Jason fought relentlessly in the airspace above the city, cutting through waves of curselings like a force of nature. He didn't wait for them to come to him—he hunted them down, striking with his full strength from the very start. Exhaustion never factored into his movements; he fought with the unwavering resolve of a crusader on a divine mission, a single-minded determination to eradicate every last one of them.
Then, suddenly, a shift in the air—something far more ominous.
Jason's instincts flared as he sensed the void stirring near his apartment. His head snapped in that direction, his sharp gaze locking onto the disturbance. But then, he caught sight of another presence—his uncle.
For a brief moment, the grip of his fist tightened.
Then, without hesitation, he turned back to his battle, slicing through another curseling without missing a beat.
If his uncle was there, Janice was safe.
No matter their differences, no matter the tension that ran through their family, one thing remained unshakable: they shared their grandfather's blood. They had all been raised with the same core principle—family first.
Everything else—ambitions, grudges, even power—came second.
"Uncle, you can't take her! She's mine!" Janice declared, planting her feet firmly on the ground. She knew exactly what he was waiting for—the moment Lola completed her curse initiation, he'd swoop in, claim her, and turn her into another one of his brainwashed retainers, willing to live and die for the McSuile family.
The man barely spared her a glance. "So?" he asked, his voice indifferent. He knew just as well as she did—the McSuile family had no concept of entitlement. All their descendants were drilled that they deserved nothing since their birth. If you want something, you take it with your own strength. Because if you weren't strong enough to keep it, you never deserved it in the first place.
Janice clenched her jaw. "If you want to take her, you'll have to go through me."
At her words, an array of curse tools materialized from her earring, each one levitating into position around her in a slow, calculated orbit. She shifted into a fighting stance, her determination burning through the fear in her chest.
Her uncle finally turned to her, amusement flickering in his dark eyes. Then, with an exaggerated crack of his neck, he smirked. "Alright. Have it your way." His tone made it sound like he was bored, but Janice knew better—he was enjoying her fear. "I guess this will keep me entertained until she's finished."
Then, he muttered two words.
A chilling wave of cursed energy surged from him, swallowing the entire living room in pitch-black darkness—an abyss so deep it mirrored the infinity of the void itself. The temperature dropped instantly, and the air thickened with something ancient and oppressive.
Janice braced herself.
She knew exactly why he'd done it.
Now, he wouldn't have to hold back.
Janice knew her uncle too well to be caught off guard. Anticipating his moves, she had carefully selected an array of curse tools from her arsenal, choosing those best suited to deal with him. As soon as he activated Dark Dominion, she unleashed one of her own tools. Her body and the curse tools orbiting her vibrated for a moment before seamlessly blending into the dark dominion, vanishing into the oppressive darkness.
Her voice echoed through the void, laced with confidence and teasing mockery.
"Uncle, you really need to learn some new tricks. Keep this up, and I'll be heading home soon… for your funeral."
The muscular man smirked, unfazed. But just as his pupils began to contract—a sign that he was activating the signature McSuile abilities—he felt it. A touch. On his back.
Reacting instantly, he swung his arm and caught an arrow just as it attempted to retreat, unable to pierce his defenses. He glanced at it briefly before crushing it in his grip.
"What did I tell you?" he taunted, shaking his head. "Your little toys can't even scratch me, let alone break my defenses. If this is all you've got, then—"
His words cut off abruptly.
A strange sensation crept over him.
His muscles locked up as the dormant curse hidden within the arrow activated the moment he destroyed it. Realization dawned, and despite himself, he let out an amused mental chuckle.
She was compensating for her lack of raw strength by using her deep understanding of him—predicting exactly how he would react. It was a strategy only she could pull off, thanks to her status as the Aurelian Eyes.
But then—without warning—he moved.
With a sharp, precise thrust, his arm plunged into the depths of the darkness, fingers closing around a mass of darkness. He tightened his grip, and slowly, the swirling darkness twisted and morphed, revealing his niece.
Janice's breath hitched. He had found her. Holding her effortlessly in place, he leaned in, his voice dripping with amusement, "Don't tell me you actually thought a curse of that level would stop me?"
His grip tightened slightly, just enough to remind her exactly who she was dealing with.
But before he could press his advantage, a calm yet commanding voice rang out.
"Let there be light."
The words were gentle, almost whispered, but their power was undeniable.
A soft glow flickered in the distance, growing rapidly until golden rays exploded outward, flooding every corner of the darkness. The Dark Dominion shattered in an instant.
The sudden burst of light sent a shockwave through the room. The man staggered back, his eyes widening in disbelief as he felt his domain being erased as if it had never existed. A sharp pain ripped through his chest, and before he could suppress it, a splatter of blood escaped his lips.
His grip on Janice slackened.
She wasted no time. Twisting free, she stumbled back, hand clutching her throat as she gasped for air.
But her uncle barely acknowledged her escape.
His attention was locked elsewhere.
Slowly, he turned toward the source of the voice—the one who had effortlessly destroyed his dominion.
"Lola!" Janice screamed seeing Lola collapse on the curse array unconsciousness.