The Inheritance

-11-

Chapter 501

Xylon—the middle-aged man standing upfront—instantly grew curious when he saw how young Richard actually was.

 

After all, despite the fact that his son kept addressing him by 'master' this entire time, Xylon simply couldn't imagine that young man as anything other than completely ordinary. Could his son have somehow been mistaken…?

 

While Xylon found himself thinking that, he still shook hands with Richard rather friendlily in order to express his gratitude.

 

However, after having a few more exchanges with Richard, Xylon—being an elder—couldn't help but start feeling slightly contemptuous toward him.

 

Regardless, after inviting him in for a meal—and finishing it—Xylon brought Richard and the others for a walk around the manor to show their new master around.

 

During the meal, Xylon had mentioned a large and strong stone called the Zekterite, and it was evident that he was keen on showing it off.

 

Upon arriving before the stone, Xylon chuckled before declaring, "This is the Zekterite I was talking about, Brother Richard! As I've said, it's the hardest stone between heaven and earth! With that in mind, I make sure to bring it along no matter where I move to!"

 

Hearing that, Yule—who had been standing beside them—grew increasingly anxious. After all, his father and even a few of the family elders were already starting to call him 'brother' instead of master, and Yule knew how greatly disrespectful they were being!          

 

Though Yule continually gave his father non-verbal hints to treat Richard with more respect, Xylon simply pretended not to see any of his son's warnings.

 

Instead, he simply began elaborating on the stone's history, even though Richard hadn't asked for it.

 

According to rumors, the large stone was first found lying at the very top of Tierson Mountain. By the time it was found, it appeared that the stone had undergone the essence of life for a very long time, though it still remains unknown whether it got to that point due to the special aura within it.

 

Regardless, the stone was well-known for attracting lightning bolts. Despite being a natural lightning rod, not a scratch ever appeared on the giant stone, regardless of how hard the lightning hit. Due to that, the stone was aptly named the Zekterite.

 

With his explanation now complete, Xylon smugly looked at Richard before saying, "Well, what do you think, Brother Richard? This giant stone of mine is truly invaluable, wouldn't you say?"

 

Upon hearing that, the other old men who had followed exchanged smiles as well, thinking, 'You're just an immature and inexperienced young man… As if you'd know anything about this great treasure…'

 

Richard himself simply returned a wry smile as he nodded before saying, "It does feel invaluable!"

 

"I knew you'd agree! Still, why do I have a feeling that you don't actually believe that…? Either way, I remember my son stating that you had extremely remarkable abilities! Why don't you show some to us to widen our horizons?" replied Xylon casually.

 

"Indeed, Brother Richard! Why don't you try splitting the legendary and unbreakable Zekterite for a start?" joked another old man with a sarcastic smile.

 

Naturally, Richard easily saw through the sarcasm, though he couldn't really blame them. After all, he had promised to take Yule and his family under his wing—after saving him and his younger sister—in exchange for his family revering him for the many generations to come. With that in mind, it wasn't hard to imagine why Xylon and the rest of the family's elders couldn't reconcile with that fact.

 

In fact, Richard was already aware of their displeasure from when they were eating dinner earlier. Though they exchanged simple topics of conversation, not one of them was about him taking them under his wing, and it was quite obvious that it was a deliberate decision.

 

Shaking the thought off, Richard then casually replied, "…The Zekterite truly is one of the hardest things between heaven and earth… From what I can see, not only does lighting do nothing to it, but cannons wouldn't be able to smash it either! After all, the stone's been absorbing the essence of life for such a long time that it now possesses a holy spirit. With that said, the Zekterite is only this strong because it's turned into a holy stone!"

 

Though Xylon had no idea what Richard had just said, he simply chuckled before replying slightly sarcastically, "Then is anything that bears a holy spirit a holy item? If that's the case, wouldn't there be many other things that are equally as difficult to destroy?"

 

"You don't seem to be getting my point. How do I put this…? See, while normal items may be difficult to destroy, you can still inflict damage on them with enough inner strength or with the power of ordinary metals. The same can't be said for the stone since it's a holy item that's been imbued with a holy spirit between heaven and earth!" said Richard.

 

"Oh? Is that so? Still, doesn't that mean that you're just ridiculing us old men for not being strong enough, Brother Richard?" replied another old man with a bitter smile on his face.

 

As the same old man made fun of Richard before the others, it was evident that they were giving Richard a warning that went along the lines of, 'You'd best choose your words carefully, young man! Stop being so impetuous!'

 

"Oh, that wasn't what I was going for. You clearly misunderstood me!" said Richard.

 

Hearing that, Xylon and the others' expressions softened slightly.

 

Just as they were wondering how Richard would complete his explanation, Richard added, "What I meant to say was that you don't even deserve to inflict damage upon the stone! Disregarding your strength, there are simply none of you here who are at the stage where you can even begin dealing damage to it!"

---

Upon hearing Richard's casual reply, all the eyes of the Quantocks present instantly widened in great wrath.

 

"You…!" growled Xylon whose expression had turned extremely ugly.

 

"…Since you've said that, does that mean you're able to split the stone, Brother Richard? If you are, then please widen our horizons…!" added another old man as he and the others gritted their teeth.

 

"Of course, I can. What's so strange about splitting it anyway?" asked Richard as he looked at them before shaking his head with a bitter smile.

 

"Fun fact, the Zekterite is immune to lightning since it holds similar properties to it. For further clarification, there exist spiritual items that are produced naturally between heaven and earth. With that said, the item will gain immense resistance against the element it is attuned to. Even so, magic arts can be used to split the Zekterite since they're much more powerful than regular lightning!" explained Richard.

 

"You ignorant youth! How dare you boast so shamelessly about nonsense like magic arts!" retorted one of the elders who simply couldn't take how arrogant Richard was anymore.

 

Xylon himself didn't bother stopping the old man. After all, what the elder had just said was exactly what he wanted to express as well.

 

"Nonsense, you say? Well, allow me to demonstrate that 'nonsense!'" replied Richard with a subtle smile as he pinched his fingers together as though he was holding a sword's blade…

 

After murmuring a barely audible magic chant, light began glowing from where his fingers were pinched… before what seemed to be an electric orb formed between his fingers!

 

Staring wide-eyed at the cackling cerulean orb that seemed to be bursting with electrical energy, everyone found themselves taking a step back as Richard flicked the orb of lightning upward!

 

The second he did that, wild winds and lighting suddenly appeared out of nowhere as thunderous roars echoed throughout the area as well! With how strong the blades of wind were, everyone there felt as though they were in danger of being sliced if they weren't careful.

 

"…W-what…?" stuttered those who could still speak in nervous voices as they continued staring at Richard in utter terror and disbelief.

 

Before they could even recover from their shock, an explosive sound suddenly burst from the sky, causing everyone's hair to stand on end as a massive bolt of blue lightning struck the Zekterite!

 

While the scene was nothing short of dazzling, it also embedded a massive fear among all who witnessed it.

