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Noticing Luca\'s gaze, Curtis\'s grin widened even further.

"I wasn\'t even looking for you, and yet you\'ve delivered yourself right to me," Curtis sneered, standing and walking toward Luca with a menacing air.

His eyes gleamed with a blood-red hue, and the twisted smile on his scarred face made him all the more terrifying.

The aura of a man who had taken countless lives radiated off him, suffocating and thick with murderous intent.

Though Curtis didn\'t have much respect for Freeman.

He still felt bound to avenge him. Freeman might have been a mediocre mid-tier healer, content to waste his talents in a small place like Redwind City with no ambition.

But blood was blood. Freeman was his only brother, and this was a grudge that had to be settled.

The other passengers in the grand hall sensed the tense atmosphere and exchanged knowing looks, amused and intrigued by the impending conflict.

Curtis might not carry much weight in Southwind City\'s upper circles, but in the underworld, he was a known figure.

His Blood Hand Mercenary Group had considerable influence, often hired by powerful people to do their dirty work. Nobody here was eager to offend such a man over some unknown boy.

Susie tugged at Luca\'s sleeve and whispered, "Who\'s that ugly guy?"

She was referring, of course, to Curtis. His brutish face, coupled with a scar running across it, made him look every bit the villain.

"A minor antagonist," Luca replied casually, his fingers idly tracing his Storage Ring. His expression remained calm and composed, not the least bit concerned.

Curtis was only a Platinum Grade fighter. With Luca\'s current strength, dealing with him would be trivial. If Curtis made even the slightest move, Luca wouldn\'t hesitate to ask the ship\'s staff to clean up the mess afterward.

Curtis, realizing Luca wasn\'t taking him seriously, felt his killing intent surge even more.

A bloody mist began to form around Curtis\'s large fists, his powerful aura exploding forth. Within moments, the stench of blood filled the entire cabin, suffocating and vile.

Luca stopped his movements, watching Curtis calmly.

The tension in the cabin reached its peak.

The air thick with the anticipation of an imminent battle.

But just as a fight seemed inevitable, heavy footsteps echoed from the entrance of the cabin.

A cold, commanding voice followed the sound.

"If you want to brawl, take it below deck. This is not the place for your nonsense." As the voice finished speaking, a tall figure strode into the hall, followed closely by two silver-armored knights with stern expressions.

Luca shifted his gaze, assessing the newcomer. She appeared to be around twenty, her features refined and elegant. Her long, golden hair cascaded like a waterfall down her back. She wore a striking set of armor made from precious mithril and leather, a blend of elegance and strength. A white knight\'s skirt complemented the armor, and a noble longsword hung at her waist.

Two blue-green gemstone earrings dangled from her ears, gently swaying with each step she took.

At this moment, the woman\'s pale blue eyes were fixed on Luca and Curtis, her expression calm but laced with a cold, piercing intensity.

Her aura, radiating authority and dominance, was palpable, and far beyond anything an ordinary person could muster. Nearly everyone in the room was stunned into silence.

Curtis immediately reined in his killing intent.

He shrugged with a forced smile, saying, "Miss Luna, no need to get upset. I was just welcoming the newcomer."

"So, it\'s her..." Luca thought, understanding the situation. He had heard this name more than once at Red Maple Academy. Luna, the youngest high-tier warrior in Southwind City—possibly even in the entire Southern Territory—and the younger sister of Marquis Bronte, had clearly been stirred by the events in Pure River Town .

Luna\'s expression remained cold, showing no change despite Curtis\'s attempt to defuse the situation.

She scanned the room, her voice sharp and commanding: "I don\'t care what personal grudges any of you have, but during this mission, you have only one objective—to investigate and handle the monsters in Pure River Town ."

"I\'ve just received word from the City Lord\'s office that the situation in Pure River Town has worsened. Bronte takes this very seriously, and the mission reward has been tripled." the-place-MVLeMpYr

"If anyone lets personal issues get in the way of the mission, don\'t blame me for being merciless!"

With that, a razor-sharp aura exploded from Luna, her high-tier strength unmistakable.

Even though she made no overt movement, everyone present felt as though a sharp blade had materialized against their necks. It was as if, with just a thought, she could sever their heads from their bodies.

The strongest people in the room were merely mid-tier professionals, and under the pressure of Luna\'s sword aura, their faces turned pale, sweat pouring down their backs. Not one dared utter another word.

Luca, however, remained calm, though inwardly impressed by Luna\'s strength.

"A high-tier sword master…" he mused, recognizing her class.

The Sword Master was a powerful melee class known for pure damage, highly renowned in later generations. A high-tier Sword Master could cleave mountains with a single strike. It was no wonder Luna was so revered—her reputation clearly matched her abilities.

From that brief moment of observation, Luca could tell that Luna\'s strength far surpassed that of an ordinary high-tier warrior. Her reputation wasn\'t just idle talk—Southwind City\'s number one prodigy had the real skills to back it up.

