“Attack!”
Chris gripped the Dragon Slayer tightly and charged forward with a thunderous roar.
Seeing Chris advancing, the captain of the guards hesitated, a flicker of fear crossing his face. Clenching his teeth, he reluctantly rushed to meet Chris.
Clang!
Clang!
Clang!
The clash of their weapons echoed loudly as the two engaged in a fierce battle. The intensity of the fight left the onlookers stunned, their eyes wide with shock.
The captain thrust his sword toward Chris in a deadly strike, but Chris’s lips curved into a sly, almost mocking smile.
Whoosh!
In the blink of an eye, Chris vanished from where he had stood.
“Afterimage!” the captain cried out in alarm, realizing too late that he had been tricked. He tried to retract his sword, but his movements were too slow.
A blade came slicing toward him with brutal force.
Boom!
The captain was sent flying, crashing into a nearby wall with devastating impact. The wall crumbled to rubble as his body slammed into it.
The guards of the Wainwright family were stunned. None of them had anticipated that their captain would lose so decisively to Chris.
Joanne, infuriated by the sight, shouted, “What are you all standing around for? Kill him now!”
But despite her command, no one dared to step forward. Chris’s strength was undeniable-if even their captain had fallen, charging at him would be nothing short of suicide.
“Enough!”
A thunderous voice echoed through the Wainwright family estate.
The massive front gates swung open, and an elderly man in a luxurious robe stepped inside.
“Master!”
“Master!”
“Master!”
The guards immediately dropped to their knees upon seeing him. This man was none other than Marcus, the head of the Wainwright family.
Marcus scanned the scene with a sharp, icy gaze, his face dark with anger. “What is going on here?” he demanded.
Joanne ran over to him, her voice shrill and desperate. “You’re finally back, my lord! Someone has come to cause trouble in our family! Kill them at once!”
Marcus turned to Chris and his companions, his eyes narrowing as they landed on Chris.
“You dare to create chaos in the Wainwright family?” Marcus growled, his voice cold and menacing. “Are you seeking death?”
As he spoke, an overwhelming aura burst from Marcus, filling the air with pressure. Marcus was a powerful Solstice-level fighter.
But Chris remained calm, his expression unchanging. “Mr. Wainwright,” he said evenly, “I have no intention of disrespecting your family. I am merely here to seek justice for Mara.”
“Mara?”
Marcus’s brows furrowed as he turned to Mara Wainwright. “Mara, what is the meaning of this?”
“Father!”
Mara, unable to contain herself any longer, ran to Marcus and began sobbing as she recounted the events.
When Marcus learned that Joanne had expelled Mara from the family in his absence, his fury erupted.
Marcus had only one daughter, Mara, and he had always cherished her. Joanne’s actions were not only heartless but also a direct challenge to his authority.
“You vile woman!” Marcus roared at Joanne. “How dare you drive my daughter out of the family? I hereby declare-I am divorcing you!”
“What?!”
Joanne’s face turned pale with shock. She had never expected Marcus to go this far for Mara.
Furious, she spat, “Marcus, if you dare to divorce me, my family will never forgive you!”
At her words, Marcus hesitated. Joanne’s family, the Forest family, was the most powerful of the ten great families in Pinkshire. Even Marcus dared not provoke them lightly.
This was precisely why Joanne had always acted so arrogantly within the Wainwright family.
Seeing Marcus pause, Joanne laughed triumphantly. “Marcus, divorcing me is nothing but a dream! Let me tell you something-so long as I am alive, I am the one who rules this family!”
She smirked cruelly and added, “As for Mara, she’s nothing but the bastard child of you and a servant. If I killed her, what would you do about it?”
Joanne’s venomous words sent Marcus into a rage.
“You dare threaten my daughter? Then I will kill you!” he roared.
Boom!
Marcus struck Joanne with a powerful blow.
Spurt!
Blood sprayed from Joanne’s mouth as she stared at Marcus in disbelief.
She collapsed to the ground, lifeless.
Everyone around was stunned into silence. No one could have imagined that Marcus would go so far as to kill Joanne.
Walking over to Mara, Marcus knelt beside her, his face filled with guilt. “Mara,” he said softly, “I’ve wronged you all these years. But now, the wicked woman is gone. You will never have to suffer again.”
“Father!”
Overwhelmed with emotion, Mara threw herself into Marcus’s arms and wept bitterly.
Chris, watching from a distance, shook his head and turned to leave. “These noble families,” he muttered to himself, “are nothing but a mess of power struggles and betrayal.”
As Chris stepped outside the Wainwright estate, a group of royal guards suddenly surrounded him.
The captain of the guards, clad in shining armor, approached him. “Chris,” he announced, “you have offended the princess. By her order, you are to be taken to the royal palace.”
The guard captain’s strength was also at the Solstice level. Chris knew he had no chance of resisting.
Resigned, Chris allowed himself to be escorted away.
He had known from the moment he had crossed paths with the girl in the red dress that trouble would follow. What he didn’t expect was how quickly it would catch up to him.
The Amerosia royal palace loomed ahead, its grandeur reminiscent of the great castles of Earth. Guards patrolled every corner, their vigilance unyielding.
In the Violet Hall, Princess Violet sat in a chair, her face flushed with anger.
Earlier that day, she had taken her spirit beast, Troll, on a shopping trip, only to encounter an insolent man who not only injured her pet but had the audacity to strike her as well.
Furious, she had immediately ordered her guards to apprehend him.
“Your Highness, we have brought him,” the guard captain announced as he entered with Chris in tow.
Violet narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing Chris. “What is your name?” she demanded. “Do you have a death wish for daring to hit me?”
Chris met her gaze without flinching. “My name is Chris,” he replied. “I didn’t know your identity at the time. If I have offended you, I apologize.”
“How dare you!” Violet snapped. “In my presence, you do not speak without kneeling!”