 

Seconds after yet another explosive sound was heard, several jaws instantly dropped when the Quantocks realized that the stone had been smashed to pieces from that single strike!

 

As the debris settled and the wild winds died down, the nights soon returned to its initial peace and silence… It was almost as though nothing had ever happened…

 

Naturally, the biggest change was how dumbfounded all the Quantocks were. For what seemed to be an eternity, none of them dared to even speak or breathe… until finally, Xylon knelt before Richard.

 

His action prompted the rest of the Quantocks to do the same as Xylon cried out, "You… You truly are an incredibly powerful person, Master Crawford…!"

---

While the Quantocks were kneeling before Richard, a young man—who was participating in the festival— could be seen standing before a middle-aged one within the Laidler manor's study.

 

"So tell me, Stetson, how's your current relationship with the Waddys family's young lady?" asked the middle-aged man.

 

"Everything's under control, dad! With how infatuated Xyrielle is with me, I doubt there'll be any problems with me gaining her affection!" replied Stetson with a subtle smile.

 

"Hahaha! That's great to hear, Stetson! While the Waddys themselves don't own much strength, the force backing them up is nothing short of terrifying. Regardless, I believe that you'll be able to handle everything well. If all goes according to plan, we'll definitely be able to use your relationship with the Waddys to eventually allow the Leidlers to have their day! Also, you had best not slack on your training either. The underground festival will be held in two days, and our family has to be crowned the victor this year no matter what!" instructed Mr. Laidler.

 

Hearing that, Stetson instantly replied, "Loud and clear! Still…"

 

"…Hmm? What is it?" asked Mr. Leidler.

 

"The festival… It's held once every few years whenever a priceless treasure is located, right? I'm curious to know if they managed to find another one for this festival…" replied Stetson.

 

"Well, I've been investigating it myself, and I've found that the treasure is greatly important to exceptional people who are training to attain spiritual enlightenment. In relation to that, many such people have been drawn to this event, though they make sure not to reveal too much about themselves. With that said, it'd do you good to do the same!" advised Mr. Laidler in a concerned tone.

 

"Understood, though I'm sure many of them have already diverted their attention from me after witnessing my deliberate loss to Yagrorok back in Heartstone Manor!" replied Stetson as he shook his head with a wry smile on his face.

 

"That's good to hear. You can rest a bit easier while you make the following preparations then. If things go well, and we obtain the Waddys family's resources, we'll definitely be able to expand our own family!" declared Mr. Laidler with a loud laugh.

 

A short while later—after Stetson left—the corners of Mr. Laidler's eyes couldn't help but catch a glimpse of something in the corner of the study…

 

If one looked a bit closer, they would surely be able to see a humanoid figure flickering in and out of existence there…

 

Moving on to the brightly lit Waddy's mansion, Yaakov could be seen knocking on the door to his daughter's room while asking in a gentle tone, "Xyrielle…? Are you still awake…?"

 

After a short while, the door to the room opened and Xyrielle—who clearly looked like she had just finished washing her hair—replied, "Dad…? It's already so late! What can I do for you…?"

 

"Let's just say that there are some things I need to talk to you about…" said Yaakov as he rested his arms against his back before walking over to take a seat inside her room.

 

"What's this about…?" asked the curious Xyrielle in return.

 

"Well, it's regarding how strict I've been toward you over the years… Especially when it comes to loverelated affairs… I've been prohibiting you from chasing after love all this time… Do you hate me for that?" asked Yaakov with a smile.

 

"Of course, I don't! After all, I know that you're only being this strict for my own good!" replied Xyrielle as she shook her head.

 

"I'm glad that you understand my motive… Regardless, I'm pleased that you've developed feelings for Stetson… After all, I think pretty highly of him as well. Since your relationship with him has been going quite smoothly, I wanted to ask if you'd like to take it a step further with him…" said Yaakov.

 

Instantly blushing, Xyrielle then replied, "I… I'm not too sure about that yet…!"

 

Seeing this, Yaakov could easily tell that his daughter was being troubled by something, and Mr. Babel had apparently noticed it as well.

 

Since Xyrielle was still having doubts about her feelings for Stetson, Yaakov couldn't find it in himself to further persuade her to be with him, at least for now…

Chapter 502

Whatever the case was, Yaakov believed in his daughter's insight and perception. With that said, he was certain that she definitely wouldn't end up falling for a man like Richard.

 

"I see… Well, that's fine for now. Regardless, while I promise to always be by your side no matter what, I hope that you understand that you'll eventually end up getting married to Stetson… After all, his future looks extremely promising! With that said, I hope you mentally prepare yourself for that…" said Yaakov.

 

Since Xyrielle didn't look like she was particularly against the idea, Yaakov left her room with ease in his heart.

 

As for Xyrielle, after watching her father leave, she felt her heart palpitate as she muttered, "…Richard…"

 

So, her father had come over just to tell her all that… As a sense of loss filled her while muttering his name, she could almost see his figure in his mind…

 

Fast forward to two days later, the underground festival was launched as scheduled.

 

On the day itself, no shortage of prestigious and influential families from all over the place could be seen gathered at the venue. Of course, there were even more guests who were secretly attending after receiving special invitation cards.

 

They were all here since according to how the previous underground festivals had gone, the champion of the festival would gain a rank similar to the most powerful person in the world of martial arts. Aside from that, they would also obtain the right to distribute a few mysterious items…

 

Regardless, it was also noteworthy that many families who had participated in the underground festival found themselves rising up the ranks extremely quickly! In fact, it wasn't a stretch to claim that many of the world's most powerful and major families today had relied on the underground festival to get to where they currently were! With that in mind, any families looking to improve themselves would surely value the festival.

 

Of course, there were also quite a number of families who were foolishly attracted by the secrets of the attending underground forces. Such families either ended up being cheated or forced to get money through thievery if they didn't have enough on hand.

 

Either way, while most of the ordinary people only attended the festival to enjoy the hustle and bustle, the insiders all knew that the festival's true purpose was to have deity-like people brawl against each other.

 

Despite how big the fights were, nobody ever dared to record a thing, which was why no relevant information had yet to be leaked. After all, should information accidentally leak out, the family who had taken the recording would most certainly be exterminated...

 

Moving on to the actual venue, while the festival was still being held within Heartstone Manor, it was now separated into two main areas, that being aboveground and underground.

 

Comparing the two, the area aboveground was similar to the size of a kindergarten when placed side by side with the university-sized underground area.

 

While the former was a place where regular bosses could entertain themselves, the latter was an area where people dueled against each other in authentic battles!

 

Regardless, Richard himself had just arrived with the Quantock family's executives, alongside Julian and a few other people from the Sherwin family.

 

Just as they were about to enter, however, a smiling woman—who had been chatting with her friends while walking toward the main door—suddenly froze before calling out, "…Richard? What are you doing here?"

 

Hearing that, Richard turned around to see who the owner of the feminine voice was… and was instantly shocked when he realized who she was!

