The Man’s Decree – Chapter 5758

Rockhold Gorge, once a disciplined garrison hollowed from living stone, now resembled the jaw of some ancient beast, its teeth knocked out and scattered. Fewer than a third of the disciples still breathed, and each of them bled somewhere.

Garrick leaned on a war-blade snapped clean in half. He managed to stay upright, but shame pressed on him harder than the wound in his side.

When he saw Jared walking toward him, the elder's gaze became a storm of emotions, relief at surviving, awe at Jared's power, and, above all, a venomous, self-devouring regret.

He remembered his own arrogance: tossing a few low-grade celestial gems at Jared's feet, ordering him off as though shooing a stray dog.

Each memory slapped him harder than any enemy's blade, welting both flesh and soul.