Chapter 24: The Price of Victory Part 1: The Last Stand of the Golden Sky Citadel The Celestial Golden Sky Citadel was falling. The ancient city that had floated above the heavens for countless generations was no longer a symbol of the Garuda clan's glory. It was a battlefield. Broken towers fell from the sky. Ancient formations disappeared one after another. Golden clouds were dyed with blood. Adrian stood above the ruins. The Void Sovereign Skyblade remained in his hand. The Primordial Garuda had already lost. The first ancestor of the Garuda bloodline stood among the broken skies, his ancient body covered with injuries. But he did not surrender. The Garuda race was a proud race. They had protected their homeland for countless years. They had never bowed their heads to enemies. The moment the Primordial Garuda fell... The remaining Garuda warriors moved. The Garuda Ancestor stepped forward. The clan leader followed. The three ancient elders spread their wings. Behind them... Thousands of Garuda warriors raised their weapons. Elite warriors. Old warriors who had guarded the clan for centuries. Warriors who knew they might never return. They all looked toward the destroyed Celestial Golden Sky Citadel. Their home was gone. Their ancestors' legacy was broken. Their families had escaped. Only they remained. The clan leader tightened his grip. "We cannot allow our homeland to fall without a final battle." The ancient elders remained silent. They understood. This was not a battle for victory. It was their final stand. The Garuda warriors charged. The sky shook. Golden wings covered the heavens. Adrian looked at them. For a moment... He did not move. Because he understood their decision. They were not fighting because they believed they could win. They were fighting because they were Garuda. The first wave arrived. Golden feathers transformed into countless blades. Adrian moved. The Void Sovereign Skyblade flashed. Each strike defeated dozens of warriors. But more continued coming. The Garuda warriors attacked without fear. They fought until their wings were broken. Until their bodies were covered with wounds. Until they could no longer stand. An old Garuda warrior with a broken wing still held his weapon. He charged forward. A young elite warrior beside him fell. Another warrior replaced him. They continued. One after another. The battlefield became silent except for the sound of weapons colliding. Adrian's sword moved. His attacks were precise. But every strike created another fallen warrior. The golden sky became covered with broken feathers. Blood fell from the heavens. The ancient elders fought together. The first elder released his final technique. His body burned with golden flames. The second elder disappeared into countless golden lights. The third elder smashed the sky with his final strength. They fought like warriors who had already accepted death. Adrian defeated them. One by one. The final elder fell. The Garuda Ancestor rushed forward. His body was already damaged. But his eyes remained firm. He attacked with everything remaining. Adrian blocked. The collision shook the ocean below. The Garuda Ancestor was pushed backward. But he stood again. Even when his body was close to collapse. Even when he knew the result. He stood. The final strike came. The sky became quiet. When the light disappeared... The Garuda Ancestor fell. The battlefield became still. The last warriors of the Celestial Golden Sky Citadel had fallen. Adrian remained floating above them. The winner. The survivor. But there was no feeling of victory. Only silence. Below him... The bodies of fallen warriors covered the ruins. Broken weapons. Broken wings. Broken armor. Warriors who had chosen death instead of surrender. The remaining buildings collapsed into the ocean. The floating islands broke apart. The golden city that had existed for thousands of years disappeared into the sea. Far away... The cries of women and children echoed. The only survivors of the Garuda clan. They watched their homeland disappear. They cried for their families. They cried for their ancestors. They cried for everything they had lost. Adrian looked at them. His hand holding the sword slowly tightened. A strange feeling appeared inside his heart. He had protected the Naga clan. He had defeated those who threatened them. But... Looking at the destroyed city... Looking at the children who had lost their fathers. Looking at the women who had lost their families. A question appeared in his mind. Was this the price of victory? Was this truly the right result? Adrian had won. But why did his heart feel empty?