Just as Michael and others had thought, if a powerful individual wanted to come to Woodstone City as reinforcement, it wouldn’t take long—even if they were hundreds of miles away.
The real issue was whether the situation would deteriorate beyond saving before reinforcements could arrive.
Fortunately for Woodstone City—or perhaps unfortunately, considering the severity of their predicament—the reinforcements they needed were King Rank Cultivators.
With void nodes in place, the Federation’s summons to these exalted beings brought swift responses.
Even the furthest among them took mere minutes to arrive.
Within moments of the first two King Rank Cultivators appearing, ten more joined them, surrounding Brian and the earlier pair.
For a brief moment, the space around them trembled as terrifying auras clashed, warping the atmosphere with their sheer intensity.
Among the thirteen figures, only Brian appeared ordinary.
As fellow King Rank Cultivators, they could sense the immense power he contained, a power hidden beneath an unassuming exterior.
However, for those weaker than him—such as Michael—it was impossible to detect.
This wasn’t because Brian had grown weaker.
No, it was the opposite. Brian’s strength had reached a level so far beyond Michael’s comprehension that it no longer registered.
Michael didn’t delude himself into thinking he had grown stronger or that Brian’s lack of threat indicated a change in their dynamic.
He knew he was barely any different from when the chaos started. Brian had stopped him with minimal effort before, and there was no reason to believe that had changed.
Now, however, the aura Brian exuded wasn’t just intimidating—it was unfathomable.
Slowly, Michael’s subconscious sense of superiority as an Awakener began to crumble.
He realized there was so much he didn’t understand about Cultivators. They were formidable.
Even though his confidence as an Awakener remained, Michael had to admit Cultivators were a force to be reckoned with.
As for Brian, a growing suspicion nagged at Michael—a thought he didn’t dare entertain fully but couldn’t dismiss.
Brian’s changed appearance.
His strange display of power.
Michael couldn’t help but wonder—was Brian the figure who had rained down blue flames to suppress the chaos engulfing the city?
For some reason, Michael felt his guess wasn’t far from the truth.
To be honest, though he was indifferent to cultivating, the idea of it intrigued him at times.
Unfortunately, cultivation could only boost his stats incrementally, and it was a long-term investment.
As an Awakener with no limits, Michael could no longer ignite a life seed—a prerequisite for cultivation.
There was nothing he could do about it.
He wasn’t naturally talented.
If he were, perhaps he’d be like Brian during his school years—a genius who managed to awaken a second class because he had ignited a life seed before awakening.
Several King Rank Cultivators eyed Brian, each with a mix of thoughts after seeing his appearance and sensing his aura.
Some were curious.
Some frowned.
Some remained neutral.
The Mad Phoenix.
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Even emperors had heard of him. Part of it was because some of these emperors had been from the same generation, during the past century.
“Congratulations, Mad Phoenix.”
Finally, someone in the crowd spoke.
It was one of the older individuals, his voice filled with a sense of recognition.
Brian immediately recognized him.
Quiet Blade.
One of the most renowned assassins in the Federation.
No one knew how many times he had traveled through the void to assassinate powerful figures in other realms.
His slightly graying appearance was a clear sign of his age.
At least he was one of the oldest present, and his realm as a mid-stage King Rank Knight reflected that a little.
There were a few others of similar strength among the gathered, but none dared oppose Brian.
Before his advancement, Brian had already shown signs of dominating the ranks of early-stage King Rank Knights.
Now, after advancing, it was clear that his strength had grown immeasurably.
The Mad Phoenix.
No one could still look at him with the perspective of an early King Rank Knight.
Even the faintest trace of his aura shattered that illusion.
Such an evil-doer.
Though not everyone around Brian shared the same opinion, they all had one thought in common.
When did he advance?
The Mad Phoenix had been stuck at the brink of a breakthrough for years, teetering on the edge but never quite crossing the threshold.
So, what had changed now?
At least that much piqued their curiosity.
With Quiet Blade taking the lead, those who were interested moved forward to Brian.
Brian responded with varying levels of indifference and calmness, depending on how each approached him.
However, while some congratulated him, others questioned him passively.
“How did the city end up like this?”
A woman’s voice cut through the tension.
It sounded like a question born out of concern, though it lacked warmth—her tone flat and emotionless.
To everyone around, the true question was obvious.
How did the city end up like this with you here?
Brian slowly turned to look at the woman, their eyes locking.
The weight of the gazes from his peers around him made Brian lose a bit of his earlier good mood.
Speaking to that brat earlier had been much more pleasant.
“I fought the strong man from the other side,” Brian said, his voice calm but carrying an edge.
“It was after that battle I advanced. Then I came across this situation and immediately offered my assistance.”
Immediately after speaking, an overwhelming aura erupted from Brian.
The surrounding Kings all stiffened, their expressions growing serious.
“The Federation sent us here for a reason,” Brian continued, his voice now more commanding.
“It’s better we get this over with so we can return to our respective places and call it a day, shall we?”
In that moment, it felt as though Brian stood at the very center of the world.
*****
A/N: Wow! I saw the huge increase in Golden Tickets, everyone. We even climbed up a rank! As a thank you to my amazing readers, I’ll be releasing three more chapters today! Your support means everything. Thanks for reading!