Chapter 1596: Surprised

Erend finally came face-to-face with the tall man he suspected of planning to invade their world. Now that they stood only a short distance apart, Erend could clearly sense the immense power radiating from the stranger.

The man showed no signs of injury or exhaustion despite his earlier encounter with Cody’s team. He appeared to be in perfect condition, which made Erend even more certain that Cody and his soldiers would have suffered severe fatal injuries if they had continued pursuing him. They might even have lost their lives.

Billy and Captain Adrien could sense the man’s strength as well. The three of them had landed several meters away from the stranger just as he dismissed his portal, which suggested that he had intended to return to his own world.

However, upon noticing their arrival, the man had abandoned that plan and turned to face them. His stance made it clear that he was prepared to fight if they stood in his way.

Yet Erend sensed something else beneath the stranger’s overwhelming presence. There was a familiar quality to his power that stirred an instinctive suspicion in Erend’s mind.

He could not be certain without further investigation, but he had a feeling that the man might be another Dragonborn.

For the moment, Erend kept his own power concealed. He wanted to observe the stranger’s behavior before revealing anything about himself.

"We don’t want to fight," Adrien said calmly.

The tall man offered no response. Instead, he examined the three newcomers one by one, studying their appearances and the power they carried.

His gaze lingered on Erend longer than it did on the others, and his brows gradually drew together as though he had noticed something unexpected.

There was a hint of surprise in his expression, although Erend could not tell what had caught his attention. ℯℯ𝘭.

"What is your purpose in coming here?" Adrien asked again.

This time, the stranger shifted his attention toward Adrien. He seemed to recognize that the broad-shouldered middle-aged man was the one leading the group.

Erebus studied Adrien with a sharp gaze as he assessed the situation.

Although he recognized the man’s authority, he could clearly sense that the strongest individual among the three stood to Adrien’s left.

The younger man carried a depth of power that surpassed the others, and Erebus suspected that he would pose the greatest threat if a fight broke out.

He concealed his nervousness as he continued examining his opponents. These three men were clearly different from the four soldiers he had encountered earlier.

Their strength was on an entirely different level, and a confrontation with them would force him to use considerably more power than before. If they attacked together, he would have to fight seriously from the beginning.

Adrien and Billy noticed the stranger’s tense posture and the way he kept his body prepared for an attack. They exchanged brief glances as unease settled over them. Despite Adrien’s attempt to establish a peaceful conversation, the man appeared ready to fight at any moment.

Adrien swallowed his apprehension and stepped forward. "We just want to talk. We don’t have to fight."

"I came to take your world," Erebus replied instead.

The blunt declaration stunned all three men. Erend, Adrien, and Billy had expected a hostile response, but none of them anticipated that the stranger would state his intentions so openly.

He made no effort to disguise his purpose or soften his words with empty pleasantries.

"Is that so?" Adrien responded after a brief pause. "I’m afraid that’s out of the question."

"I don’t care," Erebus replied.

Adrien waited for him to elaborate, but the stranger fell silent again.

He seemed unwilling to waste his time speaking to the people whose world he intended to seize. His expression remained cold, and he showed no interest in explaining himself or considering their objections.

"I think talking is out of the window now, Captain," Billy muttered.

Adrien ignored the comment for the moment and continued trying to gather information. "Are there more of you?"

Erebus remained silent.

Adrien released a heavy sigh. "Why do you want to take our world?"

Once again, Erebus refused to answer. He had originally believed that this world would be easy to conquer because it appeared to lack Magic. That assumption had made the invasion seem like a practical solution to his people’s suffering, one that might allow them to secure a new home without sacrificing too many lives in the process.

However, he had already discovered that the world contained powerful opponents, and he had no intention of revealing the reasoning behind his decision to these strangers.

Adrien exhaled heavily when it became clear that the man would not cooperate. "Very well. If you don’t want to talk, then there’s nothing more I can do. But understand this. We won’t stand by and let you take our world without a fight."

A faint reddish glow began to surround Adrien’s body, visible even beneath the bright daylight.

He had started activating his Magic in preparation for the confrontation. Billy followed his lead, allowing his own power to emerge, while Erend began releasing some of his concealed strength as well.

Erebus remained unmoved. Dark light gradually radiated from his body as he prepared to meet their challenge, and his expression suggested that he had already accepted the possibility of a fight.

Adrien had initially hoped that displaying their power would convince the stranger to reconsider his decision. However, the man showed no sign of hesitation or retreat.

After watching him for another moment, Adrien finally accepted that further negotiation would accomplish nothing. He turned toward Erend and gave him a brief signal.

Erend understood immediately and nodded before walking forward. If the stranger refused to pursue peace or even explain his intentions, there was little reason to continue the conversation.

Anyone who intended to destroy their world had to be stopped before innocent people suffered the consequences.

Erebus released more of his Magic, and dark light enveloped his body as his power continued to rise.

The sight strengthened Erend’s suspicion that the stranger was another Dragonborn. By now, he was almost certain of it.

If his assumption proved correct, allowing their powers to clash here could cause widespread destruction. A battle between two Dragonborn was not something they could afford to unleash carelessly in an unfamiliar environment.

However, Erend still had one option left. Perhaps he could prevent the fight before it began.

"Are you sure you don’t want to reconsider?" Erend asked as he continued approaching the stranger.

Before Erebus could answer, Erend released his concealment and allowed his Dragonborn aura to emerge.

The immense power that had remained hidden beneath his ordinary appearance surged into the surrounding air, making his true identity unmistakable.

Erebus’s eyes widened the moment he felt it. His gaze trembled as he stared at the approaching man, and for the first time since arriving in this world, his confidence began to falter.

Another Dragonborn stood before him.

The realization struck him with unexpected force, filling his mind with doubt as the situation took a turn he had never anticipated.

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