Back in the Ravenwood days, Hudson University had already become a coveted Feng Shui treasure for Soulmaners from all over.
After the competition on the mountain, many Soulmaners did not get their own territories, and with the 13th Bureau allowing them to improve their abilities at Hudson University, they all eagerly made their way there.
Especially Lucien; his purpose for coming to Hudson University was not just for ability enhancement.
When these Soulmaners arrived at Cozy Book Haven, they were greeted by Nelson at the entrance. Each of them respectfully bowed and saluted him before quietly sitting down in the bookstore to read, hoping to find methods to enhance their abilities in the books.
In reality, ever since William erased the AuraField on the table, the energy inside the bookstore was not much different from the rest of the campus. However, Nelson’s presence in the store was a significant factor.
The thought process of these Soulmaners was quite straightforward.
The first one to enter thought that since a Master like Nelson was working in the bookstore, it must be extraordinary. Perhaps there were secret manuals for ability enhancement hidden among the books on the shelves. So, he sat down to read and search for methods to improve his abilities.
The second one to come in saw Nelson and another Soulmaner reading inside. He concluded that there must be something special about the books here.
As for those who came later, with an increasing number of Soulmaners in the bookstore, as long as Nelson did not drive them away, most of them intended to stay in the bookstore permanently.
Nelson’s mood at this time was quite complicated.
He knew that William was mysterious and preferred not to show his strength in front of others, like a god-like figure. He had also received benefits from being around William. The painting William gave him had brought him considerable gains. But why had so many Soulmaners suddenly come to the bookstore?
Could it be that William invited them?
Since the bookstore was open for business, he could not drive them away. He was worried that these people would share the benefits William brought him, making his feelings incredibly complicated.
It wasn’t until William entered the store that Nelson noticed the curious attitudes these Soulmancers had towards him.
Even with someone as extraordinary as William entering, Lucien surprisingly met him with cold indifference. Tristan, too, looked as if he couldn’t be bothered with William. The other Soulmancers, engrossed in their reading, merely lifted their eyelids to glance at William upon sensing someone enter, and then promptly returned to their books.
Hmm, did they already know that William was living in hiding here, deliberately concealing his power, and were pretending not to recognize him, or were they genuinely unaware of William’s strength?
If they were acting, Nelson felt their performance skills could use some improvement.
However, the moment Alice appeared at the entrance of the store, both Lucien and Tristan unexpectedly went to greet her.
Observing silently from the side, Nelson couldn’t help but ponder the real reason these individuals had gathered in the bookstore.
“Alice, I’ve been waiting for you for a while now.” Lucien said with a flattering tone, a technique Tristan had taught him, claiming it worked wonders on women. Because of this advice, Lucien had decided to put their past differences behind them.
Upon seeing Lucien, Alice felt a pang of unease. It certainly wasn’t a sign of excitement; she genuinely felt uncomfortable.
Especially with his line about having waited for a long time.
Oh my God, is he trying to act like he’s in some old-school romance movie?
She managed an awkward smile at Lucien and turned to William, “Where are we going?”
“Come on, I’m taking you to challenge another gym.”
After saying this, William briskly walked out of the bookstore. Ryan and Daniel quickly followed behind. They had met Alice before and thought William was just trying to show off in front of a pretty lady.
“No wonder it’s William. How could he fight without a beauty watching?” Ryan expressed immense admiration for William. “Beat the opponents and win over the beauty’s heart? Brilliant!”
Daniel and Paul both nodded in agreement. Flaunting one’s prowess meant nothing if there were no spectators.
Especially showcasing your strength, it needed to be done in front of beautiful women.
After making his comment, Ryan discreetly glanced at Alice. He obviously knew Alice, as the Turner and Carter families shared a good relationship. But with this development, could William still become his brother-in-law?
Yet upon further reflection, which man doesn’t have a roving eye?
He’d gauge the situation today and get a sense of what was really going on. If Alice were merely a competitor for his sister’s affections, he’d inform his sister about it.
But if William was just toying with emotions, Ryan would definitely keep it hidden from her.
Building a harmonious relationship with a future brother-in-law was vital. Ideally, they’d have fought side by side or faced dangers together, solidifying a bond as strong as iron.
What harm was there in a little flirting before marriage?
If Alice knew Ryan was thinking such messy thoughts, she’d probably kick him directly into the school’s artificial lake.
“A dojo challenge?” Lucien, hearing William’s words, grew excited and loudly asked, “Which one are we targeting?”
He was genuinely curious. With William inviting a martial arts expert like Alice for a dojo challenge, they must be targeting a dojo related to the Soulmancer organization.
That seemed quite audacious.
It was well-known that every Soulmancer organization had some uniquely powerful treasures or exceptionally skilled Soulmancers.
Even if Alice was exceptional, taking on a Soulmancer organization might be biting off more than she could chew.
Although Alice didn’t respond to Lucien, he casually followed her, contemplating that if Alice faced a formidable opponent during the challenge, he could step in to help, seizing the chance to impress her.
Even if he can’t beat the opponent, the owner of that house might let it go out of respect for his Nostredame family.
Regardless, he was certain to steal the limelight today and surely outshine that useless William.
As for Tristan, seeing Alice was like witnessing a deity for him. When he heard that Alice was challenging a dojo, he felt compelled to witness her skills firsthand.
Watching a master in combat offers enlightenment and insights. If he could learn some techniques from the fight, his skills would certainly elevate significantly.
Thus, the group, each with their own thoughts and intentions, grandly set out towards the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu dojo that Ryan mentioned.
“William, you’ve gathered quite a crowd. Do you want me to invite a few more?” Ryan sneaked a glance at Lucien and Tristan.
Lucien had an odd tone when he spoke, but compared to Tristan, he seemed like the normal one.
Tristan wore a medieval knight’s breastplate, sported voluminous long hair, and had a sharp longsword hanging at his waist. His attire drew countless gazes. Even Hollywood actors would struggle to rival him in similar costumes; he truly looked like a historical figure who had time-traveled from the era of Richard the Lionheart.
“No need,” William replied, seemingly out of leisure, he had merely asked Alice to clean up some nuisances. Why bring so many people?
“True, you alone are enough, William.” Ryan said, brown-nosing with a grin plastered across his face.
William pointed to Alice beside him and said, “I won’t take action,she will.”
“…” Ryan unconsciously stopped in his tracks, looking at William with a bewildered expression. His eyes were full of disbelief, “Dude, are you joking with me?” ｂ𝚍ｎｏｖ𝚕．ｃｏｍ
Lucien, trailing behind them, sneered quietly. Useless as always, William must have gotten himself into trouble somewhere and now had Alice to fight his battles.
For a man to stoop so low, he might as well give up on life.