The training ground was frozen in horror.
The golden-haired hero leader still had his holy sword buried in Feng's back, twisting it with a cruel laugh. Lina lay nearby, barely conscious, bleeding heavily. Suki and the newborn Shihao's small bodies lay lifeless on the stage.
Then Feng's finger twitched.
A sudden, overwhelming surge of dark power erupted from his body like a black sun exploding.
The hero was blasted backward with terrifying force, slamming into the far stone wall of the training ground. He spat out a mouthful of blood, eyes wide in shock.
Feng slowly stood up.
All his wounds — the deep gash in his stomach, the sword wound in his back — closed instantly, healing perfectly without a trace. His clothes were still torn and bloodied, but his body was whole again.
Everyone watching — the adventurers, the soldiers, the Guild Master — was stunned into complete silence.
The remaining three heroes roared in fury and charged at him together, holy light blazing around their weapons.
Feng took one calm step forward.
He reached into his Storage Bag and pulled out the Cosmic Trident Spear. Purple lightning crackled violently along its black length, the three prongs humming with cosmic power.
With a single, effortless swing, he cut the legs off all three heroes at the same time. Their lower bodies fell away cleanly. The heroes screamed as they collapsed to the ground, holy blood spraying across the stage.
The entire training ground forgot how to speak.
Feng lifted the trident high, then slammed the butt of the shaft into the ground with force.
A massive wave of purple lightning exploded outward in a roaring storm. Every single soldier who had come with the heroes was instantly turned to ash, their bodies disintegrating in the cosmic electricity.
The adventurers and guild staff could only stare, speechless.
Meanwhile, in the distant Octagram hall, the Demon Lords were watching the live projection in utter silence… until Shion suddenly burst out laughing.
"Hahahaha! I win the bet!" she cheered, pumping her fist. "He's still alive! He's fighting back!"
Back on the stage, Feng walked straight to Lina.
The guild healers had managed to stabilize her wounds, though she was still weak. She looked up at him with tears streaming down her face.
Feng knelt beside her, gently cupping her cheek.
"I'm sorry," he whispered, voice thick with guilt. "I couldn't protect our children again… just like I couldn't protect them back at the village."
Lina grabbed his hand tightly, crying harder.
"It's not your fault!" she sobbed. "It's the King… the heroes… and that cruel Goddess! They killed our baby… who couldn't even speak yet… Please… kill them all. Make them pay for what they took from us."
Feng looked at her for a long moment, then slowly stood up and turned back toward the four crippled heroes lying on the ground.
His eyes were no longer calm.
They burned with a cold, terrifying darkness.