A tall man with grey hair entered the portal.

He wore the violet robes of a Bolt and regarded Shang with a resolute and hostile gaze.

This man was Jerald's son, named after the Dean of the Warrior Academy, George.

Shang had encountered George only twice before.

The first meeting occurred when Shang emerged from seclusion to converse with Jerald, and the second took place during the grand warriors' tournament.

During their initial encounter, George had not been Shang's adversary. The second meeting transpired after Shang had already killed Jerald.

A Peak Mage Lord.

It seemed almost unbelievable that the young man Shang had previously encountered had already attained such a high level of power.

Yet, it made logical sense.

Perhaps he had reached the Ancestral Mage Realm at around 500 years of age, and if he had only focused on comprehending two level four Concepts, he would have become a Mage Lord by approximately 2,500 or 3,000 years of age.

As long as he prioritized advancing his level over the Concepts and dedicated himself entirely to this goal, he could undoubtedly reach the Peak Mage Lord Realm within a thousand years or so.

However, he was likely an average Mage Lord.

Nevertheless, even an average Mage Lord possessed a twofold Spirit Sense, granting them talent on par with powerful Ancestral Mages.

After George stepped through the portal, it promptly sealed behind him.

For a few moments, he locked eyes with Shang, his gaze narrowed.

"Do you still remember me?" he asked, his voice filled with darkness.

"George," Shang acknowledged. "Jerald's son."

George's aura grew stronger as his anger intensified. He remained uncertain whether he desired Shang to recognize him or not.

"Do you have any idea how much I have suffered just to obtain this opportunity?" George's voice trembled as he spoke.

Shang remained silent.

"I enlisted in the war, battled nearly every day, fought against numerous Mages and beasts, and even resorted to unspeakable acts to gather enough Mana Crystals for my comprehension!" I spent a fortune altering my mind, eradicating fatigue, stress, and happiness!

"I labored tirelessly for so long!"

"I even forfeited my reward from the Trial of Want just to have a chance to kill you!"

"I entered the Trial of Want over 200 years ago, hoping that you would eventually participate, and the only thing I sought from that trial was this opportunity!"

"I sacrificed so much!"

"All for you," he uttered with a sinister voice.

Silence.

"Was it worth it?" Shang asked calmly.

SHING!

A potent Focus materialized beside George. "Yes," he responded slowly, "because now I will finally get my answer."

"Why?"

"Why did you murder my father?!" George shouted, releasing his pent-up emotions.

"What had he ever done to you?!"

"Weren't you two friends?!"

Silence.

"I thought so too," Shang admitted. "When we first spoke, I had no intention of killing Jerald."

George clenched his teeth. "Then why?!" Shang took a deep breath.

He had believed he had eradicated all his emotions, but standing before Jerald's son, finding the right words proved challenging.

"Agon Skythunder revealed my secret to Jerald," Shang revealed.

Silence.

"When I encountered Jerald, he informed me of his knowledge regarding my secret and he had wanted to end my life."

"LIAR!" George shouted. "I know my father! I know he would never kill his closest friend over a secret."

"I am the Child of Calamity."

Silence.

Slowly, George's eyes widened in shock.

The Child of Calamity.

"The stronger I grow, the more powerful the Abominations become," Shang explained.

"By killing me, Jerald could save billions of lives."

"Jerald may not have been the most selfless person, but he did not desire to witness the world's demise," Shang said.

"Billions of innocent lives or the life of his closest friend," Shang continued. "That was the dilemma he faced, and when I visited him, he made his choice. Jerald's actions meant I could not let him live, especially since he knew my deepest secret."

Silence.

"But why?" George asked. "Why didn't he inform the Lightning Manor? You would have been apprehended!"

"He wanted one last conversation with me," Shang revealed. "He desired to understand why I was willing to sacrifice so many lives for my own power."

"If he had informed the Lightning Manor, I would have been subdued."

"But Jerald was too sentimental, too agreeable, and too honest."

Shang turned his gaze away.

"He placed himself in the path of the world's greatest enemy!"

"For him, it was a choice between saving the world or saving me."

"For me, it was a choice between his life and mine."

"I chose mine," Shang concluded.

Silence.

George remained silent, staring at the ground while clenching his fists.

Everything now fell into place.

"You are even worse than I imagined," George declared.

"I believed you had some hidden motive for wanting him dead."

"But instead, you killed him because he sought to save the world."

"Your existence will bring the world's end, and yet you persist."

"You didn't even have to die. You could have stopped, found a family, and lived a peaceful life."

"But you continue to seek power, fully aware that the price will be the entire world."

"Yes, it was worth it," George repeated, his voice filled with hatred. "I thought killing you would be a selfish act, but in the end, I will save billions, if not trillions, of lives."

"Thank you for telling me all of this. Now, I can finally end your life with a clear conscience," George coldly stated as his Focus began spinning rapidly.

Shang turned his attention to the ghostly figure of Lucius.

The price Shang had to pay was all too apparent.