Chapter 45: Meeting the Challenge as Promised!

Chapter 45: Chapter 45: Meeting the Challenge as Promised!

The next second, Nathaniel Beaumont took a step forward.

Step.

His footsteps were light, barely audible above the silence settling over the hall.

Yet he didn’t hesitate.

The combined pressure of dozens of high-level professionals, powerful enough to suffocate an ordinary person, brushed against him without producing the slightest reaction.

His expression remained calm.

His eyes didn’t waver.

One step.

Two steps.

Three steps.

Nathaniel walked steadily into the hall, moving directly against the oppressive auras bearing down on him.

He wasn’t rushing.

He wasn’t struggling.

He simply kept walking.

With every step, the confidence of the Beaumont Trading Consortium’s executives took another hit.

The spectators stared in disbelief.

"How is this possible?"

"He isn’t reacting at all?"

"That’s the combined pressure of dozens of high-level professionals!"

"And four of them are Level 200!"

"Didn’t he only awaken his class a few days ago?"

"His mental fortitude is terrifying!"

One spectator drew a sharp breath.

An oppressive aura wasn’t simply a contest of attributes. It involved spirit, willpower, combat experience, and the natural pressure that powerful professionals could exert over weaker opponents.

A newly awakened professional facing so many experienced experts would normally struggle to remain standing. Their face would turn pale, their breathing would become erratic, and their steps would grow unsteady.

Some might even collapse before the confrontation began.

But Nathaniel did none of those things.

He didn’t even frown.

Adrian Cross watched the scene and let out a quiet laugh.

"These people certainly have courage."

Edmund Sterling leaned back in his chair, his expression untroubled.

"They have no idea who they’re trying to suppress."

Across the hall, Colin Whitmore’s smile faded slightly.

Victoria Shaw’s expression also grew more serious.

Nathaniel’s reaction had exceeded their expectations.

Still, both quickly regained their composure.

Withstanding an oppressive aura demonstrated strong mental fortitude, nothing more.

Mental fortitude alone couldn’t guarantee victory.

What mattered in the end was strength.

And they still had four Level 200 professionals waiting to fight.

Nathaniel continued forward until he reached the center of the hall.

Then he stopped.

His gaze settled on Colin and the other executives.

"Is this how you welcome your guests?"

Colin quickly restored his smile.

"Young Master Beaumont, you’ve misunderstood. Everyone merely wanted to see whether you were qualified to participate in today’s challenge."

Nathaniel looked at him without changing his expression.

"Have you seen enough?"

The corner of Colin’s eye twitched.

Before he could respond, an older executive beside him snorted.

"Nathaniel, don’t become too arrogant."

"Being able to withstand our auras doesn’t mean you can win."

He gestured toward the powerful professionals seated throughout the hall.

"The people gathered here aren’t ordinary students or monsters inside dungeons. Every one of them has more experience than you can imagine."

Nathaniel glanced at him.

"And?"

The older executive’s expression darkened.

Colin raised a hand, stopping him before the argument could escalate further.

Then Colin stood.

"Young Master Beaumont, according to the agreement we signed, if you win today’s challenge, the entire Beaumont Trading Consortium will follow your orders."

He paused deliberately.

"If you lose, you will no longer interfere with the consortium’s operations. Is that correct?"

Nathaniel answered without hesitation.

"Correct."

Victoria rose from her seat.

"Since we’ve agreed to settle this through combat, we should proceed in an orderly manner. To avoid unnecessary damage to our relationship, we won’t send one of our Level 200 professionals out immediately."

She turned toward the security personnel.

"Let Ethan Cole take the first match."

A burly middle-aged man stood up.

"Ethan Cole, Level 150," Victoria continued. "Deputy Captain of the Security Department."

She looked back at Nathaniel.

"If the young master cannot defeat him, there will be no need to continue with the remaining matches."

Ethan stepped forward.

He wore heavy armor, and a broad-bladed war saber rested across his back. Each step he took carried enough weight to make the floor tremble faintly.

A status display appeared before the spectators.

[Name: Ethan Cole]

[Level: 150]

[Class: Berserker Shield Guard]

Whispers spread through the audience.

"Ethan Cole? I’ve heard of him."

"He’s the deputy captain of the consortium’s Security Department. His defense is exceptionally strong for his level."

"A Berserker Shield Guard. He’s built for both offense and defense."

"Sending him first is a sensible choice."

"Nathaniel is going to have a difficult time."

Ethan walked into the center of the arena and stopped several meters from Nathaniel.

He looked at the young heir with undisguised condescension.

"Young Master Beaumont, forgive me."

His tone sounded polite, but his expression suggested that he had already decided the outcome.

"Rest assured, I won’t take your life. At most, I’ll leave you unable to continue fighting."

As he spoke, he reached behind his back and drew his war saber.

The heavy blade scraped against its scabbard, producing a harsh metallic sound that echoed through the hall.

"It’s good for young people to have confidence," Ethan continued. "But too much confidence becomes arrogance. And arrogance can get a person killed."

He raised his weapon slightly.

"Today, I’ll teach you a lesson on behalf of the former presidents."

Nathaniel’s expression finally changed.

The warmth vanished from his eyes.

"Teach me a lesson on behalf of my parents?"

Ethan’s face remained impassive.

"I once received favors from Nathan Beaumont and Eleanor Beaumont. I won’t pretend otherwise."

He tightened his grip on the war saber.

"But I cannot stand by and watch you destroy the foundation they spent their lives building."

His voice hardened.

