In the capital city.
Following King Aldric's order, all the top prodigies and mages hurried toward the Royal Arena.
If Owen could have chosen whether to accept Tony's duel challenge before, now that King Aldric himself was officiating, both Owen and Tony had no choice but to attend.
Everyone knew that Tony, the vice leader, was currently a gold-tier Level 9 mage, nearly reaching platinum-tier.
He had been at this tier for many years, possessing extremely powerful combat abilities.
He had once attempted to assassinate a platinum-tier Level 1 mage.
Although he failed, he managed to wound his target and escape unscathed, gaining significant fame.
Such a powerful mage, skilled in assassination, was a nightmare for many mages and the last opponent they wanted to face.
Owen, on the other hand, was currently only a bronze-tier Level 9 mage, despite having previously defeated Madelyn, a silver-tier Level 10 mage.
However, Madelyn had not yet reached gold-tier, and there was still a gap between her and a true gold-tier mage.
Moreover, even if Owen's combat power was terrifying enough to rival a gold-tier mage, Tony, as a gold-tier Level 9 mage and a nearly platinum-tier assassin, left Owen with virtually no chance of winning.
Despite the unequal nature of the duel, everyone's interest was piqued.
Regardless of Owen's tier, his current reputation surpassed Tony's.
He was the number one genius on the continent!
This was a position that had remained undecided for a long time until it was finally given to him!
Previously, the top three prodigies on the continent were undecided, with only Carlos of the Nether Kingdom, who bore the purest bloodline of the Dark Emperor, ranked fourth!
Carlos seldom made a move and kept a low profile.
However, rumors had it that when he was at silver-tier Level 1, he could already contend with nearly gold-tier mages.
Years had passed since then, and his current tier and combat strength remained a mystery.
Based on previous rumors, his combat strength was extremely terrifying!
Aside from this, there was the Godslayer Staff!
This was the artifact of the ancient dark god king!
Famous throughout the continent, even young children who had just learned to read had heard of it!
Owen had managed to wield it!
This was enough to shock everyone.
As more and more prodigies gathered at the Royal Arena, some renowned prodigies and notable figures from various countries also began arriving.
"Princess Marry! Princess Marry arrived so early; it seems she has a great interest in Owen!"
"I heard that His Majesty previously intended to marry her off to Owen, but Owen chose Leslie, that infamous troublemaker."
"At present, Owen indeed possesses extraordinary talent, but Marry is not only a princess; she is also the top disciple of Luna Academy, one of the eight great academies on the continent."
"Speaking of which, I remember that three years ago, the jilted Prince John William made a three-year pact with her."
"Prince William has been missing for three years; the three-year pact is nothing but a joke now."
"Indeed. I've heard that Owen is already on his way back to the capital."
After Princess Marry appeared in the VIP seats, all eyes turned to her, and discussions ensued.
After all, Princess Marry not only held a high status but also possessed exceptional talent and was one of the most beautiful women on the continent.
She sat there gracefully, with her hands resting on her gown, exuding a noble aura.
She paid no attention to the gazes of the crowd, much like a lofty swan disdainful of the attention of ants.
However, moments later, she seemed to sense something and suddenly looked toward a distant spot.
There, black mana surged, transforming into a cold young man dressed in a black robe.
He stood tall, with an evil smile on his lips, his skin a chilling pale, emanating an aura that kept others at a distance.
"Carlos!"
Upon seeing the newcomer, a flash of uncontrollable anger appeared on Princess Marry's otherwise serene and stunning face.
As the top disciple of Luna Academy, which originated from Moonspring Kingdom, where the saint was a spiritual leader, Marry was close friends with Saint Annie and her sister Emma.
According to the original anime, Carlos practiced an extremely sinister spell during his attempt to break through his tier, and the key to his breakthrough was the blood of a saint, which had to be willingly given.
