea''s waters, observing his surroundings, staying alert.


    He took a deep breath. He had sworn never to return to the sea, yet now he found himselfmanding arge fleet.


    "Indeed, fate is unpredictable."


    Just then, Theo''splexion suddenly changed drastically.


    Despite his age, he moved swiftly and immediately found Chris and Madam Vanessa in the cabin, speaking to them very seriously:


    "Mr. Chris, Madam Vanessa, something very bad has happened."


    "Darren has run into trouble on the continent, and the enemy is an entity he absolutely can''t contend with. Even if I were to transfer life force to him, it wouldn''t be of much use. He can''t possibly defeat the enemy, nor can he escape."


    The greatest strength of the "household management" ability was that it had no distance limit, but the extent to which it could transfer life force and Spiritual Power was limited. Even if Theo sacrificed himself, he simply could not enable Darren to defeat that formidable adversary.


    "Darren..."


    At the news of Byrne''s son''s trouble, Chris''s eyes turned ice cold, his fists clenched, his murderous intent unrestrainedly emanating.


    Vanessa started with a shock, immediately pressing for details: "What''s Darren''s situation now? Is he dead? Did something happen to him within Rhea''s territory - has he been captured by the Rhea People?"


    Theo took another deep breath, slowly opened his hands, closed his eyes to sense for a while, and then nodded:


    "He probably isn''t dead but has been captured, most likely by the Rhea People."


    "Darren''s injuries have stabilized slightly, but the outlook is not optimistic. You could say he is barely clinging to life. I am now inputting life force to treat his injuries..."


    The sea wind continuously tousled her hair, and Vanessa, gazing toward the direction of home, sighed and said:


    "Send the message back to the Fischer family as quickly as possible."


    Theo nodded seriously in agreement, "This matter is crucial. The family must be informed, and the sooner, the better."


    "If we dy, Darren might be publicly executed by the Rhea People."


    ——


    Fischer Manor.


    Lilian''s birthday celebration had ended, the many guests had all dispersed, and after sending off the distinguished guests, Byrne intended to return to his study to deal with various aspects of the Fischer family''s estate.


    Then he was stopped by a familiar female voice.


    "Byrne."


    Byrne calmly turned around, already aware of who stood behind him.


    "What is it, Irene?"


    Irene, holding a bottle of treasured wine in her hand, gazed at her cousin with a smile, casually swinging the bottle.


    "This fine wine, which could be described as premium, you didn''t have it served at the party – are you saving it for a special day or perhaps to give as a gift to someone?"


    Byrne nodded slightly, continuing, "Indeed, that was my thought, or it can be saved to be given as a gift."


    Irene exhaled deeply and said, "Let''s finish it ourselves then, Byrne. Today, I really feel like drinking."


    Byrne, perceiving that Irene''s mood was somewhat off, lightly nodded in agreement to join her.


    "I''ll drink with you. Whatever you want to say, just say it."


    Irene showed a smile and then led Byrne to the now-empty banquet hall of the Fischer family, gently opened the bottle, and they began to drink alone.


    Looking at the bottle, she continued calmly, "You''ve been in Nasir Town for a very long time. It will be nearly thirty years soon, Byrne..."


    "Yes, this ce is practically my second home."


    Byrne nodded slightly. He rarely drank, and had never been drunk before, as he did not fundamentally agree with drinking behavior that could diminish one''s rationality. Yet, he still poured himself a ss, sharing it with Irene.


    Although she couldn''t taste the nuances of the wine, Irene still drank ss after ss. Unfortunately, her body, enhanced several times over, made it difficult to be intoxicated, even when she wanted to.


    Suddenly, she opened up.


    "Since childhood, I''ve lived on the outskirts of this town. My parents weren''t wealthy and could only just about afford to raise me. I was still very happy then."


