Aelira’s and Isalyn’s eyes also turned icy, murder flickering within them.

Ryzen and Rivera looked like they would pounce on them at any moment.

But before they could do that, Rudrean took a step forward. "Well, well. A bunch of dogs sure know how to bark. Your owners must have trained you well to bark at others, right?"

"What did you say?! How dare you call us dogs?!"

Aelira laughed in response. "Please, honey. You are insulting real dogs. These guys probably grew up in a trash ground where a bunch of whores fucked and spilled their seeds."

More than her words, the way she said them hurt even more as the faces of Romen and his friends turned ugly.

"Glad I made a barrier around us. Can’t afford to breathe the same air as these pieces of trash," Isalyn coolly chimed in as a barrier really flickered into existence around the group.

Lyra nodded. Words were not her specialty, but she appreciated what she heard.

"You are really seeking death," Romen angrily smiled, his eye twitching. "You know what will happen? You two men will watch these wom-"

"Romen," Rudrean interrupted, his voice cold. "If you are not a piece of trash, the kind that stinks people to death, then accept my challenge to a duel of death."

"Or get the fuck out of our faces and let us enjoy ourselves, because the stink is getting deadly."

"The reason you are still alive right now is because this resort has its own laws, and I respect them. And because killing you in public over your mouth would inconvenience my evening."

He paused.

"Those are the only two reasons. I’m sure you remember how fast your Magic Suit was broken when you faced me last time."

The greasy heir snorted. "Listen to him. The country boy thinks he is a threat."

Rudrean ignored him. He did not even glance at him.

"Challenge?" Romen grinned, his eyes cunningly glinting as if he had accomplished what he came for.

"Haha, exactly what I wanted to hear. Come on, the arena’s right there." Romen pointed at the four floating arena rings where people could actually fight each other, either for entertainment or disputes.

"Death challenge, right? Perfect. Unless one side is dead, the match won’t be over."

Waving his hand, Romen seemed to call someone over as an arena staff member arrived with a glowing paper.

"Here, sign it with your mana," Romen said as he signed it.

Rudrean was rather surprised. ’This moron was easily defeated, but he readily agreed to a death challenge?’

Isalyn relayed to Rudrean. ’He does have a powerful 5-star armor and items on him that were previously not allowed in the Secret Realm. However, no matter how powerful they are, his current power cannot let him use their full capabilities. He has no chance against you, so there’s some other trick.’

’Darling, this trash is becoming too much of an annoyance. Might as well get rid of him,’ Aelira snorted.

’Anyway, even if he has a trick, you are powerful enough to destroy all tricks,’ Isalyn smiled. ’Especially after our two-hour intense session.’

Rudrean also had honey milk stored in him when he was at the Foundation stage, and that was being used after he broke through.

His stats were already far stronger now.

"Alright. Let’s do it." Rudrean nodded and signed the golden paper with his mana signature by infusing a bit of his mana into it.

The moment Rudrean signed, Romen’s grin widened. "Perfect. Let’s go right away."

Romen flew up first, and his friends followed as they arrived at an arena that did not have any fight going on.

Rudrean and the others also arrived there.

Without wasting time, Rudrean landed in the arena ring at the center, which had a 100-meter radius.

Romen did not move from the audience area. Instead, he sat down and leaned back among his friends.

"What the hell?" Aelira raised her eyebrows. "Are you scared already, you spineless coward?"

Romen sneered. "We did sign a death challenge, alright. Just wait, my representative is coming soon."

A second later, he laughed. "What? You think I was going to fight him myself? We never specified that."

The red-haired snob grinned. "Of course, you can also send a representative if you want to."

Suddenly, a figure arrived like the wind and landed in the arena ring, fifty meters away from Rudrean.

It was a man looking to be in his late twenties with a thin brown beard and shoulder-length hair. He had a semi-muscled build.

But most importantly, he was an early-stage Soul Tree powerhouse who seemed to have broken through recently.

