Ery stood at the center of the arena, his breathing steady.
The Excalibur on his arm trembled faintly as its radiance faded, as though reluctant to be dismissed. There was still resistance within the blade-an echo of its will, but it was nothing he could not suppress. With a quiet thought, he returned the sword to the sealed vault within his domain, its brilliance folding into silence.
Across from him, Eeshoo hovered in the air for a mont longer before descending to the stone floor. He stood tall, composed as ever, yet no amount of pride or restraint could fully conceal the truth in his eyes.
Defeat.
"I will keep my promise," Eeshoo said at last, his voice calm but heavy. "Tell what you need."
Ery did not answer.
He simply turned, his gaze shifting toward the figures approaching.
Jinkan arrived first, her gaze darting between the two n, disbelief and agitation clear on her face. Atlas followed behind her.
"What is this sudden duel all about?!" Jinkan demanded, her voice sharp. She did not wait for an answer before turning to Eeshoo, concern overriding her irritation. "You haven't lost yet. You didn't even summon your Aeons!"
Eeshoo closed his eyes briefly, then allowed himself a faint, almost amused smile.
"And he... he was also holding back. Eeshoo uttered calmly, opening his eyes and fixing them on Ery, "Your growth... is abnormal... Even by Nephilim standards."
Ery did not respond. He did not explain. He did not deny it.
Instead, he turned to Jinkan, his expression firm, all warmth gone.
"Have you heard from the Grand Overseer yet?"
The bluntness of the question caught her off guard.
Annoyance flickered across Jinkan's face. She clearly disliked his tone-but after a brief pause, she restrained herself.
"No," she uttered curtly. "Not yet. He is our Grand Elder... I can't summon him whenever I please."
Ery gave a small nod, acknowledging the answer without accepting it.
At the sa ti, a ntal ssage slipped directly to Eeshoo.
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