Journey to Become the Zenith

Apprehend Them!

”Why are you helping a Valier, I thought that your family and theirs are at odds with each other?”

Victor wasn’t pressured one bit by the people surrounding him as he asked his question.

The armed men stood in a wide circle around him and Diana. Their weapons were already drawn, and mana moved faintly around their bodies. Yet Victor’s posture remained loose, almost casual.

The contrast was striking.

Around him, tension had reached the point where even the slightest movement could ignite another battle.

Victor simply looked at Kite.

Kite’s stern eyes narrowed.

”Why should I tell an outsider like you?”

Kite answered with a glare.

His voice carried the weight of someone accustomed to being obeyed. He was clearly trying to remind Victor that he was not speaking to an ordinary soldier.

Victor merely raised an eyebrow.

”An outsider?”

A faint smile appeared on his face.

He reached into his clothing and took out the medallion Evelyne had given him.

The metal caught the sunlight.

The insignia of the Elmhart Family was impossible to mistake.

Several of the surrounding soldiers glanced at it.

Kite’s expression hardened slightly the moment he saw the medallion.

His eyes lingered on it for a moment longer than necessary.

He had recognized it.

More importantly, he understood what it meant.

Victor noticed the change immediately.

”So you know what this is.”

Kite’s face remained stern.

”Oh, so you’re that commoner friend my niece is playing with. You might think that makes you part of this, but it does not.”

The words carried obvious disdain.

Victor looked at him for a few seconds.

Then he gave a quiet chuckle.

”A commoner friend?”

There was amusement in his golden eyes.

”So that’s how you see people?”

Kite’s gaze became colder.

”Don’t twist my words.”

”I’m not twisting anything.”

Victor held up the medallion between two fingers.

”You called me an outsider. Then you recognized the Elmhart Family’s medallion. Either your niece has terrible judgment about the people he associates with, or you’re simply pretending this doesn’t mean anything.”

Kite’s jaw tightened.

He didn’t answer immediately.

Victor’s smile widened.

The old man clearly didn’t like being questioned.

That alone made this situation interesting.

Diana stood silently nearby, watching the exchange without interfering.

She knew Victor well enough to recognize that expression.

He wasn’t frightened.

He wasn’t even particularly angry.

He was enjoying himself.

Kite stepped forward slightly.

”Whatever connection you have with my family, it doesn’t give you the right to interfere in Valier affairs.”

Victor glanced at Simon, who was still hiding behind Kite.

Then he looked back at the old man.

”Interesting.”

”What?”

”You came here, saw three of your opponent’s bodyguards lying unconscious, saw what Simon was trying to do, and your first concern was protecting him.”

Victor tilted his head.

”That tells me quite a lot about you.”

Kite’s eyes sharpened.

”You know nothing about me.”

”Maybe.”

Victor shrugged.

”But I know what I’m looking at.”

His gaze moved briefly toward Simon.

”And right now, I’m looking at an old man protecting a spoiled piece of trash.”

Simon flinched.

”How dare you!”

He started forward, but Kite immediately raised one arm, stopping him.

”Stay behind me.”

Simon obeyed without hesitation.

Victor noticed that.

A faint mocking smile crossed his face.

”So the brave young master suddenly needs someone to hide behind.”

Simon’s face flushed.

”Shut up!”

Victor ignored him.

His attention remained on Kite.

”Alright then, so what are you going to do? I want him dead and you and this lot can’t do anything about it?”

Victor’s words were deliberately provocative.

Kite’s eyes narrowed.

The soldiers around them tightened their grips on their weapons.

Victor’s mind was already working.

He had no intention of wasting time.

But there was one problem.

These men were connected to Evelyne’s family.

Even though they were currently standing against him, they were still part of his disciple’s faction.

He didn’t want to kill them without reason.

At the same time, none of them were strong enough to provide him with an enjoyable fight.

It was an awkward situation.

Victor sighed inwardly.

’What a troublesome group.’

He looked around at the soldiers.

’Knocking them out should be enough.’

Kite studied him carefully.

”You seem very confident.”

”I usually am.”

”Confidence and arrogance are two different things.”

Victor smiled.

”Then perhaps you should figure out which one you’re looking at before threatening me.”

A few soldiers exchanged nervous glances.

Kite’s expression became even more serious.

”You’ve already defeated three Master-ranked guards. Don’t assume that means you can walk through everyone here.”

Victor’s golden eyes flicked toward him.

”Are you threatening me?”

”I’m warning you.”

”That’s adorable.”

Kite’s face twitched.

For the first time, his stern composure cracked slightly.

”Do you think this is a joke?”

Victor smiled.

”At the moment?”

He looked around.

”Pretty much.”

The surrounding soldiers became visibly tense.

Nobody had expected the young man to mock Kite so openly.

Kite was a respected member of the Elmhart Family.

Yet Victor stood in front of him without the slightest sign of submission.

Kite slowly raised his hand.

”Apprehend them!”

Hearing Kite’s command, the men surrounding Victor and Diana cautiously tightened the encirclement.

Their formation became narrower.

Weapons were raised.

Boots shifted across the pavement.

Mana began circulating more intensely through their bodies.

The crowd backed away another few steps.

Victor looked around.

He could hear the faint metallic sounds of weapons being adjusted.

The air smelled of dust and steel.

Diana remained completely silent.

Victor glanced at her briefly.

She met his gaze.

There was no fear in her red eyes.

She trusted him completely.

Victor turned his attention back toward Kite.

”So that’s your solution?”

Kite didn’t answer.

”Surround me and call it an apprehension?”

Victor gave a small laugh.

”At least be honest. You know very well what happens if these men actually try to hurt us.”

Kite’s expression remained stern.

”I don’t need to explain myself to you.”

”No.”

Victor nodded.

”You don’t.”