A roar escaped from Asad’s throat. His roar exploded into a glowing sphere, crashing toward Kayden like a speeding cannonball. Kayden, however, remained unmoved and locked his gaze onto the sphere. Before the sphere could reach him, it abruptly stopped mid-air as though it had slammed into an invisible wall. The next moment, it burst into foam like a fragile bubble.
“Interesting,” Asad muttered, his voice barely audible.
The two locked eyes, their gazes both sharp and brimming with intent. One conjured knives in both hands, and the other gripped a long sword tightly in his hand.
At that moment, the tension between them was palpable. The atmosphere gave onlookers a feeling that a cataclysmic clash was on the horizon!
In the end, it was Asad who moved first. Without a single word, without the slightest hesitation, he surged forward, charging at Kayden with lightning speed!
He came at Kayden with the weight of a mountain, his aura so overwhelming that it sent a shiver through anyone watching. As he charged, every member of the Scott family felt their hearts leap to their throats in sheer anticipation.
Even Kayden, who had ever faced countless powerful Warriors with unshakable composure, couldn’t help but take a half-step back. He lowered his hands and narrowed his eyes into thin slits. It showed that, at last, he was fully focused on this opponent.
Just as he reached Kayden, Asad suddenly leaped into the air, raising his long sword above his head. Then, with a mighty swing, he brought the sword crashing down with earth-shattering force. The strike seemed capable of turning anyone it touched into ashes instantly.
Kayden stood motionless, rooted in place, as if paralyzed by fear.
Paralyzed by fear? Was he really so terrified that he had frozen?
No, that’s impossible!
At last, the long sword crashed to the ground!
With an earth-shattering sound, the ground cracked and split, scarred by the violent sword energy! But the force didn’t dissipate immediately; it came all the way forward and left a deep rift nearly twenty meters long on the ground.
And in that fleeting moment, when death seemed so close to him, Kayden vanished. Like a phantom, he disappeared right before Asad’s eyes. A frown crossed Asad’s face, and then, an eerie feeling of danger surged over him.
As a martial master attuned to every threat, he sensed the danger coming long before it struck.
He shot his gaze upward just in time to see Kayden jump down from above, with blades in both hands. The blades gleamed with a cold light and aimed at the top of his head!
Asad didn’t dodge. Instead, he lifted his own sword, trying to block this strike!
The two forces surged toward each other with incredible speed! Closer and closer…
Finally, the two forces met!
A thunderous crack echoed through the air as their blades met in a clash. The sheer power of Kayden’s strike even sent Asad’s feet sinking deep into the earth!
A shock wave erupted from the center of their collision, sending a storm of turbulent energy spiraling outward.
With another deafening sound, the ground itself trembled, and a cloud of dust billowed into the air! Many onlookers tumbled to the ground, struggling to protect themselves from the violent gusts.
What an impressive scene! This was an unmatched clash, the most earth-shattering battle they had ever seen!
Both Kayden and Asad stopped in their tracks. They cast a long searching glance over each other.
Asad’s eyes were a chilling white, devoid of any pupils. It gave him a chilling, horrifying look. His eyes were the complete opposite of those of the girl Kayden encountered last time in the Lion Portal; the girl’s eyes were all dark with no whites. While Kayden’s eyes were filled with seething bloodlust and red veins crept across his irises. They stood so close to each other-the closest they had ever been, and the murderous tension between them felt almost tangible.
“Brat, you’re a Scott, aren’t you?” Asad asked in an icy voice. His stare pierced into Kayden’s eyes.
Kayden’s eyes glowed with a fiery red. “No, I have nothing to do with the Scott!” His words came out like frost, chilling everything they touched.
Asad lapsed into silence, but some subtle changes flickered across his impassive face.
The rest people, who were watching in stunned silence, all gasped in shock. This battle utterly overturned their perception of reality. Thankfully, they were no stranger to such superhuman power, but if the ordinary saw this, who knows what kind of rumors would spread or what stories they’d fabricate.
They might even call it a battle between gods!
