On the colossal Rootless Tree, one of the Divine Heart Fruits now radiated a brilliant golden light, no longer the pale hue from before. This transformation signaled its imminent maturity.
"The Divine Heart Fruit is about to ripen…" Murmurs spread through the crowd, eyes gleaming with calculation and greed.
Every onlooker coveted the fruit, its value beyond measure. For mages, it promised deeper elemental fusion; for warriors, a reforged physique and soaring strength. How could anyone resist such temptation?
Yet many had already retreated after witnessing the Rootless Tree's lethal defenses. Only those at the peak of the tenth tier or above dared vie for the prize.
Kael's gaze swept the scene. Aside from Einar, he noted a burly middle-aged man in gray robes, his face marred by scars resembling centipedes—a visage as fearsome as his aura. This scarred man stood out even among the elites, clearly an eleventh-tier expert.
Then there was a golden-haired man, noble in bearing, clad in armor and wielding a lance. His presence alone spoke of formidable power.
"That blond man is likely Jason, the so-called 'Holy Knight' of the Mead Kingdom. An eleventh-tier expert and one of their most renowned warriors…" Somere whispered tensely at Kael's side. The tension in the air was palpable, a storm waiting to break.
Kael nodded. A Mead Kingdom elite—no wonder he felt no fondness. The Reynolds family, the crown prince… all hailed from that realm.
"What about the scarred man? Do you know him?" Kael asked. His unique perception hinted this figure might surpass even the "Holy Knight" Jason, warranting closer scrutiny.
Somere shook her head. **"No idea…"**
Kael's attention snapped back to the field. Among the crowd, only Einar, Holy Knight Jason, and the scarred man were eleventh-tier powerhouses. The rest, mere tenth-tier peak cultivators, posed no threat.
Hum—
A faint chime rang out as the Divine Heart Fruit trembled slightly. The crowd stiffened, breaths held, eyes locked onto the fruit.
Its glow intensified, a beacon seizing every gaze.
"Heh, this Divine Heart Fruit is mine. Scram, all of you! Anyone who dares compete will die!" The scarred man sneered, his voice dripping with menace. His domineering tone made it clear—he'd kill without hesitation.
"You—!"
"We'll settle this by strength, not your threats!"
Many seethed with anger but dared not speak up. Others smirked in silence, already preparing to strike.
The scarred man scoffed. **"Oh? Then don't blame 'Hawk-Eye' for being ruthless!"**
"Hawk-Eye? He's Hawk-Eye?!" The crowd's expressions twisted in shock.
Hawk-Eye—a name synonymous with brutality.
Somere inhaled sharply, her gaze turning wary. **"So it's him. Kael, this man is Hawk-Eye, a notorious expert in Emerald City. Rumor has it he once provoked the Crystal Tower and survived their hunt. At the very least, he's a mid-tier eleventh-rank powerhouse."**
"I see." Kael's eyes sharpened. To evade the Crystal Tower's pursuit and thrive—this man was no pushover.
Mid-tier eleventh rank—the same as Kael. And he felt not an ounce of fear.
Noticing the crowd's terror, Hawk-Eye's lips curled in satisfaction. Years ago, he'd carved his name into Emerald City's legends, and even after crossing the Crystal Tower, he'd lived lavishly. His reputation alone sent shivers down spines.
His gaze flicked to Jason, the so-called Holy Knight, and he smirked at the man's visible apprehension.
As for Kael and Einar? Hawk-Eye barely spared them a thought. To him, they were just brats—decent strength, perhaps, but green behind the ears. When he'd been making his name, they'd likely been playing in the mud.
Kael and Einar remained unfazed, their attention calmly fixed on the golden fruit, as if Hawk-Eye's threats were mere background noise.
Ting!
Finally, one Divine Heart Fruit ripened completely, its deep golden hue gleaming as it detached from the tree—
Whoosh!
Figures lunged forward in a blur of motion, all charging at once!
"Scram!" Hawk-Eye bellowed, his eyes darkening as mana erupted from his body in violent waves. A surge of oppressive force blasted outward, sending over a dozen people flying dozens of meters away. The lighter victims paled, their steps unsteady; the heavier ones coughed up blood, their faces drained of color.
Kael's gaze sharpened slightly. Hawk-Eye's strength was indeed formidable.
Meanwhile, the 'Holy Knight' Jason also sprang into action. With a cold snort, he unleashed his battle aura—thick as a mountain, swift as a gale—sweeping aside those weaker than him as he lunged for the Divine Heart Fruit.
"Jason, you dare challenge me?!" Hawk-Eye snarled, his eyes glinting with malice. In a flash, he drew a short wand and pointed it skyward. Dark magic surged forth—"Darkness' End!"
So Hawk-Eye practiced dark magic, a discipline as potent as light magic, surpassing ordinary spells in raw power.
Jason's expression tightened. Not daring to hold back, he roared, **"Inferno's Wrath!"** Scorching fire elements erupted from his body—his battle aura was fire-attribute, and its might was nothing to scoff at.
The two forces collided with an ear-splitting explosion, the shockwaves forcing onlookers to stagger back.
Though both combatants had unleashed their full strength, Hawk-Eye held the advantage. Jason retreated several steps, his face grim.
"Hah! The fruit is mine!" Hawk-Eye crowed in triumph, charging toward the prize.
The Rootless Tree's attacks were only on par with a peak tenth-tier expert—hardly a concern for Hawk-Eye. He dashed forward at full speed.
Then—Kael and Einar struck!
Moving in perfect unison, the two finally abandoned restraint.
The crowd gasped. **"Kael and Einar are making their move? Do they really think they can take on Hawk-Eye?"** In their eyes, though the duo were the younger generation's strongest, they still paled next to a veteran like Hawk-Eye.
"You're courting death!" Hawk-Eye bellowed as he sensed their movements, his eyes flashing with murderous intent.
Kael remained expressionless. With a flicker of the Wings of the Wind God, his figure blurred—and in the next instant, he stood right before Hawk-Eye!
"Darkness' End!" Hawk-Eye's heart lurched. He hadn't expected Kael's speed to be this terrifying. Hastily, he accelerated his incantation. Though not as swift as Crimson Moon Divine Runes, his chant was still alarmingly fast, and the spell erupted instantly.
"Starlight Inferno!" Kael had prepared for this. He unleashed the technique, and for the first time, the crowd witnessed the Stellar Violet Flame.
"What—purple fire?!"
"Such intense flames! They seem to carry traces of stellar power, as if they could incinerate everything!"
"A mutated flame—and a high-tier one at that!"
Shock rippled through the onlookers. Many had only heard of Kael's fame as the fourth-ranked on the Void List but had never seen him in action. Now, they couldn't help but be awed.
So this is Kael's true strength?!
His display left everyone breathless. When Darkness' End clashed with Starlight Inferno, Kael even gained a slight upper hand!
BOOM!
The residual magic waves exploded outward, stirring a storm. The ground trembled, and the air howled with the force of ruptured space.
The crowd stared, dumbfounded, as the two exchanged blows. Yet after overpowering Hawk-Eye's spell, Kael didn't press the attack. Instead, his body flickered like the wind—effortless, weightless—and with a single step, he alighted upon the Rootless Tree.
A magic shield shimmered around him, effortlessly deflecting the tree's assaults. Then, with a fluid motion, he reached out—
And plucked the ripe Divine Heart Fruit!
Kael had claimed it first!