Free Web NovelChapter 77: Noelle is under attack
Victor watched Noelle leave the arena with the same calm confidence she had when she entered the arena. Even after securing a victory, she neither mocked her opponent nor displayed any contempt. Her expression remained composed as she walked back toward the waiting area, completely ignoring the cheers that echoed throughout the stadium.
Many spectators admired her talent, but Victor paid attention to something else. Her attitude. Despite her overwhelming strength compared to most participants, she had never allowed arrogance to influence her behavior. That alone made her stand out from the majority of young hunters present at the tournament.
Meanwhile, Victor remained seated in the audience. His eyes were fixed on the arena, but his attention extended far beyond it. After advancing into the Adept Realm, both his mana sense and Void Sense had undergone a tremendous increase in power. The range of his perception had expanded dramatically.
Now he could perceive everything within a radius of nearly one kilometer. The entire tournament grounds fell within his awareness. Countless conversations, movements, and fluctuations of mana entered his perception simultaneously. Normally, filtering through such information would have been difficult, but Victor’s enhanced mind processed everything with ease.
Suddenly, a particular conversation caught his attention. His expression immediately darkened.
Not far from the arena, a handsome young man with golden hair stood beside another participant. The golden-haired youth possessed noble features and wore luxurious clothing that clearly indicated his status. His eyes, however, were filled with malice.
"I will tear that bitch apart," he said coldly. A cruel smile appeared on his face. "I wanted to bring her to my bed. Yet she dared to reject me."
His expression twisted further. "Thomas, if you fail to cripple her today, I will destroy your entire bloodline." ƒreewebɳovel.com
Standing before him was a red-haired young man. The moment those words were spoken, the young man immediately dropped to his knees. A loud thud echoed from the ground.
"Your Highness, please do not worry," Thomas said with a pale face. Fear was clearly visible in his eyes. "I will cripple her today. After that, you may do whatever you want with her."
The prince nodded with satisfaction.
Victor’s eyes instantly turned cold. For a brief moment, killing intent flickered within them. However, he did not act immediately. Instead, he silently observed.
"Nova," Victor’s mental voice echoed within his mind. "What is the situation with that prince? If he truly wants Noelle, he could simply use his authority to abduct her. Why is he going through so much trouble?"
Nova quickly responded. "There is a law among the Atlantians."
Victor listened attentively. "Any individual whose bloodline purity exceeds fifty percent and who successfully awakens a class receives protection under Imperial Law." Victor raised an eyebrow.
Nova continued. "Such individuals are considered valuable assets of the empire. No noble, military personnel or even royal family member may harm them without legal justification."
Understanding appeared in Victor’s eyes. "And Noelle?"
"Your sister possesses fifty-one percent Atlantean bloodline purity despite being half modern human. As a result, she falls under direct imperial protection."
Victor finally understood everything. The prince could not openly attack her. He could not abduct her. He could not force her into submission. At least not legally.
"The only way he can touch her," Nova explained, "is if she becomes crippled during an accident."
Victor’s expression became colder. "So that is his plan." Nova remained silent.
Victor shifted his gaze toward Noelle. A thoughtful look appeared in his eyes. "I have a feeling my sister is not as simple as she appears." He slowly leaned back. "She has some kind of secret." A faint smile appeared on his face. "Very similar to Diana."
Nova suddenly hesitated. "Speaking of Diana, there is something I forgot to mention."
Victor immediately became interested. "What is it?"
"When I scanned Diana previously, I sensed an extremely terrifying aura hidden within her."
Victor frowned. "Aura?"
"Yes." Nova’s tone became serious. "It was unlike anything I have encountered before."
Victor’s curiosity increased. "Do you know what it is?"
"I do not." Nova answered honestly. "This planet is filled with mysteries that even I cannot comprehend."
Victor remained silent.
Nova continued speaking. "There is another matter."
Victor listened carefully.
"This planet and the entire solar system appear to be sealed."
Victor’s eyes narrowed. "Sealed?"
"Yes." Nova’s voice became solemn. "I believe the entity that attacked my spacecraft in the past is responsible."
The revelation shocked Victor. An entire solar system sealed by an unknown being. The implications were terrifying.
Victor slowly exhaled. "There are too many mysteries." His gaze drifted toward the sky. "I think moving slowly is the best option."
The tournament continued. One match followed another. Participants displayed various abilities and talents, drawing cheers from the audience. Victor, however, paid little attention. Only when Noelle entered the arena did he become interested. The rest of the competitors simply did not matter.
As time passed, Noelle continued winning effortlessly. Every opponent she faced was defeated with overwhelming ease.
Three hours later, the atmosphere within the arena became noticeably more intense. The next match had finally arrived. Noelle stepped onto the stage. Across from her stood Thomas Andrew.
