My Soul card is a Reaper

*Graaa*

Orion roared a monstrous sound that appeared divine and demonic at once. He struck the ground and launched forward, his movements turning wild and erratic. The ground cracked beneath him as he charged ahead.

Zion was caught off guard for a moment. He raised his hands upward in reflex, but was sent flying with a crushing uppercut.

Blood trickled from Zion's mouth as he crashed to the ground.

"Haha, how's that? This is not soul energy, by the way. This is just divine energy manipulation. Dad didn't put any restrictions on using attribute energies…"

Zion stood up, wiping it clean with the back of his hand in seriousness.

"Alright. Since you love to show off your divinity, I can only crush it with mine."

Zion's body glowed with radiant blue lightning. His eyes turned stormy silver. An armored giant enveloped his body, burning with thick sparks of lightning. "Titan Mode."

Seeing that, Orion roared. "Argh… More power… Bring me more power…" He pushed out his divine energy from his cells, expanding his Baphomet form to meet Zion's Titan Mode.

"Wait…" Avia then muttered in shock as her eyes widened. "That… that's Lord Azrael's Titan mode! How did this boy have it?"

Another clan lord whispered, "Could he be…? The Lord and Princess Leah were close after all…"

"How could that be possible?"

"It must be a coincidence."

"Lightning, Titan mode, supreme talent… the clues are everywhere…"

"Look at that… It's the Thunderbolt in his hands."

"Even Young Master Orion has the same thunderbolt. The aura of both those thunderbolts also appears to be the same."

"Yeah, it only makes sense if Zion is Monarch's son."

"Then, why keep it a secret, though?"

"Who knows… Perhaps, it is because the Monarch has left for 17 years and found a new wife?"

"Oh, C'mon. That's hardly a reason. He is the monarch of the Death Clan. No one would even dare to object to him even if he marries ten wives, much less two."

"Illegitimate relationship?"

In the stands, Fiona overheard murmurings of the clan lords and elders. As a Nine-star Arcana Master, her sense of hearing is naturally superior. She blinked a few times in confusion.

Selene gasped, tugging Fiona's shirt. "Hey, are you hearing the same things that I am hearing?"

Fiona swatted her arm. "Shut up. This is all because of you."

"What did I do? You were the one who barged into our conversation and made a mess…" Selene hit back at her.

Meanwhile, in the arena, two giant, divine energy-armed beings moved against each other. Both of their thunderbolts were ready to clash.

It was at this moment that Azzy finally moved, stepping forward. His voice boomed as he appeared in between them, once again.

"Enough."

The entire arena froze.

Zion stopped moving right away and dismissed his titan form. Once he did, he started panting heavily, feeling the heavy toll on his body.

However, Orion didn't abide. Instead, he snarled, struggling against the monstrous instincts of Baphomet's form. Looking at that, Azzy appeared behind him in an instant and gave a palm strike.

His Baphomet's form crumbled in an instant, and Orion collapsed to the ground.

The battlefield had fallen into stunned silence.

Orion lay unconscious, his divine form forcefully deactivated by Azzy's precise strike. Zion, now back to his usual form, stood in silence, catching his breath.

Azzy stood at the center of the training ground. His golden eyes swept across the crowd, warriors, elders, nobles, and younger clan members, all gathered in awe, uncertainty, and anticipation.

He exhaled deeply.

"I've been gone for seventeen years," he said, his voice calm yet commanding. "In that time, it looks like the world has changed. This clan has changed. The dynamics we once knew have shifted. A new generation has risen, bold, gifted, and full of potential."

He glanced briefly toward Orion's unconscious form, then at Zion, Selene, Fiona, and many other young faces.

"I suddenly feel like getting to know the young blood's potential. I want to see the strength, the discipline, the spirit… not just of this clan, but of the world's new blood."

He raised his hand. "So today, I make this declaration. In three months, we will host a Tournament of Power in Graena City."

Gasps echoed from the crowd at his announcement.

Azzy continued. "Anyone 18 years old or younger is welcome to participate."

"Clans, academies, and organizations across the world will all receive a formal invitation later on. This will be more than a test of strength. It will be a stage to reveal who truly represents the next era."

The training grounds erupted into mixed reactions, cheers from younger fighters, murmurs from elders, concern from a few leaders, but excitement was undeniable.

After a while;

Fiona stood with her arms crossed, her usually sharp eyes clouded with confusion and disbelief as she confronted Azzy in his private study. There were only two of them.

"What is it, Fiona? Do you have something to say to me?" Azzy asked, flipping the pages filled with details of the clan budget.

"You could have told me," she said, voice trembling beneath a layer of forced calm. "Is it true? Zion… he's your son?"

Azzy didn't flinch. "Yes," he said simply, his gaze steady. "Biologically, he is."

Fiona took a shaky breath and stepped back. "So that makes him… my nephew."

Azzy nodded once.

"But why didn't you introduce him as your son, then?" As Fiona questioned him, Azzy replied. "It's because Zion is my son, but not family. His roots and his destiny belonged to Camelot."

Fiona looked away, biting her lip. "Does he know?"

Azzy hesitated… then nodded. "Yeah. He knew since childhood."

Fiona's eyes dimmed further. "Of course he does," she said bitterly. "We have fought with each other for years, and he didn't even care to tell me once."

Without another word, as she turned and stormed out of the study, looking a bit frustrated, Azzy blinked in wonder, watching her back. "What has gotten into that lady?"

As she stepped into one of the palace corridors, Fiona nearly collided with Izora and Orion. She halted and gave a stiff nod. "Greetings, Lady Izora. Orion.

Izora merely glanced at her with an impassive face and walked past without a word.

Fiona's chest tightened at the silent dismissal. "Whatever…" She continued to rush away.

"Wait!" Orion called after her, jogging up beside her. "Hey, hey, can we talk?"

Fiona arched an eyebrow, more out of habit than curiosity. "What is it?"