As soon as those words left Kayden’s lips, the domineering aura he was exuding surged to its peak in an instant.
It was as though he was the one with true skills, while Miguel was nothing but a mere charlatan, a stupid pretender! Kayden’s scornful eyes were fixed on Miguel as if saying Miguel was a clueless and naive child.
Judging from the different vibes they were giving off, there was no doubt that Miguel had been utterly outclassed! In truth, Miguel was the real liar here, the pathetic clown who had been exposed.
A thin sheen of sweat broke out on Miguel’s forehead, and his limbs felt icy cold as if all the blood had drained from his body.
It was clear now that he had encountered a true knotty situation!
Though he knew a few incantations for dealing with vengeful spirits, the sinister atmosphere in the air made the presence of the ghost unmistakable. He could feel its oppressive power. Reluctantly, he held back from reciting the full incantation, fearing it might provoke the spirit’s wrath. He reasoned that the onlookers were all amateurs, so if he whispered the incantation quickly and softly, no one would be able to catch it.
What he hadn’t expected was that someone who truly was in the psychic profession had caught his every word and exposed his lie on the spot. Faced with the important guests, there was no way Miguel could admit to his deception. If he confessed, Mr. Leland would be more than capable of ending him right then and there.
Miguel gulped. He stubbornly forced the words out through clenched teeth. “Don’t try to twist the truth. I have been in this field for years without a single incident. I know exactly what I’m doing. Who are you to question me?”
Kayden’s ears caught the tremor in Miguel’s voice, and he calmly countered, “Is that so? Then tell me, what did the ghost you ‘killed’ actually look like? A true expert should have no trouble seeing its form clearly, don’t you think?”
There was a faint, almost imperceptible change in Miguel’s expression. His brow tightened, and his eyes narrowed into sharp slits. After a few seconds of brooding silence, he suddenly threw his head back and let out a laugh. Then, leaning forward slightly, he sneered, “Brat, are you here to stir up trouble? What makes you think I’d entertain your question?”
A keen edge emerged in Miguel’s eyes. “Since you’re so eager to challenge me, so full of doubt, let’s settle this the way real psychics do. In our world, respect is earned through power. If you’ve got the nerve, let’s have a showdown.”
With a flourish, Miguel reached down and picked up the battered peach-wood sword from the floor. Spinning it deftly in his hand, he launched into a series of flowing, theatrical movements.
By the time he finished his “performance,” a smug confidence had taken hold of Miguel. He locked his eyes on Kayden, his expression dripping with contempt as if his victory had been foreordained. To him, Kayden was nothing more than a greenhorn, a stupid young man in his twenties who had probably skimmed a few books on mysticism or learned a trick or two from an old relative. If this boy wanted to make him lose face, then Miguel wouldn’t hesitate to give him a harsh lesson and a brutal taste of the real world’s cruelty.
Miguel is not a complete waste of space. His skills weren’t entirely for show. He’d honed them over the years to keep his reputation intact.
The room buzzed with anticipation, and the audience was barely able to contain their excitement. After all, they were about to witness the ultimate spectacle: a duel of the mystics. It’s something straight out of a movie. If it really happened, would it be as dazzling, as jaw-dropping as they imagined?
The crowd, the hungry spectators, wanted nothing more than to see chaos unfold. The more dramatic, the better!
“Oh my god, are they really going to duel? Will it be like in the movies, where they summon spirits or get possessed by gods?”
“Possessed? Probably not. But this might rival the legendary 1981 duel between the two masters of psychics! Hey, have you guys heard about that one? It’s iconic!”
“I have no idea! But I’ve seen magical duels in movies before.”
“That’s just make-believe and pure fictional. But what happened in 1981 was a legendary showdown between two psychics. It’s fully documented and undeniably real.”
“1981? A duel between masters? Why haven’t we ever heard of it?”
“Well, I came across it on a paranormal streamer’s YouTube channel. The way they described it… OMG, absolutely gripping! They detailed the clash between two psychics back then. You’ll have to watch it yourself to get the full story. Every event is real and way more thrilling than anything in a movie.”
