Chapter 1041: Gamble of President William
Because of this, he had organized the guild’s forces into squads of ten, ensuring that each group had enough strength to withstand unforeseen dangers and protect one another when threats became overwhelming.
As he hovered there, his thoughts momentarily deep in reflection, two powerful auras entered the area. Razel and the Old Saintess appeared before him, their figures rising steadily until they floated at his level.
The Old Saintess studied him quietly for a moment before speaking. "Are you going to fight the twin demons?" Her tone was calm, but her eyes carried the weight of worry.
Max nodded once. His crimson gaze was unwavering, his resolve already set.
Razel, however, smiled faintly. "Then let us go together. We will stand by your side." His tone carried both pride and conviction, the loyalty of one who had witnessed Max transform the fate of their entire guild.
Max’s eyes swept across the two of them, and though his face remained firm, there was a flicker of acknowledgment in his expression. He did not reject their offer.
Without further words, he turned toward the horizon. His wings of crimson fire unfolded, releasing a surge of power that shook the air. With a single motion, his figure shot forward like a streak of red light, leaving the inheritance tower behind.
Razel and the Old Saintess followed closely, their own auras cutting through the sky as they matched his speed. Together, the three of them left the Balerog Region and set their course toward the Black Rock Region, where destiny awaited and the battle against the twin demons would soon begin.
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It had been seven days since the announcement spread across the entire Middle Domain that Max had accepted the challenge of the twin demons.
Before the announcement, people were divided in their expectations. Many doubted whether Max would step forward at all. The destruction of Valora Continent had shaken everyone to their core, and although Max had the reputation of being the human with the strongest potential, no one would have blamed him if he had refused.
The strength of the twin demons was too overwhelming, and their long history as peak Mythic Rank experts made them terrifying adversaries. If Max had chosen to wait, it would have been seen as the logical decision of someone with a long path ahead of him.
Yet the announcement came. Max had accepted the challenge, and the news spread like wildfire, shaking the Middle Domain with shock and excitement.
For many humans, it was a spark of hope. The past weeks had been filled with fear and oppression under the growing dominance of the demon race. Cities had been attacked, guilds had fallen, and people had been slaughtered. The declaration that Max would face the twin demons was like a torch in the darkness, igniting passion and belief in the human race.
Everywhere, people spoke of him with pride, and their blood boiled with anticipation. They wanted to see the genius who carried the greatest potential of their world crush the arrogance of the demons. They wanted to watch him stand on behalf of the human race and return the humiliation the demons had inflicted.
In the taverns and streets of great cities, experts shouted Max’s name, placing their hopes on his shoulders. Merchants and scholars spoke of him as the one who might change the course of the war. Young members dreamed of fighting with the same courage and conviction. For the first time in weeks, the humans of the Middle Domain felt unity born not out of fear, but out of hope.
However, not everyone shared the excitement. Among guild leaders, elders, and experienced experts, there were many who thought Max had acted recklessly. They pointed out that he was too young and that no matter how strong his talent was, the gap between him and peak Mythic Rank experts was far too vast.
To them, this was not courage but recklessness born from grief and revenge. They believed his heart had been clouded by the destruction of Valora Continent and that his thirst for vengeance had led him to make this choice without thinking of the consequences.
These voices argued that Max should have gone into seclusion, cultivated further, and stepped into Mythic Rank himself before taking on such a battle. They reasoned that time was on his side and that his potential was limitless.
To them, he needed only patience, because if he grew to his full power, no demon would be able to stand before him. What they feared was that by rushing into this confrontation, humanity’s brightest hope would extinguish too soon, leaving the race weaker than before.
The Middle Domain waited with bated breath, torn between excitement and fear, unity and doubt. All eyes were fixed on the day the battle would take place.
Regardless of the arguments and doubts, the entire Middle Domain was waiting for the battle with unshakable anticipation. The Hunter Association had taken on the responsibility of broadcasting the fight through the extranet so that it would be witnessed across the entire world. No corner of the human territories would be untouched by what was about to happen.
President William had been the one to make that decision. He understood better than most that morale was as important as numbers in this war. The human race had been losing ground and losing faith ever since the demons began their ruthless campaign, and the destruction of Valora Continent had nearly crushed the collective spirit of humanity. To raise them up again, something dramatic and symbolic was needed. In his eyes, Max could become that symbol.
William was not blind to the dangers of such a choice. He knew very well that the chances of Max defeating the twin demons were slim. They were not ordinary adversaries but peak Mythic Rank experts who had cultivated for more than a thousand years.
Even the most accomplished elders of the Middle Domain would not dare to confront them openly. Yet William chose to gamble everything on Max.
What gave him the courage to do so was his understanding of Max’s character. He knew that Max was not reckless by nature. In the time he had observed him, Max had shown extraordinary patience and intelligence, making decisions that defied his age. However, William also knew that Max was consumed by revenge.
The destruction of his homeland and the loss of countless lives had left wounds that could not be ignored, and in that state Max would not weigh strength carefully. He would fight the twin demons regardless of their power, because for him the battle was not about logic but about justice and vengeance.
The risk of this decision loomed heavily in William’s mind. If Max were to lose in front of the entire world, the consequences would be disastrous. The number one genius of the human race, the one who carried the greatest potential ever seen, would be humiliated and defeated.
The image of his fall would spread across the extranet and lodge itself into the hearts of millions. The fragile hope that humanity clung to would shatter, and despair would spread faster than any enemy army. If that happened, William feared it would change the outcome of the entire war.
And yet he persisted, because the other side of the gamble was equally powerful. If Max were to succeed, if he defeated the twin demons who had brought so much destruction, the effect on morale would be immeasurable. Humanity would rise together, inspired by one man’s triumph. The tide of the war could shift not through numbers or weapons, but through hope reborn.
That was the gamble President William had chosen. To risk despair in order to reach for inspiration. The entire world would watch, and Max’s battle against the twin demons would decide not only his fate but the spirit of an entire race.