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Chapter 302 71.3 - Approaching Event

"Ha!"

–SWOOSH

The spear flashed, its long reach attempting to stab the person before her from the shoulder. Yet, before it could even meet its target, the agile figure swiftly tilted her body to the side. The weapon in her hands gleamed as it adjusted, changing the trajectory of the spear mid-swing.

However, the spear user, anticipating the move, retracted his weapon in a practiced movement, clenching his muscles with precision.

–WOOSH!

With a clean sweep, the spear user aimed for a low strike, targeting the sword user\'s foot. The blue-aura-coated weapon whizzed through the air, attempting to catch the agile opponent off guard. However, the sword user exhibited remarkable agility, swiftly lifting her foot to avoid the incoming attack.

"Not bad, Ethan," praised the sword user, a confident smile playing on her lips. "But, you still lost."

Julia, with her white hair and piercing blue eyes, grinned widely as she signaled her watch. "Your five-minute mark is finished, and you still couldn\'t land a clean hit on me."

Ethan, panting and slightly frustrated, looked at Julia. "You\'re a monster, Julia," he admitted, acknowledging her exceptional skill in combat once again.

"Well, it\'s not my fault you can\'t keep up," Julia teased, twirling her sword with a flourish. "Maybe you need more practice."

\'Yeah, that\'s right. Though, I am doing my best.\'

Ethan thought, yet he still couldn\'t help but chuckle at her playful taunts. Julia was not only his teammate but also a formidable sparring partner who pushed him to improve his combat skills.

Julia, with a triumphant grin, approached Ethan after their sparring session. "Well, well, Ethan. Since you lost the bet, you know what that means."

\'This guy. What is this speed of improvement?\'

However, while she was saying that, Julia was inwardly thinking of the prowess that Ethan had displayed. Considering the fact that Ethan hadn\'t even awakened just a year ago, the fact that he was able to push her to such length showed his abnormal, monstrous talent.

\'You are the monster here.\'

Ethan, catching his breath, raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, yeah. I know. I\'ll be the one paying for the meal today."

\'If he progresses like that, it won\'t be too long before I start paying for the meals. I should squeeze him out as best as I can.\'

"That\'s right!" Julia exclaimed, patting him on the back. "Consider it a reward for being such an entertaining sparring partner. You almost had me there."

Even though she may look and act like an airheaded person without any worries in her life, she has the awareness of a Hunter. It was just that she disliked acting rigidly all the time and making her life monotonous.

Ethan shook his head with a smile, accepting his fate. "Next time, Julia. I\'ll get you next time."

Julia laughed, teasingly adding, "Sure, sure. But for now, let\'s focus on the meal. I\'m craving something extravagant, and your wallet will take care of it."

After their sparring session, Julia and Ethan left the high-ranking student training grounds. It was a secluded area reserved for the elite, accessible only to those who had proven themselves in various aspects of their training. Julia, with her reputation as a skilled fighter as well as her high ranking, had brought Ethan to this exclusive space.

As they walked away from the training grounds, the atmosphere changed. The area was more spacious, with state-of-the-art equipment and advanced training facilities. The air felt fresher, and the surroundings were quieter compared to the general training grounds.

Julia, in high spirits from their lively sparring match, led the way with a confident stride. Ethan followed, still catching his breath but with a content smile on his face.

"So, where are we heading for this celebratory meal?" Ethan asked, curious about Julia\'s choice.

Julia chuckled, enjoying the moment. "There aren\'t many places we can go, you know. We will go with the usual one."

"The usual one."

Ethan muttered. Whenever Julia said the usual one, she meant the most expensive restaurant on the whole campus.

\'Well, as expected from her, I guess.\'

Since he had seen an incredible increase in his rank, Ethan\'s funds that he could get from his family also increased. The Hartleys mostly operated on merit, and the more potential you showed, the better opportunities you would get.

As they were about to leave the high-ranking student training grounds, their attention was drawn to a familiar figure. Lucas was engaged in intense combat with golems. He swung his sword with relentless determination, even though his body showed signs of exhaustion and injury.

Julia, observing from a distance, couldn\'t help but mumble to herself, "This dumb bastard is pushing himself too much."

Concern etched on her face, Julia turned to Ethan. "Did something happen? Lucas is usually not this reckless. We should check on him."

Ethan nodded, sharing Julia\'s worry. They approached Lucas, who seemed absorbed in his own battle. The golems, despite being artificial constructs for training, were putting up a formidable fight. Sweat dripped from Lucas\'s forehead, and his movements were becoming visibly strained.

"Lucas!" Julia called out, her voice cutting through the sounds of clashing metal. "What\'s going on? You\'re pushing yourself too hard."

Lucas, mid-swing, spared them a glance. "I\'m fine. Just need to blow off some steam. Got a lot on my mind."

Julia sighed, not entirely convinced. "Blowing-" Just as she was about to nag him, Lucas suddenly turned his face, his blue eyes meeting with his twins\'.

"Just leave me alone, you stupid fuck."

\'You are one of those as well, just because you have it all. Look at this stupid smile of yours.\'

The thoughts in his head were wandering around. After he had recently awakened, he had been having a very hard time controlling his feelings from time to time.

The past two weeks were all filled with countless times he spent thinking about what he needed to do while these guys just enjoyed themselves.

His demeanor was a little different, as well as the look in his eyes.

"What?" Julia immediately noticed it.

\'This is…..\'

She knew Lucas tended to do this when they were young.

