Chapter 169: Confrontation

Jasmin let out a cold laugh, her emerald eyes narrowing as a dangerous glint flickered within them. The faint phantom of a green serpent coiled behind her for a fleeting instant before vanishing into the air.

"Such arrogance."

Her voice was neither loud nor hysterical, yet every word rang with unmistakable contempt.

"You dare mock me?"

A surge of pressure rolled off her body, causing the surrounding mana to ripple faintly.

"Just because you possess a little talent and somehow managed to enter the White Knight Guild..." she sneered, "...do you really believe you’ve become untouchable?"

She took a deliberate step forward, her gaze locking onto Lukas like a venomous snake sizing up its prey.

"Fine."

"If that’s the confidence you’re relying on..."

"Fight me."

"I challenge you to a fair duel."

A cold smile slowly spread across her beautiful face.

"I’ll make sure today’s lesson is one you’ll remember for the rest of your life."

Jasmin’s voice was crisp and unwavering, carrying effortlessly through the spacious teleportation hall.

Within moments, conversations ceased one after another.

Curious gazes immediately turned toward the source of the commotion.

Many of the young geniuses waiting for the teleportation couldn’t help but stop what they were doing. Some folded their arms with amused expressions, while others silently watched with interest, eager to see whether the conflict would escalate.

Even Jack, who had remained detached from everything since arriving, finally lifted his head. His calm eyes drifted toward the two of them, a faint trace of curiosity appearing on his usually expressionless face.

Lukas immediately felt countless eyes converge upon him.

Some were merely curious.

Others were evaluating him.

A few even carried faint traces of ridicule, clearly expecting an entertaining spectacle before departure.

Not far away, Natasha happened to witness the entire exchange.

She subtly shook her head.

Her eyes met Lukas’s for only a brief moment, silently telling him not to waste his energy on such a meaningless confrontation.

Lukas took a slow breath.

The irritation simmering within his chest gradually subsided.

Although Jasmin’s provocations had indeed angered him, he wasn’t foolish enough to lose control over a few carefully chosen insults.

She wanted him to fight.

That alone was reason enough not to.

Besides...

There would be plenty of opportunities to settle any grievances once they entered the Special Dimension.

There was no need to put his strength on display before countless strangers.

Nor was there any reason to satisfy Jasmin’s wishes.

As those thoughts settled in his mind, the corners of Lukas’s lips slowly lifted into a faint smile.

It wasn’t a smile born from amusement.

It was the smile of someone who had already seen through another person’s intentions.

"Miss..."

His calm voice contrasted sharply with Jasmin’s hostility.

"Do you take me for an idiot?"

His eyes met hers without the slightest hint of fear.

"I can clearly sense your hostility."

"And your nervousness."

He paused deliberately before continuing.

"Calling me a creep... throwing around insults... none of that was spontaneous."

"They’re nothing more than cheap provocations."

"You’ve been trying to push me into making the first move from the very beginning."

The smile on Lukas’s face deepened ever so slightly.

"So tell me..."

"What exactly are you trying to accomplish?"

His gaze swept calmly over the enormous teleportation hall before returning to her.

"Instead of making full use of this state-of-the-art training environment before entering the Special Dimension..."

"...why are you so desperate to challenge a fellow member of your own guild?"

Silence immediately descended over the hall.

The spectators looked between the two of them, their expressions becoming noticeably more thoughtful.

Jasmin’s challenge had seemed perfectly justified moments ago.

But after hearing Lukas’s response...

Many suddenly realized something they had completely overlooked.

Why indeed?

Why would someone choose to waste precious preparation time picking a fight with an ally, just before undertaking one of the most important missions of their lives?

Saying those words, Lukas deliberately paused.

The smile lingering on his face widened ever so slightly, carrying an almost playful confidence that only served to make Jasmin even more uneasy.

Without the slightest hint of restraint, his eyes slowly swept over her from head to toe, as though carefully examining a suspicious criminal rather than a fellow guild member.

