Chapter 2481
Andrew pressed his fingers against his chin, lost in a swirl of thoughts. Suddenly, his phone vibrated sharply on the table. He glanced at the screen and found a message that sent a chill through him—its tone was icy and mocking.
[Soon, the day will come when we settle this once and for all. You’d better train harder and boost your strength. I wouldn’t want you to die too quickly.]
The sender was Conrad.
The moment Andrew read that name, a sharp headache throbbed behind his eyes. Conrad had once been his comrade-in-arms, a brother in battle. How had things deteriorated so badly between them?
Could Andrew truly bring himself to kill someone who had once fought beside him, risking their lives together? The thought was unbearable.
Yet, despite the memories that bound them, Andrew refused to indulge Conrad’s madness. With a firm press, he powered off his phone and shoved the device aside, determined to push the message from his mind.
Back when Andrew first arrived in Chetvine, Conrad’s reaction had been intense, almost desperate. But deep down, Andrew knew Conrad was never the real target.
In the two days since, Guillermo had remained silent, making no moves at all. It seemed that Jaden’s death hadn’t yielded any conclusive clues for anyone in Holtrien—at least, nothing that pointed directly to Andrew.
Still, Andrew suspected a darker truth. Maybe Guillermo simply didn’t consider him worth the effort.
If that was true, then Guillermo was a man to be feared indeed.
A burning urgency ignited within Andrew’s chest. He needed to grow stronger—fast. The more powerful he became, the better his chances of survival.
His goal was clear: break through to the martial emperor level as soon as possible. Only then would he feel secure enough to confront someone like Guillermo—a man who was one of the rare few capable of orchestrating chaos on a global scale.
Andrew might have been a prodigy, but this world was filled with others just as formidable. In a realm where survival of the fittest ruled, when two monsters met, the outcome was always a brutal battle of life or death.
As he stepped into the familiar surroundings of Medicine God’s Covenant, Andrew immediately noticed Amari’s somber expression. The usually lively atmosphere felt tense.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, his voice low.
Amari motioned subtly toward the staircase, lowering her voice to a whisper. “Early this morning, Mr. Murphy Senior showed up and has been sitting there ever since. He said he won’t leave until you come down. And if you keep hiding until nightfall, he threatened to tear Medicine God’s Covenant apart.”
Andrew’s gaze hardened, his eyes narrowing with icy resolve. “That old bastard really thinks he’s untouchable, doesn’t he? Alright, I’ll settle this once and for all.”
Amari quickly raised her hands in protest. “Andrew, don’t be reckless! Wilder is a true martial emperor. If you confront him directly, your chances aren’t good.”
Andrew’s voice remained calm, almost defiant. “That’s not necessarily true. I might not be able to kill him, but fear him? Not yet.”
Suddenly, a deep, mocking laugh echoed down from the upper floor.
“Oh? Is that so? Since you’re so confident, today we’ll end both old and new grudges. I’ve already picked the place: the Martial Tower in the military district. Either you die, or I finally retire in peace and stop letting you humiliate me.”
As his voice faded, Wilder’s imposing figure slowly descended the stairs. The oppressive aura radiating from him made the air feel heavy and suffocating.
Andrew tightened his gaze. “Mr. Murphy Senior, it seems you came well- prepared. Fine. Let’s head to the Martial Tower and see who walks away alive.”
Wilder stepped forward, his tone sharp and impatient. “Let’s move. My patience is running thin. Yesterday, Valerie stopped me—that’s the only reason you’re still breathing. But I hear you and the Reyes family aren’t on good terms anymore. Without their protection, Andrew, I’ll make sure you die today.”
Conclusion
The chapter closes with Andrew standing at a crossroads of intense conflict and internal turmoil. The weight of past alliances shattered by betrayal presses heavily on him, yet his determination to survive and grow stronger burns fiercely. The emotional tension between loyalty and enmity underscores the harsh reality of their world, where bonds can be broken, and survival demands unyielding resolve. Andrew’s refusal to succumb to fear, despite the looming threats from powerful adversaries like Wilder and Guillermo, highlights his growing strength and unbreakable spirit.
As the confrontation with Wilder becomes inevitable, the chapter captures a moment of reckoning, where past grievances and present dangers collide. Andrew’s calm defiance and readiness to face a formidable foe reflect his evolution from a prodigy into a warrior prepared to claim his place in this brutal hierarchy. The chapter leaves readers poised on the edge of a decisive battle, charged with the raw emotions of rivalry, survival, and the relentless pursuit of power.