But Max, who had been silently observing the unfolding chaos, allowed himself a small, quiet smile, his eyes softening just a fraction as he looked at Derek, Gayle, and Rose, feeling a warmth of gratitude flicker in his chest because, although he had counted on Gayle and Rose speaking the truth, Derek’s unexpected defense gave him an additional layer of protection and made him feel less alone in the swirling storm.
At that precise mont, Emperor Hers’ voice exploded through the air like a thunderclap, sharp and powerful, cutting through the rising tension as he barked, "Thunder Lord! Tower Lord Mathew! What is the aning of this?!"
His gaze was hard as steel as it swept across the Thunder Monarch Hall and Void Soul Tower leaders, his regal presence radiating an overwhelming authority, for he clearly saw the precarious state of the situation, where three witnesses swore that Max had committed murder while the other three equally firmly denied it, leaving the entire matter hanging in a cloud of confusion and suspicion with no solid proof on either side.
Guild Master Orion, ever the one to seize an opportunity, threw his head back and laughed loudly, his voice rich and mocking as he added, "Thunder Lord, Tower Lord Mathew, if your goal was to accuse, embarrass, and humiliate the Great Ruler Empire, you should co up with better thods than this childish farce!"
His laughter rolled over the crowd, drawing a mixture of shocked gasps and stifled chuckles from those watching the spectacle unfold, while the two accused lords found themselves montarily speechless.
Tower Lord Mathew and Thunder Lord exchanged a glance heavy with silent fury, their faces darkening as they realized that, regardless of what they believed had truly happened, without solid evidence, their accusations were rapidly unraveling before the eyes of every force in the Middle Domain, making them appear either incompetent or vindictive.
Tower Lord Mathew seethed, his teeth grinding as he cursed silently, ’Damn this boy is too clever, damn!’ His fingers twitched as if aching to summon his power and strike Max down on the spot, the urge to crush this infuriating obstacle nearly overwhelming him.
But before he could act, the Third Elder of the Void Soul Tower suddenly erupted in a fresh wave of rage, her eyes wide and almost wild as she pointed a trembling finger at Gayle, Rose, and Derek, her voice high and shrill as she scread, "You all! How dare you stand here and lie?! How dare you?! You yourselves saw Max burn my June to ashes with black flas—you saw it with your own eyes! How can you stand there and say nothing of the sort happened?!"
And with a surge of her spiritual power, a crushing wave of Divine Rank pressure exploded outward from her body, rolling across the sky like a tidal wave of invisible force, slamming into Gayle, Rose, and Derek so hard that their faces instantly turned deathly pale, their eyes widening with shock and pain as their knees began to bend beneath the weight, trembling violently while sweat beaded across their foreheads and their breaths ca in ragged gasps, struggling to remain upright under the rciless weight of her power as the crowd watched, horrified and silent, the air itself seeming to shiver with the threat of violence hanging just a hair’s breadth away from erupting into chaos.
"Enough!" A voice, deep and slicing through the tension like the sharpest blade, bood out over the gathering, and in the sa instant, a wave of imnse yet controlled pressure swept across the sky, washing over the crowd and crashing into the overwhelming force emanating from the Third Elder of the Void Soul Tower, dispersing it instantly like mist blown away by a hurricane.
As the suffocating weight lifted, Gayle, Rose, and Derek gasped in relief, the color returning to their faces as they straightened, though sweat still glistened on their brows from the lingering strain.
The one who had spoken was none other than Palace Master Magnus, the master of the Absolute Sword Palace, his stern face etched with cold displeasure as his sharp eyes blazed with righteous authority, and his re presence seed to draw invisible lines of order back into the chaotic air as silence settled once more over the assembled forces.
A mocking sound broke that silence a heartbeat later, as Max’s voice rang out, strong and clear, echoing across the sky for all to hear, "Tsk, tsk... the Void Soul Tower is truly shaless, willing to use any thod—even threatening juniors—to try and force them to change their testimony."
His words cracked like a whip, drawing sharp gasps and scattered murmurs from the surrounding experts, while several elders and younger disciples exchanged uneasy glances, startled at how boldly Max dared speak against a mighty overlord force.
Max turned then, his eyes cool and unwavering, sweeping his gaze across Tower Lord Mathew, Thunder Lord, Palace Master Magnus, and all the other gathered leaders, his voice steady and calm as he continued, "If there is no proof that I killed a 3-star genius and a Heaven Grade genius, then please stop accusing of things I did not do."
And as he spoke, a sudden surge of power radiated outward from his body, his aura blooming into view for all to feel, revealing itself with crisp, undeniable clarity—it was the aura of soone in the 8th level of Master Rank, solid and steady but nowhere near the crushing might of the Legend Rank that everyone had assud.
He held it there deliberately, letting it wash over the stunned crowd, as he added coolly, "As you can all see for yourselves, I am nothing but a humble 8th-level Master Rank expert, a re 1-star genius of the Great Ruler Empire. Forget about killing a Heaven Grade genius or a 3-star genius—even a 2-star genius could stomp to death without breaking a sweat."
His words, though calm and lightly spoken, carried a sharp edge of defiance and unveiled sarcasm, as though he were mocking the absurdity of the accusations leveled against him.
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