"I'm fine," Yan Leonhart grunted as he steadied himself.
"Check on that bastard Tianqi Drake. If he dies here… we're in for a big trouble."
The sheer chaos of what had just occurred left him rattled. Moments ago, the situation had seemed under control but now the surrounding air was heavy and people were whispering among themselves.
He may have been young, but he understood the weight of boundaries. Scuffles between juniors even a few broken bones were tolerable. As long as no one died or had their cultivation crippled, it was still within the bounds of diplomacy.
But death?
That could tear two great clans apart.
On top of that Tianqi wasn't just any boy. He was the youngest son of Brandon Drake, patriarch of the Drake Clan. If he died here and now, there would be no walking away unscathed, it would be a miracle if he made it out alive or with his cultivation crippled for life.
"Yes, Young Master!" the armored guard beside him responded, his previous stoic face now showing traces of visible panic.
But before the man could even move, the ground beneath their feet exploded.
BOOM—
A crushing aura slammed into the plaza like a falling mountain, shattering the tiles around them and sending a ripple of force through the streets of Blazecity.
"Tianqi!" came a bellow, filled with panic and rage. "Damn it, are you alright?!"
Brandon Drake's figure descended like a bolt of divine fury, his cloak still fluttering with the speed of his arrival. The patriarch of the Drake Clan fell to one knee beside his son and quickly assessed the injuries.
His expression shifted from terror to fury in the span of seconds.
"Good. He's alive," Brandon growled then stood up and turned around to face the 'culprits' for his son's now critical condition, with eyes blazing he said. "But you... you will not be."
His gaze locked onto Yan Leonhart and the nearby Leonhart guards.
"You dared lay hands on my son?! Even if your so called ancestor were here, I would make all of you pay in blood!"
The gathered crowd gasped.
A Level 3 Core Break Stage cultivator was furious now and it could lead to disaster for all of them.
Yan's fists clenched at his sides and his jaw tightened as he realized this was all part of the Drake clan.
'So this is what they wanted,' he thought grimly. 'Tianqi baited me on purpose. And now this man wants to use it as an excuse to crush us.'
Brandon's killing intent surged outward like a blade of pressure.
"Die!" he roared, raising his palm high.
A crimson vortex gathered over his hand an attack far too powerful for any of the Leonhart guards to survive. Even Yan, barely in the Bone Stage, felt his body freeze. He couldn't move so dosging was impossible in this situation.
All he could do was helplessly watch as the Drake clan patriarch's attack descended on him.
BOOOOM!!
A shockwave exploded outwards, blasting dust and rubble into the sky. A pulse of power rocked the plaza, kicking up the ruins of vendor stalls and sending frightened civilians stumbling back.
And then…
A calm voice, layered with silent rage rang out.
"Do you think the Leonhart Clan holds no power?"
Gasps echoed across the streets.
Another figure had appeared in the center of the wreckage, standing before Yan and the others like an immovable wall. His robes were simple, but his presence silenced the world.
It was Leon Leonhart—the current patriarch of the Leonhart Clan.
His palm was extended… stopping Brandon Drake's attack cleanly.
"You show up here with that shamless face of yours," Leon said coldly, "using your son's injuries as justification to slaughter my clan's people. Are you so desperate that you've resorted to bullying children?"
"You—!" Brandon's face twisted in disbelief seeing how easily Leon blocked his attack.
'How…? I poured my full power into that attack. How did he block it?'
The crowd stared in silence, preparing for the show that about to be start here.
"Isn't Leon only in the Blood Stage?" someone muttered among the crowd.
"How… how did he block a full-strength strike from Brandon Drake?"
"Unless… he broke through!"
The realization spread like wildfire as eyes widened and a collective gasp was heard from the crowd once they realized this.
If Leon could parry a blow from a Core Break Stage Level 3 like Brandon, it meant one of two things: either he had broken through himself, or he possessed an incredibly rare constitution or artifact.
Either way, this wasn't something to take lightly.
"Impossible," Brandon muttered. "This man was just barely clinging to the edge of high blood stage a few months ago."
Leon didn't respond to the whispers but he simply stared Brandon down.
"The Drake Clan," he said slowly, "you've always believed yourself above everyone else and have never cared for other's opinions. But I will remind you, this is Leonhart territory. You can not raise your hand here without any consequence."
Brandon's eyes narrowed hearing Leon's remark. "You think you can stop me? You're nothing but a newly advanced Core Break cultivator at best!"
"Try me," Leon replied with a straight face almost as if not taking him seriously.
The tension in the air was electric as even the wind seemed to hold its breath for these two.
Behind Leon, the guards who had once feared for their lives now stood straighter. And Yan's eyes were wide not just with awe, but with a new understanding.
'So this is the true power of the clan that the elders and patriarch had been hiding '
A hush fell over the marketplace, then murmurs rose like embers catching wind first scattered, then swelling into a chorus of uneasy voices.
"Did the Leonhart Clan hide their strength all this time?"
"They were waiting…"
"No wonder they dared hold onto their position in Blazecity."
Brandon's rage simmered as he was holding himself back trying to first asses his rival as he wasn't a fool who would blindly pick fight everywhere. He had come here expecting to flex his might and intimidate the Leonharts, and also perhaps force a political concession. He hadn't come here to fight a real war.
And now…
It wasn't just Leon who had advanced. Rumors had already started to spread that several other Leonhart elders that were said to have almost reached their limit had broken through recently as well.
'Something's changed inside that clan,' Brandon thought grimly. 'Something very dangerous.'
"Fine," he spat at last, withdrawing his aura in the process. "We'll settle this soon enough. Just don't cry when the flames come for you."
With a final glare, Brandon turned and lifted Tianqi into his arms before vanishing into the sky, wind howling in his wake.
For a long moment, silence lingered around the area.
Then—
"Leonhart Clan… wins again."
"Unbelievable…"
Some bowed their heads in respect while others walked away deep in thought.
Leon let out a breath and turned to Yan.
"You did well," he said simply.
Yan nodded stiffly. "Apologies, Patriarch. I let my emotions get the better of me."
Leon smiled faintly.
"We are not without flaws, Yan. But we do not bow to those filthy thugs of Drake."
And with that, he too turned around and lead others away.