 

"Oh? Fancy meeting you here!" replied Richard with a slightly helpless smile as he looked at the woman.

 

"Why wouldn't I be here? Still, it hasn't been that long since we've last met! Why are you treating me as though I'm a stranger? Regardless, weren't you unable to obtain an admission ticket? How did you manage to enter this place then? Either way, now that we've bumped into each other, I'd like to ask you to do me a favor!" said the woman with a chuckle.

 

The woman in question was none other than Xaverie. As for the other girls in her group, they were naturally also friends of Xyrielle's. Xyrielle herself wasn't present, though it was completely understandable. After all, she was one of the function's main characters, so there was no way she was going to be able to stay by her friends' sides like how she usually did.  

 

Whatever the case was, Xaverie couldn't deny that she was curious about all the people accompanying Richard here today… Still, she wasn't too afraid since she ended up subconsciously thinking about Richard's true identity.  

 

With that, she then grabbed onto his arm, making it extremely evident that she wanted to lead him someplace no matter what he said.

 

Seeing that, Yule looked like he wanted to say something before whispering, "Master…"

 

While the Quantocks no longer controlled or managed Jenny City, they were still a family that owned extraordinary strength. If someone was disrespecting their master, they'd surely have to teach that person a lesson!

 

Understanding what Yule was getting at, Richard simply signaled for him and the rest to stand down for now. After all, while she was slightly capricious, she hadn't really done anything wrong to him.

 

With that in mind, Richard revealed a bitter smile of resignation as he said, "All of you head on in… I'll see what she needs help with first before regrouping with you…"

---

With that, Richard then followed Xaverie as she led him someplace…

 

He found himself slightly surprised when he realized that she had simply wanted him to help her carry a parrot.

 

Though the parrot distinctly knew how to mimic human speech, it hadn't said a word upon arriving there for some odd reason.

 

Recalling that Yagrorok was afraid of Richard too back then, Xaverie deduced that the bird must have simply been too terrified to speak within Richard's presence! It was exactly because of that that she was asking his help to carry it.

 

Not wanting to be further pestered by Xaverie, Richard simply shook his head at the comment before agreeing to help with a nod.

 

"Still, to think that you were actually able to get acquainted with the Quantocks! Regardless, you really have to thank me this time, Richard! For context, carrying this parrot isn't the only reason I called you over…" said Xaverie in a slow tone after both of them descended into the underground area.

 

"Oh? What do you mean by that?" asked Richard with a curious smile.

 

"You may not be aware of this, but the Quantocks and the Waddys have held grudges against each other for quite a while now… What I'm trying to say is that the Waddys will definitely notice that you're with the Quantocks… In other words, you're pretty much sentencing yourself to death!" replied Xaverie in a slightly bitter tone.

 

"…Oh? So, this is what you wanted to tell me? Hahaha! I guess I really do owe you my thanks for warning me!" said Richard with a smile.

 

"Why are you being so concerned for this loser, Xaverie? Could you have fallen for him?" teased one of her friends as the rest of the girls in the group snickered while covering their mouths.

 

"What utter nonsense! There's no way in hell that I'd fall for him!" replied Xaverie in a defeated tone.

 

Though she said that, Xaverie honestly had a pretty good impression on Richard. After all, he was a nice and extremely kind man.

 

Regardless, Xaverie and her group of friends were permitted entry into the entire Heartstone Manor since they benefited from being acquainted with the Waddys. With that said, once they were in the underground seating area, they quickly found the perfect place to take their seats. Even Richard was able to sit relatively close to the main stage since he was now associated with Xaverie.

 

Quite frankly, he had initially planned to leave after helping her. However, after realizing that Xaverie had called him over for his own good, he had a change of heart.

 

In addition, he now had access to better seats, meaning that he was going to be able to get a closer look at the formal showdowns between exceptional people—who were training to attain spiritual enlightenment—for the first time!

 

Either way, now that he was seated, Richard began looking around the gigantic annular venue.

 

Right in the middle, was a high platform where the battles would take place. From what he had been told, there were over thirty families participating in the battles, and they could all be seen sitting below the high platform now.

 

While the families appeared to treat the Waddys with utmost respect, undercurrents naturally existed among them. After all, all the present families definitely understood how important this festival was, which meant that they were all most probably secretly competing against each other.

 

Regardless, from what Richard could observe, he deduced that the only families who held true strength among the others were the Waddys and the Laidlers.

 

As for the remaining families, he had a pretty good hunch that they were simply being controlled by those training to attain spiritual enlightenment. While that was the case, none of the puppet masters appeared to be anywhere as strong as Stetson, and Richard's assumption turned out to be correct.

 

One by one, they were mercilessly defeated by Stetson almost immediately upon entering the ring.

 

As the fights went on, Yaakov felt that something was off. He knew Stetson's capabilities well, and by right, he was only a First-rank Master… Even so, wasn't he defeating too many of the other similarly ranked masters a bit too easily? How had he managed to increase his strength so rapidly within that short amount of time?

 

Could he have managed to surpass that rank…?

 

Yaakov could only continue staring in astonishment as yet another old man fell off the high platform, swiftly defeated by Stetson.

 

The old man himself quickly got to his feet and bowed respectfully before Stetson while saying, "I'm now utterly convinced that you young people have surpassed our generation!"

 

Watching as the old man quickly left after saying that, Yaakov could hardly calm himself anymore. He was simply too strong!  

 

"Was the power to rule finally going to the Laidlers this year…?"

---

Though Yaakov was muttering worriedly to himself, Xyrielle had admiration reflected in her eyes as she looked at Stetson. After watching all those battles, she felt as though she could finally see through that man.

 

As the fortune-teller had predicted, Stetson truly had immense martial arts skills and no ordinary person could ever come close to being compared to him…

 

Xaverie, on the other hand, found herself looking at Richard slightly contemptuously before saying, "While Stetson is arrogant, he's undeniably handsome! It's no wonder why Xyrielle fell for him! Though I do wonder if you'll get jealous of hearing me say such things! After all, I'm pretty sure you're in love with her! Sadly enough, Stetson has all the strength and glory in the world! You simply don't stand a chance!"

 

In response, Richard simply grunted with a nod.

 

He had been preoccupied this entire time, observing each battle closely, wondering if anyone stronger than Stetson would show up.  

 

After all, this was an extremely grand festival. It was impossible that only First, Second, and Third rank masters would attend, right?

 

'There has to be someone more powerful than that attending!' Richard thought to himself.

 

That thought was the only thing keeping him from stepping forward yet.  

 

As Yaakov smiled in resignation, Yule, on the other hand, was anxiously scratching the back of his head while looking from side to side as he muttered, "How immensely frustrating! Where could the master have gone? The festival is going to end soon!"

 

Seeing the crossed-armed Stetson—who had his eyes closed—standing atop the platform only served to further anger Yule, and he wasn't the only one feeling taunted either.

 

'That mother*cking guy really knows how to put up a show…!'

