"Master, please reconsider!"
Kevin rushed forward, panic clear on his face.
"If you really kill Murphy—the fourth son of one of the Ten Elders—that's not just payback. That's declaring war. They'll never let us go after something like that."
Vega didn't respond, his eyes calm and focused.
Kevin continued anxiously, "The nephew you killed earlier was only loosely connected to Murphy. He was low-ranking—someone the Elders probably don't even notice."
"And so far, our only real conflict has been with Murphy himself. If we make amends, even offer compensation, there's still a chance for peace."
Kevin took a deep breath, trying to remain calm.
"Let me go to the Sky Arena and try negotiating with him. Murphy took a hit from us in Nacro City—his men were wiped out. That proves we're not weak. If he wants to win more support in the inheritance battle, he might be willing to settle."
"Even though Red Snake, Hound, and the Green Lizard were killed, they were just underlings. We can offer compensation to cool things down."
But Vega raised his hand, signaling Kevin to stop.
"That's enough."
He looked Kevin in the eye.
"It's not about whether Murphy wants peace. It's about whether I want them alive."
Vega's tone grew sharp.
"They stood in my way. I want a seat among the Ten Elders. To get it, someone has to fall. Murphy's clashed with me more than once. Eliminating him—and the Monroe family—makes room for me."
Kevin opened his mouth, but no words came out.
He knew the Monroe family had thousands of trained fighters, airships, tanks, and territory like a small nation. In comparison, the Pengellet family was small—barely a thousand loyal men, many of them recent recruits.
To Kevin, this felt like a suicide mission.
But Vega's eyes were steady. "Don't worry. I'll take care of it."
Kevin could only sigh. "Yes, Master. I'll prepare the airship to the Sky Arena."
As Kevin left, Vega's gaze sharpened.
To most, the Ten Elders were untouchable. But Vega knew their weak point—Nen.
They had influence, wealth, soldiers, and weapons—but very few true Nen users. Their strongest assets were the Shadow Beasts, but even those weren't top-tier fighters.
And Vega? He had the Phantom severance—now enhanced to +10. And the potential to go even further.
If he could absorb the last bit of experience from the captured Red Snake and Green Lizard, he might unlock the weapon's next form.
Once upgraded, not even the yin Beasts could stop him.
Vega looked toward the interrogation room.
Without hesitation, he executed the two tortured captives.
His system beeped—experience points surged by over 400, bringing his total close to 4,000.
Perfect.
He activated the enhancement on the sword.
A dark aura enveloped the blade. Strange runes glowed across its surface.
BOOM. BOOM.
A heartbeat echoed through the room as the sword pulsed with life.
Suddenly, a giant shadow rose from it—a black dragon, roaring skyward. The aura it released was overwhelming, sweeping through the Pengellet estate like a storm.
Guards and servants collapsed to their knees, shaking from the pressure.
Then, just as quickly as it appeared, the dragon vanished.
Silence.
The guards rushed toward the interrogation room in panic—only to hear a calm voice from within.
"Don't worry. I'm fine."
The door opened.
Vega stepped out, sword in hand, cloaked in a quiet, deadly power.