A warm smile spread across Henry's face as he noticed Kayden's intense gaze fixed on him. Eliana, ever the observant one, couldn't resist asking, "Henry, it seems like Master Kayden is very interested in us."
Henry simply chuckled and ruffled Eliana's hair affectionately. "Yep, I hope that when all of this is over, we can follow him wherever he goes."
Suddenly, Henry was seized by a fit of coughing. "Don't worry," he reassured Eliana with a strained voice, "it's nothing. Just tired."
Eliana pressed her lips together in concern. "Brother, I am very worried about you."
As they advanced to the next round of the competition, only 12 groups remained: Lee, Zamora, Pearce, Stein, Carter, Santiago, Walker, Price, Owen, SS, Bates, Fraser, and Vargas families.
Kayden confidently strode onto the stage to collect their token for the day's event. Today, the Lee family would be joining the fray. Kayden drew number 6 for their match against the formidable Carter family - comprised of Joel at peak lord realm, Ellis and Erin both at mid lord realm.
The battle was fierce and intense. Although Courtney and Anthony fought valiantly, Anthony ultimately fell short while Courtney was able to easily secure victory with her king realm abilities. Kayden couldn't help but smile as he joined his group on stage to congratulate them.
Their next opponents were the Santiago family - a clan with a deep-seated blood feud against Kayden. However, due to the mysterious disappearance (or death) of two of their competitors, they now only had one member who had won all of their matches so far.
Jennifer, the princess of the Santiago family, was every bit as beautiful as Courtney, with a grace and poise befitting her status. Her features were refined and delicate, like a sculpture crafted by the gods themselves. As she stood on the stage, her cultivation at the peak of the king realm radiated from her like a powerful aura.
"You are the one who killed my brothers," Jennifer seethed, her anger palpable in every word.
Kayden simply smiled in response, his calm demeanor only serving to further enrage Jennifer. She unleashed her attack upon him, but in a quick and fluid motion, Kayden effortlessly dodged and redirected her energy. In just a matter of seconds, Jennifer's body was sent flying off the stage and onto the ground below.
As she lay there bleeding and unconscious, Kayden spoke calmly yet firmly: "I don't care if you're a girl. But any killing intent aimed at me will not go unpunished."
The sect elders from the Stein family arrived to assist Jennifer, their expressions filled with anger towards Kayden. However, they ultimately decided not to take any action in front of the other families gathered for this tournament.
With this victory over the Santiagos, the Stein family emerged triumphant in their final bout against the Vargas family. As Kayden faced off against Tyler, he couldn't help but feel a strange twinge in his heart. After all, Kayden shared a deep bond with Hannah – Tyler's sister.
"Don't look at me like that. Fight me with everything you've got," Tyler challenged.
Kayden nodded in understanding before engaging in a fierce battle. Despite reaching the peak of the advanced stage in his cultivation, Tyler soon realized it wasn't enough to defeat Kayden. He watched as Tyler fell unconscious on the ground after just a few bouts.
Kayden approached his fallen opponent and helped him up. Tyler accepted his assistance with a small smile, saying: "I never expected to end my journey like this."
In that moment, Kayden couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration for Tyler and the journey they had both been on. As the tournament came to an end, it was clear that their bond would remain strong, even as they went their separate ways.
Kayden stood tall on the stage, his eyes scanning the audience and his opponent. The air was tense with anticipation as he prepared to face the powerful Zamora family. Memories of their previous encounters flooded his mind, including the betrayal by his former teammate Bobby. But Tyler's words echoed in his mind, reminding him that he needed to come back stronger.
As the matches began, Courtney and Anthony secured flawless victories for their group. But it was only six families left standing at the end of the second day: Lee, Zamora, Pearce, Stein, SS, and Walker.
On the third day, Kayden knew they were up against tough opponents. "We might have to fight the Zamora or Lee family today," Courtney warned them. "Both families are very powerful."
Kayden walked confidently onto the stage and took a number. He had drawn number 3 and was set to face off against Chase, a member of the formidable Zamora family. As he glanced over at their rival clan, Kayden's eyes landed on a figure at the emperor stage who sent a chill down his spine.
Chase was a handsome man, with one pure white eye that gave him an almost ethereal appearance. He stood tall at 6'5", his well-built frame and sword at the ready. But it was his strange stance that caught Kayden's attention.
"This will be a tough battle," Kayden thought to himself as he mentally prepared for what lay ahead.
The match began and both parties launched into an intense exchange of attacks and defenses. Despite Kayden's ancestor-level speed and agility, Chase seemed to effortlessly keep up with him. Every time Kayden tried to land a punch, he found himself getting wounded instead.
This would be no easy fight - the peak level of emperor stage against each other in a battle of skill and strength. And Kayden was determined to emerge victorious.
after more than 100 breathes Kayden's body was full of blood.
Courtney's concerned gaze landed on Kayden, who was visibly fatigued and bleeding from his injuries. Meanwhile, Henry wore a small smile on his face as he watched the intense training session between Chase and Kayden.
"Chase has gotten a lot stronger. His speed has already surpassed the emperor realm," Henry remarked with admiration in his voice. "What will you do, little brother?"
Kayden gritted his teeth as he attempted to dodge another lightning-fast strike from Chase. Despite his exhaustion, he couldn't help but marvel at the other man's agility and strength.
