"Okot, are you insane?!" Manasa gritted her teeth in fury, pointing at Okot's nose as she cursed him for threatening Caius so blatantly.

  The more she yelled, the colder Okot's gaze grew as he stared at Caius.

  The ruckus quickly drew attention—people nearby turned to look, even Baron Zachary cast a glance their way.

  Caius rolled his neck and shook off Manasa’s hand. He strode directly toward Okot, locking eyes with him.

  "You gonna make a move on me?" Caius sneered, that arrogant grin plastered across his face.

  Okot's chest heaved. “You better not step outside this estate, or else—”

  "Or else what?" Caius scoffed, eyes brimming with disdain. “Coward. If you’ve got the balls, do it now.”

  Veins bulged on Okot’s temples, fury threatening to boil over. If they weren’t on Baron Zachary’s turf, he would’ve already gone for the kill.

  But he held back—for now. After all, a Mithril-ranked powerhouse was present. If he acted here, it’d be a direct slap in Zachary’s face.

  Caius, however, wasn’t so restrained.

  Thanks to that Little Swan interruption, his schedule was already tight. He’d been racking his brain trying to juggle everything.

  Well, now he didn’t have to think anymore.

  Screw it—just fight!

  “No move from you? Fine, I’ll start.” Caius’s simple, rustic smile turned instantly vicious. His large hand clamped down on Okot’s face.

  Okot hadn’t expected Caius to actually strike in front of everyone. He didn’t even have time to react before Caius slammed him straight into the ground.

  BOOM!

  The ground trembled violently. Everyone turned to see Okot grabbing Caius’s arm, his upper body pinned under Caius with such force that the earth itself caved in.

  Even as a Platinum Seven-Star warrior, Okot was stunned to find he couldn't overpower this brute—he couldn’t even pry off his hand!

  A flash lit up on the ring on his hand, and with a flick, a jagged saber materialized in his grip. He swung it straight at Caius’s head.

  But Caius’s other hand intercepted it effortlessly.

  “I hate being threatened the most,” Caius growled, grabbing Okot by the head and hurling him like a ragdoll.

  Okot soared through the air, smashing a hole through the estate’s outer wall and crashing into the river channel beyond.

  "Stop!" Baron Zachary shouted urgently.

  But before Caius could reply, the river exploded in a blast of water—followed by a flash of blue light cutting straight toward him.

  Caius sidestepped. The blade of light whooshed past, slicing the garden's decorative greenery clean in half.

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  "You saw that. It’s not that I don’t want to stop," Caius said with a smile toward Zachary, striding toward the breach in the wall.

  "Besides, I’ve got a personal grudge to settle with this guy. Allow me the honor of avenging myself."

  A grudge?

  What grudge?

  Caius had just said that to muddy the waters. Not for himself, but for Rog—the Wolf Queen.

  Her instructions were simple: eliminate Okot without bringing heat onto the Wargs Gang.

  So Caius gladly dragged the heat onto himself. Same end result.

  If Okot hadn’t provoked and threatened him here, Caius might’ve let him live until tomorrow. But now—he’d kill him on the spot.

  That’s just how Caius was. If he could settle a grudge right then and there, he wouldn’t wait until the next day.

  As for the so-called Mithril-ranked archer under Zachary’s employ?

  Ha. Worst-case scenario, Caius would burn his trump cards. Close range? That archer would still die.

  “I’ll take your head and mount it on a damn fireplace!” Okot’s roar echoed as he emerged from the river, soaked and ragged, dual blades in hand. His eyes burned red with fury, his body glowing with a blue aura—he had activated his Combat Techniques.

  He lunged forward at lightning speed.

  Caius didn’t flinch. With a flick of his wrist, his warhammer materialized, and he charged forward.

  The two figures collided with an earth-shattering impact. A fierce gust blasted through the party, sending food and tables flying. Everyone scrambled back—they didn’t dare get caught in the clash of these two monsters.

  Zachary’s face darkened as he watched the violent collision. He quickly sent a whispered command, “Stop them. Now!”

  As the words left his mouth, a flash of cold light flickered atop the rooftop.

  Caius felt a chill run down his spine—someone powerful had locked onto him.

  No need to guess. It was that Mithril-ranked archer!

  But Caius didn’t stop. Okot was already on his last legs.

  The fury in Okot’s heart had been replaced by something far more primal—fear.

  Because no matter how much he amplified his physicality with Combat Techniques, he still wasn’t a match for this beast of a man!

  Caius’s warhammer was like a siege weapon. Even when Okot braced for full defense, his insides shook with every blow. And Caius—his technique was even sharper!

  He lost in strength, in reaction, in speed—and even in weapon quality.

  His twin jagged blades, Platinum-grade no less, barely left scratches on that hammer. Worse, they chipped with every clash.

  After taking dozens of Caius’s blows, his blades were ruined, and his palms were torn open, blood gushing.

  He couldn’t win.

  He wasn’t even in the same league.

  And Okot could see it—Caius wasn’t bluffing. He was going to kill him.

  So, Okot tried to run.

  But would Caius let him?

  Sensing Okot’s retreat, Caius accepted a blow in exchange for a kill. He tanked a slash head-on.

  The chipped blade only left a shallow cut across his chest. But because Okot had fully committed to the swing, he couldn’t adjust in time.

  Caius seized his shoulder.

  With a sickening crunch, Caius’s crushing grip shattered Okot’s collarbone. A scream tore from his lips—only to be cut off instantly.

  Caius drove him to the ground and stomped on his chest.

  Blood sprayed from Okot’s mouth as his consciousness faded.

  To his credit, Okot had held out impressively. Few could withstand that many hits from Caius.

  But that was as far as it went.

  Caius raised his warhammer high. His eyes gleamed with murderous intent as he prepared to smash Okot’s skull.

  But just then—

  SWISH!

  A streak of icy light shot from the rooftop, aiming straight at Caius’s back.

  He felt the deadly intent instantly. Muscles flexing, he twisted mid-swing—redirecting the massive hammer with inhuman force toward the incoming projectile.

  BOOM!!

  A sonic blast ripped through the air. Caius’s giant frame was blasted backward dozens of meters. His hammer gouged a deep trench in the earth before finally halting his momentum.

  At the center of the hammerhead, a faint white dot smoked.

  And Caius?

  Aside from a slightly numb arm, he was completely unharmed.

  Oh, and as he flew back, he’d held tight to Okot—who was now limp in his grip, like a dead dog, utterly unconscious.

  No one could stop him from killing!

  Caius slowly rose to his feet, the explosion of aura moments ago having shredded his shirt into ragged strips. Without a second thought, he tore off what remained, revealing muscles as hard and defined as forged steel.

  A wild, defiant grin still hung on his face.

  “Baron Zachary,” he said, voice cold enough to freeze marrow, “are you trying to stop me from taking my revenge with my own hands?”

  His grin widened, but the chill in his tone only deepened. A shiver crept down Zachary’s spine.

  In that moment, shrouded in the veil of darkness, Caius’s eyes seemed to blaze with a crimson light.