As the room settled into a tense silence following the Nascent soul stage cultivator’s sudden appearance, Madam George’s lips curved into a faint smile, her calculating eyes gleaming with newfound admiration. She straightened her posture and glanced at Pedri with what could almost be described as approval.
"Well, well, Mr. Pedri," Madam George said in a tone both impressed and sardonic, "you certainly know how to play your cards. A Nascent Soul cultivator at your beck and call—color me impressed. I suppose this little game just became a lot more interesting."
Fernando, who had been standing awkwardly beside his father, couldn’t hide the awe in his expression. He gave Pedri a quick glance before muttering under his breath, "So this is the ace up your sleeve, Father... You’ve really outdone yourself this time."
Pedri, however, remained calm and unmoved by their words. With a casual wave of his hand, he dismissed the compliments. "Let’s not waste time flattering me, Madam George. I merely prepared for all eventualities. You see, when dealing with someone like Hutton Maxwell, one cannot afford to take chances." His gaze shifted to the Nascent Soul stage cultivator as he was standing silently, his expression unreadable.
Then not long after, Pedri suddenly inclined his head respectfully toward the Nascent soul cultivator. "Now then, Joel, I humbly request you to handle this matter. It would seem our guests have overstayed their welcome."
Joel’s eyes flickered slightly, a faint trace of amusement crossing his face as he inclined his head. "Understood," he said, his deep voice carrying a calm yet intimidating tone.
Fernando’s awe deepened as he observed Joel. Madam George leaned back slightly in her chair, crossing her legs as she chuckled. "Hutton Maxwell and his loyal dog, eh? I almost feel sorry for them. Almost."
Pedri turned his attention back to Hutton and Bob, his smirk returning. "You see, gentlemen, it’s nothing personal. This is simply how the game is played."
Joel stepped forward, his aura intensifying as the very air around him seemed to ripple with suppressed energy. His presence grew oppressive, filling the chamber with a suffocating weight that made even Madam George shift uncomfortably in her seat.
Hutton and Bob stood their ground, their expressions grim as they braced themselves for what was to come. Despite the immense pressure radiating from Joel, neither man wavered.
"It seems like things will get desperate here real quick" Bob muttered with a grim look still on his face. "Yeah, no kidding" Hutton replied with the same look on his face.
Joel’s voice broke the silence, cold and steady. "I’ll make this quick."
The tension in the room reached its peak as Joel raised his hand, the room’s energy converging around him as he prepared to strike. The battle was about to begin, and the stakes had never been higher.
But just as they were about to confront each other, the chamber trembled violently, cracks spreading across the walls and ceiling as if the building itself was groaning in protest. Both Hutton and Bob instinctively shifted into defensive stances, their eyes darting around the room. Even Joel, the Nascent Soul cultivator, paused mid-step, his gaze narrowing as he tried to sense the source of the disturbance.
"What in the world—" Pedri muttered, his usually calm demeanor faltering as the ground beneath him seemed to shudder with life.
Madam George stood abruptly, her expression one of bewilderment and irritation. "What is this nonsense?!" she hissed, gripping the edge of her chair to steady herself.
Fernando, on the other hand, was visibly panicking, clutching at his father’s sleeve. "Father, what’s happening?!"
Before anyone could answer, the floor directly in the center of the chamber erupted with a loud crack, debris flying in all directions. A figure shot out of the ground, landing gracefully amidst the chaos, the tremors subsiding the moment they appeared.
The figure was a tall man with a tanned complexion and a slightly aged appearance. His short, dark and gray hair was tousled, and his piercing eyes scanned the room with an almost casual indifference. He was dressed in a loose black robe with red accents, exuding a powerful aura that made the very air around him feel heavy.
Hutton’s eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at the man, his usually composed demeanor slipping. He took a hesitant step back, his voice caught in his throat before he finally managed to mutter, "Boma...?"
Bob glanced at Hutton, confused. "You know this guy?"
Hutton didn’t respond immediately. His gaze remained fixed on the newcomer, his thoughts racing. This was Boma, Vivian’s mentor—the man she had spoken so highly of and has also seen for himself that whatever Vivian said is true. But what shocked Hutton wasn’t just Boma’s sudden appearance. It was the sheer presence the man commanded, a pressure that even Joel seemed momentarily taken aback by.
