As the dust began to settle and silence hung in the air, Linggis slowly started to rise.
"CRACK... THUMP."
With a calm yet commanding presence, he stood, dust and small rocks falling from his body. His sharp gaze swept across them all, who were still watching him warily.
Suddenly, Linggis moved like lightning, appearing before them all without warning.
"SWOOSH!"
Seo, Rin, and Han instinctively raised their weapons, but Elyssia lifted her hand, signaling them to stop.
Linggis stood still, his posture firm yet not exuding immediate hostility. He stared at them with piercing eyes that seemed to cut into the depths of their souls, yet his expression remained cold—almost indifferent.
"I never expected this misunderstanding to be resolved by the Goddess." His voice was flat, filled with confidence, but laced with a slight hint of sarcasm. "I don't expect you to forgive me. Not now, not ever. But for what has happened… I apologize for the trouble I caused you."
His words hung in the air for a moment, giving them time to process. Seo looked at him in confusion, Han clenched his teeth, while Elyssia remained silent, watching Linggis with cautious eyes.
"I expect nothing from you," Linggis continued, his voice still cold. "No sympathy, no acceptance, not even forgiveness. What I have done, I have done. I will not change it."
He smirked slightly, more like someone who saw the world before him as insignificant. "I only did what was necessary to survive in a world full of lies and deception."
Rin tried to speak, her voice still trembling from the energy they had just experienced. "If you knew it was just a scheme, then why didn't you—"
Linggis cut her off, his voice firm and commanding. "Because it doesn't matter. Your Goddess has already explained it. This world is full of schemes. I don't need a Goddess or a Demon King to tell me that. But I won't stand still when my life is at stake because of your ignorance and foolishness."
Han stepped forward, raising his sword slightly. "So, you want us to thank you for not destroying us all in the end?"
Linggis simply stared at him coldly, his eyes narrowing. "Thank me? Ha... don't insult me. I don't need your acknowledgment. I just want you to know one thing."
He stepped closer, faint traces of electricity crackling around his body, making the air vibrate. "If you get involved in the next battle, make sure you know who the real enemy is. If not, I won't hesitate to destroy you. Again."
His words carried a chilling threat, but there was no hatred in them—only reality. Linggis turned away, taking a few steps as if everything was already settled. However, before he truly left, he stopped and glanced slightly to the side.
"And one more thing... That Goddess may have saved you this time, but don't expect her to always appear. Not every battle ends in a peace orchestrated by the divine."
With that, Linggis walked away, leaving them standing in silence, wondering who this man truly was. He was like an unpredictable storm—his presence was destructive, yet he left behind lessons that couldn't be ignored.
Seo finally spoke, his voice quiet but filled with emotion. "He... is like a monster. But he's also… more human than we are."
Elyssia only watched where Linggis had gone, her eyes filled with unspoken thoughts. "He is a force we cannot control. And if he's right about what's coming, we have no choice but to face it—with or without him."