Amara's golden eyes stayed on Lucian for a brief moment longer, her gaze calm yet piercing, as though she were reading something far deeper than what lay on the surface. Then, without a word, she began walking toward him, her steps unhurried, her expression relaxed, a gentle smile resting on her lips. There was no hostility in her posture, no trace of pressure, yet the invisible weight of her presence alone caused the surrounding space to feel subtly heavier.

"Such a handsome young man," she said softly, her voice warm and smooth, "what is your name?" She asked calmly, her tone carrying neither accusation nor threat, only mild curiosity.

"I'm Lucian. Lucian Darkheart," Lucian replied, meeting Amara's eyes head-on. Despite the calmness he tried to maintain, he could feel his heart beating slightly faster as he stared into those golden irises.

"I will let you off with a warning this time, Lucian," Amara spoke gently, lifting her hand and patting his shoulder in a casual, almost affectionate manner. "Don't try disrespecting your elders next time."

"My apologies," Lucian said quickly, embarrassment creeping into his expression as he lowered his head slightly.

"I'm looking forward to your battle. You also seem to possess some interesting abilities," Amara continued, her golden eyes shimmering faintly as she stared at him a little longer. The next moment, Riven and Vespera appeared at Lucian's sides, their movements swift and protective, their eyes fixed on Amara with stern expressions, as though silently warning her not to cross a line.

Amara merely shook her head, amused, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. She turned around and walked away, completely unbothered by their reaction. From the very beginning, she had never intended to hurt Lucian or do anything harmful to him. Why would she want to harm her daughter's friend? She had only approached him to offer a warning, nothing more, especially after catching him spying. That alone had prompted her interest, not malice.

Klaus didn't speak. He simply stared at Lucian for a brief moment, his gaze unreadable, before turning his eyes away and smiling faintly at Vega.

Lucian let out a slow sigh, unable to stop himself from wondering how Amara had noticed his spying so easily. In truth, it shouldn't have surprised him. It was impossible for Amara not to notice. After all, she was a woman who had once caught Anthony attempting to dig information on her using the Authority of Information itself. If she could notice Anthony, then Lucian stood no chance of escaping her perception.

'Sigh… for a moment, I really thought I was going to die,' Lucian thought to himself, inwardly slumping in relief.

[I also thought we wouldn't get to see the ending of the story, Host]

The system's mechanical voice echoed within his mind.

'I thought so too,' Lucian replied mentally, a defeated smile forming on his face. He didn't need anyone to explain it to him. The moment Amara's eyes had landed on him, he had known. She had seen through the numerous abilities he had copied over the years. Still, he was certain she hadn't detected his Absolute Copy ability. The system always ensured that remained concealed.

"I'm fine, Dad. Mom," Lucian said aloud as he turned toward his father, Riven, and his mother, Vespera.

They didn't reply immediately. After a brief pause, they simply nodded. Though they could clearly tell that Klaus and Amara existed on a completely different plane of power compared to everyone else present, that fact alone wouldn't make them stand by if someone truly attempted to bully their son.

'I really hope I don't get killed in my sleep by Klaus,' Lucian mused silently. He hadn't missed the moment when Klaus had stared at him earlier, their eyes briefly meeting before breaking contact.

"So," Klaus suddenly spoke, his attention shifting, "why aren't you participating?" His gaze settled on his daughter. "You're still young. This is the time to challenge your friends, to battle each other and grow together."

"Dad, I don't want to," Vega replied with a sigh, shaking her head lightly.

Klaus paused, then asked, "Are you afraid you'll lose?"

His question caught Vega off guard for a moment. She stared at him before shaking her head again. "I'm not. If you're so concerned, why don't you fight them yourself?"

Klaus fell silent once more, then sighed, clearly unable to understand his daughter's reasoning. If he were in her position, he would have fought without hesitation. In his youth, he had been filled with nothing but vigor and an overwhelming desire to test himself against others.

"Leave her alone," Amara said from the side, her voice gentle yet firm. "If she doesn't want to participate, don't force her. I'm sure she's already had her fun battling the Angel."

"Dad, you know it isn't too late to have a son you can train into a battle maniac," Vega said with a smirk, her confidence returning now that her mother had intervened.

Klaus smiled faintly. "I love that idea," he replied, falling briefly into thought as if genuinely considering it.

"Now you have a solu—" Vega began, but Klaus cut her off without hesitation.

"Why don't you give me a grandson I can train?" he asked casually, a smile spreading across his face as he looked at her.

Vega nearly choked at his words. She had asked for a brother, yet now her father was talking about a grandson. Amara said nothing, simply smiling quietly. Though she remained silent, deep down, she wouldn't have minded having a grandson either.

"Mom, aren't you going to say anything?" Vega immediately turned toward Amara, but her mother had already anticipated this outcome and shifted her attention elsewhere.

"It's been a while, Anthony," Amara greeted smoothly, redirecting the conversation as she addressed him.

"Whatever," Vega muttered. "I'm not even married yet. Aren't you people skipping a few steps here?"

"Well… you can give me the baby first," Klaus replied calmly. "If Anthony doesn't marry you, I'll just break his legs."

Vega sighed deeply and chose not to respond. She had long learned that the more she argued with her father, the more she lost. Klaus, seeing that she had fallen silent, simply smiled and shook his head before turning toward the other parents.

"My daughter said something that gave me an idea," he began. "How about after the battle between these young stars, we old stars have a battle of our own?" A grin spread across his face as he made the suggestion.

The hallway fell silent the moment his words settled. Everyone stared at Klaus, stunned. They had only just survived a battle against an invading Galaxy, and many of them hadn't even fully recovered yet. And yet, this man was proposing another battle so casually.

No one spoke, but Michael reacted. The Sword Intent flowing subtly through his body flared, growing sharper and more intense as he stared at Klaus with a wide smile. He didn't need to say a word. His presence alone was his acceptance.

He had taken another step forward on his path. His power had grown after his confrontation with the Sword Origin, and now, there was no better opponent to test his current limits against than Klaus.

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