CHAPTER 263: CONFLICT

"Evelyn?" Ren’s eyes widened as he stared at the woman he had only seen in memories and dreams.

At this moment, Evelyn stood frozen in her tracks.

Her breath caught in her throat, and her heart pounded violently.

She kept her eyes fixed on the man before her because she wanted to know whether he was real or just an illusion born from years of sorrow and longing.

When she heard the distant cheers of his subordinates echoing like background noise, she finally knew the man in front of her was real, not an illusion.

Without caring where they were or who was watching, she walked toward him with trembling steps that quickly turned into a sprint.

Like a dam holding out for years before finally breaking apart, she threw herself into his arms and embraced him tightly.

Her entire body trembled uncontrollably, and tears suddenly welled up in her eyes.

Of course, they were tears of happiness because the man she had always longed to meet was standing before her.

"You are alive..." her voice cracked with emotion, and her embrace tightened as if he would vanish if she didn’t hug him tight enough. "I thought you were gone forever... I thought I would never meet you again."

A sob broke through her as the emotions she had been pent up for two years came flooding out all at once.

At this moment, she forgot to maintain her image as the future leader of Misty Palace because her emotions got the better of her.

"Gone forever? Did you think I was dead all this time?" After luring the Winged Lion away from her, he had never seen her again, so he had no idea what had happened between them.

She wiped away her tears and asked, "Didn’t the Winged Lion kill you?"

"No. He failed to kill me, but I could not return to you right away because I fell into a deep canyon." He told her that he could not find her when he returned.

He had looked for her in many places, but the results were always the same.

He thought she had returned to her organization, so he stopped searching and went straight to Nightshire City.

"Then, the Winged Lion li-" she suddenly remembered the Winged Lion’s dying moment.

At that moment, he had seemed like he was trying to say something to her, but since she was blinded by fury, she killed him before he could finish his words.

’So, I misunderstood everything all this time.’

She finally knew the truth.

’Well, at least, I can meet him again.’

She stopped thinking about it because what mattered most was that she was with him again.

"Hey, what’s going on? Are my eyes playing tricks on me right now?"

"No. I see the same thing you do."

"Then why did she suddenly jump into our future leader’s arms? Aren’t they supposed to be on different sides?"

"I’m also curious about this."

"Is it related to love?"

"I think so."

"Then, this is complicated."

"Un, un."

They were stunned by what they were seeing because Misty Palace was the Tuiziya Kingdom’s ally, so their relationship should be hate and hostility, not friendship or love.

Like the candidates and his subordinates, the disciples of Misty Palace and soldiers of the Tuiziya Kingdom were also shocked.

Among them, only one person showed a different reaction.

Nolan!

Nolan was in love with Evelyn, so he clenched his fist and gritted his teeth instinctively when he saw her in Ren’s arms.

He had been chasing her for two full years.

During that time, he had done many things for her.

But even so, she had never once opened her heart to him.

Let alone being in her arms, she had never even allowed him to touch her, as if no matter what he did, he could never earn a space in her heart.

’Damn it!’

Normally, he could control his emotions well, but it was different this time.

The sight of the woman he loved in another man’s embrace was too much to bear, so a surge of fury ignited within him.

"Hey! Get your hands off Fairy Evelyn and stay away from her!" he still wanted to be with her, so he directed his anger at Ren.

"That’s right! Stop seducing sister Evelyn!" Liora added.

Evelyn stopped the hug and said, "They are my fellow disciples."

"It seems like that guy likes you." From his words and behavior, Ren could tell right away that Nolan was in love with Evelyn.

"Yes." Evelyn answered honestly. "But he was usually good at controlling his emotions."

Ren returned his attention from Nolan to her.

’It’s because you suddenly threw yourself into my arms.’

He believed any man would be furious if he saw his crush in another man’s embrace because it was a normal reaction.

"Hey, I said stay away from Fairy Evelyn!" Nolan repeated his words. "You are not worthy of her, so leave this place at once!"

"Not worthy of her, huh? Then, do you think you are worthy of her?" Ren didn’t get provoked and still acted normally, as if Nolan had never shouted at him.

"Of course!" Nolan replied. "I’m a genius mage with Grade S talent. Only I am worthy of Fairy Evelyn."

"That’s right." A blue-haired woman added, "Only someone with Grade S talent is worthy of Sister Evelyn."

"Sister Evelyn, what are you doing there? Come here!"

"Sister Evelyn, don’t be fooled by his handsome face. He is a devil in disguise."

"That’s right. Stay away from him. He is our enemy."

"He will take advantage of you if you stay by his side."

The disciples of Misty Palace supported Nolan because, from their point of view, Ren was not worthy of her.

"Grade S talent, huh? It just so happens that my talent is also Grade S. Now let me ask you a question in return. Are you Aeris like me?" Actually, Ren didn’t want to reveal his talent, but since they brought it up first, he decided to play along with their game.

"Aeris? Are you really Aeris?" of course, Nolan didn’t believe it immediately because the possibility of awakeners awakening two classes was incredibly small.

Even Misty Palace, the strongest organization in the Sheozica region, had no Aeris, so he doubted his words.

"That’s right." Ren replied, "I’m an Aeris with Grade S talent."

"Prove it!" Nolan uttered.

"That’s right. Prove it!" Seris added. "Anyone can claim to be Aeris, but it’s all just empty words if they can’t prove it."

Ren retrieved his Aether Weapon from his space ring and turned it into a sword.

"I will use a warrior’s skill now, so pay close attention." After saying that, he swung his sword once, sending a wave of energy toward the boulder on his right side.

Boom!

The sound of the boulder shattering into pieces reverberated in the entire area.

Once he had proven that he was a warrior, he stored his sword in his space ring.

"Now, I will use magic." A magic circle emerged when he lifted his right hand forward, and moments later, an ice needle shot out, flying toward Nolan but passing just beside his right ear without hitting him.

The disciples of Misty Palace widened their eyes in shock after Ren proved he was not lying to them.

Sure, awakeners with Grade S talent were rare, but Aeris were immeasurably rarer.

If awakeners with Grade S talent were gold, then Aeris were diamonds.

The difference between them was like heaven and earth because awakeners with Grade S talent could only become powerful people, but they didn’t have the qualifications to join the fight for the throne.

"So, tell me. Are you better than me?" Ren was thrilled when he saw Nolan’s furious expression because seeing his enemy consumed by anger brought him joy.

"Grr...." Nolan didn’t answer his question and only gritted his teeth.

’Fuck!’

His anger grew bigger with every passing second.

Not only did Ren have an attractive appearance, but he was also Aeris, as if God created him to be someone special because he was blessed with both looks and talent.

’I can’t let him keep humiliating me like this. I need to do something.’

An idea suddenly popped up in his mind.

’Yes! Duel! Just because he is Aeris doesn’t mean he is stronger than me. I will just challenge him to a duel.’

He hadn’t lost a single fight since becoming a disciple of Misty Palace two years ago, so he was confident he could defeat Ren.

"Hmf! Just because you are Aeris doesn’t mean you are above everyone else. Fight me if you dare! I will admit you are better than me if you can defeat me." Nolan said.