Anyway, that was not what the Scott family mattered most. What mattered was that Asad hadn’t been able to defeat Kayden directly!
They had all expected Asad to easily overpower Kayden and crush him to death, but much to their surprise, that didn’t happen.
Judging by the situation now, it seemed they had reached a draw.
It was unbelievable. Asad had been a legendary figure for centuries, yet he had just fought to a draw with Kayden!
Kayden was only twenty-five years old! How was his strength so formidable?!
Jason stared at Kayden in stunned disbelief. In his heart, Asad was undoubtedly the strongest, a presence as formidable as a mountain. He knew Kayden was also powerful-after all, he had been hailed as the Defender. He was capable of making his enemies cower in fear by merely planting a rusted sword on the border. The mere mention of his name sent shivers down the spines of those enemies.
Yet, in the depths of Jason’s heart, Kayden could never compare to the legendary Asad. Perhaps Kayden was a legend as well on Battlefield, but no matter what, he was still just a human. Asad, however, was different-he was a god. In the minds of Jason and his family, Asad remained untouchable, a divine figure.
But now, Kayden was fighting the god to a draw. Jason found himself at a loss. Should he feel proud, or should he be concerned? A wave of mixed emotions surged within him.
As he looked at Kayden, a pang of sorrow struck his heart. What had this child endured all these years?
Jason didn’t feel fear-just an overwhelming sense of guilt. He was the one to blame for all the pain Kayden had suffered. If not for the tragic death of his parents all those years ago, if not for the years spent rotting away in that dark, forgotten dungeon, Kayden would never have become the man he was now.
Look at Brodie and Ann! Just like Kayden, they were both his grandchildren, yet their experiences were worlds apart from Kayden’s! They had been sheltered, cherished by the family, and gifted the best education and opportunities life could offer.
But what about Kayden? He had lived a life of bloodshed and war, with death lurking in every shadow.
If given the choice, who would want their grandchild to live such a life?
They only saw his boundless glory, yet few realized that his achievements were built on countless pains and hardships. Only Kayden himself knew!
Thinking of this, Jason’s eyes grew moist as tears welled up. He realized, too late, just how much he owed Kayden.
As Kayden had said, he had ruined his life!
Why had he made such a foolish, irreversible choice? Remorse was eating his heart out. But now that there was no way to undo the past, he had no choice but to move forward. There was no turning back. At least at this moment, he should be happy for Kayden, for the future of the Scott family.
The brief moment of calm soon passed.
Kayden and Asad resumed their fierce battle before the eyes of the stunned onlookers. Their long sword and two knives flashed in the air with every strike they launched at each other!
The fight was so fast that the human eye could barely keep up. Spectators were left in a daze. They only knew there was a fight, but were unable to follow their intricate moves.
A minute later, they both landed a blow to each other’s chests.
Kayden’s toes barely touched the ground as his body slid backward. After several long steps, he finally managed to steady himself.
However, Asad only took a few steps back before firmly planting his feet.
Asad withdrew his sword, while Kayden also sheathed his knives.
The tension in the air faded as the battle came to an end.
The dark clouds above scattered, and sunlight once again bathed the mansion. It was as if the darkness had been erased, and the Scott family could finally witness the arrival of the light.
Neither man spoke, their eyes locked in a silent showdown. The stillness around them was deafening as everyone waited for the result.
No one knew what had happened. No one knew who had won or lost. Everyone was confused.
If Asad won, the Scott family could avoid its tragic fate. But if Kayden won, they would be doomed!
Kayden’s gaze was burning with fury as he glared at Asad. There was no hint of defeat in his eyes.
“What’s happening? Who won?” Neve whispered in a voice barely audible.
“I don’t know, either.” Conrad shook his head and answered.
Then, surprisingly, Asad made a move and broke the silence. He straightened his back and saluted Kayden. His voice carried a rare sincerity as he said, “You have only thirty percent of your strength left, yet you fought me to a draw. If you had used your full power, I would have been no match for you. I lost!”