In an instant, all the other types of energy from the room got sucked up and the entire place became filled with nether. "That feels nice." Liam smiled. "How about you? Do you like your current accommodations? Hospitality is a very important part of where I come from. We love to welcome you with open arms." As soon as he said that two giant hands made of pure nether reached for and grabbed the paladin, completely suffocating him. If it had been a normal attack, it probably wouldn't have mattered, but the attack was full of dao. It was Dao-infused suppression. Liam could clearly see the impact it had on the paladin and yet, the man seemed to be completely fine, not showing an ounce of pain on his face. "Bravo." Liam clapped his hands. "I really applaud your mental strength and persistence. But don't you think that this place is awesome too? A treasure I managed to find in the system event. I think I can do whatever I want here. And I intend to fully test it out today." Silence. Liam's smirk widened as he leaned forward, his voice low and edged with danger. "By the way… what were you doing in that system event?" His eyes gleamed, watching for even the smallest reaction. "You shouldn't even be at the level of an awakener. And Mia—" He paused, his voice turning sharp. "That's not really Mia, is it?" Still, the paladin said nothing. Liam's fingers twitched again. The nether hands twisted violently, their grip tightening around the prisoner's form, pressing harder, suffocating. "Wow, you are really resilient. Let's see for how long though. I have some free time on my hands and I can be a villain all day long." However, before Liam could cast the next attack, something changed. A huge tremor rocked the world and Liam started trembling. Fear and horror gripped his face as the entire place became filled with the unmistakeable divine energy. In front of such pure divine energy, the nether did not stand a chance and was driven away in an instant. For the first time, the paladin's face showed a flicker of emotion. His eyes widened as arrogance and hope filled his eyes. He watched Liam scream in utter dread before his entire being simply blasted apart into golden light specs. "No." Only his scream echoed in the empty world. The entire world glowed brightly as the silhouette of a new figure appeared. The words dripped with something beyond anger—disgust. The kind that was reserved for things beneath notice, for creatures that had already proven their uselessness. The paladin's lips parted as if to speak, but the moment he did, the divine presence tightened, suffocating not with chains, but with sheer authority. His hope shattered just as fast as it had appeared. "I told you to handle everything," she continued, her voice smooth yet cutting, like a blade made of light itself. "And now, because of your incompetence, I had to step in. "A disappointment." Silence followed. For the first time, the prisoner inside the cauldron looked small. His arrogant posture faltered, his golden eyes darkening as the realization settled in. The flicker of defiance that had burned in him just seconds ago vanished like a candle smothered by an unforgiving storm. She wasn't here to rescue him. She was here to punish him. The figure of radiance stood before him, her presence warping the space around them. Though her features were still veiled in divine light, her eyes were piercing, sharp, like celestial spears carving into his soul. "Tell me." Her voice was calm, but the air shivered around it. "Did you manage to get the item at least?" The paladin clenched his fists. He knew there was only one correct answer. And he didn't have it. His silence spoke louder than any words. The divine presence intensified, the entire void trembling beneath the weight of her displeasure. The golden glow in the chains darkened, their inscriptions writhing like wounded creatures. The paladin's body tensed as if bracing for the inevitable. And then… PAIN. A blinding spear of pure divine energy shot forward, slamming into his chest. It wasn't physical. It wasn't even just spiritual. It burned his very essence. The paladin let out a soundless gasp, his body convulsing. His golden aura flickered violently, breaking apart like shattered glass. And yet, he did not scream. He refused. Even as his entire existence felt like it was being unwoven, he forced himself to endure it. The divine figure sighed, shaking her head as if his suffering bored her. "You disappoint me." The paladin staggered, his breath coming in ragged, uneven gasps. His once-pristine golden armor was cracked, his body trembling from the remnants of divine punishment. Still, he forced himself to look up. "Liam," he rasped, the name tasting like venom on his tongue. "He took it." Silence. Then, a flicker of something unreadable passed through the divine figure's expression. She paused for a moment before laughing, a laughter that was soft, amused, and dangerous. The paladin's heart sank. Because in that laughter, he heard something terrifying. The divine figure slowly tilted her head, her radiant eyes gleaming with something predatory. "Liam, huh?" She took a single step forward and the entire world trembled. "If that small insect can beat you again and again, you are no longer needed to serve me. You are completely and utterly worthless. You can disappear just like how he disappeared. You have led me to him and now you are no longer needed." The chains around him shuddered violently as if sensing the divine decree before even he could. The once-glowing inscriptions began to fracture, their golden light dimming, and fading. The paladin's body stiffened. "No," he whispered, his voice breaking. The divine figure only smiled a cold and indifferent smile. Her hand rose, glowing with the unyielding radiance of pure law. The paladin lunged forward, his chains clanking loudly as he instinctively tried to reach toward her. "Wait! I… I have something else for you. I did not return completely empty-handed. Wait. My priestess, please wait." He let out a shaky breath and another drop of golden liquid floated out of him.