1012 Grandmaster 2 (1/2)

”What right do you think you have to fight Duke Rand!?”

Eager to prove themselves, the weaklings that surround Rand like swarming flies stepped up one after another, using their larger numbers to fuel their guts.

However, before they could reach Dyon, they were blocked by Virvor. A moment later, Violet, Wess and Luka also stepped forward, pushing their way into the circle.

The crowd seemed to have a tacit agreement, easily backing up and allowing a near two hundred meter radius around them.

”What's going on?” Some late stragglers hopped into the mix, whispering to each other to figure out the details.

”It seems that Duke Rand wants a piece of equipment a disciple of the 98th quadrant bought, so he came to forcefully take it back.”

Although the voices of those who explained were filled with pity and disgust, there was nothing they could do. Here, for all intents and purposes, the 74th quadrant was an overlord. It wasn't the first time they had done something like this…

Maybe the only time the 74th quadrant lowered their head was when those genius apprentices came to challenge one another. During those times, they didn't dare to be blatantly arrogant, lest they offend the wrong person. But, right now, there was no such event.

”Then who is that person facing off against Duke Rand alone?”

”We don't know. He proclaimed that Duke Rand's Presence wouldn't affect him, so he's likely a newly minted Duke himself. However, we don't know his name.”

”That massive sword on his back in practitioner level weapon, if he can show it off so blatantly, maybe he really is strong?”

The murmurings of the crowd only caused Rand to become angrier. It wasn't that he, himself, couldn't see how much of a bastard he was being, but a master level weapon was far too greed-inducing. He couldn't give it up, even if people scorned him behind his back.

What was even worse was the fact that Dyon was casually glancing at the situation around him, checking to make sure that his fellow disciples weren't being overwhelmed by the numbers.

The good news was that, in order to keep his find a secret, Rand hadn't told any other more powerful members of the 74th quadrant, so despite being outnumbered 5 to 1, they were still barely holding on.

'This Violet girl still seems to be holding back… I wonder what she's hiding…'