Then, in a calm yet meaningful voice, he spoke once more.

"After all..."

"Any loyal member of the White Knight Guild should understand what’s truly important."

His gaze sharpened.

"They wouldn’t waste precious preparation time trying to injure a fellow Chosen One before such an important mission."

A brief silence followed.

Then Lukas tilted his head slightly.

"Unless..."

His voice suddenly became colder.

"...you aren’t actually a member of the White Knight Guild."

"...but a spy sent by one of our enemy organizations."

The moment those words left his mouth, countless expressions froze.

Lukas didn’t stop there.

His eyes narrowed into thin slits, an icy glint flashing across them.

"So..."

"Tell me."

"Who exactly are you?"

"And what is your true purpose for coming here?"

The instant those words fell...

A chilling killing intent quietly seeped from Lukas’s body.

It wasn’t overwhelming.

Nor was it explosive.

Yet it was so concentrated that it resembled invisible blades slicing through the air itself.

Every person standing nearby instinctively felt their breathing become heavier.

"Huh...!"

A suffocating silence instantly descended over the enormous teleportation hall.

The lively conversations from moments ago disappeared without a trace.

Only Lukas’s shocking accusation continued echoing through the vast chamber, lingering in everyone’s ears.

Spy.

Those four letters alone were enough to make every expression turn serious.

This wasn’t an ordinary academy.

Nor was it some casual gathering of young geniuses.

This place housed the future pillars of humanity.

If an enemy organization had truly managed to infiltrate one of its Chosen Ones...

The consequences would be unimaginable.

Dozens of suspicious gazes immediately landed on Jasmin.

Some were skeptical.

Some doubtful.

Others subconsciously took half a step away from her.

"You...!"

Jasmin’s beautiful face instantly flushed crimson.

Her slender finger trembled violently as she pointed toward Lukas, her entire body shaking from uncontrollable rage.

"You... you...!"

She opened her mouth.

Closed it.

Opened it again.

Yet no words emerged.

Her thoughts had become a complete mess.

She had merely wanted to provoke Lukas into accepting her challenge.

How had she suddenly become the suspected spy?

The accusation was so absurd...

So completely unexpected...

That her mind simply couldn’t react in time.

Witnessing her flustered appearance, Lukas showed not the slightest trace of mercy.

Like a hunter sensing weakness in his prey, he pressed forward without hesitation.

"What is it?"

His tone remained calm, yet every word struck like a hammer.

"Now that your identity has been exposed..."

"...you’ve suddenly become speechless?"

A faint sigh escaped his lips.

He slowly shook his head, disappointment evident on his face.

"I expected better from someone representing the White Knight Guild."

"But instead..."

"...all you’ve done since arriving is provoke your own allies."

He looked directly into her trembling eyes.

"And now..."

"...when questioned about your motives..."

"...you can’t even offer a single explanation?"

Lukas clicked his tongue softly before letting out another disappointed sigh.

"What a shame."

His voice carried the unmistakable tone of a senior evaluating an incompetent junior.

"I almost believed you had some grand reason behind your actions."

"But judging from your reaction..."

"I’m beginning to think my suspicion wasn’t entirely unfounded."

The already tense atmosphere grew even heavier.

The surrounding geniuses unconsciously glanced between the two of them, uncertainty flickering across their faces.

Some still believed Lukas was intentionally twisting the situation.

Others, however, couldn’t help but wonder if there was truly more to Jasmin’s behavior than simple arrogance.

After all...

If she had nothing to hide...

Why was she struggling so desperately to answer a few straightforward questions?

The next moment, Lukas simply shook his head.

A faint sigh escaped his lips, as though he had already grown tired of entertaining such childish behavior.

"You know what?"

"I’ve lost interest."

His expression returned to its usual calmness.

"The Vice Head is undoubtedly somewhere nearby."

"If there’s truly something suspicious about your behavior..."

"I’m sure he’ll investigate it himself."

"As for me..."

"I’d rather spend the remaining time preparing for the Special Dimension than waste it arguing."