 

'That condescending b*stard…!'

 

While these were the shared thoughts of many, nobody actually dared to teach him a lesson. Not that they were capable enough in the first place.

 

Noticing how nervous Yule was, Yaakov—who had been sitting close to the Quantocks—turned to look at the members of that family before mocking, "Oh? Isn't the Quantock family sending anyone out to battle? Or do you have nobody capable enough? Now you're just making me wonder whether you just came to witness all the fun!"

 

"You…! You're just a pot calling the kettle black, Yaakov! I don't see anyone from the Waddys family capable of dealing with Stetson either! Regardless, mark my words that we'll soon be settling some of the grudges between us…!" snapped Xylon.

 

Laughing aloud, Yaakov simply replied, "I see! I'm interested in seeing how you Quantocks are going to settle those grudges of yours! Hahaha!"

 

Following that, Yaakov turned to look at Stetson—who was standing alone on the platform since nobody was daring enough to challenge him—before shouting, "With the representative of the Waddys family defeated, I do wonder if there's anyone among us still daring enough to challenge Stetson? If there aren't any objections, I'll be handing the power to rule over this festival to this fine young man!"

 

After a momentary silence, a roar of ear-shattering laughter could suddenly be heard echoing throughout the venue!

 

As objects within the venue began cracking or shattering from the immense noise, many people were also starting to scream and even faint.! Covering their ears didn't seem to help with the situation either!

 

Noticing that Xaverie and the other girls were also wailing in pain, Richard simply sealed their blood vessels in order for their hearing to return to normal.

 

Still, the longer he listened to the laughter, the more familiar it felt… Was it really Carlos?

 

"Aren't you being a bit too generous, Yaakov? Giving someone else the power to rule… Just cut the act! I'm bloody sure that you're extremely reluctant to make that exchange! Aren't I right, you b*stard?" taunted the sarcastic voice before continuing to laugh almost maniacally.

 

Hearing that, Yaakov's face instantly reddened in embarrassment as he retorted, "Who the hell are you? Show yourself!"

 

The second he said that, he was immediately greeted by a tight slap to his cheek! He didn't even see it coming, and he ended up toppling to the ground, his slapped cheek now extremely swollen…

 

"Oh? You still have no idea who I am…?"

 

Moments after that statement ended, everyone in the venue witnessed as an old man began falling from the ceiling…

 

And landing right atop the high platform.

Chapter 503

"…W-who is that person…?!" shouted several people in bewilderment as many others simply continued screaming.

 

Stetson himself couldn't help but widen his eyes as he scanned the old man from head to toe before declaring, "It… It's you! You're alive, Carlos?!"

 

Upon hearing that, Yaakov instantly cupped his swollen cheek as he got to his feet and stared at the old man before muttering, "…C-Carlos…? The god of death…?!"

 

Even Finnegan Laidler—the master of the Laidler family—immediately stood up when he realized who the old man was.

 

Completely aghast, Finnegan nervously turned to look at his son before shouting, "S-Stetson! It's far too dangerous there! Retreat!"

 

Xyrielle was also looking at Stetson rather anxiously, worried about his safety.

 

"There's no need to worry about me, dad! Since he's shown himself, I'm taking down this fearful villain today!" replied Stetson as a subtle smile began forming on his face. He couldn't help but feel slightly excited now that he was facing a truly strong enemy.

 

"Amazing! Truly amazing! Hahaha! Truth be told, I had already anticipated that you'd be an idiot, but I never thought that you'd be this remarkably brainless! It wouldn't be a stretch to claim that you're the stupidest person I've met throughout the three hundred years I've lived!" announced Carlos as he continued laughing loudly while staring straight into Stetson's eyes.

 

Just a few days ago, Carlos had been seriously injured by Richard, both esteem and strength-wise… With that in mind, he wanted to redeem all that loss by going all out during this grand event!

 

Regardless, he had been busy trying to locate Richard all this while, thinking that he belonged to one of the larger attending families. Naturally, he hadn't been able to even catch a glimpse of Richard throughout that period, and that honestly made Carlos more relieved than anything.

 

"For saying that right in my face, I, Stetson Laidler, will skin you alive, old man!" retorted Stetson, the corners of his lips twitching as he bumped both his fists together…

 

The second he did that, a force blowing upward began forming around Stetson, causing his long hair to seemingly dance about gracefully as he readied his attack!

 

Despite how dashing he looked, Xyrielle was still worried and she quickly shouted, "Be careful, Stetson!" Truth be told, Xyrielle disliked Stetson's temperament quite a bit, to the point where she even found herself wondering if it was wise to fall for him. Even so, who was she to deny her fated lover that heaven seemingly decided for her?

 

Hearing that, Stetson simply nodded before taking a step forward… and launching himself toward Carlos as though he were some kind of human spring!

 

"Have a taste of my Lightning Fist!" roared Carlos as streams of electricity suddenly began surrounding his fist!

 

Carlos's immediate response, however, was to form a smug smile on his face before retorting with a laugh, "Come at me, you buffoon!"

 

The moment the old man's sentence ended, he extended his large hand, promptly summoning a darkness that shot out directly at Stetson!

 

An explosive sound was heard as both light and darkness collided with each other!

 

While Stetson wasn't holding back anymore and had fully revealed the fact that he had the strength of a Second-rank master, his expression had now changed drastically. Soon enough, Carlos's attack completely overwhelmed him, momentarily distorting Stetson's face as he faced the full brunt of the attack!

 

Not even having any chances to dodge, Stetson was immediately flung into the air… Before being thrown right back down onto the platform! Vomiting blood, he instantly began writhing in pain within the newly formed depression on the platform… To think that he wasn't even able to withstand a single blow!

 

"…B-by god…!" shouted several people at the scene as they released horrified screams.

 

Yaakov himself could feel his eyelids twitching erratically while Finnegan had his eyes wide open in worry and fear.

 

As for Xyrielle… She had initially anticipated that things would end the same way as how Stetson had dealt with Yagrorok. After all, the confidence he had earlier expressed was similar to his confidence the other day. With that in mind, the end results should have been the same, right…?

 

After watching him get taken out with only a single blow, however, Xyrielle found herself covering her mouth in shock, finally realizing how wrong her guess had been…

---

Laughing maniacally as he shook his head, Carlos then said, "What an utter fool! To think that you even dared to go up against me in the first place! Who the hell even gave you such courage?"

 

Following that, the old man raised his hand… and began lifting Stetson into the air without even touching him!

 

Watching as Stetson screamed in terror in his suspended state, Xyrielle—who was under the platform— quickly shouted, "D-dad! Hurry and think of a way to deal with that villain!"

 

Despite hearing his daughter's pleas, even Yaakov was at his wits' end.

 

As for Carlos, he found himself turning to look at who was shouting for Stetson's sake. The second he laid eyes on Xyrielle, he paused for a moment before declaring, "It appears that you're quite gifted too, young lass! Alright then, since you're so loyal, I'll just drain both of you dry together!"

