Fred had finally regained a sliver of his former power, which was more than enough for him to easily detect who was approaching from outside.With a casual tone, Fred said, "Howard, you seem to be in quite a rush!"With a flick of his sleeve, the grand entrance swung open and Howard burst in, nearly tripping over his feet in his surprise."Mr...Mr. Hoffman, you... you're out of your retreat?"Howard had visited the West Street Mansion more times than he could count, but ever since Fred had taken up residence, he had been in deep isolation. Howard had come to view Fred as a dedicated hermit, whose remarkable abilities were the result of intense and solitary training.This impression had even led Howard to do some serious soul-searching after his previous visits.Now, seeing Fred emerge, Howard's respect for him was greater than ever.Fred, noticing the admiration, offered a small smile. "I've had a breakthrough, so my retreat is over. And isn't the Quintennium Challenge just arou

Hearing Fred's words, Hector smacked his thigh and privately wanted to kick himself. He had been riding high on Fred's support, so confident he would clinch the Quintennium Challenge that he had let it go to his head.The Nile family had always been the underdog, while the real showdown had always been between the Stefords and the big shots—the Ciels and the Tohils!Those two must be feeling the heat way more than the Niles!So, without missing a beat, Hector eased into a grin and reclaimed his seat at the head of the table, chuckling. "Mr. Hoffman, you've got some sharp insight!""Just a case of the Nile family head being too close to the forest to see the trees!" Fred dismissed the remark with a casual wave of his hand. "Anyway, it doesn't really matter what kind of power this Bartolomew guy the Stefords roped in has, or whether he's some kind of Ancient Warlord legend. It's all talk for now. But come tomorrow's Quintennium Challenge, we'll see the truth!"With that, Fred rose t

"Oh? What's this? Not running away anymore?" Bovies taunted with a sneer.When Varioso froze in his tracks, Bovies could not help but laugh. "So, you've accepted your fate? You know too much, Varioso. You overheard my private talk with my clan's elder. There's no way you're getting out of this alive.""This..."Varioso's face went ghostly white. His rage at Bovies' words had made him reckless, and he had stopped without thinking.He momentarily forgot just how dangerous Bovies was, and worse, he had forgotten about Bartolomew, Bovies' right-hand man, who was unbeatable."If only... If only Mr. Hoffman hadn't left the Stefords..." Varioso's thoughts drifted to Fred, but his whispered words did not escape Bovies' ears."Mr. Hoffman? Do you mean Fred? Hahahaha!"Bovies roared with laughter. "Do you want to know why I brought my clan's elder to the Stefords' place?""Why?" Varioso managed to ask, his voice barely above a whisper."It's all because of that jerk Fred!" Bovies was se

"Oh? What do you mean?"When Bartolomew heard this, he frowned slightly and asked.Bovies smiled and said, "Uncle, this Hoffman boy has become famous throughout Waterway Town because he defeated me and more than fifty guards of the Stefords. Tomorrow is the Quintennium Challenge, so why not just keep him alive for one more day? We shall dismember him into five pieces in full view of the public tomorrow. That would intimidate everyone and show everyone your power. It will also make Miss Steford and her family understand what they should do.""This way, when I am accepted into the Stefords, things will be smoother, right?" Bartolomew said. He thought for a moment and finally restrained his murderous intents. He nodded and said, "That's a good idea! In that case, let's keep this pest alive for one more night!"With that said, Bartolomew walked away.As for Bovies, he looked at Fred and Varioso with a sneer and said, "Haha, enjoy your last moments on earth! Tomorrow, you will die!"

One could travel thousands of miles without leaving a trace, and the other could kill without leaving any signs. Traceless Yarrow and Jarrod Lear were destined to be confrontational when they met.Fortunately, both of them knew that now was not the time to fight. They just took one glance at each other and immediately stopped paying attention to the other. However, the sharp and aggressive presence they exuded was enough to intimidate and avert the eyes of those around them."It seems that today's battle will be gnarly with bloodshed!"Some of the onlookers watched Traceless Yarrow and Jarrod Lear, the fighters representing the Tohils and the Ciels’ respectively, as they exchanged competitive glances at each other. Someone suddenly exclaimed, "These two families must be the favorites to win the championship this time..."Boom!Before he finished speaking, a chaotic noise was heard. Leopold, the head of the Ciels, and Zimran, the head of the Tohils, frowned.At this moment, an ext