The Monarch

Chapter 160: Marriage offer

Kayden just needed to draw the nature path and it would do the rest. It was practically high school physics in his past life applied using mana. Unfortunately, this technique required him to predict where his opponent would be, as it took a few seconds to land.

The boy tested the new techniques in the coliseum and the results surprised him. Even with the obstacles of Zeus’ lightning, Kayden managed to place his opponents exactly where he wanted, at least the majority of them who didn’t have much combat experience.

But those in the top 100 and below were experienced, it was almost a dividing line. Kayden had few fights in this range of opponents, mainly because of his lack of time.

At the moment, Kayden was facing the number 84-ranked player. His fight was based on strong attacks masked by a mist. He wasn’t a difficult opponent, but his specialization in hiding and sneak attacking was extremely boring.

Unfortunately for him, Kayden had a spiritual sense capable of detecting every movement around him. Even if his opponent was invisible, he could still know where to attack.

At the moment, the two were in a stalemate. Kayden couldn’t brazenly advance because of the amount of traps laid out in the mist. His spiritual sense was detecting dozens scattered throughout the environment.

His speed allowed him to escape them, but the problem was that his spiritual sense could not keep up with his speed. That’s why the boy had been facing the same person since he arrived at the Coliseum.

His deal with his opponent was simple: while he trained his spiritual sense, the opponent trained his ability to hide and improve his fighting style. Kayden’s greatest difficulty was maintaining his spiritual sense while on the move.

It felt like his body was losing all feeling and direction. There was no longer left or right, front or coast. It was just a cluster of tactile sensations spread in all directions.

Fortunately, for every fight he faced, his ability to deal with the enormous amount of information and at the same time keep the spell active improved. For a split second, Kayden felt his opponent to his right.

Taking momentum, he rushed at his opponent. He quickly dodged three explosive traps planted in the ground. His attention was so focused on the traps that he almost couldn’t dodge the dagger attack coming towards him.

By just a few millimeters, he missed having his neck slit. Fortunately, his reflexes were freakishly fast. Taking advantage of the remaining strength he used when dodging, the boy threw a diagonal strike.

His attack was masterfully deflected by the opponent with a star behind him. Bizarre things like this became common for Kayden after facing this opponent for more than a few rounds.

Without feeling any traps ready, he just rushed at the opponent without wasting any time. His strength and speed were superior in direct combat, so he didn’t need to worry about being defensive.

The boy feigned a feint to the right and cut fiercely diagonally to the left. His speed was too much for the opponent to handle and his only defense was holding the daggers crossed across his chest.

The force of the impact threw him backward and Kayden continued to follow him. Kayden’s spike spell hit the boy in that little exchange and froze his movements long enough for Kayden to deliver an attack that would have split the boy in two if the referee hadn’t stopped the fight.

"Thanks for the fights," Kayden didn’t forget to show a friendly attitude. You never know when he will need to recruit more people and all doors must be open.

"I appreciate the opportunity to face a marquis", the teenager was equally respectful, perhaps a little more, but it was normal considering the noble hierarchy.

Kayden met with Linus and Isaac outside the coliseum. The two boys also fought a lot in the last few days and still barely managed to reach the two-hundredth position.

Considering that they were the top ten thousand freshmen in the country, this position was quite significant. However, within the academy, there was only a division between strong and weak. Being the best in the country meant absolutely nothing there.

"We’re eating on the second floor today," Kayden commented, looking forward to the meal. The second floor was only magical beast meats, and most students had to be careful not to eat too much and suffer from mana poisoning, but for Kayden, this was nothing more than child’s play.

Halfway there they met up with Sarah and Heimer, it had been a while since Kayden had spoken to either of them, all his useful time was used in training and cultivation, and not even a minute was left for leisure.

"Eighth rank? Have you advanced?" The first to notice was Sarah, Linus and Isaac weren’t even aware of Kayden’s advance, while Heimer just remained more reserved.

"I had a lucky break," Kayden remained humble as ever. "Where are you, Sarah?" Her next question changed his focus, this was a doubt that the other three also had, but Sarah never revealed anything.

"Seventh rank of the wizard realm", surprising everyone she replied to Kayden with confidence and pride, but all these emotions withered when she saw that not even a glimpse of recognition or shock passed through Kayden’s eyes.

"Since when did you jump the barrier of the seventh rank?" Heimer asked in an exasperated manner. "As?" His only response was a smile from Sarah and her usual characteristic phrase.

"Try for yourself or it won’t be your achievement", at the apprentice level the rank barriers were not so strong, but in the next realms every three levels the cultivator must face a real battle to advance.

After a few minutes everyone was arranged at the table eating normally, well... at least most of them, Kayden looked like he had just faced the Roman Empire alone and ate enough for a family to spend the weekend.

The meal was going smoothly when the group was approached by a girl with white hair and completely black eyes, matching her look and wearing a beautiful black dress that highlighted her slender and proportionate body.

"Hello, Marquis Kayden", the boy had recognized Agatha from afar but waited for the girl to speak first. "Can we have a private conversation?" The girl was the daughter of an earl and still owed Kayden a favor, so the boy responded in a friendly manner.

"Can we, what topic do you want to discuss?" The boy started to get up from the table and froze in the middle at the answer.

"Marriage," the girl saw Kayden pause and continued before he dismissed her. "First listen, I guarantee it will interest you", the boy decided to give it a chance even though he was almost certain he would refuse.

"Sorry guys, I’m going to have to leave you early," Kayden got up from the table.

"Why do you waste time listening to the offer of a mere family of counts?" Sarah’s voice surprised everyone, normally the girl was quiet and polite, Linus had never seen her being rude before.

Agatha couldn’t even retort, the difference in strength between the two families was simply too great, one wrong word and she could decree the end of her family, just for offending a superior noble.