Luca\'s calm demeanor, in turn, caused Luna to take a second, more curious look at him.

She walked over and, after giving him a once-over, frowned slightly. "You\'re the one who cleared the 20th floor of the Trial Tower?"

Luca sensed a hint of hostility in her words, though he couldn\'t quite place why.

It left him feeling somewhat puzzled.

Seriously? Is this because I broke your record? Why so petty?

"Just luck, really," Luca replied with a nonchalant smile. "No need to dwell on it, Miss Luna." He figured this animosity might be rooted in the constant comparisons people had made between them in the city—something he had never paid attention to. But it seemed Luna had taken notice.

Luna stared at Luca for two seconds before breaking into a smile. "Not bad. It looks like Southwind City will have another rising star."

Her return to Southwind City wasn\'t only to deal with the situation in Pure River Town . She also wanted to see if this young man, who had been causing such a stir in the Southern Territory, was truly as talented as the rumors suggested—supposedly, someone whose potential exceeded her own.

Now that they\'d met, she hadn\'t fully gauged his talent, but she found herself surprisingly fond of him.

After speaking, Luna glanced at Susie, who was pouting with her cheeks puffed out, and nodded slightly. "For a Summoner of her level to have contracted a Violet-Eyed Thunder Mouse, your girlfriend\'s talent seems impressive as well."

No matter how much the Violet-Eyed Thunder Mouse suppressed its aura, it couldn\'t hide from a true expert. With her strength, Luna easily sensed Susie\'s potential. Oddly enough, it was Luca who remained something of an enigma—Luna couldn\'t quite read him.

It made him even more intriguing. After all, few could slip under her radar.

"I\'m not his girlfriend!!" Susie jumped up instantly.

Her face flushed with embarrassment, as if she\'d suffered a grave insult.

"Is that so? Then I must have misread the situation." Luna smiled without further comment. She then retrieved a letter from her storage ring and handed it to Luca. "Bronte heard about how you saved Riverfall City and decided to gift you one of his villas in the Noble District. I was on my way to find you, but it seems I\'ve saved myself the trouble."

Luna\'s choice of words was interesting—she didn\'t call Bronte "brother" or "lord" as most would, but simply referred to him by name.

In Crent Empire, where noble etiquette was highly respected, such familiarity was rare, offering a glimpse into her unconventional character.

Upon hearing this, the others in the hall began to look at Luca and Susie with a newfound respect.

Luna\'s favorable treatment of the pair had already set them apart, but now, with Marquis Bronte gifting a villa to Luca, it became clear just how much favor the City Lord\'s office had for him.

Curtis\'s expression darkened considerably, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked.

He never imagined that this damn kid would gain the favor of Marquis Bronte!

Now, with the City Lord\'s protection, Curtis, a mere mid-tier professional, was powerless.

Even high-tier professionals wouldn\'t dare openly touch Luca.

Luca was just as surprised, having never expected that a routine mission would earn him a villa in the Noble District.

"Please convey my thanks to Marquis Bronte, Miss Luna," he said, accepting the letter without hesitation. Gaining the favor of a marquis was no small benefit.

Luna nodded slightly. "The journey to Pure River Town will take around half a day. I\'ll have someone prepare a room for you to rest in."

Luca nodded and thanked her.

As the Cloudwing Airship prepared for departure, the adventure to Pure River Town was about to begin.

Luna didn\'t stay in the cabin for long and soon left.

Now, the people in the cabin looked at Luca with entirely different eyes, many of them eagerly approaching him for conversation.

He was so young, yet he had already gained the favor of Marquis Bronte.

This was undoubtedly Southwind City\'s next rising star.

If they didn\'t seize the chance to curry favor now, they might not get another opportunity in the future.

Curtis, watching the scene unfold, became even more consumed with dark thoughts.

His eyes glinted with malice as he shot Luca one last vicious glance before turning to leave.

Since he couldn\'t make a move openly, he\'d have to find a way to strike from the shadows.

As soon as they were out of Southwind City, there would be plenty of chances to kill this arrogant boy.

After Luca finished dealing with the influx of professionals trying to win his favor, the airship staff informed him that his room was ready.

With Susie by his side, Luca followed the attendant toward the upper levels, his steps accompanied by envious gazes from the other passengers.

When they opened the door, they were greeted by a spacious room, approximately a few dozen square meters.

The beige curtains swayed gently, and sunlight streamed through the window, bathing the room in a warm glow. Inside, there was a private bathroom and a luxurious oversized bed, already dressed with pristine silk sheets.

Seeing the room\'s hotel-like furnishings, Luca\'s expression turned somewhat awkward.

It seemed Luna truly thought they were a couple, as she had only arranged one room for them…

"How are we supposed to sleep like this..." Susie mumbled, her face turning as red as an apple, standing hesitantly at the door, too embarrassed to enter.

Though Susie often visited Luca\'s room and they had even slept together when they were younger.

Now that they were both adults…

The thought alone made her entire neck flush crimson, and her face felt so hot it seemed like it might catch fire.