In a shadowy flash, several spectral figures emerged from Gistella's shadows.
Unaware of what was happening, Gistella stood frozen dumbfoundedly before snapping out of her daze with sudden clarity. She realized that the spectral figures—were aiming to strike the others—each wielding a black blade aimed at delivering a lethal blow to the others who were weakened and battered.
Despite the sudden ambush, she realized that it must've been the Executor's doing.
Somehow, he instilled a countermeasure in her in case he lost.
As she was the closest with Adhara and Evelyn, Gistella was able to secure their safety.
Realizing the chaos energy level in the air at first—Kyran was able to swiftly react and block the ambush from the spectral figure. On the other hand, Sebrof, Giana—and the other ninth-rank realm Awakened were able to help Flunra, Calidora, the Witch, Edward, and Ryze.
Being on the battlefield still, most of them were fortunately remain vigilant.
Moreover, the ninth-rank realm Awakened was not exhausted—all are still full of power.
Due to that, their senses remained the sharpest.
However—they all failed to consider one important thing because of the situation.
Even though they were vigilant enough to aid the others when the spectral figures came to— ambush them, the ninth-rank realm Awakened failed to take into account, that Rex was not in a state where he could react properly to such an ambush.
Coming out of the fiercest battle of the era, he was evidently exhausted to the brim.
Stands of chaos energy that were inflicted on him were still circulating inside his systems—it impaired his body's ability to regenerate by itself. Rex was drained from all of his energies, so there was nothing he could do to dispel the chaos energy within him right now.
Letting it gradually be expelled from his systems naturally was the only thing he could do.
As the System stated before, he needs to let his body rest.
Not to mention, the white beam's suppression from earlier also impaired his mutated cells.
Due to those reasons, he was severely exhausted.
Had he not been in public right now—Rex would've slumped to the ground already.
As the others were saved from the ambush, their focus was pulled toward Rex's direction.
It was only then that time seemed to dilate slowly.
"REX—LOOK OUT!!"
Suddenly, the Executor sprang to life again and dashed at Rex with incredible speed.
His claws greedily absorbed the chaos energy lingering in the air that was produced by the banishment of the chaos monsters earlier, making them gleam with a sharp—purple light. It was clear that his enhanced claws promised to effortlessly shred through Rex's defenses.
Adhara and Evelyn, who were a straight line away from Rex had their eyes widened in horror.
Both could see the unpreparedness depicted vividly on their man's face.
Even then, despite his mind still stunned, his body moved on its own as he leaned back.
It provided him with a small gap to roar out a name, "Calidora!!"
Swoosh!
As the Executor's razor-sharp claws neared Rex's vulnerable form, set to inflict a lethal blow, a sudden shockwave erupted—distorting the space around them. Time seemed to slow to a crawl as the scene unfolded before the surprised gaze of the onlookers.
Reacting swiftly as her focus was already on Rex from the start, Calidora made her move.
In a swift and calculated move, her presence blurred as she intercepted the impending strike.
Grabbing ahold of the Blood Devourer, thrown by Rex, her eyes flickered.
Showcasing no hesitation in her movements, Calidora channeled her cursed energy, and with a precise movement, she incapacitated Rex. Her blade sliced through the air with deadly and unwavering accuracy.
Faster than the Executor, her attack reached Rex first.
Despite expecting the battle to be over, the sudden moment hung suspended in time.
Rex's fate balanced on a knife's edge, as the shocked onlookers looked on in disbelief. And in the next moment, with a resounding finality—the Blood Devourer pierced through the flesh—Rex's head was thrown away from his shoulders.
A strong Werewolf is capable of easily surviving even the most severe of injuries imaginable.
However, decapitation was not a part of the list any Werewolf could endure.
Even though he didn't know what she was thinking, he knew that she would be in trouble.
Reckless is an understatement of what Calidora did.
Maybe the death of the Royal Black Prince would be too much, but she couldn't be selfish.
Her decision now didn't affect only herself, but also another soul.
Solomon knew that Calidora was impulsive, yet no matter what, he would not let her get hurt.
He would not let his daughter get hurt under his watch.
"Gaargghh!"
An arc of fresh blood curved in the air as Solomon coughed a mouthful of blood.
He looked down and saw the Executor's claws pierced his abdomen, grasping his spine.
Blood gushed out, splattering to Calidora behind him.
As Solomon stepped into the fray—the Executor's peculiar light purple eyes shimmered with amusement, a mocking smile dancing across his lips. "Ah—what a picturesque sacrifice, you have made, though utterly futile, I must say. But do carry on, I enjoy a good show off quite a meaningless bravado like yours,"
"It would be dreadfully dull if I were to acquire all I want so effortlessly" He added.
Snapping out of her daze, Calidora's voice trembles, "F-Father,"
"Get back! NOW!" He glared at Calidora and shouted with a commanding tone.
But the shout only made Calidora rooted on her spot as she gazed at her father, "Why...?"
Upon hearing this, Solomon's expression force once, softened, a rare smile gracing his weak features. Despite the strained bond between them—he was still her father. "No matter what you do, you'll always be my baby girl. I may have been too hard on you, but know this, I never stopped caring"
Calidora felt her windpipe constricted when she heard that, no voice came out of her lips.
However, Nezera quickly pulled Calidora away from the Executor.
Following that—in a swift and unified motion—Flunra, Kyran, and Ryze attacked the Executor from all sides. Each one of them bore weight to their strike—fueled with anger at the sight of Rex's corpse.
But even then, the Executor didn't seem to be bothered.
None of their attacks were able to do anything to him, it didn't seem to be damaging him.
Of course, this was largely because they were all exhausted.
"You're not the Fifthborn, aren't you?!" Flunra roared, glaring at the Executor in suspicion.
In response, the Executor only smiled eerily.
Just from the way the Executor talked—and the sudden change of demeanor, Flunra became skeptical that it was not the same person—signaling a possible possession, of the Executor's body by a malicious entity.
And the perpetrator seemed unmistakably clear to him as there was not much to suspect.
Someone who could do this is obviously a stronger force.
"I do like a sharp one like you, save me the trouble of explaining things," the Executor replied, his eyes then gleamed once again, probing Flunra's being. "Ah~ So you do have an aspect of luck inside you, no wonder you could survive this long"
One glance is all it takes for the Executor to see through Flunra's identity.
Quite a chilling power if pondered.
Even though his confidence was soaring, his smile faltered, wiped from his face when a voice seeped into his ears, "The Fifthborn told me earlier that his brothers would seek retribution—to save face I assume, but I don't think one of them would strike so soon..."
Pausing for a moment, the Executor looked over his shoulder with a surprised gaze.
He was then, greeted by a surprising sight.
"So which one are you? Firstborn? Second? Third? Or Fourth?" the voice echoed again.
Surprising everyone, not only the Executor—Rex's headless corpse stood once again, as his head slowly levitated back to its original spot eerily. He was decapitated cleanly but through a method unknown, he somehow defied death and returned to life.
"Judging from your antiquated bravado," he continued lightly. As his decapitated head, made its way back to his body, reattaching seamlessly the corner of Rex's lips curled into a savage smile—locking eyes with the Executor. "I'm guessing you're the Fourth, am I right?"
Upon hearing this, the Executor's eyes flashed with utter shock, "How are you still alive?"
"Why don't you ask your dead brother? He may know the answer," Rex mocked in return.