Chapter 80


    "You must be vin," Brunn said, stopping three paces away and sizing him up.


    "Hello Brunn," vin greeted with a respectful fist-over-palm salute, neither servile nor overbearing.


    "How much can you lift with a single punch?"


    "About nine hundred pounds now," replied vin, whose realm had advanced, enhancing his


    physique and granting him a fist strength well over a thousand pounds.


    "You''ve mastered the Goliath Force in a month''s time?"


    "I''ve watched you practice it before, brother. I''ve been imitating and had some ideas, so my


    progress has been swift."


    Brunn actually nodded slowly. "You are indeed gifted! Care for a friendly bout some day?"


    "Whenever you''re inclined, I''m at your service," vin said with a smile, extending his hand.


    The two sped hands in mid-air, their sp echoing through the Arena.


    This turn of events left many who had been eager for a spectacle dumbfounded. Was that it? Since


    when was Brunn so amiable?


    At that moment, arge group approached the Arena, numbering over a hundred, hailing from


    different warrior factions. Yet, they all shared the same identity—they were from the Grand Elder''s


    faction.


    The Grand Elder held considerable influence within Cobalt Strike, with seven or eight Elders in


    absolute support.


    Among the approaching party were several Elite Protégés, all loyal to the Grand Elder or his


    staunch Elders. They quickly noticed vin upon arriving at the Arena, each wearing a peculiar


    grin.


    The atmosphere of the Arena quieted somewhat, with many gazes drifting towards this new


    development.


    vin, prepared for this moment, turned and walked to a corner of the Arena, preferring not to


    confront them just yet. The hunting festival wouldst thirty days, and he wanted to visit his kin in


    the Azure Mountain before returning to face them in earnest.


    "Are you vin?"


    "Halt! Are you deaf to my questions?"


    "Stop pretending. I know you can hear me."


    Several young men and women emerged from the group, advancing towards vin.


    "What is it?" vin turned reluctantly, facing them.


    A tall, thin Protégé stepped up to vin''s side, poking his belongings. "What''s in there?"


    "None of your concern."


    The Protégé prodded again. “Do you really think you canpete in the great hunt?"


    vin gave him a sidelong nce, chuckling. "Isn''t it obvious?"


    The Protégés circled vin, taunting him with a mix of sarcasm and mockery.


    "You''ve got some nerve showing up here. What, if they told you to die, would you just obey?"


    "Ha, look at you, boy. Open your eyes and see, every Protégé here is at least a Novice Mage of


    Stage VI."


    "Is a mere servant trying to break into the ranks of the senior Protégés? Should we call you thick-


    skinned or just delusional?"


    "Don''t think that just because you defeated Galos, you can challenge a Stage VII Mage. He was off


    his game that day. Let''s see you match up once he''s recovered."


    "Get lost! Go back to where you came from! The hunt is a game for the brave, not for servants like


    you."


    vin shook his head with a smile. "Is this really amusing to you?"


    "I find it quite amusing! Don''t you?"


    "Enough chit-chat, get lost!"


    "Always acting so high and mighty, do you really think you can still y the lord? You should thank


    us for not finishing you off in these eight years."


    The group of Protégés purposefully came to shame vin—stay and be humiliated; leave, and it


    was submission, ensuring he''d never hold his head high in Cobalt Strike again.


    vin remained dignified. "The hunt has already begun. It''s better to cross des in the forest than


    to p gums here."


    "Cross des? You think you can stand against me...?" Just as a tall,nky youth was about to get


    in vin''s face, a dark, gleaming war de suddenly sliced through the air between them.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    "Who the hell..." The Protégés were about to rage, but their faces changed as they fell silent.


    Cedrick?!


    Cedrick, wild-haired and with eyes sharp as daggers, radiated an intense, fierce aura as he stepped


    forward with his de. The t of his sword pped against the tall youth''s cheek with a sharp


    crack. "Back off!"


    "Cedrick, what... what are you trying to do...?" Their bravado faded, and no one dared resist as they


    stepped back.


    The Grand Elder''s faction, numbering in the hundreds, shifted uneasily, frowning at the unfolding


    scene.mOthers exchanged nces, surprised by Cedrick''s sudden intervention.


    In the new generation of Cobalt Strike, Cedrick''s talent and strength were unquestionable, rivaling


    even that of the Golden Protégés—and his wild nature and deep connections made him even more


    formidable.


    Cedrick stood before vin, the de''s edge pressed against the throat of the tall Protégé. "One


    should know their ce. Had you been given the same resources as vin eight years ago, you


    wouldn''t even be fit to carry his boots today, so don''t act so petty. If you''ve got the guts, kill him now.


    If not, stay out of his way."