Alfie felt a stinging pain when Nala smacked the back of his head. He froze, utterly dumbfounded.

"When did I say such nonsense? Do you want me to hit you?" Nala asked.

Rubbing the sore spot on his head, Alfie smirked. "It's over," he thought. "Lady Nala is absolutely serious this time."

Five minutes later, Noah lay sprawled on the ground, struggling to get up. His body refused to obey, leaving him bruised and battered beyond recognition.

"Are… Are you really in Aetherial Realm?"

He was utterly broken. Since stepping into Oceanus Realm, he had carried immense pride in his abilities. He wouldn't claim invincibility at his rank, but he always had absolute confidence in his strength.

Yet, all that confidence had been shattered. If Felix had defeated him with some powerful technique or secret art, he could have accepted it. However, Felix had relied solely on raw physical strength. With no techniques, he had still beaten him to a pulp, leaving him on the verge of death. It was absurd