Chapter 157: Chapter 157 - Feared Resurrection
Lucian River’s face transformed dramatically when he spotted me. His eyes widened as if witnessing something supernatural.
"Et...Mason Raymond! How can this be possible?" he exclaimed, his entire body shaking uncontrollably.
I let out a cold laugh. "What’s wrong? Disappointed I’m still breathing?"
Lucian’s expression turned gravely serious, confusion evident in his eyes. He clearly couldn’t comprehend how I’d managed to escape Turner Keira’s clutches.
"Lucian River," I asked, narrowing my eyes and adopting a menacing expression, "do you understand the consequences of attempting to have me killed?"
The question terrified him. "Yo...You’d better release me! Or I’ll scream for help!" he stammered desperately.
I smiled coldly. "Go ahead."
With those words, I raised my hand and delivered a powerful slap across his face. The impact sent Lucian spinning a complete 360 degrees before he crashed hard onto the ground.
"You... you actually struck me! I’ll disqualify you from the competition!" he shouted furiously.
I gave him a contemptuous glance. "Sorry, that’s not within your power anymore."
After delivering this line, I turned around and walked away, pulling Elder Drake alongside me.
Elder Drake couldn’t contain his joy. "Mason Raymond, you’re alive! Thank goodness! We all thought you had already..."
I smiled reassuringly. "Taking my life isn’t quite so simple."
After I departed, Lucian River’s face darkened considerably as he picked himself up. Grinding his teeth, he pulled out his phone and dialed Turner Keira.
"Turner Keira, what the hell happened? Why is Mason Raymond still alive?" Lucian demanded furiously.
Turner’s voice sounded resigned on the other end. "I couldn’t defeat him."
"What?!" Lucian’s expression grew even more severe. The notion that a veteran Grandmaster couldn’t overcome me seemed utterly impossible to him.
By now, news of the incident had spread throughout the city. Videos of my confrontation with Turner Keira circulated on every street corner and online platform. The entire martial arts community in Shiglance City buzzed with speculation about my identity.
Yet Lucian remained completely oblivious to the magnitude of the situation.
"Damn it!" he cursed, slamming down his phone in frustration.
"Mason Raymond, I swear you won’t claim the championship!" Lucian narrowed his eyes, breaking into sinister chuckles.
——
I sat alongside Elder Drake in the audience, observing the competition taking place on stage. Unfortunately, these contestants’ skills were thoroughly unimpressive. Compared to my techniques, the difference was like night and day.
After watching several matches, I grew bored and diverted my attention to local news on my phone. The incident dominated the headlines, with the video featured prominently. Comment sections overflowed with discussions, as if all of Shiglance City was engrossed in this single topic.
I gazed at these headlines, shaking my head slightly. Turner Keira’s defeat, given his reputation as a longstanding Grandmaster, had unsurprisingly created massive waves. This provided even better proof of my capabilities than the Colton Family’s humiliation.
At the Blake residence, Blair Blake stared fixedly at the video, perspiration forming on his forehead.
"Turner Keira actually lost..." Blair couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Not long ago, I had barely matched Bernard Colton’s skills, yet now my strength seemed to have skyrocketed beyond comprehension.
"Thankfully I didn’t antagonize him..." Blair wiped away sweat, still feeling waves of residual fear. A Grandmaster commanded tremendous respect, and at just thirty years old, such an achievement would attract significant attention and prestigious invitations.
Simultaneously at the Chuzzle Battle Zone, Deputy Chief Jasper Thompson and others gathered around a multimedia screen displaying my confrontation with Turner Keira.
"Are you certain he’s merely an Inner Strength Master?" the Deputy Chief asked Ryker Steele, his face registering complete shock.
Ryker Steele quickly saluted before responding, "Yes, I stand by my assessment!"
"Ha ha ha ha!" The Deputy Chief erupted in laughter, turning to Commander Gordon. "See? I told you Mason Raymond is absolutely worth recruiting!"
Commander Gordon nodded in agreement. "Turner Keira is a renowned Grandmaster in Chuzzle. Apart from those few Great Families, hardly anyone would dare challenge him. Who could have predicted a young man would defeat him?"
This news would undoubtedly rock the entire martial arts community in Chuzzle.
Chief Thompson remained silent nearby, staring at the video in deep contemplation.
"Chief Thompson, what are your thoughts?" the Deputy Chief inquired with a smile.
Chief Thompson sighed softly before speaking. "I underestimated Mason Raymond. Perhaps... he truly has a chance with Miss Sean."
This thought reminded Chief Thompson of his wager with Mabel Sean, causing him to shake his head helplessly.
"The Sean family’s judgment is remarkably accurate," he murmured. "From this point forward, the name Mason Raymond might indeed resonate throughout all of Chuzzle."
——
I couldn’t care less about outside opinions. The significance of defeating Turner Keira meant nothing to me.
"Mr. Raymond, from what I understand, one of the participants is Lucian River’s direct disciple," Elder Drake informed me.
I narrowed my eyes, focusing on a young man performing on stage. "Is that him?"
Elder Drake looked surprised. "Mr. Raymond, how could you possibly know?"
I chuckled lightly. "His potion brewing technique shows considerable skill, clearly superior to the others. More importantly, the herbs in his container are visibly higher quality. Lucian River definitely arranged this."
Elder Drake nodded in understanding, giving me a thumbs-up. "Mr. Raymond, your observation skills are truly remarkable."
I remained silent, continuing to watch the young man carefully. He demonstrated considerable skill, but I sensed this wasn’t even his full potential yet.
"Mr. Raymond, are you confident you can defeat him?" Elder Drake asked tentatively.
I squinted slightly before responding calmly, "Without a doubt. Not just Lucian’s disciple—even if Lucian River himself competed, I would still emerge victorious."
