Chapter 1052: Halt
Hearing Anthony’s words, Bryan paused, realization striking him; Anthony had just helped him with his greatest issue, one that was supposed to hold him back for a thousand years or more, and now, he was asking for more help after just receiving help, which made him feel both embarrassed and slightly ashamed of himself for even making such a request so soon after receiving something so invaluable.
"I’m sorry, I seem to have overstepped due to my excitement at being free and thoughts of joining the military," Bryan immediately apologised. He bowed slightly from his seated position, as he was seated on a couch, his posture lowering just enough to show sincerity without appearing overly submissive, his tone carrying genuine regret for his earlier words.
Anthony smiled as he waved his hand; he wasn’t bothered in the slightest, his expression remaining calm and carefree as though the matter had never even registered as something worth dwelling on. "No need to apologise, you will enjoy the Military, it will be fun," he stated with the same smile, his voice light yet confident, as though he was speaking from experience rather than assumption.
As the most talented of the Golden Generation, Anthony was sure Bryan would dominate during his time in the Military, carving out a name for himself with ease... that’s if he didn’t die during a mission, of course. After all, life wasn’t all sunshine and butterflies, and reality had a way of humbling even the most gifted individuals, especially in places where strength alone wasn’t always enough to guarantee survival.
"Also, I texted the others, they should be here within the hour," Anthony added, changing the topic with seamless ease, as though he had already moved on from the previous conversation entirely.
The moment Bryan heard this, he paused, his thoughts immediately shifting to his phone. His phone had been pinging nonstop, but he had been with his father and elder brother, handling important matters, so he couldn’t exactly shift his attention to his phone, no matter how persistent the notifications had been.
His phone immediately appeared in his hand from his space ring. He scrolled through the texts, seeing messages from the Storm Brothers and Tiara, each message stacked upon the other, forming a trail of impatience, curiosity, and mild annoyance at his lack of response.
The next moment, Anthony’s head shifted upwards as he gazed in a particular direction, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly as though locking onto something far beyond the visible range of ordinary perception. "It seems they are here."
Bryan’s eyes followed Anthony’s direction, but he saw nothing. After a moment, he shook his head; Anthony was probably looking at them kilometres away, far beyond what his own perception could currently grasp, a reminder of the gap that still existed between them despite his own considerable strength.
After a few seconds, two aircraft hummed at the border of the Dragon Domain, their presence announced by a low, vibrating resonance that cut through the air. Although the Storm Brothers and Tiara had come through official channels, they still had to pass through security clearance, which was expected given the strict and uncompromising nature of the Dragon Domain’s defenses.
Anthony rose to his feet as he spoke, "They are at the Domain border, let’s go," his voice came, calm yet decisive, leaving no room for hesitation or delay.
Although Bryan was strong and possessed sharp senses, the Dragon Domain was simply too vast for his senses to cover in its entirety, its scale stretching far beyond what even someone of his level could easily perceive.
"Wait, why don’t we just wait and meet them here?" Bryan suggested, but Anthony simply ignored him; he just wanted to leave. This Imperial Dragon estate seemed too rigid for him, too structured and suffocating in a way that didn’t suit his free-spirited nature.
With that, he vanished from where he stood, forcefully teleporting Bryan with him with effortless ease, not even giving him a moment to react.
The next moment, Anthony and Bryan appeared at the border of the Dragon Domain. Various Dragon soldiers could be seen patrolling the border, their presence leaking into the air with disciplined intensity and unwavering focus. People from other races could also be seen being thoroughly checked before being granted permission to pass, each inspection carried out with meticulous care and unwavering authority.
The moment Anthony and Bryan appeared, all eyes immediately snapped to them. The reason was simple: every Dragon was familiar with Bryan’s presence, as he was a Crowned Prince, a figure of immense status and recognition within the Domain.
The moment they saw Bryan, every Dragon abandoned their duties and knelt as they greeted, "We greet the Crowned Imperial Prince," their voices rumbled through the air and land in waves, carrying both respect and reverence. The other races, who knew nothing about Bryan as they weren’t exactly Dragons, scrambled to kneel. After all, one couldn’t exactly seek entrance into a Domain while disrespecting the rulers of said Domain, especially one as powerful and prideful as a Dragon.
So in a sea of endless people, only Anthony remained standing, unmoved amidst the sudden shift in atmosphere.
’Must be nice being popular and handsome, while also being a Prince,’ Anthony mused as he communicated with Bryan through telepathy, his tone laced with light amusement.
Bryan could only shake his head as he spoke to the people kneeling before him, "Proceed as though I’m not here, I simply have a few things to attend to," he stated, his words more like an order than a suggestion, carrying the natural authority of someone accustomed to being obeyed.
The kneeling and bowing figures raised their heads towards Bryan at his words, but the next moment, they noticed the Human standing next to the Dragon Prince. The next moment, their eyes widened with immense shock as their bodies and minds froze in disbelief, as though struggling to process what they were seeing.
"GOD ANTHONY IS HERE!!!!" someone from the crowd shouted at the top of their lungs. With that shout, minds snapped back into reality, the initial shock giving way to explosive excitement.
"It seems you are the popular one here," Bryan stated with a smirk, as Anthony had just teased him mere moments ago, yet now he was the one being instantly recognised and placed at the center of attention.
Who didn’t know Anthony? He was literally the most famous person on the entire Blue Planet, a figure whose name alone carried weight across countless regions and races. The next moment, a stampede erupted; all order and sanity were thrown into the wind as everyone, be they Dragon, Vampire, Orc, or Elf, rushed towards Anthony with unrestrained fervor.
This was the first time Anthony was standing merely meters away from them. They had to touch him, they had to receive his blessing, they had to see if he was really Human, they had to be accepted as his disciple, they had to have his babies, their thoughts spiraling into a chaotic mix of admiration, obsession, and overwhelming excitement.
Everyone simply ran forward with their own thoughts and plans, their individuality blending into a single overwhelming tide. The Dragon soldiers and guards even abandoned their posts and work, as they too surged towards Anthony. They had been doing this work every single day for years; who knew when next they would see Anthony in person and not through some distant live stream or second-hand account.
Anthony, seeing this, was rendered speechless for a brief moment. His lips twitched slightly, and he sighed the next moment, a quiet exhale that carried both resignation and mild amusement. His eyes met the incoming tidal wave of people, then he smiled as he raised a hand, his movements slow yet deliberate, as he spoke;
"Halt."
His words seemed to imprint directly into existence as all noise, chaos, surging movement, and chatter instantly vanished, as though the world itself had obeyed his command. Everyone was immediately halted midstep, each of them losing control over their own bodies as if their autonomy had been stripped away in an instant. Those who were mid-flight were also halted in the air, frozen in place as though time itself had paused for them. The tremors that came from their stomping vanished completely, leaving no trace behind.
Silence reigned between Anthony and the surging fans, a deep and overwhelming silence that pressed down on the atmosphere, marking the absolute authority contained within a single word spoken by him.