Safiya joined Adrian and Nathaniel on the journey to Exasword, making Adrian somewhat puzzled. He asked, "One of you is the chief instructor of the garrison, and the other is the leader of the special ops team. Now both of you are reassigned, what about the garrison?""Don't worry, we’ve made arrangements for the garrison," Nathaniel said decisively."Alright..." Adrian nodded. After all, this was their private matter, and as an outsider, he needn’t worry about it.Safiya still seemed worried. Noting her furrowed brows, Nathaniel asked, "What's wrong? Something on your mind?"Safiya was lost in thought, and Nathaniel's question jolted her. "Sir, I..." She looked up at him with astonishment, her tension and helplessness apparent.Nathaniel smiled and said, "I know, you’re worried about Ash, right?"Safiya's cheeks turned pink. She neither admitted nor denied it, simply blushing and remaining silent.Adrian could guess what she was thinking as well. He chuckled and said, "Don't wo
But not long after, several people approached Nathaniel, bowed, and greeted him. "Hello, Captain Nathaniel.""You are…?" Nathaniel narrowed his eyes, trying to recall who these people were.One of the men stepped up and said, “Do you recognize me, sir? We met five years ago.”After closer inspection, Nathaniel recognized the man. Smacking his forehead, Nathaniel said, "Oh, I remember now. Arnold Huffton, right? I’m so forgetful. Sorry, it's been five years, and you've changed a lot.""That's right. If you hadn’t saved me back then, I might not be here now.” Arnold laughed."Why are you guys here?" Nathaniel asked."The road ahead is pretty backed up, so I was ordered to come and pick you up, sir. Follow me. We'll take a different route into Exasword." Arnold pointed ahead.Walking was indeed an option.Arnold's gaze then fell on Adrian. He examined the latter for a moment, then said in surprise, "You're Mr. Adrian, right? I've heard of you.""I'm that famous?" Adrian replied s
Nathaniel could still sense hesitation from Craig and found it somewhat unusual. "What's wrong? Is there something else?" he asked."Nothing much. I just feel it's a pity we couldn’t completely eradicate the Netherites. They’re the root cause of all this trouble," Craig replied with a weary smile.Nathaniel’s expression became troubled too. He looked like he was contemplating something, but he didn’t reveal his thoughts.Craig then asked, "By the way, I heard a level-nine powerhouse from Mapleston would be coming. Has he arrived?""Yes, he has. He's the great hero of Mapleston. Of course, we couldn't leave him behind," Nathaniel said smilingly. He looked toward Adrian, and everyone followed his gaze.Everyone looked surprised by the sight of Adrian, especially Craig, who commented, “I imagined you to be much older, Mr. Adrian. It seems your potential is truly promising."Adrian responded humbly, "You’re too kind, sir. I'm just an ordinary person doing what I can. I'm not worthy o
Late in the evening, Adrian was alone in his room when he heard a knock on the door. He rose to open it and found Nathaniel outside"Captain? What are you—”Nathaniel quickly gestured at him, signaling the need for quiet. He darted into Adrian’s room and closed the door behind him. "There’s something I need to talk to you about," he said."For you to come at such a late hour, it must be important. Please, go ahead," Adrian responded promptly."Yes, it is," Nathaniel confirmed as he sat at the coffee table. After a moment's pause, he continued, "Adrian, what are your impressions of Craig?""Craig?" Adrian was a little perplexed. During their brief encounter, he had formed a preliminary opinion of Craig. "I find him to be quite forthright. Is there an issue?" he asked."Exactly. You've only just met him, so you might not sense anything amiss," Nathaniel mused."Are you implying...""Craig is typically a serious man. I've known him for nearly ten years, and his behavior today seem
Following Arnold, the trio arrived at the Exasword garrison cafeteria. Along the way, many people took notice of Adrian and stared at him, clearly drawn to him."Wow, look. Isn't that the legendary level-nine fighter? He's so young and handsome.""Don't get infatuated. Did you see the girl next to him? She must be the one he's interested in."Some young female fighters couldn't take their eyes off Adrian. He seemed pretty popular around these parts.Seeing the reactions of others, Adrian smiled in frustration.After eating and drinking their fill, the group left the garrison."Isn't the fighting tournament being held in the garrison camp?" Adrian asked."Of course not. The camp is too small to accommodate thousands of fighters. The tournament is being held at Heaven's Peak Arena," Arnold replied.The group made their way to the venue—a magnificent stadium—and they arrived soon enough. Many cars were parked outside, and people got out in groups. Chatter and laughter filled the a
"Why you..." Arnold was instantly infuriated by the man’s words. He raised his fist, ready to charge at him. But at the critical moment, Adrian stopped him."Mr. Adrian, what are you…""Don't let him get to you, Arnold." Adrian gestured for Arnold to step aside, then approached the man in the military uniform with a stern expression.The man felt a tingle down his back. "What do you want, kid?" he growled. He could sense the hostile aura emanating from Adrian, making him wary.Adrian smiled. "I don't want anything. I just can't stand your behavior.""My behavior? What behavior?" The man showed no intention of being polite.The militant man stood tall before, fixing Adrian with a sharp look. Adrian took note that this person was pretty strong, at least at the pinnacle stage of level eight, possibly even stronger.Whoosh!Without warning, the man threw a heavy, cannonball-like punch at Adrian's face. However, Adrian didn't move aside. He simply raised his hand and caught the man'
Perhaps because of this shared ancestry, the two families were always engaged in various struggles, both openly and secretly. Each believed they were the rightful heirs of the lineage and enjoyed engaging in political maneuvering against each other. As a result, the families were in a constant state of hostility.The man they encountered was Rex Well. Arnold had always been superior to Rex in terms of skills, which led Rex to harbor significant resentment toward Arnold. However, Arnold's family, the Hufftons, declined for certain reasons, allowing Rex to rise.Rex's resentment toward Arnold was so strong that he wished to see Arnold suffer immensely. But despite the decline of the Hufftons, Arnold's strength remained formidable. He was talented, far more so than Rex. This made the Wells family resentful of the Hufftons.Previously, both families were evenly matched in strength. When Rex proved to not be as good as Arnold, the Wells could still find excuses to dismiss Rex’s inadequac
As the group spoke of past events, a clear tone of resignation colored their voices."But fortunately, some very promising newcomers have appeared in Aethersphere in recent years. Perhaps in time, our fighters will become stronger," Safiya added hopefully."Let's hope so.” They then continued on their way and soon entered the interior of Heaven's Peak Arena. In the spacious venue bustling with people, they quickly found their seats that had been arranged by the event organizer. Sitting beside them were fighters from a place near Beyford City, totaling seven people, all wearing priest robes. Leading them was a dignified and handsome young man in his twenties, who greeted Adrian’s group politely.After introducing themselves and finding out that these priests were from Mount Sage, Adrian remarked, "You've come from such a distant place. The journey must have been tiring."Adrian had heard of Mount Sage. It was a renowned mountain that was home to some prominent fighters, and it was