CHAPTER 143: THE SINGULARITY OF LIGHT’S CRUSHING DEFEAT

"How is that possible? Did I see it wrong?"

The Singularity of Light rubbed his eyes in horror and disbelief.

But no matter how much he tried to deny it, the scene before him was real—it was the Halveran Capital.

His gaze shifted to the heart of the city, where a once-magnificent building now stood in ruins and disarray.

It was the Imperial Palace—the home of his son and the imperial family.

Without hesitation, he descended and landed in the devastated palace courtyard.

With a tight, aching chest, he walked slowly forward, his eyes scanning the surroundings. Just then, a voice called out from behind him.

"Father, is that you?"

Startled, he turned around and saw Daniel—along with his wife, Carmilla, and Erald and Rebecca.

They looked nothing like their usual regal selves. Now, they appeared disheveled and... afraid.

Their clothes were caked with dust and grime, their faces pale—almost bloodless.

Exhaustion and despair filled their eyes, as if the catastrophe that struck the capital had broken them beyond repair.

"Daniel," the Singularity of Light called out, his voice laced with concern as he approached.

He examined him carefully—there were no major injuries, only a few bruises and other minor wounds.

"What exactly happened here? Can you tell me?" He asked, his voice low and cold, teeth clenched in frustration.

He didn’t know who had dared to destroy Halveran’s capital—the city where he and his family lived.

But if he had known, he would have ended them on the spot.

Daniel felt a mixture of relief and anger upon seeing his father. A part of him wanted to lash out, to blame everything on him.

Yet, when he remembered how kind his father had always been since he was a child, the words caught in his throat.

With a bitter smile, he shook his head gently and said weakly, "Forget it, Father. Even if you knew, you wouldn’t be able to stop it."

The Singularity of Light froze. A figure immediately surfaced in his mind—the Singularity of Chaos.

Rage surged within him. In a low growl, he asked, "Was this the Singularity of Chaos’s doing?"

Daniel didn’t respond, but his silence spoke volumes.

"Singularity of Chaos!" the Singularity of Light roared.

His voice echoed across the ruined capital, like the monstrous cry of a beast.

Carmilla, Erald, and Rebecca covered their ears, their faces pale with fear.

"Hah... hah... hah..." The Singularity of Light gasped, his chest heaving, tight with rage.

But deep down, he knew—anger would achieve nothing. He had only just faced the Singularity of Chaos... and had been thoroughly defeated.

If he dared to confront him again, the consequences could be far more devastating.

Suppressing his fury, he took a long, shaky breath and looked down, his expression full of regret.

"Daniel, I’m sorry," he murmured softly.

Since ascending as the Singularity of Light, he had never once apologized to anyone.

He had always been the strong, untouchable one, while those around him were expected to bow and seek forgiveness for their mistakes.

But this time was different—this was the first time he had ever said sorry.

Of course, he knew an apology wouldn’t change anything. Whether he said it or not, nothing would be different.

But he also understood—everything that had happened was the result of his own choices.

Daniel was his strongest and most dependable son. The others couldn’t compare—some barely met expectations.

That was why the idea of the very son he had nurtured and guided for decades turning against him was something he couldn’t bear.

"It’s okay, Father. Even though this incident has cost us dearly, as long as you’re still with us, we can hold our place as one of the continent’s major powers," Daniel said sincerely.

If anyone asked whether he was angry or disappointed, the answer was clear—absolutely.

Halveran Capital wasn’t just a city—it was the lifeblood of the Holy Empire of Valtanir.

It was also the economic center, where merchants from across the empire gathered to trade and thrive.

In many ways, the destruction of the capital felt like the collapse of the empire’s foundation itself.

And yet, one fact remained undeniable: all the peace and prosperity the Holy Empire of Valtanir had enjoyed until now came from one man—his father, the Singularity of Light.

As long as he lived, no one dared to challenge them—not even the mighty Velmora Empire.

Beyond that, his father had been instrumental in shaping the empire’s most elite force—the Sky Wing Squad, a unit unmatched in strength and discipline.

There was no denying it: his father’s contributions far outweighed even his own, despite holding the title of Holy Emperor.

Hearing his son’s words, the Singularity of Light let out a quiet sigh of relief. He gently patted Daniel’s shoulder and said calmly, "Don’t worry. We’ll resolve this matter. I swear—I’ll avenge everything that’s been lost."

Then, his eyes flashed with a cold gleam and a terrifying surge of killing intent.

He had indeed lost the previous battle, but it hadn’t been meaningless.

Whether by chance or fate, he sensed something strange within himself—as if the limits of his power were beginning to loosen. That was good news.

After all, the Singularities were beings who had reached the pinnacle of their respective powers.

And that sensation was a sign—he was nearing the edge of his limits, ready to break through and become even stronger.

Even as doubt lingered in Daniel’s heart, he stayed quiet and gave a small, silent nod.

"I believe in you, Father..."

...

Whoosh!

Nolan’s figure reappeared in his room. A few seconds later, Malverna and Arnold materialized behind him.

"Yawn..." Nolan stretched lazily as he walked toward the sofa and casually dropped himself onto it.

Arnold and Malverna remained silent, standing motionless where they were.

But Malverna’s expression was dazed—confused and overwhelmed.

After all, she hadn’t been Nolan’s slave for long and had assumed the young man before her would be easy to manipulate.

That assumption was precisely why she had agreed to his terms.

But she couldn’t have been more wrong.

This lazy-looking young man was, in fact, the Singularity of Chaos—the very figure who had slain two catastrophe-level monsters—creatures capable of annihilating half a continent.

In the past, such beings were untouchable. Provoking them was the same as signing your own death warrant.

Yet he had killed them... with his own hands.

The realization was overwhelming. Malverna no longer dared to mock him—she couldn’t even look down on him anymore.

"Arnold," Nolan called out in a relaxed tone, taking a sip from the half-finished glass of wine left from earlier.

"Yes, my lord," Arnold responded respectfully.

Nolan crossed his legs and lazily wiggled his right foot.

Then, he reached into his robe pocket and pulled out the check he had previously received from the Singularity of Light. Without a second thought, he handed it to Arnold.

"Take this check to the Blue Moon Trading House headquarters and give it to Shion," he said casually. "Tell her to cash half of it and deposit the other half into the company’s account. I heard she needs a substantial amount of funding for the northern region investment. Use this as additional support."

He leaned back slightly and added, "After that, transfer the withdrawn half to my account. Understood?"

Arnold accepted the check and gave a small bow. "Understood, my lord. Leave it to me."

"Good," Nolan nodded slowly. "You may go."

Without another word, Arnold nodded and vanished, leaving Malverna alone with Nolan.

Glancing at her pale, frightened face, Nolan let out a soft chuckle and teased, "What’s wrong, Malverna? Why do you look so scared?"