MIGHT AS WELL BE OP

A figure wordly recognized stepped into view.

Scintilla, the revered mother of Serenelle, the Phoenix Champion.

The crowd's collective gaze shifted to her with magnetic intensity as she made her entrance, her presence both commanding and enigmatic.

'What is she doing here?'

The unspoken question echoed in every mind, brimming with curiosity.

Yet Scintilla remained impervious to their stares, her focus unwavering, fixed entirely on a single individual, Anthony.

Since the end of the Bloodbath, Scintilla had been plagued by a gnawing unease.

Serenelle, her daughter, had not returned.

For over three months, she clung to hope, waiting for a sign, a miracle.

But it never came.

Reality, harsh and unyielding, had forced its way into her heart.

Her daughter was gone.

Serenelle was dead.

But how?

How could Serenelle be gone?

The question tormented Scintilla, refusing to let her rest.

She didn't know the answer, until she forced herself to truly reflect.

Her mind drifted back to the Bloodbath, replaying the events in excruciating detail.

She recalled the ferocity with which Anthony faced Serenelle, how he struck her down repeatedly without hesitation, his guard never faltering.

And then, there was the flame.

A vivid blue fire, unnatural, otherworldly, came into play.

She saw it clearly now.

After Anthony unleashed that flame, everything changed.

He grew uncharacteristically lethargic, retreating to his usual spot beneath his parasol, as though the battle no longer held any importance.

That flame marked the turning point.

It wasn't just a weapon, it was a revelation.

It signaled to Anthony something she herself hadn't yet understood.

Serenelle was already gone.

Even before she had realized it, Anthony had known.

"How did you know?"

Scintilla's voice was sharp and cold, her piercing gaze fixed on Anthony like a blade.

Anthony, unfazed, leaned back slightly.

"How did I know what?"

He replied, his tone casual, almost dismissive.

"Don't play dumb with me, boy"

Scintilla snapped, her voice carrying an edge of restrained fury.

"I don't have time for your shenanigans"

A faint smirk tugged at the corner of Anthony's lips.

"It's not my fault your daughter didn't know how to counter"

Gasps rippled through the silent onlookers.

All eyes were on the two, yet none interfered.

Scintilla's frown deepened.

This was not the answer she sought, it only stoked the embers of her rage.

Anthony's expression remained same as he spoke again, his voice cutting through the tense atmosphere.

"If you miss your daughter that much, why don't you join her?"

The words struck like a thunderclap.

Scintilla's aura flared dangerously, and a suffocating killing intent was about to seep into the air.

Before she could erupt, a commanding voice shattered the tension.

"What are you doing, Scintilla?"

All attention turned as Aurelius Ignis, the Phoenix King himself, spoke.

His voice was calm, yet its authority was absolute.

"We don't have time for this. Return"

Scintilla froze, her fury abruptly extinguished.

She tried to speak, but no words came.

The weight of his command was inescapable, an iron grip she couldn't defy.

She could only cast a reluctant glare at Anthony.

Her defeat wasn't just in the words she couldn't speak, it was in the presence she couldn't overpower.

Anthony paused briefly, his gaze lingering on Scintilla.

For a moment, it seemed as though he might say something, but instead, he turned away with an air of indifference.

Without another word, he stepped into the spaceship, dismissing the encounter entirely.

He didn't have time for side characters.

Scintilla clenched her jaw, biting her lower lip as she watched him disappear into the vessel.

Frustration and humiliation burned in her chest, but she swallowed it down.

With a burst of flames, she vanished from sight.

Aurelius Ignis let out a heavy sigh as the tension dissipated.

"Nice timing, Phoenix King"

Collins remarked dryly, his tone laced with a hint of sarcasm.

"Though I wouldn't mind starting our own Bloodbath right here"

Without waiting for a reply, Collins turned and strode toward the spaceship, his imposing figure exuding confidence.

Inside, Anthony exchanged a few words with Irene.

She fussed over him, ensuring he was stocked with an array of potions and offering her final farewells.

After a lingering goodbye, Irene departed.

With everyone aboard, the 'Eternal Voyage' hummed to life.

The massive ship lifted gracefully into the air, its engines roaring with power before it shot into the sky with blinding speed, leaving a trail of light in its wake.