 

Laughing as soon as his sentence ended, Xyrielle wasn't even able to react in time before Carlos lifted his hand again and drew the poor girl toward the platform as well!

 

Upon seeing that, Yaakov's nervousness peaked, prompting him to immediately shout, "I-I'm begging you, laughing master…! Please, spare my daughter…!"

 

Anxiously watching as Xyrielle struggled to free herself from being pulled any closer toward the old man,

Xaverie—who had already stood up by this point—found herself yelling, "X-Xyrielle!"

 

Unsure what else he could do, Yaakov then added, "I-I'm sure you don't want to make an enemy out of that family, right, Laughing master? What more, my daughter doesn't even have access to any of the training realms! There truly is no reason for you to hurt her…!"

 

Hearing that, Carlos found himself frowning for a brief moment. However, he quickly recovered and laughed aloud before replying, "Hey, now, don't you think it'd be a bit too shameless on my part if I just released the person you told me to? How about this, I'll let you choose who gets to die! Will it be

Stetson? Or Xyrielle? I'll let the two of you decide between yourselves! Consider it my way of paying the Waddys some respect! Hahaha!"

 

While she was still nervous, Xyrielle turned to look at Stetson with an expectant gaze…

 

However, what she saw was an extremely pale-faced youth who instantly pleaded, "S-sir! I'm begging you to let me off…! Xyrielle is just an ordinary person, so killing her would be as easy as squashing a bedbug for you…! Also, do note that as another person who's managed to enter the training realm, I can still be of some value to you…!"

 

"…W-what…?" muttered Xyrielle as she immediately began trembling wildly.

 

This… This wasn't how she had imagined things would go… He was a man whom she had grown to admire… Yet to think that he would actually compare her to nothing but a bedbug…!

 

Laughing at Stetson's response, Carlos then turned to look at Xyrielle before saying, "His words do make some sense! And how about you, young lass? What do you think?"

 

At that moment in time, Xyrielle had been stunned completely speechless. After all, ever since that fortune-teller had told her what her future lover would be like, she had patiently been waiting for him to appear… The fortune-teller had even told her that the man was someone worthy of her love… Someone who would remain by her side till death did them apart…

 

To think that her destined lover turned out to be such a person… Was all that talk about her destiny mere a cruel joke then?

 

Thinking about it that way made her want to cry out, 'Just go ahead and kill me!'

 

Xyrielle was snapped back into reality when she suddenly heard an angry woman shouting, "You claimed to have lived for over three hundred years, right? I feel like that's a big fat lie since only a thousand-yearold b*stard would be capable of what you're doing! To think that you aren't even letting off an innocent woman! To me, you're nothing but a monster!"

 

The woman who had shouted was none other than Perla, and her fury had kicked into overdrive when he saw how Carlos was treating Xyrielle. Due to all that rage, she had yelled her true thoughts out without considering the implications.

 

When Carlos heard that, he turned to look at Perla before replying, "Oh? I have to say, it truly is an interesting day today! After all, I've managed to consecutively bump into three people who don't appear to appreciate favors! Regardless, know that I have a habit of giving people—regardless of gender— particularly horrible deaths if they choose to disrespect me! With that said, you really are one unfortunate girl!"

 

After shaking his head with a bitter smile, Carlos—who had been casting a formation this entire time to lock Xyrielle and Stetson up—raised his hand toward Perla, ready to pull her over as well.

 

However, before he was even able to lift her off the ground, a beam of white light suddenly appeared and bolted down directly above Carlos! The light itself was extremely bright, and it seemed to illuminate every inch of the underground area.

 

Even so, Carlos managed to notice it just in time to barely dodge the attack.

 

While leaping to avoid the light, the old man found himself raising an eyebrow as he asked, "Who dares?"

---

The second the light hit the platform, an explosive sound ensued as large cracks began forming on the platform's surface!

 

As everyone stared wide-eyed at the platform that had almost been split clean in half, the distinct sound of a blade being sheathed could be heard…

 

Following that, a middle-aged man wearing ninja-like garments stepped out of the clouds of debris.

 

Watching as the middle-aged man stared at him, Carlos found himself chuckling before saying, "So it's you, Ghose!"

 

From that statement, it was made evident that he was acquainted with this person…

 

Regardless, the second Stetson saw him, he looked like he had finally attained a glimmer of hope as he shouted, "M-Master Ghose! Save me…!"

 

The ninja's earlier attack had freed both Stetson and Xyrielle from Carlos's grasps, and Stetson quickly used this chance to run over to Ghose, gritting his teeth as he glared back at Carlos once he was standing behind the middle-aged man.  

 

His eyelids now twitching slightly, Carlos placed his hands against his waist, laughing out loud before saying, "Interesting! How very interesting! I would've never imagined that Ghose, the infamous elite ninja of Goldenslinger, would actually seek refuge from such a small family as the Laidlers! Do correct me if my guess was wrong!"

 

"You are correct, though in return, I have my own question for you. You, too, are a famous person who's been training to attain spiritual enlightenment, no? Why would you make things so difficult for these juniors? If you truly wanted a worthy opponent, you could've just looked for me! Either way, as long as I'm here, know that you won't be able to lay a finger on Young Master Laidler!" retorted Ghose, his pronunciation slightly off every once in a while.

 

Either way, it was evident that both of them were the best among the best, and their conversation alone was enough to create a strange and pressuring atmosphere that engulfed the entire underground area…

 

Expecting a large battle to commence between the two at any second, nobody dared to speak or even breathe too loudly…

 

However, much to everyone's surprise, when Carlos finally opened his mouth again, he simply laughed before saying, "While I, Carlos, am a fearless man, it's honestly way too much trouble for me to have to deal with the ninja of Goldenslinger. I'm sure you're well aware that you don't scare me, Ghose. Even so, I really don't want to have to deal with any extra trouble from the Goldenslinger, at least not for the time being. With that said, I'll leave Stetson alone today! Consider it as my way of paying respect to you today!"

 

After saying that, Carlos simply waved his hands slightly, a clear indication that he wasn't going to continue giving Stetson any trouble for now.                                                                                      

As Finnegan—who was still standing below the stage—heaved a long sigh of relief, Carlos asked,

"Speaking of which, are you going to help the Laidlers obtain the power to rule this time around?"

 

"I am, and if you're planning to obtain it for yourself, I'm not against having a brawl with you!" replied Ghose as he delicately held onto the hilt of his katana.

 

"Just forget it! I've recently suffered a number of serious injuries and I truly don't have the energy to have a large battle with you now! Still, I remind you that at my peak strength, the stronger person could be either of us, Ghose. Putting that aside, while I'm fine with letting Stetson off since he's with you, I'm pretty sure there's no need for you to interfere when it comes to those two young women. Putting it simply, if you aren't fighting me over them, I'm planning to drain their life essence dry in order to heal myself!" said Carlos as he pointed at Xyrielle and Perla.

