Chapter 17: Another Hell

’What should I do? Slap? Kick him in his ass? Brain! Damn it!’

Lumi’s legs felt as though they were glued to the floor. She couldn’t move despite the overwhelming fear rushing through her body.

And Evan, who was standing directly in front of her with a blank expression, surprisingly didn’t do anything. He simply continued gazing at her, his eyes fixed on her face.

’Why is he just staring at me?’

Lumi swallowed nervously.

’Should I kiss him while he is still? That streamer Guide the other day kissed a Sentinel in Rampage... and later when he knew, it might help—’

Her thought was suddenly cut off when Evan turned around and struck a Sentinel who had approached from behind.

In a split second, the Sentinel was smashed into the floor with such force that the impact echoed through the hall.

"Ahhh!"

Lumi screamed and immediately crouched down, covering her head with both hands.

Her entire body trembled as she struggled to catch her breath.

"Please don’t kill me... please..." she whispered, her voice shaking with fear.

The other Guides immediately moved forward.

"Clear the area!"

Several high-ranking Guides rushed toward Evan, activating their Guiding energy as they attempted to enter his mental space.

But the moment their consciousness reached the boundary, they were violently pushed back.

"I can’t enter!"

Another Guide tried again, only to be thrown back even harder.

"His mental space is blocked!"

"What?!"

"He’s doing it himself! His consciousness is completely shut off!"

The Guides exchanged worried looks.

No matter how strong their Guiding energy was, none of them could break through the barrier Evan had instinctively created around his own mental space.

And that was exactly why none of them could reach him.

"Call Second Madam Caesar!"

The moment her name was mentioned, everyone’s gaze immediately turned toward her.

Alexandra stood frozen near the wall. Her fingers trembled slightly as she looked at Evan, who was still standing in the middle of the chaos.

Then her gaze shifted toward Leon. He was still on the floor, blood slowly trailing from the corner of his mouth after Evan had thrown him across the hall.

Alexandra’s face went pale.

She couldn’t move, and she knew exactly what everyone expected from her.

But she couldn’t freaking do anything this time.

The Moonveil Orchid, the plant she had always used to force Evan’s Sentinel power into a brief state of stillness over the past two years, was already out.

The plant could only bloom twice a year, and during these past two years, she had already used its flowers four times.

This morning, when she went to check on it, it had merely produced a small bud.

It hadn’t bloomed yet. Without its flower, she had nothing left to use.

And Evan was already losing control.

’Damn it...’

She shouldn’t have slipped the Riverspine into that bouquet earlier.

She knew exactly what the plant would do to Evan’s Sentinel power. She knew it would push him into Rampage.

But she had never expected to be left without the Moonveil Orchid when it actually happened.

If Luke found out about this, he would be furious. He had already warned her last week not to endanger anyone in society just because they wanted to prove Evan was wrong.

But Alexandra had already planned everything.

She had even brought those influencers into the ceremony.

If Evan went into Rampage in front of all those cameras, the footage would spread across the Empire within hours. The strongest Sentinel losing control in the middle of his own Fated Bonding Ceremony would be enough to damage his reputation.

And if the situation became serious enough, Evan might even be forced to step down from his position.

Then... Leon would finally have a chance to take his place.

Alexandra’s fingers trembled as she looked at her injured son.

"Second Madam—"

The Guide couldn’t finish her words when Evan suddenly appeared in front of her.

His expression was cold and visibly irritated, as though the countless voices around him were nothing more than unbearable noise.

The Guide froze.

Evan slowly tilted his head.

"Too... loud..." His voice was low and rough, but the words were clear enough to make everyone nearby fall silent.

The Guide’s face immediately turned pale.

He could still talk, but that was somehow even more terrifying.

The Guide tried to raise her hands, attempting to enter his mental space, when Evan suddenly grabbed her wrist and twisted it away.

A loud shriek of pain escaped from the Guide.

Lumi, who had just raised her head to look toward the front again, felt her pupils tremble at the sight.

"No... no!"

She gulped.

’I can’t stay... Never mind living in hell if I’m just going to step into another one...’

She kept thinking to herself as she slowly stood up, her legs trembling beneath her.

She turned around and ran toward the entrance of the hall. But before she could get any farther, a sudden swoosh of wind swept past her.

Evan suddenly appeared in front of her again, and once again, Lumi froze in his presence.

"Evan Caesar..." she muttered with trembling lips. "Calm down..."

She locked her eyes with him. After all, it worked last time. Whatever she had done that night had somehow managed to bring him back, so she could only try again with whatever she had.

But Evan’s hand suddenly shot toward her.

Lumi instantly flinched backward, her eyes widening in fear as she thought he was about to attack her.

Before his hand could reach her, Leon suddenly rushed forward and grabbed Evan’s wrist.

"Evan!"

Leon tightened his grip as several Sentinels immediately moved in from behind, following his signal. They grabbed onto Evan’s arms and shoulders, trying to hold him down long enough for Leon to knock him unconscious.

For a moment, it seemed to work. But Evan’s body suddenly tensed.

The Sentinel power surrounding him erupted once again, and the force was enough to break through everyone’s grip. Evan violently pulled his arm free, sending the Sentinels stumbling backward.

Leon’s expression changed.

"Damn it!"

Leon barely had time to steady himself before Evan swung his arm outward. His fist struck Leon hard in the chest, sending him staggering several steps backward.

But before anyone could react, another Sentinel rushed toward Evan from behind.

The attack barely made Evan budge.

Evan slowly turned his head. His eyes locked onto the Sentinel behind him.

In the next second, he rushed forward and grabbed the back of the Sentinel’s head.

BANG!

He slammed him into the floor.

Once.

BANG!

Twice.

BANG!

A third time.

"Stop!" Lumi suddenly screamed in fear.