To obtain the saint's blood, Carlos used his handsome face and deceitful words to quickly win the heart of Emma, the saint of Moonspring Kingdom at the time.
During a secret meeting, he pretended to be attacked by a spellbeast and told Emma that only the blood of a saint could heal him.
Without hesitation, Emma cut her wrist to save him.
Faced with the saint's blood, Carlos had no resistance and directly caused Emma to bleed to death!
Carlos not only deceived Emma's feelings but also schemed to kill her!
The truth soon came to light.
Because of this incident, Moonspring Kingdom and Nether Kingdom once erupted into a great war.
However, both sides were equally matched and suffered heavy losses.
Eventually, realizing that mutual destruction could lead to Azure Kingdom taking advantage of the situation, they were forced to cease hostilities.
It was precisely because of this event that Marry wished she could cut the man who killed her best friend into a thousand pieces!
Annie, standing beside her, was also filled with rage. Though she said nothing, the fighting spirit around her was palpable.
Under Princess Marry's furious gaze, Carlos merely smiled calmly and waved at her.
"Princess Marry, long time no see."
He greeted her as if meeting an old friend he hadn't seen in ages, his tone warm and friendly.
"You!"
Carlos's casual demeanor only fueled Marry's inner killing intent. She abruptly stood up and charged at Carlos.
Carlos squinted his eyes, "Princess Marry, I have traveled from afar. Is this how Azure Kingdom treats its guests?"
As the eighth prince of Nether Kingdom, he naturally had some privileges in Azure Kingdom.
The royal guards frowned and intercepted the enraged Princess Marry.
"Princess, this is not the time to settle scores with Carlos. Owen and the Godslayer Staff are the priorities..."
Marry's personal guards, knowing her history with Carlos, quickly tried to calm her down.
Marry knew this, but thinking of the innocent Emma, deceived and killed by Carlos, made it hard to suppress her fury.
"Emma's spirit will never forgive you!"
In the end, Marry forced herself to calm down, her bright, star-like eyes fixed firmly on Carlos.
Carlos shrugged indifferently and sat in the VIP seats with a smile.
Meanwhile, Owen, carrying the serpent egg in a pack on his back, was traveling with Benedict and others, swiftly crossing the desert and drawing closer to the capital.
Along the way, he noticed that few people attempted to intercept him.
Those who did only followed him without issuing challenges, instead engaging in excited discussions.
Frowning, Owen felt that something unfavorable to him might be happening in the capital.
However, feeling the mana surging within him, he gained confidence.
No matter what was happening, his strength had significantly increased, and there was no need to be timid.
With renewed determination, Owen led Benedict and the others towards the capital at an even faster pace.
Upon reaching the gates of the capital, Owen suddenly saw a messenger from the Duke's mansion rushing towards him.
"Master Owen, the vice leader of the Bounty Guild is challenging you to a duel in the capital. His Majesty has even gotten involved. You should leave for now..."
The messenger, panting heavily, hadn't finished speaking when Owen's mind flashed with the news about the Bounty Guild's vice leader.
Tony, a nearly platinum-tier strongman!
Skilled in assassination, with high proficiency in both white magic and dark magic.
He wanted to challenge Owen? Not assassinate him?
Owen was momentarily stunned, but then quickly understood.
This change was likely due to his immense fame.
In less than a day, his name had probably spread across many factions on the continent.
If the Bounty Guild acted against him in secret, it would cause endless trouble, which wasn't their way of making money.
Challenging him to an open duel offered a chance to eliminate him and, rightfully, seize the Godslayer Staff he possessed.
It was undoubtedly an excellent choice for them.
But Tony likely didn't realize that Owen was no longer just a bronze-tier Level 9 mage!
"Fine! If you want a fight, then let's fight!"
After a brief moment of thought, Owen decisively chose to accept the challenge!
There were far too many people eyeing him now!
The best way to handle this was not to avoid them but to showcase his formidable strength, making them reconsider any presumptuous thoughts.
