Chapter 418: Facing Sand [1] Killing someone in the dojo with witnesses like that, people who had already proven they’d betray others to save themselves, was bound to get him into legal trouble he absolutely didn’t want or need. Police investigations, court proceedings, and various other troubles. Naturally, Noah was confident enough to be able to escape from the police, but he didn’t want to be an outcast or fugitive, constantly running around escaping. He wanted a peaceful life on earth; his life in the other world was already hectic as it is. None of that was acceptable. Noah forced his breathing to steady, pushing down the murderous impulses through sheer willpower and the mental control his massive intelligence attribute provided. When he spoke, his voice was cold and controlled, containing none of the volcanic rage simmering beneath. "Who are you?" The stranger’s grin widened with obvious amusement at Noah’s attempt at restraint. He clearly recognised the subtle killing intent radiating from the younger man and found it entertaining rather than threatening. "Why don’t you find out?" he replied mockingly, releasing his casual stance to stand more openly, as if inviting Noah to try something. Noah looked at him, then deliberately scanned the other students in the dojo again—making eye contact with those who flinched guiltily, making sure they understood he knew exactly what had happened here—then came to a decision. "Follow me," Noah said flatly, his tone brooking no argument. "Let’s talk somewhere else." The stranger’s eyebrows raised slightly with interest. "Oh? You want privacy for our conversation?" His smile took on a predatory quality. "How considerate of you." The man seemed genuinely delighted by Noah’s lack of response. "Sure," he agreed easily, his body language showing zero concern about following Noah anywhere. "Lead the way, champion. I’m curious to see what the sword prodigy can actually do outside a tournament ring." Noah turned without another word and walked back toward the entrance, every muscle in his body coiled and ready despite his outwardly calm appearance. He was acutely aware of the stranger following behind him—close enough to attack if he chose, confident enough in his abilities that he clearly didn’t consider Noah a serious threat. As they exited the dojo and stepped into the parking lot, Noah’s mind was already calculating. He needed somewhere isolated enough that violence wouldn’t attract immediate attention. The abandoned warehouse district about ten minutes away would work perfectly. Plenty of empty buildings, no security cameras, no regular foot traffic. "Follow me in your car, or do you not have one?" The stranger laughed genuinely at that, clearly enjoying himself. "I like you, champion. Most people would be begging for mercy or trying to negotiate by now. But you? You’re planning my murder in broad daylight." He walked toward a sleek black Cadillac parked nearby. "This should be entertaining." Noah got into his GTR without argument, his mind coldly calculating as he started the engine. The stranger—whoever he was—clearly had his own transportation and enough confidence to turn this into a convoy rather than putting himself at Noah’s mercy in an enclosed vehicle. That suggested either supreme arrogance or genuine capability that justified such confidence. Noah would find out which soon enough. He drove toward the abandoned warehouse district on the city’s industrial outskirts, his eyes cold and focused as he navigated through traffic. The GTR’s engine roared as he zoomed past other cars with aggressive precision, not bothering to hide his impatience or the violent intent driving him forward. The black Cadillac followed smoothly. The driver, Sand, handled the luxury vehicle with the competence of someone accustomed to high-speed pursuits or evasive driving. They reached the warehouse district within ten minutes, the urban decay evident in crumbling concrete, rusted metal, and buildings that had been abandoned for years after manufacturing jobs fled overseas. He parked in front of a particularly isolated warehouse, its loading dock doors hanging partially open and covered in graffiti. Getting out of his GTR, Noah walked directly to the main entrance—a heavy industrial door that would typically require significant force to move. Without hesitation or visible effort, Noah simply grabbed the door’s handle and flung it open with one hand. The metal groaned in protest as years of rust and accumulated grime were overcome by his overwhelming strength. The door swung wide as if it weighed nothing, revealing the dark interior beyond. Sand’s face remained completely normal as he witnessed this casual display of superhuman power, as if watching someone throw open a door that would challenge five normal men didn’t matter to him at all. Noah stepped inside the warehouse, his eyes adjusting instantly to the dim light filtering through broken windows and gaps in the roof. The space was exactly what he’d expected—dusty, smelling of decay and stagnant air, with concrete floors and a few abandoned wooden crates that hadn’t been worth moving when the building was vacated. Quite open with plenty of room for combat, and isolated enough that screams wouldn’t attract attention. Sand followed him in calmly, closing the door behind them with a casual push that demonstrated his own considerable strength. The heavy metal swung shut with a resounding clang that echoed through the empty warehouse. They stood facing each other across twenty feet of open floor space, the warehouse’s abandonment creating an arena that felt simultaneously too large and claustrophobically enclosed. Noah broke the silence first, his voice cold and controlled despite the fury still simmering beneath the surface. "You’re related to Kenzo somehow, aren’t you?" Noah stated rather than asked, the pieces falling into place. "You’re the only people who would resort to such foul tactics—torturing an old man to find me, threatening his students, beating them when they tried to protect him." Sand’s face brightened with genuine pleasure at being recognised, his smile widening. "Foul? Not so much. I wanted to find you, and that was the fastest method available. Besides..." His tone shifted to contemptuous dismissal. "Someone of your stature, why would you even care about some nobodies?