[BONUS] YOU, YOU...

[Bonus chapter courtesy of Firemonster <3 6/6] Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

"Grandma!"

"Mother-in-law!"

The roars came at the same time, but Leonel never took his own eyes off of the despair in Mistress Oliidark's eyes.

It was hard to tell how many people she had callously killed in her life. He wanted to make sure that she could see his indifference, how little he cared about her life, how he killed her not because he had to, but because it could, because it was convenient to him.

You are worthless.

Those were the meanings his eyes conveyed, and they were the last things Mistress Oliidark could think about herself as her consciousness faded and her body went limp.

No one could believe what they had just seen. Someone had just killed, in broad daylight, in Four Great Family and Dream Pavilion territory, and in front of so many spectators at that.

It was such a shocking realization that no one could even have the time to register that it was a Fifth Star that had just killed a Seventh Star as though she was a strung up chicken, not worth more than the feathers on her body.

Leonel flung Mistress Oliidark's body to the side without a care and looked up. To his surprise, the remaining two men hadn't attacked yet. The oldest of them, the man he assumed was Mistress Oliidark's husband, looked at him with red eyes, but the rest of his expression was as calm as they came.

"I hope that this has calmed the young sir's anger. My Oliidark family will take this loss, we have no intention of pursuing this matter."

Leonel looked at the old man deeply, then at his son-in-law and his granddaughter. Then, without a word, he turned to leave.

He was the center of attention now, but quite frankly, that was exactly what he wanted. He had come here without hiding his identity, so he had planned for things to devolve like this one way or another.

Equally as expected, though, was the fact his path forward was blocked once again.

The Eternal Dream Pavilion. The Endless Twilight Pavilion. The Defensive War Pavilion. The Sacred Light Pavilion.

In the past, Leonel thought that the Eternal Dream Pavilion was the Dream Pavilion, but it seemed that he was wrong. Why would the Dream Pavilion be trying to enter the Dream Pavilion?

They were probably a subsidiary of some sort, but it at least made more sense that they were here compared to anyone else.

In this group, though, Leonel saw a familiar and yet not so familiar woman. It was a woman nearing her middle-ages, but her beauty hadn't faded yet. However, her expression was exceptionally stern, and when she saw Leonel, it was as though her gaze wanted to spew fire.

Seeing her, Leonel couldn't help but burst into a fit of laughter beside himself. He remembered the words he had said before. He was quite funny, if he did say so himself.

Ophelia's gaze reddened, but she controlled herself. Unlike Leonel, she didn't see herself as entirely above the law. Even if Leonel had killed, it wasn't her place to dictate anything here.

She was still an Eighth Star, but an Eighth Star was a long way from the Ninth Star. However, that wouldn't stop her oppressive might from forcing Leonel to-

"You can stop that now. You're not going to glare me to death."

"Where is my disciple."

"Your disciple? You mean my wife? What's she got to do with you? Screw off, old lady."

"Old-?!"

Ophelia took a breath, forcing herself to remain composed.

"The Endless Twilight Pavilion has strict rules against marrying and having relationships with the opposite sex-"

"If you want a reason to attack me, how about the fact I stole your disciple's Innate Node," Leonel tapped the back of his head and Emulation Spatial Force bloomed. "That's reason enough, right, old hag? Just attack. Why are you wasting time here?"

Ophelia was too used to having full control of every situation she was in. Hearing these words, she saw red and immediately attacked with an all-consuming palm.

However, it was snuffed out even before it could take proper shape.

At that moment, high in the skies, Gemmes descended. His long white beard fluttered and Leonel agreed... he really did look like a fairy tale wizard. It was too bad his adorable appearance was matched with a terrible character.

Gemmes' gaze swept through the region. When it landed on Leonel, his pupils constricted. He barely managed to stop himself from calling out in surprise.

Immediately, his arrogant aura was restrained several fold and he focused his attention on the various powers beneath him.

"Why did you all come here to waste our time?"

Ophelia, who thought that Leonel might finally be getting what was coming to him, was struck dumb. Was she being reprimanded right now? When Mistress Oliidark's corpse hadn't even gone cold yet? What was going on here?

The Pavilion Head of the Sacred Light Pavilion stepped forward solemnly.

"Esteemed Dream Master, we've only brought forward the disciples we feel have the best chance. Some of them have displayed some skill in Dream Force, but lack the proper guidance. Since the Dream Pavilion is providing such an opportunity, we thought to allow them the chance."

It made sense. Thaela, for example, had been a disciple of the Eternal Twilight Pavilion, but hadn't she had an Emulation Spatial Force Innate Node? The fact she had a Dream Force-related Innate Node made her quite the catch. It was just that many like her felt that they had other talents as well, so it was hard to just focus on Dream Force alone.

But all of their elders realized just how special this opportunity was, so how could they not come?

Gemmes nodded somewhat stiffly, taking a glance at Leonel again before looking away quickly.

"Follow me. You, you, you..."

Gemmes pointed out a few dozen, including Leonel. But the number didn't surpass 50. To Leonel's surprise, though, Ophelia seemed to be among the number trying to participate, as was the Eternal Dream Pavilion Head and the other Heads.

Were they going to abandon their Pavilions?

Leonel could feel Ophelia's glare on him, but his smile only became brighter.