Tony, who had some notoriety on the continent and decent strength, was the perfect candidate for making an example.
Having just learned about the duel, he didn't wait for the messenger to continue and immediately rushed towards the Royal Arena in the capital.
When he left the capital, he was bronze-tier Level 9.
Now, upon returning, he was already silver-tier Level 7!
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At House Ravenwood.
Duke Charles, Leslie, Madelyn, and several elder members of House Ravenwood sat around the round table with serious expressions.
"The Bounty Guild has really stooped to a new low! For an old vice leader to have the nerve to challenge a younger generation! If I were him, I'd find a wall to bang my head against!"
"If it were just him challenging Owen, it wouldn't be a big deal. We could simply have Owen refuse. But since His Majesty has spoken, it shows that he has some opinions about our Duke's mansion..."
"Regardless of His Majesty's views or how other mages see it, Owen's talent is exceptional, and he possesses the Godslayer Staff. He must not be lost!"
The elders on either side of the round table spoke with irritation.
They were very pleased with Owen's talent and strength.
But now, various forces were meddling, especially the Bounty Guild's vice leader—a nearly platinum-tier elder—openly challenging the young Owen, shamelessly disregarding their own reputation.
"You all worry too much. I've already sent several messengers to intercept Owen before he enters the capital.
As long as he avoids this vortex, both the vice leader of the Bounty Guild and His Majesty will have to give House Ravenwood some face."
Duke Charles, seated at the head of the table, remained quite composed.
Being plotted against by various factions and even His Majesty was within his expectations.
House Ravenwood had grown too strong and too prominent, drawing attention.
Owen was in a similar situation, his fame too great and possessing the Godslayer Staff, attracting too many eyes.
However, precisely because of this, the top-tier forces were restrained from acting directly against Owen. As long as Owen kept a low profile, this matter would gradually fade away.
"The Duke's actions align perfectly with my thoughts. We cannot follow the path laid out by them.
With the prodigies of various factions gathering in the capital, Owen's return would be the spark to ignite the powder keg.
At that point, it would be extremely disadvantageous for House Ravenwood."
An elder of House Ravenwood stroked his graying beard and nodded seriously.
"House Ravenwood is now at the center of the storm. The key to breaking this situation lies with Owen. The longer we delay, the more beneficial it is for us!"
"Yes, based on Owen's previous behavior, he is a smart man and should quickly distance himself from the capital, this dragon's lair."
Many nodded in agreement during the meeting.
Although House Ravenwood was currently in the spotlight with countless eyes on them, as long as Owen did not show himself, they dared not make a move!
House Ravenwood was not to be trifled with by any Tom, Dick, or Harry.
Without absolute profit to entice them, they would not risk everything.
However, at this moment, a messenger suddenly rushed into the meeting, drenched in sweat and panting heavily:
"Your Grace, bad news, Master Owen just arrived at the gates of the capital and headed straight for the Royal Arena!"
As the messenger finished speaking in a hurry, the previously noisy hall fell silent.
They stared at the intruding messenger in shock, mouths agape.
Owen went to the Royal Arena?!
Did they hear correctly?
At this time, shouldn't Owen be leaving the capital as quickly as possible?
Whether it was the vice leader of the Bounty Guild or other prodigies, they had long been eyeing him.
Entering the capital at this time was tantamount to courting death!
The House Ravenwood elders, who had previously thought Owen to be a smart man, now felt their reputations were at stake.
"What were the previous messengers doing? They were supposed to have Owen leave, not go to the Royal Arena!"
Seeing the oppressive atmosphere around the round table, the messenger could only speak up, "The previous messengers did inform Master Owen, but Master Owen still forced his way into the capital. Commander Benedict and the others are still trying to persuade him..."
Before he could finish, the anxious Duke Charles interrupted, "Send out a summons! Any family members not engaged in critical matters must go to the Royal Arena. Owen and the Godslayer Staff must not be lost!"