Boma turned his head toward Hutton, a faint smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. "Hutton Maxwell," he said in a deep, calm voice. "looks like my senses weren’t playing a trick on me. Yet again, It’s been a while since I’ve seen someone cause such a ruckus in the capital."
Hutton swallowed hard, his mind racing. ’He’s a cultivator alright… but what stage is he in?
Joel narrowed his eyes at Boma, his expression hardening. "Who are you?"
Boma shifted his gaze to Joel, his smirk widening slightly. "Oh, I’m just someone passing through. But it looks like I arrived just in time to see some interesting faces."
The tension in the room escalated still in the midst of the trembling as Boma’s aura began to rise, filling the chamber with an oppressive energy that made even the Nascent Soul cultivator hesitate. Hutton’s grip on his weapon tightened as he tried to process the situation.
Pedri’s eyes flickered with both recognition and unease as he stepped forward, his voice low but firm. "Longest time Mr. Boma… But to what business do you have here?"
Boma didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he rolled his shoulders, as if loosening up, before finally speaking. "Business? Let’s just say I’m here to clean up a mess. And from the looks of it…" His eyes shifted between Joel, Pedri, and Madam George, "…there’s plenty to clean."
The room fell silent, every occupant on edge as the pieces of this unexpected encounter began to fall into place.
"If you think you can just show up here and act like this boss, then you got another thing coming for you!"
But out of the blue, Joel’s furious roar suddenly echoed through the chamber as he lunged at Boma, his movements swift and deadly, his cultivation power flaring with all its might. The air itself seemed to ripple as his attack closed in, aiming to crush the intruder who dared to ignore him.
Boma, however, didn’t flinch. He stood completely still, his calm expression unwavering as if Joel’s power was little more than a breeze on a hot day. At the last moment, as Joel’s fist neared him, Boma lazily lifted a single finger and gently tapped Joel’s forehead.
Boom!
The sound wasn’t an explosion, but rather the abrupt silence that followed as Joel’s body froze mid-motion. His eyes widened in shock before rolling back into his head, and he collapsed to the ground with a heavy thud, completely unconscious.
The room fell into stunned silence. Hutton and Bob could only stare, their jaws slack in disbelief. Even Madam George and Pedri looked horrified, their faces pale as they realized the gap in power between Boma and their Nascent Soul stage ally.
Pedri was the first to recover, his mind racing. Without wasting a second, he swiftly retrieved a glowing golden talisman from within his robes. "We’re leaving, Fernando!" he barked, grabbing his son by the arm.
The talisman emitted a blinding light, and in an instant, both Pedri and Fernando vanished from the chamber, their retreat as swift as it was desperate.
Madam George, realizing she had no other choice, gritted her teeth and pulled out her own talisman. "You’ll regret this!" she hissed before activating it. The same golden light engulfed her, and she disappeared from sight.
Now, only Boma, Hutton, Bob, and the unconscious Joel remained in the chamber.
Hutton finally broke the silence, his voice filled with awe and disbelief. "You… knocked him out with one finger…"
Bob nodded stiffly, still processing what had just happened. "What kind of monster… no, what kind of cultivator are you?"
Boma chuckled softly, brushing dust off his robe as if nothing had happened. "Let’s just say I’ve been around long enough to know a thing or two."
Hutton stepped forward, cupping his hands respectfully. "Thank you for saving us. If you hadn’t shown up when you did…" He trailed off, glancing at Joel’s unconscious body. "How did you know we were here though?"
Boma raised an eyebrow, his smirk turning into an amused grin. "Know you were here? I didn’t."
Hutton blinked, confused. "You… didn’t?"
Boma casually shrugged. "I was running from something actually. And I stumbled upon this place by chance. Thought I’d take a breather before continuing, but then I heard all the noise and figured I’d check it out."
Both Hutton and Bob stared at him, utterly dumbfounded.
"You were running… and just happened to stumble upon us?" Bob asked incredulously.
Boma nodded, completely unfazed by their reactions. "Yup. Lucky for you, huh?"
Hutton sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I don’t know if I should thank fate or curse it…"
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Boma chuckled, folding his arms. "Oh I think you should curse it, Hutton. Because the thing am running away from is actually hot on my tail"