[Valhalla family’s estate.]
"So, Dad? Just how strong is Mum?" Katherine inquired, leaning forward with eager curiosity.
"I’m not exaggerating in the slightest," Ethan replied, a hint of pride in his voice. "Your mother is technically the strongest Tamer in all five cities, second only to the late Supreme Tamer... and I have a strong feeling she has now surpassed even that legendary figure."
"But... if that’s true, Master Alex shouldn’t have been so bold with his words," Adonis pointed out, a thoughtful expression on his face.
"That’s true," Ethan conceded. "Your mother was understandably enraged by his pronouncements, but you can’t entirely blame him. No one knows her true identity, not even the late Supreme Tamer knew. How could those five Master Tamers possibly be aware of it?"
"Wow... Mum is so incredibly cool!" Katherine exclaimed, her eyes wide with admiration.
"Yes! And big brother has just joined the ’Cool Team’! What about us?" Adonis asked, turning to Katherine with a playful nudge.
"Hey," Ethan interjected with a smile, though a touch of mock seriousness underlay his tone.
"She might be stronger than me, but I am still the head of this family. You two should be more concerned about yourselves and your own development."
Adonis and Katherine stared at their father, momentarily speechless.
Christopher was speeding back home, his gaze sweeping across the passing scenery.
"Are you absolutely certain about this?" he asked Tiamat, who sat calmly in the back seat.
"Without a doubt... I can sense the Light Chosen... Just straight ahead! I still can’t believe I’m finally going to meet her," Tiamat replied, a faint smile gracing her lips.
"These Chosen Ones... are they all female?" Christopher asked, a slight frown creasing his forehead.
"Oh... no," Tiamat corrected him, shaking her head gently. "There are three females and two males."
Christopher nodded, pressing down further on the accelerator.
"Knowing this person will definitely be a significant boost!" he remarked, Tiamat echoing his sentiment with a nod.
"You still haven’t answered my question," Amara said, her white eyes unwavering as she stared down at the kneeling Phoenix.
"I... I thought she was an assassin," Phoenix stammered, her voice still trembling slightly.
Amara’s brow furrowed in surprise. "And what led you to that conclusion?" she inquired.
"She... she has been following him for a while now. I believed she intended to attack him," Phoenix confessed truthfully, her gaze fixed on the ground.
’Yes... she did ask if I was an assassin,’ Leyla recalled, a flicker of understanding dawning in her eyes.
Amara glanced over her shoulder at Leyla. "Did she ask you that?"
Leyla slowly nodded her head in confirmation.
Amara turned back to Phoenix, her expression softening slightly but still retaining a hint of suspicion. "Who are you to my son? And why were you protecting him?" she asked.
"I am a friend of Christopher’s, and he saved my life. I owe him everything," Phoenix replied, finally looking up at Amara, her eyes filled with sincerity.
"Hmm... What is your name?" Amara asked, sensing the genuine remorse and lack of malice emanating from the woman before her.
"My name is Phoenix," She answered, slowly rising to her feet.
"Alright, Phoenix. I sincerely hope this misunderstanding will not occur again," Amara stated, her tone firm but less hostile.
"I promise you with my life, it won’t," Phoenix vowed, with a resolute expression. She then turned to Leyla. "My deepest apologies."
Leyla could only nod in response, still slightly shaken by the earlier battle.
Amara nodded in acknowledgment. With a swift snap of her fingers, a intricate rune circle shimmered into existence beneath her and Leyla. Before Phoenix could fully comprehend what was happening, the two women and the colossal silver python vanished in a flash of light.
Phoenix exhaled softly, her gaze sweeping across the chaotic scene before pulling out her phone and making a call.
"X... I need your assistance with something," she said, her voice calm but carrying an underlying urgency.
"What is it?" Xing’s voice replied from the other end, tinged with curiosity.
"Help me gather information on the Boss’s inner circle. I want to know everyone close to him – friends, employees, guards, siblings, and even his Beasts. I need a comprehensive overview."
"Why is that?" Xing’s surprise was evident in her tone.
"Just get it for me," Phoenix insisted, and then disconnected the call.
Phoenix watched as a sleek Lexus sedan approached in the distance.
"Hmm," she murmured, a thoughtful expression settling on her face.
Christopher brought his car to a halt, stepping out to survey the scene.
Chaos reigned; vehicles were scattered haphazardly, some overturned and engulfed in flames.
He moved cautiously through the wreckage, his eyes drawn to a circular patch of scorched earth. He squatted down, a frown creasing his brow.
"Why does this feel so strangely familiar?" he muttered to himself.
"This is a teleportation rune... Only the Light Goddess can leave such a distinct mark," Tiamat said, stepping closer to examine the burnt circle.
"Who exactly is this Light Goddess?" Christopher inquired, his curiosity piqued.
"I have no idea... This individual must possess incredible mastery over their powers and an exceptional ability to conceal themselves... Even from my senses," Tiamat admitted, a hint of intrigue in her voice.
"A battle definitely took place here," Christopher observed, standing up and walking towards a dark stain on the ground.
"Hmm... This is human blood," Tiamat confirmed, her gaze sharp.
"I hardly needed you to tell me that," Christopher retorted dryly.
He rubbed the ornate ring on his finger, and a pulse of red light emanated from it, solidifying into the form of the now crimson centipede.
"Grim... you know what to do," Christopher instructed.
The centipede scuttled forward and placed one of its many legs on the bloodstain, then shook its head.
"I cannot follow the trail, Master... The person didn’t move away; they simply... Vanished."
Christopher’s gaze drifted back to the distinct rune mark on the ground. "Someone intervened," he concluded, his frown deepening.