Receiving Duke Charles's command, the messenger quickly turned and left to relay the orders.
"Why? What is Owen thinking? Has he gone mad? Tony's strength is comparable to a true platinum-tier Level 1 fighter. Owen's current strength is no match for him; it's just suicide!"
"Perhaps his victory over the second young miss made him overconfident. The priority now is to stop Owen..."
As the group discussed countermeasures in the meeting room, the messenger suddenly returned.
"Your Grace, many of the family's elite and strong members have been deployed to the borders and other remote areas.
Some are currently completing tasks assigned within the estate. For now... for now, there are no strong fighters available."
The messenger cautiously glanced at the gradually darkening face of the Duke and then quickly relayed the newly gathered information.
"Who is it? Who is plotting against House Ravenwood?"
Duke Charles's face was full of anger and confusion.
The family had many experts, meant to deal with any crises that might arise.
But now, they had all been sent away. Clearly, someone was scheming against them in the shadows!
However, thinking of the importance of Owen and the Godslayer Staff, he could only suppress his anger for the moment and waved his hand decisively:
"Let's go to the Royal Arena!"
Although there were no powerful mages to escort him, Duke Charles himself possessed great strength and could protect Owen.
After angrily leaving the meeting room, Duke Charles was quickly followed by Madelyn, who, after a moment of thought, got up and followed him.
While she didn't know what Owen had in mind, based on her previous understanding of him, especially his methodical combat style, she knew he wasn't impulsive or reckless.
Since Owen chose to head to the Royal Arena despite knowing the situation, he must have his own plan!
The other elders of House Ravenwood, seeing this, could only rise and leave, dragging their aged bodies.
They were old and no longer had much fighting power.
They just hoped that the Duke would succeed in all matters.
After everyone had left, the messenger, with his head bowed, half-knelt on the ground and earnestly addressed Leslie, who was sitting in the corner of the round table:
"Miss, the order has already been given for all the family's strong members to avoid this matter for the time being."
Leslie paused for a moment, seemingly in thought, then nodded, "You may go."
Owen's appearance had caught her off guard, and he was someone she couldn't fully understand for the first time.
However, through her meticulous planning, Owen was now trapped.
The more he struggled, the faster he would perish.
...
In the capital city.
On the way to the Royal Arena, Owen could clearly sense the curious gazes of the mages in the capital.
Meanwhile, Benedict and the other Wolf Guards shielded him in the center, all the while trying to dissuade Owen from participating in the duel.
"Master Owen, this duel is extremely disadvantageous for you. You should abandon it for now and return to the family to discuss this further. The family is full of experts who will protect and help you..."
Owen did not stop his steps towards the Royal Arena.
He spoke slowly, "I appreciate your concern, but first, the Duke's mansion will definitely not help me. Second, I have many doubts I want to verify with this opportunity. You don't need to worry about me. Remember to keep your eyes open and protect them."
Benedict looked at Owen with a puzzled expression, not understanding why he was so sure that the Duke's mansion wouldn't help him.
After all, he was now the Duke's son-in-law. And what did he mean by protecting their eyes?
Not long after, Owen arrived at the Royal Arena.
By this time, it was already crowded with top prodigies from various factions and countless mages who had come to watch the spectacle.
The previously empty VIP seats were now packed with people.
The scene was incredibly noisy, like a bustling marketplace.
Among the gathered crowd in the capital, Owen quickly noticed a middle-aged man with a scholarly appearance, wearing a monocle.
He sat quietly in a corner of the VIP section, looking very low-key, with a book on his lap and a quill in his hand, occasionally writing in the book.
"Edward... the scholar responsible for recording the continent's history from Academy City..."
Seeing Edward, Owen felt a slight heaviness in his heart.
Creation is hard, cheer me up!
Like it ? Add to library!
Have some idea about my story? Comment it and let me know.
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