The woman in question was Lina, Matthew’s mother. A few days ago, upon learning that both her husband Rudolph and her son Matthew had be killed, she nearly fainted on the spot.
Matthew had be her only son. And now, he had died at the hands of an insignificant lowlife. Ev her husband had lost his life due to this person’s actions. How could Lina not harbor an immse hatred?
After Rudolph’s collusion with The Nightmare Cult was exposed, Lina was implicated and confined by the Franco family’s patriarch to this mansion, forbidd to leave.
If Luca had stayed hidd in the Emerald State, Lina wouldn’t have had any means to reach him. But now, to her delight, the fool had dared to come to Southwind City himself!
“You brought this upon yourself! Don’t blame me for what happs next!” Lina’s eyes were filled with malice and vomous rage.
These past days, she had be consumed by thoughts of ripping that wretch apart limb by limb. Now that such a perfect opportunity was prested to her, if she didn’t kill him, she’d be failing her dead son and husband!
Lina turned to the servant standing beside her and ordered, “Within three days, I want to see that brat’s head in front of me. If you fail, I’ll offer your head instead to mourn my son and husband!”
The chilling mace in her voice made the servant shudder uncontrollably.
“Yes, Madam! I will make sure his head is brought to you without fail!” he replied hastily.
Meanwhile, in the Outer District of Southwind City.
The news of Luca’s arrival in Southwind City spread not only to the Franco family but also reached one of the most chaotic regions in the city.
Black Street, home to the underg fighting ara, was a place filled with the sct of blood.
The stage was splattered with dark, dried stains as a muscular, rugged man swung his fist forward, slamming into his oppont’s skull.
The sheer force of the blow caved in the unfortunate man’s head, creating a deep indtation. He died instantly on the spot.
Just as the body fell lifelessly to the g, a young man with tattoos along his arm approached the brute and whispered something in his ear.
The burly man paused, th his eyes gleamed with a dangerous glint. A twisted grin spread across his face, and his voice was dripping with malice as he spoke. “I was just thinking about how to get ev with him, and now the little bastard has walked right into Southwind City on his own!”
“Sd someone to keep tabs on him immediately. I want to know every move he makes. The momt he steps foot outside Red Maple Academy, report back to me right away. I want to personally twist his head off to avge Freeman!”
This man was Curtis, Freeman’s younger brother. Not only was he a high-level professional, but he was also the leader of the infamous Blood Hand Mercary Group, a name that struck fear ev in the darkest alleys of Southwind City’s underworld.
“Got it, boss,” the tattooed youth replied, nodding eagerly, a hint of pity flickering in his gaze.
The poor boy had no idea what he had gott himself into by provoking their boss!
In his mind’s eye, the young man could already vision Luca’s brok and bloodied form, reduced to a miserable state far beyond recognition.
Red Maple Academy. At the same time, Luca remained blissfully unaware that several forces from Riverfall City were making their moves the momt he set foot in Southwind City.
4th Floor of the Trial Tower. Luca was currtly locked in combat with a formidable wolf.
A two-headed black wolf. Its tire body was gulfed in dark flames, with eyes glowing a malevolt red. It radiated a dangerous and ominous aura.
The monsters on the lower floors were all below level 30, providing little challge for Luca. He had easily progressed to the 4th floor, and in the process, his level had soared to 5, gaining two levels consecutively.
However, as he ascded higher, the monsters’ levels also increased significantly. By now, the guardian monster on this floor had reached a level of 35, t levels higher than Luca’s own.
It was important to note that these guardian monsters were not your ordinary creatures. At the very least, they were rare-class monsters, and some were ev elite-class.
Luca could now feel the pressure starting to build.
He realized that his normal fighting abilities were effective up to level 40 monsters. If he wanted to keep progressing, he might have to employ some of his more unconvtional methods.
While contemplating his next move, a wave of intse flame burst forth from Luca’s hand, completely gulfing the two-headed wolf and reducing it to a charred husk.
[Ding! You have slain the lv35 Two-Headed Black Wolf (Elite). You gained 46,000 experice points!]
[You have cleared the 4th floor of the Trial Tower. Do you wish to proceed to the next floor?]
Luca glanced at the notification in front of him but chose not to continue immediately. Instead, he decided to rest for a bit.
The series of intse battles had drained his mana considerably. Fortunately, Franklin had stocked his storage ring with numerous mana potions. A short break would allow him to replish his ergy before taking on the next challge.
Red Maple Academy. Meanwhile, outside the Trial Tower, the audice’s focus had shifted tirely to Luca. No one paid any atttion to the other examinees anymore.
Everyone’s eyes, including those of Orf and the other instructors, were fixed on Luca, their hearts filled with shock and disbelief at what they were witnessing.
“I thought he wouldn’t last long at all, yet here he is, already at the 5th floor!” Fred couldn’t help but exclaim, his gaze filled with admiration as he looked at Luca.
This kid had completely exceeded his expectations! Originally, Fred had assumed that with Luca’s strgth, he would at most reach the 8th floor. But Luca had prov him utterly wrong, surging all the way to the 5th floor in one go!
