Noah Da Silver

Noah crouched low, his gaze fixed and intense as he blended seamlessly with the shadows around him. Beside him, Ian and Isabelle hid, their eyes sharply scanning the military base sprawled before them. It wasn't just any camp; this one housed the Lieutenant General of their former unit—the very man who had ordered their deaths, betraying them and branding them as targets for elimination.

Noah had never been one to let grudges go. He could brush off minor deceptions like the time his sister tricked him into joining a brutal training camp. In fact, he felt grateful in hindsight; without that push, he would've remained weak, defenseless against the chaos that Earth had devolved into. That betrayal, he didn't need to avenge personally. Dissolving all ties with his family had been enough to condemn them to endless trouble. Without raising a finger, he'd watched the Da Silver family crumble, their name tarnished, simply because a Rank 6 Martial artist, feared and hostile, no longer stood by them.

But tonight's vendetta was different. This task had to be done in person. No opportunistic wolves would dare meddle with a Lieutenant General to seek justice on behalf of a cast-off soldier.

"Now."

At Noah's command, they moved. He leapt down, his impetus surging as he controlled his descent, using the wall's surface to create friction and slow his fall. His hard-boned physique could withstand impacts from high altitudes, but stealth was paramount. They couldn't risk alerting the camp too soon.

Landing silently, the trio immediately melted back into the shadows, weaving through the camp undetected. Their destination was the villa-like structure across from them, the one undoubtedly housing their target.

Once in position, Noah executed his Embodiment. He knew that killing a high-ranking officer would activate military safeguards and tracking systems. Stealth would end the instant they struck, and the entire camp would be alerted, transforming it into a chaotic battleground. Ian and Isabelle followed, their figures morphing as they too embodied the very essence of their Martial Arts.

The three took synchronized, deep breaths before charging forward, shattering the villa's window as they burst in.

Then, in a split second, Isabelle moved with an inexplicable speed, retreating from their formation. Noah's instincts kicked in; he quickly circulated his Impetus, deploying his Dragon Guard skill. An ethereal, azure dragon coiled around him and Ian, serving as a shield against the explosion that detonated beneath them.

The hastily summoned dragon only delayed the blast's impact, shattering almost instantly, but it managed to reduce the bomb's force. A red Qilin appeared in front of Ian, further absorbing the shockwave. Still, remnants of the explosion tore through, forcing Noah and Ian to absorb the rest of the impact with their bodies. They were injured, but not critically.

Noah's mind was aflame with pain—not so much physical as emotional. A sickening realization crept over him: Isabelle had betrayed them. The woman he'd loved, the one he had protected through countless trials in their brutal training, the person he had trusted with his life—she had turned on them, luring them into a lethal trap. That fact cut deeper than any blade.

He could piece together the motives. She'd likely done it to protect her family, probably threatened into compliance by the Lieutenant General. But that explanation didn't soften the betrayal. Ian, too, had a family, a family that would surely face even harsher repercussions due to their lower social status, yet he'd chosen to stay by Noah's side, sacrificing his kin's safety for loyalty.

But Isabelle had chosen a different path. She hadn't just left; she had become a part of the very trap set to destroy them. She had actively played into their enemy's hand.

Noah's sorrow morphed into rage. With a roar that shook the walls, his body expanded, his frame swelling to an imposing four meters in height. His burnt skin sloughed off, revealing fresh, unblemished flesh beneath. With a powerful punch, he summoned a massive azure fist, pushing the ambushers back in a storm of raw force.

Despite his towering height, his movements were lightning-fast, catching the ambushers off guard as they struggled to dodge. Those who failed were instantly reduced to mangled remains. With every footfall, the ground trembled as a flood of dragons appeared, converging on the remaining enemies, tearing them apart.

Noah and Ian fought with relentless fury, their bodies strengthened by the Limit Breaker technique, pushing them to the brink of their life forces. They knew they wouldn't leave the camp alive. The military likely had more powerful missiles primed for deployment, and this was a battle of attrition they wouldn't win. They fought not for survival but for vengeance, turning every ounce of their power on those who dared oppose them. Claws, fists, and dragons carved a path of destruction, leaving only blood and gore in their wake.

From above, Isabelle swooped down, her face partially obscured, yet her sadness and regret were unmistakable.

Noah's eyes glazed with fury as he lunged forward, summoning massive azure claws. Isabelle met his attack with her own, conjuring the talons of a Phoenix. But her strength was no match for Noah's, who had sacrificed all restraint. His claws shredded her side, drawing a cry of pain that made him hesitate—but then, the anguished roar of a Qilin snapped him back.

With his friend's cry still ringing in his ears, he coated his blade in azure Impetus and lunged, delivering his Fatal Strike. Isabelle panicked, conjuring a storm of crimson feathers in defense, but Noah's blade cut through them, piercing her heart.

Her face softened as she stared at him, tears falling from her bright, silver eyes. Her lips curled in a serene, almost apologetic smile as her life ebbed away.

Noah trembled, but he turned, walking away as his heart weighed heavy with pain. The sound of Isabelle's heartbeat, growing fainter, echoed in his ears, haunting him with every step.

"It was… a hell of… a ride, Noah." Ian's voice broke the silence. He was slumped against the wall, blood pooling around him, his breathing labored as he struggled to stay conscious.

Noah knelt beside him, his own vision blurring with tears. "It… It was… Thank… you… Ian."

As Noah's vision faded, he watched Ian's gaze dim, his friend's face streaked with tears and blood.

That was the day Noah's heart shattered. It was the day betrayal cut him deeper than any sword. The day he had to kill the only person he'd ever truly loved. It was the day he, a legendary Rank 8 warrior, became both the executioner and the executed, and it was the day he died alongside his best friend—the man who had remained loyal through even the darkest trials.

That was the day Noah Da Silver experienced true heartbreak.