Victor’s eyes immediately became sharp. He sat forward slightly. This time he was fully alert. If Thomas attempted anything suspicious, Victor would erase him from existence before anyone could react. The thought emerged naturally. Without realizing it, a protective elder brother’s instinct had begun forming within his heart.
Thomas approached the center of the arena. Unlike his earlier fearful appearance before the prince, he now appeared calm and confident.
"It is my honor to fight you, Lady Noelle." He bowed respectfully. "If you had been given a few more months, I believe you could have defeated me easily." His smile remained polite. "However, please do not take offense if I emerge victorious today."
Noelle simply stared at him. Her eyes calmly examined him from head to toe. She seemed completely indifferent.
"Let’s fight." A smile appeared on her face.
The moment Victor saw that smile, he froze. He recognized it immediately. It was the exact same smile that often appeared on his own face whenever he had already decided to eliminate an enemy. A grin slowly appeared on Victor’s face. "This sister of mine is dangerous."
The referee raised his hand. "Begin!"
Boom! Thomas instantly vanished. He was an assassin. Victor had already gathered information about him. Thomas possessed a Lightning Element class and an extraordinary potential rating of nine. He had already comprehended nine skills despite remaining within the Novice Realm. Many experts believed he would soon advance into the Adept Realm.
A sphere of light quietly appeared above Victor’s fingertip. He prepared himself. The moment Thomas attempted a lethal strike, Victor would intervene.
Inside his mental perception, Thomas moved like a bolt of lightning. His speed was astonishing. In an instant, he appeared directly behind Noelle. A dagger flashed. Thomas raised his weapon toward her neck.
Then everything changed. Noelle moved.
The shoes on her feet suddenly emitted a brilliant light. Her figure vanished completely. Victor’s eyes widened. For the first time since entering the Adept Realm, he failed to track someone’s movement. Even his mental perception could not follow her speed.
"What was that?" Victor stared in disbelief.
A moment later, Noelle appeared near the opposite corner of the arena. She nearly stumbled. Victor immediately noticed that she had not fully mastered the speed she was using. Controlling it clearly remained difficult. Yet she did not hesitate.
Countless light swords materialized around her. A powerful magical fluctuation erupted from her body. "Light Sword Rain."
The attack descended instantly. Thomas’s expression changed dramatically. He had been completely caught off guard. Never in his wildest imagination had he expected a mage to move faster than him.
Before he could react, the swords arrived. They pierced directly through his body. Blood exploded into the air. One sword. Two swords. Ten swords. Dozens of blades tore through him.
Thomas collapsed. His body struck the arena floor heavily. Blood rapidly spread beneath him. He was dead.
Complete silence descended upon the stadium. No one spoke. No one moved. Thousands of spectators stared at the arena in shock. The result was simply too unbelievable.
However, nobody was more shocked than Victor. "Nova," his voice contained genuine surprise. "What was that?" He stared at Noelle. "She is even stronger than me."
Nova quickly analyzed the situation. "Based on my calculations, her movement speed exceeded ten thousand meters per second." Victor’s pupils contracted. That speed was horrifying.
"It came from the shoes," Nova continued. "The shoes are a Spirit Grade item."
Victor frowned. "A Spirit Grade item?"
"I believe your sister has inherited the legacy of a powerful existence."
Victor became interested. "Inheritance?"
Nova explained. "Powerful entities often leave behind inheritances to recruit disciples or successors. Such inheritances frequently contain powerful techniques, resources, weapons, and equipment."
Victor nodded slowly. "So Noelle obtained one?But from where?"
"Most likely a white dungeon."
A look of envy appeared on Victor’s face. "That sounds amazing."
Nova unexpectedly replied. "Actually, you can obtain something similar."
Victor’s eyes widened. Before he could ask further questions, a furious roar echoed throughout the arena.
"You bitch!" Everyone turned toward the source. A female warrior charged toward Noelle. Her eyes were bloodshot with rage. "How dare you kill my brother!" Powerful mana erupted from her body.
"Die!" She accelerated instantly.
Victor’s expression changed. The woman was an Elite Rank warrior.
Noelle attempted to activate her shoes once more. However, her expression suddenly froze. Mud covered the soles. Someone had secretly cast a spell beneath her feet. The shoes failed to activate.
Panic flashed across Noelle’s face. She immediately understood the situation. This was not an accident. Someone was trying to kill her.
Desperately, she looked toward her personal guards. But her heart sank. Every guard lowered their head. Not one of them dared meet her gaze.
At that moment, Noelle understood everything. She had been abandoned.
The Elite Rank warrior was already upon her. Noelle knew she could not survive a direct hit. As the woman’s palm descended toward her chest, Noelle slowly closed her eyes.
