Kill The Old Ones!

Chapter 165: Tournament: Ren vs. Seraphina (I)

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Not many people knew about the history between the Banished Arms Clan and the White Haven Clan.

Amongst the 80,000 live audience members of this coliseum right now, the number of people who knew about the bad history between these two clans will not surpass 100.

That’s normal. That history was ancient anyway. Besides, the Banished Arms Clan wasn’t so popular in the first place. And the White Haven Clan had no reason to propagate this to the public since it will just stain the image they’ve built for themselves fairly recently.

That said, the two participants up on the stage right now were more than aware of that history.

The difference is that one doesn’t hold onto the past, while the other insists on proving a point.

"This is as far as your luck goes," Seraphina declared the moment she stepped onto the stage and met Ren’s eyes.

There was this kind of determination in her eyes, one of someone that has something to prove.

Meanwhile, Ren stood there, still as casual as ever. He smirked when he heard her words.

"Luck? Is that what you’re calling it? How convenient."

"Is it not luck?" Seraphina challenged with a haughty tone and a raised brow. "How else would a spawn of generational thugs and gangsters like you could ever manage to come this far? You want me to believe that you made it through skill and ability? Oh, please. Don’t make me laugh."

"Ouch!" Ren dramatically placed a hand on his chest, looking all offended and stuff. "Where is this sudden hostility coming from? What have I done to deserve this? Last I recall, this is the first time we ever talked; I don’t think I’ve offended you. Have I?"

Their conversation was being heard by the audience, and they too were puzzled by Seraphina’s attitude towards her opponent.

They’re surprised that she actually said so much to the other party. Seraphina was known to not talk much to begin with. She only converses with those that are worth her time or her peers. She famously ignores strangers.

That’s why they’re confused. What’s the story between these two for the girl to be this aggressive?

"You know what you did!"

"No, I really don’t," Ren flatly refuted. "Would I ask if I did? Please, have some common sense. I haven’t even known you existed before this tournament started; what could I have possibly done to you that’s so personal it made you this hostile to me?"

A visible vein throbbed on Seraphina’s forehead. Her grip on her sword tightened at the shamelessness of this other party.

Seraphina raised her sword and aimed its sharp tip at Ren and said, "You humiliated my clan members during our diplomatic exchange. Do you dare to deny this!?"

The audience gasped. This was news to them and a huge deal, obviously. A diplomatic exchange? Why would the White Haven Clan do that with the Banished Arms Clan? What could the latter have that interests the former to this point?

But if it’s true that Ren did what Seraphina accused him of, then yes, it’s understandable why she would be hostile to him.

Now, all eyes were on Ren, waiting for his reply.

But when they looked at him, all they saw was him blinking as if in disbelief. He stared at Seraphina as if he were expecting her to say that her words earlier were just some random prank she felt like saying. But she wasn’t budging.

When he realized that she was seriously accusing him of this, Ren couldn’t help it; he laughed. A full belly laugh that echoed within the dome.

The corners of Seraphina’s mouth twitched in annoyance; her grip on her sword even trembled because she felt like Ren was mocking her.

"Oh, man. Is that what they told you?" Ren asked once his laughter started fading.

"..."

"Seems like it is. Well, then, if that’s the case, then yes, I do deny it. Vehemently, if I might add," Ren confidently stated.

This shocked not only Seraphina but also most of the audience. But Ren wasn’t done.

"I didn’t humiliate your clan. I have no reason to do so. And please, don’t be naive. Diplomatic exchange? The fuck are you on? What’s the current White Haven Clan got to do with the current Banished Arms Clan?"

"If it’s truly an exchange as you say, then pray tell, when did we, the Banished Arms Clan, ever come knocking on your gates to return the favor, hm? Come on, tell me."

"Surely information like that wouldn’t slip past your radar, given that you represent your clan now; your position in there must be high. So, if any clan visited your grounds, you would know. You’ve got no excuse."

"So, tell me. Did anybody from my clan ever come knocking on your gates to return this... ’exchange’ as you call it?"

The audience was silent. Now everybody was looking at Seraphina.

Her fans, especially the fanboys, were waiting for her to say something, anything to defend herself and her mighty clan.

But Seraphina couldn’t. Uncertainty marred her face and eyes. Her grip on her sword became unsteady. She was surprised and horrified to think that yes, she had completely missed this part.

Ren was right; she had no excuse, and she couldn’t say anything to refute his points. As much as she wanted to, no words landed on her tongue.

"Mhm. That’s what I thought." Ren nodded with that annoying knowing smile on his face.

"My clan bothers returned from the visit injured and depressed!" Seraphina stressed. She found another source of accusation, it seems. "They all told me that it was you who beat and humiliated them. The Elders who accompanied them said the same thing! What, am I supposed to believe a stranger’s words over theirs?"

"I wouldn’t say it’s humiliation though. I was just proving a point," Ren shrugged.

"And that gave you the right to hurt them!?" Seraphina was enraged.

But not as enraged as Ren. Her rage didn’t even come close to the rage that emanated from Ren.

An oppressive air leaked out from him, one that completely stifled and pressed down on her. It caused her to lower her sword and tremble when she saw the dark look in Ren’s eyes.

"You speak as if you knew the whole story when it was already proven that you don’t."

"You accuse me of humiliating your clan brothers as if your clan didn’t come to ours exactly with that purpose. As if they didn’t do it first."

"Our clan was poor, yes, but we are not stupid and definitely not deaf. We hear what the public says about us, and we duck our heads, lower our presence, and pretend to be invisible because we can’t refute their words."

"We aren’t counted as an ancient martial clan because of might, only because we’ve been around longer than most. We are completely sidelined by you folks who are ever so fortunate just because we were born with cursed arms we cannot cure."

"We were more than satisfied to keep a low profile and just live for another day. Yet why is it that you, the White Haven Clan, consistently come to us?"

"What do we ever have that’s worth your attention, hm? Haven’t everybody made it clear that we’re inferior? Hell, we’re not even denying that because that’s the truth."

"But even still, you keep coming. Others were completely fine to leave us be, but you, the White Haven Clan, for some reason, took offense to that? Why?"

"Haven’t you ever wondered why your clan constantly sends out groups of ’diplomats,’ as you call them, to our clan? What does our clan ever have that yours doesn’t? Hm? Come on. Tell me. Enlighten me."

"..."

"Nothing? Yes, that’s what I thought. And that’s exactly right. Nothing. There’s literally no reason for your clan to continue bothering us. But then, why? Why do you keep sending people to us? Have you ever questioned that?"

"..."

"Nothing, again?" Ren sneered. "Some heir you are; how can you be ignorant about your own clan?"

"The public doesn’t know this, but both of us do. Our clan has a bitter history. The difference is that we have completely moved on from it, while your clan doesn’t."

"That’s the only reason why your clan is still sending us people from time to time."

"For some reason, you lot want to remind us that we were the wrong ones in that part of our history, that we betrayed you, not the other way around."

"I honestly couldn’t fucking care less about that ancient past, and I can speak for at least more than 90% of my clan that they also don’t."

"Your clan, on the other hand, doesn’t seem to feel the same. That’s why you come to us and not us to you."

"You, the White Haven Clan, are too hung up on the past. You’re the ones who keep bringing it up every time you visit. It’s only you who even care about it and made it a mission to always remind us that we were on the wrong side of history."

"Seriously, you bunch are like crazy ex-girlfriends who refuse to move on. Get a fucking life, will you?"

"And I can seriously tell that you are their descendant. You proved that at the very first words you uttered to me when you stepped up onto this stage."

"Do you dare to deny that?"