Without waiting for a response, Lukas casually turned around.

His footsteps were neither hurried nor hesitant.

They were steady.

Unhurried.

As if Jasmin’s challenge wasn’t even worth another second of his attention.

To Lukas...

Someone desperate to provoke him simply wasn’t worth exposing his strength before countless spectators.

His time was far too valuable.

Watching Lukas leave without even looking back, Jasmin momentarily froze.

Then, a triumphant smile slowly spread across her face.

So that’s it...

I knew it.

This guy is nothing but a fraud.

Her eyes filled with contempt.

His eighth-level trial result...

It must have been exaggerated.

Maybe the assessment had malfunctioned.

Or perhaps someone inside the guild had manipulated the results.

Otherwise...

How could someone who claimed to possess such monstrous talent refuse a simple duel?

There was no way a coward like this could ever have reached the eighth level.

The more she thought about it...

The more convinced she became.

Her confidence rapidly returned.

"Hey!"

She raised her voice, no longer bothering to hide the ridicule in her tone.

"Coward!"

"Don’t you dare walk away!"

Her words echoed loudly across the teleportation hall.

Yet Lukas never even slowed his pace.

His figure continued disappearing into the crowd without the slightest intention of responding.

That complete disregard...

That utter indifference...

Was far more humiliating than any insult.

Jasmin’s face instantly darkened.

Her breathing became noticeably heavier.

The veins on the back of her hand subtly bulged as her patience finally reached its limit.

"Damn you..."

Her hand shot behind her back.

Shing!

A crisp metallic sound rang through the hall as an emerald-green longsword slid free from its sheath.

The blade shimmered with a cold, poisonous glow.

Wisps of green mana coiled around it like living serpents, releasing an oppressive aura that caused the nearby air to turn strangely heavy.

At that moment...

Jasmin no longer cared whether Lukas accepted her challenge.

If he refused to fight...

Then she would force him to.

Just as she was about to take her first step...

An overwhelming pressure suddenly descended from above.

Boom.

It wasn’t merely powerful.

It was absolute.

The invisible pressure swept across the teleportation hall like a tidal wave, instantly crushing every trace of killing intent that Jasmin had released.

Her body stiffened.

The mana surrounding her sword scattered like frightened insects.

Even breathing suddenly became difficult.

Step...

Step...

Step...

Clear footsteps echoed throughout the silent hall.

Every gaze instinctively turned toward the source.

Natasha calmly walked forward.

Her expression remained indifferent, yet the aura surrounding her made even the surrounding geniuses unconsciously lower their heads.

Without saying a word, she stopped directly between Lukas and Jasmin.

Her cold eyes swept across the two of them before finally settling on Jasmin’s unsheathed sword.

The surrounding temperature seemed to drop several degrees.

"No fighting."

Her calm voice contained unquestionable authority.

"This is sacred training ground."

"Anyone who dares disturb its peace..."

"...will be dealt with severely."

She didn’t shout.

She didn’t threaten.

Yet those simple words carried far greater weight than any roar.

The hall instantly fell into complete silence.

Not even the sound of breathing could be heard.

Jasmin’s fingers tightened around the hilt of her sword before slowly relaxing again.

Facing an ordinary genius, she might still dare to argue.

But standing before a genuine Second-Sequence powerhouse...

She didn’t possess even the slightest courage to utter another word.

Cold sweat quietly trickled down her back.

After several long seconds...

She reluctantly slid her sword back into its sheath.

Click.

The crisp sound echoed unusually loudly in the deathly quiet hall.

Jasmin clicked her tongue in frustration.

She lowered her head, concealing the unwillingness and humiliation filling her eyes.

In the end...

There was nothing she could do.

She could only watch Lukas’s departing figure disappear into the distance, her emerald eyes burning with undisguised resentment.

Inside her heart, however, she silently swore.

This isn’t over.

Once we enter the Special Dimension...

I’ll make you pay for today’s humiliation a hundredfold.