Damn, I Have to Marry the Strongest Antagonist at the Start? - Chapter 152

Chapter 152: Chapter152-The Four Protectors
Kaldan was dead!

The people outside Ironkeep stood in stunned silence, their expressions filled with horror as they stared at Kaldan’s corpse, which had fallen from the sky.

Their pupils shrank to pinpoints in shock.

Kaldan was the crown prince of the Pyrothrone Kingdom, a figure of immense power and status, among the very elite of Middle Earth.

Even though they themselves came from prominent backgrounds, they were nothing compared to Kaldan.

Yet, this prince—so influential and powerful within Middle Earth—had not only been defeated by the native Owen but had been ruthlessly slain by him!

How could Owen have dared to do this?

The Pyrothrone Kingdom held tremendous influence in Middle Earth, being one of the most powerful factions.

This crown prince had a strong likelihood of inheriting the throne and was highly regarded within the empire. Even the major forces of Middle Earth would not dare to harm him.

But Owen had killed him without hesitation!

The impact of this scene on them was no less than a complete upheaval of their worldview.

At first, they had all placed great faith in Kaldan and his Protector’s strength.

After all, Kaldan was one of the foremost master-tier mages, and his Protector was a grandmaster-tier mage, a nearly invincible force outside of Middle Earth.

According to their plan, even if they encountered an unbeatable enemy, the reputation of the Pyrothrone Kingdom would be enough to deter any would-be aggressors.

But to their utter disbelief, Owen had actually dared to kill the crown prince of Middle Earth’s most prominent dynasty!

For a moment, Henry felt a deep sense of dread and fear towards this mysterious and ruthless native.

After all, even with the backing of the empire, he lacked both the power and the courage to kill someone like Kaldan.

Others from various empires and noble families were equally shocked as they stared at Owen, a hint of retreat beginning to form in their minds.

Despite Owen being only a diamond-tier mage, he had demonstrated enough strength to eliminate a master-tier mage.

And they, along with their Protectors, were all within the master-tier level.

If it came down to a one-on-one fight, they might not be able to defeat Owen.

What troubled them most was the uncertainty of whether the kitsune that had toyed with Joseph would reappear.

From the strength the kitsune had shown earlier, even a grandmaster-tier mage wouldn’t stand a chance against her.

If she were provoked into a killing spree, everyone present could meet a gruesome end.

The Supreme Order they sought from Owen was only valuable if they could ensure their own safety.

After all, while the Supreme Order was important to their respective factions, their lives as the most promising prodigies of their sects—key to the empire’s and noble families’ legacies—were even more critical.

As they hesitated, the Pyrothrone Kingdom’s Protector, now seething with rage, turned to them and rebuked, “What are you hesitating for? Owen dared to kill Kaldan—do you think he’ll spare any of you who came with him?”

“That kitsune is unlikely to reappear anytime soon. This is the best opportunity to kill Owen!”

“Once Owen is dead, that kitsune will have no reason to come back!”

Having laid out the stakes, Joseph added a note of threat to his words, “Moreover, the crown prince has been killed here, and you who accompanied him share in the responsibility. If you can’t eliminate the murderer and avenge the prince, the Pyrothrone Kingdom will not forgive you!”

The group, already uncertain, now glared at Owen with suspicion. Hearing Joseph’s threat, Henry and the others’ expressions darkened. They realized that no matter what, they couldn’t just leave now.

Even if Owen let them go, they knew the Pyrothrone Kingdom too well to believe they’d escape unscathed.

Killing Owen was the only way to face the Pyrothrone Kingdom’s inevitable retribution.

“You all stay here for now. Owen’s strength seems to have grown again, and engaging him could be dangerous,” Joseph instructed.

“This guy is extremely unpredictable, and he still hasn’t used the Supreme Order. We can’t afford to be careless…”

Having decided to take action against Owen, the Protectors of Henry and the others quickly transmitted calming messages to their charges, reassuring them while swiftly moving to join Joseph.