 

In response, Ghose simply replied in a cold tone, "I only care about Young Master Laidler's safety!"

 

Hearing that, Yaakov instantly got up and bowed before Ghose, pleading, "M-Master Ghose! I beg of you to save my daughter as well…!"

 

Even Xyrielle and Perla found themselves getting increasingly nervous when they realized that Ghose didn't even know who Yaakov was.

 

Getting no reply, Yaakov then turned to look at Finnegan before saying, "Please, Finnegan! Please tell him to save my daughter as well! I… I'll hand the power to rule for this year to the Laidlers if you do, and I'll make sure that the Waddys fully support you throughout that period!"

 

Upon hearing that, Finnegan—who had just calmed down just seconds ago—found himself hesitantly saying, "…That…"

 

As Finnegan thought about it, Xaverie and the rest of her friends—who still hadn't moved from their initial spots—anxiously awaited his answer. Still, who could have anticipated for such a villainous person as Carlos to appear out of the blue?

 

With how powerful that old man was, it was evident that the Waddys and Laidlers were finding it difficult to deal with him.

 

Regardless, thinking about all this reminded Xaverie about Stetson.

 

'I remember him closing his eyes as he stepped up that platform… It gave the illusion that he was some kind of exceptional man… Even so, I'm now convinced that he isn't all that great. After all, every time he bumps into an opponent more powerful than himself, he ends up in such a pathetic state!'

 

Completely speechless as she thought about it, Xaverie suddenly remembered that Richard was still beside her.

 

"…Hey, Perla's your friend, right? Aren't you anxious at all…?" asked Xaverie as she turned to look at him… Only to find that Richard's eyes were closed!

 

'My god! Is he actually taking a nap at a time like this?!' Xaverie thought to herself, now boiling mad as she gently began shaking Richard's shoulder.

 

The second Richard opened his eyes, however, she momentarily saw two beams of light shooting out of them! How terrifying!

Chapter 504

Upon being shaken, Richard finally snapped out of it as he turned to look at Xaverie.

 

The truth was, he had entered such a state since the five disks in his body had reappeared a little earlier. With that in mind, Richard couldn't keep himself calm enough to continue watching the fights at full concentration.

 

While Richard was still pretty much aware of the incidents happening around him, his mind was more preoccupied on the disks, which explained his lack of action.

 

"What are you looking at me for? Look down there! Your friend's about to die!" said Xaverie, feeling speechless.

 

"She's not really my friend… She's merely my disciple!" replied Richard with a subtle smile, finding her over anxiousness slightly amusing.

 

"…Disciple? Are you still half asleep?!" grumbled Xaverie in resignation as her friends turned to look at him with odd gazes.

 

"Not really, no. Regardless, I don't think I've mentioned it, but I appreciate your kindness earlier, Xaverie! Now then, I'm heading off to aid my disciple!" replied Richard as he stood up, finally ready to leave the sidelines.

 

Seeing how much trouble Perla was currently in, Richard knew he had to step in quickly before something bad happened to her.

 

Before he could even make a move, however, he felt Xaverie tugging his sleeve while saying, "The hell are you doing, Richard? You can't just move around so casually! They'll kill you!"

 

Chuckling in response, Richard simply replied in an indifferent tone, "I'll be fine, don't worry!"

 

With that, he slowly began making his way toward the platformed area…

 

At that exact moment, Carlos—who was done waiting—was just about to draw both Perla and Xyrielle over to him when he suddenly heard a familiar voice calling out, "I do hope you're doing well, Laughing Master!"

 

He recognized that voice anywhere, and Carlos's legs instantly began trembling frantically as though they had just been struck by lightning.

 

Slowly turning around to see if the owner of the voice was truly him, Carlos's eyes widened when he realized that his worst nightmare had come true… Richard was now slowly walking toward the platform! "…Hmm? Wait… it's you again!" exclaimed Yaakov in bewilderment when he saw Richard slowly walking past him.

 

'He's the one who's endlessly pestered my daughter before this… Still, the way he called Carlos earlier… Is he acquainted with that old man or something?' Yaakov thought to himself rather doubtfully.

 

"…Richard…?" muttered the shocked Xyrielle who had also noticed Richard's presence by this point.

 

Xaverie and her friends were equally as flabbergasted as they watched the calm Richard—who had slid his hands into his pockets—finally walk up the platform.

 

Now that Richard was a little too close for comfort, Carlos found himself gulping as he took a few steps back, his eyes squinting in Richard's direction as he muttered, "…What… What are you doing here…?"

 

Noticing Carlos's sudden change in demeanor, Ghose narrowed his eyes slightly as he stared at Richard before asking in a cold tone, "…Who is this person, Carlos? And why are you so afraid of him? Don't tell me he's the one who inflicted all those wounds on you…"

 

Finding it hard to even speak without stuttering, Carlos quickly replied, "…That's him alright…!"

 

"I see. How interesting… I feel that this is my first time meeting such a young exceptional person… Regardless, if he truly is as strong as you've said, Carlos, I don't mind helping you kill him today! Though he may have been able to inflict terrible wounds on you, I believe that with our powers conjoined, we'll be able to take out at least half of those who've entered the training realm!" sneered Ghose.

 

"No!" replied Carlos almost instantaneously as he shook his head rapidly.

 

"What? Why not? Don't tell me you're too afraid to even make a move!" replied Ghose, feeling slightly surprised.

 

"Me? Afraid? Ghose, I'm Carlos! The man who's been able to enter the training realm with barely any hindrance! Do you think I know what fear is? Under normal circumstances, even if I bump into much stronger opponents, I'd still make a gamble and go all out on them despite understanding that I could very easily be the one left dead in the end! Note, however, that every time I do something reckless—like trying to drain the essential qi of my opponents or fighting exceptional people—it's always because I know that winning will either enhance my strength or fame!" explained Carlos while shivering.

 

"…What do you mean by that?" asked Ghose with a slight frown.

 

"What I mean is clear and simple. I know I'll die if I face him, and I don't want to just perish so meaninglessly!" replied the old man as his legs trembled one final time before his knees touched the ground with a soft 'thud'.

 

"Please spare my life, Great master…!"

---

The second they saw Carlos kneel, everyone's eyes instantly widened.

 

The hell? Wasn't this the extraordinarily powerful and evil Third-Rank Master, Carlos Xenes? Was he actually kneeling before this young man before even attempting to make a single move? How was this even possible?

 

Who… Who was this young man…?

 

As the people in the crowd continued discussing the matter among themselves, Xyrielle herself simply stared at Richard who was now calmly walking closer to the kneeling old man, his hands still in his pockets.

 

Xyrielle hadn't expected any of this to happen. Nobody had.

 

Whatever the case was, he was now no longer hiding his pressuring and powerful aura, and anyone who sensed it would surely feel their hearts palpitate. Xyrielle, of course, was no exception to that.

 

As for Ghose, he quickly recovered from the shock of Carlos kneeling before Richard and—with rapidly twitching eyelids—turned to stare at the approaching youth.