“The streamer’s name goes by ‘WhisperOneOneEight.’ Look them up-it’s a must-watch.”
The women huddled together, whispering with growing excitement. Their faces were alight with curiosity, the kind that only the unknown could spark.
But what really held their attention was still the duel happening right in front of them. Their eyes were fixed on the two figures, and anticipation was etched into every face. Sparks would fly any second now, they were sure of it. After all, seeing a real magical duel in real life had to be a hundred times more electrifying than seeing it on TV.
“You bastard!” Kayden stood silent, but Greedy Wolf stepped forward with a commanding stride. His voice was thunderous, cutting through the tension like a blade. “Who do you think you are? Someone like you dare to compare yourself to the Defender? Believe me, I’ll end you right here and now.”
With that, Greedy Wolf drew two gleaming short blades. The cold steel glinted menacingly under the light, their edges honed to perfection. These weren’t ceremonial weapons; they bore the grim aura of tools that had tasted blood countless times before.
The sheer force of Greedy Wolf’s presence was suffocating. Miguel faltered, stumbling back a few steps as his bravado shattered under the weight of it.
Sensing the shift, Mr. Leland stepped in swiftly. He moved to shield Miguel. Facing Kayden, he revealed a mocking smile. “What’s this now? Are you too afraid to face Mr. Remington yourself, so you’re sending your lackey to bully him instead?”
“What kind of nobody are you?” Greedy Wolf raised his knife as he shifted his gaze to Mr. Leland. His eyes narrowed like a predator sizing up its prey.
“Me?” Mr. Leland tugged at his jacket, smoothing it with an air of self-importance. “You seriously don’t know who I am? I’m Clyde Leland, chairman of Clyde Corporation. Heard of it? The largest pharmaceutical company in Inassea. Half the medicine in Seclela comes straight from our factories.”
He paused, puffing out his chest as if expecting applause, then meticulously adjusted his clothing again, striking a pose that screamed self-entitlement.
Then Clyde noticed Greedy Wolf remained eerily still, holding the knife. But his bravado only grew. His tone turned smug, almost condescending. “Let me make one thing clear-I’m not someone you can scare. My father was the boss of Inassea’s mafia. Guns, knives, blood-he lived and breathed it, and so did I. By the time I was seven, someone had already held a blade to my throat. You think waving that little knife at me now is going to do anything? What a joke! I’m not afraid of you.”
The last word had barely escaped his lips when Greedy Wolf moved. In a blur, he crossed the distance between them. It was as if he’d simply materialized in front of Clyde, defying the laws of space and time. Clyde didn’t even have time to flinch before the cold steel of the blade pressed against his neck. A chill spread from where the knife touched him, sinking deep into his skin and freezing his courage solid. His eyes widened in pure terror as a bead of blood welled up from the razor-thin cut.
“Seem like you have a death wish!” Greedy Wolf muttered, each of his words giving Clyde goosebumps. The dagger in his hand pierced into Clyde’s skin. Beads of blood oozed out instantly.
Fear overwhelmed Clyde, drowning out every ounce of bravado he had moments ago. His whole body trembled uncontrollably. This man had effortlessly closed in on him and cornered him like prey. This man was so powerful it felt almost beyond the limits of humanity, and for the first time, Clyde felt utterly powerless.
Panicking, Clyde stammered, “W-what are you doing? I-I was just being honest! If you’re too afraid to accept the duel, then just admit it! There’s no need to resort to violence in front of everyone! Don’t try to scare me! Dare you actually kill me?!”
Greedy Wolf’s eyes narrowed to slits. His voice was cold as the grave, carrying the weight of absolute menace. “If I want to kill you, who would dare stop me?”
The atmosphere grew suffocating, thick with a murderous aura that pressed down like an invisible storm.
“Stop!” The tension shattered with a commanding voice. Kayden strode forward and stopped Greedy Wolf.