"Hey, that's too much!"Frank was protesting at the emcee. "Why are all the bets predicting my defeat? Can't I bet on myself beating Jaden Favoni in ten strikes?"The emcee was taken aback, as was Jaden despite his impatience.Still, Jaden soon snorted and stared Frank pointedly from head to toe. "Who do you think you are, brat?! You, defeating me in ten strikes?! I could let you have them for free, and you still wouldn't reach my sleeve!""Now, now. That might not prove to be the case." Frank wagged his finger, grinning in amusement.Then, shouting below the stage, he said, "Anyway, I bet 500 million that I'm winning!"The hall was sent into a frenzy, even as Frank's bet was shown on the electronic board as he announced it.Nodding in approval, Frank exclaimed, "Now, that's fairness!"On the other hand, Jaden had lost all patience watching as Frank kept wasting time and snapped icily, "Are you going to fight or not?!""Yeah! Start the fight!"The spectators were getting upse
Frank could certainly block Jaden's kick directly and counter by breaking his leg right then, but he did not do it because he had his plans.Jaden was strong, and Frank could see he was halfway into Ascendant rank.But that still meant he was no threat to Frank.Moreover, Frank did not accept the challenge because of Jaden—his real targets were Troy and Kilian with him.Pow!As Frank shimmied to the side, Jaden's foot struck the floor, sending half the ring crumbling, making his sheer power all too evident."What?!"Jaden, however, was taken aback.Was Frank actually that good, easily dodging the signature techniques of his family?!His scowl soon turned savage, as he was reminded of that fight two years ago when he thought the world of himself.That was when Ehud Lionheart showed up, and the Demon of Volsung Sect kept dodging his blows like Frank was doing now, treating Jaden as if he amounted to nothing!"Argh!!! Boulderbreaker!" Jaden bellowed even as he felt humiliated,
While the crowd was still left shocked by Jaden's defeat, his raging below left them silent again."What? Jaden was poisoned?""No way… When?""So that brat really is a cheater, poisoning Mr. Favoni while we weren't watching!"However, Frank seemed to expect the audience's outrage and simply shrugged at Jaden and smiled. "Don't try to slander me now. I really don't need poison to beat you.""Bullshit!" Jaden bellowed furiously. "How else would you know I'd be beaten even before the fight?!"Then, as his agitation overwhelmed his nerves and with the poison kicking in as well, he coughed another pool of black blood and passed out."Jaden!"Chelly leapt on stage right then, shaking Jaden while snapping at Frank, "I knew it! You're a cheater, poisoning my brother!""How dare you, Frank Lawrence!" Troy Bearson shouted below stage before Frank could argue, pointing at Frank and snapping, "Poisoning the heir of the Favoni family? The Bearsons will not let this rest!"With Troy takin
Glancing at Stella, Frank said earnestly, "Someone poisoned your brother, and it's a poison that only takes effect after a precise period of time. In other words, someone is trying to scapegoat me and incite a war between your family and myself."Stella, seeing Frank's vague smile and the way he was staring at Troy, turned toward Troy too.She realized right then that Troy must have planned all this!She was already suspicious when Troy was on hand to receive them at the airport, and that premonition came true!"You're lying!"That was when a tearful Chelly shrieked hysterically at Frank, "You poisoned my brother, and you're still dressing it up with pretty words?! You're lower than scum! I'm telling my dad about this, and he'll bring all his men to kill you and everyone around you!""Calm down, Chelly!" Stella ran up, intent on stopping Chelly's irrational ravings—but it was already too late.She could feel the air stirring around Frank, and his smile turned into a glare."W
For Chelly, it was a humiliation worse than death!Being already raised in an ivory tower and spoiled by her father and siblings, her family's influence only further encouraged her to treat everyone else as if they were beneath her.She also earnestly believed that her brother Jaden was invincible, and that the Favonis would eventually rise as the Fifth Family in Morhen, even rising as the undisputed rulers of Draconia!As such, she was crumbling inwardly from sheer humiliation, seeing her own sister kowtowing to some unknown man who poisoned her brother in public!"Y-You traitor! Traitor!"Suddenly not remembering every moment her sister protected her, Chelly branded her own sister a traitor.Raising her palm, she aimed her strike at Stella even as she remained kneeling on the floor, ready to kill!"I will protect our family's honor! Die, traitor!"Stella remained on the floor even as she watched Chelly's strike approached, but she did not dodge.Her gaze was determined—she w
Still, Kilian's chuckle soon turned into roaring, gleeful laughter. "Hahaha! I get it now!""What happened to him, Mr. Lionheart?" Troy asked anxiously, since Kilian was too busy laughing to answer his question."Hehe… The brat was trying to be smart, but he ended up screwing himself over!"Kilian smiled even as he watched Frank wheeze. "His vigor collided with Jaden's when he blocked Jaden's blow, and the poison that was already kicking in inside Jaden's body affected him too! The poison you used is tailored against martial elites who wield pure vigor, no?""Yeah, exactly." Troy nodded, still at a loss."Well, that fits the bill." Kilian sneered viciously. "Frank did not realize that he too would be affected if Jaden's poisoned vigor reached him!""Hahaha! That's amazing!" Troy's eyes lit up.He had no idea what Kilian was talking about, but he understood the last part and that was enough too.Frank was poisoned too!"Well, Mr. Lionheart, now's your chance to eliminate him on
"It's the Soulbleeder—a specialty of Hundred Bane Sect available from the black market."Frank looked up, his eyes flashing as he wiped the smudge of blood from the corner of his lips.Kilian's face fell right then—how could Frank have known the name of the poison?!It was a well-kept secret even in the black market, and hardly anyone knew of it. Even Kilian himself found out about it through Troy!"Hehe… blargh!"Frank smirked even as he vomited another mouthful of blood. "Are you surprised why I would know? Well, that's a question you'd have to ask a certain traitor to Hundred Bane Sect whom I had slain. He left behind a copy of the Hundred Bane Anthology, which is why nothing in Hundred Bane Sect's inventory will work against me.""Really?"Kilian sneaked a look around himself and smirked at Frank in turn when he sensed Frank's vigor churning chaotically in his body. "You really wouldn't be hurting that badly if it doesn't work on you.""You're right." Frank nodded. "I've be
"Oof!"Kilian was no longer laughing.He could not feel any hint of pure vigor projecting from Frank's fist—that meant that Frank was using sheer physical strength to destroy his carapace armor, while sending him flying like a ragdoll!"I-Impossible! How could a Birthright rank do this… no, could he have improved? But this shouldn't be happening even if he did—"Even before Kilian came to his senses, he felt a large hand seizing him by the throat, choking him.Across his meridians, his pure vigor stalled in an instant.It hurt terribly, but he could not direct his pure vigor to fight back even if he wanted to.Even as the world started to spin around him, he realized he could not beat Frank in pure physical strength too, as he could not loosen Frank's vice-like grip around his neck at all!And at that very moment, every spectator could see Frank lifting Kilian, who was flailing around like an animal but unable to free himself.Chelly Favoni, who had just regained consciousness