Hearing this, Henry and the others nodded solemnly.

These three Protectors, though also master-tier mages, had already reached master-tier level 5, with strength and battle experience far surpassing their own. This made them a significant threat to Owen.

With Joseph and these Protectors working together, they believed that even if Owen had a few tricks left up his sleeve, they would be able to handle them.

If they joined the fight themselves, they risked suffering the same fate as Kaldan—sudden death with no chance of recovery.

Feeling the presence of the three imperial Protectors at his back, Joseph quickly suppressed his bruises and injuries.

Although the kitsune had beaten him severely, treating him like a punching bag, as a grandmaster-tier mage, he had partially merged with the world around him.

This allowed the environment to absorb some of the damage, so while he appeared seriously injured, his core strength remained intact.

His mana reserves had been heavily depleted, but he still had more than enough to deal with Owen!

As he locked his twisted, murderous gaze on Owen, the latter cautiously surveyed Joseph and the three master-tier mages behind him.

To face three master-tier mages and one grandmaster-tier mage as a diamond-tier mage—such a tale would be unbelievable if told.

After all, a diamond-tier mage being able to contend with a master-tier mage was already considered an extraordinary talent, someone destined to become a legendary figure.

Let alone standing against a grandmaster-tier mage, which was two tiers higher.

Now, Owen found himself completely isolated, forced to face this terrifying lineup alone.

“Owen, if you cripple your own powers and hand over the Supreme Order right now, I might consider sparing your wretched life. Otherwise, I’ll reduce you to a crippled shell, leaving you in a state where you can neither live nor die!”

Joseph’s eyes widened as an overwhelming mental pressure surged from him like a tidal wave, crashing down on Owen in an attempt to force him to kneel on the spot and pay for the death of Crown Prince Kaldan.

The three master-tier Protectors behind him followed suit, releasing their own mental pressure.

These forces intertwined into terrifying, sticky tendrils that disrupted the void and locked onto Owen, aiming to crush his spirit.

Under such intense pressure, even most master-tier mages would be unable to withstand it, likely succumbing and becoming mental puppets.

However, Owen’s mind power was already incredibly strong, and with the system and the Order of Thunder and Order of Fire boosting him, he remained unshakable.

As the mental pressure swept toward him, the void behind Owen rippled like water, enveloping him before he suddenly vanished from sight.

Owen knew that while his strength had indeed grown, he was at most capable of contending with a grandmaster-tier mage.

To face one grandmaster-tier mage and three master-tier mages simultaneously was beyond his current capabilities.

Therefore, he had to take the initiative before they could join forces.

He needed to seize control of the battle and keep it in his hands; otherwise, if Joseph managed to dictate the flow of the fight, he would have no hope of survival.

At the same time, after Owen used Shadow Step to conceal his presence and vanish, Joseph and the three master-tier Protectors all showed a hint of disdain on their faces.

“You think you can escape now? Isn’t it a bit too late for that? Where’s all that arrogance from before?”

“Now, this place is a trap with no escape. Your only option left is to close your eyes and wait for death!”

Their cold voices echoed as they spoke, and then each of them unleashed their domains, spreading like ripples and covering the void for dozens of miles around, sealing it off completely.

Within these domains, any method of escape would be rendered useless!

However, this time, as they spread their senses out, they could only faintly detect Owen’s presence. His aura was scattered and seemed to be fleeing in different directions, as if trying to slip away in the chaos.

“Do you think you can escape without my permission?” Joseph’s senses were the sharpest, and he suddenly clenched his right hand, his knuckles cracking as he struck the void with a heavy blow.

The sound of shattering porcelain echoed as twisted, lightning-like black cracks spread through the air, heading straight toward Owen.

These black void fissures severed the space they passed through, fragmenting it into broken pieces.

Any space-based escape techniques would be impossible to use in such a shattered void.

With this move, Joseph effectively cut off any possible escape routes for Owen.