A Man Like None Other (Jared Chance) novel Chapter 5976

The instant his words landed, the valley’s air clamped tight, as if the land itself held its breath.

The shout split the smoky air. "No!"

Jared’s shoulders stiffened before he even turned; that single syllable carried the weight of everyone’s fear, and it landed squarely between his ribs.

A second voice, harsher, followed a heartbeat later: "Absolutely not!"

The refusal echoed off the cracked stone walls, piling urgency on the first.

Jared drew a slow breath, willing his pulse to stay even.

He pivoted, taking in Aurelian, Blaine, and Oswald—usually an argumentative trio—now united, mouths still open from their shared protest.

Even the Vermilion Demon Lord's crimson brow furrowed, the faint tremor in his aura betraying unease.

Aurelian’s voice cracked like splintering glass. "Jared, are you out of your mind?"

The question wasn't for answer; it was accusation, fear, and loyalty mashed together.

He stepped forward until the torchlight rimmed his anxious stare.

"The Door of Reincarnation is a maze we still don’t grasp, and the Lord who rules it stands beyond guessing. Malcolm and Morven were only pawns. Even with your newfound strength, charging into his house is suicide."

Blaine folded his arms, gravel in his voice.

"Kid, I know saving the Flaxseed clan matters, but time isn't chasing us. We gather facts first, pry open the Door's secrets, then strike."

Oswald's bass rumble followed.

"At least let us stabilize level twelve, summon every ally, and go together."

The Vermilion Demon Lord hovered a pace above the ground before speaking.

"Jared, the Lord of Reincarnation is no saint. Mr. Morse once warned he could be an echo of something ancient, wielding fragments of reincarnation itself."

"Your chaotic force is impressive, but against a will like that, we cannot predict victory."

Amid the volley of concerns, Jared’s breath evened, eyes steady.

He shook his head once, the gesture soft but immovable.

"I feel the depth of your concern, and I honor it. But with every minute the Flaxseed spirits linger inside that Door, they drift closer to being swallowed forever. I promised Mr. Flaxseed I'd bring them home, and I intend to keep that promise."

Jared’s gaze slid to the phantom Door that shimmered above Reincarnation Peak, its edges flickering like a half-remembered dream.

A muted excitement threaded through his voice. "The Chaos Source Seed inside me seems to blunt reincarnation energy. I can leverage that. The Malevolent Path Hall has just fallen. The Lord may still be reeling, unaware. That makes this the best window we'll ever get."

Aurelian tried again, hope and dread tangling on his tongue. "But—"

Jared lifted a hand, stopping the protest mid-birth. A calm smile eased across his face.

"Trust me. I will pull back if the tide turns against me. Besides…"

He paused. The Chaos Vortex Mark in his palm glimmered, a miniature storm hungry for answers.

"I also want to know which is stronger—chaos or true reincarnation."

Before another word could chase him, Jared’s body dissolved into a dim ribbon of gray light.

The stream arrowed toward the altar at Reincarnation Peak, leaving the platform eerily vacant.

"Jared!" The Vermilion Demon Lord’s shout thundered across the clouds as he lunged after the fading light.

A voice drifted back, thin but firm. "Senior, stay where you are."

"This road is mine alone. Help Aurelian and the others secure the aftermath. If I don't return in three days…"

The sentence crumbled into silence, its unfinished edge sharper than any warning.

Hovering midair, the Demon Lord’s scarlet pupils flickered with rebellion, then dimmed. He clenched his fists and remained.

He knew too well that once Jared fixed on a path, no one could lever him off it.

Besides, at his current strength, he would only slow Jared down.

Aurelian and the others watched the gray streak shrink against the sky, their faces carved from the same grim stone.

They all felt the same raw truth: he might never walk back through that cloud line.

The distant courtyard trembled with Aurelian’s shout. "Pass the order," the elder growled, breath scraping the cold air.

"Form every line of power, raise a grand array at the hall’s gate. In three days, if Jared fails to return, we break the Door of Reincarnation by force!"

Behind the altar wall, Jared’s pulse stepped into a faster rhythm. The threat was not meant for him, yet every syllable landed like a timed blade against his spine.

A single thunderclap of agreement answered—"Yes!"—the sound rolling through corridors until it frayed into whispers around Jared’s ears.

Silence pooled in the wake, thick and expectant.

Malevolent Path Hall

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