Chapter 150


    "I wanted to take care of my wounds first."


    "The first battle of the first round has ended."


    "It took that long?" Although Adirich hadn''t gone to watch, he had been keeping track of the time.


    He thought that four or five battles would have ended by now.


    "vin was the first to take the stage, challenged by the Floral Enchantress'' Lylian."


    "Thess who defeated Semar? How many rounds did vinst?"


    "About ten."


    "Hmph, I knew it. His tricks would only work on the Earthbound Spirits'' big oaf."


    "Lylian was defeated."


    "What?"


    "vin defeated Lylian, then challenged the Earthbound Spirits, facing two at once."


    Adirich stared at Elder Connas in disbelief, thinking he had heard wrong.


    "Ziros and Nelsor, both sessors of the Earthbound Spirits just below Ond, together challenged


    vin. In the end, vin won. It was a hard-fought victory, but he won, and the Eight Orders''


    Commanders unanimously decided that vin would advance early to the top ten of this


    tournament."


    "How is that possible!" Adirich sat up.


    "Cedrick spread the word about vin''s business with Cobalt Strike, and now it''s causing quite the


    stir."


    Elder Connas'' expression was grim. At first, he thought Cedrick was just venting for vin, but


    upon closer inspection, it was not the case.


    Cedrick had a motive; he was campaigning for vin''s rights. vin had now advanced into the top


    ten, earning a reputation and disying his potential, with several Commanders starting to take


    interest. Spreading word of vin''s situation was like putting pressure on the Cobalt Strike, while


    also inting vin''s worth.


    If Cobalt Strike didn’t want such a Protégé, the rest would dly take him.


    Hadn''t Cobalt Strike oppressed him enough for eight years? They must treat him well from now on.


    Cobalt Strike had enved two hundred thousand souls, a truly vile act!


    vin had won glory for Cobalt Strike, and would they continue to bully him now?


    This was all Cedrick''s doing! Elder Connas never imagined that Cedrick, always so quiet, could act


    so ruthlessly,pletely disregarding the face of Cobalt Strike.


    The affair with the Stormcast could be seen as severe or not, depending on one’s view. All


    organizations had their own simr issues, but the key point was that vin was different now, and


    so the nature of the incident changed.


    Elder Connas could imagine the Commander''s frustration. The dirtyundry was aired to the Eight


    Orders of the Nortnds, and a reputation for tormenting a talented protégé was earned for him.


    Adirich sat dumbfounded for a while, then shook his head and chuckled bitterly. "In the end, he''s


    turned the tables. When vin returns to Cobalt Strike, he''s likely to be promoted to a GoldenThis content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Protégé."


    "Being raised to a Golden Protégé is only natural; even if the Commander is reluctant, he must do


    it."


    "My mentor surely won''t be pleased..."


    "Then don''t let him return to Cobalt Strike," whispered Elder Connas with a lowered voice.


    Adirich''s eyebrows shot up, and he looked at Elder Connas. "You mean..."


    "Roald has caught the attention of a protégé from the Earthbound Spirits, and I suspect he''ll likely


    fall in the arena today. In the end, Cobalt Strike''s only gain in this year''s championship might just be


    vin''s ''top ten.'' How will that look when you return to the Organization? Will the Grand Elder be


    satisfied? vin is ambitious, and he''s got a ruthless streak. Once he''s raised to a Golden Protégé,


    with Celesse''s backing, no one in Cobalt Strike will be able to touch him. Don''t forget that vin


    has the support of the Mollen family. With them behind him, his position in Cobalt Strike will only


    grow more stable. It won''t be long before even the Mallister family of Azure Mountain are freed."


    Elder Connas initially thought of vin''s participation in the championship as a joke, but now it


    seemed vin''s move had been brilliant,pletely turning his status within Cobalt Strike on its


    head.


    "Surely it''s not that serious?"


    "That''s the worst-case scenario."


    Adirich quite cleverly grasped Elder Connas'' meaning and considered it seriously. "Is vin gravely


    injured?"


    "He''s hanging by a thread, currently unconscious. Niks is tending to him."


    "Is there no one else in the manor now?"


    "I must return to the arena; lingering too long will raise suspicion. Remember, you''ve already


    disappointed your mentor once. Don''t disappoint him a second time. We cannot allow vin''s


    trouble to return to Cobalt Strike for resolution." With those words, Elder Connas left the room.


    Adirich hung his head in a long silence. A smirk with a grim resolve yed on his lips as he


    clenched the dagger at his side.