The ballroom emptied quickly as most guests rushed to greet Dalton. A few members of the Lowell and Reilley families stayed behind, clearly tasked with keeping an eye on Matthias and his group.Nadine leaned close to Matthias, whispering anxiously, "Matt, why don't you take out these guys? Then, we can slip away."Matthias shook his head and took a seat, brushing it off. "No need. We're guests, and the party isn't over yet. Why should we leave?""Matt, this isn't the time to be stubborn! Don't you know who Dalton is? He's the Lord of War! This whole party is for him!" Nadine hissed, exasperated by Matthias' calm demeanor.She looked to Leona for support, but Leona just gave a small, resigned smile. Besides, she trusted Matthias, and if he did not want to leave, she would not try to persuade him otherwise.Nadine sighed heavily and sank into a chair, feeling utterly hopeless.Dalton strode down the red carpet at the hotel entrance in a sharp suit, radiating arrogance. The Reirmunt
The ballroom doors burst open with a resounding bang as Dalton stormed in, his face contorted with fury. His eyes immediately locked on Matthias, casually seated at the head table.The sight only fueled Dalton's rage. He roared, his voice dripping with malice, "So, you're Matthias? Get over here and face your death!"Stuart smirked, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "Matthias, Mr. Archer has arrived. Crawl over here on your knees and accept your fate!"The Lowell family joined in, their voices rising in a chorus of taunts."Matthias, are you deaf? Mr. Archer gave you an order. Get over here and face your death!"At the head table, Matthias cast a dismissive glance at Dalton, a hint of mockery in his eyes. "You're Dalton? You sure you won't regret your words?"Hazel's piercing voice cut through the tension as she glared at Matthias. "How dare you! Who are you to question him? Know your place and come here to face your death!"The crowd around them echoed her sentiments, hurling
Brock's sudden appearance drew everyone's attention, leaving them stunned. They were curious about the person who dared to defy Dalton so openly.Dalton smirked, not taking Brock's position seriously. "Brock, you're just Havenwood's governor. Are you trying to protect Matthias? Don't tell me you're his secret backer?"The guests quickly grasped Brock's identity. While a governor's title might intimidate some families, it meant little to the Lowells.Pierre's voice dripped with venom as he said, "Brock, you want to protect Matthias? I'm afraid a governor's rank won't cut it."Dalton glanced at Matthias, his tone dripping with contempt. "Is this your big trump card? The source of your arrogance? You really think a mere governor can save you?"Matthias frowned slightly, glancing at Brock before addressing Dalton. "If you're so eager to die, by all means, try me."Dalton's face contorted with rage. "How dare you! Do you think a governor's protection makes you untouchable? Even Brock
Dalton's mocking laugh echoed through the room. "If you're so eager to die, I'll gladly oblige."Pierre sneered. "You're too ignorant, Matthias. With no connections in New Avalbourne, where do you get the nerve to act so boldly?"He continued, his voice dripping with disdain, "Even if you have some impressive status abroad, this is New Avalbourne. You've sealed your fate, and the Lowells will crush you like you're nothing!"Pierre held back from revealing their trump card—the Crimson Titans, the family's formidable international force. Even if Matthias had foreign backing, it would not matter.Brock bit his tongue, realizing he could not stop Dalton and the others from rushing to their doom."Elite Squad, attack!" Dalton barked. "Kill anyone who interferes!"His glance at Brock made the threat clear—If Brock insisted on protecting Matthias, he would face the consequences.As the Elite Squad charged forward, Brock stepped aside, observing silently. Dalton and his allies smirked,
The crowd's initial shock at seeing Dalton's men defeated quickly turned to excitement when he announced he would handle the situation personally. They were certain Matthias and Alpha stood no chance against a warlord.Pierre laughed. "Dalton's stepping in! Matthias, dying by a warlord's hand is more than you deserve."Another voice said, "With Mr. Archer stepping in, Matthias won't even have a chance to fight back. This is what happens when you mess with your betters!"Stuart grinned maliciously. "Matthias, you still have a chance to beg for forgiveness. Who knows? Mr. Archer might be generous enough to let you live a few moments longer.""That's right! If you all get on your knees now, Mr. Archer might show mercy. He might just cripple you instead of killing you outright!"Matthias regarded the speakers with cold disdain, and a hint of mockery flashed in his eyes.He turned to Dalton and asked contemptuously, "Are you sure about this? Once you make your move, there's no turning
"Dalton, how's this possible?" Hazel's face turned ashen, her body trembling. She could not believe her idol, her pillar of strength, had fallen.Even Dalton was in disbelief. Since joining the military, he had never tasted defeat. Yet, he had been beaten by a single kick."Warlord? What a joke!" Alpha scoffed. "If Lord Matthias hadn't held me back, I would've crushed you with one punch!""This can't be happening! I refuse to believe it!" Dalton roared, his eyes bloodshot as he glared at Matthias.The Hero's Banquet was supposed to be his moment of triumph, but he had become a laughingstock."I've buried hundreds of nobodies like you," Matthias said icily.The crowd held their breath, cold sweat running down their backs. Matthias described a warlord like Dalton as a nobody, even mentioning he had defeated hundreds of them.When did warlords become so weak?Most of the onlookers felt like they were dreaming. Young admirers who had idolized Dalton felt their faith crumbling, and
Delilah's words sparked hope in the previously dejected crowd. They realized they were in Reirmunt, New Avalbourne's capital. Matthias' disrupting the Hero's Banquet and injuring Dalton, the guest of honor, were a direct challenge to the military and the entire nation.No matter how powerful Matthias might be, he could not possibly stand against the military, let alone an entire country. Even the mightiest individual was like a speck of dust before the wrath of a nation.Pierre sneered. "Matthias, you've insulted a New Avalbourne warlord and disrespected our entire military. The million soldiers of New Avalbourne won't tolerate such audacity. Tonight, your strength means nothing. You'll die all the same!"Others joined in, laughing as they shouted one after another."That's right! A loser is still a loser. So what if you're strong? You can't escape your fate!""Call for the military patrol! Let them deal with Matthias, an obvious criminal!"Dalton stood up, his face dark with rag
The crowd eagerly piled on, exaggerating Matthias' alleged misdeeds. They were certain Russell was on their side, given that he had proposed this banquet in the first place."Enough! Silence! All of you!" Russell's unexpected outburst stunned the room into silence.Then, his gaze swept over Dalton and the others, his voice seething with anger as he said, "How dare you! Mr. Lowell is my honored guest and the most esteemed visitor to New Avalbourne."You, the so-called elite of our city, not only failed to host Mr. Lowell properly but dared to accuse him of wrongdoing? You've ruined his evening. You should be ashamed!"Russell's words hit like a thunderbolt, leaving Dalton and the others frozen in shock. They could not believe their ears when Russell said Matthias was his guest, and he even addressed Matthias so respectfully. Not only that but apparently, he was also New Avalbourne's most honored visitor.Everyone's eyes widened in shock. They had assumed Matthias was a nobody from