Max’s aura flared, pressing harder against the cube, but his expression did not waver. Slowly, he raised his head, his crimson eyes locking with hers, steady as a blade resting on her throat. His voice was calm, but the sharpness within it cut deeper than his rage ever could.
"Are you alone in this?" he asked.
The words hung in the air like a challenge, quiet but rciless.
"Of course not." Lady Divine’s voice was calm, but her eyes carried a hint of steel as she answered his question. "It isn’t only . This is the unanimous decision of the Four God Nation, the Hunter Association, the Obsidian Order, and the rest of the Seven Overlord Forces."
She held his gaze firmly. "You are very important for the human race, Max. Even more so now that the demons have declared open war against us. That is why I cannot, under any circumstances, allow you to go out there and throw your life away. Please... try to understand this."
Her plea was calm, almost gentle, but the words struck Max like chains tightening around his neck.
For a long mont he said nothing. He only stood there, crimson eyes glowing, the red aura of his infernal energy growing thicker—spreading, curling around his body like a storm ready to explode. His shoulders shook faintly as the fury boiled inside him, and then, finally, he spoke.
"Why," Max said, his voice low and dangerous, "does everyone think I am just a pawn to be controlled?"
His gaze cut into her like a blade.
"Mark was the sa. Lucien was the sa. That witch was the sa. You—" he stabbed a finger toward her, "and all the other leaders of the human race are the sa. And to so extent..." his voice cracked faintly, his aura trembling with it, "even my sister was the sa. Always. Always I am just so pawn. Used when needed. Tossed aside when not. And I..." His teeth clenched, his aura flaring sharper. "I am sick of this."
Lady Divine’s face darkened at his words. "It’s not like tha—"
"Do you think I don’t understand this!?" Max’s roar cut across her voice like thunder. His shout made the red runes of the cubic prison tremble faintly.
His crimson gaze locked onto her with terrifying intensity, his words laced with pain and fury. "I once thought... even for a mont... that you might understand . When you advised to stand still, to hold myself back against the raging wars, I thought you were sincere. I thought maybe, just maybe, you cared about beyond what I could do for you. But now..." His voice rose again, filled with fire. "...now I realize it was all just a facade. Another layer of control. Another leash to stop from fighting back. Another trick to cage ."
His hands shook violently as his aura roared. "I am truly sick of this!"
Bang!
Max’s fist slamd into the glowing wall of the red cubic prison. The impact rang through the chamber like a thunderclap. But the result was humiliating—like striking a mountain with bare flesh. The prison absorbed the blow effortlessly. Only faint ripples spread outward across its surface before vanishing into stillness. Nothing broke. Nothing yielded.
Max stood there, his chest heaving. His rage burned hotter. His infernal aura writhed violently, and his eyes glowed like embers caught in a storm.
Then, with a snarl, he raised his right hand. His palm shimred, shifting into a radiant white glow—the power of Void Coating spreading across his arm, layering it with a sheen of void energy. His fingers curled into a claw as he turned back toward the wall of his prison.
"Break," he hissed.
Bang!
His glowing hand smashed into the red wall. Sparks of light and runes flared violently on impact. The prison shuddered as if it had been struck by a world-crushing hamr. The sound rattled through the room like an earthquake.
And yet...
The result was the sa.
The cubic barrier only rippled, its runes trembling like water under pressure, before returning to stillness. The wall stood unbroken, untarnished.
The power of his fury was not enough. Not yet.
Max’s chest rose and fell sharply, his breath ragged, his crimson eyes burning even hotter as the silence that followed pressed down like iron.
"Don’t sweat it," Lady Divine said, her tone steady, unshaken by his rage. "This prison is made of runes designed specifically to hold Divine Rank experts. Not peak Champion Rank, not Mythic Rank. Divine Rank. You can’t possibly break free of this until and unless I allow it."
Her words fell like a cold reminder of his limits, but Max seed deaf to them. His shoulders trembled, veins lit with red lightning as he coiled his fist again and slamd it into the barrier.
Bang!
Once more, the crimson surface rippled harmlessly. No cracks. No damage. Only futility.
Lady Divine’s gaze softened for the first ti. "Only those who have reached mastery in the Divine Rank—those at the Seventh Cycle or higher—could hope to shatter this prison," she continued calmly. "Even then, they would bleed for it."
Her eyes, however, were no longer fixed on Max. They were looking skyward, her expression darkening.
A heartbeat later, the air above them split with streaks of light. Figures descended swiftly, robes fluttering like banners of authority. They landed with the weight of mountains surrounding the courtyard.
Hers, his imperial robes flowing, aura restrained yet heavy.
Princess Lyra, her face pale with worry, her erald eyes fixed on Max with both relief and guilt.
Behind them, many elders of the Great Ruler Empire stood solemnly, their presence thunderous.
And among them—President William, his bearing grim, Elder Liam at his side. Both n’s eyes carried the sharpness of seasoned veterans, yet even their gazes wavered when it fell upon Max.
The crowd collectively looked at the crimson cube. They saw Max inside, hair turned deep red, eyes glowing with fury, infernal energy swirling like a curse around his body. Shock flickered across their faces, but relief quickly followed when they realized he was contained. Lady Divine’s prison held firm.
They all knew. They all understood.
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