NOVEL WEB Chapter 5: The Power of Words
Everyone stood stunned. The national competition was still far away, but they had already been completely shocked by Kent's actions.
That little Garfield cat possessed such terrifying combat abilities.
The spectators were amused.
Although many were disappointed by the lack of an exciting battle, the majority felt it was still a worthwhile event. The dramatic turn of events had given Zhao Xuan a well-deserved slap in the face.
It was at this point that people started to understand Kent's thoughts.
Not everyone had the courage to challenge someone like Zhao Xuan, a wealthy and powerful figure. After all, what would happen if you offended such a person?
"Senior, I've embarrassed everyone! Wuwu..." Zhao Xuan, who had been calm and composed earlier, was now sobbing in the arms of a stiff-faced man, looking like a bullied little girl.
At this moment, Zhao Xuan had lost all his previous arrogance, and his demeanor was so pitiful that it made him seem like a completely different person.
"Junior, stop crying. You lost, it's no big deal. How about I go teach Kent a lesson and make you feel better?" The stiff-faced man comforted Zhao Xuan.
Upon hearing their conversation, everyone was shocked. They had never expected Zhao Xuan to be so shameless.
Unable to defeat Kent on his own, Zhao Xuan was asking his senior to help him reclaim his dignity. It was a huge misunderstanding, but Zhao Xuan was the one who had sought out Kent's humiliation. Even though it had happened in public, this loss had truly cost him face.
Zhao Xuan gritted his teeth and looked at Kent's harmless smile, his face contorting even further.
He hated this calm, innocent-looking guy so much that he wished he could bite him to death. He then turned to his senior and said, "Senior, this bastard Kent is too detestable! If I don't get revenge, I'll feel guilty."
But it was already too late for that.
The upcoming Beastmasters' Competition was fast approaching, and no one wanted to cause trouble now.
After all, there were rules at the university, and Zhao Xuan was no exception.
Today, he had only wanted to test his strength on someone weaker for a sense of achievement.
Zhao Xuan was no match for a powerful Beastmaster like Kent, so he had no one else to challenge but him.
Rumor had it that Zhao Xuan was a disciple of Zhao Wujie, the ancestor of the renowned Zhao family from Micro-light City. The Zhao family was well-regarded, and even some of the larger families in the city would show them respect. No one would dare treat Zhao Xuan this way.
However, as a Beastmaster, Zhao Xuan was clearly no match for Kent.
Both of them were more or less on the same level, and Kent was even slightly weaker.
But Zhao Xuan lacked patience. His personality was lively and impulsive, always eager to succeed. Losing to Kent wasn't a huge deal for him, but the way he handled the defeat was far too rash.
Kent maintained a calm demeanor during the match, while Zhao Xuan's temper was explosive. It was no surprise that Kent won.
Kent noticed that Zhao Xuan wasn't willing to let it go and that his senior seemed irritated, possibly considering backing down.
Kent stood up and, facing everyone, said loudly, "Didn't the esteemed Zhao Xuan just say something? I'm sure all of you heard it. Now, in such a large training field, is Zhao Xuan using the numbers to bully me, Kent?"
The crowd gasped in surprise.
Indeed, Zhao Xuan had agreed to the terms of the match, and if he lost, he had to abide by his word. This was something he had promised in front of everyone.
The stiff-faced senior looked uncomfortable and, after a long pause, forced a smile before standing up to explain, "Fellow students, we are all from Shengshi University. Every year, many Beastmasters go on expeditions to hunt exotic creatures. Why should we fight over trivial matters here? Kent was too much earlier, and my junior suffered a serious injury, so I couldn't help but want to teach him a lesson."
The senior looked at the students, saw their reaction, and continued, "At first, I was just considering it, but now, I realize it's unnecessary. What has been said, has been said. University rules teach us to be sincere with others. Today's matter was caused by my junior provoking Kent. Let's not take it further."
The senior's words seemed to suggest that this matter would be dropped.
The crowd murmured even more. They hadn't expected that Zhao Xuan would let this go and take the loss quietly.
Zhao Xuan's face changed drastically. He shouted, his expression dark and filled with resentment, "Senior Lin Jian, we can't just let this go. Kent has humiliated me, killed my frogman, and shown me no respect. It's against the rules to kill a Beastmaster's creature."
This was a violation—the thought flashed in everyone's minds. Kent's actions weren't completely above reproach.
Kent's face darkened as well. Though he tried to relax his facial muscles and remain composed, he spoke calmly in front of the students, "The frogman was a peak Silver-tier Beast. My Garfield is only newly promoted to Silver-tier. If I had held back and caused injuries, who would be responsible then?"
The crowd turned their gaze to Zhao Xuan.
No one could guarantee what would have happened if Kent hadn't been able to defeat Zhao Xuan. Kent had clearly acted in self-defense.
The senior whispered something to Zhao Xuan, who, after a few moments, clenched his teeth and squeezed out a few words, his eyes filled with rage.
"Kent, I will remember today's humiliation. Thirty years ago, someone slapped the principal of Shengshi University, and later, that person's entire family was wiped out. Even though it has been thirty years, revenge is a dish best served cold."
Everyone at Shengshi University knew the story. Thirty years ago, the principal of Shengshi University, a man of great arrogance, slapped a master from Bingyan University. Thirty years later, that man's family was annihilated by the principal. The story had become famous in Micro-light City.
Kent had heard of it, of course.
Kent maintained his calm as he faced the intense stares of everyone. Despite the pressure, he smiled lightly, saying, "Senior Zhao Xuan, you overestimate the situation. This isn't a deep grudge. If you can defeat me, feel free to slap me in front of everyone. I, Kent, will not fight back or insult you."