Chapter 296: Brakk Has No Survival Instinct

For several breaths, nobody spoke.

Brakk stood alone in the arena with his heavy saber resting against his shoulder, looking entirely too pleased with himself. "Hahahahaha!"

His voice echoed across the silent festival grounds. "So this is the famous Valehart Family?"

Several Valehart disciples immediately clenched their fists.

Brakk looked toward Kaelen, who was still being helped up outside the arena. "Honestly, I expected more."

Aldren Valehart’s expression turned increasingly ugly.

Brakk, apparently possessing absolutely no fucking instinct for self-preservation, continued. "What a pity."

He slowly swept his gaze across both family sections. "If Cassandra Valeria were still here, maybe this festival would actually be interesting."

The atmosphere changed instantly, and several Valeria elders immediately rose to their feet.

One of them even pointed a finger at Brakk and shouted, "Watch your insolent mouth, kid!"

Brakk only laughed. "What? Did I say something wrong?"

He tilted his head. "From what I remember, Cassandra was far stronger than most of your so-called geniuses."

Cassian Valeria’s eyes became cold. "That woman betrayed the family and walked the demonic path."

Brakk’s grin faded slightly. "Is that so, huh... Patriarch Cassian?"

He rested the back of his saber against his shoulder, his gaze never leaving Cassian. "You know, Patriarch... I knew Cassandra when I was still a teenager."

Several people in the crowd immediately became more attentive.

Brakk continued, his voice calmer now. "From what I remember, she was never a monster. Quite the opposite, actually. She used to help orphans like me whenever she could."

A few whispers began to spread among the spectators.

The faint amusement on Brakk’s face disappeared, replaced by something colder.

"So I’ve always wondered..." His eyes narrowed slightly. "How does someone like that suddenly become a demonic cultivator?"

Damian’s eyes widened slightly, and very slowly, the corner of his mouth curled upward. For half a second, he almost fucking clapped, then stopped himself.

"Wow... damn. This bastard is really brave."

Brakk was nothing more than a wandering cultivator with no great family or sect openly standing behind him, yet he was questioning two powerful clans directly in front of their patriarchs and elders.

Damian rubbed his chin, but then a sudden thought crossed his mind. His eyes narrowed as he studied Brakk more carefully.

"Wait a minute... could this guy be another one of those protagonist-type bastards, like Nolan?"

The more Damian thought about it, the more plausible it seemed.

Brakk had no notable background, yet he was absurdly strong. Worse, he showed no fear whatsoever, even when standing against powerful factions.

That alone was suspicious enough.

Damian’s gaze quietly swept over Brakk from head to toe before settling on the inconspicuous ring around his middle finger.

"No fucking way... Could he really be that kind of protagonist bastard?"

Below, Cassian Valeria’s expression had already become completely cold. "You knew only the mask she showed outsiders."

His voice carried across the arena. "She hid her true nature well. When her demonic cultivation was exposed, even members of our family were shocked."

Brakk raised an eyebrow before letting out a short laugh. "It’s a mask? Are you kidding me?"

Then, just as suddenly, his expression turned serious. "Then answer me something, Patriarch Cassian."

The entire crowd became quiet again. "If Cassandra was so damn good at wearing this supposed mask..."

Brakk pointed his saber toward the Valeria section. "Then how was she suddenly exposed?"

Several elders’ expressions subtly changed.

Brakk noticed it immediately, and his eyes sharpened. "That’s exactly what I don’t understand."

He began pacing slowly across the arena, his irritation becoming more obvious with every step. "It was just a goddamn mask. So how the hell did she suddenly expose it?"

He spread his arms, glaring toward Cassian. "And you still haven’t given us a clear explanation of what actually happened."

Murmurs began spreading through the crowd as people started questioning it among themselves.

Seeing their reactions, Brakk’s lips curled into a satisfied grin. He turned back toward Cassian, his expression carrying a hint of mockery. "And listen to this, Patriarch Cassian... I’ve also heard some rather juicy rumors about your family."

His gaze then shifted toward the Valehart family, and his grin widened. "Especially the Valeharts. The rumors surrounding them are even juicier."

Aldren’s gaze immediately sharpened.

Brakk continued anyway, showing no fear whatsoever. "I’ve heard that quite a few of your elders can be rather overbearing."

His tone increased into a mocking one as he continued, "Always trying to force their way of thinking onto the younger generation, controlling how they choose to live their lives."

A Valehart elder slammed his palm against the railing. "Watch your fucking words!"

Brakk’s grin only widened. "What?"

He tilted his head slightly. "Hit a nerve, did I?"

Damian nearly laughed again.

"Holy shit. He really doesn’t know when to stop."

Brakk turned his attention fully toward Aldren. "And Cassandra was supposed to marry into your family."

His expression became sharper. "So I’ve always wondered... If someone as talented as Cassandra became your future daughter-in-law, wouldn’t you naturally want her under control?"

The atmosphere became suffocating.

Brakk continued, his grin slowly returning. "And if you really wanted to control someone like Cassandra, what would be the easiest way?"

He spread one hand. "Threaten what she values most, her reputation, by directly accusing her of being a demonic cultivator."

Brakk’s eyes suddenly sharpened. "Hahaha... wait. What if Cassandra deliberately told the whole world she’d become a demonic cultivator just because you threatened to brand her as one?"

Several elders’ expressions changed.

Brakk pointed his saber toward both families. "Not because she wanted to destroy herself..."

His grin became vicious. "But because she wanted to drag both of your families down with her."

Murmurs immediately exploded through the crowd.

Brakk listened to the growing whispers, and his grin only widened. "Just think about it, people!"

He spread his arms dramatically. "Cassandra never harmed ordinary people like us. If anything, it was always the arrogant younger generation of these great families causing trouble wherever they went."

The murmurs grew even louder.

Brakk pointed his saber toward the two family sections. "So tell me... how does someone like Cassandra suddenly become a demonic cultivator overnight?"

His expression became sharper. "Maybe the answer is simple."

His eyes turned toward the two families. "Maybe Cassandra deliberately told the entire world she had fallen onto the demonic path because she wanted revenge."

Several elders’ faces immediately changed.

Brakk laughed. "Because the moment Cassandra’s reputation collapsed, your reputations collapsed with hers!"

He gestured toward Cassian and Aldren. "Other factions became afraid to cooperate with you openly, and your families became the subject of rumors everywhere."

Brakk threw his head back. "Hahahahaha!"

His laughter echoed across the silent festival grounds. "How fucking hilarious is that?"

He pointed directly toward Patriarch Cassian Valeria and Patriarch Aldren Valehart. "In the end, the greatest reason your two families declined..."

His grin turned vicious. "Was yourselves."