?


    "I..."


    The girl was going to say yes out of sheer defiance.


    However, she was soon hesitant and blushed as she hung her head, remembering how Candor was defeated instantly and left coughing blood. "Hmph."


    Frank said nothing and snorted, but that was enough to leave the girl ashamed.


    The Riverton martial artists and audience members around them heard the exchange between the girl and Frank too.


    At first, they could side with the girl, but Frank''s retort soon made them reflect on themselves, and they all eventually hung their heads gloomily.


    However, just as the Zamri side was left dejected and many were ready to leave, Frank pped Kat on the head again.


    "Come on. Let''s go," he said and led them toward a boat.


    "... Eh?"


    "Wait, are they really going to fight?"


    Seeing that Frank''s group was getting on the boat, all the martial artists and audience members present were left stunned.


    "What...?"


    Even the girl who had just mocked Frank was stunned too. "I thought you weren''t going to fight?"


    Frank wheeled on her with a cool stare. "Did I ever say that?"


    The girl was left dumbstruck at that.


    "Hmm...?"


    Heartfar was still standing atop the floating tform when he spotted Frank and his group arriving on a boat.


    Naturally, he showed them no


    respect and was even pointing at them andughing. "Wait, is this. really happening?! Are the girls really giving usp dances so that we''ll? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    give them a berth?" Content belongs


    All the Riverton martial artists and audience members were allughing and cheering at Heartfar''s taunting.


    In contrast, everyone on the Zamri side was left fuming, but there was nothing they could do.


    After all, none of them believed that Frank''s three apprentices stood a chance against Heartfar, whose strength was simply terrifying.


    In fact, he looked more like an Ascendant-ranked elite than a Birthright-ranked one!


    Meanwhile, Heartfar was still leering at Frank''s group. "So, how about it? Are the girlies going to start dancing now or after I gave y''all a beating?" "Don''t get ahead of yourself, fuckface!"


    Kat snapped at Heartfar right then, dering proudly, "We don''t really know who''s going to win yet!"


    "Fuckface?"


    Heartfar did a double take at the insult, touching his own face.


    His eyes narrowed, his re and the air around him suddenly icy as he growled, "Do you want some, brat?!"


    "Mr. Lawrence..."


    Mr. Zoran suddenly ran up to Frank just then, and stood between Frank, Heartfar, and Mr. Quaker, the Riverton Martial Alliance branch manager. "Today''s qualifiers are over All Zamri participants will be pulling out, while the Riverton Martial Alliance branch can have all four berths to themselves."


    "What?!"


    Mr. Quaker, who had been smirking all this while, frowned even though Mr. Zoran was conceding on the spot.


    Why was he suddenly giving up so easily?


    What Mr. Quaker did not know was


    that Mr. Zoran would only be subject to a penalty and some lecturing even if fewer Zamri martial artists qualified than Riverton martial artists.


    On the other hand, if Frank and his group were hurt because of Heartfar, Mr. Zoran would have to suffer the personal wrath of the Martial Alliance chief!


    He had actually held out unrealistic hope that Frank''s apprentices might win earlier, but that was before he realized how strong Heartfar was.