"Everyone here just wants to take advantage! I'm not letting anyone else take him—I'll make my decision today!" roared Lionel Skyhammer.
Lionel's temper was fiery, and the golden phoenix spirit hovering above him exuded divine majesty.
Its ear-piercing cry reverberated through the stadium, and the onlookers trembled. Faces flushed as waves of heat pulsed through the air, leaving many gasping for breath. Some women, overwhelmed by the intensity, let out soft moans of discomfort.
"Hahaha! Is it really necessary to fight over him like this? Aren't we all from the same country? Talk things out!" Lionel laughed.
In that moment, four more powerful figures appeared, each representing the peak institutions of the Federation of Terra.
In an instant, all eight of Terra's most powerful factions had arrived.
---
"All eight major factions are here! Each of these groups could destroy an entire city with ease!"
"Elliot Blake is going to be unstoppable now! The man's leaping straight to greatness!"
"Elliot Blake, I love you! I want to have your babies!"
"Back off! Elliot is mine! I declare my love, Elliot Blake!"
---
The crowd erupted in chaos. Women screamed and cheered, many of them losing themselves entirely in the moment.
Elliot, surrounded by women throwing themselves at him, winced and muttered, "Could you please, uh, put your shirts back on, ladies?"
Out of the crowd, one man stepped forward. "Greetings. I'm Victor Langston, patriarch of the Langston family. Young man, if you join us, I'll immediately arrange for you to marry my daughter. You'll be the head of our household!"
Elliot scratched his head, baffled by the situation. "Wait, what? Who said I even wanted to marry into your family?"
---
"Damn it! Can we settle this with a proper fight instead of arguing like children?"
"Bring it on! Who's afraid of a challenge?"
Elliot blinked, unsure how the focus had shifted from him to the impending brawl between the factions.
"Enough!" Lionel Skyhammer bellowed. "Why don't you all focus on fighting the actual enemy—demons, instead of bickering like kids?"
The factions looked sheepish, lowering their weapons under his scathing glare.
---
"Listen, Elliot," Lionel continued, "I represent the Celestial Academy of Valor—the strongest institution in all of Terra. Join us, and you'll have access to the best training, resources, and privileges."
"Don't listen to him!" interjected another leader. "Join the Arcane Guild! We're stronger, and our ranks are filled with beautiful women who'll treat you like royalty!"
"Bah! The Crescent Family offers better opportunities! You can have as many wives as you want with us!"
---
Elliot raised his hands to calm the fervor. "Uh, seniors? I appreciate the enthusiasm, but could I take some time to think about this?"
"Of course!" Lionel said. "We'll stick around for a few days. Mayor Blake, arrange accommodations for us—preferably a high-tier hotel."
The mayor nodded nervously, gesturing toward his assistant. "Yes, right away!"
As the factions relaxed, Lionel frowned and turned to the crowd. "By the way, there's been a lot of murmuring around here. What's going on? Why all the chatter?"
The mayor's aide hesitated, then spoke cautiously. "Um… Sir, it's about Elliot's younger brother. The Young Lord… he, uh, stole his brother's girlfriend. And then… he, uh, threatened to kill him after the Awakening Ceremony…"
---
The atmosphere turned icy. All eight faction leaders turned to scrutinize the mayor and his son with cold smiles.
"Really?" Lionel mused, his tone sharp. "And you let that slide?"
The mayor's face turned crimson. Internally, he screamed, *Damn brat! Didn't you say you were just joking around? Now we're all doomed!*