\'Something really happened.\'

Though, she still knew Lucas wouldn\'t do it without a reason.

At that moment, someone stepped into the scene, the atmosphere turning cold with their presence. The newcomer was like a model, with his chestnut hair and piercing green eyes, but the pressure emanating from him was no joke.

Julia mumbled under her breath, "Victor, what are you doing here?"

Victor, the heir to the prestigious Blackthorn family, didn\'t say much. Instead, he fixed his gaze on Lucas with a stern expression.

"Lucas, you should apologize to her for being rude," Victor stated, his voice carrying authority and command.

"What?" Lucas said as he looked into Victor. "Who the hell are you to meddle with what I am doing?" His face contained a smirk, and he continued.

"Apologize to her."

"What if I don\'t?"

–SWOOSH!

In an instant, before Lucas could even say anything, Victor appeared right beside him, grabbing him by his neck.

"If you don\'t, then I will make it so."

"Grrr….."

Lucas tried to pry Victor\'s hand off his neck, his face contorted with a mix of frustration and defiance. However, Victor\'s grip proved to be unyielding, his strength surpassing Lucas\'s attempts to break free.

Just at that moment, Julia rushed to Victor\'s side, her eyes wide with shock and anger. "Victor, what are you doing?"

Victor met Julia\'s gaze with a calm demeanor. "Teaching him a lesson," he replied, his voice unwavering. "No one should disrespect you, Julia. It\'s a matter of principle."

The way he said it while his eyes were shining, some of the people watching him gasped. Especially the girls threw an envious gaze at Julia.

"What the fuck are you saying, you motherfucker?" Yet, the reaction that the girl gave was different from what they expected. "

"I don\'t need someone to protect my dignity for me," Julia asserted, her voice firm and defiant. She glared at Victor, making it clear that this matter didn\'t concern him. In an assertive move, she slapped Victor\'s hand away, breaking free from his grip.

Victor, for a brief moment, looked surprised by Julia\'s reaction. The onlookers, still processing the unexpected turn of events, exchanged puzzled glances.

"This matter doesn\'t concern you." She said, turning her head to Lucas. "And, you bastard. Come with me. We are going to have a talk."

Julia turned her fiery gaze to Lucas, who was still catching his breath after the encounter with Victor. Without hesitation, she grabbed him by his collar, a stern expression on her face. The onlookers, though unsure of the details, couldn\'t help but feel the intensity of the situation.

Throwing one last look at Victor, Julia bore into his eyes. "If you ever pull something like this again, things won\'t be resolved this simply."

With that, Julia led Lucas away, leaving a tense atmosphere behind them. The training room, once filled with the sounds of clashing weapons, now held a lingering silence as the onlookers processed the unexpected confrontation they had witnessed.

\'Wow….This girl is really crazy when she is angry.\'

Yet, Ethan couldn\'t help but flinch, seeing the rare case of Julia being angry.

However, none of the four had noticed the pair of amber eyes watching the scene unfolding before her.

\'What?\'

The girl who felt like the reaction she needed to give wasn\'t there, yet she could even say anything.

********

In the lavish office at the pinnacle of one of the towering structures in the Golden District, a man stood by the expansive glass windows, gazing down at the city below.

The sprawling metropolis extended beneath him, its intricate network of streets and buildings appearing like a miniature world. The man, impeccably dressed, exuded an air of authority and opulence.

–THUD!

As he silently surveyed the panorama, his butler entered the room, the door closing with a soft click behind him. The butler, ever attentive, waited patiently, anticipating his master\'s next move.

The man remained silent for a moment longer, absorbing the view. The city, with its bustling life, seemed insignificant from this vantage point. Finally, he spoke, his voice carrying a weight of contemplation.

"How little they appear from up here, like ants scurrying about. Weak, and their significance merely a product of their numbers," he mused, his eyes still fixed on the miniature world below. "Do you ever wonder, Butler, if this is how deities perceive humans?"

The butler, accustomed to his master\'s moments of reflection, maintained his poised composure. He waited for the man to delve deeper into his thoughts, ready to serve and engage in conversation as required.

The man continued with his contemplations, a subtle melancholy underlying his words.

"That\'s probably the case, isn\'t it, Butler?" he said, his gaze still fixed on the city below. "No matter how fervently one may scream for help, it often goes unanswered. It\'s only when one ascends the ladder of the Awakened that they seem to gain the power to shape their own destiny, to achieve what they desire."

He spoke with a touch of resignation as if acknowledging the harsh reality of the world. The butler, attuned to his master\'s musings, listened attentively, awaiting any further insights or directives.

"In their pursuit of power, humans willingly become pawns, seeking the favor of the Awakened. A hierarchical dance, where only those at the top can truly mold their fate," he continued, his eyes coldly looking at the scene.

After absorbing the view, he turned away from the window, facing his butler with a steely gaze.

"I assume you are here to brief me about the matter regarding the absorption of lower-ranking guilds. How are the preparations going?" he inquired, his tone a blend of expectation and authority.

The butler, now given the cue to speak, responded with his usual composed demeanor, "Everything is proceeding as planned, sir. Our branch guild, the Redcrushers, is executing the strategy seamlessly. According to our estimations, it won\'t be too long before they swallow the remaining competition."

A subtle smile crept across the man\'s face as he heard the reassuring report. "Excellent. It\'s time that the name Philips starts to be remembered within the same line as the seven renowned families."