Isalyn’s eyes glinted as she scanned the guy in detail.

— Stats —

Constitution: 12.3★

Agility: 13.9★

Strength: 12.4★

Magic: 13.5★

’Early-stage Soul Tree, alright. But including his Combat Art, he’ll have roughly double those stats. His Arcane Path should not even compare to Rudrean’s, so forget any major stat boost from it.’

’No worries, Rudy. You can beat him. You have twice the boost from your Arcane Path talent now with me also outside.’ Isalyn relayed. ’But it won’t be an easy fight. Consider this a challenge. He’ll come at you with the intent to kill, so don’t hold back.’

Naturally, Isalyn would not let Rudrean die, as she would intervene and save him, but she did not think it would come to that.

Rudrean activated his Combat Art right away.

"Ladies and gentlemen! We have a rare Death Challenge happening right now! The surprising thing is, it is between an early-stage Core Genesis expert versus an early-stage Soul Tree expert!"

The screens shifted and the announcement rang out as people started filling the venue.

"Place your bets now!"

Rudrean and his opponent looked at each other.

"We’ll have to wait a bit until the venue fills up and the audience starts placing bets, so you don’t have to waste your mana by using your Combat Art right away," the man said with a smile. "Hi, I am Rockwon. Sorry, but I’m just doing my job."

Rudrean nodded, but did not deactivate his Combat Art. "No problem. However, I’ll be regretful for a second that I killed a stranger I have no enmity against."

Rockwon chuckled. "That’s some confidence for someone who recently broke through to Core Genesis."

’He is hiding his aura well.’ Rockwon’s eyes flickered. He was trying to gauge Rudrean’s power aura, but all he got was that his aura resembled that of an early-stage Foundation expert. However, that was obviously not the case when it came to his life aura, which was clearly that of a Core Genesis expert.

’His Combat Art looks fine, but I can’t tell how much it is boosting him. Young Master Romen, do you have any idea since you clashed against him before?’

Romen’s face turned slightly ugly as he replied with annoyance. ’No. I don’t know the rating of his Combat Art or anything about his Arcane Path. Just that he was overwhelmingly powerful. But who cares? Surely, he can’t defeat a Soul Tree expert like you, even if you just recently broke through.’

’That’s true. Leave it to me, young master.’

"Now then, ladies and gentlemen. The wait is over! Let the fight begin!"

A countdown of five seconds appeared above the arena.

Rudrean cracked his index finger as the power ribbons of his Combat Art flowed smoothly around him while he channeled mana throughout his body.

1000 Nihil Fury Blades were also stored since he always kept them full by constantly consuming mana, as it was 1 Nihil Fury Blade per 5% mana consumed.

His second rune, Spirit Nexus, was not full since it required spilled blood to generate Spirit Sparks, though he did not think he needed to summon Spirit Beasts.

And his first rune ensured that he was faster than his opponent.

Right as the countdown hit zero, Rockwon unveiled his Combat Art, as well as another power that surged like light-blue scales over his body, likely from his Arcane Path.

Overall, he finished boosting his stats, and Isalyn relayed her scan to Rudrean.

’Be careful. He has 4 to 5★ higher than you in all stats with the boots and combat power he got, but you should be faster than him. You can overcome him.’

’Alright.’

[Rudrean Zen]

[Age: 18]

[Lifeform: Core Genesis]

— Stats —

Constitution: 6.8★ (+300% +240% of 6.8)

= Total 43.52★

Agility: 6.9★ (+300% +240% of 6.9)

= Total 44.16★

Strength: 6.8★ (+300% +240% of 6.8)

= Total 43.52★

Magic: 6.9★ (+300% +240% of 6.9)

= Total 44.16★

Swoosh!

Rockwon made the first move, and what he did was simple.

CLAKH!

A crystallized metallic bluish prison sprang up around Rudrean, instantly trapping him within it.

And it started shrinking slowly.

"If you can’t break out, you’ll die." Rockwon smiled. "Good luck."