 

Upon stepping before the old man, Richard took a hand out before holding onto Carlos's head as though he was punishing a naughty child.

 

"Now then… Why didn't you just wait obediently for me to kill you back then? I'm sure you knew what was coming, right? Despite that, you fled the moment I got slightly distracted by some pleas for help…"

 

"P-please, Deity! It was wrong for me to have tried to escape! I shouldn't have run away!" cried out Carlos as tears began rolling down his cheeks.

 

"You really aren't acting like a proper elder should be, you know? Either way, it's impossible for a person to truly escape if I want them dead! Wouldn't you agree?" replied Richard with a laugh.

 

"O-of course you are, Deity!" said Carlos, his entire body already trembling uncontrollably.

 

Hearing that, Richard then turned to face the audience before announcing in an indifferent tone, "Regardless, I'm here today representing the Quantocks for the right to gain control! If anyone's against that, you're free to come challenge me!"

 

It took him a second, but he then scratched the back of his head before adding, "Oh, and I almost forgot to mention this. You don't need to challenge me one by one. You can all challenge me at the same time! If you prefer, that is!"

 

Watching as he then put on an innocent smile, everyone below stage instantly found themselves horrified.

 

"What did he say?"

 

"My god! How ruthless!"

 

Despite their dissatisfaction, nobody dared to say a word.

 

Ghose, however, wasn't about to just accept such mockery. Understanding that Richard didn't even consider him to be an opponent, Ghose found himself growling, "Don't you think you're being a bit too arrogant, young lad? Can't you see that I, Ghose from the Goldenslinger, am here?!"

 

"I mean, yeah. You've been standing there for a while now. What of it?" replied Richard.

 

"Bakayarou!" roared the now furious Ghose.

 

Finnegan himself was angered by Richard's comment, prompting him to say, "You shameless brat!

There's no need to hold back, Master Ghose! Just kill this arrogant man however you please!"

 

To think that Richard would actually dare to claim control… He truly was asking for it!

 

Hearing Finnegan's command, Ghose instantly drew his katana before growling, "I'll show you the true power of the Goldenslinger if it's the last thing I do!"

 

A gleam almost seemed to run down the sharpened blade as Ghose prepared his attack…

 

It was an attack so powerful that it was the best the Goldenslinger could offer… And it was called the Thirteen Stances of Waterflow!

 

A slash could split water, and two could slice through a soul. No soul could survive the third slash, and Ghose knew that for a fact since he had already mastered the three blades realm!

 

Once the gleam pierced through Richard's soul, Ghose was more than certain that the arrogant youth's soul would be no more!

 

While all this was happening, Xyrielle found herself getting increasingly nervous as she saw how much danger Richard was in.

 

After all, to think that her palpitating heart had been right this entire time… Now that she knew how strong Richard truly was, she was sure that this was who the fortune-teller had actually been referring to!

 

With that in mind, she was feeling a complicated cocktail of emotions as she continued staring at Richard.

 

However, before she could even decide on what to do, she stared wide-eyed in horror as she realized that Ghose's blade was already swinging down on Richard!

 

Expecting bloodshed, everyone sat at the edge of their seats… only to be left completely dumbfounded by the results.

 

With one hand still in his pocket, Richard had lifted his other to gently pinch onto the katana's blade… Despite making it look so easy, it worked. Ghose couldn't bring the blade down any further!

 

"…W-what?!" cried out Ghose in terror.

 

Though he wanted to retreat a few steps back, he found that he couldn't even move a muscle!

 

"Oh? I do wonder what kind of stance this is… And what kind of sect is the Goldenslinger?" asked Richard in an indifferent tone.

 

"Y-you…!" growled Ghose as he used all his strength to attempt to regain his mobility. Unfortunately for him, he remained as frozen as a statue…

 

"…I admit that you're stronger than I thought!" added the angered Ghose after a while before laughing aloud.

 

"Oh? Does that mean you have other stances up your sleeve?" asked Richard, feeling slightly surprised when he saw Ghose's reaction.

---

Ignoring Richard's question, Ghose simply closed his eyes for a moment… And when he reopened them, a momentary flash of fire could be seen reflected in his eyes as he roared, "Flaming Blades!"

 

Following that, the hilt of his katana seemed to light ablaze, shooting upward toward the tip which Richard was still holding onto!

 

Much to Ghose's dismay, the second the flames were about to burn Richard, they suddenly extinguished with a sizzling sound!

 

"…W-what…? How is this even remotely possible?!" stuttered the wide-eyed Ghose in disbelief as he stared at the youth.

 

Sensing that Ghose probably wasn't going to reveal any relevant information if he continued holding onto his blade, Richard simply released his grip on it, immediately causing Ghose to take a few steps back.

 

At that moment, seven distinct ringing sounds could be heard coming from where the Laidlers were seated…

 

Almost immediately after, seven figures leaped out from the shadows, taking only a split second to surround Richard as they shouted, "Master!"

 

From what Richard could see, all seven of the masked men were dressed in ninja-like garb, and each of them had murderous auras as they held onto their steel knives.

 

Regaining his composure, Ghose then turned to look at Richard before saying, "Now then… If you didn't already know, Tierson Mountain is extremely important to the Goldenslinger, your excellency… With that in mind, I'll say it right now that if you still wish to gain control over the area, you'll surely offend the rest of the Goldenslinger… You wouldn't want that, would you…?"

 

"Oh? I see, I see…" replied Richard as he nodded.

 

"Hmm? So, you're finally starting to get scared? Wise of you, really. Now then, why don't we have a seat and get a bit more acquainted with each other?" said Ghose as he took a step toward Richard.

 

"Scared? I'm afraid you're mistaken. Regardless, you really shouldn't have said that to me," replied Richard as he shook his head.

 

"…I beg your pardon? What do you mean by that, your excellency?" asked Ghose, stunned.

 

"Well, quite honestly, I had only planned to fend you off at first. Following that, I'd have asked you regarding how you went about with your training routes as well as a little on your sect. Before I even got to that, however, to think that you'd actually dare to threaten and blackmail me!" replied Richard.

 

"…What? With that said, are you not interested in allying with us? I'm afraid you don't know how powerful the Goldenslinger truly is!" said Ghose as unease swept through his entire being.

 

"Whether they're powerful or not is beside the point. I hadn't intended on killing you just now, you know? However, for daring to threaten me, you'll be paying with your life!"

 

Glaring at Richard—who still had one hand in his pocket—Ghose tightened his grip on his katana's hilt.

 

Richard, on the other hand, simply looked back at the furious ninja before flicking his fingers at him rather nonchalantly.

 

With immense speed and precision, the next thing Ghose knew, his kneecaps had already been pierced by some unknown force!

 

Watching as Ghose screamed miserably—unable to stop himself from falling to his knees in front of Richard—the seven other ninjas instantly raised their blades, ready to launch their attack!

