Chapter 40 - Tragedy in Lamar Town
"Who dares to harm Young Master Ron?" Jack, the Family Protector, inquired, his voice echoing with authority.
The room fell into a heavy silence as many present trembled in fear, unwilling to meet his gaze. "I'll count to three. If no one speaks up, I'll have no choice but to consider everyone here a threat," Jack declared, his threat hanging in the air like a guillotine.
A voice, tinged with defiance, finally broke the silence. "Do you truly believe your family holds such power, Rogan Family?"
Another chimed in, equally bold. "An ordinary family, yet you strut around as if you own the world?"
These words came from two Level 35 Elementalists, who, despite their youth, refused to bow to what they saw as mere pretension. With his appealing looks and black hair, the first stood tall and muscular, a sword by his side marking him as a formidable opponent. Though not as striking as Elion, his presence was undeniable.
Beside him, the second Elementalist rose to his feet with his unique blonde hair and an average but fit physique. He wielded a flail in his hand, its spiked iron ball shaped like a skull menacingly attached to a wooden handle by a chain. Though less imposing than his companion's, his stance spoke of quiet confidence and readiness for confrontation.
"Oh. Someone dares?" Jack's sharp inquiry cut through the air.
With a piercing glare, Jack assessed the two young Elementalists before him. In the blink of an eye, they were encircled by seven Level 35 Elemental Generals of the Rogans.
The tactic was as simple as it was ancient: overwhelm with superior numbers, a strategy often favored by those lacking strength or courage.
"Andre, would you like to take the lead, or shall I?" the first Elementalist, with hair as dark as night, remained seated, calm, and detached despite the imminent threat.
"May I have the honor, Rowan?" Instead of a direct answer, Andre posed his own question.
"By all means. I'm quite tired of their antics. It's about time someone put that foul-mouthed braggart in his place," Rowan replied, pointing towards Ron, the young master.
At the same time, Andre exchanged meaningful looks with Camille and Elion. The duo furrowed their brows, puzzled over whether Camille's earlier movements had given them away.
The young master was left to stew in silence, his entourage chastened by Jack's rebuke. Despite his status, he found himself compelled to defer to Jack, who, aside from his father, held unmatched authority within their family.
"Make your move. It won't change your fate. You're all doomed by my hand regardless. Let's get on with it," Andre taunted, his eagerness for the confrontation palpable.
"Despicable!" a member of the Rogan Family couldn't help but exclaim, voicing the disdain felt by all.
In a sudden move, he unsheathed his broadsword, aiming it directly at Andre's head. The situation quickly escalated, and the other customers began to panic and run away.
But Andre was quick on his feet and dodged the deadly blow. He then used his flail chain to wrap around the attacker's weapon and, with a mighty tug, disarmed him.
"Hey, Rowan, another sword for your collection," Andre said with a grin as he tossed the weapon towards Rowan.
Rowan caught it effortlessly with one hand, his eyes fixed on Andre. "Be careful next time. You almost gave me a nasty cut," Rowan replied, his tone both playful and cautious.
"Haha! Sorry about that, Rowan," Andre chuckled, taking the threat lightly.
Although Andre's demeanor remained calm yet focused, there was a palpable tension in the air as he turned to face their seven enemies.
Rowan, who was sitting nearby, was keenly observing the situation.
Jack, however, appeared worried, and the crease between his eyebrows betrayed his fear that their actions might have unintentionally angered the Great or Grand Families, putting their own families at risk of severe consequences.
Andre's flail spun, unfazed, creating a protective aura that completely enveloped him. The enemies faced an impenetrable defense, with no blind spot to exploit or room to breach with their weapons.
"Is no one brave enough to attack?" Andre jeered.
"Well then, allow me to take the first swing." Andre swung his flail with all his might.
Suddenly, a red Elemental Circle appeared on his spiked ball, and flames erupted. The swing hit one of Jack's followers directly in the right abdomen, causing the follower to be thrown into another. The impact was so strong that both of them went down.
