Chapter 20: Who Is He

The sudden arrival of the middle-aged man shocked everyone present. No one had expected that the Fox family would have connections with a Warlord from the Martial Department of Saultrouge Kingdom. It was important to note that the Martial Department of Saultrouge Kingdom, the nation's largest official martial organization, was widely recognized as the most powerful force in the kingdom. Filled with experts, the department boasted dozens of War Gods as its pillars, and its strength was unfathomable. In fact, the Martial Department of Saultrouge Kingdom ranked among the top five forces across Kyushu. Although this middle-aged man was only an eighth-grade Warlord within the department and not part of the core leadership, he was still someone no ordinary family could afford to offend. After all, he represented the Martial Department of Saultrouge Kingdom. When Haldis saw the middle-aged man, his face lit up with joy and cried out loudly for help, "Senior, save me! This kid is trying to destroy our Fox family! Capture him!" The middle-aged man was none other than Haldis' senior, Arvandus. Arvandus was the sole disciple of Alessio, the ancestor of the Fox family. He had grown up in the Fox family and possessed exceptional martial talent. By his early forties, he had reached the eighth grade as a martial artist and later joined the Martial Department of Saultrouge Kingdom, becoming a Warlord in the Sheyton Province branch. He commanded over ten thousand martial artists and held immense power. The rapid rise of the Fox family in recent years and their dominance in Eastern City were closely tied to Arvandus. As Arvandus surveyed the scene, his face darkened when he saw the Fox family members in a pitiful state. Having grown up with deep ties to the family, the sight of heavy casualties filled him with a murderous aura. He glared at Ruxley and shouted coldly, "You brat! How dare you murder in broad daylight? You're utterly reckless! Surrender immediately!" "Surrender?" Ruxley stood with his hands behind his back, his expression indifferent as he looked at Arvandus. "With just you?" Forget a mere Warlord— even if the Minister of the Martial Department of Saultrouge Kingdom himself came, he wouldn't have the authority to make Ruxley surrender! Enraged, Arvandus shouted, "How dare you! You dare provoke a Warlord! Flying Swallow Army, seize this criminal immediately!" "Yes, sir!" At Arvandus' command, dozens of martial artists surrounded Ruxley. These martial artists were the famous Flying Swallow Army of the Martial Department of Saultrouge Kingdom. Each one was a battle-hardened elite, with the weakest being a sixth-grade martial artist. Several seventh-grade Commander-level martial artists were among them, making them far superior to the ragtag group of the Fox family. When the families of Eastern City saw Ruxley surrounded by the Flying Swallow Army, they immediately displayed smiles of schadenfreude. "Haha, this kid is dead for sure!" "Yeah! I didn't expect the Fox family to have such a powerful backer!" "With this Warlord supporting them, the Fox family will likely become even more unbeatable in Eastern City!" On the side, Tarragon and his daughter saw this scene and couldn't help but turn pale, worry flashing in their eyes. Even though they knew Ruxley was powerful, the opponent was a Warlord from the Martial Department of Saultrouge Kingdom, backed by the entire department. Could Ruxley really win this time? Unease crept into their hearts. If Ruxley lost today, the Heulos family would become the laughingstock of Eastern City. Not far away, Vanesse, watching Ruxley trapped in the encirclement, displayed a cold smile. "Ruxley, I'd like to see how you'll turn the tables this time." As the eldest daughter of The Cole family, she knew Arvandus well. Arvandus was a rising star in the Martial Department of Saultrouge Kingdom, with exceptional talent and a promising future. If Ruxley hadn't refused her help earlier, she might have stepped in to plead on his behalf. But now, Ruxley would have to fend for himself. Ruxley, with his hands behind his back, glanced around at the Flying Swallow Army surrounding him, a playful smile on his face. "What's this? Are we competing on who has more people? Well, let's see who's really stronger today!" As soon as he finished speaking, a figure suddenly appeared beside him and kicked away a member of the Flying Swallow Army who had tried to attack Ruxley. "Hmph, a bunch of nobodies dare lay a hand on our Lord? They're asking for death!" The crowd was stunned, their faces full of disbelief. "Theoleon? How... how could he be here?" They couldn't believe this renowned figure from Sheyton Province would appear there. However, the shock didn't end there. After Theoleon appeared, Lixen and Arius followed closely behind. Then, over a hundred black-clad warriors emerged one after another from around the villa, surrounding Arvandus and his men. These warriors had cold gazes and exuded a terrifying aura, like a group of Shura from hell, sending chills down everyone's spine. They were none other than the warriors of the Shura Palace led by Igneel. When the members of the Flying Swallow Army saw Igneel and his men, their faces turned pale, and a look of fear flashed in their eyes. They were seasoned soldiers, but they couldn't muster any courage in the face of these Shura Palace warriors. It was too terrifying! The Fox family members, including Haldis, were already paralyzed with fear, collapsing to the ground. Even Arvandus, the Warlord, was trembling. His body shook slightly, and his mind reeled with shock. Although he didn't know Theoleon and the others, he could sense an incredibly terrifying aura emanating from them. It was an aura he had only ever felt from one person—the highest-ranking official of the Sheyton Province branch of the Martial Department, Felix Smith. However, Felix was a renowned War God. Could it be that Theoleon and the others were also War God-level powerhouses? At the thought of this, Arvandus' mind went blank, and his heart filled with overwhelming terror. It wasn't just Arvandus who was shocked. Even Vanesse, who stood not far away, was utterly stunned. Arvandus might not know Theoleon and the others well, but Vanesse certainly did. Theoleon, Arius, and Lixen were the most mysterious and powerful figures in Sheyton Province. Over the past year, they had swept through the entire province, establishing an incredibly powerful force. Many families in Sheyton Province had tried to secretly challenge Theoleon's forces but ended up battered and bruised, suffering heavy losses. Even Vanesse's father had once warned her never to provoke Theoleon and his companions. This showed just how terrifying they were. Vanesse never dreamed that Theoleon and the others would be under Ruxley's command. Who... exactly was he?