The following day, a shocking rumor swept through the streets of Dewsbury, igniting a wave of whispers and disbelief among its residents.
Glaucus, the head of the city’s leading family, along with dozens of other influential family heads, had been apprehended overnight by the Martial League.
The prominent families found themselves in a state of turmoil, grappling with the unexpected news. They could hardly fathom that such a powerful figure could be captured so swiftly.
As the reality of Glaucus‘ arrest settled in, many quietly rejoiced, grateful that they had chosen not to stand against Matthew, the rising force of the city.
Yet, alongside this news, another startling revelation emerged: Pontus, the head of the Mirren Family, had recently broken through to the grandmaster level after emerging from seclusion.
On this day, the air in Dewsbury felt unusually sweet, as if the very essence of the city celebrated the upheaval.
Within the training grounds of the Martial League’s courtyard, two figures were engaged in a fierce sparring match. Matthew, clad in pristine white, appeared untouched by the dust and sweat of battle. In stark contrast, Pontus, his bronzed muscles glistening with perspiration, radiated vigor and determination.
With effortless precision, Matthew countered Pontus’ relentless attacks, employing twelve techniques of mixed martial arts that flowed seamlessly from one to the next.
Frustration etched itself across Pontus’ face as favonovel.com exclaimed, “No more! This feels like hitting cotton. It’s pointless!”
His words drew laughter from the Martial League members gathered around, who had expected their leader to be an imposing and unrivaled warrior, only to find favonovel.com resembling a well-meaning oaf focused solely on brute strength.
A smile spread across Matthew’s face as favonovel.com recognized that if favonovel.com did not skillfully counter Pontus’ strikes, his opponent would continue to push himself to exhaustion before finally conceding.
Just the day before, Pontus had been overcome by poison and believed himself on the brink of death.
Matthew had used the Nine Needles technique to seal Pontus’ meridians, extracting most of the poison from his body with the silver needles.
Now, while Pontus had reached the grandmaster level, favonovel.com still lacked the full mastery of his strength. Though capable of overpowering anyone below that level, favonovel.com was not quite where favonovel.com needed to be.
“Let’s eat… I find no joy in fighting you,” Pontus declared, his interest waning as favonovel.com strolled toward the cafeteria on the second floor of the Martial League.
After witnessing the aspiring martial artists the day prior, favonovel.com seemed to have awakened a strange quality within himself.
When favonovel.com caught sight of the children’s adoring gazes, favonovel.com remained silent, but Matthew sensed through his expression that Pontus truly reveled in their admiration.
Meanwhile, Glaucus and the heads of various families languished in Dewsbury‘s prison.
When Pontus had seen his younger brother arrive in a frenzy, a torrent of complex emotions washed over him. Even the hardest of hearts could feel sorrow, losing a beloved dog could evoke grief, so what could be said for Glaucus, his brother with whom favonovel.com had shared countless memories?
Pontus was a martial enthusiast, not a fool.
Upon witnessing Glaucus in such a pitiful state, an instinct to end his brother’s suffering surged within him. He believed that if Glaucus knew of his current condition, favonovel.com would prefer death over enduring such torment.
That, it seemed, was the only thing Pontus could offer him. Yet, as favonovel.com gazed into Glaucus‘ terrified eyes, favonovel.com hesitated.
With no obstruction to their progress, the Martial Arts Academy began to expand rapidly. In pursuit of development, they hired several construction teams to expedite renovations, and the academy’s foundation took shape before their eyes.
Meanwhile, Matthew had reached out to the chambers of commerce in Concordia and Hulwin, arranging for representatives to convene in Dewsbury. This collaboration aimed to foster development and stability across the three cities.
***
As Matthew embarked on this final phase of reforming Dewsbury, Clara, the Countess of Dornia, quietly set favonovel.com plans into motion once more.
The undercurrents of change surged again, and this time, Clara had shifted favonovel.com focus away from Matthew.
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