CHAPTER 66: SON OR FATHER?

With Alexa assuming she was leading the group, Kieran silently took the initiative, stepping ahead.

He moved through the forest effortlessly, as if the entire terrain had been etched into his mind.

’This is much better than relying on her directions,’ Kieran thought, recalling how he had struggled earlier to follow Alexa’s vague instructions.

Though he still acted like he was following her lead, his movements were more precise now, far fewer mistakes than before. It was as if he was one with the forested hill—sensing every vibration, every scent, every faint sound.

That heightened awareness paid off.

He caught it—the subtle rustle of movement nearby, just beyond their path.

"Henry, behind you!"

The voice rang out clearly.

He hadn’t heard it many times before, but he knew it well enough not to be mistaken.

’Nasha,’ he recognized instantly.

He had already suspected the beast would go after the others—but now, it sounded like things were escalating.

And fast.

Kieran threw an arm out in front of Stan, halting the unsuspecting teen in his tracks.

Even Alexa, despite her confidence, hadn’t noticed anything. She looked startled when Kieran suddenly stopped walking.

"We’re heading this way," Kieran said, subtly shifting their direction.

"Why? That path will just take you back to the others," Alexa replied, frowning slightly in confusion.

"One more warning won’t hurt," Kieran said with a faint smile, stepping aside to let her lead again.

She didn’t question him further and began walking the route he’d chosen.

But as they neared the area, even from the distance—

Something was wrong.

Kieran finally got a clearer view of the scene unfolding below.

’Her sword skills are impressive... She’d make a strong fighter,’ he thought, eyes tracking Nasha’s movements.

But then his gaze shifted to the creature she was facing.

’That beast is way out of her league... How is she managing to keep up?’ he wondered, narrowing his eyes.

With his heightened senses, it didn’t take long for him to pinpoint the source of the anomaly—an energy radiating from the pendant resting on Nasha’s chest.

’Aetheris?’

It pulsed with power—an energy that moved with such intensity and grace, it almost seemed alive. It flowed like a sentient force, weaving through her movements and reacting with the rhythm of battle.

But Kieran knew better. It wasn’t alive. It was power—pure and ancient.

Then he saw it.

The beast vanished—slipping silently into the earth beneath her.

’No! She won’t detect it in time,’ Kieran realized with a sharp breath.

’I have to step in.’

Without a moment’s hesitation, he summoned the only ability available to him.

{Fire Explosion}

But then—nothing.

The flames didn’t spark in his palms like they normally would. Instead, it felt as if something blocked their manifestation, suppressing the energy entirely.

’What’s going on?’ Kieran thought, scanning around, trying to identify the cause.

And then, his eyes landed on it.

’The sword?’ he thought, reaching instinctively toward the weapon strapped to his suit.

He gripped the hilt, pulling it from the magnetic holster—and the moment his hand made contact, everything changed.

His vision flared.

The sword burst to life in a blinding surge of light. Golden flames ignited along its blade, illuminating the dark forest like a torch cutting through shadow.

The fire danced across the weapon, wild and majestic.

And as the flames surged higher, a flood of notifications spilled across Kieran’s system screen.

{Ding!}

{God Artifact Obtained}

{Blade of Gaza — God of War}

{+100 Strength}

{+300 Stamina}

{+100 Agility}

{Perception: ----}

{Aetheris Absorption: -10 per minute}

As the notifications echoed in his mind, it felt as though time itself paused. The world around Kieran faded, its sounds and colors dissolving into silence and haze.

Then—he was somewhere else.

A barren land stretched endlessly beneath a gray sky. Desolate. Still.

’Alexa?’ he called out, but the name vanished into the void. She wasn’t here. No one was.

As his eyes scanned the strange landscape, he saw a figure in the distance.

A man.

Golden eyes gleamed with unimaginable power—so intense that Kieran dropped to his knees the instant their gaze met.

’What is this?’ he thought, struggling to rise.

But he couldn’t move.

Not a single muscle obeyed him. Even the act of breathing felt like a monumental task. Speaking was impossible. His will was crushed under the weight of that presence.

The man didn’t move a finger, yet the sheer force of his being shook the very air.

He stood tall, wielding a colossal sword—its blade so long, it nearly reached his shoulder from the ground.

The man’s black hair flowed freely behind him, defying gravity, suspended by a wind that never touched his clothes.

Nature itself seemed to hold its breath in his presence.

His face was flawless—smooth skin, unmarred by time or scar. He looked sculpted, not born.

Even his garments were immaculate, untouched by dust, despite the barren surroundings.

But what struck fear deepest into Kieran’s soul was not the man himself.

It was what he stood upon.

A small mountain—not of stone or earth, but of slain beasts. Their bodies stacked high, their blood soaking the ground below.

A grotesque monument of carnage.

Then the scene shifted again.

This time, the man faced an army. Alone.

No allies. No reinforcements. Just him.

And yet, when it was over—another mountain. A mountain of corpses.

Scene after scene flashed before Kieran’s eyes—each one painting the same story.

Wherever this man went, devastation followed. Death marched behind him. And always... his sword.

Then, darkness.

The visions vanished, but Kieran remained on his knees, breathless.

From the shadows, the man emerged once more.

He stepped closer until he stood directly before Kieran.

His golden eyes, once overwhelming, now carried something else—confusion. Recognition. Even a trace of disbelief.

It was as if he saw something familiar in Kieran. Something impossible.

"This resemblance..." the man murmured, voice low and thoughtful. "This energy... it’s the same."

He narrowed his eyes.

"Are you the son of Typhoon? Or perhaps... Typhoon himself?" He asked.