The Sovereign Chronicles novel Chapter 24

Kaelen returned to his warehouse. He forewent his usual cultivation that day, opting instead to sit beneath the ancient tree in his courtyard, mentally dissecting his upcoming duel.

He freely admitted that Maelor was lethal—leagues above the average Phase Seven Initiates. Moreover, Maelor was a fanatic loyalist to the Grand Elder. There was a very real possibility that Maelor intended to permanently cripple him on the arena stage.

Kaelen had successfully consolidated his Phase Five foundation. A month of relentless grinding should push him to the absolute peak of Phase Five. If he detonated every ounce of Aether in his core, he could trade blows with Maelor. Victory wasn't guaranteed, but he was certain he wouldn't be humiliated.

The true dilemma lay in the fact that Kaelen strictly refused to deploy *The Daevan Sword Tome* within the Sanctum's walls. At least, not yet.

Without his Daevan Blade and the sword tome, how could he guarantee he'd be the last man standing?

*The Titan's Vigor!*

Kaelen analyzed every angle and inevitably returned to *The Titan's Vigor*. His absolute greatest asset was his monstrous physique, which directly translated to overwhelming kinetic force. Rumor had it that *The Titan's Vigor* could push the human body's explosive output to its absolute ceiling—a terrifying fivefold amplification.

With *The Genesis Mantra* passively regenerating and refining his cells, and *The Titan's Vigor* amplifying his raw strike power, a month of brutal refinement should be enough to draw blood from Maelor's smug face!

"I'll sweep The Vanguard Vault tomorrow. If I can't find a superior codex, I'll commit fully to *The Titan's Vigor*."

Kaelen retreated into his quarters and slept soundly. He felt no anxiety, no dread. Instead, a fiery anticipation burned in his chest for the confrontation thirty days out.

Late into the night, the world was blanketed in profound silence.

Suddenly, a hoarse, monstrous roar erupted from within Mount Veridia once again. It sounded like rolling thunder, startling the sleeping Sanctum and jolting thousands of Initiates awake.

The roar lacked the apocalyptic frenzy of the previous incident, and the earth didn't quake, but it still sent a bone-deep chill through anyone who heard it. It sounded as though a primordial terror was chained within the mountain, violently thrashing against its bindings, threatening to tear loose at any moment.

The Initiates swallowed their curiosity, hiding in their quarters, too afraid to even whisper among themselves.

From deep within the mountain came the sharp, thunderous clanking of massive iron chains. The metallic shrieks echoed over The Azure Sky Sanctum, compounding the suffocating dread of the night.

Kaelen stood alone in his courtyard, gazing into the pitch-black distance toward Mount Veridia.

The roars were deep, ragged, and guttural. It was impossible to discern if it was the scream of a man or the dying thrash of a Spirit Beast as it reverberated relentlessly through the dark.

Inexplicably, Kaelen felt a phantom tug in his mind. The roars seemed to be transmitting a deliberate signal.

Deep within his Aether Core, The Netherward Blade vibrated violently, as if roaring back in resonance.

*What exactly is locked in there?*

*If it’s truly something abominable, why doesn't the Sanctum just exterminate it?*

A profound, itching curiosity gripped Kaelen. After wrestling with his thoughts, he slipped out of his warehouse and moved silently under the cover of night until he reached the base of Mount Veridia.

"ROAARRR!!"

"RAGHHH!!"

The roaring suddenly spiked in ferocity, making the entire mountain tremble. The deafening sound completely warped the serene, mystical aura of the mountain into a landscape of pure nightmare.

The iron chains shrieked incessantly, struggling desperately to suppress the entity.

Within Kaelen's Aether Core, The Netherward Blade thrashed wildly. Thick, chaotic mist surged from the blade, churning the Aether sea and sending violent shockwaves through Kaelen's blood and meridians.

The phantom summons grew suffocatingly strong. It felt as if an invisible force was surging down from the mid-mountain peak, hundreds of feet above, actively reaching out to drag Kaelen in.

*Man? Beast? What the hell is it?* Kaelen's heart pounded. He slowly backed away, his eyes locked on the mid-mountain. Flashes of brilliant gold pierced through the dense fog, illuminating the frenzied silhouettes of colossal chains thrashing wildly.

"Who's there?" A breathtaking figure descended from the shadows like a phantom swan. Drifting silently on the cold mist, she touched the ground. Her robes were pristine white, her features obscured by the dark, but her mere presence radiated a freezing aura.

"Just curious. Wanted to take a look." Kaelen cast one final glance at the glowing peak, turned on his heel, and walked away.

"Are you Kaelen?" the woman's voice was sharp and icy.

"Hmm?" Kaelen paused, looking over his shoulder at the half-concealed silhouette in the dark.

"You do not belong here. Leave." She didn't move to detain him, merely gesturing for him to vanish immediately.

Senior Linnea, Prime Initiate of Mount Veridia?

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