 

In response, however, Richard simply raised his hand before waving it slightly…

 

And just like that, a glowing halo—that centered around Richard—suddenly appeared and immediately began widening itself in all directions!

 

Unable to dodge the counterattack, all seven of the men were sent flying backward as though they were nothing but newborn lambs!

 

Seeing that, Ghose immediately began begging, "P-please, have mercy! Please spare my life…!"

 

He now finally understood why Carlos had reacted that way when he first saw Richard. This youth had abilities that would make anyone feel powerless!

 

Ghose was now feeling like the weakest man alive as he stood before Richard.

 

Not wanting things to just end like this, Ghose quickly snapped out of it before saying, "The

Goldenslinger are a secretive and mysterious sect with a thousand-year history in Japan! We have many experts without our ranks, so there's no need to offend us, Deity!"

 

"Well, since I still wish to gain control, the Goldenslinger are going to be offended either way, no?" replied Richard.

 

"That's right! However, if you hand the controlling rights over to us, I'll definitely beg the Goldenslinger to spare your life!" cried out Ghose in his panicked state.

 

"So, it appears that you still don't get what I'm trying to say, nor do you understand my style of doing things. Regardless, I've already offended you anyway, so I may as well just finish off what I've started. I'll still be killing you off now, and if the Goldenslinger find fault with me later on, I'll just end them when they come for me!" replied Richard as he squinted his eyes before extending his right hand…

 

As his hand began glowing, it began radiating an aura that manifested into a giant pair of hands that swiftly grabbed onto Ghose!

 

Before Ghose could even react, Richard clenched his fist… and the next thing anyone knew, Ghose had already been reduced to nothing more than a lump of bloodied meat!

 

Having witnessed such a cruel scene, everyone in the area instantly began screaming in sheer horror!

Chapter 505

As everyone either screamed or stared dumbfoundedly at the bloody scene, one of the family heads managed to snap out of it and immediately bowed before Richard, expressing his amazement and respect by shouting, "Master Crawford…!"

 

Upon seeing that, the other family heads immediately bowed in unison as the words 'Master Crawford' echoed throughout the entire underground area.  

 

Finnegan, on the other hand, turned to look at Stetson—who was still frozen on stage—and signaled him to escape together with him. To his relief, Stetson saw and understood Finnegan's signal, prompting both of them to slowly begin walking away from the area.

 

Despite his name being shouted, Richard appeared indifferent, and he simply turned to look at Carlos before saying, "Carlos Xenes… I remember asking you something before you fled… Since I didn't get an answer, I'm just going to repeat what I said. Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you."

 

Upon hearing that, Carlos instantly gulped before replying, "I… I'll be your lackey till the day I die, Master Crawford…!"

 

Despite being rather unwilling to be Richard's servant, anything was better compared to facing a death similar to Ghose's. That ninja's death was truly pitiful…

 

"Hmm… I accept. With that, I'm sure you know what you have to do next, correct?" replied Richard as rested his arms against his back before turning to look at the escaping father and son.

 

Instantly getting what Richard was trying to say, Carlos then roared, "How dare both of you offend Master Crawford!"

 

Since Finnegan had earlier instructed Ghose to kill Richard, he had pretty much already sealed his fate by that point.

 

Either way, Carlos easily caught up to the duo and after receiving three strikes each, both of them flopped to the ground, dead.

 

"Now then… If there aren't any further objections, does that mean that I've now gained full control over this underground world?" asked Richard.

 

"But of course, Master Crawford! We'd very much prefer having you be the person in control rather than the Waddys!"

 

"Indeed! With how strong you are, the Yahtos are more than willing to serve you as our head for the generations to come! Even so, please don't underestimate my family, Master Crawford, for we own a third of the assets in the entire Jenna Province!" added the head of the Yahtos in a flattering tone.

 

While the other family heads were already fawning over Richard, Yaakov didn't even dare to say a word.

 

With mixed feelings in his heart, he wondered how he had been so blind… How he had actually failed to recognize how strong and powerful Richard actually was at the start…

 

Regardless, he understood very well that he had previously offended Richard quite a bit. It was the reason why he was staying put in complete silence, fearing that he would share the fate of Finnegan and his son.

 

Despite Yaakov's worries, Richard didn't even look at him from the start till the very end.

 

After a brief moment, Richard then declared, "I only wish to obtain one thing from the miracle on Tierson

Mountain. Once I obtain it, the rest of the items will be equally distributed to all of you!"

 

"…W-what?! T-Thank you, Master Crawford…!" cried out the family heads, unable to contain their excitement.

 

Watching as Richard stood in the limelight, Xyrielle felt her heart pounding rapidly.

 

Just as she had thought… Stetson hadn't been the one the fortune-teller had predicted to be her optimal lover… No… As it turned out, Richard was the actual one for her!

 

Now genuinely feeling happy for him, she hoped that he would at least turn back to look at her…

 

To her disappointment, after he explained a few things to Perla—about the distribution benefits since he was placing her responsible over that—Richard swiftly went off without another word.

 

Seeing that, Xyrielle felt slight feelings of loss and bitterness in her heart…

 

Fast forward to after the underground festival, several big changes had already taken place within the Jenna Province.

 

The changes included several ancient martial arts families, secret societies, as well as several forces that possessed special skills. Essentially, all of them now obeyed and took orders from Master Crawford.

 

In relation to this, there were also quite a number of people—who were training to attain spiritual enlightenment—who stepped forth to meet Richard. While they had previously entrusted themselves to the powerful families within the Jenna Province, they were now pledging their allegiance to Richard instead.

 

These were all people similar to Julian in the way that they were all self-taught and weren't particularly tied to any organizations. With Richard's agreement, they were all overjoyed to finally have a strong and powerful person to back them up.

 

Among the twenty-seven people who had attached themselves to Richard in that short amount of time, Richard found that most of them were First-rank masters while the others were Second-rank ones.

 

While that meant that Carlos was most definitely the strongest among them, he opted not to turn down any of them. After all, he was truly in need of people at the time.

 

Regardless of how powerful they were, Perla was still Richard's first disciple. With that said, despite being considerably weaker than the rest, her words were still absolute among the other disciples.

---

Since Richard's new force was still relatively small, those within it instantly began discussing the matter. Eventually, they wondered if it would be best if they set up a sect. In doing so, they'd surely be able to properly establish everyone's respect and ensure that they had a name.

 

Unfortunately, after they brought their concerns up to Richard, he simply turned down their request, stating that it still wasn't the right time for them to do so yet.

 

Either way, after postponing any further discussions about that topic, Richard used that opportunity— since they were all already there anyway—to tell them that he would be staying atop Tierson Mountain for a few days. He also added that nobody was allowed to enter the mountain throughout that period…

 

Meanwhile, Perla and her cousin sister could be seen getting ready to leave for one of Jenna City's luxurious clothing malls.

 

"Are you sure about this, Perla…? Didn't grandpa tell us not to go out so much…? After all, girls have been going missing all over Jenna City throughout this period of time… I fear that bandits are the one