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

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

This fighting tournament had multiple segments, starting with sparring. Given its five-year frequency, sparring was essential; omitting it wouldn’t make sense. Over every five–year span, notable new apprentices emerged from various major forces. If the garrison spotted any, they’d negotiate with the respective factions for their recruitment. While these conditions might not faze major factions, they were highly beneficial for smaller forces.Additionally, independent fighters were also recruited, enticed by the decent benefits and stable employment despite the inherent danger. Becoming a civil servant was a viable option, regardless of the timing or circumstances.The first contestant to step up was a burly man in his thirties, immediately capturing the audience's attention."Why him?""He's participating again."Conversations buzzed among the spectators.Adrian, attending for the first time, didn't recognize the contender.Nathaniel explained, "Technically, this individual qual

Adrian stared intently at the arena, his brows furrowed in deep thought."Hmm, I agree," he responded to Brandon, his mind occupied with contemplation.Their conversation aside, the battle in the arena raged on."This move will be your downfall!" Leyton declared confidently, unleashing another fierce punch.It appeared that this time, Sawyer would have no chance to evade."It's over!"The spectators held their breath, anticipating Sawyer's third defeat. Yet, in the next instant, the tide turned again.Sawyer swiftly dodged Leyton's punch, his figure flashing with agility. Simultaneously, he retaliated with a powerful punch aimed squarely at Leyton. Caught off guard, Leyton couldn't evade in time as Sawyer's blow connected with startling force.Bam!The sound of the punch echoed as Leyton was sent hurtling through the air. Moments later, he crashed into the ground, eliciting an eruption of astonishment from the audience. The reason was evident: Sawyer's strike had shattered Ley

As the conversation unfolded, Sawyer was escorted away for further examination. With such a disruptive incident, the fighting tournament came to an abrupt halt."Adrian, are you alright? Did he harm you?" Nathaniel inquired with genuine concern when Adrian returned to his seat."Captain Nathaniel, do I appear injured to you?" Adrian responded with a reassuring smile."Heh, fair point," Nathaniel conceded. "But what's the matter with Sawyer? Why does he seem to have lost his sanity?"The unexpected turn of events left everyone bewildered and incredulous.Suddenly, Adrian reached out and plucked something from the air, extracting an object from Sawyer's body. The sight stunned all present."What is that?" They collectively voiced their bewilderment, unsure of the object's nature.Adrian's faint smile hinted at his understanding. "See this? There's more to this guy than meets the eye," he revealed, leaving everyone astonished by his revelation.The object extracted by Adrian was a