Northern's decision to dive into the heart of the storm had been solely his own.
Of course, there was the lingering temptation—the reckless urge to experience vulnerability once again, to trust his back to someone else. But even as he entertained the thought, he knew it wasn't the whole truth.
Because a Catastrophic Behemoth, no matter how dangerous, could not kill him.
If he alone wasn't enough, he had far too many souls within his arsenal to rely on. The idea of his own defeat was inconceivable, let alone his demise.
It wasn't arrogance. It was simply fact.
And if nothing else, the look on Raizel's face made it all worthwhile.
For the briefest moment, the Paragon's carefully maintained mask of casual confidence cracked, revealing something Northern hadn't expected—genuine surprise. And then, just as quickly, that surprise melted into something else.
Respect.