Two of Jack's followers fell with one swing, leaving five remaining. Andre wielded his flail with vigor, poised for an attack or a target that no one could predict.
His movements were smooth yet sharp as if dancing with the flail. There was no wasted energy. With each swing, the force behind it increased exponentially, enough to crush his victims.
With a swift and fierce attack, Andre's flail hit his target's head, shattering it and spraying its contents onto the others. He continued his relentless pursuit, taking out his next prey with ease. Only three remained out of the original seven.
"Is this all the strength the 'Grandest' Rogan Family has? It's too easy," mocked Andre.
"You're deliberately courting death, kid!" Jack yelled.
His Level 36 Elemental General's aura burst out, destroying the tables and chairs in the restaurant. The waitress collapsed under the pressure of Jack's aura.
Jack drew his sword with a bear-carved hilt and emitted a high-grade weapon aura.
"Interesting. I'll take this as a souvenir from Lamar Town," Rowan declared, his eagerness to engage in battle palpable.
Yet, he chose not to unsheathe his sword. Instead, he opted for a more unorthodox approach, swinging it, scabbard and all.
The forceful swing met the Bear Sword head-on, resulting in a thunderous crash that resonated throughout the space, shattering every glass in the restaurant as the sound waves rippled through the air.
Jack's eyes widened in disbelief, recognizing that these two young fighters were merely Level 35. To withstand such an attack with ease led to only one possible conclusion.
Elemental Might!
"Surprised?" Rowan taunted, a smirk playing on his lips as he prepared for another powerful swing, this time his fire elemental power flaring to life around him. His upward strike sent the Bear Sword spiraling into the air before it finally lodged itself into the high ceiling of the restaurant.
With a swift, fluid motion, Rowan twisted, drawing his blade from its scabbard with precision. The sharp tip of his sword halted just a hair's breadth away from Jack's throat. Beads of sweat cascaded down the latter's forehead as the gravity of his mistake dawned on him.
He had indeed provoked the wrong enemies!
Little did he realize that these two young individuals standing before him were none other than Solara's Elemental prodigies.
Such combat mastery was not typical, indicating that they must be scions of at least one of the Grand Families—families with whom one with the status similar to the Rogan's would be wise not to trifle.
Jack felt a strong urge to retaliate against Young Master Ron and his companions. Their arrogance had provoked a group of people they shouldn't have messed with, and now Jack was caught up in the situation.
The atmosphere inside the restaurant was tense, and only a few of Jack's followers remained. He had lost the motivation to continue pressuring the two youths before him as he felt helpless and unsure about Young Master Ron's fate, which was now in the hands of these two Elemental geniuses.
In the end, Jack has only one option: to call their Patriarch and ask for help. He knew that he and the others would perish if he didn't do anything.
Pressing an emergency button on his Globecomm, Jack sent a signal to the Patriarch, indicating that they were in danger and needed immediate assistance.
"Beep...Beep..."
Meanwhile, a muscular man with a towering physique, exceeding seven feet, was finishing his daily routine of night training. He glanced at his Globecomm, which beeped with an emergency signal.
His entire body was drenched in sweat, making his muscles glisten. He knew that the situation was severe and that he needed to act quickly to protect his family.
"Is Jack in trouble?"
Jack was a childhood friend of Wilson, the Patriarch of the Rogan family. "Oh, he's actually at a restaurant nearby. It's a good thing I haven't left the area yet."
Wilson swiftly reached for a massive sword that weighed around two hundred pounds. The blade was sharp and had a horned creature — a demon, engraved on its hilt.
He bolted out of his residence and landed on several buildings, causing the roofs to shatter and sending shards flying. Despite his large stature, he moved at an incredible speed because he was a renowned Wind Elementalist who was known for his agility.
With the aid of his Level 40 Elemental power, his speed increased dramatically.