Chapter 336: Extravagant Ball

Given that the extravagant ball would only be attended by influential figures, with the main focus on the eighth factions, who had made it to the quarterfinals of the tournament, it was bound to be an unprecedented spectacle.

Beneath the reassuring crown of the golden tree, the stars began to gather.

Unsurprisingly, King Arthur, leader of the Golden Vanguard, King Zaiden, leader of the Immortal Legion, King Mateo, King Owen, Queen Esmeralda, and even Queen Seer, despite not being the leader of a faction, were present.

The hardworking members of their factions… Transcendent, Absolute, and even Supreme Lords were gathered under one roof.

Usually, their relationships weren’t all rosy, but today they did their best to hide their hostile gazes, all assembled under the command of the mightiest of all… the Emperor.

The ceremonial had only started a few minutes ago, yet there were already hundreds of soldiers gathered, with more pouring out of the grand entrance every second.

Some figures, however, stole the spotlight.

As Nicole approached, the temperature seemed to drop several degrees. Not because of her label as a Cursed Child, but because of the sheer power she possessed. Supreme Lords were one step away from becoming Kings or Queens… An ideal that some aspired to, while others resented out of jealousy.

A similar reaction followed the entrance of the sisters Eliza and Elina. Both being of the Absolute Lord realm, few could hope to match them in battle.

“Ladies.” Nicole greeted the two sisters with a polite smile.

Elina returned the gesture, while Eliza simply nodded.

“It is always a pleasure to meet a Supreme Lord such as yourself, Lady Nicole.” Eliza remarked.

Nicole giggled.

“There’s no need for such formality. I’m not one of those who demands respect from those most would deem weaker than me.”

Her smile widened.

“I just wanted to meet you two. After all, we’ll clash in the quarterfinals for a chance to advance to the semifinals…”

Eliza hesitated, then responded with a faint smile.

“Whoever may emerge victorious, I am already content with the result. Both the Golden Vanguard and the Sacred Order have demonstrated qualities of worthy factions.”

“Sis, you really need to relax!” Elina advised. “It’s rare for all of us to gather without any hostility. Make use of the moment!”

Eliza frowned at her sister’s demeanor but didn’t comment.

Nicole observed the two with amusement.

“We know one of us will reach the semifinals… What are your opinions on the rest?”

Eliza pondered for a few moments.

“The Immortal Legion will probably beat the Bloody Rose. Similarly, the Heavenly Pact shouldn’t have a problem securing a spot in the semifinals. Who will win between the two is unclear. But alongside us, we are the most likely candidates to win the tournament.”

Nicole nodded thoughtfully. “So, more or less, the same belief as me…”

She paused briefly, her eyes sharpening with dangerous intensity.

“But aren’t you forgetting one faction?”

Eliza narrowed her eyes.

“You mean—”

In that moment, the whispers echoing across the chamber shifted the topic of discussion.

“This must be them…”

“How unsightly. They really have the gall to show themselves here.”

“Give a faction a little fame, and watch them demand the world…”

The reason for the change was evident.

With the arrival of the Indomitable Alliance, countless curious gazes turned to their leader, Michael, walking at the forefront.

’How predictable.’ Michael sneered inwardly. At the arrival of someone who could potentially threaten the status quo, everyone began searching for cracks to exploit.

Subtly, they let out threatening auras toward him, scanning for the slightest trace of instability.

To their unpleasant surprise, however, Michael’s gaze remained void of emotion, withstanding the pressure effortlessly.

Some began to crank up the pressure, whether out of curiosity or outrage, but to no avail. A heartbeat later, the pressure disappeared, and everyone acted as if nothing had happened.

The leader of the Indomitable Alliance had proven unshakable.

“Boss!” Richard whispered into Michael’s ear.

“I know we’re supposed to be making connections and all, but…”

Michael sighed. “Yes, you can do whatever you want. Just don’t cause trouble for the faction with your flirting.”

Richard gave a thumbs-up before making his way toward the first woman who caught his interest.

“Let’s get this over with. I can already feel hostile gazes probing us…” Victoria muttered in frustration.

Claire frowned. “If it weren’t for meeting with a few acquaintances, I’d have never come.”

Ava smiled menacingly. “The bastards must be grieving right about now…”

Ruby’s ears perked up, her tail swinging with excitement from side to side. “There is so much food!”

Quietly, Michael glanced back at the crew. Everyone had dressed appropriately: the men in professional suits and the women in tasteful dresses.

Arguably, Victoria and Claire were more eye-catching than the vast majority of Lords. Ava seemed even cuter than usual. While Ruby, with her innocent expression that scanned the chamber for food like a hungry beast, had her own unique level of appeal.

Michael chuckled.

“Don’t mind them. I wager they’re just bitter, jealous women who envy your appearance and want to pressure you because they can never compare.”

“…”

In order to make the best possible impression, some of the women wore makeup, those from Michael’s faction being an exception. The reason for that was simple. They already had surpassed those of higher realms in looks, plus they didn’t care how anyone, besides Michael, perceived them.

However, this now played against them. Without any makeup, it became evident as their cheeks flushed a rosy color.

“Goddamit, charmer!” Ava complained, the other girls nodding in mutual agreement.

Their reaction was noticed by a few men who had been ready to make a move, leaving them cursing about how the rumor of Michael being with them had all turned out to be true.

Like the other factions, they split up, mingling with the reverend soldiers present. No matter how slim the chance, there was always the possibility of finding a like-minded comrade, creating invaluable allies for the future.

There was no need for Michael to guard anyone. Everybody had proven capable of taking care of themselves long ago.

Michael himself didn’t expect to be approached much. Being the leader of a rising faction, most of the gathered people were too cautious to recklessly interact with the unknown.

But to his surprise, the opposite turned out to be correct. Immediately, the two sister Lords approached him.

“Pleasure to meet you!” Elina greeted with a charming smile. While she may have spent some time stealthily observing him on Neptune, he didn’t need to know that.

“Greetings.” Eliza gave a faint smile of her own. She found herself in a similar boat to her sister, having protected the man’s family at the beginning.

Innately, Michael was skeptical of their motives, but as they talked, he didn’t sense any kind of malice or ill intent.

And for good reason. After all, once Michael had gathered the attention of the faction leaders and even the Emperor, they had made a mental note to create friendly ties with him… no extra strings attached.

“Thank you for giving us a moment of your time. We don’t want to bother you too much, so we will take our leave now!” Elina bid goodbye with a charismatic smile.

Eliza nodded in agreement. “May we meet in the semifinals.”

Once out of earshot, Elina looked at her sister.

“What do you think?”

Eliza remained silent for a few seconds.

“Surprisingly fruitful encounter. Respectable man but not intimidated by our presence. He may really prove a priceless ally. It’s good that we get to meet him officially.”

Meanwhile, Michael was starting to feel drained. He had lost count of how many waiters had approached him to offer an alcoholic beverage, only for him to reject them all.

’I really don’t fit here.’ He thought with amusement.

Ironic in a way… Even among the strongest figures humanity had ever seen, they barely shared any kind of similarities.

While he was lost in his own thoughts, a male voice called out to him.

“Blessed we are, for fate has brought us together.”

A second was all Michael needed to recognize the man.

He was Nemesis, the current leader of the Bottomless Void, the faction many regarded as being on the verge of becoming large-sized and the enemy the Indomitable Alliance was set to face in the quarterfinals.

“Assuming you’re a smart man and know who I am… Do you care for a short conversation?” Nemesis respectfully extended his hand in a kind gesture, not bothering to hide his presence as an Absolute Lord.

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