The force of the impact reverberated through the villa, cracking the floor beneath their feet and sending tremors through the entire structure, a cloud of dust momentarily obscuring their vision.
Amara stared in stunned silence at the crimson shield that had materialized just before her fist connected. Not even a hairline fracture marred its surface.
The centipede tilted its head, its multifaceted eyes shifting from Amara to Christopher, who gave a barely perceptible shake of his head.
"Hmm..." Amara retracted her hand, her gaze fixed on the formidable creature. "If not for my son, you would have killed me, wouldn’t you?" she asked, her voice surprisingly calm.
The centipede simply stared back, offering no verbal response.
"You can’t conceal your aura from me... Show me your true strength," Amara insisted, her eyes narrowing slightly.
’How did she know that?’ Christopher pondered inwardly, a flicker of unease stirring within him.
’I don’t know how, but when she threw that punch, I sensed a minuscule surge of light energy,’ Tiamat’s voice echoed in his mind, her gaze fixed on Amara.
’Is she the one?’ Tiamat mused, a sudden realization dawning within her. "Huh?" she exclaimed, momentarily taken aback.
’What happened?’ Christopher asked telepathically, turning his attention inward.
’Master... This woman is the Silver Sword.’
Lazarus, Lucas, and Grim revealed simultaneously, their mental pronouncements sending a jolt of shock through Christopher.
’Oh... They revealed it before I could!’ Tiamat grumbled internally, crossing her spectral arms in annoyance.
’Wait... My Mum is the legendary Silver Sword?!’ Christopher was utterly speechless, his mind reeling from the revelation.
"Huh?" He blinked, his attention snapping back to his mother, who was looking at him intently.
"How did you tame a sky-stage beast?" Amara inquired, her voice carrying a weight of profound curiosity.
The entire villa was plunged into an absolute silence, so profound that the faintest pin drop would have been deafening.
’Sky-stage beast?! Is she implying that even a divine-stage beast couldn’t have stopped that attack?’ Christopher thought in horror, his understanding of power dynamics in this house was rapidly redefined.
’Indeed. That punch might have seemed ordinary, but coming from a lower supreme-level tamer, it carries devastating force,’ Tiamat confirmed, her tone serious.
’A lower supreme level?! Just how strong is my mother?!?’ Christopher exclaimed inwardly, his respect for Amara reaching new heights.
While Christopher was still reeling from the cascade of revelations, Amara walked towards him and enveloped him in a warm, motherly embrace.
"I am so incredibly proud of you! I don’t know how you acquired all these extraordinary powers, but to be able to tame such formidable beasts... I am utterly impressed," she said, her voice filled with genuine affection. She released him from the hug and gazed lovingly at her eldest son.
"You can be completely honest with us now, Christopher. You might be able to conceal your abilities from the outside world, but not from your family... Don’t you trust us implicitly?"
Christopher blinked, feeling utterly disoriented by the rapid turn of events.
’It seems your attempts at concealment are futile against her... She might have been aware of your true strength all along, but remained silent, waiting for you to summon these creatures before her,’ Tiamat analyzed, a hint of admiration in her mental voice.
’This Mum of mine is both incredibly loving and terrifyingly powerful,’ Christopher mused, a soft sigh escaping his lips.
"What power are you two talking about?" Ethan asked, his confusion still lingering despite the dramatic display.
Even Adonis, Katherine, and Leyla had rushed downstairs, their faces etched with a mixture of astonishment and curiosity, some workers stood at different corners of the sitting room, watching the show.
"I am not a legendary-level tamer, Dad," Christopher admitted, settling back onto the couch. "I am a mid-supreme level tamer."
The entire family was dumbfounded once more, their previous shock paling in comparison to this latest revelation.
"A... A mid-supreme?! Are you the one who caused that... that surge of power some days ago?" Katherine stammered, her eyes wide.
"---Yes... I was the one who underwent that breakthrough," Christopher confirmed, his gaze steady.
"But... That was only a few days ago! When did you reach the mid-supreme level?" Ethan interjected, his mind struggling to process the information.
"Forget all that, old man... All that truly matters is..." Amara turned to the Beasts, her expression softening with relief:
"My son commands the loyalty of such powerful beasts. My heart can finally find some peace." She turned back to Christopher, a playful glint in her eyes.
"But that doesn’t mean I’ll stop checking up on you," she added, settling down beside him on the couch.
Christopher smiled, a genuine warmth spreading through him. He nodded slowly.
"So... You are now the head of C+, and the most powerful tamer in Cordelia?" Ethan asked, still trying to grasp the full implications of Christopher’s newfound status.
"My power is merely a fraction, Father... I need to become stronger," Christopher replied, his gaze hardening with determination.
"Why is that?" Ethan inquired, sensing a deeper reason behind his son’s words.
’I can’t reveal the future to them yet...’ Christopher thought, a shadow passing over his face:
"When I assumed control of C+, I made enemies... Among them is the Golden Organization... They were the ones responsible for the attack on the bridge, the car chase."
Ethan’s brow furrowed in anger: "The Golden Organization! Those bastards! I will handle---"
"---No, Father..." Christopher interrupted, his voice firm. "This Golden Organization is different from the one everyone knows about. They have become far more powerful... Their ability to send those five men into our home signifies their deep infiltration within Cordelia." His gaze turned cold and resolute. "Leave them to me."
The family exchanged concerned glances, while Adonis, Katherine, and Leyla clenched their fists, a shared determination igniting within them.
’I must become stronger!’ the three siblings vowed silently.
Ethan nodded at his son’s words and turned to the destruction caused by Amara’s attack:
"Please call someone to take care of this." He said to Ricky, who had also rushed inside with the bodyguards.
John carefully placed the encrypted communication device back into the secure safe in his office, the heavy door clicking shut.
He turned to the window, his gaze lost in the vast expanse of the night sky.
"Christopher must have been the one who saved the Boss... That explains his sudden surge in power, his ability to confront Master Alex so confidently at the auction," he murmured to himself, a mixture of awe and apprehension in his voice.
John sighed heavily and sank into his office chair.
"I must dedicate myself fully to this plaza project... My family’s future hinges on its success," he resolved, his eyes fixed on the distant stars.