    "Because I had my own family, I found happiness,"


    "Later, a new family member joined us, and that was Chris. Do you know? I thought it was magical how our family of three with ck hair suddenly had a baby with silver hair,"


    "At first, I was full of curiosity and surprise about Chris''s presence, and for a long time, I didn''t even dare to approach him. Gradually, I realized that he was really weak, very delicate, and also rted to me by blood,"


    "Being connected by blood is truly a strange feeling,"


    "Actually, in the beginning, I didn''t dote on Chris that much, but by the third night after our parents disappeared, I had almostpletely broken down,"


    She gazed at the tall ss, her eyes full of numerous memories.


    "I already understood what death was by then, so fear and despair consumed me, stripping me of my will to fight, and I even lost the courage to keep on living,"


    "It wasn''t until Chris''s loud cries awoke me that I realized our home wasn''t just me; there was another family member who, unattended, would soon face death,"


    Irene smiled, slightly tilting her head as she continued,


    "I could die like that, but I couldn''t let him die too, absolutely not... Maybe as an excuse to find a reason to live for myself, suddenly, this thought appeared in my head, and then I managed everything very well,"


    "Gradually, the more I gave, and the more I invested, the more I grew to love Chris. There was no doubt that at that time, he was my whole world. For Chris, I could give up everything!"


    Byrne listened silently until Irene fell into silence as well.


    Both were quiet for a long time until the wine bottle was nearly empty. Finally, Irene continued, her eyes not dizzy but filled with determination,


    "I have met the Great One, my destiny!"


    "For more than twenty years, the Great One has been with me through life''s journey, from confusion to growth, from despair to rebirth, always apanying me,"


    "And in the end, in thest moments, I kept thinking about how I could repay the Great God,"


    "That became my final mission,"


    She looked at Byrne steadily and resolutely, saying, "Byrne, go and call Mormir back from Fein City. There are some important things I need to tell them,"


    "It''s something of vital importance, not a weapon, nor knowledge, but a truth about faith,"


    "It will exist in my ce in this world,"


    ——


    In the territory of the East Coast, a vige west of Nasir Town,


    The raging mes engulfed the entire vige, the vigers crying out in despair and fear, powerless to escape the fire''s reach,


    "What happened, why is there such a big fire?"


    Soon, two knights belonging to the Fischer family rushed out, clueless about what had happened, only seeing viger after viger swallowed by the mes,


    Arthur Meyer suddenly appeared from the mes and snapped his fingers twice. Two scorching fire ravens were created from thin air, rushing towards the horrified knights,


    In the blink of an eye, they pierced through the knights'' bodies, the terrible heat harvesting their lives,


    The entire vige was burning in the mes, not a single survivor left,


    "Better head straight for Nasir Town. If I dawdle too much in the surrounding viges, I''ll definitely be noticed and found by Cyart''s powerhouses,"


    Arthur Meyer muttered to himself and then gathered the fire once more, leaping skyward, heading straight for Nasir Town,


    This vige was very close to Nasir Town. In a mere few hours, Arthur Meyernded near Nasir Town, quietly looking at the town that harbored many of his enemies,


    It had to be reduced to ruins,


    He took a deep breath, then turned to the north, as if speaking to his own family, and said slowly,


    "Father, I will fulfill your revenge, and this revenge is also for the glory of the Meyer family! Everyone will know that your sacrifice was worthwhile!"


    Arthur Meyer didn''t take to the air with fire again but used a Treasure-ss mysterious rare artifact to disguise himself, posing as an ordinary herbal merchant intending to enter the town under the pretext of selling herbs,


    To leave the Fischer family no chance to escape, he nned to head to the Fischer family''s residence in town and then advance to the Monarch Level on the spot tounch the most ferocious attack,


    He wasn''t a hairbreadth away from the Monarch Level that many yearned for,


    Rather, Arthur Meyer had already fully opened the pce gates, only needing to enter to reach the Monarch, but he had forcibly suppressed himself with some method, not taking that final step,


    Whenever he truly wished, he could break through to the Monarch Level at any time and ce,


    "The end of the Fischer family hase, and that is me,"