"Young Master, it’s not too late to admit defeat. Preserve what remains of your dignity and leave the consortium’s affairs to those who understand how to manage them."

Nathaniel stared at him.

"You aren’t worthy of mentioning them."

Ethan’s expression darkened completely.

"It seems you won’t give up until you’ve suffered the consequences."

Boom!

His aura erupted.

Dark red battle energy surged around his body, coating his heavy armor in a fierce glow. His muscles tightened as he gripped the war saber with both hands.

Then he charged.

His movements were surprisingly fast for someone wearing such heavy armor.

The floor shook beneath his boots as he crossed the distance between them, his war saber rising above his head.

"Fall!"

The blade descended with brutal force.

But just before it struck Nathaniel, the young man raised one hand.

"Shadow Summoning."

The shadows beneath Nathaniel’s feet erupted.

Three black-armored figures emerged from the darkness.

Their armor swallowed the surrounding light. Featureless helmets concealed their faces, while two faint crimson lights glimmered beneath each helmet.

Three Shadow Soldiers.

They moved without hesitation, positioning themselves between Nathaniel and the incoming attack.

Ethan’s eyes narrowed.

"Summoned creatures?"

He had already committed to his charge and had no intention of stopping.

"Three summons think they can stand in my way?"

His war saber came crashing down.

The first Shadow Soldier raised one hand.

Clang!

A deep, thunderous impact reverberated through the hall.

The Shadow Soldier caught the descending blade with its bare hand.

Ethan’s eyes widened.

The weapon had stopped completely.

He couldn’t force it another inch downward.

Before he could react, the second Shadow Soldier closed in from the side.

Its fist slammed into Ethan’s ribs.

BANG!

The heavy armor buckled inward.

Ethan staggered, his body twisting under the impact, but before he could regain his balance, the third Shadow Soldier appeared behind him.

A brutal kick struck the back of his knee.

Crack!

Ethan dropped to one knee.

His war saber slipped from his grip.

The first Shadow Soldier released the blade and drove a fist into his face.

THUD!

Blood sprayed across the floor.

Ethan barely had time to raise his arms before all three Shadow Soldiers attacked together.

One struck his abdomen.

Another hammered his shoulder.

The third seized him by the armor and hurled him across the arena.

His body slammed into the protective barrier.

RUMBLE!

The barrier shook violently.

Ethan crashed to the ground, but the assault didn’t stop.

The three Shadow Soldiers advanced in perfect coordination.

One pinned his arm. Another planted a heavy boot against his chest. The third delivered a final punch that sent him rolling across the floor.

Cracks spread through his armor.

Several bones had broken.

Blood ran down his face, and his once-powerful aura had collapsed into a faint, unstable flicker.

He tried to push himself up.

A Shadow Soldier placed its boot against his chest and forced him back down.

Ethan could no longer stand.

The entire exchange had lasted only seconds.

Nathaniel hadn’t even needed to move from his original position.

"Enough," Nathaniel said coldly.

The three Shadow Soldiers immediately stopped.

They stepped away from Ethan and returned to Nathaniel’s side, standing silently as though nothing had happened.

Nathaniel looked down at the defeated man.

"You said you wanted to teach me a lesson on behalf of my parents."

His voice carried no anger, only contempt.

"Get up, then. Or was that all you had?"

Ethan gritted his teeth, but he couldn’t answer. Every attempt to move sent sharp pain through his broken body.

Nathaniel didn’t spare him another glance.

"Next time, think carefully before using my parents’ names to justify your actions."

The hall fell completely silent.

One attack.

One overwhelming exchange.

A Level 150 professional, the deputy captain of the consortium’s Security Department, had been brutally defeated by three Shadow Soldiers.

And Nathaniel hadn’t even lifted a finger against him.

"What... what kind of summons are those?"

"Ethan Cole is Level 150!"

"He was completely overwhelmed!"

"Three summons defeated him together, and Nathaniel didn’t even participate personally!"

"Didn’t he only awaken his class a few days ago? How can he control creatures this powerful?"

A spectator stared at the three black-armored figures, his face pale.

"Look at how they moved. They attacked from different directions, covered each other’s openings, and never gave Ethan a chance to recover. That’s not just strength. Their coordination is terrifying."

A sharp breath passed through the surrounding crowd.

The Shadow Soldiers had defeated an experienced professional through overwhelming strength and flawless cooperation.

And there were only three of them on the field.

How many more could Nathaniel summon?

The spectator hall erupted into heated discussion.

Uncle George and Daniel sprang to their feet, their eyes wide with astonishment.

Colin’s smile had vanished completely.

Victoria stared at Ethan, unable to conceal her shock.

The four Level 200 professionals seated at the front had also changed their attitude. They no longer looked at Nathaniel as an inexperienced young heir who had overestimated himself.

Their expressions had become genuinely serious.

They had watched Ethan charge.

They had seen the first Shadow Soldier stop his war saber, the second strike his ribs, and the third break his stance. Then all three had attacked together, leaving him unable to retaliate.

There had been no drawn-out struggle and no opportunity for Ethan to recover.

The difference had been overwhelming.

Across the hall, Edmund Sterling leaned back in his chair, a slow smile spreading across his face.

Adrian Cross watched the arena and spoke quietly.

"Now it begins."

In the center of the hall, Nathaniel stood with his three Shadow Soldiers behind him.

His expression was cold.

He looked past the defeated Ethan and fixed his gaze on Colin, Victoria, and the remaining executives.

His voice carried clearly through the silent hall.

"Next."