"What kind of monster is this guy? He can give me a wound in an instant," Kayden thought to himself as he dodged and weaved, trying to land a solid hit on his opponent.
With one eye focused intently on Kayden, Chase's special eye had the ability to instantly locate vital parts of enemies. It gave him an advantage that Kayden couldn't match.
After several more bouts, Kayden fell to one knee, blood spilling onto the floor beneath him. Chase calmly wiped the blood off his blade, preparing to deliver the winning strike.
"KAYDEN!" Courtney's voice rang out in concern.
Despite his exhaustion, Kayden pushed himself up and stood tall once again. A small smile played on Chase's lips.
"You are a real snake," Kayden said through gritted teeth.
But even as he spoke, Kayden's mind was working quickly, strategizing for an upgrade in his fighting style.
With each victory, Kayden's HP increased by an impressive 3000 points, bringing his total to a staggering 11400. But then, without warning, a loud "Ding" sounded and 10,000 HP was subtracted from his pool. Despite this sudden setback, Kayden's body erupted with a brilliant aura, healing all of his wounds and emitting a powerful energy that radiated outwards.
Chase could feel the difference immediately. While he had been confident in his abilities against someone at the low stage of the ancestor realm, witnessing Kayden's sudden breakthrough filled him with a sense of pressure and unease.
Undeterred, Chase attacked with the intention of ending the fight with one swift strike. But Kayden simply smiled and easily dodged the blow, counterattacking with a hard punch that landed directly on Chase's dantian. With a cough of blood, Chase was blasted out of the stage.
Henry couldn't help but smile as he watched Kayden's display of strength and skill. Meanwhile, Kayden knelt on one knee on the ground after the long and tiring fight. While his wounds had healed, the process of breaking through to the mid realm of the ancestor stage had taken its toll on him both physically and mentally. But Kayden remained unfazed as he left the remaining fights for Anthony and Courtney to win.
"Leave it to us," Courtney declared confidently.
The next match was between Courtney and Hollie, both formidable fighters at the king realm. The battle lasted for more than 100 breaths, with both opponents showing signs of exhaustion. But ultimately, it was Courtney who emerged victorious.
Meanwhile, Anthony faced off against Kobi, a peak king realm fighter. In just a few breaths, Anthony was defeated.
Despite this loss, Stein's family still emerged as victors with a score of 2-0 against their opponents - securing their place in the next round.
As the third day of the tournament came to an end, only three families remained - Lee, Stein, and SS. But before they could rest and prepare for the next round, another "Ding" resounded throughout the arena. This time, Kayden had defeated another peak emperor stage bearer, earning himself an additional 4000 HP. "5400 HP left," Kayden murmured to himself. It was going to be a challenging battle tomorrow if he wanted to upgrade to the late level of the ancestor stage with that amount of HP remaining.
Courtney entered Kayden's chambers, her footsteps echoing off the stone walls. Kayden was lying on his bed, his eye still blurred from the pain of yesterday's battle. He thought it was Juniper who had come to check on him, but then Courtney undressed in front of him, revealing her jade-like body that would make any man's heart race with desire.
Without hesitation, Kayden reached out and grabbed her body, pulling her towards him. Courtney didn't resist, moaning in pleasure as he ravaged her cave. Blood trickled down her thighs as she cried out in ecstasy.
Minutes later, a large amount of semen was released inside her and Courtney let out a satisfied sigh. She dressed herself quickly and gave Kayden a kiss before leaving him to sleep.
The next day, Kayden woke up with a foggy memory of the night before. But suddenly, an alert appeared on his device.
"DING!"
"Received 10,000 HP."
Confused, he wondered where this boost in health points came from. And then he saw it - another message appeared on his screen.
"Courtney Stein grade SS received 10,000 HP."
Realization dawned on him as he remembered the passionate night they had shared. His face flushed with embarrassment and excitement.
Another notification popped up on his screen.
"Upgrade."
"Ding - 11,000 HP."
Kayden winced at the reminder of the painful transformation he went through to receive these upgrades. But it was worth it for the powerful enhancements he now possessed.
Kayden's aura radiated with power as he reached the prestigious late Ancestor realm. He could feel the energy coursing through his veins, a sensation unlike anything he had experienced before. As he reveled in this newfound strength, a ding echoed through the room and he received a package, signaling his achievement of reaching the late realm. With eager anticipation, he opened it to reveal a rank 8 sword, its blade shimmering with an otherworldly glow.
"This is a saint sword," Kayden whispered in awe, marveling at its majestic beauty. It was the first time he had ever seen such a weapon and he couldn't help but feel a surge of pride and excitement.
Kayden made his way to the buffet area where Courtney and Juniper were engaged in conversation. Courtney had already explained what had transpired between her and Kayden to Juniper, who was initially shocked but now seemed to be taking it in stride. Instead of getting angry, she even joked about it with Courtney.
"Courtney, I need to talk to you about last night," Kayden said seriously, his gaze locked on hers.
Without hesitation, Courtney stood up and gave him a passionate kiss, followed by Juniper who also stood and planted a tender kiss on his lips.
"You don't have to explain anything," Juniper said with a sly smile. "I've heard all about how you ravaged her like a wild beast."
Kayden's cheeks flushed with embarrassment, but he couldn't hide the grin that spread across his face at Juniper's words. He was grateful to have such understanding and supportive friends by his side as he embarked on this new chapter in his journey as a powerful warrior.