When the familiar magic panel popped up in Raven's vision it was as if the world around him froze, including time itself.
However, as if by magic, when the bottle in his hand got refilled, Raven was slapped right back to reality.
"Is there a problem?" President Bai, who saw neither the magic panels nor the magical sight of the Avatar Flask getting refilled frowned and asked with doubt.
Raven, who although at his senses but still perplexed, put his mask back onto his face and turned around slowly.
"...I think, there is. And a huge one at that."
...
Seconds after the unexpected change of events, everyone was back inside the room, puzzled to see that in the end, Raven had not consumed even a single bottle.
Grabbing one of the bottles from the crate, President Bai walked before Canwin and handed it to him.
"Drink it."
Canwin, just like everyone else felt confused. Even so, when he saw President Bai's urging and grave expression he nodded and drank it.
However, just what happened with Raven, two panels popped up before his face while the empty bottle in his hand magically got refilled.
"What?!" everyone's eyes widened in awe while President Bai sighed.
"I see..."
"Let me try it!" grabbing the bottle from Canwin's hand without caring the young man just drank from it, Roven poured its content down his throat.
But not even a second later the same fate waited for him, just like with Luck and the Bright God.
"What about Artifact Crystals?" Cassie asked to which President Bai ordered his maid to bring a few which she did, but the moment Cassie tried to break it above her Artifact, which seemed to be an earring, she failed.
[Warning! The effect of the Artifact Crystal cannot be used at the moment!]
[You have been temporarily prohibited to use any Artifact Crystals!]
"What is happening? What about Rune Marks or Rune Pills?" Min Chen quickly inquired, only to be shocked and speechless the moment she witnessed how nothing seemed to be working.
Let it be any item that increased one's strength seemed to fail to work. They were all temporarily prohibited from usage!
'Well, there goes Plan A...' Raven laughed darkly, knowing he has no other choice but to fight this war with his current strength.
'...Which considering how many aces I have up in my sleeves, is not impossible to win.'
Naturally, Raven was not a fool to believe that his enemy will be weak at all. After all, just like him, he or she... They will be the strongest ones out of their kind which means the possibility that they also possess numerous deadly weapons in their pockets was very high.
'Argh... My head starts to hurt again...' holding his head Raven sighed softly, quickly attracting many stares.
"...So what now?" after a lengthy silence, Roven shifted his gaze away from Raven's figure at President Bai, looking for answers.
"What now? Isn't it obvious already?" lowering his hands, Raven laughed coldly and said, "You can all go home."
And with those words, Raven turned around, ready to walk away.
"And where do you think you are going?" one of the members of the Realm Association stood up with a pale face, causing two bodyguards to block Raven's path.
Frowning with a hint of irritation, Raven turned around and said, "I will go and rest before I practice a little. I think that is the best I can do right now."
"That..."
"Let him be." President Bai stopped the man from talking before he looked at Raven and asked, "If you have any questions or anything you want, please don't hesitate to ask. The least we can do is to help you in whatever you need us for."
'Now that is what I like to hear.' Raven thought with pleasant surprise before he said, "Well, now that you say it, I am rather hungry so I would like to eat."
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Inside a large and luxurious restaurant, sitting before a large circular table filled with numerous delicious food, Raven stuffed meat after meat into his mouth while beside him President Bai watched him with utter disbelief.
Of course, at the moment Raven still had his mask on, but it was a different one, one that allowed him to eat freely while it hid more than half of his face.
He asked for it not long after he left the Star Palace, which he surprisingly got in less than 5 minutes!
Now he truly understood just what kind of privilege did President Bai experience.
'Is he not nervous at all? How can he eat so much even at a time like this?' President Bai was shocked.
But truth to be told, Raven was anything but calm. In fact, he was insanely nervous, that is why he was eating like a glutton.
It was his way of showing how anxious he really was at the moment.
As Raven was eating, President Bai looked at him and after a small cough he asked, "How confident are you?"
Upon hearing the question, Raven froze for a second before he proceeded on eating, however this time at a much slower pace.
"I don't know. If my enemy would have turned out to be a human I would say with confidence that 100%, but sadly, this is not the case."
Then, placing down the food from his hands, Raven sighed and shook his head.
"The one who I need to face is not even a human. We don't know anything about these Rotrids, if they are stronger or smarter than us humans without Avatar Traits or magical items."
"Furthermore, we don't even know how strong my enemy will be, how many Relics and Items he will and can use, how many Rune Marks he possesses, and what kind of Artifact he has. And I have not even mentioned the Avatar Titles..."
Reaching that point in his speech, Raven wiped his mouth with a handkerchief and glanced at President Bai beside him.
"So asking me something like whether I am confident or not is not the right question to ask. Instead, it is whether I am prepared to fight with my all and die or not."
"...And are you?" President Bai asked, his voice heavy.
Staring at the half-eaten meat on his plate, Raven thought for a while before he glanced at the man beside him and with a wry smile he asked, "Do I even have any other choice?"
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