Chapter 679: Against the Bright Buddha Palace
Travis crouched beside Kai, carefully checking his breathing and condition. After a tense moment, he looked up and gave a small nod to Elder Bras. "He’s fine," he confirmed, though his voice carried the bitter sting of defeat. Kai was unconscious, drained of every bit of energy, but alive—just as Max had said.
Max, watching calmly from above, descended in a flash of blue lightning and landed quietly beside Elder Drew and Lyra. The atmosphere around him was charged yet composed, like a storm that had passed but still left the sky rumbling.
"Haha, good." Elder Drew’s voice rang out, his lips curling into a rare smile as he looked at Max with open satisfaction. "The winner of the first battle is Max." His words echoed clearly, and a sense of pride laced his tone—not just because of the win, but because of what it meant for the Great Ruler Empire.
Lyra stood beside him, nodding in agreement. Her eyes didn’t leave Max. Admiration flickered in them—not the admiration of a noble toward a subordinate, but that of someone who saw potential matching her own.
To cross not just a level, but a rank and several small levels in strength to defeat a 3rd level Champion Rank genius... that was something not even the greatest talents of the seven overlord forces could accomplish. For Max, it seemed effortless. Casual. Routine. And that was what made it terrifying.
Meanwhile, Elder Bras’ face darkened like thunderclouds. His mouth curled in displeasure, arms folding behind his back as he turned away in silence. The Thunder Monarch Hall had lost. With this defeat, their right to claim the mana pool had vanished.
But Elder Bras didn’t look angry for the loss—he looked curious. Quietly fuming, yes, but mostly interested... in seeing just how far Max could go. Especially against the next opponent—the genius from Bright Buddha Palace.
Just then, the small floating sphere buzzed softly, and new names appeared on the glowing holographic screen above—"Thunder Monarch Hall vs Bright Buddha Palace."
A moment of silence followed, but all eyes turned toward Elder Bras. His expression was already stormy, and now it darkened even further. He looked down at Kai, still unconscious and badly drained, clearly in no condition to fight again.