CHAPTER 955: LYRA’S ADVICE

"Sit down," Lyra said, her tone cool yet carrying a certain authority. She gestured to the couch across from her desk.

Max shrugged casually and dropped into the seat, leaning back in a relaxed posture as if they were old friends chatting instead of two influential figures in the Great Ruler Empire.

"What are your plans?" Lyra asked without preamble, her eyes locked on him, sharp and assessing.

Max couldn’t help it—he burst into a small laugh. "Pfft!"

Lyra’s brows knit together, her eyes narrowing dangerously. "What?!" she snapped, her tone edged with annoyance. There was nothing remotely amusing about her question, and she clearly wasn’t in the mood for games.

Max raised his hands in mock surrender, still smiling. "It’s just... your father asked me the exact same thing not too long ago," he said honestly. Though lighthearted in his delivery, there was a flicker of caution in his gaze—Lyra’s death glare was not something to be taken lightly.

Lyra’s expression softened slightly, surprise flashing in her eyes. "He did? And what did you say?"

Max reached into his robe and pulled out a gleaming, hexagonal token etched with the word Lord. The weight of it seemed to draw the room’s attention. "He suggested I enter the Heavenly Lord Secret Domain when it opens in the future," he said.

Lyra’s gaze flickered to the token, but she showed no outward shock. She simply nodded, as if she had expected this outcome. "I’m not surprised," she said evenly. "I’ve known for a long time that Father’s been holding onto one of those tokens. He’s probably been saving it for someone... or for the right moment."

"I plan to go to the Obsidian Order in a week," Max said suddenly after a short pause.

Her eyes narrowed again, this time in curiosity rather than irritation. "The Obsidian Order? Why?"

Max leaned forward slightly, his tone turning serious. "I’m looking for someone—a dark elf. Originally, when she entered the Middle Domain before me, she wasn’t a dark elf at all. But when I saw her again during the entry to the secret domain, she had changed... completely. And when we crossed paths, she didn’t even recognize me."

Lyra’s expression didn’t change, but Max could feel the slight shift in her aura. He continued. "I know she’s now a member of the Void Soul Tower. But I can’t just walk into their territory and demand they hand her over, especially when I’m probably near the top of their kill list. That would be suicide. So... I want to see if the Obsidian Order has her exact location. If she’s in the outer domain of the Void Soul Tower, I might just have a chance to sneak her out before they even realize I’ve been there."

Lyra’s expression darkened instantly, her usual composed demeanor giving way to a rare display of sternness. Her gaze locked onto Max, sharp and unyielding, the weight of her disapproval heavy in the air.

"Is this necessary?" she asked, her tone low but carrying an edge that demanded he reconsider. "You’ve already slaughtered countless of their geniuses in the secret domain. You even killed one of their Heaven Grade geniuses. The moment you show your face anywhere near their territory, they will hunt you down without hesitation. You won’t be walking into danger—you’ll be walking into a death trap."

Her words hung between them like a warning bell, each syllable pressing on the seriousness of the risk.

But Max only shook his head, his eyes steady, his voice unwavering. "She’s very close to me, Lyra. I absolutely have to save her." His tone carried no room for argument—it wasn’t a matter of convenience or choice for him, it was a necessity carved into his heart.

Memories of Lenavira surfaced unbidden—how she had unknowingly become one of the people he trusted the most during his time in the Lost Continent, how she had stood by him and helped him in more ways than he could count.

Those moments weren’t easily forgotten, and now that she had somehow transformed into a dark elf, he felt an even greater urgency to pull her out of whatever fate had ensnared her.

There was also the lingering, unanswered truth that her mother was from the elf race—a detail that might have seemed insignificant to others, but to Max, it was more than enough reason to fight for her. It wasn’t just about saving a friend—it was about protecting someone whose life had become entangled with his in ways he couldn’t ignore.

Looking at the unshakable determination etched on Max’s face, Lyra understood without a shred of doubt that this so-called dark elf wasn’t just another acquaintance in his life—she was someone deeply important to him. Someone for whom he would willingly risk everything.

That realization alone made things infinitely harder for her, because while she respected his loyalty, she didn’t want him stepping into a situation that could very well cost him his life

She stayed silent for a long moment, weighing her options, before finally speaking in a calm but resolute tone. "Alright... I’ll go with you to the Obsidian Order a week from now. Also, I’ll bring this matter up with my father and see what he thinks."

Just as the plan was taking shape in her mind, another thought struck her, and her eyes sharpened slightly. "Wait. You’re also a guest elder of the Hunter Association, aren’t you? You could ask them for help as well. With the potential you’ve shown, I highly doubt they would refuse if you were to seek their assistance."

Her words were firm, laced with the practicality of someone who knew the importance of alliances.

Max nodded without hesitation. "Yeah. That was already part of my plan. After I gather information about Lenavira from the Obsidian Order, I was going to head to the Hunter Association and request their help." His voice carried quiet conviction—he had thought this through.

"Good. Then it’s settled." Lyra inclined her head in agreement. "We leave for the Obsidian Order in a week. In the meantime, I’ll see if my father can offer any advice or a safer approach to this problem of yours."

Max met her gaze and gave a sincere nod. "Thank you."

"You can leave now," Lyra said simply, her tone returning to its usual business-like cadence.

Max rose from his seat, nodded again, and left her office without another word.

The door closed behind him, and Lyra leaned back in her chair, exhaling a long, heavy sigh. Her fingers drummed idly on the armrest as she muttered inwardly, ’This guy... he’s reckless enough to drive me insane.’