Chapter 299: Do the honors.
Pier immediately nodded. "Yes, a secret identity."
He then glanced at Adelyn as though he had finally uncovered the mystery surrounding her.
"I’ve seen Julia read plenty of novels and watch all kinds of dramas. The main characters always have some hidden identity —a secret billionaire, an influential figure, or someone with an extraordinary authority no one could possibly imagine."
Karl seriously considered the possibility.
But after a moment, he shook his head.
"We’ve grown up in the billionaire circle. If Sister-in-law really were some secret billionaire, we would’ve known."
He frowned thoughtfully.
"She’s just a new actress who’s about to debut. Could she be—"
Before their imaginations could wander any further, Adelyn cut them off.
"Rein in your imagination." She looked at the two of them with complete disdain. "Or even the little brains you two have will be used up. Then the rest of your lives will become very difficult."
Pier awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck. "Was it really that absurd?"
Adelyn didn’t answer.
Because absurd as it sounded, he wasn’t entirely wrong.
"Then, Sister-in-law ..." Karl asked again, his curiosity refusing to die down before his expression gradually turned worried. "How are you so sure you’re going to win?"
He hesitated before asking another question.
"Or ... are you only saying that so I won’t stop you from going in there?"
Adelyn merely raised a brow.
"Can you stop me?"
Karl immediately fell silent.
He thought about it carefully before lowering his head in defeat.
"...I can’t."
"Good." Adelyn gave him an approving nod. "Kids who know what they can and can’t do usually grow up better."
She then turned away.
"Now stop standing around. Go get me the sword."
With that, she calmly walked toward the arena.
Karl remained rooted where he stood, watching her retreating figure. His nose still sniffled slightly from crying, but he quickly pulled himself together.
Turning toward Pier, he said firmly, "It’s time to bring out my collection."
Only the best weapon deserved his sister-in-law.
"The best weapons win battles. And Sister-in-law has to win this one."
Adelyn stepped into the arena.
Karl followed closely behind, carrying a sword case in his hands. His eyes glared at Zeke, standing not too far away. If he charged forward a few steps, he would have his neck between the grip of his fingers.
He wanted that, but he couldn’t defy Adelyn. So, he stood a step behind her, calmly and obediently.
Across from them also stood Steve. And beside him was Tressa.
Steve’s hands rested calmly behind his back as his eyes met Adelyn’s.
For several silent seconds—
The air still buzzed with cheers, whispers and shouts, but neither of them spoke. Their gazes simply remained locked together.
It was as though they were quietly sizing each other up without exchanging a single move.
Adelyn’s lips gradually lifted into a faint, confident smile. Steve, however, slowly narrowed his eyes.
He had been observing her ever since she entered the ring.
Her posture.
Her breathing.
Her footing.
Even the rhythm of her steps.
Yet ...
He couldn’t sense anything.
No pressure.
No proper stance.
No intent.
No aura that belonged to someone who had walked through countless battles.
She looked ... ordinary.
Too ordinary.
It almost made him wonder whether she had simply been bluffing all along and her confidence was nothing but a lie.
"Senior."
Tressa’s voice pulled him away from his thoughts.
Steve turned toward her.
Her expression carried a trace of guilt.
"I think ..." she admitted quietly, "... I may have overthought things earlier."
She glanced toward Adelyn.
"She did feel different before. But after watching her just now..." She slowly shook her head. "I don’t think she’s anything worth considering an opponent."
Steve remained silent, allowing her to continue.
"In our world, confidence isn’t something we deliberately display. The more capable a fighter is, the better they become at hiding themselves. Then that serves as an internal strength rather than a flaw."
She looked back at Adelyn again.
"But she walked into the arena almost inviting everyone to look at her. Whether that’s confidence or arrogance..."
Tressa paused.
"... it’s enough to tell me she still lacks experience."
Steve listened quietly before finally speaking.
"Don’t judge an opponent too early."
His voice remained calm.
"Sometimes confidence is arrogance. And sometimes ..."
"It is simply confidence."
He shifted his gaze back toward Adelyn.
"But regardless of which it is..."
His expression remained indifferent.
"...we’ll know soon enough."
Even though he said that, deep down, he still found himself agreeing with Tressa’s earlier judgment.
The woman standing before them might simply be a bluffer. Otherwise, with almost no visible experience, she wouldn’t have dared step into the arena so openly.
Tressa lowered her head respectfully.
"Yes, Senior."
After a brief pause, she looked toward Adelyn once more.
"If that’s the case..." She clenched her fingers. "Allow me to fight first. I’ll make sure she realize her mistake."
Steve looked at her. After a moment of silence, he gave a small nod. "Very well. End it quickly."
"I understand." Tressa stepped forward. Her sharp eyes settled on Adelyn, a determined glint flashing across them.
In Tressa’s eyes ...
Women like Adelyn only made life harder for every other woman in martial arts.
Arrogance without strength only reinforced the prejudice that women were weak.
Today—
She would personally teach this overconfident woman what the true world of swordmanship looked like.
It was never something anyone could casually joke around about.
"Didn’t you say it’d be your esteemed friend fighting me?" Adelyn suddenly turned toward Zeke.
Her gaze briefly shifted between Steve and Tressa before returning to him.
Zeke scoffed arrogantly. "Of course. We figured that since you’re a woman, we shouldn’t be too harsh on you."
He laughed mockingly.
"Don’t tell me you don’t appreciate our kindness."
Adelyn didn’t respond to his laughter. She merely looked at him. Only after his laughter gradually died away did she finally speak.
"Why wouldn’t I appreciate it?"
"Of course I do." She paused. "It’s just that ..."
Her eyes drifted toward Tressa before shifting back to Steve.
Finally ...
She looked at Zeke again.
"...I hope you won’t forget the bet between us."
A faint smile curved her lips.
"Once you lose, don’t cry regretting your decision to switch opponents."
Before Zeke could even respond—
Tressa let out a cold sneer. "You think you can defeat me?" Her eyes became noticeably sharper.
Adelyn glanced at her once.
Almost instantly ...
She saw straight through the assumptions Tressa had formed about her.
Smiling faintly, she shook her head.
"How could I possibly think that? We haven’t even crossed swords yet."
"Then let’s stop talking." Tressa tightened her grip. "I can’t wait to give your overconfidence a proper reality check."
Just then, Denis walked over and handed her sword to her.
At the same moment—
Pier finally arrived carrying a long, slender brocade sword case.
"Brother Karl! I got it!"
Karl and Adelyn turned toward him simultaneously.
Adelyn’s brows knitted together slightly. Confused, she asked, "What’s this?"
Karl smiled proudly. "The sword that’ll definitely help you win."
He stepped closer and let his hand glide over the surface of the case.
"I brought the very best one for you, Sister-in-law." He puffed out his chest. "The greatest treasure in my entire collection."
The more confidently he said it, the more unsettled Adelyn became.
Still, she simply nodded.
"Fine. We’ll discuss its quality later."
She calmly looked toward the arena. "Right now ..."
"... let’s focus on what’s actually important."
Karl nodded immediately.
"Right. Then this is all yours, sister-in-law. Please do the honors."
Adelyn shook her head internally. Stepping forward, she slowly opened the brocade case.
However—
The instant her eyes landed on it, she paused in her movement.
A long silence followed.
Then ...
She tilted her head and slowly lifted her head and looked back at the brat.
Every single word came out one by one.
"Is. This. The. Best. Sword. You. Got. For. Me?"