The Sovereigns

Those crimson eyes of Solomon were so overwhelmingly cold that he felt like he was drowning in the deepest depths of the ocean.

'...Don't back off now.'

Azriel clenched his fists underneath the table.

"Why are you really still here? I doubt someone like you would care about praise or rewards. You have also confirmed how talented I really am."

Unlike Ragnar, who was close to Joaquin, Solomon wasn't really close to anyone in particular.

Nor was he someone to care about getting something in return for saving his life.

"Heh, something tells me you already know the answer to your own question."

Solomon was right.

Azriel knew the answer already, but hearing him say this also confirmed in a way that he was 100% right.

"...You want to fight me, don't you?"

Solomon leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.

"Correct. Ah... I really want to fight someone strong. Someone who won't run away after fighting me once and be afraid. Only that bastard Sylius would have fought me, but he disappeared a year ago when he entered the void realm, never to be heard from again, tch."

Anyone else but Azriel hearing Solomon's words would have paled from horror.

After all, Sylius Gale is...

The strongest.

Known as the strongest Grade 1 saint in the entire world and from the North American continent, who apparently was the only one who dared to spar with Solomon.

But now Solomon was telling him that the strongest had been missing for an entire year and it was being kept hidden from the public.

Opening his eyes again, which weren't cold anymore, he was amused seeing how unfazed Azriel was.

"Ha! You seem much more knowledgeable after living in the void realm."

Azriel smiled softly, hearing his words.

"You would be surprised how much I have learned living in another world."

He wasn't fazed since he already knew this.

Besides, most would presume him to be dead after missing for an entire year, but Azriel knew better.

'He will show up soon...'

After the academy festival, to be precise...

Azriel and Sylius himself knew that he wasn't the strongest in the slightest.

'There is always a bigger fish in the sea.'

So Sylius was probably even now fighting horrifying abominations to become stronger.

"You should become a void archaeologist."

Azriel shrugged his shoulders.

"So now that Sylius is gone, you want me to become strong enough and become your sparring partner?"

"Ding ding! 1000 points for being correct!"

Azriel nodded, hearing his interesting choice of words.

"Why me? Even if the other saints don't want to fight you, can't you go to the void realm and fight some titans or leviathans?"

Solomon shook his head, hearing Azriel's words.

"No matter how talented or strong I am, fighting those nightmares all on my own is simply suicide."

'That is true...'

"If there is someone who dares to fight me, then that means that person could also fight with me against those horrors."

'Ah.'

Azriel finally fully understood what Solomon really wanted.

Not someone to just have as a sparring partner but also a partner who he could fight with.

'So he wants me to become strong enough to become his partner, huh? I see...'

'This could work in my favor, Or he might tell them and possibly get me killed or worse...'

There was only one way to find out.

Nodding to himself, his gaze locked onto Solomon, who was smiling at him.

"Right, since if it was just fighting someone, you could have easily challenged... them."

The moment those words left his lips, Solomon's smile died instantly, replaced with a cold expression, making every hair on Azriel stand on end and his skin crawl.

"Them?"

This was the first time he had heard him speak so coldly towards him, but...

'Got him.'

Azriel wasn't sure if Solomon really knew about them, but now he did.

'Now where does he really stand?'

"The sovereigns."

Solomon's eyes widened.

"Azriel, you... did your father tell you about them?"

"He did."

He didn't, but that wasn't something Solomon needed to know.

What he needed to know was that Azriel knew about the Sovereigns.

Mainly the four sovereigns that rule the four great clans in Asia.

Each great clan having one sovereign.

Elizabeth Crimson being the sovereign of the Crimson clan and also Azriel's grandmother.

Catherina Frost being the sovereign of the Frost clan and also Ragnar's aunt.

Solarin Nebula being the sovereign of the Nebula clan.

Valerion Dusk being the sovereign of the Dusk clan.

Not just the four great clans in Asia but also in South America and North America.

In both continents, there is a single sovereign.

Making a total of six sovereigns alive on Earth.

'On Earth... but not in the void realm.'

There is also a seventh sovereign, which he doubted Solomon even knew of.

Vaelith.

A sovereign that is working independently in the void realm for reasons that even Azriel didn't know.

What he did know was that not just he but also the protagonist of the story knows about Vaelith.

Or better said, will know about him and the existence of sovereigns.

A certain quest where the system teleports him to the void realm becomes almost his own death as the protagonist unexpectedly gets attacked by a Grade 2 Abyssal until Vaelith saves him.

After the protagonist was sent back to Earth and realized the truth about sovereigns, he realized just how weak and small he really was in both worlds even with the system.

'A whole character development arc. How nice...'

The seventh sovereign was basically only known by the other six sovereigns and Azriel currently.

And the six sovereigns themselves are only known by a few selected saints affiliated with the great clans or the heads of the great clans themselves.

How Solomon and Sylius knew about the sovereigns though was a special case.

Sylius was, instead of independent, more like a puppet the six sovereigns used for their own goals.

That being the reason why he is in the void realm becoming stronger and not wanting to be a puppet anymore.

As for Solomon...

They probably wanted to be in control of him since he is still young and the most talented saint.

It would be only a matter of time before he becomes a sovereign, and so the other sovereigns want to get him on their own side and have a leash on him.

"Ugh, I hate those fucking ancient bastards!"

Solomon's expression wasn't cold anymore; instead, it turned to annoyance as he spoke.

"You know your own grandmother is a fucking witch! She tried to seduce me so I would affiliate with the Crimson clan!"

Azriel froze.

He knew that the sovereigns were known to be a little... extreme.

But...

'Seriously? What the fuck?'

The age difference was too big!

He hadn't expected that from his grandmother at all.

If he recalled his memories correctly, he knew that she always acted kind and spoiled him and Jasmine tons when she visited.

'I think I won't be able to see her the same way ever again...'

"Does she actually think that would work on me? Just what the hell does that witch take me for!? Oh, and don't get me started on the Frost bitch!"

'He doesn't seem to be interested in joining any of the great clans.'

In fact, Solomon seemed to be holding a grudge against the sovereigns.

'Good... all I have to do now is convince him so that...'

Asia won't fall.