**Chapter 16**
In a beautiful mansion on the outskirts of the Golden Capital, Victor stood sipping wine slowly, his gaze fixed on the guard standing rigidly before him.
Victor spoke in a quiet yet firm voice:
*"Good. Destroy her father's shop and make sure he's injured—but frame it as a robbery by common thieves. We don't want any trouble with the United Government."*
His tone turned colder:
*"And I want information on the boy who was with her. I don't like the look of him. We'll decide later whether to buy him or eliminate him."*
With a ruthless glint in his eye, he added:
*"Make it quick. According to reports, the Shadow Knights have launched a raid. That means any crime committed now will face minimal investigation."*
The guard bowed respectfully and replied:
*"Understood, my lord. Your orders will be carried out without objection."*
Victor smiled a lethal smile and whispered to himself:
*"Neomi… You'll be mine, no matter the cost. I'll break you, savor every inch of your body… Hahaha… You'll become my pet, since you dared to refuse me."*
In the darkness, an image formed—Neomi, collared like a dog, standing helplessly beneath Victor's feet, utterly at his mercy.
---
**[Scene shifts]**
The heavy silence of the castle courtyard shattered abruptly as the Shadow Knights' horses neighed, advancing like a merciless black storm. Their armor gleamed like darkened steel, their swords radiating a sinister aura as they sliced through the air with battle cries that made the earth tremble.
The sorcerers, surrounded by glowing halos of black, blue, and crimson magic, stood with arrogant confidence, laughing mockingly at these knights who thought they could oppose the Moon Sect's power. But their smirks soon twisted into horror when Edmund, the King of Men, struck like lethal lightning.
With unwavering steps, Edmund unleashed his attacks with his lunar sword, its blade shimmering with a dark silver light. Every strike was like an earthquake shattering the bedrock of fate—severing the heads of beasts and devouring spells. Before him, a grand sorcerer collapsed, his magical rays burning to ashes, while another attempted to summon a colossal shadow beast but was slain mid-incantation.
The grotesque monsters—razor-fanged and flame-eyed—attacked from all sides, but the Shadow Knights moved like phantoms rather than men. They dodged with supernatural grace, countering with swords pulsing with the dark power channeled from Edmund. The sounds of blades piercing flesh and the dying breaths of monsters blended with the sorcerers' screams into a horrifying symphony.
At the battle's climax, Edmund raised his sword high, gathering his strength for one devastating strike. A burst of dark lunar light erupted—an unforgettable flash that obliterated the remaining sorcerers and tore the beasts apart. The ground quaked, and the ruined castle trembled under the force.
As the storm settled, Edmund stood amid the wreckage, lifting his sword in triumph while the Shadow Knights encircled him, gleaming like heroes from another age. There was no room for the weak, no mercy for the sorcerers who had scorned humanity.
This was the end of the battle—and the dawn of a new era under Edmund, the King of Men and leader of the Shadow Knights.
---
**[Top floor of the Academy]**
Where the cold moonlight spilled through tall windows, the room was bathed in a silver glow that hid the shadows in its deepest corners. The space exuded opulence laced with frost—antique ebony furniture, lavish carpets muffling footsteps, all heavy with the weight of secrets and responsibility.
Julius stood behind his massive desk, his gaze locked on a file stamped with the Capital Guild's seal. The handwriting on the cover was icy, bearing the signature of *"Commander Raven"* and words simmering with deceit:
*"I have fascinating information... What's your offer?"*
Julius raised an eyebrow, his lips curling in disdain as if the very words had slithered through the silence.
*"Raven..."* he muttered, voice dripping with contempt. *"That scheming snake who wouldn't recognize honesty if it stabbed him. Always selling illusions wrapped in poison, toying with fates like children with paper dolls."*
He clenched the file, fingers tightening as if crushing restless fury. In the room's quiet, where only the moon witnessed the brewing schemes, Julius knew this information could change everything—but the price would be steep.
---
**[Golden Capital streets]**
Jin and Neomi walked through the crowd, steps close but tension thick between them.
Neomi glanced at him worriedly:
*"Jin, why did you point your sword at the Guild Director? Are you insane?"*
Jin didn't answer, his silence deafening. In his mind, there was no space for her words—only the image of Raven's smirk, reminding him of Zilnar… and that unforgotten battle.
Neomi stopped abruptly, stepping in front of him:
*"I'm talking to you! Are you even listening?!"*
Jin's eyes snapped to hers, as if returning to reality, then replied with lethal calm:
*"I didn't like his face. That's all."*
Neomi gasped:
*"What? You expect me to believe you draw your sword on anyone who 'doesn't please you'? Stop lying!"*
Jin's expression darkened instantly, his voice sharpening—his gaze devoid of mercy:
*"Drop it. Now."*
His words were a blade—cold, terrifying. The look alone sent a shiver down her spine. She froze, eyes trembling, as he walked past her without a second glance.
Neomi stood there, frightened, watching his retreating figure before catching up with a shaky voice:
*"Fine… Keep your secrets."*
Her hands still trembled as she followed