Vitus had never been threatened by a newcomer like this before. However, he had witnessed the entire event and knew the masked man had initiated the deadly attack. Moreover, all the onlookers were sharp-eyed and clear-minded. If he didn't allow the newcomer to back down, it would greatly damage morale.
With this thought, Vitus, holding the masked man, flickered to appear before the deceased Puppet Master and kicked his legs.
"Kneel and reflect well, otherwise, I cannot protect you. After all, starting today, with the new king's ascension, you cannot bear the wrath of the four kings!"
Vitus deliberately amplified his voice with these words. Upon hearing them, Ren Yuanhao withdrew his special ability.
Jello also immediately withdrew his special ability.
As the two powers canceled each other out, the dim sky instantly brightened. The might of the elemental special abilities was enough to leave a profound impression on all the spectators.
"Very good, the new king ascends, let the celebratory cannons sound!"
As soon as Vitus finished speaking, the prepared celebratory cannons finally roared into the sky.
Ren Yuanhao had achieved his desired outcome. Was there a better time to cease his actions?
"Kid, I'll remember you. Next time, we'll have a fair duel."
"Anytime."
Jello let out a cold snort and rapidly retreated.
Rossith slowly walked up to Ren Yuanhao and handed him the S-rank Gray Wolf badge. "Kid, oh no, I should call you the Fourth King now. See you in the S-region."
The onlookers immediately prostrated themselves on the ground. Some who had previously mocked Ren Yuanhao were now terrified. Ren Yuanhao, however, clearly did not dislike the scene and appeared somewhat flustered and embarrassed.
"Kid, you've hidden yourself quite deeply. But I don't fear telling you, even if you're the Fourth King, I won't give up Yafeier easily."
A sharp glint flashed across Vitus's chiseled face, as if he intended to show Ren Yuanhao no respect.
But his lack of respect was meaningless. Yafeier had previously had to give face to the Second King due to his prestige, but now, her beloved was already the renowned Fourth King!
Yafeier, extremely excited, leaped over the stage to Ren Yuanhao's side. Seemingly unaffected by the Second King's presence, she affectionately linked her arm with Ren Yuanhao's.
"Second King, I'm sorry, it seems the outcome is clear. Do you still want to fight me for it?"
Ren Yuanhao had become famous in one battle, his presence unmatched. Even the title of Second King was less impactful than the Fourth King. With this shift in momentum, the Second King, Vitus, didn't want to trouble the new king too much, as the S-rank region's days were still long.
Vitus let out a cold snort and left in anger, already plotting strategies against Ren Yuanhao in his mind.
After all, Yafeier was his intended prize, and no one, not even the King of Heaven, could change that.
...
As the sky gradually darkened, the entire A-rank region filled with feasting and conversation. Everyone was discussing the day's battle.
And that newcomer, Ren Yuanhao, naturally became the topic of discussion.
"Do you think that guy was so low-key at first because he had already decided to enter the S-rank region?"
"Do you think a man like that would have the same aspirations as us, just drifting through life?"
"I said it long ago, such an arrogant man would never settle for the status quo. I had already anticipated this."
As the last person finished speaking, he was immediately hit on the head by a man carrying beer from behind.
"Come on, you said before that a guy like that would never survive three seconds in a TV drama, and now you're acting like a sycophant."
At this, the man's true colors were revealed, drawing hearty laughter from everyone.
Meanwhile, Ren Yuanhao was also sitting among them, though his face was completely hidden by his mask.
"Hey, you've gone from being the Rookie King to the Eighth King of S-rank. How does it feel?" Yafeier was also masked, but sometimes found drinking inconvenient and would discreetly remove her mask.
Ren Yuanhao swirled the clear wine in his cup. "No particular feelings. It's just a stepping stone to achieving my goal."
"Now, can you finally tell me what your plan is?"
Yafeier's eyes shone with an intimidating brilliance. If it were in the past, Ren Yuanhao might have told her, but after the incident with Mu Ziyue, he felt it was better to be cautious about some things. After all, one never truly knows another's heart, and the depths of human nature are unpredictable.
"Forget it, I don't really care. You promised to take me away, and nothing else matters." Yafeier remained very happy, as she didn't have to marry a stuffy guy like Vitus, and someone had promised to take her away!
She seemed to be envisioning the future, the unfulfilled dreams she could now pursue. The birch forest, the bridge she had always been afraid to cross, the playful laughter of children—these things, these images, suddenly felt very close to her.
Within reach, almost tangible.
Ren Yuanhao nodded, but another problem troubled him. "But, what if your grandfather refuses to leave?"
At this, Yafeier gestured for Ren Yuanhao to lean closer. Ren Yuanhao naturally complied. Yafeier then said, "Grandfather actually wants to destroy the data and halt this research, but he's never found a way to completely erase the terminal data. After all, he's only an expert in biology and the human body; when it comes to computers, he's a complete novice."
Upon hearing this, Ren Yuanhao felt a surge of joy, but for some reason, he suddenly felt a chilling fear, as if someone had seen through everything, a prickling sensation on his back.
Ren Yuanhao offered no comment, merely replying, "If he does that, he probably never considered a safe escape, did he?"
"Why not? I can convince him, don't worry."
Yafeier said with conviction, but such an answer felt completely unrealistic to Ren Yuanhao. After all, the Mandara gene could change a person, and the one researching it had likely already gone mad.
Even if Dr. Leviya still possessed humanity, it was absolutely dependent on Yafeier. The claim of wanting to destroy the gene data, Ren Yuanhao felt, was merely an excuse—a noble excuse, an excuse to make himself appear incredibly noble in Yafeier's eyes.
So, what was this old fox truly planning?
As Ren Yuanhao pondered this, he suddenly felt as though the S-rank region was a colossal vortex. Although there were few people within it, each person was a minuscule vortex, possessing their own thoughts and desires. As these thoughts and desires grew, that minuscule vortex would take shape!