Unholy Player

Adyr continued to release his bloodlust, an invisible, suffocating force pressing against Kharom, deliberately provoking him.

Though controlled and far from fully unleashing his Presence, the effect was still strong. Yet Kharom’s affinity for the Nether Path and his high [Resilience] dampened the impact, preventing the aura from overwhelming him completely.

"Do you want to die?" Kharom finally snapped under the pressure, grinding his teeth as he challenged Adyr.

"Do you have what it takes?" Adyr chuckled and raised his bloodlust just a little more. It was obvious now he intended to push Kharom’s buttons.

Suddenly, the candles on the table flickered and went out, while the torches on the walls blazed wildly. The maids, already pale, pressed themselves against the walls, struggling to stay upright.

Vesha and Orven found themselves caught in the eye of the storm, their bodies frozen rigid, each cautious breath carefully measured to avoid drawing attention.

For Vesha, it was the first time she had truly sensed Adyr’s bloodlust. The eerie, dangerous aura radiating from an Astra Path practitioner was unusual. Yet despite the shock, her loving gaze toward him remained unchanged, even as cold sweat trickled down her spine.

Adyr’s fierce protectiveness ignited a warmth inside her, thawing the ice that had settled deep beneath her skin.

But she did not grasp his true intent.

Yes, Adyr was irritated by Kharom’s arrogance and his audacity to come demanding something in his territory, but that irritation never crossed into genuine anger.

Kharom was not a worthy opponent in Adyr’s eyes. Only Sevrak, standing behind him, qualified as a true rival.