As Zephyrion calmly stepped forward, the eyes of everyone widened.

"...young lord..." Fiona’s eyes brimmed with relief as they settled on Zephyrion.

"This bastard... just had to show up now, huh..." Though he cursed, a wide grin spread across Kaiden’s bloodied face. He was clearly glad Zephyrion had shown up.

Regardless, a cold wave suddenly washed over the clearing, freezing everyone mid-thought. The entire clearing fell into a deathlike silence, all eyes fixed on Zephyrion.

Zephyrion’s gaze was cold, and an intense bloodlust bled from him, pressing against their throats.

For a moment, Dune felt as though his eyes were deceiving him.

The boy before him was nothing more than a child, still wet behind the ears, yet the sheer bloodlust rolling off him eclipsed even that of the Wardens he’d trained with.

’What is this...?’

Dune knew this boy was strong, but this wasn’t the aura of someone merely strong. He was sure of it. It was the aura of a killer.

This boy was dangerous.

"You bastard!"

Jenna burst into the clearing a moment later. Her tone construct shot forward, its sword driving straight toward Dune.

But a flicker passed through Dune’s gaze. A streak cut through the air.

In an instant, countless faint lines flashed across the construct’s body. Its form fragmented into countless pieces that scattered and vanished into the night air.

"...w-what..."

Jenna’s eyes widened in shock. The construct had been as strong as a peak mark five, yet it had fallen in an instant.

Zephyrion narrowed his eyes slightly.

’He’s fast.’

But it wasn’t enough to determine his rank. He suddenly extended his arm.

"Explode."

Dune’s gaze snapped toward the dome engulfing the village head. A ripple ran across its surface, and in the next moment, it detonated, releasing countless metal spikes that surged toward him.

"Hmph."

A scoff slipped from Dune’s mouth. His gaze locked onto the spikes, and a formless wave burst from him, swallowing them in an instant.

"Authority."

The metal spikes trembled for a brief moment. Then, a fiercer surge erupted from within them, tearing through his hold as they continued driving toward Dune.

Dune’s eyes constricted.

"...what?"

The spikes were inches from piercing him when his figure blurred and vanished, reappearing several meters away.

The gaze of every soul widened. Kaiden, Fiona, the village head, everyone in the clearing had witnessed Dune’s might. Yet Zephyrion had just forced someone like that into retreat.

"You... what the hell was that?"

Dune’s gaze, once cautious, now carried a clear edge of shock.

Yet, despite the reaction around him, Zephyrion’s expression remained indifferent.

’Mark Seven.’

What Dune had just attempted to use was the power of Mark Six. If Mark four was Density, Mark five Independence, then Mark six was Authority.

Reaching this level granted the Ascendant the ability to impose their will over the metal of those beneath them.

Dune had just tried to use it on the spikes. Yet Demorian’s metal wasn’t something a mere Vessel rank could control.

That alone should have placed him at Mark six, but Zephyrion had noticed something else. The sheer speed and ease with which Dune manipulated the metal pointed to two possibilities.

Either his resonance was abnormally high, or he had reached Mark seven, resonance.

At that level, the Vessel was complete. One’s connection to the World Pulse deepened significantly, allowing the element to move as though it were a second limb.

The former was unlikely, as Zephyrion had yet to encounter someone with such abnormally high resonance, which made the latter far more plausible.

Zephyrion suddenly extended his arm, and the dome collapsed back into its rod form before snapping into his grasp.

This man was at mark seven, two full marks above Zephyrion.

Yet, there was no hint of panic in Zephyrion’s gaze. His mind remained still. In fact, his world had faded into an endless silence, every inch of Dune unfolding before his eyes.

Perched high atop a tree, Kona watched the scene with a complicated expression. It wasn’t just Zephyrion, he had also determined Dune’s mark.

A Mark Seven Vessel rank Ascendant.

Dune was as strong as him. The thought of the young lord facing someone of such strength sent a chill through his heart.

"...my lords... I have to stop thi—"

"Kono, or whatever trash name you’re going by." Garrick’s voice came in a low growl. "If you ruin this for me, I swear to the Iron Father I’ll hunt you down myself."

Kona silently gulped. There was no warrior who wasn’t wary of the drunken war hound, yet this situation was simply too absurd. Who would let a seventeen-year-old face a Mark seven?

’Surely Lord Calderalth would be more reasonable.’

"Lord Calder—"

"Leave him."

Kona’s eyes widened in shock. Even the Head of House wanted this to happen...

"Haha!" Garrick’s excited voice rang out. "Kons! Don’t just stand there—go get me something! I’m about to enjoy this!"

Kona couldn’t help but swallow. There was no choice, he had to watch.

Back in the clearing, Dune’s expression darkened when he received no response from Zephyrion.

His cautious gaze settled on the rod in Zephyrion’s grasp. The boy was far too young to be anything beyond mark four, which made it impossible for him to create a metal a Mark seven couldn’t control. Which meant...

’It’s a relic.’

Dune suddenly felt a rush of adrenaline surge through him. He clenched his fists.

’I’m excited.’

The thought of facing a strong opponent thrilled him. However... if the boy was here, then it meant he had returned from their lab. The doctor...

"You... coming back from our lab?"

Dune’s eyes were cold as they fixed onto Zephyrion. He didn’t expect an answer, but one came.

"Yes."

Dune’s eyes darkened, his fists tightening further.

"...and the one there?"

Zephyrion tilted his head slightly, his gaze unmoved.

"...I tore it all down."

A streak of silver tore through the night. In the next instant, Dune was already before Zephyrion.

"I’ll kill you."

His blade thrust forward with impossible speed.