Time seemed to stop around the crater. The handsome man’s eyes had suddenly snapped open inside the crystal coffin, and everyone stared in stunned silence.
Those eyes held depths that no mortal gaze should possess. It was as if he had witnessed centuries of death and suffering. Just meeting that deadly stare sent hearts pounding and chilled everyone to the bone.
Just when they thought nothing could be more terrifying, the man, Thymaleon, stirred slightly. To their surprise, he rose from the coffin. His body rose through the air as though gravity no longer bound him, and he hovered around six feet above the pit.
His white robes billowed in the sunlight, outlining his tall, lean frame. A faint glow seemed to surround him, making him look like an immortal being. His contemptuous gaze swept over the panicked crowd below, like someone watching insects crawl beneath his feet.
Tristan exchanged a quick look with his brothers. In Matthias and Nathaniel’s faces, he saw his own shock and unease reflected back at him.
Thymaleon’s overwhelming presence and ethereal nature exceeded anything they had anticipated. The three wondered what kind of being they were dealing with.
“Is he… Could he be an immortal?” a soldier stammered.
Milton frowned at his words. He gripped the tree branch so tightly his knuckles turned white. If that man truly was an immortal, they faced a problem beyond their capabilities.
Thymaleon slowly surveyed the group, his gaze sweeping over each person. Soldiers ducked their heads wherever his attention fell, afraid to meet his eyes directly. Even their breathing became shallow.
When his attention settled on Tristan and his brothers, his stare lingered and soon turned deadly.
“You have trespassed on Elysium Isle and disturbed my slumber…” he said coldly. His voice carried an authority that brooked no defiance. “You will all die.”
As soon as his voice fell, he raised his right hand and pointed his slender finger at a general in the crowd.
The general’s face went white with terror. He tried to dodge, but found his body frozen in place, and he couldn’t move an inch.
In the next instant, he felt excruciating pain tear through his body. His body burst apart in a spray of blood and torn flesh that covered the nearby soldiers, creating a scene of utter devastation.
The soldiers screamed and retreated, terrified out of their wits. They were desperate to get away from that terrifying man.
Matthias’ eyes widened in shock, his face showing unmistakable horror. However, his years of warfare kicked in, and he quickly forced himself to calm down. He knew retreating would mean certain death.
“Listen up!” he roared. “Move in now and take him down!”
The elite fighters behind him snapped into action. They drew their weapons and leaped toward Thymaleon in the air.
All of these fighters represented the military’s elite soldiers who had never tasted defeat on any battlefield. But faced with Thymaleon, they seemed hopelessly outmatched.
Thymaleon watched the approaching fighters with a mocking smile. He raised his left hand slowly and gave it a casual wave. The gesture looked effortless, but it carried a terrifying power.
The dozen fighters leading the charge barely made it into the air before their bodies jerked to a sudden halt. They met the same fate as the general from earlier.
The entire group exploded in rapid succession. Blood sprayed across the sky, and none of them had time even to scream.
The remaining fighters were so frightened their faces turned deathly pale. No one dared to advance, and everyone stopped where they stood. They were caught in a dilemma of whether to move forward or retreat.
Tristan and Nathaniel stood motionless. A chill ran down their spine as they witnessed the bloody horror unfolding before them. Their hearts felt as though an invisible hand had seized them, squeezing so tight they could barely beat.
They had never witnessed such terrifying power before. With nothing more than a casual wave of his hand, Thymaleon had reduced over a dozen elite fighters to nothing before they could land a strike.
Tristan snapped out of his shock and shouted, “Retreat! Fall back now!”
His voice carried a tremor he couldn’t hide. He knew that with their current strength, they stood no chance against that man. Staying there any longer would mean the complete annihilation of their forces.
Matthias realized that as well. Though he was reluctant to retreat, he understood that withdrawal was their only option now. He waved his hand and shouted to the remaining soldiers, “Retreat now!”
The soldiers were already paralyzed with fear. When they heard the command, they seized it like a lifeline. They spun and fled frantically toward the beach, running as if they wished they had twice as many legs.
In an instant, what had been an orderly formation dissolved into complete chaos. Every man thought of only saving himself.
Thymaleon watched them flee, his eyes showing no emotion. He neither pursued them nor struck again. Instead, he just hovered silently in midair like a detached observer, watching these “ants” scatter in panic before him.