And it’s worth noting—normally, for the instructor evaluation, candidates only needed to clear up to the 5th floor!
In other words, Luca’s currt capabilities were already approaching the level of an instructor at Red Maple Academy.
Kruse’s shock still hadn’t subsided. He remarked, “How old is he now? Eighte or ninete, at most? If I’m not mistak, the last person to reach the 4th floor at such speed was young Luna. And she was already and on the verge of advancing to Gold Grade!”
Hearing that name, everyone a displayed expressions of surprise.
Luna was the youngest high-level professional in the Southern Territory in rect years, and now, Luca had brok her record.
Ev more remarkable was that Luca was several years younger than her.
Having such astonishing strgth at such a young age meant that this young man’s future was limitless!
“Hahaha, excellt, excellt! He truly is my studt!” Orf’s face was beaming with pride and satisfaction. He hadn’t expected that in just a few years, Red Maple Academy would once again produce such a prodigy!
Orf felt a surge of gratitude towards Sophia and Ryan at that momt.
If it hadn’t be for their recommdation, he would never have gott such an outstanding studt.
Orf had already made up his mind: ev if Luca failed to clear the 0th floor of the trial, he would still sure that this extraordinarily gifted young man became an instructor at Red Maple Academy.
Giuses deserved special treatmt!
Standing beside him, both Kruse and Fred couldn’t help but twitch the corners of their mouths in reaction.
The headmaster has no shame!
Luca’s talts and achievemts were due to his own hard work, and had absolutely nothing to do with Orf.
They hadn’t ev met a few hours ago!
However, this was something they would never dare to say out loud. Although Orf appeared kind and amiable, he was notoriously petty and vindictive wh it came to certain matters.
Ev several decades ago, wh a powerful figure made one disparaging commt about him, Orf still hasn’t let it go to this day.
If either of them ded up on his blacklist, they would certainly face serious repercussions in the future.
Back in the trial, Luca remained unaware that he had already earned the approval of Red Maple Academy.
After restoring his mana to full capacity, he chose to advance to the 5th floor.
Every fifth floor in the Trial Tower marked a significant increase in monster strgth. The monsters he had just faced were already at level 35, and from here on, their power would reach at least level 40. Ev Luca didn’t dare to underestimate the challges ahead.
Once he stepped onto the 5th floor, a bright light flashed in front of him. Wh it faded, he found himself standing on a vast plain.
Underneath a blue sky and clouds, lush gre grass swayed gtly in the breeze.
Just as Luca was about to scout the suring area, a streak of yellow lightning suddly shot toward him.
It was a spotted leopard, moving at an incredible speed. Its sharp fangs protruded macingly as it lunged directly for Luca’s throat.
Fortunately, Luca never let his guard down. The momt the leopard pounced, he ssed it.
A flash of silver light appeared in his eyes, and his figure instantly vanished from where he stood.
The leopard missed its target, and just as it was about to readjust its position, it ssed a sudd whistling sound from behind.
Before it could react, everything wt dark.
A sharp metal arrow had pierced through the back of the leopard’s head and emerged from its mouth, killing it instantly.
Ding! You have slain “lv40 Fanged Leopard (Common), earning 70,000 experice points!”
Luca glanced at the leopard’s dissipating corpse, frowning slightly.
As expected, the monsters on this floor had already reached level 40.
And this was just the 5th floor. He could only imagine how powerful the monsters on the 0th floor would be.
He needed to conserve his strgth and ergy to deal with what awaited him in the higher levels. It seemed he would have to use his trump cards.
With this thought in mind, Luca began searching for the floor’s guardian monster.
The vast plains stretched dlessly in all directions. After killing sev or eight monsters, Luca easily located his target—or more accurately, the monster had chos to find him.
A gre wind blade sliced through the grass, viciously hurtling toward Luca.
The wind blade moved at incredible speed, and the grass provided excellt cover. By the time Luca detected it, the blade was already in front of him.
There was no time to use Air Step!
In this critical momt, Luca remained calm and activated the skill embedded within his Black Gold Robe.
A magical barrier instantly veloped him.
The wind blade collided with the barrier, producing a resounding bang.
The blade shattered, but its force was so strong that Luca was st flying backward. Fortunately, the barrier’s defse held firm, and he was unharmed.
Luca adjusted his posture mid-air and landed lightly on the g. It was only th that he got a clear view of the creature that had attacked him.
It was a humanoid tity formed tirely from a raging whirlwind.
Its body appeared semi-transpart and greish, with a pair of icy eyes staring at Luca inttly.
“A Wind Elemtal, huh?” Luca recognized the monster’s idtity.
Wind Elemtals were mid-tier elemtal creatures capable of manipulating wind at will. They were known for their extreme speed and agility, making them very difficult to deal with.
The Wind Elemtal seemed to have gauged Luca’s strgth as well.
Its pale-gre eyes flashed with contempt as it casually flicked its arm, sding several gre wind blades flying toward Luca.
“Heh, so it’s looking down on me, is it?” Luca’s lips curved into a smirk, and his eyes glinted with a cold light.
He made no attempt to dodge the oncoming wind blades.
Instead, frost began emanating from his body and the Mithril Mage Spear in his hand.