But before their departure, Collins had ensured one final detail.

The Patriarch of the Crimson family arrived personally to escort Irene, a gesture that left no room for doubt about her safety.

Only then did Collins board, his expression unreadable as the ship surged toward its destination.

______________

Scintilla had returned to the Phoenix Domain, her presence suffocating as thick waves of killing intent seeped through the grand castle.

It clung to the walls, choking the air, as if her fury had become a tangible force.

In the privacy of her chambers, she sat motionless, her anger burning hotter than any phoenix flame.

The heavy door creaked open, and her son, Serenelle's younger brother, stepped in.

His expression was calm, though concern flickered in his eyes.

"Mother"

He began cautiously,

"What has happened to release such killing intent?"

Scintilla didn't answer, her silence heavier than the oppressive atmosphere.

Unlike his mother, her son had come to terms with Serenelle's death.

It had taken two months, but he had made peace with it.

He understood the harsh truths of their world, strength dictated survival, and Serenelle had fallen.

There was no room for resentment or hatred, even toward Anthony.

But Scintilla was different.

For over a year, she had refused to let go, her grief simmering into an unrelenting fury.

She clung to Serenelle's memory, her pain fueling her every action.

"What happened, Mother?"

He asked again, stepping closer.

At last, Scintilla moved.

Her gaze, cold and filled with smoldering rage, turned to her son.

As Scintilla prepared to answer her son, a sudden, violent sensation erupted within her.

Her blood churned uncontrollably, and a searing heat coursed through her veins like wildfire.

"AAARRRRGGHHH"

Her scream echoed through the castle, raw and piercing, as she collapsed, writhing in agony.

Blood poured from her mouth, staining the pristine floor beneath her.

Her son froze for a moment, fear gripping his heart.

But he acted quickly, reaching for her space ring.

With trembling hands, he retrieved several potions and administered them one by one.

Nothing.

The potions had no effect.

"Mother"

He cried, panic rising as Scintilla's screams grew louder.

Her body convulsed violently, her skin flushed with an unnatural, fiery hue.

"Healers"

His desperate shout brought an immediate response.

With bursts of flames, five healers materialized in the room.

Taking in the scene, they wasted no time, pooling their mana to stabilize her.

For over thirty seconds, they poured their energy into healing Scintilla, their faces etched with strain and desperation.

Yet, despite their combined efforts, her condition showed no improvement.

Then, just as suddenly as it began, Scintilla went silent.

Her body fell limp to the ground, motionless.

A moment of deafening stillness followed.

Then it came, the shrill, haunting cry of a phoenix.

The sound reverberated across the domain, cutting through the air like a blade.

Every being within the Phoenix Domain stopped in their tracks, their gazes snapping toward its source.

They all knew.

A phoenix had died.

And not just any phoenix, a pureblood of immense lineage.

Such a death was marked by the world itself.....the screech.

One by one, powerful presences descended into Scintilla's chambers, their expressions grim as they took in the lifeless body of the Phoenix Champion's mother.

The healers stepped back, their faces pale.

Scintilla's son stood frozen, his mind reeling from the loss.

"Investigate"

He said at last, his voice low but filled with a dangerous resolve.

"I want every resource pulled into finding the cause of my mother's death. I want to know who did this"

He clenched his fists tightly, his body trembling.

"I've already lost my sister. Now, my mother is gone too. There's a reason for this. Someone caused this"

Though he didn't know how, he could feel it in his gut, this was no ordinary death.

His mother's killing intent before her demise spoke volumes.

Unbeknownst to him, the cause of her death was already far beyond his reach.

Anthony's All Seeing Eyes had discerned Scintilla's murderous intent before she even stepped foot in the Phoenix Domain.

He had no patience for side characters seeking vengeance.

Using his Poison Body ability, he created a toxin specifically tailored to her.

The poison was undetectable, untraceable, and devastating.

It worked swiftly, ensuring she wouldn't pose a threat in the future.

To Anthony, it was a simple solution.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

To Scintilla's son, however, it was the beginning of a storm.

He was ready to unleash hell to find the truth,and exact his revenge.

Only if he knew.

He would never find out the truth.

Even if destiny or fate handed him the answer he sought, he lacked the power to fulfill his revenge.