"Just a little longer," Frederick said calmly.Behind him, the White family members were at their breaking point. "He's just stalling for time!""He's toying with us and humiliating our entire family!""He's treating our lady like a pet, parading her on stage for those commoners to mock! This is intolerable!"The White family members were about to explode in their fury. This time, even Desmond didn’t defend Frederick. "Mr. Lester, you need to give me an explanation. Or else..." he said icily. The threat was clear.Frederick’s lips curled into a smile. "What's wrong? Can't hold it in any longer?"Desmond's face darkened with anger. "Frederick! Don't fucking push your luck! Do you think you can walk out of here alive?"Just then, Katherine stormed down from the stage, seething with rage. "I’ve danced through dozens of songs! My headache hasn't lessened at all—in fact, it's gotten worse! You're a fraud! Who treats an illness like this? I’ll kill you right now!"As she finish

As Frederick was about to cross the street, a shadowy figure hurried up behind him. It was Katherine. She was still in that eye-catching bunny outfit, and her curves made quite the impression."Dr. Lester, I’m really sorry for what happened earlier. Please accept my apology!" Katherine said playfully, sticking out her tongue.Frederick looked at her, and said calmly, "Ms. White, no need to apologize. Anyone would have reacted angrily to my unreasonable demands. It’s perfectly natural."Katherine blushed, and insisted, "But I feel terrible. You saved my life, and I treated you so badly. If it’s okay, I’d like to take you out for a meal to show my appreciation. You can pick the place!"She added confidently, "No matter how expensive or hard to book the restaurant is, my family can sort it out with a word."Frederick gave her a slight, knowing smile. "Ms. White, we’re both adults. If you want something from me, just ask directly. There’s no need for pretenses."Even a fool could s

"Grandpa, I…" Jasmine began to protest.But Douglas cut her off, "Don’t be hasty. He’s about to take the stage. Watch his performance first, then decide."With a sigh, Jasmine settled back to watch. A few minutes later, the tournament began. The arenas were alive with fierce battles.Steven stepped onto his platform, facing his opponent. The man opposite him was Bruce Larkin from the Tranquil Academy, known for his exceptional sword-drawing skill."Steven, you don’t even have a weapon. How do you plan to go against my sword, the Eclipse Azure Blade?" Bruce sneered at him, his face full of contempt. "If you surrender now, you might escape with your life."Bruce didn't want to get into trouble with the Diamond Guild by killing Steven.To his surprise, Steven just smiled. "The same goes for you. You’re not worth my time. You should step down and surrender."Bruce’s face turned red with fury. "Are you that eager to die? Fine! I’ll grant your wish!"He launched his sword-drawing s

"Revenge is a dish best served cold. There are plenty of opportunities ahead. We'll take our time!" The members of the Diamond Guild spat out these harsh words and departed triumphantly, leaving Frederick behind feeling both amused and exasperated.He had been late by several minutes, which by the rules should have disqualified him from participating. Yet, fate seemed to intervene in mysterious ways, allowing him to advance unexpectedly."This is absurd! It's as if some unseen hand is deliberately helping me out," Frederick mused, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.Suddenly, he looked up towards the highest tier of the spectator area, where a secluded private room was located. Liana was there, lounging with crossed legs like a commanding queen. Her smile was enchanting."It's just a few minutes late. With my name, I could sway the outcome of this entire event!" she declared with a sway of her wine glass.However, Liana wouldn't be helping Frederick any further. She wanted to witness

Frederick shrugged indifferently. "It doesn't matter. We'll see what happens when we get on stage."When everyone saw that Wayne was going to be Frederick's opponent, the scene exploded into excited chatter."Holy crap! That's Wayne Sowle!""I bet Frederick's in for a rough time!""Defeating Steven with just a slap shows some skill, but there's always someone better. Wayne is on a whole different level of extraordinary!"No one had any faith in Frederick winning. Some even started secret betting pools, with overwhelming odds favoring Wayne.Jasmine couldn't help but worry. "Wayne is so powerful. Will Frederick be okay?"Meanwhile, Douglas silently cursed in his heart. He hoped both would perish in the match, ending his grievances once and for all!Finally, it was time for them to take the stage.Wayne strolled in with a relaxed yet commanding stride. He narrowed his eyes slightly and declared, "Let this arena become the epitaph of heroes!"His words immediately became memorab